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Google Pixel 2 Now Available for Rs. 41,999

Google Pixel 2, the flagship smartphone from Google is one of the best photogenic smartphones in the market. In fact, It scores perfect 100 points on DxOMark. The Pixel 2 was originally launched for Rs. 61,000, which is now available for just Rs. 41,999. If you are looking for a smartphone with flagship level processing, faster OS updates and best-smartphone camera, then Pixel 2 is the to consider.

How to get Google Pixel 2 for Rs. 41,999?

Due to unimpressive sales number, the phones retail price was brought down to Rs. 49,999. Now, with flat Rs. 8,000 cashback from Citibank, the final price comes down to Rs. 41,999. The cashback is applicable to all the Citibank cardholders.

This offer is applicable only on Flipkart, which is the authorised online reseller for the Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL.

Login to Flipkart, add Pixel 2 to card, check-out and make payment using Citibank card. This deal is applicable for EMI plan as well

One has to make a complete payment of Rs. 49,999. The cash back will be credited back to user’s account in next 90 days.

Specifications:

The Google Pixel 2 comes with a 5.0-inch 1080p pOLED display, protected by 2.5D curved tempered glass on the top. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, 2.4GHz octa-core processor, Adreno 540, 4GB RAM and 64GB/128GB onboard storage. The two-tone colour of the phone is also reminiscent of the original Pixel from 2016.

The two-tone colour of the phone is also reminiscent of the original Pixel from 2016, which runs on Android Oreo 8.1. As is with every Google phone, the new Pixel 2 will be first in line to receive Android P update in 2018. The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device but, this time around the “glass window” is smaller.

This year, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL use a technology called “dual-pixel” which divides every pixel into two. Google has decided to go for a single camera setup similar to last year’s Pixel phones. The rear-facing camera is a 12.2 MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and 1.4 micron pixel size. On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture.

Google has introduced new features in the camera department like the addition of AR. You’ll be able to add 3D characters and emoji into photos and videos and see them move around as you’re capturing the scene. That includes things like a sleepy coffee cup, but also some recognisable characters.

February 16, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S: Everything We Know So Far

Xiaomi is expected to launch the Mi Mix 2S at MWC 2018. A few weeks ago, the Mi Mix 2S looked like a fragment of someone’s imagination. Especially with the weird design and how the “notch” was being handled in the renders. However, the past couple of weeks have proved that the Mi Mix 2S is definitely real and could be launched very soon. While it was predicted to be launched before MWC, there has been no indication from the company and the MWC now seems like the ideal event for its launch.

The Mi Mix 2S seems more than just a revision of the Mi Mix 2. It will have a new design, an upgraded chipset and possibly, an in-display fingerprint sensor. So, with a few days to go for its launch, what do we know about the device so far?

Price

One of the mysterious aspects of the device is its price. So far, there has been no information leaked about the pricing of the phone. However, considering Xiaomi’s competitive pricing for all its devices, the Mi Mix 2S could be the cheapest smartphone running on Snapdragon 845 after MWC 2018. Devices like the Galaxy S9 and Sony Xperia XZ2 Pro will be priced much higher. The Mi Mix 2S is expected to be priced slightly higher than Mi Mix 2.

Mi Mix 2S Design Sketch

Display

As bezels get thinner, the average size of smartphone displays has become bigger. In 2016, 5.5 inch displays were the norm, however, tall aspect ratios mean most devices come with a 6 inch display. That is expected to be the case with the Mi Mix 2S as well. The device will have a 6 inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution. However, due to that notch on the top right corner, it might have an unusual resolution.

Under The Hood

The Mi Mix 2S was heavily touted to be the first ever Android device running on the Snapdragon 845 chipset. However, that won’t be the case but, it will be one of the first few devices on the market. Recently, an official banner ad of the Mi Mix 2S was leaked, and it revealed that the device will have 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage. In typical Xiaomi fashion, the storage won’t be expandable. This will be an upgrade over the Mi Mix 2, which has 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage in India.

The fingerprint sensor is largely expected to be placed on the back, however, the banner ad did not show a fingerprint sensor. To assume that the Mi Mix 2S could have an in-display fingerprint sensor might not be stretching it. The Mi Mix 2 did not have a headphone jack, and similarly, the Mi Mix 2S won’t have a headphone jack as well. Powering the device will be a 3400 mAh battery with support for QuickCharge 4.0+.

OS

So far, only the Xiaomi Mi A1 runs Android 8 Oreo. All other Xiaomi phones even the Mi Mix 2 runs Android 7 with MIUI 9 on top. There have been reports that claim the Mi Mix 2S will run Android 8 Oreo out of the box. This does make sense, and maybe after the launch of its 2018 flagship device, the company will start rolling out Android Oreo update for other devices as well.

2016 Mi Mix

The Mi Mix 2S will run MIUI 9 on top of Android 8 Oreo and will be one of the first in line to receive the MIUI X update. The trend of Face Unlock means the Mi Mix 2S might have a software implemented facial recognition, similar to the OnePlus 5T.

Camera

The smartphone cameras have gained importance over the years. Nowadays, camera performance can make or break a device. The Google Pixel and Pixel XL launched in 2016 did not have all the flagship features. However, they did have the best smartphone camera at that point, which papered over their other shortcomings. Xiaomi would want to launch a flagship device with great camera capabilities.

The Mi Mix 2S is expected to have a dual-camera setup on the back, a first for the Mix series. Leaks suggest that Xiaomi will use a Sony IMX363 sensor.

February 16, 2018
Samsung Notebook 9 (2018) And Notebook 7 Spin (2018) Goes On Sale On 18th February
Samsung Notebook 9 (2018), Notebook 9 Pen (2018), and Notebook 7 Spin (2018) will be available from 18th February in the US. These are the first set of Notebooks from Samsung features Intel’s 8th Gen (Quad-core) processor with Windows 10 operating system.

The Samsung Notebook line of notebooks designed to offer mobility with the aesthetically pleasing form factor. These notebooks weights less than 3 pounds, which lessens the burden on the user. When it comes to price to performance ratio, these notebooks balances both the aspects in a right proportion.

Pricing:

The entry-level Samsung Notebook 7 Spin is priced at $899.9, which makes it the most affordable model. The Samsung Notebook 9 (2018) with 13.3 inch retails for $1,199.9 and $1,299.9 (Core i5 and Core i7 model). The 15 inch model comes with Intel Core i7 processor (with a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GPU) for $1,499.9. Finally, the 15 inch model with Core i7 is available for $1,299.9. Finally, the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen (2018) with 13.3 inch screen retails for $1,399.9.

13.3-inch model and 15.0-inch model of Samsung Notebook 9 with Intel Core i7 processor retails for the same price tag.

Specifications:
- Samsung Notebook 9 comes in two different screen size (13.3 inch and 15.0-inch), featuring a 1080p Samsung RealView touch display. One can choose between Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor coupled with 8 GB LPDDR4 RAM and 256 GB SSD. The 15.0 inch model comes with a dedicated GPU Nvidia GeForce MX150 with 2 GB LPDDR5 memory. A special model named Notebook 9 Pen comes with an S-pen with a built-in IR-front-facing camera for facial recognition.
- Samsung Notebook 7 Spin offers 13.3-inch screen size with a 1080p resolution LED touch panel, powered by 8th Gen Intel Core i5 Processor.
Every model of Samsung Notebook offers fingerprint scanner with support for Windows Hello. In addition to that, the Notebooks offer full-sized USB 3.o port, HDMI port, 3.5 mm headphone jack and a USB type C thunderbolt port.
February 16, 2018
One Telugu Letter Can Crash Your iPhone Or iPad
A Telugu character is all over the internet, causing massive app-crash on iOS devices. Some users have reported, whenever they receive a message with the specific Telugu character, the app crashes and becomes unresponsive. The bug is affecting the iPhones and iPads running on iOS 11.2. However, if the iPhone/iPad runs on iOS 11.3, then your device will not be affected. So, if a user receives a text with the Telugu character on WhatsApp, iMessage, or Gmail the app goes unresponsive.

Apple has officially responded, stating that the company is working on a software update to fix the issue. So, we might expect an interim iOS update, which should patch the bug.

Apple has responded to iMore stating:

The bug has been patched on the beta version of iOS 11.3. Users will receive a software update very soon that patches the bug.

How to fix this on an affected iPhone or iPad:
- If the third-party app like WhatsApp or Gmail are affected, then uninstall and re-install the app (delete the complete thread after re-installing)
- If the iMessage app is affected, then tell your other friend to send a text and open the text message from notification shade, go back to the main page and delete the complete thread.
February 16, 2018
Google Has Made It Harder To Steal Images From Google Images

Google has updated its Google Image search which might have huge repercussions. The company took to Twitter to announce that it has removed the “view image” button from image search. Therefore, the company has made it difficult for people to save copyrighted images directly. The update might seem small but, it is a huge change in the grand scheme of things.

Today we're launching some changes on Google Images to help connect users and useful websites. This will include removing the View Image button. The Visit button remains, so users can see images in the context of the webpages they're on. pic.twitter.com/n76KUj4ioD

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 15, 2018

What Has Changed?

The company has essentially eliminated the “view image” button. This button was once the direct link to a high-resolution version of the image. This was a huge concern for photographers, publishers and stock image sites for obvious reasons. As this button essentially allowed users to access the original version of the image without visiting the source site.

Now, users will be able to visit the source site “visit” button. This means that in order to steal an image, the user will have to go to a source site which means an additional step. The timing of the move is worth noting here. In early-February, Getty Images announced a licensing partnership with Google.

Back in 2016, Getty Images filed a complaint against Google. It accused the company of anti-competitive practices within Google Images. It said that Google was “distorting search results in favour of its own services.” Therefore, users did not have an incentive to visit source stock websites likes Getty to download the original image.

Getting rid of the “view” button is definitely a significant move. However, whether this will curb copyright infringement or not is yet to be seen.

February 16, 2018
Images Of Huawei P11 Lite With iPhone X-Like Leaked

Huawei will be launching a smartphone at MWC 2018. After some speculation that the company would skip the event, it confirmed its presence. However, it also confirmed a launch event for March 27. At MWC 2018, the company is expected to launch the Huawei P11/P20 Lite while the March 27 event will see the unveiling of the Huawei P20 and P20 Plus.

A few days ago, renders of the Huawei P11/P20 Lite were leaked by a popular tipster on Twitter. And now, live images of the device have been leaked by FCC. The leaked images confirm what has been rumoured for a while now. The Huawei P11/P20 Lite will have a lot of similarities with the Apple iPhone X.

On the front, it will have an iPhone X-style notch that will house the earpiece and front-camera. On the back, Huawei P11/P20 Lite will have a vertically placed dual-camera setup. The position of the camera module is uncannily similar to the iPhone X. It even protrudes a bit, just like the iPhone X. The LED flash is placed below the cameras, while it is placed between the two cameras on the iPhone X.

The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back. Therefore, we might have to wait until the end of the year for a Huawei phone with Clear ID. The device also appears to have an all-glass build with an aluminium frame.

Expected Specifications

With bezels getting thinner, the standard size of a smartphone has increased from 5.5 inches to 6 inches. The Huawei P11 Lite is expected to have a 6 inch display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution. Just like the Mate 10, Huawei could use an OLED panel as well. As seen in the renders, the corners are curved which means an OLED panel is expected on the Huawei P11 Lite as well.

Under the hood, it will have the HiSilicon Kirin 970 chipset along with 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The fingerprint sensor will be placed on the back of the phone. While the smartphone is expected to be thin, it is expected to house a big battery that will support SuperCharge

The MWC 2018 event isn’t too far away. Hence, we are expected to see frequent leaks of devices that are expected to be launched in the coming days.

February 16, 2018
Samsung Galaxy S8 Android 8 Oreo Update Suspended

Android 8 Oreo, much like iOS 11, seems to be a troubled software update of 2017. Officially launched back in August, OEMs were slow to roll out updates but, at least some devices were being updated. Samsung recently started rolling out the Android 8 Oreo update to its 2017 flagship, the Galaxy S8 and S8+. This rollout began after an extensive Beta program was carried out.

Experience UI Based On Android 7 Nougat

However, the company had to suspend the new software update rollout. This isn’t the first time an OEM had to suspend the Android 8 Oreo update. Smartphone makers like Xiaomi, OnePlus also halted updates to their devices. Samsung has come out and clarified its stance on the matter:

Following a limited number of cases where Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices have rebooted unexpectedly with the Android 8.0 Oreo, we have temporarily stopped the rollout of the update. We are investigating the issue internally to ensure that the impact to the affected devices is minimized and the rollout of the update can resume as quickly as possible.

When the year began, Xiaomi had to suspend the Android 8 Oreo update to its Mi A1 devices. Many users complained about issues pertaining to an unresponsive camera and dialer app. Similarly, OnePlus had to suspend the rollout for the OnePlus 5T.

There is no confirmation from the company as to when the rollout will resume. The downloaded files will be deleted if you haven’t installed the update yet.

Some Android 8.0 Oreo features:

User Interface

Users can now organise notifications into custom channels and modify the alerts for the entire channel. An autofill framework in the operating system makes the repeated filling of forms easy for the user. This can range from sign up information to a new service, or credit card information to make a payment. The feature will prevent frustration and repetitiveness by allowing users to quickly fill in a form. Users will have to opt-in for the Autofill framework, after which new and existing applications can make use of the feature.

Picture-In-Picture Mode and New Notifications

A new picture-in-picture feature allows users to continue operating the device without interruptions for things like watching a video. Another interesting change in the UI this time around is Adaptive Icons. The supported shapes are Circle, Squircle, Rounded Square and Square.

Behind The Screen

A cache budget is allocated to every application. When the system is low on resources, the applications that exceed the cache budget the most will be the first to have their cached files deleted. Developers can also set custom triggers to update the content when it is stale or outdated, even without a specific request from the user. There are also background execution limits, which ensures that applications running in the background don’t use up a lot of system resources.

Media playback should be significantly improved for users, as now there is fine-grained control to scrub to a particular frame in a video. Applications can also now mix multiple audio and video tracks at once, for streaming purposes.

Pixel 2 XL Runs Android 8 Oreo

A smart sharing feature allows the operating system to guess the context of a photo, and pick the best application to hand the image over to. The more you use your phone, the more your smartphone will learn about your behaviour and act accordingly. A smart copy feature enables similar functionality but for text, where the smartphone recognises if the text copied is an address, a phone number or name of an entity, and suggest opening a relevant app.

February 16, 2018
Asus Might Launch A Gaming-Centric Smartphone At MWC

Asus will be launching its next generation of Zenfone series smartphones in MWC 2018. Along with that, it could also launch a gaming-centric Android smartphone. As the brand has already established itself in notebook gaming territory, this upcoming device will have a lot to live up to.

Upcoming Asus ZenFone series

Along with Asus ROG, the brand will also announce a bunch of smartphones like ZenFone 5, ZenFone 5z, and ZenFone Max Pro. These smartphones will feature newer processor (Qualcomm Snapdragon 636) with taller 18:9 aspect ratio screen and a dual rear-camera setup. All three smartphones will be powered by Android Oreo 8.0 with custom Zen UI on the top.

According to sources, the smartphone will be named after ROG (gaming laptop series from Asus). Presently, there is no confirmation of the additional details of the phone. The only thing is that the brand should launch a phone with competitive pricing.

As Razer Phone has already set up an example for a gaming smartphone, here is the list of features that might feature on Asus ROG smartphone.

Speculated specifications:

Following the footsteps of the Razer Phone, the device will have a 120Hz display. It will have an IPS LCD display with a 2880 x 1440 px resolution.

Under the hood, the smartphone is expected to have either the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 or the 845 chipsets. Depending on when the phone is launched, the chipset inside may vary. To handle the sort of heavy gaming, the chipset will be paired with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. It will also have either 64 GB or 128 GB onboard flash storage based on UFS 3.0. To tackle overheating, it will apparently have a Liquid Cooling System

Similar to the Razer Phone, the device from Asus will have dual front-firing stereo speakers.

In the day and age of all premium smartphones having top-notch specifications, does a gaming phone make sense? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

February 15, 2018
Samsung Galaxy Note9 May Not Have An In-Display Fingerprint Sensor

The under-the-display fingerprint scanner is now a real thing, thanks to the Vivo X20 Plus UD. The Samsung Galaxy Note8 was widely expected to be the first-ever device with this technology. However, for some reasons only known to Samsung, that did not happen. A few days ago, it was rumoured that the Galaxy Note9 will finally implement this technology. However, according to recent rumours, Samsung has decided not to implement this technology.

The report claims Samsung has stopped working on this technology for an unknown reason. Therefore, the Korean tech giant will stick with the rear-mounted scanner like the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

Theoretically, to implement this technology the device must have OLED display (doesn’t work on IPS LCD) with a capacitive touchscreen. The scanner sits behind the display. (accesses fingerprint through a semi-transparent layer).

Possible reason:

Samsung might go with the Quantum-dot display technology instead of OLED, which makes it impossible to implement this technology. Which might have made an exclusive deal with Vivo that prevents other smartphone manufacturers to implement this technology.

The technical difficulties in the manufacturing these chips might be it. An earlier report claimed that Samsung didn’t want to rely on Synaptics and wanted the in-screen fingerprint sensor of the Galaxy Note9 to be based on its own technology. However, it might have run into some trouble which made it drop the technology altogether.

Cumbersome Placement of the Fingerprint sensor placement on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note8

Another reason for this decision could be Apple. Apple has already confirmed that it believes Face ID is the future. In order to compete with Apple and it face ID tech, Samsung could implement better facial/iris recognition in the Galaxy Note9.

Conclusion:

A recent report, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will feature the under-the-display fingerprint scanner. Now, a new report completely disapproves the last report. Finally, Samsung might implement this feature on Samsung Galaxy S X or Samsung Galaxy Note X.

February 15, 2018
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S Will Run Android 8 Oreo And Have A 3400 mAh Battery

The certainty of Xiaomi launching the Mi Mix 2S is increasing every second. Every passing day, a new leak reveals more information about the Mi Mix 2S. A little over a month ago, the Mi Mix 2S felt like a fragment of someone’s imagination and now, it is one of the most anticipated devices of MWC 2018.

Xiaomi won’t launch the Mi 7 right now, which means that the Mi Mix 2S will be launched at MWC 2018. A new leak has revealed further information about the upcoming device. The Mi Mix 2S will be the first device in the Mi Mix series to sport a dual-camera setup. Moreover, Xiaomi will use the Sony IMX363 sensor. Powering the device will be a 3400 mAh battery which should support QuickCharge 4.0+ technology.

A few days ago, an official-looking banner ad for the Mi Mix 2s was leaked. It revealed further specifications of the Mi Mix 2s which are very believable.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2s Expectations

The back of the Mi Mix 2S is expected to be the same as the Mi Mix 2. It will be made of ceramic which means it’ll be a fingerprint magnet. However, that is a price you have to pay for a device that looks as premium as the Mi Mix 2S. The significant change will be in the camera department. This time around, the Mi Mix 2S will have a dual-camera setup, which could be similar to the one found on the Mi A1, albeit of better quality.

On the front is where Xiaomi will look to one-up the much-famed Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+. The leaked image confirms that the smartphone will have a different take on the notch. The bezels all around the display will be uniform but, the top right corner will protrude a bit and that will house the front-facing camera.

Apart from the design, the image reveals some specifications of the device. It will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM and 256GB onboard storage.

What’s missing in the render is a fingerprint sensor. This means that Xiaomi could be the second company to launch a smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor. This would also mean that Xiaomi will use an OLED panel for the upcoming device as opposed to the IPS LCD panel used on the Mi Mix 2.

Mi Mix 2s Renders

Conclusion

As we all know, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ won’t look very different from their predecessors. This means that design-wise, Samsung won’t have much to show, and that is where the Mi Mix 2S could excel. A lot of smartphone makers will skip MWC because of the popularity of the Galaxy S devices but, Xiaomi could grab a lot of eyeballs with the launch of this smartphone. That being said, this could very well be the Mi 7. Xiaomi will have to move on from the 16:9 aspect ratio for its flagship Mi series. This means that this could be the Mi 7, just like the Mi6 X was the Redmi Note 5 Pro.

February 15, 2018
2Gbps Download Speeds A Thing Of Reality With The Qualcomm X24 LTE Modem

Qualcomm, the pioneer in the smartphone chipset business has officially announced a new X24 LTE modem. The modem offers LTE download speeds of up to 2 Gbps. These speeds are almost double of what the X20 LTE modem (used in Qualcomm Snapdragon 845) offers. Rumours also suggest that the modem will be used in the upcoming Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC (which is due until 2019).

The technology is called 4.9G by Nokia communications, which will be the last phase of the 4G era. As a matter of fact, this is faster than the Gigabit LTE (which offers up to 1.2 Gbps). This makes it the fastest wireless modem that is currently in mass production.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Will Run On Snapdragon 845

Specifications:

The chipset is based on 7nm FinFET process, with support for Cat 20 LTE. 4×4 MIMO with a maximum of 20 spatial streams.

Maximum download speed of 2 Gbps and an upload speed of 316 Mbps has been achieved in the test run. The chipset does offer dual VoLte and dual LTE dual standby. In layman’s term, one can use two Jio SIM simultaneously.

The modem does support all the exciting cellular technologies like LTE FDD, LTE TDD, and LTE-U etc. The 3×20 Mhz carrier aggregation will make this one of the best standalone modems for upload speeds.

Conclusion:

The year 2019 will be a great year for smartphone enthusiasts as the chipset maker is also developing a 5G modem by the name X50 5G modem. This is set to debut in late 2019. So, the OEM will have to make a choice between newbie X50 with the 5G capability or well-versed X24 modem with 4.9G capability.

February 15, 2018

Moto Z2 Force Vs OnePlus 5T Vs Xiaomi Mi Mix 2

Motorola has finally launched its flagship smartphone, the Moto Z2 Force in India. It is priced at Rs. 34,999 which took everyone by surprise. It was globally launched for US$ 720 (Rs. 47,000 approx.) which means that it is considerably cheaper than its global price. The pricing makes sense for Motorola as the Z2 Force runs on the Snapdragon 835 chipset, which will soon be outdated.

At such a price, the Moto Z2 Force will go head-to-head with the likes of Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 and OnePlus 5T. The OnePlus 5T, in particular, has been very successful in the Indian market. The Moto Z2 Force matches with the OnePlus 5T in almost every aspect and then does a bit more. The Moto Z2 Force, apart from being shatterproof, also has modular capabilities. This is something that is missing in the OnePlus 5T and the Mi Mix 2.

Where the Moto Z2 Force might fall behind the design department, it makes it up in functionality. That being said, the Moto Z2 Force still has a stunning design despite the 16:9 aspect ratio.Being a mid-2017 flagship, the Moto Z2 Force has bigger bezels and a 16:9 aspect ratio while the other two devices sport a modern design. The OnePlus 5T and Mi Mix 2 have thin bezels and an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, all the three smartphones run on the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset. The base model of the OnePlus 5T, priced at Rs. 32999, has 6GB of RAM and 64GB storage. The Mi Mix 2 is also priced at Rs. 32999 and offers the same RAM with 128GB storage. The Moto Z2 Force also has 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. However, it is the only one to offer expandable storage up to 2TB. That can be a dealmaker for people whose primary media consumption happens through a smartphone. The flexibility of storage matters a great deal for a few.

The Mot Z2 Force also runs Android 8 Oreo out of the box while the Mi Mix 2 is still stuck at Android 7 Nougat. The OnePlus 5T recently received an update to Android 8 Oreo as well. The Moto Z2 Force and OnePlus 5T run close to stock Android OS while the Mi Mix 2 comes with MIUI 9 on top. As we have said it in the past, preference for stock OS or custom skin is very subjective.

The OnePlus 5T retains the 3.5mm headphone jack while the Mi Mix 2 and Z2 Force both don’t have a headphone jack. This, again, can be a huge deal for a few consumers. The Moto Z2 Force is also the most durable smartphone thanks to its shattershield display. Due to the plastic coating on top, the Moto Z2 Force will be able to survive a few drops where the other two might crumble.

Specifications

Specs	Moto Z2 Force	OnePlus 5T	Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
Price	Rs. 34,999	Starting at Rs. 32999	Rs. 32999
Display	5.5 inch P-OLED	6 inch Optic AMOLED	5.99 inch IPS LCD
Resolution	2560 x 1440 px 534ppi	2160 x 1080 px 401ppi	2160 x 1080 px 403ppi
Battery	2750 mAh TurboCharge	3300 mAh DashCharge	3400 mAh QuickCharge
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835
RAM	6GB	6GB 8GB	6GB
Storage	64GB Expandable up to 2TB	64GB/128GB Not expandable	128GB Not expandable
Primary Camera	12MP RGB+12MP Monochrome f/2.0	16MP+20MP f/1.7	12MP f/2.0
Primary Camera Video	4K @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps	4K @ 30fps
Secondary Camera	5MP LED Flash f/2.2	16MP f/2.0 EIS	5MP f/2.0
Add-Ons	Fingerprint Sensor Moto Mods Support	Fingerprint Sensor Face Unlock	Fingerprint Sensor

February 15, 2018

Unboxing The Moto Z2 Force
Lenovo-owned Motorola has launched the Moto Z2 Force in India. It is priced at Rs. 34,999 in India and will go on sale at midnight via Flipkart and Moto Hub stores. Motorola has launched the device in India, almost six months after its global launch. Although the Moto Z2 Force is competitively priced, it won’t be long before the OnePlus 6 is launched at a similar price and Snapdragon 845 chipset.

Let’s unbox the Moto Z2 Force and see what we get inside:
- Moto Z2 Force
- Documentations
- Sim Ejector Tool
- Earphones
- Type C to 3.5mm dongle
- USB Type C Cable
- TurboCharge Wall Charger
First Impressions

To maintain the device’s compatibility with Moto Mods, the Z2 Force doesn’t look too different from its predecessor. It is thinner for sure and has a very sturdy build. This time around, Moto has implemented s dual-camera setup on the back which has become a norm. At a price of Rs. 34999, along with the TurboPower Mod, the Moto Z2 Force is a great alternative to the OnePlus 5T.

Moto Z2 Force With TurboPower Mod

Moto Z2 Force Specifications

The Moto Z2 Force has a 5.5 inch P-OLED display with a 2560 x 1440 px resolution. The Z2 Force does not have Corning Gorilla Glass on top, instead has a plastic shattershield coating on top. This means that the Z2 Force will survive drops more than a regular device with Corning Gorilla Glass. However, thanks to the presence of a plastic coating, it would be more susceptible to smaller scratches.

Moto Z2 Force

Under the hood, the device has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The storage is expandable up to 2TB via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is placed on the front of the smartphone as it retains the size and design of a ‘Moto Z’ device. As a result, the Z2 Force is compatible with Moto Mods.

Probably, a possible let down could be the missing of the 3.5mm headphone jack. However, it will come with a dongle inside the box to still use your beloved wired headphones.

Another modern element, which has now truly become a norm is in the camera department. The Z2 Force, like many flagship phones, has a dual 12MP camera setup on the back with an f/2.0 aperture. One of them has an RGB sensor while the other one has a monochrome sensor. The smartphone records 4K videos at 30fps. On the front of the device is a 5MP camera with a dual-tone LED flash.

Moto Z2 Force

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdrhrkUMFMg[/embedyt]
February 15, 2018
JioPhone Gets Official Facebook App Support

JioPhone has received a much-needed feature. The JioPhone users can now enjoy fully fledged Facebook natively. The app includes features like push notification, videos, and an optimised news feed. The app has been specially designed by the Facebook team for the KaiOS (special OS based on Firefox OS). The JioPhone will also receive its own version of Google Assistant in the coming months.

JioPhone is one of the cheapest feature phones that supports 4G LTE with VoLte. The smartphone literally costs nothing (with refundable security deposit), which make sense in the booming market like India. Though the phone supports universal GSM network, the company has locked it to Jio-network only to reduce the misuse. Users can recharge their number for as low as INR 49, which includes unlimited calling and data for 28 days. The company has sold more than 5 million phones, and it is still hard to get a JioPhone without pre-ordering it.

Specifications:

For a phone of this calibre, the phone packs decent hardware. The 2.4-inch non-touch panel runs on 1.2 GHz SoC paired with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB storage.

The phone packs a 2 MP main camera and a VGA selfie camera, which aids in video calling. The 2500 mAh Li-ion battery is user replaceable and will last for an entire day. The phone does offer screen mirroring via a proprietary cable that connects via micro USB port.

The built-in KaiOS offers exclusive Jio apps like Jio Music, Jio Tv, Jio Magazine, and My Jio. Users can also access Youtube and other streaming services via the web browser.

Conclusion:

At the time of launch, the company announced that the phone will feature necessary apps like WhatsApp and Facebook. This looks like a right move in right direction. However, the company haven’t shed any light on the availability of WhatsApp which is the most requested app from the user.

February 15, 2018
Nokia 6 With 4 GB RAM And 64 GB Storage Announced

HMD Global has launched a new iteration of the Nokia 6 in India. Compared to the original Nokia 6 the new version comes with 4GB LPDDR3 RAM and 64 GB onboard flash storage. The smartphone will be available on Flipkart and offline retail stores from the 20th of February. It is priced at Rs. 16,999, whereas the original model retails for Rs. 14,999.

Nokia 6 2018

The original Nokia 6 with a metal unibody design was one of the best-looking smartphones in its price category. However, the smartphone failed to capture the imagination of consumers in India. This was mainly due to its price-to-performance ratio. Smartphones like the Xiaomi Mi A1, Moto G5s Plus and Honor 7X provided much more at a similar price tag.

Specifications:

The original Nokia 6 was one of the first set of smartphones from the brand. The phone featured an industry-accepted full metal unibody design, with a 5.5-inch (16:9) aspect ratio display and a 1920 x 1080 px resolution.

Under the hood, the smartphone runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octa-core processor. Paired with either 3 GB or 4 GB RAM with 32 GB or 64 GB onboard flash storage. The Hybrid SIM cum Micro SD card slot can accept either 2 SIM or 1 SIM and a Micro SD card (up to 128 GB).

The smartphone runs on stock Android Oreo 8.0 with the latest security patch. Everything runs on a 3000 mAh sealed battery, with support for USB OTG via micro USB port. The Nokia 6 is equipped with a 16 MP rear-facing camera and an 8 MP front-facing selfie camera.

Conclusion:

Launching a newer version with an extra gig of RAM and double the storage might not work in the present Indian market. As smartphone enthusiasts are looking for features like 18:9 aspect ratio screen, dual camera setup, faster processor and so on. If Nokia wants to capture the mid-tier smartphone segment in India, then it has to launch a smartphone like the Nokia 7 Plus, which happens to have all the bells and whistles.

February 15, 2018