Category: Tech

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Google Assistant Is Coming To The JioPhone

Google has announced that the JioPhone will be the first feature phone which will have Google Assistant support.

JioPhone

The Indian market has over 500 million feature phones and Google plans to reach out to many of such feature phone owners through its AI assistant. It isn’t clear yet if JioPhone is the only feature phone in Google’s roadmap or is it the first of many.

JioPhone is a 4G feature phone that runs KaiOS, a custom operating system based on Firefox OS. The JioPhon, launched earlier this year is available for free (with a deposit) and even has its own voice assistant, HelloJio.

Google is bringing a customised version of the Google Assistant with Hindi voice support, that is adapted to the device’s 2.4-inch QVGA colour screen. While the interface will be much different than the one found on Android and iOS devices, the core functionalities of the Google Assitant are expected to be the same.

Google might end up working with Nokia well to bring Google Assistant to its line of feature phones as well but, that is not confirmed yet.

December 5, 2017
Google Pixel 2 Prices Dropped To Rs. 39999 Starting December 7th

The Google Pixel 2 will be available at a price of Rs. 39999 from the 7th of December. Launched at a price of Rs. 61000 the Google pixel 2 is available at a discount of Rs. 11001, and starting December 7th buyers will get additional Rs. 10000 cash back for each Pixel 2 purchase. This offer is available during Flipkart’s big shopping days. Bringing the price of Google’s 2017 flagship down to Rs. 39999 for the 64 GB variant.

Unlike its bigger sibling, the Google Pixel 2 has strayed away from controversy thanks to its AMOLED display instead of the p-OLED display found on the Pixel 2 XL. The Pixel 2 at a price of Rs. 39999 is a great deal for someone looking to get a flagship device with optimised Android and quick updates for the next few years.

Following the design language of last year’s Pixel phones, the smartphone features a 5 inch 1920 x 1080 px OLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for protection.

Under the hood, the device has typical 2017 flagship specifications. It has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, 2.4GHz octa core processor, Adreno 540, 4GB RAM and 64GB/128GB onboard storage.

The fingerprint sensor sits at the back of the device but, this time around the “glass window” is smaller. The two-tone colour of the phone is also reminiscent of the original Pixel from 2016. Google claims that the fingerprint sensor is the fastest on a smartphone. The Pixel 2 is water resistant as well.

Powering the device is a 2700 mAh battery and it runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. As is with with every Google phone, the new Pixel 2 will be first in line to receive Android P update in 2018.

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.

This year, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL use a technology called “dual-pixel” which divides every pixel into two. Google says Pixel 2 has greater high dynamic range, optical image stabilisation, and a portrait mode that doesn’t use a second camera but dual-sensor image technology. The Pixel 2 XL uses both OIS and EIS simultaneously for better clarity and stable images and videos. The portrait mode works on both rear and font facing cameras, just like the new iPhones.

December 5, 2017
Apple AirPods Sales Expected To Double In 2018

Multiple reports have claimed that the Apple AirPods dominate the truly wireless earbuds segment in the US. A new report from KGI Securities has claimed that AirPods will continue to experience an exponential growth. In 2018, Kuo believes that Apple will sell upwards of 28 million units, a figure which would effectively double AirPods sales year over year.

Apple doesn’t break out individualised sales figures for specific accessories, but estimates for 2017 sales are somewhere in the 13-14 million range.

We believe demand for AirPods has been strong, and note that the shipping time of the product on Apple’s official shopping website has shortened to 1-3 days, mainly thanks to an improved assembly process and increased capacity from Luxshare as the new assembler […]

We expect AirPods to remain one of the most popular Apple accessories in 2018, with shipments likely to rise 100% YoY to 26-28mn units next year.

Apple’s decision to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus last year was met with widespread scepticism as majority of smartphone users still use wired headphones and headphone makers had not yet entered the realm of lightning post or USB C headphones.

The AirPods was Apple’s solution to that and an indication that Apple is well and truly on its way to make a port-less iPhone. The ease of connecting the AirPods to your Apple devices proved decisive in its record sales in the past year, even though there are better sounding headphones at a cheaper price available in the market.

Following Apple’s footsteps, a lot of big companies like Samsung and recently, Sony released their versions of the truly wireless earbuds and prolific headphone makers like B&O have also entered the premium earbuds market.

A report by Gartner revealed that the sales of truly wireless earbuds will hit the 150 million sales mark in 2017.

December 5, 2017
Nokia 9 And Nokia 8 (2018) To Be Launched On 19th January

Nokia 9 is highly anticipated as the successor the Nokia 8, and it appears that the Nokia 9 could be launched as early as the 19th of January. A new report from China claims that the Nokia 9 and a new iteration of the Nokia 8, named Nokia 8 (2018) will be launched on the 19th of January. It is worth noting that HMD Global has not announced or hinted at any new launch as of now.

The report also claims that both the phones will be customised for the Chinese market hence, may come with special ROM where Google services may be replaced by local alternatives.

The leaked specifications of the Nokia 9 include 5.5-inch QHD display. Whether this display will have an 18:9 aspect ratio is yet to be seen but, considering the phone is launching in 2018 and will be a flagship device, the bezels might be shrunken and considerably thinner than the ones found on the Nokia 8.

Chances are that the Nokia 9 will be launched in two variants, one with 6GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage while the other version of the phone may have 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage.

The 64GB variant of the Nokia 9 may be priced at around CNY 3,699 (Rs 35,965 approx.) while the 128GB storage variant might be priced at CNY 4,199 (Rs 40,826 approx.).

The Nokia 8 (2018) is expected to be priced similar to the Nokia 8 which was launched in India back in September at a price of Rs 36999.

Both the Nokia 9 and Nokia 8 (2018) are expected to have dual cameras at the back and have IP67 rating for water and dust resistance.

While the Nokia 8 entered the Indian market a few weeks after its global launch, it will be interesting to see if HMD Global follows a similar pattern if and when the Nokia 9 and the Nokia 8 (2018) are launched.

December 5, 2017
Indian Government Lists 42 Chinese Apps That Are Dangerous To National Security

The Indian government has continued its effort in curbing the danger that some apps on the internet might possess. The Indian intelligence agencies have listed about 42 mobile applications that have the potential to carry out a cyber-attack against the country. The agencies have reportedly issued a warning to the Indian Army and paramilitary against their usage.

As per reliable inputs, a number of Android/IOS apps developed by Chinese developers or having Chinese links are reportedly either spyware or other malicious ware. Use of these apps by our force personnel can be detrimental to data security having implications on the force and national security.

Army personnel have been asked to immediately uninstall the 42 mobile apps as well as format their smartphones. This is not the first time that the government has issued warnings against Chinese apps. Recently, UC Browser came under the scanner as well.

Xiaomi in a statement has said:

At Xiaomi, we take security and privacy very seriously. Our global e-commerce platforms and user data for all international users is located on Amazon AWS data centers in California and Singapore.

We are currently investigating the advisory and would like to assure Mi Fans that we are fully committed to storing and transferring our users’ data securely at all times

Following is the list of all the apps that have been deemed unsafe by the advisory:

Weibo, WeChat, SHAREit, Truecaller, UC News, UC Browser, BeautyPlus, NewsDog, VivaVideo- QU Video Inc, Parallel Space, APUS Browser, Perfect Corp, Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab), CM Browser, Mi Community, DU recorder, Vault-Hide, YouCam Makeup, Mi Store, CacheClear DU apps studio, DU Battery Saver, DU Cleaner, DU Privacy, 360 Security, DU Browser, Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile, Baidu Translate, Baidu Map, Wonder Camera, ES File Explorer, Photo Wonder, QQ International, QQ Music, QQ Mail, QQ Player, QQ NewsFeed, WeSync, QQ Security Centre, SelfieCity, Mail Master, Mi Video call-Xiaomi, and QQ Launcher.

Truecaller has responded to the allegations:

In response to certain reports, we would like to clarify that we are a Sweden based company. We are not sure why the app is on this list, but we’re investigating. Truecaller is not a malware, and all our features are permission based and are disabled by default.

This is not the first time that Chinese apps have come under the scanner. The fact that even Xiaomi’s apps, one of the most successful brands in India, have come under the scanner is shocking as well as alarming. Xiaomi was previously accused of sharing personal data of Indian users with the Chinese.

December 4, 2017
Samsung Galaxy S9 Will Retail With The DeX Pad

It appears that along with the Galaxy S9 and S9+, Samsung is also working on a new version of its DeX dock. According to a recent report, it won’t be a dock this time around, and just like the Samsung wireless charger, it will be a pad. Also, it will retail along with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ which might make it a great deal.

Samsung Galaxy S9 renders

The report claims that with Android 8.0 Oreo, the display of the connected phone can be used as a mouse, and that it will also get the option of being used as a keyboard. This feature will negate the need of carrying a mouse and keyboard to use the DeX pad, which is currently the case with the DeX dock.

Image courtesy – Sammobile

As much as the DeX pad or dock is an interesting accessory, it is, at the end of the day an accessory. Much like the Bixby button, the Dex is something which will never replace a real PC users machine.

It will also be interesting to see if this deal will be a factor in the price of the Galaxy S9 and S9+. The way smartphones are priced these days and the increasing price of every new generation of smartphones, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ may reach the thousand dollar barrier just like the iPhone X.

December 4, 2017
Nokia 3 Will Skip Android 7.1.2 Nougat And Get Android 8.0 Oreo Update Instead

Android phones, apart from Google’s own Pixel and Nexus lineup have a notorious image for not receiving timely software updates. Mid-range phones go two years without seeing the light of day to any kind of software upgrade. The Nokia 3 was the first Nokia-branded Android pohone to go on sale in India and it appears that the phone is in line to receive Android 8.0 Oreo update soon.

HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvokas confirmed this on Twitter.

Thanks! We will transition straight to Oreo

— Juho Sarvikas (@sarvikas) December 2, 2017

The Nokia 3 has the MediaTek MTK 6737 chipset, quad-core 1.3GHz chipset and currently runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the Box. It has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage which can be expanded up to 128GB via microSD card.

The phone has a 5-inch display with a 1280 x 720 px resolution. The Nokia 3 has a Polycarbonate back and an aluminium frame.

Both the front and rear cameras have an 8 MP sensor.

December 4, 2017
Redmi 5 And Redmi 5 Plus With Bezel-Less Displays To Be Launched On 7th December

The Xiaomi Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus are scheduled to be launched on the 7th of December at an event in China. While the launch is just a couple of days away, there are plenty of leaks that have revealed key specifications of the smartphone.

In a promotional video released by the Chinese smartphone maker, the Redmi 5 and 5 Plus are shown with thin bezels and tall 18:9 displays with the launch date revealed as the 7th of December.

In a recent leak via TENNA, it was revealed that the Redmi 5 and the Redmi 5 Plus will have a 5.7-inch and 5.99-inch display, respectively. While the Redmi5 will have a 1440 x 720 px resolution, the Redmi 5 Plus will have a higher 2160 x 1080 px resolution.

Under the hood, the Redmi 5 will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chipset while the bigger sibling, the Redmi 5 Plus will have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset. While both the phones will; have 32GB and 64GB onboard storage variants, the Redmi 5 will also have a 16GB storage variant.

Excerpt from the promotional teaser

The Redmi 5 will be poweredby a 3200 mAh battery and the Redmi 5 Plus will be powered by a massive 4000 mAh battery. The fingerprint will sit at the back of the phone which has become common in Redmi phones.

Both the smartphones are expected to feature a 5MP front-facing camera that will be equipped with an LED flash and a rear-mounted 12MP camera.

The Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus are speculated to be respectively priced at 699 Yuan ( US $105 approx.) and 999 Yuan (US $151 approx.) for the base variants.

With the Redmi series being one of the most successful smartphone lineups in India, it won’t be a surprise if Xiaomi launches at least the Redmi 5 in India immediately after its China launch, or after the Redmi Note 5 launch in India.

December 4, 2017
Huawei Nova 2S Images Leaked

Huawei will launch the Huawei Nova 2S at an event on the 7th of December. New images have leaked of the upcoming smartphone that reveal the design and the placement of all the ports. It is worth noting that there is a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom of the device.

According to recent leaks, the Nova 2S will have a 6-inch display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution which translates to an 18:9 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the device will have the Kirin 960 chipset and 6GB of RAM. There is no information about the storage options however, expect a minimum of 64GB onboard storage when the phone is launched. A new report suggests that in order to improve heat management, the device will have an under clocked version of the Kirin 960 chipset.

Despite the tall display and thin bezels, Huawei has placed a home button on the front of the phone. It is safe to assume that the physical home button also houses the fingerprint sensor since there is no fingerprint sensor at the back of the phone.

The device will run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box with Huawei’s custom skin EMUI 8.0 on top.

Another interesting thing about the phone is its four cameras. It appears that the smartphone will have a 20MP + 16MP camera setup at the back and a dual 20MP setup at the front.

December 4, 2017
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) Will be Launched As Galaxy A8+

The Samsung Galaxy S9 will not be the only Samsung phone with an infinity display to be launched in early-2018. Numerous reports have claimed that Samsung’s Galaxy A series will also get the infinity display in 2018 and a new leaked image appears to reiterate that.

The images show that the upcoming Galaxy A8+ will indeed have an infinity display although, the top and bottom bezels are prominent and is by no means even close to what the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy Note8 looked like. The details given on the website reveal that the smartphone has the model number SM-730.

Earlier reports have suggested that Galaxy A7 (2018) or the Galaxy A8+ will have a 5.7-inch 2160 x 1080 px AMOLED display.

Under the hood, depending on the market, the device will either have the Exynos 7885 or Snapdragon 630. The device is also expected to have two variants, one with 4GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage and the other 6GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage.

Galaxy A8+ is expected to have a 16MP main rear camera and a 16MP front-facing camera.

It is also expected to run Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box with an update to Android 8.0 Oreo scheduled for some time later in 2018.

December 3, 2017
Here’s Everything We Know About The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 So Far

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 has been one of the most successful smartphones of 2017. As this year reaches its summit, the anticipation around the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 will increase exponentially. The Redmi Note 4 was launched in January of 2017 and it is widely expected that the Redmi Note 5 will also be launched at a similar time to maintain consistency.

There have been multiple leaks about the Redmi Note 5 and conflicting reports have somewhat clouded what actually could be the Redmi Note 5.

The most reliable leak so far was an image of the Redmi Note 5 showing off an 18:9 aspect ratio display with key specifications revealed on the screen of the phone.

According to the image, the Redmi Note 5 will have Snapdragon 625 chipset. The phone also has a 5.99 inch display with a very 2017-like 18:9 ratio and Full HD+ (2160 x 1080 px) resolution.

The phone shows 54GB of storage available, meaning that the variant in question here is the 64GB unit. There is at least one camera with a 12 MP sensor and the smartphone runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat. The device appears to be powered by a 4000 mAh battery and due to thin bezels, the fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the phone, much like the Redmi Note 4.

It is highly unlikely that Xiaomi will go for the Snapdragon 625 chipset since it is the same chipset found on the Redmi Note 4. A year later, consumers would expect more and this doesn’t fall in line with the Redmi Note series. The Chinese smartphone maker could go for the Snapdragon 636 chipset which will enable mid-range devices to have bezel-less displays with FHD+ resolution.

In terms of optics, there have been few reports suggesting that it will have a dual-camera setup while some reports suggest that it will have a single 16MP camera at the back and 5MP camera at the front.

The price of the phone is expected to be under the Rs 15000 mark when it launches in India next year.

December 3, 2017
OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition Announced

It appears that OnePlus has decided to jump aboard the Star Wars hype train this year. At the Bengaluru Comic Con, the Chinese smartphone maker announced the OnePlus 5T Star Wars Limited Edition which most likely go on sale close to the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in second week of December.

If you’re bored of the same old grey and black colour phones then the OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition does bring a different colour scheme to the table. It has a white colour finish at the back along with the red colours Star Wars logo beneath the fingerprint sensor. Another interesting thing here is that the alert slider is also red in colour. The phone will also ship with default Star Wars themes, ring tones, and effects.

A report claims that only 15000 such units will be made and it will be an India exclusive device. It further claims that the device will be unveiled on the 16th of December at an event in Mumbai. There is no word on the price of the phone yet.

OnePlus 5T Has A 6-inch Display With Thin Bezels

Other than the colours and exclusivity of the device, nothing will change in terms of hardware or software.

The OnePlus 5T has a 6-inch Full Optic AMOLED display with a 2160 x 1080 px resolution and an 80.5% screen to body ratio. This is a huge detour from the short history of OnePlus devices which have so far had a 5.5-inch display.

Under the hood, the OnePlus 5T has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset, a 2.4GHz octa-core processor, 6GB or 8GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which cannot be expanded. Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which supports OnePlus’ DashCharge technology.

The OnePlus 5T runs stock Android 7.1.1 Nougat with customisability options thanks to the Oxygen OS on top. OnePlus has promised an update to Android 8.0 Oreo by early 2018. The Android 8.0 Oreo beta update will be pushed out to OnePlus 5T in late December 2017.

Due to thin bezels, there is no place for a home button and the fingerprint sensor has now been shifted to the back of the phone and is placed right above OnePlus logo. The OnePlus 5T also features facial recognition for unlocking the device.

One big change in the OnePlus 5T is in the camera department. Unlike the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T no longer has a secondary telephoto lens at the back. Instead, OnePlus has decided to focus on the device’s low-light photography capabilities. The cameras do not have OIS and OnePlus has decided to go for EIS on the dual camera setup at the back. The device has a 16MP camera with an f/1.7 aperture coupled with a 20MP sensor with the same f/1.7 aperture and field of view, ie no optical zoom. On the front is a 20MP camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

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December 3, 2017

Redmi 5A Vs Redmi Y1 Lite Vs Nokia 2 – Battle Of The 7 Grand Phones Revisited

As 2017 draws to a close, the budget smartphone category is more clustered than ever. The sub-10K category has a host of phones which can be your next smartphone, depending on what you prefer as a user. We recently compared the Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Lite and the Nokia 2 and with the launch of the Redmi 5A, it is time to revisit the comparison and see how trumps this time.

Specifications	Xiaomi Redmi 5A	Xiaomi Redmi Y1 Lite	Nokia 2
Price	Rs 6999 (32GB) Buy it here	Rs 6999 <a href=”http://amzn.to/2z7n9HO”>Click here for latest price</a>	Rs 6999
Display	5 inch IPS	5.5 inch IPS LCD	5 inch TFT
Display Resolution	1280 x 720 px	1280 x 720 px	1280 x 720 px
OS	Android 7.1 Nougat	Android 7.1 Nougat MIUI 8.5 (Update to MIUI 9 guaranteed)	Android 7.1 Nougat Stock Android OS
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 425	Qualcomm Snapdragon 425	Qualcomm Snapdragon 212
GPU	Adreno 308	Adreno 308	Adreno 304
RAM	3GB	2GB	1GB
Storage	32GB, Expandable up to 128GB	16GB, Expandable up to 128GB	8GB, Expandable up to 128GB
Battery	3000 mAh	3080 mAh	4100 mAh
Primary Camera	13MP f/2.2	13MP f/2.0	8MP
Secondary Camera	5MP f/2.0	5MP with f/2.4 aperture	5MP
Other Features	Dedicated MicroSD card slot with Dual SIM card slots	Pro selfie mode	None

With the Redmi 5A in picture, it looks to be a better choice than the Redmi Y1 Lite and the Nokia 2. It has more RAM and storage at the same price but, Nokia 2 continues to rule the battery department.

If stock Android is your thing and you can deal with a much slower chipset, then the Nokia 2 makes more sense. But, if you go by performance stand point and nothing else, the Redmi 5A is the clear winner here.

December 2, 2017

Test Shows OnePlus 5T Is The Fastest Charging Flagship Phone

As smartphones get thinner, manufacturers usually resort to reducing battery sizes in order to maintain the thickness-to-tech inside ratio. The good news is that the chipsets are getting better at power management and fast charging is really good. Even wireless fast charging is catching up these days and almost every flagship phone now has a USB Type C port.

Recently, OnePlus conceded that the company’s own Dash Charging technology is much better than the wireless technology which is available in the market hence, the OnePlus 5T shipped without wireless charging capabilities. So, how good is Dash Charging, then? Apparently, it’s the best in the market and a test has proven that.

The test included all the top flagship phones of 2017, the Samsung Galaxy Note8, LG V30, OnePlus 5T, Google Pixel 2, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. All the Android phones have a USB Type C port and the three iPhones of course, have the lightning port. The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X support fast charging if you buy the adapter and a Type C to lighting port cable from Apple.

The battery percentages were checked after 30 minutes of charging. It is worth noting here that all the screens were off during the test and the three iPhones were charged using the fast charging gear. After 30 minutes, the OnePlus 5T was at 59% while the LG V30 was the first runner-up at 53% and the iPhone X was at 50%.

At the one-hour mark, the OnePlus 5T was the winner again at 93%, 7% more than LG V30’s 86%. The iPhone X was at 81%, closely followed by the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at 80% and 79%, respectively.

The OnePlus 5T turned out to be better than the competition thanks to its Dash Charge technology, which is different from Qualcomm’s QuickCharge. Dash Charge delivers higher amperage than QuickCharge and uses dedicated circuitry in the charger itself for heat management. So, if charging up your phone at a blazing speed is your top priority, then it is worth taking a look at the OnePlus 5T as your next flagship phone.

December 2, 2017
Here’s Something Important You Should Know About Face ID

The Apple iPhone X launched towards the end of the year and grabbed all the attention that iPhones have historically done. With a huge design departure from the previous generations, Apple took an important decision and removed the trusted Touch ID and replaced it with Face ID.

If you own an iPhone X, you’d have your own experience with Face ID and differing opinions about whether it was the right decision or not. But, the fact is that Touch ID is gone, and by the looks of it, it isn’t coming back. One of the many great things about Touch ID was multiple fingerprint support which allowed users to give access to people they trusted.

You may also like – I Spent A Day With The iPhone X And I Am Done With The Home Button

With Face ID, that options isn’t there yet and if you thought that future software updates will allow that to happen, then you might be wrong in thinking so. According to Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering has conceded that multiple ‘face’ support for Face ID is not a part of Apple’s plans for Face ID.

Someone who missed that Touch ID feature emailed Craig Federighi regarding the same and got this response:

Currently we’re focusing Face ID on a single user authentication. Even TouchID’s multi-finger support was really intended to enable a single iPhone owner to unlock the device with a finger and thumb on both hands, not to enable multi-user authentication.

We’ll certainly keep your feedback in mind as we consider our plans to evolve Face ID in the future.

Now, it might be possible that as Apple continues to make Face ID better, it may reach that point where multiple faces can be recognised but, as of now that seems uncertain.

December 2, 2017

Category: Tech

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