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Apple Will Sell Its Products Online In India For The First Time Through Its Official Website

Apple has faced long-standing obstacles in its way to fully penetrate the Indian market. The company is one of the industry leaders across the globe but is still a minor player in the world’s fastest-growing smartphone market. There were many reasons for this that include Indian policies, pricing and more that led to Apple never officially stepping a foot on the South Asian subcontinent. Now, thanks to the relaxation of a few rules the company is finally set to officially sell its products in India through its online store.

So How Did Apple Sell In India Before?

Technically, Apple was never really in India as an official retailer of its electronic products. However, it had collaborated with many 3rd party retailers, for example, Imagine stores, for the sale of its products. The company had to take such measures owing to certain laws and regulations imposed by the Indian Government. In India, companies that wish to sell their products officially through its own online or offline channels must first source 30% of their products locally. For those unaware, electronic imports in India carry a 20% customs duty which is why some products are more expensive than its MRP in foreign countries.

Apple’s Online Store

Apple’s global online store has the option that allows people to buy its products directly from its website. However, in India, there is no such option. On the official Indian website, users are only informed as to which offline and online store sells its products indirectly. Now, owing to the easing of certain laws, Apple will no longer have to source 30% of its product locally. Currently, the company has most of its products sourced and manufactured in China but is shifting some of its production to India as well. In other words, Apple can finally start selling its own products through its own website for the first time.

Apple.in

So What Does This Have To Do With You?

If you’re an Android and Windows users, the changes aren’t going to affect you. But if you are into the Apple ecosystem then this change is a big deal. Soon, users will be able to officially buy Apple products which will now be noticeably cheaper since they are not, for the most part, imported from abroad. Furthermore, users can get more customizability option with Apple’s computing products such as its MacBooks and Macs. The website will be updated for direct purchases in the next few months as the company gears up for the launch of its latest iPhone generation.

Also Read: Realme XT Has Its Specs Revealed, With 64MP Quad Camera And Snapdragon 712 SoC

The American company already has certain devices being manufactured in India which allows for its lower pricing than before. Additionally, the company is also opening its first official store in Mumbai. Selling online through official channels will also allow the company to control the quality and dissuade counterfeiting. Conclusively, Apple is finally arriving at the heated Indian market which holds one of the highest potentials in the world.

August 30, 2019
Realme XT Has Its Specs Revealed, With 64MP Quad Camera And Snapdragon 712 SoC

Realme is one of the newest in the top 10 smartphone OEMs in the world. The company was once an Oppo subsidiary but now exists as an independent brand. Earlier this month, the Realme 5 series was launched in India in an event that also teased its upcoming flagship the Realme XT. Now, the latter has its key specs revealed according to a report from China.

Camera

One of the highly advertised parts of the latest generation Realme smartphones is their cameras. The Realme XT, along with its other new-generation device, sports a quad-camera setup on the rear. However, the XT differs from the rest with a 64MP Samsung GW1 sensor that the company has just unveiled. The primary shooter has an f/1.8 aperture while the remaining three cameras include an 8MP wide-angle lens, and two 2MP Macro and Depth sensors respectively. On the front, the selfie camera is a 16MP shooter, much like the Realme 5 Pro.

Specs & Features

The Realme X was launched just two months prior so the XT wouldn’t be a direct successor to it. Rather, the device can be considered a separate variant with a slight bump in specs and features. The Realme XT sports a 6.4 inch Super AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch on the front. Furthermore, it also has an in-display fingerprint scanner for biometric security. It features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 712 SoC alongside 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The device will be available in two variants with 6GB + 64GB or 8GB + 128GB. Realme XT is powered by a large 4,000mAh battery which supports 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charging

Realme X

Also Read: Lenovo Launches The Legion Y740 And Y540 Gaming Laptops In India

Price & Availability

The Realme XT will run the Android 9 Pie-based ColorOS 6 skin and will be offered in Silver Wing White and Pearl Blue colour options. Unfortunately, the exact pricing for the two variants of the device is currently unknown. However, it is confirmed to launch next month in China. According to the company, an Indian launch will arrive sometime before Diwali.

August 28, 2019
First Google Pixel 4 Live Images Reveal A Dual Camera Setup, Prominent Top Bezel

American technology giant Google is expected to launch two new smartphones in the month of October. These devices are revealed to be the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL and will be a flagship offering from the company. Although the launch of the handsets is still a considerable amount of time away, the company has been hard at work in teasing certain details about them through a series of blog posts and tweets. Now, the upcoming Pixel 4 by Google has been leaked in the wild which confirms the design of the smartphone.

Pixel 4 Live Images

The first live images revealing the Pixel 4 in its full glory arrive courtesy of an unnamed source. The pictures confirm most of what we already knew about the smartphones, including the glass sandwich design, the large display with a prominent top bezel and a small chin. It seems to be running the Android 10 operating system, which is evident by the lock screen’s design and gesture shortcuts. Furthermore, the notifications prompt the user to set up their Pixel device, which reaffirms that it is indeed the next generation Google flagship. The sides of the leaked handset reveal a white coloured power button on the black unit, which is a unique quirk seen in Pixel devices. Unfortunately, it is not known from the images if they are of the Pixel 4 or the bigger Pixel 4 XL.

Over at the back, Google Pixel 4 is seen showcasing the polarising square camera module. It consists of two camera sensors, a spectral image sensor and an LED flash. While the former and latter are commonplace on modern smartphones, the use of a spectral sensor seems to be exclusive to the current and upcoming Pixel smartphones. It may be used to reduce the flicker while shooting a display of an electronic device. Talking about the camera, the handset may sport a 16MP telephoto lens alongside a standard wide lens.

Also read: Lenovo Launches The Legion Y740 And Y540 Gaming Laptops In India

Past reports of the Google Pixel 4 series elaborate the smartphone in detail. It has been confirmed to support advanced facial recognition and a soli radar chip. While the former is self-explanatory, the latter will allegedly let users control certain aspects of the user interface by certain motions of their hands from afar. Talking about specifications, the devices may run on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC, 6GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. Since the expected launch is just over a month away, we may not have to wait too long to confirm our suspicions.

August 28, 2019
Lenovo Launches The Legion Y740 And Y540 Gaming Laptops In India

Lenovo is seeking to expand its gaming laptop offerings with the Legion Y540 and Y740 that have just been launched in India. The Legion series of laptops are typically aimed at gamers and the latest iterations feature the 9th Gen Intel Core processors alongside RTX graphics card options. The new laptops are claimed to offer better battery life over past iterations and should run cooler under heavy loads.

Legion Y740

Lenovo’s Legion Y740 is built from aluminium and features a fully customisable RGB keyboard lighting. The gaming laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display which has 500 nits of maximum brightness and 144Hz refresh rate. Furthermore, the display is also Dolby Vision HDR compatible. Under the hood, the powerful device is run by an Intel i7-9750H processor with 16GB of DDR4 RAM which is upgradable to 32GB. For graphical fidelity, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is provided to run current-gen AAA games with ease. Additionally, users are also offered 1TB M.2 SSD.

The Legion Y740 from Lenovo ships with Windows 10 Home along with Office Home & Student 2019. It houses a 720p webcam on the front and is powered by a 3 cell 57Watt hour battery that is capable of delivering up to 5 hours of usage on a single charge. For connectivity, the device includes a KILLER 2×2 AC Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB 3.1 Gen2, two USB 3.1 Gen1, one HDMI, one ethernet (RJ45), one Mini DP and a Type-C port (TBT, DP, USB3.1).

Legion Y540

Lenovo’s Legion Y540 is a slightly toned down variant in comparison to the aforementioned Y740. It is made from Plastic PC-ABS material but features a 144Hz refresh rate for its similar 15.6-inch FHD IPS display. Although, the maximum brightness is noticeably lower at just 300 nits. The gaming laptop packs Intel’s i7-9750H processor coupled with 16GB of DDR4 RAM that can be upgraded to 32GB as well. Similar to the Y740, it also houses 1TB of M.2 SSD for storage and 6GB NVIDIA RTX 2060 GPU.

The Lenovo gaming laptop is powered by a 57Watt hour 3 cell battery which can again deliver up to 5 hours of battery backup. Unfortunately, the Legion Y540 doesn’t offer an RGB backlit keyboard but has a fixed white colour backlit keys. The device is shipped with Windows 10 Home and Office Home & Student 2019 preinstalled on the laptop.

Also Read: Huawei Will Soon Launch Its Flagship P30 Series In Unique New Colours

Price & Availability

The Lenovo Legion Y740 starts at INR 1,29,990 while the Legion Y540 starts from INR 79,990. The new legion range of gaming laptops are currently available on Lenovo’s official website as well as leading online stores and Lenovo stores across India.

August 27, 2019
Samsung Galaxy A10s Launched In India Starting Rs. 9,499

Earlier this year, Samsung introduced the rehashed Galaxy A series of smartphones. These devices, unlike previous in the lineup, promised better value for money by offering competitive specifications at a lucrative price. The company has today added another handset in the lineup by launching the Galaxy A10s in the Indian market. It is the successor to the Galaxy A10 launched earlier this year and promises better optical performance and some other added features.

Galaxy A10s

The Samsung Galaxy A10s measures 156.9 x 75.8 x 7.8mm and weighs 168g. Like its predecessor, the smartphone features a polycarbonate body with a glossy coloured back. It has a 6.2 inch TFT display with a resolution of 1520 x 720 px. To maximise the screen real estate, it also has an Infinity V style notch on the top of the display, just like the Galaxy A10. For biometrics and rapidly accessing the handset, a fingerprint scanner is present on the rear along with the support for face unlock. The addition of the fingerprint scanner is a newly added feature, as it was not present on the previous generation of the Galaxy A10s.

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy A10s is kitted with an unknown Exynos SoC. The chipset is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and an unnamed GPU. In terms of optics, the smartphone has a dual rear camera setup, which is an upgrade from the single rear camera found on its predecessor. The primary lens is an f/1.8 aperture equipped 13MP sensor; which is combined with an f/2.4 aperture equipped 2MP depth sensor. For selfies, an f/2.0 aperture equipped 8MP camera is present on the notch on top of the display. The handset will ship with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage, the latter of which is expandable via microSD cards of up to 512GB in capacity.

One of the major upgrades in the Galaxy A10s over the Galaxy A10 in the battery size. The latest smartphone is powered by a 4000 mAh battery, a significant bump of 600 mAh over the previous handset. The device runs on the latest Android 9 Pie which is skinned with Samsung’s OneUI on top. It will be available in three colour variants, namely Black, Green and Black.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Instagram Working On Threads, A Snapchat Rivalling Messaging App

The Samsung Galaxy A10s has been priced starting Rs. 9,499 for the variant with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard memory will cost Rs. 10,499. It will go on sale starting tomorrow, August 28 from major retail outlets, Samsung Opera House and all major e-commerce websites.

August 27, 2019
Instagram Working On Threads, A Snapchat Rivalling Messaging App

American technology behemoth Facebook acquired popular social media service Instagram back in the year 2012. Since then, the company has experimented with various addition and additional services in an attempt to make it more appealing. Now, the latest reports from a renowned media house reveal that the social media giant is working on an application named Threads for Instagram. Early leaks have revealed that it will be a messaging service that will rival Snapchat, another popular social media application.

Threads by Instagram

As mentioned above, Facebook seems to be working on a messaging app called Threads, for Instagram. It is revealed to provide constant and intimate sharing between users and their closest friends. Until now, Instagram lets users add their followers to a list called close friends, this lets them share private stories to only the people they have chosen to do that with. With the new app, they will also be able to share things like location, messages and media with their friends. This is similar to what Snapchat offers, and part of the reason it is so much popular, so it would make sense for Facebook to go after this feature. But since the app is still under testing and development, more information about Threads is not available yet.

Also read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, Note 8 Pro Pricing Leaked Before Launch

Interestingly, this is not the first time Facebook has been found working on a separate messaging app for Instagram. It is known that earlier in the year, it ceased development on a messaging service called Direct. It was shut down because the company executive said it was frustrating having to switch between two different apps to send a message. It is not clear how the company aims at solving the problem with Threads, which is another messaging app for Instagram but it is certain that Facebook has something figured out. It is also not certain when Threads will hit Instagram, but some speculations suggest a date later in the year.

August 27, 2019
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8, Note 8 Pro Pricing Leaked Before Launch

Chinese technology giant Xiaomi has announced that it will launch two new smartphones under its Redmi sub-brand on the 29th of August. These devices are confirmed to be the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro and will be the successors of the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro announced earlier this year. A few weeks before the official launch, the company has been revealing details about the handsets by a series of teasers. While most of the information about them was known, their pricing remained shrouded in mystery. Until now, as a tipster from China has seemingly leaked the alleged pricing of the Redmi Note 8 series.

Redmi Note 8 Series Pricing

As mentioned above, the pricing for the upcoming Redmi Note 8 Series, which consists of the Redmi Note 8 and the Redmi Note 8 Pro has been leaked. According to an image shared by a gadget tipster in China, the Redmi Note 8 will start at CNY 1199 (INR 12,000) for the variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The image also suggests that it will be the only configuration the smartphone will be available in.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro, on the other hand, will be available in two storage variants. It will be priced starting CNY 1799 (INR 18,000) for the 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage configuration. The top-end variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard memory will be priced at CNY 2099 (INR 21,000). Notably, the pricing for both devices is significantly more than their predecessors. It is thus expected that they are taken with a grain of salt as they may turn out to be false.

Also read: Vivo NEX 3 To Launch Next Month With A Staggering 99.6 % Screen To Body Ratio

Past reports of the Redmi Note 8 and Redmi Note 8 Pro have revealed most of their key specifications. Both the smartphones are expected to have a glass sandwich design with a waterdrop notch on top of the display. While the regular Note 8 will run on the Snapdragon 665 SoC, the Pro variant has been confirmed to be kitted with the latest MediaTek Helio G90 chipset. Both devices are also affirmed to have a Quad Camera setup, out of which the primary lens will be a 48MP sensor on the Redmi Note 8 and a 64MP sensor on the Redmi Note 8 Pro. Since China launch for the Redmi Note 8 Series is drawing close, so we will not have to wait too long to confirm the details.

August 27, 2019
Vivo NEX 3 To Launch Next Month With A Staggering 99.6 % Screen To Body Ratio

Chinese smartphone maker Vivo launched the first generation Vivo NEX last year. The smartphone was the first to adopt a pop-up mechanism to house the selfie camera; in a bid to increase the screen to body ratio of the device. The company then followed up with the NEX dual display last year. It was another attempt at making a full display handset, this time with a secondary screen on the back of the smartphone. A while ago, it was revealed that Vivo is once again looking forward to pushing the boundaries with the next device in the lineup, allegedly called the Vivo NEX 3. Now, the company has confirmed the handset will be launched next month. Along with the launch announcement, key specifications of the NEX 3 have also been leaked.

Vivo NEX 3

Vivo NEX S

The Vivo NEX 3 will be the flagship offering by the Chinese brand; and will be the third in the line of smartphones with no notch and a full display. According to the official Vivo account on Chinese social network Weibo, the upcoming smartphone will support 5G networks and have a staggering 99.6 percent screen to body ratio. If true, then it will be the first device to have a screen ratio that high.

In the teaser image, it is visible that the handset will have extremely curved edges, similar to the waterfall display type shown a while ago. These edges may help the NEX 3 in achieving the aforementioned screen ratio. It is also not known what Vivo will do to hide the front-facing camera. Some speculations hint at that being under the display like the prototype shown by Oppo and Xiaomi.

A gadget leaker on Twitter has also leaked key specifications of the upcoming Vivo NEX 3. According to them, the smartphone will indeed have a Waterfall display of FHD+ resolution. In terms of optics, it will have a 64MP primary camera made by Samsung. Under the hood, the device will be kitted with the latest 7nm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC. This will be coupled with features like UFS 3.0 storage, 44W fast wired charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Also read: Google Nest Hub Launched In India For Rs. 9,999

In terms of connectivity, the handset may feature a Hi-Fi Quad DAC, NFC and will have two variants supporting 4G and 5G respectively. Unfortunately more details like the launch date and price of the Vivo NEX 3 are not known yet. However, since the launch is just around the corner, we may not have to wait too long to find out.

August 26, 2019
Google Nest Hub Launched In India For Rs. 9,999

India is emerging as one of the greatest potential market for smart homes and by its extension smart home devices. In other words, India is a market that OEMs are targetting for smart speakers and displays. Two of the leading companies in this segment are Amazon and Google go head to head with new launches. Now, Google has finally launched its first smart display, Google Nest Hub, for the Indian market.

https://youtu.be/bBpSy7147g8

Google Nest Hub

Google Nest Hub is basically the Home Hub rebranded which was launched back in October 2018. The device is a part of the Nest ecosystem which means it is compatible with other smart Nest home devices like Nest security cameras and more. Although the device has been technically out for about a year now the rebranded version is only now being launched in India.

Specifications & Features

The Google Nest Hub is a smart display which means it basically looks like a tablet attached to a speaker. It has a 7 inch HD display through which users can interact with different functions. So, unlike a Google Home smart speaker which only has voice input, the it also offers touch input. The device is capable of controlling over 200 million product from over 3,500 brands which includes Xiaomi, LG, Syska and a lot more. Furthermore, it has deep integration with Google Assistant that lets users control most of these products just by voice.

Google Nest Hub Max

Also Read: Xiaomi Confirms The Redmi Note 8 Will Have Snapdragon 665, 48 MP Quad Cameras

Price & Availability

Google’s Nest Hub is available for a price of INR 9,999. Users can purchase it from Flipkart and is bundled with a Xiaomi Mi Security Camera worth INR 1,799 for a limited period time. You can also purchase the smart display from Croma, Tata CliQ, Or Reliance Digital. Unfortunately, it is unknown if the larger 10 inch version with a camera will launched in India or not. The first smart display from the company could be a gateway for more Nest products from Google.

August 26, 2019
Xiaomi Confirms The Redmi Note 8 Will Have Snapdragon 665, 48 MP Quad Cameras

Back in 2014, Xiaomi’s arrived in India to capture the smartphone market in the mid-range segment. Since then, the company has seen great success with its offerings especially the Redmi Note range of devices. Now, its latest entry, Redmi Note 8, has finally been confirmed and will arrive with Snapdragon 665 and a 48MP quad camera setup.

Redmi Note 8 Series

Xiaomi is set for a big launch in China on 29th August 2019. In the event, it is expected that the company will unveil its smart TV offering alongside laptops, possibly MIUI 11 and the Redmi Note 8 and Note 8 Pro. Last week, we had reported on one of the devices sporting the MediaTek G90T gaming centric SoC for the Note 8 series. Unfortunately, at the time it was unclear if the Note 8 would feature the same. But, Redmi has confirmed that the standard Note 8 will feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 665 chipset.

What To Expect

Redmi, through official channels, has confirmed that the Note 8 will arrive with a quad-camera setup which is a first for the company. The primary sensor will be a 48MP shooter alongside a wide-angle lens, macro lens and depth of field sensor. It is yet to be confirmed exactly which image sensor is being used for the 48MP camera but that will soon be known.

Also Read: Haunted iPhone XS Flashes Every Night Between 3 AM and 4:30 AM

The Redmi Note 8 is also confirmed to house Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 665 chipset which uses Samsung’s 11nm LPP process. Notably, the Xiaomi Mi A3 also has the same SoC which is a direct successor to last years Snapdragon 660 that was seen in the Redmi Note 7 device. The newer chipset brings improved battery performance, Vulkan 1.1 API Support and a third-gen AI engine with Hexagon 686 DSP. Finally, the price of the device is yet to be determined to see the actual difference between the Note 8 and Note 8 Pro.

August 26, 2019
Samsung Galaxy Fold Up For Pre Registrations In China, To Launch Next Month

Korean technology behemoth Samsung announced its first foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold back in the month of February. However, just before the device’s official launch which was scheduled for April, review units of the handsets started breaking. The company then had to recall all the smartphones and postponed the release indefinitely. Samsung then announced last month that the problems plaguing the device have been fixed and it will finally be released in September. Now, the claims seem to be rightly addressed as the ambitious foldable handset is up for pre-registration in China.

Samsung Galaxy Fold

The aforementioned news arrives after Samsung has started taking pre-registration for the Galaxy Fold on its official Chinese website. There is no shipping date mentioned, so nothing can be said on when the smartphone will start making its way into the market. The pricing for the device remains the same as announced, US$ 1980 (INR 1,36,500), so no changes there. Whatever said, it seems like the company is confident on the device and rightfully so, as in its last press release Samsung listed out all the changes it has made to make sure the Galaxy Fold is durable; and can stand the test of time in the real world.

According to Samsung, the Galaxy Fold has passed through some design and construction improvements to be certified for a relaunch. These improvements include the extension of the top protective layer of the inside display. The new layer now makes it apparent that it is an integral part of the display and should not be removed.

Also read: Haunted iPhone XS Flashes Every Night Between 3 AM and 4:30 AM

The updates to the foldable smartphone also include additional reinforcements to further protect it from external particles while maintaining its folding mechanism. Along with the aforementioned changes, the handset will also feature protection caps on the top and bottom of the hinge area; while also reducing the space between the hinge and the body of the device. If Samsung goes forward with the September release of the Galaxy Fold, it would rival the spotlight Apple’s next iPhones will get which are also due in a couple of weeks. Whatever be the case, we will not have to wait too long to find out.

August 26, 2019
Haunted iPhone XS Flashes Every Night Between 3 AM and 4:30 AM

To begin with, a Reddit user who goes by the username ‘NotRealUserNameHomie‘ has observed that his and his wife’s iPhone XS start strobing by themselves in the middle of the night (between 3 AM and 4:30 AM which apparently are known as witching hours).

Obviously, the user is asleep between these hours but he has learned about this anomaly while he was doing a routine check of the surveillance camera that supports night vision. See video below

Although this might seem like a paranormal occurrence, there are a couple of reasons that could be causing this. The source of the light is explainable but details regarding what is triggering it are still unknown.

While initially, it seemed like the well-known iPhone feature ‘LED Flash for Alerts’, looking closely reveals that it is not the case. Because, if it was the flashlight strobe the area around would have been lit and it could have been seen via the human eye.

Alternatively, this is the Infrared dot projector that aids in facial recognition of the FaceID biometric unlocking feature. (DIY: Put a TV remote in front of the camera sensor on your smartphone and look at its display, you will be able to see a light beam clearly which is otherwise invisible to the naked eye)

While FaceID could be the reason toggling this sensor on the couple’s iPhones, shockingly the Redditor claims that this feature has been disabled on both the iPhones.

Additionally, the infrared dot projector is also used to determine whether the user is looking at the display or not. This aids the iPhone to keep the display on and prevents it from going into sleep mode after touch inactivity counter has been hit.

Similar to FaceID, this aspect could also be detecting movement. Even though Apple has never spoken about it, this could be a deliberate behaviour.

iPhone XS

Also Read: Key Factors To Consider Before Buying A Laptop

A theory suggests that the Apple iPhone XS would periodically restart and this execution would be authenticated by the user unknowingly while they are looking at the display during night hours.

Conclusively, most users would not have a night vision surveillance camera installed in their living space. Therefore, this feature would have gone unnoticed until now. Or there might be some supernatural spirit that is repeatedly toggling the IR projector.

August 24, 2019
Key Factors To Consider Before Buying A Laptop

Choosing a perfect laptop can be an overwhelming task due to the abundance of options available in the market. While choosing the right CPU and GPU have their own importance, we believe there are several other options that one must consider before picking the right choice which are listed below.

Display Size and Weight

13 Inch MacBook Pro

When it comes to the display size, most consumers tend to be biased towards a larger panel. However, we would recommend you to question yourself beforehand the kind of tasks you intend to perform on your laptop. A lot of customers buy a 15-inch or even a 17-inch laptop which according to us is targeted towards a small group of users or professionals like gamers or video editors.

The key reason for choosing a laptop over a desktop is, the former being a portable device that can be conveniently transported or carried in a backpack. For people who are always on the go, a 13-inch laptop would prove to be a better option. As per our observation, 15-inch laptops or above (excluding ultrabooks) can be too beefy to be carried around. Defying the whole purpose of them being easy to carry.

A bit of my personal experience, the used Thinkpad X240 I bought a couple of months ago to use as a secondary laptop has surprisingly become my go-to choice. It features a 12.5 inch display and weighs just 1.3 kg which is considerably less than my 13 inch MacBook Pro which weighs in at 2.1 kg.

Long Battery, Compact Charger With Fast Charging Support

Once again, when you opt for a laptop instead of a desktop, it is for the ease of portability. Besides choosing the right size display, having a long battery backup is important as well. This aspect will provide you with the freedom of working on for extended periods of time in situations when there is no power outlet around.

As observed with budget-friendly 15 inch or larger laptops, companies tend to equip them with a small capacity battery which barely crosses the 3-hour mark. Without getting into much of the details, we believe that a laptop with 45 WHr+ battery capacity is a good option as it could provide a battery backup of 5-7 hours.

Noteworthy, the battery backup is also hugely affected by the CPU that the laptop features. Therefore, opt for a power-efficient variant that might have a clock speed lower than 2 GHz but supports turbo clocking. If you plan to get an Intel-based laptop, look for “U” or “Y” suffix in the processor name as they mean ‘low power’ or ‘ultra low power’ consumption.

Another factor to take into consideration is the size of the power brick/charger and the charging speed it supports. Try looking for a laptop that supports and ships with a charger that is rated for 50+ watts so the inbuilt battery can be rapidly topped up.

Faster Storage Over More Storage

Although consumer-grade SSDs have been available for a long period of time, their adaptation has been limited as the default storage type. Based on our observation, conventional hard disks are the biggest bottleneck in any laptop or desktop rather than the CPU or RAM.

Even the standard SATA based SSDs are upto 5 to 6 times faster than a spinning hard disk. For the consumer, this could mean boot times falling from 1.5 to 2 minutes to under 20 seconds and applications like games loading much faster. Accordingly, we would suggest that you make sure that the laptop you are about to buy has an SSD in addition to a regular spinning drive.

In case the laptop does not support multiple storage interfaces, go for the SSD variant and buy an external hard disk additionally. Moreover, due to the abundance of high-speed internet, files like movies can be streamed on-demand rather than being stored on a personal storage medium.

Upgradability Options

While buying a laptop also go through the upgradability options it supports. This would allow the user to increase the pre-installed RAM or storage medium which could either be a hard disk or an SSD.

In order to save up space and make laptops thinner in size, manufacturers tend to solder the previously mentioned components directly onto the motherboard. Which unfortunately disallows any sort of upgrades after the device has been purchased.

Not only will adding RAM or storage be easier but replacing faulty components will also be considerably more economical. As such parts can be swapped with standard off the shelf components are easily available both online and offline.

While laptops with an upgradable CPU are now a thing of the past. If you plan to upgrade it later down the road, you should keep it in mind while buying a laptop.

Build Quality and Materials

While most consumers just choose a laptop based on the way it looks. We would recommend going a bit deeper and inspection the e-commerce website or questioning offline retailer the material that is used to fabricate the machine. Most affordable laptops are made out of plastic which is sprayed with shiny paint that can be easily scratched.

Moreover, plastic is prone to cracking or breaking when exposed to an external force. Therefore a metal body laptop could be a better choice as it will age much better. Another preferred material of choice is ‘Magnesium alloy’. A few examples of laptop constructed with this include some models of the Dell Latitude lineup and the Lenovo Thinkpad lineup.

Also Read: OnePlus TV Specifications Leaked, Reveal A MediaTek SoC & 3GB RAM

All in all, these are a handful of things that one must consider before buying a laptop in addition to on paper specifications.

Which aspect do you think is the most noteworthy in this list? Also if you have any suggestions that we might have missed upon. Please let us know in the comments below.

August 24, 2019
OnePlus TV Specifications Leaked, Reveal A MediaTek SoC & 3GB RAM

Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus is expected to launch its first-ever television called OnePlus TV next month. The company has already confirmed that the device will be launched in India exclusively in September and be made available to the rest of the world later this year. Via a Twitter post, it also revealed that the TV will have a 55-inch QLED display when launched and will be exclusively available via Amazon India. Now, as we move closer to the launch date, the key specifications of the OnePlus TV have been leaked online.

OnePlus TV

More info on the @OnePlus TV "OnePlus_Dosa_IN" I talked about yesterday.

It's using a Mediatek MT5670 (no info found on it, so far) with a good Mali-G51 MP3 GPU. And of course, #AndroidTV 9.

ATV only allows 1080p for the TV menus, don't worry TV is 4K for compatible content. pic.twitter.com/RuS8TgYBJF
— Android TV Guide (@AndroidTV_Rumor) August 23, 2019

The specifications of the upcoming OnePlus TV have been leaked by a Twitter handle by the name of Android TV Rumors. According to the image embedded in the tweet, the television has been given the codename “Dosa” which is a popular food item in South India. The listing also mentions that the device will run on the MediaTek MT5670 SoC and have a Mali G51 GPU inside. Unfortunately, no details about the mobile chipset inside the OnePlus TV are known yet. The image also mentions that it will have 3GB of RAM inside and will have a resolution of 1920 x 1080 px. This is surprising as it was earlier known to be a 4K television. It is being speculated that the mentioned resolution is only for the menu, which means while actually displaying content, the TV will scale itself into 4K resolution.

Also read: Android 10 Announced: Looking Back At The 10-Year-Old History Of Android Versions

The OnePlus TV is expected to run on Android TV 9, which is confirmed by the latest leak. It was known previously that the upcoming television will be a premium offering as the brand is known for its premium smartphones. However, this also means that affordability may not be the number one goal of OnePlus here. It is expected that the OnePlus TV will be launched on the 26th of September, alongside the rumoured OnePlus 7T Pro. Since there is not much time in the announcement, we may not have to wait too long to see the television in action.

August 24, 2019
Android 10 Announced: Looking Back At The 10-Year-Old History Of Android Versions

American technology behemoth Google announced earlier this week that the latest version of its Android operating system will be officially called Android 10. By this decision, the company has also broken on the long going tradition of naming the versions after sweet treats or desserts. The latest release also marks the tenth version of the platform, as is evident from the name. The operating system may have had a rocky start back in the year 2008, it has significantly evolved over the years. So to mark the landmark release of Android 10, we look at the extensive history of the software over the years.

Android 1.0 and 1.1

The one that started it all. The first version of the platform was released back in 2008 and it seems like so long ago that it did not even have a dessert name. But just to complete the cycle, enthusiasts have started calling it Android Alpha and Beta for the versions 1.1 and 1.2 respectively. The first generation of the operating system included basic Google apps like Gmail, Maps, Calendar and YouTube. While all of it seems very basic now, it was quite a big deal to have a suite of applications on a mobile phone.

Android 1.5 – Cupcake

The Android 1.5 Cupcake was released in 2009, which also established the naming scheme based on sweet treats. Apart from being a monumental release, Cupcake brought about many changes to the platform. It was the first version to include an on-screen keyboard and third-party widgets. The latter provided the platforms one of the most unique features. Fun fact, this was also the first time the operating system gained the functionality enabling video recording on smartphones.

Android 1.6 – Donut

Android 1.6 Donut was also released in the year 2009 and brought about many features to the platform. The first and most significant was adding the search box. What is now a ubiquitous feature was first added to Donut. The version also added support for multiple display sizes, which is a key element for the platform’s success. It also introduced Google Play, which was called the Android Market at the time. The store enabled users to download and try out different apps and games.

Android 2.0/2.1 – Eclair

The Android Eclair was released after almost six months of Donut, which is not something the company does today. It was sort of like an incremental update, with the platform adding support for Google’s turn by turn navigation and speech to text among other features. Eclair also added live wallpapers, which while it drained a lot of battery, was a really cool feature at the time.

Android 2.2 – Froyo

Google plopped up the Android 2.2 Froyo just four months after Eclair. This release, just like the Frozen Yogurt it is named after, was a sweet treat to the users as it focussed on increasing the performance of the devices. The release added the support for new Voice Actions and added support for mobile hotspots; which is also an important addition by historical importance.

Android 2.3 – Gingerbread

Android 2.3 Gingerbread was released in the year 2010 and marked an incremental update over Froyo. The platform gained support for new and improved gaming API for better and graphically intense gaming. It also added NFC connectivity to compatible devices; enhancing their connectivity. Fun fact, Google added a hidden easter egg in the operating system starting Gingerbread. The first hidden surprise was a zombie artwork when the users tapped on the version number multiple times in settings.

Android 3.0/3.1/3.2 – Honeycomb

Back in the year 2011, when tablets were becoming all the rage in the market, Google released the Android 3.0 Honeycomb. As a tablet exclusive operating system, it didn’t see many takers but was an important step in the redesigning of the platform. The version saw a user interface that utilised the whole display of the device, which was important in a tablet. However, due to limited application support and not many makers adopting it, Honeycomb is one of the more obscure versions on the list.

Android 4.0 – Ice Cream Sandwich

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich was a major design overhaul for the operating system. Released in the same year as Honeycomb, the version brought about changes like a new Holo design, swipe gestures for notifications and recent apps, and support for Android Beam. Looking back at Ice Cream Sandwich now feels like it was an extremely ambitious update, one which has futuristic vibes going on for it.

Android 4.1/4.2/4.3 – Jellybean

Released over multiple periods between 2012 and 2013, the Android 4.1/4.2/4.3 Jellybean was an incremental update over Ice Cream Sandwich. The platform gained support for account switching, which lets multiple users use a smartphone in different ways. It also has Google Now, a barebones digital assistant which has now been christened as Google Assistant. Jellybean also got actionable notifications, which let taking actions without opening certain applications easier.

Android 4.4 – KitKat

The name for Android 4.4 KitKat was a result of Google’s partnership with Nestle in the year 2013. This release made for a delicious name, and software refinements all around the operating system. Things like a smart dialer, full-screen applications and the “Okay Google” keyword; which we now take for granted, were first added in KitKat.

Android 5.0 – Lollipop

One of the biggest releases of the operating system, Android 5.0 Lollipop saw Google going back to the drawing board in 2014. The company adopted the Material Design theme, which is still in use today and almost redesigned the platform. With the release, lock screen notifications became a thing, and the software gained support for full hands-free “Ok Google” detection. Not to mention the change in the recent apps drawer with the release. Fun fact, Google added a neat little game in the easter egg which resembled Flappy Bird, another smash hit game of the time.

Android 6.0 – Marshmallow

Android 6.0 Marshmallow was released in 2015 and was an incremental update over Lollipop. It was in part because the previous version was such a design overhaul that it made for Marshmallow not to do anything drastic. The version added support for things like fingerprint readers and USB Type C ports and added a feature called Now on Tap. It used the company’s machine learning to provide more information on what is being displayed on the device. For granular privacy settings, Marshmallow also had permission controls for each application.

Android 7.0 – Nougat

Android 7.0 Nougat, was released in the year 2016 and focussed on improving upon Marshmallow. It was launched alongside the first Google-made smartphone, the Pixel and Pixel XL. With Nougat, the company introduced the split-screen feature and debuted Google Assistant, which is arguably the best digital assistant on a smartphone.

Android 8.0 – Oreo

Android 8.0 Oreo was released in the year 2017 and again, was an incremental update over Nougat. The name, much like KitKat was a result of Google’s partnership with a big company, this time it being Nabisco. This release brought about feature like a picture in picture mode, granular control over notifications. One of the landmark features of the sandwich cookie version was the support for Project Treble. It was an attempt by Google to minimise Android Fragmentation; by getting the latest release on most devices faster. Sadly the last bit has not played out very well.

Android 9 – Pie

The last release of the platform yet and one of the most important, Android 9 Pie was baked in the year 2018. It marked a soft reboot in designing the operating system, with the company trying to move away from Material Design. The release introduced new gesture-based navigation, which however half baked they may be; paved the way for all-screen smartphones. Also added to the release were clever software controls for Wi-Fi and mobile data. It also introduced the Digital Wellbeing feature on some devices. This lets users see the amount of time they spend on their smartphones and can limit it.

Android 10 – No Desserts For You!

Also read: Lenovo Teases An Upcoming Budget Smartphone, The Lenovo A6 Note

The latest release by the company, Android 10 as mentioned above does not have an official dessert name. However, according to some reports, Google still has the codename for the release which is named after a dessert that starts with Q. Take your guesses, I’m going with Quiche. However sad the company’s naming decision may be, the latest release will bring about significant changes in the platform. The first one is an all-new navigation gesture system, which resembles the new iPhone gestures. Also arriving in the release are better and faster security updates and support for Live Captions. The final developer’s Beta for the software has just been released; so Google is expected to roll out a stable update in the following weeks.

August 24, 2019