Blog

Huawei Rolling Android 9 Pie-Based EMUI 9.0 In India
Huawei like a lot of other smartphone manufacturers skins its Android phones with custom skin called EMUI. Late last year the company rolled out the latest Android 9.0 Pie-base EMUI 9.0 update for supported devices in several regions. Back then India specific units were restrained from the EMUI 9.0 update but now the company has announced that an OTA update for these devices will roll out shortly. In addition to Huawei devices, Honor devices that also run EMUI will also get the latest Android Pie update.

EMUI 9.0 Changelog
- Simple Navigation Gestures – The update adds easy to use navigation gestures to the compatible devices. After the update, the user can swipe up to return home, swipe from left and right to go back, and swipe up and pause to open task manager.
- Performance Optimisation – The company has tweaked the software code on EMUI 9.0 which results in a faster and smoother hands-on experience. According to Huawei, the update increases application startup by up to 25.8% or 102 and overall system fluency is increased by 12.9%.
- Wireless Projection – This is a much-needed addition to powerful Android smartphones. Huawei devices can not only wirelessly project media content with the help of Miracast compliant TV or HDMI dongle, but the company has also developed a desktop-like user interface that is displayed on the screen upon wireless connection.
- Gaming Optimisation – The company has equipped the software with a feature called GPU Turbo 2.0. The GPU Turbo 2.0 makes use of AI to predict allocation of resources to decrease maximum hot spots temperature and touch delays. The AI intelligently schedules processes to accomplish the end result.
- One-Handed Mode – Applications on the EMUI 9.0 have been redesigned and aligned in a structured manner. This overhaul in application design helps in better device operability with one hand.
- Phone Clone – Another noteworthy addition, the update brings a new application called Phone Clone. As the name suggests, it helps users to easily transfer data on to their Huawei device in a simplified manner.
- HiVision – It is an in-house developed application that intends to simplify the use of a smartphone in several ways possible. The app makes use of the smartphone’s camera to display details about the object. The user can take pictures of food and the device will turn up the macro calories of the dish. Additionally, it can be used for language translation and landmark detection.
- Digital Well Being – In the latest EMUI 9.0 Huawei has deeply integrated the digital well-being ethic introduced by Google. The feature allows the user to cut down excessive use of their smart devices and also track the amount of time they spend using a particular app.
- Multiple Backups – After the update, the users can easily back up data from their smartphone on to an external storage card or even a USB drive. Furthermore, the user can create multiple backups that would have been created during different time periods.
- Password Vault – This feature allows users to securely store their login credentials on a Huawei or Honor device. Most notably the data secured in the vault is encrypted and can only be accessed after proper authentication.
- Wireless Printing – EMUI 9.0 simplifies the process of wireless printing files and documents from the user’s smartphone. It has a one-click option that allows for easy and hassle-free printing.
Compatible Devices

Also Read: The Upcoming Samsung Foldable Smartphone Will Have Dual Batteries

The latest EMUI 9.0 based on Android 9.0 Pie is compatible with the following devices:

Huawei Devices Honor Devices

Mate 10 Series Honor 10

Mate P20 Series Honor View 10

Mate 20 Pro Series Honor Play

The list of supported devices is expected to grow over time as Huawei readies EMUI 9.0 on other devices.
January 12, 2019
Birth Of A Black Hole Observed By Scientists For The First Time

Researchers in a recent study have revealed that an observation was made of a mysterious bright object that lit up the night sky. This sudden glow spotted from Earth, 200 million light years away disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Scientists believe it may have been the exact moment that a star collapsed into a compact object. This might be the birth of a black hole or a neutron star.

The Cow

Nicknamed ‘The Cow’, the formation of a blackhole is the direct result of a star’s death. The scientists also said that such a phenomenon, the birth of a black hole, has never been witnessed before. Raffaella Margutti, was leading the research for Northwestern University when the phenomenon was spotted. “We thought it must be a supernova,” Margutti said. “But what we observed challenged our current notions of stellar death.”

The bright light was initially thought to have come from a bright star. However, the scientists changed their view because the flash was 100 times brighter than a normal supernova. The outburst was discovered using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System also known as ATLAS. ATLAS are a pair of survey telescopes in Hawaii.

Copyright Raffaella Margutti/Northwestern University

After the outburst was seen, various scientists researched the reason for the phenomenon using different methods. According to reports, Margutti’s team studied The Cow in X-ray wavelengths using NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the European Space Agency’s International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) and XMM-Newton spacecraft. Radio waves were studied using the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Very Large Array (VLA) and in optical light using the MMT Observatory in Arizona and the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope in Chile.

Margutti’s team announced its results on Jan 10 during a news conference. The conference was held at the 233rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Seattle. Several other scientists gave their own hypothesis of the phenomenon as well. However, not all of them agreed with each other. But if it is indeed the birth of a black hole that they saw, it would definitely be a scientific milestone of this century.

January 12, 2019
The Upcoming Samsung Foldable Smartphone Will Have Dual Batteries
Samsung is expected to launch its first foldable smartphone in Q1 of 2019. The company had previously showcased a working prototype of the device with two screens. Having a smartphone with two displays have growing concerns about its battery backup. A report claims that the upcoming Galaxy foldable smartphone allegedly called the Galaxy F will not only have dual displays but it will also have dual batteries.

Need For Two Separate Batteries

The claim regarding the Galaxy F aka Galaxy Fold having dual batteries was made by a Dutch website, Galaxyclub. According to the source, the upcoming foldable device from Samsung will have two batteries each with a capacity of 3100 mAh, resulting in a total battery capacity of 6200 mAh.

The display of any smartphone is one of its most power consuming components. Apparently, the dual 4.5-inch and 7.3-inch displays will be the biggest battery consumers on the Galaxy F as well. The source adds that opting for dual batteries on the device is a necessity and not a choice.

The two 3,100 mAh batteries make it easier to accommodate a large battery in a device with a foldable form factor. Similarly, the dual display ZTE Axon M’s battery life was cut in half when both the displays were simultaneously used. Moreover, the factor Galaxy Fold that is capable of displaying three apps at once is another reason for concern.

Galaxy S10 5G Will Have A 5000 mAh Battery

Also Read: PUBG Mobile Bans Even More Professional Players

Besides the dual battery revelation on the Galaxy Fold, the source claims that the 5G variant of the Galaxy S10 will have a massive 5,000 mAh battery. In addition to the foldable device, Samsung is also bracing up for the launch of the Galaxy S10 series of smartphones that will succeed the current S9 and S9+ lineup. The company is expected to launch four variants of the Samsung Galaxy S10 which are as follows:
- Entry Level – Galaxy S10 Lite
- Flagship Level – Galaxy S10
- Flagship Level With Bigger Battery And Display – Galaxy S10 Plus
- 5G Technology Compatible – Galaxy S10 5G
January 12, 2019
Reports Claim Apple Will Launch Three iPhones In 2019, One With Triple Rear Camera

Apple launched three iPhone models late last year and news about the upcoming iPhones is already creating a buzz online. The iPhones launched by Apple in September 2018 include the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Reports claim that Apple will once again launch three iPhone models in the year 2019. Most notably a leakster claims that the top end iPhone for 2019 will have a triple rear camera setup

WSJ Report

Reports published by the Wall Street Journal support the claim that Apple will indeed launch three smartphones this year in the month of September. Apple is likely to introduce a successor to the colourful iPhone XR which will also have an LCD display and dual cameras. In addition to the iPhone XR successor, the company will launch two other handsets which might be called the iPhone XI and iPhone XI Max. These two smartphones will be succeeding the current flagships, the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XS.

Triple Camera On An iPhone

https://twitter.com/OnLeaks/status/1081902300434780161

An alleged render of Apple’s 2019 flagship iPhone was shared on Twitter by the user Onleaks. The leakster claims that the upcoming flagship iPhone will have a triple rear camera set up at the back. The leakster has also shared 5K renders of the alleged triple camera iPhone. The renders show an iPhone with a square ridge at the back which accommodates three camera sensors and an LED flash.

What Else Do We Know?

Also Read: Redmi Note 7 To Launch In India In Early February

A previous report claims that the 2019 iPhones will have a Sony 3D camera sensor. A 3D camera will enable an iPhone to replicate three-dimensional objects with the help of depth sensing technologies. According to Sony, several companies including Apple is interested in 3D camera sensors, therefore, Sony is gearing up to bump production of these sensors to meet demands. An official statement from Sony strongly indicates that the upcoming iPhone will indeed have a 3D camera sensor.

January 12, 2019
UK Readies Itself With Military-Grade Protection From Drones
After a few disastrous incidents of flight delays, cancellations and near misses, UK is all set to put regulations in place for drone flights near airports. It is also reported that all major UK airports now have or will soon have military grade anti-drone equipment.

UK’s Drone Regulations

Very recently the military were called in to help when drone sightings causing massive delays at Heathrow Airport. Another such incident involved Gatwick airport when drone flights caused major disruption affecting 140,000 passengers just before Christmas. UK government wishes to or already has technology installed at other critical infrastructure such as prisons, power stations and military sites. Gatwick Airport in a statement said that it had spent £5m to prevent future attacks.

The current drone regulations in UK suggests:
- Drone must be in line of sight at all times
- Not within 50m of people, vehicles or buildings
- No higher than 120m
The government in UK are also said to expand technology to detect and repel drones from sites like airports and prisons. A new legislation will reportedly give police additional powers to land drones. They will also be granted the power to require users to produce the appropriate documentation if they deem it necessary.

India’s Drone Regulations

On the other hand, India lifted the blanket ban that it had put in place for a long time, in December 2018. However, this has been lifted partially and will now allow commercial activities and drone flights. Drone Regulation 1.0 is a step to open up the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) for commercial activities.

The regulation is formulated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and it has created a huge base for a drone ecosystem in the country. Under this regulation the airspace has been partitioned into Red Zone (flying not permitted), Yellow Zone (controlled) and Green Zone (automatic permission). Permission to fly a drone can be taken using an App. The app is called Digital Sky.

The current regulations for a drone flight in India are:
- During day light (except those flying in enclosed spaces)
- Within visual line of sight (VLoS)
- A maximum height of 400 feet above ground limit (AGL)
Drones will not be able to take flight in “no drone zones”. These include areas close to airports, international borders, State Secretariat Complex in state capitals, strategic locations/vital and military installations. If your drone flight causes damage or injury, you might face penalties under the Aircraft Act 1934, and charged under the IPC sections 287, 336, 337, and 338 which can include anything between Rs 250 fine to two years in jail.
January 12, 2019
Geekbench And AnTuTu Benchmarks Of Snapdragon 675 Surface Online

American chipmaker, Qualcomm announced its Snapdragon 675 SoC late last year. It is a 64-bit chipset that is manufactured using 11 nm process technology. It consists of an Octa-Core CPU that has a maximum clock speed of up to 2.0 GHz and Adreno 612 GPU. The Geekbench and AnTuTu benchmarks were shared online that reveal an intriguing result.

Snapdragon 675 Geekbench Results

'Someone' ran Geekbench on the first Snapdragon 675 (SM6150) smartphone, the Hisense U30, identifying as HLTE720T. Single core: 2273 Multi core: 5827. I'd rather get this than an SDM710. Scores are achieved on a seemingly very rough software build. pic.twitter.com/UUSVOT2aud
— Roland Quandt (@rquandt) January 10, 2019

A Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Hisense showcased it’s Snapdragon 675 smartphone, the U30. The leaker was able to install the benchmark app on the demo device and collect Geekbench results.

The smartphone scores a single-core score of 2273 points and a multi-core score 5827. Shockingly, both the single-score and multi-core score of the Snapdragon 675 is better than its elder sibling, the Snapdragon 710. The latter is manufactured using 10 nm processing technology and is present on devices like the Nokia 8.1 and Lenovo Z5s.

Snapdragon 675 AnTuTu Results

https://twitter.com/bang_gogo_/status/1083662014986149888

The AnTuTu benchmark results of the Snapdragon 675 were shared by an Indonesian Twitter user, Bang Gogo. The smartphone gets a total score of 174402 which comprises CPU, GPU, UX and Memory points. A bar chart exhibits that the Snapdragon 675 has higher Memory, UX and CPU score than its cousins which include the Snapdragon 710, Snapdragon 670 and Snapdragon 660.

Also Read: Nokia 8.1 Plus Leaked Images Suggest It Has A Punch Hole Display

However, the Snapdragon 710 comes out on top in the GPU department which is followed by the Snapdragon 670. It is self-explanatory as the 710 and 670 feature the Adreno 616 and Andreno 615 GPU which are better than the Adreno 612 on the Snapdragon 675.

January 12, 2019
SpaceX Successfully Launches Its First Mission Of 2019

SpaceX, short for Space Exploration Technologies Corp is a privately owned American company that manufactures aerospace vehicles and offers space transportation services. The company was founded in 2002 and has since developed two lineups of aerospace vehicles which are Falcon and Dragon. SpaceX has successfully developed orbital rockets that are capable of being reused. This feature allows SpaceX rockets to drastically reduce the costs of launching satellites in and around earth’s orbit. On 11 January 2019, the company successfully launched its first rocket of the year.

Falcon 9 Successfully Launches The Last Batch Of Iridium Satellites

SpaceX previously signed a contract with Iridium Communications to launch 75 in-orbit satellites that will update Iridium’s aging space fleet. The new fleet of satellites is called Iridium NEXT constellation and it will replace the original fleet of the company that was launched between the year 1997 and 2002.

The satellites owned by Iridium Communications are used for worldwide voice and data communication from hand-held satellite phones and other transceiver units. The satellite network owned by Iridium Communications is unique in its own manner as it is able to provide coverage anywhere on Earth, including oceans, airways and poles.

SpaceX rockets have been launching these satellites in batches of 10 except for one flight that launched 5 satellites. The latest launch will be carried out in 10 minutes after which the company plans to touch down the Falcon 9 rocket on a drone ship in the middle of the ocean.

Previously a Falcon 9 rocket that was supposed to land back was botched. The rocket was intended to land on a concrete pad on the Florida coast but instead, it ended up in the ocean. According to the live stream provided by the company, the Falcon 9 has indeed launched the Iridium Satellites and successfully landed unharmed. This landing marks the 33rd successful landing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket core.

Meanwhile Checkout the Falcon9 Landing on a Ship

January 12, 2019
India May Send A Female Astronaut To Space In Their First Manned Mission : Says ISRO

India has made much headway in space exploration as well as space research in general. From Space Capsule Recovery Experiment Mission SRE-1 in 2007 to Mars Orbiter Spacecraft launch in 2013, ‘Chandrayaan-1’ launch in 2008 and many more achievements have left a mark on space exploration as a whole. When the entire world is opposing space exploration, citing budget problems, ISRO has remained one of the most budget efficient space research organisation.

[blockquote]ISRO’s budget was just three per cent of that of NASA’s Budget in 2010[/blockquote]

Chandrayaan-1

Almost ten years after the Chandrayan-1, ISRO has decided on a window for the date of Chandrayan-2 launch. They had earlier set the date at January 3rd but were forced to change as they missed the deadline. ISRO has also set a target for two unmanned missions to space in December 2020 and July 2021, and the target for a manned mission to space in December 2021.

What ISRO Said

ISRO recently also stated that a woman astronaut could be a part of the first manned spacecraft that India sends to space. The ISRO chief also stated that the initial training for Gaganyaan will be done in India. Further advanced training maybe conducted in Russia. The prospect of Gangayan carrying women astronauts is extremely forward and can become an inspiration for many women in India. Kalpana Chawla was the first female of Indian origin to go to space. She was one of the seven crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. In that disaster the aircraft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2003.

[blockquote]I would say if you have a dream, follow it. It doesn’t really matter whether you are a woman or from India or from wherever. – Kalpana Chawla [/blockquote]

The Gaganyaan will carry a three-member crew for a minimum of seven days in space. The total cost of India’s indigenous human spaceflight will be Rs 10,000 crore. ISRO has also said that the option for civilian inclusion in the mission will also be open. They further added that the selection will be stringent for the first mission but it might be relaxed for the second and third. It is also worth noting that the Union cabinet has already approved the Gaganyaan programme.

January 12, 2019
PUBG Mobile Bans Even More Professional Players

PUBG Mobile has been one of the most popular smartphone games of last year. The Battle Royale styled game drops 100 players into a map where a player has to fight against all the others to emerge victorious at the end. The game’s popularity can be attributed to the fast paced playstyle, various new maps and timely updates. One of the most important things that PUBG ensures, is that its players do not cheat or have any undue advantage over other players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xM4luRAREMs

In doing so, PUBG has created a positive and fair game environment. Just last year, the game crossed 200 million downloads and achieved over 30 million daily active users. PUBG has also banned over 13 million players since June 2017. This is both a good as well as a bad sign for the game. It is great that Tencent is taking steps to ban cheaters from the game, but it also does not bode well on the company since they are unable to close the gaps that allow people to cheat. Last month, PUBG banned around 30,000 players along with four professional players. Now new information states that twelve more professional players have faced the axe. These included four professional players with three-year bans from the game’s North American esports league.

Who Got Banned And Why?

The twelve players that were banned recently were reportedly caught using Radar hacks at the PUBG European League (PEL). Out of the twelve, six were caught cheating during a professional game. This includes players named “Papaya”, “Cabecao”, “swalker”, “zuppaa”, “Houlow” and “sezk0.” They now each face a three-year ban. Radar hack allows a player to see their nearby enemies on the map giving them an advantage to spot and shoot first. Four other players named “Avalon”, “Smitty”, “TEXQS”, and “S1D” received a two year ban for using unauthorised software during public matchmaking as well.

January 11, 2019
Redmi Note 7 To Launch In India In Early February
Earlier this year, Xiaomi declared that it will turn Redmi, its most popular smartphone series into a separate sub-brand. The company announced its first smartphone, the Redmi Note 7 on 10 January 2019 for the Chinese market. The smartphone is a successor to the popular Redmi Note 6 Pro which was launched late last year. The new device boasts a 48 MP Sony IMX 586 rear camera sensor and is priced very aggressively. According to a tip that we have received, Redmi plans to soon launch the Redmi Note 7 in India and it will have similar pricing as the Chinese variants.

Redmi Note 7 Design And Color Options

The Redmi Note 7 has a contemporary design with modern elements. The front of the handset accommodates a tall LCD display with a small water drop notch up top. The top, left and right side bezels of the Redmi Note 7 are negligible while the bottom bezel is comparatively thicker.

The right side of the Redmi Note 7 is occupied by the power button and volume rockers while the left side accommodates the hybrid Dual-Sim slot. The USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer is present on the bottom of the device which is flanked by loudspeaker and microphone grille. The top side of the Redmi Note 7 harbors a 3.5 mm audio jack and an IR Blaster.

The rear panel of the Redmi Note 7 seems to be made out of glass with a gradient design that looks charming. The rear panel houses the fingerprint sensor, Redmi branding and a dual camera setup with AI capabilities. The smartphone is available in three different gradient pack panels which are as follows:
- Blue
- Black
- Twilight Gold
Redmi Note 7 Hardware

The Redmi Note 7 packs the Snapdragon 660 SoC which consists of an Octa-Core CPU and Adreno 512 GPU. The Octa-Core CPU makes use of ARM’s big.LITTLE technology. In simpler words, out of the eight CPU cores, four Kryo 260 cores clocked at 1.8 GHz for better battery efficiency and four Kryo 260 cores are clocked at 2.2 GHz for maximum performance.

The display panel on the Redmi Note 7 has a diagonal length of 6.3-inch with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 px. The display has a pixel density of 409 PPI and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The device has a 13 MP selfie camera that can also capture 1080p videos at 30 fps. The rear camera setup consists of an f/1.8 aperture equipped Sony IMX586 48 MP sensor and a 5 MP depth sensor.

In terms of memory and storage, the Redmi Note 7 is available in RAM + ROM configurations which are as follows:
- 3 GB RAM + 32 GB ROM
- 4 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM
- 6 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM
Besides the inbuilt storage, the smartphone also supports memory expandability up to 256 GB via a microSD card.

The Redmi Note 7 is powered by a large 4,000 mAh battery which also supports Quick Charge 4.0. The Quick Charge 4.0 support allows the handset to be charged with 18 watts of maximum power. The handset also has a whole host of sensors which include an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, and a compass.

For connectivity, the Redmi Note 7 supports 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, FM Radio and USB Type-C reversible connector.

Launch Date And Price In India

Also Read: Redmi Note 7 Vs Redmi Note 6 Pro: What’s New?

The Redmi Note 7 will launch in the early February of 2019 in India. According to our source the base 3 GB + 32 GB variant of the smartphone will be available at a price of Rs 10,999. The price for other storage variants is presently unknown. Redmi will also have a new strategy for sales of its phones, which may remove them from the “flash sale” model. Redmi also plans to remove exclusivity from online sellers, so the phone may be available with both Amazon and Flipkart.
January 11, 2019
Nokia 8.1 Plus Leaked Images Suggest It Has A Punch Hole Display

Nokia is bracing up for the launch of Nokia 9 PureView smartphone. Another smartphone that the company might soon launch is the Nokia 8.1 Plus whose video and image renders have leaked online. The leak suggests that the Nokia 8.1 Plus will have an elegant design with high screen-to-body ratio and a punch hole in the display for the front camera.

Nokia 8.1 Plus Design

The video and renders of the Nokia 8.1 Plus were leaked by OnLeaks. The upcoming smartphone has a 6.22-inch display with thin bezels on top, left and right side. The bottom bezel comparatively thicker and it carries the Nokia branding.

In addition, the front of the Nokia 8.1 Plus has a punch hole in the display that houses the front-facing selfie camera. The earpiece for listening to phone calls is built into the top bezel of the smartphone. The sides of the device have a curved shape that will allow for better graspability.

The right side of the Nokia 8.1 Plus houses the power button and the volume rockers while the left side of the device is occupied by the SIM card tray. The bottom of the smartphone accommodates the primary microphone pinhole, loudspeaker grille and USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. On the top, the Nokia 8.1 Plus has a 3.5 mm audio jack.

The rear of the Nokia 8.1 Plus looks striking with a glass build. The rear of the device harbors the dual camera set up along with an LED flash, fingerprint sensor, Nokia logo, Android one branding. The Android One branding indicates that the handset will get the latest Android updates for at least 2 years.

Launch Date

Also Read: Samsung Might Have Accidentally Leaked The Galaxy S10 Design, Launching 20th Feb

Even though the source or Nokia do not provide the launch information of the Nokia 8.1 Plus. The smartphone is expected to launch in the first half of 2019.

January 11, 2019

Redmi Note 7 Vs Redmi Note 6 Pro : What All Is New

Xiaomi had previously announced that Redmi, it’s most popular series of smartphones will be turned into a separate sub-brand. On 10 January 2019, Redmi launched their first smartphone, the Redmi Note 7 in China. It is the successor to the well knownRedmi Note 6 Pro which was launched last year. The Remi Note 7 seems impressive as such specifications have not been seen on a sub US$ 150 smartphone. Not only did Redmi price the device similar to its predecessor, but the new device also gets significantly bumped up specifications. Here is a list of all the major changes between the Note 7 and its forerunner.

Camera

The Redmi Note 7, unlike the Note 6 Pro which had four cameras, has three camera sensors. Although Redmi has replaced the dual front camera setup with a single sensor on the new device, the dual rear camera setup gets a massive boost. The rear camera setup of the Redmi Note 7 now consists of an f/1.8 aperture equipped 48 MP camera sensor paired with a 5 MP depth sensor. The 48 MP rear camera uses the Sony IMX 856 sensor which is usually seen on flagship devices like the Honor V20.

Hardware

In addition to the better camera, the SoC on the Redmi Note 7 is also beefed up. The new smartphone packs the Snapdragon 660 SoC while both the Redmi Note 6 Pro featured the Snapdragon 636 SoC. Even though the Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 636 consist of a similar Octa-Core CPU the former has a higher clock speed and better Adreno 512 GPU. The Snapdragon 636 has eight Cores which are all clocked at 1.8 GHz whereas the Snapdragon 660 has two clusters of four cores which are clocked at 1.8 GHz and 2.2 GHz.

Design

The Redmi Note 6 Pro has a wide notch at the top of the display that houses the dual front cameras and the earpiece. On the other hand, the Redmi Note 7 only has one 13 MP camera which is housed in small waterdrop notch above the display. The earpiece on the new device is built into the top bezel of the front side. Additionally, the rear of the new smartphone gets an all-new back design. Unlike the aluminium back on its predecessor, the Note 7 has a gradient style back panel that seems to be made out of glass.

USB Type-C Port And Quick Charge 4.0 Support

To catch up on the latest industry standard, the Redmi Note 7 gets a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer whereas the Redmi Note 6 Pro has the Micro USB port. Additionally, the latest smartphone also supports Quick Charge 4.0 that enables a device to be charged with up to 18 watts of power.

Price

The Redmi Note 7 is available in three different variants for which the price is as follows:

3 GB + 32 GB – 999 Yuan (Rs. 10,500 approx. )
4 GB + 64 GB – 1,199 Yuan (Rs. 12,500 approx.)
6 GB + 64 GB- 1,399 Yuan (Rs. 14,600 approx.)

Pricing starts at 999 Yuan for the base variant and goes all the way up to 1,399 Yuan for the high-end 6 GB + 64 GB variant.

Specifications Comparison

Also Read: Apple Maps Get Turn-by-Turn Navigation Support In India

Specification	Redmi Note 7	Redmi Note 6 Pro
Display	6.3-inch Full HD+ 2340 × 1080 pixels, 19.5:9 aspect ratio	6.26-inch Full HD+ 2280 × 1080 pixels, 19:9 aspect ratio
OS	MIUI 10 based on Android 9 (Pie)	MIUI 9 based on Android 8 (Oreo)
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 (4×2.2 GHz Kryo 260 & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260)	Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 (8×1.8 GHz Kryo 260)
RAM + ROM	3 GB + 32 GB, 4 GB + 64 GB, 6 GB + 64 GB	3 GB + 32 GB, 4 GB + 64 GB, 6 GB + 64 GB
Front + Rear Camera	13 MP (Front), 48 MP + 5 MP (Rear)	20 MP + 2 MP(Front), 12 MP + 5 MP (Rear)
Security	Rear mounted fingerprint scanner	Rear mounted fingerprint scanner
Connectivity	4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0, GPS, USB Type-C	4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac 2.4G + 5G, Bluetooth 5 .0, GPS, Micro USB
Battery Capacity	4,000 mAh	4,000 mAh
Dimensions	159.2 x 75.2 x 8.1 mm	157.9 x 76.4 x 8.3 mm
Weight	186 g	182 g

January 11, 2019

Red Dead Redemption 2 Adds PUBG Style Battle Royale Modes

Red Dead Redemption was one of the most anticipated games of last year. With an intense gameplay and a gripping storyline, the game was an overall hit. Rockstar, the makers of the game, appear to be taking ideas from PUBG and Fortnite. The game now includes a Battle Royale styled mode called Make It Count and Gun Rush. This mode drops a group of players who fight each other to emerge victorious as the last man standing. While the gameplay sounds eerily similar to the popular Fortnite and PUBG genres, it is actually quite different from it. In this mode, the players do not collect ammunition and guns that are scattered around the map. Instead, they start with the same weapon or same number of ammunition.

Make It Count

The Make It Count mode has two playing options – one where the players get bows and a limited number of arrows and the other one where each player gets six throwing knives and a regular knife. The throwing knives deliver a one shot kill. The game area shortens with time forcing players to fight against each other as the game continues. To stop players from camping in once place, Rockstar Games has introduced a feature where if a player is stationary for too long, they are given a warning that states that the player’s position will be revealed. A noteworthy feature of this mode is the music. It is extremely tense and distressing which makes it more interesting to play.

Gun Rush

Another new Battle Royale mode that Rockstar introduced in the game is called Gun Rush. In this mode, 32 players are dropped into a zone where they fight against one another to become the last man standing. In this mode, you can scramble for weapons and ammunition just like PUBG.

Red Dead Redemption 2 also has a host of other game modes such as Shootout, Most Wanted, Hostile Territory and Name Your Weapon.

January 11, 2019
Samsung Might Have Accidentally Leaked The Galaxy S10 Design, Launching 20th Feb

Samsung in a press release, may have leaked the design of their upcoming smartphone – the Samsung Galaxy S10. The press release was about Samsung’s new user interface called One UI that is at it’s beta phase at the moment. The One UI is a radically different designed UI compared to the older UI that Samsung used. One UI has enhanced features such as ease of one handed use, minimalistic design eliminating unnecessary distractions and a night mode.

Galaxy S10

Coming back to the phone, Samsung will be releasing their flagship Galaxy S10 this year and the rumour mills suggest that it will have an under display camera at the front. If rumours are anything to go by, there will be two variations of the phone this year. A Lite version with a smaller screen and a bigger screen version. The bigger S10 will feature a pinhole for the camera instead of a notch.

The photo, which was taken down after a Reddit user pointed out the mistake, shows an in display camera at the top right which looks to be Samsung’s Infinity – O patent coming to life. The phone also had a very thin chin and looks almost all screen. The pictures also showed buttons on the side with the power button to the right and the volume rocker and Bixby button on the left. However, these are all assumptions at this point, the actual design shouldn’t be too far off we feel.

Keeping the photo aside, there are also rumours that the phone may feature an in- display fingerprint sensor. Other rumours for the flagship phones include Snapdragon 855 chipset, 8GB/12GB RAM and 12MP, 16MP and 13MP rear cameras. The launch date for the S10 has been announced by the company to be February 20th, 2019 which is just a few days before Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

January 11, 2019
Panasonic Lumix S1, Lumix S1R Mirrorless Cameras To Go On Sale Soon

The entire photography industry slowly moving towards mirrorless cameras. More manufacturers are focusing more on their mirrorless lineup than ever before. Panasonic being on the forefront of mirrorless camera technology, along with brands like Fujifilm, Olympus, Pentax and Leica, has a great lineup of cameras. The company had announced the Lumix S1 and Lumix S1R mirrorless cameras in Photokina 2018 equipped with a Leica L mount lenses.

Camera Specifications

Now, at CES 2019, Panasonic has revealed that both the cameras will be available for purchase from end of March of this year. The LUMIX S1R will feature a 47MP sensor. Whereas, the LUMIX S1 will feature a 24MP sensor. Panasonic had also claimed that these cameras will be the world’s first full frame digital single lens mirrorless cameras to feature support for 4K 60p/50p video recording. The company also claims to be the world’s first full-frame camera to be equipped with Dual I.S. system. Panasonic had also announced an update for the Lumix S series cameras. This update will add key features one of which is the HLG photo mode. According to Panasonic, the HLG Photo allows images to be shot with a wider dynamic range. It also increases the precision of the colour accuracy to portrait colours.

The other update will be a high-resolution mode that combines 8 consecutively shot images into a single high-res image. This will benefit photographers who require large prints such as fashion and commercial photographers.

Panasonic has also promised that they will also expand its lineup of LUMIX S series compatible lenses. They will develop more than ten lenses by the year 2020. These will include 50 mm/ F1.4 single focal length lens, 24-105 mm standard zoom lens, and 70-200 mm telephoto zoom lens among others. These new lenses will give photographers a variety of focal lengths to choose from. Both cameras will have support for dual card slots for XQD as well as SD cards.

Availability And Price

The prices of the two cameras will be on the higher side, given that Leica is also involved in the project. The exact prices however have not been announced yet.

January 10, 2019