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  • The Foldable Samsung Galaxy X Device Could See A Limited Release

    The Foldable Samsung Galaxy X Device Could See A Limited Release

    There is an increasing interest and intrigue in the soon-to-be-launched Samsung Galaxy X. In early September, after IFA 2017 in Berlin, Dongjin Koh, President of mobile business at Samsung told some reporters at a news conference in South Korea that a foldable smartphone is in the works and the company is aiming for a 2018 release. Ever since that, there have been reports of the Galaxy X receiving certification from South Korea, Samsung’s native country.

    A report from the South Korea Herald suggested that the production of the Galaxy X would be on 100,000 orders, making it an extremely limited edition device. If this happens, the Galaxy X would be the most difficult Galaxy phone to get your hands on. The foldable smartphone is being touted as the “next big innovation” in the smartphone industry, which has been stagnant for a while in terms of exciting innovations. Apart from tinkering with the display and shrinking the bezels, there hasn’t been much innovation to write home about. The Galaxy X could shake the tech industry out of complacency and usher in an era of foldable smartphones becoming more accessible than the Galaxy X.

    The Samsung Galaxy X is expected to be unveiled during CES in early 2018. This makes sense because the Galaxy S9 and S9+ are expected to be unveiled in mid 2018 and a new phone like the Galaxy X would require some breathing space to really have an impact on the smartphone market. Even though it will soon be known as “that phone which folds” and will have its own fair share fans, the market still needs time to register a phone, no matter how unique or path-breaking the device is. Just because the phone is close to its grand unveiling doesn’t mean that there aren’t hurdles to cross during the making of a foldable smartphone, Mr. Dongjin Koh has said:

    When we can overcome some problems for sure, we will launch the product. We are digging thoroughly into several issues we must overcome, as we don’t want to just make a few, sell a few and be done. We want to hear that Samsung made a very good product. We have a plan to adopt a foldable display in our roadmap.

    A number of patents as well as Samsung’s own concept video from CES 2013 tell us what to expect from the Galaxy X. Samsung is most likely to start small, with a smartphone that folds halfway like a wallet. Another design, in line with Samsung’s prototype unveiling, could see the phone unfold into a full-size tablet.

    Limited edition or not, the Samsung Galaxy X is anticipated to be a real head turner come its launch.

  • The Pixel 2 Duo Will Have A Stronger Offline Presence In India : Google

    The Pixel 2 Duo Will Have A Stronger Offline Presence In India : Google

    Google has launched the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. India is one of the first few countries to receive Google’s 2017 flagship smartphones, and Google has promised that the this time around, the two phones will ave a stronger presence in the Indian market. The launch of the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL was preceded with a lot of fan fare and the claims about the camera and software integration made Google during the launch has certainly hyped the phones even more.

    Last year’s Pixel and Pixel XL, even though they received great reviews for their camera and software performance, didn’t perform all that well in India. At a starting price of Rs 61000, the Pixel 2 duo is already costlier than the Samsung Galaxy S8. Compared to the US$649 starting price of the Pixel 2, the price in India is inflated by almost US$300. But, the VP of Product Management at Google has said that the team has learned a lot since the 2016 Pixel phones were launched in India:

    We learnt quite a bit with the first Pixel in India and one of the things we’re doing is increasing our marketing investment, really to explain the product. We’ve expanded the channel and from a go-to-market perspective, we’ll be much more present this year compared to last year.

    You may also like : Google Pixel 2 Vs The Competition

    The company concedes that one of the main drawbacks of the Pixel  and Pixel XL of 2016 was its failure to capture the offline market. According to Google, consumers in India generally prefer to purchase premium, high-end smartphones after having experienced them in-person. The company’s investment in marketing might not necessarily persuade a majority of the Indian consumer market to splash such cash on a second-generation Android flagship. Although it will be interesting to see the strategy that Google adopts for the Indian market.

    You may also like : Google Pixel 2 XL Vs The Competition

    The Pixel 2 in India starts at a price of Rs 61000 for the 64GB variant and goes up to Rs 70000 for the 128GB variant. The bigger sibling, Pixel 2 XL costs Rs 73000 for the 64GB variant and Rs 81000 for the 128GB storage variant. The iPhone X, when released in India will cost Rs 84000 for the 64GB variant while the Galaxy Note8 retails for Rs 67900 in India right now. What’s your choice of flagship for the next year or so? Let us know in the comments below!

  • Google Pixel 2 XL Vs The Competition

    Google Pixel 2 XL Vs The Competition

    The Google Pixel 2 was launched on October 4th as the marquee Pixel device for 2017. It strays away a little from the thick bezels that the Pixel 2 has but, still incorporates the front-firing speakers in relatively thinner bezels. Just like the Pixel 2, there is a tight integration with Google Assistant in Google’s attempt to harmonise AI, software and hardware. So, how does the bigger Google flagship stack up against the competition? let’s find out:

    Google Pixel 2 XL

    The smartphone has a 6 inch 2880 x 1440 px POLED display which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio. Protecting the display is Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Just like the Pixel 2, the device runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and will receive the Android P update in 2018. Powering the device is a 3520 mAh battery which is larger than the one found in the Pixel 2. Under the hood, the Pixel 2 XL 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.

    On the camera front, 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. Google says Pixel 2 XL 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.

    Samsung Galaxy S8+

    The Samsung Galaxy S8+ has a 6.2 inch 2960×1440 px Super AMOLED display with a 570ppi. Powering the device is a 3000 mAh battery and it runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box. Under the hood, the smartphone has Exynos 8895 chipset, 64GB or 128GB onboard storage options which is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card and 4GB RAM or 6GB RAM variants. The Galaxy S8+ is also water and dust resistant. The Galaxy S8 has a glass  black which means it is wireless charging compatible. The smartphone has an awkwardly placed fingerprint sensor right next to the camera.

    For cameras, both phones get a main Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 8MP AF (F1.7). While the battery on the Galaxy S8 is 3000 man, the S8plus has a 3500 mAh battery. Both support fast charging and wireless charging as well.

    Apple iPhone X

    The iPhone X has a 5.8-inch 2436 x 1125 px OLED True Tone Super Retina display with minimal bezels around it. The phone runs iOS 11 and is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery which charges through the Apple signature lightning port placed at the bottom of the phone. Because of the all-glass design, the iPhone 8 also has wireless charging. Under the hood, the smartphone has the Apple A11 Bionic chipset with a neural engine, a hexacore processor, 3GB of RAM and storage options of 64GB, and 256GB. Apple has also gotten rid of TouchID and replaced it with facial recognition called FaceID which Apple claims has a security breach chances of 1 in a million.

    On the optics front, the iPhone X has dual 12-megapixel rear cameras, and it’s equipped with dual optical image stabilization. The main camera is equipped with a wide angle lens and has an f/1.8 aperture while the secondary telephoto lens has an f/2.4 aperture.

    Samsung Galaxy Note8

    The Galaxy Note8 has a 6.3 inch 2960 x 1440 px Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, which is the same aspect ratio found on the Galaxy S8 and S8+. Powering the device is a 3300 mAh battery which is smaller than the 3500 mAh battery found on the Galaxy Note7 with wireless charging capabilities, and runs Android Nougat 7.1.1 with Samsung’s custom skin on top. The device has the Exynos 8895 chipset, 2.3GHz Quad-Core (Custom CPU) + 1.7GHz Quad-Core (Cortex-A53) processor, 6GB of RAM and 128GB onboard storage, which is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card. The graphics are handled by the Mali-G71 MP20 GPU.

    The new Note8 has a 12MP dual-camera setup, one of which has a wide lens and the other a telephoto. The telephoto lens allows a user to zoom in losslessly for an up to 2x magnification. The use of dual camera allows for the ability to blur out the background for professional looking bokeh effect shots, something that seems to be common in smartphones in 2017. The Galaxy Note8, Samsung claims, is the first smartphone to feature OIS in both the cameras at the back.

    Specifications Google Pixel 2 XL Samsung Galaxy S8+ Apple iPhone X Samsung Galaxy Note8
    Price Rs 73000 for the 64GB variant Rs 64900 for the 64GB variant

    		 Rs 89000 for the 64GB variant Rs 67900
    Display Size and Type 6 inch POLED display 6.2 inch Super AMOLED 5.8 inch Super Retina Display 6.3 inch Super AMOLED
    Display Resolution 2880 x 1440 px 2960 x 1440 px 2436 x 1125 px OLED True Tone 2960 x 1440 px
    Dimension 157.9 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm 159.5 x 73.4 x 8.1 mm 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm
    Weight 175 grams 173 grams 174 grams 195 grams
    Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Exynos 8895 A11 Bionic Chipset Exynos 8895
    Processor 2.4GHz
    8x Qualcomm Kryo 280    		 Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process Hexacore processor with 2 high performing and 4 low cores Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process
    RAM 4GB 4GB or 6GB 3GB 6GB
    Storage 64GB

    128GB

    		 64GB

    128GB

    		 64GB

    256GB

    		 64GB
    Storage Expandability No Yes up to 256GB No Yes up to 256GB
    Primary Camera 12.2MP with an f/1.8 aperture

    Dual pixel technology

    		 Dual Pixel 12MP with an f/1.7 aperture 12MP wide-angle and telephoto cameras
    Wide-angle: ƒ/1.8 aperture
    Telephoto: ƒ/2.4 aperture    		 Dual 12MP camera
    Wide-angle: ƒ/1.7 aperture
    Telephoto: ƒ/2.4 aperture
    Primary Camera Features Simultaneous OIS and EISPortrait mode OIS

    PDAF

    		 Portrait mode
    Portrait Lighting (beta)
    Dual optical image stabilization
    Six?element lens
    Quad-LED True Tone flash with Slow Sync    		 PDAF
    2X lossless optical zoom
    Bokeh Effect
    Dual OIS
    Secondary Camera 8MP with an f/2.4 aperture 8MP AF (F1.7) 7MP camera
    f/2.2 aperture    		 8MP with an f/1.7 aperture
    Colours  Black and White, All Black Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey  Space Gray, Silver Midnight Black, Maple Gold

     

  • Google Pixel 2 Vs The Competition

    Google Pixel 2 Vs The Competition

    On October 4th, Google announced the next iteration of its Android smartphones, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Smaller of the two siblings, the Pixel 2 has a tight integration with Google Assistant. With the Google Pixel 2 arriving in India on November 1st, let’s take a look at how it stacks up against the competition.

    Google Pixel 2

    The Google Pixel 2 has a 5 inch 1920 x 1080 px OLED display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for protection. 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. 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.

    On the camera front, 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. 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.

    Samsung Galaxy S8

    The Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 5.8” 2960×1440 px Super AMOLED display with a 570ppi. Powering the device is a 3000 mAh battery and it runs Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box. Under the hood, both the smartphone has Exynos 8895 chipset, 64GB onboard storage options which is expandable up to 256GB via microSD card and 4GB RAM. The Galaxy S8 is also water and dust resistant. The Galaxy S8 has a glass  black which means it is wireless charging compatible. The smartphone has an awkwardly placed fingerprint sensor right next to the camera.

    For cameras, both phones get a main Dual Pixel 12MP OIS (F1.7), Front: 8MP AF (F1.7). While the battery on the Galaxy S8 is 3000 man, the S8plus has a 3500 mAh battery. Both support fast charging and wireless charging as well.

    Apple iPhone 8

    The Apple iPhone 8 has a 4.7 inch 1334 x 750 px IPS LCD True Tone display. Under the hood, the iPhone 8 has the A11 Bionic chipset with a hexacore processor and the new Apple GPU. Because of the glass back, the iPhone 8 is now wireless charging capable. The iPhone 8 runs iOS 11 and the battery of the iPhone 8 is identical to the iPhone 7. The iPhone 8 is available in two storage variants, 64GB and 256GB.

    On the camera front, there’s a 12-megapixel sensor on the iPhone 8 that is larger, faster and has optical image stabilisation. The iPhone 8 Plus also has new 12 MP sensors. The main camera is equipped with a wide angle lens and has an f/1.8 aperture while the secondary telephoto lens has an f/2.8 aperture. The dual cameras on the iPhone 8 Plus also have a new “Portrait Lighting” feature to adjust the lighting for portrait shots.

     

    Specifications Google Pixel 2 Samsung Galaxy S8 Apple iPhone 8
    Price Rs 61000 for 64GB variant Rs 55900

    		 Rs 59,999 for 64GB variant
    Display size and type 5 inch OLED 5.8 inch Super AMOLED 4.7 inch IPS LCD True Tone Display
    Display resolution 1920 x 1080 px 2960 x 1440 px 1334 x 750 px
    Dimensions 145.7 x 69.7 x 7.8 mm 148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm
    Weight 143 grams 155 grams 148 grams
    Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Exynos 8895 A11 Bionic Chipset
    Processor 2.4GHz
    8x Qualcomm Kryo 280    		 Octa core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.7GHz Quad), 64 bit, 10 nm process Hexacore processor
    RAM 4GB 4GB 3GB
    Storage 64GB

    128GB

    		 64GB 64GB

    256GB
    Storage Expandability No Yes

    Up to 256GB

    		 No
    Primary Camera 12.2MP with an f/1.8 aperture

    Dual pixel technology

    		 Dual Pixel 12MP with an f/1.7 aperture 12MP with an f/1.8 aperture
    Primary Camera Features Simultaneous OIS and EIS

    Portrait mode

    		 OIS and EIS

    PDAF

    		 OIS

    Six element lens
    Secondary Camera 8MP with an f/2.4 aperture

    Portrait mode

    		 8MP AF (F1.7) 7MP camera
    f/2.2 aperture
    Colours White, Blue, Black Midnight Black, Maple Gold, Orchid Grey Gold, Silver, Space Gray
  • Is This The New BlackBerry Motion?

    Is This The New BlackBerry Motion?

    BlackBerry was one of the main competitors in the ‘smartphone’ market a few years ago, until iOS and Android devices took over. In the past couple of years, BlackBerry has released a few Android OS running devices with a few BlackBerry exclusive features pertaining to cyber security. A prolific leaker on Twitter has revealed what could be the new BlackBerry Motion.

    Ever since the IFA 2017 in Berlin, there have been reports of BlackBerry working on a touchscreen-only Android device called the BlackBerry Krypton. According to Evan Blass, Krypton was the internal code name for the phone and that it will be launched as the BlackBerry Motion. In late September, there was in image leaked of the Motion which showed the back of the device, showing a brushed metal bar on top with a relatively small camera module on it. The BlackBerry KEYone was launched with a single camera at the back and it looks like the Canadian company is not yet ready to jump aboard the dual-camera setup train.

    The BlackBerry Motion will be designed and manufactured by the Chinese company TCL as per their agreement from 2016. The smartphone will have IP67 rating which has become a norm in flagship devices nowadays along with 26 hours of battery life. Expect the standard features for cyber security that BlackBerry boasts about along with enterprise-friendly software found in BlackBerry devices.

    Unlike the BlackBerry KEYone, the Motion won’t have a keyboard and instead feature a full touchscreen with a home button at the bottom. The home button is also in the shape of BlackBerry’s logo and the 3.5mm headphone jack retains its place at the bottom of the device along with a USB Type C port.

    There are no details about the launch date or the pricing strategy for the BlackBerry Motion as of yet.

  • Huawei Mate 10 Pro Leaked In Live Images Before October 16th Launch

    Huawei Mate 10 Pro Leaked In Live Images Before October 16th Launch

    Huawei is gearing up to launch its highly anticipated lineup of Mate 10 smartphones in Munich on October 16th. There have been a lot of leaks of the Mate 10 Pro, the flagship smartphone and new leaked images show the phone in all its glory with dual cameras and extremely thin bezels.

    Recently, images and colour variants of the Huawei Mate 10 Pro were leaked by a prolific leaker on Twitter. The new live images leaked differ a little from the images with a more reflective back panel. The tipster also claims the phone will be launched in a limited Porsche Design edition with a burnished finish.

    The Huawei Mate 10 Pro will be powered by Kirin 970 chipset, which was unveiled at the IFA 2017 in Berlin by Huawei. The smartphone is expected to be powered by a 4000 mAh battery and run Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box. The smartphone will have 6GB of RAM, and 64GB and 128GB onboard storage variants. The phone is also expected to be IP68 certified water and dust resistant.

    The Leica branded dual camera setup at the back is said to consist of 12MP and 20MP sensors with an f/1.6 aperture and OIS. On the front, the smartphone is expected to have an 8MP camera.

    Huawei boasted about the Kirin 970 chipset at the time of its unveiling and interestingly said that it has a neural transmitter, same as the A11 Bionic chipset found in the iPhone 8 and Phone X. Huawei went ahead and teased the launch of the “real AI smartphone” right after Apple’s September 12th event. It is believed that Huawei was referring to the Mate 10 Pro in that teaser.

    At the IFA 2017, Mr. Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei Consumer Group said, “The NPU present inside the Kirin 970 chipset can think and actively work to provide you the best user experience, whereas other A.I. assistance like Google Assistant only works reactively.” The new chipset will also mean better battery life as Huawei suggests that it is “50 times more efficient than an average CPU.” Huawei being telecommunications giant has introduced new features in the Kirin 970 such as the Cat 18 compatibility, which means it can reach download speeds up to 1.2GB per second.

    The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is expected to be launched at a premium price and will compete with the likes of the Galaxy Note8, Google Pixel 2 and the iPhone 8 in the flagship market right now.

  • Google Pixel 2 Has The Best Camera In A Smartphone : DXOmark

    Google Pixel 2 Has The Best Camera In A Smartphone : DXOmark

    On October 4th, Google presented its strategy for the future. Google wants the perfect harmony of AI, software and hardware for its upcoming devices. All eyes were on the announcement of the much awaited Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. The announcement of the two phones was succeeded with their DXOmar scores. DXOmark is a portal that rates the camera of a smartphone on different parameters. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have a score of 98 on DXOmark which makes the Pixel 2 camera as the best smartphone camera in the world right now. In September, it was announced that the iPhone 8 has the best smartphone camera in the world.

    Photos are an extremely subjective, just like sound. Hence, scores by DXOmark can mean everything or absolutely nothing to a consumer but, having the best smartphone camera in the market doesn’t hurt.

    The Google Pixel 2 not only takes the DxOMark Mobile scoring crown with a stunning Overall score of 98, but its video performance improves by 5 points over the original Pixel, putting it at 96 and at the top of our video ranking. The Pixel 2’s photo performance is really impressive at 99, and just one point short of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which scored an amazing 100 in our photo category.

    In terms of optics, Google decided to go with a tried and testing route of a single camera of the back instead of the now-trending dual-cameras. Both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have a 12.2MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture and feature a “dual-pixel” technology. What this basically does is that it literally divides every pixel into two. Even though the phones have a single camera, you can still take portrait style photos from both the front and the back camera thanks to Google’s software processing. On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture. On the video front, the rear-facing camera uses both OIS and EIS for stable videos and records 4K videos at 30FPS.

    Would you consider buying a phone just because of its superior DXOmark scores? Let us know in the comments below.

  • Honor 9i With Four Cameras Launched In India At Rs 17999

    Honor 9i With Four Cameras Launched In India At Rs 17999

    Huawei’s sub-brand, Honor has launched the Honor 9i in India at a price of Rs 17999. The smartphone is the Indian variant of the Maimang 6 launched in China in September. It is expected that a global variant of the phone, the Mate 10 Lite will be unveiled on 16th October along with the Mate 10 Pro.

    The Honor 9i has a 5.9-inch 2160 x 1080px display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The device runs Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box with Huawei’s EMUI 5.1 skin on top and is powered by a 3340 mAh battery. It also has Huawei’s in-house octa-core Kirin 659 chipset, octa-core 2.36 GHz processor, along with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB onboard storage.

    On the camera front is where this smartphone will attract a lot of eyeballs. The rear of the phone contains a 16 MP main sensor and a 2 MP secondary sensor, while the front has a 13 MP camera and another 2 MP secondary sensor.  A fingerprint sensor is placed at the back of the phone since the phone has thin bezels and no physical button at the front of the phone.

    The Honor 9i will be a Flipkart-exclusive device and go on sale on 14th October. The company has said that the launch offers will be detailed at the time of its sale. The Honor 9i will be available in three colours, Platinum Gold, Navy Blue, and Midnight Black. The company has also launched a 10000mAh Quick Charge Power Bank, priced at Rs 2399. It will be available via the Honor India online store, with a Diwali offer till October 28 that brings the price down to Rs 1999.

  • Google Launches The AI Powered Pixel Buds For US$159

    Google Launches The AI Powered Pixel Buds For US$159

    Google has launched the Pixel Buds, a Google Assistant powered pair of neckbands. The Pixel Buds are priced at US$159 and features tight integration with the Pixel devices such as the new Pixel 2, Pixel 2 Xl and the Pixelbook launched alongside on 4th October.

    The Pixel Buds are a direct rival of the Apple AirPods in terms of what it can do. The Google Pixel Buds feature touch controls and you can interact with the earphones via voice using Google Assistant. You can skip songs, ask for directions and call someone without using your phone at all. They are meant to work primarily with the Pixel devices. The cord connecting the two ear plugs is made of cloth. The Pixel Buds come in a little cloth-covered case that can also recharge them when they’re low. Google says they should last about five hours on a charge; the case can charge them four times. The earbuds have a 120mAh battery while the case has a 620mAh battery capacity.

    Just like the Pixel 2, the Pixel Buds will retail in three colour variant, White, Blue and Black. The Pixel Buds are up for pre-orders in the US and will start shipping in 6-7 weeks.

  • Google Launches The Pixelbook For US$999

    Google Launches The Pixelbook For US$999

    Google has launched a new iteration of its laptop lineup, the Pixelbook. The Pixelbook has a touch sensitive screen and can be converted into a tablet. Google has introduced a stylus as well called the Pixel Pen. The Pixelbook will also be powered by Google Assistant. Google Play Store will also be compatible with Pixelbook, meaning you can have your favourite Android apps on your laptop. The new Pixelbook starts at a price of US$999 and the Pixel Pen will retail for US$99.

    Pixelbook is the thinnest and lightest laptop we’ve ever made.

    The Pixelbook has a 12.3 inch 2400 x 1600 (235 ppi) Quad HD LCD display which is touch sensitive and support for the new Pixel Pen. Under the hood, the Pixelbook has the 7th generation Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, up to 16GB of RAM and three storage options of 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The Pixelbook can be charged using a USB Type C cable and supports fast charging. Powering the device is a 41 Whr battery which gives a usage time of up to 10 hours. It also has a dedicated Google Assistant key to the left of the space bar. The Pixelbook weighs 1.1kg and is available in one colour variant only. The design is inspired by the Pixel phones with a two-tone colour at the back.

    The keyboard on the Pixelbook has backlit keys and a travel distance of 0.8mm. A new smart feature introduced by Google is that if the Pixelbook is out of WiFi coverage, it automatically connects to your Pixel phone.

  • Google Launches The Pixel 2 XL For US$849

    Google Launches The Pixel 2 XL For US$849

    Google has finally unveiled the new Pixel 2 XL during its launch event. The Pixel 2 XL is priced at Rs 73000 for the 64GB variant. Google will also bundle a Google Home Mini with every order of a Pixel 2 XL for a limited time.

    The Pixel 2 XL has a design similar to the Pixel 2 with a glass window at the back and the placement of the fingerprint sensor at the back is the same as well. The smartphone has a 6 inch 2880 x 1440 px POLED display which translates into an 18:9 aspect ratio. Protecting the display is Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Just like the Pixel 2, the device runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box and will receive the Android P update in 2018. Powering the device is a 3520 mAh battery which is larger than the one found in the Pixel 2. Under the hood, the Pixel 2 XL 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.

    A new addition is front-firing dual stereo speakers. The big omission is the much talked about 3.5 headphone jack. The Pixel 2 XL also has an always on display for better accessibility. Another feature is the Active Edge feature which lets you squeeze the frame of the phone to launch the Google Assistant. Google has also made some minor changes to the phone’s home screen. The most notable change is that there’s now a search box at the very bottom of the screen. Up top, there’s now an “at a glance” widget, which displays your upcoming meetings, as well as the date and temperature.

    On the camera front, Google has decided to go for a single camera setup similar to last year’s Pixel phones. The rear-facing camera is a 12.2 MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and 1.4 micron pixel size. On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Google has introduced new features in the camera department like the addition of AR. You’ll be able to add 3D characters and emoji into photos and videos and see them move around as you’re capturing the scene. That includes things like a sleepy coffee cup, but also some recognisable characters. Google is going to be partnering with third parties to add in some famous faces. DXOmark has given the cameras of the Pixel 2 XL a score of 98, highest ever for a smartphone. Google says Pixel 2 XL 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 Pixel 2 XL will be available online on Flipkart exclusively and at select offline retail outlets. As far as pricing is concerned, the Pixel 2 64GB is priced at Rs 61,000, the 128GB variant at Rs 70,000, the Pixel 2 XL 64GB is priced at Rs 73,000, and the 128GB at Rs 82,000. Pre-orders in India begin from 26th October 2017, the Pixel 2 will be available for sale from November 1 and the Pixel 2 XL from 15th November.

  • Google Launches The Pixel 2 For US$649

    Google Launches The Pixel 2 For US$649

    Google has launched the new iteration of the Pixel 2016, the Pixel 2 during its launch event at Google HQ. The Pixel 2 is priced at Rs 61000 for the 64GB variant. Google will also bundle a Google Home Mini with every order of a Pixel 2 for a limited time.

    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. 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. 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.

    A new addition is front-firing dual stereo speakers. The big omission is the much talked about 3.5 headphone jack. The Pixel 2 also has an always on display for better accessibility. Another feature is the Active Edge feature which lets you squeeze the frame of the phone to launch the Google Assistant. Google has also made some minor changes to the phone’s home screen. The most notable change is that there’s now a search box at the very bottom of the screen. Up top, there’s now an “at a glance” widget, which displays your upcoming meetings, as well as the date and temperature.

    On the camera front, Google has decided to go for a single camera setup similar to last year’s Pixel phones. The rear-facing camera is a 12.2 MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and 1.4 micron pixel size. On the front is an 8MP camera with an f/2.4 aperture. Google has introduced new features in the camera department like the addition of AR. You’ll be able to add 3D characters and emoji into photos and videos and see them move around as you’re capturing the scene. That includes things like a sleepy coffee cup, but also some recognisable characters. Google is going to be partnering with third parties to add in some famous faces. This year, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL use a technology called “dual-pixel” which divides every pixel into two. DXOmark has given the cameras of the Pixel 2 a score of 98, highest ever for a smartphone. 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.

    The Pixel 2 will be available online on Flipkart exclusively and at select offline retail outlets. As far as pricing is concerned, the Pixel 2 64GB is priced at Rs 61,000, the 128GB variant at Rs 70,000, the Pixel 2 XL 64GB is priced at Rs 73,000, and the 128GB at Rs 82,000. Pre-orders in India begin from 26th October 2017, the Pixel 2 will be available for sale from November 1 and the Pixel 2 XL from 15th November.

  • Google Launches The Google Max For US$399

    Google Launches The Google Max For US$399

    After the announcement of a small speaker focussed more on AI, Google has launched the Google Max smart speaker. The Google Max will focus a lot on bass and the company claims it is 20 times louder than Google Home.

    Google Max will concentrate on “smart sound.” For example, if the speaker is near a wall or on a shelf, it sounds different. Google is automatically tuning it. “This is all done dynamically” and it can change sound automatically. Google Max supports YouTube Music, Spotify and all other major music streaming services. The Google Max is also powered by Google Assistant and can recognise your voice even if the music is playing loudly thanks to a smart mic placed in the speaker. Home Max has two 4.5 inch woofers with tweeters covered by a fabric speaker grill. It features touch controls, supports Bluetooth as well as Google Cast and has a 3.5mm audio jack.

    Just like Apple’s HomePod, the Home Max can tune itself for the room it’s placed in using a machine learning feature called Smart Sound. Google says Smart Sound can tune the Home Max for the audio you’re listening to, be it a song, podcast, or a phone call.

    The Google Max will be available in the US in December for a price of US$399 and will be available in two colour variants. It will make its way to other countries in early 2018.

  • Google Launches The Google Home Mini For US$49

    Google Launches The Google Home Mini For US$49

    Sundar Pichai took to stage during the Google launch event on 4th October and talked about the importance of AI in the future of technology. Google has launched a new iteration of Google’s smart speaker, the Home Mini. The Google Home Mini will compete with Amazon Echo Dot in the market of mini smart speakers. The Google Home Mini is designed to fit into the aesthetics of your home with a circular shape. The speaker will be available in Coral, Charcoal and Chalk. To make the competition with Amazon Echo Dot even, the smart speaker will be available for  US$49.

    The Home Mini has a 360-degree sound stage. For more sound, the Google Home Mini can be connected with a different speaker. Google Home Mini is powered by Google Assistant and has the intelligence to differentiate the voice of different people in the house and perform actions based on the voice.

    Google has partnered with Disney to bring Disney originals to the experience of Google Home. This is done in the bid to improve the interaction of Google Assistant with kids.

    The Google Home Mini can perform a series of tasks with one command. it can find your phone even if it is on silent by a simple “find my phone” command.

    The Google Home Mini will be available to pre-order from 4th October.

  • Alexa Powered Amazon Echo, Echo Dot And Echo Plus Launched In India

    Alexa Powered Amazon Echo, Echo Dot And Echo Plus Launched In India

    Earlier in the month of September, it was reported that Amazon will be launching its Prime Music services and Amazon Echo Dot in India. Now, Amazon has launched three smart speakers from its global lineup in India at a starting price of Rs 4499. In order to purchase any of the devices, customers need to request an invitation on Amazon’s official listing for the three devices namely, the Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Plus. The company also announced that it will soon be launching its Prime Music service in India.

    Bringing voice assistants to India is always tricky because of the diversity of accents from one part of the country to another. Amazon claims that Alexa has been customised for the Indian audience, which now supports local pronunciations and intonation. Alexa also supports local music titles, names and places. Amazon claims that it brought in Indian developers to optimise Alexa for the Indian consumers.

    During the launch, the company said in a statement:

    10,000 skills will be available for customers in India, including skills from Saavn, Times of India, ESPNcricinfo, Ola, Freshmenu, and more. Tens of millions of customers are already using Alexa, and today we’re excited to bring her to India with an all-new experience designed from the ground up for our customers in India,” said Dave Limp, senior vice president, Amazon Devices and Services. The combination of Alexa and Echo provides customers with hands-free access to music, weather, news, information, and more—just ask.

    Echo Plus

    Priced at Rs 14999, the Echo Plus is the most expensive of the three smart speakers released on Wednesday in India. It is about the same size as the original Echo from 2014 but, also acts as a smart home hub with second-generation far-field voice recognition and enhanced sound. The Echo Plus uses Zigbee as a low-power way to extend its wireless range and can control more than 100 smart home devices in the market via voice, without any apps required. The device measures 83.5 x 83.5 x 32 mm and weighs 163 grams. The Echo Plus will scan the room for smart devices and set it up automatically. There is a new Alexa feature which was demonstrated during the Amazon hardware show which was the series of tasks that can be triggered with a simple phrases. The Echo Plus, once set up and connected to all the smart devices in your home can open the blinders, start the coffee machine and tell the weather by just saying “Good Morning Alexa.”

    Amazon Echo

    At the Amazon Hardware show, the company also launched a new refreshed version of the Amazon Echo of 2014. In India, it is priced at Rs 9999 and will be available in a host of different finishes like wood and cloth. It is a smart speaker and does things at your (voice) command like book an Uber, place an order on Zomato or play your favourite playlist from Saavn. The device measures 148.5 x 88 x 88 mm and weighs 821 grams. It features 2.5-inch woofer and 0.6-inch bass tweeter.

    Amazon Echo Dot

    The Amazon Echo Dot is priced at Rs 4499 in India and is also the smallest sibling and has all the functionalities that an Echo possessed but, with a lower sound quality. The device measures 83.5 x 83.5 x 32 mm and weighs 163 grams. A good thing about the Echo Dot is that it can be connected to other speakers for a better soundstage and still retain its core ‘smart’ features.

     

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