Xiaomi at an event in China has launched the Mi Note 2 with a dual curved edges on the front as well as the back, much like the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge or the Note 7. The phone features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset and the camera is directly out of the Google Pixel with gyro enabled EIS on 4K video capture.
The battery is also a large 4070 mAh battery, offering upto a full day of use and Quick Charge 3.0. The front features an ultra thin OLED display covered by a curved glass, and while Xiaomi claims that the OLED display availability is much less than needed for sustained production. The screen also features a 3D touch on the 5.7 display which in the same size as the iPhone 7 Plus offers a 77.2 % screen to body ratio.
For cameras the Mi Note 2 has a main 22.36 MP main snapper which offers gyro enabled 4k Video with EIS . The front has an 8MP camera with autofocus and the beautify v3 feature.
The Snapdragon 821 is clocked at 2.35 Ghz with options between 4GB and 6GB of LPDD4 RAM and 64 GB and 128 GB UFS 2.0 storage. The phone is 4G enabled and supports VoLTE. Xiaomi has launched the phone in two colour variants; Piano Black and Glacier Silver.
The Xiaomi Mi Note 2 also features full-featured NFC, HD lossless audio, and SAP GPS. The Mi Note 2 is priced starting at 2799 RMB which is roughly Rs. 27999, pretty impressive pricing for the specifications. The Global variant of the Mi Note 2 is priced at RMB 3499 (Rs. 34500) which has global bands and network support.
the Google Pixel phones have finally gone on sale in India, with preorders ending today. The Pixel is the Google’s attempt to make mainstream flagship handsets killing the Nexus line in the process. The new Pixel and Pixel XL phones feature some of the latest specs and the newest build, Android 7.1 along with Google Assistant pre-loaded.
We recently unboxed the Google Pixel Xl, which is the bigger variant of the Google Pixel. Prices for the Google Pixel phones start at Rs. 57000 and go upto Rs. 76000 for the Google Pixel XL with 128 GB storage.
The phones run on Snapdragon 821 and is optimised heavily with the hardware and the new Android 7.1 Nougat which is extremely snappy. The Pixel XL offers up a gorgeous QHD AMOLED display which has rich colours and deep level of blacks, the Pixel keeps the AMOLED for a 1080p resolution. The bright display also works indoors and out, however is a little slippery with its Gorilla Glass 4 protection. Both phones get 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM.
Xiaomi will launch the Mi Note 2 today and you can watch the stream below. The company has already claimed that the Mi Note 2 has two dual sided curves, much like the S7 Edge. Other features include a 5 inch 2k QHD Super AMOLED display manufactured by LG. The new smartphone will be based on the Snapdragon 821 SoC and will feature an iPhone like 3D touch interface.
Expected pricing of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is CNY 2,799 ($415, Rs. 27800) for the base variant and CNY 2,999 ($445, Rs. 30000) for the 6GB + 128GB variant
OnePlus may be working on a dual camera phone of their own. The OnePlus 3T hit the rumour mill a few days back however, information has been scanty. Reports of a Snapdragon 821 chipset have emerged from various sources and one of the OnePlus designers has posted on their Weibo account using the device.
The OnePlus 3t comes after reports that OnePlus has stopped the 3’s production and is working towards a new device due to unavailability of the AMOLED displays. Carl Pei, the company’s founder claimed that AMOLED is the way ahead via a tweet, but the reality of manufacturing for sustained periods may be limited due to stock availability. However the OnePlus 3t is expected to continue the Optic AMOLED display along with storage options up to 128 GB.
OnePlus will be staying with Optic AMOLED displays for the foreseeable future.
Rumours that the company is working on a dual camera phone may also tie in with the OnePlus 3t, or could be for a separate device all together. OnePlus will retain the unibody design that everyone has appreciated and also the Dash Charge capability.
Xiaomi has launched really exciting products in 2016 but the company is no where near stopping.
Leaks of the new Mi Note 2 from Xiaomi have the world excited. According to the new images, the Mi Note 2 will have a 5 inch 2k QHD Super AMOLED display manufactured by LG and not by Samsung. The display will also showcase force touch or a 3D touch interface much like the iPhone 6s and 7 according to the image, but it could simply be the under glass fingerprint sensor.
The Mi note 2 will be based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC much like the Google Pixel. Varints will allow users to decide RAM and Storage combos of the device, between 4GB + 64GB and 6GB + 128GB.
There will also be a 4100 mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support over the USB Type-C port. Like previous leaks indicated the phone will also have dual camera modules with one 23MP Sony IMX318 plus the 12MP Sony IMX378. If you are already missing the IRIS scanner from the Note 7 the Mi Note 2 will have that too.
Newer pricing estimates bring the price to CNY 2,799 ($415, Rs. 27800) for the base variant and CNY 2,999 ($445, Rs. 30000) for the 6GB + 128GB variant. The Mi Note 2 will also be the first smartphone to feature an Edge display outside of Samsung’s stable officially.
Apple will be holding an event on the 27th of October to launch the new revised and refreshed lineup of iMacs MacBooks and possibly new Peripherals like a new Airport Express and Extreme. The October 27 launch will start at 10:30PM IST, and will be available to watch via live streaming.
Rumours have pointed to a new design MacBook pro with a customisable OLED touch panel above the keyboard. Along with new hardware to match up with the latest est offerings from Intel. The new power button on the new Macs, will supposedly have a Touch ID sensor for added security. It is also speculated that the new Macs will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack in order to make them extremely slim.
Leaked Macbook Case
There are also reports of a iMac Retina refresh with added Thunderbolt 3 ( USB Type C) with the newer hardware and added performance capability, Apple plans to remove the 11 inch MacBook Air from it’s lineup and add a new 13 inch model with USB Type C ports. Apple may also launch the new Apple TV which is expected to enable Apple Video, much like Apple Music a subscription service to take on the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
Apple is also said to finally refresh it’s dying Thunderbolt Display with a new refreshed 5K monitor which will have an integrated GPU. All refreshes will be covered on iGyaan so mark your calendars for Oct 27th.
Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL leave the Nexus in their dust, defining a new category for Google and their proprietary smartphone. Much like Apple with their iPhone, Google’s Pixel and Pixel XL are made by the company from the ground up. http://fkrt.it/Pd1OjTuuuN
The packaging for the Pixel will be very iconic of Google colours, we are unboxing the Quite Black Google Pixel XL , while the phones are available in three colours (Quite Black, Really Blue, Very Silver) in the US and two colours worldwide the black and silver variants.
Inside the Box:
Google Pixel XL
Stereo In Ear Earphones + Tips
Wall Charger 3AMP
USB Type C to USB Type A cable
A Different USB Type C to USB Type C cable
Documentation and Safety Information
USB Type C OTG Adapter
Sim Ejector Tool
The Google Pixel is very well packaged, and the inbox accessories are made of really durable and high quality materials. While the cables have management clips, the earphones have a flat tangle free cord. The Google Pixel has a very HTC/iPhone design scheme, while it feels very close to the HTC 10 in the back, the front with the big chin at the bottom is very similar to an iPhone.
The phone runs on Snapdragon 821 and is optimised heavily with the hardware and the new Android 7.1 Nougat which is extremely snappy. The Pixel XL offers up a gorgeous QHD AMOLED display which has rich colours and deep level of blacks. The bright display also works indoors and out, however is a little slippery with its Gorilla Glass 4 protection.
Pixel XL has a really robust build and the phone feels really good in the hand, it does have a design which will take some time to get used to , however, it looks better in person than in images and video. Android 7.1 is what the Pixel and Pixel XL will have out of the box, and Google assistant works well, but will need deeper integration with Apps in India to work perfectly.
Google Allo and Duo are preinstalled on the Pixel and Pixel XL, and both phones will work on GSM and CDMA, and on GSM you will get 4G with VoLTE.
Samsung Gear IconX is the first wireless set of earphones, offering true cord free experience from a big company. But, are they really worth the big price tag, or should you consider something more affordable.
[section label=”Design”]
Design and Build
The Gear IconX is built really well, with a good quality outer casing. The earphones offer up splash and dust resistant P2i Nano coating despite having a fairly wide feature set. They should withstand your sweat incase you decide to use these for your active life or sports.
The included wing tips and in ear plugs come in a total of 4 different sizes for a perfect fit and are extremely easy to switch.
The carry case also has a rubberized coating on the outside and is built to survive several drops, and it does not pop open incase you do drop it.
[section label=”Hardware”]
Hardware
The Samsung Gear IconX comes with 4GB of inbuilt storage, which can come in handy if you decide to get some music without your phone. Connectivity with your smartphone is via Bluetooth 4.1 (BLE). The Gear IconX also track your fitness via the inbuilt HR sensor and an Accelerometer. The capacitive touch input on both earphones allow for handling and navigating through your music handling calls and listening to the contextual menus.
The Gear IconX come with 2 microphones per earbud, for noise cancellation and audio for phone calls. The Frequency Range is 20~20 kHz, with a Speaker Sensitivity of 89.5 dB ± 3 dB / 1mW and a Speaker Impedance: 16 ohm.
Each earbud has a inbuilt 47 mAh while the outer carrying case has a 315 mAh.
[section label=”Audio Performance”]
Performance and Audio
When you setup your Gear IconX with your phone, the audio is usually set to 50% which is optimised to get you a good battery life.
Audio performance is excellent, while music volumes can be extremely high. Low range and Mids are handled extremely well and audio profiles can be customised using the Gear app on your Android phone.
You can also use a single earbud as a regular bluetooth earpiece incase you like to keep it old school and answer your calls like that.
If you go for your run or go about your fitness routine without your phone, the earphones will still track your health info and heartbeat and then sync up with your phone later.
As wireless earphones they have excellent range and sound and thanks to the snug fit the outside noise is easily cut. The ability to long press and listen to ambient sound means you don’t need to constantly pull the earphones out of your ear.
[section label=”Battery Life”]
Battery Life
The biggest downfall of the Gear IconX has to be the battery life, if you increase the volume from the default while connected to your phone, you will need to charge the IconX every 60-75 minutes. Which if you are used to listening to music for long periods is a definite negative.
The carry case will charge both your earbuds a total of three extra times. However, if you leave your earphones in the case they will be charged constantly basically draining the battery of the earphones and the case as well. Which means leaving your earphones overnight will kill them, making them impossible to travel with.
[section label=”Conclusion”]
Conclusion
The Samsung Gear IconX is the best direction towards a truly wireless music experience, and seems like a better setup than what is expected from the Apple AirPods. However with a 5 hour battery the AirPods have the definite advantage. The Gear IconX will work with iPhones and Windows Phones too if you have those, however, you will get basic bluetooth connectivity and not deep controls and customizations which can be had on Android phones via the Gear App.
The battery life however is a step backwards, and it seems that Samsung rushed into these too early without figuring out real usage scenarios. The poor batteries make it difficult to use these daily, or ever! The battery life is also unwarranted considering the heavy price tag on these.
This is the right approach, however, it’s pre-mature and the battery life is unacceptable, sound quality and volumes are great. The earphones are extremely light and fit well in your ear. The fitness features are also a great add-on.
Samsung India is finally informing the Preorder customers that the Note 7 will not be going on sale in India, and is offering up replacement devices along with freebies to keep its consumers happy. If you did order a Note 7 in India, you will get a pick of either a Galaxy S7, or S7 Edge device, along with a free VR Headset, wireless earphones and gift card of Rs 3300.
This will only happen if you decide not to get a full refund on the Note 7, which by the way is also an option.
Please visit the retailer or online portal from where you had pre-booked your Galaxy Note7 to avail the above offer. In case you do not wish to avail the offer, you can get full refund of the pre-booking amount from your retailer or online portal.
Samsung claims that on purchase of Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, you will get the following benefits:
· Samsung will ship the new Samsung Gear VR to you absolutely free
· Samsung will also ship a Samsung Level U – Stereo Wireless Headset absolutely free
· Samsung would be gifting you an Oculus VR content voucher worth INR 3,300 approx. ($50)
All S7 and S7 Edge buyers who avail this offer will also get One Time Screen Replacement for a period of 12 months from date of activation of their devices. If you were looking for an alternative to the Note 7 Samsung may have just made the deal sweet enough for most buyers to bite. However, it will still take time to repair the bad karma around the Note 7 and it’s explosive batteries.
The Google Pixel is a successor to the successful Nexus line of phones which started to dwindle in popularity towards the end of their cycle. Google’s new Pixel and Pixel XL are what iPhone and iPhone Plus are to Apple, proprietary phones, designed to work perfectly well with their software. The Google Pixel and Pixel XL also break the traditional price barrier for Nexus devices pricing them upwards of US$ 649 and in India starting at a Rs. 57000 slightly short of the iPhone 7 price tag. However, the Google Pixel has failed to excite the Indian consumers like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus did, according to our source at Flipkart. The company has received little pre-orders and are falling short of expectations the sales teams had. Google has also started pushing advertisements in India for the Pixel in order to excite potential customers. However general expectations of price have been off from he users and the pricing seems high despite the specifications on the Pixel handsets. The most expensive Pixel Xl with 128 GB storage is expected to sell the least and is priced at Rs. 76000.
Presently the Very Silver and Quite Black colours of the phone are on sale and the Really Blue colour is not expected in India. Are you waiting to buy the Pixel or the Pixel XL or would you rather buy something else?
[poll id=”47″]
The state of affairs are poor for Samsung Mobile, as the company deals with its biggest disaster yet. The Note 7 has truly turned out to be a problem for the brand, an expensive problem at that.
The reported recall and disposal of the Note 7, will cost the parent company a whopping $5.3 Billion. However Samsung has assured its investors that it plans to recover the losses in less than three quarters after the Note 7 process is complete.
Samsung claims it will expand sales of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge and will not be releasing updated versions of those devices. Samsung has recalled 1.9 million Note 7 units in the US , 200,000 phones in China and about half a million phones in South Korea. This after a total 96 reports of the batteries of the Samsung Note 7 exploding emerged.
Surprisingly most reports of the Explosive Note 7 handsets has come from the US, also the largest market where the Note 7 was on sale. However, Samsung claims that the financial loss reports are incorrect and issued the following statement. :
Samsung India is appalled by the incorrect reporting of company’s financials based on reports by various research agencies.
The reports covered in some news articles quote different revenue loss estimates for Samsung India. These research reports are not based on empirical facts. Such projections by any research agency or analyst, therefore, is incorrect.
Samsung has not sold Galaxy Note7 in India. However, we can confirm that contrary to these reports, we are headed for record sales of mobile phones this year. The festive season has started for Samsung on a high and we have strong support and trust of our customers.
However, according to the Branding Brand survey, over 40% of current Samsung consumers say they won’t buy another phone from the brand. Out of which:
In a move that goes against all norms of public privacy and modern moral sense, the Government of India is making plans to ask intermediary services like Gmail, WhatsApp, Snapchat and even Flipkart and Amazon to not only retain sensitive and private user information but also to share with the Government as per requests raised.
This amendment will be made into the Section 67C of the Information Technology Act of India by a committee that has been working on this for a while. According to this new rule, put initially into motion in 2008, all electronic companies operating in India will require to follow the govt. rules which will spell out what type of data has to be stored, in which format, and for how long. Meaning it should be stored in a specific archaic format set by the Government in 2008.
Not only will this be an invasion of privacy, but should this data leak or get hacked, it will be a huge social, private, public and central Government security risk, also a major risk to high profile individuals and companies who use these services daily.
Using Apple’s example, the committee stated on the matter:
Even if it is for national security reasons, how much are these companies answerable to the Indian security establishment? And we do know how Apple refused to unlock the phone even for FBI.
The implementation of such services may not technically be possible in certain cases, where WhatsApp encrypts chats with 256 bit hex while Snapchat never stores informations beyond seconds. This may either lead to huge resistance of the bill or general shutdown of services used by modern India.
While the Government is still mixed on how and why the data needs to be stored, the problem for how long is what may take more of a biting, the Department of Telecommunications required data to be stored for 6 months, the Registrar of Companies mandates for one year and income-tax for seven years.
Security is important, however, privacy and freedom of citizens is important too
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Either way, we all should be aware of the consequences of government data storage, a bill that is nearly a decade old, and policies that could send the growth trajectory of Modern India spiralling down. While national security is important, privacy and freedom of citizens is important too. At the end how much policing, is too much ?
Samsung has confirmed that they will be putting the Note 7 to rest the old fashioned way. The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 units will be completely disposed off, as it seems Samsung wants no reminder of its failings. Samsung has already adjusted its quarterly estimates to account for $2 billion in losses.
The reality is that, short of Apple’s new recycling initiatives, smartphones are not really recycled. They end up in landfills causing huge environmental damage. Samsung has in all manufactured over 2 million Note 7s, and inefficient manufacturing along with no plans of smartphone recycling make the difficult-to-mine rare earth elements, like gold, silver, copper, platinum and aluminium among other components irrecoverable.
Now those with interest in mining phones should start hunting up dumping grounds where Samsung will lay the Note 7 to rest, however, it it is anything like Atari’s story, they might just show up in the future.
The Note 7 is Dead and with it Samsung has essentially lost market share, customer loyalty and a whole lot of goodwill for the fiasco, not to mention billions of dollars of losses and enormous environmental trash. But, in a last ditch effort to save face with Samsung owners atleast in the US, Samsung is offering US $ 100 in Samsung Credit (for future purchases) to those who exchange the Galaxy Note 7 with another Samsung device.
Samsung will still give you just $25 if you decide to rather switch to Apple, HTC or any other brand. The best option might be to avoid the exchange and get a full refund where available.
The Note 7 is not the only device affected with the battery issues, Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are also reportedly prone to battery explosions and the Galaxy S7 Active limited to certain regions also has Battery explosion issues.
Samsung has had a horrible time getting control of the issue, and it still does not have a system in place for all the unofficial phones that pose a life risk in countries where the Note 7 has not been officially launched but available via the grey markets.
As promised the Google Pixel has gone up for Pre-Order in India starting 13th Oct. The Pixel and Pixel XL which are priced between Rs. 57000 and Rs. 76000 are a far cry from the pricing norm surrounding Nexus devices, which the pixel phones are replacing. The Phones will be available online on Flipkart and through several other outlets including Reliance Digital , Tata Croma among others. Flipkart is offering Rs. 27000 Exchange offer for a trade in of your old phone.
The Google Pixel and Pixel XL are Google’s answer to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus. DXOmark rates the Google Pixel’s camera at 89 a 3 points above the iPhone 7. The camera on the Pixel is a 12.3 MP camera with f/2.0 aperture and a 1.55 micron pixel size. You get HDR Plus, without any shutter lag and smart bursts which select the best shot.
Google Pixel comes with unlimited online storage for Photos and Videos at full quality. The Pixel phones are the latest to run Android Nougat (version 7.1), the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. Additionally, with Pixel you also get a customer care on call 24/7 with Google via the settings app. You can also share your screen live with the support agents for troubleshooting. The Pixel will come with a 5 inch display while the Pixel XL comes with a 5.5 inch display. Both have a AMOLED screen. The Pixel and Pixel XL run on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 with 4GB of RAM. The Pixel will get a 2770 mAh battery while the Pixel XL gets a large 3450 mAh battery.
