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Intel Announces Advancements In Hardware, Cloud And Connectivity, Collaborates With Facebook

Researchers predict that Artificial Intelligence will make its way to a majority of computer systems by the year 2023. Intel has always been pro-AI, and the company even has a Developer Program to encourage programmers to develop AI systems based on Intel’s Xeon Chips. At the Open Compute Project (OCP) Global Summit, the company unveiled its advancements in new hardware, which will improve computing capabilities and cost innovation for hardware developers.

The company stated that there is a huge amount of untapped data and that the company will design hardware that enables its systems to process the generated data in a way that efficiency is maintained. Moreover, Intel believes that new systems are also required to manage the ever-changing workloads and deployment models that drive data-based infrastructure. Consequently, OCP and Intel are working together for the same. Intel claims that it’s expertise in the field of AI and engineering will enable it to produce products and technologies that will lay the foundation for innovation in the aforementioned field.

As per the event, Intel’s new cloud-optimized setup for the Xeon processors will have a 4-socket reference design. This will enable the processor to get its core count up to 112 in a singular 2U platform and greatly boost memory bandwidth. Companies like Dell, HP, Lenovo and Quanta will probably deliver new cloud-optimized Xeon processors based on the preceding reference design. They might make their way into markets by the end of the year 2019.

Intel Collaborates With Facebook For Upcoming Processors

Intel has announced that it will team up with online social media and networking giant, Facebook to work on Intel’s upcoming Cooper Lake 14nm Intel Xeon processor family, which will sport Bfloat 16. Bfloat 16 is a 16-bit floating representation which will boost the performance of deep learning systems by offering a similar dynamic range to the basic 32-bit representations. Doing so will greatly improve the speed of AI deep learning, which in turn will help develop new systems such as recommendation engines, speech recognition and machine translation.

Also Read: Best Wireless Headphones Under Rs 3,000 In India For April 2019

Furthermore, the American multinational technology company also announced the release of new OCP-complaint network interface controllers, which carry the OCPv3.0 branding. The controllers range from speeds of 1 GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) to 100 GbE. Also, Intel will now contribute its new Rack Management Module Code to the OCP community to increase its engagement in OCP systems.

April 3, 2019
Foxconn To Start Trial Run Of iPhone X/XS Production In India

Foxconn, a known Taiwanese contract manufacturer, will soon start producing Apple’s latest smartphones, namely the iPhone X and iPhone XS models in the Indian subcontinent. Fresh reports claim that the company is planning to start a trial run of the said production in a few weeks. This news arrives after Apple announced that another manufacturer, Wistron has started manufacturing the iPhone 7 in the Indian market.

What Does This Mean?

Sources claim the trial run of the iPhone X and iPhone XS smartphone models would take place before Foxconn starts full-scale assembly of the said devices. This would take place at the factory outside the city of Chennai. If the plan proceeds to fruition, Apple would then be responsible for the production of iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, iPhone 7 and the iPhone X/XS in India. The Indian assembly line of Foxconn’s Hon Hai Precision Industry would manufacture smartphones for the local and export markets; until the announcement of the next iPhone, suggestively in September this year.

The reports cite that out of 140 million smartphone shipments in India last year, Apple had just 1.7 million. This makes for just around a 1 percent share in the country. If the company starts the production of its premium devices locally, it would get rid of the 20 percent import duty that it has to pay. The company would meet the 30 percent local sourcing criteria; which would make it get one step closer to opening its own chain of retail store in India. Foxconn, its manufacturer is said to invest around US$ 300 million to set up the production; and will increase the investment as the capacity increases.

Also read: Best Wireless Headphones Under Rs 3,000 In India For April 2019

It is likely that Apple iPhone X/XS will get a significant price reduction if they are manufactured locally. This is due to the aforementioned freedom from import duties. Start of the company’s own retail stores can bring initiatives like “Today at Apple” to the country; which is the name of creative sessions by trained professionals.

April 3, 2019
Best Wireless Headphones Under Rs 3,000 In India For April 2019

Wireless headphones are all the rage these days. The freedom from wires and the style quotient they provide remains unbeatable. But when you try searching for a good wireless headphone in the market today, there are many options to choose from. To make the choice easier for you, we have compiled a list of the best wireless headphones available under the Rs. 3,000 price bracket.

Boat Rockers 510

The company Boat is a well-known name when it is about affordable audio accessories, and the Rockers 510 are no exception. The headphones feature a comfortable fit and have all the controls like volume and music playback options on one side. It has a great sound quality for the price, emphasizing on a thumping bass and balanced trebles. The device also has 10-hour battery life and has a 3.5mm headphone jack which comes in handy during unexpected low battery encounters.

Leaf Beast Wireless

The Leaf Beast Wireless, that immensely narcissistic name aside; are one of the best pair of wireless headphones available in the market under Rs. 3,000. Featuring a big, comfortable design, the music playback and power controls lie on the left earcup. They also claim a battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge, which is one of the best in the price range. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack, giving you an option of listening to wired audio. The sound quality is good for the price, focussing heavily on bass and having a balanced sound output.

Motorola Pulse Escape

Motorola is already a known and reputed brand in the smartphone business. The Motorola Pulse Escape are the company’s budget wireless headphones. Featuring a well-built, comfortable design; the music and call controls on the earcups, the headphones have a good sound quality. Unlike most headphones in the list, the focus on bass isn’t there, so the sound output is balanced and realistic. They have a promised battery life of 6 hours on a single charge which makes it one of the best choices in the market right now.

JBL T460BT Extra Bass

One company that is synonymous with quality audio products is JBL. The JBL T460BT Extra Bass headphones are an example of the brand’s strong legacy. Featuring a lightweight and comfortable design, the headphones have the inline controls on the earcup and have a promised battery life of 11 hours on a single charge. The sound output is also good for the price, with a controlled bass and balanced music playback.

NU Republic Triphop Max

Also read: Apple Starts Manufacturing The iPhone 7 In India

The NU Republic Triphop Max are one of the best looking headphones in the price range. Featuring metallic earcups and soft memory foam on each earcup, they are quite comfortable to wear. The company promises a battery life of 15 hours on a single charge. To control music playback and calls, the controls are provided on the earcup. Sound output from the Triphop Max is great for the price, with good bass and a high treble.

April 2, 2019
Lenovo Registers Patent For Foldable Smartphone With Clamshell Design

The race of unveiling the best foldable smartphone is undoubtedly a cutthroat one, with companies like Samsung and Huawei leading the pack. Xiaomi is expected to follow up with its own variant of the same. The multinational technology company Lenovo has also showcased various prototypes of foldable smartphones previously. On April 2, 2019, Lenovo was granted a patent for an innovative foldable smartphone with a clamshell design.

About The Patent

The design patent was applied for in the month of September 2018 in the Global Design Database of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office). The patent contained a total of 11 images. As per the images, Lenovo has opted for a flexible hinge design, which when unfolded, unveils an elongated display. Images suggest that the device’s display will be just wide enough for convenient one-handed usage. Narrow bezels will give the device a contemporary look. The upper screen border of the foldable smartphone houses an earpiece receiver, whereas the bezel above the display accommodates the front camera.

Interestingly, the Lenovo foldable smartphone has a second screen that is present at the back of the device and is visible only when the device is folded shut. Noteworthy, images suggest that the fold hinge/line doesn’t lie in the middle of the smartphone, instead the lower part of the device is shorter as compared to the upper part. Once the user bends the lower part, a smaller screen will be visible.

Lastly, the rear of the device houses a single camera. The clamshell design of the Lenovo foldable smartphone hints towards the fact that the device can be folded at more than one point, thereby facilitating mobility in the smartphone. However, it appears that when the device is folded, a tiny crack will still be visible which will indicate where the hinge is.

Expected Availability

Also Read: What Factors Should You Consider Before Buying A New Pair Of Wireless Headphones?

The Chinese manufacturer is expected to release the foldable smartphone in the later part of the year 2019. Furthermore, Motorola, subsidiary of Lenovo is also speculated to unveil its foldable smartphone in the month of June or July this year. Both the devices are expected to be priced under US$ 1500.

The original patents for Lenovo’s foldable smartphone can be viewed here.

April 2, 2019
Moto P40 Note Leaked Renders Reveal Triple Rear Cameras

Fresh new renders of an upcoming smartphone from Motorola have leaked online. These images were leaked by a known tipster on the microblogging website Twitter. The images reveal a smartphone which looks similar to the Moto One Vision leaked a few days ago. There are though, a few notable updates in the designs which leads to the speculation that this is the P40 Note which will be the successor to the Moto One Power from last year.

Moto P40 Note

The Moto P40 Note leaked online was accompanied by some specifications of the smartphone. According to the source, it will measure 160.1 x 71.2 x 9.1mm. The renders reveal that it will have an all-glass design with brushed accents on the rear. Over at the front, there will be a 6.2-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution. To give the smartphone a high screen to body ratio, the company will use a punch-hole cutout on the top left of the display. The renders also showcase the presence of a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor hidden in the indented Motorola Logo.

Reports don’t mention the processor used in the Moto P40 Note. But, as the previous leaks of the One Vision suggested an Exynos 9610 SoC, it could feature an upgraded chipset. In terms of optics, the smartphone is revealed to have a triple rear camera setup, which the leak says will be a combination of 12MP sensors. In terms of memory and storage, it is expected to feature 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The rest of the design is the same as the Moto One Vision, which might launch as the Moto P40 in China.

Also read: Nokia Launches The X71 Smartphone In Taiwan

Surprisingly, the renders reveal the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack on the P40 Note. Like most phones from the company, the handset is expected to run on the latest Android 9 Pie and will feature Android One certification in global markets. This would suggest a clean software experience and promised updates for two years. Unfortunately, more details about the smartphone aren’t available yet, but they are expected to be unravelled in the following weeks.

April 2, 2019
What Factors Should You Consider Before Buying A New Pair Of Wireless Headphones?
Headphones are no longer a piece of technology that just produces sound, they are a necessity for some people who prefer isolated music to loud music. For select audiophiles, a good pair of headphones can draw the line between a good day and a bad day. The average prices for headphones have been rising in the past few years, and the reason for this is very simple. People are spending more on headphones because they are no longer an add-on to a device for just listening to music. It’s basically a culture.

Not that it is relevant, but the first headphones were developed in 1910 and it’s been a long road. Almost a century later, headphones have acquired a completely different look and style. A lot of people are not aware when it comes to buying wireless headphones, owing to the recent surge in their popularity. Most people prefer Bluetooth headphones over wired headphones because of increased convenience and a better style statement. But what things do you need to keep in mind while going for a new pair of Bluetooth headphones?

What Is Your Lifestyle?

This may not be the first benchmark that comes to your mind regarding wireless headphones, but it’s a hurdle that must be crossed if you want to purchase the perfect Bluetooth headphones for you. Headphones are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and getting to know his/her lifestyle will be the first step towards picking the right pair.

If you are a fitness-oriented person who has to run and workout on a daily basis, over-the-ear headphones will probably not work out for you. All the sweat and the humidity may damage the leather/memory foam of the cushioned earcups, thereby reducing the overall quality of the headphones. Furthermore, over-the-ear headphones may restrict movement during working out, which is why on-the-ear headphones or wireless sport earbuds may be the best option for you. Headphones like Plantronics Backbeat 505, or earphones like Jabra Elite Active 65t will work out just fine for you.

On the other hand, people who spend the major part of their staying stationary are able to enjoy more immersive sounds, and they may even compromise some comfort for sound quality. Programmers and Gamers prefer solitude, so noise cancelling headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM3 can be just what they need. For an office environment, noise cancelling headphones may be the reason someone gets fired, so a pair of Sennheiser HD 25 will be just fine.

The Audio Quality

The sound quality is technically the primary attribute of a good pair of headphones, but it certainly isn’t the only one. Nonetheless, some people limit the audio quality to just bass and treble, but it’s so much more than that. While buying a decent pair of wireless headphones, always be sure to consider the following factors:
- Sensitivity: The measure of how loud the headphones can conceivably be is referred to as the Sensitivity of that device. Some people prefer loud music, others prefer softer tones and lower volumes. Keeping in mind the safety aspect of the headphones, one should always prefer wearables that don’t have a decibel count above 105. Audio-Technica ATH-M50x come under this category.
- Drivers: If you’re a bassophile (someone who loves listening to deeper and louder bass tones), always prefer a larger driver size. It’s not necessary that a larger driver will produce better sound. but it sure is more powerful. Ideally, 20mm drivers produce a good range of lows. Skullcandy’s Crushers Wireless are a good option for the same.
The Audio Codecs

Some people directly relate the sound quality to the audio codecs supported by the headphones. While this may be true to an extent, the audio codecs rule a wide variety of functions on Bluetooth headphones. Some of the majorly used audio codecs are listed below
- SBC: This audio encoder/decoder ensures that the harsh and rough elements of the audio file are eliminated so that the user gets to hear a crisp and clear sound. Over time, the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) has improved a lot.
- aptX HD: aptX HD was a trending concept in 2018-19, owing to the fact that a lot of smartphones had support for the same. Where the original aptX technology supported 352 Kbps audio, aptX HD streams at a higher bitrate of 576 Kbps. Furthermore, it has a much lower latency than aptX.
- AAC: An upgrade from the aforementioned SBC, AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) has a lower bitrate and improves audio performance over wireless networks. It has a comparable audio standard to aptX.
- Latency: Where latency isn’t actually a codec, it plays an important role in ensuring that there is a minimum delay while transferring audio between two devices.
Battery Life

Also Read: Xiaomi Granted Patent For Smartphones With Bottom Notch

One of the major shortcomings of powerful Bluetooth headphones is the fact that they suffer from poor battery life. And a bad battery life may create a lot of problems for the listener. Since charging wireless headphones may be tough while you’re on the go, always prefer brands which provide at least 20 hours of continuous listening. For instance, Skullcandy Crushers Wireless have a battery life of nearly 40 hours.

Another important point to note is that USB Type-C enabled wireless headphones are better from a perspective of convenience since most new smartphones employ USB Type-C ports, which means that you won’t have to carry two different cables while you’re travelling. Instead, you can just use your smartphone charger cable to juice up your headphones.
April 2, 2019
Apple Starts Manufacturing The iPhone 7 In India

The American multinational technology company, Apple has started manufacturing the iPhone 7 in the country, strengthening the “Make in India” slogan. Previously, the company was producing the iPhone 6s and iPhone SE in India, but with the addition of the iPhone 7 to the list, Apple is clearly indicating that it will eventually develop the country as a manufacturing hub for a major chunk of its devices.

iPhone 7 Manufacturing Plant

As per reports, Wistron, which is the Taiwanese manufacturer of Apple Products in India has already been manufacturing the iPhone 7 smartphones in India since the onset of the month of March. iPhone SE and iPhone 6s were also being manufactured in the same plant, which is located on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Will Apple Redesign Its Market Strategy?

However, reports say that Apple is not looking towards reducing the price point of the iPhone 7 in the market, rather, the company will probably invest the margins from the production of the iPhone 7 into a new sales and marketing strategy. Moreover, the company may just be testing India by manufacturing its older devices before starting the production of more recent smartphones such as the iPhone X and the iPhone XS.

As previously reported, Apple is rethinking its market strategy in India. The company is trying to shape the perception of Indian smartphone consumers towards Apple as a sumptuous brand. The American company also plans to adopt newer strategies to improve its marketing statistics. Since the iPhone 7 will now be manufactured in India, it will now make more profits at the same price points, leading to more capital invested in R&D (Research And Development) and better sales.

Also Read: Samsung Will Launch Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab S5e Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A20e In India This Month

Apple also launched a premium news streaming service, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and the Apple Card at the Apple Show Time event on March 25. The company is expected to bring all these services to India in early 2020 in order to establish itself as an entertainment services company in addition to the tech manufacturer it already is.

April 2, 2019
Nokia Launches The X71 Smartphone In Taiwan

At an event today in Taiwan, HMD Global owned Nokia Mobile has launched the X71 smartphone. The device has been in the news over the past few weeks because it features an all-new design from the company. It is also expected to make its debut in the global markets soon as the Nokia 6.2 or the Nokia 8.1 Plus.

Design & Features

The Nokia X71 smartphone measures 157 x 76.45 x 7.98mm and weighs 180g. It features an all-glass design on the front and the back with a metal frame on the sides. The front is dominated by a 6.39-inch display with a resolution of FHD+. According to the company, the device has an impressive 93% screen to body ratio which is accomplished by a punch hole cutout on the top left of the display. For biometrics and security, there is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.

Under the hood, the Nokia X71 is kitted with a Snapdragon 660 SoC which is manufactured using 14nm fabrication process. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 512 GPU. In terms of optics, the smartphone has a triple rear camera setup consisting of an f/1.8 aperture equipped 48MP sensor; combined with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. For selfies, an f/2.0 aperture equipped 16 MP camera is housed in the punch hole display on the front. For memory and storage, the Nokia X71 has been launched with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage.

The Nokia X71 is powered by a 3500mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. For connectivity, the smartphone has dual SIM, dual standby functionality and supports Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. To ensure a better audio recording experience while shooting videos, Nokia has used its OZO 360 degree sound technology.

Pricing & Availability

Also read: Xiaomi Granted Patent For Smartphones With Bottom Notch

The Nokia X71 has been launched at a price of 11,900 Taiwanese Dollars (Rs. 26,900). Unfortunately, the company has not announced when it will launch in other countries.

April 2, 2019
Xiaomi Granted Patent For Smartphones With Bottom Notch

Another day, another company granted patents for unconventional and bizarre smartphones. Chinese smartphone maker, Xiaomi has been granted patents for two unusual smartphones by the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Office) that have dual front cameras and notch on the bottom of the display.

Patent Revelations

It is not the first time that Xiaomi has placed the camera at the bottom of a smartphone’s display. The last handset that had similar selfie camera placement was the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2. It is apparent that putting a selfie camera at the bottom of the display helps to minimise the obstruction that a conventional notch at the top of the display causes. In simpler words, most consumers are programmed to read from top to bottom and placing the notch that accommodates the selfie camera at the bottom of the display will indeed result in reducing the intrusion caused by one.

The patents granted to Xiaomi exhibit smartphones with minimal bezels around the display which provide the device with a high screen to body ratio. Both the patents granted by Xiaomi have dual front cameras, however, the position of these sensors is entirely different on them. The first patent has a rectangular notch at the bottom which houses a couple of selfie cameras. On the other hand, the second patent has two separate notches on either bottom side. Furthermore, the rear of smartphones on the two patents is also disparate. The smartphone with a single notch has a back that tapers towards the side while the other device has a completely flat back panel. Both smartphones also have rear mounted dual cameras which are placed on the top left side.

Also Read: Samsung Will Launch Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab S5e Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A20e In India This Month

It is hard to speculate the features or launch date of the aforementioned devices as Xiaomi is yet to make any comments about their development or existence.

April 2, 2019
Everything You Need To Know About PUBG Mobile Prime & Prime Plus Subscriptions

A lot of mobile games include a subscription model where users can purchase a monthly or yearly subscription, which allows them to reap added benefits in the game. Contrary to popular belief, the subscriptions do not make the games pay to win, rather it just enables users to have more fun in the games with customizations and discounts. Following in the same footsteps, popular Battle Royale game PUBG Mobile has introduced a Prime and Prime Plus subscription in-game.

About The Subscriptions

The new subscriptions give the buyer daily UC (Unknown Cash), BP (Battle Points) and amazing discounts on crates. Furthermore, a lot of outfits and weapon skins will be available for purchase via BP and RP points, which was not possible before. Tencent released the subscriptions in order to give the game a more premium status and strengthen its revenue model. The subscriptions are up and available on both Android and iOS as of April 2, 2019.

Prime Subscription

Users can choose to purchase the basic Prime subscription or go for the perk-rich and more expensive Prime Plus subscription. To view the subscription packages, users can click on the tiny “slider” at the bottom right of the screen when it shows the prime subscription banner. The basic monthly Prime subscription is available for INR 85 on Android and INR 79 on iOS, and it offers users the option to purchase items with Battle Points and collect 5 UC daily, totalling to 150 UC per month.

Prime Plus Subscription

On the other hand, the Prime Plus subscription for PUBG Mobile is priced at INR 400 per month on Android and INR 419 per month on iOS. Note that these prices are for the first month only. After a 1-month duration, Android users will be charged INR 850 and iOS users will have to pay INR 799 for the Prime Plus subscription. The prime subscription includes a lot more perks, which includes 20 daily UC (600 monthly UC), a maximum of 10 RP points per day, and an instant reward of 300 UC upon buying the subscription. Furthermore, users will be able to purchase items permanently with BP and will get an amazing 50% discount on the first classic crate lottery daily.

Also Read: The Best April Fools Pranks By Technology Companies In 2019

As previously reported, the new 0.12.0 update brings a ton of exciting features to PUBG Mobile, such as the Darkest Night, which enables users to take companions into the battleground in order to earn cosmetic items. The game developers are taking all the necessary steps in order to keep the loyal player base hooked to the game. Regular bug fixes and exciting game modes are always welcomed by the players.

April 2, 2019
Nubia Red Magic 3 Antutu Benchmark Score Leaked

Chinese smartphone maker Nubia is all set to launch the third iteration of its gaming smartphone. Reportedly called the Red Magic 3, it has been leaked constantly over the past few days. A fresh listing on benchmarking tool Antutu has now revealed the score of the upcoming device.

Nubia Red Magic 3

A smartphone with a model number NX629J was spotted on Antutu. Since the Nubia Red Magic Mars has the model number NX609J, it is expected that the listing is of its successor, the Red Magic 3. The smartphone is expected to feature a similar design to its predecessor. Nubia claimed that the upcoming gaming device will have a high refresh rate display, which is expected 120Hz panel similar to the one found on the Razer Phone.

The Antutu listing confirms the Nubia Red Magic 3 will run on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 640 GPU. For memory, the listing reveals 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. However, the company claimed the device will have the highest capacity of RAM available currently. Since the highest available RAM in smartphones is 12GB, it is expected to be provided as a variant in the smartphone.

The benchmarking tool revealed that the Nubia Red Magic 3 has an impressive score of 4,37,504. It is the highest score any smartphone has achieved on the tool and is higher than the Xiaomi Black Shark 2, which held the top position until now. The device received a score of 4,30,000 on Antutu. Interestingly, the smartphone features similar specifications to the upcoming Red Magic 3. This is in part due to the rumoured Air + Liquid cooling technology which will be an industry first and will prevent the smartphone from overheating.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S10 5G To Go On Sale On The 5th Of April

The Nubia Red Magic 3 is expected to be powered by a 5000mAh battery and is confirmed to feature 30W fast charging. An interesting addition will be a 4D vibration motor, which will provide haptic feedback while gaming. Like its predecessor, the Nubia Red Magic 3 is also expected to have RGB LED lights on its back. It might also have remappable shoulder pads which were first introduced by the Asus ROG phone.

April 2, 2019
Asus ZenFone 6 With Snapdragon 855 Leaks On Geekbench

Taiwan based, Asus launched the ZenFone 5 and the ZenFone 5Z smartphones in Q1 of last year. Both the smartphones are packed with worthy features and carried an aggressive price tag in comparison to their competitors. The former was targetted towards the mid-range segment while the latter was targetted towards the flagship segment. A fresh listing of an unreleased Asus smartphone has been spotted on the popular benchmarking website, Geekbench; which is alleged to be of the ZenFone 6. The specifications of the preceding smartphone suggest that it will be a high end smartphone. Noteworthy, it also indicates that the company might not release a ‘Z’ variant flagship, unlike last year.

ZenFone 6 Geekbench

A listing of an Asus smartphone with model number I01WD was uploaded on Geekbench on the 2nd of April. The aforementioned smartphone is alleged to be the ZenFone 6 as the previously granted Wi-Fi Alliance certification of the handset revealed it has the same model number as the freshly published Geekbench listing. The listing exposes that the handset runs on the latest Android 9.0 Pie and features the ‘msmnile’ chipset.

ZenFone 5Z

It is known that this chipset is the codename for the 7 nm based Snapdragon 855 chipset. The alleged ZenFone 6 registers a praiseworthy single core score of 3527 points and a multi core score of 11190 points. According to the listing, it is packed with 6 GB of RAM. However, Asus is also expected to launch the upcoming smartphone in other storage variants as well. Other specifications including the camera resolution, battery and screen size will only be made available once the company officially lifts the curtains from it.

ZenFone 6 Price & Launch Date

ZenFone 5Z

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S10 5G To Go On Sale On The 5th Of April

The ZenFone 6 is set to launch on the 16th of May in Spain which will soon be followed by its India launch. The price of the upcoming smartphone is currently unavailable, however, going by the pricing of its predecessor, its entry-level variant will be priced under Rs 30,000 in India.

April 2, 2019
Samsung Galaxy S10 5G To Go On Sale On The 5th Of April

Korean Electronics Giant, Samsung announced its first 5G smartphone, the Galaxy S10 5G at the MWC 2019 event which was held back in the month February. It was unveiled alongside the other members of the S10 lineup which include the standard Galaxy S10, the Galaxy S10+ and the Galaxy S10e. The non 5G compatible S10 trio was already available for purchase whereas the Galaxy S10 5G was not. The company has sent out a press release that declares that the top of the line S10 5G will be available for purchase from the 5th of April in Korea.

Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S10 5G measures 162.6 x 77.1 x 7.94 mm and tips the scale at 198g. Its design is recollective of the Galaxy S10+ with Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection on the front and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the rear. It features an Infinity-O, 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a resolution of 3040 x 1440 px. The display panel has a pixel density of 505 ppi and 19:9 aspect ratio. For securely and quickly unlocking the handset, it has an ultrasonic on-display fingerprint sensor.

The Galaxy S10 5G has a quad rear camera setup which features a 12MP f/1.5-f/2.4 sensor, 16MP f/2.2 Ultra-wide angle sensor, 12MP f/2.4 Telephoto sensor, and a Time Of Flight (TOF) camera for capturing depth data. The smartphone also has a dual front camera setup which consists of a 10MP f/1.9 sensor and a secondary TOF sensor.

The Galaxy S10 5G features the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC which is fabricated using 7 nm technology. The chipset consists of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU. The smartphone also has the Qualcomm X50 modem which provides it with 5G capabilities. It has 8 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB ROM which is non-expandable.

Also Read: Amazon Launches Echo Show Smart Display In India

The Galaxy S10 5G packs a 4,500mAh battery which supports 25W fast charging via the bottom mounted USB Type-C port. Furthermore, it also supports wireless charging with support for reverse wireless charging. Unfortunately, the company has not revealed the price of the smartphone. However, a past report claimed that it is expected to cost around 1.5 million won (Rs 91,200).

April 2, 2019
Amazon Launches Echo Show Smart Display In India

In a bid to expand its lineup of smart home products for the Indian market, e-commerce giant Amazon has launched a new product in the country. Called the Echo Show, the device is a smart display with Alexa, the company’s virtual voice assistant built in. The product was originally launched back in the month of October last year in the United States.

Amazon Echo Show: Price & Availability

The Amazon Echo Show smart display has been priced at Rs. 22,999 and will be available in a Black and a White colour variant. It is available to purchase from the online retailer and a few third-party sellers and will ship immediately. Initial buyers will also get a complimentary Phillips Hue smart bulb with the product.

Amazon Echo Show

The Amazon Echo Show features a minimalistic fabric design which is dominated by a 10.1-inch display on the front. It has an HD resolution and is capable of displaying necessary information on the screen. There are speakers on the rear of the device which are tuned by Dolby, a reputed name in Audio technology. As mentioned earlier, they have the Alexa voice assistant built in which would allow users to ask for information such as the weather, news or controlling other smart home products.

Also read: Samsung Will Launch Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab S5e Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A20e In India This Month

The display on the Echo Show also enables video calling via the 5MP camera housed on top of the display. For easier voice recognition, there are eight microphones which support far-field recognition. This allegedly helps in hearing commands from far away in a room. For users who have multiple Echo smart devices, the Echo Show also supports a feature called multi-room music. This allows for music playback across all the devices at once in near perfect synchronization. There is also an option to visit websites using the pre-installed web browser.

April 2, 2019
Samsung Will Launch Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab S5e Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A20e In India This Month
According to fresh reports, Samsung will launch a host of new devices in India this month. These are expected to be the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Tab S5e tablets, along with the Galaxy A20 and Galaxy A2 Core smartphones. While previous reports have revealed many details about the latter two, The former two were announced by the company a while back.

Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the latest addition to the company’s tablet range. As it has been announced before, the details about the device are known. The tablet will feature a 10.1 inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1200 px. The tablet has considerable bezels around the display, unlike the more premium offering, the Tab S5e.

Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is kitted with an Exynos 7904 octa-core chipset. In terms of optics, the tablet has an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front-facing camera. Dual speakers with support for Dolby Atmos give the device its audio capabilities. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is powered by a 6150mAh battery and will run on the company’s latest OneUI on top of current Android 9 Pie. The device has been priced at EUR 219 (Rs. 17,000) for the Wi-Fi version and EUR 269 (Rs. 21,000) for the LTE version in Europe.

Galaxy Tab S5e

The Galaxy Tab S5e has a modern design with thin bezels around the display and a sleek side profile. On the front of the device sits a 10.5 inch Super AMOLED display that has a 16:10 aspect ratio. The display panel has a resolution of 2560 x 1600 px and a pixel density of 287 ppi. The top bezel of the tablet houses an f/2.0 aperture equipped 8 MP selfie camera.

The rear of the Tab S5e is occupied by a 13 MP camera, Samsung branding and AKG logo. AKG is an Austrian company that is famous for its headphones and microphones. The company is now owned by Samsung and the logo behind the Galaxy Tab S5e conveys that the device has admirable audio output. The device can also capture 2160p videos at 30fps from the rear camera and 1080p videos at 30fps from the front shooter.

Under the hood, the Galaxy Tab S5e packs the Snapdragon 670 SoC which is comprised of Adreno 612 GPU and an Octa-Core CPU. Connectivity options on the tablet include 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and a bottom mounted USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. It runs on Android 8 Oreo which is skinned with Samsung’s own UI. The device is powered by a mammoth 7,040 mAh battery that also supports fast charging. In terms of memory and storage, the tablet is offered in two storage variants which are as follows:
- 4 GB + 64 GB
- 6 GB + 128 GB
In addition to the inbuilt storage, the device also supports memory expansion up to 512 GB via a microSD card. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e is available in three colour options which include Black, Silver and Gold. It is available in both LTE and Non-LTE options for the price of US$ 399.99 (Rs. 28,500) for Wi-Fi and US$ 541 (Rs. 38,600) for the LTE version.

Galaxy A2 Core

The Samsung Galaxy A2 Core will be the second Android Go device from the company, the first one being the Galaxy J2 Core. A few days ago, a known tipster leaked the images of the device. While the previous leaks don’t mention any specifications of the Galaxy A2 Core, a recent listing on CPU benchmarking website Geekbench revealed key specifications of the Galaxy A2 Core. The device runs Android 8.1 Oreo Go edition out of the box and is expected to feature Samsung’s Experience UI on top.

The Samsung Galaxy A2 Core runs on the 14nm Exynos 7870 SoC. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Mali-T830 MP1 GPU. The smartphone will have 1GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage. The leaked listing suggests that the smartphone may be on its way to the retail market soon. Given Samsung’s aggressive stance on pricing lately, the expected price of the smartphone is Rs. 5,990.

Galaxy A20

The Galaxy A20 features a polycarbonate body with a similar design language to the Galaxy A10 and the Galaxy A30. While the front of the smartphone resembles the former handset, the back is similar to the latter. The device has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 1560 x 720 px. The front has minimal bezels all around the display with a small Infinity-V style waterdrop notch on top. The rear of the smartphone houses a fingerprint sensor which allows it to securely unlocked. Additionally, it also supports face unlock technology.

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Under the hood, the Galaxy A20 is kitted with the Exynos 7884 SoC which consists of an Octa-core CPU. The device has a dual rear camera setup comprised of a 13MP sensor with an aperture of f/1.9 and a 5MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. For selfies, it has an 8MP camera with f/2.0 aperture housed in the notch on top of the display. The smartphone is available with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage which is further expandable by up to 512GB with microSD support. The Galaxy A20 is powered by a 4000mAh battery, which is an upgrade over the 3400mAh found on the Galaxy A10. The Galaxy A20 was launched in Russia for the price of RUB 13,990 (Rs. 14,999) which would mean it would be priced similarly in India.
April 1, 2019