Tag: launch

Sony Launches The Xperia 1 With 21:9 CinemaWide Display
Sony has been striving hard to find its foothold in the smartphone business lately. Once a really popular brand among technology enthusiasts, the past few years have seen the company release some forgettable products. In a bid to change that, Sony has launched its newest flagship Xperia 1 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. The smartphone has been launched alongside Sony’s mid-range offerings, namely the Xperia 10, Xperia 10 Plus and the Xperia L3.

Sony Xperia 1: Build & Features

The Sony Xperia 1 is the latest flagship from the Japanese electronics brand and will succeed the Xperia XZ3. The device measures 167 x 72 x 8.2mm and weighs 180g. It has a glass sandwich design with minimal bezels on the front. The right side of the device has a power button, a separate fingerprint sensor, volume rockers and the camera shortcut button. The top side of the smartphone houses the SIM card + MicroSD card tray while the bottom of the device is occupied by the USB Type-C port and a loudspeaker grille. It has a 6.5 inch OLED display with a resolution of 3840 x 1644 px. It has a tall aspect ratio of 21:9 which the company calls a ‘CinemaWide’ display.

In terms of optics, the rear of the Xperia 1 houses the triple rear camera setup consisting of a 12MP f/1.6 sensor; combined with a 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide sensor; and a 12MP f/2.4 telephoto sensor. For selfies, it has an 8MP f/2.0 camera on the front. Under the hood, the device runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC which is manufactured using 7nm fabrication process. The chipset has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 640 GPU. For memory and storage, the smartphone has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The handset is IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, features stereo speakers and has Dolby Atmos for better audio output.

The Sony Xperia 1 is powered by a 3330mAh battery with support for USB Power Delivery (PD) fast charging. It has the company’s proprietary Battery Care technology which charges the device slowly overnight to avoid battery deterioration in the future. The smartphone will run on the latest Android 9 Pie and will be available in the following four colours:
- Black
- Purple
- Grey
- White
Sony Xperia 1: Price & Availability

Also read: LG Announces The G8 ThinQ At The MWC 2019

The Sony Xperia 1 is expected to be available starting in the month of May. Unfortunately, the company has not disclosed the price of the smartphone, but it is expected to retail at US $1099 (around Rs 78,000).
February 25, 2019
LG Announces The G8 ThinQ At The MWC 2019

LG announced its premium smartphones for this season, which are the LG V50 ThinQ 5G and the LG G8 ThinQ. The highly-anticipated devices are finally released and their first impressions are very promising. Both the smartphones run on Snapdragon 855 SoCs and are targeted towards the premium smartphone segment. The LG G8 ThinQ is the successor to last year’s G7 ThinQ, and the device brings some really nice features to the table.

Design And Display

The G8 ThinQ stands out owing to its glass-sandwich design built around a metal frame. Glass panels adorn both the front and the back of the device, which are protected by Gorilla Glass on both the sides. Interestingly, the rear of the device has Gorilla Glass 6, while the display is covered by Gorilla Glass 5. The bezels are thin, but not thin enough, giving the G8 an 83.5 percent screen-to-body ratio.

It has a 6.1 inch QHD+ FullVision OLED display, which has a resolution of 3120 x 1440 px. The screen has a 19.5:9 aspect ratio with a pixel density of 537 ppi and HDR 10 support. The device has a similar notch to the newly announced LG V50 ThinQ, which looks a tad bit like the iPhone X. The reason behind the conservative notch is the 3D ToF sensor, which is housed in the notch with the front camera.

Specifications And Memory

The G8 ThinQ runs on a 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset, which comprises of an octa-core processor (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 and 4×8 GHz Kryo 485) and the Adreno 640 GPU. In terms of memory, the smartphone packs 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB internal storage, which can be further expanded using the microSD slot with support for up to 2TB microSD cards. It will run Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box.

Camera

The triple camera module on the back panel of the LG G8 ThinQ is almost identical to the setup on the V50 ThinQ. The module is housed under the Gorilla Glass panel, implying that it doesn’t protrude from the surface at all. It comprises of a 12MP (f/1.5) camera sensor, a 12MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera. It is speculated that the device may be sold in another ‘market dependant’ variant with only a dual camera setup. In terms of the front camera, the device has a single 8 MP (f/1.7) sensor, but the highlight is the 3D Time of flight sensor placed right next to the front camera. The sensor has some really interesting capabilities, which will be discussed later.

Hardware And Features

The device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, which lies next to the USB Type C port and a ‘grille’ at the bottom of the device. One of the highlighting aspects of the LG G8 ThinQ is the resonating panel that can produce sound. Known as the CSO (Crystal Sound OLED), LG claims that the panel act as stereo speakers and adds an acoustic touch to the sound quality. Moreover, the CSO also acts as an earpiece for receiving phone calls, so users can literally listen to any part of the screen while conversing. The beforementioned ‘grille’ may be a part of the resonating chamber beneath the screen which is used to redirect audio. 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC is integrated with in addition to DTS:X 3D Surround Sound for headphones. The device packs a 3,500 mAh battery which supports Quick Charge 3.0. It is also IP68 dust and water resistant and meets 14 MIL-STD 810G standards, which means that it can survive drops of over 8 feet without taking any damage.

The LG G8 ThinQ has support for Portrait Video Recording in the front camera. It is really intriguing to see how the device will record videos with the bokeh effect. Also, as mentioned previously, the handset has a front facing 3D ToF sensor. Positioning it at the front ensures more functionality from the sensor. Also called the ‘Z Camera’, it claims to be more precise than a dot projector and faster than Apple’s current ‘Face ID’ technology. Also, the ToF sensor can capture an accurate image of a user’s palm – complete with wrinkles and the blood flowing through the veins. Since every person has unique wrinkles and veins, placing the hand in front of the sensor will instantly unlock the smartphone. It can also be used for hand gestures to control various apps in the device. It is still unclear how practical can this be, but sure, it’s an example of ‘useful innovation’ by LG.

Also Read: Budget Oriented Nokia 1 Plus With Android Go Launched

The South Korean company has not made an official statement regarding the release date and price of the G8 ThinQ. However, the device can be expected to hit the market soon.

February 25, 2019
LG Announces The V50 ThinQ 5G At MWC 2019

Amidst the plethora of smartphones being showcased at the MWC 2019 in Barcelona, LG announced its flagship smartphones for this season, which are the LG V50 ThinQ 5G and the LG G8 ThinQ. The much-anticipated devices are out in the open and their first impressions are very promising. Both the smartphones pack Snapdragon 855 chipsets with multiple rear cameras and are aiming towards targeting the premium smartphone segment. The V50 ThinQ is LG’s next big leap after the V40 ThinQ. The smartphone gathered a lot of attention at the event.

Design And Display

The V50 ThinQ is a dual glass smartphone with a glass-sandwich design, which gives the smartphone an elegant look. The device sports a 6.4 inch OLED screen with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 px and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The display panel has a pixel density of 537 ppi, and supports HDR 10. It has a similar notch to the iPhone X and very narrow bezels that allow the display to seamlessly blend into the aluminium frame of the device. The device has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, a regular USB-C port, and a stereo-speakers setup.

Specifications And Memory

The LG V50 ThinQ runs on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 chipset, which consists of an octa-core processor (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 and 4×8 GHz Kryo 485) and the Adreno 640 GPU. The device also features Qualcomm’s 5G modem. In addition, the V50 has an advanced cooling system to keep the temperature of the device under check. It runs on Android 9 Pie out of the box, with a layer of LG UX on top. The device has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which can be further expanded via the microSD slot.

Camera

The V50 ThinQ features a triple rear camera setup, which comprises of a 12MP (f/1.5) camera sensor, a 12MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle snapper. The camera also supports Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) for taking high quality blur free images. In addition, the smartphone sports a dual front camera module which is housed in the notch along with the earpiece. The selfie camera setup consists of an 8MP (f/1.9) standard sensor and a 5MP (f/2.2) wide-angle camera.

Additional Features

Unlike its premium contenders, the LG V50 ThinQ does not support an in-display fingerprint sensor. Instead, it has a rear mounted fingerprint sensor and face unlock for security purposes. The device is IP68 dust and water resistant and meets 14 MIL-STD 810G standards, which means that it can survive drops of over 8 feet without taking any damage.

The smartphone packs a large 4,000 mAh battery, which is surprising considering the fact that the V50 ThinQ is just 8mm thin. Furthermore, the device promises to deliver high quality audio using 2-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC, DTS and Surround sound. LG has also introduced a dual screen accessory with the smartphone, which enables the LG V50 ThinQ to essentially act as a foldable device. It is actually a case with a 6.2 inch 2160 x 1080 px display that can be attached to the V50 ThinQ via the pogo pins present on the rear end of the device. Although the case adds an extra 131 g of weight to the device, it can enhance multitasking experience and act as a gaming controller – of sorts.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S10+ Unboxing And Hands On Video

LG has not provided an official statement regarding the availability date/price of the device, but the device may be purchasable soon.

February 25, 2019
Nokia 3.2, Nokia 4.2 Android One Smartphones Launched At MWC 2019
HMD Global owned brand Nokia launched several smartphones at an event on February 24. The newly launched devices include the Nokia 9 PureView, Nokia 1 Plus, Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2. Out of the four smartphones, the Nokia 9 PureView is focused towards photography while the Nokia 1 Plus is targetted towards the budget segment. Both, the Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 4.2 are targetted towards the mid-tier segment.

Nokia 3.2

Nokia 3.2 is the successor of the Nokia 3.1 which was launched last year. It is a budget device featuring a polycarbonate body. The display of the device sports a 6.26 inch TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 1520 x 720 px. The display has a pixel density of 269 ppi and features a waterdrop notch on top. In terms of optics, the handset is equipped with a single rear camera which has a 13MP f/2.2 sensor; while the front has a 5MP f/2.2 sensor housed in the notch up front. It also supports face unlock for easier access to the device.

Under the hood, the Nokia 3.2 is kitted with a Snapdragon 429 SoC which is manufactured using the 12nm fabrication process. The chipset is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 504 GPU. The smartphone runs on Android 9 Pie and is Android One certified; which states that it will receive Android updates for two years and monthly security updates for three years. For memory and storage, the device will be available in two variants:
- 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM (Also features a fingerprint sensor)
Nokia 3.2 is powered by a 4000mAh battery which the company claims can last up to two days on a single charge. There is also a dedicated Google Assistant button present on the left side of the device. The smartphone will retail at US $139 (around Rs. 9,900) for 2GB + 16GB variant and US $169 (around Rs. 12,000) for 3GB + 32GB variant.

Nokia 4.2

Nokia 4.2 is another budget offering by Nokia which features in a completely new lineup. It features a glass sandwich design with a polycarbonate frame. The display of the device sports a 5.71 inch TFT LCD panel with a resolution of 1520 x 720 px. The display has a pixel density of 270ppi and features a waterdrop notch on top. In terms of optics, the handset has a dual rear camera setup. This consists of a 13MP f/2.2 sensor paired with a 2MP f/2.2 sensor for depth information. For selfies, the device has an 8MP f/2.0 sensor housed in the notch on top of the display. It also supports face unlock for easier access to the device.

Under the hood, the Nokia 4.2 runs on a Snapdragon 439 SoC which is manufactured using the 12nm fabrication process. It has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 505 GPU. The smartphone features Android 9 Pie and is also Android One certified; which suggests that it will receive Android updates for two years and monthly security updates for three years. For memory and storage, the device will arrive in two variants:
- 2GB RAM and 16GB ROM
- 3GB RAM and 32GB ROM
Also read: Budget Oriented Nokia 1 Plus With Android Go Launched

Nokia 4.2 is powered by a 3000mAh battery which can be charged using the MicroUSB port on the bottom of the smartphone. Like the Nokia 3.2, it also features the dedicated Google Assistant button which is present on the left side of the device. The handset will retail at US $169 (around Rs. 12,000) for the 2GB + 16GB version and $199 (around Rs. 14,200) for the 3GB + 32GB version.
February 25, 2019
Budget Oriented Nokia 1 Plus With Android Go Launched

At an event held in Barcelona, HMD global unveiled several Android smartphones which include the remarkable Nokia 9 PureView, Nokia 4.2, Nokia 3.2 and the Nokia 1 Plus. The Nokia 1 Plus is the successor to the Nokia 1 which was launched last year. Out of the newly launched smartphones, the Nokia 1 Plus is the most affordable and is targetted towards the budget segment.

Nokia 1 Plus Design and Specifications

The Nokia 1 Plus has a classic design with a 5.45 inch display on the front. The display of the device is surrounded by narrow bezels on the top and bottom while the left and right bezels are negligible. Like its siblings, the top bezel of the Nokia 1 Plus house the Nokia branding, earpiece grille, ambient light sensor, and front facing camera that uses a sensor with 5 MP resolution.

The rear panel of the Nokia 1 Plus is made out of plastic with easy to grip texture. Noteworthy, the rear panel of the device is swappable and users can buy separate panels of different colours dependent on their choice. The rear of the device harbours the Nokia branding, 8 MP autofocus camera with flash and slit for the loudspeaker. The smartphone is kitted with the ‘Mediatek 6739WW’ chipset which consists of quad-core CPU and PowerVR GE8100 GPU. The quad CPUs use Cortex A53 cores which are clocked at 1.5 GHz.

The Nokia 1 Plus has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of inbuilt memory. It also supports memory expansion upto 128 GB via a microSD card which uses SIM 2 slot in the dual SIM hybrid tray. The smartphone runs on the Go edition of Android 9 Pie operating system which is developed to run smoothly on devices with low end specifications. It is powered by a 2500 mAh battery which can be charged via the bottom mounted Micro USB port.

Connectivity options on the Nokia 1 Plus include 3.5 mm audio jack, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS and GLONASS. The sensors present on the smartphone include proximity sensor, ambient light sensor and gravity sensor.

Nokia 1 Plus Price and Colour Options

Also Read: Foldable Huawei Mate X With Falcon Wing Design Launched

The newly launched Nokia 1 Plus is available in three colour options which include Black, Red and Blue. The smartphone is available at a price of US $ 99 (around Rs 7000).

February 25, 2019
Nokia 9 PureView With Penta Rear Cameras Is Now Official

Nokia has launched the highly anticipated Nokia 9 PureView which is the world’s first smartphone with a penta camera setup. The device was unveiled at an event which was held in Barcelona, Spain. Nokia has partnered with a company called Light to develop both the software and hardware aspects of the newly launched device’s camera.

Nokia 9 PureView Design and Features

The Nokia 9 PureView has an elegant design with an aluminium chassis and glass front and rear. It measures 155 x 75 x 8 mm and tips the scale at 172 grams. On the front of the device sits a 5.99 inch Plastic OLED display with a resolution of 2880 x 1440 px and pixel density of 538 ppi. The display panel has an 18:9 aspect ratio and supports always on functionality like the Google Pixel 3. The left and right bezels around the display of Nokia 9 PureView are negligible while the top and bottom bezels are comparatively thicker. The top bezel carries Nokia branding, earpiece grille and a 20 MP front facing selfie camera that can also capture 1080p videos @ 30fps. For safely and swiftly unlocking the handset, it also has an in display fingerprint sensor.

The front and rear panel of the Nokia 9 PureView is laminated with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 which protects it against scratches and accidental drops. The rear panel of the smartphone carries the Nokia branding, Android One logo and its key highlighting feature, the penta camera setup. The rear camera setup consist of five 12 MP sensor and an LED flash. Out of the five cameras, two are RGB sensors while the remaining three are mono sensors. Two support its camera prowess it also has three microphones which support spatial audio recording.

The Nokia 9 PureView runs on latest Android 9 Pie and the Android One logo at its rear states that the device is guaranteed to receive latest android updates for at least two years. It is powered by 3,320 mAh battery which can be charged via the bottom mounted USB Type-C port and it also supports Qi wireless charging. In terms of memory and storage, the device has 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Another noteworthy feature of the smartphone is its Qualcomm aptX support. The aptX audio codec significantly reduces the bit rate of audio file while still preserving its quality. Connectivity options on the Nokia 9 PureView include 4G VoLTE, 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS and GLONASS. The smartphone has a whole host of sensors which include gravity sensor, e-compass, gyroscope, barometer, hall sensor and haptic vibrator.

Nokia 9 PureView Price, Colours and Availability

Also Read: Foldable Huawei Mate X With Falcon Wing Design Launched

The Nokia 9 PureView is available in a single Midnight Blue colour option and is priced at US $ 699 (around Rs 49,500). Interested consumers can pre book the smartphone and deliveries will commence in the month of April.

February 24, 2019
Foldable Huawei Mate X With Falcon Wing Design Launched

Chinese electronics giant, Huawei in an event held in Barcelona has launched its first foldable smartphone called Mate X. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Fold which was launched on 20th of February, the Mate X folds on the outside which the company is referring as ‘Falcon Wing Design’. Noteworthy, the foldable smartphone is also 5G compatible which is the latest standard in communication technology.

Huawei Mate X Design and Features

The Huawei Mate X has an ultramodern design with front glass and rear metal construction. The device when in its folded state is 11 mm thick and only 5 mm thick when in unfolded state. The right side of the smartphone accommodates the power button that doubles as a fingerprint sensor and volume rockers. It has an 8 inch foldable display that has a resolution of 2480 x 2200 px and 8:7.1 aspect ratio. However, when in folded state the single foldable display can be used as dual front and rear displays. The front display measures 6.6 inch with 2480 x 1148 px with 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The rear display on the other hand measures 6.38 inch with 2480 x 892 px resolution and an unconventional aspect ratio of 25:9.

The Mate X has a Leica optics equipped triple camera setup which is vertically placed on the right edge of the rear of the smartphone. Intriguingly, the triple camera setup on is also used to take selfies as the rear display can be used as control for the camera shutter. The bottom of the smartphone houses dual microphone pinholes, loudspeaker grille, and a USB Type-C port which can be used for charging and data syncing.

The Mate X is kitted with the Kirin 980 SoC which is manufactured using 7 nm fabrication process and is also featured on smartphones like the Mate 20 lineup and Honor View20. The chipset consists of an Octa-CPU and the Mali G76 GPU. The foldable Mate X is powered by dual batteries which have a combined capacity of 4500 mAh and are present in either halves of the handset. Noteworthy, it is the world’s first smartphone that can be charged with 55 watts of power. Furthermore, the 55 w charger shipped with the Mate X can also be used to charge other USB Type-C compatible devices including laptops. To safeguard both the device’s complex hinge mechanism and its screen against scratches, the company has also designed a case for it. Like the Galaxy Fold, it also supports multi task interaction which means the user can simultaneously run two or more application on the device.

Mate X Price and Availability

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S10+ Unboxing And Hands On Video

The revolutionary Mate X is targeted towards the premium customers and its price tag reflects the same. The device is available in a single 8 GB RAM + 512 GB ROM variant which is priced at € 2299 (Rs. 1,80,869). Huawei has not provided a specific date of its availability but it will be available for purchase sometime in the month of June or July this year.

February 24, 2019
Nokia 6.1 Plus With 6 GB RAM Launched In India

Nokia 6.1 Plus was first launched in India in August 2018. At the time of its launch, the device was offered with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. A newer variant of the Nokia 6.1 Plus with 6GB RAM has now been launched in the country by HMD Global. The variant with 6GB RAM was first launched globally in July 2018 at a price of CNY 1,299 (around Rs. 13,190). The Finnish telecommunication company released the new 6.1 Plus in India to strengthen its foothold in the entry to mid-budget smartphone segment.

Display And Design

The Nokia 6.1 Plus has an aluminium frame and is fitted with front and back glass panels. The device is equipped with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against scratches and impacts. The smartphone sports a 5.8 inch IPS LCD display. The screen has a resolution of 2280 x 1080 px and 19:9 aspect ratio. The volume rockers and the power/lock button are present on the right side of the smartphone.

Specifications And Variants

The Nokia 6.1 Plus runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset which consists of an octa-core 1.8 GHz Kryo 260 CPU paired with the Adreno 509 GPU. The device has Android 8.1 (Oreo) out-of-the-box and will be upgradable to Android 9 (Pie) in the future.

The handset is equipped with a dual camera setup on the rear, which comprises of a 16 MP (f/2.0) primary camera and a secondary 5 MP (f/2.4) depth sensor. The Nokia 6.1 plus also has a 16 MP (f/2.0) selfie shooter.

The smartphone is powered by a 3,060 mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging via the bottom mounted USB Type-C connector. In terms of biometric security, it has a rear mounted fingerprint sensor. The newer version which is launched in India has 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The device also supports expandable memory up to 400GB via a microSD card. It will be available in Black and Blue colour options.

Price And Availability

Also Read: GTX 1660 Ti With 6GB GDDR6 RAM Launched

The Nokia 6.1 Plus will be available at a price of Rs. 18,499. It can be purchased via Nokia’s official web store, which you can check out by clicking here. Furthermore, the device will be available across leading Indian offline stores March 1 onwards. Noteworthy, Airtel users are eligible for an instant cashback of Rs. 2,000 along with 240GB of 4G/3G data over 12 months on recharges of Rs 199, Rs 249 and Rs 448.

February 23, 2019
GTX 1660 Ti With 6GB GDDR6 RAM Launched

Nvidia is an American company that designs graphics processing units (GPUs) for gaming and professional markets. Late last year the company launched the Titan RTX GPU which is targetted towards the premium sector. On 22 February 2019, the company launched a new GPU chip called GTX1660 Ti which is targetted towards the mid range sector.

GTX 1660 Ti Features

The all new GTX 1660 Ti chip is based on the 12th generation Turing Architecture. Unlike the GTX 1060 which can be deemed its predecessor is based on the Pascal architecture. According to Nvidia, the architecture on the latest chip is 1.4x power efficient than Pascal architecture. The GTX 1660 Ti requires 120 watts of power to operate and taking the increased power efficiency into consideration, it delivers the best performance per watt of any GPU in its class.

The GTX 1660 Ti features 1,536 Cuda cores that have a boost clock of 1.8 GHz. The new chip packs 6 GB of GDDR6 memory which has a transfer rate of up to 12 Gbps. The company has also added that overclocking the new chip is fairly easy. The GTX 1660 TI has dedicated hardware encoder that delivers 15% improved efficiency over prior generation graphics cards. Noteworthy, the new chips is also optimized for Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) which is the most popular software used by streamers globally.

The GTX 1660 Ti also has built-in support for Nvidia ANSEL which allows taking high-quality screen captures and 360-degree photospheres of games. It also has support for Nvidia Freestyle technology that allows the gamers to customise the appearance of their games with post-processing technology. This filter can convert gameplays or photos to resemble watercolour paintings, oil paintings or even retro movies.

GTX 1660 Ti Price

Also Read: DxOMark Ranks Xiaomi Mi 9 As The Best Video Shooter, Samsung Galaxy S10+ Best For Selfies

GPU’s based on GTX 1660 Ti chip start at US $ 279 (around Rs 19,800). However ready to purchase GPU’s from manufacturers like Asus, EVGA, MSI, PNY, Zotac will slightly differ in price dependent on region and features like single or double fans.

February 22, 2019
World’s First Side Notch Smartphone Launched

American smartphone manufacturer, Essential launched the Essential PH-1 in the year 2017. It is one of the world’s first smartphone to have a notch display which was soon followed the iPhone X. Even though Apple iPhone X was not the first smartphone to have this feature, prominently it is the device that kick started the whole notch trend. Archos, a French company has launched the world’s first smartphone with a side notch. Unlike smartphones with conventional notch displays, the Archos Oxygen 68XL has a small notch on the top right side that houses the selfie camera.

Archos Oxygen 68XL Looks and Features

The Archos Oxygen 68XL due to its lateral notch has a distinctive design. The front of the smartphone accommodates a 6.85-inch display with HD+ resolution and pixel density of 218 ppi. The device with its 173.5 x 81.5 x 8.9 mm dimensions has a hefty build and it tips the scale at 214 grams. The rear of the smartphone has a glossy glass panel that houses the fingerprint sensor, company branding and vertically aligned dual camera setup.

Under the hood, the Archos Oxygen 68XL features the Helio P22 SoC which is manufactured using 12 nm fabrication process. The chipset is comprised of the PowerVR GE8320 GPU and an Octa-Core CPU. In terms of memory and storage, it has 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 32 GB of inbuilt storage which is further expandable via a microSD card. The smartphone is powered by a mammoth 5,000 mAh battery and runs on the latest Android 9.0 Pie.

The dual rear camera setup of the Archos Oxygen 68XL is comprised of an 8 MP + VGA sensor along with an LED flash. The front facing selfie camera uses a sensor with 5 MP resolution. Connectivity options on the smartphone include 802.11 ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Dual 4G VoLTE, 3.5 mm jack and bottom mounted Micro-USB 2.0 port for charging and data transfer.

Archos Oxygen 68XL Price and Availability

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ India Price Revealed

The Archos Oxygen 68XL is priced aggressively and it costs € 149 (around Rs 12,000). The device will be showcased at the upcoming MWC 2019 which is scheduled for 25-28 February. It will be available for purchase in the month of May this year.

February 22, 2019
Samsung Announces The Galaxy S10 5G Smartphone

Samsung launched a plethora of products at the Galaxy Unpacked event on February 20. This includes the Galaxy S10 (1,2)lineup of smartphone and the foldable Galaxy Fold device. Along with these gadgets, the company also announced its first smartphone capable of 5G connectivity, the Galaxy S10 5G. The smartphone is a notable upgrade over the regular Galaxy S10 smartphones and will be available for purchase later this year.

Build & Features

The Galaxy S10 5G measures 162.6 x 77.1 x 7.94mm and weighs 198g. The design of the smartphone is reminiscent of the Galaxy S10+ with Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back. The display sports an Infinity-O, 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel with a resolution of 3040 x 1440 px. It has a pixel density of 505PPI and a 19:9 aspect ratio. Like its siblings the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+, it features an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner and has IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.

The Galaxy S10 5G features quad rear cameras, unlike the triple rear camera setup found in the Galaxy S10 and the Galaxy S10+. This camera setup includes a 12MP f/1.5-f/2.4 sensor, 12MP f/2.4 Telephoto sensor, 16MP f/2.2 Ultra-wide angle sensor; and a Time Of Flight(TOF) camera for 3D depth recording. The device has two cameras on the front, which are comprised of a 10MP f/1.9 sensor and a secondary TOF sensor to assist with background blur in photos and videos.

The Galaxy S10 5G runs on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC which is manufactured using 7nm fabrication process. It has an Octa-core CPU and Adreno 640 GPU. The device features the Qualcomm X50 modem for 5G support. In terms of storage, it features 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. There is no support for memory expansion via MicroSD.

The Galaxy S10 5G is powered by a 4,500mAh battery, larger than the 4100mAh present on the Galaxy S10+. The device supports 25W fast charging via the bottom mounted USB Type-C Port. Noteworthy, the premium smartphone also supports wireless charging. Like its siblings, it also has a reverse wireless charging feature.

Pricing & Availablity

Also read: Samsung Launches The Galaxy Fold Alongside The Galaxy S10 Lineup

The Galaxy S10 5G will be available in the US starting Q2 2019 and will be initially exclusive to Verizon before arriving at more carriers in the future. Unfortunately, the company has not released any information on pricing yet, but reports suggest it may retail at $1,700(around Rs. 1,20,000).

February 21, 2019
Samsung Galaxy S10 And S10+ With Ultrasonic FingerPrint Sensor Launched
Samsung has finally launched the much awaited Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ smartphone. The launch took place at the Galaxy Unpacked event on February 20 which was held in San Francisco. The newly launched devices are the successors to the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ which were launched last year.

Samsung Galaxy S10+

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ is the most feature-rich smartphone in the new Galaxy S10 lineup. It features a 6.4 inch Dynamic AMOLED Infinity-O display. It has an edge-to-edge HDR+ display that tapers towards the sides. The display panel has a resolution of 3040 x 1440 px and pixel density of 522 ppi. To safegurd it against scartches and drops, the front and back of the device is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass. The US/China variant of the Galaxy S10+ runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. On the other hand, the EMEA variant of the device runs on Samsung’s own Exynos 9820 chipset.

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ sports a triple rear camera camera setup which consists of a 12MP (f/1.5- f/2.4) primary sensor, 12MP (f/2.4) telephoto sensor and a third 16 MP (f/2.2) ultra-wide sensor. The smartphone also has a dual front camera module, which is a combination of a 10MP (f/1.9) sensor and an 8MP (f/2.2) sensor housed in the punch-hole display. The Galaxy S10+ boasts of the world’s first ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner in addition to 3D face recognition technology.

The Samsung Galaxy S10+ is available in three storage variants which include a 6GB+128GB version, an 8GB+512GB version and the limited edition 12GB+1TB variant. The smartphone is available in four colour options which are Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, and Prism Green. The 12GB RAM + 1TB ROM limited edition Galaxy S10+ is available in two colour options which include Ceramic White and Ceramic Black.

Samsung Galaxy S10

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has a 6.1 inch Dynamic AMOLED, Quad HD+ screen. The Infinity-O display has a resolution of 3040 x 1440 px and a pixel density of 550ppi. The device is protected from scratches and impacts on both sides by Corning Gorilla Glass. Like the Galaxy S10+, the S10 is offered in two different chipset options, Snapdragon 855 and Exynos 9820 which is dependent on the region.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 has a similar triple camera setup to the Galaxy S10+. The device has a 12MP+12 MP+16 MP camera configuration with a single 10MP (f/1.9) selfie shooter housed in the punch-hole display. Also similar to the Galaxy S10+, it has an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner and 3D face scanning technology.

The Samsung Galaxy S10 is available in two storage configurations, a 6GB+128GB version, and an 8GB+512GB variant. It is available in four colour options which include Prism Black, Prism White, Prism Blue, and Prism Green.

Price And Availability

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy M30 To Launch On The 27 February In India

The price of different variants of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ are as follows:

Samsung Galaxy S10+
- 6 GB RAM + 128 GB ROM – US $999.99 (around Rs. 71,050)
- 8 GB RAM + 512 GB ROM – $1249.99 (around Rs. 88,810)
- 12 GB RAM + 1 TB ROM – $1599.99 (around Rs. 1,13,670)
Samsung Galaxy S10
- 6 GB RAM+ 128 GB ROM – $899.99 (around Rs. 63,940)
- 8 GB RAM+ 512 GB ROM – $1149.99 (around Rs. 81,700)
To sweeten up the deal, Samsung is giving away a free pair of wireless Galaxy Buds with both the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+.
February 21, 2019
Samsung Launches The Galaxy Fold Alongside The Galaxy S10 Lineup
At the Galaxy Unpacked event in San Fransisco on February 20, Samsung announced the long-awaited foldable smartphone, the Galaxy Fold. It was introduced along with the Galaxy S10 lineup at the beginning of the event. Notably, the device is the first foldable smartphone from the company and is only the second foldable device in the market currently. The device also allows multitasking on three apps simultaneously and features a uniquely designed hinge with interlocked gears.

Build & Features

The Galaxy Fold is a smartphone that can be converted into a tablet at will. The device has two displays out of which the bigger one is foldable into half. The larger display is a 7.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED panel which the company calls the ‘Infinity Flex’ display. It has a resolution of 2152 x 1536 px and is the biggest the company has ever put into a smartphone. The secondary display measures 4.6-inch diagonally and has an HD+ resolution.

The Galaxy Fold runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC which is made using a 7nm fabrication process. It contains an Octa-core CPU combined with an Andreno 640 GPU. In terms of storage, the device features 12GB of RAM and 512GB of onboard storage. The Galaxy Fold is powered by 2 batteries with a total rated capacity of 4,380mAh with support for wireless charging. The device will be available in the following four colours:
- Silver
- Black
- Green
- Blue
Cameras

The Galaxy Fold has a total of six cameras on the smartphone. The triple rear camera setup consists of a 16MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide sensor with a 12MP, f/1.5-2.4 sensor and a 12MP, f/2.4 telephoto sensor. The front camera on the tablet is made up by a 10MP, f/2.2 sensor + 8MP, f/1.9 RGB depth sensor. Additionally, there is a cover camera present above the secondary display with a 10MP f/2.2 sensor.

Price & Availablity

Also read: Samsung Galaxy A10, A30 and A50 Images Leak Online

The Galaxy Fold has been launched as a smartphone in the premium category. It has been priced at US$1980 (INR 1,40,000) and will be available starting April 26 in the US. Unfortunately, the company has not provided any information about the India launch.
February 21, 2019
Samsung Galaxy S10e With Punch-Hole Camera Launched
Samsung has launched the Galaxy S10e at the Galaxy Unpacked event which was held in San Francisco. It is the most affordable smartphone in the latest Galaxy S10 lineup unveiled by Samsung. Two other flagship smartphones that the company has unveiled include the Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10.

Specifications And Design

The Samsung Galaxy S10e has an opulent design with an all-glass front and rear build. The smartphone measures 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm and tips the scale at 150 gram. The right side of the of the device is occupied by the power button while the left side is occupied by volume rockers and a dedicated Bixby button. The bottom of the device houses the 3.5mm audio jack, loudspeaker grille and a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer. The smartphone is also IP68 certified which makes it dust and waterproof.

The Galaxy S10e sports a 5.8 inch Dynamic AMOLED, Infinity-O display. The edge-to-edge HDR+ screen has a resolution of 2280 x 1080 px and a pixel density of 438 ppi. The device is safeguarded from scratches and accidental drops by the Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The company has launched the smartphone with two different chipset options which vary as per the region the units are sold in. The EMEA variant is kitted with Exynos 9820 SoC while the USA, China variant features the Snapdragon 855 SoC.

The Samsung Galaxy S10e is equipped with a dual camera module on the back. The rear camera setup consists of a 12 MP (f/1.5-f/2.4) primary camera paired with a 16 MP (f/2.2) ultra wide camera sensor. The smartphone also has a single 10 MP (f/1.9) front-facing camera, which is housed in the punch-hole display. Another noteworthy feature of the S10e is the side mounted fingerprint sensor that doubles up as a power button.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy A50 Leaks, Features An UnderDisplay Fingerprint Sensor

The Samsung Galaxy S10e is available in two variants, a 6GB+128GB variant and an 8GB+256GB model. The smartphone is available in four different colours which include Prism Black, Prism White, Flamingo Pink, and Prism Blue. The price for different variants of the Samsung Galaxy S10e is as follows:
- 6 GB + 128 GB – US $ 749.99 (around Rs 53,200)
- 8 GB + 256 GB – US $ 749.99 (around Rs 60,300)
February 21, 2019
Xiaomi Launches The Mi 9 SE Alongside The Mi 9
Xiaomi at an event in China launched its flagship smartphone, the Mi 9 and the Mi 9 Explorer Edition. While the flagships were the stars of the show, the company also introduced a mid-range offering, the Mi 9 SE at the same event. The smartphone is the ‘lite’ version of the Mi 9 and also the first device in the world with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 SoC.

Mi 9 SE: Build & Features

The Mi 9 SE measures 147.5 x 70.5 x 7.45mm and weighs 155g. Like the Mi 9, the device also has a glass sandwich design with a gradient design on the back. For protection against scratches and drops, the display of the smartphone has Gorilla Glass 5. It sports a 5.97-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 2340×1080 px. The display has a pixel density of 432PPI and a screen to body ratio of 90.47%. The device has a fifth generation in-display fingerprint scanner and supports face unlock.

Like its elder sibling, the Mi 9 SE also features a triple rear camera setup which comprises of 48 MP, f/1.75 Sony IMX586 sensor combined with an 8MP, f/2.4 telephoto lens and a 13MP, f/2.4 wide-angle lens. The device has a 20MP selfie camera which is the same as the flagship Mi 9. It can also capture 4K video at 30fps from the rear camera setup while the front camera can record 1080p videos at 30fps. Under the hood, the smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 712 SoC which is manufactured using 10nm fabrication process. It consists of an Octa-core CPU combined with an Adreno 616 GPU.

The Mi 9 SE is powered a 3070mAh battery which supports 18W fast charging. The device also supports NFC and runs on the latest MIUI 10 on top of Android 9 Pie. In terms of memory and storage, the smartphone is available in two storage variants which are as follows:
- 6 GB RAM + 64 GB ROM
- 6 GB RAM + 128 GB ROM
Mi 9 SE: Pricing & Availability

Xiaomi has launched the Mi 9 SE in three colour variants namely Lavender Violet, Ocean Blue, and Piano Black. The smartphone has been priced at CNY 1,999 (around Rs 21,000) for the base model and CNY 2,299 (around Rs 24,000) for the version with 128GB internal storage. Unfortunately, the company has not provided any information about its India launch.
February 20, 2019