Specifications: 5.84-inch IPS, 19:9 aspect ratio, 2280 x 1080 pixels, octa core HiSlicon Kirin 659 processor, 3/4GB RAM, 32/64/128GB storage, Hybrid dual SIM slot, expandable storage (up to 256GB supported) 13MP + 2MP dual rear camera, 16MP front camera, rear fingerprint scanner, 4G, VoLTE, WiFi n, Bluetooth 4.2, 3,000mAh battery, Android 8.0, 152 grams
Pros: Beautiful design, compact size, smooth day-to-day performance, good front and rear camera results, quick face unlock
Cons: Comes with Android 8.0 not 8.1, loads of bloatware apps, glass back picks up smudges quickly, weak low light camera performance
Unusual Hacks For iPhone X, Samsung Note 8, Google Pixel 2 XL & OnePlus 5
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Just because you spent a packet on a new flagship device doesn't mean it will be perfect.
Luckily, you can use software and some hidden tweaks to bring back something that you miss or add a feature you can't live without.
Just because you spent a packet on a new flagship device doesn't mean it will be perfect.
Luckily, you can use software and some hidden tweaks to bring back something that you miss or add a feature ..
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By default, OnePlus 5 only gives you basic app notification controls — you can either allow or block all notifications. There is an option to place them in low priority (which means they only appear at the bottom of the notification center). If you want more control on the notifications, you can enable OnePlus Laboratory — a hidden feature in the Oxygen OS (this means it should also work on the upcoming OnePlus 5T). Hold down the gear icon on the notification bar for 7 to 10 seconds and when you leave it, it will prompt you with a message saying Laboratory has been enabled. You can access it from Settings > OnePlus Laboratory and the only thing it has at the moment is enhanced notification controls. When activated, you can set the importance level of each individual apps notifications — there are 5 levels to choose from that let you adjust full screen interruption, peek, sounds and vibration for incoming notifications. Keep in mind that you will have to go to Settings > Apps > App Name > Notifications to adjust these controls individually for each app.
(Image: Twitter/@OnePlus)
By default, OnePlus 5 only gives you basic app notification controls — you can either allow or block all notifications. There is an option to place them in low priority (which means they only appear ..
The Honor 9 Lite was launched early 2018 and became one of the best-selling phones for the brand. Aggressive pricing and a beautiful glass back were among the primary reasons for that. Honor’s latest mid-range phone takes design cues from the 9 Lite but has the trending notch style display.
One of the USPs of the Honor 9N is beautiful design. The entire back panel is like a reflective glass which can even be used like a mirror. This gives the phone a unique premium look that we have not seen on any phones. The same issue remains with shiny glass — it tends to pick up smudges quickly.
Speed Up, Customise Your Phone With These Simple Hacks
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Smartphones are complex devices and they continue to evolve with new features like AI and neural engine processors.
This also means that there could be a number of handy tricks in your device that you might not be aware of.
Smartphones are complex devices and they continue to evolve with new features like AI and neural engine processors.
This also means that there could be a number of handy tricks in your device that y..
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For Android phones with Android 7.0 and above, there is hidden settings menu that gives you nuanced control over notifications. To enable this, pull down the notification bar, tap and hold the gear icon on the top right for a few seconds.
When you let go, you will see a message on the bottom saying ‘System UI tuner has been enabled’. Head to settings and scroll to find System UI tuner. Tap on Other > Power notification controls and enable it. Now for each app, you can set different levels of notification alerts instead of just the standard on/off.
For Android phones with Android 7.0 and above, there is hidden settings menu that gives you nuanced control over notifications. To enable this, pull down the notification bar, tap and hold the gear i..
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If you like to go to sleep while listening to music, this feature is a Godsend. The trouble with this is that once you go to sleep, audio continues to play in the background which eats up battery life.
For iPhone users, a simple way out is to use the timer function. Open the Clock app and go to the timer section. Now set the timer to 45 or 60 minutes as per your preference. Tap the box below the time that reads ‘When Timer Ends’ — scroll down to the bottom and select the Stop Playing option. Now, when the timer ends, music playback will automatically stop on your iPhone.
If you like to go to sleep while listening to music, this feature is a Godsend. The trouble with this is that once you go to sleep, audio continues to play in the background which eats up battery lif..
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Both iOS and Android let you select a custom ringtone for a contact. However, iOS users also get the option to set a customized vibration alert for each contact. To access this, open the contact card in your phone book and tap on edit. Tap on Ringtone and in the next menu tap on vibration — you will see a list of preset vibration styles to choose from. If you want to create your own alert, scroll down and you will see the option to ‘Create New Vibration’ to make your own custom vibration pattern.
Both iOS and Android let you select a custom ringtone for a contact. However, iOS users also get the option to set a customized vibration alert for each contact. To access this, open the contact card..
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A lot of game developers are moving to the freemium model for their apps. This means that while you don’t pay for the game upfront, small or full screen ads will pop up every few minutes.
The frequency of ads tends to increase the more your play. A simple way to get rid of the ads is to switch off your data and WiFi when you want to enjoy the game.
Typically, ads are delivered over the Internet and if you switch off 3G/4G and WiFi, you can play uninterrupted. This won’t work if the app/game has the ads pre-loaded.
A lot of game developers are moving to the freemium model for their apps. This means that while you don’t pay for the game upfront, small or full screen ads will pop up every few minutes.
The freque..
One thing that stands in favour of the 9N is the compact size. It is just 7.7mm think and about the same size as a phone with a 5.2-inch 16:9 display. It is smaller than the Honor 9 Lite by a few mm albeit you get a larger display. We loved how the phone feels in hand and the metal frame provides a good grip.
The screen is a 5.84-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 19:9 which works great for consuming content. The screen is bright, offers vibrant colours, sleek bezels and wide viewing angles. Honor gives you the option to hide the notch which is a welcome approach. The thing to note here is that the 9N is one of cheapest smartphones with a notch and that makes a big difference.
While we see many new launches at trade shows like CES and IFA, it’s the crowdfunding platforms and tech breakthroughs that actually keep innovation alive through the year.
Here's a round up some of the unique products we’re betting on.
(Text: Karan Bajaj)
While we see many new launches at trade shows like CES and IFA, it’s the crowdfunding platforms and tech breakthroughs that actually keep innovation alive through the year.
Here's a round up some of..
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NEX is Vivo’s latest all-screen smartphone design.
They’ve announced two in the range already: NEX A and NEX S. NEX A has a Snapdragon 710 processor with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage while the NEX S has a Snapdragon 845, 8GB RAM and 128/256GB storage.
The other big difference is the fingerprint scanner: NEX A has a conventional one on the rear while NEX S has one under the display.
Both have a 6.59-inch super amoled displays with a screen to body ratio of 91.2% and 4,000mAh battery.
Since the front is dominated by the screen, Vivo has placed the 8MP front camera in a unique (motorised) pop-up mechanism.
On the back is a 12MP + 5MP dual camera setup with 4-axis optical image stabilisation.
(Image: www.vivo.com)
NEX is Vivo’s latest all-screen smartphone design.
They’ve announced two in the range already: NEX A and NEX S. NEX A has a Snapdragon 710 processor with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage while the NEX S ha..
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This amazing design from Oppo has an allscreen design — it has a 6.4-inch curved OLED screen with a screen-to-body ratio of 92.2%. Look around the phone and you won’t see a camera module or any sensors anywhere.
So where are the cameras? Everything is hidden in a motorised pop-up system that comes up when you’re unlocking the phone (face unlock) or when you launch the camera app.
Up front is a 25MP camera with iPhone X-style 3D facial scanning systems (dot projector, flood illuminator etc) while the rear has a dual 16 + 20MP camera setup.
Specifications include a Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and a 3,770mAh battery.
(Image: www.oppo.com)
This amazing design from Oppo has an allscreen design — it has a 6.4-inch curved OLED screen with a screen-to-body ratio of 92.2%. Look around the phone and you won’t see a camera module or any senso..
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This is the world’s first, professional-grade, 360-degree, 3D, 8K, VR camera. It records true 3D video and captures still photos at 12k resolution. It’s also capable of automatically stitching images together for a 360 degree photo.
In terms of features, you get six-axis image stabilisation, HDR image/video capture, RAW format support, dual SD card slots for storage, HDMI output, Ethernet and WiFi.
The built-in artificial intelligence (AI) chip does object detection to ensure that your subject is always in focus. It also supports 3D VR live streaming on Facebook and YouTube.
The 4,800mAh battery inside gives you up to 60 minutes of continuous shooting. A companion app lets you preview and control the camera.
(Image: www.en.detu.com)
This is the world’s first, professional-grade, 360-degree, 3D, 8K, VR camera. It records true 3D video and captures still photos at 12k resolution. It’s also capable of automatically stitching images..
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TicPods Free are a new generation of wireless earbuds. To start, TicPods feature automatic in-ear detection — music pauses when you remove them and it resumes when you put them back. Next, it has intuitive touch controls for various actions.
With the TicPods, you don’t need to take out your smartphone — you can hear who’s calling and accept/reject the call, control music playback as well as activate your voice assistant. There is active noise cancellation plus noise isolation too. They’re IPX5 water resistant and come blue, orange or white.
Like most wireless earbuds, it comes with a charging carry case and total battery life is about 18 hours. These are also the only wireless earbuds that give you the option to buy a single earbud if you lose one of them.
(Image: www.indiegogo.com)
TicPods Free are a new generation of wireless earbuds. To start, TicPods feature automatic in-ear detection — music pauses when you remove them and it resumes when you put them back. Next, it has int..
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GoSho is an ultra-compact (just 3.5-inches square), cube-shaped DLP projector capable of a showing a 200-inch wide-screen display. It offers a brightness of 180 ANSI lumens, an 8,000:1 contrast ratio and can display up to 2k resolution.
For wired connectivity, it has HDMI input and a USB port. It also has built-in WiFi for streaming and support for Apple Airplay.
The 11,000mAh battery inside can deliver up to 4 hours of continuous play. What’s more, you can even pair it with Google Assistant or Alexa and control it via voice.
(Image: www.gosho-1byone.com)
GoSho is an ultra-compact (just 3.5-inches square), cube-shaped DLP projector capable of a showing a 200-inch wide-screen display. It offers a brightness of 180 ANSI lumens, an 8,000:1 contrast ratio..
For day-to-day tasks, we did not face any issues with the phone’s performance. It plays full HD videos and basic games with over 10-12 apps running in the background. However, it is not meant for hardcore gaming. PUBG and Asphalt 8 both run at low frame rates with low graphics. Battery life is the surprise factor — even though it has a 3,000mAh battery, the phone regularly lasts a full day with around 15-20% battery to spare.
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It comes with a 13MP + 2MP rear camera setup (the 2MP is for depth sensing).We got some great photos from the Honor 9N camera in daylight and it delivers a good amount of bokeh too in the portrait mode. Edge detection is also above average, but not as good as what we have seen on the Redmi Note 5 Pro. Up front it has a 16MP shooter with wide-angle lens which delivers great selfies. It uses Honor’s 4 in 1 light fusion technology which enables more light capturing while shooting in low light. However, most images we captured in low light had soft details. You get a portrait mode for the front camera as well, which works well but again edge detection is not as good as expected.
GPU Turbo, Superfast Charging, & More: Smartphone Technologies Due This Year
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By Karan Bajaj
Phones will keep getting upgraded with newer processors, larger screens, more RAM and more storage. But there are a host of improvements due this year that not many are talking about.
Here are some of the interesting features that should go mainstream soon.
By Karan Bajaj
Phones will keep getting upgraded with newer processors, larger screens, more RAM and more storage. But there are a host of improvements due this year that not many are talking about...
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Vivo has already showcased this technology on two of its devices now, X21 and NEX. They’re currently the only ones offering it, and the scanners use technology from Synaptics. Huwaei sells a phone in China with similar technology called the Porsche Design Huawei Mate RS.
In-screen scanners are not as fast as a (conventional) capacitive fingerprint scanners, so what’s the benefit you may ask. It’s mostly about aesthetics right now — no finger scanner to break up the back panel or take up bezel space on the front panel.
Besides, even traditional capacitive scanners were slow when they first arrived on the scene. It looks like many brands will switch to this kind of scanner soon, at least for the premium models.
Apart from Synaptics, Qualcomm also has a similar in-screen fingerprint scanning technology that uses ultrasonic scanning (it works under both glass and metal, clearly differentiating it from Synaptics).
Vivo has already showcased this technology on two of its devices now, X21 and NEX. They’re currently the only ones offering it, and the scanners use technology from Synaptics. Huwaei sells a phone in..
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Thin and light devices typically have lower battery life — this continues to be one of the major smartphone pain-points.
Granted, there are many fast charging solutions available (OnePlus’ Dash Charging, Oppo’s VOOC charging and Qualcomm’s Quick Charge) but we’re still talking about a charge time of 2 hours to charge a phone fully.
Oppo recently demonstrated a new fast-charging technology called Super VOOC on the limited edition Find X. Super VOOC is capable of charging at 10 volts at 5 Amps (50 watts) and Oppo says it will be able to fully charge a phone battery in under 35 minutes.
We expect to see this fast charging technology in other Oppo devices soon and since OnePlus and Oppo have close ties, you might even see ‘Super DashCharge’ on the next OnePlus smartphone.
Thin and light devices typically have lower battery life — this continues to be one of the major smartphone pain-points.
Granted, there are many fast charging solutions available (OnePlus’ Dash Cha..
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An innovative feature we first saw on the Vivo NEX is soundcasting. This technology uses actuators to vibrate the entire display of the phone, effectively turning it into a speaker and eliminating the need for a conventional earpiece.
Sony has offered similar technology on Bravia OLED TVs but Vivo has managed to miniaturise this to smartphone levels. Removing the earpiece speaker is an important step in being able to remove the notch and bringing in an all-screen design like we now see on the Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X.
There are a few shortcomings of the technology (lower volumes, expensive to implement, doesn’t work well with hearing aids) but there should be solutions to these issues too, letting the tech filter down to mid-range devices.
An innovative feature we first saw on the Vivo NEX is soundcasting. This technology uses actuators to vibrate the entire display of the phone, effectively turning it into a speaker and eliminating t..
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You may have heard of WiFi ac — the current fastest WiFi protocol available on devices. WiFi mc is the next generation of wireless connectivity that enables indoor positioning on handheld devices.
It does this by measuring the time taken for a signal to travel from the access point to your handheld device and back to pinpoint your location. This means that once devices supporting this new protocol are available, you will be able to navigate the insides of a building just like you navigate outside using GPS.
However, for it to work effectively, one needs to install access points throughout the building to properly triangulate location. It could be a game changer for museums, large format stores, malls, hospitals and so on. Google has already announced support for WiFi mc in their next version of Android: Android P.
You may have heard of WiFi ac — the current fastest WiFi protocol available on devices. WiFi mc is the next generation of wireless connectivity that enables indoor positioning on handheld devices.
..
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Both Huawei and Honor have been talking about an upcoming feature called GPU Turbo.
Available later this year on compatible devices via software update, GPU Turbo should do what the name suggests: boost the graphics performance by using hardware+software acceleration.
The company claims that it will improve graphics processing efficiency up to 60% while power consumption is reduced by up to 30%.
What this essentially means that gamers will be able to get smoother frame rates and improved graphics on existing devices while giving you improved battery life at the same time.
The improvements will also help with augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. For now, GPU Turbo is available only on Huawei/Honor smartphones, but we expect other brands to follow up with similar innovations soon.
Both Huawei and Honor have been talking about an upcoming feature called GPU Turbo.
Available later this year on compatible devices via software update, GPU Turbo should do what the name suggests: ..
The Honor 9N comes with EMUI 8.0 which is based on Android 8.0. While the interface is loaded with features, there are too many bloatware apps preloaded including six games — thankfully these can be uninstalled.
Some of the other features that impressed us include the Honor 9N review: Beautiful design, fast fingerprint scanner, quick face unlock, AR lens mode on the camera, bike ride mode and the game suite. Overall, we find the Honor 9N to be a great option for consumers who want a good-looking phone with smooth performance as well as for those who want to get a notch display in the mid-range price segment. That being said, it faces tough competition across price range. You can consider the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 that offers a Snapdragon 636, 13+5MP rear camera and a 5,000mAh battery for Rs 10,999. For the 4GB + 64GB variant, the Redmi Note 5 Pro at Rs 14,999 offers superior cameras and better hardware performance. And one can’t forget the Realme 1 which offers 6GB RAM and 128GB storage with good cameras at Rs 13,999.
From Premium To Mid-Range, Honor, Xiaomi, Blackberry Plan Big Tech Launches
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By Karan Bajaj
It has just been one week into August and we have already seen major product launches by various brands.
ET does a roundup of some of these interesting products along with a few big ones expected to launch soon.
By Karan Bajaj
It has just been one week into August and we have already seen major product launches by various brands.
ET does a roundup of some of these interesting products along with a few big ..
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Price: Rs 19,999 onwards
After making a mark in the sub Rs 15,000 segment, Honor is now planning to get a foothold in the premium mid-range with the Honor Play. This is a performance focused phone and is the first to come with Honor’ GPU Turbo feature that enables smoother gaming along with battery improvements. The phone has a 6.3-inch notch style display and all metal body. Hardware specifications include an octa core Kirin 970 AI processor, 4/6GB RAM, 64GB storage and a 3,750mAh battery with fast charging support. You get a rear dual camera setup: 16MP + 2MP and a front 16MP selfie shooter. Other features include rear fingerprint scanner, face unlock and USB Type-C port.
Price: Rs 19,999 onwards
After making a mark in the sub Rs 15,000 segment, Honor is now planning to get a foothold in the premium mid-range with the Honor Play. This is a performance focused phone a..
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Price: Rs 85,000
Within 2 months of its global launch, Leica has launched the C-Lux in India. The compact camera features a 1-inch size 20MP sensor capable of 4k video recording. There is a 24-360mm Leica lens which offers a 15x optical zoom with optical image stabilization. Other specifications include ISO up to 25600, 49 focus points, 1/16000 shutter speed and 10 fps continuous drive speed. It comes with a 3-inch touchscreen and an electronic viewfinder with 100% coverage. It has built-in flash, stereo microphone, mono speaker, SD card slot, micro HDMI and offers wireless image transfer plus remote control over WiFi. Weighing 340 grams, the Leica C-Lux has a rechargeable battery that offers up to 370 shots and support charging via USB.
Price: Rs 85,000
Within 2 months of its global launch, Leica has launched the C-Lux in India. The compact camera features a 1-inch size 20MP sensor capable of 4k video recording. There is a 24-360m..
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Price: Rs 39,999
LG has launched its flagship smartphone in the G series range — G7+ ThinQ. Powered by top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, the G7+ comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It has a 6.1-inch 19.5:9 IPS display with a notch and a resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels. There is a 16MP (f1.6, OIS) + 16MP (f1.9) dual rear camera setup with phase detection and laser autofocus capable of 4k recording in 60p. On the front is an 8MP camera with f1.9 aperture. Other features include expandable storage, Hybrid dual SIM slot, 3,000mAh battery with fast charge support, rear fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port and Android 8.0 with face unlock.
Price: Rs 39,999
LG has launched its flagship smartphone in the G series range — G7+ ThinQ. Powered by top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, the G7+ comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage..
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Price: Rs 86,999 onwards
Weighing just 1.25kg, the Surface Laptop has a 13.5-inch touchscreen in an all metal body. The screen has a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels and comes with Surface Pen support. Its spill resistant keyboard is covered with soft-touch Alcantara fabric and comes with backlit keys. The Surface Laptop is available in choice of 8th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 processor, 8/16GB RAM and up to 1TB SSD storage. Even with its sleek design, the Surface Laptop basts of a battery life of up to 14.5 hours. Ports include USB 3.0 port, mini DisplayPort, Surface Connect port and a headphone jack.
Price: Rs 86,999 onwards
Weighing just 1.25kg, the Surface Laptop has a 13.5-inch touchscreen in an all metal body. The screen has a resolution of 2256 x 1504 pixels and comes with Surface Pen supp..
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Price: Rs 34,990
If you are one of the BlackBerry loyalists, Optiemus Infracom has launched a premium fulltouch BlackBerry smartphone in India. The Evolve X features a 5.99-inch 18:9 aspect display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels protected by Gorilla Glass 5. It runs Android 8.1 on an octa core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor with 6GB RAM, 64GB storage and a 4,000mAh battery. You get a 12MP + 13MP dual rear camera setup, 16MP front camera with front flash, rear fingerprint scanner, expandable storage (up to 2TB supported) and USB Type-C port. Other features include support for wireless charging, Dolby Atmos for audio and FM radio.
Price: Rs 34,990
If you are one of the BlackBerry loyalists, Optiemus Infracom has launched a premium fulltouch BlackBerry smartphone in India. The Evolve X features a 5.99-inch 18:9 aspect display..
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Price: Rs 16,999
Mi A2 is Xiaomi’s successor to the Mi A1 — its Android One smartphone. The phone runs on an octa core Snapdragon 660 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage and a 3,000mAh battery. You get a 5.99-inch 18:9 display (2160 x 1080 pixels) with an aluminum body but lacks a 3.5mm audio jack. In the camera department, the Mi A2 has a dual camera setup on the rear — 12MP + 20MP with f1.75 aperture while the front has a 20MP selfie shooter with f2.2 aperture. Other specifications include rear fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port, dual band WiFi ac, Bluetooth 5.0, IR blaster and Android 8.1. The phone will be upgraded to Android 9 later this year. A variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB RAM will be launched in the coming weeks.
Price: Rs 16,999
Mi A2 is Xiaomi’s successor to the Mi A1 — its Android One smartphone. The phone runs on an octa core Snapdragon 660 processor, 4GB RAM, 64GB storage and a 3,000mAh battery. You get..
