Pros: Hip design Big with performance diamond pattern drop, many back panel on all other compromises colours, fast fingerprint scanner, notch type full screen, great battery life.
Cons: Big performance drop, many compromises as compared to previous version, not capable of HD video streaming, no 4k video recording
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Oppo recently launched an online-only spin off brand called Realme. The idea was to appeal to the youth and be a market disruptor. We reviewed the Realme 1 in early June this year and called it an amazing deal for the price. The 128GB storage variant of the Realme 1 is still on sale and remains a steal if you need loads of storage space.
One normally expects a sequel to be better in every way but that’s far from the case here. Realme 1 did not have a fingerprint scanner, dual camera or a full screen display (with notch). These are the things that the Realme 2 gets right but then you start wondering why it also introduces so many new compromises.
For instance, there’s no 6/128GB version anymore, just 3/32GB or 4/64GB. The RAM is the slower DDR3 type while Realme 1 had DDR4X. We benchmarked the speed of the internal storage and we got 85MB/s — Realme 1 was 248MB/s as mentioned in our review. The processor this time is an entry-level Snapdragon 450 which means a significant performance drop. The Geekbench performance score this time is 3885 while the Helio P60 processor on Realme 1 gave a score of 5772 — that’s a massive difference. The 6-inch screen on Realme 1 has a resolution of 2160 x 1080 (FHD+) giving it a pixel density of 402ppi. The 6.2-inch screen on the Realme 2 has a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels (HD+) giving it a pixel density of 271ppi. We have to say, the older Realme 1 is looking really good right now.
Oppo Find X, Xiaomi Mi 8 & Other Upcoming Phones Worth Getting Excited About
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July is turning out to be one of the most interesting months for smartphone launches. We’re going to see a lot of action across price segments says Karan Bajaj, as he does a round-up of the most interesting ones.
In Pic: Oppo Find X (L) and Xiaomi Mi 8 (R).
July is turning out to be one of the most interesting months for smartphone launches. We’re going to see a lot of action across price segments says Karan Bajaj, as he does a round-up of the most inte..
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The Find X was launched just a few weeks ago and India is expected to be amongst the first lot of countries to get it. The Find X has a beautiful glass body with a motorized camera module. The front has a 6.4-inch curved Amoled display (without a notch) giving it a screento-body ratio of 93%. Inside is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage and a 3,730mAh battery. The motorized camera module hides a 16MP + 20MP dual rear camera and a 25MP front camera. It also has a 3D face scanning face ID feature (with infrared emitters, similar to the iPhone X) and VOOC fast charge support. Other features include dual SIM slots, USB Type-C port and Android 8.1.
Expected Price: Rs 60,000 onwards(Image: oppo.com)
The Find X was launched just a few weeks ago and India is expected to be amongst the first lot of countries to get it. The Find X has a beautiful glass body with a motorized camera module. The front ..
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The Zenfone 5Z will be the second smartphone to be available in India with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. It has a 6.2-inch IPS display in 19:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2246 x 1080 pixels. The phone is expected to be launched with 6/8GB RAM and 64/128/256GB storage options. In the camera department, it has a 12MP + 8MP dual camera setup with OIS on the rear and a 8MP front camera. Other features include 3,300mAh battery with fast charge support, Hybrid dual SIM slot, expandable storage, rear fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C port, and Android 8.0 with Face unlock. Asus seems poised to take on OnePlus and we therefore expect them to undercut OnePlus prices by a significant margin, making it one of the cheapest Snapdragon 845 phones around.
Price: Rs 29,999 onwards
(Image: asus.com)
The Zenfone 5Z will be the second smartphone to be available in India with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. It has a 6.2-inch IPS display in 19:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2246 x 1080 p..
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NEX is the other unique phone expected to arrive in India this month. Doing away with the screen notch, the phone has an 8MP selfie camera module that pops out on top. It has a 6.59-inch amoled display giving it a screen to body ratio of 91%. The phone comes in two variants: NEX A and NEX S — we expect Vivo to only launch the topend NEX S in India because they’re gunning for the premium market. The NEX S runs a Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage and has a 4,000mAh battery with fast charge support. It also has a under screen fingerprint scanner, 12MP + 5MP dual rear camera with OIS, dual SIM slot, USB Type-C port and Android 8.1.
Expected Price: Rs 50,000 onwards
NEX is the other unique phone expected to arrive in India this month. Doing away with the screen notch, the phone has an 8MP selfie camera module that pops out on top. It has a 6.59-inch amoled displ..
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Xiaomi’s previous premium device in India was the Mi Mix 2, launched last year. The company has announced the Mi 8 in China as their new flagship and it is expected that the phone will launch in India this month. The Mi 8 features a notched 6.2-inch amoled display in 19:9 aspect ratio and a 7000 series aluminium frame. It comes with an 3D Face unlock similar to the iPhone X (with infrared), rear fingerprint scanner, dual SIM support and runs the latest MiUI 10 based on Android 8.1. Hardware includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB RAM, 64/128//256GB storage and a 3,400mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 support. It has a 12MP + 12MP dual camera setup with OIS and dual pixel phase detection autofocus on the rear while the front has a 20MP selfie shooter. The Mi 8 is also the first phone in the world with dual-band GPS (purported improved accuracy of 3 to 5 times).
Expected Price: Rs 35,000 onwards
Xiaomi’s previous premium device in India was the Mi Mix 2, launched last year. The company has announced the Mi 8 in China as their new flagship and it is expected that the phone will launch in Indi..
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Motorola’s E range of smartphones have always focussed on the budget conscious buyers. The upcoming smartphone in the range, Moto E5 Plus, features a 6-inch 18:9 aspect display with a resolution of 1440 x 720 pixels and weight of 197 grams. The primary reason for the 197 gram heft is probably the massive 5,000mAh battery. Other specifications include a Snapdragon 425 processor, 2/3GB RAM and 16/32GB storage. Motorola has also paid extra attention to the camera on the E5 Plus — it has a 12MP rear camera with f2.0 aperture, phase detection and laser autofocus. On the front, it has a 5MP camera with LED flash. Other features include fast charge support, dual SIM slots, expandable storage, rear fingerprint scanner and Android 8.0.
Expected price: Rs 9,000 onwards
Motorola’s E range of smartphones have always focussed on the budget conscious buyers. The upcoming smartphone in the range, Moto E5 Plus, features a 6-inch 18:9 aspect display with a resolution of 1..
The ColorOS remains the same: based on Android 8.1, minimal bloatware and a long list of customization options. We’ll say exactly what we said before — it has a theme engine, app lock, kid space, split screen, private safe (for photos, videos, documents), blocklist, call recording, gestures, smart assistant, quiet time, clone apps, Oppo cloud storage, game mode, screen recording and homescreen magazine. Useful if you like to have a lot of features — not so much if you prefer a clean, stock Android.
7 Apps That Every Man Should Have On His Phone
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In a mobile-driven world, apps bring a wealth of infotainment and services at your fingertips. Here are a few that you can consider.
It’s a comprehensive and aesthetically pleasing app that has more than 150 workouts, including endurance, strength, mobility and yoga. You are given the choice of workouts according to your goals, a body tone and level of preparation. Nike+ Training Club’s new series of athlete workouts also feature health and motivation tips from Cristiano Ronaldo’s 360-degree approach to training.
In a mobile-driven world, apps bring a wealth of infotainment and services at your fingertips. Here are a few that you can consider.
It’s a comprehensive and aesthetically pleasing app that has more..
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One of the largest music and audio streaming platforms, SoundCloud is a must-have if you love music. It boasts of 150 million tracks from emerging and established artists around the world. It gives track suggestions based on your likes and listening habits, helps to interact with the artists, and much more.
One of the largest music and audio streaming platforms, SoundCloud is a must-have if you love music. It boasts of 150 million tracks from emerging and established artists around the world. It gives t..
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Sure there is no dearth of apps to manage your to-do list. And one of the best is Doit. im. It syncs across multiple devices and makes it easy to work through your list. The app synchronises your tasks with the cloud, lets you sort your goals, projects, next actions, edit tasks and support multi-level view — goals, projects, tasks, etc.
Sure there is no dearth of apps to manage your to-do list. And one of the best is Doit. im. It syncs across multiple devices and makes it easy to work through your list. The app synchronises your tas..
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It is your go-to messenger for accessing every service you could possibly require — food, ride sharing, deals, entertainment, search (Microsoft Bing), gifts, etc. Apart from letting you use your frequently-used apps in its platform, Flochat comes with a personal chat assistant and allows you to edit and delete chat messages even after they are sent.
It is your go-to messenger for accessing every service you could possibly require — food, ride sharing, deals, entertainment, search (Microsoft Bing), gifts, etc. Apart from letting you use your freq..
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Packed with offline maps, audio phrase books, a currency converter and advice from experts, it’s a great travel app. You can download the guide for the city that you intend to visit, and then select the category you want information on — restaurants, things to see, places to sleep, shopping destinations etc.
Packed with offline maps, audio phrase books, a currency converter and advice from experts, it’s a great travel app. You can download the guide for the city that you intend to visit, and then select ..
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If you tend to forget where you have parked your car in a maze-like parking of a mall, Car Locator can help you get over the embarrassment. Just shake your smartphone to save your location when you park and the app will help you find your car. It also lets you beam your current or saved location to another phone.
If you tend to forget where you have parked your car in a maze-like parking of a mall, Car Locator can help you get over the embarrassment. Just shake your smartphone to save your location when you p..
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The news and social network aggregator has something for everyone — from travel to technology, politics to entertainment. Pick your passions and Flipboard will create a smart magazine for you. It lets you read, like, and share stories on social media, while you access the best content from all sources, person, publication, and even hashtags.
The news and social network aggregator has something for everyone — from travel to technology, politics to entertainment. Pick your passions and Flipboard will create a smart magazine for you. It let..
Seems like the intention this time was to keep the price low while introducing a notch type display. But this is not a better phone than before. If premium appearance, battery life and notch display with slim bezels are your only criteria, then this is the phone for you. The Realme 1 (4/64GB for Rs 10,990, 6/128GB for Rs 13,990) is still a great option — higher performance, higher resolution screen and many other advantages. Redmi Note 5 is readily available now and offers many advantages (better camera, metal build, performance). If you need even higher performance, the best battery life, dual camera and metal unibody design, consider Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1.
Apple iPhone X, Google Pixel 2: Here Are The Best Smartphones of 2017
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As the year draws to a close, we can look back at some of the amazing features and innovations we saw on smartphones.
Keeping in mind all the reviews we did, this is ET’s selection of the best smartphones.
(On the left, Apple iphone X and on the right, Google Pixel 2)
As the year draws to a close, we can look back at some of the amazing features and innovations we saw on smartphones.
Keeping in mind all the reviews we did, this is ET’s selection of the best smartp..
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Apple iPhone X: Rs 92,430
Apple’s 10th anniversary special launch, the iPhone X impresses with the swanky new metal and glass design plus the 5.8-inch bezelless OLED display. Add to that its superb dual camera setup and the futuristic Face ID unlock making it our choice for the premium smartphone of 2017.
Runner Up: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Rs 67,900
Apple iPhone X: Rs 92,430
Apple’s 10th anniversary special launch, the iPhone X impresses with the swanky new metal and glass design plus the 5.8-inch bezelless OLED display. Add to that its superb d..
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Apple iPhone 8: Rs 66,120
The iPhone 8 is our choice for best compact phone because of the fantastic performance, best in class camera and the addition of wireless charging. Not to forget that since the design is unchanged, all existing accessories of iPhone 7 will work with it as well.
Runner Up: Google Pixel 2 Rs 49,999
Apple iPhone 8: Rs 66,120
The iPhone 8 is our choice for best compact phone because of the fantastic performance, best in class camera and the addition of wireless charging. Not to forget that since ..
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Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Rs 67,900
The Note 8 has a gorgeous 6.3-inch super amoled infinity display with an aspect ratio of18.5:9. It’s got fantastic cameras, water proofing, wireless charging, great hardware and comes with the pressuresensitive S-pen.
Runner Up: Mi Max 2 Rs 13,999
Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Rs 67,900
The Note 8 has a gorgeous 6.3-inch super amoled infinity display with an aspect ratio of18.5:9. It’s got fantastic cameras, water proofing, wireless charging, great h..
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Redmi 4: Rs 6,999
This one changed expectations for budget smartphones: a full metal unibody, HD display, fingerprint scanner and large battery — all of which makes the Redmi 4 our choice for the budget phone of the year.
Runner Up: Infinix Note 4 Rs 8,999
Redmi 4: Rs 6,999
This one changed expectations for budget smartphones: a full metal unibody, HD display, fingerprint scanner and large battery — all of which makes the Redmi 4 our choice for the bud..
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Vivo V7+: Rs 21,990
We have a tie in this category: the Vivo with its 24MP front camera and the Oppo with 20MP selfie camera deliver great results. Both have a 6-inch, 18:9 aspect display and overall excellent performance.
Runner Up: Gionee A1 Lite Rs 14,999
Vivo V7+: Rs 21,990
We have a tie in this category: the Vivo with its 24MP front camera and the Oppo with 20MP selfie camera deliver great results. Both have a 6-inch, 18:9 aspect display and overall..
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18:9 or Taller Displays
Taller displays (18:9 aspect ratio or more) started with the Galaxy S8 and the trend was quickly adopted by all brands including Apple. With a taller display, screens can be larger & bezels can be slimmer without increasing the overall size of the phone. This trend will continue well into 2018 & we expect it to be standard practice across price brackets.
18:9 or Taller Displays
Taller displays (18:9 aspect ratio or more) started with the Galaxy S8 and the trend was quickly adopted by all brands including Apple. With a taller display, screens can be l..
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Google Pixel 2: Rs 49,999
The Pixel was our top choice for photos last year & Google has taken the top spot once again. The 12.2MP camera with laser + dual pixel phase detection autofocus, optical + electronic image stabilization and f/1.8 aperture delivers unbelievable photos.
Runners Up: Apple iPhone X Rs 92,430 and Samsung Note 8 Rs 67,900
Google Pixel 2: Rs 49,999
The Pixel was our top choice for photos last year & Google has taken the top spot once again. The 12.2MP camera with laser + dual pixel phase detection autofocus, optical + ..
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LG V30+: Rs 44,990
LG V30+ is our choice for best video recording thanks to the 4k video recording, HDR support, 24-bit stereo sound recording and support for log shooting (usually found in DSLRs — allows for better post-production). In addition, the Cine Video modes offer pro-tuned options to add live video filters for superior results.
Runner Up: Sony Xperia XZ Premium Rs 61,990 and Samsung Note 8 Rs 67,900
LG V30+: Rs 44,990
LG V30+ is our choice for best video recording thanks to the 4k video recording, HDR support, 24-bit stereo sound recording and support for log shooting (usually found in DSLRs — a..
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Mi Mix 2: Rs 35,999
Mix 2 wins this with a big margin thanks to the curved ceramic back combined with a 5.99-inch display that has really tiny bezels on three sides. Not to mention the 18-karat gold-plated decorative camera edges and an aluminum frame which adds to the overall appearance.
Runners Up: Apple iPhone X Rs 92,430 and Samsung S8/S8 Plus/Note 8 Rs 67,900
Mi Mix 2: Rs 35,999
Mix 2 wins this with a big margin thanks to the curved ceramic back combined with a 5.99-inch display that has really tiny bezels on three sides. Not to mention the 18-karat gold-..
