Airtel relaunches its ‘Airtel Thanks’ plan, new Rs 299 prepaid plan launched with Amazon Prime membership

0

Competing in the ever-challenging and ever-changing telecom sector of India, Bharti Airtel has relaunched its Airtel Thanks campaign for its subscribers. Airtel has also launched its new Rs 299 prepaid plan, which will offer 2.5GB data everyday along with unlimited calling and Amazon Prime membership for 28 days. The Airtel Thanks campaign comes in three categories – Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each category has its own plans and benefits. The company has also tied up with Amazon Prime, Netflix, and Zee5 to offer additional benefits to its subscribers.

Starting with the Silver category, if the user purchases a plan from this category then he will get access to basic content like Airtel TV, Wynk Music etc. While the Gold plan members will get access to telecom benefits along with value access to the premium content and financial services from Airtel. The top-end Platinum plan subscribers will get VIP services from Airtel along with premium content, e-books, device protection and exclusive invites. They will also get priority access to events and sales.

Shashwat Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer of Bharti Airtel said in a statement said, “AirtelThanks is our play to further strengthen our share with the discerning and quality customers of the country by offering exclusive rewards to them for their association with Airtel. It covers rewards from premium content, to music, e-books, financial services, VIP service and host of partner Brands access. For example, with Amazon Prime, we are now bringing to the market a first of its kind, pre-paid recharge which has Amazon Prime membership built into it.”

Other than this, Airtel has also renamed its mobile app to Airtel Thanks. According to the company, the new app uses data-science and segmentation algorithms to customize the experience of the user.

As mentioned above, the company has also launched its new Rs 299 prepaid plan with a validity of 28 days. The subscribers of this offer will get the user an Amazon Prime membership along with 2.5GB of data everyday with unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. The Amazon Prime membership with the recharge gets the user access to Prime Video, Prime Music, Prime Reading and unlimited free fast shipping on all the items along on Amazon. They will also be getting early and exclusive access to deals on Amazon India. The subscribers will have to recharge the Amazon Prime membership through Airtel Thanks app.

Airtel’s new Rs 299 prepaid plan can be recharged through retailers, Airtel Stores, online recharge platforms, Airtel.in along with the Airtel Thanks application.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

 

Amazon Summer Sale 2019: Discounts on Redmi 6, Redmi 6A, Mi A2 and more

0

Amazon’s Summer Sale 2019 is all set to begin May 4 and will go on till May 7. And during these three days, a number of smartphones and gadgets will be available on the e-commerce website. And if you are an Amazon Prime member, then you will be able to access the sale starting tomorrow at 12 pm (noon). A number of smartphones from Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi will also be available at a discount during Amazon’s Summer Sale. The devices that will be available during the sale are Redmi 6A, Redmi 6, Mi A2, as well as the recently launched Redmi 7 and Redmi Y3.

The company has announced that its Redmi 6 smartphone can be bought at a discounted rate. While the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant of Redmi 6 can be picked up at Rs 6,999, the 3GB RAM/64GB storage model is available at Rs 7,499 during the sale. We should mention that both the variants are available at a discount of Rs 1,000.

Besides this, the newly launched Redmi 7 and Redmi Y3 will also be available for sale every day. The 2GB RAM/32GB storage and 3GB RAM/32GB storage variants of Redmi 7 are priced at Rs 7,999 and Rs 8,999 respectively and will be available 12 pm onwards every day. The selfie-focussed Redmi Y3, on the other hand, will be available at 3 pm onwards every day and will cost Rs 9,999.

In addition to this, those who buy the Redmi 6A smartphone will earn a cashback of Rs 500 using Amazon Pay. The company has also levied a discount of Rs 1,000 on its Mi A2 smartphone and customers will also be able to enjoy a bump up offer wherein they get cash back of Rs 1000 upon exchanging any older smartphone.

These offers on Xiaomi smartphones are not only limited to Amazon India’s website. Interested customers can also avail these deals at Mi.com, Mi Homes and Xiaomi offline channels. However, the offers will reach Mi Homes and Xiaomi offline channels from 4th May midnight onwards.

The Chinese smartphone brand has also announced that customers will also get a special SBI debit/credit card offer of 10% discount up to Rs 1,500 on purchase of any Xiaomi smartphones on offer. The only exception to this offer is Xiaomi’s Redmi 6A handset.

A number of smartphones from other brands are also available at discounted prices on Amazon India’s website. You can read our article here to know more about the deals.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

OnePlus 7 Pro with 12GB RAM and Android Pie spotted on Geekbench

Chinese smartphone brand is all set to launch its OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 handsets on May 14. Less than two weeks ahead of its launch, OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone has been listed on the Geekbench benchmarking website. The online listing of the device has revealed that it will come with 12GB of RAM, which is in line with other rumours and reports about OnePlus 7 Pro. The listing has surfaced online after the official confirmation of the launch of the handset was shared by the company.

OnePlus recently also teased that the upcoming OnePlus 7 Pro smartphone will sport a triple rear camera setup. It has also been reported that one among the three sensors of the handset’s triple rear camera setup will come with a 3x optical zoom. The presence of an ultra-wide angle lens has also been speculated.

The listing on Geekbench’s website is dated for April 30 and shows the OnePlus smartphone with model number GM1917. According to reports, the handset on Geekbench is OnePlus 7 Pro. As we mentioned earlier, the device is listed to come with 12GB of RAM. In addition to this, the smartphone will have Android 9.0 Pie skinned with the company’s OxygenOS.

oneplus geekbench
Image courtesy: Geekbench

While the exact name of the OnePlus smartphone has not been verified yet, the Geekbench listing shows that the handset has scored 3,526 and 11,101 in the single and multi-core scores. We should mention that these basically indicate towards an exceptional performance, and hardly any flagship smartphones have matched it so far.

The Chinese smartphone company has announced that OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 will be launched together on May 14. They will both be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 SoC. However, OnePlus 7 Pro is the company’s flagship smartphone and is expected to come with some enhancements that will give it an edge over other high-end Android devices.

The smartphone is reported to come with a 90Hz QHD+ display that could be 6.7-inch in size. The display is said to have an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The smartphone will sport a triple rear camera setup, a pop-up selfie camera and an ultra-wide angle sensor. The company has claimed that OnePlus 7 Pro has received the A+ rating from DisplayMate.

It is the first time that OnePlus will be launching its flagship smartphone simultaneously at three places – India, Europe and the United States. The India launch event of OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7 Pro will take place in Bengaluru.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Google brings swipeable ‘Tiles’ for its Wear OS, will arrive next month to the smartwatches

Google’s Wear OS is an UI for the smart wearables and since the start of 2019, we have seen multiple smart watches being launched by different companies. There is no doubt that the future will be filled with smart watches and smart wearables and for that, Google’s OS will be one primary ingredient. Google earlier introduced the quick swipeable widgets on its Wear OS in August 2018. The swipeable feature provided its users much convenience as with just a simple swipe they can access notifications and other information on their smart watches.

And now, the California-based search giant has launched Tiles, a new swipe based information interface. These Tiles are widgets for the Wear OS which provides quick access for the upcoming events, headlines, information and weather forecasts. It also offers many new features and tools to the Wear OS. The search giant has announced 6 Tiles for the Wear OS which can be checked by swiping left on the home page of the smart watches that come with Google’s OS.

This information was revealed by Google through a blog post where it introduced the six Tiles – Goals, Next event, Forecast, Heart rate, Headlines, and Timer. The Tiles do what their names suggests – the Next Event tile will show the upcoming event of the user while the Forecast Tile will show the weather information. The Heart Rate will display the user’s heartrate while the Timer will start a countdown timer. The Headlines Tile will show the current news headlines and the Goal Tile can be used to check the health and fitness goals the user has pre-saved.

The Tiles can be chosen by swiping left and tapping on the desired tile. The user can also select the order in which the Tiles will appear in their smart watch powered by Google’s Wear OS. For adjusting the order of the Tiles, the user can long press and move the tile to their desired location. The users also have the option to change the Tile order through his smartphone.

Google has announced that all the new Tiles will be brought to smartwatches powered by Wear OS from next month onwards. But the launch of some of the Tiles will vary depending on the region, software version running on the smartphone connected wit the smartwatch and the watch’s Wear OS version. The Tiles will be brought to the smartwatches through a software update.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

These are the best upcoming Sci-Fi movies we can’t wait to watch

Marvel’s Avengers saga has finally come to an epic conclusion and although it would seem as if the next superhero or sci-fi movie is months away, it isn’t. There are lots of movies scheduled to be released this year and some of them have already been launched on the silver screen, like Shazam. But as they say ‘there is more out there’. Here, we have made a list of some of the best sci-fi and superhero movies which will be releasing in this quarter. So, in no specific order, here’s the list:

  1. Godzilla: King of Monsters

Godzilla: King of Monsters
Godzilla: King of Monsters

The Kaiju saga continues with Godzilla: King of Monsters. And this movie will probably be more action-packed than its last one. As in this we will get to see some of the most impressive and dangerous-looking monsters till now. Produced by Warner Bros, it will release on 29th May, 2019. The trailer shows that this time there will be 17 monsters in the film, one of them rises from a volcano, while another from an ocean and another from underground. And maybe we will get to see the epic and much awaited battle between Godzilla and King Gidorah. It might just be a theory but the winner of battle will be crowned the King of Monsters. We (without a doubt) are rooting for our spiky boi.

2. X-Men: Dark Phoenix 

X-Men
X-Men Dark Phoenix

Continuing the X-Men saga, Dark Phoenix will be the next film in the new X-Men universe. Produced by Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox with music given by none other than Hans Zimmer himself, it will be a spectacle. After the end of Avengers, X-Men might be the next film, which could make it big in the Marvel Universe. In it we will see star-filled cast such as Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, to name a few. The story will follow Jean Grey and we will see how she evolves to become the comic iconic Dark Phoenix, the most powerful mutant ever.

3. Men in Black: International

MiB
MiB International

Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones left some big shoes to fill in the Men in Black Universe. But the new trailer shows that Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson might fill them up, partially. The MIB International is produced by Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures and will release on June 13. The trailer shows that the new movie too can meet the action and laughter level of the old ones and it is packed with much action as well. However, does it deliver and how close it comes to the original MiB will be seen once it hits the theatres. Also, Liam Neeson will be in the movie as well along with some of the fan-favourite aliens from the original MiB. So action and fun is surely guaranteed.

4. Brightburn 

Brightburn
Brightburn

A horror take on the Superman chronicles, the trailer shows what would happen if the Man of Steel wasn’t the self-righteous and a ‘big fan of justice’? What would happen if someone used that power for something other than the protection of the world and its people? What would happen if the boy from space would use his powers to hurt and hunt people? That’s what James Gunn, the director of Guardians of the Galaxy wants people to know. Brightburn will hit the theatres on May 23 and then we will see how a sinister villain is made and how he uses his superpowers. The trailer of the film surely does a good job of scaring its viewers and it also shows what goes through the head of the super-powered villain child. And instead of donning the cape and the suit, the child dons the cape and a mask, which would give the Scarecrow run for his money.

5. Spiderman: Far From Home 

5. Spiderman: Far From Home 
Spiderman: Far From Home

After the events of the Avengers: Endgame, Peter is seen relaxing with his friends on a vacation to Europe. How it led to this and what happened after the Endgame might be revealed in the movie, maybe. The cinema will be directed by none other than Kevin Feige, and although the film will be releasing in July 2019,we are still putting it on this list. The trailer already shows what the friendly neighbourhood Spiderman (Tom Holland) is up against, but it also shows the fan-favourite Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal). Who might be the main villain or might be on our hero’s side? We will come to know soon. The trailer doesn’t mention Tony Stark but it does shows Happy Hogan and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

6. Detective Pikachu

6. Detective Pikachu
Detective Pikachu

Produced by Warner Bros. this movie is the live-action take on the ever-popular and classic Pokémon Universe. It will release in May of 2019 and it will be one funny and action-packed cinematic masterpiece. In the movie, we see a talking Pikachu voice by none other than Deadpool’s star Ryan Reynolds. The trailer shows a young man with name Tim goes on a search to find his mysteriously missing father Harry Goodman. But he won’t be going alone as he will be getting a pocket monster buddy tagging along with him, Pikachu. The Pokémon itself is searching for something and together they go on an adventure in a world which co-exists (with Pokémon and humans). The trailer also shows some of the widely known and popular Pokémon characters such as Charizard, Onyx, Evee, Jigglypuff, Mr. Mime, Meowth and the legendary Mewtwo.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Huawei to introduce the world’s first 5G enabled 8K TV in 2019: Report

0

Huawei and Samsung are known to be competitors. It now seems like their rivalry is going to get more intense, and this time it would not be to take a lead in the smartphone industry. It has been reported that the company is working on a new TV that will come with an 8K display and built-in 5G connectivity. This will be the first time that the world will see a television that completely eliminates the need for a cable box or an internet connection.

The Chinese smartphone brand plans to introduce the new television as soon as this year, according to a report in Nikkei. We should mention that Huawei is really trying to do this the Samsung-way. Much like Samsung has not limited itself to just smartphones, Huawei is trying to expand its range of devices. We would not be surprised if the company starts providing an entire ecosystem of products, much like Samsung.

It is no secret that Huawei wants to replace Samsung as the top smartphone maker in the world. And coming out with an 8K 5G TV just goes to show that Huawei is serious about its rivalry and the competition between the two companies isn’t just limited to smartphones.

We should also mention that the news of this TV comes at a time when the company’s smartphone business is growing stronger by the day in spite of its tensions that are going on with the US. According to research firms IDC and Strategy Analytics, Huawei is gaining ground while shipment numbers of Apple and Samsung are slipping.

Currently, Samsung is not only the leading in terms of smartphone shipments, but it is also the biggest TV manufacturer in the world. The South Korean technology giant also started shipping an 8K TV which is priced at $4,999. However, the offering by Samsung does not come with 5G connectivity.

Speaking of 8K TVs, according to research firm IHS Markit, shipments of 8K TVs will go up from 430,000 in 2019 to 2 million in 2020. Although Huawei has carved a place for itself among the top smartphone companies in the world, manufacturing TVs is a different game altogether, and that too a much tougher one.

And it is also worth adding that both 8K and 5G technologies are still very new, so making them work seamlessly in TV will prove to be tough too. Some may say that Huawei is being too ambitious, but we personally would love to see an 8K 5G TV as soon as this year.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Motorola One Vision specifications and launch date leaked

0

Motorola’s upcoming smartphone in its One-series will be the Motorola One Vision. Some of the details about the Motorola One Vision had already been leaked online before, which still had a big question mark in front of it. But now, another leak about the device has surfaced and it reveals the major specifications of Motorola’s upcoming smartphone.

The leaks also specify that the device will go official this month itself. A poster of the Motorola One Vision has also been leaked which further specifies that the device will be launched in Sao Paulo, Brazil on May 15. According to the revalation, the device might be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9610 SoC and will come with dual-rear camera setup.

Earlier, the Motorola One Vision with model number XT1970 had also received the mandatory Bluetooth SIG certification, which further hints about its imminent launch. Also, the tipster Sudhansu Ambhore’s tweet shows the poster of the launch event of the Motorola One Vision with codename ‘Robusta2’. The Motorola One Vision was also spotted on Google’s ARCore website earlier. And according to the press renders of the phone, it might come with a hole-punch camera.

Motorola One Vision (expected) technical specifications

The Motorola One Vision will reportedly sport an unknown display size with an aspect ratio of 21:9. The display sports a Full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,520 pixels) resolution. As said before, it will reportedly be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9610 SoC paired with 4GB or 6GB RAM . The storage of the Motorola One Vision will be 128GB.Details about its expendable storage is currently not known. It will reportedly run Android 9 Pie and will pack a 3,500mAh battery.

On the camera front, the mobile phone will reportedly pack a dual-rear camera setup with the main camera featuring a 48MP sensor paired with another unknown sensor. Much details about the front camera is currently not known, however there is a possibility that it will come in a hole-punch camera style, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S10-series. The rear camera of the Motorola One Vision will reportedly come with features such as Video 3D HDR, Long Exposure, Digital Wellbeing, and Dolby audio etc.

motorola one vision
motorola one vision launch date

After its launch in Brazil, the device will make its way to the Asia Pacific, China, Eastern Europe, India along with the Middle Eastern countries. The exact dates of their availability are currently not known for these countries. And since these specifications are based on leaks so they are liable to change and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

TRAI asks the DTH operators to follow the new tariff regulations

0

TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has brought out names of the four (DTH) direct-to-home and cable operators for not following the rules of the new tariff. The new tariff was brought out to be followed by all the DTH operators operating in India earlier this year. The new tariff was proposed by the regulator and according to it, the consumers can choose the TV channels they want and pay only for them at an MRP set by the broadcasters. TRAI has also asked the DTH operators to follow the new tariff regulations and offer their subscribers accordingly.

TRAI released a circular on May 1 asking the DTH operators including Tata Sky, Dish TV and Direct Sun TV and the cable operator Independent TV to follow the new packs. It has also asked the abovementioned DTH operators to avail their customers with the new plans especially the long-term plans.

The DTH order states, “In case the broadcasting services related to television have been availed by a subscriber with a lock-in period or the charges for subscription of broadcasting services related to television are paid in advance for a specific period by a subscriber in pursuance of any scheme offered by the distributor of television channels, the distributor shall continue to provide such services for such period to the subscriber without any increase in the price of subscription and without altering the other terms of subscription to the disadvantage of the subscriber.”

According to the new rules, the subscribers who already had taken the long-term plan from these DTH operators before the new rules came into effect will continue to get the services. There won’t be any change in the contracted period or the terms and conditions. They also will have the freedom to choose the channels of their own choice if they already have the long-term plan purchased. The money from the plan will be adjusted in the channels selected by the subscriber.

TRAI came to know about the DTH companies from the reports and complaints from various subscribers. According to the complaints, the long-term plans subscribers of the operators were being migrated to the Best Fit plan. But the regulator has already clarified that the companies need to provide the subscribers with the long-term plan till the end of the contracted period without any change. The plan must be provided unless the subscriber decides to opt out of the plan before it expires.

TRAI also said, “Provided that the distributor retail price, per month, payable by a subscriber to a distributor of television channels for subscribing to a pay channel shall, in no case, exceed the maximum retail price, per month, declared by the broadcasters for such pay channel.”

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Fortnite’s season 8 volcano has started erupting; here’s what it could mean

0

In February this year, the popular battle-royale game Fortnite finally got its season 8. And with Season 8, a volcano was added to the island that keeps on changing as the game progresses. And now, that Fortnite’s season 8 volcano has started to erupt. A few weeks back, a mysterious looking alien rune made an appearance on the island, and that was what got things in motion.

The players managed to collectively push the rune across the map of the game towards a spaceship-style structure that was found at the Loot Lake. But that wasn’t the only rune that appeared on Fortnite. Others runes followed and now, the fifth one has also appeared on the island and as a result of this, the volcano that has been there since February has started erupting.

We should mention that most of the players of Fortnite had already predicted that this will happen considering that dark smoke could be seen coming out of the iconic season 8 volcano. After the fifth and the final rune appeared earlier today, the smoke intensified and large dark grey and orange plumes started to erupt. At first, the volcano started spitting out some lava and shook the map. And this was followed by lava flooding out to various excavation sites in Fortnite.

As of now, the rune has a meter that fills up when players drop materials and ammo in the volcano. It’s actually like you have to sacrifice these to the volcano. From what it looks like, once the meter is completely full, the volcano will erupt completely and change the Fortnite’s island once again. However, there is no word on when exactly this will happen. It’s more like a team effort and all players can go and participate in what seems to be a ritual sacrifice. However, we advise you to be careful, as there are players who are also trying to kill the ones who are participating.

It is being speculated that once the volcano completely erupts, season 9 of Fortnite will begin. If this is indeed true, then it should be concluded by next Thursday, as the new season is set to begin on May 9.

But then, we should mention that this is Fortnite, and it has never been easy to predict what will happen in the game. While players are waiting for the next season to arrive, they can also go and check out the new Avengers: Endgame tie-ins that the battle-royale game has got.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Stuffcool Stuffbuds truly wireless earbuds launched in India: Price and features

Mobile accessories maker Stuffcool has added another product in its portfolio – the Stuffcool Stuffbuds truly wireless earphones. The company is known for making mobile accessories like power banks, laptops and tablets sleeves along with earphones.

With the launch of the new truly wireless earphones, the company is increasing its list of products. The Stuffbuds wireless earphones come with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and has 40mAh battery in both the earbuds. Here’s a look at the pricing details and specifications of the newly launched truly wireless earphones:

Stuffcool Stuffbuds truly wireless earphones price and availability

The Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones holds a price tag of Rs 4,999 but they are currently on an introductory sale so early birds can get them for Rs 4,490. The Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones can be bought from the official Stuffcool website along with other major offline and online marketplaces.

Stuffcool Stuffbuds truly wireless earphones specifications and features

The newly launched Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones comes with Bluetooth v5.0 for its wireless connectivity. There is a 40mAh battery in both the earbuds and it also comes in a charging case that offers 300mAh battery. According to the company, the wireless charging case is able to charge the earbuds by up to three times.

Stuffcool has also claimed that the Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones offer a battery life of around three hours in a single charge. There is also microphones present inside the Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones which can be used individually. The microphones can be used for calls but it should be noted that it doesn’t come with Google Voice support.

The newly launched Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones has multi-function buttons which can be used to control the music playback along with calls. The truly wireless earbuds pack an 8mm dynamic driver in each earbud, which gives it a clear sound. The package of the Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones contains the earbuds themselves along with the charging case and a Micro-USB cable.

The new Stuffcool Stuffbuds wireless earphones competes against the Floatz BE-01 which was launched yesterday. The new Floatz BE-01 wireless earbuds is priced at Rs 3,999 and it packs features and specifications similar to the Stuffcool Stuffbuds earbuds. It packs a 6mm dynamic drivers and weighs only 10 grams making it one of the lightest earbuds. It also has a microphone along with active noise cancellation with DSP digital noise reduction technology.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

 

Instagram announces Instagrammers of the Year 2019 awards: Here’s a look at the winners

Instagram is undoubtedly the most popular social media app currently. It is the app that most millennials prefer to be on and considering that it has a global user base of 1 billion, brands and celebrities are very active on Instagram too. This makes it easier for users to get information directly from the brands and celebrities they like. Today, the photo-sharing app has announced the Instagrammer of the Year 2019 awards.

This is the second time that Instagram has come up with these awards. The categories of Instagrammer of the Year 2019 awards include Most Followed, Engaged Account of the Year, Storyteller of the year, Rising Star of the year, Fashion, Food and Entertainment accounts of the year. According to Instagram, people who have won these awards have shown their expertise at the art of visual storytelling throughout the year and have managed to build a strong community by using features like feed, Live, Stories and IGTV.

While announcing the awards, Saket Jha Saurabh, Head, Entertainment Partnerships, Facebook India said, “It’s heartening to see young people come to Instagram every day to share memorable experiences and engage with the things they’re passionate about. The Instagrammer of the Year awards are a way for us to recognize creators who epitomize the spirit of our platform, where connections evolve into communities and passions meet products in an inimitable way. They have especially played an important role in helping us maintain authenticity and creating a space for diversity of expression on the platform.”

Most Followed Account of 2019: Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra)

The Bollywood actress has more than 39 million followers on the photo-sharing app.

Storyteller of the Year (2019): Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone)

The actress’s Instagram account has interesting content like Boomerangs from the Cannes Film Festival, slo-mo videos while catching a flight and an AMA with fans.

Engaged Account of the Year 2019: Virat Kohli (@virat.kohli)

This one was bagged by Indian Cricket Team Captain, Virat Kohli. His Instagram profile has content like sneak peeks into the locker room, gruelling training sessions, and off-field selfies.

Rising Star Award for 2019: Sara Ali Khan (@saraalikhan95)

Seems like Sara Ali Khan has not only made a grand debut in Bollywood but on Instagram too. Her fan base on the photo-sharing app grew as rapidly as her popularity during the year.

Food Account of the Year (2019): Chef Pooja Dhingra (@poojadhingra)

If you follow her on Instagram, you would know how creative she can get while posting food content on the platform. It’s no surprise that she won this category!

Entertainment Account of the Year (2019): Bhuvan Bam (@bhuvan.bam22)

The comedian and singer is popular for posting vines that make scores of people laugh on Instagram.

Fashion Account of the Year (2019): Sejal Kumar (@sejalkumar1195)

If you are a fashion junkie, you should follow the fashionista to check out the chic photoshoots and street style posts.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Redmi X with Snapdragon 855 SoC and pop-up selfie camera to be launched on May 14

0

Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi has finally confirmed the launch date of its much-talked-about upcoming flagship device – Redmi X. The smartphone will be launched this month itself, on the same day as OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus. A number of reports about the Redmi X have surfaced online. The upcoming smartphone is speculated to be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC and come with a pop-up selfie camera.

According to a leak on Weibo, the Redmi X is set to launch on May 14 in China while it will be made available for other countries in the coming days. Currently, there is no news about its launch for the Indian markets but according to rumours, the Redmi X will be renamed in India as the Poco F2.

And since Xiaomi is claiming that the Redmi X will be the cheapest smartphone powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC, the reports do seem credible. To recall, in 2018, the Poco F1 held the title of the cheapest smartphone to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC. So, it only makes sense for Xiaomi to rebrand Redmi X as Poco F2 in India so that it is clear that the handset focusses on power. But this information is not confirmed by Xiaomi, so it should be taken with a pinch of salt.

About the Redmi X, the General Manager of Redmi, Lu Weibing confirmed many details about the flagship smartphone of Redmi – Redmi X. Weibing has already confirmed that the device will be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC, and it may pack a triple-rear camera setup along with a pop-up selfie camera.

Also, a recently leaked image of the Redmi X shows that the device won’t have a rear mounted fingerprint scanner which could only mean that it will pack an in-display fingerprint scanner. Some reports also suggest that the device will come with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Other details about the upcoming Redmi X will be made available on the day of its official launch on May 14.

It is also worth mentioning that even before the launch of the smartphone, the rivalry between Redmi and Realme has intensified. Just day a after Realme announced its smartphone with a pop-up selfie camera, Xiaomi teased its Redmi X smartphone, which also comes with the same feature. Furthermore, both the devices will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 SoC. So, it seems like the two handsets have started competing with each other even before their launch.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Amazon Summer Sale 2019: Discounts on iPhone X, Samsung S10, OnePlus 6T and more

Amazon Summer Sale 2019 is all set to begin on May 4 and will go on till May 7 and during this time, discounts and deals will be available on a wide range of products. If you are an Amazon Prime member, you will be able to get your hands on all the deals of Summer Sale 2019 twelve hours before the rest of the world does. All Amazon Prime members will be able to get access to products on sale starting May 3 at 12 pm (noon). A day before the sale begins, Amazon India has shared some of the major offers that customers will be able to avail on its website.

Amazon India will be offering a discount of up to 40% on select smartphones and accessories during the sale. Besides this, a few devices will be offered at their ‘lowest price ever’. The e-commerce website has put up a teaser image on its platform that shows some of these offers that will be available starting tomorrow (for Prime members).

During the sale, you can buy the Apple iPhone X at a reduced price of Rs 69,990 and opt for a no-cost EMI for up to 9 months. If you are not an Apple fan, you can go for the Samsung Galaxy S9 at a discounted price of Rs 39,990. Another premium smartphone that will be available at a discount is OnePlus 6T (review). The handset can be bought at a starting price of Rs 32,999 during the sale. However, if you want to buy it, be ready at 12 pm tomorrow, as Amazon India has specified that the stocks of the smartphone are limited.

Honor View 20 smartphone (review) can be bought at Rs 37,999 during the sale. In addition to the discount, you can also get an Amazon Pay cashback worth Rs 5,000 if you go for a prepaid method to pay for the handset (any online method).

Samsung’s budget smartphone Galaxy M20 (review) will also be available at a discounted price for the first time since it has been launched. During the sale, you can buy the device for Rs 9,990. In addition to this, Xiaomi’s Mi A2 and Redmi 6 Pro can be picked up at Rs 10,999 and Rs 9,999 respectively.

Honor Play smartphone will be available at the ‘lowest price ever’ during the summer sale. Amazon India will be offering the handset at Rs 13,999 during the three-day sale. Huawei Y9 (2019) and Honor 8X will also be available at discounted prices, and customers will be able to buy them at Rs 13,990 and Rs 12,999 respectively.

Samsung Galaxy S10 can be picked up at Rs 61,900, which will basically be its effective pricing after a deal on prepaid orders. Apart from this, users will also get an additional discount of Rs 6,000 if customers exchange an old smartphone. You can also go for the Samsung Galaxy A50, which will sell for Rs 19,990 during the sale.

The e-commerce website will also be offering some bundled offers, exchange offers, cashback offers and an instant discount of 10% with SBI cards.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Google Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL to launch in India on May 8, confirmed via Flipkart teaser

2

After weeks of teasers, Google has finally revealed the launch date of its upcoming mid-range smartphones – Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL. Till now, a number of reports suggested that both the devices will be unveiled on May 7 at Google I/O 2019. Today, a teaser of the Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL has surfaced on Flipkart and it says that something big is coming to Pixel universe on May 8. With this, the launch of the two handsets have been confirmed.

The Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL are already being held in high regards because it is the first time Google is bringing its smartphone and its flagship level camera to the mid-range price segment. The Google Pixel 3’s camera is said to be the best camera in a smartphone and if the company is bringing the same camera performance on its new smartphones then it is a piece of exciting news indeed.

The teaser page out on Flipkart doesn’t specify any product or smartphone name but it is obvious that it is about the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL. The teaser page also reads “Help is on the way. Something big is coming to the Pixel universe. Know more on 8th May.” With this, we can assume that both the smartphones would go on pre-orders in India just a day after their global launch.

Although the teaser of the new upcoming Pixel devices doesn’t reveal much about them, but a silhouette of a smartphone visible on it. It shows a smartphone with fairly large bezels similar to what we saw in the Google Pixel 2-series.

The specifications of the upcoming Pixel 3a-series devices haven’t been made official yet but it has been leaked online multiple times. According to the leaks, the Pixel 3a will reportedly sport a 5.6-inch Full HD+ OLED display while the Pixel 3a XL will sport a 6-inch display with the same display resolution. The Pixel 3a will be powered by a Snapdragon 670 SoC while the Pixel 3a XL will be powered by the Snapdragon 710 SoC. Both the devices will come with 4GB RAM as their base variants and sport a 12MP main rear camera.

Talking about the prices, it is estimated that the Pixel 3a will reportedly hold a price tag of $490 (approximately Rs 34,088) while the Pixel 3a XL will sell for $600 (approximately Rs 41,741). More details about the upcoming devices will be available during the Google I/O 2019.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Epic Games acquires Rocket League’s Studio: Get all the details here

0

Epic Games is known widely for its Borderlands series and with the third instalment of the game to be released this year, the studio is currently in the limelight. The company has announced today that it is buying the Rocket League creator Psyonix. The acquisition of the Psyonix Studios by Epic Games will be finalized later this year. And after that, the popular multiplayer high-flying goal-scoring game, Rocket League will be brought to the Epic Games Store in 2019.

Speaking about the acquisition, Psyonix stated in a blog post, “In the short term, nothing will change at all. We’re still committed to providing Rocket League with frequent updates that have new features, new content, and new ways to play the game for as long as you’ll have us.” So, the creator of the game confirmed that even after acquisition, the game will be available for players as it was before, and the updates will be released along with new content.

But the biggest question regarding Rocket League is whether it will be available on Steam like before or not. It should be noted that the company has said that Borderlands 3 will be available on the Epic Games Store which means that the company won’t be bringing the game on Steam. PC gamers criticised the decision made by the creators of Borderlands as almost every major game is on Steam. However, considering that Epic Games wants its store to be big and is eyeing to compete with Steam, the acquisition and addition of games exclusively to its own store seems like a fair strategy.

Epic Games also spoke about the availability of Rocket League on Steam after the acquisition. The company said, “The PC version of Rocket League will come to the Epic Games store in late 2019. In the meantime, it will continue to be available for purchase on Steam; thereafter it will continue to be supported on Steam for all existing purchasers.”

The statement made by the Epic Games states that Rocket League will be playable on Steam if it is already in the library of the player. However, after the acquisition is complete, the players will be unable to purchase it from the Steam store and will instead have to go to Epic Games Store. So, the game will be leaving the Steam platform.

With this happening, Rocket League will also be made an exclusive title in the Epic Games Store. Other exclusive games in the Epic Games store includes, Metro Exodus, The Outer Worlds, The Division 2 and so on.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Spotify tests placing podcast shows among music recommendations for users: Report

Music streaming platform Spotify is aiming to become a major player in the sphere of podcasting, and it is spending millions to achieve its goal. And now, a report has surfaced online which explains how the company plans to promote its shows in the initial stage. Spotify will reportedly be placing suggested episodes into playlists that are generated algorithmically for its users.

According to technology website The Verge, Spotify placed several short podcasts along with personalized music suggestions in a playlist. It is worth mentioning that currently, Spotify does not have a podcast recommendation tool that is widely available. The app does not even offer specially curated podcast playlists for users. So, it seems like it has decided on this way to make recommendations.

We should mention that this year, Spotify has plans of spending $500 million on acquisitions that it plans on making in the podcast industry. Till now, it has acquired Gimlet Media, Parcast and a creation and hosting platform called Anchor. While no major changes have been seen on Spotify’s app, it is clear from the company’s actions what it intends on doing. The platform is expected to come up with a collection of shows that will exclusively be available on Spotify. It will also be working on ads and a way for people to discover podcasts.

The report further states that the playlist test is called Your Daily Drive, and it features music based on the user’s interests. However, it is also worth pointing out that apart from songs, the playlist reportedly had news podcasts, most of which were in Portuguese. According to the report, the reporter who got the playlist does not speak Portuguese. Maybe this is happening because the feature is currently in the testing phase, and hopefully it would be able to make better recommendations once it is rolled out to all. It may have also happened because the company might be only running the test in a Portuguese-speaking country, and accidentally shared the same shows to the reporter. It is worth mentioning that these podcasts were not made by Spotify.

Speaking about the company’s plans, a Spotify spokesperson told The Verge, “We’re always testing new products and experiences, but have no further news to share at this time.”

Algorithmic playlists that offer music and podcasts will definitely be a welcome feature on the music-streaming platform. Considering that the company’s Discover Weekly playlist is already a very popular feature if it plans to add podcasts to it, Spotify will be able to provide more than 100 million subscribers with podcasts.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Apple to pay at least $4.5 billion to Qualcomm for patent settlement

The legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm is coming to an end. Or rather, the two companies have agreed for a settlement. But it comes at a cost that Apple will have to bear. American chipmaker Qualcomm has revealed in its Q2 earnings that it will be receiving $4.5 billion from the Cupertino-based technology giant as a part of the settlement agreement.

The settlement between Apple and Qualcomm was very unexpected, and it was decided upon while the trial between the two companies was going on. Both the technology giants have been involved in a patent dispute for the last few years now, and neither of the two wanted to back out.

However, according to a report in Bloomberg, Apple realised that Intel‘s modems, which the company has been using because of its dispute with Qualcomm, would not be ready in time to use in 5G iPhones. This, in turn, is causing a delay in the launch of a 5G iPhone, in spite of the fact that Apple first observes how a technology is perceived in the market and then comes out with its own version.

This reportedly led Apple to agree to pay a sum between $4.5 to $4.7 billion in order to make up with the American chipmaker. We should also add here that most 5G smartphones that we have or will be seeing this year will come with Qualcomm’s processor.

It is worth pointing out that the amount Apple has paid right now is separate from any royalties the company would have to pay to use Qualcomm chips in its devices in the future.

But paying this amount has got Apple a six-year global patent licensing agreement with the American chipmaker. The technology giant also has an option of extending it for another two years. And most importantly, the company’s legal fight with Qualcomm, which had spread to different parts of the world has come to an end. With this, Apple would again be able to get services from Qualcomm.

As we mentioned earlier, this is extremely critical for Apple, as Intel would not be able to ready 5G chips on time. So the company either has the option of producing its own 5G chips, or simply getting them from Qualcomm.

Speaking on the settlement agreement, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said, “We are also pleased to have reached multi-year agreements with Apple and look forward to continuing to support them as a customer.”

It is worth mentioning that according to a report by CNBC says that Apple’s cash on hand alone is 50 times the amount it had to pay to Qualcomm — $225.4 billion to be precise. Apple is also the first ever company to cross the valuation of $1 trillion. So, you can do the maths and find out how much $4.5 billion means to the Cupertino-based technology giant.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T, OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T are getting the OxygenOS Open Beta update: Here’s everything that’s new

0

Before the much-awaited launch of the OnePlus 7, that is scheduled for May 14, OnePlus seems to be focusing on its previous smartphones. The company has started rolling out its new OxygenOS Open Beta updates for the OnePlus 5 and the OnePlus 5T with many new features such as live background app activity while using Quick Reply, new UI, better search functionality etc. The more recent OnePlus 6 and the OnePlus 6T are also receiving the new OxygenOS Open Beta update. For the OnePlus 6-series the updates are similar to that of OnePlus 5-series with addition of the intelligent Cleanup feature in the File Manager. We should mention that this feature is exclusively available for the users in India only.

Manu J, the Product Operations Manager at OnePlus revealed the changelog of the new OxygenOS Open Beta 31 update for the OnePlus 5 and the Open Beta 29 update for the OnePlus 5T. The changelog was revealed on the official OnePlus forum.

The newest improvement and change which the new Open Beta update brings is the improved Quick Reply feature. Post the update, it can be used in the landscape mode seamlessly. Earlier, the app activity used to stop when using the Quick Reply feature in the landscape mode, but the new update has the issue resolved. OnePlus has also added support for more instant messaging applications which are compatible with the native Quick Reply feature while using the OnePlus 5 and the OnePlus 5T in landscape mode.

The new OxygenOS Open Beta update hasn’t only brought the performance improvements but also the aesthetical and graphical improvements as well. Now, the system update page comes with a new look, along with the fixed system issue of sending the device overheating warnings.

Other than that, the OnePlus Community too has received changes and improvements such as improved Social Page UI, a new and improved search field with the arrival of grouped search results across different categories. There are also some improvements in the Bug Report section.

Coming to the OnePlus 6-series changelog, the OnePlus 6 is getting the OnePlus Open Beta 17 update while the OnePlus 6T is getting the Open Beta 9 update. As mentioned above, the changelog of the OnePlus 6-series is similar to the changelog of the OnePlus 5-series. But there is also an addition of the intelligent clean-up feature in the File Manager application of the OnePlus 6-series. But it should be noted that this new addition is only available for the Indian users of the OnePlus 6-series.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Netflix’s new high-quality audio can adjust according to internet speeds

Video streaming platform Netflix has started rolling out an upgrade to its audio streaming technology. With the upgrade, the maximum bitrate of audio on Netflix will go up and it will be adjusted automatocally based on the speed of internet connection. The new high-quality audio will take up the maximum bitrate of a 5.1 audio mix to 640 kbps. The company has also said that a Dolby Atmos mix will increase to 768 kbps.

As we mentioned earlier, the bitrate will also adjust according to the speed of the internet connection. So, it may even drop to 192 kbps so that the video keeps on getting streamed without any interruptions.

It is worth adding that Netflix has used the same approach earlier for its video feeds, which also adjust automatically. But then, till now, the bitrate of any video’s audio was set before it started streaming. And once the show or the film started, users did not have an option of adjusting it again. This was very annoying in some situations as it meant being stuck with low quality audio when your internet connection could actually run more. The only situation worse than this one was to wait for a show to buffer because it had a higher bitrate than the one the internet connection could take.

It should be noted that even with 5.1 audio bitrate of 640 kbps, which is basically the maximum that Netflix has, the video streaming platform is compressing the audio a lot compared to the 24-bit / 48 kHz mastering sample frequency.

Netflix has been leading the video-streaming platform since its inception. Addressing this, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook recently said that the company’s upcoming video service can co-exist with Netflix.

Although Cook has spoken about co-existing, we should mention that Apple plans to spend $2 billion on content in the next one year in order to make sure that its service is at par with others.

But then, on the other hand, Netflix spent $13 billion on content last year and in 2019, the video-streaming platform eyes to spend $15 billion.

Currently, Apple has no choice but to co-exist with Netflix in the video-streaming sphere, since it will take a lot more money and time to beat the latter in its own game.

We should mention that Apple is really leaving no stone unturned to lure customers to its service. The company has partnered with a number of celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carel, Kumail Nanjiani, Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, JJ Abrams and Sara Bareilles.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Apple TV+ can coexist with Netflix, CEO Tim Cook says

Apple CEO Tim Cook has today said that the company’s upcoming video service can co-exist with Netflix and other competitors in the sphere.

Speaking about this, Cook was quoted saying, “There’s a huge move from the cable bundle to over-the-top. We think that most users are going to get multiple over-the-top products, and we’re going to do our best to convince them that the Apple TV+ product should be one of them.”

We should mention that this is a new conciliatory stance by Apple towards companies like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube. A reason for this can be the fact that Apple now partners with them and relies on such companies for some of its current services revenues. This also includes the likes of Disney‘s upcoming streaming service that will be launched later this year.

Everybody knows that the Cupertino based technology giant aims to replace all of these services and to get as much revenue as possible. However, it is coming to the sphere a lot later than others and also does not have too much content to offer as compared to established players. Netflix and HBO, on the other hand, are known for their award-winning and high-quality content.

Although Apple is currently talking about co-existing with these services, we should also mention that the company plans to spend $2 billion on content in the next one year in order to make sure that its service is at par with others.

But then if we speak about Netflix, which leads this segment, it spent $13 billion on content in 2018 alone. This year, the video-streaming platform eyes to spend $15 billion.

So as of now, Apple has no choice but to co-exist with Netflix, since it will take a lot more money and time to beat the latter in its own game.

Having said that, Apple is really leaving no stone unturned for making its service as attractive as possible. The company has partnered with a number of celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carel, Kumail Nanjiani, Jason Momoa, Alfre Woodard, JJ Abrams and Sara Bareilles.

Apple is competing directly with the likes of Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Amazon Prime and others when it comes to video streaming. It will be quite a challenge for the Cupertino based technology giant to make its mark in the segment and surpassing all of them, is something that is definitely not happening in the near future.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Realme X, Realme X Pro’s price and other details leaked

0

Chinese smartphone brand Realme will soon be launching a smartphone that will have a notch-less screen and a pop-up selfie camera. And today, Xiaomi revealed a video teasing the phone with a pop-up selfie camera. It seems like the rivalry between Realme and Redmi will escalate in the coming months. Coming back to Realme’s smartphone, the main specifications, storage variant and pricing of the handset have been leaked online. According to the leaks, the ‘Realme X’ will be powered by the Snapdragon 730 SoC, while there might be possibility of another variant – ‘Realme X Pro’ – which will be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC.

We also saw that the Realme device with the pop-up selfie camera may come with the model number RMX1901. Certain leaks also suggest that the company might be planning to launch a device with the name of Realme X Lite in China in the coming weeks.

Talking about the current leaked specifications, according to a tweet by @I_Leak_VN, the Chinese smartphone maker might be planning to launch two variants of the upcoming Realme device. The names of the two variants are speculated to be Realme X and Realme X Pro. As mentioned above, the Realme X will reportedly be powered by the Snapdragon 730 SoC and will come with a pop-up selfie camera. There is also the possibility of an in-display fingerprint scanner along with a sixth-generation optical sensing module. Its display will reportedly be protected with a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and it will support the VOOC 3.0 fast charging.

On the camera front, the device (Realme X) will reportedly have a 48MP main sensor paired with a 5MP depth sensor. But the details about the front camera is currently not known.

Moreover, the leaks claim that the smartphone will come in three RAM and storage variant. The base variant will have 6GB RAM/ 64GB storage and will be priced at CNY 1,599 (approximately Rs 16,500), while the 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant will cost CNY 1,799 (approximately Rs 18,500). The top-end variant with the 8GB RAM/ 128GB storage will reportedly hold a price tag of CNY 1,999 (approximately Rs 20,600).

The Pro variant of the Realme X will reportedly be the flagship device from the company allegedly powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC. But it should be noted that the confirmation of the flagship device from the company hasn’t been made yet so the news about the flagship might not be right. But if it is, then it will go up against the confirmed Redmi flagship smartphone which will be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

 

Poco F1 receives a price cut of Rs 2,000: Get all the details here

0

Xiaomi’s POCO F1 smartphone has received another price cut in India. The 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage variant of the Poco F1 has got a price cut of Rs 2,000 off on its earlier price. Now, the Poco F1 with the 6GB RAM variant will sell for Rs 20,999 instead of its earlier price of Rs 22,999. Even earlier, the smartphone had received a similar price cut where it was given a substantial price cut from its original price. The Poco F1 was launched in August 2018 and since its launch it has become one of the most sold smartphones in India as per a recent report. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC and packs up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

Poco F1 price (revised)

After the price cut, the Poco F1 with the 6GB RAM/ 128GB storage will sell for Rs 20,999 instead of Rs 22,999. The price cut was announced by Poco itself through its official Twitter handle.

The other variants of the Poco F1 with the 6GB RAM/ 64GB storage and with the 8GB RAM/ 256GB storage will sell on their regular prices. The one with 6GB RAM/ 64GB storage sells for Rs 19,999 while one with the 8GB RAM/ 256GB storage sells for Rs 27,999.

The new price cut will be made live from today onwards and can be purchased from Flipkart, Mi,com and Mi Home Stores. The Poco F1 comes in three colour options to choose from — Steel Blue, Graphite Black, and Rosso Red.

Poco F1 specifications

The Poco F1 sports a 6.18-inch Full-HD+ (2160 x 1080 pixel) IPS display with a notch on top. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC paired with 6GB or 8GB of RAM. It comes with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. The device supports dual-SIM card and also has microSD card support up to 256GB. The Poco F1 packs a 4,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support. It runs Android 9 Pie skinned with MIUI for Poco.

On the camera front, the Poco F1 packs a dual rear camera setup which comprises of a 12MP main camera paired with a 5MP secondary depth sensor. On the front, there is a 20MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture for selfies and video calls.

There is a LiquidCool Technology in the Poco F1 which keeps it from heating up while gaming or doing intensive tasks. Being a feature packed device, it is one of the most eligible mid-range smartphones right now.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

 

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 gets Night mode scheduling with latest update

South Korean technology giant Samsung has been working very hard on repairing its bad reputation when it comes to software updates. And if you look at how the company has been performing in the aspect for the past few months, you would see that it has improved. Since the beginning of the year, Samsung has been rolling out some crucial updates to old devices like Galaxy Note 9 and to the new ones like Galaxy S10. It has primarily been focussed on sending out One UI based Android Pie update to its various handsets including its flagships, mid-range devices and entry-level phones.

Last year’s flagship phablet Samsung Galaxy Note 9 got the One UI update in January 2019 itself. And now, the company is rolling out another update to the smartphone to bring some camera improvements and scheduling for the Night mode.

To begin with, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has got a new toggle that helps users switch between the standard and the wide-angle field of view when they are clicking selfies. It is worth mentioning that FOV is set to 68 degrees by default and it can be changed to 80 degrees so that more people can be included in the frame. We should also add that 68 degrees selfie mode was also added to Samsung Galaxy A50 (review) smartphone recently. The feature helps in cropping the standard field of view so that the person clicking the selfie remains in focus, and not the background behind them.

Besides this, the latest update has also got the option of scheduling Night Mode on Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Night Mode basically refers to a feature that enables users to switch on or schedule a system-wide dark theme.

The update was first spotted by SamMobile, the update has already started rolling out to Galaxy Note 9 users in Germany. It is also expected to roll out to other countries soon. The update also gets the April Android Security patch and the South Korean technology giant may add the security patch from May before it is rolled out to other countries.

In an unrelated piece of news Samsung’s Galaxy A70 smartphone has gone on sale in India today. The handset sports a triple rear camera setup, a massive 4,500mAh battery and an in-display fingerprint scanner. The smartphone is priced at Rs 28,990 in India and can be bought from Flipkart, Samsung online shop, Samsung Opera House and various retail stores. The smartphone was launched in March globally and made its way to India in April.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Nokia 5.1, Nokia 3.1 Plus start receiving the April Android security patch in India: Report

HMD Global has started rolling out the April 2019 Android Security patch update to Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 3.1 Plus users in India, according to reports. It is worth mentioning that Nokia 3.1 Plus smartphones that have the Android 9.0 Pie running are receiving the update now. The handsets running the Android 8.1 Oreo have reportedly already received the security patch earlier.

We should also mention that the April 2019 Android Security patch update has already been rolled out to Nokia 8 Sirocco and Nokia 6.1 Plus users in the country. The Finland-based technology company has built its reputation by providing timely software updates and security patches to Nokia smartphones. All Nokia smartphones that have been made by HMD Global are a part of Google’s Android One programme, which means that they get timely Android updates for two years and security patches for three years.

The April 2019 Android security patch update for Nokia 3.1 Plus is said to be 86.7MB in size and the update for Nokia 5.1 is reported to be 111MB in size. Both the updates are rolling out over-the-air and they will reach the end users in a phased manner. So, if your friend happens to get it before you do, don’t be surprised.

Once you get the update, you will get a notification to download it. In case you don’t, you can head to Settings>System Updates to check for it and install it manually. The report about the latest update for Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 3.1 Plus smartphones first appeared in NokiaPowerUser.

As of now, there is no word about whether Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 3.1 Plus users in other countries have received the same update or not.

The April security patch fixes a number of vulnerabilities and bugs that were present in the smartphones till now. The most serious one that has been solved enabled a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code if he used a specially crafted file.

As we mentioned earlier, Nokia 8 Sirocco and Nokia 6.1 Plus users are also getting the April Android Security update in India. The updates for both of these smartphones are based on the latest version of Android.

To recall, Nokia 5.1 is powered by 2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P18 processor and comes with a 5.5-inch full-HD+ IPS LCD display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. It comes with up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. For imaging duties, Nokia 5.1 sports a 16MP primary sensor and an 8MP selfie camera. The handset packs a 3200mAh battery and offers 3G, 4G VoLTE, Wi-FI, Bluetooth and GPS for connectivity.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.

Google Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL receives the Bluetooth SIG certification before their official launch

0

Google’s upcoming mid-range Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL smartphones are expected to be launched within the next few days. The launch date of these devices has not been confirmed officially yet but there is a strong possibility that the California-based search giant might unveil these devices on May 7 at the Google I/O 2019. And now, the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3a XL have received the Bluetooth SIG certification which further confirms the imminent launch of both the devices. On the Bluetooth SIG database, there are 4 models listed of each of the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL. And all of them come with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

Earlier, before the confirmation of the devices by Google certain leaks had surfaced online which revealed that a more affordable version of the high-end Pixel 3 devices is in the making. Then later, the Google Play Developer console, Google Store as well as the Android Q beta code revealed the availability of these devices. And lastly, Google had confirmed the presence of both the devices without revealing their launch dates. Since both the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL have received the mandatory Bluetooth SIG certification which was spotted by NashvilleChatter, we actually need no further confirmation about their launch.

The listing was published on April 30 with the certification awarded to Google LLC as well. As mentioned above, a total of 8 smartphones were spotted on the database. The devices for the Pixel 3a XL included G020A, G020B, G020C, and G020D, while for the Pixel 3a, G020E, G020F, G020G, and G020H were found. All the devices mentioned here runs Android 9 Pie.

If we talk about the specifications of the new Pixel series, they aren’t official but according to a recent Geekbench listing the Pixel 3a will be powered by the Snapdragon 670 SoC. On the other hand, the Pixel 3a XL will be powered by the Snapdragon 710 SoC. The Pixel 3a comes with 4GB of RAM while its bigger Pixel 3a XL also comes with similar RAM options. Other than that, the battery of the Pixel 3a will be 3,000mAh.

The main difference between the two devices is their screen-sizes. While the Pixel 3a comes with a 5.6-inch Full-HD+ (1080 x 2220 pixels) OLED display, the Pixel 3a XL will be seen sporting a 6-inch HD+ display. The Pixel 3a will be sporting a 12MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. More details about the Google Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL will be available around the time of the Google I/O 2019 on May 7.

For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.