This is when your Nokia smartphone will get an Android 9 Pie update
HMD Global this week launched its Nokia 7.1 smartphone. And at the launch, the company gave away detailed information about when exactly will other Nokia smartphones be getting the Android 9 Pie update.
Recently, HMD Global’s Nokia 7 smartphone got updated with the latest Android version and the update is expected for other Nokia smartphones too, as they come under Google’s Android One program.
At the event, the company has confirmed that the Android 9 Pie update will be coming to handsets including Nokia 6.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 8 and Nokia 8 Sirocco.
The smartphones running on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 600 SoC series — namely Nokia 6.1 and Nokia 6.1 Plus — will be getting the update first. The Android 9 Pie update will come to both the smartphones in October.
The Nokia 8 and Nokia 8 Sirocco (review) will be getting the latest Android version update in November. However, no dates have been disclosed by the company for the release of these updates. In the last few years, all the Nokia smartphones that have been launched fall under the Android One program — which promises timely Android updates and security patches for at least two years from the launch day of the smartphone.
The company has also said that it plans to roll out the Android 9 Pie updates to Nokia smartphones other than the ones it mentioned.
Speaking of the most recently launched smartphone by HMD Global — Nokia 7.1 runs Android 8.1 Oreo.
Like other Nokia smartphones that have launched recently, Nokia 7.1 is also a part of Google’s Android One program – which means that it will also be getting an update to Android 9 Pie soon. The company has confirmed this at the launch event of the smartphone and the update is expected to come to the phone next month.
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Flipkart Big Billion Day sale: Deals on Samsung Galaxy S8, On6, A7 and other smartphones, tablets you should know about
If you have been waiting to buy a smartphone from Samsung, you really have a reason to look forward to Flipkart’s upcoming festive season sale. The technology giant is rolling out discount offers on a number of its smartphones that will be applicable during Flipkart’s ‘The Big Billion Days’ sale, which is starting on October 11.
Samsung‘s last year’s flagship smartphone — Galaxy S8 — is going to get a price cut of Rs 20,000 and will be available for Rs 29,990 during Flipkart’s sale. It is worth noticing that the offer will only be available on the 64GB storage variant of the device.
To recall, Samsung Galaxy S8 comes with a 5.8-inch Infinity display and has a bezel-less design. The smartphone also has Samsung Pay and supports Samsung’s digital assistant Bixby.
Other than this, Samsung Galaxy On6 smartphone will be available at a reduced price too. While it is currently available at Rs 14,490, during the sale one can buy it for Rs 11,990.
Other smartphones from Samsung that will be getting a discount are Galaxy J3 Pro, Galaxy On Max and the 64GB storage variant of Galaxy On Nxt. While earlier they were priced at Rs 8,490, Rs 16,900 and Rs 16,900, their prices will be reduced to Rs 6,190, Rs 11,990 and Rs 9,990 respectively.
Samsung Galaxy A7 — the company’s first smartphone with triple rear cameras — will also be going on sale at a price of Rs 23,990.
Tablets from Samsung will too be available on a discounted price. Samsung Galaxy Tab A T355Y — which is currently priced at Rs 16,500 — will be available for Rs 11,999. The company’s flagship tablet — Samsung Galaxy Tab S2, which is available for Rs 38,500, can be bought at Rs 21,999 during Flipkart’s sale.
The company is also slashing the price of its smartband Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro. Currently, the smartband is priced at Rs 13,490, and during the sale it will be available at Rs 8,999.
It is worth mentioning that all these smartphones will be available at no cost EMI. A 10% instant discount can be availed if the purchase has been made via HDFC Bank debit or credit card. Seems like Samsung us going all out this festive season. However, we would have loved to see a discount on the latest flagship smartphones by Samsung as well.
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Xiaomi begins local manufacturing of Mi LED TVs in India
Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi has been dominating the Indian smartphone market for a reasonable time now. And this week, the company has announced that it will now be manufacturing its Mi LED TVs in India.
The technology giant has joined hands with Noida based Dixon Technologies to begin manufacturing of Mi LED TVs in India at a facility in Tirupati. The facility has been inaugurated by Andhra Pradesh’s chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Speaking on the occasion of the inauguration, N. Chandrababu Naidu said, “I have a vision of making Tirupati an IT Hub, offering a one-stop solution for leading electronics players encompassing the entire life cycle of and ecosystem in electronics from design to death.”
He further added, “I am delighted to welcome Xiaomi, the undisputed leader of ‘Smart TVs’ in India, along with Dixon Technologies to the holy city of Tirupati and to the family of other leading electronics players that will help showcase the state as an example of transparent governance.”
The Mi LED TV manufacturing plant is spread across 32-acres and will appoint over 850 people to work there. According to Xiaomi, the factory will have the ability to produce 1,00,000 Mi LED TVs per month by Q1 2019.
Xiaomi’s Vice President and Managing Director of its India operations, Manu Jain said, “After a successful smartphone journey, we are beginning a new chapter with Mi LED TV manufacturing in India. We are already the number one ‘Smart TV’ brand in India, and we hope that with our increased focus on local manufacturing, we would be able to increase our supply and reach out to many more Mi Fans.”
Xiaomi’s plant will start local manufacturing with Mi LED Smart TV 4A 80cm (32-inch) and Mi LED Smart TV 4A 180cm (43-inch).
According to market research firm IDC’s “Worldwide Quarterly Smart Home Device Tracker 2018Q2”, Mi LED TV is the top ‘Smart TV’ brand in India. In 2015, Xiaomi announced that its plans to manufacture smartphones in India and today, the company claims to have six smartphone manufacturing plants in the country.
It has manufacturing plants in Sri City, Sriperumbudur and Noida. Its power bank plant is also located in Noida. The Chinese smartphone company has said in a statement that over 95% of its smartphones sold in India are made in the country itself.
With the introduction of its air and water purifiers, projectors, security cameras, televisions and kitchen equipment, Xiaomi has also forayed into the smart home category in the country.
Xiaomi has four Mi Home Experience Stored in India — in Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. Overt thay, the company also has 36 Mi Home stores in the country and with the aim of growing its offline network, it eyes to expand that number to 100 this year.
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Comparison: LG V40 ThinQ vs Huawei P20 Pro
If you are someone who loves technology, you must be delighted this year with the launch of smartphones with multiple cameras. Earlier this year, we saw the launch of Huawei P20 Pro which sports a triple rear camera setup coupled with a front camera for selfies and video calls.
The smartphone reportedly surpassed the newly launched Apple iPhone XS Max in DxOMark ratings. While Apple’s flagship only managed a 105, Huawei P20 Pro scored 109.
And this week, LG rolled out its flagship of the year V40 ThinQ smartphone that comes with a total of five cameras – three on the back panel and dual front facing snappers.
Although the smartphone is yet to launch in India, it has already created a stir with its most talked about feature of five cameras. Photography enthusiasts are waiting to try it themselves. If you are one of them and want to buy either of the two smartphones, the choice must be a tough one.
And if you are indeed finding yourself facing this tough choice, then we are here to help you by comparing all the specifications of both the devices. Read our comparison of the two photography-centric smartphones and decide which one is the right buy for you:
LG V40 ThinQ: 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED FullVision display
Huawei P20 Pro: 6.1-inch full HD+ OLED display
LG V40 ThinQ: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor
Huawei P20 Pro: Octa-core Kirin 970 processor
LG V40 ThinQ: 12MP sensor with 78-degree viewing angle + 16MP ultra-wide angle sensor with 107-degree viewing angle + 12MP telephoto lens with 45-degree viewing angle
Huawei P20 Pro: 40MP RGB sensor + 20MP monochrome sensor + 8MP camera with 3x optical zoom
LG V40 ThinQ: 8MP+5MP dual front cameras
Huawei P20 Pro: 24MP front facing snappers
LG V40 ThinQ: 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage
Huawei P20 Pro: 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage
LG V40 ThinQ: 3,300mAh battery
Huawei P20 Pro: 4,000mAh battery
LG V40 ThinQ: Up to 2TB
Huawei P20 Pro: Not applicable
LG V40 ThinQ: Android 8.1 Oreo
Huawei P20 Pro: EMUI 8.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
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In This Article
Display
LG V40 ThinQ: 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED FullVision display
Huawei P20 Pro: 6.1-inch full HD+ OLED display
Processor
LG V40 ThinQ: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor
Huawei P20 Pro: Octa-core Kirin 970 processor
Primary camera
LG V40 ThinQ: 12MP sensor with 78-degree viewing angle + 16MP ultra-wide angle sensor with 107-degree viewing angle + 12MP telephoto lens with 45-degree viewing angle
Huawei P20 Pro: 40MP RGB sensor + 20MP monochrome sensor + 8MP camera with 3x optical zoom
Selfie camera
LG V40 ThinQ: 8MP+5MP dual front cameras
Huawei P20 Pro: 24MP front facing snappers
RAM and storage
LG V40 ThinQ: 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage
Huawei P20 Pro: 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage
Battery
LG V40 ThinQ: 3,300mAh battery
Huawei P20 Pro: 4,000mAh battery
Support for microSD card
LG V40 ThinQ: Up to 2TB
Huawei P20 Pro: Not applicable
Operating system
LG V40 ThinQ: Android 8.1 Oreo
Huawei P20 Pro: EMUI 8.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
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[td_smart_list_end] Instagram makes it easy to find and follow people with ‘Nametags’
When we think of posting a picture on social media today, we inevitably think of Instagram. The Facebook-owned photo-sharing app is getting stuffed with new features — and some of them have been inspired by its rival Snapchat.
The latest such feature to be rolled out is Nametag. With Nametag, Instagram wants to make it easier for its users to find and follow people they know. And interestingly, it is basically Instagram’s version of Snap Codes that we have earlier seen on Snapchat. The feature is being rolled out to both Android and iOS versions of Instagram.
So now, instead of asking people for their Instagram handle, users can now share and scan each other’s nametag. To access the feature, users will have to go to the Menu of their apps that appears on top right of their profiles. After that, they should select the option of ‘Nametag’.
Nametag can also be personalised by touching anywhere on the screen or tapping the button at the top to try other designs. These include various colours, emojis or selfies with different stickers. Once you decide your nametag, you can either have your friends scan it or share it with them via text messages or on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp. This can be done by just pressing the arrow on top right of your nametag.
And if you wish to scan someone else’s ‘Nametag’, you can swipe right to go your app’s camera, hover over the nametag and hold down on your screen. You can also scan someone else’s Nametag by tapping ‘Scan a nametag’ option that will appear when you view your own nametag.
Besides Nametag, Instagram is also known to be testing a new “school communities” feature. As the name suggests, the feature makes it easier for Instagram users at the same university to find and follow each other. However, users will have to add their school and graduation year to their profile for it to work. If users are a part of any particular organization like a sports team or a sorority, they can add that too.
It is worth mentioning that this concept is similar to the Networks feature from Facebook‘s early days.
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Nokia 7.1 with PureDisplay technology, Zeiss-branded camera lenses launched: Price, specifications and more
HMD Global has unveiled Nokia 7.1 smartphone at an event in London. Nokia 7.1 is the successor to the company’s Nokia 7 smartphone that we saw last year and has been launched right after Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus. The smartphone comes with PureDisplay screen technology and Zeiss-branded dual cameras.
Nokia 7.1 mobile will be available in two colour variants — Gloss Midnight Blue and Gloss Steel. In global markets, the smartphone will be available starting October. In Europe, the base storage model of Nokia 7.1 is priced at 299 Euros and the higher storage model costs 349 Euros.
While there is no official word about the smartphone‘s availability in India, HMD Global is hosting an event here on October 11. So we wouldn’t be wrong to expect the smartphone getting launched then.
Specifications
The Nokia 7.1 features a 5.84-inch FHD+ IPS LCD display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9. Nokia 7.1 comes with PureDisplay screen technology which — according to the company — ensures a more immersive viewing experience and enhances contrast with HDR10 support. HMD Global is calling Nokia 7.1 the first ever Nokia smartphone to come with the said technology that allows users to view vibrant videos on various apps that support HDR content. Nokia 7.1 mobile can also convert SDR content to HDR in real-time.
The front and the back panel of the smartphone are covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The design comes clubbed with dual-anodised Series 6000 aluminium frame that has diamond cut edges. The back panel also houses the dual camera setup and the fingerprint sensor. Powered by 1.8GHz Snapdragon 636 processor, Nokia 7.1 smartphone comes in two storage variants — one with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and the other with 4GB RAM and 64GB onboard storage. Both the variants can support a microSD card of up to 400GB.
The dual rear camera setup of the smartphone comes with a 12MP+5MP sensors. While the primary sensor comes with f/1.8 aperture and 1.28 micron pixels, the secondary sensor has depth support. Both the cameras come with Zeiss-branded lenses. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP front facing snapper that has an aperture of f/2.0.
Nokia 7.1 houses a 3,060mAh battery and runs Android 8.1 Oreo. Note that the device is a part of Google’s Android One program — much like other Nokia smartphones that have been launched this year. This means that users will get timely Android updates and security patches. HMD Global has also promised an Android 9 Pie update for Nokia 7.1 soon. The newly launched Nokia 7.1 is ARCore certified — which means that it has the ability to run a number of AR apps that are found in Play Store.
Connectivity options of the smartphone include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS/ A-GPS, GLONASS, NFC, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Besides a fingerprint sensor, the smartphone also has an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, electronic compass, gyroscope and a proximity sensor.
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Truvison TW2462 24-inch gaming TV launched in India: Price, specs and more
The Indian television market has seen a number of new entrants in the last few months. Chinese technology firm Xiaomi launched its Mi TV 4C Pro and Mi TV 4 Pro models last month and prior to that, we saw the launch of new televisions from Blaupunkt.
And now, the European consumer electronics and appliances company Truvison has announced that it is expanding its television line-up in the country. The company has today introduced TW2462 24-inch Gaming TV in India. Called as an affordable LED television by Truvison, TW2462 24-inch Gaming TV is claimed to come with a high performance engine and is supposed to give a faster response for streamlined user experience.
According to Truvison, TW2462 24-inch Gaming TV has been designed to add versatility to consumers’ gaming experience.
The television sports a glossy finish and features a 24-inch Full HD 1080p IPS LED panel which is said to offer an enhanced contrast and better colour reproduction. It is the first television to be sold in the country to come with built-in NES games.
The firm said in a statement that TW2462 24-inch Gaming TV has improved the response time and contrast ratio for better gaming experience.
It comes with A+ grade panel and a resolution of 1080p clubbed with a wide colour enhancer. The corporation claims that these three together ensure that the integrity of the picture is always deep and detailed, perfect and pure. It is also said to create perfect blacks with an infinite contrast ratio along with instantaneous response time and fast moving scenes.
This gaming television has two USB ports and one HDMI input and includes a 20W speaker that has support for Dolby Digital Sound.
The company has also claimed that the gaming TV has one among the lowest power consumption in the market because of its customized back-light mode. If you wish to buy the Truvison TW2462 24-inch Gaming TV, you can buy it for price of Rs 10,990. The TV set is already available at leading retail stores.
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Samsung Galaxy S9+, Note 9 are now available in new colour variants along with festive season offers
Samsung has marked the beginning of the festive season by announcing new colour options for both of its flagship smartphones that were launched this year. The Samsung Galaxy S9+ — which till now was only available in Blue and Sunrise Gold colour variants — will now also be available in Burgundy Red colour. And customers can now buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 in Lavender Purple colour variant besides the Ocean Blue, Midnight Black and Artisan Copper.
That’s not all. Customers can also avail festive season offers if they are planning to buy the two smartphones. To begin with, if you buy the Samsung Galaxy S9+ or the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 using HDFC bank credit/debit card or Paytm Mall, you’ll be eligible for getting a cashback of Rs 6,000. And if you already own a Galaxy smartphone and are upgrading to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, you will be able to get an additional Rs 6,000 as an exchange bonus.
Galaxy Watch is also available at a discount to Samsung Galaxy Note 9 buyers. The smartwatch — which is otherwise available at Rs 24,999 — can be bought by Note 9 buyers at just Rs 9,999.
While the 128GB storage version of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is priced at Rs 67,900, the 512GB model costs Rs 84,900. With a cashback offer of Rs 6,000, the price of the base model will come down to Rs 61,900 and the cost of 512GB storage variant will become Rs 79,900.
Speaking of Samsung Galaxy S9+, its base model is priced at Rs 64,900, the 128GB storage version is available at Rs 68,900 and the 256GB storage variant bears a price tag of Rs 72,900. With the cashback offer rolled in, the base model’s price will come down to Rs 58,900, the 128GB storage version will cost Rs 62,900 and the 256GB storage variant will be priced at Rs 66,900.
Also for festive season offers, Aditya Babbar, General Manager, Mobile Business, Samsung India said, “Festive season is the time when our consumers look forward to upgrading to newer smartphones and technologies. This is best time to own our latest powerful flagship smartphones that are now available in exciting new colours and come with compelling offers, adding to the festive cheer.”
Earlier this month, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 also received an update that claims to make the camera experience on the phablet better. According to a report in Android Police, the update fine-tunes a number of things in Galaxy Note 9’s camera. It has enhanced the way day and night HDR is controlled and improved the brightness of faces in backlit conditions. In a nutshell, the new update is aimed at enhancing the colours when using the phablet for photography.
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Deal: OnePlus 6 to be available at Rs 29,999 for five days
If you are planning to buy the OnePlus 6, we have some good news for you. You can buy the smartphone for Rs 5,000 less than its actual price at Rs 29,999, during the Amazon Great Indian Sale. The Amazon Great Indian Sale is scheduled to begin on October 10 and will go on till October 15. So you have five days to purchase the OnePlus 6 (review) at a discounted price. OnePlus launched its flagship device earlier this year at Rs 34,999 and it is the first time that the company is offering it at a discounted price.
It is worth noticing that only the 64GB variant is listed for a discount on Amazon. This could mean that only that variant is available at a lower price, however we would have to wait for the sale to begin to know exactly.
Offering the phone at a discounted price makes sense as the company is all set to launch its next flagship – OnePlus 6T – on October 17. This will give the company a chance to clear stocks rapidly. After the launch of OnePlus 6T, the company is likely to discontinue its previous flagship if it remains true to its philosophy of focussing on one device at a time. Prior to this, OnePlus was never known for offering discounts on its devices during such sales. We have mostly seen the company offer cashbacks and exchange discounts before this.
We can probably credit this move to the competition the company has received from Xiaomi’s Poco F1. A strategy change was inevitable to move sales.
While OnePlus 6 at Rs 29,999 is definitely a good buy, one can also wait a few days for the OnePlus 6T, to get additional features like in-display fingerprint sensor, a display with waterdrop shaped notch and a bigger 3700mAh battery.
To recall, OnePlus 6 features a 6.28-inch FHD+ Full Optic AMOLED display that comes with a 19:9 aspect ratio. Powered by Qualcomm’s latest processor, Snapdragon 845, OnePlus 6 was launched with Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with company’s own OxygenOS 5.1. However, it recently received an update for Android 9.0 Pie. OnePlus 6 comes with a 16MP Sony IMX519 sensor and a 20MP Sony IM376K sensor on its back panel. For selfies and video calls, there is a 16MP front facing snapper. The smartphone also houses a 3,300mAh battery.
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LG V40 ThinQ with five cameras launched: Price, specs and more
After being silently unveiled by LG last week, the V40 ThinQ has gone official with a launch event in New York. The successor to the V30 smartphone that we saw last year, LG V40 ThinQ comes with five cameras. It has a triple rear camera setup and dual front facing snappers. The newly launched smartphone from LG has high end specifications including Snapdragon 845 processor and IP68 water and dust resistance. Here’s a look at the price and specifications of the device.
LG V40 ThinQ price
LG V40 ThinQ is priced at $899.99 and will be available in Aurora Black, Moroccan Blue, Platinum Gray and Carmine Red colour variants. The price of the smartphone may vary with the mobile carrier. It will be going on sale in the US starting October 18.
LG V40 ThinQ specifications
The LG V40 ThinQ features a 6.4-inch QHD+ OLED FullVision display that has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor paired with 6GB RAM, the smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo. On the storage front, it has 128GB of internal storage and can hold a microSD card of up to 2TB.
For imaging duties, LG V40 ThinQ sports five cameras with a triple rear camera setup and two selfie cameras. The rear cameras of the smartphone include a 12MP sensor with f/1.5 aperture, 1.4-micron pixel size and 78-degree viewing angle, clubbed with a 16MP ultra-wide angle sensor with f/1.9 aperture, 1-micron pixel size, and 107-degree viewing angle. The third sensor in the triple rear camera setup is a 12MP telephoto lens that has a f/2.4 aperture, 1-micron pixel size, and 45-degree viewing angle. The rear cameras also come with Dual Phase Detection Auto Focus, HDR, and a third generation AI Cam mode that can recognise up to 19 subjects. It also has four optimised filter options.
The dual front camera setup comes with an 8MP primary sensor with f/1.9 aperture and 1.4-micron pixels and a 5MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 1.4-micron pixels.
The LG V40 ThinQ smartphone comes with a Triple Preview feature that enables users to take three simultaneous shots from the three rear cameras. Users can then select the best shot from the three shots taken.
The smartphone houses a 3,300mAh battery and supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and fast wireless charging. Connectivity options of the smartphone include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
LG V40 ThinQ mobile also includes a rear facing fingerprint sensor and also comes with face recognition. It has a Boombox Speaker and 32-bit Hi-Fi Quad DAC tuned by Meridian for enhanced audio and features DTS:X 3D Surround Sound.
Prior to LG V40 ThinQ, we saw a triple rear camera setup in Huawei’s flagship of the year – P20 Pro smartphone. While LG has used three different lenses in its smartphone, the Huawei P20 Pro sports a 40 MP RGB 1/1.7-inch sensor, clubbed with a 20 MP monochrome sensor and an 8MP telephoto lens.
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