WhatsApp rolls out PiP mode to all Android users
Popular instant messaging service WhatsApp has rolled out the picture-in-picture mode to all its Android users with its latest update. The feature enables WhatsApp users to watch videos from various third party apps within the messaging service, without having to move outside a chat window. It is worth noticing that this feature has been available on iOS already and it came to Android Beta in October this year.
So now, when users will click on a YouTube, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram video in WhatsApp, they will not be redirected to an external page. Instead, on receiving videos, users will be able to see a video card with a blurred thumbnail image. The logo of the platform where the video is originally available will also be visible to users.
Once users will tap on the link, the PiP mode will make the video play on the upper half of the chat window. Users will also have the option of making the video play in full-screen, and they will also be able to operate the video timeline bar or go to other segments of the app.
Although videos from most major social media platforms can now be played in PiP mode in WhatsApp, it has been reported that the app will soon start supporting videos from more number of platforms. Users of the Facebook-owned app will need to download the version 2.18.380 via Google Play Store in order to play videos in PiP mode on their device. We should also mention that the feature is available for individual chats as well as group chats and can be used on any Android device.
WhatsApp is currently testing an improved group calling interface for its Android app. This feature would enable users to call up all the members of a group at the same time and would not have to add everyone on the call individually. The feature is already available on the iOS version of WhatsApp and is expected to roll out on Android too. A different report also says that the app will soon be getting a Dark mode, much like the one we have seen on YouTube.
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What is a computer virus?
A computer virus is basically a type of malicious software that can replicate itself by modifying other programs that are present in the same computer as the malware. Once it is able to do this, it inserts its own code and the replication succeeds. Computer viruses are not only a threat to user’s privacy, but they can actually be responsible for economic damage worth billions.
Just like a flu virus which cannot spread without a host cell, a computer virus cannot spread without attaching itself to a file or a document. It can spread in one or more computers which are part of the same network.
A virus alters the way a computer functions. At first, it attaches itself to a legitimate program that supports macros to execute its code and then it starts inflicting damage on the computer. The effects of a virus can be very unpredictable. It may harm the system’s software or completely corrupt or destroy the data stored in it. Considering how most of us have sensitive information like credit card details on our computers, this can be extremely dangerous.
What’s more, a virus may not necessarily start affecting the computer immediately after harbouring it. It may lie dormant for some time until its code is executed. So you actually have to run a program with the virus on your device for it to become functional. But as soon as you do that, it will start harming your system.
Some of the computer viruses that are present can have seriously damaging effects your computer. Malware has the ability to steal passwords from a device, destroy data stored on it, send spam to your email contacts, etc. Some of them are even designed for financial gains which are even more serious.
Viruses can enter our devices in many ways without us being even being aware of it. They come in the form of emails, downloads, social media content such as videos, pictures, audios and file attachments. If your computer is affected by a virus, it might be experiencing any of these problems:
- Frequent pop-up windows.
- Changes to your home page.
- Mass emails being sent from your email account.
- Frequent computer crashes.
- Unusually slow computer speed.
- Unknown programmes might start once you switch on your computer.
- Odd things such as password changes.
BenQ Zowie RL2455S console e-Sports monitor launched in India: Price and specifications
BenQ’s eSports ZOWIE has launched a new monitor RL2455 in India. The RL2455S e-sports monitor by ZOWIE is the successor of RL2455 monitor and the company has claimed that it has a response time of 1ms. Priced at Rs 15,000, the new monitor comes with a Color Vibrance Technology adjustable feature that enables users to tune into the colour tone of their choice. Furthermore, according to the company’s press release this feature also allows users to “distinct small targets from the background, making the trace easy and precise.” It is in fact what makes ZOWIE RL2455S different from its predecessors.
Speaking about the newly launched device, Rajeev Singh, Managing Director of BenQ India said, “ZOWIE RL2455S e-sports monitor lays the foundation for a new & improved gaming experience. Catering to the evolving needs of the consumers, BenQ ZOWIE has taken a step further to offer more features with the launch of ZOWIE RL2455S our upgraded e-sports monitor. With a clear product focus and a series of procedures in place to assist stronger performance, BenQ is placed well for another impactful year in the gaming industry.”
The company says that the new monitor has been designed to give an exceptional e-Sports experience on PS4 and comes with enhanced gaming features. The ZOWIE RL2455S is said to have enough details and vividness to make dark scenes appear with clarity on the screen. Apart from color vibrance technology, here are the key features of the newly launched monitor:
In This Article
Refresh Rate and Response Time
Refresh rate and response time are two very key aspects that a gamer looks for in a monitor. Zowie RL2455S comes with a refresh rate of 75Hz and has a static 1ms response time.Black eQualizer
The monitor has a Black eQualizer feature that adds visual clarity in dark scenes without overexposing bright area. The company claims that this adds view comfort in gameplay.Comfort for Long-Lasting Play
The newly launched monitor has a flicker-free technology that is said to reduce eye strain.Minimize Visual Distractions
According to the company, the RL-series LCD frame of the monitor is designed to reduce light reflection from the screen, keeping the user’s focus on the game. Interested buyers can head to Amazon India’s website and some other select stores to buy the ZOWIE RL2455S monitor. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.Huawei P30 Pro to come with curved display with notch, 38MP Sony IMX607 sensor: Report
Chinese smartphone maker Huawei is in news again, and this time, it’s not for its Nova 4 smartphone. Huawei P30 Pro, which will be the successor of the company’s P20 Pro smartphone, will reportedly come with a curved display panel that will have a notch on the top.
Huawei P30 Pro’s predecessor came with a triple rear camera setup and reports about the upcoming smartphone’s photography have surfaced online too. Huawei P30 Pro is said to come with a 38MP Sony IMX607 camera sensor that will have support for Exmor RS image processing technology.
Coming back to the smartphone‘s display, a tipster on Twitter with the name of Ice Universe has claimed that Huawei P30 Pro will sport a curved OLED screen that would either be manufactured by China’s BOE or South Korea’s LG Display.
As we mentioned earlier, the display of the smartphone will sport a notch. But it will be a waterdrop-style notch like we recently saw in OnePlus 6T and Oppo R17 Pro. However, unlike initial rumours surrounding the smartphone, the latest leak says that Huawei P30 Pro will not come with a display hole to house the selfie camera. The said display design on an OLED screen is claimed to be exclusive to Samsung so far and will reportedly be seen in Samsung Galaxy S10 next year. However, there is no confirmation by the company about the notch design or the display hole of Huawei P30 Pro, so we will have to wait till we know for sure. Speaking about the camera of the upcoming device, what we know so far is from a speculation that says the Huawei P30 Pro will come with a 38MP Sony IMX607 image sensor. If this is true, then the camera sensor has been upgraded as Huawei P20 Pro featured an IMX600 sensor. The sensor on the Huawei’s P30 Pro mobile is said to have a three-speed native sensitivity with ISO 50/ 500/ 5000. The camera of the smartphone will also come with optimisations for night shots and Dual Bayer with a white HDR Coding. The sensor will also have Exmor RS technology and an inbuilt high-SNR. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.Huawei P30 Pro uses curved screen (BOE or LG), but OLED's Hole in Display is currently only available in Samsung display. So P30P is definitely a drop or Notch
— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) December 13, 2018
Facebook admits to have exposed 6.8 million users’ private photos to developers in data breach
Social networking giant Facebook has again admitted to a privacy breach that occurred on its platform. The company has said that private photos on up to 6.8 million users were exposed to apps that were not supposed to have access to them. The apps in question were actually authorized to see a limited number of photos from user’s profiles, however, a bug enabled them to see even those pictures for which they didn’t have access. These included pictures from people’s Facebook Stories and also photos that the users upload but did not post. The only explanation of the latter being available is the Facebook may have saved a copy.
The breach happened between September 12 and September 25. According to TechCrunch, Facebook has said that it found out about the bug on September 25. However, there is no word on why the social media company was quiet about it till now.
Facebook has said that users whose photos may have been exposed will be receiving a notification about the breach from it and the company says that it will be working with developers to get all pictures which were not supposed to be accessed deleted. It has been reported that in total 1,500 apps from 876 different developers inappropriately gained access to the photos because of the bug that hit Facebook in September.
The company further said that an error related to Facebook login and its photos API led to the bug that affected the website and enabled developers to access photos via their own apps.
The impacted users are said to have logged into third-party apps via their Facebook accounts. So, the company means to say that the users granted some degree of access to developers to view their pictures themselves.
Tomer Bar, engineering director at Facebook has said that the company is sorry that this happened.
It is worth noticing that Facebook has found itself in numerous data breaches in the last few months and the biggest scandal of them all is the one that involved Cambridge Analytica. What’s worse, in many of these cases, the issues happened because of Facebook and not an external hacker.
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Microsoft Surface Go pre-orders begin in India: Price and specifications
Software giant Microsoft’s Surface Go tablet has gone on pre-orders in India today. Microsoft Surface Go is the smallest Surface device by the company and interested buyers can head to Flipkart to order it. The tablet went on pre-orders in the country starting 12:01 pm today. Here are the pricing details and the specifications of the Microsoft Surface Go tablet in India:
In This Article
Microsoft Surface Go price in India
Microsoft Surface Go tablet is available in two variants in India. While the base model of the device has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of eMMC storage, the high-end variant comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB of SSD storage. The former is priced at Rs 38,599 and the latter costs Rs 50,999 in India. Both the variants are available on Flipkart for pre-orders. Both the devices may come with an initial discount, as their listing on Flipkart shows their original prices that we mentioned earlier crossed out with ‘new’ pricing – Rs 37,999 and Rs 49,999 – written instead. It is also worth noticing that Flipkart lists December 27 as the ‘release date of the device, but we can only confirm this once there is an official word from Microsoft. You will have to buy the accessories separately. Since the tablet is a 2-in-1 device, you can attach an optional keyboard. While the price of the Black coloured variant is Rs 8,699, the coloured ones would cost Rs 11,799.Microsoft Surface Go specifications
Microsoft Surface Go tablet and 2-in-1 comes with 10-inch 3:2 (1800 x 1200) PixelDensity multi-touch display and is powered by Intel’s 7th generation Pentium Gold 4415Y processor. The tablet comes in two variants – 4GB RAM/64GB eMMC storage and 8GB RAM/128GB SSD storage. It is worth noticing that Microsoft Surface Go will only be available Wi-Fi-only configurations. It is the smallest and the lightest computer by the company yet and it 1.15 pounds and is as thin as 8.3mm. The tablet uses USB 3.1 that has earlier been seen on Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro and comes with Microsoft’s custom Surface Connector. The device has support for Windows Hello which enables users to sign in securely using facial recognition. There is a 5MP front camera on the device that can be used to capture 1080p videos. There is also an 8MP rear camera that has support for HD recording. Microsoft Surface Go tablet and 2-in-1 runs Windows 10 S. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.This contest is offering $1,00,000 or Rs 71 lakh for giving up your smartphone for a year
Most of us can’t think of going a day without our smartphones. They have simply become an integral part of our lives. But what if we tell you that you will actually get paid to not your smartphone? If that is still not good enough to let go off your phone, what if we tell you that the amount you’ll be paid is $1,00,000, which converts to approximately Rs 71 Lakhs? We know you are tempted. Yes, that offer is actually available.
Coco-Cola-owned Vitaminwater has come up with a contest on social media wherein it is offering the aforementioned amount to those who would live without using a smartphone for an entire year. Yes, you read that right. So if you think you can live without using a smartphone for a whole year, you can probably use this ability to win the insane amount of money being offered.
But then, no good thing comes easily in life. And so is the case with this money. As a part of its ‘Scroll Free For a Year’ contest, Vitaminwater will be giving the participants a ‘1996-era cellular telephone’ which will have a year-long cellular plan. Participants would only be able to use that for the entire year and will be made to go through a lie-detector test before they get the money in their bank accounts. Are you still reading this? We guess you are interested to apply then. If you think you can let go off smartphones for an entire year, you can apply to take part in the contest via Twitter or Instagram by using #nophoneforayear and #contest. You would also need to tell the company why you want to give up on your smartphone and what you are going to do in your free time. This way, Vitaminwater will know that you are interested in applying for the contest. We should point out that interested people can apply for participating in the contest before 11:59 p.m. ET on January 8, 2019. The company will be choosing the entries by January 22, 2019 and it will contact the selected participants via social media. IF you are one among them, you will be made to sign a contract for not using a smartphone for the next one year. However, it is worth noticing that using a laptop or a PC is allowed, so you do have a way of keeping yourself updated with all that’s happening around you. In case you are not able to complete the challenge and even go 6 months without using your smartphone, you will be able to win $10,000. If you ask us, this may be one of the simplest ways of making that much money, and there probably be no better manner of saying goodbye to your smartphone addiction. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.we tried to get Brandon to make this deal, but he is too busy – will you turn off your phone for a year instead? #NoPhoneForAYear #contest https://t.co/RVTF0gytnv pic.twitter.com/wFFTXl0PBX
— vitaminwater® (@vitaminwater) December 11, 2018
Asus CEO Jerry Shen resigns as the company changes its market strategy
Taiwanese smartphone maker Asus has announced the exit of its CEO Jerry Shen. The reason that has been given for his exit is ‘comprehensive corporate transformation’ and the company will reportedly be moving to a new co-CEO structure. The consumer electronics maker would also be changing its mobile strategy to focus on premium and niche smartphones.
Asus‘ current CEO Shen’s departure would be effective starting January 1 and two new co-CEOs who would succeed him are SY Hsu and Samsun Hu. While Hsu is currently the general manager of the Asus’ PC division, Hu is the current general manager for the company’s global customer services department.
Speaking of Jerry Shen, after he leaves Asus, he will be going to iFast, which is an AIoT startup. He is taking up the role of Chairman and CEO at the company.
Asus has spoken to Engagdet China regarding the overhaul in management that is set to take place and also announced its ‘mobile transformation plan’. Under the ‘mobile transformation plan’, Asus will be focussing on power users and e-sports fans as its targeted customer base.
So, we can expect the smartphone maker to focus less on the affordable ZenFone devices and more the premium ROG (Republic of Gamers) series.
It has been reported that the Taiwanese company has reportedly set aside an expected loss of TWD 6.2 billion, which becomes approximately Rs 1,400 crores after conversion. It has been said that the said value covers inventory losses, amortisation of royalties, and organisational adjustment fees.
According to Engadget China, Asus’ board of directors will be investing in AI, IoT, B2B, and commercial applications in order to diversify themselves away from the consumer-centric business. The company will reportedly also be using TWD 10 billion (approximately Rs 2,300 crores) for mergers and acquisitions in near future.
Asus’ Chairman Jonney Shih said to BNext that the company is undergoing this diversification as the market has started focussing on fields like AI and IoT. He went on to say that he will personally be supervising the new mobile business and will work closely with the two new co-CEOs in order to get the new market plan into operation. He was quoted saying that the global smartphone market is a “bloody battlefield” as OEMs are always on the lookout to cut some cost they can to gain some share.
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Vivo is investing Rs 4000 crores for new mobile phone plant in India
Chinese smartphone brand Vivo has announced that it is going to invest Rs 4000 crore for opening a new manufacturing plant on Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh. When executed, this plant would help in creating 5,000 jobs in the first phase of expansion.
The company has acquired a new 169-acre land for its upcoming plant near its 50-acre manufacturing facility. The company said in its press release that this would help Vivo expand its manufacturing capabilities and contribute to the country’s development.
Speaking about the latest development, Nipun Marya, Director-Brand Strategy, Vivo India said, “India is a key market for us, and today we have reiterated our commitment by entering the next phase of growth in India. We’re proud that the new plant will offer a major benefit to the surrounding area through high-quality job creation and training opportunities.”
Right now, all Vivo smartphones that are sold in India get manufactured at the company’s Greater Noida facility which is one of Vivo’s four manufacturing factories in the world. This would double the production of Vivo’s products to 50 million units per annum.
Vivo currently has a distribution network across many countries and in India, it manufactures products for 539 cities, 27 states and 5 union territories. These areas avail more than 550 service centres. This initiative by Vivo is part of the ‘Make in India’ project started by the Modi government a few years back.
Nipun Maurya said, “Vivo entered India in 2014 with a commitment to bring product innovation, focus and value to our consumers. India is a key market for us, and today we have reiterated our commitment by entering the next phase of growth in India, all the while aligning ourselves with the ‘Make in India’ initiative.” Smartphone shipments of Vivo has increased by 42.6mn units during July-September, 2018 quarter with a growth of 9.1% per year.
According to the company, the chief minister Yogi Adityanath has praised the initiative taken by Vivo.
In 2017, Samsung had said that it would invest Rs 4,915 crore in doubling its manufacturing capability for smartphones and refrigerators in Noida. It had spread its manufacturing units in Noida, Uttar Pradesh which was inaugurated by Narendra Modi and South Korean President, Moon Jae-in.
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YouTube has removed more than 58 million ‘problematic’ videos in Q3 2018
In its third quarter, YouTube has deleted more than 58 million videos and 224 million comments which have violated any of the policies of its parent company, Alphabet. The company has faced backlash as a lot of content on YouTube has been proved to be extremist in nature and in some cases, its content has reportedly also incited violence.
YouTube has been pressurized by government officials and interest groups in the United States, Asia and Europe to remove controversial content from its website. The videos which have been removed include extremism, child pornography and spam.
It has been proposed by the European Union that online services should pay a fine unless they remove objectionable content that the government has ordered them to within an hour.
Furthermore, a source from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has been quoted in a report saying that social media firms have complied with authorities’ request to remove any problematic content within 36 hours.
In order to show that it has taken the governments and interest groups seriously, YouTube has started issuing quarterly reports about its efforts.
There are automated detection tools which help YouTube to identify nudity, spams and content which can potentially incite violence. However, in the case of videos based on hateful rhetoric and dangerous behaviour the automated detection tools aren’t much effective. In such cases, YouTube identifies problematic content when users report it. However, this also means that the content may get viewed widely before getting deleted from the website. In an attempt to solve this problem, Google has added thousands of moderators this year, which has taken its network of moderators to over 10,000. The very purpose of getting these moderators is to get the content review user reports faster.
YouTube has deleted almost 10,400 videos for violent extremism and 2,79,000 videos for child safety in September, based on its own data.
YouTube refused to comment upon its 2019 growth plans. According to it, it is rather inconvenient to pre-screen every video.
The company has also revealed the number of YouTube accounts removed by Google in Q3 2018. These accounts were removed for either for three policy violations or something outrageous like child pornography within a span of 90 days. YouTube has removed around 1.67 million channels and 50.2 million videos based on such violations.
Almost 80% of channels were deleted because of spam, while 13% were taken down because of nudity. Furthermore, 4.5% of channels that have been removed involved child pornography. which are considered bad for children.Other than this, around 7.8 million videos were removed individually based on policy violations in the last quarter.
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OnePlus brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan complains about his Samsung Galaxy S9 on Twitter
Have you ever taken to a social media platform to complain about an issue you are facing with your smartphone? If the answer to that is yes, then you are certainly not alone. One among the most famous personalities in India, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan did exactly the same thing when he faced a problem with his Samsung Galaxy S9.
The Bollywood superstar took to Twitter to say that his Samsung Galaxy S9 is not working and asked people to guide him with what needed to be done in order to fix it. Reports that came out after his tweet suggest that it seems like his smartphone had ran into a boot loop. Bachchan’s tweet read, “Samsung S9 not functioning .. Samsung logo is on front screen, and is blinking again and again .. nothing else happens .. changed it .. let it be .. tried to close it does not close either .. HELP … someone please guide me as to what I should de.”
The South Korean technology giant responded promptly and fixed the issue that Bachchan’s Samsung Galaxy S9 was facing. The actor also confirmed this later on Twitter with another tweet that followed a few hours later.T 3024 – HELP !! Samsung S9 not functioning .. Samsung logo is on front screen, and is blinking again and again .. nothing else happens .. changed it .. let it be .. tried to close it does not close either ..
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) December 12, 2018
HELP … someone please guide me as to what I should de ..
However, it is worth noticing that Bachchan is the brand ambassador of Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus in India. He was earlier seen promoting the company’s latest flagship smartphone OnePlus 6T in the country. He has even made appearances at launch events of OnePlus smartphones in India and has been seen in the company’s television commercials. So, when he tweeted about his Samsung Galaxy S9 mobile not working properly, he also became a target of a number of trolls on Twitter himself. While it is common for brand ambassadors and influencers of a certain brand to have a preference for some other brand, they are usually bound by contract to not use or speak about using rival products publically. But then, we should also mention that even though Bachchan spoke about using Samsung Galaxy S9 on Twitter, it actually led to the negative publicity of the smartphone since he complained about it not working right. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.T 3025 – PHEEWWWWW .. !! phone resolved .. SAMSUNG connected immediately after Tweet and all is well .. what a world we are living in .. I mean it was the most disturbed night of all nights .. why ..?? because the MOBILE had gone dead .. I mean WHAT ..??!!!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) December 13, 2018
Facebook adds support for photos and videos to its ‘Life Events’ feature: Here’s how to use the updated feature
Social networking giant Facebook has revamped its ‘Life Events’ feature. The updated feature can now include photos and videos of other people or pages tagged. To be more specific, till now you could only share your life events such as getting a new job or announcing your engagement on Facebook, and going forward you will be able to spruce up these posts with images and videos relating to the life event too.
With its Life Event feature, Facebook attempts to make its users’ digital life similar to real life. As Product Manager of Facebook David Harris puts it, “Just as they are in real life, life events on Facebook are distinguished from other everyday moments. To ensure these moments stand out, even more, we’re redesigning this feature to give you more ways to commemorate your life events and help your friends see these important milestones”. He further added, “The photos and videos in your post also include subtle animations, like slowly zooming in. Just as before, when you create a new life event, you can include an icon to represent your update.”
In case you don’t have an image for a particular life event, you would be able to select from a plethora of artwork on Facebook to share in your post.
The feature would be soon available in iOS, Android and Desktop. For those who don’t know how to create a life event on Facebook, here’s how to do it:
- Go to your profile and click on ‘Whats on your mind?’. Then select Life Event from options underneath.
- A list of life event categories would appear for you to choose from. They are Work and Education, Family and Relationships, Home and Living, Health and Wellness, Travel and Experiences. Select the life event you wish to share on Facebook.
- This opens up a text field and a space for adding pictures. You would be able to choose from animated art on Facebook or from pictures in your camera roll.
- Following this, write a description of your choice.
- You can choose whom you want to show the Life Event with the help of the privacy button on the social networking platform.
- Click on save and the event would be added to your timeline and it will also get automatically shared on your friends’ news feed unless you opt to otherwise
Google Shopping rolled out in India: 7 things you should know
Technology giant Google has launched its Shopping service in India and has promised that it would make the shopper’s online shopping experience easier and quicker. Much like Amazon and Flipkart, it will be acting as a connector between retailers and consumers. Google Shopping has regular options which enable users to review prices from multiple retailers and filter through various offers available, but there are also some things that are different. Here’s everything that you should know about Google’s newly launched Shopping service in India:
Google Shopping curates pricing of a particular product and offers available on it from multiple retailers. What’s more, the results will include products from merchants and sellers who have registered with Google as well as from e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Myntra. So users will be able to find where they are getting the best possible deal on the product they wish to buy. Besides this, Google has a sub-section section of Top Deals for every category of products. This shows various products the user may be interested in that are available on a discount.
Google has claimed that the shopping experience via its new service will be unique for every user. When we used the new service, we saw a dedicated section name ‘Picks for you.’ This section had the products the search giant though we may be interested in, along with a sub-section called ‘Top Deals’. It is worth noticing that Google has divided picks for its users according to various categories. So when you open the Home Page, you may see Google’s picks for you in Electronics and some picks in Books on scrolling a bit down. In our experience, we saw the items we have most searched for on top.
One very good aspect of Google Shopping is that there isn’t a dedicated app of Chrome extension that you need to download to access it. There is a Shopping tab that Google has added to its Search, there is a separate Google Shopping Home Page and users can also access the shopping service via Google Lens.
As of now, there are 10 categories of products that shoppers can choose from in Google Shopping including Cell Phones, Speakers Headphones and Headsets, Men’s Clothing, Women’s Clothing, Books, Watches, Makeup, Personal Care, Appliances and Home Decor.
As we mentioned earlier, not only does Google Shopping curate results from merchants who have registered with it, but also from other online shopping websites. So, if you search for a particular product, you will automatically see results from other shopping sites on one single place, which means you don’t have to search for it separately anywhere. And needless to say, the search results that you will get will be far more than what you can get on any e-commerce website. Furthermore, merchants don’t require to run ad campaigns or pay a fee to list their products on Google Shopping. So, it becomes an obvious choice for them to opt for it.
Google’s shopping service will show customers what products are trending across different categories and various deals that can be availed on buying those products.
We should mention that Google shopping just a connector between retailers and shoppers. If you choose to buy something from Google Shopping, the merchant you are buying from would handle the transactions and delivery of products.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
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In This Article
Google Shopping will help you find the best deals
Google Shopping curates pricing of a particular product and offers available on it from multiple retailers. What’s more, the results will include products from merchants and sellers who have registered with Google as well as from e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Myntra. So users will be able to find where they are getting the best possible deal on the product they wish to buy. Besides this, Google has a sub-section section of Top Deals for every category of products. This shows various products the user may be interested in that are available on a discount.
The shopping experience will be personalised for each user
Google has claimed that the shopping experience via its new service will be unique for every user. When we used the new service, we saw a dedicated section name ‘Picks for you.’ This section had the products the search giant though we may be interested in, along with a sub-section called ‘Top Deals’. It is worth noticing that Google has divided picks for its users according to various categories. So when you open the Home Page, you may see Google’s picks for you in Electronics and some picks in Books on scrolling a bit down. In our experience, we saw the items we have most searched for on top.
You can access Google’s Shopping service across all your devices
One very good aspect of Google Shopping is that there isn’t a dedicated app of Chrome extension that you need to download to access it. There is a Shopping tab that Google has added to its Search, there is a separate Google Shopping Home Page and users can also access the shopping service via Google Lens.
There are different categories to choose from
As of now, there are 10 categories of products that shoppers can choose from in Google Shopping including Cell Phones, Speakers Headphones and Headsets, Men’s Clothing, Women’s Clothing, Books, Watches, Makeup, Personal Care, Appliances and Home Decor.
You will get a wider variety of products
As we mentioned earlier, not only does Google Shopping curate results from merchants who have registered with it, but also from other online shopping websites. So, if you search for a particular product, you will automatically see results from other shopping sites on one single place, which means you don’t have to search for it separately anywhere. And needless to say, the search results that you will get will be far more than what you can get on any e-commerce website. Furthermore, merchants don’t require to run ad campaigns or pay a fee to list their products on Google Shopping. So, it becomes an obvious choice for them to opt for it.
Customers will be able to see trending products
Google’s shopping service will show customers what products are trending across different categories and various deals that can be availed on buying those products.
Transactions and delivery of products will be handled by merchants
We should mention that Google shopping just a connector between retailers and shoppers. If you choose to buy something from Google Shopping, the merchant you are buying from would handle the transactions and delivery of products.
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[td_smart_list_end] 
This country may see the ban of iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR
American chipmaker Qualcomm has asked courts in China to put a ban on the sales of Apple’s iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR models in the country. The company has won a preliminary injunction against older models of iPhone and only asked the court for the extension of the ban after its victory.
To recall, on Monday a court in China had ordered to ban the sales of some older Apple’s iPhone models because the Cupertino-based technology giant has violated Qualcomm’s two patents. It is worth noticing that prior to the judgement, most intellectual property lawyers thought of the potential ban as just an instant threat.
The case was filed by Qualcomm and it is a part of the global patent dispute between the two companies and it includes a number of lawsuits. Post the judgement, Qualcomm wants the ban to be extended to the latest models of iPhones, that was launched in September this year.
Qualcomm is being represented by Jiang Hongyi, a lawyer at Lexfield Law Offices, in its patent suits. Hongyi confirmed that Qualcomm wants to get the ban extended to iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR in the country to Financial Times saying, “We plan to use the same patents to file suit against the three new iPhone models.”
However, Apple seems to have not given up on this matter yet. The Cupertino based technology giant said on Monday after the judgement was passed that its phone models are still on sale in mainland China and went on to say that it has filed a request for reconsideration with the court. It is worth noticing that this is the very first step in an appeal process that may be very long and can actually be taken to China’s Supreme Court. The company also states that its latest iPhones – iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR (review) – are not a part of the ongoing case in China.
We should point out that Apple would take this ban extremely seriously considering the fact that China, Hong Kong and Taiwan accounted for around a fifth of Apple’s $265.6 billion in sales in the last fiscal year.
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Bitcoin scammers are sending bomb threats to demand ransoms
Spammers have reportedly threatened business, schools and other places with bomb explosions in order to force them to pay Bitcoins. The police is in the countries that have been threatened is being cautious and it has people about these threats. People have also been asked to report to the police if any suspicious article is found in any location. But then, till now the police hasn’t found any evidence of the bomb explosives and the possibility of threats being fake is being considered.
The threats have been made in the US, Canada, New Zealand and some other English-speaking countries and investigations have been carried out ubiquitously. The spammers have made these threats via email. One of the emails printed by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Iowa has the subject line “Do not waste your time”. In the said email, the sender is asking Bitcoins worth $20,000 saying that a man has already carried an explosive device to the building where the business is conducted and he will detonate the bomb if he sees any kind of unusual behaviour or if the police get involved. The email further states that for the senders, this isn’t anything personal and they are doing it for business purposes only. The email continues to say, “If the explosive device detonates and the authorities see this letter: We are not terrorists and don’t [sic] assume any liability for explosions in other places.”
It is worth noticing that the explosive device varies from one email to another, and does the Bitcoin wallet address. The spammers may have chosen to have different wallets in order to verify which targets have paid the Bitcoins demanded.
Currently, the police are unaware of how many places this threat has been imposed and how many people have confirmed to the threat by paying ransoms. Until now one threat has been noted in the UK, but it is dubious of that being related to this scam. Five Toronto stations have been shut down due to bomb threats.
Many buildings have been evacuated which includes schools, hospitals, Call of Duty game developer Infinity Ward and the ‘News and Observer’. The FBI has said, “we are aware of recent bomb threats made in cities around the country, and we remain in touch with our law enforcement partners to provide assistance. As always, we encourage the public to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities which could represent a threat to public safety.”
After receiving a threat from an anonymous caller, the Columbine High School was closed yesterday. Police have found several places where threats have been given and is continuing its investigations in the same regard. They have also been testifying the credibility of these threats and updating people about their work through tweets.
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Google takes on Flipkart and Amazon with its Shopping service in India
E-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart have a brand new competitor in the Indian market and it’s none other than technology giant Google. The company has unveiled ‘Google Shopping’ in India that promises to ease online shopping experience by enabling users to review prices from multiple retailers, filter through various offers available online and quickly find products that they are looking for.
The experience will be a personalised one for each shopper and will be available across all Google products. So shoppers can go to Google Shopping home page, a dedicated Shopping tab on Google Search or shop via Google Lens on their devices.
The service will also enable customers to see products that are trending across different categories and various deals that are available with them. So, users will be able to select the best deal available on a particular product because prices and offers from various retailers will be curated in one single place.
The service also benefits retailers, as the technology giant’s ‘Merchant Center’ will allow them to list their products on Google Shopping without paying for ad campaigns. Google’s Merchant Center is also available in Hindi.
Speaking about Google Shopping, Google Vice President Product Management Surojit Chatterjee was quoted saying, “India has over 400 million internet users. However, only one-third of these have shopped online and that number includes those buying railway tickets online. From seasoned desktop shoppers to first-time users with entry-level smartphones, we hope this new shopping experience will make finding what people are looking for just a little bit easier.”
He explained the concept of Google Shopping further by saying that it will act as a connector between retailers and consumers, but transactions and delivery of products will be handled by the merchants.
Chatterjee further added, “There are an estimated 58 million small and medium businesses (SMBs) in India, of which 35 per cent are engaged in retail trade. However, a very small number of them have an online presence, this is a huge opportunity for retailers to surface their merchandise to the millions of online consumers.”
He also said that with Google Shopping, the company eyes to support the entire retail ecosystem including online shopping websites, large retailers, small local shops by providing them with tools, technology and scale to bloom in the digital economy.
What makes it even better for merchants is the act that they wouldn’t have to pay any fee for listing their products on Google Shopping.
If you are a consumer, you can go to the Shopping tab in Google Search to see various prices of the product you are searching for from different retailers. If you are using Google Lens to shop, then you can look for products like clothes, furniture, and home decor under the ‘Style Search’ option.
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TRAI makes the process of mobile number portability faster
If you have been planning to port your mobile phone number, here’s some good news for you. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has made some amendments to Mobile Number Portability (MNP) regulations that were being followed till now. The amendments have been made to make the process of portability easier and quicker for people.
According to the Mobile Number Portability regulations, the timeline for porting a mobile number within the same circle or ‘Intra-Licensed Service Area (Intra-LSA)’ is two days. However, if you are getting your number ported to a different circle or ‘Inter-Licensed Service Area (Inter-LSA)’, the limit is four days.
The new regulations also state that if a telecom operator gives any misinformation about portability or wrongfully reject any portability request, it would have to pay a penalty of up to Rs 10,000. The stricter norms should definitely make it easier for users to get their mobile numbers ported.
TRAI has been quoted saying, “If any access provider or mobile number portability service provider contravenes the provisions… (it shall) be liable to pay an amount, by way of financial disincentive not exceeding Rs 10,000 for each wrongful rejection of the request for porting.”
That’s not all. The regulator has decreased the validity period of Unique Porting Code (UPC) from 15 days to four days. This rule applies to all Licensed Service Areas (LSA) except the ones in Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and North-East. In LSAs situated in these states, the validity for UPC still happens to be 15 days.
Changes have also been made to regulations regarding corporate porting. Till now, there was a limit of 50 numbers in a single authorization letter. However, now that has been increased to 100 numbers per authorization letter.
Speaking further on the matter, TRAI said, “Post implementation of this regulation (amendment), appropriate Quality of Service (QoS) parameters will be devised by the authority to monitor the role of MNPSPs (Mobile Number Portability Service Providers) and Access Providers in the new scenario.”
The amendments made by the regulator are surely in favour of the customers, for whom it will now be easier to port numbers. We will have to wait to see how the new regulations are implemented.
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How to authorise a computer on iTunes
There are many benefits of authorising your computer on iTunes. On authorising your Mac or PC, you basically enable your device to access apps, music, movies, audiobooks and other content. And it is very simple to authorise your device on iTunes. It is worth noticing that if you want to authorise a computer in iTunes, it can only be done via iTunes on that particular computer only. You can’t use iTunes on any other device for it. Read our step-by-step guide to authorise your computer on iTunes:
- Open iTunes and sign in with your Apple ID
- There will be several menu bars out of which you need to select ‘Account’
- Once you go to ‘Account’ there will be a list of options appearing. Select the option of ‘Authorisations’ in the dropdown menu.
- This will further open up more options. Among them, you need to choose ‘Authorise This Computer’.
- Just like earlier open iTunes and sign in with your Apple ID.
- If you are a Mac user, go to the Menu Bar and select ‘Account’ and choose the ‘View My Account’ option. The steps are the same for Windows users too, but in case they don’t see the menu bar, they can press Ctrl+B on their device’s keyboard.
- Now enter your password and then press Return or Enter key on your keyboard. You may alternatively have to click ‘View Account’.
- In the Apple ID summary sections, you can find the number of accounts you have logged in with or the number of computers which are authorised. It is worth noticing that this section will only appear once you authorise two or more computers.
- In case you see more number of computers than you expected, then you can deauthorise all computers and reauthorise the ones you are still using.
MediaTek Helio P90 with Google Lens and enhanced AI capabilities unveiled
Just two months after the launch of its Helio P70 SoC, chipmaker MediaTek has launched its successor. Called Helio P90, the new chipset is claimed to enhance the AI performance of devices and comes with a faster CPU. The new chip by Mediatek has support for Google Lens and ARCore. The company has said that MediaTek Helio P90 is built on TSMC 12nm FinFET process and is expected to be seen in devices that will be launched in Q1 2019.
Compared to the predecessor of the chipset, all the key power units of Helio P90 SoC are improved. The CPU cluster of the processor is different from its predecessor and they aim to optimize the device better. The company has also claimed that the new processor makes the AI functionalities of the smartphone more accurate and improves the camera capabilities too.
The chipset is likely to get featured in mid-range smartphones in the upcoming year. TL Lee, General Manager at MediaTek was quoted saying that among the important updates are support for 480 fps slow-mo videos and triple ISP for RAW images. He also said that the AI shots taken by the smartphone in lowly-light areas would be better with the new processor.
The GPU of the chipset has also been changed. Helio P90 processor comes with IMG PowerVR GM9446 at 970 MHz and it has been claimed that the GPU would enhance the gaming performance of the device by 15% as compared to the Mali-G72 MP3 that was used in Helio P60 and Helio P70 chipsets.
MediaTek has also partnered with technology giant Google, so developers can make use of the AR and MR accelerations of the new mobile platform to make applications using frameworks like TensorFlow, TF Lite, Caffe and Caffee that are based on MediaTek’s NeuroPilot SDK.
It is worth noticing that earlier this month, American chipmaker Qualcomm also launched its Snapdragon 855 mobile platform, which promises to enhance the AI capabilities of smartphones. The key feature of the new processor is its support for 5G connectivity. We are expecting to see the processor in almost all major Android flagships that will be launched next year.
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Micromax’s ‘notched’ smartphone with dual rear cameras to launch on December 18
Last month Micromax announced its first Google-certified Android television in India and now, the home-grown consumer electronics maker is all set to introduce a new smartphone in the country. It will be the first-ever smartphone by the company to sport a notch on its display. Considering the most smartphones by Micromax fall in the budget segment, it wouldn’t be wrong to assume that the notch design phone will fall in the same category too.
Micromax is planning to unveil the device in India on December 18 and the company has sent a save-the-date invite to members of tech press in the country. The poster has an outline of the smartphone that is set to be launched and it shows curved corners of the device along with a notch on the display. It is worth noticing that while waterdrop-shaped notch has garnered a lot of popularity off late, the on the smartphone in Micromax’s poster is like the notches we have seen on iPhones.
We should also point out that Micromax has tweeted about its upcoming device along with a teaser image that shows a notch on the top of the smartphone’s display. Along with the tweet, Micromax has used the hashtag #AboveTheRest and it is being speculated that this could point towards the device being unveiled in a new lineup by the company. The teaser image of the smartphone shared by the company says, “Does the powerful excite you?”
Another tweet by Micromax says shows a notched smartphone with a dual rear camera setup and an LED flash on its back panel. Along with the tweet, the company has written, “The countdown is on.” A different hashtag has been used with this tweet – #NotchAboveTheRest. https://twitter.com/Micromax_Mobile/status/1073208079368413184 As of now, no details about the upcoming Micromax smartphone have surfaced online, so we would have to wait till we have more to tell you. The handset will be Micromax’s seventh smartphone to launch in 2018. It is worth noticing that the company had previously said that it plans to launch 13 smartphones between September 2018 and March 2019. The last smartphone to be launched by the company was Micromax Bharat 5 Infinity Edition which sports an 18:9 FullView display, runs Android Ore (Go Edition) and houses a 5,000mAh battery. Before Bharat 5 Infinity Edition, the handset maker had launched its Micromax Spark Go smartphone that featured a 5-inch FWVGA display, packed a 2,000mAh battery and was powered by Android Oreo (Go Edition). For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.We are excited, the countdown has begun. #AboveTheRest pic.twitter.com/Egtv7oeeUM
— Micromax India (@Micromax__India) December 12, 2018
Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 start receiving December security update
HMD global has started releasing the security update of Nokia 6, Nokia 8 Sirocco and Nokia 5. According to the changelog of the said devices, the security update for Nokia 8 Sirocco is 80MB in size and for Nokia 5 and Nokia 6, it is 100MB.
It is worth noticing that Android 9.0 Pie hasn’t yet been rolled out for the Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. The same goes for Nokia 8 Sirocco, even though it is a flagship device. However, since HMD global has started a public Beta test of Android 9.0 Pie for Nokia 8, it will probably receive the update soon.
Nokia’s site security update tracker–from where people check the when their phone’s update would come–has become obsolete because it shows update only until 13th November. The site was previously very useful to people as they could check for updates from time to time.
Speaking of the features of the aforementioned phone, Nokia 5 sports a 13MP main camera and an 8MP selfie camera, houses a 3000mAh battery and comes with a 5.2 inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen. And Nokia 6 has a display screen of 5.5 inches, an 8MP selfie camera and 16MP main camera. The smartphone houses a battery of 3000mAh. Speaking of Nokia 8 Sirocco, it comes with 6GB RAM, is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, and features a 5.5-inch QHD pOLED display, and a 3260mAh battery.
Recently, HMD Global launched its much-awaited Nokia 8.1 in India. The smartphone sports dual rear cameras with 12MP and 13MP sensors and Zeiss optics and has a 6.18-inch PureDisplay. Unlike the aforementioned devices, the brand new Nokia 8.1 was launched with the latest version of Android 9.0 Pie.
The newly launched Nokia 8.1 it comes with a Snapdragon 710 processor and is available with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage The screen, which is 6.18-inch, comes with an aspect ratio of 18.7:9. The smartphone can support microSD cards of up to 400GB and houses a 3,500mAh battery.
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Xiaomi Redmi 6A price slashed, now available starting Rs 5,999
Xiaomi has reduced the price of its smartphone, Redmi 6A. The company had increased the price of its smartphone last month to Rs 6,599 and Rs 7,999 for the base model and 32GB variant respectively. Now with the wake of 2018, it has again revised back the price back to what it was originally – Rs 5,999 for 16GB model and Rs 6,999 for its 32GB variant. You can buy the smartphone at its ‘discounted’ price via Amazon India, Xiaomi’s official website and Mi Home stores.
Speaking about the specifications of Xiaomi Redmi 6A smartphone, it has a 5.45-inch HD+ display with a resolution of 720×1440 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. The smartphone houses a 3,000mAh battery and sports a 13MP primary camera and 5MP selfie camera. Connectivity options of the smartphone include 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth, dual SIM card slots and GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and microUSB port. Xiaomi Redmi 6A runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with MIUI and is powered by a MediaTek Helio A22 SoC clubbed with 2GB RAM. It comes with 16GB/32GB internal storage and can hold a microSD card of up to 256GB. The smartphone houses a 3,000mAh battery.
The increase in price occurred due to the depreciation of the rupee value which happened a month back. The value of the Indian currency depreciated by 15 percent compared to the dollar.
Commenting on the price cut of Redmi 6A, Xiaomi has been quoted said, “Extending our celebrations further post festive season while ending the year on an exciting note, we are thrilled to announce that our Redmi 6A will witness a price drop, going back to the original price. Redmi 6A will now be available at its initial price of INR 5,999 for 2GB+16GB variant and INR 6,999 for 2GB+32GB variant. The new prices are effective from 13 December 12 Noon onwards across all platforms.”
Speaking further about the pricing of its products, Xiaomi said that the costs of its products have been genuine and it claims that its customers are very satisfied with them.
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This is how much all the models of Samsung Galaxy S10 will cost
Samsung Galaxy S10 is surely among the most awaited smartphones of 2019. Reports and rumours about the smartphone lineup have been surfacing online for weeks now. The South Korean technology giant’s upcoming flagship lineup will reportedly come with four variants and among these, one is a 10th-anniversary model. A fresh report in Gizmodo UK has surfaced which reveals the pricing details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones.
The report cites a source at a “major tech retailer” and talks about three models of Samsung Galaxy S10. According to the report, Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will come with a 5.8-inch display and 128GB onboard storage will bear a price tag of GBP 669 in the UK. On converting this to Indian currency, it becomes approximately Rs 60,500. It is worth noticing that the reported cost is lower than Samsung Galaxy S9, which was launched in the UK at a starting price of GBP 739 (approximately Rs 66,800).
Speaking of the regular Samsung Galaxy S10 model, it is expected to sport a 6.1-inch screen and according to the report, the 128GB variant of the mobile phone will bear a price tag of GBP 799 (approximately Rs 72,200), and the 512GB storage model will cost GBP 999 (approximately Rs 90,300). Coming to 128GB model of Samsung Galaxy S10+, it is being said that it will go on sale in the UK at GBP 899 (approximately Rs 81,200), and the 512GB model of the same smartphone will be available for purchase at GBP 1,099 (approximately Rs 99,300).
But that’s not all. The report in Gizmodo UK also speaks about the 1TB variant of Samsung Galaxy S10+, which will reportedly be available in the UK GBP 1,399 (approximately Rs 1,26,400). There is a possibility that this is the special 10th-anniversary edition Galaxy S10 model that is reported to sport a 6.7-inch display and feature six cameras. The special edition Samsung Galaxy S10 may also come with 5G connectivity.
According to Gizmodo UK, Samsung will be launching its upcoming flagship lineup at a dedicated event that will be held right before the Mobile World Congress 2019 begins. To be more precise, the Samsung Unpacked event is reportedly scheduled for February 20.
Other features of the upcoming lineup will include an Infinity-O Display, an on-screen fingerprint scanner and the ability to wirelessly charge other devices. The last feature we mentioned is reportedly named as Powershare.
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Best smartphones of 2018
With the year coming to an end, we have listed down the best smartphones that were launched. These include smartphones across all price segments – be it premium, mid-range or entry level. If you have been planning to treat yourself with a smartphone as the year ends, you can pick one among these options:
September saw the launch of Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup. Besides, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the Cupertino based technology giant launched the iPhone XR, which is supposed to be its affordable variant. iPhone XR features a 6.1-inch LCD screen and comes with a 12MP wide angle rear camera. The smartphone is available in three storage options — 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Its battery life is said to be 1.5 hours more than that of iPhone 8 Plus. Powered by A12 Bionic processor, iPhone XR runs iOS 12 software.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 features a 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display and is powered by Exynos 9810 processor. The device is available in 6GB RAM/128GB storage and 8GB RAM/512GB storage options. Users can also install a microSD of up to 512GB. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 houses a 4,000mAh battery and sports a dual rear camera setup that has a 12MP wide-angle autofocus sensor and a 12MP telephoto autofocus sensor. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP autofocus sensor. The Android 8.1 Oreo-based smartphone comes with an upgraded S Pen and supports Dex. Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s starting price in India is Rs 67,900.
Google’s flagship of the year sports a 5.5-inch FHD+ flexible OLED display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Google Pixel 3 comes with 4GB of RAM, Adreno 630 GPU and is available in 64GB and 128GB storage options. The smartphone runs Android 9.0 Pie out of the box and is touted to come with Pixel Visual core and Titan M Security Module. For imaging duties, Google Pixel 3 features a 12.2MP dual pixel single rear camera that has support for features like autofocus with dual phase detection, OIS, EIS and spectral & flicker sensor. The smartphone comes with dual front cameras with an 8MP wide-angle sensor and an 8MP secondary sensor with 75-degree field-of-view. It is available in India at a starting price of Rs 71,000.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with EMUI 9.0 and sports a 6.39-inch QHD+ curved OLED display. The smartphone comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor and is powered by the company’s flagship HiSilicon Kirin 980 processor clubbed with 6GB RAM. Huawei Mate 20 Pro offers 128GB storage and can hold microSD cards of up to 256GB. Huawei Mate 20 Pro features a triple rear camera setup that is comprised of a 40MP primary wide-angle sensor, a 20MP ultra wide angle sensor, and an 8MP 3X telephoto sensor. For selfies and video calls, the smartphone houses a 24MP RGB selfie camera that supports 3D facial unlocking. Huawei’s latest flagship houses a 4,200mAh battery that supports 40W SuperCharge technology and wireless reverse charging, which enables it to be used to charge other Qi wireless devices. In India, the smartphone is priced at Rs 69,990.
OnePlus 6T is surely among the most popular smartphones of the year. The smartphone is available in 6GB and 8GB of RAM and comes in 128GB and 256GB storage options. OnePlus 6T’s starting price in India is Rs 37,999 and it boasts of features like 6.41-inch optic AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845 processor with Adreno 630 GPU, a 16MP selfie camera and 3,700mAh battery. The smartphone has the same set of dual rear cameras as OnePlus 6 but comes with additional modes. OnePlus 6T comes with a waterdrop-style notch on its display and the Android 9.0 Pie based smartphone has an on-screen fingerprint sensor.
The next one on our list is Asus’ answer to OnePlus 6 that was launched earlir this year. Asus Zenfone 5Z has a 6.2-inch full HD+ IPS display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor clubbed with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The smartphone is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB storage options. Asus Zenfone 5Z’s base model in India costs Rs 29,999 and the most high-end one bears a price tag of Rs 36,999.
With Vivo NEX, we saw a very futuristic looking smartphone by the Chinese smartphone brand that came with an almost full-screen experience and had a pop-up selfie camera. The smartphone is among the first few which ditched the notch and it sports a 6.59-inch FHD+ super AMOLED ‘Ultra Fullview’ display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset clubbed with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Vivo NEX sports a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 5MP sensors and has an 8MP selfie camera. The smartphone is priced at Rs 44,990 in India.
The world’s first smartphone to come with four rear cameras, Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) is available at a starting price of Rs 36,990. Among the key features of the smartphone are its 24MP+10MP+8MP+5MP rear cameras, a 24MP selfie camera, 6.3-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display and its 3,800mAh battery.
Priced at Rs 15, 999, Nokia 6.1 Plus is surely among the best budget smartphones we saw this year. The Android 8.1 Ore-based handset comes with a 5.8-inch full-HD+ display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor clubbed with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The smartphone by Nokia comes with 16MP+5MP dual rear cameras and a 16MP selfie camera. It houses a 3,060mAh battery.
This one is another good budget option you can consider buying. Moto G6 comes at a starting price of Rs 13,999 and sports a 5.7-inch FHD+ IPS touchscreen. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 CPU, the smartphone comes with either 3GB or 4GB RAM and is available in 32GB and 64GB storage options. Moto G6 features 12MP + 5MP dual rear cameras and houses a 3,000mAh battery.
If you want a smartphone with a big battery, then Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the right choice for you. The smartphone is available in 3GB RAM/ 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM/64GB onboard storage options and comes at a starting price of Rs 10,999. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 sports a 5.99-inch full-HD+ IPS Full View display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor. The key highlight of the device is its 5,000mAh battery.
Honor 8X is another budget smartphone that you can consider. It is available with 4GB or 6GB RAM and comes in 64GB and 128GB inbuilt storage options and the base model costs Rs 14,999. The smartphone sports a 6.5-inch fullView display and is powered by an octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor. Honor 8X comes with dual AI camera setup on its back panel with 20MP and 2MP sensors.
Apple’s flagship smartphones feature an OLED HDR Super Retina display and are powered by the A12 Bionic processor. While the display of iPhone XS is 5.8-inch in size, iPhone XS Max sports a 6.5-inch screen. The smartphones come with a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 12MP telephoto lens. There is also a 7MP TrueDepth camera for selfies. The new iPhones are available in 64GB, 128GB, and 512GB storage options and run iOS 12. While the cost of iPhone XS starts at Rs 99,900 in India, iPhone XS Max is available at a starting price of Rs 109,900.
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In This Article
iPhone XR
September saw the launch of Apple’s 2018 iPhone lineup. Besides, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the Cupertino based technology giant launched the iPhone XR, which is supposed to be its affordable variant. iPhone XR features a 6.1-inch LCD screen and comes with a 12MP wide angle rear camera. The smartphone is available in three storage options — 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Its battery life is said to be 1.5 hours more than that of iPhone 8 Plus. Powered by A12 Bionic processor, iPhone XR runs iOS 12 software.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 features a 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display and is powered by Exynos 9810 processor. The device is available in 6GB RAM/128GB storage and 8GB RAM/512GB storage options. Users can also install a microSD of up to 512GB. Samsung Galaxy Note 9 houses a 4,000mAh battery and sports a dual rear camera setup that has a 12MP wide-angle autofocus sensor and a 12MP telephoto autofocus sensor. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP autofocus sensor. The Android 8.1 Oreo-based smartphone comes with an upgraded S Pen and supports Dex. Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s starting price in India is Rs 67,900.
Google Pixel 3 XL
Google’s flagship of the year sports a 5.5-inch FHD+ flexible OLED display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. Google Pixel 3 comes with 4GB of RAM, Adreno 630 GPU and is available in 64GB and 128GB storage options. The smartphone runs Android 9.0 Pie out of the box and is touted to come with Pixel Visual core and Titan M Security Module. For imaging duties, Google Pixel 3 features a 12.2MP dual pixel single rear camera that has support for features like autofocus with dual phase detection, OIS, EIS and spectral & flicker sensor. The smartphone comes with dual front cameras with an 8MP wide-angle sensor and an 8MP secondary sensor with 75-degree field-of-view. It is available in India at a starting price of Rs 71,000.
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
Huawei Mate 20 Pro runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with EMUI 9.0 and sports a 6.39-inch QHD+ curved OLED display. The smartphone comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor and is powered by the company’s flagship HiSilicon Kirin 980 processor clubbed with 6GB RAM. Huawei Mate 20 Pro offers 128GB storage and can hold microSD cards of up to 256GB. Huawei Mate 20 Pro features a triple rear camera setup that is comprised of a 40MP primary wide-angle sensor, a 20MP ultra wide angle sensor, and an 8MP 3X telephoto sensor. For selfies and video calls, the smartphone houses a 24MP RGB selfie camera that supports 3D facial unlocking. Huawei’s latest flagship houses a 4,200mAh battery that supports 40W SuperCharge technology and wireless reverse charging, which enables it to be used to charge other Qi wireless devices. In India, the smartphone is priced at Rs 69,990.
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T is surely among the most popular smartphones of the year. The smartphone is available in 6GB and 8GB of RAM and comes in 128GB and 256GB storage options. OnePlus 6T’s starting price in India is Rs 37,999 and it boasts of features like 6.41-inch optic AMOLED display, Snapdragon 845 processor with Adreno 630 GPU, a 16MP selfie camera and 3,700mAh battery. The smartphone has the same set of dual rear cameras as OnePlus 6 but comes with additional modes. OnePlus 6T comes with a waterdrop-style notch on its display and the Android 9.0 Pie based smartphone has an on-screen fingerprint sensor.
Asus Zenfone 5Z
The next one on our list is Asus’ answer to OnePlus 6 that was launched earlir this year. Asus Zenfone 5Z has a 6.2-inch full HD+ IPS display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor clubbed with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The smartphone is available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB storage options. Asus Zenfone 5Z’s base model in India costs Rs 29,999 and the most high-end one bears a price tag of Rs 36,999.
Vivo NEX
With Vivo NEX, we saw a very futuristic looking smartphone by the Chinese smartphone brand that came with an almost full-screen experience and had a pop-up selfie camera. The smartphone is among the first few which ditched the notch and it sports a 6.59-inch FHD+ super AMOLED ‘Ultra Fullview’ display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset clubbed with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. Vivo NEX sports a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 5MP sensors and has an 8MP selfie camera. The smartphone is priced at Rs 44,990 in India.
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018)
The world’s first smartphone to come with four rear cameras, Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) is available at a starting price of Rs 36,990. Among the key features of the smartphone are its 24MP+10MP+8MP+5MP rear cameras, a 24MP selfie camera, 6.3-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display and its 3,800mAh battery.
Nokia 6.1 Plus
Priced at Rs 15, 999, Nokia 6.1 Plus is surely among the best budget smartphones we saw this year. The Android 8.1 Ore-based handset comes with a 5.8-inch full-HD+ display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor clubbed with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The smartphone by Nokia comes with 16MP+5MP dual rear cameras and a 16MP selfie camera. It houses a 3,060mAh battery.
Moto G6
This one is another good budget option you can consider buying. Moto G6 comes at a starting price of Rs 13,999 and sports a 5.7-inch FHD+ IPS touchscreen. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 CPU, the smartphone comes with either 3GB or 4GB RAM and is available in 32GB and 64GB storage options. Moto G6 features 12MP + 5MP dual rear cameras and houses a 3,000mAh battery.
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1
If you want a smartphone with a big battery, then Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 is the right choice for you. The smartphone is available in 3GB RAM/ 32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM/64GB onboard storage options and comes at a starting price of Rs 10,999. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 sports a 5.99-inch full-HD+ IPS Full View display and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor. The key highlight of the device is its 5,000mAh battery.
Honor 8X
Honor 8X is another budget smartphone that you can consider. It is available with 4GB or 6GB RAM and comes in 64GB and 128GB inbuilt storage options and the base model costs Rs 14,999. The smartphone sports a 6.5-inch fullView display and is powered by an octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 710 processor. Honor 8X comes with dual AI camera setup on its back panel with 20MP and 2MP sensors.
Honourable mention: iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
Apple’s flagship smartphones feature an OLED HDR Super Retina display and are powered by the A12 Bionic processor. While the display of iPhone XS is 5.8-inch in size, iPhone XS Max sports a 6.5-inch screen. The smartphones come with a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP wide-angle lens and a 12MP telephoto lens. There is also a 7MP TrueDepth camera for selfies. The new iPhones are available in 64GB, 128GB, and 512GB storage options and run iOS 12. While the cost of iPhone XS starts at Rs 99,900 in India, iPhone XS Max is available at a starting price of Rs 109,900.
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