iPhone XS users report of ‘charge-gate’
The world saw Apple iPhone XS and XS Max last month. Shortly after that, the new iPhones hit the shelves in various markets around the world and millions of fans bought them. As everyone has got more familiar with the new Apple iPhones over the past few weeks, issues are being reported by some users of the phone.
Some users have claimed that iPhone XS don’t charge automatically when it is plugged in the power source and one needs to interfere manually to initiate charging. There are some, who have also referred to this issue as ‘charge-gate.’
On September 24, a user complained about this issue on Apple’s Communities portal. His post read, “I connect the Lightning cable to my phone to charge and most of the time it’s automatically charges. However I’ve noticed several times plugging the phone in and no charge comes up. Tried unplugging and plugging back in, sometimes it’ll work.” The user further said that he has to illuminate the screen for making the charging icon pop up and that keeping the device untouched hasn’t helped. He has stated that he only used Apple branded cabled to charge his phone and concluded by saying that the issue could be related to the port or software.
A number of other users commented on the post saying that they were also facing similar issues. Some users also came up with problems relating to different configurations and colour variants of iPhone XS Max. A thread on Reddit was also created — but that doesn’t only talk about iPhone XS and XS Max having this problem, but further throws light on other devices from Apple with similar issue.
A user on Reddit said, “My iPhone X did this also, so it’s not just the iPhone XS. I chalked it up to their USB security updates.” There are comments on the said Reddit thread that talk about these charging issues on older iPhone models like iPhone 6S and iPhone 7 Plus. A report in 9to5Mac has added that users have reported about a similar issue on iPad models too.
After these claims were made by users, popular YouTube channel Unbox Therapy decided to put the new iPhones to test to see if there actually was a problem. While iPhone X and XS smartphones responded normally to the Lightning cable, the iPhone XS Max did not. It only displayed the charging icon on the screen when it was tapped to wake.
Till now, there has been no word from Apple regarding the ‘charge-gate’ issue.
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Elon Musk agrees to resign as the Chairman of Tesla
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has agreed to step down as the Chairman of the electric car maker and pay a fine of $20 million under settlement reached with Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk has been asked to resign from the post of Chairman within 45 days and will not be able to take the role back at the company for the next three years.
However, he would be able to retain his position as Tesla’s CEO. The SEC has also charged the electric automaker with “failing to have required disclosure controls and procedures relating to Musk’s tweets.” The company has agreed to settle this charge — which means that both Tesla and Elon Musk will be paying $20 million separately as fines. According to SEC, these will be “distributed to harmed investors under a court-approved process.”
The electric automaker is also appointing two new independent directors to its board and a lawyer will be hired to keep an eye on Elon Musk’s communications and tweets.
This basically means that Elon Musk, who until now used Twitter frequently to unveil new products and talk about various updates, will be more restricted with his tweets about Tesla.
Speaking on the matter, Stephanie Avakian, co-director of the SEC’s enforcement division said, “The total package of remedies and relief announced today are specifically designed to address the misconduct at issue by strengthening Tesla’s corporate governance and oversight in order to protect investors.”
As a part of the agreement, Elon Musk does not have to admit or deny the allegations made by the SEC.
The settlement marks the starting of a new era of corporate governance for Tesla — which according to some shareholders is currently very tightly controlled by Elon Musk and those who are closely aligned to him.
Last year, the electric automaker had added James Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of Twenty-First Century Fox, and Linda Johnson Rice, Chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing Company to its board in an attempt to diversify it. Other members of the board include Robyn Denholm, Brad W Buss, Antonio Gracias and Ira Ehrenpreis.
A complaint by the SEC had been filed on Thursday alleging that Elon Musk had lied in his tweets on August 7 where he claimed that he had a “funding secured” for the private takeover of Tesla at $420 per share. Just a week after the tweet was posted, federal securities regulators had reportedly sent a subpoena to Tesla. Following this, charges against Musk were filed just 6 weeks later.
The complaint by the SEC said that Elon Musk had violated anti-fraud provisions laid down by the federal securities laws. The commission had demanded the court to fine Musk and bar him from taking up the post of an officer or director of any public company.
Elon Musk on the other hand has been quotes saying that these charges are “unjustified action” and have left him “deeply saddened and disappointed.”
The company and the board have issued a statement in which they support Musk.
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Image: Elon Musk Twitter
Nikon launches its full-frame mirrorless cameras in India
Japanese technology company Nikon on Wednesday launched Nikon Z7 and Nikon Z6 full-frame mirrorless cameras along with Nikkor Z series lenses in India. Although the two cameras look identical, they differ in terms of megapixels, ISO range and focus points.
While Nikon Z7 and Nikkor Z camera lenses are scheduled to go on sale in India starting September 27, the Nikon Z6 will hit the shelves later in November. The Nikon Z7 body-only costs Rs 2,69,950, while the price of Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S + Mount Adapter FTZ Kit is Rs 3,26,950, the Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S Kit bears a price tag of Rs 3,14,950, and the Nikon Z7 + Mount Adapter FTZ Kit is priced at Rs 2,81,950.
The price of Nikon Z6 body-only is Rs 1,69,950, and the Nikon Z6 + Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S + Mount Adapter FTZ Kit bears a price tag of Rs 2,26,950. Speaking of the Nikon Z6 with Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S Kit and the Nikon Z6 + Z6 Mount Adapter FTZ Kit, the former costs Rs 2,14,950 while the latter is priced at Rs 1,81,950.
Coming to the standalone cost of camera lenses and mount adapter, the Nikkor Z 24-70mm F/4 S bears a price tag of Rs 78,450, the Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S is priced at Rs 66,950, the Mount Adapter FTZ costs Rs 19,950 and the price of Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S is Rs 50,950.
The Nikon Z mount system comes with mirrorless cameras along with a large diameter mount and compatible ‘NIKKOR’ lenses and accessories. The Z mount system offers an entire range of high-performance lenses including a f/0.95 lens — which is the fastest in the company’s history.
The newly launched mount adapter is also compatible with NIKKOR F mount lenses — which adds to the number of choices for those who love photography.
The company also has plans to unveil new lenses that would extend its range of high-performance ‘NIKKOR Z’ lenses.
Speaking at the launch, Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director, Nikon India said, “The new products are designed to deliver a new standard of optical excellence embodying the technological brilliance in new mount and optics, yet retaining our renowned legacy, the mirrorless cameras brings imaging to new heights and challenges the norm. With features that offer creative possibilities the cameras deliver an unparalleled standard of optical brilliance that are sure to delight a photographer’s fancy. Packed with powerful features, all the products showcase Nikon’s legendary craftsmanship that will empower users to expand the realm of photographic capabilities.”
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Fujifilm X-T3 compact mirrorless camera launched in India: Price, specs and more
After being launched globally this month, the Fujifilm X-T3 has made its way to India. The mirrorless camera falls in the premium segment and competes with latest announcements from rivals like Nikon and Canon.
The Fujifilm X-T3 body-only costs Rs 1,17,999 and the 18-55mm lens kit bears a price tag of Rs 1,49,999. The X-T3 accessory has to be bought seperately at Rs 25,999. T
he compact mirrorless camera by Fujifilm comes with a newly-developed back-illuminated 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor clubbed with a X-Processor 4 image processing engine. According to Fujifilm, the processing speed of the camera is nearly 3 times faster than that of the models that are currently available. The company also claims that Fujifilm X-T3 is the first ever APS-C mirrorless camera that can capture 4K/60fps 10-bit videos.
The X-Processor 4 image processing engine used in Fujifilm X-T3 allows the camera to carry out functions like ‘Color Chrome Effect’ and ‘Monochrome Adjustment’. And the 26.1-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor sports 2.16 million phase detection pixels — which, according to the company, are 4 times the pixels present in current models. This expands the phase detection AF area to the entire sensor — which means that phase detection AF can accurately be used even on subjects that are placed away from the centre of the frame of the camera.
The low-light auto-focus limit has also increased from -1EV to -3EV. This enables the camera to use phase detection AF even in areas that are lowly-lit.
The Fujifilm X-T3 compact mirrorless camera features a high-resolution 3.69-million-dot EVF that comes with a high magnification ratio of 0.75x. While the display time lag is 0.005 seconds, the camera has a refresh rate of approximately 100 frames per second.
The newly launched mirrorless camera also has a ‘Sports Viewfinder mode’ that enables it to capture subjects that are moving. There is also a new ‘Pre-shoot’ feature which enables the camera to begin shooting a scene when the user half-presses the shutter button and record it when the button is completely pressed.
The company has said that the camera sensor has a 1.5 times faster read speed than that of other models. It is because of this that the camera can do fast 17ms reading of 4K/60P video. Furthermore, with reduced rolling shutter distortion, camera can better record fast-moving subjects.
Speaking on the launch of Fujifilm X-T3, Mr Haruto Iwata, Managing Director, Fujifilm India said, “It is a proud moment for us to announce the much-awaited Fujifilm X-T3 mirrorless digital camera in the same year which marks our 10th anniversary in India. As we celebrate this success today, we are also gearing up for the next big leap towards new goals, one of which is to achieve 30% Market Share in the Indian Mirrorless Market in the next 3-4 Years. X-T3 is our step towards that endeavor and we at Fujifilm are confident that the new X-T3 will receive the same recognition and acceptance received by its predecessors. We strongly believe that in the next five years demand for mirrorless cameras will surpass that of DSLRs. We will continue to bring the best of technology and innovation to our consumers at the best possible price point.”
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Uber launches ‘Gift Cards’ in India for Uber Eats and Uber rides
With the festive season coming up, Uber on Tuesday launched a new ‘Gift Card’ model for its customers. These Gift Cards that are being offered by the company can be redeemed for Uber Rides as well as Uber Eats. The value of Uber Gift Cards range from Rs 500 and goes up to Rs 10,000 and customers can purchase them via Paytm or Woohoo.
It has been revealed by the San Francisco based company that Qwikcilver is the official issuer of these Gift cards. As we mentioned earlier, these cards can be bought by Uber users for their contacts either on Paytm or on Woohoo. There are six denominations of Gift Cards that are available including Rs 500, Rs 1,000, Rs 2,000, Rs 3,000, Rs 5,000, and Rs 10,000.
Those who receive these Gift Cards can use them to order food via Uber Eats or simply for Uber rides. If you choose to get the Gift Cards from Paytm, you can use the promo code GIFT05 to get a cashback worth Rs 100.
And if you happen to receive a gift card, you can redeem it by going to the ‘Payments’ section in your Uber app and then select ‘Add Payment Method’. Once you do this, choose the option of Gift Card and then enter the code. Uber credits would then be added to your account.
Note that the validity of Uber Gift cards is 36 months from the date of when they are activated. If you have balance remaining even after 36 months are over, you will not be able to use it as it shall expire. But on the upside, there are no rigid rules about using the balance of a particular Gift Card partially or completely. However, you can only redeem them in Indian cities.
Speaking about the newly launched model, Madhu Kannan, Uber’s Chief Business Officer for India and Emerging Markets said, “The upcoming festive season gives us the perfect opportunity to launch the Uber Gift Card, a first-of-its-kind initiative combining fantastic offers across food and transportation at the tap of a button. Paytm has been a long-standing partner in bringing technology-enabled convenience to the Indian consumer, and we’re proud to take this partnership a step further with our first Uber Gift Card offering in India.”
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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 burst into flames in New York-based woman’s bag: Report
Last month, Samsung launched its latest flagship phablet Galaxy Note 9 with a massive 4,000mAh battery. And before anybody could recall the Galaxy Note 7 debacle that happened in 2016, CEO DJ Koh clarified that Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s battery is completely safe. He was quoted saying about the battery that engineers at Samsung had full confidence in its safety. He further said that users of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 did not have to worry about the battery at all.
But Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s battery seems to have gotten trouble for the company just a month after the phablet was launched. A woman has reportedly claimed that her Samsung Galaxy Note 9 caught fire inside her purse.
According to a report in New York Post, Diane Chung, resident of Long Island has filed a lawsuit against the technology giant that alleges that her Samsung Galaxy Note 9 burst into flames inside her purse while she was in an elevator of Bayside building.
After her phone became extremely hot while she was in the elevator, Chung stopped using it and kept it inside her bag. The report further states that she heard ‘whistling’ and ‘screeching’ sounds from her bag, which was followed by smoke coming out of it.
According to the lawsuit, when she tried to put her bag on the floor to empty it, she burnt her fingers and because the smoke was so thick, her visibility was also compromised.
She kicked the phone out of the elevator once it reached the lobby and the door opened. This ended when a ‘good Samaritan’ took note of the burning smartphone and put it in a bucket of water.
Chung has described the entire incident as ‘traumatic.’ She even went on to disclose that the fire that erupted spoiled everything else that was kept in her purse.
With her lawsuit, Chung is demanding unspecified damages and wants Samsung Galaxy Note 9 sales to be stopped.
New York Post also quoted Samsung speaking on the matter. The company reportedly said, “We have not received any reports of similar incidents involving a Galaxy Note 9 device and we are investigating the matter.”
Back in 2016, Samsung Galaxy Note 7 had to be recalled after a number of units exploded in different parts of the world. The reason behind these explosions was a fault in the battery of the phablet by Samsung.
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Sony Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TVs launched in India: Price, specs and more
One among the most popular products from Sony are its televisions from the BRAVIA series. And the company just took the lineup from the series to a new level by launching its Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TV range in India.
The television series come with a Netflix calibrated mode and have a built-in microphone that allows users to search using just their voice. This makes the search experience hands-free as users can simply say out loud to the TV to play TV shows, movies and more.
The new Sony OLED TVs run Android 8.0 Oreo and also have a TV center speaker mode that can work with home theater systems.
While the Bravia KD-55A9F comes with a 55-inch screen and is priced at Rs 3,99,000, the Bravia KD-65A9F sports a 65-inch display and costs Rs 5,59,990. Both the models of Sony televisions will be going on sale in India starting September 20.
According to the company, Sony Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TV range comes with X1 Ultimate image processor that is said to intelligently detect objects in the picture. It does so using the company’s new object based super resolution mechanism that is claimed to enhance accuracy. The new televisions also come equipped with pixel contrast booster. With these features onboard, the new range of televisions from Sony can deliver better 4K HDR picture quality and enhanced contrast.
The Sony Master Series A9F Bravia OLED TVs also come with Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology that accommodates multi-dimensional sound and according to the company, can create a rich sound field with three actuators and two subwoofers facing sideways.
The new range of televisions has multi-lingual support. They can support 11 Indian and 14 international languages.
The company’s new offerings sport a single slate design and have only one stand at the back.
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Samsung to launch a Galaxy device on October 11th
Right after we saw its latest phablet from the Note series, Samsung has sent out invitations hinting the launch of another device next month. The invite reads ‘4x the fun.’ and further mentions that it is ‘A Galaxy Event’ which will be held on October 11. There is no time or venue mentioned on the invite, but it does say that the event will be live-streamed on the company’s official website Samsung.com.
According to CNET, the invite says that “Samsung’s newest Galaxy device is bringing more ways to express yourself than ever before.”
However, there is no further indication about what Samsung plans to unveil on the said date.
There are a number of possible announcements that Samsung may have planned for October. We might get to see the launch of an updated detachable Galaxy Book, or the Samsung Chromebook that recently surfaced online.
Rumours of a foldable smartphone by Samsung have also been doing rounds, so we cannot rule out that too. But what probably fits the best is the smartphone with four cameras — considering that the invite reads ‘4x the fun.’ Reports about Samsung’s smartphone with four cameras first came out in July.
The smartphone is said to be a part of Samsung Galaxy A (2019) series and will come with triple rear cameras and an in-display fingerprint sensor. The report further claimed that among the three cameras of the smartphone one lens will come with variable aperture, one will be a super-wide angle lens, and the last one will be a telephoto lens.
However, as of now, it is only being guessed what the company has up its sleeve for its October 11 event as there is no official word from Samsung mobile about it. We cannot be sure until the event – which is scheduled exactly a month after Apple’s flagship event in which the Cupertino based technology giant unveiled its latest iPhones along with the Apple Watch Series 4.
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Price Drop: Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s get price cut in India
There is good news for Apple fans. Keeping up with its tradition, the company has slashed the prices of its older iPhone variants right after launching its new flagship lineup. The pricing for older iPhones have gone down globally as well as in India. The devices to get a price cut include iPhone 6s, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.
Note that iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone X have been discontinued in the US. However, in India, only the iPhone SE has been discontinued and the others are available to buy at reduced prices.
The iPhone lineup in India now starts with the base variant of iPhone 6S — which is priced at Rs 29,900. The price of the 128GB storage version of the device has been brought down to Rs 39,900. The bigger screen sibling of the device — iPhone 6S Plus — has also received a price cut and its 32GB variant is now available for Rs 34,900, whereas its 128GB storage version costs Rs 44,900.
Speaking of Apple‘s tenth anniversary smartphone — the 64GB storage variant is available for Rs 91,900 and the price of the 256GB version has been reduced to Rs 1,06,900. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus — which were also launched last year — have received price cuts too. The 64GB and 256GB versions of iPhone 8 are now available for Rs 59,900 and Rs 74,900 respectively. Speaking of the bigger screen sibling, the 64GB storage version of iPhone 8 Plus is priced at Rs 69,900 and the 256GB storage variant costs Rs 84,900.
If you are somehow interested in buying the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, they are available at discounted prices too. iPhone 7’s 32GB storage version now costs Rs 39,900 and the 128GB storage model is priced at Rs 49,900. As for the iPhone 7 Plus smartphone, its base variant is now available for Rs 49,900, and its 128GB storage version costs Rs 59,900.
However, if you don’t want to settle for these and want to only buy either iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max, you would have to wait till September 28. And if you are intending to buy the iPhone Xr, then you have to wait a little longer as that will go on sale in India on October 26.
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Apple Watch Series 4 unveiled with a revamped design and built-in EKG scanner
Apple has unveiled its Apple Watch Series 4 at an event at Steve Jobs Theatre today. The smartwatch series has got its first ever design overhaul ever since it was first showcased by Apple over three years ago.
The smartwatch’s display is bigger than the previous versions as Apple Watch Series 4 sports thinner bezels. Described as an ‘intelligent guardian for your health,’ the Apple Watch Series 4 comes with an ECG functionality that has US FDA’s ‘De Novo’ classification.
That’s not all, Apple’s new smartwatch has a number of other features that — to put it in Apple’s words — make it the ultimate health and fitness watch.
Apple Watch Series 4 specifications
To begin with, Apple Watch Series 4 display is 30% larger than Apple Watch Series 3’s and comes in two casing options — 40mm and 44mm. Apple Watch Series 4 comes with a nearly edge-to-edge design and has a renewed placement of its microphone to reduce echo. The new smartwatch by Apple comes with three new watch faces based on fire, water, and vapour effects.
Apple Watch Series 4 runs the new Apple S4 SoC that comes with a 64-bit dual-core processor and a new GPU — promising a two times faster performance than Series 3. The new smartwatch by Apple comes with next-gen accelerometer and has a gyroscope with up to 32 g-forces and up to 2x dynamic range. The Apple Watch Series 4 is powered by latest watchOS 5 and has the UI which has been optimised for the smartwatch’s larger display.
There are changes in the Digital Crown of the watch too. Apple Watch Series 4’s Digital Crown comes with haptic feedback. This helps navigating various apps a lot easier.
The microphone of the Apple Watch Series 4 has been moved away from its speaker — and this, according to Apple, will reduce the amount of echo.
Apple Watch Series 4 can detect falls and once it does so, it immediately alerts concerned emergency services and SOS contacts. It will also notify users about low heart rate and atrial fibrillation. But the most revolutionary change that it has is the fact that it lets users carry out an electrocardiogram. This feature makes Apple Watch Series 4 the first ECG product offered over the counter directly to consumers. Users can save the ECG results in Health app of the iPhone and can further share them in the form of a PDF.
Price and availability
The non-cellular variant of Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS only) is priced at $399, whereas the GPS and cellular version is priced at $499. Apple Watch Series 4 will go on pre-orders starting September 14 and will first go on pre-orders in 26 markets starting September 21. Speaking of watchOS 5, it will be available starting September 17. Note that Apple Watch Series 3 has also received a price cut and is now available at $279.
Apart from Silver and Space Grey, Apple Watch Series 4 will also be available in Gold stainless finish.
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Apple iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR launched: India price, specifications and more
The wait is over for Apple fans! The technology giant has finally taken the wraps off its this year’s flagship smartphones. And as rumour suggested, the company has unveiled three new iPhones, namely – Apple iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
Although the design of the three newly launched iPhones is similar to the iPhone X, what sets them apart is the different features that they are packed with. It is also worth noticing that with its new line up, Apple has finally let go of its design that became so popular with iPhone 6 and continued to be a rage among smartphones till iPhone X was launched last year.
Apple iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max specifications
The first major highlight in the specifications if iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max that we want to talk about is the fact that the handsets are Dual SIM Dual Standby. Both the smartphones will support eSIM cards even from providers like Airtel and Reliance Jio.
Powered by Apple A12 Bionic processor, iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max sport OLED HDR Super Retina displays that are claimed by the company to be more saturated and battery efficient. While iPhone XS comes with 5.8-inch display, iPhone XS Max sports a 6.5-inch screen. With A12 Bionic processor onboard, the devices promise a better augmented reality experience and are said to launch apps 30% faster than 2017 iPhones.
For imaging duties, both iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max come with a dual rear camera setup – comprising of a 12MP wide-angle lens with f/1.8 aperture and a 12MP telephoto lens with f/2.4 aperture. For selfies and video calls, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max sport a 7MP TrueDepth camera with f/2.2 aperture. The front facing snapper of the iPhones promises more depth in portrait images. In fact, with iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, you can adjust the blur level of the background of the images even after they have been clicked.
Both the iPhones are available in three storage options — 64GB, 128GB, and 512GB and run the iOS 12 software. The iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max come with IP68 water-resistance rating and come with Face ID unlock feature.
Speaking of battery life, iPhone XS is said to last 30 minutes longer and iPhone XS Max is claimed to last one and a half hours longer than iPhone X.
iPhone XR specifications
While most of the specifications of iPhone XR mobile are the same as that of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, there are some key things that are different. Firstly unlike iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max which sport OLED screens, iPhone XR comes with a 6.1-inch LCD screen with 1,792×828-pixel resolution. It has an aluminium body and a glass back panel and comes with a single 12MP wide angle rear camera with Optical Image Stabilization.
It comes in three storage options — 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The smartphone comes with IP67 water resistance instead of IP68 like iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max and its battery life is said to be 1.5 hours more than that of iPhone 8 Plus.
Much like iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR is powered by A12 Bionic processor and runs iOS 12 software. The device can be bought in six colours including blue, coral, yellow, white, black, and Project Red.
Price
The iPhone XS comes with a price tag of $999 for the base variant, $1,149 for 256GB version and $1,349 for the highest 512GB model. In India, the price of iPhone XS begins at Rs 99,900. Speaking of iPhone XS Max, the base variant is priced at $1,099, the 256GB version bears a price tag of $1,249 and the 512GB storage model costs $1,449. iPhone XS Max’s 64GB storage model is priced at Rs 1,09,900.
Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will go on pre-orders on September 14, and will ship starting September 21. In India, they will be available starting September 28.
Speaking of iPhone XR, the 64GB variant is priced at $749, the 128GB storage model at $799 and the 256GB version at $899. In India, the price of iPhone XR begins at Rs 76,900. The pre-orders for iPhone XR will begin on October 19 and it will start shipping from October 26 in over 50 countries including India.
Price update:
Apple iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max will be available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB capacity models in space grey, silver and a new gold finish starting at Rs 99,900 and Rs 109,900 MRP, respectively, through Apple Authorised Resellers.
Apple-designed accessories including leather and silicone cases in a range of colours will be available starting at Rs 3500, while the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max Leather Folio will be available for Rs 9,900.
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WhatsApp is now available on JioPhone: How to download
It was at its 41st Annual General Meeting that Reliance Industries announced that its JioPhone and JioPhone 2 will soon be getting support for apps like WhatsApp and YouTube. And obviously, the announcement did create a lot of stir. Though it was initially planned that JioPhone will be getting support for WhatsApp starting August 15, it has finally started rolling out today via JioStore. The app will be available to all JioPhone users by September 20.
JioPhone and JioPhone 2 users can now download WhatsApp for KaiOS by visiting the JioStore on the smartphone. Much like its Android and iOS versions, WhatsApp for KaiOS also has end-to-end encryption.
Using WhatsApp for KaiOS, users can hold one-to one conversations, make groups, and even record and send voice messages. However, unlike the Android and iOS versions, users cannot make payments via WhatsApp for KaiOS. The ability to make voice and video calls is also currently not present.
Here’s what you need to do if you have a JioPhone and wish to download WhatsApp for KaiOS on your device:
- Go to JioStore from the menu and look for WhatsAppin the list.
- Press install. Note that the app will only get installed on your device if your phone runs on the latest software update.
- Verify your mobile number on the app to get started.
US President Donald Trump tells Apple to manufacture products in US
US President Donald Trump has sent across a tweet to Apple indicating that it will be beneficial for the company to move its manufacturing plant to America. The tweet suggested that by doing this, the Cupertino based technology giant can avoid tariffs in the on-going trade dispute between United States and China. This comes right after reports of the price of Apple products going up surfaced.
The Trump administration in United States this summer started imposing a series of tariffs on goods that are made in China. However, till now, consumer electronics were not one among these items. This is set to change however, as there is a fair possibility that the latest proposed round of tariffs will include products from technology companies like FitBit, Apple and Sonos.
Last week, Apple had said in a statement that these tariffs would result in a 25% tax on its products that are shipped to the United States including Apple Watch, Apple Pencil, AirPods, HomePod, Mac Mini, etc. The company further said that this would mean an increase in the price of these products — as the cost will be passed to the customers.
It was right after this that the world woke up to US President Donald Trump’s tweet urging Apple to build new manufacturing plants in America. He further said that this could mean no tax and relocating would bring with itself other tax incentives.
It is notable that Apple assembles a number of its products in China. US President Donald Trump has been quoted saying earlier that Apple CEO Tim Cook has committed to building “three big plants, beautiful plants” in the United States. The company itself has also said that it will be investing hundreds of billions in domestic manufacturing will be hiring more workers for the same.
Moving manufacturing to United States may help Apple skip the tariffs, but the company’s products are not very likely to get any cheaper. The reason for this is that workforce in China is cheaper and plants producing individual components are situated closely to each other. So moving its manufacturing plant to US would only prove to be more costly for Apple.
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Moto G6 Plus launched in India: Price, specifications and more
The affordable segment of Indian smartphone market already has a number of key players competing. But that certainly did not stop Lenovo from launching its Moto G6 Plus in the said segment. The smartphone joins its siblings Moto G6 and Moto G6 Play, which were rolled out a few weeks back in June.
But there are certain factors that set it apart. It sports a bigger display, packs more RAM and is powered by a more powerful processor. It is notable that while the global variant of Moto G6 Plus comes with 4GB RAM, the one launched in India is backed by 6GB of RAM.
Moto G6 Plus Specifications
Speaking of the specifications of the device, Moto G6 Plus mobile features a 5.93-inch full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Android 8.0 Oreo based smartphone is powered by 2.2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 630 processor clubbed with 6GB RAM and Adreno 508 GPU. The company has said that the smartphone will be receiving an update for Android Pie soon. The Moto G6 Plus smartphone has 64GB onboard storage and can hold a microSD card of up to 128GB.
For imaging duties, Moto G6 Plus comes with a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary sensor. While the primary sensor of the device comes with f/1.7 aperture, the secondary sensor has an f/2.2 aperture. On the front panel, there is an 8MP camera for selfies and video calls. The smartphone houses a 3,200mAh battery which comes with support of Motorola’s TurboPower adaptor – which is claimed to give a usage time of up to 7 hours with just 15 minutes of charging time.
Connectivity options of the smartphone include 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C, NFC and 3.5mm audio jack. It has a standard set of sensors.
Moto G6 Plus Price
Moto G6 Plus mobile is available only storage variant in India, and will be priced at Rs 22,499. The smartphone will be available to buy on Amazon.in, Moto Hubs, and the company’s offline retail partners.
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Google Pixel 3 to launch on October 9: What to expect?
Google has announced the date for its upcoming hardware event: October 9. The technology giant is expected to launch its flagship devices Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL at the event. The invites that have been sent out indicate that the event is in New York on October 9 at 8:30pm IST.
Although the invite doesn’t say what Google will be launching on October 9, the GIF released by the company only says “I <3 NY”. So it’s obvious that the 3 in the invite indicates Pixel 3 and NY means that the event will be held in New York.
Speaking about the smartphones, Google Pixel 3 mobile will feature a 5.5-inch display and will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. The smartphone will house a 2,915mAh battery.
But it will be the bigger sibling – Google Pixel 3 XL – that will come with a host of changes. To begin with, the smartphone is expected to come with a glass back panel and will sport wireless charging capabilities. It will reportedly feature a 6.7-inch QHD+ display and much like Pixel 3, will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Google Pixel 3 XL is expected to sport dual rear front cameras and will reportedly pack a 3,430mAh battery.
Both the smartphones will run on Android 9.0 Pie. Besides the smartphones, here are other ‘Made by Google’ devices that are expected to be showcased by the company on its October 9 event:
- Google Pixelbook 2: Although there is no surety that we’ll get to see the Google Pixelbook 2 at the October 9 event, it is definitely expected. And it is actually the perfect time for Google to release a refreshed version of the Pixelbook this year. The new Pixelbook 2 is said to come with a fingerprint sensor, a 4k display with thinner bezels and improved internals.
- Second generation Pixel buds: Another device from Google that is expected on October 9 is the second generation Google Pixel Buds. The Pixel Buds that were previously rolled out by the company have definitely gone up a few notches in terms of performance after they got a few updates, but with a refreshed version, Google can add a number of new features like Google Translate functionality and the ability to go fully wireless.
- Google Smart Display: Announced recently at I/O 2018, Google Smart Display is the technology giant’s answer to the Amazon Echo Show. Till now, we have only seen Smart Displays that have been made by third party manufacturers like the Lenovo Smart Display. Although there is no official word about it, but the company can launch the first Google-made Smart Display that will also be powered by Google Assistant.
Vivo V11 Pro with in-display fingerprint sensor launched in India: Price, specs and more
In-display fingerprint sensors seem to be Vivo’s newest love. We have so far seen the feature in Vivo X21 and the company’s recently launched flagship Vivo Nex. And now, the company has launched a new smartphone with in-display fingerprint sensor – Vivo V11 Pro.
Besides this, the newly launched smartphone by Vivo also comes with a ‘waterdrop’ display notch. Keeping up with the government’s Make in India initiative, the company announced that Vivo V11 Pro is being made in its Greater Noida factory.
It is notable that the smartphone were launched in Thailand just yesterday and after being rolled out in India, it will foray into other markets too.
Specifications
The dual SIM Vivo V11 Pro runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with Funtouch OS 4.5 and features a 6.41-inch full-HD+ Super AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The Vivo V11 smartphone sports a Halo FullView display that has a waterdrop-style notch on top and has a screen to body ratio of 91.27%.
Powered by a 2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor coupled with 6GB RAM, the smartphone has 64GB internal storage and has a microSD card slot. The smartphone’s storage can be expanded up to 256GB by adding a microSD card, however, it is notable that Vivo V11 has a hybrid dual-SIM slot.
For imaging duties, Vivo V11 Pro mobile comes with a dual rear camera setup with 12MP and 5MP sensors and a 25MP front facing camera for selfies and video calls. Note that the front facing camera of the smartphone supports Face Unlock and AI enabled features and the dual rear cameras come with AI scene recognition. The camera apps of the smartphone also come with FunMojis — that enable users to have a personalised animated avatar that they can share with their friends.
And as we mentioned earlier, it comes with an in-display fingerprint sensor rather than a fingerprint sensor built on its hardware.
Vivo V11 Pro houses a 3,400mAh battery that comes with ‘dual-engine’ fast charging support. Connectivity options of the smartphone include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 and a micro-USB port.
Speaking of the smartphone’s dimensions, Vivo V11 Pro measures 157.9x75x7.9mm and weighs 156 grams.
Price and availability
Vivo V11 Pro comes in two colour variants — Dazzling Gold and Starry Night. The smartphone has been priced at Rs 25,990 and will be exclusively available on Amazon India’s website. The pre-orders for the smartphone begin today and it will first go on sale on September 12. As a part of the launch offers, the company is offering Rs 2,000 cashback from HDFC bank and Rs 4,500 cashback from Jio. Customers can also avail one-time screen replacement for free.
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Olympics chief Thomas Bach turns down violent esports
In July this year, the International Olympic Committee had announced that it would be a part of an Esports Forum. This was supposed to involve panel discussions, interviews and roundtable conferences with an aim of bringing Esports to Olympics one day. The said forum led to the formation of Esports Liaison Group, which got together the IOC and the Global Association of International Sports Federations.
While that sounded like a positive move, the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has voiced his opinion against including violent e-sports in Olympic Games unless some changes are made. On the occasion of Asian Games 2018, Associate Press quoted Bach saying, “We cannot have in the Olympic program a game which is promoting violence or discrimination. “So-called killer games. They, from our point of view, are contradictory to the Olympic values and cannot therefore be accepted.”
While sports like boxing, wrestling, judo, hockey are a part of Olympics, Bach — who is a former Olympic fencing champion himself — is of the opinion that combat sports are different. Although he did accept that all combat sports stem from actual fighting, he did defend his opinion by saying that, “sport is the civilized expression about this. If you have egames where it’s about killing somebody, this cannot be brought into line with our Olympic values.”
However, he did not clarify what all esports he is talking about when he talks about the ‘killer games’ category. Nevertheless, it is notable that most multiplayer competitive games come with violence that is highly stylized and is often inflicted by one mythical creature to another.
Even though we may not get to see the likes of Overwatch, League of Legends, and Dota 2 at Olympics because that IOC may find them too violent, we can fully expect games like Hearthstone or Rocket League.
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This is when the OnePlus 6T will be launched
OnePlus 6 has been doing wonderfully well in India, which is why it became the leading smartphone being sold in the premium segment. The company has gone ahead and put out teasers of its next smartphone launch, which will be on January 15, 2019. The smartphone in all likelihood will be the ‘T’ version of its flagship series. It is also a known fact that the next version of the smartphone will be 5G ready, since OnePlus’s CEO Pete Lau had already announced it at Mobile World Congress 2018.
We were contemplating that the upgrade to the OnePlus 6 will launch towards the mid-end of 2018 but with this teaser from the company on the Chinese Social networking site Weibo has hinted that the next version will come in 2019 not before that. Some reports also suggest that the company might ditch the ‘T’ version this time and move on to OnePlus 7 variant all together. However, we don’t think so, a ‘T’ version is needed and the next upgrade should be OnePlus 6T.
Then there is the case of some reports that are strongly suggesting that that this teaser is for OnePlus 7 only and 6T still will be launched in 2018. This was sparked when an OnePlus forum moderator did confirm that an official OnePlus 6T version is in the making and will be launched soon. Price indications point to a $550 price tag, which will be around Rs 38,500 in the Indian market.
However, nothing is concrete at the moment and there still might be changes. But one thing is for certain, that this whole debate of would they won’t they has brought the company again into limelight. We will be closely watching this and will bring you the latest updates, so stay tuned.
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Apple September 12 iPhone launch event: What all to expect
Apple fans have a reason to rejoice! The Cupertino based technology giant has finally sent out invites for its annual event during which it launches iPhones. The 2018 version of iPhones will be unveiled to the world on September 12 in the event that will be held at Steve Jobs theatre. The company has given out no word on what it plans to launch, and all analysts have got down to decoding that what the Tim Cook led besides the iPhones could be launched by Apple on September 12.
We have made a list of everything that you can expect at Apple’s September 12 event:
- Three iPhones: What tops the list is obviously the three new iPhones that Apple is all set to launch. If reports are to be believed, then Apple will be launching a 5.8-inch iPhone, a 6.5-inch ‘Plus’ model, and a 6.1-inch iPhone. All three are expected to come with wireless charging and come with 18-watt power adapter. The smartphones will be powered by the all new A12 Bionic processor and are expected to sport improved cameras. While the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch versions may come with OLED screens, the 6.1-inch variant is expected to feature an LCD screen. It has also been reported that the OLED models will come with 512GB storage option.
- New Apple Watch: Since it showcased the first ever Apple Watch in 2014, Apple has launched a new version in its annual September event – with 2015 being the only exceptional year. And this time, we fully to see the Apple Watch Series 4 at the event. The new Apple Watch is expected to be available in two sizes and both will come with a new S4 system-on-chip. The Apple Watch Series 4 will come with thinner bezels and hence – a bigger display. The new Apple Watch is also expected to come with improved health sensors and will be available in both LTE and Wi-Fi models.
- Redesigned iPad Pros: We fully expected to see the revamped version of iPad Pro in WWDC 2018, but Apple chose not to launch it in spring. Now, it is only natural to see them at the September 12 event. The revamped iPads are expected to come in two sizes — 11 inches and 12.9 inches –and sport smaller bezels. They would also not have a Touch ID and will feature the Face ID instead.
- Second generation Airpods: The second generation AirPods by Apple may be dubbed AirPods 2 and if rumours in various reports are true, they come with Siri-integration and are water resistant. A longer battery life, better noise cancellation and an enhanced sound quality are expected from the AirPods 2. Although they are expected to be unveiled at this year’s event, some reports also point towards the possibility of them being launched in 2019.
Yu Ace smartphone with 4,000mAh battery launched in India: Price, specifications and more
Micromax’s subsidiary Yu Televentures has launched its Yu Ace smartphone in India. The entry level smartphone has impressive specifications for its price range including a massive 4,000mAh battery, a display aspect ratio of 18:9, face unlock and is powered by Android 8.1 Oreo.
The company has also said that Yu Ace will be getting an upgrade to Android Pie. With Yu Ace, Micromax has launched a smartphone after almost a year. The last phone launched by the company was Yu Yureka 2 in September 2017.
Specifications
Micromax Yu Ace smartphone features a 5.45-inch HD+ (720×1440 pixels) display with an aspect ratio of 18:9. The smartphone has support for dual-SIM cards and runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the company’s own Steroid Launcher. Powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6739 processor clubbed with 2GB RAM, the Yu Ace smartphone comes with 16GB internal storage.
The highlight among the specifications is the smartphone’s 4,000mAh battery. To our surprise, Yu Ace comes with a removable battery — something that is no longer common.
For imaging duties, the Yu Ace mobile comes with a 13MP rear camera clubbed with flash. For selfies and video calls, there is a 5MP front facing snapper. The smartphone has a fingerprint sensor on board and the company has also touted its Face Unlock feature.
Price and availability
The Yu Ace smartphone is priced at Rs 5,999 and it is can be bought from a Flipkart flash sale slated for September 6. Post that, the next flash sale will be held on September 13. The Yu Ace smartphone will be available in three colour variants — Charcoal Grey, Elektric Blue, and Rose Gold. Another storage variant of the smartphone — featuring 3GB RAM and 32GB onboard storage — will be rolled out at the end of next month. However, its pricing details remain unknown as of now.
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IFA 2018: What to expect from Samsung, Sony, Motorola and others
Keeping CES aside, IFA is one of the biggest annual tech shows in the world. And like every year, a host of technology companies are on their way to Berlin to showcase their latest gadgets. Before the event kicks off on August 31, we decided to list down everything that you can expect from IFA 2018:
Samsung: The South Korean technology giant will reportedly be showcasing an 8K QLED TV at IFA 2018. There are also reports that the Bixby Speaker that the company announced at Samsung Galaxy Note 9 launch will also be there for a closer look at the show. It is also expected to unveil its updated wireless devices at IFA 2018.
Sony: Sony’s plans for IFA 2018 involve bringing out its updated XZ3 smartphone. An image of the smartphone was recently leaked online and it looks nearly the same as Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium. So, an upgrade in specifications of the smartphone is expected. The company is also expected to showcase its upgraded music players from its Walkman range at IFA 2018.
Blackberry: According to several media reports, BlackBerry Key2 LE – a cheaper version of BlackBerry Key2 – will be unveiled at IFA 2018. The new model of the smartphone is expected to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor coupled with 4GB RAM and will house a 3,000mAh battery. In other words, its specifications are not as powerful as the BlackBerry Key2.
Huawei: Huawei is set to challenge its own P20 Pro smartphone by showcasing its Mate 20 lineup at IFA 2018. The Mate 20 lineup from Huawei also includes its Mate 20 Pro smartphone. While Huawei’s P series focuses on cameras and entertainment, the Mate series focuses on battery life and productivity. So we can say that the upcoming Huawei Mate 20 Pro is meant to be a ‘business phone’.
HTC: HTC has released a teaser – something U – for IFA 2018 and various leaks suggest that the company will be launching the HTC U12 Life at the tech expo. The smartphone is expected to come with a 6-inch display with 18:9 aspect ratio, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor clubbed with 4GB RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage. It will also come with a dual rear camera setup.
Motorola: Motorola is totally expected to unveil its iPhone X inspired P30 smartphone at IFA 2018. The smartphone was announced in China earlier this month, and IFA 2018 will be the perfect platform to showcase it globally.
Lenovo: Speaking about Lenovo, the company is expected to showcase its updated laptops. There is also a possibility of seeing a new ThinkPad at the IFA 2018.
Nokia: If rumours are correct, then HMD Global will be showcasing a new high-end smartphone powered by Snapdragon 845 — dubbed Nokia 9. It goes without saying that the smartphone is expected to come with other high end specifications too.
LG: Reports suggest that LG will be launching its new flagship smartphone — V40 ThinQ — which is said to sport five cameras in total. The company is also expected to showcase an exoskeleton robot that it has been teasing off late.
Dell: No guesses for this one. The company will be updating the specifications of its laptop and PC line-up for IFA 2018. Other innovations are also expected, but currently there’s no official word about it.
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Instagram rolls out new tools to curb spamming on its platform
Facebook-owned photo-sharing app Instagram has now come up with new features that are expected to bring more transparency to the platform. All the new features that have been launched indicate that Instagram is seriously trying to reduce the number of fake accounts and spamming on its platform. This is bound to make the app more user friendly for people. Here are the new features to look out for:
- About This Account: The name explains what the feature does, isn’t it? With this feature, whenever you see an advertisement on Instagram, you’ll be able to find out more about the account. General information about the account like its location, username changes in the past year among other details will be visible to the users, bringing in more transparency. Users would know that the accounts they interact with are exactly who they say they are. This would also stop any fake accounts from spreading misinformation.
- Support for third-party authentication apps: Soon, Instagram will enable its user to log into their Instagram accounts using third-party authentication apps. In order to do this, just click on the ‘Menu’ icon on your profile and then go to ‘Settings’. After this, scroll down and select ‘Two factor authentication’ and then click on ‘Authentication App’. Instagram will then send a code to the authentication app you have installed. All you have then have to do is retrieve the code from the app and enter it on Instagram and two factor authentication will be enabled on your account. This feature has started rolling out and will be available globally in a few weeks.
- Increased access to verification: Till now, the method of getting your Instagram account verified was not clear. But now, the app is changing that. Users can now initiate the process of getting a verified account via a form available on the platform. It can be requested for by visiting ‘Settings’ on your profile and choosing ‘Request Verification.’ Then, the user will be required to share their username, their full name, and their business/legal identification. However, don’t get your hopes too high because, according to Instagram, requesting for verification doesn’t guarantee that your account will be verified.
UE Wonderboom Freestyle Bluetooth speaker review: Louder than you can imagine
Ultimate Ears or UE is a sub brand of Logitech and they have been making some great audio accessories for mobile phones. The latest to come to the Indian soil is the UE Wonderboom Freestyle Bluetooth speaker that comes in a variety of colours. We call it the grenade design as it reminds us of a military grenade, especially when you look at the Avacado colour of this speakers.
So let’s start by talking about its design and built. The UE Wonderboom Freestyle Bluetooth speaker is a rugged BT speaker that can be dropped from a height of up to 5 feet and nothing will happen to it. We tried it couple of times and really it didn’t wither at all. Over that, this speaker has IPX7 rating, which means it can be submerged in water up to 1 meter for 30 minutes and it will still be able to play your favourite tunes after the dip. We tried that too and it worked as it worked before, just wipe the water off and play the tunes as is.
The power and BT buttons are located on the top along with the play and skip button, which is basically the logo of the device. The front features the volume up and down buttons which you cannot miss because of their exceptionally large size. The rear bottom part hides the charging port. Mesh cloth and rubber is what this device is made up of. It also comes with a hook loop in case you want to hang it somewhere around the house. Also, you can pair it with one more UE Wonderboom speaker to get that extra sound when throwing the party or having friends over on game night.
Setting it up was a no brainer and we were up and running in under a minute. Just turn on your mobiles Bluetooth, press the power button followed by the BT button on the speaker and pair the devices. Now for the fun part—its resonance. It is mind bogglingly loud. It is so loud that it can wake the neighbours up. We did not expect this much sound from a small device like this. The bass is thumpy and the highs are clear, lows not so much. The battery backup is good too, we got about 9.5 hours of playback from this device. All in all, a great buy for Rs 6,995 and oh yes, the wireless range for UE Wonderboom Freestyle Bluetooth speaker is 100 feet and it works through walls as well.
Pros: Good base, waterproof, Shock resistant
Cons: Low notes could have been better
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The power and BT buttons are located on the top along with the play and skip button, which is basically the logo of the device. The front features the volume up and down buttons which you cannot miss because of their exceptionally large size. The rear bottom part hides the charging port. Mesh cloth and rubber is what this device is made up of. It also comes with a hook loop in case you want to hang it somewhere around the house. Also, you can pair it with one more UE Wonderboom speaker to get that extra sound when throwing the party or having friends over on game night.
Setting it up was a no brainer and we were up and running in under a minute. Just turn on your mobiles Bluetooth, press the power button followed by the BT button on the speaker and pair the devices. Now for the fun part—its resonance. It is mind bogglingly loud. It is so loud that it can wake the neighbours up. We did not expect this much sound from a small device like this. The bass is thumpy and the highs are clear, lows not so much. The battery backup is good too, we got about 9.5 hours of playback from this device. All in all, a great buy for Rs 6,995 and oh yes, the wireless range for UE Wonderboom Freestyle Bluetooth speaker is 100 feet and it works through walls as well.
Pros: Good base, waterproof, Shock resistant
Cons: Low notes could have been better
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Samsung’s first Android Go smartphone – Galaxy J2 Core has been launched in India. The announcement about the smartphone was made at Google for India 2018 – Google’s annual event – in New Delhi. It is the first time that Samsung has partnered with Google to unveil an Android Go device. Samsung Galaxy J2 Core was announced in India last week and it runs Android 8.1 Oreo (Go Edition). It is also touted to enhance selfies with a dedicated Beauty mode.
Price and availability
Samsung Galaxy J2 Core is priced at Rs 6,190 and competes with the likes of Micromax Bharat Go and Lava Z61 – both of which are Android Go smartphones too. The smartphone is available in Gold, Blue and Black colour variants and can be bought from retail stores or Samsung’s eShop in the country.
Specifications
Samsung’s first Android Go smartphone features a 5-inch QHD TFT display and is powered by a quad-core Exynos 7570 processor clubbed with 1GB RAM. The smartphone comes with 8GB of internal storage and can hold a microSD card of up to 256GB.
For imaging duties, there is an 8MP primary camera with an f/2.2 aperture and an LED flash. There is a 5MP front facing snapper for selfies and video calls.
Samsung Galaxy J2 Core houses a 2,600mAh battery that is claimed to offer an all-day experience on a single charge. The smartphone comes with 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack as connectivity options. Note that the smartphone does not come with a fingerprint sensor or a face unlock feature.
Speaking about the company’s newly launched smartphone, Sumit Walia, Director of Mobile business at Samsung India said, “Galaxy J2 Core reiterates Samsung’s commitment towards meaningful innovations that delight our customers. We are pleased to integrate industry-first smart memory management solutions that allow apps or content on the memory card. We are also pleased to partner with Google in bringing the latest Android experience for entry-level smartphones with Oreo (Go Edition) on Galaxy J2 Core.”
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Google for India 2018: All you need to know
Technology giant Google’s fourth edition of ‘Google for India’ took place at an event in New Delhi today. As expected, there were a number of announcements that were made at Google’s annual event. India has the second largest population of internet users, and hence is a very important market for Google. Here are the key announcements that Google spoke about at its event today:
- Google Tez gets re-branded at Google Pay: The technology giant’s payment app Google Tez will now be rebranded to Google Pay. Google is eyeing to get over 15,000 retail stores in India and 2,000 online merchants on its Google Pay app by Diwali 2018. It also talked about its plans to bring rich interactions to its payment app. Businesses and merchants can also start using Google Pay to pay for Google Ads. Google Pay is also collaborating with Federal Banks, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank among others for loans. It is worth noticing that the app will only act as an intermediary and that the customer will only be able to get these pre-approved loans via banks. This feature will start appearing on Google Pay app in the next few weeks.
- Google Station to reach over 12,000 villages: Google announced today that it has joined hands with Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Ltd (APSFNL) to bring Google Station to over 12,000 villages, using the Station Wi-Fi model. This move by the technology giant will help in providing internet access to around 10 million people in the country. Prior to this, the company had partnered with RailTel and provided Wi-Fi access across 400 Indian railway stations.
- Google will promote Indian language content online with Project Navlekha: Another announcement that Google made today was that it is working with Indian language publishers and aims to bring online content that is more relevant to audience in the country. As of now, the amount of online content that is available in Indian languages is only 1% of that available in English. With its new Project Navlekha, Google aims to enable publishers working in Indian regional languages to bring their content online. Navlekha is a Sanskrit word that means ‘a new way to write’. According to Google, just with help of a simple application, publishers will be able to create web pages from scanned copies of pages. Google claims that among 135,000 of print publishers in India, 90% do not have a website. With Project Navlekha, it eyes to change that with an AI tool that will render any PDF file with Indian language content into editable text.
- Users to get the option of listening to web pages: At its Google for India conference, Google has also announced a number of upcoming features for Google Go and Android (Go edition) OS. The key announcement was that Google’s AI based technology will enable users to “listen to webpages.” Users will now have two brand new features that they can access — bilingual news feed and audio playback. Basically, Google News Feed is set to become bilingual and will support both English and Hindi. In a few months, this feature will arrive on Google Go as well. And with the audio playback feature, users will be able to listen to webpages. The new feature by Google uses natural language processing and speech synthesis AI and can support 28 languages. Furthermore, users will be able to listen to web pages even if they are using a 2G connection.