This week in tech (October 22-October 28): A look at all that happened

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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This week in tech (October 22-October 28): A look at all that happened
It was an exciting week for the world of technology. Xiaomi launched two smartphones with 10GB RAM, the world saw the first ever smartphone that comes with 5G connectivity and WhatsApp got a much-awaited feature. The ‘affordable’ iPhone XR has gone on sale for the first time and Apple and Samsung got fined by Italy. Here’s a look at all that happened this week. Take a look:

iPhone XR has gone on sale in India

If you want to buy an iPhone from Apple’s new lineup, but found the pricing of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max to be too high, then iPhone XR is the smartphone for you. You can buy the device on Flipkart, Airtel Online Store and Jio’s website, or, if you prefer to shop for your gadgets offline, you can head to the likes of IndiaiStore, iWorld, Unicorn, and Imagine. Although it has been touted as Apple’s affordable smartphone, its base model with 64GB storage costs Rs 76,900 in India. If you wish to buy the variants with more storage, you will have to pay Rs 81,900 for the 128GB model and Rs 91,900 for the most high-end one that comes with 256GB storage.

WhatsApp gets a much-awaited feature

Stickers are a feature that WhatsApp users have been waiting for, for a long time. And if you were one such user, then your wait is now over. Stickers are now available on the Beta version of WhatsApp, for its both Android and iOS apps. They are also available on WhatsApp Web’s Beta version. The feature will soon come to the main version of the app and will be rolled out in a phased manner.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 smartphone launched

Yes that’s right. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is the first ever smartphone to come with 5G connectivity. The key specifications of the smartphone include Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, a massive 10GB of RAM, and 6.4-inch OLED touch screen. It comes with dual front cameras that are housed in a slider and also sports a dual rear camera setup. As of now, it has only been launched in China in three RAM and storage variants and there is no word when it is coming to India.

Two budget Asus smartphones go on sale in India

Asus ZenFone Lite L1 and the ZenFone Max M1 have gone on sale in India. Both the smartphones are priced under Rs 10,000. While Asus ZenFone Max M1 can be bought for Rs 8,999, Zenfone Lite L1 bears a price tag of Rs 6,999. As an introductory offer, Zenfone Max M1 is available for Rs 7,499 and the ZenFone Lite L1 for Rs 5,999. You can buy the smartphones exclusively from Flipkart.

Apple and Samsung fined by Italy

Apple and Samsung have been fined by Italy’s competition authority for “planned obsolescence” of their smartphones. While Apple has to pay massive $11.5 million as fine, Samsung has been fined with $5.7 million. The ruling is believed to be the first against smartphone manufacturers for encouraging OS updates for older phone models, which ultimately just slows them down or makes them obsolete. Most consumers ultimately have to purchase a new smartphone for themselves after older one that they are using becomes slow, thanks to the updates sent by the company.

Xiaomi Black Shark Helo smartphone launched

Xiaomi seems to be on a spree of launching devices with 10GB RAM. It’s Black Shark Helo smartphone comes in three RAM variants, with the most high-end having 10GB of RAM. Other key specifications of Xiaomi Black Shark Helo include Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, X+1 antenna and up to 256GB storage. The company has also announced a controller doc for the smartphone that it calls Black Shark Biplane Handle.

HTC’s Blockchain phone went up on pre-orders

HTC Exodus 1, which is being touted as the company’s Blockchain smartphone – is now up for preorders. What’s unusual about the phone is that it comes with a wallet called Zion that is ‘protected from the Android OS’. And this can be used to keep your cryptocurrency and tokens. The Blockchain phone from HTC also has a recovery mechanism that can be used in case the user loses his phone or misplace key information. Other key specifications of the device are Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. But what truly makes it unconventional is the fact that you can only pay for it using cryptocurrency.
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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 compact high-zoom camera in India: Price and specifications

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Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 compact high-zoom camera in India: Price and specifications
Sony India has expanded its Cyber-shot lineup in India with the launch of its new camera, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 compact high-zoom camera is claimed to have the “world’s smallest body” for its type and it has a range starting from 24mm that goes up to 720mm. The new camera by Sony comes with 4K video recording capabilities and has Bionz X image processing. The camera is priced at Rs 34,990 and will be available across all Alpha Flagship stores, Sony Center stores and other electronic retail shops in the country. If you are an interested buyer, you can get your camera on October 29. The camera by Sony comes with Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T High Magnification Zoom lens and as we mentioned earlier, its zoom range starts from 24mm and goes up to 720mm super-telephoto. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 camera sports a back-illuminated Exmor RTM CMOS sensor that comes with an effective resolution of 18.2MP.  Its optical SteadyShot enables image stabilisation on the camera its Zoom Assist function lets users zoom out temporarily so that they can see a wider area while they are shooting a subject from the 720mm telephoto end. The company has said that the newly launched camera can capture a 4K movie footage “with full pixel readout and no pixel binning.” Sony has also claimed the new models can shoot fast-moving subjects with high-frame rate HD recording at up to 100fps to produce impressive slow-motion sequences during editing. The camera has a Bionz X image processing engine clubbed with an LSI which is said to deliver high-speed continuous shooting at up to 10fps. It has a buffer limit of up to 155 images. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX800 has Bluetooth support that enables transfer to smartphones that come with Android 5.0 or higher and Bluetooth v.4 or higher. The device also works with iPhones starting with iPhone 4S and iPads starting with iPad generation 3. Other features of the camera include autofocus with only 0.09 seconds of speed, eye autofocus, touch focus/touch shutter function, sensitivity up to ISO 6400 for low-light photography and RAW format image recording. For enhanced selfie shots, there is a 180-degree tiltable LCD touchscreen.
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Samsung’s foldable phone, Galaxy S10 to be launched early next year: Report

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Samsung’s foldable phone, Galaxy S10 to be launched early next year: Report
Samsung fans have a lot to look forward to. According to a report in Bloomberg, the technology giant will be launching three new Galaxy S10 models along with the much talked about foldable phone early next year. Samsung Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10 Plus will reportedly feature curved OLED screens and will sport in-display fingerprint scanners. The Android smartphones will come with a triple rear camera setup and a front facing snapper that will be “visible and tucked under the screen.” As of now, there is little clarity on what it means, but reports suggest that the technology giant is working on placing the cameras beneath the display, in order to deliver an all-screen experience to users. The report also says that Samsung has made certain prototypes of its S10 smartphone without headphone jacks. However, we will have to wait for more details before we can say that the company has decided to eliminate them. The third S10 model that Samsung has been working on is supposedly an affordable variant of the phone. It is said to come without a curved screen and will not sport an in-display fingerprint sensor. An earlier report has suggested that this model would have a fingerprint scanner on its side edge. It is also being said that the company is planning to bring a 5G version of Galaxy S10 in the US and is in talks with Verizon Wireless for the same. A leaked code has revealed that Samsung has been working on a 5G Galaxy S10 model and its codename is ‘Beyond’. Coming to Samsung’s foldable smartphone, according to The Wall Street Journal, it has been codenamed ‘Winner’. The smartphone would not sport an in-display fingerprint sensor, considering it will be difficult to incorporate it because of technical issues. The report in The Wall Street Journal also said that the smartphone will be around 7-inches diagonal when unfolded. It is being said that Samsung is deciding whether the smartphone should fold vertically or horizontally, but we don’t think it is credible considering that the technology giant has suggested that it may showcase the device at its developer conference that is scheduled for next month.
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OnePlus 6T specifications leaked again ahead of launch

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OnePlus 6T specifications leaked again ahead of launch
Just a few more days are remaining for the launch of OnePlus 6T and the rumour mill about the smartphone cannot come to a rest. Earlier this week, we had compiled all the specifications and the expected pricing details of the device and today, the specifications of the device have been leaked again on Twitter by tipster Ishan Agarwal. One of the key things that the latest leak confirms is the fact that OnePlus 6T will run Android 9.0 Pie. In the specifications that were listed earlier on German retailer Otto said Android 8.1 Oreo instead of Pie, something that we thought was very unlikely. According to the new leak, OnePlus 6T will sport a 6.4-inch Optic AMOLED display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. The display is protected by Gorilla Glass 6 and the smartphone comes with a screen-to-body ratio of 86%. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor with Adreno 630 GPU, OnePlus 6T will come with 8GB of RAM. Although we are expecting other RAM options, till now, there is no word on them. The device will feature dual rear cameras with 16MP and 20MP sensors, both of which come with f/1.7 aperture. For selfies and video calls, there will be a 20MP sensor with f/1.7 aperture on the front panel. The camera app that has feature like Face Unlock, HDR, OIS, Panorama mode, and more. The leak further reveals the device to come with 128GB storage and house 3,700mAh battery. Things that have been confirmed by the company include the presence of an in-display fingerprint sensor, the fact that OnePlus 6T would replace its 3.5mm headphone jack with a Type-C port and also that it would not be dust or water resistant as it will come without an IP rating. OnePlus 6T will also have no support for wireless charging. A camera sample clicked from the phone was also shared by the company’s CEO on Weibo a few days back. OnePlus 6T is all set to launch globally on October 29 and in India on October 30. It is worth noticing that the company preponed its global event, which was earlier scheduled for October 30, so that it doesn’t clash with Apple’s even on the same day. Image courtesy: Ishan Agarwal’s Twitter profile
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Apple iPhone XR is set to go on sale in India today: 5 launch offers that you can avail

Avani Bagga
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Apple iPhone XR is set to go on sale in India today: 5 launch offers that you can avail
The ‘affordable’ smartphone in Apple’s this year’s flagship lineup, iPhone XR, is set to go on sale in India at 6PM today. So if you want to buy a new iPhone but found the pricing of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max to be too high, then iPhone XR is the smartphone for you. It is going on sale in India in the first wave and it will also be launched in 50 other countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Singapore, New Zealand, France, Hong Kong, Greece, etc. iPhone XR has been up for pre-orders on a number of platforms since October 19. You can buy the iPhone XR on Flipkart, Airtel Online Store and Jio’s website, or, if you prefer to shop for your gadgets offline, you can head to the likes of IndiaiStore, iWorld, Unicorn, and Imagine. Although it is available at a lesser price than iPhone XS, the two smartphones do have some common specifications including the A12 Bionic processor and the primary camera. However, it comes with an LCD Liquid Retina display instead of iPhone XS’ OLED one and comes with only one camera at the back. Here’s a look at the pricing details and launch offers you can avail if you want to buy the device. iPhone XR price in India The iPhone XR mobile comes in three storage variants in the country. The base model, that comes with 64GB storage, is priced at Rs 76,900, the 128GB storage varinat bears a price tag of Rs 81,900 and the most high-end version, with 256GB of storage, costs Rs 91,900. Customers will have a number of colour options to choose from including Black, Blue, Coral, PRODUCT (RED), White, and Yellow. iPhone XR launch offers in India

IndiaiStore

Apple‘s official offline partner in India, IndiaiStore, is offering no-cost EMI plans with Bajaj FinServ, a 5% cashback for Citibank credit card and Axis Bank credit/debit card holders who choose EMI plans and 5x reward points on non-EMI purchases made via Citibank or Axis Bank credit cards.

Airtel Online Store

You can also pick the iPhone XR from Airtel Online Store with a down payment of Rs 14,999. If you are looking to reduce your monthly tariff plans, you can opt for bundled postpaid plans that the telecom major is offering.

Jio.com

Jio’s scheme is similar to that of Airtel. It is also offering a 5% cashback on purchases made via Citibank/Axis Bank credit cards (with EMI plans) and a 5x reward points for non-EMI, regular purchases paid for by Citibank/Axis Bank credit cards.

Vodafone and Idea Cellular

Vodafone and Idea announced the availability of iPhone XR today and along with it, they revealed that they have certain offers for Vodafone Red and Idea Nirvana customers. If you have a rental plan of Rs 499 or above, you are eligible for buying the new iPhone on Vodafone or Idea’s official website and get it delivered to yourself within 48 hours post the sale begins. However, it is worth noticing that this is applicable only in select cities. Customers who buy the iPhone XR via Vodafone or Idea’s website will also get a 20% rental discount for a year.

Flipkart

If you choose to shop for iPhone XR on Flipkart, you can avail an exchange offer of up to Rs 16,000 with no-cost EMI that starts at Rs 2,555/month.
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WhatsApp ‘picks up’ another feature from Snapchat: 10 things to know

Avani Bagga
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WhatsApp ‘picks up’ another feature from Snapchat: 10 things to know
A much awaited feature has finally come to WhatsApp. No, we are not talking about the vacation and silent modes  or the update in Delete for Everyone that was recently reported about. We are talking about Stickers that have been long-awaited by users of the app. The company has started rolling out the feature with which we can add more fun elements to our chats. They are the same kind of stickers that we have sent on Snapchat to our friends or used in Instagram Stories. Going forward, you shall also be able to send them to your friends while chatting with them on WhatsApp. Here are 10 things you must know about WhatsApp’s latest feature:

Not available to all WhatsApp users yet

As of now, the stickers on WhatsApp are only available in Beta version of the app. If you have an Android smartphone, you need to have the beta version 2.18.239 of WhatsApp and iPhone users should update their WhatsApp Beta to version 2.18.100 in order to get the feature. Android users who can’t wait to use these stickers and are willing to become a beta tester of WhatsApp for them, can head straight to the app on Google Play Store. On scrolling down past the description and ‘Similar Apps’ section on Play Store they would see a panel that says ‘Become a Beta tester’. Select the ‘I’m in’ option, and when asked to confirm, press ‘Join’. In the next few hours, you would receive an update saying that you have become a beta tester of WhatsApp.

WhatsApp gets a dedicated Sticker Store

Like emojis and GIFs have their own separate section on WhatsApp, so do stickers. If you are a Beta user of the app, you can access the Stickers Store on WhatsApp by clicking on the emoji button on the chat bar and then the sticker button on the bottom bar. It is a square icon with rounded corners and on the Android app, it is placed right next to the GIF button.

You will get 12 sticker packs for free

Once you open the Sticker Store of WhatApp, you will see that ‘Cuppy’ stickers are available to you by default. On pressing the ‘+’ icon on the top right of the chat bar, you’ll be taken to a new tab called ‘All Stickers’. Here, there are 11 more sticker kinds that you can download for free. These include Cuppy by Minseung Song, Salty by Alisa Keyzhanovaska, Komo by Sanat Rath, Bibimbap Friends by Pete Ellison, Unchi & Rollie by nu1t, Shiba Inu by Aiko Kuninoi, The Maladroits by Cole Ott, Koko by Hanasake Pictures Inc, Hatch by Hatch, Fearless and Fabulous by Ann Shen, Banan by Jayde Fish and Biscuit by Ghostbot.

You can mark your favourite stickers

If you particularly love a sticker and don’t want to look for it each time you wish to use it; you can mark it as a favourite. For marking a sticker as your favourite, just long press on it in the Sticker Store. On doing this, WhatsApp will ask you if you would like to add it to your favourites and give two options – Cancel and Add. Select ‘Add’ and the sticker will get added to your Favourite tab which can be accessed by pressing the star icon on the top bar of your Sticker Section.

There is a tab that classifies stickers

Right next to the Favourites tab on your Sticker Section, there is a tab that has a heart icon on top. If you click on the heart, you will see that it automatically expands to show four icons – one of a sticker with a smile, one with the heart, one with a sad face and the last one with an exclamation mark. Here, you can find different stickers on the basis these different emotions. For instance, if you wish to tell your friend on chat that you are shocked by what they said, you need to go to the exclamation sticker in this tab. This reminded us of a similar tab we have used in Snapchat that classifies various Bitmoji stickers on the basis of emotions too.

You can check for recently used stickers

Did you just use a sticker that you really like but forgot to mark it as a favourite? No problem, you can still find it easily by clicking on the Clock icon on the top left of the cha bar in the Sticker Store. This is similar to finding recently used emojis on WhatsApp.

You can download new stickers

If the 12 free sticker packs that are available for free on WhatsApp not enough for you, you can download more. Click on the ‘+’ icon on the top right of the Sticker Store, go to ‘All Stickers’ and scroll down to the bottom. The Android app has an option ‘Get More Stickers’. On pressing this, you will be taken to Google Play Store where you can download additional stickers of your choice. Alternatively, just go straight to the Play Store and search for ‘WhatsApp Stickers’ to look for more sticker options for WhatsApp.

Available for WhatsApp Web

WhatsApp’s Sticker feature will be available for WhatsApp Web as well, provided the app is updated to the latest beta version.

Will be rolled out in a phased manner

As we mentioned earlier, the Sticker feature will be available for both Android and iOS versions of the app. Currently, it is in the Beta version of the app, but when it becomes available to all users, it will be rolled out in a phased manner, like most other WhatsApp features. So don’t worry if your friend gets it and you don’t.

The feature is already available on a few ‘rival’ apps

If you have been using other apps like Snapchat and Telegram, you would know that Stickers is hardly a new feature. On Snapchat, you cannot only send stickers, but Bitmoji too while you are texting your friends. The app also lets you make your own stickers out of pictures. On Telegram, an instant messaging app that has been gaining a lot of popularity off late, users are given suggestions of what stickers they can use on the basis of the emoji they select to send. So, if you choose the heart-eye emoji, the app will prompt you with various options of different stickers expressing the same emotion to send instead. Stickers are available on Instagram too, but can only be used in Stories.
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[Video] Lego Boost Unboxing And First Impressions: Children Will Love It

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[Video] Lego Boost Unboxing And First Impressions: Children Will Love It
Priced at Rs 13,999 on Amazon and Rs 10,000 on Flipkart, Lego Boost is the new tech toy by Lego in India. In this unboxing we show you what is inside the box and also how the app is used to make a Lego robot and its workings. Our first impressions are included too. 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 woman may have to pay over $1.6 million for using iPhone X

Avani Bagga
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This woman may have to pay over $1.6 million for using iPhone X
Russian politician, TV anchor, journalist, socialite and actress Kseniya Sobchak is reportedly paying Samsung $1.6 million for using her iPhone X. If that left you confused, you should probably know that she was hired by Samsung to market their smartphones in her country by using them in public. When an agreement of such sorts is struck between companies and influential people, they are usually not allowed to use the company’s competitors’ products when they are making a public appearance. According to a report in The Mirror, Sobchak used an Apple iPhone X during a television interview. She was also seen trying to conceal her iPhone X with a sheet of paper. But she did it while the camera was on. It has been reported that this is not the first time that Sobchak has been spotted using the iPhone X. It is said that she was seen using the smartphone social events in Moscow and a few other TV appearances. And this goes against the rules of the contract. Since she has been spotted with the smartphone a number of times, Samsung has reportedly sued Sobchak for 108 million rubles. Converted to US dollar, the amount is around $1.6 million, and in local currency, it is Rs 12,07,58,357. Although the amount that Samsung initially paid to Sobchak has not been disclosed, it is being said that the amount that is being recovered from her is more in value. However, a report in BBC states that Samsung has not sued Sobchak. According to a source who spoke to BBC, Sobchak uses an iPhone sometimes, but always tries not to show Samsung’s rival brand in front of the camera by using a folder or a cover on her smartphone. A representative from Samsung has reportedly said “All speculations on the lawsuits and fines are frivolous and nothing more than rumors. We do not comment on rumors.” In a conversation with RBC, Sobchak’s representative neither confirmed nor denied if Samsung wants to recover a certain amount of money from the Russian TV anchor and politician for using iPhone X while she was on camera.
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IMC 2018: Airtel showcases connected homes to self-driving drones

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IMC 2018: Airtel showcases connected homes to self-driving drones
Telecom major Bharti Airtel today unveiled a slew of futuristic 5G use cases at India Mobile Congress 2018. The digital technologies showcased by Airtel include a connected home, connected car, BVLOS autonomous drone, and more. The products are a part of the company’s Airtel 3.0 vision under which it aims to build networks and services that enrich lives of its customers. The telecom major said in a statement that it has set up an Airtel X Labs in Bengaluru which is meant for building 5G use cases for India and the world. At India Mobile Congress 2018, the company has showcased Airtel Connected Home, which is basically a “life size replica of a modern connected home with intelligent devices and appliances”. It uses Home IoT and is powered by 1Gbps V-Fiber link. Besides Airtel Connected Home, the telecom company also showcased its upcoming Android DTH STB. According to Airtel, Android DTH STB “brings the world of digital content to the home”. The company has also said that it will act as the home IoT gateway. Airtel has also developed a multi-screen video platform which enables users to play content across devices. Speaking of Airtel Connected Cars, the company claimed that they show “how IoT can empower drivers through auto telemetry, which will capture and push data related to key parameters of the car and its functioning in real time.” The telecom major has also announced a partnership with Huawei to build AR based Holographic Communication for 5G. Apart from this, both the companies together showcased a virtual iPAD which, as the name suggests, is a VR project by both. The virtual iPAD enables users to play games like Candy Crush Saga on a virtual screen using Oculus headset. Airtel has also partnered with Nokia and it demonstrated a “Virtual Reality based 360-degree content like under sea experience.” In collaboration with Ericsson, Airtel showcased Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) autonomous drones for “next generation e-delivery services over 5G networks.” It is basically a self-driving drone that will reach locations quickly without remote based piloting. The company has said that the drone can also be used for mission-critical applications such as disaster response & monitoring, emergency delivery services and remote surveillance.
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Infinix Hot S3X with 4,000mAh battery launched in India: Price, specs and more

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Infinix Hot S3X with 4,000mAh battery launched in India: Price, specs and more
Transsion Holdings-owned smartphone maker Infinix has launched its Hot S3X smartphone in India. As the name suggests, Infinix Hot S3X is the successor of company’s Hot S3 smartphone that was launched earlier this year. The newly launched smartphone comes with a number of improved features including a dual camera setup on its back panel and its selfie camera is enhanced with artificial intelligence. The smartphone is set to go on sale in India early next month.  Here are the specifications and pricing details of the Infinix Hot S3X smartphone: Infinix Hot S3X price in India Infinix Hot S3X mobile comes in only one variant with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and has been priced at Rs 9,999. At the said price, it competes with the likes of Nokia 3.1 Plus and the recently launched Asus Zenfone Max M1 and Asus Zenfone Lite L1. Infinix Hot S3X smartphone will be sold exclusively on Flipkart next month as a part of the e-commerce giant’s ‘Big Diwali Sale’. If you are an interested buyer, you should know that the sale is scheduled between November 1 and November 5. The smartphone is available in three colour options, namely Ice Blue, Sandstone Black, and Tradewinds Grey. Infinix Hot S3X specifications Coming to the specifications of the smartphone, Infinix Hot S3X is a dual SIM smartphone that features a 6.2-inch HD+ LCD display with an aspect ratio of 18.75:9. The display of the smartphone comes with a screen to body ratio of 86% and 500nits brightness. Infinix Hot S3X is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor clubbed with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 505 GPU. The smartphone has 32GB of storage onboard and can hold a microSD of up to 128GB. For imaging duties, Infinix Hot S3X sports a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 2MP sensors, both of which come with an f/2.0 aperture. If you are a selfie lover, you will get a 16MP selfie camera with 4-in-1 big pixel. On connectivity front, the smartphone has support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, a micro-USB port and a 3.5mm jack. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with a custom XOS and houses a 4,000mAh battery. There is also a fingerprint sensor to unlock the device. At a glance, all the specifications of the Infinix Hot S3X are:
  • 6.2-inch HD+ LCD display
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor
  • 3GB RAM
  • 32GB internal storage
  • Can hold microSD cards of up to 128GB
  • 13MP+2MP dual rear cameras
  • 16MP selfie camera
  • Android 8.1 Oreo with XOS
  • 4,000mAh battery.
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This is the most sold smartphone in the premium segment in India

Avani Bagga
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This is the most sold smartphone in the premium segment in India
The premium smartphone market in India saw a number of new players this year. A number of companies whose smartphones usually do well in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment, launched their premium devices with prices starting from Rs 30,000. These included Vivo, Oppo, Huawei, Asus and LG. While some of these smartphones were appreciated, others couldn’t make a mark. Coming to the smartphone that swept away the most number of sales in the premium segment, it is OnePlus 6. Counterpoint has also said that OnePlus 6 captured 30% of the market and credit for this can be given to positive word of mouth and the company’s social media strategy. OnePlus 6 has also become the highest selling flagship model for the company within five months of its launch. It is the second successive quarter in which OnePlus has managed to lead the said segment. According to Counterpoint, the premium smartphone market reached an all-time high in Q3 2018 and a major chunk of sales were that of Samsung, Apple and OnePlus — 83% to be precise. It is worth noticing that the contribution of the three players has fallen since Q2 2018, when they dominated 88% of the sales in the premium smartphone segment. Coming back to OnePlus 6, the smartphone not just faced competition from devices made by players like Samsung and Apple, but a number of others we talked about earlier. Some of these smartphones were Vivo Nex, Oppo Find X, Huawei Nova 3, Asus Zenfone 5Z and LG G7+ ThinQ. OnePlus was followed by Samsung, which captured 28% of the premium segment with its Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy A8 Star smartphones. While Samsung Galaxy Note 9 grabbed the second spot, Galaxy A8 Star stood on third. Speaking of Apple, it captured 25% of premium market share in Q3 2018, with the launch of its latest flagship smartphones iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. From these numbers, it seems like the fact that iPhone costs a lot more in India than other key countries because of the high import duties doesn’t really affect Apple fans in the country. In Q4 2018, OnePlus would face a tougher competition from Apple as it relatively affordable iPhone XR has now been launched in India. Some devices from the Cupertino based technology giant also saw a price cut with the recent festive season sales. But then, on the other hand, OnePlus 6T is a much awaited device and OnePlus is also expanding its sales through offline channels to reach out to larger potential user base. We don’t know who will capture the segment in Q4, but we can definitely say that rivalry between the key companies competing is set to get fiercer. Will it mean more lucrative deals for customers? We will have to wait to see.
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48 ‘tracking’ apps that you need to uninstall right now

Aadvika
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48 ‘tracking’ apps that you need to uninstall right now
A rather shocking report by Buzzfeed has exposed a multi-million dollar scam that is being controlled by a network of shell companies in eastern Europe. These companies were using a front called We Purchase Apps to acquire Android apps from their developers and soon gained control over 125 apps available on Google Play Store. According to data from AppBrain, the combined downloads of these Android apps are 115 million and the app among these 125 that has the most downloads is EverythingMe Launcher. Going by what cybersecurity firm Protected Media has to say, these apps tracked user behaviour and then used this information to model a massive network of botnets that pretended to be human users. Their network of bots even bypassed the fraud detection tools that are used by advertisers and Google to stay away from scams like these. By doing this, We Purchase Apps was able to show a huge user base of the apps to advertisers – which led them to make $700 million to $800 million in the first quarter of the year alone. Buzzfeed has provided the list of apps and websites that have been affected to Google, and the company’s independent analysis confirmed the presence of botnet driven traffic. The technology giant has so far deleted over 30 of these apps from Google Play Store. Google has also said that it had removed 10 apps in the scheme and blocked a number of websites even before Buzzfeed contacted them. Investigations are being carried on at Google regarding this matter. Till all of these mobile apps that are tracking user behaviour are removed, you must uninstall them from your smartphone immediately. Here’s a list of apps that, according to Buzzfeed, are tracking the behaviour of its users:

EverythingMe Launcher

Number of downloads: 10,000,000+ Google Play Store link: EverythingMe Launcher

Dropwords and Dropwords PRO

Number of downloads: Dropwords: 5,000,000+ Dropwords PRO: 10,000+ Google Play Store links: Dropwords Dropwords PRO

Muscle Drift Simulator 2018 and Muscle Drift Simulator 2018 Pro

Number of downloads: Muscle Drift Simulator 2018: 1,000,000+ Muscle Drift Simulator 2018 Pro: 100+ Google Play Store links: Muscle Drift Simulator 2018  Muscle Drift Simulator 2018 Pro

Carry Over The Hill and Carry Over The Hill – Space

Number of downloads: Carry Over The Hill: 1,000,000+ Carry Over The Hill: Space: 500,000+ Google Play Store links: Carry Over The Hill Carry Over The Hill – Space

Guess the Restaurant Quiz – Logo Trivia Game

Number of downloads: 1,000,000+ Google Play Store link: Guess the Restaurant Quiz – Logo Trivia Game

Pix UI Icon Pack 2 – Free Pixel Icon Pack

Number of downloads: 1,000,000+ Google Play Store link: Pix UI Icon Pack 2 – Free Pixel Icon Pack

Smart Voice Assistant

Number of downloads: 1,000,000+ Google Play Store link: Smart Voice Assistant

Split Pic 2.0 – Clone Yourself

Number of downloads: 1,000,000+ Google Play Store link: Split Pic 2.0 – Clone Yourself

Twist Your Fingers!

Number of downloads: 1,000,000+ Google Play Store link: Twist Your Fingers!

Crossword Solver and Crosswords Solver Pro

Number of downloads: Crossword Solver: 500,000+ Crosswords Solver Pro: 5.6 million Google Play Store links: Crossword Solver Crosswords Solver Pro

Cat Rescue PRO and Cat Rescue Puzzles

Number of downloads: Cat Rescue PRO: 100+ Cat Rescue Puzzles: 500,000+ Google Play Store links: Cat Rescue PRO Cat Rescue Puzzles

Grumpy Weather Widget

Number of downloads: 500,000+ Google Play Store link: Grumpy Jumpy Cat

Smart Riddles

Number of downloads: 500,000+ Google Play Store link: Smart Riddles

Teen Truth or Dare

Number of downloads: 500,000+ Google Play Store link: Teen Truth or Dare

Traffic Hour

Number of downloads: 500,000+ Google Play Store link: Traffic Hour

Word Search Free

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Word Search Free

Guess the Game Icon Quiz

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Guess the Game Icon Quiz

Iconic – Guess Character Quiz – Pics Trivia Game

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Iconic – Guess Character Quiz – Pics Trivia Game

Kids Truth and Dare

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Kids Truth and Dare

Photo Editor – Pencil Sketch

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Photo Editor – Pencil Sketch

Self Help Books

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Self Help Books 

Basketball Throw

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Basketball Throw

Copter Escape FREE

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Copter Escape FREE

Fit It Puzzles: Tangram Style Puzzles

Number of downloads: 100,000+ Google Play Store link: Fit It Puzzles: Tangram Style Puzzles

Gluten Free Food Finder and Gluten Free Food Finder PRO

Number of downloads: Gluten Free Food Finder: 100,000+ Gluten Free Food Finder PRO: 100+ Google Play Store links: Gluten Free Food Finder Gluten Free Food Finder PRO

Call Blocker

Number of downloads: 10,000+ Google Play Store link: Call Blocker 

Dots and Boxes

Number of downloads: 10,000+ Google Play Store link: Dots and Boxes

Hide image, video of Whatsapp

Number of downloads: 10,000+ Google Play Store link: Hide image, video of Whatsapp

Track My Shows

Number of downloads: 10,000+ Google Play Store link: Track My Shows

Word Search Movies

Number of downloads: 10,000+ Google Play Store link: Word Search Movies

Minesweeper Professional

Number of downloads: 5,000+ Google Play Store link: Minesweeper Professional

Call Analytics: Detailed Call Logger + SMS History

Number of downloads: 1,000+ Google Play Store link: Call Analytics: Detailed Call Logger + SMS History

Expense Manager

Number of downloads: 1,000+ Google Play Store link: Expense Manager

Sports Balls Crash

Number of downloads: 500+ Google Play Store link: Sports Balls Crash

FuTorrent Pro

Number of downloads: 500+ Google Play Store link: FuTorrent Pro

Grumpy Jumpy Cat

Number of downloads: 100+ Google Play Store link: Grumpy Jumpy Cat

Lazy Alarm

Number of downloads: 100+ Google Play Store link: Lazy Alarm

Restaurant Finder Pro

Number of downloads: 100+ Google Play Store link: Restaurant Finder Pro

Crazy Frog Multiplayer Game

Number of downloads: 10+ Google Play Store link: Crazy Frog Multiplayer Game

Pop Face – try for free! addictive and fun game!

Number of downloads: 10+ Google Play Store link: Pop Face – try for free! addictive and fun game!

Bottle Roulette

Number of downloads: 10+ Google Play Store link: Bottle Roulette

Bottle Escape

Number of downloads: 1+ Google Play Store link: Bottle Escape
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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 introduced with no notch and sliding front cameras

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 introduced with no notch and sliding front cameras
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 has been doing the rounds since quite some time. Today the company has gone ahead and unveiled it to the world. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 is one of its kind, well almost. The mix series by Xiaomi has always been innovative since the early days. The third edition is no different. Unlike the Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 has a slider camera mechanism that is not powered by a motor, but has to slid out manually. Yes, you read that right users will need to slide the front camera out on their own. So, the hidden front camera leaves a lot of room for the screen to take over. Which is why you see a large edge to edge screen on it. Xiaomi says that the screen to body ratio on the Mi Mix 3 is 93.4 percent, with almost no chin area. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Technical specifications When it comes to the latest specs in a smartphone Xiaomi does try to give their best and on most occasions have delivered. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 comes with a 6.4-inch OLED touch screen that supports Full HD 1080p graphics. The smartphone is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and has an incredible 10 GB RAM. This is the first time any smartphone is sporting that much RAM. We just can’t wait to run it through our test bench. Moving on, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 comes in three models 6GB RAM/128GB storage, 8GB RAM/256GB storage and 10GB GB RAM/256GB Storage. Over that, this mobile features 4 cameras in total. Two 12 megapixel wide-angle and telephone sensors at the rear and 24MP plus 2MP front facing snapper for your selfies. Fingerprint reader has been placed at the back, too. Fast charging is supported by Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 and the company is putting a 10W charger in the box for its customers. The business has said that a 5G version of the smartphone will come to Europe by next year. Other connectivity features include, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB support. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 Price Though the India price is still under wraps, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 will start its sale in China starting at 3,299 Yuan (roughly Rs 34,800) for the 6GB RAM/128GB storage model, 3,999 Yuan (roughly Rs 42,000) for the 8GB RAM/256 GB model and 4,999 Yuan (roughly Rs 52.750) for the 10GB RAM/256GB storage version. This is by far the most expensive smartphone by Xiaomi. The Indian market, for the company, leans more towards the budget to mid-budget segment. It will be interesting to watch at what price does the company brings the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 to India and will they be able to break away from the image of being a budget brand here?
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Apple, Samsung get fined by Italy for “planned obsolescence” of smartphones

Avani Bagga
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Apple, Samsung get fined by Italy for “planned obsolescence” of smartphones
Technology giants Apple and Samsung have been fined by Italy’s competition authority for “planned obsolescence” of their smartphones. While Apple has to pay EUR 10 million or $11.5 million as fine, Samsung has been fined with EUR 5 million $5.7 million. According to a report in Reuters, the ruling is believed to be the first against smartphone manufacturers for encouraging OS updates for older phone models, which ultimately just slows them down. Most consumers end up purchasing a new smartphone after older one they are using becomes slow, courtesy updates sent by the company. The anti-trust authority said after the investigation that both Apple and Samsung “implemented dishonest commercial practices”. It further said that the operating system updates sent by the companies “caused serious malfunctions and significantly reduced performance, thus accelerating phones’ substitution.” After the launch of Samsung Galaxy Note 7, the South Korean technology giant told the owners of Galaxy Note 4 to install that Android version that was meant for Note 7. On installing the update, most users’ smartphones became really slow. Similarly, iPhone 6 users were told by Apple to install the operating system update that was actually meant for iPhone 7. And when they did, they started facing problems with their device. The Cupertino based technology company also did not inform its users about the “essential” characteristics of iPhone’s lithium batteries. The users were not aware of the batteries’ average life and how they prolong that. This led to a bigger fine for Apple than the one that Samsung got. The investigation by Italy’s anti-trust authority started in January after customers complained of facing issues. It is worth noticing that at the same time, a similar probe was going on in France. Apple admitted last year that it intentionally slowed down older iPhone models over time. This led to a number of customers feeling short-changed and concerns about the company unfairly encouraging customers to buy newer models came up. However, at that time, Apple denied shortening the life of any product. It just admitted to slow them down in order to extend the performance. The company claimed that the smartphones use lesser power when they are running at a slower speed and this, eliminated the possibility of any unexpected shutdowns. The company also faces a class-action suit in the United States.
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Xiaomi Black Shark Helo smartphone with 10GB RAM launched: Price and specs

Avani Bagga
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Xiaomi Black Shark Helo smartphone with 10GB RAM launched: Price and specs
Xiaomi Black Shark Helo smartphone that is aimed at gamers was launched this week in China. The smartphone is a successor of Xiaomi Black Shark smartphone that was earlier launched in April and comes with a number of gaming focussed features. The company has launched it in three RAM options and compared to its predecessor, it sports a bigger display. As of now, there is no word on whether Xiaomi Black Shark Helo mobile will be launched in other markets. Xiaomi Black Shark Helo mobile comes with up to 10GB RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and X+1 antenna that ensures better connectivity on the device. Other than this, the company also announced controller doc for the smartphone that it calls Black Shark Biplane Handle. The controller can be connected to the smartphone and it comes with a joystick. While the 10GB RAM variant comes with a Biplane Handle on both sides, the other two RAM variant only have one on the left side. Xiaomi Black Shark Helo price Xiaomi Black Shark Helo smartphone is available in three storage variants. While the base model comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB onboard storage, the other two variants include 8GB RAM/128GB internal storage and a massive 10GB RAM and 256GB inbuilt storage. The 6GB RAM model is priced at CNY 3,199, the 8GB RAM variant bears a price tag of CNY 3,499 and the 10GB RAM version costs CNY 4,199. Xiaomi Black Shark Helo is only available in Black colour option. Xiaomi Black Shark Helo specifications The Xiaomi Black Shark Helo smartphone features a 6.01-inch display that has aspect ratio of 18:9 and comes with 402ppi. The display is claimed to have 101.3% DCI-P3 colour gamut ratio. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, the gaming smartphone comes with 6GB/8GB/10GB RAM coupled with Adreno 630 GPU. The smartphone is available in 128GB and 256GB storage variants. For imaging duties, Xiaomi Black Shark Helo has a dual rear camera setup with 12MP+20MP sensors. Both the sensors on the smartphone’s back panel come with an f/1.75 aperture and LED flash. For selfies and video calls, there is a 20MP front facing snapper with an f/2.2 aperture. The Android smartphone houses a 4,000mAh battery and has support for Quick Charge 3.0. On connectivity front, there is support for 4G LTE, Bluetooth v5, Wi-Fi, GPS, AGPS, Glonass, aptX and aptX HD support.
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Amazon Great Indian Festival vs Flipkart Festive Dhamaka Days: 17 smartphone deals compared

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Amazon Great Indian Festival vs Flipkart Festive Dhamaka Days: 17 smartphone deals compared
Did you miss out on Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale and Amazon’ Great Indian Festival? Even if the answer to that is yes, you have no reason to be sad, as both the e-commerce giants are back with their festive season sales. While Flipkart is holding a Festive Dhamaka Days sale on its website, Amazon is back with its Great Indian Festival. Both the sales have started today, but Flipkart’s sale would be ending a day sooner on October 27. Amazon’s Great Indian Festival will continue till October 28. Here, we have made a list of 17 smartphones that are available on both Flipkart and Amazon and we have listed down their current pricing under the festive season offer. On reading this, you should be able to decide which smartphone is being sold at a cheaper price on which website and can ensure that you get the best deal.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (128GB)

Price on Amazon: Rs 67,900 Price on Flipkart: Rs 67,900

Samsung Galaxy Note 8 (64GB)

Price on Amazon: Rs 43,990 Price on Flipkart: Rs 54,699

Apple iPhone X

Price on Amazon: Rs 74,999 for 64GB and Rs 89,999 for 256GB Price on Flipkart: Rs 79,999 for 64GB and Rs 98,999 for 256GB

Apple iPhone XS

Price on Amazon: Rs 94,900 for 64GB, Rs 1,09,900 for 256GB Price on Flipkart: Rs 94,900 for 64GB, Rs 1,09,900 for 256GB

Apple iPhone XS Max

Price on Amazon: Rs 1,04,900 for 64GB, Rs 1,19,900 for 256GB Price on Flipkart: Rs 1,04,900 for 64GB, Rs 1,19,900 for 256GB

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Price on Amazon: Rs 14,900 for 4GB RAM, Rs 16,939 for 6GB RAM Price on Flipkart: Rs 12,999 for 4GB RAM, Rs 14,999 for 6GB RAM

Xiaomi Redmi 5 (4GB RAM)

Price on Amazon: Rs 10,999 Price on Flipkart: Rs 11,518

Honor 9N (4GB RAM/128GB storage)

Price on Amazon: Rs 17,190 Price on Flipkart: Rs 17,999

Oppo F9 Pro

Price on Amazon: Rs 23,990 Price on Flipkart: Rs 23,990

Google Pixel 2 XL

Price on Amazon: Rs 43,138 for 64GB, Rs 62,890 for 128GB Price on Flipkart: Rs 40,999 for 64GB, Rs 60,000 for 128GB

Honor Play (6GB RAM/64GB storage)

Price on Amazon: Rs 23,999 Price on Flipkart: Rs 24,349

Oppo A71k

Price on Amazon: Rs 10,699 Price on Flipkart: Rs 8,990

Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 (6GB RAM/64GB storage)

Price on Amazon: Rs 17,499 Price on Flipkart: Rs 12,999

Sony Xperia R1 Plus Dual SIM

Price on Amazon: Rs 9,490 Price on Flipkart: Rs 9,490

Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra Dual

Price on Amazon: Rs 21,799 Price on Flipkart: Rs 22,990

Samsung Galaxy A8+

Price on Amazon: Rs 23,990 Price on Flipkart: Rs 33,299

Samsung Galaxy J6

Price on Amazon: Rs 12,490 for 3GB RAM, Rs 13,990 for 4GB RAM Price on Flipkart: Rs 12,490 for 3GB RAM, Rs 13,990 for 4GB RAM
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Asus ZenFone Max M1, ZenFone Lite L1 go on sale via Flipkart

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Asus ZenFone Max M1, ZenFone Lite L1 go on sale via Flipkart
Taiwanese smartphone maker Asus’ new smartphones, ZenFone Lite L1 and the ZenFone Max M1, have gone on sale in India today. As announced at the launch Asus Zenfone Max M1 and Asus ZenFone Lite L1 are available on Flipkart as a part of e-commerce giant’s Festive Dhamaka Days sale. Most of the specifications of the Asus smartphones are same like their display size, the processor they use and the primary camera. Here are the pricing and availability details of the two smartphones: Asus ZenFone Max M1, ZenFone Lite L1 price and availability in India Asus ZenFone Max M1 is priced at Rs 8,999, and Zenfone Lite L1 bears a price tag of Rs 6,999. But as a part of the introductory offer and because the smartphones have gone on sale during Flipkart Festive Dhamaka Days sale, the former is available for Rs 7,499 and the latter for Rs 5,999. The prices of both the smartphones are likely to be hiked after the sale on Flipkart is over. Both the smartphones are available in Black and Gold colour options and are up for grabs exclusively on Flipkart. Other launch offers for the Asus smartphones include a cashback of Rs 2,200 and 50GB of additional data for Jio users, no cost EMI plans and complete mobile protection plan at Rs 99. Asus ZenFone Max M1, ZenFone Lite L1 specifications Asus ZenFone Max M1 and Asus ZenFone Lite L1 come with a 5.45-inch LCD screen with HD+ resolution and have an aspect ratio of 18:9. Both Asus ZenFone Max M1 and ZenFone Lite L1 smartphones are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 430 processor and come with 13MP primary snapper. The primary camera of both the smartphones has an f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, 1.12-micron pixel size and LED flash. The smartphones run Android Oreo with ZenUI 5 baked on top. While Asus ZenFone Max M1 comes in 3GB RAM/32GB onboard storage, the ZenFone Lite L1 packs 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. Both house a 4,000mAh and 3,000mAh battery respectively. The ZenFone Max M1 sports an 8MP selfie snapper, the ZenFone Lite L1 features a 5MP front shooter.
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OnePlus 6T: Price, specifications and availability of the upcoming smartphone

Avani Bagga
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OnePlus 6T: Price, specifications and availability of the upcoming smartphone
OnePlus 6T is surely one among the most awaited smartphone of the year. Although a few days are still remaining for its launch, we already know about various specifications and features of the smartphone, thanks to the rumours and speculations that have been surfacing online for months now. Here, we list all of them down, along with OnePlus 6T’s expected price. So here’s what you can expect from the upcoming OnePlus 6T smartphone:

Display

OnePlus 6T reportedly got listed on Otto yesterday along with its complete list of specifications. The same report claimed that the smartphone will come with a 6.4-inch (2340x1080p) AMOLED display with 402ppi pixel density. It will be protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and will have a waterdrop shaped notch on the top which will house the selfie camera of the device.

Indisplay fingerprint sensor

This is something that we know for sure, as OnePlus itself has confirmed it. OnePlus 6T would not have fingerprint sensor on its body. Instead, it is opting for an indisplay fingerprint sensor, much like the ones we have seen in Vivo X21, Vivo Nex and Vivo V11 Pro. OnePlus also revealed that it will be using an optical indisplay fingerprint sensor on the device rather than an ultrasonic one.

Processor

A few back, a report in WinFuture.de claimed that OnePlus 6T was spotted on Geekbench under the name FS FS P8801. Having a secret name for their devices is nothing new for OnePlus as OnePlus 6 was also NS NS P7819 on Geekbench prior to its launch. The Geekbench test clearly showed that OnePlus 6T will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon SoC, which is also the most powerful processor that is available. We were’nt surprised by this as the company’s current flagship, OnePlus 6, is also powered by the same processor.

Camera

OnePlus 6T, much like OnePlus 6, would sport a dual rear camera setup with 16MP+20MP sensors. For selfie lovers, there will be a 16MP front facing snapper. We know this from the listing on Otto. However, to know which optics have been used in the sensors, we’ll have to wait a little more. A few days back, the company’s CEO Pete Lau shared a camera sample on Weibo that has been clicked by the upcoming device.

RAM and Storage

The report in WinFuture.de that we mentioned about, also revealed the RAM of the upcoming OnePlus 6T to be 8GB. This isn’t anything new as OnePlus 6 also has a 8GB RAM variant. However, another report claims that in OnePlus 6T, the base variant would pack 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. This is something new as till now, the base variants of OnePlus smartphones usually come with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. But we would have to wait till the device is launched till we know for sure. We are expecting a 6GB and an 8GB RAM variants clubbed with 64GB/128GB/256GB onboard storage.

Operating system

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed on Weibo yesterday that OnePlus 6T will run Android 9.0 Pie. Since OnePlus smartphones don’t come with stock Android experience, the Android 9.0 Pie will have the company’s OxygenOS baked on top. Since, OnePlus 6 got the Android 9.0 Pie update sometime back, this was something we were expecting.

Battery

A number speculations suggest that OnePlus 6T will come with a 3,700mAh battery, which is more than the current flagship that houses a 3,300mAh battery. The comany has confirmed that the smartphone will not support wireless charging, but will support fast charging (5V 4A).

IP rating

It’s disappointing, but OnePlus 6T would come without an IP rating, which basically means that it would not be dust or water resistant. Also, this didn’t surface in a report or a speculation, but was confirmed by the company itself. So, you would need to be extra careful while using the phone if you buy it.

Price

According to the listing on Otto we mentioned earlier, the 8GB RAM/128GB internal storage variant of the device will cost 579 Euros. Once converted, this becomes around Rs 48,871, which is higher than OnePlus 6’s 8GB RAM/128GB storage model. For the price of other RAM/storage variants, we will have to wait for the launch.

Availability

In India, the smartphone has been up on pre-orders on Amazon.in, Croma outlets and OnePlus offline stores since October 9. It will be going on sale in starting November 2. Interested customers can also pick it from Reliance Digital Stores.

Colour options

According to the listing on Otto, OnePlus 6T will be available in Midnight Black and Mirror Black colour options. But if OnePlus follows what it did while launching OnePlus 6, we would get a White and Red colour variants too. Image courtesy: Otto, WinFuture.de, Caschy’s Blog
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HTC’s blockchain phone is up for pre-orders and you can only buy it in cryptocurrency

Avani Bagga
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HTC’s blockchain phone is up for pre-orders and you can only buy it in cryptocurrency
We finally know the specifications of Exodus 1, HTC’s much talked about blockchain phone. And if you are interested, you can now pre-order the smartphone for yourself. HTC Exodus 1 has a wallet called Zion that, according to the company, is ‘protected from the Android OS’. You can use this wallet to keep your cryptocurrency and tokens. It was in May this year that the company first spoke about its Exodus 1 smartphone, and naturally, it intrigued many. Although initially it was said that Exodus 1 would facilitate Bitcoin trading while allowing users to own their identities, that is not what is actually happening. HTC may be touting Exodus 1 as its blockchain phone, but actually the company has only added security for keeping cryptocurrency safe by partitioning off a part of it. But then, if you are into Bitcoin trading you would rather have a wallet that is protected from Android than one that isn’t. HTC has also added a recovery mechanism to the device in case the user loses his phone or misplace key information. The user will have to make some friends install a key management app beforehand. Using its secret sharing algorithm, the company will share the information with the user’s friends. However, the user will have piece this information together. Various third party developers will also be able to make their own key apps and wallets for HTC’s blockchain phone. Coming to the specifications of the smartphone, it features a 6-inch HD+ display that has an aspect ratio of 18:9. HTC Exodus 1 mobile is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor clubbed with 6GB RAM and has 128GB of storage onboard. The Android Oreo based smartphone comes with 3,500mAh battery and has IP68 rating, which makes it dust and water resistant. On the cameras front, there is a dual rear camera setup with 16MP+16MP sensors and 8MP dual selfie cameras. Customers would have to pay for HTC Exodus 1 using cryptocurrency and it will cost them 0.15 BTC or 4.78 ETH. After conversion, that becomes over $960 and Rs 70,405, however, that of course keeps changing as the value of cryptocurrency keeps varying. As of now, the smartphone will be available in 34 countries including US, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, the UK, and other parts of Europe. We don’t know yet if it will be launched in India, as government has been strict with cryptocurrency usage. But we weren’t surprised when we got to know that the phone will not be launched in China because the country has banned cryptocurrency trading.
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Airtel is offering a cashback of Rs 2,000 on buying a new 4G smartphone

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Airtel is offering a cashback of Rs 2,000 on buying a new 4G smartphone
Amid the festive season, telecom major Bharti Airtel has announced a new offer under which it is offering an instant cashback of worth Rs 2,000 to its customers who are upgrading to a new 4G smartphone. The offer is a part of #AirtelThanks initiative that the company started recently to reward its loyal customers. The customers will be getting the cashback in form of 40 coupons worth Rs 50 each. And these coupons can be used by customers on subsequent recharges or postpaid bill payments. It is worth noticing that the offer comes just days after Airtel announced a cashback of Rs 2,500 for customers buying a Flipkart-exclusive 4G smartphone during its Big Billion Days sale. Coming back to Airtel’s festive season offer, customers will be getting the said amount in their My Airtel account. The recharges on which these coupons can be used are Rs 199, Rs 249, and Rs 448 prepaid plans. Customers can also use these coupons on postpaid bill payment above Rs 399. According to the telecom giant, the coupons will auto-apply to every subsequent recharge or bill payment, provided that it is done through MyAirtel app. Also, the coupons will be valid for 40 months since the date on which they get credited. Post that, even if you have some remaining, you will not be able to use them. But do keep in mind that only one coupon can be used at a given time. So if you try to apply two coupons on one recharge or postpaid bill, you wouldn’t be able to. In order to avail the offer, users need to insert a 4G SIM in a new 4G smartphone before or on October 31. On doing this, you become eligible for the cashback and you will be able to find your coupons in the My Coupons section of your MyAirtel app. Speaking about the offer, Vani Venkatesh, Chief Marketing Officer, Bharti Airtel, “As customers upgrade their smartphone this festive season, we want to delight them with exclusive benefits under our recently launched customer program #AirtelThanks. We invite all our customers to make the most of the offer.”
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You would be able to buy OnePlus 6T from Reliance Digital Stores

Avani Bagga
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You would be able to buy OnePlus 6T from Reliance Digital Stores
Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus has partnered with Reliance Digital and has announced that it will be selling its smartphones across the network of Reliance Digital offline stores. The company has said that its smartphones and accessories at the same price as online. Those who buy OnePlus products from Reliance Digital stores, will also be able to take advantage of the promotional campaigns available. The announcement by OnePlus comes right before the launch of its flagship smartphone OnePlus 6T, which will launch globally on October 19 and in India on October 30. Apart from being available on Reliance Digital stores, interested customers will also be able to buy it from Amazon India’s website, where it has been up for pre-orders since October 9. Going by its past history, we wouldn’t be wrong to assume that the company will discontinue current Android flagship, OnePlus 6, after the OnePlus 6T is launched. So this partnership clearly means that interested customers will be able to buy the OnePlus 6T from Reliance Digital Stores in the country. But then, it is not the first time that OnePlus has sold its smartphones offline in the country. It has a number of offline experience stores, and its OnePlus 6 mobile was also available to buy on Croma offline stores. In spite of the fact that online shopping has become immensely popular in India, there are people who still prefer to shop offline. This preference usually comes in when the product being bought is expensive, and most of the good gadgets do fall in this category. Keeping this in mind, selling devices via more offline stores would only boost sales for OnePlus. Speaking about the partnership, Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, OnePlus India, “The premium smartphone segment in India is steadily growing, and OnePlus seeks to more effectively tap into this space, with a nifty strategy combining both online and offline platforms for a holistic reach. his partnership with Reliance Digital will equip OnePlus with a more robust physical presence, enabling the brand to cater to its increasing user base through multiple touchpoints across cities. The focus on curating only the best user experience by Reliance Digital resonates with that of OnePlus’ user philosophy.”
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[Video] Apple iPhone XR Unboxing, First Impressions and Camera Shots

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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[Video] Apple iPhone XR Unboxing, First Impressions and Camera Shots
The Apple iPhone XR is powered by the firms A12 Bionic chipset, which is also present in its siblings (iPhone XS and XS Max). But, what makes it truly made for India is the addition of 2 SIM card slots. And yes, before we forget, the iPhone XR carries a 7MP front shooter for selfie lovers and 12MP one at the back. Apple iOS 12 comes preloaded on this smartphone with all the latest features of the new OS. This smartphone will hit the shelf with a price tag of Rs 76,900 for the 64GB variant. The iPhone XR will also be available in 2 more versions, 128GB and 256GB. 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.

OnePlus 6T price and specifications leaked ahead of launch

Aadvika
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OnePlus 6T price and specifications leaked ahead of launch
There are still a few days remaining for the launch of OnePlus 6T. But according to a report in Caschy’s Blog, the smartphone got listed on online retailer Otto’s website, along with all the specifications and starting price. In Germany, OnePlus 6T’s price will start at 579 Euros. On converting it, it becomes Rs 48,871.94, which greatly exceeds the pricing OnePlus has stuck to till now. The base variants of OnePlus smartphones in India are usually priced around Rs 35,000. Coming to the specifications of the device that got listed, OnePlus 6T sports a 6.4-inch (2340x1080p) AMOLED display that has a pixel density of 402ppi and is protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5. As confirmed by the company, OnePlus 6T has an in-display fingerprint sensor which will be optical rather than an ultrasonic one. On the top of the display is a waterdrop notch that houses the selfie camera of the device, and above it the ear piece is placed in a narrow slot. OnePlus 6T will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor clubbed with 8GB RAM and will come with an internal storage of 128GB. Let us remind you that these values will reportedly be present in the base variant of OnePlus 6T, and this may be the reason why OnePlus plans to keep the starting price of its upcoming flagship higher than previous models. In OnePlus 6, the base variant had 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. For more storage, OnePlus 6T users will be able to install microSD cards. The back panel of OnePlus 6T houses a dual rear camera setup and according to the report, one sensor is 16MP and the other is 20MP. However, it is still not known which kind of optics of the sensor are. The selfie camera of the smartphone has a 16MP sensor. The report further states that OnePlus 6T comes with a 3,700mAh battery and will run on Android 8.1 Oreo. This is something we found to be strange, as OnePlus 6 recently got an upgrade to Android 9.0 Pie and also because OnePlus has always launched its devices with the latest Android version available. Most reports that have surfaced online also claim that OnePlus 6T will come with Android 9.0 Pie, so the presence of Android 8.1 Oreo seems highly unlikely. The smartphone will be available in Midnight Black and Mirror Black colour options and will support Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC on the connectivity front. Image courtesy: Caschy’s Blog
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 mobile platform unveiled: Everything you need to know

Gadget Bridge Bureau
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 mobile platform unveiled: Everything you need to know
American chipmaker Qualcomm has today unveiled its Snapdragon 675 mobile platform, which is meant for mid-range devices. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor is the successor of the company’s Snapdragon 670 SoC, which was just recently launched in August this year. In its latest offering, Qualcomm has added 11nm LPP process technology, an octa-core Kryo 460 CPU along with Adreno 612 GPU. According to the company, Snapdragon 675 processor covers three main areas, namely gaming, photography and AI. Speaking of octa-core Kryo 460 that has is present in the SoC, it is probably the biggest update in the Snapdragon 675 processor. Two cores present on the chipset are dedicated to performance and are based on the Cortex-A76. The have the ability to reach up to speeds of 2GHz. The other six cores focus on efficiency and are based on Cortex A55. However, some things remain the same as Snapdragon 670 processor. For instance, the new chipset Spectra 250 as its ISP and it comes with Adreno 612 GPU, much it predecessor. The new processor by Qualcomm comes with engines like Messiah, Unity, Unreal and NeoX which make it optimized for gaming. It also supports OpenGL 3.2, OpenCL, Vulkan, and Snapdragon profiler. As we mentioned earlier, gaming is one among the three areas Snapdragon 675 focusses on. To enhance photography experience on devices, the Snapdragon 675 processor comes with support for triple 16MP cameras. Alternatively, the device can support a single 25MP snapper. The new multi-core AI Engine promises up to 50% overall improvements in the AI applications that are being run on the device. The newly launched Snapdragon 675 mobile platform will enable devices to deliver a faster charging experience as it supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4+ technology. On the connectivity front, Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor comes with support for Bluetooth 5, dual band Wi-Fi 802.11 ac with MIMO 2×2, Dual VoLTE, and all other popular platforms. The Cat.12 download speeds of devices backed by the chipset will be up to 600Mbps. Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 is already available to OEMs and start being used in consumer devices early next year.
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OnePlus to launch a 5G smartphone in 2019: Co-founder Carl Pei

Avani Bagga
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OnePlus to launch a 5G smartphone in 2019: Co-founder Carl Pei
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 that is set to launch on October 29, will be the first smartphone to come with support for 5G. Once the Chinese smartphone maker announced this last week, Huawei promptly announced that it too has been working on a foldable 5G smartphone. And today, OnePlus followed the suit at Qualcomm’s 4G/5G Summit 2018 that is being held in Hong Kong. The smartphone manufacturer has confirmed that it is working on a 5G smartphone and plans to launch it in 2019. With major technology giants working on smartphones that support 5G, it seems like in 2019, 5G connectivity would become mainstream. And considering how popular OnePlus already is, it would definitely want to be one among the first smartphone makers to unveil a 5G smartphone next year. Although OnePlus is all set to launch its next flagship mobile phone, OnePlus 6T, on October 29 in New York City, the company’s co-founder Carl Pei has already teased the OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 7T smartphones that will be launched next year. Pei also revealed that OnePlus team in August this year conducted a 5G test at Qualcomm’s headquarters in San Diego. As we mentioned earlier, the upcoming Mi Mix 3 is the first handset to have 5G support, which obviously makes Xiaomi the first company to adapt to this technology. But even if OnePlus wants to secure the second spot, there will be companies like Samsung and Huawei it will have to compete with. Also, we will have to wait to see whether it gets 5G connectivity to its smartphones with OnePlus 7 or OnePlus 7T. From what we know, the company plans to hold a launch event in January 2019, so there is a possibility of seeing a device by the company with 5G connectivity then. At the event, Qualcomm’s Cristiano Amon said that the chipmaker expects to see the launch of at least two flagship smartphones with 5G connectivity in 2019. He further went on to say that while the one flagship will arrive in the first half of the year, the other one will be launched in the second half of 2019. It has also been announced at the same event that a number of technology companies including HMD Global, Asus, LG, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Sharp, Sony Mobile, Vivo, HTC, Xiaomi, Motorola among others will be using the Snapdragon X50 5G NR modem in their devices and are “committed to 5G in 2019”. The American chipmaker also added that around 18-19 smartphones will be 5G ready in 2019.
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