[Video] This Week In Tech: Episode 4 (November 12 – November 17)

Some important developments happened in the world of technology this week. Two very important moves were made by Apple. A new colour variant of OnePlus 6T made its way to India and Xiaomi decided to increase the prices of some of its devices. And after Samsung showcased its foldable phone at its Developer Conference, the South Korean technology giant launched a clamshell phone this week. watch our episode to know the details of all that happened. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 3GB, 4GB RAM variants get support for EIS

0
Taiwanese smartphone maker Asus has announced that it is rolling out an update for electronic image stabilization (EIS) to its Zenfone Max Pro M1 users. However, it is worth noticing that the update will only be available for 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM variants of the smartphone. The 6GB variant of the device already received the update in October and it was then that the company promised that it will roll out the same update for the other two RAM variants of Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 too. The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 FOTA version WW_Phone-15.2016.1810.337-20181106 not only gets EIS to the 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM variants of the smartphone, but live wallpapers too. Asus has also said that the update is being rolled out in a phased manner, so don’t fret if your friends get it before you do. You can also go to the Settings of your smartphone to check for updates manually.  Also, it is always recommended to update while your device is connected to Wi-Fi and has at least 80% battery. To recall, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 mobile was launched in April this year. Both 3GB and 4GB RAM variants of the device come with a dual rear camera setup. While the primary camera in the setup has a 13MP Omnivision sensor that comes with an f/2.0 aperture and the secondary camera has a 5MP sensor.  Electronic image stabilization was not available on the device when it was launched. The 6GB RAM variant got the update a little earlier and now the feature is rolling out to other models too. Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 mobile has dual SIM functionality and runs Android 8.1 Oreo out-of-the-box. The smartphone features a 5.99-inch full-HD+ IPS Full View display that has an aspect ratio of 18:9. Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor paired with Adreno 509 GPU, the smartphone is available in 3GB, 4GB and 6GB RAM models. It has 64GB of storage onboard and can hold a microSD card of up to 2TB. For imaging duties, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 comes with 13MP and 5MP dual rear cameras, as we had mentioned earlier. And for selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP selfie camera that has an f/2.0 aperture and a five-piece, 85.5-degree lens. However, the 6GB RAM variant has a 16MP sensor on its back panel. The smartphone packs a massive 5,000mAh battery that has support for 10W fast charging and comes with Face Unlock as well as a fingerprint sensor. On the connectivity front, there is 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

This Week In Tech (November 12 – November 17): All that happened

The world of technology saw two very important announcements from Apple. The Thunder Purple Edition of OnePlus 6T went on sale in India and prices of some devices were increased by Xiaomi. If you have a love for flip phones, you would be happy to know what Samsung unveiled this week. Read on to know in detail about the headlines that dominated the world of technology this week:

The Thunder Purple coloured variant of OnePlus 6T went gone on sale in India

OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple edition has finally gone on sale in India. The Thunder Purple coloured OnePlus 6T is available with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. The smartphone is priced at Rs 41,999 and comes with the same set of specifications as other colour variants of OnePlus 6T. It can be bought from OnePlus India’s website, Amazon India, Croma outlets, Reliance Digital stores and all OnePlus exclusive offline stores.

Apple hired Nokia’s Ashish Chowdhary as its new country manager for India

Ashish Chowdhary, who previously served as Chief Customer Operations Officer for Nokia has now been appointed by Apple as its Country Manager for India. He will be taking over the operations starting January 2019. As Apple’s India head, Chowdhary would be expected to revive the technology giant’s growth in India, which has proven to be a very important market for the company.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi increased the prices of five of its devices

This may not be a very good time to buy Xiaomi devices. This week the company increased the prices of some of its products including Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 smartphones, its 10000mAh Power Bank 2i, the 39-inch Mi TV 4C Pro and 49-inch Mi TV 4A Pro. According to Xiaomi, it had to revise the prices of these products because the value of Rupee has depreciated against the Dollar.

Apple signed a deal with Amazon to officially sell its products

Apple has signed a deal with Amazon to start selling its products directly on the e-commerce website. And this includes products from Apple’s latest lineup like the newly updated iPad Pro, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and Apple Watch Series 4. Although Amazon has always had Apple products, they have only been made available via third-party sellers. The deal between the two players would mean consistent pricing of products and buying directly from Apple. Customers will also be able to benefit from Amazon Prime service.

Samsung W2019 clamshell phone was launched in China

South Korean technology giant Samsung launched its new clamshell phone, called W2019 in China this week. The phone comes with two displays and a physical keypad is also present on it. As of now, the price of the newly launched Samsung W2019 has not been confirmed by the company, but it is expected to be over 10,000 yuan. The phone comes with high-end features including Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, 3,070mAh battery, 6GB RAM and upto 256GB storage.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Top 10 must play Android games you can download for free

Playing games on smartphones is an experience that is just getting better by the day. Android games seem to get better year after year and we sometimes spend hours on our smartphone playing them. And now that even mid-range smartphones opt for high-end processors, you don’t really have to burn a hole in your pocket to enjoy a good gaming experience on your phone. If you, like us, love to play games on your mobile phone, then we have something for you that you’ll like. We have curated a list of the 10 best free Android games that you can try. Check out our list now to see if your favourite has been included in it:

PUBG Mobile

PUBG Mobile Probably the most popular game of the year award should go to PUBG. So much has been written about it and it happens to be among the favourites of every hard-core gamer. PUBG is basically an acronym for PlayerUnknown Battlegrounds. Just like the PC version, it is a free survival shooter in which you get dropped on an island with 99 other players and the goal is to survive till the end. Download here.

Alto’s Adventure

Alto's Adventure We totally love this game. There’s hardly anything more relaxing than playing Alto’s Adventure. The game only has one-touch controls and you have to get past various obstacles while collecting coins, magnets and leafs. If you have played Temple Run or the mobile version of Super Mario, you’ll be reminded of them in a way. But what we liked was the day-to-night transitions and the sound effects that make you feel like you are actually there. Put on headphones while playing the game if you really want to immerse yourself in it. Download here.

Battlelands Royale

Battlelands Royale Now this is a game that hardly ever lasts more than 10 minutes. You need to find your weapons and shields and then hide and wait for your opponents to step out. You can also make some in-app purchases to make the game even more fun. Download here.

Shadowgun Legends

Shadowgun Legends This is a first person shooter game. It has a base camp where you can buy weapons, a place to gamble to get currency that you can use in the game, a even a black market where you can get new items. The game has a totally futuristic look you can make a number of in-app purchases if you wish. Download here.

Heart Star

Heart Star Heart Star is a very interesting game. In most games, we are supposed to control one player. Here, we have to control two. The levels are like mazes and two characters have to be controlled so that both can reach their respective exit. The difficulty level goes up as the levels increase but on the upside, there are no penalties. Download here.

Asphalt 9: Legends

Asphalt 9: Legends If you have been playing other Asphalt games, chances are that you have tried this one already. It’s basically a new version of the same car racing game where you get to drive the fanciest of cars in locations like Miami, San Francisco and even Himalayas. The mission is to beat everyone else. We have always enjoyed Asphalt racing games by Gameloft, and this one is no exception. Download here.

Plague, Inc

Plague, Inc The concept of Plague is highly unconventional. You basically are in control of an epidemic and you have to make sure it spreads throughout the world before anyone can find a cure for it. In other words, you are out there to kill everyone and you can use tools to add symptoms, increase methods of communicability, etc. There is also a newsfeed where you can keep a tab of the effects of the epidemic you are spreading. Download here.

The Battle of Polytopia

The Battle of Polytopia In The Battle of Polytopia, you have to take over the world and in order to fulfill your mission, you can pick from different races that come with their own weaknesses and strengths, update your technologies, and unlock new units. You can play the game alone against the AI or invite your friends to play with you. Download here.

Vainglory

Vainglory In Vainglory, you can either play a quick match or a lengthy battle depending on the time you have. You will get over 30 characters to choose from. Download here.

Hero Academy 2

Hero Academy 2 In the original Hero Academy, you get to choose from different armies and fight a battle with your friends. Hero Academy 2 is an enhanced version of the same but comes with better animations and graphics and more difficult challenges. Download here.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. [td_smart_list_end]

Apple MacBook Air 2018 quietly starts selling in India: Price, specifications and more

Apple fans, your wait to buy the new MacBook Air is over.  Apple last month unveiled the updated version of its best-selling laptop, along with the new iPad Pros and the upgraded Mac mini, at its event in Brooklyn. And this week, the new Apple MacBook Air quietly went on sale in India. The upgraded MacBook Air sports a Retina display, a first for the series, and features a Touch ID enabled by a T2 chip. Here are the pricing and availability details of the MacBook Air 2018 that you should know about:

MacBook Air price in India

The new MacBook Air comes in two variants in India. One has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and the other has 16GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. While the base model is priced at Rs 1,14,900, the high-end version costs Rs 1,34,900. Both the models of MacBook Air are available in Gold, Silver, and Space Grey colour variants. You can head to official Apple stores like iWorld and Unicorn to get one for yourself. We confirmed with iWorld as well as Unicorn store and both said that MacBook Air 2018 is available with them for sale. A complete list of stores where it is available can be found here.

MacBook Air specifications

Coming to the specifications of the new MacBook Air, it features a 13.3-inch Retina display with a resolution of 2560×1600 and has 50% narrower bezels than its predecessor. The company has claimed that the display shows 48% more colours. Like we mentioned earlier, the Apple MacBook Air 2018 comes with a Touch ID that works with the T2 chip. This ensures that the system’s software doesn’t get compromised and isn’t tampered with. The laptop comes with Apple’s digital assistant Siri and does data encryption for SSD. Apple MacBook Air 2018 is powered by an 8th generation dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and its battery life is said to last for 12 hours with web browsing and 13 hours when movies are being played off iTunes. The device comes with a 4th generation butterfly type keyboard and Apple says that it is more responsive and precise than it ever was. All the keys of the new MacBook Air’s keyboard are individually backlit and it comes with a Force Touch trackpad which has 20% more area. The new MacBook Air’s speaker is claimed to come with twice as bass as the previous laptop in the series.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Facebook Messenger rolls out ‘Remove for Everyone’ feature: Here’s how to use it

Last week, media reports suggested that Facebook is getting the unsend feature to its Messenger app. The social networking giant decided to take this step after it faced a lot of backlash after deleting CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s messages from several recipients’ inboxes earlier this year. The very transparency of the platform was questioned. It was then that Facebook announced that it will get the ‘Unsend Message’ feature to its Messenger and make it available to all. And now, the feature has finally been rolled out in Facebook’s app. The Unsend Message feature has started rolling out to both Android and iOS users in Poland, Bolivia, Colombia, and Lithuania. And according to a report in Techcrunch, a Facebook spokesperson has confirmed that the worldwide roll out will also be happening “as soon as possible”. The feature is called ‘Remove for Everyone’ and it will enable users to delete any message or file they have sent in Messenger. However, they will only be able to do it within 10 minutes of sending it. Here are the steps to use the new ‘Remove for Everyone’ feature on Facebook:
  1. Long press on the message you want to recall.
  2. On doing this, two options will pop-up on the screen — ‘Remove for Everyone’ and Remove for You’.
  3. Select ‘Remove for Everyone’.
  4. Facebook will then prompt a warning message — ‘You’ll permanently remove this message for all chat members. They can see that you removed a message and still report it’. This will be coupled with ‘Cancel’ and ‘Remove’ options.
  5. Select Remove.
After this, your message will be replaced by a tombstone message saying ‘You removed a message’. This is similar to what happens on WhatsApp. However, you can only do it within 10 minutes of sending the message. And Facebook’s head of Messenger Stan Chudnovsky explained the deadline by saying, “We looked at how the existing delete functionality works. It turns out that when people are deleting messages because it’s a mistake or they sent something they didn’t want to send, it’s under a minute. We decided to extend it to 10, but decided we didn’t need to do more.” He has also been quoted saying that the feature rolled out to common public isn’t the same as the one that is available to the executives of the company. It is also worth noticing that when Mark Zuckerberg’s messages were deleted from people’s account, the tombstone message indicating that a message was removed. Image courtesy: Techcrunch
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Google’s new shortcut will change the way you use Google Docs: Here’s how you can use it

If you are a working professional, you would realize how important Google has truly become. There are a number of Google products that are being used by professionals every day like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and even presentations and forms. The best thing about them is that they get synced across all your Android devices and you can share them with multiple people via Google Drive. Furthermore, you can track changes. It’s actually all so simple to use that we often forget how it has changed our life for the better. Remember the days when an entire mail trail was basically one Word document being sent back and forth with new changes? Yes, we don’t want to remember them too. If you thought that these Google products cannot get better, then Google just proved you wrong. The technology giant has rolled out a handy new shortcut that will entirely change the way you access Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google presentation, Google sites and Google forms. So going forward, instead of first going to your Gmail, then accessing your Google Drive, and then opening Docs or Sheets or other services you wish to, you can just use URLs that Google rolled out recently. So say, for instance, you have to open a new Google Doc, you just have to type ‘doc.new’ in your browser and you’ll be taken directly to a new Google Doc. Here are all the shortcut URLs you should know to make your life easy and save some time:
  • http://doc.new or docs.new or documents.new – Opens a new Google document.
  • http://sheets.new or sheet.new or spreadsheet.new – Opens a new spreadsheet in Google Sheets.
  • http://deck.new or slide.new or slides.new or presentation.new – Opens a new presentation in Google Drive.
  • http://site.new or sites.new or website.new – Creates a new website in Google sites.
  • http://form.new or forms.new – Opens a new Google form.
It’s not a major change, but if you ask us, it’s a big time saver. You can actually save even more time if you keep these shortcut URLs bookmarked in your browser. Just press Ctrl+D on your keyboard once you access the service you wish to bookmark and it’ll be done. Then, instead of typing these shortcuts again and again, you can simply to go your Bookmarks by pressing the three dots icon on the top left of your browser (if you use Chrome), and select the bookmark for these shortcut URLs. It can really not get simpler than this.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Moto G7 press renders and specifications leaked

0
Renders of the upcoming Moto G7 had surfaced online last month, and now, the first press renders of the device have been shared by Mr Gizmo. There is a tiny notch on the top of the device and the display comes with more screen to body ratio. The chin at the bottom has Motorola’s branding on it and at the back, a dual rear camera setup and a fingerprint sensor are placed. The fingerprint sensor is housed inside the Motorola ‘batwing’ logo. In the renders, the smartphone seems to be made up of a glass back. Moto G7 will be the successor of Moto G6 that was launched this year and the smartphone will reportedly be available in Red, Black, and Silver colour options. It is expected to get official early next year and prior reports have suggested that this time, Motorola’s lineup will have four devices – Moto G7, Moto G7 Plus, Moto G7 Play and Moto G7 Power. The ‘Power’ variant in the Moto G7 lineup is expected to be powered by a big battery. This year, the company launched three devices in its Moto G series namely Moto G6, Moto G6 Play and Moto G6 Plus. Speaking of the display, reports suggest that Moto G7 mobile will come with a 6.4-inch full-HD+ screen with a waterdrop-shaped notch. The device will support dual SIM functionality and is said to run Android 9.0 Pie operating system out of the box. As far as the processor goes, the device will be powered by Snapdragon 660 14nm SoC coupled with Adreno 512 GPU and 4GB of RAM. It is said to have 64GB of internal storage. For imaging duties, there will be a 16MP primary camera with a Dual LED flash coupled with a 5MP sensor. On the front panelof the smartphone, there will be a 12MP selfie camera. Moto G7 will house a 3,500mAh battery that will have support for Turbo Charge fast charging and 10W wireless charging. That’s all that we know about the device so far. There are no speculations about the upcoming Moto G7’s price available, but we will keep you updated as more information about it comes in. Image courtesy: Mr Gizmo
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Nokia 9, Nokia 8.1 and Nokia 2.1 Plus are likely to launch on December 5

We are always delighted when a little birdie drops a note at our doorstep with industry news. This time it is somewhat announced and shown. Yes, we are talking about the upcoming Nokia event which is doing the rounds. HMD Global who owns Nokia, its CEO has put out a save the date tweet showcasing some of the phones. At least a part of the upcoming Nokia smartphones can be seen in the tweeted image. As soon as he tweeted the rumour mill began to churn. Nokia is likely to bring out three devices as shown in the image with Notch displays. The first one is touted to be the Nokia 2.1 Plus which will be their entry level smartphone and will be built on the Android One platform. A low-end Qualcomm snapdragon CPU is what might be seen on this one with 2/3 GB RAM. Next mobile is most likely to be the much-awaited Nokia 8 Siroccos upgrade, the Nokia 8.1. The Nokia 8 made quite a wave when it was launched and was loved by many users and reviewers. The next version should have a smaller notch design and should come with twin cameras at the back. The third one will be the company’s flagship devices most likely to be called Nokia 9. It should sport over 6-inch touchscreen with HD+ resolution support. It is likely to be built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 circuitry and would support storage memory of up to 256GB. Over that, reports strongly suggest that the Nokia 9 will have 8GB RAM inside and over 4,100 mAh battery. If all this is true then it will be one of the strongest phones to compete with the likes of OnePlus 6T. In 2018, HMD Global’s Nokia has launched over 10 devices in India and seems like the year is still not over for them. The event is going to take place on 5 Dec in Dubai and we are going to see 3 more big device announcements from the company. Recently, Nokia has also been on an OS updating spree. With its phones getting Android P updates at a rapid pace, Nokia has become one of the most updated smartphone manufacturer.
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.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Y2 and Mi A2 prices slashed, but don’t fall for these two ‘deals’

0
To celebrate Xiaomi’s lead in the Indian smartphone market for the fifth consecutive quarter, the company’s India MD and Global VP, Manu Kumar Jain has announced a price cut on three Xiaomi smartphones in India. Starting today, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Xiaomi Redmi Y2 and Xiaomi Mi A2 Android One will be available at a discount of Rs 1,000. But the, another reason for reducing the cost of these smartphones is because their component costs have gone down. The company said in a statement, “We are delighted to share that we have seen a reduction in component costs of some of our best-selling phones. Following the above philosophy, we are happy to announce price drops of these popular devices, where we have seen a reduction in component costs.” However, not all deals are what they look like. Although the company has said that it is offering a discount of Rs 1,000, we noticed that the prices of some of the smartphones have not been reduced as the company claims. With this price cut, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro’s 4GB RAM/64GB storage model will be available for Rs 13,999 and the 6GB RAM/64GB storage variant can be picked up for Rs 15,999. It is strange that even after a discount of Rs 1,000, the base model of Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is available for Rs 13,999 as it was launched at the same price too. Speaking of Mi A2, its 4GB RAM/64GB storage model and 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant have received a price cut. You can buy the base model for Rs 15,999 and the high-end model at Rs 18,999. However, if we recall, the 6GB RAM/128GB storage model, which got launched in India in October this year, was priced at Rs 17,999. So although the company claims that it is available at a discounted price of Rs 18,999, they are actually charging you higher than the launch price. The 4GB RAM/64GB storage model of Xiaomi Redmi Y2 is also available at a discounted price of Rs 11,999. This model of the selfie-focussed smartphone was originally launched at Rs 12,999. It is worth noticing, that the company has announced a reduction in these prices just days after it increased the prices of its five devices including Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 smartphones, 10000mAh Power Bank 2i, Mi TV 4C Pro 32-inch and Mi TV 4A Pro 49-inch.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ start getting the One UI Beta update

Last week, Samsung unveiled its foldable phone along with a brand new UI. Dubbed One UI, Samsung’s new interface is based on Android 9.0 Pie and the company announced at its developer conference that its current flagships — Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 9 — would be getting an update to it. Samsung is setting up its own beta program for Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ mobiles, which begins today. According to a report in SamMobile, the One UI beta program is now live in South Korea and a report in Max Weinbach says that it is available in the United States too. The South Korean technology giant is expected to get it beta program to Germany too. With the update, users will be able to upgrade their smartphones to Android Pie and will get access to One UI’s newest improvements too. This will include cosmetic changes as well as new features of the user interface. In case you haven’t rolled into the One UI beta program yet, you can visit Samsung Members or Samsung+ app to do so. There, once you tap on the ‘Notices’ button, you will be able to see the option for enrolling in the beta program. Once you do this, you can also download the Android Pie build by heading to Software updates in Settings of your device. When you go to Software updates, tap on ‘Download updates manually’ to get Android Pie. Android Pie beta updates are expected to come on a bi-weekly basis starting today till the year ends. So, three beta updates are expected to come to the device before the stable update is rolled out in January. Speaking of One UI, it can be considered as a successor of Samsung’s current user interface, Samsung Experience. It is said to be one among the most radical deviations from the company’s current design language. With One UI, Samsung aims to improve one-handed usage of its devices, enhance the experience of night-time reading by getting a system-wide dark mode, etc. It is also worth noticing that Samsung’s last year’s flagship devices — Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 — would not be getting an update to One UI.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple Edition goes on sale in India: 5 launch offers you should know about

OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple edition has finally gone on sale in India today. The Thunder Purple coloured OnePlus 6T comes with a gradient back panel and comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. The smartphone is priced at Rs 41,999 and comes with the same set of specifications as other variants of OnePlus 6T (review). OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple colour variant can be bought from OnePlus India’s website, Amazon India, Croma outlets, Reliance Digital stores and all OnePlus exclusive offline stores. The mobile phone be picked up from offline stores starting 11am and can be bought online starting 2pm. Here are all the launch offers on the Thunder Purple colour variant of OnePlus 6T smartphone that can be availed by you if you buy the new coloured model:

Rs 1,500 cashback

 OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple 3 If you have a credit card or debit card from HDFC Bank, you will be eligible to get Rs 1,500 as cashback on OnePlus 6T’s Thunder Purple edition.

Instant cashback of Rs 5,400

 OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple 2 OnePlus has tied up with Reliance Jio to offer an instant cashback of Rs 5,400. It is worth noticing that users will get this cashback in the form of vouchers once they get a recharge of Rs 299 done. Under Reliance Jio’s Rs 299 offer, users will get 3GB of 4G data per day coupled with unlimited voice calls, SMS and access to entire suite of Jio apps. In a nutshell, users will be getting 3TB of 4G data that they can avail in 36 recharges using vouchers.

No cost EMI

OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple 5 Buyers can get a no-cost EMI scheme on buying the Thunder Purple edition of OnePlus from Amazon India’s website or OnePlus offline stores. The no-cost EMI will be valid for three months.

Free damage protection

OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple 6 The Chinese smartphone maker has partnered with Kotak Servify to offer OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple edition buyers free damage protection that will be valid up to a year.

Discount on Amazon Kindle

This launch offer will be liked by those who love to read. If you buy the OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple edition, you will get a discount of Rs 500 on Amazon Kindle.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. [td_smart_list_end]

Motorola One Power will be the next smartphone to get Android 9 Pie update

It is interesting to see how the industry is quickly picking up the latest Android version and bringing it to its new devices. The next in line to announce that they will bring the Android 9 Pie update to its smartphone is Motorola. The company has gone out and sent notifications to the Motorola One Power users that they will receive the update in the next few days. For the unaware the smartphone was first showcased at IFA this year. The notification to the users clearly says “We’re happy to let you know that you’ll be able to enjoy all the features of Android 9.0 Pie on your Motorola One Power in the next few days. There is a ‘learn more’ feature enabled next to the notification, which allows the users to know further about this update coming to the smartphone. We for one are quite impressed with how quickly Motorola has adapted to the new OS and are kind enough to send a courtesy message to its users before sending the actual update out. Android 9 Pie has been a game changer for Google and it takes care of major bugs and fixes a lot of UI, and other issues that were seen in its previous edition. Many other makers have already started rolling out the Android Pie 9 update on their smartphones. The list includes OnePlus, Nokia and the first one to get Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.
Interestingly, before Motorola sent out this alert the One Power device was spotted on Geekbench scores with the Android Pie update. Seems like the company has been testing it out on various benchmarks to see how the device performs in popular tests many swear by. Overall, a very good move by the company and as said before we loved the way Moto sent out a message first getting the users excited about the upcoming update on their smartphone. 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.

Watch: Man goes to buy iPhone XS with a bathtub full of coins

0
Each time when an iPhone is launched, Apple fans go to great lengths to buy the latest smartphone by the company. And this year was no different. A man in Moscow decided to buy the iPhone XS, which is one among the smartphones from Apple’s latest lineup. But it was the way he went to buy his new iPhone that makes this one among the craziest things we have heard an Apple fan do. The man went to one of the Apple resellers in Russia to buy the iPhone XS with a bathtub of coins. Yes, you read that right. The Apple fan collected 1,00,000 Russian Rubles, which is approximately Rs 1,08,000, and wanted to pay for his new device with them. According to reports, the bathtub he took along with his friends to Evropeisky Mall in central Moscow weighed around 350 kilograms.
A video has of this entire episode has been posted by Russian blogger Svyatoslav Kovalenko on Instagram. The video shows the man filling up the bathtub with coins, then keeping it in his car and then carrying it to the store in the mall’s elevator.
And if you are curious about knowing what happened next and whether or not the store clerk accepted this rather unusual way of payment, we should tell you that this guy got his happy ending. The coins were counted, and the man was allowed to pay with them to buy his new iPhone XS. He bought the 256GB storage model of the newly launched smartphone by Apple. Well, this is not the first time we have heard of such a story related to Apple devices. And this is certainly not the last one too. But one thing is for sure, whenever someone recounts of crazy things fans have done to buy a new iPhone, this one will surely make it to the list. To recall, Apple iPhone XS was launched in September this year along with iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR, which is being touted as the affordable iPhone in Apple’s this year’s smartphone lineup. While the base model of iPhone XS bears a price tag of Rs 99,900, the iPhone XS Max is available at a starting price of Rs 1,09,900 in India. Speaking of iPhone XR, its base variant costs Rs 76,900 in India. Image courtesy: kovalenkosvyat’s Instagram profile
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

This is when Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro will launch in India

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro, which is the successor of Redmi Note 5 Pro, will be launched in India next week on November 22. The Chinese smartphone maker has sent out media invites for the same. Although the invite doesn’t specifically mention which smartphone is set to be launched at the event, it does say, ‘The New Note Rises’. So it’s easy to guess that the company is set to launch a smartphone from the Note series. And since Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro is the most recent in the said series, it has to be that one. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro was hugely successful in the budget segment of the Indian smartphone market and fans are looking forward to the successor of the smartphone too. Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro has been launched already in Indonesia and Hong Kong. Xiaomi Global VP and Managing Director of Xiaomi India, Manu Kumar Jain has also tweeted that Redmi Note 6 Pro will soon be launched in the country and has shared a countdown page along with it.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro expected price in India

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro was launched in Hong Kong in September and earlier this month in Indonesia. While Hong Kong only saw the 4GB RAM/64GB storage model, in Indonesia a 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant was also launched. Earlier reports have claimed that two storage models and four colour variants will be launched in India. We don’t yet is that is true, but we can fully expect the 4GB RAM/64GB onboard storage variant to launch in India. In Thailand, this model was priced at THB 6,990. On converting it, that becomes Rs 15,300. Xiaomi has listed on its countdown page that Redmi Note 6 Pro will first go on sale in the country on November 23 at 12pm, which is a day after the launch.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro specifications

Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro comes with dual SIM functionality and runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with MIUI 10. The smartphone features a 6.26-inch Full HD+ display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9 and is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, the smartphone is available in the above mentioned RAM and storage options. However, there is no word on which ones will be launched in India. On the camera front, the mobile phone comes with quad cameras — two on the back panel and two on the front. The dual rear camera setup of the smartphone comes with 12MP and 5MP sensors with dual pixel autofocus, 1.4-micron pixels and AI portrait 2.0. For selfies and video calls, there are 20MP and 2MP sensors that come with 4-in-1 super pixel and AI face unlock. Much like Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro, Redmi Note 5 Pro also comes with a 4,000mAh battery.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

OnePlus ruled the premium smartphone segment in India during Q3 2018: IDC

0
A few weeks back, research firm Counterpoint reported that OnePlus led the premium segment of Indian smartphone market for the second quarter in a row. It also said that OnePlus 6 swept away the most sales in this segment. And now, International Data Corporation or IDC has also shared its Q3 results of Indian smartphone market. Like Counterpoint, IDC also says that OnePlus led the said segment and had a 37% market share in India. IDC further said that OnePlus was followed by Apple at 33% and Samsung at 26% and 7%. IDC has also said that OnePlus also led the shipments in the said quarter in India. This observation is different from Counterpoint’s, which had reported a 28% market share for Samsung and 25% for Apple. Counterpoint had also said that Samsung managed to grab the second place because of sales of its Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy A8 Star smartphones. Speaking on OnePlus dominating the premium smartphone market in India, Upasana Joshi, Associate Research Manager, IDC India said, “OnePlus climbed to the leadership position at the back of OnePlus 6, surpassing Samsung and Apple. With its dedicated community building activities and high decibel promotional activities on social media platforms, the vendor has been gradually scaling up in volumes.” This year, the premium smartphone market in India saw a number of new additions with the likes of Vivo Nex, Oppo Find X, Huawei Nova 3, Asus Zenfone 5Z and LG G7+ ThinQ. Most of these were priced in way that they posed a direct competition to OnePlus 6. It is worth noticing that recent reports have said that Apple’s yearly sales in India will be declining for the first time in four years. While some analysts have said the high pricing and lack of new features in the new models are responsible for it, others have blamed the sliding value of Rupee against the Dollar for it. Apple has also increased prices of certain devices in India recently and has cited the value of Rupee going down as the reason for it. If the price of OnePlus smartphones remains unchanged, this may prove to beneficial for company’s results in Q4 2018. But then, most analysts also believe that Apple will revive its sales in India and its brand value will act as an added advantage. We are waiting to see which company emerges as the dominant one in Q4 2018 and it will be interesting to see how they plan to compete with each other.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

HyperX launches Cloud Revolver Gunmetal headset in India: Price and specifications

0
Gaming accessory maker HyperX has announced its Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset in India. The HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset is said to bring immersive audio profiles and the company claims that it brings together comfort and durability. The headset is also claimed to provide an experience of a larger sound stage for FPS and open environment gameplay. The company claims that it can also provide a concert hall-like audio experience to the user. The Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset by HyperX weighs around 376g along with their cable. They use 50mm drivers to direct sound into the ear and are said to provide precise audio positioning and a clean, crisp sound with enhanced bass and treble. According to the company, the newly launched headset comes with detachable noise-cancelling microphone that is certified by TeamSpeakTM and discord. The frequency response of HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset’s headphone ranges from 12Hz to 28,000 Hz. On the other hand, the frequency response of the microphone of the headset starts from 50Hz and goes up to 18,000 Hz. The key features of the HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset include memory foam with leatherette, steel frame and multi-platform compatibility. The headset is compatible with PCs, PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One S1, Mac, smartphones, Nintendo Switch, and other systems that come with 3.5mm ports. HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset is priced at Rs 14,900 and comes with a warranty of two years. The company claims that in order to enhance the comfort of the users, designers have made it circumaural with a closed back. Speaking on the launch of the gaming headset, Vishal Parekh, Marketing Director, HyperX India, said, “The Cloud Revolver is known for its incredible studio-grade sound stage which gives an advantage during FPS gameplay. The drivers are tuned for players to identify footsteps and gunshots quickly and more accurately than the competition. The Cloud Revolver recently won PC Gamer’s ‘Headset of the Year’ award, and we are thrilled to offer a new gunmetal model option featuring a premium matte finish and comfortable design to gamers all around the world.”
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) to go on sale in India next week: 10 things to know

Samsung is all set to launch its Galaxy A9 (2018) in India next week. The smartphone is aimed at photography lovers and comes with four cameras on its back panel. Earlier, some reports suggested that the smartphone would be launched in India on November 4, but that obviously didn’t happen. But this time, we know for sure as the company has sent out media invites for the launch of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018). Here’s everything you need to know about it:

To be launched on November 20

Samsung Galaxy A9 launch Samsung will be launching its Galaxy A9 (2018) smartphone on November 20. The media invite sent by the company says that the launch event will be held in New Delhi coming Tuesday.

Will directly compete with OnePlus 6T

A prior report has suggested that the price of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) will begin at Rs 39,000 in India. At this price, the mobile phone will be competing directly with the recently launched OnePlus 6T, whose price starts at Rs 37,999.

Will be available on Flipkart

 Samsung Galaxy A9 four cameras Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart already has a landing page of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018). this suggests that the smartphone will exclusively be available on the website. However, it has not gone on pre-orders yet, so we may have to wait for the launch day for that to begin.

First ever smartphone to come with a quad-camera setup

Samsung Galaxy A9 camera The key feature of Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) is its quad camera setup at the back. The smartphone is the first ever to sport four rear cameras and this makes it an obvious choice for someone who loves smartphone photography. The rear camera setup comprises of a 24MP primary lens, a 10MP telephoto lens, an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 5MP depth camera.

The selfie camera

Samsung Galaxy A9 images Besides the four cameras on its back, Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) also has a selfie camera that photography enthusiasts may like. The front facing snapper has a 24MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.

Available in three colour options

Samsung Galaxy A9 colours If you are interested in buying Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018), you have three colour options to choose from — Bubblegum Pink, Caviar Black, and Lemonade Blue.

The processor is not the most high-end one available

Samsung Galaxy A9 processor While the cameras of the smartphone are impressive on paper, the processor could have been more high end. Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. It’s arch rival OnePlus 6T, which is priced similarly, is powered by the most powerful processor in the world — Snapdragon 845.

RAM and storage options

 Samsung Galaxy A9 bixby Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) is available in 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM options. The device has 128GB storage onboard and can hold microSD cards of up to 512GB.

The battery

Samsung Galaxy A9 battery The new smartphone by Samsung houses a 3,800mAh battery that comes with support for fast charging.

 Launched globally last month

Samsung Galaxy A9 images (1) Samsung Galaxy A9 (2018) was launched globally at an event in Kuala Lampur last month. The starting price of the smartphone announced at the event was EUR 599.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. [td_smart_list_end]

iPhone X explodes while installing the latest iOS update: Report

0
Just after Apple accepted the its tenth anniversary special iPhone X has some display issues and offered free repairs for the same, a new problem for the technology giant seems to have cropped up. A Twitter user with the name of Rocky Mohamadali has claimed that his iPhone X “got hot and exploded in the process of upgrading to 12.1 iOS.” Mohamadali also posted photos of what looks like a damaged iPhone X. https://twitter.com/rocky_mohamad/status/1062554244241190913 Apple Support has acknowledged the tweet and replied saying, “That’s definitely not expected behavior. DM us, so we can look into this with you.” However, it is worth noticing that this is a standard reply that is sent to most queries that are raised. Technology website Gadgets360 reached out to the user who tweeted the isse. It has been reported that Mohamadali plugged in his iPhone X mobile, which he bought 10 months back, for charging while it was being updated to iOS 12.1. However, on the completion of the update, the iPhone X started emitting dark grey smoke. According to Mohamadali, the smoke was followed by fire. While the user has claimed that the incident has taken place in Federal Way, a city in Washington, his Twitter bio says that his location is Syria. So, there is a confusion on where exactly it happened. Mohamadali has also clarified that he was using an official Apple Lightning cable along with the adapter that he got with his iPhone X for charging it. It is worth noticing that this is the first ever report of an iPhone exploding. There can be a number of reasons behind a smartphone exploding. Reasons ranging from water exposure to battery damage can be responsible for it. But what exactly happened in this case is not clear yet. There has been no word from Apple regarding this issue. As we earlier mentioned, Apple had recently admitted that some units of iPhone X are effected by some display issues. These displays of these units are either not responding when they are being touched or sometimes act without being touched at all. In either case, Apple is offering a free replacement of displays to users who own these ‘defective’ iPhones.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Everything you need to know about the OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple Edition in one quick video

It is one of the hottest smartphones available right now in the market. Yes, we are talking about the OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple edition. Besides the really good looking exteriors, it has Qualcomm 845 Snapdragon chipset, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage and comes at a price point of Rs 41,999. The rear cameras has 16MP + 20MP sensors, while the front one is powered by 16MP sensor. *Compared it with the OnePlus 6T Mirror Black Edition. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.
 

WhatsApp will soon change the way you add contacts: Here’s how

It has become a pattern. Snapchat gets a feature, Facebook first tries it on Instagram and then gets it on WhatsApp. We saw the company do this with Stories and Stickers, and now it is taking the same route for the QR Scanning feature. QR scanning is a feature that first came to Snapchat. So instead of searching for someone’s username, users could just scan someone’s QR code to add them as a friend. Recently, we saw Instagram get the same feature and just weeks after that happened, WABetaInfo, a Twitter account that tracks updates in WhatsApp Beta, has reported that the messaging app is testing the feature too. On detecting a QR code, the instant messaging app will automatically fill all fields and the contact will be added in your address book. To keep its users’ safety intact, WhatsApp will also give users the option of revoking the QR code so that they can stop other future users scan their code and get access to their contact information. Furthermore, an old WhatsApp QR Code can be revoked unlimited times. As of now, QR code has only been spotted on iOS, but it will also be available on WhatsApp’s Android version. Facebook-owned instant messaging app is also adding an ‘Add Contact’ functionality to its both Android and iOS platforms. Although the functionality does exist in the app even now, it is being said that the upcoming feature will replace the current option. So the upcoming ‘Add Contact’ feature is said to be located in the same menu. According to WABetaInfo, the UI of the new ‘Add Contact’ feature is very simple and intuitive. Users will have the option of choosing the country where the contact they wish to add is located, so WhatsApp will automatically insert the country code, then the user can insert the phone number. The messaging app is currently working on these two features since a few weeks and is said to be adding new improvements to them. The report suggests that these features need some improvements and that it why they are being worked upon before they are made available for everyone.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Here’s why CEO Mark Zuckerberg has ordered Facebook executives to use Android phones

0
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly told his management team to only use Android smartphones, considering that the operating system has more users than iOS. According to a report in The New York Times, Facebook CEO ordered this only after Apple CEO Tim Cook criticized the social networking giant in an interview with MSNBC. To recall, Cook had said the Facebook is a service that traffics “in your personal life.” In March, Apple CEO Tim Cook was also questioned about how he would deal with the fallout from the Cambridge Analytica scandal had he been in Mark Zuckerberg’s place. Cook simply dismissed the question by saying, “I wouldn’t be in this situation.” Zuckerberg did not ignore what Cook said and in an interview with Recode, he said that said that comments made by Apple CEO were “extremely glib”. He went on to say, “I think it’s important that we don’t all get Stockholm syndrome and let the companies that work hard to charge you more convince you that they actually care more about you. Because that sounds ridiculous to me.” However, till now there is no clarity on whether the decision for Facebook employees to use on Android smartphones came after Cook’s comments or if it’s a rule that existed earlier. But considering that Android is the most dominant operating system in a number of regions including South America, Europe, Russia, South Asia, and parts of the Middle East, it does sound like a reasonable business decision. Also, Facebook is not the only company which follows this. Even Snap strongly encourages its employees to use Android smartphones instead of iPhones. Android and iOS are two very different operating systems and one needs to work differently in order to make apps for two. The reason why tech workers are asked to use Android is because companies want to focus on the operating system that is most used in the world. However, it is possible that Facebook employees have switched to Android smartphones for work and those who have a preference for iOS devices are continuing to use iPhones in personal lives.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Samsung Galaxy S10 to sport Infinity-O display, ‘punch-hole’ selfie camera: Report

Samsung Galaxy S10’s launch may be months away. But that doesn’t stop speculations and reports about the upcoming device from surfacing online. And the latest leak about Samsung Galaxy S10 comes from tipster Evan Blass. According to the renowned leakster who managed to obtain some details about the upcoming flagship smartphone, Samsung Galaxy S10 will come with a ‘punch hole’ selfie camera, which sounds like the Infinity-O display that the technology giant spoke about at its developer conference last week. Besides Infinity-O display, Samsung had also spoken about its Infinity U and Infinity V notch styles. https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/1062313739842654208 The smartphone will sport an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner and come with three cameras. Apart from the primary sensor, the device will come with wide-angle and telephoto lenses. The new flagship device will reportedly run Android 9.0 Pie skinned with Samsung’s latest One UI and will pack a more powerful Exynos chip. Samsung’s revamped user interface will also be coming to its current flagships – Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy Note 9. According to previous reports, Samsung Galaxy S10 will not come with an iris scanner. Instead, it is opting for an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint sensor like we mentioned earlier. It has also been reported that Samsung plans to dedicate 30% of Galaxy S10’s screen to the fingerprint sensor. This basically means that the user will be able to unlock the device by placing his finger anywhere on that area of the display. This, according to us, is definitely a plus and we are looking forward to it. The smartphone will compete with the likes of Apple’s current flagship – iPhone XS Max – and Huawei Mate 20 Pro. It has been said that Samsung is planning three smartphones in the Galaxy S10 lineup instead of the usual two. Reports have also suggested that Samsung’s smartphone will make a debut at the Mobile World Congress 2019 which will be held in Barcelona, Spain. Samsung’s foldable smartphone, which the company showcased at its developer conference last week, will reportedly be launched along with the upcoming Galaxy S10 smartphones. What we saw last week was only a prototype and Samsung is said to be still working on it.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Google Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL are erasing text messages without warning: Report

Google unveiled its flagship devices Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL to the world last month. And just a few weeks back, the smartphones went on sale in India. However, early buyers have been facing some issues with the devices. While previously there were reports about overheating and audio quality, a new report has surfaced online which claims that users are facing a problem with text messages on their device. According to the report, all the text messages of Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL users are getting erased on their own from the Messages app. The issue seems to have cropped up after the devices received the November security patch or after a new update to the Messages app. Although the technology giant has acknowledged the issue, it doesn’t have a fix for it yet. This issue was first reported by Android Police after it was discussed on several Reddit threads. Users have claimed on Reddit that the entire data on their Messages app was deleted and they didn’t have any prior warning about it. Furthermore, the messages that have disappeared have not even been archived. They have been deleted. Users who did have a backup of their messages on their old Pixel phones do have access to some old messages, but there is no way of tracing the new ones. A user on Reddit has suggested that one can get the lost data back by going back to the previous version of Messages app. What’s more, other users have agreed that it works, which means that the bug could be a part of the latest Messages app update. A number of users have tried to contact Google regarding the matter and the technology giant’s support team has said that engineers are working to fix the issue. Till now, they haven’t been able to find a solution. If you are facing this issue too, and want to go back to the previous version of the Messages app, head to Messages section under Apps & Notifications in Settings of your smartphone. From the App Info page, click on the Menu button and select Uninstall updates.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

Why Xiaomi had to apologize because of its flash sale

Customers in United Kingdom are not very happy with Xiaomi. The Chinese smartphone brand made its foray in the country earlier this month with its Mi 8 Pro and Redmi 6 smartphones and its Mi Band Pro. And recently, the company announced its popular flash sale under the name of ‘Crazy Deal.’ Under the ‘Crazy Deal’ flash sale, Xiaomi was offering a few of its smartphones at a price of GBP 1. Xiaomi has also held such sales in Indian smartphone market during the festive season, where a few of its devices are available at Re 1. But, in the UK, the sale left the customers miffed. Much like what Xiaomi does in its Re 1 flash sales in India, the company made only 10 units of its Android smartphones available at GBP 1. As a result of this, the units were sold out within seconds of the sale beginning, just like it happens in India. However, customers in the United Kingdom associate ‘Flash Sale’ with something that has more than 10 units on discount. And this was what created a furore. Xiaomi tweeted an apology saying, “We can confirm that 10 customers have purchased a Xiaomi device for GBP 1. Of the thousands who clicked ‘buy’ simultaneously, our system randomly selected the winners, and he or she should have been able to add this item to the shopping cart and pay for this handset at GBP 1. No changes to the T&C were made that impacted the promotion itself in any way.” The company further added, “@XiaomiUK would like to apologise for any misunderstanding.” According to a report in BBC, the ads watchdog in the UK has received a complaint and is thinking over whether an investigation is required or not. The report says that the Xiaomi did not mention on the sales page that only a limited number of unit are being sold in the ‘flash sale’. Instead one could only find this information in a different landing page which detailed terms and conditions. It is also worth noticing that the link for this page was in the footer of the website. A Twitter user has alleged that the script of the website shows that the ‘Buy Now’ button on the products that were meant to be on sale was set to automatically switch to ‘Out of Stock’ and it did not check for stock limits when the timer went off. Xiaomi is also said to have held a similar sale in Spain last year and it offered a total of 50 units at EUR 1. Image courtesy: Reuters
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on TwitterFacebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel.