CES 2019: Intel launches new 9th-Gen processors
American chipmaker Intel has announced its new 9th-Generation processors that range from the Core i3 to the Core i9 at the ongoing CES 2019. We should mention that the company didn’t mention any models or specifications at the tech event. Only the Core i5-9400 has been specified in the official press release that the chipmaker has shared.
However, it is worth noticing that Intel’s website now lists models other than Core i5-9400, namely – Core i9-9900KF, Core i7-9700KF, Core i5-9600KF, Core i5-9400F, and Core i3-9350KF. Last year saw the launch of three 9th-Gen desktop Core CPUs that were aimed at gamers and mainstream users including i9-9900K, Core i7-9700K and the Core i5-9600K.
The new models that the company has just launched are expected to rear the markets soon. However, the company has not specified a particular date when it is likely to happen. There is no word on the pricing of the processors too.
The newly launched processors by the company come with a 14nm process with the Coffee Lake microarchitecture. Some of the models don’t have the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU and the products which will be powered by these come with the suffix ‘F’.
Since there is no official word on the pricing of the new chipsets, we would have to wait till they hit the market to know if there has been any reduction in price since the chips don’t come with an integrated graphics unit.
Apart from this, the Core i9-990KF, i9-9700KF, and i5-9600KF come with the same core counts, threads, base/boost frequencies, TDPs, and cache allocations that are present in the current ‘non-F’ models.
Speaking of the Core i5-9400 processor, it comes with six cores and threads that run at 2.9 GHz base frequency that is claimed to go up to 4.1 GHz on a single core. The chipset has an integrated UHD Graphics 630, a 65W TDP and since it is a locked processor, there is no possibility of overclocking it.
Coming to Core i3-9350K, it comes with four cores and threads and runs at 4.0 GHz base clock rate and has 4.6 GHz boost speeds at a single core. The Core i3-8100F model also has four cores and threads and comes with 3.6 GHz frequency and 6MB of L3 cache.
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.
CES 2019: LG’s rollable TV to go on sale this year
Last year at Consumer Electronics Show, LG showcased its 65-inch rollable TV prototype. And this year at CES 2019, the South Korean electronics maker has announced that its flagship 4K OLED TV will be hitting the market this year. LG’s finished Signature OLED TV R is very similar to the prototype that we saw last year, however, the company has added a Dolby Atmos speaker so the final product comes with built-in audio.
If you are one among those who don’t like the idea of owning a television because it occupies too much space in your living room, LG’s rollable TV may be the answer because it can slide down when you don’t want to use it. So it literally goes away when you are not watching anything on it. The television rolls down steadily into its base and can pop back up in 10 seconds with just a push of a button. This means that you don’t have to look at a big, black rectangle at the centre of your room.
The company has also added a mode to the rollable television called the ‘Line Mode’. When you activate this, you can have one-fourth of the screen showing when music controls and various options that can help you control other smart gadgets in your house.
Another key highlight of the device is that it comes with support for Alexa voice controls and has Google Assistant integrated into LG’s webOS software. In order to access Alexa, all you have to do us press the Prime Video button on your remote control. The company has also added Apple’s AirPlay 2 to the television that will enable easy media playback as well as device mirroring.
Even when the television is completely rolled up, users will be able to play music on the Atmos speaker system. This is another very key feature of LG’s rollable TV.
According to the company, the picture quality of its rollable TV is at par with that of any other device.
The product does sound like a great one, and certainly a relief to know that there is a television that can drop out of the view when it’s not in use. However, we should point out that it will be extremely expensive. LG has, in the past, launched a television that came with a price tag of $8,000. Considering that this is more impressive than any of its offerings, it should be costlier 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.
MSI unveils the new GS75 Stealth gaming laptop and more at CES 2019
Today, MSI has debuted a range of gaming products at CES 2019. This includes the GS75 Stealth laptop that comes with the latest NVDIA GeForce RTX GPU. GS75 Stealth has a 17.3-inch screen and comes in a sandblasted metallic black finish with an elegant gold trim. Another product showcased is the MSI GS65 laptop, which has 15.6-inch display, has powerful performance and an ultra-portable design. What improves its credibility is that it has received the CES Innovation Award.
The GS75 is compact with 4-sided thin bezel chassis. The device is equipped with the latest GeForce RTX 2080 graphics card and it weighs 2.2kg. The GS65 on the other hand weighs 2kg. Next up on the line is the GT Titan, the epic-class flagship gaming laptop. The device has RTX GPU too and overclockable Intel Core i9 CPU. It has a 4K UHD display that delivers stunning, lifelike details on the game screen.
That is not it, next in line is MSI GE63 Raider that has RGB lighting on both its cover and keyboard, that in the company’s own words “lights up the battlefield”. Another one launched is the MSI GE75 gaming laptop that has 3D Dragon Spines anodized red diamond-cut finish on it. According to the company, the GE Raider presents the best gaming experience for enthusiast gamers who desire the latest gaming titles. These run on the latest Intel CPU’s and users an choose from a range of RAM and storage options.
Next up in line is the GL series which is comparatively affordable than the others. Being equipped with Dynaudio giant speakers, it can allow gamers to further immerse the sound. It has two size variants—15.6-inches and 17.3-inches, both of which are available with 120Hz display. Lastly, we come to the PS63 Modern. It has a 15.6-inches IPS-level display and has thin bezel framework. It also features a featherweight design and weighs 1.65kgs.
The PS63 Modern can last for 16 hours at a stretch and is powered by Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 technology, which is supposed to provide day long productivity. The laptop has the latest 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics that promises powerful performance in terms of multitasking and graphic rendering. What sets this apart from the other devices is that the PS63 has MSI exclusive Cooler Boost 3 that reduces its operating temperature, which in turn decreases the chances of overheating.
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.
CES 2019: Amazon Alexa will soon be heard in cars
Amazon is planning to establish its voice assistant, Alexa in cars. And so, Alexa is going to become a part of Telenav’s in-car navigation systems. Amazon Alexa Auto VP, Ned Curic said, “Navigation is among the most popular use cases for in-car technology, and we’re excited to be working with Telenav to make it easier for automakers and suppliers to support voice-first navigation through Alexa. Using the Alexa Auto SDK, Telenav is helping make Alexa a truly integrated part of the in-car navigation system, and providing customers with a more useful, consistent experience at home and on the go.”
Previously Amazon made available the Alexa, through the BMW group, to certain cars. It had announced Echo Auto, an in-car accessory that enables customers to install Alexa in their cars by themselves. However, this partnership with Telenav will allow Amazon to install Alexa in cars from the beginning.
Besides the partnership with Telenav, Amazon has also announced a partnership with HERE Technologies in order to bring voice-first-in-vehicle navigation system. With this technology, people can programme their trips in the vehicles and once they start driving, it will automatically navigate the route to their destination. This technology, Amazon is planning to establish in 100 million vehicles that are equipped with the map creator’s ‘HERE’.
Amazon has been on a spree of modifications in the current CES with the help of Alexa. A couple of days ago, search giant, Google and Amazon announced that it is going to bring their respective voice assistants to a range of Samsung smart TVs. As per our knowledge, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa will only be available to the Samsung TVs belonging to the 2019 category and then will trickle down to other TVs from different makers, too.
Bixby, however is going to be the primary voice support for Samsung’s Tizen TV software. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can only be used for inputs such as volume control, turning the TV on and off, switch inputs, and launching select apps. Considering Amazon Alexa, it has 100 million usership worldwide. To think that it will soon harbour our cars seems like an icing on the cake.
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.
Anker launched a new wireless alarm clock, which can even charge your phone
Anker has launched a new alarm clock which is a rather unusual one. You don’t expect alarm clocks to charge your phone, do you? Well, get ready to be baffled because the new Anker Soundcore Wakey does that for you. While you take a good night’s sleep or an afternoon nap before getting ready for office nightshift, this will not only cut short your dream at the right time, but also charge your phone to full capacity for sufficient productivity during working hours.
The Anker Soundcore Wakey has two five-watt speakers, 10 preset alarms and also an FM Radio. Also, there are six white noise sounds which are meant to make you sleep. Though not as versatile as the Amazon Echo Spot speaker considering the range of things it can do for you, in terms of alarm clock functioning, the Anker Soundcore Wakey just might give the Echo Spot a run for its money.
However, the Amazon Echo Spot was launched back in April last year. It has a 2.5-inch circular display and can be used to watch video news briefings. Also, it can run movie trailers from companies such as Amazon Prime Video, Dailymotion, and Vimeo. The Amazon Echo Spot comes with a front camera sensor that enables Alexa-to-Alexa voice-controlled video calls. The front-camera, moreover, can be used to interact with other Echo Spot owners, iOS and Android devices via video messaging.
The speaker comes in two colour options, that is black and white. The Amazon Echo Spot was launched with a price tag of Rs 12,999, though there was a one-day price reduction during August, 2018 for Prime members exclusively. The device has a 1.4-inch driver and measures 104x96x91mm. Coming back to the Anker Soundcore Wakey, it will reportedly start its sale in a few months at 100$ (Rs 7,000 approx). We will also subsequently know when it will be available in India. Stay tuned until then.
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.
CES 2019: LG showcases an 88-inch 8K OLED screen that can produce sound
The Consumer Electronics Show is going on in Las Vegas with technology companies showcasing their product lineups and innovations for the year. And right after Samsung showed off its 219-inch Wall TV at the ongoing tech event, LG Display announced its innovative and interesting screens too. LG has unveiled an 88-inch 8K OLED display, a 65-inch 8K OLED screen and a 65-inch 4K OLED display. We should mention that although the company has unveiled them, there is no word about these devices’ availability. Here’s a look at the features and specifications of the newly launched panels by LG Electronics:
In This Article
LG 88-inch 8K OLED screen
The 88-inch 8K OLED panel by LG is the company’s most interesting launch at CES 2019. The newly launched OLED screen includes the technology giant’s Crystal Sound screen technology that was unveiled in 2017. We should mention that this is a big upgrade as because of this, the company will be able to embed the sound system directly on to the OLED display. So basically, there will be no speakers required as the screen itself will be able to produce sounds. According to the company, the 88-inch 8K OLED panel will be able to produce 3.2.2-channel Dolby Altmos audio.LG 65-inch 8K and 4K OLED displays
While the 88-inch 8K OLED panel was definitely the most exciting product that LG showcased, the South Korean technology company also introduced two 65-inch displays at the Consumer Electronics Show. The company has not spoken much about the 8K variant of the television, the 4K display will be available with a motion picture response time of 3.5ms, which is supposed to be the fastest in the world. LG has also said that with this, watching action movies and sports would become a great experience. The South Korean company also showcased two other screens that are meant for automotive usage. Among these is a 12.3-inch transparent OLED screen that comes with 45% transparency and a 12.3-inch P-OLED panel. LG has also shown a 27-inch Neo Art concept that can be used in desktop monitors. The company said that smartphones and PCs can be easily connected to it via a USB Type-C port. Another 27-inch screen that comes with Oxide backplane technology and has a 4K resolution has been showcased. The technology company has said that this panel can be used in computer monitors. For laptop screens, LG Display has unveiled a 13.3-inch display panel that has just 2.8W of hourly power consumption. 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.CES 2019: Alienware debuts m17, m15 notebooks with 8th generation Intel Core i9K processors
Alienware has launched its m17 and m15 gaming laptops at CES (Consumer Electronics Show). Both are special in the aspect of their thinness. Dell claims that the m17 is the thinnest and lightest gaming laptops. The Alienware m17 is 40% lighter than its predecessor, it weighs 2.62kg even when it has discreet graphic cards inside. The laptop comes in two colour options, that is Epic Silver and Nebula Red. The light weight and strength, which the m17 gets is based on premium materials used such as magnesium alloy and copper.
The Alienware m17 comes with the option of 8th generation Intel Core i9K processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q GPUs. The company is confident that these would provide gamers the ultimate laptop gaming experience. The GeForce RTX 20 Series graphic processors is powered by Turing architecture with real-time ray tracing, artificial intelligence and programme shading.
Just before the m17, the Alienware m15 was launched. The Alienware m15 is custom-designed for, the same quality yet again, lightness and thinness (2.1 kg). The device runs the 8th generation Intel Core i5/i7 processors which allows it to run high-graphic games with ease. Users also have the option to pick up the i9 CPU version that feature dynamic CPU overclocking alongside NVDIA’s GeForce RTX 20 Series graphics. Connectivity option in both the laptop include couple of USB 3.0 ports, WiFi, Bluetooth et al. Integrated webcam and HD audio is also part of the package.
Over that, Dell experienced a great sense of fulfilment when the Alienware m15 and m17 were awarded the 2019 CES Innovation Award. The company said that it would be announcing some “ground breaking new hardware, software and partnership news” soon, in the Dell’s CES launch event. The event is taking place at Sands Showroom at the Venetian. In order to watch the event, one either needs to attend it or watch it livestream on Dell’s official global website.
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.
CES 2019: Samsung showcases a 219-inch TV which comes with support for voice commands
South Korean technology giant Samsung has showcased its latest television technology at the ongoing CES 2019. The company has unveiled its MicroLED modular panel that is available in both larger and smaller sizes. In fact, if you were impressed by the 146-inch ‘The Wall’ TV that Samsung showcased last year at Consumer Electronics Show, get ready to be impressed again. This year, the tech giant has unveiled a television that is 219-inches in size.
But it’s not just the size of the television that makes it so impressive, it has some very interesting and useful features too. For starters, you would be able to give commands to Samsung’s new panels via Google Assistant as well as Amazon Alexa. However, for doing this you should have a smart speaker that supports either of the two.
With the 219-inch Wall TV, Samsung has put forward what it can achieve in terms of resolution and sizes using its MicroLED technology. The South Korean technology company also unveiled a MicroLED panel which is 75-inches in size and has support for 4K technology. We personally feel that this television would prove to be more practical for a regular buyer. And needless to say, it will be more affordable too. However, Samsung has not as yet given away the pricing of either of the two products. It has only unveiled them and spoken about their features and specifications.
The company also made a surprise move when it joined hands with Apple in order to offer customers iTunes movies and TV shows via its smart TV app. And as we mentioned earlier, the television will also come with support for voice inputs by Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. But then, for doing this, you must have a device that has support for these assistants, like Google Home or Amazon’s speakers.
Nevertheless, it is a great feature. On clubbing the television with Google Home or Amazon Echo-like speaker, you would be able to switch the device on or off, change the channel, control volume levels and do a lot more just using voice commands. And in case you don’t have a smart speaker, you can use Samsung’s digital assistant – Bixby – which will in-built on the new television by the company.
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.
CES 2019: MediaTek launches its new smart home products
Chipmaker MediaTek has announced a number of new AI smart home products at the ongoing CES 2019 in Las Vegas. The smart home products that have been launched include the latest generation of MediaTek’s TV AI picture quality (PQ) technology, the MT8175 AI vision platform for smart displays and smart cameras, and the new MT8518 AI voice platform for portable smart speakers.
The newly launched solutions by MediaTek are a part of the company’s initiative to bring the latest AI innovations to smart homes, wearables, smartphones, autonomous cars and other connected devices.
Speaking about the launch of these new products, Jerry Yu, Senior Corporate Vice President of MediaTek’s Intelligent Devices business unit said, “AI is reshaping how we interact with technology, from taking pictures on our phones to checking the weather on our voice assistants, streaming content on our TVs and navigating in our cars. MediaTek’s high performance and power efficient solutions are ideally suited to meet the processing needs of AI devices. We have been seeing that AI is moving beyond voice to vision, and from the cloud to the edge, so MediaTek is supporting a wide range of AI capabilities on voice assistant devices (VAD), including smart devices with a display and camera. Our latest AI innovations are bringing consumers a better viewing experience with our TV AI PQ technology, faster and more precise image capturing quality with MT8175 for smart displays and smart cameras, and more seamless processing between cloud and edge in VAD with MT8518, enabling our customers to take advantage of the big opportunity to bring voice assistants to the portable speaker market.”
MediaTek’s TV AI PQ technology comes with various AI enhancements including scene detection and face detection within scenes. With this technology, smart TVs will be able to differentiate between frames that have people with frames that have a landscape or indoors scenes. Once this is done, the smart TVs will adjust the sharpness for enhanced picture quality and fine-tune the appearance of the skin tone of people appearing in the frame.
The chipmaker has said that its TV AI PQ technology works by flagging various types of scenes with AI. This information is then processed with the PQ engine and scene-adaptive PQ settings are then applied.
Yu further said, “Voice assistants integrated with displays and cameras will bring users a more interactive experience and even more useful capabilities thanks to MediaTek’s MT8175 AI vision platform. In addition to enhancing the viewing experience, MT8175 equips devices with the latest image signal processing (ISP) and AI process unit (APU) technologies to make image capturing faster, clearer and with lower power consumption. Our customers are very excited about the edge AI and low power capabilities of MT8518. The low power voice wake-up to extend battery life is a big breakthrough in the portable smart speaker market, along with our PowerAQTM, the powerful acoustic tuning tool which has been adopted by many audio brands for superior audio quality.”
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.
2019 iPhone renders leaked, features triple rear cameras housed in a square camera bump
The launch of 2019 iPhones is months away, but the first renders of the upcoming smartphone have surfaced online already. Renowned leaker Onleaks and Digit.in have collaborated to make the renders of the 2019 iPhone prototypes.
The leaked renders show the upcoming iPhone will have a triple rear camera setup on its back panel and they will be placed in a huge camera bump that will also house the LED flash of the device.
According to Onleaks, these renders are based on EVT hardware, so the designs that have been showcased have not been finalised yet. For those unaware, EVT stands for ‘engineering validation test’, which is the first stage of Apple hardware being formed. The hardware at Apple goes from EVT to DVT or ‘design validation test’ and then finally to PVT or ‘production validation test’.
So, the designs that have been projected in the renders is an early stage prototype. However, the key features like the triple rear camera that can be seen have been finalised, so at least we can get a fair idea about what to expect from the 2019 iPhone.
Coming back to the renders, the LED flash and the camera lenses have been placed in a zig-zag pattern in the square bump that houses them. If this report is indeed true, then those expecting the removal of the camera bump this year would have to be disappointed.
While the rumour that the next iPhone will come with three cameras has been circulating on the internet for a while, the design that has been leaked by Onleaks is very unconventional and we were certainly not expecting this. But then, there is a possibility that the cameras could be aligned differently when the design of the iPhone gets finalised by Apple. Another explanation for the design is that Apple has tried to keep some distance between the lenses in the iPhone to get the depth results accurately. This can particularly be true if the third lens is a depth sensor and not an RGB camera lens.
Apple is expected to launch three iPhones this year as well. However, it is not clear so far if the company will launch the iPhone with the name iPhone 11 or use a different name.
Image courtesy: Onleaks, Digit.in
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.
While the rumour that the next iPhone will come with three cameras has been circulating on the internet for a while, the design that has been leaked by Onleaks is very unconventional and we were certainly not expecting this. But then, there is a possibility that the cameras could be aligned differently when the design of the iPhone gets finalised by Apple. Another explanation for the design is that Apple has tried to keep some distance between the lenses in the iPhone to get the depth results accurately. This can particularly be true if the third lens is a depth sensor and not an RGB camera lens.
Apple is expected to launch three iPhones this year as well. However, it is not clear so far if the company will launch the iPhone with the name iPhone 11 or use a different name.
Image courtesy: Onleaks, Digit.in
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. Acer unveils the convertible Predator Triton 900 gaming notebook with 32GB RAM, Predator Trinton 500 showcased too
Today, Acer unveiled two new Windows 10 gaming notebooks—the Predator Triton 900 and the Predator Triton 500. The former features a slim design and convertible 4K display, and the latter is a 15-inch all-metal gaming powerhouse which is 17.9mm thin. Both notebooks combine new, functional designs with powerful internals that makes them formidable to gaming desktops.
Jerry Hou, General Manager, Consumer Notebooks, IT Products Business at Acer said, “We are pushing the envelope on what a gaming notebook can be with designs that offer more uses while still packing in the computing power. The Predator Triton 900’s one-of-a-kind flipping screen allows for multiple gaming scenarios and better ergonomics, while the Triton 500 offers superb gaming performance in a slimmer, all-metal body for gamers on the go.”
The Acer Predator Triton 900 has a six-core high performance 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. The laptop has a 32GB DDR4 memory and 1TB NVMe PCIe RAID 0 SSDs; the device will run smoothly despite running the most space consuming games. It comes with an Xbox wireless receiver that lets you play with an Xbox controller on Windows 10. Also, the Predator Triton 900 features audio by waves. The Waves Maxx delivers superior sound quality made immersive with Waves Nx with head tracking. This, the company claims, provides a hyper-realistic 3D audio experience. Graphics are powered by NVIDIA.
The Acer Predator Triton 500 has a 15.6-inch Full HD screen that is 17.9mm thin and it weighs 2.1kgs. The laptop has an all-metal chassis and narrow bezels measuring up to 6.3mm. The body-to-screen ratio is 81 percent and battery life stretches up to 8 hours.
In terms of pricing and availability, the Acer Predator Triton 900 will be sold in North America in March at a price of 3,999$ (Rs 2,80,000 aprox). In EMEA it will be available from March at a price of 4,199 Euros. Also, in March the device would be launched in China at a cost of 39,999 Yuan. The Acer Predator Triton 500 will be available in North America from February at a cost of 1,799$ (Rs 1,20,000 approx). In January and February, the product would be available in EMEA and China. In terms of pricing the Predator Triton 500 will be sold at 1,999 Euros in EMEA and at 16,999 Yuan in China.
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.
Acer Chromebook 315 launched, comes with 15.6-inch display and 10 hours battery backup
Acer has launched today, its latest 15.6-inch Chromebook. It is called the Chromebook 315 and it comes with a battery backup of 10 hours. This laptop falls into the line-up of the chain of Chromebooks Acer has been launching. The laptop comes in two configurations and is powered by a 7th Gen AMD A6-9220C or A4-9120C processors with Radeon graphics. This helps it to maintain its speed despite running space demanding apps, multiple tabs and extensions. The Acer Chromebook 315 has been claimed to display streaming videos, web games and apps. In addition to this, it is available in touch and non-touchscreen configurations.
James Lin, General Manager, Commercial and Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. said, “The 15.6-inch Chromebook has been one of the cornerstones of the Acer Chromebook line. The Acer Chromebook 315 builds on the line’s core attributes — a huge 15.6-inch display, great speakers and a stylish design — to now include new AMD processors and Radeon graphics that will effortlessly power the growing selection of Chrome and Android™ apps that have been embraced by so many students, families and business users.”
The AMD A-Series processors of the Acer Chromebook 315 helps users to do all sorts of internet and non-internet related activities for 10 hours. Saeid Moshkelani, the senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Compute, AMD said, “We are proud to expand AMD’s portfolio of products to include AMD-powered Chromebooks.”
She also said, “The new Acer Chromebook 315 powered by AMD A-series processors will allow consumers to do more in less time while enjoying some of the best Chromebook experiences. In partnership with Google and Acer, AMD-powered Chromebooks will deliver first-rate entertainment and premium productivity features, as well as best-in-class design to the Chromebook market.”
Dimensions of the laptop are 380.54W x 256.28D x 19.95H mm and it weighs 1.72kgs. Connectivity options include two USB Type-C Gen 1 ports (one on each side of the device). To continue with the connectivity options, the Acer Chromebook 315 has a Bluetooth 4.2, two USB 3.0 ports, WiFi 802.11 ac and the combo headphone and speaker jack. The Acer Chromebook 315 will be available in North America in February at a starting price of 279.99$ (Rs 21,000 aprox). On the other hand, it will be available at 349 Euros in EMCA from April.
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.
CES 2019: Acer announces the Swift 7 extra thin laptop, runs 8th gen Intel Core processor
Today, Acer announced its new Swift 7 laptop. The speciality of the gadget is that it is extremely slim and light, it weighs less than a kilo at 890 grams. The notebook has a new premium chassis that expands the screen length and its bezels are so narrow that, as the company claims, makes it “virtually borderless.” The device was made by Acer in collaboration with Intel.
The Acer Swift 7 is powered by the 8th Gen Intel Core processors. Chris Walker, the Vice President of Client Computing at Intel said, “We designed the latest 8th Gen Intel Core processors to deliver a complete platform with the performance to enable rich user experiences and the power efficiency to extend battery life, all in a fanless design. It is exciting to collaborate with Acer on the innovation displayed on the new Acer Swift 7.”
The Acer Swift 7’s display is of 14-inches and its screen-to-body ratio is 92%. The dimensions of the laptop are 317.9mm W x 191.5mm D. The compactness of this device is owed to its four-side narrow bezel design which measures up to 2.57mm. Hou, General Manager, Consumer Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. said, “With a striking screen-to-body ratio of an incredible 92 percent, Acer customers can stay more productive with a compact, thinner and lighter notebook that feels ‘barely there’ while carrying it around through the day and during business travel.”
Besides being slim and lightweight, the Acer Swift 7 is quite durable. It is made up of magnesium-lithium and magnesium-aluminium alloys. These materials are two to four times stronger than standard aluminium alloys at the same thickness, yet are lighter by up to 20 to 35 percent. This ensures that the laptop weighs under 1kg. Plus, the product is extra-durable because it is layered with Corning Gorilla Glass 6.
The Acer Swift 7 comes with up to 512GB SSD storage and a up to 16GB LPDDR3 RAM. The notebook has a battery backup of 10 hours. Connectivity options include two USB Type-C ports, a USB 3.1 Gen 2 jack, Bluetooth 5.0, Intel Wireless-AC along with a combo headphone and speaker jack. The device would be available in few configurations including 8GB RAM and 16GB RAM with internal storage up to 256GB and 512GB respectively.
The Acer Swift 7 will launch in North America during May starting at 1,699$; in EMCA in April at a cost of 1,799 Euros, and during the same month in China, purchasable at 14,999 Yuan. Indian availability is still not out yet.
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.
New NVDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is here: Company claims it brings next-generation of gaming to PCs
Yesterday, NVIDIA has announced the GeForce RTX 2060, which has Turing architecture GPUs. The company claims that the RTX 2060 GPU will deliver exceptional performance on modern games, with graphics enhanced by ray tracing and AI capabilities. The device is supposed to be 60 percent faster on current titles than its predecessor, GTX 1060. Also, this is supposed to surpass the gameplay of the GeForce GTX 1070 Ti.
The RTX 2060 can run the game, Battlefield V with ray tracing at 60 frames per second with the help of Turing’s RT Cores and Tensor Cores. The GPU is supposed to be globally available from January 15 from every major OEM, system builder and graphics card partner. The RTX 2060 will feature a major upgrade of the core streaming multiprocessor to enhance the handling of workloads of modern games.
It supports concurrent execution of floating point and integer operations, adaptive shading technology and a new unified memory architecture which has twice the cache of its predecessor. Modern games can utilize these features to achieve up to 2 times more performance over the GTX 1060 GPU.
NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said during the unveiling of the RTX 2060, “Next-gen gaming starts today for tens of millions of gamers everywhere. Desktop gamers are demanding, and the RTX 2060 sets a new standard — an unbeatable price, extraordinary performance and real-time ray tracing that blurs the distinction between movies and games. This is a great moment for gamers and our industry.”
The RTX 2060 with a new application named, GeForce Experience that makes PC gaming more accessible and provides unique, easy-to-use in-game features. These features include NVIDIA Highlights, NVIDIA Ansel and NVIDIA Freestyle. Moreover, there is one global offer. The PCs which equip the RTX 2060 can have two optional games—Anthem and Battlefield V. As mentioned, the RTX 2060 will be available to systems built by Acer, Alienware, Dell, HP and Lenovo from January 15. The device is priced at 349$ (roughly Rs 25,000).
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.
Asus ZenBook S13 laptop to display a reverse notch and thinner bezels
Asus has created a laptop that, according to the company, provides the “world’s slimmest display bezel” for CES 2019. This is the new Asus ZenBook S13. The slimness of the bezel is owed to the reversed notch that the laptop is said to sport. The notch will appear at the top of the screen instead of below or within the frame. The notch squeezes the webcam to the top protruding part, widening the laptop screen, consequently.
To talk about the specifications of the laptop, slim bezel display offers a 97 percent screen-to-body ratio. The 13.9-inch 1080p display screen will have just 2.5mm bezels on its either sides. Thus, the overall facade is less than most 13-inch laptops. The Asus ZenBook S13 will be powered by 8th Gen Intel Core i7 processors. The laptop will support up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD storage.
There would be added discreet graphics in the form of Nvidia’s GeForce MX 150 GPU. This GPU, Asus claims, makes the ZenBook S13 the “world’s thinnest laptop with discrete graphics.” It would be advantageous to gamers if OEMs begin to squeeze in discrete graphics from Nvidia, considering that laptops of this class depend on integrated graphics from Intel. Such laptops are expected to run the latest titles at low resolutions. Games such as Fortnite will run at the display’s native 1080p at 30 fps.
Connectivity options of the Asus ZenBook S13 include two USB-C ports, a single USB-A port and a microSD reader. There is a fingerprint sensor in the trackpad, so that you can log into Windows 10 with Windows Hello support. The launch of the Asus ZenBook S13 is supposed to be in Q1, however we are yet to learn about its pricing.
With the launch of the Asus ZenBook S13, the company is set to make an amazing entry at CES 2019. It has launched 4 Chromebooks ahead of CES 2019, in the last couple of days. These devices include the Asus Chromebook Tablet CT100, Asus Chromebook C204, the Chromebook Flip C214 and the Chromebook C403. These were created especially for to educational purposes.
Image courtesy: Asus
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.
Apple to provide AirPlay 2 support for multiple TV manufacturers
Apple updated its AirPlay page wherein it has announced that its AirPlay 2 support will be available for multiple TV brands. Once this is available, you can view your iOS device content to the AirPlay 2 supported smart TV. In order for this to happen, you only need to tap on the AirPlay icon on your Apple device and it will replicate the same screen on your TV system.
Based on the information given in Apple’s AirPlay page, users can stream 4K HDR video. Plus, they can connect photos from iCloud, connect music to their television and also, control homekit accessories. When your device is connected to the TV, it will act as a remote in order to navigate through the TV screen. For iPhone, convenient built-in controls appear in apps, on the Lock screen, and in Control Center. One can easily play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and adjust the volume on their TV.
The technology will prompt AirPlay TVs to act like AirPlay speakers, too. HomeKit will let users play certain movies via Siri integration. It cannot be ascertained as to when this would be available to other TV manufacturers but, AirPlay 2 is confirmed to come to Samsung TVs. Very recently, Apple has announced that it would enable iTunes to be authorised for Samsung TVs within 2018 and 2019 range.
This is the first time Apple has allowed a third party app from Windows PC to access its video and audio library. iTunes for Samsung TVs has been established in 100 countries. The AirPlay 2 support will allow streaming of a range of content which includes videos, music, photos, and podcasts. Also, the iTunes streaming service is supposed to include Netflix as well.
Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue said, “We look forward to bringing the iTunes and AirPlay 2 experience to even more customers around the world through Samsung Smart TVs, so iPhone, iPad and Mac users have yet another way to enjoy all their favourite content on the biggest screen in their home.”
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.
CES 2019: HP updates its range of laptops
Consumer Electronics Show 2019 has begun and the first major launch from the event is by HP. The company has made a number of announcements at CES 2019 and launch some new notebooks as well as a gaming display. Read on to know about the tech specs and features of the newly launched devices by HP:
In This Article
HP Spectre x360 with AMOLED display
The all new HP Spectre x360 with AMOLED display is claimed to offer bright and accurate colours that cover 100% of the DCI-P3 colour space and have a contrast ratio of 1,00,000:1. The device comes with wide horizontal viewing angles, showcases deep blacks and will offer a fast response time close to 0.1 ms. HP has also said that the display will support HDR, but then the company hasn’t given an official word on the resolution of its AMOLED panel. We do know that the display comes with Intel’s Whiskey Lake-U processors coupled with Nvidia’s discrete graphics. The launch of the display is expected in March.HP Omen X Emperium 65
HP Omen X Emperium 65 is a big format gaming display that comes with a built-in 120W sound-bar that will be available for purchase next month. The monitor sports a 64.5-inch 8-bit AMVA panel that has a resolution of 3840×2160 and 750-1000 nits brightness and a 3200:1- 4000:1 contrast ratio. The display has viewing angles of 178 degrees and a refresh rate of 120-144Hz. The response time of the display is said to be 4ms. The gaming display has a 384-zone full direct-array backlight and the company says that it comes with an enhanced HDR experience and is certified by VESA DisplayHDR 1000. This basically means that it is capable of matching the highest standards for a PC monitor. So, the gaming display is likely to come with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. HP Omen X Emperium 65 also comes with DisplayPort 1.4 input, three HDMI 2.0b input an S/PDIF out and dual-port USB 3.0.HP Omen 15 laptop
The technology giant has updated its HP Omen 15 gaming laptop with Nvidia’s 10-series GPUs, display with 240Hz refresh rate and a Wi-Fi 6 controller. The company has announced that the upgraded models from the series that will be powered by the new GPUs will be launched in February, while the ones with fast displays and the new Wi-Fi controller will be available in July. The gaming laptop will come with a 15.6-inch display and will be powered by Intel’s six-core Core i7-8750H processor and Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q GPU.HP EliteBook x360 830 G5 2-in-1
The HP EliteBook x360 830 G5 2-in-1 comes with 13.3-inch display and comes with HP’s Sure View privacy feature. The laptop is powered by Intel’s 8th Gen Core i7 CPU coupled with Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU and has up to 2TB of SSD storage. The machine comes with 32GB of RAM and has two USB-C ports, two USB 3.1, an HDMI, a headphone jack, a SIM card slot, and an optional Smart Card reader for connectivity.AMD powered HP Chromebook
The company has launched a range of Chromebooks that are powered by AMD. The technology giant’s HP Chromebook 14 AMD will be powered by AMD’s A4 or A6 processor coupled with Radeon R4 or R5 graphics. 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.CES 2019: AMD launches its Ryzen 3000 mobile chip series
American multinational semiconductor company AMD has unveiled its Ryzen 3000 mobile chips at the biggest technology show of the year – Consumer Electronic Show (CES) – in Las Vegas, the United States. The newly launched Ryzen 3000 mobile chips have debuted with six variants that have been targeted at mobile devices and Chromebooks.
The Ryzen 3750H chip by AMD comes with 12nm process along with 2.3/4.0GHz bass/boost frequency and 10 GPU cores. The chip has a GPU frequency of up to 1,400MH. While Ryzen 3750H is the most high-end chip that has been launched, the most low-end one – Ryzen 3300U chip – is based on 12nm process and comes with a bass/boost frequency of 2.6/2.6GHz. It has three GPU cores that come with a frequency of up to 1,200MHz.
According to the company, the new chips that have been launched are capable of delivering up to 10 to 12 hours of battery life when they are used on notebooks. The Ryzen 3,000 mobile chips come with support for 4K HDR resolution and are equipped with a new ‘Always On’ technology. AMD also said that its Ryzen 3000 mobile chips perform well when they are made to do certain productivity-focused tasks such as browsing the internet and media editing.
The semiconductor company has also talked about the gaming performance of the new chips that have been launched. It said that when it comes to playing powerful games like Dota 2 and Fortnite, Ryzen 3000’s performance surpasses Intel Core i7-8565U CPU’s.
According to the company’s website, “AMD Ryzen 7 3700U can edit media up to 29% faster than the Intel Core i7-8550U6, and the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U can load websites up to 14% faster than the Intel Core i5-8250U.”
The first device to come with AMD’s Ryzen 3000 mobile chips has already been launched by HP. HP’s Chromebook 14 packs the latest chip by AMD and comes with a 14-inch display with 768p resolution, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage and 47.36 Wh battery.
Other notebooks from ASUS, Dell, HP, Huawei, Lenovo, and Samsung will be launched later this year with AMD’s Ryzen 3000 chips.
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 3 and OnePlus 3T spotted with Android Pie on Geekbench
Some months back, Chinese smartphone brand announced that would roll out the Android Pie update to OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T smartphones, users were delighted. The two smartphones were initially launched with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and then got an update to Android Nougat and most recently, to Android Oreo. Most smartphone companies roll out two major OS updates to their devices. This is the reason that OnePlus rolling out the Android Pie update to OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T came as a big surprise for everyone.
And now, it seems like the update will be getting rolled out to OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T soon as the smartphones have been spotted on Geekbench running Android Pie. While OnePlus 3T was benchmarked on December 27, OnePlus 3 got benchmarked on January 3.
Prior to this, OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T got the OxygenOS 5.0.8 update based on Android 8.0 Oreo. After that, and Android 8.1 based update was supposed to roll out but the company cancelled that in favour of Android Pie update. Now that the Android Pie update seems like it will roll out soon, it is also likely to get a new security patch to the smartphones.
To recall the specifications of OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T smartphones, the handsets come with a 5.5 inch 1920 x 1080 display along with a fingerprint scanner on the front panel. Both the smartphones also have an identical 16MP primary camera. While OnePlus 3 is powered by the Snapdragon 820 processor, OnePlus 3T comes with Snapdragon 821 SoC. The front cameras of the two devices are also different. The OnePlus 6 houses an 8MP selfie camera and the OnePlus 3T has a 16MP front shooter. The battery capacities of OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T are not the same either. While OnePlus 3 houses a 3,000mAh battery, OnePlus 3T packs a bigger 3,400mAh battery.
The update, like all other updates from OnePlus, is expected to roll out in a phased manner to the smartphones‘ users. However, even before that, it will be tested in beta for a few weeks with select users. But as of now, there is no word on when that will happen.
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.
Samsung to support Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for its 2019 TVs
Apart from other voice assistants, Samsung has now also created room for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Users will be able to control the new QLED sets with either of these two voice assistants. However, one needs to provide the assistant device on their own, which can be Echo, Google Home etc. Though Samsung TVs will keep on executing commands from Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, Bixby will continue to be its primary voice helper.
Owing to Bixby for providing rudimentary support as it is attached to Samsung’s Tizen TV software. For Samsung remote control, only Bixby can be used. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can be used for secondary aspects like volume control, turning the TV on and off, switch inputs, and launch select apps.
However, compared to Bixby users there are tonnes of people who have invested in Amazon and Google voice assistants. And the usership is expected to increase in large scale during this time period. There are 100 million Amazon Alexa device users worldwide. Bixby digital assistant remains stagnated to Samsung’s smartphones, wearables, TVs, and appliances.
Don’t start celebrating yet since Samsung hasn’t yet promised to bring Amazon Alexa and Google Assistants to its older TVs. The two voice assistants have been confirmed to be available only for 2019 Samsung TVs, as of now. Looking at couple of days back, both Google and Amazon have been reported to have big plans for 2019 CES. Therefore, it is not surprising that their voice assistants will be available for Samsung.
In the near future, we might see Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to come to more TV brands and other electronics as well. Speaking of Google Assistant, it will soon be modified to predict flight delays. This service will encompass all flights that support English language. The mechanism works by combing flight status data with Machine Learning(ML). One can just ask Google Assistant whether their flight is on time or not and it will give you an accurate answer within seconds. Fortunate are those who are frequent flight boarders.
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.
Micromax Infinity N12 review: A big-battery budget device
Micromax recently made a comeback with its Infinity N11 and Infinity N12 smartphones in India. The budget smartphones are the first by Micromax to come with a notch and they are touted for their AI photography and big batteries. We spent a few days with the bigger sibling – Micromax Infinity N12 – and here’s our review of the same:
Flip over and you will see the back panel of the Micromax Infinity N12 smartphone with a glossy finish and is extremely reflective. We actually felt like we were carrying a coloured mirror with ourselves at times. The device is available in Blue Lagoon, Velvet Red and Viola colours and the one that we got for review was dressed in red. The rear panel houses the dual cameras and a LED flash, has the Micromax branding on it which can be read right only if the device is held in landscape mode. Also, the back panel has the fingerprint scanner placed in the center. During our time with the phone, we found the device to be very prone to picking fingerprints. But then, that’s the case with most smartphones with a shiny rear panel like Micromax Infinity N12’s.
The right edge of the Micromax Infinity N12 has the power button placed on it and the left one has the volume rocker buttons. The speaker grill, the microUSB port and the 3.5mm headphone jack are housed at the bottom and the SIM tray is on the top. While the design is definitely different from other Micromax devices, and we liked how it was so light and easy to use with one hand, the reflective back panel can be a little too loud for some. We personally liked it.
Speaking of the display, that was another aspect that we liked about the Micromax Infinity N12. The 6.19-inch HD+ (720×1,500 pixels) display of the smartphone comes with an aspect ratio of 18.9:9 and has good levels of brightness. While we would have been happier to see a Full HD+ resolution, images mostly appeared crisp and sharp on the HD+ screen. We even watched some videos on YouTube and for a budget smartphone, they played really well and the quality was good in most cases.
As we mentioned earlier, there is a notch on top of the display of the smartphone, but then we were surprised that a number of apps didn’t play in the full-screen mode on the device because that just sort of defeated the purpose of having a notch. But, what really impressed us was the sunlight readability of the device. We have seen a number of smartphones with great displays and still, it’s difficult to use them under the sun. But Micromax Infinity N12 isn’t one of them. We had no trouble using it outdoors. At the given price, the display is as good as it can be.
As far as the software of the device is concerned, we were happy to see that Micromax has cut down on some bloatware. The pre-installed apps on the smartphone include the likes of Micromax browser, video player, FM Radio and a few more. Compared to earlier Micromax devices, it was a lot less. Besides this, the UI was clean and it was easy to find any settings or option that we were looking for in the device.
Multi-tasking was not a problem on Micromax Infinity N12. We used multiple apps on it together several times and it did not affect the smartphone’s performance. There was also no lag in launching these apps or switching between them.
We also played some games on Micromax Infinity N12. While lighter games like Alto’s Odyssey and Temple Run 2 played very smoothly, we did observe some stutters while playing heavier ones like PUBG Mobile. After playing games for about half an hour or so, the smartphone did begin to warm up. We noticed this happening while we were using Micromax Infinity N12 mobile for navigation too.
However, if you are someone who only uses their smartphone for calling, browsing the internet, using social media app like Facebook or Instagram and making video calls, you wouldn’t face any issue.
The fingerprint sensor and the Face Unlock of Micromax Infinity N12 worked well each and every time in our experience. We could use the Face Unlock easily even in areas that were not very well-lit.
Coming to the cameras of the device, the 13MP+5MP sensors did a decent job. The images – the ones taken in well-lit as well as the ones clicked in dimly-lit areas – could have been slightly sharper. We missed the clarity that we have seen in Honor smartphones in the same range. But, they weren’t bad either, just satisfactory and had good colour reproduction. The selfie camera worked well with beautification feature on. When we enabled AI mode on the camera of the smartphone, we didn’t really see much difference.
The 4,000mAh battery of the device was clearly the highlight. Even with heavy usage that involved gaming, use of social media apps, watching YouTube videos, navigation and calls that lasted for more than an hour, the battery lasted more than a day.
The battery of Micromax Infinity N12 also doesn’t drain quickly while the smartphone is being used for gaming. We can say that you wouldn’t have to carry your powerbank with you at all times if you have Micromax Infinity N12.
While we couldn’t run the Geekbench 4 on the device, in Antutu it scored 71,749 points.
In This Article
Design and Display
We’ll start by talking about the looks of Micromax Infinity N12. To put it in a single line, we liked the design of the smartphone. It’s refreshing when you compare it to other devices from Micromax. The newly launched smartphone is predominantly made of plastic. The front panel of the smartphone is dominated by a 6.19-inch display that comes with a notch and has trimmed down bezels, but a slightly broader chin. Micromax Infinity N12 comes with rounded corners and has curved edges at the back, which makes one-handed usage of the device very easy. In spite of the fact that it has a 4,000mAh battery, the device is very light, which made it even easier to use.
Flip over and you will see the back panel of the Micromax Infinity N12 smartphone with a glossy finish and is extremely reflective. We actually felt like we were carrying a coloured mirror with ourselves at times. The device is available in Blue Lagoon, Velvet Red and Viola colours and the one that we got for review was dressed in red. The rear panel houses the dual cameras and a LED flash, has the Micromax branding on it which can be read right only if the device is held in landscape mode. Also, the back panel has the fingerprint scanner placed in the center. During our time with the phone, we found the device to be very prone to picking fingerprints. But then, that’s the case with most smartphones with a shiny rear panel like Micromax Infinity N12’s.
The right edge of the Micromax Infinity N12 has the power button placed on it and the left one has the volume rocker buttons. The speaker grill, the microUSB port and the 3.5mm headphone jack are housed at the bottom and the SIM tray is on the top. While the design is definitely different from other Micromax devices, and we liked how it was so light and easy to use with one hand, the reflective back panel can be a little too loud for some. We personally liked it.
Speaking of the display, that was another aspect that we liked about the Micromax Infinity N12. The 6.19-inch HD+ (720×1,500 pixels) display of the smartphone comes with an aspect ratio of 18.9:9 and has good levels of brightness. While we would have been happier to see a Full HD+ resolution, images mostly appeared crisp and sharp on the HD+ screen. We even watched some videos on YouTube and for a budget smartphone, they played really well and the quality was good in most cases.
As we mentioned earlier, there is a notch on top of the display of the smartphone, but then we were surprised that a number of apps didn’t play in the full-screen mode on the device because that just sort of defeated the purpose of having a notch. But, what really impressed us was the sunlight readability of the device. We have seen a number of smartphones with great displays and still, it’s difficult to use them under the sun. But Micromax Infinity N12 isn’t one of them. We had no trouble using it outdoors. At the given price, the display is as good as it can be.
Performance and Cameras
Speaking about the rest of the specifications of Micromax Infinity N12, the device is powered by a 2GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio P22 processor clubbed with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It can also hold a microSD card of up to 128GB. The smartphone houses a 4,000mAh battery and runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the company’s 360 UI. For imaging duties, there is a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 5MP sensors and a 16MP selfie camera. Micromax Infinity N12 is touted to come with AI photography.
As far as the software of the device is concerned, we were happy to see that Micromax has cut down on some bloatware. The pre-installed apps on the smartphone include the likes of Micromax browser, video player, FM Radio and a few more. Compared to earlier Micromax devices, it was a lot less. Besides this, the UI was clean and it was easy to find any settings or option that we were looking for in the device.
Multi-tasking was not a problem on Micromax Infinity N12. We used multiple apps on it together several times and it did not affect the smartphone’s performance. There was also no lag in launching these apps or switching between them.
We also played some games on Micromax Infinity N12. While lighter games like Alto’s Odyssey and Temple Run 2 played very smoothly, we did observe some stutters while playing heavier ones like PUBG Mobile. After playing games for about half an hour or so, the smartphone did begin to warm up. We noticed this happening while we were using Micromax Infinity N12 mobile for navigation too.
However, if you are someone who only uses their smartphone for calling, browsing the internet, using social media app like Facebook or Instagram and making video calls, you wouldn’t face any issue.
The fingerprint sensor and the Face Unlock of Micromax Infinity N12 worked well each and every time in our experience. We could use the Face Unlock easily even in areas that were not very well-lit.
Coming to the cameras of the device, the 13MP+5MP sensors did a decent job. The images – the ones taken in well-lit as well as the ones clicked in dimly-lit areas – could have been slightly sharper. We missed the clarity that we have seen in Honor smartphones in the same range. But, they weren’t bad either, just satisfactory and had good colour reproduction. The selfie camera worked well with beautification feature on. When we enabled AI mode on the camera of the smartphone, we didn’t really see much difference.
The 4,000mAh battery of the device was clearly the highlight. Even with heavy usage that involved gaming, use of social media apps, watching YouTube videos, navigation and calls that lasted for more than an hour, the battery lasted more than a day.
The battery of Micromax Infinity N12 also doesn’t drain quickly while the smartphone is being used for gaming. We can say that you wouldn’t have to carry your powerbank with you at all times if you have Micromax Infinity N12.
While we couldn’t run the Geekbench 4 on the device, in Antutu it scored 71,749 points.
Verdict
Micromax Infinity N12 has some good aspects and some things could have been better. The smartphone has an amazing battery life, a pleasant design, and a vibrant display. The device mostly performs well, but we suggest you should go for it only if your usage is moderate. The cameras could definitely be better and heavy games do not bring the best experience either. That being said, for basic everyday tasks, Micromax Infinity N12 is a good buy at Rs 9,999. Pros: Revamped design, Long lasting battery, Vibrant display Cons: Average cameras, Warms up after gaming 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.Apple to start iTunes for Samsung smart TVs
Apple is planning to start iTunes for Samsung TVs launched in 2018 and about to launch in 2019. Now, one can play their iTunes content on Samsung televisions. One can buy or rent the content via iTunes using their TVs. In order to view content, one needs to access the iTunes app that will debut exclusively on Samsung ‘s TVs. Also, along with this, AirPlay 2 will be supported on these thin tubes, which is Apple’s wireless streaming standard.
The availability of iTunes for Samsung TVs has been established in 100 countries. This is the first time the technology giant has allowed third parties apart from Windows PC to access its video and audio library. Reportedly, Samsung smart TV ad-tracking features won’t be able to view usage within iTunes Movies and TV Shows app due to Apple’s strong foothold on privacy.
The iTunes streaming service will include Netflix, too. With a single monthly subscription, you can avail the all-you-can-consume model of streamed content. Also, Apple is reportedly brewing something new, which is to say, producing original video programming similar to Netflix’s Originals. The AirPlay 2 support will allow streaming of videos, music, photos, podcast in Samsung TVs. This would encompass over 100 countries and be joined by Google Assistant.
Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue said, “We look forward to bringing the iTunes and AirPlay 2 experience to even more customers around the world through Samsung Smart TVs, so iPhone, iPad and Mac users have yet another way to enjoy all their favourite content on the biggest screen in their home.”
For laymen, who are completely new to the world of iTunes, we are going to give you some tips about how to use it on any PC. You can try these:
- After opening iTunes, sign in with your Apple ID
- Next, click on ‘Account’
- There will be a dropdown menu which will appear which would include ‘Authorisations’. Select that.
- Next, click on ‘Authorise This Computer’
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 Pro gets launched in China
Chinese consumer electronics brand Xiaomi has launched its latest power bank in its home country. Known as Mi Power Bank 3 Pro, the newly launched power bank by Xiaomi has a massive 20,000mAh charging capacity comes with a USB Type- C port that supports 45W fast charging. Besides this, the power bank has two standard USB Type-A ports that are claimed to provide 5V of current at 3A.
The Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 Pro is not only compatible with smartphones and tablets, but also with Notebooks, Macbooks and laptops. Xiaomi’s new power bank has a lithium polymer (Li-Po) battery and, according to the company, the device can be charged completely within 11 hours with the use of a regular 10W charger. However, if one uses a 45W charger to charge the Mi Power Bank 3 Pro, it would only take about four and a half hours to fully charge it.
In China, Xiaomi’s Mi Power Bank 3 Pro is priced at 199 Yuan and will go on sale in the country starting January 11. Interested users will be able to buy it via Tmall. Currently, there is no word on when the power bank will be available in India or how much it will cost when it is available. However, if we convert the Chinese price, it comes approximately Rs 2,000.
Xiaomi’s newly launched power bank will be competing directly with Oppo’s SuperVOOC Power Bank that offers 50W charging with the help of proprietary technology. But then, it is worth noticing that Oppo’s power bank is nearly costs double than Mi Power Bank 3 Pro and bears a price tag of CNY 399. On converting this value, it becomes almost Rs 4,050.
The Chinese brand has been dominating the budget segment of the Indian smartphone market for quite some time and last year, it garnered a lot of appreciation for its POCO F1 smartphone. It’s maybe because of the success of the smartphone that Xiaomi managed to create a stir a few days back when several leaked renders of its POCO F2 surfaced online. From what we know so far, the smartphone will sport a waterdrop notch, have 6GB of RAM and run Android 9.0 Pie.
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.
Beware of the ‘WhatsApp Gold’ update: It’s a malware!
The world of social media can be a great source of information. However, a lot of that information can also be fake so we must check how credible the source is. And this is true in case of news, apps and services that are sent across as forwarded messages, and even updates.
Speaking of updates, there is the latest hoax about ‘WhatsApp Gold’ that you should know about. Users have received messages on the popular messaging app telling them to download the ‘WhatsApp Gold’ update. However, if you receive this message don’t fall for it, because it is actually a malware that will infect your smartphone.
And there is a good probability that you will receive the message because it has already been circulated on a massive scale and it very convincingly makes people believe that this is a secret update with new features. A lot of people did actually download it thinking that this is true.
We should mention that WhatsApp never rolls out any secret updates. All of the updates first come to its beta version, get tested for a few days with select users and then gets rolled out to the masses. You can enrol yourself in WhatsApp beta programme to get all the new updates before anyone else does, or you can check with a beta user if an update that is being spoken about has any credibility or not. That way, you’ll be safe from such hoaxes in future.
Coming back to the ‘WhatsApp Gold’ message, the people behind this scam have included a link in the message that they have circulated and asked people to click on it to download the new upgraded version of WhatsApp. But on clicking it, users actually download the virus on their devices. The hoax message also includes the word ‘Martinelli’, which is basically an Italian surname.
It is also worth noticing that a number of WhatsApp users are aware that this message should not be downloaded and have started spreading awareness messages on the app about the same to warn other users to not fall for it.
We should say that it was a good decision on WhatsApp’s part to restrict the number of forwards to only five times. Although this message is still being circulated widely, the situation would have been very uncontrollable had this step not been taken by the Facebook-owned messaging app.
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.
Honor View 20 to launch in India on January 29
Last month, Honor View 20 smartphone was launched in China. The key highlight of the smartphone is that it comes with a hole on the top left of its display to house the selfie camera, much like the Samsung Galaxy A8s. With this, the smartphone provides its users with a full-screen experience. The global launch of the Honor View 20 smartphone is scheduled for January 22 and will be held in Paris. And now, it has been revealed that the smartphone will be launched in India on January 29.
To recall the specifications of the Honor View 20 smartphone, it features a 6.4-inch full-HD+ TFT LCD display that has an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, a screen to body ratio of 91.82% and a pixel density of 398ppi. As we mentioned earlier, the device has a cutout on its display to house the selfie camera that is 4.5mm in size and the company has promised that it is extremely non-invasive. Powered by 7nm octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 980 processor paired with either 6GB or 8GB RAM, the Honor View 20 mobile is available in 128GB and 256GB storage options. The smartphone runs Android 9.0 Pie with MagicUI 2.0.1 baked on top and packs a 4,000mAh battery that comes with support for (4.5V/5A) fast charging.
For imaging duties, Honor View 20 has a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor which has support for autofocus, AI HDR, LED flash and can be used to record slow-motion videos at 960fps. Apart from this, there is a 3D Time of Flight (ToF) sensor present on the smartphone. On the front panel of the smartphone, there is a 25MP front shooter that has fixed focus support. Honor View 20 has Bluetooth v5.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, and USB Type-C for connectivity.
In China, Honor View 20 mobile was launched in 6GB RAM/128GB storage model and 8GB RAM/128GB storage variant. While the former costs CNY 2,999, the latter is priced at CNY 3,499. While there is no word about the India pricing of the smartphone, we are expecting it to bear a price tag close to that of OnePlus 6T’s, considering OnePlus has completely taken over the premium segment of the Indian smartphone market.
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.