OnePlus 6T’s in-display fingerprint sensor gets better with use
Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus has revealed some details about its in-display fingerprint sensor that is used in its latest flagship OnePlus 6T. In a blog post that the company published on Sunday, OnePlus talked about how the technology works on the device and how it was being tested since OnePlus 5T was launched.
In the post, OnePlus has claimed that Screen Unlock learns through sophisticated algorithms while the owner uses the smartphone and uses the information to get better with time. The company’s copywriter Dale F said in the post that it took OnePlus more than a year in order to develop the ‘perfect’ Screen Unlock feature for OnePlus 6T. The blog post further said that OnePlus 6T (review) features a 2nd-gen optical fingerprint module.
Along with the blog post, the company has also shared a graphic that shows that the smartphone’s unlock feature has a light source that illuminates the finger. A green coloured light is reflected that enables the sensor of the device to “see” the owner’s fingerprint and this then gets stored securely in the smartphone. It is worth noticing that whenever a fingerprint is scanned, it is matched with the fingerprint that was stored to unlock the device.
In the blog post, the company claims that OnePlus 6T mobile “uses sophisticated algorithms to improve over time as they learn more about the way you unlock your phone.”
A software engineer from OnePlus, Yale Liu, detailed how OnePlus 6T’s in-display fingerprint scanner gets better with time. Liu said, “Every time a user successfully unlocks the phone with their fingerprint, the sensor also records areas of the finger that weren’t registered in the initial fingerprint setup stage. This fingerprint data is then added to the data the phone already holds, making it more complete. So, every time the in-display fingerprint sensor is used, it gathers more data about the user’s fingerprint. This means that over time, the phone will unlock even faster.”
Liu also said that the algorithms used are sophisticated enough to detect the fingerprint of the user even if it is wet or has been cut. In such cases, the date just gets added to the smartphone algorithm and this helps in improving the unlock speed in future.
The blog post has also given some tips to use the Screen Unlock feature to its maximum potential including upgrading to latest software versions, keeping your phone away from extreme temperatures, registering the fingerprint in a bright environment and making sure your finger is clean. The company has also recommended to use Face Unlock as well.
The company’s latest flagship, OnePlus 6T got the OxygenOS 9.0.5 software update in early November, which got improvements to the Screen Unlock feature.
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This is how you can refrain apps from tracking your phone’s location
Some apps track your phones 14,000 times a day, according to sources. Although every phone is identified by a unique ID instead of their names and phone numbers, it can track one’s exact locations and movements.
As per analysis and reports, many businesses have tracked data of up to 200 million mobile phones in the US in the past year. Users are duped by the terms and conditions the apps provide by promising to give them better services, if they give them their location. However, these terms and conditions one gets to know about are incomplete and misleading. The terms and conditions made to access users’ location by companies are done to sell them for purposes like targeted advertising.
According to the source which made aware of this fact used a single blip’s tracking data to find the name and identity of the app user whose location was being relayed to outside companies. The companies sell user data to advertisers, corporate house etc which want access to customer location for analysing their behaviour.
However, there is a way of stopping apps from accessing your personal information. There is a way to counter apps from gaining control of your location. Here are the steps how to do it:
- For iOS devices you need to first go to “privacy” in settings
- The next step is to select “Location Services”. Here you will find location data permissions for every app
- There would be three options for you: either you can allow access to these apps when you are using them, or even when not using them or never to allow access to them.
- Go to “security and location” after going into settings
- Head to privacy settings.
- Then click on “Location”
- Here you will have a list of apps you want to provide access to your location. Unlike iOS you don’t have the option of when you want to provide your location. You can either provide access to your location completely or not give your location at all. However, by applying the aforementioned method you can choose to provide/not to provide location to the apps
Google and Levi’s have introduced a smart jacket which will alarm you if you leave your phone behind
Jacquard smart jacket—invented by Google and Levi’s has introduced its latest feature called “Always Together”. The name is apparent in what it does, which is to say, that if in case you leave your phone behind or forget your phone, it will trigger an alarm.
Once you use this jacket and accidentally leave your smartphone behind this technology will buzz you so that you remember to pick you smartphone up. The signature sleeve tag in the jacket will blink and vibrate, and you will receive a notification on your phone too. According to Android Police there was a portion in the manual called “find your phone” where a particular gesture on your jacket could tell your phone to ring at full volume.
The jacket retails for $350. At the moment Levi’s has a 30 percent off sale running on this smart wearable, which drops the price to $245. The above feature of this smart jacket is only an addition to its usage of touch inputs to control things on your smartphones such as music controls and navigation pings in Google Maps. There has been another update in Jacquard platform, which has introduced other functions such as support for ride sharing alerts, too.
For the lesser known, project Jacquard—the ATAP initiative to make such advanced clothing was launched back in 2015. Some amount of scepticism was there in its success, but that’s where it became thrilling. The Jacquard technology has been named after a 19th century punch card-controlled loom. Google’s ATAP made capacitive threads with copper core into the cloth that made it unnecessary to make any substantial changes to the textile manufacturing process.
This helps the cloth to take touch inputs from hand and convert them into input controls for smartphones. This happens with the help of a Bluetooth-powered dongle stored in the cuff. Levi’s has indeed offered advanced technology jackets in terms of fit and function. It is at the same time very good looking. It is washable provided that you remove the Bluetooth cuff attachment first. However, Google and Levi’s have suggested users not to wash/iron/dry clean the outfit too often.
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Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2, ZenFone Max M2 to launch in India today: How to watch the live stream
Taiwanese smartphone Asus is all set to launch its Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Zenfone Max M2 smartphones in India today. Both the smartphones have already been unveiled in Russia last week, so we know the specifications but the handsets’ India pricing details are awaited. If you are a fan who wants to watch the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Zenfone Max M2 smartphones getting launched, you would be happy to know that the company is live-streaming the launch event. So you can watch the event wherever you are. Here’s a look at how you can watch the launch of Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Zenfone Max M2 smartphones, their expected pricing, and specifications:
In This Article
How to watch the launch of Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Asus Zenfone Max M2
If you wish to watch the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Zenfone Max M2, you can tune in to the company’s live stream, which is available on Asus’ official YouTube channel, Facebook page and e-commerce website Flipkart. The event will begin at 12.30pm. You can also watch the event here:Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Asus Zenfone Max M2 expected price in India
Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 was launched in Russia in a lone Blue coloured variant, that is priced at RUB 17,990 (approximately Rs 19,500). Speaking of Asus Zenfone Max M2 smartphone, it was launched in Black colour and was priced at RUB 12,990 (approximately Rs 14,000). The Indian pricing is expected to be similar to Russian pricing of the smartphones.Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 specifications
Coming to the specifications of Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, the smartphone comes with dual SIM functionality and features a 6.3-inch full-HD+ display which has an aspect ratio of 19:9. Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor clubbed with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The device comes with a dual rear camera setup that has 13MP and 12MP sensors. For selfies and video calls, there is a 5MP front-facing snapper. The Android-based smartphone houses a 5,000mAh battery and comes with 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, Micro-USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for connectivity.Asus ZenFone Max M2 specifications
Speaking of Asus Zenfone Max M2, the Android smartphone features a 6.3-inch HD+ IPS LCD display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, the smartphone comes with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. Asus ZenFone Max M2 has a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 2MP sensors and you’ll see an 8MP selfie camera on flipping over the device. The smartphone houses a 4,000mAH battery and comes with 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, Micro-USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for connectivity. 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.Nokia 8.1 vs Asus Zenfone 5Z vs Samsung Galaxy A8+: Comparison
HMD Global launched its Nokia 8.1 smartphone in India on Monday. The smartphone is the global variant of Nokia X7 smartphone and its key features include Android Pie, 3,500mAh battery and a display that has support for HDR10. Nokia 8.1 mobile is priced at Rs 26,999 in India and it competes with the likes of Asus Zenfone 5Z and Samsung Galaxy A8+. If you have been planning to buy a smartphone in the said segment, the choice may be a tough one for you. In order to make things easier for you, we have compared all the specifications of all the three smartphones here. Read the rest of our comparison of Nokia 8.1, Asus Zenfone 5Z (review) and Samsung Galaxy A8+ smartphones to know which among the three is an apt buy for you:
Nokia 8.1: 6.18-inch full-HD+ display with support for HDR10
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 6.2-inch FHD+ LCD touch display with 19:9 aspect ratio
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display in 18.5:9 aspect ratio
Nokia 8.1: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Samsung Exynos 7885 octa-core SoC
Nokia 8.1: Dual rear cameras with 12MP and 13MP sensors
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Dual rear cameras with 12MP and 8MP sensors
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 16MP rear camera sensor with an f/1.7 lens
Nokia 8.1: 20MP fixed-focus sensor
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 8MP selfie camera
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Dual selfie cameras with 16MP and 8MP sensors
Nokia 8.1: 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 6GB RAM/64GB inbuilt storage, 6GB RAM/128GB internal storage and 8GB RAM/256 GB onboard storage
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage
Nokia 8.1: Up to 400GB
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Up to 1TB
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Up to 256GB
Nokia 8.1: 3,500mAh battery
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 3,300mAh battery
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 3,500mAh battery
Nokia 8.1: Android 9.0 Pie
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Android Oreo skinned with ZenUI
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Android 7.1.1 Nougat skinned with Samsung Experience UI
Nokia 8.1: Rs 26,999
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Rs 29,999
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Rs 32,990
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In This Article
Display
Nokia 8.1: 6.18-inch full-HD+ display with support for HDR10
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 6.2-inch FHD+ LCD touch display with 19:9 aspect ratio
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 6-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display in 18.5:9 aspect ratio
Processor
Nokia 8.1: Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Samsung Exynos 7885 octa-core SoC
Primary camera
Nokia 8.1: Dual rear cameras with 12MP and 13MP sensors
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Dual rear cameras with 12MP and 8MP sensors
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 16MP rear camera sensor with an f/1.7 lens
Selfie camera
Nokia 8.1: 20MP fixed-focus sensor
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 8MP selfie camera
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Dual selfie cameras with 16MP and 8MP sensors
RAM and storage
Nokia 8.1: 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 6GB RAM/64GB inbuilt storage, 6GB RAM/128GB internal storage and 8GB RAM/256 GB onboard storage
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage
Support for microSD card
Nokia 8.1: Up to 400GB
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Up to 1TB
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Up to 256GB
Battery
Nokia 8.1: 3,500mAh battery
Asus Zenfone 5Z: 3,300mAh battery
Samsung Galaxy A8+: 3,500mAh battery
Operating system
Nokia 8.1: Android 9.0 Pie
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Android Oreo skinned with ZenUI
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Android 7.1.1 Nougat skinned with Samsung Experience UI
Starting price
Nokia 8.1: Rs 26,999
Asus Zenfone 5Z: Rs 29,999
Samsung Galaxy A8+: Rs 32,990
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[td_smart_list_end] Oppo Find X’s 5G prototype version unveiled
Chinese smartphone brand Oppo has unveiled a 5G prototype variant of its Find X smartphone at the 2018 China Mobile Global Partners Conference today. With this, the smartphone maker has reinforced its commitment towards getting 5G connectivity in its smartphones. The company today said that it will be one among the first to launch a commercial 5G smartphone in 2019.
It has been revealed that Oppo has been working on 5G standards, product research and development, and exploration of application since as early as 2015. The company said in a statement that Oppo Find X prototype is powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor, Snapdragon 855 SoC and X50 5G modem.
For those unaware, Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 boasts of 5G capabilities, promises an enhanced overall performance and is said to improve AI-based functionalities of the device it is used in. Oppo further said that it plans to deepen its collaboration with the American chipmaker and other supply chain partners.
Brian Shen, Oppo Global Vice President and President of China Business said, “We are confident Oppo will be one of the first companies to launch commercial 5G smartphones in 2019. The smartphone will be at the core of a wide range of smart devices, which will all be connected through the 5G network. To address the areas of ‘smart health’ and ‘smart home’, Oppo has already begun work on several smart devices, exploring the intersection of 5G and cutting-edge technologies, and is collaboratively building a 5G+ innovation ecosystem with the entire industry.”
Oppo is one of the important strategic partners of China Mobile, which happens to be China’s largest telecom service provider. The smartphone maker has said today that it will continue its work towards 5G and will contribute to accelerating the commercialization of 5G devices. It is also a part of China Mobile’s ‘5G Device Forerunner Initiative’ under which it plans to build a new ecosystem for 5G industry.
The Chinese smartphone brand also has plans to launch its commercial 5G devices next year and is currently in talks with telecom service providers in Europe, Australia and other global regions regarding the same.
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Nokia 8.1 with HDR display, Zeiss optics launched in India: Price, specifications and more
HMD Global’s Nokia 8.1 smartphone has been launched in India today. The smartphone was launched in Dubai last week and its key highlights include Android Pie, 3,500mAh battery and a display that has support for HDR10. Nokia 8.1 is the global variant of the Nokia X7 smartphone that was earlier launched in China in October.
In This Article
Nokia 8.1 price in India
Nokia 8.1 mobile is available with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. In India, the smartphone is priced at Rs 26,999 and will go on sale starting December 25 via Amazon India, Nokia India’s official website and other top mobile retailers. Nokia 8.1 will be available in Blue/ Silver and Iron/ Steel colour options in India. At this price, it competes with the likes of Asus Zenfone 5Z and Samsung Galaxy A8+. As a part of launch offers, HMD Global is offering up to 1TB of 4G data to Airtel prepaid users on select plans starting from Rs 199 and for Airtel’s postpaid customers, the company is giving away 120GB of additional data on eligible plans starting Rs 499. Besides this, a 3-month Netflix subscription and a 1-year Amazon Prime subscription are also available. On pre-booking the smartphone, customers will get a 6-month screen replacement from Servify. If you buy the smartphone from offline retailers, you will get a 10% cashback from HDFC Bank credit and debit cards (EMI transactions).Nokia 8.1 specifications
Coming to the specifications of the smartphone, Nokia 8.1 features a 6.18-inch full-HD+ display that has an 18.7:9 aspect ratio, 81.5% screen-to-body ratio and 500 nits peak brightness. The display of the device has support for HDR10 and the company claims that it is capable of a 96% colour gamut. Nokia 8.1 can hold two SIM cards and runs Android 9.0 Pie. Like all other recent Nokia smartphones, Nokia 8.1 is a part of Google’s Android One program, which promises timely Android updates and security patches for two and three years respectively. Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor, Nokia 8.1 comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The smartphone can support microSD cards of up to 400GB. For imaging duties, Nokia 8.1 comes with a dual rear camera setup with a 12MP primary sensor and a 13MP fixed-focus sensor that has depth-sensing technology. The cameras of the smartphone have Zeiss optics and come with 1.4-micron pixels, OIS, EIS, 2PD and a dual-LED flash. On the front panel of the device, there is a 20MP fixed-focus sensor that comes with a 4-in-1 pixel tech. This technology promises enhanced low-light photography. Nokia 8.1 smartphone comes with a Bothie feature with which the selfie and the primary cameras of the smartphone can be used simultaneously. The smartphone houses a 3,500mAh battery and comes with 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, VoWiFi, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C port for connectivity. 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 January with a 48MP rear camera and an in-display front camera
The brand new Honor View 20 is confirmed to be launched by Huawei coming January. It will have a 48-megapixel rear camera. This time, instead of a display notch it will feature an in-display camera instead. This is reminiscent of Samsung Galaxy A8s, which has an Infinity-O display.
The 48MP rear camera will come with Sony IMX586 sensor and AI computing power, graphics processing. This will be enabled by the dual-ISP and dual-NPU of the Huawei Kirin 980 chipset in order to perform multi-frame image processing.
Let’s talk about the in-display camera now. Considering the camera within the touchscreen, the Honor 20 will provide an immersive experience with the All View display. This has been realised by an 18-layer technology that expands the display region to almost 100 percent.
It is scheduled to launch in Paris in 22nd January, 2019. The Honor View 20 will also feature Link Turbo that is an upgraded version of the GPU Turbo technology which can be seen in nearly all mid-range as well as all Honor premium smartphones. Link Turbo automatically analyses users’ usage models and network conditions by leveraging AI, and big data technologies to switch easily between WiFi or 4G networks. This boosts download speed by simultaneously adopting both networks.
To talk about the specs, the company revealed nothing other than saying it will have a screen of View with a 4.5mm camera. The screen is called Full-View Display 3.0. The Sony IMX586 CMOS has a half-inch sensor and has a Quad Bayer colour array, stacking adjacent 2×2 pictures in low-light. The kind of camera and its features would be first of its kind in the market.
With this Honor and Huawei would wan to extend its market share in India and the world. By the looks of it they might just have a winner in their hands, but with kind of controversies surrounding them right now, with their CFO under scrutiny in North America, we do not know how well would they be able to sell. Well, we would come to know after January, 2019.
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Samsung Galaxy A8s with Infinity-O display, 24MP selfie camera launched
South Korean technology giant Samsung has launched its A8s smartphone China today. The smartphone is the first-ever to come with a display hole to house the selfie camera. Samsung had unveiled this type of screen at its developer conference last month and calls it the Infinity-O display. Interestingly, Samsung Galaxy A8s was launched just hours after Huawei announced its Honor V20, which comes with a similar cut-out for the front-facing snapper. Here’s a look at the pricing and specifications of Samsung Galaxy A8s smartphone:
In This Article
Samsung Galaxy A8s price
The smartphone is available in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, which are clubbed with 128GB of internal storage. As of now, there is no word on the pricing of Samsung‘s latest offering. However, Samsung Galaxy A8s mobile can be pre-ordered in China until December 21 and the actual shipping of the smartphone is assumed to begin after that. So we expect the official price to be revealed closer to the date of shipping. If you are an interested buyer, you will be able to pick up the smartphone in Blue, Gray and Green colours.Samsung Galaxy A8s specifications
Coming to the specifications of Samsung Galaxy A8s, the smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with Samsung’s UI and features a 6.4-inch touchscreen display with 1080 x 2340-pixel resolution and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. Samsung did not mention if the smartphone’s display is Super AMOLED, so it is being speculated that the new offering comes with an LCD IPS screen. On the top left corner of the display, there is a 6.7mm hole for the selfie shooter and the smartphone comes without any notch. As we mentioned earlier, Samsung calls this type of screen as Infinity-O display and it has previously said earlier that it has come up with it to give its users a full-screen experience. For imaging duties, there is a triple rear camera setup on Samsung Galaxy A8s with a 24MP primary sensor (with f/1.7 aperture), a 10MP telephoto sensor (with f/2.4 aperture) and a 5MP depth sensing sensor (f/2.2 aperture). The selfie camera of the smartphone has a 24MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. The back panel of Samsung Galaxy A8s houses a fingerprint scanner and the smartphone comes with a 3,400mAh battery with adaptive fast charging support. 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.Toreto Magik wireless charger launched in India at Rs 1,999
Toreto, an electronic manufacturer based out of Hong Kong has come up with a wireless portable charger. This charger is way different than a generic charger. It is not your usual charger, which needs a port and a wire to connect to your device. The charger is called Toreto Magik and yes it is wireless. The company claims that this charger will charge your compatible smartphone at a very high speed. One good thing about the charger is that it has a jellyfish-styled design, which has anti-skidding silicon cover on it. Since it can be removed and washed easily it is environment friendly. Furthermore, this makes it compatible with all Qi-enabled devices.
Toreto Magik wireless charger has a sensitive induction coil and a high-end chip inside that leads to fast charging and prevents over-heating, over-charging, voltage fluctuation and short circuit. In other words, it protects your smartphone while it gets charged. When the phone charging is complete the charger automatically stops. Best part, users can charge their mobiles even with the mobile cover on it.
Over that, Toreto Magik wireless charger acts as a lamp too. It can light the room in different colours. There are seven different colours on the basis of which one can light the surroundings using this device. The charger detects metallic objects while working—an LED indicator starts flashing to inform you about the same. The company also emphasises on the fact that the in-built magnet insulation sheet helps in quick charging without any radiation.
So, in a nutshell here are the features. An in-built button for changing colours, soft silicon cover, built-in magnet insulation sheet, built- in vibration switch which provides three lightning modes (standby, breathing light, solid light). Toreto’s Magik wireless charger is available at a price of Rs 1,999 in India and can be bought from all e-commerce platforms and retail stores here. Before this we have seen similar wireless chargers by companies like Belkin, which manufacturers like Apple swear by. But there price is slightly higher than the one marketed by Toreto.
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Apple Fest on Amazon: Discounts available on iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR and more
A week-long Apple Fest is currently going on on Amazon India and a number of deals and offers are available on products by the Cupertino based technology giant. The sale will be on till December 14 and till then, you can avail discounts on iPhones, iPads, MacBooks and more. Here are some deals you shouldn’t miss:
This may the right time to buy the iPhone X. The 64GB storage model of the iPhone X is available at a discount of Rs 16,901 at Rs 74,999 and the 256GB storage variant can be picked up at a reduced price of Rs 89,999.
We’ll start with iPhone 8 Plus. The 64GB storage model of the smartphone is available at Rs 64,999 and the 256GB storage option can be bought at Rs 79,999. This is a fall from Rs 77,560 and Rs 91,110 respectively. Coming to iPhone 8, the 64GB storage variant is available to buy at Rs 54,999 and the 256GB storage model can be picked up at Rs 68,999. This basically means a discount of Rs 12,941 and Rs 12,501 respectively.
The latest iPhones from the Apple lineup are available on a discount on Amazon India’s website. Speaking of the iPhone XS 64GB storage model, the Gold and the Space Grey variants of the smartphone are available at discounted prices of Rs 99,299 and Rs 98,950. The Gold coloured variant of 256GB storage model of the device can be bought at a reduced price of Rs 114,095. Speaking of iPhone XS Max, the Gold and Space Grey coloured variants of its 64GB model are available at Rs 107,819 and Rs 109,099 respectively.
Seems like Apple saw the need of making the affordable iPhone from its lineup this year a little more affordable. The Black and Yellow coloured variants of the 64GB storage model of the iPhone XR (review) are available on Amazon at a reduced cost of Rs 75,199 and Rs 74,849 respectively. The Black coloured variant of the 128GB storage model can also be picked up at a discounted price of Rs 80,470.
There are discounts available on all three storage options of iPhone 7 Plus. While the cost of 32GB storage variant starts at Rs 49,819, the 128GB storage variant is available at Rs 59,890 and the 256GB storage option is priced at Rs 69,990.
Speaking of iPhone 7, the 32GB storage model of the smartphone can be picked up at Rs 36,999, the price of 128GB storage option starts at Rs 49,948 and the cost of 256GB storage model starts at Rs 58,490.
The Gold and Space Grey variants of iPhone 6 are available at Rs 20,999 and Rs 21,999 respectively. Coming to iPhone 6S, it can be bought at Rs 24,999 in from Amazon India’s website.
There is an offer available on the MacBook Air that has just been launched by Apple. The recently launched MacBook Air (2018), which is other priced at Rs 1,14,900 is available can be picked up at Rs 105,990 from Amazon. The offer is available on the 8GB RAM/128GB storage option.
If you are more interested in buying last year’s MacBook Air, you can buy the 8GB RAM/128GB storage model at a discounted price of Rs 57,990. The price has been reduced from Rs 62,990.
Discount is also being offered on the recently launched iPad by Apple. The 9.7-inch Apple iPad is available at a starting price of Rs 23,999. It is worth noticing that it was earlier priced at Rs 28,000.
A discount of Rs 3,510 can be availed on Apple Watch Series 3. While it was earlier priced at Rs 34,410, it can now be picked up at Rs 30,900.
The last one on our list is for music lovers. The Beats headphones are available at a discounted price of Rs 5,799.
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In This Article
iPhone X
This may the right time to buy the iPhone X. The 64GB storage model of the iPhone X is available at a discount of Rs 16,901 at Rs 74,999 and the 256GB storage variant can be picked up at a reduced price of Rs 89,999.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
We’ll start with iPhone 8 Plus. The 64GB storage model of the smartphone is available at Rs 64,999 and the 256GB storage option can be bought at Rs 79,999. This is a fall from Rs 77,560 and Rs 91,110 respectively. Coming to iPhone 8, the 64GB storage variant is available to buy at Rs 54,999 and the 256GB storage model can be picked up at Rs 68,999. This basically means a discount of Rs 12,941 and Rs 12,501 respectively.
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max
The latest iPhones from the Apple lineup are available on a discount on Amazon India’s website. Speaking of the iPhone XS 64GB storage model, the Gold and the Space Grey variants of the smartphone are available at discounted prices of Rs 99,299 and Rs 98,950. The Gold coloured variant of 256GB storage model of the device can be bought at a reduced price of Rs 114,095. Speaking of iPhone XS Max, the Gold and Space Grey coloured variants of its 64GB model are available at Rs 107,819 and Rs 109,099 respectively.
iPhone XR
Seems like Apple saw the need of making the affordable iPhone from its lineup this year a little more affordable. The Black and Yellow coloured variants of the 64GB storage model of the iPhone XR (review) are available on Amazon at a reduced cost of Rs 75,199 and Rs 74,849 respectively. The Black coloured variant of the 128GB storage model can also be picked up at a discounted price of Rs 80,470.
iPhone 7 Plus
There are discounts available on all three storage options of iPhone 7 Plus. While the cost of 32GB storage variant starts at Rs 49,819, the 128GB storage variant is available at Rs 59,890 and the 256GB storage option is priced at Rs 69,990.
iPhone 7
Speaking of iPhone 7, the 32GB storage model of the smartphone can be picked up at Rs 36,999, the price of 128GB storage option starts at Rs 49,948 and the cost of 256GB storage model starts at Rs 58,490.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S
The Gold and Space Grey variants of iPhone 6 are available at Rs 20,999 and Rs 21,999 respectively. Coming to iPhone 6S, it can be bought at Rs 24,999 in from Amazon India’s website.
2018 MacBook Air
There is an offer available on the MacBook Air that has just been launched by Apple. The recently launched MacBook Air (2018), which is other priced at Rs 1,14,900 is available can be picked up at Rs 105,990 from Amazon. The offer is available on the 8GB RAM/128GB storage option.
2017 MacBook Air
If you are more interested in buying last year’s MacBook Air, you can buy the 8GB RAM/128GB storage model at a discounted price of Rs 57,990. The price has been reduced from Rs 62,990.
Apple iPad (sixth generation)
Discount is also being offered on the recently launched iPad by Apple. The 9.7-inch Apple iPad is available at a starting price of Rs 23,999. It is worth noticing that it was earlier priced at Rs 28,000.
Apple Watch Series 3
A discount of Rs 3,510 can be availed on Apple Watch Series 3. While it was earlier priced at Rs 34,410, it can now be picked up at Rs 30,900.
Apple Beats headphone
The last one on our list is for music lovers. The Beats headphones are available at a discounted price of Rs 5,799.
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[td_smart_list_end] Nokia 8.1 to launch in India today: Price, specifications and more
The new Nokia 8.1 is supposed to be unveiled in India today. The smartphone’s highlights are the dual rear cameras with Zeiss optics, 18W fast charging capabilities and Snapdragon 710 SoC. It has a 6.18-inch PureDisplay screen with HDR10 support. Furthermore, it runs the latest Android 9.0 Pie OS. Today, that is on Monday the launch will take place at 5:30pm in New Delhi. The phone was first unveiled in Blue/silver, steel/copper and Iron/Steel dual-tone colour variants in Dubai.
Let’s get to the pricing details. The Nokia 8.1 is said to launch roughly at a price of Rs 31,900. Its European equivalent is EUR 399, which is the price in which it was launched in UAE. So, we can expect the phone to launch at a similar price here too. The smartphone would probably go on sale in India in this month itself, as early as mid-December.
Moving on to the specifications of the smartphone. It has a dual-SIM(Nano) support and runs on Android 9.0 Pie operating system. It is also part of the Android One programme, which will give its users regular security updates for the next three years. It sports a 6.18-inch full-HD+ (1,080 x 2,244 pixels) display with an aspect ratio of 18.7:9. The screen-to-body ratio is 81.5 percent.
Over that, it has 500 nits peak brightness and can go up to of a 96 percent colour gamut. Not just this, the Nokia 8.1 is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC clocked up to 2.2 GHz. Oh, and it has 4GB of LPDDR4x RAM. The Nokia 8.1 features a single speaker design, 2 mics and supports Nokia Ozo surround capture.
The internal storage is 64GB, which can be extended up to 400GB with a microSD card. Connectivity options include VOWiFi, Bluetooth v5, 4G VoLTE, FM Radio, GPS/A-GPS, 3.5 headphone jack and USB Type-C port. The Nokia 8.1 runs on a 3500mAh battery that can provide up to 22 hours of talk time, 24 days of standby time and 11 hours of video playback. Weighing 178 grams its measurements are 154.8×75.76×7.97mm.
It doesn’t end here. The Nokia 8.1 Bears a dual rear camera setup with Zeiss optics and 12MP prime camera (with f/1.8 aperture). The subordinate camera has a 13MP sensor. The front snapper is powered by 20 MP sensor with aperture size of 2.0. The Bothie feature will be present on this mobile too and would allow both the front and rear cameras to work together.
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This Week in Tech: Episode 7 (December 2 – December 9)
A number of exciting things happened in the world of technology last week. These include launches from Oppo and Meizu and new colour variants of Samsung‘s flagship devices. OnePlus CEO spilt some beans on the upcoming 5G smartphone of the company and Qualcomm launched its flagship Snapdragon 855 processor. Watch our episode to get all the details.
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OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition may come with 50W Warp Charging
Chinese smartphone brand OnePlus is all set to complete its five years in the industry. And to mark its fifth anniversary, the company has partnered with McLaren to launch the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The special edition smartphone will launch globally on December 11 and in India on December 12. It is worth noticing that this isn’t the first time that the company has partnered with another brand for a special edition phone. Prior to this, we have seen special edition smartphones by OnePlus when it partnered with Marvel and Disney.
Bu this time, the differences in OnePlus 6T (review) and OnePlus 6T McLaren may not only be limited to the colour scheme and McLaren branding. Recently, OnePlus tweeted “Charging is about to hit warp speed” from its official account. This may suggest that the McLaren Edition of OnePlus 6T will come with a 50W Warp Charging feature. We should point out that OnePlus recently renamed its fast charging feature to Warp Charging after a controversy was created on their usage of the word ‘Dash’.
The current charger that comes with the regular OnePlus 6T smartphone has support for 20W charging. This is double than the speed Samsung and Google support, which is 10W. If OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition comes with a 50W Warp Charging, it would be leaving most other companies way behind. OnePlus’ sibling Oppo also has devices which support 50W charging. It is also likely that OnePlus will ditch its trademark red charging cable for its upcoming OnePlus 6T mobile. Reports have suggested that it will instead opt for an Orange coloured cable. It is worth noticing that Orange is the trademark colour for McLaren sports car. Another reason behind opting for Orange coloured cables maybe because the Red coloured cables may give the impression of Ferrari to customers.
We feel that McLaren totally fits in for being OnePlus’ partner for its special edition OnePlus 6T, especially considering that the tagline of the company for its 6T devices has been “Unlock the Speed.” If you are an interested buyer, you can head to Amazon India’s website to pre-register yourself on OnePlus McLaren Edition’s dedicated page.
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How to choose the right LED bulb?
These days prices of LED bulbs have gone down sharply and their use has become pervasive. It is not surprising that this would happen considering that LED bulbs are more energy efficient, can last more than 20 years. However, customers have always found it hard to choose amongst the most appropriate bulbs considering that they come in various shapes and colours.
Before we move ahead, here is some food for thought that will help you make the decision. There are three categories of bulb in the market, lower temperature bulbs, medium and then high temperature bulbs. These provide warm-whites, neutral-whites and cool-whites respectively. Also, the bluer a light is, the brighter it is. On the other hand, yellow light is dimmer. A white light would also have mid-range brightness. A bulb with a lower kelvin number means warmer and dimmer the light. A bulb with a higher kelvin scale means it is brighter.
We have listed a few key steps below that might prove to be very useful for you whenever you think of purchasing an LED bulb:
- Buy them in terms of Lumens and not Watts: It is a common misconception that brightness of LED bulbs is measured in Watts. However, the case is not so—they are measured in Lumens and Watts measure energy usage.
- Use cool-white lights for office work: These produce light that resemble daylight inside your office. This is going to give you a good feeling and increase your productivity.
- For bedtime: All of us want a relaxed atmosphere during bedtime. In case you are a bedtime reader then buying lights, which have soft blue or neutral tones is the best option.
- LED lighting for the living room: In case of a living room one is advised to avoid blue light lamps, which release serotonin and give us energy. Using spotlight lamps which illuminate family photos, clock, that is if you have them in a living room, to illuminate them is the best option.
- For dining rooms: One must avoid extremely bright lights because the atmosphere in the dining room needs to be low. Using neutral or low tones which produce a dim effect is the best choice. In all three meals—breakfast, lunch and dinner this could work
- Use bright blue tint light bulbs in kitchen: In a place like the kitchen one needs to be alert and in order to see in certain corners which would otherwise be hard to see, this light works the best.
Honor 8C goes on sale in India via HiHonor Store and Amazon India
Huawei‘s sub-brand Honor launched its 8C smartphone in India last month. And today, Honor 8C has on sale in India for the first time. The smartphone is available via the HiHonor store and Amazon India’s website. If you are an interested buyer, you can buy the Honor 8C smartphone via the two websites in an open sale starting today. Unlike most other online sales, it isn’t time-bound. Here are the pricing details and specifications of the handset:
In This Article
Honor 8C price in India
The new smartphone by Honor is available with 4GB of RAM and comes in 32GB and 64GB storage models. While the former is priced at Rs 11,999, the latter costs Rs 12,999. Honor 8C can be picked up in Aurora Blue, Magic Night Black, Platinum Gold, and Nebula Purple colour options. Honor has partnered with Reliance Jio for launch offers. Customers will be getting up to Rs 4,450 Jio ‘Digital Life Benefits’, up to 100GB of 4G data and 5% instant discount via ICICI credit and debit cards (EMI transactions). If you buy the smartphone via HiHonor Store, you will get a cashback of up to Rs 2,200 with up to 100GB of data. A Rs 200 cashback via Paytm, Cleartrip coupons worth Rs 2,250 and MobiKwik SuperCash up to Rs 2,000 are also available for customers.Honor 8C specifications
To recall, Honor 8C mobile features a 6.26-inch HD+ TFT IPS display that has a notch on the top and comes with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The smartphone has a screen-to-body ratio of 86.6%. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor, Honor 8C comes with 4GB of RAM coupled with either 32GB or 64GB of internal storage. On the camera front, Honor 8C comes with a dual rear camera setup with 13MP and 2MP sensors. For selfies and video calls, Honor 8C has an 8MP sensor with LED flash. The Chinese smartphone brand has also touted the smartphone’s AI-based camera and beautification features. The Honor 8C smartphone houses a 4,000mAh battery and has standard connectivity options including 4G VoLTE, single-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS, a micro-USB port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. 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 ZenFone Max Pro M1 will upgrade to Android 9.0 Pie in early 2019
The Zenfone Max Pro M1(review), which was released in April, 2018 is going to get a new update, that is, Android 9.0 Pie next year in February. Right now, it runs Android 8.1 Oreo and the news about its update wasn’t known until a customer service representative has confirmed this fact.
According to the customer who had a chat with the Asus Customer Service representative, the company will release its update in February, 2019. Some of the prominent smartphone companies are also slated to get updates in the beginning months of next year. Take Asus only. The Zenfone 5z will receive update in coming January. Samsung’s latest phones would also be receiving updates in January next year.
The talk with the Customer Service representative turned out to be good news considering the fact that people have been waiting for its update for quite some time now. Just two more months and their wish will be fulfilled.
When first launched in India it had an Android 8.1 Oreo on board and came at a price of Rs 10,999. So it is really popular among the ones who keep a limited budget in mind to carry out their expenses. It is not surprising that people would eagerly wait for its update considering that it is very user-friendly, has really good specs and not too heavy on the pocket.
Another good news for Asus Fanboys is that the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2 is about to release in a few days in India. The Taiwanese manufacturer has recently announced its launch on its products page and has also been displayed on Flipkart. 11th December is its launch date.
To recall, the Zenfone Max Pro M1 has a good round of specs. It has a 6GB RAM and 64GB internal storage with a large 5,000mAh battery. It is powered by Snapdragon 636 processor and comes with a 5.99-inch display. It has dual-rear cameras and a 16MP front camera.
The Zenfone Max Pro M2 has similar features, only that the key features are a bit advanced. It is powered by a Snapdragon 660 chipset, a 6.3-inch full HD+ display. The RAM and battery of the phone is same as that of Max Pro M1. The price of the Max Pro M2 is also touted to be under Rs 15,000. Exactly? We shall come to know by tomorrow.
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Leaked: Renders of Google Pixel 3 Lite and Lite XL and its specs comparison
The leaks of the Google Pixel 3 Lite and its bigger version is now doing the rounds. The Google Pixel 3 Lite and Lite XL would share a similar design aesthetics to that of the Google Pixel 3 and XL according to the recent leaks shared by some sources. The two phones have stark similarities to each other considering that they almost have the same specs and very looks. Both phones have a dual-tone finish on the rear panel and a bezel-less façade on the front.
However, when you look closely, one can spot out the subtle changes in the phones. There is only one speaker which doubles up as an earpiece in the Pixel 3 Lite and pixel 3 Lite XL whereas the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have stereo speakers. The former has a Dual selfie camera whereas latter has single selfie camera.
The Google Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 Lite XL showcase a volume rocker and power switch on the right spine, there is an electable SIM tray on the left. There is also a USB Type-C port at the base with speaker grills covering at two ends. Over that, one can see a single snapper at the back of Pixel 3 Lite and Lite XL with a dual-tone LED flash. Unfortunately, the rear facing camera has a significant protrusion from the body.
The Pixel 3 Lite and Pixel 3 Lite XL seems to come with a polycarbonate construction, whereas the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL has a glass build. Industry insiders do say that the smartphones will be launched in black and white hues.
Let us get to the specs of Pixel 3 Lite and its bigger version, known to us at the moment. The former has a 5.5- inch display and dimensions are said to be 151.3 x 70.1mm. The expected price of Google Pixel 3 Lite is likely to be Rs 39,990.
On the other side, the Pixel 3 Lite XL will have a 6-inch panel. The dimensions of the XL model are most likely to be 160 x 76.1mm. The commonality in both would be that they would bear a full HD+ resolution with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. Also, both phones would have a thickness of 8.2mm and this would increase up to 9mm considering the rear bump camera.
The only other difference in the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL in terms of specs is that the latter will have a larger battery compared to the former.
Image courtesy: 91mobiles and Onleaks
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Nokia 9 PureView may launch in early 2019
Nokia 9 Pureview is surely one among the most-anticipated smartphones by HMD Global. A lot of reports have emerged about the smartphone and most of them suggest that the handset will be the first one to sport a five-camera setup on its back panel. It will also be the HMD Global’s first smartphone to come with PureView branding, which was seen on the original Nokia phones. It was earlier reported that Nokia 9 PureView would launch at an event in Dubai last week along with Nokia 8.1. But the event only saw the launch of the latter.
And now, a new report has surfaced online which claims that Nokia 9 Pureview could launch in 2019. The report in WinFuture.de quotes HMD Global’s marketing head for Germany, Britta Gerbracht. The interview is said to have taken during Nokia 8.1’s Germany launch event.
According to WinFuture.de, Gerbracht spoke about the Nokia 9 and referred to it as an ‘upcoming flagship’ smartphone with a ‘delayed launch’. The report further said that the company has claimed that it faced some quality issues with the camera configuration of the upcoming device, and that’s the reason that Nokia 9 would not be getting launched by year-end.
It also stated that HMD Global recently had some discussions with Foxconn, which reportedly faces ‘challenges’ during production.
WinFuture.de has reported that Gerbracht said that HMD Global is focussing on quality with its next flagship smartphone and “so far, the quality of the camera has not yet reached the necessary level.”
But if some other recent reports are to be believed, then Nokia 9 smartphone has been delayed to cater to the sale of other recently launched phones by the company. Last month saw the launch of Nokia 7.1 in India and HMD Global is all set to launch the Nokia 8.1 in the country today.
The last flagship device by HMD Global, Nokia 8 Sirocco (review), was launched in March. So it can be possible that the smartphone maker wants to have an extended period of sale of the handset before it unveils the Nokia 9.
Previously leaked renders show that Nokia 9 PureView will come with five cameras and a dual-tone LED flash in a hexagon shaped setup. Other key specifications of the device include a 5.9-inch QHD display and Snapdragon 845 processor.
Image courtesy: Onleaks, 91 mobiles
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Samsung Galaxy A8s set to launch today: How to watch the live stream
South Korean technology giant Samsung is all set to launch its much talked about Galaxy A8s smartphone today. Samsung Galaxy A8s will be launched in China and the company will be live streaming the event. Here, we are listing down all the details on you can watch the launch of the Samsung Galaxy A8s smartphone live. The smartphone is said to be the first to sport an Infinity-O Display, which is one among new screen types that Samsung showcased at its developer conference last month.
Last week, Samsung announced that it will be launching its Galaxy A8s smartphone today, with a launch poster on Chinese social networking website Weibo. The poster that was shared by the company showed a circular cut-out on the top left of the display of the device. Here’s how you can tune-in to Samsung Galaxy A8s’ launch:
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How to watch Samsung Galaxy A8s live stream
Samsung has announced that its live stream for Galaxy A8s launch will begin at 4pm CST. So if you are watching from India, you should tune-in at 1:30pm to watch the launch. The live stream will be available on Samsung China website as well as on Galaxy Club website.Samsung Galaxy A8s specifications (expected)
A lot has been reported about Samsung Galaxy A8s smartphone. The smartphone is expected to feature a 6.39-inch full-HD+ display that will have an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor, Samsung Galaxy A8s smartphone is said to come with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The smartphone will also be able to hold a microSD card of up to 512GB. For imaging duties, Samsung Galaxy A8s mobile will sport a triple rear camera setup with 24MP, 5MP and 10MP sensors. The smartphone will come with a 24MP sensor on its front panel which can be used for selfies and video calls. As we mentioned earlier, the selfie camera of the device will be housed in a hole on its display that is expected to measure 6.7mm. Samsung is calling this the Infinity-O display and has come up with the concept in order to give its users a full-screen experience. Reports also mention that the smartphone will pack a 3,400mAh battery and will come with a USB Type-C port. It may be the first ever Samsung smartphone to come without a 3.5mm headphone jack. That’s all that we know as of now. Stay tuned with us to get all the updates from the launch of Samsung Galaxy A8s 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.This Week in Tech (December 2 – December 9): All that happened
The world of technology saw a number of happenings this week. These include the launch of Oppo’s new flagship devices and Meizu’s comeback smartphones in India. Samsung launched more colour variants of its flagship smartphones of the year and OnePlus CEO spilt some beans on the company’s upcoming 5G device. Read on to know what else happened:
In This Article
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and S9+ are now available in more colour options
If you have been planning to buy Samsung Galaxy Note 9 or Galaxy S9+, you’ll have more options to choose from. Samsung Galaxy Note 9, which was till now available in Ocean Blue, Midnight Black, Metallic Copper, and Lavender Purple colours, can now also be picked in Alpine White colour. Speaking of Samsung Galaxy S9+, which was till now available in Blue, Black, Purple, Red, and Sunrise Gold colours, can now also be purchased in Polaris Blue colour option.Oppo R17 Pro and R17 smartphones launched in India
Oppo this week expanded its lineup in India with its R17 Pro and R17 smartphones. While the former is priced at Rs 45,990, the latter costs Rs 34,990. Both the smartphones are touted to have features that enhance night photography and are the first to come with the company’s SuperVOOC flash charging technology. This technology enables them to be charged from 0 to 100% in just 40 minutes.OnePlus CEO Pete Lau gave some more details about the upcoming 5G smartphone
Pete Lau, the CEO of OnePlus has announced that the company will be the first to launch a 5G smartphone in Europe and has partnered with EE for the same. It was also announced that OnePlus will use the latest Snapdragon 855 SoC, which promises an enhanced performance and comes with 5G capabilities, in its upcoming flagship smartphone.Meizu M16th, M6T and C9 smartphones were launched in India
Chinese smartphone brand Meizu made its comeback in India with three smartphones this week, namely M16th, M6T and C9. While Meizu M16th is priced at Rs 39,999 and directly competes with the likes of OnePlus 6T, the M6T and C9 cost Rs 7,999 and Rs 5,999 respectively. The budget smartphones are aimed at giving competition to Xiaomi devices in the entry-level segment.Qualcomm launched with Snapdragon 855 processor
Chipmaker Qualcomm has launched its flagship 855 processor at an event in Hawaii this week. The latest processor by the company promises AI enhancements and comes with 5G capabilities. It is also supposed to improve the overall performance of the device and we expect to see it in most Android flagships next year. 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.How to create and share 3D Photos on Facebook
Recently, social networking giant Facebook rolled out a new tool for its iOS app called 3D photos. The feature adds interactive 3D effects to photos shot on portrait mode on iPhone using artificial intelligence. You may have come across some photos on your news feed that can be viewed as 3D if you move your smartphone. These are the kind of photos that can be created using the Facebook feature. You’ll be able to see these photos in 3D even if you use a VR headset.
If you want to use this feature, the first thing that you should know is that you can only create and share 3D Photos via an iPhone that has dual rear cameras. The devices that can support this feature include iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. IF you have one of these, you can follow our step by step guide to create Facebook 3D photos:
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone and search for ‘Facebook 360’.
- Like the ‘Facebook 360’ page and then close the app and open it again.
- Go to the camera app of your iPhone and click some photos in portrait mode. Make sure that the object is in focus and the background is not. You can skip this step if you already have some portrait images in your phone.
- Open your Facebook app and click to add a new status on ‘What’s on your mind?’.
- Select the ‘3D Photo’ option. This will open your iPhone’s gallery and show you the portrait images that you have in your phone.
- Choose the photo you want to upload. Once you do this, the 3D Photos tool will add the third dimension effects to the image you selected.
- Click on ‘Post’ to share the image.
Google’s is working towards completely removing gender bias from translations
Earlier in Google, translations were gender biased. Now its not. Google has updated its translate feature in such a way that it has become possible now. Earlier a word could be translated in either masculine or feminine language, but now that is not the case. It has broken the bias of certain words relating to certain connotations pertaining to gender. In certain languages which are patriarchal in nature, Google’s Translate would deconstruct that and form gender neutral translations. Earlier words like “strong” and “doctor” would lead to masculine translations. And “nurse” and “beautiful” led to feminine. Now when a sentence is typed that would lead to both masculine and feminine translations.
Google uses the example of “o bir doctor” which would be translated to “she is a doctor” or “he is a doctor” than just either one. This feature is currently only available in translations from English to French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish. Plus, this would include translation from Turkish to English.
Before, Google shared that it left gender pronouns out of its Gmail Smart Compose feature so as to ensure that there is no gender bias. It tried hard, but could not find a solution because those pronouns could not be wiped out entirely. The gender pronouns move was done in order to show solidarity to the LGBTQ community and women. The move was made when it was revealed that the AI-guided feature was biased.
This came to light when a group of scientists in a meeting talked about an investor. Gmail, while this mail was being composed, offered the suggestion of “do you want to meet him”. It did not consider the possibility of the investor to be a woman.
However, product manager Paul Lambert said that, in spite of trying loads of solutions it could not completely remove away the gender biased pronouns from google.
Google is saying that it would ensure non-binary gender translations as well. In a blog post, the company explained that it plans to extend its gender-inclusive translations to more languages. This would also encompass iOS and Android apps, but did not share when these plans would be executed.
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Microsoft is worried on how Facial recognition is being used, brings out guidelines
Microsoft president, Brad Smith listed six key principles that would not only govern work, but also, technology. The backdrop to this is that there have been risks and challenges related to facial recognition technology. The principles which the MS president introduced would help in eliminating this problem. In a new Blog post, he explained these principles in detail which, he said, advocate for legislation and guide technology.
It is going to adopt a means of facial recognition that would aim “to treat all people fairly”. Also, that, it would “document and clearly communicate the capabilities and limitations of facial recognition technology”. Microsoft said that it would make customers incorporate human control in this technology and would affect people “in consequential ways”.
This facial recognition technology based on human rights would prevent unlawful discrimination on the basis of services, obtain consent when in use, encourage users to provide notice. Furthermore, it would ensure that when the law uses it, it would protect people’s democratic rights. These principles would be very valuable considering that many companies have faced a lot of problems with facial recognition technology. Companies who have sold their technology in some cases have received a lot of criticism. For example, Amazon which sold its Recognition software to law enforcement groups has been criticised by employees, investors and civil rights groups.
The facial recognition technology has been planned to be deployed by focusing on issues such as bias, privacy and mass surveillance. Smith writes, “The facial recognition genie, so to speak, is just emerging from the bottle. Unless we act, we risk waking up five years from now to find that facial recognition services have spread in ways at exacerbate societal issues. By that time, these challenges will be much more difficult to bottle back up.” The principles which Smith built would has been planned to receive feedback by the end of March, 2019.
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22 fraudulent apps detected, deleted by Google: Do you have any of them installed on your smartphone?
Google has deleted 22 apps from the Play store that have turned out to be malicious. These viruses are mobile or computer viruses, which have a backdoor built in them. That backdoor helps the apps commit ad-fraud. Also, it has been known that these apps were downloaded over 2 million times before getting deleted.
Sophos a cyber security company that finds security flaws found irregularities with these apps. According to Sophos, these apps are well-organised, persistent malware that can causes harm to end users and the entire Android ecosystem. It said “these apps generate fraudulent requests that cost ad networks significant revenue as a result of fake clicks”.
The way it is going to harm the users is that it will drain a lot of battery from their phone. Since these apps are in constant contact with servers, it can cause data overages. Since these apps run on the basis of C2 servers, they can install any modules by themselves in the mobile based on the instructions coming from the server.
Google removed these apps from Play Store as soon as it was contacted by Sophos about these fraudulent apps. But, the users who have already downloaded these apps on their smartphones from or not from the Play Store would need to manually remove them from their phones.
The name of the 22 apps are as follows:
Sparkle Flashlight
Cliff Diver
Animal Match
Color Tiles
Table Soccer
Space Rocket
Box Stack
Zombie Killer
Join Up
Roulette Mania
Neon Pong
HexaFall
HexaBlocks
PairZap
Take A Trip
Snake Attack
Math Solver
ShapeSorter
Magnifeye
Jelly Slice
AK Blackjack
In fact, even Clean Master has been found to be indulging in fraudulent activities. There are so many fraudulent apps lurking on the Play Store. It is very hard for a user to know if he or she is downloading a safe app. Though, it is not the first-time fraudulent apps are getting caught on the Play Store, we are glad Google has looked into the matter. There hasn’t been any news relating to these apps harming the data of users, as of now. If you have any of the above apps installed on your smartphone, we suggest you quickly remove and block them. Changing your account password would also be a good idea.
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