Page 312 – GadgetByte Nepal

Vivo V27 Review: Some Flash and Some Substance

Sonika Bhandari

-

June 18, 2023

Vivo V27 Review: Some Flash and Some Substance

Under Vivo’s latest “V” series of premium midrange phones, only the vanilla Vivo V27 has officially arrived in Nepal. And Vivo Nepal will most likely not launch the V27 Pro and the premium “X” series of phones that are more expensive than this guy. I used the Vivo V27 for more than two weeks as my primary phone, while also comparing it against Samsung’s Galaxy A54 (review). And here’s my full review of the Vivo V27.

Vivo V27 Review: Specifications

Body: 74.8 x 164.1 x 7.36mm, 180gm, Glass front/back, Plastic frames, No IP rating
Display: 6.78-inches AMOLED panel, 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10+
Other Properties: 1300 nits peak brightness, 3D curved finish
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 388 PPI, 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 7200 5G (6nm mobile platform)
CPU: Octa-core:
– 2x Cortex-A715 (2.80 GHz)

– 6x Cortex-A510 (2.0 GHz)
GPU: Arm Mali-G610 MC4
Memory: 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
Software & UI: Android 13 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 13 on top
Rear Camera: Triple (with “Aura Light” LED flash);
– Wide: 50MP Sony IMX766V, f/1.88, 1/1.56″ sensor, OIS
– Ultrawide: 8MP, f/2.2, 120° FoV
– Macro: 2MP, f/2.4 (fixed focus)
Front Camera: 50MP, f/2.5 sensor (hole-punch cutout)
Audio: Mono speaker, No 3.5mm headphone jack
Security: In-display fingerprint sensor (Optical)
Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient light, E-compass, Gyroscope, Proximity
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 5 (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.3, GPS / AGPS / Galileo / Glonass / QZSS / Beidou / NavIC, USB-C, NFC, 4G LTE (VoLTE), 5G
Battery: 4600mAh with 66W fast charging (66W adapter provided)
Color Options: Noble Black, Flowing Gold, Magic Blue, Emerald Green
What’s Inside The Box: Vivo V27, USB-A to USB-C cable, 66W power adapter, SIM ejector tool, Transparent case, User manual and other documents
Price in Nepal: NPR 58,999 (8/256GB)
Buy Vivo V27 here

Vivo V27 Review:

Design and Build

74.8 x 164.1 x 7.36mm, 180 grams
Glass front/back, Plastic frames
No IP rating

Vivo phones are pretty well-known for their attractive design and the V27 series maintains the same impression. The Vivo V27 offers a stunning look with an elegant design and premium glass-sandwich quality. And the phone feels absolutely incredible to hold. At just 180 grams, it is also quite lightweight. Whereas the phone’s “Magic Blue” colorway has a marble-like finish and a color-changing back. And under the influence of sunlight or other UV rays, it transforms from light blue to dark.

Pretty cool!

Vivo V27

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Other than this, the dual curved finish further adds to the phone’s premium hands-on feel. The buttons are also positioned at just the right spot and can be reached without any struggle. Its camera housing also looks a lot minimalistic with 3 lenses and a circular LED flash called “Aura Light”.

But despite all its design wins, Vivo V27 does not have an IP rating, which is a quite disappointment considering its price. To compare, Samsung’s Galaxy A54 and even cheaper Galaxy A34 (review) bear an official IP67 rating against dust and water damage. And another disappointing thing about this phone is that Vivo has still settled with a single down-firing speaker instead of a proper stereo speaker setup. Likewise, its haptic feedback is just average too.

Display

6.78-inches FHD+ AMOLED panel
120/240Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
No Gorilla Glass protection

As for the display, you’re looking at a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel that supports HDR10+ and is Widevine L1 certified for hi-res playback. But despite its HDR10+ support, it can’t stream HDR videos on OTT platforms like Netflix just yet. So hopefully Vivo V27 will get Netflix HDR10 certification pretty soon.

Anyway, Vivo has finally moved away from a pesky teardrop notch to a proper hole-punch cutout this time, which looks quite modern. And although this is a curved display, I didn’t come across accidental touches all that much except for a few times when I was gaming. This screen gets plenty bright too, and I had no trouble reading contents off of it in bright outdoor conditions.

But my biggest complaint with Vivo V27’s display has to be its refresh rate optimization. This is a 120Hz display alright, but it’s clear that the company hasn’t tuned it well across the phone. As a result, I noticed stutters when using different system apps like launchers and settings on multiple occasions.

Performance

Octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7200 5G SoC (4nm)
8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM, 128/256GB UFS 3.1 storage (fixed)
Android 13 with Vivo’s Funtouch OS 13 on top
No promised software updates

And the reason why Vivo V27’s 120Hz refresh rate is so under-optimized could very well be because of the new MediaTek Dimensity 7200 chip that the company has used. If you look at its specs, the Dimensity 7200 is actually a big upgrade from Vivo V25‘s Dimensity 900 in terms of both CPU and GPU. In fact, its performance is somewhere between Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 778G and Snapdragon 870.

But as we all know, raw performance doesn’t amount to anything if the processor isn’t well-optimized for the phone. And that’s exactly what has happened here. Besides the refresh rate, the phone also occasionally falls behind in multitasking or even when just switching between different camera lenses.

At the time of writing this review, my unit of the Vivo V27 has received two software updates so far—both promising smoother system stability—but there’s still much work to do here.

Moving on. Even though it’s not a gaming phone, I tried playing a few games here. And because of the aforementioned lack of optimization and its compromised cooling solution to maintain a slim profile, Vivo V27 gets warm pretty fast. Vivo does mention that it has used a large vapor chamber cooling system here but it’s clear that that’s not enough as the phone climbs to 40 – 42°C pretty fast. And the actual stability was also lower than I expected in games like PUBG Mobile and Mech Arena.

What about software?

As for software, Vivo V27 runs on the latest Android 13-based Funtouch OS 13. Like always, Vivo’s memory management is a bit strict. Which means you’ll have to manually lock your desired app in memory if you don’t want it to reload every time you open it. And even though it’s pretty simple to get around, Funtouch OS itself doesn’t feel that modern compared to other Android skins out there.

But the biggest issue about its software is the fact that Vivo hasn’t committed to any kind of software update policy for this phone. Unlike most of its competitors like the OnePlus 11R and the Galaxy A54, which come with 3 and 4 generations of OS updates, respectively.

Camera

Triple camera setup at the back
(50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
50MP selfie camera (hole-punch)

Let’s talk cameras now. And the Vivo V27 features three of them at the back, including a 50MP Sony IMX766V primary sensor with optical image stabilization (OIS), an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro shooter. Last year’s Vivo V25 actually had a 64MP main sensor, so this may look like a downgrade—but it’s actually not.

Matter of fact, this IMX766V sensor actually has a larger 1.0µm pixel size compared to the 0.7µm pixel size of Vivo V25’s 64MP shooter. As a result, it can capture notably more light which should especially help with lowlight photography.

Lowlight Images

And compared to something like the Galaxy A54, Vivo V27 takes better-looking lowlight shots look a lot better. It has good highlight control and color rendition, whereas Vivo’s results aren’t as noisy either.

Lowlight

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Daylight Images

But things go either way in normal daytime conditions, and both phones deliver pretty decent-looking photos. Galaxy A54 tends to shoot a bit of contrast-heavy photos at times though, whereas Vivo fails to handle exposure sometimes.

Daytime

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Likewise, Vivo’s classic image optimization also favors notably saturated colors but if you’re not a big fan of such tuning, there’s the “Natural Mode” option that dials down the saturation levels down a notch.

Ultrawide Images

Getting to the ultrawide cameras, they’re pretty average though. And compared to the primary camera, their ultrawide images have a notable color shift too.

Ultrawide Images

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Selfie Images

In terms of selfies, Vivo tends to brighten up the subject’s face up a bit and it can’t render the skin tone as well as the Galaxy A54 either. But some people may actually prefer such type of beautified processing.

Selfies

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“Aura Light”

Vivo V27 also has a neat trick up its sleeve, called “Aura Light”. It’s essentially a miniature version of a ring light that sits at the back of the phone. And you can use it to take better portraits in lowlight conditions. While that sounds great and all, I wish Vivo also offered an option to adjust the intensity level of the Aura Light.

Videography

In terms of video recording, the V27 can shoot at a maximum of 4K 30 fps from both its front and rear cameras. And unlike Galaxy A54, Vivo hasn’t disabled OIS for videos either. So naturally, it delivers much steadier recordings—although proper exposure maintenance remains something of a struggle in videos as well.

Battery

4600mAh battery with 66W fast charging

Moving on, Vivo V27 brings a slightly bigger 4600mAh battery compared to a 4500mAh unit on the Vivo V25. And a bigger battery—paired with an energy-efficient 4nm processor—means I’m getting notably better screen time here. Around 6.5 – 7 hours on average. And its 66W power brick can completely refill the phone in about 55 minutes only.

Vivo V27 Review: Conclusion

Summing up this review, I think the Vivo V27 could actually be a good deal for anyone who values an attractive design and decent cameras above everything else. And while Vivo phones were usually pretty overpriced in Nepal compared to India, that’s not the case with the V27 either.

Having said that, I definitely think Vivo has a lot of work cut out for itself in the performance department. Dimensity 7200 is a mighty capable chip on paper and its experience should’ve been much, much better than this. And the fact that Vivo isn’t promising any number of software updates for such a premium phone is pretty disappointing as well.

So unless you’re totally sold on the Vivo V27, then Samsung Galaxy A54 and Nothing Phone (1) are a couple of great alternatives to consider. Besides a fancy design, these phones also bring a premium software experience among other stuff.

Watch our video review of Vivo V27 (Nepali)

Vivo V27 Review: Pros and Cons

Pros

Stylish and premium design
120Hz curved AMOLED display
Good primary, selfie cameras
Nice battery backup

Cons

No IP rating
Dimensity 7200 isn’t well optimized
No guaranteed software updates
Doesn’t have stereo speakers

Here’s the screen replacement cost of some popular midrange phones in Nepal

Smartphone

Nikhil Shrestha

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June 18, 2023

2

Here’s the screen replacement cost of some popular midrange phones in Nepal

In this article, we’ve listed out the official screen replacement cost of different midrange phones in Nepal. And this smartphone segment is getting more and more competitive every year in terms of design, performance, durability, etc. But guess what? No matter how sturdy a phone is, it is not immune to breakage and damage. And the most common of them is a screen replacement.

It is quite scary, mostly in the premium section of smartphones. Replacing a damaged or broken screen for a $1,000 phone can go as high as $400—or maybe even more. You could make a religion out of this. However, today I’ll be discussing screen replacement costs for some of the popular midrange smartphones you can buy right now in Nepal.

The whole point behind purchasing an economical phone is cost minimization.

So it’s pretty ironic if their repair ends up being rather costly, right? Hopefully, this article will be helpful to our readers to make an informed purchase decision when buying a phone, or when you have to get the screen replaced.

The following list of smartphones is arranged in ascending order of their respective official screen replacement costs. And as for the screen-to-phone cost percentage, lower is better, which means the cost to replace the screen is relatively cheaper than the actual phone’s cost.

Screen replacement cost of popular midrange phones in Nepal:

1. Samsung Galaxy A33

At this point, Samsung Galaxy A33 (review) is over a year old now. Its 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display has a U-shaped notch and a pretty thick bottom bezel. As expected from a Samsung-made panel, Galaxy A33 has a great screen.

At launch, this phone was quite overpriced at Rs. 46,999 for the sole 8/128GB variant. But it’s available for Rs. 42,999 right now. Now, the moment of truth. The official screen replacement cost for the Galaxy A33 is Rs. 8,700, which is roughly 20.24% of the phone’s MRP.

2. Vivo V27e

Next on our list is the new Vivo V27e. It’s essentially a toned-down version of the Vivo V27 (review), but you get a smaller 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel here. And unlike Vivo V27, it doesn’t have a curved display either.

Here in Nepal, Vivo V27e retails at Rs. 41,999 for the 8/256GB variant. Its screen replacement, on the other hand, costs Rs. 9,000. Or about 21.43% of the phone’s retail price.

3. Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G

This last year’s midranger from Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G (review), features a 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

And if you were unfortunate enough to break or in any other way damage its screen, it will set you back Rs. 10,800. With a starting price of Rs. 38,499, the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G’s screen-to-phone cost percentage of 28.06%.

4. OnePlus Nord CE 2

Here, the OnePlus Nord CE 2 (review) is a 2022 midrange phone from the Chinese company. It’s essentially a rebranded OPPO Reno 7 5G though, and sports a 6.43-inch OLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution.

On to its price, the phone costs about Rs. 48,999 for the 8/128GB configuration here in Nepal, while replacing its screen will put you short of a jaw-dropping Rs. 16,500. As a result, its screen replacement alone covers 33.68% of the phone’s price.

5. Realme 10 Pro+

The final entry on our list is the Realme 10 Pro+, which features a gorgeous curved display. You’re looking at a 6.7-inch FHD+ OLED panel with a hole-punch cutout, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 2160Hz high-frequency dimming technology.

Realme 10 Pro+ goes for Rs. 45,999 (8/128GB), and its official screen replacement cost is a whopping Rs. 16,000! That makes up around 34.79% of the phone’s price. So while its curved display sure is nice to look at and interact with, getting it replaced is going to be an expensive ordeal.

Summary

Smartphone	Price in Nepal (Starting price)	Screen replacement cost	Screen replacement cost in %
Samsung Galaxy A33	Rs. 42,999	Rs. 8,700	20.24%
Vivo V27e	Rs. 41,999	Rs. 9,000	21.43%
Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G	Rs. 38,499	Rs. 10,800	28.06%
OnePlus Nord CE 2	Rs. 48,999	Rs. 16,500	33.68%
Realme 10 Pro+	Rs. 45,999	Rs. 16,000	34.79%

Final words

In my books, a good phone isn’t just one that performs well; it should simultaneously be durable enough so that a yearly upgrade isn’t required. So when buying a new phone, I believe it’s important to consider its repairability as well, besides its price, specs, and everything else.

I know, I’m asking a lot of our Nepalese audience when I say they consider such factors. But the fact of the day is that the growing volume of smartphone production takes a toll on the environment as well due to carbon emissions. And costs incurred on smartphone repairs like screen replacement don’t come cheap either.

Meanwhile, watch our top picks for best phones under Rs. 30,000 in Nepal

Amazfit Pop 3S launched with 1.96” AMOLED, stainless steel frame

Sonika Bhandari

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June 18, 2023

1

Amazfit Pop 3S launched with 1.96” AMOLED, stainless steel frame

Amazfit has announced the Pop 3S, which is the largest smartwatch in its lineup. This smartwatch is a successor to the recently launched Pop 2 with some notable changes. It now features a massive 1.96-inch AMOLED display and a metallic build. So, let’s get into the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Amazfit Pop 3S in Nepal.

Amazfit Pop 3S Overview:

Design and Display

On the latest Pop 3S, Amazfit includes a 304 stainless steel strap as well as a button of similar build. Even the middle frame is metallic, providing some sturdiness right there. Besides this, you also get a plastic strap version. The 1.96-inch display discussed above has a 368 x 448-pixel resolution and 330 nits of peak brightness. Likewise, the 2.5D curved display supports more than 100 customizable watch faces.

Health and Fitness Tracking

The Pop 3S covers a wide range of health-tracking features such as 24-hour heart rate monitoring, SpO2 measurement, stress tracking, and sleep tracking. Sleep tracking here can record light and count sleep duration and detect sleep stages. Additionally, the watch supports over 100 sports modes, catering to a wide range of fitness activities.

Also, read:

Additional Features

Battery life is one of the essential aspects of smartwatches, and the Pop 3S promises up to 12 days of usage on a single charge, presuming the Always-On Display (AOD) feature is disabled.

With all these, we can somehow say that the Pop 3S aims to be more than just a smartwatch. To add more, it includes a built-in microphone and speaker. This allows the users to make direct calls via Bluetooth connection. It also features a call history and a dialer in the contact apps. Furthermore, the microphone and speaker enable conversation with a digital assistant.

Amazfit Pop 3S Specifications:

Strap: Removable stainless steel/silicone straps
Display: 1.96-inch AMOLED panel, AOD
Resolution: 410 x 502 pixels, 330 PPI
Control: Touch, swipe, Button
Connection: Bluetooth 5.2
Compatible with: Android 7.0, iOS 12.0 and above
IP Rating: IP68 dust/water resistant
Functions: 24/7 (Heart rate, Blood oxygen, stress), Notifications, Sleep tracking, Step counter, Sports mode (100+), Women’s Health
Sensors: Accelerometer, Heart rate, 3-axis motion
Companion App: Zepp Active (Android | iOS)
Battery: 300mAh, Up to 12 days of endurance (typical usage)
Charger: Proprietary magnetic charger (100% in 120 minutes)

Amazfit Pop 3S Price in Nepal and Availability

In India, the Pop 3S is priced pretty competitively with the silicone strap option costing INR 3,499. The metal strap variant is priced slightly higher at INR 3,999. As such, we expect the Amazfit Pop 3S price in Nepal to start at NPR 6,999 when it launches here shortly.

Amazfit Pop 3S	Price in India	Price in Nepal (Expected)
Silicone Strap	INR 3,499	NPR 6,999
Stainless Steel Strap	INR 3,999	NPR 7,499

Meanwhile, check out our review of Amazfit GTR4 / GTS 4.

Ultima Dynamite Speaker launched in Nepal with 5W driver, IPX6 rating

Mintu

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June 18, 2023

1

Ultima Dynamite Speaker launched in Nepal with 5W driver, IPX6 rating

Ultima Lifestyle is a growing Nepali brand offering TWS, BT speakers, and smartwatches. Now, it has launched the Ultima Dynamite Speaker in Nepal. This rugged design speaker arrives with IPX6 water resistance and up to 11 hours of playback. Okay, let’s head straight into the specs, features, and price of the Ultima Dynamite Speaker in Nepal.

Ultima Dynamite Speaker Overview:

Design

The Ultima Dynamite Speaker sports a compact design with rounded edges and a fabric coating for a rugged feel. This 250-gram speaker has a built-in lanyard on top, making it easy to carry it around, while the microSD, micro USB, and aux ports are hidden beneath a flap on the bottom. Besides that, it complies with an IPX6 rating for protection against water splashes.

Audio and Connectivity

As for the audio, the Ultima Dynamite speaker houses a 5W mono speaker. It is claimed to blast immersive audio with pumping bass. You get play/pause, volume up, and volume down buttons for controlling music playback. Likewise, one can activate voice assistants through a single press. Regarding connectivity, it relies on Bluetooth 5.0 with a range of up to 10 meters.

Meanwhile, check out all the prices and specs of Ultima speakers here

Battery Life and Others

Getting to the battery, the speaker is powered by a 1800mAh Li-Po cell. The brand claims up to 11 hours of battery backup while the charging takes around 2 hours. And you get one year of warranty on the product.

Ultima Dynamite Speaker Specifications:

Dimension: 85 x 55 x 107mm
Weight: 250 grams
Audio Driver: 5W, 4 Ohm
Frequency Response: 70Hz – 18KHz
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 + EDR (up to 10m)
Controls: Power on, Volume up/down, Multi-function button
Battery backup: Up to 11 hours
Protection: IPX6 (Water Resistant)
I/O: Aux in Jack, MicroSD / TF Slot, Micro-USB (Charging)
Built-in microphone: Yes

Ultima Dynamite Speaker Price in Nepal and Availability

The Ultima Dynamite Speaker price in Nepal is NPR 2,599. You can purchase it from our affiliate partner Hukut Store and get free shipping.

Bluetooth Speaker	Price in Nepal	Availability
Ultima Dynamite Speaker	NPR 2,599	Hukut (free shipping)

Meanwhile, you can check our Xiaomi Band 8 review.

Smartphone brands might have to bring back removable batteries

Sonika Bhandari

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June 17, 2023

1

Back in the day, we could easily replace our smartphone batteries. Well, we can have those days back again — thanks to a new law passed by the European Union (EU). The rule makes it compulsory for gadgets, including smartphones, in the EU to have removable batteries. This means that even the companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung will have to make certain changes to their smartphone designs to follow the new law.

EU to bring back removable batteries in smartphones

In the past, our fingernails were enough to pop open the back of our phones and replace the battery. But, with the trend of smooth and stylish designs, it became difficult to adjust removable batteries in phones. However, with the new law, manufacturers have to redesign their gadgets and find better ways to make batteries easily replaceable by the end users.

Surprisingly, the European Parliament’s vote on this change was in favor with a count ratio of 587 to 9. This law aims to promote sustainability and reduce electronic waste. By making batteries easily replaceable, people can keep their devices for longer, reducing the need to get a new device when the battery fails.

It’s important to note that this law currently applies only to Europe. However, other regions could soon start discussions regarding the topic. Recently, we also heard about the EU passing the law to introduce USB Type-C chargers for all smartphones with the collaboration of India. Such a move towards standardization and environmental protection is commendable.

You may also read:

EU Removable Batteries Implementation Timeline

There is not any official statement from Samsung regarding their response to the regulations. However, we can expect both Apple and Samsung to take the lead in implementing the changes to protect the environment. The law requires the implementation of easily replaceable batteries before 2027, with the possibility of an extension in the deadline.

Overall, this new law marks a significant shift towards more sustainable practices in the tech industry. We might soon bid farewell to the days of glued-in batteries and welcome a future where smartphones are more user-friendly and environmentally conscious. The European Union’s initiative is a step in the right direction, and hopefully, it will inspire similar actions worldwide.

Meanwhile, check out our latest review on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Adidas enters the Nepali market with a collection of sports earbuds and headphones

GadgetByte

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June 16, 2023

0

Adidas enters the Nepali market with a collection of sports earbuds and headphones

Adidas comes from sports-related products. Beyond sports, they offer a range of products designed to enhance the active lifestyle experience through audio accessories. Excitingly, these audio products from Adidas are now officially available in Nepal from this time around. So in this article, we will closely examine the specifications, features, availability, and official price of all the Adidas audio accessories in Nepal.

Adidas Audio Accessories: Overview

Adidas began working in the audio accessories market in recent years. The exact timeline of Adidas’ entry into the audio accessories industry can be traced back to 2019 in collaboration with Zound Industries (now Marshall Group). However, the collaboration between the two was made official a year earlier. They working combinedly in delivering the audio accessories under the Adidas Headphones branding to the market at present. The company always pays special attention to the design of its audio accessories, ensuring they retain the brand’s reputation.

Adidas Audio Accessories Price in Nepal:

SN	Adidas audio accessories	Price in Nepal (Official)
	TWS Earbuds
1	Adidas Z.N.E 01	Rs. 14,500
2	Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC	Rs. 21,500
3	Adidas FWD-02	Rs. 24,000
	Headphones
4	Adidas RPT-01	Rs. 24,000
5	Adidas RPT-02 SOL	Rs. 32,000

Adidas TWS Earbuds

Adidas Z.N.E 01

The Adidas Z.N.E 01 is a lightweight and compact audio accessory with impressive sound quality and active noise cancellation. Also, it offers 4-5 hours of playtime (with ANC) and 20 hours including the charge provided by case. With an IPX4 rating, touch controls, and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, it’s designed for active lifestyles.

Weight: 4gm (earbuds) / 40gm (case)
Driver: 12mm Dynamic driver with 32Ω impedance
Battery: 4-5 hours (earbuds with ANC) / 20 hours (incl. case with ANC)
Charging time: 1.5 hours (15 min charge ~1-hour playtime)
IP Rating: IPX4 (Earbuds) / IPX3 (Case)
Controls: Touch gestures
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
Price in Nepal: NPR 14,500

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC

The Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC earbuds offer Active Noise Canceling and an Awareness mode, allowing users to switch between blocking out external noise or being aware of their surroundings. Also, they are sweat-proof and water-resistant with an IPX5(earbuds) and IPX4(case) rating. With 4.5 hours of playtime per charge with ANC and an additional approximately 20 hours of on-the-go charging, they offer ample battery life. The earbuds also have an eco-charging mode available through the Adidas Headphones app, optimizing battery usage.

Weight: 4.2gm (earbuds) / 37gm (case)
Driver: 6mm Dynamic driver with 16Ω impedance
Battery: 4.5 hours (earbuds with ANC) / 20 hours (incl. case with ANC)
Charging time: 3 hours (15 min charge ~1-hour playtime)
IP Rating: IPX5 (earbuds)/ IPX4 (case)
Controls: Touch gestures
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
Price in Nepal: NPR 21,500

Adidas FWD-02 Sport

The Adidas FWD-02 Sport earbuds have a comfortable fit with extra tips and wings. They are sweat-proof, water-resistant, and feature touch controls. The compact charging case allows for on-the-go charging, and they offer 6 hours of playtime per charge. Additionally, it offers an awareness mode that lets in some of the ambient noise to give awareness of the surrounding.

Weight: 5.25g (earbuds) /44gm (case)
Driver: 6mm Dynamic driver
Battery: 6 hours (earbuds) / 25 hours (case)
Charging time: 1.5 hours from the case (15 minutes ~ 1-hour playtime)
IP Rating: IPX5 (earbuds)/ IPX4 (case)
Controls: Touch gestures
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
Price in Nepal: NPR 24,000

Adidas Headphones

Adidas RPT-01

The Adidas RPT-01 has a comfortable design that stays in place, even during intense movements. These headphones are sweat-proof and water-resistant, making them suitable for workouts with IPX4 ratings. Additionally, they have washable parts for easy cleaning after sweaty sessions. It is not only light but also provides an impressive listening time of up to 40 hours.

Weight: 209 gm
Battery: up to 40 hours of listening time
IP Rating: Yes, IPX4
Controls: Knob, Action Button
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Price in Nepal: NPR 24,000

Adidas RPT-02 SOL

The Adidas RPT-02 SOL headphones feature self-charging technology powered by light, allowing them to recharge using natural and artificial light sources. Moreover, they offer up to 80 hours of playtime and a sweat-proof design with IPX4. The headphone combines convenience, eco-consciousness, and also high-performance audio in one compact package.

Weight: 256gm
Driver: 40mm Dynamic driver
Battery: 80+ hours of listening time
Charging time: 2 hours
IP Rating: IPX4
Controls: Action button, Knob
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2
Color: Night Grey / Solar Yellow
Price in Nepal: NPR 32,000

Also, read these:

boAt Accessories Price in Nepal

JBL Speakers Price in Nepal

Marshall Accessories Price in Nepal

Meanwhile, check out our video on Best Budget Wireless Earbuds you can buy right now!

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI announced, a cordless vacuum cleaner with AI capabilities

Samsung

Mintu

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June 14, 2023

1

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI announced, a cordless vacuum cleaner with AI capabilities

Cordless vacuum cleaners have recently become a thing with a range of options dropping in. Unlike traditional vacuums, they are easy to work with. Samsung, a world-renowned electronics brand has announced the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI. This cordless machine comes with AI capabilities for enhanced usage. Let’s get into the specs, features, and expected price of the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI in Nepal.

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI Overview:

What’s a cordless vacuum cleaner?

Before jumping right in, let’s learn about cordless vacuum cleaners first. As the name implies, a cordless vacuum cleaner is one without cords and cables. Compared to corded vacuums, it is lightweight and can be easily transported. Such vacuums have superb usability in multiple places such as your car, furniture, stairs, and tight corners. And they run on batteries, unlike traditional ones which require a direct connection to electricity.

Design

The BeSpoke Jet AI sports a pretty lightweight design, weighing just 2.5 kg. The pipe is telescopic here which allows three length adjustments for comfortability. Even the flex tool is bendable up to 90 degrees to reach those tricky areas. And you get a digital display to check info regarding power level, running time, charging status, and so on.

Design

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HexaJet Motor

Under the hood, the vacuum cleaner packs a HexaJet Motor which can draw up to 280W suction power and a max consumption power of 730W. This makes it the most powerful vacuum to date. Samsung claims a 25% increase in suction power, compared to the previous model.

Dual Brush and 5L Filtration

Samsung has used a dual brush mechanism on BeSPoke Jet. It is optimized to clean efficiently on all types of floors alongside built-in LED lights to assist in the dark. On top of that, there is a 5-layer filtration system which is claimed to filter up to 99.9%* of microdust particles. Plus, the dustbin is washable.

AI Functions

The BeSpoke Jet AI becomes the first cordless vacuum to get an AI verification from UL Solutions, a safety science organization. The AI mode bestows some cool features on the vacuum such as automatic detection of the floor, brush load, and air pressure. This enables optimal suction power and brush roll speed for efficient cleaning. After every disposal, it shuts the cover automatically. Besides that, the Air Spin Edge technology can spin at a blade rate of up to 1,000 RPM to drain waste, and keep the bin clean.

Battery Life and Others

The cordless stick vacuum is powered by two removable batteries, which can operate for up to 100 minutes. The battery size is 80% larger than that of the previous model. And the charging time takes around 3.5 hours. Other features include a Pet Tool for cleaning tiny strands of pet hair.

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI Price in Nepal and Availability

The price of Bespoke Jet AI is USD 449.99. As of now, the cordless stick is yet to launch in Nepal. We can expect the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI price in Nepal to be NPR 71,999 when it launches here.

Product	Official Price	Price in Nepal (Expected)
Samsung Bespoke Jet AI	USD 449.99	NPR 71,999

Meanwhile, you can check our Samsung Galaxy A24 Review.

Apple is working on a more affordable Vision headset for wider adoption

Sonika Bhandari

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June 14, 2023

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Apple is working on a more affordable Vision headset for wider adoption

Recently, Apple launched a handsome mixed-reality headset called Apple Vision Pro at the WWDC event. The price was a bang of $3,599 in the premium category with no intention of mass adoption. To cover the mass audience, Gurman (tech reporter for Bloomberg) pointed out that Apple is now working on a more affordable version of the headset. The device will probably be named Apple Vision or Vision One. This move aims to make the technology accessible to a broader range of customers.

Apple Vision One Rumor Roundup:

There will be various adjustments or compromises to lower the cost of Vision One to make it fall under an affordable category. This may involve using lower-tier screens, a less powerful processor, reducing the number of cameras with the removal of 3D cameras, and potentially requiring AirPods for spatial audio instead of built-in speakers. Despite these adjustments, Apple intends to keep certain features, including the external EyeSight screen and the hand-tracking system which are the core attraction of the MR headset.

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Expected price, release timeline, and second-generation plans

The exact details about the pricing and specifications of the affordable Vision headset are not clear. However, as it will be available at a much lower price than the Vision Pro. This could significantly increase its adoption. The price is still under wrap but the affordable headset will probably be in the range of the latest MacBook Pro 14. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, acknowledged that the Vision Pro’s high cost is due to its advanced capabilities, which include the ability to perform tasks similar to iPhones and Macs.

Reports say that Apple is planning to unveil the affordable Vision One headset probably by the end of 2025. A long way to go! Another surprise to mention, Apple is already doing its job to develop a second-generation Vision Pro. This indicates that the company is committed to expanding its standard product line like iPhone and iPhone Pro models.

Apple aims to introduce a more affordable version of the Vision Pro headset to reach a wider range of consumers. By making certain adjustments to reduce manufacturing costs, Apple hopes to strike a balance between price and features. Moving forward, Apple aims to establish a two-product strategy for its mixed-reality headsets, aligning with its other flagship products.

Meanwhile, check out our comparison between Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Arko Store’s “Smart Exchange” offer lets you trade old phones with additional exchange bonus

Mintu

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June 13, 2023

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Arko Store’s “Smart Exchange” offer lets you trade old phones with additional exchange bonus

Arko Store, which is an online exchange platform for different electronic goods, is currently running a “Smart Exchange” offer. Under this, customers can exchange their used and old phones for a brand-new Samsung phone with an additional exchange bonus. Let’s learn more.

Arko Store Smart Exchange Offer:

About Arko Store

Okay, before getting into the offer itself, let’s learn a little more about Arko Store. As aforementioned, it’s a platform that lets you exchange your old electronic devices and appliances like smartphones, televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and such for a new one from Samsung.

Where to avail of this offer?

And right now, Arko Store’s Smart Exchange offer is live at 8 Bhatbhateni outlets: Boudha, Koteshwor, Maharajgunj, Naxal, Pulchowk, Bhaktapur, Narayanghat, and Pokhara. And you can visit these Bhatbhateni stores to exchange your phone/tablet for a new Samsung phone/tablet. But do note that you can’t trade multiple phones or tablets for a new one. Arko Store will only offer a valuation for one used device for exchange.

A bonus of Rs. 2,000 in valuation

Under this offer, Arko Store is also providing an additional Rs. 2,000 bonus on top of the usual valuation when trading old devices. And this is a limited-time offer only, although the company hasn’t specified any exact date as to how long this offer will run. So if you have an old phone or tablet you want to get rid of in exchange of a brand new Samsung devices, then this looks like the perfect opportunity.

Meanwhile, you can check our Samsung Galaxy F54 review

Google’s new AI tool changes images based on user’s text input

AI
Google

GadgetByte

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June 12, 2023

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Google’s new AI tool changes images based on user’s text input

A company as influential as Google will certainly not sit back when it comes to developing AI generative tools. Hence, just like AI text-to-image generators, such as DALL-E 2, Dream by Wombo, and Stable Diffusion, Google has recently launched a BETA version of its own AI model; Imagen Editor. It is an interesting tool that uses generative AI to recreate pictures in one sentence. If you are looking forward to knowing about it more, this article is specifically written for you!

Google Imagen Editor Overview:

The clever wordplay between “Imagine” and “Image” readily gives off a clear hint about what the Imagen Editor is all about. It is an AI tool that creates customized images from a single sentence prompted by the user. The tool doesn’t generate the entire image content from scratch. Instead, it utilizes millions of images from the internet and modifies these existing images according to the user’s preferences.

Though there are many AI generative tools- Imagen Editor is unlike any other. The dataset on which the Imagen Editor’s AI model is trained is LAION-400M. These sorts of information are rather not disclosed by AI companies, like DALL-E 2, but this time around, it is publically informed.

Capabilities it holds for the time being

This generative tool is at present mainly capable of generating two distinct outputs called City Dreamer and Wobble. City Dreamer allows the creation of unique buildings, while Wobble generates animated creature-like characters based on descriptions. With City Dreamer, users can provide unique descriptions of buildings and receive output with weird or visually appealing designs. Meanwhile, Wobble allows users to enhance the image of animated creatures by adding effects, clothing, or background elements.

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Due to its current emphasis on generating specific types of images, Google’s Imagen Editor falls slightly behind in comparison to well-established generative AI tools like DALL-E 2.

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About Availability

Google typically launches its new AI-related technology through an app named AI Test Kitchen. This time as well, the new Imagen Editor is available on the same platform with beta access. This approach allows Google to gather enough user feedback and address any issues before a public release.

Also, Google itself says, the application is not ready for security-related concerns, making it a wiser decision to introduce a beta version rather than facing huge public backlash on the initial release.

Modification-of-dog-image-with-Imagen — By simply providing instructions in sentences, Imagen enables the addition of realistic-looking elements in any image.

Here’s how to use the beta version

Currently, Google Imagen Editor is only available for beta testing to a very small group of people. To use Imagen, all you need to do is visit the AI Test Kitchen website and register. If you are fortunate enough to gain access to the beta testing, which only a few get, make sure you provide enough feedback to contribute to the development of the system.

Later when Google decides to make it publicly available, it will probably be accessible from Google Photos. You supposedly have to add an image to Google Photos and provide a description of the required changes. Imagen Editor will then generate the modified image according to the instructions. The main purpose of the tool is to make changes to the picture without having to manually edit it.

Meanwhile, check out our review of Google Pixel 7A.