Canalys has published its latest report on smartphone shipments in Nepal, and it shows Realme with the biggest year-on-year (YoY) growth. With this, the company has become the third biggest smartphone brand in Nepal. In this post, we will be discussing the unprecedented growth of Realme in Q3 2021, while also comparing it with the performance of other major smartphone brands.
Growth of Realme Nepal in Q3 2021
According to the said report, Realme has now become the third biggest smartphone brand in the country in the third quarter (Q3) of 2021. The report is based on the estimated sell-in smartphone shipments in the last quarter.
As per the report, Realme now has a 14% share in the Nepali smartphone market. Only Samsung and Xiaomi boast a larger market share. That being said, it has the biggest YoY growth of the three. Realme was able to ship 257% more smartphones compared to Q3 of last year.
Despite reigning as the biggest smartphone brand in the country, Samsung faced a 39% annual decline in smartphone shipment during this period. Similarly, Xiaomi registered a 55% year-on-year decline in the same period. They are still the top two smartphone brands in Nepal, with a 39% and 24% market share, respectively.
Another interesting aspect of the report shows Transsion in the fourth position with a 7% market share. If you were unaware, Transsion is a Chinese conglomerate that owns Itel, Infinix, and Tecno.
Both brands returned to the Nepali market last year, offering budget and mid-range smartphones. Transsion was able to achieve 171% annual growth in the last quarter. Just behind it is Oppo with a 6% market share. That being said, its shipments fell by 47% compared to Q3 2020.
The reason behind Realme’s growth
Realme debuted in Nepal in 2019 with Pashupati Tradeline as its sole authorized distributor. However, it could not replicate its global success in the country because of uncompetitive pricing. On top of it, Realme Nepal’s portfolio was mostly limited to entry-level phones, with interesting series such as the number series and X-series either never making it to the country or arriving way too late.
So, the company decided to overhaul its strategy in Nepal. It re-entered the market with Jagadamba Mobiles (Shanker Group) and vowed to keep the price competitive. The company even revised its pricing to something more reasonable and is currently expanding its portfolio with exciting devices like the GT Neo 2.
Realme plans to become the second-biggest smartphone brand in the country, and given its latest progression, this goal may be well within its reach.
Xiaomi has launched a new 8/128GB variant of the Redmi Note 10S in Nepal. Previously, the device was available with 6GB of RAM and either 64 or 128GB storage. So, let’s walk through the specifications, features, and official price of the Redmi Note 10S in Nepal.
Redmi Note 10S Overview:
Here, Note 10S is the only device in this lineup to come with a MediaTek processor. Furthermore, a closer look at the specs makes it clear that it is a slightly modified version of the standard Redmi Note 10.
Design and Display
On the front, the phone has a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with Gorilla Glass 3 protection. This screen features an 8-bit color depth and 1100 nits of peak brightness. It is also IP53 rated for dust-and-splash resistance. Redmi Note 10S comes with a Z-axis haptic motor. Aside from that, it flaunts the Evol design, as seen on the other entries in the Note 10 series.
Performance
Redmi Note 10S is powered by the Helio G95 chipset. As I mentioned earlier, it’s the only phone in the lineup so far to feature a MediaTek processor. This SoC comes with MediaTek’s HyperEngine technology that promises better management of resources (hardware and network) for smoother gameplay.
Complementing the chipset is 6 or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which can be paired with either 64GB or 128GB UFS 2.2 internal storage. You can also expand the latter using a microSD card that gets a dedicated slot in the SIM tray.
Camera
Redmi Note 10S has a quad-camera configuration with a 64MP f/1.79 main sensor leading the setup. This 1/1.97” sensor has individual pixels that measure 0.7µm. It is accompanied by an 8MP f/2.2 ultrawide sensor with a 118º Field of View.
In addition, there are two additional 2MP f/2.4 sensors for macro and portrait shots. The rear camera setup is capable of recording 4K videos at 30fps. You get a 13MP selfie shooter with AI Beautify upfront. It can record 1080p videos at 30fps.
In addition, Redmi Note 10S gets a stereo speaker system for an immersive audio output. The phone also has Hi-Res Audio certification. Fueling the device is a 5000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging and a compatible charger is included in the box itself.
Redmi Note 10S Specifications:
Body: 160.46 x 74.5 x 8.29 mm, 178.8 gm, IP53 dust/water resistant
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / Glonass / Beidou, USB Type-C, 4G LTE
Sensors: Ambient Light, Proximity, E-compass, Accelerometer, Gyro, IR Blaster
Battery: 5000mAh with 33W charging (33W charger inside the box)
Color Options: Onyx Gray, Pebble White, Ocean Blue
Redmi Note 10S Price in Nepal & Availability
The price of the Redmi Note 10S in Nepal is NPR 25,999 for the 6/64GB variant whereas the 6/128GB model costs NPR 28,999. Similarly, the new 8/128GB configuration is available for NPR 29,999. You can purchase Redmi Note 10S from Xiaomi authorized retail stores across Nepal or its e-commerce partners.
Redmi Note 10S
Price in Nepal
6/64GB
NPR 25,999
6/128GB
NPR 28,999
8/128GB
NPR 29,999
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Redmi Note 10.
Daraz 11.11 is undoubtedly the biggest online shopping event in Nepal. Started in 2018, the fourth edition of the Daraz 11.11 is already live. In this post, we will be guiding you through the best tech deals of Daraz 11.11 2021 and how to make the most of this shopping frenzy.
Best Tech Deals on Daraz 11.11 2021
In this year’s 11.11, there are some great deals up for grabs. According to the company, a total of 1.1 million products have received a price drop under this campaign, which also includes tech gadgets. On top of the flat discounts on MRP (Maximum Retail Price), Daraz has even partnered with major banks to offer additional discounts of up to 15% on payments via cards.
Under this, you can reduce the cost by up to Rs. 3,000 or Rs. 3,500 by paying through Debit and Credit card, respectively. Similarly, eSewa and IME Pay users can also get discounts of up to 15% or Rs. 1,111 during certain hours of the day. You can also get freebies with select products.
Bank card discounts are only applicable for November 11 and some of the bank discounts have already run out. So, hurry up if you are eyeing to buy anything.
In this review, I’ll be discussing all about the new Realme GT Neo 2. If you’re not aware, Realme seems to be focusing a lot on the premium mid-range segment recently, by launching multiple phones in its GT series.
This one here is already their 5th premium phone in a space of what—3 to 4 months—which goes on to say that they really want to replicate the success of the OnePlus Nord 2, which is the highest-selling phone in India under the INR 30,000 price segment. And for this review, I have been using the Realme GT Neo 2 alongside the Nord 2 to give you a better insight into how these phones perform.
Realme GT Neo 2 Specifications:
Body: 75.8 x 162.9 x 8.6mm, ~200 gm, Polycarbonate build
By the way, if you’re looking to buy the Realme GT Neo 2 in Nepal, the ongoing Daraz 11.11 sale is the best time. Under this, the company is offering a flat Rs. 3,000 off—while you can also get discount vouchers worth up to Rs. 5,000. On top of this, paying via a debit/credit card further slashes the price by Rs. 3,000/3,500.
As a result, the net price of the Realme GT Neo 2 during the Daraz 11.11 sale could be as low as Rs. 42,699 when paying through a credit card or Rs. 43,199 via a debit card.
Design & Build
75.8 x 162.9 x 8.6mm, ~200 grams
Glass front, polycarbonate back/frame
Okay, let’s talk about the GT Neo 2’s design first. And here, it definitely doesn’t bring all the bells and whistles as other entries in the Realme GT lineup in terms of looks. It brings a simple plastic back with a matte finish, which thankfully does not attract many fingerprints.
Design
1 of 3
Volume Rockers, Power Button
Back Panel
Speaker, USB-C, SIM Tray
Honestly, this Neo Black color option that I am using looks a bit ordinary, so you might want to get your hands on the flashier green or blue color options instead. In terms of the hands-on feel, unlike most Realme phones, this one’s not as sleek and slim either.
There’s a definite heft to it, but it’s not uncomfortably heavy to use. However, if you prefer a more lightweight and compact form factor, I think you would like what the OnePlus Nord 2 offers. But do keep in mind that its compact form factor comes at the cost of a smaller battery.
Battery
5000mAh battery with 65W fast charging
Here, the GT Neo 2 brings a sizable 5,000mAh battery, which offered me a relatively better endurance than the OnePlus Nord 2 and the GT Master Edition. It usually gave a total of 7 to 7.5 hours of screen-on time with my typical “reviewer” usage pattern.
Plus, charging this phone is pretty fast too with its proprietary 65 Watt Dart Charger. It takes around 40 minutes to fully juice up the phone from 0-100%, so I never had a battery-related issue during my time with this phone.
Audio
Stereo speaker setup
3.5mm headphone jack
Realme has also included a Dolby Atmos-powered stereo speaker setup here which sounds quite good. I checked to see if they were as good as the OnePlus Nord 2, which you know has one of the best stereo outputs in this price segment, and found out that Nord 2’s audio still sounds slightly fuller and louder with crisp vocals.
Also, the Nord 2 comes with decent haptics whereas the one on the GT Neo 2 doesn’t feel as effective—although the company has advertised on offering a better haptic motor.
Display
6.62-inches FHD+ E4 AMOLED screen
120/600Hz refresh/touch sampling rate
Gorilla Glass 5, 1300 nits peak brightness
In any case, the Realme GT Neo 2 kills it in the display department. It has a 6.6 inch AMOLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 600Hz touch sampling rate, which is almost twice the industry standard. With that, cruising through this display feels really smooth and fast, especially when playing fast-paced games.
Plus, the core quality of this display is awesome as well. It’s a Samsung-made panel with first-grade color accuracy, contrast levels, and peak brightness. The trimmed bezels further elevate the viewing experience.
For protection, there’s the standard Gorilla Glass 5 here. And as always, Realme has not missed out on useful features like DC dimming either. For unlocking the phone, you get an optical fingerprint sensor embedded inside this AMOLED panel which is quite fast and accurate.
Android 11 with Realme UI 2.0 on top (upgradeable)
So overall, this display is definitely one of the best you can get in this price range. Furthermore, the performance is one of the many things I dearly love about this phone. It comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 chipset, which is basically a re-branded Snapdragon 865+ from last year with a few tweaks.
But at the end of the day, it is still a powerful and much more capable chip than the Snapdragon 778G or Dimensity 1200—in terms of both raw performance and stability. Needless to say, the GT Neo 2 has given me very few things to complain about in this department.
Gaming experience
To elaborate, let’s start with the gaming side of things. Demanding titles like Genshin Impact are well playable even in the highest settings and 60fps mode. Here, I was able to achieve around 53fps on average, whereas the phone was able to deliver 40-45fps even during combat, which is commendable.
It slightly heats up after half an hour of gameplay, but the drop in frame rates after the heat up is not that significant, which is a huge plus for the gamers out there. Couple that with the instantaneous 600Hz touch response rate, you will certainly enjoy gaming on this thing.
Similarly, PUBG runs at 59fps on average with the graphics set to HDR and frame rate to extreme with basically no stutters at all. COD too achieves a similar 60fps count at the highest of settings, i.e. Very High graphics and Max frame rates.
And when you put it against the Dimensity 1200-AI-powered OnePlus Nord 2, you can immediately feel the superiority of the Snapdragon 870 in games like Genshin Impact where the Nord 2 only manages as high as 40fps in the highest settings and 60fps mode.
Still no 120fps gaming
The only complaint that I have with the GT Neo 2’s performance is that it still doesn’t support higher fps games to run at 120fps despite the chipset being more than powerful to handle them. Games like Critical Ops, Oddmar, Bombsquad, etc, that offer a smoother 120fps gameplay are playable smoothly in their highest possible settings, but the phone caps out their fps to 60 at max.
And it’s not just this phone, there’s no 120fps gameplay in any of Realme’s premium mid-range offerings either. So Realme, it’s a shame that you guys are offering such a good 120Hz display and powerful processors but the users are still not able to make the most out of them.
How’s Realme UI 2.0?
Besides that, normal day-to-day performance is unquestionably good on this phone. As expected from Realme UI, the transitions are polished and the touch response when navigating through the UI or scrolling through web pages is amazingly fast and smooth.
With 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM that my unit’s rocking—complemented by a faster UFS 3.1 storage protocol—multitasking and memory management has been no problem either. Overall, this device provides a superb experience in terms of performance while Realme UI 2.0 further adds to the charm.
It is not that resource-heavy, while also bringing all the nifty customization options. As always, I only wish that the company didn’t include all these bloatware apps in a premium phone like this!
Although most of them are uninstallable, it does take away the “premium experience” to some extent. But the good news is, Realme has promised that the GT Neo 2 will be one of the first phones to get the Android 12-based Realme UI 3.0 update, which is rumored to arrive in December.
Cameras
Triple-camera setup at the back
(64MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro)
16MP selfie camera (punch-hole cutout)
Cameras
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Back
Front
Moving on, many of you guys asked me on Twitter if this phone has a good camera performance and my answer is, if I had to rate it out of 10, I would give it a solid 7.5.
Here, the phone comes bearing a triple camera setup at the back consisting of a 64MP primary, an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP macro sensor. Pretty basic stuff!
Normal Images
Anyway, as you can see from these samples, the images from its 64MP main camera come out pleasing with plenty of details, good dynamic range, and an obvious pop in colors. Most of the time, the punchiness isn’t bothersome but in some instances, it can look a bit overwhelming.
Normal
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I compared it against the OnePlus Nord 2 and evidently, the Nord 2 brings a more natural color scheme, but with a hint of excessive contrast.
vs Nord 2
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Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
During the Tihar vacation, I tested these cameras under different circumstances and what I can say is that both of them are plenty reliable—it just boils down to personal preference.
Wideangle Images
Ultrawide
1 of 4
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Just like the normal daytime images, the ultra-wide shots are also punchier from the GT Neo 2. But here, I prefer that vibrancy over Nord 2’s slightly washed-out results.
Portrait Images
However, portraits come out too saturated from the Neo 2. It is simply impossible to ignore the red tint on the subject’s skin here.
Portrait
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Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Nord 2’s photos also have an unnatural yellow tone going on as well, but they look much better than the overly-done colors from Realme. Subject focus and background look eerily similar though!
Nighttime Images
Getting to the nighttime images, they both look quite similar—except for the color difference.
Nighttime
1 of 6
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
However, night mode in the Realme GT Neo 2 manages to capture a bit more light than the Nord 2 and brightens the picture overall.
Night Mode
1 of 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
I was also expecting the Nord 2 to be comparatively sharper during low-light conditions because of its OIS-enabled primary camera, but that’s not the case.
Macro Images
Macro
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The 2MP macro camera is nothing to get excited by as the close-up photos lack details, appear washed out, and are subpar overall.
Selfie Images
As for selfies, Neo 2’s 16MP front camera delivers good photos. Although there is a slight smoothening going on, I found that it has better contrast and skin tone than the Nord 2.
Selfie
1 of 4
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
Realme GT Neo 2
OnePlus Nord 2
The only thing I wish this camera did better is color processing on human skin, which I hope Realme brings forth via an update pretty soon!
Videography
Similarly, I am quite impressed with the video capabilities of the GT Neo 2. The Gyro EIS works well to maintain decent stabilization at 4k 30fps—as well as—1080p 60 and 30fps videos. It can shoot at 4k 60fps as well which is a plus, but there’s no stabilization here. Still, if you use a gimbal, this phone can take pretty nice 4K 60fps footages.
Realme GT Neo 2 Review: Conclusion
To sum up this review, the Realme GT Neo 2 is a pretty well-balanced phone. It offers something for everyone… it has a flagship-level performance, fairly reliable cameras, hands-down one of the best displays in its price range, and a good set of stereo speakers for those who are into content consumption.
The only thing that’s missing with this phone—at least for me—is maybe a better design. I would have liked for Realme to take the design inspiration from the GT Master Explorer Edition, which has one of the best designs on a smartphone thanks to its curved display, a more premium glass back, and metal frames.
Plus, if Realme had offered the 50MP sensor from the Explorer Edition here, I think Neo 2’s cameras would have been even better. And as things stand, its camera is still inferior to that of the iQOO 7 and Galaxy A52s. So, the GT Neo 2 shouldn’t be your first choice, if cameras are your topmost priority.
Apple has not officially dropped any hint at manufacturing electric vehicles. Still, there have been multiple rumors of an Apple Car, some from as early as 2015. And now, a report has surfaced which suggests that Apple has hired an ex-Tesla engineer for its self-driving car project.
Apple hires ex-Tesla engineer for its self-driving car
The latest news on Apple Car comes from Bloomberg. The company published a report on Friday claiming that Apple has secured the services of Christopher “CJ” Moore. CJ Moore is a former Tesla employee, where he worked on the company’s Autopilot system.
CJ Moore comments on Elon Musk’s Tweet
Moore made headlines earlier this year because of his comment on Elon Musk’s claim about Level 5 autonomy (fully autonomous) coming to Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology very soon.
In March, Moore was noted saying, “Elon’s tweet does not match engineering reality”, in a meeting with the Autonomous Vehicles Branch of California DMV. It is assumed that this remark on Elon may have had a hand in his exit from the company.
At Apple, Moore will be reuniting with Stuart Bowers, who also jumped the boat from Tesla to Apple last year. The two will be working on Apple’s self-driving software.
The two are not the only engineers to have worked with both companies. Micheal Schwekutsch, Steve MacManus, and Doug Field are a few other ex-Tesla engineers Apple was able to nab. Doug Field lead the EV project at Apple, codenamed Project Titan, from 2018 until he stepped back from his position to join Ford Moto Company in 2021. He is now replaced by Kevin Lynch.
Other than adding veterans to its project, Apple has also been investing in different startups dealing with autonomous technology. One of the most notable acquisitions is that of Drive.ai, a self-driving car startup founded in 2015.
In addition to Field, Dave Scott and Jaime Waydo have also left Apple’s project. They worked as Head of Robotics and Chief of Safety, respectively in Apple.
Apple Car Launch and Availability (Expected)
According to the rumors, Apple is planning to start production of its autonomous car in 2024. However, it could be pushed back to up to 2027 because of the delays caused by COVID-19 and other manufacturing and design complexities.
Self-Driving Car
Production
Target Customers
Apple Car
2024 (best case scenario)
Enterprise/businesses
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G.
Ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our educational system has slowly been adapting to e-learning. To help students with this transition, the Government of Nepal (GoN) introduced its e-learning portal called “Sikai Chautari” with a school-level curriculum. And it’s now expanding to cover the curriculums of classes 11 and 12 as well. In this post, we will be discussing the Sikai Chautari e-learning portal in more detail.
Sikai Chautari: e-learning portal by GoN
Sikai Chautari was developed by the Centre for Education and Human Resources Development (CEHRD), which falls under the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology. In its initial stage, you could only access learning resources for up to class 10. With the latest update, Sikai Chautari also includes English, Nepali, and Social Studies curriculums of grades 11 and 12.
To note, these three are the only compulsory subjects under the new curriculum, hence the priority. CEHRD eventually plans to add all the other optional subjects too. However, it is bound to take some time as the number of optional subjects in classes 11 and 12 is quite enormous.
You can visit Sikai Chautari by going to clicking on this link. The homepage consists of a three-level menu. On the first row, there are 12 buttons labeled 1 to 12, each representing the respective class. Here, one needs to select the class that they are in. The second row reveals all the lessons and topics available in the selected class, grouped by the subject.
The last row contains additional features such as a library full of additional resources, a dictionary, a calculator, and even games. There is an option to switch between English and Nepali as well.
Not responsive enough
Sikai Chautari worked fine when I accessed it on my laptop. Sadly, I couldn’t get the same experience when using a phone. The website lacks proper optimization for smaller displays. This really hurts the purpose of the platform since most Nepali students rely on their smartphones—as desktops or laptops are still far less accessible, especially in remote areas.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G.
Poco Global held an online event yesterday to announce the arrival of their latest M-series phone. The new Poco M4 Pro 5G succeeds the M3 Pro 5G that was launched earlier this year and is a simple rebrand of the Redmi Note 11 launched a while back. In this post, we will be discussing the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Poco M4 Pro 5G in Nepal.
Poco M4 Pro 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Poco M4 Pro 5G sports a 6.6-inch IPS display that is marginally bigger than the one on its predecessor. The refresh rate still maxes at 90Hz, while the touch sampling rate has been bumped from 180Hz to 240Hz. It boasts a typical brightness of 450 nits and has Gorilla Glass 3 protection.
At the back, Poco has gone with a familiar bold design that debuted with the Poco M3. Here, the rectangular camera bump is enclosed inside a big black envelope with a “Poco” branding. The phone is available in three colors: Poco Yellow, Power Black, and Cool Blue.
Performance and Memory
Under the hood, Poco M4 Pro 5G packs MediaTek Dimensity 810 chipset. To compare, it is a higher-clocked version of the Dimensity 700 used in the M3 Pro. In addition, it is also built on a more power-efficient 6nm process. The memory options include 4/6GB LPDDR4X RAM and either 64 or 128GB UFS 2.2 storage.
Moving on, the rear camera setup on the Poco M4 Pro 5G has only two sensors, which is one less than its predecessor. Fortunately, Poco has replaced the two 2MP sensors to make room for an 8MP ultrawide camera. It accompanies the new 50MP primary sensor. Over on the front, the resolution of the selfie camera has been doubled to 16MP.
Rest of the specs
Like its predecessor, Poco M4 Pro 5G also features a large 5,000mAh battery. The charging speed has improved significantly, as it supports 33W Pro fast charging. The phone boots on Android 11-based MIUI 12.5 for Poco. The phone features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and stereo speakers. Poco has also improved on the haptics by including a linear X-axis motor.
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face unlock
Sensors: Accelerometer, Ambient Light, Electronic Compass, Gyroscope, IR Blaster
Connectivity: Dual SIM 5G, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1
Battery: 5000mAh with 33W Pro fast charge
Color Options: Poco Yellow, Power Black, Cool Blue
Poco M4 Pro 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
Poco M4 Pro is available in the global market, where its price is EUR 229 for the 4/64GB and EUR 249 for the 6/128GB variant. The company is offering an early bird discount of EUR 30 on both variants. We expect the price of Poco M4 Pro 5G in Nepal to start at NPR 32,500 when it launches here.
Poco M4 Pro 5G
Global Price
Price in Nepal (Expected)
4/64GB
EUR 229
NPR 32,500
6/128GB
EUR 249
NPR 35,500
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Poco M3 Pro 5G.
Walmart, the US-based multinational retail chain, has started carrying shipments using fully driverless delivery trucks. These autonomous vehicles are designed by Gatik, which has been working with Walmart for around 2 years. In this post, we will be discussing the Walmart-Gartik driverless trucks in more detail.
Walmart starts delivery via driverless trucks
For starters, Walmart has been using self-driving trucks for its shipments since 2019. The trucks designed by Gatik were used to deliver shipments from a warehouse to a neighboring retail outlet in Bentonville (Arkansas). But previously, these trucks used to have a human safety driver at their disposal.
After studying the route for almost 2 years, the two companies started deploying completely autonomous driverless trucks without any safety driver back in August. This makes Gatik the first company to operate a fully driverless truck on a commercial route. Currently, there are two trucks delivering goods over a 7-mile route 12 times a day.
Here, the company has designed the trucks to prioritize conservative routes over the direct ones to reduce the risk of accidents. As a result, these trucks do not take unprotected turns and make lane changes.
Gatik was founded in 2017 by autonomous technology experts. It specializes in middle mile delivery, which means the delivery of goods between warehouse/distribution centers to fulfillment facilities. The company doesn’t plan to develop ride-hailing autonomous vehicles until 2027. It believes that lifting goods is both easier and economical than lifting people.
The future
It’s not clear if Walmart and Gatik are planning to expand the service to other routes. Both companies have remained silent on this matter.
In other news, Gatik already has competition in the form of Cruise LLC. Cruise has been into research and development of self-driving cars since 2013. The company has already obtained permission to operate driverless cargo in some parts of California as well. It even plans to operate driverless taxis from next year.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M52 5G.
OnePlus Nord 2 has been among the most exciting premium mid-range phones of 2021. That being said, it has also been a subject of several controversies as there have been several reports of the phone exploding. Another such case has emerged in India in which a Nord 2 has exploded and even caused physical harm to the user. In this article, we will deep dive into this story, while also discussing other cases of the OnePlus Nord 2 explosion.
Latest OnePlus Nord 2 Explosion in India
The latest incident of a Nord 2 explosion has taken place in India. It was first reported on November 3 by Suhit Sharma via his Twitter handle. The tweet even contains pictures to back up the claim.
As evident by the photos, the phone seems to have caught fire from the rear bottom left, thoroughly damaging the corresponding frame. The explosion has even damaged the transparent case that was on the phone.
What makes it worse is that the phone was in the owner’s pocket when it exploded. This has caused severe burns to the owner’s thigh with the skin being peeled off. It has left dark burnt marks as well.
@OnePlus_IN Never expected this from you #OnePlusNord2Blast see what your product have done. Please be prepared for the consequences. Stop playing with peoples life. Because of you that boy is suffering contact asap. pic.twitter.com/5Wi9YCbnj8
The tweet has caught the attention of a lot of people, including some popular Indian tech YouTubers. This has even caused fear among other Nord 2 users, many of whom are complaining about the heating issue of the phone. Some have even demanded OnePlus discontinue the phone and recall all the sold models.
OnePlus is yet to make an official public statement acknowledging the incident. But the company is already in touch with Suhit Sharma for further investigation. The following statement was provided to 91mobiles when they reached out to OnePlus over the matter.
“We take such incidents seriously. Our team has already reached out to the user and we are in the process of collecting the details to investigate this further.”
Past incidents of OnePlus Nord 2 explosion
It’s important to note that this is not the first time the Nord 2 has been reported to explode. There have been at least two other similar claims, one of which was flagged fake when the user deleted his tweet once it got mainstream attention. In the other incident, OnePlus eventually sent a cease-and-desist letter to the victim, claiming that the victim refused to co-operate in the investigation.
There was also a case of Nord 2’s 65W Warp Charger exploding in which OnePlus readily offered a replacement charger to the user. The cause of the explosion was “fluctuating external voltage” according to the company.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the OnePlus Nord 2.
After disrupting the Nepali ISP market with its introductory 120Mbps internet, CG Net has now introduced a cost-effective 50Mbps plan. In this article, we will be discussing the new 50Mbps “Super Sasto Package” internet plan from CG Net along with its price, duration, availability, and fair usage policy.
CG Net 50Mbps “Super Sasto Package”
Ever since CG Net initiated its services with its 120Mbps internet, other ISPs have announced even higher bandwidth plans. This includes Subisu’s 150Mbps and Worldlink’s 300Mbps packages. However, not everyone needs such high bandwidth internet, and many users expressed their preference for affordable low bandwidth internet plans instead.
And it certainly seems like CG Net is catering to such users with this. Here, you have the flexibility to subscribe to monthly, tri-monthly, half-yearly, or yearly plans of its 50Mbps internet. The price is set to Rs. 649 per month, irrespective of the duration you sign up for.
Currently, only a few major ISPs like Classic Tech are providing 50Mbps internet for home users. Still, CG Net’s 50Mbps plan undercuts most of the competition’s 40 and even 60Mbps packages. We have prepared the following table for a more detailed comparison.
Furthermore, you won’t have to pay installation and drop wire charges if you subscribe to CG Net. However, the company does levy charges on the router and refundable deposits. You will also have to pay extra if you want a dual-band router.
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
12 Months
Installation Charge
Free
Drop Wire Charge
Free
Single Band Router
Rs. 2,500
Rs. 2,000
Rs. 1,500
Free
Dual Band Router
Rs. 3,500
Rs. 3,000
Rs. 2,500
Rs. 2,000
Refundable Deposit
Rs. 500
Fair Usage Policy (FUP)
Compared to the standard 120Mbps plan, CG Net’s 50Mbps Super Sasto Package has a lower data usage quota for Fair Usage Policy (FUP). You can enjoy the original bandwidth of 50Mbps as long as you are within the 1300 GB quota. If you pass the 1300 GB mark, the internet speed will be reduced based on the additional bandwidth volume you consume. Here’s a brief look at it:
FUP Level
Data Usage Quota
FUP Speed Policy
Original data bandwidth
Up to 1300 GB
50Mbps (original speed)
Level 1
1300 – 1400 GB
50% of original speed
Level 2
1400 – 1500 GB
30% of original speed
Level 3
Upwards of 1500 GB
10% of original speed
CG Net 50Mbps: Coverage, Limitations
CG Net certainly has super cheap internet plans, but the problem is that the company hasn’t been able to offer its service throughout the country. It has expanded to several new locations since its establishment around the Kathmandu valley, but that’s still incomparable to the coverage of other major ISPs in Nepal.
You can inquire about CG Net installation by visiting this link. In addition, most ISPs also bundle IPTV services with their internet plans, while CG Net doesn’t. But the company has already laid the groundwork to introduce IPTV and video OTT services with its partnership with Indian telco giant Airtel.
Meanwhile, check out our hands-on review of CG Net.
