Apple launched the M1 silicon last year, which has received rave reviews ever since. Its high-end configuration features an 8-core integrated GPU that delivers similar performance to GTX 1050 Ti. Now, the upcoming Apple M1X, on the other hand, is said to include up to 32-core GPU that will compete with the RTX 3070 while consuming less power.
Apple M1X Overview:
Prominent YouTuber Dave 2D, who also leaked the first hands-on photos of the OnePlus 9, seemed to be excited about the imminent 14 and 16-inch MacBooks. As you’d expect, it’s because of the M1X silicon.
Earlier speculations stated that the new devices will feature 16-core and 32-core GPU choices. And, Dave’s video adds a tick to them. Here, the higher core count will necessitate more power and a better cooling system.
While the standard M1’s 8-core GPU delivered an adequate performance, the M1X’s additional core count is certainly intended to deliver more power. The higher 32-core GPU option, according to Dave 2D, will be available in the 16-inch Apple M1X MacBook Pro only.
To keeps the light on, the device will have a bigger battery too, thanks to the larger footprint of the device. Similarly, a larger die size may be used to provide a better cooling system.
The YouTuber also shared some GFXBench 5.0 Aztec @1440p benchmark results, estimating that the 32-core GPU on M1X uses less than half the power compared to RTX 3070 mobile GPUs—while providing nearly identical performance.
Moving on, the 16-core GPU model is expected to have respectable results too. Its estimated 20W power consumption might be on par with AMD’s Radeon Pro 5500M or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.
Apple M1X Launch
The new Apple M1X is anticipated to be unveiled during WWDC 2021, which begins on June 7. While we are enthusiastic about its release, Dave 2D claims that the actual device will be considerably more expensive than what the standard M1-powered MacBooks debuted at.
Apple M1X chip
Launch (Expected)
16-core, 32-core
WWDC 2021
Moreover, check out our unboxing of the Apple MacBook Pro M1 (Nepali).
Huawei launched two new monitors during its latest product launch event. The Huawei MateView and Mateview GT are premium offerings for content creators and gamers, respectively. In this post, we will be looking at the specs, features, official price of Huawei Mateview and Mateview GT in Nepal.
Huawei Mateview GT Overview:
This is the company’s first gaming monitor. It features a 34” LCD panel with a 1500R curvature. Its 3,400 x 1,440 pixels resolution results in a 21:9 aspect ratio. For competitive gaming, this one supports a high refresh rate of up to 165Hz. The panel is capable of producing 1.07 billion colors. It covers 90% DCI-P3 color space and supports HDR10 contrast. The screen can get as bright as 350 nits.
To help you detect enemies in low-light scenes, Huawei has included a Dark Field Control feature. With this, users can adjust the brightness level in dark scenes. Another interesting feature here is called “Crosshair” which is an on-screen digital target sight.
Moving on, the Huawei MateView GT has a built-in soundbar with two speakers of 2.25W output each. It stands out because of the RGB backlit touch panel. Users can adjust the volume by sliding the finger along with the panel. The lighting effect is also customizable. There are two mics with 4m sound pick up for in-game chats.
In terms of connectivity, this monitor offers two USB-C ports (one of which supports display-in), two HDMI 2.0, one Display Port 1.4 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
If you are not into gaming, you will be better off with the standard Huawei Mateview. It has a 28.2-inch LCD panel with a 3,840 x 2,560 pixels resolution. Its tall 3:2 aspect ratio could also be appealing to content creators. Its brightness can go up to 500 nits. Thus, it is both brighter and sharper than its gaming sibling. Other features include 10-bit color depth that results in 1.07 billion colors, 98% DCI-P3 gamut, DisplayHDR 400, and DC Dimming.
In terms of connectivity, you have a USB-C port with video-in and 65W charging. Additionally, there are two USB-A, one additional USB-C (for charging), a mini-DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The wireless version even supports dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1.
Users can also mirror their Huawei phones using a wireless connection. However, this feature is reserved for limited phones running Kirin 980 and EMUI 12.0. The monitor features two speakers with a cumulative output of 5W. Its two mics can pick up voices from a radius of 4m.
Huawei Mateview, Mateview GT Specifications:
MateView
MateView GT
Display
28.2” IPS
34” with 1500R curvature
Resolution
3840 x 2560 px, 3:2 aspect ratio
3440 x 1440 px, 21:9 aspect ratio
Refresh Rate
60Hz
165Hz
Brightness
500 nits
350 nits
Colors
1.07 billion
1.07 billion
Contrast Ratio
1200:1
4000:1
Audio
2x 5W
2x 5W
Ports
USB-C (display transfer, 65W Charging), USB-C power supply (135W), 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x mini-DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm headphone jack
USB-C (display transfer, 10W Charging), USB-C power supply, 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 3.5mm headphone jack
Huawei Mateview and Mateview GT Price in Nepal
The price of the Huawei MateView Wireless and MateView GT monitors in Nepal is NPR 140,000 and NPR 99,000 respectively. You can buy these monitors in Nepal from Huawei authorized stores across the country.
Monitors
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Official)
Huawei MateView GT
3,599 Yuan
NPR 99,000
Huawei MateView Wireless
4,699 Yuan
NPR 140,000
Meanwhile, check out our gaming PC build for under $1,000.
Chinese smartphone giant Xiaomi implemented earthquake alerts to its MIUI ROM devices way back in 2010. The company collaborated with the Chengdu High Tech Disaster Mitigation Institute to develop this alert feature then. Xiaomi is now adding not only alerts but also the earthquake monitoring system to its devices.
Xiaomi devices with earthquake monitoring:
The beginning
In 2019, the firm introduced an earthquake alert function in its smartphones and claims to have informed consumers of up to 35 earthquakes with magnitudes above 4.0. Furthermore, they have issued over 12.6 million warning messages to this date.
The service is currently available in 25 provinces across China. In addition, Xiaomi revealed that the devices will not only warn you through alerts but now will also actively monitor earthquakes.
Add-on
The new earthquake monitoring feature employs a pair of low-power sensors that can detect seismic waves from Earth in real-time. The AI program will then effectively calculate the seismic data. If an earthquake is imminent, users will receive a warning. According to the company, it not only saves money but also significantly increases the number of monitors.
The vibration detected by the sensors will be assessed to determine whether or not it is an earthquake shock using a technique known as edge computing. If it is true, it will send the information to an early warning center, which will use data from various smartphones. Furthermore, using seismic data AI, the system analyzes whether or not there is an earthquake.
After the system has cross-checked all of the data, the magnitude, epicenter, and time will be promptly determined. And then, a warning message will be sent to the individuals in the affected areas. Similarly, this feature will employ “differential privacy” to manage the user’s data anonymously while maintaining privacy.
Availability
Xiaomi will gradually roll out earthquake monitoring features on all Mi devices. Those using MIUI 12.5 can, however, go to Mobile Phone Manager under settings and select Earthquake Early Warning to volunteer for testing right now.
When the feature is live, the relevant authorities will be able to monitor earthquakes in real-time using data provided via smartphones. Yet, seeing all this progress so far, it’s likely that this feature will only be available in China.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Mi 11X (POCO F3).
The original Nintendo Switch went official back in 2017. The company released a “Lite” variant two years later. Fast forward to today, Nintendo is now working on a “Pro” model – at least that is what the rumors are suggesting. The Nintendo Switch Pro could launch later this month with some significant specs upgrade.
Nintendo Switch Pro Rumors Roundups:
The Switch Pro first appeared on Amazon Mexico’s website, but the page was quickly removed within a few minutes. Twitter user Alphabeat spotted it and eventually managed to grab a screenshot. There was no information about cost or a release date in the listing. It does, however, provide a speck of significant proof that the company is planning a new Switch.
After around a week of the Amazon listing, the Switch Pro appeared again. This time it was in a listing by French electronics retailer Boulanger. The console was listed for €399. However, this could be just a placeholder, which is often the case with such listings. The page has already been taken down.
DLSS support
Switch Pro was earlier rumored to use NVIDIA’s Tegra X1+ processor. But recent rumors indicate that Nintendo is more likely to employ a new NVIDIA chipset featuring DLSS technology instead.
In addition, a Reddit post has also indicated that the Switch Pro will be able to deliver native 1440p render resolution and upscale to 4K with Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0 technology. Here, Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) allows your device to run games at a lower resolution and then uses specialized AI cores to increase visual quality. With DLSS, users will be able to enjoy 4K gaming while in the dock mode.
Because of this, the new Nintendo console is unlikely to have a 4K panel. Instead, it will have the same 720p resolution display as its predecessor. However, the LCD panel from Nintendo Switch will be upgraded to OLED on the Pro variant. As per the speculations, the upcoming Switch Pro will sport a 7-inch OLED screen from Samsung Display.
Better connectivity options
To maximize connectivity options, the Switch Pro will have a somewhat broader rear chassis than its predecessors. The back will house two USB 3.0 and an Ethernet port.
Nintendo Switch Pro Launch and Price
According to a Bloomberg report, the new Switch model will cost more than $299 (the price of the standard Nintendo Switch). Thus, the €399 price tag is still a possibility. The blog also mentions that Nintendo Switch Pro might launch before the E3 2021 conference, which begins on June 12.
Non-Volatile Memory Express (or NVMe in short) was introduced a decade ago as a communication protocol between host software and non-volatile memory. Today, it is the industry standard when it comes to Solid State Drives (SSDs). NVM Express recently launched the specifications of NVMe version 2 (NVMe 2.0 in short).
Its specifications have been restructured to facilitate easy and rapid implementation of NVMe solutions across the growing NVMe device environment. Interestingly, the environment now includes Hard Disk Drives as well.
NVMe 2.0 key features:
Zone Namespaces (ZNS)
It is a software interface that is different from the traditional block models that got inherited down to SSD from older storage devices.
NVMe Zone Namespace inherits Read, Write, and Flush commands from NVM Command Set. Here, the data block location (Logical Block Addressing) is divided into zones of fixed sizes. These zone sizes are configurable, and data can only be written sequentially. Storage Vendors can decide on zone mapping and erasing block schemes.
ZNS improves the overall performance of the device, while also reducing the cost. By allowing the device and the host to work together, it simplifies the process of data placement. In addition, more media capacity is available to the host.
Key Value
It defines the communication between the host and the storage device at the register level. This specification defines the functionality of the Key Value Command set, which the controller implements.
The size of a Key Value pair depends on the size of the key and the value. The software communicates directly with the drive using these KV pairs. The process does not require a block address. As a result, there is no need for translation tables between keys and storage blocks.
NVMe has now added new capacity management features to the Endurance Groups. These groups help manage storage pools larger than namespace.
Endurance Groups can be created and deleted. With NVME 2.0 specifications, they can even be allocated media units. This represents the granularity of data accessibility on SSD and helps improve control.
NVME 2.0 support for HDDs
Finally, the NVMe protocol is expanding to the Hard Disk Drives (HDD) as well. NVMe 2.0 specifications define features, management capabilities, and other improvements for HDDs. It may sound odd for NVMe to support HDD when most common Hard Disks cannot fully utilize the 600 MB/s throughputs of the SATA 3 interface.
However, we have seen technological advancement in recent times that has increased the speeds of Hard Disks quite significantly. For instance, the new Seagate Mach.2 boasts a transfer speed of up to 524 MB/s. Who knows, maybe Hard Disks will get fast enough to compete with SSDs in the future.
On the other hand, this also means that manufacturers can choose NVMe, and avoid SATA altogether. If successful, this could help reduce confusion about different drive interfaces among consumers. While this may or may not be the case in the future, this unification of storage standards could help NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF) down the line.
Extended CRC Mechanism
NVMe 2.0 extends its Cyclic Redundancy Check Mechanism (CRC) to accommodate 32- and 64-bits keywords. Initially, it was limited to just 16 bits. Since CRC works by having a keyword divide the actual transfer message and tallying the remainders at the two ends, using larger keywords reduces the errors going unnoticed.
Command Group Control
Command Group Control is a security feature that prevents unintended changes to a system. These changes could be unintentional or could originate from malicious software. This is somehow similar to the already existing Namespace Write Protection.
The Common Group Control allows normal read and write operation, but bars any admin commands that can modify the drive’s configuration. After the setup, the feature will only stop when explicitly unlocked or in case of a power cycle.
NVME 2.0: Backward Compatibility
NVMe 2.0 is backward compatible. It means that SSD based on the new specification will work with present-day motherboards and drives.
Meanwhile, check out our gaming PC build for under $1,000.
Nepal’s internet market witnessed a great shift in the balance after CG Communications introduced CG Net. DishHome, which is another relatively new player in the country’s internet space has announced 10 Mbps and 25 Mbps FiberNet plans at minimal cost for customers who subscribe to their Lifestyle HD Package.
DishHome FiberNet Plan for Lifestyle HD Package:
The company’s journey began as a satellite television provider and recently expanded into the ISP industry in Nepal. As part of a combo deal, DishHome is offering 25 Mbps internet for just Rs. 233 a month, as well as a free 10 Mbps FTTH connection. But as mentioned earlier, this offer is only available to the subscribers of DishHome’s Lifestyle HD package.
How to subscribe
Here, the Lifestyle HD package costs Rs. 600 per month where 10 Mbps internet is bundled for free. Its yearly subscription costs Rs. 7,200 and about the satellite TV package itself, you’re getting 62 HD and 138 SD channels.
Similarly, if you add Rs. 233 per month to the Lifestyle HD bundle, you can enjoy an increased bandwidth to 25 Mbps. To note, while setting up a new connection, you will need to pay a one-time charge for a refundable deposit, cable, and router.
Price
Internet
DishHome Lifestyle HD Package
Rs. 600
10 Mbps
DishHome Lifestyle HD Package
Rs. 600 + 233
25 Mbps
Router Charge
Rs. 1,000 (1 month), Rs. 500 (3/6/12 months)
Drop Wire
Rs. 500 (1/3/6 months), Free (12 months)
Refundable Deposit
Rs. 500
DishHome FiberNet Coverage
The company’s internet service is already available in about 90% of Kathmandu Valley, with plans to extend it to the remaining areas within two months. It is also available in Hetauda, Itahari, and Inaruwa, and will be expanded to major cities throughout the country by 2021. Moreover, DishHome has stated that it’ll soon introduce 150 and 200 Mbps internet packages as well.
Meanwhile, check out our video of gaming PC build under $1,000.
Vivo has launched its latest 5G smartphone in China. Despite the moniker, the Y70t is a lot like the Y51s that was released last year. In this post, we will be looking at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Vivo Y70t 5G in Nepal.
Vivo Y70t 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Here, the Vivo Y70t is built around a 6.53-inch LCD panel. Its 2340 x 1080 resolution results in a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The device has a left-aligned punch-hole camera cutout. It is a standard 60Hz panel with support for 16.7 million colors. It has a 90.72% screen ratio and a 1500:1 contrast ratio.
The phone has a reflective back cover. Users can choose between three finishes – Sea Blue, Secret Black, and Snow White. The fingerprint scanner is on the side. Thus, the rear panel houses the vertical camera bump and Vivo branding only.
Y70t is powered by Exynos 880 which is built on Samsung’s 8nm process. This chipset has two Cortex-A77 (@ 2.0GHz) and six Cortex-A55 cores (@ 1.8GHz). It also has a dedicated 5G modem with dual 5G SIM support.
With this, the Y70t can connect to both SA and NSA 5G networks. There is Smart Network Switch that can dynamically switch between Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G for a smoother network experience.
Moving on, the cooling mechanism on the Y70t 5G consists of a liquid-cooler, multi-layer graphite layer, and thermal gel. Together with the AI power saver, it can reduce the core temperature by 10º C.
The phone arrives in two RAM variants – 6GB and 8GB. Both variants feature 128GB of internal storage. There is also an 8/256GB variant. Furthermore, the storage is expandable with a MicroSD card.
The vertical camera bump at the back is home to a triple camera setup. Its 48MP primary camera shoots 4-in-1 pixel-binned images by default. It is capable of recording 4K videos, too. While there is no Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), Vivo has compensated this with Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS).
Unfortunately, Vivo has not included an ultrawide camera here as a measure of cost-cutting. Instead, users will have to be content with the 2MP macro and 2MP portrait lens. For selfies, there is an 8MP f/2.05 shooter upfront. It maxes out at 1080p recording.
Fueling the device is a 4,500mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. It ships with FunTouch OS 10.5 based on Android 10.
Vivo Y70t 5G Specifications:
Body: 162.05 x 76.61 x 8.46mm, 190 gm
Display: 6.53-inches FHD LCD, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 90.72% screen ratio
Rear Camera: Triple (48MP with EIS, 2MP depth, 2MP macro)
Front Camera: 8MP lens (punch-hole)
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Battery: 4,500mAh with 15W fast charging
Vivo Y70t 5G Price in Nepal & Availability
The price of Vivo Y70t 5G starts at 1,499 Yuan in China for the 6/128GB model. Likewise, the 8/128GB and 8/256GB variants cost 1,699 Yuan and 1,999 Yuan, respectively. We expect the price of Vivo Y70t 5G in Nepal to start at NPR 30,000 if it launches here.
Vivo Y70t 5G
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
1,499 Yuan
NPR 30,000
8/128GB
1,699 Yuan
NPR 33,000
8/256GB
1,999 Yuan
NPR 38,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Vivo iQOO 7.
Google is revising its privacy policies, which makes it more difficult to track Android users. With Android 12, it is quite clear that the company has been prioritizing user privacy over everything else—although maybe not as much as Apple. Now, if users choose to opt out of receiving personalized adverts, developers will no longer have access to their advertising ID. Let’s learn more about the updated advertising ID policy to track users’ web activity from Google.
Google advertising ID to track user data:
Google allows users to enable the ads-personalization option, which shows relevant ads based on their web activity and personal information. But, even if you opt-out of it, applications continue to gather and utilize your data.
However, according to a new blog post shared by Google, if users withdraw from personalized ads, their advertiser identifier (ID) will no longer be available. This makes it far more difficult to track users between apps and websites and use that information to offer adverts. Ultimately, apps cannot, in a way, have a taste of your data now.
Advertising ID is a unique string (a data type in programming) of user-resettable characters provided by Google Play services. In essence, it is a roll number assigned to each device. Companies, apps use this ID to anonymously track user activity on Android devices.
Following the change, if a user disables personalized adverts, Google will no longer issue an advertising ID to the specific device. As a result, if apps/data companies attempt to access the identifier, it will only return a string of zeros. These changes, interestingly, came after Apple restructured how advertising IDs work on iOS.
What’s next for advertisers?
Google has been the market leader in the world of advertising for over a decade. Likewise, ads account for around 80% of the company’s revenue. As a result, it must also keep advertisers pleased. In order to do so, the tech giant will explore alternate routes.
Implementation
Google will begin implementing the new policy in late 2021 and will expand to include applications running on Google Play-enabled devices in early 2022.
Meanwhile, check out our unboxing and impressions of Realme X7 Max.
After months of speculation, Google has finally launched its affordable pair of TWS earbuds, the Pixel Buds A-Series. Let’s have a look at the specifications, features, availability, and expected price of the Google Pixel Buds A-Series in Nepal.
Google Pixel Buds A-Series Overview:
Design
To begin with, the Pixel Buds A-Series bears an identical design to its predecessor. On the inside of each bud is a new “stabilizer arc”, which the company claims will give a soft yet secure fit. Similarly, the charging case is designed in the same oval shape as the standard Pixel Buds.
The buds have an IPX4 rating for dust and water resistance and are available in two color configurations: Dark Olive and Clearly White.
Moving on, the Buds A-Series is equipped with the same 12mm dynamic driver like on the standard Pixel Buds. There is a new Bass Boost feature that should deliver deeper bass. Similarly, as one would expect from a TWS in this price bracket, there is no active noise cancellation feature here.
For clearer calls, it does feature noise reduction. Additionally, it also brings Adaptive Sound adjustment that switches between volume levels depending on your surrounding. In order to differentiate it from the more expensive Pixel Buds, the A-Series has a downgraded touch control mechanism.
Here, a single tap lets you play/pause the music or answer calls. Similarly, double and triple tap skips a track or plays the previous track, respectively. You can also press and hold either bud to summon Google Assistant. Yet, the one thing missing here is the volume control. Unlike the costlier Pixel Buds, the A-Series doesn’t let you swipe the buds to play around with volume levels.
There are some more features Google has slashed here from the previous-gen earbuds, like wireless charging. Pixel Buds A-Series has hands-free access to Google Assistant and real-time translations. Using this, you can still change the volume of buds by saying “Hey Google, turn up/down the volume”.
In terms of battery life, Google says the Buds A-Series will last you up to 5 hours on continuous playback—which can be extended up to 24 hours with the case. Furthermore, the Pixel Buds A-Series supports fast charging, which Google claims will deliver three hours of listening time in 15 minutes. Similarly, one hour of charging fuels the buds to their full capacity.
Battery & Charging: Buds – Up to 5 hours listening time (up to 24 hours of listening time with case)
Google Pixel Buds A-Series Price in Nepal
The price of the Pixel Buds A-Series is USD 99 and it’s available for pre-order on Google’s official website. The shipment is scheduled to begin on June 17. If and when the Google Pixel Buds A-Series arrives in Nepal, we expect its price to be around NPR 13,000.
Samsung has just announced its latest 5G smartphone. The new Galaxy A22 5G replaces A32 5G as the cheapest 5G offering from the company. Here, we will be looking at the key specifications and features of the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G, along with its expected price in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Galaxy A22 5G is quite big in size. For context, it measures 9.0mm in thickness and weighs 203 grams. Here, Samsung has gone with a 6.6-inch FHD+ TFT panel with an Infinity-V notch. The higher resolution screen is a welcome change compared to most budget 5G Galaxy devices. It even supports a 90Hz refresh rate.
The edges of the phones are rounded for a comfortable grip. At the back, there is a left-aligned square camera bump. Overall, this design is more in line with the M62 instead of other A-series devices like the A32 5G. The phone is available in four colors – Grey, Mint, White, and Violet.
Under the hood, Galaxy A22 5G packs MediaTek Dimensity 700. It is an 8nm chipset with two Cortex-A76 performance and six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores. The chipset has a dedicated 5G modem with support for dual 5G SIM.
The base variant comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage. Users can also go with 6GB and 8GB RAM variants that arrive with 128GB storage. The memory configuration will vary according to the market. The phone ships with the core version of One UI 3.1 based on Android 11.
Rest of the specs
Galaxy A22 5G flaunts a triple camera setup on the back. The primary camera has a 48MP image sensor. Accompanying it is a 5MP ultra-wide lens, which is rather underwhelming for a mid-range phone in 2021. Similarly, there is a 2MP sensor with a bokeh lens. Moving to the front, the phone has an 8MP selfie camera.
Fueling the device is a 5,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. The phone supports Dolby Atmos audio, and it features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G Price in Nepal & Availability
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G will soon be available in the UK, where its price is £199 for the 4/64GB variant. The company is yet to launch its 5G-midrange phones in Nepal. Still, if Samsung Galaxy A22 5G makes its way to Nepal, we expect its price to start at NPR 30,000.
Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
Price (UK)
Price in Nepal (Expected)
4/64GB
£199
NPR 30,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy A72.
