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Vivo Y70t 5G launched with Exynos 880 and a triple camera setup

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Vivo Y70t 5G launched with Exynos 880 and a triple camera setup

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.

Vivo Y70t 5G Color options

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.

Performance and Memory

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.

Samsung Exynos 880 5G Chipset

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.

Rest of the specs

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).

Vivo Y70t 5G battery and charging

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
  • Chipset: Exynos 880 5G (8nm)
  • Memory: 6/8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256GB UFS 2.1 storage (expandable)
  • 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’s new policy makes it difficult for apps to track Android users

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Google’s new policy makes it difficult for apps to track Android users

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.

What is Advertising ID?

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.

Pixel Buds A-Series launched as Google’s most affordable TWS earbuds

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Pixel Buds A-Series launched as Google’s most affordable TWS earbuds

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.

Google Pixel Buds A-Series Design

The buds have an IPX4 rating for dust and water resistance and are available in two color configurations: Dark Olive and Clearly White.

Audio

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.

Features

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”. 

Google Pixel Buds A-Series

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.

Google Pixel Buds A-Series Specifications:

  • Weight: 5.10 grams (each bud), 42.52 grams (case)
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth v5.0
  • Driver: Custom-designed 12mm dynamic driver
  • Audio: Passive noise reduction, Spatial vent for in-ear pressure reduction, spatial awareness
  • Certification: IPX4 sweat and water resistance
  • Control: Touch gestures
  • Charging Interface: USB Type-C
  • 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.

Earbuds Price (US) Price in Nepal (Expected)
Google Pixel Buds A-Series USD 99 NPR 13,000
  • Meanwhile, check out our review of Huawei band 6.

Galaxy A22 5G with Dimensity 700 takes the title for Samsung’s cheapest 5G phone

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Galaxy A22 5G with Dimensity 700 takes the title for Samsung’s cheapest 5G phone

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.

Performance and Memory

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.

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G Design and Display

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 Specifications:

  • Body: 167.2 x 76.4 x 9.0mm, 203 gm
  • Display: 6.6-inches FHD+ TFT Infinity-V panel
  • Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G (8nm)
  • Memory: 4/6/8GB RAM, 64/128GB storage (expandable)
  • Rear Camera: Triple (48MP primary, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP depth)
  • Front Camera: 8MP, f/2.2 lens (notch)
  • Security: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
  • Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, Dolby Atmos
  • Battery: 5000mAh with 15W fast charging
  • Colors: Mint, Grey, White, Violet

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.

Nepal’s EV market looks hopeful after the government’s ease of taxation

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Nepal’s EV market looks hopeful after the government’s ease of taxation

During the budget announcement for the fiscal year 2078/79, the Nepal government announced that it is abolishing excise duty tax on electric vehicles (EVs) alongside reduced custom duty. This is a welcome respite for individuals and companies planning to go electric.

Tax on electric vehicles in Nepal:

Excessive Tax

Let’s take a look at the former regulations on EVs in Nepal first. Dr. Yubraj Kathiwada presented the budget last year, raising the excise and customs duty on electric vehicles in Nepal.

The excise charge was upped by 40-80 percent based on the vehicle’s peak power. To make matters worse, the new policy imposed an additional 80 percent on customs on top of the standard 13 percent VAT and 5 percent RDF (Refused Derived Fuel) tax.

Power Excise Duty  Custom Duty VAT & RDF
50-100kW 40% 80% 13% and 5%
100-150kW 50%
150-200kW 60%
200-300kW 70%
300kW and above 80%

Huge cut-down

All of the new proposals announced by the then-Finance Minister culminated in the worst-case scenario for EV enthusiasts in Nepal. It is also the cause for the country’s low imports of electric vehicles during the fiscal year 2077-78.

However, the government’s proposal to eliminate excise duty and customs duties lowered to just 10 – 40% in this year’s budget has been a big relief.

Here, the revised policy sets custom duty tax at 10% for vehicles with less than 100kW of power, 15% on 100-200kW, 30% for 200-300kW, and 40% for electric vehicles with 300kW or more power. The 13% VAT and 5% RDF tax are still payable though.

Power Excise Duty Custom Duty VAT & RDF
Up to 100kW 0% 10% 13% and 5%
100-200kW 15%
200-300kW 30%
300kW and above 40%

Cheery on top

Moving ahead, the government officially announced a policy to replace petroleum vehicles with electric ones by the year 2088. Similarly, in order to attract EV manufacturers, the government has declared that it would grant free land for vehicle assembly and hopes to entice the top ten EV companies in the world.

In addition, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has already inked a contract of Rs 377.95 million with Wanwang Digital Energy Corporation to establish charging stations in 50 various sites across Nepal. Furthermore, Finance Minister Mr. Bishnu Prasad Paudel stated that 500 additional charging stations will be installed throughout the country.

Electric vs gas vehicles 

Because of the cheap taxes, battery-powered transportation vehicles have grown in popularity in Nepal over the last decade. The tax on gas vehicles is 260%, which is why Nepalese are opting to go electric. 

Unfortunately, the 2077-78 budget had led to an outrageous increase in the overall price of EVs, which is why the market has been unable to catch the public’s attention.

Thankfully, with the updated regulations, we expect that the EV market in Nepal will see a dramatic shift in terms of market growth, prices, and public interest. Likewise, we also expect the plans initiated by this year’s budget would be implemented on a long-term basis.

Tax on electric vehicles in Nepal: Verdict

EVs provide economic benefits by shifting consumption away from imported petroleum to locally generated electricity. Besides this, there’s the environmental benefit to EVs as well. These fuel savings becomes additional income that will be spent mostly in the local economy. Seeing all this, the eased tax policy on electric vehicles in Nepal is definitely a welcome move from the government.

  • Meanwhile, check out our review of Huawei Band 6.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery: Easy and free data recovery tool

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MiniTool Power Data Recovery: Easy and free data recovery tool

Often, we find ourselves in a situation where we lose some important data from our computers. It could be a result of a system failure, an app crash, or your sibling trying to get back at you. If you are in such a situation, you should check out this Power Data Recovery software from MiniTool. It is a data recovery tool for Windows and Macs that you can start using for free. In this post, we will walk you through the app, its features, and the data recovery process.

MiniTool Power Data Recovery:

Before you begin

To get started, you need to download the Power Recovery Tool, which is readily available from MiniTool Power Data Recovery official website. There are separate download files for Windows and macOS machines. While you are there, do check out their guides.

There are several of them, each of them tackling a certain issue. Since we are here for data recovery, I suggest you refer to this beginner’s guide on retrieving the deleted and lost files. The guide starts with some basic steps that one can forget while in a state of panic. If you go through the guide thoroughly, you may not even need to use the tool.

Getting started

In case, you really need to use the tool, we still have you covered. Once you have downloaded the file, install it on your system. If possible, do not install it on the same partition you are trying to recover data from. You can install the data recovery tool on your preferred location by choosing the custom installation option. Moreover, you can even change the language from there. 

Selecting directory

When you open the app, you will be directed to the home screen, where you can choose the device that you want to recover files from. It could be your system’s drive or an external medium such as a hard drive.

In my case, I needed to recover a file that was on my desktop, so I have selected the “This PC” option here. MiniTool Power Data Recovery Tool allows users to scan a specific folder too. You can use this feature even without a premium subscription.

Recovery process

After you have selected the desired location, you can hit the scan button at the bottom. Once the scan completes, select the file(s) that you want to recover. You can even preview the file to make sure it is exactly the one you need.

Then, right-click on the file and hit recover. You will have to choose the location where you want the recovered file to be. Once completed, you can directly switch to the directory where your recovered file is.

Free vs Premium features

Using the free-tier plan, you can only recover up to 1GB of file. Anything above that requires premium plans. Here, the monthly plans start at $69. You can even get lifetime access to the tool for just $99.

Premium plans have other benefits too. For instance, you can load previous search results and load search results manually. You can even recover files from bootable drives as well.  

MiniTool Power Data Recovery: Verdict

Using the MiniTool Power Data Recovery Tool was easy. One can avoid the hassle of scanning the entire system by limiting it to a specific location. In addition, the preview option comes in handy while searching through the deleted files. The only downside for the free version is the recovery limit of 1GB.  

Samsung Galaxy Book Go launched with ARM chips and 5G options

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Samsung Galaxy Book Go launched with ARM chips and 5G options

Samsung left out Galaxy Book Go from its latest Galaxy Unpacked event where it launched a bunch of laptops. The now-official Galaxy Book Go packs ARM chips and is available in both 4G and 5G variants. Let us learn more about the specs, features, and expected price in Nepal of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go Overview: 

Performance and Memory

This device is different from the rest of the Galaxy Book lineup, as it houses ARM processors. The Wi-Fi-only and 4G variants are powered by the second-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c chip.

On the other hand, the 5G variant packs Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. Moving on, the Galaxy Book Go is configurable with up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of eUFS storage. The latter is expandable via an external MicroSD card.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go Chassis

Display and Design

Galaxy Book Go has MIL-STD-810G certification against extreme temperature, thermal shock, vibration, low pressure, and humidity. The hinge can unfold all the way to 180º. Likewise, it has an FHD IPS display with a 14-inch diagonal length. The bezels are thin on the sides. The laptop weighs just 1.38kg and is 14.9mm thick.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go Display and Keyboard

Battery and Connectivity

Feuling the whole setup is a 42.3 Wh battery. It supports 25W charging via the USB-C port. In terms of I/O, Galaxy Book Go features two USB Type-C, one Type-A, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a MicroSD card, a Nano security slot, and a SIM slot.

For wireless connectivity, there is support for dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1. Like I mentioned in the beginning, users can opt for 4G and 5G-ready models as well. Its dual-speaker setup has Dolby Atmos for surround sound. Other features include an HD webcam and digital mic.

Galaxy Book Go in Samsung Ecosystem

Samsung Galaxy Book Go can easily fit into your Galaxy ecosystem. You can make calls, reply to texts by synchronizing the laptop to your phone. Similarly, you can add the Galaxy Tab S7 series as a secondary screen to Galaxy Book.

It supports easy Bluetooth connection across different Galaxy devices too. Other smart features include Link to Windows, Microsoft Your Phone, Smart Switch, and Quick Share.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go Specifications: 

  • Dimension: 323.9 x 224.8 x 14.9mm
  • Display: 14″ TFT display, 1920 x 1080 pixels
  • CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 / Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2
  • Memory: 4/8GB LDDR4X RAM, 64/128GB eUFS
  • OS: Windows 10 Home/Pro
  • Ports: 2x USB Type-C, 1x USB Type-A, 1x MicroSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack, 1x SIM slot
  • Connectivity: 4G LTE/5G (optional), dual-band Wi-Fi ac (2×2), Bluetooth 5.1
  • Others: 720p webcam, Dolby Atmos, Digital Mic
  • Battery: 42.3Whr Li-ion, 25W USB-C charging

Samsung Galaxy Book Go Price in Nepal

The price of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go starts at $349 for the Wi-Fi-only model. It will go on sale starting June 10. The price of LTE and 5G variants are unknown for now. We expect the price of the Samsung Galaxy Book Go in Nepal to start at NPR 45,000 if and when it launches here.

Samsung Galaxy Book Go Price (US) Price in Nepal (Expected)
Wi-Fi, Qualcomm 7c $349 NPR 45,000
    • Meanwhile, check out our review of the MSI Prestige 14 Evo. 

Microsoft to unveil “the next generation of Windows” later this month

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Microsoft to unveil “the next generation of Windows” later this month

Microsoft introduced Windows 10 in 2015, and the company has been upgrading it ever since. In the past, a new version of Windows would be released every three to six years. And as Windows 10 has entered its sixth year, Microsoft has now announced that the “next generation of Windows” is ready to be unveiled—which could be Windows 11.

The next generation of Windows:

To recall, when Windows 10 was officially announced, Microsoft stated that it won’t release another major version of the popular desktop operating system. Instead, they will continue to release updates to the existing environment as new features are developed.

Even as Windows 10 marks its sixth anniversary this year, Microsoft hasn’t introduced big upgrades here—especially in terms of how it looks. But that may change with the “next generation of Windows” that we’re unofficially calling Windows 11. Microsoft has sent invites to different media houses for the virtual launch event, at which the company will introduce the next version of Windows.

Windows 11?

Yet, we can’t comment about the certainty of the name since Microsoft hasn’t disclosed any official information in this regard. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella promises that this will be the most significant upgrade to Windows in over a decade. And as you may know, Windows 8 introduced the biggest change in the history of Windows OS although it wasn’t very successful.

For some time, the company has been working on a Windows desktop user interface dubbed “Sun Valley”. Microsoft first released its latest updates through the Windows Insider Program. However, it has been tight-lipped on its full details. And the upcoming event will reveal what Micorosft has been up to in the past years.

Launch date

Microsoft will unveil “the next generation of Windows” (Windows 11) at a virtual event taking place on June 24 (11 AM Eastern Time). You can join the live stream here.

  • Meanwhile, check out our gaming PC build under $1,000.

Riot Games officially confirms that it’s bringing Valorant to mobile platforms

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Riot Games officially confirms that it’s bringing Valorant to mobile platforms

After just a year of release, Valorant has made a name for itself in the world of first-person shooter games. On the occasion of its one-year anniversary, its publisher, Riot Games has announced that they are now working on a mobile version of Valorant as well.

Riot Valorant on mobile:

Valorant on PC

Valorant is a free-to-play first-person shooter game that is available exclusively on PC for now. Riot debuted the game on the company’s tenth anniversary, and its popularity skyrocketed when the firm offered a closed beta for streamers only.

This resulted in a massive spike in viewership in the early stages. As the game became more widely available, the competitive scene continued to grow. Likewise, in less than one year of launch, Riot Games also hosted its first international LAN competition for Valorant in Iceland.

On average, the game entices 14 million players each month, making it one of the most popular PC games right now. Moreover, it’s been in rumors for quite some time that Riot is working on a mobile version of Valorant—following the popularity of League of Legends: Wild Rift’s mobile release.

Valorant PC

Valorant executive producer Anna Donlon says, “One of our top goals this first year was to earn the trust and respect of the global FPS community, and to prove to them that Valorant will always uphold the fundamentals of a truly worthwhile competitive tac-shooter”. 

Will Valorant be any different on the mobile platform?

Moving on, Donlon told Polygon that the team behind Valorant Mobile is working hard to ensure that performance and gameplay experience isn’t jeopardized. The development of the mobile version began with a checklist of Valorant’s core values. And if any of them could not be met, the project would be halted.

“We didn’t start out with ‘We’re making Valorant on mobile,’ we started out with ‘Can we make Valorant on mobile?’ with a lot of skepticism,” Donlon said. “For us, whatever you get out of playing on PC, you should get out of playing Valorant on mobile. But we have to recognize that the mobile player need is different.”

When will Riot launch Valorant on mobile?

The mobile version of the free-to-play competitive first-person shooter is in the works. Nonetheless, Riot has not stated when it would be released or revealed any gameplay footage. However, Donlon expects it will be released in “year two”.

  • Meanwhile, check out our review of Vivo iQOO 7.

HarmonyOS 2 is official: Here’s everything to know about Huawei’s new OS

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HarmonyOS 2 is official: Here’s everything to know about Huawei’s new OS

HarmonyOS (or Hongmeng OS as it is known in China) has been a topic of discussion ever since the US government included Huawei in the Entity List. Because of it, Google revoked Huawei’s license of GMS. The company replaced it with its own solution called HMS, but that was not enough for the users outside of China – indicated by the declining sales. As a long-term solution, Huawei accelerated the development of its own OS. HarmonyOS debuted with smart TV, and with the version 2 update, the company is expanding it to other devices. Huawei is edging closer to its aim of creating a smart ecosystem, all powered by HarmonyOS.

HarmonyOS 2 Overview:

Let us start with the main reason HarmonyOS 2 came to be in the first place. No, Huawei did not have a singular aim of replacing Android with its own OS. According to the company, HarmonyOS was in development even before it got into the Entity List.

Huawei envisioned a vast ecosystem of smartphones, accessories, appliances, and IoT devices that could constantly communicate with each other. To achieve this inter-connectivity, Huawei needed a common foundation.

Brands and Ecosystem

We have seen other brands try to pull it off. The most successful one has to be Apple. With every new product or service, Apple locks people further into its ecosystem. Samsung’s ecosystem is built around Android-based Galaxy smartphones.

It did try to get out of it, but the Tizen platform failed miserably in the smartphone world. Other brands are slowly building their ecosystem too. These companies are building their ecosystem around their smartphones, which run Android. Huawei argues that Android was never built for such use cases.

It was never intended to power anything but smartphones. This may be the reason why Google’s idea of Android-based Wear OS got nowhere, until maybe now. Look around and you will see smart devices from different manufacturers running on a custom OS.

Harmony OS 2.0 Compatible Devices

Let us take Samsung as an example. Its Galaxy smartphones and tablets run on Android. Galaxy Notebooks run on Windows, and most other smart appliances run on Tizen OS including its televisions.

Huawei argues that as we are heading to an era where every device will be connected. Under this, it is difficult to maintain connection, control, and communication across different platforms. This will also cause fragmentation. Thus, the company is pitching a new platform for all devices, which in this case is HarmonyOS.

Harmony OS on Smart Appliances

Not developed from scratch though

Still, you will find a lot of similarities between HarmonyOS and Android. A report from Android Authority shows how the Harmony UI 2.0 UI looks indifferent to EMUI. This could mean that Huawei has leveraged the Android Open Source Program to build the new UI.

But that could easily be an intentional design choice so that existing EMUI users have no trouble transitioning to HarmonyOS. It has also taken inspiration from Apple’s iPadOS for the home screen of the new MatePad Pro 2021.

Harmony OS on Phone

The main difference between the three OS is their approach to inter-device connectivity. Huawei has gone with the “One as All, All as One” approach, which looks refreshing and exciting at the same time.

HarmonyOS 2: “One as All, All as One” Approach

HarmonyOS 2 is the first step in Huawei’s vision of “seamless AI Life”. The “One as All, All as One” slogan speaks for itself. The main agenda of this OS is scalability. Developers can run it on devices with GBs of RAM or even on ones with as low as 128KB of RAM without breaking a sweat. HarmonyOS comes with something called DSoftbox, which allows users to assemble hardware according to their needs.

MeeTime on Smartwatch

In other words, you will be able to leverage resources (hardware & data) from one Harmony-powered device to another. A separate panel with widgets allows users to do just that. Another highlight here is the Super Device widget.

Until now, we needed different protocols over different mediums for a connection. With the Super Device widget, you can just scan the nearby Harmony device and drag the device together which you want to connect.

HarmonyOS 2 Control Panel

You save the time you would otherwise spend to scan, request a connection, and authenticate it. You can also connect multiple devices and make them work together.

Imagine mirroring movies from your smartphone on a TV, but enjoying the audio via a headphone. With HarmonyOS, your smartphone and laptop will be more of a part of a larger “Super Device” than an individual device.

Distributed Application Framework

HarmonyOS follows a distributed application framework. Together with Huawei’s Atomic services, this will allow developers to run the same code over different hardware. Apps on the Home screen can display key information, which users can access without opening the app. Users can even pin this information as a widget.

These widgets can be moved across other HarmonyOS 2 devices as atomic services without transferring the entire application. These widgets act like a communication protocol, which multiple devices can readily decode without the need for any application.

Atomic Service Widgets HarmonyOS 2

With this, the control panel is no longer limited to a device. You can have the same panel on your smartphone, tablet, and even smartwatches. In the future, Huawei plans to bring it to every device with a screen.

You can even transfer running tasks and applications across different devices. For instance, you can start a document on your phone, move it to your tablet, and complete it there. All you need is a simple drag and tap. Huawei demonstrated this feature with Huawei Vision, Huawei Health, and MeeTime during the announcement.

Harmony OS Atomic Service

Performance and security tweaks

HarmonyOS also comes with other tweaks over Android-based EMUI. Normally, users start to experience a drop in performance after they have used most of their ROM. Huawei claims that HarmonyOS 2 will ensure that the device will maintain the read and write speed (sequential and random) even when ROM is almost full.

Next is the DGraphicEngine. It utilizes both GPU and CPU for graphics rendering using intelligent scheduling, taking the load off the GPU. In addition, Huawei has decoupled rendering logic from the rest of the service logic, avoiding any interference.

No aggressive RAM management in HarmonyOS 2

It will not repeat similar rendering for faster and efficient performance. This will also improve the battery backup. Huawei is also saying no to aggressive RAM management. HarmonyOS 2 will not kill any background apps. Thus, when you open a previously opened app, it will be on the same stage you left it before.

Collaborative Authentication HarmonyOS 2

For security, HarmonyOS comes with collaborative authentication. It uses data from multiple devices to authenticate the user. Before a device confirms the identity of the user, it will check data from different devices. This is quite the opposite of what Apple did with iPhones and the Apple Watch Series with the iOS 14.5 update.

To secure the “Super Device” network, Harmony uses a device ID and a combination of public and private keys for authentication. The company has also announced an open-source project to attract more developers, partners and to tap into different domains.

HarmonyOS 2 Availability

According to Huawei, over 100 of its smartphones, tablets will receive this upgrade in China. This includes Mate 40 series, Mate X2, Mate 30 series, P40 series, Nova 8 series, and the MatePad Pro series.

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