The number of COVID-19 cases in Nepal is increasing at an alarming rate, and so are the death tolls. In the midst of all this tragedy, Rabi Lamichhane’s initiation, the Doko app, looks to ease things by a bit. Doko app will now help treat COVID-19 patients who cannot afford to be admitted to pricey hospitals.
Doko App Overview:
Inside the app, you just need to play a game to help corona patients. Isn’t that fascinating? Rabi Lamichhane says no one will lose in the game—anyone who participates will win. To begin, ensure that you have registered with the app which is available on both Android and iOS platforms.
Then, how we can help?
After successfully signing up, you must register for an episode called “Kam Ka Kura.” You can see a daily package and a weekly package here, which can be subscribed for NPR 19 and NPR 49, respectively. When you choose a package, you’ll be taken to the payment options page. After you make the payment, you will be enrolled in the game.
Here’s the take. The money we pay during registration goes straight to COVID-19 patients’ care. The game will have a duration of almost 45 minutes and will be playable three days a week. Not only you are helping the team, but you can also win NPR 1 lakh if you correctly answer all of the questions.
So, either you win for yourself or you can choose to donate to the money. This is why Rabi Lamichhane said no one will lose in the game. He added that if the app receives more user engagement, the advertisements will also help generate money for treatment.
Janamaitri Hospital has collaborated on this initiative and will offer all necessary facilities for COVID-19 patients at a fee they can afford, or for free. The hospital, which is located in Balaju, Kathmandu, has over 100 normal beds, 12 ICU beds, and 7 ventilators.
Conclusion
We wholeheartedly applaud this initiative launched by Rabi Lamichhane & the team and Janamaitri Hospital to help treat COVID-19 patients with the revenue generated from the Doko app. And what we want to say is let’s make the best use of the app, which will benefit both the team and you (if you win the game). Also, please take all precautionary steps recommended by the government or local authorities to remain safe. Learn more about the initiative here.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy A52.
Every now and then, we come across the news about chipset vulnerabilities. Well, adding to the list is a modem-based security flaw in Qualcomm chipsets that can be exploited simply by sending a well-crafted SMS. A research company in Israel discovered this flaw in the Qualcomm chipsets, which powers millions of phones worldwide.
Qualcomm chipset flaw:
Mobile System Modem (MSM) is a technology that has been found on Qualcomm chipsets since the 1990s. According to Check Point Research, exploiting this, hackers can target a mobile device simply by sending an SMS. And this has long been a subject of interest in security research.
Furthermore, MSM is still present in today’s Qualcomm chipsets including the latest 5G-ready ones. They are used by some of the world’s largest smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, and others. According to the security company, up to 30% of all Android phones contain the Qualcomm modem software that contains this weakness.
Attackers only need to send a specially designed SMS to gain possession of the device; granting it permission to read messages, view the phone’s call history, and even unlock the SIM card. Devices that do not receive security patch fixes on a regular basis are on the radar of this flaw.
After the flaw was brought to light, a Qualcomm spokesperson confirmed that the company is aware of the issue and has already released a patch. Qualcomm representative reports to Tom’s Guide as “Qualcomm Technologies has already made fixes available to OEMs in December 2020, and we encourage end-users to update their devices as patches become available.”
However, the flaw’s catalog number, CVE-2020-11292, is not listed in any recent Android security bulletin. Even so, it is possible that Google used it in a previous security update without listing it in the bulletin. According to Qualcomm, the issue will be addressed publicly in the June 2021 security update. Thankfully, GSMArena has pointed out that Samsung has already patched this vulnerability in many of its Galaxy devices.
Verdict
So, it is critical that practically every Android smartphone manufacturer push out an update fixing this issue ASAP. But unfortunately, we know not every OEM can or will do this. Only a handful of companies push updates on a regular basis. And regardless of any brand, this issue affects all Snapdragon-powered phones.
Meanwhile, check out our long-term review of Samsung Galaxy A52.
Lenovo’s 2021 refresh of IdeaPad Flex 14 is now available in Nepal. It is a relatively affordable 2-in-1 convertible laptop with Lenovo digital pen support. So, let’s take a look at the specifications, features, price, and availability of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 2021 in Nepal.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 2021 Overview:
Design and Display
Weighing just 1.4 kilograms, this laptop is very compact. Its top, left, and right bezels are quite minimal although the bottom bezel is thicker compared to most modern laptops. But, this is necessary to provide a comfortable grip when using the device in tablet mode.
Following that, Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 has a 14-inch IPS panel with FHD resolution. This glossy touchscreen has a brightness of up to 250 nits and covers 45% of the NTSC color gamut. Besides that, since it allows 360-degree rotation, the laptop can be used in different modes like tablet, tent, and stand on top of the standard laptop mode. A 720p HD webcam is also mounted inside a 3.0 mm cutout.
Performance
Here, you can choose between AMD’s Ryzen 5 5500Uand Ryzen 7 5700U. This is complemented by 16GB DDR4-3200 MHz RAM and 256GB solid-state drive (SSD). For graphics, it has the integrated AMD Radeon Graphics GPU. Besides that, it uses a 4 cell 52.5 Watt-hours Li-Ion battery. Getting to audio, the laptop gets a stereo speaker setup with Dolby Audio support.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 has a decent number of peripheral device connectivity options. An HDMI 1.4b, a USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-C, a DC power-in, and a headphone jack are located on the left side. On the other hand, the right frame houses a power switch, an SD card reader, and two USB 3.1 (Gen 1) Type-A ports, one of which is always on and can be used to charge mobile devices even when the device is turned off.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 Specifications:
Body: 12.66 x 8.56 x 0.7-0.82-inches, 1.4 kg
Display: 14″ IPS display, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 250 nits, 45% NTSC color gamut
CPU: Ryzen 5 5500U / Ryzen 7 5700U
GPU: AMD Radeon Graphics
Memory: 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz RAM, 256GB SSD
I/O Ports: 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (1x USB charging), 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C (with Power Delivery), 1x HDMI 1.4b, 4-in-1 Card Reader, 1x 3.5mm combo Jack, DC port (round)
Connectivity: WiFi 6 (802.11 ax), Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 4 Cell 52.5Wh Li-Ion battery
Accessories: Lenovo Digital Pen provided inside the box
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 2021 Price in Nepal
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14 2021 is now available in Nepal where its price starts at NPR 115,000 for the Ryzen 5 5500U variant. There is also a variant with Ryzen 7 5700U that costs NPR 129,990. This 2-in-1 convertible laptop is available for purchase from authorized computer stores including ITTI. Here, ITTI is also offering one year of warranty, a laptop bag, and a mouse for free with the purchase of this laptop.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 14
Price in Nepal
Ryzen 5 5500U, 16/512GB
NPR 115,000
Ryzen 7 5700U, 16/512GB
NPR 129,990
Meanwhile, check out the review of MSI Prestige 14 Evo.
Lenovo has unveiled two new Yoga series laptops in Nepal—particularly, the 2021 edition of Yoga 7 and Yoga 9 2-in-1 laptops. In this article, we will look at the specifications, features, price, and availability of the Lenovo Yoga 7 2021 and Yoga 9 2021 in Nepal.
Lenovo Yoga 7 2021 Overview:
Design and Display
Lenovo Yoga 7 is a compact laptop designed for people who work on the go. It features a 14-inch IPS touchscreen with a 360-degree hinge and a brightness of up to 300 nits. It supports stylus input and has a 72% of NTSC color gamut. The laptop is pretty lightweight at 1.4 kg and comes in a slim dimension of 0.62-0.7 x 12.61 x 8.45-inches.
Under the hood, you get the Intel Tiger Lake Core i7-1165G7 processor. It is a quad-core CPU with a base clock speed of 2.80 GHz and a 4.70 GHz max turbo boost. On the memory front, it has 12GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM and a 512GB SSD. For graphics, it has Intel’s integrated Iris Xe GPU. Besides that, the Yoga 7 2021 is fueled by a 71Whr 4-cell Li-Ion battery.
Rest of the specs
Other noteworthy features include a 2 x 2W front-facing Dolby Atmos speaker and a 720p HD webcam on the top bezel. It has a USB 3.2 Gen 1 and two Thunderbolt 4 ports (both Power Delivery compliant), a headphone/mic combo, and a NOVO hole for I/O communications.
CPU: Intel Core i7-1165G7 @2.80GHz, Max turbo up to 4.70GHz
GPU: Intel Iris Xe (Integrated)
Memory: 12GB DDR4 3200MHz RAM, 512GB SSD
Ports: 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB 4 Type-C (Thunderbolt 4 / PowerDelivery / DisplayPort), 1x headphone/mic combo, NOVO hole
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax), Bluetooth 5.0
Battery: 4 Cell Li-Ion 71Whr battery
Body: 0.62-0.7 x 12.61 x 8.45-inches, 1.4 kg
Lenovo Yoga 7 2021 Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of Lenovo Yoga 7 2021 in Nepal is NPR 135,000. You can buy this 2-in-1 laptop from ITTI in Nepal. Moreover, the company also offers one year warranty, a free laptop bag, and a mouse. In addition, you can book a free delivery anywhere in Nepal.
Lenovo Yoga 7 2021
Price in Nepal
i7-1165G7, 12/512GB
NPR 135,000
Lenovo Yoga 9 2021 Overview:
Display and Design
Along with the Yoga 7, the Lenovo Yoga 9 2021 is now available in Nepal as well which is a comparatively premium offering and therefore holds a bigger price tag. It’s another 2-in-1 laptop from the company with a lightweight design. It weighs 1.4 kg, similar to the Yoga 7, and has a width of 8.51 inches.
On the front, it has a 14-inch IPS panel with FHD resolution and 400 nits of brightness. It also supports Lenovo Active stylus. Furthermore, the screen has thin bezels and supports Dolby Vision HDR.
Powering the Yoga 9 2021 is the 11th-gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor. It is a quad-core CPU with an Intel Turbo Boost speed of up to 4.80GHz. It comes with 16GB LPDDR4X-4267MHz RAM and 512GB PCIe solid-state drive. There is no dedicated graphics card thus you will have to rely on the integrated Intel Iris Xe GPU for all your graphics-related work.
Rest of the specs
One of the most intriguing features of Yoga 9 has to be its audio setup. The laptop has a Rotating Sound Bar system incorporating Dolby Atmos to provide a surround sound experience. There are also two subwoofers, two tweeters, and two webcam microphones. For connectivity, it uses Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.1.
CPU: Intel Core i7-1185G7 @3.00GHz; Turbo up to 4.80GHz
GPU: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X 4267MHz
Storage: 512GB PCIe SSD
Ports: USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (Always On), 2 x USB-C 4.0 / Thunderbolt 4 (DisplayPort & Power Delivery), Headphone / mic combo
Connectivity: WiFi 6 802.11AX (2 x 2), Bluetooth 5.1
Battery: Up to 15 Hours
Body: 12.57 x 8.51 x 0.57 – 0.61-inches, 1.4 kg
Lenovo Yoga 9 2021 Price in Nepal and Availability
The price of Lenovo Yoga 9 2021 in Nepal is slightly more than that of Yoga 7 2021. It costs NPR 198,000 and it can be purchased from ITTI. Like the Yoga 7, you’ll also get one year warranty, a laptop bag, and a mouse for free with the purchase of Lenovo Yoga 9 2021.
Lenovo Yoga 9 2021
Price in Nepal
i7-1185G7, 16/512GB
NPR 198,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of Lenovo Yoga 7i (2021).
Hey guys. I hope you are doing well and taking all the necessary precautions against the recent spike in COVID 19 cases. In this article, I am going to give my long-term review of the Samsung Galaxy A52.
We have already briefly discussed the phone in our early impressions and even talked about the phone at length in our detailed comparison against the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max. But soon after that, one of our team members has been extensively using it as his daily driver for almost a month now, and here’s what we think about this phone.
Samsung Galaxy A52 Specifications:
Body: 75.1 x 159.9 x 8.4mm, 189 gm, IP67 dust/water resistant
Battery: 4500mAh with 25W fast charging (15W adapter provided)
Color options: Awesome – Black, Blue, White, Violet (No white color in Nepal)
Price in Nepal: Rs. 41,999 (8/128GB)
Samsung Galaxy A52 Long-Term Review:
First off, because of the global chipset shortage as well as the recent lockdown in India subsequently resulting in limited manufacturing, Galaxy A52 is currently out-of-stock in most parts of the world.
And since we’ve seen a lot of positive reviews of this phone, its demand is also really high. So yeah, the supply chain has been disrupted by this—and it’s not just with the A52, but practically with every smartphone brand in 2021.
As expected Samsung is charging a little bit higher for this phone compared to the competition like the Note 10 Pro Max or the Realme 8 Pro. But as I said in my comparison video, A52 is the better overall phone, in almost every aspect.
Design and Build
Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame
IP67 dust and water-resistant
So, let me start this review with what we have liked about the Samsung Galaxy A52. First off, I think the overall heft and the ergonomics of the phone are spot-on. It’s not that heavy or as wide as with the Note 10 Pro Max, so that’s great about this device.
Also, the color choices that Samsung is offering with its latest A-series are quite the eye-candy. Plus, it has got an IP67 rating as well, which came as a big surprise because it’s truly a one-of-a-kind feature for a phone at this price range. In fact, even the more expensive phones like Mi 11X Pro or the OnePlus 9R are void of any sort of ingress protection.
Anyhow, one major complaint shared by some users about this phone is how it comes with a plastic back as well as the frames. But, in my usage, this matte back didn’t feel that cheap and the build is solid. No cheap creaks and such. But since plastic is plastic, it can get easily scratched and discolored over the long run. So far, we haven’t had such issues yet, but that’s something you have to take care of by maybe getting a cover or a skin.
Display
6.5-inches FHD+ Super AMOLED screen
90Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Up to 800 nits brightness, SGS Eye Comfort
Likewise, I haven’t faced any problems with the display like flickering or unresponsive touch. This AMOLED screen is also bright, the auto-brightness works fine, and the colors, as well as the touch response, are great. The in-display fingerprint sensor isn’t the fastest but if you turn off the animation, it works just fine.
Another highlight of the Galaxy A52 when it was announced was its 90Hz refresh rate, but I guess that’s no longer a highlight seeing how the cheaper Note 10 Pro brings a 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED screen.
And honestly speaking, for me, the difference between a 60Hz and 90Hz screen isn’t that big of a deal. So, I think maybe Samsung should have provided a 120Hz screen just like with the 5G variant of Galaxy A52.
As a result, the perceived smoothness while scrolling through the UI is definitely better on a 120Hz screen in phones like Note 10 Pro Max. But when it comes to the actual performance, well, here the Galaxy A52 does it better than the competition, which comes off as a big surprise because technically, Note 10 Pro Max has a relatively better Snapdragon 732G chipset.
Performance
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G SoC (8nm)
Up to 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/2256GB storage (expandable)
Hence, despite the inferior Snapdragon 720G at work, Samsung has optimized One UI well enough to run better and smoother. We haven’t faced any instance of lags or hints of slowing down on this phone either, even after installing over 50 apps and cycling through them every day.
I got the 8GB RAM variant whose memory management has also been satisfactory, and the multitasking is decent too.
Still, I think, Samsung should have given the Snapdragon 750G or the Dimensity 800U here—the 5G-ready ones, given its price tag. Yes, the 5G variant delivers exactly this but what I’m trying to say is that maybe A52 didn’t need a separate 4G and 5G model in the first place.
Moving on, another aspect that we have liked about the Galaxy A52 is its cameras—both front and back. It doesn’t have a 108MP sensor like what other brands are offering lately at a similar price.
Galaxy A52 – Day time
1 of 8
Normal
Ultrawide
But trust me, with its 64MP primary sensor, you are going to get a better image overall – be it in terms of color science, details, or dynamic range. Plus, it shoots better ultra-wide shots from its 12MP sensor.
Nighttime Images
The one area where the 108MP lens reigns supreme is in the nighttime shots.
vs Redmi Note 10 Pro Max (Nighttime)
1 of 6
Galaxy A52
Note 10 Pro Max
Galaxy A52
Note 10 Pro Max
Galaxy A52
Note 10 Pro Max
As you can see from these samples, the nona-binned shots of the Note 10 Pro Max bring out less noise and more details on the images during low light conditions.
vs Galaxy A72
We also compared the A52’s camera against the more expensive Galaxy A72 which comes with the same chipset and lenses. And as expected, both of them capture identical photos almost all the time.
vs Galaxy A72 (Daytime)
1 of 12
A52
A72
A52
A72
A52
A72
A52
A72
A52
A72
A52
A72
So, as I said in our full review of the Galaxy A72, until and unless you absolutely favor a big phone, the A52 is a much better value since it’s like $100 cheaper and gives you an almost exact smartphone experience.
vs Galaxy M62 (Day time)
1 of 8
A52
M62
A52
M62
A52
M62
A52
M62
And a lot of you were asking me to compare the Galaxy F62’s camera with the A52 as well. I did, and my final verdict is that you are going to get better photos from the A52.
Since you get Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) here, this phone can deliver better sharpness and details in both daylight as well as low-light shots. Plus, you are also getting a natural color tone and nice exposure maintenance as opposed to oversaturated ones from the F62.
What I don’t like about Galaxy A52
Now, let me talk about the things I didn’t like about this phone. First is its gaming performance. It’s just about average if you ask me, and this is solely because of the hardware limitation as the Snapdragon 720G doesn’t have a great GPU inside. And, if you can cash in a little bit more, you can get the Mi 11X or the iQOO 7 that boasts a much more powerful Snapdragon 870 chipset.
Even the cheaper Poco X3 Pro with its Snapdragon 860 will give you way better fps in this regard. As a consolation, even with continuous gaming, the A52 doesn’t heat up that bad, so that’s something I guess.
Another thing I didn’t like about the phone is that it doesn’t capture well-stabilized videos despite featuring OIS. The 1080P 30fps videos are somewhat okay, but it completely lacks stabilization in 4K 30fps or 1080P 60fps mode.
This definitely isn’t a hardware limitation and feels more like Samsung not wanting to provide such standout features because it wants to distinguish this mid-range phone from the company’s expensive ones.
No 25W power brick inside the box
And lastly, this might come off as me nitpicking but I feel Samsung should’ve provided a 25W power adapter instead of the 15W brick that ships inside the box. Although the difference between the two isn’t night and day, I think the company has been a little greedy here.
Plus, you don’t get great haptics with the A52. I would rate them as only average. Samsung is offering stereo speakers, although it’s nothing that will blow your mind. The battery life has also been okay-ish. I would constantly get around 6 hours of screen-on time, which on my usage translates to like a day’s endurance. So, that’s good!
And finally, about the software update situation, it is kinda weird. That’s because the A52 5G gets monthly security updates whereas this 4G variant only gets quarterly updates instead. I find this a bit strange. That being said, Samsung will be offering 3 years of OS upgrade on this phone, which is something only Samsung does in the Android world and it’s unfortunate seeing how other manufacturers haven’t jumped in on this bandwagon yet.
Conclusion
So, what do I make of this phone? As I’ve discussed throughout this review, I think Samsung has delivered a strong well-balanced mid-range phone with the Galaxy A52. Yet, I feel like the company is charging like, maybe 10 to 15% more for this phone because well, it’s Samsung!
Plus, I still won’t recommend this phone to those who prefer raw performance over everything else, like for someone who plays a lot of games. For that, I think you are better off with the newly announced Mi 11X or the iQOO 7.
When it comes to telecom service providers in Nepal, NTC and Ncell are the first names that come to mind. These rival companies have their own range of data and voice packages. With the aftermath of the country’s recent lockdown, NTC and Ncell have now devised new affordable data packages for the needy.
NTC data packages
Although NTC has not introduced dedicated lockdown data packages for lockdown 2.0 like Ncell, we found some interesting options from the company that may fulfill your requirements. We have categorized the packages into long-term and short-term.
Long-term data packages
The first entry here is the 1GB per day pack. Here, you can choose from three different options. The first one is the data-only package with 1GB of internet every day. Following that, one can purchase 1GB of data and 14 minutes of voice pack, which can be renewed every seven days. There is also a cheaper 4-week bundle of the very same package.
If the above plans don’t work for you, there are some alternate NTC data packages too. For only Rs. 95, you can subscribe to get 1.5GB of data which will be valid for seven days. Similarly, if you only need data for an hour or two, you can subscribe to 2 hours of unlimited data for Rs. 30.
Data
Price
Validity
Subscription
1.5 GB
Rs. 95
7 Days
*1415*1*1*4#
Unlimited
Rs. 30
2 Hrs
*1415*8#
Ncell lockdown data packages
Contrary to NTC, Ncell has already introduced lockdown data packages focusing on the needs of those working from home. Let’s walk through the new plan introduced by Ncell.
Work from Home
As the name implies, the offer is intended for people who are working remotely. The data can only be used on video-conferencing applications (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet). However, Ncell is also providing complementary all-time data with the purchase of this plan for an added versatility.
Students and teachers can make the most of Ncell’s “Work from Home” plan if their schools are conducting online classes through the aforementioned video conferencing applications.
Under this plan, you can subscribe to a single-day package for Rs. 31, where you can enjoy 2GB of “Stay Safe” data. Mind you, this data can be used between 6 AM and 6 PM only. In addition, you will receive 150MB of all-time data for one day.
If you feel this package is insufficient, you can purchase 14GB of data for the above-mentioned app. Moreover, you will be eligible for 3GB of all-time data. The plan will cost you Rs. 127 and will be effective for 7 days. Not to forget, the users need to utilize the Stay Safe data for video-conferencing apps between 6 AM to 6 PM here too.
App Data
All-time data
Validity
Price
Subscription
2GB
150MB
1 Day
Rs. 31
*17123*9#
14GB
3GB
7 Days
Rs. 127
*17123*9#
New Pack
Under this, you can subscribe to standard internet plans that range from 65MB to 750MB. However, each data packs has its own validity period.
Data
Price
Validity
Subscription
65MB
Rs. 19
3 day
*17123*9#
150MB
Rs. 39
5 days
*17123*9#
200MB
Rs. 49
7 days
*17123*9#
300MB
Rs. 59
10 days
*17123*9#
400MB
Rs. 69
14 days
*17123*9#
550MB
Rs. 79
21 days
*17123*9#
750MB
Rs. 99
30 days
*17123*9#
Meanwhile, check out our video to know about Worldlink’s Wi-Fi mobility.
Fitness trackers kicked off a whole new way of keeping up with your health. A svelte, tiny gadget wrapped around your wrist that can track so many things—things were looking futuristic—back in 2015. Half a decade later, while things have evolved by quite a big margin, a new storm is brewing. Just like how smartphones have evolved throughout the year, fitness trackers are now shaping up more and more like miniature smartwatches. And leading the charge is Xiaomi’s new Mi Watch Lite. Let’s find out more about the Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite in this review.
Unlike traditional smartwatches, Xiaomi has opted for a squarish design for the Mi Watch Lite. This form-factor also contrasts the circular build of the more expensive Mi Watch Revolve. Anyway, I’m really fond of the way it feels. Being the budget smartwatch that it is, Watch Lite has a plastic-build all-around resulting in a net weight of just 35 grams. As a result, it is super light-and-comfy on my hand. Plus, the TPU strap is incredibly soft and comfortable to put on as well.
After almost 2 weeks of using the Mi Watch Lite, I haven’t developed an allergy or discomfort with the Mi Watch Lite either. And if you’d like, you can even play around with different colors of straps that Xiaomi sells. It’s a proprietary one so don’t get too excited about switching it up with a universal 20/22mm strap. Still, it is 5ATM rated meaning you will be able to take it to your swimming sessions. And it also helps that the watch can track open water and pool swimming, so that’s great.
Here, Mi Watch Lite has a traditional loop/buckle strap mechanism. Now, the following is me entirely nitpicking but I would’ve liked an additional loop to hold the strap more securely. Moving on, there’s a multi-function on the right frame of the watch. You can trigger the home screen or the app drawer. I wish it doubled as a back button as well but Xiaomi wants you to swipe right for that.
Display and UI
1.43-inches TFT LCD panel, 323 PPI
120+ watch faces, 60% NTSC gamut
Let’s shift our gear to the display now. Greeting you is a big 1.4-inches TFT LCD screen with a 320 by 320-pixel count and a 323 PPI pixel density. Additional specs of this display include 60% NTSC color space and a rated brightness of 350 nits. Moreover, the screen is curved on all four edges for added comfort and ease for swiping. In order to not sway people from the company’s other more premium smartwatches, this one comes with big bezels on all four sides.
But if you can look past that (which you should), Mi Watch Lite offers a decent viewing experience. The texts look sharp enough and I didn’t notice any sort of pixelation issue either. With a total of 6 levels of brightness to choose from, thanks to the L-sensor, you can even set it to Auto—thereby shifting the level of illumination automatically.
The screen has a nice response too and it would accurately recognize input even when you’re tapping the edge of the display. “Raise to Wake” works perfectly fine as well and the watch screen turns on even with the gentlest action.
Well-designed watch faces
In terms of watch faces, Xiaomi gives you 120+ options to choose from. That’s a fairly vast selection for a budget smartwatch. Here, I settled to this “Extreme LCD” watch face almost immediately. So retro, so nostalgic, so timeless—I love it. If this doesn’t float your boat, I’m happy to report that there are a bunch of really well-designed watch faces you can choose from too. Additionally, you can even customize a couple of them with different widgets.
Getting to the UI, it’s pretty basic stuff here. Swiping left/right switches between different pages like heart rate, weather, sleep record, music, etc. Similarly, all your notifications will be stacked on the top while you can bring up the control panel by swiping up from the bottom.
From here, you can head to the settings, lock-screen, turn on the flash, and more. As expected, there’s no way to switch them up though. And about that notification, Mi Watch Lite supports call/app notifications.
I would’ve preferred for the text to be arranged with justified alignment since breaking the same word into two lines without a hyphen looks super weird. Also, they’re not actionable but that’s to be anticipated from a budget smartwatch. The call notification does take it a step further though since you can reject calls directly via the watch although accepting one isn’t possible.
No animation
Now, all of this sounds really good for a budget smartwatch—and hey, it absolutely is. Decent brightness, colors, and sharpness should be your top priority when looking for a good inexpensive fitness tracker. The only complaint I have with this screen is its animation—or better yet—its lack thereof. The UI transition is rigid and soulless. And it doesn’t help that Mi Watch Lite doesn’t have a scrolling UI either—it’s just one page jump after another.
Maybe that’s a clever way to cloak its chipset’s weakness. We’ve seen Xiaomi struggle at this department in its Mi Band lineup of fitness trackers as well. On the contrary, Honor delivers on this front even in the budget Honor Band 5i. I’m telling you—if only the Mi Watch Lite had a fluent animation adding a little life into it, you’d be getting an entirely elevated user experience.
Throughout my usage, I was hoping for an update that would introduce fluid animation but nope. Instead, I did receive an update adding support for multiple languages and other under-the-hood fixes.
Health, Fitness, Sleep Tracking
11 sports modes in total, Built-in GPS
No SpO2 monitoring, women’s health tracking
Okay, let us now move on to the fitness tracking side of things. Mi Watch Lite features a total of 11 workout modes including running, cycling, swimming, cricket—the standard stuff. There’s no automatic workout detection either but more importantly, I was disappointed to see the lack of SpO2 (blood oxygen) monitoring here.
Considering how the budget fitness trackers from Honor and Huawei have been including them from their last-gen lineup, Xiaomi is still letting us down in this front. Furthermore, there’s no women’s health tracking with the Mi Watch Lite either.
But if you’re on a jog or other exercise and would like to record your trail, the built-in dual-GPS system lets you do that here. While it works perfectly fine when you’re in an open space, I would constantly get a notification that reads “GPS signal is weak, Exercise in the open area” whenever I got indoors or in a dense suburban area.
Anyway, there’s no guided workout but the watch will notify you when you reach a certain milestone like walking a kilometer. There’s also “Idle Alert” that reminds you to get up and take a walk every now and then.
Breathing exercises
To help you relax, Mi Watch Lite also supports breathing exercises and you can even set the speed of the session. All your workout data can be viewed in the Xiaomi Wear app in detail but some basic options like calories burnt, steps taken, and standing data are available on the watch itself.
On top of this, it can also monitor your heart rate. There’s no 24-hour monitoring, but what the Watch Lite can do is record it cyclically under different intervals ranging from 1 to 30 minutes. Plus, it will also send out an alert if your heart rate exceeds the normal level. Moving on, this smartwatch is also capable of monitoring your sleep.
But on more than one occasion, I noticed that it got my sleep cycle over-recorded—especially the time I got up. It seems that Mi Watch Lite will only recognize you’ve gotten up once you get up from the bed and start moving around—which hasn’t been the case with practically every other smartwatch I’ve used so far. Besides, it also shows you records like deep sleep, REM sleep and scores the quality of your sleep between 0 and 100.
In addition, there are a bunch of other assorted features in Mi Watch Lite. It comes with a barometer (altimeter) through which it serves you air pressure and altitude data. There’s also a compass by calibrating it is a bit of a hassle. What’s more, you can even control the music playback on your phone via the watch itself. Other sets of features include finding your phone, alarm, stopwatch, etc.
How’s the app?
Allow me to briefly talk about the companion app now. To sync up your watch data with your phone, you’ll need to download the Xiaomi Wear app (which goes by Xiaomi Wear Lite for iOS devices). For what it’s worth, it’s a fairly well-designed app and the stats are organized in an easy-to-read fashion.
Yet, it overcompensates on certain aspects like how the home screen has this “Sort” option that lets you re-organize the widgets. While the first half of that statement is perfectly fine, the hidden items list includes a set of features that are just not available on the Mi Watch Lite. Shouldn’t those be non-existent in the first place?
But my biggest complaint about the app has to be how it completely erased my past activity data once I tried signing out and logging back in. Weeks of academy training, wasted. No idea what’s going on here but Xiaomi should take a look at it ASAP. So, if you’re using a Mi Watch Lite and want to switch between devices, you have been warned.
Battery Life
230mAh with up to 9 days of battery life
Finally, let’s talk about battery life. With a 230mAh cell, Xiaomi promises up to 9 days of endurance under normal usage and 10 hours with continuous GPS on. Surprisingly, I managed to net out 10 days of battery life under regular usage including an hour-and-a-half of GPS session. I set my brightness level at auto and heart rate monitoring intervals at 30 minutes. So yeah, the battery life on the Mi Watch Lite is pretty exciting. I would’ve also liked a battery-saving mode but it’s not supported yet.
On the charging front, it has a big, bulky charging dock that takes power via a USB-A connection. Thankfully, you don’t need to take off the straps from the watch to charge it up. It took me 1 hour and 33 minutes to reach from 1 to 100%. While that’s definitely not the fastest, this charging speed is more than fine by me.
Conclusion
To wrap up this review, Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite is an excellent budget fitness tracker disguised as a smartwatch. It obviously doesn’t have any “smart” features to begin with so the bigger screen is the only point that’s driving it home. Getting this much by investing just a little more than what the regular Mi Band 5 costs, is truly remarkable. So, if you’re not an absolute fitness fanatic and are looking for a basic fitness tracker but a little pizazz, the Mi Watch Lite will bode well with you.
Watch our video review of the Xiaomi Mi Watch Lite.
Because of the ongoing pandemic, the majority of industries are facing chip shortages and analysts say it could last through 2021. The crunch has expanded from automotive chips that power car brakes to consumer electronics. Despite this, IBM has announced the world’s first 2nm chip. The company says it is expected to perform 45% better or use 75% less energy than the current 7nm process technology.
IBM unveils world’s first 2nm chip:
IBM was the first to announce 7nm and 5nm test chips. And, with the new 2nm chipset, the company has made yet another breakthrough in the field of semiconductor design. In the age of hybrid cloud, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the new 2nm technology is expected to satisfy the ever-increasing consumer demand for high-performance chips.
The 2nm test chip was created at the company’s R&D facility in Albany, New York. It employs Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors built using IBM’s nanosheet technology. To be more specific, the 2nm chip will have about 50 billion transistors in a fingernail-sized chip, an increase from the 30 billion transistors used in 5nm chips in 2017.
Advantages
The more transistors the silicon has, a processor designer has more opportunities to incorporate core-level technologies to enhance capabilities for cutting-edge workloads. IBM determines the potential advantage of these 2nm chipsets in terms of:
Quadrupling cell phone battery life. This means you might only need to re-charge your handset every four days.
It could aid in lowering the carbon footprints of data centers, which account for 1% of global energy consumption.
It has the potential to significantly increase processing capabilities in laptops.
Likewise, it contributes to faster object detection and response time in autonomous vehicles such as self-driving cars.
Image: Transmission electron microscopy of 2nm chipset
AnandTech reports that the fingernail scale IBM is referring to is 150 square millimeters. The latest 2nm silicon has about 333 million transistors per square millimeter (MTr/mm2). In contrast, the TSMC 5nm chipset has about 172 million transistors per square millimeter (MTr/mm2). Each transistor in an IBM 2nm chip is made up of three stacked nanosheets that are 40nm wide and 5nm high. The GAA employs a cell height of 75nm in total. Likewise, the gate pitch is 44nm, and the gate length is 12nm.
Availability
The research and development that led to the 2nm process is clearly the result of years of work by IBM. Since the company already has a lot of testing to do before the 2nm chip is ready for shipment, there are no chances that we could see any products with a new process any time soon. So, to be clear, IBM’s 2nm chipset is just a proof of concept for now.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Galaxy A52.
Honor has launched very few tablets since its separation from Huawei, the latest one being the Tablet 7. It was announced during the company’s latest product launch conference. Let’s take a look at the official specs and key features of the Honor Tablet X7 along with its expected price in Nepal.
Honor Tablet X7 Overview:
Design and Display
Starting with the display, Honor Tablet X7 features an 8-inch IPS screen with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. It yields a pixel density of just 189 PPI which is quite low. It covers 60% of the NTSC color gamut and is 10-point touch-enabled too.
The display is able to produce 16.7 million colors. Also, the bezels around the screen are quite noticeable. Additionally, it is also TÜV Rheinland certified against harmful blue light emissions.
The tablet has a metal body with a micro-sand texture on top for a more comfortable finish. It is 8.5mm thick and weighs around 325 grams.
Honor has opted for MediaTek Helio P22T as the SoC here. It’s an octa-core processor with two clusters of Cortex-A53 cores (4+4) clocked at 2.3GHz and 1.8GHz, respectively. The Tablet X7 ships with Android 10 out-of-the-box with Honor’s Magic UI 4.0 on top. You get 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The latter can be expanded up to 512GB using an external MicroSD card.
Rest of the features
The rear 5MP camera has auto-focus and can record up to 1080p 30fps videos. Upfront, the 2MP shooter can only record up to 720p 30fps videos. It also doesn’t have autofocus.
Honor Tablet X7 comes with a built-in Education Center. You can even share your screen during video calls for interactive learning. There are numerous other features designed to be used by children too. In terms of connectivity, it has dual-band Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.1. There is also an LTE variant if you are looking for cellular connectivity.
Fueling the device is a 5,100mAh battery that supports 10W charging via the micro USB port. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack to connect your wired headphones.
Honor Table X7 is now available in China where its price is 899 Yuan for Wi-Fi only model and 1,199 Yuan for the LTE variant. There is also a special children’s edition that costs 999 Yuan. If it were to launch in Nepal, we expect the price of Honor Tablet X7 to start at NPR 22,500.
Honor Tablet X7
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Wi-FI only
899 Yuan
NPR 22,500
4G LTE
1,199 Yuan
NPR 27,500
Children edition
999 Yuan
NPR 24,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 10.4.
Apple recently added a new privacy label in App Store to increase clarity over the types of data used by each app. And it seems that Android users will have a similar degree of transparency in Play Store. Google is expanding Play Store’s app transparency policy which will include more insight into how an app uses user data under something called the “safety section”.
Google’s upcoming safety section in Play Store:
Google revealed in its Android developer blogs that it is introducing a safety section in Google Play; which will provide a summary of the data that an app collects or shares. It also informs you whether or not the data is secure, as well as other information that affects a user’s privacy and security.
Per the company, they needed straightforward ways to communicate app safety that are easy to understand while also assisting users in making informed decisions about how their data is treated. Furthermore, developers will include an additional context to clarify data usage and how safety practices can impact the app experience.
In total, the safety section in Google Play Store will highlight:
If the app has security practices, like data encryption.
Google says the safety section will provide information about the types of data collected and stored by a specific app. The data can include location, contacts, personal information (e.g. name, email address), images and videos, audio files, and storage files.
Furthermore, developers would be required to report how the data is used. In addition, Google Play will have a policy requiring developers to have truthful details. During the process, if developers are found misrepresenting the data they submit and violate the policy, they would be asked to correct it.
Planned launch
Interestingly, Google will share the details and provide a policy for its in-house apps too. And to do so, the tech giant is providing plenty of time for developers to cope up with the change.
Starting this summer, the company will share the new policy requirements and resources, including detailed guidance on app privacy policies. And, starting in the second quarter of 2022, all the apps on Google Play Store must include this information.
Meanwhile, check out what’s in Pratima’s tech backpack.
