Page 529 – GadgetByte Nepal

Facebook is working on augmented reality glasses to interact with the virtual world

Facebook

GadgetByte

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March 20, 2021

Facebook is working on augmented reality glasses to interact with the virtual world

Last week, Facebook released a blog post exploring human-computer interaction (HCI) and its future. It was in this post the company promised to unveil the features of its upcoming AR glasses. A week later, Facebook has now shared a wrist-based AI input mechanism to go with the AR glasses. Facebook mentions in the new blog that it uses limited yet contextualized AI that is capable of dynamically adjusting to the user and the environment.

Facebook Wrist-based AI Input Mechanism

The wrist-based AI input mechanism is crucial in Facebook’s vision of how people will connect with people in the future. The company is working on its always-available AR glasses that will allow users to connect to people conveniently irrespective of the distance. The glasses will help fuse the virtual world with the real world. According to Andrew Bosworth, lead at Facebook Reality Lab, AR glasses will enhance daily life for the better. Unlike smartphones, it will project the digital world in three dimensions.

Ideal HCI

The wrist-based AI input mechanism is far from the ideal HCI for the future. Facebook itself is considering an “ultra-low-friction input” that combines contextually-aware AI that can interpret users’ actions with a reliable communication technology that can complement it. But this ideal HCI mechanism is not possible with present-day technology. As a result, we need to be content with a mechanism that has limited but usable contextualized AI.

Facebook has also explained its decision to go with a wrist-based mechanism. First of all, it is much closer to hand which we use to interact with the world. And it’s more normalized to wear smart wearable like band and watches on the wrist. The proximity with our body means it’s both private and reliable.

EMG on the Facebook Wrist-based AI Input

The prototype of the wrist-based AI input makes use of electromyography. There are sensors that detect the nerve signal moving from the wrist to the hand and translate it into digital signals. These signals serve as a 1-bit command that can control the functions of the device in focus. Facebook says the degree of control is highly “personalizable” and adaptable. The sensors in use are so sensitive that they can even detect just the intention of moving a finger.

The sensors are not reading your mind. In fact, they are sort of a bridge between the peripheral nervous system and the world. When you decide to perform a task, your mind sends nervous impulses to your hand for the same. Here, the EMG sensors detect the signal from the wrist and convert them to digital commands. It doesn’t have access to your thoughts.

Click and Contextualized Click

The wrist-based AI input mechanism with EMG supports up to 2 bits of control commands, otherwise called ‘click.’ The click could be a simple tap or complex gesture like pinching and releasing of thumb and forefingers. It is a lot faster than other conventional input methods like tapping on a touchscreen click on a mouse and typing on a keyboard.

Facebook wants to expand these controls to a point where users can use them to navigate through virtual AI and control objects. It also working on custom keyboard models to adjust to users’ speed and method as it is working to replace traditional keyboards with EMG inputs.

Haptics

Facebook says the new wrist-based AI input mechanism will be combined with contextualized AI for an “intelligent click”. On its own, the click has very limited functionality. However, when it is combined with a contextualized AI, it can do a whole lot more. An intelligent click is when AI recommends a certain task based on the daily routine that best aligns with your past activities. You just have to click to approve it.

The wrist-based AI mechanism can also reproduce a wide range of haptic responses for a more realistic experience. Facebook says it can realistically re-create the sensation of pulling back arrow while using a virtual bow. This will be used to notify users of the incoming notifications. For instance, Facebook proposes a custom haptic to let the user know the caller. Users, after receiving it, can use click to receive calls or reject them. All this is completed without a visual interface. Facebook is also working on new concepts such as haptic emojis, Tasbi (Tactile and Squeeze Bracelet Interface), and Bellowland.

Ethics

In the past, Facebook has been a subject of different controversies regarding user’s privacy, safety, and security. Thus, it has called for opinions about their latest venture. It is open to share its learning with the community and be part of open discussions for addressing potential concerns. The company also has a neuroethics program at FRL which looks for loopholes in the technology to avoid any potential harm.

Meanwhile, check out our impressions of the Galaxy A52 4G.

Which smartphone brands have honest pricing in Nepal compared to India?

Analysis

Nikhil Shrestha

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March 19, 2021

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Which smartphone brands have honest pricing in Nepal compared to India?

Sandwiched between two of the largest smartphone markets in the world, domestic buyers are usually disheartened to look at Nepal’s smartphone industry. From the lack of timely launches to straight-up unavailability, our market simply doesn’t enjoy the same treatment from vendors in our neighboring countries. But more importantly, the price difference in smartphones in Nepal and India makes the matter so much worse.

Smartphones price in Nepal and India:

Factors like cultural similarity and the open border directly contribute to this phenomenon known as “reference pricing” between Nepal and India. While China relishes similar (if not better) smartphone prices compared to India, the stark contrast in Nepal-China culture and the comparatively strict border means Nepalese are rather hesitant in importing phones from our neighbors in the north.

On the contrary, there’s even this relaxed notion of:

“यहाँ महँगो भयो कि बोर्डर गएर किनिन्छ।“

among many domestic customers. This is none other than because of the aforementioned “reference pricing” tendency.

The term is pretty self-explanatory, but allow me to briefly elaborate on it regardless. Simply put, it involves comparison. Say product X costs $10 at store A while store B sells the same commodity for $12. As you can tell, there’s a clear & objectively superior choice of purchase between the two stores. Let’s put that principle to our topic of discussion.

While there are a few smartphone vendors that price their devices rather competitively here in Nepal, most of them fail to do so—in comparison to India. This ultimately triggers the said “बोर्डर गएर किनिन्छ” mentality. Well, not everyone will (or can) explicitly act on that. But as compensation, they will resort to the grey market seeking a more acceptable pricing model.

The grey market rises

Consequently, it’s a major headache for the official importers as it directly contributes to a loss in their potential business. To counter this illegal import of smartphones and similar devices in the country, Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) is finally gearing up to introduce Mobile Device Management System (MDMS). You can learn more about it here.

Anyway, coming back to the topic at hand, how do the official importers/distributors of smartphones treat their customers in Nepal in terms of the product price? While we’d like to believe all of them do the best they can, ultimately, we’re paying more than what our neighbors do for the same commodity most of the time.

So today, we’ll be taking a look at a handful of midrange smartphones officially available in Nepal and India to look at which brands save face and which don’t.

Smartphone Model	Price in India	Price in Nepal	Difference
Realme 7 (8/128GB)	INR 16,999	NPR 35,990	32.32%
OPPO F19 Pro (8/128GB)	INR 21,490	NPR 44,990	30.85%
POCO X3 (6/128GB)	INR 15,499	NPR 31,999	29.04%
OnePlus Nord (6/128GB)	INR 27,999	NPR 54,999	22.77%
Vivo V20 (8/128GB)	INR 24,990	NPR 46,990	17.52%
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max (6/128GB)	INR 17,499	NPR 31,999	14.29%
Samsung Galaxy M51 (6/128GB)	INR 22,999	NPR 39,999	8.7%

From the table, we can see that OPPO, POCO, Realme, OnePlus, and Vivo’s phones fall victim to a higher price difference between Nepal and India. On the other hand, Samsung and Xiaomi’s offerings are much more digestible in regards to their relative price. But before making any further assumption, it’s important to understand that this solitary sample size is not enough to come to an objective conclusion.

However, we can paint a rough picture of how exorbitantly (or competitively) different smartphone brands in Nepal price their products compared to India.

What affects smartphone pricing?

A company’s pricing policy is also determined by factors including (but not limited to) operation costs, distribution network, market competition, and more. Also, not all these brands share a similar set of resources to warrant comparable pricing. But in the end, a buyer can’t afford to empathize with a brand’s lackluster business acumen for their unreasonable pricing.

Let’s put the spotlight on our two main culprits: Realme and OPPO. Now, we already know that in the global arena, these two are sister companies. Despite sharing each other’s resources, Realme and OPPO cater to two distinct market demographics. Similarly, Realme and OPPO’s business are managed by the same firm here in Nepal too. While their product portfolio itself is pretty impressive, embarrassingly, their pricing is not.

The non-existent Xiaomi-Realme rivalry

As a result, they haven’t been able to break into the Nepalese smartphone market quite as much as the competition. Here, seeing Realme’s incompetence is more frustrating than disappointing. Even though its offerings rival Xiaomi’s smartphone lineup, because they have a laughably unreasonable asking price, there’s really not much of a competition between the two companies. But in India, their fierce rivalry facilitates buyers to enjoy better products at even better prices.

Talking about Xiaomi, yes, they’re the king of value-for-money smartphones in Nepal—no doubt. The company has been revolutionizing the budget and mid-range segment in the country for quite some time. Yet, things could be better. You see, while Xiaomi India frequently introduces discounts, offers, and even permanent price-drops, this happens once in a blue moon here in Nepal.

Nepali OnePlus enthusiasts are left to sulk too. The company that (almost) single-handedly redefined what smartphone affordability could mean, doesn’t have the best track record in our country. Whether it’s about the flagships or the recent mid-range releases, OnePlus phones are way too expensive in Nepal. Even though the brand recently received a new distributor, things haven’t changed much.

Good job, Samsung

On the contrary, Samsung’s pricing strategy has been commendable so far. Not just mid-range phones, its budget, premium mid-range, and flagship smartphones retail competitively—even compared to the global market. If the rumors are to be believed, the recently launched Galaxy A72 which starts at NPR 51,999 in Nepal, will cost INR 34,999 (= NPR 56,000) in India.

Because of the very same reason, Samsung phones rarely make rounds in Nepal’s grey market. More often than not, it’s the Chinese brands’ devices that see volumes of illegal imports. A recent sting operation from Avenues Khabar and Nepal Police revealed a large volume of said grey imports in Nepal’s biggest hub too.

Smartphones price in Nepal and India: Conclusion

To wrap it all up, even after the implementation of MDMS, the Nepalese smartphone market will see its comparison against that of India. While there are some companies that price their phones fairly, the current state of the issue demands major improvement. Only with this will MDMS find its true success in Nepal.

In the meanwhile, check out our impressions of the Galaxy A52 4G.

Google Nest Hub updated with Soli-powered sleep tracking feature

Google

GadgetByte

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March 18, 2021

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Google Nest Hub updated with Soli-powered sleep tracking feature

Google has announced its second-generation Nest Hub. The main highlight of the new smart display is its ability to track sleep without additional equipment. Other than that, it is faster and even louder than its predecessor that was launched in 2018. In this post, we will be taking a look at the specifications, features, expected price, and availability of second-generation Nest Hub in Nepal.

Second-generation Nest Hub Overview:

Design and Display

Google has decided to continue the original design with some adjustments on top. The second-generation Nest Hub has the same display as its predecessor. It’s a 7-inch LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels. Google says that the edgeless design makes the display easier to clean. You can even use it as a photo frame. The plastic parts in the second-generation Nest Hub are made using 54% recycled plastic.

Audio

Google has also made a significant improvement in the audio department. The second-generation Nest Hub now boasts up to 50% more bass than the original model. The speaker here has a 1.7-inch full-range driver. Accompanying it are three far-field microphones. It is compatible with popular audio and video streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Netflix, YouTube, and so on.

Also Read: Google Chrome will now use less memory with its latest update

Advanced Sleep Tracking Technology

Let’s talk about the new sleep tracking feature. The second-gen Google Nest Hub comes with Motion Sense technology powered by the Soli sensor that debuted with the Pixel 4. With this, the smart display monitors your sleeping habit by analyzing your movement and breathing – that too, without any camera. In addition, the built-in microphone, ambient light, and temperature sensors can monitor your sleeping environment. It can even detect your snoring and coughing along with the light and the temperature of the room.

The data collected this way can be shared with Google Fit. Also, the Nest Hub can provide personalized bedtime schedules, suggestions based on your sleeping habits, and guidance from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

There is an indicator that is enabled when the sleep monitoring is turned on. Users can even disable the sleep tracking. The service is available as a free preview until next year. Google is also working on integrating the feature into the Fitbit ecosystem.

Rest of the features

Users also get support for Google Assistant. The inclusion of a dedicated AI chip makes the response even faster. There is also this function called Quick Gesture that allows users to pause or play content by using mimicking tapping in front of the Nest Hub.

The Nest Hub can show all of the connected AIoT devices in your house too. Google has also promised to enable Thread network in the future that will make controlling your smart home even easier.

Second-Generation Nest Hub Specs:

Dimension: 4.7” (H) x 7.0” (W) x 2.7” (D); 558 grams
Display: 7-inch touchscreen (1024 x 600 pixels)
Processor: Quad-Core 64-bit 1.9GHz AMR CPU; ML Hardware engine
Audio: 1.7” Full-range driver; 3 far-field microphones
Sensors: Soli (Motion Sense), Ambient EQ Light, Temperature
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0
Features: Sleep Tracking, Google Assistant, Chrome Cast

Second-generation Nest Hub Price in Nepal and Availability

The second-generation Google Nest Hub is available for pre-order in the US, Canada, France, and Australia. Its price is $99.99 in the US. We can expect the price of the second-generation Nest Hub in Nepal to be NPR 15,500 if it launches here via unofficial sources.

Smart Display	Price in the US	Price in Nepal [Expected]
Nest Hub (Second-generation)	$99.99	NPR 15,500

In the meanwhile, check out our impressions of the Galaxy A72.

World War IV – Endgames is an upcoming MMORPG game from Nepali developers

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March 18, 2021

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World War IV – Endgames is an upcoming MMORPG game from Nepali developers

Game development is still in its initial stage in Nepal. Over the years, the number of eSports players in the country has increased significantly. Some have even represented the country on the international stage. Still, we lack local and original titles to cater to this growing audience. As such, a team of Nepali developers has come up with World War IV –Endgames.

World War IV – Endgames Overview

Storyline

World War IV – Endgames is a text-based online massively multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Asterisk Technology. The game is set in 2030 in the aftermath of World War III. The war has destroyed a lot of countries. The surviving European nations have formed an alliance called “United Europe” while the countries in the middle-east have joined United Middle East. These two factions are acting as individual governments. Other surviving countries include the USA, UK, Russia, Japan, China, and India.

Career options

In the game, you will play as one of the survivors of the wars. You can choose to become a citizen of one of the remaining 8 countries and fight for the ultimate supremacy. There are four career options in the game:

Politician: They are responsible for their country’s economy. They control and set tax rates for different wages, imports, and businesses.
Army: Your strength will be boosted by 25% than normal players in the training.
Business: Businesses aim to establish and upgrade their companies for higher production.
High Skilled workers: These players are there to increase production.

More about the game

Players need to complete works or tasks to earn in-game cash. The salaries earned this way are subject to taxes and are stored in the inventory. Working more frequently also adds to the player’s skill. After the completion of the 10th work, players will be able to choose a career path. Once selected, users can modify it only after 7 days. The things that a player can do depends upon the career selection.

For instance, players in the Politician’s career can ultimately become the President. President controls the economy of the whole country and can even declare war on other countries.

1 of 3

The weapon catalog in the game includes rifles, pistols, machine guns, bazooka, rockets, and nuclear bombs. Players can travel to different places for business purposes. There are different accommodations too. Players also need to keep consuming bread and protein shake which are restored with the progress in time.

World World War IV – Endgames Launch Date

World World War IV – Endgames will be available for early access (Android) from April 4. We believe the iOS version will also drop sometime in the future. You can register for the game for free via the official site.

Initial thoughts

World War IV – Endgames is more of a strategic role-playing game. It is not to be confused with battle royale like PUBG Mobile and COD: Mobile. It is text-based and everything including attacks are done by interacting with the menu and options. There are not many graphic elements in the game. Still, it will be a huge boost to the whole Nepali game developers community if it were to become a successful product. However, much of it will depend upon the gaming experience itself and we will have to wait for the official launch to test that.

Meanwhile, check out our initial impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A72.

Samsung confirms that it will skip on a Galaxy Note device this year

Samsung

GadgetByte

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March 18, 2021

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Samsung confirms that it will skip on a Galaxy Note device this year

The writings have been on the wall, and it has finally been confirmed—Samsung won’t be releasing a new Galaxy Note device this year. However, it is just a temporary thing. That means the company will resume the Galaxy Note lineup in 2022. A few reasons have been mentioned as to why Samsung is going to skip the Note lineup in 2021.

No Samsung Galaxy Note device in 2021

First and foremost, the global shortage of semiconductor chips has been cited as its primary reason. There has been a surge in demand for electronics during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, foundries like Samsung and TSMC have not been able to match them with the supply. Therefore, other companies such as Qualcomm are struggling to deliver enough smartphone chips.

Samsung manufactures logic, memory, and storage chips for major clients such as IBM, Nvidia, and Qualcomm. Thus, the company has to meet its client’s demands too. Therefore, they have thought of it as a wise decision to scrap the Note series for the time being. However, the global shortage of semiconductor chips has affected other companies too. Foxconn, which assembles Apple’s iPhones, has also voiced its concern regarding this issue. Thus, if we hear something regarding the matter from Apple’s camp in the coming days, then it should not come as a surprise.

Also Read:
- Galaxy A72 with 3x telephoto lens already available in Nepal
- Samsung Galaxy A52 with 90Hz SAMOLED display launching soon in Nepal

Samsung’s 2021 lineup of smartphones

Samsung already has a jam-packed schedule for 2021. It is yet to launch various Galaxy A models, the Galaxy Z Flip 2, and Galaxy Z Fold 3. Furthermore, the Galaxy S21 FE is slated to launch during Q4 of this year. The company has already given a potential timeline for the launch of the above-mentioned devices. So obviously, they are not going to scrap it now. Thus, instead of focusing on a new Note device, Samsung is set on its current plan.

Furthermore, the inclusion of the S Pen support in the S21 Ultra with its S-Pen support is also seen as a reason why there won’t be a Note lineup this year. Additionally, the upcoming Z Fold 3 is also rumored to include a stylus. People had actually believed that Samsung is set to discontinue the lineup altogether. However, that’s not the case. And there will be a Note lineup in 2022. Hopefully, the decision of Samsung to skip the Galaxy Note lineup for 2021 will give them more time to bring out an even better device in 2022.

In the meanwhile, do check out our review of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Samsung’s new Galaxy A72 is already available for purchase in Nepal

Samsung

Nikhil Shrestha

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March 17, 2021

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Samsung’s new Galaxy A72 is already available for purchase in Nepal

Samsung unveiled a couple of new phones at the “Galaxy Unpacked March” event held yesterday (March 17). Among them is the new Galaxy A72 which is already available for purchase in Nepal. Let’s learn more about the specs, features, and the official price of the Samsung Galaxy A72 in Nepal right here.

Samsung Galaxy A72 Overview:

With the rise in popularity of 5G smartphones, OEMs are rushing in to incorporate the tech into their products. Here, Samsung was expected to announce the 5G variant of the Galaxy A72 as well but the company didn’t unveil it during today’s event. Still, we expect Samsung to announce the A72 5G shortly, which will likely be powered by Snapdragon 750G.

Design

Just like the Galaxy A52, this phone sees a design overhaul as well. Gone are the glossy reflective back panel and the L-shaped camera layout. Samsung has replaced them with a matte finish and a Galaxy S21-liked camera module. The color choices get softer options this time around too. Available in either Awesome – Black, Blue, White, Violet, their pastel hue looks quite pleasing to the eyes.

Additionally, Samsung is also throwing in IP67 dust/water resistance on the Galaxy A72. That means this phone can withstand full immersion in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes, while also being immune to dust & dirt. In the process of adding waterproof coatings (and a bigger battery that I’ll talk about in just a bit), the phone is slightly heavier than its predecessor (203 gm > 179 gm).

Also Read:
- Samsung Galaxy A52 with 90Hz SAMOLED display launched

Display

On to the display, you get a big 6.7” FHD+ Super AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. Yeah, Samsung is finally catching up to the high refresh rate trend in mid-range and premium mid-range smartphones. Although we expected to see a 120Hz screen, the noticeable bump to 90Hz is a welcome move regardless. But unlike variable refresh rate (VRR) technology found in Samsung’s high-end or even mid-range phones from companies like POCO, this display is stuck at either 60Hz or 90Hz mode.

Besides the size, Galaxy A72’s screen shares every other feature with the A52. It enjoys up to 800 nits of brightness under HBM (High Brightness Mode) and is SGS certified against harmful blue light emission as well. It is also Widevine L1 certified meaning you can watch HD content from Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other streaming services.

Performance

While Samsung’s premium mid-range phones have delivered on aspects like design, display, and camera, they have historically lagged in the performance department. And seeing this trend continue with the A72 is a little disheartening. Here, the company has opted for the rather lackluster Snapdragon 720G chipset. Samsung earned might praise for including its the-then flagship-grade chipset Exynos 9825 in the recent Galaxy F62. But the inclusion of 720G on a relatively expensive phone just doesn’t make sense.

Anyway, complementing the chipset is either 6/8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The phone also accepts an external micro SD card of up to 1TB. On the software side of things, Galaxy A72 runs on Samsung’s latest One UI 3.1 based on Android 11. Additionally, it will also receive up to 3 generations of OS and 4 years of security upgrades.

Camera

Moving on, Samsung has brought a decent camera upgrade on this phone. From the OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)-enabled primary sensor to a telephoto zoom lens, it looks like an objectively better camera phone compared to its predecessor—at least on paper.

A72’s quad-camera setup consists of a 64MP f/1.8 primary lens with OIS, a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide sensor with 123º FOV, an 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 5MP f/2.4 sensor for macro photography. On the front, the 32MP f/2.2 selfie shooter has remained unchanged. In terms of videos, Galaxy A72 can shoot up to 4K/30fps footage from the rear and front camera, although the latter lacks stabilization.

The 3x optical and 30x digital zoom capable telephoto lens also supports OIS which sounds pretty promising. While it is void of the “Director’s View” mode that Samsung introduced in the Galaxy S21 series, the phone does come with a couple of fun shooting profiles like Single Take, Super Slo-Mo, Panorama Mode, Night Mode, Fun Mode (developed in collaboration with Snapchat and exclusive to Samsung phones), etc.

Rest of the specs

Coming from the Galaxy A71, Samsung has bumped the battery capacity too. It gets its power from a big 5000mAh battery which supports 25W fast charging. While that pales in comparison to the 7000mAh cell found in Samsung’s Galaxy F62, you should get at least a day’s worth of endurance.

The company is claiming it as a “Two-day battery life” phone but we’ll be the judge of that. Other features of the A72 include a Dolby Atmos-compliant stereo speaker setup, Knox security, Music Share, Buds Together, etc.

Samsung Galaxy A72 Specifications:

Body: 77.4 x 165.0 x 8.4mm, 203 gm, IP67 dust/water resistant
Display: 6.7-inches “Infinity-O” Super AMOLED panel, 90Hz refresh rate, 394 PPI
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G (8nm)
CPU: Octa-core (2×2.3 GHz Kryo 465 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 465 Silver)
GPU: Adreno 618
Memory: 6/8GB LPDDR4X RAM, 128/256GB storage (expandable)
Software & UI: Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.1 on top
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64MP f/1.8 primary lens, AF, OIS
– 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide lens, 123º FOV
– 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens, OIS, 3x optical zoom
– 5MP f/2.4 macro sensor
Front Camera: 32MP f/2.2 sensor (punch-hole cutout)
Audio: Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos audio, 3.5mm headphone jack
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS / AGPS / Glonass / Galileo / Beidou, NFC, USB Type-C, 4G LTE
Battery: 5000mAh with 25W fast charging (25W adapter provided)
Color options: Awesome – Black, Blue, White, Violet

Samsung Galaxy A72 Price in Nepal & Availability

Samsung Galaxy A72 is available in Nepal at a starting price of Rs. 51,999. This price is for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. Likewise, the higher-end 256GB storage variant costs Rs. 56,999.

Samsung Galaxy A72	Price in Nepal (Official)
8/128GB	NPR 51,999
8/256GB	NPR 56,999

Check out our early impressions of the Samsung Galaxy A72.

iQOO Neo 5 announced with Snapdragon 870 and an in-game fps accelerator

GadgetByte

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March 17, 2021

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iQOO Neo 5 announced with Snapdragon 870 and an in-game fps accelerator

Vivo’s sub-brand iQOO has launched its latest gaming phone in China. The new iQOO Neo 5 is powered by the Snapdragon 870 chipset and features a promising set of specs. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of iQOO Neo 5 in Nepal.

iQOO Neo 5 Overview:

Here, this phone sports a 6.62-inch AMOLED panel with an FHD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. It’s a 120Hz screen with a touch sampling rate of 1000Hz. The center-aligned camera cutout on the top contributes to the 91.45% screen-to-body ratio. Other highlights of the display include HDR10+ certification, 105% coverage of NTSC, and 6000000:1 contrast ratio.

Talking about the design, the back of the phone is made of AG matte glass and is available in three color options – Black, Blue, and Orange.

Performance

Powering the device is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 chipset. It’s a slightly overclocked version of the Snapdragon 865+. The cooling setup on the phone features a graphite plate with an area of 6000mm².

It also comes with the Multi-Turbo 5.0 technology. iQOO Neo 5 supports memory fusion in which the device uses the internal storage as RAM for better performance. Similarly, Multi-Turbo 5.0 also focuses on reducing memory footprint and energy consumption.

The Game All-HDR feature does a frame-by-frame color analysis of the game screen to make it look more vivid. iQOO is also promising more stable and durable frame rates. There is also a feature that raises the frame rate of select games to up to 120Hz. It is done using Pixelwork’s frame accelerator. Users can also adjust GPU-settings for different games.

Camera

At the back, the triple camera setup is enclosed inside the rectangular module. iQOO has used a 48MP Sony IMX598 sensor for the primary camera. It comes with OIS for stabilized video recording. It is accompanied by a 43MP ultrawide sensor. Completing the setup is a 2MP Black and White sensor. On the front, there is a 16MP camera for selfies.

Rest of the specs

Fueling the device is a 4,400mAh battery. There is support for 66W flash charge technology that can fill the device completely in 30 minutes. To ensure connectivity is not a problem when gaming, the phone supports Wi-Fi 6 and has a dual-antenna setup. Similarly, the phone ships with OriginOS based on Android 11.

iQOO Neo 5 Specifications:

Display: 6.62-inch AMOLED, 105% NTSC color gamut, 1300 nit, HDR10+, 120Hz refresh rate, 91.45% screen ratio
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels), 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Snapdragon 870, 7nm
RAM: 8GB/12GB LPDDR4X RAM
ROM: 128GB/256GB UFS 3.1 storage
OS & UI: OriginOS based on Android 11
Back Cameras:
– 48MP Sony IMX598 sensor, OIS
– 13MP ultra-wide sensor
– 2MP Black and White Sensor
Front Cameras: 16MP sensor
Audio: Stereo speaker, Hi-Res Audio
Sensors: Fingerprint (under-display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Connectivity: 5G network, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC
Battery: 4,400mAh with 66W charging

iQOO 5 Neo Price in Nepal and Availability

iQOO Neo 5 is available for pre-order in China where its price starts at 2,499 Yuan for the 8/128GB variant. The device will go on sale starting March 22. We can expect the price of iQOO Neo 5 in Nepal to start at NPR 50,000 if and when it launches here.

iQOO Neo 5	Price in China	Price in Nepal
8/128GB	2,499 Yuan	NPR 50,000
8/256GB	2,699 Yuan	NPR 55,000
12/256GB	2,999 Yuan	NPR 60,000

Meanwhile, check out our gaming review of the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Our video of the Zenbook Flip 13 (UX363) is live

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GadgetByte

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March 17, 2021

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Our video of the Zenbook Flip 13 (UX363) is live

Asus ZenBook Flip 13 (UX363) brings a terrific set of features on such a compact 2-in-1 form factor. From its powerful Intel Evo-certified Tiger Lake processor to the vibrant OLED screen, this laptop is a productivity powerhouse. And thanks to the included stylus, it makes note-taking, doodling, or other workloads all-the-more accessible. Its 13.3” FHD display also covers 100% of DCI-P3 color space and comes with excellent color calibration out-of-the-box.

Powering this convertible laptop is the Core i7-1165G7 CPU alongside 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB of M.2 SSD. Although you don’t get a discrete GPU, the integrated Iris Xe graphics handles everyday tasks including lightweight photo/video editing or even eSports gaming quite well. Even though its compact body doesn’t allow for a dedicated Numpad, Asus brings a terrific substitution in the form of NumberPad 2.0 which is integrated into the trackpad itself.

ZenBook Flip 13 boasts an incredible battery life too. Its 4-cell 67 Watt-hour battery could easily net out around 9 hours of screen-on-time. Plus, the 65W AC adapter can take the device to full charge in under 2 hours. The only major feature that’s missing from this laptop is a 3.5mm headphone jack. However, Asus does provide a Type-C to 3.5mm adapter inside the box, which is fantastic. Watch our full review here:

Oppo Band Style with continuous SpO2 monitoring launched in Nepal

GadgetByte

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March 16, 2021

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Oppo Band Style with continuous SpO2 monitoring launched in Nepal

Alongside the F19 Pro, Oppo Nepal also announced its latest fitness band, the Oppo Band Style for its domestic launch. Despite having a new name, this wearable is the same Oppo Band that was launched last year. Let’s take a look at the Oppo Band Style fitness tracker including its specs, official price, and availability in Nepal.

Oppo Band Style Overview:

Design-wise, this fitness tracker comes in two variants. More specifically, two band styles. One is a traditional TPU wrist band while the metal-buckle strap comes pre-installed. This metal buckle allows the users to make a 360-degree adjustment to the wristband.

As for the screen, the Oppo Band Style sports a 1.1″ full-color AMOLED screen with 126 x 294-pixel resolution. Moreover, it has a 2.5D curved-surface with scratch-resistant glass too. Under the hood, the device is powered by the Apollo 3 chipset and has 16MB storage.

Blood oxygen monitoring

An exciting feature to look out for in this fitness tracker is continuous blood oxygen (SpO2) level monitoring. As per Oppo, the Band Style can monitor the blood oxygen level 28,800 times during an eight-hour sleep cycle. That basically means SpO2 monitoring every second for eight hours.

Also Read: Best budget smartwatches in Nepal [Updated]

Moving on, the band is specifically designed to detect sleep problems. It keeps track of your sleep length and sleep stage for a better understanding. Other than that, there is the real-time heart-rate monitor and Fat Burn mode. These features help you keep track of your heart rate during exercise sessions and also help evaluate fat-burn efficiency. Here, Oppo Band Style currently supports Android devices only. However, a firmware update for iOS will be available in April.

Also Read: Best budget fitness trackers in Nepal [Updated]

Workout modes

Moreover, it also comes with 12 workout modes. This includes outdoor run, indoor run, cycling, among others. It is compatible with the HeyTap companion app and supports 40 watch faces. The band has a 100mAh battery inside that offers a backup of up to 14 days. And it takes about 1.5 hours to fully charge.

Oppo Band Style Specifications:

Display: 1.1-inch AMOLED 2.5D display; 100% DCI P3 color gamut
Display Resolution: 126 x 294 pixels
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
Battery Capacity: 100mAh
Battery Backup: Up to 14 days
Charging time: 1.5 hours
Water-resistant: 5 ATM rating
Compatibility: Android 6.0+, iOS 10.0+ (after firmware update)
Companion app: HeyTap (Android | iOS)
Features: Heart rate, continuous blood oxygen (SpO2) level monitoring, weather update, app notification & alert, music control, fat burn mode

Oppo Band Style Price in Nepal & Availability

The price of Oppo Band Style in Nepal is NPR 5,599. Just like the F19 Pro, the Oppo Band Style will be available for purchase from March 23 in Nepal.

Fitness Band	Price in Nepal	Availability
Oppo Band Style	NPR 5,599	March 23

Check out our pick for the best budget smartwatches in 2021.

Apple M1 SSD swapping issue: Should you be worried before buying an M1 Mac?

Apple

GadgetByte

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March 16, 2021

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Apple M1 SSD swapping issue: Should you be worried before buying an M1 Mac?

The first phase in Apple’s plan to switch from Intel chips to its in-house silicon for its Macs was a massive success. The M1 chip in the latest Macs offered never-before-seen performance in the lineup’s history. However, starting last month, some M1 Mac users started reporting a strange problem – their SSDs were degrading faster than normal. Though Apple did not officially confirm the cause, users were quick to blame the SSD swapping technique. In this post, we will be taking a look at the concept of memory swapping, the supposed issue of SSD swaps in M1 Macs, and see if it’s something you actually need to worry about.

The basics

So, let’s start with the basics. Almost all of the present-day computers come with a separate location (secondary storage) to store users’ data and programs. When a user commands the computer to run a non-system software, the data involved is loaded into the RAM. The reason being that the RAM operates at a very fast speed. On the other hand, the size of the RAM is limited and it can only store a certain amount of data. Thus, at a moment, only the data that the processor needs immediately is stored.

The lifetime of an SSD

SSD or Solid State Drive is the preferred mass-storage media in mainstream computers. However, no SSD can last forever. At their core, SSDs are made up of NAND cells. Data are stored in them with the application of current signals. Every time a signal passes through a cell, it degrades the cell to an extent. SSDs degrade faster if you keep constantly overwriting them.

To prevent SSDs from degrading faster, manufacturers try to level the wearing over all the cells. They even cram in replacement cells in case some cells wear out faster. Still, SSD degradation is inevitable and there will be a time when it needs to be replaced with something new.

Memory (SSD) swapping

As mentioned earlier, the system doesn’t directly interact with the program on the storage. Instead, it reads, writes, and updates a certain instance of the program that is loaded into the RAM. Systems these days can run multiple programs simultaneously. However, the system cannot afford to consume all the RAM space. Thus, when multiple programs are opened, the system stores some of the program instances or the “pages” on the secondary storage.

It is done for background apps or apps with less priority. This process is called “Memory Swapping” as the system swaps data from the main memory to the secondary memory. Actually, memory swapping is not a new phenomenon. Almost all of the leading OS platforms use this process whether it be Windows, Linux, or the focus of this post – macOS.

Also read: Benchmarked: Apple M1 vs AMD Renoir vs Intel Tiger Lake CPU

SSD swapping issue in M1 Macs

SSD swapping is a common technique to improve performance in present-day computers. It becomes a problem only when it is overdone. It looks like the new MacBooks are constantly storing “pages” on the SSD to keep the RAM free for high-performance tasks. That is, the M1-powered MacBooks are relying on SSD swapping more than ever before.

SSD swap issues reported by M1 users

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For instance, some users are reporting 150 TB of data written onto an M1 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and 2TB SSD. That is just 3% usage. However, if it was a 256GB model, that would have amounted to 30%. At such a rate, the SSD would only run properly over 1.5 years. On top of that, there were users complaining about up to 10% usage in two months.

Unified Memory Architecture in M1

The even bigger problem here is that the SSD on M1 MacBooks is not user-replaceable. The same is the case with the RAM. It is because Apple has integrated them into the chip itself. This unified memory architecture plays a huge role in the performance gain along with other factors such as optimization. By integrating the memory (RAM and SSD storage) into the chip itself, Apple was able to limit the transmission delay resulting in a faster computation.

Is this a legit issue?

It turns out that not everyone’s SSD usage was closer to those reporting the said issue. To put it into context, most of the users only had around 1 to 2% SSD usage. The high usage reports may have been a case of an incorrect reading by the software in use.

Another possibility could be that certain apps were causing the problem. For instance, some users reported that Rosetta 2 was causing higher swaps than other programs. This translator is used to make apps written for Intel processors (x86) work on the M1 chip (ARM) powered machines. Still, the number of writes per day was not that significant to be concerned, to begin with.

Whatever the cause may be, all the evidence suggests that problem is not with the M1 architecture itself. Thus, the SSD swapping issue is not something that should stop you from considering buying the latest M1 Macs. Still, you can minimize the effect of SSD swapping by opting for a system with higher RAM and SSD.

Meanwhile, check out our review of the iPhone 12.