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Lenovo unveils its premium Tab P11 Pro Android tablet alongside M10 HD (2nd gen)

Nikhil Shrestha

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September 1, 2020

Lenovo unveils its premium Tab P11 Pro Android tablet alongside M10 HD (2nd gen)

Apple’s iPads are the benchmark for any and all tablet makers in the industry. The company’s iOS platform (which has since ventured into the separate iPadOS for tablets) is just unsullied when it comes to user experience, design, and support. Every now and then, Android tablet manufacturers throw their hat in the ring to try and rattle the iPad dominance. So far, none have succeeded although Samsung’s efforts are commendable. And now, Lenovo has launched a couple of tablets – one for the grownups, and one for the kids. Let’s find out more about the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro & Tab M10 HD (2nd gen).

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Overview

Here, the Tab P11 Pro is more exciting than the M10 HD (2nd gen) as it is the first premium Android tablet from Lenovo in years. It is especially interesting seeing how the company chose now of all time to re-enter the industry as the global tablet market saw a record 18.6% YoY growth in Q2 2020 (IDC Worldwide Quarterly PCD Tracker). Since most people are stuck in their homes and with the rise in popularity of video conferencing tools, a tablet is exactly what’s remained in high demand.

Meanwhile, check out all the prices and specs of tablets from Lenovo here

Design & Display

The Tab P11 Pro’s premium-ness is most well reflected in the design front. It is made out of aluminum alloy and has a great looking dual-tone finish at the back. Tab P11 Pro is also remarkably slim at just 5.8mm at its thinnest and 7.7mm at its thickest point. It is not going to be a productivity powerhouse as we’ll discover in just a bit but Lenovo has included support for external accessories like a separate keyboard that attaches to the POGO pins on the side. Other accessories for the tablet include the new Lenovo Precision Pen 2 stylus and a case with a kick-stand.

Moving to the display, Tab P11 Pro boasts a gorgeous 11.5-inches 2K (2560 x 1600) OLED panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio which is quite rare for the price. On the brightness front, you’re looking at 500 nits of peak brightness. Considering its competitors like Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S7 and Apple’s iPad Air (2019), both of which have an IPS LCD display, we can clearly see how impressive this one is. Furthermore, it also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision for superior image quality. There’s a uniform 6.9mm slim bezel all-around the display. With this, the tablet achieves an 87% screen-to-body ratio. While the panel is great and all, it does miss out on trends like a smoother 120Hz refresh rate.

Performance & Memory

Even though Lenovo is marketing the Tab P11 Pro has a premium Android tablet, the chipset selection suggests otherwise. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 730G which has an octa-core CPU and is based on the 8nm process. It is available in either 4 or 6GB RAM options with 128GB of internal storage. One can also choose to expand that using the dedicated microSD card slot. We’re well aware of the abysmal state of Android as a platform for tablets in general.

However, Lenovo says the tablet can intelligently deliver a more desktop-like usage experience once you attach the additional keyboard accessory. So that’s something. Additionally, because of the chipset restriction, the Tab P11 Pro is also void of 5G connectivity. But depending upon the region, one may be able to choose between a WiFi only or an LTE variant. In terms of security & unlocking, its fingerprint sensor has been baked right into the power button.

Camera & Audio

Getting to the cameras, the Lenovo Tab P11 Pro has 4 of them altogether. The two rear-facing lenses are arranged inside a pill-shaped module at the top-left corner. These consist of a 13MP primary and a 5MP ultrawide camera. Similarly, there are two 8MP cameras at the front alongside a ToF sensor. With these, Lenovo also allows you to use face unlock as a biometrics option. Also, the front cameras can automatically blur the background whenever you’re in a video call.

Now, the audio prospect of the Tab P11 Pro is also something to be excited by. There are 4 JBL speakers altogether – two at the top and two at the bottom frame of the tablet. They have large 2.5cc chambers and are Dolby Atmos-certified too. According to Lenovo, the company has also worked in an intelligent algorithm for a better listening experience. What it does is tune the audio depending on how the user is holding the tablet to deliver a consistent cinematic surround sound effect. So far, the Tab P11 Pro is shaping up to be quite the media consumption king.

Battery

Powering all this is a massive 8600mAh battery which the company says can offer up to 15 hours of screen-on-time. It is charged using a USB Type-C cable although whether it supports fast charging or not remains a mystery for now.

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Specifications:

Body: 6.75 x 10.40 x 0.23-inches; 485gm
Display: 11.5-inches OLED panel; 87% screen-to-body ratio; HDR10; Dolby Vision
Resolution: 2K (2560 x 1600 pixels); 16:10 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G (8nm mobile platform)
CPU: Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 470 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 470 Silver)
GPU: Adreno 618
RAM: 4/6GB
Storage: 128GB (expandable using micro SD card)
Software & UI: Android 10
Rear Camera: Dual-camera;
– 13MP primary wide lens
– 5MP ultrawide lens
– LED flash
Front Camera: Dual-camera (both 8MP; ToF sensor)
Security: Fingerprint Scanner (side-mounted)
Audio: Quad-speakers (Dolby Atmos)
Connectivity: Nano-SIM (LTE only), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS with A-GPS, USB Type-C
Battery: 8600mAh

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro Price & Availability

Here, Lenovo Tab P11 Pro is priced at €699 for select European, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets where it will be available starting November. Similarly, it will retail for $500 in the US.

Tablet Model	Price	Availability
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (Europe, Asia, Middle East)	€699 (~NPR 98,055)	November 2020
Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (USA)	$499 (~NPR 58,460)	November 2020

Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) Overview

Besides the Tab P11 Pro, Lenovo also announced a more family-centric tablet which is the Tab M10 HD (2nd gen). It is much less powerful than the P11 Pro and is geared towards households with children as the tablet debuts Google’s all-new “Kids Space” feature. This curates and recommends different content for kids and directly ties up with Google’s “Family Link” app for seamless parental control.

Kids Space

Here, all the apps and games are teacher-approved and Google has worked with multiple experts to help determine what’s best for the kids. There are also a bunch of free books for kids under the “Read” section. In terms of video content, Kids Space takes you to YouTube Kids.

Moving on, the Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) comes with a modest 10.1-inches IPS LCD TDDI display with a wide viewing angle and an HD (1280 x 800) resolution. It features TUV Rheinland eye protection against exposure to the harmful blue light. Performance-wise, the tablet is powered by MediaTek’s Helio P22T chipset with either 2/4GB of RAM and 32/64GB of expandable storage. There’s a single camera setup at the front and the back which compromises an 8MP and a 5MP sensor respectively. On the battery front, it gets its juice from the 5000mAh cell.

Variants

Besides the memory configuration itself, it is available in three variants: one with Google Assistant integration, one with Amazon’s Alexa, and one without both. They differ in the audio & microphone department – the regular Tab M10 HD has dual mic & dual speakers (Dolby Atmos-certified) whereas the one with Google Assistant comes with a single mic.

Finally, the one with Amazon Alexa also supports a Smart Dock on top of the dual-mic & speaker setup. These digital assistant able variants double as a smart display and have POGO pins in them for charging.

Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) Specifications:

Body: 5.88 x 9.51 x 0.32-inches; 420gm
Display: 10.1-inches IPS LCD TDDI panel; TUV Rheinland Eye Protection
Resolution: HD (1280 x 800 pixels); 16:10 aspect ratio
Chipset: MediaTek Helio P22T (12nm mobile platform)
CPU: Octa-core 2.3 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU: PowerVR GE8320
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 128GB (expandable using micro SD card)
Software & UI: Android 10
Rear Camera: 8MP lens
Front Camera: 5MP lens
Security: Face unlock
Audio: Dual-speakers (Dolby Atmos)
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, USB Type-C
Battery: 5000mAh

Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) Price & Availability

Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) costs €159, €179, and €199 for the standard, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa variants respectively. They will be available starting in September 2020.

Tablet Model	Price	Availability
Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen)	€159 (~NPR 22,300)	September 2020
Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) – Google Assistant	€179 (~NPR 25,110)	October 2020
Lenovo Tab M10 HD (2nd gen) – Amazon Alexa	€199 (~NPR 27,915)	November 2020

Watch: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite vs Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)

Techno Spark 5 Pro launched in Nepal with quad-cameras & a 5,000mAh battery

Tecno

GadgetByte

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September 1, 2020

0

Techno Spark 5 Pro launched in Nepal with quad-cameras & a 5,000mAh battery

Tecno has re-entered the Nepali market with a couple of new smartphones. The cheaper of the two is the Spark 5 Pro. It’s a nice looking device with a massive battery that costs under Rs. 20,000. Read along to know more about the specs, features, official price, and availability of Tecno Spark 5 Pro in Nepal.

Tecno Spark 5 Pro Overview

Design and Display

Tecno Spark 5 Pro comes with a 6.6-inch Dot-in Display with 720 x 1600 pixel resolution. There is a circular punch-hole cutout on the top left corner of the screen that houses the selfie camera. The screen-to-body ratio on this device is 90.2%. Tecno claims the brightness level on the Spark 5 to be around 400 nits.

On the back, there is a rectangular camera module that encloses the quad-camera setup. Design-wise, it’s one of the best-looking devices at its price range. The gradient design on the rear panel is eye-catching. Upon closer inspection, the panel has textural lines as well. It is available in four color options in total.

Performance and Memory

Spark 5 Pro is not a phone you will buy if you are looking for a high-performance budget device. The company has not specified the chipset used on this device but says it’s an octa-core processor. It’s more likely to be MediaTek’s Helio A25. It’s a 12nm based chipset that features eight Cortex A53 cores. Talking about the memory, Tecno has paired it with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. Users can expand the storage by slotting in a microSD card into the dedicated slot.

Also Read: Tecno Camon 15 Pro launched in Nepal

Camera

Tecno Spark 5 Pro flaunts a quad-camera setup on the back of the device. The 13MP primary camera has an aperture of f/1.8. Similarly, it is accompanied by a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth lens. The company has not listed anything about the nature and function of the fourth lens so we believe it’s a marketing gimmick. It comes with Tecno’s AI camera 3.0 support, which has improved Scene Detection, HDR, and Bokeh effect. The rear camera setup comes with a Body Shaping feature that the company says can alter the body shape of the person in the picture.

Upfront, there is an 8MP selfie camera with dual-flash. It supports AI Beauty mode, Bokeh effect, AR shot, and Wide-selfie. The latter when active will provide instructions to users on how to hold the phone for a wider view angle.

Rest of the specs

Tecno Spark 5 Pro features a massive battery of 5,000mAh battery. The company claims it can provide up to 430 hours of standby time. However, there is no mention of support for any fast-charging technology. There is a capacitive fingerprint sensor on the back panel for biometrics.

Not to forget, Tecno is offering 100 days of replacement guaranty for Tecno Spark 5 Pro. Additionally, users can also enjoy 13 months of warranty.

Tecno Spark 5 Pro Specifications:

Display: 6.6-inch Dot-in Display
Resolution: 720 x 1600 pixels
Processor: Octa-core
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB
Software & UI: HiOS 6.0 on top of Android 10
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 16MP primary shooter
– 2MP macro sensor
– 2MP depth sensor
– Quad-LED flash
Front Camera:
– 8MP camera
– Dual LED flash
Security: Physical capacitative fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
Battery: 5,000mAh

Tecno Spark Pro Price in Nepal & Availability

Tecno Spark 5 Pro is now available in Nepal with a price tag of NPR 15,999 for the 4/64GB memory configuration.

Smartphone Model	Price in Nepal
Tecno Spark 5 Pro	NPR 15,999

Check out our review of the Redmi 9A.

Tecno Camon 15 Pro with pop-up selfie camera launched in Nepal

Tecno

GadgetByte

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September 1, 2020

0

Tecno Camon 15 Pro with pop-up selfie camera launched in Nepal

Tecno is a rather unknown name in the Nepalese smartphone market. However, it ranks among the big players when it comes to the African market. In 2008, the company stopped its operation in the Asian market to focus on the African market. It made a return to Asia almost a decade later in 2017. And now, the company has re-entered the Nepali market with the Tecno Camon 15 Pro. Let’s check out the specs, features, official price, and availability of Tecno Camon 15 Pro in Nepal.

Tecno Camon 15 Pro Overview

Design and Display

Tecno Camon 15 Pro features the same 6.6-inch Perfect Full-View Display. The panel packs in a total of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The highlight of the smartphone is the mechanized pop-up selfie camera. The front camera appears only when there is a need for it. Because of it, the smartphone boasts a screen to body ratio of 91.2%.

On the back, we see a long vertical camera module. The bump in the camera module looks significant. The gradient design on the rear panel is complemented by the exquisite textural lines.

Performance and Memory

The smartphone features an octa-core Helio P35 processor with a clock speed of up to 2.3Ghz. It is not the best performing mid-range chipset out there but Tecno has paired with 6GB of RAM. Thus, you won’t have any problem getting through normal day to day tasks and multitasking. Similarly, the internal storage on this smartphone is 128GB.

Camera

The highlight of the phone is its camera setup. It has four cameras on the back that are arranged linearly inside a rectangular module. A 48MP primary camera has a 1/2″ sensor. It combines four pixels into a 1.6micron pixel to obtain high-quality images. The second camera is the Ultra-Night TAIVOS lens. TAIVOS is the company’s AI-based optimization solution. Tecno claims that it will help capture clear shots under low light.

Similarly, the rest of the camera includes an ultra-wide-angle lens and a depth sensor. The former offers 115-degree of Field of View. Since it’s advertised as a night-time camera phone, it is equipped with not one but four LED flashes. Within the native camera app, you get a short video recording feature that lets you record 15s/60s Tiktok-like videos with 9 different in-built filters.

On the front, the selfie camera uses a 32MP sensor. It is now on a pop-up mechanism and remains hidden unless you need it. The pop-up mechanism has an anti-fall reaction and offers resistance to magnetic interference.

Battery and Others

The battery capacity on this device 4,000mAh battery. Sadly, there is no information about the charging speed and fast charging support. It’s safe to believe that it doesn’t support any fast charging technology. The security-options include a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and face unlock feature. It ships with HiOS 6.0 based on Android 10.

Not to forget, Tecno is offering 100 days of replacement guaranty for Tecno Camon 15 Pro. Additionally, users can also enjoy 13 months of warranty.

Tecno Camon 15 Pro Specifications:

Display: 6.6-inch Perfect FullView Display
Resolution: 2400 x 1080
Chipset: Helio P35
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
Software & UI: HiOS on top of Android 10
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 48MP primary shooter
– Ultra Night TAiVOS
– 2cm macro sensor
– 113-degree ultra-wide lens
– Quad-LED flash
Front Camera:
– 32MP Pop-up camera
– Dual LED flash
Security: Physical capacitative fingerprint scanner (rear-mounted)
Battery: 4,000mAh

Tecno Camon 15 Pro Price in Nepal & Availability

Tecno Camon 15 Pro is now available in Nepal with a price tag of Rs. 25,499 for the 6/128GB variant.

Smartphone Model	Price in Nepal
Tecno Camon 15 Pro	NPR 25,499

Check out our review of the Redmi 9A.

OnePlus 8 with 90Hz display, SD 865 Launched in Nepal

GadgetByte

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August 31, 2020

0

OnePlus 8 with 90Hz display, SD 865 Launched in Nepal

OnePlus has two devices on the 8 series, namely – OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro. If we are to go by the spec-sheet, both of them are proper flagship phones of 2020, unlike previous phones from Oneplus. Announced back in April, these phones have finally arrived in Nepal. The delay is because of the ongoing lockdown in major cities and disruption in the supply chain due to COVID 19.

OnePlus 8 Overview

Since its inception in 2013, OnePlus has come a long way. It first launched the OnePlus One with the tagline of the flagship killer. And it was rightly so – flagship-level specs at a lower cost. The company’s stock has continued to rise. However, there are many competitors in the market that have tried to uproot the company’s status. Moreover, the price of the OnePlus 7 Pro also cast some doubts over the OnePlus’ status as a flagship killer.

Nonetheless, it has been able to hold its own till now and continues to be a brand that many people prefer. Now, with the launch of its OnePlus 8 series, it seems that the customer base will grow even further.

Display & Camera

The standard OnePlus 8 is labeled as more of a “compact flagship” device. Barring a few things, it shares a lot of its specs with the OnePlus 8 Pro. Let’s start with the display. The OnePlus 8 sports a smaller 6.55-inch Fluid AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels.

Furthermore, it will share the “first device from OnePlus to feature a punch-hole cutout to house the front camera” title alongside the OnePlus 8 Pro. Oh, and not to forget, the refresh rate on this one will be of 90Hz only as compared to the superior 120Hz of that of the Pro variant.

Moving on, the camera setup on the back is a triple-camera array. lt has a 48MP Sony IMX586 as the primary lens of the setup. It will be further complemented by a 16MP ultra-wide lens with 116-degree FOV and a 2MP dedicated macro lens. Upfront, the selfie camera is the 16MP Sony IMX471 shooter, similar to that of the OnePlus 8 Pro. And as mentioned above, it is housed inside the punch-hole cutout.

Performance & Battery

Under the hood, the OnePlus 8 uses the Snapdragon 865 SoC to do all the processing. The RAM options available are of 8GB and 12GB LPDDR4X. Now, the Pro version has a 12GB RAM variant with SD 865 under the hood as well. Thus, it will be interesting to see how both these devices compare in terms of speed and performance.

Power-wise, the device packs in a huge 4300mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30T. Sadly, however, it does not support wireless charging, nor does it have an IP68 rating. Color options for the OnePlus 8 include Onyx Black, Glacial Green, and Interstellar Glow. Now, this new Interstellar Glow is a sort of a reflective material that gives out different shades based on the angle of view. However, this does remind me of the Aura Glow option of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.

OnePlus 8 Specifications:

Display: 6.55″ Fluid AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels), 90Hz refresh rate and 3D Corning Gorilla Glass
Rear Camera: Triple, 48 MP Sony IMX586 primary lens with f/1.78 aperture, OIS & EIS + 16 MP Ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture + 2MP macro lens with f/2.4 aperture
Front Camera: 16MP Sony IMX471 with f/2.0 aperture, EIS & fixed focus
Processor: Octa-core 7 nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
GPU: Adreno 650
RAM: 8GB/12GB LPDDR4X
Storage: 128GB/ 256GB UFS 3.0 with Turbo Write and HPB
Battery: 4300 mAh, supports Wrap Charge 30T (5V/6V)
Sensors: Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Colors: Onyx Black, Glacial Green, Interstellar Glow

OnePlus 8 Price in Nepal, Availability

The official price of OnePlus 8 in Nepal is Rs. 93,000 for the 12/256GB variant. You can purchase the phone from Olizstore. The 8/128GB variant is not available in Nepal yet.

Variant	Price in Nepal	Availability
OnePlus 8 (12/256GB)	Rs. 93,000	Free Delivery from Olizstore

Daraz partners up with Visa to facilitate online payment

GadgetByte

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August 31, 2020

0

Daraz partners up with Visa to facilitate online payment

The lockdown has cultivated the habit of online shopping in Nepal. And along with that, there has been a massive surge in cashless transactions. Most of the prominent e-commerce platforms have integrated various digital wallets in their site to facilitate cashless purchases. For instance, earlier this year, we saw the partnership between Daraz Nepal and eSewa. And now, the company has striked-up a partnership with Visa. The partnership between Daraz Nepal and Visa aims to drive forward online card payments in Nepal.

Daraz is undoubtedly one of the leading e-commerce platforms in Nepal. Therefore, it wants to offer an easy and hassle-free shopping experience to its customers. By incorporating eSewa in its electronic payment mediums, it had already taken a step in that direction. And this partnership with Visa will only add to that cause.

What does the partnership mean?

The integration with Visa means that customers will now be able to save their Visa Card on the Daraz app. It can be a Credit, Debit, or a Prepaid Card that has been issued in Nepal. Now, as an initial offer, customers will get a 15% discount (max Rs. 500) if they make a prepayment from their Visa Card. The offer is similar to the one we had seen when the partnership between Daraz and eSewa had commenced. However, this offer can be used only once and on your first saved card. The offer is valid till September 30, 2020, only.

I’m certain that this partnership between Daraz Nepal and Visa will be appreciated by many. By adding another secure and convenient payment method they are certainly facilitating our shopping experience. Moreover, this sort of integration is necessary to further promote the adoption of online payment in Nepal. Furthermore, the lockdown is here to stay for the foreseeable future. And the integration of Visa Card payment in Daraz will help to maintain the rules of social distancing and less touch.

AMD announces Radeon RX 5300 GPU for entry-level 1080p gaming

GadgetByte

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August 31, 2020

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AMD announces Radeon RX 5300 GPU for entry-level 1080p gaming

AMD has quietly launched an entry-level GPU. The new GPU has come at a time when fans are eagerly waiting for the RDNA2 based GPUs. The Radeon RX 5300 sports similar specs to RX 5500T XT and will compete against NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650. Let’s check out the specs, features, expected price, and availability of AMD Radeon RX 5300 GPU.

AMD Radeon RX 5300 Overview

Core Configurations

Radeon RX 5300 comes with 1408 shader cores. The core configuration is similar to what we saw in the Radeon RX 5500. The cores can be boosted up to 1,645 MHz using AMD Game Rate (game clock speed @ 1448 MHz). It is based on AMD’s 7nm RDNA architecture.

Memory

However, compromises have been made in the memory department. It features 3GB of GDDR6 VRAM. It is 1GB less than what Radeon RX 5500 X is offering. Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, which the company is comparing RX 5300 with, comes with 4GB of GDDR5 memory. Compared to the RX 5500, AMD has narrowed the bus width to 96-bit. As a result, the memory bandwidth of RX 5300 maxes out as 168GBps. AMD has also reduced the power requirement. While the RX 5500 XT required 130W, the RX 5300 has a TDP of 100W. However, users still have to use an external power source.

Also Read: AMD announces Ryzen 4000 Desktop APUs

Supported Memory

In terms of software, Radeon RX 5300 supports AMD’s FreeSync technology. The proprietary software tries to provide a stutter-free and tear-free gaming experience. Similarly, it also supports DirectX 12 and Vulkan API.

Competition

AMD is advertising RX 5300 as an entry-level GPU for 1080p gaming. Thus, it has been compared against Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650. The company claims that the RX 5300 offers better FPS in popular gaming titles such as Battlefield, Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare, and PUBG.

AMD Radeon RX 5300 Specifications:

Compute Units: 22
Game Frequency: up to 1448 MHz
Boost Frequency: up to 1645 MHz
ROPs: 32
Stream Processors: 1408
Memory: 3 GB GDDR6
Bus width: 96-bit
HDMI support: Yes, 4K60
Typical Board Power (TBP): 100W

AMD Radeon RX 5300 Price and Availability

AMD has not commented on the pricing and availability of the entry-level GPU. However, the AMD Radeon RX 5300 is expected to come with a price tag of between $130 to $150.

GPU Model	Expected Price
AMD Radeon RX 5300	$130 – $150

Check out the rumors of the upcoming Ryzen C7 mobile chipset.

Future Samsung flagships to come with the new 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM

Samsung

GadgetByte

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August 31, 2020

0

Future Samsung flagships to come with the new 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM

Samsung has announced that it has started mass-producing its 16Gb LPDDR5 mobile DRAM. The new mobile DRAM technology was first announced in the month of February. With this announcement, it is almost certain that future flagship smartphones from Samsung will be making use of this technology.

Samsung 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM

Samsung is an industry leader when it comes to advanced memory technology. It was the first company to announce to the 12Gb LPDDR5 DRAM technology. The technology went into mass production from July 2019. It has been used in 16GB RAM present in the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. And now, Samsung has started producing 16Gb LPDDR5 chips. It will be used in 16GB RAM packages of the company’s flagship devices in 2021.

Samsung claims that the latest breakthrough in the mobile RAM technology will eventually help future flagship smartphone to make better use of 5G connectivity and AI in areas such as gaming and photography.

Latest 10nm-class 1z process

16GB LPDDR5 RAM in a smartphone is not a new thing for the smartphone industry. However, the technology that Samsung is using in its latest RAMs is worth noting. The latest LPDDR5 RAM is based on Samsung’s third-generation 10nm-class (1z) process. It is an upgrade over the 1y process. It is also the first mobile memory to be mass-produced using EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) technology.

Also Read: Samsung commits to 3 generations of Android software updates

Thin Form Factor

While the previous generation’s 16GB RAM package consisted of eight 12Gb chips and four 8Gb chips (8 x 12Gb + 4 x 8Gb = 16GB), the latest 16Gb LPDDR5 technology allows Samsung to produce 16GB RAM packages only using eight 16Gb chips (8 x 16Gb = 16GB). This brings down the overall thickness of the RAM package by about 30%. Samsung says that the reduced space can be used to integrate other features such as 5G modems or even additional camera sensors. With this, we expect the future foldable phones to come in a slimmer form factor.

Fastest Memory

Samsung also claims that its new LPDDR5 is the fastest of its kind. The 6,400MB/s speed is roughly 16% faster than 12Gb LPDDR4. The latter has a speed of 5,500Mb/s. When eight 16Gb chips are combined to form a 16GB package, the RAM will be able to transfer ten 5GB full-HD movies (equivalent to 51.2GB data) in one second.

Manufacturing Plant

Samsung will be manufacturing the latest 16Gb LPDDR5 technology in Pyeongtaek Line 2. Spanning over 128,900 square meters, it is the largest semiconductor production line to date. The company will also be using the production line for next-gen V-NAND and foundry solutions.

Samsung 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM Availability

We will be able to see Samsung’s 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM in smartphones starting from 2021. It will not be limited to Samsung devices as the company plans to make it available for rival smartphone brands as well.

Technology	Availability
Samsung 16Gb LPDDR5 DRAM	2021

Check out our review of Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.

Vivo Celebrates 3 Years of Success in Nepal

GadgetByte

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August 31, 2020

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Vivo Celebrates 3 Years of Success in Nepal

It is difficult to carve out a name for oneself in the hugely competitive smartphone market. But if you are offering something different and innovative products, then the market will open up to you. And that’s what Vivo has been doing for the past three years in Nepal. By launching some of its ground-breaking products, the company has successfully made a name for itself out here. The Chinese smartphone makers currently rank fifth in the global smartphone market. And they have emulated that same global success out here in Nepal too. As Vivo prepares to celebrates its 3rd anniversary in Nepal, let’s look at the various things that have made it a successful brand.

What has contributed to Vivo’s success in Nepal?

Brands don’t make a name for themselves by doing nothing. Various factors contribute to the making of a successful brand. So, what has Vivo done in order to place itself among the big guns of the Nepalese smartphone market?

Introduced innovative, stylish & robust products

Vivo has been credited to have introduced the first smartphone in the world with an in-display fingerprint sensor in the X20 Plus. And they have the same honor here too. However, it was not the X20 Plus in Nepal, rather they brought in-display fingerprint sensor Vivo V11 Pro. As a matter of fact, through its V-series, Vivo has always brought in some sort of innovative piece of technology in Nepal. For instance, the Vivo V15 Pro introduced the first-ever pop-up camera phone in Nepal. Another V-series device that was appreciated by the masses was the recently launched Vivo V19. It had a great Super Night Selfie Mode, dual front camera equipped with an AI video editor. And an ergonomic design.

However, the V-series is not the only one to have made its mark in the Nepalese consumers. The affordable Y-series saw the company bring in great specs at an affordable price. For instance, many heaped praises on the Y90 for its design and specs. Similarly, the stylish S-series has its separate fan base, which mostly includes the youth. Last year’s Vivo S1 and S1 Pro were a major hit among consumers due to its stylish appearance and camera performance.

Commitment to Nepal

The smartphone company enjoys a healthy 12.3% market share in Nepal. And therefore the company considers Nepal as an important market. Vivo has efficient and robust customer service support and distribution network. Currently, Vivo mobiles are available through over 1200+ retail stores. And they operate over 3 service centers. There is no doubt that the company wants to increase its market share and thus it is working tirelessly to provide the best after-sales services. Furthermore, to boost the “Make in Nepal” vision, it is working closely with its employees and retailers, guiding, mentoring, and empowering them, even during these unprecedented times.

Similarly, the company is working towards making Nepal 5G ready. Vivo has already applied over 2,000 5G invention patents and submitted over 3,800 5G proposals. This shows they are committed to the 5G cause globally. And they want to make Nepal ready for the transition from 4G to 5G, especially in the entry-level segment.

So far Vivo’s journey in Nepal has been a successful one. We really hope that they continue to churn out great products in the future too. And would once again like to congratulate Vivo for its latest milestone in Nepal.

Also Read: Vivo Mobiles Price in Nepal [Latest]

Xiaomi phones to feature under-display camera in 2021

GadgetByte

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August 30, 2020

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Xiaomi phones to feature under-display camera in 2021

Even before the launch of the Mi 10 Ultra, there were talks of Xiaomi unveiling a smartphone with an in-display camera. Tipsters Ice Universe and Ross Young suggested that the Xiaomi will be prototyping the technology with Mi 10 Ultra. However, that wasn’t the case at all. But now, Xiaomi has finally unveiled the third-generation of the company’s in-display camera technology. It has also been confirmed that we will be seeing Xiaomi devices with the under-display camera technology starting from 2021.

In-display Camera technology

Smartphone manufacturers are obsessed with increasing the screen to body ratio on their smartphone to make it more appealing to the people. Today’s flagship device devices feature technologies such as tiny punch-hole, mechanical pop-up cameras, and waterfall display for the same. An in-display camera is now the next big thing in this aspect. Oppo was the first company to showcase the working prototype of an under-display camera. However, there were a lot of issues with the tech for it to be introduced in mainstream devices. Earlier, Visionox announced that it had developed an under-display camera tech that could be used in a commercial device.

It is not Just Oppo and Visionox, companies like Samsung, ZTE, and Xiaomi are also working on their own version of the tech. In fact, ZTE will be the first company to debut under display in a commercial device when it launches the Axon 20 5G on September 1st.

Xiaomi Third-Generation In-display camera technology

The technology being discussed today is actually the result of Xiaomi’s research spanning years. The first generation of Xiaomi’s in-display camera was never made public. Yet, the company did reveal the second generation of the tech to the public in 2019. The main challenge was to make the panel covering the camera have the same uniform pixel density as the rest of the device. Prototypes have also shown that the in-display cameras do not perform well compared to normal selfie cameras.

New Pixel Arrangement

Xiaomi says that it has come up with solutions for both the issues. The company has self-developed a new pixel arrangement to make the display uniform, even above the under-display camera. The new tech works by allowing the selfie camera to see through the spaces between the RGB sub-pixels. Xiaomi has also doubled the pixels (both horizontal and vertical) on the surface above the camera. It helps the surface attain the same pixel density as the rest of the display. Xiaomi claims that brightness level, color gamut, and color accuracy is also uniform throughout the panel.

Special Circuit Design

To solve the problem related to the performance of the camera, Xiaomi has implemented a special circuit design. While the company has not provided further details on the underlying mechanism, the new circuit increases the light transmittance of the screen above the camera. That is, the panel will allow more light to pass through it. More light means more details for the camera sensor to capture. The company has also improved its camera algorithm to match the performance of the conventional selfie cameras.

But, is it flawless?

Despite all the claims made by Xiaomi, one can still see the camera region on the screen under close inspection. It was first pointed out by Ice Universe via a tweet. The Verge has also pointed out the difference between the area just above the camera and the rest of the display panel in Xiaomi’s promotional video. Interestingly, the picture posted by Ice Universe reveals a circular surface similar to the punch-holes whereas it’s a square surface in the video. Similarly, the area is more evident on the video than on the picture.

We are yet to see an independent comparison between conventional cameras and Xiaomi’s third-generation under-display camera. We will also have to wait to see if the technology will be compatible with all screen types or not.

Xiaomi Third-Generation Under-Display Camera Availability

Xiaomi will be implementing the third-generation under-display camera technology in its smartphones starting from next year.

Technology	Availability
Xiaomi Third-Gen Under-display camera	2021

Check out our long-term review of the Xiaomi Mi 10

Amazon Halo Band: a new take on fitness band or a bag of privacy concerns?

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GadgetByte

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August 29, 2020

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Amazon Halo Band: a new take on fitness band or a bag of privacy concerns?

Jeff Bezos is worth $200 billion, but he isn’t done yet. The world’s richest man is now foraying into the health gadget market. This market has been growing rapidly over the past couple of years. Thus it makes sense for Amazon to get into this band-wagon. However, their new product, the Amazon Halo Band, is a fitness tracker unlike anything seen before. It comes with your regular fitness tracking features, however, unlike your Apple Watch or Fitbits, this one does not have a screen.

Amazon Halo Band Overview

Yup, you read that correct, it does not have a screen of any sort. Rather, its tag along the app will use your smartphone camera to render a 3D scan of your body. And there’s an audio tracker to listen for the emotion in your voice. This deviation from the traditional fitness tracker standards suggests that Amazon is creating a niche market for itself. And more than a smartwatch or a fitness tracker, the Amazon Halo Band will be more of a lifestyle changing product. The band is not a stand-alone product and therefore comes with its own set of services. Moreover, the Halo service subscription comes with a suite of labs that will ultimately help you improve your healthy habits. So, let’s dive deeper into the features and the various services of the Amazon Halo Band.

Design

The Amazon Halo Band looks similar to other wrist bands, barring the screen that is. This device will be available in three primary colors: onyx, mineral, and rose gold. The band includes hardware such as an accelerometer, temperature sensor, heart rate monitor, two mics, an LED indicator, and a button to toggle the mics.

The mics are there for the aforementioned audio tracker. And not only does this device lack a screen, but it also does not have GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular radio. It will use Bluetooth to connect with your smartphone. The band, including its sensors, is water-resistant to up to 5ATM. And according to the company, its battery should last for a full week.

Tone Tracker

The tone tracker comes as a part of the Halo services. It will use the microphones in the band, to assess the emotions in the user’s tone.

Basically, once you agree to use this service, the Halo app will ask you to read out some text. This is done so that the device can pick up only your voice and not the surrounding noises. After that, the band will listen to your voice at irregular intervals, analyze it, and give a judgment on things like positivity and energy. The judgment will be based on factors such as pitch, intensity, rhythm, and tempo.

However, the analysis is going to be slightly off the mark if the user has a different English accent. The Tone feature is modeled on American English, so for non-native and British English speakers, this feature might not work as expected. But hey, this is just the beginning and it will likely improve in the future.

Picking up tones and assessing the emotion certainly looks like something out of a Black Mirror episode. And at a time when people are on a high alert regarding their data, a device that analyzes their voice will certainly spike privacy concerns. However, Amazon was quick to address how they will be handling these audio data. So, basically, these data won’t be uploaded in any server at all. Furthermore, no other human will get to hear the audio. Rather, the band will directly send the audio snippets to your smartphone via Bluetooth. And they get analyzed in the app itself based on various algorithms. Moreover, the audio snippets get deleted immediately after the analysis.

Body Scans

You won’t actually need the band to make use of the body scan feature. You can go to the Halo app and there you’ll find the proper instructions. Basically, you’ll need to wear a tight-fitting cloth, adjust your phone on a stand and move back 5-6 feet from it. Then, the app will take 4 pictures (front, back, left, and right) and upload them to their server. There, it will combine these photos to render a 3D scan of your body, which you will be able to see on your phone itself. And the photos are immediately deleted from the Amazon servers.

The app uses ML to analyze the 3D scan and give you an accurate measurement of your body fat percentage. Amazon argues that even bio-electrical impedance that is generally used to measure body fat percentage does not give a result as accurate as the ones form these scans.

Once you get the scan result, you can use the slider to see what your body will look like with less body fat. Of course, suggesting someone what their body should look like can be problematic. Especially for those suffering from self-image issues, anorexia, and dysmorphic disorder. However, there are “safeguards” of sorts in the app. It recommends the user to only scan every other week. Moreover, the slider won’t go down to show dangerously low body fat levels.

Health Lab, Subscriptions & Other Features

There are multiple third parties that Amazon has collaborated with in order to create “labs”. These are the services that come in addition to the standard Halo service. For instance, the partnership with WW will allow the data from the Halo app to sync with the FitPoints system.

Similarly, other “Labs” will offer four-week health habit challenges. The data of these challenges will be shared only with specific partners and that too in an aggregated and anonymous way.

Other features of the Amazon Halo Band include cardio fitness tracking. However, that is done on a weekly rather than daily basis. Also, you get an abstracted score for steps and sleep. The band is not exactly designed to be your workout partner as you will have to manually enter every type of exercise into the app.

Privacy Concerns

Body scans and Tone tracker/analyzer seem like flashy services, however, people are likely to see them as a privacy concern. I’ve already talked about how it will take care of the privacy-related issue in the Tone tracker, but let’s see what else the company had to say.

Basically, all the features are opt-in, meaning they are easy to toggle on or off. Furthermore, the company will post the details of every data and also show how you can delete them. No, humans will see your body scan images and most of the data will be stored on your local device only. And the body scan images that are initially uploaded to the server for analysis will be deleted within 12hrs.

Some of the key information relating to the privacy of data are:

Any data that is stored in the cloud can be downloaded at any time and be deleted. Furthermore, users will get the option to reset their account to 0.
Scan images will not be shared with other apps unless explicitly exported by the users themselves.
Tone analysis data will not be used for training purposes
Data shared with third parties will be in an aggregate and anonymous way.
Halo profile is separate from Amazon Account and will need to be activated individually with two-factor authentication.

Amazon Halo Band Price and Availability

The Amazon Halo Band will cost $99.99. And for services users will need to pay a subscription fee of $3.99 per month. Currently, the device has launched in an invite-only early access program. And there its introductory price is $64.99 which includes 6 months of service subscription.

Conclusion

The Amazon Halo band seems like a flashy device that is trying to carve a niche market of its own. However, the band comes with its set of privacy concerns which despite the company’s statement, will worry many people. Furthermore, by charging an additional subscription fee, Amazon has already placed itself on the backfoot. That’s because its competitors Fitbit and Withings offer the complete thing as a bundled package. But hey, Amazon Halo is not designed for everyone, therefore there are going to be people who will go for it. And only time will tell how far the Amazon Halo Band will go on to add the riches for Jeff Bezos.