Apple’s annual WWDC 2020 took place yesterday. And it revealed what Apple has lined up for its users this year. It was the first Worldwide Developers Conference that was an online-only event. Usually, we get to hear Apple talk about their software at WWDC. And sometimes there is a hardware surprise in the mix too. However, this year it was all software. The major talking point of the Apple WWDC 2020 Keynote was the iOS14, watchOS 7, and the iPadOS 14. So without further ado, let’s dive into the details about these software upgrades.
Apple WWDC 2020 Keynote Highlights:
iOS 14 Overview
iPhone users are eagerly waiting for the iOS 14 update that is scheduled for later this year. And this conference showed why there’s such a buzz surrounding it. There’s a major UI change in this year’s iOS update. On iOS 14, users will be able to customize their home screen in a much better way.
Apple has introduced the “App Library” in iOS 14. It is an app drawer wherein all your apps will be organized in one place based on criteria like app type, recently added, and so on. This allows you to remove unnecessary pages. Furthermore, now you can add widgets from the side screen and add them to your home screen. A smart stack widget has been added to the long list of widgets on the iPhone. It basically changes throughout the day. For instance, in the morning, it might show you a calendar and gradually changes to something else as you go by your day.
Moreover, PiP (Picture-in-Picture) support has been added to iOS. And there’s been a change in Siri’s UI too. No more is it your full-screen voice assistant. Rather, it pops up at the bottom of the screen. Wait a minute… these “new” changes remind me of a certain other OS that has had these features for quite some time now. Let me know if you feel the same.
Anyway, there are some unique features the iOS 14 brings in. For instance, now you can pin messages in the messaging app. And there are two routing modes for cycles and EV vehicles in the Maps app. It will show you the best routes according to the type of vehicle(s). Additionally, you can now use your iPhone as your car key too. It uses NFC to unlock your car and is available on 2021 BMW 5 series cars.
iPadOS 14 Overview
For the most part, the iPadOS 14 update gets similar to that of the iOS 14. Customizable widgets, size of the Siri UI, a sidebar, and a universal search bar. The search bar looks similar to Spotlight on macOS. From there you can search for your contacts, perform a web search, or launch an app.
The major overhaul in the iPadOS 14 is related to the Apple Pencil. A new app called “Scribble” was introduced and it allows you to hand-write in any text field. Your written text will be automatically converted to text. Moreover, the OS can detect the context too. That means based on what you write, you will be guided to the appropriate app. Now, this feature is similar to what Android users can find on the Galaxy Note, but hey now it’s on the iPad.
Another useful feature comes in combination with the AirPods Pro. Now, your AirPods will be able to detect what device is in closer proximity. That means if you have paired your AirPods Pro with your iPhone and decide to switch it with an iPad. The AirPods will automatically connect to the iPad. That’s sweet! Apple also introduced “Spatial Audio” for AirPods which gives you a 3D surround sound effect.
watchOS 7 Overview
Moving on, WWDC 2020 introduced the world to watchOS 7. With this, you can now share your watch faces with others via social media or to your contacts. And the presentation sort of hinted that developers can now create watch faces too. Maybe it is Apple’s response to third-party watch face stores.
Another handy feature is the clever handwashing mode. Basically, the watch can sense you washing your hand with soap water, and as soon as it senses that, it will start a 20-second countdown.
However, the biggest feature to roll-out with watchOS 7 is “Sleep Tracking”. Yup, your Apple Watch can now track your sleep. It uses motion-sensors, heart-rate sensors, and microphones to gather your sleep data. Furthermore, it will remind you to charge your device in the morning. I mean you’ll have to charge it in the morning if you’re planning on tracking your sleep anyway.
When it comes to midrange phones, consumers have a lot of options to choose from. Despite that, I feel like there are very few options in the budget segment. Though less in number, this market is totally dominated by the likes of Realme and Redmi smartphones. And today, I have the new Realme C3, which goes head-to-head against Redmi 8. The Realme C3 here has been gathering a lot of hype because of the new Helio G70 chipset, which claims to be the best budget gaming chipset. But, what about the other aspects of the phone? Let’s find out in our Realme C3 review here.
And before I get started, there are actually two variants of the phone depending upon the region you live – Indian & Global. The Global variant comes with a fingerprint sensor and an additional macro lens at the back, and that’s the one coming to Nepal as well. I have both these variants with me and have been using them alongside the Redmi 8 for like a week.
Realme C3 Specifications:
Body: 6.47 x 2.95 x 0.35 inches; 195 gm; Gorilla Glass; Splash-resistant design
Display: 6.5-inches “Mini-drop” IPS LCD panel
Resolution: HD+ (1600 x 720 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Battery: 5000 mAh with 10W charging; 5V/2A; reverse charging
Colors: Frozen Blue, Blazing Red
Price in Nepal: Rs. 16,990 (3+32GB) [Expected]
DESIGN
Starting with the design, the phone is made of plastic as you’d expect, but to be honest, the plastic back and frames feel quite good on the hands. The back is kinda interesting as well, with its radiant finish that reflects differently depending on how you look at it, and the textures for a better grip. It also doesn’t suffer from smudges, so I hardly had to clean it up. As a result, Realme hasn’t included a clear case inside the box.
It’s got a decent bit of weight & has no creaks either, and thus doesn’t feel like a cheap phone. All in all, I’m really digging the design of the Realme C3 and I gotta say, its plastic back is as good as it can get. The side-buttons are fairly tactile and get the job done. On the bottom, there’s a speaker grille and a 3.5mm headphone jack and its quality is pretty average as you generally see on budget phones.
DISPLAY
Moving to the display, it’s a big one. You get a 6.5-inch IPS panel with an HD+ resolution, which comes with a trendier 20:9 aspect ratio. All this makes for a big phone and I had a hard time navigating through the Realme C3 given how tall it is.
Talking about the display quality, although the brightness levels and the color reproduction are no problem, I noticed an uncanny level of sharpness on the videos. I’m certain one couldn’t tell it right away, yet it becomes vividly apparent after a while. Additionally, it also lacks the Widevine L1 certification.
So, despite having good-enough specs on paper, the display on the Realme C3 was kinda disappointing and therefore may not totally please the multimedia fanatics. On the contrary, Samsung Galaxy M11 with a similar 6.5-inch HD+ IPS display is of much better quality. All this makes one thing clear – you shouldn’t judge a phone just looking at its specs; real-life usage is where it’s at.
CAMERAS
Now let’s talk cameras. The vertical camera arrangement on the back, as you can see, has quite a bump, so you would definitely want to put on a decent case here. And Like I said earlier, there are two versions of the Realme C3. The Indian variant has a dual-camera setup with a 12MP main sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. The global variant has an additional 2MP macro lens- making it a triple camera phone.
But this doesn’t rule out the fact that the camera on the Realme C3 is sub-par. I’ll let the images speak for themselves. The first thing that you’ll notice in the images from the primary lens is the fact that they’re lacking in detail. Even when taking pictures from the regular 1x setting, the images turn out as if you had been zooming it using a 2x lens.
Realme C3 Day time images
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Apart from being void in detail, the colors aren’t any great either as they look very washed out and it utterly disappoints when it comes to details. Portraits, on the other hand, are no different. The bokeh effect is almost entirely wasteful and not worth sharing in social media.
Realme C3 Portraits
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The extra macro lens on the global variant is just okay, I guess, and surely isn’t anything spectacular. It would have been great if Realme had included a wide-angle lens instead of the gimmicky 2MP depth sensor and macro lens.
Realme C3 Macro images
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Coming to the selfies, once again, the 5MP front-facing camera just can’t seem to lock-in any sort of detail, and the HDR isn’t good too. However, you can take a portrait selfie from the front camera.
Realme C3 Selfies
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Turning to the night time images, the results are grainy and lack details yet again. But that’s a short-lived victory right there. Both Realme and Redmi haven’t provided a separate “Night mode” and have it reserved for their mid-range and premium phones only. All in all, it’s clear that Realme really needs to pay greater attention to detail in their cameras.
Realme C3 Night Time Image
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PERFORMANCE & SOFTWARE
Nevertheless, what can be labeled good, is the performance. Powered by the new Helio G70 chipset, I was eager to test out how it fared against real-life usage – and in most cases, it impressed me.
The G70 tries to revolutionize what we’ve come to expect from a cheap budget phone. It has an octa-core CPU with two powerful Cortex-A75 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores. Handling the graphics is the Mali-G52, which is decent too.
Having said that, though the performance is not bad at all, it is also not as good as what the benchmark scores may have led you to believe. That may be because of the new unpolished & heavy Realme UI, or I also think there’s an aggressive level of battery saving going on in the background. And that’s mostly reflected on Realme C3’s multitasking ability.
It’s very weird – the phone can’t seem to be able to hold apps in the memory for an extensive duration. In a brief period, the phone just gives up. And the measly 3GB of RAM variant I have isn’t doing Realme C3 any good. Even right after a fresh restart, with very few (and I mean really few) apps installed 2.6GB of the available 2.9GB memory is already occupied.
How is that acceptable? Realme should immediately look into the matter, as it absolutely crumbles the smartphone experience.
The Realme UI isn’t nearly as “complete” as I’d expected and the phone also comes with a bunch of bloatware. I think the company’s struck a deal to earn some money with this move and I won’t complain as you can uninstall all of them.
Gaming Performance
Moving to the gaming, the Helio G70 gave quite impressive results. Call of Duty ran well in low graphics and medium frame rate and there was no stutter or frame drop throughout the gameplay. More importantly, the phone didn’t heat up even after a prolonged gaming session.
Similarly, PUBG was playable on HD graphics with the high refresh rate turned on with no frame drops. However, I did notice some stutters here and there. Also, it did get mildly hot, but not in a way that affects the gaming experience. Other relatively light games like Clash Royale, Injustice 2, and Kung Fury run fine without any problem.
SECURITY
Talking about the security, you also got a physical fingerprint scanner on the global variant. The placement’s no problem, but with the ridged back and a lack of proper edges, my finger would often fail to recognize where the scanner actually is.
When it did, the sensor works fine though it’s definitely not the fastest one I’ve used. Also, sweats & humidity easily stick on to it, and I would often have to clean it up for the fingerprint scanner to work again. Also, there’s face unlock which works just fine like every Realme phone.
BATTERY
Getting to the battery, the 5000mAh cell on the Realme C3 is amazing. It is easily a 2-day battery phone, which is aided by a ton of power-saving features. Even with heavy usage, I got about a day and a half of usage.
The only disappointing thing is the Micro USB charging port and the 10W charging. On the contrary, the Redmi 8/8A not only comes with a faster 18W charging, and they also have the newer USB Type-C port.
CONCLUSION
To wrap it all up, there are a lot of things to like about the Realme C3, and a couple of things to complain about too. The phone’s got a solid design and the performance will not disappoint, but the cameras and the display certainly need some reworking.
That brings me to the burning question – should you get the Realme C3? If you’re tight on budget, I don’t see how you could go wrong with it. But if you are planning to use the phone for a long time, I strongly feel like you should spend a little more and get yourself a decent mid-ranger instead, like the Redmi Note 8 or the Galaxy M21. With just a little more investment, you’ll be getting a whole lot of benefits!
However, here in Nepal, Realme has priced the C3 at Rs. 17,000, which is Rs. 500 more than the 64GB variant of the Redmi 8. With Redmi 8, you are going to get better glass body design, Type-C with fast charging, bigger 64GB storage, and a slightly better camera. Hence, Redmi 8 seems to a better value for money in the budget category. However, if you want the best gaming performance at this price, there isn’t a better option than the Realme C3.
Today, Facebook reigns at the top of the VR industry because of Oculus, which the company acquired in 2014 for $2.3 billion. But that could change soon as another big name is ready to jump into the market. A report from Bloomberg suggests that Apple is developing two AR/VR devices. The first device, dubbed N301, is a headset that will make use of both AR and VR technology. The other is an AR glass with codename N421. Let’s take a look at all the rumors and leaks surrounding Apple’s upcoming AR/VR devices.
Apple’s Upcoming AR/VR devices
The report from Bloomberg mentions that a secret “Technology Development Group” has been developing the N301 and N421 for the past five years. The group lead by Mike Rockwell came up with the prototype of N301, which was eventually turned down by former Apple executive Jony Ive because of its design.
N301 AR/VR Handset Overview
N301 is the more powerful of the two and is capable of using both the AR and VR technology. VR would be used for gaming and other consumer content that could require an artificial world. AR could allow information and notification to appear before the user’s eye without blocking much of the real world contents.
Though it was supposed to be a portable wearable device, the prototype looked far from it. The development team couldn’t figure out a way to include processing and graphics capability in the form factor of a wearable. Developers came up with a Mac-like box that could wirelessly connect to a headset. Mr. Ive wasn’t satisfied with this box + wireless headset design.
The latest prototype of the N301 is said to look similar to Facebook’s Oculus Quest. It is likely to feature a fabric body. To get rid of the initial design, developers had to compromise with raw power. It will still be a powerful device; it’s just that it won’t match the power that was intended at the start of the project. The device will come with an advanced display technology that will make it impossible for users to differentiate between VR and the real world. It will come with its own App Store for games, streaming, and other applications. The device will also support Siri.
N421 integrates AI technology in a wearable spectacle. It will be the simpler of the two devices that Apple is working on. According to Bloomberg, Ive loved the idea of N421 AR Glasses over two reasons. First, it was a more portable and more practical design than the N301. Second, the exclusion of VR meant people weren’t that far away from the real world.
Source: Jon Prosser
Though there is hardly any detail about the N421, it reminds us of the Apple Glasses that Jon Prosser has been hinting about. Over the past year, Prosser has emerged as a reliable tipster when it comes to Apple products. According to him, Apple Glasses will feature two holographic displays. It will be able to connect to iPhones and will support gesture control. However, Prosser predicts Apple Watch to launch next year, which doesn’t align with Bloomberg’s prediction.
Apple AR/VR Devices Launch
According to the report, the N301 AR/VR headset will be announced in 2021 with the release set for 2022. Similarly, N421 AR Glasses will release in 2023.
AR/VR devices
Expected Availability
N301 AR/VR headset
2022
N421 AR Glasses
2023
Check out our thoughts on the new iPhone SE (2020)
HMD Global has the license to launch phones under the Nokia branding. It has brought out a significant number of new Nokia phones. In addition to that, it has also been successful in cashing in the nostalgic factor by launching iconic devices from the past and tweaking in some modern features. Recently, Nokia resurrected it’s 13 year old Nokia 5530 Xpress Music phone to the Nokia 5310 (2020). And finally, it’s here in Nepal. Let’s find out the specs, features, price, and availability of Nokia 5310 (2020) in Nepal.
Nokia 5310 (2020) Overview
As mentioned earlier, the new Nokia 5310 is a modern take on the classic Nokia 5310 Xpress Music. The latter was launched back in 2007. Because of its dedicated key for playback control, it was a popular device among music lovers.
Display and Design
The new Nokia 5310 (2020) features a similar bar phone design as the older 5310. It is available in two color combinations – White + Red and Black + Red and weighs around 88.2 grams.
The phone features a 2.4-inch TFT panel with a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels. The panel covers a large chunk of space on the front of the device and is curved at the sides. We also have a large physical keypad on the bottom half of the phone.
Considering that it’s a bar phone, there isn’t much to talk about the performance of the device. Under the hood, it packs MediaTek’s MT6260A. For memory, it has 8MB of RAM and 16MB of storage. The latter can be expanded up to 32GB using a microSD card.
It runs on Nokia Series 30+ operating system. It has a 0.3MP VGA camera on the back along with an LED flash.
Music Express Gene
The phone comes with dedicated keys on the side of the device that lets the user take control of the music player. It also features dual speakers for better music experience. The new Nokia 5310 supports wireless FM, thanks to its internal antenna. It also comes with support for 3GP video codec.
Battery and Connectivity
Nokia 5310 (2020) features a battery a 1,200mAh battery. The company claims it offers up to 30 days of standby time. For connectivity, it supports Bluetooth 3.0. As there is no Wi-Fi, users will have to use Bluetooth to send and receive music files. It can also be used to connect wireless headphones. As the device doesn’t even support 3G network band, you need to rely on slower 2G internet.
Nokia 5310 (2020) Specifications:
Dimension: 123.7 x 52.4 x 13.1-mm
Weight: 88.2g
Display: 2.4-inch TFT screen
Resolution: QVGA (240 x 320)
Chipset: MediaTek’s MT6260A
OS: Nokia Series 30+
RAM: 8MB
Storage: 16MB, expandable up to 32GB via SD card
Rear Camera: VGA camera with LED Flash
Battery: 1200mAh battery; supports; micro-USB (USB 1.1) port
Connectivity: Dual-sim (mini), Bluetooth 3.0, GSM 900/1800 bands, 3.5mm jack
Though Huawei is working on its own OS, it has publicly announced its desire to keep working with Android. So, Huawei is working on alternatives to fill the void left by Google Mobile Services. The latest on the list is the Huawei Petal Search, which is an alternative to Google Search. Keep reading, to learn more about the new Petal Search.
The Entity List Curse
The inclusion of Huawei in the US Entity list has put a halt on the company’s growing ambitions. Before the ban, Huawei was the second biggest smartphone brand in the world and was eyeing for the top rank. Now, Google has been forbidden to work with Huawei, as a result of which, it had to cancel the Huawei’s license for GMS. This has proven to be a major blow to the company as GMS forms the backbone of the modern Android functionality. The latest apps rely heavily on the GMS, and Huawei is struggling to make them work with HMS. Because of it, Huawei is losing its appeal outside of its domestic market of China.
Huawei Petal Search – Find Apps
Up until now, Petal Search used to be known the name of Huawei Search. It was developed to take the place of Google Search in the Huawei’s ecosystem. But it isn’t just another Search Engine. It comes with the tagline “Your Gateway to a million Apps”. It’s clear that Huawei has developed this app to allow users to easily locate third-party apps and download them.
How does Petal Search work?
Huawei has integrated the AppGallery into the Petal Search’s system. So, when users search for a particular app, the search engine will first look into the AppGallery. If the app is available, the app will redirect users to AppGallery. Else, the Petal Search will search in third-party providers. For each search, the app will provide a list of apps, along with their respective source.
Availability
Huawei has included Petal Search as a part of the latest EMUI 10.1.0131 update. As of now, it is available in 45 countries. Similarly, the app supports more than 40 different languages. Users can even add Petal Serach’s widget for more convenience. You can even download it via AppGallery.
The Problem
Huawei wants you to see the new Petal Search as a solution but it is far from the actual case. The idea of downloading apps from third different sources raises concerns about user’s privacy and security. Apps from such sources may come with viruses and malware and it will be wrong to recommend apps if you are not sure about their origin.
Check out our thoughts on Huawei’s Google-less future!
Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is among the best smartwatches that you can currently buy in Nepal. Though it has an ECG sensor, the lack of proper software means users can’t use it. Other than that, it is a feature-packed smartwatch and a fitness guide. If you were thinking of buying one, you now have one more reason to do so. Samsung has started rolling out the Blood Pressure Monitoring feature in the Galaxy Watch Active 2. Read along to learn more about the feature.
Blood Pressure Monitoring in Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2
There have been talks about Samsung releasing Galaxy Watch 3 later this year. But it is not stopping the company from pushing out updates and support for their existing line up of smartwatches.
Samsung first announced the feature earlier this year. Back then, Samsung aimed to bring the new functionality around the third quarter of 2020 along with the ECG support. It awaited clearance from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The process took less time than anticipated and Samsung has already started rolling out the update for Galaxy Watch Active 2 users in the home country.
Samsung Health Monitor App
To enjoy the new feature, one must have the Samsung Health Monitor App installed on both: smartwatch and smartphone. The app is compatible with Galaxy smartphones running on Android 7 and newer devices. In South Korea, Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 users have already started receiving software updates that allow them to install the Samsung Health Monitor app.
How does it work?
Are smartwatches going to replace bulky sphygmomanometers? As of now, the answer is an obvious no. Though the new Blood Monitoring feature in the Galaxy Watches sounds cool, you will still need a traditional cuff to get it calibrated. This is because the sensor on the Galaxy Watch cannot read the blood pressure. It uses a pulse wave analysis technique to detect the change in blood pressure. The app uses the initial reading and change to determine the current blood pressure. Users can track the blood pressure when they want and can even opt to share the readings with doctors.
While the app doesn’t entirely remove the need for traditional equipment, it makes it a lot easier to keep track of blood pressure and share the data with health personnel. You can check your blood pressure whenever you want, without having to carry around cuffs.
ECG feature to roll out in Q3
Though Galaxy Watch Active 2 has an ECG sensor, Samsung is struggling with permissions and software support to make it functional. The company has announced that the blood monitoring via the ECG sensor will be available in the third quarter later this year. Compared to optical counterparts, the ECG sensors are more accurate and reliable. The upcoming update will help bridge the gap between Samsung’s Galaxy Watch lineup and Apple Watch. It might even give an upper edge to the former since the latter lacks the blood pressure monitoring feature.
Remember when phones used to be about making calls, sending texts – and that’s about it? Pepperidge farm remembers. These days, it’s all about bigger cameras, smoother displays, faster connectivity, and all the buzzwords with a superlative adjective you can think of attached to them. And Samsung has done exactly that with its new Galaxy S20 series. The S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra all come with those top-of-the-line features. However, as the name implies, the SamsungGalaxy S20 Ultra is the most amazing of the bunch, which has just launched in Nepal at a fairly competitive price.
Overview
Design & Display
As I mentioned before, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is definitely the most promising phone among the bunch. It features a similar build to its regular S20 counterparts but has a taller 6.9-inches QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. That makes it the biggest ‘S’ phone to date and matter of fact, it’s even bigger than last year’s Galaxy Note 10+! And because it’s got such a big sensor and a big battery (which I’ll get into in just a bit), S20 Ultra is a little on the bulkier side as well.
Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra Display
Besides that, it’s got every premium feature we expect from a flagship phone in 2020. Glass back/front, IP68 dust/water resistance, it’s got’em all! However, there are a couple of elements missing this time around compared to last year’s S10 series. First of all, the 3.5mm headphone jack is gone. F’s in the comment, bois. Next up, Samsung has also gone ahead and gotten rid of the heart rate sensor and the variable aperture lens on the entire S20 series.
Cameras
But a tall display is not what makes the S20 Ultra so interesting. It’s the cameras. It features a quad-camera setup with a monstrous 108MP main sensor alongside a 12MP ultra-wide, a 48MP telephoto, and a ToF 3D DepthVision sensor. The S20 Ultra supports of 10X hybrid optical zoom using the 108MP sensor and a folded-lens technology. With this, a powerful zoom effect is produced when the light is refracted at an angle on the telephoto lens.
This, paired with 10X digital zoom, the S20 Ultra achieves an unheard-of 100X super-res digital zoom. The size of the image sensor on the S20 Ultra (and S20 and S20+) has been drastically increased as well. Here, the S20 Ultra’s 108MP sensor makes use of “nona bidding” technology which combines the details of 9 images at once, giving off a sharp, vibrant, and well-lit 12MP image even in low-light situations.
In our review of the S20/S20+, we found their 30X Space Zoom to hardly be of any use. Most of the time, the 30 times zoomed images were unusable. However, because the S20 Ultra has a bigger sensor, we expect it to be the perfect middle-ground for say 30X or even 50X zoom, though we’re almost certain the 100X zoom will be lackluster.
There’s also 8k/24fps recording, which was a little disappointing in the S20/S20+ since those phones depended on the 64MP telephoto lens for it. But things may change by a little or exponentially in the case of S20 Ultra with its 108MP lens.
Similarly, the selfie camera also sees a superiority on the S20 Ultra. It’s a 40MP lens with 80º field-of-view (FOV).
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is powered by the same chipsets as the other in the S20 family – which is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (US) or the Samsung Exynos 990 (Global). Though both chipsets come with a separate 5G modem (and Samsung’s also been marketing the S20 series as inherently 5G-capable phones), seeing how many parts of the world still lack a proper 5G infrastructure, the company is also launching LTE variants of the S20 series.
In the case of regular S20 & S20+, the LTE variants also compromised in terms of RAM capacity; i.e: lesser RAM than 5G models. However, both 5G and LTE variants of the S20 Ultra will come with either 12 or 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 3.0 internal storage.
Battery
Likewise, the S20 Ultra has a bigger 5000mAh battery, which supports 45W fast charging that we saw on last years’ Galaxy Note 10+. It is also wireless and reverse-wireless charging compatible.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Specifications
Body: 6.57 x 2.99 x 0.35 inches; 222 gm; IP68 certification
Audio: Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital/Plus
Connectivity: Hybrid SIM (two Nano or one Nano-SIM + one MicroSD card), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, sub-6GHz & mmWave 5G spectrum, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS, NFC, USB Type-C
Battery: 5000 mAh; 45W fast charging; 15W Fast Wireless Charging 2.0; 9W reverse Wireless PowerShare
Colors: Cosmic Grey, Cosmic Black
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Price in Nepal, Availability
The official price of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra in Nepal is Rs. 1,59,999. It comes in two colors – Cosmic Black and Cosmic Gray. Samsung is also offering Galaxy Buds+ for free and 1-year breakage insurance on the purchase of S20 Ultra in Nepal.
Model
Price in Nepal
Availability in Nepal
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Rs. 1,59,999
June 23 2020 from Offline retail shops
So, what do you think about the Galaxy S20 Ultra – the most expensive Samsung phone yet, if we exclude the foldables? Boasting an insane spec-sheet, and also a big asking price, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is one of the best phones to ever land in Nepal.
Don’t forget to check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy S20/S20+
In recent times, the cost of Qualcomm’s latest 5G chipset has caused smartphones to be more expensive. It is more apparent in the flagship market. MediaTek has taken this opportunity to promote its Dimensity series of SoCs. We have seen a number of smartphone brands turn to MediaTek for affordable 5G devices. One such brand is Huawei, which launched Enjoy Z 5G last month. The device has now been re-branded as Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro in Nepal.
Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro Overview
Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro 5G is the re-brand of Huawei Enjoy 5G, that debuted in China last month. The re-brand could mean that Huawei is planning to launch the device outside of the home market.
Design and Display
Enjoy 20 Pro features a 6.5-inch FHD display. There is a waterdrop style notch on the top of the device, that houses the front camera. While it is not an AMOLED panel, it does support a 90Hz refresh rate.
The rear panel of the smartphone is made up of glass. Like any other Huawei device, the design on the back panel is pleasant to look at. It is available in three color options – Black, Blue, and Silver. Since the fingerprint sensor is on the right side, there isn’t anything distracting on the rear panel other than the camera module and the Huawei lettering.
Performance and Memory
Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro comes with Dimensity 800 SoC. It is an octa-core chipset with two ARM Cortex-A76 and six ARM Cortex-A55 cores. The chipset was first announced at the beginning of the year and it has been featured in some of the cheaper 5G smartphones. It has an integrated 5G modem that supports both SA and NSA networks.
The device is available in two memory configurations. The base variant features 6GB of RAM while it’s 8GB in the top model. Both variants come with 128GB of internal storage which can be expanded up to 256GB using Huawei’s proprietary Nano Memory Card.
Camera
Enjoy 20 Pro sports a 48MP triple camera setup. The primary camera has an aperture of f/1.8. It is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. Similarly, there is a 2MP sensor for macro photography. For selfies, there is a 16MP camera upfront.
Battery and Others
The smartphone gets its juice from a 4,000mAh battery with support for 22.5W fast charging technology. A capacitive fingerprint sensor is mounted on the side. It runs on EMUI 10.1 based on Android 10. Sadly, it lacks Google Mobile Service. It will greatly affect its appeal outside of China.
Battery: 4000 mAh Li-polymer battery, 22.5W (10V/2.25A) fast charging
Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro is now up for pre-order in China where its price is 1,999 Yuan for 6/128GB and 2,299 Yuan for 8/128GB variant. The brand will start delivering the orders starting from June 24. We expect the price of Huawei Enjoy 20 Pro in Nepal to start at NPR 36,000 for the base variant.
Chinese mobile manufacturer Tecno has launched a new budget smartphone. Labeled as the Tecno Spark Power 2, the mobile is the latest addition to their Spark lineup. It is a budget smartphone that offers decent specs. However, we are not sure whether this device will make its way into the Nepalese market. With that out of the way, let’s dive into what this device has for offer.
Tecno Spark Power 2 Overview
The device comes with a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1640 x 720 pixels. Furthermore, the display offers a typical brightness of 480 nits. To house the 16MP selfie camera, there’s a waterdrop notch upfront.
On the back, you get a vertically aligned quad-camera setup. It consists of a 16MP primary sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide lens, a 2MP dedicated macro lens. And finally an AI lens. The fourth sensor will help in achieving the bokeh effect. Furthermore, there’s a fingerprint sensor just beside the camera module. It can be used as the camera shutter button, or to dismiss alarms and receiving and recording calls.
Under the hood, the phone is powered by the Helio P22 SoC. It is complemented by 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. However, there’s an option to expand the storage by up to 256GB through a dedicated microSD slot. Furthermore, the phone is powered by a huge 6000mAh battery. However, it charges through a micro-USB port. So that’s a bummer.
Other features of the device include a 3.5mm headphone jack, dedicated key for Google Assistant. And Dirac-powered dual speaker.
Specifications:
Design: Glass body front, Plastic back, Plastic frame
Display: 7″ Super AMOLED display with HD resolution (1640 x 720 pixels)
The device will go on sale in India through June 23. And will be available through Flipkart. As for the price, the Tecno Spark Power 2 will cost INR 9,999 ($130).
While the tech enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for AMD’s upcoming fourth generation of Ryzen desktop processors, AMD has announced three new XT CPUs under the current third-generation lineup. The new XT processors rely on the same underlying architecture as their X-counterparts but enjoy a boosted clock speed. Read along to learn more about the new AMD Ryzen 3000 XT desktop processors, including their specs, features, price, and availability.
AMD Ryzen XT Processors Overview
The AMD Ryzen XT Processors aren’t an entirely new set of CPUs that the company has designed from the ground up. Instead, AMD has tweaked the existing X processors to allow them to reach higher boosted clock frequency. The newly announced desktop processors include Ryzen 5 3600XT, Ryzen 7 3800XT, and Ryzen 9 3900XT.
Ryzen XT vs Ryzen X
Here, Ryzen XT processors are all based on AMD’s Zen 2 architecture. These are the “Matisse Refresh” models of existing Ryzen 5 3600X, Ryzen 7 3800X, and Ryzen 9 3900X. The XT models have the same core/thread counts, cache size, and base frequency as their X counterparts. However, AMD has increased the boosted frequency on the XT processors. The biggest boost is in the Ryzen 3800XT which can now reach up to 4.7GHz compared to 4.5GHz that the Ryzen 3800X could achieve. That’s an additional 200MHz boost in the single-core performance. Similarly, Ryzen 3900XT and 3600XT can reach 4.7GHz, and 4.5GHz respectively. It calculates to 100MHz boost in each of them.
It’s still unclear how AMD has managed to achieve higher clock speeds without making any significant change to the architecture. Even the TDP remains unchanged. We may not know how they did it but their intention is crystal clear – AMD wants to close the gap between the Ryzen processor and their Intel counterparts.
Though Ryzen processors are known for their performance to price ratio, they are yet to match the Intel processor’s single-core performance. Intel’s higher boosted frequency means that they are better for applications that don’t require all the cores. Such is the case with modern PC games; they don’t utilize all of the cores and rely more on single-core performance.
No more bundled cooler
All of the Ryzen X processors mentioned above come with default cooler but this isn’t the case with the XT processors. While the Ryzen 5 3600XT will still come bundled with Wraith Spire cooler, there won’t be any stock cooler accompanying the other two. AMD has recommended user to use a minimum 2800mm radiator. The list of recommended coolers can be found at AMD’s official site.
B550 motherboards and A520 Chipset
Along with the new processors, AMD has also announced the new A520 chipset for socket AM4. It’s a successor to existing entry-level A320 chipsets. The latest chipset will support Ryzen 3000 processors and beyond. Similarly, AMD has launched the B550 motherboards as well.
AMD StoreMI 2.0
AMD has also announced the upgrade to the AMD StoreMI dubbed AMD StoreMI 2.0. To those unaware of the feature, it is a tool by AMD that utilizes resources effectively to improve load times, boot times, and system responsiveness. The new version comes with a new cache-based acceleration algorithm that is said to speed up boot time by up to 31% and game load times by up to 13%.
AMD Ryzen XT Processors Price and Availability
AMD Ryzen XT processors will debut on July 7 at the same price that their X counterparts launched a year ago. The Ryzen 9 3900XT, Ryzen 7 3800XT, and Ryzen 5 3600XT will have a launch price of $499, $399, $249 respectively. The AMD A520 motherboards will be available starting from August 2020.
