[Update @6th August 2020, 6:20 PM: We’ve updated the package prices including one-time setup costs for Dish Home Fibernet.]
Dish Home has been providing TV service in Nepal using DTH technology, for around a decade now. The company received the license to operate as an Internet Service Provider earlier this year. Dish Home has snow started providing internet service to its customer via Fiber Optics technology. Keep reading to know more about the service.
Dish Home Fiber Internet (Fibernet) Service
Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) has granted Dish Home to provide internet via fiber-optics and VSAT technology. The latter technology uses satellite transmission and will be used to connect rural areas to the internet. For now, Dish Home is providing the service in limited areas within the valley and thus, is using fiber optics.
Availability
The Fiber To The Home (FTTH) service by Dish Home is available in three areas of Kathmandu Valley. It is available in Bhainsepati, where the head office of the company is located. It has also been expanded in Kapan – Bouddha area. Similarly, Dish Home is also expanding the Fibernet service to the Tinkune – Baneshwor area with the help of Space-Time Network (local cable operator for SimTV).
Dish Home plans to expand its FTTH service outside of the Ring Road, which it expects to complete within 2077 BS. The company expects to attract 12,000 customers at the same time. After that, it will focus on the places inside the Ring Road.
Dish Home Fibernet Packages and Pricing
As of now, Dish Home has launched two packages: 25 Mbps and 40 Mbps, which is available for monthly, tri-monthly, semi-annual, and annual subscription. For existing Dish Home and SimTV users, the company is providing a slight discount on the annual subscription. The prices listed below are exclusive of VAT.
Package
1 Months
3 Months
6 Months
12 Months
25 Mbps
Rs. 1,100
Rs. 3,000
Rs. 5,500
Rs. 10,000
40 Mbps
Rs. 1,500
Rs. 4,200
Rs. 7,800
Rs. 14,500
Listed below is the setup charge for the Dish Home Fibernet. As of now, the company is not charging anything under the Installation Charge heading.
Internet Setup
1 Months
3 Months
6 Months
12 Months
Drop Wire
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Free
Fiber Router Rental
Rs. 1,000
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Refundable Deposit
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Rs. 500
Installation Charge
–
–
–
–
For more information, you can contact Dish Home at 9801-544000.
Dish Home Satellite Internet
Dish Home’s plan of providing internet using VSAT technology, has been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The company is facing difficulty to import necessary gears and equipment. The project will eventually start gaining pace once the current situation gets better.
Check out our review of the first Nepali Google-certified Android 4K TV!
Oppo has just announced the successor to last year’s K5. The new Oppo K7 5G now comes with an integrated 5G modem. Keep reading to learn more about the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Oppo K7 5G in Nepal.
Oppo K7 5G Overview
Design and Display
The Oppo K7 5G retains the 6.4-inch AMOLED display. It supports the FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The panel features a waterdrop style notch on the front to house the front camera. The bezels are slim and the fingerprint sensor is placed under the screen.
On the back, the vertical camera arrangement in its usual position. Oppo has replaced the gradient design on the back with a sunrise design. The rays originate from the bottom left corner of the rear panel. And this is where you’d find the “Oppo” branding as well.
Performance and Memory
It does not happen quite often but Oppo has actually prioritized performance over cameras in this mid-ranger. The Snapdragon 765G is an improvement over last year’s Snapdragon 730. This chipset has Adreno 620 as its GPU. The SoC comes features a more advanced 7nm node and comes with a built-in 5G modem. Oppo’s HyperBoost 3.0 and Qualcomm’s Elite Gaming features should promise a decent gaming experience. Oppo has also included Link Boost 2.0, which utilizes a 5G network and Wi-Fi connection for a better reliable connection.
The device comes with 8GB of RAM. Users can choose between 128GB and 256GB of internal storage. The K7 5G will ship with ColorOS 7 based on Android 10 out of the box.
Camera
Oppo has downgraded the camera on the K7 5G, at least on paper. While the predecessor had a bigger 64MP sensor, K7 5G features a 48MP primary camera. Oppo has to make up for the cost of the new 5G processor. What’s sad to see is that the 2MP macro and 2MP depth sensors have been left untouched for the quad-camera setup.
An 8MP ultra-wide sensor completes the rear camera setup. On the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera enclosed by the notch.
Battery and Others
The Oppo K7 5G comes with a 4,025mAh battery. It supports 30W fast charging through the USB Type-C port. The device has an optical fingerprint sensor for biometrics and supports NFC.
Battery: 4025 mAh battery with 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0
Oppo K7 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
Oppo K7 5G is available for pre-orders in China, where its price is ¥1,999 for the 8/128GB and ¥2,299 for the 8/256GB variant. The sales will start on August 11. We expect the price of Oppo K7 5G in Nepal to start at around NPR 37,000.
Smartphone Model
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Oppo K7 5G (8/128GB)
~ NPR 37,000
Oppo K7 5G (8/256GB)
~ NPR 42,000.
Check out our comparison between Oppo F15 and Galaxy A51
Vivo S7 5G is the latest 5G mid-range devices from the Chinese company. Keep reading to learn about the official specs, features, expected price, and availability of Vivo S7 5G in Nepal.
Vivo S7 5G Overview
Design and Display
Vivo S7 5G features a 6.44-inch AMOLED display. The device sports a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The dual selfie cameras on the front is located at the top center of the screen. It’s a multimedia device as well since the panel supports HDR contents and covers 98.5% of NTSC color gamut. Despite the dual-camera setup, the device maintains a 91.2% screen to body ratio.
On the back, a rectangular camera module houses the triple camera setup. The gradient design on the rear panel is pleasing to look at. The body is just 7.39mm thick and weighs around 170 grams. Vivo S7 5G is available in Monet color options, inspired by the French artist.
Processor and Memory
The Vivo S7 5G comes with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G processor. It has been the go-to SoC for mid-range 5G devices for a while now. Along with an integrated 5G modem, the processor comes with Qualcomm’s Elite Gaming features. The device comes with 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM but users can choose between 128GB and 256GB of internal storage.
Camera
A 64MP sensor leads the triple camera setup on the back. It supports Electronic Video Stabilization for a steadier video recording. Similarly, Vivo also included its latest Super Night mode. It can shoot in RAW format too. The primary camera is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. It is a positive step that the company has taken by voiding the quad-camera setup and packing in more features instead. However, we still think the 2MP depth sensor could have been replaced with a telephoto lens.
The dual-camera setup on the front is not gimmicky and packs in exciting features. The primary camera here is a 44MP sensor, which the company is advertising as ultra-clear. Like the rear camera, it comes with stabilization. It is joined by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. The primary selfie camera can record 4K videos at 60fps. Users can even shoot slow-motion selfies at 240fps. Similarly, it can also be used to record video in split-screen mode alongside the rear camera. The secondary camera has 105-degree FOV and will come handy while taking a group selfie.
Battery and Others
Vivo has included a decent 4,000mAh inside the phone. 33W flash charger is shipped with the phone. The device supports Hi-Res Audio but users will have to use a USB-C headset as the device lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Similarly, for earbuds users, the device comes with Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX HD and LDAC audio codec. Other notable features in-display fingerprint sensor, dual-band Wi-Fi, and NFC.
Front Camera:
– 44 MP sensor
– 8MP ultra-wide sensor
Security: Fingerprint sensor (under-display)
Audio: Hi-Res Audio, aptX HD, LDAC
Battery: 4000 mAh battery with 33W fast charging
Vivo S7 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
Vivo S7 5G is available for pre-order in China, where its price is ¥2,798 for the 8/128GB and ¥3,098 for the 8/256GB variant. The company will shart shipping the phone starting 8th August. We expect the price of the Vivo S7 5G in Nepal to start at around NPR 50,000.
China has announced the completion of its homegrown navigation system. President Xi Jinping confirmed the completion of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, nearly three decades since its initiation. The new system will compete against the US’s GPS, Russia’s GLONASS, and the EU’s Galileo. Keep reading to learn more about the BeiDou Navigation System.
BeiDou’s Timeline
China initially launched the BeiDou project back in 1994. In the first phase, otherwise known as BeiDou-1, China launched four Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) satellite in the space. China initially launched two satellites in 2000. It added two more satellites in the years – 2003 and 2007. Back then, only China could use these services.
The year 2004 marked the start of the second phase of the project. China launched the first satellite of the BeiDou-2 in 2004. The phase was completed in 2012. It broadened the coverage of the system to include the Asia Pacific region. Thus, China decommissioned BeiDou-1 in 2013.
The third phase started in 2009 and it finally concluded in 2020. The system was operational since 2018, two years before its completion. The BeiDou-3 has a total of 30 satellites and has been operational since 2018.
More about BeiDou Navigation System
Not only does BeiDou provide an accurate reading, but it also supports the transmission of messages and images. It can transit up to 1,200 Chinese characters. While the system can operate independently, it is compatible with three other navigation systems, namely GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), and Galileo (European Union).
The latest BeiDou-3 consists of 30 satellites. Out of the thirty, three are GEO satellites, three are Inclined Geosynchronous Orbie (IGSO) satellites, and twenty-four of them are Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. The latest satellites offer higher bandwidth for better communication and more accurate atomic clocks. The rubidium clock is fully manufactured inside China and loses only a second per 300 million years.
“No country can stop the historical pace of rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” – Xinhua
Thus, the new navigation system is proof that China is working to cut down reliability on foreign help. In recent times, the US government has heavily targetted China and China-based companies. Amidst that, the Chinese navigation system is a subliminal message that China can survive on its own technology. The country makes 500 different parts that are part of the system. It includes the rubidium atomic clocks, which the Chinese team completes in eight months.
Watch: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)
The rumors had been swirling around for a while. And now it’s finally here. The follow-up to the affordable Pixel 3a was launched today. Aptly named the Google Pixel 4a, the phone ultimately quenches the thirst of many enthusiasts who’d been waiting for this year’s inexpensive Pixel. The device had been speculated for a long time and many are glad to see it finally launch. It brings in a significant upgrade from its predecessor and will look to compete against the likes of the iPhone SE 2 and OnePlus Nord. So, let’s find out what Google Pixel 4a is all about including its expected price in Nepal.
Google Pixel 4a Overview
The phone is basically a toned-down version of the Google Pixel 4 that launched last year. It has a rather small 5.81-inch OLED panel with FHD+ resolution. It comes with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and 443ppi pixel density. Furthermore, it has an Always-on Display (AoD) option, plus HDR support. Also, it has a punch-hole cutout that features a single selfie camera.
Cameras have always been the main attraction of the Pixel devices and it is the same for the Pixel 4a too. However, unlike most smartphones these days it is not packed in multiple sensors. Rather, the rear features just a single 12.2MP camera. The camera comes with Dual Pixel Tech, HDR support, OIS, and EIS. Furthermore, other features include portrait mode, top shot, night sight with astrophotography, and fused video stabilization. Upfront, the selfie camera is an 8MP wide-angle lens.
A major upgrade from the Pixel 3a can be found under the hood. Snapdragon 730G replaces the Snapdragon 670 SoC in terms of the processor. And the RAM and storage have been bumped to 6GB and 128GB respectively. These are some significant upgrades right there. However, right now, these specs are the bare minimums that a mid-range device should be offering.
Also, the device features a slightly larger 3140mAh battery as compared with its predecessor’s 3080mAh unit. And it supports 18W fast charging.
Google Pixel 4a Specifications:
Design: Glass body front, plastic back, plastic frame
Display: 5.81″ OLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels)
Rear Camera: 12.2MP Sony IMX363 with f/1.7 aperture
Now, Google did mention something about the 5G variant of the Pixel 4a too. However, details about the phone were not revealed, except for the price which is $499. It is expected to pack in a different processor, most likely the Snapdragon 765G. And the rest of the specs is up for speculation. This variant will be launched only in selected countries such as UK, US, Canada, Germany, and some other European countries.
Google Pixel 4a Price in Nepal and Availability
The Google Pixel 4a is priced at $349 and it is available for pre-order in the US. It will, however, go on sale only on August 20. The device will arrive in India in October. Similarly, the 5G variant will cost $499. However, there is no confirmation about its availability just yet.
Model Name
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Google Pixel 4a (6/128GB)
NPR. 45,000
Google Pixel 4a 5G (6/128GB)
NPR. 65,000
Watch: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite vs Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)
Xiaomi is better-known for its value-oriented Redmi and Poco brands. Despite this, they have also been launching the premium Mi series since its establishment. Remember the Mi 3 that was launched back in 2013? Yes, that was Xiaomi’s flagship phone of 2013. But since then, I haven’t seen Xiaomi launching its flagship Mi lineup here in South Asia, although they were quite active in their homeland China and a few European markets. This year, they announced the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro and have launched these phones in many parts of the world. And here, I’ll be discussing the Xiaomi Mi 10 in this long-term review.
Connectivity: Single Nano-SIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/Beidou, USB Type-C
Battery: 4780mAh with 30W fast charging; 30W Wireless Charging
Colors: Coral Green, Twilight Grey, Peach Gold
Price in Nepal: Rs. 89,999 (8/256GB)
Xiaomi Mi 10 Long-Term Review:
Unlike its previous iterations, this year’s Mi flagships are quite expensive and are no longer flagship killers. Maybe that’s reserved for its Redmi K30 Pro and Poco F2 Pro phones from now on. In Nepal, only the Mi 10 has been launched. And I have been using it for almost a month now and have been comparing it with my primary phone, the Galaxy S20+. So, let’s find out if this new Xiaomi flagship is actually worth choosing over the Galaxy flagships.
Also, a little disclaimer. Xiaomi actually messed up with Mi 10’s pricing in India which is why you will see its many bad reviews. Mi 10 is like $100 more expensive than the OnePlus 8 in the country. So, if you are living in India, this Xiaomi flagship phone doesn’t make any sense. With that out of the way, let’s get on with the review of Xiaomi Mi 10.
Design
Glass front, glass back, and metallic frame
Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection all-around
Curved front and back delivers a comfortable grip
As you’d expect, Mi 10 is one premium-looking flagship smartphone. Both the front & the back of the phone are curved and made of glass while the frames are metallic, further adding to the premium-ness. Unfortunately, the glass front & back are protected by a generation older Gorilla Glass 5 which I feel is a compromise for a device of this stature.
I mean, Xiaomi provides it in its cheapest phones like the Redmi 8 as well. Furthermore, the Mi 10 lacks any sort of IP rating and the company has opted for a simpler P2i coating; which can also be found in much… much cheaper phones from Xiaomi.
In terms of weight, it is slightly heavier than the S20+ though the weight distribution is very good and the phone is ergonomically pleasing to hold. However, because of the camera bump at the back, I’d feel unsafe using it without a case. So, I slapped in the transparent case to the phone, that comes within the box itself.
What’s inside the box?
Talking about what’s inside the box, I was quite disappointed to see how Xiaomi didn’t include a pair of earphones. I don’t think I’m asking for a lot here since I paid flagship price for this, unlike other inexpensive Redmi phones. Even Apple includes a pair of wired earpods in its cheapest iPhone!
Design
1 of 2
Power Menu, Volume Rockers
SIM Tray, Type-C, Speaker
Additionally, the Mi 10 suffers from a slight flaw in design too. You see, the fourth lens from the top, in a separate module is a wide-angle lens. But its placement is so low that when you are shooting wide-angle images in portrait orientation, your fingers may get in the way.
Display
6.67-inches FHD+ curved E3 AMOLED panel
90Hz refresh rate; 180Hz touch sampling rate
Excellent colors & contrast, thanks to 100% DCI-P3, HDR10+
Getting to the display, Mi 10 features a stunning 6.6-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED panel from TCL and has a tiny punch hole cutout on the top left side. Xiaomi has also pre-installed a thin film screen protector, which is nice. Talking more about the quality of the panel itself, it has excellent color reproduction, deep blacks, and an ample amount of brightness thus rooting out any concern for visibility even in sunny outdoors.
Furthermore, under the “Color Scheme” option inside the settings, you can change the color profile from warm to cool and even choose the RGB color space. There’s a dark mode as well, which works flawlessly on this Super AMOLED screen.
Mi 10 also comes with a customizable Always-on-Display function, although it’s a bit limited. On the contrary, Samsung’s Galaxy Store boasts a much wider array of options. For this, the company can always reach out to the developers’ community; which is abundant, especially in India.
A well-implemented curved display
Like I said earlier, Mi 10’s display has curved edges that are comparatively excessive to the ones found in Samsung’s Galaxy S20 lineup. With this, you’d think there would be a lot of accidental touches but I hardly experienced any. And like Mi Note 10 Lite which we reviewed a while back, there’s also a setting to block the registry of touch around the edges.
All in all, I really like the display on the Mi 10. Having said that, it’s most definitely is not an A+ panel compared to some other premium phones like Galaxy S20, OPPO Find X2 Pro, etc. as it lacks a smoother 120Hz refresh rate and a sharper QHD+ resolution.
Instead, Xiaomi has settled with a regular FHD+ display, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 180Hz touch sampling rate. Though that’s smooth enough to some extent, I feel like it’s a valid argument against the phone’s premium price.
Performance
Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC (7nm)
8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage (non-expandable)
However, where the company hasn’t left any room for complaints is performance. Powered by the latest Snapdragon 865 which has been paired with 8GB of DDR5 RAM and UFS 3.0 storage, this is one of the fastest phones you can buy right now in Nepal.
To reiterate, shifting from my Exynos 990 powered S20+ to the Mi 10 was a wild experience as I could instantly notice a marginal improvement in performance. So, yeah; installing and opening apps, or multitasking between the heaviest of them is buttery smooth on this phone. I also have praise for MIUI’s memory optimization.
But, in terms of core UI/UX experience, it is just about average as we’ve discovered time and again. There are plenty of bloatware apps and you can’t even uninstall some of them. Thankfully, unlike Xiaomi’s inexpensive phones, the Mi 10 is completely ad-free.
Gaming
In terms of gaming, the Mi 10 has a major upper hand over the S20. For instance, you can play PUBG at HDR graphics with Extreme frame rates without any lags or stutters. On the other hand, the max you can go with the S20+ is HDR graphics and Ultra frame rates. As a result, the gameplay is significantly better on the Mi 10. Other FPS games like CoD: Mobile run fantastic as well.
However, I was bummed to find out that some of the games like Fruit Ninja and Fortnite still run at 30fps in Xiaomi Mi 10 during my review. And I think the company should partner with developers and optimize all the popular games to run at 90fps. On the contrary, OnePlus 8 has fully utilized its faster display as it can now run Fortnite at 90fps.
The company has also given attention to detail on some minor things like the vibration motor by which you get great haptic feedback when you unlock the phone using the fingerprint sensor, use navigation buttons, type something, etc. Now, briefly getting into the optical fingerprint scanner, in my experience, it is noticeably faster and more accurate than the one found on Galaxy S20+.
What about the audio?
Even the audio performance from its stereo speaker is great with decent dynamic range and low distortion even at high volumes. Despite this, it’s not quite on par with the iPhone 11 or S20+.
Talking more on the audio, Mi 10 lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack and neither does it come with Dolby Atmos support. Therefore, I noticed a lack of depth and immersive-ness when listening to music using a pair of wireless earbuds as compared to my S20+. You can tweak the sound optimization but it must’ve had Dolby Atmos for a phone of this price.
20MP front-facing camera inside a punch-hole cutout
Cameras
1 of 3
Front Camera
Back Camera
Rear Camera Bump
Okay, now let’s talk about cameras. And frankly, I’m a little disappointed with it. First off, its camera arrangement is not versatile enough for a flagship phone as its depth sensor and macro lens are plain stupid. These days, you see a telephoto zoom lens even in phones 1/3rd the price of Mi 10.
The primary lens here is a 108MP Samsung Bright ISOCELL HMX sensor which is slightly different from S20 Ultra’s HM1 sensor. Yet, the Mi 10 is the first phone in Nepal with a 108MP sensor. With this, the phone does quad-pixel binning with 4 pixels instead of nona-binning with 9 pixels to one in the S20 Ultra. Besides this, there’s a 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP depth sensor, and finally a 2MP macro lens.
Macro Images
Let’s start with the macro lens and I’ll be blunt here.
Macro
1 of 2
For a lack of a better word, it’s pretty useless and unnecessary.
Normal Images
But that’s obviously not the case with the primary 108MP sensor. I compared it with the S20+ and S20 Ultra, and the results are quite competitive. The images have excellent colors, contrast, and details.
Primary
1 of 6
Mi 10
Galaxy S20+
Mi 10
Galaxy S20+
Mi 10
Galaxy S20+
The dynamic range is quite good as well. All in all, the primary camera is well-deserving of the flagship title.
Wideangle Images
However, the 16MP wide-angle images are not flagship-grade, to put it nicely. Under lighting, it produces nice images but comparatively, the S20+ has way better details and dynamic range.
Wideangle
1 of 4
Mi 10
Galaxy S20+
Mi 10
Galaxy S20+
Also, wide-angle shots in night mode are equally bad and you don’t get a dedicated night mode feature under this lens as well.
Nighttime Images
Moving to the nighttime images, the physically big 108MP sensor captures great images. But one thing that didn’t sit nicely with me is how when clicking photos is low-light in normal mode, it takes about 4 to 5 seconds to optimize the shot.
Normal Nighttime, Night Mode
1 of 7
Mi 10 - 108MP Night Mode
Mi 10 Night Mode
Galaxy S20+ Night Mode
Mi 10 Night Mode
Galaxy S20+ Night Mode
Mi 10 - Normal Nighttime
Mi 10 Night Mode
Isn’t this why night mode exists? As a result, if you compare the low light shots in normal and night time mode, there isn’t much of a difference.
Wideangle Night Mode
1 of 3
Mi 10 Normal Nighttime
Mi 10 No Dedicated Wideangle Night Mode
Galaxy S20+ Wideangle Night Mode
Also, the software optimization for night time images is much better on the S20+ as you see in these sample shots; which goes on to show Xiaomi’s lack of a better image processing algorithm.
Portrait Images
Getting to the portrait images, Mi 10 uses its 2MP depth sensor for producing those bokeh effects. Resulting images are good, though it smoothens the subject’s skin by quite a bit and the background isn’t as lively as you’d expect.
Portrait
1 of 4
Mi 10
Galaxy S20+
Mi 10
Mi 10
Comparing it to the one taken from the telephoto lens on the S20+, you can see a more natural blur and better edge detection.
Selfie Images
In the selfie department, Xiaomi has done a commendable job. The details are excellent with good sharpness and an accurate color tone.
Selfie & Portrait Selfie
1 of 4
Selfie
Selfie
Portrait Selfie
Portrait Selfie
The software-based portrait shots from the front-facing camera are nice as well, although edge detection could use some work.
Videography
Jumping to the videos, the 108MP sensor combined with Snapdragon 865 can process 8K videos. But at this point, it’s almost entirely a gimmick as you get no stabilization at all. However, for still-shooting purposes, the recordings are admirable.
You’ll get the best stabilization with OIS under 4K/30fps or 1080p/30fps recordings, with nice color reproduction as well. Weirdly enough, it doesn’t work well when bumping the frame rate to 60fps. In comparison, the S20 series gives way better stabilization even in 60fps videos at both 4K and 1080p resolution.
You can also shoot up to 4K/30fps videos using the wide-angle lens, with stabilization. But its result is quite mediocre with subpar colors and dynamic range. Here, the S20+ shoots better videos from its wide-angle sensor.
The front-facing camera is capable of shooting 1080p/30fps videos though this one too is lacking in stabilization, with worse color reproduction; thus, making it a not-so-optimal option for vlogging purposes. Here too, the S20+ outperforms the Mi 10.
Decent microphones
Surprisingly, its microphone is great with decent cancellation of background noise. But overall, I believe Xiaomi should’ve worked better in the video department. After all, Mi 10 is a flagship phone and as the evidence has it, its competing devices are way ahead.
All in all, the 108MP sensor on the phone is a great start. But to able to compete against the best, the Xiaomi still has a lot to do.
Battery
4780mAh battery with 30W fast wired charging
Plus 30W wireless charging
Now, let’s get into the battery. You get a decent 4780mAh cell which gives off a better endurance than the S20+. Even with turning on the 90Hz refresh rate and Always on Display, the phone lasted me a full day with around 15-20% charge still remaining.
Mi 10’s charging is equally fantastic as the phone supports 30W wired as well as wireless charging. During my review period, the Xiaomi Mi 10 went from 0 to 100% in a little over 1 hour using the wired charger and slightly longer using a wireless one. However, Xiaomi could’ve gone with a more versatile & faster 65W PD/PPS charger, using which you can even charge your laptop.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Xiaomi’s flagships have come a long way which is a good thing; not just in Xiaomi’s account but from the perspective of the entire smartphone industry. For years, there have been very few players in the premium market but the Mi 10 challenges that norm. Yet, as I said in the beginning, Xiaomi should’ve come with much more aggressive pricing in big markets like India to compete against its direct rival OnePlus.
Having said that, in a market like Nepal, I strongly believe the Xiaomi Mi 10’s pricing is to some extent justified, making it a good option in the flagship market. The phone does have its limitations though; it is not IP certified, you don’t get a telephoto lens, and a few more. Provided that the phone had these features as well, the new Xiaomi Mi 10 would’ve almost been a perfect flagship.
Watch our video review of the Xiaomi Mi 10!
Xiaomi Mi 10 Long-Term Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Fantastic design with curves all-around for a better grip
Excellent & fluid AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate
108MP camera is an absolute show-stealer
Top-notch performance thanks to the flagship Snapdragon 865 SoC
Terrific battery endurance & a fast wired or wireless charging support
Cons:
Leaving the primary sensor, the rest of the cameras are mediocre
No IP rating of any sort in a flagship phone is a bummer
Falls behind to other flagship phones in areas like higher refresh rate, sharper resolution, and a decent audio system
Realme has now officially launched the first phone in it’s V- series, the Realme V5. Furthermore, it is currently the cheapest 5G phone out there too. It comes bearing the new MediaTek Dimensity 720 SoC as we previously know from the teasers. Similarly, the device comes with a 5,000 mAh battery with 30- watt VOOC Flash charging support.
Design and Display
Realme V5 has similar display specifications as that of the Realme 6. It features a 6.5-inches IPS LCD display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, 90Hz refresh rate, and a touch sampling rate of 180Hz. The phone sports a punch- hole on the top left corner while the fingerprint sensor resides at the side.
Realme has its logo stamped on the rear panel of the phone. Thanks to its size, it’s very hard to go unnoticed. We previously saw Realme do a similar thing in the Narzo 10A. The back is the house for a quad-camera setup that is arranged in an L- shaped rectangular module.
Camera
As mentioned earlier, the Realme V5 has four cameras at the rear, consisting of a 48MP primary lens, an 8MP ultra-wide lens with 119- degree FoV, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth-sensing lens. The punch hole on the front houses the 16MP selfie camera.
Performance and Memory
In accordance with the rumors, the Realme V5 comes with MediaTek’s new lineup of the chipset, the Dimensity 720. About its architecture, it has two powerful Cortex A76 cores and six efficiency Cortex A55 units, all clocked at 2GHz. The V5 has bee launched in two configurations, one with 6GB and the other with 8GB of RAM while you get 128GB internal storage with optional expansion via a microSD slot. The phone will ship with Realme UI based on Android 10.
With the new Dimensity 720 at work, the phone will also have 5G capabilities that include support for the sub-6 GHz standard. It works on both SA and NSA networks. The company has also provided a feature called Smart 5G that switches between 5G and LTE for a seamless online experience and to save battery power.
Battery
The V5 will get its juice from a massive 5,000mAh battery with support for 30-Watt VOOC flash charging technology via Type-C outlet. The company claims that the device can get to 100% from 0 in just 65 minutes.
Realme V5 Price in Nepal and Availability (expected)
Realme V5 has launched in China and is already available for pre-orders through its Chinese website. We can expect the Realme V5 to launch in Nepal for a price of Rs. 30,000 for the base variant.
Smartphone Model
Price in china
Price in Nepal
Realme V5 (6+128GB)
CNY1,499
Rs. 30,000
Realme V5 (8+128GB)
CNY1,899
Rs. 37,500
Check out our impressions video of the new OnePlus Nord!
TikTok, the ultra-famous short video sharing platform, is once again making headlines. Trump’s government in the US has suggested that it would ban Tiktok in the country. Read along to learn more about the story.
The problem with TikTok
Since its initial release in 2016, TikTok has gathered around 800 million active global users. In a recent anti-trust hearing, Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook, CEO) recognized the app as the “fastest-growing app”. The platform remains very popular with its users. However, policymakers from different countries have viewed the app as a security threat.
ByteDance, a Chinese startup company, owns TikTok. The Chinese background is enough to cause suspicions among policymakers. The problem, here, is the Chinese National Intelligence Law. All the China-based companies are required by the law to help the Chinese government in its intelligence gathering. The app is accused of collecting users’ data unethically and supplying it to the Chinese Communist Party illegally.
Around a month ago, the Indian government banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps showing security concerns. It came as a major blow to the company as India, at that time, was the app’s biggest market.
Trump, China, and TikTok Ban
Last year, Trump’s government included Huawei in the Entity list. FCC has also banned Huawei and ZTE from the US networks. Senators in the US were calling for investigations on the app.
The US first hinted at banning the app at the start of July. However, things have escalated quickly since the Tulsa incident. Trump announced a rally on June 19 in Tulsa. Around a million people made reservations for the event. However, the actual attendance in the event was far underwhelming. It was reported that TikTok users deliberately signed up for the event only to not show up in the event.
Trump’s Tulsa Rally Attendance [Image Credit: LA Times]There are two options to address the situation surrounding the controversial app – let US-based companies acquire the operations in the US or ban the app completely in the country. Trump’s latest statement suggests a ban is underway. Trump suggested he will use emergency economic powers or an executive order to impose a ban.
TikTok’s Defense
TikTok has around 80 million users in the US. As a result, the US is among its biggest audiences. Policymakers have accused the app of supplying user data to the Chinese Communist Party. TikTok says that the user data of its US audience is stored on American servers. The data are further backed by Singapore-based servers. It argues that these data don’t fall under Chinese law.
The company has also expressed its desire to be a global company. It looks forward to working in the US following all the relevant laws. TikTok has announced a $200 million Creator Fund to help American creators. The company also plans to increase it to over a billion-dollar in the span of three years. It is also working on creating over 10,000 new jobs in the US.
What does it mean to the competitors?
TikTok is the only app that can potentially threaten the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and even YouTube. Thus, these companies are already working on TikTok replacements. In its press release, TikTok acknowledges Facebook is working on another copycat product (referring to Reel) after the failure of Lasso. YouTube is also working on TikTok like a short-video feature. TikTok has accused Facebook of using patriotism for malignly attacking the company. These companies will benefit the most following ban of TikTok on US soil.
Microsoft’s Latest Statement
Microsoft has confirmed that it is still working on acquiring the operational rights of TikTok in the US and a few other regions, following discussions between the company’s CEO Satya Neadella and the US President.
Microsoft is planning to own and operate TikTok services in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It could even include other minor American investors. Eventually, Microsoft will make necessary amendments in the structure of the Tiktok focusing on security and privacy. The company plans to transfer data of American users inside the country. Microsoft and ByteDance are looking to wrap up everything by September 15.
So, what do you think about the story? Is TikTok really a treat? Let us know in the comment section below.
Watch: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite vs Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)
The last few weeks have been great for the Android gaming community. First, Qualcomm announced the SD 865+ with a clock speed of over 3.0GHz. Then we witnessed the launch of some really cool gaming smartphones. Giving continuity to this trend, Xiaomi’s gaming lineup, Black Shark has added a new device. The new Black Shark 3S isn’t an entirely new phone and is a minor upgrade to the Black Shark 3 instead. Check out the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Black Shark 3S in Nepal.
Xiaomi Black Shark 3S Overview
Design and Display
The Black Shark 3S features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display. This screen size is the same as found in the Black Shark 3. While the latter came with a 90Hz screen, its successor now has a higher 120Hz panel. The touch sampling rate is 270Hz. Its MEMC 3.0 technology on the phone can upscale slower content to a higher refresh rate. While it isn’t the fastest screen available, it does come with an HDR10+ certification and better color accuracy.
The device comes with Screen Pressure 4.0. What it means is that the display has two specialized zones which the user can assign to different in-game function.
Processor and Camera
Sadly, there is nothing new in the performance department. Like the Black Shark 3, the 3S relies on the standard Qualcomm Snapdragon 865. It’s unfortunate that the company didn’t consider the faster SD 865+ instead. However, 865 is still capable of delivering serious gaming performance. On the memory front, the device comes with a single 12GB of RAM. Users can choose between 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB of internal storage. However, the latter is not available right now. Unlike the Black Shark 3, all the variants feature LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
The camera department is also pretty much unchanged. It features a 64MP triple camera setup. The primary camera (f/1.8) is accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide-angle shooter (120-degree FOV), and a dedicated 5MP depth sensor. On the front, a 20MP camera has been housed inside the top bezels.
Battery
Similarly, Black Shark 3S features a 4,729mAh battery that supports fast charging of up to 65W. The 65W charger can charge the device from 0 to 50% inside 5 minutes. Additionally, users can buy separate cooling accessories. The discrete fan connects magnetically on the back of the device that is capable of 18W charging. While it doesn’t provide an upgrade in terms of charging speed, it will allow you to continue your gaming while charging without cables disturbing you.
AdditionalFeatures
The new Black Shark 3S runs on the latest Joy 12 UI based on Android 10. Thanks to the Voice Control 2.0 feature users can now adjust their game setting through voice commands. It will come handy when you are in-game and can’t afford to leave your control. The company has partnered with Tencent for Solarcore. Turning on the hunting mode will result in improved ground visuals.
Users can record their sessions using the Black Shark Moment 3.0. The Black Shark 3S also supports screen mirroring via the USB Type-C port. The games mirrored this way will run at 60Hz refresh rate and with a latency of 40ms.
Connectivity: 5G (NA, NA, NSA), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.5GHz, 5Hz), 4 x 4 MIMO, MU MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0
Audio: aptX, aptX HD
Battery: 4729mAh with 65W fast charging
Black Shark 3S Price in Nepal and Availability
Xiaomi Black Shark 3S is available for pre-order in China, where its price is ¥3,999 for 12/128GB, ¥4,299 for 12/256GB, ¥4,799 for 12/512GB. We expect the starting price of Xiaomi Black Shark 3S in Nepal to be around Rs. 70,000 if it launches.
Xiaomi Black Shark 3S Model
Price in Nepal (Expected)
12GB/128GB
NPR 70,000
12GB/256GB
NPR 75,000
12GB/512GB
NPR 85,000
Watch: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)
Chinese tech giant Oppo has officially unveiled the global variant of the Reno4 Pro. However, it isn’t the same device that was launched in China a couple of months ago. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of global variant Oppo Reno4 Pro in Nepal.
Oppo Reno4 Pro Overview
Design and Display
The Oppo Reno4 Pro has a 6.5-inch 3D hyperboloid display that ensures the phone is comfortable to hold. Here, Oppo has included an AMOLED panel. It is TUV Rheinland certified for reduced blue rays emission that harms our eyes. Oppo Reno4 Pro also supports a 90Hz refresh rate but misses out on a dual-camera setup on the front, unlike the regular Reno4. Similarly, the touch sample rate is 180Hz.
The device comes with Netflix HD certification and Amazon Prime Video HDR streaming certification too.
Performance
Powering the phones is the Snapdragon 720G SoC which is actually a downgrade from the 765G in the Chinese variant. Global variant now comes with two Kyro 465 Gold cores clocked at 2.3GHz and 6 Kyro 465 Silver cores clocked at 1.8GHz. Similarly, the 720G doesn’t have an integrated 5G modem, so the device will be void of the feature. In countries where 5G infrastructure is still scarce, the SD 765G would have only bumped the price without adding much to the functionality. Oppo has included a graphite heat-dissipation system to make the device run cool.
The global variant of the Reno4 Pro comes with four cameras compared to three sensors in the Chinese variant. But there is hardly anything to get excited as Oppo removed the telephoto lens and laser autofocus to make room for 2MP macro sensor and 2MP monochrome sensor instead. The 48MP primary sensor comes with EIS, which the company calls Super Anti-Shake 3.0. Finally, there is an 8MP ultra-wide sensor. Then, there is a single 32MP selfie camera on the front.
The device supports some cool features such as Super Anti-Shake 3.0, Night Flare Portrait, Monochrome Video, and AI Color portrait.
Battery and Others
The battery capacity on the Reno4 Pro is a moderate 4000mAh cell. It also supports 65W fast charging that can refill the device completely in 36 minutes. Also, 5 minutes of charge can add up to 4 hours to the battery backup. The phone runs on Android 10 with ColorOS 7.2 on top.
Battery: 4,000mAh with 65W (SuperVOOC 2.0) fast charging
Oppo Reno4 Pro Price in Nepal and Availability
Oppo Reno4 Pro is up for pre-order in India, while the actual sale will begin from August 5. The price of Reno4 Pro in India is INR 34,490 for the 8GB/128GB variant. We expect the price of Oppo Reno4 Pro in Nepal to be around NPR 56,000.
Smartphone
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Oppo Reno4 (8/128GB)
Rs. 56,000
Watch: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite vs Apple iPad 10.2 (2019)
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