Earlier this year, Samsung unveiled its second foldable smartphone – Galaxy Z Flip. And now, the company has improved the internals of the device and announced Galaxy Z Flip 5G. Check out the specs, features, expected price, and availability of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Overview
The latest chipset
When the original Z Flip was unveiled, people complained about how the company failed to fit in the latest processor despite the hefty price tag. The Galaxy Z Flip 5G is the solution that Samsung came up with. It packs in the latest Snapdragon 865+ chipset and is the first non-gaming smartphone to have the processor. It’s a generation ahead of the last year’s Snapdragon 855+ that was used in the original Z Flip.
While the new chipset has an obvious performance boost over its predecessor, it also makes the device 5G-ready. The device supports sub-6GHz 5G with Dynamic Spectrum Sharing. Similarly, the device also comes with Wi-Fi 6.
The Flex Mode
The new Galaxy Z Flip 5G also comes with some software tweaks for a better user experience. The major change is the inclusion of the improved Flex model. During the launch of the Z Flip, Samsung showed off how the device was capable of standing on its own. When the device is opened with the upper and lower half of the screen at 90-degree to each other, the lower half can support the weight of the upper half. When the new Z Flip 5G is on this free-standing mode, it will trigger the Flex Mode.
This splits the screen into two sections with 4-inch halves each. The upper half will view the content, whereas the bottom half will provide control options. It will be more useful while streaming Youtube content. The upper screen will be reserved for the video, while the lower screen will display descriptions and comments.
Samsung claims the inclusion of the new SoC and the 5G modem has not added any weight to the device. The 5G variant of the Z Flip is as compact as its 4G counterpart. To differentiate the two models, Samsung has added two new color options. The Z Flip 5G is now available in Mystic Gray and Mystic Bronze.
Rest of the specs
The rest of the specs remains pretty much unchanged. It includes the 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED display. The device comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Similarly, the device features a 3,300mAh dual battery setup.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Specifications:
Body: Unfolded (73.6 x 167.3 x 7.2mm); Folded (73.6 x 87.4 x 17.4mm); 183 gm
Display: Main (6.7-inches Dynamic AMOLED panel); External (1.1-inches Super AMOLED “Cover Display” )
Resolution: Main (FHD+: 2636 x 1080 pixels; 21.9:9 aspect ratio); External (300 x 112 pixels)
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+; 7nm Mobile Platform
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, dual-band (2.4 & 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS, USB Type-C
Battery: 3,300 mAh battery with 15W fast charging; wireless & reverse-wireless charging
Colors: Mystic Gray, Mystic Bronze
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G Price in Nepal and Availability
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip will be available in the US starting from August 7 with a price tag of $1,499.99. It’s unlikely the device will ever make its way to the Nepali market. However, you could still find the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G in Nepal via unofficial channels with a price around NPR 2,05,000.
Smartphone model
Price
Availability
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
$1,499.99
August 7 (US)
Check out our impressions of the new OnePlus Nord!
Earlier this year, Samsung brought back the rather forgotten Core-model smartphone with the refresh of J2 Core – the J2 Core 2020. However, it won’t be the only Core device to launch this year. Samsung has quietly launched the Galaxy A01 Core in Indonesia. Like the J2 Core, it is a budget device with outdated design and specs. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Samsung Galaxy A01 Core in Nepal.
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core Overview
Design and Display
Recent budget devices from Samsung like the Galaxy A11 have gone fancier with punch-hole design. In contrast, the Galaxy A01 Core bears an outdated design with thick bezels around the screen. It sports a 5.3-inch PLS TFT LCD screen with an HD+ resolution of 1480 x 720 pixels. Still, the chin on this one is slimmer than what we saw in the J2 Core. Also, Samsung has gotten rid of the branding from the front of the device.
On the back, Samsung has included a stripey-design in an otherwise boring plastic body. A pill-shaped camera module houses the rear camera and an LED flash.
Performance and Memory
The Galaxy A01 core with MediaTek’s MT6739 processor. It is a quad-core processor consisting of four ARM Cortex – A53 clocked at 1.5 GHz. It’s both outdated and underpowered. And the fact that the device comes with only 1GB of RAM makes it worse. It has 16GB of internal storage with an option to expand it up to 512GB via a microSD card.
Since the specs of the device aren’t that great, Samsung has decided to go with the Android 10 Go edition.
Camera and Battery
The Galaxy A01 Core features a single camera at the back. It is an 8MP camera with an aperture of f/2.2. It supports autofocus and can shoot FHD videos at 30fps. The 5MP selfie camera on the front has an aperture of f/2.4.
The Samsung Galaxy A01 Core is equipped with a 3,000mAh battery. It boasts a talk time of up to 17 hours (4G LTE). A01 Core can be charged using a micro USB charger.
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core Specifications:
Dimension: 141.7 x 67.5 x 8.6, 150 grams
Display: 5.3-inch PLS TFT LCD, 1480 x 720 pixels
Processor: MediaTek MT6739
Chipset: Quad-core (4 x 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex – A53)
GPU: Imagination Tech PowerVR GE8100
RAM: 1GB
Storage: 16GB (expandable up to 512GB)
Rear Camera: 8MP primary camera, f/2.2
Front Camera: 5MP camera, f/2.4
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/Glonass, micro USB port
OS: Android 10 (Go)
Colors: Blue, Black, Red
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core Price in Nepal and Availability
Samsung Galaxy A01 Core is now available in Indonesia, where its price is IDR 1,099,000. We expect the price of Samsung Galaxy A01 Core in Nepal to be around NPR 10,000.
HMD Global has the license to manufacture and sell smartphones under the Nokia brand. Similarly, it’s Flipkart that sells TV (exclusive to India) under the Nokia brand. And now, RichGo Technology, a Chinese company, has acquired the right to manufacture and sell earphones and other mobile accessories under the Nokia brand. For now, RichGo has launched three new wireless earphones – E1200, E3500, and E3200. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones.
Nokia Essential Wireless Headphones E1200
It is the only over-the-ear headphone in this lineup. The body is made up of anodized aluminum topped by a glossy finish. The inner ear pads have a layer of PU leather on top.
Talking about the specs, the headphone is equipped with a 40mm driver with an impedance of 32 Ohm. You can connect it to your device using the Bluetooth 5.0 connection within the 10m radius. You can even use a wired connection if you like. The headphone is powered by a 500mAh battery that can last up to 40 hours. Similarly, it will take about 3 hours to charge the device completely.
Nokia E1200 Specifications:
Speaker Dimension: 40mm, 32 Ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Sensitivity: 106dB (1kHz/1mW)
Connectivity: Bluetooth (HSP,AVRCP, A2DP), Wire
Music Time: 40hours
Battery capacity: 500mAh
Bluetooth Version: v5.0
Charging Time: 3 hours
Extra Features: Voice Assistant
Color: White, Black, Red
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3200
The E3200 comes with a 6mm driver with an impedance of 16 Ohm. Each earbud comes with a 50mAh battery, while the case packs in a 360mAh battery. On a single charge, it can last for about 5 hours.
The case can bump the number to up to 17 hours. It comes with an Ambient mode that allows the user to hear the surrounding noise without having to remove the earbuds.
Nokia E3200 Specifications:
Speaker Dimension: 6mm, 16 Ohm
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Sensitivity: 103dB (1kHz/1mW)
Connectivity: Bluetooth (HSP, HFP, AVRCP, A2DP)
Music Time: 5hours, 17 hours ( with charging case)
Extra Features: Voice Assistant, Ambient Sound Mode
Color: Green, Black, Pink
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones E3500
The E3500 looks similar to the Apple AirPods Pro. However, the stem on it doesn’t extend as much. Each earbud has an impedance of 16 Ohm. The 48mAh battery on each bud can last up to 7 hours.
The 360mAh battery on the case can boost it up to 25 hours. Each bud weighs 5g, while the case is heavier at 34g. The E3500 comes with IPX5 protection against water splash.
Extra Features: Voice Assistant, Ambient Sound Mode
Color: White, Black, Blue
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones Price and Availability
As of now, the product page under RichGo’s website hasn’t revealed the official pricing of the Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones. Because of the limitation of the license, these earphones by RichGo will only be available in Asia.
Wireless Earphones
Availability
Nokia Essential True Wireless Earphones
Select Asian markets (Soon)
Check out our list of best Wireless Earbuds (by mobile brands)
For years, OnePlus has established itself has the manufacturer of value-oriented smartphones that ace out on performance. And on each new iteration of products, the company’s pricing has gradually deviated from what it originally stood for. The recent OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro may have been the last straw. However, for quite some time now, we’ve been expecting a cheaper mid-range device from OnePlus. And finally, Oneplus has launched the OnePlus Nord and it is officially available for purchase in Nepal too, albeit at a slightly higher price.
OnePlus Nord Overview
The OnePlus Nord is a low-cost premium midrange alternative to the 8 series; that drastically cuts costs while retaining the signature OnePlus performance standard. So, basically, OnePlus is going back to its roots. Launching a great smartphone at an affordable price. Maybe the company will soon retain its “Flagship Killer” crown too. And it is just a start, the company will be launching a new series of affordable smartphones.
Design and Display
Earlier rumors had suggested that the device will have either a 6.4 or 6.5-inches display. Well, it’s somewhere in the middle. The actual screen size of the device is of 6.44-inches. It is a Fluid AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. And there is a pill-shaped punch-hole cutout on the top left for the dual selfie cameras. The OnePlus Nord is the first device from the company to sport dual selfie cams. The punch-hole design seems similar to that of the Huawei P40.
It has a flat-screen and both the front and the back is protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The back very much resembles the OnePlus 8. In all honesty, the glossy back really looks great on this device. Now, the device does not have an official IP rating. However, it is more than capable of surviving a few splashes and crashes.
The phone is the first one from the company to not feature a flagship processor. But hey, they had to cut some corners right. Still, the device offers a decent processor in the form of Snapdragon 765G. For a mid-range smartphone, this processor should be more than capable of delivering good performance. And it supports 5G too. Furthermore, considering the battery of this device, this power-conserving processor fits perfectly.
The OnePlus Nord will be available in three RAM variants. 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB are the offered RAM options. Similarly, there are three options for the memory too: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. These are LPDDR4X RAM and UFS2.1 storage. .
Camera
OnePlus is known for offering a very good camera setup and the Nord doesn’t disappoint either. On the back, there is a quad-camera setup arranged vertically. The primary lens is a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor. It is similar to that of the OnePlus 8. Similarly, the rear-cam setup is completed by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. It is sad to see that there’s no telephoto lens in this one.
On the front, the device sports dual selfie cameras. The primary lens is 32MP and the secondary is an 8MP ultra-wide lens.
Battery and Others
Getting to the batteries, OnePlus Nord packs in a 4115mAh cell. And it supports Wrap Charge 30T. On the software side of things, the device runs on the Android 10 based OxygenOS 10.5.
The official price of OnePlus Nord is set at Rs. 53,999. This price is for the 8/128GB memory variant. Similarly, the high-end 12/256GB variant costs Rs. 63,999.
Model Name
Price in Nepal
OnePlus Nord (8/128GB)
NPR. 53,999
OnePlus Nord (12/256GB)
NRP. 63,999
Check out our unboxing and review of OnePlus Nord here:
Last year, Xiaomi’s sub-brand Redmi released its own TWS earbuds – the Redmi AirDots. These earbuds were well received by the public because of what it offered for a budget price. And now, the company has launched its true successor – the Redmi AirDots 2. Check out the specs, features, expected price, and availability of Redmi AirDots 2 in Nepal.
Redmi AirDots 2 Overview
Design and Build
When it comes to design, AirDots 2 offers nothing new. For some reason, the company has kept the design unaltered in both Redmi AirDots and AirDots 2. It follows a minimalistic design. The buds are round with silicone tips that go into the ear. Redmi will be providing three silicone tips altogether.
The earbuds also weigh the same at 4.1 grams each. Likewise, the design of the charging case has also remained unchanged.
Features
The driver inside the earbuds is also untouched. We get the same 7.2mm sound driver that we saw in the original AirDots. Redmi claims that they have fine-tuned the driver for medium and high frequencies. The new Bluetooth 5.0 adapter supports XiaoAI Voice Assistant. It can be activated by tapping twice on either of the earbuds.
The new chip also ensures a faster and smoother connection. Redmi claims that the data transfer speed has now been doubled. AirDots 2 also supports DSP Intelligent Noise Reduction technology which will reduce background noises while you are on call for a clearer sound.
These features are similar to what Redmi AirDots S offers. However, it has a dedicated low latency mode which is yet to be confirmed in the AirDots 2.
Battery and Charging
Redmi hasn’t disclosed the capacities of the battery included in the earbuds and the charging case. But it has promised up to four hours of continuous playback on a single charge. The charging case can boost it up to 12 hours.
Redmi AirDots 2 Specifications:
Weight: 4.1 gram (Each earbud)
Driver: 7.2mm
Wearing type: In-Ear
Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth)
Battery Backup: 4 hours (up to 12 hours with charging case)
Redmi AirDots 2 is available in China through the company’s crowdfunding campaign at a price tag of 79 Yuan. Once the campaign ends, it will have a retail price tag of 99 Yuan. We expect the price of Redmi AirDots 2 in Nepal to be around Rs. 3000 when it launches here.
The ongoing pandemic has practically redefined normalcy to everyone. Even though many countries are now easing the lockdown to revitalize the economy, mass gatherings of people in settings like parks, restaurants, concerts, and cinema halls are still prohibited. While you can’t do anything about some of them, you can bring the theatre experience to your home. And that’s exactly what we have today. The ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector is an ultraportable of its kind, with an emphasis on media consumption and the ability to easily transport it wherever you’d like. Let’s discover more in this review of ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector.
ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector Specifications:
Body: 4.3W x 1.1H x 4.1D-inches; 300 grams
Display System: 0.2″ DLP
Light Source: LED
Lens: f/1.7 (f=7.5mm)
Resolution: FWVGA (854 x 480 pixels); 16:9 aspect ratio
Compatibilty: Max – 1920 x 1080 pixels | Min – 640 x 480 pixels
Brightness: 120 LED lumens / 50 ANSI lumens
Display Size: 24 – 100 inches / 0.6 – 2.54 meters
Throw Distance: 2.1 – 8.7 feet / 0.6 – 2.7 meters
Throw Ratio: 1.2:1
Keystone: Vertical (+/-40°)
Light Source Life: 30,000 hours
Dynamic Contrast Ratio: 120,000:1
Color Depth: 1.07B Color (10-bit RGB)
Audio: 2W JBL speaker
Battery: 5000mAh cell; Up to 2.5 hours endurance
Ports: 1x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1x HDMI 1.4 (w/ HDCP 1.4), 1x Micro USB
Price: $177.99 (International) | Rs. 35,000
ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector Review:
Design
Small, sleek, pocketable, and fashionable
Boasts a unique smart stand to easily place it on a surface
No on-board controls on the projector itself
Take a look at this thing. So sleek, so small – it can comfortably fit inside an average-sized pocket. Kinda reminds me of Sony’s Minidisc Walkman. Remember those? Anyway, the M1 Mini has a squarish form-factor measuring 4.1-inches in height, 4.3-inches in width, and 1.06-inches in depth when placing it in a standing position.
At just 0.3 kilograms, its lightweight build further adds to pocketability, while the curved edges complement its gentle design. The top of the projector features a colorful replaceable plate with three options provided inside the box. And the one I’ve installed right now is this grey variant which seamlessly blends into the all-around color-scheme of the device.
Design
1 of 4
Front
Power Switch, IR Receiver
Micro USB, USB Type-A
Projection Lens, IR Receiver
You can also see a “ViewSonic” branding inside a grey circular disc sitting atop the projection lens. It’s purely decorative and doesn’t serve any other function in the process. On the right is the speaker grille followed by a Micro USB port for power & recharge, and a USB 2.0 Type-A port. Similarly, the bottom left corner houses a metal bar where you can latch the lanyard cable for an easier carry.
There’s a power toggle button, a reset pin, led indicators, and an IR receiver at the back. Additionally, M1 Mini has an HDMI 1.4 (with HDCP 1.4) input port on the right. Furthermore, the front left corner of the projector is where you’d find the plastic-made focus ring to adjust focus. It rotates in a 360º angle and I had no problem operating it.
An Innovative Smart Stand
ViewSonic has placed it just far enough so that your finger doesn’t get in the way of the lens residing right on its side. Next to the lens, is a front-facing IR receiver and a vent for letting out air.
Finally, let’s talk about the belle of the ball: the Smart Stand.
While the majority of portable palmtop projectors employ a “tripod” mechanism for adjusting their elevation, the M1 Mini has a clever built-in stand. Stretching alongside the front and right side of the device, this hinged stand completely covers the lens when not in use.
The front portion of the stand has “ViewSonic” naming etched into it as well. Capable of bending 90º on either side, you can pivot the stand below the projector to aim the projection to fit your frame. On the contrary, swaying the stand above lets you freely place the device on its four rubber feet at the bottom of the device. All in all, the company has really nailed the design of the M1 Mini.
Remote
Battery-operated and the only way to get around the device
Inadequate controls for media playback (fast forward/backward)
Now, that was about the physical design of the projector itself. Notice the sorry lack of onboard controls? Well, no need to worry as the ViewSonic M1 Mini ships with this small remote powered by a CR2032 battery. It’s got the basic control buttons like power, home, 4-side navigation with an OK button in the middle, settings, and return.
One thing to note here is that the power button doesn’t necessarily turn off the device. Rather, it puts it on standby mode which means the M1 Mini is still consuming some power during this time. To completely shut it off, you’re gonna have to reach out to the power switch on the projector itself.
Moreover, the remote is fairly responsive too. Provided that you’re pointing at the IR receivers on either side, it’ll work just fine. ViewSonic says the effective range between the remote control and the device is within 8m/26ft which is no problem at all for an average-sized room.
Display & UI
A minimal FWVGA resolution with support up to FHD
Has a pretty low brightness of 50 ANSI lumens
LED light source with 30,000 hours of rated lifespan
Coming to the display side of things, the ViewSonic M1 Mini is a lamp-free projector with an LED light source, a 0.2” DLP chip, and a rated brightness of 120 LED lumens/50 ANSI lumens. In terms of pixel-count, it has a native FWVGA resolution of 854 by 480 pixels at 16:9 aspect ratio; with support for VGA (640×480) to Full-HD (1920×1080) videos. Obviously, the M1 Mini downscales such high-res content to fit into its inherent resolution.
Similarly, its LED light source has a rated lifespan of 30,000 hours. To put it into perspective, that’s about 20.5 years with 4 hours of everyday use. Moving on, this is a short-throw projector with a throw ratio of 1.2:1 and a throw distance of 0.64 to 2.66 meters. What it means is that the ViewSonic M1 Mini casts a big projection even though the surface and the lens are quite close.
On top of this, it has a fixed optical zoom.
Thus, you’ll have to physically shift the position of the projector to adjust the image size. Likewise, it has a 10-bit RGB color depth, a dynamic contrast ratio of 120,000:1, and 125% Rec. 709 color space. Here, the image size it can project ranges between 24 to 100 inches. Additionally, the M1 Mini has a ±40º vertical keystone for adjusting the alignment of the image on the screen.
User Interface
Now, let’s move on to the user interface. On average, it takes about 10–12 seconds to get to the home-screen after turning the projector on. You’re greeted with a simple UI with 5 menus: Photo, Music, Movie, HDMI, and Settings. There’s a battery-level indicator on the top-right and the ViewSonic icon on the top-left corner of the screen. You can navigate around them using the left-right keys on the remote. In the same way, pressing the up or down key will open a dialogue prompt to turn off the “Auto V Keystone” feature.
Entering the settings is made easy with its dedicated button. Under the first option, you can change the display settings like color mode, brightness, etc. For some reason, I was locked out of changing this under v1.01 firmware. So, I tried upgrading it to the latest one (v1.03). Thankfully, it worked.
Under the second option from the top, you can change language, keystone value, rearrange the projection orientation, etc. Here, the latter refers to how and where you’d be placing the M1 Mini. You can set it under 4 options: front table, front ceiling, rear table, and rear ceiling.
Performance
Multiple color modes including an option for customization
A few color inaccuracies and doesn’t get bright enough
Some problems on video playback regarding audio/video codecs
With all that out of the way, allow me to finally talk about how the image from the ViewSonic M1 Mini actually looks. Right off the bat, it’s not the brightest star in the sky made evident with the feeble 50 ANSI lumens. Having said that, it gets plenty bright provided there is little to zero ambient light. You can mess around with brightness, saturation, etc. under display settings in “User” mode, though such values are set in stone for other in-built presets.
During my review, I placed the ViewSonic M1 Mini projector exactly 1.1 meters away from the frame. And the projector generated exactly 40” image (diagonally) as advertised. In an environment with sufficient lighting, I found that the “Brightest” color mode worked best, with light source level bumped to full (100%). If that’s not the case, you can toggle on the eco level instead, which operates it under 70% brightness instead. Also, the “TV” & “Movie” modes are optimized for sports and movie contents respectively.
: Video
I went about watching different kinds of movies on the M1 Mini under various display settings via a USB flash drive. Disappointingly, it can only play media files from a thumb drive and the lack of a document processor feels like a major missed opportunity. Anyhoo, first, I played season 1 episode 2 “Cut Man” of Marvel’s Daredevil. The brightest mode worked as advertised and images were quite sharp with decent saturation level as well. Although, they do degrade as you move the projector further away from the screen.
Even in this minimal test setting, I could notice some wild color inaccuracies and oversaturation under TV mode. I first witnessed it during the show’s intro, where even though everything is supposed to be of red hue, the color red has more of a pinkish tone to it. This setting also slightly oversaturates green as seen clearly in the esteemed hallway fight scene in the same episode.
Besides, the “Movie” mode gives off slightly warmer images. But hey, if you don’t prefer any of these, you can always tweak the display settings under “User” mode. ViewSonic M1 Mini supports different video formats like AVI, MP4, TS, TSP, MKV, MOV, MPG, DAT, VOB, RM, and RMVB. However, I discovered that the audio and video codec of the file plays a part incompatibility as well. The aforementioned episode of Daredevil was of MKV file format with AVC video and AAC-LC audio codec.
A little bit of complication
Then, I tried playing the pilot episode of Community I had, which was of MKV file format as well. But for some reason, I got an “Unsupported Format” message. It wasn’t a corrupted file and played just fine on my laptop and phone. So, I looked them up on MediaInfo. I found out that this file had HEVC video and AAC-LC SBR audio codec. Then, I checked the “Horse Girl” video file I had whose audio wouldn’t play in the projector. While it was encoded using the compatible AVC video codec, turns out, its “E-AC-3 JOC” audio stream wasn’t supported.
With all these findings from my review, I can conclude that the ViewSonic M1 Mini projector is only capable of playing the most basic of video files with similar encodings. Furthermore, it doesn’t support soft-coded subtitles either, though video files hardcoded subtitles work just fine. Also, in case your file has more than one audio tracks, it’ll play the first one encoded, with no option to toggle between them.
: Audio
In the audio department, you get a 2W mono JBL speaker on the left side of ViewSonic M1 Mini. Music files and videos get loud enough for an average classroom, bedroom, or small office space; provided that there is pin-drop silence. Though you obviously won’t get a dynamic audio output, it is good enough for the price. The vocals & instruments are clear and pleasing to hear. This projector supports MP3, WMA, M4A, and AAC music formats.
Yet, I tried playing a superior FLAC file and it worked with no hiccup; even though it’s not listed in the official product description. You also get a view of the file’s metadata like album art, title, artist name, bit rate, etc. on the right side while the music plays.
: Photo
Getting to photos, you can use the M1 Mini as an image viewer too. It’ll display the images in a slideshow, reminiscent of those old videos people used to edit on Windows Movie Maker. It only supports 4 file formats: JPG, JPEG, BMP, and PNG. This lack of GIF & TIFF file support is disappointing. On the other hand, images are fine with decent details and contrast when mirroring your computer’s screen or giving presentations using an HDMI cable.
Battery
5000mAh built-in battery; charges via Micro USB cable
Can take power from phones & power banks too
Time to talk battery life. The ViewSonic M1 Mini has a built-in 5000mAh battery. In my test, I got about 2 hours of endurance in normal & about 15 minutes more in eco mode. You get a big battery low icon in the middle of the screen when the charge is low and it won’t go unless you plug it into a power source or turn off the machine.
It takes about 2 hours to recharge the projector from 0 to 100% using a 5V/2A charger. You can also use a power bank or your smartphone to transfer the juice into the device.
Final Words
Wrapping it all up, the ViewSonic M1 Mini is a good-looking and a standout pocket projector, pun intended. Its unique stand makes adjusting the device easier. It also has a built-in battery and mono speaker which is great. The image projection, however, is of pretty low resolution and therefore is only feasible for a compact room. Having said that, there are a lot of other constraints as well; like limited I/O, no wireless connectivity, no on-board controls, and excessive heating. Yeah, this projector runs hot even after mere seconds of turning on the device.
Watch our video review of the ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector!
ViewSonic M1 Mini Projector Review: Pros & Cons
Pros:
Portable and good-looking design with a smart stand
The audio from the projector is decent for a compact room
Has a built-in battery and can take power from other devices
Easy to operate, decent display, and a long-lasting LED light source
Cons:
Doesn’t get bright enough for a little larger room
Can’t play different audio, video, or image formats
Very few I/O ports and no option for wireless connectivity
No onboard control & have to use the remote for everything
Minimal FWVGA resolution, therefore not the sharpest images
Over the past few years, streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime TV have been gaining momentum in the country. People looking to buy TV these days opt for smart TVs so that they can enjoy content from these streaming services. The problem with most of the TVs available in the market is that they are underpowered and the features are limited. A solution to this problem could be a discrete setup box (or streaming box). These boxes come with their own processor, software, and UI. Today, we will be taking a look at Apple TV 4K set-top box, along with its specs, features, price, and availability in Nepal.
Apple TV 4K Overview
Apple TV 4K is probably the most powerful setup box available in the Nepalese market today. It’s the fifth iteration of Apple’s TV lineup and was first launched in 2017.
Design and Ports
Talking about the design, Apple TV 4K can be mistaken for its predecessor as both are similar design and dimension wise. It’s a 3.9-inch square box with rounded corners. The box is 1.4-inches high and weighs around 425 grams. On the top, the logo confirms that it is indeed an Apple TV. There is an IR receiver on the front of the device that communicates with the Siri Remote. The ports are on the backside. With Apple TV 4K, you get a Gigabit Ethernet port, HDMI 2.0a port, and power input.
Talking about the remote, it’s 4.88-inch in length and has a width of 1.5-inch. It is 0.25-inch thick and weighs around 45 grams. The buttons are concentrated in the middle of the remote.
Internal Specs and Software
Apple TV 4K features Apple’s A10X Fusion Chip. It’s a chipset based on the 64-bit architecture that has also been featured in Apple’s iPad lineup. Users can choose between 32GB and 64GB of internal storage. The box runs on Apple TV OS. Basically, it’s iOS with some modifications done to implement it on TV. It comes with its own App Store with TV-focused content. Other notable inclusions are Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple TV app, and Siri. Users can command Siri to perform different tasks using the dedicated button on the Siri button.
Apple TV 4K lets you stream HD and 4K contents. It also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision formats for deeper and realistic color. However, to make most of the box, you need to connect it to a compatible TV. Apple has made sure the user will have the best sound experience as well by including Dolby Atmos for 360-degree surround sound experience. In fact, it was the first streaming box to support both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision at the time of its launch.
You can stream 4K contents from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video as well. However, 4K streaming on YouTube is not supported yet. Other than that, you can also enjoy Apple’s own streaming service, Apple TV+.
Other features
You can make Apple TV 4K the center of your smart home. The TV box lets you control all the HomeKit-enabled devices. If you love playing games on TV, the Apple TV 4K supports a variety of controllers including Sony’s DualShock 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Controller. It also supports multiuser so that each user gets a personal experience.
Apple TV 4K Specifications:
TV Box Dimension: 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.4-inches, 425g
Siri Remote Dimension: 1.5 x 0.25 x 4.88-inch, 45g
Processor: A10X Fusion Chip (64-bit architecture)
Storage options: 32GB / 64GB
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz, 5GHz), MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, IR receiver
Ports: HDMI 2.0a, Gigabit Ethernet port, Power supply
Siri Remote: Bluetooth 4.0, IR transmitter, Accelerometer, and three-axis gyro, Lightning connector (for charging)
Accessibility: VoiceOver, Zoom, Reduce Motion, CC and SDH support, Audio Description, Siri and Dictation, Switch Control
Apple TV 4K Price in Nepal and Availability
Apple TV 4K is now available in Nepal with a price tag of NPR 26,500 for the 32GB model and NPR 32,500 for 64GB model. You can buy it from different Oliz Store outlets or through its official website.
Apple Set-top Box Model
Price in Nepal
Apple TV 4K (32GB)
Rs. 26,500
Apple TV 4K (64GB)
Rs. 32,500
Check out our review of the ViewSonic M1 Mini projector
If you remember, last year’s Galaxy A50 was one of the highest-selling midrange phones of 2019. The company had already updated it with the A50s but disappointingly, it came with very few and insignificant upgrades. And now, we have another phone under the A50 lineup – the Galaxy A51.
This time around though, there are quite some interesting improvements. However, the competition has gotten fiercer than ever in 2020, coming from brands like Realme and Redmi. I have used the Galaxy A51 for a long-time, and here is our detailed review.
Samsung Galaxy A51 Specifications
Display: 6.5-inches Full-HD+ “Infinity-O” Super AMOLED panel
Chipset: Exynos 9611
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB (expandable up to 512GB via a microSD card)
Software & UI: Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI 2.0 on top
Rear Camera: Quad-camera; 48 MP, f/2.0 primary shooter, 5MP, f/2.4 macro lens, 12MP, f/2.2 super wide-angle lens, 5MP, f/2.2 depth sensor, Single LED flash
Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.2 aperture
Security: Optical Fingerprint-Scanner
Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery: 4000 mAh with 15W Quick Charge
Design
Compared to A50, I found some major improvements with the Galaxy A51. First, the 3D-holographic cut patterns look amazing. And in terms of color choices, I have the white and the blue variant with me and both look very soothing to the eye.
Aesthetically, you get all your buttons on the right while the left side is reserved for SIM tray, and down below, you get a Type-C port, a speaker, and our beloved headphone jack. The cameras at back also have a new look, similar to that of Samsung’s Galaxy S20 series. You still get a plastic back & frame in here, but what I really like about the phone is how light it is (172gms).
I recently reviewed the Poco X2 and Realme 6 Pro, and they were all boxy and heavy, whereas the A51 feels really thin, light, and comfortable to use. So overall, I liked the design and the build of the phone, if not for the plastic back & frames.
Display
Display-wise, it has a signature Samsung AMOLED panel. And the centered punch-hole cutout makes the A51 aesthetically pleasing. Talking about the panel itself, it is a big 6.5-inches display with a quite cinematic 20:9 aspect ratio.
And yes, the display quality is excellent as we’ve come to expect from Samsung. Here, the colors are great and so is the contrast ratio. Additionally, the phone gets a decent amount of brightness as well, with almost no compromise on visibility even when you’re outdoors, in a well-lit environment.
Moreover, the touch response on the Galaxy A51 is fantastic. Although it is still a regular 60Hz panel, navigating through the phone is quite swift. Just for comparison, I tried it out against the Realme X2 which has an AMOLED panel as well.
However, the superiority of A51 was quite apparent upon rather a quick inspection. However, there is the rather dated Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the phone so I did manage to get minor scratches on it.
Camera
The Galaxy A51 has a quad rear camera setup. There’s the 48MP primary camera, a 12MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5MP depth sensor, and finally a 5MP macro sensor.
Talking about the primary camera, as we’ve usually seen on Samsung phones, the A51’s 12MP pixel binned shots have an incredible amount of details with decent dynamic range, and punchy colors as usual. Compared to the OPPO F15, I was quite surprised to see how the Galaxy A51 held its fort. It produces quite eye-catching colors, especially the sky in comparison.
Normal Images
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Getting to the night time images, it’s just about average. So, I had to use the night mode to get a usable image. But what’s definitely distinguishable are the images from the ultra-wide-angle lens. Here, the A51 takes the crown as it’s got the better of everything – from width to detail to the dynamic range to colors.
Wideangle Images
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Talking about macro shots, like I’ve been saying in many of our phone reviews, it’s just a gimmick and is way less practical. In the case of A51 as well, it’s not very useful, though you can get acceptable images with good lighting.
Macro
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The A50s had good portrait imaging capability and the same goes here with the Galaxy A51 as well. The edge detection in portraits is fairly good. Under good lighting, you can get some truly amazing portraits like this one here. The camera does smoothen the subject’s skin a little bit, but the end result is good I must say.
Portrait
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Similarly, the regular and portrait selfie images are decent on the Galaxy A51 with better colors, details, and sharper focus. The software-based portrait selfies don’t have the best edge detection but look good for what its worth.
Normal v Portrait Selfie
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Normal Selfie
Portrait Selfie
Normal Selfie
Portrait Selfie
Getting on to the videos, though it supports 4K recording, it is limited to 30fps and lacks stabilization. On the contrary, you still get quite stable videos in 1080p videos. Similar to the photos, the videos have quite good colors and dynamic range too. And as expected on Samsung phone, you also get the super steady mode, slow-mo, and super slow-mo video modes.
Performance & Software
Talking about the software version, the Galaxy A51 runs on the latest Android 10 with One UI 2.0 on top. The difference between the original One UI 1.0 to this version of One UI is great. Though there aren’t many visual changes, I did notice that it is a lot smoother.
The UI is so easy to get used to and everything is just there, so easily reachable. It is actually designed for huge phones. And I must say that I really like the changes to it from the previous version of One UI. The transitions seem so much faster and smoother and the layout of items has been managed differently and for good. The camera UI looks better. Overall, it looks more colorful and managed. I have always complained about One UI being slow on budget and mid-range phones and I am happy that Samsung finally seems to have listened!
Having said that, there is still a slight hint of lag while navigating through apps and multitasking. Comparatively, it’s just not as swift as say the one in the POCO X2 or Realme X2. And It’s definitely because of the same-old Exynos 9611 chipset that’s powering it, which is just a slight improvement over the Exynos 9610 on the original Galaxy A50.
What’s even non-acceptable is how Samsung’s new Galaxy M21 with much less going price, shares the same chipset to the A51. We’ve been consistently complaining about the company’s chipset selection in their A-series devices and at this point, I am really tired of. I mean how inconsiderate can you get?
The Galaxy A71 we reviewed a couple of weeks back has the Snapdragon 730 and its performance is, let’s say, good. If you think about it, A51 should be the one powered by SD 730 while the A71 could’ve gone with an even better chipset.
When it comes to gaming, the performance is similar to that of the last year’s A50. Graphic intensive games like PUBG runs at acceptable 40fps mark in smooth graphics and ultra frame rates, while COD is playable on high graphics and high refresh rate. But as you push the settings higher, you get a ton of stutters & lags to a state of not being able to enjoy the gameplay. Also, the phone got a little warm near the camera module when gaming for a little while. Therefore, with its underperforming SoC, the Galaxy A51 is definitely not for the gaming-centric audience.
In terms of memory, there’s either 4, 6 or 8GB of RAM with 64 or 128GB of storage. The one I have has a 6/128GB configuration, with a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion.
Security
As for the in-display fingerprint sensor, it is much faster and accurate than its predecessor and with the recent update, it’s gotten even better. But Despite this, it is nowhere near comparable to what the competitors are offering with their larger and faster sensor. But at the end of the day, it gets the job done and you’ll get used to it pretty soon. Likewise, the software-based face unlock is okay too but still isn’t the fastest.
Battery & Charging
The 4000mAh cell in fact yields similar endurance to the Galaxy A50 & A50s, and gives a solid one-day battery life. In my time with the phone, it gave me around 6 hours of screen-on-time which consisted of around 2 hours of binging YouTube, about an hour of gaming, and over an hour of social media usage.
Though the endurance itself is amazing, the charging… not so much. You’re still stuck with 15W fast charging, which now can be seen on budget Samsung phones. So, it would have been much nicer if Samsung had included a 25W charging technology like thy Galaxy A71. With the 15W charger, it takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes for the Galaxy A51 to get charged from 0 to 100%.
Audio
The audio quality on this phone is okay-ish too. It has a mono speaker that gets the job done, but I think Samsung should include a stereo setup at least on their upper A-series device to make it more value-packed and distinguish its A-series from M-series. Similarly, there is no problem with the 3.5mm headphone jack. And even in terms of call quality, the audio is loud and clear.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I got in a dilemma as to how I should give a verdict to the Galaxy A51. While reviewing it, I kept on asking myself who is this phone for? And I think it’s perfect for casual smartphone users, who don’t give much emphasis on performance & gaming. Someone like my sister, who doesn’t play high-end games, and just wants a stylish phone with a great camera and display, because she binges a lot of Amazon Prime contents on her phone.
So… Apple dropped a brand new iPhone back in April and it is a big one. Well, “big” not in terms of the physical dimensions but in the sense of what it represents, and how its mere existence is a major red flag to the upper-mid-range market; you know where Android OEMs thrive. The new iPhone SE (2020) or the iPhone SE 2 as everyone’s calling it, packs a damn powerful A13 Bionic chipset, has an IP rating, wireless charging, all for the starting price of just $399. And it is finally available for purchase in Nepal, albeit at a slightly exorbitant price.
iPhone SE 2 Overview
Design
Right off the bat, the iPhone SE 2 isn’t a classically fancy smartphone you’d expect in 2020. It borrows the same design choice we last saw in the company’s iPhone 8 series – thick bezels at the top and a Touch ID on the bottom. While you’d think Apple’s fit in the Face ID sensors and whatnot found in the newer iPhones with that bathtub notch, the Touch ID’s all you have on the SE 2. From unlocking the phone to making transactional approvals, you know where your thumb needs to be.
Moreover, the iPhone SE 2 shares a lot of similarities with the standard iPhone 8 in terms of design. Same dimensions & weight, glass/aluminum body,IP67 dust/water resistance, wireless charging; no wonder Apple was quick to discontinue the iPhone 8 & 8 Plus. There are three color options available: Black, White, and a special (PRODUCT) RED variant. Here, the company will be donating a certain amount to the global COVID-19 relief fund on the money made from the sales of each iPhone SE 2 (PRODUCT) RED. Nice!
Display
Besides the apparent dated design, the one other thing that the iPhone SE 2 is getting being criticized for the most is its small display. Apparently, the 4.7-inches Retina HD IPS panel just isn’t doing it for people these days and I can understand why. The one consistent change in the smartphone industry in the past couple of years is unmistakenly the way phones have been getting bigger. A phone with a pocketable large screen is what the manufacturers have been trying to achieve by cutting the bezels & other techniques.
But the iPhone SE 2’s display isn’t downright terrible. It is about 18% larger than the original iPhone SE and as aforementioned, is the same as the iPhone 8, or the iPhone 7, 6, etc. Expecting a large OLED panel with minimal bezels on an iPhone lineup pre-established as a compact & economic model isn’t a great idea.
Performance & Memory
It’s powered by the Apple A13 Bionic chipset; the same one in the latest iPhone 11 series. Need I say more? Well, I do but how cool would it have been if I didn’t? This hexa-core SoC based on TSMC’s 7nm N7P process is still wiping the floor with other flagship chipsets which is absolutely humiliating for the Android smartphone market. Even the latest Snapdragon 865 falls behind it in terms of single/multi-core CPU and GPU performance. And that’s something you’ll find in $1000 phones (though there are a couple of exceptions as well). To quote Android Central:
The cheapest iPhone has a more powerful processor than the most expensive Android phone.
Furthermore, let’s briefly talk about software support. The iPhone SE 2 runs on iOS 13 out-of-the-box and you know it’s gonna get software updates for years to come. To put things to perspective, the iPhone 6s/6s Plus from September 2015 is updated to the same iOS 13. Software support on a device almost half a decade old? That’s something absolutely unheard of in the Android community.
Moving on, the original iPhone SE (2016) came with a storage option starting from 16GB. But that’s simply not enough for 2020, and Apple knows that. Therefore, the base model of iPhone SE 2 has 64GB storage. You can also opt for the 128 or 256GB options by adding either $50 or $100 respectively. While 64GB may already suffice for many, the phone does have features like 4K video recording which can eat up a lot of memory in a matter of minutes. So I think the 128GB iPhone SE 2 for $449 is the best deal of the three.
Cameras
Getting to the cameras, there are two of them – one up front, and one at the back. Let’s discuss the back camera first. It’s a 12MP f/1.8 wide lens just like the iPhone XR. Now though that may not seem like a lot, Apple’s capable software-based photography makes it a compelling option anyway. You can still shoot portrait images with various studio lighting effects, 5x digitally zoomed photos. Moreover, it also brings the “Smart HDR” & 4K@60fps (with OIS) video recording option found in Apple’s more expensive set of phones.
On the other hand, the front camera is a standard 7MP f/2.2 lens. It also supports portrait images with those lighting effects, 1080p@30fps video recording, Auto HDR, and more. However, Apple’s Animoji support remains absent on this one.
Battery
In a typical Apple fashion, the company hasn’t disclosed the exact battery capacity on the iPhone SE 2. Their product launch events have always leaned on to using comparison-based information delivery rather than spit out the specific details in many cases. Here, Apple says that iPhone SE 2’s battery “Lasts about the same as iPhone 8“. Therefore, we can conclude with some degree of uncertainty that its battery size is the same 1821mAh cell of the iPhone 8. It also supports 18W fast charging which can take the phone to 50% with half an hour of charge. Similarly, the phone supports Qi-based wireless charging too.
iPhone SE 2 Specifications:
Body: 5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29-inches ; 148 gm; IP67 dust/water resistant
Display: 4.7-inches Retina HD IPS panel; True Tone, Wide Color (P3) display; 625nits brightness; 326PPI
Resolution: HD (1334 x 750 pixels); 16:9 aspect ratio
Security: Touch ID sensor (front-mounted fingerprint sensor)
Connectivity: Nano-SIM (and/or eSIM), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0 LE, GPS with A-GPS/GLONASS, Lightning connector
Audio: Stereo speaker
Battery: “Lasts about the same as iPhone 8”, 18W fast charging, Qi-based wireless charging
Colors: Black, White, (PRODUCT) RED
iPhone SE 2 (2020) Price in Nepal, Availability
The Phone SE 2 is officially available for purchase in Nepal. And it can be done from Apple authorized resellers like Oliz and Evo Store. Although the base variant costs $399 in the US, the price of iPhone SE 2 in Nepal starts at Rs. 70,000.
Oppo has launched yet another Enco headphone in Nepal. This time, however, it is not a TWS. The newly launched Oppo Enco M31 is neck-band style wireless headphones. Read along to know more about the device, including its specs, features, price, and availability of Oppo Enco M31 in Nepal.
Oppo Enco M31 Overview
Design and Build
The Oppo Enco M31 is a neckband style wireless headset. It sports a metallic core made up of shape memory alloys. It is hidden within the liquid silicone rubber. The curved neckband has a smooth surface for comfortable wearing. The earbuds have silicone tips, so you can change them for a better fit. Enco M31 also has magnets behind the buds that users can use to stick the earbuds when not in use. Sticking the two earbuds automatically disconnects it from the paired device. When separated the connection is automatically restored.
Sound Quality
Oppo Enco M31 is equipped with 9mm full-range dynamic driver. The titanium-plated diaphragms can extend frequency up to 40KHz. For lower frequency, Oppo has included independent bass chambers. Like the Enco W31, it also has a dedicated bass mode. The Enco M31 supports the usual SBC and AAC codec. On top of that, it also supports Sony’s proprietary LDAC codec. If your smartphone runs on Android 8 or above, chances are your phone supports LDAC codec. All you need to do is enable it under the developer option. With the LDAC codec, Oppo claims transmission speed of up to 990Kbps.
Oppo Enco M31 comes with a multi-function button alongside dedicated buttons for volume control. Tracks can be changed by pressing and holding volume up or down key for one second. You can play or pause the current track by pressing the multi-function key. Pressing the button twice will switch between Balanced and Bass modes. Similarly, pressing the button thrice will activate your device’s voice assistant.
Battery and Others
Oppo Enco M31 features an 88mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery which promises up to 12 hours of music playback at 50% volume (SBC, AAC codec). If you are using the LDAC format, expect battery endurance of up to 8 hours. It takes almost an hour to charge the device completely using the Type-C charger. The neckband has an IPX5 certification against low-pressure water jets. Similarly, the neckband also supports AI-powered noise reduction during calls.
Oppo Enco M31 Specifications:
Driver: 9.2mm, dynamic
Connectivity: Wireless (Bluetooth)
Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz (44.1KHz) / 20Hz – 40KHz (LDAC)
Music Time: 12hours (non-LPDCcodec), 8hr (LPDC)
Audio Codec: AAC, SBC, LPDC
Battery capacity: 88mAh
Charging time: 60min
Bluetooth Version: v5.0
Sweat Resistance: Yes, IPX5 Rating
Noise Reduction: Yes, AI-powered
Power Case Charger: Type-C
Color: Green, Black
Oppo Enco M31 Price in Nepal and Availability
Oppo has launched the Enco M31 exclusively via Daraz in Nepal with a price tag of Rs. 4,990.
TWS model
Price in Nepal
Oppo Enco W31
Rs. 4,990
Check out our list of best wireless earbuds (by mobile brands)
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The earbuds have silicone tips, so you can change them for a better fit. Enco M31 also has magnets behind the buds that users can use to stick the earbuds when not in use. Sticking the two earbuds automatically disconnects it from the paired device. When separated the connection is automatically restored.
The Enco M31 supports the usual SBC and AAC codec. On top of that, it also supports Sony’s proprietary 
The neckband has an IPX5 certification against low-pressure water jets. Similarly, the neckband also supports AI-powered noise reduction during calls.