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iPhone XS, XS Max and iPhone XR Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]

GadgetByte

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April 6, 2020

iPhone XS, XS Max and iPhone XR Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]

Apple launched three new iPhones in the mid of September 2018, namely iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max & iPhone XR. With one of the most powerful chipsets on the board and with the capable cameras inside, the phone gained a lot of hype in the tech world including Nepal. All these 3 phones are available in Nepal and currently enjoying price drop. The drop in the price of these phones is expected as Apple has already launched the new iPhone 11 series.

iPhone XS Max:

iPhone XS Max is the biggest iPhone in terms of size. With a big 6.5-inch display and 208 grams, this thing is really bulky. In terms of design, it looks identical to last year’s iPhone X. You get this beautiful glass back with a stainless steel frame, making it one of the most durable iPhones ever. It is also IP68 dust and waterproof.

The display here is a Super AMOLED panel which Apple likes to call it a Super Retina display. With wide color gamut and HDR 10, the screen can deliver contents with deep blacks, rich colors and strong contrast ratio.

On the performance front, its the Apple A12 Bionic chip at work. This Hexa-core A12 Bionic chip is the industry’s first 7nm chipset. The processor is also aided by 4GB of RAM. Despite being a little over a year, the A12 Bionic is still very powerful and can still compete against the best chipset Android can offer. On the storage front, users will have three variants to choose from 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB.

Also Read: iPhones Latest price in Nepal [Every Model]

Camera-wise, it features a dual-camera setup at the back and the hardware setup seen on these newbies is indifferent to its predecessor. The camera duo features a pair of 12MP sensors: one has a wide-angle lens of f/1.8 and another with a telephoto lens of f/2.4. There’s a single 7MP camera upfront at the notch.

It is powered by a sizeable 3174 mAh battery, that lasts for an entire day if you are a heavy user. It supports fast charging, both wired and wirelessly.

iPhone XS Max Specifications:

Display: 6.5 inches Super AMOLED with Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution: 1242 x 2688 pixels, 458PPI pixel density
OS: iOS 13.4
Chipset: Apple A12 Bionic, 7nm mobile platform
CPU: Hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest)
GPU: Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64/256/512GB internal storage, No microSD card slot
Rear Camera: Dual camera – (12MP, f/1.8, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, OIS, PDAF) + (12MP, f/2.4, telephoto lens, 1/3.4″, 1.0µm, OIS, PDAF, 2x optical zoom f/2.4, OIS, PDAF, 2x optical zoom), Quad-LED (dual tone) flash
Front Camera: 7 MP, f/2.2
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, A-GPS, NFC (Apple Pay only), 3G, 4G LTE, USB 2.0 proprietary reversible connector
Sensors: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery: 3174mAh non-removable battery; Fast Charging (50% in 30 minutes), Qi Wireless charging
Other Features: No 3.5mm headphone Jack, IP68 Certified (Water and Dust resistant), Dolby Vision/HDR10 compliant, stereo sound, 4K video recording up to 60fps & 1080P video recording up to 240fps
Color Options: Space Grey, Silver, Gold
Price in Nepal: Rs. 159,000 (64GB) | Rs. 175,000 (256GB) | Rs. 215,000 (512GB)

iPhone XS Max Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]

Apple’s iPhone XS is still available in Nepal. You can buy the 64GB variant of the iPhone Xs Max for the price of Rs. 159,000. Similarly, the 256GB version costs Rs. 175,000 in Nepal.

Model Name	iPhone XS Max Price in Nepal	Stores
iPhone XS Max (64GB)	Rs. 159,000	Hukut Store
iPhone XS Max (256GB)	Rs. 175,000	Hukut Store

iPhone XS

iPhone XS looks identical to the iPhone X when it comes to looks and design. The phone has the same display size as 5.8-inch. t also comes with the same size of the notch and shares the same form factor. So, if you are looking for a small phone that fits perfectly in your hand, the iPhone XS is the way to go.

Moreover, Apple hasn’t skimmed on the performance and camera. It features the same A12 bionic with 4GB of RAM. The camera on the back and the front also remains the same.

But the battery is a little smaller on the XS. It has a 2658mAh battery, which is a little smaller as compared to Max. But, you should be able to get through the day. Likewise, it supports fast charging both via wired and wireless methods.

iPhone XS Specifications:

Display: 5.8 inches Super AMOLED with Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution: 1125 x 2436 pixels, 458PPI pixel density
OS: iOS 13.4
Chipset: Apple A12 Bionic, 7nm mobile platform
CPU: Hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest)
GPU: Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64/256/512GB internal storage, No microSD card slot
Rear Camera: Dual camera – (12MP, f/1.8, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, OIS, PDAF) + (12MP, f/2.4, telephoto lens, 1/3.4″, 1.0µm, OIS, PDAF, 2x optical zoom f/2.4, OIS, PDAF, 2x optical zoom), Quad-LED (dual tone) flash
Front Camera: 7 MP, f/2.2
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, A-GPS, NFC (Apple Pay only), 3G, 4G LTE, USB 2.0 proprietary reversible connector
Sensors: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery: 2658mAh non-removable battery; Fast Charging (50% in 30 minutes), Qi Wireless charging
Other Features: No 3.5mm headphone Jack, IP68 Certified (Water and Dust resistant), Dolby Vision/HDR10 compliant, stereo sound, 4K video recording up to 60fps & 1080P video recording up to 240fps
Color Options: Space Grey, Silver, Gold
Price in Nepal: Rs. 139,000 (64GB) | Rs. 159,000 (256GB) | Rs. 185,000 (512GB)

iPhone XS Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]

The price of Apple iPhone XS (64GB) in Nepal is Rs. 139,000. However, it is currently out of stock. The 256GB variant is available at Olizstore at low as Rs. 159,000. Similarly, Evostore is selling the 512GB variant of the iPhone XS at a price of just Rs. 145,000.

Model Name	iPhone XS Price in Nepal	Stores
iPhone XS (256GB)	Rs. 159,000	Hukut Store
iPhone XS (256GB)	Rs. 172,000	Hukut Store
iPhone XS (512GB)	Rs. 145,000	Hukut Store

iPhone XR

iPhone XR is completely a new product for Apple. It is often called a “cheaper iPhone for all”. While the iPhone XS and XS Max cost well above a grand, the iPhone XR launch price was just $750. There have been corner cuts in some of the departments. For instance, you get an LCD panel instead of an OLED one. The resolution is also capped at 720P. However, the quality of the panel is still great with good colors and brightness levels.

Similarly, there is just a single camera of 12MP equipped with OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) just like the iPhone 8. Despite the lack of a dual camera, XR can still capture Portrait images due to software intelligence. On the front camera, a 7MP selfie camera resides comfortably on the display notch all the new iPhones.

Battery wise, it’s actually better than the XS and XS Max. You get a 2942mAh capacity and because of its lower-res display, it lasts long. However, you only get a 5W charger inside the box, and you have to invest in a separate fast charger. But, what we love about Apple is they don’t want you to compromise on your experience. It is equipped with the A12 Bionic chipset and runs the latest iOS.

iPhone XR Specifications:

Display: 6.1 inches IPS LCD with Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution: 828 x 1792 pixels, 326PPI pixel density
OS: iOS 13.4
Chipset: Apple A12 Bionic, 7nm mobile platform
CPU: Hexa-core (2x Vortex + 4x Tempest)
GPU: Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
RAM: 3GB
Storage: 64/128/256GB internal storage, No microSD card slot
Rear Camera: 12MP, f/1.8, 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, OIS, PDAF, Quad-LED (dual tone) flash
Front Camera: 7 MP, f/2.2
Connectivity: Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, A-GPS, NFC (Apple Pay only), 3G, 4G LTE, USB 2.0 proprietary reversible connector
Sensors: Face ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
Battery: 2942mAh non-removable battery; Fast Charging (50% in 30 minutes), Qi Wireless charging
Other Features: No 3.5mm headphone Jack, IP67 Certified (Water and Dust resistant), Dolby Vision/HDR10 compliant, stereo sound, 4K video recording up to 60fps & 1080P video recording up to 240fps
Color Options: Black, White, Red, Yellow, Coral, Blue
Price in Nepal: Rs. 80,000 (64GB) | Rs. 90,000 (128GB) | Rs. 112,000 (256GB)

iPhone XR Price in Nepal [Updated 2020]

The price of the iPhone XR in Nepal for 64GB version is Rs. 80,000. It is available for purchase from Evostore. The 64GB and 256GB variants are priced at Rs. 90,000 and Rs. 112,000 respectively.

Model Name	iPhone XR Price in Nepal
iPhone XR (64GB)	Rs. 80,000
iPhone XR (128GB)	Rs. 90,000
iPhone XR (256GB)	Rs. 112,000

iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max Price in Nepal [Summary]

Apple iPhone Model	Price in Nepal
iPhone XR (64GB)	Rs. 80,000
iPhone XR (128GB)	Rs. 90,000
iPhone XR (256GB)	Rs. 112,000
iPhone Xs (64GB)	Rs. 139,000
iPhone Xs (256GB)	Rs. 159,000
iPhone Xs (512GB)	Rs. 185,000
iPhone Xs Max (64GB)	Rs. 159,000
iPhone Xs Max (256GB)	Rs. 175,000
iPhone Xs Max (512GB)	RS. 215,000

[Last Updated: April 2020]

Xiaomi Mi Air 2S TWS earbuds brings up to 24 hours battery life, ENC at sub-$60 price

Nikhil Shrestha

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April 5, 2020

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Xiaomi Mi Air 2S TWS earbuds brings up to 24 hours battery life, ENC at sub-$60 price

With brands updating their lineup of wireless earbuds left and right (*ba-dum-tss*), new companies are jumping in on the market as well. And now, Xiaomi has unveiled its latest TWS earbuds – the Mi Air 2S. I didn’t mean to lead you on implying it’s Xiaomi’s first venture on the TWS industry, not at all. In fact, the Mi Air 2S is the successor to Mi True Wireless Earphones. It brings a longer battery life, better audio quality, and more. Moreover, the Mi Air 2S has a reasonable asking price in China and when & if it launches in Nepal, we hope it comes at a decent price as well.

[Update: Mi Air 2S is also known as Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 in India. It carries a price of INR. 4499]

Mi Air 2S TWS Earbuds Overview

Starting off, the Mi Air 2S has a distinctive yet familiar design. It borrows the awful “stem”-y look with a semi-in-ear fit. However, the stem (which also functions as the control panel) is a lot wider than what we’re used to seeing in other company’s products with a similar look. For example, the Huawei Freebuds 3, OPPO Enco Free comes with the same AirPods looking design, though with a narrower stem.

I would’ve liked to see a full-on in-ear fit with silicone/rubber tips. Besides providing a better passive noise isolation, it also makes for a tighter fit in the ears. However, it does come with ENC (Environment Noise Cancelation), which uses a dual-mic array for noise suppression when making calls or just listening to the music in a fairly noisy environment. Now, it’s nowhere near comparable to ANC (Active Noise Cancelation), but still – something is better than nothing.

Better audio quality

In terms of the audio quality itself, the Mi Air 2S has a binaural synchronous signal transmission technology. This means that audio signals get simultaneously distributed to both left & right earbud, resulting in reduced latency. Additionally, it uses the LHDC (Low latency High-Definition audio Codec) on top of the standard AAC & SBC codec, though it doesn’t come with Qualcomm’s superior aptX-HD. LHDC is in-built on Android 10 devices, though it can be easily integrated by OEMs on their device or via an app.

The audio driver on Mi Air 2S is a couple of 14.2mm drivers with a large diaphragm, which should, in theory, deliver a much studio-like sound quality. For connectivity, the Mi Air 2S has Bluetooth 5.0 technology and also IR sensors, which can detect whenever you take them off your ear(s), or put it back in.

Getting to the battery, Xiaomi promises up to 5 hours of continuous playback on a full charge. However, when paired with the case, endurance can go as high as 24 hours which is quite impressive. Talking about the case, it supports Qi Wireless charging or wired charging via USB Type-C. You can charge up the case under 1 hour using a wired charger.

Finally, it’s almost tradition that popular OEMs integrate their earbuds to work better with their ecosystem of products. Here, the Mi Air 2S is also integrated into Xiaomi’s MIUI for faster connection and other functionalities.

Mi Air 2S TWS Earbuds Specifications:

Weight: 52gram (with earbuds & case)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type-C
Speaker impedance: 32Ω
Battery: 5-hour playback (24 hours with case), 1 hour charging time
Working distance: 10m
Audio codecs: LHDC/SBC/AAC
Bluetooth protocols: BLE/HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP

Mi Air 2S Price in Nepal, Availability

Talking about the price, the Mi Air 2S TWS Earbuds is priced at ¥399 (~NRs. 6,825) and is already up for pre-order in China. Its actual sale, on the other hand, will start from April 9, 2020. There is no news on its Nepal availability yet. However, if the Mi Air 2S does arrive in Nepal, we expect it to come at a very competitive price at around NRs. 7,000 – 7,500.

Earbuds Model name	Price in Nepal (Expected)	Availability (Expected)
Xiaomi Mi Air 2S TWS	NRS. 7,000 – 7,500	June 2020

Redmi Band announced: A super cheap fitness band with a promising set of features!

GadgetByte

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April 5, 2020

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Redmi Band announced: A super cheap fitness band with a promising set of features!

When Realme announced its Realme Band, the company didn’t even bother to compare it with other available products in the market stating that it was the best one can get in that price range. However, things could now change as Redmi has announced its first-ever fitness band at even cheaper rates. With an even cheaper price, can the new Redmi Band prove to be a better value for money than the Realme Band and can we expect it to launch in Nepal? Let’s find out.

Also, check out our review of Mi Band 4

Overview

Redmi band comes with a 1.08-inch OLED panel which is bigger than the Realme Band. But the rectangular shape looks similar. You can choose over 70 different watch faces and four colored straps but the display itself cannot be detached from the wrist strap. A button is placed at the bottom of the screen for navigation.

Check out the best budget fitness trackers in Nepal

It supports four different sports mode which is a lot less when we consider the competition. But it also features an optical heart rate sensor that will monitor your heart rate in real-time, which will also keep track of your sleeping habits.

The Redmi Band features a USB-C port for charging which takes about 2 hours to complete. Once fully charged, the company has boasted a battery life of about 2 weeks. When outdoors, you won’t have to worry much about the band as it is 5 ATM water-resistant. However, it lacks support for NFC.

Redmi Band Specifications

Display: 1.08-inch OLED Display
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Water resistance: 5ATM
Battery life: 2 weeks
Shape: Rectangle
Trackers: Heart rate monitor, step monitor, 4 sports mode

Redmi Band Price in Nepal, Availability

Redmi Band comes with a price tag of 99 Yuan (~ NPR 1,700) and will be going on sale starting from April 9, 2020. As of now, the company hasn’t commented on anything about the international launch. But looking at the popularity of the band in the market, it is safe to assume that the company will launch the Redmi band in India, Nepal and other South Asian markets. However, when it comes to Nepal, we expect its price to be around NPR 1,900 – 2,000.

Model name	Price in Nepal (Expected)	Availability
Redmi Band	NPR 1,900 – 2,000	April 9 (limited to China for now)

Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy A71!

Intel’s new 10th Gen H-series chips boast over 5GHz of computing power for laptops

GadgetByte

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April 3, 2020

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Intel’s new 10th Gen H-series chips boast over 5GHz of computing power for laptops

Intel has announced that it has broken the 5GHz speed barrier for mobile processors with the launch of the latest 10th Gen H-series processors. This announcement has come within a week since AMD’s Ryzen 4000 series powered laptops have hit the market. Let’s take a look at the latest Intel 10th Gen H-series processors in detail.

Intel 10th Gen H-series Processors

Intel’s latest 10th Gen H-series processors are meant for those who require top processor speeds. With this series, Intel aims to provide the raw processing power typically found only in desktops to portable notebooks. It claims these processors will provide the user with the best gaming experience on a laptop.

Also, check out Intel’s 10nm Tiger Lake Processor

Overcoming the 5GHz speed barrier

The most powerful of the series is the Intel 10 Gen Intel Core i9 – 10980HK. It comes with 8 cores, 16 threads, and 16MB of Intel Smart Cache. The highlight of the processor is the Turbo Boost speed of up to 5.3GHz. But only two of the cores can achieve this speed when the following two conditions are met:

Thermal Velocity Boost (TMB) is turned on
CPU temperature is maintained at or below 65-degree Celcius

Under the temperature limit of 65-degree Celsius, the TMV can boost the clock frequencies by up to 200Mhz.

Three other Intel Core i5 processors make cross the 5GHz mark with a turbo boost up to 5.1Ghz. One of them (i7-10875H) features 8 cores and 16 threads while the other two (i7-10850H & i7-10750H) feature 6 cores and 12 threads each.

Also, check out Intel 10th Gen Comet Lake Processors

What’s more?

All new Comet Lake processors are based on Intel’s 14nm process. Thermal Design Power (TDP) of all the new processors is 45W and they all support two-channel DDR4-2933 memory alongside Intel’s Optane Memory H10 supports and Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0. These processors also support WiFi 6 and Thunderbolt 3.

Upcoming Devices with Intel 10th Gen H-series processor?

We might not have to wait for long to see how the latest 10th Gen H-series processor fair in real life as several manufacturers have already confirmed their upcoming devices will use the latest Intel processors. These include names like Acer, MSI, Lenovo, HP, Razer, ASUS. The devices include Acer Predator Triton 500, MSI GE66 Raider, Razer Blade 5, ASUS ROG Zephyrus, and upcoming Lenovo Legion and HP OMEN devices.

Acer Predator Triton 500 Intel 10th gen h-series processors — Acer Predator Triton 500

So what do you think of the latest Intel 10th Gen H-series mobile processors? Can it surpass AMD’s latest Ryzen 4000 series? Let us know your opinions.

Sony WF-XB700 wireless earphones launched: EXTRA BASS™ at an affordable price!

GadgetByte

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April 3, 2020

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Sony WF-XB700 wireless earphones launched: EXTRA BASS™ at an affordable price!

Alongside the WH-CH710N noise-canceling headphones, another Sony device made its debut today. The new Sony WF-XB700 was launched as part of Sony’s Extra Bass™ lineup. Sony certainly has some good truly wireless headphones under its belt. Obviously, the WH-1000XM3 will be the choice for many. However, price and comfort play a very big role in any purchase and that’s where the device such as the WF-XB700 comes in. It is a truly wireless earphone with the price tag that it has launched with, it seems like a perfect device for those who want low-end tone at an affordable price. Hopefully, the price of the Sony WF-XB700 in Nepal will be affordable too.

Sony WF-XB700 Overview

The Sony WF-XB700 falls in the Extra Bass™ lineup of the company, so obviously, the main feature of this earbud is extra bass. It uses a 12mm driver to deliver a sound that is both powerful and punchy. I expect them to keep this promise of theirs as a lot of other earbuds struggle with it. They usually tend to overpower everything. And as a result, the sound clarity gets distorted. Let’s just hope that this is not going to be the case with the WF-XB700.

Design-wise too the device seems really great. It comes with a Tri-hold construction that helps the bud better fit on your ears, that we saw on the WF-1000XM3 TWS earphones. This also makes the WF-XB700 a great companion during workouts as there’s less chance that it will fall off. Moreover, the device comes with an IPX4 rated. So, don’t worry about sweat or water hampering your earbuds.

The claimed playback time is of nine hours with an extra nine hours in the case. And similar to WH-CH710N, this device also has a quick charge feature. By charging it for just 10 minutes, you are guaranteed up to one hour of playtime.

Once again, the company hasn’t disclosed full specs of this one too. We’ll be sure to update it as soon as they do.

Sony WF-XB700 Price in Nepal, Availability

The company is currently mum about the exact date of the device’s availability in the market. However, they have assured that its pre-booking will start this month. As far as the pricing is concerned, Sony has been able to pack this earbud at a price of just $130.

Talking about its availability in Nepal, the device should be available towards the tail-end of June. However, with the lock-down in place right now, we cannot really guarantee anything. The price of Sony WF-XB700 in Nepal, per my guess, should be around MRP. 25,000.

Model Name	Price in Nepal (Expected)	Availability (Expected)
Sony WF-XB700	NRs. 25,000	June– July 2020

Sony’s new WH-CH710N noise-canceling headphone has 35 hours of battery life for just $200

GadgetByte

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April 3, 2020

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Sony’s new WH-CH710N noise-canceling headphone has 35 hours of battery life for just $200

Wireless headphones are the thing these days and Sony is doing a great job in bringing some of the best ones. Their prowess is such that they are giving the likes of Bose and company a run for their money. In WH-1000XM3, they have the industry’s finest noise-canceling headphone. And now they have come up with the new Sony WH-CH710N headphones. This device falls under Sony’s attempt to provide quality headphones with ANC at an affordable price. Thus it has debuted at a reasonable price. My hope now is that the price of Sony WH-CH710N in Nepal will be somewhere around what its global price is.

Overview

As per the company, the WH-CH710N can monitor your surrounding sounds. It uses the Dual Noise Sensor Technology to do so. As a result, the noise cancellation of the device is affected as per the need. The WH-CH710N has microphones that face both forward and backward. And this helps the device to switch to the appropriate ANC mode as per the surrounding. Now, this system seems somewhat similar to the one currently present in the WH-1000XM3. However, Sony has not yet clarified whether both the systems are the same or not.

Another great feature that this device has is the ambient sound mode. Now, this is something that most noise-canceling headphones out there provide. Nevertheless, it is a great feature to have on the headphone. With this, you can hear “ambient” sounds such as birds, traffic and so without having to pause your music. However, you must be aware that hearing ambient sound is also affected by the type & volume of music you are playing.

Moreover, this device has a 30mm driver. It helps the WH-CH710N to reproduce pure, clear sound and a range of frequencies. The battery life also seems to be great. Reportedly it offers 35 hrs on a single charge. That’s five hours extra than their flagship WH-1000XM3. Also, there’s quick charge support, that charges the headphone in 10 mins and offers 1 hour of playback time. Other than that device has the NFC One-touch for instant music support and for activating your phone’s voice assistant.

Besides these, the company hasn’t disclosed the full specifications of the headphone. We’ll be sure to update it once Sony releases them.

Sony WH-CH710N Price in Nepal, Availability

As mentioned earlier, the device falls in Sony’s affordable noise-canceling headphones, thus, it will cost just $200 in the international market. And as for the availability, currently, you can pre-order the device.

With Nepal, however, the case is still a bit unclear. It may arrive around June, but we cannot guarantee that. The same is the case with the pricing of the device. I guess that the price of Sony WH-CH710N in Nepal should be around MRP. 30,000. However, considering what happened with WH-1000XM3, we cannot guarantee anything about the price either.

Model Name	Price in Nepal (Expected)	Availability (Expected)
Sony WH-CH710N	NRs. 30,000	June– July 2020

Mi TV 4S 65″ with 4K display & HDR10+ support set for its European launch

GadgetByte

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April 3, 2020

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Mi TV 4S 65″ with 4K display & HDR10+ support set for its European launch

In Nepal, Xiaomi is best known for its lineup of smartphones. It has been the go-to brand when it comes to budget and mid-range devices. But Xiaomi’s portfolio of products expands far beyond smartphones and accessories. Recently, Xiaomi unveiled Mi TV 4S 65-inch. Let’s check out the complete specs, price and official launch date of Mi TV 4S 65-inch.

Mi TV 4S Overview

The Mi TV 4S comes with a 4K HDR panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. It also supports HDR10+ and covers 85% of NSTC color gamut. It is enclosed within a metal case with a metal frame. The whole set up stands on a metal stand which can be removed when mounting it on the wall. The TV is powered by MediaTek’s 6886 quad-core processor and it paired with Mali 470 MP3 GPU. There is 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage onboard. It ships with Android TV 9.

The device comes with 3 x HDMI ports, 3 x USB ports, an ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The TV comes with support for Motion Estimation Motion Compensation (MEMC) Technology for smoother motions. The device comes with support for dual-band WiFi. It also comes with support for Bluetooth LE.

There is also support for Dolby Audio and DTS-HD along with Voice remote control with Google Assistant. A dedicated button on the remote activates the Google Assistant. The remote also has dedicated buttons to launch Netflix and Amazon Prime Video services. You can also use it to control other Xiaomi IoT devices.

Mi TV 4S 65-inch Specifications:

Display: 65-inches 4K HDR panel; 85% NTSC color gamut; HDR10+ certifications
Resolution: 4K Ultra-HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Sound: 2 Speakers with 10W Output; Dolby Audio, DTS-HD audio
OS: Android 9.0
Processor: MediaTek’s 6886 quad-core
GPU: Mali 470 MP3 GPU
Storage: 2GB RAM, 16GB Memory
HDR: HDR10+
Wireless Connectivity: WiFi (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth LE
I/O Ports: 3x HDMI, 3x USB, 1x Ethernet, Audio jack

Also Read: Price of Xiaomi TVs in Nepal

Mi TV 4S Price in Nepal (expected), and Availability

Mi TV 4S 65-inch was unveiled alongside Mi 10 Lite during the global launch of the Mi 10 series. As with the previous TVs in the series, Mi TV 4S 65-inch will first land in Europe. Mi TV 4S will hit the European market in June with a price of 549 Euros. Given the high customs charges for TVs, we can expect the price of Mi TV 4S in Nepal to be around NPR. 100,000.

Model name	Price	Availability
Mi TV 4S 65-inch	549 Euros (~NPR 100,000 in Nepal)	June (select European market)

There is no hint about South Asian launch so we don’t think the Mi TV 4S 65-inch will be available here in Nepal even through unofficial channels.

Sony launches the holy grail of noise-canceling headphones: the WH-1000XM3 in Nepal!

GadgetByte

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April 3, 2020

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Sony launches the holy grail of noise-canceling headphones: the WH-1000XM3 in Nepal!

Today, if someone does not want to be disturbed, they put on a headphone/earphone. Be it in a public place or at home, wearing a headphone subtly gives out the hint that the person does not want to be disturbed. If headphones are that important, then should you not choose the best one for yourself? Well, there are plenty of good headphones to choose from in the market. And the latest addition (in Nepal) to the list is the Sony WH-1000XM3 wireless headphones. It is a wireless noise-canceling headphone that is now officially available in Nepal. And being a premium headphone, the price of Sony WH-1000XM3 in Nepal is going to be “premium” too.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Overview

Repeatedly touted as the best noise-canceling headphone in the world, the Sony WH-1000XM3 was launched as the successor to Sony WH-1000XM2. Its chassis is made up of hard plastic and there’s a soft-touch material over the ear cups. Two wide microphones are there at top of the ear cups that collect data for the noise-canceling unit.

Also read: Sony WF-1000XM3 wireless earphones launched in Nepal

The WH-1000XM3 uses the QN1 HD noise-canceling processor. It has an optimized AI that does a great job of canceling out the noise around you. Furthermore, having a dedicated noise-canceling processor also ensures that your music reproduction is not compromised. A great feature that this headphone offers is that you can temporarily hear the outside noise if you wish to. It can be done by cupping your hand over the right ear-cup.

Moreover, the headphone supports all the voice assistants. You can install the Sony headphones app to configure the settings of the headphone such as the bass and so on. The navigation is made easier too. One only needs to swipe either forward or backward to navigate through the playlist. Similarly, a long press activates the voice assistant.

Specifications:

Weight: 255 grams (approx.)
Headphone Type: Closed, dynamic
Driver Unit: 1.57″, dome type
Impedance: 47Ω (when connected via cable with the unit turned on), 16Ω (when connected via cable with the unit turned off)
Frequency Response: 4Hz – 40,000Hz, 20Hz – 20,000Hz (Bluetooth Communication)
Input: Stereo mini jack
Bluetooth: 4.2
Frequency Range: 2.4GHz band
Battery Life :
- 30 hrs (NC on), 38 hrs (NC off) – continuous music playback
- 30 hrs (NC on), 200 hrs (NC off) – waiting time
Battery Charge Time: 3 hrs (approx.)
Features: DSEE HX, touch sensor, active noise cancelling, SENSE ENGINE

Sony WH-1000XM3 Price in Nepal and Availability

The Sony WH-1000XM3 has officially launched in Nepal and is available for purchase. Now, as mentioned earlier, this is a premium headphone, thus, it comes at a premium cost too. The price of Sony WH-1000XM3 in Nepal is MRP. 50,000.

Model	Price in Nepal
Sony WH-1000XM3	Rs. 50,000

As much as we’re thrilled about its launch, that price tag is equally disappointing. In its original launch in the international market, the WH-1000XM3 retailed for $349 (now ~NRs. 43,000). And that’s back in August 2018. Moreover, this headphone has been discounted and is now available for $300 (~NRs. 36,935) abroad. You see where I’m going with this, right? Adding further insult to the injury is that though the WH-1000XM3 is still a stellar set of headphones, the rumors about its successor (the WH-1000XM4) have already circulated for quite some time now, and it should launch pretty soon.

Understanding Fair Usage Policy (FUP): The enemy to your consistently stable internet!

Nikhil Shrestha

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April 2, 2020

4

Understanding Fair Usage Policy (FUP): The enemy to your consistently stable internet!

The internet has become such an integral part of our life ever since its invention. So much so, that it’s widely accepted as one of the basic human needs in modern times. But hey, who doesn’t lose their minds over slow internet speed after being conditioned to a faster connection for a long time. Ain’t that the reality these days? With people stuck at home as per the government mandate to contain the spread of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus), our collective time spent on the internet has soared like never before. And that has been a major headache to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) around the world – including Nepal.

Many of you may have already fallen victim to slowed connection during the lockdown, especially if you’re subscribed to Worldlink. Not a day has gone by in the past week or so where I haven’t encountered a post on Facebook, Reddit filled with rants against the largest ISP of Nepal. Well, there’s this thing called Fair Usage Policy (FUP) which exists and has always existed in practically every ISP in the world to control the volume of internet usage. And with a sudden exponential surge in bandwidth consumption, many users are un/knowingly reaching the threshold, thus being eligible to face the wrath of a throttled internet.

What is FUP on the internet?

Short for Fair Usage Policy, it is a guideline kept in place to monitor the network usage and prevent exploitation or misuse by setting bandwidth (data) cap, such that the entire network runs as intended. Basically, it’s a check against subscribers who try to consume an excessive amount of bandwidth by limiting their speed. Worldlink describes it as follow:

“FUP stands for “Fair Usage Policy” it is practiced by all ISPs worldwide which reserve the right to throttle or cap bandwidth to stop massive usage & misuse of the bandwidth. Such behavior affects other user’s experience who also have equally paid for the subscription.”

Of course, every subscription package of every ISP has a different implementation of FUP. And in this article, we’ll be briefly discussing the ones in Nepal’s top two ISPs – Worldlink, and Vianet for their “home” plans.

Worldlink’s FUP

In the case of Worldlink, the company has a “Smart FUP” system that monitors and flags a subscriber’s internet usage behavior on a daily basis. The “flag” here is an identifier value that automatically keeps track of the user’s data consumption level. There are 3 types of flags:

S. No.	Flag Type	When it applies	What happens thereafter	How to revoke
1	YELLOW	After a user exceeds the daily limit	– Notify the user – No change in internet speed	N/A
2	RED	After a user exceeds three YELLOW flags	– Notify the user – Internet speed temporarily throttled to run at the predetermined fallback speed	– Log into Worldlink’s online services or, – Use the bandwidth selector on the official app
3	BLACK	After a user exceeds three RED flags	– Notify the user – Internet speed throttled (even permanently), with no way to reset bandwidth whatsoever	– Contact Worldlink support staff for further assistance

Well, what are the daily data limits for Worldlink?

Glad you asked. We contacted the company and these are the limits of bandwidth usage (only download data, not upload) within 24 hours and their consequent fallback speed. Here, the fallback speed refers to the speed your internet will run on after you exceed the volume of internet usage based on your subscription package throughout the rest of the day.

S. No.	Package	Daily bandwidth limit (24 hours)	Fallback speed
1	20Mbps	28GB	3Mbps
2	25Mbps	32GB	4Mbps
3	40Mbps	36GB	5Mbps
4	60Mbps	40GB	6Mbps

Many users have also pointed out that the recent slowness in their internet is a result of “oversubscription“. They claim that Worldlink’s excess userbase has now crippled the company’s infrastructure and as a result, it is hampering the performance of almost every single other customer. However, Worldink insisted that their infrastructure is solid as a rock and it’s not an issue of a large number of customers. It’s just that, with almost everyone stuck at their home, data usage is way too high.

After all, the daily bandwidth limit is a calculated value the company has set. And I don’t believe people had the same degree of a complaint before the whole lockdown thing. But now, people have more time to spend on the internet, thus skyrocketing the usage volume.

It is also important to note that fup is applicable only to those users who exploit the daily limit.

Even if you’re one of the victims of slow internet, Worldlink says that the FUP throttle is activated only during peak hours (8:00 PM to 11:00 PM). In this time, the fallback speed is switched on instead.

Vianet’s FUP

Vianet, on the other hand, doesn’t have a “flag” system like Worldlink’s that automatically monitors a customer’s data usage on a daily basis. On the contrary, the company checks for any sort of bandwidth exploitation from its users on a monthly basis (Gregorian calendar: A.D.), by taking both – total download and upload data into account.

Package	FUP Speed Restriction not applicable	Level 1 FUP Speed Restriction Applied	Level 2 FUP Speed Restriction Applied	Level 3 FUP Speed Restriction Applied
10 or 12 Mbps Unlimited	Data Used: Less than 650 GB	Data Used: 650 GB – 700 GB	Data Used: 700 GB – 750 GB	Data Used: More Than 750 GB
10 or 12 Mbps Unlimited	No Speed Throttle	Speed Throttled to: 6 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 4 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 2 Mbps

20 Mbps Unlimited	Data Used: Less than 750 GB	Data Used: 750 GB – 800 GB	Data Used: 800 GB – 850 GB	Data Used: More Than 850 GB
20 Mbps Unlimited	No Speed Throttle	Speed Throttled to: 12 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 6 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 3 Mbps

25 or 30 Mbps Unlimited	Data Used: Less than 800 GB	Data Used: 800 GB – 900 GB	Data Used: 900 GB – 1000 GB	Data Used: More Than 1000 GB
25 or 30 Mbps Unlimited	No Speed Throttle	Speed Throttled to: 15 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 8 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 4 Mbps

35 or 40 Mbps Unlimited	Data Used: Less than 900 GB	Data Used: 900 GB – 1000 GB	Data Used: 1000 GB – 1100 GB	Data Used: More Than 1100 GB
35 or 40 Mbps Unlimited	No Speed Throttle	Speed Throttled to: 21 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 11 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 4 Mbps

50 Mbps Unlimited	Data Used: Less than 950 GB	Data Used: 950 GB – 1050 GB	Data Used: 1050 GB – 1150 GB	Data Used: More Than 1150 GB
50 Mbps Unlimited	No Speed Throttle	Speed Throttled to: 30 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 15 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 5 Mbps

60 Mbps Unlimited	Data Used: Less than 1000 GB	Data Used: 1000 GB – 1100 GB	Data Used: 1100 GB – 1200 GB	Data Used: More Than 1200 GB
60 Mbps Unlimited	No Speed Throttle	Speed Throttled to: 36 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 18 Mbps	Speed Throttled to: 6 Mbps

Are there daily data limits for Vianet as well?

The company also has a three-level FUP restriction, which is based upon the total data used by the customer on their respective internet package. Now, let’s compare the 20Mbps package of both Worldlink & Vianet. In the former, you risk getting throttled if you use up 28GB daily, for consecutive days which I bet is what’s going on these days. On the other hand, Vianet has a monthly data cap. Therefore, I have the freedom to consume 28GB of data repeatedly for at least 16 days (~448GB) before my internet starts getting slow.

Moreover, the spike in usage will obviously not continue on in the long run, which means that a user will not reach or exceed the limit every single day. Because of this, Vianet has the upper hand when it comes to more consistent user experience than Worldlink. I’m subscribed to Vianet myself (40Mbps) and yet to experience any sort of significant fallback on speed.

But hey, i purchased the “unlimited” package. What’s with all the limitation crap?

Well, I hate to burst your bubble but in this case, “unlimited” doesn’t mean what you think it means. You’re not going to get an infinite amount of bandwidth, no way. Bandwidth is an expensive product that ISPs buy and if they start handing it out without any restriction to their customers, it’s only a matter of days before the company goes bankrupt.

What do I do to prevent FUP restriction on my internet subscription?

There are a couple of techniques to ensure you don’t qualify for FUP restriction. They are as follows:

As much as possible, avoid unnecessary bandwidth leakage i.e. don’t always stream contents at the highest bit rate/resolution available or download extremely large files at once
Frequently monitor your bandwidth consumption level, by going on your ISP’s website or using its app.
If you’re someone who simply can’t compromise on bandwidth limitation, then upgrade your subscription to one with higher data volume

Vivo S6 5G officially announced: Comes with a quad camera setup and Exynos 980

GadgetByte

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April 1, 2020

0

Vivo S6 5G officially announced: Comes with a quad camera setup and Exynos 980

After Honor launched its new mid-range smartphone, Honor 30S 5G earlier this week, it was Vivo’s to make their move. And so they did. They have officially announced the new Vivo S6 5G. This device is the official successor to last year’s Vivo S5. The devices’ specs and features are quite comparable to that of the Honor 30S, thus, the price of Vivo S6 5G, if launched in Nepal, should be somewhat comparable too.

Overview

The Vivo S6 5G comes with a 6.44-inch AMOLED display panel with an FHD+ resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. Going against the current trend, this device features the same old water-drop notch to house a 32MP selfie camera. With so many smartphone makers opting for a punch-hole display even in a mid-ranger, it would have been good to see the same on this one too. Nonetheless, we have to make do with the notch on the Vivo S6 5G. The display panel has a tall aspect ratio of 20:9 and as it has an AMOLED screen, it supports the in-display fingerprint sensor.

Moving on, the quad-camera on the back is arranged on a circular hump. Now, the design is akin to what we had seen on the Nokia 8.3 5G that launched last month. However, on this one, the cameras are arranged in a vertical alignment inside the circular hump. It consists of a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide shooter, 2MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor.

Under the hood, this device uses the Exynos 980 chipset similar to the likes of Vivo X30 and X30 Pro. You get a single RAM option of 8GB. However, the available storage options are 128GB and 256GB. The battery inside is a huge 4500mAh unit that supports 18W fast charging.

Vivo S6 5G Specifications:

Display: 6.44″ AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels)
Rear Camera: Quad, 48 MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture & PDAF + 8 MP Ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture + 2MP macro lens f/2.4 aperture + 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture
Front Camera: 32MP with f/2.1 aperture
Processor: Octa-core 8nm Exynos 980
GPU: Mali-G76 MP5
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128 / 256GB onboard UFS 2.1
Battery: 4500 mAh, 18W Wired Fast Charging
Sensors: Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Colors: Black, Blue, White/Blue

Vivo S6 5G Price in Nepal, Availability

The pre-order for the device started from yesterday (31st April 2020) in China. However, the device will be available for purchase only from April 4. The price for the 8/128GB variant is CNY 2,698 ($380) and the cost of the 8/256GB variant is CNY 2,9988 ($425).

Information about the international availability of the device has not yet been offered by the company. Still, our guess is that the device will be available around late April to mid-May. As for the pricing, the probable price of 8/128GB variant of Vivo S6 5G in Nepal should be around MRP 45,000. And the price of the 8/256GB variant will probably be around MPR 55,000.

Model Name	Price in Nepal (Expected)	Availability (Expected)
Vivo S6 (8/128GB)	NRs. 45,000	April – May 2020
Vivo S6 (8/256GB)	NRs. 55,000	April – May 2020