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Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite Early Impressions: After 24 hours!

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Pratima Adhikari

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February 16, 2020

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite Early Impressions: After 24 hours!

Samsung’s Note lineup of smartphones has always represented the best of Samsung, year after year. However, the majority of the smartphone consumers simply couldn’t experience the best Samsung had to offer because of its premium price tag. And this is where competing devices from manufacturers like OnePlus, Xiaomi, and even Realme are capitalizing on. Well, that’s good for the buyers as well. Why pay a thousand bucks for Samsung’s finest when you can get similar utility from a phone that costs about half or even less.

However, that’s about to change as Samsung is finally standing up against the gradually changing market trend by introducing the “lite” versions of its flagship smartphones. The latest Galaxy S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite both borrow some features of their regular flagship counterparts for almost half the price! I have the latter with me today, which is the more interesting of the two. Let’s dig in to find out more about it and how it manages to stay different from the regular Note 10/10+.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite Specifications

Body: 6.44 x 3.00 x 0.34 inches; 199 gm
Display: 6.7-inches “Infinity-O” Super AMOLED panel
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio; 394ppi
Chipset: Exynos 9810; 10nm Mobile Platform
CPU: Octa-core (4×2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A55)
GPU: Mali-G72 MP18
RAM: 6 / 8GB
Storage: 128GB (expandable up to 512GB via a dedicated SD card slot)
Software & UI: Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI 2.0 on top
Rear Camera: Triple-camera;
– 12MP, f/1.7 OIS PDAF primary shooter
– 12MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle (123º) lens
– 12MP, f/2.4 OIS 2x Zoom telephoto lens
– LED flash
Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.2 aperture
Fingerprint sensor: In-display (Optical)
3.5mm Headphone Jack: Yes
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS with A-GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO/BDS, USB Type-C, Samsung DeX support, S-Pen
Battery: 4500 mAh battery with 25W super-fast charging
Colors: Aura Glow, Aura Black, Aura Red

So, what exactly did Samsung do to bring a Note device at a more affordable price? A number of things.

Design & Build

Starting with the design, the Note 10 Lite has a flat display panel to the curved ones we’ve admired on the Note 10. With this, there’s a considerable amount of side-bezel, but I’m sure many people will be fine with it anyway since the vivid 6.7-inches “Infinity O” Super AMOLED FHD+ screen is stunning on its own.

This is still a 60Hz panel and it looks like we’ll have to wait just a little longer for a Samsung phone with a higher refresh rate display. But what’s impressive here, is that the circular cutout has been noticeably minimized resulting in a much cleaner look.

More on the design, both the power and volume buttons are on the right-hand side of the Galaxy Note 10 Lite, which are sufficiently clicky to my liking.

Things get interesting on the bottom of the phone, where you’ll find the S-pen, a speaker grille, a Type-C port, and… a 3.5mm headphone jack. That alone makes the phone worthwhile if you ask me.

The Note 10 series skipped on it, but the Note 10 Lite has it – the S10 series had it, but the S10 Lite skips it. What’s going on in Samsung’s mind, I’ll never know!

Biometrics

Moving on, the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner that you’ll find in the expensive Samsung smartphones has been swapped with an optical one on the Note 10 Lite. And like every other optical in-display scanners we have seen on the company’s A-series, this one too is a bit slower than what we are accustomed to. So, I think most of you will be relying on the face-unlock because it is very very fast.

Apart from the things I’ve already talked about, what’s next in terms of cost reduction? Build material. As you can see, the curves here are not as perfectly crafted like you see on the Note 10. Also, it has a glasstic back, which the company says is a combination of plastic and glass-molded together, which makes for a great look and a shiny design throughout the device.

It comes with an aluminum frame though, but the absence of a glossy glass frame like on Note 10 is no surprise at all. Nevertheless, the phone looks beautiful and has a comfortable grip.

The Note 10 Lite, on the other hand, is heavier than the Note 10+ or say the OnePlus 7T, but the extra heft is maybe because of the inclusion of the bigger 4500mAh battery.

Cameras

Okay, moving to the back, the similar triple camera setup is now arranged differently on a square module. Regardless of the design choice, the Note 10 Lite’s camera is almost identical to that of the Note 10. There’s a 12MP primary lens with OIS and Dual-Pixel PDAF, a 12MP telephoto lens, and another 12MP ultrawide sensor.

Main camera

The primary 12MP camera of the Note 10 Lite gives off similar images like that of Note 10. Apart from the slight difference in color tone, everything is identical – from details to dynamic range to overall image quality. In most of the case, I found the Note 10 Lite to have more accurate colors.

Normal Images

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Portraits

The portraits are done by the Telephoto lens and here as well, the images are almost identical to that of the Note 10. And that’s great news because the portraits on these devices have good background blur and excellent subject focus.

Portraits

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Wideangle

Moving on to the wide-angle lens, the Note 10 Lite has a 12MP sensor instead of 16MP which you get on the Note 10. However, image quality is more or less similar. Maybe the Note 10 is slightly better, but it’s not profound at a quick glance.

Wideangle

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You also get 2X telephoto zoom, whose quality is very good, just like the Note 10.

Telephoto

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The front camera, on the other hand, shares a different story with an upgraded 32MP lens which captures 8MP pixel-binned images.

Selfies

The selfies are nice too with vibrant colors and a fine amount of details. You can also take portrait selfies and the software-based background blurring is decent.

Normal v Portrait Selfies

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In terms of video, there is OIS even at 4K 60fps and the quality is on par with the Note 10. You also get super Steady Mode that has a wider field of view and even better stabilization. Other video features like Super Slo-Mo, Slo-Mo, and the likes are also present here.

One more thing, you can expect even better results on the final retail unit since the one I have is just a sample and doesn’t entirely represent the end product. But what’s certainly missing here, is the variable aperture. The primary 12MP lens on the Note 10 Lite has a fixed f/1.7 aperture compared to the flexible f/1.5 – 2.4 on the regular Note 10.

S-pen

Being a “Note” phone that it is, there’s the coveted ‘S’-pen as well. You can make notes, create doodles, trigger camera, make selections, etc. using the S-pen like you would on the Note 10. We know the S-pen on the Note 10 lite doesn’t have a gyro sensor but it’s unclear if Samsung’s made any other compromises to it as well. I’ll have the answer on our full review video of the Note 10 lite.

Performance & Memory

Now let’s get to the performance. The phone is powered by the octa-core Exynos 9810, which is the same chipset on Galaxy S9/S9+ and Note 9, which makes it almost a 2-year old chipset.

Having said that, the Exynos 9810 is definitely not a dumpster fire of an SoC and rather is a decent mid-ranger for a 2020 smartphone.

On the memory end, Galaxy Note 10 Lite comes with either 6 or 8GB of RAM and runs on Samsung’s One UI 2.0 based on Android 10 out of the box.

During my brief time with the phone, I didn’t notice any sorts of lags or stutters. I played Call of Duty in the highest of settings and didn’t notice any drop in frame rates or heating issues.

The transitions and multi-tasking are adequately smooth, and well, you know how much I admire One UI. It is my favorite Android skin and One UI 2 just builds on the success of its predecessor. I love what Samsung has done with the camera app UI and the overall experience in general.

Storage-wise, the Note 10 Lite only ships with a standard 128GB version, which can be considered as the downgrade from the regular Note 10 which came with a base storage of 256GB.

But fret not because unlike the Note 10, you can expand it via a microSD card. Still, big internal storage would’ve absolutely been the cherry on top. Well, if the storage let you down, the battery on the Note 10 Lite will cheer you up right back!

Battery

It is powered by a 4500 mAh cell, which is the biggest ever in a “Note” smartphone, breaking the record of Note 10+ which had a 4300 mAh battery.

Despite a big battery, Samsung is reserving the 45W charging for its premium flagship phones, as the Note 10 Lite only supports 25W super-fast charging. That is plenty fast in itself, so no worries there.

Apart from the fast wired charging, the Note 10 Lite also falls behind in terms of wireless charging – such that it doesn’t support it. Also, you don’t get dual stereo speakers here.

No IP certification on the Galaxy Note 10 Lite!

But the bigger blow definitely is the lack of any IP rating on the phone.

Yep, no official water/dust resistance certification, which has always been one of the key justifications when defending an expensive phone. And it makes sense, Samsung needs to pay a certain sum of money to acquire an IP rating, so why bother with it at all for a low-cost flagship phone like the Note 10 Lite.

Now, I’ve been going on about how the Note 10 Lite is an inexpensive option to the regular Note 10 or Note 10+ throughout the video. So, let’s finally discuss its price.

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite – Price in Nepal & Availability

The phone starts at €609 (~NRs. 75,250) in the European market, while it starts at INR. 38,999 (~NRs. 62,400) in India. But here in Nepal, it costs just NRs. 59,999 for the top-end 8/128GB variant which is around $520, thus making it the world’s best price. Samsung Nepal in association with Daraz has brought the phone at an amazing price and I hope the trend continues in days to come as well.

Conclusion

There you have it, our hands-on impression of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite. With its older chipset, it’s definitely not for a power user. But the intention behind the launch of an affordable “Note” smartphone is clear – making the S-pen more accessible than ever.

Previously, you didn’t have a decent Samsung phone in the 500-dollar segment. But now that there is, customers have all the more reason to stick with the Samsung ecosystem, rather than stray away for smartphones from other companies. And that… is exactly what the company has in mind.

Sure, it skimps on certain aspects like performance, build material, IP rating, etc. but that is to be expected. Samsung wants everyone taking note, including its competitors that it’s coming for the upper mid-range market and the Note 10 Lite could do just that.

Honor 9X review: Your average Joe!

Pratima Adhikari

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February 16, 2020

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So lately, there haven’t been a lot of Honor devices launching, contrary to what we were used to seeing a couple of years ago. That’s all thanks to the US-Huawei controversy for sure! Anyways, the Honor 9X I have with me is the global variant wherein you don’t get the Kirin 810 or the side-mounted fingerprint scanner. So, what does the 9X have and how has it fared in my usage so far? Let’s dig in and find out in this review of the Honor 9X!

Honor 9X International Edition Specifications

Body: 6.42 x 3.04 x 0.35 inches; 206 gm; front/back glass
Display: 6.59-inches IPS LCD panel
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: HiSilicon Kirin 710F; 12nm Mobile Platform
CPU: Octa-core (4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A53)
GPU: Mali G51 MP4
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 128GB (expandable up to 512GB)
Software & UI: Android 9.0 (Pie) with Huawei’s EMUI 9.1 on top
Rear Camera: Triple-camera; 48MP f/1.8 primary sensor, 8MP f/2.4 ultrawide lens, 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
Front Camera: 16MP, f/2.2 aperture (motorized)
Fingerprint sensor: Physical (rear-mounted)
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, AGPS/GPS/GLONASS/BDS, USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery: 4000 mAh battery with 10W Charging
Colors: Midnight Black, Sapphire Blue
Honor 9X Price in Nepal: Rs. 29,999 28,990 (6/128GB)

Design

Starting off with the design, the Honor 9X features a glass back, while its frames are made of plastic, and if I recall correctly, the Honor 8X had a metal frame.

But I sure do appreciate this design. The back is shiny and glossy and you can see a holographic X rising when you tilt the phone at certain angles, which, I think looks cool. I have this Blue variant which has a very subtle appearance and I really like it. The phone looks and feels good on the hands as well, all thanks to its curved design.

The buttons, on the other hand, are clicky and give good feedback. But, one tiny thing that I dearly missed on the 9X would be a notification LED.

Similarly, another minor complaint with the design is that the phone is very slippery and prone to smudges, so I would advise getting a good case for protection against both. Also, there is no Gorilla Glass protection neither on the front nor on the back which makes this phone vulnerable to breakage.

Design

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And I am not saying this just for the sake of an argument. I had an incident where I dropped the phone and the screen just… shattered. I mean I was shocked looking at the phone break from such an insignificant height.

Plus, the repair cost blew me away too. I was liable to pay around 25% of the phone’s cost price to repair the screen, though Honor was generous enough to provide me some discounts.

But even so, I have learned my lesson, if your phone does not have the Gorilla Glass protection, make sure to get a good case and a screen protector.

Display

Now that we have been talking about the display, let’s continue a little more. The Honor 9X has a 6.59-inches IPS LCD screen and a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. Although I would have preferred an AMOLED screen for the price just like Samsung’s M30s, because the IPS screen on the Honor 9X has good colors and contrast, I’m not complaining.

The best thing about its display is certainly the fact that its void of any notches and you get a clean display experience. The pop-up module up top houses the selfie camera and you can thus have all the screen area for yourself. The bezels all around are minimal too, however, the chin seems slightly more pronounced.

Overall, I have to say that I like the design and display of the 9X. Yes, I broke the phone once, but it was my fault as well. Nonetheless, all is good now! Okay, now, I would like to jump straight to the performance which, disclaimer, I am not a fan of.

Performance

While the Redmi Note 8 Pro shines with the Helio G90T, the Honor 9X gives us the Kirin 710F. It’s basically the same as the 710 and that disappoints me.

The Chinese variant, on the other hand, comes with a much powerful Kirin 810, which makes me want to ask – why this compromise on the global variant?

Just check out its GPU benchmarks against the Redmi Note 8 Pro. We can see how nonchalantly it defeats the Kirin 710F.

As for real-life usage, you can play PUBG in medium settings by default, which runs smooth enough to be playable. You can crank it to high settings and play the game in HD as well, but that would subject to a few stutters and lags in the gameplay.

On the upside, normal day-to-day works and multitasking were fine which is because of the spacious 6GB RAM on the phone. Likewise, you get 128GB of base storage with room for more if need be.

While we are on the subject of performance, the Honor 9X ships with EMUI 9, which I think has become slightly refined than it was before. However, I think it’s still not up to the competition considering Samsung, Xiaomi and even Realme have their software refined so beautifully.

And I think EMUI needs a change in looks as well because I think we have been seeing these boxy looking icons for a long time now.

By the way, it still runs on Android 9 Pie. Rumors have it that the phone might get the latest Android 10 update soon but, after that, I am not sure. Similarly, I have recently received the update for December’s security patch.

Cameras

Now, let’s move on to the cameras. You get a triple camera setup with 48MP primary lens that shoots natively at 12MP, then we have an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens and finally a 2MP depth sensor.

First, I will talk about the portrait images. The 2MP depth sensor I must admit is a hit or a miss. Sometimes, the images look good while at other times, they are just plain bad. The edge detection in both cases takes a serious hit as it does not perform well in hard areas.

Portrait

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Comparing the 9X with the mid-range king, Redmi Note 8 Pro, we can see how the Note 8 Pro consistently beats the 9X. The edge detection is better and even the background blur looks better on the Note 8 Pro.

Portrait - Comparison

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Okay, now talking about the primary images, the one thing I noticed is that the 9X has slightly toned-down colors in the images. You might not notice this at a glance but putting it side by side with the Note 8 Pro, you can see how its colors look extra punchy in front of the 9X.

Now, colors are totally a matter of personal preference, but I think I prefer the 9X over the Note 8 Pro. The colors on the 9X look very subtle and natural. But detail-wise, I think the Note 8 Pro does a far better job than the 9X.

Normal

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On the other hand, the dynamic range is more or less similar on both the devices. At a glance, it might look like the Note 8 Pro is better, but it’s just because it has more punchy colors that make it look bright. Otherwise, they’re actually not that different.

Wide-angle images share the same story, both in terms of detail and colors. Herein too, the colors on the Note 8 Pro seem extra punchy and for some reason, with the reds in the images looking more pronounced. Detail-wise, the Note 8 Pro is better, but overall, I think the 9X has a better balance of everything else.

Wideangle

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Now, for the night time images, I like the Honor 9X better. It takes a long exposure shot in the night mode and the end result is good. The Note 8 Pro’s night mode is also good but, I think Honor’s algorithm is just… better for low-light photography.

Nighttime

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The video-side looks better on the Note 8 Pro, as it can go up to 4k@30fps whereas the 9x has a limit to 1080p@60fps only. Similarly, the Note 8 Pro has a gyro-EIS in its lenses which makes for a better stabilization as compared to the 9X.

In the selfie department though, I like the Honor 9X more and that’s not because its selfie camera is extremely good. It’s rather because the Note 8 Pro produces this very unnatural looking selfies with a noticeable red tint that makes any selfie camera better than it. The Honor 9X has a slight yellow tint to its images but it looks good, to say the least.

Selfie

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Portrait selfies, however, look very bad on the Honor 9X. It’s partially because of the uneven background blur and poor edge detection. Yes, there are other brands too who don’t have a dedicated depth sensor for selfies, but this implementation is plain bad. The Note 8 Pro, on the other hand, evidently, does a far better job than the 9X.

Selfie Portraits

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So overall, I must say my test of the cameras on the Honor 9X has given a good result. Though portrait selfies look horrible and the details from the primary and wide-angle lens aren’t that good, other aspects of the 9X cameras have, to a very good extent, impressed me, especially regarding the “colors” on the images.

Battery

Now that we are done with most of the things, let me talk about how the battery on the Honor 9X has fared in my usage. In summary, it is pretty good.

The phone’s got a 4,000 mAh battery and with Honor’s aggressive battery optimization, the phone can go a full day with some juice left at the end of the day on normal usage.

On days that I clicked a lot of pictures with some gaming going on as well, I still got about a day’s use, which I think is satisfactory.

But what’s not satisfactory is the fact that, even though the 710F supports fast charging, the Honor 9X doesn’t. You get a 10Watt charger inside the box and that’s not even the worst apart. The worst part is that, even if you decide to use a fast charger, the phone won’t fast charge which is why it takes around 2.5 hours to get fully charge.

Others

Other aspects like call quality and speakers are good enough. The audio is loud for sure, but as it is with other mid-range phones, its not very good for instrumentals. But, for the price, it’s okay, I guess!

Likewise, the fingerprint sensor at the back is fast and accurate as what we generally get on Honor mid-range phones. For face-unlock, although the motorized pop-up camera is at work, I must say it’s quite fast.

However, you don’t want the pop-up camera to be in action every time you unlock your phone. So, you would want to use the fingerprint sensor instead.

Conclusion

Okay, so what do I make of the Honor 9X? Well, I didn’t quite get the results I expected. Maybe that’s because Honor has used different chipsets in the global and Chinese variants. I think this review would have turned out differently if this 9X used the Kirin 810 too.

But keeping that aside, I think the phone is an average offering in this price range mainly because the competition offers more. I have absolutely no complaints about the design, display or even the cameras of the 9X, but aspects like a better chipset and inclusion of fast charging matters to me, which the company seems to have given a very little thought to.

So, overall, I don’t think the Honor 9X is a bad phone, but there are definitely better options in the market which offer better value than the 9X.

Honor 9X – Pros & Cons

Pros:

Good design
Bezel-less display
Good color-reproduction

Cons:

No Gorilla Glass protection
Incompetent chipset
Inconsistent camera performance

Another nail in the coffin of a tech startup as Andy Rubin’s Essential shuts down

GadgetByte

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February 16, 2020

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Another nail in the coffin of a tech startup as Andy Rubin’s Essential shuts down

When Andy Rubin co-founded Android, he changed the smartphone world forever. Android, which is now under Google, is the most popular mobile OS today. For his next adventure, Andy Rubin formed a new smartphone company called Essential with an aim to create a perfect smartphone. The Essential Phone 1 (PH-1) was the first phone by the company and still remains to be the only offering by the company. A recent blog has announced that Essential is shutting down and will no longer be in operation.

The Essential Phone

As a startup, Essential looked promising. Founded in 2015, the company was once valued at $1 billion. However, things didn’t go as expected for the company. While the company aimed to revolutionize the smartphone world with the PH-1, the phone didn’t quite meet the expectations. There were problems early on- Essential couldn’t deliver the device on the time it promised.

essential phone gadgetbyte nepal — Essential Phone PH-1

The highlight of the phone was its modularity. It came with a magnetic wireless data transfer feature that could be used to attach accessories such as a 360-degree camera and a charging dock. Talking about the design, it came with near-bezel-less design except for the chin and a ceramic body hold in place by a Titanium frame. It came with a near-stock android and promised fast security updates.

The Project GEM

Back in October 2019, Essential announced Project GEM that would reframe our perspective of smartphones. Though the company didn’t specify any details of the phone, it did release some teaser that revealed the narrow-tall form factor of the phone alongside its color-shifting rear side. However, it won’t see the light of the day has the company has now shut down its doors.

Essential Shutting Down – What’s next?

Essential announced the end of its operation via a blog on its website. The blog explains that Essential didn’t have a clear path to deliver the Project GEM and it is the reason the company is ceasing operation and shutting-down. For all the PH-1 users, the February 3 patch will be the last update from the company and they will have to live without customer support. However, the company will be hosting a page on GitHub for everything needed to keep hacking on the device. The company has also released some videos of the Project GEM to show how it would have looked had the company decided to launch it.

Samsung Galaxy A50 gets a decent price drop in Nepal ahead of its EOL

GadgetByte

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February 15, 2020

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Samsung Galaxy A50 gets a decent price drop in Nepal ahead of its EOL

With Samsung revamping its mid-range segment with the A-series, it did bring out the Galaxy A30 and A50. Sure, the A-series was already there, but the new ones are supposed to be better and trendier. The A-series changes a lot of things in Samsung’s smartphone game. And out of these two, the Galaxy A50 was launched in Nepal for a price of Rs.33,490. However, Samsung is offering a crazy discount on the Galaxy A50.

Samsung Galaxy A50 Overview

One common thing about the new phones from Samsung is that they all sport a water-drop style notch up top. The Galaxy A50 also has one, which is U-shaped. It features a 6.4″ AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution. Plus, you get an in-display fingerprint sensor on it. Also, this rests on a body that is “Glastic“. Apparently, Glastic is a combination of plastic and glass-molded together, which makes for a great looking shiny design all over.

Galaxy A50

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In terms of camera, the Samsung Galaxy A50 flaunts a triple camera setup at the back. The primary 25MP shooter is backed by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 5MP depth sensor. So not just the portrait shots, users can also get a stretched field of view from this device. On the front lies a 25MP shooter, which comes with an f/2.0 lens.

The Galaxy A50 is powered by the Exynos 9610 chipset and backed by 4 GB RAM and 64GB storage. You also get a 6 GB RAM/128GB ROM variant, but that is not available in Nepal. However, both variants get microSD card support. In addition, you also get a microSD card slot to expand your storage up to 512 GB. In terms of battery, you get a large 4000 mAh battery with Fast Charging feature and has USB-C.

Samsung Galaxy A50 Specifications:

Design: Glastic body
Display: 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display, Full-HD+ (2340×1080 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio, In-display fingerprint sensor
Rear Camera: Triple camera – (25 MP, f/1.7, PDAF) + (8 MP, f/2.2, 12mm, (ultra-wide)) + (5 MP, f/2.2, depth sensor), LED flash
Front Camera: 25 MP, f/2.0
CPU: Octa-core Exynos 9610
GPU: Mali-G71 MP3
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB; Expandable up to 512 GB (Dedicated SD Card Slot)
OS & UI: Android 9.0 (Pie) with Samsung’s OneUI on the top
Sensors: Fingerprint (under display), Gyro, accelerometer, proximity, compass
Battery: 4000 mAh with 15-watt fast charging support; USB Type-C port
Colors: Blue, White, Coral, and Black

Samsung Galaxy A50 Price in Nepal & Availablity

Samsung Galaxy A50 was one of the best mid-range smartphones of 2019. Now, you can get the Samsung Galaxy A50 in Nepal for the price of just Rs. 26,699.

Model Name	Price in Nepal	Availability
Samsung Galaxy A50 (4/64GB)	Rs. 26,699	Mobile Retail Shops

Canon EOS R5 in Development: Could launch this year

GadgetByte

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February 14, 2020

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In an official press release by the company, Canon has revealed that it is working on a full-frame mirrorless camera called the Canon EOS R5. This confirms the previous leaks which suggested that Canon was working on a full-frame camera of the same name which would eventually be launched later this year. Not only has Canon confirmed the EOS RS, but it has also revealed information that has already got the photography world excited. So, let’s look at what Canon has in plan for us next.

Canon EOS R5

Canon EOS R5 will be the first of the next generation of full-frame mirrorless cameras. Canon has integrated state-of-the-art technologies, that the company has acquired throughout its glorious history, in the EOS R5. It will come with a wider lens mount diameter and a short back system. The camera in development will be more useful for high-speed continuous shooting and 8K recording.

The camera will come with a newly developed CMOS sensor. With that sensor, the company claims that the EOS R5 will be able to shoot up to 20FPS using an electronic shutter and up to 12FPS using a mechanical shutter. This feature will be handy while shooting objects moving in high-speed.

EOS R5 is said to be the first from Canon to come with a coordinated Image Stabilisation (IS) system that integrates the camera’s in-body IS with that of attached RF lenses. With the new camera, users will be able to extract high-resolution still images from videos. They will also be able to process 8K video to 4K video. EOS R5 will feature dual media card slots and a feature that will automatically transfer images to Canon’s cloud platform.

Also, check out Canon EOS-1D X Mark III

Rumored Specs and launch

The information revealed by Canon is a teaser at its best. However, we can still look back to the rumor that predicted the EOS R5 even before this revelation. According to reports by Canon Rumors, the camera will come equipped with a 45MP sensor, 8K/30p video mode and a battery like the 5D Mark IV. They also predicted that the EOS R5 could be launched in July 2020. However, we expect Canon to drop some more detail during the upcoming annual WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photography International) Conference and Expo at the end of this month.

Check out our review of the Honor 9X!

Your Valentine wants these tech gifts from Fantech this year

GadgetByte

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February 13, 2020

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Still in limbo about what should you get for your “gamer” valentine this time? Flowers and chocolates are sweet, however, they don’t really make a lasting impression do they. So, this year maybe give them something that is much more useful. And Fantech Brand day is just the ideal opportunity for you to grab the perfect gift for your valentine.

Fantech equals fabulous gaming accessories, at least that is how I perceive it. However, most often than not, I see their prices and think, “well that’s expensive”. But then again one has to fork out in order to get a quality product. However, this valentine, price won’t won’t stop you as on Fantech brand day, you can buy their accessories at heavily discounted prices. Moreover, there are giveaways and vouchers that you can win. Below, we have compiled the list of their products that are on offer, do check them out!

Fantech HG21 Earphones

Don’t want your better half to lose a match because he or she couldn’t hear the opponent approaching due to a shitty headphone? Well, then the Fantech HG21 is exactly the thing that you can gift them. The earpieces are hexagonal in design and come with plushy leatherette ear padded cushions. It has got those funky lighting effects, that you can customize and offers a virtual 7.1 surround sound.

Specifications:

Mic dimensions: 40 x 15 mm
Directivity: Omnidirectional
Driver unit: 50mm
Speaker impedance: 21 Ohm
Speaker frequency response: 20-20kHz
Cord length: 2.1m
Voltage: 5V
Plug type: USB
Features: noise-canceling, microphone, 7.1 gaming sound, lighting effect
Discounted Price: Rs 4, 499

Fantech X7 Blast

Next up, you could gift your valentine a stylish, funky and more importantly a quality mouse. The Fantech X7 Blast macro RGB gaming mouse comes in a non-slip grip and a very ergonomic design. You get 6 buttons that support macro key adjustment that you can adjust to your liking. And not to forget, you can shift through multiple DPI settings (up to 4800 DPI) and customize the lighting and DPI settings as per your preference.

Specifications:

Dimensions: 68 x 125 x 40 mm
Interface type: USB
Buttons: 7
Cable: 1.8m Nylon braided cable
High resolution: 200DPI up to 4800 DPI
Style: 6D
Clicks: 10,000,000
Discounted Price: Rs. 1,079

Fantech MK852 Max Core mechanical keyboard

Don’t you just hate it when your keyboard keeps moving as you are about to enter the most intense part of the game? Well, with the MK852 max core, you won’t have to worry about it at all. That’s because it has silicone material instead of the usual rubber on the feet. Moreover, it also has 20 spectrum modes to provide you with the gaming vibes. And then there’s the media controller near the Numpad with which you can easily control your music and more.

Specifications:

Weight: 1kg
Features: dual shot keycaps, macro supported, 20 mode spectrum, windows lock, all key anti-ghost, media control
Discounted Price: Rs. 4,589

Fantech Alpha GC-185X Gaming chair

Does your girlfriend or boyfriend spend hours on their desktop? Well if that’s the case then I’m sure they, at some point, have pondered upon buying a comfy chair. You know, the one that doesn’t give you back problems. However, the price factor simply pushes those thoughts way. So, if there’s the opportunity to snap up a chair with leather head support and lumbar backrest, don’t miss out on it.

Features: Steel base, smooth casters, class 4 hydraulic pistons, leatherhead, lumbar back res
Discounted Price: Rs. 17, 999

There are early bird vouchers up to 5000 and follow and win voucher up to 2000, that you can win during the fantech brand day. Moreover, you can make use of the bank discount (only for Nabil Bank) to purchase your products. And, don’t worry about the shipping prices, as it is free and you get a 1-year brand warranty on all fantech products.

Not to forget, you can participate in their giveaway and get a chance to win amazing fantech accessories set.

Boya microphones are now officially available in Nepal, courtesy of Oliz Store

GadgetByte

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February 13, 2020

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Boya microphones are now officially available in Nepal, courtesy of Oliz Store

Boya is undoubtedly one of the world leaders in electro-acoustic products. They are mainly known for manufacturing photographic audio peripherals and the digital peripherals. Their major products include microphones for GoPro, Sony, and many other digital SLR cameras, camcorders and smartphones.

To date, you might have seen or maybe even bought it from stores in Newroad. But allow me to break the news to you, most of them are not original despite their near original looks. Well, they are cheap, but you know the trade-off you make for the quality is definitely not worth it.

But don’t fret cause Boya products are official here in Nepal. Yes, you read that right, you can now purchase original Boya microphones from Oliz Store.

And to further ease your task, we’ve compiled a list of Boya microphones available in Nepal along with their features & price down below:

Boya BY-M100 Large Diaphragm Condenser Microphone

Acoustic Principle: Condenser
Polar Pattern: Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Bidirectional
Diaphragm: 34mm
Frequency Response: 20 – 20000Hz
SN: 80db and more
Output Impedance: 200 Ohm
Power Requirement: 24V or 48V Phantom
Cable Length: 3m
Dimensions” 207 x 115 x 185mm
Weight: 812g
Price: Rs. 12,500

Boya BY-WM4 Mark II Wireless Microphone

Frequency Band: 2.4GHz
Frequency Response: 35Hz -14KHz
Signal/Noise: 76dB or more
Distortion: 0.05%
RF output level: <=3mW
Audio input connector: 3.5mm mini-jack
Operation range: 50m (without obstacle)
Power requirements: 1.5 DC
Consumption power: Transmitter: 1.5V/120mA, Receiver: 1.5V/120mA
Dimension: Transmitter, Receiver: 47mm x 70mm x 23mm
Weight: Transmitter: 45g (without battery)
Price: Rs. 9,500

Boya BY-PVM1000 Professional Shotgun Microphone

Power requirement: 48V phantom power or an AA battery
High pass filter: 80Hz
Box includes: 3-pin XLR connector, shock mount, a 4.9-inch XLR to 3.5mm cable, 3.5mm to 1/4″ adapter, fur windscreen and carrying pouch
Price: Rs. 10,500

Boya M1 Omnidirectional Lavalier Microphone

Polar pattern: Omnidirectional
Frequency response: 65Hz-18KHz
Signal/Noise: 74dB or more
Output impedance: 1000 Ohm or less
Power requirement: LR44
Price: Rs. 1,950

Boya BY-DM1 Digital Lavalier Microphone for iOS device

Audio output connector: Apple MFi certified Lightning connector
Frequency response: 30Hz-20KHz
Gain: 0-35dB
Sampling Frequency: 44.1KHz/48kHz
Cable: 6.0m
Net weight: 58g
Price: Rs. 8,500

Boya M1DM Dual Omnidirectional Lavalier Mic

Frequency range: 65Hz-18KHz
Signal/Noise: 74dB SPL
Output impedance: 1000 Ohm or less
Connector: 3.5mm
Power requirement: LR44
Cable length: 4m
Price: Rs. 2,850

Boya BY-DM2 Digital Lavalier Microphone for Android device

Audio output connector: USB Type-C
Frequency response: 25Hz-20KHz
Sampling frequency: 44.1KHz/48KHz
Cable: 6.0m
Price: Rs. 8,500

Boya BY-WM8 Pro-K2 Dual-Channel UHF Wireless System

Carrier frequency range: 576.4MHz – 599.9MHz (Transmitter A), 568.6MHZ – 592.1MHz(Transmitter B)
Channels: 48
Frequency response: 40Hz – 18KHz
Operation range: 100m
Price: Rs. 26,500

Boya WM8 Pro-K1 Dual-Channel UHF Wireless System

Carrier frequency range: 576.4MHz – 599.9MHz (Transmitter A), 568.6MHZ – 592.1MHz(Transmitter B)
Channels: 48
Frequency response: 40Hz – 18kHz
Operation range: 100m
Price: Rs. 19,500

Boya BM2021 Cardioid Shotgun Video Microphone

Polar Pattern: Super-cardioid
Frequency response: 40Hz – 20KHz
Plug: 3.5mm connector
Dimension: 168 x 77.2 x 49.9mm
Price: Rs. 5,600

Boys BY-WHM8 Pro Wireless Handheld Microphone

Carrier frequency range: 556.71MHz-575.98MHz (Transmitter A), 576.39MHZ-595.66MHz(Transmitter B)
Channels: 48
Frequency response: 40Hz – 18KHz
Power Supply: Two AA-size batteries
Price: Rs. 11,500

Boya VM600 Shotgun Microphone

Frequency response: 35Hz-18KHz
Signal/Noise: 76dB or more
Power requirements: 1.5V batteries
Price: Rs. 5,000

Boya BM3030 On-Camera Shotgun Microphone

Frequency response: 40-20000Hz
Output impedance: 200 Ohm
Operating time with battery: 150H
Size: 209.7 x 103.3 x 50mm
Price: Rs. 8,500

Boya VM01 Condenser Mini Microphone

Frequency response: 38Hz-20KHz
Output impedance: 1k Ohm or less
Signal/Noise: 75dB or more
Power Requirement: 1.5V AAA battery
Price: Rs. 2,800

Boya BY-MM1 Cardioid Microphone

Transducer: Electret Condenser
Polar Pattern: cardioid
Frequency response: 35-18kHz
Signal/Noise: 76dB SPL
Plug: 3.5mm TRS and TRRS connection
Price: Rs. 5,000

Boya BY-PM700 USB Condenser Microphone

Frequency Response: 20-20kHz
Power consumption: 5V/150mA
Sample rate: 48KHZ
Impedance: 16Ohm
Plug: Micro USB
Price: Rs. 12,500

Boya Microphones Price in Nepal

Product	Price (Rs.)
Boya BY-M100 Large Diaphragm Condenser Mic	12,500
Boya BY-WM4 Mark II Wireless Mic	9,500
Boya BY-PVM1000 Professional Shotgun Mic	10,500
Boya M1 Omnidirectional Lavalier Mic	1,950
Boya BY-DM1 Digital Lavalier Mic for iOS Device	8,500
Boya M1DM Dual Omnidirectional Lavalier Mic	2,850
Boya BY-DM2 Digital Lavalier Mic for Android Device	8,500
Boya BY-WM8 Pro-K2 Dual-Channel UHF Wireless System	26,500
Boya BY-WM8 Pro-K1 Dual-Channel UHF Wireless System	19,500
Boya BM2021 Cardioid Shotgun Video Mic	5,600
Boya BY-WHM8 Pro Wireless Handheld Mic	11,500
Boya VM600 Shotgun Mic	5,000
Boya BM3030 On-Camera Shotgun Mic	8,500
Boya VM01 Condenser Mini Mic	2,800
Boya BY-MM1 Cardioid Mic	5,000
Boya BY-PM700 USB Condenser Mic	12,500

Microsoft Surface Duo Video “surfaces” online before the official launch

GadgetByte

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February 13, 2020

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When Microsoft held its “Surface Event” last October, it did it in style- bringing its biggest ever line-up of products. One of the products that made its way into the event was Microsoft Surface Duo. With the Surface Duo, Microsoft announced its return to the smartphone industry. In a world where smartphone companies are racing to get on top of the folding smartphone technology, Microsoft’s idea of a dual-screen phone did raise some eyebrows. Though there is still some time left for the official launch of the device, videos showcasing the device have already emerged on the internet.

Microsoft Surface Duo

The Microsoft Surface Duo follows in the footsteps of devices like ZTE Axon M, LG G8X, and LG V50. It comes with dual-screen. Each of the screens measures 5.6-inch in diagonal length. A 360-degree hinge holds the two-screen in place. The thick gap between the two screens differentiates it from the trendy foldable phones. While a screen is used as a display, the other can be used as a keyboard or a game controller. Though Microsoft has already developed Windows 10X specifically for the foldable and dual-screen device, Surface Duo comes loaded with Android. However, Microsoft has tweaked Android to look like the Windows 10X. It is expected to launch at the end of 2020.

Check out Apple’s latest patent for foldable phones

Hands-on Video of Surface Duo

Microsoft Surface Duo’s first hands-on video has recently surfaced on the internet. In the video, a person is caught using the Surface Duo. The phone can be used in both portrait and landscape mode. Though the second screen is designed for functions different than that of the primary screen, you can, however, use both of the screens for a single app. The video also reveals a front flash that was missing in the device showcased at the Surface Event. A report from Windows Central claims that the device could have a single camera instead of the regular rear and front camera setup. The same report claims that Microsoft has started distributing the product to its employees for feedback and that the Surface Duo could hit the market earlier than expected.

Rumored Specs and Launch Date

As of now, Microsoft has not dropped any official information about the specs of the Microsoft Surface Duo. The information about the device is so limited that we don’t even know the kind of display it has or their resolution. However, the device is rumored to come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 chipset and a specialized version of Android which Microsoft built working with Google. It will be launched during the Holiday period of 2020.

Also, check out our initial impressions of Asus Zenbook Pro Duo!

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus launched in Nepal: Still no active noise cancellation!

GadgetByte

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February 13, 2020

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Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus launched in Nepal: Still no active noise cancellation!

Alongside the Galaxy S20 series and Z-flip, Samsung also announced the Samsung Galaxy Buds plus in an unpacked event back in Feb 2020. It is Samsung’s latest true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds and comes with significant upgrades over its predecessor. And Samsung Nepal has officially made the Galaxy Buds plus available in Nepal too. It is now available for purchase from Samsung retail shops all over Nepal for a very reasonable price.

Galaxy Buds Plus Overview

Speakers

The latest iteration of the Samsung Buds series comes with double the number of speakers as in the Samsung Galaxy Buds. This time Samsung has gone for a tweeter and woofer arrangement instead of a single driver in each of the buds. Tweeter will take care of the high notes while woofer will look after the bass. Alongside the bump in the number of speakers, Samsung has bumped the size of each speaker by nearly 40%. The company claims that it will not only deliver more and better sound. The buds have been tuned by AKG and it promises crystal clear sound.

Battery and Backup

Back in December 2019, there were reports claiming that the next Galaxy Buds in the lineup will come with a battery capacity of 300mAh in each of the buds. Though it didn’t turn out to be true, the battery in the Galaxy Buds Plus is certainly bigger than the Galaxy Buds. Each bud comes with an 85mAh battery compared to a 58mAh battery in its predecessor. It also has a 270mAh battery capacity packed in its charging case.

With those batteries, the company claims the Galaxy Buds Plus provides 11hours of playback time. The power case will add another 11 hours to that playback time. The Buds Plus supports both wireless charging and wireless power-sharing. You can get around an hour of playback time with just 3 minutes of quick charging.

Also Read: Our take on best earbuds available in Nepal

Partnership with Spotify

This year, Samsung has partnered with Spotify to offer a more personalized playlist to the users. A simple long-press in Buds Plus can provide you a list of recommended songs based on your track history.

Optimized mics

The Galaxy Buds Plus comes with 3 mics versus the industry-standard two mics. We believe that this step was taken to overcome the issues in the Samsung Galaxy Buds. Many people complained about the call quality in the previous bud. However, with three mics, the Buds Plus is said to perform better even in the crowded surroundings.

Ambient Sound

Samsung also claims to have enhanced the Ambient Sound feature. While the Ambient Sound mode in the Galaxy Buds looked good in paper, we didn’t find it of any use in our review. However, with the latest Galaxy Buds plus, Samsung claims you can have better control of what you want to hear. Despite this, there’s still no Active Noise Cancellation on the Galaxy Buds plus.

Better Connectivity

The Samsung Galaxy Buds plus offers better convenient device pairing and device switching. You can completely avoid the whole process of unpairing and paring; all you have to do is tap on the Media Player. The Buds plus is also compatible with iOS devices.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus Specifications

Dimension (Buds plus): 0.90 x 0.69 x 0.75 inches (H x W x D); 6.3 grams; Each
Dimension (Charging Case): 1.53 x 2.75 x 1.04 inches (H x W x D): 39.6 grams
Sensors: Accelerometer, IR, Hall, Touch
Audio: Adaptive 3-mic system (2 outer mics & 1 inner mic), 2-way dynamic speaker (Woofer + Tweeter); Scalable, ACC, SBC audio codec
Controls: Single tap to play/pause; Double tap to skip the track or answer a call; Customizable touch & hold command or play recommended music from Spotify
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
IP Rating: Splash resistant (IPX2)
Compatibility: Android 5.0 or higher with at least 1.5GB of RAM; iOS 10 or higher
Battery: 85mAh (each bud); 270mAh (case); Up to 11 hours of playtime (with Case up to 22 hours); Up to 7.5 hours talk-time (with Case up to 15 hours)
Charging: USB Type-C, Qi Wireless charging (PowerShare); 3 minutes charging = 1 hour playtime
Colors: Black, Blue, White

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus Price in Nepal & Availability

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus is available in Nepal for a price of Rs. 17,000. You can purchase the Galaxy Buds plus in Nepal from mobile retail shops all over Nepal or from the e-commerce platform Smartdoko.

Product Name	Stores	Price
Samsung Galaxy Buds+	Offline Mobile Retail Shops	Rs. 17,000
Samsung Galaxy Buds+	Smartdoko (E-commerce)	Rs. 16,999 (get Rs. 170 cashback)

As compared to the international price of US$149, the price of Galaxy Buds plus at Rs, 17,000 is very reasonable. So, kudos to Samsung Nepal for great pricing and quick launch! Though it doesn’t go head to head against Apple’s Airpods Pro, the Galaxy Buds plus still is a decent pair of wireless earphones. Stay tuned for our detailed review!

Check out our ultimate wireless earbuds showdown.

OPPO Reno 3 Vitality Edition goes official with Snapdragon 765

GadgetByte

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February 13, 2020

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OPPO started off the Reno 3 series at the end of last year by launching OPPO Reno 3 and OPPO Reno 3 Pro. The highlights of these phones were the support for 5G that they came with. It’s February now and OPPO has decided to add one more device to the Reno 3 series. The latest OPPO Reno 3 Vitality Edition is basically the Reno 3 5G but with some modifications in the specs.

Oppo Reno 3 Vitality Edition

Design and Display

Design-wise there isn’t much to choose between the Reno 3 and the Reno 3 Vitality edition. The Oppo Reno 3 Vitality Edition comes with a 6.4-inch AMOLED Panel. It comes with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The display features a waterdrop notch to accommodate the 32MP selfie camera. There is Corning Gorilla Glass 5 both on the front and rear end of the device.

Dimensity 1000L vs SD 765

We can know the difference between the two devices when we look at the specs sheets. While the original OPPO Reno 3 came with MediaTek’s Dimensity 1000L, the Reno 3 Vitality Edition packs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765 chipset. Both are 5G ready chipset targetted at the mid-range smartphone segment. We can’t think of any reason for switching to SD 765 as both the chipset offer similar performance in real-life usage.

Check out our comparison between SD 765G and Dimensity 1000L

Differences in the Camera

Another noticeable difference is in the camera. Though the Reno 3 Vitality Edition features a quad-camera setup as in the Reno 3, the former comes with a 48MP primary camera against the 64MP primary camera of the latter. The other sensors have been left unchanged. The Vitality edition features the same 8MP ultrawide sensor, 2MP Black and White sensor, and 2MP depth sensor.

Check out launch date for Mi 10 series

Configurations and Color Options

While the Reno 3 came in two configurations 8GB/128GB and 12/128GB, the Vitality Edition only comes in 8GB/12GB memory configuration. Though the design remains unchanged in the Vitality Editon, it does come with different color options. You can choose between Moonlight Black, Sky Mirror White, and Streamer Gold.

Other Features

The rest of the features of the new edition is identical to the original Reno 3. Both come with an optical fingerprint scanner mounted under the display. Both come with a 4,025mAH battery which supports VOOC 4.0 quick charging technology.

OPPO Reno 3 Vitality Edition Specifications

Display: 6.5″ AMOLED display with Full HD+ resolution (1080 x 2400 pixels)
Rear Camera: Quad, 48MP primary lens with f/1.7 aperture + 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture + 8MP Ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture + 2MP monochrome lens with f/2.4 aperture
Front Camera: 32MP lens with f/2.4 aperture
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765
GPU: Adreno 620
Storage: 8GB/128 GB
Software: Android 10 with ColorOs 7 on top
Battery: 4,025mAh with VOOC Flash Charge 4.0 support
Sensors: Fingerprint (in-display), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Colors: Sky Mirror White, Moonlight Black, Streamer Gold

Price and Availability

As of now, Oppo Reno 3 Vitality Edition is available for pre-orders in China. After the pre-order is over, the phone will go on sale from the 14th of February. It is priced at around 3,000 Yuan (~NRP 49,100).

Check out our Honor 9X Review!