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ZTE Axon 11 5G with Snapdragon 765G, 64MP quad-camera goes official

GadgetByte

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March 25, 2020

ZTE Axon 11 5G with Snapdragon 765G, 64MP quad-camera goes official

5G is the top smartphone trend of 2020 and this hasn’t left the midrange segment untouched. The latest mid-range device to support the technology is ZTE Axon 11 5G. Let’s check out specs, expected price in Nepal and official launch date of ZTE Axon 11 5G.

ZTE Axon 11 5G Overview

The Axon series features the best smartphones from Axon. The devices under the series flaunt flagship specifications in terms of display, camera setup, and processor. While ZTE Axon 11 5G ticks most of the boxes, it misses out in the flagship processor. Even though both ZTE Axon 10 Pro and ZTE Axon 10S Pro were both flagship devices, Axon 11 is a mid-range device with Snapdragon 765G.

Display

Axon 11 5G comes with a 6.47-inch AMOLED display. The display looks premium thanks to the hyperbolic curve and it features a notch to accommodate the selfie camera. The panel, here, is an FHD+ panel and packs in a total of 1080 x 2340 pixels. A fingerprint sensor is mounted under the display. The device weighs only 168g and it could make it the lightest 5G enabled smartphone in the world.

Chipset

Unlike the previous Axon devices, it doesn’t come with the latest flagship processor available. It is powered by Snapdragon 765G which is a capable processor in the mid-range segment. The base variant comes with 6GB of RAM paired with 128GB of internal storage. It is also available in 8/128GB and 8/256GB memory configurations.

Check out why smartphone makers are now opting for SD 765G

Camera

ZTE 11 5G flaunts a quad-camera setup on the back. The 64MP primary camera is accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. This particular setup is quite common these days but what separates this device apart is the video image stabilization support for both the primary and ultra-wide sensor. For your selfie needs, there is a 20MP camera inside the tiny notch on the front.

Also, Check out Nokia 8.3 5G powered by SD 765G

Others

The device gets its juice from its 4,000mAh battery. For reduced charging interval, it comes with support for Quick Charge 4.0+. The device ships with MiFavor 10 on top of Android 10. MiFavor 10 comes with a bunch of useful features such as Z-Booster 2.0, accidental touch detection, intelligent system to switch between data and WiFi, etc. It also covers both SA and NSA 5G bands.

ZTE Axon 11 5G Specifications:

Display	6.47-inch AMOLED curved display
Resolution	FHD+(2340 x 1080 pixels)
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
CPU	Octa-core (1x 2.2Ghz Cortex-A76 + 1x 2.4Ghz Cortex-A76+ 6x 1.8Ghz Cortex-A55 )
GPU	Adreno 620
RAM	6/8GB
Memory Configuration	6/128GB 8/128GB 8/256GB
Software & UI	MiFavor 10 based on Android 10
Rear Camera	64MP primary sensor, f/1.89 8MP Ultra-wide (FOV 120-degree), f/2.2 2MP depth sensor, f/2.4 2MP Macro lens, f/2.4
Front camera	20MP camera, f/2.0
Security	Fingerprint(under-display, optical)
Audio	Hi-Fi Audio DTS:X Ultra
Connectivity	Wifi 802.11 b/g/n/ac/ax, Bluetooth 5.0, Type-C,
Battery	4000mAh with Quick Charge 4.0+
Sensors	accelerometer, compass, proximity, gyro
Color Options	White, Black

ZTE Axon 11 5G Price in Nepal, Availability

ZTE has unveiled the device in China with a price of 2698Yuan for 6/128GB variant, 2998Yuan for 8/128GB variant, and 3398Yuan for 8/256GB variant. Though the official launch date hasn’t been confirmed, the ZTE has already opened its pre-orders. As of now, the company hasn’t hinted about the global launch of the device.

But you might still get the device through grey channels in Nepal and we expect the price of ZTE Axon 11 5G in Nepal to be NPR 47,000 for 6/128GB variant, NPR 52,000 for 8/128GB variant, NPR 59,000 for 8/256GB variant

Model name	Expected Price in Nepal
ZTE Axon 11 5G (6/128GB)	~NPR 47,000
ZTE Axon 11 5G (8/128GB)	~NPR 52,000
ZTE Axon 11 5G (8/256GB)	~NPR 59,000

Smartphone makers to opt for Snapdragon 765G instead of the flagship 865?

GadgetByte

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March 25, 2020

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Smartphone makers to opt for Snapdragon 765G instead of the flagship 865?

Price of flagship smartphones are already too high, imagine what a more expensive chipset will do to its cost. Qualcomm, in its bid to lead the 5G market, brought out the Snapdragon 865 SoC this year. Don’t get me wrong, it is a great chipset. It provides more power to your smartphones. However, the upgraded performance comes at a huge cost. And many smartphone companies, don’t believe that this trade-off is beneficial.

Now, Samsung has already launched its latest flagship, the S20 series with SD 865. Additionally, many Chinese smartphone makers like Xiaomi with Mi 10 Pro also used the SD 865. More were speculated to follow in. However, a conflicting report has now emerged regarding such news. Speculation is that Google and LG will not include this chipset in their latest devices. Rather, they will opt for a much cheaper alternative in the form of Snapdragon 765G.

A couple of Google devices had recently popped up in the Android Code repo. And XDA, after a thorough examination confirmed that the devices were supposedly the Pixel 4a and the Pixel 5 series. The major surprise for them was that none of these devices actually used the Snapdragon 865, and were in fact running on SD 765G. Reportedly, LG too will use the 765G in its upcoming LG G9 ThinQ. Recently, HMD launched the new Nokia 8.3, and that too had SD 765G.

Also read: How streaming platforms are preventing network congestion

So why are companies shying away from SD 865?

Well, the plain and simple answer to this question is cost. Yup, using the 865 chipset leads to increased cost for smartphone makers and ultimately the customers too. Qualcomm, with its SD 865 SoC, has made 5G mandatory for any smartphone wanting to opt for it. It does not have an on-board modem either. Rather, it has to be bundled with the X55 modem for 5G support.

This means that smartphone makers have to pay the cost of the modem in addition to the cost of the chipset. Not only that, to accommodate the SoC, they have to make the device bigger, which undoubtedly increases the cost.

Thus, this might be one of the reasons why Google and LG are seemingly opting for the less expensive 765G chipset instead of the flagship Snapdragon 865. It has an integrated 5G modem and thus comes packaged in a single chip. Now, it is a bit slower than the 865 but if heavy software optimization is done, it may not even be noticeable.

What are your thoughts about this, do comment down below!

Smartphone shipments decline amidst the COVID-19 outbreak

GadgetByte

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March 25, 2020

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Smartphone shipments decline amidst the COVID-19 outbreak

COVID-19 has affected almost all aspects of our lives. It has disrupted our daily routines and is forcing us to stay indoors all day. And suffice to say, all forms of business has taken a hit because of it. Just today, I read a news that said global smartphone shipment in Feb suffered the biggest ever drop. Number-wise the drop is 38% year-by-year. That was just in Feb, and only God knows what the data for this month will turn out to be.

Smartphone Shipments: Feb 2019 vs Feb 2020

In February last year, the reported number of smartphone shipments was 99.2 million units. And this year, the number of smartphone shipments stands at a mere 61.8 million due to the coronavirus outbreak. Now with more than half of the population staying safely inside their homes, it is expected that March will take a bigger hit than Feb.

Also read: Get accurate info about COVID-19 in Nepal

The initial drop in sales started when China went into lock-down. All the major smartphone companies had closed their factory there. Not only that, but sales in Asia also dropped because many people here were reluctant to visit stores amidst the corona fear.

Now, with the US and other major smartphone markets closed for the foreseeable future, the year-over-year drop in sales this month will be much bigger. Some factories in China have indeed started to resume smartphone production. However, I don’t believe people will rush to buy new smartphones. After all, taking into account the current situation, buying a smartphone would be the last thing a sane person would think of.

In fact, I believe this will be a tough quarter altogether for smartphone companies. Apple has closed all of its retail stores outside of China and AT&T has also closed 40% of its corporate-owned store. Even if the coronavirus outbreak were to calm down, it would take a considerable amount of time for the smartphone shipments to go back to normal.

It’s not just Nepal: Streaming services around the world act towards “stream”lining internet usage

Nikhil Shrestha

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March 24, 2020

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It’s not just Nepal: Streaming services around the world act towards “stream”lining internet usage

I expect and hope all of you are diligently staying at your home as per the government mandate, or the collective need to do so. Though this most obviously won’t result in the discovery of the cure for COVID-19, it will prevent the exponential surge in the number of cases; giving the healthcare workers, medical researchers, more time to come up with one in the process. In a critical time like this, it’s important that we tend to our resources, as effectively as possible. And one such resource is the internet.

With people stuck at their homes, many of them are turning in to streaming services to pass their time. These include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, YouTube, Facebook, DC Universe, HBO Max, Hulu, etc. That means the demand for internet bandwidth has surged greatly in the past couple of weeks. Ergo, in order to prevent any sorts of network congestion during the time of the lockdown due to coronavirus, streaming service providers are adopting a reduction in video bit rate in their platforms to reduce bandwidth consumption.

Why is it necessary?

During the time of this lockdown, it is important that accurate information flow effectively to people around the globe. Therefore, more people than ever will be trying to get hold of a stable internet connection.

Doom Patrol on DC streaming platforms reduce bandwidth — Doom Patrol on DC Universe

So, if the majority of bandwidth is consumed by less than important tasks like gaming, and especially video streaming, ISPs will face network congestion. To prevent this, various authorities & governments have requested the streaming giants to minimize the streaming quality.

How it’s being handled in Europe:

The first streaming service provider to reduce the bit rate of videos was Netflix. Being one of the best in the business, Netflix stepped up by reducing the bit rates in the European region, as a response to a request from the European Union (EU).

Lower bit rate = lesser data consumption = lesser probability of a network congestion.

You guys already know how badly the continent is suffering from the coronavirus outbreak; this kind of reduction in internet bandwidth plays an important role in overcoming it too. A spokesperson for the company had this to say:

“We estimate that this will reduce Netflix traffic on European networks by around 25 percent while also ensuring a good quality service for our members.”

Following in on the footsteps of Netflix, YouTube also changed the default video quality to standard definition (SD/480p) in Europe. However, people still have the option to bump the quality to HD (720p) if they wanted to.

Also read: ISPAN’s guidelines on using the internet intelligently

Furthermore, other video streaming/social networking platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+ have also committed to lowering bit rates of videos across Europe for the time being. Additionally, Disney+ also postponed the launch of its service in France from March 24 to April 7. But mind you, all these changes for the reduction in bandwidth consumption are temporary (30 days); as a result of the lockdown against coronavirus.

How about other parts of the world?

Apart from Europe, other countries are also copying the tactic. The Indian Department of Telecommunications has urged the domestic and foreign streaming platforms in the country (like Hotstar, VOOT, etc.) to minimize the streaming quality for now. Similarly, Netflix will also be reducing bit rate in its platform in Israel as per the request of the Israeli communications ministry.

On the other hand, the US is handling the ordeal a little differently. In fact, network providers in the country have even suspended data limits to facilitate people during the outbreak. The US is definitely not immune to the very likely network throttle ahead. However, lawmakers in the country are unsure if they should take immediate action or not.

This definitely is a positive and responsible step from the companies. With the reduction in bandwidth consumption, the streaming platforms are ensuring everyone gets to access the internet during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

Redmi K30 Pro launched alongside its Zoom Edition: “Alpha Flagship” phones are the way to go!

GadgetByte

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March 24, 2020

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Redmi K30 Pro launched alongside its Zoom Edition: “Alpha Flagship” phones are the way to go!

Everyone has heard of both Xiaomi and its sub-brand Redmi. Xiaomi rules the budget and mid-range smartphone market segment thanks to its excellent lineup of value-oriented smartphones. A couple of such devices are the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro, which helped to fill the void after the massive success of the Poco F1. Redmi K30 has already gone official and now Redmi has launched Redmi K30 Pro alongside its special “Zoom Edition” in China. Check out all the specs, price, and launch date of Redmi K30 Pro and K30 Pro “Zoom Edition” in Nepal.

Overview

Being the “Pro” variant that it is, the Redmi K30 Pro comes with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865 chip. The processor comes with a Snapdragon X55 modem for 5G connectivity covering both SA and NSA networks. Redmi has employed RAM based on the newest LPDDR5 technology. That is complemented by the UFS 3.1 storage that Redmi has decided to go with. The UFS 3.1 storage alongside the TurboWrite feature will make the read-write operation faster. Unfortunately, the faster UFS 3.1 is only available on the Zoom Edition, while the regular K30 Pro has older UFS 3.0.

Check out the upcoming Royole Flexpai 2

The device comes with a 6.67-inch notch-less AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1200nit. Compared to Redmi K30, Redmi has upgraded the panel but has scaled down the refresh rate to 60Hz from 120Hz. 60Hz is the industry standard but given the recent trends it comes out as a big disappointment especially when the vanilla K30 has a 120Hz display rate. However, the touch response rate is faster at 180Hz on the K30 Pro.

Cameras

For the camera, it will come with a quad-camera setup on the back. The primary camera is a 64MP lens, which is the Sony IMX686 sensor. It is accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide sensor, a 5MP “telephoto macro” lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. All the lenses are arranged inside a circular bump. The positioning of the sensors looks similar to that of the Redmi Note 9 Pro series, and the circular camera bump reminds me of the one in the OnePlus 7T. For the notch-less design, Redmi has included a 20MP pop-up camera setup.

Other than that, the device has the biggest vapor chamber ever in a smartphone. The chamber has a surface area of about 3,435 square millimeters. Redmi hopes it will make the device cool even after hours of gaming. The device features a 4,700mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. It also comes with improved linear motor for better haptic feedbacks and is IP53 rated.

Redmi K30 Pro, K30 Pro “Zoom Edition” Specifications:

Display	6.67-inch AMOLED Display
Resolution	1080 x 2400 pixels
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 (7nm+)
CPU	Octa-core (1x 2.84Ghz Kyro 585 + 3x 2.42Ghz Kyro 585 + 4 x 1.8Ghz Kyro 585)
GPU	Adreno 650
RAM	6/8/12GB LPDDR5
Memory Configuration	6/128GB (UFS 3.0) 8/128GB 12/256GB 8/128(Zoom Edition) 8/256(Zoon Edition) UFS 3.1 storage
Software & UI	MIUI on top of Android 10
Rear Camera	64MP Sony IMX686, 1/1.72-inch, f/1.9 13MP Ultra-wide (FOV 123-degree ) 5MP telephoto macro lens (Vanilla K30 Pro) /8MP telephoto lens (Zoom edition) 2MP depth sensor
Front camera	20MP motorized camera
Security	Fingerprint (under-display, optical)
Audio	3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity	Wifi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.1, Type-C,
Battery	4700mAh with 33W Flash Charge
Sensors	accelerometer, light, proximity, gyro, compass, IR blaster
Color Options	Sky Blue, Star Ring Purple, Moon Curtain White, Space Grey

Redmi K30 Pro, K30 Pro “Zoom Edition” Price & Launch

Redmi has launched the device alongside its Zoom Edition. The vanilla Redmi K30 Pro is priced at RMB 2,999 for 6/128GB, RMB 3,399 for 8/256GB, and RMB 3,699 for 12/256GB variant. The Zoom Edition is priced at RMB 3,799 for 8/128GB and RMB 3,999 for 8/256GB. The phones will go on sale starting March 27 in China.

Redmi K30 was exclusive to China and Europe and it was rebranded as POCO X2 for the Indian subcontinent. But even so, the device is yet to launch in Nepal. Therefore, even if it does launch in Nepal, we don’t expect it to happen anytime soon but it does we expect the price of Redmi K30 Pro in Nepal to be:

Model number	Expected Price in Nepal
Redmi K30 Pro (6/128)	~NPR 55,000
Redmi K30 Pro (8/128)	~NPR 62,000
Redmi K30 Pro (12/256)	~NPR 67,000
Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition (8/128)	~NPR 69,000
Redmi K30 Pro Zoom Edition (8/256)	~NPR 72,000

Check out our review of Realme X2!

Facebook Messenger initiates global programs to battle COVID-19

GadgetByte

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March 24, 2020

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Facebook Messenger initiates global programs to battle COVID-19

Facebook has now joined the global battle against the recent spread of COVID-19. The company has announced a platform for developers and health organizations to work together for better circulation of reliable information. It is also set to organize a hackathon so that developers can come up with better tools to fight the pandemic.

Facebook’s battle against COVID-19

Facebook Messenger is a messaging platform with over 1.3 billion active users. Because of such a high number, it has also been medium for false information, hoaxes, and conspiracy theories to spread. These misinformations have induced panic and fear among the public. Facebook looks to put a stop to that and join the battle against COVID-19.

Check out Siri’s latest feature to check COVID-19 symptoms

Free resources for Government Health Organisation

Facebook has announced a global program for third-party developers to work together with government health agencies and different bodies of the UN. The aim is to create a platform for effective and timely circulation of official information to the general public. The company believes it will reduce the impact of the misinformation to a great extent. Facebook’s developer partners have already agreed to participate in the program for free.

Facebook Developer Partner, facebook battle against covid-19 — Facebook Developer Partners

Argentina has already utilized this program to partner with bootmaker.com to clear people’s queries about the pandemic. The messenger app (or the bot) is said to provide reliable information 24 hours a day. UNICEF and Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services are also active in Messenger and Facebook believes others will also join them through the program.

Also, check out CISCO’s steps to battle coronavirus

Online hackathon to address COVID-19 issues

Facebook has also partnered with Devpost to announce a global online hackathon so that developers can come up with better tools to utilize its platform to address the current situation. It expects participants to solve both local and global issues such as social distancing, message circulation using Facebook Live tutorial and other relevant content. Facebook will help with the practical implementation of the winning ideas. Winners will also get invitations for F2 2021 event. Interested developers can look for further updates here.

Siri now offers guides about the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

GadgetByte

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March 23, 2020

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Siri now offers guides about the symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

COVID-19 is creating havoc around the world. People all over the world are in a state of a frenzy. What if the corona strikes me, what should I do and what not? Moreover, with so many fake rumors floating around, it is easy to get panicked by it. However, this is exactly the sort of situation where technology comes to your rescue. Tech giants around the world are trying their level best to help in any way they can to combat coronavirus. And now you can use Apple’s Siri to check for the coronavirus symptom in you.

A recent update to Siri has added a questionnaire of sorts about the coronavirus. You can simply call the digital assistant and ask “do I have coronavirus?”. Then you’ll be asked a series of yes-no questions by Siri to help determine whether the symptoms are related to COVID-19 or not. Moreover, it also guides people to the next step in case they have contracted the virus.

Also read: KGH Group’s free food distribution camp in Kathmandu

Basically, Siri compares your answer to the ones stated in the guidelines by the “US Public Health Service in concert with the CDC”. Firstly, if you use this feature, you’ll be asked questions such as whether or not you are experiencing fever, dry cough and so. Answer yes for it, and the next question will be whether the symptoms are life-threatening. If yes, it’ll suggest you call 911 emergency services. However, if you’re unsure about it then still, it asks you to seek medical assistance. After all, why take risks, right?

Answering no to these questions will prompt Siri to advise you to maintain social distance. This is the best a person can do from their side to help contain the spread of the virus. Moreover, Siri also offers a list of 10 services that one can reach out to in order to take advantage of telehealth services.

Tech giant Cisco commits $225 million to fight the COVID-19 outbreak

GadgetByte

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March 23, 2020

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Tech giant Cisco commits $225 million to fight the COVID-19 outbreak

As the brave medical workers throughout the world are working around the clock to help treat corona victims, one wonders what the worlds’ richest are doing to combat it. Obviously, they have got to do something right? I mean they have the resources which can greatly help everyone win this battle. Well, I don’t know about others but one company that has come out in support for this cause is the Silicon Valley giant Cisco. Yup, Cisco has planned to contribute $225 million to support this fight against COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Cisco against Coronavirus

Tech giant Cisco is well known for manufacturing telecom and hardware equipment. Recently, Chuck Robbins, the CEO of Cisco, confirmed via a blog post that the company was ready to commit the huge sum of $225 million for response against coronavirus.

Now, the sum that they have mentioned is going to include cash, in-kind and planned-givings. Basically, they have allocated $8 million in cash and $210 million in products. This move comes from them as the United States has seen a surge in the number of victims suffering from coronavirus. However, Cisco has confirmed that the funding will not be focused on the citizen of the U.S alone. Rather, the post read that part of the fund will indeed go to the United Nation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Moreover, the resources that they have allocated will focus on supporting healthcare and government response against the virus.

The fact that over 400 people have died due to corona-virus in the U.S has shaken the Silicon Valley. Now they are trying to invest their resources into the groups trying to fight the corona-virus. The U.S has over 35,000 people already infected by the virus. Thus, it was only a matter of time before the tech giants of Silicon Valley made a move.

Also read: KGH Group free food distribution camp in Kathmandu

Others to follow Cisco’s suite?

Moreover, Chuck Robbins also hosted a call with leaders of other tech companies. Apparently, the main focus of the meeting was about how tech companies can utilize their resources in this battle against COVID-19. CEOs of Facebook, Apple, Netflix and more were said to have taken part in that meeting.

Afterward, we got to know that Facebook has pledged to provide $100 million in cash and ad credits for 30K small businesses. However, they have to be eligible. Furthermore, they are also giving out a $1000 bonus to each of their employees.

POCO X2 might not launch in Nepal officially

Nikhil Shrestha

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March 23, 2020

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POCO X2 might not launch in Nepal officially

After days of teases and leaks, Poco officially unveiled the new POCO X2 in India in Feb. It, as we suspected, is just a rebranded Redmi K30, which nevertheless comes with fabulous features. However, since Poco is now an independent smartphone brand, the Poco X2 will not be launching outside India (at least for now). Anyways, let’s learn more about the specs, price, and availability date of Poco X2 in Nepal here.

POCO X2 Overview

POCO began hyping its Poco X2 smartphone as soon as it was spun off from Xiaomi as an independent brand in India. Obviously it will utilize Xiaomi’s resources and all, but it will adopt a different business model to penetrate the excruciatingly price-sensitive market of the country.

Design

If you already know about the Redmi K30, then all of the following will sound very similar to you. And maybe the price is only what you’re after. Anyways, talking about its design, it comes in a 3D curved glass body with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both, front and back of the phone, with aluminum frame. The phone comes in a glossy gradient finish in three color variants: Atlantis Blue, Matrix Purple, and Phoenix Red.

The camera arrangement on the back is quite unique as well, with the quad-cameras placed vertically, which reminded me of the “baseline test monitoring device” from Blade Runner 2049. More on the design, you’ll find the fingerprint scanner on the right side of the phone, like the one on the Huawei Nova 5T. The evanescent IR blaster is still there, which is nice. Furthermore, there’s no IP rating, but the POCO X2 does come with a P2i coating which should protect the phone from any splashes of water here and there.

Display

Coming to the front, the POCO X2 employs a dual punch-hole cutout for the front cameras on a tall 6.67-inches “RealityFlow” FHD+ IPS LCD screen with a 20:9 aspect ratio and HDR10 support. But the most exciting thing about this display is definitely its superior 120Hz refresh rate.

The trend of a smoother display panel really kicked off in 2019, and it looks like 2020 is when it really goes mainstream; why wouldn’t it? POCO X2’s “Intelligent Dynamic Refresh Rate” technology dynamically arranges the refresh rate depending upon the type of app being used, which could be crucial to saving battery in the long run.

Cameras

Now let’s talk cameras, shall we? POCO X2 comes with a quad-camera setup on the back arranged vertically inside a distinct gradient halo that complements the phone’s colors. And just below the cameras, there’s the dual-LED flash.

Here, the primary lens is the new 64MP Sony IMX686 sensor, which is set to feature in many flagship phones in 2020. Additionally, you also get an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens with 120º field-of-view (FOV), a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. With such an impressive camera arrangement, POCO hopes to deliver flagship-grade photography on a budget.

Also Read: Poco X2 Long Term Review: Is it worth it?

Moving on, the phone can also capture uncompressed RAW images, which can be really helpful to professional photographers. In terms of video, you can shoot up to 4K @30fps, while there’s also the support for the glorious 960fps videos at HD resolution. Besides this, a dedicated “VLOG Mode” has been embedded into the camera to fuel the inner vlogger in you.

Getting to the front cameras (yes, cameras), there’s a 20MP main lens, and a 2MP depth sensor packed inside a dual punch-hole cutout on the top right corner of the display. Personally, I prefer pop-ups or even minimal centered notches to these, but to each his own I guess.

Performance & Memory

POCO X2 is powered by the Snapdragon 730G, which is based on the 8nm fabrication process. Well, I am a little disappointed on the POCO X2 for having the 730G because of the legacy the name “POCO” carries with it. The POCO X2 not having the latest Snapdragon 865 was fine by me because it looks like it will feature in some other upcoming phone from the company. But the 765G is a warranted wish, right?

Nevertheless, 730G is not unworthy either. What surprised me was how the company claimed better performance on the POCO X2 than the Realme X2 having the same processor. A consistent AnTuTu score over multiple cycles? Sounds too good to be true, but not impossible.

LiquidCool Technology

POCO also emphasized on the gaming capability of the phone, with a better thermal performance thanks to its LiquidCool technology and the second-gen Game Turbo. And once again, comparisons were made against the Realme X2 for their heating.

Getting into memory, the POCO X2 comes with either 6 or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and from 64 to 256GB of UFS 2.1 storage. The hardware on the phone is further complemented by the software, which the company claims helps in optimizing the core-level performance for enhanced RAM management. Now that’s what I like to hear. No matter how excellent the hardware is, if a decent software to back that up is absent, the phone is no good. Here, POCO X2 runs on Android 10.0 with a modified version of MIUI 11 on top.

Battery

Talking about the battery, the phone comes with a big 4500mAh cell, which should last a day even on moderate to heavy use. Don’t quote me on that because we still haven’t tested it ourselves yet. A big battery needs a better charging mechanism too, right? Well, the POCO X2 comes with a 27W charger on the box. Nice!

Also, POCO claims that the 27W charger of the POCO X2 charges its bigger 4500mAh faster at 68 minutes compared to Realme X2’s 30W VOOC flash charger charging the phone’s smaller 4000mAh battery in 76 minutes. bruh! I can’t wait to see if it’ll really stand up to its claims in real-life tests.

POCO X2 Specifications

Body: 6.51 x 3.02 x 0.35 inches; 208 gm; P2i coating
Display: 6.67-inches “RealityFlow” IPS LCD panel with HDR10 support; 386 PPI and up to 500 nits of brightness
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1800 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G; 8nm Mobile Platform
CPU: Octa-core (2x Gold @ 2.2GHz + 6x Silver @ 1.8GHz)
GPU: Adreno 618
RAM: 6 / 8GB LPDDR4X dual-channel memory
Storage: 64 / 128 / 256GB UFS 2.1 (expandable via a microSD card)
Software & UI: Android 10 with MIUI 11 on top
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64 MP f/1.89 Sony IMX686 sensor, PDAF support
– 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide sensor with 120º FOV
– 2MP f/2.4 macro lens
– 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
– Dual LED flash
Front Camera: Dual-camera;
– 20MP f/2.2 primary sensor
– 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack, Qualcomm Hi-Fi DAC support
Connectivity: Hybrid dual-SIM (Nano), microSD card, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/Beidou, USB Type-C
Battery: 4500 mAh with 27W fast charging
Colors: Atlantis Blue, Matrix Purple, Phoenix Red

POCO X2 Price in Nepal & Availability

You can buy the Poco X2 in Nepal via unauthorized sellers like hamrobazar, Facebook groups, etc. The Poco X2 Price in Nepal starts at Rs. 30,000. This price is for the base 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant.

Model Variant	Price in Nepal (unofficial)
POCO X2 (6/64GB)	Rs. 30,000
POCO X2 (6/128GB)	Rs. 33,000
POCO X2 (8/256GB)	Rs. 36,000

Don’t forget to watch our video review of Poco X2 here:

A nationwide Minecraft server, double XP on WoW: How gaming is persuading people to stay in!

Nikhil Shrestha

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March 23, 2020

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A nationwide Minecraft server, double XP on WoW: How gaming is persuading people to stay in!

People are stuck in their homes because of the global pandemic, which includes me, you, and many others. Besides the uncertainty of the situation itself, there’s another not-so-alarming question is on the horizon. “How to pass time during the lockdown?” That’s not a problem for those who can work from their home. But kids, students, and other people who don’t have anything particular to do face some quite boring days ahead of them. Gaming has always been a popular indoor activity. And now, game developers and even governments are using gaming as an incentive for having people stay indoors during the coronavirus lockdown.

Gaming industry on the rise!

Who didn’t see it coming? Apart from the medical industry, e-sports is also seeing a sudden surge. Just yesterday, Steam reported a record number of concurrent users – 22 million, which is a little higher than last week’s record of 20 million. Similarly, Twitch – a popular streaming site, also saw a 10% increment in viewership. With an unparalleled increase in the number of players, many game publishers are discounting or even giving away the game for free to encourage people to stay indoors.

A nationwide Minecraft server in Poland

In a bid to have the kids stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Digital Affairs at the Polish government has created a website. It includes a Minecraft server among other web-activities. Grarantanna has been designed to encourage children of all ages to stay productive during the lockdown while engaging in fun activities like learning about Poland’s history through quizzes, puzzles, game development, etc.

Also read: Fusemachines Nepal’s platform to get informed about COVID-19 in Nepal

As for the Minecraft server, each player (only eligible for someone aged under 20 living in Poland) will be given a 60×60 plot and other essential building materials for construction. After that, the player may construct anything of their choice. However, it must be SFW and follow other guidelines for the competition. Prizes set aside for the winners include:

Razer Kraken Essential headphone
Razer Deathadder Essential wired moist
A4Tech Bloody B3370R RGB mechanical keyboard

Double XP in World of Warcraft

Blizzard is also stepping up to encourage people to say home during the coronavirus outbreak through gaming. Up until 20th April 2020, World of Warcraft players will gain an experience buff called “Winds of Wisdom“. This will increase the total experience (XP) earned by 100%, for both – Starter Edition, and Legion players.

It’s really humbling to see how health-care workers, companies, and governments around the world are working to fight the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, I’d like to request that we, as individuals do our part by taking all the precautionary measures to help contain the pandemic as much as possible.