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Dark Mode 2.0 and more: Find out when your device will get the new MIUI 12 upgrade!

GadgetByte

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April 28, 2020

Dark Mode 2.0 and more: Find out when your device will get the new MIUI 12 upgrade!

Yesterday, Xiaomi launched the new Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G in its home market. However, that was not the only big announcement. In fact, the smartphone giant also launched the latest edition of its custom skin to Android, MIUI 12. It is the successor of the MIUI 11 and it brings in some major updates in terms of privacy and visuals. Moreover, it also brings some Android 10 features that were missing in the previous version. So, let’s dive right into the major features of the MIUI 12.

Dark Mode 2.0 and Updated Visuals

MIUI 12 introduces the new “Dark Mode 2.0”. It is basically a wallpaper dimming feature. As the surrounding light changes, your wallpaper will gradually dim. Moreover, the contrast & boldness of font will be adjusted accordingly depending upon the ambient light.

Additionally, the inclusion of Super Wallpapers further complements Dark Mode 2.0. It includes 3D models of Earth and Mars. The pictures are based on data science explorations and are highly precise. Additionally, the wallpapers will also enter night mode when the dark mode is turned on.

This new skin brings major visual changes too. You’ll notice that app icon animations now generate real-time feedback. The animations depend on the changes in gesture direction and speed. Furthermore, the weather animations will display real-time weather changes in a time-lapse movie format too. Other improvements include animation changes in screen rotation, app switching, and more.

There’s a visual improvement in how one sees the system information as well. Xiaomi has labeled it as the new “Sensory Visual Design”. The core system information, system status are presented in the form of graphs and visual diagrams in the new MIUI 12.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mobile Price in Nepal [Updated]

Gesture improvements and AI calling

The new gesture includes how you interact with the notification panel. Now, you won’t have to abandon your work screen when you pull down the notification panel. Moreover, the panel can also expand into a small window. And it can be dragged around the screen.

AI Calling is now integrated into Xiaomi’s custom Xiao AI. The feature is similar to the Call Screening feature of Pixel 3. Reportedly, this AI phone assistant has answered around 4 million calls during the testing phase. This feature allows users to switch between manual and automatic answering and also customize the language in which their calls will be answered.

Privacy Enhancements

The most vital upgrade in this new skin is undoubtedly related to the user’s privacy. Users can choose to grant permissions to the app only once or while being used. And those permissions will be revoked once you close the app. Furthermore, users will get the option to track the app behaviors too. You’ll now see in detail what information a particular app is collecting and more. Also, device details will be removed from the image that you choose to share.

Xiaomi MIUI 12 Availability

Xiaomi launched the MIUI 12 and it is already available in China and its stable version will roll out by the end of June. The devices such as Mi 10 series, Redmi K30 Pro, Mi Mix 3, and more will receive the stable MIUI 12 updates.

Xiaomi and Redmi phones to receive MIUI 12 Upgrade

Mi 10 Youth Edition Launched: Cheapest 5G Xiaomi phone!

GadgetByte

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April 27, 2020

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Mi 10 Youth Edition Launched: Cheapest 5G Xiaomi phone!

Xiaomi had launched its Mi 10 series just last month. The series included three devices, namely- Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, and Mi 10 Lite. And today, with the launch of Mi 10 Youth Edition, Xiaomi has expanded the Mi 10 series. Before its launch, speculation was that the Mi 10 Youth Edition will just be a rebranded Mi 10 Lite that is available in Europe. However, there are some differences between this device and the Lite version. Let’s know more about the Xiaomi Mi Youth Edition along with its specs, price, and availability in Nepal.

Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth Edition 5G Overview

The device has a 6.57-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution. The refresh rate is akin to that of the Mi 10 Lite. That means it too has a 60Hz display. It certainly would have been great had they upped it to 90Hz, but nevertheless, it’s still decent. However, they have a sort of compensated for it by offering a 180Hz touch sampling rate. Moreover, the screen does not have a punch-hole cutout. Rather, it has the more common waterdrop notch. The notch houses a 16MP selfie shooter.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mobile Price in Nepal [Updated]

Cameras are the strongest feature of the Mi 10 Youth Edition. The device sports a quad-camera array with a 48MP primary sensor. It is further complemented by an 8MP ultra-wide lens a 2MP macro lens. And an 8MP periscope telephoto lens. This periscope module comes with OIS, 5X optical zoom, 10X hybrid zoom, and 50X digital zoom capabilities.

This device will probably be one of the most affordable 5G smartphones. And to serve its purpose, it uses the Snapdragon 765G under the hood. As for the RAM option, one can choose between either 6GB or 8GB LPDD4X RAM. The storage options are 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Furthermore, the device is powered by a huge 4160mAh battery with Quick Charge 4+ and UDB PD 3.1. Now, we’d hoped that the device will be the first one to launch with the new MIUI 12. Sadly, that isn’t the case as it still uses the MIUI 11 skin. However, users will be able to upgrade it to MIUI 12.

Specifications:

Display: 6.57-inches AMOLED panel; 60Hz refresh rate; FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels) resolution; HDR10+
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G; 7nm Mobile Platform
CPU: Octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)
GPU: Adreno 620
Software: Android 10 with MIUI 11 on top
RAM: 6GB, 8GB
Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB (UFS 2.1)
Rear Camera: 48MP primary lens with f/1.8 aperture + 8MP ultra-wide lens with f/3.4 aperture + 8MP telephoto (periscope) module with OIS, 5X optical zoom, 10X hybrid zoom, 50X digital zoom, and f/2.2 aperture + 2MP macro lens with f/2.4 aperture
Front Camera: 16MP
Security: Fingerprint sensor(Under-display, optical)
Battery: 4,160mAh; 22.5W Fast charging, USB PD 3.0, Quick Charge 4+
Colors: Black Skill Storm, Blueberry Mint, Four Seasons Spring Milk Green, Peach Grapefruit, White Peach Oolong

Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth Edition Price and Availability

The price of the Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth Edition starts at CNY 2,099, which is approximately Rs. 36,000 in Nepal. The device is already available for pre-booking and will go be available in stores on April 30 in China. Hence, the expected price of Xiaomi Mi 10 Youth Edition in Nepal for the base 6/64GB is around Rs. 36,000.

Xiaomi Model Variant	Price in China	Price in Nepal [converted]
Mi 10 Youth Edition (6/64GB)	CNY 2,099	Rs. 36,000
Mi 10 Youth Edition (6/128GB)	CNY 2,299	Rs. 40,000
Mi 10 Youth Edition (8/128GB)	CNY 2,499	Rs. 43,000
Mi 10 Youth Edition (12/256GB)	CNY 2,799	Rs. 48,000

Evidence of Snapdragon variant of Samsung Galaxy S20+ outperforming the Exynos emerges

GadgetByte

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April 27, 2020

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Evidence of Snapdragon variant of Samsung Galaxy S20+ outperforming the Exynos emerges

Samsung is different in the sense that it is the only smartphone brand that releases its flagship devices with two different SoC. Take a look at the recently released Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. If you buy it in Nepal, you will get a device powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 990. However, there is also the S20 Plus with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865. Recently, Phonebuff conducted a series of tests on the Exynos & Snapdragon variants of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus. Let’s check out the result of the test.

Samsung S20 Plus: Exynos vs Snapdragon

The Snapdragon variant of the Samsung S20 Plus is available in select markets such as South Korea, the US, and Canada. Everywhere else, the device is sold with Samsung’s proprietary Exynos 990. The company believes that both SoCs perform similarly, but that sounds too good to be true. Phonebuff made a comparison video to check that claim where robots conducted tests to eliminate any kind of partiality.

Check out the price of Samsung S20+ in Nepal.

Performance Test

To check if both variants performed the same, they were put through a test where both the phones were loaded with a set of popular apps in the course of two laps. The first lap was designed to see which SoC launched the apps faster.

The Snapdragon variant took a small leap over the Exynos from the very first task of launching Facebook. It also took less time to compute calculations in MS-Excel. The difference was more significant in tasks like photo editing (using Snapseed), video rendering (using Adobe Rush), and launching games (Subway Surfer, Flip Dive, Fit the Fat 2, Fortnite). The Snapdragon variant completed the first lap in 2 minutes 1 second while the Exynos completed it in about 2 minutes 10 seconds.

In the second lap, both processors performed the same as both used the same 12GB RAM to re-load apps from memory. To be exact, the Exynos came out the winner in the second lap with a tiny margin of 38ms.

Also Read: Samsung Mobile Price in Nepal [Updated]

Battery Endurance Test

In the battery test, both devices were put through some predetermined task under similar settings. The Snapdragon made a lead from the first task that involved an hour-long call. Though Exynos performed better in the mailing task, it never made a comeback. Snapdragon variant retained the battery better while browsing the internet, scrolling through Instagram, gaming, and in the 16hour standby test. Exynos seemed to perform well in the YouTube streaming test but that it was it. It was clear that the Snapdragon variant had a better battery endurance overall.

Check out the specs of Samsung Galaxy A51 5G.

Is Samsung robbing us?

Samsung wants to believe that both the variant perform the same. But both the benchmark and real-life tests have defied the claim. Based on the region, customers get different devices though they have to pay the same premium amount. It’s high time for Samsung to decide on a single flagship chipset for future releases. Samsung should work harder to get the Exynos processors to perform identically to their Snapdragon counterparts as no customer would want to buy an underperforming device. Selling the illusion of the lack of any sort of performance gap will only harm the company’s goodwill in the long run.

Check out our complete review of Samsung S20 / S20+

Elon Musk’s SpaceX to start public beta testing of “Starlink” in 6 months

GadgetByte

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April 27, 2020

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Elon Musk’s SpaceX to start public beta testing of “Starlink” in 6 months

You may have heard about SpaceX‘s mission to put mankind on Mars. That’s the ultimate goal of the company founded by Elon Musk. Right now, the company is on the headlines for another one of its projects – Starlink. Musk says it is an effort to connect every nook and cranny of the globe through a reliable internet connection. Starlink is still in the development phase. However, the project has reached a stage now where the company can start beta testing. Let’s learn about the project in detail alongside the date for the beta testing.

Starlink: Connecting the world

It’s hard to believe but even in 2020, about half of the world population still don’t have any access to the internet. We are at a point in a time where half of the people can’t go on about their days without the internet while the other half is yet to get a taste of it. That is what Elon and SpaceX are trying to change with the Starlink. They believe that the project will provide internet access to people in the most isolated part of the world at reasonable prices.

History

SpaceX first announced the project back in 2015 with the primary motto of providing the world with access to low latency internet at an affordable cost. The vision was to use a constellation of satellites orbiting around the earth to transmit the data at a speed that is not possible on the surface of the planet. The project didn’t have a smooth start, to say the least, as it took time for the company to come with a low-cost transceiver that would communicate with the constellation from the world. Finally, in 2018, SpaceX deployed two prototypes: Tintin A and Tintin B.

Check out SpaceX’s plan to manufacture ventilators during the Covid-19 crisis.

How does it work?

Optic fiber is the preferred choice of public data transition in the world. It uses light for data transmission that makes it faster than other traditional mediums out there. The problem here is that the light has to travel through the glass medium, which limits its speed and hence the latency. But with Starlink’s satellite operating in a vacuum, the transmission is a lot faster. It isn’t free of lag as it will still require uplink and downlink communication between the satellites and the terrestrial transceiver. But it is minimal compared to fiber optics.

The difference in latency will be more significant over the long-distance transmission. In contrast to other communication satellites with orbital radius 36,000km, the Starlink will operate a “little” closer to Earth with an orbital radius of about 580km instead of 1150km as initially planned. The smaller orbital radius helps reduce the latency. On the other hand, it also means that each satellite has a limited coverage radius. That is why thousands of satellites have to be launched into the lower orbit of the earth to make this project a reality. As of now, SpaceX has permission to launch about 12,000 satellites for the project.

Check out Apple’s plan for its satellite constellation.

Starlink Beta Testing

After the recent deployment of 60 satellites, Starlink now has a total of 422 satellites in space. The number is good enough for the company to start testing out the system. According to Elon Musk, Starlink will start private beta testing in 3 months. Similarly, the public beta testing for Starlink will begin in 6 months. The service will first be available in North America before it is rolled out globally. The download speed is expected to go up to 1Gbps with 25 – 35ms latency.

Concerns

There have been a lot of questions surrounding the project from the start. The idea of launching thousands of satellites into space has raised significant concerns about space debris. But SpaceX claims the Krypton ion thruster can direct the satellites back to earth at the end of their life span. And about 95% of the satellite’s composition will burn completely in the atmosphere.

Also, astronomers and space observatory organizations have complained that the Starlink’s satellites have been interfering with their observation of the space. To the solution of this problem, SpaceX is trying to reduce the brightness level of the satellites. All the upcoming satellites will have sunshades made up of dark radio transparent foam.

Check out DishHome’s plans for satellite-based internet service.

Long-term Objectives

Though the motto is to provide everyone with access to the internet, it is still far from the reach. To access the Starlink internet, one must have a transceiver that can communicate with the satellite constellations. Starlink’s transceiver with phased array antenna costs right around $200. With such a price tag, we don’t think it’s affordable at all.

So, the primary consumers for Starlink will be industries that require low-latency internet connection, such as the Stock Market exchange. If the project is successful, it will shoot the revenue of the company by about ten times. The boosted revenue means SpaceX will have more funds for its long-term plan of colonizing Mars.

Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M31!

Samsung Galaxy J2 Core 2020 Launched with outdated Specs

Pratima Adhikari

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April 27, 2020

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Samsung Galaxy J2 Core 2020 Launched with outdated Specs

Samsung has launched its new budget smartphone of 2020. Dubbed as the Galaxy J2 Core 2020, it features an outdated design along with outdated features. However, it does come with a budget-friendly price and is soon launching in Nepal.

Samsung Galaxy J2 Core 2020 Overview

The Galaxy J2 Core 2020 is strikingly identical to the J2 Core 2018. For starters, it comes with a 5-inch 540 x 960 pixels 16:9 display. I didn’t see the AMOLED tagline mentioned anywhere, so we are not sure just yet. The smartphone comes equipped with an Exynos 7570 SoC, a QuadCore 1.4GHz CPU paired with just 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of expandable storage. To recall, the 2018 version had 8GB of storage.

Even though the specs seem to be underpowered, the use of Android Go should help a lot with better performance. Samsung claims a 15% faster app opening times, but real-life usage may differ. However, it’s still running on the older Oreo 8.1 which is extremely strange.

The camera setup comes with an 8MP f/2.2 at the back with an LED flash and a 5MP f/2.2 at the front. It also comes with a removable back and a removable 2600mAh battery.

If you look at the renders of the smartphone, you might notice that the front does not have the same home button as the other Galaxy smartphones. It comes with a rather J-series like the front but without the extra tall or extra thin bezels. This might be due to the software itself, which might not take full advantage of the home button.

The J2 Core 2020 has 4G LTE and comes with a dual SIM slot. It is available in 3 colors: Gold, Blue, and Black.

Also Read: Samsung Mobiles Price in Nepal

Specifications:

Display: 5.0-inch 540 x 960 pixel 16:9 aspect ratio display
SIM: Dual SIM with 4G support
SoC: Exynos 7570 CPU
Processor: Quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU: Mali-T720 GPU
Storage: 8GB Internal expandable up to 256GB with MicroSD
RAM: 16GB
Rear camera: 8 MP, AF, f/2.2
Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.2
Battery: Removable Li-Ion 2600 mAh
Dimensions: 143.4 x 72.1 x 8.9 mm
Colors: Black, Gold, and Blue

Samsung Galaxy J2 Core 2020 Price in Nepal

The Galaxy J2 Core 2020 is priced at INR 6,300 in India. Considering the Indian price, we can expect the Galaxy J2 Core 2020 to launch in Nepal for a price of Rs.9,999.

Model Name	Price in Nepal	Availability (Expected)
Samsung Galaxy J2 Core 2020	Rs. 10,000	June, 2020

Facebook brings messenger rooms to facilitate group video calls

GadgetByte

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April 27, 2020

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Facebook brings messenger rooms to facilitate group video calls

The current pandemic has affected our lives in many ways. One can’t just wander about outside and go on meeting people. So, you can only imagine the extra difficulties that we would have faced if it weren’t for our technological advancements. Most importantly in terms of communication. Currently, you can use Facebook messenger, zoom, or other online platforms to stay connected with people. Moreover, they also facilitate the work from home policy that many companies have now undertaken. Thus, to enable smoother communication in the upcoming days, Facebook has now introduced the new Messenger Rooms. And other significant improvements in its existing apps.

Since its inception, the Silicon Valley giant has always aimed to connect people. Per Facebook, more than 700 million accounts participate in video calls each day (Messenger & WhatsApp combined). Moreover, in the past few months, there has been a significant increment in the number of video calls and Live videos. So, it was only natural for the company to come up with a better solution for more seamless lives and video chats.

What are Messenger Rooms?

Firstly, let’s talk about the all-new messenger rooms. One will be able to start a group video call directly from their messenger or Facebook and invite people to join in. Moreover, you’ll be able to join the chat rooms even if you don’t have a Facebook account.

The Facebook messenger rooms can aid in our pursuit to go back to our daily routine amidst this chaos. For instance, you can host a book club or simply choose to invite all your friends for a chit-chat. Groups can too create a messenger room. One will be able to see the rooms open to them on their news feed.

In your messenger room, you can use features such as AR effects, 360-degree background, mood lighting, and more. Moreover, the talk is that eventually, the rooms will be able to accommodate up to 50 people with no time limit. This feature is expected to roll out this week in some parts of the world.

Data & Privacy Concerns

Facebook’s past actions have made users concerned about how the company handles our data. And it’s only reasonable for people’s privacy concerns to increase when they partake in a video call with 50 participants. Well, Facebook has pointed out some of the features of the messenger rooms that might ease your privacy concerns. So, let’s quickly go through them.

It has a locking feature, that is once the room is locked, no one else can then join the room
The room creator can remove a participant from the video call and once someone is removed the room will automatically lock itself
Participants can opt to leave any room as per their will
You can report a messenger group if you feel it’s violating the community guidelines
Also, if you have blocked someone on Facebook, you’ll not be able to join a room they are in. And the converse also holds true
Facebook claims that it will not watch or listen to whatever is shared in the messenger room
Room links are made up of random characters and digits at the end to lower the chances of hacking
Facebook will collect data from the rooms for service and improvement purposes
If you have joined a room without a Facebook account, then they will collect information such as your browser type and product usage information
There won’t be any ad in Rooms
Facebook Messenger Room is built on the encryption technology of the messenger app itself. It does not have an end-to-end encryption

You can read in detail about the privacy policy of the messenger rooms right here.

Improvements in other apps

As mentioned previously, Facebook has brought in significant updates in its other associated apps too. For instance, in WhatsApp, you will now be able to start an end-to-end encrypted group call with up to 8 people. Similarly, there have been certain improvements on Facebook, Instagram, and Portal lives too.

On Facebook Live, the Live With option is back. That means another person can be added to your Live video. Furthermore, you can mark Facebook lives as an online-only event, and Pages can charge some amount to grant access to the live events. This will certainly be helpful to content creators and small businesses. Moreover, if you have a connectivity issue, you can choose to listen to only the audio of the live events. And lastly, they have added this new Facebook Gaming App through which you can live-stream your games directly from your phone.

Talking about the improvements in Instagram Lives, one can now comment on live videos directly from the desktop. Also, as soon as life is over, you’ll have the option to save it on IGTV so that it is available for a longer period. As for Portal, one will soon be able to go live from Portal to Facebook Pages and Groups.

Furthermore, Messenger Kids will be rolling out to more than 70 countries now. It is a parent-supervised environment where kids will be able to connect with their friends.

Wow, that’s a lot of updates. It’s really good that Facebook is trying their level best to help people stay connected during this pandemic. However, the major concern for most will be their data and privacy. Well, if they stay true to what they have officially declared, then maybe people will be less skeptical. However, that’s something only time will tell.

Doogee X95 with 4,350mAh battery, triple cameras now available for just $59.99

GadgetByte

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April 26, 2020

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Doogee X95 with 4,350mAh battery, triple cameras now available for just $59.99

Doogee isn’t the first brand that comes to your mind when you are out in the market looking for a new smartphone. This China-based company is known for building decent smartphones that don’t cost a fortune. The brand is again on the headlines these days – this time for Doogee X95, which provides a decent set of specs at just $60. Let’s check out the specs and features of Doogee X95 alongside the expected price in Nepal.

Doogee X95 Overview

Design and Display

Doogee X95 comes with a 6.52-inch capacitive panel with an HD resolution. The display has a tall aspect ratio of 19:9 which can achieve maximum brightness of up to 600 nits and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass. However, the company hasn’t revealed the exact version. Like all the mainstream budget smartphone, it features a waterdrop style notch to house the front camera.

The device comes with a plastic body, but the bright colors and shiny finish on the back make the phone look more premium than it is. The back panel has a circular camera module that houses the triple camera setup.

Performance and Memory

Doogee X95 comes with MediaTek MT6737 under the hood. It is a 1.3GHz quad-core processor. It isn’t the best budget processor out there, but we really can’t complain because of the price of the smartphone. The device comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. You can expand the storage via a microSD card, but you will have to sacrifice the dual-sim functionality as the slot is of the hybrid kind.

Camera

On the back, a telephoto lens and a 2MP depth sensor accompany the 13MP primary camera. The 2MP telephoto lens supports up to 2x zoom. For selfies, there is a 5MP camera on the front that supports beautification features.

Battery and Others

The device comes with a massive 4350mAh battery, which supports 10W wired charging. Unfortunately, there is no fingerprint sensor, but you can use the Face Unlock feature to unlock the device. The device ships with near-stock Android 10.

Doogee X95 Specifications:

Dimensions: 167 × 77.4 × 8.9mm; 189g
Display: 6.52″ capacitive panel with Corning Gorilla Glass
Resolution: HD (540 x 1200 pixels)
Rear Camera: Triple
– 13MP primary lens
– 2MP depth sensor
– 2MP telephoto lens (2x zoom)
Front Camera: 5MP
Chipset: MediaTek MT6737
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB, expandable via hybrid card slot
Battery: 4350 mAh, 10W charging
Security: Face Unlock

Also Read: Best Phones under Rs. 10,000 in Nepal

Doogee X95 Price And availability

The official price of the Doogee X95 is $99.99, but it is available for an introductory price of $59.99 via the company’s official store. For the Nepal audience, you can order Doogee X95 from Aliexpress and Gearbest, where its price is $69.99 and $59.99 respectively.

Smartphone model	Price in Nepal (converted)	Availability
Doogee X95 (2/32GB)	$59.99 (~NRs. 7,327)	Gearbest
Doogee X95 (2/32GB)	$59.99 (~NRs. 7,327)	Doogee Official Store
Doogee X95 (2/32GB)	$69.99 (~NRs. 8,548)	Aliexpress

Check out our review of Xiaomi Redmi Go

Huawei Nova 7 series officially Launched; Premium 5G Mid-range Phones

GadgetByte

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April 24, 2020

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Huawei Nova 7 series officially Launched; Premium 5G Mid-range Phones

Leaks and rumors were rife about a new device from Huawei. A range of devices to be specific. And now, we finally have an official confirmation. That’s right, Huawei has officially announced its nova 7 series. This series consists of three devices, namely Huawei Nova 7 Pro, Nova 7, and Nova 7E. Despite being three separate devices, they do have some features in common. All three of them come with 5G support, 4000mAh battery with 40W fast charging, and a 64MP primary lens. However, they do have some differences so let’s go through the specs, price, and availability of Huawei nova 7 series.

Huawei nova 7 Pro Overview

Starting off, let’s talk about the Huawei nova 7 Pro 5G. It is a 5G supported device that sports a 6.57-inch curved OLED panel. The panel supports FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9. Moreover, the screen also features a punch-hole cutout to house dual selfie cameras. The selfie shooter consists of a 32MP and an 8MP lens.

As mentioned above, the back camera consists of a 64 MP primary lens. The quad-camera array is completed by an 8MP ultra-wide lens, an 8MP periscope zoom lens, and a 2MP macro lens. The periscope module is capable of providing a 5X optical zoom and up to 50x hybrid zoom.

Under the hood, the device features the Kirin 985 SoC coupled with 8GB of RAM. As for the storage options, you can choose either 128GB or 256GB. Furthermore, the device is powered by a 4000mAh battery that supports 40W fast charging.

Nova 7 Pro Specifications:

Body: 6.31 x 2.90 x 0.31 inches; 178 gm
Display: 6.57-inches OLED panel; 392 PPI; 89.6% screen-to-body ratio
Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 19.5:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: HiSIlicon Kirin 985 5G
GPU: Mali-G77
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB UFS 3.0
Software & UI: Android 10.0; EMUI 10 with HMS
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64MP, f/1.8 primary wide lens
– 8MP, f/2.4 ultra-wide sensor
– 8MP, f/3.4 periscope lens, OIS, 5X optical zoom, 50X hybrid zoom
– 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens
Front Camera: Dual, 32MP, f/2.2 sensor + 8MP, f/2.2 ultra wide
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
Connectivity: Nano-SIM slot, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS/Galileo/QZSS, USB Type-C
Battery: 4000 mAh; 40W fast charging, 5W reverse charging
Colors: Black, Red, Purple, Green, Silver

Huawei Nova 7 Overview

The standard Huawei nova 7 comes with a slightly smaller 6.53-inch OLED display. It too supports FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. The has a punch-hole cutout to house its selfie camera. However, the selfie shooter in this one is a single 32MP sensor.

On the back, it sports a quad-camera setup with the same 64MP primary lens. However, it does not have a periscope module. Rather, it has the traditional telephoto lens that supports 3X optical zoom and 5X hybrid zoom. The other two sensors are an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP macro lens.

Other than a few minor changes, the vanilla nova 7 is quite similar to the nova 7 Pro. This device is also powered by Kirin 985 5G and is supported by 8GB of RAM. You also get to choose between either 128GB or 256 USF 3.0 storage. Battery-wise, it features a 4000mAh battery with 40W fast charging.

Nova 7 Specifications:

Body: 6.32 x 2.93 x 0.31 inches; 180 gm
Display: 6.53-inches OLED panel; 403 PPI; 86.3% screen-to-body ratio
Resolution: FHD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: HiSIlicon Kirin 985 5G
GPU: Mali-G77
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB UFS 3.0
Software & UI: Android 10.0; EMUI 10 with HMS
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64MP, f/1.8 primary wide lens
– 8MP, f/2.4 ultra-wide sensor
– 8MP, f/2.4 telephoto lens, 3X optical zoom
– 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens
Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.2 sensor
Security: Optical in-display fingerprint scanner
Connectivity: Nano-SIM slot, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS/Galileo/QZSS, USB Type-C
Battery: 4000 mAh; 40W fast charging, 5W reverse charging
Colors: Black, Red, Purple, Green, Silver

Also Read: Huawei Mobile Price in Nepal

Huawei nova 7 SE

The budget entry in the Huawei nova 7 series is the nova 7 SE. It has a 6.5-inch IPS LCD panel with an FHD+ display. However, as its display panel is not an OLED screen, it does not have an in-display fingerprint sensor. Rather, it features a side-mounted sensor. Furthermore, it does have a punch-hole cutout, however, the selfie shooter is only 16MP.

Moving on, the back camera is a quad-cam setup, similar to the rest of the devices in the Huawei nova 7 series. It too has a 64MP primary lens with 8MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. However, in place of the telephoto lens, it has a 2MP depth sensor.

Now, Huawei nova 7 and 7 Pro, both use the Kirin 985 5G as their chipset. This one, however, runs on the inferior Kirin 820 5G SoC. Storage and memory-wise, the nova 7 SE has the same 8GB of RAM and 128/256GB storage options. Moreover, it too uses a 4000mAh battery with 40W fast charging.

Nova 7 SE Specifications:

Body: 6.39 x 2.95 x 0.34 inches; 189 gm
Display: 6.5-inches IPS LCD panel; 405 PPI; 83.8% screen-to-body ratio
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: HiSIlicon Kirin 820 5G
GPU: Mali-G57
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB, 256GB
Software & UI: Android 10.0; EMUI 10 with HMS
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 64MP, f/1.8 primary wide lens
– 8MP, f/2.4 ultra-wide sensor
– 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
– 2MP, f/2.4 macro lens
Front Camera: 16MP, f/2.0 sensor
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Connectivity: Nano-SIM slot, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.1, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS/Galileo/QZSS, USB Type-C
Battery: 4000 mAh; 40W fast charging, 5W reverse charging
Colors: Black, Red, Purple, Green, Silver

Huawei nova 7 Series Price & Availability

Huawei nova 7 Pro, Nova 7, and nova 7 SE are all available for pre-order in China. And their official sales will start on April 28. The price and availability of Huawei nova 7 series outside of China, including Nepal, is not yet known.

Model Name	Price in Nepal [converted]	Availability
Huawei nova 7 Pro (8/128GB)	$522 (~NRs. 64,000)	April 28 (China)
Huawei nova 7 Pro (8/128GB)	$580 (~NRs. 71,000)	April 28 (China)
Huawei nova 7 (8/128GB)	$425 (~NRs. 52,000)	April 28 (China)
Huawei nova 7 (8/256GB)	$480 (~NRs. 59,000)	April 28 (China)
Huawei nova 7 SE (8/128GB)	$340 (~NRs. 41,000)	April 28 (China)
Huawei nova 7 SE (8/256GB)	$395 (~NRs. 48,000)	April 28 (China)

iQOO Neo3 5G unveiled: Snapdragon 865 & 144Hz screen at just $380!

GadgetByte

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April 24, 2020

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iQOO Neo3 5G unveiled: Snapdragon 865 & 144Hz screen at just $380!

A mid-range smartphone today must have two features – 5G connectivity and a higher refresh rate. Vivo’s iQOO has taken this trend of making affordable 5G smartphones a step further by launching iQOO Neo3 5G, which comes with a 144Hz screen and is one of the cheapest smartphones to have Snapdragon 865 chipset. As of now, it is only available in China, but we hope it is going to launch in Nepal, too, for China’s equivalent price.

iQOO Neo3 5G Overview

Display and Design

iQOO Neo3 5G features a 6.57-inch FHD+ panel that supports a refresh rate of up to 144Hz. It isn’t the first device to come with a 144Hz screen, but it doesn’t mean that it is less exciting. What makes it unique is that the users can choose either between 60Hz, 90Hz, 120z, and 144Hz or let the device adjust it automatically according to the content on display. This intelligent feature will not only make the screen smoother but will make the battery more efficient.

The device has a notch on the top right corner for the selfie camera. It also comes with support for HDR10. Since iQOO has used an LCD panel on the device, the fingerprint sensor is now on the side.

Performance and Memory

Unlike most of the devices in this price range that comes with Snapdragon 765, iQOO Neo3 5G is powered by more premium Snapdragon 865. It is the best chipset out there, and not every smartphone can afford to have it. One can choose between 6GB, 8GB, and 12GB of RAM, all of which will comes with 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage. There is also an 8/256GB variant if you are looking for more storage.

It also comes with Multi-Turbo 3.0 that will help solve system problems, optimize data and wireless networks, and reduce the sampling rate. iQOO has included a super liquid cooling system consisting of 11 layers to keep the device cool even during intensive gaming sessions.

Check out Nubia Play 5G with 144Hz screen under $350

Camera

iQOO flaunts a 48MP AI triple camera setup on the back. An 8MP ultra-wide lens accompanies the 48MP primary camera with 112-degree of FOV. There is also a 2MP sensor to aid you with macro shots. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera housed inside the punch-hole.

Battery and Connectivity

The device features a massive 4,500mAh battery. iQOO claims that the phone can be charged up to 50% in 20 minutes and up to 100% in 58 minutes using 44W fast charger. iQOO supports dual 5G, dual Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0. It also has the Maxwell Antenna System for a more stable network.

iQOO Neo3 5G Specifications:

Display: 6.57-inch LCD, Punch-hole, 144Hz response rate, HDR 10 support
Resolution: FHD+ (2408 x 1080 pixels)
Dimensions: 163.71H x 8.93D x 75.55W mm, 198.1 gram
Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 865
GPU: Adreno 650 GPU
RAM: 6GB / 8GB / 12GB
Storage: 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1
OS: Android 10 with iQOO UI on top
Back Camera:
– 48MP primary camera with f/1.79 aperture
– 8MP wide-angle camera with f/2.2 aperture,
– 2MP depth sensor with f/2.4 aperture
Front Camera: 16MP camera
Audio: Dual Smart PA, Hi-Fi Audio, Dual Front Speakers
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Face Unlock
Connectivity: 5G, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, 3.5mm headphone jack,
Battery: 4500mAh with 44W FlashCharge

iQOO Neo 3 5G Price and Availability

iQOO Neo3 5G is available for pre-order in China where its price is 2698 Yuan for 6/128GB, 2998 Yuan for 8/128GB, 3298 Yuan for 12/128GB and 3398 Yuan for 8/256GB. Shipping starts on April 29. It is still unknown if the device will launch outside of China. In Nepal, the expected price of the Neo3 5G is around Rs. 48,000 for the base variant.

Model Name	Price in Nepal [converted]	Availability
iQOO Neo3 5G (6/128GB)	2698 Yuan (~NPR 48,000)	April 29 (China)
iQOO Neo3 5G (8/128GB)	2998 Yuan (~NPR 53,000)	April 29 (China)
iQOO Neo3 5G (12/128GB)	3298 Yuan (~NPR 58,000)	April 29 (China)
iQOO Neo3 5G (8/256GB)	3398 Yuan (~NPR 60,000)	April 29 (China)

Check out our review of Samsung Galaxy M31!

Realme X50m 5G launched: One of the cheapest 5G smartphones!

Nikhil Shrestha

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April 24, 2020

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Realme X50m 5G launched: One of the cheapest 5G smartphones!

The 5G wave has been hitting the globe mostly for good since, you know, it’s the next generation of cellular connectivity and all. Sadly, some people for some reason think it’s the cause of coronavirus. What?! Anyway, smartphone manufacturers have been pumping out 5G devices and most of them are quite expensive; usually hitting the thousand buck territory. But don’t worry, 5G is consistently getting more accessible. Both Qualcomm and MediaTek come up with cheap 5G-capable chipsets. Here, the “new” Realme X50m 5G is one of the cheapest 5G smartphones out there. I say “new” because it’s eerily similar to the regular X50, which is also Realme’s first 5G device launched a couple of months ago. Let’s take a look at the specs, features, expected price in Nepal of the Realme X50m 5G.

Realme X50m 5G Overview

Design & Display

In terms of the design of the phone, upfront, it looks exactly like the standard X50. The only visual difference comes in the form of the 3D hyperboloid “flair” in the back panel, which is a little flamboyant on the X50m. Besides this, both the back & front cameras are arranged similarly, there is a side-mounted fingerprint sensor but no headphone jack. The only noticeable distinction comes in the form of the camera setup, which I’ll get into in just a while.

The display itself is a 6.57-inches IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 90.4% screen-to-body ratio. With a smoother display being a major requirement in a modern smartphone, it’s good seeing value-oriented brands like Realme bringing the tech to economical devices.

However, there is quite a debate between the people about what’s better: an AMOLED display with the standard 60Hz refresh rate, or an LCD panel with a superior refresh rate. Well, the answer depends on who you ask but I’d pick the latter any time of the day.

Performance & Memory

Getting to the performance, the Realme X50m 5G is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765G, which is a 5G-ready gaming-centric chipset. This has been the go-to SoC for so many mid-range phones and OEMs are even opting for it instead of the flagship Snapdragon 865 for cost-reduction purposes.

With its integrated Snapdragon X52 5G Modem-RF system, the Realme X50m supports both SA and NSA mode of 5G. Moreover, the phone also comes with Smart 5G technology which intelligently switches between 4G & 5G networks depending upon the availability to save power.

The 765G is also a gaming-oriented SoC which has an overclocked GPU compared to the vanilla 765. Furthermore, it makes use of the Snapdragon Elite Gaming features as well for reduced latency, increased app load time, etc. Realme X50m 5G also has an 8mm ultra-large liquid-cooled copper tube, which the company says can reduce the core temperature of the phone by about 12.5%.

Complementing the performance is either 6 or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage. But unfortunately, you’re stuck with what you got as Realme hasn’t included an option to expand the onboard memory. The phone runs on the latest Realme UI based on Android 10 out-of-the-box.

Cameras

Now as I said earlier, the cameras are where the Realme X50m differs from the regular X50. The number of lenses is the same in both devices with quad-rear cameras and dual-front ones. All arranged vertically, the Realme X50m has a 48MP primary lens, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP macro lens, and finally a 2MP depth sensor. Instead of a macro or a depth sensor, it would’ve been better if Realme had kept the telephoto lens since “zoom” is so big right now.

Let’s move to the front of the phone. There’s a dual front camera housed inside a pill-shaped cutout on the top left side of the display. You get a 16MP primary lens and Realme has substituted the 8MP ultrawide sensor on the X50 with a 2MP depth sensor on the X50m.

Battery & Others

Finally, let’s talk about the battery. The Realme X50m 5G has the same 4200mAh cell with and supports 30W Dart charging. Realme says it can take the phone’s juice from 0 to 70% in just 30 minutes. Though the phone has a glass back, there is no support for wireless charging.

Additionally, it has a dual-mic array for better sound pickup & noise reduction in calls and videos. Realme X50m 5G has Dolby Sound & Hi-Res Audio on its Linear speakers in terms of audio. The phone also makes use of NFC and supports the company’s own payment system – Realme Pay.

Also Read: All the Realme Mobile Phones Price in Nepal

Realme X50m 5G Specifications:

Body: 6.45 x 2.98 x 0.35 inches; 194 gm
Display: 6.57-inches IPS LCD panel; 120Hz refresh rate; 399 PPI; 90.4% screen-to-body ratio; Corning Gorilla Glass 5
Resolution: FHD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G; 7nm Mobile Platform
CPU: Octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver)
GPU: Adreno 620
RAM: 6 / 8GB LPDDR4X
Storage: 128GB UFS 2.1 (non-expandable)
Software & UI: Realme UI with Android 10 on top
Rear Camera: Quad-camera;
– 48MP, f/1.8 primary wide sensor, PDAF
– 8MP, f/2.3 ultra-wide sensor, 119º FOV
– 2MP, f/2.4 macro sensor
– 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
– LED flash
Front Camera: Dual-camera;
– 16MP, f/2.0 primary wide sensor
– 2MP, f/2.4 depth sensor
Security: Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
Audio: Ultra Linear speakers, Dolby Sound, Hi-Res Audio
Connectivity: Dual-SIM slot (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS/AGPS/GLONASS/BDS, 5G connectivity, NFC, USB Type-C
Battery: 4200mAh; 30W Dart Charging
Colors: Starry Blue, Galaxy White

Realme X50m 5G Price & Availability

The Realme X50m 5G price starts at ¥1,999 for 6/128GB variant, and ¥2,299 for the top-end 8/128GB model. It is available for pre-order and will go on sale from April 29 in China. There is no word on its international launch but we expect the Realme X50m 5G to be available in Nepal later at a price of Rs. 36,000 for 6/128GB variant.

Models	Price in Nepal [converted]	Availability
Realme X50m 5G (6/128GB)	¥1,999 (~NRs. 34,400)	April 29 (China)
Realme X50m 5G (8/128GB)	¥2,299 (~NRs. 39,580)	April 29 (China)

Check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy M31!