With brands like Xiaomi and Samsung currently ruling the lower to the mid-range smartphone market, it’s easy to forget that brands such as Lava even exist. Their dominance in the budget smartphone segment seems long gone. But are they going to make a comeback? Well, with the introduction of their Benco series, Lava does seem to have brought a product that put froth’s a strong competition.
So, what does their new range of smartphone offer? Basically, this Benco series from Lava is designed to cater to young users. They are cost-effective and have a stylish design which they hope will attract youngsters. With the mission to connect the young with an intelligent world, Lava’s Benco series was launched in five South Asian countries including Nepal.
But is it only the outside of a device that attracts the youth? Obviously not! And thus, the devices in the benco do pack some competitive specs. Because come on no one would simply buy a device just to marvel at its design. So, what are their specs? Or rather what are the available smartphones in the benco series.
For now, a sole model labeled as the benco V8 is available in Nepal and other regions. It was launched by INONE Technology in Nepal on 4th November 2019.
Lava Benco V8 Specifications Overview
The Lava benco V8 has a big 6.53-inch screen with an HD+ resolution of 1560 x 720 pixels. The front screen has a waterdrop notch that houses the 8 MP front camera. And on the back, you get a triple camera setup along with a fingerprint sensor.
It runs on the MediaTek Helio P23 chipset. An octa-core processor, the MediaTek Helio P23 offers 8 ARM Cortex A53 cores. Those cores are divided into two clusters and are clocked up to 2.0 GHz. Furthermore, the benco V8 has 2GB of RAM and 32 GB storage on board. However, there is a dedicated microSD slot that allows you to expand storage up to 256GB.
The main highlight of this device, however, is undoubtedly its triple camera setup. The camera array includes a 16MP primary sensor, a 2MP macro lens and a 2 MP depth sensor. Having a macro lens in the camera setup can drastically improve the details and clarity of your close up photos. Take a look at the photo samples from the benco V8 that makes use of the macro lens.
Obviously, these photographs are for advertisement purposes so it makes sense that they look great. However, I do hope the camera performance, in reality, is similar to what they claim.
Moreover, the primary lens also has a large f/1.7 aperture, a 1.4μmpixel sensor, and a 6P lens. So, it should allow you to capture good quality photos. The large aperture also helps to capture more light. Thus, taking photos during the low-light condition should not be much of a problem for this device.
For its power, the device is powered by a huge 4000mAh battery. And all this setup will cost you NRs. 12, 999. So, basically this device is targeted as the lower price segment. However, as mentioned before, the market already has plenty of players competing on that front. But with all these features on offer and indeed a stylish look, let’s see how the journey of the Lava benco series pans out in Nepal.
Vivo has officially unveiled the Vivo S5 at an event held in Beijing, China yesterday. The headlining feature of the phone is obviously its unique diamond-shaped cutout housing the cameras on the back. Though other phones in the ‘S’ series, namely the Vivo S1 (China) and S1 Pro implemented motorized selfie camera, the Vivo S5 features a minimal punch-hole cutout on the top right corner of the phone for the front camera.
Vivo S5 Overview
Design & Display
Credit where credit’s due; Vivo’s phones are quite impressive when it comes to the design. The S5 is another testament to the tradition with its gorgeous design and is focused on younger audiences. Vivo is calling the phone’s back design as “3D Surface Grip“, which according to the company assures a comfortable grip. Similarly, the company has let itself loose in the sea of creativity with naming the colors of the Vivo S5; Icelandic Love Song, Phantom Blue, and Star Black.
The display is another area where the S5 earns a point. It has a tall 6.44-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED screen, with a punch-hole cutout, making it a first of its kind from a Chinese manufacturer. Additionally, the camera cutout is smaller than that of Samsung’s Galaxy S10e at a mere 2.98mm diameter. With this, the S5 achieves an impressive 91.38% screen-to-body ratio. Thus, the viewing experience on the device should be bliss. For security purposes, the phone implements an in-display fingerprint technology so a physical scanner isn’t present here.
Like with most Vivo phones, this one puts an emphasis on camera performance as well and necessarily so. The back of the Vivo S5 has a unique diamond-shaped cutout, housing the phone’s rear camera. 3 of the 4 lenses can be found inside the cutout alongside the LED flash, while the remaining protrudes just below the module.
Here, you get a 48MPprimary shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP depth sensor, and a 2MP dedicated macro lens. For selfies, Vivo has gone with a 32MP lens placed inside a punch-hole cutout on the top right of the phone. Though definitely not a cleaner design choice than a motorized camera, Vivo S5’s display looks exquisite nonetheless.
Vivo S5 – Pose Guidance
Expectedly, Vivo has packed a ton of photography and beautifying features in the Vivo S5. There are options to adjust skin color and tone according to the shooting environment, retain natural skin texture, apply light makeup, make your eyebrows more delicate, and pose guidance as well. Hot damn! Beauty studios and salons may very well close shops then. Here’s something funny, Vivo says the “AI sculpts the face to make the face more natural”, thus redefining the word “natural” in the process.
On a related note, streaming is a big thing in China and the Vivo S5 looks to make a mark in the industry as well. Similarly, it’s a little disturbing how the mainstream Chinese culture emphasizes on a perfectly clear skin sans melanin. The Vivo S5 directly promotes this culture as its “Face Adaptation” feature adjusts people’s fat, long, or thin faces to something more “natural”. Pshaw!
Performance & Memory
Talking about performance, the Vivo S5 packs a decent Snapdragon 712 chipset manufactured with a 10nm fabrication process. This is the same chipset found in Vivo Z1 Pro and the Z1X. It has a dual-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz and a hexa-core CPU clocked at 1.7GHz. On the GPU end, there’s Adreno 616. Obviously, Vivo could’ve gone with a better SoC for the S5 considering it’s a mid-range device. But unfortunately, that’s not where the company’s head’s at.
Complementing the chipset is an adequate 8GB of RAM, alongside 128GB of internal storage. Rumors had it that the Vivo S5 would also have a 256GB storage variant, but that isn’t the case. An option to expand the storage would’ve been nice, but whatever. At this point, it’s like beating a dead horse.
Battery
We’ve seen many budget and mid-range phones from Vivo with a big 5000 mAh battery. It looks like the company’s taking a break from that as the Vivo S5 packs a smaller 4100 mAh cell. To our delight, it supports 22.5W Flash Charging via USB Type-C. No MicroUSB this time around! Let’s just hope Vivo finally makes Type-C a standard in all of its future smartphones.
Miscellaneous
Vivo is also pushing the S5 towards gamers. Its “Multi-Turbo Acceleration Engine” is said to boost the front-end response speed by up to 30% and improve against frame-rate drops by up to 78%. Additionally, the S5 promises an immersive gaming experience with 4D Smart Feedback shock.
Though there’s a single variant of the S5, Vivo has partnered up with Chinese celebrity “Cai Xukun” to launch “Vivo S5 Cai Xukun Custom Gift Box Edition” which will be China-exclusive.
How many assistants are too much assistant? Well, Vivo is in the virtual assistant game as well, with “Jovi“. Though not as powerful and competent as the Google Assistant, it is capable of your regular requests.
Vivo’s mid-range phones have always had an “oh no!” factor to them. The company has been hell-bent on shipping its cheaper phones with dated MicroUSB technology which we’ve complained about a lot. But it’s nice to see the Vivo S5 with a Type-C port.
Vivo S5 Specifications
Body: 6.22 x 2.91 x 0.34 inches; 188 gm
Display: 6.44-inches Super AMOLED panel
Resolution: Full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels); 20:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 712; 10nm Mobile Platform
Front Camera: 32MP, f/2.45 aperture; punch-hole cutout (top-right)
Fingerprint sensor: In-display
Audio: 3.5mm headphone jack
Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5.1/5.8 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, BDS/GPS/GLONASS, USB Type-C
Battery: 4100 mAh battery with 22.5W Flash Charging
Colors: Icelandic Love Song, Phantom Blue, Star Black
Pricing & Availability
Vivo S5 is now available in China for ¥2,698 which roughly converts to NRs. 44,050. However, whether or not the device will be a China-only is yet to be confirmed. Considering the fact that we saw the Vivo S1 officially in the Nepalese market as well, if the company manages to price it right, we hope to see the S5 here too. Stick with us for further updates!
Amidst all the backlashes and controversies, Facebook is pushing for its own payment platform. While the in-house “Libra” cryptocurrency has seen a boatload of fumbles and is at a crossroads regarding its next step, the company launched “Facebook Pay” yesterday. It is a digital payment solution using which users will be able to make payments on Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. However, it is not associated with the “Calibra” wallet that runs on the aforementioned Libra network.
How does it work?
Facebook Pay has been integrated into the core Facebook apps and thus doesn’t require an additional application. First, you got to connect your PayPal account or add your credit or debit card. After this, the service will be available across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp if you choose to. That means Facebook will not automatically make the service available across the apps unless you specifically choose to.
What to use it for?
Facebook points out 3 main use-cases for Facebook Pay:
Send money to friends and family
Pay for goods and services to businesses, and in the Facebook Marketplace
Donate for different causes (fundraisers)
For verifying payments, you can use PIN or biometrics options available on your device. However, Facebook says it won’t receive or store your biometric data. Similarly, you get a notification instantaneously after making one. Then, you can choose whether to share the transaction on your timeline or not. Additionally, the transaction history can be viewed from all apps on which the user has activated the service.
Is it secure though?
Let’s address the elephant in the room – privacy and security. Now, Facebook evidently doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to users’ data and privacy. So, it is only natural to doubt its any and all products from that angle. From the looks of it, the company is really trying hard to erase or wash-out the bad reputation it has to make Facebook Pay a success. However, only time will tell just how secure it is.
Facebook has implemented “anti-fraud monitoring” technology that scours through the system to detect any unauthorized activity. As for your data, the company says users’ PayPal or card data will be stored separately & won’t be shared with any third party. They’ll remain secure with Facebook’s advanced data storage facilities and encryption methods.
Okay, Mr. Zuckerberg. Okay.
The company is also doubling down on gaining users’ trust by employing customer support for any sort of complications. You can contact them via live chat or email.
Availability
Currently, Facebook Pay is only available in the US on Facebook and Messenger. Facebook is apparently taking it slow by releasing the service to a small set of countries and apps first, with “intention to bring this service to more people over time”. With all the negative press and the growing public awareness about their privacy and data security, Facebook Pay is a tough sell.
Remember the original Motorola RAZR? The classic flip phone which was probably the first phone of many still holds a special place in our hearts. With its oh-so-satisfying flip mechanism, holding a phone had never looked and felt so cool before. Say all you want about bezel-less displays and whatnots, but no smartphone in the market can match the design aesthetics of the RAZR. Well… that’s not the case no more! After all the leaks and rumors, Motorola has finally unveiled the new Motorola “razr“.
Motorola Razr Overview
The belle of the ball – Design
Giving you a sweet-sweet hit of nostalgia, the Motorola razr is a modern take on the classic flip phone design. It now unfolds onto a big OLED display and runs Android. The design is really what the company is emphasizing on with this product, and thus has sacrificed a lot in other aspects, which I’ll get on to later. When folded, the new razr bears the same thickness as the original RAZR from back in 2004. Now, that’s a commendable dedication to design from Motorola.
“I used the RAZR to destroy build the razr.”
However, the new razr is significantly heavier at 205 grams, which is to be expected. Though there is no IP rating, the razr is splash-proof with water resistance, thanks to Motorola’s nanocoating technology.
While we’ve seen an imperfect and creased display in foldable phones in the market like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, Royole FlexPai, and even the Huawei Mate X, the Motorola razr is an exception. It is thanks to the unique hinge which includes “movable support plates that rigidly support the display when the phone is open, but collapse out of the way when the phone is closed.”
Motorola razr - Unfolding
1 of 3
razr's hinge [folded]
razr's hinge [unfolded]
razr's display unfolded
Motorola collaboratively worked with Lenovo to make the hinge, which greatly adds to the appeal of the razr. Because of the multiple hinge mechanism, there’s no crease; just a flat, tall OLED display. Similarly, part of the appeal of a flip phone is the snap to end a call and obviously, you can do that with the new razr.
A couple of displays
Like with all the foldable phones out there, the razr too has more than one display. When folded, you have access to the 2.7-inch glass OLED display with 600 x 800 pixels’ resolution on a 4:3 aspect ratio. Motorola is calling it the “Quick View” display. Here, you can view the time, get your notifications, control music, take selfies via the primary camera, view and send messages, etc. This could help eliminate the need to constantly access the main display of your phone, which would otherwise distract you from the task at hand.
Now let’s talk about the main display. The razr gloriously unfolds to a 6.2-inch “Flex View” plastic OLED display with HD (2142 x 876 pixels) resolution on a 21:9 “Cinemavision” aspect ratio. As aforementioned, there’s no crease in the display. And since it features a familiar aspect ratio, the UI and apps or games do not misbehave like they do in other foldable devices. After all, it’s really just a tall display and nothing more.
The Compromises
“razr” has always been about the flip and the classic design ever since the initial days of its development. To achieve this, Motorola has had to compromise on a lot of different areas and it shows. First of all, the phone is powered by a mid-range Snapdragon 710 chipset from almost 2 years ago. Though not totally useless, I would’ve preferred a Snapdragon 855 or even the 730G would’ve been decent enough. Motorola says the choice was made considering the thermal performance and of course, the design of the razr.
Similarly, it has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage which can’t be expanded via a microSD card. Adding to the injury is the tiny 2510 mAh battery that supports 15W TurboPower charging. While Google’s Pixel 4 was absolutely hammered with criticism for its 2800 mAh cell, lord have mercy on the razr!
… more of ’em!
Additionally, the cameras won’t wow you either. There’s a single 16MP main lens with EIS and a 5MP selfie camera. Now, Motorola has tried to salvage the razr’s camera capabilities by adding various creative modes. “Spot Color” mode lets you select one color from the shot while turning the rest into monochrome.
“Spot Color” mode
Similarly, there is the “Night Vision” mode for low-light photography and “Cinemagraph” mode which keeps a portion of the shot in motion while freezing everything else (the demo video by Motorola feels surreal and a little creepy tbh). Also making its presence is the “Portrait” mode for the bokeh effect.
With the sizeably chunky form-factor that it comes in, you’d expect a 3.5 mm headphone jack but that’s a no-show either. For security purposes, you get a non-Motorola branding physical fingerprint sensor in the chin. Finally, it runs on Android 9.0 (Pie) out of the box, which is as you know, isn’t the latest you can get.
Motorola Razr Specifications
Body: Unfolded (6.77 x 2.83 x 0.27); Folded (3.70 x 2.83 x 0.55); 205 gm
Connectivity: eSIM, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band (2.4 & 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS/AGPS/LTEPP/SUPL/GLONASS, USB Type-C
Battery: 2510 mAh battery with 15W TurboPower Charging
Colors: Noir Black
Pricing & Availability
Are you ready for it? The Motorola razr retails for $1,499 and is only available in the US as a Verizon exclusive. There is no news to when and if it’ll come to other carriers in the US or other countries to that matter.
An easter egg inside the settings menu turns razr’s UI resembling the classic RAZR phone. [Credit: The Verge]So what do you think? Does the price objectively justify the device? After all, it is meant to be used as any other smartphone out in the market. I think the modernization of flip phones alone makes razr worth the asking price. Obviously not everyone is cut from the same cloth and there’ll be many that won’t relate to the embedded nostalgia. But at the end of the day, all I can say is thank you and kudos to Motorola for resurrecting one of the most beloved pieces of technology of our generation.
Call a bunch of friends, grab some snacks, sit somewhere comfortably and watch your favorite show or a movie on a big screen of a projector. Who doesn’t want that? But since projectors are usually expensive, this dream does not come true for everyone. So we went through the internet, browse through a couple of websites and got Blitzwolf BW-VP1 on our RADAR. The projector was available at Banggood.com for just $86. And at that price, the projector is offering quite a lot. But how good are its features? Well, let’s find out in this Blitzwolf BW-VP1 review.
Blitzwolf BW-VP1 Specifications:
Projection System: Display technology LCD, light source LED
Native Resolution: HD (720 x 1080 pixels); supports up to Full-HD (1080 x 1920 pixels)
When it comes to design, this one doesn’t have anything out of ordinary. It looks similar to most of the projectors in the market. But where it differs is, in terms of portability. The projector is just 7cm thick and merely weighs 1.1Kgs. So, it easily fits in your bags and traveling with it is quite hassle-free.
The projector has a lens on the front, which comes covered with a lens cap. The front face of the projector also includes an IR receiver and Blitzwolf branding right beneath it.
A small part on the top features mirror-finished surface, which comes with control buttons on it. But since you also get a remote control with it, you may not use those control buttons that often.
There are also two knobs on the top of the lens: one of them lets the user adjust the keystone whereas the other one is to adjust the focus. Similarly, you get all the connectivity ports on the right. There’s also a grill alongside, which provides active cooling for the projector.
Just if you are wondering, there is a power jack, speaker, and another IR receiver on the back.
Since it’s a light projector, you can also mount it on a tripod. And for that, you get a dedicated hole on the bottom. Alongside that, you get another hole for adjusting screw with which you can adjust angles on the projector screen.
Connectivity
As for the connectivity, there is a VGA port, an HDMI port, a USB port, an AV port, and 3.5mm audio output. Making use of the VGA or HDMI port, you can connect this projector with your PC and use it as a big monitor. Using HDMI cable, you can also connect the gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox and Play games on it.
This projector can also be used as a TV alternative. Just connect your set-top box to the projector with an HDMI cable and voila, you can watch TV contents on it.
In addition to that, there is a USB-Type-A port. So plugging in your Thumb Drive or even your smartphone with an OTG cable, you can showcase your media contents on-the-go.
However, the projector only reads text files and not the Microsoft word and powerpoint files. So you still need to carry your laptop for the presentations, which is a bummer.
But on the side note, you can still play songs, movies and photos, which I guess is a feature to cherish.
Picture quality
Now let’s talk about the technical features. The Blitzwolf BW-VP1 is a long-throw projector, whose projection size can be varied from 28-inch to 100-inch by varying the projection distance from 1m-3m. So it can be handy in a wide variety of situations.
The projector uses an LCD panel with an LED lamp of 75-watts. So unlike most of the DLP projectors, it won’t have a color ghosting effect. Lamps on DLP projectors also don’t last so long as they usually have a lamp life of 2000-5000 hours.
However, this projector has a lamp life of 50,000 hours. So even if you regularly use this projector for 10 hours on a daily basis, it would still last for over 13 years. Pretty impressive, right?
But what got be quite unsatisfied was its resolution. It has a native resolution of 720p with support for Full-HD content. Since most of the projectors these days usually come with Full-HD and 4K resolution, it cannot match them in terms of sharpness. And while casting big images on the screen, you might even find some pixelation.
But as it’s a budget projector, such tradeoffs are usually inevitable. However, what can you do is, maintain a proper distance while watching content on it.
If the viewing distance is equal or more than the Retina distance, you won’t notice any sort of pixelation and the picture looks seamless.
When it comes to colors, I found the projector rather impressive. Although the projector isn’t HDR enabled, colors were close to natural. But you need to use it in dark rooms to notice it since the brightness of the lamp is just 1800 lumens. So make sure you pull the curtains before watching the movies or starting a presentation. But since it has a low contrast ratio, it may not help always. Sometimes, dark contents still get subdued. So there is that!
Audio
As for the audio, you get a 4-watt speaker system inbuilt inside the projector. Running it on full volume, the audio output is usually sufficient for a small group of people. However, at higher volumes, the audio usually distorts.
The cooling fans also make some noise, which is highly noticeable while playing content on low volumes. So, if you want to subdue the noise level and enhance the audio quality, you should get a separate speaker system, which produces loud and rich audio output.
The Blitzwolf BW-VP1 projector surely isn’t the best projector you can get in the market. It comes with low resolution, doesn’t have much brightness and contrast ratio, and audio quality is also nothing great to talk about. But even with those tradeoffs, I find it value-packed.
Because of such tradeoffs, it may not be usable in the home theatre system. But for casual use and for school and office presentations, it would still be sufficient for most. So weighing the features on the device and its cost, I still consider it to be one of the best projectors under $100.
Google and user data privacy doesn’t really go hand to hand. Most of us are aware of what Google is capable of doing with our data. How it keeps a tab on us. Tracks our every move. And keeps making money off of it.
Currently, Google gains our data via our daily activity on the internet. But what if they were able to gain more personal data. For instance, our sleep routine, heart rate and more. How would they use it and what would be its implications? No one knows. And that’s what Fitbit users are concerned about.
On November 1, Google purchased the wearable tech giants Fitbit for $2.1 billion. And from that very moment of Google’s Fitbit acquisition, Fitbit users went on an alert mode. Rightly so, as previously mentioned, it already makes a lot of money through our data. Furthermore, with the amount of data that they have and will potentially collect by monitoring Fitbit, a simple lapse in security can amount to a huge disaster.
So, what was the mode of action for Fitbit users? Apparently, most of them are straight away ditching the fitness tracker. Moreover, users are already threatening to switch to rival smartwatches from Apple, Garmin, and others.
The amount of backlash definitely didn’t go unnoticed. As a matter of fact, both Fitbit and Google were quick to respond.
The first to respond was James Park, the co-founder, and CEO of Fitbit. He pointed out that privacy and security guidelines have always been of the utmost importance to Fitbit. And in no circumstance would they ever compromise user data. Through his word, he tried to assure users that their personal data would never be sold and will not be used for Google ads.
Later on, we also heard an official statement from a Google executive. He wrote in a blog that Google will be transparent about what data they will collect and why. Furthermore, he too fixated on the point that the wellness data will not be sold for Google ads.
But can we really trust Google? Users of Fitbit have a legit reason for concern. However, were they too quick to throw their wearables to the bin? They should have probably waited for an official user license agreement. But at the end of the day, it is their Fitbit and all we can do is simply give suggestions.
After a long pool of anticipations and hype, the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 devices are finally here in Nepal. And just hearing the names, you will know that Samsung is attempting something different this year. There are two Note devices, the standard Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus. There is a lot that sets these apart from each other, one of which is the screen size of course. Both the Note 10 and Note 10+ are now available for purchase in Nepal and is currently enjoying some discounts on its official price.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus & Note 10 Overview
The display too sets this year’s Note 10 devices from lat year. There is a punch-hole display like the Galaxy S- series. However, the punch hole is positioned at the center and surprisingly, Samsung has not tried to hide it this time with clever wallpapers!
Display & Battery
The 6.8 inches screen makes the Note 10 Plus a phone cum phablet while the Note 10 comes bearing a smaller 6.3 inches display. The latter is a Full-HD display, which is unusual for Note device might fit well with its 3,500 mAh battery. The Note 10 Plus, however, comes with a much larger 4,300 mAh battery.
Check out our video review of Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ here:
RAM & Storage
While we are still talking about differences, Note 10 does not come with an SD card slot. Similarly, the max you get is 256 GB storage on the Note 10, while the Note 10 Plus does come with an SD card slot that can be expanded up to 512 GB. There is a difference in the RAM offering too. You get a total of 12 GB RAMin the higher end variant and 8 GB in the Note 10.
Furthermore, there is a tiny difference in the camera arrangement of those devices where the Note 10 misses out on The ToF depth vision sensor.
S-pen
This year’s S-pen’s abilities have also been heightened a bit. It still operates as your remote for triggering the camera and advancing powerpoint slides. But this time, it also has gyroscope and accelerometer included in it giving it some magic- wand kinda capabilities. You don’t have to swipe touching the display. Just swirl it in front of the screen does the job.
The power button on the Note devices also doubles as the Bixby button on pressing it long. And if you are wondering how to shut off or on the device, you can do it through the dedicated button on the quick toggle menu.
Performance
Both devices have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor (Exynos 9825 here in Nepal), ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, dynamic AMOLED screens, and metal and glass designs. However the Note 10 Plus shops with an extra color option, called Aura Blue which is said to be only for US customers buying the phone from Samsung.com and Best Buy.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Specifications
Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED
Resolution: 3040 x 1440 pixels @ 498 PPI, 90.9% screen to body ratio
Other Features: Samsung Dex, ANT+, Bixby Natural language commands and detection, IP68 Dust and water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Fast charging 45W, Dolby Atmos/ AKG sound, stereo speakers
Color Variants: Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black, Aura Blue
Other Features: Samsung Dex, ANT+, Bixby Natural language commands and detection, IP68 Dust and water resistance (up to 1.5m for 30 mins), Fast charging 25W, Dolby Atmos/ AKG sound, stereo speakers
Color Variants: Aura Glow, Aura White, Aura Black
Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus Price in Nepal [2020]
Both the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10 Plus is enjoying price drop in Nepal. The Note 10 Plus Price in Nepal for the 12GB RAM, 256GB storage variant is Rs. 129,599 whereas the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 carries a price tag of Rs. 111,399 in the Nepal market.
Well well, it seems Facebook has been secretly trying out a new user verification system. The test users apparently have to upload their selfies in order to verify that they are real. This new feature, however, is currently on limited testing only.
Basically, the app asks users to place their phone at eye level. Then similar to the facial unlock system, a circular frame appears on the screen. Users have to fit their face in the frame and record a selfie as directed. A series of prompts pop up on the screen which the users have to follow. The prompts too are similar one would find during the face scan for the face-unlock system. It asks you to look straight, right, left, and straight again.
Now a sane person would obviously question the privacy of their biometrics. For this, the Facebook app does provide a sort of explanation. However, it is pretty vague.
Firstly, it states that this authentication helps Facebook to confirm that the user is, in fact, a real person. Then it goes on to state that “no one else” will see the video and it will be deleted 30 days after confirmation of identity. Herein lies the problem! It assures users that no one else will see the video but there it doesn’t specify who actually will see the video.
This is not the first time however that Facebook has used a facial recognition system. Previously we’d come across a feature that after an automatic scan of uploaded photos, suggested who the people in the picture were. This feature actually drew a lot of criticism. It, in fact, was the subject of a class-action lawsuit in 2015.
The accusation was that Facebook stored biometric information of users without their consent. However, Facebook did appeal the decision. It argued that there was no proof that Facebook’s facial recognition system had done any harm. And that the plaintiffs had no basis for damage. Nevertheless, their appeal was rebutted by the court and the case is set to move forward.
At this moment, nothing can be said with certainty about the implications of this feature. I for one would surely move away from Facebook if they eventually decide to roll out this feature. Without knowing who has access to my records and what it will be used for explicitly, I certainly not upload my selfie. And Facebook’s own history suggests that user data safety cannot be guaranteed. After all, privacy on the internet is a myth. For sure this might reduce the DoS attacks but nope this is not a cherry that I would want to bite. What do you think?
The day is here! The Daraz 11.11 Sales Day is live, ladies and gentlemen…and it offers some sweet deals on various items. You better hurry up and grab them, because, apparently, the best of the deals are disappearing pretty quick. I was looking at a watch, and I added it to my cart, but it had already been sold out while I was reading the description. Things are being sold like hot cakes in there!
For those of you who are looking for deals on tech stuff, you won’t be disappointed either. But here are the Top 11 Daraz 11.11 Tech Deals you can find. These deals consist of phones, laptops, TVs and headphones. Some of these, you may know, some, maybe not. But here they are.
OnePlus 7 (8/256GB)
Kicking off the list is the OnePlus 7. A washed-down yet powerful brother of the OnePlus 7 Pro, this is a competitive device despite some major cutoffs. It features a smaller 6.41-inch FHD+ display with the regular 60Hz refresh rate. Talking about tradeoffs, the camera department has taken a hit as well. Here, you are offered a 48MP Sony IMX586 lens alongside a 5MP depth sensor.
Now let’s talk about how the OnePlus 7 is a champ when it comes to performance. It doesn’t skimp on the chipset as it features the powerful Snapdragon 855 SoC and the Adreno 640 GPU. Pair this with OnePlus’ Oxygen OS and the company’s commitment towards a faster device, the OnePlus knocks every task you throw at it out of the park.
As a part of Daraz’s 11.11 exclusive deal, the OnePlus 7 is now an excellent choice for people looking for a great phone.
MRP: Rs. 66,999 59,999 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 54,499
Huawei Nova 3 & Nova 4
Admittedly, the Huawei Nova 3 & Nova 4 are year-old phones. Nevertheless, they were some of the best premium mid-rangers devices of their time and the massive price drop as a part of the 11.11 deal makes them more attractive than ever.
Nova 3
The Nova 3 features a dual-camera setup on both front and back. You get a 24MP lens alongside a 2MP depth sensor for your selfies, while the back holds the 16MP main shooter and a 24MP monochrome sensor. It has a 6.3-inch LCD display and is powered by Kirin 710 chipset. Memory wise, you get 6GB of RAM with 128GB of expandable internal storage.
MRP: Rs. 59,900 37,450 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 33,450
Nova 4
It is the successor to the Nova 3, with a bigger screen and a triple rear-camera setup. It features a 6.4-inch LCD panel and is powered by the Kirin 970 chipset. Talking about cameras, you get a 20MP main lens, a 16MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP depth sensor on the back. Coming to the front of the device, there’s a single 25MP selfie camera inside a punch-hole cutout on the top-left of the display. You get a single 8/128GB memory configuration which sadly isn’t expandable.
MRP: Rs. 64,900 45,100 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 39,600
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro (6/128GB)
Probably one of the best mid-range phones in the Nepalese market, the Redmi Note 7 Pro is now more appealing than ever because of the 11.11 deal. Equipped with a decent chipset and a compelling design, the phone has been a hit among the Nepalese audience.
The phone comes in a premium-y design with a glass back and some stunning colors. You get a dual-rear camera with a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor and a 5MP depth sensor. Coming to the front, the Redmi Note 7 Pro has a 6.3-inch FHD+ LCD panel with a small teardrop notch for the 13MP selfie camera. Performance-wise, the phone is powered by Snapdragon 675 chipset with Adreno 612 GPU.
MRP: Rs. 28,999 27,199 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 23,699
Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro
Also making an entry on our list is the former flagship killer, the Redmi K20 Pro. The phone managed to garner a lot of hype around the smartphone industry for its amazing design and performance ability.
Starting off, the Redmi K20 Pro has a vibrant 6.39-inch Super AMOLED bezel-less display. It is really something to look at and provides a clean viewing experience. To achieve this, Xiaomi has implemented a pop-up camera technology, which houses the 20MP selfie camera. The back of the device houses the triple camera with a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor, an 8MP telephoto lens, and a 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens. However, their implementation feels underwhelming.
The headline feature of the K20 Pro is obviously the Snapdragon 855 chipset with Adreno 640 GPU. This is complemented by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of non-expandable storage. Unlocking the phone is bliss with its under-display fingerprint scanner.
MRP: Rs. 49,999 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 44,499
Canon EOS 4000D
Camera enthusiasts rejoice as the Canon EOS 4000D has received a massive price-cut as a part of the 11.11 deal. Alongside the price-cut, you are also eligible for a 16GB SD Card, a backpack, and a tripod for free.
The EOS 4000D has an 18MP APS-C sensor with 9 point autofocus. The monitor is a 2.7-inch or 6.8cm LCD screen. It can be an excellent DSLR option for people looking to start their photography journey. The camera weighs around 436 grams including battery and memory card. For wireless connectivity, the camera features WiFi but there’s no NFC here.
MRP: Rs. 75,000 41,500 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 36,000
Vianet Installation Offer
Vianet is also joining in on the 11.11 action and is offering a discounted price on its internet packages, both for new and existing users. All the offers below are eligible for the banking discount, which will vary according to the package. Thus, the final price has been marked with an ‘*‘.
For new users: 20 Mbps/12 months
People looking to install Vianet’s internet on their homes are in for a treat as the company is offering an exciting deal. The price below is inclusive of device deposit, wire, installation, other package charges, and 13% VAT. However, you don’t get free NETTV in this package.
MRP: Rs. 16,433 12,700 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 11,999*
For new users: 30 Mbps/12 months
The higher 30Mbps package comes with free NETTV as well. Like the previous one, the price below is inclusive of device deposit, wire, installation, package charge alongside NETTV activation, Set-Top-Box charge and the 13% VAT.
MRP: Rs. 18,515 16,500 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 16,500*
For existing users: 20 Mbps/12 months
Existing Vianet customers with 20 Mbps package can renew their package for a new and low price inclusive of the 13% VAT. However, akin to new customers for 20 Mbps package, you don’t get free NETTV with this.
MRP: Rs. 14,238 11,111 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 11,111*
For existing users: 30 Mbps/12 months
Unlike the previous offer, customers with 30 Mbps subscription looking to renew their service also get a year’s NETTV service free as well. The price below is inclusive of the 13% VAT. However, if you don’t already have the NETTV subscription, an additional Rs. 1065 is applicable if you wish to make one.
MRP: Rs. 15,255 13,800 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 13,800*
Videocon 43DN5-S 43″ FHD LED Android Smart TV
Looking to get a new TV this time around, well you’re in luck. Daraz 11.11 deal has brought the Videocon 43DN5-S 43″ LED TV for an attractive price tag.
It has a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution so content consumption will be desirable. Additionally, it is a smart TV that runs on Android 8 (Oreo) and is equipped with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. There’s 2x HDMI port, 1x USB port, and 1x VGA port. Also, you get a 1-year warranty with it.
MRP: Rs. 50,500 33,990 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 29,990
Samsung UA43N5300 43″ FHD LED Smart TV
Samsung TV has always been one of the best in the market though they’re not as affordable as the competitions. It features PQI (Picture Quality Index) of 500 alongside the HDR-enabled display panel.
Unlike TVs from other brands, this one is feature-packed. It supports Dolby Digital Plus audio, Film mode, Contrast Enhancer, etc. It runs on Samsung’s own Tizen OS rather than Android. Talking about connection, you get one USB port and 2x HDMI port.
MRP: Rs. 86,990 55,250 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 49,750
Samsung RT28K3022SE 253L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator
In the market to buy a new refrigerator, well Daraz has got you covered on that as well. It is offering a big discount on Samsung RT28K3022SE refrigerator.
It features a double-door design with a capacity of 253 liters. The shelf is made of toughened glass. Similarly, its other features include recess handle, twist ice maker, easy-slide shelf, moist fresh zone, big bottle guard, digital inverter technology, and smart connect inverter (automatic). Additionally, the refrigerator comes with one year of warranty.
MRP: Rs. 47,990 35,299 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 31,299
Homeglory HG-007 Fusion Room Gas Heater
Stay warm this winter with Homeglory’s HG-007 room heater. Additionally, Daraz is kicking in a Homeglory HGI-110 Stella Dry Iron worth Rs. 1,200 for free with its purchase.
It has a Piezo Spark Ignition suitable for LPG and ceramic infrared burner. Also, it comes with a 1-year warranty as well.
MRP: Rs. 11,000 8,590 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 8,090 (excluding bank discount)
Black And Decker HM3000 900W Air Humidifier
Add moisture to the air this season with the Black And Decker HM3000 900 humidifier. You can grab one for yourself with up to 20% discount.
Air humidifier has many health benefits like preventing flu, reducing snoring, keeping the skin and hair moist, etc. The HM3000 has adjustable mist intensity with ultrasonic vibration and filter system. Furthermore, it doesn’t generate loud noise while running so it should be a perfect choice for your household or office environment.
MRP: Rs. 6,690 5,352 Final Price after card discount and voucher: Rs. 4,852 (excluding bank discount)
Alongside the Redmi 8, Xiaomi has also launched the Redmi 8A in Nepal for a budget-friendly price. The Redmi 8A is a toned-down version of the Redmi 8 (Rs. 14,999). It is available for purchase from the 12th of November via 900+ Mi Stores and online e-commerce platforms like Daraz and Sastodeal.
Redmi 8A Overview:
Design & display
The most noticeable thing about the phone is its design. Unlike the Redmi 7A, there is no bezel on the top. You get a tiny waterdrop style notch on the display. And talking about the display, the Redmi 8A flaunts a 6.2-inch IPS panel, which is a decent upgrade over its predecessor. But in terms of resolution, it’s the same story. You get the same HD+ display. Despite that similarity, what’s genuinely impressive on the phone is the inclusion of Gorilla Glass 5. With this toughened glass atop the display, the phone is quite resistant to cracks and scratches.
Performance & Memory
On the performance front, there is Snapdragon 439 chipset, which was also used on the Redmi 7A. In terms of memory, there are 2/32GB and 3/32GB options. Both these variants are available in Nepal. Nonetheless, you get a dedicated SD card slot on the board, which lets you expand the memory up to 256GB.
Camera
Talking about cameras, the rear camera module uses a 12MPsensor. Since the rear camera uses the Sony IMX363 sensor with Dual phase-detection feature, Xiaomi is promising “flagship-level camera performance”, but we will see that on our review. The rear camera supports features such as digital zoom, auto flash, face detection and touch to focus.
Similarly, on the front, you get an 8MP selfie shooter. Since the phone lacks a fingerprint scanner, you will have to make use of the Face Unlock feature, which uses the selfie cam.
Software
When it comes to software, the phone boots on Android Pie out of the box with MIUI 10 on the top. But it’s will be only a matter of time that the phone will receive the recently announced MIUI 11 update. [Update: It has received the MiUI 11]
Battery
But the major highlight of this device is its massive battery. The phone houses a massive 5000mAh battery with 18-watt fast charging support. However, the phone comes with a 10-watt charger inside the box. And another impressive thing about the charging port is that there is a USB Type-C port thing time around. And it’s really impressive, especially, for a budget phone.
Further, the Xiaomi Redmi 8A is a splash-proof device with a P2i rating. The phone is also equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack and dual SIM support.
Xiaomi Redmi 8A Specifications:
Display: 6.2-inch IPS LCD with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection
Resolution: HD+ resolution (720 x 1520 pixels), 19:9 aspect ratio @ 271 PPI
Rear Camera: Single, 12 MP Sony IMX363 sensor with f/1.9 aperture
Xiaomi Redmi 8A Price in Nepal & Availability (2020)
The price of the base variant (2/32GB) of Redmi 8A in Nepal is Rs. 11,999. Similarly, the 3/32GB variant will set you back Rs. 12,999. The phone comes in Sunset Red, Ocean Blue, and Midnight Black colors.
