It’s been a long time since we have seen anything new from Lava in the market. However, with the launch of its new device, the Lava Iris 43, it is planning on making its comeback. Primarily focused on the budget segment, this device will certainly face a tough competition. But is it capable of doing so? Let’s have a look at its features and decide for ourselves.
Overview:
The device has a 5.0” screen that comes with a resolution of 480 x 854 pixels. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo Go and uses the Spreadtrum SC7731 processor. The processor is clocked at 1.30GHz and has 4 cores. In addition, an ARM Mali-400 MP2 GPU is also included in the chipset. It has 1 GB RAM and 16GB internal memory on board. However, the memory can be expanded up to 64GB through a dedicated microSD slot.
Talking about the camera, it comes with a 5MP rear camera and 2MP front camera. The battery on this device is of 2000mAh. Considering the features in this device, the battery should actually be great. Also, this device comes with a Smart Face Unlock. Now, that’s interesting considering the device has been launched at a price of Rs. 5, 899.
Lava Iris 43 Specifications:
Dimension
141.50 x 72.30 x 10.30mm
Weight
147.00g
Display
5.00” TFT display with 480 x 854 pixels resolution
Display protection
None
Processor
Spreadtrum SC7731 (4x 1.30GHz)
GPU
ARM Mali-400 MP2
Operating System
Android 8.1 Oreo Go
RAM
1GB
Internal Storage
16 GB (Expandable up to 64GB through dedicated microSD slot)
Now considering the fact that the device is targeted for the lower-budget segment, the device certainly has a lot to provide. Furthermore, the addition of a Face Detector gives a nice touch to it. However, with better devices available from other brands for just two or three thousands more, attracting customers will certainly be a tough task for the company.
Vivo seems to have finally realized what it had been doing wrong all this time. Just roll back few months, they used to launch the Y-series which are overpriced and underpowered in many ways. So, the outcome is well, the Vivo Z1 pro and the Vivo S1. The Vivo S1 (Rs. 34,690) is slightly pricier than the Z1 Pro and is competing against the likes of OPPO F11 and the Galaxy M40. And looking at the specs, the Vivo S1 looks impressive, but is it any better than the competition? Let’s find out in our Vivo S1 review.
Sensors: UD Fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Price in Nepal: Rs.34,690
Display
Okay, first thing, let’s get done with the display. It does not have a punch-hole display like the Galaxy M40 but the notch here is so tiny, it’s barely obtrusive. The bezels too are very less, overall the display looks clean.
It’s a 6.3 inches Super AMOLED screen so you can imagine how it is. The colors on it look vibrant and the blacks look dark making for very good display experience. And side by side with the IPS panel of the competitions, the display on it is far better.
And this AMOLED screen is a house for an in-display fingerprint sensor too which unlocks fast but don’t expect anything of OnePlus 7 Pro (Read review) kind. The sensor, I would say is fairly accurate, but I have had instances where it has not read my fingerprint altogether. But that has only happened a few times. So no worries!
You also get a dark mode that helps save your battery and protect your eyes, so that’s a handy feature to have. You have different modes from where you can choose the screen color and make it bright or slightly warmer and such. It’s totally up to your preference.
The display indoors is bright obviously but even outdoors, it’s moderately bright. There’s an Always-on display feature too, which makes sense on this AMOLED panel. Apart from your usual date, time and battery percentage, you can get a messenger badge if you get messages and such as well.
Overall, I have liked the display experience on this one. But, moving on to the back, things don’t look that great.
Design
The Vivo S1 has a plastic back and the sides are plastic too. So, durability could be a concern in a long run. But the design is nothing to complain. It’s appealing, feels good to hold and will not disappoint you.
However, smudges are something that is inevitable and I am not someone who likes casing up their phones, so I’ve had a tough time. But usually, people case their phone up so it should not be a huge problem for most.
More about the design, you have these diamond-shaped patterns at the back which looks very unique and I think will appeal to most people. The vertical camera array at the back has this golden lining surrounding it which kind of make the cameras stand out in the overall design.
You get the power and volume buttons on the right and an AI button on the left. It can be used to trigger Google assistant or google search whatever you so prefer. On pressing it twice, however, you can trigger either Google search, google assistant or image recognizer. While I don’t use it that much, it can come in handy sometimes. Although, I wish the buttons could be more tactile. It’s plastic and you will know it right away.
Down below, you get the same old Micro USB like in most of Vivo smartphones, a single firing bottom speaker and a headphone jack.
The output from the headphone jack and the mono speaker is nothing to well write home about. It’s pretty average like what you get with other midrange phones. So, overall, the build is plastic, but the design I think is good enough, it looks good, so I am okay with it.
Performance
In terms of performance, the Vivo S1 has the new MediaTek Helio P65 chipset. It does offer improvements in the CPU performance compared to last-gen Helio P60 and P70, but strangely, the GPU performance has been down-graded. This one uses the Mali G52 GPU while the P60 and P70 use a much powerful Mali G72. Strangely, the chipset does not support UFS storage but has Bluetooth 5.0 support.
And as a matter of fact, we know we get phones with Snapdragon 712 and Snapdragon 675 in this price range whose performance is, well, better than the Helio P65. But, the real-life performance has been good I must say. Day to day tasks run as they should.
AnTuTu v7: 146,499
CPU: 62875, GPU: 31572, UX: 41769, Memory: 10283
AndroBench:
Sequential Read: 303.55 MB/s
Sequential Write: 189.27 MB/s
Geekbench 4
Single-core: 1850, Multi-core: 6047
RenderScript Score: 4741
PC Mark
Work 2.0: 6858
3D Mark
Slighshot Extreme OpenGL ES 3.1: 1097
Slighshot Extreme Vulkan: 1098
I have never faced a single problem in my everyday usage. It has taken up the most intensive of the tasks very well, so I will not complain. PUBG runs in HD in High settings with some stutters here and there. But I preferred medium settings as it gave me smoother performance.
While we are talking about PUBG, Vivo seems to be really focused on giving their users the best experience. If you have watched my Z1 Pro review, I had mentioned that there are several features like being able to reply to texts on the screen while playing games, being able to run the game in the background while it loads and reminds you with a timer, etc.
The phone also has this exercise where it trains you with the help of sounds so that you can better locate your enemy. Some of these features are PUBG exclusive wholesome are for other games too.
But again, if the choice of chipset would have been better, I would have loved the device more. Take gaming for example. Not that there is a problem while playing PUBG or other high-end games, but it would run much smoother with Snapdragon 712 and Snapdragon 675.
Talking about the memory, you get of 6 GB DDR4X RAM and 128 GB of EMMC storage which you can expand up to 256 GB via a dedicated slot.
Software and UI
The phone comes with the latest Android 9 Pie with its own Funtouch OS 9 on top. I used the Vivo Z1 pro read the review of it, you would know how not so fun Funtouch OS is for me.
But, if you are a Vivo user, you should have no difficulty using it. It has this upward swiping toggle menu which I had the most difficulty getting used to initially. Also, the arrangement of things in UI could be implemented better.
Software UI
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Since the display is AMOLED, I have applied this dark mode which has made the entire theme dark which looks good normally but it’s kind of weird on WhatsApp and Instagram.
Talking about the software-based Facial unlock, it’s fast like all Vivo phones and the in-display fingerprint sensor is also swift and mostly accurate. So, this was my primary security unlock option.
Cameras
The S1 comes with a triple camera setup at the back. The primary is a 16 MP f/1.8 lens, the secondary is an 8 MP f/2.2 ultra-wide-angle lens and the third is a 2 MP f/2.4 depth sensor.
And let me tell you one thing, although the camera setup of the S1 looks similar to that of the VIVO Z1 Pro, it isn’t. From colors to details, the S1 captures better photos. The S1 also has slightly more saturation in pictures but that looks good when compared to undersaturated images from the Z1 pro.
Vivo S1 Vs Vivo Z1 Pro
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VIVO S1 Sample 1
VIVO Z1 Pro Sample 1
VIVO S1 Sample 2
VIVO Z1 Pro Sample 2
VIVO S1 Sample 3
VIVO Z1 Pro Sample 3
VIVO S1 Sample 4
VIVO Z1 Pro Sample 4
On to the wide-angle images, they are equally impressive. The colors look good the same as the primary lens though if you compare the details, you will find the primary lens doing a better job.
Normal Vs Wide-angle Shots
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Normal
Wideangle
Normal
Wideangle
For portraits, you get two options, one is portrait lighting and other is aperture mode. In the aperture mode, you can change the blur and focus after taking pictures while in the portrait mode you cannot. And talking about the portrait images, well, they look slightly saturated. The color tones in the skin looks somewhat unnatural. And the edge detection is not very proper either.
Portrait Samples
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But the good thing is, you can choose from various different types of background blur which is fun sometimes.
Portrait Effects
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Effects: Studio Light
Effects: Studio Light
Effects: Rainbow Light
Effects: Rainbow Light
Effects: Normal Light
Effects: Normal Light
Effects: Monochrome Light
Effects: Monochrome Light
Selfies from the 32MP camera look good. They have a good balance of colors and maintain exposure levels very well. But I have to say again, the skin tone is not very natural. Talking of skin tones, there is AI beauty option which basically makes you look prettier.
Vivo S1 selfie samples
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Vivo S1 selfie sample 2
Again, comparing the selfies of the Z1 Pro and S1, it shares the same story as the rear camera. The S1 clicks pictures with the richer color tone, making it look better than the Z1 Pro.
Vivo S1 vs Z1 pro selfie samples
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Vivo z1 pro selfie sample 1
Vivo s1 selfie sample 1
Vivo s1 selfie sample 2
Vivo z1 pro selfie sample 3
Vivo s1 selfie sample 3
There is also something called Fun videos in the cameras which are basically like what we get on Instagram. But the quality is far better than on Instagram. You get a lot of filters to choose from. Plus, it can be fun sometimes when you are in a mood to play around.
You have a portrait feature for selfies as well. You get tones of options for background blurring which is a feature not so useful but still nice to have. Edge detection is a slight problem as the blur is purely software. Otherwise, it does a good enough job.
Selfie portrait effects sample
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Effects: Loop Light
Effects: Monochrome Light
Effects: Normal light
Effects: Rainbow Light
Effects: Stereo Light
Effects: Studio Light
Talking about night time images, there is no night mode feature here, which is strange, because even all the midrange phones have one. So, maybe that will arrive with a software update. And standard night time images are well, grainy and muddy and lacks maintenance of exposure.
Vivo S1 night time samples
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As for videos, I was disappointed to not see a 4K option. There’s only 1080p, 720p and 480p. And its video recording capabilities are not so good I have to say. Videos in 1080p look wobbly, they are not stabilized. 720p videos are better stabilized than the 1080p option. But, overall this is not your ideal video camera as I have found on my tests.
Battery
The Vivo S1 comes with a sizeable 4,500 mAh battery whose endurance has impressed me a lot. You can get over a day on normal usage. Plus, you can use various battery saver modes to increase endurance further.
And, I am a pretty heavy user and if the battery lasted me for some time over a day, then a normal or moderate user can expect their battery to last even longer.
You get a Fast charger inside the box with the Vivo S1. It’s an 18-watt charger that can take your battery from 0-100% in around two hours.
Conclusion
So, what do I think about the Vivo S1? Well, before I started reviewing this, I used the cheaper Vivo Z1 pro and as expected, the Vivo S1 is a better phone. This one comes with better features like an AMOLED display, better cameras, an in-display fingerprint scanner, and a better design. So, in many ways, this one is a slightly upgraded version of the Z1 pro, except for the performance; that was better on the Z1 pro.
But Should you buy the Vivo S1? It depends on where you live! If you are from Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan or Philippines, where the S1 is available, it’s a good offering for some Rs. 34,690 (US$300).
However, if you are from India, you have the option to get the Realme X, which I personally think is a way better option. The only thing that’s missing with the Realme X is the wide-angle lens, which the VIVO S1 has, but apart from that, the Realme X is better in almost every aspect.
Be it for giving project overview in college or for demonstrating the plans and visions in the office conferences, we often need the help of a projector. The scope of the projector doesn’t quite end there. Some of the projectors can also be used as a home theatre. In recent days, projectors are also getting popular on screening grand events amongst a large mass of people. So for their portability and widespread use, people’s preference for the projectors is growing at a rapid pace. Since it’s getting so popular we thought why not do some review on the projectors. However, there are too many tech jargons associated with projectors. So we thought we should get started by simplifying all those terms and helping people decide the best one for them. So here is our very first projector buying guide.
Throw Ratio
While choosing a projector, one of the very first things to consider is the throw ratio. The throw ratio means the ratio of the distance between the projecting surface and the projector tip to the width of the image on the screen. Similarly, the throw distance is the distance between the tip of the projector’s lens and the screen or wall you are projecting.
So if a projector casts a big image while keeping it closer to the projector surface, then it’s a short-throw projector. Similarly, if a projector requires a long distance to project a large image, then such type of projector can be understood as a long-throw projector. If you have a small meeting or conference hall, then a short-throw projector can be a good fit. However, a long-throw projector would be a fine choice, if you have to install a projector in large classrooms.
Long Throw (Left) | Short Throw (Right)
Even if you are choosing a projector to create a home theater, you need to determine one understanding the size and structure of the theatre room.
Zoom
If the lens of the projector has a fixed focal length, you need to change the projector position itself to alter the size of the image on the screen. And that can be frustrating at times. But if your projector has a zoom capability, you can alter the throw distance and size of the image.
It also offers better flexibility as it lets you alter the size of the image depending upon the size and distance of the screen. So if you are getting a new projector, make sure it has a zoom capability.
Projection Technology (DLP Vs LCD Vs LED)
Although all the projectors may look similar in terms design, the technology used to project the image into the screen could vary from one projector to another. And there are mainly three projecting techniques broadly used on the projectors: DLP, LCD, and LED.
Let’s talk about DLP technology first. DLP or the digital light processing technique uses millions of microscopic mirrors to generate an image. Each mirror is associated with a light point and the mirror corresponds to the source with a tilting movement depending on the color of light it’s emitting. Since a mirror is microscopic and the movement is so subtle, the movements are not visible to the naked eyes.
The advantage with the DLP projectors is that they can deliver sharp images, don’t need any filters, have a better response time and can project 3D images. However, most of the DLP projector comes with color ghosting effect. Also, the effective life of a lamp on a DLP projector is only 2000-5000 hours.
Since the DLP projectors use microscopic mirrors, it requires relatively smaller spaces. That’s the reason why the modern-day ultraportable projects often come with DLP technology.
On the other hand, LCD projectors use liquid crystal displays, so no moving parts are involved while projecting an image into the screen. Even on the LCD category, you can find 1-chip and 3-chip LCD. Single-chip LCD is the most basic type of LCD projecting technology, which is used most on the inexpensive projectors. On the other hand, 3-chip is a more sophisticated type. It offers better color saturation, lower noise levels and works better for the movies. However, LCD projectors output less contrast and require constant filter maintenance. So there is a fair bit of tradeoff as well.
Talking about the LED projectors, they use physical light-emitting diodes. Since the LEDs are proficient when it comes to portraying deeper blacks, the contrast ratio is usually impressive on these models. Since the LED projector consumes less power, generate less heat, delivers better colors, and has a long lifespan, they are usually the best in the business. However, these kinds of projectors have limited brightness. So we do not recommend it in the rooms with a lot of ambient light.
Brightness
Since the brightness such an important aspect, let’s talk about it now. Every projector has a light intensity while projecting an image into the screen. They are generally specified in terms of ANSI lumens.
Higher the value, brighter the images you can get. If you had to install the projector in the rooms with already an ambiance in them, you need to go for the one with a brighter one.
Contrast Ratio
While looking for a projector, you might as well come across the term “contrast ratio”. It describes the difference in the brightness of blacks and whites in the images while portraying them on the screen. So higher the contrast ratio, higher will be the depth in the images and the dark scenes also look lively.
Although the contrast ratio may not be an important factor while looking for general-purpose projectors, having a higher ratio is crucial in the home theatre projectors. So you need to focus on that as well!
Resolution and Aspect ratio
Now let’s talk about one of the major aspects of a projector. It’s obviously the resolution. Resolution determines how sharp an image can look while casting it on a big screen. Usually, in school, colleges, and in the offices, projectors are generally used to show the powerpoint presentations. So it will not matter much. Even the low-res XGA projectors can suffice your needs.
But while watching movies and casting the gaming screen of a PlayStation or Xbox, having a high-res projection is a must. So you should at least for a Full-HD resolution. If you don’t want any sort of compromises in terms of sharpness, you can even upscale it to 4K Ultra-HD resolution.
Lamp Life
The lamp is an integral part of any projector. And if you are hearing this first, you might find it strange that the lamps on the projector have a limited life. Generally, the life of the projector is between 2000 to 4000 hours. Once a lamp completes its life cycle, you need to replace the lamp, which will require an extra cost. So if you are going to use the projector on a daily basis, make sure that the lamp is more. In a typical LED or Laser-LED hybrid projector, the lamp life can get high up to 20000 hours.
But if you already have a projector and willing to extend life, you might use in-built various lamp modes. In case of BenQ projectors, there are Eco mode, Smart Mode, and Lamp Save Mode with which you can extend the lamp life from 4000 to 15000 hours. These modes actually lower the brightness level. So if you are okay with slightly lower brightness, you should try it more often.
Ports & Connectivity
Although things like resolution, brightness level, and contrast ratio primary determine the quality of a projector, a projector remains inherently incomplete if there are not enough input/output ports.
A good number of RS 232 ports and HDMI ports is necessary for better flexibility. For the uncompressed and high bandwidth signal transmission, you might as well have to look for the projectors with MHL and HDCP ports.
Some of the projectors also come with USB Type-A, which lets you show your powerpoint without the use of a laptop or PC. Some modern projectors also feature wireless dongle. With such port on the board, you can cast the screen on your laptop or smartphone wirelessly in a hassle-free way. You can find such kind of port in the BenQ MX731 projector. Plugging in a wireless dongle and using the BenQ Qcast app, you can display the contents on your smartphone or PC directly on the projector.
Controls
For the easier operation of the projector, a projector does require a fair number of control buttons. In that case, the option to adjust the keystones, easy selection of the source, and the option to adjust the projecting table are necessary.
Since the lamp has a fixed life and needs replacement after its lifespan, there must also be an option to view the period of operation of the lamp. Make sure the projector has such an option if you are planning to get one.
Interactive Features
While giving presentations, you might have to describe the points with elaborate explanations. In such cases, having interactive features on the projector is really essential. A projector enabled with the interactive features comes with an interactive pen. The interactive pen works like a stylus with sensors on them. Such kind of pens lets you draw on the projecting screen. So that it will be easier to highlight the points.
Audio Quality
Some projectors also come with the in-built speakers. If you are not planning to invest extra on the soundbars after purchasing the projector, ensure that the in-built speakers produce loud, sharp, and crisp audio.
Conclusion
Well, I guess, you understood all the major things to consider while buying a new projector. If you are still having a hard time deciding the best one for you, let us know in the comments. We will surely try to help you decide one.
Intel has released quite a few things in the past couple of weeks. The new models from the 10th Gen Core CPU lineup come first in that context. And now, it has announced chips in the new Comet lake family. Though it is based on a different architecture, the targeted segment is the same. The previously announced chips based on Intel’s Ice lake architecture will be the first 10nm process chips to be mass-marketed from the company.
However, these newly announced Comet Lake chips will use quite antiquated 14nm process. Both the CPU’s will be sold as the 10th Gen Intel Core U-series and Y-series models. Furthermore, the chips are aimed at the thin and light notebook segment.
Both the U-series and Y- series have 4 Comet Lake models. 15W nominal TDP for the U-series and 17W nominal TDP for the Y-series is claimed by the company. However, OEMs have the option to configure them as per requirements. The U-series models can be configured up to 25 W. Whereas the models in the Y-series can be configured between 4.5W-9W considering the thermal environment.
A detailed comparison between the Ice Lake and the Comet Lake processor is given below.
Intel 10th Gen Comet Lake Vs Ice Lake Processors
Platform
Ice Lake
Comet Lake
Process
10nm
14nm
Brand
Intel Core i3, i5, i7
Intel Core i3, i5, i7
Thermal Design Power
9W, 15W, 28W
7W, 15W
Cores/Threads
Up to 4C/8T
Up to 6C/12T
LL Cache Size
Up to 8MB
Up to 12MB
Max Turbo Frequency
Up to 4.1GHz
Up to 4.9GHz
Graphics Configuration
Intel Iris Plus up to 64EU,
UHD graphics
Intel UHD graphics
Graphics Frequency
Up to 1.1GHz
Up to 1.15GHz
Integrated Wi-Fi
Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+)
Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+)
USB Type-C
Up to 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports
Up to 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports
Memory
LP4/x-3733, DDR4-3200
LP4X-2933, LPDDR3-2133, DDR4-2666
Laptops based on this newly announced series should arrive sometime around the late Q3 or early Q4. It is being speculated that those devices could probably launch during the IFA 2019 trade show. These models should reap the benefit of Intel’s Project Athena. This initiative promises better battery life, improved responsiveness, and connectivity. Hopefully, the devices will live up to their billing.
Gaming smartphones are very much on the rise. With the spending on mobile gaming being at least 2.3 times lower than that of the spending on a gaming PC, it’s an obvious rise. The ROG Phone series and the Black Shark dominate this segment. However, Vivo is not far behind either. iQOO, Vivo’s gaming-focused brand, just today released a new smartphone.
Overview:
Labeled as Vivo iQOO Pro, the device comes in two variants. One supports 4G connectivity whereas the other one comes with 5G support. However, other than the network connectivity, both the devices are almost identical. They have a 6.41” Super AMOLED screen with resolution 1080 x 2340 pixels. And as it is with devices with an AMOLED screen, the device supports an in-display fingerprint.
As for the processor, the device runs on Snapdragon 855+ chipset. The processor has 4 x Kryo 485 Silver cores operating at 1.8GHz, 3 x Kryo 485 Gold operating at 2.42GHz. The third and the final set of the CPU core is 1 x Kryo 485 Gold core operating at 2.84GHz. Furthermore, the chipset integrated the Adreno 640 GPU. The Snapdragon 855+ is probably the best gaming chipset from Qualcomm. And both the variants of the iQOO Pro packs this chipset.
Talking about the camera, it has a 48MP f/1.79 primary rear lens. Additionally, it comes along with a 12MP, f/2.2 ultrawide lens and a 2MP depth sensor. The selfie shooter is a 12MP f/2.0 lens. The battery on this device is a 4,500 mAh battery that supports 44W ultra-fast charging.
Both the version will run on Android 9 Pie with Funtouch 9 on to. He 4G variant of the device will have a base version with RAM 8GB and 128 GB storage. The other one will have 12GB RAM. Prices for the 8GB variant and the 12GB variant are $451 and $493 respectively.
The 5G version, however, will have three versions. A 8GB/128GB available for $536, a 8GB/256GB priced at $564 and a 12/128GB for $578. Both the devices have the same dimension: 158.77 x 75.73 x 9.325mm. Though they differ in weight by 2 grams. The 4G one weighs 215g whereas the 5G version weighs 217g.
As for their availability, the iQOO Pro 4G is available for pre-order in China. Its shipping will start from August 30. However, the 5G model will be available for pre-sell from tonight. Also, its availability will be limited too. It will officially release on September 2. A full list of their specifications can be found below.
With iQOO Pro, Vivo aims to make its mark in the gaming device segment. However, already existing players in this segment will make this one a tough task. Furthermore, ASUS has just recently released its ROG Phone II. So, usurping that will certainly be difficult.
But nothing can be said with certainty right now. The actual evaluation of those devices can only be said after using them. Moreover, their release might also be only China limited. Which further makes the task of evaluating them a lot more difficult.
A lot has been said about the OPPO Reno 2 20x zoom. But what about the standard version? It too will launch alongside the 20x zoom variant next week. So, finally, the company has decided to release info about the standard OPPO Reno 2.
The device will be the first one in the industry to be powered by the Snapdragon 730G. The chipset is gaming-focused octa-core chipset. It has 2 x A76 running at 2.2GHz and 6 x A55 running at 1.8GHz. What makes this chipset stand out from its standard version is the overclocked Adreno 618 GPU. This GPU supposedly improves gaming performance by 15%.
Furthermore, the chipset provides anti-cheat extensions and Jank Reducer to reduce in-game stutter. Also, there’s the Wi-Fi latency manager and HDR gaming support. Moreover, OPPO has also included its Frame and touch boost technology to provide better gaming experience to the users.
Upfront the device offers a 6.55” OLED display. And with a speculated 93.1% scree-to-body ratio, we’ll probably get to see a pop-up selfie camera too. The base variant will pack 8GB of RAM and 256GB storage onboard. And to top it all up, the device will be powered by a 4,000mAh battery capable of VOOC 3.0 fast charging.
Till now no information regarding wither the rear or the front camera has been released. However, we probably think that this standard version will have a 48MP + 13 MP + 8MP + 2MP rear camera setup. Moreover, the front camera will probably be a 16MP selfie shooter.
That’s about it regarding the information we have about the OPPO Reno 2 standard version. With the launch date nearing, I am certain that more information will flow in. Nevertheless, with the information that we’ve till now, we can safely say that the device will be a proper upgrade from its predecessor. Though no official word has come out, I do have an expected set of specifications for the device.
The buzz surrounding the Redmi Note 8 series is real. And why shouldn’t it be? After all, its predecessor, the Redmi Note 7 series is the undisputed king in the budget segment. However, with the specs that have been pack into the Note 8 series devices, the Note 7 series will probably be dethroned by its own successor.
August 29 is the scheduled launch date for the Note 8 series. And the new Helio G90T will power one of the devices in the series. The Helio G90T is the first gaming processor from MediaTek. The processor supports 90Hz display and a quad-camera setup with a 64MP camera sensor.
Redmi had already announced that it will be releasing a 64MP camera smartphone. Thus, Helio G90T is the perfect fit in order to include the mentioned camera setup. So, probably the Pro version of the Note 8 will get a 64MP main lens.
However, the aforementioned was the information that most of us already had some idea about. The new update about the device that we have received is about one of its color variants and its design. A leaked image of the dark green colored Redmi Note 8 Pro had already surfaced on Weibo. However, we now have a confirmed photo of it that gives us a closer look at the rear design.
From the image that we have, we can see that the device looks similar to the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro. It has curved edges. And the texture also resembles that of the Redi K20. Furthermore, the color appears dark towards the center. And light towards the edges.
The phone has a vertically arranged camera array on the rear. Three of the sensors are arranged vertically and just below them is the fingerprint scanner. On the right side just below the LED flash, is the fourth lens.
And that’s pretty much the information that we got from the images. And as far as Note 8 is concerned, we know that it too will have a quad-camera setup. However, its primary lens is said to be of 48MP only. So, it will probably use the slightly inferior Helio G90 processor. Other details about the devices are still pretty much shrouded in mystery. Hopefully, we’ll get to know a bit more about them before the actual release date.
We all know about the hassle one has to go through in order to exchange their existing smartphone. Going from one store to another trying to get the best possible price for your device is a tedious task. However, with digitization taking over everything, things are already changing. There are various websites available through which you can exchange or sell your current device. These websites decrease the hassle one previously had to go through in order to exchange their phone. One such site that currently allows you to do something similar is arkophone.com
This website currently allows users to exchange Samsung devices only. Using the website is simple too. Just head to the website and click on the “Get Started” button. The rest of the process is then clearly laid out for you. Select the type of device, the series it belongs to. And bam! You have the initial estimate for your current device.
Furthermore, after getting the initial evaluation the site asks you about the condition of the device. Another question that will be asked to you is about the availability of the various accessories and bills that comes with the device. The initial estimate will not increase, however, it might decrease based upon the answers you provide. In the end, you have to enter your contact details, the IMEI number of the phone and you then will receive a token. The token can be used to exchange your device from the specified outlets within one week. Also, there’s the option to place a counteroffer if you are not satisfied with the given initial estimate.
One has to go to the mentioned outlets along with their valid identity and some photographs. There might be those who are not familiar with such sites. Well, they have aptly placed a solution for it. There’s a short clip placed on the homepage that guides one through the process.
Well, this website certainly provides an easy way to exchange and possibly get the best value for your current device. However, they do not mention anywhere how they provide the initial estimate. This might bug some users as they would obviously want to know the basis for the given estimate. The site valued my three months old Samsung A80 at Rs. 43,995. Okay, but on what basis? There’s no explanation to that.
Moreover, when we placed a counteroffer for our Galaxy S10, there was no reply whatsoever from them. No phone calls, no emails. Nothing! Furthermore, currently, users can only exchange certain Samsung devices through the website. It would have been great if multiple device options were available.
The website has a simplistic design and is easy to use. This idea that they are trying to capitalize on is certainly a great one. Easy exchange for mobile devices is not something that has been prevalent in our market. So, what they are trying to do here is great. But they obviously need some improvement. Improved customer service. And a detailed explanation about their initial price estimate should be on their priority list for now. If the company is able to do so and further build on this idea, they undeniably have a huge potential.
With the launch of Realme 5 and 5 Pro, the company hopes to shake up the entire budget segment. It was launched at an event yesterday. However, it did not end with just the launch of those two. In fact, a teaser of the company’s first 64MP camera was presented in the end.
Labeled as Realme XT, the device is going to be probably going to be the world’s first 64MP camera smartphone. I’ve marked it as probably the world’s first cause other tech giants are also in the running to release their 64MP smartphones. And we do not know when they will launch them. However, the song played after the teaser does give us something to speculate about. “Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day played as the event came to a conclusion. So maybe early October will mark its announcement.
The device will use Samsung’s ISOCELL Bright GW1 sensor. This sensor helps to produce 16MP images in low-light. How you might ask? Well, it is able to do so by merging four pixels into one using the Tetracell technology.
On August 8, Realme introduced the world to the 64MP camera tech at an event. In fact, during the event, the device was also shown. However, a case shrouded the exteriors of the device. And the only thing that the people present there got to witness was the camera technology. The quad-camera setup should probably be similar to the one on the Realme 5 Pro. From what we know the device will also have a wide-angle lens, a macro camera, and a depth sensor. Also made public were the camera samples from the device. And believe me, they look great.
Well, the August 8 event also was mentioned that the camera tech is just the first surprise. And others are yet to be revealed. Till now all we know is the devices name and its rear camera technology. We will probably find out more about the mentioned surprises in the days to come. Until then all we can do is wait for an official announcement or as it is on the internet, wait for leaks!
Last month, OPPO trademarked the OPPO ENCO series. Many speculated that this would probably be a new smartphone lineup from the company. However, OPPO today laid rest to all the speculation surrounding this. Rather than a smartphone lineup, the ENCO series will be OPPO’s first noise-canceling wireless headphones. And OPPO ENCO Q1 is going to be the first device in this series.
The ENCO Q1 has a 3D neckband design. It is thick at the end and thin around the center. It is made from a single piece that is designed to go around your neck. The one-piece design means that it does not have any splits or cuts.
Talking about its noise cancellation system, the headphone will feature Active Noise Cancellation with 4 Mics. So, basically, it will use a hybrid noise cancellation that has both a feedforward and feedback ANC. Among the previously mentioned 4 Mics, two of them will be on the outside. Their task will be to listen to ambient noise and feed that into the system. This is a feedforward process that sends a signal to the speakers by extracting ambient noise.
Furthermore, the headphone has two mics on the inside. They are tasked with listening to noise within your ear. They will help to cancel out noise that could be induced due to the shape inconsistencies of different ears. Additionally, for the acoustical signal reduction, there’s a filter.
The OPPO ENCO Q1 will come in three different colors. Sunshine Orange, Polar Night Black, and Star Silver. However, this the extent of our knowledge regarding the ENCO Q1. Furthermore, the official OPPO website is yet to list the headphones. The announcement today just gave us a sneak-peak about what the ENCO series really is. The launch of this headphone is speculated to be alongside the launch of OPPO Reno 2.
The headset’s price is not yet known. However, I think that it will be one of the premium offerings from the company. High-end headphones and amplifiers were what OPPO previously renowned for. So, I guess with this series the company is trying to head back to its roots. But these are all speculations, isn’t it? We’ll have to wait and see what this device actually has to offer.
