A company embroiled in issues… That’s the headline we’ve all been waking up to concerning Huawei. However, with the expected release of Huawei Nova 5i Pro later this month, things might finally take a positive turn for the Chinese tech giant.
The company announced the Nova 5 series earlier this month with the Nova 5, 5i and 5 Pro models. However, the Nova 5i Pro, which was hugely anticipated, was nowhere to be seen. Thereafter, a schematic of 5i Pro made rounds around the internet. The leaked images only revealed the design. Now, new marketing material has leaked leaving little to the imagination. The new leaks reveal full specs as well as the image of the device.
As per the leaks, the phone has a 6.26″ Full HD+ punch-hole screen with a resolution of 2640×1080 pixels. It will use Kirin 810 SoC with either a 6GB or 8GB RAM. The storage options are 128GB for the 6GB variant and 128GB or 256GB for the 8GB variant.
The rear includes a quad-camera setup of one 48MP, one 8MP, and two 2MP modules. The fingerprint scanner is conveniently placed below the rear camera. On the front, there is a 32MP selfie shooter inside the punch hole. The device runs on Android 9 Pie and will house a huge 4,000mAh battery. The full leaked specifications of the phone are:
Huawei Nova 5i Pro leaked specs:
Display: 6.26″ Full HD+ display
Rear Camera: Quad-camera setup, 48MP Sony IMX 586sensor with f/1.8 aperture + 8MP Ultra Wide Angle lens + 2MP f/1.75 aperture for macro + 2MP depth sensor
The device is set to compete with the Redmi K20 which was game-changing in its own rights. K20 runs on Snapdragon 730, has an in-display fingerprint sensor and a pop-up camera. The performance estimates of both the devices were compared in the form of GeekBench estimates and the results show that Nova 5i quiet literally thrashes the Redmi K20. Though performance estimates are not the only determining factors, the sheer horsepower of Nova 5i Pro as per the result definitely gives it the upper hand.
So far the device seems great to me but what can one really say from just the estimates. The actual launch date will be out soon so till then all we can do is speculate.
For a long time, Xiaomi has been known to deviate in areas outside of smartphones. Xiaomi has all kinds of devices – from laptops, televisions, and power banks; to electric scooters and robot builders!
Now, along the same lines, Xiaomi has come up with T-series CIGA Mechanical Watch. While it does not offer any fitness tracking and notification features like the Mi Bands; the T-Series watch focuses on premium aesthetics and craftsmanship. So, if you’re a fan of gadgets with transparent design, then, this watch will surely grab your attention.
It features a fully transparent body exposing all the mechanical internals of the watch. The casing features a 360-degree view of the insides which allows you to see both the bottom and top insides of the watch.
The purely mechanical watch doesn’t feature any other component other than the mechanical parts. The design is minimalist however, with the finishing giving it a classy and premium look.
The watch will set you back $101 and according to reports, the watch will be available in two versions with a black and red watch band. Usually, mechanical watches have a business exec accessory-like outlook due to leather straps they mostly feature. However, the CIGA Design mechanical watch looks sporty due to rubber straps.
I don’t know what Xiaomi’s thinking with this. There already are premium watch brands in the market. Of course, this one is a lot more affordable option. So, let’s see how this turns out for the company.
It seems August will be a very busy month for Samsung. With the Galaxy Note 10 launch nearing and preparations for the relaunch of Galaxy Fold, Samsung has their hand-full. Yes, it is true! Samsung is ready to launch its foldable handset once again.
Phone enthusiasts’ dreams came true when Samsung came up with a phone with a foldable screen. However, after some phone units were provided for review, a few problems occurred. The problems were related to the screen of the phone; like screen flickering, blacking out and a bump or bulge to appear under the display.
However it seems, the Korean tech giant has revamped the hinge and screen design and tested the device. This, in turn, passed with flying colors and seems like only a few finishing touches are needed before the launch.
July launch still seems a less likely scenario. However, according to the rumors, August might be the month we get to see the phone. The Galaxy Note 10 is also scheduled to launch in August. But we really doubt that Samsung will unveil both phones during a shared event. So, we can expect the Galaxy Fold to relaunch, sometime in late August.
Now, a question may arise; why is Samsung planning a re-launch so soon? The most well-founded answer can be, to become the first phone with a folding screen in the market. With the Huawei Mate X set for release on the first half of September, Samsung must really be bustling to achieve what they are aiming for. Let’s just hope their dreams will hold true this time…
While devices around the world are hell-bent on achieving the highest screen-to-body ratio, Google might just be thinking otherwise. A leaked image of the Google Pixel 4 shows a rather large bezel upfront.
Apparently, the bezel will house some mystery components. From what we can speculate, the multiple cutouts are for the two front-facing cameras, a facial recognition sensor, a speaker and a radar sensor. The widest one on the right is, according to rumors, for a radar sensor – “Project Soli“.
As a matter of fact, Project Soli is one of the most anticipated features in Pixel 4. The radar sensor in it is capable of detecting fine motion above it. This is useful for anything from the new Assitant interaction method to gesture-based controls. From how it looks, the game-changing motion sensor technology will need a lot of space.
Furthermore, @OnLeaks and @iGeeksBlog have posted what the finished product might actually look like. Of course, they might be speculating themselves about the wide cut out. But the guess is that it could be used for something similar to Apple’s True Tone Dynamic’s Display.
However, the large bezel up top seems like good news for existing Pixel users. The previous version included a notch that disappointed many. This time, hopefully, it will at least make up for that.
Also, Google is finding it hard to contain the excitement around Pixel 4. A series of leaked images last June forced the official announcement of the device. However, what this latest development will bring, no one knows.
The previous announcement suggested an in-display fingerprint with a dual-camera setup on the back. Some render images are also showing the device with triple rear cameras. Either way, there will be a multiple-camera setup on the rear panel. After all, the major players like Huawei and Samsung already have such setups. Even on the iPhone is on the verge of doing so, it wouldn’t be a new thing in the market. Nonetheless, the multiple-camera setup with Google’s software capabilities spells for stunningly high-quality images from the new device. The Pixel 4 will release this October. So, let’s see what Google will actually offer.
Huawei, in the past few years, has consistently pushed the camera technology forward. They’re all about new camera technologies and hardware advancements. Therefore, the world is watching as Huawei gets closer to announcing its next flagship.
Huawei recently trademarked something called “Cine-Lens” and “Camera Matrix“. As much as they sound cool, this also makes it certain that the upcoming Mate 30 Pro will have some killer new camera features. Not only might we be seeing some advancement in terms of photography, but we can also expect some breakthrough in video recording with the Mate 30 Pro. Because it’s possible that it might have a dedicated camera for video recording.
Through Huawei’s partnership with Leica, we might see Leica design a lens array optimized for video. As per the description, “Cinema photography; optical lenses for recording, reproduction, and processing of sound, images and/or data” are in the works in the camera department. So, we can expect a true cinematic lens distinctly designed for video shooting.
We are not entirely sure about the latter trademark. However, we can presume it’ll be the official name of the Mate 30 Pro’s camera layout. The “Camera Matrix” is a perfect way to describe Mate’s square camera layout arrangement.
For now, we don’t exactly know how many cameras will the Mate 30 Pro pack. But if the leaked photos are true, we will see either four or a five-camera setup. However, we don’t expect to see the same periscope zoom camera that the P30 Pro launched with. If it did, then there wouldn’t be too much to differentiate the two flagships. But with the likes of Oppo Reno 10X adopting the technology, a periscope lens is looking like a standard flagship camera feature.
Also, the Mate 30 Lite was recently spotted on TENAA. However, it didn’t give us too many clues on its higher-end sibling. But according to rumors, the Mate 30 Pro will have a “Waterfall” display! We can only wait to find out what it is, though. In addition, it will also come with a complete 3D facial recognition like the iPhone XS. There is also an in-display fingerprint scanner. And we can expect at least a 4,200 mAh battery with 55W SuperCharge support.
In any case, we have still got many phones to see before the Mate 30 Pro launches sometime in October. Till then all we can do is expect and assume what this new flagship brings on the table for us.
It goes without saying that Privacy on the internet is a myth! From Facebook to FaceApp, it seems no one cares about the users’ data privacy. All of your data is there for the world to see! No matter what you browse, who you chat with, what you do online, is kept track of. And if that weren’t enough, a new report claims that your fitness tracking device, too, puts your data at a risk. As a matter of fact, all of your Bluetooth devices could potentially give away your location.
A certain vulnerability in Bluetooth devices potentially puts you at a risk. Third-party users can use this vulnerability to extract sensitive information. Subsequently, that information can lead to stalking or abuse. With Bluetooth devices abundantly available, this piece of information should be of concern to many.
The susceptibility arises from the way Bluetooth devices pair to one another. A device serves as a central connection and others act as peripheral devices. Similar to an IP address, the peripheral devices send out a signal containing their respective unique addresses. The addresses are randomized and are changed periodically. Despite this, an open-source sniffer algorithm can track the Bluetooth connections. Though your individual information is not at risk, it still is a matter of concern to many.
According to the reports, it’s the Fitbit users who are at a huge risk. Fitbit does not automatically update or randomize its address as other devices do. As a result, it makes those devices easier to track.
However, Fitbit released a statement, stating that user privacy is their prime concern. The devices use Bluetooth Low Energy technology that enables devices to connect easily without draining their batteries. This technology can trace any active information trackers nearby. Thus, it would be highly unlikely that a person locates a device, tracks its owner, and proceeds to stalk him/her. Regardless, Fitbit is monitoring the situation and devising possible updates to rectify this vulnerability.
This finding further goes on to affirm that privacy in this day and age is non-existent. Tracking using 4G was fast, who knows what can be done using 5G. No matter how foolproof the plan to secure user data might be, someone somewhere will find a way around it. Hope this new development steers more tech giants to start thinking of better ways to protect our privacy.
We’ve seen a few of M-series smartphones lately and all of them, I would say are a good value for money phones. This time around, we have the Galaxy M40 which is the cheapest phone available with a punch-hole display and the first M- series smartphone to feature Snapdragon SoC. But apart from that, what else does this phone pack? Is it worth your money? Let’s find out in this Samsung Galaxy M40 review!
Samsung Galaxy M40 Specifications:
Display: 6.3-inch PLS LCD panel with Full HD+ resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
Okay, so let’s start by talking about the infinity O display. It quite looks like the Galaxy S10. But it’s not an AMOLED panel, it’s a TFT one, which does not look bad honestly.
But, Of course, if you use it beside an AMOLED screen, you can notice the difference but I guess in cost of an AMOLED panel, we are getting a punch-hole screen. So, I think Samsung is trying to compensate. However, in my opinion, it’s slightly underwhelming for the price.
By size, it’s 6.3 inches with Full-HD resolution and it’s protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. The bezels around it are considerably thin making the contents in the display look very good. Watching videos is a really immersive experience and so is playing games.
The display here also doubles as an earpiece. There is no physical earpiece at the top of this phone. While having voice calls, the sound is projected through the screen with a technology called ‘soundcast technology’. It’s nothing new, we have seen the implementation on some high-end devices but impressively, this mid-ranger has it too.
The phone is also reasonably bright outdoors too so brightness is not going to be a problem.
Design:
Before starting to talk about the design, the one that I had with me had a Gradient blue color. And by far, it’s one of my absolute favorites. And it looks a lot better than its other siblings.
Now talking about the design, it’s your typical Samsung phone with the vertical camera setup, a fingerprint sensor, and the Samsung logo at the rear. It’s polycarbonate, the back, which is kind of expected for the price. But it looks so good that I kinda neglected that part.
If you are someone who spends a lot of time on your phone, you know how important feel on hands can be. The M40 does not disappoint on that part. Its mere size makes it very comfortable to hold. I had been using the A80 for some time and it never felt snugly on the hands. Perhaps the M40 is one of those devices that’s very comfortable to use.
So, everything looks good about M40’s design, except for the absence of a headphone jack. You get USB-C earphones inside the box though which in some ways tries to make up for it.
Buttons & Ports
1 of 4
Buttons
SIM Card/SD Card slot
USB Type-C Charging port
As for other aspects of the design, you get a fingerprint sensor at the back, unlike the Galaxy A50 that comes with an In-Display fingerprint sensor. But considering how slow the sensor on the A50 was, I am thankful that Samsung didn’t include one in here. The rear-facing fingerprint scanner is fast, not as fast as OPPO and Vivo but considerably fast.
As already said, this Gradient Blue color is quite a fingerprint magnet. So those of you, who doesn’t like putting on a case will have a tough time cleaning. But thankfully, this light Blue color helps in making these smudges seem less prominent.
Camera:
Up next let’s talk about the cameras. I will talk about the selfie camera first.
At the front, there’s a 16 MP snapper tucked neatly inside the punch hole. The selfies look pleasing at first glance and they really are pleasing. The skin tone looks natural, there’s nothing overdone, no extra saturation, no fake colors, just a nice-looking selfie. The HDR feature on the selfie camera works okay but I hope the company improves it more because some portions of the background look exposed.
Portrait selfies look good too. The phone does struggle to give good edge detection in hard areas like the tip of my hair in this picture, but other than that, the portrait images look good with nice background blurring.
1 of 12
Normal Selfie
Normal Selfie
normal selfie
Selfie on artificial light
Group Selfie
normal selfie
wide angle selfie
normal selfie
portrait selfie
portrait selfie
Normal Group Selfie
Portrait Group Selfie
As for the rear cameras, you get a triple camera setup at the back consisting of a 32 MP f/1.7 primary camera, an 8 MP ultrawide angle lens and a 5 MP depth sensor. Normal images from the primary camera look good, though they don’t pack in a lot of details. The colors look natural and vibrant.
1 of 7
Like many other phones, here too we get options to click pictures in 32 MP or 8 MP and the 8 MP ones look better in terms of colors and dynamic range. By default, the camera gives you 32 MP images.
The wide angles look good too. They pack in fine details and good colors. The details and colors are not as good as the primary lens but given the specs, it’s understandable.
1 of 14
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
Normal mode
Wide angle mode
The other 5 MP depth sensor works well enough. It misses the edges most of the times but the blur intensity is good and looks natural. So, I would say that the portrait images are average, not the best out there.
1 of 6
Low light images look okay too. Here are some samples. Extreme low light environment results in grainy images. However, the camera does pack in a lot of light making the low light images look considerably bright. Selfies in low and artificial light are good enough too.
1 of 4
As for videos, you can record videos in UHD, FHD at 60 fps, FHD at 30 Fps and HD among which you will get the best stabilization and color is FHD at 60 fps.
So, I would say that the cameras are just good enough not very good not bad either.
On to the performance now. The M40 comes with the most popular and one of the best performing mid-range SoCs, the SD 675. It’s the same as the Note 7 Pro and it’s also the same that comes with some other phones with greater price tag than this. So, I would say that the phone is very competitive in performance regard.
On the graphics side, you get Adreno 612 GPU and playing even high-end games have never been unpleasing. I played PubG in high settings in HD and it ran very smooth. Just sometimes there were slight frame drops, but it ran fairly smooth. The display also helps deliver a good gaming experience. Similarly, mid-tier and low-end games are a piece of cake.
As for heating, the phone does get warm after long gaming sessions, but not uncomfortably so.
And what I like is, the RAM management is fairly good. It offers 6GB of RAM and 128 GB internal storage which is great for the pricing. However, if you wish to expand it further, you will have to sacrifice on the second SIM slot. But for me, 128 GB is quite enough.
Software and UI
As for Software, you get Android 9 Pie with One UI version 1.1. This is the latest we know till now, so no complaints. One UI is one of my favorites when it comes to usability. However, on mid-range and low-end Samsung devices, the UI feels a bit slow. I mean, having used the S10, I have felt the difference. Maybe it’s the implementation, but use a Samsung Flagship and then use a Samsung Mid-ranger, you will immediately know what I am talking about.
Software & UI
1 of 2
Multitasking
Quick Toggle Menu
But don’t get me wrong, I am just sharing my experience. You get so many other cool features like Dark Mode which makes the experience so much better and it’s good for your eyes too. You get navigation gestures, fingerprint gestures and other various customizations that you can choose according to your preference.
However, the phone does not exclude bloatware. You get many apps from Samsung like their app store and other third-party apps like Helo and Daily hunt. These can be uninstalled but I didn’t uninstall them because I wanted to show it to you guys.
Battery:
The battery on this device is not its strongest suit. You get a decent 3,500 mAh battery which is well, smaller than most of the phones you get at this price.
The battery lasted me for an entire day, making me put it on charge at the end of the day, always. There are battery optimization features available if you wish to increase the battery life but without using it, one day of use is the limit here.
The phone gave me a screen on time of around 5 hours for which my usage included a lot of social media and chatting, watching videos, making calls and gaming.
You get a 15 Watt fast charger inside the box and that charges the phone fully in one and a half hours.
So, the battery, I would say is just okay considering, we are used to a standard 4,000 mAh batteries in similarly prices phones.
Extras:
You get standard Biometric options with this phone, fingerprint sensor, and facial unlock. I have already talked about the fingerprint sensor earlier. As for facial unlock on this device, it’s the same as with other Samsung mid-rangers. I used a fingerprint sensor as the primary tool for unlocking the phone because I felt it did the job faster and more reliably.
As for call quality from the in-built microphone, it’s decent. If you are someone new to this, you will feel vibrations while making calls, but you get used to it. Voices on both the sides are clear though.
The single bottom-firing speaker on this one does an okayish job. They are loud but lack depth. Also, it rests in a position where it can get covered very easily, so yeah that can be bit of a problem sometimes.
Conclusion:
So, I think the Galaxy M40 is one of the good contenders in the mid-range category. You can expect stellar if not the best performance, good enough cameras, and nice-looking design. The only thing that could make it an undeniable choice could be the display, if it was Super AMOLED but sadly it’s not. Other things about it are more or less good, expect the battery.
In terms of performance, we still have ‘the performer’, Pocophone F1. For fancy pop-up cameras and fancy design, we have the OPPO F11 Pro and Vivo V15. Not to forget, we have the Redmi Note 7 Pro as well. But if you are looking for a well-performing Samsung phone, you have got it with the M40.
Summer is here. The scorching sunlight and humid atmosphere are going tough upon us. But to cool everything up in this steamy weather, Daraz has recently brought a lucrative offer. In this offer, the e-commerce website is offering up to 50% discount on the cooling appliances.
To mollify the users from in this aggravating humid weather, there are various deals air coolers, fans, and air conditioners. In the fan segment, from small and portable hand fans to electric table and ceiling fans, you get every sort of fans there. There are also rechargeable electric fans, which could come in handy in the places, where people face regular and prolonged power outages. In this kind of products, there is an irresistible discount of up to 50%.
In the small rooms and in the mild weather, fans work fine. But for those looking for a big cooling machine to cool up large spaces, Daraz has also a variety of appliances on its shelf. In that context, Air Coolers and Air Conditioners are up for the grabs at amazing prices.
On to the Air Cooler section, all the popular brands like Baltra, Videocon, Crompton, and Symphony are there. Based on the usage, you can get a mini air cooler to a giant 70-liter cooling machine. In this section, you can get up a 34% discount.
When the room temperature has to be maintained at a precise value, air conditioners can come in handy. They operate quietly and deliver hygienic air. So they have proved themselves to be better than the air coolers. And if you, by any chance, were looking to buy a new AC for your home or office, you can get it too on Daraz. AC from popular brands like Samsung, Baltra, Mitsubishi is up for the grabs. You can get up to 28% off on these products.
Hope is a good thing. And while we swipe down our Instagram news feed, all we can do is hope! Hope to receive new notifications about likes, comments, and whatnot. In a sense, the app has got us hooked in such a way that we’ve all become Pavlov’s dog. All of us are hungry for likes. We get disappointed if the numbers are low whereas our happiness sees no bounds if the numbers are high.
However, all of this might change real soon. Instagram, according to reports, is testing out of removal of the public likes count in 7 countries including Australia, Japan, and Canada. This comes as a result of preliminary testing done in Canada last May. Users no will be able to see the like counts on other people’s posts. Though the account holders will still be able to view the likes in their own posts.
We’re currently running a test that hides the total number of likes and video views for some people in the following countries:
This move comes as a result of various reports linking mental health issues to social media pressure. Loneliness, social anxiety, low self-esteem and many more are reportedly the effect of social media pressure. The test was announced at the Facebook developers conference as a way to reduce pressure.
Likes on Instagram are the de facto indicators of a user’s posts value. The higher number of likes equals impressive content. However, it can seriously decrease a person’s self-esteem if their post receives less number of likes. Maybe this move from Instagram will finally help users from focusing more on what they want to post rather than those that are a sure-shot way to get more likes.
Obviously, the internet is divided about this issue. Many people labeled this as a positive move from the tech giants. The decision to remove public viewing of likes will probably eliminate the unhealthy competition that exists within users to garner a huge amount of likes.
The other half of the internet, however, called out this decision. The general complaint is that it is the end of Instagram influencers. Difficult for new ones to start out and existing ones to retain followers. Influencers argue that brands are much more concerned with the influencers’ engagement rates rather than their followers. Thus, it will seriously hamper their source of income.
We cannot be sure what the outcome of this move will be. For all we know, influencers might become more profitable. Or that the unhealthy competition will still exist but now behind the scene. We will have to wait and see. For now, the move is just in the testing phase so no major scare for us. Hopefully, whatever the result, it will be beneficial for the majority.
When’s a great time to buy smartphones? When they get price drops, of course! And that happened to Oppo’s 2 budget and lower mid-range phones recently – the Oppo A1K and the Oppo A7. For starters, we thought the A7 was overpriced anyway, for the specs it packs. So, this price drop might be good for them. And with it, The Oppo A1k is now available at Rs. 14,790 and the Oppo A7 at Rs. 24,990.
Both the devices are well suited for power users as Oppo A7 and Oppo A1K are supported by a large battery of 4,320mAh and 4000mAh respectively. The battery on both phones is well suited for almost two days on normal usage.
Talking about Oppo A7, it boasts a 6.2-inch HD+ display and comes with Android 8.1 and ColorOs 5.2 on top out of the box. Similarly, the Oppo A1K has a 6.1-inch HD+ display and it runs on Android 9 with ColorOs 6 on top. They both provide similar storage of 32GB. However, Oppo A7 comes with either a 2GB/3GB RAM variant whereas the A1K only comes in a 2GB variant.
The camera quality on both the phones is fairly good keeping in mind their price range. However, for superior camera quality, you could opt for A7. The Oppo A7 comes with a dual 12MP + 2MP camera on the back and a 16MP selfie shooter. This contrasts the ones available on A1K as it only has a single camera setup both on sides. They are of 8MP and 5MP respectively. Further details about the phones can be found below.
Oppo A1k Specifications:
Display: 6.1″ HD+ (720 x 1560 pixels), 19.5:9 aspect ratio panel; 87.4% screen to body ratio with Gorilla Glass 3 Protection
Chipset: MediaTek Helio P22 SoC
CPU: Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53
GPU: PowerVR GE8320
RAM: 2GB
Storage: 32GB expandable via MicroSD
OS: Android Pie 9 with Color OS 6.0 on top
Rear Camera: 8MP f/2.2 w Dual LED flash
Front Camera: 5MP f/2.0
Battery: 4000mAh
Colors: Black, Red
Price: Rs. 17,590 Rs. 14,790
Oppo A7 Specifications:
Display: 6.2 inches IPS LCD, HD+ (720 x 1520 pixels), 19:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
CPU: 1.8 GHz Octa-core
GPU: Adreno 506
OS: Android 8.1 Oreo with Colors OS 5.2 on top
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB expandable up to 256 GB (dedicated slot)
