Android P Beta 4 is here, aka Android Developers Preview 5. This should also be the last beta for the platform, meaning the next version is quite possibly a stable Android P.
Each previous beta builds saw a few minor upgrades over the previous one. This one, however, according to Android’s VP of engineering himself stated:
everything you need to wrap up your testing in time for the upcoming official Android P release
So, we will most probably see very little changes between this version and the official final version of Android P. There are speculations about a final release somewhere in the third quarter this year.
Even with all this, we still do not know what the P stands for, my bet is on Pancakes. We do know that it’s going to carry the Android 9.0 version number.
Installing Android P Beta 4 on your device
If your device is among the ones on google’s certified list, maybe give the Beta 4 a try. Check below if your device is compatible:
If you do not own one of the above devices, you will have to wait until the final version releases. For the rest, you can try one of the following instructions:
Enroll yourself in Android’s Beta Program. Instead of me explaining to you how it’s done, just click the link here which will direct you to the official Android website explaining to you how it’s done.
You can always flash the Android P on your pixel smartphone. All you need to do is connect your smartphone to your PC. Then install the Android Studio, instructions here, and finally download your factory image from here and flash it to your phone.
Along with the Mi A2, Xiaomi also announced the Mi A2 in the ‘Global launch event’ in Spain. Both the devices, like the Mi A1 run on Android One. The Mi A2 Lite is the cheaper and smaller variant of the Mi A2 that comes with a notched 5.84-inch display with a 19:9 aspect ratio. Similarly, the insides are handled by the powerful Snapdragon 625 processor. Likewise, you get a massive 4,000 mAh battery in this device.
When looked at the Mi A2, you will certainly feel the downgrade in the Mi A2 Lite in the performance, the cameras, build quality and charging port. This is quite a tradeoff when looked into the price it is being offered for. What the Mi A2 Lite has better than the Mi A2 is the battery capacity as this one offers 4,000mAh and the A2 has 3,010.
The Mi A2 Lite will be available in 5 color variants, namely, Black, Blue, and Gold (Globally) and Rose Gold and Red (For China only).
Rear camera: Dual 12 MP f/2.2 camera + 5 MP f/2.2 depth sensor with LED flash
Video:1080p@30/60fps, Gyro-EIS
Sensors: Fingerprint (rear), Accelerometer, Proximity, Gyro, proximity, and compass
SIM: Dual SIM, Nano SIM Dual standby
Battery: Non-removable Li-Po 4,000 mAh battery
Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite Price & Availability
The Xiaomi Mi A2 and A2 Lite have been launched Globally in Spain and according to Xiaomi officials, the devices will be launched in Nepal soon. The Xiaomi Mi A1 was a huge success but there wasn’t a lighter version but the Mi A2 has arrived with a lighter version which seems very interesting.
The much-awaited Xiaomi Mi A2 is here and it’s everything you hoped for. The Chinese manufacturer delivered the Android One based smartphone today in Spain. The smartphone is basically the Mi 6X with a different software experience. The Mi A2 comes with better specs, better camera, and a fairly similar UI compared to last year’s Mi A1.
The first thing that you notice is the Snapdragon 660 processor, which is a huge improvement over the Snapdragon 625 found in Mi A1. The custom Kryo cores and the 14nm process ensure good performance and minimum power consumption. The Adreno 512 GPU also complements the CPU very well.
The display, on the other hand, is a 5.99″ FHD+ panel with resolutions of 2160×1080 (18:9 aspect ratio). Xiaomi does love to brag about its LPDDR4x RAM types, and the A2 surely gets the same. The smartphone comes in three variants, one with 4GB/32GB, the other with 4GB/64GB and lastly a more premium 6GB/128GB version.
Like the Mi A1, the A2 also comes with a dual camera setup. The camera has obviously been improved, with a 12MP f/1.7 sensor aided by a 20MP f/1.75 lens. Xiaomi claims it will provide a much better camera experience, including better bokeh effects and brighter shots in dim light conditions.
The front camera is also another area where Xiaomi seems to have improved. The 20MP selfie cam is now AI enabled and can capture bokeh selfies.
The star feature of the Mi A2 remains the Pure Android experience, which was one of the defining features of the Mi A1, and also one of the main factors why the Mi A2 received such huge success.
However, the most disappointing feature on the Mi A2 has to be the size of the battery, which is a 3010mAh. It does get Quick Charge 3.0 though.
Xiaomi Mi A2 Price & Availability
The smartphone is all set to launch in Nepal as well, although availability and pricing are yet to be announced. What we do know is you can get the Mi A2 in Blue, Black, and Gold color options. Pricing for the international market starts at $291 for the 4GB/32GB, $326 for the 4GB/64GB and $408 for the 6GB/128GB variant.
Specs of Xiaomi Mi A2:
Display: 5.99-inch Full HD+ 2.5D curved glass display with Gorilla Glass 5
Rear Camera: 12MP rear camera with LED flash, f/1.75 aperture, Sony IMX486 sensor, 1.25μm pixel size, a 20MP secondary camera with Sony IMX376 sensor with f/1.75 aperture, 4 in 1 – 2.0um pixels
Front Camera: 20MP front-facing camera with Sony IMX376 sensor, 4 in 1 – 2.0um pixels soft LED flash
Sensors: Infrared sensor, Fingerprint sensor
SIM: Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD)
Connectivity: Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz), Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C, no headphone jack
The Chinese manufacturer has launched the Vivo Y81 for a price tag of Rs 24,190. The smartphone sits comfortably in between the Vivo Y71 and last year’s Vivo V7, at least from a pricing perspective. The phone does resemble Vivo’s flagship the Vivo V9, so it looks look pretty good, I must say.
The first thing you notice is a 6.22″ display with a notch and a mere 1520 x 720 HD+ resolution. It is a 19:9 aspect ratio display covered in a plastic body, with an unspecified Gorilla Glass protection. The smartphone does look premium, similar to the V9, at least on paper.
Internally it comes with an Helio P22 SoC aided by PowerVR GE8320 GPU. The 3GB RAM and 32GB expandable internal is the only configuration you can find for this particular model. The Vivo Y81 has a single 13MP f/2.2 aperture camera with LED flash at the back. The same camera also does 1080p@60fps. The front gets a 5MP f/2.2 sensor for selfies.
Two particular sensor missing from the Vivo Y81 is the gyro and fingerprint sensors, which could have made the device an even more complete package. It does get the latest Bluetooth 5.0, headphone jack, face unlock, 802.11b/g/n WiFi and a 3260mAH battery. It also gets a micro USB port for charging and data transfers.
The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with Funtouch OS 4.0 on top. The price of Vivo Y81 is Rs 24,190 in Nepal. The device has already hit the market and should be available with ease. Considering the price, you are going to get a pretty nice phone with decent cameras, good styling and performance that will be enough for most.
Samsung and LG are the two biggest Korean smartphone companies which have been providing premium gadgets. However, they have been suffering from huge sales loss due to the rise in sales of Chinese smartphone in the market. Thus to rebuild their business, Samsung and LG have adopted a new shotgun strategy.
The shotgun approach is a strategy where a company aims for a larger audience to sell their products or services. Samsung and LG have mainly focused on high-end gadgets. And their sales mostly depend on their feature phones. Although these companies do have budget-friendly smartphones, they didn’t offer good features until recently. So now, they have shifted their focus from high-end models, to compete with other brands. They also plan on launching more models in every segment to target as many consumers as possible.
There was a time when Samsung, Nokia, and LG used to leverage the smartphone market with their models. Many companies even tried to approach Apple’s plan to focus and launch smartphones with high-end specs but failed. However, in the present context, the Chinese smartphones have dominated the market with midrange smartphones.
Rather than an expensive featured smartphone, a customer usually goes for a budget-friendly smartphone with better features. Many companies like Xiaomi, Huwaei are providing a wide variety of budget smartphones with many features. So it’s obvious why people prefer them more resulting in an increase in their sales drastically.
According to sources, Huawei has shipped over six million units of Huawei P20 since its launch in June. While Xiaomi has shipped over a million units of Xiaomi Mi 8 in its first 18 days of sales.
When we hear that a smartphone display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass, we get a hint that the device has a strong display. Corning has been a top name when it comes to display protection. Today, Corning has come up with another version of Gorilla Glass, which is its sixth version! The Corning Gorilla 6, as said by the engineers, has better resistance to falls and better survives drops.
Further, sources add that the Gorilla Glass 6 can withstand twice as many drops as the Gorilla Glass 5. How it is done is by its new glass that has a different chemical composition than Gorilla Glass 5’s. Hence, because of that composition, the company claims that the new version can withstand more than Gorilla Glass 5.
During tests, this sixth version of Gorilla Glass is said to have survived 15 drops from the distance of 1 meter before breaking. Thus, claims are that it is made from a completely re-engineered process, which makes it easier to increase the level of compression.
“Corning Gorilla Glass 6 improves upon Gorilla Glass 5 by surviving drops from higher heights, but, more importantly, has been engineered to survive multiple drops. This enables the Gorilla Glass 6 to be more resistant to damage.,” -John Bayne (Corning Gorilla Glass vice president and general manager).
According to sources, Corning Gorilla has been designed into more than 6 Billion devices by more than 45 brands.
However, this new version of Gorilla Glass is in production now and it is being evaluated by multiple customers. After the tests will be over, it may take several months for it to be out in the market.
About Corning Gorilla Glass
Corning Gorilla Glass was launched in September 2011. Since its establishment, it has been used by many companies as their choice for device manufacturers all over the world. It produces items for not only Mobile Consumer Electronics, but for Automotive and Architecture applications as well.
The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 brings in a huge display but that is what the Max series is all about. Although this time, it’s breaking all the records with a giant 6.9″ display, all thanks to the 18:9 aspect ratio minimum bezel design. Apart from that, it also features a really huge battery, 5,500mAh to be exact.
The smartphone was made official in an event today, not that we were invited. But we did get a full extensive overview of this giant, alongside a few official photos. It’s a pretty similar smartphone to the Redmi Note 5, apart from the obvious display size and battery capacity.
The Xiaomi Mi Max 3 features a huge 6.9″ 18:9 ratio display with a resolution of 1080×2160 pixels, which accounts for 350 pixels per inch. It runs on Snapdragon 636 SoC with Adreno 509 GPU. There are two variants, one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, the other with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It is a hybrid setup so if you are a dual SIM user, you might be disappointed.
The dual 12MP + 5MP camera setup on the back should deliver good bokeh effects. The main camera is a f/1.9 aperture lens while the secondary helps with depth. The camera is also capable of 4k video recording, although Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) is only supported below 1080p. The front gets a single 8MP f/2.0 1.12µm sensor.
Features like 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB C port, 3.5mm audio jack and Quick Charge 3.0 comes standard. Rightfully so as the 5,500mAh battery will take a while to charge through normal speeds. The phone comes with Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI 9.5 out of the box.
Apart from the internals, the external dimensions of the devices measure in at 176.2 x 87.4 x 8mm with a weight of 221g. It will be available in Champagne Gold, Blue, and Black color options. Pricing starts at CNY 1,699 or $252 for the base model and CNY 1,999 or $300 for the 6GBRAM and 128GB storage variant.
Xiaomi MI Max 3 Specifications
Display: 6.9-inch IPS LCD
Resolution: Full HD+ (1080 x 2160 pixels) @ 350PPI pixel density, 18:9 aspect ratio
CPU: Octa-core 1.8 GHz Kryo 260
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 636
GPU: Adreno 509
OS: Android 8.1 (Oreo)
RAM: 4/6 GB
Storage: 64/128 GB (expandable up to 256 GB, Uses SIM 2 slot)
If there is one Huawei device we have been waiting for recently, it’s definitely the two most hyped Nova siblings, the Huawei Nova 3 and Huawei Nova 3i. Finally, the company has taken the hood off the two devices and brought among us the two devices. Well, with the launch, we have also been confirmed of the speculations about the AI enabled Kirin 970 chipset and the incorporation of the all-new GPU Turbo technology in the Nova 3. If Kirin 970 sounds familiar, it’s because that is the same chipset used in Huawei’s latest flagship, the P20 Pro. Combination the Kirin 970 with the latest GPU Turbo technology certainly makes things interesting.
Talking about the device itself, design-wise, Huawei has ensured glass build protected by 3D double curved glass on both sides. Similarly, the display is 6.3 inches with an unusual 19.5:9 aspect ratio and FHD+ resolution. Huawei hasn’t forgotten to place the infamous notch too that is home for the ambient light sensor, proximity, IR sensor and dual cameras.
Like the other phones in the Nova series, this one also has a good focus on cameras besides other things. It seems like the inclusion of 4 cameras is a tradition for Huawei as the Nova 3, like the Nova 2i, Y9 2018, etc features 4 cameras. But unlike the P20 Pro, the distribution goes, 2 cameras at the front and two cameras at the back. On the rear side, there is 24+16 MP f/1.8 dual cameras and upfront there are 24+2 MP sensors, both of which support AI features.
If you are awed with these, wait a little longer because there is more! The Nova 3 supports IR face unlock, it’s got 6GB of RAM at disposal and a decent 3,750 mAh battery. On top of that, there is the GPU Turbo technology that boosts the gaming performance. Other than that, there is 3D AR Emoji support, the latest version of EMUI, EMUI 8.2, etc.
The device comes in four color options, Black, Light Blue, Promise Gold and Blur Violet.
Huawei Nova 3 Specifications:
Display: 6.3 inches FHD+ display with 19.5:9 aspect ratio
OS: Android Oreo 8.1 with EMUI 8.2 on top
Chipset: Huawei Kirin 970
CPU: 4×2.4GHz Cortex A73 +4×1.8GHz Cortex A53
GPU: Mali G72 MP12
RAM: 6 GB
ROM: 64/128 GB uotp 256 GB (uses SIM 2 slot)
Selfie camera: 24+2 MP (depth sensor)
Rear camera: 24 MP f/1.8+ 16 MP f/1.8 camera with Gyro EIS, HDR, panorama, face detection, geo-tagging, touch focus etc
Internationally, the Nova 3 is will go on sale from July 19. In China, the device is priced at 2,999 Yuan (NRs. 48840.58 approx). It has also launched in Nepal for Rs.59,900 in Nepal.
Huawei’s much-anticipated successor of last year’s Nova 2i is here. The new Huawei Nova 3i comes with a much-needed improvement in the processor department and better design choices that almost makes its predecessor look outdated.
The smartphone comes packed with the HiSilicon Kirin 710, that should give the Snapdragon 710 a run for its money. It comes paired with 4GB of RAM and an ample 128GB of internal storage. Yes, it supports expandable storage but since it’s a hybrid setup, the huge storage should satisfy most.
Just like the Nova 3 (a high-end variant of the Nova 3i), this one also comes with a 6.3″ 1080×2340 resolution minimum bezel IPS display with a notch. The 3340mAh battery should deliver acceptable charging intervals and it comes with fast charging as well.
The four cameras on the Huawei Nova 3i totals to a whopping 44MP, not that it has anything to do with anything. The back comes with a 16MP f/2.2 lens aided by a secondary 2MP depth sensor. It’s video capabilities max out at 1080p@30fps. For selfies, it has a 24MP + 2MP camera setup, with the later used again for depth.
As it’s a mid-range smartphone, it comes equipped with the basics. The headphone jack is present at the bottom alongside the fingerprint sensor at the back. 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Gyro sensor, and a bunch of other necessary sensors also come packed inside the 7.6mm glass back body.
The phone runs on the Android 8.1 Oreo with EMUI 8.2 on top. Since we are talking about the software, the AI features of the interface are all here joined by the much awaited GPU Turbo mode out of the box. There are three color options that include the Black, White, and Iris Purple.
Huawei Nova 3i price and availability
The Nova 3i is priced at around $300 in the international market. But with the new TAX policy in Nepal, the price of Nova 3i in slightly higher at Rs. 38,900. It is available for prebooking from July 28 to August 12. Prebooking is available from daraz.com.np and Huawei authorized resellers.
Since 2017, we have seen almost all the smartphone brands following the bandwagon of slimming the bezels. Since removing the bezels altogether had been a bigger challenge in the smartphone industry, most of the smartphone brands are opting to leave a notch to adjust the front camera, earpiece, and other necessary sensors. Started by Essential PH-1 phone and seconded by the iPhone X, this trend spread like a wildfire. And Nokia seems to be pretty much impressed with this concept in the recent days. A few months back, Nokia revealed the Nokia X6, which had a notch on its display. With a view to expanding its X-series, this time Nokia launched the Nokia X5 aka Nokia 5.1 Plus, which too comes with a notched display and dual camera setup at the back.
Nokia X5 comes in an all-alluring body in a thickness of 8mm and weighing 160 grams. The handset comes with an adorable 5.86-inch display with an infamous notch on the top. The notch is slightly wider than what we see on the Nokia X6, however, the region for this notch expansion has not yet been divulged. Talking about the resolution, the Nokia 5.1 Plus features an HD+ resolution in 19:9 aspect ratio.
Powering the phone is a MediaTek Helio P60 chipset accompanied by either 3GB or 4GB of RAM. Helio P60 is a powerful yet power efficient chipset, which can also be found on the Oppo F7, Oppo F7 Youth, and Oppo RealMe 1. When we review the Oppo F7, the performance offered by the chipset thoroughly impressed us. And we can expect a similar performance from the Nokia X5 too. Talking about the onboard storage, the base variant boasts a decent 32GB and the premium variant enjoys an ample 64GB.
In the photography department, the handset sports a dual camera setup at the back. Nokia had provided only a single camera on the Nokia 5.1 and Nokia 6.1 (Nokia 6 2018). But this time, the smartphone maker has tried to sprinkle a premium handset by providing dual camera on its budget handset. The setup embraces a primary camera of 13MP, f/2.0 supported by a 5MP secondary camera to inject the depth details in the portrait images. And for the selfies, Nokia has equipped an AI-powered 8MP camera on the front. The selfie shooter has the features like AI beauty, AI stickers, AI background blurring effect and dual-view shooting mode also known as ‘Bothie’. Bothie allows users to use the front camera and rear cameras at the same time. It basically embeds the subject information from both the cameras in a single photo. In addition, Nokia X5 will use this selfie shooter while unlocking the handset through the Face Unlock feature.
The Nokia X5 includes a 3060mAh battery and comes in three color variants: namely Blue, Black, and White. On the software side, the phone relishes the Stock or the unadulterated version of the Android Oreo. Google has also promised the Android Pistachio (V9) update to the handset and other regular software patches.
Nokia X5 (Nokia 5.1 Plus) Specifications
Dimensions– 149.51 x 71.98 x 8.0 mm; Weight: 160 grams
Display: 5.86-inch HD+ IPS LCD display, 84% screen-to-body ratio @19:9 aspect ratio
The smartphone entered the Chinese market with the price tag of CNY 999 ($149) for the 3/32GB and CNY 1,399 ($208) for the 4/64GB variant. The handset is available for pre-order in China on the Chinese online retailers like Suning, Jingdong, Tmall and also on the Nokia Mobile app store. The sale will begin at 10:00 AM local time in China.
A lot of appealing features in a budget price segment, the Nokia X5 is obviously a desirable phone even outside China. However, HMD Global has not dropped any information regarding the launch of the handset outside China. However, according to the rumors, the smartphone will supposedly go on sale outside of China in the name of Nokia 5.1 plus.