When Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada was going to present the annual budget for the fiscal year 2075-76, everyone was excited. However, the excitement went in vain when he read more of the documents he carried. The displeasure was more pronounced in the Nepali tech industry. Smartphones’ price in Nepal got increased almost in no time due to the cancellation of VAT return convenience. Now another post-budget consequence that lies right ahead of us is the hike in the mobile and internet tariffs.
Ncell’s say on internet price hike in Nepal
As announced by the Minister of Finance, ISPs and telecoms now have to pay 13% Telecom Service Cost (TSC) to the government. So the telecoms and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will surely be going to hike their tariffs. As mentioned on the announcement, TSC will be levied to the Telecoms and ISPs from the Shrawan 1 of 2018 (July 17, 2018) or the from the first day of the new fiscal year.
Executives from the Telecoms and ISPs in agony say that it was announced in the budget without any prior notice or information. Even after the announcement, they even tried to woo the concerned authorities to take back the step. However, the ministry officials remain reluctant for any change in the decision. So the every attempted from the Telecom and ISPs’ officials turned futile. Now the users are on the verge of paying an extra high phone and internet bills in a regular fashion.
Worldlink’s say on internet price hike in Nepal
According to the current statistics from the Nepal Telecom Authority (NTA), the telephone and mobile phone users in Nepal are more than 38.5 million. Also, the broadband internet users have surged at an unprecedented rate and crossed over 14.35 million. And now, all these populations is going to get affected with this price hike.
How much will be the increment?
Here is the general insight of the price hike on the internet and mobile tariffs.
Service
Till July 16
From July 17
TSC Increment
Remarks
Voice Call (NTC, Ncell, Landline)
Rs. 1000
Rs. 1,020
13% (2% Increment)
Internet – Cellular, data, fiber, ADSL, Wireless
Rs. 1,000
Rs. 1,130
13% (2% Increment)
1 minute Mobile call (NTC GSM Prepaid)
Rs. 1.70
Rs. 1.73
+ Rs. 0.03
GSM Mobile Call Charge GSM Post-Paid Re. 1.00 per minute
1 minute Mobile call (NTC GSM Postpaid)
Rs. 1.26
Rs. 1.28
Rs. 0.02
GSM Mobile Call Charge GSM Post-Paid Re. 1.50 per minute
1 minute Mobile call (NTC Ncell)
Rs. 2.50
Rs. 2.55
Rs. 0.05
Sajilo Raiff Rate (Per minute) (inclusive of taxes) Rs. 2.50
1MB Cellular Data NTC (Without Package)
Rs. 1.13
Rs. 1.28
Rs. 0.15
DATA Charges Rs. 1/MB will be charged on GPRS/3G/4G usage (Normal Data without any package)
1MB Cellular Data Ncell (Without Package)
Rs. 3.39
Rs. 3.83
Rs. 0.44
All Prepaid tariff, Internet surfing rate without subscribing any package
Laptops are capable of a lot of things, but most will use it for basic tasks. Most of us will buy a laptop for gaming, or media consumption, but there are a lot of people who just want a laptop that works well, can do text editing, browse the web and take it where ever they go. Well, this one is mostly targeted at those people. The Dell Vostro 5471 is very portable, well-performing laptop with good thermals and a decent display. Continue reading to find out if this laptop is the perfect combination for you.
Specs of Dell Vostro 5471
Display: 14″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution IPS technology
Processor: Intel Core i7-8550U
Graphics Card: AMD Radeon 530
RAM: 8GB DDR4
HDD: 1TB
Weight: 1.6kgs
Battery: 65Whr (load 1h/idle 4h)
Price: Rs 1,00,000
▶️Available at Big Byte, Putalisadak (9851183182)
Build and Design
The looks did succeed to impress me. The 14-inch laptop shows off rounded corners at the edges that don’t go out of notice. The notebook is slim and lightweight which has surely aided my activity of carrying it around every time. Well, I have never had to break a sweat trying to fit it in my bag!
Also, the slim design is something I was happy to show off. The only complaint I have with the design is that the edges are a bit too pointed and if not careful you can get scratches on your hands.
Display
The Dell Vostro 14 5471 features an IPS Full HD display that greets you with excellent viewing angles and a bright and vibrant display. Additionally, you also get an anti-glare feature that helps you prevent possible eye strain. Colours on this device seem bright and vibrant. I have loved watching videos and movies on this device.
Performance
The Dell Vostro 14 5471 is powered by Intel’s 8th generation Core i7-8550U CPU coupled with an independent AMD Radeon 530 graphics card that handles the graphics of this device. Likewise, the 8 GB DDR4 RAM that comes with this device is ample for usage.
On day to day use, I have had no complaints with this device what so ever as this one provided me with speedy performance. Regular works including using Chrome, Microsoft office run like a breeze. I have also run Photoshop on this device and to my surprise, it ran quite smoothly. What was even more surprising is that Photoshop ran quite well with Illustrator running alongside it.
I am not trying to slam the performance of the GPU but even though this is an entry-level graphics processor, demanding applications like Photoshop and Illustrator ran quite well. Up until now, we have reviewed quite a few laptops and what’s common in them is that all of them were gaming laptops. But the Dell Vostro 14 5471 is a bit different because it caters to a different audience.
Gaming performance
All the impressive performance was until I started gaming on this device! The gaming performance of this device is, what I would like to say disastrous. First I played CS-G0, which ran at around 60 fps at medium settings at 1080p resolution. Now, this is not a very demanding game so I had more expectations for the laptop.
Then I tried playing PubG and even at low settings it was unplayable. Then I switched to very low settings and still, the game ran very poorly at around 30 fps. After some time I experienced serious frame drops and the game ran at 15 fps. So, the bottom line is, if there is something this laptop should not be used for, it’s gaming!
Since the Dell Vostro 5471 is not intended for gamers, I will not complain. I was just checking if this one would surprise me, but it didn’t.
Thermals
The laptop did heat up a little, although the surface temperatures never went above 50 degrees at any point, even under the most extreme loads. Under normal usages like Microsoft Word, Chrome and other stuff, the temperatures were totally usable. Neither did the laptop throttle up to a point where it was actually noticeable.
It has a 1TB hard drive, with an option to opt-in for an SSD. The hard disk did not feel slow at any point and app opening time was also fine. I would still put in an SSD for myself, but for the purpose, most will hardly care.
As a business user, you get ample ports for usage at your disposal. There are two UBS 3.0 ports, you get an SD card slot, HDMI port, DP/PD port, etc. So working on this laptop while connecting to other devices or network devices is not a problem. The fingerprint sensor that resides on the power button is just an icing on the cake.
The laptop also has a decent webcam for all the Skype calls and conferences, although selfies lovers will struggle. Similarly, the laptop had decent audio output with two speakers located at the bottom of two sides. With headphones connected, the Vostro 5471 has quality audio output.
Keyboard and Trackpad
Talking about physical usability, the keyboard is something that has impressed me thoroughly. The keys are placed at a good distance from each other making it less probable that you will press the wrong keys. Similarly, the keyboard has two levels of backlit adjustments that you can set in accordance to your preference. So, typing in dark conditions is not a problem with this one. The trackpad, on the other hand, is smooth and responsive.
Battery Life
Talking about battery life, the device gives you good backup for around 4 hours without plugging in the charger. Of course, battery drainage is relative to brightness settings and the type of work you do. So, on a medium level of brightness and regular works, it gave me 4 hours of battery. It’s impressive that the device takes less than an hour to get fully charged.
Conclusion
So if you ask me if business users should get this device, the answer is yes! In terms of looks and usability, the Dell Vostro 5471 delivers good performance. And since it can run Photoshop and Illustrator very well, it may be a good option for photographers who are looking for a portable yet good-looking laptop at a relatively lower price than high-end laptops. The drill here is, this is a good laptop, no doubts on that but I think it’s slightly overpriced. It would have been the best buy for a little bit lesser price tag. But on a serious note, for the gamers out there, this one is a big NO.
If we go down the memory lane, we will remember that back in April 2018, OPPO released the OPPO A3 that consisted of features like the infamous notch and 128 GB of internal storage. Now, OPPO has brought to the market the OPPO A3s which seems to be the slightly downgraded version that comes at a budget price.
It does not seem to be an entirely new device though. Looks like it is the rebranded version of the OPPO A5. However, you get features like a huge 4,230 mAh battery and a display in a 19:9 aspect ratio.
Adding to the features is a dual 13+2 MP camera setup at the back. The device comes with Snapdragon 450 chipset alongside the Adreno 506 GPU. In terms of storage, you get 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, which well, is a lot less than its predecessor! Similarly, you get an 8 MP selfie shooter at the front.
Oppo A3s specifications :
Display: 6.2 inches IPS LCD with 19:9 aspect ratio
Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo with Colors OS 5.1 on top
RAM: 2GB
ROM: 16GB expandable up to 256 GB (dedicated slot)
Chipset: Octa-core 1.8 GHz Cortex A-53
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 450
GPU: Adreno 506
Rear camera: Dual 13 MP f/2.2+ 2 MP f/2.4 LED flash, Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, Panorama
The OPPO A3s has been launched in the international market and is also available in Nepal for a price of Rs. 19490. The phone is available for purchase from mobile retail outlets all over Nepal. It is available in Red and dark purple color.
The Galaxy J4, unlike the new J6 or the A6, comes with a traditional 16:9 aspect ratio with 5.5-inch display size. The resolution is HD 720P, but Samsung has included an AMOLED panel with excellent contrast ratio and punchy colors.
The Galaxy J4 is powered by an Exynos 7570 processor, which we think Samsung should have updated by now. It’s a quad-core processor with Cortex A53 cores based on energy efficient 14nm process. The graphics is taken care by Mali T720MP2 GPU. There are 2 memory version: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM and 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM. Both these version supports a dedicated microSD card with which you can expand the internal memory by up to 256GB.
In terms of camera, the Galaxy J4 has 13MP primary camera with f/1.9 aperture lens and LED flash. The camera performance should be similar to the Galaxy J6. There’s 5MP front camera with LED flash.
Samsung has refreshed the design on the J4 and looks quite similar to the J6 and J7 Duo. It has a smooth finish which looks and feels great in hands. The back is made up of plastic but is not removable. There’s a sealed 3000mAh battery which should provide a day of battery backup.
Connectivity option includes Dual SIM (4G+4G), Wi-Fi b/g/n (no ac), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, micro-USB, FM Radio, and 3.5mm headphone jack. On the software front, the Galaxy J4 runs on Android 8.0 with Samsung experience UI.
Samsung Galaxy J4 Price in Nepal
Samsung has priced the 2GB/16GB version of the Galaxy J4 at Rs. 17,290 and the 3GB/32GB version costs Rs. 20,690. It is available all over Nepal via Samsung retail outlets.
Latest Price: Rs. 14,490 (2/16GB) & Rs. 18,990 (3/32GB) [Last updated on: June 3, 2019]
Samsung Galaxy J4 | Full Specifications
Display: 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD display @267ppi
CPU: 1.4 GHz Quad-core Exynos 7570
OS: Android Oreo (v8.0) with Experience on the top
RAM: 2 or 3 GB
GPU: Mali-T720 MP2
Storage: 16 or 32 GB, expandable up to 256 GB (dedicated slot)
Apple last updated their MacBooks in late 2016, and it was a bit of a disappointment, to be honest. But for this year, it’s finally not the case, packed with the latest and greatest in the world of mobile computers, the new MacBooks are here to dazzle us. For instance, the maxed out MacBook Pro 2018 comes with a Core i9, 32GB RAM, 4TB SSD, 4K display, Radeon Pro 560X, a great built quality as always and will set you back $6,699.
The above mention specs costs are mostly thanks to the $3200 4TB SSD, which is one of the most expensive components you can easily save money on. With that out of the way, you generally get two configurations, the 13-inch, and the 15-inch models. Although only the bigger one gets the dedicated graphics option.
The 13-inch is still available with 7th gen Intel processors, but the newer ones with 8th gen processors start at $1,799. For the price, you get the four core 8th gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, Iris Plus 655 graphics, a retina display with the usual touch bar. This configuration can go all the way up to $3,699, here you will get an i7, 16GB memory and 2TB of SSD.
The 15-inch starts at $2,399 and comes with a six-core i7 processor, 16GB of 2400MHz memory, 256GB SSD and Radeon Pro 555x dedicated graphics. You can then upgrade it out to a Core i9, 32GB memory, 4TB SSD and the Radeon Pro 560X. The thermal performance will be a big question here but seeing how it’s an Apple product, everything should be fine.
The 32GB RAM option and i9 should keep people something to rejoice about, alongside the humongous 4TB of SSD storage. Thanks to which, Apple claims a 70% performance boost over the previous generation. Other than that, you also get the 3rd generation butterfly keyboard, which should be quieter and less prone to the bugs that we saw in the past. The addition of Apple’s T2 Chip is also a nice touch.
The displays on MacBook have always been some of the best ones out there, and this one is no less. The retina display is capable of P3 color gamut and has the same 500 nits of peak brightness. In addition to these features, Apple has come up with something called the True Tone which allows for a much natural viewing experience. Although content creators might want to stay away from this feature while working. Apple is also releasing new leather sleeves in Saddle Brown, Midnight Blue, and Black color options.
Finally, the eGPU, which isn’t a new feature but this time, it comes from Apple itself. This is for people who need the extra oomph in the graphics department. The enclosure comes with a Radeon Pro 580 graphics card, which isn’t upgradable. The enclosure is designed by Blackmagic and comes with four USB 3.0 connectors, HDMI 2.0 port and support of up to two 5k monitors through Thunderbolt 3. This enclosure is supported by both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro.
As always, the prices are pretty high, but justifiable for all the MacBook Pro enthusiasts out there. The GPU enclosure is also a really nice addition, which will encourage more user to opt for the MacBook instead of the iMac. More options or even a user replaceable graphics enclosure would have been better but it’s just how Apple does it. The $699 price tag for the eGPU also makes it sound a bit overpriced but you are getting a seamless easy way to boost graphics performance at least.
After several weeks of rumors, speculations, and leaks, Microsoft has finally launched the Surface Go, a hybrid tablet that runs on Windows. This device is the cheapest offering from the company, and it is set to appeal to the audience with its cheap price tag. However, there are things you will want to know if you are looking forward to buying the Surface Go.
The Microsoft Surface Go isn’t particularly targeted towards a specific group of people. While some of the previous Microsoft releases have been specifically made for someone specific, say a student, this tablet has been designed for someone who is looking for a Windows experience at a cheap price tag.
The Microsoft Surface Go comes in two different variants. First, there is the base variant that has 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of eMMC internal memory and the Intel Pentium Gold processor. There is another variant that offers 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD.
The Surface Go is somewhat a toned-down version of the taller Surface Pro which has been well received by a lot of people. And the company certainly wants to emulate that success with this device. It has been some time since the company cashed in on the hybrid tablets that also second as a computer once the accessories are connected. The Surface Go is just another example of this step from Microsoft. It has already showcased the detachable Keyboard, the wireless mouse, and the pen that is supported by the new device.
However, if you really want to use it as a computer, you will have to add in some cash. The keyboard costs $99 which makes the device’s price $499 and $649. So, basically, it is meant for someone who wants an affordable and portable Windows-running device.
The Microsoft Surface Go sells for $399 for the base variant and $549 for the higher end variant. Microsoft has already confirmed that it’s working on an LTE version of this device. The company will also sell a $99 worth of Type Cover, the $99 Surface Pen and a $35 wireless mouse alongside this device. Pre-orders have already opened, and Microsoft will start shipping this device next month.
Sony already has two smartphones with the name XA2, the regular and an Ultra variant. Today Sony announced their third member of the XA2 family, the Sony Xperia XA2 Plus. It’s a sleeker version of the XA2 Ultra yet features the exact same display size. Sony is marketing this one with the tagline “Designed to Entertain”, so probably targeted at media consumers.
The Sony Xperia XA2 Plus packs a 6.0 inch IPS display with a 78.9% screen to body ratio. Unlike other smartphones, the XA2 Plus does come with the bit of bezel on the top and bottom. Nonetheless, it’s an 18:9 display with FHD+ resolutions, a first for the XA2 lineup. This one also comes with the newest Gorilla Glass 5 protection compared to the GG4 that’s featured on its other siblings.
Other than that, it comes with the usual Snapdragon 630 SoC, but this time with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of expandable storage. The expandable storage uses the second SIM slot, so it’s either 2 SIMs or 1 SIM and 1 MicroSD card. The battery size remains at 3580mAh and it supports fast charging QuickCharge 3.0.
Camera wise it has a 23MP lens which supports ISO 12800 so low light pictures should also come out decent. The back camera is capable of 4k video recording and 120fps slow-motion recording option. As for the front, it’s an 8MP sensor with 120 degree super wide angle selfies and selfie bokeh.
The smartphone also comes with all the premium features like the aluminum frame and metallic finish. The 3.5mm headphone jack also puts out good audio along with an active noise cancellation thanks to a dedicated mic. It’s not an ac wifi, but it does have the latest Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type C and probably a good set of earphones.
The smartphone will be available in Black, Silver, Gold, and Green. Availability is yet to be announced along with the pricing. Judging the smartphone’s hierarchy, it sits between the XA2 and XA2 Ultra, so pricing should also remain between $318 and $389.
Sony Xperia XA2 Plus Specification:
6 inch IPS FHD+ Display
Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor
3GB RAM and 32GB storage, or 6GB RAM with 64GB storage
23-megapixel rear-facing camera with 4K video recording and 120 fps slow-motion records
Huawei, the Chinese smartphone is aggressively releasing smartphones this year. We are already delighted with its wide varieties of handsets released in 2018. Though the smartphone maker is not done yet. It recently launched the Huawei Nova 3. And alongside the handset, the Chinese electronics giant announced a smartwatch. Namely known as the Huawei TalkBand B5 Hybrid, this new smartwatch acts as a fitness-tracking device, which also as a Bluetooth headset.
In terms of display, the TalkBand B5 Hybrid comes with a 1.13-inch AMOLED display with 2.5D glass on the top of it. The display features the resolution of 300 x 160 pixels resulting in a pixel density of 301PPI, which is decent for any smartwatch. The device is said to be touch-sensitive so the users may not have any hard time accessing the features inside of this fitness tracker.
Design wise, the device looks like an ordinary smartwatch/fitness tracker. But what makes the TalkBand B5 Hybrid different is its unique design language, which lets the user pop-out the display. The popped out display then can be used as a Bluetooth earphone. The Bluetooth earphone offers a premium listening experience to the users, as it possesses trip-core audio chip for a high definition voice and two microphones for better noise reduction.
The device weighs 40 grams (excluding the strap) and dimension wise, it measures 58.2 x 23.3 x 12.9mm. Although in its small stature, the device contains a multitude of features. The device supports caller ID, call muting, and speed dial option for quickly calling a person in your contact. Apart from that, the device is IP67 certified making the smartwatch resistant to dust and water.
The TalkBand B5 comes with 512KB of RAM and 16MB of flash memory. This memory is mostly for storing the pre-installed apps since the sideloading of other apps is not possible in this device. Talking about the compatibility of the device with the smartphones, the smartwatch works fine with Android 4.4 and above. In the case of the Apple device, the device is said to work with the iOS version 9 (iOS 9) and above.
Furthermore, this fitness-tracking device is provided with TrueRelax Technology inside of it, which not only analyzes the heart rate variability but also evaluates the stress level. The device is also provided with the Huawei TruSeen 2.0 heart rate tech, which offers 24-hour heart rate monitoring for an accurate measurement of the palpitation of the heart. In addition, the device is also said to possess the sleep tracking technology known as the Huawei TruSleep 2.0. This feature uses cardiopulmonary-coupled dynamics spectrum (CPC) in order to monitor complete sleep structure including REM (deep sleep). With the complete and in-depth analysis of different stages of sleep, the device also presents recommendations to the users to improve their rest time.
The device boasts a 108mAh battery, which Huawei claims to provide 3.5 days of standby time and 6-hours of talk time. And talking about the strap on the device, there are three choices for the Silicone, Leather, and stainless steel all in 18mm size.
This time, Huawei just made the announcement claiming the existence of the device. And during the announcement session, Huawei did not disclose the pricing. However, the device is available for pre-order as of now until the July 19. And from July 20, the device will be available for the purchase. So if you are interested to know about the price, you might probably have to wait till July 20.
Huawei has been increasingly spending more and more on its R&D programs. That coupled with their in-house hardware and software has allowed them to create something called the “GPU Turbo”, which is technically just a software update. Not just that, this GPU Turbo update from Huawei will also bump up their eligible devices with 60% boost in performance while at the same time decreasing power consumption by 30%.
The Chinese smartphone manufacturer announced this new invention a few months back. While now, we can already see Huawei smartphones receiving this feature through a software update. A feature that ramps up the GPU power of an existing device while minimizing power consumption.
The 60% performance and 30% less power consumption are some really high numbers from Huawei. Let alone the fact that these devices will be using the same hardware and will only rely on a simple OTA software update. Generational hardware upgrades don’t boast these types of figures, to begin with.
Huawei Mediapad 5 is the newest device in the long line of tablets and smartphone that will receive the GPU Turbo update. Users of some Honor, Mate, and the P20 series have already been enjoying these performance boosts for a while now. The update, as expected has been said to boost up the performance of the devices and drastically improve their gaming experience.
The fight between the right amount of performance and battery consumption has been going on for a while now. But Huawei claims that they have figured this out thanks to the GPU Turbo. Thanks to their in-house Kirin chipset, in-house software and a lot of R&D was this made achievable. So, this comes as no surprise that only the Huawei devices will enjoy these benefits.
Although not all of them will, they have listed out a bunch of products that are eligible for this update, as well as their OTA update arrival dates. What this update will bring to the real-life situation is more fps in graphically demanding games. It will also bring HDR picture quality and a lot of special effects in gaming. This will improve the overall gaming experience on mobile Huawei devices drastically.
It’s always good to know that our favorite smartphone brand is offering discounts. This time around, Samsung surely seems to be in a generous mood as it is proving a cashback of Rs.3000 on every purchase of Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo. The J7 Duo is currently available for Rs. 28,990. However, this attractive Monsoon offer is valid from 10th July 2018 to 17th of July, 2018 only! So, for those thinking to get the device, it’s your chance to grab the opportunity and take advantage of the price drop.
As mentioned earlier, the device now comes for Rs.3000 less, i.e. it now is available for Rs. 25,990 for a week this Monsoon season. For those who have already bought it, well, you got the device at the wrong time 😉
The Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo is yet another member of the mid-range J7 series by Samsung. So, what does the device constitute? You are greeted by a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The device is available in two color variants, Gold, and Black. On the storage front, this smartphone comes 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory which is expandable up to 256 GB via a dedicated microSD card slot. The Samsung Galaxy J7 Duo has a fingerprint scanner on the front portion. Similarly, you get only HD display. On the brighter side, you can get an optimized battery life because the device only has to support an HD display.
Samsung Galaxy J7 Do Specifications:
Display: 5.5-inch Super AMOLED 720P display, 16:9 aspect ratio
Chipset: Exynos 7885
CPU: Octa-core (4 X 1.56Ghz Cortex A53 + 4 X 1.6Ghz Cortex A73)
GPU: Mali-G71
OS: Android v8.0 Oreo
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 32 GB, expandable up to 256 GB (dedicated slot)
Rear Camera: 13MP + 5MP with f/1.9 aperture, LED flash
