Page 766 – GadgetByte Nepal

Modified Spotify Premium apks will not work anymore

GadgetByte

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March 6, 2018

Modified Spotify Premium apks will not work anymore

Last night on my way to travel, I fired up Spotify like I usually do. But this time around, the hacked version or the MOD version just refused to open. I am also pretty certain that most of the people actually reading this faced the same thing too.

Also Read: Anchor App: The Gateway to your Audio Entertainment?

How it used to work was, you download some modified version of the app, log in with your free account and wallah, free Spotify premium. It’s not like Spotify didn’t know about the loopholes in their system. They just chose to ignore it all this time, until now.

You Might be Interested in: Things to consider while choosing headphones

Although two days before the modified app stopped working, I did receive an email. You can read it in the screenshot below.

I fully ignore it, until last night. Up until now, Spotify was my main music listening app, with all my playlists and discoveries. I always knew it wasn’t a permanent solution, and it was fun while it lasted.

I fully agree that using a modified version of an app for it’s paid services is bad, but I also don’t have the $9.99/month just for my music needs. So, I am basically back to downloading music from Youtube again, for the time being.

If you are a victim of the same situation, do not worry as your playlists are safe. You just can’t listen to them on your smartphone. On the plus side, Spotify on PC is still working fine, so there is that.

Spotify says it will detect repeated login attempts to these unauthorized apps. And in the worst case scenarios, they will terminate your account, so maybe not use these unauthorized apps again?

Also Read: Top Smartphones for Music Lovers and Audiophiles

A final piece of the story, some users still report their modified apps still work. According to a quick look at GSMArena, it’s the people who were “heavily invested in the extended trials” that are facing the problems.

But with everything as it is, I will subscribe to Spotify premium whenever I can afford it. Maybe now I will finally find five people like me, so I can subscribe to Spotify for Family, which actually totals to just $3 per person. Or maybe just find another modified app and keep continuing my unauthorized experience.

Spotify is a music service that gives you instant access to millions of songs. The best part about them is, you don’t just get access to old and new music but even Nepali artists as well. You can download these songs, listen to them offline and in the highest quality available nonetheless. It’s $9.99 per month or $14.99 for a family of five living at the same location. The first month is free, so do give them a try.

6 Useful Tips to Reduce Computer Induced Eye Strain

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Pratima Adhikari

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March 5, 2018

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6 Useful Tips to Reduce Computer Induced Eye Strain

We are in front of our computers and smartphones all the time. As important as our work is or as enjoyable it is to use these devices, we’ve also got to think things the other way round. There are negative aftermaths of the use of these devices on our physical and mental health that, no matter how much we want, cannot be kept aside.

One of such problems regarding health is what most of us face – the eye strain problem! The problem of eye strain may include annoyances like eye twitching, red and burning eyes, blurred vision, and headache,g among the others.

If all these sounds familiar, here are a few tips that you can consider to reduce your computer eye strain.

Blink frequently:

The easiest of all tips! Long non- blinking phases cause tears to evaporate quickly, hence, placing your eyes at a greater risk of dryness. So, let’s consider being a frequent blinker to keep our eyes moist and hydrated.

The 20-20-20 rule:

What this rule asks you to do is, look away from your screen. The trick is, for every 20 minutes you spend looking at your computer screen, look away from it towards any object 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This is a very effective exercise that will help reduce visual fatigue.

Use proper lighting:

When using your computers or smartphones try avoiding the use of high-intensity overhead lamps that cast shadows. Also, bright light from outside can cause visual strain. Try using floor lamps which will provide indirect lighting. Similarly, try positioning your screen so that windows are to the side, not in front or behind.

Adjust your display and screen settings:

Make suitable changes to the brightness of your device to match the brightness of your surroundings. Similarly, adjust the text size, try not to make it too small. In regards to contrast, black print on a white background is the most recommended for eye solace. For best results, use a blue light filter, i.e. reduce the color temperature for better viewing comfort.

Consider minimizing glare:

Constant glaring at a screen or any finished surface causes eye strain. For remedying this, you can install an anti-glare screen. Also, if possible, try painting plane or light walls to something darker with a matte finish. This will help reduce eye strain to a whole better level.

Think of getting a nerdy look:

What I mean by this is, try wearing computer eye-wear a.k.a glasses. This actually helps a lot to reduce problems relating to eye strain. Computer glasses help optimize your eyesight while looking at digital screens and helps reduce glare. The use of anti-reflective glasses will lessen your troubles regarding eye-strain!

Canon announces EOS 2000D DSLR and EOS M50 Mirrorless cameras

GadgetByte

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March 4, 2018

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Canon announces EOS 2000D DSLR and EOS M50 Mirrorless cameras

Canon has recently announced two entry-level cameras. Among the bunch, the Canon EOS 2000D also known as EOS Rebel T7 is the successor to the EOS 1300D (EOS Rebel T6) DSLR. The other is a mirrorless shooter from the camera maker, dubbed as Canon EOS M50. These cameras are basically targeted for the crowd who takes photos using their smartphones and are planning to unleash their potential via DSLRs.

Also Read: Sony A7 III Launched: A Full-frame mirrorless camera with beastly specs

Canon EOS 2000D (Canon Rebel T17)

The Canon EOS 2000D is a budget-friendly DSLR designed for the beginners who crave to excel their photography skills. The camera comes with a 24MP APS-C size sensor with Digic 4+ image processor. The DSLR has the capability to take images with the ISO range from 100 to 6400. This value can be expanded to 12800 for extreme low light scenarios. Talking about the burst shots, the Canon Rebel T17 can capture at the frame rate of 3fps.

The DSLR features 9 points Autofocus system with a cross-type sensor at the center. The camera features a 3.0 TFT LCD display to preview the images captured. Users can also take some playful and creative shots since the camera incorporates numerous creative filter options. For easy sharing, the camera also comes with Wi-Fi and NFC options.

Canon EOS 2000D (Canon Rebel T17) Specifications

Dimensions: 129.0 x 101.3 x 77.6 mm
Weight: 475 g (Battery and Memory card included)
Effective Pixels: 24.1MP
Total Pixels: 24.7MP
Maximum resolution: 6000 x 4000 pixels
Image processor: Digic 4+
Image sensor: Approx. 22.3 mm x 14.9 mm CMOS
Screen: 3.0 inch (7.5 cm) TFT LCD; 920,000 dots
ISO: Auto, ISO 100-6400, expandable to 12800
Shutter Speed: 1/4000 – 30 secs
Burst shots: 3fps
Self-timer: yes (2 or 10 sec)
Viewfinder: Optical (pentamirror) Type, 95% coverage, 0.8x magnification
Lens Mount: Canon EF/EF-S
Focal Length Multiplier: 1.6x
Image Stabilization: No
Uncompressed format: RAW
Number of focus point: 9
Manual Focus: Yes
Digital Zoom: No
Storage Types: SD/SDHC/SDXC card
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, NFC, USB 2.0, Mini HDMI, Remote control (wired or wireless)
Battery life(CIPA): 500 shots
Price: $549.99 (with 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS II lens)

Also Read: TOP 3 Entry Level DSLRs in Nepal

Canon EOS M50

Mirrorless cameras from Sony come on the market quite often. However, we cannot see the similar moves from the Canon on such a regular basis. And Canon EOS M50 is the first Mirrorless descendant from Canon capable of shooting videos at Ultra-HD (4K) resolution.

This midrange mirrorless camera embraces a 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor. The camera boasts DIGIC 8 processor to keep up the pace with the image processing business. The Canon EOS M50 uses Dual Pixel AF technology for autofocusing. And the camera is capable of capturing the images with the maximum autofocusing capability up to 143 points.

EOS M50 is also the first Canon camera to use the CR3 Raw format. With this format, the camera saves the images allowing for up to 50% smaller file sizes. Talking about the burst mode, the device is capable of taking images at 7.4 fps with continuous autofocus for up to 47 JPEGs or 10 RAW images.

Canon EOS M50 Specifications

Dimensions: 116 x 88 x 59 mm
Weight: 390 g (Battery and Memory card included)
Effective Pixels: 24MP
Maximum resolution: 6000 x 4000 pixels
Image processor: Digic 8
Image sensor: Approx. 22.3 mm x 14.9 mm (APS-C) CMOS
Screen: Fully Articulated, 3.0 inch (7.5 cm) TFT LCD; 1,040,000 dots
ISO: Auto, ISO 100-25600, expandable to 51200
Shutter Speed: 1/4000 – 30 secs
Burst shots: 10fps
Self-timer: yes (2 or 10 sec)
Viewfinder: Electronic Type, 100% coverage, 2,360,000 dots resolution
Lens Mount: Canon EF-M
Focal Length Multiplier: 1.6x
Image Stabilization: No
Uncompressed format: RAW
Number of Autofocus point: 143
Storage Types: SD/SDHC/SDXC slot (UHS-I compatible)
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, NFC, USB 2.0, Micro HDMI, Remote control (via smartphone)
Battery life(CIPA): 235 shots
Price: $779.99 body-only; $899.99 (with EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens) and $1249 (with EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM and the EF-M 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM)

MWC 2018 Review: The best and the worst

GadgetByte

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March 4, 2018

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The Mobile World Congress(MWC), the biggest smartphone showcase in the world has exhibited hundreds of new models of smartphones. MWC 2018 was not the best compared to the previous ones. However, there were many marvelous phones that captured the attention of the audience.

The showstopper of MWC 2018 was Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. Nevertheless, LG, Sony, Nokia, Lenovo, Huawei, and Vivo also had astonishing innovations. Except for the Samsung’s Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus, Vivo Apex, Nokia 8110 were also very captivating. Here are the best and worst of MWC 2018.

The Best of MWC 2018

Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus

This year in MWC, Samsung came up with its new innovation S9 and S9 Plus. S9 and S9 Plus look similar to S8 and S8 plus. However, S9 and S9 plus have nailed all the details. It has variable aperture camera, the premium bezel-less design, and the latest chipset. The speakers are now stereo and louder than before.

Vivo Apex

The bezel-free smartphone’s concept gave an awestruck to the audience. The phone has many new concepts which are very futuristic and advanced like fingerprint sensor integrated within the display, vibrating screen to produce sound without an earpiece. Vivo has also shifted the selfie camera to a pop-up module that extends from the top of the phone.

Nokia 8110 4G

Nokia revived another classic: the 8110 slider phone. The Nokia 8110 phone provides many advanced functions under $100. Nokia 8110 has LTE, Google Assistant and Google Maps, Twitter, Facebook, and Snakes. The phone doesn’t flick open, instead, it has a sliding cover.

Sony XperiaXZ2

Sony has finally caught up the competing companies’ flagships. The Xperia XZ2 has a new curved back design that slims down the bezels above and below the screen. It also comes with wireless charging, a fingerprint sensor on the back, an improved 4K HDR video capture, and stereo speakers. XZ2 offers 19MP camera and also has the super slow motion that captures and record in Full HD at 960fps.

You may also like: Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact

The Worst of MWC 2018

The perishing of the Headphone jack

The standard 3.5 mm headphone jack are literally disappearing. This year, Nokia and Sony both introduced their new flagships without a headphone jack. The wireless industry is currently rolling out the latest and greatest at Mobile World Congress. The 3.5mm jack is currently available only on budget smartphones.

Notches

Many companies like Asus have simply copied the look of the notch in Apple’s iPhone X to present in MWC 2018. Not denying the fact that it boasts very high screen-to-body ratio numbers, but if people wanted to buy an iPhone, they would go for Apple which even has Face ID. The companies in MWC 2018 have only copied the design of the notch rather trying to recreate Apple’s Face ID.

Samsung AR Emoji

To keep up with iPhone and iOS, Samsung released their own AR(Augmented Reality) version Animoji. Although they have an impressive facial scan, the emoji seem very weirdly real. Emojis are usually loved for being funny, playful and animated.

Photo Credit: Wccftech

The buzzword ‘AI’

Although ‘AI’ is a very ongoing buzzword right now. The major use of AI is to detect scenes when using the camera to post-process the image based on the scene, faster language translation and so on. And even though dedicated AI chips have been used in the new smartphones, there aren’t any outstanding functions to showcase. Many companies have used this buzzword to release rehash of the previous flagships in MWC 2018. In other words, the companies have simply overused the word to draw the attention of buyers and consumers.

Read more: MWC 2018 Coverage

Respect and Rise App – A new platform to discover, connect and inspire business

GadgetByte

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March 2, 2018

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Respect and Rise App – A new platform to discover, connect and inspire business

In this 21st century, social media has become a vital part of our daily life. People not only connect with their loved ones but share their experience, ideas and also advertise their business on a large platform using social media apps. Considering how much social media has had an effect on Nepali people, Santosh Sah and Sushil Joshi (Nepali IT professionals) have taken steps to transform Nepali social media. Respect and rise is a new social media app that allows the user to connect to their favorite place to hang out. The application is a platform to discover, connect and inspire business.

The app ‘Respect and rise’ gives a platform to different businesses within social media to promote their products and services. It not only helps to promote the business but also the user. The app also allows you to learn more about cafes, restaurants, and shops near you. It also has a built-in map that guides you to designated cafe or shop which I think is quite useful. This app is mainly made for outgoing people. It also allows us to stay tuned with different offers and deals. You can buy tickets and deals for selected concerts and Respect and rise are currently giving 15% discount for the mega event “Da Bangg tour”.

You can also share your moments and review with friends connected to Respect and Rise. Users can receive discounts up to 15 to 30% at various restaurants and cafes by earning points. While using this app, I felt that it is simple to use and one of the plus points is that it has a lot of extra features. To sum up, I think the app is quite fun and simple which can be quite useful for outgoing people.

About Respect and Rise

Respect Inc is a group of young and innovative Nepali people from inside and outside of the country. After few years of hard work, their highly professional team came up with Respect and Rise. They uplifted the app to act as a bridge between consumers and vendors.

Respect and Rise is only available for Android right now.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ edges out Google Pixel 2 to become the best smartphone camera on DxOMark

GadgetByte

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March 2, 2018

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Samsung Galaxy S9+ edges out Google Pixel 2 to become the best smartphone camera on DxOMark

It has only been a few days since the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S9+, but those few days have been massive for Samsung. Reviewers and analysts have praised the Korean giant for launching a great successor to the Galaxy S8 and Note 8. And now, DxOMark, a company that measures the quality of smartphone cameras, lenses, and cameras as a whole, has said that the new flagship device is the best camera smartphone ever to be tested.

DxOMark’s test measures the quality of a smartphone camera in two major departments – photo and video. The Samsung Galaxy S9+ received a combined total of 99, 104 on the photo department and 91 on the videos department. With the total score of 99, the Samsung Galaxy S9+ has edged out the Google Pixel 2 by one point, the Apple iPhone X and the Huawei Mate 10 Pro by two points, and one of Samsung’s last year flagship, the Galaxy Note 8, by a total of five points.

One might even say that the Samsung Galaxy S9+ has a lower score on the video front. However, it will surely do a great job as 91 is more than just respectable. The score of 91 makes it one of the best video cameras on a smartphone.

It is on the picture side of things that the Samsung Galaxy S9+ shines. According to DxOMark, the pictures it takes have great contrast and exposure level. Likewise, the noise in pictures are “well-controlled” in “all conditions”.

So, the Samsung Galaxy S9+ could be the ideal choice for someone who is into photography and someone who takes a lot of pictures throughout the day. We will be testing out the camera department of the device when it launches here in Nepal. So make sure you follow GadgetByte Nepal.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus Specifications

Display: 6.2-inch Super AMOLED with Gorilla glass 5 (front and back) protection
Resolution: 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 aspect ratio @ 529PPI pixel density
OS: Android Oreo with Experience 9 UI on the top
Chipset: Snapdragon 845 / Exynos 9810
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 64/128/256GB internal storage, Expandable up to 256GB (Uses SIM2 slot)
Rear Camera: Dual: 12 MP (f/1.5-2.4, 26mm, 1/2.55″, 1.4 µm, Dual Pixel PDAF) + 12MP (f/2.4, 52mm, 1/3.6″, 1 µm, AF), OIS, phase detection autofocus, 2x optical zoom, LED flash
Front Camera: 8 MP, f/1.7
Sensors: Iris scanner, fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, heart rate, SpO2
Battery: 3,500 mAh non-removable battery

MWC 2018: Energizer Power Max P16K Pro Smartphone with World’s largest battery Launched

GadgetByte

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March 2, 2018

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MWC 2018: Energizer Power Max P16K Pro Smartphone with World’s largest battery Launched

Energizer (popularly known as Eveready battery company) is known for the batteries it produces. Eveready is a household name when it comes to replacing the batteries.

The French battery giant is now trying its fortune in the smart-phone sector. Recently, at MWC (Mobile World Congress) it announced the launch of three new smartphones under the brand name. The smartphones to be launched are:

1. Energizer Hardcase H590S,
2. Energizer Power Max 490S,
3. Energizer Power Max P16K Pro.

‘Hardcase’ signifies the resistant ones whereas ‘Power Max’ signifies the ones with long-lasting batteries.

Voila! Technology has finally made smartphones that have big batteries. These are probably the biggest among the smartphones available. Excited to find out about these phones? Here we go:

Energizer Hardcase H590S

As mentioned earlier, the Hardcase ones are the resistance ones.

The smartphone has a 5.9-inch display with full HD+ resolution. The screen has a newer 18:9 aspect ratio as it is on trend these days. It consists of corning gorilla glass means a better scratch resistance.

energizer hardcase h590s display — Credits: mobilenet.cz

The IP68 certified phone is water and impact resistant. Within 1.5 meters high fall impact resistant and water resistant for 30 minutes up to 1.5-meter depth. It also claims to be dust resistant.

The phone has dual camera setup in both rear and front. The rear has a combination of 16 and 0.3 MP cameras whereas the front also has a dual setup with 13 and 0.3 MP sensor. Well, the 0.3 MP cameras on both the front and rear cameras are used to provide the depth of field.

energizer hardcase h590s back — Credits: mobilenet.cz

In terms of storage, 6 GB of RAM with 128GB of internal storage is quite impressive. Hardcase is powered by MediaTek MT6763 octa-core processor.

The phone runs on android Oreo 8.0 which is the latest version. It consists of a fingerprint sensor and supports dual SIM and 256 GB SD card slot as well.

Lastly, it has 5800mAh battery. Yes, we were not mocking while we mentioned a large battery.

Energizer Power Max 490S

The power max 490S comes with a 4.9-inch display which is a bit on the practical side. The aspect ratio is 18:9 with 720P resolution.

The phone is powered by MediaTek MT6739 quad-core processor. 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage and expandable 32 GB of external storage puts us off.

This phone consists of dual cameras at the front and backs each. While the rear camera has 8 and 0.3 MP camera the front has cameras with 5 and 0.3 MP cameras each. Sounds like an ancient adaptation in the history of smartphones.

While most of the things put us off on this phone. The battery is great if not extraordinary as it consists of 4000 mAh battery. Still a bigger battery than most of the smartphones these days consist of. It also consists of dual SIM slot and a fingerprint scanner.

Energizer Power Max P16K Pro

Even with the normal use, the phone can provide us with the battery backup of approximately three days. A phone with 16000 mAh battery means business. How can anybody neglect what he has to offer and how much? a phone with such a huge battery and charges within 90 minutes. That just increases the appeal. ‘COOL’ no?

Like the other two phones, the P16K Pro also features an 18:9 ratio screen. 5.59-inch Full HD+ display added.

The smartphone runs on android Oreo 8.0. It is powered by MediaTek helio P23 octa-core processor with 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage.

Like the other two phones, it consists of 4 cameras as well. Two rear and two front. 16 MP and 13 MP each at the back and 13MP and 5MP each at front. The dual-tone dual-LED flash is expected to further enhance the photo taking experience and phase detection Autofocus (PDAF) can be counted on for more stable pictures.

The phone is priced at $500.

For More MWC 2018 Coverage Click Here!

MWC 2018: Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 series chipsets announced

GadgetByte

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March 1, 2018

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MWC 2018: Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 series chipsets announced

In the matter of chipsets powering the Android devices, Qualcomm is quite a leader in the business. And despite the presence of Exynos (Samsung), Kirin (Huawei), and MediaTek processors, Qualcomm is users’ favorite among the bunch. Smartphone manufacturers also have partnered with Qualcomm often times to power their devices with Snapdragon chipsets. And we can see Snapdragon 400, 600, and 800 series chipsets respectively in budget smartphones, midrange handsets, and the top-tier flagship smartphones. Now with a view of bridging the gap between mainstream midrange (600 series) and flagship chipsets (800 series), the company announced the Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 series chipsets at MWC 2018 for the premium-tier devices.

Also Read: Things to consider while choosing smartphone SoC

“The Snapdragon 700 Mobile Platform Series will bring premium tier technologies and features into more affordable devices, something our global OEM customers and consumers are demanding,” said Alex Katouzian, senior vice president and general manager, mobile, Qualcomm Technologies. “From our cutting-edge Qualcomm AI Engine to superior camera, device performance and power, the Snapdragon 700 Series is optimized to support the experiences consumers have come to expect from the most advanced mobile devices at a lower price point.”

Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 Series chipsets: What’s inside?

With a number of variants already existing in the 600 and 800 series chipsets, it was least expected from the Qualcomm to bring a new series of chipsets. However, Qualcomm clarifies this move as an attempt to enhance the potential of the high-tier smartphones, which previously was prevailing only in the 800 series flagship chipsets. With the tremendous advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT), the chipset maker finds it a high time to deliver a superior performance, power efficiency, and AI capabilities even in the affordable handsets. And below are the list of advancements, we can see on the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 series chipsets.

Artificial Intelligence

Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset launched in May last year. The chipset was considered quite capable for the AI needs during that time. Now with new 700 series, Qualcomm promises to deliver 2X improvements over the 660 chipset in terms of AI capabilities. For that, the chipmaker will use multi-core AI Engine. The company has also planned to employ a new architecture and intended to achieve the desired AI performance through heterogeneous computing.

Camera

Even in the photography department, there will be pleasing improvements because of the AI and super slow video capturing potential. And through the Qualcomm Spectra ISP in new chipsets, the company promises to include professional grade camera features.

Also Read: Understanding Camera Terms

Performance and Battery

Employing new architecture in new chipsets, the chipmaker will include Qualcomm Spectra ISP, Kryo CPU, and Adreno Visual Processing subsystem. With this setup, the company has assured 30% improvement in power efficiency over the Snapdragon 660. And there will also be an impressive boost in performance and better battery life. Qualcomm also promises to include Quick charge 4+ in these new chipsets. With this fast charging technology, the smartphone replenishes with 50% charge in a mere time of 15 minutes.

Also Read: Understanding Smartphone Processor Cores

Connectivity

To present the 700 series as the capable chipsets, the company will furnish them with the advanced features of wireless technologies with ultra-fast LTE, carrier Wi-Fi features, as well as enhanced Bluetooth 5.

Availability

The chipmaker hopes to deliver these new chips to the customers within the first half of 2018. So we can expect smartphones with these chipsets to be available at the end of 2018 or in early 2019. And since the most of the features of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 700 series chipsets are still under the veil, we have to wait till the chipset’s launch to discover its full potential.

For More MWC 2018 Coverage Click Here!

MWC 2018: ASUS unwraps four smartphones with Full View display and AI capabilities

Pratima Adhikari

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March 1, 2018

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MWC 2018: ASUS unwraps four smartphones with Full View display and AI capabilities

With various companies are launching their latest offerings at MWC, it seems Asus is no less, as it made the ASUS ZenFone 5 series public yesterday. The phones in the ZenFone 5 series go by the names ASUS ZenFone 5, ASUS ZenFone 5Z, ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite, ASUS ZenFone Max M1. These devices look very sleek in design and have their own vertical camera setup at the back. What else is there to seek about these new releases, let’s have a look.

ASUS ZenFone 5:

Starting with the ASUS ZenFone 5, it is a 6.2-inch giant with 1080p display resolution protected by 2D curved glass. It also features a Snapdragon 636 processor and AI capabilities accompanied by Android 8.0 Operating system. Similarly, the phone features a dual 12MP + 8 MP rear f/1.8 camera with Sony Flagship IMX363 image sensor. The secondary camera is an 8 MP f/2.0 shooter. The camera is said to have AI capabilities.

ASUS ZenFone 5 specifications:

Display: 6.2-inch IPS LCD 1080p display with capacitive touch screen with 18:5:9 aspect ratio
Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 636
Battery: 3,300 mAh non-removable Li-Ion
RAM: 4/6 GB
ROM:64 GB expandable upto 400 GB
OS: Android Oreo 8.0
Rear Camera: 12 MP f/1.8 + 8 MP f/2.0 with geo-tagging, touch focus, dual-LED flash, phase detection, HDR, panorama
Front Camera: 8 MP f/2.0
Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass

ASUS ZenFone 5Z:

Next, in line, we have the ASUS ZenFone 5Z. Like the ASUS Zenfone 5, this one too sports a 6.2-inch IPS LCD 1080×2246 display only with a slight change in protection, which in this case, is Corning Gorilla Glass. The processor on this one is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 2.20 GHz processor which coupled with Adreno 630 GPU.

ASUS ZenFone 5Z specifications:

Display: 6.2-inch IPS LCD 1080×2246 resolution with 18:5:9 aspect ratio
Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 845 with Adreno 630 GPU
Battery: 3,300 mAh non-removable Li-Ion
RAM: 4/6/8GB
ROM:64/128/256 GB
OS: Android Oreo 8.0 with ZenUI 5.0
Rear Camera: 12 MP f/1.8 + 8 MP f/2.0 with geo-tagging, touch focus, dual-LED flash, phase detection, HDR, panorama
Front Camera: 8 MP f/2.0 1080p
Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass

ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite

Next up, ASUS has uncovered the ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite. This is the next impressive device with a 1080p display. There are two versions of processor available, one with Snapdragon 630 and another one with Snapdragon 430 coupled with Adreno 508 and Adreno 503 GPU respectively. Similar to the others on the list, this also comes with Android Oreo out of the box.

ASUS ZenFone 5 Lite specifications:

Display: 6.0-inch 1080p display with 18:5:9 aspect ratio
Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 630/430 with Adreno 508/503 GPU
Battery: 3,300 mAh non-removable Li-Ion
RAM: 3/4 GB
ROM:64 GB
OS: Android Oreo 8.0
Rear Camera: 12 MP f/1.8 + unknown MP camera with geo-tagging, touch focus, dual-LED flash, phase detection, HDR, panorama
Front Camera: 20 MP f/2.0+ unknown MP
Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass

ASUS ZenFone Max M1:

Lastly, there is the ASUS ZenFone Max M1 which is applauded for its high battery capacity. It has a 5.5-inch HD display along with 4,000 mAh battery. It also features Dual rear cameras (one wide-angle) and Snapdragon 430/425 processor with Adreno 505 GPU. This device is available in 3/32 GB storage or 16/32 with 2GB storage. It can give up to 36 hours of talk time.

ASUS ZenFone Max M1 specifications:

Display: 5.5-inch IPS LCD 720x1440p display with capacitive touch screen and 18:5:9 aspect ratio
Processor: Octa-core Snapdragon 636
Battery: 4,000 mAh non-removable Li-Ion
RAM: 2/3 GB
ROM:16/32 GB for 2GB RAM and 32 GB for 3GB RAM
OS: Android Oreo 8.0
Rear Camera: 13 MP f/2.0+8 MP with geo-tagging, touch focus, dual-LED flash, phase detection, HDR, panorama
Front Camera: 8 MP f/2.2
Sensors: Fingerprint, Accelerometer, Proximity, Compass

For More MWC 2018 Coverage Click Here!

MWC 2018: Vivo Apex with highest screen to body ratio and In-screen fingerprint sensor launched

GadgetByte

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February 28, 2018

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MWC 2018: Vivo Apex with highest screen to body ratio and In-screen fingerprint sensor launched

MWC 2018 has paved the way for bezel-less future showcasing near bezel-less displays on every consumer products that come with a display attached. But the bezels are there for a reason as they hold a significant amount of hardware for functionalities. On a smartphone, going bezel-less means finding a different spot for the earpiece, proximity sensor, the ambient light sensor and more importantly the front-facing camera.

Vivo recently showcased a concept smartphone – the Vivo Apex, which has different tricks up its sleeve to handle the shortcoming of a truly bezel-less smartphone.

Vivo-Apex-Concept-Phone-Display-MWC-2018 — Image: Pocket-lint

The Vivo Apex comes with a 6-inch Full HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio. It has one of the highest screen to body ratio of almost 96%. On three sides the bezels measure at 1.8mm while on the bottom it’s 4.3mm. Vivo claims the screen to body ratio of 98% can be achieved if it can bring down the bottom bezels to 1.8mm. Even so, the phone looks absolutely stunning with no ugly notch popularized by the iPhone X.

Also, the use of flexible OLED panel has enabled the manufacturers to fit in a flexible circuit board. So what does it result in? A proximity sensor inside the display that detects whether the phone is idle or picked up. And for the earpiece, Vivo has used Screen SoundCasting Technology which vibrates the display to produce sound. Compared to traditional loudspeakers, this audio solution for bezel-less smartphones conserves power, reduces sound leakage, and optimizes low to high pitch sound for a better and more balanced audio experience.

Vivo-Apex-On-Screen-half-screen-finger-print-sensor MWC 2018 — Image: theverge

Since we are talking about Vivo here – the one that made a huge splash at CES 2018 with the first on-screen fingerprint sensor (Clear ID) in Vivo X20 Plus UD. This time, they have incorporated an even larger optic fingerprint sensor on the display. The sensor occupies almost ⅓ of the display meaning you have more freedom on where to place your finger when unlocking the device. With a large sensor, why do you have to be ordinary and use just one finger to unlock the phone right?

Vivo-Apex-On-Screen-Fingerprint-Sensor-Dual-Fingerprint — Image: Pocket-lint

Well, that’s what Vivo thought and the Apex has been equipped with an option to use two fingers to unlock the device.

With the public’s concern for privacy, the future gadgets seem to be full of hidden cameras. The earlier launched MateBook X Pro kept a front facing camera hidden inside a key on the keyboard. Likewise, the new Vivo Apex has an elevating 8MP front facing camera which is hidden inside the phone. When you switch to the front shooter, the camera pops up and takes about 0.8secs to get ready and take a picture. The camera then goes right back in whenever you switch to rear camera or exit from the camera app. In similar fashion, a big LED flash hidden inside the phone can greatly enhance low light selfies as well. Is there a possibility that elevating camera gets stuck due to system lag or error?

On the side of the elevating camera is the ambient light sensor that usually sits along with the proximity sensor.

As you might have noticed from the pictures, the phone has no navigation bar. Well, that seems like another thing in the smartphone that we have to get used to. For navigation, gestures are used like in the iPhone X. To be more precise, it uses almost all the current gestures of the iPhone X for navigation. The debate of if the back button should be on the left or the right is finally coming to an end on Android!

Vivo Apex also offers headphone jack with dedicated DAC. For DAC it uses Vivo’s new System in Package technology. It eliminates the use of circuit board resulting in more space for battery!

Vivo-Apex-Rear-Camera-Glass-Back — Image: iGyaan

On the rear, the phone sports a glass back and metal frame in between. It also has dual camera setup. Vivo didn’t bother to put an LED flash there since it’s a concept phone.

Bottomline

Vivo has brilliantly showcased unique measures to achieve maximum screen to body ratio without compromising on functionalities. Since it’s a concept phone the choice of internal hardware including CPU and GPU is arbitrary at this point. Then again, it’s a concept device which may or may not see the light of day in the future. But we can hope to see some of these technologies being implemented on future smartphones.