Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 Review: A Fancy Midrange Phone

GadgetByte

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April 11, 2017

Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 Review: A Fancy Midrange Phone

Samsung, the Korean giant that already has a good standing on budget and flagship ranges with its Galaxy J series and Galaxy S series smartphones wants to take over in the midrange segment with the introduction of Galaxy A series smartphones starting from last year. This A series phones have got a second iteration this year and for last two weeks, we’ve used the Samsung Galaxy A7 2017, the latest and greatest phone in this lineup. Here’s what we think about the device and let’s find out where this big screen water resistant phone stands against its competition.

Design:

Starting with the design, it is where the phone easily surpasses the competition. The glass-clad phone with metal all around it seems to borrow the design language right from the company’s last year’s flagship the Galaxy S7. The phone is premium to look at and hold. The curved glass at the back does aid in providing good grip while using the device. The phone is truly a fingerprint magnet so get ready to rub your phone against your cloth every now and then. Design-wise, this is the fanciest mid-range phone that we’ve reviewed so far.

Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 is priced at Rs. 54,900 in Nepal.

On the back, the phone is all clean with Samsung logo below the back camera and the flash. Thankfully, the phone doesn’t have a camera bump and lays flat on the table. On the front, the phone looks like a chunk of glass with big screens, thin borders, and obvious head and chin. The head has the proximity sensor, metal earpiece, and the front camera. The chin has a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button with backlit capacitive buttons on the side. The phone has a tray for sim2 and micro SD card and a secondary mic on the top. On the right, it has a loudspeaker and the power button. Micro USB type C, primary mic, and the 3.5mm headphone jack are placed on the bottom edge. And, the volume rockers and the sim1 tray are placed on the left edge.

Display:

The A7 2017 has a big 5.7inch Super AMOLED Full HD display that has deeper blacks and great contrast. The colors are well saturated and do pop out like every other Samsung OLED displays. But if you’re coming from an LCD screen this might look a bit artificial to you and you can get the colors that you’d rather prefer by setting the screen mode to the “basic”. The viewing angles are super wide and the display is pretty bright and I had no issues while using the device outdoors. The display is protected with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 but still, I got few unintentional scratches on them so I would suggest you to apply some screen protection to the display just to play it safe.

Performance:

Now, it is in the performance where the phone doesn’t keep up with the competition both on paper and in real life use. That said, the phone that is powered by Exynos 7880 Octacore CPU and coupled with 3GB RAM is no super slow or anything. The app loading times aren’t that long and the phone is capable of running graphics intensive games as well. But it is when I tried switching the apps that were opened a while ago, the device took much longer than other phones in the same price range would do.

Galaxy A7 2017 Benchmark Scores (Antutu and GeekBench 4)

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And, there were a few times when the device didn’t respond to the touches but I’m still not sure if it’s the display issue or the device issue. I played few games like Modern Combat 5 and Asphalt 8 and I wasn’t disappointed with its gaming performance. Plus, the phone didn’t have any heating issues even in my prolonged gaming sessions. Like the J7 prime, the loudspeaker is placed at the right top edge and is now less likely to be covered while gaming but I’ve used phones from same price range with much louder and richer loudspeaker. Lastly, the fingerprint sensor’s performance is sub-par and is not so impressive.

Software/UI:

The phone runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow but the real sweetness is the Grace UX that is minimalistic and flashy at the same time. The slightly rounded icons look pleasing to the eyes and the interface is much lighter and faster. The colored icons in quick settings to represent what is on and what is not are a welcome edition as well. What I liked the most are the grouping of notifications it does, and the split-screen mode that can be enabled by long pressing the recent app button.

Grace UX (screenshots)

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Camera:

It is when using the cameras the phone started to win my heart again. The phone houses 16MP, f1.9 units both on the front and the back that take 4:3 photos in full megapixel and 16:9 photos in 12megapixels. The primary camera focuses really fast and the photos come well-detailed with a little of over-saturation. The Camera app is much cleaner and comes with different modes and filters, that can be accessed by swiping from left and right respectively. The floating camera app button and swiping vertically on the camera app to switch cameras are other cool features. You can take 30 burst photos both from the front and the back by long pressing the shutter. The front cameras are on point in reproducing right skin tone and the selfies can be tuned to look even better by different beautification options like skin tone, skin smoothing, and large eyes.

Camera Samples

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Coming to the videos the phone can shoot 1080p videos at 30fps at the highest both from the front and the back. Though the phone has an option for software video stabilization, the camera unit doesn’t have Optical Image Stabilization and that can be felt while trying to shoot videos while walking. Coming to where the camera suffers the most, it is under the low-light conditions when the photos come too noisy with lots of grains in them.

Connectivity and Sensors:

For wireless connectivity, the phone comes with Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac with dual-band support and Bluetooth 4.2. Other sensors used in the phone are GPS, NFC, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, and barometer. The phone supports Dual 4G SIMs and a microSD card. The Wi-Fi networks and data were stable and I had no problems while calling. The call quality was excellent, so was the audio coming out from 3.5mm headphone jack. The volume of the earpiece is already loud and in the case of hearing aid needed while on a call, there is an option for “extra-volume” from the earpiece as well.

Battery:

Comparing with the phones in similar price range based on the battery performance, Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 is without a doubt a definite winner. The phone with 3600mAh battery gave me an insane battery life worth a full day even in my heavy usage. If you want to enhance the already good battery life then you could do so by turning off the always on display that drained the battery a little faster during the time of my review. In last 10days, I’ve charged the phone for 7 times in total.

Battery Performance

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Verdict:

The Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 isn’t the right phone for everyone. It’s for those who prioritize looks over performance. If you need a water resistant phone to address your multimedia needs and that lasts longer on a single charge then it’s the phone for you. But if you want a phone with the performance worth the price then you should be looking somewhere else.

Samsung Galaxy A7 2017 Gallery

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What I liked the About Samsung Galaxy A7 2017:

The first and foremost thing is undoubtedly the battery life. It feels amazing to be carefree about your battery life when it lasts for two whole days.
Then comes the flagship grade design in a midrange phone. It’s easily one of the great looking phones in this price range.
Having a phone with IP68 certified water and dust resistance makes me feel confident to use my phone even in dusty roads of Kathmandu and while raining.
This phone has an impressive display that has good contrast, great colors and amazing outdoor visibility.

What I Disliked About Samsung Galaxy A7 2017:

The performance of the phone is sub-par as compared that of phones in similar price range. That way, the performance doesn’t seem to do justice to the price tag of the phone.
The second disappointment from this phone is its fingerprint sensor which isn’t as fast and accurate as that of the phones in similar price range.
Since it’s a phone of 2017, it was expected to be running on Android Nougat out of the box but it doesn’t.

If you weren’t impressed by the Samsung Galaxy A7, Here are some other options you can consider:

OnePlus 3T

Priced at Rs. 54,900, the OnePlus 3T sports a 5.5-inch 1080P Optic AMOLED display with 2.5D curved Gorilla Glass 4 protection. It houses a 16MP (f/2.0, Sony IMX298 sensor, OIS, 4K) rear and 16MP (f/2.0, Samsung 3P8SP sensor, PDAF, 1080p) front cameras. It is powered by Snapdragon 821 processor, 6GB RAM, and 3400mAh battery. It is running on Oxygen OS based on Android 6 Marshmallow and is upgradable to Android 7 Nougat.

Oppo F3Plus

Another great device in the same price range is the Oppo F3Plus that sports 6inch 1080p IPS LCD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It houses a 16MP (f/1.7, dual phase detection autofocus, OIS, dual tone LED flash) rear and dual 16MP + 8MP (wide angle) front cameras. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 653, 4GB RAM and 4000mAh battery. The phone boots on ColorOS 3.0 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

Samsung Galaxy S7

After the recent price cut, the last year’s Samsung’s flagship, the Galaxy S7 now falls on near-to price range and is another device to be considered. The phone is now available to buy on Rs. 57,900. The phone sports a 5.1-inch QHD (1440 x 2560 pixels) Super AMOLED display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4. It houses a 12MP, f/1.7 rear and 5MP, f/1.7 front cameras. It is powered by Exynos 8890, 4GB RAM, and 3000mAh battery. The phone boots on Android 6 Marshmallow but is upgradable to Android 7 Nougat.

Infocus M535 Review: All About Looks

GadgetByte

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April 10, 2017

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The increasing number of smartphone companies in Nepal has resulted in more number of devices releasing in each and every price segment. We have been witnessing the release if some great smartphones. But while doing so, manufacturers have now started selling some old pieces of hardware. Not saying it’s a bad thing or anything since we are getting to see some great devices at a cheaper price. Doing the same thing is Infocus, as the American company has released the Infocus M535, more than a year old device.

Priced at Rs. 17,490 (2GB) and Rs. 19,990 (3GB), according to the variant you purchase, I got to play with the device for a week. And here is my verdict.

Key Specs of Infocus M535:

5.5-inch IPS display, 720 x 1280 pixels
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 upfront
MediaTek MT6735 SoC;
Quad-core processor with 1.5GHz clock speed
Mali-T720 GPU
Android v6.0 Marshmallow with InLife UI
2GB/3GB RAM
Internal Storage: 16/32GB
Expandable Storage: Up to 64GB
Rear Camera: 13 MP, LED flash
Front Camera: 8 MP
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1
Sensors: accelerometer, gyro, proximity
2600 mAh Non-removable battery
Price: Rs. 17,490 / Rs. 19,490

DESIGN

These days even the lower-end smartphones feature metallic back, and the Infocus M535 is no different. The device comes in a metal back that is bordered by two plastic bands. The metal back of the device feels premium, but the review unit we received has somewhat of a bulged out plastic band which makes a lot of that ‘Kiiirrrkkkkk’ noise when pressed.

On the plastic back up top, a rear-facing camera sits along with an LED flash. There’s a company branding on the metal. Up front, the device features a 5.5-inch display with some rather larger bezels at the top and bottom. The large bezels have made the device look a bit bland. On the top is an earpiece, a few sensors and a front-facing speaker.

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The power button, the volume rockers, and the SIM slots sit at the sides. One issue I had with the volume rockers is that they are placed a bit higher than what I am used to. The SIM and microSD card slot is placed right above the power button. Down below, there is a single bottom firing speaker and a microUSB connector. Oh, and the device does come with a headphone jack.

DISPLAY

Like the devices of its price range, the Infocus M535 sports an HD display. The IPS display measures 5.5-inch and come with the resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels.

Unlike the Epic 1, the last Infocus device I reviewed, the M535 has no ugly black band around the display. Right off the box, the display looked bright. But once I streamed a HD video on the device, I realized that it lacked the sharpness and vibrancy. I had expected a bit more from the display even though it comes with a 720p resolution. The gaming experience is nice on the large display, but again, it lacked the sharpness, and wasn’t all that colorful and saturated. The viewing angle of the device is good and the gaming experience is decent, though.

SOFTWARE

Software wise, the Infocus M535 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box with InLife UI on top. Even though I am aligned towards stock UI, I had no problem using Infocus’ skin. I, however, decreased the animation scale of the device as the software felt a bit slower for me.

But it does come with a few bloatware which I didn’t actually use. One of the best features of my primary smartphone is the inclusion of different gestures. But I missed those gestures dearly when the M535 became my primary device for a week. Nonetheless, the software experience of the M535 is good and lag free.

PERFORMANCE

On to the performance, the Infocus M535 is powered by a Quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor with the clock speed of 1.5GHz. The SoC is coupled with Mali-T720 GPU and 2GB or 3GB of RAM, according to the variant you purchase.

The device sometimes lagged when I had tons of apps running in the background. Other than that, I had no issues with the performance of the device.

HARDWARE

On the hardware side, the Infocus M535, like I already mentioned, comes with a single bottom firing speaker. It is average and not that very loud, but it gets the job done, nonetheless. One problem with speakers at the bottom is that it gets covered easily while using a device in a landscape mode. And I had the same issue with M535’s speaker.

Being a two year old device, it comes with a microUSB v2.0 port for connectivity and charging. Alongside the charging port is a primary mic. There is a secondary mic on the top which really helps in background noise cancellation.

The Infocus M535 ships with 16GB of onboard storage with an option to expand it up to 64GB via a microSD card slot.

CAMERA

The Infocus M535 is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. In a well-lit environment, the pictures from the camera come out decent. It, however, lacks the proper sharpness and color reproduction. Like every other smartphone of its price range, the camera of the device suffers under low light. The pictures come out way too noisy and grainy.

The front-facing camera of the Infocus M535 measures 8-megapixels. Before anything, I would like to mention the unusual lines that appear when taking selfies in the night time. I don’t really know what those lines are but it really tells us all about the camera quality of the device. Under ample lighting, the front camera takes decent social media ready selfies.

The camera app comes with some gestures for taking pictures. But I would have liked it if Infocus had concentrated on the camera quality rather than these gimmicky features.

CONNECTIVITY

The device comes with dual Nano-SIM slots with only one slot supporting 4G connectivity. It also supports memory expansion through a microSD card slot. Then 16GB of onboard storage can be expanded up to 64GB. During calls, people didn’t really complain about the call quality. Also, the inclusion of a secondary mic has helped in making the call quality a bit better.

The Infocus M535 has a Gyro sensor for an excellent VR experience. It, however, lacks a fingerprint sensor. Other connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, WiFi Direct, hotspot, Bluetooth 4.1

BATTERY

The Infocus M535 houses a small 2600mAh battery. Since the device features a 720p display, I had expected the battery to last a bit longer even if it was a tad bit smaller. But I only got around 3.5-4 hours of screen-on-time under heavy usage. My usage included gaming, internet browsing and calling. Even with moderate use, the battery didn’t last all day. So, you will have to carry around your charger if you intend to buy this phone.

The device has no fast-charging option. There is, however, a power saver option which increases the battery life slightly.

Conclusion

The trend of smartphone manufacturers and distributors releasing devices has brought forward a massive competition. Infocus surely realized that and launched the Infocus M535 here in Nepal. But since it is a two-year-old piece of tech, you might not actually find some of the newer features in the device.

All in all, the Infocus M535 is a midrange device that offers good design and bigger display for your multimedia needs. If good looking design and a bigger display are your priority, this would be a right choice. However, if you want a better performance, better camera, and better battery life, you should be looking somewhere else.

IF YOU’RE WEREN’T IMPRESSED BY THE INFOCUS M535, HERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS YOU CAN CONSIDER:

Huawei GR5 Mini

Priced at Rs. 19,999, the Huawei GR5 Mini packs a Octa-core Kirin 650 processor with 2GB of RAM. It sports a 5.2-inch full HD display. A large 3,000 mAh battery backs the device.

Xiaomi Mi4

The Xiaomi Mi4 sports a 5-inch 1080 x 1920 pixels display which is cloaked by Gorilla Glass 3. It is powered by a Quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor with 2.5GHz processor. The SoC is aided by Adreno 330 GPU and 3GB of RAM. The Xiaomi Mi4 is available at Rs. 17,999.

ZTE Blade V7 Lite

The Zte V7 Lite comes in a metal body. The device is powered by a Quad-core MediaTek MT6735P processor with 1.0GHz clock speed. It features a fast fingerprint scanner.The 13MP back and 5MP front camera is also decent considering the price of Rs. 17,390.

Top upcoming smartphones in Nepal [April 2017]

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GadgetByte

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April 9, 2017

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Top upcoming smartphones in Nepal [April 2017]

2017 has been a great year for the smartphone world. The year started with HMD Global launching a Nokia branded smartphone, Huawei releasing its flagship and Samsung opting for a larger display and aspect ratio. And even greater news, most of the top-tier smartphones launched internationally will soon be available in Nepal. So today, we have made a list of the top smartphones that the Nepali smartphone market will soon see.

Nokia 6

Nokia made an epic comeback this year with the release of the Nokia 6 and the Nokia 3310 among others. The Nokia 6 is a budget smartphone that comes with a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display with the resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (403 ppi). The display has a Gorilla Glass 3 protection. Under the hood, the device is powered by an Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor. The processor is coupled with Adreno 505 GPU and 3GB of RAM. It runs on Android v7.0 and also features Google Assistant. Camera wise, the Nokia 6 houses a 16-megapixel primary camera and an 8-megapixel secondary camera. It comes with a front-mounted fingerprint sensor. A good 3,000 mAh battery backs up the device.

Nokia 6 is rumored to arrive in Nepal in the end of April via Paramount Electronics Pvt. Ltd, its authorized distributor in Nepal. We are yet to receive a word on its pricing. I am very excited to see this new and revamped Nokia smartphone hitting the Nepali market. It is a device to watch as Nokia was once a beloved brand of the Nepali people.

Nokia 6 in a nutshell:

5.5-inch IPS LCD full HD display
Rear Camera: 16MP with f/2.0 aperture
Front camera: 8MP with f/2.0 aperture
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor
Octa-core CPU
Adreno 505 GPU
Android v7.1.1 Nougat
3GB of RAM
Internal Storage: 32GB
Expandable Storage: Up to 128GB
Fingerprint scanner
Google Assistant
3000 Non-removable battery with fast charging

Huawei P10

Huawei’s flagship for 2017, the Huawei P10 was released last month internationally. The device packs a smaller-than-average 5.1-inch display. The IPS-NEO LCD display features a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and it is covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Software wise, the Huawei P10 runs on Android v7.0 Nougat with Emotion UI 5.1 on top. It is powered by an Octa-core HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor and Mali-G71 MP8 GPU. The device comes with 4GB of RAM.

On the photography side, the P10 is equipped with a dual camera lenses measuring 20-megapixels and 12-megapixels with f/2.2 aperture and Leica optics. The front-facing camera is of 8-megapixels. A 3,200 mAh battery runs the show for the Huawei P10.

Regarding the launch date of the P10, Huawei could release the device this April’s end here in Nepal. In the international market, the Huawei P10 is currently priced at $685. We can expect the price to rise when it is launched here in Nepal.

Huawei P10 in a nutshell:

5.1-inch (1080 x 1920) display with 2.5D curved glass and Gorilla Glass 5 protection
EMUI 5.1 on top of Android 7.0 Nougat
HiSilicon Kirin 960 Chipset
Octa-core (4×2.4 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A53) CPU
Mali-G71 MP8 GPU
4GB RAM
64GB Internal Storage, Expandable up to 256GB
Dual 20 MP(Monochrome) + 12 MP(Color), f/2.2, OIS, Leica optics, phase detection autofocus
8MP Front Facing Camera with f/1.9 aperture
USB Type C
Fingerprint Sensor
Non-removable Li-Ion 3200 mAh battery with SuperCharge fast-charging

Moto G5 and G5 Plus

Moto devices have been a hit in the international smartphone market, especially the smartphones of the G-series. They are proper ‘bang-for-budget’ devices. And finally, after years of waiting, Lenovo is finally bringing Moto phones in Nepal. LifeCom, the authorized distributor of Lenovo in Nepal is set to launch the Moto G5 and G5 Plus in the near future.

The G5 has a 5.0 inch and the G5 Plus has a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS display. Processor wise, the G5 comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor with the clock speed of 1.4GHz whereas the G5 Plus features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC with 2GHz clock speed. a 13MP rear and 5MP front camera. Buyers of the Moto G5 will get to choose between 16 or 32GB of internal storage which features 2GB and 3GB of RAM respectively. As for the G5 Plus, buyers will get to choose from two storage variants, 32GB of 64GB. The 32GB version comes with 3GB of RAM and the 64GB version comes with 4GB of RAM. Running the show for the G5 and G5 Plus are 2,800 mAh and 3,000 mAh battery respectively.

We are yet to receive any news on its pricing in Nepal.

Moto G5 in a nutshell:

5.0-inch 1920×1080 IPS display
Android 7.0 Nougat
13-megapixel rear camera(dual-LED flash)
5-megapixel wide-angle front camera
Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor
2GB/3GB RAM
16GB/32GB storage
Up to 128GB microSD storage
2800mAh removable battery (fast charging support)
Micro-USB charger port
Dual-SIM support
Android 7.0
Fingerprint sensor

Moto G5 Plus in a nutshell:

5.2-inch 1920×1080 IPS display
Android 7.0 Nougat
12-megapixel dual camera (claimed to be better for low-light photos)
4K video recording, f/1.7 aperture
5-megapixel wide-angle front camera with auto-HDR
Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor (with TurboCharging)
2GB/3GB/4GB RAM
16GB/32GB/64GB storage
Up to 128GB microSD storage
3,000mAh battery
Micro-USB charger port
Dual-SIM support
Splash-proof coating
Android 7.0
Fingerprint sensor

Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

It hasn’t been long since Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S8 and S8+ internationally. But the company is already at its work as it has been rumored that the devices will be available for pre-order starting April 19 here in Nepal. The devices will probably run you Rs. 79,999 and Rs. 89,999 respectively.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ come in a 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch display with minimal bezel at the top and bottom. These devices will be powered by Exynos 8895 in the Nepali version. International version, however, houses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The processor of the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will be coupled with 4GB of RAM.

Optics wise, the devices feature the same 12-megapixel rear-facing camera and 8-megapixel front-facing camera that has selfie-autofocus functionality. Decent 3,000 and 3,500 mAh batteries back up the Galaxy S8 and S8+ respectively.

Gionee A1

If you have been following the Nepali smartphone market’s news, you have probably already come across some articles or post relating to Gionee A1’s release in Nepal. We here at Gadgetbyte Nepal have already written our first impressions using the device.

The Gionee A1 sports a 5.5-inch AMOLED display with the resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and 401 pixels per inch. The Corning Gorilla Glass cloaking it ends in a 2.5D arc. Underneath the hood, the device houses an Octa-Core MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10 processor, a Mali-T860MP2 GPU and 4GB of RAM. Storage wise, the device packs 64GB of onboard storage with an option to expand it up to 128GB.

The Gionee A1 runs on Android v7.0 Nougat with Gionee’s very own Amigo OS 3.5 on top. The Chinese company has invested on people’s interest on selfies as the A1 is equipped with a 16-megapixel front-facing camera. At the back, the A1 has a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with f/2.0 aperture, just like the front camera.

A large 4,010 mAh battery featuring fast charging lights up the device. The expected price of the Gionee A1 is Rs. 35,000, and since the international pricing of the device is €349, the pricing of the device in Nepal is really commendable. Also, ‘pre-bookers’ of the device will get JBL Go speaker for free.

Gionee A1 in a nutshell:

5.5-inch (1920× 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS 2.5D curved glass display
Gorilla Glass 3 on the front; Full Metal body on the back
1.8 GHz Octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor with Mali T860 GPU
4GB RAM, 64GB Internal memory, expandable memory up to 128GB with micro SD
Android 7.0 (Nougat) with Amigo OS 3.5
Dual Hybrid SIM (4G + 4G)
13MP rear camera with LED flash, PDAF, f/2.0 aperture, 1/3.0+” sensor, 5P lens
16MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, 1/3.06″ sensor, 5P lens, selfie flash
Fingerprint sensor (embedded on the home button)
3.5mm audio jack, Waves MaxxAudio
Dimensions: 154.5 x 76.5 x 8.5mm; Weight: 182g
4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 /a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS
Gyro Sensor
4010mAh battery with fast charging
Color Option: Black, Gold, and White

Infocus M812i with Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB RAM Set to Launch in Nepal

infocus

Yural Maskey

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April 9, 2017

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Infocus M812i with Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB RAM Set to Launch in Nepal

Prism Technologies, the sole authorized distributor of Infocus smartphones in Nepal, is all set to launch their older flagship M812i before the end of April. The M812i is more than a year old smartphone from Infocus and it is expected to launch in Nepal for a price of Rs. 23,000. The phone is currently priced at INR. 13,000 in India.

The Infocus M812i features a unibody aluminum design and looks similar to the iPhone 6s. It has a 5.5-inch FullHD IPS LCD Display and is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm snapdragon 801 processor alongside 3GB of RAM. Although the Snapdragon 801 processor is a year old processor, it is a capable one compared to existing SOCs at this price segment. Storage wise, it has 16GB ROM with microSD support upto 128GB.

The Infocus M812i has a 13MP back camera with continuously flashlight shot, 4x digital zoom, aperture 2.0, and dual tone LED flash. Up front, it has an 8MP camera. Fueling the phone is a non-removable 2900mAh battery. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Inlife UI layered on top.

The Infocus M812i is a dual SIM phone with 4G LTE support. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth, WiFi Hotspot, FM radio, and GPS. It also has all the important sensors such as Accelerometer, eCompass, and Gyro. Since the phone has an aluminum build, it has a heft into it as it weighs 183gms. However, it is sleek at 7.7mm.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 and 12.5 Launched in Nepal

GadgetByte

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April 8, 2017

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Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3 and 12.5 Launched in Nepal

With the start of the Mi Festival, we saw a bunch of deals and offers along with some new product launches. What caught our attention was the Mi Notebook Air. Based on the queries we received, I assume a lot of us were waiting for this device to launch. Now, both the Mi Notebook Air 13.3 and 12.5 are officially here in Nepal.

Mi Notebook Air is an ultrabook that looks sleek and aesthetics wise is similar to MacBook. The only thing that says it’s a Mi Notebook is the Mi branding on the front instead of the MacBook branding. Ultrabooks are perfect for those needing a light and portable computers for their daily work. Among the two, the smaller 12.5inch Mi Notebook Air is the lighter one but the weight difference between the two isn’t that significant.

Mi Notebook Air 12.5

Mi Notebook Air 12.5, as the name suggests, comes with a 12.5 inch Full HD display(1080 x 1920) with the pixel density of 176ppi. The ultrabook weighs just 1.07kg with aluminum construct making it lighter than the Macbook Air.

It comes with 4 ports altogether, one USB C port for charging and data syncing, one HDMI Port, one USB3.0 port, and a headphone jack. For an ultrabook that’s adequate ports, but there could have been more(an SD card slot). The USB C port supports 4K at 30Hz for external displays. You also get a full-size trackpad without buttons. It is running on Windows 10 Home Edition.

Powering the Air 12.5 is the 6th Generation Intel® Core™ m3 Dual-Core Processor (Skylake m3-6Y30) which has the base frequency of 900MHz and maximum Turbo Frequency of 2.20GHz. For graphical performance, it comes with Intel ® HD Graphics 515 integrated graphics with the base frequency of 300MHz and a maximum frequency of 850MHz. It comes equipped with 4GB of RAM and cannot be upgraded. For Storage, it has a 128GB SSD.

On the connectivity side, it has 802.11/ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1. For video calling, it comes with 1MP Camera upfront. Backing up this ultrabook is a 600Wh / L 37 watts battery. It can last for 6 to 7 hours of usage.

Mi Notebook Air 12.5 Price in Nepal

Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5 carries a price tag of Rs.84,999 in Nepal. This price is for the 4GB RAM and 128GB SSD variants.

Specifications of Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 12.5

Weight	1.07kg
Display	12.5 ″ FHD full HD 276.5mm × 155.6mm
Resolution	1080 x 1920 (176 PPI)
Contrast ratio	600: 1
Border and screen proportion	5.71mm 78.6%
Processor	Intel ® Core ™ m3
Highest frequency	2.2GHz
Graphics card	Intel ® HD Graphics 515 integrated graphics
RAM	4GB
SSD	128GB SATA
Camera	1MP camera 1280 x 720 video calls
Audio	Realtek ALC233 AKG Customised dual speaker
Video output	USB Type-C and HDMI supports 1080p resolution ( 60Hz) 4K resolution (30Hz)
Cache	4MB
Battery type	Lithium-ion polymer battery
Battery capacity	600Wh / L 37 watts
Battery performance	Online video playback 9.5 hours Local video playback 7.5 hours Web browsing 7.5 hours
Operating System	Windows 10
Wireless	Wi-Fi 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible maximum speed up to 867Mbps
Bluetooth	4.1
Interface	USB Type-C x 1 USB 3.0 x 1 HDMI port x 1 3.5mm jack x 1

Mi Notebook Air 13.3

Mi Notebook Air 13.3 is pretty similar to its smaller sibling but with a slightly big footprint. It also comes with a Full HD display (1080 X 1920 ) with the pixel density of 166PPI. This ultrabook is still lighter than the Macbook Air weighing just 1.28Kg. It comes with all the similar ports as the 12.5 version. It has one USB C port for charging and data syncing, one HDMI Port, two USB 3.0, ports, and a headphone jack and again without an SD Card reader. The USB C port supports 4K at 30Hz for external displays.

Powering the ultrabook is the 6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processor(Skylake i5-6200U) with the base frequency of 2.30GHz and the maximum turbo frequency of 2.80Ghz. For graphical performance, it comes with NVIDIA GeForce 940MX GPU (2GB) should be powerful enough to handle midtier graphically intense applications. It comes with 8GB DDR4 RAM and runs on Windows 10 Home Edition.

For storage, it comes with 256GB SSD. It has similar connectivity options like its smaller sibling; 802.11/ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1. It also has the same 1MP camera upfront for video conferencing. Backing up this ultrabook is a 578Wh / L 40 watts battery which should be good enough for 6 to 7 hours of usage.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 13.3 Price in Nepal

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 13.3 price in Nepal is Rs.1,17,999. You can purchase it from Xiaomi retail outlets all over Nepal. This variant comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage.

Xiaomi Mi Notebook 13.3 Specifications

Weight	1.28kg
Display	13.3 ″ FHD full HD 293.76mm x 165.24mm
Resolution	1080 X 1920 (166 PPI)
Contrast ratio	800: 1
Border and screen proportion	5.59mm 80.1%
Processor	Intel ^® Core ™ i5
Highest frequency	2.7GHz
Graphics card	NVIDIA GeForce 940MX discrete graphic
RAM	8GB RAM
SSD	256GB PCIe × 4 NVMe SSD + 1GB GDDR5
Camera	1MP camera 1280×720 video calls
Audio	Realtek ALC255 AKG Customised dual speaker 2Wx2 Dolby Audio ™ Premium Dolby sound — Advanced Edition
Video output	USB-C and HDMI support 1080p resolution (up to 60Hz) supports 4K resolution (30Hz)
Cache	3MB
Battery type	lithium-ion polymer battery
Battery capacity	578Wh / L 40 watts
Battery performance	Online video player 8 hours local video playback 7.5 hours Web browsing 7.5 hours
Operating System	Windows 10
Wireless	Wi-Fi 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible maximum speed up to 867Mbps
Bluetooth	Online video player 8 hours Local video playback 7.5 hours Web browsing 7.5 hours
Interface	USB-C x 1 USB 3.0 × 2 HDMI port x 1 3.5mm jack x 1

Conclusion

There is only a handful of Ultrabooks in Nepal and they are slightly pricier than the rest laptop bunch. Xiaomi Mi Notebooks looks great aesthetically and there’s no competition for its lightness. Specifically, the Mi Notebook Air 12.5 which weighs just 1.07Kg. But for the price of lightness, you are getting a fairly underpowered processor which might not be adequate if your work needs a little more power.

The Mi Notebook 13.3 is also a pretty good pick but if you look elsewhere then the Dell XPS 13 can be a great alternative or you can just get the Apple MacBook 13.3 Air.

All and all these notebooks were targeted for the people who want a lighter computer for their daily commute without breaking their back carrying a hefty laptop. Xiaomi Mi Notebooks can be a perfect pick for anyone who has to travel and work.

Nepal Vehicle Tax Information App: Get Vehicle Tax details on your palm

Apps

GadgetByte

-

April 7, 2017

0

Nepal Vehicle Tax Information App: Get Vehicle Tax details on your palm

Nepal Vehicle Tax Information is the recently launched app developed by Super User. This app, currently available on Android Platform, allows users to view Tax Information of vehicles solely based on their number plate details.

Super User has many other apps under its name such as – SIM Card and Cell, Swipe Strategy, Creative Photo, Hashtags for Instagram, Root Checker, etcetera. All these apps have been highly appreciated by the users.

The Nepal Vehicle Tax Information is a simple SMS utility app with a very easy user interface. This app allows users to know the vehicle tax information in seconds with easy one step. The app has a simple layout and uses SMS service to extract the detailed information. Applicable SMS charges are used to send a message to 34321 through the app itself. The app prompts users to insert the registration details of the concerned vehicle. And asks permission to send the SMS. The app then fetches the data concerned with the vehicle and extracts information regarding –

Fiscal year
Receipt number
Paid date
Paid amount

The app also notifies users if the vehicle registration number that has been input has any due amount. This is very helpful as it prevents users to escape fine for long due dates. The input data by the user regarding the vehicle registration number and the tax details are not stored in any database of the app or the developer, thereby ensuring the privacy of information.

Thus, it is a very simple and efficient app and is also very helpful. Go download this app and move a step forward to becoming a smart, responsible citizen!

Zopo Color C3 Launched in Nepal for Rs. 12,990

Featured

Yural Maskey

-

April 7, 2017

1

Zopo Color C3 Launched in Nepal for Rs. 12,990

Everest Tech Pvt. Ltd., the authorized distributor of Zopo mobiles in Nepal, has officially unveiled its budget-oriented smartphone, the Color C3 in Nepal for Rs. 12,990. The phone is available for purchase from different offline retail outlets (including Apex Digital smart store).

The Zopo Color C3 sports a 5-inch IPS LCD display. It is powered by a 1.3Ghz 64-bit Quadcore processor (MT6737) and 2GB RAM. Storage wise, it has 16GB ROM with microSD support upto 64GB.

1 of 6

It has 8 megapixel back camera with LED flash and a 5-megapixel front camera with LED flash. It is backed by a 2100mAh removable battery. It runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow and supports dual SIM (micro + micro). SIM1 supports 4G and SIM2 supports 3G. Other connectivity options include WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio, and GPS.

Also Read: Top 7 Smartphones Below Rs. 15,000 in Nepal.

ZTE Nubia Z17 mini with Dual Camera, 6GB RAM Launched

ZTE

Yural Maskey

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April 6, 2017

0

ZTE Nubia Z17 mini with Dual Camera, 6GB RAM Launched

ZTE’s nubia sub-brand has unveiled a new smartphone, the Nubia Z17 mini. Marketed by football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, the phone comes with a much talked dual camera setup and a whopping 6GB of RAM.

The nubia Z17 mini comes with a 5.2-inch 1080P IPS LCD touchscreen, 13 MP monochrome + 13 MP RGB dual rear camera setup and a 16 MP front-facing camera for a selfie-centric audience.

Powering the phone is either Snapdragon 652 or Snapdragon 653 SoC, aided by either 4GB or 6GB of RAM. There is 64GB of expandable storage and both the variant runs Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with Nubia UI 4.0. All this is fueled by a 2950mAh battery.

Full Specs of ZTE Nubia Z17 Mini:

5.2-inch LTPS FULL HD display with 2.5D curved glass (424ppi), 1500:1 contrast, 85% NTSC color gamut.
Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS with Nubia UI 4.0
Octa-core Snapdragon 652 / 653 System on a Chip
4/6GB RAM
64GB eMMC 5.1 ROM; microSD upto 200GB
Connectivity: Hybrid Dual SIM slots (micro + nano / microSD), VOLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth V4.1, GPS/A-GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, NFC.
Dual 13MP Monochrome + 13MP RGB snappers, Sony IMX258 Sensor, F/2.2 Aperture, Sapphire protection lens, OIS and 4K video recording.
Rear Mounted Fingerprint scanner
16MP selfie camera with 80-degree wide angle lens, 5P lens, and F/2.0 Aperture.
2950 mAh battery with fast charging capabilities.

The ZTE Nubia Z17 mini will go on sale in China from April 12th, 2017. The 4GB RAM with Snapdragon 652 SoC will cost $246 (Approx. Rs. 25,500) and 6GB RAM with Snapdragon 653 SoC will cost $289 (Approx. Rs. 30,000). It will be available in Black, Gold and Red color options. There is no word on international availability.

Official: Huawei Honor 6C, a Miniature Version of GR5 2017, Launched

Yural Maskey

-

April 6, 2017

0

Official: Huawei Honor 6C, a Miniature Version of GR5 2017, Launched

Huawei sub-brand Honor has launched the Honor 6c. It is the successor to the Honor 5c (also known as Huawei GR5 mini). Priced at €229, the Honor 5c might launch in Nepal in a different name like Huawei GR5 mini 2017.

Specs wise, the Huawei Honor 6c sports a 5-inch 720P display with 2.5D curved glass, octacore Snapdragon 435 SoC, 3GB RAM, 32GB onboard storage (microSD support upto 128GB), 13MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, and 3020mAh battery. The fingerprint scanner is located on the back and unlocks the phone in less than 0.3 sec.

The Honor 6c runs on a dated Marshmallow 6.0 OS with Huawei’s EMUI 4.1 layered on top. There is a dual hybrid SIM tray with 4G LTE support. Comparing side by side with last years model Honor 5c in terms of specs, it offers very little improvements. However, the design is much improved in this iteration.

Honor 5c	Honor 6c
5.2 inch 1080P display	5 inch 720P display
2.0Ghz Kirin 650 Octacore Processor + i5 Coprocessor.	1.4Ghz Snapdragon 435 Octacore Processor
2GB RAM/ 16GB ROM	3GB RAM/ 32GB ROM
13MP rear camera	13MP rear camera
8MP front camera	5MP front camera
3000mAh battery	3020mAh battery
Rs. 21,500	€229 (Rs. 25,400)

Kickstarter Project: This ball emits safe UV light to kill harmful germs

Featured

GadgetByte

-

April 6, 2017

0

Kickstarter Project: This ball emits safe UV light to kill harmful germs

If you like to keep things clean, you surely are worried about the presence of microorganisms around you. Keeping this in mind, a company dedicated towards LED devices has created a prototype of the world’s first blue light emitting ball which serves the sole purpose of killing germs.

The Orb is a ping pong sized ball that emits blue UV light which is capable of killing and inhibiting the growth of harmful microorganisms. It gives off 405nm light which is just enough to kill harmful germs such as bacteria, algae, and fungi among others.

DESIGN

Like I already mentioned, the Orb has a spherical design. It is due to this design that the device can emit the light equally everywhere. The manufacturers have made the Orb waterproof. So, you can even purify water from the device.

WHAT THE ORB DOES

According to its Kickstarter page, the Orb emits a 405nm light which is effective in inhibiting microorganisms. Different studies have confirmed on blue light destroying different infectious disease causing microorganisms. The Orb specializes in maintaining your EnviroHygiene and making your environment free of diseases.

USES OF THE ORB

Cleaning daily used household products
Keeping your shoes clean and free from bacteria
Killing the germs present in food products
Purifying water and water reservoir

The Orb comes from a company called LED Technologies, Inc. which is not a new name in the American market. The company’s products can currently be found at Target, Amazon and Kohl’s among others. The Orb seems to be a pretty decent product. And, as a Public Health student, I am looking forward to this product.

HOW TO BACK THE PROJECT

Go to their Kickstarter page
Make a pledge
As easy as that!

LED Technologies has included some pretty sweet deals according to the pledge you make. You can view all of the details on the product’s Kickstarter page.