Huawei has announced the launch of Huawei P8 Lite 2017 version. The Chinese manufacturer will bring this phone in few European bazaars. The phone is the successor of P8 Lite, which was released in 2015. The new Huawei P8 Lite will be packed with new features including a larger display and new design.
Specs of Huawei P8 Lite (2017):
Unlike other P series phones from Huawei, P8 Lite 2017 has a different glossy looking shell. Design wise the phone looks similar to some phones in the Huawei Honor series.
P8 Lite (2017) sports a 5.2-inch IPS display with 1080p resolution. Similarly, Kirin 655 chip with an octa-core A53 processor and Mali-T830MP2 GPU powers the phone. Also, the P8 Lite 2017 has 3 GB RAM and 16 GB expandable storage. Additionally, the phone runs on Android 7.0 Nougat. Looking at the cameras, Huawei P8 Lite (2017) features a 12MP rear camera with a f/2.0 aperture and an 8MP selfie camera. Moreover, a non-removable 3,000 mAh battery provides power to the P8 Lite 2017.
Release Date and Price:
The Huawei P8 Lite 2017 is said to be released in Europe by the end of January 2017. The price of the phone will be €239.
Mobile World Congress (MWC) has a date and so does the announcement of flagship phones of 2017. MWC 2017 will be held in Barcelona, Spain from 27th February. Preceding that, flagships from Samsung, Nokia, and LG are expected to get announced on 26th February. As the announcement dates get closer, the internet is crowded with the rumors. It is hard to rely on rumors but we can count on them when it is from the manufacturer themselves. LG has uploaded a teaser video titled “Wishlist for the ideal smartphone” and from that we can make solid guesses on how the LG G6, next flagship from LG, gonna be like.
LG’s Teaser Video Breakdown
In the video Wishlist for the ideal smartphone, we see random people giving their views on how a phone should be. It starts with demanding of a bigger screen. At the same time, people want the phone to be not that big and should come handy for one hand usability. Additionally, they say they want the phone to have some good grips. The ideal phone should come with water resistance is what they said. Then they add the phone should capture all at once hinting at a wider lens. More Reliability is included in the wishlist and that hints toward phone to have durable builds. In this post, I’ll be breaking down the wishlist to give you an overview of what we can expect from the LG G6.
Bigger Screen: 5.7 inch Screen with QHD+ and Aspect Ratio of 18:9
The screen that we will be seeing will be of 5.7 inches. Since it’s going to be extra tall – extra wide screen, the aspect ratio will be of 18:9. This screen will come at a resolution of 2880 * 1440 pixels.
Big screen but not a big phone: no or tiny bezels
For a phone with a big screen to be not that big, it should have no or tiny bezels. So the LG G6 will have tiny bezels and more than the traditional screen to body ratio. Unlike LG V20, the phone will not have a secondary display which is something many of us want to have in phones of 2017.
Capture all at once: dual cameras with wide angle
Like LG G5, the G6 will have dual cameras in the back with one lens having a wider angle than the another. That way you can pack more in your photos or videos taken from the phone. But will the phone get a Megapixel bump or will pack the same units from its predecessor is something we can’t have a word on yet.
Water Proof: Water resistance is something every flagship of 2017 should include
Even the Apple, has now made its phone water resistant so LG was kind of lagging when it came to Waterproofing in a phone. But now, the LG G6 will be the first water resistant phone from LG. Well, Better late than never, LG.
More Reliable: Corning Gorilla Glass 5?
LG seems to be confident about making well-protected screens. The LG G5 already had Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. So, LG might be stepping up its game and is likely to include Corning Gorilla Glass 5 screen protection in its next flagship of 2017.
More Rumors
That was what the teaser video had hinted. But there are still more worth considering rumors on LG G6. Unlike LG G5, the G6 won’t be of a modular type. Well, LG has learned its lessons by releasing an oddly openable phone right from the chin. Since LG G6 will have water resistance, it won’t have any parts removable. But will it have a 3.5 headphone jack or not is something even we are eager to know about. Like LG V20, the phone will come with Android Nougat out of the box. There are more to be uncovered about the LG G6, like the chip it’ll be using and the amount of RAM it’ll pack inside. We’ll surely share that with you in days to come when we’ll have more rumors from trustworthy sources. Stay tuned.
So, what are your views towards LG G6? Do you think it can share the limelight with Samsung Galaxy S8? Or, just like the last year, the Samsung’s flagship will overshadow that of LG? Let us know in the comments.
No one had anticipated HMD Global, Nokia’s new manufacturer, to launch the Nokia 6 last week. The company released the device without any previous or advance announcement.
However, HMD Global has now said that it will be making some announcements on 26th February without explaining anything. We can assume that one of the announcements is related to its flagship for 2017, the Nokia 8. We might probably even witness the release of some other mid-rangers.
For those of you wondering what special thing 26th February holds, it is the day before Mobile World Congress 2017 starts.
HMD Global released Nokia 6 without any advance announcement.
As for the leaks and renders of the Nokia 8, there have been lots of rumors circulating around the internet Recently, a YouTuber posted a video showing Nokia 8’s design. Qualcomm had reportedly showcased the flagship at CES asking people not to take any pictures or videos, but the YouTuber somehow managed to take a video and some pictures.
Design-wise, the device seems to feature no physical buttons. And it looks as though Nokia 8 will be equipped with dual front facing speakers.
If some rumors are considered, Nokia 8 will sport a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED QHD (2560 x 1440 pixels) display. While most smartphone manufacturers are now switching towards an edge-display technology, HMD Global will still stick with a flat display panel. It has also been reported that the device will house a 24-megapixel rear facing camera that will support Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Super Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS). The front facing camera could probably house a 12-megapixel sensor. It is also believed to feature Carl Zeiss Optics like in the previous Nokia smartphones.
Nokia 8 will probably be released in two variants: one running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset along with 6GB of RAM and another variant running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset with 4GB of RAM. Storage wise, the device might feature 64GB and 128GB of internal storage with an option to expand it via a microSD card.
We, however, don’t have any news on its pricing.
Here’s everything you need to know about the leaked specs of Nokia 8:
DISPLAY
5.7-inch 2560 x 1440 pixels Super AMOLED display
CHIPSET
Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 and 835
CPU
Not known
OPERATING SYSTEM
Android Nougat
INTERNAL MEMORY
64GB/128GB
EXTERNAL MEMORY
Yes
RAM
4GB/6GB
REAR CAMERA
21MP with OIS, EIS
FRONT CAMERA
12MP
FINGERPRINT
Available
PRICE
Not Available
Note: The specs might be different once the device is released.
Chinese manufacturer Oppo has started the year 2017 on a high as it won two prestigious awards at CES.
The honor, given by International Data group (IDG), holds a special place in the consumer electronics industry. The company has been honoring top brands for the last 11 years on the basis of innovative creations and consumer satisfaction.
IDG acknowledged OPPO as the Global Top Smart Phones Brand and the Global Top Smart Connected Devices Brand for 2016-2017. The gala was held on the 6th of January.
Luma Lu, OPPO’s Technology Planning Director, who accepted the awards, said, “OPPO is extremely proud to be recognized by IDG for our commitment to bringing out innovative technologies designed to delight and inspire our users around the world.”
“In 2017, we’ll continue to commit ourselves to bringing out Smartphone that meet users’ real needs and that embody our pursuit of perfection in every detail,” he added.
Patrick Kenealy, Managing Director of IDG Ventures USA, was all praises for OPPO and acknowledged them for their success and leadership as a rising smartphone brand.
Kenealy said, “The year of 2017 will usher in the first decade of the development of smart connected devices and smartphones. We can see that with the trend of intellectualisation, smart connected devices manufacturers headed by Chinese brands are constantly accelerating transformation and upgrading and striving for innovation.”
Oppo smartphones were launched here in September last year. Since then, they have been one of the popular smartphone brands in Nepal. This success has been mostly credited to Oppo F1s’ popularity. Dubbed as a ‘selfie expert’, the device is equipped with a 16-megapixel front facing camera. It sports a 5.5-inch 720p display that is covered in Gorilla Glass 4. The Oppo F1s is currently being sold at Rs. 32,390.
HTC launched two new phones today as the company declared its new U series of phones– where U means you!
The first phone HTC U Ultra is a flagship phone from HTC and comes with all the flagship specs you can expect. And, the second phone is named HTC U Play, which is a mid-range phone.
The new U series is quite unique in design because their whole body is made of glass, yes even the back. HTC calls it “Liquid Surface construction”. The phone looks glossy with this new material that mimics and looks like liquid. This liquid looking design makes the exterior little slippery so you might need a case to hold it firmly.
Additionally, HTC also brings its new AI called Sense Companion in the U series. Sense Companion is a voice-controlled intelligence from HTC, much like the Google Assistant, S Voice, Siri. The Sense Companion is will respond to your commands. And, will also learn your behavior and interests to make your phone more personalized i.e more U.
Furthermore, the HTC U Ultra will have a second screen just above the main screen. The second screen will show notifications and AI responses. The reason for putting the little screen, a ticker, according to the company, is mainly so that the AI doesn’t obstruct your main screen experience. This means, AI will only interact on the second screen. Also, with the second screen, the whole display need not be turned on to show notifications during standby. This, I hope, will save the battery because the phone has low capacity battery for a 5.7 inch screen. Well, at least in the U Ultra because U Play doesn’t have the second screen.
Moreover, HTC’s U series has always-on voice detection, which allows Sense Companion to interact with you even when the is display off. You can also use voice-based bio-metric authentication to unlock the phone.
However, the HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play doesn’t have 3.5 mm headphone jack. To compensate for that, the phones will come with USonic earphones.
Specifications of HTC U Ultra:
HTC U Ultra
HTC U Ultra features a dual display. The primary display is 5.7-inch Super LCD with QHD (1440×2560 pixels) resolution and sports Gorilla Glass 5 protection. While the secondary display is 2-inch with 1040x 2560 pixels resolution and has sapphire glass protection. Similarly, the phone is powered by a 2.15GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 SoC with 4GB of RAM. The phone will be available in 64GB or 128GB storage capacity which can be expanded up to 2 TB via microSD card. Additionally, HTC U Ultra has finger-print sensor on its Home Button.
Talking about the camera, HTC U Ultra sports 12-UltraPixel rear camera with a BSI sensor, laser + phase detection auto-focus, optical image stabilization, an f/2.8 aperture, and dual-tone LED flash. The front camera is 16-megapixel with an UltraPixel mode, and a BSI sensor. The phone will have USB 3.1 Type-C connectivity. Likewise, it is powered by a 3000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support. It’s rated to deliver up to 26 hours of talk-time and up to 13 days of standby time.
Specifications of HTC U Play:
HTC U Play
HTC U Play sports a 5.2-inch full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) Super LCD display with Gorilla Glass. It is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 SoC. The phone comes in two storage options: 3GB RAM with 32 GB inbuilt-storage and 4GB RAM with 64 GB inbuilt-storage. The storage is expandable via microSD card (up to 2TB). It features USB 2.0 Type-C connectivity and bears a fingerprint sensor on the Home Button.
Looking at the camera, the rear 16-megapixel camera comes with a BSI sensor, optical image stabilization, PDAF, an f/2.0 aperture, and dual-tone LED flash. While, the front camera sports a 16-megapixel sensor with an UltraPixel mode, a BSI sensor, an f/2.0 aperture with a 28mm focal length. It is powered by a 2500mAh battery with fast charging support (5V/2A). The battery will deliver up to 15.21 hours of talk-time and up to 427.54 hours of standby time.
Release Date and Price:
HTC U Ultra is available for pre-sale at $749 from HTC.com. HTC will start delivering HTC U Ultra in Taiwan by the end of January. However, the rest of the world will have to wait till March for the phone.
On the other hand, HTC U Play will be available late in Q1 2017. The price of the U Play is not revealed yet.
Chinese Smartphone Giants Gionee has launched its new midrange phone, the Gionee Steel 2 at an event in China today. Named as Steel 2, the smartphone is priced at CNY 1,299 (approx NRs. 20,300).
The Steel 2 is the new family in the Gionee’s lineup. The company has received good feedbacks in the Marathon series that promises excellent battery life and the S-series that offers good selfie experience. Now, the company is trying to mix both of these features in the Steel 2 with a 4000mAh battery, metal body, and a 5MP selfie snapper up front.
This device runs on the MediaTek MT6737 chipset with quad-core processor ticking at 1.3 GHz. It has 3 GB RAM and two options for internal storage – 16 and 32 GB. If that’s not enough, you can go for microSD expansion upto 64GB. There’s a 5-inch HD IPS display, a home button that doubles as a fingerprint scanner, a 8MP rear camera as well. Other notable features include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, OTG supports and dual SIM with 4G LTE. All this hardware is run by Android 6.0 Marshmallow software with Amigo UI 3.5 layered on top.
Unfortunately, there’s no words on when it’s going to be available in Nepal and what’s the pricing of the phone would be. But, we should expect the phone to launch in Nepal soon for around Rs. 20,000.
If you’re a Windows 10 user, you must be aware of automatic windows updates. Unlike previous versions of Windows, in Windows 10 updates are automatically downloaded and installed. There isn’t an option to disable them. You must have tried Googling how to disable windows 10 updates. Despite all your efforts, you must have ended to be in despair when you found out Windows updates can’t be disabled. But with the Microsoft’s announcement of build 15002, users can look forward to pause or postpone the updates.
It must be a relief for those mad at Windows for forcing its automatic updates in Windows 10 devices. Microsoft said: ‘We’ve added an option that will enable you to pause updates on your computer for up to 35 days.’To pause your machine, go to the Advanced options page of Windows Update Settings.’ But not everyone is happy. This new feature will only be available in Professional, Education, and Enterprise editions of Windows. If you have the Windows 10 Home edition, don’t feel low. There are some changes for you too. Microsoft said: ‘Windows Insiders with the Home edition of Windows will now also be able to leverage the increased 18 hours max window for Active Hours.’ Until now, Windows 10 home users could set the maximum of Active Hours to 12 hours. However, outside of this Active Hours, Windows 10 Home users can’t pause the update.
What else is there in Build 15002?
This new Build 15002 brings some appreciable changes along with this update pausing and postponing features. You can find out detailed information on what’s new in this build in Microsoft’s blog. I’d like to mention few of the appreciable changes that were brought in build 15002. Microsoft Edge is getting some changes. You can preview opened tabs with a click, you can restore your previously browsed tabs and you can open new private window by left clicking on edge icon in the taskbar. Now you can organize different Start tiles into a folder with a drag and drop. Plus, you can capture part of the screen by pressing “Win+Shift+S” and then can paste it as an image elsewhere that can be OneNote or Paint or similar apps. Management of Themes has now moved into the Personalization section of the Settings from the Control Panel.
Other improvements include Cortana Improvements, virtual reality support, 3D modeling, and even Braille support in Windows. This build comprises of different changes, improvements, and fixes for PC.
Did you recently drop your phone? And what do you do when the screen of your phone gets shattered? I, obviously, would prefer a new phone with new high-end features to replacing the screen– if I have the budget of course.
If you are like me and have been dropping or misplacing your phone more often these days, research shows you are doing it on purpose. Because, unconsciously, you want that latest phone.
A study carried out by researchers Josh Ackerman, Silvia Bellezza, and Francesca Ginain found that right when a new phone is released, people tend to be more reckless with their phones. The research paper was published in Journal of Marketing Research.
Researchers called it “upgrade effect” and defined it as a phenomenon in which “careless tendencies are intended to promote the acquisition of upgrade products by helping consumers justify the new purchase.”
“When we ask people if this is something you would normally do, the vast majority say no,” Ackerman said to Gizmodo of casually leaving phones behind or dropping them. “Which suggests that people just don’t realize that this behavior is going on.”
Researchers believe that this behavior of unconsciously, but to a certain degree, “deliberately” damaging or losing our product is to avoid the guilt of upgrading. If we lose or break our phone, we would get a reason to justify our upgrade.
‘We would feel guilty about upgrading without a reason – but if our current product were damaged or depleted, we’d have a justification to upgrade without appearing wasteful,’ said Columbia Business School Professor Silvia Bellezza.
In the research, the researchers looked into the IME Detective Database: online lost and found system. When people find a phone, they can search the IME number on the database to check if the owner has reported it stolen, and if there is any reward. Analyzing the figures of iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S on the database, the scientists found out that as soon as the 5S was released, iPhone 5 owners spent less time looking for their lost phones.
The “upgrade effect” applies to other products as well, according to the report. When the participants see or decide to buy a new product, they start overusing their products– their shampoos, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and perfume.
In the days of blockade, we had done carpooling and it was a neat experience. It was exciting to give or get a free ride. Now carpooling has become a thing of past. The mode of transportation in the capital is limited to same traditional means of public vehicles. Moving around the capital isn’t that easy and public vehicles make it worst. With overcrowded buses and heavy traffic, our daily mobility is kind of limited. Renting a taxi isn’t that affordable on a daily basis. But a new ray of hope has lightened the city with the introduction of “Tootle”.
What is Tootle?
Tootle is a new initiative that is brought to serve the people in the valley. It is a cool and easy way of getting and giving rides within the capital. Since it is a service, it is not something for free. However, the charges are kind of minimal when compared with taxi fares. Currently, tootle rides can be booked only from 8 am to 8 pm.
How to get/give a tootle ride?
Tootle and Tootle Partner UI (ScreenShots)
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There are these two different Tootle apps that can be found in Google Play Store. Apple users need to wait for a little while but iOS apps are also just around the corner. Tootle and Tootle Partner are the apps you should download. If you just need to book a ride you can do so by signing up for the Tootle app. But if you want to earn some extra cash by offering a ride to others then you will need to have a Tootle Partner app on your phone. Signing up in any of these apps is simply. All you need to do is fill up some details and then you’ll be good to go. However, you need to upload a photo of your driving license to become a Tootle Partner.
Let’s start with how to book your tootle ride. Open the tootle app and login with your details (first time only). Then you select your pickup location and destination location and tap on “book”. The app will generate the shortest route for your ride and calculate your fare for the ride. You can choose your mode of payment which can be from tootle balance or by cash. You can select your time of departure that can be right now or 15/30/60 minutes later. Once, you hit “confirm”. You’ll get a unique ride code and a notification will be sent to online Tootle Partners and once a tootle partner accepts the book request. Your ride will be started as shortly as possible. Once you reach your destination, you’re supposed to give that ride code to your rider and that way Tootle team will be notified about your successful tootling.
What is Tootle Balance and what can you do with it?
Since Tootle is in its introductory phase, it is giving free tootle balance worth Rs. 500 for every new sign up. You can use that tootle balance for booking your next tootle ride. Once you run out of balance, you can top up your Tootle Balance via e-sewa or a Tootle Voucher. Plus more modes of payment for the top up are just down the road.
What about the Tootle Balance earned by the Tootle Partners?
Once you become a Tootle Partner you’ll get a free tootle balance worth Rs. 200. Once you start accepting Tootle booking and on every successful tootling you do, you’ll notice increments in your balance. You can then transfer your topped up balance to your e-sewa and use it your own way.
Verdict
Lastly, I’d like to address few dark sides of the Tootle. There are few things you might wanna consider. Will you trust a stranger to be your companion for a bike ride? I’ll let you decide that on your own. Yes, there are chances for things to go wrong. So, it is you who should be cautious. Plus, sometimes a book request might not be a genuine one. Someone could have pulled a prank on you. You might go accepting a book request and what if no one shows up. So it will be wiser for the developer to make some amount of balance reduction right while placing a ride request. That way, non-serious users won’t be placing the orders. To be a Tootle partner is not that easy, you’ve to turn on your mobile data and GPS all the time. I’m not sure how much of mobile balance it’s gonna cost you. One thing I’m sure of is there will be a noticeable drain in your phone’s battery status.
Well, it is an appreciable initiative that needs your support. So, I want you guys to try it yourself and help redefine the way one moves around the capital. I’ve tried the apps myself and they were pretty user-friendly and easy to catch with. Honestly speaking, I haven’t done a tootling yet but I’m looking forward to doing one this evening on my way back home. It’s always good to earn some extra cash and have a companion on my usual route. But before booking a tootle, make sure you put a mask in your pocket, you know how dusty Kathmandu roads have become lately. Happy Tootling.
What do you think of this new initiative? Will it be something Epic or Fail? Let us know in the comments down below.
Just like last year, manufacturers and distributors have been releasing new mid-range phones every week or so this year too. OnePlus Nepal released its older flagship the OnePlus 2, and now Lava has released a new mid-ranger, the Lava A3. The device packs some pretty decent specs and is priced at Rs. 25,000. It packs features like a 720p display, 3GB RAM, a fingerprint scanner, Android Marshmallow out of the box and a 3020mAh battery among others.
The Lava A3 comes in a full unibody metal design. It a has a 5.5-inch IPS display with the resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (267 PPI). The display is covered by Gorilla Glass 3 and features a 2.5D arc. The 720p display is a disappointment since here are a lot of smartphones in this price range that have a 1080p display.
Under the hood, the Lava A3 is powered by an Octa-core 64-bit MediaTek 6750 processor that is clocked at 1.5GHz. The processor is supported by 3GB of DDR3 RAM and Mali T860 GPU. Talking about its software, the A3 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box with Lava’s Star OS 3.3 on top. The company hasn’t clarified on whether the device will receive a Nougat update or not. Memory wise, it comes with 32GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 64GB via a microSD card.
In the optics department, the device houses a 13-megapixel rear facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and 1.12-pixel size. It uses Sony IMX258 sensor and it accompanied by a single tone flash. The front facing camera which uses CMOS 4H8 sensor is of 8-megapixel. Like many smartphones these days, the front camera also features a LED flash to up your selfie game in a dark environment.
Connectivity wise, the Lava A3 features dual hybrid sim slot meaning you’ll have to choose between a nano sim and a microSD card. It supports 4G connectivity.
Like most smartphones of its price range, Lava A3 is also equipped with a fingerprint sensor. Lava has claimed that the fingerprint scanner can unlock the device in 0.16 seconds. A 3020mAh non-removable Li-Polymer battery backs the device. Since it features a 720p display, the battery will surely last you long.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Lava A3:
DISPLAY: 5.5-inch 720 x 1280 pixels IPS display (267 PPI) CHIPSET: MediaTek 6760 CPU: Octa-core clocked at 1.5GHz GPU: Mali T860 OPERATING SYSTEM: Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Star OS 3.3 on top INTERNAL MEMORY: 32GB EXTERNAL MEMORY: Up to 64GB via microSD RAM: 3GB REAR CAMERA: 13MP with f/2.0 aperture and single tone flash FRONT CAMERA: 8MP with f/2.0 aperture and single LED flash SIM: Dual Hybrid SIM (Micro+Nano/microSD) FINGERPRINT SCANNER: Available BATTERY: Non-Removable 3020mAh PRICE: Rs. 25,000
In the optics department, the device houses a 13-megapixel rear facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and 1.12-pixel size. It uses Sony IMX258 sensor and it accompanied by a single tone flash. The front facing camera which uses CMOS 4H8 sensor is of 8-megapixel. Like many smartphones these days, the front camera also features a LED flash to up your selfie game in a dark environment.