We easily get confused between ROM, RAM, and Flash Memory. Here is a short explanation what are they.
ROM (Read Only Memory)
This type of memory is non-volatile which means if there is no power source the content is not lost. We can compare this to a human brain. A human brain may contain many contents, but when sleeping we don’t have access to the information stored in the brain. Computers and smartphones contain a small amount of ROM that stores firmware and critical programs that boot the device.
In smartphones, ROM is also referred as an internal memory. All your default apps and firmware are installed in the ROM. If your smartphone has 8GB of internal memory, you will only be able to use around 5GB since the remaining 3GB is being occupied by your firmware and default apps.
ROM (Read Only Memory)
ROMs are used in flashing/installing a new version of firmware. For eg. you often hear about flashing a new ROM; it means you are flashing a new version of the firmware onto your smartphone. If your smartphone is currently running Kitkat, you can flash your ROM and install a new version of the Android version i.e Lollipop (if there is an official firmware for the desired smartphone).
If there is no official firmware for your smartphone, you can still install the latest firmware thanks to the different independent organizations that develops custom ROMs. A custom ROM might have performance tweaks, new features such as overclocking and so on. Read more.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
Unlike ROM, RAM does both reading and writing. It is much faster than the ROM. It is volatile which means it will lose all its data when the power source is removed. You can think ROM as a speed reader, they can do the given task very quickly but it will forget everything when the power source is cut.
RAM plays an important role when it comes to the performance of your smartphone and computer. The more RAM you have, the more programs you can fit in memory. Hence, more RAM is good for multitasking. Since there are so many apps running in the background, and we want to switch between apps as fast as possible, you want your smartphone and PC to have as much RAM as possible.
RAM (Read Only Memory)
Normally, an average user should have 1GB of RAM on their smartphone, and 2GB of RAM on their PC. But, if you are tech savvy as I am and often get involved in high-end applications, intense gaming, and multimedia work, then i recommend you to have at least 2GB of RAM on your smartphone and 8GB of RAM on your PC.
But, again RAM is not only the factor that decides the performance of your device. Processors play an equal role in determining the performance of your device.
Flash Memory:
Flash Memory are the USB stick that people carry. It is used transfer files from one end to another. It has both RAM and ROM inside it. It can read the content very quickly, but processing is slow. So we can’t expect it to replace standard computer memory.
A Recent research conducted by American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) suggests that listing a family member or friend in your mobile phone contacts as “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) could help medical staffs contact someone who can give them info if you’re unconscious or unable to communicate during a medical emergency.
ACEP says paramedics, nurses, and doctors are “increasingly aware” that patients are using ICE numbers and will browse in your contacts. So, it is highly recommended you have at least two ICE contacts. Save these in your phone as “ICE – 1” and “ICE – 2,” etc. To be more specific, list the contact’s relationship to you, such as “ICE – didi”—but always start it with “ICE.”
In case you lock your phone with pin number or pattern for security reasons, always list you ICE info in an emergency contact app which places your ICE numbers on the lock screen.
This practice could be very useful during medical emergencies. Since Institute of Medicine, Nepal is yet to practice such rules, and it is highly likely that Nepalese medical staffs are unaware of such info. So, we urge all the viewers of this post to convey this message by sharing it on their Facebook/Twitter wall.
Lately, we have been hearing lots of rumors about the successor of OnePlus One, the OnePlus Two, that is creating a lot of buzz in the technology market. Questions have been raised if it will be as good as the OnePlus one and will the price be considerably affordable.
Well, wait no further, looking at the latest leaks and rumors we have got some ideas how OnePlus Two will be like and what will it pack in its specs. Reports out of China suggests the OnePlus Two will be priced at 2,000 Yuan ($322), which is slightly more than the OnePlus One’s original launch price of $300. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau told followers on the Weibo social network the OnePlus Two will use the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor.
The prospect of using a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset may be filled with consternation for some users because of its poor thermal performance in other flagship phones like the HTC One M9, but OnePlus Two is said to feature ‘improved’ Qualcomm 810 chip’
“We worked very closely with Qualcomm’s engineers to integrate an improved version of the chipset (v2.1) in the OnePlus 2, and fine-tuned both hardware and software. The 2 will be ‘cooler than ever’.”
The octa core processor was accompanied by 4GB of RAM, and the device used Android 5.1 as its operating system and it is definitely that it’ll come with the latest version of Oxygen OS running. Also, some official sources have listed that OnePlus Two will sport 5.5 inch screen with the resolution at 2560 x 1440 pixels which is a QHD display with Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection. It will be available in different variants based on the storage capacities like the OnePlus One. Rumours also states it will be equipped with 16MP Rear Camera with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), and 5 MP Front Camera. It will definitely have a larger battery for the QHD screen of about 3300mAh.
The OnePlus Two is also expected to come with a laser focus fingerprint identification system embedded in the home button. OnePlus says the fingerprint scanner will give you the ability to store up to five fingerprint profiles, making it much easier to access your smartphone no matter which finger you’d like to use.
On the OnePlus 2, one quick tap takes you right to your homescreen. With the ability to store up to five fingerprint profiles, it’s fast, it’s safe, and it’s secure. Your smartphone is your most personal device, and its security should be personal, too.
In the meantime, OnePlus said it’s focused on creating the OnePlus Two so that sufficient numbers of the device will be available ahead of the projected 2015 launch. It is expected to launch in late July. Unfortunately, OnePlus said that it will probably use the invite system for its next smartphone too, before moving on to limited pre-orders again. “It will probably be invite-only for a short period of time, after which pre-orders are rolled out” OnePlus stated.
Allied Trade link Pvt. Ltd., the authorized distributor of Karbonn smartphones in Nepal, has officially announced a new smartphone named Titanium Mach One for NRP. 13,649. It is available in different smartphone retail stores all across Nepal.
Karbonn Mach One is a midrange Android-based smartphone that comes with a 4.7 inch HD IPS touch-screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels resulting in a respectable pixel density of 312 ppi. The screen is protected by a Gorilla Glass 3 and is scratch proof to some extent.
Karbonn Mach One
Under the hood, the phone is powered by a quad-core processor manufactured by Mediatek. The processor has 4 Cortex A7 cores, all running at a frequency of 1.3GHz. We should expect decent multitasking performance with these 4 cores, but since the processor is manufactured by Mediatek and is build on cortex A7 architecture, you should expect lags and occasional stuttering while playing graphically intensifying games. The phone has 1GB of RAM and 8GB of inbuilt storage. The phone memory can be further expanded thanks to a microSD card slot up to 32GB.
For photography, it comes with an 8MP camera with LED flash and BSI II Sensor. The camera is mediocre, lacking in both details and color reproduction. The secondary camera, however, can capture really good photos since it is equipped with a 5MP sensor.
The Karbonn Titanium Mach One still runs an outdated Android version in KitKat 4.4, but soon will be getting Lollipop update. The phone packs an 1800mAh battery.
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Wi-Fi hotspot, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0
BATTERY
Li-Ion 1800 mAh battery (non-replaceable)
PRICE
Rs.13,649/-
VERDICT:
Karbonn Mach One is a good entry level phone. Although the maximum retail price of the phone is Rs.13,469, you should get it for around Rs.12,000 in Nepal. What I really liked about this phone is its build quality. As far as the performance of this phone is concerned, it can handle normal tasks quite well and should not bother you a lot if you are not into hardcore gaming. The battery life is good, but not excellent. The rear camera is pretty average like most of the sub-15K phones, however, the 5MP snapper up front also has a flash and performs well. To sum it up–it’s a good buy.
Yesterday, we spotted one of the highly awaited handsets in the country today – the ASUS ZenFone 2. The model of the ZenFone 2 that is being sold are the ZE500CL and ZE551ML. For those who are not aware, ASUS has released different variants of ZenFone 2. These models vary slightly from one another in terms of Processors, RAM, battery capacity, as well as the screen size and resolution.
Asus ZenFone 2 ZE500CL is currently being sold in the retailer store at StrikeSales, B&B Market, New Road, Pokhara for NRP 24,999, whereas Asus ZenFone 2 ZE551ML is being sold in the online stores like M.K Tradelink and Aamachhori.com for NRP.29,999.
Both these retailers will provide you a standard one-year warranty which will cover for parts and service fee if anything happens to the smartphone within the warranty period. For more info, you can contact the reseller.
Asus Zenfone 2 price in Nepal: Rs.24,999 for 5” HD/Dual Core version & Rs.29,999 for 5.5” FHD/Quad Core version
VERDICT: If you are thinking of buying a smartphone and have a budget of around NRP.30,000, then you should definitely go with the Asus ZenFone 2 (5.5 inch ZE551ML). This variant comes with a large 5.5-inch FHD display and a solid performance provided by Intel 64 bit Quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM.
It also features a high-end camera with a 13-megapixel rear and 5-megapixel front sensors. Each camera has a f/2.0 aperture, and the front camera sports an 85-degree wide-angle lens. The phone boasts a 3000mAh battery that provides more than a full day of use on a single charge. Fast-charge technology enables recharges to 60% battery level in only 39 minutes.
If your budget is limited to NRP.25,000, you can still buy the modest version of Asus ZenFone 2 (5 inch ZE500CL). But, you are restricted with a smaller lower resolution screen, slower processor, and smaller camera pixels than its sibling.
Skype has officially announced that they are reinstating normal prices to landlines and mobiles starting Monday, June 15. Skype has been providing all Skype calls to landlines and mobiles in and out of Nepal free of charge since the devastating earthquake of 25th April.
The Skype Team writes: “After more than 6 weeks of free and discounted calls into and out of Nepal, we are reinstating our normal calling prices to landlines and mobiles from Monday 15 June 2015. Skype to Skype audio/video calls will remain free for everyone.”
In the dominant market of Android and iOS, we can barely think of any other operating system running in our smartphones. But we can’t deny the fact that there are still other OS out there. One of the promising OS that could possibly make it’s own rightful place in the smartphone market is theFirefox OS.
Firefox OS is built upon open web standards like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript and offers a very user-friendly user interface. Firefox OS is pretty different from other mobile OS, you can think of it as, something more than a browser running on a very lightweight Linux-based operating system. So the OS is basically very light and fluid. Overall it is a pleasant OS to look at and here’s how you can get it on your android device without having to flash any ROM or buying a Firefox OS itself.
2. Install the app in a normal way, make sure to select the unknown sources under the security settings.
3.It is a launcher so you have to set it as your default launcher and You’re set!
The customizations run pretty deep with this app/launcher as you will have an almost full Firefox OS experience, including:“ Launcher, Notification Drawer, Lock Screen and Settings.“ It doesn’t completely replace your ROM, but if you were considering buying a phone with Firefox OS or making the switch, this is a good way to find out what to expect.
Intel acquires chip maker Altera for $16.7 billion, embracing a class of microprocessors that represent the future of the massive data centers that underscore the world’s online services.
“The acquisition will couple Intel’s leading-edge products and manufacturing process with Altera’s leading field-programmable gate array FPGA technology,” Intel said in a statement. “The combination is expected to enable new classes of products that meet customer needs in the data center and Internet of Things (IoT) market segments.”
Altera makes FPGAs—chips you can program to perform very specific tasks. Since these chips don’t entail as much power and as much space as the microprocessors that have traditionally driven the world’s internet services, many believe they will become increasingly predominant in data centers. Microsoft is already using these chips in part to power it’s Bing search engine.
Huawei recently launched a new mid-range phone—G play mini for Rs.19,999 (USD $200) in Nepal. I have been using this handset for almost 2 months, and many of you have been asking me on whether Huawei G play mini stands out to be the best phone to buy for NRs.20,000. Well, let’s find out in this article.
Huawei Gplay mini looks identical to Honor 4c
More About Huawei G Play Mini
At a first glance at the specs, you will notice that the Huawei G play mini specs look identical to Honor 4c— the phone that was launched in India for INR 8,999 (NRs.14,400). So, you might want to know why are we paying more for the phone with almost same specs? Huawei Device Nepal says that Huawei Honor 4c and Huawei G play mini are different phones with Huawei G play mini sporting a superior design better suited for gaming. But, after some research and comparison, it turns out Gplay mini and Honor 4c has almost similar design. So, why is the Honor 4c cheaper? The main reason is that there is too much competition going on in Indian smartphone market with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi 2 and Micromax Yuphoria providing decent phones under INR 10K. But, unfortunately, that’s not the case here in Nepal.
Moving on… I actually bought Gplay mini for Rs.18,500 and also got a free screen guard and an egregious flip cover that will only make your phone look ugly. The box content comprises of a wall charger, data cable, and a chintzy earphone.
DESIGN & BUILD: 6/10
Like any other sub-20K phones, G play mini made up of plastic. Talking about ergonomics of this phone, the phone feels heavy and is extremely difficult to use with one hand as the phone comes with bigger bezels. The phone weighs 162 gms, which is abnormal for a 5-inch phone. Last year’s Huawei Honor 3c has a 5-inch display and weighs 140gms. Comparing it with other 5-inch devices, it feels bulky and heavy.
The Huawei G play Mini features a 5-inch (1280 x 720) pixel display with 294ppi (320dpi). High-definition displays are common these days in a mid-range segment, but what really matters is the quality of the screen, brightness, color reproduction and touch sensitivity.
As far as Huawei G play mini is concerned, the quality of the screen is really good with decent viewing angles thanks to the IPS technology. The display panel manages to produce vibrant and accurate colors, but there are two minor glitches that I saw in the display. First of all, the screen is not bright enough. Under normal usage, it’s okay but when you keep Honor 3c and Gplay mini side by side, Huawei Honor 3c screen is brighter and better compared to Gplay mini.
Another thing that might annoy you is how fingerprint magnet the screen is; it easily attracts smudge marks and you will find yourself cleaning the display quite often. Moreover, the display lacks Corning Gorilla Glass protection and is therefore prone to scratches.
SOFTWARE UI: 7/10
The Huawei G play mini is running the Huawei Emotion 3.0 UI on top of Android 4.4.2 KitKat. The Emotion UI is not stock, but the 3.0 version is much better than any of its previous version. However, there are still improvements to be done from Huawei in its Software UI.
PERFORMANCE: 8/10
The Huawei G play mini is equipped with Huawei’s in-house Kirin 620 chipset with an Octa core 1.2Ghz Cortex A53 64 bit processor supplemented by 2GB of DDR3 RAM.
The Kirin 620 Chipset is somewhat similar to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 615 chipset seen on Micromax Yureka Yu, HTC desire 820 and Xiaomi Mi4i. Under normal usage like browsing, chatting,etc., the phone is deprived of any lags. The phone runs smoothly while multi-tasking or switching between apps.
I installed some heavy games like FIFA15, MC5, etc and it runs smoothly without any lags. It tends to heat after continuous usage, but that won’t bother you too much. Even flagship phones like Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC one M9 heats up while playing that kind of graphics demanding games.
Overall, the performance of the G play mini is its biggest asset. If you want a phone with the best performance in this price range, G play mini would be a worthy choice.
MEMORY: 7/10
The Huawei G play mini comes with 8GB inbuilt storage out of which only 3.5GB is available to users. This big chunk of memory is taken by the Operating System. However, you can expand the memory via a microSD card slot up to 32GB. You can move most of the apps to SD card, but some apps can only be installed to the internal storage.
CAMERA
The Huawei G play mini is capable of capturing some nice shots as it’s been equipped with a 13MP rear facing camera – and decent feature for such a low-cost device. Up front, a 5MP camera can capture excellent selfies.
The13 MP back camera can capture good photos during daylight. Macro shots are amazing with lots of details, vividness, and accurate color reproduction. Low or artificial light shot is not impressive but doesn’t disappoint at all. Check out the photos sample here: LINK
BATTERY: 7/10
The non-removable 2550 mAh battery on the Huawei G play mini is more than enough for one day of moderate usage. You can watch Youtube Videos continuously for 4 hrs. Upon continuous browsing and chatting, it should give you 5 hrs of backup.
CONNECTIVITY: 8/10
The phone supports Dual GSM 3G SIM (HSPA). Other connectivity includes WiFi 802.11b/g/n, WiFi Direct support, WiFi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, and GPS/GLONASS. However, the phone doesn’t support USB OTG and neither has 4G LTE bands.
VERDICT:
Overall, the Huawei G play mini is among the good mid-range smartphones available in Nepal. At Rs. 19,999 it’s bit costly compared to the Honor 4c even though the smartphone has almost the same specs.
If you are looking for a Dual SIM smartphone with a really good performance around Rs. 20,000, the G play mini is a good choice. To summarize, here are the pros and cons of the smartphone.
#DealAlert: Xiaomi Mi4i Price in Nepal: Now Available for Rs.28,000.
Xiaomi is one the most influential and leading manufacturer of smartphones in the world right now. All of its devices are packed with high-end specs but with a price tag so low that everyone wants a piece of it.
Here in Nepal, although we don’t have the official Xiaomi online stores, people buying the device from the 3rd party retailers have really admired the Xiaomi’s approach on delivering affordable smartphones with high-end specs.
And now the miniature version of the Xiaomi’s flagship Mi4, Mi4i is available in Nepal with a very low price tag of just Rs.28,000 which is Exclusively Available on M.K.Tradeline.
5inch IPS LCD screen with the resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels (~441 ppi)
Runs on Android 5.0.2 on top of MIUI v6.0
Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 Chipset
Quad-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53 & quad-core 1.1 GHz Cortex-A53 CPU with Adreno 405 GPU
2GB RAM with 16GB internal storage (No Card Slot)
13 MP, 4128 x 3096 pixels Rear Camera with 5MP Front Camera
Fast battery charging: 40% in 60 min (Quick Charge)
Li-Ion 3120 mAh battery
Mi4i specs looks promising and at a price of Rs.28,000 it’s a steal. It is certainly the best phone to buy right now for Rs.28,000. Here are the pros and cons of Mi4i:
