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Showing posts from October, 2017

New Weather Apps - Sep'20 (Week - 01)

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This week we have brought brand new weather apps worth trying. 1.  CliMate Released date: 25Jul2020 Downloads:  50+ Size: 2.37 MB Version: 1.15.2  Climate is surely a new entrant to the play store but not just another basic weather app since it offers all the features of a weather app without any ads and in-app purchases with a clean and simlple UI along with loads of customization options. Features: Themes support. Complete weather report for a week. Customizable units Parameters such as temperature, wind speed, Humidity, Pressure, UV Index available. Sunrise and Sunset. Widget support. Graphical representation of the data. Mostly shows accurate data.

Nokia 2 Launched in India- A budget offering from HMD Global with 2 days battery life

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HMD Global has unveiled its entry-level smartphone named NOKIA 2. According to HMD Global, this device is capable of delivering 2-DAY battery life as it sports 4100mAh battery . Nokia 2 has a 5 inch HD LTPS LCD display and powered by  Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 Quad Core SoC with 1GB RAM. This phone brings together crafted aluminum rim, poly-carbonate shell on the back and front panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. This screen consumes low power and helps to deliver 2-day battery life with a single charge. The device comes with a decent set of optics for an entry level smartphone i.e. 8MP camera with auto focus and LED flash on the back and 5MP camera on the front. Internal memory is just restricted to 8GB with SD card support up to 128GB and this phone is available in three colors viz Black, White and Copper. On the software front, Nokia 2 runs on Android Nougat 7.1.1 out of the back and would get Oreo update soon. Nokia 2 sports an Ambient light sensor, an accele

Google's Tez app garners 7.5 Million users, records over 30 million transactions - Sundar Pichai

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 Google had launched the TEZ (Money Made Simple) app in India in September, to be precise 19th September 2017. TEZ is a mobile payment platform by Google, exclusively for India. This app operates on top of the UPI (Unified Payments Interface), developed by the NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). At Alphabet’s Q3 earnings call, The Google CEO Sundar Pichai talked about Google’s revenue in Asian markets, highlighted what Google Tez has achieved so far. Pichai said that Google Tez now has 7.5 million users who have made over 30 million transactions on the app alone. Within a span of 5 weeks, Google TEZ has seen tremendous growth as the transactions hit over 30 million in a Cash First market like India. According to Caesar Sengupta (VP of Product Management at Google), UPI had a total of 16.6 million transactions in August month, whereas the TEZ had managed to garner over  30 million transactions in August alone. 

Xiaomi teases a launch of new series smartphone in India on November 2

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Xiaomi's VP(Manu Kumar Jain) has teased " Multiple surprises planned for the launch of the BEST selfie smartphone ". This teaser hints that a new SERIES of Xiaomi's line coming to India on November 2. It is obvious that Mi Note Series phone is going to be released, precisely Mi Note 3. Mi Note 3 was launched in China last month alongside Mi Mix 2.  The Note 3 comes with 5.5-inch full HD+ resolution screen and powered by Snapdragon 660 SoC. This comes in two storage options i.e. 64GB and 128GB with 6GB RAM. Mi Note 3 comes with a Dual camera set up on the back and 16MP selfie camera on the front. The Dual camera set up consists of two 12 MP (27mm, f/1.8, OIS 4-axis & 52mm, f/2.6) with 2x optical zoom, phase detection autofocus and dual-LED (dual tone) flash. This phone has no fancy design like Mi MIX 2, comes with 3500mAh battery and supported by Qualcomm's proprietary fast charging 3.0.   Much like Mi Mix 2 launch, India may get only one variant

MOTO X4 is expected to launch in India on November 13, Priced at Rs.23,999

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According to a new leak, Moto X4 is set priced at Rs.23,999 and would be expected to launch in India on 13th November. The main highlight of this smartphone is that it comes with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa as voice-based virtual assistants. Apart from this, this device is going to be first Android One smartphone from Motorola and an affordable Google's Project Fi device (But we will have to wait and see whether the Indian variants of Moto X4 comes with Android One or Not). This phone is predominantly made of glass (CGG5), with glass on both front and back panels and a metal rim which provides rounded corners for a better grip. This phone has a 5.2 inch full HD LTPS IPS display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The Moto X4 is powered by a Snapdragon 630 chipset clocked at 2.2GHz, Adreno 508 GPU and has 3GB RAM for multitasking. It Comes with 32GB of inbuilt storage with a micro SD support which can be expandable up to 2GB and has 3000mAh battery which non-removable

Smartphone App Revenue and Downloads hit record levels in Q3

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According to a new report from App Annie, App revenue and downloads hit record levels in the third quarter. 26 billion downloads recorded worldwide across both platforms (App Store and Google Play) which is means 8% increase compared to the last year Q3. Besides the App revenue reached a record of approx $17 Billion. This reports also found that the app download growth on Google Play was much influenced by the emerging markets, mentioned that India was the biggest contributor (Downloads almost doubled compared to Q3 2016). Vietnam and Indonesia are at 4th and 7th place respectively with double-digit growth rates year over year.  In terms of worldwide consumer spending, App Store was nearly double that of Google Play. The ' Entertainment category ' had shown the highest revenue in consumer spending. "Worldwide consumer spend in this category grew 30% quarter over quarter on iOS and 45% on Google Play," added the report. App Annie's current foreca

Pay with Google

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Google has announced a new way to pay on smartphones called "Pay with Google". This feature lets users use any of the Credit or Debit cards that have used previously on Chrome, YouTube, Google Play or Android Pay.  These transactions can be completed in a few clicks by verifying the transaction with a security code (OTP) or an Android device.  The service works on the web and in Android apps, but developers will have to implement it to their app properties before it can be used.  For more info, check click on the below link. https://www.google.com/payments/solutions/

NOKIA 7 - with 'Bothie' Camera and 6GB RAM Variant Launched

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The HMD Global has announced NOKIA 7 in China, it is a mid-range device with Flagship features such as Bothie and 6 GB RAM. This handset is built with Gorilla glass panel on the rear which uses 3D glass thermoforming technology and the sides are built using 7000 series aluminium body. As mentioned earlier, this smartphone comes with few Flagship (Nokia 8) features which include Dual-Sight Mode, Bothie, and Nokia OZO audio technology which supports 360-degree audio recording. The Nokia 7, features a 5.2-inch IPS display at a resolution of 1920x1080, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 processor, 4GB or 6GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage (expandable), a 5MP f/.20 84-degree wide-angle front-facing camera, a 16MP Zeiss lens f/1.8 80-degree wide-angle rear camera, NFC, IP54 splash-resistance, a fingerprint scanner on the back, a USB Type-C port, and a 3,000mAh battery. It comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone runs a clean version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat and the company as

Wi-Fi Security Flaw - Tips to use Public Wi-Fi

While setting up a Wi-Fi network, you are probably prompted to check the "WPA2" which is the current industry standard. This WPA2 encrypts the traffic on Wi-Fi networks and its almost everywhere.  According to a new researcher Mathy Vanhoef of KU Leuven in Belgium, a flaw in WPA2's cryptographic protocols could be exploited to read and steal the online traffic data of the users such as passwords, financial data. Tips to use Public Wi-Fi Safely Start by selecting the most secure settings on your PCs, smartphones, and tablets. Turn off any features that will automatically connect your device to any available Wi-Fi network. Turn off your Bluetooth unless you need to use it. Change passwords as frequently as possible. If you’ll need to log in to accounts with sensitive information such as social media, banking, or email accounts — switch to new, complex passwords (Use Upper cases, numbers, and special characters). Be sure to update your software and apps which 

Nokia 8 - Nokia's Flagship offering

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HMD Global had launched the Nokia 8 in August 2017, this is a Flagship device from the Finnish company. Nokia 8 has 6000 series aluminum unibody construction with Curved back with polished mirror finish which sports Dual ZEISS cameras and on the front, it has 5.3 inch IPS LCD display with 2560 x 1440 (QHD) resolution. This display is protected by 2.5D Corning Gorilla glass 5. The fingerprint sensor is located on the front side and at bottom USB type C and a speaker grill, on the top it has a 3.5mm headphone jack. This phone is available in Polished Blue, Tempered Blue, Steel and Polished Copper.  This Smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 clocked at 1.8GHz and comes with 4GB RAM. This smartphone comes with a 64GB of internal storage and can be expandable up to 256GB via microSD. It has 3090mAh battery which is non-removable and weighs 160gms.  This phone provides a longer battery life since it has advanced cooling technology " Nokia has added a full-le

Huawei Mate 10 Series Smartphones unveiled - First Impressions

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Huawei has unveiled two flagship smartphones Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro. These Mate 10 series phones come with the Skinny-Bezel trend of 2017 and improved AI support as well. Mate 10 series smartphones have an improved design compared to the previous generation and have 16:9 full view display. The backside is built with a Curved glass panel which is a fingerprint magnet. The Mate 10 comes with 5.9 inch 2560 x 1440 LCD panel and Mate 10 Pro has a 6 inch OLED screen with 2160 x 1080 resolution which is lower than the Mate 10.  As mentioned earlier, both phones have glossy glass construction and are available in Mocha Brown, Champagne Gold, and Black for Mate 10 and whereas the Mate 10 Pro is available in Midnight Blie, Titanium Grey, and Mocha Brown. The Mate 10 has 8.2mm thickness and sports a fingerprint sensor below the screen, the Mte 10 Pro has 7.9mm thickness and sports its fingerprint sensor on the back. Only Pro model has the additional features such as IP 67 rating

DxOMARK Rating For Smartphone Cameras

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Everyone wants to capture precious moments of the life, most of us use our Smartphone as a primary device to capture those great shots. Hence everyone wants the best Camera Smartphone. Nowadays, all the flagships have the capabilities of producing pretty good photos and videos and the smartphone manufacturers have chosen highlight Camera capabilities with an Industry standard. The rating has been provided by the DxO labs and its referred as the benchmark(DxOMARK) of a Smartphone camera. What do DxO labs do?? DxO image labs provide image ratings for standalone cameras, lenses, and smartphone cameras. The DxOMARK Mobile test protocol uses a different approach to the sensor and lens test protocols. Mobile protocol measures the performance of the imaging pipeline, including the camera lens, camera controls, sensor and image processing and the image quality will be measured based on the camera's JPG output rather than the RAW image data. The Mobile Protocol also covers the

ONEPLUS Collecting Private Data from the Users??!!

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In the past, we had seen few Chinese Smartphone makers have has collected users private data without any permission. This time its ONEPLUS turn. In General, every phone(Both iPhone and Android ) collects information of its USERS like  how often you unlock your phone, the apps you open and use, and the Wi-Fi networks you connect to. According to an Engineer (Christopher Moore) blog, the OnePlus software (Oxygen OS) collects users data on the OnePlus2 device. He also stated this,  OnePlus also collects the phone’s IMEI, phone number, and mobile network names, so the data sent is identifiable to you personally with little to no effort required, which is what makes this very problematic. According to Moore, a software code is responsible for the data collection is part of OnePlus Device Manager and OnePlus Device Manager Provider. Moore says in this case, the services had sent off 16MB of data in 10 hours. After the report went viral on the internet, OnePlus in a statement to t

Honor 9i with Four Cameras with Full-View Display

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2017 is the year of smartphones with bezel-less display started appearing on flagship smartphones, but this trend has been shifted towards mid-range smartphones with the Chinese Smartphone manufactures step up the budget category battle. Recently Huawei's  subsidiary brand HONOR had released HONOR 9i in India with 18:9 display with four cameras. This Smartphone is exclusively available on Flipkart starting October 14. Price: Rs.17,999. Flipkart Link: https://goo.gl/3W 95kh Honor 9i will be available in three color options - Graphite Black, Prestige Gold and Aurora Blue. The Company claims that this phone is the World's first smartphone with Four Cameras with FullView FHD+ display. Design: This smartphone has metal uni-body design with a tiny dual camera bump along with a fingerprint sensor on the back and has 5.9 inch LCD display with 18:9 aspect ratio. This phone has a non-removable 3240 mAh battery and supports hybrid dual sim functionality. On the bottom it

Xiaomi MI MIX 2 - Global Variant

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Xiaomi has launched its premium flagship Mi Mix 2 smartphone in India. The phone is priced at INR 35,999 ($551), making it the most expensive Xiaomi phone till date in India. The biggest highlight of the device is its 5.99-inch bezel-less display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The Mi MIX 2 is also powered by the current flagship mobile SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 835. This device is Flipkart exclusive. however, it will be available on mi.com, Mi Home Stores and offline retail partners across the country. Xiaomi has launched only one variant in India left fans with no other option. It is a REGULAR "Ceramic+Aluminium" variant which means no SPECIAL EDITION (All Ceramic Body with 8GB RAM) for India. Design: Indian variant comes with a Full-Screen display with nearly 6 Inches screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. The phone has a ceramic body with aerospace grade aluminum grade alloy frame which provides more sturdiness to the phone with the fingerprint sensor on t

Xiaomi Redmi Note Series is gonna get much better?? Redmi Note 5 Leaks

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In India, Xiaomi's Redmi Note 4 is the best selling smartphone till date. In the recent leaks next generation is going to come with 18:9 display(5.5 Inch) with dual cameras on the back. The Camera set up is rumored to have 16MP+5MP set up on  the back and the front facing camera resolution is unknown. This phone may be powered by either Media Tek Helio P25 or Snapdragon 660 and the battery would be as same as the Note 4(4000 mAh). The GSMArena report  citing the Weibo post also claims the pricing for the smartphone – the 3GB RAM/ 16GB storage variant is said to be priced at CNY 999, the 3GB RAM/ 32GB storage variant is said to be priced at CNY 1,299, while the 4GB RAM/ 64GB storage variant is said to be priced at CNY 1,699.

XIAOMI MI MIX 2 - India launch - What We Need to Know

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Last Year Xiaomi's MI MIX was a head turner with its edge to edge design and built quality, but had the least access to mass as it was exclusive to China and it was for an obvious reason as it was first BOLD step from the company. It had got great reviews from tech enthusiasts across the world. But this 2nd generation MI MIX 2 is going to be Global variant and being launched in India tomorrow i.e, 10-10-2017. Design and Specs: This year MI MAX has smaller display 5.99-inch full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 18:9 which gives a better grip than the previous generation. The smartphone is powered by a Snapdragon 835 64-bit octa-core SoC paired with Adreno 540 GPU, and 6GB of RAM.  It measures 152.6x73.95x7.6mm and weighs 163 grams. For photography, the Mi MIX 2 features a 12-megapixel primary camera with Sony IMX386 sensor, and 4-axis optical image stabilization (OIS). On the front, there is a 5-megapixel camera with the Beautify mode, 1080p video calling featur

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL Initial Impressions

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Google Pixel 2 and Google Pixel 2 XL: Well, arguably the Pixel devices are the best Android smartphones straight from the Google since both Hardware and Software are controlled by Google unlike nexus devices. The Second Generation Pixel devices have been unveiled on 4th October 2017.  Pixel 2 Pixel 2 XL You wouldn't be able to tell that the Pixel 2 was made by HTC and the Pixel 2 XL by LG — they're that similar. But when you dig a little deeper, the lineages are clear: the Pixel 2's AMOLED display isn't quite as vibrant (or tall) as that of the LG-made pOLED display on the Pixel 2 XL. Main Upgrades this year: IP 67 rating which means you take can give this phone a bath. Vibrant Colors choice (Regular model comes in Kinda Blue, Just Black and Clearly White - XL comes in Just Black, Simple black and white) Front Firing Speakers 18:9 QHD dispaly (only with XL) Highly rated camera Active Edge (HTC's inspired) Daydream ready