OnePlus 8 Series | Cheaper in India, Pricier in the United States

While the official announcement of the prices of the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro has been made, India gets the exclusive variant.

OnePlus 8 Pro price in India has been revealed, alongside the prices for the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z headphones. OnePlus on Sunday announced the pricing for all of its new products, just days after their introduction. The exact sale dates for each of the products is still unclear and OnePlus has just said that these will go on sale next month. The OnePlus 8 series prices in India are much lower than the prices of the two smartphones in the US. What’s also worth noting is that the company has launched a brand new variant of the OnePlus 8 in India – the 6GB + 128GB – that hasn’t been unveiled globally.  Read on for more details on OnePlus 8 series price in India and sale details.

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro price in India

OnePlus made the announcement of their new OnePlus 8 series of smartphones amidst the COVID-19 situation. And from what it seems like, OnePlus had it all planned well in advance so the launch was imminent.

The OnePlus 8 price starts in India starts from Rs. 41,999/- and the OnePlus 8 Pro prices start from Rs. 54,999. Yes, these are far away from the prices once OnePlus began selling their phones with. Their tag of being the ‘Flagship Killer’ is a bit of distant now as OnePlus has clearly ventured into the premium space.

The Indian prices of the OnePlus 8 series smartphones are considerably cheaper than what the prices are in the US. This clearly means OnePlus is aiming to capture a major share of the market here in India where the budget premium segment is booking, especially when devices like the Samsung Galaxy S20 series have been priced much higher, the OnePlus 8 series is expected to garner a lot of buyers. There is no word on availability of the phones yet, however, interested buyers can head to Amazon India to find out more details.

OnePlus first revealed the prices in the US and then in India. The base variant of the OnePlus 8 comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and is priced at Rs. 41,999/-. This variant is also exclusive to Amazon India. Moving on the 8GB +128GB variant is priced at Rs. 44,990/- and the top variant with 12GB +256GB is priced at Rs.  49,999/-.

The OnePlus 8 Pro 8GB RAM, 128GB storage variant has been priced at Rs. 54,999/- and the 12GB RAM, 256GB storage variant has been priced at Rs. 59,999/-. OnePlus 8 Pro will be available via Amazon India and offline stores.

OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8 specifications

The OnePlus 8 Pro is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, coupled with 8GB and 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It comes with a 6.78-inch QHD+ (1,440×3,168 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also features a quad rear camera setup comprising a 48-megapixel primary Sony IMX689 sensor, an 8-megapixel secondary sensor with a telephoto lens, a 48-megapixel sensor with a wide-angle lens, and a 5-megapixel “Color Filter” camera sensor. On the front, the OnePlus 8 Pro gets a 16-megapixel camera with a Sony IMX471 sensor. The OnePlus 8 Pro supports dual nano sims and runs Android 10 with OxygenOS on top.

The display on the OnePlus 8 Pro features an in-display fingerprint sensor, and OnePlus has added a 4,510mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30T and Warp Charge 30 Wireless, apart from reverse wireless charging. The OnePlus 8 Pro has 128GB and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage options, and connectivity options include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.1, GPS/ A-GPS, NFC, and a USB Type-C port.It measures 165.3×74.35×8.5mm and weighs 199 grams.

The OnePlus 8 runs Android 10 with OxygenOS on top and sports a 6.55-inch full-HD+ (1080×2400 pixels) Fluid AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC, 6GB, 8GB and 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM options, a triple rear camera setup with 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 primary sensor, 2-megapixel secondary sensor, 16-megapixel sensor. A 16-megapixel Sony IMX471 sensor is behind the front camera with 128GB and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage, similar connectivity options, an in-display fingerprint sensor and a 4,300mAh battery that supports Warp Charge 30T. It measures 160.2×72.9×8.0mm and weighs 180 grams.

Best Budget Neckband Earphones under Rs. 2000/-

The Lockdown period is being pretty hard on most of us. In fact, it is not only us, but our gadgets are also facing a rough time of being used much more than they are used usually. One such piece of gadgetry are the headphones.

Headphones are now one of the most integral part of our lockdown gadgets. We are using the headphones to listen to music, attend video conferences and those long hours of calling with friends. Trust me, these headphones of yours are being used to their maximum capacity. As it is with a lot of use, soon, some of us will see the headphones fade away soon.

Bluetooth earphones are in high demand which provides you complete wireless life experience and finds ways to make your daily activities more convenient. It’s quite uneasy to handle wired earphones that keep you bound and resist to move away by its wire or cored range. Wherein, while using the wireless headphones, the user does not need to bind near to the device also you do not have to worry about tangled wires and can move freely.

We have listed five of best budget neckband earphones to provide you with an easier and convenient way to listen to your music, take calls or do exercise without disturbing your normal routine. They also should not get in the way of performing those duties.

  1. WINGS GLIDE: Wings Lifestyle’s’Wings Glide’ earphones provide not only a rich acoustic experience but also enhance a person’s appearance as they rest on their nape. They are available in four colours, Black, Blue, Burgundy, and Olive Green making them ideal for music lovers who want earphones that provide an added dimension of style. The Wings Glide earphones can be worn to listen to music or even when not listening to music because their aesthetic design makes them an enviable fashion accessory.

    Wings Glide offers sharp sound quality and playtime and talktime of 6 hours after only 1.5 hours of charging. It has a smooth matt finished body which is perfect for all-day use. The earphones are compatible with all Android, IOS/Windows devices including mobiles, tabs, and laptops. It has HD Bass which provides clean vocals making it perfect for lovers of any genre of music be it EDM, Bollywood Rock or Acoustic songs.

Price: Rs. 1199/-

  1. Boat Rockerz 255:Offering the perfect balance of price, audio clarity and functionality, the Boat Rockerz 255 neckbands are easy to connect and pair. The Boat Rockerz 255 comes with advanced Bluetooth connectivity of 4.1 versions. The functionality of Boat Rockerz 255 Bluetooth wireless earphone is of superior quality.

    The earphone provides interesting experience to the users by pumping out tunes with powerful HD and deep bass sound. The earphone comes with 110mAH battery providing it longer battery life, Boat Rockerz 255 wireless Bluetooth earphones can play up to 45 minutes with 10 minutes charge.

This earphone is available in more than one colour such as black, neon, ocean blue and raging red.

Price: Rs. 1499/-

3. Mivi Thunder Beats:  Mivi Thunder Beats is also a worthy one to go with. It comes with excellent music experience with deep bass and clear vocals. Mivi Thunder Beats is an in-ear type earphone that offers a secure fit and its sweatproof design makes it good for workouts. The Mivi Thunderbeats is an in-ear canal phone-style pair of Bluetooth headphones with a frequency response range of 20Hz – 20,000Hz. This earphone has a metallic body that looks stylish and beautiful. It has Ergonomic design with three sets of earbuds. Earbuds have a magnetic lock, so it stays around your neck. The earphone can be used for 10 hours straight with a full battery hour of music playback. Mivi Thunder Beats offers Bluetooth wireless feature of the earphone which is compatible with all devices and build-in microphone that makes answering calls conveniently.

Price: Rs. 1299/-

  1. Realme Buds Wireless in-Ear Bluetooth: Realme is a sub-brand of Oppo that is giving a tough neck to neck competition to other brands. This is the first wireless earphone made by the Realme Company. The Realme buds come with built-in magnets making it easy to carry and clean. The Realme buds come with the signature yellow and black colour scheme which makes it stand out from the rest of the bland black designs out there. The Realme buds wireless earphone is known for its durability.

    The earphone includes features like reinforced and breaks resistance synthetic fibre that increases its durability. The material and make of Realme buds are top-notch and can withstand everyday wear and tear. One quality of Realme Buds that stands out is the ear tip, which bends to 45 degrees. Realme buds feel comfortable to wear for long usage. Realme Buds are made of good quality material that is tested to ensure the earphones match the expectation of the users.

Price: Rs. 1799/-

  1. Xiaomi Mi Sports Bluetooth Wireless Earphones: For the price, Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones offer superb sound quality for a neckband headphone. The Mi neckband wraps around your neck with two earpieces attached to a small section of wire. Mi Neckband Bluetooth Earphones have magnets on the ends of the earbuds that let the two stick together when not in use, the magnets don’t control power; that is done through a multi-function button on the neckband. The Mi neckband is powered by a 120mAh rechargeable battery inside. The company claims that this battery will last for eight hours on a single charge, but expect a battery life somewhere between 6 and 7 hours.

 Price: Rs. 1699/-

HyperX QuadCast – Review | Stream In Style

HyperX which is Kingston’s sub-brand is known for making high-end gaming gear. They have already announced many exciting products in CES 2020. However, there is one interesting thing that the company has launched recently and it is the HyperX QuadCast Gaming Microphone. How does it perform in the real world, let’s find out? 

How does HyperX QuadCast look?

The HyperX QuadCast Gaming Microphone is a condenser type microphone. This mic has been aimed at gamers and streamers alike, especially those who create content that required high-quality audio recording. It comes in red-black colour combination which I personally like very much. The build of the microphone uses aluminium which makes it very sturdy to use. The red accents and the honey-comb like grille on the mic are really eye-catching. Once connected, the microphone lights up in red colour and tapping the mic icon on the top allows you to mute the input. The QuadCast uses an electret condenser design and it uses a built-in pop-filter which cuts out the unnecessary noise. 

For connectivity, it comes with a mini-USB port (wish it was a type-C instead)  and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It can be connected to a PC, laptop or a gaming console and works on macOS, Windows and PS4 platforms too. A high-quality 1.5m long braided wire for connecting the microphone is also supplied in the box. It rests on an aluminium frame with braised elastic bands which keep it suspended and free from shock noises. The base of the microphone has the voice gain adjuster while at the back you will notice a knob with four preset polar settings for the mic.  In simple words, it offers four different modes which can be used to record audio in various situations. It supports four different types of audio recordings, such as cardioid, bidirectional, stereo, and omnidirectional.

How does perform HyperX QuadCast?

The best part of the QuadCast is the ability to adjust its voice gain, Especially if the streaming is being done from a crowded and noisy place. Similarly, for quieter environments, you can dial down the gain for much better and clear recording. We recorded some voiceovers and podcasts in our office to test its abilities and the overall quality has been very impressive. You can use open-source software which allows you to record and edit sound and easily syncs with most of them. Even in different scenarios, there was no compromise in the recordings. 

Should You Buy HyperX QuadCast?

The HyperX QuadCast is a great product for those who game and stream as well as record podcasts. In fact, it can be used as a versatile microphone given its ability to connect on multiple platforms. While the build quality and features are top-notch, I wish HyperX would have given a USB Type-C. Having said that, the QuadCast’s performance is good enough for you to forget everything else. 

Specs

  • Sample/bit rate: 48kHz/16-bit
  • Element: Electret condenser microphone
  • Condenser type: Three 14mm condensers
  • Polar patterns: Stereo, Omnidirectional, Cardioid, Bidirectional 
  • Frequency response: 20Hz-20kHz
  •  Sensitivity: -36dB (1V/Pa at 1kHz)
  •  Total weight with USB cable: 710

Price – Rs 14,900

Philips Headphones TAPN505 – Review | Music Sounds Better

Headphones have lost their wires, thanks to the wireless technology. However, wireless headphones can be of different quality levels, depending on the technology used. I have been testing the Philips headphones TAPN505 ANC headphones for a while now and this is the part where I can tell you if it is worth your money.

How does it look?

The Philips headphones TAP505 is a neckband type, in-ear active noise-cancelling headphone. Inside the box, you get the actual headphones, a charging wire, a USB to 3.5mm audio wire and a plush case for the headphone. The TAPN505 comes with simple looks, a neckband that expands towards the edges. On the left side, you get the power button, volume rocker, the Noise Cancellation button and the Google Assitant button. There are built-in LED indicators which show charging, connectivity and noise cancellation status. A flap on the extreme end of the left of the band conceals the micro-USB charging port. The left and the right in-ear buds are slightly angled. You can also see the small pores which contain the microphones to provide active noise cancellation. The design is very simple and the overall package looks neat and well designed. 

How does perform Headphones? 

Using the Philips TAPN505 is very easy. It quickly detects new Bluetooth devices and pairs instantly with the previously paired ones in the proximity. The in-ear buds fir well into the ears; which allow you to fit rubber tips according to your preference. The ANC toggles between Off, ON and Ambient Noise which essentially is meant to be used when commuting. The Ambient Noise amplifies the surrounding noises giving you a clear idea of everything happening around you. The noise cancellation mode works pretty well and I have tested it during a flight to firm my belief. 

Moving to the actual performance of the TAPN505, it did not fail to amuse me. I listen to a variety of music which includes instrument heavy tracks, vocals, instrumental and also modern-day electronic music. The sound output from the TAPN505 is pretty impressive. The 12.2mm neodymium drivers have an impedance of 32 Ohms and sensitivity of 103 dB and a frequency range of 7-40,000 Hz. The sound is very crisp with a lot of details in the highs and lows. The lows are prominent with the bass being quite boomy. There are times when the bass will sound muddy, but it is recommended to turn down the volume a couple of notches to experience the clarity these headphones provide. It comes with a lithium-polymer battery built-in which delivered over 10 hours of listening with ANC doing its job in the background. If you are in a hurry, a simple 5-minute charge assures you 2 hours of playback time. On the connectivity front, the Bluetooth was simple and easy to connect with a strong connection all around the house.

Should you buy it Headphones?

The Philips TAPN505 is a great choice for daily users, especially the ones who love their music. With a great sound output, noise cancellation and long battery life, it is a well-wrapped package which justifies it Rs. 11,990 price tag. Not to mention several offers which are being bundled along with the TAPN505, you will surely not regret buying the TAPN505 for yourself. 

Specifications

  • Drivers – 12.2mm drivers/ closed-back
  • Type – In-ear, Neckband
  • Battery – Li-polymer
  • Playback time – 10 hours

8D Audio – The Newest Trend In Music?

The latest trend in online music is 8D audio which has been making rounds. Often messages pop up asking to listen to some songs from  YouTube with your headphones on. Claims of experiencing a sing with your brain, rather than your ears, for an out of body experience as the sound would seem not to come from the headphones but outside.

What is 8D audio?

After listening to an 8D audio song, if you wondered how sound is completely different from normal audio. The result is surprising as it feels completely out of the world. You can make out that the sound is in the environment around you rather than coming in from the headphones. The effect is very similar when you walk around in your city and all the ambient sounds that come from all around you giving you a sense of space. You can clearly say where the temple bells are ringing, how the police van siren approaches from far away and goes past you. The sound comes from all different directions. This is the similar effect that comes from 8D audio when you listen to it on your headphones. 

8D audio as it might seem is new for most people. It seems to be like a futuristic technology that allows you to recreate the feeling of music being played by speakers distributed around us. This provides a sort of immersive and suggestive experience. So yes, this is definitely a new experience but not essentially a new technology. There is no real technology behind 8D audio and neither it has any true commercial applications. It is rather an effect that could be applied to any pre-existing songs and make them sound like 8D. Also, 8D would mean 8 dimensions which are not possible. 

Is 8D audio for real?

The reality is that there’s no new technology but a technique that allows hearing sounds as if you were in the middle of it. That feeling of music that runs through your head, thanks to the use of headphones, is the result of equalization techniques, panning and effects combined together. In short, panning is the ability to distribute the sound on different audio channels. If you think about your earphones, they have two physical channels: left and right. You can pan the sound all the way to the left or the right or, you can choose a specific sound to be played by one or the other earphone.

The result is the so-called 8D audio (which has no sense as the physical space where we live is mapped on 3 dimensions) that let you appreciate sounds coming from different directions. You can find on YouTube or Soundcloud this kind of audio recordings from the lowest quality where the record simply moves from left to right without a real point or, you can find high-quality records where the sound is correctly located in a specific region of the 3D space and you can clearly hear it through your earphones.

The reality of the spatial audio

An even more advanced “8D audio” is the Dolby Atmos, a technology developed by Dolby that, instead of using audio channels uses sound objects. With this technology, the sound moves around you in three-dimensional space, so you feel like you’re inside the action.

In conclusion, does the 8D audio exists? Yes, but no. Yes because there is the ability to hear sounds all around you on a 360° space; no, because it’s not a new technology and it’s definitely not called 8D audio but, we can call it more properly spatial sound or 3D audio. If you don’t own a 7.1 system or a Dolby Atmos supported system, use your earphones/headphone or you won’t be able to hear the effect.

It is no new technology but simple panning and equalization techniques that give to the sound a spatial feeling and that is what this 8D trend is all about. 

https://www.exhibit.tech/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Audio-8D.wav?_=1

Digitek-DRL18H LED Ring Light Review

Lighting is the most important part when you are shooting a photo or video. While flashes can be used to shoot pictures, video shooting requires a constant powerful source of light which can illuminate the subject and surrounding areas evenly. LED video lights have been in use for a long time now. LED lights are easy to use, carry and provide a great level of illumination for a fraction of the cost of high-end lighting setups.

Content creators are often looking to improve their quality of content they shoot and share on the social platforms. Many video creation platforms require users to create short format videos and share with their followers. This has also given rise to video creation on smartphones. While current smartphones can shoot great quality photos and videos, without proper lighting, it is as good as shooting with a VGA camera. 

 

Digitel DRL18H LEd Ring light

For individual content creators who shoot solo at their offices and workplaces, setting up lighting and shooting could be a challenge. An additional light with more function would be the right companion for making short-format videos and vlogs. So we tested the Digitel DRL18H LEd Ring light and here is what we think of it. 

The Digitek DRL18H LED Ring light is a ring-shaped LED light panel as the name already suggests. It comes packed in a box and is comfortably sitting inside a carry case. Digitek also bundles a light stand with the DRL18H. Inside the box, you get the DRL18H ring light, a mobile phone holder mount and a cold-shoe adapter mount which allows you to attach additional gear. The front has the circular white diffuser panel. At the back, you have the power switch, AC power input, and two knobs which control the intensity and the colour of the light. Moreover, it also features two universal ‘V’ battery mounts which will allow you to use the DRL18H without having to plug into power. The overall build is good and sturdy. The adjustable light stand bundled with the light can be adjusted for height and also the spread of the tripod legs can be adjusted. The outer diameter of the ring is 490mm and the internal diameter stands at 375mm. The light weighs a mere 1.1kg and is easy to move. 

Now moving to the performance, we shot a couple of tech videos and found the light quality to be very good. You can adjust the brightness and colour temperature of the light which ranges from 3200K-5600K. The light has an output power of 55 watts and a luminance of 5200 LM and also features step-less adjustment. If you shoot videos on a smartphone, the supplied mobile phone and hot shoe adapter will be of great help. Additionally, you can attach an external microphone on the hot-shoe mount. The light will be very beneficial for those who shoot short format videos, shoot makeup tutorials as well as those who vlog from a desk set up. The light is very evenly distributed and provides soft illumination. It is very bright and it is advisable not to stare at it for a long period of time to avoid stress on your eye

So, if you are planning to buy an LED light for content creation, the Digitek DRL 18H LED Ring light is a very capable contender for the same, especially if you are single-handed shooter on your smartphone. Digitek’s touch of adding extra hot shoe mounts, adapters and mobile phone holder makes it a perfect lighting package in a budget.

Digitek Dbe 008 Bluetooth Neckband Earphone – Review

Digitek is a well-known brand which offers a lot of accessories for cameras, film-making, mobile phones as well as peripherals. Digitek has recently launched the Digitek Dbe 008 and we have tested it out to know more about it. 

Build and Design

The Digitek Dbe 008 is neckband style earphone and is made of soft-touch rubber. Both the ends of the neckband have plastic edges. The right side has three buttons for music playback control, taking calls as well as powering the headset on and off. The ear tips are connected via flat cables which means it does not usually tangle. The ear tips are set at an angle and fit into your perfectly. The fit allows you to do activities while wearing the headset as the ear tips do not slip out of your ear. However, the DBE-008 does not come with an IP rating hence it would probably not resist the sweat or accidental splash of water. Magnets on each end to keep the ear tips together. The headset is lightweight and flexible so you would not feel anything when it sits around your neck. 

Performance

The DBE-008 features 10m drivers. It really does not fail to impress with the sound. The vocals are clear and the bass is quite punchy. Increasing the volume to maximum does not create any discomfort but is advisable to use headphones in lowe volumes to avoid any chance of hearing injury. The silicone tips on the earbuds create a perfect seal which helps cut out the outside noise. 

The neckband also has a microphone which can be used for answering calls. The other person can hear you clearly thanks to the microphone which also captures the surrounding noises, making it not too great for the person on the other side of the call. However, there are no drops or sudden disconnection faced. 

For connectivity, the DBE-008 gets Bluetooth 5.0 but it does not support any high-resolution audio codecs. You can connect the headset to two different devices at once which is again a welcome feature. The Digitel DBE-008 has a 280 mAh battery which offers up to 25 hours of playtime which is plenty. Charging the headset is via a micro-USB port and it takes about 3 hours for it to charge fully. 

Verdict

The Digitek DBE-008 is priced at Rs. 1495/- which points to the fact that it belongs to the affordable headset segment. But do not get me wrong when I say affordable. While it could be a great companion for your daily office commute, the 25-hour battery life is long enough to last you a few trips to work and back. I wish Digitek had made is slimmer and splash resistant. Nonetheless, the Digitek DBE-008 is a good product for your daily use whether it is listening to music or watching movies and videos. 

Price – Rs. 1495/-

iPhone SE 2 for 2020 Announced | Prices Start At $399

With the looks of an iPhone 8, it packs more modern specs to match the performance

Apple has finally taken the covers off the new iPhone SE 2. The iPhone is the cheapest offering from the house of Apple and the prices start from $399 for the 6GB storage version. But with the looks of it, most of the people will mistake it for an iPhone 8. Well, it would take some really trained eyes to differentiate it from the iPhone 8. 

Starting with the screen, it features a 4.7-inch screen, yes the most friendly iPhone size, large bezels on the top and button and the now missing home button with Touch ID. This design has been consistent since the arrival of the iPhone 6. So the SE second generation is the fifth device to carry this design and Apple has really mastered this design over the years.

Apple says it will be available for pre-order from April 17th onwards and start shipping from the 24th of April. Depending on the on-board memory, you have a 128GB variant priced at $499 and a 256GB model $549. Moreover like any other iPhone, it will ship with one year of Apple TV Plus. The iPhone SE second generation will be offered in three colours – Black, White and Product Red. 

What’s New?

Now don’t get this wrong but the new iPhone SE is basically an iPhone 8, but it packs a better camera, hardware and specifications. The surprise here is the A13 Bionic chip, which also powers the latest iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models. 

What this means that the new iPhone will have a long life from the time you pick it up from the shelves. In fact, it now will claim the life of the iPhone 8 which it is replacing. However, Apple has said that the iPhone 8 Plus will be available in some select markets only. These select markets could include price-sensitive markets like India too.

With the new A13 processor, the camera on the new iPhone SE has gained some new features. It gets a single 12-megapixel camera on the back along with a flash. Apple claims that with the A13 chip on board, the new SE offers improved Smart HDR photography, which combines multiple shots into a single image to massively improve the lighting and detail. 

The surprise here with the single-camera is the portrait mode technology. Apple has named it ‘monocular depth-sensing’ (just better software detection) which uses machine learning to detect depth and faces. But it also raises doubts on the subjects as it should work on humans but cannot really say how it would be on pets or other objects. Lastly, the camera is blessed with Apple’s optical stabilization which claims to provide ‘cinematic’ stabilization. The camera can record 4K video at 60fps. What a delight for creators who shoot on their phone. On the front, the selfie camera comes with a 7-megapixel sensor. The front camera can also do portrait effects. Apple is achieving the same results what others have been trying to do with multiple cameras. Good move Apple. 

The Hardware

Most of the parts of the new iPhone SE are identical to the iPhone 8. You can expect a similar battery life. However, Apple has not revealed any numbers for the battery on this one. The screen is Apple’s 4.7-inch IPS LED Retina display with True Tone colour. It might sound different, but it is the exact screen as we have already seen on the iPhone 8. Moreover, Apple says the cases made for iPhone 8 will fit the new iPhone SE with ease.   

Now here is something that would leave some waiting for more. In the days of blazing-fast charging times, Apple’s new SE comes with a puny 5W charger in the box. Although, it has support for 18W fast charging, as well as support for Qi wireless charging. What you won’t see is a headphone jack, the 3.5mm jack has been ditched. Apple will ship with Lightning headphones in the box. 

What else? Some modern specs like support for Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit LTE and dual-sims (e-sim for the second one). It has now support for Haptic Touch, which is a replacement for Apple’s 3D Touch. Apple is sure to lift some hopes despite the current pandemic situation.  This $399 iPhone is sure to appeal a lot of buyers, especially the ones who have been a fan of the screen size but wanted some better specs. Apple has finally addressed the problem. Last but not least, the new iPhone SE will secure its user with software updates over the years to come. 

iPhone SE 2 Specifications

  • Screen: 4.7-inch True Tone display
  • Rear cameras: 12-megapixel single 6-element lens, features OIS, flicker sensor for white balance, focus pixels, HDR, and portrait mode for people, video recording at 4K/60fps
  • Selfie camera: 7-megapixel camera
  • Dimensions: 67.3 x 138.4 x 7.3mm, 148 grams
  • Processor: A13 Bionic 
  • Memory: TBD
  • Storage: 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB
  • Battery: TBD
  • OS: iOS 13
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Gigabit LTE, Dual SIM with eSIM
  • Biometric authentication: second-generation Touch ID fingerprint sensor
  • Wireless charging, Lightning connector, 5W charger included
  • IP67 protection

Is India Ready For 5G?

It is about time India gets into the 5G race, similar when 2G, 3G and 4G had arrived. With the arrival of 5G, it would enable massive commercial deployment of technologies like IoT, AI, AR/VR, RPA etc which would facilitate use across many industries like automotive, media and entertainment, healthcare, retail, manufacturing and agriculture to name a few.

Not only this, but 5G implementation would also have major applications in Smart Cities which ultimately would spread the use of IoT applications.
The rollout of 5G in India is expected to create an economic impact of 1 trillion USD in India by 2035.

With new connected devices being launched, it would require the existing wireless infrastructure to be enhanced as well as an advanced operating model of operating 5G networks in India.

While 5G will require a huge level of transformation, the Indian mobile network operators will need to form skills, competence and operating models, as well as an entirely new ecosystem, has to be developed for the implementation.

In recent times, service providers are facing massive challenges and huge debts due to crashing markets, delayed payments to DoT, crashing rupee and rising oil prices along with a cut-throat competition among the telcos. Right now only JIO, Airtel, BSNL and Vodafone Idea are the active operators India who are fighting hard for survival. While Vodafone merged with Idea to save themselves, Airtel is having a hard time keeping up. BSNL and MTNL are on the verge of being dissolved and Vodafone is also contemplating to quit the Indian market.

This has made credit acquisition difficult for the telcos as banks are no longer offering loans to the bootstrapped companies leading to more losses and exiting from telecom business. It is calculated that an approximate amount of 60-70 billion US dollars will be required to seamlessly implement 5G network infrastructure in India.

While the industry is gearing towards providing the service platform, delivery model and logistics support, it has to be seen if the government is truly interested in an upgrade to 5G soon as it has to go about 5G spectrum auctions which will allow them to raise finances for improving the infrastructure.

The telecom ministry has to take bold steps to improve the financial condition of the service providers. Last but not least, will the consumer demand be enough to justify these huge investments?

These are some real issues which have to be addressed before India can experience 5G rollout. In fact, these real issues and their solutions will determine if India would be running 5G in the years to come.

Samsung S 20 Plus Review | The Next Leap

Samsung did begin the year 2020 with the launch of their flagship Galaxy S20 series, but with the ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19, it seems likely that a lot of launches will have to wait until the dust settles everywhere. 

Build and Design

The Galaxy S20+ has a refined design when compared to its predecessor. The smartphone now comes with thinner bezels and the glass curves onto the edges of the display. The phone has a glass back held together with an aluminium frame.

The glossy finish on the phone means it does feel slippery in the hands and also attracts a lot of fingerprints and smudges. It weighs around 186 grams but does not feel heavy in the hands. 

The display on the S20+ is a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X panel which also supports HDR 10+ and a refresh rate of 120Hz. You can choose between QHD+ resolution which will bring down the refresh rate to 60Hz. The 120Hz refresh works only at Full HD resolution.

The display has a centre-mounted punch-hole for the selfie camera which does not really bother you. On the right, you have the volume and power buttons and the left has the dedicated Bixby button.

The sim-tray is at the top while at the bottom you have the USB-C type charging port and the speaker. You can also choose to expand the memory on the device with a micro-sd card. The main camera setup at the back looks very similar to Samsung’s A-series smartphones. 

Having said that, the Galaxy S20+ feels very premium when you are holding it. In the box, you get a 25W fast charger, Type-C to Type-C charging cable, protective case and an AKG-branded headset 

Performance

The Samsung S 20 Plus sold here in India only comes with 4G support and only one configuration. It is powered by an Exynos 990 processor paired with 8Gb of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Samsung has used LPDDR5 memory on the S20+ which promises higher data rates and low power consumption. 

Performance of the Galaxy S20+ is rock solid. The 120 Hz refresh rate makes it really smooth and fluid to scroll around. There is no lag or stutter when running heavy applications and also while gaming.

Heavy titles like PUBG, Call Of Duty and Asphalts 9 Legends could be run at maximum settings without any hiccups. The phone does get hot during the extreme gaming sessions but is nothing that one cannot handle. 

The display is top-notch and the colours are rich and saturated while the screen brightness is adequate. With the slimmer bezels, watching content is a delight on this display. 

Samsung has given the S20+ an ultrasonic in-display fingerprint scanner which is surprisingly fast. You also have the option of choosing face recognition for unlocking the device.

Battery life on the S20+ is pretty solid and the 4500mAh battery means it will deliver a full day of usage. The 25W charger will charge the device to 100% in about an hour.  It also supports Wireless PowerShare or reverse wireless charging, which can be used to charge accessories such as the Galaxy Buds+.

Finally, the Samsung S 20 Plus has a new camera setup with two of the highlight features being 8K video recording and up to 30x hybrid zoom. The primary sensor has a 12-megapixel resolution with Dual Pixel autofocus, an f/1.8 aperture, and OIS, but the pixel size is now 1.8 microns. The ultra-wide-angle camera also uses a 12-megapixel sensor and f/2.2 aperture, and no autofocus.

The telephoto camera is a 64-megapixel sensor without OIS. The selfie camera is a 10-megapixel with Dual Pixel AF and f/2.2 aperture. Images from the S20+ have been no less than amazing with sharpness, contrast and true to scene colours while the front camera does a good job of taking selfies. 

Verdict

For a price of Rs. 73,999, you get a lot of capable hardware. While the price clearly indicates its premium segment. With great performance, great cameras and good battery life, money spent on the Galaxy S20+ is money well spent.

Specifications:

  • Exynos 990 processor
  • 8GB RAM
  • 128GB Storage
  • 64-megapixel quad-camera setup
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