OnePlus Nord reviewed: Mid-ranger game-changer or just an ordinary smartphone?

OnePlus recently reentered the mid-range smartphone market segment with the launch of the OnePlus Nord. It may not be the best phone from the company’s stable, but it definitely packs a punch. The Nord had definitely been the talk of the town during its launch phase. However, it got a bittersweet reception after its specifications and pricing were announced.

Instead of taking a step further in the flagship range competition, OnePlus went with the tried-and-tested formula of returning to the mid-range segment, offering three variants of the Nord. I got a chance to use the top trim with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, which is what I am going to talk about in this review.

Now, I have been an OnePlus user for over two years. My model, the OnePlus 6 has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Naturally, I was expecting a considerable upgrade when using the Nord. But, the primary difference that I noticed, unfortunately, was the screen size and not the performance. Even in hardcore gaming, the best advantages the Nord offered was a slightly bigger screen, a better 20:9 aspect ratio, and clearer graphics.

Look and Feel:

The Nord is only marginally bigger than my OnePlus 6, though it has much thinner bezels and a better body-to-screen ratio. The phone also feels mediocre to hold. Not that it feels of inferior quality in any way, but it just meets usual OnePlus standards. It does get an all-glass body with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on both front and back. However, the downer is the plastic frame, which diminishes sturdiness and makes you feel less confident when handling your device. It also does not have an IP rating for dust and water resistance, further adding to its disadvantages over its competitors. I got to review the Gray Onyx coloured model, which I personally would always prefer over the Blue Marble.

The Nord retains the company’s signature slider button for volume profiles on the right, along with the power/wake button. The overall look and feel of the phone is neat, however, it misses out on the premiumness that OnePlus phones are generally associated with.

Camera:

Having said that, the Nord takes the cake with its camera. OnePlus offers some of the best manual control options in its camera. Even in my OnePlus 6, the Pro mode can be used to click DSLR quality images. Consequently, the Quad Camera setup of the Nord is lightyears ahead. Still sticking to the Pro mode, the OnePlus Nord allowed me to click lifelike images effortlessly. But for the occasions when I felt too lazy to adjust the settings, the Nord had my back with its 48MP Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) camera. It has a Sony IMX586 main sensor, along with three secondary cameras of 8MP, 2MP, and 5MP. All other photo modes (which are a lot by the way) support superzoom and superwide mode, but the 48MP mode takes all control in its own hands. Just focus and click away!

Video options are also ample, with 4K recording at 30 fps, 1080p recording at 30 and 60 fps, and a Time-lapse mode at 4K (30 fps) and 1080p (30 fps). For “Slo-Mo” content creators, the Nord can take super slow-motion videos at 1080p at 240 fps! The media that I captured was further enhanced when displayed on the 6.44” Fluid AMOLED screen. Not to forget its 90Hz refresh rate that offered a decently seamless transition.

Processor:

Honestly, I was quite disappointed by the processor choice. Again comparing with my OnePlus 6, I found its Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 to be much more efficient than the Nord’s Snapdragon 765G, which was rather dejecting. While both processors have 8 cores, the Snapdragon 765G has a combined peak CPU speed of 15.4 GHz, while the Snapdragon 845 clocks 18.28 GHz. The Nord does get a higher upload speed of 210 MBits/s, has a 267MHz higher RAM speed, and has a larger maximum memory size, which is why the Nord is available with 12GB of RAM. But apart from that, I missed the feeling of getting a processor upgrade when switching from my OnePlus 6 to the Nord.

Phone Setup:

Talking about switching, OnePlus offers a neat little app called, well, OnePlus Switch. This allowed me to replicate my existing settings and applications from my old OnePlus 6 to the new Nord. The transfer also happened in the time it took me to reach home from the office, which is why I was all set to experience the Nord as soon as I stepped in. To emphasize, the app transferred more than 50 GB of data, along with multiple customization and personalization settings in a span of 15 minutes, without a strong Wi-Fi connection.

Battery:

Being an ardent gamer, I mastered many different genres of games (Challenge me if you dare?). The OnePlus Nord allowed me to play games as intensely as I wanted while offering a decent battery backup with its 4115 mAh battery pack. On the occasional weekend that I played games from morning till night, I only had to leave the Nord on charge for a little over an hour. The WarpCharge 30T charger that comes in the box was wholly responsible for that, no questions asked. Honestly, I needed a bigger break than that so I am not complaining.

Verdict:

Priced at Rs 29,999, the top trim of the OnePlus Nord is the best choice for potential customers. This is because, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, users can experience the fullest potential of the OnePlus Nord. Also, its option with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is priced just Rs 2000 less, which makes the top trim an even more value for money option. The Nord offers everything that OnePlus is known for, but it leaves something to desire. Probably as OnePlus says, Never Settle?

OnePlus Nord: The Future of smartphones is here!

Just witnessed the much-hyped AR launch by Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox therapy and Carl Lau – CEO of OnePlus and well the product is good but the hype around the launch was a little stretched. The AR presentation though went off smooth, but it was not rocket science or Elon Musk personally ejecting himself to the moon in his capsule. In a nutshell, it was a great work of video editors who have been working on developing games. Now let’s get to the real deal which is the price and it’s quite reasonably priced for the specs it comes packed with.

OnePlus when it started was priced below the 20K mark and let’s be honest they have been able to establish a premium positioning. It’s a brand everyone is comfortable to be seen with, unlike Vivo and Oppo where some might draw their eyebrows and throw in the Chinese comparison. In Spite of it being from the same family of BBK, OnePlus perception has always been disruptive and a community feeling. It uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G SoC and will be offered in Blue Marble and Gray Onyx colours. Other specifications of the phone include a 6.44-inch full-HD+ Fluid AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate which is what Carl harped on for a long time, and is very important for a seamless experience. With specs going up to 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of onboard storage with the RAM being used is – LPDDR4X, and the onboard storage is UFS 2.1.

Now the camera looks like they have taken a clean shot at loads of mid-rangers with its quad-camera setup that is headlined by a 48-MP main camera, along with an 8-megapixel wide-angle shooter, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. The front hole-punch cutouts include two selfie cameras – 32-megapixel main camera + 8-megapixel wide-angle camera. All of them look very promising, we are yet to test it though so will reserve the comments on this

Further, there is a 4,115mAh battery onboard that supports Warp Charge 30T fast charging technology, which enables the phone to charge from zero to 70 percent in 30 minutes flat. Of course, an in-display fingerprint sensor, 5G support, and NFC are part of standard features these days.

OnePlus Nord will run on Android 10-based OxygenOS 10.5 which has been making a lot of waves with its UI. Nord gets company at the launch with the OnePlus wireless earbuds which claim to have ten hours of battery life on a 10-minute charge. The runtime increases to 30 hours when recharged using the battery in the case. The case is also confirmed to support Warp Charge. It also includes a 13.4mm dynamic driver as well as 3D stereo support with Dolby Atmos and it weighs 4.6 grams each and the charging case weighs 36 grams and comes dressed in white, Nord Blue and Gray colours.

PRICING

OnePlus Nord will start at Rs. 24,999 in India for the base 6GB + 64GB model. The 8GB + 128GB and 12GB + 256GB models will retail at Rs. 27,999 and Rs. 29,999, respectively. The OnePlus Nord will go on sale via Amazon India and OnePlus.in starting August 4. But very smartly, the Nord buyers will only get to choose from 8GB RAM and 12GB RAM models and the entry-level will drop only in September. No word on the availability of the OnePlus Buds but it has been priced very aggressively at Rs. 4,990 to rock the boat.

Vivo X50 Pro | Unboxing and First Impressions

#VIVOX50PRo #GIMBLE #SMARTPHONE #SMARTPHONEUNBOXING

Samsung Galaxy S20 – The Near Perfect Phone

With all the outrage against Chinese manufactured phones, the market is ready to welcome phones with other countries of origin. When the market was dominated by Chinese phones in low, mid and high range sections – it was increasingly difficult for other brands to compete.

Let see how the Korean brand has delivered its proposition to change Indian mentality of – Cheap and Best.

Albeit, not as impressive as its variant Galaxy S20 Ultra – this phone is powerful with ergonomic and attractive design. With the introduction of new features like 5G and 120Hz display this phone is something that looks promising.

Quick Facts with Pros & Cons and General Opinion

Pros

Fantastic display
Strong camera performance
Lots of power and 5G-ready

Cons

Price on the higher side and have good alternatives.
Does not support all 5G networks

Marketed as a 5G phone, it is cheaper than Galaxy S20 Ultra. With a sleek 6.2-inch screen and fast 120Hz refresh rate, 5G download speeds , high-spec 108 MP camera, and a big battery to boot, this phone has a novelty element in the features.

Chipset

This phone is equipped with a powerful new chipset, Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 or Exynos 990 (based on your country) as well as either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, depending on whether you buy the 4G or 5G phone. If you’re in the US you’ll get Qualcomm’s top-end Snapdragon 865 chipset, while the rest of the world gets Exynos 990. As for India, the Exynos 990-powered S20, is powerful enough to do everything whether that’s playing games or loading apps quickly.

When compared with S10, this newly launched handset has a multi core score of 2699 while the S10 5G from 2019, returned an average result of 2197, and the OnePlus 7T Pro, scored 2584. These scores won’t mean a lot for the average user, but it’s a positive result for the Galaxy S20.

The 5G variant comes with 12GB of RAM while the 4G version has 8GB of RAM. The Galaxy S20 is running Android 10, the latest and greatest version of Google’s operating system. Samsung’s indigenous One UI looks different to the software you may have used on other Android phones that aren’t made by Samsung, but the design is attractive and it’s easy to use.

Camera

Let’s talk about the camera. Perhaps one of the USPs of the phone is the camera. With an embedded triple camera on the rear the picture and video quality have been improved (including increased pixel sizes to improve night time photography by allowing more light in), and there are also a few software tweaks to improve the overall experience.

A major upgrade from the predecessor Galaxy S10, the telephoto lens allows you to shoot high quality 3x optical zoom or 30x digital zoom. The 12 MP main camera has an f/1.8 aperture.

However, there is an increase in the size of individual pixels here, from 1.4 microns to 1.8 microns. There’s also a new 64MP telephoto camera, which is a huge upgrade over last year’s 12MP telephoto camera.

Battery life

Being a 5G supported device, Samsung Galaxy S20’s battery consumption is humongous. Hence, Samsung has equipped the Galaxy S20 with a 4,000mAh power pack, a notable increase over the 3,400mAh capacity on the S10. Galaxy S20 has a solid battery life that will easily see you through a full day of typical use. However, when the phone was used with a high brightness and the 120Hz refresh rate turned on.

With fast charging from 0-100% in less than an hour, using the optimum display should not be looked down upon provided you are using a high end phone. While the 15W wireless charging is not as fast as the wired variety it’s always a useful option to have.

Final Words

With new improved battery life, chipset and camera this phone is a near perfect phone as suggested in the title. You can buy this phone if you want to be futureproofed in terms of connectivity. It’s not something that’s essential for most users right now, but it’s something you’re likely to appreciate as 5G networks become more ubiquitous.

24 Hours With Samsung Galaxy Note10+ | It’s a Note Life!

Had a day out with Samsung Galaxy Note10+ and we can safely say that it’s a companion you can not get tired of! Give us a shoutout with the hashtag #ItsANoteLife on your social media platforms with a picture that’s shot on Samsung Galaxy Note10+.

Specs:
– 6.8 inches Dynamic AMOLED display
– Exynos 9825 processor
– 12GB RAM
– 256GB RAM
– 12MP + 12MP + 16MP Rear camera
– 16MP front camera
– Android 9 Pie
– 4300mAh battery

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Gadget in frame: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+
Reviewer: Ramesh Somani
Cinematography and Video Editing: Sanil Goti
Location: Udaipur, India

Smartphone Launches during Lockdown

While the lockdown put a stop to everything in India, 5 Smartphone makers didn’t let the virus affect their plans. While on-ground events and gatherings were of course, a big ‘no’, the online world was ready to be the platform and the audience.

If purchasing a new Smartphone is on your to-do list right now, here’s a list of recent launches that could help you make a quick decision.

1. OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro

The launch of the much awaited 8 was a global online event on 14th of April. On 19th, the pricing for India was announced. OnePlus has never disappointed with the quality and with the 8, it has only gone a step further with the premium feel and smooth experience. If you’re willing to shell out 41,999 INR and up, then the OnePlus 8 series is good for you.

2. Xiaomi Mi 10

Who doesn’t love Xiaomi? With great quality and affordable pricing, Xiaomi has always kept its fans happy and increasing in number with every new launch. Xiaomi Mi 10 is no exception. It was launched on 8th of May and directly competes with the OnePlus 8 series. The biggest plus with Xiaomi Mi 10 is that it offers 5G support too. So, it is future-ready! It could set your bank balance back by 49,999 INR which is the starting price. If budget is your constraint, OnePlus 8 is worth considering but if the features are what you’re looking at and are willing to shell out the extra bucks, Mi 10 is worth every penny.

3. Apple iPhone SE

Nothing has ever stopped Apple from doing its thing, then how could the lockdown ruin its plans to launch the SE? The Apple A13 Bionic chipset is what Apple fans have been waiting for and the wait got over on 15th of April. The display is quite small at 4.7 inches only so if you’re okay with that, then the size won’t be any problem. A budget iPhone is rare so this is for grabs if you’re wanting an Apple iPhone but can’t afford the other variants. The price of the SE starts at 42,500 INR and is quite a steal for an Apple product.

4. RealMe Narzo Series

RealMe has so many fans. There are plenty of reasons for that. Great quality and features at very affordable prices. Who wouldn’t want to bet their money on RealMe Smartphones? The Narzo 10 series is the latest one that you can set your eyes on. The prices start at only 8,499 INR and the Smartphones are too good for the price. The Narzo series was launched on the 11th of May. Both, the Narzo 10 and the Narzo 10A are available for purchase. Take a pick!

5. Poco F2 Pro

The newfound love Poco has been popular ever since the very first release. When everyone knows that the brand has been derived from Xiaomi, it becomes easy to assume that the quality will always be top-notch. It has been true and the new Poco F2 Pro that was launched globally on 12th of May lives up to all the expectations. It is all set to launch in India on the 19th of June. While everyone is eagerly waiting for it to be available for purchase, let us tell you that for all that it offers, it is quite affordable. The expected price is around 41,000 INR. Just like the F1, the F2 fails to disappoint. If you haven’t made up your mind yet, wait for this one to launch and then you can make your final decision.

How to Install Android 11 on your Smartphone

The Android 11 Developer Preview is out and we can’t even! First things first. If you have a compatible pixel Smartphone then you can get it right now. You’re all excited and waiting for the steps involved but a word of caution here. This is a beta version so expect a lot of bugs and incomplete features. Also, if anything goes wrong, your device might go Kaput. So, while you have all the anticipation of the great stuff it has to offer, be also aware of the risks you’re taking. It is advisable to try this on your second device. We advise you against downloading android 11 on your main Smartphone.

Which Android phones are compatible for Android 11?

Google Pixel 2
Google Pixel 2 XL
Google Pixel 3
Google Pixel 3 XL
Google Pixel 3a
Google Pixel 3a XL
Google Pixel 4
Google Pixel 4 XL

If you own any of these smartphones, you can go ahead with downloading Android 11. Here’s how you can do that.

Enable the developer options on your Pixel smartphone. How to do that? Go to Settings > About Phone > Tap on Build Number 10 times. This enables the developer options for your android phone.
Go back and tap System > Advanced > Developer options. Enable OEM unlocking here. After that, scroll down and enable USB debugging.
Now for the work on your computer. Open Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge version 79 or above, and visit the Android developer preview website.
If you’re using a Windows 10 computer, download the Google USB Driver for Windows for the flashing process. No additional drivers are needed for Mac.
Connect your phone to your computer and on the Android developer, preview website click on the Android Flash Tool Link next to your device name.
Click OK on the pop-up page that asks for permission. On your android phone, tap ‘allow’ for USB debugging. This will authenticate your device and your smartphone is now connected. In case your phone isn’t connected, click on Add New Device > a pop-up will appear, click on your phone’s name > click Connect. Tap Allow on the pop-up on your android phone. Your phone is now connected.
After your phone is connected, click on the box where your phone’s name appears. On the next page you’ll see the pencil icon that you need to click, next to Selected Build. Here you will be able to enable the Lock Bootloader option if you want to ensure that your phone’s bootloader is locked once the process is finished. And it’s finally time to hit install!
You’ll now be asked to avoid interacting with your phone. Confirm and click ‘I Accept’.
You’ll be asked to Factory reset your phone. Click ‘yes’ on your computer and Tap ‘Allow’ on your android phone.
Your Smartphone will now reboot to its bootloader screen. You’ll also see the current status of your phone on your computer screen.
While waiting you might see a pop-up on the computer screen asking you to reselect your device. This is a possibility if you’re flashing your phone for the first time. Click ‘Reselect device’. You’ll see another pop-up. Click Android > Connect > you’ll see one more pop-up asking you to unlock the bootloader, click Start.
On your phone’s screen, navigate to unlock the bootloader with the volume keys and select it by hitting the power button. The Android 11 download will now start. You can track the progress on your computer’s screen.
Once Android 11 is downloaded and finished installing, you’ll be asked to lock your phone’s bootloader. Click Start and select ‘Lock the Bootloader’ on your smartphone. Navigate with the volume keys and select by clicking the power button. Lastly, tap done on your computer’s screen.
Now you have to wait till your phone reboots. Once this is done, your computer shows a message that reads ‘Software successfully updated’. (Yayyy!!) You can then start setting up your device and unplug it from the computer.

Now that your device is set up, you now have a Pixel phone that runs Android 11 along with the latest security patch!

These steps might look like they’re a lot of work but believe it or not, the whole process is really simple. Once you download Android 11, you can enjoy testing it out! Are there any bugs? Are the features good? We will be happy to know from you! After all, you’re the early birds to enjoy Android 11 right now. Throw some light on what can be expected. We are waiting!

Touchless Technology Saves the Day

Since everything is revolving around Coronavirus, it’s treatment and the ‘new normal’, let’s think about what the world might look like if technology was to evolve too. I mean, if besides social distancing, we were to maintain a distance from gadgets too, yet operate them at the same time, how would it be?

While touchscreen technology has been around for more than a decade now, we can hardly imagine life without it. Touchscreen phones, tabs, laptops, everything. Since viruses (especially Coronavirus) and other microorganisms tend to live on surfaces, can we really control a breakout of the same by coming up with ‘touchless’ technology?

Fast-forward to 2025 and I’m leaving to buy some groceries. I simply wink at my car door to open it. A ‘wink and blink’ technology. Cool, quick and efficient. Isn’t it? I remember registering my eyelid for anti-theft certification. It was a long process and my eye did hurt but we have to be cautious. It is better to have my eye hurt than contract Coronavirus. Now I can be sure that neither will my car be stolen nor will I contract Coronavirus (at least not by touching the surface of my car). What a relief.

I am back home and it is time to check my phone. It is at my work desk and I only have to wave ‘hello’ to it for its screen to appear on my TV – the big screen experience! I feel super lazy for not even lifting my hand to touch the phone but that’s what all of this new Touchless technology is about! Besides, my hand already hurts from waving ‘hello’. And now that the display is on the big screen, I’d finish a few tasks and enter a Zoom call for my official meeting. Let’s go with checking my social media accounts first. To enter my Instagram account, I simply make a ‘duck face’, for TikTok I need to make an exaggerated dance move and for Twitter, I need to speak a strong opinion for a ’cause’. Touchless technology is that simple! Crazy, isn’t it? For the Zoom call thereafter, I simply make an ‘It’s Monday again’ face and there we go. I’m beginning to think that why wasn’t Touchless technology always a way of life?

The whole of my face and body hurt right now by making all those expressions and gestures so it’s a free workout session every day too! That’s quite a bonus. I’m not complaining. What I’m thinking about is just this, that if we were winking at our cars without this ‘touchless’ technology, it would be so odd. Think about making that ‘it’s Monday again’ face to login to Zoom meetings and getting fired by your boss.

Well, so much for avoiding pandemics. We’re afraid of the touch but I guess we should be more afraid of the ‘touchless’ unless we want to get weirder, looted by tech companies for the new technology and well, more susceptible to a mental care rehabilitation centre. We’re okay with building herd immunity for now, I guess?

Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 Under Works | To Come With 120Hz Display?

While the entire world is at home, not defying the lockdown and helping each other out in the best ways possible, we all know a lot of things which were scheduled to happen in 2020 have been cancelled or postponed. Many smartphones manufacturers have already postponed their upcoming launches or strictly sticking to online launches for the same.

But on a positive note, this is a good time to do the homework well and make no noise, like Samsung has been doing. The Korean smartphone giant is reportedly working on the next version of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and if rumours are to be believed, the upcoming fold will be cheaper and better in many ways.

Samsung Galaxy Fold

The upcoming Galaxy Fold is expected to be priced at $1780 to $1880 which is a significant dip compared to the Fold which retailed for $1980. The new Fold is expected to be unveiled alongside the new Galaxy Note series, somewhere around the month of August.

Additionally, if the reports are true, the upcoming Galaxy Fold will also carry support for the S-pen stylus. The main display is expected to measure 7.59-inch which is an increment from the previous 7.3-inch and is said to carry a 1689 X 2213 screen resolution. The display will also have an ultra-thin coating of glass, something that Samsung has been advertising a lot from the time it launched the Galaxy Z-Flip. The display could also support 120Hz refresh rate.

The secondary screen on the outer face of the Fold will see improvements as well and Samsung could go for a 6.23-inch panel with a resolution of 819 x 2267 and 60Hz refresh rate. The selfie camera could be placed under a punch-hole cutout.

In the camera department, the main sensor will be upgraded to a 64MP sensor and will be flanked by 12MP and a 16MP additional modules. This setup is quite close to Samsung’s triple camera setup on the Galaxy S20 and the S20+. Last but not least, the Galaxy Fold 2 or whatever Samsung decided to name it will also bring in support for 5G like Samsung’s latest flagship releases. However, a hit at lower onboard memory sounds right which will keep the manufacturing costs low and thus make it affordable?