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
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
Picture credits: www.oneplus.in
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
Picture credits: www.mi.com
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
Picture credits: www.apple.com
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
Picture credits: www.realme.com
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
Picture courtesy: www.xiaomitoday.com
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.
If you are looking to buy a serious camera, you will probably look at some of the Canon, Sony or even Nikon DSLRs/Mirrorless cameras. There are some of the brands which dominate the camera market currently and offer a range of cameras for every budget. However, brands like Fuji have been working to get their crop-sensor cameras out in every budget range and every type of use along with their new mirrorless medium format cameras. Fuji has decided to skip on the full-frame and rather go ballistic with the medium format sensors.
Nikon has been at the end of the spectrum with its DSLR line-up which has a lot of catching up to do, especially if you see what Canon is doing. While Sony has been a monopolistic king in the mirrorless camera market, Nikon now has been forced to enter the mirrorless category with the launch of Z6 and Z7.
The Z6 and Z7 had been launched in 2018 and the first two models were aimed at professional. Now with the arrival of the Nikon Z50, Nikon has managed to capture the attention of the more casual buyers. The Z50 has quite a few advantages over the previous generation od Nikon DSLRs, one of the biggest being silent shooting. This comes in handy at situations where you cannot really fire off shots with clunky mechanical shutter rattling.
Coming to the autofocus system, it is much more improved and can now track moving objects. Not only this, but you also get the ‘eye focus’ which will retain focus at the eye of your subject.
Video quality has also been drastically improved and there are new settings which allow you to tweak and make the videos look professional and can further be tweaked. Image quality is on par with the Nikon cameras. Nikon cameras have been known to produce nice and pleasing images with great colour and contrast. The quality of images from the Nikon Z50 is satisfying and the ISO sensitivity can hold well even when bumped up. Overall, the images are nothing to make you worry about.
The only drawback about this other wonderful camera is the lens mount. Nikon has used the Z mount which allows the crop sensor to let in more light. You can use your Nikon DSLR lenses on the Z50 but you will need the FTZ adapter which is available separately for purchase. Nikon only has a handful of lenses in its Z mount line-up but hopefully, they will release more lenses in the time to come.
So, if you are looking for an up to date camera but not in a mood to spend a bomb to get a full-frame mirrorless camera and a full system of lenses. You can upgrade from your existing Nikon DSLR and use the FTZ adapter to mount the DSLR lenses on the Z50. What you get is professional quality photographs at a much cheaper price
Vu is spreading its wings in the television industry with its affordable range of smart TV’s. Vu’s Smart TV is another such attempt in this direction. The smart TV is made available in three screen sizes – 139cm (55-inch),126cm (50-inch) and 108 cm (43-inch). It comes with a DLED panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. The smart TV is HDR10 compatible with a maximum brightness of 500 nits.
Before talking about the display, we will talk about setting up the TV, which is fairly easy. It comes with legs which can be screwed to the bottom of the TV (if you are using it as a stand-up on a platform). The legs are well built and compatible screws are supplied along with the packaging. Additionally, you can mount the TV on the wall using the supplied mount in the packaging. The TV has screw holes in the back of the chassis and so fixing it to your existing adjustable wall-mount is not going to be a challenge either. Plug it into the power and you will be taken through the setup process. It is better to have a speedy internet connection and you can connect via wi-fi or a wired LAN connection would do as well. You will need to log into the TV with your preferred Gmail account and the TV will sync to it noting your preferences.
The HDR10 supported display is very bright and crisp. I tried playing some travel 4K content from YouTube and the experience was amazing. Being a 4K enabled device, the picture quality is top-notch and the viewing experience is exhilarating.
I took to watching the Transformers movie franchise and soon ended up watching all the movies of the series because of the sheer pleasure of watching. The 500 nits of brightness is adequate and 50-inch screen size is good enough for a mid-sized room or even the hall for that matter. Moreover, the TV comes with Dolby Vision HDR support which rather amplifies the watching experience to a whole new level.
For audio, as I think of myself to be a purist, and have been using a dedicated audio receiver and a surround 5.1 setup. However, this TV comes with its own 40W speaker setup in the bottom with Dolby Audio support. This features had to be tested and I must say, it does not disappoint; not at all. With preset profiles for audio, you can select the audio according to your preference and use; music, cinema and standard which changes the way audio is delivered. Watching the movies with the sound from the TV was a delight and there was no moment where dialogue would disappear or the sound effect would seem muddy. For most users, the audio quality will be on par.
On the software front, it supports Android 9 Pie out of the box and comes preloaded with apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Hotstar and Google Play. The TV also has support for Google assistant. It comes with a host of connectivity options which include Bluetooth 5.0, Wifi, 3 HDMI, 2 USB, HDMI ARC, earphone jack, etc. Talking of hardware, the Smart TV is powered by a Quad-core A55 processor clocked at 1.2GHz and a Dual-core Mali470MP GPU. Besides this, the TV gets 1.5GB of RAM and 8GB of onboard storage.
Not once did the TV had a hiccup or any lag. Operation with the remote was smooth. If you leave the TV on for some time, you will see screensavers being displayed and later the TV will go into sleep mode (without switching off) shutting off the screen to save power. You can hit the power button on the remote to bring it back to life.
The software experience on this thing is smooth and lag-free. Moreover, the supplied remote has separate hotkeys for Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play Movies. Which allows one to swiftly switch between multiple apps.
Verdict
The Vu Smart Cinema TV brings great picture and audio quality to the table. It has support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio which is rare at this price bracket and is an excellent option for those looking for high definition entertainment on a budget. Those who are a fan of gaming on the consoles will find this TV to be a perfect choice for those high-end games, especially with the crisp 4K screen. Moreover, the TV comes with Android 9 providing a smooth and clutter-free experience. Vu Cinema TV is available in three variants in 43-inches, 50-inches and 55-inches which are priced at Rs 26,999/-, Rs 29,999/- and Rs 33,999/- respectively.
The perfect way to test a smartphone is to use it. Use it like you would use it on a daily basis. Phone calls, text messages, applications, games along with photo and video. Once these parameters are put to their paces, it is quite evidently determinable of how much a smartphone is capable of.
A few weeks back I got a call from Vivo asking me if I would be interested to attend a Photowalk along with a few others and try out their latest upcoming smartphone and the next thing I remember is Sipping coffee in Starbucks while checking out the new Vivo V17 that was yet to be launched. The idea was simple. We would take a common walk route and take pictures on the way exploring the southern tip of Mumbai. Soon, I was rattling off shots on the V17.
How does look Vivo V17?
An instant feel-good factor when you pick it up on your hand. Draped in Midnight Ocean colour, the 6.44-inch Super AMOLED HD+ display is devoid of any notches or thick bezels. An in-display fingerprint scanner takes care of the security. However, you notice a hole punched on the right corner of the display which underneath houses the front-facing camera.
On the right you get the power and volume rocker buttons, the left has the dual nano-sim and micro SD card slot. A USB-C type charging port, 3.5mm headphone jack and the speaker grille can be seen on the bottom. Turn the device around and you can see the quad-camera setup on the top left corner. A 48-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. An LED flash takes care of the lighting in dark situations. All of this hardware is powered by a 4500mAh battery. All of this comes in an impressive package and there is nothing much to ponder on.
How does it perform?
Performance is what mid-range smartphones are now delivering. Gone are those days where budget and mid-range smartphones used to laggy and slow. Hardware improvement has changed the way mid-range devices are made. Nothing different here with the Vivo V17. It gets a Snapdragon 675 processor along with 8GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. It runs the Funtouch OS 9.2 on top of Android 9.
The software works well and the phone does not hang, lag or even stutter when being exploited by running multiple applications. Overall, the interface does not have much to complain about. The camera is where the V17 shines. The quad setup does a good job of capturing images. The ultra-wide-angle camera being my top favourite. Images look crisp and detailed when shot in HDR. The night mode does a good job of capturing low-light situations giving the images shot the required pop. Overall, the camera is good enough for most of us who do not want to compromise on quality. What else, the 4500mAh battery is good for heavy usage and the 18W supplied fast charger means you are up from 0-70% in about an hour. In a nutshell, the V17 is pretty impressive and clears the tests with good results.
Should you buy it?
Well, it depends. While the processor could have been from the Snapdragon 700 series, the hardware specs are adequate along with the battery life. An impressive display and camera make it a good package. Priced at Rs. 22,999/-, you could also look at some of the phones which carry similar specs for substantially lesser prices. Nonetheless, the Vivo V17 did not fail to impress with its overall performance.
Realme have just introduced the Realme C3 which is an update to the budget segment offering C2. The Realme C3 comes with good hardware at an affordable price. The design is based on the company’s Sunrise design and is being offered in two colours – Frozen Blue and Blazing Red. It features a slightly bigger 6.5-inch display and very thin bezels giving it a 20:9 screen ratio and a dewdrop notch which houses the front camera. It sports the new MediaTek Helio P22 SoC octa-core processor clocked at 2.0 GHz and a 5000 mAh battery powering the hardware package. The phone gets a micro-USB slot and a 3.5mm headphone jack as well. However, the Realme C3 misses out on a fingerprint scanner. Realme is running Realme UI V1.0 on top of Android 10. In the camera department, the Realme C3 comes with a dual-camera setup; 12MP f/1.8 and 2 MP depth sensor. The front is a 5-MP selfie shooter. The phone comes in 3GB + 32 GB and 4GB + 64GB variants and you get dual nano-sim slots along with a dedicated micro-sd card slot for memory expansion. On the performance side, the new UI makes things better while the processor and the big battery promises to deliver a good user experience. The screen too is slightly longish and looks good complementing the entire package.
Price –Rs. 6,999/- (3GB+32GB)
Rs. 7,999/- (4GB+64GB)
Saregama Carvaan Earphones
Saregama Carvaan is a well-known name for those who love their music. With several variants of the Saregama Carvaan on sale already, Saregama has now launched the Saregama Carvaan GX01 wired earphones. These pair of earphones are aimed at music lovers. The extra-large 14.2mm drivers claim to deliver enhanced bass and Carvaan Signature sound. The drivers have an impedance of 32 ohms and respond to frequencies from 20 Hz to 20000 Hz with a 108 dB/mW sensitivity. The wire and 3.5 mm jack ensure seamless compatibility with most of the devices with a 3.5mm input jack while the microphone allows you to take calls/play-pause songs with the help of the built-in button. Performance-wise, the earphones offer good sound and deep bass. In fact, most users will find the Saregama Carvaan GX01 as a bang for their buck. The Carvaan GX01 is available in Black and White colours.
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.
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.
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 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.
