Category: Tech Reviews

Epson Ecotank L6490-A precise functional AIO printing tool

Epson Ecotank L6490, a mainstream all in one copying, printing, scanning, and fax with ADF solution from Epson is quite impressive. Let us take a look at what were the aspects that made us conclude on the first line. 

Casually professional:

Design is conventional yet modern thanks to its compact footprint and functional yet professional look. There are multiple paper inlets and outlets. Semi-transparent CMYK colour levels also give clarity to the consumption of Espon’s Durabrit 008 ink. Refillable and easy to operate. The printer also gets a bright touch panel with capacitive touch for easy operations. Epson has loaded the Ecotank L6490 with wifi and wifi direct and Epson smart panel enables a host of print options directly via your smartphone. There’s also USB, LAN, fax and line-in connectivity for robust wired connections and easy clean options with detachable compartments. 

All-in-one solution in a compact footprint:

With costs per print as low as 12paise (Black) and a little more for colours, the Epson Ecotank L6490 printer is efficient. If that wasn’t enough, 1-years warranty or 100,000 pages, whichever comes first, Epson has you covered for prints of usage. The Epson Ecotank L6490 print speeds are impressive at 17-ipm for black and 9.5-ipm for colour. These might get slower based on the details, print quality and print paper of use. Epson has an intelligent Auto-Duplex printing (up to A4 size) for automatic both side print on an A4 or lower size papers. Wi-Fi & Wi-Fi Direct enable remote connectivity and the app brings a host of other intuitive learning and features adding value to the Epson printer. 

Epson smart panel app has easy wireless connectivity when both the printer and your phone share the same Wi-Fi connection. The app has a smooth and innovative UI with almost all the options on the physical touch panel and more. Document scanner for example allows a phone camera to capture documents, enhance them as per the user’s liking and print them like a normal document. There are tonnes of tutorials too and community links to learn more. 

 

Verdict: 

Powered by Epson Heat-Free Technology, the printer performs consistently with minimum downtime and not more than a few seconds lag on long printing sessions. We tried printing many documents, photos and random colourful pictures shot on phones and professional cameras. The colours, quality, contrast and tones were almost spot on. The only limitation this printer brings is the size, it’s compact and can only print up to Letter Max sizes. If you do not need anything more than this size, the Epson Ecotank L6490 is a precise, functional tool that enables, scans, copies, loads of in-app functions and quality yet efficient print solutions for homes, schools and offices alike. 

 

Rating – 4/5

Good – Compact size, efficient, detailed prints and copies

Bad – Limited by the compact size

Ugly – Competition 

Specifications:

Print, Scan, Copy, Fax with ADF

Cost per print 12paise (Black)

Print speeds – 17 ipm for black and 9.5 ipm for colour

Auto-Duplex printing (up to A4 size)

Wi-Fi & Wi-Fi Direct

Epson Heat-Free Technology

OnePlus Nord Buds – Your Budget BUDdy

OnePlus has always been a rulebreaking brand that dares to take a risk. Over the last few years, the brand has launched many high-end products at affordable prices and indirectly forced other brands to lower their costs. The brand recently launched OnePlus Nord Buds alongside the Nord CE 2 Lite and the OnePlus 10R in India but are they worth it?

OnePlus has attended all the classes on how to lure customers with the attractive packaging, and with the Nord Buds, they’ve done a great job. The Nord Buds box has a cute little packaging of blue and black colour combination. Inside the box, it contains a charging case along with earbuds, brand sticker, charging cable, 4 ear tips, and a red cable welcome card.

Design & Comfort

The shape of the OnePlus Nord Buds is quite traditional and ordinary, but you can’t expect something extraordinary from a ₹2,799 earbuds. The earbuds and the case look premium at first but they are made up of cheap plastic. The buds feature connect button in the back and an indicator light in the front. The buds we received for the review were white (marble) in colour.

The boxy ergonomic case of the earbuds is prone to scratches, while the earbuds are inclined to store a little dirt in between the hubs. The outer circular layer doubles as the touch surface for controls. The buds are not the ones you carry along easily due to their shape. The buds weigh under 5 grams a piece but don’t offer the best comfort, especially during long use.

Image Credit – Divesh Vyas

Sound Quality  

The water and dust resistant earbuds don’t disappoint you when it comes to sound quality but if you’re an audiophile or into the business of music for a long time then you might not like the output. The buds are packed with 12.4mm titanium drivers, and looking at the price, they deliver a pretty decent sound. The sound of the earbuds will leak out, once you cross the 80% of the volume level.

I thoroughly enjoyed the earbuds, especially while watching the content, as the earbuds have 12.4mm Titanium audio drivers and Dolby Atmos support for deeper bass and clearer sound. The earbuds have 4 microphones for filtering out the noise while taking calls, but they only deliver an okayish calling experience. The earbuds have many software issues which the brand has to resolve in the future.

Battery

The earbuds are advertised to have about 7-hours of battery life and another 30-hours with the case, and we couldn’t agree more. The cable offers ultra-fast charging resulting in 5-hours of listening time in 10 minutes of charge. The OnePlus Nord Buds last for at least 5-hours when charged to the core and play the role of your buddy while you’re on the go.

Verdict

The OnePlus Nord Buds have various rivals at the price point, but the Nord Buds stand apart as they’re a dealbreaker for people looking for TWS earbuds under 3000. I loved them while listening to the songs and watching content as I’m more into low volume decks, but if you desire the best audio experience, please invest a few more thousand and get something extraordinary.

Asus BR1100-A small laptop with a small price

In 2022, everything is expensive, especially computers and computing parts. Thanks to an ongoing pandemic, most of us work from home, and kids learn from home too. There has never been a better demand for computers as in this era and although your phone is yet another computer with a smaller display and different OS, the need for a full-fledged computer has increased many folds. Add the fact that most laptops are easily over the price of 30K. Asus launched their BR 1100 series, one with (BR1100FKA) and one without a touchscreen (BR1100CKA), for as low as 25K! We review the latter. 

Design – Small chassis, smaller screen

A 180-degree opening hinge on something like a 13-inch laptop chassis with an 11-inch 1366×768  anti-glare display makes this little wonder usable from many angles. The keyboard is not backlit but has tactile feedback and does the job for countless hours of typing. It is definitely a little cramped and takes time to familiarise. The trackpad is also smaller than most current laptops but supports gesture recognition and decent multi-touch support. The design is enforced with steel connectors, military-grade MIL-STD-810H certified with soft rubber circumference and a beautiful matte texture on the front and comes in a dark grey, light grey highlights and black keyboard accentuating the appeal of this budget laptop. 

Made for connectivity 

The chassis on both the FKA touchscreen and CKA non-touchscreen models are the same, and thus both enjoy some diverse utility and connectivity. The front and back panels are neat while the LHS houses a Kensington lock, 45W barrel charge port, USB (G3.2 with charge support) Type-C, USB (G3.2) Type-A, full HDMI 1.4 port, a blank cutout of the FKA stylus while the RHS has a full RJ45 port, USB (G2.0) Type-A port, another blank cutout, 3.5mm headphone jack, power button and volume rocker like most phones. Couple that with Intel wireless AC-9560 WiFi connectivity, and the laptop supports high-speed dual-band connectivity with Bluetooth 4.2, an impressive connectivity package for the price. 

Performance – Not bad but too limited 

At this price, Asus has packed the chassis with consistent ruthless usage in mind like students and field operators. The laptop comes with a dual-core Intel Celeron N4500 (1.1 – 2.8GHz) paired with a generic 4GB DDR4 RAM, and a 64GB internal memory marks a limit to this laptop’s usage. Chrome with multiple tabs pin this laptop’s RAM and at times processor use at alarming levels. 4GB and 64GB are the bare minimum, but somehow our unit received and ran Windows 11 Home 21H2 update with ease. What seems to limit everyday use are the RAM and internal memory. Assigning more virtual memory did little to nothing. Tabs refresh more often than expected, and memory management only loads the tab you are accessing at the moment. The processor does a decent job of keeping things snappy overall. 

The laptop has multiple shortcuts assigned to FN keys and one-touch software-enabled buttons to disable the noise-cancellation enabled mics and camera. The 0.9MP 720p camera is clear and decent for video connectivity with support for 720p 30fps recording. Viewing angles on the LED-backlit display are good, but outdoor display brightness could be an eye strain. The user-facing speakers are impressively loud and clear and make a great companion for online classes, conferences, videos, and multi-media. The efficient internals aid this laptop’s 45Wh battery to last as long as 7+ hours of use. At 1.26Kgs and 25K starting price, the Asus BR1100CKA is an interesting laptop. It does all justice to its form factor, and despite being chunky, it feels trustworthy to wield. 

Verdict – Not bad for the price

Laptops are expensive this year, and Asus BR1100CKA proves a great companion for someone interested in regular text use with occasional multi-media consumption. It offers a whole Windows experience at the cost of low-tier hardware with good connectivity, but products like the Xiaomi Mi Pad 5 with an external keyboard offer a much more versatile package at similar prices. Think before you choose!

Good – Price, military-grade protection, connectivity

Bad – Low-tier hardware

Ugly – Better competition 

LG TONE Free A meridian-tuned unique TWS

We are not new to the world of TWS with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) but there comes a product every now and then, adding some value to become special. The USP (unique selling point) of the LG TONE Free has to be LG’s borrowed tech from its purifiers to cleanse these TWS inside their case with UV-nano technology. Yes, these earbuds promise bacteria cleansing LG’s UV nano, a patented sanitising technology which destroys bacteria on the earbud head when they are placed inside the case. In a world where sanitizing our hands is normal, why should TWS be any exception?

LG also sells and equips these with medical-grade hypoallergenic ear gels, another healthy name for silicon that cleans via UV rays. The technology is neatly packed in a clean round case with an essential multi-colour LED notification light, a switch to toggle an amazing feature and a USB Type-C charging port at the rear. The case and earbuds are fairly lightweight and easy to carry around as your ear companions. 

LG TONE Free app

LG has a TONE Free app both on Playstore and Appstore for Androids and Apple devices. Usually, these additional apps bring out additional features of the earbuds, but in LG’s case, this app is more or less mandatory if you truly wish to listen to Meridian tuned audio and improve the earbud’s audio quality overall. The app neatly showcases the battery percentage on each earbud and also allows you to tune the earbuds based on two custom settings. 

The ANC controls allow high or low levels of noise cancellation along with two transparency modes and the option to turn off ANC when not required. There’s also a neat animated manual available at all levels with general information on the software and the ability to auto-install OTA (over the air) updates for the app and earbuds. The app also allows to edit three levels of tap settings on either earbud, allowing customisations as per user choices. Last and the most important settings are ready equalisations by Meridian. There are seven preset equalizers to choose from including, immersive, natural, bass-boost, treble-boost, 3D sound stage, etc. Why are these important you ask?

Audio quality – Treble happy! 

LG TONE Free earbuds are tuned by Meridian and without their equalizers, they sound treble-heavy. Bass is tight and never boomy but lacks the punch required in most hip-hop numbers. Bass-boost setting on the app aids the bass but compromises on the other frequencies. The trebles on these earbuds are rich and shine in every track while the vocals are audible despite different equalized settings. For audiophiles, there are quite a few frequencies to equalize in two custom settings. None of which matched the finesse of Meridian-tuned presets.

Out of all the presets, immersive and natural were the most balanced presets that suit almost all genres of music. ANC is average and nothing extraordinary like most other TWS in a similar price range. The sound stage is head biased but not too small, nor too widespread. What really shines on these earbuds are the treble in each track. It’s bright and prominent, a unique take on clarity but compromises on the lower frequencies to sound thumping on certain tracks. LG claims 6 hours battery life with ANC turned on and 21 hours of total playback with the charge case. Battery life depends on the volume and we managed 4+ hours each time. 

One unique cable inside the box, apart from USB Type-C to Type-A cable, is a Type-C to 3.5mm headphone jack. There is a toggle on the case, which allows the case to connect as a medium to turn any analogue 3.5mm headphone port into wireless connectivity via the case. The real champ of this package is thereby the case of the LG TONE Free. It not only cleanses the earbuds, but also adds battery life and added functionality to turn any analogue source into seamless wireless connections. 

Verdict 

LG TONE Free is a feature rich pair of earbuds with richer trebles and a versatile compact round case. This is a good pair of earbuds for someone not keen on bass, listens to a lot of string instruments, vocals and chimes. The quality of the TWS is decent and same could be said about the audio quality. At similar prices, there are better sounding earbuds but none as versatile.

Good – UV nano, ANC, Treble

Bad – Low frequency response 

Ugly – App dependency for better sound

Motorola Edge 30, Edging The Balance Just Right!

Motorola has been on a launching spree ever since it promised to deliver a new smartphone every month last year. This time around, it is the Motorola Edge 30, and Motorola claims this to be the slimmest and lightest 5G smartphone in India. We tested the brand claims and the phone only to witness surprised by our findings. 

Display – POLED goodness

Motorola has retained the FHD+ pOLED panel from its predecessor, the Edge 20, with one of the fastest refresh rates at 144Hz on Edge 30. This display is bright, has punchy colours and has an extended edge to edge design, making the bezels as narrow as physically possible in 2022. The display also gets 10-bit HDR10 capabilities and content support for the same. There’s a fast in-display fingerprint sensor, and a hole punch camera makes this look amazing, especially at the starting price of 27999. 

Is it the slimmest and lightest 5G phone as per Motorola claims? 

Motorola has taken inspiration from the new generation of iPhones, which is visible in the design. Buttons are on the RHS ends, and despite the lack of a headphone jack, this time around, the phone features a Dolby Atmos algorithm on dual stereo speakers. Acrylic back and sides and a pOLED panel make the Edge 30 feel lighter than its visual appeal. At 155gms, this is one of the most lightweight phones available in India. 

Specs – Balanced performer

Snapdragon 778+ 5G SOC is one of the most balanced SOCs made by Snapdragon. It easily handles the Android 12 based UI; scrolling is super smooth and fast and supports 13 5G bands, with none available to test. Overall, the WiFi 6E capable SOC with the latest Bluetooth 5.2 and support for multiple bands with carrier aggregation make this a good phone for a connected lifestyle. We played a couple of games, and the processor handled them all at the highest graphic settings with smooth gameplay at 360Hz touch sampling. Also, the standby time on Snapdragon 778, including this plus variant phone, is one of the best in Android smartphones. 

Cameras – A decent pair of shooters

Motorola has included a 50MP OIS primary with 50MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2MP depth sensor for aiding camera algorithms. The shots from this phone are decent, and the best part is the colour consistency between cameras. Low light photography, too, has improved many folds compared to its predecessor, the Edge 20. The ultrawide sensor doubles as the macro shooter. The front 32MP camera is above average. All the sensors support 4K video recording, making it future proof and great for content creation.

Battery – Lasts long, really long.

Edge 30 comes with a 4020mAh battery coupled with a 33W fast charger inside the box. The best part is that Snapdragon 778+ is a very balanced SOC and thereby provides good performance and pairs it with good efficiency. This phone can last a heavy usage day with ease, thanks to the efficient SOC onboard. 

Motorola features 

Speakers are decently loud at this price range, and they sound richer than the competition. Moto Gametime allows for overclocking the processor when you play games and some optimised software settings to aid gaming on this phone. Motorola secures your data on the phone with Thinkshield technology, a gift from its parent company Lenovo. Motorola also equips the Edge 30 with ready for functionality, allowing straightforward phone content sharing with TV, computers and other devices. The whole package is available in two RAM trims and two colours of your choice. There’s quite a bit of functionality provided by Motorola for the price alongside the usual moto gestures.

Verdict – A good mid-range smartphone.

Motorola Edge 30 is one of India’s lightest, if not the slimmest 5G smartphone. Overall ad-free UI, capable low-light cameras, lightweight construction, and pOLED goodness powered by one of Snapdragon’s best SOC make the Motorola Edge 30 a good recommendation for anyone who wants the best of all worlds in the Android smartphone universe. 

Good – Lightweight and balanced performance

Bad – Does not feel the slimmest 

Ugly – Limited internal storage options 

 

Xgimi MoGo Pro Plus :  Wieldy Amusement

A feature-packed versatile portable projector which actually lives up to expectations and sometimes, even more.

–The biggest limitation in the portable projector market right now is that there are a lot of options to choose from, but not all deliver performance as advertised. One quick search on the internet will reveal a plethora of inferior results, many impersonating as 720p, 1080p or even 4K projectors when their true display resolutions don’t even score close. All those who aren’t as tech-savvy, therefore, end up getting tricked into buying something that’s more of a kid’s toy than an actual home entertainment device.

The world of portable projectors is fraught with tawdry plastic tat. You’ll find countless Amazon listings for small cuboidals that claim to “support HD” with a brightness similar to any cinema projector that costs ten times the price.” Lumens” or “lux” is an entirely made-up metric. Instead, you need to look for “ANSI lumens”, which is a standardized metric.  This is why we’re rather skeptical about approving any review of a portable projector. Thankfully, the Xgimi Mogo Pro+ is not one of those.

Xgimi, unlike other brands, does not lie about the brightness of its projectors. It’s about one-tenth the luminance of a similarly priced home cinema projector, and we appreciate this honesty. XGIMI is a brand that has yet to create a distinction that the likes of Epson or BenQ carry when it comes to business projectors. And yet, despite its relative anonymity, this brand has won the prestigious Reddot and IF design awards several times.

Design :

Measuring just about 5.8 inches of height, with curved edges and a cuboidal profile, and weighing just under a kg, the Xgimi Mogo Pro+ is a truly portable device.

The top houses basic touch sensitive play/pause, volume up, and volume down buttons which  are very responsive – a light tap is all it takes. You have to press and hold just to turn the device on or off.

The top frontal frame consists of a glass panel which shields the projector lens housed inside. 

Near the front bottom is the Xgimi MoGo Pro+’s perception system responsible for its auto keystone correction and autofocus system. Beneath all that is an integrated stand that’s beautifully simple yet extremely effective. When the situation calls for it, simply pop it back out and adjust it up to 30-degrees for the most ideal position. On this same panel is a 1/4-inch tripod female thread for mounting it on a tripod, but there’s no carry case included. Onething which bothered us was there isn’t any lens cover, which is a little more concerning for something designed to be carried around.

 

Features :

The XGIMI runs actual Android TV 9.0, and is Google certified.The remote even has a dedicated button to summon the Google Assistant, and the system is Chromecast compatible, making the process of casting content from your other devices pretty seamless.

In fact, setting up the device was not a hassle either, with a simple “set up my device” voice command on my phone. It all just worked, which was nice, and avoided having to use an on-screen keyboard on the projector, which is usually awkward and time-consuming on these kinds of devices.

There are two video input ports here: HDMI and USB. The USB 2.0 port is tremendous for connecting the device to an external drive to play downloaded movies, even those in older video file formats. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack for hooking it up to a pair of speakers or headphones. While we’re on the subject of connectivity, it not only has dual-band 2.4/5Ghz Wi-Fi for linking up to an existing wireless network, but also Bluetooth 5.0 for pairing it with other Bluetooth.

  • Auto-Focus and Auto-Keystone

Able to correct for up to 40-degrees of horizontal or vertical angle projection, the auto-keystone and the auto-focus feature worked well, and it kicks in automatically whenever it detects a slight movement or shift in position. You can disable this if you want, but there’s no point to, as it is just an aided advantage. A micro-switch on the base of the remote control enables manual focus using the volume keys.

  • Throw Ratio and Brightness

As mentioned, the device claims to run at a maximum 300 ANSI lumens of brightness. The throw ratio—which is the relationship between the size of the projected image and the distance you place the projector from the surface—works out at about 1:1. Which is to say, if you want a 6-foot diagonal projection, you’ll need to place the Xgimi Mogo Pro+ around 6 feet away from the screen.

  • Battery Life

Claiming to have a battery-run of around 3 hours, we for an extreme test, fully charged and ran the battery down by streaming live over Wi-Fi, at full brightness and full volume. The battery lasted about an hour and a half before forcefully switching to Eco brightness.

  • Audio Quality

With Harman Kardon on the box, you expect some good quality audio. The laws of physics put a slight damper on that. You simply can’t get deep bass from something so small.

The Xgimi Mogo Pro+ definitely gets loud enough for any impromptu movie night without distortion creeping in, and across the rest of the spectrum it sounds clean, crisp, and well balanced.

Supporting Bluetooth 5.0 or AUX stereo out, you’re free to connect your favorite pair of headphones or external speakers for an even better auditory experience.

Verdict

If you’re looking for a mini projector that you can take and play just about anywhere, have the money to spare, the Xgimi Mogo Pro+ is certainly one of the best in class options. The audio is clear and loud but lacks bass. The projection is bright and true HD and the software experience with Google integration makes it easy to use. 

Good

  • -Snappy and easy to navigate interface
  • -Auto Keystone Correction

Bad

  • Slightly expensive compared to the competition and no card reader.

Ugly 

  • Battery life is a little short and the speaker has Lackluster bass.

KEY SPECS : 

  • ANSI Lumens: 300
  • Connectivity: HDMI, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
  • Throw Ratio: 1:1
  • Audio: Dual 3W Harman Kardon tuned
  • OS: Google Android TV 9.0
  • Lamp Life: 30,000 hours

Sennheiser CX Plus TWS Earbuds – What I Love and What I Don’t

Sennheiser is a brand that has a lot of reliability and sells big time as far as headphone space is concerned. The new Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless is a reasonably priced device that is supposed to be an upgraded variant of the Sennheiser CX model that was released last year. 

What does one really look for when buying wireless earbuds? Good connectivity, light and not too heavy, high music and voice quality, and most importantly should fit very well in your ears. I have tried the AirPods and Galaxy buds, but I figured that while I like those TWS buds for their superior music and voice quality, they make me feel a little insecure for running and workout purposes. 

Sennheiser CX Plus Design

Let’s talk about the design first. The box is not too big but is wide enough. This makes it difficult and uncomfortable to carry it around in our pockets with that uncomfortable bulge. The case looks clean and premium, with the Sennheiser logo at the top, the front charging indicator, and the backside port. 

Sennheiser CX Plus is visually identical to the previous CX model and comes with many similarities, which is not a bad thing. They are lightweight and come with four different-sized ear tips. However, the only negative point here is that they are very bulky. 

Sennheiser CX Plus Features

Sennheiser has included Active Noise Cancellation in this one which is a serious upgrade from their previous model. ANC in this one is pretty good, and it manages to curb the outside noise. I usually travel by local trains and often get stuck in traffic jams. Answering calls with regular earphones in these situations is a big task. Sennheiser CX Plus did a great job here by providing clear voice quality and easy delivery of my voice to the receiver. 

The CX Plus has a capacitive touch panel that controls calling and playback with single, double and triple taps. Here is what controls what-

  • One Tap on the right side – play/pause
  • One Tap on the left side – Transparency mode
  • Two Taps – Next or previous song
  • Three Taps – ANC
  • Hold – Volume up/down

The Sennheiser Smart Control App is an easy and well-laid-out app that easily connects to your earbuds once they are paired with your mobile device. Through this app, you can adjust your earbud’s EQ, where you can raise or lower your frequency line. You can also set different presets for later purposes. 

The Sennheiser CX Plus connects with your phone using the Bluetooth 5.2 firmware, which is a lower latency codec. The earbuds claim to last up to 8 hours with a single charge, and our testing reveals that it runs a little short of that but not too much. The CX Plus holds a charging capacity of 16 hours but lacks fast charging. 

Sennheiser CX Plus Voice Quality

These earbuds are amazing for music. The sound quality is as good as you’d expect out of Sennheiser. In fast-paced pop songs, you could hear all the instruments and the separation is crisp and rich, and full, with a nice, warm, and capable bass that does not sound very overpowering. For most of the genres, the sound is very well balanced and with EQ, it delivers exactly what you want. I am a really big fan of classical music and there is this song called ‘Dastaan by Tajdar Junaid’, and the sound of the instruments felt heavenly to my ears with Sennheiser CX Plus. 

With ANC, you feel like you have left the world backstage. After a long day at work, when I am sitting in an auto-rickshaw towards my home, Active Noise Cancellation plays its part in helping me relax to the tunes of Jazz while the honks and the chaos just slips back into void.

Conclusion

Honestly, Sennheiser CX Plus is a good buy for a price tag of Rs 14,990, mainly if you like listening to music. Also, one thing that holds me back is its disability to pair fast, which is a turn-off. Overall, I would rate it 3.5 out of 5. 

Review – Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

The month of February 2022 is undoubtedly going down in history as a month of smartphone launches. We’ve witnessed many launches during the month, except for Apple iPhones, which came a little late to the party. Who cares? Especially when you’ve Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra in your hand – a perfect blend of Galaxy S Ultra and Galaxy Note Ultra.

The new-age smartphone from Samsung arrives in a black cardboard box that’s now even smaller than before, which kind of makes you think about iPhone packaging. Oh, have I mentioned anything about the S-Pen yet? Of course not. Well, the company has successfully managed to fit the S-Pen entirely into the device itself.

First Impression

They say the first impression is the last impression, and Samsung took it very seriously. To be honest, this is the perfect smartphone I have ever held in recent times. It has premium looks, and even a single glance is enough to predict the price. However, after two weeks of use, I understood that the saying nobody is perfect could be applied here.

Design & Display

I’ve already mentioned above that the Galaxy S22 ultra is a crossover of two old flagship models, but the sharp and squared-off angles make it appear as a stunning device. The smartphones ship in four colours – Phantom Black, Phantom White, Green and Burgundy. The only thing I would like to appreciate about this device’s design is its camera module.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has a metal and glass slab with sharp corners, but no worries, the rounded side edges will save the game. The S22 Ultra boasts a power button and a volume rocker on the right, advertised as made from recycled fishing nets. The front glass of the smartphone has high-gloss and is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+, while the back is covered with a satin finish.

The flagship smartphones from Samsung are always loved for their classic displays and the same proceeds to the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The S22 Ultra has a sharp, bright, colour-rich and ideal for outdoor viewing display, probably the best in the current smartphone world. The 6.8-inch AMOLED display of the S22 Ultra has rounded side edges and has a 120Hz refresh rate.

Build Quality

The phone is massive (dimensions – 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm) and takes you back to its NOTE roots but weighs about 230 gms, making it lighter than Apple’s flagship devices. The flat surfaces of both sides wrap the device like a sandwich. Overall, the build quality of the S22 Ultra is superb, but with curved edges like this, it’s going to be an uncomfortable ride for the first few days.

Camera

When it comes to S22 Ultra’s camera, indeed Samsung has plans for overtaking the camera legacy of the iPhone 13 Pro Max and Google Pixel 6 Pro. The camera module appears similar to the S21 Ultra, but it’s completely different, thanks to the processor. The S22 Ultra has a 40-MP selfie camera that supports dual video calls and offers 4K video quality at 30/60fps and 1080p@30fps.

On the rear, the phone has a 12-MP ultra-wide camera, 108-MP wide-angle camera, and two telephoto cameras with 10-megapixels, one with 3X optical zoom and another with 10X optical zoom. The smartphone offers better low-light photos, 4x faster multi-frame processing, and an AI-boosted portrait mode. The nightography camera of the S22 Ultra is advertised as Samsung’s best innovation yet.

S-Pen

The S-Pen acts as a smartpen, pull it out, and the phone will automatically launch the Notes app. The S-Pen is an active one and has its battery, gyro, accelerometer and Bluetooth connectivity for communicating with the phone. The Smart select option of the S-Pen allows you to take differently shaped screenshots, which you can use to create short GIF animations.

Chipset & Performance

The Galaxy S22 Ultra is one of the first smartphones that get the latest flagship SoC from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. The device runs on Android 12 with OneUI on top and a 4nm chip that promises better CPU and graphics performance. The smartphone arrives with 12GB of RAM, and for storage, it has in 3-options, 256GB, 512GB or 1TB.

I’ve been using iPhone 13 Pro Max as my primary device for the last few months, and I’m not ashamed to say that the Galaxy S22 Ultra felt faster than it and completely outperforms Apple’s latest flagship phone. The smartphone offers fantastic gameplay with high graphics games such as Call of Duty Mobile without a single hiccup.

Battery

A 5,000mAh battery powers the S22 Ultra, but the phone comes with an FHD+ resolution with an adaptive 120Hz refresh rate, which makes the chances of decreasing the battery life relatively high. Of course, with out-of-the-box settings and an average of 6.5 hours of screen-on time, the device can smoothly run for a day and spare a little juice (about 25% to 35%) for another one.

Verdict

The Galaxy S22 Ultra has no single competition in the current market, and no other smartphone has the guts to tick off the boxes that S22 Ultra accomplishes. The phone is packed with the latest processor, brightest smartphone display, the highest megapixel camera, and the built-in S Pen, making the S22 Ultra superior in every section. So, if you’ve loads of money, I’ve three words for you – GO FOR IT!

 

Hyperice Hypervolt Go | Handheld Percussion Massager

While you’re in your comfort zone reading this article, you must be working from home, traveling, or sitting idle in an absurd posture, leading to fatigue or even major physio issues. One could probably be working out heavily or even indulging in vigorous sports activities, which could cause muscle soreness. While you could feel the pain, you must be craving a good massage. But, owning a massage chair or visiting a spa frequently is not feasible for everyone. You would wish for a portable massager, which could be a one-stop solution to all the physical beating your body takes on day-to-day life. 

Considering all this, Hyperice has launched its latest percussion massage device called the Hypervolt Go. The brand had recently incited into the Indian market and shared one unit with us to fidget around with and get you a comprehensive review of the device. Before we unfurl more about it, for your information, the Hypervolt Go is a premium device and comes with a price tag of Rs 16,999. 

There can be several reasons your body might feel sore right now, from sitting for long durations, working in front of the screen that’s not set to the correct height, and especially working out or any physical activity, which could take a toll on your body. But you no longer have to deal with the discomfort all day. 

 

How Does the Hyperice Hypervolt Go function?

In reality, the Hypervolt Go is about the size of a small blow dryer and includes two attachments to use on the body as per comfort. You can toggle in between three vibrating speeds at the press of a button — the first speed being the least intense and the last one being the most intense percussive motion.  

Level one is more than enough for anyone going through minor fatigue. Levels two and three are meant for those who face major back issues or undergo vigorous training or sports activities. 

The Hypervolt Go comes with 2.5+ hours of battery life per charge which is pretty decent considering the amount of power that it packs within. The ultra-lightweight GO delivers up to 3,200 percussions per minute, which is all the power you need to relax, recover, and recharge. 

According to the company, the new device is 30% smaller than the previous Hypervolt, with surprisingly more power and quieter operation and decreased vibration compared to the outgoing model.

 

It is relatively compact, and its ergonomic design helps it fit perfectly in your hands and efficiently in your bag so you can carry along some profound muscle-massaging relief with you anytime, anywhere. The Hypervolt Go is also equipped with a patented QuietGlide technology which results in a near-silent operation so that your work or play never stops. 

 

What do you get with the Hyperice Hypervolt Go?

The package includes two head tips in the box with the Hypervolt Go. The attachments are designed for different areas, but they help cover any soreness you might feel on your body. Switching between the two head attachments couldn’t be easier — all you have to do is twist the head and pull it out of the Hypervolt Go.

One of the Hypervolt Go’s heads has a flatter surface, which the brand notes is ideal for more extensive areas like your chest, back or quads. We liked using the flat attachment on our lower back, especially on our stiff hamstrings, holding the Hypervolt Go in our hand and slowly applying pressure to the sore muscles with the head attachment until it felt like they loosened up.

On the other hand, the “Bullet” attachment is narrower with a rounded edge, and we used it on our shoulders and lower-back when stretching didn’t help. Thanks to QuietGlide tech, the Hypervolt Go is a very quiet gadget.

How to use the Hypervolt Go Massage Gun?

The Hyperice app can be downloaded on your smartphone, and it’s filled with valuable tips for using the Hypervolt Go.

We liked the app’s efficiency and the interface that allows you to search massage motions according to the parts of your body you want to use the Hypervolt on. The app shows you a clickable full-body illustration, both for the muscles on the front and back of your body, which makes it very handy to use.

Verdict

Now, here’s the bottom line: after a few weeks of usage, we think the Hypervolt Go is one of the best portable handheld tools you can use to ease muscle soreness right now. The brand’s app and a versatile assortment of attachments make it a worthy rechargeable recovery gadget for any situation, from fitness relief to targeting specific muscles by yourself. With this analysis, we have understood that the device is beneficial for people suffering from minor and major muscle issues. The Hyperice Hypervolt Go reduces muscle soreness and stiffness; it enhances muscle performance and accelerates recovery. If you’re a traveler, I must recommend this device as this can be a great relaxation therapy.

To add more icing to the cake, the Hypervolt Go now comes with an exciting price tag of Rs.16,999/- and with a set of 5 attachments.

 

 

 

Moto Edge 30 Pro | Review

Motorola Edge 30 Pro is a great successor to the Edge 20 Pro, which has been around for a while. The Edge 30 Pro is one of the most affordable Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phones available in the market currently. As far as speed and fluidity are concerned, I don’t think any other phone comes close to this one.  

Motorola has added a unique twist to Android called the MYUI, which is thoughtful customization added to the Edge 30 Pro to make things more useful and functional than they would have been in a plain stock Android. 

Motorola Edge 30 Pro Detailed Specifications:- 

Motorola Edge 30 Pro offers an amazing look with a glass back and a matte finish and comes in a delightful Cosmos Blue colour. The smartphone features a 6.7 inch OLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. The display is impressive with punchy colours to watch movies and play games. Edge 30 Pro has a set of decent speakers that don’t sound too squeaky and are loud enough with a good base. 

Motorola Edge 30 Pro houses a 4,800mAh battery with 68W fast charging support. The phone also supports reverse charging. In about 40 minutes, the phone charges to its maximum and easily lasts for about 14 to 15 hours with regular usage. With less use, Edge 30 Pro would easily last for a day and a half. 

Coming to the camera, Moto Edge 30 Pro features a 50-megapixel primary camera with OIS accompanied by another 50-megapixel wide-angle camera. The wide-angle camera also, surprisingly, doubles up as a macro camera. On the front, there is a 60 MP lens for selfies. I clicked some pictures, and the camera performed well during the daylight. The low light images could have been more impressive. 

Gaming was a pretty smooth experience overall if we skip the fact that the phone did heat up a bit after half an hour. Still, I believe its a normalcy, and with this powerful chipset, it has got to heat up a bit. 

Specifications:-

Display: 6.7-inch OLED display with FHD+ (2400×1080 pixels) resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 10-bit panel, HDR10+ certified

Thickness: 8.79mm

Weight: 196g

Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset

RAM: 8GB LPDDR5

Built-in storage: 128GB UFS 3.1

Expandable storage: No

5G support: n1/3/5/7/8/20/28/38/40/41/66/77/78

USB-C: Yes

3.5mm jack:  No

OS: stock Android 12 with MyUX customizations

Rear Camera:  50MP (f/1.8, OIS) + 50MP ultra-wide (114-degree FOV) with macro vision support + 2MP depth sensor

Rear Camera Video: 8K (24fps), 4K (up to 60fps)

Front Camera: 60MP (f/2.2)

Speakers: Stereo speakers( Dolby Atmos and Snapdragon Sound)

Battery and charging: 4,800mAh with 68W fast wired and 15W fast wireless charging

Verdict:- 

Moto Edge 30 Pro has been priced at Rs 49,999 and is one of the most affordable Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phones you can buy right now. If you are looking for an excellent performance smartphone with a good camera and gaming backup, you can opt for this smartphone. 

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