Latest Mobiles phone reviews with specs and details

Samsung unpacks a galaxy of products!

At its first-ever virtual Galaxy Unpacked event, Korean tech giant Samsung revealed five new products. These include two smartphones, a tablet, a wearable smartwatch, and its latest wireless earbuds. These products not only promise to bring the future in your hands, but they are also determined to set benchmarks in their respective categories.

With the sole purpose of making life easier with technology, these products are launched as a part of the Galaxy ecosystem. This is meant to allow the user to freely access his data across multiple devices. For example, the Samsung Notes app features auto-save and syncing capabilities, so the user can continue his work right where he left off, from device to device. Samsung Notes easily straightens your messy handwriting into legible penmanship.

Samsung has also partnered with Microsoft to increase the list of features it has to offer. The Galaxy Note20 series can be used as a portable gaming console, as it now supports official Xbox games. The gaming experience is further enhanced with its AI game booster and Bluetooth audio response optimization, and 240Hz touch latency on the Galaxy Note20 Ultra.

Along with the Note20 Ultra, Samsung also revealed the Galaxy Tab S7 and its big bro, the S7+. Since all the devices belong to the next generation, they naturally support 5G connectivity. The Galaxy tab S7 and S7+ offer seamless videoconferencing, fast downloads, and virtually lag-free streaming. The S7+ has a 12.4” Super AMOLED display, which is sure to immerse the user in whatever he chooses to watch.

Samsung knows how to pamper its audience and that’s what it has done with the Galaxy Watch3. With a slimmed-down version of its popular rotating bezel, the Galaxy Watch3 is practically a wearable computer. With the Blood oxygen feature, you can measure and track oxygen saturation over time, for fitness and wellness purposes. The new Samsung Health Monitor app on Galaxy Watch3 offers cuffless blood pressure and electrocardiogram measurements, available in markets where these features have been authorized. When a potential fall is detected, your location will be sent immediately to pre-designated contacts. Running Analysis will help you run better, improve form, and prevent injuries, while VO2 max follows your cardio progress to provide insight into oxygen consumption. For those who want to stay fit while being at home, Samsung Health provides more than 120 different home training programs so you can track your workout progress on your watch.

Galaxy Buds Live are the company’s next-generation earbuds and offer an unmatched experience. Combining AKG’s sound expertise with a 12mm speaker and a bass duct, the audio received is deep and rich so you can enjoy music the way the artist intended. Galaxy Buds Live comes with three microphones and Voice Pickup Unit for accurate phone calls.

Finally, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Z Fold2. It is the result of extensive market research and user feedback on the most requested upgrades and new features. The Galaxy Z Fold2 comes packed with two edge-to-edge, nearly bezel-less Infinity-O Displays. The Cover Screen is 6.2-inches and the massive Main Screen is 7.6-inches.

The Galaxy Note20 series and Tab S7 series will be available in select markets starting August 21, 2020. The company is expected to reveal the India price list as the launch date approaches.

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

___________________________________________________

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?

Escobar Fold 2 | The Folding Scam?

Folding phones are the current trend now. The moment screen manufacturers realised the fact that screens could be folded to attain a different form factor altogether, all efforts were concentrated towards making the folding screen incorporate with a smart device.

Folding smartphones have made serial waves in the smartphone industry. This is more because of people who are intrigued by the idea of a folding smartphone and want to have the latest trending device in their hands. Some of the first folding devices to hit the markets were the Royole FlexPai folding phone and the Huawei Mate X. Samsung, who was trailing the folding smartphone wars came up with the Samsung Galaxy Fold to take advantage of of the time and become one of the first movers in the folding smartphone game.

Samsung’s Galaxy Fold was a big failure in its first iteration. Galaxy Folds from all around the world started to crack and the external layer of the screen started to peel off. Tech reviewers from all around the globe started to share their experiences as to how the external layer on the screen which seemed to be like a protective layer for the screen started to peel off leaving the flexible OLED screen destroyed.

Meanwhile, Samsung did take its failure seriously and worked on to bring the second generation of the Galaxy Fold which did manage to impress the crowd because it is very well made and manage to keep the screen intact even after numerous flipping and folding of the screen. While a lot was happening in the foldable smartphone market, Motorola dropped their Moto Razr which came with a blast from the design resembling its very popular folding Motorola Razr phone. The Motorola Razr is the first phone to have the smartphone form factor fold in half, making it one of the first phones to do so. It does not come with top of the line hardware specifications but is aimed towards being a lifestyle device.

While Motorola was making all the noise about their Razr, Samsung dropped the Galaxy Z Flip along with the launch of the Galaxy S20 series. The Galaxy Z Flip comes with more like a smartphone looking form factor which can be folded in between. Specifications on the Z Flip are quite up to the mark with very capable hardware, however, it is still a lifestyle device which is more of a style statement rather than being a full-blown flagship phone.

Huawei’s follow up to the Mate X was soon to follow bearing the Mate Xs name tag. The Huawei Mate Xs is touted to be one of the best folding devices out there with a solid hinge and a great screen which has surely impressed the tech world. Last but not least, TCL, a brand we associate more with making TVs have dropped in their latest concept folding phones. Not one but two different smartphones which have a unique screen. One of them can be folded twice while the other is an interesting concept where the screen extends itself from inside the smartphone resulting in a bigger screen when needed. When not in use, the screen can be rolled back which brings it to the smartphone form factor. Folding smartphones might seem very cool, the ones available come at a steep price.

Now comes the interesting part of the whole folding situation. Escobar Inc – the tech company which is owned by Pablo Escobar’s brother Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria came up with the Escobar Fold 2. If you wondering the Escobar name, well you are right. The Escobar name is associated with Pablo Escobar, the Columbian Drug Lord who was the head of the Medellin Cartel and one of the most powerful drug traffickers, of the 1980s as well as the early 90s.

The Escobar Fold 2

The Escobar Fold 2 was the follow up of the Escobar Fold which was essentially a rebranded Royole FlexPai, one of the first folding smartphones to come into existence. Touted as the ‘Real Samsing Killer Phone’ it features a striking similarity in design of both the devices including the number of cameras and the exact folding schematics. However, the Escobar Fold 2 gets gold-coloured skin on the back and the sides of the phone with Excobar Inc. which helps it to identify from the regular Galaxy Fold.

What makes the Escobar Fold special? In a press statement, Gaviria has specified that some parts of the Escobar Fold have been sourced from China. According to the brand, they aim at giving the clients direct discounts under the Escobar brand name. In attempts of crazy marketing, a promotional video shows scantily clad women smashing Samsung Galaxy Fold smartphones. Such attempts taking a dig at smartphone makers is not the 2020 way of marketing.

A domain names ‘ripsamsung.com’ has been created by the company which redirects to the order page of the Fold 2. Here comes the most interesting part – the fold 2 is priced at $399 which is roughly Rs. 29,000 here in India. This is much much lower to the Galaxy Fold which retails at $1,980 or Rs.1,74,999 in India. This raises serious concerns over the ingenuity of the Escobar Fold 2 when the phone shows Samsung logos hidden under its gold stickering. It could be a classic case of exact Chinese clones of the Galaxy Fold which are much cheaper but nowhere close to the actual Fold from Samsung.

The first Escobar folding phone Escobar Fold 1 was none other than the Royole FlexPai which was rebranded into the Escobar version. A large number of reports and personal experiences on the web depict people’s frustrations after they pre-ordered the phone but never received one. However, a lot of known YouTubers in the technology space have claimed that the company got in touch with them asking them to make video reviews for the phone in exchange for the device. Sadly, the marketing was shabby and this left many people with bad impressions. Tech experts have also asked people to refrain from ordering the phone which does not get delivered. A perfect way to run a scam; The folding scam.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Fold- A smartphone innovation but does it really hold?

Vivo V17 – Review | A Capable Allrounder

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.

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

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

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

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro price in India

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

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

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

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

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

OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8 specifications

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

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

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