New Nokia 106 with long battery life launched in India for Rs. 1299

HMD Global has launched new Nokia 106 feature phone as the successor of the old Nokia 106 in India. It was introduced in November last year, has the same 1.8-inch (160 x 128 pixels) TFT display with 4-way Navi Key and the same 800mAh battery as the predecessor, but this promises 15.7 hours talk time. It has a polycarbonate body, contoured design and comes with classic Snake Xenzia and preloaded try-and-buy games like Nitro Racing, Danger Dash, Tetris and more. It holds up to 2000 contacts and 500 text messages. Nokia 106 (2018) features and specifications Display: 1.8-inch QQVGA (160 x 128 pixels ) Colour TFT Display MediaTek 6261D processor, 4MB RAM Dual band, EGSM 900/1800 Dimensions 111.15 x 49.5 x 14.4 mm weight 70.2 g (including battery) FM Radio Native games Flashlight Micro USB for charging, 3.5 mm AV Connector 800mAh battery with up to 21 days standby and 15.7 hours talk time The Nokia 106 (2018) comes in Dark Grey color, is priced at Rs. 1,299 and will be available across top mobile retailers in the country as well as on Nokia.com/phones.

Google gets FCC approval for new radar-based motion sensor

Google has won approval from U.S. regulators to deploy a radar-based motion sensing device known as Project Soli, said the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in an order. It has granted Google a waiver to operate the Soli sensors at higher power levels than currently allowed. The FCC said the sensors can also be operated aboard aircraft. The FCC said the decision “will serve the public interest by providing for innovative device control features using touchless hand gesture technology.” The FCC said the Soli sensor captures motion in a three-dimensional space using a radar beam to enable touchless control of functions or features that can benefit users with mobility or speech impairments. Google says the sensor can allow users to press an invisible button between the thumb and index fingers or a virtual dial that turns by rubbing a thumb against the index finger. Google in a video demonstration said that a user could operate a smartwatch, scroll through music or adjust the volume by simply motioning using the system. Google added that the radar signal could penetrate fabrics, enabling controls that could work in a pocket or a backpack. Even though these controls are virtual, the interactions feel physical and responsive as feedback is ...

Samsung Exynos Auto V9 to power next-gen Audi’s In-vehicle infotainment system

Samsung Electronics has announced that its first automotive-branded processor, Exynos Auto V9 will power Audi’s next-generation in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system, which is expected to make its debut by 2021. Exynos Auto V9 is an automotive processor designed for advanced IVI systems that display content on multiple displays, providing information that assists drivers and passengers for a safer vehicle experience. The Exynos Auto V9 is based on cutting-edge 8-nanometer (nm) process technology. It packs ARM Cortex-A76 CPU cores, ARM Mali G76 GPU, premium HiFi 4 audio digital signal processor (DSP), neural processing unit (NPU), and a safety island core that supports Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL)-B standards. The processor also supports fast and power-efficient LPDDR4 and LPDDR5 DRAM. Exynos Auto V9 supports up to six displays and twelve camera connections for various sub-system content in premium IVI systems. The V9 is powered by eight Cortex-A76 cores at speeds up to 2.1 gigahertz (GHz). The GPU is arranged in three separate dedicated sets of Mali G76 GPU cores that are able to seamlessly support multiple systems such as the cluster display, a central information display (CID) and rear-seat entertainment (RSE) simultaneously. It comes with four HiFi 4 audio processors that provide captivating audio experiences. Exynos Auto V9’s embedded ...

USB-IF USB Type-C Authentication Program to protect against malicious hardware

USB Implementers Forum has launched the USB Type-C Authentication Program. The USB Type-C Authentication specification defines cryptographic-based authentication for USB Type-C chargers and devices. It empowers host systems to protect against non-compliant USB chargers and to mitigate risks from malicious firmware/hardware in USB devices. Thanks to this protocol, host systems can confirm the authenticity of a USB device, USB cable or USB charger, including such product aspects as the capabilities and certification status. All of this happens right at the moment a connection is made before inappropriate power or data can be transferred. It is a standard protocol for authenticating certified USB Type-C chargers, devices, cables, and power sources. It also brings support for authenticating over either USB data bus or USB Power Delivery communications channels.  It relies on 128-bit security for all cryptographic methods. USB-IF selected DigiCert to manage the PKI and certificate authority services for the USB Type-C Authentication Program. Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President, and COO said: USB-IF is excited to launch the USB Type-C Authentication Program, providing OEMs with the flexibility to implement a security framework that best fits their specific product requirements. As the USB Type-C ecosystem continues to grow, companies can further provide the security that consumers have come to expect from certified USB devices. Geoffrey Noakes, ...

Beyerdynamic Beat BYRD Earphones Review

Audio enthusiasts on a budget have never had it this good. Today, there are quite literally dozens of options available in all possible form factors and at all price points. Over the ears, on-ears, in-ears and even earbuds are making a comeback. With Chinese hi-fi options become a real threat, we're seeing newer options from industry leaders. German giant, Beyerdynamic, too has recently announced a range of affordable audio products. The entry-level model in this is the Beat BYRD. We've been testing it out for a few weeks and here's what we think. Design The Beat BYRD sports the all-new design language and logos revealed by Beyerdynamic. Representing a modern evolution of the legendary audio product manufacturer, the BYRD is very discrete. The entire earphone/driver unit sits snug inside your ear and the flat outer shell ensures that it has an extremely low profile. You can comfortably wear it while lying down on your bed or under a beanie if you sport one. Weighing a mere 5 grams, the earphones simply vanish when you're wearing them and are very comfortable. Noise isolation isn't absolute but with the volume set to 60% or so, you can drown out most ambient audio. A 1.2m rubberised cable ...

Apple lowers revenue guidance for Q1 2019 citing fewer iPhone upgrades in China

Apple has announced that it is revising its guidance for Apple’s fiscal 2019 first quarter, which ended on December 29. The company expects total revenue of approximately $84 billion, gross margin of approximately 38%, operating expenses of approximately $8.7 billion. Apple expects the number of shares used in computing diluted EPS to be approximately 4.77 billion. Apple says that it is aware of the different timing of the iPhone launches would affect the year-over-year compares. The top-end iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, shipped in Q4’18—placing the channel fill and early sales in that quarter, whereas last year iPhone X shipped in Q1’18, placing the channel fill and early sales in the December quarter. This created a difficult compare for Q1’19, and this played out broadly in line with the expectations, says Apple. The company also says that it knew the strong US dollar would create foreign exchange headwinds and forecasted this would reduce its revenue growth by about 200 basis points as compared to the previous year. Sales of Apple Watch Series 4 and iPad Pro were constrained much or all of the quarter. AirPods and MacBook Air were also constrained. Owing to the economic weakness in some emerging markets had a significantly greater ...

Moto Z4 Play with 6.2-inch water-drop notch display, single rear camera surface in renders

Motorola is known to be working on G-series phones including the Moto G7, Moto G7 Plus, Moto G7 Power and Moto G7 Play. However, the company is even rumored to be working on refreshing Z-series with the upcoming Moto Z4 Play. Thanks to well-known leakster, Steve Hemmerstoffer, we now are getting to see the renders of the phone before it launches officially.  The Moto Z4 Play is said to sport a water-drop shaped notch at the top of the display and sports thin bezels on each corner. The volume rocker and power buttons are placed on the right. There is a single rear camera present in a typical circular pattern. The rear also has Moto Mod connectors probably hinting at 5G mod support. It still has a 3.5mm audio jack and USB-C port. The device is said to sport a 6.2-inches screen and measure in at 158 x 75 x 7.25 mm. We currently don't have hardware specifications of the device, but since Z-series has always been the high-end segment, we can hope a flagship processor to power it. For now, all we have are the renders of the phone, so stay tuned for more details. Source 1, 2

Stuffcool 720PD 10000mAh Power Bank Impressions

There's no dearth of power banks on the market. From dirt cheap (and not really recommended) no-name models to Xiaomi's well regarded and still affordable battery packs. As Stuffcool enters this fairly crowded segment, they'll have to offer something truly unique. Good thing then that the Stuffcool 10,000 mAh  720PD Power Bank offers a veritable cornucopia of features that makes it a very interesting product. Check out our review to read more about it. Design The Stuffcool 720PD is as staid and straightforward as power banks come. The shell is predominantly aluminium with some very minimal branding and labelling at the front. Over at the back is requisite certification information. All around the sides running a black plastic frame that is nice and grippy. The left side sports a single button while on the right are four LEDs that indicate the current status of the battery. Coming to the charging ports, there's more than a few on offer. Between two full-size USB ports, a micro USB port and even a Type C connector, it is fair to say that you can charge practically any modern electronic device with the Stuffcool 720PD. The entire construction of the Stuffcool 720PD Power Bank is metal which attracts scuffs, ...

Nokia 7.1 Review

At present, the smartphone market is all about launching a device either with a high-end chipset, huge battery or dual, triple cameras. Most of the OEM's are engaging in this rat race, which denotes the fact that they are running up toward the practical limits of what’s possible in the hardware. With that being said, the recently resurrected Nokia in the form of HMD Global is taking its own sweet time to establish themselves for the second time. Disengaged from this rat race, the HMD global is on a mission to lay a strong foundation for its brand through various smartphones. While those smartphones may come unequipped with the latest high-end chipset or a triple or quad-camera setup, it certainly comes with a guarantee of lasting longer. One such outing from HMD Global recently was the Nokia 7.1, the company’s latest mid-range Android One smartphone in India. Coming in Gloss Midnight Blue and Gloss Steel colours, the Nokia 7.1 carries a price tag of Rs. 19,999. Well, with this specification, does Nokia 7.1 looks like an overpriced device? Is it worth the money? Do check it out. Unboxing We unboxed it recently, check out the video below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_FNCgbREOI Box Contents Nokia 7.1 smartphone in Midnight Blue color ...

Vivo NEX gets a price cut in India, now available for Rs. 39990

Vivo launched its NEX smartphone in India back in July for Rs. 44,990. Today it has received a Rs. 5000 price cut and is available for Rs. 39,990 from offline reatilers and Amazon.in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAXnvS45D0c Vivo NEX specifications 6.59-inch (2316×1080 pixels) Full HD+ Super AMOLED 19.3:9 aspect ratio display, DCI-P3 color gamut 2.8GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 845 64-bit 10nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 630 GPU 8GB RAM, 128GB storage Dual SIM Funtouch OS 4.0 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) 12MP Dual PD rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, Sony IMX363 sensor, 4-axis OIS, f/1.8 aperture, secondary 5MP camera with f/2.4 aperture 8MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture In-display fingerprint sensor Dimensions: 162×77×7.98m; Weight: 199g 3.5mm audio jack, CS43199 + SSM6322 Amplifier Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz / 5GHz) 2×2 MIMO , Bluetooth 5 LE, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C 4000mAh battery with 22.5W fast charging Via