Now is the best time to buy the Apple iPhone XR [Long term Review]

5 months have gone by since I started using the iPhone XR and time with it has convinced me that this is, by far, the best smartphone experience I've ever had and am not even exaggerating. Coming from a world of infinite choice, it was quite interesting to have a completely different view of the Apple ecosystem. Because, in 2019, systemic changes in the infrastructure surrounding a smartphone have made me realize why the long held tenets of trust and user experience matter now more than ever. What has changed in these 5 months is also the price. NOW is the right time to buy the Apple iPhone XR and here's my long term review to tell you why I think so. Since I'm making big claims, thought it'd be better to give you some context. I’ve been using smartphones since the time of Symbian (S60). My first one was the Nokia 6600 (hi5 to all the 6600 fans), then I switched to a 5320 Xpressmusic (S60 V3 FP2). Once the touchscreens started rolling in, I held out until the Nokia N8 launched and got that. What a cameraphone! But then of course we all know how Nokia slowly imploded, it ...

Meizu 16s with 6.2-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, Snapdragon 855, in-display fingerprint sensor, 48MP rear camera gets certified

After rumors, Meizu 16s has been certified by TENAA in China with the model number M971Q. This confirms a 6.2-inch display, 7.65mm slim frame and a 3540mAh battery. The images show full-screen display with minimal bezels, dual rear cameras with ring LED flash, which should include a 48-megapixel Sony IMX586 main sensor and the phone will likely come with an in-display fingerprint scanner similar to the predecessor. Meizu 16s rumored specifications 6.2-inch (1080 × 2232 pixels) Full HD+ Super AMOLED display Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Mobile Platform with Adreno 640 GPU 8GB / 6GBRAM with 128GB / 256GB (UFS 2.1) internal storage Dual SIM Android 9.0 (Pie) with Flyme OS 48MP rear camera with LED flash, 1/2.25″ Sony IMX586 sensor, 0.8um pixel size with  ring LED flash, secondary camera 20MP front-facing camera In-display fingerprint sensor Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz) 2 x 2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C 3540mAh (minimum) battery with 24W mCharge fast charging The Meizu 16s is expected to be announced sometime later this month. We should know more details in a few days. Source 1, 2

Apple introduces Powerbeats Pro wireless water-resistant earphones

Apple has introduced Powerbeats Pro, new wireless earphones with up to 9 hours of listening time, sweat & water resistance, and adjustable, secure-fit earhooks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWbijRYhuZs Highlights of Apple Powerbeats Pro Class 1 Bluetooth technology offers extended range and fewer dropouts Reinforced design for sweat and water resistance with adjustable, secure-fit earhooks for added comfort and stability. Hands-free controls via “Hey Siri” on iOS devices, and voice capability with the push of the b button on a variety of compatible devices Volume and track controls on each earbud so you can play both sides or just one at a time Sensors detect when you’ve put the earphones in your ears to start playing music and pause when you take them out. Up to 9 hours of playback on a single charge, up to 24 hours more with charging case, 5 minute charge offers up to 1.5 hours playback The Powerbeats Pro comes in Ivory, Black, Moss and Navy colors, is priced at $249.95 (Rs. 17,260 approx.) and will go on sale soon in the US and more than 20 additional countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Macau, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto ...

Realme U1 3GB RAM, 64GB storage version launched for Rs. 10999

Realme launched the Realme U1 in India back in November last year. It received a price cut in February, and a second price cut earlier this week. Today the company has launched the 3GB RAM with 64GB storage version of the phone that joins the 3GB RAM+ 32GB storage and 4GB RAM+ 64GB storage versions. The new version is priced at Rs. 10,999, which is Rs. 1000 more than the 32GB version, and will go on sale through Amazon.in and Realme India website starting from April 10th. Realme U1 specifications 6.3-inch (2350 x 1080 pixels) 19.5:9 Full HD+ IPS display with 1500:1 contrast ratio, 450 nits brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection Octa Core MediaTek Helio P70 12nm processor (Quad 2.1GHz Cortex A73 + Quad 2GHz Cortex A53 CPUs) with 900MHz ARM Mali-G72 MP3 GPU 3GB RAM with 32GB  storage / 4GB RAM with 64GB storage, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) Android 8.1 (Oreo) based on ColorOS 5.2 13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture, 2MP secondary camera with f/2.4 aperture 25MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, AI, Sony IMX576 sensor Dimensions: 157x74x8mm; Weight: 168g 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS 3500mAh battery Source

Xiaomi Mi Sports Shoes 2 goes on sale in India for Rs. 2999

Update — April 4, 2019: It is now available for purchase from Mi.com for Rs. 2999, as it had announced last week. Earlier: Xiaomi opened crowdfunding for its Mi Men’s Sports Shoes 2 in India last month, and it started shipping for the backers earlier this month. The company has finally announced that the shoes will go on sale in the country for everyone on April 4th midnight. It has Uni-Moulding process, is Shock-absorbent, has anti-slip design and is durable for machine wash. We've heard you! #MiMensSportsShoes2, #MiSportsBluetoothEarphones, & #Mi2in1USBCable will go on sale for first time ever on 4th April, midnight. Get them exclusively on https://t.co/D3b3Qt4Ujl. RT if you have been waiting for them! pic.twitter.com/s2gdl06rt5 — Mi India (@XiaomiIndia) March 28, 2019 Highlights of Mi Sports Shoes 2 Engineered with breakthrough 5-in-1 Uni-Moulding technology that combines 5 different materials to minimize wear damage. This technology will keep the stitching on the soles intact for long-lasting usage. The 10-fishbone structure improves balance while offering the needed arch support and reducing the chance of sprains. Strong suspension for reduced impact — Uni-body Suspension Balancing patch Stronger grip with excellent forward momentum Machine-washable making is easy to clean The Mi Sports Shoes 2 comes in Blue, Black and Dark Grey colors and was introduced ...

ASUS Zenfone 6Z with Full HD+ display, Snapdragon 855, Android Pie, 48MP camera surfaces in benchmarks

ASUS already confirmed that it will introduce its flagship Zenfone 6 series at an event in Valencia, Spain on May 16th. This week a new ASUS phone with model number ASUS_I01WD surfaced on Geekbench revealing Snapdragon 855, 6GB of RAM and Android Pie, now the AnTuTu listing for the smartphone has also surfaced. This reveals all these features and also reveals 128GB storage and Full HD+ (2340 ×1080 pixels) 19:5:9 aspect ratio screen, so the phone might feature a waterdrop notch screen, unlike a large notch on the Zenfone 5 series. AnTuTu also says that the phone will feature a 48-megapixel rear camera, which will likely be a Sony IMX586 sensor and also hints that it might feature a 48-megapixel front camera as well, but this could also be an error. The phone could pack triple rear cameras, including an ultra-wide angle lens, which is a trend these days. It scores 363,172 points on AnTuTu, which is not the best, but this could be a prototype, so the official retail version might score higher. The phone is also expected to come in higher RAM and storage versions. Source 1, 2

Google releases Android Q Beta 2 with multitasking Bubbles, foldables emulator and more

Google released Android Q Beta 1 last month with a lot of features, now it has released the Beta 2 for Pixel users bringing new capabilities such as support for bubbles, a new way for users to multitask,  new foldable device emulator and more. Multitasking Bubbles — A new way for users to multitask and re-engage with apps from anywhere on their device. Bubbles are built into the Notification system. They float on top of other app content and follow the user wherever they go. Bubbles can be expanded to reveal app functionality and information, and can be collapsed when not being used. When the device is locked or the always-on-display is active, bubbles appear just as a notification normally would. Help users prioritize information and take action deep within another app, while maintaining their current context. They also let users carry an app's functionality around with them as they move between activities on their device. Bubbles are great for messaging because they let users keep important conversations within easy reach. They also provide a convenient view over ongoing tasks and updates, like phone calls or arrival times. They can provide quick access to portable UI like notes or translations, and can be visual reminders ...

Apple iPhone XR gets a limited-period discount of Rs. 17000 in India, up to Rs. 24500 off including HDFC cashback

Apple has announced a promotional discount on iPhone XR after it was launched in the country starting at Rs. 76,900 (MRP). Even though there is no change in the MRP, online retailers like Flipkart and Amazon.in are already selling the phone for Rs. 69,999. After the promotional discount starting tomorrow, April 5th, the phone will be available for Rs. 59,900. HDFC Bank Credit/Debit card users can get the phone at Rs. 53,900 after 10% cashback, while the 256GB will be available for Rs. 67,400 after a total discount + cashback of Rs. 24,500. This move is to boost the sales of the smartphone in the Indian market. MRP Price for non-HDFC customers Price for HDFC customers Discount iPhone XR 64GB Rs. 76900 Rs. 59900 Rs. 53900 Rs. 17000 /            Rs. 23000 (HDFC) iPhone XR 128GB Rs. 81900 Rs. 64900 Rs. 58400 Rs. 17000 /            Rs. 23500 (HDFC) iPhone XR 256GB Rs. 91900 Rs. 74900 Rs. 67400 Rs. 17000 /            Rs. 24500 (HDFC) The 10% cashback on iPhone XR is available only on HDFC Bank Debit and Credit Cards for full payment or EMI. There is also No Cost EMI loans from Bajaj Finance Ltd. and HDFC Bank Consumer Loans. The promotional offer is available for a limited time ...

Get Android 9.0 Pie on Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with Pixel Experience ROM

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was amongst the best selling devices launched in 2017 in India, despite launching in 2017 it was launched with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and was updated to Android 7.0 (Nougat) in August 2017. Redmi Note 4 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 mobile platform, the same processor that powers Mi A1 which received Android 9.0 (Pie) update along with Dual 4G VoLTE support couple of months ago. Xiaomi has already announced the list of smartphones eligible for Android Oreo/Pie update, but Xiaomi’s best-seller from 2017 is not included in the list and now we can assume that Redmi Note 4 will not receive any Android update. In case you wish to enjoy the latest version of Android on your Redmi Note 4, you can use custom ROM on your device. Earlier, we tried Arrow OS, crDroid ROM and Oxygen OS Port on Redmi Note 4 which were based on Android Pie. Pixel Experience is another custom ROM development project that aims towards bringing Pixel like clean Android experience to the devices. We tried CAF based Pixel Experience on our Redmi Note 4 and here are our impressions. Performance and Benchmarks: [gallery size="large" columns="2" link="file" ids="279141,279140"] Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 is almost three years old now, we obtained AnTuTu score of 79995 which is lesser as ...

Reliance Jio acquires Haptik in a deal valued at Rs. 700 crore

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) today announced that its subsidiary Reliance Jio Digital Services Limited (RJDSL) has entered into a definitive business transfer agreement with Haptik Infotech Pvt Ltd (Haptik). On a fully diluted basis Reliance will hold about 87% of the business with the rest being held by Haptik founders and employees through stock option grants. The deal is estimated at about Rs. 700 crore, with Rs. 230 crore as the consideration for the initial business transfer. Haptik said that it will remain committed to its overall Vision and Mission,that it has pursued since 2013. The Haptik team will continue to drive growth of the business, including the enterprise platform as well as digital consumer assistants. Reliance Jio will leverage Haptik’s capabilities across various devices and touch points. The investment focus is on enhancement and expansion of the platform. This partnership will also give a boost to Haptik’s existing enterprise grade business, with the company continuing to build innovative AI solutions for corporates globally. Haptik said that Times Internet, who invested in the company in 2016 will now be exiting the business as part of this transaction. Commenting on the latest deal, Akash Ambani, Director, Reliance Jio, said: This strategic investment underlines our commitment to further boost the ...