CTC BLOG

FP TrendingDec 31, 2021 07:34:50 IST

New Year is just around the corner and people are all set to say goodbye to 2021. New Year’s Eve is not just the time to plan the perfect party or dinner, it is also a day to convey your best wishes for the upcoming year to everyone who matters to you.

As 2022 approaches, people are geared to celebrate the occasion as best as they can, amid the recent uptick in coronavirus cases. From scaled-down celebrations at home to a simple family dinner, people are trying their best to modify their plans according to the latest COVID-19 norms.

While the ongoing pandemic has led many people to opt for a low-key celebration at home, many are eager to convey the season’s greetings to their loved ones.

As the year ends, people are finding the perfect wishes and New Year’s greetings to send to their close family and friends. One fun way to send New Year greetings is through stickers on Whatsapp. As the medium to exchange greetings becomes more and more popular, here is a guide to download and share stickers for New Year 2022:

―    Go to the Google Play Store app and type WhatsApp stickers in the search bar
―    Google Play will display various sticker options for the occasion
―    Select any app you prefer, after looking at the animation and customisation features of the options
―    Download the selected app and check if the stickers are working fine
―    Open Whatsapp and go to a personal chat or group
―    Press the emoji option to select the sticker tab
―    Here you will see the sticker packs you had downloaded earlier
―    Tap the sticker pack header to open the pack and scroll down to select some stickers
―    Tap the stickers to send them to close family and friends

You can also use this process to send out stickers for other festivals as well.

FP StaffDec 30, 2021 14:44:44 IST

With the year drawing to a close, global consumer electronics and appliance manufacturer Hisense has announced its biggest offers for its customers across the product portfolio.

The offers include special prices and extended warranty on its television range. The brand has also introduced a new entry level washing machine — ‘Simple Life’ series with steam sterilisation technology in silver finish, available in 6Kg and 7Kg at INR 19990/- and 24990/- respectively.

Hisense entered the Indian market last year and has launched an array of products including Smart TVs, QLED TV’s with Full Array local diming, Flagship 8K TV, Side by Side Refrigerator, and Washing Machines. Within two years, the brand has gained immense popularity among its consumers with its innovative offerings at competitive price points.

Keeping up with this trend, Hisense is geared up to launch its new product range which includes a new 120 inches Laser TV -120L9G, a new AC line up, the new Tornado A7H and Entry level 4K series – E6H, A6H. The brand will also be launching premium televisions that include OLED TV, QLED U8H & U7H. Further, the brand will also be strengthening its washing machine portfolio with the launch of a new Front Load Washing Machine.

Rishi Tandon, COO, Hisense, said, “The Indian market has graced Hisense with an immense positive response. We have seen a tremendous growth for the products that we have launched in the Indian market and we strive to launch more cutting-edge products for our consumers in the coming future. To celebrate the New Year and instil trust in our products, we are delighted to offer five-year warranty to our customers unlike other players in the market”.

The brand is all set to give its customers an amazing consumer offer as they step into 2022. The offers include:

• Tornado Series A73F

Hisense Tornado A73F series provides an astonishing sound equipped with a JBL 6 speaker system with 102 watts of powerful sound. The TV provides a rich viewing experience with features likes Dolby Vision HDR, HDR10, HLG, and Ultra Dimming. Putting you in the center of the action from the comfort of your living room. Available in 50”, 55” & 65” inches

Warranty Offer: 5 Year Warranty (Extended warranty on panel)

Special Price: 50” variant – INR 40,999/-, 55” variant – INR 45,999/- & 65” variant – INR 69,999/-

Hisense Tornado A73F series provides an astonishing sound equipped with a JBL 6 speaker system with 102 watts of powerful sound

• Vivid 4K TV (43A6GE)

A Vivid viewing experience with ultra-vivid high contrast panel you can experience depth in every picture. Equipped with features like Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, HLG and Dolby Atmos. Hisense Vivid 4K TV (43A6GE) is the perfect choice to enjoy your favorite content.

Warranty Offer: 5 Year Warranty (Extended warranty on panel)

Special Price: INR 30,999/-

Equipped with features like Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, HLG and Dolby Atmos. Hisense Vivid 4K TV (43A6GE) is the perfect choice to enjoy your favorite content.

•  MegaTV (70A71F)

Feel the action come alive with the Hisense Mega 70” TV that will upgrade your viewing experience to another level. Enjoy rich visuals with Dolby Vision, Ultra Dimming, UHD AI Upscaler, Precision Colour and much more. Immerse into powerful audio Dolby Atmos and 36W sound. With the bigger screen your entertainment will get better and better.

Warranty Offer: 5 Year Warranty (Extended warranty on panel)

Special Price: 55” variant – INR 38,999/- , 70” variant – INR 79,999/-

Enjoy rich visuals with Dolby Vision, Ultra Dimming, UHD AI Upscaler, Precision Colour and much more with the Hisense Mega 70” TV

Washing Machine Range (WFVB6010MS & WFVB7012MS)

Hisense introduced its entry level washing machine range Simple Life series washing machine series. It is specially curated with 15 Washing Programs, Steam Sterilization, High Handle Design, Snow Flake Drums and Quick Wash functions to add convenience to your life. Its Snowflake drum ensures gentle cleaning of your laundry while providing hygiene. Available in 6Kg and 7Kg.

The Simple Life series washing machine has been specially curated with 15 washing programmes, steam sterilisation, high handle design, snow flake drums and quick wash functions to add convenience to your life

Hisense has its footprints globally with a presence in over 160+ countries, along with 16 manufacturing facilities located in countries like South Africa, Slovenia, Serbia, Mexico, Czech etc.

As a piece of software, Krita has had an interesting history. With origins in various projects reaching back to 1998, Krita eventually became a free image-manipulation tool like Photoshop, or GIMP from about 2004 to 2009. After that time, the open-source program recruited students to work on its improvement, and in 2012 the Krita Foundation was formed to raise funds to continue supporting the completely free software. In 2015, Krita launched a Kickstarter campaign to take things to the next level. After smashing its fundraising goal, Krita got a basket of goodies added to it, making it unbelievably powerful, especially considering that the company still doesn’t charge for the product.

Unlike Photoshop, Krita is more aimed at straight-up illustrations, and so it’s a compelling tool for game designers, illustrators, comic creators and other makers who draw from scratch. You can, of course bring in photos and work on them just fine in Krita, but if photo work is your primary goal, you’ll likely want to get a more specialized software package.

However, when it comes to painting, Krita is hard to beat. 

You’ll find all the usual tools here including the chance to choose from over 100 different preset brush styles (including pens and pencils), as well as the chance to completely customize your own brush by working with nine different brush engines. One nice feature that illustrates Krita’s cooperative spirit, is that it offers users the ability to import brushes from other users and share brushes you create with the community. 

The software works with the layers system familiar to all Photoshop users, but the latest release of the software improved layer management, making it more flexible and intuitive. 

While Krita could rest on simply being a painting tool, the organization’s ethos leads to continual improvements, so with the new release of the software, animation is now supported. Just drop in your illustrations and the software will stitch them together into a smooth flow. And speaking of smooth, Krita also comes with built-in brush stabilizers to smooth out your lines if you have a shaky hand. 

The software is also packed with vector tools – including speech bubbles that make it easy to add words to your comics – and a new wrap-around mode lets you create repeat patterns that morph as you alter just one image. 

The standout feature of Krita’s new release might well be its improved speed. After all, the rallying cry of the 2015 Kickstarter campaign was “Let’s make it faster than Photoshop!” While it’s hard to say if that goal was achieved, it’s clear that Krita has received a serious speed boost. Previously, when working with very large canvases and large brushstrokes, users would have to put up with lag as the image rendered and re-rendered. Now, a real-time preview feature lets you see what you’re doing as you’re doing it, removing a source of frustration for serious designers.

Krita is available free for Windows, Mac and Linux, or inexpensive paid versions can be bought from the Windows Store ($9.97) or Steam ($9.99). Paying for a version lets you support Krita’s future development and entitles you to automatic updates every time one is released. 

Ameya DalviDec 29, 2021 08:56:16 IST

Rating: 4/5 

Price: Rs 17,999

A couple of years ago, it seemed like tablets were a dying breed. But the pandemic induced work/study/enjoy from home culture seems to have brought about a resurgence in the category. Many consider tablets as an alternative for laptops for attending online lectures. Some find it better for group video calls due to the larger screen real estate. And they have always served as an extra screen at home for personal entertainment. 

Popular smartphone brand, Realme has entered the budget tablet segment with their product that promises to offer more than what the incumbents do in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment. The Realme Pad does look impressive on paper. Time to figure out what’s good about it, what’s not and if it indeed is one of the best options in this budget.

The Realme Pad. Image Courtesy: realme.com

Realme Pad: Design

Though this is a budget tablet, the design has more than a hint of style. The champagne gold aluminium frame and back looks elegant, and the tablet is less than 7 mm slim; probably slimmer than all Realme phones if my memory serves me right. You also get a metallic grey colour in this. It weighs about 440 grams but doesn’t feel too heavy in hand. If there is one thing I would change about the design, it would be the bezels; they could have been thinner than they are, and yet let you grip the tablet from the sides comfortably.

The champagne gold aluminium frame and back look elegant, and the tablet is less than 7 mm slim; probably slimmer than all Realme phone

The Realme Pad is meant to be used in landscape mode more than portrait. The company hints at the same by placing the front camera at the centre of the longer edge of the tablet. You get a power button, volume rocker, a SIM/microSD card tray, USB-C port and a couple of microphones along the edges in addition to a couple of speakers each on either side of the screen (when in landscape mode). An 8MP camera is located at the back of the tablet.

Realme Pad: Display

The Realme Pad has a 10.4-inch 8-bit WUXGA+ display with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels. Simply put, a screen with a slightly higher resolution than Full HD and capable of displaying 16.7 million colour shades, which is very good for a budget tablet. I believe it uses an IPS panel and the viewing angles are quite good. It has a standard 60 Hz refresh rate, and scrolling feels just a little stuttery, or maybe I am spoiled by 90 Hz and 120 Hz refresh rate displays on phones over the past year or so.

The Realme Pad has a 10.4-inch 8-bit WUXGA+ display with a resolution of 2000 x 1200 pixels.

The screen has a rated brightness of 360 nits, and it is bright enough indoors and can get just about sufficiently bright when outdoors. The contrast is impressive and so is the colour reproduction. Though it doesn’t support HDR, the colours feel vibrant without going over the top. It is compliant with Widevine L1, meaning you can watch Full HD content on OTT platforms like Netflix on this tablet. The screen is protected by some kind of scratch resistant glass (brand not specified), but it surely doesn’t have oleophobic coating, and attracts a lot of smudge marks. You need to keep wiping it from time to time.

It is compliant with Widevine L1, meaning you can watch Full HD content on OTT platforms like Netflix on this tablet

Realme Pad: Specifications and key features

The Realme Pad is powered by a Mediatek Helio G80 SoC with Mali-G52 MC2 GPU and you get options of either 3 GB RAM with 32 GB internal storage or 4 GB RAM with 64 GB storage. You can expand it further up to 1 TB using a microSD card, which is a good option to have. You get either a WiFi only variant (3 GB/ 32 GB) of this tablet or WiFi + LTE variant with a 4G SIM slot for calling and mobile data. We got the latter for review with 64 GB storage. Wireless connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band WiFi with support for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks.

The tablet has two 8MP cameras, one at the front and the other at the back. The rear camera is just there for basic usage and not for serious photography. The front camera has an ultra-wide lens with a 105 degrees FOV that is handy for video calls. As I mentioned earlier, the quad speakers on the Realme Pad are Dolby Atmos compliant and the output is surprisingly loud and punchy at near peak volume. One thing I missed here is a fingerprint scanner to unlock the screen. I still prefer it over face unlock or passcodes/patterns. I am not sure too many tablets in this segment have it though.

Realme Pad: Software and UI

This tablet runs Android 11 with Realme UI for Pad. The UI here is far closer to stock Android than Realme UI that you get on their phones. Either way, that’s not a bad thing. The UI is clean, smooth and pretty much free of bloatware. In fact, most of the preinstalled apps are Google services barring Facebook maybe. Given the distinct possibility of this tablet being used by children, you also have a couple of kid friendly apps like Kids Space and YT Kids. You can choose who (adults or children) would be using the tablet during setup, and it gets configured accordingly.

The UI is clean, smooth and free of bloatware

Realme Pad: Performance

The general performance of this tablet is perfectly fine. The G80 processor is powerful enough for day to day tasks like browsing, watching videos, video calls or listening to music. Things tend to get slightly sluggish if you open too many apps at the same time, but that has more to do with the limited amount of RAM. Also, do not get carried away with the mention of Helio G80 as a gaming processor on this tablet’s listing page. While it can handle some casual or less graphics intensive games with ease, don’t expect games like Asphalt 9 to run smoothly at high visual settings.

Typing out articles on a tablet is not my thing, and it isn’t very comfortable on the Realme Pad either. There is no keyboard accessory for this tablet that Realme has announced. In fact, I don’t think there are any accessories made available by the company yet. There is no cover bundled along either. This tablet isn’t ideal for content creation or using productivity apps. But when it comes to content consumption, this product is a great option.

Watching content on Netflix or Prime Video on this tablet was an enjoyable experience. While you can always use Bluetooth headphones with it, I often found myself watching videos without the earphones. The four speakers present here do a terrific job most of the time when you push the volume closer to 90 percent or beyond, and Dolby Atmos compliance lends it a broader soundstage than what you expect from built-in speakers on a tablet. Since this is an Android tablet, you have the option of casting the content to larger screens of compatible TVs.

The four speakers and Dolby Atmos compliance lends it a broader soundstage than what you expect from built-in speakers on a tablet

Browsing the internet or reading e-books is also a smooth experience here. The screen offers multiple viewing modes for different lighting and activities. You get reading mode, night mode, dark more and sunlight mode. While it doesn’t transform the screen into a Kindle, the first two modes are a lot easier on the eyes when reading in a dimly lit environment. Video calls are handled well too, and the larger screen gives you a lot more breathing space for group calls with multiple participants.

While the front camera is good enough for video calls, the rear camera is nothing great. It is there only for basic use, if you need to capture something urgently on the tablet, and not as an alternative for your phone camera. The LTE variants of the Realme Pad let you add a 4G SIM and make voice calls. It doesn’t have an earpiece like phones but the built-in microphones and speakers manage calls surprisingly well. You can always use a Bluetooth headset for better call quality or more privacy.

Realme Pad: Battery life

The Realme Pad has a 7100 mAh battery that kept it powered for about two days of moderate use during testing that included a couple of hours of watching content on Netflix, two hours of browsing and reading e-books and 30 minutes of video calling daily. That’s a pretty decent battery backup. It supports 18W fast charging and the bundled charger takes close to 3 hours to charge it fully, which is not so great. The tablet supports reverse charging and can be used as a powerbank to charge other devices.

Realme Pad: Price and verdict

The Realme Pad is available for purchase for Rs 13,999 for the WiFi only variant with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB storage, going all the way up to Rs 17,999 for the WiFi + LTE variant with 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage. The pricing is pretty decent given that the competition, mainly from Samsung and Lenovo, has nothing significantly better to offer under Rs 20,000. This may not necessarily be a category defining product, but is a well-rounded tablet that is great for media consumption, reading and video-calling, runs a more recent version of Android, provides decent battery backup and is worth the asking price.

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Ameya DalviDec 28, 2021 16:24:54 IST

The last Hisense TV from the A71F series that we reviewed was quite impressive. In fact, it is still a great budget TV in the sub-Rs 40,000 segment. Their U6G series of QLED TVs belong to a higher segment and promise even better picture quality and contrast among other things. We got the 55-inch model for review. Time to figure out if it can stir things up in the midrange segment and give the QLED TVs from Xiaomi, OnePlus and TCL a run for their money.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – Design and connectivity: 8.5/10

As is the case with most TVs in this segment, Hisense has opted for a near bezel-less exterior on three sides and a not-so-thick metallic grey bottom bezel. The power LED and IR receiver are placed on a tiny chin at the centre of the bottom bezel. The TV is fairly slim but not as slim as the OnePlus TV U1. It can be wall-mounted or placed on a desk using the bundled metal stands that are quite sturdy. The necessary screws and mounts are provided in the package along with a wireless remote and a pair of AAA batteries.

In the connectivity department, you get three HDMI 2.0 ports – one of which supports ARC, two USB 2.0 ports and optical audio out along the left edge of the TV, while AV input connectors, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a LAN port are placed at the back of the TV. Wireless connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0 and dual band WiFi with support for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. I would have liked to see HDMI 2.1 ports with support for eARC on this TV. On the bright side, the side facing ports are located closer to the edge, making them easy to access.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – Features and specifications: 8.5/10

The Hisense 55U6G has a 55-inch VA panel with an Ultra HD (4K) resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and a 60 Hz refresh rate. This QLED TV screen can get up to 700 nits bright and supports most popular HDR formats like Dolby Vision, HDR10+/10 and HLG. This TV also supports full array local dimming with 32 dimming zones. Like all official Android TVs, it has Chromecast built-in and lets you cast content to the screen from compatible apps on your phone or tablet.

The processing hardware here is quite similar to that of the A71F. It is powered by a quad-core processor with ARM Cortex A55 cores and Mali-470 MP GPU. Each of the four CPU cores can throttle between 1100 MHz to 1400 MHz. You get 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, a chunk of which is taken up by the Android TV 9 OS. You are still left with close to 10 GB space for your needs. The sound output is rated at 24 Watts RMS and is compliant with Dolby Atmos.

It comes with the usual Hisense remote control (similar to the one you get with several Vu TVs too) that operates over IR and Bluetooth. This is one of the better remotes you get with smart TVs with just the right number of keys. The remote has hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, YouTube and Google Play along with navigation keys, input key, volume control, mute button, settings and a D-pad. All the important keys are present here.

While the remote looks good and the build quality is decent, the button spacing at the centre still remains a hassle. The buttons above and below the direction keys almost seamlessly merge into the D-pad, and you often end up pressing the wrong button when not looking at the remote. The power button on the remote communicates with the TV using IR when switching it on and off, while everything else operates over Bluetooth once paired. The remote is voice enabled, and voice commands work smoothly.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – User interface: 8.5/10

This TV runs Android TV 9 OS and has a stock user interface that you see on most certified Android TVs without any third party launcher. It is simple and easy to use even for a novice user. While Hisense provides you arguably the most polished Android TV 9 experience, I would have preferred to see Android TV 10 here, if not 11. There’s hardly any bloatware and the TV comes preloaded with apps for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video along with the usual Google services.

Like most Hisense TVs, the 55U6G also grants you quick access to sound and picture settings on the fly while viewing content from any input source or OTT app. All you need to do is press the settings button on the remote to bring up the menu and make the necessary adjustments even with the content playing in the background. The TV displays the Dolby Vision logo when playing the corresponding videos but not so for other HDR formats. You do get different presets with Dolby Vision, HDR or HDR10+ prefix for the specific content. You can also configure custom presets for SDR as well as HDR content.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – Picture quality: 9/10

The picture quality of this TV is top notch. The 4K panel is quite bright and the black levels are impressive too. In fact the black levels are as good as I have seen in big screen TVs under Rs 70,000. As a result, the contrast on this Hisense TV is excellent and details in dark areas of scenes were clearly visible most of the time. Probably the full array local dimming helps a bit too, but I am not sure how much given that there are only 32 local dimming zones.

The colour reproduction of this TV is equally impressive and colours feel quite lively without going over the top. Budget QLED TVs tend to get overly vivid but that’s not the case here, unless you choose the corresponding picture preset. This TV is tuned well out of the box, and the only thing most of us may need to change is the colour temperature. The nomenclature here for the same is a little different. Instead of terms like Cool, Standard and Warm, this TV prefers High, Medium and Low. You also get a Mid-low, which is a very good addition, and actually works best in most cases along with Medium.

The HDR performance of this TV is quite good; slightly better in Dolby Vision content than HDR10/10+. The picture looks vibrant with excellent contrast. There was barely any noticeable flickering in high contrast scenes either. Even 4K SDR content looks equally sharp and lively on this screen with accurate colours and ample detail. One thing I would suggest is turning off all the motion smoothening settings, as they tend to induce motion artifacts.

A special mention for the upscaling engine on this TV. 1080p Full HD content is upscaled so well here that it actually looks as good as 4K content on most TVs. 720p videos are perfectly watchable too with a little dip in sharpness. Anything lower than 720p looks soft, which is the case with every 55-inch 4K TV. The viewing angles are decent but one can notice a bit of colour shift when watching the TV from sharp angles.

As I have been saying, the picture quality of this TV is one of the finest in this budget and you get a good amount of picture adjustment options to fine tune it further. You get the standard options like brightness, contrast, sharpness, colour etc, along with advanced options for adjusting white balance, colour temperature, noise reduction and more. And even better, you get access to all those on the fly from anywhere at the press of a button.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – Audio quality: 7.5/10

A pair of bottom firing speakers rated at 24 Watts RMS deliver more than decent audio output. Strangely, it is a notch below that of the A71F series, despite this being a more premium model. The output is loud and clear with a good amount of warmth in the audio. The bass has a good presence and there’s reasonable clarity in the vocals too, but the highs lack sparkle making the overall output sound a tad soft. The speakers are tuned well, and if you wish to tweak the audio further, you have a bunch of sound presets along with a 5-band equaliser.

The speakers are sufficiently loud even around 30 percent volume level, and they sound good even when playing music, movies or web-series. They support Dolby Atmos but don’t expect miracles even when you switch the option on from the settings. The TV does support a passthrough option for the audio signal via HDMI ARC, but since you do not have an eARC port here, there isn’t enough bandwidth to pass the Dolby Atmos stream to a compliant soundbar or speaker system. The TV does have a variety of audio outputs to plug in external speakers.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – Overall performance: 8.5/10

The TV takes just about 30 seconds to boot up when you switch it on from the mains, making it one of the fastest booting Android TVs around. Post that, if you switch it off and on from the remote, the TV comes back on almost instantaneously from standby mode. There was no noticeable lag in the UI or even during 4K video playback, which is good. There’s one minor bug in the Prime Video app though. If you pause the video long enough till a screensaver shows up, the app just shuts.

The TV can play 4K content through USB smoothly with the default player. Given the presence of Google Play Store on this TV, you can always install a third party player like VLC for a better interface. All in all, the overall experience with this TV was very positive with very little to complain about operationally.

Hisense 55U6G QLED TV – Price and verdict

The Hisense 55U6G QLED TV can be purchased for Rs 59,990 in India with a one year warranty. Some retailers offer 3 to 5 years warranty on the same too, but do check the fineprint. At that price, you get a polished smart TV with excellent picture quality and contrast, support for popular HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+, a good spread of connectivity options and above average sound output.

Presence of HDMI 2.1 ports and a more recent version of Android TV would have made it more future-proof. But when it comes to pure picture quality, it leaves very little room for complaint in this segment. As for alternatives, one name that comes to mind straight away is the Mi QLED TV 4K 55 that sells for a few thousand rupees less. The Xiaomi TV also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+, has HDMI 2.1 ports, double the internal storage and runs Android TV 10. But in terms of picture quality, the Hisense 55U6G manages to stay a step ahead.

Overall Rating: 4.2/5

Price: Rs 59,990

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Ameya DalviDec 28, 2021 16:59:53 IST

Rating: 4/5

The Apple iPhone 13 Mini has been around for a couple of months now, and a lot of people who have craved for a compact smartphone have been considering it. Given that it is also the most affordable of the new lot of iPhones has piqued the interest even further. There is ample data available for the device, yet we get a lot of queries regarding the same.

So today, we deviate from our standard review format, and instead answer the ten most common questions that we encounter about the iPhone 13 Mini. The answers should tell you pretty much everything important you need to know about the new Apple device, and also whether you should buy it. So let’s begin.

How is Apple iPhone 13 Mini different from the iPhone 12 Mini?

While the iPhone 13 Mini retains the form factor and size of the iPhone 12 Mini, there are a few notable differences. For starters, the 13 Mini is powered by the newer and more powerful A15 Bionic chip as compared to the A14 in the iPhone 12 series. The camera department also gets an upgrade, and no, I do not mean change in the position of lenses at the back. The main camera uses a new sensor and also has sensor-shift optical image stabilisation (OIS), which should translate into even better performance.

The battery capacity has been bumped up by almost 10 percent from 2227 mAh to 2438 mAh resulting in improved battery backup. And lastly, the notch is noticeably smaller now in comparison to the 12 Mini without missing out on any of the sensors. So while the upgrades aren’t massive, at least it doesn’t miss out on any key feature from its predecessor.

Does it have all the features of the Apple iPhone 13?

Yes, it pretty much has all the features present in the iPhone 13. Of course the latter has a bigger display and a larger battery, but beyond that, everything present there is available on this compact device.

Is the iPhone 13 Mini a delicate device?

Absolutely not! The build quality is as good as it gets. It has an aluminum frame and a scratch-resistant ceramic glass body. The construction is rugged and the phone feels quite solid in hand, and yet, its weight has been kept in check at just 141 grams. It also has an oleophobic coating to keep the fingerprints at bay. It does a fair job but one could notice a few smudge marks on and off. Last but by no means the least, the iPhone 13 Mini has IP68 rated ingress protection against dust and fluids, giving it that extra layer of safety.

Is the display too small for daily tasks and media consumption?

It’s ironic that we call a 5.4-inch display on a phone small these days, when we should be terming any screen above 6-inch large. But such are the times we live in where phones are getting increasingly larger. Coming back, the 5.4-inch Full HD+ Super Retina XDR OLED screen on the Apple iPhone 13 is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. The 476 PPI pixel density makes the display sharp and the colour accuracy is excellent too. Absolutely no complaints about the quality of the display.

As for the sufficiency of the size, the answer is subjective. If you are shifting to this phone from one with a significantly larger display, you will find the screen unusually small to begin with, but not something you cannot get used to if you wish to. Given that the Mini is meant for the audience looking for a compact flagship phone, they should be prepared for it.

From my personal experience, the screen size is perfectly fine for media consumption and most day to day tasks, but the keyboard felt a touch crammed initially since I am used to a larger screen. So one may feel a little restricted in chat and productivity apps that require a considerable amount of typing. But overall I enjoyed the single-handed operation that I could easily manage on this phone as opposed to most Android phones these days.

How good is the iPhone 13 Mini’s camera performance?

Since the iPhone 13 series is powered by the new A15 Bionic chip, it is a given that the performance is better than its predecessors. No wonder nobody bothered asking us about it. Most people were keen to know if the cameras on the 13 Mini cut any corners. I am happy to report that they do not, especially in comparison to the iPhone 13. After exchanging notes with my learned colleague who had used the iPhone 12 extensively, we concluded that there was indeed a marginal improvement in the image quality here for the main camera.

You get two 12MP cameras at the back (just like the 13, 12, 12 Mini) with the primary supporting dual-pixel PDAF and sensor-shift OIS, while the secondary ultra-wide camera captures wide angle shots with a 120-degrees FOV. The front camera also has the same number of megapixels and does a good job with selfies and FaceTime. However, we will focus on the rear cameras here.

The camera interface is as simple as before with only a handful of options for photos and videos that you can swipe to choose. You get a toggle for normal and ultra-wide modes, and you can pinch to zoom (digital). For photos, you get the standard, portrait and panorama modes, while you have standard, cinematic, slo-mo and time lapse for videos. The Apple iPhone 13 Mini can record videos in up to 4K resolution at 60 fps, and you can directly record HDR videos encoded in Dolby Vision. The video quality is excellent and nicely stabilised, something we have come to expect from the last few generations of Apple phones.

Photograph taken on iPhone 13 Mini

The main camera captures some excellent shots in all kinds of lighting with natural colours, good dynamic range and great detail. When the light drops below a certain level, night mode kicks in automatically and it does a stellar job; far better than the output you get by turning the flash on. It brightens the images up but still maintains their essence. At times in extreme low light, the camera can see what your eyes can’t. It takes about three seconds to capture the image though. There seems to be an improvement in portrait mode here, especially when clicking non-human subjects. The foreground and background separation is spot on most of the time.

Photograph taken on iPhone 13 Mini

The ultra-wide camera, though better than many on the market, isn’t as good as the primary unit. Yes, it manages to capture excellent shots in good light with comparable picture quality, but the details aren’t as good. The edge distortion is almost non-existent here, which is great, but there is a noticeable amount of noise in photos, and it tends to get more and more conspicuous as the light drops. The ultra-wide camera supports night mode too but I would advise sticking to the main camera for night shots. The difference in quality is significant.

How is the battery life of the iPhone 13 Mini and does it support fast charging?

The battery backup isn’t one of the strengths of this device. Yes, the capacity is 10 percent higher as compared to its predecessor but yet, it only packs 2438 mAh of reserves. If your usage is on the moderate side, it will just about get you through a work day. The charging time isn’t great either. It takes about an hour and a half with a certified third party 20W USB-PD fast charger. If you use a standard charger, it takes well over two hours to charge fully.

And if you weren’t aware, Apple doesn’t include a charger in the bundle; not even a standard one. You just get a USB-C to Lightning port cable in the package. So factor in the additional cost of a charger, even if it’s a good third party option that’s significantly cheaper than Apple’s own. The iPhone 13 Mini also supports wireless charging.

Is iOS 15 drastically different from iOS 13 or 14?

Not at all. If you have used an Apple device with iOS 13 or 14 previously, there is hardly a learning curve here. You will get used to it straight away. iOS 15 does have a few new tricks up its sleeve, and some of them are really cool like the option to copy text from images; yes, you read that right. I would love to talk about the new features, but that would be a separate article in itself, and it would be best to leave it for that; hopefully soon.

Is it easy to switch from Android to iOS platform?

If you mean switching your contacts and data from Android to iOS, that can be easily achieved as you get most of the popular apps on iOS too. However, if you are too used to the Android UI, the iOS platform does take some time getting used to. It involves a bit of unlearning and relearning. Again, no rocket science but a bit of patience would be a good virtue to have. Anyway, if you end up spending a sizable amount on this phone, you will have no option but to adjust. As you dig deeper, it does get more interesting though.

What is the price of iPhone 13 Mini in India and what are the alternatives?

The Apple iPhone 13 Mini starts at Rs 69,900 in India for the 128 GB storage variant, and goes as high as Rs 99,900 for the 512 GB variant. The mid variant with 256 GB storage is priced at Rs 79,900. As for the alternatives, if you are looking for another Apple device in this budget but with a bigger screen, then the iPhone 12 can be purchased these days for Rs 64,900 for the 128 GB variant.

Apple iPhone 13 is exactly Rs 10,000 more expensive for similar storage variants. If you wish to consider options on the Android side, here’s our list of top phones under Rs 75,000 that you should look at closely before taking a call.

Should I buy the iPhone 13 Mini?

Before I answer this I would like to ask you two more questions. First, are you comfortable with a smaller screen, given that most of us have been used to much larger displays over the past three to five years? Secondly, are you willing to spend 70K? If the answer to both those questions is yes, then go ahead and buy the iPhone 13 Mini by all means.

It is by far the most powerful phone around in that compact form factor. Not only does it have the exact processor found in even the more expensive phones from the iPhone 13 series, but the camera performance is flagship grade too. The screen is sharp and vibrant and the sufficiently loud speakers add to the experience of watching videos on this device. On top of that, you have Apple’s assurance of future OS updates for another five years, making your investment fairly secure.

Having said that, the iPhone 13 Mini is not a product for all. Yes, there is something incredibly cool about using a flagship phone this compact, but many would find the screen a bit too small for comfort, especially in chat and productivity apps. The battery life is also average at best, and so is the charging time. So buy it only if you want a compact and powerful phone, and not because it’s the most inexpensive of the new iPhones.

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LogMeIn is well-known software that allows you to access your computer from remote locations using either mobile devices or another computer. The company’s Hamachi offering is slightly less well-known, because it is tailored toward business users, but if you have the need to network multiple computers together securely as a personal user, it might be worth a look. 

LogMeIn Hamachi allows you to create a VPN – virtual private network. While you might be familiar with VPNs as a way to tunnel into the internet from a remote location to guard your privacy, in this case, the VPN is used to create a network accessible by a particular group of users.

Upon launching the very bare-bones software, you simply navigate to Network/Create A New Network, enter a password, and click Create. Once the network is formed, clicking on Manage/Manage Networks will take you to a web-based portal where you can control the network. 

One of the key elements that can be set here is the type of network you’d like to create. A mesh network allows every computer to see the information on every other computer that’s part of the network. The hub-and-spoke option provides a central hub to which all users can connect. This is a slightly more restrictive network because each user does not have access to the other users. Finally, a gateway network can be established, which allows all users to log in through a single computer that acts as a portal to the entire physical network. 

In all cases, users receive the benefit of a LAN (local area network) that typically is connected via cables, wirelessly and offsite through the internet.

The web portal also allows you to add other users to the network either by sending invites allowing other users to download the software to their computers, or sending downloadable configuration files to mobile users. The mobile configurations are a bit complicated, so unless you have a knack for this sort of thing, you’ll do best with the computer-to-computer networks.

Hamachi works on up to five computers absolutely free, so getting this type of big office functionality at no cost is clearly a major benefit. Beyond that, the software also protects communications using industry standard AES 256-bit encryption, so every user on a network gets the automatic privacy protection that this conveys. 

Beyond the free version of the software, Hamachi also comes in a Standard package ($49/year) that allows up to 32 computers to access a network; a Premium package ($199/year) that grants access for up to 256 computers; and a Multi-Network plan ($299/year) that allows unlimited access.

You can download the free version of LogMeIn Hamachi here.

FP StaffDec 23, 2021 12:36:44 IST

US chipmaker Intel is currently facing mounting criticism in China after telling its suppliers not to source products or labour from the northwestern region of Xinjiang. The company sent a letter to its suppliers this month asking them not to use labor or procure goods and services sourced from the country’s far western region.

This sparked a backlash in China from state and social media, with calls for a boycott of the company’s products. Following this, in a Chinese-language statement on Thursday on its official WeChat account, Intel said that its commitment to avoid supply chains from Xinjiang was an expression of compliance with US law, rather than a statement of its position on the issue.

“We apologise for the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public. Intel is committed to becoming a trusted technology partner and accelerating joint development with China,” Intel said, reports Al Jazeera.

Intel’s apology comes after social media users this week seized on the issue to criticize the US firm. The lead singer of TFBoys — one of China’s most popular boy bands — Wang Junkai said it will terminate all partnerships with the US company immediately, according to a statement by his studio Wednesday as per Bloomberg. The studio said it had repeatedly asked Intel to “express a correct stance,” but the chipmaker had yet to respond.

The company, in a statement on its social media account, said the reference to Xinjiang in a letter sent to suppliers was aimed at complying with US regulations. The letter caused concerns among our cherished Chinese partners, which we deeply regret, said an Intel statement. It said the mention of Xinjiang referred to the need to comply with regulations, not a company position.

Intel said earlier it had been “required to ensure that its supply chain does not use any labour or source goods or services from the Xinjiang region” following restrictions imposed by “multiple governments”, reports Reuters.

This comes after the US Senate unanimously voted to make the United States the first country to ban virtually all imports from China’s Xinjiang region over forced labor concerns. This is one of three measures that has received overwhelming backing, amid Washington’s push back against Beijing’s treatment of the Uyghurs Muslim minority.

Under the ‘Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act’ or the Uyghur measure, all goods coming from Xinjiang, where the Chinese government has set up a vast network of detention camps for Uyghurs and other Muslim groups, would be presumed to have been made with forced labour.

However, China has repeatedly denied the claims.

China’s reaction 

The Global Times, a tabloid run by the ruling Communist Party, called Intel’s statement “absurd”, adding that the company – which earned 26 percent of its total revenues from China in 2020 – was “biting the hand that feeds it”.

In its editorial, the newspaper said that Intel has become a typical “cannon” that opens verbal fire upon China among the US business community.

“What we need to do is to make it increasingly expensive for companies to offend China so their losses outweigh their gains,” the newspaper said.

On China’s Twitter-like Weibo microblog service, singer Karry Wang said he would no longer serve as brand ambassador for Intel, adding in a statement that “national interests exceed everything”.

Many Weibo users also called on Chinese citizens to boycott Intel, with one posting under the name “Old Catalan” saying, “Must resist, do not buy!”

With inputs from agencies

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In many sectors of modern life, technology has made things easier (we’re looking at you robot lawn mower). But when it comes to travel, it can be a little more complicated these days to get where you’re going without having to open multiple emails, scan multiple bar codes, and use your phone’s navigation feature to figure out how to get where you need to be. The TripIt app attempts to make all of this easier for you by aggregating your travel information in one place. And the free version of the app certainly does that. But to make TripIt really sing, you will likely want to upgrade. 

When you sign up for a free TripIt account, you’ll be asked whether or not you want to populate the app automatically as your travel confirmations hit your inbox, which you can do if you have a GMail, Yahoo or Outlook mail account. Say yes, and the app will scan your email box every 24 hours and add any flight, hotel or car reservations it detects. If you don’t want the auto-fill feature to work, all you need to do is forward any confirmations you receive to [email protected] and they will automatically be added to your itinerary. If that still feels too nosey, you can also enter trip details manually. 

You can access your itineraries from the main screen, and when you click into an upcoming trip, all your data will be displayed in a list organized by the time of the events involved in your travel. TripIt makes it easy to share your plans with a click or a tap and offers some fun additional features like integration with your maps app and a summary of how much your trip will cost.

While those are all handy features, upgrading to TripIt Pro juices things up a bit.

One of the biggest challenges to modern travel is the fact that schedules are often changed due to delays. In the basic TripIt app, you won’t be automatically alerted to these changes, so you’ll still have to monitor things through the individual providers’ apps or websites, which kind of defeats the purpose of having TripIt in the first place. 

Upgrading to Pro, which costs $49 per year integrates automatic schedule changes. 

The Pro level will also let you know if the price of your flight has changed after you book or even if a better seat becomes available, and it will send automatic schedule changes to your “Inner Circle,” a group of people you choose to share your plans with. It also sends check-in reminders, shows the wait times at security gates, tells you where to get your bags, helps you navigate the airport itself, and even gives you a bit of country-specific travel information.

If you only travel occasionally, the free version of TripIt can certainly make things easier for you. Having an at-a-glance itinerary is certainly nice, and being easily able to share your plans is handy. If, however, you take more than a few trips a year, the Pro version seems worth the extra $50 per year – if for nothing else than having the peace-of-mind of knowing that you’ll get instant alerts to any changes in gates, flight times, or other glitches in your schedule. Both apps are available in desktop and mobile versions for Macs and PCs.

 Download TripIt Here

FP StaffDec 22, 2021 08:33:06 IST

The James Webb Space Telescope is a time-traveling wonder capable of peering back to within a hair’s breadth of the dawn of the universe. And it’s finally on the brink of flight.

But what do we know about the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope?  Let’s take a brief look:

What’s the big deal?

The James Webb Space Telescope will be the biggest and most powerful astronomical observatory ever to leave the planet, elaborate in its design and ambitious in its scope.

The Webb telescope is so big that it had to be folded origami-style to fit into the nose cone of the European Ariane rocket for lift-off from the coast of French Guiana in South America. Its light-collecting mirror is the size of several parking spots and its sunshade the size of a tennis court. Everything needs to be unfolded once the spacecraft is speeding toward its perch 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometres) away.

Named after the man who led NASA during the space-trailblazing 1960s, the seven-ton James Webb Space Telescope is 100 times more powerful than Hubble.

The 31-year-old Hubble — increasingly creaky but still churning out celestial glamour shots — focuses on visible and ultraviolet light, with just a smattering of infrared light.

As an infrared or heat-sensing telescope, Webb will see things Hubble can’t, providing “an entirely new perspective on the universe that will be just as awe-inspiring,” said Nikole Lewis, deputy director of Cornell University’s Carl Sagan Institute.

Webb will attempt to look back in time 13.7 billion years, a mere 100 million years after the universe-forming Big Bang as the original stars were taking shape. Scientists are eager to see how closely, if at all, these initial galaxies resemble our modern day Milky Way.

How much does it cost?

At a budget-busting $10 billion, it is the most expensive and also the trickiest, by far, to pull off.

What will it do?

Set to soar after years of delay on Friday, the James Webb Space Telescope will seek out the faint, twinkling light from the first stars and galaxies, providing a glimpse into cosmic creation. Its infrared eyes will also stare down black holes and hunt for alien worlds, scouring the atmospheres of planets for water and other possible hints of life.

How does it work?

To out hustle Hubble, Webb requires a considerably bigger mirror spanning 21 feet (6.5 meters). It also needs a canopy large enough to keep sunshine and even reflections from the Earth and moon off the mirror and science instruments. The shiny, five-layered thin shade stretches 70 feet by 46 feet (21 meters by 14 meters), essential for keeping all four instruments in a constant sub-zero state — around minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 240 degrees Celsius).

The most daunting part of the mission: Unfolding Webb’s mirror and sunshield following launch, and locking them into perfect position. The gold-plated mirror consists of 18 motor-driven segments, each of which must be meticulously aligned so they can focus as one.

NASA has never attempted such a complicated series of steps remotely. Many of the mechanisms have no backup, so the failure of any of 344 such parts could doom the mission.

Hubble had its own debacle following lift-off in 1990. A mirror defect wasn’t detected until the first blurry pictures trickled down from orbit. The blunder prompted a series of risky repairs by shuttle astronauts who restored Hubble’s sight and transformed the machine into the world’s most accomplished — and beloved — observatory.

Webb will be too far away for a rescue mission by NASA and its European and Canadian partners.

To avoid a repeat of the Hubble fiasco, Zurbuchen ordered an overhaul of Webb after joining NASA in 2016, 20 years into development. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor.

The sunshield ripped during a practice unfurling. Tension cables for the shade had too much slack. Dozens of fasteners fell off in a vibration test. All this and more led to more investigations, more delays and more costs.

The problems continued even after Webb’s arrival at the South American launch site in October. A clamp came loose and jolted the telescope. A communication relay between the telescope and rocket malfunctioned.

What happens next?

Now comes the long-awaited lift-off, set for 7:20 a.m. EST Friday, with fewer spectators expected to travel to French Guiana because of the Christmas Eve timing.

It will take Webb a full month to reach its intended parking spot, four times beyond the moon. From this gravity-balanced, fuel-efficient location, the telescope will keep pace with Earth while orbiting the sun, continuously positioned on Earth’s nightside.

It will take another five months for chilling and checking of Webb’s infrared instruments before it can get to work by the end of June.

The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore operates Hubble and will also oversee Webb. At least five to 10 years of observing are planned.

What do the experts say?

“That’s why it’s worth taking risks. That’s why it’s worth the agony and the sleepless nights,” NASA’s science mission chief Thomas Zurbuchen said in an interview with The Associated Press.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said he’s more nervous now than when he launched on space shuttle Columbia in 1986.

“There are over 300 things, any one of which goes wrong, it is not a good day,” Nelson told the AP. “So the whole thing has got to work perfectly.”

“We’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s planet hunter Sara Seager. “Webb will move our search for life forward, but to find signs of life we have to be incredibly lucky.”

“Personally, I think that even with all of the hype, the Webb will still exceed expectations,” said the institute’s Ori Fox, who will use Webb to study supernovae, or exploded stars. “Many of what are considered Hubble’s most inspiring discoveries were not part of the original plan.”

His colleague, Christine Chen, who will focus on budding solar systems, finds serendipity “perhaps the most exciting aspect” of Webb. “The universe is more weird and wonderful than astronomers can imagine.”

With inputs from AP

FP TrendingDec 15, 2021 18:16:14 IST

Infinix’s new INBook X1 notebook models go on sale on Flipkart starting today, 15 December. The smartphone company has launched the INBook X1 series in three variants. As per the official release, the 10th generation notebooks will come in the i3, i5 and i7 variants, with a storage of 256 GB, 512 GB and 512 GB, respectively.

The Core i3 processor model is priced at Rs 35,999, while the laptop with the Core i5 processor is priced at Rs 45,999 and the Core i7 will cost Rs 55,999. The laptops will be available in the Noble Red, Starfull Grey and Aurora Green colours.

Infinix offers a choice of three processors with the InBook X1. Image: Infinix

Equipped with the Intel Ice Lake Core i7 chipset, the Infinix INBook i7 processor model has a reading speed of 2,400 MBs and a writing speed of 1,900 MBs. This variant comes with an ultra-fast fingerprint sensor to ensure enhanced security and privacy. It is also equipped with 16 GB DDR4X RAM. The i7 variant loaded with a camera privacy switch that allows users to shut down the webcam manually.

The i3 and i5 models of the Infinix INBook X1 include dual-channel memory with 8 GB DDR4X RAM.

The 14-inch 10th Generation Intel Core laptops have an all-metal body made of aircraft quality Al-alloy. The INBook X1 weighs only 1.48 kg and is 16.3 mm slim, which makes it the thinnest and lightest in this price segment, according to Infinix.

The INBook X1 series notebooks also come with 2W stereo speakers with DTS audio processing. The devices have an aspect ratio of 16:9 as well as 300 nits brightness.

The INBook X1 series is powered by a 55 Wh high-capacity battery with a 65 W fast Type-C charger. The laptops claim to provide almost 13 hours of video playback.

tech2 News StaffDec 18, 2021 13:29:47 IST

Once again, our list of phones under Rs 75,000 is full of aspirational devices. While a majority of the phones from our 75K list from last quarter managed to hold on to their positions this month too, there have been some price drops and new entrants this time. Time to look at the best smartphones you can buy in this budget at the moment.

Best phones to buy under Rs 75,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12

Since the launch of the iPhone 13, the price of the Apple iPhone 12 has seen a drop. While the mid variant with 128 GB storage breached the 70K mark last quarter, it is closer to 65K this time around on Flipkart. The phone is just the right size for single handed operations. You get a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display that is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. A ceramic glass with oleophobic coating protects it against scratches and smudges.

It is powered by Apple’s previous flagship A14 Bionic chip that is still powerful enough for every task, and should be good enough for a few years to come. Camera department consists of two 12MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering OIS (optical image stabilisation), while the secondary capturing ultra-wide shots. The performance in photography and videography is top notch in different lighting conditions, as you have come to expect from iPhones. The Apple iPhone 12 launched with iOS 14, and is upgradeable to iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 price in India: Rs 65,199 for 128 GB storage on Flipkart

Apple iPhone 12

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

The iPhone 12 is not the only Apple phone in this list. You can purchase the smallest of the latest Apple iPhones comfortably in this budget. Just like its predecessor, the Apple iPhone 13 Mini is refreshingly compact, and one of the smallest smartphones around. And it’s not just about the small size, but the availability of a proper flagship device in this form factor without skipping any key feature is what makes it special. It is great to have that choice for those who care when smartphones are getting larger by the year.

The Apple iPhone 13 Mini is pretty much the iPhone 13 in terms of design, processing power and most of the features, just smaller. It has a sharper 5.4-inch Full HD+ Super Retina XDR OLED screen, again compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. At its core is the latest A15 Bionic chip that powers the entire iPhone 13 series. The two 12MP cameras at the back are similar to those found on the iPhone 12 with just a different alignment. The output quality is at least as good, or maybe marginally better due to the updated software. Speaking of which, it runs the latest iOS 15 out of the box, and one can expect newer OS updates for another half a decade.

Apple iPhone 13 Mini price in India: Rs 69,900 for 128 GB storage

iPhone 12 Mini. Image: Apple

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

The Mi 11X Ultra is the absolute flagship device from Xiaomi. The company seems to have packed everything it could in this smartphone, and some more. For starters, it is powered by Qualcomm’s top of the line Snapdragon 888 SoC. You get 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage to go with it. The display on this phone is another standout feature. You get a sharp 6.81-inch AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision compliance and a higher resolution of 3200 x 1440 pixels. It can display over a billion colour shades and is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The camera department is loaded to the brim with some really high end cameras. You get a 50MP primary camera with dual pixel auto-focus as well as laser auto-focus along with OIS. Giving it company are a 48MP ultra-wide shooter with PDAF and another 48MP periscope telephoto camera with OIS for 5X optical zoom. Collectively, the cameras capture some impressive shots in different modes and lighting. The 20MP front camera does a good job with selfies and video calls. But wait, you can take ultra-wide selfies using the rear cameras too as there is a tiny display at the back.

The Mi 11 Ultra has an elegant design with an aluminium frame and a ceramic back, and an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. It’s 5000 mAh battery can keep the phone powered for close to a day and a half of moderate use, while the bundled 67W fast charger can juice it up in little over half an hour. The phone supports 67W fast wireless charging too, which takes only a few extra minutes to charge the battery fully, so the company claims. The Mi 11X Ultra runs Android 11 with MIUI 12.5 on top.

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra price in India: Rs 69,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus flagship holds on to its spot in this list, and even better, it is currently selling for Rs 5,000 lower than usual on Amazon India. It has a 6.7-inch LTPO Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and this too has a higher resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen can display a billion colours and get up to 1300 nits bright. A metal frame and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back make the phone look elegant.

The rear camera department is highly versatile here too with a combination of 48MP primary camera with OIS, a 50MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, 8MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3.3X optical zoom and a 2MP mono camera. The Hasselblad colour tuning improves the output in terms of colour accuracy in comparison to its predecessors. The cameras manage to capture some impressive images in different lighting and modes. The 16MP front camera is good enough for handling selfies and video calls.

The OnePlus 9 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you can get the top variant of this phone with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB of UFS 3.1 storage comfortably in this budget. Its 4500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65W Warp charger takes it from 0 to 100% in double quick time. The phone also supports fast wireless charging. It has IP68 rated ingress protection and runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11.

OnePlus 9 Pro price in India: Rs 64,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

OnePlus 9 Pro

Vivo X60 Pro Plus

Vivo’s previous flagship X60 Pro Plus is yet another fully loaded option in this budget, and quite stylish too. It has a vibrant 6.56-inch Full HD+ HDR10+ compliant Super AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate. This phone too is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC and accompanied by 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage. Its 4200 mAh battery lasts for a little over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 55W fast charger juices it up quickly. The phone runs Android 11 with FunTouch 12 UI.

The rear camera department on the Vivo X60 Pro Plus has Zeiss optics and the primary camera has a 50MP sensor with OIS. Giving it company are a 48MP ultra-wide camera with Gimbal stabilisation and 32MP and 8MP telephoto cameras that provide 2X and 5X optical zoom respectively. The cameras do a commendable job in different situations, and record equally impressive videos. The 32MP front camera will have the selfie enthusiasts hooked.

Vivo X60 Pro Plus price in India: Rs 69,990 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Vivo X60 Pro Plus.

News18 NetworkDec 16, 2021 09:01:23 IST

Vivo has launched a new set of wireless neckband earphones, named the Vivo Wireless Sport Lite. The earphones come with up to 18 hours of battery backup, an 11.2 mm driver and more in order to provide the claimed “seamless sound experience.” The Vivo Sports Lite neckband earphones have been launched at a price of Rs 1,999 and will be available widely on Vivo India’s e-store and across all partner retail stores. The earphones have been launched in two colour variants – Black and Blue.

A Vivo spokesperson said that the Vivo Wireless Sport Lite earphones are a step towards the development of IoT technology. “With this new launch, we aim to strike a chord amongst the everyday music lovers by offering an amalgamation of unique and immersive audio experience along with unmatched sound clarity,” he said.

The earphones have been launched in two colour variants – Black and Blue. Image: Vivo

The Vivo Wireless Sports Lite neckband features a customized 11.2 mm ultra-large driver unit as well as a bio-fibre composite diaphragm to enhance audio intricacies. The neckband is equipped with what is called Daikoku aluminium-coated bronze coil, that helps in providing a light structure that reproduces high frequencies. The neckband also comes with a low latency rate of up to 80 ms. The device also has a Call Noise Cancellation feature which ensures you hear everyone on the other end clearly and experience uninterrupted communication. Packed with a 129 mAh battery, the neckband provides five hours of playtime in just 10 minutes.

It uses Bluetooth v5.0 for connection and comes with IPX4 water resistance. The neckband earphones come with features such as Easy connection, Magnetic switch, Google Voice assistance, Quick Pair, Game low lagging and more.

Ameya DalviDec 16, 2021 09:39:19 IST

Just like our list of smartphones under Rs 50,000 last week, there are a couple of surprise entries in our sub-60K smartphones list too. The prices of these phones have never dropped to under Rs 60,000 in India in the past. So, if you have been aspiring to own them, now is a great time to take the plunge. Which phones am I talking about? Let’s check them out right away.

Best phones to buy under Rs 60,000 in India

Apple iPhone 12

Yes, you read that right! The iPhone 12 with 64 GB storage is currently selling on Flipkart for under Rs 60,000. Though not the smallest in the series, it is actually just the perfect size for single-handed operation. It has a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen that is compliant with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and is protected from scratches and smudges by a ceramic glass and oleophobic coating.

Apple iPhone 12. Image: Apple

At its core is Apple’s previous flagship A14 Bionic chip that is still quite a powerful processor for any task you expect the phone to perform. You get the two trusted 12 MP cameras at the back with the primary lens offering OIS, and the secondary capable of capturing ultra-wide shots. Needless to say, the performance is top-notch in different lighting conditions, and the phone can shoot some excellent videos, too. It launched with iOS 14, and is easily upgradable to iOS 15.

Apple iPhone 12 price in India: Rs 59,999 (64 GB storage) on Flipkart

Samsung Galaxy S21 5G

Speaking of compact phones, there’s one more on this list and from an equally premium brand. The Samsung Galaxy S21 5G has a 6.2-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 1300 nits, HDR10+ compliance and a 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2100 chip which can be found in most high-end phones from the company. You get 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage here. The phone runs Android 11 with Samsung’s One UI 3.x.

Samsung Galaxy S21. Image: Samsung

The photography department consists of three cameras at the back starting with a 12 MP primary camera with OIS, 12 MP ultra-wide camera and a 64 MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides up to 3X Hybrid zoom. The camera performance is stellar with excellent detail, close to natural colours and wide dynamic range. Its low light performance is impressive too. This phone can also record high quality videos up to 8K resolution. Its 4,000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for over a day of moderate use and supports wireless charging too. Just like the iPhone 12, the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G also has IP68 ingress protection.

Samsung Galaxy S21 price in India: Rs 54,490 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

OnePlus 9 Pro

The OnePlus 9 Pro is currently selling for a rupee under 60K on Amazon India and you can save another Rs 5,000 if you have the right credit card. That is a cracker of a deal. The phone has a 6.7-inch LTPO Fluid AMOLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and a higher resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen can display a billion colours and get up to 1300 nits bright. A metal frame and a glass body protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 at the front and back lends the phone elegance and sturdiness.

OnePlus 9 Pro

It has a highly versatile photography department with a combination of 48 MP primary camera with OIS, a 50 MP ultrawide camera with auto-focus, 8 MP telephoto camera with OIS for 3.3X optical zoom and a 2 MP mono camera. Hasselblad’s colour tuning makes the colours look a lot more natural as compared to its predecessors. The cameras manage to capture impressive shots in different lighting and modes. The 16 MP front camera located in a tiny punch-hole at the top of the screen takes care of selfies and video calls.

The 5G-ready OnePlus 9 Pro is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC, and you get the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage variant in this budget. Its 4,500 mAh battery lasts over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 65 W Warp charger juices it up in just about half an hour. The phone also supports fast wireless charging and has IP68 ingress protection rating. It runs OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11.

OnePlus 9 Pro price in India: Rs 59,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Vivo X70 Pro

The Vivo X70 Pro has seen a price drop this week, making it a more than decent option in this budget. It is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 1200 chip, which though not bad at all, is a slight step down from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 SoC present in its predecessor, the Vivo X60 Pro. It is accompanied by either 8 GB or 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage. It has a vibrant 6.56-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen that is HDR10+ compliant, and flaunts 120 Hz refresh rate and 1300 nits peak brightness. It runs Android 11 with FunTouch OS 12.

Vivo X70 Pro. Image: Vivo

The rear camera department is absolutely stacked and boasts of Zeiss options and Gimbal stabilisation. It has 50 MP primary camera with OIS, 12 MP ultra-wide camera with auto-focus, a 12 MP telephoto camera for 2X optical zoom and an 8 MP periscope telephoto camera with OIS for 5X optical zoom. There is ample ammunition to capture some great shots in various modes. The 32 MP front camera is bound to keep the selfie enthusiasts interested. The Vivo X70 Pro has a 4,400 mAh battery that lasts over a day of moderate use and supports 44 W fast charging.

Vivo X70 Pro price in India: Rs 49,990 for 8 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage; Rs 52,990 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage

Asus ROG Phone 5

The stocks of the top variant of the Asus ROG Phone 5 with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage continue to play hide and seek. But if you can find one, it is a great option for gamers in this segment. Alternatively, you may consider its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant and save a good Rs 8,000. The phone has the fastest processing hardware around, along with several optimisations and enhancements to give the gamers a superlative mobile gaming experience. This phone runs Android 11 with ROG UI.

Asus ROG Phone 5. Image: Anirudh Regidi

The Asus ROG Phone 5 is powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 888 SoC, and flaunts a 6.78-inch Full HD+, HDR10+ compliant, 10-bit AMOLED display with a 144 Hz refresh rate. The rear camera department consists of a 64 MP primary camera, 13 MP ultra-wide shooter and a 5 MP macro camera. It has a large 6,000 mAh battery for long, uninterrupted gaming sessions, and the bundled 65 W fast charger can charge it in under an hour.

Asus ROG Phone 5 price in India: Rs 57,999 for 12 GB RAM/ 256 GB storage; Rs 49,999 for 8 GB RAM/ 128 GB storage

Amaan AhmedDec 17, 2021 12:41:46 IST

Looking up ‘Gaming mat’ on Google when I was told I’d be receiving one to review only threw up images of funky mouse pads for gaming laptops/computers, and given I’m a PlayStation diehard, I was pretty certain I wasn’t getting one of these. And what I received was something I’m sure even you’ve never seen before – a fitness mat that incorporates gaming. It’s named the Yipli fitness gaming mat, and it does exactly what it says on the label.

With new variants of the COVID-19 virus coming at the world thick and fast, millions are still largely confined to their homes, and since we’re all working from home, fitness has witnessed a sharp fall on the list of priorities. It’s because of this that the Yipli gaming mat is more relevant now than ever. It’s essentially a yoga mat containing motion sensors that can track over 40 body movements when you play the games designed specifically by Yipli for users of the mat.

The Yipli gaming mat incorporates motion sensors that can detect over 40 different body movements. Image: Tech2/Amaan Ahmed

Measuring 182.9 cm in length and 61 cm in width, the mat – which feels fairly high-quality – occupies a reasonable amount of space in a mid-size living room. It weighs 1.5 kg, which isn’t too heavy, but may be a little taxing for the aged to lug around.

It features a black box sporting translucent Yipli branding that lights up when you switch it on using a small circular button on the left of the box. The button on the review unit itself seemed to be somewhat temperamental, refusing to register inputs occasionally, which meant multiple presses were required to switch the mat on/off. The light in the box changes colour as per the state of charge of the mat – green between 30 to 100 percent, orange between 30 and 10 percent, and red when it’s under 10 percent. However, there’s no way to see the exact state of charge of the mat at any given point.

Up to two players can use the gaming mat at the same time; arrows in the middle denote specified areas for both players. Image: Tech2/Amaan Ahmed

Charging the mat fully – which has a 1,500 mAh battery – took less than two hours, and every charge results in a run time of anywhere between six to eight hours, which is also what Yipli claims.

To start playing, one needs to download the Yipli app on their smartphone, create an account, sync the mat to the app and then choose from over 16 games developed specifically for the mat to download and install on your phone. The setup process is quite smooth and hassle-free, and you should be able to have the mat linked up with the app and the games ready to play in no time at all. As per a user’s liking, they can use either the phone as the display for the games (Yipli bundles a phone stand with the mat), or hook it up to a laptop/PC screen via a charging cable. You can also choose to cast your phone screen onto your smart TV.

Colour of illumination in the box changes depending on the mat’s state of charge. Image: Tech2/Amaan Ahmed

I found it easiest to get going using the phone as the display for the games, as starting up and getting right into it is the most seamless this way. And immediately, I could see the appeal – the games themselves may be fairly basic, but they focus on putting the user through specific workouts.

Each game has a different theme, and while I didn’t try them all out, I did experience Joyful Jumps, Mat Beats and Skater. The first of these makes you run and jump, the second needs you to match the beats of a song by stepping on different parts of the mat, and the last one makes you skip and dodge obstacles by stepping and jumping on the mat.

In practice, the mat works really well – it registers all inputs fairly accurately, and once you get the hang of the game, you’ll be hooked in no time. So much so, that you may end up getting a little carried away and pushing yourself a little too hard – and that was a concern I had with Joyful Jumps, which essentially lets you run and jump endlessly. Because there are no stipulated long pauses between rounds, you could end up tiring yourself out pretty quickly.

You can choose to cast the game from your phone onto your smart TV, but it is a little laggy. Image: Tech2/Amaan Ahmed

I managed to gas my unfit present-day self out after 10 minutes of playing the game. This is great to rein in kids on a sugar high, but adults may end up being too hard on themselves because these games won’t tell you to back off for a bit. You can also play with a second person on the mat, with a set of arrows denoting specified areas for multiplayer use. By adding profiles of any relatives/friends who also use the mat on the Yipli app, users can keep track of their fitness scores on the virtual leaderboard.

Casting the game on my smart TV made it a more enjoyable viewing experience, but the games themselves tend to lag just that little bit when you do that, and that means you end up making plenty of mistakes. And while the mat itself feels reasonably durable, the light tread on the underside of the mat is likely to wear out over extended durations of running and jumping on the mat, post which grip could be an issue on floors that are inherently slippery.

Light tread on the underside of the mat likely to wear out with prolonged use. Image: Tech2/Amaan Ahmed

However, all said and done, the Yipli fitness mat is a novel offering that serves a purpose more important than ever. If you cannot go to the gym and don’t feel like stepping out of your home, the Yipli gaming mat ensures you don’t have an excuse to not work out. If you buy it from Yipli’s own e-store at present, you can get the mat for even cheaper, as it is priced at Rs 4,999, a full Rs 2,000 less than it costs on Amazon.