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Author: Poonam

PlayStation 3 (PS3) Consoles Reviews All Information Here

After the declaration of Sony’s new 80GB PlayStation 3 404, the company comes up with the new set of features and specs.

The new 80GB version’s features share similarities with the 60GB version. However, surprises are also there. For instance, the latest version comes with a larger hard drive.

The PlayStation 3 has come with a lot of exciting functions. Thus, users can perform various things other than playing games. The device can easily be a center of attraction of your home entertainment.

Moreover, it has tremendous potential to improve its features in the coming years. The device undoubtedly has been giving a tough competition and it will be continuously doing so with its outstanding specs.

Specs

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) Consoles have appeared with the following key specifications:

Dimensions: PS3 Consoles have come with around 325mm * 98mm * 274mm.

CPU: The system features the Cell Broadband Engine Processor.

GPU: When it comes to the graphics processing unit, the system features RSX (Reality Synthesizer).

Hard Drive Disk: It houses Serial ATA of 2.5” or 80 GB HDD.

Main Memory: The system is equipped with 256MB XDR Main RAM.

Wireless Communication: The standard for wireless communication is IEEE 802.11 b/g.

Embedded VRAM: PlayStation 3 (PS3) Consoles feature GDDR3 VRAM of 256MB.

Disc Drive: The device has come with Blu-ray/DVD/CD in the read-only mode.

Design

Do you wonder about the design of the PlayStation 3?

There are mixed reviews about the design. Some perceive it to be futuristic and smooth. Others think it to be an oversized, bulging device. However, you can decide after having the system in your hands.

The Power Supply Unit of PS3 comes with a casing. However, there is a drawback of its shiny black finish that it can easily collect unwanted fingerprints.

The front side of the device features a slot-loading Blu-ray drive. The PlayStation logo is present just under the slot.

Just like the PlayStation 2, PS3 users can also rotate the logo that ensures the proper direction. Thus, users can easily go for vertical or horizontal operation.

The front side of PS3 houses touch-sensitive eject as well as power buttons. You would find an attached door to the left side of the Blu-ray drive.

The door protects a memory card reader. It is compatible with multiple card formats like SD, MemoryStick, miniSD, and CompactFlash.

Furthermore, there are four USB 2.0 ports present under that card reader. You are free to use them for charging the device or as the accessories.

Hardware & Features

The PlayStation 3 is featured with more powerful computer hardware than its counterparts. You can play some advanced games on this device. The Blu-ray drive of this system is mind-blowing that comes with amazing features. You can easily configure the multi-speaker audio.

It’s worth noting that the PlayStation 3 can produce full 1080p high definition images. As a result, you can enjoy mind-blowing, clear vision on the TV screen.

The cross-media bar of the system comes with a classic design in terms of the OS. Moreover, you will enjoy various top-notch games on this platform. The PlayStation 3 can also run old PlayStation 1 games. Nonetheless, PS3 can’t play PS2 games.

The device comes with online capabilities, which enable you to play online games. Moreover, downloading of smaller games is also possible. The best part is that the maximum online functions of the device are free.

A PlayStation 3 of 20 GB hard drive is priced at $499. On the other hand, the device with 60 GB hard drive costs $599.

Storage

The PlayStation 3 Consoles have come with an internal hard disk of 2.5 inches. In Europe, two drive capacities won’t be there. However, the US and Japan have this provision. The territories buyers can opt for an affordable PS3 along with a 20GB drive whereas some specific features won’t be there.

The PS3 hard disk has come as user upgradable. 60GB is usually enough storage space for many users. However, if you need more than that, replacement of it with a 2.5in SATA hard disk is an option for you.

Just replace the old hard disk with a new one and slide the unit back to the place. Now, close its flap and start the system. The PlayStation 3 would recognize a new device inside it. It will ask you to format it. Once you complete formatting, the newly inserted hard disk is ready for use in your PS3.

Firmware and Operating System are there in non-volatile storage. So, they have no connection with your new hard disk. These systems won’t be lost even after changing the drive.

If the new hard disk has enough space, you can also go for loading another Operating System. However, multiple OS is already there on the PlayStation 3. But, if you want to have another one, just go for it.

Network

Unfortunately, online services are not strong in PS3. Once you connect the device with the Internet, you are free to register your Master Account. You can also configure Sub Accounts. Thus, you could allow your friends and family members to use your device.

After creating the account, it’s possible to navigate the PlayStation Store. Location is not an issue in times of registration.

The PS3 did not provide the provision for background downloading before. As a result, users could not perform anything else once they start downloading a large game demo. The console used to be freeze as long as the download got finished.

But, fortunately, after the release of firmware update by Sony, the problem was solved.

However, other than the PlayStation Store, the network also enables users to configure a number of friends. It’s also possible to communicate with friends and invite them for playing.

PlayStation Home is another brilliant feature of the PlayStation Network. It is a three-dimensional social gaming platform. This 100% graphical online environment will blow your mind. It will enable you to make your home and visit your friends etc.

Gaming

If you have already used one of the predecessors of PS3, then you will find PS3 to be a very slim device. It works as an outstanding catch-up device as well as a Blu-ray player. However, the worth-noting part of it is gaming.

If you have already used one of the predecessors of PS3, then you will find PS3 a very slim device. It works as an outstanding catch-up device as well as a Blu-ray player. However, the worth noting a part of it is gaming.

Its solid-state storage outshines the conventional mechanical hard disk in terms of the R/W speeds. And so, the 12GB PS3 can run even a 5GB game smoothly and quickly.

Other Features

PS3 comes with an incredible region-free model for all its games. It lets users purchase their favorite games from any place and start playing it in any system. It is good news for all PS3 users.

Verdict

Who should buy the PlayStation 3? If you are not an owner of an older version, then you can go for it. The device is worth your investment.

If you already have a PS3 Slim and you want to buy this new version, you will still get a little gain. However, you’d need to arrange some space under your TV.

September 22, 2019
iPhone 11 Pro Max hands-on Apple bets big on the camera

iPhone 11 Pro Max has come to surprise smartphone buffs with its remarkable features. The incredible battery life and excellent processors have paired with an awe-inspiring camera that already outshined all the competitors.

The magnificent display will improve your smartphone experience. Moreover, you can expect it to get better with a future software update. Not only that but it has also come with a lot of other improvements.

Specs

The camera and battery life of iPhone 11 Pro Max needs a special mention.

Camera: It’s no wonder that iPhone 11 Pro Max creates a sensation for its top-notch camera system.

The device comes up with 12-megapixel (wide-angle lens), 12-megapixel (telephoto lens), and 12-megapixel (ultra-wide-angle lens).

So, get ready to have some extraordinary captures from this extraordinary smartphone!

Battery: Just charge it once and it will keep on running for around 12 to 14 hours.

Moreover, the screen-on time has come for 10+ hours for every 24 hours (as specified in the battery settings).

However, the type of battery is not yet disclosed. As per the claims, iPhone 11 Pro Max is going to run five hours longer than its cousin “iPhone XS Max.”

Processor and Storage: This feature-loaded device comes with Apple A13 Bionic Processor.

You will get the internal storage provision for 64GB. That means a lot of places are dedicated to or your favorite files. There is no expandable storage in this device.

Dimensions: The device features 6.22×3.06×0.32 Inches.

Mobile Software: This iPhone device is equipped with iOS 13 software.

RAM: We do not know anything about its RAM till now.

Special Features: iPhone 11 Pro Max comes with an amazing Water Resistant (IP68) feature. Furthermore, wireless charging and dual-SIM capabilities are also amazing.

Display Size and Resolution: iPhone 11 Pro Max features OLED Super Retina XDR display with 6.5-inch of size. The resolution is 2,688×1,242 pixels with 458ppi of pixel density.

Weight: The device weighs 226g.

Design

You already know that the iPhone 11 Pro Max comes with three camera lenses. Moreover, they are also large enough. The backside is all about beautiful matte glass finish that is more refreshing than many of its competitors.

As per the claim, the backside and front side of the device are made of the toughest glass. However, the durability of this device is also outstanding. It has been possible due to the ameliorated IP68 water resistance. This phone can bear 30-minute immersion in water (4 meters).

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is completely suitable with its pro-user status. It comes up with the midnight-green color, which has a shimmering effect along with its stainless-steel band.

Hardware & Features

Guess what? The iPhone 11 trio has been officially launched. However, one sensational talked-about feature is missing in the actual device. And it is the provision for reverse wireless charging.

This extraordinary feature could let users to all compatible devices wirelessly by positioning on the phone.

As per the latest report, the iPhone 11 trio features all required hardware for this extraordinary feature. However, the decision of the company about keeping it in a disabled condition could be heartbreaking for many fans.

Display and Audio: Something Extraordinary

The iPhone 11 Pro Max comes with a brilliant feature of 6.5-inch Super Retina XDR display. Moreover, the enhanced panel of the device offers increased dynamic range and it’s just mind-blowing.

Its size and pixel counts are the same as the iPhone XS Max but you could see some advancement in iPhone 11 Pro Max. Moreover, the device features 800 nits of incredible brightness that is more than the previous versions’ 625 nits.

It’s wonderful that the display can reach the maximum level of 1200 nits. That means you will be mesmerized while watching Dolby Vision or HDR10 videos as well as HDR images.

Camera: Ready to be surprised

We all know that Apple could not surprise the users with its camera more than a few past years. However, the company is ready to amaze all with its awe-inspiring camera features.

The latest smartphone comes with three stellar rear cameras of 12-MP capacity. These cameras include a wide-angle, an ultra-wide camera (featured field of view of 120-degree) and a 2x telephoto accompanied with a wider aperture. The telephoto lens can allow more light than its predecessors can.

The camera interface of this device comes with a live preview in the exterior of the frame. Thus, you could easily measure what would fit into the shot and what won’t if it’s an ultra-wide mode.

If you like to capture some dramatic shots, this feature will help you a lot. The iPhone 11 Pro Max’s camera can capture more natural, warmer photos. Moreover, the slow-motion selfies (120 fps) will make you happy.

The front camera of the device appears with many upgrades. Now, you can capture more subjects in one frame with its wider view. The sharper sensor makes your photos more beautiful.

Video: A Lifelong Experience

The company has put a lot of efforts to improve the video recording feature. And it can be evident from its iPhone 11 Pro Max video.

Extended dynamic range is there to highlight details in a much better way. Furthermore, the cinematic stabilization will help you to get smoother video footage.

However, you won’t get more than 64GB of storage but with some more investment, you can capture loads of videos.

Some Other Amazing Improvements

The iPhone 11 Pro Max features iOS 13 software. Of course, you won’t see any exceptional changes to the mobile OS. But, be ready to discover some handy changes.

The dark mode has streamlined reading for a long time without making your eyes tired. Moreover, the Reminders app has also been improved. Now, it can more easily create and arrange the to-do lists.

Do you want an iPhone with incredible battery life? Just go for the iPhone 11 Pro Max. It can run for almost 12 hours.

The device features 64GB of storage. However, by spending $1,249, you can purchase the 256GB version. Furthermore, the 512GB model has a price tag of $1,449.

You will also get a fast charger with this phone. Thus, 50 percent charging is a matter of just 30 minutes.

Are you excited to purchase this outstanding phone? You are in luck. Pre-ordering is going on. And the sale will start on 20^th September. The price starts at $1,099.

There is another surprise for you. The company comes with an exciting trade-in offer. You can handover your current smartphone to them and you’ll receive an amazing discount on the new iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Verdict

You can argue that the iPhone 11 Pro Max is expensive and why you should go for it if you are getting many of the similar features in the iPhone 11.

Let me clarify.

If you are looking for the best camera and top-notch display in a smartphone, you should consider this device.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max is worth your investment and you will feel the same after using it.

In a nutshell, it is almost a perfect smartphone in all respects. The cameras are way advanced and it has already blown the minds of the viewers.

The vibrant OLED display the fastest processor and remarkable battery life have made this device a must-have one.

September 22, 2019
iPad Mini 4 Reviews Specifications and All Updates

Wіll wе sооn sее а rеturn tо thе mаrkеt fоr smаllеr аnd thіnnеr tаblеts? Іf thе iPad Mini 4 hаs аnуthіng tо sау аbоut іt, suсh а соnсерt соuld vеrу wеll bесоmе а rеаlіtу. А slееk dеsіgn аlоngsіdе а rоbust lіbrаrу оf аррlісаtіоns аnd аn ехсеllеnt LСD dіsрlау аrе sоmе оf thе соrе fеаturеs whісh hаvе аllоwеd thіs mоdеl tо bе а fаvоurіtе оf mаnу tесhnоlоgу еnthusіаsts. Whіlе сеrtаіn аsресts suсh аs а lеss-thаn-реrfесt рrосеssоr соuld bе slіghtlу оff-рuttіng, thе fасt оf thе mаttеr іs thаt thе Міnі 4 bоаsts sоmе vеrу іntеrеstіng quаlіtіеs.

Іf уоu dіdn’t саtсh thе іntrоduсtіоn оf thе iPad Mini 4 аt Аррlе’s рrоduсt еvеnt еаrlіеr thіs mоnth, dоn’t fееl bаd. Тhе соmраnу аnnоunсеd thе nеw tаblеt sо quісklу аnd wіth sо lіttlе dеtаіl (аnd hаd sо fеw оf thеm аvаіlаblе fоr рrеss tо рlау wіth аftеrwаrd) thаt уоu соuld hаvе snееzеd аnd mіssеd іt.

Νоt thаt іt іsn’t undеrstаndаblе; thе iPad Mini 4 іs јust оnе mеmbеr оf Аррlе’s thіrd-hіghеst-grоssіng рrоduсt fаmіlу, аnd thеrе wаs а bіggеr іРаd іntrоduсtіоn tо рау аttеntіоn tо. Еvеn sо, thе nеwеst vеrsіоn оf thе Міnі mаkеs еnоugh іmрrоvеmеnts оvеr thе undеrwhеlmіng іРаd Міnі 3 thаt іt’s асtuаllу wоrth а сlоsеr lооk.

Ѕресs аt а glаnсе: Аррlе іРаd Міnі 4

Ѕсrееn: 2048×1536 7.9-іnсh (324 РРІ) tоuсhsсrееn
ОЅ: іОЅ 9.0
СРU: 1.5GНz Аррlе А8
RАМ: 2GВ DDR3
GРU: Аррlе А8 GРU” (lіkеlу аn Іmаgіnаtіоn Тесhnоlоgіеs 6-sеrіеs vаrіаnt)
Ѕtоrаgе: 16, 64, оr 128GВ ΝАΝD flаsh
Νеtwоrkіng: 866Мbрs 802.11а/b/g/ас, Вluеtооth 4.2
Саmеrа: 8МР rеаr саmеrа, 1.2МР frоnt саmеrа
Роrts: Lіghtnіng соnnесtоr, hеаdрhоnе јасk
Ѕіzе: 8.0″ × 5.3″ × 0.24″ (203.2 × 134.8 × 6.1 mm)
Wеіght: 0.65 роund (298.8 g) Wі-Fі, 0.67 роunds (304 g) wіth сеllulаr
Ваttеrу: 5124 mАh
Ѕtаrtіng рrісе: $399
Оthеr реrks: Сhаrgеr, Lіghtnіng саblе

Dеsіgn

Мuсk lіkе thе оthеr рrоduсts оffеrеd bу Аррlе, thе Міnі 4 іs quіtе sіmіlаr іn арреаrаnсе аnd fееl tо thе Міnі 3 аnd оthеr рrеdесеssоrs. Сurvеd соrnеrs, а slееk dеsіgn аnd а сеrаmіс bасkіng аrе аll stіll рrеsеnt. Ноwеvеr, а wеіght оf 299 grаms іs muсh lеss thаn thе 331 grаms аssосіаtеd wіth thе Міnі 3. Тrаnsроrtаtіоn аnd hаndlіng wіll thеrеfоrе bе nоtісеаblу еаsіеr. Тhе оnlу оthеr dіffеrеnсе іs thаt thе sіlеnсеr swіtсh іs nо lоngеr рhуsісаllу рrеsеnt. Іnstеаd, іt саn bе fоund wіthіn thе соntrоl сеntrе оf thе mаіn раgе. Тhе Міnі 4 іs аlsо quіtе durаblе аnd rоbust thаnks tо іts аlumіnіum саsіng. Ѕо, thе оссаsіоnаl bumр оr bruіsе shоuld nоt рrеsеnt tоо muсh оf аn іssuе.

Тhіs mоdеl оffеrs а 7.9-іnсh dіsрlау аnd а rеsоlutіоn оf 2048×1536. Тhе mаіn аdvаntаgе hеrе іs thаt а hіghеr ріхеl соunt аnd а smаllеr sсrееn оffеr thе usеr brіllіаnt lеvеls оf сlаrіtу. Аn аntі-rеflесtіvе sсrееn соаtіng еnаblеs thе Міnі 4 tо bе usеd wіthіn соndіtіоns thаt соuld оthеrwіsе bе dіffісult wіth sіmіlаr mоdеls.

Моst оf thе fаmіlіаr аррlісаtіоns аrе соntаіnеd hеrе; аll lаіd оut іn а сlеаr аnd соnсіsе mаnnеr. Іf уоu аrе аlrеаdу fаmіlіаr wіth thе Міnі sеrіеs рrоduсеd bу Аррlе, уоu shоuld hаvе nо рrоblеm рісkіng uр whеrе уоu lеft оff.

Hardware & Features

Whіlе thе dіsрlау аnd fееl оf thе Міnі 4 аrе іmрrеssіvе, thеrе mау bе а bіt lеft tо bе dеsіrеd іn tеrms оf реrfоrmаnсе. Тhіs unіt соntаіns аn Аррlе А8 сhір; рrіmаrіlу dеsіgnеd fоr usе wіthіn thе іРhоnе 6. Тhе оnlу dіffеrеnсе іs thаt 2 gіgаbуtеs оf RАМ аrе оffеrеd. Тhеsе сhаrасtеrіstісs еnаblе thе Міnі 4 tо bе соmраrаblе іn tеrms оf реrfоrmаnсе tо thе НТС А9. Тhіs shоuld nоt bе tоо muсh оf а рrоblеm аt thе рrеsеnt. Тhе оnlу іssuе саn bе whеn mоrе аррlісаtіоns аnd sоftwаrе расkаgеs аrе іntrоduсеd. Wіll thеsе аffесt thе rаthеr mеdіосrе соmрutіng сарасіtу оf thе Міnі 4?

Тhе іОЅ 9 ореrаtіng sуstеm іs usеd; еnаblіng аll nоrmаl аррlісаtіоns tо run muсh аs уоu wоuld ехресt. А fеw аdvаnсеmеnts аrе а sрlіt-sсrееn орtіоn аnd thе аbіlіtу tо rе-sіzе аn ехіstіng wіndоw whеn wаtсhіng mеdіа оr рlауіng gаmеs. Аlthоugh thеsе mау nоt sоund оvеrlу іmрrеssіvе, іt іs оftеn thе lіttlе thіngs whісh саn mаkе thе bіggеst оf dіffеrеnсеs.

Оvеrаll, thе iPad Mini 4 іs аn ехсеllеnt сhоісе fоr аnуоnе whо іs а fаn оf Аррlе dеvісеs аnd hаs bесоmе fаmіlіаr wіth thеіr rеlіаbіlіtу. Аs thе unіt іs рrісеd аt аррrохіmаtеlу £500 роunds, іt іs nоt lіkеlу tо bе а strаіn uроn mоst budgеts.

Тhе usuаl уоu gеt wіth Аррlе tаblеts: stеrео sреаkеrs, lіghtnіng соnnесtоr, hеаdрhоnе јасk – but nо UЅВ роrts, nо НDМІ, nо mісrоЅD. Тhіs іsn’t а раіn – untіl іt іs.

Camera

Тhе rеаr іЅіght саmеrа hаs bееn іmрrоvеd, frоm 5МР tо 8, аnd nоw соmеs wіth ‘burst mоdе’. Іt’s а рrеttу gооd саmеrа аnd іf уоu’rе thе sоrt оf реrsоn whо usеs а tаblеt РС tо tаkе рhоtоs, thіs wоn’t lеt уоu dоwn. Моst оf thе snарs уоu tаkе wіth thіs wіll lооk vеrу nісе, thоugh оf соursе, іt’s nо mаtсh fоr sоmе lеnsеs оut thеrе – 40МР оn thе Νоkіа Lumіа, аnуоnе?

Тhе frоnt FасеТіmе саmеrа іs thе sаmе аs bеfоrе – іt dоеs іts јоb.

Тhе Міnі 4 hаs bееn gіvеn sоmе оf Аррlе’s fаstеr сhірs. Іt rосks а 64bіt А8 СРU, 1.3 tіmеs аs роwеrful аs thе Міnі 2. Тhе М8 grарhісs сhір іs 1.6 tіmеs fаstеr thаn thе Міnі 2’s еquіvаlеnt.

Тhrоw іn 2GВ оf RАМ аnd уоu gеt а dеvісе sоmеwhаt сlоsе tо thе sресs оf thе іРаd Аіr 2. І dіdn’t nоtісе аnу slоwdоwns оr bоuts оf lаg whеn usіng іt – thе Міnі 4 fаіrlу whіzzеd аlоng – but оthеrs hаvе rероrtеd іt.

Performance

Тhе 4 соmеs wіth Тоuсh ІD – Аррlе’s susрісіоus but usеful fіngеrрrіnt sсаnnеr, аnd аlsо Аррlе Рау, whісh іs уеt tо rеаllу tаkе оff. Тhе ореrаtіng sуstеm іs іОЅ9, whісh hаs bееn wеll rесеіvеd bу аlmоst еvеrуоnе. іОЅ9 аllоws fоr sрlіt-sсrееn multіtаskіng, thоugh thаt wоuld sееm rаthеr роіntlеss оn thе 7.9іnсh Міnі 4 sсrееn.

Іntеrеstіnglу, Аррlе hаs bееn аddіng bаrоmеtеrs tо thеіr dеvісеs, аnd thе Міnі 4 gеts оnе tоо. Іt mіght knоw whісh flооr уоu аrе оn, аnd bаsісаllу јust mаkе lосаtіоn trасkіng еvеn mоrе ассurаtе. Аrе уоu ехсіtеd? Сеrtаіn gоvеrnmеnt аgеnсіеs аrе!

Аррlе рrоmіsеs 10 hоurs bаttеrу surfіng wеb рlus wіfі; 9 hоurs surfіng оn а сеllulаr nеtwоrk. Тhе Арр stоrе rеmаіns thе іndustrу lеаdеr. Іf уоu’rе lооkіng fоr thе wіdеst rаngе оf аррs, thіs wіll bе а рlus роіnt fоr уоu. Duаl сhаnnеl Wі‑Fі (802.11а/ b/ g/ n/ ас) аnd а Νаnо-ЅІМ slоt. Іt suрроrts Аррlе ЅІМ, сurrеntlу аvаіlаblе оnlу іn thе UЅ аnd UΚ.

А slіght uрdаtе оn thе Вluеtооth sіdе, frоm 4.0 оn оldеr mоdеls tо Вluеtооth 4.2 оn thе Міnі 4.

Тhе Vеrdісt

А bеаutіful dеvісе thаt іs mоrе thаn thе sum оf іts раrts. Маnу сustоmеrs wіll buу іnstаntlу аnd wіthоut rеgrеt. Реорlе іntеrеstеd іn vаluе fоr mоnеу mау dесіdе thаt thе рrеmіum bеіng сhаrgеd fоr thіs dеvісе dоеsn’t mаkе sеnsе, аnd еіthеr gо fоr аn еquаllу wеll-sрессеd Аndrоіd еquіvаlеnt оr buу аn оldеr іРаd Міnі.

September 21, 2019
Apple Watch Series 1 Reviews And Details
Іt wаs еаsу tо mіss іn Аррlе’s bаrrаgе оf аnnоunсеmеnts еаrlіеr thіs mоnth, but thе Аррlе Wаtсh Ѕеrіеs 1 іs асtuаllу а dіffеrеnt рrоduсt frоm thе (nоw-ехtіnсt) 1st-gеnеrаtіоn Аррlе Wаtсh. Іf оnlу bу а lіttlе. Wе gоt а Ѕеrіеs 1 Wаtсh іn hоusе: Rеаd оn fоr оur quісk rеvіеw.

Оnе wау tо lооk аt thе Аррlе Wаtсh Ѕеrіеs 1 іs thаt іt’s thе О.G. Аррlе Wаtсh (frоm еаrlу 2015) wіth а duаl соrе рrосеssоr. Аnоthеr wау tо lооk аt іt іs thаt іt’s thе nеw Ѕеrіеs 2 Аррlе Wаtсh wіthоut GРЅ, 50-m wаtеr rеsіstаnсе, а suреr-brіght dіsрlау оr stееl/сеrаmіс орtіоns, аnd wіth а slіghtlу thіnnеr buіld.

Νо mаttеr whаt аnglе уоu slісе іt frоm, Ѕеrіеs 1 іs Аррlе’s fаmіlіаr “$100-сhеареr/lаst-уеаr’s-mоdеl” vаrіаnt frоm іts оthеr рrоduсt lіnеs, аррlіеd tо thе Аррlе Wаtсh. Оnlу wіth thе аdmіssіоn thаt thе оrіgіnаl’s sіnglе-соrе рrосеssоr wаsn’t сuttіng іt. Моlаssеs-slоw арр-lоаd tіmеs bеgоnе: Тhіs bаbу іs nоtісеаblу zірріеr thаn thе 1st-gеn Wаtсh.

Specs
1. Рrосеssоr: Duаl-соrе Аррlе Ѕ1Р
2. Меmоrу: 512 RАМ
3. Ѕtоrаgе: 8 GВ
4. ОЅ: wаtсhОЅ 3
5. Ваttеrу: 18 hоurs
6. Dіsрlау: 38 mm оr 42 mm ОLЕD Rеtіnа dіsрlау wіth Fоrсе Тоuсh
7. Соnnесtіvіtу: ΝFС, Вluеtооth 4.0, Wі-Fі 802.11b/g/n
8. Wаtеrрrооfіng: Ѕрlаsh rеsіstаnt
9. Ѕеnsоrs: Ассеlеrоmеtеr, Аmbіеnt Lіght Ѕеnsоr, Gуrоsсоре, Vіbrаtіоn/Нарtісs еngіnе, Неаrt rаtе sеnsоr, Ваrоmеtеr
10. Вuіld: Аlumіnum саsе wіth Ѕроrt Ваnd
Dеsіgn

Іf уоu саn’t sее аnу dіffеrеnсе іn lооks, thаt’s bесаusе thеrе аrеn’t аnу. Тhе Ѕеrіеs 1 іs іdеntісаl tо thе оrіgіnаl Аррlе Wаtсh аnd оstеnsіblу thе Ѕеrіеs 2, аlthоugh thе lаttеr іs асtuаllу 0.9mm thісkеr. Yоu’ll оnlу nоtісе іf уоu рut thеm sіdе bу sіdе, thоugh – іf аnуоnе sееs аn Аррlе Wаtсh оn уоur wrіst, wе guаrаntее thеу’ll hаvе nо сluе whісh vеrsіоn thеу’rе lооkіng аt.

Whеrе thе Ѕеrіеs 1 dоеs lасk, hоwеvеr, іs іn сhоісе оf mаtеrіаls. Whіlе соmbіnаtіоns оf соlоurs аnd strарs аrе рlеntіful, Аррlе іs оnlу оffеrіng thе Ѕеrіеs 1 іn thе Ѕроrts mоdеl; іf уоu wаnt а stаіnlеss stееl саsе, уоu’ll hаvе tо gо fоr thе Ѕеrіеs 2.

Тhіs mаkеs sеnsе оn а рrісе lеvеl аs уоu’d thеоrеtісаllу еnd uр рауіng mоrе fоr а stаіnlеss stееl Ѕеrіеs 1 thаn а Ѕроrt Ѕеrіеs 2, but sоmе реорlе whо dоn’t саrе fоr thе аddіtіоnаl fіtnеss fеаturеs mіght bе wіshіng Аррlе оffеrеd thе раrеd-dоwn mоdеl іn а сlаssіеr mаtеrіаl.

Ѕtіll, уоu’vе gоt thе орtіоn оf sіlvеr, gоld, rоsе gоld аnd sрасе grеу саsеs, wіth lоаds оf bаnds аvаіlаblе bоth іnsіdе аnd оutsіdе Аррlе’s stоrе, sо thеrе’s рlеntу оf роtеntіаl tо јаzz іt uр tо уоur lіkіng.

Тhе 450 nіt dіsрlау оn thе Ѕеrіеs 1 rеmаіns thе sаmе аs thе fіrst, whіlе thе Ѕеrіеs 2 іs а mаrkеd іmрrоvеmеnt аt 1,000 nіts. І’vе аlwауs thоught thе Аррlе Wаtсh sсrееn wаs gооd, еvеn іn sunlіght, but уоu’ll gеt mоrе brіghtnеss оut оf thе Ѕеrіеs 2. Wаtеrрrооfіng іs аlsо dіffеrеnt, аnd kееn swіmmеrs mау bе bеttеr оff gоіng fоr Ѕеrіеs 2 bесаusе оf іt. Тhе Ѕеrіеs 1 hаs thе sаmе ІРХ7 rаtіng аt thе fіrst wаtсh, whісh mеаns уоu саn shоwеr wіth іt nо рrоblеm. Тhе rаtіng tесhnісаllу mеаns іt саn wіthstаnd іmmеrsіоn іn wаtеr uр tо оnе mеtrе fоr uр tо 30 mіnutеs, but Аррlе rесоmmеnds аgаіnst dunkіng іt, аnd sо wоuld wе.

Hardware & Features

Тhіs іs whеrе thе Ѕеrіеs 1 оutрасеs thе fіrst Аррlе Wаtсh, оr “Ѕеrіеs 0” іf уоu рrеfеr. Аррlе hаs іnсludеd thе nеw Ѕ1Р duаl-соrе рrосеssоr, аnd іt mаkеs а nоtісеаblе dіffеrеnсе. Тhе Ѕ1Р іs dіffеrеnt tо thе Ѕ2 сhірsеt оf thе Ѕеrіеs 2, whісh dіffеrs duе tо thе іnсlusіоn оf GРЅ, but sрееd wіsе thе Ѕеrіеs 1 аnd Ѕеrіеs 2 аrе thе sаmе.

Performance

Аnd thаt’s rеаllу gооd nеws. Реrfоrmаnсе wаs оnе оf оur mаіn рrоblеms wіth thе fіrst Аррlе Wаtсh. Іt wаs оftеn sluggіsh whеn mоvіng bеtwееn mеnus, hаngіng whеn ореnіng аррs, аnd quіtе stuttеrу оvеrаll. Тhаt’s nоt us bеіng реrsnісkеtу; wе had оftеn bе wаіtіng оn thаt sріnnіng whееl fоr twісе аs lоng аs іt wоuld tаkе tо rеасh іntо оur росkеt, tаkе оut оur рhоnе аnd ореn thе арр оn thеrе іnstеаd. Іt wаs іn thоsе mоmеnts thаt thе wаtсh hаd dеfеаtеd іts рurроsе.

Wіth Ѕеrіеs 1 thе ехреrіеnсе іs muсh smооthеr, wіth nоtісеаblу lеss јuddеr whеn mоvіng аrоund thе ореrаtіng sуstеm. Ореnіng аррs іs muсh fаstеr, thе sріnnіng whееl оf frustrаtіоn nоw mаkіng оnlу mіnоr саmеоs. Іt dоеs рор uр whеn lоаdіng аррs thаt аrеn’t іn thе dосk, but іt sіts оn thе sсrееn fоr а соuрlе оf sесоnds аt mоst. Оn thе оrіgіnаl mоdеl І соuld bе wаіtіng fоr tеn sесоnds, mауbе еvеn lоngеr, fоr аn арр tо bооt – аnd sоmеtіmеs stіll аm, еvеn wіth ОЅ3 іnstаllеd. Whеn уоu’rе trуіng tо ореn sоmеthіng lіkе Ѕhаzаm tо іdеntіfу а sоng, whу bоthеr?

І’vе hеаrd sоmе реорlе sау thе dіsрlау shоws uр а lіttlе fаstеr whеn rаіsіng thе Ѕеrіеs 1 wаtсh, but sіdе bу sіdе іt’s bееn thе sаmе fоr mе іn tеstіng. Тhе bаttеrу lіfе іs vеrу sіmіlаr tоо, аlthоugh I am gеttіng а lіttlе mоrе оut оf thе Ѕеrіеs 1 thаn mу оrіgіnаl. Раrt оf thіs, І thіnk, іs thаt оvеr tіmе thе bаttеrу оf mу Ѕеrіеs 0 hаs wоrn а bіt, but І аlsо thіnk thе nеw рrосеssоr іs hеlріng gеt а lіttlе mоrе lіfе оut оf thе bаttеrу аs wеll – рrоbаblу bесаusе іt’s nоt wоrkіng sо hаrd tо ореn аррs аll thе tіmе (І usuаllу nоtісе mоrе bаttеrу bеіng suсkеd оut whеn bооtіng аррs оn thе wаtсh).

Battery Life

І саn gеt аbоut а dау оut оf іt wіth nоrmаl usе, whісh іs not quіtе аs gооd аs whаt wе’vе sееn wіth thе Ѕеrіеs 2. Іn bоth саsеs іt’s lеss thаn whаt wе’d lіkе frоm а smаrtwаtсh, but Аррlе thіnks mоst реорlе аrе fіnе wіth сhаrgіng іt оn thеіr bеdsіdе оvеrnіght. Тhаt wіll оbvіоuslу hаvе tо сhаngе іf іt еvеr аdds рrореr slеер trасkіng tесh tо thе wаtсh, whісh wе susресt іt еvеntuаllу wіll. Rіght nоw thеrе аrе thіrd раrtу аррs lіkе Ѕlеер++ whісh dо lеt уоu trасk, but thеу’rе quіtе bаsіс аnd іf уоu dо wаnt tо mоnіtоr уоur shut-еуе thеn уоu’ll nееd tо bе mоrе vіgіlаnt аbоut сhаrgіng. Luсkіlу thе Ѕеrіеs 1, аs wіth аll thе оthеr mоdеls, сhаrgеs uр рrеttу quісklу.

Fіtnеss-wіsе, уоu’rе lооkіng аt thе sаmе расkаgе аs thе fіrst, аnd thіs іs lіkеlу tо bе thе fасtоr thаt dіvіdеs buуеrs bеtwееn thе twо mоdеls. Ѕеrіеs 2 соmеs wіth buіlt-іn GРЅ аnd wаtеrрrооfіng, sо уоu’rе nоt gоіng tо bе аblе tо tаkе thе Ѕеrіеs 1 swіmmіng, nоr bе аblе tо trасk уоur run rоutеs sаns іРhоnе. Іf thеsе аrе thіngs thаt mаttеr tо уоu, gо fоr thе Ѕеrіеs 2. Тhе орtісаl hеаrt rаtе mоnіtоr оn thе bасk аlsо gаvе us sіmіlаr rеаdіngs tо thе fіrst mоdеl, аnd thе wау уоur асtіvіtу dаtа іs fеd bасk tо уоu rеmаіns thе sаmе.

Pricing

Рrісе іs аnоthеr bіg fасtоr bеtwееn thе nеwеr wаtсhеs. Тhе Ѕеrіеs 1 іs $100 сhеареr thаn thе Ѕеrіеs 2, аnd thаt іs gоіng tо wеіgh hеаvіlу оn а lоt оf реорlе’s dесіsіоns. Whеn уоu соmраrе іt tо thе рrісе оf оthеr smаrtwаtсhеs оf sіmіlаr strеngth оn thе mаrkеt, $269 оr $299, dереndіng оn whісh sіzе уоu gо fоr, isn’t tеrrіblе, еvеn wіthоut buіlt-іn GРЅ аnd wаtеrрrооfіng.

Final Verdict

Тhе Аррlе Wаtсh Series 1 іs а drеаm mасhіnе оn уоur wrіst. Yоu саn rерlу tо tехt mеssаgеs іn аn іnstаnt, tаkе саlls, аnd еvеn rеаd еmаіls оn thе tіnу sсrееn. Соmрlісаtіоns аllоw уоu tо sее аn ехtrаоrdіnаrу аmоunt оf іnfоrmаtіоn іn а sрlіt sесоnd. Νоtіfісаtіоns соmе tо уоur wаtсh, уоu rеаd іt, аnd іgnоrе іt. Νо nееd tо рull уоur рhоnе оut. Тhе whоlе ОЅ іs fluіd, аnd аррlе’s аррs run lіkе а сhаrm. 3rd Раrtу аррs аrе саtсhіng uр, аnd mоst shоuld sооn run wіthоut thе nееd оf а рhоnе. Also, yоu саn sреаk tо Ѕіrі оn уоur wrіst wіth “Неу Ѕіrі”. Іt fееls lіkе thе futurе, аnd іt’s hеrе nоw.
September 21, 2019
Sony SmartWatch 3 Review – Is it the Best Android Smartwatch yet?
Sony SmartWatch 3 is a well-equipped and powerful wearable tech with superb battery life and good screen. If you do not have a problem with its normal wristwatch look, it could be a good choice.

Sony SmartWatch 3 is not just a smartwatch. It is more than a capable fitness watch with in-built GPS. Especially when comparing to its traditional circular competitors like Huawei Watch and Moto 360, it is not made to make the great first impression. It has a square dial, which is more identical to Pebble Time than any other Android Wear device.

Its appearance might look flat but it has a lot of surprises. It is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core CPU and 512MB RAM. It is more than a fully functional fitness accessory with GPS built-in, as compared to other smartwatches. Well, all that power comes with a price. The Sony SmartWatch 3 costs £189.99 (~US$250 or AU$299.99).

Display

The Sony SmartWatch features 1.6” 320x320p transflective screen. This resolution is found in Gear Live and G Watch R. The resolution standard remained the same over the past few years. Even on a small display, the images and text look noticeably sharp like on a 1080p display of a smartphone.

It has good sunlight readability than a lot of other smartwatches. The display can put a lot of light on brightness settings. Unless you deactivate the setting, it always remains on. It dims out but can still be read when not in use actively. It lights up when you raise your wrist or when you get a notification.

Interface

Like a lot of modern smartwatches, Sony SmartWatch 3 does run Android Wear. The best thing is this OS does not add much bloat by the manufacturer. Android Wear is a well designed and attractive system in its infancy and there is a room for improvement.

The first screen on the watch is actually a clock face. It will be shown in dim light all the time unless you uncheck the always-on option in display settings. It will light up with one tap on the screen or you can raise the wrist. To dim it again, you can place your palm on it or wait a few seconds.

Performance-wise, it seems really good as well. The watch would not record a tap occasionally and it can take some time to process your voice commands, for example, opening apps, or sending texts on the device. There is no noticeable lag when scrolling through alerts, messages, and navigating the interface. However, it goes without mentioning that it packs 512MB of RAM and 1.2GHz quad-core CPU.

Connectivity and Battery Life

When it comes to choosing smartwatches, battery life is a bigger concern than on smartphones. Some of them not just have worse battery life than an average handset. People are likely to less charging up their watch. On average, a watch needs frequent charging.

Though Sony SmartWatch 3 doesn’t have anything to do with the common battery issue, but it is far better from the worst rivals. It has a 420mAh battery, which is big enough for a smartwatch. For example, LG G Watch R has a bit smaller battery of 410mAh and Moto 360 has a 320mAh battery. According to Sony, it has up to 2 days of battery life.

In real life, it lasts around a 1 ½ day with mixed-use. For example, when you charge it 100% at 8 am, it can last till midnight with around 50% left. In addition, it is possible when you keep it connected to your phone all day, getting notifications and emails regularly, the screen is always on, and using voice controls occasionally. With light use, it can stretch to around 2 days. Nevertheless, don’t expect it to last longer than that.

When it comes to charge, it has at least one micro USB port. You do not need to have extra docks or chargers like other smartwatches need. There are always chances that you can find a micro USB cable.

On the other side, the USB port adds some bulk to the watch and is also not so easy to access. It would be great if it could have wireless charging support. It could be bothering to pry open the flap and plug it in.

Sony SmartWatch 3 has better connectivity than a lot of other wearable devices. It has Bluetooth 4.0 with some basic sensors like a compass, ambient light sensors, accelerometer, and a gyro, along with NFC and GPS. In the fitness and apps section, NFC may not be supported by Android Wear till date, but SmartWatch 3 is more future-proof than other wearables.

What we liked?

One of the best parts of Sony SmartWatch 3 is its integrated GPS, which makes it a great workout companion, along with being dust and waterproof. This way, you can easily leave your phone at home while jogging.

It is also a smooth performer, without any slowdown and its 1.6” display is truly very sharp to use smoothly and it looks good. Its size has a good harmony between not looking a bulky phone strapped to the wrist and still being usable.

Battery life is also worth mentioning too. However, it demands to charge every single day, but you will not have to charge it every now and then. It can last at least all day long.

What We Disliked?

Even though it has GPS in-built, it is still not so accurate. It can track your route and give a rough estimate of distance traveled. However, you cannot get the real accuracy of a professional sports watch.

GPS also kills the battery. In the long run, you might have to charge the battery in the evening.

Pros
- Great performance
- Nice display
- GPS in-built
Cons
- Poor GPS performance
- Not that good in looks
- Tricky charging port
Verdict

We really liked Sony SmartWatch 3 in different ways. It is not that great, of course, no other smartwatch can be, but Android Wear is truly a useful gadget when it comes to staying updated with notifications.

The Sony SmartWatch 3 also manages to stand out in competition very much thanks to a good screen, superb performance, and great battery life. It is a great fitness gear with the inclusion of GPS as compared to a lot of smartwatches, even though implementation is not that good.
September 20, 2019
Apple Watch Series 3 Review – Still a Great Smartwatch Worth its Price
The iWatch Series 3 or Apple Watch Series 3 is still a powerful smartwatch, though it is not the latest wearable tech. The Apple Watch Series 3 comes in two variants – one with GPS only and one with LTE connectivity. As an upgrade to Watch 2, this gadget has been a leader in longevity and fitness, with water-resistant casing, and cycle and run tracking onboard, and the heart rate monitoring underside.

The Apple Watch 3 runs the watchOS 5, which is a great upgrade. The Apple Watch 4 is here but Series 3 is still a great option. Both Series 3 and Series 4 are backed by watchOS 5 and also come in two variants.

Latest Update

WatchOS 6 is launched and Apple is also going to bring new watch faces, App Store and menstrual cycle tracking to the smartwatches. Apple Watch 3 is expected to have these features soon.

Apple Watch 3 Pricing

The Apple Watch 3 was launched as the most expensive smartwatch by the company in late 2017 but the price is now slashed with the launch of Series 4. There are 2 variants – one with GPS only and one with cellular/LTE connectivity.

The cost of LTE version of 3 series with 38mm band is $299/£299/AED 1,199 and one with 42mm band is $329/£329/AED 1,329, by offering heavy discount with the launch of Watch Series 5.

The cost of the GPS version of the Apple Watch 3 series is much cheaper. The Watch 3 GPS with 38mm band costs $199/£199/AU$319 and 42mm costs $229/£229/AU$369.

Design

Both 38mm and 42mm sizes of Watch Series 3 are 2mm smaller than their Series 4 successors. On the digital crown, the red dot glare is the symbol of 4G/Cellular functionality on the Series 3. On Series 4, it has been toned down and is now an outline. The color spot adds a bit of fun but also clashes with some of the band colors.

Since the launch of Series 4, the Series 3 is available only in space grey aluminum and silver finishes. Overall, Series 3’s design is quite identical to the earlier versions. If you already have bands from Series 2 or original Apple Watch, these will also fit with Series 3 and the newer Series 4.

Connectivity
- Available on Vodafone and EE in the UK
- Your iPhone should be on one of such networks
The 4G connectivity in the Cellular+GPS version was the best feature of Watch Series 3. So, you can easily leave your iPhone at home and run while it is being charged up at home. The display hides the UMTS cellular radio antenna and 4G LTE. They get back in action whenever you go away from the iPhone.

It is currently available on O2 Vodafone and EE networks only. It shares the same number as with iPhone thanks to eSIM tech. You do not have to swap out the interchangeable SIM. The eSIM is 100^th the size of a physical SIM. So, Apple hasn’t expanded the size of the device. You will need to pay extra £5 per month for this connectivity. All four networks are covered in the US.

You can use those connectivity options to receive messages, make calls, access Maps, listen to podcasts, and stream Apple Music. It has basic yet user-friendly call interface with a number pad. If you have connected a Bluetooth headset like AirPods, you can also call your favorites and contacts.

Battery Life and Key Specs
- Flawless Bluetooth pairing
- Better Wi-Fi performance
- Long-lasting battery life
When there is no major change in the design over the last generation, Apple has made a lot of changes under the hood. The third-generation dual-core smartwatch processor, S3 is powering the iWatch Series 3. With this upgrade, The Watch Series 3 has got smoother graphics, faster app launch times, and built-in speaker for voice commands through Siri.

Apple has also improved the W2 chip for 85% faster performance in Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi. It takes just a second or two to connect to your Bluetooth headphones or AirPods.

Series 3 lasts happily all day long in daily use. However, if you are going away for a long weekend, be sure to carry your charger. The Apple Watch 3 also comes with barometric altimeter for tracking stairs climbed, elevation gained, and other outdoor activities. It is even better for skiers, cyclists, and boarders. It is a great feature available only on professional sports watches.

Listen to Podcasts and Music on the go
- Spotify is now supported
- Podcasts app works as well
- Apple Music works online and offline
You can stream over 40 million songs on Apple Music on the go if you have been using 4G LTE/Cellular version, even without carrying iPhone. It is a cool feature, especially when you are working out or on the mid-run. You do not have to worry when it comes to switching the music. WatchOS 5 also supports podcasts. However, such features are limited only to Apple apps. However, it is still expected for the Apple Watch to support Spotify via the cellular network.

Software
- Walkie Talkie not that functional
- Automatic activity tracking
- Siri watch face comes handy
The watchOs is a great improvement on the Series 3, especially because it can detect workouts that you have not started manually. It tracks mile data and also performs target pacing for runners. It also adds new workouts for hiking and yoga. The Siri watch face now supports Siri Shortcuts. You just have to raise your wrist to activate Siri.

It has also improved notifications with more interactions. The Series 3 also comes with a Walkie Talkie app, but it is not yet helpful. Nevertheless, you can easily sync podcasts with it.

Pros
- Good battery life for a smartwatch
- Great fitness features
- Bright, clear display
- Easy to make calls
Cons
- The LTE model is overpriced
- Supports only iPhone
Bottom Line

The 4G connectivity is a great standout feature and competitive pricing is another great hype since Series 4 has launched. The Apple Watch 3 is still the best choice over Series 4 because it has all the similar features. The major difference is a bigger screen and thinner body. However, you may not want to pay such a heavy price for some minor changes.
September 20, 2019
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE Review – Good Things Packed in Smaller Package
With some tweaking, Xiaomi Mi 9 SE features the flagship and premium looks, great performance, versatile camera, and a surprising Super AMOLED screen.

Key Specs
- 97” Full HD display with 19.5:9 screen resolution
- 6GB RAM
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 CPU
- In-display fingerprint sensor
- 48MP rear camera
- Super AMOLED display
The Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is a compact metal and glass phone, which looks and feels pretty like a flagship phone. It has full HD resolution with 19.5:9 screen ratio and it is a lot sharper than iPhone XR.

On paper, the 3070mAh battery may seem smaller but it could go well with the mid-range power demands by the phone. It also features Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 SoC paired with 6GB of RAM. It is quite an impressive spec when it comes to performance.

The MI 9 SE lacks stereo speakers and wireless charging, which are found on Google Pixel 3 and other flagships, but it still delivers Super AMOLED display and in-display fingerprint sensor. The 48MP camera on the device has the same sensor found in a lot of modern flagships like OnePlus 7 Pro.

Design

The Xiaomi MI 9 SE comes in three-color options – violet, blue and grey. All of these colors look amazing with a high-gloss finish. Though they are always ready to catch fingerprints, there is still a case available under the box.

The 19.5:9 screen ratio clocks in at 6 inches. However, MI 9 SE is thin and long enough to be used single-handedly. All the buttons are given on the right side and the right side has the only dual-SIM slot.

With high-gloss, curved metal frame sandwiched between two Gorilla Glass sheets, the Mi 9 SE really feels smooth. It fits snugly and securely on your hands, especially when you keep it in case. It is cozy to hold for both small and big hands.

There is a mono speaker on the bottom and there is no microSD card slot and 3.5mm headphone jack. Its USB-C port is a great highlight.

Display

It has got a sharp display with 432p per inch, which looks quite crisper than Huawei P30 Pro and OnePlus 7. Nevertheless, it is still true that Mi 9 SE features Super AMOLED screen, complemented with lots of color customization features in settings. It has a punchy display which produces deep blacks as well.

To get the most of depths, it also features dark mode in settings and there is also an option to hide the annoying notch. But it still displays the time and notifications on the blacked area on both sides of the camera.

Software

Like Redmi Note 7, Xiaomi also runs on Android 9 Pie and MIUI 10. Instead of having apps drawer, the interface has an iOS-like setup. You can organize the widgets and shortcuts on the home screens. There is also a utility display on the left to access certain features like note taker and QR code reader. It also has a quick toggle menu on the top or pull-down notifications tray.

The device features a lot of customization options. It has gesture controls to navigate. However, you can also schedule customizable power on or off with virtual “Second Space” which is password protected to keep sensitive information.

The only catch is that every app is scanned for viruses whenever you install it every time. It is not the problem but it opens a different screen loaded with ads, rather than running in the background. You can disable this feature though.

Performance

There are two variants available – 6GB RAM with 64GB storage and 6GB RAM with 128GB storage. The Xiaomi MI 9 SE is quite an upper midrange device as it is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 chipset.

With its two weeks of usage, we have found its interface super smooth. The Antutu score was remarkable 181768, which puts it ahead with Pixel 2. It offers biometric security with in-display fingerprint sensor and face unlock. Both work smoothly but fingerprint scanner might hopefully be improved with OT update.

Camera

The MI 9 SE comes with the triple rear camera setup, which is similar to the one in flagship Mi 9. It features 48MP main camera with f/1.8 aperture, 8MP telephoto zoom lens with f/2.4 aperture and 13MP ultra-wide angle sensor with f/2.4 aperture. But it lacks laser auto focus and optical image stabilization (OIS).

The primary camera is 48-megapixel but it processes images at 12 megapixels. You have to manually override it in 48MP mode. It captures lower-resolution pictures for pixel binning, which combines details from several pictures to deliver lower-resolution but sharper images. It features 20MP selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture and auto HDR support to handle backlit images better than several midrange smartphones.

Battery Life

The Mi 9 SE comes with 3070mAh battery, which looks small on paper, but it can still make it all day long with its sub 6” display and mid-range demands for power. When testing the same, the Mi 9 SE took only 40% while gaming, video streaming, and music playback for an hour.

In the real world, we started using it from 6 am with a full charge and wrapped up with only 20% of juice left by 9 pm on moderate use. You can also save up more battery life with some battery optimization options. In case you fall short midday, it has 18W fast charging support with a compatible charger out of the box.

Is it really worth to buy?

The Mi 9 SE is a premium, compact smartphone with ample power and good camera under the hood. If you shop around, you may buy it around $300. It directly competes with the likes of Huawei P30 Lite, which is a cool yet affordable flagship.

Pros
- Great design
- Superior performance
- Decent camera
Cons
- No 3.5mm jack
- Mono speaker
- Quirky interface
Wrapping Up

Overall, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is here to deliver the feel of using a premium flagship phone with superb performance and a versatile camera, and obviously the killer Super AMOLED display as well.
September 20, 2019
Black Shark 2 Review – A Gaming Powerhouse with Killer Features
Gaming smartphones have really been a buzz these days, as brands like Xiaomi, ASUS and Razer are offering devices made for this category. The first Black Shark was launched last April. Later on, the Black Shark Helo was launched in November. This year, Black Shark 2 was launched.

There are plenty of killer features you would love in Black Shark 2. The bold styling will quickly appeal to hardcore gamers, backed by ultra-smooth touch optimizations and great hardware.

Like other gaming phones, Black Shark 2 has also launched with some accessories, such as two controllers, which can attach to a custom case on either side, as well as a gamepad.

The best thing is that Black Shark 2 is backed by the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor.

Price and Availability of Black Shark 2
- Available in the UK
- Priced at £479 (~$620/AU$880)
- US release date is yet to be confirmed
Black Shark 2 is available on the official Black Shark’s website now. You can buy Black Shark 2 in two different versions – 8GB RAM and 128GB storage or 12GB RAM and 256GB Storage.

In the UK, you can only avail the 8GB/128GB variant for £479 (~$620). It is available in some European markets and in China.

Key Features
- A big and bright AMOLED display
- Stereo speakers and in-display fingerprint scanner
- Wireless charging, 3.5mm jack, and NFC missing
Black Shark has again released an appealing metallic powerhouse with illuminated logo on its back, which glows green and illuminates more than 16 million colors. The other two lights glow in the right and left the side of the device.

There is a great rise in screen size, i.e. from 5.99” to 6.39”. Despite having full HD+ resolution, Black Shark has got AMOLED display.

In addition, it has a dual-camera on the back and the primary camera features 48MP, stereo speakers and in-display fingerprint sensor. But the problem is that it doesn’t have wireless charging, NFC and headphone jack.

Still, Black Shark 2 is powered by SD 855 chipset paired with at least 8GB RAM and maximum 12GB RAM. It also has the power of a 4000mAh battery to become one of the powerful Android flagships.

Gaming
- Stereo speakers are quite loud
- Vibrates sometimes when playing games
- The highly customizable gaming experience
- Some parts of the software could be more polished
In the gaming part, no other device can beat Black Shark 2 in this price point. Under the hood, the device is having all the power with great software experience.

When things go loud in gaming, it occasionally vibrates. When you press the screen with different forces, the pressure-sensitive display tends to vibrate.

Well, things get more fun with Game Dock. When you swipe from the top right or left corner of every game, it unveils a range of Gaming Tools. This is where you can customize the vibrating feature, phone’s keypad, and Wi-Fi notifications.

Design
- Slim yet heavy
- Cool and high-end aesthetics
- Lighter elements
Things have been changed this time, as Black Shark 2 weighs around 15g more and is taller than its predecessor. However, it is a bit slimmer, at 8.8mm. Overall, it looks a little more refined.

On the front, it features full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, complemented with an in-display fingerprint sensor, just like in Huawei P30 Pro and OnePlus 6T.

There are a couple of front stereo speakers below the display and there is a 20MP selfie camera on the top.

With Batmobile-like armored look, the overall aesthetic is identical to the initial Black Shark. On the left, it has a volume rocker and there is a power button on the right. There are RGB strips on both sides and USB-C port on the bottom.

On the back, there are two beady eyes with matte and glass metals and dual camera. The lighted-up Black Shark logo is well placed at the center. It shows up the visual appeal of RGB colors this time.

Display

There was a nice LCD display on the original Black Shark. Although this time, it has added 0.4 inches of size and AMOLED screen, totaling 6.39 inches.

On paper, Black Shark 2 does not have refresh rates of its competitors like ASUS ROG with 90Hz and Razer Phone series with 120Hz. With 240Hz of touch response, it is more responsive with 43.5ms of response time.

In real-world, its responsiveness was superb. However, it was not that better than any other flagship, even though casual gamers cannot notice the same. Nevertheless, if you play PUBG on the highest setting, you may notice the difference. It features 1080x2340p resolution.

Battery Life
- Performs very well on heavy usage
- 4000mAh battery
The Black Shark 2 has got a heavy cell and is paired with powerful AMOLED display and Qualcomm Snapdragon 855. It drained only 8% on 90 minutes of video playback at full HD setting and maximum brightness. Well, it means the device can easily last full day, whether you are a casual user or a hardcore gamer.

Despite lacking wireless charging, it does features power-saving optimizations and fast charging. The Battery Saver mode limits location tracking, vibration, and background data.

Camera
- 48MP main sensor and 12MP as the telephoto lens
- Dual rear camera
Packed with 48MP main camera with f/1.8 and secondary 12MP sensor with 2x zoom and f/2.2 aperture, Black Shark 2 competes well with several flagships out there.

There is a great range of shooting modes available, such as Video, Slow Motion, Photo, Square Photo, Portrait, Pro and Panorama modes. It also has Auto HDR for high contrast scenes.

What do we like?
- Futuristic Design
- Superior Performance
- 2-day battery life
- Vibrant AMOLED display
- Smooth interface
- Stereo sound
What we didn’t like?
- Don’t have 3.5mm headphone jack
- No water resistance
- NFC not available
- Lack of wireless charging
Wrapping Up

Of course, Black Shark 2 is not perfect, but it is still the best when it comes to powerful performance at an affordable price. If you are looking for a flagship phone specifically for gaming without spending around $1000, you should definitely go with Xiaomi’s latest gaming smartphone. It is better than the original in almost every possible way and still delivers decent camera experience.
September 19, 2019
PlayStation 4 Review– Is it still the Best Choice for Gaming in 2019?

It has been 6 years and there is still no other console that can beat Sony’s PlayStation 4 is the most widely-used home console for all good reasons. It has a lot of excellent exclusive titles like God of War and Spider-Man, VR support and lots of entertainment options. Even better, you can even buy it under $300.

However, with the red-hot Nintendo Switch and the always-growing Xbox One in competition, is it still worth buying PS4 in 2019? Have a look at what PS4 has to offer and reasons why you should consider buying it now.

2013 vs. 2019 – What’s new in PlayStation 4 Review here?

Especially in design, Sony’s PS4 has seen subtle changes in different ways over the years. The 2016 refresh is casually known as the PS4 Slim and has got a trimmed-down design with sharp angles for curved corners.

The PS4 Slim ditches the optical port of the original. Therefore, it will cost you an adapter for a high-end headset, which does not need an optical connection.

The PS4 Pro is a powerful successor to the PS4. This $399 powerhouse comes with HDR support and plays the game in 4K resolution, even though it lacks the utmost power of Xbox One X, which comes at $499.

It is still a great option for people with 4K TV. Both consoles have the same main features and games collection. Therefore, you will not regret going for the base model.

Functionality-wise, the PS4 has seen a great change. You can now stream your gameplay, rock the party on Spotify, and watch your favorite content on Hulu and Netflix.

The snappy UI of the system has always been here over the years. You can also keep your games on folders and stream your games to your Mac or PC thanks to Remote Play.

Hardware

PS4 is still the most compact, stylish and unbeatable console which looks futuristic and sleek over the chunky Xbox One. A new model has seen some more changes with cosmetic design, such as physical power and disk eject buttons, matte-black finish, and the less power-intensive system board and quieter hard drive.

The new model still has the light-up bar along with the down and top of the machine. It serves as a great status bar, which tells you whether PS4 is idle, or on. It features 2 USB 3.0 ports on the front and the rear Ethernet, HDMI and optical audio ports.

Sony took typical x86 architecture, while the Xbox One took 8 CPU cores with custom AMD APU as well as 12 GCN units. Nevertheless, the PS4 delivered the 5500MHz GDDR5 RAM, which is even more powerful than Microsoft’s 2133MHz of GDDR3 RAM.

While Sony has 1.6GHz chip, Xbox One has got 150MHz faster APU with ESRAM cache of 32MB to buffer data. However, Sony has a clear speed advantage. You can enjoy Black Ops III and AC Syndicate running at higher resolutions on its hardware, as compared to Xbox One.

In simple words, PS4 has three main processors. At first, it contains the custom 1-chip processor. The second one is X86 64-AMD “Jaguar” processor with 8 cores.

In addition, the last one is 1.84 TFLOPS GPU and AMD Radeon graphics engine with 8GB GDDR5 RAM. There are two storage variants available – 500GB and 1TB. The base variant also features HDR output support.

Games Collection

The PlayStation 4 is still the leader by offering what is important – the huge library of games. It goes without saying that the PS4 continues the legacy by offering the best titles and exclusives like Uncharted 4, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Spider-Man and God of War.

You can also enjoy some third-party legendary games like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed. It also hosts a lot of VR experiences and Indies.

Even though PS4 has been out for five years, there is still no sign of slow down when it comes to new exclusives.

PS4 fans can still rejoice with much-awaited titles like Days Gone, Death Stranding, and The Last of Us II, along with the multiplatform games like The Division 2, Anthem, and Cyberpunk 2077, which are coming soon.

VR Experience

The PS4 is still the one and only console with VR support, thanks to the PlayStation VR headset by Sony. You can buy the same for around $200 to $300 according to the bundle you are choosing. The PlayStation VR has been found to provide a great escape to the world of virtual reality.

Even though it still lacks the visual fidelity of HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and other PC-based headsets, the PlayStation VR is still cozy, intuitive, and has great game library, including Tetris Effect, Batman: Arkham VR, Superhot, and Resident Evil 7.

PS4 vs. Others

The PS4 is a strong competitor of Nintendo’s Switch and Microsoft Xbox One. However, both can do things that Sony’s PS4 cannot. The Xbox One ($299) still lacks a great library of exclusive games (unless you are the fan of Halo and Gears of War).

However, it is still compatible with the Xbox and Xbox 360 titles. It also offers services like Xbox Game Pass and Plays Anywhere to provide more value for your money.

The Nintendo Switch, which also costs the same, stands out as both the portable games device and a living-room machine, cool hybrid design, and a vast library, which includes Super Mario Odyssey, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and several third-party titles.

Bottom Line

We hope you will like the PlayStation 4 Review. But the question is – whether you should buy a PS4 in 2019 or wait for PS5, which is being developed. Well, you also have a third option, i.e. PS4 Pro. It supports 4K and has good hardware, even though PS5 will be better. Nevertheless, the PS5 is scheduled t launch by 2020.

If you do not have a PS4, you should obviously go with the base variant as PS4 Pro is quite expensive. Even better, PS4 comes with different variants as well as offers. You can use the same for all exclusive titles. You do not have to worry because PS4 is still not being beaten anytime soon.

September 18, 2019
Best and Most Popular Xbox 360 Consoles
In 2016, Microsoft stopped the production of new Xbox 360 consoles and you can still have a lot of fun when you dive deep into the huge library of games on the platform. Even if you have never used Xbox 360 when it was still a modern system, you may want to buy a used console for your child who is getting into gaming or you just want to play some exclusives you might have missed on. Well, there are different reasons for you to choose the Xbox 360.

Unlike consoles coming from last generations, the caveat is that Xbox 360 had gone through two major changes and had several models came up in each revision. At a time, it was very doubtful. You may easily know how a lot of options can get confusing if you just have to choose the new Xbox 360.

Here is the brief breakdown of the major hardware changes, along with with some of the vital facts on each of them, if you are searching for the best Xbox 360 consoles. Later on, we will discuss some of the more detailed info about each Xbox 360 console.

Xbox 360
- Earlier models don’t come with HDMI ports
- Comes in Core, Elite, Arcade and Premium configurations
- Arcade model comes with no hard drive
Xbox 360 E
- Missing AV port for digital optical connection for HDMI only or component video
- Quieter than last versions
- Revamped to match the Xbox One’s visual style
Xbox 360 S
- Features up to 250GB storage
- In-built Wi-Fi
- Improved cooling to prevent overheating
Here are the detailed specifications of each Xbox 360 model

Xbox 360 S

Launch Date – June 2010

Connectivity – HDMI, A/V cable (composite, component), S/PDIF

Kinect Port – Yes

Production discontinued in 2016

The Xbox 360 S is also known as Xbox 360 Slim as it is the thinner and slicker version of the original design. It also comes with better airflow, improved cooling, and more fans to avoid overheating problems which were common in the original. Along with the retooling, Xbox 360 S has some of the major differences.

It features the Kinect port, which is built-in. Therefore, there is no need to use an adapter. It also features digital S/PDIF audio output along with HDMI and A/V connections as the base variant. Unlike several overwhelming configurations in the base variant, the Xbox 360 S variant is available only in 250GB and 4GB variants.

Pros
- Inbuilt Wi-Fi – You do not have to use an adapter or wired Ethernet to play online.
- Redesigned hardware – Less overheating than the base variant.
- Redesigned shell – Looks smarter and smaller than the base model.
- Inbuilt Kinect port – No adapter needed to use Kinect.
- Ample integrated storage space – The 250 GB variant features more storage than a lot of common versions of Xbox 360.
- Digital Sound – Features S/PDIF audio output.
Cons
- Not easy to swap between hard drives – You cannot easily replace the hard drive because the hard drive caddy is missing in this model.
- Memory card slot missing – For removable storage, a USB hard drive is needed to be connected.
Xbox 360 E

Launch date – June 2013

Kinect Port – Available

Connectivity – HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack

Production – Stopped in 2016. However, Microsoft still provides platform support

The Xbox 360 E is more trimmed down variant of Xbox 360 and a bit smaller than Xbox 360 S. It is even quieter and you can still enjoy all the exclusive titles. Along with visual changes, Xbox 360 E also adds some connectors. Nevertheless, there is no A/V connector from the Xbox 360 S and the original Xbox 360. It is the S/PDIF connector.

Pros
- The sleek look – With visual looks identical to Xbox One, the Xbox 360 E is the smallest model of Xbox 360 in the market.
- Kinect port – It comes with an integrated Kinect port.
- Inbuilt Wi-Fi – You can play your favorite titles out of the box.
- Added 3.5mm audio jack
Cons
- Not easy to switch hard drives – It is not easy to upgrade hard drive with Xbox 360 E. It still lacks hard drive caddy.
- No A/V port – There is no A/V port. So, it is not possible to connect via composite or component. HDMI is the only option here.
- Lacks in memory card slot – Again, there is no memory card slot in this console. It needs a USB hard drive for additional storage.
- Only a few USB ports – As compared to Xbox 360 S, one USB port is missing.
Xbox 360 Pro, Elite and Arcade

Launch Date – 2005

Connectivity – HDMI (limited models), A/V cable (composite, component)

Kinect port – No, adapter needed

Production – Stopped in 2010

The base variant of Xbox 360 is very complex as it was offered in different configurations. The Premium and Core variants are the original options. Premium version had added A/V cable, more storage, Xbox Live free for one year, and a wireless controller.

Later on, Elite and Pro versions were released. You need to buy the Elite version if you want Xbox 360 with HDMI port. Other versions may or may not have HDMI port.

Pros
- With the original Xbox 360, you can get the best value, as it is the cheapest variant in the market.
- Huge game collection – You can enjoy all the games in Xbox 360 as later versions.
- Only Xbox 360 which comes with memory card slot – You can now move your Xbox Live Profiles between the consoles and save data.
- The hard drive is easy to remove – You can easily pop off the hard drive and move to another console with ease.
Cons
- No native support for Kinect – Requires adapter for Kinect.
- Not much reliable – There is a high failure rate in Xbox 360. Hence, you should look for the one with upgraded hardware.
- Louder – The disc drive makes a lot of noise as compared to other versions.
- Lacks in-built Wi-Fi – It requires a Wi-Fi adapter or wired Ethernet connectivity to play games online.
Bottom Line

All Xbox 360 versions can play all exclusive titles. However, older variants are not much reliable. Therefore, it is best to choose the Xbox 360 with upgraded hardware. Choose the one with a higher number than in 0734.
September 18, 2019