Author: Poonam

  • Oppo’s All-New Patented Stylus: Calls Made Easier

    Oppo’s All-New Patented Stylus: Calls Made Easier

    Oppo has been bringing in new features and attributes to its smartphones often. It is never the one smartphone company that shies away from experimenting with its products and delivering extraordinary features to the users, be it in the camera, design, or any other aspect.

    Oppo’s All-New Patented Stylus: Calls Made Easier

    Recently, it has announced a smartphone that shall come packed with a stylus pen. It is the next patent Oppo filing, which will give the users an experience of how a stylus will look when incorporated in a smartphone.

    Quite frankly, the design of the phone is not at all compromising, given the inclusion of the stylus pen in it. It has a unique look that almost gets merged with the body of the phone and does not have a pit to house the stylus pen.

    Further Details

    Speaking about the advantages of the all-new stylus pen, reports suggest that the stylus can also be used as a microphone for further ease of use for users. It can be used to both make and receive calls. It is a battery-powered stylus that will connect to the phone via Bluetooth. Furthermore, there are two multifunction buttons on the edge of the stylus pen, which users can use to control the volume during phone calls.

    On the outside, the smartphone has a very slim bezel on its edges, but when it is attached, the bezel seems more extensive than usual. When the stylus is removed, only a small portion of the bezel remains, which acts as the selfie camera module and also other related sensors.

    The pen tip of this new phone goes into the camera module slot, and the rest of the stylus links up using magnetic pins, which aid in charging the stylus along with the handset. When placed in the camera module, the buttons on the stylus pen face outward, which then assists in adjusting the ring volume of the phone.

    Bottom Lines

    Oppo has decided to launch this new handset anytime in the near future and test the all-new stylus pen feature. Earlier, Samsung has tried its hands in experimenting with stylus pens back in 2012. But with the ever reforming technologies, one would typically ask why is a stylus pen required for phone calls when Bluetooth devices have become majorly prevalent in the market.

    However, it is also good to keep in mind that companies often come up with patent designs that take years to be rolled out to the market. Sometimes, these designs also remain unused by companies depending upon the market trends.

  • No Plans for Nintendo CEO to Launch a New Switch Model in 2020

    No Plans for Nintendo CEO to Launch a New Switch Model in 2020

    A video game device, the Nintendo Switch, was founded by Nintendo, which was released in March 2017. It is a composite device that can be used at home as well can be used as a portable device. It has wireless controllers with buttons and parallel sticks for hand-held style play. The software supports internet connectivity for online games.

    No Plans for Nintendo CEO to Launch a New Switch Model in 2020

    This game comes under the eighth generation of video game consoles and is based on the NVidia Tegra X1 chip. The Switch has a memory of 4GB and 32GB internal memory with Quad-core Cortex-A57 + Quad-core Cortex-A53 processor.

    It supports removable microSD CARD up to 2 TB. With a display screen of 6.2 inches, the Nintendo Switch ensures an excellent gaming experience. Also, the leather case provides complete protection from scratches and dirt.

    An increasingly popular platform, Nintendo Switch is the most newly designed gaming console in the market. The device can be connected with your big TV screen with a dock. There are various games exclusively designed for the Nintendo Switch. In addition, the Switch has multiple Mario games and is increasingly becoming popular with other developers.

    Recent Updates

    Coupled with the Multi-touch capacitive, the Nintendo Switch ensures more than one point of contact at the same time. Recently, there have been rumors that there isn’t any plan for the Nintendo CEO, Shuntaro Furukawa, to launch a new switch in 2020.

    There has been technically two release of the Switch in 2019 – the Switch lite and the Nintendo Switch, with better battery life and hand-held facility.

    The Switch Pro that is rumored to be in the works claims to have an upgraded version of the previous hardware, thereby ensuring excellent graphics as well as a high powered processor. According to the reports, it is claimed that there won’t be many improvements except the device would be a little faster

    The Production Update

    A Taiwan newspaper reported that a massive production would start from the first quarter of 2020. But since this is a rumor, it has been turned down by the company. Another American Journal report has claimed that the Nintendo Company is working on two types of switches.

    The first Switch would be suitable for the budget gamers, and the other device would be the refined version of the console with improved features for the hard-core gamers.

    The company is currently trying to upgrade its processor, which would enable the Switch to work for a long time without heating up, thereby making the Switch harder to hack. However, all these are mere assumptions.

    Bottom Line

    There has been controversy regarding the release date of the new Nintendo Switch. However, the Nintendo switch has turned down all the rumors in the market. They have claimed to turn down all the free rumors in the market. We are, however, still in the dark regarding the release of the new version of the Nintendo Switch.

    The earlier version of the Nintendo switch gained worldwide popularity with significant growth in sales.

  • Mobvoi TicWatch C2: Everything You Need To Know

    Mobvoi TicWatch C2: Everything You Need To Know

    Mobvoi is a comparatively new contender in the field of electronics but has quickly gained popularity with all the new features and gadgets it brings in the market pretty frequently. Mobvoi is also renowned for its extremely durable products, which offer worth for the money that the users pay.

    Mobvoi TicWatch C2: Everything You Need To Know

    Recently, Mobvoi has introduced an all-new wearable device, the Mobvoi TicWatch C2. With an impressive design and sleek look, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 goes beyond just the hefty price tag. Unlike the previous version, this device is way better in every aspect than the Mobvoi TicWatch Classic.

    Here, we will discuss everything you need to know about this all-new wearable device from the house of Mobvoi. Read on to know more:

    Design and Display

    With a sleek and high-end design, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 looks pretty sophisticated on the wrist. It has a 42 mm black case and is about 13.1 mm in thickness. Although not as rich as the TicWatch Pro, this smartwatch does come in other color variants like platinum and rose gold. There is also a smaller variant, which is about 12.8 mm and comes only in the shade rose gold. It has a minimal yet urbane look, which can be easily paired with any outfit.

    Coming to the display, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 has a 1.3-inch AMOLED display with a 360×360 pixel resolution. On the edges of the watch, there are two multifunction buttons that help you navigate around the user interface.

    Primarily made of stainless steel, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 does have a premium look on the hands. You can also choose from the variety of leather straps that Mobvoi has to offer. The smartwatch is lightweight on the sides, making it easily wearable throughout the day.

    The notifications are pretty clear and neat, appearing one after the other from the top. If you would like to know more of specific information, you can simply tap and expand it, read it, and tap it once again to collapse the notification.

    Performance

    The Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor, which can be a downside as it is a comparatively old processor than the other competitor products which come with new and advanced technologies.

    The good part is, the smartwatch works on a redesigned Wear OS platform, which is known to pair well with the old chipset and offers a smooth user experience without any friction or discontinuity. The Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 also comes with a heart rate monitor, but it does not have an in-built feature to measure the heart rate automatically.

    It is almost fluid when you scroll through the menu. Initially, it can be a little challenging to get accustomed to the button technology in this age of touch displays. Still, eventually, it becomes easy and pretty comfortable to handle the watch.

    Storage

    Talking of storage, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 comes with 4GB storage space where you can easily store Google Play music or even Spotify. But it does not support downloading and storing tracks and files in the watch.

    Operating on the Google redesigned Wear OS smartwatch platform, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 offers an extremely smooth user experience without any lag or unnecessary glitches. Users do not need to understand and use different gestures to operate the watch but ca simply swipe up or down for accessing shortcuts like Do not disturb mode or even other installed applications.

    Although the Google redesigned Wear OS works well with both iOS and Android devices, the smartwatch seems to work in a specific manner when connected to an Apple device. It does not allow the user to send text messages via the smartwatch when connected to an iPhone.

    Battery and Add-ons

    The Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 comes with various fitness features and has an in-built GPS, which allows users to track distance while running, biking, or walking. Normally, the watch uses TicHealth to monitor your fitness aspects, but you can also download and access Google Fit to track your workout sessions or others.

    Mobvoi claims that the battery life of this wearable device lasts somewhere between 24 to 36 hours in a single charge. This s an excellent attribute of the smartwatch as one of the significant features required in a wearable device is its battery holding capacity.

    However, the duration mentioned above lasts when the device is used with very little activity. But even when you use the various features of the smartwatch, like heart rate monitor, distance or workout tracker, music, or any other application, the battery life lasts one full day. This is also good enough given the kind of battery exhaustion most wearable devices have.

    All variants of the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 are IP68 water and dust resistant, so you can easily use it anytime, anywhere, without worrying too much about getting the device damaged

    Conclusion

    Given the price range, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 is a good enough product to own. It does offer a wide range of usability and advantages, along with great battery life. Being second in the line from the house of Mobvoi, we expect more and more to come from the brand. Although not as great as the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro, the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2 will be worth the pocket pinch.

    So, if you are considering to buy the Mobvoi Ticwatch C2, it will be a good buy. Packed with great features, smooth performance, and stable battery life, this fitness wearable device is going to a great one to invest in.

     

  • iQOO 3 5G Flagship Smartphone: AI Eye Tracking Technology And More

    iQOO 3 5G Flagship Smartphone: AI Eye Tracking Technology And More

    iQOO is all set to step up operation in India as a separate identity and not just a sub-brand of Vivo. Over the past years, Vivo has amped up its business in the second-largest market for smartphones in the world.

    iQOO 3 5G Flagship Smartphone: AI Eye Tracking Technology And More

    The very first device the iQOO shall be launching in India is the iQOO 3. It is a flagship 5G smartphone, which is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC chipset that is one of the best available in the market.

    iQOO is owned by the BBK Group, which has five primary brands under its name, which are OnePlus, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, and iQOO. The director of the company has further come ahead to assure that they shall be selling more than 1 million iQoo handsets in the next one year. The all-new iQOO 3 is scheduled to be launched in India in just a matter of a few days now.

    Connectivity

    Packed with features like 5G connectivity, AI Eye-tracking technology, new and improved battery technology, and eye-catching camera arrangement, the iQOO 3 is being regarded to become one of the best-in-class premium segment smartphones in India.

    iQOO plans to begin its sale online initially and later on, catch up with the retail business offline. It has already set up a team of 80 members that are based in Bengaluru. iQOO has also added that each and every one of their products will be manufactured in India.

    Targeting the premium category or segment for smartphones, iQOO intends to gain both mind and market shares in India. The growing trend for premium phones in India is giving way for the brands as well as sub-brands to roll out new devices providing a smooth smartphone experience.

    Specifications

    Talking about the specs of the iQOO 3, the Weibe account for iQOO has given away a few details about the smartphone. The most interesting one of which is the AI Eye-tracking technology. This feature mainly concentrates on the eye of the individual in a frame. More details are yet to be rolled out.

    Camera

    The iQOO 3 comes with a quad electronic camera arrangement along with a central 48-megapixel sensing unit. Additionally, the camera features a 50 mm expert picture lens. Also, based on various leaks on Weibe, we can well tell that the smartphone will feature at least a 12 GB massive RAM and most definitely work on Android 10.

    Style

    Coming to its style, the iQOO 3 is known to have a hole-punch style, which also comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner. The 6.44-inch huge OLED screen will display unmatched picture quality that is life-like and with brilliant color representation. Furthermore, it supposedly comes with a substantial 4410Mah battery.

  • TikTok Deepfakes – Manipulated videos with face-swapping technology

    TikTok Deepfakes – Manipulated videos with face-swapping technology

    TikTok is one of the leading social media platforms for new generation youngsters. It has become one of the most used applications in the world. In 2019, TikTok was the most downloaded application, with more than 46 million downloads just in the first quarter of the year.

    TikTok Deepfakes - Manipulated videos with face-swapping technology

    Recently, a face-swapping technology, Deepfakes, has become widely popular among TikTok users. There are several users of TikTok who have gained immense popularity just by creating short 60 second videos in the app.

    There are also some users who use the content from such popular TikTok users to make themselves famous. The face in the videos is replaced with different caricature faces or other human faces to attract more viewers to their own accounts.

    TikTok Deepfakes

    This face-swapping technology is known as deepfakes, which is a term used for videos or images. Later, that have been doctored using artificial intelligence to suggest something fake. Deepfakes are often used by comedians and other influencers to create a video or image. Hence, they would seem like someone has said or done something, whereas, in reality, nothing of that sort has happened.

    Wrapping it up

    A lot of users have also expressed their concern on how this technology could be misused to spread misinformation or affect reputations. Facebook has also recently banned the use of such deepfakes on the platform. However, it also has certain loopholes.

  • An all-new Contender for TikTok: Byte

    An all-new Contender for TikTok: Byte

    A video-sharing social networking site, TikTok is a Beijing based company launched in 2016 for iOS and Android and is available in 40 languages. This networking site has gained popularity worldwide.

    An all-new Contender for TikTok Byte

    The TikTok app allows the user to create and upload short videos up to 60 seconds with background music and dialogues. This also allows short lip sync videos. The app comes with the ‘react’ and ‘duet’ feature. The react feature allows the user to give reaction top specific videos, whereas the Duet feature allows two videos to be played simultaneously.

    The privacy of the user is highly secured. The personal information can be kept blocked from a specific user, and the user can choose or reject his friends whenever he likes. Certain videos can also be kept public or private, according to the wishes of the user. There is a feature of viewing recommended videos in the “for you” page for the users to view various videos and react to them.

    Like TikTok, Byte is also a video-sharing social networking site launched in January 2020 by Dom Hofmann led the development team and is available in 41 languages.

    This was initially launched for iOS and Android. This app allows the user to share a 2 to 6.5 seconds video. For this, the user needs to register for an account. The app allows the user to react to other’s videos and can also search for videos according to searching categories.

    The Byte app has posed a severe challenge to the existence of the long-lived and widespread TikTok. Byte has been ranked No. 1 in Apple’s U.S. App Store, as a free iOS app in Canada, and No. 10 in Australia, New Zealand, Norway, and the U.K.

    Though there is nothing that can challenge the 60 seconds format of TikTok, the newly launched Byte app had 780,000 times downloads in its first week. By now, it has downloads of more than 1.3 m by contrast to 1 billion TikTok downloads, which seems to be an impressive start.

    TikTok’s attractiveness lay in its viral-friendly features accompanied by various filters, visual effects, lip-sync features. But the Byte lacks in these features. What Byte possesses is its large number of influencers. However, both apps have a similar interface since both the apps do the same work of sharing videos.

    More bout Byte Videos

    The Byte is best suitable for fast and quick videos. The Byte allows the user to get paid for uploading a video that is absent in the case of TikTok. But the TikTok users can earn money by the ads that are released by the app, but this is not available to everyone.

    However, Byte is not available in North America and Canada, and unless this problem is fixed, Byte cannot catch TikTok for sure. Besides these, TikTok has more features than Byte, and if Byte wants to surpass TikTok in its popularity, then it has to pull up its socks with various new features in the future.

    Bottom Line

    Though Byte has shown impressive downloads in its first week, yet it is far behind TikTok in many aspects. It cannot beat the popular TikTok app unless it makes some improvements soon.

  • Everything You Need To Know About The Android’s New File System

    Everything You Need To Know About The Android’s New File System

    Mobile gaming is one of the booming industries today. With numerous games of different genres to cater to all kinds of users and players, the Android gaming section is only going for a rise in the future. Games in all categories like adventure, arcade, educational, puzzle, simulation, strategy, trivia, music, or card, both free and paid, are prevalent amongst youngsters in today’s time.

    Everything You Need To Know About The Android’s New File System

    Recently, Google has rolled out rumors of developing a new feature for Android that shall allow users to start gaming even before they finish installing the game. Google has made few patch submissions to check to merge support for the new system into the Linux Kernel.

    As per the document that Google has submitted, Incremental FS is a virtual Linux New File System that allows the execution of a program even while its binary functions and resource files are in the process of downloading. This technology is almost similar to the ones which operate in PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

    In simpler words, Android will allow its users to start playing games even before the game has been downloaded and installed completely. So, let’s say you would like to download a 4GB game on your device. This will take a considerable amount of time to download and launch on your smartphone.

    But the new incremental FS can effortlessly launch the game without any discontinuity while the game gets downloaded in the background.

    The User Experience

    From the recent proceedings, it is visible that Google is trying out new ways and means to enhance the overall user experience. This could also be a beginning to the method of gaming in which gamers will no longer require to download massive games to start playing entirely.

    This would also result in serving as a native Instant Apps replacement, which will not need developers to work extra as the implementation will be directly done in-kernel.

    In we go deeper into the documentation submitted by Google, we can see that Google suggests Android will be downloading the data packages first. This means an intro file will be downloaded initially while the complete game can be downloaded later. It also recommends loading ‘hot blocks,’ which shall be used as filler content to avoid any kind of discontinuity or friction while gaming.

    Incremental New File System feature

    Google has also confirmed that new Android devices with the Incremental FS feature will have an incremental data directory, which will contain subdirectories for each of the app installed or launched on the particular device.

    For the past year, Google has been testing the Incremental FS feature in Google Pixel 4 XL. However, there has been no significant news about the success of the feature now. We hope to see the feature roll out with Android v12 later in 2021.

  • Realme 5 Pro: Android 10 Upgrade

    Realme 5 Pro: Android 10 Upgrade

    Most of the handsets that have been released in 2019 and the previous year have started receiving the Android 10 upgrades. Android had begun rolling out the Android 10 version to the Pixel devices last September.

    Realme Pro 5 Android 10 Upgrade

     

    Now moving to the other devices, it seems likely that Realme 5 Pro is due to get its direct version of Android 10 by the coming month while the Realme X should have it by this month.

    Several Realme devices have already been testing the Android 10 beta versions. Still, for now, it is most likely that the Realme handsets will no longer get the beta firmware update but move directly to the stable Android 10 version.

    According to reports, Realme has published its software release dates and timeline in January 2020, wherein it has confirmed the Realme 5 Pro to receive the Android 10 version soon. It has assured that its users should keep an eye on the regular announcements regarding the update. It is all set to arrive in March 2020.

    The Software Updates

    Realme 5 Pro has been receiving regular software updates ever since its release but did not receive the Android update as yet. But, now it shall skip the beta programs moving straight the core version of the Android 10.

    It has been the same case for Realme X as well. But it shall have the update to the most recent Android version earlier than the other Realme handsets. The users of Realme X can get themselves prepared for a leap from Android Pie to Android 10.

  • How to use Sound Amplifier on Android 10?

    How to use Sound Amplifier on Android 10?

    Google has always been keen on providing its users with a fresh experience through its Android platform. Be it related to the User Interface, the navigation keys, Multi-Window mode or even the minuscule changes that comes with every Android update.

    From functions for the neophyte gamers to aspiring shutterbug, from functions for the highly sophisticated netizens to sound enhancements for music enthusiasts, Google’s Android has it all. And, with every Android update, it has worked towards increasing the ease of access for its users.

    How to use Sound Amplifier on Android 10

    Today, we will delve deeper into the spectrum of the sound amplifier on Android Q or mostly renowned as Android 10. Sound Amplifiers are present on the Android platform since Android 6 Marshmellow. The idea behind introducing amplifiers was to give users relishing experience when it comes to listening to songs via headphones. It allows users to customize frequencies and strike a balance between foreground and background noise and listen to a more emphasized and pleasing music.

    Working of Sound Amplifier on Android 10

    Well, first you need to know that if your phone has a built-in Sound Amplifier or not.

    For that you need to go to your Settings->Accessibility->Sound Amplifier. If you don’t find this function, don’t panic; just go to the Google Play Store and download it. It basically improvises the sound quality when we tune to play music or even make a phone call. In order to experience this, one needs to plug in the headphone.

    Turning on the Sound Amplifier

    If you have already installed the Sound Amplifier on your device, then follow the below steps to start it.

    1. Open the Settings of your phone.
    2. Click on Accessibility, then on Sound Amplifier.
    3. Now, click on Use service.
    4. You have to allow the permissions here.
    5. Connect the earphones/headphones to your phone.
    6. You are now ready to start the Sound Amplifier.

    Changing the setting of the Sound Amplifier 

    One can adjust the tuning levels and loudness to fit the environment. Follow the below steps –

    1. On your phone, go to the Sound Amplifier.

    In the settings of Sound Amplifier, you can experiment with these alternatives as per your choice:

        • Click on Pause to pause the amplification.
        • You can also modify the sound settings. Go to the Sound tab. Here, try adjusting the Fine-tuning control and find the best setup for you.
        • On the same tab, you can click on the Adjust ears separately.  It will apply the settings to the right and left audio individually.
        • To reduce the unwanted sounds, click on the Noise tab. Here, you can alter the noise attenuation level.

    The Sound Amplifier comes with multiple functions wherein each ear sound can be adjusted as per users’ needs. The features include sound enhancements with noise reduction along with source selection.

    The features have sub enhancements which as a consequence opens a broader level of sound configuration. More to it is the boost and fine-tune enhancement that comes hand in hand.

    At the end

    More or less, the Sound Amplifier works in a similar way as you apply filters to your photos. The filters beautify the selfies and snaps while the Sound Amplifier filters your sound. Thus, providing you a fresh experience and lets you secluded from the outer world.

    Now, you don’t have to worry about the noise encapsulating you. Whether you are traveling or going for a workout, just plug in your earphones and dwell into your own world.

  • Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rolls out Android 10 update in Germany and the USA

    Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rolls out Android 10 update in Germany and the USA

    Samsung launched the beta release a few days ago. Now, the smartphone giant Samsung has finally released an Android 10 update for Samsung Galaxy Note 9. It comes with UI 2.0 features. Android 10 is now on its way to the public. Samsung has rolled it out in Germany and the USA

    Samsung Galaxy Note 9 rolls out Android 10 update in Germany and the USA

    For those who didn’t try the beta, it’s been a long time for them to get an Android 10 update. Currently, it is in Germany and the USA. But we can expect its rollout across the globe in a matter of weeks. Comments have also rolled out of the internet from various users receiving the update of Android 10.

    Inclusions in Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Android 10 update

    Android 10 update comes with a firmware version, N960FXXU4DSLB. This firmware has unique features that will significantly improve the smartphone.

    They’ve officially released it as ‘System Update 16’ with the inclusion of the February 2020 Android Security Patch Update. In what’s a new section during the initial update process, it shows only Android 10.0 and updated user experience.

    Also, another point to notice here is that only users with Verizon’s network have received the update. If you’re a Note 9 user on Verizon’s network, you might have already got a notification pop-up on the bar.

    It mainly contains One UI 2.0 (UI is User interface). So, it is a big package deal for users like a gift that includes all features of UI 2.0. However, everyone is yet to get lucky.

    Updates in One UI 2.0

    One UI user interface is just a year old, a little earlier than that. But, there is a lot of room for improvisation, according to Samsung.

    There are several features of UI 2.0 and looking at them; it seems they’ve worked on identifying root issues of display, notifications, positions, permissions, camera, arrangement, and many more. Let us list down a few for you.

      • Quick toggles won’t come up on tapping lock screen notifications.
      • Position of app permission dialogues is at the bottom now
      • Separate Active and silent notifications
      • UI interface lock screen can far better recognize color differences
      • Time and date size in the drop-down reduced
      • The camera will be in full-screen mode while opening from messaging apps
      • Optimized Camera app arrangements and feature positions
      • Options such as aspect ratio, split-screen, pop-up view
      • More simplified calendar
      • Device care station now has a new design at screen bottom now
      • All-time related stuff combined in one scree (world-clock, alarm, timer, stopwatch, etc.)

    Many other updates are not visible on the front screen but will contribute to the performance of your mobile. Many different corners of the world are yet to receive the update.

    You can check if you have the update available in your country. You will need to go to the Software Update menu in settings and select download and install.

    It is also available via the Samsung Firmware website. One thing is sure that Samsung Note 9 users will have a more comfortable and smooth life now.