Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Apple : Aspeed roadmap reveals Intel Eagle Stream platform coming in early 2021

Apple : Aspeed roadmap reveals Intel Eagle Stream platform coming in early 2021

Aspeed roadmap reveals Intel Eagle Stream platform coming in early 2021

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 02:47 PM PDT

A new roadmap suggests that Intel’s Eagle Stream platform and Sapphire Rapids processors are still right on schedule.

Aspeed, leading provider of Baseboard Management Controllers (BMCs), recently launched the AST2600, the first 28nm BMC chip intended for the next generation servers. And, with the AST2600 announcement came the chip’s roadmap, which made an appearance on serial hardware leaker Komachi_Ensaka’s Twitter feed.

While that’s excellent news in its own right, what caught our attention here is this roadmap itself. Bearing the Aspeed logo, it clearly shows that Intel’s Eagle Stream Platform is expected for an early 2021 launch. As Tom’s Hardware reports, this is promising news considering Intel has already delayed the release of its Ice Lake-SP processors.

Right on schedule

This roadmap corroborates a leaked Huawei roadmap, also revealed by Tom’s Hardware earlier in May. This shows that Intel is planning on launching Sapphire Rapids in 2021 and Granite Rapids (7nm) in 2022. This older roadmap also shows that Sapphire Rapids will support DDR5, PCIe 5.0 and CXL.

Sapphire Rapids, the 10nm microarchitecture that’s intended to succeed Ice Lake, was first announced in a May 2019 Intel Investor Meeting. And, if you don’t know already, Eagle Stream, slated to succeed 2020’s Whitley platform, will serve as the data center platform for these chips as well as the Granite Rapids chips that will follow them.

Of course, Intel hasn’t confirmed any of this. Nor has the company formally announced the Eagle Stream platform.

However, if both roadmaps were to be believed and nothing changes drastically from now until 2021, then Intel is right on schedule and it is full steam ahead for the microarchitectures and their processors.

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State of Play: the biggest announcements and trailers from PlayStation’s showcase

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 02:41 PM PDT

After a quiet couple of months Sony and PlayStation have returned with a brand new episode of State of Play for September 2019. 

After some negative comparisons to Nintendo’s slick Direct livestreams, Sony’s third State of Play sported a brand new look and, more importantly, brought us some much-needed updates to Sony’s lineup after the company’s absence from the E3 stage. 

Across the 20 minute-long show Sony and PlayStation didn’t mess around, with bumper-to-bumper announcements and little filler which makes a real change from that E3 2018 presentation. 

If you missed out on the livestream itself, don’t fret because we’ve got a roundup of all the biggest announcements and trailer from PlayStation’s September State of Play right here for your to browse at your leisure. 

The Last of Us: Part 2

The Last of Us 2 was the game that we had confirmation was going to appear and it was, as expected, the star of the stream and was used wrap things up. We weren’t entirely sure what to expect but Sony ended our collective agony and presented us with a cinematic trailer comprised of clips from the game showing Ellie and, crucially, Joel.  You can watch this atmospheric trailer for yourself below. 

Even more importantly, we finally got that release date. The Last of Us 2 will be releasing on February 21 2020. As was long suspected.

Death Stranding

There’s been a lot of Death Stranding news recently; the game was a significant presence at Tokyo Games Show with more than an hour of game footage shown and Hideo Kojima has been dropping tidbits about what we can expect in interviews and on Twitter, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it might not make an appearance during this State of Play. 

Then again, with the game releasing in November this is pretty much the last chance to push it to a large and captive PlayStation audience, so perhaps it’s not really that surprising that it appeared in some capacity. 

Fortunately for those that are experiencing Death Stranding fatigue, no, it wasn’t new footage to contend with. Instead, it was the announcement that there will be a Limited Edition PS4 Pro bundle available on the game’s November 8 launch day. It's definitely not the worst limited edition bundle we've ever seen (you know how these things can be). In fact, dare we say it, that yellow controller is actually quite snazzy. 

Humanity

Things started off on a bit of a strange foot with a trailer for a 2020 release called Humanity from Enhance and Tha Ltd. 

Depicting streams of people moving together and against one another, the trailer looked like drone footage of the final days of the Christmas shopping period. 

First announced in 2018, Humanity has been described as a “crowd action game” and while we’re not entirely sure what that means we are still interested to see what it will involve when it launches on PS4 and PSVR in 2020. See if you can make sense of the trailer for yourself below:

Wattam

From the creator of Katamari Damacy and Noby Noby Boy, Keita Takahashi, comes a colorful and whimsical adventure called Wattam. 

The game was first announced all the way back in 2015 but now we finally know that the solo and co-op adventure will launch in December 2019 and we were treated to a brand new gameplay trailer.  

Wattam looks set to be another wacky and joyful adventure filled with unusual and likeable characters as well as fantastic music and surprising gameplay. Watch the trailer for it below:

Afterparty

From Night School Studio, the creators of Oxenfree, comes Afterparty, a new game starring Satan and two dead friends called Milo and Lola. This is a game that’s clearly got style and a sense of humor since it tasks you with outdrinking Satan in order to escape Hell regain entry to Earth. Something we’d all probably claim we could do without ever having to prove it. Now's our chance. The game will launch on PS4 on October 29 2019, just in time for Halloween. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty is a third-party cross-platform franchise but it’s always had close ties with Sony and PlayStation. It leaked before the show, sadly, but Activision used State of Play to debut Modern Warfare's story trailer. It was visually impressive trailer with some convincing facial animations and voice acting. It looks like the story mode could be a real highlight of the game.

It was also revealed that PlayStation players will get exclusive early access to Special Ops Survival Mode when Modern Warfare launches on October 25 and this access will last until October 1 2020. 

PSVR

Rockstar Games used the presentation to reveal that L. A. Noire The VR Case Files is available on PlayStation VR right now. 

We also got a very quick look at some upcoming releases on the platform which include Espire 1: VR Operative coming in September 2019, Stardust Odyssey in winter 2019, After the Fall in 2020, and Space Channel 5 Autumn 2019. 

It was a very brief overview and we didn’t get any news on the Iron Man VR release as it was widely rumored we would, but after Sony attracted some criticism for a PSVR-heavy State of Play previously we’re not surprised they kept things short this time. 

Anything else?

It was confirmed that the free games for PlayStation Plus in October will be The Show 19 and, fittingly, The Last of Us Remastered. Perfect timing for those who haven't had the chance to play it but have had their interest piqued by the most recent trailer to The Last of Us 2. 

It was also revealed that Sid Meier’s Civilisation VI will be launching on PlayStation 4 on November 22 2019 with expansions.

Any glaring omissions?

So it was a jam-packed 20 minutes from Sony but was there anything missing? Well, we already knew this would be the case since Sony made it perfectly clear in the blog post announcing the stream but there was no mention the next generation or the PlayStation 5. So for all of you hoping for a wily double bluff we’re afraid not. 

As far as absent games are concerned, Ghost of Tsushima really lived up to its name. We’ve not heard about Sucker Punch’s next title in quite a while and this could have been a good opportunity for it to get a mention. However, with two big releases in the form of The Last of Us 2 and Death Stranding coming before Ghost of Tsushima we’re not surprised that Sony saw fit to keep its cards close to its chest for what’s potentially going to be a more substantial update at a later date. 

This State of Play was a smooth, concise and well-balanced show from Sony with The Last of Us 2 looming large and bleak while Wattam gave us something a little more joyful to look forward to.

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The Last of Us 2: release date, news, and rumors

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 01:32 PM PDT

You read that right: The Last of Us 2 is nearing the end of development and will be in our hands in 2020.

As endings go, The Last of Us's was pretty conclusive. But as it turns out, that hasn't stopped The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog from cranking out a sequel in the form of The Last of Us 2 – or, The Last of Us: Part 2 if we're using its proper name. 

Given the first game was hailed by players and critics alike as a masterpiece with excellent, emotional storytelling and engaging, realistic characters, we have to admit that the decision to release a follow-up isn't particularly shocking. We'd probably have been more surprised if there wasn't one. And yet, when The Last of Us 2 was first announced, we'd be lying if we said our hearts didn't skip a beat. 

The Last of Us 2 was first announced by Naughty Dog at PlayStation Experience in 2016 alongside a teaser trailer but it wasn't until September 2019 that we were finally told the game's release date during a State of Play livestream. Now we know for sure that we'll be joining Ellie on her next adventure in February 2020. 

[Update: During Sony's State of Play livestream we got another thrilling trailer for The Last of Us 2 as well as a release date. Yes that's right!]

Cut to the chase

  • What is it? The sequel to the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic game The Last of Us
  • When can I play it? February 21 2020
  • What can I play it on? PlayStation 4

The Last of Us 2 trailers 

The most recent trailer for The Last of Us 2 is also its release date announcement trailer. Shown during the September 2019 State of Play stream, it confirms the game will be coming on February 21 2020 and shows Ellie in action as well as a glimpse at Joel. 

The Last of Us 2 was shown during E3 2018. This trailer finally gives us a look at Ellie in an intimate scene before cutting away to some of the brutal but stealth-based combat we can expect to see in the game when it's launched.

The gameplay sequence gives us a look at Ellie fighting for her life in the wild. Success in a fight appears to require the right balance between stealth and all out attack as damage seems to have a more realistic impact. Ellie can move quietly between areas, taking weapons from bodies and crafting, before bursting out and taking down her enemies. It's a different creature in many ways to the original The Last of Us but it looks like something to look forward to, with more advanced enemies to challenge us and more complex gameplay to thrill us. 

See the gameplay for yourself below.

The Last of Us Part 2 had another trailer drop during PSX 2017. During a panel it was confirmed that the game will be set in the city of Seattle and the darker themes we know are coming were touched upon. You can watch the panel for yourself below:

Another trailer for the game was shown at Sony's press conference during the 2017 Paris Games Week. This trailer is around 5 minutes long, focusing on conflicts between the human factions in the game. It shows part 2 is going to have a dark story, perhaps even darker than the first, and the trailer is fairly harrowing to watch. 

Visually impressive though it is, do note that it's gory before you watch it for yourself below. 

The first look at The Last of Us 2 came with its announcement at PlayStation Experience in 2016. Despite the fact that the game was early in development, the trailer showed a full (non-gameplay) scene that features both Ellie and Joel. You can watch it below:

The Last of Us 2 release date

After hoping, praying and speculating we finally got confirmation during the September 2019 State of Play that The Last of Us 2 will be released on February 21 2020. 

What we know so far

September PlayStation Events

The Last of Us fans finally got confirmation that The Last of Us 2 will launch on February 21 2020 during the September State of Play alongside a brand new trailer that features plenty of action and a look at Ellie and Joel.  

GameStop Conference

Some brand new The Last of Us 2 footage was apparently shown behind closed doors during the recent GameStop managers conference in Nashville. The footage, which will be available to the wider world "soon", was short and showcased some of the game's stealth aspects, including how clickers can be used to your advantage. 

When this "soon" that the footage will be released is isn't yet known but one opportunity for Sony and Naughty Dog to show some new footage would be during Paris Games Week in October if it doesn't drop even sooner.

More from Troy Baker

The teasing for The Last of Us 2 continues at Manchester Comic-Con. Troy Baker, voice of Joel, has once again been talking about the game and this time he’s said:

“There is nothing about this game, nor the reveals, that hasn’t been 100% carefully crafted and methodically curated. All I can tell you is that as much as you’re clamoring for it, you’re not ready.”

If that’s true then the careful curation possibly extends to Baker’s excellent hyping here. What that tells us is that we’re not going to hear anything about this game’s release date until Sony and Naughty Dog want us to and it could be a little while longer before we do. 

Troy Baker shedding some light

Things have been a little quiet around The Last of Us Part II lately so Troy Baker, the voice of Joel, has caused some excitement merely by mentioning the game. During Manchester Comic-Con, Baker was asked what can be expected from the sequel and wasn't able to give away much. What he did say, however, was that "it's hands down the most ambitious game that Naughty Dog has ever done for sure. It's far larger than I thought was going to be possible." That's a pretty big statement to make and one guaranteed to leave fans salivating. 

When it came to the release date, though, Baker wasn't able to make any announcements. Not because he didn't want to (though obviously and understandably he didn't) but because he and his fellow cast members don't know the release date just yet. "Last time we announced, we slipped," he explained, "And they don't want to do that again." 

(Via PlayStationLifestyle)

The Last of Us 2

Rumors of a delay

There was much excitement on May 29 as a result of PlayStation exclusive Death Stranding finally getting its release date confirmed as November 8 2019. This has, however, had a ripple effect which is concerning fans of The Last of Us 2.

With Death Stranding now slotted in as PlayStation's big exclusive release for the holiday season of 2019, it's been rumored (by Kotaku's Jason Schreier among others) that The Last of Us 2, also originally said to be looking at a late 2019 release, will now be pushed into early 2020.

This has not been confirmed by Naughty Dog or PlayStation so it remains nothing more than rumor at the moment. It's also worth pointing out that The Last of Us 2 has never had a set-in-stone release date anyway. 

However, an early 2020 release date for The Last of Us 2 does not seem impossible at this point as PlayStation having two such huge releases close together at the end of 2019 would be a surprise indeed.

A recent interview with Ellie actress, Ashley Johnson, has also added to those early 2020 rumors as, when asked by the interviewer when the game will release, she appears to begin to say February. However, nothing has been confirmed by Naughty Dog just yet so everything stands as rumor only at the the moment.

Into the final stages

News around The Last of Us 2 has been hotting up recently as the game inches closer towards completion. Naughty Dog has now confirmed that the final scene for the game has been shot and the game’s co-director, Anthony Newman, has tweeted out a recruitment call as the studio begins to “close out” the game’s development. 

As promising as these announcements are, they don't reveal anything about whether or not we can expect to see The Last of Us 2 this year or next. Regardless, development has reached a critical stage and though Sony won’t be attending E3 2019, that doesn’t mean it can’t make some announcements around the time of the show. In fact, recent rumors have suggested that we will see some kind of news around this time. Hopefully we’ll see a confirmed release date in the coming months. 

Mocap is underway

Things have been quiet on the official news front for The Last of Us 2 but we've been glad to see some studio insiders and actors from the game posting images on social media which show that the game's motion capture is well underway. Actors Ashley Johnson and Shannon Woodward have both posted images of themselves wearing mocap suits. They didn't give much away but the fact that Naughty Dog is this far into the motion capture process suggests we might at least be closer to hearing about a possible release date. 

Troy Baker is impressed

The Last of Us 2 is still in the works, but we now know that one of its lead voice actors, Troy Baker, has had an in-depth look and he thinks the game is 'awesome'. It's not clear whether Baker just saw some gameplay or had the chance to go hands-on himself but according to GameRant he said during MCM Comic Con at Birmingham “It’s a fantastic story. It’s a fantastic game. We just finished a playtest. It’s looking awesome. I can’t for it to be on shelves.” Though we can't be sure where exactly in the development process it is (during PSX, it was said that Naughty Dog had reached around the 50 to 60% mark) this playtest is an encouraging sign. 

Directors

With Neil Druckmann having been promoted to Vice President of Naughty Dog, The Last of Us 2 now has two confirmed directors. Druckmann will, of course, still be heavily involved in the creation of the game but it's now being headed up by Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau, both of whom were lead designers on Uncharted 4. 

Story

Although it was no slouch in the gameplay department, it was the story told by The Last of Us that stuck with us for months afterwards. Naturally Naughty Dog had to give us some kind of hint about where the sequel would go. 

At the moment we know The Last of Us 2 will take place in the city of Seattle, five years after the end of the original game, with a 19 year old Ellie taking the starring playable role. Joel will still appear in the game but if the teaser trailer is anything to go by, he could be a much more passive presence. 

This time around, Ellie is extremely angry about...something. From what we saw from the teaser trailer she wants revenge, which to her appears to be a dish best served deadly. 

She does, after all, promise to “kill every last one of them.” It’s not clear who “them” is but it could signal that the Fireflies, the first game's well-meaning but morally grey antagonists, will make a return. Anger, hate and revenge are going to be key themes this time around so expect to be in for an emotionally heavy ride. 

The Last of Us 2

In the trailer for the game shown at Paris Games Week in 2017, we got a look at how dark the game is likely to be. The trailer focuses on the opposing relationships between human characters in the game and features some seriously cringe-inducing violence. 

It doesn't tell us much about any new characters of how they'll relate to one another but it does confirm that we're going into a dark game world in The Last of Us part 2. 

In a recent panel at PSX both Druckmann and Gross said that though the game's story will indeed be dark and there'll be a focus on the theme of hate, "there is hope" and there will be "lighthearted moments." 

We can't pretend we're not relieved to hear this after the game's controversial Paris Games Week trailer which, Druckmann said, was intended to highlight the game's exploration of the pursuit of justice.

Ellie is one of the most real and refreshing characters we’ve seen in gaming so it’s exciting that Naughty Dog are going to take her story further and put her in center stage. 

The creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann has said that the story will be about Ellie and Joel’s relationship and that though the story would be complementary to the story of the first game, it would be much larger. 

The Last of Us 2

When asked at a PSX panel whether or not Joel or Ellie may die, Druckmann responded that "no one is safe" highlighting that the game's story really could go anywhere. 

Hopes are particularly high for this larger story as it’s been revealed that one of the writers of Westworld, Halley Gross, will be co-writing the game’s story. Having someone who’s written scripts for such an incredibly popular and successful show should be a boon for the game's story. 

Gameplay

E3 2018 brought us our first proper look at the gameplay in The Last of Us Part 2. Given Ellie is now the leading playable character, it was expected that things would be a little different from the first game and the presentation at the show made this fairly clear. 

Ellie will have some moves similar to Joel but there are some things she'll be able to do that are completely different. For one thing she can jump - the new jump button should make the world of The Last of Us Part 2 more complex and more enjoyable to traverse. It also has the potential to make combat more interesting. Speaking of combat, Ellie doesn't really throw punches as her first form of attack, she has a stealthy knife. Melee combat generally appears to offer a little more than the original game, with evasions and an environment that can help as well as hinder your fighting.

Not only has Ellie matured as a character, the enemies she faces have developed and they're more realistic than ever. The Infected in The Last of Us Part 2 are smarter and more reactive than their predecessors, making them a tougher foe to face. AI has improved, allowing enemies to communicate with one another and to look for Ellie when she's hiding. Expect some tense moments to arise from this. 

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Security flaw in Bitdefender Antivirus Free 2020 leaves millions at risk

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 01:24 PM PDT

A critical security flaw has been found in Bitdefender Antivirus Free 2020 by security researchers from SafeBreach which could allow hackers to gain complete control over a user's computer.

The vulnerability was discovered by the company's Peleg Hadar who explained to Forbes why he decided to look for flaws in antivirus software, saying:

"I’ve picked this particular software mainly because it’s a popular one which is probably used by many users, so this kind of vulnerability has a big impact. In my opinion, it’s very important to fix these kinds of issues so people will be more secure." 

The vulnerability in Bitdefender Antivirus Free 2020 is so critical because the dynamic link library (DLL) loaded into memory by the software does not have protections in place to ensure that it is actually from the company. This means that hackers could create their own DLL and inject into the software using a cyber exploit known as DLL hijacking.

To make matters worse, BitDefender's antivirus software loads the DLL every time it is restarted so if malicious code was injected into the software, it would be persistent and almost impossible to track.

Privilege escalation flaw

Hadar provided further details on the security flaw he found in Bitdefender Antivirus Free 2020 in a blog post, saying:

“The vulnerability gives attackers the ability to load and execute malicious payloads using a signed service. This ability might be abused by an attacker, for example to achieve Application Whitelisting Bypass for purposes such as execution and evasion.”

Once an attacker gains access to a user's system by exploiting the flaw in Bitdefender's software, they could use the service to operate as an admin, giving them access to almost every file and process stored on the device.

Thankfully, the flaw only affects the free version of the company's antivirus and it has published a security advisory with more details on the vulnerability. Bitdefender has also issued a patch to correct the flaw.

Via Forbes

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Court rules “right to be forgotten” only applies to EU

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 12:24 PM PDT

The EU's top court has ruled that Google and other search engines do not have to apply the right to be forgotten outside of the EU.

The search giant will only be required to remove links from its search results in Europe and not on a global scale following the court's ruling.

Back in 2015, France's privacy regulator CNIL ordered Google to globally remove search result listings to any page which contained damaging or false information about a person. While the company did introduce a geoblocking feature that prevents European users from being able to see links that were delisted, it chose not to censor search results for users in other parts of the world and because of this, CNIL fined Google €100,000.

The ongoing dispute between the French regulator and the search engine ended with a ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the matter, which said:

"Currently, there is no obligation under EU law, for a search engine operator who grants a request for de-referencing made by a data subject... to carry out such a de-referencing on all the versions of its search engine."

Right to be forgotten

Although Europeans have had the right to request links to pages containing sensitive information about them be removed since 2014, the introduction of GDPR in 2018 also allowed them to make a request to any organization to have their information removed either verbally or in writing and recipients were given one month to respond.

Google argued that this obligation had the potential to be abused by authoritarian governments to cover up human rights abuses if it were applied outside of Europe.

Since it began to apply the right to be forgotten in May of 2014, the company has received over 845,000 requests to remove a total of 3.3m web addresses. Of these requests, only around 45 percent of the links were ultimately delisted.

If the UK does decide to leave the EU, with or without a deal, the right to be forgotten should still apply at least in the short to medium-term.

  • Protect your privacy online with the best VPN services of 2019

Via The BBC

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Best phones with big display in India

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 12:07 PM PDT

Big screen smartphones may seem commonplace these days, but at one point of time, there was only an odd phone that would sport a big display. However, once smartphones with big displays went mainstream with the introduction of several budget offerings, they have been the rage ever since.

While companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo and others capitalised on this trend, it is worth noting that not all big screen smartphones are comparable. Several aspects like the display technology, sharpness, brightness and even touch response matter a lot.

If you are looking for a smartphone with a big, vivid display, we have compiled a list of the best big screen smartphones in India across different price segments.

Samsung has been the go-to smartphone maker besides Apple when it comes to stunning, sharp displays. That is reflected in the Galaxy S10 Plus as well, which features a 6.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED display with a laser-cut capsule hole on the top right. This, coupled with the thin bezels mean that you get a big, high resolution display that is pocketable.

The Galaxy S10 runs on Android 9.0 Pie with the brand new One UI on top. One of the goals of One UI is to make UI navigation easier on big screen smartphones, making it the perfect complement. It is powered by the Exynos 9820 chipset and has ample memory and storage to keep performance up to snuff.

Read the full review: Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus review

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus

While the Galaxy S10 Plus is a great smartphone, there is no beating the Galaxy Note series when it comes the best big display smartphones. Undoubtedly, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus is the best smartphone out there if you are looking for a big display. In conjunction with One UI and the enhanced S-Pen, the Galaxy Note 10 Plus offers an unrivalled big screen experience.

Add to it the fact that the Note 10 Plus features the latest cutting-edge technology that Samsung currently has to offer and you get the perfect recipe for a great experience.

Asus continues to build upon its ROG brand of gaming hardware with the launch of the ROG Phone 2. Featuring the most high-end specs that an Android phone currently can, the ROG Phone 2 is the latest gaming beast in town that offers maximum performance at mid-range prices.

The biggest draw of the ROG Phone 2 is its vivid AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate that offers an extremely smooth experience. While the mobile gaming industry is still developing, the ROG Phone 2 can be a good option if you want that ultimate gaming experience on an Android smartphone.

Read our hands-on review: Asus ROG Phone 2

Apple has been known for its excellent cameras, but the debut of the Pixel smartphones has taken some sheen off the iPhones. While Apple took a while to bounce back in the smartphone photography game, it seems to have finally delivered with the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

Apple has taken the best of the technologies at its disposal and integrated it all in the iPhone 11 Pro Max. The big display, big battery, the perfect trifecta of cameras on the back and a night mode that really shines - the iPhone 11 Pro Max delivers on all fronts.

Read our full review: iPhone 11 Pro Max

At launch, the Pixel 3 XL offered one of the best camera experiences on an Android smartphone, and even bested the latest iPhone in the market. However, the fact that it has a fairly big 6.3-inch display goes unnoticed.

The Pixel 3 XL’s big high-resolution display is complemented by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and 4GB RAM which is good enough to binge watch Netflix or Hotstar occasionally and you get the cleanest UI experience with fast updates

Also Read: Google Pixel 3 XL review

Huawei has come out of the shadows over the last few years, establishing itself in many major markets around the world. The P30 Pro is the company’s most advanced smartphone to be launched recently. It sports a 6.47-inch OLED display with a 1080 x 2340 resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio and 398ppi pixel density.

The Huawei P30 Pro excels in most multitasking aspects, offering a zippy fast and smooth experience. The EMUI custom interface does need some optimisations, but overall, the display, camera and the performance offer a very solid experience.

Read the full review: Huawei P30 Pro review

Samsung has refined its smartphones a lot over the last few years and the Galaxy Note series remains the best testament to this.

Although the Galaxy Note 9 is now a year old, it is still an excellent option if you want a big display smartphone. Featuring a stunning 6.3-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, the Galaxy Note 9 delivers on all fronts – it offers a stunning, vivid display, a powerful chipset, a dual camera setup and a minimal design that stays functional.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review

For a while, Apple continued to offer iPhones with displays that were smaller on an average when compared to the competition. That, however, changed with the 'Plus' and the 'XS' series. The iPhone XS Max has the biggest display on an iPhone so far, making it a great companion for gaming and watching TV shows or movies.

If budget is not a constraint, the iPhone XS Max is the phone to go for as it brings a supersized experience to the table that is very user centric - a vivid screen that is backed by great audio output and the sheer power of the A12 Bionic.

Also Read: Apple iPhone XS Max review

With the launch of the OnePlus 7 Pro, the Chinese smartphone maker has propelled itself to the next level. The 7 Pro is supposed to take the fight to the high-end premium offerings like the Galaxy S10 series and the iPhone XS.

Sporting a Quad HD+ panel for the first time, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the most premium smartphone till date. This reflects in its performance, design as well as the price.

Xiaomi promised its new Redmi K series would be “Flagship Killer 2.0” and that seems to be fairly accurate, given the kind of specs that the Redmi K20 Pro offers at a starting price of Rs 27,999. Xiaomi is clearly taking the battle to OnePlus, which has developed a cult-like following amongst people looking for premium specs at affordable prices.

OnePlus constantly increasing the prices of its smartphones has also helped in popularizing the Redmi K20 Pro.

Realme has been making a splash since its debut last year. Over the last few months, the company has aggressively expanded its portfolio of smartphones right from the entry-level to the budget segment. The Realme XT is the latest in this line, and offers a versatile camera experience coupled with a vibrant display and a big battery.

The design of the Realme XT is also noteworthy, although it could be slightly over the top for people who prefer sticking to neat lines and patterns. Nevertheless, the Realme XT is a very good option in its segment.

Read our full review: Realme XT

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Best phones under Rs 25,000 in India for September 2019

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 11:26 AM PDT

While 2018 saw some very good smartphones being launched above Rs 30,000, most smartphone makers left the Rs 20-30,000 segment open to be exploited. While the Asus Zenfone 5Z was often available at sub-Rs 25,000 prices, it lost the battle to the highly popular Poco F1.

Seeing the success of the Poco F1, Xiaomi announced the Redmi K20 series, with prices starting at Rs 21,999. This sparked competition in the sub-Rs 25,000 smartphone segment in India.

There are options that offer great value in the segment. If you are finding it difficult to find the best suited phone under Rs 25,000, this list will help. 

  • Don't need to worry about cost? Check out our best phone list

Redmi K20

The Redmi K20, the recently launched mid-range smartphone from Xiaomi’s Redmi brand has been designed keeping in mind the criticisms the company faced with its affordable flagship device, the Poco F1. With the device, the company has offered a premium device at an affordable price to take on the increasing competition in the smartphone segment.

The Redmi K20 features a glass back, a Full HD+ AMOLED display, a triple rear camera setup, a pop-up selfie camera and an under-display fingerprint sensor. The device starts at Rs 21,999 in India and is available in three attractive color options.

You can also score the Redmi K20 Pro under Rs 25,000 during the Diwali with Mi sale.

Xiaomi has dominated the budget and entry-level smartphone segments for a long time now. This is no different this year either - the launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro changed the market dynamics yet again. Offering a high-resolution, premium-grade 48MP camera at budget prices was the primary clincher for the Redmi Note 7 Pro.

Apart from its imaging capabilities, the Redmi Note 7 Pro offers a great bang for your buck thanks to the great display, a well-balanced chipset and battery life that we've all grown to expect from Xiaomi's Redmi Note series.

Topping it all off is the glass design which gives it a premium look.

It has a great value for money quotient which is why the Redmi Note 7 Pro is the phone to buy.

Realme X

The Realme X is another device that offers excellent value for money in the sub-Rs 25,000 segment. It features a pop-up selfie camera and comes with a gradient back design. The company has offered a near bezel less display with the device, giving it a premium look.

Along with the pop-up selfie camera, the device also sports an in-display fingerprint sensor, making it one of the most affordable devices to feature these two technologies. It has a starting price tag of Rs 16,999 and is available in three color options.

The Samsung Galaxy A50 has a lot going for it. The device features a glossy finish and sports an attractive display, a triple camera setup that includes a good daylight camera, and decent battery life with fast charging support all make it a phone that’s worth considering when you go out to buy a new smartphone.

While the Galaxy A50 performs well in daylight, its low-light images are not up to the mark. If you are a heavy gamer, you might want to skip this device and look at the other devices mentioned in this list.

The device is available starting at Rs 18,490 in Black, Blue and White color options.

Read the full review here

Vivo Z1 Pro

Vivo has upped its game in the budget and mid-range segments over the last few months in India. While a few other smartphones are aimed specifically at a slightly younger audience, Vivo has tried to offer a slightly more rounded package with the Z1 Pro.

The Z1 Pro is also one of the few smartphones in this price range to sport a punch hole notch. If you are looking for a smartphone that offers really long battery life, the Z1 Pro won't let you down with its massive 5,000mAh battery. The display, camera and the glossy design round off the remaining important aspects.

The Poco F1, the only launch so far from Xiaomi’s sub-brand Poco is a feature packed mid-range device. It is the cheapest Snapdragon 845 powered device in India and with the recent price cuts, it offers even more value for your money. While the device’s design is something that the company has compromised on, the Poco F1 is durable with a sturdy plastic build.

If you prefer performance over looks, the Poco F1 is the device for you. It is priced starting at Rs 17,999 in India.

Pocophone F1 review

The Honor Play, as the name suggests was launched keeping in mind the gamers. The device’s powerful internals coupled with a huge screen and a premium look makes for an all-round impressive device.

If you are looking for a gaming phone or a secondary phone, the Honor Play with its affordable price is worth looking into. The device is priced starting at Rs 12,999 in India.

Honor Play review

Realme has been making a splash since its debut last year. Over the last few months, the company has aggressively expanded its portfolio of smartphones right from the entry-level to the budget segment. The Realme XT is the latest in this line, and offers a versatile camera experience coupled with a vibrant display and a big battery.

The design of the Realme XT is also noteworthy, although it could be slightly over the top for people who prefer sticking to neat lines and patterns. Nevertheless, the Realme XT is a very good option in its segment.

Read our full review: Realme XT

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Best value for money phones under Rs 20,000 in India

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 11:12 AM PDT

The smartphone industry has become more competitive over the past few years as customers are opting for smartphones that offer more value for money instead of blind brand loyalty. While some smartphone makers have been able to capitalize on this trend with their aggressive pricing strategies, some are still trying to catch up.

Between companies like Xiaomi, Motorola, Samsung and Lenovo battling it out in the Indian smartphone segment trying to win over the mid-range consumer, there's never a shortage of features in these phones. 

That said, selecting a phone can still be a challenging task despite the plethora of options. While some companies may have the best specs on paper in a given price range, the lack of software optimisation can make those phones a poor option when compared to others. 

In this post, we look at some of the best value for money options under Rs 20,000. 


The Poco F1, the only launch so far from Xiaomi’s first sub-brand Poco is a feature packed mid-range device. It is the cheapest Snapdragon 845 powered device in India and with the recent price cuts, it offers even more value for your money. While the device’s design is something that the company has compromised on, the Poco F1 is durable with a sturdy plastic build.

If you prefer performance over looks, the Poco F1 is the device for you. It is priced starting at Rs 17,999 in India.

Read our full review: Poco F1

Xiaomi offers great value for money with its hardware, but its MIUI skin has its share of critics. For such users, the company has a line-up of Android One smartphones that offer the stock Android experience coupled with the value for money factor that Xiaomi smartphones are known for. The second-generation Android One device is worth considering if you are looking for a new budget device.

The Mi A2 might seem a little old at this point, but if you are looking for that smooth, stock Android experience under Rs 10,000, the Mi A2 is what you need.

Hands on: Xiaomi Mi A2 review

The Honor Play, as the name suggests was launched keeping in mind the gamers. The device’s powerful internals coupled with a huge screen and a premium look makes for an all-round impressive device. The smartphone was launched with Huawei's flagship Kirin 970 chipset and a new GPU Turbo feature.

If you are looking for a gaming phone or a secondary phone, the Honor Play with its affordable price is worth looking into. The device is priced starting at Rs 12,999 in India.


Xiaomi has dominated the budget and entry-level smartphone segments for a long time now. This is no different this year either - the launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro changed the market dynamics yet again. Offering a high-resolution, premium grade 48MP camera at budget prices was the primary clincher for the Redmi Note 7 Pro.

Apart from its imaging capabilities, the Redmi Note 7 Pro offers a great bang for your buck thanks to the great display, a well-balanced chipset and battery life that we've all grown to expect from Xiaomi's Redmi Note series.

Topping it all off is the glass design which gives it a premium look.

It has a great value for money quotient which is why the Redmi Note 7 Pro is the phone to buy.

Read the full review: Redmi Note 7 Pro

Realme has been making a splash since its debut last year. Over the last few months, the company has aggressively expanded its portfolio of smartphones right from the entry-level to the budget segment. The Realme XT is the latest in this line, and offers a versatile camera experience coupled with a vibrant display and a big battery.

The design of the Realme XT is also noteworthy, although it could be slightly over the top for people who prefer sticking to neat lines and patterns. Nevertheless, the Realme XT is a very good option in its segment.

Read our full review: Realme XT

Vivo Z1 Pro

Vivo has upped its game in the budget and mid-range segments over the last few months in India. While a few other smartphones are aimed specifically at a slightly younger audience, Vivo has tried to offer a slightly more rounded package with the recently announced Z1 Pro.

The Z1 Pro is also one of the few smartphones in this price range to sport a punch hole notch. If you are looking for a smartphone that offers really long battery life, the Z1 Pro won't let you down with its massive 5,000mAh battery. The display, camera and the glossy design round off the remaining important aspects.

The Samsung Galaxy M40 was launched in June as part of the company’s new Galaxy M series. The device features the company’s new Infinity-O display design and sports a triple camera setup at the back. In addition to the Infinity-O display, Samsung has also opted screen sound technology, allowing it to free up space required by traditional speakers.

With the Galaxy M40, the company is offering a premium design to users, taking inspiration from some of its more premium smartphones. If you are looking for a smartphone from Samsung under Rs 20,000, the Samsung Galaxy M40 is the best option for you.

HMD Global has been tweaking its Nokia smartphone line-up for the Indian market which is very price sensitive. In this vein, the company recently announced a price cut on the Nokia 8.1, making it a great alternative for buyers who want a clean, reliable stock Android experience.

The Nokia 8.1 strikes a good balance between premium design, value for money features and performance. While it may end up losing when it comes to the megapixel race that is currently on in the Indian market, it manages to hold its ground with its decent performance and fast updates.

Read our full review: Nokia 8.1

Samsung has more or less made itself relevant again in the highly competitive budget segment with the launch of the Galaxy M series earlier this year. The Galaxy M30s takes this forward with refreshed design and updated hardware.

The biggest takeaway from the Galaxy M30s is its massive 6,000mAh battery that should easily last you an entire day's worth of usage. For some users, it should be possible to extend the Galaxy M30s' battery life to two days of usage.

Coupled with the vibrant Super AMOLED display, ample storage and a triple camera setup on the back, Samsung might have another winner in the M30s.

Oppo A9 2020

The Oppo A9 2020 is a refreshed version of the Oppo A9 launched earlier this year. It offers a tweaked design with updated specifications and imaging capabilities.

The primary highlight of the Oppo A9 2020 is its quad camera setup on the back. But beyond that, the A9 2020 also offers ample storage and a massive battery. If you are someone who is on the move constantly and do not want to stream a lot of content, the A9 2020 could be what you need. The ample storage allows you to save plenty of content for offline consumption, and the big 5,000mAh battery means it should last you long enough.

HMD Global recently launched the Nokia 7.2 in India with Zeiss optics and a minimalist design. Aimed at those users who want a decent camera experience with a clean stock Android interface, the Nokia 7.2 also offers a premium glass design with interesting colour options.

Other aspects of the Nokia 7.2 that help it set apart from the competition include the PureDisplay technology that offers better contrasts and colour reproduction, and a dedicated Pixelworks visual processor that upscales content to HDR in real-time.

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The Honda e comes fully charged with a feast of tech

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 11:00 AM PDT

The Honda e is one of the most exciting small all-electric cars to date and, at the recent Frankfurt motor show, TechRadar got a chance to get up close and personal with the cute compact. The last time we saw this car during Milan Design Week it was in prototype form, although to be honest not a whole lot has changed now that Honda has the ready-to-go version available for pre-order.

It’s been a long road to get to this point, and although the design seems to have been just about right from the off, talking to Honda staff at Frankfurt revealed that the car has had a bit of a rough ride thus far. It seems that Honda executives weren’t initially sold on a small electric car design for short journeys. However, pricing for the compact city car was unveiled at Frankfurt, with two different options to go for. So now the Honda e’s cards are firmly on the table.

Honda e

First up is the base-level 100kW model, which will cost from £26,160 (about $33,000, AU$48,000), but the more appealing option appears to be the Honda e Advance, which has a price tag of £28,600 (about $36,000, AU$53,000). The extra money gets you a more powerful 113kW battery plus the benefit of additional technology not seen on the cheaper edition. Neither car is bargain-basement, but there’s plenty here to tempt buyers away from rival options like the forthcoming Mini Electric and the new Renault Zoe.

There’s plenty to like about the Honda e too, with an exterior that blends the retro styling appeal of the old Honda Civic Mk 1 with a smooth, stylish vibe that feels bang up to date. There are no frilly bits either; the Honda e keeps the styling simple but effective, and is all the more memorable for it. Pop out door handles are cool and reduce drag while the front and rear lights are very cool. All in all then the Honda e gets a thumbs up in the looks department.

Tech-laden

Prior to a closer look at the car – in particular its very interesting interior - we chatted with Kohei Hitomi, head of Honda e, and Mirai-Aki, head of connectivity, who both seemed relieved and suitably proud that the car is basically good to go. Mirai-Aki then went on to give us a tour of that interior, with the tech-laden dashboard being the main source of interest. It’s hard to miss for sure, with a central section dominated by twin 12.3-inch touchscreens.

At each end there are also six-inch screens that show you the view from the cameras mounted on the front doors. The Side Camera Mirror System replaces conventional mirrors and the effect is impressive thanks to the added benefit of having a normal or wide view on offer. While there’s a relatively conventional cluster of controls in and around the steering wheel area, the dashboard of the Honda e is quite a thing, It’ll be good to have a drive and see how it ticks in a real world scenario.

Honda e

Before we got into the car to hear about its charms, Mirai-Aki also showed how you can unlock the car using your phone with the Honda+ app installed. It’s a similar story once you start getting acquainted with the Honda e. The car comes with its own Personal Assistant, which has been developed so that it can evolve as it becomes more familiar with your own personal preferences.

So, for example, say ‘OK Honda’ while adding a question or instruction and it’ll respond accordingly, with a combination of a vocal reply and something appearing on the screen in front of you. Mirai-Aki showed how good it was at telling us the weather, which is pretty basic stuff admittedly but there is lots more scope with the system and, says Honda, machine learning means it’ll get better the more you use it.

Honda e

Elsewhere, the interior of the five-door car is pretty straightforward, with functional seat coverings and enough room for four adults. There are some faux wood trimmings along the dash, which provide another blast from the past, while the rest of the fixtures remind you of why Honda has such a good reputation for quality. Doors, most notably, close with a reassuring clunk.

A real aura of fun

While we’ve yet to have a go in one, reports of how the Honda e drives seem generally positive. Even though the little car is, in essence, designed as something to be used for short distances, you should be able to cover around 136 miles on a full charge. The Honda e also has the benefit of the torque you get from an electric motor with 0-100km/h coming up in a perky eight seconds.

The other benefit is that the car has a turning circle of just 4.3 meters which, combined with rear wheel drive and decent weight distribution, means it should be a lot of fun to drive. The stress of finding a space in pokey town centers will be relieved with a semi-autonomous parking mode, plus there’s a rear view mirror that doubles as a digital reversing camera. You’ll need to splurge and go for the Advance edition to enjoy all of the tech extras, including a Wi-Fi hotspot, but they’ll be worth it from what we’ve seen so far.

Honda e

Honda needs a bit of luck with the Honda e; while it has certainly provided us with numerous exciting cars over the years, like the NSX, S2000 and Type R models, it's also endured lots of ribbing for producing slightly dull models.

The Honda e gives off a real aura of fun and, while it doesn't have blistering performance, feels like it should be great around town. A range of cool colour options should also ensure that you don't fail to spot the car, or indeed its grinning occupants for that matter.

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Best smartphones under Rs 7,000 in India for September 2019

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 10:34 AM PDT

With the increasing competition in the budget smartphone segment, choosing a smartphone is becoming more and more difficult. If you are a first-time smartphone buyer or want a pocket friendly smartphone, it can be confusing, mostly because there are several options available on the market right now. You have to consider a number of aspects like the battery capacity, display quality, software support and the overall durability of the smartphone when you decide which device to buy. 

Smartphone makers these days are offering more and more features in the budget segment, giving you a wide range of options to choose from. Today, we will look at some of the best smartphones under Rs 7,000 in India.

However, if you have some extra money to spare, you must check out the best phones under Rs 10,000. 

The Xiaomi Redmi 7A is among the best budget smartphone available in India. It comes with a 5.45-inch HD display and an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 chipset. The phone was launched with Android 9.0 Pie out of the box with the company’s MIUI 9 skin on top.

As it features a huge 4,000mAh battery, it offers a one-day battery backup, allowing you to use your device throughout the day without having to worry about the battery. The only downside is limited storage, but a dedicated microSD card slot covers it up with support for up to 256GB.

The Honor 7S has a good build quality for its price, and the big, vivid display also makes it a decent phone for those who spend their time scrolling through social media and consume video content.  However, if you intend to play games on your phone, this device is not for you as its quad-core MediaTek chipset is not capable of providing a proper gaming experience.

Honor 7S review

If you are a first time Android user and want to experience stock Android device with a budget in mind, the Moto C Plus priced at Rs 7,000 is a good option for you. The device features a 5-inch HD display and is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737 chipset. 

In terms of memory, the Moto C Plus comes with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, with support for microSD cards up to 32GB. Imaging duties are handled by an 8MP rear camera and a 2MP front camera. Again, if you are looking to play games on your phone, the Moto C Plus is not worth considering.

Vivo Y90

If you are looking for a budget device that features a modern look, the Vivo Y90 is a good option. The device sports a huge 6.22-inch HD+ display with a water drop notch design. The notch houses the device’s selfie camera and there is a single rear camera at the back.

The device is powered by a Helio A22 chipset coupled with up to 2GB RAM and 32GB of internal storage. It is powered by a huge 4,030mAh battery that should provide you a full day of battery life.

The Realme C2 is another good option in the budget segment. After its success with the Realme C1, the Chinese smartphone maker has introduced the Realme C2. It is a well-designed device that looks costlier than it actually is. Similar to the Vivo Y90, the Realme C2 also features a water drop notch and a gradient back design.

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The best smartphones from Chinese companies in India

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 10:23 AM PDT

The competition for dominance in the Indian smartphone market is over and Chinese companies have successfully established themselves in the Indian market. The previous market leader, Samsung has been lagging behind Xiaomi for more than two years now. 

Aside from the two giants going head-to-head,  Oppo and Vivo are also among the top five brands in India. OnePlus, too, has a cult following in India, with its smartphones leading the race in the premium smartphone category, defeating the likes of iPhone and the Galaxy flagships.

In this list, we comb through all the options in the market so that you have choices across all price points with varied features. Some phones are meant for selfie lovers while others are for fans of Stock Android. Either which way, you'll find a phone that will make sense for you.

Xiaomi promised its new Redmi K series would be “Flagship Killer 2.0” and that seems to be fairly accurate, given the kind of specs that the Redmi K20 Pro offers at a starting price of Rs 27,999. Xiaomi is clearly taking the battle to OnePlus, which has developed a cult-like following amongst people looking for premium specs at affordable prices.

OnePlus constantly increasing the prices of its smartphones has also helped in popularizing the Redmi K20 Pro.

Not forgetting its budget segment roots, Xiaomi has also launched a slightly more affordable version of the Redmi K20 Pro, retaining as many design elements and hardware specs as possible, while still offering a premium smartphone at an affordable price.

If you don’t need a highly powerful smartphone, you can instead opt for the Redmi K20.

With the launch of the OnePlus 7 Pro, the Chinese smartphone maker has propelled itself to the next level. The 7 Pro is supposed to take the fight to the high-end premium offerings like the Galaxy S10 series and the iPhone XS.

Sporting a Quad HD+ panel for the first time, the OnePlus 7 Pro is the most premium smartphone till date. This reflects in its performance, design as well as the price.

Read our full review: OnePlus 7 Pro


The standard OnePlus 7, on the other hand, is aimed at people who still want a OnePlus smartphone that is affordable. Keeping this in mind, the company launched the OnePlus 7 at the same price as the OnePlus 6T, while still offering important upgrades in terms of the chipset, cameras and the storage performance.

Read our full review: OnePlus 7

Realme has been making a splash since its debut last year. Over the last few months, the company has aggressively expanded its portfolio of smartphones right from the entry-level to the budget segment. The Realme XT is the latest in this line, and offers a versatile camera experience coupled with a vibrant display and a big battery.

The design of the Realme XT is also noteworthy, although it could be slightly over the top for people who prefer sticking to neat lines and patterns. Nevertheless, the Realme XT is a very good option in its segment.

Read our full review: Realme XT

Oppo A9 2020

The Oppo A9 2020 is a refreshed version of the Oppo A9 launched earlier this year. It offers a tweaked design with updated specifications and imaging capabilities.

The primary highlight of the Oppo A9 2020 is its quad camera setup on the back. But beyond that, the A9 2020 also offers ample storage and a massive battery. If you are someone who is on the move constantly and do not want to stream a lot of content, the A9 2020 could be what you need. The ample storage allows you to save plenty of content for offline consumption, and the big 5,000mAh battery means it should last you long enough.

It’s not just the mid-range and the premium smartphone segment that is dominated by Chinese smartphone makers. Coming back to the mid-range, we have the likes of the Realme X that aims to take on the budget king Redmi Note 7 Pro while also luring prospective Redmi K20 buyers.

If you are looking a smartphone that is somewhere between the Redmi Note 7 Pro and the Redmi K20 both in terms of price as well as specs, this is a noteworthy option even now.

Read our full review: Realme X

Not the one to be left behind, Vivo too has been launching several affordable and value for money smartphones of late. The Vivo S1 is the latest in this list. It features a premium Super AMOLED panel and sports a triple camera setup on the back.

Design-wise, the Vivo S1 has a gradient back that reflects light off to give a distinct look at different angles. However, the one area where Vivo could have done better is the camera bump that looks out of place with its golden borders.

The Redmi Note 7 Pro is a smartphone the recipe of which Xiaomi has perfected over the last few years, asserting its dominance in the Indian market. Bringing together factors like value for money, a great blend of specs and a surprise factor in the form of the 48-megapixel camera that is found in far more premium smartphones, the Redmi Note 7 Pro is a great smartphone at a starting price of Rs 13,999.

Read our full review: Redmi Note 7 Pro

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iOS 13 update and features list

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 10:22 AM PDT

The iOS 13 update is here to introduce new features to your old iPhone, offering new software perks even if you haven't upgraded to Apple's brand new iPhone.

Dark Mode is the best iOS 13 feature and the most visual change. It inverts white and light gray colors for less eye-straining black and dark grays – at least in major apps.

In case you need to know how to get iOS 13, we have a step-by-step guide for that, although the update comes pre-installed on the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.

What's new in iOS 13? What devices are compatible with iOS 13? We have all of those answers – and a mini iOS 13 review – below, as we await the iOS 13.1 update.

Divider

The two-minute iOS 13 review

Dark Mode: We've been getting the most use out of this iOS 13 feature. It changes up the interface (except for some third-party apps), exchanging bright white and light gray colors for black and dark gray hues. That's more pleasant on the eyes, especially at night. iOS 13 pro tip: You can schedule iOS 13 Dark Mode to turn on and off at particular times, and add it as a Control Center menu shortcut.

iOS 13 compatibility: iOS 13 is compatible with a lot of iPhones – as long you have the iPhone 6S or iPhone SE or newer. Yes, that means both iPhone 5S and iPhone 6 don't make the list and are forever stuck with iOS 12.4.1, but Apple didn't make any cuts for iOS 12, so it's just catching up in 2019. Fair.

Dark mode makes everything, well, darker. In a good way.

Photo editing tools get advanced: You can now change up photos in 15 different ways, tweaking highlights, contrast and shadows. It's more robust to the point where we're opening Adobe Lightroom less. iOS 13 pro tip: Edits also work for video, and you can edit photos without destroying the Live Photo properties.

A new QuickPath keyboard: Want to swipe on the keyboard rather than tap? It's now in there. There's no line that follows your finger's movement, and it's a little tricky to get used to at first, but it's closer to what we liked about Gboard. iOS 13 pro tip: We found this most useful on any large Max or Plus phone.

FaceTime correction: You know that thing in a FaceTime call where you look at your screen and therefore aren't looking at the camera? Apple will use AI to move the direction of your gaze. A bit creepy in principle, but hugely useful.

Face ID is much better: We love this feature - the field of view for unlocking your phone with your face is wider, so looking at the phone on the desk will open your iPhone up without needing to lift the handset.

iOS 13 is not coming to the iPad: Tricked you. iOS 13 is strictly for the iPhone (and iPod Touch). iPadOS has debuted for iPad with exclusive productivity features for the bigger tablet screen.

The QuickPath keyboard is slick to use in our testing.

'Find my iPhone' and 'Find my Friends' are fused: The two apps are now in one 'Find My' app, and Apple's added in functionality that can find offline devices from other iPhones or iPads. Best of all, we got fewer timed out tracking errors.

iOS 13 improves battery life: By that we mean 'lifetime of the battery' not 'time between charges' - the new iOS 13 platform is smarter at charging and will curtail the power input at the right times. Dark mode should help too on iPhone OLED displays, though we're testing that.

Reminders gets a huge (and useful) overhaul: A clear new design, Reminders now allows for attachments and better sorting. Might not sound massive, but a big jump for those that use it.

The camera is getting a big upgrade: Portrait mode (if your phone supports it) will offer more customizable lighting and a new 'High Key Mono' mode for when you want to look like you're in a Calvin Klein advert.

Siri sounds better: A refined voice with more natural diction, Siri is much nicer to talk to now. You might not notice it without a side-by-side comparison, but it's here.

All new Memoji to play with: You can add make-up, throw in Memoji stickers from the keyboard - if you're into your own cartoon face there's a lot to try here. iOS 13 pro tip: Stickers works on iPhone 8 and older iPhones, even if you don't have the TrueDepth camera for moving Memoji.

Look for this logo to get a secret email address.

Control Wi-Fi and Bluetooth more simply: We love this: long-press (or 3D Touch for certain iPhone models) on the Wi-Fi / Bluetooth buttons in the Control Center and you can access all your connections in one simple place.

Use your PS4 controller on your phone: Does what it says... now you can pair your console controller to play games in a more immersive way. PS4 support is here today, while Xbox One support is coming. Perfect for Apple Arcade, right?

OK, that's the key stuff out of the way - but if you want to know more about the smaller features, or just a bit more depth on what your iPhone or iPad can do, read on:

Video: How to download iOS 13 right now (without having to wait):

iOS 13 release date and time

  • iOS 13 release date: It launched on Thursday, September 19
  • iPadOS came out later: It launched on Tuesday, September 24
  • iOS 13.1 release date: We expect it in late October

The iOS 13 update launched on September 19, meaning everyone now has access to Apple's new iPhone software – if your iPhone is compatible (more on that soon).

We first got the iOS 13 beta in early June, so there's been three months of testing by developers and public beta testers. The iOS 13.1 release, which we estimate for late October, is going through the same process.

Here's the iOS 13.1 update timeline:

1. iOS 13 developer beta: Monday, June 3 – first launched at the Apple WWDC 2019 keynote, this a version restricted to paid Apple developers and, simply put, was not meant for average consumers. You couldn't even install it over-the-air (OTA) at first.

2. iOS 13 public beta: Monday, June 24 – Apple expanded testing to all willing testers through eight versions of the iOS 13 update before it officially came out. Plot twist: some of the tests were for IOS 13.1 before iOS 13 even came out.

3. iOS 13 golden master: Monday, September 10 – Just after the iPhone 11 launch event, Apple seeded iOS 13 golden master, the final version of the update meant for beta testers.give app developers time to tweak.

4. The official iOS 13 update: Thursday September 19 – Just one day ahead of the iPhone 11 release date, Apple issued the software for all other iPhones.

5. iOS 13.1 release date: We don't have a firm release date for the iOS 13.1 update, but Apple has been testing an iOS 13.1 beta since August and we know that past iOS .1 updates have launched in late October, usually coinciding with a new iPad and Mac launch event.

Video: The best iOS 13 features we've tested:

iOS 13 compatibility list

  • iOS 13 is compatible with iPhone 6S / iPhone SE or later
  • iOS 13 isn't compatible with iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus

iOS 13 compatibility requires an iPhone from the last four years. That means phones like the iPhone 6 won't be getting iOS 13 – if you've got one of those devices you'll be stuck with iOS 12.4.1 forever.

iOS 13 sheds several old devices (Image credit: Apple)

You'll need an iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus or iPhone SE or later to install iOS 13. With iPadOS, while different, you'll need an iPhone Air 2 or iPad mini 4 or later.

The iPhone SE fits into an odd category, as it has iPhone 6 era specs, but came out after the iPhone 6S. Don't worry, everyone's favorite little iPhone will get iOS 13.

iOS 13 is compatible with just one iPod – the newest version. No surprise, the new iPod Touch 7th gen is the only devices of its class that gets iOS 13 support.

iOS 13 Dark Mode

  • Overdue Dark Mode is coming to iOS 13 and iPadOS
  • We saw macOS get a system-wide Dark Mode in 2018
  • Shortcut to black-and-dark-gray UI lives in Control Center

Dark Mode in iOS 13 a system-wide, meaning it changes the hues from bright white and light grey to black and dark gray on all supported apps.

It's a nice feature when you're using your iPhone at night and want to avoid bright white hues shining in your face. It may also save battery life on the OLED-equipped iPhones, from the iPhone X onward. Apple didn't talk about this at all, but we know that OLED displays essentially 'turn off' pixels when rendering blacks.

Turning on iOS 13 Dark Mode can be done in Control Center inside the Display slider (right next to the Night Shift and True Tone toggle), according to Apple, or you can set it automatically to turn on at night through a schedule or custom time.

The yellow-tinting Night Shift mode finally gets a bright-light dimming companion, and a lot of people couldn't be happier.

iOS 13 offers 'FaceTime attention correction'

This is an interesting one. There's now an option for FaceTime Attention Correction, and it's as wild as it sounds.

What does it do exactly? It makes it so that it appears as if you're looking straight into the front-facing camera during a FaceTime video call, when you're actually looking at the adjacent screen. That distracted look could be a thing of the past soon.

iOS 13 on iPad is iPadOS, and it's a big change

Some of the biggest changes for iOS 13 on the iPad are actually coming in an update called iPadOS. Apple is signaling that the iPad needs its own platform.

That means big improvements to your iPad workflow, starting with the home screen redesign. Pinned Widgets, as we predicted in our iOS 13 rumors roundup, lets you add widgets from the Today View screen (that left-mode screen on your iPhone and iPad). So far, it's iPad-exclusive, and not coming to iOS13 for the iPhone.

Slide Over lets you have multiple apps open and cycle through them like rolodex. You can also fan to preview them all at once with a swipe gesture, kind of like the recents menu on many phones and tablets. It's multi-tasking made easier.

Split View has been enhanced to let you open one app on both sides of the screen (it wasn't possible before), and Apple demoed this by showing Notes side-by-side with Notes. You can also pair an app with more than one app – so now Safari can be paired with Pages in one space and Safari can be paired with Mail in another. 

App Expose is new to the iPad software, letting you see all of the space you have open. There's an App Expose icon on the Dock, requiring only a single press to get into the convenient overview mode.

New copy, paste and undo gestures are coming to iPadOS. Three fingers scrunched down was shown to copy text, three fingers expanding (in the opposite direction) dropped the text on the page, and sliding three fingers across the screen undid the last action. We'll have to see how this performs when the software lands.

Apple's keyboard can float around the screen in a smaller form, and it's debuting a swiping gesture keyboard, which it calls QuickPath Typing. There are also more keyboard shortcuts (a lack of shortcuts was a complaint we had about previous iOS versions).

There are actually too many iPadOS changes to detail here in the iOS 13 explainer, so we've spun the full rundown off into a separate iPadOS release date, news and features article.

iOS 13 features a QuickPath keyboard

With iOS 13, Apple's default QuickType keyboard will be incorporating swipe-to-type, a popular way of sliding across the keyboard to form words. We've used this in prior iOS keyboard extensions like Google's Gboard and SwiftKey.

Here's QuickPath keyboard in action (Image credit: Apple)

You can use the QuickType and QuickPath methods of typing interchangeably, and so far supported languages include English, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, German, French, Italian, and Portuguese is now included.

iOS 13 debuts new 'Find My' app

Apple combined Find My Friends and Find My iPhone in iOS 13, and the union lets you locate your friends and missing gadgets with a faster, easier-to-use interface.

iOS 13 Find My app

Find My iPhone and Find My Friends come together in one app (Image credit: Apple)

What's really neat is that it use a crowd-sourced encrypted Bluetooth signal to help you track down devices that aren't connected to Wi-Fi or cellular. That's mostly a big help for Macs, but it could also help with an iPhone in rare cases, too.

Best of all, while Find My Friends didn't always work for us, Apple seems to be making a bigger push to get location tracking right with this new iOS 13 app now in the limelight.

iOS 13 makes your old iPhone faster, last longer

More people are holding onto their iPhones for longer, and that's something Apple seems to recognize – and the company is speeding up iOS 13 to accommodate them.

The most important iOS 13 stats: app launch speed is up to twice as fast according to Apple, and Face ID unlocking will be 30% faster than before. Apple also found a way to make app downloads smaller, up to 60% on average; iOS 12 gave us a faster update, and iOS 13 looks to build upon that.

Battery life is also something Apple is tackling this year. Its aim is to slow the rate of battery aging by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged. iOS 13 is supposed to learn from your daily charging routine so it can wait to finish charging past 80% until you need to use it.

Reminders gets a big overhaul

Of all the built-in apps, Reminders has gotten the biggest iOS revamp. It's better organized, and includes shortcuts that make it easier to add reminders.

iOS 13 apps

Reminders has gotten the freshest reimagining among iOS 13 apps (Image credit: Apple)

Big, color-coded buttons for Today, Scheduled, All and Flagged categories offer you a better oversight of your pressing tasks, while the keyboard when you're in this app has a top-line Quick Toolbar that acts as a shortcut to easily add times, dates, locations, flags, photos and scanned documents.

Making plans in Messages? Siri will step in to suggest reminders that can be created, like a personal assistant who chimes in at all the right times.

Camera and Portrait Mode changes

The iOS 13 offers important changes to camera features, starting with enabling you to change the intensity of light in Portrait Mode, which is something we've wanted for a while. Portrait mode is also getting a new monochromatic effect called High‑Key Mono.

iOS 13 camera app

The new Photos tab in the iOS 13 Photos app – Apple sees it as becoming your photo diary (Image credit: Apple)

The Photos gallery is becoming what Apple called "a diary of your life", with a new tab designed to document your best photos by day, month and year. You'll also have more pinch controls to zoom in and out of the Photos gallery.

You can now do something that most people have been crying out for on an iPhone - change the aspect ratio of the picture you take in the camera app. That means square options, or 16:9 even, are there in the settings - although when you export the pictures off the phone the files are still in the original 4:3 format.

Photo editing is refined with iOS 13, adding adjustment controls and filters, while the video editing portion mirrors this almost entirely: nearly every photo tool and effect – including filters, rotating and cropping – makes it over to video. If you're not good at tinkering with video, there'll even be an 'Auto' adjustment button. 

New Siri voice sounds more natural

A new Siri voice debuts with iOS 13, and it sounds more natural than before – we've heard a sample and the tone is the same, but it sounds less robotic. 

It uses advanced neural text‑to‑speech technology, according to Apple, and you'll particularly notice this when Siri says longer phrases, like reading the Apple News aloud or answering knowledge questions.

The timing is good, because Siri can also do a lot more talking if you wear AirPods – Siri can read incoming messages and pipe them through the buds, which is convenient. 

One more new Siri perk: your voice assistant on HomePod will understand the voices of the various family members in your home. This should mean, for example, that asking "What's on my Calendar?" won't bring up someone else's irrelevant information.

Memoji gets makeup, Messages gets info sharing

Apple has put more of 'Me' in Memoji, allowing one trillion configurations: new hairstyles, headwear, makeup, and piercings to name a few categories. Examples on the WWDC stage showed that these personalized Animoji masks allow for such granular accessory detail as eyeshadow, braces and even AirPods.

Memoji gets better in year two (Image credit: Apple)

Memoji Stickers are something entirely new – iOS 13 brings more iPhone and iPad users into the Memoji fold, TrueDepth camera or not. You can customize a Memoji and iOS 13 will automatically create a fun-looking sticker pack that lives in a sub-menu on the keyboard, which you can use in Messages, Mail, and third‑party apps.

You can share your personalized Memoji with contacts through iMessages, but only when you grant them access. The same applies to sharing your name and photo with contacts, so you can chose how people see your name, for example. According to Apple, you can decide whether you want your profile shared with everyone, with only your contacts, or just once.

New HomePod features

You might not know this, but the HomePod is part of the iOS family, and it has gotten iOS 13 updates too.

First, you can transfer songs from your iPhone by simply holding your phone closer to the HomePod speaker. Previously, you had to tell Siri to do this, but now this hand-off feature is a bit easier, and you don't have to talk to do it.

The HomePod also introduce Live Radio – you can ask Siri to play 100,000 stations from all around the world. And HomePod will allow you to recognize who in your family is talking, and personalize the response – great with Apple Music, where selections will be based on your taste and history. It goes beyond Music, Messages, Notes, Reminders, and more. 

Sign-in with Apple

iOS 13 sign-in with Apple

Apple wants app developers and sites to use its sign-in feature, and there are some perks for user privacy, too (Image credit: Apple)

Apple is taking on Facebook Connect, Google and other platforms that allow you to conveniently sign in to third-party accounts. Sign-in with Apple is poised to protect your privacy more than Facebook and Google do.

What's neat is that if you don't want to fork over your email to an app developer or website, Apple will create a unique random email for you, and the email will be unique to that site or app.

We're still waiting for this to roll out through developers, but over time you'll start seeing it more regularly.

Maps get revamped

iOS 13 Maps looks a lot better, even if everyone likes to hate on it. Will it ever be better than Google Maps? No, probably not. But for people who want Apple's pre-loaded maps app on iOS 13, it's much better.

iOS 13 Apple Maps

360-degree city tours are coming to Apple Maps (Image credit: Apple)

There's way more detail here by way of Apple rebuilding maps from the ground up. There's more realistic detail for roads, beaches, parks, and buildings, and you can now explore cities with a 3D 360-degree experience.

Favorites were a part of Maps before, but iOS 13 makes these saved locations easier to navigate to with one tap – they appear at the very top of a search menu. Sometimes Google Maps on iOS doesn't get this right (but does better on Android). That's one reason to keep Apple Maps installed, even if you're a Google Maps person.

Text formatting in Mail

Mail is getting some changes when it comes to writing out properly formatted email. You'll have more control over font style, size, color, alignment, indenting and outdenting text, and numbered and bulleted lists.

What we're really hoping to see one day in iOS 13.1 or iOS 14 is the ability to insert a hyperlink into some text in an email. On both iOS and Android devices, that's just not possible in their default mail clients (that we've seen) – you have to paste long URLs, and that's not a computer, no matter what you call your operating system.

Connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth from Control Center

This is huge – and we've been asking for it for several years. You can now select Wi‑Fi networks and Bluetooth accessories right from Control Center.

Android has had this for years, and it was always convenient to connect to new Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth earbuds without having to navigate away from your current app and dive into five Settings submenus. Apple is finally coming around in iOS 13.

Xbox One and PS4 game controller support

If you're going to play games on your phone, you might as well do it with one of the two best controllers available (and maybe something you already own).

Enter PS4 and Xbox One game controller support for iOS 13. Apple didn't say if all games will support this or if it'll be limited to Apple Arcade, but whatever the case may be, we're happy to be able to put our PS4 controller to use everywhere we roam.

Silence Unknown Calls

Nuisance spam calls drive us crazy every day, and iOS 13 wants to fix the issue with the help of Siri, which scans your Contacts, Mail and Messages to see if you've previously been in contact with the caller.

Silence Unknown Calls sounds fairly smart, if you're not expecting business numbers cold-calling you for work. Those that do call you and aren't on your personal 'VIP list' will go straight to voicemail.

iOS 13 features exclusive to iPhone 11 phones

  • Camera UI buttons / wheel toggle between ultra-wide and telephoto
  • Holding photo shutter button captures video (no longer for burst photos)
  • Front camera takes wide-angle selfies in landscape, 4K60fps video and 'Slofies'

We thought we knew all about iOS 13 in June, but it turns out there were a few new features geared toward the newly announced iPhone 11 phones. 

iPhone 11 Pro Max

Since the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max are almost all about the new cameras, the iOS 13 software lends itself to the new ultra-wide lens and special night mode.

Switching between the cameras lenses (two lenses on the iPhone 11 and three on the iPhone 11 Pro series) is supposed to be seamless, with quick taps or a wheel to transition between zoomed-in and zoomed-out perspectives. 

Holding down on the familiar shutter button in iOS 13 start recording video, akin to the Snapchat and Instagram UI. Apple claims it's new handsets offer the highest-quality video ever in a smartphone, so it's putting a big emphasis on how easy it is to shoot video. On any other iPhone running iOS 13, holding down the same shutter button captures burst photos.

The front TrueDepth camera on a iPhone 11 phones can capture wide-angle selfies when held in the landscape orientation, and record up to 4K60fps video. Before, we were all deprived with 1080p60fps selfie videos.

Sure to be the ire of everyone older than millennial age, you're going to starting to see 'Slofies'. Love it or hate it (because of the name), this iPhone 11-exclusive iOS 13 feature captures epic-looking slo-mo video from the front camera. It works best when you have long hair to capture in motion.

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Top budget smartphones with big batteries in India

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 10:00 AM PDT

Smartphones have come a long way from needing to be charged halfway through the day to lasting more than a day. Improvements in the battery charging technology that lets you charge your smartphone really fast are an added boon, too. However, nothing beats a smartphone that can last through a hectic day at work.

Quite a few phones that go all out with their features forget to back it up with a sizeable battery. Still, there are several options in the market that fall within the mid-range or budget segment and are powered by massive batteries.

Samsung has more or less made itself relevant again in the highly competitive budget segment with the launch of the Galaxy M series earlier this year. The Galaxy M30s takes this forward with refreshed design and updated hardware.

The biggest takeaway from the Galaxy M30s is its massive 6,000mAh battery that should easily last you an entire day's worth of usage. For some users, it should be possible to extend the Galaxy M30s' battery life to two days of usage.

Coupled with the vibrant Super AMOLED display, ample storage and a triple camera setup on the back, Samsung might have another winner in the M30s.

Image credit: TechRadar

Launched on the back of the popular Zenfone Max Pro M1, the Max Pro M2 continues with the best bits about the M1 while bringing some improvements. The energy-efficient Snapdragon 660 chipset coupled with the 5,000mAh battery means that the phone should last more than a full day of normal usage without breaking a sweat.

While the battery life is great, the lack of fast charging means that the Zenfone Max Pro M2 takes nearly 3 hours to charge fully. That aside, it is a good option if battery life is your primary criterion.

Oppo A9 2020


The Oppo A9 2020 is a refreshed version of the Oppo A9 launched earlier this year. It offers a tweaked design with updated specifications and imaging capabilities.

The primary highlight of the Oppo A9 2020 is its quad camera setup on the back. But beyond that, the A9 2020 also offers ample storage and a massive battery. If you are someone who is on the move constantly and do not want to stream a lot of content, the A9 2020 could be what you need. The ample storage allows you to save plenty of content for offline consumption, and the big 5,000mAh battery means it should last you long enough.

Vivo Z1 Pro

Vivo has upped its game in the budget and mid-range segments over the last few months in India. While a few other smartphones are aimed specifically at a slightly younger audience, Vivo has tried to offer a slightly more rounded package with the Z1 Pro.

The Z1 Pro is also one of the few smartphones in this price range to sport a punch hole notch. If you are looking for a smartphone that offers really long battery life, the Z1 Pro won't let you down with its massive 5,000mAh battery. The display, camera and the glossy design round off the remaining important aspects.

Samsung has been trying to reinvent itself in the budget segment for a while now, and the Galaxy M series is a good testament of the company's efforts. The Galaxy M20 offers a good balance between power, performance and battery life.

The Galaxy M20’s understated, minimalist design coupled with the waterdrop notch, a bright display and the massive battery help it get into this list. As far as budget smartphones with big batteries are concerned, the Galaxy M20 is right up there with the best ones.

You can read our full Samsung Galaxy M20 review here


Vivo is evolving. While it was known for its pricey smartphones that didn’t offer as much of a value for money as Xiaomi did, the company’s recent launches like the Z1 Pro and now the S1 mean that customers are in for a good time.

The Vivo S1 features a stunning gradient design on the back, giving it a rich, premium look. Aimed at the imaging enthusiasts, the Vivo S1 also includes an in-display fingerprint sensor that adds to its advantages. Topping it off is a massive battery that should last more than a day’s usage. This, coupled with fast charging should mean you can bid goodbye to battery life woes.


Samsung has been trying to reinvent itself in the budget segment for a while now, and the Galaxy M series is a good testament of the company's efforts. The Galaxy M30 offers a good balance between power, performance and battery life.

Add to it, Samsung's excellent Super AMOLED display, a massive battery that can last for a couple of days on a single charge and a wide-angle camera, you have a recipe for a great phone that has a competitive advantage over its competitors.

Read our review of the Samsung Galaxy M30


Xiaomi has dominated the budget and entry-level smartphone segments for a long time now. This is no different this year either - the launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro changed the market dynamics yet again.

Apart from its imaging capabilities, the Redmi Note 7 Pro offers a great bang for your buck thanks to the great display, a well-balanced chipset and battery life that we've all grown to expect from Xiaomi's Redmi Note series.

Read our full review of the Redmi Note 7 Pro

The Redmi Note 7S replaces the Redmi Note 7 and offers 48MP camera under Rs 10,000. It features the same gradient glass back design, waterdrop notch and a bright high-quality display at the same time.

When you also consider the massive 4,000mAh battery and the updated MIUI skin, the Redmi Note 7S sounds like a very good proposition.

Samsung Galaxy M10s

The Galaxy M10s is a noteworthy option in the sub-Rs 10,000 price segment, especially if you are looking at alternatives for Redmi smartphones. It offers a big display and an adequate battery to go with it, while still costing fairly low.

While the Galaxy M10s may not offer the premium design that some other smartphones offer, the One UI and other Samsung features make up for it to some extent. The 4,000mAh battery and 15W fast charging support also add substance to this option.

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An inside look at Russia’s cybersecurity market: a Q&A with BI.ZONE

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 09:59 AM PDT

The surge of cybercrime is one of the most visible trends of the passing decade. Cybercriminals traditionally focus most of their attention on the financial sector, attacking both the IT infrastructure of a bank and its customers. 

Several years ago, Russia’s largest financial institution, Sberbank, created BI.ZONE, which specialises in cybersecurity services. Dmitry Samartsev, CEO of BI.ZONE, told TechRadar Pro about the most serious threats that Russian business faces today.

Phone malware

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Borderlands 3 officially the fastest-selling game in 2K history

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 09:48 AM PDT

Borderlands 3 is 2K’s fastest selling game in the publisher’s history, officially topping its predecessor’s sales during the same launch window.

Things are definitely looking up for the third installation to the action role-playing shooter franchise. That is, despite a rocky start after controversially being announced as an Epic Games exclusive for PC – not to mention, its issues with cloud saves and lags when on split-screen mode. 

IGN reports that Borderlands 3 has already sold more than 5 million copies within its first five days after launch. This means that not only has it sold 50% more copies than Borderlands 2, but it has set the record as 2K’s highest-selling PC game. According to the publisher, Borderlands 3 has exceeded expectations as it “delivered the highest pre-order sales figures to date for a 2K title.”

What backlash?

That's not all. 2K also says that it “broke pre-order records with the Epic Games Store.” Not too shabby for a game that received a lot of backlash at launch.

The decision to make Borderlands 3 exclusive to Epic Games Store on PC definitely ruffled a few feathers, especially with Steam users. However, it seems that hasn’t stopped fans from purchasing the title. The latest Borderlands game is indeed performing swimmingly on PC, and everyone is playing it even without sales on Steam.

According to GameSpot, at its launch, Borderlands 3 also claimed the lofty spot as the most-watched game on Twitch. It has since generated more than 14 million hours of content – that’s more than half of what Borderlands 2 generated in the past seven or so years.

Its record-breaking sales has now pushed the Borderlands franchise to that $1 billion mark, which makes it the second franchise to do so in 2K history.

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Facebook takes a big step towards mind-controlled social media

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 08:55 AM PDT

Facebook has bought a startup specializing in neural interface technology, suggesting it might be interested in building the technology into a future Oculus virtual reality headset.

As Bloomberg reports, Facebook bought New York company CTRL-Labs for a figure between $500,000 and $1 million. The four-year-old company will be integrated into Facebook Reality Labs – the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) unit formerly known as Oculus Research. 

CTRL-Labs has developed a wristband that allows users to control an on-screen avatar. The band doesn't 'read minds' – instead, it detects neuron activity in your arm, and works even if you only think about moving it.

“Your hands could be in your pocket, behind you,” explained the company's CEO Thomas Reardon at a conference in December. “It’s the intention [to move], not the movement.”

VR without controllers

Interacting in VR is a tricky prospect. Trigger-style controllers (like those used by existing Oculus headsets) work well for games, but aren't always a good fit for other virtual experiences. The ability to move an avatar with only a thought could be a much better match for social interaction.

When TechRadar spoke to Anna Kozminski (AR/VR software manager at Facebook Zurich in Switzerland) earlier this month about the company's work on immersive VR, she emphasized the importance of making the experience as natural as possible. "With a VR experience, ultimately you want it to feel as fluid as real life," she said. 

Her vision for the future of VR is one where you can speak to friends and relatives in other countries as though there's no difference in geography at all. Truly hands-free interaction could be a big step towards making that possible.

Via Engadget

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Best deals on Xiaomi phones during 'Diwali with Mi' sale

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 08:34 AM PDT

Xiaomi India has announced a bunch of price cuts across its entire smartphone lineup as a part of the ‘Diwali with Mi’ sale.

Xiaomi devices in the budget segment have been selling well, propagating the company to the top spot in India. While no new major phone is expected in the coming weeks, these price drops should help Xiaomi be relevant again.

The recently launched Redmi K20 series of flagships were met with some discussions around their pricing. Consumers will be happy to know that the Redmi K20 will be Rs 3,000 off, and the K20 Pro will be Rs 4,000 off. These two are the most premium smartphones Redmi offers in India.

Along with Xiaomi, many other brands will be announcing temporary price drops for the festive season, so keep an eye on platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart for any surprise deals.

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The best free screen recorder 2019

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 08:31 AM PDT

A free screen recorder is just what you need if you're looking to make a video of what's happening on your desktop. Like an advanced version of a screenshot, screen recording enables you to create demonstration videos, record gaming achievements for posterity, and create videos than can be shared online on the likes of YouTube.

It is important to choose the right free screen recorder depending on what you intend to do with the footage you capture. Different recorders offer a range of differing features, can save captures in varying formats, or capture footage from external sources such as a webcam – and some even give you the opportunity to upload to the internet directly from within the program. Some run nicely on average hardware, while others are more demanding. The point is that there is plenty of choice.

No matter what you're hoping to do with footage captured from your computer, you need the right tool for the job. And this is where our look at the best free screen recorders can help – take a look and see which one is best for you.

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OBS Studio

OBS Studio gets our vote for the best free screen recorder. It's feature-packed, and nothing is hidden behind a paywall (Image credit: OBS Studio)

If you’re a keen gamer, OBS Studio is easily the best screen capture software for you. Unlike the hugely popular FRAPS (which only lets you record for 30 seconds at a stretch unless you’ve bought a license, and applies a watermark to the resulting footage), OBS Studio is open source, and completely free to use without restrictions.

Editor's choice award: OBS Studio

Free screen recorder OBS Studio supports both streaming and recording in high definition, with no restrictions on the number or length of your creations. You can stream live to Twitch or YouTube gaming, save projects and come back to them later, or encode your footage in FLV format and save it locally.

Because OBS Studio can record directly from your graphics card, it’s able to capture games running in full-screen mode (many other screen recorders can only record if the game is windowed), with customizable hotkeys to control the recording. OBS Studio can also make full use of multi-core CPUs for improved performance, and can record at 60FPS (or even higher).

It might take a little while to set it up exactly how you want, but OBS Studio is by far the best and most powerful screen recorder for gamers.

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Flashback Express

Flashback Express is refreshingly simply to use and beautifully designed (Image credit: Blueberry Software)

OBS Studio is our top choice for recording from a desktop or webcam, but Flashback Express comes an extremely close second. Despite being a free version of a paid program, FlashBack Express won't put ugly watermarks over your recordings or impose time limits, and it's packed with features and tools that rival many premium programs. Its interface is less intimidating than OBS Studio, so if you've never used a screen recorder before, it's an excellent choice.

You can record from your whole screen, a window, a selected area, or a webcam. Once you’ve finished, your recording will appear in a simple editor, where you can crop and trim it to suit your needs, then export it to YouTube, an FTP server, or your PC.

That’s all fairly standard fare for a free screen recorder, but take a minute to dive into Flashback’s advanced options and you’ll find a wealth of thoughtfully designed settings that will make your desktop recordings look truly professional. The recorder can automatically obscure passwords entered on screen, replace your silly wallpaper with a plain one, hide messy desktop icons, and highlight your mouse pointer to make it easier to follow. There's also a dedicated gaming mode that lets you define the number of frames recorded per second.

There’s no limit on the length of your recordings unless you choose to set one, which can be useful if there’s a chance you might accidentally leave the recorder running. You can also choose to break long recordings up into chunks – a brilliant touch that helps you avoid creating huge, unwieldy files. Your recordings won’t be watermarked, either.

Following a recent update, Flashback Express can export in WMV, AVI and MP4 formats, eliminating the need for a separate video converter, and it no longer requires a free license key for activation – just install the software and you're ready to start recording.

Developer Blueberry Software has also released a free screen recorder designed specifically for games – FBX. This recorder captures HD in-game footage, with hardware acceleration for AMD and Nvidia cards, and Intel CPUs.

If you're thinking about upgrading to FlashBack Pro, Blueberry software is offering TechRadar readers an exclusive 25% discount.

Apowersoft Online Screen Recorder screen grab

The online version of Apowesoft's free screen recorder lets you record your screen with no time limits (Image credit: Apowersoft)

If you want to record a presentation, software demonstration or tutorial, give Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder a try. It's a browser-based tool, which means it's not suitable for games, but for any other tasks it's ideal.

The first time you use Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder, you'll be prompted to download a small launcher application. You'll then be provided with a control bar packed with more options than you'll find in most desktop screen recording software. You can capture footage from your desktop or a webcam, and record audio from your PC, microphone, both or neither.

You can record the whole screen, select an area manually or choose one of the preset resolutions – ideal if you’re recording a clip for YouTube, for example, and don’t want to use a separate video editor to resize it later.

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder also offers customizable keyboard shortcuts for speed and convenience. You can choose whether or not to include the cursor in the recording and take your pick from a range of output formats including MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV and many more. You can even add annotations during the recording.

Once you’re done, you can save the recording as a video file or GIF, upload it directly to YouTube or Vimeo, or send it to Google Drive or Dropbox. You can also edit the clip. Selecting this option will download an additional component – Apowersoft Video Editor – which lets you make simple adjustments before exporting your video in your preferred format. A truly exceptional tool.

Note that the 'Download desktop version' button links to a program called Apowersoft Screen Recorder Pro. This is a trial version of a premium application, and is more limited than Online Screen Recorder.

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Debut Video Capture

Debut Video Capture might not look as slick as some, but it performs admirably (Image credit: NCH Software)

Debut Video Capture is a new addition to our roundup of free screen recorders, and although its slightly dated design does it few favors, it's an extremely powerful program that can do much more than just capture what's happening on your PC monitor.

In addition to basic screen recording (with no time limits or watermarks), Debut Video Capture can also record footage from external devices, including webcams and security cameras. It can even record on a regular schedule, which means it can become the main hub of a home security system. Not too shabby for a program that's totally free for personal use.

There are no post-production editing tools, but you can apply filters and add your own captions and watermarks before you begin recording. There's no option for exporting videos directly to YouTube or Facebook, but they can be saved in all the main formats, including MP4, MOV and AVI (to name just three).

Debut Video Capture is currently in public beta, so we look forward to seeing the final release version with a lick of extra polish soon.

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ShareX

As its name suggests, ShareX is a great screen recorder if you want to share your videos with others (Image credit: ShareX Team)

ShareX is an open source app for capturing still screen grabs and recording videos. There are no watermarks or time limits to worry about, but the interface isn't the most intuitive in the world so you’ll be best off using keyboard shortcuts. For quick reference, you can start a recording by tapping Shift + Print Screen, and stop it again using Ctrl + Shift + Print Screen.

You can also use this free screen recorder to save your capture as a GIF rather than a video file, which can be extremely useful for sharing on forums and social media.

Not only is ShareX a brilliant free screen recorder, it can also capture an entire scrolling webpage, capture and identify text via OCR, and even capture your screen according to a schedule.

Another of its best features is the ability to send your captured grabs and videos straight to a file-sharing or social media site. There’s a vast array of options, which you can check out on the project’s site.

Unfortunately, ShareX doesn’t support taking screen grabs or recordings from games running in full-screen mode. Other than that, it’s a superb screen recorder that will serve you extremely well.

Watch our rundown of our favourite free video editors: 

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Dell adds 12 new products across XPS, Alienware, Inspiron & G series in India

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 08:02 AM PDT

Dell has announced 12 new products across its XPS, Alienware, Inspiron, G-series and All-In-Ones (AIOs) portfolio in India. This announcement comes ahead of the start of the festive season in the country leading into Diwali. The new portfolio is powered by upto 10th generation Intel Processors and has been revamped with new features.

“As the festivities kick in, this is a great time of the year to present our widest consumer and gaming portfolio. There’s intelligence and power running throughout every new product we bring to our users today. Devices that fit seamlessly into your life and uplift your technology experience, is what we strive for.” said Rajkumar Rishi, Vice President and Managing Director, Consumer and Small Business, Dell Technologies India.

Dell XPS 13 (7390) and XPS 15 (7590) 

The XPS 13 7390 features the world's smallest webcam measuring 2.25mm and the Infinity Edge display offers a great viewing experience backed by Dolby Vision. 

The bigger XPS 15 7590 gets an upgrade to an OLED display and is also amongst the world's smallest 15-inch laptops.

Dell XPS 15 7590 goes on sale from September 24 starting at Rs 1,66,990. The XPS 13 7390 will be available from October 2 at a starting price of Rs 1,13,990.

Both the laptops will be available at Dell Exclusive stores, major retail outlets across India and online from Dell India shop.

Dell Inspiron range now with 10th gen Intel processors

Dell's Inspiron portfolio which includes laptops, 2-in-1s and AIOs are now available with upto 10th Generation Intel processors with design tweaks and some added features.

Dell Inspiron 7000 2-in-1 (7391) supports an Active Pen which can be stored in a space specially built into the hinge of the laptop. The new laptop also features Adaptive Thermal Technology which tweaks the performance to boost efficiency in different modes.

The Inspiron 14 7000 (7490) features a magnesium alloy build and weighs 1.095 kg. It has a fingerprint sensor, built-in WiFi 6 standard and can provide upto 21 hours of battery life.

The Inspiron 13 2-in-1 7000 (7391) and Inspiron 14 7490 goes on sale from October 2 starting at Rs 90,290 and Rs 86,890 respectively. 

Dell G3 3590 and Alienware m15 for gamers

Dell's gaming-centric offering the G3 3590 is aimed at users looking to game on a budget. It features a 15-inch 144Hz refresh rate display and 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard. The laptop comes pre-installed with Game Shift which optimizes fan speeds to deliver a powerful gaming experience.

On the other hand, the Dell Alienware m15 receives an upgraded 4K OLED HDR display and Tobii Eye Tracking.

Dell G3 (3590) is now available to purchase from Dell offline/online store and major retail outlets starting at Rs 70,990. The Alienware m15 is priced starting at Rs 1,88,490 and is also available to purchase now.

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