Battlefield 5 will be available for everyone starting November 20
Electronic Arts are now gearing up to launch the much-anticipated game, Battlefield 5. Many fans are now excited as the release date is just around the corner. The game will be available for Windows PC as well as consoles including Xbox and Play Station 4. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming game.d
Battlefield 5: When will it be available?
Battlefield 5 is already available for Xbox One users with EA Access and PC users with Origin Access Premier subscription. The users who have already pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition of the game on any of the supported platforms can start playing from November 15. Rest of the audience will have to witness until November 20 as the Standard Edition of the game will be released on that day.
Battlefield 5: How much does it cost?
Standard Edition of Battlefield 5 will be available for USD 59.99 and for that price the customers will get only the game. However, if you pay a premium of USD 79.99 to get the Deluxe Edition, you will get the game, pre-order bonuses and the early access to the game. The pre-order bonuses include Paratrooper Outfit, Firestorm Ranger Set, Special Assignments and immediate access to five Battlefield 1 weapons.
Battlefield 5: What's new with the game?
Battlefield runs on the Frostbite engine using the latest Frostbite 3. For the single-player campaign, the game comes with War Stories theme similar to what we have seen with the ever so popular Battlefield 1. Apart from that, there are two more game modes, Combined Arms and Grand Operations which will allow players to take advantage of the multiplayer capabilities of the game.
In Combined Arms, a total of four players have to team up and play in a together in order to achieve multiple objectives and achievements. On the other hand, the Grand Operations needs 64 players in a field where the battle can last for a span of three to four days. Each day or match the format and dynamics will be different in order to keep the players hyped.
At the time of launch, Electronic Arts have enabled around 8 maps which include, Hamada, Aerodrome, Twisted Steel, Arras, Rotterdam, Devastation, Narvik and Fjell 652. The Panzerstorm map will be available soon after the official launch.
MIUI 10 is now available for more than 20 Xiaomi devices
Xiaomi recently announced that they will start rolling out the Global stable version of the latest iteration of their custom UI, MIUI. In a recent blog post, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has confirmed that the MIUI 10 update will be soon rolled out for a total of 21 devices. Users will be able to get the update OTA (Over-the-Air).
What is MIUI 10?
MIUI 10 is an update to the company's own custom UI that is built on top of Android. The new update brings significant changes to the UI and a ton of extra features. It brings better full-screen gesture for Xiaomi smartphones. The notification shade and recents menu have also been revamped. Apart from the UI changes, the MIUI 10 also introduces AI Portrait mode and much more.
Which devices will get the update?
The list of smartphones include, Xiaomi Mi Max 2, Xiaomi Mi 4s, Xiaomi Mi 4c, Xiaomi Mi 5s, Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus, Xiaomi Mi Max, Xiaomi Mi 4, Xiaomi Mi Max Prime, Xiaomi Redmi 5A, Xiaomi Redmi 4, Xiaomi Redmi 4A, Xiaomi Redmi 4x, Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (Qualcomm variant), Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (MediaTek variant), Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A Prime, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X, Xiaomi Redmi Pro, Xiaomi Mi Note 3, Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus and the Xiaomi Redmi Pro.
Notably, the Poco F1 by Xiaomi has also got the MIUI 10 update recently which, alongside the new UI has also fixed some of the major bugs.
How to update?
Once the MIUI 10 update is available for your Xiaomi device, you will get a notification. However, to check for the update manually you can open up the Settings app and head over to About phone>System updates and tap on Check for updates.
After a long time, Xiaomi has finally entered the truly wireless earphones market. With the all-new Xiaomi AirDots, the Chinese manufacturer is trying to compete against AirPods by Apple. AirDots, being from Xiaom, are way cheaper than the AirPods. Xiaomi Mi AirDots are currently available only in China with a price tag of RMB 199 (roughly Rs. 2,099).
Weighing in at around 4.2 grams, the Xiaomi AirDots are truly wireless earbuds which means you will need a case to carry them around. The case comes with its own battery, which means the AirDots will start charging as soon as you throw them in the case. Once fully charged, AirDots can deliver a continuous playback time of four hours.
For connectivity, Xiaomi AirDots use the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology which offers higher range and better audio quality. Once you have paired the earbuds with your smartphone, they auto connect every time they power-on. Also, these earbuds are touch sensitive which means you can tap or double tap on them for different actions such as play/pause music, answer calls and more.
Xiaomi AirDots will go on sale starting November 11 via Xiaomi Mall. As of now, there is no word by the company weather the AirDots will make its way to other regions including India or not.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi is gearing up to launch the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro smartphone in China on November 7. The smartphone is said to feature similar internals to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, but it will come with a new design and a notched display.
Galaxy Note 9 will be one of the first Samsung devices to get the Android 9 Pie update
It has been a few months since Google released the latest iteration of Android, Android 9.0 Pie. As usual, Samsung is late to the party as none of the Samsung devices has received the update yet. Samsung is set to reveal their version of the new operating system at the Samsung Developer's Conference that is set to be held on November 7.
At the conference, the South Korean giant is set to reveal changes that they are bringing to Samsung Experience UI with the latest operating system. Also, Samsung will introduce a beta program for Android 9.0 Pie where users with compatible devices can test out an early build of the software and help Samsung to make it better.
Samsung Developer's Conference will take place for two days, November 7 and 8. Alongside the beta program, the company will also talk about the foldable smartphone. We have heard enough leaks and rumours about the foldable phone and it would be finally in front of the world within a couple of hours.
As for Android 9 Pie, we have already witnessed some early leaked builds for the Samsung Galaxy S9. The new Samsung UX brings changes to the interface and introduces dark mode and full-screen gesture navigation support. First party apps have also been updated to get along with the latest update.
The beta program is most likely to be available for Galaxy Note 9, Galaxy S9+ and Galaxy S9 users. It will later be made available for older flagships like the Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8+ and the Galaxy S8. Samsung Galaxy S7 and older flagships will not be receiving the update as their update cycle is complete. Mid-range devices like Galaxy A9 and Galaxy A7 (2018) should receive the update soon after flagships receive it.
OnePlus recently unveiled their latest flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 6T. It comes with a waterdrop style notch and an in-display fingerprint scanner. Though it has introduced significant changes over the OnePlus 6, many people are still not convinced to get what OnePlus has to offer. So, here are some of the alternatives to choose from.
Asus ZenFone 5Z
The ZenFone 5Z sports a glass sandwich design
If you want to save some money and still want a flagship experience, the Asus ZenFone 5Z deserves a look. The dual-SIM handset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with up to 8GB of RAM. The device comes with up to 256GB of onboard storage and it is available at a starting price of Rs. 29,999.
LG G7 ThinQ
LG G7 ThinQ comes with the company's new AI features
In case you are willing to sacrifice on the beautiful design, the G7+ ThinQ from LG can deliver a better flagship experience. The G7+ ThinQ features a 6.1-inch notched display with a resolution of 1440x3120 pixels. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with 6GB of RAM. The device runs on Android 8.1 Oreo and it is priced at Rs. 39,990.
Poco F1
Xiaomi Poco F1 comes with a dual-camera setup at the back
In case you don't have the budget for the OnePlus 6T but want the same amount of power in your hands, the Poco F1 is your best bet. Poco F1 is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset. It comes with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM coupled with up to 256GB of onboard storage. The smartphone is available at a starting price of Rs. 20,990.
Honor Play
Honor Play comes with flagship grade hardware at a relatively lower price
Just like the Poco F1, Honor Play also offers flagship grade hardware for a relatively lower price point. Also, this one has a metal back while the Poco F1 comes with a polycarbonate back. Honor Play is powered by the company's own flagship Kirin 970 chipset and comes with up to 6GB of RAM. It is available at a starting price of Rs. 19,999.
Samsung Galaxy S8 was launched back in 2017 and it still holds up well in 2018. It comes with features like IP68 rating, Infinity Display, Always-on-Display, Samsung Pay and much more. For specifications, the phone is powered by the Exynos 8895 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM. It is currently available for a price of Rs. 38,900.
As the festive season is here, most companies have a chance to attract more customers by offering great deals and discounts. Reliance Jio has also come up with some offers for new as well as existing Jio users. Some of the offers include 100 percent cashback coupons, gift cards and more. Here's everything Jio has to offer and how you can avail them
During the Jio Diwali Dhamaka sale, Jio users can get 100 percent cashback on pre-paid plans of Rs. 149 and above. Users can even avail flat Rs. 300 cashback on payments made using mobile wallets like Paytm, PhonePe, Amazon Pay, and MobiKwik. If you are a Jio Prime member, the 100 percent cashback amount will be credited to your Jio account in the form of Reliance Digital coupons and can be redeemed at the offline stores. Notably, the minimum cart value should be Rs. 5,000 in order to redeem it.
As for the JioPhone 2, the feature phone will be made available via jio.com starting November 5 and will be there till November 12. Customers who complete the transaction using PayTM can get a cashback of Rs. 200. Also, unlike the previous flash sales, this one is an open sale so you have even more chances of getting your hands on a unit this time.
Jio is also giving away Jio Gift Cards that you can purchase and git to your loved ones. At Rs. 1,095, the gift card can help you get a JioPhone and 6 months of unlimited voice calls and data. JioPhone 2 comes for a refundable deposit of Rs. 501 which can be deducted from the gift card itself. The remaining Rs. 594 gets you the Rs. 99 pack for 6 months.
Vivo V11 Pro buyers can get a hefty discount as well as a pair of free Bluetooth earphones
Vivo has come up with a ton of offers for its customers. This festive season, if you purchase a Vivo smartphone, you can get quite hefty discounts, cashback and even some freebies. Here are the details of everything the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has to offer.
To begin with, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is offering a discount of Rs. 2,000 on Vivo V9 bringing its price down from Rs. 17,990 to Rs. 15,990. Vivo V9 comes with a notched 6.3-inch display and a 24-megapixel selfie shooter. Powered by the Snapdragon 636, Vivo V9 comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
Further, Vivo V9 and V9 Pro are also available at a discount of Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 3,000 respectively. Additionally, V9 Pro buyers will also get a pair of free Bluetooth earphones. Now, the Vivo V9 is available for Rs. 20,990, while the V9 Pro with the in-display fingerprint scanner will be available for Rs. 25,990
The company is also offering great discounts on its budget smartphones. Vivo V9 and Y66 get a price cut of Rs. 8,000. The phones are now available for Rs. 15,990 and Rs.
7,990 respectively. Vivo V9 Youth, on the other hand, receives a price cut of Rs. 6,000 and it is now available for just Rs. 13,990.
Additionally, customers can get a cashback of 5 percent using an HDFC credit card on any of the Vivo products. There is also no cost EMI option with Bajaj Finserv EMI cards. Deals do not get over just here as the Vivo NEX, X21, V11, V11 Pro and V9 customers will get a pair of free Bluetooth earphones. Also, there is one-time free screen replacement for the V11 Pro and V11.
The smartphone tries to imitate other major smartphones in the market.
iVOOMi's sub-brand Innelo recently launched their first smartphone, Innelo 1 in India. It is also the company's first smartphone, which sports a notched display and runs Google's Android 8.1 Oreo. Innelo 1 is priced at Rs. 7,499.
It comes with a few nifty features like face unlock and augmented reality (AR) emojis. So is the Innelo 1 a sartphone that you must consider or not?
Innelo 1: Specifications
The specifications of the Innelo 1 are okayish.
Innelo 1 sports a 5.86-inch full view notched display with a resolution of 720 x 1520 pixels. It is powered by the MediaTek MT6735 processor clocked at 1.3GHz and is aided by 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. As far as the optics are concerned, the device sports a 13-megapixel rear camera paired with an LED flash. On the front, there is a 5-megapixel shooter for selfies and video calling. The front camera also serves the purpose of facial recognition and can also be used to unlock the device. All of this is backed by a 3,000mAh battery.
Innelo 1: Design
Innelo 1 sports a 5.86-inch full view display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The display is not too great, considering the price. Colours are a bit off and the viewing angles are not that good. The notch cut-out on top of the display is quite massive and the chin on the smartphone is also very big, making the notch quite useless and just an added gimmick. Also, the software at the time of writing this article was not at all optimised for the notch. The touch did not feel up to the mark and was extremely unresponsive near the notch. The notch cut in the display and hindered user experience when then the smartphone is in landscape mode. That's quite a poor implementation of notched display and is plain annoying.
The smartphone has a plastic back
The camera bump is too much
The smartphone dosen’t have a headphone jack
[Update]: The touch responsiveness around the Notch was fixed by a software update from the company. However, the Notch cutting into the display in landscape mode bug still remains.
The notch cuts into the display, especially when the navigation bar in landscape mode.
The back is made out of glossy plastic, which makes it look good, but feel not so premium. However, considering the price of the smartphone, this seems quite normal. Also, the biggest design decision taken by the company is to get rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack, which according to me is one of the biggest drawbacks of this phone after its notched display and software. However, to combat this Innelo does provide a pair of micro-USB complaint headphones in the box, but they are pretty average. Also once they stop working or you want a better experience, there are not many micro-USB to 3.5mm converters available in the market.
Innelo 1: Camera
On the optics front, Innelo 1 sports a 13-megapixel rear sensor coupled with a 5-megapixel front sensor for taking selfies.
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The rear camera sensor on the Innelo 1 is above average. The colours aren't vibrant, but the image details aren't so bad. The camera has issues in focusing, probably because the sensor lacks auto-focus, but overall the rear sensor is not that bad.
Front Camera
The front sensor applies a beautification mode by default, which enhances the colours. However, it depends upon the person if they like a beautification layer applied to their face or not. Similar to the back camera, images that were taken with the front camera module also has decent detailing but the focusing problem still exists.
Overall, cameras on the Innelo 1 are nothing special, neither are they very bad nor are they extremely commendable.
Innelo 1: Conclusion
The Innelo 1 sports a huge Notch and a similarily huge chin
The smartphone costs Rs 7,499 and comes with average looks, a notched display and a 19:9 aspect ratio. It runs Android 8.1 Oreo operating system with the company's own SmartMe OS 3.0 skin on top. The smartphone UI experience is not that good, a stock UI would have been much appreciated. The SmartMe OS 3.0 skin needs tons of bug fixes, before we can say it is good enough for the smartphone to actually use. The company is working on sending out regular updates, but it is very slow in doing so.
Overall, if a few software annoyances don't harm you, it is a decent smartphone. However, we would advise you to wait a while so that the company fixes all the software bugs before buying the Innelo 1. It is also recommended that you check out competitors like the Relame C1, which has much better software and hardware to offer at the same price.
Lava mobiles have just launched a new budget-oriented smartphone in India, Lava Z81. The key features of the smartphone include dual 4G support and a 13-megapixel selfie shooter. It is available at a starting price of Rs. 9,499. Here are the specifications of Lava Z81 and some of its alternatives that you can choose from.
Specifications
Lava Z81 comes packed with a MediaTek Helio A22 chipset, which is a quad-core processor clocked at 2GHz. It sports a 5.7-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The dual-SIM handset packs in either 3GB or 4GB of RAM coupled with 32GB of onboard storage which is further expandable using a microSD card. It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo based StarOS 5.0.
Alternatives
Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1
Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 runs on stock Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box
Spending a little bit more can get you a significant increase in power as well as the build quality. Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC. It features a 5.99-inch FullHD+ display. it comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The device is available in India at a starting price of Rs. 10,999.
If you are looking for something that is similarly priced but comes from a relatively trysted brand, the Xiaomi Redmi 6 should serve the purpose. Available at a starting price of Rs. 7,999, the Redmi 6 comes with a MediaTek P22 chipset and it features a 5.45-inch HD+ display. The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo based MIUI 9.
RealMe 2
RealMe 2 comes with a notch up front
At a starting price of Rs. 8,990l, the RealMe 2 is a great alternative to the Lava Z81. It features a 6.2-inch notched display and comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC. The dual-SIM handset packs in up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage.
ZTE's sub-brand Nubia has just launched a new smartphone, the Nubia X. With the new smartphone the company is trying to showcase its contribution in innovation towards the smartphone industry. It comes with two displays and only one dual-camera setup. Nubia X is available in China for CNY 3,299 (roughly Rs. 35,000).
OnePlus 6T
OnePlus 6T comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner
If you are looking something for a similar price point, the OnePlus 6T should serve the purpose. It comes with a water drop style notch and an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 coupled with up to 8GB of RAM. OnePlus 6T is available at a starting price of Rs. 37,999.
Oppo Find X
Oppo Find X comes in two attractive colours
In case you are looking for a smartphone with a truly bezel-less display, Oppo Find X is one of the few choices you can make. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset coupled with 8GB of RAM. It comes with pop up cameras and a glass sandwich design which allows for a full-screen display. Oppo Find X is priced at Rs. 59,990 in India.
Vivo Nex
Vivo Nex has a pop-up selfie camera up top
If you really want an in-display fingerprint scanner and a full-screen display, the Vivo Nex should be your choice. It features a 6.59-inch Super AMOLED display with a FullHD+ resolution. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM. It also comes with a pop-up selfie camera and it is priced at Rs. 45,999.
Samsung Galaxy S9
Samsung Galaxy S9 comes with a Super AMOLED display
Though the Samsung Galaxy S9 is not the prettiest looking phone out there, it surely has a ton of features. It comes with one of the best displays used on any smartphone and has a quite good looking design too. The performance will be taken care of by the Exynos 9810 chipset. It is available for a starting price of Rs. 57,900.
Asus ZenFone 5Z
ZenFone 5Z sports a notch up front
If you want to save some money and still want a flagship experience, the Asus ZenFone 5Z deserves a look. The dual-SIM handset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with up to 8GB of RAM. The device comes with up to 256GB of onboard storage and it is available at a starting price of Rs. 29,999.
