Top 5 alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018)

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September 25, 2018

Samsung has finally launched the much awaited Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) smartphone in India. The highlights of the phone include its triple camera set up at the back and a FullHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity Display up front. Samsung has priced this smartphone quite aggressively and it will be available for Rs. 23,990 and will go on sale starting September 27. Here are some alternatives to check out.

Xiaomi Poco F1

In case you are looking to get a flagship experience at a lower price point, the Xiaomi Poco F1 deserves a look. The Xiaomi Poco F1 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with the Adreno 630 GPU. The dual-SIM handset comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. All of this comes in at a starting price of just Rs. 20,999.

Also Read: Xiaomi Poco F1 can’t stream HD content from Netflix or Amazon Prime, here’s why

Asus ZenFone 5Z

If you are willing to spend a little more, then the Asus ZenFone 5Z is one of the best smartphones available under Rs. 30,000. The smartphone is another affordable flagship and comes with the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset. The device features a 6.2-inch IPS LCD display with a notch up top. The dual-SIM handset comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. It is available at a starting price of Rs. 29,999.

Vivo V11 Pro

If you want a phone that stands out from the crowd, the Vivo V11 Pro can be a great choice. The Vivo V11 Pro comes with an in-display fingerprint scanner and a 6.41-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED display. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor coupled with 6GB of RAM. The Vivo V11 Pro is priced at Rs. 24,999.

Nokia 7 Plus

Also Read: Top five Android Go smartphones: Nokia 1 to Moto E5 Play

If you chose the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) just because it is from a trusted brand, you can also have a look at the Nokia 7 Plus. At a price of Rs. 25,999, the Nokia 7 Plus brings in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. The dual-SIM handset packs in 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage which is further expandable using a microSD card.

Honor Play

Just like the Poco F1, the Honor Play can also get you flagship grade hardware for a price less than that of the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018). The Honor Play is powered by the company's own flagship Kirin 970 chipset. The phone comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The phone is available at a starting price of Rs. 19,999.

Top 5 alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy J6+

By

Devesh Arora

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September 25, 2018

samsung galaxy J6+ — Samsung Galaxy J6+ is even available in the red colour

Samsung has recently launched two new budget smartphones in India. The Samsung Galaxy J4+ and J6+ come with Infinity Displays and are priced at Rs. 10,990 and Rs. 15,990 respectively. In case you are looking for the Samsung Galaxy J6+, you should check out these alternatives before throwing in your money.

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 brings the most value for the money at this price range. It sports a 5.99-inch FullHD+ display and it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC. It comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy J6+, this one runs on a stock version of Android. The ZenFone Max Pro M1 is available in India at a starting price of Rs. 10,999.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

xiaomi, asus, zenfone max pro m1, 6gb ram — Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro features an 18:9 display

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro is rated as one of the best mid-range smartphones in India. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor coupled with 4GB or 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The Redmi Note 5 Pro is available at a starting price of Rs. 14,999.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro Review: Still the budget king?

Nokia 6.1 Plus

If you chose Samsung for the brand value, then you should check out the Nokia 6.1 Plus as well. The Nokia 6.1 PLus brings in a much better design and specifications. It features a 5.8-inch 19:9 FullHD+ display and it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor. The dual-SIM handset packs in 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It is also a part of Google's Android One program which means updates are never gonna be an issue. The Nokia 6.1 Plus available in India with a price tag of Rs. 15,999.

Xiaomi Mi A2

If you are willing to spend a little more, you can grab the Xiaomi Mi A2 and it will perform way better than any other smartphone in this list. The Mi A2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC. It packs in with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It has a 5.99-inch FullHD+ IPS LCD display. The Mi A2 comes with a price tag of Rs. 16,999.

Also Read: Motorola One Power launched in India: Price, Specifications and Alternatives

Motorola One Power

Motorola recently launched the Motorola One Power in India at a price of Rs. 15,990. At a similar price, the Motorola One Power offers much better specifications when compared to the Samsung Galaxy J6+. The device comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM.

Amazon Echo Spot Review: Alexa meets a display

By

Devesh Arora

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amazon, alexa, echo, echo spot — Amazon Echo Spot is an Alexa powered smart speaker with a display up front

Amazon recently launched the Echo Spot, an addition to their popular smart speaker line-up. The Echo Spot stands out from other Echo devices as it does not sport a cylindrical design and also features a display. We tested out the smart speaker rigorously for the past few days and here is how it performed.

Design

Amazon Echo Spot has a round body shape which looks like a ball that was cut in half. It weighs around half a kilogram and since it is going to lie on a table all the time the weight should not be an issue. Speaking of keeping it on a table, the Echo Dot comes with a rubber pad at the bottom which keeps it in place and it does not let it move a bit, even with heavy vibrations created by the speakers themselves during alarms and Alexa calls. The speaker grills are located under the speaker like most of the Echo smart speakers. So we recommended that you keep it on a flat surface to amplify the sound.

On the top of the Echo Spot, there are three buttons two of which are volume controls and the middle one allows you to mute the microphone so it stops listening to you. The buttons are surrounded by the four microphones. Up front, there is a circular 2.5-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 480x480 pixels. Above the display is a camera which you can also turn off in the settings if you have privacy concerns. When the camera is enabled it can be used to make video calls to other Alexa devices.

On the back side of the speaker, there is an Amazon branding and two ports. One port is used to plug in the 15W charger supplied in the box and the other one is a 3.5mm audio jack which can be used to plugin extra speakers to get a better sound experience when needed.

Audio Performance

Amazon advertises the Echo Spot as a smart speaker with a display. However, the speakers on this one are not as powerful as we would have hoped. The audio performance is somewhere around that of the Echo Dot which is the smallest smart speaker the company has to offer. To put things into a perspective, I would say the inbuilt speakers on the Echo Spot would be enough for a quiet room when you want to listen to some bedtime songs. However, if you are looking to use it as a party speaker or want to get some real bass, you will need to plug in an extra pair of speakers via the 3.5mm headphone jack or you can use Bluetooth to connect a pair of wireless speakers.

Display

Amazon Echo Spot sports a circular 2.5-inch display with a resolution of 480x480 pixels. The display acts as a great bedside clock, thanks to its default face being set to a watch. It also displays the weather and something called "Things to try" which tells you what new commands you can try. The display can also be used to watch YouTube videos, but I personally won't prefer watching them on a small circular display.

Features

Having a smart speaker means having access to a ton of extra features. The Amazon Echo Spot can play music using the Prime Music service or you can even sync your Saavn account for an even larger library. As the Echo Spot has a display up front, you can even play your favourite music video on YouTube.

Furthermore, you can ask Alexa to control your smart home appliances if you have any. You can also ask Alexa to take down notes for you, wake you up or even generate a shopping list.

The Alexa app is easy to use but has some bugs

There is an Amazon Alexa app available on the Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. The app lets you add extra features to the Echo Spot and also gives you a quick info on what commands you gave the speaker in the past.

Verdict

Amazon Echo Spot is basically what the company says it is, a smart speaker with a display. However, putting a display in a small form factor device like the Spot, omits the main purpose of the device. At a price of Rs. 12,999, there certainly are better options available but you will have to give up on that display. If sound is something that concerns you the most, we would highly recommend checking out the Amazon Echo or the Echo Plus. However, if you are looking for a smart speaker that can also act as a good bedside clock, there is nothing better than the Echo Spot.

Motorola One Power launched in India: Price, Specifications and Alternatives

By

Devesh Arora

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September 24, 2018

Motorola recently unveiled the Motorola One and One Power at the IFA 2018 event in Berlin. The Lenovo-owned company has today launched the Motorola One Power in India at a starting price of Rs. 15,999. The smartphone will be exclusively available via Flipkart starting October 5.

Specifications

As for the specifications, the Motorola One Power features a 6.2-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080x2246 pixels and an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC coupled with Adreno 509 GPU. The dual-SIM handset packs in 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box. All of this is backed by a massive 5,000mAh battery.

On the optics front, the Motorola One Power sports a dual-camera setup at the back consisting of a 16-megapixel primary and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. Up front, there is a 12-megapixel selfie shooter.

Also Read: OnePlus 6 starts receiving official Android 9 Pie update

Alternatives

Nokia 6.1 Plus

In case you really want a notch on your next smartphone, the Nokia 6.1 Plus has one of the better-looking notches in the price range. Just like the Motorola One Power, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is also a part of Google's Android One program. It features a 5.8-inch 19:9 FullHD+ display and it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor. The dual-SIM handset packs in 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It is available in India with a price tag of Rs. 15,999.

Xiaomi Mi A2

Currently, one of the best Android One smartphones under Rs. 20,000 is the Xiaomi Mi A2. The Mi A2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC. It packs in with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. Though there is no notch up front, it has a 5.99-inch FullHD+ IPS LCD display. It comes with a price tag of Rs. 16,999.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Honor Play: Which one deserves your hard earned money?

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1

Zenfone Max Pro M1n nokia 6, nokia x6, nokia 6.1 plus, specifications, price, alternatives — Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 runs on stock Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 features a 5.99-inch FullHD+ display. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC. It comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It is not an Android One phone but it still runs on a stock version of Android 8.1 Oreo. The phone is available in India at a starting price of Rs. 10,999.

Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro starts receiving Android Oreo update: Here's what's new

By

Tech Desk

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September 22, 2018

Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro Back 2 — Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro was launched back in 2017

Samsung has finally started rolling out the much-awaited Android 8.0 Oreo update for the mid-range Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro smartphone. At the time when other companies are working on the Android Pie update, Samsung is still providing the Oreo update to few of its smartphones.

Most Samsung Galaxy C9 Pro users had given up till now and thought that they will never be receiving the update. However, Samsung did keep up to its promise and the Galaxy C9 Pro finally got its second major software update, first being Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The phone was launched back in February 2017 and it ran on Android 6.0.1 Marshmellow out of the box.

Also, it is worth mentioning that even after keeping the customers wait for so long, the company has provided the Android 8.0 Oreo instead of the Android 8.1. Notably, this is the last major software update for the Galaxy C9 Pro as it has completed its two-year cycle. So, we cannot expect Android Pie to arrive for the device. However, there might be custom ROMs available down the line.

Also Read: OnePlus 6 starts receiving official Android 9 Pie update

What's New

The new update, weighing in at around 1.2GB, brings all the changes that Google has introduced with the Android 8.0 Oreo. These changes include Autofill, Picture-in-Picture mode, a new set of emojis and much more. Apart from these changes, the update also brings Samsung Experience 9.0 which is a UI update from the company.

Some of the notable changes also include the introduction of Dual Messenger which allows using two accounts of the same application. It also brings the latest August 1, 2018 security patch from Google.

Top 5 alternatives to the Oppo F5: From Mi A2 to Poco F1

By

Devesh Arora

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September 22, 2018

Oppo launched the Oppo F5 in India last year. The smartphone is still available via all the major online and offline store. However, there are much better smartphones available at a similar price point now. Here are the top 5 alternatives to the Oppo F5 available in India right now.

Xiaomi Poco F1

Xiaomi Poco F1 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with the Adreno 630 GPU. The smartphone comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. It features a 6.18-inch FullHD+ IPS LCD display with a notch up top. All of this comes at a starting price of Rs. 20,999.

Honor Play

If you are looking for a good build quality and flagship-grade hardware, the Honor Play can be a great choice. The Honor Play is powered by the company's flagship Kirin 970 processor. The base variant of the handset packs in 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It comes in at a starting price of Rs. 19,990.

Also Read: Xiaomi Mi A2 vs Honor Play: Which one deserves your hard earned money?

Oppo F9 Pro

oppo, f9, f9 pro — Oppo F9 Pro comes with a water-drop style notch up front

If you are willing to spend your money on an Oppo smartphone, we recommend going in for the latest Oppo F9 Pro which comes with a similar price tag. The Oppo F9 Pro features a 6.3-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels and a water-drop style notch. The device packs in 6GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. It is currently available at a price of Rs. 23,990.

Vivo V11 Pro

If you do not want to spend a lot and still want a smartphone that can be a conversation starter, the Vivo V11 Pro could be your choice. At Rs. 25,990, the Vivo V11 Pro brings in a 6.41-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint scanner. It comes with a Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

Also Read: Here’s how to get the Vivo V11 Pro for just Rs. 23,990

Xiaomi Mi A2

If you do not like Oppo's custom UI ColorOS and prefer stock Android instead, you can look for the Xiaomi Mi A2. The Mi A2 is apart of Google's Android One program which is why you will always get updates on time. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC, so even the performance is better than the Oppo F5. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage with a price tag of Rs. 16,999.

OnePlus 6 starts receiving official Android 9 Pie update

By

Devesh Arora

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September 21, 2018

OnePlus has finally started rolling out the final stable build of Android 9 Pie for their latest flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 6. Apart from the Google devices, the OnePlus 6 is one of the first smartphones to get the Android Pie update. The smartphone first got a taste of the Pie on September 3 when the company rolled out the first OxygenOS Open Beta for it.

While the Open Beta program had a few bugs and issues, OnePlus has fixed most of them and has finally rolled out the final version for all OnePlus 6 users. The rollout has already begun and if you have a OnePlus 6, you should soon see a notification on your smartphone. The company says that its older flagship models, the OnePlus 3, 3T, OnePlus 5 and 5T will also start receiving the update soon.

With the latest version of Android, the OnePlus 6 gets all the changes that Google has introduced. These changes include material design, gesture-based navigation and much more. Apart from that, the company has brought gaming mode 3.0 and other system improvements.

Also Read: OnePlus to kill the 3.5mm headphone jack on the OnePlus 6T: Confirms Carl Pie

How to install the update

Head over to the Settings
Go to System Update and tap on Check for updates
Once the update is found, hit the Download now option

In case you cannot see the update on your OnePlus device, you will have to wait until the company rolls out the update in your region.

Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) launched: Here are some alternatives

By

Devesh Arora

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September 21, 2018

The South Korean giant, Samsung has finally launched the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) mid-range smartphone. The key features of the smartphone include the triple camera setup at the back and the Super AMOLED display up front. Also, this is the first Samsung phone to sport a fingerprint sensor on the side. The price of the device has not been revealed yet but it is expected to be priced somewhere around Rs. 30,000.

Specifications

As for the specifications, the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) features a 6-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is powered by a 2.2GHz processor. The dual-SIM handset packs in 4GB or 6GB of RAM coupled with 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage which is further expandable using a microSD card.

On the optics front, the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) bears a triple camera setup at the back which consists of a 24-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor and a 5-megapixel depth sensor. Up front, there is a 24-megapixel selfie shooter.

Alternatives

While the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018) is a mid-range smartphone from the company, you can grab a smartphone with flagship grade specifications for a similar price range.

OnePlus 6

Currently OnePlus 6 is dominating the affordable flagship market. The phone sports a 6.28-inch FullHD+ Super AMOLED display. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset coupled with up to 8GB of RAM coupled with up to 256GB of onboard storage. OnePlus 6 is available in India at a starting price of Rs. 34,999.

Asus ZenFone 5Z

At a starting price of Rs. 29,999, the Asus ZenFone 5Z is a much better option when compared to the Samsung Galaxy A7 (2018). The dual-SIM handset comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC paired with Adreno 630 GPU. It features a 6.2-inch FullHD+ IPS LCD display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and a notch. The device comes with up to 8GB of RAM coupled with up to 256GB of internal storage.

Poco F1

In case you are looking to save more money, the Poco F1 will give you more power in exchange. With the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, it can run any games or applications thrown at it. The device comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. The Xiaomi Poco F1 is available at a starting price of Rs. 20,990.

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 2 users can now enjoy PlayStation Now games offline: Here's how

By

Tech Desk

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September 21, 2018

Sony's most popular game consoles, the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 2 can now download games from PlayStation Now and play them offline. The users who have paid for the PlayStation Now subscription can enjoy this service starting today. This will solve the major issue for the people having a poor internet connection at their place.

Initially, users had to stay connected to the PlayStation servers in order to play the games on PS Now. Now even if the internet connection goes down, they can continue playing as the games can be saved online. However, one downside to this is that the users will need plenty of space on the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 2. In case, you have a 500GB console, you will run out of space quite quickly.

Sony has made this announcement via their official PlayStation blog. Most of the games available on PS Now will now be available for download. Even the classic games that have been brought from PS2 to the new PS4 can be downloaded. If you cannot find the feature on your PlayStation right now, you should wait for a few days as this is a slow roll out.

Also Read: Fortnite Battle Royale vs PUBG Mobile: Here’s how they compare to each other on Android

The PlayStation Now games that players download for offline playing will also support the purchased DLCs and other add-ons. It should be noted that the PS Now subscribers do not need a PlayStation Plus membership in order to download or play the PS Now games online.

Few of the popular games that are available via the service include God of War 3 Remastered, NBA 2K16, Until Dawn and many others. PS Now subscription is currently available for just USD 10 per month under the company's summer promotion offer that ends September 25.

The Football Fever in Arena of Valor: Here's how it works

By

Devesh Arora

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September 19, 2018

Arena of Valor, a popular multiplayer online battle arena game by Tencent games has a got a new football mode. With this new mode, the company says that the football fever is not over yet as the players can now play football within the game. The mode will be available only on the weekends and here's how it works.

The new football game mode brings an unusual intersection between MOBA games, FIFA and the Rocket League. With this new mode, the Arena of Valor fans can enjoy their favourite game as well as have some fun playing football around. The Football Fever mode has some limitations which you will have to keep in mind.

First of all, the mode is available only on weekends which includes Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Also, the mode is quite similar to the Hook Wars and Death Match. Unfortunately, the mode does not allow your ranged heroes to enter. So, if your favourite one is ranged you will have to settle in for a melee one. These matches will be 3v3 instead of the traditional 5v5.

Also Read: Fortnite Battle Royale vs PUBG Mobile: Here’s how they compare to each other on Android

The new Football Fever mode also adds a few new abilities in the Arena of Valor. These abilities are focused towards kicking the ball around the map. The abilities include Kick, Block and Gravity. While Kick is being self-explanatory here, the Block ability allows you to create a temporary barrier so that the enemies can't score. Gravity is a cooldown based ability which can be used to get a better control over the ball.

The Football Fever match will last for around four minutes and whichever team manages to lead the scoreboard by the end of those four minutes wins.

Beetel BiteTech News, Reviews, PC Mobile Phones, Tablets and more

Xiaomi Poco F1

Asus ZenFone 5Z

Vivo V11 Pro

Nokia 7 Plus

Honor Play

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro

Nokia 6.1 Plus

Xiaomi Mi A2

Motorola One Power

Design

Audio Performance

Display

Features

Verdict

Specifications

Alternatives

Nokia 6.1 Plus

Xiaomi Mi A2

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1

What's New

Xiaomi Poco F1

Honor Play

Oppo F9 Pro

Vivo V11 Pro

Xiaomi Mi A2

How to install the update

Specifications

Alternatives

OnePlus 6

Asus ZenFone 5Z

Poco F1