Here is your first ever exclusive look at the Motorola Moto Z2 Play
The Motorola Moto Z2 Play looks strikingly similar to the first generation Moto Z Play. Motorola has just added a round button, and that is it on the design side. Beetel Bite was also the first to cover the Motorola Moto Z2 (2017) leaks.
Image Source: Techno Buffalo
The biggest plus point of getting the Moto Z Play over the Z was its battery life and mid-range price. And, this year with the Moto Z2 Play Motorola will be offering a similar thing. Also, the design leaks confirm that both the Z2 and the Z2 Play will be compatible with the modular backs of the previous versions. The above image is a leak that comes from Techno Buffalo, and it shows you the latest Moto Z2 Play from the front, side, and back. The image suggests that the device is similar in design to the previous generation except for the button which is now round.
Concluding, the design hasen't changed drastically and only the button got changed to diffrentiate between the models. This makes sense as any drastic changes to the smartphone design would have led to all the back accessories forthe Moto Z line-up currently out to become obsolete. Thus keeping a similar design wasthe way to go. Also, the back connectors that connect with the accessories have not changed conforming that all the previous-gen mods will be compatible. At this point we don't have any information about the specifications though. So stay tuned as we will be updating our site about any new relevant data that comes in for the Moto Z2 smartphones.
The image of the smartphone also indicates a future date of June 8. Last year, The Moto Z came in August, so maybe its successor is making an early debut.
Bose Corp. has been charged with a lawsuit stating they spy on their customers via their wireless headphones. The lawsuit states that Bose utilizes an application to track the music, podcasts and any other sounds. And as per us, we feel that people use headphones for privacy and if those are being tracked people might be uncomfortable with using them.
The lawsuit by Zak accused the company of trying to boost the profits. By quietly collecting the data and then selling it. Bose was contacted but no response came back. The company has reported annual sales of $3.5 billion.
The lawsuit by Zak
After Zak purchased his QuietComfort 35 for $350, he downloaded the Bose app from the store and provided the relevant details. And, after doing all this he noticed Bose sends all the data from the smartphone to third party websites like Segment.io. That website promises to collect data and send it anywhere.
The complaint said that the audio choices offer an incredible amount of insight into the customers. And thus the Defendants' conduct demonstrates a wholesale disregard for consumer privacy rights.
Case Insight
This case has been named Zak V Bose Corp, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, No. 17-02928. Here Zak is seeking millions of dollars of damages for buyers of Bose headphones and speakers. Zak is also demanding that the data collection be halted, as it violates the federal Wiretap Act and Illinois laws against eavesdropping and consumer fraud.
Also, it has been confirmed that Bose's applications privacy agreement doesn't say anything about data collection.
Smartphones without Limits: Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Launched in India
Flagship smartphones feature stunning Infinity Display, unique biometric security including
an Iris scanner, Samsung Pay, best low-light camera and Bixby
NEW DELHI, India – April 19, 2017 – Samsung Electronics today launched its flagship smartphones Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ in India, opening up infinite possibilities for the future with a new level of design, functionality and user convenience.
The smartphones redefine the future of style and consumer experience with a stunning bezel-less dual-edge Infinity Display that provides a truly cinematic viewing experience. They also come with Samsung Pay, the mobile payment service with defense-grade security, the best low-light camera and a personal assistant, Bixby.
Galaxy S8 builds on Samsung’s heritage of creating stunning designs and meaningful innovations that transform people’s lives. The Infinity Display and bezel-less design give you 18% more screen and form a smooth, continuous surface with no buttons or harsh angles, making multitasking more convenient with the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 and 6.2-inch Galaxy S8+. The physical home key on the front has given way to a more intuitive soft-key with a pressure sensor that is embedded under the display.
Despite the significantly larger screens on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, the reengineered design with rounded edges and symmetrical sides make them compact and comfortable for one-handed operation. The Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5 on both the front and back provides durability and a high-quality finish.
With the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Samsung is unboxing smartphones that transcend the boundaries of meaningful innovations. Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ extend our trust, our heritage of great innovation and stunning design and our ‘Make for India’ promise.
Mr. HC Hong, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia
Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ come with a defense-grade security platform Samsung Knox. In addition, the smartphones introduce an Iris scanner, which is one of the most secure biometric identification systems on a phone. Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ also offer a choice of biometric technologies including a fingerprint scanner and facial recognition. This is in addition to the traditional options of pin and pattern so that consumers can select a secure authentication method that works best for them.
The devices come integrated with Samsung Pay, Samsung’s mobile payment service which was launched in India recently. With Samsung Pay, the user can turn the Samsung smartphone into a wallet, storing credit and debit cards, Paytm as well as the government’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and pay on the go by just tapping the phone on the PoS machine. With Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+’s new integrated Iris scanner, fingerprint authentication and Samsung Knox, Samsung Pay will now be infinitely secure.
Samsung Pay now works with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI Cards, Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank.
The stunning Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ come with new design innovations alongside cutting-edge technology that includes a revolutionary camera, the industry’s first 10nm processor, Bixby and robust Phone+ offerings. These devices will offer our consumers a gateway to a new mobile life where the power of innovation will carry them beyond barriers.
Mr. Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India.
Galaxy with Infinite Possibilities
Both Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ pack in enhanced performance and features:
Infinite Camera: Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are equipped with an advanced 8MP front camera with an F1.7 lens that is perfect for taking bright and high-resolution selfies even in dimly lit areas. They are the first Galaxy smartphones with a front camera that supports autofocus, which, when combined with the facial recognition technology ensures you get superb selfies even from a distance. The camera also comes with fun stickers and stamps that no social media photo these days is complete without. Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+’s 12MP rear camera utilizes Dual Pixel technology for incredibly fast autofocus. Now you can clearly capture moving objects and will not miss an important moment. It also has an F1.7 lens to capture bright and crisp photos even in low-light environments.
Infinite Performance: The Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are powered by the industry first 10nm processor allowing for smooth multi-tasking with 20% less battery consumption than before.
Now you can experience a seamless and interruption-free experience when playing graphically intensive games.
InfiniteEntertainment: As the world’s first mobile device certified by the UHD Alliance as MOBILE HDR PREMIUM, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ let you see the same vibrant colours and contrasts that filmmakers intended while watching your favorite shows. Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ also offer next-level gaming experiences with vivid and superior graphic technology, as well as Game Pack, featuring top game titles, including select titles supported by the Vulkan API.
Infinite Convenience
Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will also come with the foundational Galaxy features that our consumers have come to love, including:
IP68 water and dust resistance
Hybrid dual SIM slot
64GB internal memory with expandable support up to 256GB
Always-on display
Fast and wireless charging capabilities
New Way to Interact with Your Phone
Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ make life easier for users with Bixby. The intelligent interface helps users get more out of their phone. With the new Bixby button, you will be able to conveniently access Bixby and navigate through services and apps with simple voice, touch and text commands. Contextual awareness capabilities enable Bixby to offer personalized help based on what it continues to learn about the user’s interests, situation, and location.
Phone+ Ecosystem
Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ are your gateway to the ‘Galaxy of Possibilities’, Samsung’s ecosystem of devices and software. The new Gear VR with Controller, powered by Oculus, allows you to watch stunning VR videos and play ultra realistic VR games. Enabling convenient one-handed control and navigation, the controller provides better motion interaction when accessing interactive VR content.
The smartphones will also connect to the new and sleek Gear 360, which redefines how you create and share your memories. It allows you to create 4K 360-degree videos that can be easily shared with people. And complemented with the Gear VR, you can relive precious moments like you are actually there.
Leveraging the processing power of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, Samsung DeX offers a unique solution that delivers a PC-like experience allowing users to multi-task, edit presentations, and even watch 4K videos on the big screen.
Availability
The Galaxy S8 will be offered in a rich color palette including Midnight Black and Maple Gold, while the Galaxy S8+ will also get the Coral Blue variant. New high-performance earphones tuned by AKG by Harman, offering uncompromised audio for unbeatable sound quality, will come as an in-box accessory.
Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will be offered to consumers at a price of INR 57,900 and INR 64,900, respectively. The flagship smartphones will be available in India starting May 5, 2017, in select retail stores. They will be available online exclusively on Samsung Shop and Flipkart.
Consumers can pre-book the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ from April 19 onwards to avail the special Pre-book Offer of a free Convertible Wireless Charger.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ users will get a Double Data offer on the Jio network. On a monthly recharge of INR 309 users will enjoy 448 GB of 4G data over 8 months. With this Double Data offer, Samsung Galaxy S8 users can experience a truly unconstrained Digital Life on Jio’s world-class all-IP data strong only 4G network.
Virtual reality games have become more and more popular since developed, meanwhile, game players also worry about that saved game progress lost when they restart the game or reinstall Oculus rift for instance. Some Oculus users also want to play their games on a better-equipped computer to have a better experience. However, re-download all its games on the new machine is troublesome especially when the download speed is low. Is there a product to solve the problem of moving, backing up and restoring its installation directory in the market? Well, with vrBackupper, you no longer to worry these situations.
What is vrBackupper?
vrBackupper is the first backup program that designed to safely backup, restore and migrate Oculus Rift. It’s free and very easy to use. The program comes with a user-friendly and clear interface, and support Windows 10 64bit.
How does vrBackupper Work?
Backup Oculus Rift and its inclusions
In general, vrBackupper is able to backup VR game configurations covering saved game progress, in-game level, equipment, and gold etc. to a safe place without data loss. The backup process is simple; the program automatically detects your Oculus installation folder, and after pointing to a new location you want to store you can backup everything with a click. Of course, you can selectively backup only VR games and apps.
Restore Oculus Rift back and save all settings
When original Oculus Rift gets damaged, uses vrBackupper to recover all data as well as personalized settings back. After the restore, you can still continue your game from the latest saving point. The restore process is also very easy because it allows you to restore Oculus both to original and another computer, which is also the default setting. You do not have to specify the destination location one by one and all these folders will be restoring to the original location in one go.
Move Oculus Rift installation directory to a different drive.
By default, Oculus installs and saves all the games on C: drive and only the new version of Oculus allows you to save Oculus installation to other drives. With more and more games saved to C drive, there may be not enough space for installation. Thus, move Oculus installation directory and all its games to another non-C: drive is a good solution. Move Oculus installation with vrBackupper is simple. The program automatically detects your Oculus installation folder, and after pointing to a new location you want to store you can move everything with a click.
vrBackupper is a completely free tool designed to backup and restore Oculus Rift and its games, apps, etc. It can also move Oculus Rift installation directory to other drives instead of system drive to avoid low disk space problem. vrBackupper is only designed to backup and restore Oculus Rift and its games, if you need full-scale PC backup software, you are recommended to use AOMEI Backupper.
Sony unveiled its new Extra Bass headphone and speaker lineup in India on Monday(April 17). Sony has launched three new Extra Bass headphones the MDR-XB950B1, MDR-XB550AP, and MDR-XB510AS. Along with four new Extra Bass Speakers the SRS-XB40, SRS-XB30, SRS-XB20, and the SRS-XB10.
Extra Bass headphones
Sony said that they were committed to providing the best audio technology in India. And to do so they have expanded their EXTRABASS lineup. These include the flagship model - MDR-XB950B1, the mid-range model - MDR-XB550A, and the in-ear model - MDR-XB510AS sports headphone which will retail at Rs 12,990, Rs 3,290, and Rs 2,790 respectively.
Sony also said that EXTRABASS headphones have grown by 40% in FY16 and estimated to further grow by 54% in FY17. Sony with this revamped line-up aims to address a more price conscious space, one that preoccupies a select group of audiophiles interested in deep bass delivery.
The XB950B1 the flagship model of the Extra Bass lineup is a set of wireless circum-aural headphones. The XB550AP is the wired mid-range model and the XB510AS is the sports in-ear model. Both the XB550AP and the XB510AS for the first time ever in the Extra Bass lineup are available in the Army Green colour. Also, the XB510AS is IPX5 certified for dust and water resistance.
Extra Bass wireless speakers
Along with the headphone lineup, Sony also unveiled four Extra Bass wireless speakers, the SRS-XB40, SRS-XB30, SRS-XB20, and the SRS-XB10.
All these headphones are IPX5 dust and water-resistant, support Bluetooth v4.2 and NFC. All the other speakers can connect to up to 10 same speakers to make a surround experience and the XB10 can connect 2 at a time. Also with the XB30 and the XB40, you don't have to worry about your phone running out of battery. As they can double up as power banks.
And these are the first ever Bluetooth speakers with a battery life of 24 hours on a single charge.
Xiaomi Redmi 4A: Is this the best budget phone to purchase?
After Xiaomi had sold over a million Redmi Note 4 smartphones in India, they have come back with another budget smartphone the Redmi 4A. And just like any other Redmi device, they have focused on the budget price range offering. The Redmi 4A just simply amazes us as to how Xiaomi can provide such good specifications at this price-point.
Xiaomi Redmi 4A
Design
The first thing that anybody is going to notice is that the Xiaomi Redmi 4A is not made out of metal. Instead, it is made out of polycarbonate. Though they have tried to mimic the metal bodies with the top and bottom panels being different from the middle part.
the Redmi 4A is rocking a 5-inch display, with a simple design that resonates with the Redmi phones design legacy. The volume rockers and the power button is on the right side. On the left side, you can see the hybrid SIM slot. Charging port on the bottom. And a 3.5mm jack along with an IR blaster on the top.
The rear of the smartphone has been kept exceptionally clean and resembles the Redmi 3S in various ways. Though, the Redmi 4A does not come with a fingerprint sensor. The Redmi 4A has been launched in 3 colours in India - Dark Grey, Gold, and Rose Gold. We had the Rose Gold unit for the review.
Performance
Though the Redmi 4A being aimed at the people who are buying their first smartphone. It impressed us by showing good performance and easy handling which is not expected from a phone at this price. And although we had good times with the phone, there were times that we wished for some other device.
We tested the 4A with games like Asphalt 8 and Injustice. These games though running smoothly would give occasional lags and also would freeze at times. All of that could have been helped with a tad more bit of RAM.
The internal storage on this device is 16GB out of which 10.42GB is usable. We were thankful to god that this storage was expandable, though inserting a memory card means that you are sacrificing the dual SIM capability. The loudspeaker on the Redmi 4A is ok and nothing more. Xiaomi does not provide earphones in the sales package so we had to test the phone with ours and even with the audio tweaking options that they provide the phone on that part was an underperformer.
We also tested the Xiaomi Redmi 4A in Antutu and Quadrant benchmark tests and the scores were 27,567 and 16,693 respectively. Though these scores being nothing to boast about are good enough for this price range.
The battery inside the 4A is a 3120mAh non-removable battery. The smartphone was easily able to last us for a day on average usage. And we also loved the fact that this phone was able to full charge in less than 2 hours, that too without support for fast charging.
Specifications and Software
Redmi 4A sports a 5-inch 720p display with a 296ppi pixel density. The display is a good one and the colour reproduction was great. The 4A is powered by a quad-core Snapdragon 425 clocked at 1.4GHz with Adreno 308 GPU. It has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage expandable up to 128GB. The 4A also supports 4G VoLTE which has been a big factor in India since the launch of Jio.
The 4A contains a hybrid dual SIM slot which is a disappointment as the phone only has 16GB of internal storage. The phone also contains the gyroscope, proximity, ambient light, and accelerometer sensors.
Though there is not much to talk about the software as all the Redmi phones use the same, the Redmi 4A runs on MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
Camera
The Xiaomi Redmi 4A comes with a 5 element 13-megapixel primary camera and a 5-megapixel secondary camera. Both the cameras have a f/2.2 aperture.
The primary camera is able to take decent shots in daylight but in low light, the camera is an underperformer. Also taking close-up shots is not a specialty of the camera. The front camera produces good photos but in low light situations, it also fails. The 4A can record 1080p videos at 30fps, which turns out surprisingly good videos.
Inside the box
The box of the Xiaomi Redmi 4A includes the following -
The Redmi 4A
Charger
Micro-USB cable
Warranty Card
User Guide
SIM ejection tool
The box also contains the Made In India tag, as now Xiaomi manufactures 95 percent of its smartphones in India.
Verdict
The Xiaomi Redmi 4A is a good smartphone at its price-point, and we expect it will be a complete hit in the Indian market. Especially with all the features, it offers at Rs.5,999.
But, we would rather recommend our readers to spend the extra 1-2k and go in for the Redmi 3S or the 3S Prime. As those are simply much better smartphones than the 4A. Or you could just simply wait out for the next Redmi smartphone.
As the Samsung Galaxy S8 has taken the world by a storm. We thought why don't we get a unit for giving to you guys and spread the happiness. We here at Beetel Bite are extremely thankful for our reader's constant support.
Samsung Galaxy S8 Giveaway
Though we did have a post on reasons why not to buy the Galaxy S8. But, this phone is the flagship smartphone launched just after the highly controversial Note 7. We knew we had to give it away to one of you guys.
Winner: Allen Birch(Canada)
The Rules are simple you just have to complete the entries below. The giveaway is open to the whole world anyone can enter. The winner will be shipped the unit when the S8 launches in their country directly through an online order via the countries Amazon or an equivalent.
Samsung had started taking pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 a while ago. And now, they have declared that the pre-orders have exceeded those of the Galaxy S7. Today, the mobile business chief Koh Dong-jin said many consumers were unfazed by the last year's Galaxy Note 7 debacle.
Galaxy S8 exceeds the pre-orders of S7
The Samsung Galaxy S8 will start sales in South Korea, United States, and Canada on 21 April 2017. These countries will play a key role in the revival of the tech giant from the Note 7 fires.
This new device has been well-received by the consumers. And analysts have said that the Galaxy S8 will set a sales record for the company. Analysts have also said that they are expecting Samsung to record its best ever quarterly profit in April-June.
It's still a bit early, but initial response to the pre-orders that have begun at various places across the world have been better than expected, The S8 will be the safest Galaxy smartphone to date due to safety measures implemented to avoid the battery failures that caused some Note 7's to spontaneously combust.
Koh Dong-jin said at a media briefing.
The new Samsung Galaxy S8 and the S8+ will sport a 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch curved screens respectively. Thus making this smartphone sport the largest screens to date amongst all the flagship S devices launched.
Qualcomm Inc. the mobile chipmaker was asked to refund $814.9 million to BlackBerry in an arbitration settlement for past sales royalties. This also showed a seismic change in the market for BlackBerry. As its shares were up by 16 percent at $8.94. And Qualcomm was down by 1 percent at $54.81.
Both the tech companies decided back in 2016, to arbitrate a dispute. This was over Qualcomm's agreement to cap-off royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a licensing deal.
Qualcomm issued a statement on Wednesday saying that they do not agree with the decision made by the arbitration panel, But due to this being binding and non-appealable. They will comply.
Qualcomm has been going through a lot with losing this case. And also a lawsuit filed by Apple Inc. Where the company is being accused of overcharging for chips. And refusing to pay the rebates of $1 billion to Apple.
Qualcomm's problems do not end here
Qualcomm is also fighting a lawsuit filed by Apple Inc. Accusing the company of overcharging for chips and refusing to pay some $1 billion in promised rebates. The United States government has also accused Qualcomm of resorting to anticompetitive tactics to maintain a monopoly in the market of mobile phone semiconductors.
BlackBerry also has said that the final amount of the interest and attorneys' fee. Will be issued after the hearing on May 30, 2017. BlackBerry had been represented by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in the preceding.
If you own a Lenovo-branded laptop then you might have encountered the message for enabling conservation mode. This message comes up when the battery has stayed at a high percentage for a long time. Moreover, Lenovo doesn't tell you where to enable the conservation mode, it just displays the message.
Enabling the Conservation Mode in Lenovo laptops
Though turning on the conservation mode is extremely simple and does not take up a lot of time. Lenovo just doesn't tell you where to enable it. Hence, you have to figure it out yourself. Thanks to the internet you were able to reach this How To article so that you can enable the mode easily.
To turn on the Conservation Mode the following steps need to be followed -
Click on the show hidden icons on the windows toolbar. At the bottom right corner.
Once clicked it will show all the hidden icons displayed on your taskbar.
Open the Energy Manager from there. You can find it by hovering the pointer on icons till the text is displayed.
A new window of the Energy Manager will show up.
Now, click the circular dialogue box on the top right of the energy manager window.
After that open the Settings panel on that window. And on the right-hand side, you will see the Conservation Mode with a switch.
Now just turn that switch on. This will turn on the Conservation Mode.
