As per the recent reports, Instagram will soon allow users to hide their post likes. Instagram announced that it's expanding its test that hides likes to few more countries adding Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Japan, Ireland and Brazil.
In Instagram, likes will be appearing in the heart-shaped symbol where people measure it as popularity or being famous. These total number of likes on photos and videos will be hidden to the followers though, the owner can view the actual likes himself.
Meanwhile, these likes will not be able to view on the main feed, profiles or pages users share with each other. A developer from Instagram said, "We are testing this because we want your followers to focus on the photos and videos you share, not how many likes they get,"
Instagram believes that likes do not describe the user's importance in the app or a social media platform. And also some user thinks that they lack attention on Instagram due to the highest likes in a pic or video. By which Instagram says that not getting enough likes can impact the user's self-esteem and get them into depression.
The Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom states that "Instagram is the most detrimental social networking app for young people's mental health".
Experts suggest that hiding likes are not a solution to fix this problem instead it's upon the user how he positions himself against the people in social media. These tests don't fix the major problems like bullying or pointing but it may be reduced due to these updates on Instagram.
Earlier this month, Instagram has taken steps forward to address bullying on the platform. They have introduced a new feature with artificial intelligence which allows a user to indicate that the comment which he is about to post is offensive or not.
Oppo India has just unveiled a new mid-range smartphone in the country dubbed Oppo A9. The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Helio P70 processor coupled with up to 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It also features a waterdrop style notch upfront and a dual-camera setup at the back. It is available in India with a price tag of Rs. 15,490 and here are some alternatives available.
Redmi Note 7 Pro
Redmi Note 7 Pro runs on MIUI.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro is one of the best smartphones under the price tag of Rs. 15,000. It sports a 6.3-inch FullHD+ display with a waterdrop style notch up front. It is powered by the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chipset coupled with up to 6GB of RAM. It is currently available at a starting price of just Rs. 13,999.
Samsung Galaxy M30
Samsung Galaxy M30 sports a Super AMOLED Infinity U display.
In case you are looking to buy something from a tier-one brand, the Samsung Galaxy M30 is the best option. It comes with a 6.4-inch fullHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity-U Display and it is powered by the octa-core Exynos 7904 processor. The device runs on Samsung Experience v9.5 built on top of Google's Android 8.1 Oreo. It is available at a starting price of Rs. 14,990.
Realme 3 Pro
Realme 3 Pro comes with a gradient back design.
Realme 3 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor. It comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It is backed by a 4,045mAh battery and it supports VOOC 3.0 charging. One of the key highlights of the smartphone is the 32-megapixel selfie camera. All of this comes at a starting price of Rs. 13,999.
Vivo Z1 Pro comes with a punch hole design up front.
Vivo Z1 Pro was recently launched in India with an impressive set of features. The smartphone features a punch-hole design and comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 712 processor. It also packs in 6GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. The device is available in India for a starting price of just Rs. 14,999.
Poco F1
Poco F1 has one of the best camera setups in the price range.
Although Poco F1 is now almost a year old now, it is the only smartphone that offers flagship-grade specifications under Rs. 20,000. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and comes with up to 8GB of RAM. The Poco F1 is currently available in India at a starting price of Rs. 17,999.
Xiaomi has just unveiled the much anticipated Xiaomi Mi A3 smartphone at an event in Spain. The device is a successor to the last year's Mi A2 and it is also a part of Google's Android One program, which means it runs on stock Android. While the phone is available for a starting price of EUR 249 (roughly Rs. 19,500), it has not arrived in India yet. So, here are some alternatives to consider.
Redmi K20
Redmi K20 comes in three colour variants.
Just on the same day when Xiaomi unveiled the Mi A3 in Spain, the company also launched the Redmi K20 series in India. The Redmi K20 smartphone comes with a bezel-less display, an in-display fingerprint scanner and a motorized pop-up selfie camera. It comes equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor coupled with up to 6GB of RAM. All of this comes in at a starting price of just Rs. 21,999.
Realme X
Realme X comes with a pop-up selfie camera.
Realme India recently launched the Realme X smartphone in the country. The device comes with a bezel-less display and a motorized pop-up selfie camera. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor coupled with up to 8GB of RAM. The smartphone is available in India for a starting price of Rs. 16,999.
Poco F1
Xiaomi Poco F1 is one of the best smartphones in the price segment.
While the Poco F1 is now a year old, it is still the only smartphone that offers a flagship Qualcomm processor under Rs. 20,00. The smartphone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset and comes with up to 8GB of RAM. The Poco F1 is currently available in India at a starting price of Rs. 17,999.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro
Redmi Note 7 Pro features a waterdrop style notch.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro also brings great value for money. The device comes with a 6.3-inch FullHD+ display with a waterdrop style notch upfront. It is powered by a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 chipset coupled with up to 6GB of RAM. It is available at a starting price of just Rs. 13,999.
Samsung Galaxy A50 sports an in-display fingerprint scanner.
If you are looking for something from a tier-one brand, the Samsung Galaxy A50 might be the right pick. It has a lot to offer for a starting price of Rs. 18,490. The smartphone comes with an interesting set of features including the in-display fingerprint scanner and a Super AMOLED display. The smartphone comes with a triple camera setup at the back and a waterdrop style notch up front.
Pixel 3a is small and fits comfortably in the hand.
Google Pixel 3a is the company’s latest offering in its ever-growing Pixel lineup. After departing from the Nexus brand name, the Pixel lineup of smartphones has been what Google uses to showcase Android.
With the Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL, the company has released its first mid-range Pixel smartphone devices. The Pixel 3 and 3 XL had to make some significant sacrifices to form the Pixel 3a and 3a XL. However, is the price drop big enough to justify those sacrifices? Let's find out:
Google Pixel 3a
Google Pixel 3a comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor. This is coupled with 4GB RAM and 64GB of storage. There are is no expandable storage option nor a bigger storage variant option, which would be a bummer for some.
Google Pixel 3a is the cheapest Pixel smartphone yet.
The device sports a 5.6-inch (2220 x 1080 pixels) 18.5 aspect ratio OLED display. For the optics, it features a single camera set up at the back, consisting of a 12.2-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture main sensor with dual pixel PDAF and optical image stabilization. For selfies, it packs an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture sensor. All of this is backed by a 3,000mAh non-removable battery.
At the first glance, the back looks like the Pixel 3 series which sports a rear glass, but make no mistake the Pixel 3a and the 3a XL sport a plastic back with a matte paint job. It runs Google’s Android 9.0 Pie operating system.
The phone sports a single SIM card slot, 3.5mm headphone jack something the Pixel 3 series is missing, a USB-Type C port and a fingerprint sensor at the back.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Design
Design of the Google Pixel 3a is really good. The back panel is made out of plastic, which is a little disappointing considering its price. But with the matte finished lower back of the device you don't really get the plastic feel. With the price user's are paying, having a plastic back is really disappointing.
The OLED panel of the pixel 3a without any notch or camera cutout is quite impressive.
Speaker grille is located above the display, whereas, the 12.2-megapixel front camera is housed inside of the huge top bezel. The bottom of the device also has a big chin, which makes the device looks symmetrical.
Pixel 3a sports a dual-tone plastic back panel.
Coming to the back, Google Pixel 3a sports a single camera setup paired with an LED flash aligned horizontally on the top left corner. There is a small camera bump, but nothing that major. The fingerprint sensor located towards the top of the device, which aligns perfectly in a users hands.
Right, left, top, bottom in that order
The right edge consists of the volume rockers and an accented power button. The top edge holds the headphone jack and the secondary microphone. The left edge sports only the sim card tray, while the bottom edge has the USB-Type C port along with the speakers.
The primary microphone grille has been made to look a speaker grille giving the phone a symmetrical look.
Overall, the design of Google Pixel 3a feels pretty good. It looks quite subtle, which according to me is a good thing. The back is made out of plastic, which might have been an issue, but the paint job makes the smartphone feel good while using.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Software
The Google Pixel 3a runs the company's own Android 9.0 Pie operating system, it is what is known as the Pixel Experience. The software is optimised and built directly side by side with the Android OS.
The stock Android on the Pixel 3a is the best form of Android out there
It is one of the cleanest and the fastest software experiences you will find out there in the Android ecosystem. It has all the bells and whistles of the Android Operating system like the Always listening feature and the call screen feature. It also comes with no bloatware, which is an amazing thing.
Overall, Pixel 3a's software is one of the best in the market as of now.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Performance
Performance is a major area of concern on any device, the same goes for the Google Pixel 3a. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor coupled with an Adreno 615 GPU and 4GB of RAM.
AnTuTu (Left) Geekbench (Right)
We ran our usual benchmark tests to evaluate how the device performs. On AnTuTu the device was able to score 135612, which is great considering the price and competition is a bit low.
On GeekBench it managed to get a single-core score of 1446 and a multi-core score of 4824. The performance numbers of the device on paper are way low compared to its competition.
While playing light games such as Temple Run and Crossy Chicken, the phone runs flawlessly. Heavy games like Asphalt 9: Legends and PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty also run without any hiccup with some minor heating.
Overall, the performance of the Pixel 3a is disappointing compared to the price a user needs to pay.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Display
Google Pixel 3a sports a 5.6-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2220×1080 pixels and comes with an aspect ratio of 18.5:9. The brightness levels are able to get super low and immensely high depending on the situation. The colours are more vibrant and the blacks are great thanks to that OLED panel.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Camera
Google Pixel 3a features a single camera setup on the back. There is a 12.2-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture main sensor with PDAF. For selfies, it packs an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture sensor. I personally would have preferred a wide-angle or a zoom lens in addition but the camera quality is so good I can't even complain.
1 of 9
Inside
Outside
Normal (Left) vs Portaight (Right)
Normal (Left) vs Potraight (Right)
Night sight
Outside
Night sight
Inside
Outside
Images which I took with the rear camera came out extremely good. The images have good details and come out very sharp. The portrait mode is also able to do a very good job. Due to the device being powered by the Snapdragon 670, which is not the greatest of processors, you would have to wait for around 30 seconds for the images to process but the results are well worth it.
Normal (Right) vs Portrait (Left)
Coming to the front camera, the story is pretty much the same, low light shots are amazing, the contrast and colour balance is great. It is definitely one of the best camera setups I have found in a smartphone.
Overall, the single front and rear camera setup are way better than some triple and quad-camera setups on smartphones. If you want a phone dedicated to photography, you won't regret getting the Pixel 3a.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Battery
The battery life of the Pixel 3a is not at all impressive.
Google Pixel 3a is backed by a 3,000mAh Li-Po battery, which easily lasts almost a whole day on a single charge. Charging time with the included charger is around 120-150 minutes, which is great. If you are not a heavy user, you can easily make it work till the end of the workday.
We ran PCMark’s Work 2.0 Battery Life test, which subjects the phone to heavy usage and finds out how the battery performs in those conditions. The device yielded a result of 10 hours and 10 minutes, which is adequate in comparison to similar battery capacity smartphones.
Google Pixel 3a Review: Verdict
Pixel 3a is not the greatest looking smartphone.
Google Pixel 3a costs Rs. 39,999., for that price the plastic back and a Snapdragon 670 processor is definitely a bummer. You can get the OnePlus 7 for cheaper than that with a glass back and Snapdragon 855, putting the Pixel 3a to shame.
Things like an OLED display and Google's software gives the device an edge over other devices. However, it is not enough to justify the price. That being said, its camera performance crushes the competition.
It relies completely on its camera to sell itself. Unless and until you are a huge camera fanatic, the Pixel 3a is not the smartphone for you. However, with that camera unit and software processing, the device is almost worth it. If it was a little cheaper, the device would have been one of the best camera based smartphone, but its Rs 39,999 price tag is a little hard to digest especially considering the processor.
Xiaomi India has just launched the Redmi K20 and Redmi K20 Pro smartphones in India. While both the smartphones share a lot in common, they have one major difference. The Redmi K20 and the K20 Pro are available at a starting price of Rs. 21,999 and Rs. 27,999 respectively. As we got our hands on the device, here are our first impressions.
Redmi K20, K20 Pro First Impressions: Display
Both the smartphones come with a 6.39-inch full HD+ Horizon AMOLED display with support for both Widewine L1 as well as HDR. Since it is an AMOLED panel, the company has also added an always-on display for the first time in the Remi line-up of smartphones.
Redmi K20 comes with a bezel-less display.
The display on the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro is bezel-less and sports no notch or punch hole. Instead, the company went with a motorized selfie camera, which we'll talk about in detail later.
At first glance, the display looked quite attractive and it should be great for both media consumption as well as gaming.
Redmi K20, K20 Pro First Impressions: Design
Redmi K20 and K20 Pro look as if Xiaomi has given a great amount of thought to their design. Both smartphones feature a glass sandwich design. The back of the phones sports an amazing design, which makes them not only look premium but also feel like it. The back switches patterns when light reflects from different angles. The effect is more noticeable on the Glacier Blue and Flame Red colour variants.
Glacier Blue and Flame Red colour variants offer an attractive effect on the back.
It's not only about the back, but the front also screams beauty. In order to achieve a bezel-less display. Xiaomi had to place the selfie camera in a motorized pop-up mechanism. The camera has lights surrounding, which looks attractive when one switches to the selfie mode.
The pop-up selfie camera has a light around it.
Also, the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro are two of the very few phones to come with an innovative notification LED light. As the company couldn't fit it anywhere in the front, they opted the top of the phone to place the LED light.
Redmi K20, K20 Pro First Impressions: Verdict
I personally loved the Flame Red colour variant.
With the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro, Xiaomi is trying to target two different types of markets. The Redmi K20 is for the people who want all the bells and whistles on their phone and do not care about having a flagship processor. The Redmi K20 Pro, on the other hand, features a flagship processor along with all the fancy features one could ask for. Also, the phones being made by Xiaomi also come at a very aggressive price tag.
In a nutshell, both the smartphones bring the best bang for the buck and you should go out and grab one right away. However, we would recommend waiting for our full review before making the call.
Disclaimer: The author is currently in New Delhi on the invite of Xiaomi India.
Redmi K20 and K20 Pro have finally arrived in India.
Xiaomi's sub-brand Redmi has finally launched the much-awaited Redmi K20 series in India. The company is not only launching one phone, but there are two this time around. While the Redmi K20 is more of a mid-range smartphone, the Redmi K20 Pro is the new flagship killer that will stand up against the likes of OnePlus 7.
Price, availability, and offers
As far as the pricing is concerned, the Redmi K20 has launched for a starting price of Rs. 21,999 for 6GB+64GB variant and it goes all the way up to Rs. 23,999 for the 6GB+128GB variant. The base variant of the Redmi K20 Pro is priced at Rs. 27,999 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The 8GB+256GB variant of the same retail at Rs. 30,999.
Both the smartphones will be available in three colour variants, Carbon Black, Glacier Blue, and Flame Red. Also, there is flat Rs 2,000 on ICICI Bank Credit Cards, but the offer is applicable to the people who booked it in Alfa Sale which took place earlier this week.
There is also a Signature Edition of the K20 Pro made of pure gold and is diamond-studded for those demanding some extra luxury. The company will make only 20 units of the same and it will retail for Rs 4,80,000.
The first sale will take place on 12 pm 22nd July 2019 and it will be available on Flipkart and mi.com along with Mi Home stores.
Redmi K20 Specifications
The all-new Redmi K20 sports a 6.39-inch AMOLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2340x1080 pixels. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor coupled with 6GB or 8GB of RAM. The dual-sim handset is available in 128GB and 256GB storage options. It runs on Android 9 Pie-based MIUI 10 out of the box. Under the hood, there is a 4,000mAh battery powering up everything with support for 18W fast charging.
As for the optics, the Redmi K20 features a triple-camera setup at the back consisting of a 48-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens and a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor. Up front, there is a 20-megapixel pop-up selfie shooter.
Redmi K20 Pro Specifications
As for the Redmi K20 Pro, it comes with the same 6.39-inch AMOLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio and a resolution of 2340x1080 pixels. It is powered by the more powerful flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset. The device packs in up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Just like other modern smartphones, the Redmi K20 Pro also runs on Google's Android 9 Pie operating system. Under the hood, there is a 4,000mAh battery with support for Sonic Charge technology.
On the optics front, the Redmi K20 Pro gets the same camera setup as the K20. This one also features a triple-camera setup at the back consisting of a 48-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.8 aperture, an 8-megapixel telephoto lens and a 13-megapixel ultrawide sensor. For selfies, there is a 20-megapixel pop-up camera up front.
Disclaimer: The author is currently in New Delhi on the invite of Xiaomi India.
Apple announced the latest iOS, macOS, watchOS and iPadOS versions at the WWDC conference 2019. While the operating systems are available as a part of a public beta program, they have not been officially rolled out yet. Since the roll-out date is coming closer, Apple has decided to announce the new emojis coming to all of its platforms this year.
Apple is adding emojis that focus more on diversifying human emojis. First, the company has introduced emojis that depict human relations of two people with two different skin tones. Additionally, the company has brought in some disability emojis, including hearing aids, mechanical arms and legs, wheelchairs, guide dogs and more.
There is also a new yawning emoji alongside new dresses including a saree, swimsuit and more. Apart from that, Apple has also added new animals that include orangutan, skunk, sloth and flamingo. Also, there are new food items, such as onion, garlic, waffle, falafel, butter and oyster.
All the new emojis that are being added to iOS, iPadOS, macOS and watchOS are a part of the recently announced Emoji version 12.0. The new version has already been implemented by Microsoft Windows as well as Twitter. Also, Google is working on bringing the latest version on their upcoming version of Android.
Apple will be adding these new emojis to the upcoming updates of all of its platforms. However, we will need to wait at least until September as that is when the global rollout of iOS 13 is scheduled for.
Apple discontinues iPhone 6S and older models in India.
Apple currently sells a variety of iPhones in India, which include the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone 7 and more. Now, the company has finally discontinued the iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus as well as the iPhone SE in the country. This piece of news can be quite shocking for those who were looking to buy an iPhone on a tight budget.
Earlier older iPhones used to sell well in the Indian market due to the lower price point. However, as the Android phones are getting better with players like Poco F1 and Redmi K20 entering the game. So, the discontinuation of these older iPhones should not make a huge difference.
With the loss of these iPhones, we have also lost a few nostalgic things like the design of the iPhone SE that we have loved from the days of iPhone 5. Also, the iPhone 6S was the last Apple smartphone to sport a headphone jack and it was the first device to feature the beloved 3D touch feature.
Now, the people who are willing to buy the cheapest iPhone possible will need to layover their eyes onto the iPhone 7, which is available at a starting price of Rs. 39,900. However, we would highly recommend spending some extra money and going in with the latest Apple iPhone XR, which brings fresh new design, exciting colour variants and a ton of exciting features.
PUBG Mobile is finally receiving the 0.13.5 beta update.
PUBG or PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile is one of the most popular battle royale games available right now. Tencent Games manages to secure the spot by constantly rolling out updates to make the user experience better. With the upcoming 0.13.5 update, the game will introduce features like HDR mode, a new submachine gun and more.
While the global roll-out date is yet to be announced, the company has finally rolled out the beta version of the PUBG Mobile 0.13.5 update. The global version is expected to be available sometime later this month.
As far as the changelog is concerned, the PUBG Mobile 0.13.5 update is all about the new HDR option. While the option has been there for a while, users can finally activate it to get a true HDR experience. It will bring better colours and a higher contrast ratio. However, as this requires more rendering, it will only be available on select high-end devices. Users can activate it from Settings > Graphics.
Apart from that, there is a new submachine gun called PP-19, which will use 9mm ammo. It will also get a detachable oversized magazine that holds 53 rounds at a time. It comes with a single shot damage of 35 and a shot speed similar to the UMP.
Another big change that comes with the new update is the addition of Season 8. The new season also gets a redesigned interface, which is supposed to be more attractive and intuitive. It also brings a new outfit at Gold tier, Season-exclusive weapon finishes at Diamond tier, special team-joining effect and name tags at Crown tier and a permanent season title at Ace tier.
TataSky broadband is currently available across 21 cities in India.
While TataSky mainly focuses on its DTH business, the company has been expanding its broadband services lately. The services are currently available across 21 cities in India. In order to attract more customers, the company has just announced unlimited data offers for its subscribers.
With the new plans out on the portfolio, the unlimited plans now start a just Rs. 590. These plans vary from city to city. With these new plans, the company is trying to give a tough competition to the Reliance Jio GigaFiber. Once Jio rolls out its services, they are expected to bundle Wi-Fi, TV and landline services.
TataSky has introduced quite a few unlimited data plans, which include a Rs. 590 plan that provides 16 Mbps speeds with a free router and data rollover services. Apart from that, there are Rs. 700 and Rs. 800 plans for 25 Mbps and 50 Mbps plans respectively. For higher speeds like 75 Mbps and 100 Mbps, users will need to spend Rs. 1,100 and Rs. 1,300 respectively. The above prices are only for the Ahemdabad region.
Also, unlike most of the plans listed above, the flagship 100 Mbps plan does not have any sort of data cap, which means users can consistently enjoy high-speed data.
TataSky is offering three months plans with 30 Mbps, 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps speed at Rs. 2,847, Rs. 3,447 and Rs. 4,197 respectively.
As for Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and other regions, the company is offering 3 months, 6 months and yearly plans. The plans begin at Rs. 999 for 25 Mbps and go all the way up to Rs. 1,599 for 100 Mbps.
