E-commerce giant Flipkart is ready to celebrate the holiday season with great discounts on smartphones by Samsung and Nokia. Starting from today till December 19th, you will be able to avail great discounts on almost all the smartphone launched by the manufacturer in the past year. Some of them are really great deals and more are more subtle.
Deals on Budget Smartphone
Samsung Galaxy On6 along with Nokia 6.1 Plus and the Nokia 5.1 Plus, all of them were launched this year in the market are now on sale. The Samsung Galaxy On6 with 4GB RAM is available for Rs 9,990 only during the sale instead of the original price of Rs 15,490. The Nokia 6.1 Plus with 4GB RAM is also available for Rs 14,999 instead of its launch pricing of Rs 17,600. The Nokia 5.1 Plus with 3GB RAM is available for Rs 9,999 instead of original pricing of Rs 13,199.
Other steal deals include the Samsung Galaxy On Max with 4GB RAM for Rs 11,990 instead of original price of Rs 16,900, Samsung Galaxy On5 for Rs 5,490 instead of original price of Rs 8,990, and finally the Galaxy On Nxt for Rs 9,990 instead of original price of Rs 17,900.
As part of the holiday sale, Flipkart also is offering the latest flagship smartphones from the likes of Samsung and Nokia. The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is available for Rs 67,900 instead of original price of Rs 73,600. Samsung Galaxy S9+ in recently launched Polaris Blue color is priced at Rs 52,900 instead of its original price of Rs 64,900 and the recently launched Samsung Galaxy A9 with 8GB RAM and Quad-Camera setup at the back is available for Rs 39,990 instead of launch price of Rs 42,000.
On the Nokia side of things, the company's only flagship smartphone, Nokia 8 Sirocco is available at Rs 36,999 instead of its original price of Rs 54,999.
The Fossil Smartwatch looks more like a regular watch
Fossil wasn't shy from technology and bought us a varied range of smartwatches from their brand. The Fossil Q Marshal was their second generation smartwatch launched almost 2 years ago. Since then there have been a number of Fossil smartwatches including the recently launched Explorist HR and Venture HR.
However, being almost two years old makes the Fossil Q Marshal more accessible to everyone with the price cut it has got. So it the Fossil Q Marshal still worth it.
Design
Fossil Q Marshal is certainly not on the slim and thin side. The smartwatch sport has a massive 45mm watch case and 14mm of thickness that makes it look and feel like a thick rugged watch.
The ridged edge on the crown and dial is just for looks
There is a ridged bezel around the watch case which makes it feel like it can be rotated to control the watch, however, it is just for decorative purposes. The ridged edge on the crown is also just for decoration. The crown serves for the purposes of the look and as a power button.
The watch has a traditional black casing with black silicon straps. If you wanted to go a little more traditional it also comes in a silver casing with metal straps or blue casing with leather straps. The straps are detachable, so you can swap in a new one it old ones fail or you wanna change the look a bit.
Overall, the design of the Fossil Q Marshal is good
The Q Marshal is IP68 rated so it will remain protected in the rain. The watch doesn't sport a heart rate sensor, but it does sport a G-sensor and a gyroscope to help you track your activity.
Overall the looks of the watch are nothing fancy and more on the rugged side. It looks like Fossil put this smartwatch out just to give users more option from their brand.
Display
One of the most disappointing aspects of the Q Marshal is its screen. It sports a resolution of 340 x 290 and it can be seen in daily usage. Considering you will not use the smartwatch display for media consumption, it is a compromise you could live it. Talking about compromises you might not be able to live with is the bad viewing angles.
The Always-On Display is a good feature
It has an always-on display that provides a low battery monochrome face that makes it look like a real watch, cheap watch but its there none the less.
The display is not completely circular, the display has a flat edge the bottom. Also, the emission of the light sensor is a big compromise as the watch doesn't adjust brightness based on the environment.
Performance
The Fossil Q Marshal sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor. It is not one of the most powerful ones, but it runs the Android Wear without much lag. Swiping within the menus and using apps doesn't lag at all, the button functionality has a small lag though.
The battery life of the Q Marshal is a little disappointing.
There are basic step and exercise counting is provided by Google Fit, and made possible by G-sensor and a gyroscope. However, the battery life with all the features working as expected is around 24 hours which is quite less.
The battery life depends on how you use the watch. With the lowest brightness and Wifi off and Location off you can stretch the battery life to a day and a half. Anyway, you will end up charging it at overnight.
Conclusion
The Fossil Q Marshal is available right now for around Rs 7000. At that price point it is a mix mag. For a smartwatch with the feel of a real watch the price is justified. So if you are looking specifically for a smartwatch, then the Q Marshal is a good option, however if you are looking for a fancy wrist wear, pass this one.
Xiaomi has started rolling out the MIUI 10 update for Redmi 5A
While Xiaomi Redmi 5A already has a successor available, Xiaomi is not going to ignore the smartphone in terms of updates. The Chinese smartphone manufacturer has started rolling out the Android 8.1 Oreo based MIUI 10 update for Redmi 5A.
As the update is a slow roll out, it might take some time before it reaches your device. Once the update is available, your Redmi 5A will show up a notification. Tapping on the notification will allow you to install the update via OTA.
However, if you just cannot wait for the OTA update to arrive, you can download the ROM from here. After downloading the file on your phone, head over to Mi Updater app and install the update via Local upgrade option.
As far as the changelog is concerned, it brings all the features that Google introduced with Android Oreo including, Picture-in-Picture mode. Additionally, MIUI 10 brings some extra features to the table, which include new recents menu, faster UI transitions and much more.
Xiaomi Redmi 5A features a 5-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. It comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC coupled with Adreno 308 GPU. It packs in up to 3GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage. All of this is backed by a 3,000mAh battery.
On the optics front, Redmi 5A sports a 13-megapixel camera at the back with f/2.2 aperture. Up front, there is a 5-megapixel selfie snapper.
Vodafone now offers unlimited calls and 1GB data for just Rs. 169
Telecom operators in India are constantly coming up with new pre-paid and post-paid plans targeted at different types of consumers. Now, Vodafone has launched its new Rs. 169 plan. It is here to compete against the Rs. 149 plan by Reliance Jio.
With a recharge of Rs. 169, Vodafone users will now get unlimited local and national calling alongside free national roaming. Additionally, the consumers will also get 1GB of 3G/4G data and 100 SMS messages per day. All of this will be valid for 28 days. The plan is currently not listed on Vodafone's official website. However, it is available via other mediums such as PayTM and Mobikwik.
Notably, Vodafone's Rs. 169 plan caps the calls. It allows only 250 calls a day and 1000 calls a week. Once you cross the limit, you will be charged Re. 1 per minute.
While Vodafone's new Rs. 169 plan is here to compete against Rs. 149 plan by Jio, the latter is still offering a better value for money. Reliance Jio is offering 1.5GB of 4G data alongside the unlimited local, national and roaming calls. Additionally, it also offers 100 SMS messages for a validity period of 28 days.
Also, once you have used the 1.5GB data provided by Jio, the data speeds will come down to 64kbps. Vodafone, on the other hand, will charge you 50 paise per MB once the 1GB data is exhausted.
Xiaomi Poco F1 is the cheapest smartphone powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor consumers can purchase right now.
Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has managed to capture a lot of eyeballs with the launch of its new sub-brand Poco. The company till date has launched only one smartphone under its Poco lineup dubbed Poco F1 with a starting price of Rs 19,999.
Some tech enthusiasts in the past have argued that a phone with flagship grade specifications will never be launched at such a low price. However, Xiaomi has managed to recreate what OnePlus did with its original OnePlus 1 smartphone. Create a smartphone, which most people thought would never exist.
Here are a few tips that will help you make better use of your Xiaomi smartphone.
One of the best thing that most people will appreciate about the Poco F1 is that it is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor paired with an Adreno 630 GPU. Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is the most powerful processor any Android smartphone currently features. This might change when Qualcomm decides to launch their Snapdragon 8150/855 chipset. However, until that happens the Poco F1 is one of the most powerful smartphones currently available in the market for consumers to purchase.
Poco F1 is also the second smartphone in the world to come with a liquid cooling system inbuilt. The first being Samsung’s Galaxy Note 9. This comes in extremely handy while you are doing any intensive tasks like playing heavy games, handling presentations and more. In my experience, while playing PUBG Mobile on the OnePlus 6T and the Poco F1 continuously for half an hour, the OnePlus 6T became extremely hot to touch, whereas the Poco F1 was able to maintain its cool.
For the mobile gamers that like to play heavy games like PUBG Mobile, Fortnite and Asphalt 9 this is one of the best performing smartphones you can get. It handles all heavy games in the highest settings without even breaking a sweat. There are to lags or stutters that you will face during extended gaming hours. As a bonus, the device will never be very hot to touch even after long hours of continuous gaming.
For the mobile photographers out there, Poco F1’s camera module might not match the one on Google’s Pixel 3, but it is no slacker. The camera performance in most scenes is extraordinary considering its price. The details and colours are captured extremely well leaving little to no room for improvement. The only issues you might face is during low light photography where the camera does struggle while focusing.
Xiaomi has managed to cram in most flagship grade specifications into the Poco F1 and sell it for such a low price. That doesn’t mean that it is perfect, it does have its drawbacks like the polycarbonate body, no IR blaster and much more, which are more or less permanent and might change with the device’s next iteration. There are also some drawbacks that are currently being fixed by the company like adding Widevine L1 support certificate to the device with its next update.
Concluding this, Xiaomi’s Poco F1 is one of the best smartphones you can currently get without breaking the bank. It might not look or feel premium at first, but the raw performance to price ratio you will get after purchasing it will never make you regret the decision. Also, a smartphone with these kinds of specifications is difficult to come by under the Rs 30,000 price bracket.
The look of the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is subtle.
OnePlus recently unveiled the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition smartphone. While the smartphone looks quite attractive, it does carry a heavy price tag with it. So, if you already have a regular OnePlus 6T, here's how you can make it look like the McLaren Edition.
How to make your OnePlus 6T look like McLaren Edition
Time needed: 15 minutes.
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition comes with special software customisations. Here's how you can make your regular OnePlus 6T look like the McLaren Edition by making a few tweaks here and there.
Switch the theme to Dark
By default, OnePlus 6T comes with a light theme. Head over to Settings > Display and then tap on theme to change the theme of the UI. Switch to Dark theme as that is what comes with McLaren Edition.
Change the accent colour
Now, you will need to change the accent colour to McLaren Edition's Orange. You can do this by tapping on Accent colour under the Display settings. Select the last option with the palette icon and enter the color code #E0610E.
Download new Wallpapers
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition comes with a special set of wallpapers. They have been extracted and you can download all of them from here. Once, downloaded you will need to extract the files out of the zip file.
Setup the Wallpaper
Once you have extracted the wallpapers, just head over to your home screen. Tap and hold on an empty space and then hit wallpapers. Click on my photos and select any of the new wallpapers. Keep in mind, the McLaren Edition comes with the Orange background set by default.
Download the new Sounds
McLaren Edition of the OnePlus 6T not only comes with a customised set of wallpapers but also has a couple of new sounds. It includes a new ringtone, notification sound, MMS sound and camera sounds. You can download the zip file from here, which consists of all of these.
Setup the sounds
Head over to Settings > Sound and tap on Phone Ringtone and look for the ringtone file you extracted from the downloaded zip file. Similarly, change the notification and SMS sounds. Sadly, you cannot configer the camera sounds without root access. However, if you have root access, overwrite the existing files in /system/media/audio/ui by using a root file manager.
Change the Boot animation
One of the most interesting things in the new McLaren Edition smartphone is its Boot animation. In order to get the same, you will need root access on your smartphone. Once you have to root access, copy this file to /system/media. Make sure you rename it to bootanimation.zip.
Do note that the mentioned steps are not going to give you an extra performance. Also, regular OnePlus 6T users will miss the 10GB RAM options and the ability to charge faster via the new Warp Charger. However, this will give you the McLaren Edition feel on the software side of things. OnePlus might as well start selling the McLaren Edition case via their online store soon.
Call of Duty: Legends of War is now available for Android
Since PC games like PUBG and Fortnite gained immense popularity on Android and iOS platforms, more game developers are working on releasing mobile versions of their games. It's now time for Call of Duty: Legends of War to rule the mobile gaming industry. The game is already available under a Beta stage for Android smartphones.
In order to bring the Battle Royale game to Android, Activision has teamed up with Tencent Games. For those who are unaware, Tencent Games handles the mobile version of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).
As far as the gameplay is concerned, Call of Duty, being a Battle Royale game offers game modes like Free4All, Search and Destroy, Team Deathmatch and Frontline It also brings in some of the iconic characters like Price and Ghost.
While most users will need to download and install the game via an APK file for now, Australian users can enjoy a full version of the game on Google Play Store. Neither Tencent Games nor Activision has yet revealed when the game will be available globally.
If you just cannot wait for the game to be released officially, you can try out the beta version by downloading the APK file from here. You also need to download the OBB file, which can be found here. Once the files are downloaded, simply install the APK file by opening it. Now extract the OBB file and move it to Internal Storage > Android > OBB > com.activision.callofduty.shooter.
Once the whole process is done, you can just run the game as you would run any other game.
The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 has been one of the more interesting smartphones from the company, especially in the budget segment in the past few years. The phone ticked a lot of boxes in terms of offering probably the best performance in its segment at that time along with a cleaner look with the stock Android. The Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 follows the path set down by their predecessor and goes on to compete against the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro overcoming its predecessor's shortcomings.
In a rather controversial move, it seems that the company has been releasing encrypted kernels for their Zenfone Max Pro M1 and Zenfone Max Pro M2 which disturbs tampering with the devices quite hard for developers. The same issue of the encrypted kernel also exists with the ZenFone Max M2, as developers are finding out now. The initial kernel releases of the Zenfone Max Pro M1 were normal. However, since the past two updates have the company has started to encrypt the kernels. The Zenfone Max Pro M2 and Zenfone Max M2 have implement this since the start.
So now I'm doubting @ASUS and/or Huaqin's commitment to make Max Pro M series developer friendly or at least release GPL compliant source code. With unusable kernel source, we've nothing to do but keep nagging the company to comply with GPL. :/— KudDroid (@KudDroid) December 11, 2018
Releasing an encrypted kernel file without any proper means of decryption the kernel sources are pointless, as the data so released is unusable for any practical purposes. With that in mind, what remains the point of such a release is still unknown. All it is doing is attracting bad press and ultimately leading to the loss of hard-earned reputation within the enthusiast community of the Zenfone Max Pro M1. Consumers who considered “developer friendliness” with the open kernel and stock android while buying the Zenfone Max Pro M1 will surely be dissapointed and this will lead to developer's retaining to buy Asus devices
We’ve reached out to ASUS India for comments and clarifications on the issue. We’ll update the article when they respond. We hope that such a release was unintentional and that ASUS plans to release proper kernel sources for its popular devices
Vivo Nex comes with a triple camera setup at the back
Vivo recently showcased another edition of the recently launched Vivo Nex, the Vivo Nex Dual Display Edition. As the name suggests, this one comes with two Super AMOLED displays, which also omits the need for a specific selfie camera. However, the phone is not available for everyone right now. So, here are some alternatives you can look for.
YotaPhone 3
It has a monochrome display on the back
YotaPhone is the company that started the trend of dual-display smartphones. Currently, the best smartphone they have to offer is YotaPhone 3. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor coupled with 4GB of RAM. It runs on Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box.
Meizu Pro 7
Meizu Pro 7 comes with two AMOLED displays
Meizu also has a smartphone with dual-displays. However, its secondary display is smaller than Vivo Nex and shows only specific information. The phone comes with Helio P25 octa-core processor paired with 4GB of RAM. It sports a 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display up front with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.
OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
Warp Charging uses a 30 Watt charger
OnePlus recently unveiled a new special edition of their flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 6T. OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition comes with 10GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. It also comes with support for Warp Charge, which uses a 30W fast charger. The phone is available in India for a price of Rs. 50,990.
If you want a special kind of design and 10GB of RAM, Mi Mix 3 could be a good alternative. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 comes with 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display with a sliding mechanism for the selfie cameras. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with up to 10GB of RAM.
Honor Magic 2
Honor Magic 2 comes with a triple camera setup at the back
Just like the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3, Honor Magic 2 also comes with a sliding mechanism to reveal the selfie cameras. The phone is powered by the Kirin 980 processor. It comes with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage.
MIUI is the most customizable Android ROM available. While most users prefer stock Android due to the performance, there are many who love custom ROMs from brands like Xiaomi. So, developers have ported Android Pie based MIUI 10 ROM to OnePlus 6 and OnePlus 6T. Here's how you can install the ROM
How to flash MIUI 10 on OnePlus 6 or OnePlus 6T
Download the necessary files from the following links
Once the whole process is complete, you can reboot your phone. It will take some time as this is the first boot after a new ROM installation. Do keep in mind that you might face a few bugs and issues as this is a ported ROM and now an official one.
Disclaimer: As this is not an official ROM, we recommend that you don’t try doing this on your primary device. BeetelBite won’t be responsible for any damages that occur during the process, so please do it at your own risk. There might be data loss during the process.
