Saturday 10 September 2016
iPhone 7
Iphone 7 plus
Thursday 11 August 2016
Mi Notebook Air: Xiaomi's first laptop
Xiaomi in the present day is the fifth largest smartphone maker and is known for making high end flagship smartphones for comparatively low price, and now the company has decided to widen it's market by introducing it's first laptop.
Behold: The Mi Notebook Air
Xiaomi is known for notoriously ripping off apple's products and this laptop is no different. Very similar to apple's macbook models, the mi notebook is sleek and thin (thinner than the macbook) and the specifications look great on paper. The mi notebook comes in two variants : the 12.5 inch version and the 13.3 inch version.
The 12.5" version is 12.9 mm thick and weighs 1.07 kg. It comes with a full HD 1080p display with 176 ppi. The chip running it is the Intel core m3 clocked maximum at 2.2Ghz integrated with Intel HD graphics 515. It has 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of SSD storage. The 600 Wh battery is claimed to give a 11.5 hrs battery backup. It has 1 USB C port, 1 USB 3.0 port, 1 HDMI port and a 3.5 mm jack.
While the 12.5 inch version certainly catches the eye, it lacks somewhat in the hardware section. The 13.3 inch variant corrects this although it doesn't present ground shattering specs:
- Slim all-metal body
- Full HD screen
- Ultra-narrow borders
- Long battery life — 9.5 hours
- 6-generation Intel Core i5 processor
- NVIDIA 940MX graphics card
- 1GB GDDR5
- 8 GB DDR4 RAM
- 256GB SSD PCIe
( Specs as informed by Xiaomi )
This version is a little heavier (1.28 kg) but presents some impressive specs. Again, visually it looks like a mac but it's what inside that matters. By including a separate graphics card, it should be able to provide for a decent gaming performance, a part that the macbook fails to provide. Also, HDMI port is also a big plus, dolby surround sound and multitouch also present a nice addition. With USB C, interfacing devices also becomes quite easy and instant unlock using the mi wristband is also a handy function.
Some have even dubbed the mi notebook air as the macbook killer which does seem to be a little overstated. However, there are some areas where the mi notebook beats the macbook and overall, the mi notebook is a really good laptop. Running on windows 10, it promises to give a smooth experience with it's on paper specifications. However may it compare to the macbook , the most prominent factor is the price. It gives great bang for buck as the 12.5 inch variant costs $520 and the 13.3 inch variant costs about $750.
So, Xiaomi's first laptop presents itself as a very good lapt....... ah, what the hell...you know what? It's arguably a macbook with decent gaming capabilities. End of story.
Thursday 4 August 2016
Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Initial Impressions
Samsung announced the launch of the brand new Galaxy Note 7. Samsung has decided to stick with the same design of the galaxy S7 that has worked so well for them in the past. The Galaxy Note 7 is an absolute treat for the eyes with the gorgeous 5.7" quad hd super amoled display and the curved edges giving it super thin bezels. All this is covered with the Gorilla Glass 5 which gives the phone a premium vibe.
The Note 7 comes with a snapdragon 820 chip, 4 GB of ram, 64 GB of internal storage and MicroSD expansion. There is a 5 MP front facing camera. The back camera is a 12 MP camera with f 1.7 aperture, Optical Image Stabilization, 4K video recording. When it comes to Samsung, the cameras are going to be great, that's a given. Also, the Note 7 is IP 68 water resistant. The Note 7 comes with Android Marshmallow and a 3500 mAh battery. The phone has a USB type-c charging port with fast charging.
Now let's get to the new features. The Note 7 has an iris scanner. What that does is it unlocks the phone WITH YOUR EYES. YES, so if you feel too lazy to draw a pattern or put your finger on a finger print reader, now all you have to do is just look at your phone. But seriously, this is a wonderful feature which you can use to unlock your phone but also to secure the contents in a private area of the phone. The finger print sensor is also obviously present.
Now let's get to the new features. The Note 7 has an iris scanner. What that does is it unlocks the phone WITH YOUR EYES. YES, so if you feel too lazy to draw a pattern or put your finger on a finger print reader, now all you have to do is just look at your phone. But seriously, this is a wonderful feature which you can use to unlock your phone but also to secure the contents in a private area of the phone. The finger print sensor is also obviously present.
Samsung has also made improvements to the s-pen. The tip of the s-pen has got a finer point and the phone now has over 4000 levels of pressure sensitivity resulting in a finer writing experience. Also, a really exciting new function of the s-pen is the ability to create gifs right away. So you can make a gif of any video you are watching then and there.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is packing loads of other new features. This new method of gradually improving the Galaxy S Series and the Note series is really exciting although I was hoping to see some slight tweaks in the design. You just can't go wrong with the Galaxy Note 7.
Saturday 16 July 2016
Graphene (Material that can change the world)
Graphene, the well-publicised and now famous two-dimensional carbon allotrope, is as versatile a material as any discovered on Earth. Its amazing properties as the lightest and strongest material, compared with its ability to conduct heat and electricity better than anything else, mean that it can be integrated into a huge number of applications. Initially this will mean that graphene is used to help improve the performance and efficiency of current materials and substances, but in the future it will also be developed in conjunction with other two-dimensional (2D) crystals to create some even more amazing compounds to suit an even wider range of applications. To understand the potential applications of graphene, you must first gain an understanding of the basic properties of the material.
The first time graphene was artificially produced; scientists literally took a piece of graphite and dissected it layer by layer until only 1 single layer remained.This process is known as mechanical exfoliation. This resulting monolayer of graphite (known as graphene) is only 1 atom thick and is therefore the thinnest material possible to be created without becoming unstable when being open to the elements (temperature, air, etc.). Because graphene is only 1 atom thick, it is possible to create other materials by interjecting the graphene layers with other compounds (for example, one layer of graphene, one layer of another compound, followed by another layer of graphene, and so on), effectively using graphene as atomic scaffolding from which other materials are engineered. These newly created compounds could also be superlative materials, just like graphene, but with potentially even more applications.
After the development of graphene and the discovery of its exceptional properties, not surprisingly interest in other two-dimensional crystals increased substantially. These other 2D crystals (such as Boron Nitride, Niobium Diselenide and Tantalum (IV) sulphide), can be used in combination with other 2D crystals for an almost limitless number of applications. So, as an example, if you take the compound Magnesium Diboride (MgB2), which is known as being a relatively efficient superconductor, then intersperse its alternating boron and magnesium atomic layers with individual layers of graphene, it improves its efficiency as a superconductor. Or, another example would be in the case of combining the mineral Molybdenite (MoS2), which can be used as a semiconductor, with graphene layers (graphene being a fantastic conductor of electricity) when creating NAND flash memory, to develop flash memory to be much smaller and more flexible than current technology, (as has been proven by a team of researchers at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland).
The only problem with graphene is that high-quality graphene is a great conductor that does not have a band gap (it can’t be switched off). Therefore to use graphene in the creation of future nano-electronic devices, a band gap will need to be engineered into it, which will, in turn, reduce its electron mobility to that of levels currently seen in strained silicon films. This essentially means that future research and development needs to be carried out in order for graphene to replace silicon in electrical systems in the future. However, recently a few research teams have shown that not only is this possible, it is probable, and we are looking at months, rather than years, until this is achieved at least at a basic level. Some say that these kinds of studies should be avoided, though, as it is akin to changing graphene to be something it is not.
In any case, these two examples are just the tip of the iceberg in only one field of research, whereas graphene is a material that can be utilized in numerous disciplines including, but not limited to: bioengineering, composite materials, energy technology and nanotechnology.
Biological Engineering
Bioengineering will certainly be a field in which graphene will become a vital part of in the future; though some obstacles need to be overcome before it can be used. Current estimations suggest that it will not be until 2030 when we will begin to see graphene widely used in biological applications as we still need to understand its biocompatibility (and it must undergo numerous safety, clinical and regulatory trials which, simply put, will take a very long time). However, the properties that it displays suggest that it could revolutionise this area in a number of ways. With graphene offering a large surface area, high electrical conductivity, thinness and strength, it would make a good candidate for the development of fast and efficient bioelectric sensory devices, with the ability to monitor such things as glucose levels, haemoglobin levels, cholesterol and even DNA sequencing. Eventually we may even see engineered ‘toxic’ graphene that is able to be used as an antibiotic or even anticancer treatment. Also, due to its molecular make-up and potential biocompatibility, it could be utilised in the process of tissue regeneration.
Optical Electronics
One particular area in which we will soon begin to see graphene used on a commercial scale is that in optoelectronics; specifically touchscreens, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). For a material to be able to be used in optoelectronic applications, it must be able to transmit more than 90% of light and also offer electrical conductive properties exceeding 1 x 106 Ω1m1 and therefore low electrical resistance. Graphene is an almost completely transparent material and is able to optically transmit up to 97.7% of light. It is also highly conductive, as we have previously mentioned and so it would work very well in optoelectronic applications such as LCD touchscreens for smartphones, tablet and desktop computers and televisions.
Currently the most widely used material is indium tin oxide (ITO), and the development of manufacture of ITO over the last few decades time has resulted in a material that is able to perform very well in this application. However, recent tests have shown that graphene is potentially able to match the properties of ITO, even in current (relatively under-developed) states. Also, it has recently been shown that the optical absorption of graphene can be changed by adjusting the Fermi level. While this does not sound like much of an improvement over ITO, graphene displays additional properties which can enable very clever technology to be developed in optoelectronics by replacing the ITO with graphene. The fact that high quality graphene has a very high tensile strength, and is flexible (with a bending radius of less than the required 5-10mm for rollable e-paper), makes it almost inevitable that it will soon become utilized in these aforementioned applications.
In terms of potential real-world electronic applications we can eventually expect to see such devices as graphene based e-paper with the ability to display interactive and updatable information and flexible electronic devices including portable computers and televisions.
Ultrafiltration
Another standout property of graphene is that while it allows water to pass through it, it is almost completely impervious to liquids and gases (even relatively small helium molecules). This means that graphene could be used as an ultrafiltration medium to act as a barrier between two substances. The benefit of using graphene is that it is only 1 single atom thick and can also be developed as a barrier that electronically measures strain and pressures between the 2 substances (amongst many other variables). A team of researchers at Columbia University have managed to create monolayer graphene filters with pore sizes as small as 5nm (currently, advanced nanoporous membranes have pore sizes of 30-40nm). While these pore sizes are extremely small, as graphene is so thin, pressure during ultrafiltration is reduced. Co-currently, graphene is much stronger and less brittle than aluminium oxide (currently used in sub-100nm filtration applications). What does this mean? Well, it could mean that graphene is developed to be used in water filtration systems, desalination systems and efficient and economically more viable biofuel creation.
Composite Materials
Graphene is strong, stiff and very light. Currently, aerospace engineers are incorporating carbon fibre into the production of aircraft as it is also very strong and light. However, graphene is much stronger whilst being also much lighter. Ultimately it is expected that graphene is utilized (probably integrated into plastics such as epoxy) to create a material that can replace steel in the structure of aircraft, improving fuel efficiency, range and reducing weight. Due to its electrical conductivity, it could even be used to coat aircraft surface material to prevent electrical damage resulting from lightning strikes. In this example, the same graphene coating could also be used to measure strain rate, notifying the pilot of any changes in the stress levels that the aircraft wings are under. These characteristics can also help in the development of high strength requirement applications such as body armour for military personnel and vehicles.
Photovoltaic Cells
Offering very low levels of light absorption (at around 2.7% of light) whilst also offering high electron mobility means that graphene can be used as an alternative to silicon or ITO in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells. Silicon is currently widely used in the production of photovoltaic cells, but while silicon cells are very expensive to produce, graphene based cells are potentially much less so. When materials such as silicon turn light into electricity it produces a photon for every electron produced, meaning that a lot of potential energy is lost as heat. Recently published research has proved that when graphene absorbs a photon, it actually generates multiple electrons. Also, while silicon is able to generate electricity from certain wavelength bands of light, graphene is able to work on all wavelengths, meaning that graphene has the potential to be as efficient as, if not more efficient than silicon, ITO or (also widely used) gallium arsenide. Being flexible and thin means that graphene based photovoltaic cells could be used in clothing; to help recharge your mobile phone, or even used as retro-fitted photovoltaic window screens or curtains to help power your home.
Energy Storage
One area of research that is being very highly studied is energy storage. While all areas of electronics have been advancing over a very fast rate over the last few decades (in reference to Moore’s law which states that the number of transistors used in electronic circuitry will double every 2 years), the problem has always been storing the energy in batteries and capacitors when it is not being used. These energy storage solutions have been developing at a much slower rate. The problem is this: a battery can potentially hold a lot of energy, but it can take a long time to charge, a capacitor, on the other hand, can be charged very quickly, but can’t hold that much energy (comparatively speaking). The solution is to develop energy storage components such as either a supercapacitor or a battery that is able to provide both of these positive characteristics without compromise.
Currently, scientists are working on enhancing the capabilities of lithium ion batteries (by incorporating graphene as an anode) to offer much higher storage capacities with much better longevity and charge rate. Also, graphene is being studied and developed to be used in the manufacture of supercapacitors which are able to be charged very quickly, yet also be able to store a large amount of electricity. Graphene based micro-supercapacitors will likely be developed for use in low energy applications such as smart phones and portable computing devices and could potentially be commercially available within the next 5-10 years. Graphene-enhanced lithium ion batteries could be used in much higher energy usage applications such as electrically powered vehicles, or they can be used as lithium ion batteries are now, in smartphones, laptops and tablet PCs but at significantly lower levels of size and weight.
Wednesday 13 July 2016
Latest Leaked pictures of samsung galaxy note 7
This is the clearest pic we've had of the handset so far, barring the supposedly official renders, and it also shows the handset fired up and running Samsung's new Note UX version of the TouchWiz Android overlay.
Again, we can see the two intriguing sensor/camera openings at the top left that are said to form an iris scanner as an extra biometric security layer. Moreover, this unit seems much more polished, and with the Samsung logo up top staying intact, when compared to the previous prototype leaks today, so the Note 7 you are seeing here is probably the closest to the production version piece we have seen yet.
In addition, a "waterproof" glass back for the Note 7 has been listed in the Zauba import database, hinting that the Note 7 should come with the same IP68 water resistance certification as the Gaxaxy S7/S7 edge. Not that this would come as much of a surprise, but still it's nice to have a tangential proof.
Sunday 3 July 2016
Xiaomi Mi Max Review
OS: Android 6 | Screen size: 6.4-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 1920 | RAM: 3GB/4GB|Storage:64GB/128GB | Battery:4,850mAh | Rear camera: 16MP |Front camera: 5MP
There was a time, not too long ago, when it was not uncommon to see people carrying 7-inch
tablets around as their primary phones. As ridiculous as it looked, it was a trend that caught
on and we have Samsung's affordable Tab series to thank (or blame) for that. Last year,
we witnessed Lenovo attempting to get in on that action with the Phab Plus, and today, we
have Xiaomi taking a stab at this niche market with the Mi max.
tablets around as their primary phones. As ridiculous as it looked, it was a trend that caught
on and we have Samsung's affordable Tab series to thank (or blame) for that. Last year,
we witnessed Lenovo attempting to get in on that action with the Phab Plus, and today, we
have Xiaomi taking a stab at this niche market with the Mi max.
Just like Lenovo's offering, the Mi Max focuses purely on content consumption (and perhaps
a bit of creation too), be it videos, games, or even apps. Given its feature set and
specifications, the Mi Max can be considered a larger rendition of the Redmi Note 3, another
very popular phone. But has Xiaomi got the formula right with the Mi Max? We've spent
nearly a week with the device and here's what we think.
a bit of creation too), be it videos, games, or even apps. Given its feature set and
specifications, the Mi Max can be considered a larger rendition of the Redmi Note 3, another
very popular phone. But has Xiaomi got the formula right with the Mi Max? We've spent
nearly a week with the device and here's what we think.
Look and feel
It's not rocket science to make a large-screened smartphone, but the ability to achieve a
balance between size, weight, and ergonomics is what sets the good ones apart. The Mi Max
features a 6.44-inch full-HD display with Gorilla Glass 3 and the company's proprietary
Sunlight Display tech for better outdoor legibility. Make no mistake, this screen is massive,
and the Mi Max manages to make even anIphone 6s look small in comparison. However,
Xiaomi tries to make up for this by trimming the side bezels and space above and below the
display, except for what's absolutely needed. The front glass is also slightly rounded, thereby
avoiding any sharp edges.
It's not rocket science to make a large-screened smartphone, but the ability to achieve a
balance between size, weight, and ergonomics is what sets the good ones apart. The Mi Max
features a 6.44-inch full-HD display with Gorilla Glass 3 and the company's proprietary
Sunlight Display tech for better outdoor legibility. Make no mistake, this screen is massive,
and the Mi Max manages to make even anIphone 6s look small in comparison. However,
Xiaomi tries to make up for this by trimming the side bezels and space above and below the
display, except for what's absolutely needed. The front glass is also slightly rounded, thereby
avoiding any sharp edges.
The Mi Max is fairly slim at 7.5mm and there are chamfered edges along the metal body.
The volume and power buttons are placed on the right and work well, with good tactile
feedback. The hybrid SIM tray sits on the left. You can either have two SIM cards or one SIM
and a microSD card (up to 128GB).
The volume and power buttons are placed on the right and work well, with good tactile
feedback. The hybrid SIM tray sits on the left. You can either have two SIM cards or one SIM
and a microSD card (up to 128GB).
The mono-speaker is placed at the bottom, along with the Micro-USB port, while the
headphones socket and infrared emitter are on the top. The metal surface makes the phone
quite slippery, so getting a rubber case wouldn't be a bad idea.
headphones socket and infrared emitter are on the top. The metal surface makes the phone
quite slippery, so getting a rubber case wouldn't be a bad idea.
Around back, we have the primary camera, dual-tone LED flash, and fingerprint sensor. The
metal rim around the camera juts out a bit but we didn't encounter any major scuffing during
our usage. The Mi Max is a heavy phone at 203 grams but honestly, it's hard to tell when you
hold it. Single-handed use for typing is quite difficult as you have to juggle the phone around.
metal rim around the camera juts out a bit but we didn't encounter any major scuffing during
our usage. The Mi Max is a heavy phone at 203 grams but honestly, it's hard to tell when you
hold it. Single-handed use for typing is quite difficult as you have to juggle the phone around.
It's not an easy phone to live with and even after a week, we found ourselves struggling to
cope with its sheer size during daily commutes. It's also a task stuffing it in a pocket. Trousers
are manageable but good luck trying to get it all the way into your jeans pocket. The Mi Max
is sure to grab a lot of attention, not only because of its size but also because it looks
premium and well-built.
cope with its sheer size during daily commutes. It's also a task stuffing it in a pocket. Trousers
are manageable but good luck trying to get it all the way into your jeans pocket. The Mi Max
is sure to grab a lot of attention, not only because of its size but also because it looks
premium and well-built.
Our test unit came with a charger, cable, some instruction leaflets, and a SIM ejector tool.
Specifications and software
The Xiaomi Mi Max is powered by the tried and tested hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650
SoC, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. The company plans to launch a higher-end variant
soon which will have an octa-core Snapdragon 652 SoC, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Other specifications include dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, USB OTG, 4G with
VoLTE, and FM radio. NFC isn't present.
The Xiaomi Mi Max is powered by the tried and tested hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650
SoC, 3GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage. The company plans to launch a higher-end variant
soon which will have an octa-core Snapdragon 652 SoC, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Other specifications include dual-band Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, USB OTG, 4G with
VoLTE, and FM radio. NFC isn't present.
In terms of software, the Mi Max runs on a customised version of Android Marshmallow called
MIUI 7 (tested on v7.5.3.0), which is similar to what we've seen before on the Mi 5. Some
features of Marshmallow like Now on Tap aren't currently present but Xiaomi tells us that it is
the works and will be added soon. In the coming months, the phone will also be upgradeable
to MIUI 8.
In order to make it easier to perform simple tasks like typing, the Mi Max comes with a
'One-handed mode' in the settings menu, which shrinks the contents of the display down to
either 4.5-inches, 4-inches or 3.5-inches. You can perform this action by simply swiping left or
right on the capacitive buttons for shrinking it down or resetting it back to normal. The screen
shrinks down to either one of bottom corners of the display which makes everything more
accessible, but it's still a bit of a balancing act due to the size and weight of the phone.
MIUI 7 (tested on v7.5.3.0), which is similar to what we've seen before on the Mi 5. Some
features of Marshmallow like Now on Tap aren't currently present but Xiaomi tells us that it is
the works and will be added soon. In the coming months, the phone will also be upgradeable
to MIUI 8.
In order to make it easier to perform simple tasks like typing, the Mi Max comes with a
'One-handed mode' in the settings menu, which shrinks the contents of the display down to
either 4.5-inches, 4-inches or 3.5-inches. You can perform this action by simply swiping left or
right on the capacitive buttons for shrinking it down or resetting it back to normal. The screen
shrinks down to either one of bottom corners of the display which makes everything more
accessible, but it's still a bit of a balancing act due to the size and weight of the phone.
Another feature called 'Shortcut menu' or 'Quick ball' lets you assign five shortcuts to either a
function or an app to a floating onscreen ball, which can be accessed anywhere including the
home screen. It looks similar to the iPhone's AssitiveTouch feature and can be placed
anywhere along the edge of the display. You can prevent it from showing up in certain apps
too if you wish. It's a handy feature, especially for going back a page or the homescreen as
you don't have to worry about reaching the capacitive buttons.
function or an app to a floating onscreen ball, which can be accessed anywhere including the
home screen. It looks similar to the iPhone's AssitiveTouch feature and can be placed
anywhere along the edge of the display. You can prevent it from showing up in certain apps
too if you wish. It's a handy feature, especially for going back a page or the homescreen as
you don't have to worry about reaching the capacitive buttons.
Performance
Our test unit's software was pretty stable so we didn't face any noticeable glitches or bugs
during our usage. The operating system works smoothly and so does multitasking. On any
given day, you'll likely have about 800MB of free RAM available, which is a decent amount.
We found the earpiece volume a bit lower than what we'd have liked, but clarity was good.
The size of the phone does make it difficult to hold when on long calls. The Snapdragon 650
SoC offers plenty of grunt for most apps and games. As an indication of gaming performance,
we got a healthy 32fps in GFXbench and 18,044 points in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited.
Our test unit's software was pretty stable so we didn't face any noticeable glitches or bugs
during our usage. The operating system works smoothly and so does multitasking. On any
given day, you'll likely have about 800MB of free RAM available, which is a decent amount.
We found the earpiece volume a bit lower than what we'd have liked, but clarity was good.
The size of the phone does make it difficult to hold when on long calls. The Snapdragon 650
SoC offers plenty of grunt for most apps and games. As an indication of gaming performance,
we got a healthy 32fps in GFXbench and 18,044 points in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited.
Xiaomi bundles its own music player which does a good job at sorting your music. You even
get some audio enhancements and equalizer presets. Audio quality is good through the
headphones socket, but the mono speaker, while loud, doesn't provide the best experience.
What's really missing though is a good set of stereo speakers, considering the Mi Max is
designed for media consumption. The large display is great for watching video content, and
this phone also handles 4K videos. Brightness levels are good although the colours need a
bit of tweaking as they appear a bit too saturated by default.
get some audio enhancements and equalizer presets. Audio quality is good through the
headphones socket, but the mono speaker, while loud, doesn't provide the best experience.
What's really missing though is a good set of stereo speakers, considering the Mi Max is
designed for media consumption. The large display is great for watching video content, and
this phone also handles 4K videos. Brightness levels are good although the colours need a
bit of tweaking as they appear a bit too saturated by default.
Coming to the cameras, we have a 16-megapixel sensor on the rear, which is capable of 4K
video recording. The 5-megapixel camera in the front can record up to 720p video. The rear
camera also gets phase detection autofocus (PDAF), which works well under most lighting
conditions. Landscapes and macro shots captured in daylight exhibit good detail, but the app
tends to over-sharpen objects in focus which causes slight jagged edges. This is more
noticeable once you crop or zoom in to a photo. The front camera pulls off some decent
selfies, provided the lighting is good.
video recording. The 5-megapixel camera in the front can record up to 720p video. The rear
camera also gets phase detection autofocus (PDAF), which works well under most lighting
conditions. Landscapes and macro shots captured in daylight exhibit good detail, but the app
tends to over-sharpen objects in focus which causes slight jagged edges. This is more
noticeable once you crop or zoom in to a photo. The front camera pulls off some decent
selfies, provided the lighting is good.
The quality of recorded video is good, even in low light. Slow-motion and time lapse video
modes are also present. The camera app offers different shooting modes, including a Manual
mode which lets you adjust shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus. Focusing is quick
with very little shutter lag. However, indoor and low-light shots are quite average, something
we observed with the Redmi Note 3 too.
modes are also present. The camera app offers different shooting modes, including a Manual
mode which lets you adjust shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus. Focusing is quick
with very little shutter lag. However, indoor and low-light shots are quite average, something
we observed with the Redmi Note 3 too.
Battery life
The Mi Max is blessed with a large battery - 4850mAh to be precise - which easily lasts for
nearly two days of active use. In our video loop test, we managed to go 21 hours and 11
minutes before the phone powered itself down, which is excellent. The Mi Max also ships with
a 10W power adapter to speed up the charging process.
The Mi Max is blessed with a large battery - 4850mAh to be precise - which easily lasts for
nearly two days of active use. In our video loop test, we managed to go 21 hours and 11
minutes before the phone powered itself down, which is excellent. The Mi Max also ships with
a 10W power adapter to speed up the charging process.
Verdict
It's safe to say that the Mi Max is yet another solid offering from Xiaomi, only this time, it's
targeted at a rather niche market. There could be some demand for phones with enormous
displays, and now buyers have a decent option. The Mi Max could potentially inject new life in
to this segment as it's a very good all-rounder. Its size is a subjective matter, as many people
don't make a lot of voice calls, but do like watching movies and reading books. A device such
as this could eliminate the need to use a separate phone and tablet, at home and also while
traveling or commuting.
It's safe to say that the Mi Max is yet another solid offering from Xiaomi, only this time, it's
targeted at a rather niche market. There could be some demand for phones with enormous
displays, and now buyers have a decent option. The Mi Max could potentially inject new life in
to this segment as it's a very good all-rounder. Its size is a subjective matter, as many people
don't make a lot of voice calls, but do like watching movies and reading books. A device such
as this could eliminate the need to use a separate phone and tablet, at home and also while
traveling or commuting.
The phone has very good build quality, a good display, excellent battery life and snappy
performance. Camera quality isn't the best and we would really have liked stereo speakers on
a device geared for media consumption. This isn't going to be the easiest device to live with
for many people, but if you like the idea of tablet-sized smartphones, the Mi Max is currently
the best option in its price class.
performance. Camera quality isn't the best and we would really have liked stereo speakers on
a device geared for media consumption. This isn't going to be the easiest device to live with
for many people, but if you like the idea of tablet-sized smartphones, the Mi Max is currently
the best option in its price class.
Pros: Cons:
-Big and Vivid Screen - Uneasy to hold in hand
-Good Performance - Hard to get
-Solid Build & Feels Premium -Average camera
-Big Battery
-Cheap
Price of MI MAX may vary from $250-$350 according to it's varient.-Good Performance - Hard to get
-Solid Build & Feels Premium -Average camera
-Big Battery
-Cheap
Saturday 2 July 2016
Iphone 7 Rumors
Apple is probably getting rid of the home button on the iPhone 7. Instead of a physical button, the home function would be housed in a software-based "Force Touch" button with a haptic sensor, meaning to go "home," you'll only need to touch it. The "Force Touch" technology along with a motor inside the iPhone will "provide the sensation that the button is being physically depressed," according to the lates Plus, the iPhone 7 is likely to come in a new color: space black, similar to the black finish on the Apple Watch.
Expert is calling the iPhone 7 "Apples Biggest Gamble" because with all the internet buzz about fancy curving OLED screens with the iPhone 8 next year, who is going to buy an iPhone 7 this year? Still,9to5Mac ran a poll last week that found that over 50% of its readers would upgrade based on the Space Black color option alone, so the iPhone could in fact be a gamble that pays off big for Apple.
Thursday 30 June 2016
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Rumor
Rumored features of Samsung Galaxy Note 7
Interface: Android 6 Marshmallow with new Grace UX
Display: 5.7" or 5.8" Quad HD Super AMOLED
SoC: Snapdragon 820 for US, Exynos 8893 for rest of world
RAM: 6GB LPDDR4
Camera: 12MP main cam, 5MP selfie shooter
Storage: 64GB UFS 2.0, supports microSD card expansion
Battery: 3,600mAh or 4,000mAh
Extra features: Dual edge screen, IP68 water protection, New S-Pen, USB-C
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is rumored to make its official appearance in just about a month at a big event that is allegedly scheduled for August 2nd, but this does not mean that Samsung will be able to keep it a secret until then.
After a few leaks that revealed the Galaxy note 7 and design, we are now seeing what is said to be the front cover glass of the Note 7, leaked by the reliable @OnLeaks and there are two important things to talk about.
Just like our fingers come with a unique pattern that is scanned for a secure unlock, the same way our iris contains a unique pattern that front-facing cameras on the Note 7 will recognize and unlock the phone securely. We have seen Windows Phone devices already use an iris scanner, so it's not a completely new concept, but on those devices we found scanning to happen only at a set distance and not as fast and accurate as a fingerprint scanner. The challenge for Samsung is to improve on those early iris scan implementations with a faster and more reliable iris scan on the Galaxy Note 7.
Yes, it's a dual-curved design like the Galaxy S7 Edge, and true, it will indeed feature an iris scanner as an alternative to the fingerprints and also secure method to unlock your phone by just looking at it.
Just like our fingers come with a unique pattern that is scanned for a secure unlock, the same way our iris contains a unique pattern that front-facing cameras on the Note 7 will recognize and unlock the phone securely. We have seen Windows Phone devices already use an iris scanner, so it's not a completely new concept, but on those devices we found scanning to happen only at a set distance and not as fast and accurate as a fingerprint scanner. The challenge for Samsung is to improve on those early iris scan implementations with a faster and more reliable iris scan on the Galaxy Note 7.
Saturday 11 June 2016
Moto z Hands on
At the end of the keynote, just when it started to seem like the announcement may not even happen at all, Lenovo took the wraps off of the latest Motorola flagships to great dramatic effect. All the rumors and leaks that have led up to this launch have been true for the most part, and there are certainly some aspects to get really excited about.
A new moniker in tow, what do the latest high-end offerings from Motorola bring to the table? We find out, as we go hands on with the Moto Z and the Moto Z Force!
As the name would suggest, the Moto Z takes things a couple of (alphabetical) steps ahead of the previous Moto X flagship line, by bringing modular capabilities into the mix. The great news here is that Motorola has managed to do so in a far simpler and easier to use iteration that what we’ve seen from LG. The very noticeable connectors on the back allow for various components and covers to be magnetically attached to the phone with a snap, and everything is truly plug and play here, without the need for the phone to be restarted, or to remove and swap the battery. Before diving into the various attachments that are currently available, let’s take a look at the phones themselves.
Both smartphones feature 5.5-inch AMOLED displays with Quad HD resolutions, resulting in a pixel density of 535 ppi. This makes the devices quite large, not helped by the distinct top and bottom portions up front that house a multitude of sensors, but the overall footprint isn’t that much more than most other smartphones with similarly-sized displays. The Moto Z is also one of the thinnest smartphones around, with a thickness of just 5.2 mm, while the Moto Z Force does have a little more girth to it, likely to accommodate the additional layers that help make the display shatterproof.
Under the hood, both smartphones come with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, clocked at 2.15 GHz, and backed by the Adreno 530 GPU and 4 GB of RAM. This processing package is the current gold standard when it comes to 2016 flagships, and with the performance of other high-end smartphones this year being very impressive, we can certainly expect more of the same from the Moto Z and Moto Z Force. You also get the usual suite of connectivity options with these devices, including NFC, that can be useful for its application in mobile payment systems.
Given how thin the Moto Z is, it isn’t surprising that the camera module on the back does protrude quite significantly. However, when a cover, or MotoMod, is attached to the phone, the camera ends up sitting flush with the extended body of the phone, which makes for another nice reason to pick up one of the stylish shells that Motorola has on offer.
The additional thickness that is found with the Moto Z Force also allows for more room to pack in a larger 3,400 mAh battery, compared to the 2,600 mAh unit found with the Moto Z. The Moto Z Force also comes with the faster quick charging capabilities, with Motorola claiming that you can get 50% of the battery life back in just 15-20 minutes. Of course, the Moto Z does come with its own fast charging, but it won’t be as fast as what is available with the Z Force.
Other differences between the two include the camera, with the Moto Z Force featuring a 21 MP rear camera, compared to the 13 MP camera of the Moto Z, and of course, the display of the Moto Z Force is also shatterproof. The Moto Z Force does make for a compelling device, but the ultra-thin Moto Z is what you may find more attractive at first glance.
As mentioned, both devices feature different primary shooters, but the camera app remains the same, and is quite intuitive and easy to use. The cameras seem to work well from what we were able to see so far, and we can’t wait to put them through rigorous testing in upcoming reviews and camera shootouts to see whether they manage to stand out from the crowd in this highly competitive aspect of the smartphone experience.
The Moto Z is an extremely thin phone, and the Z Force isn’t that much thicker either, and not unexpectedly, there has to have been some compromises made in order to achieve these aesthetics. In this case, this comes in the form of a lack of the headphone jack. Instead, what you will get is an adapter that plugs into the USB-Type C port, and that is how you will be able to use this device with regular headphones and earphones.
On the software side of things, Motorola keeps everything very simple and familiar, with the devices boasting an almost stock iteration of Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Everything is where you’d expect it to be, and Motorola’s useful additions make a return as well, including Active Display, various motion gestures, and more.
Of course, the big story with the Moto Z and Moto Z Force has to do with their modular capabilities. As mentioned, the implementation is far simpler, and doesn’t require the battery to be removed, or have the phone be rebooted. The peripherals just snap on to the device via the strong magnetic connectors, and you are good to go as soon as they are in place.
For starters, there are a number of stylish covers, or shells, available, and considering how thin the Moto Z is, it almost feels like its needs these covers to really round out the look and feel in the hand. There are covers that bring a little more functionality to the table as well – including battery cases made by Incipio and a pico projector – that does make the devices quite thick, but allows for an easy to way to share information from your phone.
Finally, there is a JBL speaker that can also be snapped into place, and provides for a very enhanced audio experience. The speaker and the projector also come with built-in batteries that are utilized first, before these accessories start drawing any power from the phone itself.
So there you have it for this first look at the Moto Z and Moto Z Force! Overall, we are very impressed by what we’ve seen so far from Motorola’s latest flagships. There have been some trade offs made, such as the removal of a headphone jack in favor of a thinner profile.
The Moto Z and Moto Z Force do have some key differences between them in terms of features and specifications, but both feature the same modular capabilities, and with the execution far better this time around, this may be the innovative step forward that we were looking for.
What do you think of these two handsets and do you plan to buy either? Let us know your views in the comments below!
Thursday 26 May 2016
ZTE Axon 7 Overview
 |
| ZTE Axon 7 |
Smartphones prices are increasing on every release new flagships phones from leading smartphone company but thanks to the Chinese manufacturers who are bringing phone packed with nearly same specs with decent price .Today ZTE have announced its new flagship ZTE Axion with good specs and great design .
The Axon 7 is a refined version of last year's Axon with the most notable improvements found in its design and display. The design features a full metal unibody with rounded corners and edges. It is strikingly similar to the HTC one from 2014, right down to the antenna lines and matte finish, but it does feel very nice to hold. ZTE is offering it in gold and grey color options.
The new screen is a significant step up from last year: it's a 5.5-inch AMOLED panel with the 2560 x 1440 pixel resolution,pressure sensitive and curved edges. It's covered in Gorilla Glass 4 and pops like you'd expect an AMOLED display to. Colors are rich and vibrant and the contrast levels give Samsung a run for its money.
ZTE will be offering two versions of the Axon 7 — a 64GB model with 4GB of RAM and a 128GB version with 6GB. The company says it has not committed to selling the higher-end model in the US, but both versions have microSD slots for expansion. They both are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 processor and have 3,250mAh batteries with Qualcomm's QuickCharge 3.0 that provides 50 percent charge in 30 minutes of charging or a full charge in 100 minutes. The Axon 7 has a 20-megapixel camera with optical stabilization, f/1.8 lens, and 4K video capability. The phone's front camera has 8 megapixels of resolution. A USB Type-C port is used for data transfer and charging.
The Axon 7 is launching with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and ZTE says it will be upgraded to Android N when that is made available later this year. As ZTC said today price will be under $500.
Hope you like stay tuned
Friday 20 May 2016
TOP 5 PHONES
TOP 5 PHONES
1 SAMSUNG G S7 & S7 EDGE:
 |
| samsung galaxy s7 |
OS: Android 6 | Screen size: 5.1-inch | Resolution: 2560 x 1440 | RAM: 4GB |Storage: 32GB/64GB/SD upto 200 gb | Battery: 3,000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP |Front camera: 5MP
Samsung is trying to make their grip on smartphone market stronger and stronger year by year. samsung galaxy s7 is the samsungs new move to keep their dominance alive in the world of smartphone .Samsung galaxy s7 is the samsungs new flagship with the great specs.I think its the combo of samsung galaxy s5 and s6.With samsung galaxy s7 samsung is bringing back waterproof,Dust resistance and microsd slot in their s-series.
The camera is superb, the audio and video quality brilliant and the QHD display crammed into the 5.1-inch screen is the sharpest on the market - although it does suck down the battery rather a lot but thanks to 3000mah battery which gives decent battery backup .The design is finally something we're pleased to hold in our hand, rather than the plastic cheapness.
with great specs ,design which gives premium feel when you hold it in your hand.Its one of the best smart phone available this year.
Price::$600-$700
2 lg G7:
 |
| LG G5 |
OS: Android 6 | Screen size: 5.3-inch | Resolution: 2560 x 1440 | RAM: 4GB |Storage: 32GB/SD upto 200 gb | Battery: Removeable 2,800mAh | Rear camera: 16MP |Front camera: 8MP
LG's back, and with an innovative bang. This is a phone that's designed to fall apart - well, come apart at least. You see, in addition to the clever dual camera, there's a clip at the bottom that lets you remove and swap out the battery .
That's good news because many new phones lack a removable power pack, and this one actually goes beyond that with new modules. Attach an Hi-Fi audio module for better speakers or a battery-infused camera grip to take almost as many vacation photos as you want.
We're still waiting for the B&O audio module to make it to the US, but there's promise that it'll come along with additional LG G5 modules. It's another 'alternative' phone from LG, and we're big fans, especially at $99 on contract if you shop well enough.
Price::$600-$700
3 IPhone 6:
 |
| Iphone 6S |
Bigger, better, sleeker and faster than the iPhone 6
OS: iOS 9.3 | Screen size: 4.7-inch | Resolution: 1334 x 750 | RAM: 2GB |Storage:16GB/64GB/128GB | Battery: 1,715mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 5MP
What can you say about any new iPhone? Most people are already decided about whether they're going to buy the new model before it's even announced - but that hasn't stopped us giving it a thoroughly good going over.
The good points are the same as usual: a hugely powerful phone, a great camera and the new 3D Touch interface is genuinely useful, and will only continue to get better as time goes on.
The chassis is identical to the previous iPhone 6, which will irk some and might force them to wait for the I phone 7, but it's still well-designed. The battery life is actually a little shorter (to fit in the motor for the 3D Touch method) and is the the biggest issue with the phone.
That said, it's still a brilliant iPhone, the phone that loads of users are desperate to get their hands on, and Apple's not done any harm at all with this upgraded model.
Price::$600-$700
4 HTC 10:
 |
| HTC 10 |
Not 10/10, but the best phone for music by far
OS: Android 6 | Screen size: 5.2-inch | Resolution: 1440 x 2560 | RAM: 4GB |Storage: 32GB | Battery: 3,000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 5MP
After the success of the HTC One M8, the world wondered if time was up for HTC after it didn't really ignite the smartphone game with the One M9.
Well, that's not the case as the brand went away, made a beautiful phone that's 'sculpted by light', added in a genuinely impressive camera and improved the battery life.
But that's not the best bit - that comes when you plug headphones into this thing. It's sensational - can this thing pump beautiful, Hi-Res Audio into your ears or what?
For that reason alone it's worth a place in the top ten, and the myriad other improvements impress equally.
Price::$600-$700
5 Nexus 6P:
 |
| Google 6P |
OS: Android 6 | Screen size: 5.7-inch | Resolution: 2560 x 1440 | RAM: 3GB |Storage: 32GB/64GB/128GB | Battery: 3,450mAh | Rear camera: 12.3MP |Front camera: 8MP
Google and Huawei teamed up to make the Nexus 6P, and it's really the best smartphone from either company and a relief over Motorola's Nexus 6 from a year prior.
It has a vivid quad HD 5.7-inch display that's much more manageable in two hands and sometimes one. And yet while the Nexus 6P is easier to hold, it remains tall and just enough for watching movies and browsing the web.
You won't be hungry for Android updates with this phone either. It's currently running the latest version of Android m and can beta test Android N Developer Preview. You'll also be more secure thanks to its well-placed fingerprint scanner on the back - which is both quick and accurate.
What keeps the Nexus 6P on the list and also from ranking higher is its price. It's a steal at $499 in the US for an unlocked phone. Problem is, you won't find it subsidized by any carriers. We also found the camera to be fantastic for a Nexus phone, but not as sharp as photos taken by Samsung handsets.
Price:$400-$500
If you like this article plz like https://www.facebook.com/unsolvedtech/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Thanks
Thanks
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)