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• Realme 8 5G With Dimensity 700 Chip Official Now
• New Features Coming to WhatsApp That You Should Look Out For
• Apple to Release a Major Update Next Week for iPhone Users
• COAI Cautioning Public Against Clicking on Links Offering Free Recharges
• Slow Internet in India Makes VPN Providers Tap Local Servers
• Samsung Bixby 3.0 Will Enable Indians to Engage With Home Culture
• iQOO 7 Legend Might Come With Snapdragon 888 SoC and 12GB RAM
• Acer Spin 7 Beats Reliance Jio’s Vision to Launch India’s First 5G Laptop
• Samsung Galaxy F52 5G with 4,350mAh Battery and Live Renders Spotted on TENAA 
• Oppo E-Store for India Will Let Users Buy Products in One Click
• Sun Direct Introduces Economy, Value, Super and Khushi Packs
• Poco M2 Reloaded Doesn’t Offer Anything New
• Amazon Fire TV Cube Will Take Users TV Viewing Experience to Next Level
• Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition Will Come With MediaTek Dimensity 1200
• Rogers Expands 5G Network in 173 Towns Across Canada
• Enea Launches 5G MicroCore Using 5G Private Networks for Industry 4.0 Initiatives
• Tata Sky Broadband and Airtel Xstream Fiber 200 Mbps Plans Compared
• Apple Announces iMac 2021, AirTags, New iPad Pro and More

Realme 8 5G With Dimensity 700 Chip Official Now Posted: 21 Apr 2021 10:45 AM PDT Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has been back on the launch bandwagon in recent months, with the manufacturer having recently launched three new devices under its C-series portfolio and 8-series of devices. With the launch of its latest number series devices, Realme mentioned later on that it would bring the 5G variant of its number one series of devices to the country in the near future. Now, we have some insight on what the device will offer, as it has debuted in Thailand. Realme 8 5G Specifications When it comes to the design of the Realme 8 5G, it is quite similar to the Realme V13 5G, which launched in China last month. The device is offered in two colourways, namely Supersonic Blue and Supersonic Black. In terms of the specifications of the newly launched Realme 8 5G, it features a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of FHD+. This is coupled with a refresh rate of 90Hz, a 180hz touch sampling rate and a screen-to-body ratio of 90.5%, The peak brightness of the device is capped at 600 nits. Powering the Realme 8 5G is the Dimesity 700 Chip, paired with either 4GB or 6 GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB or 128 GB of UFS 2.1 Storage. There is also DRE, which stands for Dynamic RAM Expansion Tech, capable of virtually making a lower RAM model, such as 4GB RAM perform better than usual. As for the camera side of things, the device sports a triple-camera array towards the rear, with a primary 48MP sensor, coupled with 2MP sensors for Black and White and Macro capabilities. Towards the front, one can make use of the 16MP selfie shooter. Miscellaneous features for the Realme 8 5G include a 5000 mAh battery with 18W charging, dual-SIM 5G capability, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, NFC support, a USB-Type-C port, Bluetooth 5.1 and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. The device is relatively slim at 8.5mm and weighs 185 grams. Realme 8 5G Price The Realme 8 5G is priced at  9,999 baht($319) for the base 4GB + 64GB variant. There is another variant on offer, which includes 6GB of RAM and 128 GB of onboard storage. This launch plays a relatively important role in the context of India since the Realme 8 5G is slated to launch in the country on the 22nd of April, which is tomorrow. However, due to this launch, we are now aware of what to expect when it comes to the Realme 8 5G, making it easier for a consumer to decide whether to splurge on the 5G variant or stick to the regular 4G version of the device.

New Features Coming to WhatsApp That You Should Look Out For Posted: 21 Apr 2021 10:30 AM PDT The popular messaging and calling service WhatsApp came under some flack due to its privacy, or the lack thereof. Despite this, the application is widely regarded as India’s most popular messaging service, offering new and innovative features or additions that make using it just a bit better. One of the more recent examples of this was the introduction of a new sticker pack, aimed at highlighting the environmental challenges that humanity as a whole now faces. This is not all there is, or so it seems, as word around the street is that the application is gearing up to bring two new features, which will make using WhatsApp easier. What Are These Features? The first of the two features that are supposedly in the works is a ‘New Chats Shortcuts UI’. As per a report that was released by WABetaInfo, the developers of the messaging service are working to redesign the chat shortcuts present in the Business Info section of the WhatsApp Business segment. In the current scenario, the section shows the phone of the business stacked to the left, followed by additional options to drop a message and make calls, be it audio or video, present towards the right side. When this new feature does see the light of the day, users that make use of the business segment will be treated to four options, namely Message, Voice Call, Forward and Catalog, all of which will be present in the middle of the screen. As per the blog, the feature is still under development, meaning the wait for this might be longer than expected. The other feature is the animated header. As per the site, WhatsApp has already started rolling out a newly redesigned header for disappearing messages, available as of now to select beta testers. The service has supposedly introduced an animation for the image added in the header, allowing it to give users a clear cut idea of how the disappearing messages feature functions. Despite being a not so noteworthy tweak, this will prove quite useful in making the less technologically sound user understand the exact use case of the feature, further strengthening their chatting experience. In other WhatsApp related news, a new malicious application by the name of WhatsApp Pink was making rounds around the internet. This application in reality was a fake app that was used to access user data and control certain features of the user’s smartphone.

Apple to Release a Major Update Next Week for iPhone Users Posted: 21 Apr 2021 10:06 AM PDT Apple’s Spring Event was quite hyped up and, to no one’s surprise, the event lived up to every bit of it. We saw the launch of the hotly anticipated AirTags, the new iPad Pro and the refreshed iMac. However, in between all of these hardware announcements, one of the most important software-based announcements from the Cupertino based tech giant got overshadowed. iOS has been regarded as one of the best UI designs of all time for a smartphone, with users going towards Apple’s products at times with the aim of better privacy and usability that comes with iOS. Yesterday, amidst all the chaos, the company announced that iOS 14.5 for the iPad and iPhone would be released by next week. Here’s why it is one of the most important and essential updates for iPhones and iPads. What Are The New Features Coming with iOS 14.5 The latest version of iOS that will be sent out to users next week dubbed iOS 14.5 will be the minimum required OS update to make use of the newly unveiled AirTag accessory which can be used with either your iPad or iPhone from the Items tab. Additionally, the update will also mark the introduction of the newly redesigned Podcasts application. To add to this, users will now be allowed to unlock their iPhones via Face ID whilst wearing a mask, given that the user is wearing an Apple Watch. Further additions include an update to the Music app, complete with lyrics sharing and swipe gestures, Waze-esque reporting features in Apple Maps, support for PS5 and Xbox Series X controllers and AirPlay 2 for Fitness+. This new update will be pre-installed on the newly unveiled purple iPhones and the iPad Pro (2021) 11-inch and 12.9-inch. What Sets The Update Apart? The aforementioned features are minor inclusions that will make the UI experience a bit easier, but, the standout feature is undoubtedly the App Tracking Transparency feature. One of the most anticipated inclusions, the feature makes sure that applications in compliance with iOS 14.5 will not be able to obtain data without the knowledge of the user. App developers have been provided up to the 26th of April to make changes to their apps and update them to adhere to the new rules that are part of iOS 14.5. This move is quite appreciated since some applications like Facebook have been obtaining data from the users without their prior knowledge.

COAI Cautioning Public Against Clicking on Links Offering Free Recharges Posted: 21 Apr 2021 08:36 AM PDT The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), a non-government body that represents top telcos in India, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi), has issued an urgent statement alerting users about particular links and messages offering free recharge plans. The telecom body has asked users to refrain from clicking on such links and messages. Such messages are making rounds in social media, saying that the Indian government is offering 100 million users free recharge plans for online studies. However, COAI says that it is nothing more than a scam and is being rotated on the internet with fraudulent intent. Hence users are requested to avoid clicking on such links or messages and also not forward them to other people if they receive them. The telecom body said that clicking on the link can result in loss of private information and data theft from the mobile device. If you receive such a message, kindly delete it and alert the person who forwarded it to you. How to Keep Yourself Safe from Online Scams? Due to the rise of social media and technology, online scams have become very common. Especially in India, where people don't really question a lot of the stuff they see on the internet or WhatsApp, it has become easy for fraudsters to trick people. Thus, to keep yourself safe from online scams, don't blindly click on any link that you receive. That's the golden rule you can make for yourself. Second, don't fall for links or messages offering 'free' stuff; they are usually spam or frauds. Third, don't forward unverified links to other people; this way, not only you but also your friends and family will remain safe. Also, don't give out your personal information such as one-time-passwords (OTPs) or bank details to strangers on the internet. A lot of fraudsters engage users in scam calls asking them to share OTPs and more such information. The caution issued by COAI mentions is against a serious threat. If the scammers get any pivotal information from your mobile device, they can use it for illegal purposes. Thus, if you get such a link, delete it and never forward it to anyone else, even as a prank.

Slow Internet in India Makes VPN Providers Tap Local Servers Posted: 21 Apr 2021 06:50 AM PDT With the telecom networks across India "getting modernized with deep fiberisations," it should "impact the overall quality of the internet relatively soon," says Gabriele Racaityte-Racai, communications manager at Surfshark. In July 2020, Surfshark, a virtual private network (VPN) service provider in its Digital Quality of Life Index highlighted that India is ranked 78th in terms of internet quality. The Digital Quality of Life Index is said to cover 85 countries with Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Algeria, Philippines and Sri Lanka registering lower ranks than India on the internet quality metric. Slow Internet Speeds Impacts Overall User Experience Racai told TelecomTalk that India in 78th spot is at the "bottom of pillar with unstable and slow mobile internet dragging it down in the overall internet quality index." "The government needs to put it as a high-priority initiative since the internet plays an even more significant role now as almost everything has moved online due to the Covid-19 pandemic," Racai told TelecomTalk in an email interview. With India recording nearly 300,000 coronavirus cases, multiple regions across the country have encouraged companies, private offices and institutions to ask their employees to work from home. Following the initial countrywide lockdown in March 2020, ExpressVPN in a report said that India recorded an 15% spike in VPN usage. Racai said that the coronavirus pandemic has moved life online. "We work, shop, do everyday banking, and even socialize through online tools," Racai said. "This urgent move to the online sphere opened a pathway for cybercriminals. A VPN ensures users’ online privacy and protects their sensitive data by hiding their real IP addresses and encrypting all the traffic." Racai said that VPN "makes it extremely difficult" for cybercriminals to "intercept" the user data and aids users to "secure any sensitive information." Daniel Markusson, digital privacy expert at NordVPN said that more users across the world need to use VPNs and "leave them on all the time." "You probably wouldn't like it if a stranger was constantly staring at your home window and observing what you do," Markusson told TelecomTalk in an email interview. "But such strangers can peep through your browser window too. And they do it more often than you think." While Surfshark has over 3200 servers in 65 countries across the world, it is relatively new to the market having made its debut in 2018. In comparison, NordVPN was launched in 2012 with the company now offering over 5400 servers in 59 countries. In India, NordVPN servers are said to be located in Mumbai and Chennai while Surfshark servers are present in Indore along with Mumbai and Chennai. "There is no doubt that slow internet speeds have an impact on the overall user experience," Racai said. "Having local servers positively affects the overall daily browsing experience because the closer a server is geographically, the better is the speed." Best VPN for India Should Offer Wide Variety of Servers While it remains to be seen whether India does record a significant spike in VPN usage due to recent region-wise lockdowns, GlobalData said that remote working will "foster the growth of VPNs" across India. In June 2020, the data analytics company said that prolonged COVID-19 could be a "revenue encashing opportunity for telcos." "The best VPN for India should have a wide variety of servers and different configurations for different purposes," Racai said. "Since the internet quality is relatively low in India, it would be best if a VPN would have several local servers to choose from so your browsing experience would be smooth and buffer-free." Markusson said that users need to look at a "couple of things" while selecting a VPN provider like reviews and split tunneling. The digital privacy expert at NordVPN said that the user reviews are an "excellent way to see if the VPN is suffering from connection issues or slow internet speeds." Further, Markusson said that split tunneling allows users to "decide which traffic they want to be VPN-protected." "So essentially, they can split their online traffic between being encrypted and decrypted," Markusson said. Crucially, Markusson highlighted that NordLynx, the proprietary VPN protocol of NordVPN enables users to "experience up to 2x increase in download and upload speed." Meanwhile, Racai said that Surfshark focuses on the expansion of its servers to overcome the slow internet speeds. "Seeking to provide a better service for our users in terms of speeds, we primarily focus on expanding the network of our servers," Racai said. "Also, we have recently rolled out the WireGuard protocol, which offers faster speeds and lower ping times than the widespread OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPSec protocols."

Samsung Bixby 3.0 Will Enable Indians to Engage With Home Culture Posted: 21 Apr 2021 06:30 AM PDT Samsung has launched its Bixby 3.0 voice assistant in India today with multiple India-specific features along with English (India) language capability. Long story short, now Bixby will be able to understand the Indian names, places, contents, recipes, relationships, and more among others. The new voice assistant feature with English (India) capabilities will be available on Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy A52, and Galaxy A72. The company claims that it will soon expand the service to more devices. The users who are already using Bixby on their respective smartphones will soon receive a notification to update the app. According to the official blog post, the newly launched Bixby 3.0 will allow users to check the weather for the day, start their daily yoga timer, call friends and family even with Hindi names saved in English like “bhaiya and Maa”. The virtual assistant will also help you in searching the recipes for Indian dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala and Kadai Paneer. If you have an eligible device then you can choose the English (India) option from the settings to take advantage of newly introduced India-centric features. Here's how to switch to Bixby Indian English on your Samsung mobile device and enjoy the upgraded version of Bixby Made for India. If you are using Bixby for the first time then choose English (India) when signing in to Bixby. If you are already using the virtual assistant then you can click the banner on the app and choose English (India). Most of the tasks can be achieved by just asking Bixby. But to use numbers with relationships, users have to make some changes with the contacts first. Users have to click on the display picture of the contact and choose the relationship and save the number. Or you can also ask Bixby to set a relationship by just saying any Indian relationship name and the virtual assistant will help you in linking the names to the contacts. How to Setup Relationships Head to the Contacts app Click on the Profile image at the top and set "Relationships" Once done, just ask Bixby to "Call Maa"/"Call Bhaiya".

iQOO 7 Legend Might Come With Snapdragon 888 SoC and 12GB RAM Posted: 21 Apr 2021 05:38 AM PDT The iQOO 7 series is slated to launch in India on April 26, 2021, and will include two devices – vanilla iQOO 7 and the iQOO 7 Legend. Note that the iQOO 7 series has already launched for the China market. Some specifications of the iQOO 7 Legend have surfaced online. A popular tipster, Mukul Sharma, shared a listing that revealed that the iQOO 7 Legend might come with 12GB of RAM and Qualcomm's flagship octa-core System-on-Chip (SoC) for smartphones, Snapdragon 888. Let's take a look at the complete specifications of the device leaked from the listing. iQOO 7 Legend Specifications (Expected) According to the listing, the iQOO 7 Legend is expected to come with a 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED screen offering a 20:9 aspect ratio and support for HDR10+ and 120Hz refresh rate. The device is expected to house the selfie camera in a punch-hole cutout at the front. Further, the device might come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC coupled with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 internal storage. The device is expected to run on iQOO UI custom skin based on Android 11 out of the box. The iQOO 7 Legend might feature an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is expected to pack a 4,000mAh battery with support for 120W fast-charging. The device might come with a triple-camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is a 48MP lens paired with two 13MP lenses. At the front, the device might feature a 16MP lens for video calling and selfies. It is expected to support Wi-Fi 6, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and come with dual-SIM slots and a USB Type-C port. If the device is the carbon copy of the one launched in China, then it might measure 162.2mm x 75.8mm x 8.7mm and weigh 209.5 grams. The pricing of the device is still a mystery. However, it will launch on April 26, so we will know which devices it will compete within India. iQOO will have to offer the devices at an aggressive price range to compete with pre-established brands such as OnePlus, Vivo, Samsung, Oppo and Apple.

Acer Spin 7 Beats Reliance Jio’s Vision to Launch India’s First 5G Laptop Posted: 21 Apr 2021 04:32 AM PDT Acer has just launched a new laptop in India, namely 'Spin 7'. The Acer Spin 7 has become the first laptop in the country to support 5G. The laptop supports connectivity in both the sub-6 GHz frequencies and mmWave. It comes with a 360° hinge that will allow users to use it as a tablet whenever they want to take notes or just read something. Note that it has a touch-screen display that truly allows the user to convert it into a tablet for multitasking. Let's take a complete look at the specifications and price of the Acer Spin 7. Acer Spin 7 Specifications Acer Spin 7 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Generation 2 5G platform. It weighs only 1.4 kgs and is 15.9mm thin. To make the laptop look sleek and professional, Acer went ahead with a stylish magnesium-aluminium alloy chassis. Users can conveniently use their fingerprint for logging into their Windows 10 devices, including the Acer Spin 7, with the help of Windows Hello. The company claims that the laptop delivers a multi-day battery life allowing users to stay away from the charging cord. Further, the laptop comes with a premium camera, premium audio capabilities, supports AI accelerated experiences and offers enterprise-grade security. These features combined with the laptop’s true 5G connectivity capability will allow users to communicate, create, and share on the go from virtually anywhere. It has a 14-inch convertible screen, meaning it can be used as a tablet temporarily as per the user’s convenience. The 56WH battery inside the laptop paired with the efficiency of the 5G chipset from Qualcomm can deliver a performance for up to 29 hours in a single charge. For protecting the screen, Acer has gone ahead with covering the display with a layer of Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass. There are other antimicrobial solutions on the keyboard, touchpad, and surrounding surface of the laptop. Acer Spin 7 Price The Acer Spin 7 powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Generation 2 5G is available in India at a starting price of Rs 1,34,999. Users can purchase it from the Acer Exclusive Store or the Acer Online Store of India. The company also sells through other partner stores both online and offline.

Samsung Galaxy F52 5G with 4,350mAh Battery and Live Renders Spotted on TENAA  Posted: 21 Apr 2021 03:21 AM PDT Samsung seems to be gearing up to launch a new 5G smartphone in the Galaxy F-series with the launch of the Galaxy F52 5G. We have already witnessed the handset appearing on multiple certification websites, and considering that, we can safely assume that the handset is inching closer to the launch. The smartphone was recently listed on the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Bluetooth SIG certification sites. Now in the latest development, the Galaxy F52 5G has been spotted on the TENAA listing in China. The certification site has revealed some of the vital information about the handset, including battery capacity and software version. Along with the information, the renders of the Galaxy F52 5G has also appeared on the website. Let's have a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy F52 5G TENAA listing. Samsung Galaxy F52 5G TENAA Listing The Galaxy F52 was spotted in the TENAA listing with model number SM-E5260. The smart model number was also listed on 3C, Bluetooth SIG, and Wi-Fi Alliance certification. The Bluetooth SIG listing revealed the official name of the smartphone as Galaxy F52 5G. According to the TENAA listing, the device is expected to be fuelled by a massive 4,350mAh battery and run on the Android 11 operating system (OS) out of the box on top of OneUI 3.1. The listing also updates the renders of the phone, suggesting that the Galaxy F52 5G might feature a punch-hole cutout display that makes room for the selfie camera sensor. The renders of the handset show that the punch-hole camera cutout will be placed at the top-right corner of the display. Around the back, the smartphone is expected to feature a quad-camera setup, and the render shows that the text engraved on the camera module says the device might feature a 64MP main camera sensor accompanied by the other three sensors. The renders spotted on the TENAA listing didn't showcase any physical fingerprint sensor, which might mean that there is an in-display fingerprint scanner on the device. The Galaxy F52 5G is tipped to feature a 6.5-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels. Under the hood, the handset is expected to be powered by an unknown octa-core 2.2GHz processor, clubbed with 8GB of RAM and 128GB internal storage. Going with the rumours, the Galaxy F52 5G is speculated to have a 16MP camera sensor for selfies and video calls. However, the company is yet to reveal anything officially, and we recommend you to take this information with a pinch of salt and wait for the official announcement.

Oppo E-Store for India Will Let Users Buy Products in One Click Posted: 21 Apr 2021 02:00 AM PDT Oppo is soon going to launch its e-store for the Indian market. Currently, the Chinese smartphone maker sells its products online via the official channels of Amazon and Flipkart and through offline retail shops and partners. Users don't have the option of buying anything directly from the website of Oppo India. However, that's about to change with the launch of 'Oppo Store' in India. The company has announced that the Oppo Store which is an 'e-store', will go live on May 7, 2021. It will contain all the favourite products of Oppo users and let them buy whatever they want through a simple click. Oppo Store Will be Just Like OnePlus Store Oppo Store is expected to be just like the OnePlus Store. The Oppo Store will bring all the latest offerings from the company under one platform. All the exciting offers launched by Oppo will also be shown on the e-store of the company. Another Chinese smartphone company, Poco doesn't have a direct online sales channel in India. It sells its products through Flipkart. By selling directly to the customers, Oppo will be able to cut down on some of the costs and get better margins on its products online. The company already has 180 retail outlets in India and over 60,000 sales points. With the addition of an e-store, Oppo will make it more convenient for the users to buy its products. Users will finally get a one-stop-shop for Oppo products online. Currently, the company sells its few devices on Flipkart and a few on Amazon. This would also help the customers get in touch with the customer support team of the company faster. Oppo Store will be live soon and the company is already asking what the users expect from the store on its official India website. Oppo recently launched its cheapest 5G smartphone in India called the 'Oppo A74 5G'. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 SoC coupled with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The device is priced at Rs 17,990 in India making it one of the cheapest 5G smartphones available in the country. Its first sale will start on April 26, 2021, at 1 PM via Amazon India.

Sun Direct Introduces Economy, Value, Super and Khushi Packs Posted: 21 Apr 2021 01:14 AM PDT Sun Direct, one of the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) operators not only in South India but the whole nation, has launched new channel packs for its users. At the same time, the DTH operator has removed two old packs. The new channel packs introduced are – Economy, Value, Super, and Khushi packs. Earlier, Sun Direct used to offer channel packs named DPO 1, DPO 2 and so on. But the operator has removed them and introduced packs with new names which deliver a direct message to the user. For example, by reading Economy, a user can understand that it would be the cheapest pack offered by the company. Further, the Super pack signals that it will come with plenty of channels but will also cost a little more. Let's take a look a further look at the new channels. Sun Direct New Channel Packs The new channel packs are curated more cleverly and give users of the company more flexibility in choosing the right plan for themselves. Just for perspective, the newly introduced 'Tamil Economy' plan comes for Rs 118.64 (excluding NCF charges and taxes). This channel pack offers users 57 paid channels from different categories. Thus the 'word' economy suits this plan because it offers very less channels but is also very cheap. The most expensive channel pack is the 'Khushi' pack. The 'Tamil Khushi' pack comes for Rs 247.46 (excluding NCF charges and taxes). It offers 102 paid channels to the users, which also include subscriptions to 9 English channels, 16 kids channels, and more channels from different categories. The same has been applied to channel packs for different languages. There are no DPO 1 and DPO 2 packs anymore for channel packs under any language. However, not every kind of pack is available in different languages. For example, the Tamil channel packs category has all the new kind of packs – Economy, Value, Super, and Khushi. However, under the Telugu language category, there are only Economy and Value packs. For the unaware, Sun Direct offers channel packs in different languages, including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Odia, and there are also channel packs under the 'Rest of India' category. Users also have the option to subscribe to individual channel packs or broadcaster packages.

Poco M2 Reloaded Doesn’t Offer Anything New Posted: 21 Apr 2021 12:30 AM PDT Poco has just launched the Poco M2 Reloaded in India and there's nothing new about the device except that it has been made more affordable. For the unaware, the Poco M2 was launched last year in September. There is no difference between the Poco M2 and Poco M2 Reloaded launched today in terms of features except that the Poco M2 Reloaded comes at a lesser price and with lesser memory. The device still runs on the octa-core MediaTek processor and has the same display. Poco M2 Reloaded Specifications The Poco M2 Reloaded has launched with a 6.53-inch FHD+ display. The Poco M2 also has the same display. The screen of Poco M2 Reloaded is covered with the protection of Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Then, the device runs on the 12nm octa-core MediaTek Helio G80 SoC coupled with up to 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. This is what is new with the device. The Poco M2 came with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Further, the device retains the quad-camera setup at the rear with a 13MP primary sensor paired with an 8MP ultra-wide-angle sensor, a 5MP macro sensor, and a 2MP depth sensor. The Poco M2 Reloaded comes with an 8MP AI front-camera sensor for video calling and taking selfies. The device packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. It is a 4G supportive device that can further support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Poco M2 Reloaded Price The Poco M2 Reloaded has launched in a single variant with 4GB+64GB for Rs 9,499. It is already on sale from 12 PM today, exclusively on Flipkart. In comparison, the Poco M2 launched with 6GB+64GB for Rs 10,999 and 6GB+128GB for Rs 12,499. So basically, the name 'Reloaded' doesn't mean any major new features. The company has just announced a new memory variant of the Poco M2 Reloaded to cater to the needs of the users looking for an even cheaper entry-level 4G smartphone. The only thing is, users won't be too excited about the device given that it doesn't have any new features. However, its successor, the Poco M3 has been very successful in India. It was the highest-selling device online in February 2021 in India.

Amazon Fire TV Cube Will Take Users TV Viewing Experience to Next Level Posted: 20 Apr 2021 11:44 PM PDT Amazon today announced the 'Fire TV Cube' for the Indian market. It is a streaming gadget that works just the way the Fire TV Stick does. More precisely, it is much like the Apple TV. The Fire TV Cube is a small box that can be connected to your TV for enabling a seamless over-the-top (OTT) content viewing experience. The Amazon Fire TV Cube could be a good alternative to the Apple TV 4K launched yesterday. One of the likeable things about the Fire TV Cube is how low-cost it is when compared with the Apple TV 4K. Amazon Fire TV Cube Specifications Amazon Fire TV Cube comes with a cutting edge far-field voice recognition system with eight microphones and advanced beamforming technology. This voice recognition system can suppress all the extra noise and even understand what the user is saying when they are sitting far from it, and the TV is playing. This will enable users to go with a hands-free approach of using the Fire TV Cube for watching their favourite OTT content. The streaming box supports all major OTT applications such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and more. Users can simply say, "Alexa, play Mirzapur", and the voice assistant from Amazon will know which app to open and will play the desired content for you. What's interesting is that Fire TV Cube will allow you to further control several other things at your home. If you have other smart devices connected with Alexa, you can dim the lights, check the weather, and do much more with the Fire TV Cube. To take the viewing experience further, users can now watch OTT content at up to 4K Ultra HD in 60 fps. The streaming device supports video formats such as Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and also comes with Dolby Atmos support for an enhanced sound experience. Amazon Fire TV Cube Price The Amazon Fire TV Cube is priced at Rs 12,999 only. Compared to this, the Apple TV 4K starts at 18,900 and goes up to Rs 20,900. The product is already available to be ordered from the official website and mobile app of Amazon India, along with retail outlets of Croma and Reliance Digital.

Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition Will Come With MediaTek Dimensity 1200 Posted: 20 Apr 2021 10:45 PM PDT Redmi is all set to launch a new gaming smartphone in the home country China, and the company has officially announced the launch of the handset on April 27th, 2021. The upcoming gaming smartphone is going to be launched as the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition. Along with the launch confirmation, the company has also shared a teaser poster revealing the design of the handset. On a new Weibo post, Redmi confirmed the chipset details of the upcoming gaming smartphone. Let's have a closer look at the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition confirmed specifications.  Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition Specifications  Redmi shared a new post on its official Weibo handle confirming that the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset. The new post only revealed the SoC details, and the company is still yet to disclose the RAM and storage details. The confirmation comes after Mediatek announced the launch of the flagship chipset Dimensity 1200 in the Indian market.  The announcement was made at the 8th MediaTek Technology Diaries virtual session held today. The 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC is said to be one of the fastest smartphone octa-core CPUs ever. The CPU has a clock speed of 3GHz with up to 22% faster CPU performance, and it is 25% more power-efficient compared to the previous generation.  The company claims that the CPU is clubbed with Arm Mali-G77 MC9 GPU and six-core MediaTek APU 3.0 with 12.5% faster performance. The chipset is claimed to arrive with flagship-level premium performance that includes AI multimedia capabilities, incredible displays, faster refresh rates, gaming enhancements, and much more. The newly launched chipset is powered by the MediaTek HyperEngine 3.0 gaming technology, which makes it one of the best gaming smartphone chipset. MediaTek Dimensity 1200 has already received TÜV Rheinland certification for its 5G performance, with tests covering 72 real-world scenarios.  During the launch confirmation of the smartphone, the company shared the teaser poster of the handset revealing the design of the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition. The poster image suggests that the gaming smartphone will feature a triple rear camera setup at the back along with an LED flash. The company also confirmed that the handset would feature a shoulder button similar to the Black Shark 4 series. We can expect more information about the upcoming Redmi gaming phone as we move closer to the launch.

Rogers Expands 5G Network in 173 Towns Across Canada Posted: 20 Apr 2021 09:30 PM PDT The renowned operator of Canada, Rogers Communications, is expanding its footprint across various provinces in the region. Recently, the operator has expanded its 5G network to 173 towns and cities. As reported by RCR Wireless, the 5G network of Rogers Communications currently reaches half of the country's population. Tracing back to the initial 5G footprint, Rogers deployed the initial wave of a 5G network in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Other large provinces which were included in the initial launch of the 5G network back in January 2020 included Quebec City, Calgary and Edmonton. 5G Footprint Will Evolve Entire Industries Across Canada Jorge Fernandes, who is the CTO of Rogers Communications, marked that the entity is focused on bringing 5G connectivity to large parts of Canadian territories to elevate the economic prosperities in the community. He also stated that Rogers Communications would continue to develop the 5G ecosystem of Canada, and the entity will play a critical role in transforming and evolving entire industries across the country. Currently, Rogers Communications is using 2.5 Ghz, AWS and 600 Mhz spectrum to provide 5G coverage. The entity has also deployed Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology in the new areas to provide 5G coverage. The DSS technology enables the operator to use spectrum for 4G and 5G simultaneously on 600Mhz and AWS spectrum bands. Rogers Has Teamed up with Ericsson for 5G Network Equipment Back in 2018, Rogers Communications teamed up with Ericsson as its 5G vendor for deploying its full network infrastructure, including its core and Radio Access Network. The operator also marked that Rogers For Business worked with InDro Robotics and the University of British Columbia's MeridaLabs to develop Canada's first remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) flight over a 5G network at the UBC campus at Vancouver. Rogers marked that the 5G infrastructure installed at UBC enables researchers and partners to tap on future opportunities. The 5G network will increase the ability of drones. 5G drones will open the door for multiple opportunities and provide multiple benefits. It is expected that 5G drones will cover Agriculture, natural resources, construction and many more industries in the coming future.

Enea Launches 5G MicroCore Using 5G Private Networks for Industry 4.0 Initiatives Posted: 20 Apr 2021 08:00 PM PDT Since the demand for high-speed internet connection with low latency and fast communication has increased rapidly, especially in the industry and manufacturing sector, private 5G networks are catering to the increased need for stable and high-speed internet connection. To hop in the trend, the global information technology company Enea has announced the launch of 5G MicroCore for enterprises utilising the private 5G networks to support smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 initiatives. The 5G MicroCore by Enea has been designed using the 5G core solutions of the company, which are deployed by a number of Tier 1 operators. Enea 5G MicroCore Solutions to Deliver Numerous Benefits for Enterprises The operator version of 5G MicroCore is interoperable and designed to give enterprises the freedom to blend the product that suits the business model and organisation benefits to avoid supplier lock-in situations. The 5G MicroCore solution by Enea uses several data management capabilities, including user data repository (UDR), authentic server function (AUSF) and unified data manager (UDM). The company claims that it delivers multiple benefits for enterprises to effectively manage their data. Enea believes that using the 5G MicroCore system provides telco-grade reliability and security for data shortage and access from the core to the edge to protect the enterprise network. The cloud-ready structure of the system makes it seamless for edge integration which makes it the best fit for small-scale enterprise settings. Also, the Enea 5G MicroCore system offers zero-touch operation using self-management features for fast deployment. The company has designed the new system in the most optimal way, and it can work efficiently with both private and public clouds like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Affirmed Unity Cloud. Asia-Pacific Region Will Be the Early Adopters of Private 5G Networks Various small businesses have started the trials of the 5G MicroCore solution, whereas some entities have deployed a private 5G network in smart factories to support Industry 4.0 initiatives. As estimated by ABI research, the Asia-Pacific region will lead in the deployment of private 5G networks. Enterprises network revenue around the globe by 2025 is expected to be worth $7 billion. Roland Steiner, who is the Senior Vice President of Telecom Business Unit at Enea, marked that 5G MicroCore will offer the best of both worlds to enterprises. They will get a sophisticated 5G core with telco-grade robustness at the right pace for fast provisioning.

Tata Sky Broadband and Airtel Xstream Fiber 200 Mbps Plans Compared Posted: 20 Apr 2021 06:32 PM PDT The way Indians look at wireline broadband has completely changed today. Earlier, users were happy with speeds of up to 10 Mbps and some low amount of fair usage policy (FUP) data. But since the time Airtel Xstream Fiber, JioFiber, and other such private internet service providers (ISPs) have come to the market, that's changed. Users now want at least 100 Mbps speeds with more than 1,000GB monthly FUP data with their fiber plans. Further, they want it at the cost of what DSL plans used to come for. But some users want something more than 100 Mbps to satisfy their gaming and streaming needs. That is where the role of 200 Mbps plans kick in. Both Tata Sky Broadband and Airtel Xstream Fiber offers users with a 200 Mbps speed plan. Today, we are comparing the 200 Mbps plans of both the ISPs to determine which offering makes more sense. Let's take a look at the plans individually first and then compare them to see which one is better. Tata Sky Broadband 200 Mbps Plan Tata Sky Broadband offers its 200 Mbps plan for Rs 1,150 per month. It is also available in different validity periods. For 3 months, this plan will cost Rs 3,300, meaning a monthly cost of Rs 1,100. Then for 6 months, it will cost Rs 5,550, meaning a monthly cost of Rs 925. Lastly, it is also available with 12 months validity for a cost of Rs 10,200, meaning a monthly cost of Rs 850. Note that none of the prices mentioned above includes taxes. With the plan, users will get 3.3TB or 3,300GB monthly FUP data. If the user opts for the 1 month plan, he/she will have to pay a security deposit of Rs 1,000 that will be completely refundable. Further, Tata Sky Broadband will provide the user with a free dual-band router and won't charge anything extra for the installation of the connection. Airtel Xstream Fiber 200 Mbps Plan Airtel Xstream Fiber's 200 Mbps plan comes for Rs 999 per month. But it is also available in 3, 6, and 12 months validity. The 3 months plan would cost users Rs 999 per month only, meaning a one-time payment of Rs 2,997. The 6 months plan comes at a lower monthly cost of Rs 924, meaning a one-time payment of Rs 5,544. Lastly, the 12 months plan comes at a monthly cost of Rs 849, meaning a one-time payment of Rs 10,188. Again, none of the prices mentioned above includes taxes. The company offers free installation on plans with 3 months validity and above. For the one-month plan, the user would be liable to pay for the installation charges. The company offers a dual-band router free with the connection. The FUP data offered with the plan is 3.3TB or 3,333GB per month. There are plenty of over-the-top (OTT) benefits offered including a free subscription of Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar VIP, Airtel Xstream Premium, and other Airtel Thanks benefits. Verdict The 200 Mbps plan from Airtel Xstream Fiber has a little edge over the plan offered by Tata Sky Broadband. Note that users can opt for a free voice calling connection with both the Tata Sky and Airtel Xstream Fiber's 200 Mbps connection. Airtel Xstream Fiber's 200 Mbps plan offers 33GB FUP data extra at an effectively lesser price along with OTT benefits. At the same time, the offering from Tata Sky Broadband isn't bad at all. But if were to choose one company for purchasing the 200 Mbps plan from, we would go with Airtel Xstream Fiber.

Apple Announces iMac 2021, AirTags, New iPad Pro and More Posted: 20 Apr 2021 01:29 PM PDT Apple announced several new products at its 'Spring Loaded' event on Tuesday. The Cupertino tech giant unveiled the next generation iMac powered by the M1 chipset and the new iPad Pro which also comes with the silicon chipset. Much to the fans disappointment, Apple didn't announce the highly anticipated AirPods 3. However, Apple made the 'AirTags' official and also launched the new Apple TV 4K. Apple also launched a new 'Purple' colour variant for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini. Let's dive into the features and pricing of all the new products launched. Apple iMac 2021: Specifications and Price Apple launched its iMac 2021 with the M1 chipset. The M1 is a silicon chip developed by Apple that was announced last year in November. On the front, the new iMac comes with a 1080p FaceTime camera for an enhanced video calling experience. It features Apple's TrueTone display technology and comes with two fans instead of a thermal system. Apple said that the iMac 2021 doesn't make more than 10 decibels of noise, meaning it will almost be a noiseless experience for the users. It is 11.5mm thin and comes with a new set of speakers, a high-performance tweeter, and two pair of woofers. The new iMac has six sets of stereo speakers. The iMac 2021 lineup starts at Rs 1,19,900 in India and offers 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM. It has a 24-inch 4.5K retina display and comes with two Thunderbolt USB 4 ports. For the first time, the iMac is available in seven different colours. Apple iPad Pro 2021: Specifications and Price Apple has launched the iPad Pro 2021 with the M1 chipset as well. It comes with an XDR Liquid Retina Display and ProMotion technology and support for Wi-Fi 6 and 5G. The iPad Pro 2021 also comes with the LiDAR camera feature that's in the iPhone 12 Pro series. It has two cameras at the rear along with a LED module. The new iPad Pro comes with a Thunderbolt port for facilitating fast charging and fast data transfer. The iPad Pro 2021 can support 5G connectivity in the mmWave bands. It is touted to deliver a maximum downloading speed of 4 Gbps. It has launched in two sizes. The first 11-inch variant with 128GB storage starts at Rs 71,900, and the second with a 12.9-inch display and 128GB storage starts at Rs 99,900. These prices are for the Wi-Fi models; the cellular model costs extra. Further, along with Space Grey, Apple has also announced a Silver colour variant of the device. Apple AirTags and Apple TV: Specifications and Price Apple AirTags will allow users to locate their essential items with the help of Precision Finding technology. It is water and dust resistant and is compatible with Apple's 'Find My' network. Its battery life can go as long as a year. Further, users can replace the battery of the device. Apple AirTags is priced at Rs 3,190 for just one piece. However, for the 4 pack option, the price increases to Rs 10,900. Lastly, Apple launched the new Apple TV 4K. The new Apple TV 4K brings out more realistic colours of the content for the users and is powered by the A12 Bionic chipset. It comes with a new and improved Apple TV Remote, which has a touch-enabled clickpad for giving precise control to the users. The Apple TV 4K is priced at Rs 18,900 for the 32GB storage variant and Rs 20,900 for the 64GB storage variant.

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