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• Vodafone Idea 1.5GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB Daily Data Plans for Less than 60 Days
• This Google Feature Will Make Browsing Web Pages More Seamless
• BSNL Adds New Cities for Broadband Plans, Now Available For More Subscribers
• Apple Might Finally Ditch the Controversial Touch Bar in 2022
• Apple iOS 15 to Devoid Older Phones of Features like Spatial Audio, Live Text and More
• Twitter Suffers Wrath of Delhi HC After Filling Compliance Position Temporarily
• OnePlus Nord 2 5G India Launch Confirmed for July 22, Rs 500 Benefit Included
• Vodafone Idea Will Raise Capital in 2 to 3 Months: Report
• Airtel Digital TV Raises Prices of Some Channel Packs, Long Term Subscription Still Good
• How PM-WANI Will Work in India to Change the Way We Consume Data
• Huawei Band 6 Listed on Amazon, Check Specifications and Price
• Airtel Payments Bank ‘Pay to Contacts’ Feature for UPI Payments Launched
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G to Feature 6.4-inch, 120Hz Refresh Rate Display
• OnePlus Comments About Geekbench Fiasco
• OnePlus Nord Ambassador Program Brings Tons of Perks for Fans
• Samsung Galaxy F22 vs Redmi Note 10: Which Is the Best Budget Offering
• Telecom Watchdog Wants Government to Reject VIL’s Request to Defer Rs 8,292 Crore Due Payment
• BSNL Offers Much Better 60 Days Plan than Vi, Jio, and Airtel

Vodafone Idea 1.5GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB Daily Data Plans for Less than 60 Days Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:15 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) has curated a wide range of prepaid plans for its subscribers. From 18 days validity to 365 days, Vi offers ample prepaid plans with different data benefits and offerings. Since the telecom space is heavily competitive, Vi has packaged unlimited data, OTT platforms subscription, double data benefits and more. There are ample subscribers who look for 2 monthly validity plans to reduce the hassle of monthly recharges. Vodafone Idea has multiple plans that come with 56 days validity. Here are the prepaid plans of Vodafone Idea, which comes with 56 days validity. Vodafone Idea Rs 449 Prepaid Plan This prepaid plan is of Vodafone Idea is know for its exclusive offerings. Subscribers opting for the Rs 449 prepaid plan will get 4GB data per day along with weekend data rollover facility. Not only this, but they will also get binge all night benefits, an unlimited calling facility and more. As of SMS, subscribers will get 100 SMSes per day. Subscribers of this plan will also be able to enjoy Vi movies and TV classics. They will get access to movies, originals, live TV, news and many more. The double data benefit is also included in the plan. Vi Rs 399 Prepaid Plan Vi subscribers opting for Rs 399 prepaid plan will get truly unlimited calls and 1.5 GB of data per day. Along with 100 SMSes per day, subscribers will get weekend data rollover facility. Also, they will not have to pay any extra cost for the same. With Vi Movies and TV classics, subscribers can enjoy premium movies, originals and news content. One of the intriguing benefits that subscribers will receive from the Rs 399 prepaid plan is a discount coupon worth Rs 40 which can be used in the next recharge. Vodafone Idea Rs 601 Prepaid Plan Vi Rs 601 prepaid plan is packed with ample benefits and features. The telco will provide 3GB of data per data, 100 SMSes, and a weekend data roll over the facility. Subscribers will be able to enjoy unlimited calling benefits. Apart from this, subscribers opting for the Rs 601 prepaid plan will get 1-year access to the Disney+ Hotstar VIP plan. Vi Rs 558 and Rs 595 Prepaid Plan Vi Rs 595 prepaid plan will offer 2GB data per day, 100 SMSes and a truly unlimited calling facility to subscribers. Apart from this, they will also get a 1-year subscription to Zee5 premium. On the other side, Vi Rs 558 prepaid plan will offer 3GB data per day, truly unlimited calling benefits and 100 SMSes per day. Both the prepaid plans will offer weekend data rollover benefits.

This Google Feature Will Make Browsing Web Pages More Seamless Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:01 AM PDT Google has always been known for launching newer and newer features to its search engine that allows the user to search for their required product or service easily. Now it seems that Google is testing a new experimental feature that will provide users with a way to browse first-page search results with ease. A 9to5Google report suggests that Google is testing a new experimental feature under the name of Continous Search Navigation that will provide users with a new and refreshed way to browse first-page search results. This feature supposedly takes the shape of a bar on Chrome, which is positioned slightly below the main address bar. How it works is pretty interesting, yet simple. When a user searches for something and clicks on a certain result, the additional results on the search page show up on a horizontal stripe. When a user taps this new result, there is a redirect sequence that takes you to the specific page. What Does the Feature Do? Even after tapping the desired result, the bar still remains fixed right below the address bar. Scrolling down the page will also let the user hide the bar as well as the address bar too. Do note that just eight results are listed, but these results appear on the first page of the search result. This seems to be a very useful design related tweak from Google. The bar will allow for a decrease in the number of steps and time required to note the first page of search results in the context of a specific topic. Whilst checking particular topics, it should also make it much simpler to compare and switch between multiple sources of the same topic/issue. This could raise some issues for site owners, as many readers fail to venture beyond the first page of results that the search engine offers on, with this feature seemingly set to pin users to the base page. This should stress the need to further feature on the first page in the current form for more reach. Thankfully it is an experimental feature, so there could be tweaks prior to the official release. Certain rumours hint at Google allowing users to list the number of sites to the list, with the potential of making browsing of multiple search pages much easier. 9to5Google has suggested that the bar could be toggleable in the future to let users return to the original search page, but tests failed to show the same.

BSNL Adds New Cities for Broadband Plans, Now Available For More Subscribers Posted: 08 Jul 2021 06:00 AM PDT On Wednesday we saw that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) extended one of its most attractive wired broadband offers for the subscribers. Since BSNL is facing some rogue competition from the private telecom players, it seems obvious for them to go ahead and intensify their marketing and offer some freebies on the wired broadband plans. As a result, BSNL FTTH plans are available with some interesting caveats to subscribers. However, one drawback with some of the higher-end broadband plans of BSNL was that they were limited to some cities only, but now BSNL seems to be introducing these plans in new areas as well. Here are more details. BSNL Extends Offer on Fibre Basic and Fibre Basic Plus Plans The offer that we are talking about is the Fibre Basic offer of Rs 499 Fixed Monthly Cost (FMC). Under this offer, the subscribers can continue to use the Rs 499 plan beyond the stipulated deadline of six months and they won't have to migrate to the Rs 599 Fibre Basic Plus plan. This offer has been extended till October 6th as it was previously supposed to end in July only. The same is the case with the Fibre Value plan of Rs 799, Fibre Premium plan of Rs 999 and Fibre Ultra plan of Rs 1,499. New Cities Added to the List of BSNL Broadband Plans As for the areas where now BSNL will offer these plans, the public telco has noted they will be available in all cities of Himachal Pradesh, Davangere, Mandya & Madikeri, Akola (MH) among others. It's worth noting that these cities listed here are the new additions to the list, besides these, the BSNL broadband plans are also available almost across the country in all major cities and states. After all, BSNL being public telecom operator has the most widespread and deeply penetrating network of all. The challenge of limited city availability is only with the plan above Rs 799, as the Fibre Basic plan of Rs 499 and Fibre Basic Plan of Rs 599 is available in all circles without any issue.

Apple Might Finally Ditch the Controversial Touch Bar in 2022 Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:45 AM PDT Cupertino based giant Apple has been expected to launch the latest MacBook Pro series of laptops that is quite popular with enthusiasts, later this summer. Today, DSSC analysts have backed the claims of certain people who tipped that the Touch Bar could finally be omitted from the 2021 MacBook Pros. In case you did not know, Apple has always been a big supporter of the Touch Bar, which has been quite controversial for users. In the words of Apple, the Touch Baris a Retina display as well as an input device that is present above the keyboard on certain MacBook Pro models. Dynamic controls that are part of the Touch Bar allow people to interact with the content displayed on the main screen and offer quick access to the system-level and app-specific functionality that is based on whatever is the context. What Do We Know About the Report Apple mentions that when people are typing text in a document, the Touch Bar might offer controls that allow for adjusting the font style and size. Or whilst viewing a location on a map, the Touch Bar could allow for one-tap access to nearby points of the user’s interest. Taking a screenshot on your Mac is also simple since users can use Command + Shift + 3 or 4 at the same time. The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar puts the same feature on top of your keyboard so that one can get the perfect shot in the way that they would have wanted it to be. Coming back to the news, it comes via Display Supply Chain Consultants spotted by 9To5Mac added that the Cupertino based giant might launch an iPad sporting a 10.9 inch OLED display panel next year. To add to this, DSSC also added that the Touch Bar might be dropped in favour of a traditional function row. It mentioned that the Touch Bar is the third largest use of OLED displays of the company but sources have tipped that the iPhone maker might just cancel the Touch Bar for a future MacBook Pro model. The DSSC added that the Touch Bars have continued to be the #3 application requiring an 18% unit share and 1.2% revenue share in Q1 2021. DSSC also expects the Touch Bars to be exceeded by tablets when Apple finally starts to adopt the 10.9 inch AMOLED iPad. Furthermore, the sources suggest that Apple might cancel the Touch Bar in the future.

Apple iOS 15 to Devoid Older Phones of Features like Spatial Audio, Live Text and More Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:34 AM PDT The iPhone 12 series was a stalwart in a totally different sense as it introduced lots of new stuff to the Apple fan fraternity. The series also saw the debut of the Apple iPhone 12 Mini was basically the miniaturised version of the iPhone 12 with all the same specs, albeit a smaller battery. But, it's the fall season again, and Apple is prepping itself to launch the latest iPhone line-up a few months from now, and in an almost ritualistic fashion, the California-based company has debuted its iOS 15 as well. The catch with the iOS 15 is that some of the features will be missed out on the older series phones, and these are some things that you should know in case you own one of the older Apple devices. Weather App Revamp and Spatial Audio The Live text feature is one of the topmost interesting features which the users will miss on older phones. The feature will make a segue into devices with A12 bionic chips only. Using these features, the users will be able to quickly extract text from images assisting easy search, copy-paste, and edition facilities. The weather app is also getting a revamp from Apple and will now include tons of new animations and backgrounds. Unfortunately, just like the above-given feature, this one will also be limited to the older iPhones. Walk Steadiness and Other Features Some of the most intriguing features of the newly launched iPhones have been touted to be the spatial audio feature which gives the audio listening experience a more realistic and worldly touch. But even this audio-based feature would be devoid of the older devices. The Facetime features on the more advanced iOS 15 will also be secluded from the older iPhones. Lastly, the walk steady features, which uses a lot of sensors to identify not only how much you're walking but exactly how steady your walk, is something that the advanced users will love to have on their devices. This feature will also be a good assist for fitness enthusiasts. Again, it is something that will exclusively be available on the newer iPhones.

Twitter Suffers Wrath of Delhi HC After Filling Compliance Position Temporarily Posted: 08 Jul 2021 04:26 AM PDT The new IT rules notified by the IT ministry a few months ago have already caused much ruckus in the country. At one time even causing the people to think that Twitter would be ousted from the country for its non-compliance. While the other Big Tech companies like Facebook, Google, and Facebook subsidiary Instagram have joined the queue to comply with the new laws, Twitter has been the painted bird in this regard, standing away from the crowd and defying the laws openly. However, now it seems that Twitter is slowly joining the band of other tech companies in complying with the new IT rules. Appointed Employee Only for the Interim Period The previous IT minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, was bullish on making Twitter bow down before the government and it seems that Twitter might be falling in line now. In the latest update, Twitter has appointed a chief compliance officer as per the new IT rules. However, the company is yet to appoint a nodal officer and a grievance officer as well which are supposed to be from India only. Also, the chief compliance officer appointed by Twitter right now is only for the interim period. In the meanwhile, Twitter has remarked to the court that it has made a job listing for the position and is currently finding the right person for the job. Twitter Faces Wrath of Delhi High Court It is worth noting that earlier twitter has faced the wraith of the police in its offices upon non-compliance with the laws and one of the previous officers appointed by it was of foreign origin which was also against the laws. Delhi HC smacked Twitter for giving the court a wrong impression that the Grievance Officer appointed by the company is only for the interim period and not a permanent employee. The judge also said that Twitter cannot take however long it wants to appoint the requisite officer. Now it remains to be seen how the issue is handled by the newly appointed IT minister.

OnePlus Nord 2 5G India Launch Confirmed for July 22, Rs 500 Benefit Included Posted: 08 Jul 2021 04:03 AM PDT OnePlus has just announced the India launch date for the OnePlus Nord 2 5G. As per an email from the company, the device is all set to debut in India on July 22, 2021. This means that only after 14 days (2 weeks) we will be able to take a look at the much-awaited OnePlus Nord 2 5G. The OnePlus Nord series has excited a lot of people in Indian, given the fact that it falls in the mid-range category with some very premium features. OnePlus Nord 2 5G Rs 500 Voucher, How You Can Get It? If you click on the 'Notifyme' button on the email from OnePlus, you will be given a Rs 500 discount voucher from the company. The Rs 500 voucher might be only applicable against the purchase of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G, but that's something that will only clear after some time. Regardless, a discount voucher of Rs 500 for a person who is thinking of purchasing the OnePlus Nord 2 5G won't hurt. OnePlus Nord 2 5G, What's Peculiar About this Device? OnePlus Nord 2 5G is expected to ditch the Qualcomm chipset and might run the MediaTek SoC. The teaser poster of the OnePlus Nord 2 5G reflects that the device will come with an alert slider which will be a good thing since the company received a lot of negative comments about the Nord CE 5G, which came without the alert slider. Through rumours online, it can be expected that the OnePlus Nord 2 5G will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI SoC. This is the first time in the complete history of OnePlus, where it will be launching devices in two consecutive months. For the unaware, OnePlus had launched the OnePlus Nord CE 5G last month (June 10). It will be interesting to see what OnePlus has cooked with the OnePlus Nord 2 5G and how the OnePlus community reacts to it.

Vodafone Idea Will Raise Capital in 2 to 3 Months: Report Posted: 08 Jul 2021 03:14 AM PDT Vodafone Idea (Vi) has become the hot gossip for the market since the time the company came out with its performance results for FY21. One of the biggest issues that the results reflected was negative cash flow. Vi hasn't been successful in garnering the interest of institutional investors and hasn't even been making money. This has put the telco in a very tight situation. But, according to a HindustanTimes report, Vi will be able to close money-raising deals in the next two to 3 months. Vodafone Idea Will Sell Optic Fibre Infrastructure and Lease it Back Two people aware of the matter told the publication that Vodafone Idea would be going with a 'sale and leaseback' deal. Vi has plans of selling and leasing back its fixed broadband, data centre business, and fibre assets. If you are wondering why the company is selling all of these assets in the first place, it is because it doesn't have enough cash to keep expanding networks and pay off debts. But with a sale and leaseback deal, Vi will be able to get the cash, keep its business running, and that will help the company majorly in looking at the future. The telco has a mountain of debt on its shoulders, and the problems just keep on magnifying because of the decaying financials. The report mentions that this private equity (PE) deal from Vodafone Idea will be closed within 2 to 3 months. Even though the company needs to sell its fibre assets and more, the demand for the internet is going to increase in the coming years. Thus it can be considered a wise decision from Vi to go with a 'sale and leaseback’ deal. With the cash that comes in through the deal, Vodafone Idea will be able to pay off its upcoming dues to the government. The telco is desperately looking for the sector regulator to come out with floor pricing so that a consistent cash flow can be ensured.

Airtel Digital TV Raises Prices of Some Channel Packs, Long Term Subscription Still Good Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:32 AM PDT Airtel Digital TV is one of the leading DTH providers in the country. Courtesy of the popularity of Bharti Airtel's others offerings, such as the Airtel Xstream Fiber broadband service, and its postpaid plans, consumers find it easier to subscribe to these services under a single umbrella. However, this news might be a slight pinch to the customers of Airtel Digital TV as we have found the prices of some of the Airtel Digital TV packs to be raised. The good thing is that this price rise is limited to very few channel packs. Tamil SD Pack Prices Raised Slightly The first channel pack that we would like to talk about is the Tamil SD pack which retails for a single month subscription cost of Rs 203; the price of this channel pack has been raised to Rs 208. As for the six-month cost, the price has been proportionately raised to Rs 1,034 from Rs 1,004. The entire year subscription cost for the channel pack is Rs 2,066 from the earlier price of Rs 2,006. It is worth noting that the subscribers will still be in benefit if they subscribe for a longer term. As the per month cost is Rs 203, which would amount to more than Rs 2,400 if they pay it monthly, whereas, in the case of a one-time yearly payment, they would be able to enjoy this channel with a discount. Airtel STB Cheapest Option for Customers Right Now Not only the Tamil SD channel pack but also the Tamil HD Channel pack pricing has been changed slightly. Now the subscribers of this pack will have to pay Rs 1,281 instead of Rs 1,251, which is Rs 30 more over the six-month period. Subscribers should note that the price given for the Tamil HD pack is for the semi-annual period or for six months. Customers who are not yet subscribers of Airtel Digital TV might benefit from knowing that the Set-Top Box pricing of Airtel HD STB happens to be the lowest among all other STBs in the market right now with an additional discount of 10%. The Airtel Digital STB retails for Rs 1,300 on the Airtel website right now.

How PM-WANI Will Work in India to Change the Way We Consume Data Posted: 08 Jul 2021 01:50 AM PDT The Digital India policy of the central government was one of the strongest impetus for creating India as one of the hubs of consuming most data in the world. The next boost in this regard could come from the PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme. The PM-WANI scheme is slated to be for the consumers, and it targets the customers in regards to what the telecom companies were unable to do until now, that is providing cheap data to the people in the rural areas, and to avail the data in the cities publicly, at free of costs. While the homes of people are being met with FTTH connections with high speed, the public places in India remain devoid of internet services even now. PM-WANI will fill these gaps. Working of PM-WANI The most grassroot and decentralised element of PM-WANI is supposed to be a PDO (Public Data Office) which is a throwback to the vintage PCOs, except, in this case, these small offices will act as distribution centres for public Wi-Fi and cheaply available data. In the command chain, there are supposed to be aggregators of the PDOs and registries as well, which will look after the registration of the PDOs and the aggregators. The PDOs will be opened up mostly by private players or even by public initiative with the help of data providers. The central government will also be responsible for developing an app for the users wherein they will be able to find and locate public Wi-Fi hotspots and get into the network to satiate their data needs. It is worth noting that the PM-WANI scheme, which has come to become what it is today, has found its roots in the DoT's 2018 Digital Communications Policy. What Things Will it Change? As per the objectives of the scheme, PM-WANI is supposed to be the deliverer of the internet in the areas where rampant data usage has not found its foothold like the other areas of the country. Not only this, but this sits well with the government's idea of a digital economy. The foray of public Wi-Fi and data services will bring in a slurry of jobs to these areas, connect the people to better governance, health, and education services, and in turn increase the disposable income in their hands. PM-WANI is supposed to bring reeling changes in how people use data in the country. Since the rural population currently relies on feature phones mostly, and their contact with data has mostly been limited to the Community Service Centres spread across 2.5 lakh panchayats. With a lot of rural population getting smartphones, the vacuum of cheap data will be dealt with PM-WANI. Hurdles On the Path However, there are some challenges in the way as well. Firstly is the problem of data safety, protection, and security since the public Wi-Fi hotspots are breeding grounds for phishing attacks and other malicious activities, and with a lack of proper digital infrastructure, this problem might be further aggravated. The protection of personal data is also another question. Lastly, the economic viability of the project is also a thing to ponder upon since data is certainly cheap in India, but the equipment installation which is required of a public Wi-Fi setup is certainly in dearth. Nonetheless, PM-WANI is undoubtedly a step in progression when it comes to changing how Indians consume their data.

Huawei Band 6 Listed on Amazon, Check Specifications and Price Posted: 08 Jul 2021 12:59 AM PDT Huawei has been extensively investing in wearable tech to capture the rising demand. Some time back, the company launched Huawei Band 6 in the Malaysian market. As per new developments, Huawei is gearing up to launch Band 6 in the Indian market. The new offering will cater to the rising demand for smartwatches in India. Huawei Band 6 has been officially listed on the Amazon India website. Band 6 spots a look like a smartwatch and has features of a smart band. If users are looking for big-screen smartwatches, Huawei Band 6 might be the best choice in the coming month. Huawei Band 6: Specifications and Features Since Huawei Band 6 has already been launched in the Malaysian market, the features and specifications of the smartwatch are already available on the internet. The Huawei Band 6 sports a 1.47 full view display and a 64% screen-to-body ratio. The screen resolution of the Band 6 is 194x 368 pixels with 282 PPI. Coming to the workout modes, there are 96 workout modes in the Huawei Band 6, which users can toggle as per their plan. Some of the other features of the smartwatch are all day Spo2 monitoring, menstrual tracking, TruSleep 2.0 sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring and stress monitoring technology. Huawei has claimed that the smartwatch will offer 14 days battery back in normal use and 10 days backup in intense use. In just 5 minutes of charging, users will be able to get 2 days battery life. The strap used in the Band 6 is developed using skin-friendly UV treated silicon. Huawei Band 6: Price and Availability The listing on the Amazon India website was spotted by tipster Mukul Sharma. The Band 6 is priced at RM 219 (roughly Rs 3,800) in the Malaysian market. However, the smartwatch has been listed on Amazon India with a price tag of Rs 4,490. As of the launch date, Huawei has not revealed the launch date. The listing indicates that the smartwatch could be launched in the Indian market soon. The colours which users could expect are Amber Sunrise, Forest Green and Graphite Black.

Airtel Payments Bank ‘Pay to Contacts’ Feature for UPI Payments Launched Posted: 08 Jul 2021 12:46 AM PDT Bharti Airtel’s online banking arm, Airtel Payments Bank has announced 'Pay to contacts', which will allow customers in initiating a UPI payment very conveniently by choosing the receiver's mobile number from their contacts list. ‘Pay to Contacts’ will show the valid UPI id associated with the contact that the user has chosen, irrespective of the UPI app that the receiver is using. This removes the need to enter the UPI id or bank account details for processing the transaction and saves time for the user. A user can start payment by clicking on Pay Money – To Contacts option under the BHIM UPI section and then select the receiver’s contact. With Pay to Contacts, Airtel Payments Bank Customers to Transact Faster For the users who felt entering the UPI ID was a hassle, Bharti Airtel will finally allow Payments Banks customers to transact money conveniently without needing to enter details such as UPI ID or the bank account number. Every major payments/wallet application in the country allows users to make UPI payments. Until now, Airtel Payments Bank customers had to enter everything such as UPI ID and account number, IFSC code and more to make an online account to account payments. But not anymore; users can just select the contact they want to send money through UPI from their phonebook/contacts and make the payment. Mr Ganesh Ananthanarayanan, Chief Operating Officer, Airtel Payments Bank, said Airtel's aim is to offer its customers a simple and secure payment experience that's seamless from its core. Ananthanarayanan further said the Pay to Contacts feature will help the users in making an account to account transfer faster. The Airtel Payments Bank users could still transfer money from their account to someone else's account, but for that, they had to enter the bank account number, IFSC code, and other details. But with the UPI system of payments, there are no issues such as this. According to Ananthanarayanan, this new feature will add a lot to the user experience of an Airtel Payments bank customer. It is worth noting that even the UPI ID is not required to make the payment; users can just choose from the person they want to send money through their contact list.

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G to Feature 6.4-inch, 120Hz Refresh Rate Display Posted: 08 Jul 2021 12:13 AM PDT Samsung fans are eagerly waiting to get a first look at the Galaxy S21 FE 5G. Samsung started the 'FE' or 'Fan Edition' smartphone trend last year with the Galaxy S20 FE. The South Korean tech giant launched the Galaxy S21 series in January this year. Several fans of the company didn't go with the flagship series devices because they knew they could get their hands on the Galaxy S21 FE later at a cheaper price. Now, a few specifications and details of the device can be known by looking at the TENAA listing. Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G Specifications Confirmed Via TENAA Listing The specifications of the Galaxy S21 FE 5G can be confirmed via looking at the TENAA listing. First of all, the listing confirms that it will be a 5G smartphone. Further, it will come with a 6.4-inch display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. Out of the box, the device will run on One UI based on Android 11. The listing says that the device will ship with a 4,370mAh battery. The model number of the smartphone is SM-G9900. The smartphone is further said to come with support for 45W fast charging. According to a report from Gizmochina, the Galaxy S21 FE 5G will ship with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset in the US and China markets. But for the global market, the device will be powered by the Exynos 2100 SoC. The Galaxy S21 FE 5G is expected to feature a triple-camera setup at the rear and up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Hopefully, Samsung launches the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 powered variant of the Galaxy S21 FE 5G in India like it did with the S20 FE 5G. The Indian market, in general, perceives Qualcomm chipsets to be more powerful and apt for flagship and premium devices such as the Galaxy S21 FE 5G.

OnePlus Comments About Geekbench Fiasco Posted: 07 Jul 2021 11:39 PM PDT Yesterday, Geekbench had delisted the OnePlus 9 series devices, including the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro, for manipulation of scores. The issue found revealed that the scores of the said devices came out to be different when tested in the benchmarks and then in real life. Geekbench said that OnePlus was 'manipulating' the scores of its flagship devices; hence the devices have been removed from the platform. This is something that has surprised many customers and fans of OnePlus. But the Chinese smartphone maker has come out with a statement regarding the same. OnePlus Says Made Changes to Performance Based on User Feedback If there's one thing we know about OnePlus, the company is never shy from taking feedback from its community and customers. In a statement to TelecomTalk, OnePlus said that its top priority is to consistently offer a great experience to the customers. For doing so, the company said it focuses a lot on user feedback. For the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro as well, OnePlus had acted on the user feedback, which highlighted issues such as the battery life of the device and the overheating issue. To solve these major issues, the research and development (R&D) team of OnePlus had optimised the performance of the concerned devices for when users were running applications such as Google Chrome to match the app's processor requirements with the most appropriate power. This was done to reduce the overheating and battery life issue that most of the users were facing on the flagship devices from OnePlus. OnePlus said that these changes and optimisations might have 'affected' the performance of the devices in some benchmarking apps. Lastly, OnePlus said that it keeps its sole focus on doing everything it can to improve the performance and experience of the device for its users. It will be interesting to see if Geekbench finds the same issue with older generation OnePlus devices as well.

OnePlus Nord Ambassador Program Brings Tons of Perks for Fans Posted: 07 Jul 2021 10:51 PM PDT OnePlus has been undergoing a lot of changes and product portfolio related issues, but the company is now gearing up to launch the OnePlus Nord 2 5G, which is scheduled to launch on July 22, approximately a year post the launch of the original Nord. It seems however that the company is now doing something for its fans who are interested in the Nord lineup. On Thursday, the company announced the OnePlus Ambassador Program for Nord fans. As part of the program, the OnePlus Nord team would be sharing information in regards to the upcoming products from the company, including Nord devices. The OnePlus Nord Ambassador Program will also allow for fans exclusive privileges complete with access to Nord devices. Additionally, the fans that will be selected under the Nord Ambassador program will be getting a new Nord device free of cost, whenever the company decides to launch a new device. What Does the Nord Ambassador Program Include? That is not all, however, since the selected fans will also get launch invites for each and every event and get shoutouts via the Nord social media handles. Fans will also get exclusive content and be invited to events that will be organized by the company. A community post from OnePlus states that along with the launch of the Nord 2 5G, throughout the year the company will be sharing a lot more info with the fans addressed as you guys in relation to upcoming cool stuff from the Nord team, exclusive content, fun events you can participate in, and a rolling ambassador program that gives the select few exclusive privileges and access to Nord devices and swag! Some of the perks for Nord ambassadors would be a new Nord device for free, every time the company will launch a new phone. Free swag with every launch, shoutouts through Nord social media, and a lot more, adds the announcement. Interestingly, this is the first edition of the OnePlus Nord Ambassador Program, but, the company is yet to share as to how one can apply to become a part of the program, with the company stating that it would be sharing more and more details regarding the application process in the next few days.

Samsung Galaxy F22 vs Redmi Note 10: Which Is the Best Budget Offering Posted: 07 Jul 2021 09:30 PM PDT Korean smartphone giant Samsung has been on a roll in recent times, from the M-series of devices to the A-series of devices and the upcoming rumoured foldables that might be launched in a month or two. The latest of these devices is the Samsung Galaxy F22, which has been priced at Rs 12,499 for the base model and is on offer in different variants. In the same segment, Xiaomi too has an offering that can take the fight to the Samsung Galaxy F22, in the form of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10, which is priced at Rs 12,999. Samsung Galaxy F22 vs Redmi Note 10: Design and Display The Samsung Galaxy F22 makes use of a 6.40-inch with a resolution of 720×1600 or HD+. In contrast, the Redmi Note 10 makes use of a 6.43 inch with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 or FHD+. Both devices feature AMOLED panels, but there is an odd gain and loss theory here since the Samsung offers 90Hz refresh rate support, whilst the Redmi Note 10 offers a 60Hz panel but with higher resolution, so content consumers might opt for the Redmi over the Samsung. In terms of design, the Samsung Galaxy F22 features a build that is reminiscent of the latest Samsung devices, at least for the camera module, whilst the rear panel itself is a bit less cheap, something that certain Samsung handsets have suffered with. In comparison, the Redmi Note 10 is built with glass on the back with a soft touch feel, which allows for a supremely premium hand feel whilst not feeling overly heavy. The Samsung Galaxy F22 comes in two colours, Denim Black and Demin Blue, whilst the Redmi Note 10 comes in three different colours, Frost White, Shadow Black and Aqua Green. Both devices have side-mounted fingerprint sensors rather than in-display fingerprint sensors, but, considering the pricing, one ought not to complain too much. Samsung Galaxy F22 vs Redmi Note 10: Performance and Battery Under the hood, the Samsung Galaxy F22 opts for a MediaTek Helio G80 processor, whilst the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 offers a Snapdragon 678 processor. Its close cousin, the Redmi Note 10s offers a MediaTek G95 but the price variant is a bit high, hence it is not mentioned in the comparison. To couple this performance, the Samsung Galaxy F22 is sold in two variants, namely  4+64GB and 6+128GB, whilst the Redmi Note 10 too has the same storage variants on offer in terms of pricing for these variants, the Samsung Galaxy F22 with 4GB of RAM and 64GB is priced at Rs 12,499 whilst the Redmi Note 10 with 4GB+64GB of storage is priced at Rs 12,999. For battery, the Samsung handset comes with a massive 6000 mAh battery that can be charged at up to 25W, with the box featuring a 15W charger. In contrast, the Redmi Note 10 offers a 5000 mAh battery with 33W fast charging support. Both devices run on Android 11, with the former booting OneUI and the latter booting MIUI 12. Samsung Galaxy F22 vs Redmi Note 10: Optics In terms of optics, the Samsung Galaxy F22 offers a 48MP primary sensor that is coupled with an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and two additional cameras, whilst the Redmi Note 10 offers a primary 48MP sensor coupled with a similar setup of an 8MP ultra-wide sensor and two further sensors. Towards the front, both devices make use of a 13MP selfie snapper. Both devices are compelling devices and, going from the spec sheet, not a lot is different. In the end, if one is told to choose, they might have to opt between better build and certain prominent features over software support and Samsung’s brand value, and, if you do prefer Samsung and its products, the Samsung Galaxy F22 is a half-decent product, if not straight-up decent.

Telecom Watchdog Wants Government to Reject VIL’s Request to Defer Rs 8,292 Crore Due Payment Posted: 07 Jul 2021 08:00 PM PDT Telecom Watchdog, a consumer forum and a non-governmental organisation, has urged the Government to reject beleaguered operator Vodafone Idea Ltd's (VIL) request for more time to pay dues of Rs 8,292 crore. The not-for-profit organisation has termed VIL's request for one-year deferment to pay the dues as "illegal", even as it called for a forensic audit of the firm's last 10 years' accounts. On its part, VIL had sought to deferment its dues owed to the Government to April 2023 from April 2022. The telecom operator has also sought permission to hike telecom tariffs, which were among the lowest in the world due to hyper-competition in India. The forum said it was also surprising to note that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) was considering the request, that too at a time when the country is dealing with the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It also alleged that the deferments are being sought with incorrect facts and despite financially sound promoters. Telecom Not Impacted by COVID-19 "Fortunately, the telecom sector is one of the few sectors which is not affected due to Covid-19 pandemic and revenues of this sector have actually increased due to growing demand of data services. In this situation, such request only points to the habit of seeking further concessions by blackmailing the government in the name of reduction in competition in the liberalised sector," it said. According to Telecom Watchdog, VIL's promoters – Kumar Manglam Birla and UK's Vodafone Group – are financially strong, and their reluctance in clearing Government dues is not proper. The promoters could infuse funds in the company to ensure timely payment of Government dues. The Government has already extended the number of benefits to telecom operators, including a two-year moratorium in 2019 on spectrum payments, which gave reliefs of more than Rs 42,000 crore. Within a year, the DoT again allowed operators to pay Adjusted Gross Revenues (AGR) dues over a period of 10 years. In addition, the Government also allowed deferred payment of AGR dues at a concessional rate, which would cost the exchequer about Rs 32,000 crore. Telecom Watchdog alleged that there is no merit in VIL's submission for deferring the payment of the next instalment of dues and should be ignored forthwith. Further, the government should order a forensic audit into the affairs of the company. A Vi spokesperson said that industry players have already said how the telecom industry is under tremendous ‘stress’. Even the industry body, the COAI, has pointed out the need for ‘floor pricing’ for restoring the health of the telecom sector. The spokesperson further said that the company wouldn’t like to comment on ill-informed conclusions and speculative commentary.

BSNL Offers Much Better 60 Days Plan than Vi, Jio, and Airtel Posted: 07 Jul 2021 06:31 PM PDT Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) recently launched a Rs 447 plan for its users. Catching up with the trend, BSNL is going to allow users to consume all the data offered with this plan without any daily fair usage policy (FUP) limits. This plan has been launched by the state-run telecom operator to ensure that it doesn't stay behind the likes of Vodafone Idea (Vi), Reliance Jio, and Bharti Airtel. While comparing, I found that BSNL's Rs 447 plan is much better than the same plan that Jio, Vi and Airtel offer. Let's take a look at these plans individually. BSNL Rs 447 Plan The Rs 447 plan from BSNL comes with a validity of 60 days and offers users 100GB of total data without any daily data restrictions. Further, users get 100 SMS/day and unlimited voice calling for the entire validity, along with an over-the-top (OTT) benefit of Eros Now Entertainment Services. Reliance Jio Rs 447 Plan Reliance Jio offers its Rs 447 plan with 50GB of total data for 60 days. There is unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day offered to the users along with a free subscription of the Jio apps – JioNews, JioSecurity, JioCinema, JioCloud, and JioTV. Users aren't limited by any daily restrictions on data usage. Vodafone Idea Rs 447 Plan Vodafone Idea offers its Rs 447 plan with identical benefits as that of Reliance Jio's prepaid plan. Vi offers customers 50GB of data for 60 days, and there is no daily data restriction on this plan as well. There is unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day with this plan, too, and users get a free subscription to the Vi Movies & TV Classic. Bharti Airtel Rs 456 Plan Bharti Airtel offers a similar plan but for Rs 456, which is Rs 9 more than the Rs 447 plans mentioned above. The benefit offered by Airtel is 50GB of data (can be used without daily restrictions) for 60 days, along with unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS/day. There are Airtel Thanks benefits included as well. BSNL's Plan is Much Better! Solely, in terms of benefits, the 60 days plan from BSNL is much better than what Jio, Vi, and Airtel are offering. BSNL offers exactly double data than the private operators and that too with the same benefits coupled with an OTT subscription as well. As for the private operators, there's hardly any difference between their plans. The only notable difference here between the plan from BSNL and the plans from the private operators in the presence of PAN-India 4G networks. BSNL users can purchase this awesome plan but won't get 4G speeds anyway.

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