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• YouTube Premium Available for Free for Indians if they Do This
• Satcom: Jio or Airtel, One Company to be Left Dissatisfied With TRAI
• Telecom Stocks Including Vi, RIL and Airtel in the Red on Friday
• MacBook Air M1 Available for Rs 61,890 Only
• BSNL Core Network Trials for 4G Completed: Report
• Airtel Xstream Fiber Broadband Plans Made for Professionals
• Vodafone Idea in Slightly Better Position for 5G Spectrum Auctions
• BSNL 4G Updates So Far
• ACT Offers These Home Broadband Plans
• Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Specifications Surface Ahead of the Rumored Launch
• Huawei Suspected of Tax Evasion in India
• Vodafone Idea Approves Rs 14,500 Crore Fund-Raising via Preferential Shares and Equity
• Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Which Device Should You Buy Under Rs 50000
• Prepaid Plans Definition Changed Since Jio Came, Telcos Must Do Extra With Postpaid
• Asus Vivobook 13 Slate OLED 2-in-1 Device is Here to Transform the TV Viewing Experience
• Realme V25 5G Launched With Snapdragon 695, 120Hz Refresh Rate Display and More
• OnePlus 9RT 5G Long-Term Review: Coolest Phone Ever
• Vodafone Idea 1GB 4G Data Voucher Starts at Rs 19
• Apple Confirms 2022’s First Event on March 8, Check India Timing
• iPhone 12 Series Device Now Priced Same as iPhone 11 in India

YouTube Premium Available for Free for Indians if they Do This Posted: 04 Mar 2022 12:54 AM PST YouTube Premium is now available for two months of free trial for Indians if they buy the new Poco M4 Pro right now. YouTube and Poco have partnered to bring this offer to Indian customers. Once the first two months of YouTube Premium are over, customers will have to pay for the subscription from the third month onwards. The advantage of using YouTube Premium is that you don't have to go through the painful ads again you can also play music or any video in the background from the YouTube application. Further, users will be allowed to save or download videos to view them anytime without the requirement of the internet. Then, there is also YouTube Music Premium that is bundled with the subscription. There is also a bunch of premium content on YouTube that will be accessible with the subscription. If you want to purchase it, you will have to pay Rs 139 per month or Rs 399 for three months or Rs 1290 for twelve months or a year. If you have never used YouTube Premium, you can get a free one-month trial after which you will be charged Rs 129 per month, according to the platform's website. But if you want it free for two months, you can also get the Poco M4 Pro. Mentioned below are the specs and price of the Poco M4 Pro. Poco M4 Pro Specifications and Price The device is powered by the MediaTek Helio G96 SoC coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It has a 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 90Hz refresh rate support. There's a 64MP primary sensor at the rear paired with a macro sensor and an ultra-wide-angle sensor. For selfies, the device comes with a 16MP sensor at the front. It is available in India starting at a base price of Rs 13,999 with 6GB+64GB. There are two other models which cost Rs 15,499 and Rs 16,999 which come with 6GB+128GB and 8GB+128GB.

Satcom: Jio or Airtel, One Company to be Left Dissatisfied With TRAI Posted: 04 Mar 2022 12:05 AM PST Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are both going to be entering the satellite communications (satcom) market in India. Jio will be in the distribution segment while Airtel will be producing and distributing as it owns the satcom company OneWeb. Jio will operate its satcom business under Jio Satellite Communications Ltd (JSCL), which was incorporated only a few months ago. Ahead of the 5G spectrum auctions, both Jio and Airtel have submitted their recommendations to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This time, the spectrum auctions won't just be held for terrestrial network service providers but also the satcom players. For the first time in India, private companies are entering the satcom space for providing commercial connectivity services. Jio and Airtel Differ in Opinions TRAI has to consider the recommendations given by all the stakeholders, companies, and industry experts. Jio says that spectrum auctions should be the standard way for every communication service provider (CSP) looking to offer commercial services to acquire spectrum. However, Bharti Airtel believes that India should follow the global practice and should reserve spectrum for the satcom services and allocate it strategically to the satcom players. Sunil Bharti Mittal had told ET that satcom players might not participate in case the government decides that spectrum auction is the right way to go for everyone. The fact remains that TRAI can't keep everyone happy. There will be one company left dissatisfied with the recommendations that TRAI submits to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Will it be Jio or Airtel, only time will tell. Jio believes that auctioning the spectrum gives a fair opportunity to every company involved in getting hands-on the scarce natural resource that is 'Spectrum'. Bharti Airtel strongly opposes this notion. Even Vodafone Idea believes that the telcos and satcom players should both get the spectrum in an equal manner through the spectrum auctions to ensure a fair playground.

Telecom Stocks Including Vi, RIL and Airtel in the Red on Friday Posted: 03 Mar 2022 11:00 PM PST It is the last day of the week, and all the telecom stocks are in the red. It is not just the telecom stocks, but also the indexes including NIFTY and SENSEX in the negative. After seeing a good Thursday, Vodafone Idea's stock (listed as Idea) is 5.41% in the red (at the time of writing), trading at Rs 10.50. This comes after the board of the telco has approved for raising up to Rs 14,500 crores on Thursday. Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), the parent company of telecom giant, Jio, is trading at 1.63% in the negative at Rs 2340.20. Bharti Airtel has seen quite a dip trading at Rs 656.80, which is 2.27 in the negative. Market Seems to be Bearish Stocks of almost every company and sector are in the red on Friday. This could be due to the global scenarios that the Russia and Ukraine war is creating. However, the telecom stocks are expected to recover in the short-to-medium term. Telecom services are the backbone of the country. Regardless of what may come, the government and the businesses will invest in scaling the digital infrastructure of India. This will be the leverage for telecom operators as digital connectivity has become an absolute necessity for almost every Indian. The coming week will be interesting for the market. Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) is expected to receive a fresh capital infusion of up to Rs 4500 crore from its promoters' subsidiary companies once the shareholders approve the move. VIL has scheduled a special general meeting of the company on March 26, 2022, for the same. The 5G spectrum auctions are not very far as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is working on submitting the recommendations to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) by the month-end. Very soon, the private telecom operators are also going to have competition from the state-owned telecom company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), in the 4G mobile services.

MacBook Air M1 Available for Rs 61,890 Only Posted: 03 Mar 2022 10:21 PM PST If you have ever wondered about getting a powerful MacBook laptop but haven't been able to do so because you have a budget issue, here's your chance to change that. Apple entry-level MacBook Air M1 laptop which launched for Rs 92,900 with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, is now available in India for Rs 84,990. It is available on Flipkart with a discount of Rs 8,000 on the original price. Not just this, but the users can also get an additional discount of up to Rs 23,100 if they decide to exchange one of their old laptops. Note that the exchange price is not standard and will depend on the condition of your current laptop. Regardless, even if you decide not to exchange your old laptop, you can get it at a discount of Rs 8,000, which is not a bad deal. Along with this, Flipkart also offers 5% unlimited cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank card. MacBook Air M1 a Very Good Buy Even in 2022 MacBook Air with the M1 processor launched back in 2020. Even though it is quite old now, the laptop is a beast when it comes to performance. It can beat almost every laptop in its range and offers a seamless Mac experience. MacBook Air with the M2 processor is also expected to launch in 2022. Thus, if you can wait more, you should try that. Even if the MacBook Air M2 is very much out of your budget, you can go with the MacBook Air M1 then. Possibly, with the arrival of the MacBook Air M2, the price of the MacBook Air M1 will drop further. If you go to local dealers such as Reliance Digital, you can also get a discount on the MacBook A1 M1, and different dealers offer different card offers, which you should definitely check out if you don't trust purchasing from Flipkart.

BSNL Core Network Trials for 4G Completed: Report Posted: 03 Mar 2022 10:16 PM PST In a fresh development, it has been reported that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)has completed the core network trials for 4G. The state-run telco is expected to launch 4G services within six months from now. The trials with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have been completed and successful. The core network trials finished by February 28 and right now, the trials for the radio networks are ongoing which are further expected to finish within seven to ten days. BSNL Has Already Upgraded Infra for 4G in Metro Cities BSNL will target the metro cities first with its 4G networks and the state-run telco has already upgraded the infrastructure in those cities, reports Financial Express. The publication's report said that officials aware of the matter said BSNL has already upgraded over 1 lakh sites for 4G and will launch it in the coming four to six months. BSNL is also expected to place an order for 4G equipment in the month of April 2022. The state-run telco has been talking about 4G since 2019 now and will finally be able to roll it out in 2022. It will be interesting to see how the homegrown 4G networks of BSNL perform against what the private operators are offering in terms of coverage and speed. BSNL would have rolled out 4G network services by now if the government hadn't interfered with the telco's plans. The Government of India (GoI) wanted BSNL to go ahead with homegrown 4G which none of the private telecom operators has done. This will certainly give an edge to BSNL when it comes to 4G. It will further solidify BSNL's market position as a network made by and for the people of India. It will also be a huge success for TCS which has been working with BSNL for a long-time now to help it roll out homegrown 4G networks across the country. The exact date of launch is unknown and an official statement from BSNL officials hasn't arrived yet.

Airtel Xstream Fiber Broadband Plans Made for Professionals Posted: 03 Mar 2022 09:11 PM PST Bharti Airtel operates its fiber broadband business under the brand Airtel Xstream Fiber across India. There are select plans offered by Airtel Xstream Fiber that are meant for professional customers. From professional, we mean people either running a business from their home or need a strong internet connection for their office. If you are one such customer, there are two plans offered by the company that might be suitable for you. Airtel Xstream Fiber Rs 1499 Plan The Rs 1499 plan from Airtel Xstream Fiber is called 'Professional' only. With this plan, users get up to 300 Mbps of internet speed along with 3.3TB of monthly fair usage policy (FUP) data. The company also offers a free fixed-line voice calling connection to the users. There are additional benefits which include Amazon Prime subscription, Wynk Music, and Shaw Academy. All of these benefits and more can be redeemed under the Airtel Thanks benefit. Airtel Xstream Fiber Rs 3999 Plan Bharti Airtel offers a Rs 3999 plan to the users. This plan is called 'Infinity' as it comes with truly unlimited data and 1 Gbps of speed. Users get a free fixed-line voice calling connection with this plan as well. There are Airtel Thanks benefits (the same ones) bundled with this plan as well. Note that neither the Rs 1499 nor the Rs 3999 plan includes GST. So the overall cost of the service would be 18% more with whichever plan you decide to go with. These are the two high-end broadband plans offered by the company. Sadly, there's no 500 Mbps option available that JioFiber offers. If you want a 500 Mbps broadband plan, you can also check out the offerings of Spectra. Spectra is a regional internet service provider (ISP) and is only available in select regions of select cities. If you want to purchase either of the Airtel Xstream Fiber plans, you can get in touch with the company via its website or customer care team.

Vodafone Idea in Slightly Better Position for 5G Spectrum Auctions Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:22 PM PST Vodafone Idea (Vi) is in a slightly better position than it was two weeks back when we talk about the upcoming 5G spectrum auctions. The spectrum auctions are going to burn the telcos' pockets with thousands of crores flowing towards the government. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel look solid with good profits in the book and fresh investments onboard. Vodafone Idea (Vi) was struggling in this regard until a few weeks back with no new investors interested to infuse capital in the company. However, things have slightly changed for the company. A couple of days back, Vodafone Group UK said that it is selling a small stake in the Indus Towers and will use the proceeds to infuse fresh capital into Vodafone Idea. Along with this, Bharti Airtel accepted to purchase a 4.7% stake of Indus Towers owned by the Vodafone Group but on a condition that all the proceeds should go towards fresh capital infusion in Vodafone Idea (Vi) and its outstanding dues with tower company. The Vodafone Group is yet to reply to Airtel on this, but most likely, the sale should happen as Vodafone Group was looking to sell the stake to raise capital for Vi only. Vodafone Idea Board Approved Money Raise The telco is going to go ahead with a fundraising activity, subject to the approval of shareholders. Vodafone Group and the Aditya Birla Group's subsidiary companies are together going to purchase up to 3,38,34,58,645 shares of Vodafone Idea at Rs 13.30 (per equity share). This will bring Vi about Rs 4500 crore. It will be a preferential issue made by the company to the subsidiaries of its promoters. In addition to this, Vi is also looking to raise up to Rs 10,000 crore in one or more tranches through the issue of equity shares or securities convertible into equity shares, convertible debentures, Global Depository Receipts, warrants and more via a private placement. To get the approvals for the above, the Vi board has decided to conduct an extraordinary general meeting of the company on March 26, 2022. The approvals should most likely come from the Vodafone Idea shareholders. If the telco is able to raise up to a total of Rs 14,500 crore in the near future, it will be good for its participation in the 5G spectrum auctions. Vodafone Idea Also Looking for Indian Government to Release Rs 15,000 Crore in BGs Vodafone Idea (Vi) is also looking for the Indian government to release up to Rs 15,000 crore in bank guarantees (BGs) kept against the payment of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues. The telco has argued that since the payment of AGR dues has been deferred by four years, the holding of BGs by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) doesn't make sense. If this also goes the way Vi wants it to, the telco will be able to fiercely raise capex levels and also participate in the 5G spectrum auctions in a better capacity.

BSNL 4G Updates So Far Posted: 03 Mar 2022 07:29 PM PST Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has partnered with the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) and the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to conduct 4G trials. The state-run telco is testing 4G with homegrown equipment, and if successful, it will be able to roll out the 4G networks in the next ten months. But the delays don't seem to stop. BSNL has not yet announced whether it was successful in conducting 4G trials or not. No announcement on the same came from other TCS or C-DoT. Thus it is safe to assume that the trials are still going on and haven't been finished yet. BSNL was supposed to finish the 4G trials with TCS by October 31, 2021. But that got delayed further to December 31, 2021. With further delays, until Marc 4, 2022, the telco hasn't been able to conduct successful 4G trials. Will BSNL Make 4G Equipment Order in a Month? Telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had earlier said that BSNL would make an order for 4G equipment by April 2022. April is only a month away now, and the 4G trials haven't even been completed yet. Thus it might be quite difficult for the telco to do so since the trials are ongoing. BSNL and its partners have taken a lot of time, and it is hurting the state-run telco's chances of making the most out of 4G services in India. The more delays there are the more loss for BSNL. If BSNL can provide the cheapest 4G plans in the country, it will definitely see a major subscriber market share gain. But without 4G networks in the scene, it doesn't matter how cheap the state-run telco's prepaid plans are. The Indian government has prohibited BSNL from partnering up with an international telecom gear vendor for 4G. BSNL can only go with homegrown 4G, even if it doesn't want to, which is adding to the delays in the 4G rollout.

ACT Offers These Home Broadband Plans Posted: 03 Mar 2022 05:36 PM PST ACT broadband is one of India's rapidly growing internet service providers (ISPs) in a market that is led by the giants such as Jio and Airtel. ACT broadband is based in Bangalore and provides state-of-the-art fibre technology that can offer up to 1 Gbps of internet speed across several cities in India. ACT broadband offers plans for homes and offices with an impressive range, allowing users to have multiple options to choose from. Mentioned below are all the home broadband plans offered by ACT Broadband along with the pack details. The Base Plan The Internet Service Provider based in Bengaluru provides a 40 Mbps unlimited data plan called 'ACT Basic.' The plan usually costs Rs 549 for a month, but the ISP is providing a unique offer for its customers, wherein the 'ACT Basic' plan is available for a price of Rs 470 per month for a duration of 6 months. In addition to this, the FUP data limit levied on the broadband plans is 500GB post which the internet works at speed of 512 Kbps. The Affordable High-Speed Plan ACT offers a unique plan called "ACT Swift" that provides 75 Mbps of internet speed. This unlimited plan from the telco costs Rs 710 a month and the FUP limit on the pack is 750GB. The connection speed reduces to 512 Kbps upon consumption of the said limit. The plan comes with access to a few OTT platforms and multiple add-ons. The 100 Mbps Plan ACT also offers a 100 Mbps broadband plan called Rapid Plus pack. Users can get the Rapid Plus pack from the provider at a monthly cost of Rs 985. The FUP data limit levied is 1000GB post which the internet works at speed of 512 Kbps. Users also get to choose from various add-on options and can get access to a few OTT platforms The 150 Mbps Plan ACT provides a 150 Mbps unlimited data plan called ACT Blaze. Using state-of-the-art fibre technology, the connection provides incredible speed and equal upload and download speed. Users can get the ACT Blaze pack from the provider at a monthly cost of Rs 1,085. The FUP data limit levied is 1500GB post which the internet works at speed of 1 Mbps. The Most Popular Plan Across the plethora of plans offered by the provider, the 300 Mbps plan is worth mentioning as it offers great value for money. The plan is called ACT Storm and it offers 300 Mbps internet speed at a monthly cost of Rs 1,185. This plan from the company is truly unlimited and no FUP limit is set. Users can also get free trials to some of the Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms and various add-ons with this pack. Two High-Speed Unlimited Plans The service provider offers two plans called ACT Lightning and ACT Incredible that offer 350 Mbps and 400 Mbps of internet speed respectively. The 350 Mbps plan from the company comes at a monthly cost of 1,425 whereas the 400 Mbps plan is set at a price tag of Rs 1,999 per month. Both these plans from the ISP are truly unlimited and there is no data limit. Most Premium Home Plan The Internet Service Provider based in Bengaluru provides a 1000 Mbps unlimited data plan called the 'ACT GIGA' pack Users can get the ACT GIGA pack from the provider at a monthly cost of Rs 5,999. No FUP data is levied on the plan and users can enjoy truly unlimited data with this plan from ACT. The 1000 Mbps plan from ACT also offers access to multiple OTT platforms including a free trial to Zee5, Sony Liv, ACT TV 4K and more.

Samsung Galaxy F23 5G Specifications Surface Ahead of the Rumored Launch Posted: 03 Mar 2022 08:00 AM PST Samsung is gearing up for the launch of a new smartphone as a part of its Galaxy F series in India. The company is expected to unveil the latest budget smartphone in the F-series later this month, however, the company hasn't provided any official launch date for the device. Although speculations suggest that the South Korean tech giant will launch the F-series device which is most likely to be Samsung Galaxy F23 5G in India in March itself. The report comes in from known publication MySmartPrice which has revealed specifications and features of the upcoming Samsung smartphone. The report has revealed camera details of the device among other specifications. Earlier there have been a few reports providing some intel on the smartphone as well. Mentioned below are the expected specification details for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy F23 5G. Specifications for Samsung Galaxy F23 5G The report suggests that the upcoming Samsung Galaxy F23 5G will arrive with a 50MP primary sensor at the back. Speculations suggest that the device will feature a triple camera setup at the back which will include an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP tertiary sensor along with the primary camera. Talking about the display of the device, Galaxy F23 5G is expected to offer Full HD+ resolution along with 120Hz refresh rate support. Even though the report doesn't confirm the exact display size of the device, rumours suggest that the smartphone will have a 6.4-inch display screen. The device will also feature a waterdrop notch at the top and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner as well. Samsung Galaxy F23 5G is expected to be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 750G chipset paired up with 6GB and 8GB of RAM. The report also hints at 128GB onboard storage available on the device. Moreover, the handset is expected to feature a 3.5mm headphone jack. No further details are available as of now, related to the smartphone. But with the launch nearing we can expect more details regarding the Galaxy F23 5G to surface over the web soon.

Huawei Suspected of Tax Evasion in India Posted: 03 Mar 2022 07:11 AM PST The Chinese telecom equipment manufacturer Huawei has been accused of manipulating account books to reduce its taxable income in the country. The accusation comes in after an Indian tax investigation into China's Huawei Technologies. According to a report from Reuters, India's Finance Ministry, without naming any particular company said a major telecoms group did not account for the income of Rs 4 billion which is about $52 million in its books and showed expenses of Rs 4.8 billion that the firm failed to justify. Chinese Telecom Infrastructure Manufacturers Under Suspicion No comments were made by a Huawei spokesperson in India in response to the accusations. The allegations from the Indian government comes in after income tax authorities raided Huawei’s office premises in New Delhi, neighbouring Gurugram and tech hub Bengaluru last month, along with houses of senior executives. The finance ministry had earlier stated that further investigations are in process. The accusations come in just a day after it was reported that Huawei is confident in doing long-term business in India. The tensions between India and China on the border has already resulted in the Indian government not allowing Chinese telecom vendors to become a part of the future infrastructure of connectivity. In February, India blocked access to 54 mobile apps mostly of Chinese origin, citing security concerns. In addition to this, Huawei has been the centre of a global campaign as the US has asked allies to exclude the company from their 5G networks over spying concerns. The company has denied it is a security risk. In India, the government had not included Huawei when it named foreign network equipment suppliers allowed to carry out 5G trials in what is one of the world’s biggest markets by the number of mobile phone users. It is not just India, but many other countries are excluding Chinese telecom gear providers from their 5G and new 4G networks. This is all because of the alleged ties between Huawei and the Chinese government. Huawei has cleared its stance by saying that it doesn't reveal the data it has to any government organisation.

Vodafone Idea Approves Rs 14,500 Crore Fund-Raising via Preferential Shares and Equity Posted: 03 Mar 2022 06:23 AM PST In a new development, the board of Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Thursday has approved raising Rs 14,500 crore from its primary promoters – UK's Vodafone Group as well as Aditya Birla Group (ABG) along with other external investors. The telecom operator is all set to raise Rs 4,500 crore which is approximately $600 million through preferential shares issued at Rs 13.30 per share to its promoters as well as related companies. Out of the said Rs 4,500 crore, Vodafone Idea will have a share of Rs 3,375 crore which is nearly $450 million, which the company will pay via the funds it raised by the recent selling of its stake in Indus Towers. Board Approves Fund-Raising from Promoters and External Investors The telco which is going through a financial crisis stated that the board has approved to issue 3,38,34,58,645 equity shares at Rs 13.30 each making a cumulative Rs 4,500 crore to Euro Pacific Securities Ltd and Prime Metals Ltd, as both are Vodafone Group entities as well as promoters of the company and Oriana Investments Pvt. Ltd. which is an Aditya Birla Group Entity, on a preferential basis. Vodafone Idea Board in a statement said that the telecom operator will issue equity shares or securities convertible into Global Depository Receipts, American Depository Receipts foreign currency convertible bonds, convertible debentures, warrants, composite issue of non-convertible debentures and warrants. This will allow warrant holders to apply for equity shares up to a cumulative amount of Rs 10,000 crore via private placement, qualified institutions placement or through any other permissible mode in one or more tranches. This statement comes in as the telco has announced another Rs 10,000 crore via equity and debt instruments. The board also announced that it will summon an extraordinary general meeting on March 26, 2022, for the approval of raising funds. Talking about Vodafone, the company has informed that it was able to raise Rs 1420 crore by selling 63.6 million shares, or 2.4%, in Indus Towers at Rs 226.84 per share. Moreover, Vodafone is also planning to further sell 127.1 million shares, or 4.7%, in Indus to Bharti Airtel for Rs 224.5763 a share after which Vodafone would retain 567.2 million shares, or 21%, in Indus.

Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Which Device Should You Buy Under Rs 50000 Posted: 03 Mar 2022 05:06 AM PST The much-awaited Asus 8z smartphone was launched in India on February 28. The flagship smartphone from the maker comes at a price range where it competes with the likes of the OnePlus 9RT which was launched by the brand in January. Both the devices come with similar features as well as fall in the same price range. However, it could be tricky while making a purchase choice between the two devices. Mentioned below is a comparison between the new Asus 8z and OnePlus 9RT when it comes to their prices and specifications to see which smartphone users should go for. Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Display OnePlus 9RT was launched with a 6.62-inch FHD+ display that can support up to 120Hz refresh rate, 600Hz of touch sampling rate and 1300nits of maximum brightness. On the other hand, Asus 8z comes with a display featuring a 5.9-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Samsung E4 AMOLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate. Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Processor OnePlus 9RT comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC coupled with up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 internal storage and the new Asus 8z is powered by an octa-core Snapdragon 888 chipset as well coupled with up to 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM. The onboard storage available on the smartphone is 128GB expandable via HDD over NTFS format. Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Camera Specifications OnePlus 9RTcomes with a triple rear camera setup featuring a 50MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor along with a 6MP ultra-wide-angle lens and 2MP macro sensor. The front of the OnePlus 9RT features a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor. The Asus 8z smartphone comes with a dual rear camera setup with a 64MP primary Sony IMX686 sensor along with a 12MP Sony IMX363 secondary ultra-wide lens. The front of the device features a 12MP Sony IMX663 selfie shooter. Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Battery and Charging Specs OnePlus 9RT is backed by a 4500mAh battery and supports 65W fast-charge technology that is capable of charging the device in just 29 minutes whereas the new Asus 8z is backed by a 4000mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging as well as Quick Charge 4.0 and Power Delivery support. Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Price OnePlus 9RT was launched at a price tag of Rs 42,999 for its 8GB+128GB storage variant and the superior memory variant with 12GB+256GB is available for Rs 46,999. On the contrary, Asus 8z has been launched in India with a single storage option of 8GB RAM with 128GB of internal storage priced at Rs 42,999. Asus 8Z vs OnePlus 9RT: Verdict OnePlus 9RT clearly seems to have an edge over the Asus 8z smartphone in multiple departments. While the processors on both devices are the same, the OnePlus 9RT offers a much larger display as well as better cameras than the Asus 8z smartphone. Moreover, the OnePlus 9RT also offers faster-charging technology and a larger battery pack than the Asus 8z. When it comes to pricing, both devices have identical pricing for the 8GB + 128GB variant, however, the OnePlus 9RT also comes with a larger storage option making it a perfect choice among the two handsets.

Prepaid Plans Definition Changed Since Jio Came, Telcos Must Do Extra With Postpaid Posted: 03 Mar 2022 04:17 AM PST When Jio arrived in the Indian telecom market, it started offering unlimited voice calls and unlimited data to the users with a ton of SMS every day for a very less fixed cost. Jio didn't start with postpaid plans heavily but only focused on the prepaid segment of the market. The companies that couldn't adopt the model of Jio had to go out of business, and the companies which remained, including Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vi), and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), now offer the same kind of plans as Jio. If you look at a prepaid plan and a postpaid plan today, you will find it hard to differentiate a lot between them if the postpaid plans are under Rs 500. Any entry-level postpaid plan offers unlimited voice calling, a fixed amount of data, and very few SMS. At the same time, a decent priced prepaid plan offers all this too but with over-the-top (OTT) benefits and slightly more SMS. What Should the Telcos Do If you are purchasing a Rs 400 postpaid plan from either of the private telcos, you will get very basic benefits. Nothing about this entry-level postpaid plan will feel special or very much different from prepaid services. Thus, there's a need for the telcos to do more with their entry-level plans before they decide to go with postpaid tariff hikes. It is unclear when the telcos will bump the benefits of postpaid plans, but that day isn't too far. After the tariff hikes, if a Rs 500 postpaid plan will offer the same benefits as the Rs 400 postpaid plan, it wouldn't make a lot of sense for the consumers to go for postpaid services. What the telcos can do is bundle OTT benefits even with the entry-level postpaid plans and also offer at least one additional SIM card with it. Since it is on a monthly basis, even 10GB more data from what is currently offered will be appreciated by the customers. Oh, not to forget the limited 100 SMS with most of the plans that the private telcos offer with the postpaid options. That's just not done when the same companies offer 100 SMS/day with their prepaid plans priced much lesser.

Asus Vivobook 13 Slate OLED 2-in-1 Device is Here to Transform the TV Viewing Experience Posted: 03 Mar 2022 03:06 AM PST The Taiwanese consumer electronics manufacturer Asus on Thursday has announced the world's first 13.3-inch OLED Windows detachable laptop – the Vivobook 13 Slate OLED which the company has promised will redefine the TV viewing experience. The all-new Vivobook 13 Slate OLED has been designed for people who prefer a more flexible way of consuming content as the latest device gives them a personal OLED TV with a Dolby Vision screen. The newly-launched Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes with the new ASUS Pen 2.0 Stylus, a magnetically detachable full-size keyboard, and a detachable hinge that goes almost flat at 170°. Let's find out more about the device. Features of Asus Vivobook 13 Slate OLED Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes with the ASUS Pen 2.0 that can help the users in retouching pictures, designing graphics, or simply taking notes. The ASUS Pen 2.0 supports charging via a hidden USB-C port and can charge up to 100% in just 30 minutes providing 140 hours of total use time. In addition to this, the ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED is equipped with a slim and detachable keyboard that attaches magnetically and provides the best typing experience. The Vivobook 13 Slate OLED comes with a 13.3-inch 16:9 OLED HDR display with 1920x1080pixels resolution and offers a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio with a 0.2 ms response time. The display of the device provides 0.0005 nits of deep black brightness allowing for a brighter and more detailed viewing experience. For the best visual experience, the display also supports Dolby Vision. For the audio part, Vivobook 13 Slate OLED features four built-in speakers with Dolby Atmos support. Dolby Atmos allows users to have an amazing audio experience while listening to music, podcasts or watching movies as it provides enhanced volume and has a distortion-suppressing smart amplifier. The ASUS Vivobook 13 Slate OLED features a 50Whr battery to keep the device working for longer periods of time as it offers over 9 hours of battery life on a single charge. Asus Vivobook 13 Slate OLED Price and Availability Asus Vivobook 13 Slate OLED has been launched with a price tag of Rs 45,990 for its 4GB + 128GB variant. Users can get the top-of-the-line model with 8GB + 256GB storage options for Rs 62,990 and the device will be available for sale via e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart as well as ASUS e-shop along with the offline retail stores starting from March 3.

Realme V25 5G Launched With Snapdragon 695, 120Hz Refresh Rate Display and More Posted: 03 Mar 2022 02:03 AM PST The Chinese smartphone manufacturer Realme has launched its latest Realme V25 5G handset in China. Realme V25 5G is the latest addition to the company's V series portfolio and is a successor to the Realme V15 5G launched last year. The smartphone comes equipped with a Qualcomm processor and features unique colour-changing shells at the back. Let's have a look at the specification, features and price details of the new Realme V25 5G smartphone. Specifications for Realme V25 5G The newly launched Realme V25 5G comes with a 6.6-inch IPS LCD screen and has a pinch-hole cut out design at the upper left corner housing the selfie camera. The smartphone offers a Full HD+ resolution of 1080x2400pixels along with a 20:9 aspect ratio and a 120Hz refresh rate. Realme V25 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695 chipset and is the first smartphone from Realme to feature this processor in China. The processor on the handset is coupled with up to 12 GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256 GB of UFS 2.2 storage. Moreover, the RAM on the smartphone can be virtually expanded up to 19GB by making use of the Dynamic RAM Expansion (DRE) feature. Realme V25 operates on Android 12 OS with the latest Realme UI 3.0 on top. Talking about the camera module of the device, Realme V25 comes with a triple rear camera setup headlined by a 64MP primary lens along with a 2MP macro lens and a 2MP B&W lens. The front of the device features a 16MP selfie shooter. Realme V25 is backed by a 5,000mAh battery that supports 33W fast charging. Realme V25 5G is a twist on the Realme 9 Pro 5G smartphone launched in India as well as other parts of the world recently. Just like the latter, Realme V25 features a photochromic layer on the back resulting in the device automatically changing colour from light blue to red under sunlight. Other notable features on the smartphone include dual SIM, 5G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, a USB-C port, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Price Details for Realme V25 5G Realme V25 5G has been launched in China in a single storage option. The device has been priced at RMB 1,999 which amounts to somewhere around Rs 23,953 for its solo 12GB + 256GB variant. Further, the smartphone is available for purchase in Morning Star, Purple MSI, and Sky Black colour options.

OnePlus 9RT 5G Long-Term Review: Coolest Phone Ever Posted: 03 Mar 2022 01:18 AM PST It has been well more than a month since the OnePlus 9RT 5G launched. Honestly, for me, with the OnePlus 9 series (launched in March 2021) being a little of a letdown, there weren't too many expectations from the OnePlus 9RT 5G. However, this smartphone has truly amazed me and given me the satisfaction of using a premium device. OnePlus 9RT 5G has been my go-to device for the last month, and here's my experience of it. OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Design and Body OnePlus 9RT 5G comes with a solid design. I got the Hacker Black variant from OnePlus. The rear or back is covered with glass that has a sandstone-like finish, and while it looks like it would be rough on touch, it is ultra-smooth on the skin. While it is not a light device (it weighs 198.5 grams), it looks really cool. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is arguably one of the best looking OnePlus smartphones ever. I am not exaggerating! In the images, the device might look like an ordinary one, but it is much better in reality. It has a flat-edged display, which is what most people like, with a punch-hole cutout at the top left housing the selfie sensor. The camera module or layout at the rear is very much like what you saw on the OnePlus 9 devices. But it is much better than what is there in the OnePlus 9R. The big sensors look premium, and the matte black camera bump adds to the overall finish of the device. It has an alert slider on the right side, which is as clicky as it can be on movement, giving full satisfaction every time you slide it. The power button is just below the alert slider, and the volume rockers are on the left. As usual, the Type-C port for fast-charging is at the bottom. Holding the OnePlus 9RT 5G on your hand simply feels like you are holding a super-premium device. Well, enough about the design and the body, let's take a look at what users get with the OnePlus 9RT 5G when it comes to display, performance, and camera. OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: How is the Display? The OnePlus 9RT 5G comes with a 6.62-inch FHD+ AMOLED (1080×2400 pixels) display with support for 120Hz refresh rate. It has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for protection from damage. Touching the screen of the OnePlus 9RT 5G is a treat. It is ultra-smooth and ultra-responsive. There's never a lag or delay in response from the device. Everything is instant and is bound to make you feel good about using the smartphone. But it is not all. Watching anything on the OnePlus 9RT 5G is just so fun! The resolution is amazing, and everything that you see on the device looks very real (subject to the quality you stream something in). However, it is worth noting that the display is not just good because of the hardware but also the software. We will come back to this later in the performance part, so for now, let's regain our focus on display. If you are wondering whether the OnePlus 9RT is a good device to watch content from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, YouTube or another over-the-top (OTT) platform, the answer is, yes, it is one of the best you can find under Rs 50,000 price point. There is support for various display modes such as Hyper Touch 2.0, Reading Mode, and Night Mode. Let's move on to the performance of the smartphone. OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Beast Like Performance! Be it online gaming, video streaming, basic browsing, or multi-tasking with a heavy picture or video editing software; the OnePlus 9RT 5G can do it all with comfort. Since the time I have been using the device, I have not found a single moment where it has over-heated or crashed or lagged. This is partly because of the high-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC powering the smartphone, but also because I had the 12GB RAM variant, so memory wasn't an issue. However, I would not like to ignore the simple truth and factor that makes the display and performance of the smartphone come to life. It is the OxygenOS 11. Based on Android 11, the OxygenOS 11 (the current version running on the device is V11.3) is super clean and gives very stock Android vibes, something that it is known for. It does have a lot of similarities to the ColorOS of Oppo now, but regardless, the originality of OxygenOS is still there. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is also slated to receive the Android 12 update (OxygenOS 12) very soon. I will also review the Android 12 skin on the OnePlus 9RT, and the performance after that, so keep following TelecomTalk to not miss out on that. Coming back to the performance, one thing I really care about is the battery drain that heavy usage or multi-tasking causes to a device. The OnePlus 9RT, with a modest 4500mAh battery, impressed me quite a bit. Even after a full day of usage, which included a bit of gaming, camera use, and video streaming (mostly on YouTube and Netflix), there would still be at least 25% to 30% of the battery left. It is not a lot, but it gives me the comfort that if I charge the device once in the morning and then I have to step out for the entire day, my smartphone won't discharge completely. Further, with 65W fast-charging, you can quickly charge your phone whenever you are not using it. Pro tip – if you want the battery to not discharge for extended periods, reduce the refresh rate of the display from 120Hz to 60Hz. OnePlus has optimised OnePlus 9RT 5G for gaming. The smartphone can switch up to 600Hz of touch-sampling rate on certain games to offer the best experience to the users. Some of the games that I have tried on this device are PUBG: New State, Battlegrounds Mobile India, Asphalt 9, and more. All of these games ran very smoothly on the device. Just a small note, the device has stock apps of Google for voice calling and messages, which is not a worry or anything new. You can also get the OnePlus Messages from Google Play Store. Further, there is support for multiple 5G bands: 5G NR NSA – N1, 3, 5, 8, 40, 41, and 78; 5G SA – N1, 3, 5, 8, 28A(703-733 MHz), TDD: N40, 41, 78. The device can also support Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and comes with dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity support. The in-display fingerprint sensor is as fast as one would like it to be. It is always responsive and unlocks the device without any delays. Listening to songs is also not a bad experience with the dual-stereo speakers installed on the phone. Enough about the performance, let's check out how the cameras of the smartphone are! OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Camera Performance is Just Wow OnePlus 9RT 5G is the smartphone I would like to carry under Rs 50,000 if I want to take solid pictures. Some of the camera samples I have taken are right below. (Note that the images posted below are a little compressed, but the actual quality of the images is much better). Portrait Mode Portrait Mode With Two Subjects Night Photography Macro Mode Macro Mode Selfie The OnePlus 9RT 5G comes with a triple-camera setup at the rear, where the primary sensor is the flagship 50MP Sony IMX766 which also comes with the OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro devices. Moreover, the OnePlus 9RT's camera supports Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), which is just a big thing for camera lovers. There's also a 16MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro sensor. Through this device, users can record videos at 4K (30/60fps), 1080p (30/60fps), and it also supports Super Slow Motion, Time Lapse, Dual-View Video mode and more. For selfies and video calling, there's a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor at the front. The night mode photography has improved; however, it isn't as good as what you see on the premium flagships, but that's understandable. OnePlus 9RT 5G Review: Price and Whether You Should Buy! OnePlus 9RT 5G is an excellent device. It is available in two different variants in India. The base variant comes with 8GB+128GB for Rs 42,999 and the higher storage variant with 12GB+256GB comes for Rs 46,999. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is available in two different colour variants – Nano Silver and Hacker Black. With the exchange offer, you can reduce the price of the device even further. The OnePlus 9RT 5G is a device that can do almost everything any user wants from his/her smartphone. It has a good camera, powerful processor, fast charging, and an awesome display with dual-stereo speakers. So who should buy this device? If you are already using the OnePlus 8 series or the OnePlus 9 series device and it is working fine, there's no real need to upgrade. Especially for the OnePlus 9 series device owners, there are upgrades on the OnePlus 9RT 5G, but minimal ones. However, if you have been looking to upgrade from an old device to a current-generation flagship sort of device under Rs 50,000, the OnePlus 9RT 5G is your best bet. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is also a good option, but it is far more expensive and not worth it if you have the option of OnePlus 9RT available. You can get the device from the official website of OnePlus and through other e-commerce websites.

Vodafone Idea 1GB 4G Data Voucher Starts at Rs 19 Posted: 02 Mar 2022 11:47 PM PST Vodafone Idea (Vi), the third-largest telecom operator in the country, is offering its 4G data voucher starting at just Rs 19. This is the most affordable data voucher you can get from the telco today. Reliance Jio, the top competitor of Vi, is offering its entry-level 4G data voucher for Rs 15. Both the telcos offer 1GB of data with their entry-level 4G data vouchers, but there's one big difference between the two. The Rs 19 4G data voucher from Vi comes with a validity of 1 day only. However, the validity of Jio's Rs 15 data pack from Jio is the same as the user's base active plan. Let's take a look at other data vouchers from Vi. Vodafone Idea 4G Data Vouchers You Can Get Today Vodafone Idea offers a total of seven 4G data vouchers, including the Rs 19 pack. Under Rs 100, the telco has three more plans for Rs 48, 58, and Rs 98. With the Rs 48 plan, users get 2GB of data for 21 days. With the Rs 58 and Rs 98 4G data vouchers, users get 3GB and 9GB of data for 28 days and 21 days, respectively. It is worth noting that the Rs 58 voucher offers the longest validity amongst all the 4G data vouchers under Rs 100 by Vi. The other three vouchers come for Rs 118, Rs 298, and Rs 418. The Rs 118 voucher comes with 12GB of data for 28 days. Lastly, the Rs 298 and Rs 418 vouchers were launched by the company with a tag of Work From Home plans. With the Rs 298 plan, users will get 50GB of data for 28 days, and the Rs 418 voucher will come with 100GB of data for 56 days. These are all the 4G data vouchers offered by Vodafone Idea (Vi) to its 4G customers living across India. There are more such plans offered by Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) that you can check out right by going to their mobile apps or the official website.

Apple Confirms 2022’s First Event on March 8, Check India Timing Posted: 02 Mar 2022 10:52 PM PST Apple has started sending out invites for its first event of 2022. It will be a special event that will be again held virtually and live-streamed via various channels such as the official website of Apple and YouTube. The event will take place on March 8, 2022, at 10 AM PST, which is 11:30 PM on Wednesday. Apple has sent out invites telling people to join for the new event. This time, Apple has named the even 'Peak Performance'. Multiple new products are expected to launch during this event. Apple might bring the new MacBook Pro powered by an M2 chipset. If this happens, it will be the first time Apple will officially acknowledge the M2 chipset, and the MacBook Pro would become the first Mac to feature the M2 chipset. Further, Apple might launch the most affordable iPhone ever — iPhone SE 2022. Many reports suggest that the iPhone SE 2022 would be priced around $300 (base variant). This would make it the most affordable iPhone in the lineup for the users. If you want to read more about the anticipated iPhone SE 2022, click here. What Else Can Apple Launch During the First Event of 2022? Apple is also expected to launch a new iPad Air. The previous-generation iPad Air launched in 2020 came with the A14 Bionic chipset. This time around, the iPad Air could feature the M1 silicon chipset announced by Apple in 2020. There's already an iPad Pro powered by the M1. There might be a few more surprise announcements in store for the Apple lovers. The event will happen quite late in the night in India. It will also be available for streaming again on YouTube like always. In other news, Apple's iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 11 are selling for almost the same price in India. If you want to know more about this, kindly click here. What is India Time for Apple Event? As mentioned above, in India, the Apple event will start at 11:30 PM on March 8, 2022.

iPhone 12 Series Device Now Priced Same as iPhone 11 in India Posted: 02 Mar 2022 10:25 PM PST Apple's iPhone 12 series device is priced the same as iPhone 11 in India now. It is a no brainer that iPhone 12 series is a better choice if you are going to buy an affordable previous-generation iPhone right now. The only thing is both the devices are listed on different e-commerce platforms. The iPhone 11 is listed on Amazon India, while the iPhone 12 series device that we are talking about is listed on Flipkart. There's one more thing. If you are looking for a larger display device, the iPhone 11 would be a better choice here, as the iPhone 12 series device that we are talking about here is the iPhone 12 mini. Apple iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 11 Price in India Right Now The iPhone 12 mini is selling for Rs 50,099 on Flipkart with 64GB internal storage, while the iPhone 11 listed on Amazon India is selling for Rs 49,900. It is a price difference of Rs 200 only between both the smartphones. The iPhone 12 mini has a 5.4-inch display, while the iPhone 11 has a 6.1-inch display. So if you are wanted a device with a slightly larger display, the iPhone 11 is a better price. However, that being said, the iPhone 11 runs on the A13 Bionic chipset, which is too old in 2022, while the iPhone 12 mini runs on the A14 Bionic SoC. One thing that a person buying either of the devices must consider here is that the reselling price of these devices would be different. The iPhone 12 mini will obviously carry a better resell price over the iPhone 11 at any point in the future if it is kept in good condition. If you can spend a few more, you can get the vanilla iPhone 12 with a 6.1-inch display and 64GB storage for Rs 53,999 only. It is not a big price difference between the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 12 mini.

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