1More iBFree Earphones Review - Supports Qualcomm's AptX Sound Codec.

Source: Press Kit

      Recently we received the 1More's iBFree Bluetooth earphones for review in our labs. Generally, we have been testing quite a lot of headsets lately and looking at the fact that these are 1More's first entry into the wireless ecosystem of earphones, it excites us. The company has been on a string of producing quality earphones, and this is a result that they have managed to build a brand in the saturated and robust ecosystem of significant earphone makers. To make it clear we have done a couple of headphone reviews here on our blog, and we're always looking forward to reviewing more, especially the Bluetooth ones. Surprisingly the 1More iBFree come with Apt X codec support, which enhances the overall lossless coverage. As a bonus, it's even water resistant. We have used these earphones for well over three months and here is the dedicated review of the 1More iBFree Bluetooth earphones.

1More iBFree Earphones Review - Supports Qualcomm's AptX Sound Codec. 

Design and Built: 

Source: Press Kit

           Speaking about the visual aesthetics, the 1More iBFree usually check all the check marks for any typical user. The comfy neckband style, plastic, and rubber built are some of the appealing points resembling its design which is a lot suitable for users, the day of whose strongly relies on intense workouts. The provided ear tips and ear-fins snug in tightly within the ears, provided you use the correct pairs fitting your ear size. However, as we move down through the cable, we can find the In-Line mic remote, the design of which seems useful but somewhat clumsy in my opinion. The flap that reveals the Micro USB 2.0 port is hard to access almost every time, and i usually found myself using a pin or a sharp object to untuck the flap. But I guess this also stands as a significant point when it comes to Water Resistance, though I'll give them credit for that. Although i wish accessing the charging port was a tad bit easier. The buttons provided on the remote are also a tad bit mushy, however once you get used to it the functioning will be a breeze. On the contrary, swapping the ear tips and ear-fins is easy, and there's no need for hassle here. The cable which is about m long is quite rigid, and it would easily survive rough and tough usage. 


Audio Output and Ergonomics: 

Source: Press Kit

   

           Superior sound quality is typically the most astounding expectations of any user buying an earphone, most cases in which it doesn't matter how the device feels or looks. But it matters how well does it sound?. So to validate that statement, I did use these earphones as my daily drivers for about 2-3 months, and in that usage, I did run out on exciting conclusions as I had tested them in the different environments. The vocals sounded crisp, so does the highs and lows. I enjoyed its low-frequency response as it was amazing to listen to the minute details of the chords that were played on several soundtracks. However when it comes to hearing bass-heavy soundtracks, I was disappointed, but I was able to achieve somewhat suitable environment after playing within the EQ settings. During my busy day, these earphones were staying up to the mark. However, these were not quite capable of holding or providing an accurate level of active noise cancellation support while traveling through the local trains. I used them during my workouts, but it wasn't producing the bass-heavy output due to which it soon got ditched from my day to day usage.  I preferred using the Brainwavz BLU 200 or Infinix Quiet 2 Earphones in its place, which I hadn't planned on using until I would complete my review. Speaking about the battery life, I was able to get about one day of juice on casual usage, while about 6-7 hours of backup on non-stop music playback which is relatively an intense usage. The three buttons present in the In-Line mic remote are quite helpful as they can be used to trigger several functions for music playback. So overall I've mixed feelings about it audio performance.


Added Accessories & Warranty Info:

• There are three extra set of Silicon ear tips, & Ear fins.
• You will also find a Micro USB cable present inside the box. 
• It comes with one year of warranty, make sure to keep the warranty card safe. 

Source: Press Kit

Links To Buy(Rs.3500):
- Amazon,
- Flipkart.


1More iBFree Specifications: 

• In-Ear type earphones. 
• Standby time is 240hrs, Talking time: 10hrs, Music Playback: 8hrs, Charging time: 2hrs(5V/1A).
• Bluetooth 4.1 & AptX Audio codec support.
• Wireless connectivity up to 10m. 

1More iBFree Earphones Review - Supports Qualcomm's AptX Sound Codec. 

Final Verdict: 

Source: Press Kit

           So it boils down to this, is the new 1More iBFree earphones worth your money? Well, it falls short for the ones those who prefer to stay in the bass-heavy environment. But it stands out in the vocals department, an audience that prefers solid highs and lows. However the price segment it's currently sold at as several competitors offering better value for money such as Brainwavz BLU 200, Infinix Quiet 2 Wired and if you ask me, I'll skip this product because I prefer the bass-heavy side. I'm eagerly waiting for the second generation of these earphones, are you too?. Let me know in the comments section below or on Twitter.


Also See: Brainwavz BLU 200 review. 

OnePlus 6 launched in India | Price, Availability and Launch offers

OnePlus has launched their latest smartphone, the OnePlus 6, in India at an event in Mumbai. The Chinese manufacturer had launched the device globally yesterday in London.

Design, Specifications and Features

The OnePlus features a glass sandwich design, which replaced the metal design used by the manufacturer since a long time. To the front, the device sports a 6.28 inch Optic AMOLED display with a small notch at the top, protected by Gorilla Glass 5. The notch houses the necessary hardware, taking up the least amount of space possible. Face Unlock via the front camera is supported, with a claimed unlocking speed of 0.4 s.

It features the latest Qualcomm chipset, the Spandragon 845 and Adreno 630. Memory options available are 6+64 GB, 8+128 GB with no expansion options. The limited Avengers edition OnePlus 6 will come with 8+256 GB memory. The cameras used are similar to OnePlus 5T, with a dual rear camera setup of 16+20 MP combo and a 16 MP front camera. Video recording up to 480 fps at 720p, 240 fps at 1080p and 60 fps at 4K are supported.

It will be running on Oxygen OS based on Android Oreo 8.1. Powering all these is a 3300 mAh battery with support for fast charging (Dash Charge) via the Type-C USB port.

Price, Availability and Launch Offers

The OnePlus 6 will be available for purchase on OnePlus.in, Amazon.in, OnePlus Experience store as well as all other OnePlus offline sales channels. For Amazon Prime members, sales begin on May 21, while the open sale will begin on May 22.

• Customers can avail a discount of INR 2,000 on SBI Credit and Debit card transactions during the first week. They will also be eligible to avail No Cost EMI for upto 3 months on all popular banks.
• Complimentary 12-month Accidental Damage Insurance by Servify
• INR 2,000 cash back and Device Insurance for Idea subscribers
• Gift card worth INR 250 for all Amazon Prime Video consumers and discounts up to INR 500 on Amazon Kindle
• Benefits up to INR 25,000 on flight and hotel bookings from ClearTrip

The detailed pricing of the latest 'flagship killer' is -

6+64 GB : ₹ 34,999
8+128 GB: ₹ 39,999

8+256 GB : ₹ 44,999 (Avengers Edition) 

OnePlus 6 launched | Specs, Color, Price and Availability

Chinese manufacturer OnePlus has launched their latest flagship, the OnePlus 6, at a launch event held in London. After weeks and months of rumors and leaks, there was nothing much left to know about the device. Let's take a closer look at what the company has to offer this time.

Build and Design

The OnePlus 6 is a big departure from the company's usual material choices. The metal casing of previous generations pave way to the glass sandwich design, which gives it a premium feel. The smartphone is also water resistant, but Oneplus didn't mention the IP rating. Measuring 155.7 x 75.4 x 7.8 mm and weighing 177 g, the latest offering from OnePlus is a sleek phone with gorgeous design.

Display

The Optic AMOLED display measures 6.28 inches diagonally with a FullHD+ resolution of 2280x1080 pixels (19:9 aspect ratio). The display stretches to all sides save for a little notch on top, which houses the necessary hardware and it's protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

Camera

The optics are identical to the ones used in 5T, with a rear setup comprising of a 16MP+20MP combo. The primary 16 MP sensor has a 27mm lens with an aperture of f/1.7. The secondary 20 MP sensor has an aperture of f/1.7 as well. the vertically stacked dual camera setup will also feature OIS+EIS, dual LED flash and PDAF. The front camera has a 16 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture. Video recording up tp 4K resolution is supported on the rear camera while it is capped at 1080p for the selfie shooter. It can record in 4K at 60 fps, 1080p at 240 fps and 720p at 480 fps. The slow motion video at 720p can be captured for up to a minute.

Other Specifications

The OnePlus 6 will be running on the latest octa-core Snapdragon 845 and Adreno 630. It will be on Android Oreo 8.1 with the company's custom skin, Oxygen OS. The storage options are 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB, with no expansion options while the RAM options are 6 GB(64GB) and 8GB (128 and 256 GB).

Support for dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, NFC, 4x4 MIMO giving theoretical speeds of 1 Gbps are also included. Face unlock, made popular by Apple, is also supported with a claimed unlocking speed of 0.4s. All this is powered by a 3300 mAh battery with support for the incredibly fast Dash charge via the USB Type-C port. Talking about ports, the OnePlus 6 is one of the few flagships to sport a 3.5 mm audio jack. Other sensors included are a rear mounted fingerprint sensor, GPS, accelerometer, gyro, compass and proximity sensor.

Price, Availability and Colors

OnePlus 6 will be available in three color - Mirror Black, Midnight Black and Silk White. Both the black variants will be available starting May 22 and the limited edition Silk White from June 5. The detailed pricing for each variant -
6+64 GB: £469, €519, $529
8+128 GB: £519, €569, $579
8+256 GB: £569, € 619, $629

RealMe 1 Launched In India, disruptive pricing starts at Rs.8,990.

        Today marks the day, RealMe a sub-brand of Amazon and Oppo marks its entry in the Indian Smartphone market league. Equipped with Gimmicks such as AI Camera, the company says that their first offering is focused towards the younger audience. There are also some excellent caviar's like everyone will be offered Prime Deliveries and some exotic deals with partners. The company is currently targeting the sub 15000 price segment which might, later on, flourish depending on their success in their first quarter. Some of the most appealing facts about this device the crystal cut design at the back which comes with the diamond color variant. There are three variants in total, let's discuss more the same in details.

RealMe 1 Launched In India, disruptive pricing starts at Rs.8,990. 

RealMe 1 Specs, Price & Availability:

• It comes with 2GHz Helio P60 Octacore processor which is also termed as world's first 12nm chipset equipped with AI compute power.
• It sports a 6.0 inch 18:9 FHD+(1080p) panel which outputs about 403PPI. 
• Comes in three different storage variants: 3GB RAM/32GB ROM, 4GB RAM/64GB ROM, 6GB RAM/128GB ROM. All of them will support expansion up to 256GB with a dedicated slot. 
• Comes with a 13MP Camera on the rear, while an 8MP Camera on the front, both of which will have support for bokeh modes. The front will also function as a strong point for facial recognition. 
• It has a 3410 mAh non-removable battery.
• Comes with ColorOS 5.0 which is built on top of Android 8.1 Oreo. 
• Regarding connectivity, both SIM Slots support 4G.
• Color Variants: Diamond Black, Solar Red & Moonlight silver. 

    The processor on-boarded on the phone is touted to have AI Shot capabilities which would yield better shots with the new "12 nm" chipset. The chipset is also focused on providing better performance regarding photography, real-time video preview, beautification modes, better battery life, etc.  The RealMe 1 will be exclusively available on Amazon which seems obvious; the sale will commence on 25th May, 2018. Also, make a note that the company supports the "Make In & Made In India" initiative.


Pricing: 

• 3GB RAM + 32GB ROM(Diamond Black & Solar Red):  Rs. 8,990.
• 4GB RAM + 64GB ROM(Moonlight Silver & Diamond Black): Rs.10,990.
• 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM(Diamond Black & Solar Red):  Rs.13,990.

Launch Offers: 

• No Cost EMI on Amazon. In, SBI cardholders will get % cashback, while Jio customers will get a cashback of Rs.4850/-. 
• Amazon Prime deliveries for everyone. 

As of now RealMe 1 pricing seems seemingly disruptive starting Rs.8,990.

             Regarding design the phone has a 12-layer nanotech composite material which gives the device a shiny and diamond hampered look at the back which produces different reflections when the device is held in different angles, this also gives us a tangy taste of how the phone might fingerprint prone and slippery. Regarding software features, the AI shot can even recognize the gender, age depending upon the skin tone and skin type. AR stickers are also available built-in, so the users don't need to install any additional apps. AR stickers functions are supported both on the front and back. The facial unlock takes about less than 0.1 seconds to unlock the phone. Regarding support for offline service centers, there are about 500 service centers spread across India, and this will be handled by Oppo on behalf of Amazon.

Xiaomi launches their new Mi Music and Mi Video app services at Mi Pop Play Event.

Credits: Editorial Team

            So up until now, we've seen the Xiaomi focusing on the mobile segment in the Indian Market, that being said the company has also started on expanding their portfolio with the recent launch of the Mi TVs. While as a contradiction to the first statement 2nd May 2018 marks the day, Xiaomi enters the market of providing content aggregation services hoping to offer a complete ecosystem to their users. Yesterday at their iconic Mi Pop Play event, they made two announcements, Mi Music and Mi Video - where the company showcased how they've got some tricks up their sleeves to compete with the leading content providers and on-boarding several content aggregators. Getting on to the technicalities, both of these newest services would come preloaded on their handsets, while if you're interested about these offerings, you can go ahead and download them right now to get a broader view. Though the apps available on the MI App Store are currently available only for Xiaomi Devices, Users can also opt-in to beta programs. So let's get into the details of both these apps bit by bit, as we've used both these apps and we do have our initial thoughts on them.

Xiaomi launches their new Mi Music and Mi Video app services at Mi Pop Play Event. 

Mi Music: Streaming updates. 

Credits: Editorial Team

             Mi Music is an app-based service where the users can enjoy online music streaming for free. The app is relatively simple and easy to use consisting of gesture components. This minimal design felt well thought off according to us. The Mi Music service will provide you an unlimited lifetime streaming for free across all genres and languages. They quoted that Mi Music has about 10 Million freemium songs for users to stream from the first day itself. This app even allows users to sync their local music files stored on their phone. The company has tied up with Hungama Music which helps them to offer even more content from it aggregators which consists of more than 400 partners. Speaking about the key highlights, Xiaomi pointed out that the new Mi Music app offers Dynamic Lyrics letting users have the taste of Karaoke like experience. We tried this feature in particular at the event, and it's one of the key highlights. Here the user gets to scroll through the lyrics and stop precisely at the line he wants and then gets the option to tap play at the end of the line. Although the implementation is proper, we would've liked if the user had the opportunity to directly scroll through the lyrics and then select the entire line for it to play/pause, instead of the particular part.

Credits: Editorial Team

              Even though the Xiaomi users have got the unlimited streaming, they would eventually have to pay an amount for enjoying that music offline. The company offers a package called as Hungama Pro Package which will cost for Rs.899/year providing unlimited offline downloads as long as you've got storage left on your device. The company even hopes to increase its user base of about 7 Million Daily Active - Mi Music users with the new announcements. The users also have the option to ignore tracks which are under five mins or less, while you can even overlook the ones having less than 2MB size. It is beneficial to ignore those WhatsApp audios or your recorded call conversations.

Credits: Editorial Team

Mi Video: Updated Services.

Credits: Editorial Team

                Mi Video is a service as the name suggests, provides a stage for content consumption(videos). Now the company has introduced video streaming services as an extension to it's already announced local video services available offline which serves just like any other media player. The company has partnered with Hungama Play, Voot, SonyLiv, Sun NXT, TVF and even more to provide online streaming directly within the app. They currently offer about 5,00,000 hours of content which contains nearly 80% of the free content. The app now also supports MKA, MPEG and M2TS formats than the existing ones. It also supports subtitles available in multiple languages and private folders. Casting functionality is not only possible for Smart TV, but for the ones with DLNA and Miracast as well.


         On the launch, Manu Jain - Managing Director of Xiaomi India and VP of Xiaomi shared his thoughts,“Xiaomi’s core belief lies in providing high-quality products with the best specs, at an honest pricing. We are able to do this because of our business model — we provide our smartphones and other hardware at affordable pricing, aiming to monetize our MIUI Internet services in the long run. With the launch of these two apps Mi Music and Mi Video, we hope to serve millions of Xiaomi smartphone users with a better user experience through enhanced Internet services.” 

Credits: Editorial Team.

               Xiaomi even hints that they might bring more services as Mi Music and Mi Video are their first internet services that have been launched in India. In the coming few months, gamification will also be introduced in Mi Music. Mi Pop Play is an event hosted by Xiaomi to essentially bring out their fans across the country to enjoy with the executive personnel. So far this has been the 2nd Pop-up event held in India, and it accommodated about 200 Mi Fans along with the Media and VIPs.

     
 Source: Editorial Team

Asus launches Zenfone Max Pro M1; pricing starts from Rs 10,999

Asus has launched its latest smartphone the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 in India. The device will be exclusively sold via Flipkart.

The smartphone sports a 6-inch display with a resolution of 2160x1080. The tall display is flanked by sizeable bezels to the top and bottom. The M1 will be powered by Snapdragon 636 SoC built on 14nm process, which is also used on Zenfone 5. Graphic suties are handled by Adreno 509. The memory options available are 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB which can expanded by up to 2 TB via dedicated microSD card slot. There's an additional variant, with 6GB+64GB combination which will be available soon.

There's a dual camera setup to the back, with a combination of 13 MP and 5 MP sensors with softlight LED and PDAF. The dual sensor gives out realistic blur and also works in low light. It supports 4K video recording at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps. The selfie shooter has an 8 MP sensor with softlight LED and supports 1080p recording. The 6GB RAM version will have a 16MP+5MP combination to the rear and 16 MP sensor to the front. The Zenfone Pro has a 5 magnet speaker and NXP Amplifier, which ensures high quality amplification and has control over current drawn to the speaker, helping to maintain the quality of speakers for a longer time. A passive amplifier, MaxBox was also announced which will come in the box.

The highlight of this new smartphone is the use of stock Android UI instead of the company's own Zen UI. The smartphone will run on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box, and the stock interface promises relatively quicker updates. Asus has promised 2 version updates, i.e Android P and Q, Powering all these is a massive 5,000 mAh battery with support for fast charging, which the company claims will charge the smartphone from 0-100% in 2 hours 42 minutes. Coupled with the power efficient 636 processor, this smartphone would last quite a bit on a single charge.

The Zenfone Max Pro M1 will be available via Flipkart at the price of Rs 10,999 for 3GB RAM variant, 4 GB RAM variant at Rs 12,999 from 3rd of May 2018. The 6GB RAM variant will be available at Rs 14,999, but the release date was not announced. The color options available are Gray (3/32GB) and Deepsea Black (4/64GB). Additional offers include 10GB extra data per month for a year on recharges worth Rs 199 and above. For postpaid consumers, the same offer is available with plans costing Rs 399 and for plans priced Rs 499 and above, 2 years RED Shield protection is available for free. Flipkart Mobile Protection which covers all damages will be available with the Zenfone Pro M1 at just Rs 49.

Image Sources:
Asus India Twitter
Asus

Infinix Might Announce A New Blue Color Variant of Hot S3 Pro on 16th April

Smartphone brand Infinix is reportedly planning to launch a new color variant of their recent smartphone, the Hot S3. Invites have been sent with a tagline 'Hot gets Cool' with blue background and side profile of a blue colored smartphone.

The Hot S3 was launched recently by the company with an eye on the lower end segment which is dominated by Xiaomi now. The Hot S3 has a 5.65 inch HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio. There's a 13 MP rear camera and a 20 MP front facing one.

The smartphone is running on octa core Snapdragon 430 with memory options of 3GB+32GB and 4GB+64GB available along with dedicated slot for microSD. It comes with XOS 3.0 based on Android Oreo out of the box and powering this all is a big 4000 mAh battery.

The 3GB+32GB Hot S3 is currently available on Flipkart at Rs 8,999 and 4GB+64GB is available at Rs 10,999. Color options available are Bordeaux Red, Sandstone Black and Topaz Blue. Though the pricing might not change, Infinix may be launching the new color with only one memory option.

Launching a different variant a while after the smartphone gets launched is becoming a trend. Flagship models from Samsung and Apple had either limited edition ones or a different colored variant. Such launches help the companies to keep the hype up and remain in the news for longer period. Even the budget oriented Mi A1 from Xiaomi launched in red color, so the trend is catching on and customers are always fond of options.

Samsung brings dual-cameras to J series | Launches J7 Duo at Rs. 16,990

Late last year, Samsung brought dual front cameras to the A series with the launch of A8 and A8+ 2018. Now, they have come up with dual rear cameras on a budget smartphone.

Samsung brings dual-cameras to J series | Launches J7 Duo at Rs. 16,990

Samsung India has launched the latest entrant to its popular J-series , the J7 Duo. The mid-range series started off with J5 and J7, but now J7 itself is becoming a new series with many variants getting launched in the past year or so. This has contributed to the fact that the J series is now India's most popular smartphone series, accounting for a third of the market share.

“With Galaxy J7 Duo, we are attempting to drive next level innovation in the J series that rules the hearts of Indian consumers. The introduction of dual camera in Galaxy J shows that we listen to our consumers and bring meaningful innovations that help enhance their lives. The superior specifications along with other innovative camera features in Galaxy J7 Duo will further consolidate our leadership position,” Mr. Mohandeep Singh, Senior Vice President, Mobile Business, Samsung India, said.

The J7 Duo is the first J series smartphone to launch with dual cameras. The setup of choice here is a combination of 13 and 5 MP sensors and the front camera sports an 8 MP sensor. Aperture is f/1.9 on all cameras and there are LEDs to help in low light photos. There's support for Live Focus and Selfie Focus, which gives the bokeh effect to background. Face Unlock feature is also included, letting users to unlock the device conveniently. Though the inclusion of dual cameras is a welcome move, the rest of the spec sheet cuts a sorry figure.

The display up front is one of the major cons considering the price segment. It's a 5.5 inch panel with 1280x720 resolution, something which would have been a deal breaker even a year ago! The use of 16:9 aspect ratio is still acceptable, but 720p display at 17k is ridiculous. The processor beneath is an octa core Exynos 7870, which Samsung has been using since 2 generations now. There's 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB storage which can be expanded by up to 256 GB via microSD card. It will come with Android Oreo out of the box.

The battery capacity is 3000 mAh and there's no mention of fast charge support, neither does it have USB Type-C. Bluetooth 4.2 and dual band Wi-Fi are the other connectivity features. The J7 Duo will be available in Black and Gold color options. The smartphone will retail at a price of Rs. 16,990 across retail shops starting 12th April, 2018.

Source : Samsung Newsroom

Your guide to buy RO water purifier online

Water is an important resource that is largely neglected in our country. The continuous shift of population to urban areas is creating additional demand for basic resources, as well as polluting the scantily available ones. A major city like Cape Town (South Africa) has run out of water and Bengaluru is on the verge of using up its potable water resources. On one hand, there are people who openly waste water without thinking twice while a large section of our population is struggling to find pure drinking water. We are embracing technology at a faster rate than ever, so it's time we look at ways to make use of the advancements for basic facilities as well.

With increasing water pollution, use of water purifiers are becoming a common sight. The concept of these kinds of purifiers is still new for most of us in our country. While the traditional methods of water filtration have been used since ages in Indian homes, the thought of choosing an RO water purifier is largely native. More so in the cities but slowly and steadily people are realizing the importance and benefits that an RO purifier provides in terms of good health.

These devices are majorly classified on the levels of purification and storage tank capacity. The levels of purification translate into the extent of purification of the impure tap water, which then goes through the different filters of the RO water purifier and then consumed by the end user.

RO stands for Reverse Osmosis, which is a procedure of forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane, thereby removing any solid particles and purifying the water. The application of RO purifiers is better suited for congested urban areas, where the source of water maybe contaminated with foreign particles.

Purchasing these products has now become a little easier with the aid of online shopping. Initially, people used to wonder where do they buy the best RO water purifier in India. The search usually began at nearby stores or asking people who have already purchased it. Such hard work is now cut short due to RO water purifiers online, which gives you a list of options in no time, ensuring that you can choose the best device for your home and keep your family away from waterborne diseases.

Nokia 1: Does the Android Go Edition tag make it sound flashy?

           For about a month, Nokia was undoubtedly in talks because of their rumored speculated Android One devices. Quite frankly, Nokia 7 Plus was even found on the internet in leaked renders. Similarly, an Android Go device from Nokia was also long rumored, since fans got to know that the company will showcase couple smartphones at MWC 2018. Well, the company has gone ahead and announced not one or two, but five phones in total. To be precise 4 out of which are Smartphones, while the one left is their iconic rebirth of another feature phone. In this segment, we will talk about their Android Go edition smartphone, which gets called the Nokia 1. It is among the top 3 Android Go Edition devices to be announced at Barcelona. Also as an add-on, the company even announced that their upcoming smartphones from here on will be based on pure stock android joining the Android One program. Now that this gets clear, let's find the specs, availability, pricing and our perspective of the Nokia 1.

Nokia 1: Does the Android Go Edition tag make it sound flashy? 

Specifications: 

• 1.1 GHz Quadcore Mediatek MT6737M Chipset.
• 1GB RAM & 8GB Internal Storage, while expansion is available up to 128GB. ‎
• 4.5-inch FWVGA IPS Display.
• Primary camera is a 5MP sensor which comes with an LED flash. While the secondary selfie camera is a 2MP sensor. ‎
• It has a 2150 mAh removable battery. ‎
• It comes equipped with Android Oreo 8.1(Android Go Edition).R
• Regarding connectivity, it has WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS/A-GPS, Radio FM and supports LTE cat 4 network. 
• ‎It comes with Micro USB 2.0 port, 3.5 mm audio connector, Dual SIM card slot, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor & G-sensor.  
• ‎Beilive it or not, it even has IP52 drip protection. 
• ‎Available in two colors: Warm Red & Dark Blue. ‎
• It weighs about 131g. 

         So even though the set of specifications that comes with the Nokia 1 seem pretty barebone, there isn't a shout of a doubt that it manages to pack in the essentials. All of that meshed with the solid touch of pure Android Oreo(Go Edition) validates that your Nokia 1 will be first in line to get software updates and upgrades for the next two years.  Nokia has also introduced their iconic Xpress-On covers available in a variety of colors with their Android Go offering. Out of which the Polycarbonate Cover is made of a two-tone layer making it possible to withstand your day to day rough usage. The Nokia 1 will be available globally starting early April, while it'll retail for a price of $85. Whereas the Xpress-On covers would be sold separately retailing at $7.99 available in Azure, Grey, Yellow and Pink colors. Pricing seems quite competitive, and let's say if the company plans to keep the same across countries, especially in India.

Nokia 1(Android Go Edition): Product Video

Source: Nokia

Also See: Alcatel 1X - World's First Android Go Edition Smartphone! 

Lava unveils the Z50, its first Android Go smartphone

Few years ago, Android One was released as a platform for cheaper smartphones with regular updates controlled directly by Google. After a short hiatus, they resumed the Android One program but this time it had a line-up of mid-range smartphones. The lower budget segment was left out, and Google started a new program called Android Go, with dedicated apps which consumed a lot less resources. With the new program gaining momentum, Lava is joining hands with the search giant and has launched a basic smartphone, the Lava Z50.

Lava unveils the Z50, its first Android Go smartphone

The Lava Z50 was made official today by the Indian company, marking its entry into the Android Go program. The smartphone is a budget oriented device, which aims to provide quality software through Android Go at a cheap price.

Mr. Gaurav Nigam, Head – Product, Lava International said  “With Lava Z50, powered by Android Oreo (Go edition), we are giving our first time smartphone users an impeccable software designed for faster processing, more memory at hand vs. non-Android Oreo (Go edition) phones, and the possibility to get entertainment through YouTube Go, to help users control their data. The camera has been enhanced to give Dual Bokeh experience and an LED flash for night time video calling. I must say it is a great opportunity for both - consumers and the brand”.

Mr. Sagar Kamdar, Director of Product, Android said “Android’s mission has always been to bring the power of computing to everyone, and part of that is ensuring a great experience across a broad range of devices. Android Oreo (Go edition) is specifically optimized to bring the magic of Google and Android to smartphones with limited memory and processing power, and we’re excited to collaborate with Lava to take the next step on that mission by launching the Lava Z50.”

Specs and Features

The Lava Z50 features a 4.5 inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass protection and 2.5D curves. Powered by a low-end 1.1 GHz Mediatek 6737 processor, it comes with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage. Out of this 8 GB, 5.5 GB is available to the user, unlike the 3 GB on other smartphones with 8 GB storage. 

It runs on Android Oreo (Go Edition), and comes with Go edition apps which consumes significantly less storage as well as RAM. This helps in maintaining smooth performance even with such low-end specifications.

The front and rear cameras have 5 MP sensors each and LED flash for enhanced low light pictures. Both the cameras support Bokeh Mode, which blurs the background. The smartphone will support up to 10 Indian languages, thus helping more citizens of the country.

The Z50 will be available in two colors, Gold and Black, at over 100,000 retail stores in India by mid-March 2018. A special launch time offer of one-time screen replacement valid till 1 year from the date of purchase is also available. It also comes with a 2 year warranty and a cashback offer of Rs 2000 from Airtel.

Source: Lava.

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