Brainwavz S0 Review: Nice Little IEM Earphones

             Recently about a week ago, Brainwavz sent me their S0 IEM earphones to test it out. These earphones aren't new, They've been launched almost a year back, and it was quite strange to get this unit at this point. But that doesn't have any relation with the performance that Brainwavz S0 have been delivering us over the course of this week. Considering the price these earphones fall in an affordable to mid-range budget price range. So here's our full review of the Brainwavz S0 after a usage of One entire week.

Brainwavz S0 Review: Nice Little IEM Earphones.

Specifications: 

• They have 9mm Dynamic Drivers support having 16 ohms rated impedance.
• The frequency range lies between 18 Hz to 18 kHz keeping sensitivity of 100 dB at one mW.
• It takes input power rated at 10 mW.
• The cable accompanying these earphones is 1.2m long and beholds a Y-cord design, Whereas it has a 3.5mm Gold plated audio jack.

Design & Build:

            Just like the Brainwavz S1 we've reviewed earlier the Brainwavz S0 has a similar design going into them when you consider the cable it's in striking resemblance to S1's. Whereas regarding the main metal unit design, It is comfortable to hold in the hand and easy to grip while removing from the ear as previously we had received the Brainwavz M1 which had a tedious design due to which the main cable had to be pulled actually to remove the earphones from your ear. Then apart from the design, the Red and Black color combination looks and feels great as the matte appeal on the flat cable gives an overall decent feedback in hand. Flat cable has an advantage of keeping the cable tangle free when it's cramped and thrown in any of your backpacks. The added mic with a remote to control your music playback is an added advantage, and it works perfectly as mentioned on the box all the double, and triple taps perform the needed function smoothly, and I've no issues with them.


Sound and Acoustics:



             So the Brainwavz S0 perform a decent job when it comes to bass reproduction while listening to bass heavy music. Though the bass listening experience is not quite right, in my opinion, As it falls in the term Average. But when it comes to vocals I highly appreciate the performance delivered by the Brainwavz S0. These earphones get quite loud, and the background noise reduction is a bonus, So the audio production is quite beautiful, and I can surely recommend anyone these earphones based on this fact itself. Bass heavy listeners are going to have a decent experience, Whereas the folks who're more attached to traditional music will prefer these earphones without a shout of a doubt. I've used these earphones for as long as 4-5hrs having continues playback and watched movies along, and I must say the overall usability and performance is impressive. In short, these earphones are made for a set of audience who've gravitated taste towards traditional music.


Box Contents and Warranty Info:



               Opening the Brainwavz S0 box is a pleasant experience, You get greeted with a lot of description showcasing accurate details about the product and functions are well described on the box itself with a folding compartment rather than tossing it over a warranty booklet, which is great in my opinion. So inside we have a hardshell box made of a high quality material which has two compartments inside, accompanying Six different pairs of Silicon Eartips in all various sizes, One set of bi-flange and tri-flange ear tips each, a shirt hook and a pair of Comply foam ear tips, which for some reason are quite sticky. The Comply S-400 ear tips are something different than what we've received earlier. The Brainwavz S0 have 24months of warranty out of the box, So don't worry if you received damaged piece, by chance.

Brainwavz S0 Review - Final Verdict

              The Brainwavz S0 IEM earphones perform a decent job of producing some decent output with high mids and decent bass output. The accessories bundled with these earphones is what I appreciate a lot when it comes to brainwavz, These guys know packaging, and they do it well. The Brainwavz S0 cost Rs.2,399 and for that price, it's quite on the higher side, in my opinion, considering the bass output. So if you're the one who's interested in getting a bass heavy experience, Consider upgrading your budget and get yourselves the Brainwavz BLU-200 earphones. Whereas if you're a person who enjoys traditional music to a heavy extent, you might enjoy the S0, but again it's pricey in my opinion.


Pros: 

1. Great Design with metal housing on the main unit. 
2. Flat Cables get a plus point for not tangling itself when thrown in a dirty way. 
3. No of ear tips included in the box.

Cons:

1. Mushy feedback on the keys present on the in-line mic.
2. Not Bass heavy.

Links to buy:
Flipkart, Amazon(India), Amazon(US).


Here's our unboxing experience of the Brainwavz S0 IEM Earphones:


     
       Do let us know your thoughts, If you own a Brainwavz S0 in the comments section below, Do you think our readers should buy these and why?

Also See: Brainwavz M1 Review - Slippery Design, Good output.

ETMoney Review: Your Personal E-Passbook. [Smartspends 2.0]

         So in a vastly moving world managing expenses is a tough job. Everything these days has, it's price & mostly due to inflation a common man's expenditure has risen to a whole new level. Frankly speaking its a well known saying that once you take out a note, it goes away in a fluke. Speaking of 2016, We spend a lot on food, clothing, electricity bills, internet packs and potentially everything that you can recall. So keeping track of all the expenses is a must have thing for any person who spends his hard owned money for natural cases. Most of us often consider having a small dairy where we catalog daily expenses, but that thing is passe. So to tackle that, Times Internet went ahead with Smartspends app back in 2015, A Smart solution to go paperless and to keep track of your daily expenses. Just about a year later, Today they've released an updated version of the app with a lot of substantial changes and a rebranded name and an exciting addition of Mutual Fund transactions. Now the Smartspends 2.0 app is officially renamed as ETMoney; I was lucky enough to try this app in its beta phase and here's my final review of the ETMoney App(Smartspends 2.0 Review).

ETMoney Review: Your Personal E-Passbook.

     So essentially you're greeted with the same layout as we've seen before with Smartspends app. When you open the app, You need to sign in with your existing mail id, specifically Google id. Then after giving the general app permissions you land into the main frame, which showcases five different options up front starting with Spends, Investments, Bill Calendar, Card Suggest and Offers. Each of these buttons has been assigned to perform various tasks. Let's understand each of these features deeply.


1. Spends:
     
         Spends is a section which keeps track of all your One time and recurring cash spend amount. Essentially it's like a mini Passbook integrated within the app, The Only thing new is that here you're the clerk entering into it. Let's say you want to enter Rs.100 spent on recharge, Select the One Time cash spend and then enter your Amount, choose the date, enter whether it should be paid to merchant or a person, Then finally select the category(beauty and fitness, Bill, EMI, grocery, etc.) Additionally, you can even add some notes to keep track of it easily. There's also a statistics tab to keep track of your saving within Spends tab which displays weekly savings. It's a nice way to segregate all your daily expenditures and keep track of where exactly you invested and where did that 100 rupee note go.


2. Investments.

         Investments in an exciting addition to the newly updated app, Partly because of the reason why we can say the Smartspends app got a new name - ETMoney. This name sort of compliments this section very well and we can see where Times Internet is going here with it. They say that the change of the Brand name is because they want to get Indian users a glimpse of the mobile-first world by solving their current financial needs. This section would primarily serve new investors helping them discover and manage their funds in an easier manner. Let's understand investments catered in ETMoney App in three different ways.

•  You can discover the best funds available in the market, which are categorized in easy to comprehend report cards and themes. The themes displayed within the app are showcased by analyzing 5000+ mutual funds which are in existence from previous 5-10 years. The report cards are designed specifically to showcase the right amount of returns and risk factors so that the investor has a clear idea of where his funds are heading.
• You can perform actual transactions where it takes merely two mins irrelevant to whether you belong to KYC(Know Your Customer) or not. Though according to our Indian regulations, You need to be KYC Verified to invest into mutual funds. This process just simplifies the hassle to carry your documents to get your account verified in any Bank; It's an entirely paperless process which gets a plus from my side. After you've settled up your account you can invest into any fund within 30secs; the process is similar to buying something from any e-commerce website and getting a delivery receipt sent to your mail id. The App provides you with top 10 mutual fund houses accompanying 5000+ funds to get started with investing.
• The final step is Post Transaction which showcases unique portfolio management and recommends several other things. So here you get actionable insights upon your inserted portfolio in a constructive manner. The app also showcases the funds that you've not invested in and lets you keep track of those, just in case you have a chance of mind. The ETMoney app also provides actionable insights to stock market Movements, User's spend pattern, and investment options. It is sort of like a bot working for you 24/7 helping you get the most out of the stock market.

3. Bill Calendar.

           Another well-designed section which takes care of your bills by keeping them well organized. The app scans your emails and messages to find out the bills that have been paid or are due to be paid and aggregates them in proper labels within Bill Calendar section. For this action to happen, you must turn on in-app permissions on your Android device. Let's say you want to enter your gas bill, just hit the plus button on the lower right-hand side and select gas, then select your gas carrier. After that, you would be greeted with another overlay with few easy steps to fill in the exact information about the gas delivery. This, in fact, is very helpful, and it helps in keeping track of your bills in one place. Here you have the Due Date, Amount, and Bill ID, so it's good to be future proof and that to paperless. Alongside Gas, you have the option to keep track of numerous things ranging from Credit Card, Data Card, DTH, Electricity Bills, Insurance, Mobile, Water, etc. Also once you've entered a particular bill, you're notified four days before the due date.


4. Cards Suggest:

            Well just as the name suggest, Here you're greeted with several offers & discounts depending upon your credit/debit cards. So to set this up, Just tap add card and then select your bank, select your card type, Card Name and finally Affiliation, Where then you're asked for the last four digits of your card, As it's easier for you to keep track of the offers given to that particular card. Once you're done setting up the card, Now there would be several offers and discounts which get showcased which can be availed offline and online via that same particular credit/debit card.


5. Offers:

           The last section in the app which again is in similar resemblance to Cards Suggest feature, Though here instead of it being selective card offer you get notified of online shopping deals. Now the shopping deals could be anything ranging from E-commerce websites, Paytm, Telecom Operators Data Offers to virtually everything. Also if you couldn't find any attractive offers you can search for the one you're looking right within the app itself.


During the launch, Mr. Mukesh Kalra, COO of ET Money, commented, “We believe that the financial journey of retail consumers in India is currently completely broken. We started fixing it by enabling users to understand & manage their money in a way far better than other alternatives. While as a natural extension, we will now help consumers grow their money by investing in mutual funds seamlessly.”

ETMoney Review: Essentially Smartspends 2.0 app. 

              Actually speaking I'm not much into Mutual funds or investments because I'm just a student finding his future path right now, who knows I might be interested into this in future. So to be honest, Apart from the Investments section of this app everything is interesting for me, and it is quite helpful I'm able to keep track of various other things. Since I was lucky enough to try this app in its beta phase, prior a week to the launch itself. The ETMoney app is currently available on Android, and you can download it from here. Also just for kicks, it ranks among the Top person finance apps and currently it has a user base of more than 8 lakh users. So all in all it helps in keeping track of your daily expenses and helps you to be ahead of the curve when it comes to savings. I liked the motto behind the app and with Investment features inbuilt it'll be a treat to several customers who are mostly glued to their TV sets when it comes to stock market.

click to download

Do let me know what are your thoughts about the new ETMoney App and do you think, it might be helpful for a common man? Let us know in the comments section below.

Sony CP-SC10 Portable Charger Launched Considering Type-C Port Users In Mind.

            USB Type-C has caught a lot of heat recently, Not because of it's abilities for faster Data Transfer rates and Charging speeds, But because of many companies considering the fact of keeping USB Type-C port as the primary & final I/O port. It makes things both easier and bitter, Easier as you simply need to carry one cable for all your devices, Bitter as only one thing gets executed at a single time. But the thing which I've noticed while using current USB Type-C devices that they charge quite slow on existing portable chargers, more so likely due to charger's less output. So striking that, Sony today unveiled a New Portable charger having USB Type-C connection ports onboard. The all new Sony CP-SC10 portable charger, let's find out how it differs from conventional portable chargers.

Sony CP-SC10 Portable Charger - USB Type-C Port.

Things to know:

• It comes with 2 USB Type-C ports, equipped with mini Type-C to Type-C cable & a Micro-USB to Type-C Cable.
• USB Type-C port helps to charge your devices at a much faster rate Since it has an output capacity of 3.0 Amps.
• It has a 10,000 mAh battery and Sony claims that the new CP-SC10 Portable Charger can retain up to 90% of battery after 1000 odd charges.
• Another surprise is that You can charge your CP-SC10 portable charger while simultaneously charging any other device connected to CP-SC10. But I won't suggest doing this in a long run, As this would affect the battery onboard heavily.
• There's a 4 LED light indicator on the side to let users know, how much juice gets left.
• Lastly, the Portable Charger CP-SC10 is available in two colors - Grey and Gold. Also, the Type-C Cables & Adapter are available in white color.
• It weighs 270g which is relatively lightweight.

             Sony has manufactured these Portable chargers using their proprietary Hybrid Gel Technology, which in theory helps in retaining up to 90% of battery after being used for up to 1000 times. Sony says that it takes up to 5hrs to fully charge the CP-SC10 with a CP-AD3 Adaptor(USB Type-C to Micro-USB Charger), Whereas it might take up to 24 hrs to charge on a conventional USB port which is a bummer. So if you're willing to buy this, Make sure you get that Charger/Adapter too, Because both are available separately. Now lets head over to the price, The new Sony CP-SC10 costs Rs. 5,990 which is quite a lot, in my opinion, But anything can't be given a final judgement until it's actual real world usage. While the CP-AD3 Charger/Adapter costs Rs.2,390. So due to the charging speeds, it seems obvious to get this charger which makes it Rs.8,380 as a whole. I mean yes, there must be some Technological advancements in this portable charger for sure, But the charging speeds are an interloper on conventional USB ports. I have got an Ambrane Powerbank which has a 13,000 mAh Battery capacity it charges within 12hrs completely, While here we have 10,000mAh charging for 24hrs? Not cool. So it'll be interesting to see how the CP-SC10 sales go, As these new Chargers and Adapters would be available both Online and Offline starting today which is 15th September 2016. What are your thoughts about these? Let me know in the comments below.

Something to note.

Links to Buy: It would be soon updated.

Also See:  Asus ZenWatch 3 In-Depth Thoughts

Asus ZenWatch 3 In-Depth Thoughts: Specs, Price, and Availability.

              Circular Smartwatches are the next big thing; A thought processed first by Motorola. It was their way of simplifying things back to its original form, rather than just a marketing gimmick. Later on, the idea of bringing a circular Smartwatch was picked up by Huawei, LG, Samsung. Etc. Just because of the fact that the design looks much more natural & traditional. So carrying that same fact forward, Asus has launched the all new Asus ZenWatch 3, A Watch with round diamond cut bezels and 3 Navigational buttons. Not only does it come equipped with different ways to input, but the processor inside is much better and energy efficient. Whereas there's also a boost in charging with the implementation of fast charging that we see on most Smartphones these days. So today let's find out more about the new Asus ZenWatch 3 in detail.

Asus ZenWatch 3 In-Depth Thoughts: Specs, Price, and Availability.

Specifications:

• It comes with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Wear 2100 (APQ 8009w) Quadcore Processor equipped with 512 MB RAM & 4GB eMMC of onboard storage.
• It has a 1.39 inch(400x400) AMOLED display giving it a pixel density of 287ppi. Whereas here it has 2-Finger gesture operations available.
• It has inbuilt 6-Axis(Gravitational + Accelerometer) sensor to take care of your fitness tracking activities & it also has an Ambient light sensor, which works in incumbency with AMOLED panel to provide prolonged battery life.
• It supports Bluetooth v4.1 & Wi-Fi.
• It has a 340 mAh battery which for the first time supports Quick-charge technology due to upgraded processor.
• It runs on the latest version of Android Wear OS.
• It is available in Silver, Rose Gold, and Gunmetal colors.

Asus ZenWatch 3 - In-Depth Look at Subtle Differences.

Processor & Performance:
                So the Snapdragon 2100 processor gravitated towards Smartwatches was launched earlier this year, To ensure Maximum battery life and performance. The newest processor helps in a prolonged battery usage, whereas it supports hypercharge technology & it's the first Smartwatch in the world doing that. The Hypercharge Technology charges your smartwatch to approx 60% in just 15mins, which is capable of providing a single day of juice & Overall the battery can last up to two days long When fully charged.


Design & Ergonomics:

               Considering the Design, It's almost strikingly similar to the current Huawei Watch if we knock off the three buttons placement. The 2 & 3 button perform the same job as they do on conventional Smartwatches & Those have been tightly integrated into the system. Whereas the top or the 1st button can be customized, You can set any App or trigger any particular function by just tapping it. Tapping that button for a quick hike to measure fitness activities might serve as a good thought. The three button placement is what, which is again new and let's see how the world adapts it. Then the circular watch Design has materials made out of Design Jewelry Grade 316L Stainless Steel making it look both extra sharp and feel sturdy. The Asus ZenWatch 3 also has a Diamond Cut Bezel surrounding the dial, Everything lying under a body which is just 9.95 mm thick. Then moving forward to Bands, we've rubber, and Genuine stitched leather straps available right out of the box.




Software & Apps:
               Asus promises that the ZenWatch 3 will receive the future software updates, and it already runs the latest version of Android Wear OS which is currently out. Although a newer version of the Android Wear OS might soon hit the market, in my opinion. The newer OS has Six different pre-installed themes, and Up to 50+ watch faces with an exciting addition of Watch Face Designer App.

               Application's wise Asus has bundled a suite & host of new things on board. First, It's the Asus ZenWatch Manager - Your one stop destination for making OS level changes to your watch from your Smartphone. Then we have Zenfit App, and Asus again has a separate dedicated app for both Smartphones and ZenWatch 3. Asus claims that the Zenfit app can provide up to 95% accuracy concerning fitness count, which according to them is said to be industry leading. So far the Best Fitness Tracker regarding accuracy, I've seen yet is the Mi Band(1st Gen), So let's see how it performs when if it launches here in India, anytime soon.


Box Accessories:

via Asus Youtube

               So the Asus ZenWatch 3 will come with a Box accompanying a Magnetic Charger, a separate Watch Stand & an external Battery Pack. Yes, you heard it right an external battery pack. It is a similar concept of let's say an iPhone Official Battery Case. The magnetic points will align correctly with the Battery Pack inputs & that's how your watch would get charged on the go. But beware that's going to add some unnecessary bulk to your wrist. Though Additionally, the external Battery pack would be a great travel companion.


               So with all that, Asus has done a great job regarding bringing value to the table and much more importantly focusing on the current need of Smartwatches, which is Battery life. The Asus ZenWatch 3 has been priced at €229(Euros), and it'll be available in the US and Germany starting this October. So if you ask me, Am I excited for this? The answer would probably be, Yes I'm. But hey IFA 2016 is just getting started, I'm currently tuned in for much more information on that, and you can follow us on our social media channels to get such in-depth analysis over newly announced products.



Also See:  Upgraded Asus Zenfone Max 2016 Review : 7 Things You Need To Know.

How Reliance JIO Preview Welcome Offer Helped My Friend Choose A Smartphone.

             About a Month ago, Me & My friend went to a local shop to buy a new smartphone, which was primarily for that friend. He had approached me before the purchase of a new device, So I suggested him a couple of devices such as Le 2, Redmi Note 3 and Redmi 3S Prime. Initially, he was confused a lot, but he went along with a Samsung Galaxy A5 possibly because of a Telecom Operator offer. Yes, you guessed it correctly, Reliance JIO which currently is the hottest topic in Indian Market. So, later on, he didn't even care to listen to my thoughts on any device later on, After getting convinced from the store person after hearing about Samsung JIO-Preview offer. My friendship was at stake due to Reliance JIO preview offer, No offense. He still was worried about this might not be the truly unlimited thing which most companies offer. But eventually, I pulled on the topic, and he was ready to buy Samsung Galaxy A5 neither for the specs, nor due to his budget concern, But due to the single - Jio Preview bundled offer.

How Reliance JIO Preview Welcome Offer Helped My Friend Choose A Smartphone.

             Later in the month after using that device having the unlimited internet connection experience, He was very much pleased that he still touts his internet speeds among our friend's circle. Interestingly he got his JIO SIM card activated within 2 days after submitting fee documents which included an Aadhar card, PAN card, and a single passport size photograph. He was very much surprised by this, as many of his friends were able to get those JIO sims, but those weren't activated this early. So now enjoying the superfast LTE speeds on a daily basis is how he passes his day. One thing for sure is that once you started using 4G speeds, You can't live without it. 3G feels like nothing, whereas I've no words for the nationally famous "2G." Apart from the speeds he's greatly enjoying the initial suite of JIO apps which comes preinstalled with JIO preview offer. JIO Music, JIO TV, JIO Cinema and other ten apps by JIO are fantastic, and the great thing about those are that everything is free, No strings attached.

            Just today in the commercial launch of JIO, Mukesh Ambani has stated that these complimentary services cost about Rs. 15000 which are offered free until 31st Dec 2017. He was very much pleased by the unlimited calls thing as he could call his loved ones and never worry about a penny. Turning on the hotspot and being a known guy in his college is his no.1 priority. I guess after Pokemon; Reliance JIO is a good way to make Friends by only turning on the hotspot. You don't need to worry about your balance until three initial months of the Complimentary offer, which has been renamed as Welcome offer providing unlimited access until 31st Dec 2016. Even though sometimes he points out that there are call drop issues and Network coverage in not great indoor, But Having an extra edge of an unlimited stamp makes him happy. Since the system is still in its beta phase regarding Network coverage, we can witness some call drops initially. But those things are mostly due to the competitors blocking the signal reception from JIO networks. So passing all that he's very happy to own a JIO sim and looks forward to the tariff plans in future. Though today was the day when everything was cramped in a nutshell and JIO was announced commercially across India. A full detailed coverage of everything related to today's announcements would be live soon on our blog so stay tuned.


This is a Sponsored Post

Also See: How To Get Freedom 251 Phone Free [FAQ's].

9 Things To Know About Ringing Bells “Loyalty Cards Programme,” & How To Get Freedom 251 Phone Free [FAQ's].

         
                Ringing bells, A company that resonated the tag: World's Cheapest Smartphone, actually worldwide. A company that created chaos within customers and more importantly the Media residing in India. If you're new to this, Let me give you a flashback. So they had launched a smartphone called "Freedom 251" which was available for Rs.251 (Nearly 4$). Later on, There were lots of controversies revolving around the same fact - Is it Real? Well, the customers here in India are still wondering that perpetually, But since we have a Freedom 251 unit at our home, We are stating it's real. In fact, we've also made an unboxing video of the same final retail version, which will be sent soon to the masses. But it nearly took the company long enough to get the actual unit out to the public, which they had stated earlier. Recently they again splashed in news by bringing few affordable Television Sets & Smartphones to the Indian market under the same concept of Freedom 251. Even after getting such a negative response by few media folks, they're still up and running, which is exciting to see. It's hard to believe that the company has made One year officially in Indian Market, So the celebrate that, Ringing Bells has come up with Loyalty Cards programme. So following is how One can easily get themselves a Freedom 251 smartphone for free by just buying a loyalty card. Let's find out more about this in Detail.
 

 

Ringing Bells launches Loyalty Cards Programme & How to get a Freedom 251 Phone for free.

                  So the Loyalty cards are comprised of three types - Silver, Gold & Platinum. The Silver loyalty card costs just Rs.500, The Gold one is available for Rs.1000 & Whereas the Platinum one would be available for Rs.2000 only. You can buy these loyalty cards from Ringing Bells's official website. Every loyalty card you use to buy their products will gift you a free Freedom 251 Smartphone. On top of that spending, the Loyalty card amount itself offers discounts varying on the products.

FAQ's Regarding Loyalty Cards & How to avail a Freedom 251 Smartphone for free:

1. Would buying the card get me a Freedom 251 for free OR Do I need purchase something from Ringing Bells website to avail the Freedom 251 gift offer?

• Ans:  After buying the card from Ringing Bells's website, You need to purchase a product from their Website, which could be a Smartphone, Powerbank or any TV set. Just to make it clear they have Smartphones starting from Rs. 699, Powerbanks starting from Rs.399, lastly TV's starting from Rs.9900 only.

For Eg: let's say you buy a Powerbank with a Rs.500 loyalty card, You get a Powerbank & now you're eligible for the free, Freedom 251 offer. So that's how you will get a Rs.399 Powerbank & a Freedom 251 smartphone for free, which will be delivered later on starting this December 2016.

2. Hey, previously I had signed up for the Freedom 251 sale, haven't got it yet. Why should I believe that I would get one now by doing this?

• Ans: See we don't know about the previous sale, But Ringing Bells has confirmed us that they've sold approx 70,000 of Freedom 251 units. Whereas the rest would get, their units starting from Early December 2016. So you can be assured as the company has confirmed that.

3. So I just need to buy any loyalty card and use that Same Card to purchase any product listed on Ringing Bells website, That's it to get the Freedom 251 smartphone, Right?

• Ans: Yes, That's how initially you can avail yourself a new Freedom 251 for free without any signup or sale. Also every purchase you make via these cards, gets you a free Freedom 251 smartphone per Loyalty card & you also receive a 5/10/15% discount depending upon your order/product bought, as an icing on the top of the cake.

4. Let's say if I buy a card, would this offer available for the same day itself?

• Ans: Well nope, Once you've bought the Loyalty Card, It is eligible for One year. Yes, purchase the card now and use it anytime within a One Year timeframe.

5. How many Freedom 251 Smartphones can I get for free from a single Loyalty Card?

• Ans: Alright so it goes like this, The Silver(Rs.500) & The Gold(Rs.1000) cards would give you only a single Freedom 251 smartphone. Whereas with Platinum Card(Rs.2000), you're eligible for Two Freedom 251 Smartphones.

6. Alright, I'm convinced, Tell me how to get the Loyalty Card and what's the process after that?

• Ans: So to buy these Loyalty Cards, You need to signup at Ringing Bells's website on 1st September at 12 PM. So on the date and time mentioned above, Go to their Website and complete the Loyalty card registration process. Once you've successfully registered, You should receive a 16 digit number generated online, which is needed to be saved for future references. So the Same Physical card will be sent to you via courier delivery, and the buying process will be similar to that of the Debit/Credit card shopping we do online. So I'm assuming you would get the Physical Loyalty Card with a PIN code for safety purposes, or the PIN would be emailed. So technically you can avail the Freedom 251 offer, Once the card is received via Courier Delivery.

• The Loyalty Card will have your Name & a Unique 16 Digit Membership ID number engraved on it. So get ready for some action on 1st Sept 2016, because it's going to be hot.

7.) Let's say I completed the above process and received the Loyalty Card delivered to my address. Whereas I make a purchase at that same day, Will I get the Freedom 251 smartphone?

• Ans: Well partially Yes, I had a talk with a concerned person, and they've confirmed that the Freedom 251 delivery will be out in December, and you can be assured of it.

8.) Here, take my money. Why all that Drama?

• Ans: Well, In my opinion, every company tries to do marketing to the next level, Trying different aspects to come up with something much more attractive & also giving critics a subject to talk. Well, I guess the answer to this might be Marketing. Whereas this might also streamline the booking process of the Freedom 251 smartphone too, As previously there were site issues due to loads of traffic nationwide.

9.) What would be the Mode of Payment for buying the Loyalty Cards?

• Ans: Since they had started Cash on Delivery options for Freedom 251 sale on the 2nd day of the registration process, It seems there might be an Option Available for C.O.D on 1st September 2016. Whereas other payment options would also be available, just like we've witnessed earlier.

                Stating the details about their loyalty program, the Spokesperson added, "We have completed one year in the market & have so far delivered more than four lakh units including almost 70,000 units of ‘Freedom 251’ smartphones. The response to our products has been good & hence we have come up with this ‘Loyalty Programme’ to celebrate our anniversary & give more respect to our valued Customer."

                So it'll be interesting to see how this ends on 1st Sept 2016. Will the company nail it Or Would they receive a critic treatment on the Loyalty Card Sale(link) itself? Only time can let us know. In the meantime, We would soon come up with a detailed review of the Freedom 251 Smartphone, So make sure to comment on this video if you've any queries in specific. Lastly, make sure you are all set on 1st September at 1 PM to opt into Loyalty Cards Sale. I would suggest you to be online, 10-15mins prior the sale, just in case. Apart from that If you've any other queries, you can call Ringing Bells here: 000-800-100-4446 (toll-free) Or Directly comment down below, so that I can get that sorted out for you as soon as possible. Whereas make sure you share this with your friends and family Because this is the easiest way to grab a Freedom 251 Smartphone for free.




Also See:  Freedom 251 : Everything You Need to Know About Booking It Online
Freedom 251 Mobile: Everything You Need To Know About The Controversies.

Brainwavz M1 Review: Slippery Design, Good output.

               A couple of weeks ago, Brainwavz launched their newest set of mid-range earphones, the Brainwavz M1. These are a strikingly similar pair of headphones compared to the M5 IEM earphones that we have earlier reviewed. There's no tag of Noise Isolating earphones anywhere on the box like most Brainwavz products do, But I guess the term IEM(In Ear Monitoring), speaks out itself. We have used these earphones for about a week and here is our what we think about the Brainwavz M1 & it's complete review. So let's dive deep.

Brainwavz M1 Review: Slippery Design, Good output.

Brainwavz M1 Specifications -

• It comes with 10.7 mm Dynamic drivers on board with an impedance rating 32 Ω.
• The M1's have a frequency range varying from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
• Sensitivity mentioned on the box is 110 dB at One mW output.
• It runs on 10mW input power.
• The cable is about 1.3 m long and has a Y-cord integrated with a 3.5mm silver plated audio connector. The cable is termed as oxygen-free cable, and it does sit properly in that term as the flick to deform gesture brings the cable back to its form untangling any tangles. Good Job, Brainwavz.

Design & Ergonomics:

              The Earphones comprises a built which is a mixture of Steel and Soft touch plastic almost giving it a slippery polished feel. Although the plastic molds connected to the steel mount are a fingerprint magnet and after using it for about a week, I've observed that removing it when plugged into ears is quite a task. Since the slippery feel and the triangle shape is hard to grab and I almost find myself grabbing the cable end of the central unit to unplug it from my ears. Going down there is a Y cord connection which then extends out to the 3.5 mm audio connector plug. There is no microphone or a play/pause switch on these earphones, Which is a sad thing. But in my opinion, That is a good touch as it makes the earphones light, As I always reach out to my phone when I receive a call while hearing music through my earphones. I feel that is reasonable for anyone, rather than find ways to speak in that wonky direction, getting caught up in cables, We've been there right?.

               Next thing which I've observed is that the cables termed as Oxygen Free cables, Do an excellent job of untangling themselves with just a flick. At least that's how it's been going with me for about a week. Apart from that as an extra touch, Brainwavz has dropped sound outlets which I suppose do the job of airflow when plugged in & it also works as an alternative to finding the Right & Left earpiece unit.


Audio Quality:

              Alright so now moving towards how the Brianwavz M1 earphones sound, So the word balanced would be enough to justify itself. The Bass is on the mid-range side, and the vocals observed are pretty profound and clean. Of course, you can play with different set of equalizers to tweak the output, though the result is going to be the same, which is crisp concerning the vocals in my opinion. Apart from the vocals when you switch to different genres, you will observe a sudden change in the highs and the mids of the music played in the background. For example, the rock concerts kind of music would be appealing to hear, but if we turn the tables to more of an EDM(Bass heavy) side, the mushiness gets observed. I often find myself turning off the bass by tweaking the equalizers & turning up the volume to listen to vocals because that's where the beauty of this earphones lays. Electronica set of music seems high, unless and until there aren't any vocals involved. These earphones would make a good pair of sets for those who are more into traditional audio listening. Since that's where the most vocals are observed, during the music listening experience. Whereas it will also be a delight for different genre lovers that doesn't have a mix of both vocals and music.

             Comply tips provided with the box provide a good bass experience in my opinion, and they're a must have thing while traveling to soak in that much-needed refresh of a bass boost. I think Brianwavz has done a good job with M1's creating a distinctive pattern of both worlds, the Highs, and the lows. The only thing where it lacks is in that combination output which gets mumbled at times, according to my thoughts & Usage.


Add-Ons & Warranty Info:

           So the Brianwavz M1 comes along with a nice hard shell box which accompanies a total of Six Different sets of extra Silicone Eartips. Cramped in all the standard shapes and sizes, There's also One set of Comply Eartips included as a separate pack inside that box and lastly, we have got the warranty card nicely placed inside one of the compartments inside the box. The Brianwavz M1 comes with 12 months(1 Year) of warranty out of the box. 2 Years of Warranty according to Flipkart & Amazon.

[Also Read: Brainwavz BLU-200 Bluetooth Earphones Review]

Brainwavz M1 Review, final thoughts -

           So speaking about the Design it's gets passed, then the Built & Audio experience also stands up high, Whereas, on top of that, the extra tips and the hard shell box is a piece of cake. So overall it's a tiny little set of earphones which pretty much ticks all the boxes that I look into a decent package considering an earphone. But when the price factor comes into the picture, All those points get a caveating fact. The Brianwavz M1 is priced at Rs. 2999 & I feel that its a bit on the price heavy side, Considering it doesn't even have a microphone. So it's a pragmatic choice when it comes to buying the Brianwavz M1, I mean there are several other earphones which are priced way below these earphones and provide almost the same audio quality. But the lightweight form factor & the tangle free design is what you would miss in those cheaper headsets. If you've any queries in peculiar to these earphones, do let me know in the comments below.

Links to buy:  The Brianwavz M1 would be available on Flipkart, Amazon & their website itself.




Also See:  Brainwavz S0 IEM Earphones Review

UCWeb launches a refreshed New UC Browser with Colors Partnership & We-Media.

              About two months ago, Alibaba's UCWeb had debuted their official event in India explaining their next big bet and launching a news segregating platform to the masses. UC News was launched as a platform to help create opportunities for Individual Bloggers & Media to help them expand their work in the hands of the millions. Today after exact two months, UCWeb has few more updates to announce on their recently announced products, So let's dive deep and know everything in detail. To have a basic birds eye view, UCWeb today launched their new UC Browser with the new updated Logo and announced their partnership with Colors entertainment.

The New Updated UC Browser App:

              UC Browser - An app loved by the Users, hated by the Media. Why does Media hate it? Well certainly because it blocks the entire ads/Revenue part, that an influencer earns via the clicks his readers make on his blog. Well, Folks at UCWeb say that's the reason why they made UC News, where Influencers would get a chance to monetize their blogs via UC's content curation platform. But is that any Good regarding an Average Blogger? Probably not, because ads are the primary reason, how a website owner earns. That was also reflected in today's event, As many media people didn't turn up at the event. Since UCWeb has their plans to lock up users under their ecosystem leveraging today's needs, which is getting information on your fingertips, It's working.

              So the new Updated UC Browser has a new Logo at first glance, Which now has a Deer logo instead of the previous squirrel one. Then we have got the UC news mashed up inside the UC Browser itself, which provides your selected news feeds based on your preferences. So let's say you're using the UC browser app, You don't need to juggle constantly between UC News and Browser, As the relevant info would be displayed on the home screen of the browser. Once you select your preferred niche, Relevant info should be posted to you based on your search results. That again is available in English, Hindi and would soon be available in Tamil & followed by other regional languages over time. Over 80 million people prefer to use this app monthly for their basic surfing needs, More specifically because of the faster internet access capable on lower bandwidth due to UC's superior data compression techniques. Today marks the day where, UC Browser stands as the No. 1 independent browser in India & Indonesia, Whereas it ranks in world’s top 3 mobile browsers, claimed by StatCounter.

               Design wise UCWeb have made it easy to access and make it look simple concerning usability. It features a clean UI with easy to navigate gestures to switch directly from browser to news section. Also, we're already familiar about the Night Mode situated within the new app.

         Commenting on the launch, Jack Huang, President - Overseas Business, Alibaba Mobile Business Group quoted, “Our new milestone of reaching 420 million Monthly active users has placed us on par with Twitter & Instagram. Our vision in the coming years after success in India is to serve half the population of this planet. Our strategy is to focus on "Glocalization" - which is going global by offering localized solutions in each market. We believe this approach will lead us to a new digital era, which is GUF – Google, UCWeb, and Facebook.”

             The folks at UCWeb also announced their content partnership with Colors TV pushing the boundaries of Digital Media. According to a detailed survey of focused keywords, they have jumped on to this conclusion to partner with Colors TV. Due to this partnership, Any user is eligible to watch four specific shows of Colors, i.e.; Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Big Boss, 24,  & Comedy Nights Live. Expect some high pop-ups regarding the reminders for these shows. Manish Paul who hosted today's event will also helped UCWeb spread their word via his own exclusive UC blog. Here you have got the privilege to get behind the scenes info from Manish Paul, and the 24 TV series game would soon be launched on 9Apps.

        Raj Nayak, CEO of Colors TV also shared his thoughts on the event as, “Alliances are not just for visibility. Sometimes it is about ensuring the best user experience for consumers & enhanced the viewer experience. At COLORS, we have always believed in conducting business that meets our customer’s needs. Today, our viewers are mostly mobile owing to which we can draw synergies with a modern mobile browser like UC Browser, thereby making our content appealing to audiences regardless of the type of screen they’re using. With content on-the-go becoming a lucrative option for today’s viewers, associating with a brand like UC Browser, for shows including Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Comedy Nights Live, Bigg Boss 10 & 24: Season 2, allows us to explore different promotional strategies that make it a beneficial proposition for us.”

UCWeb's new We-Media program:

              It is yet another content curation platform but this time, you can contribute your articles here, It doesn't mean that, to be a part of this you need to be an influencer or some celebrity. UCWeb themselves have hired Manish Paul, Chetan Bhagat, Lauren Gottlieb & many more people. More details on how to apply would soon be shared here, so stay tuned.

So what are your thoughts about this? Are the services launched/refreshed any Good? Are you an active user of UC Web? Let us know in the comments below.

Also See:  UCWeb launches UC News & Upgraded UC Browser

Huawei P9 Initial Impressions - Understanding The Leica Lens System.

               About three days back, Huawei triggered their mission to revamp the smartphone photography game here in India taking everything to the next level. The company launched their latest flagship device, the Huawei P9 - Formerly and Currently marketed as a Camera-centric device. The most seemingly defined attraction about this device is the arrangement of the two camera sensors placed side by side on the rear mount; the 1st lens takes care of the RGB lighting whereas the 2nd Lens focuses on the monochrome conditions. Then via their photo stitching technique, Huawei P9 manages to get one of the best shots that I've seen in person, period. I got a chance to play with this device before a day at the event while watching a few subtle shots produced in low lighting conditions left me in awe. The Dual Cameras are powered by the Leica Camera AG, One of the most known brands when it comes to photography. So with this setup and all of its software tweaks, Huawei has bundled a lot for a price of about Rs. 39,999. Would such a pricing hold up to an Indian Consumer's or an Avid Photographer's thoughts to replace or mimic the task of a Digital SLR? Let's find that out in my initial impressions of the Huawei P9

Huawei P9 Initial Impressions:

Huawei P9 Specs -

• It comes with the new Kirin 955 chipset, which composes of 4 Cortex A72 cores clocked at 2.5GHz & 4 Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.8GHz all under a 16 nm chipset, Possibly the most noticing factor of Kirin chipsets.
• It houses the new Mali T880 GPU to fulfill your constant gaming desire coupled with 3GB RAM.
• It has a 5.2 inch HD(1920x1080) IPS LCD display which gives a pixel density of 423ppi with 72.9% screen to body ratio.
• It comes with 32GB of Internal storage in India; As the 64GB variant has been ditched. Whereas the external expansion is available up to 256GB via a microSD Memory card slot.
• It's comprised of Dual 12 MP rear camera setup both of which have Leica lens, which we will talk below. Whereas the front camera is an 8MP shooter, which is capable of 1080p videos at 30fps.
• It has a 3000mAh non-removable battery, One of the most disappointing factors of this device.
• It weighs about 144gms and dimensions wise it goes like 145 x 70.9 x 7 mm.
• It supports Dual Sim Connectivity, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac & dual-band WiFi, A-GPS & NFC connection.
• The Huawei P9 also comes with a USB type-C connector & the usual Fingerprint, which have been termed as the new standard here in late 2016.
• It runs on Emotion 4.1 UI built on top of Android 6.0 Marshmallow, and Soon it might be upgraded to Android Nougat, but there's no official word on that. Since its Huawei's, the most flagship device, Expect the update soon enough.
• Lastly, the device is available in Prestige Gold, Titanium Grey, Mystic Silver color variations.

Huawei P9 - Understanding The Leica Lens System.

             So initially talking about the specs we have a dual 12MP Leica lens setup at the rear side of the Huawei P9. Both Camera sensors have been equipped with PDAF & Dual tone LED Flash, whereas we have F/2.2 aperture available on both the lenses which helps in producing a picture with 1.25 µm pixel size. The Rear Camera is capable of 1080p HD video at both 60FPS & 30FPS, accompanying it is the 720p HD footage shot at 120FPS creating the so-called Slo-Mo video. Considering the camera specs itself, One will jump onto the conclusion of asking why 4K video recording is not possible? Well, I'm not a technical person to answer that, But the thing that strikes my mind is, Is there a need for 4K recording in India? Most probably you're going to record the video and playback it on your phone itself Since most PC's at your home won't be able to play back that format. Am I correct? Then to my guess 4K is just streamlined to spec sheet. Well, we're here to talk about the Photos, so let's begin.

            Luckily enough I got a chance to play with the device a day before at the event via a friend of mine. Looking at the shots clicked from the Huawei P9 immediately had me scrolling through his entire photo gallery. The photos snapped by him in the dark were crisp with absolute no noise, to be honest. Saturation levels were impressive, and the camera lens was doing a job when it came to exposure tweaking in low lighting conditions. I remember snapping a photo with Huawei P9 and Oneplus 3; Results were amazing Huawei P9 managed to beat the Oneplus 3 easily, Possibly the reason I was most impressed was the less noise production in the photos taken out of the Huawei P9. Huawei has done a major job in smartphone photography partnering with Leica, and This could be the next distinguishing factor in smartphones coming up in late 2016 as we've seen with the leaks of iPhone 7, recently announced Cool 1 (LeEco + Coolpad) where the dual rear camera setup has been implemented.



So why the Dual Lens setup at the Rear end?
 
             The two rear cameras perform the job of producing two different photos which are immediately stitched as soon as you take a picture. The 1st Lens takes care of the RGB Lights, whereas the 2nd Lens takes care of the Monochrome lighting, which is the reason why we can observe deeper blacks and considerably less noise. Then via software stitching, Huawei P9 manages to get a detailed, vivid shot and it feels as if the photo was refined in post production possibly via Photoshop since RAW format is available here. Just imagine the kind of pictures that could be created with a .raw format. The camera even supports three modes viz. Standard, Vivid Colors and Smooth Colors modes.

             The heart and soul of the Dual Lens setup is the hybrid autofocus technology which has been thoughtfully implemented. The Hybrid Autofocus system consists of three things: Laser assistance, Depth calculation & Contrast. The contrast part falls in the second sensor I suppose since the 2nd Leica lens focuses on monochrome shots. So this is how the technique to take much better shots has been thoughtfully engineered and its implementation is reflected via the mainstream media. Whereas there is a manual mode added in the default camera app to get the most needed shot to match your photography skills. Remember the dual camera setup on HTC One M8 that had a bokeh mode, the varying depth of field? Yes, that too has been added here.

Huawei P9 - Apart from the Camera.

              It has a 2.5D Glass display which is followed by the Aerospace class aluminum built. Design wise the phone feels pretty much like any other device out in the wild according to today's standards. The only concerning factor is the 3000mAh battery, which I can't say about yet. But I'm pretty sure it's not going to last long enough with the 2 Camera Len's consistently used, So it's skeptical. Rest everything seems fine, I can't say that much since I haven't played with the device more. Though it's highly likely that this device could flat out stand in first place when compared with camera centric devices such as Zenfone Zoom or even the Nokia Lumia 1020, & it would've had a tough time beating Nokia Mclaren if that thing was ever released. Mr. Peter Zhai, President of Huawei India, commented that they're bringing the VIP services in India which includes 1-year warranty, three months accidental damage warranty (Only Screen), free Pick up and Drop facility to know more click here

            He added, “Huawei is known for many firsts, We introduced the first ever Android smartphone of the world in India in 2011 & the launch of P9 is another feather in our cap. We are excited to give our valued customers the best smartphone photography experience by leveraging the unique capabilities of Leica, the leader in the world of imaging for more than 100 years. We feel photography is a critical element in user experience in a smartphone & Huawei P9 users can now capture images with unmatched clarity, richness, & authenticity, with a masterfully designed & powerful smartphone that looks, feels & performs exceptionally.”


             Although a thing that always bugs me about several Chinese brands is direct comparison with Apple Products, One Word - Why?. Chinese Brands - You're here to provide products at a pocket-friendly tag, Then why to compare Apple's older devices with your upcoming devices? Does that make any sense? Do you guys ever mention that you copy their design, Every move Apple makes is replicated in some way or the other? Just for your reference, Apple puts only 2GB of RAM on a Dual core/Quad core processor, and still their devices beat every other "4GB or 6GB" RAM Android Phone running an Octacore or a Decacore processor. The World doesn't run on Specifications, It runs on Optimizations. I'm not any Apple Fanboy, and Neither am I paid for posting any of this. But watching this Apple comparison in every other launch event bugs me big time, Don't you guys have confidence in your devices? This is possibly the same thing with every other Chinese Brand out there.

Huawei P9 Initial Impressions: Final Thoughts

             The Huawei P9 seems like a solid device for the photo fanatic audience which prefers to carry a pocket size DSLR, In my opinion of two days of usage which is roughly 5-6 hours with the device. Road warriors won't prefer this device due to the 3000mAh battery. But for an average buyer, it would be a tough choice considering the price. Huawei P9 is priced at Rs. 39,999. It may sound obscure but Yes, the pricing seems fine according to me watching the performance of the camera. These guys are implementing instead of stating like other brands when it comes to Camera performance. I wouldn't hesitate a bit to recommend this device to an Avid Smartphone Photographer or a professional photographer. They would inevitably create heaven out of it with the RAW format available. The Huawei P9 is available exclusively on Flipkart and would be available offline as well in all retails stores soon enough. What are your thoughts about the new Huawei P9, Do you think the pricing is appropriate? Let me know in the comments below.