Posts made by Nandan Jha

Xiaomi Smarter Living Event 2020 has got many new surprises including the much-awaited Mi Smart Band 5 and IoT products. Let’s explore Mi Smart Band 5 in detail.

The Mi Smart Band 5 sports a 1.1-inch (20% larger than Mi Band 4) AMOLED colour display with a brightness level of 450 nits. Though it comes with the black strap as the standard, one can purchase Teal, Purple, Navy Blue, and Orange strap colours too.

Mi Smart Band 5 Gets Magnetic Charging:

Moving out from the traditional charging method, the new Mi Smart Band 5 has got a magnetic charging feature where one can charge the fitness band without removing the strap.

The battery life in power-saving mode goes up to 21 days, or else 14 days in a normal mode.

Auto Detection of 11 Professional Sports:

The big update with Mi Smart Band 5 is auto-detection of 11 professional sports including yoga, jump rope, rowing machine etc. The earlier version was limited to 6 workout modes.

By tracking all workouts, the smart band allots PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) points based on the personal profile, heart rate, and fitness level.

Equipped with Women’s Health Tracking:

Women’s Health Tracking seems to be a good feature as it records ovulation phases of women and reminds the menstrual cycle. This benefit could be a big USP to try Mi Smart Band 5.

As usual, the new Mi fitness band 5 monitors 24-hours sleep activity. The company boasts that the band’s accuracy has improved by 40%. At the same time, it works on 24-hour continuous heart rate monitoring.

Apart from monitoring the stress level and breathing exercises, it boasts to give suggestions for recovering from stress. One can even track their fitness data on My Fit App that works on both Android and iOS.

The new Mi Smart Band 5 do provide useful features like idle alerts, find my phone, do not disturb, incoming call notification etc. The 5ATM water resistance up to 50 m is a big bonus at this affordable price.

Though seems to be silly, the band allows you to customize watch faces. Starting October 1st, the new Mi Smart Band 5 will retail at 2499 on Amazon India and Mi.com and Mi Home.

Would you like to try Mi Smart Band 5 or happy with Mi Band 4? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Amazon Unveils New Fire TV Stick (Adds Low-Cost Lite Variant)

Undoubtedly, competition in the telecom sector is the key to digital India dream. However, blocking of the competitor’s website is not acceptable.

Yes, it agreed that in today’s’ business climate, every company has more competition than they did a few years ago. Due to this, the consolidation has happened in the telecom sector.

“Survival of the Fittest” in Telecom Sector:

The rock-bottom tariffs announced by the new entrant Jio has led to the hyper-intensive competition. The bigger players Vodafone India and Idea Cellular merged their networks to stay on the battlefield.

On the other hand, companies like Reliance Communications went bankrupt.

This is true as per Charles Darwinian Theory “Survival of the fittest”, the most intelligent who can best manage the change will survive whereas the weak will die out.

Thus, managing or smart work is the new mantra of the business. For the same, it looks Bharti Airtel is well managing the telecom business by adhering unethical practice.

Airtel Fiber Blocks Jio Website:

It sounds strange but really shocking! The Bharti Airtel Xstream Fiber network is blocking Jio.com website. One can’t access the Jio website. Both the Jio mobile and Jio FTTH sections on the website are not accessible.

That means if you want to recharge your Jio SIM on its website, it’s not possible. Similarly, one can’t access JioFiber plans. The core idea is to block the user.

An average user might look at the Jio.com website and find it as DOWN. Whenever the user browses Jio.com, the browser displays “Hmmm… can’t reach this page”. The www.Jio.com’s server IP address could not be found.

VPN Unblocks Jio.com Website:

However, a technical person can still access it through a VPN. The Virtual Private Network allows access to blocked sites.

If you happen to test the Jio.com website through one of the best VPN services (including NordVPN, Express VPN, Surfshark etc), the Jio.com website would be alive.

What does it Indicate?

Due to the competitive nature of the market, telecom operators like Bharti Airtel are indulging into unhealthy and unethical practices. The rise of a duopoly in the Indian telecom sector seems to be inevitable.

Instead, the companies should look at innovation. Hope the regulatory bodies including Telecom Regulatory of India (TRAI), Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and Competition Commission of India will look in it.

Would you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: JioFiber Launches New Tariff Plans (With 30-Day Free Trial)

Soon after the U.S. Court issued a temporary stay against the decision to ban WeChat, another US District Judge blocked the decision.

As per the new order, both the Chinese Apps got a reprieve. Till then, Google and Apple will continue to have these apps on their store. It seems the Trump administration has already filed a suit to stay an injunction blocking the ban.

TikTok Puts Deal With Oracle, Walmart in Beijing’s Hands:

With the tensions between the US and China are at the peak, the Trump administration wants to consolidate the things by forcing the sale of the short-video service TikTok to Oracle Corp and Walmart Inc.

The U.S. has been saying that WeChat is a threat as the Tencent-owned app track users and steal their data. Don’t know how the Chinese Communist Party is going to react.

How to Keep in Touch with Chinese?

Earlier, the Chinese American community claimed that WeChat is a lifeline connecting them to family and friends in China. And with the American restrictions, the person reported “It’s really sad. I’ll be completely cut-off.

Interestingly, both Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are banned in China. That’s the reason, WeChat is considered to be the primary app for Chinese speakers in the US to socialize.

Currently, WeChat has about 19 million active users in the US alone. Here, the Indian Government unilaterally banned the Chinese apps citing the protecting sovereignty of the nation as the reason.

For a fact, Trump has been taking an anti-China stand. He repeatedly refers to novel coronavirus as China-virus and China Flu.

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Govt Bans TikTok. Full List of 59 China-Linked Apps on Security Concern

In a power-packed event, the Amazon threw many surprises by announcing the redesigning of Fire TV experience. As a part of it, the company launched Fire TV stick and a lower-cost Fire TV Stick Lite.

Fire TV now gets video calling support. Through Zoom one can have a video chat over the Fire TV. By enabling video chat, Amazon has developed Fire TV as a communication device. Just by calling Alexa, the user can have 2-way video calling experience with Fire TV.

Fire TV Stick with 4K and Dolby Atmos Support:

Coming back to the Fire TV Stick, it is one of Amazon’s best-sellers. That’s the reason, Amazon has upgraded its processor to support 4K and Dolby Atmos functionality.

The new Fire TV Stick has got 50% more faster quad-core CPU and GPU. Apart from the upgraded processor, Fire TV Stick has got new dual-band and dual-antenna for stable connectivity.

Fire TV Stick Lite Costs $30:

On the other hand, the Fire TV Stick Lite now comes with the Alexa Voice Remote Lite. There are minor differences as it retains most of the functions. The omission of volume and mute buttons (to control AV and TV) makes it $10 cheaper.

In short, the Fire TV Stick 4K model costs $50 whereas the standard Fire TV Stick costs $40. The Lite version is priced at $30.

As a BIG surprise, Amazon launched its own cloud gaming service titled Luna. Though it has got many similarities from Google Stadia, it’s still not open to everyone. Currently, it can be accessed only through invitation and priced at $6 per month.

If its availability is limited in the US then it’s a long road for an Indian launch.

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Gets Dolby Vision and HDR 10+ Support at ₹5999

As per the latest data revealed by TRAI, the Reliance Jio has surpassed its rivals by increasing its subscriber base to 397 million. The total number of active wireless subscribers in June 2020 was reported as 958 million.

Though this is an old data (TRAI June Report), the COVID-19 unlock guidelines has helped the telecom companies to gather some oil. Despite the easing of restrictions, the telecom companies failed to attract new subscriber base.

Reliance Jio is the Front Runner in Wireless Segment:

Except for Reliance Jio, all the telecom companies registered negative growth. Reliance Jio has seen a 1.15% monthly growth rate of wireless subscribers in the month of June 2020.

On the other hand, industry heavyweights Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea registered a negative growth of (-)0.36% and (-)1.56% respectively. Similarly, both the Public Sector Units, BSNL and MTNL fared badly reflecting (-)1.45% and (-)0.11% respectively.

The month of June has got 5.83 million requests for Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The data also summed up a total of 497.04 million subscribers since the implementation of MNP.

The data also revealed that 89.33% of the wireless subscriber’s are with private service providers. The remaining 10.67% share is being served by PSUs (BSNL and MTNL).

Reliance Jio tops the list with 34.82% market share, followed by Bharti Airtel (27.76%), Vi (26.75%), BSNL (10.37%), and MTNL (0.29%).

BSNL is the Market Leader in Wireline Segment:

In case of wireline subscribers, BSNL leads the market share with 41.27%, followed by Bharti Airtel (21.57%), MTNL (15.58%), Tata Tele (8.71%), and Reliance Jio (7.35%).

Overall, the PSU’s enjoy a 56.87% market share in the wireline segment.

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: BSNL Prepaid Recharge Plans for Validity Extension (Updated 2020)

The Lenovo-owned Motorola Mobility has launched the all-new Moto E7 Plus in the Indian market. The Flipkart exclusive will go on sale from September 30th at a price of ₹9,499.

Sporting a dual-camera setup and me-too looks of Moto G9, this has got a dewdrop notch at the top. Leaving the SIM tray, all the buttons on the Moto E7 Plus are on the right side.

Moto E7 Plus Specifications:

The new E series handset sports a 6.5-inch display with HD+ resolution (720 x 1600 pixels resolution) and 20:9 aspect ratio. Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 chipset, Adreno 610 GPU and 4GB RAM, the handset has inbuilt 64GB space.

The Hybrid SIM slot limits the internal space to 64GB or else one can upgrade it up to 512GB using microSD card. On the battery front, 5000mAh battery unit (with 10W charger) makes it truly dependable.

Even after 10 hours of continuous video streaming, the battery didn’t drop to 50%.

Also Read: Poco M2 with Helio G80 & 6GB RAM Priced at ₹10999 (Flipkart Exclusive)

Motorola Boasts Ultimate Camera Experience:

The Moto E7 Plus has got dual-camera set up at the back. The 48mp primary shooter (f/1.7 aperture) and 2mp depth sensor are worth testing. For selfies, you get an 8mp camera.

Though it can’t compete with camera-centric handsets, Moto E7 Plus optics are decent enough. The fingerprint sensor at the back is responsive.

Considering the price factor, Motorola has ditched the stock android. But still, Motorola’s MyUX on Android 10 provides a clean experience. However, I didn’t expect the Facebook app to be preinstalled.

What’s Your Opinion?

The Navy-Blue colour (the other being Amber Bronze) looks astonishing giving a premium feel. While coming to the alternatives, one could anytime go with Redmi 9 Prime.

The sub 10K budget segment has got many handsets, and the companies should properly target their products. A mere change in the processor of Moto G9 will solve the purpose.

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Dual SIM Nokia C3 Comes with 1-Yr Replacement Warranty (Just ₹7499)

HMD Global is again in the news by launching an entry-level smartphone in the Indian market. Termed as the budget smartphone, the new Nokia C3 comes with a 5.99-inch display.

Starting September 17th, the handset will be available for sale in 2 colour options - Nordic Blue and Sand Gold. One can grab this budget handset at any retail store across India.

Prices at just ₹7499, this is purely a made-in-India handset. The USP of Nokia C3 is that it comes with a 1-year replacement warranty. Moreover, it runs stock Android 10 operating system (OS) out of the box.

Have you ever seen sub-10K smartphones offering a clean and stock Android OS?

Nokia C3 Specifications:

Regarding specifications, Nokia C3 sports a 5.99-inch HD+ display with 720 x 1440 pixel (269 ppi density). Powered by a Qualcomm octa-core Unisoc SC9863A processor and 2GB/3GB RAM, the handset offers up to 32GB storage inbuilt expandable.

As it is equipped with a dedicated slot, one can expand the storage capacity through a microSD card.

Backed by a 3040mAh removable battery (with 5V/1A charging support), the handset boasts a talk time of 50 hours on 2G, 23 hours on 3G and 22 hours on 4G SIM.

On the optics side, Nokia C3 sports an 8mp rear camera that enables you to take decent photos and 720p video at 30fps. There’s a 5mp front camera for selfies. It also features a fingerprint scanner at the back.

As said, it’s a dual-SIM handset with Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 support, FM radio, and a micro USB port.

The two variants 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM and 3GB RAM + 32 GB ROM variant costs ₹7499 and ₹8999 respectively. Above all, the guaranteed 1-year replacement program makes Nokia C3 a go-to device under 8K budget.

Nokia C3 or Indian-made Chinese Handsets?

Though the specs can’t be compared to Chinese Redmi 9A or Realme C11, the Nokia C3 is a decent one. The UNISOC SC9863A chipset is definitely new to the Indian customers but it offers a similar performance provided by Qualcomm Snapdragon 429 SoC.

If you don’t bother about Qualcomm or UNISOC, then Nokia C3 definitely performs. Above all, you can’t go wrong with the brand Nokia and its 1-year replacement guarantee

Do you agree with my opinion? Share your thoughts.

Also Read: Reliance Jio to Roll Out Cheap 4G Smartphones (With Google Android)

Reliance Jio, India’s only VoLTE network across India, is planning to roll out lost-cost 4G smartphones in a big way. According to the Business Standard, the telecommunications company is all set to outsource 100 million handsets by the year-end.

Till now, Reliance Jio has got only 4G feature phones that run on KaiOS.

If the reports are to be believed, Jio has asked the manufacturer to build Android-centric smartphones that can bundle data packs too. Qualcomm’s recent investment of ₹730 crores in Jio platforms triggers the speculation.

Jio Pact with Google:

To those who are unaware, Google had already acquired a 7.7 per cent stake in Jio Platforms with an investment of ₹33,737 crores.

It’s to be noted that Reliance Jio has already tied up with search engine giant Google to optimize 4G and 5G smartphones for the Indian market. The announcement was already made at the 43rd Reliance AGM meeting attended by Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

This could realize the dream of developing entry-level (affordable) 4G smartphones to suit the needs of billions of Indians.

This commercial pact between Google and Reliance Jio could ultimately stop the dominance of Chinese handsets in the budget segment. If this materializes, Chinese conglomerates such as Xiaomi, Realme, OPPO, Vivo etc will definitely feel the heat.

As the Reliance Jio Infocomm’s 4G network is 5G ready, the transition from 4G to 5G is easier when compared to other telecom networks. Ultimately, Jio gets an upper hand even in the smartphone market.

Jio Phone Worldreader BookSmart App:

In another development, the global non-profit education organization Worldreader has tied up with Reliance Jio to bring children’s books to JioPhone users.

With Worldreader BookSmart app, Jio Phone users can access free children books. One can find the new app in the Education category of JioPhone’s app store. It’s a huge database of the online library including books from all niches.

Children will definitely like Worldreader BookSmart’s database that caters storybooks, folk tales, nature, science etc.

Also Read: JioFiber Launches New Tariff Plans (With 30-Day Free Trial)

Telecom companies are now trying to retain their customer base by launching attractive recharge offers. With the huge success of Reliance Jio’s 459 plan, the incumbent telecom operators are making efforts to drive customers for an extended period.

Bharti Airtel’s new ₹509 plan is a good offering to match Jio’s 459 vouchers. The Sunil Mittal-led telecom giant is trying hard to maintain its supremacy to bind the subscribers for a good period of time.

This is to inform that Airtel Prepaid Promise that offers unlimited calls and daily 1GB data for 70 days with ₹448 recharge is helping a lot by retaining the customers for a good period of 70 days. With its super success, the Bharti Airtel formulated another recharge plan that offers unlimited voice calls and daily data benefit for 84 days.

As per the new ₹509 plan, the Airtel user can enjoy unlimited voice calls (including roaming), daily 1GB data, 100 SMS (including roaming) with a validity of 84 days. Irrespective of your telecom circle, one can enjoy voice calls, data and SMS benefits.

Undoubtedly, this is one of the best plans introduced by Bharti Airtel.
Earlier, there used to be some terms and conditions such as daily 300 voice calls and weekly 1200 minutes limit. The subscriber is free to use these benefits irrespective of the telecom circle.

The best thing about Airtel ₹509 Plan is its open market offer. The plan is applicable to all 4G/3G/2G customers. The users can recharge the plan on Airtel’s website and myAirtel app.

Also Read: Airtel FRC 495 Offers Unlimited Combo Benefits with 70 Days Validity

In a similar development, Idea Cellular also joined the tariff war by launching ₹509 plan. It offers unlimited calls, daily 1GB data, and 100 SMS per day with 84days validity. The Idea subscribers are encouraged to avail extra 1GB data offer after the usage of the daily limit. This extra 1GB offer is limited to the recharges made through MyIdea app and official idea cellular portal.

Bharti Airtel front-runner in launching plans to compete against Reliance Jio. The Idea Cellular and Vodafone India just follows the market leader with respect to the launch of me-too plans.

Starting from the state-run BSNL to the latest Idea Cellular, every telecom operator is offering the same benefits with ₹509 plan. Then which telecom operator will you consider?

LG Electronics Inc, the South Korean multinational electronics company, launched its entry-level smartphone LG K8 in the Indian market. Though the handset was showcased much earlier, it made a late entry.

There’s nothing big to write about LG K8 smartphone. It packs the entry-level specifications but is priced on a higher scale. Though the box carries an MRP tag of ₹11,999, it will be on sale for ₹9,999 only. This has been confirmed by the tweet of Mahesh Telecom on the micro-blogging website.

For those unaware, Mahesh Telecom is a reputed telecom retailer based in Mumbai (Maharashtra) and widely popular for its aggressive pricing on mobile phones, tablets and accessories.

LG K8 Specifications:

Regarding specifications, LG K8 (X240i) sports a 5-inch HD In-Cell Touch IPS display with 720x1280 pixels (293 PPI pixel density) and 2.5D glass coating on top. Powered by a 1.4 GHz quad-core Qualcomm MSM8917 Snapdragon 425 chipset and Adreno 308, the LG K8 runs on 1.5GB RAM. It packs 16GB internal storage space and is expandable up to 32GB via microSD card slot.

Finally, the South Korean electronics giant has joined Snapdragon chipset wagon wheel for optimizing its handset performance. The LG K8 is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and 5-megapixel front snapper for selfies. It also has a fingerprint sensor at the rear side.

Connectivity wise, the LG K8 is a dual-SIM handset with 4G/3G connectivity, VoLTE, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, A-GPS, ambient light sensor, micro USB 2.0 port etc. Design wise, the LGK8 is sleek and weighs just 144 grams with 144.5 x 72.1 x 8 mm in dimensions.

Small Battery and Over-Priced:

The LG’s entry-level smartphone runs on Android 7.0 Nougat operating system. However, it is backed by a small removable 2500mAh Li-Ion battery. The company claims to offer 490 hours of standby time on 3G and up to 18 hours talk time on the 3G network.

LG has got 4 colour variants (Dark Blue, Gold, Silver and Titan) for this smartphone. Despite its good design, the LG K8 fails to incorporate better specs and will be considered as an over-priced product.

When there are better alternatives for the same price, LG Electronics should rethink its strategy.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4 Budget Smartphone Launched with Snapdragon 435 SoC for ₹6999

Coolpad Group Ltd launched its flagship smartphone Cool Play 6 in the Indian market. Claimed to be customized for Indians, the handset will be Amazon India exclusive starting September 4th. Priced at ₹14,999, Cool Play 6 comes in Gold and Black colour variants.

Dominating Budget & Mid-Budget Segment:

When the mid-budget segment is dominated by the heavyweights like Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, Lenovo K 8 Note and Moto G5 Plus, Coolpad is betting big on 6GB RAM and dual rear camera setup.

If the reports are to be believed, the new Cool Play 6 will bear Made-in-India tag as it will be indigenously manufactured at Videocon’s Aurangabad plant. The company is planning to start exclusive service centres in the next two-quarters.

Also Read: Coolpad Launches Offline Market Exclusive Note 5 Lite C at ₹7777

Coolpad Cool Play 6 Specifications:

Regarding specifications, Coolpad Cool Play 6 sports a premium metal unibody design. It looks sleek with a 5.5-inch full HD IPS LCD display, 1920x1080 pixel resolution, and 403 ppi pixel density. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon octa-core 653 processor, it is coupled with Adreno 510 GPU for graphic performance.

The 6GB RAM and 4060mAh battery can help you play a lot of games without any lag in the performance. It has 64GB internal storage space and expandable with a microSD card. The flagship smartphone runs on the latest version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat with Coolpad’s Journey UI on top.

To make the deal sweeter, Coolpad promises to release Android O 8.0 OTA update by December 2017. Connectivity wise, the Cool Play 6 supports 4G VoLTE, hybrid dual-SIM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack and USB-Type C port for charging and data transfer.

Cool Play 6 Dual Rear Camera:

The other USP of the Coolpad Cool Play 6 is its dual rear camera setup. The two 13-megapixel cameras with Sony sensors and dual-LED flash remind the depth of field effects of Huawei smartphones. It even allows the user to shoot a 4K resolution video. A remarkable feature at this low price!

On the front, there is an 8-megapixel camera with a f/2.2 aperture for selfies. Of course, you’ll have a quick unlocker in the form of a fingerprint scanner.

Like many flagship smartphones, Coolpad tried to incorporate the best features at this price segment which is a rarity.

What’s your thought on this new sensation from Coolpad? Do you think this Chinese tech giant can give a decent fight to the old horse Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 and Lenovo K 8 Note?

Also Read: Lenovo K8 Note with Dual Rear Camera Launched, Starting Price ₹12999

India’s second-largest telecom operator Vodafone India joined unlimited voice calling bandwagon with 1GB data per day offering. The incumbent telecom companies are facing the heat of Reliance Jio and coming up with bundle offers.

As per the new plan, Vodafone India would provide 1GB per day mobile data along with unlimited voice calls for a period of 28 days. The USP of the data pack is it’s not just limited to 4G handsets alone. The above benefits are applicable on all handsets including 2G, 3G and 4G.

Vodafone India ₹348 Recharge:

When the telecom players are showering data benefits to only 4G users, Vodafone India offered this ₹348 plan to all its prepaid subscribers across all its telecom circles. The telecom operator unveiled this special offering to prepaid users in Rajasthan and then extended it PAN-India.

The new ₹348 prepaid recharge will be available at all Vodafone stores, Vodafone Mini stores, and multi brand outlets. The existing customers can also recharge via MyVodafone App and on its official website.

Announcing the launch, Mr Amit Bedi, Business Head – Rajasthan, Vodafone India, said: “Vodafone has always taken the lead in coming up with innovative products and services that also offer the finest value to our customers.”

With Vodafone India ₹348 recharge, the prepaid subscribers can enjoy uninterrupted video, music, live TV and much more with 1GB daily data for a period of 28 days.

As a bundled package, the ₹348 recharge allows the users to enjoy unlimited voice calling on any network in the country. It includes both local and STD. However, there is no mention of calls made on a landline.

Vodafone has also got ₹244 recharge that offers daily 1GB data and unlimited voice calls on Vodafone India network only for a period of 70 days.

Also Read: Vodafone Offers 1GB/Day Plan for ₹244 with 70 Days Validity

Bharti Airtel ₹398 Plan:

Incidentally, Bharti Airtel is the first telecom operator to unveil this ₹348 recharge pack. However, this facility is limited to MyAirtel and recharge made through its official website.

As per the offer, the unlimited voice calling is limited to mobile (both local and STD). If the user wants unlimited landline calling also then he has to make a recharge with ₹398 and daily 1GB data is common to 2G/3G/4G handset user.

The incumbent telecom operators might be bundling out several lucrative offers for segmented users but their validity is limited to 28 days. However, the Reliance Jio’s popular plan ₹399 provide the same benefit with 84 days validity.
What’s your opinion on the new plans by the incumbent telecom operators to counter Reliance Jio?

The state-run telecom company BSNL introduced a new ₹1099 special tariff voucher (STV) that offers unlimited data for a period of 30 days.

This special pack is limited to BSNL Prepaid customers. The USP of this data pack is no FUP limits. That means the BSNL customers will enjoy the data benefit without any speed restriction.

When the telecom operators (including Reliance Jio) are limiting the data access of users with 1GB data per day plans, BSNL has gone ahead and introduced ₹1099 special pack.

BSNL’s Highly Affordable Data Offer:

Moreover, the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited offers the ₹1099 plan for a period of 30 days. This is a clear distinctive style when the private telecom operators are just looting the users with 28 days validity.

After the said 30 days period freebies, BSNL will charge 3 paise per 10KB. It translates to ₹3 per MB and approximately ₹31 per GB of data. It’s an awesome pricing of data by BSNL when the private operators are targeting the users with their cost ranging from ₹50 per GB.

Also Read: BSNL Triple Ace STV333 Offers 3GB Data per Day for 90 Days

Interestingly, when the GST of telecom services is 18%, BSNL is still providing the wireless data connectivity for a price of ₹1099 with no increase in price and decrease in the validity of voucher.

BSNL Starter Postpaid Plan 99:

Whether you term it as a Jio effect or aggressive pricing strategy, BSNL has revised several plans and is considering all options to retain its fan base. Recently, the BSNL has packed 250MB of data to its highly popular starter ₹99 postpaid plan.

For those unaware, Plan 99 is BSNL’s starter postpaid plan where the user will be provided 50 free calls and 250MB data in the home as well as National Roaming.

The state-owned telecom company is pulling its gear offer the best plans amid increasing competition with Reliance Jio’s entry. Recently, it has even doubled the data offering in most of its prepaid packs.

BSNL Kerala Onam Plan 44:

In Kerala Telecom Circle, BSNL has launched a special Onam Plan. As per the report, the Onam Plan costs ₹44 and offers 500MB data valid for 30 days. The new pack comes with a validity of 365 days and call rates starting at just 5 paise per minute.

Hope the BSNL launches the Onam Plan 44 on a PAN-India basis to attract more customers on its board.

The wait is over. Finally, Lenovo has launched Lenovo K8 Note with dual rear camera setup and a big battery. Starting August 18th, the handset will be an Amazon exclusive and will be available in two variants.

Incidentally, Lenovo K8 Note is company’s first smartphone with dual rear camera setup and stock Android Nougat 7.1.1 instead of its Vibe Pure UI for faster updates.

Lenovo K8 Note Specifications:

Available in Fine Gold and Venom Black colour options, the Lenovo K8 Note comes in two memory variants – 3GB RAM/32GB internal storage and 4GB RAM/64GB internal storage that costs ₹12,999 and ₹13,999 respectively.

Regarding Specifications, Lenovo K8 Note sports a 5.5-inch full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) display with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass protection on the front. Powered by a 64-bit deca-core MediaTek Helio X-23 processor paired with either 3GB or 4GB RAM, the handset provides 32GB or 64GB internal storage space that can be further expanded by a microSD card up to 128GB.

Lenovo K8 Note Dual Camera Setup:

On the camera front, Lenovo has got the dual rear camera set up for the first time. The 13-megapixel primary lens coupled with a 5-megapixel depth sensor. It allows the user to capture Bokeh effects (depth-of-field) just like blur background that works on a DSLR.

Also Read: Budget Lineup Moto G5S & Moto G5S Plus Debuts with Dual Camera Setup

For selfie lovers, the Lenovo K8 Note has got a 13-megapixel front camera with LED flash. The company claims to offer a multitude of control options including pro mode, beautify mode to fine tune an image. For security purpose, the killer note has a fingerprint sensor at the back.

Regarding connectivity, Lenovo abandoned the hybrid-slot system to offer dual-SIM and a dedicated microSD card support. It offers 4G VoLTE support, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, MicroUSB (no USB-C port) and 3.5mm audio jack.

The K8 Note has a splash-resistant water-repellent nano-coating on its metal body. Remember, this is not a water-resistant phone but can withstand spills and splashes.

Dimensions wise, the Lenovo K8 Note is 154.5 x 75.9 x 8.5 mm and weighs 180 grams.

Stock Android Experience:

As mentioned earlier, Lenovo finally ditched its famous Vibe UI skin for Google’s stock Android OS. This is a huge development. Starting with Lenovo K8 Note, the company will provide pure Android stock OS for every smartphone at par with Motorola smartphones.

It will now have Google Assistant, multi-window mode and many more features.

The big 4000mAh battery with 15W Turbo Charging support makes Lenovo K8 Note last at least a day on a single charge. As per the company, it delivers up to 24.7 hours of talk time and 378 hours of standby time. As mentioned, the box is packed with a 15W rapid charger.

As usual, Lenovo has incorporated its hallmark TheaterMax and Dolby Atmos support. This allows the smartphone users to experience the content on a larger screen that too with great sound quality using a VR headset.

What’s Your Opinion?

Ever since the launch of the first K-Series smartphone, there are about 8.5 million K-Series users in India. Do you think the latest K8 Note will enhance its existing fan base?

Undoubtedly, Lenovo K8 Note is a solid mid-range smartphone but not the best. The dual camera setup, pure Android, non-hybrid dual SIM are all plus points on paper.

However, the bigger question is whether all these plus points are enough to sway Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 user to switch over? What are your thoughts? Be a part of the discussion.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Creates a New Record with Million Units of Sale

Indian telecommunications company, Karbonn Mobiles Pvt. Ltd has come up with a budget smartphone with 4G VoLTE support. Priced at ₹4099, the Karbonn A41 Power is all set ready to take on Jio Phone which is slated for September release.

This 4G VoLTE enabled budget smartphone comes in Black-Champagne, Black-Red and White-Champagne colour variants. Karbonn A41 Power will be available via all major online as well as offline stores across the country.

Karbonn A41 Power Specifications:

The smartphone sports a small 4-inch WVGA capacitive touch resolution of an 800x480 display. Under the hood, the handset packs a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor paired with 1GB RAM.

Karbonn A41 Power comes with just 8GB internal storage space. However, it can be expanded up to 32GB via a microSD card.

Imaging wise, the Karbonn A41 Power smartphone provides basic options. It sports a 2-megapixel rear camera and 0.3-megapixel front camera for selfies.

Indeed, the camera is very basic. When the budget smartphones are providing a minimum 5-megapixel rear camera, Karbonn A41 limits the users.

Strong USP - 4G VoLTE:

However, the smartphone runs on the latest Android Nougat 7.1 operating system and is backed by a 2300mAh battery. Moreover, the Karbonn A41 Power is 4G VoLTE supported. Thus, the handset has a distinct advantage over its competitors in terms of connectivity and battery.

As the handset sports a small 4-inch WVGA display and packed with a 2300mAh battery, it can give you 8 hours of talktime or 300 hours of standby time. That’s a remarkable feature.

With VoLTE (B3, B5, and B40 bands) support, one can make HD voice and video calls. Unlike JioPhone, this dual-SIM smartphone can be used with Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone India.

The Karbonn A41 Power is fairly easy to carry smartphone in the pocket. At a throw-away price of ₹4099, the handset will definitely get initial push up. However, if the user can increase the budget by another thousand or so, then he’ll have better options including Micromax Canvas Spark 3 or Xolo Era.

Also Read: Jio4G VoLTE Feature Phone Unveiled for an Effective Price of ₹0

After Mi and Motorola, Coolpad Group also started selling smartphones offline in India. Now, Coolpad unveiled its first offline exclusive handset Coolpad Note 5 Lite C at just ₹7777.

Exclusive Offline Availability:

Available in Grey and Gold colour options, Coolpad Note 5 Lite C will be available through 3000 multi-brand stores in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi - NCR, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Also Read: Motorola Moto C Plus at ₹6999, Launch Offer 30GB Extra Data on Reliance Jio

As per the report, the Coolpad India will expand its offline presence and introduce four more offline exclusive products by the end of 2018.

Coolpad Note 5 Lite C Specifications:

Regarding specifications, Coolpad Note 5 Lite C sports a 5-inch High Definition display with 1280x720 (294 ppi) pixel resolution and a 2.5D glass on top. Powered by 1.1 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 210 processor, Adreno 304 Graphics processor and 2GB RAM, the handset offers 16GB internal storage further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card slot.

On the camera front, the Coolpad Note 5 Lite C sports an 8-megapixel rear shooter and a 5-megapixel front camera with a f/2.4 aperture for selfies. Security wise, it also sports a fingerprint sensor on the back.

The offline exclusive handset is backed by a lower 2500mAh battery. However, the company claims to offer 240 hours standby time with it. Regarding connectivity, the Coolpad Note 5 Lite C is a dual-SIM handset supporting 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth, WLAN, GPS, light sensor and other required options.

The smartphone boots Android 7.1 Nougat and incidentally this is the first handset from Coolpad to run Android 7.1 Nougat out-of-the-box. Starting 5th August, the handset will be available through all offline retail stores.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4 Budget Smartphone Launched with Snapdragon 435 SoC for ₹6999

At the price of ₹7777, the Coolpad Note 5 Lite C will have to compete with the most successful budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 4 and Moto C Plus. Let’s wait for a few months so as to ascertain whether the handset can please Indian customers or not.

Taiwanese multinational computer hardware and electronics giant, AsusTek Computer Inc, added another variant to its Zenfone Go series. The new smartphone (ZB552KL) is priced at ₹8,499 and comes in Charcoal Black and Sheer Gold colour variants. As per the sale, ASUS Zenfone Go 5.5 maintains exclusivity with Amazon India.

Addressing the launch, Mr Peter Chang, Region Head - South Asia & Country, ASUS India, said, “We have always ensured that we empower our customers with products that perfectly fuse technologically advanced specs and a classy, sophisticated design. With the immense success of our previous versions of Zenfone Go, it was befitting that we expand this range to meet the copious demand. We are sure that this smartphone will help our users across the country live digital lives”.

Also Read: Lenovo Moto G5 Plus in India Starting at ₹14999 on Flipkart

ASUS Zenfone Go 5.5 (ZB552KL) Specifications:

The ASUS ZenFone Go 5.5 features 5.5-inch HD (720p) display that claims to provide 500 nits of brightness and features a Bluelight filter for eye care. It sports a physical rear key that allows the users to adjust the volume and click selfies with ease. Powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 SoC and Adreno 306 GPU, the handset has 2GB RAM and packs 16GB internal storage further expandable up to 128GB via microSD card.

Optics-wise, the ASUS ZenFone Go 5.5 sports a 13-megapixel rear camera with f/2.0 aperture and dual-LED real tone flash. The front camera supports 5-megapixel with f/2.0 aperture for selfies. The company claims that its PixelMaster 3.0 app to offer multiple modes with respect to photography like real-time beautification mode, panorama mode, low light mode etc.

The new smartphone from ASUS runs on the Android 6.0 Marshmallow based Zen UI 3.0 and is backed by 3000mAh battery weighing 168 gm. This dual SIM handset offers 4G LTE along with other connectivity options like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack and FM radio.

What’s Your Rating?

Though the handset offers exclusive features like gesture control and double tap to wake the phone, it lacks a better hardware to compete against Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime or Coolpad Note 5 Lite. What are your thoughts on this latest ASUS Zenfone? Post your comments as they are valuable.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi 4A with Snapdragon 425 SoC, 3120mAh Battery at 6K Price

Alcatel, owned by Chinese electronics Company TCL Corporation, launched a 6-inch smartphone Alcatel Pixi 4 in India. Though the company has launched the phablet at CES 2016, it unveiled a slightly upgraded version in India. The handset is priced at ₹9,100 and comes in Metal Silver, Sharp Blue, and Metal Gold colours.

Alcatel PIXI 4 Specifications:

Apart from the massive 6-inch HD display and 4G VoLTE support, the phablet has nothing great to offer. It sports 720x1280 pixel 6-inch HD display screen powered by a 1.1 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 chipset coupled with 1.5GB RAM and 16GB internal storage space further expandable up to 64GB via microSD card.

Optics-wise, the phablet sports an 8-megapixel primary camera and 5-megapixel front camera for selfies. As specified, Alcatel Pixi 4 supports 4G VoLTE and other connectivity options including 4G VOLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, 3.5mm audio jack and micro-USB.

Backed by a 2580mAh battery, the Alcatel Pixi 4 smartphone runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. For such a big screen, the battery will not be sufficient to last a full day. Specs wise, the Chinese company hasn’t done justice with respect to the price tag. If one compares, Alcatel PIXI 4 with that of Xiaomi Mi Max or Lenovo Phab 2 and Phab 2 Plus, the former is certainly over-priced. If once can afford to spend a little higher amount, then surely Xiaomi Mi Max is the best bet.

The country’s third-largest telecom service provider, Idea Cellular, announced that there would be no differential pricing for its data recharges on Idea 2G, 3G and 4G network. The telecom company is working on the plans and it will be rolled out PAN-India by the end of March.

Also Read: Idea Cellular to Launch Digital Idea Services to Counter Jio and Airtel

Idea Cellular’s Seamless Coverage:

Addressing the new pricing plans, Mr Sashi Shankar, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular Ltd, said, “Idea’s simplified data pricing will ensure data recharges across all technologies are available at the same price point. The customer can choose the recharge price basis usage and volume available in the pack, without having to worry about the platform the customer’s device is logged in.”

He further added, “As Idea’s Pan India Broadband coverage continues to expand and reduces the gap with existing 2G coverage which covers 4 lakh towns & villages, customers can now seamlessly migrate services between technology & platform without worrying about differential costs. We believe that our simplified plans will enable consumers to enjoy the benefits of the high-speed Internet on smartphones and be a part of the Digital India revolution.”

Must Read: Idea New Ultimate 349 Plan to Offer Unlimited Voice Calls for Postpaid Users

Unified Data Recharge – 2G/3G/4G:

With this rollout, Idea Cellular will make a unified pricing for all its product categories including sachets, freedom packs etc. Though this is not a one-time rollout, the company has been making efforts relentlessly to exhilarate its subscribers in a phased manner.

With this new unified data recharge, the Idea subscriber can recharge 2G or 3G pack of 1GB data and can use the same in 2G/3G/4G handset without worrying about the network. However, please do note that this unified data recharge facility is available only on 1GB and above data packs. If you are looking at smaller or chota packs, then you need to browse for regular packs separately.

Hopefully, by the end of this March, Idea Cellular would roll out unified data recharge plans. Moreover, the mega-merger with Vodafone will also materialise by then.

Also Read: Idea Cellular to Offer Hourly Unlimited 4G/3G Data Pack at ₹22

The country’s third-largest telecom service provider rolled its 4G services in Bihar and Jharkhand telecom circle. With this launch, Idea 4G is now is available in 10 circles of the nation. Starting the services from a sub-metropolitan city Muzaffarpur, Idea will soon expand its 4G footprint to facilitate high-speed mobile data services to over 1.25 crore subscribers in Bihar and Jharkhand telecom circle.

Idea 4G Live in Bihar and Jharkhand:

As per the reports, Idea Cellular would soon expand its 4G services to all the major cities and 18 key towns of Bihar and Jharkhand including Bokaro, Dhanbad, Gaya, Motihari, Patna and Ranchi by June 2017. With this launch, Idea subscribers can enjoy high-speed broadband internet on Idea entertainment apps.

Also Read: Idea Cellular to Offer Hourly Unlimited 4G/3G Data Pack at ₹22

Addressing the launch, Mr Anish Roy, COO – Corporate, Idea Cellular, said: “Idea has consistently invested in network expansion to become a pan-India wireless broadband operator, readying our 200 million customers for the Digital era.” The Chief Operating Officer of Bihar & Jharkhand, Idea Cellular commented that Digital Idea -3 entertainment apps have given a new experience to subscribers.

Digital Idea Suite:

To recap, Digital Idea is a suite of apps meant for entertainment purpose – Idea Music Lounge, Idea Movie Club and Idea Game Spark. Apart from this, Idea Cellular is committed to expanding its digital services into payment, cloud storage, communication and much more to empower over 1.3 billion Indians.

As an introductory offer, Idea Cellular is offering attractive tariff packs and bundled smartphone offers for its customers in Bihar and Jharkhand telecom circle. The company is about to reach 500 million subscriber landmark soon through its coverage of 1, 00,000 towns and villages across India.

Must Read: Idea Cellular to Launch Digital Idea Services to Counter Jio and Airtel