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10 Best Camera Apps for Android – Shoot em’ all!

best camera apps

However, the camera application that comes pre-installed on most of these Android devices have limited functions. For better edits and a sharp outlook, people often look for third-party camera applications. Hence, here in this blog, we have brought the 10 Best Camera Apps for Android.

Smartphones today have become an all in one device, catering to several of a common man’s needs. It is no more considered as a device for merely sending and receiving texts or calls. Of the many features that this pocket-size device offers, one essentially one is that of a camera. With the entire world regime going online, the current social media wave has made cameras and photography a significantly important feature. This is evident from the fact that the top reputed mobile phone manufacturing companies are producing handsets, keeping in mind the public’s camera-centric requirements.

Today the camera and its applications running on the Android variant are both designed and developed for advanced reliability and to function smoothly in even low light conditions. Users nowadays tend to purchase their devices based on the camera quality of the handset.

Best Camera Apps for Android List

1. Filmic Pro

Filmic Pro - Android Camera App

This is the latest segment in the long list of camera supported applications on Android. Although expensive, this app has several features that are unique and creative as well. The manual control options of the application support the dual slider for exposure and focus. The application also provides a white balance adjustment matrix on your photos, along with a gamma curve control. A live RGB control provided by the app is nothing short of cherry on the cake. Another added advantage of using this app is that its developers pay heed to the feedback they receive from the users. They are always working on making the user experience better by fixing the camera app’s bugs and bringing in new updates.

Price: $14.99 + $9.99

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2. Google Camera

Google Camera - Android App

As is evident from the name itself, this is Google’s official camera application, and it comes pre-installed on the majority of the Google devices. The features provided by this application include a lens blur mode, magnificent slow-motion effect, photospheres, and video stabilization. However, there is one teeny tiny drawback with this application. The running compatibility of this application is only on devices that run on Android version 7.1.1 or above.

Price: Free of Cost

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3. Pixtica

Pixtica - Android Camera App

This application comes with an array of features that will help you give your photographs a more attractive look. The application’s primary features include several live filters that you can use to enhance the scene or face of the person in the frame, manual controls, exposure control, a GIF recorder, and a slow-motion mode. The application supports the RAW file and also has a QR code scanner. The tool also provides its users with a basic gallery and photo editing options.

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the premium subscription comes at $3.99 per year.

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4. Camera MX

Camera MX - Android App

This is your optimum application for photography and video shooting both. The developers of this application keep regularly updating it so that the user gets the best functions of it at all times. The application provides several shooting modes that you can toggle between shooting photos and videos alike. The GIF mode enables you to create your very own GIFs. There is a built-in photo editing function that takes care of your basic editing needs as well.

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the premium subscription comes at $1.99.

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5. A Better Camera

A Better Camera - Android App

This Android application comes with a bag full of features. There are various options available for the user to select from when clicking a snap. These include HDR form images, panoramas clicks of up to 360-degree, various multi-shot modes, and a night mode support to get the best snaps even in the night when the background light is dull. A user with this application will also get several video recording features. The quality of the snaps is decent enough, and a user can even have objects removed from their click, say, for instance if they want to eliminate the dirty wardrobe in the background. You will get to use an array of splendid features once you get the application’s premium subscription.

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the premium subscription comes at $0.99.

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Must Read – 10 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac

6. Adobe Photoshop Camera and Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Photoshop Camera and Adobe Lightroom

This is a two-in-one application that has a built-in camera option and several photo editing features. The application includes many high-end features such as HDR and RAW file support. There are numerous modes and presets given that you can apply to your clicked photographs to give it a better appearance. Further on, it also has many manual camera controls as well. The user can bounce their clicked photos directly for editing, which makes it a more beneficial application than its peers. The filters provided in the application along with the real-time Photoshop effects, auto-tone features, and a portrait mode shoot controls are all added advantage to the user. Coming from Adobe’s house, this is one of the most common search results when it comes to the 10 Best Camera Apps for Android.

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the premium subscription comes at $52.99 per month.

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7. VSCO

VSCO

This is yet another powerful tool that provides several robust photo editing options. There are many filters, effects, and settings provided that will tune your clicks to have a better impression. The editing features of this application are second to none. Several of these features can also be used on the videos you have shot from your Android device. The unique feature of the application is its capability to integrate a host of other cameras. Although expensive, you will get a whole array of extra features once you go for the paid version. 

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the in-app purchases can cost you around $19.99 per year.

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8. Cymera

Cymera

The Cymera application has been in the market for a long time now and its popularity has never witnessed a fall. It is primarily because this application focuses on mainstream features that users generally demand when looking for the 10 Best Camera Apps for Android. This includes a bunch of filters, stickers, and special effects that will add to the brilliance of your clicks. The application also supports a beauty camera mode that can edit several features of the person’s face and body in the frame. Along with these features, there are several other editing options available to improve the image shot. 

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the premium subscription comes at $3.49.

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9. Bacon Camera

Bacon Camera

This application has exceptionally sorted manual controls for focus, white balance, exposure compensation, and ISO. It even provides support for RAW and DNG files apart from the regular JPEG format. The effective GIF support provided by the application along with a panorama mode and perfectly timed shots are other added advantages that a user gets when using this application. 

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost, while the premium subscription comes at $1.99.

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10. ProCam X

ProCam X

This application has done seemingly well on different test parameters. It has more inclined features for professional use than the regular ones such as filters and social media post appropriate editing. The application features include a burst mode, facial recognition, and support for 4k video recording. It even supports RAW file types. There are several manual controls given using which a user can even turn off the shutter sound. The modes that this application offers include a scene mode, a focus mode, etc. It excels by far for a good third party application when it comes to professional use. 

Price: The basic version of the application comes free of cost while the premium subscription comes at $4.99.

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So, there you go. We have provided you with the 10 Best Camera Apps for Android in a simple laid out manner. The best application for your use largely depends on your taste and the kind of touch you want to give to your clicks. Hope these applications will help you out with your photography and editing requirements.

Google Now Allows Admins to Create Custom Roles in New Google Groups

Google Now Allows Admins to Create Custom Roles in New Google Groups
Image courtesy: Google

After announcing the support for unthreaded rooms in Chat, Google has now announced a new Custom roles feature for Google Groups. This feature was previously available in classic Groups only but will now come to the new Groups too. The company said the feature will be available by default for all groups. This new Custom roles feature will allow group owners to assign a specific set of viewing, posting, and moderation permissions for the users in the group. Currently, in Google Groups, there are three default roles — owner, manager, and member.

Custom Roles will give admins the flexibility to assign different roles with a combination of various permissions. Besides, the group owners can also modify the permissions for default as well as custom roles for every group. Google has already started rolling out the feature from November 10, and it may take 1-3 days for feature visibility.

“With this launch, you can now create a custom role that allows admins to assign a specific set of viewing, posting, and moderation permissions for users within a given group,” said Google in a blog post. “By adding this to new Groups, we hope to make it quicker and easier to manage group permissions at scale while ensuring all users have the right permissions for your groups,” it wrote further.

Custom Roles Availability and Working Guide

As said above, the custom roles feature has already started rolling out starting November 10 for both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. It will be available to all Business and Enterprise Customers. These include Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, and Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Plus users. Also, G Suite Basic, Business, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Non-profits customers will receive this new feature.

How to Create Custom Roles?

To start using this feature and create custom roles in your new Google Groups, follow these steps:

First, sign in to Google Groups and click the Group name.

Then go to Group Settings and select Member Moderation.

Under Custom roles, click Create custom role and then enter the name and description.

Now click Create role, and you’re done.

You can also edit a custom role. To do this, just click the Edit option next to the role name in Custom roles. Now do the desired changes and save them.

How to enable UPI Payments on WhatsApp

UPI

WhatsApp UPI Payments was rolled out in 2018, however, it was retracted following some government reasons. Cut to now, WhatsApp has announced the return of UPI Payments in India. Many users have already received the update. Others will have to wait for some time to get the feature update on their WhatsApp accounts. This will allow them to send or receive payments hereafter. 

WhatsApp Inc announced the UPI Payments just recently as a secure payment option. You need to create your Payments account on WhatsApp. Once you enable it, you can send or receive money directly through your bank.

Here’s how you can enable WhatsApp UPI Payments.

  • Firstly, go to the sender’s inbox on WhatsApp whom you want to transfer or receive money via UPI.

WhatsApp Payments

  • Tap on the ‘Attachments’ icon and select ‘Payments’ from the menu.

Register for UPI Payments

  • If it’s your first time trying out UPI on WhatsApp, you’ll need to establish a connection to your bank account.
    • You’ll need your phone number registered with your bank at bay. The app will send a message to confirm if the account is registered with the said phone number or not.

Register for UPI Payments 2

  • After enabling UPI payments, return to the inbox and click on ‘Attachments >> Payments”.
  • Under “New Payment”, elect “Pay” if you want to pay. Select “Request” if someone wants to transfer your money to you or you want to remind them.

WhatsApp UPI Payments

  • Enter the amount, add a note, enter the UPI PIN. If you don’t have a UPI PIN, you’ll need to set up, and remember it for other times.
  • Press “Send” or click on the “Right Tick” and the payment will go through.

WhatsApp UPI Payments is straightforward where you select the recipient, enter the amount, enter the PIN, and there you go. If other party hasn’t registered to the Payments yet, get a prompt. Select ‘Notify’ to get the notification once they sign up. 

As of now, the feature is available in Brazil and India. WhatsApp will soon enable it in the UK, Spain, and Mexico. Moreover, WhatsApp is also working on Payments in Europe but there’s not much information available about it.

10 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac

best android emulators

To put it in layman’s terms an Emulator is essentially an Android Virtual Device that is specifically designed to represent any Android device on a computer system. Suppose you want to play a game or run a program, the small size of the android device and its limited specifications tend to pose a big hindrance. You would not be able to enjoy your game or check out the minute technicalities of the program. That is where an android emulator gets into the picture. The main usage of an Emulator is, as a platform to execute the Android application on a desktop system. The applicable usage of the emulator, however, can vary from user to user. Now that we know what an emulator is, let us get down to business and read along to find out the 10 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac that are available in the market today.

Best Android Emulators List For Windows PC And Mac

1. Bliss Emulator

Bliss Emulator
Image Courtesy: XDA Developers

The firm that delivers this emulator is a non-profit organization, which is why this emulator is available in an open-source domain. The Bliss emulator’s functioning is primarily within the grasp of an open-source OS that is based on Android. It also accompanies several types of customizations, themes, designs, and has various security features for its users. While working with Bliss Emulator a user can easily integrate their Android applications on their system’s desktop and have a smooth experience.

The execution of this emulator is simple and easy to use without any hassle. Out of all the versions of this emulator available, the most compatible Bliss variant is Bliss ROM. The new and advanced Bliss Emulator comes with Vulkan support which is provided in the advanced menu option. This helps in keeping the system’s CPU active even in a sleep state while the system’s activity drops down to zero.

OS: Android, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS and Linux.

Price: Free of Cost

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2. AMIDuOS Emulator

AMIDuOS Emulator

This US-based Emulator tends to provide an easy and effective form of integration between the Android and system devices. The full-screen functionality of the emulator is another major boon for its users. Suppose a user wishes to run or operate a particular software program in a particular domain, the simulator works so fine that it is next to impossible to identify any point of difference between using an Android mobile or computer system. On top of it, the AMIDuOS Emulator also allows its users to share files to and fro between the mobile device and the computer effectively. Just like its performance, the installation of this simulator is also very easy. The setup runs fast for any application from Gmail, play store, or Google plus.

OS: Android, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS and Linux.

Price: Free of Cost

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3. AndY Emulator

AndY Emulator

This emulator provides an easy line of connection between Windows/ MAC so as to store, launch, and push the notifications. A user with this emulator can download any software application from any desktop to the AndY operating system. Hence, it provides an easy link to bring in mobile applications straight to the desktop. It also keeps the user updated in regards to the latest Android upgrades. The storage capacity as provided by AndY to its users is huge and thus gives easy access to run any type of game on the Android platform hassle-free.

OS: Android, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS.

Price: Free of Cost

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4. Nox Player Emulator

Nox Player Emulator

This emulator is used far and wide by the gaming community all around the world. It is known for providing compliance with the GDPR. It caters well to the needs of the user and provides high-level security to the personal information of its user. This emulator is completely optimized and is very stable to use for both games and applications alike. Since the Nox Player emulator provides easy support to the gamepad and keyboard, users tend to have the same gaming experience as if playing on a system.

OS: Android, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, etc.

Price: Free of Cost

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5. MEmu Emulator

MEmu Emulator

This emulator is often recognized as one of the fastest Android emulators when it comes to playing mobile games on your desktop. It offers a perfect blend of great user performance with several optimized graphic variants. A user can with the use of the MEmu emulator have multiple accounts simultaneously for a particular game. The process of installation of this emulator is also simple and straightforward. It even supports a mouse, keyboard, and keypad, which furthermore enhances the gaming experience of the user. This emulator has registered over 20 million users from approximately 200 countries.

OS: Android and Microsoft Windows.

Price: The basic version of this emulator comes free of cost while the premium edition is chargeable.

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Also read: 15 Best Android Strategy Games of All Time

6. Ko Player

 Ko Player

This emulator is powerful and sturdy enough to provide an effortless and lag-free gaming experience to its users. One can easily run any of the applications that are available on the Play Store using this emulator. It supports several devices such as a keyboard, gamepad, mouse, microphone, and camera which helps in enriching the user experience. Ko Player has a built-in video recording feature using which a user can record a video and then play it back in some later hour. The easy to download and install feature along with its zero compatibility issues with other applications have made the Ko Player emulator get its name on our list of 10 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac.

OS: Android, Mac OS, and Microsoft Windows.

Price: Free of Cost

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7. BlueStacks Emulator

BlueStacks Emulator - best android emulators

This emulator functions well when it comes to breaking the traditional barriers of limitations of the Android devices. It provides a smooth line of access to run several Android apps along with other high definition games on the user’s computer. It is considered one of the fastest mobile gaming platforms available today. BlueStacks Emulator has achieved this tag by providing an array of users experience-enhancing customizations. BlueStacks emulator offers support for Android N, that too with better graphic details and hence helps in saving the phone’s battery.

OS: Android, Microsoft Windows, and Apple Mac OS.

Price: The basic version of this emulator comes free of cost, while the premium version costs $24 per month.

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8. Genymotion Emulator

Genymotion Emulator - best android emulators

This simple to use and comprehend Android emulator helps the application developers to test their products in a secure virtual environment before launching them worldwide. There are several custom features that this emulator provides to its users. These include a capacity of emulating 3000 plus virtual Android device configurations such as screen size or other Android versions. Genymotion Emulator comes with a set of strong sensors, like GPS, and multi-touch. It is a multi-support Android emulator, mainly to share live demos and can even monitor performances across several devices.

OS: Android, Mac OS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux.

Price: $136 per year

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9. Android Studio Emulator

Android Studio Emulator - best android emulators

This one is the Android’s official IDE developed and presented by the Android operating system of Google. It has certain extremely flexible features using which it can run the user’s applications quickly. Because of this emulator, a user can get their hands on advanced performances and also view their mobile applications on a system with a bigger screen. High definition games can be operated via this emulator with very low memory on the system. For an even more enhanced user experience, you can set the emulator window theme as per your choice. The high level of reliability and trust that Google brings with its brand name has made this emulator find its way in our list of 10 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac.

OS: Android, Microsoft Windows, and Apple Mac OS.

Price: Free of Cost

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10. Remix OS Player Emulator

Remix OS Player Emulator - best android emulators

This Android emulator works exclusively on the Windows system and offers a smooth and steady Android experience on the desktop. It provides a key mapping tool that lets the user enjoy their game more effectively using a mouse and a keyboard. A user can install this application by running the .exe file. Once the installation is complete you can simply run it on your desktop. Remix OS Player Emulator has marshmallow Android compatibility and provides a high definition gaming experience.

Os: Android and Microsoft Windows.

Price: Free of Cost

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While devices running on Android OS are user friendly and portable, they have their shortcomings. These devices are not suited for long hour use. This is where computers surpass Android devices. But with our list of 10 Best Android Emulators For Windows PC And Mac, you can run your android device’s applications and games hassle-free on your computer system.

China’s Tianfu Cup Competition led to the hacking of iOS, Windows 10, Galaxy S20 and many others

Tianfu Cup china

Tianfu Cup, China’s largest hacking competition saw its third edition this year. In the Tianfu Cup, several teams of white-hat hackers hack many prestigious software and “secured” devices.

The two-days cybersecurity competition was held in Chengdu, China.

The rules of the competition were, each team of Chinese hackers had to hack the selected target using the original exploit. However, all this hacking had to be done in five minutes and three attempts were given to each team.

Whenever each team successfully hacked the selected target they received monetary rewards for that. Following are the software and other devices which were hacked:

  • iOS 14 running on an iPhone 11 Pro
  • Samsung Galaxy S20
  • Windows 10 v2004 (April 2020 edition)
  • Ubuntu
  • Chrome
  • Safari
  • Firefox
  • Adobe PDF Reader
  • Docker (Community Edition)
  • VMWare ESXi (hypervisor)
  • QEMU (emulator & virtualizer)
  • TP-Link and ASUS router firmware

In addition to that, the patches for all hacked exploits and bugs will also be provided in the coming days as it usually happens after this competition.

Besides that, the winning team is a Chinese Tech giant Qihoo 360’s Enterprise Security and Government Vulnerability Research Institute(ESG). Thus, the company bagged a $744,500 cash prize which accounts for almost two-thirds of the total pool-prize.

Tianfu Cup
Image Courtesy: Tianfu Cup

Moreover, the runner-ups of the competition were Ant-Financial Light-Year Security Lab who bagged $258,000. Also, a security researcher named Pang won a $99,500 prize.

Insomniac reveals two new suits for the upcoming Spider-Man Remastered

spider-man

If you are waiting for Sony PlayStation 5 and the upcoming Spider-Man Remastered series, you are in for a treat. The developer Insomniac Games on Twitter posted the first-ever glimpse of two new suits that your spidey will adorn. This belongs to the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered scheduled to release on November 12.

Insomniac Games has been teasing details about the upcoming game releasing in tandem with Spider-Man: Miles Morales. This has kept users glued to their Twitter handles waiting for the game to release finally. The said post has already received 28.1K likes and 5.1K retweets on Twitter at the time of writing this.

Spider-Man Remastered Suit
Image Courtesy: Marvel

Talking about the new suits, the first is The Arachnid Rider design that has insect motifs like Japanese superheroes such as the Kamen Rider franchise. It shows more agility, it is more armored as well. An Armored Advanced Suit takes a lot of limelight with homage to the original Advanced Suit. It has a reverse color scheme with more white and less blue and looks futuristic in design.

Spider-Man Remastered Suit
Image Courtesy: Marvel

If that’s not all, the developer Insomniac Games also made it official that it will be releasing a new suit. It will be based on Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man in “The Amazing Spider-Man” movie. This will be a cool addition to the suits you could unlock during the gameplay.

Also, the Spider-Man Remastered has longer gameplay at 20 hours. The Spider-Man: Miles Morales maxes out at 10 hours of gameplay or 15 hours if you are digging into the nooks and corners of the game.

If you are already playing Spider-Man Remastered on your PS4, you will have to start from the beginning when you upgrade to PS5. Users can upgrade to PS5 on November 12 when the next-gen console will launch without paying any extra charge. You will have to pay $70 for Miles Morales Ultimate Edition to get your hands on Spider-Man Remastered on your PS5.

OnePlus 9 series will likely have 3 models; SD875 & 65W charging

OnePlus 9 series
Image Courtesy: OnLeaksx

OnePlus usually launches its flagship phones in April/May every year. A recent report has hinted that OnePlus is likely releasing “9 series” in March 2021 ahead of its usual timeline. The series could have not two but three models namely OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, and OnePlus 9 Ultra. The latter could be summoned as OnePlus 9T depending upon whom you ask.

A leakster ‘TechDroider’ on Twitter has posted information on the model numbers of the trio. According to which, the model number LE2110 is for OnePlus 9. Model numbers LE2117, LE2119, and LE2120 are for OnePlus 9 Pro based on the region. Finally, a third and mysterious model number ‘LE2127’ has been spotted too & it could be OnePlus 9T or Ultra.

A separate set of leaks made on Weibo gives out the potential specifications for the upcoming OnePlus 9 series. According to the leak, the trio will feature the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 875 SoC which goes without a saying. Anyways, the devices will feature an upgraded 144Hz refresh rate along with 65W Warp Charge, 40W wireless charging, IP68 protection, and Android 11 out-of-the-box. It doesn’t take a rocket science degree to sense that a 65W Warp Charge and Android 11 will anyways make it onto the upcoming flagship series without any doubt.

OnePlus 9 series

According to the reports, one of the trios will have a punch-hole cut-out at the center. The other two models will go for the top-left corner cut-outs although the latter requires official confirmation.

Some reports allege that OnePlus could introduce OnePlus 9 Ultra too and that’s where the mysterious LE2127 model number comes into play. OnePlus could introduce the OnePlus 9T as a successor to the OnePlus 8T released merely a few weeks ago. There are rumors that it could be a mid-ranger as well.

Apart from that, the upcoming series will bring on-board Wi-Fi 6, 5G, GPS, USB Type-C, and NFC. There won’t be any headphone jack, memory card slot and that goes without saying as well.

Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Headset Review: Get The Most From Your New Console’s Audio

Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Headset Review: Get The Most From Your New Console's Audio

PlayStation maker Sony is going big with its PS launch next week. The Japanese company is not only releasing the PS5 console and controller on November 12, but it is also bringing a wave of accessories alongside it. These include a camera, charging dock, media remote, and a new gaming headset that will change the way you experience audio on your next-gen console. Called Pulse 3D Wireless Headset, Sony claims it takes full advantage of the company’s proprietary Tempest 3D Audio Tech.

Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Headset Review: Get The Most From Your New Console's Audio
Image courtesy: Sony

Sony Pulse 3D wireless headset comes with a USB wireless adapter, a 3.5mm audio cable, and a USB Type-C charging cable, all within $100. The headset is compatible with PlayStation 5/4, PC, and Mac through its 3.5mm audio cable and the USB wireless adapter. Another major ability that comes with Pulse is that users will still be able to use the headset if it runs out of battery when using wirelessly. All you need to do is plug the headset into your DualSense controller and continue using it.

Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Design Features

Sony’s new headset, the Pulse 3D is a part of its latest PlayStation design family — the upcoming PlayStation 5 console. The headset carries a similar design in terms of colors, contrast, and a few other features. It features the same contrasting black and white design as in the upcoming PS5 console. However, there is no extruding boom mic in the headset and also it comes with a slightly less eyeball punching form. Apart from the outside look, Pulse 3D carries Sony’s proprietary tech inside, which includes the PS5 Tempest 3D AudioTech.

Speaking of the Pulse design in a bit detail, its top band features two visible parts — the rigid outer white plastic frame and a black rubber support band. The rubber band’s main purpose is to provide support on your head and balance the headset’s weight. Though, it weighs only about 295 grams. For some, the significantly bigger gap between the rubber band and top frame may look like interfering with the headset’s aesthetics but it does its job perfectly well.

Now it’s the turn if the main component responsible for comfort: the Earcups! Here’s where Sony’s Pulse 3D outsmarts other gaming headsets ad it comes with perfectly round earcups, an uncommon feature for gaming headsets. These are padded well with thick open-cell foam covered by smooth leatherette. Behind those, there lie 40mm neodymium drivers. Though these are smaller than many premium third-party headsets, the sound quality and power remain unaltered.

Pulse 3D Headset Controls
Image courtesy: IGN

About the ports and inputs: the Pulse 3D features a stack of all controls and input ports along the back of the left can. First, speaking of the ports, the headset carries a USB Type-C port for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack if a user prefers to set up a wired connection. On the other hand, there lie multiple buttons and dual rockers for various controls. At the top, there is a dual rocker to balance game-versus-chat audio mixing and a microphone monitoring switch. Then, there comes a dual rocker for volume, a mic mute button, and a power switch at the bottom.

Noise Cancellation Features

Similar to Sony’s other high-end headphones, the Pulse 3D also uses a pair of noise-canceling microphones to pick up the user’s voice. These come in-built in the headset under the hood — one at the front, near your mouth, and the other near the top of the left can. These dual-mics are meant to mitigate ambient noise and make your voice clear. Though the Pulse 3D dual-mic noise-canceling system offers good clarity for your voice, but it also catches nearby voices. This is where we find Sony could do better. In a test performed and reported by IGN, the headset was found picking up the low hum of some nearby heating system. However, it does offer some nice cancellation effect, but it could be better.

3D AudioTech Support With/Without Tempest

Sony PS5 Pulse 3D Headset Review: Get The Most From Your New Console's Audio
Image courtesy: Sony

Currently, the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech is limited and does not work with all PS5 games. Right now, it only works with Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Astro’s Playroom reports GamesRadar. However, on these two games, the Pulse 3D’s audio experience is perfectly 3D. You can clearly hear the sounds of combat, footsteps walking away, and other sounds from all directions. For example, in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, you can experience yourself standing in virtual Times Square in New York as the sounds keep coming from all around you. You can distinctly ‘hear cars and people coming and going from every angle and every distance’. 

Further, the 3D audio tech without Tempest works for a lot of other games. Some of these include Gran Turismo 7, Destruction AllStars, Returnal, Demon’s Souls, Resident Evil Village, and a few others. For example, while playing the opening of God of War (2012), you can hear the sound of Kratos in the woods clearly. However, you may notice that without Tempest support, the sounds appear to come from a limited number of directions.

Pulse 3D Battery, Price, and Availability

Sony claims the Pulse 3D wireless headset battery lasts for up to 12 hours on a single charge. However, in real-time testing, the headset battery didn’t last that long, as claimed by Sony. As per IGN, the Pulse 3D lasted somewhere between nine and ten hours in their tests. But, this should be enough for most users as long as they keep their headset charged. However, one should expect modern headsets for PlayStation and PC to last longer.

In terms of price, the Sony Pulse 3D wireless gaming headset costs $99.99 for the headset and other accessories that come alongside the headset. You get a Pulse 3D headset, USB-C cable, a USB wireless adapter, and a 3.5mm audio cable. The headset is already available at Sony and other online retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.

Summary in General

Considering the price and the headset’s unique feature of taking advantage of the PS5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, the Sony Pulse 3D gives a detailed and impressive 3D sound experience. Even without the Tempest, the usual 3D audio tech is also impressive while remaining comfortable to wear. The dual-mic noise-canceling system is a bit average and prone to picking up ambient noise, but your voice still comes through loud and clear. Also, some things may seem to mess up with the design, such as the support rubber band. Battery capacity should be enough for most users, considering the PS5 era has just begun, and we may see more improvements in the near future.

Check out the main highlights below:

What’s Good:

Comfortable to wear

Rich 3D audio effects

Both wireless and wired connectivity

Compatible with PS5, PS4, PC, and Mac.

What’s Bad:

Noise cancellation not up to mark.

Battery life is less than claimed.

The plastic frame feels cheap and easy to break.

8 Best Video Compressors for Windows & Mac

8 Best Video Compressors for Windows & Mac

When we shoot a video on our devices, we ensure it is shot in the highest possible resolution and clarity. These video files take enormous space on your PC or other devices. Compare a 1-minute video shot in HD and UHD resolution and you’ll see a massive difference in size in both. A single video file may not pose a problem but what if you are dealing with a trove of video files? Imagine the magnitude of difference in size a UHD file would cause leading to additional external storage and whatnot.

Similarly, sending large video files to someone over the internet consumes both data and time. Thus, compressing video files can save a lot of effort. Apparently, there are tonnes of best video compressors for Windows & Mac available at your disposal. Here, we have curated a list of 8 best video compressors that you must try. 

8 Best Video Compressors for Windows & Mac

1. Freemake Video Converter

Freemake Video Converter
Via Freemake Video Converter (Website)

Price: Free 

OS: Windows

If you are looking for the best video compressors for Windows, Freemake Video Converter is an obvious choice. It lets users convert videos and movies between 500+ formats and that’s for free. Unlike other software, Freemake lets you try out the video compressor free without any limitations. Used by more than 103 million users, this gives it an upper-hand when compared to other software in the same category on Windows.

Freemake lets users download videos and audio files from Vevo, YouTube, Dailymotion, and a tonne of other websites. It converts large HD and compresses it down so that it takes a smaller space than it should. Freemaker has video editing capabilities.

Supported Video Input Formats: avi, dvd, 3gp, mp4, mkv, swf, mov, m4v, mts, tod, flv, wmv, h263, h261, gxf, flx, and others. 

Supported Output Video Formats: SWF, MP3, MPEG, DVD, AVI, MP4, FLV, Blu-ray, MP4, and others

Download: Freemake Video Converter

2. Wondershare UniConverter

Wondershare UniConverter
Via Wondershare UniConverter

Price: Free | Pro starting at $39.95 to $118

OS: Windows & Mac

Wondershare is a well-renowned software company that gives its USP. Wondershare UniConverter supports compressing more than 1,000 video and audio formats with ease. Available as a free version, you will get two conversions with limitations. However, you’ll have to get your hands on the paid version to get the most of it. 

UniConverter has plenty of customizations and editing features that you can use on the go. Crop or trim and compress videos all you want with ease. The software allows compression in batches and supports videos at up to 8K which is the highest resolution. That’s all with losing any quality during the compression so rest assured. Its intuitive interface makes it easier for even non-techy users to chill and get your hands on it. 

Supported Input Video Formats: AVI, MP4, MKV, MOV, WMV, MPEG, HEVC, MPEG-2, Xvid, 3GP, FLV, 3G2, ASF, RM, and others

Supported Output Video Formats: MP4, AVI, MOV, MPEG, FLV, MKV, ASF, DV, F4V, and others

Download: Wondershare UniConverter

3. HandBrake

HandBrake
Via HandBrake (Website)

Price: Free

OS: Windows | Mac

HandBrake is a professional open-source video compressor tool for computers. It has one of the most advanced technologies and functionalities in place to compress a gigabyte file into several hundred megabytes or less. It is certainly one of the best video compressors for Windows & Mac. It is well-optimized and offers high-quality conversions. You can select which codec, format, and quality you want, and HandBrake will get it done in a jiffy.

It has tonnes of features including deinterlacing, cropping, scaling, grayscale, decomb, and other video filters. It has a Live Static and Video Preview which is great. It lets you add subtitles and there’s even more that you can get with HandBrake. You can use DVD, BlueRay, and other sources for input. The best thing about HandBrake is that it is absolutely free.

Supported Formats: MP4, MKV, M4V, AAC, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, VP8, VP9. H.265, H.264, Flac, Corbis, AAC, and others. 

Download: HandBrake

4. Any Video Converter Ultimate

conversion-768x491
Via Any Video Converter Ultimate (Website)

Price: Free | Pro at $49.95

OS: Windows

AVC or Any Video Converter Ultimate is a lightweight video compressor, converter, and editor. It has a simple drag and drop interface where you add the input file, tweak parameters for output and it is done. It supports more than 100+ video formats for compression and 160+ formats for conversion. It ensures a 100% lossless quality video so that no details are lost. AVC sports a 4K video downloading functionality on-board.

It has one of the largest formats supported lists and handles inputs from a tonne of iOS and Android smartphones as well. The best thing about AVC Ultimate is that it is ad-free, malware-free even if you download its free version.

Supported Input Video Formats: 3G2, 3GP, MKV, FLV, DAT, AVI, MPEG2, MPEG4, MOV, DIVX, ASF, MPG, OGV, MTS, MPV, and others.

Supported Output Video Formats: WMV, ASF, 3GP, 3G2, FLV, OGV, SWF, MPG, MP4, HTML5 WEBM, H.265, and others. 

Download: Any Video Converter Ultimate

5. Clipchamp

ClipChamp
Via ClipChamp

Price: Free with opt in-app purchases | Creator at $9/mo and Business at $19/mo, Business Platinum at $39/mo

OS: Web (for both Mac and Windows)

We had to slide in this online video converter and compressor anyhow. Clipchamp is a web-based application that allows users to squeeze a 100MB video file into a few MBs. It doesn’t have any cap on the file size but you can upload as much as 20GB of files without any hassle. Clipchamp ensures there’s no quality loss after compression through its excellent compression algorithms that are unbeatable.

Its video toolkit offers much more than just compression. It has convenient output settings where you can either select the presets or tweak before output. Clipchamp supports batch processing that speeds up compressing the files if you have too many of them. It has one of the widest range of video formats and resolution including both standard and rare ones.

Supported Input Formats: AVI, FLV, 3GP, WMV, MKV, VOB, DIVX, MOV, MP4, and others.

Supported Output Formats: FLV, ASF, WMV, WebM, MP4, and others. 

Download: Clipchamp

6. VideoProc

VideoProc
Via VideoProc (Website)

Price: Free | $29.95/year, family at $57.95 and Lifetime license at $42.95

OS: Windows and Mac

Compressing a video isn’t the only thing you can do a video to save space on your memory. Getting rid of sections aren’t needed or trim off a video, adding subtitles, and then converting it is equally important. This is where VideoProc shines as one of the best video editing cum video compressor software. 

In fact, it can compress a video by 90% which is merely 100MB of a 1GB video file. All that without compromising in quality during compression. It supports 370 input codecs and 420+ output codecs offering it an upper-hand compared to others.

Supported Input Formats: WMV, MKV, MMV, AVI, ASF, SWF, WebM, Xvid, GLV, MPED, DivX, MOV, 3D, and others.

Supported Output Formats: DivX, H.263, H.264, Xvid, MPEG4, FLV, MPED2, WMV2, ProRes, HEVC, and others.

Download: VideoProc

7. Final Cut Pro X Compressor

Final Cut Pro X Compressor
Via Final Cut Pro X Compressor (Website)

Price: $299.99  

OS: Mac

Yeah, I know it’s quite expensive but once you use it, there’s no looking back. Final Cut Pro X is one of the best video editing software for Mac and it has a sophisticated “Compressor” function. The software lets you add custom output settings and supports both standard and even rare formats. The interface is both powerful but easy to use to bring down a video file from a GBs to its maximum compressed size. It also supports batch processing with ease. It has the widest range of device outputs in various codecs and resolutions. It can compress videos ranging from 360-degree shots to 4K to HDR, HEVC, and other formats.

Formats Supported: HDR, ProRes, XDCAM HD, AVC-Intra, H.264, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WAV, and all major/minor and standard formats

Download: Final Cut Pro X Compressor

8. BlazeMedia Pro

Blaze Media Pro
Via Blaze Media Pro (Website)

Price: $50

OS: Mac & Windows

Another well-known software, BlazeMedia Pro is an all-powerful video compressor software that you would need. Of course, it looks out of age with a retro look but it is powerful enough that you will forgo its appearance. It can handle conversion, burning, editor, ripping, and compression in its all-in-one interface. It supports all popular multimedia formats including both video and audio files and more. It has a basic video & audio editor so that you can make changes before compressing the files and so on. 

Support Formats: AVI, MPEG. MOV, PSP, WMV, FLV, SWF, 3GP, and others.

Download: BlazeMedia Pro

These are some of the best video compressors for Windows & Mac that we could find. There are still a lot of them but these are tried and tested for their efficiency, convenience, popularity, and powerful features on-board. Do let us know which tool did the job for you. 

Also Read: 9 Best Android Data Recovery Software

Device Lock Controller: A New Google App That Lets Creditors Manage Financed Phones

Device Lock Controller: A New Google App That Lets Creditors Manage Financed Phones

A new app called Device Lock Controller has surfaced on the Google Playstore that lets creditors limit functions on your device if you don’t pay their monthly installment on time. The Playstore listing shows that the app is created by Google and has over 50+ downloads already. As per a report from XDA Developers, who first spotted the app, Google quietly published the “Device Lock Controller” app on Playstore earlier this year on June 15.

Device Lock Controller: A New Google App That Lets Creditors Manage Financed Phones

The app description on Google Playstore reads, “Device Lock Controller enables device management for credit providers. Your provider can remotely restrict access to your device if you don’t make payments. If your device is restricted, basic functionality, such as emergency calling and access to settings, will still be available.”

Device Lock Controller Features, Working

According to XDA, the Device Lock Controller app uses DeviceAdminService API to control functions of the device remotely. The post reads, “This is the same API that enterprises use to control what employees can do with their work phones.” To give you an example, Google Fi recently announced a phone subscription program for its users.

Device Lock Controller: A New App That Lets Creditors Lock Your Phone

Google has made this app for creditors, banks, carriers, and other financial institutions to manage their customer’s devices. As per XDA, the creditor may preload this app on your device before loaning it to you. So, if you are unable to make a monthly payment, they can remotely lock you out of your smartphone. However, users would still be able to dial emergency numbers and take “incoming and some outgoing” calls. Moreover, users will have full access to the Settings app at any time, as well as the data backup and restore function.

The app does not appear in search results on Playstore or the landing page of all apps made by Google. Also, the Device Lock Controller app is currently unavailable in India, which you can clearly see in the image. Further, we don’t know who are those 50+ people using this app, but we believe most of these Installs might be the people testing the app.