Honor Band 6: A Smartwatch Cum Smart Band

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November 4, 2020

Huawei has recently launched its Honor Band 6 in China. Honor Band 6 is somewhere between a smartwatch and a smart band. It is smaller than a smartwatch, but a bit larger than a smart band or any other fitness tracker. The new fitness band comes with a curved AMOLED display, 24/7 heart rate monitoring, 10 different sports modes, and over 100 watch faces. The NFC variant is also available but at a higher price.

Honor Band 6 specifications

Honor Band 6 comes in 3 colors options-Coral Powder, Meteorite Black, and Seagull Grey. The Band also sports a 1.47-inch colored AMOLED display having a resolution of 1924×368 pixel and 2.5D curved glass. The screen is wider than its predecessor, Honor Band 5. There is also a red physical button on its right side to wake up the screen.

Moreover, the band packs feature like a 24-hour heart rate monitor which uses Huawei’s TruSeen 4.0 technology, 10 different sports modes with automatic activity detection like bicycling, swimming, outdoor running, indoor running, walking, free training, treadmill, and many more. It also boasts sleep tracking, blood oxygen sensor, which is pretty necessary nowadays because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only that, but the band also packs certain features for women’s health management, like menstrual cycle tracking and ovulation tracking.

The band also comes with a 180 mAh battery that provides almost 14 days of battery life. However, with heavy usage, it can last up to 10 days. Huawei also stated that the 5 minutes of charge can provide up to 2 days of battery life. In addition to that, the band is 50 meters water-resistant, and also provides digital assistants support.

Price and availability

Honor Band 6 is only launched in China and comes with a price tag of CNY 249 (Rs. 2,766). However, the NFC variant which provides digital payment supports comes with a price tag of CNY 289 (Rs. 3,223).

The band is available for pre-order and will go live on sale on November 11, 2020. As of now, there’s no update on when this band will come to Indian markets.

WhatsApp Beta for Android Latest Update Shows Upcoming Vacation Mode Feature

By

Punkaj Kumar

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November 4, 2020

WhatsApp Beta for Android Latest Update Shows Upcoming Vacation Mode Feature

In the past two weeks, we saw WhatsApp working to bring a bunch of new features to its messaging platform through its Beta program. Last week, WhatsApp Beta was seen working on a feature called “join missed call“. We also saw it release two new sticker packs and advanced wallpaper features. And then earlier this week, WhatsApp officially confirmed that its upcoming disappearing messages feature. But now, the Facebook-owned messaging platform is spotted working on a new feature called ‘vacation-mode’ to mute archived WhatsApp chats.

As per a recent report from WABetaInfo, a well-known WhatsApp watcher, WhatsApp for Android has released a new beta update bringing the version up to 2.20.206.2. The update reveals that WhatsApp is again working on its abandoned feature called ‘Ignore Archived Chats’ but this time with a new name — vacation mode. This feature will allow users to keep specific personal chats in the archive indefinitely, even if a new message arrives from that chat.

Vacation Mode – Development and Working

WhatsApp has apparently been working on this feature for quite some time. It will permanently mute the archived chats and not remove them from the archive list when a new message arrives. WhatsApp released a similar feature in its stable build quite recently that allows users to mute chats notifications forever. However, vacation mode is a bit different as it would work on the archived chats and mute them indefinitely.

When you turn the vacation mode on, new messages from archived chats won’t appear in the standard inbox. Currently, when an archived contact sends you a new message, it automatically removes the contact from archive list and appears as a new message in the standard inbox. For now, there is no option in the messaging platform to remove a chat from your active inbox without blocking.

With the arrival of vacation mode, WhatsApp is also bringing some changes to the UI. It is moving the “Archived Chats” from the bottom of the conversation-list to the top. This will make it easier for users to access archived contacts when they want to check if they have received a new message from their archived contact. There is currently no information on when WhatsApp is going to roll out vacation mode in its stable build. But it shouldn’t take much longer, says WABetaInfo, citing the implementation of presentation banner by WhatsApp Beta 2.20.206.2.

Micromax Makes its comeback with 2 “Made in India” Smartphones; Micromax IN Note 1 and IN 1B

By

Kaif Nasir

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November 3, 2020

After the succession of Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo in the Indian market, Indian phone maker Micromax failed to catch up with them and collapsed. But after a long period, Micromax is all set for its comeback with two new smartphones, Micromax IN Note 1 and IN 1b.

Micromax’s co-founder Rahul Sharma tried its best to show its support towards the “Atmanirbhar” or “Make in India” movement. Therefore, “IN” stands for India, which highlights that both the smartphones are manufactured in India.

Surprisingly, both the smartphones run on stock android, which provides seamless bloatware and an ad-free experience.

Now, let’s talk about the specifications of both the smartphones and where they stand against their competitors.

Micromax IN 1B specifications

Micromax’s latest IN 1B is an entry-level smartphone. This model comes in two variants of 2GB RAM and 32GB internal and 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The upcoming smartphone will be available in 3 colors options-green, purple and blue.

The upcoming smartphone sports a 6.52-inch HD+ LCD display having a resolution of 720×1560 pixels and a 20:9 aspect ratio. Talking about the performance, the upcoming smartphone runs on a 12nm octa-core MediaTek Helio G35 chipset paired with PowerVR GE8320 GPU.

Talking about the optics, this model comes with a dual-camera setup that comprises a 13-megapixel primary shooter and a 2-megapixel depth sensor for capturing portrait shots. In the front, it sports an 8-megapixel shooter in the form of a water-drop notch.

Moreover, the upcoming smartphone packs a powerful 5,000 mAh battery with 10W fast charging via USB Type-C and and it also comes with a 3.5mm audio jack.

Micromax IN Note 1 specifications

Micromax’s another release IN Note 1 is more of a budget-friendly smartphone. It comes in two variants of 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage and 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The upcoming budget-friendly smartphone comes in two color options of matte white and gradient green.

The upcoming smartphone sports a 6.67-inch full HD+ IPS LCD display of 21:9 aspect ratio. As far as this model’s internal specs are concerned, the smartphone runs on a 12nm octa-core MediaTek Helio G85 chipset.

As far as the camera is considered, the smartphone comes with a quad-camera setup. It comprises 48-megapixel primary shooter, 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens, 2-megapixel depth sensor, and 2-megapixel macro lens. In the front, there’s a 16-megapixel punch-hole selfie shooter.

In addition to that, the smartphone is also backed by a 5.000 mAh battery with 18W fast charging via USB Type-C. Moreover, there is also a 3.5mm audio jack.

Price and availability

IN 1B comes with a price tag of Rs. 6,999 for the base variant of 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. Whereas, the other variant of 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage costs Rs. 7,999. It will go on sale on November 26, 2020, on Micromax’s website and Flipkart.

On the contrary, IN Note 1 stands at Rs. 10,999 for the base variant of 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Whereas, the upper variant of 4GB RAM and 128GB internal storage costs Rs. 12,499. The smartphone will go on sale on November 24, 2020, on Micromax’s official website and Flipkart.

Apple TV and Other Streaming Apps Coming Alongside Xbox Series X, Series S at Launch

By

Punkaj Kumar

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November 3, 2020

Apple TV and Other Streaming Apps Coming Alongside Xbox Series X, Series S at Launch

Xbox has announced that it is bringing all the streaming apps along with Apple TV to its upcoming Series X and Series S consoles at launch. The company said that it is making all those streaming apps available to the new consoles that players currently use on Xbox One. To remind you again, the upcoming gaming consoles’ launch is scheduled for November 10, and it also brings an Apple TV app alongside Xbox users this time.

Your favorite shows and movies are jumping into the next-gen, too.

On November 10, the Apple TV app and all your other favorite streaming apps will be available on Xbox Series X|S.

Watch on: https://t.co/LU7WxSug5I pic.twitter.com/TrvbgHfHq6
— Xbox (@Xbox) November 2, 2020

The new Apple TV app for Xbox will come to all the Microsoft gaming consoles, which include the Xbox One S, One X, and the upcoming Series X and Series S consoles. If you don’t know this, the Apple TV app is coming on Xbox for the first time since its launch last year.

More Streaming Apps Coming to Upcoming Xbox Consoles

Apple TV is making its way to Xbox on November 10, and players will be able to stream their favorite Apple TV shows post this on their gaming consoles. The app will not just provide users access to Apple TV+, but will also let them buy or rent movies. Apart from the Apple TV’s arrival to Xbox, Microsoft has also said that all other streaming apps that users can play on Xbox One will be available on both the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.

Speaking of the streaming apps that are coming to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles during the launch next week, the popular apps such as Netflix, Disney Plus, YouTube, YouTube TV, and Amazon Prime Video will be a highlight. The other apps include HBO Max, Spotify, Hulu, NBC Peacock, Vudu, Twitch, NOW TV, FandangoNow, Sky Ticket, and more.

Microsoft is launching Xbox Series S and Series X on November 10, globally. These will go in direct competition with Sony’s PS5, which will launch on November 12 in some places and November 19 in others.

Image courtesy: Xbox

Google Rolls Out November 2020 Android Security Update for Pixel Phones

By

Punkaj Kumar

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November 3, 2020

Google Rolls Out November 2020 Android Security Update for Pixel Phones

Google is releasing its latest Android security updates for Pixel smartphones with several fixes. The tech giant has already started rolling out the November 2020 Android security updates for devices running Android 11 in phases, globally. The company announced the news of this security release through its support forum. Select Pixel devices will start receiving the November 2020 security patch through an OTA update in stages.

The latest security update is currently rolling out to only a few devices, which include Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G, Pixel 4/XL, pixel 3a/XL, Pixel 3/XL. The update has come with a couple of improvements, and Google h fixed a slew of bugs too. Check below what you’ll get in the November 2020 Android security update for your supported Pixel device.

November 2020 Update Fixes

All supported Pixel devices that we mentioned above will get a preventive fix for inadvertent playlist removal in YouTube music. The Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 smartphones will get fix for a bug that prevents users make phone calls while in Android Auto mode. Similarly, Google has brought a fix for bug causing incorrect audio routing in Android Auto Mode on the Pixel 4/XL and Pixel 4a. There are other bug fixes that the Pixel phones will get, you can see them in the below-given picture in detail.

As you see, all of these devices get fix for bug preventing ringer audio for starred contacts in DND mode. Also, there is a fix for bug that causes the screen to wake after locking the device in certain conditions. It also brings a fix for navigation during fullscreen media playback on all devices.

The November 2020 global software update for all eligible Pixel devices will carry the build number as RP1A.201105.002. To check the build numbers for this update across different countries, read the official post of Google Community specialist.

Aragami and Lego Indiana Jones Come Free to Xbox Games With Gold for November 2020

By

Punkaj Kumar

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November 2, 2020

Aragami and Lego Indiana Jones Come Free to Xbox Games With Gold for November 2020 — Image courtesy: Eurogamer

Microsoft has brought four free games for Xbox users through Xbox Live Gold and Game Pass Ultimate in November this year. The four new offerings include Aragami, Swimsanity, Lego Indiana Jones, and Full Spectrum Warrior. Aragami and Lego Indiana Jones are leading this month’s Xbox Games With Gold as Aragami: Shadow Edition, the native Xbox One game that usually costs $25, will be free for the entire month.

It’s worth noting that all of these games span across three generations of systems. The good news is that they’ll remain in your library for as long as you are a subscriber. Out of the four games, Aragami in its Shadow Edition guise is already available for download from November 1st until November 30th.

Xbox Games With Gold for November 2020

There are a total of four games, and each of them will be available for free this month. However, all of them are not made available at one. Aragami has already come to Xbox Live Gold on November 1st and will be joined by Swimsanity from November 16. Swimsanity will also be available for one month until December 16. The other game — Full Spectrum Warrior — is also available for free from November 1 on the original Xbox, but only for fifteen days. It will be available till November 15, and then Lego Indiana Jones for Xbox 360 will replace it till the end of the month.

Just to inform you that players still have time to grab a few games from the October lineup. October games that are still available include Maid of Sker, Slayaway Camp, and Costume Quest. On the other hand, Swimsanity from November lineup will be available for free in December also. Also, all of these games that come to Xbox Live Gold in November are playable on Xbox One. Newer versions of Xbox, such as Series X and Series S, will also be capable of playing these games as both of these systems support games that are playable on Xbox One.

SpaceX to Livestream Starship’s Launch Debut, Confirms Elon Musk

By

Punkaj Kumar

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November 2, 2020

SpaceX to Livestream Starship's Launch Debut, Confirms Elon Musk

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said that the company will live stream Starship’s harrowing high-altitude launch and landing debut “warts and all.” Musk confirmed SpaceX’s plan to live stream a brief frame-by-frame footage of its high-risk aerospace endeavor. This will be a great opportunity for space enthusiasts to get a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Starship launch. The news was first reported by Teslarati, a multimedia website that keeps a watch on Tesla, SpaceX, and Elon Musk-related projects.

Sure, although it might be quite a short livestream! Lot can go wrong, but we’ll provide video, warts & all. You will see every frame that we do.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 1, 2020

Musk revealed this news while replying to a Twitter user who asked him if SpaceX would live stream the 15km hop. However, he said that the Livestream might be quite short, and anything could go wrong in such an uncharted terrain.

Starship Ground Tests and Launch Debut

Starship prototypes have been through a series of ground tests already. According to Teslarati, as of November 1st, Starship prototype serial number 8 (SN8) had just kicked off, which it says could most likely be the rocket’s last round of ground tests. If it passes these tests successfully along with the cryogenic proofing and triple-Raptor static fire, the SN8 will be ready for its first high-altitude launch. It is said that the massive steel rocket will attempt to fly more than 30% higher than modern jets before it starts to free fall.

SpaceX wants to complete an unproven landing maneuver for which it needs to launch Starship SN8 under the power of three Raptor engines. It is aiming to do a ‘fully successful’ launch, a freefall, flip, and then landing. In the process, the rocket may pass through the sound barrier before coasting to a 15km apogee — slightly downgraded from an apogee of 20km this time. If the launch is successful, it will be a huge step forward for the Starship program. As SpaceX is now committed to streaming this Live, it’ll be such a spectacle seeing SN8 bouncing off the earth’s surface.

Vivo V20 SE Launched in India: Everything You Need to Know

By

Kaif Nasir

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November 2, 2020

Vivo has launched the Vivo V20 SE, the successor of Vivo V20 on October 13, 2020, with a price tag of INR 20,990 which will be available for sale on November 3, 2020, on Vivo E-Store and all the leading e-commerce platforms.

Vivi V20 SE specifications

The upcoming smartphone, Vivi V20 SE, is available in a single variant of 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage which can be further extended up to 1TB using a microSD card. The upcoming phone will be available in two color variants of Aquamarine green and Gravity Black.

Vivo V20 SE sports a 6.44-inch full HD+ AMOLED 60Hz display having 1,080×2,400 pixels resolution and 20:9 aspect ratio. Unfortunately, this smartphone does not have a higher refresh rate like other competing smartphones. Talking about the performance, Vivi V20 SE features an 11 nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 chipset paired with Adreno 665 GPU.

As far as the optics are concerned, VIVO V20 SE comes with a triple camera setup comprising a 48-megapixel primary lens, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor for taking capturing portrait shots. In the front, it sports a 32-megapixel water-drop notch shooter.

Moreover, the smartphone also packs a 4100 mAh battery that is backed by a 33W flash charge via USB Type-C port. In addition to that, the upcoming smartphone also has an in-display fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm jack for plugging in wired earphones. The phone also runs on Android 10 based Funtouch OS 11 just like any other Vivo smartphone.

Pre-booking benefits

Vivo is also providing customers with pre-booking benefits. Customers can get up to INR 2,000 on exchange. Not only that, 10% cashback with ICICI, Kotak, Bank of Baroda, and other major banks will also be available. One-time free screen replacement is also provided. Moreover, customers can also make use of Jio benefits worth Rs. 10,000, Vi bundled offers, and no-cost EMI up to 12 months.

WhatsApp Announces the Upcoming Disappearing Messages Feature, May Roll Out in Next Update

By

Punkaj Kumar

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November 1, 2020

WhatsApp Announces the Upcoming Disappearing Messages Feature, May Roll Out in Next Update

WhatsApp has officially confirmed that it will be rolling the disappearing messages feature as it publishes a detailed FAQ on its website. The Facebook-owned messaging platform will roll out this feature across all OS, which include the WhatsApp for web, Android, iOS, and KaiOS. According to the WhatsApp support page, the disappearing messages feature will automatically delete the messages sent on WhatsApp when it’s turned on. Though there is no official word on when exactly this feature will become available for users.

The most popular messaging app is working on the development of the disappearing messages feature, which, when turned on, will make messages disappear after seven days. As per WhatsApp, when users will turn the feature on, new messages sent to an individual or in a group char will automatically disappear after a week. We expect WhatsApp to bring this feature in the next update, hopefully.

WhatsApp Disappearing Messages Working

The messaging platform and company explains in its support page the details of its working and some limitations. It said that the disappearing messages feature works with both text messages and multimedia files, such as photos and videos. However, WhatsApp has also cautioned users to send disappearing messages to their trusted contacts only, as some people may take screenshots or back up the messages before they disappear. Also, if the recipient has the auto-download feature enabled, the media files will save in the gallery and disappear from the chat. Further, if a user forwards the disappearing message or replies to that message, the message will still appear as the quoted test. It does not delete the forwarded message, either.

According to WhatsApp, “When you reply to a message, the initial message is quoted. If you reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days.” It is worth noting that users will get the option of turning this feature on or off in the individual chat. However, in group chats, only group admins will have the option to turn disappearing messages on or off. Furthermore, WhatsApp also says that if a user does not open the messaging app within seven days, the message will disappear. Though, its preview may still remain visible in the notification bar.

WhatsApp didn’t reveal the exact date of the arrival of the disappearing messages feature to its user base but, we expect the platform to release it in the upcoming update soon.

Samsung Revamps Galaxy Store for Gamers

By

Kaif Nasir

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November 1, 2020

Samsung is aiming to attract gamers more than it has ever been, and now the Korean tech giant has redesigned its Galaxy Store. Now the Galaxy Store focuses solely on gaming and is now designed for casual and hard-core gamers.

Redesigned Samsung Galaxy Store — Image Courtesy: Samsung

The whole layout of the Galaxy Store is overhauled. Earlier it had tabs like Home, Explore, Games, and Exclusives that are now replaced with just two tabs, Games and Apps which add the new minimalistic look to it.

Games section is home to exclusive previews, promos, and rewards. On the contrary, the Apps section is tailored to provide the users with the app recommendations based on their download experience. So, this section works differently for every user.

It is clear that Samsung is aiming to attract gamers more than it has ever been. The redesigned Galaxy Store is the only app store where Fortnite is exclusively for download in the US. This is to remind everyone that Fortnite was removed from Google Play Store and Apple App Store because of a lawsuit.

Not only that, but the store also has Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. This gaming pass allows users to play over hundreds of games from the cloud server. The games can also be played with a wireless Bluetooth gaming controller.

Recently, Samsung introduced Samsung Rewards. Samsung Rewards helps the user level up each time user downloads the new game or level up in the current one. These points can later be exchanged when the user downloads the new game, Samsung stated in the press release.