One of Google’s oldest apps on the Play Store, Messages, has a web interface just like WhatsApp Web. When viewed on say, a computer screen by visiting Messages.Android.com, the web interface reflects SMS and MMS messages on the smartphone so you don’t have to use a phone all the time. The big news here is that new commits found in Chromium’s Gerrit source code management site suggest that the web interface will move from Messages.Android.com to Messages.Google.com. To everyday users like you and me, this URL shift is not a big deal. The web interface feature for Messages should remain the same. But according to GSMArena, who did some more digging in, the new commits will tell Chromebooks to stop using the Android.com URL and use the Google.com URL in versions 72 or 73 of Chrome OS. These versions are also said to include the ‘Better Together’ features for integrating Android and Chrome OS. The web interface for Messages is pretty straightforward Though the interface is now getting a new address on the internet, both URLs are expected to exist alongside each other for a while so users can transition to the new one without any hiccups. At the moment, punching in Messages.Google.com in a browser window takes you nowhere but the new URL is expected to be up and running shortly. If you’re using Messages.Android.com to receive and send SMS messages on your computer, you can continue to do so until Google redirects you or notifies you of a change in the address. We can’t say for sure why Google has decided to make such a change but we can theorise that it’s all in a bid to make its apps more universal. For example, ‘Android Messages’ was recently renamed to just ‘Messages’. ‘Android Wear’ evolved to ‘Wear OS’, and ‘Android Pay’ to ‘Google Pay’. It seems Google is gradually removing the Android name so these apps aren’t so closely associated only with the popular smartphone operating system. Doing this should give its products a stronger individual identity. Perhaps it’s so they can be made available as standalone apps on other platforms like Chrome OS and Apple’s iOS. Maybe it’s because Google has plans of rebranding Android altogether. Only time will tell.
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Highlights: Bixby 2.0 could not update apps, show YouTube subscriptions Galaxy Note 8 on Oreo can pull up the Uber app, the Note 9 can’t: Report Same commands fail on a Galaxy Note 9 running Oreo as well Samsung announced the Bixby 2.0 a year ago and pinned a lot of hopes saying that the company is reinventing the digital assistants “from a novelty to an intelligence tool that is a key part of everyone's daily life.” Now it seems that Bixby 2.0 is not intelligent after all because as per a news report, the new version of the AI-powered virtual assistant cannot even follow the commands that the previous version could. According to SamMobile, users who updated their Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ devices to Android Pie were reportedly complaining of trouble with the Bixby 2.0 working. Earlier it was though that it was the Android Pie update that was responsible for the buggy behaviour, but when the same was experienced with Bixby 2.0 running Android Oreo, it was confirmed that Bixby 2.0 still lacks the edge to compete against other assistants like Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. “Samsung made a big deal out of Bixby 2.0 at the Galaxy Note 9 launch, showcasing how the virtual assistant can now have more natural conversations and perform tasks like ordering an Uber purely through voice commands. But while our Note 8 on Oreo can pull up the Uber app when asked, the Note 9 fails to do it. So does the S9+ on Android Pie. Other commands we tested included asking Bixby to update our apps, show YouTube subscriptions, check for a software update, and enable Dolby Atmos, and it fails to perform them all,” SamMobile claims. Bixby 2.0 differs from the previous version in other ways as well. Since the Galaxy S8 series, Samsung has been incorporating a dedicated physical button to summon the assistant. The button could be annoying for those who don’t use the virtual assistant during regular use. Luckily, customers could disable (or remap) it in case of Bixby 2.0 by using an app called bxActions. However, when you try to use the app to remap Bixby on the Galaxy Note 9 smartphone, it just denies permissions to ‘fully disable’ Bixby. Earlier, people could remap the Bixby button and to use it for other tasks like muting the phone, taking a screenshot, turning on flashlight or launching any app. Even in the app intro for bxActions on Play Store, the developers warned users not to update the assistant on a newer version. “Samsung does not allow remapping with Bixby 2.0 present in Galaxy Note 9. Do not update Bixby or firmware to Bixby 2.0!,” the description read. Related Read: Bixby 2.0 with smart home functionality Bixby 2.0 cannot be 'fully disabled' on Samsung Galaxy Note 9
The Honor 7C and the Honor 7A are two budget devices by the company that comes under Rs 10,000 in India. Both the device comes with a dual camera setup and an HD+ display. In the budget segment (under Rs 10,000) you don’t have a wide range of options to choose from still there are plenty of devices available in the market among which these two are also pretty good when it comes to the specifications they have to offer. Let’s compare the two to see what these two got under its hood in terms of hardware? Let’s begin with comparing the display of these two devices in detail. The Honor 7C features a 5.99-inch display that offers a resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels, while the Honor 7A sports a smaller 5.7-inch display that comes with a resolution of 720 x 1440 pixels. When it comes to the performance, the Honor 7C is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor, which is clocked at 1.8GHz. The Honor 7A is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, which is coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal memory, which is expandable to up to 256GB. As far as the cameras are concerned, both the device has a dual 13MP + 2MP camera set up at the back along with an 8MP unit on the front. Overall, there is not much of a difference between the two but there are some noticeable upgrades in Honor 7C in compared to the Honor 7A, which can be taken into consideration. The Honor 7C available in India for Rs 8,499, while you can get the Honor 7A for Rs 7,499. 
Highlights: Nokia 6.1 Plus gets new Android Pie-based update The update brings Pro Camera Mode and option to hide the notch It also carries December's security patch Within months after HMD Global launched the Nokia 6.1 Plus in August, Juho Sarvikas, HMD Global’s Chief Product Officer, announced that the smartphone has started getting the Android 9.0 Pie. In the latest development, HMD Global is rolling out another Android Pie update to these phones. The new update brings along the professional camera mode as well as a toggle to hide the notch. The 314.9MB update with build number V3.45B also brings the December security patch and improved system stability to the Nokia 6.1 Plus smartphones. As per the images shared in a tweet, the update is only being rolled out in India and is expected to come to phones in the other markets soon. If you have updated your handsets, you can switch on the Full Bezel option, which is found under Display settings. The previous major update was over 1.3GB in size and brought along with it the adaptive battery feature, integrated Google Lens, and the new pill-based navigation. The Nokia 6.1 Plus was launched in August with a 5.8-inch Full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset and comes with the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage, which can be expanded up to 400GB using a microSD card. For optics, the Nokia 6.1 Plus is equipped with a 16MP + 5Mp dual camera setup by Zeiss on the back and a 16MP front shooter. Both cameras have an aperture of f/2.0 and support Bothie mode (Nokia’s unique feature where the smartphone captures images from both sides of the phone at the same time). The Nokia 6.1 Plus has a 3,060mAh battery unit that supports fast charging. Related Read: Nokia 6.1 Plus updated to Android 9 Pie Nokia 6.1 Plus Review
The Oppo R17 has been launch in India with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 610 processor, which is paired with 8GB RAM. The device has been priced at Rs 34,990 in India. On the other hand, the Oppo F9 Pro is another mid-range premium device by the company that comes with a teardrop notch on top of it. We are comparing the Oppo R17 with the Oppo F9 Pro to help you in deciding which one you should go with, in case you’re not able to decide where to spend your money on? The Oppo R17 sports a 6.4-inch display that offers a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, while the Oppo F9 Pro features a slightly smaller 6.3-inch display that also offers a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels. When it comes to the performance, the Oppo R17 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 octa-core processor, which is clocked at 2.9GHz. On the other hand, the Oppo F9 Pro is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core processor, which is coupled with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal memory. As far as the cameras are concerned, the Oppo R17 has a dual 16MP + 5MP rear cameras along with a 25MP sensor on the front. The Oppo F9 Pro comes with a dual 16MP + 2MP camera set up at the back with a 25MP unit on the front. The Oppo R17 is available in India at a price of Rs 34,990, while the Oppo F9 Pro is priced at Rs 21,990. 
Key Highlights: OnePlus has announced some new offers for the OnePlus 6T One can avail the offers from December 26, 2018 to January 6, 2019 The smartphone will be available with Rs 1,500 instant discount, along with a no-cost EMI offer OnePlus has announced some new year-end offers for those who wish to buy its latest OnePlus 6T smartphone. The offers will go live from December 29, 2018, to January 6, 2019. One will get to avail Rs 1,500 instant discount when purchasing the device via Amazon.in on all EMI transactions carried out using HDFC bank credit and debit cards. There will also be a six-month no-cost EMI on the device who buy the phone via Amazon.in, oneplus.in, Croma outlets and all OnePlus exclusive offline stores. In addition, one can also avail up to Rs 2,000 off when they exchange their old OnePlus device for the OnePlus 6T. Those who don’t have a OnePlus phone to exchange will receive Rs 1,500 off. OnePlus recently announced a limited McLaren Edition of its OnePlus 6T smartphone. The device sports new features like the signature McLaren Papaya Orange colour accent that wraps around the phone’s bottom edge, fading into the black glass panel. Additionally, the pattern underneath the glass rear panel of the device is said to be based on McLaren’s carbon fiber, which has been used in the automotive company’s cars since 1981. The special edition comes with 10GB RAM and introduces the company’s new Warp Charge 30 technology. OnePlus 6T Specifications In terms of hardware, the OnePlus 6T is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC and features a 6.41-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It comes with up to 10GB RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. The phone also features an in-display fingerprint sensor, which is said to unlock the handset in 0.34 seconds. It runs on Android Pie and the company recently seeded the OxygenOS 9.0.10 update to it. In terms of optics, the handset sports a dual camera on the back with a 16MP Sony IMX519 sensor with f/1.7 aperture and a secondary 20MP Sony IMX376K sensor with f/1.7 aperture. The device’s main camera is capable of shooting 4K videos at 60fps and supports Super Slow Motion Video recording as well, at 720p at 480fps and 1080p at 240fps. It also comes with OIS and EIS support and has a dual-LED flash module. On the front is a 16MP Sony IMX371 sensor with a f/2.0 aperture. As mentioned earlier, OnePlus has also introduced Warp Charge 30 technology with the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The company claims that the 3700mAh battery on the device’s special edition is topped to 50 percent in just 20 minutes. OnePlus 6T Price The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is priced at Rs 50,999 and the standard 6GB+128GB variant of the phone is priced at Rs 37,999. For the 8GB+128GB variant, one will need to shell out Rs 41,999. The top-most variant of the device with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage is priced at Rs Rs 45,999. Related Reads: OnePlus 6T Review OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition: Is 10GB RAM overkill? OnePlus details tech behind Warp Charge 30 on OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition
