Oppo Ace 2 launched in China with SD 865, AirVOOC wireless charging support and more

Oppo has unveiled yet another flagship smartphone, the Ace 2 in China. It is the company’s first phone to support wireless charging and is the successor to the Reno Ace. Oppo decided to go without the Reno branding and it does make things simpler.

Oppo Ace 2 supports 40W AirVOOC wireless charging solution which is just a bit behind OnePlus’ new Warp Charge 30 implementation on the OnePlus 8 Pro that’s set to launch on April 14. This also means Oppo’s wireless charging capabilities are way advanced than what’s offered by companies like Apple and Samsung. 

Let’s take a brief look at the Oppo Ace 2 specifications, pricing and availability.

Oppo Ace 2 specifications

Oppo Ace 2 features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. There’s a punch-hole cutout on the front for the selfie camera and the display is topped by Gorilla Glass 5. The screen is also embedded with an in-screen fingerprint reader.

The phone is powered by top-of-the-line Snapdragon 865 chip bringing in 5G support via dedicated modem and octa-core CPU. This is paired with upto 12GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.0 storage options to choose from. It runs on Android 10 based ColorOS 7.1 with features like Hyper Boost 3.0 and more.

The Ace 2 has a quad-camera setup that consists of a primary 48MP camera which uses Sony’s IMX586 sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens with 119-degree field of view, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera. On the front, there’s a 16MP selfie camera tucked away in the notch upfront. The rear cameras are also supported by OIS and EIS for greater stability.

The rear camera can record in 4K UHD at 60fps and 720p slow-motion videos at 480fps. The front camera shoots 1080p at 30fps.

Oppo Ace 2 is fitted with a 4,000mAh battery that supports 40W AirVOOC fast wireless charging and 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 wired charging out-of-the-box.

Oppo Ace 2 pricing and availability

Oppo Ace 2 is being offered in three variants starting at CNY 3,999 for the base model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage, CNY 4,399 for 8GB RAM and 256GB variant and CNY 4,599 for the maxed-out version with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. The phone comes in two colours-- black and purple.

The phone will go on sale in China from April 20. Indian launch date and availability isn’t official yet due to the nation-wide lockdown that’s in effect to curb the spread of Coronavirus.

 

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TikTok now has over 1 billion downloads on Android alone

It looks like the popularity of the video creating and sharing app, TikTok isn’t slowing down anytime soon. The platform now has over a billion downloads just on Android smartphones. While the market research firm, Sensor Tower did report that the app had crossed 1.5 billion downloads back in November last year, but that was the combined the numbers from iOS and Android. 

TikTok seems to have really become popular since the world started to go into lockdown. Users seem to find solace in watching strangers create short creative videos while doing the same themselves. To be honest, there is very little for them to do during this time, anyway. 

Of course, as with any other social media platform. It does come with its own share of controversies. The platform has become a big source of fake news. Recently, 10 people, comprising of two families ended up in the hospital after trying out a ‘home remedy’ for the COVID-19 Coronavirus they allegedly saw on TikTok. The video claimed that drinking juice made from the seeds of Datura Stramonium plant would keep the virus away.

Of course, fake remedies are only a part of the misinformation that can be spread on the platform that also has people blaming a particular religion of group from the spread of COVID-19. In order to curb this, the Indian government has asked TikTok and Facebook to remove users spreading such news on their platforms.

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OnePlus 8 series: Everything we know ahead of the official launch

OnePlus 8 series is scheduled to launch on April 14 in an online event hosted by the company amidst the Coronavirus pandemic that has taken the entire world by storm. While a physical launch event isn’t a viable option given the impending health crisis, OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are set to be unveiled on Tuesday at 8:30 PM IST.

Much of the information surrounding the phones and other accessories have either been leaked or revealed by the company itself. And while it may get overwhelming in keeping a track of everything, we’ve got you covered with this one final roundup as we near the official launch.

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro: what we know so far

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro have been leaked fully in the last few weeks leaving much to the imagination, except of course the price, which is also expected to be increased to account for a more powerful chip and 5G support.

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro have been designed with the new and improved fifth-generation matte-frosted glass that offers a higher degree of haze effect while maintaining a smooth finish. The chassis is made from CNC milled aluminium that doesn’t add much to the thickness. OnePlus 8 measures eight millimetres at its thickest point and weighs 180 grams, while the Pro model is 8.5mm thick and weighs 199 grams.

According to the previous leaks and rumours, OnePlus 8 features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution display that uses an AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. The display has a punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera that gives it a 20:9 aspect ratio and is certified for HDR10+ playback.

OnePlus 8 Pro comes with a bigger, 6.78-inch display with QHD+ (3120 x 1440 pixels) resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Like the regular model, this one also has a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera that gives it a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. It also features the MEMC chip dedicated to reducing motion blur on the phone while watching videos or playing games. Additionally, both the phones are topped by a layer of Gorilla Glass.

OnePlus 8 series is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip that will make it to every flagship phone that’s set to launch this year. This is paired with up to 12GB RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.0 storage options to choose from. The phones will run on the latest version of OxygenOS 10 that’s based on Android 10, out-of-the-box.

The regular OnePlus 8 has a triple camera setup on the rear with a 48MP primary camera that uses a Sony IMX586 sensor with an f/1.75 and support for OIS and EIS. This is followed by a 16MP ultra-wide-angle-lens with a 116-degree field-of-view accompanied by a 2MP macro camera. On the front, we have a 16MP selfie camera that’s the same on both the phones.

OnePlus 8 Pro, on the other hand, has a quad-camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 48MP camera that uses a Sony IMX689 sensor with an f/1.78 aperture and support for EIS, OIS. There’s a second 48MP ultra-wide-angle lens that uses an IMX586 sensor with a 120-degree field-of-view, followed by a 5MP depth sensor.

The rear cameras are capable to shoot 4K UHD at up to 60fps and Full HD slow-motion videos at up to 240fps, while the front-facing camera can do 1080p at 30fps. There are a couple of camera features such as Audio Zoom and more that we’ll know more about during the launch.

OnePlus 8 series also comes fitted with an in-display fingerprint reader for faster unlock and the Pro variant is also IP68 certified making it resistant to dust and up to 1.5 meters in water.

The regular model has a 4,300mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging courtesy of Warp Charge 30T. OnePlus 8 Pro has a slightly bigger battery with 4,510mAh cells with support for 30W fast charging, wired and wireless both. Moreover, the phone also supports 3W reverse wireless charging.

The phones feature all the basic connectivity features including Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C port for charging but also brings 5G network support and adds WiFi 6 module for faster internet access.

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro pricing and availability

OnePlus 8 series is expected to be priced a bit higher due to the presence of a powerful chipset that also brings in 5G support, even though you may not use it initially. 

Going by a previous leak, the starting price of the OnePlus 8 base variant is pegged to be 719 Euros for the base variant. The maxed-out variant of the OnePlus 8 is said to priced at 819 Euros and has 12GB RAM and 256GB storage.

Likewise, the OnePlus 8 Pro starts at 919 Euros for the base variant and 1019 Euros for the maxed-out version.

OnePlus has revealed that it’s new phones will go on sale from April 17 in China, so expect Indian availability to be delayed due to the ongoing nationwide lockdown.

OnePlus 8 series is expected to come in three colours-- Onyx Black, Glacial Green and Interstellar Glow while the Pro variant has an Ultramarine Blue shade instead.

New OnePlus Bullets Wireless

OnePlus has teased a new pair of Bullets Wireless that’s going to be unveiled during the launch on April 14. These new pair of wireless earphones offer 10 hours worth of battery life in just 10 minutes. According to a previous report, the new earbuds are capable of delivering 14 hours worth of playback on a single charge.

In comparison, the current crop of Bullets Wireless 2 offers up to 14 hours of battery life. The new Bullets Wireless comes in four colours, Blue, Green, Black and White.

OnePlus Warp Charge 30 wireless charging dock

OnePlus is also introducing a Warp Charge 30 wireless charging dock that means one of the variant support wireless charging. We’re hedging our bets for it to be the Pro variant that supports 30W fast wireless charging.

OnePlus says that the wireless charger is as good as their wired charging solution and will recharge a OnePlus 8 phone to 50% in 30 minutes tops. This dock is also expected to have a built-in fan for thermal management and a Sleep mode as well.

The pricing of the dock is expected to be around 70 Euros which roughly translates to Rs 5,700.

OnePlus is set to announce the new phones along with some accessories, new Bullets Wireless and Warp Charge 30 wireless dock on April 14. Here’s how to watch the launch online.

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PUBG Mobile 'Cold Front Survival' Mode Coming April 16: Here's What We Can Expect

PUBG Mobile will add a Cold Front Survival mode on April 16 which will bring a new item and mechanics to the game.

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Playing Action Real-Time Strategy Games Can Benefit Cognitive Development: Study

Playing certain video games can have multiple benefits. Research has shown that experience of playing video games can improve cognitive development such as greater sensitivity to contrasts, better eye-to-hand coordination and superior memory.

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How to recharge your Vodafone Idea number via SMS and missed call

With the lockdown in place, it is hard for some to recharge their smartphones. Once the balance, data or validity is over, one will have to rely on a friend to recharge their number. Service providers like Vodafone Idea, Reliance Jio and Airtel have made it possible that people can recharge their phones via ATMs. Vodafone Idea is offering users up to 6 per cent as a cashback if they recharge someone's number using the MyVodafone or MyIdea app. 

Adding to this, Vodafone Idea is giving customers the ability to recharge their device via an SMS and a missed call. To use the service, one needs to have an account with one of the following banks - SBI Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Bank, Indusind Bank or HDFC Bank. Below is a step by step guide on how to recharge your smartphone via an SMS along with the corresponding numbers for each bank. 

Vodafone Idea Quick Recharge Through SMS

For SBI Bank: SMS to 9223440000 SMS Format: StopupUseridMPINVODAFONE/IDEA10 digit Mob NoAmount

For ICICI Bank: SMS to 9222208888 : MTOPUPIDEA/VODAFONE10 digit Mob NoAmountLast 6 digits of Bank Acc

For Axis Bank: SMS to 9717000002 / 5676782 : MOBILE10 digit Mob NoIdea/VodafoneAmountLast 6 digits of Bank Acc

For Kotak Bank: SMS to 9971056767 / 5676788 : REC10 digit Mob No VODAFONE/IDEAAmountLast 4 digits of Bank Acc

For IndusInd Bank: SMS to 9212299955: MOB10 digit Mob No VODAFONE/IDEAAmountLast 4 digits of Debit card

Quick Recharge through SMS and Missed call

For HDFC Bank: SMS and Call to 7308080808

1st Step SMS:  ACT VODAFONE/IDEALast 5 digits of Bank Acc 

2nd Step SMS: FAV98XXXXXXXXAmount

Confirm your recharge by giving a missed call to 7308080808

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Redmi GM Lu Weibing wants to make future Redmi smartphones water resistant, but at what cost

The internal hardware inside flagship smartphones is mostly the same across most high-end smartphones. A flagship chipset, lots of RAM and storage and a bright display. An attractive design is also more or less taken for granted but what sets the high-end smartphones and flagship smartphones apart are the little things like water resistance.

Speaking of which, Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing said Redmi will be considering making its future flagships water and dust resistant to the same extent that current flagship phones do. He wrote on Weibo saying -

“Since everyone likes IP68 so much, we will also consider it for future products.”

The comment comes after Weibing shared news about the Redmi K30 Pro’s IP53 water and dust resistance certification with many fans claiming that’s not enough. Redmi hopes an IP53 certification will help the K30 Pro to withstand splashes and small amounts of dust. Fans, however, hoped for much more. Quite expectedly, if you ask us.

With increased protection, comes increased costs

IP53 or Ingress Protection 53 means a device has been certified to withstand limited dust ingress and water spray at any angle up to 60 degrees from the vertical. IP68, on the other hand, means there are minimal dust ingress and resistance to water damage in up to 1.5 meters depth for 30 minutes.

Water-resistance is one crucial feature that most high-end smartphone offerings skimp on. Some just offer limited splash resistance while most don’t talk about it at all. For an expensive device, the durability also matters and that’s one reason why flagships from Samsung and Apple manage to outlive its peers for years. And if rumours are to be believed, the OnePlus 8 Pro due to launch tomorrow is also expected to tout an IP rating for the first time.

With high-end smartphones matching the hardware in flagships for a while now, it’s about time they went beyond the spec-sheet and improve the durability of their products. However, one of the biggest reasons companies have cited against including an IP rating is the additional cost to get one.

Water and dust resistance is increased by reinforcing the openings in the body with additional materials to stop water and dust from seeping in. These designs and the components cost extra money which adds on to the final price.  These include really strong adhesives to ensure there’s no opening in the body, plastic and rubber for the ports, and to an extent, coating every component inside with oleophobic coating.

Ingress Protection certificates are issued by NTS, a globally recognised testing and certification agency. Granting a license requires in-depth testing of the durability. These tests have to be commissioned by the OEM which includes a fee. As a result, the cost of implementing water resistance is quite high for an OEM. For someone like Xiaomi that promises to keep make for than a 5 per cent profit margin on the price, that could mean in a significantly increased price. Would you okay to pay extra for a Redmi device that’s water-resistant even if the price is close to that of a known flagship smartphone maker like Apple or Samsung?

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