The Google Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL have leaked enough to reveal more or less everything about them. There was even a leak about the upcoming Pixelbook on Friday. Now, based on information found in the Google APK v8.22 after a teardown, the upcoming Pixel 3 phone could come with a wireless charging dock called the Pixel Stand. The Google app APK has a short animation showing how the device works with the dock. The Pixel Stand might be a vertical stand for the phones to charge wirelessly. The app also mentions other functionality like a slideshow viewer and a different Google Assistant interface. While the Pixel Stand is not officially confirmed, it more or less confirms there will be wirless charging present in the new Pixel 3 phones, but do it while the phone is positioned vertically? That sure would be interesting. We will soon find out more during the official unveiling of the Pixel 3 and the Pixel 3 XL at an event in New York on October 9.
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Samsung has launched two new mid-range phones that could give the likes of Xiaomi and Honor strong competition. The new Galaxy J6+ and the Galaxy J4+ come with a glass-finish design, side fingerprint sensor and Samsung’s Infinity display along with Dolby Atmos certified audio. The Samsung Galaxy J6+ and the Galaxy J4+ comes in three colours based on a glass-sandwich design. The Galaxy J6+ comes in black, red and blue while the J4+ comes in gold, black and blue. g Both the phones tout a 6-inch HD+ TFT Infinity display which Samsung claims offers 15 percent more display area. Furthermore, the Galaxy J6+ and the Galaxy J4+ has the L1 Widevine certification that allows devices to stream content in HD, unlike Xiaomi and Honor’s devices that cap the ability of the phones to stream content in high resolution. The new Samsung phones also have Dolby Atmos certified audio. The Galaxy J6+ also comes with a side fingerprint sensor, a first for a Samsung device. Notedly, Sony has been using the design for quite some in its Xperia lineup of smartphones. The new phones are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 chipset. The Galaxy J6+ has 4GB RAM and 64GB storage while the Galaxy J4+ has 2GB RAM and 32GB storage. Both devices will have the ability to install apps in the SD card and will have a 3,330mAh battery. As for the optics, the Galaxy J6+ sports a 13MP+5MP dual camera setup at the back while the Galaxy J4+ will tout a single 13MP sensor at the back. The Galaxy J6+ will have an 8MP sensor upfront while the smaller sibling will have a 5MP sensor for selfies and video calls. The Galaxy J6+ can take portrait shots with the background blurred. There is an LED flash up front for taking selfies in low light. The Samsung Galaxy J6+ is priced at Rs 15,990 while the Galaxy J4+ is priced at Rs 10,990. Samsung will also offer a “One Time Screen Replacement Offer” at Rs 900 till November 11. The phones will be available from September 25 across Samsung’s retail stores in the country, online channels including Amazon and Flipkart as well as on Smasung’s own online portal.
The Google Pixel 3XL leaks have now become reduntant as every new leak reveals more or less the same features, confirming what we already know. On Friday, Twitter user @IshanAgarwal24 posted few more high-resolution photos of the upcoming Pixel 3 XL providing a clear view of things to come. The Pixel 3 XL leaked in the photos is the white colour variant. It has a green mint-coloured accent on the power button. As seen before, there is also a huge notch on the top of the display along with a big chin at the bottom. According to the leakster, the SIM tray of the phone has been relocated to the bottom of the phone. That’d be a first. Some more screenshots of the camera UI shows Google has redesigned it along with the Google Assistant prompt. The leak also confirms the Pixel 3 XL will not have the ability to recording in 4K 60 FPS. Although, it could be that the ability is not showing up in the leakster’s phone and will be included in the final release. Furthermore, it seems Google is not going to provide a way to hide the notch. That could be a bummer for those who never liked the ugly cutout in the first place. Almost every other manufacturer gives the option to hide the notch. Except Apple, of course, who introduced the design in the iPhone X. Well, for better or for worse, the Pixel 3 XL will be announced officially in New York on October 9, confirming all the previously leaked information and hopefully revealing a few more. So here is another look at the Pixel 3 XL exclusively from me! According to the source, the device features a frosted glass back with kinda plastic sides (could be metal with some coating). Also has a SIM Tray at the bottom.#Google#GooglePixel3 #Pixel3XL#Pixel3 pic.twitter.com/ocEKb5QoW2 — Ishan Agarwal (@IshanAgarwal24) September 21, 2018 
If you are looking forward to getting your hands on the Mi 8 Pro, then you may not have to wait long. Donovan Sung, Xiaomi’s Global spokesperson took to twitter to announce that the Chinese tech giant will launch the Mi 8 Pro internationally soon. Xiaomi Mi 8 Pro specs The Mi 8 Pro is powered the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 clocked at 2.8GHz. That’s coupled with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB non-expandable storage. The Mi 8 Pro touts a 6.21-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with an 18.7:9 aspect ratio. Apart from the in-display fingerprint sensor, the Mi 8 Pro also sports an IR-based face unlock that we have previously seen in the Poco F1. Because of that, the flagship phone has a wider notch that others. The phone also incorporates the transparent back design seen first on the Mi 8 Explorer Edition and the HTC U12 Plus. The phone runs on Android 8.1 Oreo with MIUI on top. As for the optics, the Mi 8 Pro sports a 12MP+12MP dual rear cameras. The primary camera has an aperture of f/1.8 while second camera has an aperture of f/2.4. The camera is bolstered with AI-centric features like scene recognition, AI studio light and the likes. On the front is a 20MP shooter that can apply 3D beauty effects, AI portrait mode and more. The Mi 8 Pro has a 3,000mAh battery powering the whole thing. There is no information available about the India launch or price of the Mi 8 Pro. In other Xiaomi new, the company has confirmed that it is launching the third generation of the Mi band in India on September 27. You can read more about the Mi band 3 here. #Mi8Pro unboxing shots. This gorgeous phone comes with in-display fingerprint technology and is available in multiple colors, including an edition with a transparent back. Launching soon in our global markets across the world! ❤️#Xiaomi #unboxing pic.twitter.com/tWEefavSyQ — Donovan Sung (@donovansung) September 21, 2018 
The wait for Android Pie on the OnePlus 6 has finally ended. The company has announced that it has started rolling out the latest version of Android for the OnePlus 6 smartphone. The update is 1521MB in size and users should receive a notification prompting them to update. If not, you can go into the settings of the smartphone, go to system, and then system update to check if they have received the update on their smartphone. Android Pie for the OnePlus 6 was first available as an open beta on September 3. On its official blog, OnePlus says that the update brings with it a brand new UI for Android Pie, new adaptive battery support, new Android Pie gesture navigation, updated Android security patch to 2018.9, other new features and system improvements, new Do Not Disturb (DND) mode with adjustable settings, new gaming mode 3.0, added text notification mode added notification for 3rd party calls, accent colour and Supported accent colour customization. If you haven’t received the update yet, then worry not. On its blog, OnePlus says, “This OTA will have a staged rollout. The OTA will be received by a limited number of users today and will have a broader rollout in a few days after making sure there are no critical bugs. Using VPN to download this build might not work as the rollout is not based on regions and is randomly pushed out to a limited number of devices.”
Canon has launched its latest EOS R camera system in India, which is priced at Rs 1,89,950 for body only and will cost you Rs 2,78,945 when purchased with the RF 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens. The new 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor mirrorless camera features an electronic viewfinder, which is a first for the company. It comes with dual pixel CMOS Auto Focus and is equipped with the Digic 8 imaging processor. With a 30 MP sensor resolution, the new camera offers ISO setting between 100-40000, which expands to 50-102400. Alongside the camera, Canon has also launched four new RF lenses, two super-telephoto EF lenses and one prime EF-M lens. For easier navigation and review, the Canon EOS R sports a 3.2-inch fully articulated TFT LCD display. The device supports Contrast and phase detect autofocus, along with multi-area, centre, Selective single-point, tracking, single, continuous, touch, face detection and live view. It also supports live view so that one can see exactly what the lens is seeing in the viewfinder, which is an electronic type. Using burst mode will result in shoots at 8 fps and the camera can record 4K videos at 30fps and 1080p at 60fps. The EOS R comes equipped with Dual Sensing IS, which detects camera shake to help click relatively stable images. It supports Dual Pixel RAW for micro-adjustment, bokeh shift and ghosting reduction. The camera comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, which enables direct transfer of images to a smartphone. Coming to the new lenses, there are a total of seven new lenses that Canon has announced. They are: RF24-105mm f/4L IS USM: Costs Rs 88,995 and available from mid October. RF50mm f/1.2L USM: Costs Rs 1,85,995 and available from mid October. RF28-70mm f/2L USM: Costs Rs 2,42,995 and on sale from December RF35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM: Costs Rs 40,995 and available from December EF-M32mm f/1.4 STM: Costs Rs 34,995 and will be available from mid October EF400mm f/2.8L IS III USM: Costs Rs 9,69,995 and will be available from mid October EF600mm f/4L IS III USM: Costs Rs 10,50,995 and will be available from mid October Alongside the new RF lenses, one will also be able to use their existing EF lenses with the EOS R camera. This is possible with the four new type of RF mount adapters that the company has announced for the device. The 54mm diameter RF mount supports short back-focus of 20mm and features 12-pin contact points for data transfer between the lens and the body. They are: Mount Adapter EF-EOS R: Costs Rs 7,995 and will be available from mid October The Control Ring Mount Adapter EF-EOS R: Costs Rs 15,995, goes on sale in mid October The Drop-in Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R with ND Filter: Costs Rs 31,995 and will be available next year The Drop-in Filter Mount Adapter EF-EOS R with PL Filter: Costs Rs 23,995, will go on sale next year. You can read our first impressions of the new Canon EOS R camera here.
Netflix is lining up some pretty impressive Indian content on its platform and Sacred Games started that trend, followed by Ghoul. Season 1 of the Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saif Ali Khan starrer, produced in collaboration with Phantom films, fast became one of the most watched Netflix originals in India. The announcement for Season 2 of the show comes filled with promises of more horror and suffering in Mumbai city planned by crime boss Gaitonde (Siddiqui). The cat and mouse game will continue as Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan) races against time to unravel Gaitonde’s destructive plans. Gaitonde will face bigger challenges to retain his position as the legendary kingpin of Mumbai. The intriguing Guruji (Pankaj Tripathi), introduced in season one as Gaitonde’s ‘third father,’ plays a pivotal role in unfolding a chain of events that shape the next season - which is scheduled to film in India and locations overseas this fall. Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap will continue directing Ganesh Gaitonde’s track, while Neeraj Ghaywan (of Masaan fame) will take over Sartaj Singh’s plot. Vikramaditya Motwane and Varun Grover will continue their roles of being the showrunner and the lead writer respectively. Erik Barmack, Vice President, International Originals at Netflix, said, “We’ve been thrilled by the response to Sacred Games from fans worldwide, and especially in India, to this high quality production. It’s incredibly exciting for us to take the story of Sacred Games forward and open a new chapter in the series with its second season.” No date has been announced just yet for the release of Sacred Games Season 2, but Netflix says it will release soon. Watch the season 2 announcement below.
Two of the three latest Apple iPhones are now up for pre-bookings in India. The iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max can now be pre-booked from Flipkart, the Airtel Online Store and Jio.com. The relatively cheaper iPhone XR will be made available later in the country. Flipkart has exchange offers and cashbacks to allure customers who are pre-ordering the devices, and Airtel is also running cashback offers as a part of the pre-order offer. While the cheapest of the two is priced at Rs 99,900 in India, the prices go all the way up to Rs 1,44,900. iPhone XS Price in India The iPhone XS comes with a smaller OLED display as compared to the iPhone XS Max. It was launched in a 64GB, 256GB and 512GB variants and is priced as follows: iPhone XS 64GB - Rs 99,900 iPhone XS 256GB - Rs 1,14,900 iPhone XS 512GB - Rs 1,34,900 iPhone XS Max Price in India The iPhone XS Max features a 6.5-inch OLED display, the biggest display has ever offered. The device is also available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB variants. iPhone Xs Max 64GB - Rs 1,09,900 iPhone Xs Max 256GB - Rs 1,24,900 iPhone Xs Max 512GB - Rs 1,44,900 The astronomical prices are why one would be better off buying the new iPhones abroad. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max offers on Flipkart One can pre-order all the storage variants of the two iPhones from Flipkart and the online retailer has listed them at the same aforementioned prices. However, one can get up to Rs 13,500 off on exchange, while buying the iPhones. Additionally, one can avail a 5 percent discount while pre-ordering the devices using an HDFC Bank, RBL Bank, or an Axis Bank Buzz credit card. There is also a no-cost EMI option starting at Rs 4,149 per month. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max offers on Airtel Online Store Airtel is only offering the 64GB variant of the iPhone XS and the XS Max on its Online Store. One will get to avail 5 percent cashback by using Axis Bank or Citi Bank credit cards, but only by opting for either 12 or 24 months of EMI. They can also avail 5X reward points on all non-EMI transactions. As an exclusive offer, one can pick up the phone on the day of launch from a nearby Store after September 28 at 6.00 PM or else those who can wait can get it delivered in a standard fashion. iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max offers on Jio.com Jio has all the three variants of the two phones available for preorder but there are no offers for early birds. It should be noted that the pre-orders for the new iPhones can only be done between September 21 to September 27 and one can only pre-order one iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max per transaction. There is no Cash On Delivery option and one will have to make complete payment while pre-booking. As per Jio’s website, the booked device will be shipped in 3 to 5 business days after the new models are made available in India, which will happen on September 28.
Instagram is rolling out a new feature for its users, which will enable them to send GIFs to others in DMs. The new feature powered by Giphy comes soon after the company first enabled tagging GIFs in stories and then disabled it, just to roll out the feature again. Instagram users will see a new GIF button in the DM section that can be used to search for specific or trending GIFs. One can also use a “random” option to send a surprise GIF based on their keyword search terms. The new feature is now being seeded for iOS and Android and a good thing is that every GIF will include its creators' credentials so that one knows who has created the GIF. Instagram is also reportedly testing a new feature to hide hashtags from a post’s captions. The feature will be helpful for users who want their post to reach a larger audience without showcasing a large number of hashtags. The news of Instagram hiding hashtags from a post caption comes via the developer Jane Manchun Wong. Wong tweeted a screenshot of the new feature, showing that an option to add numerous hashtags shows up without having them appear in the final post. There is also a screenshot that hints that the company is testing how to geofence posts and stories. The feature is said to limit the post’s viewability to specific locations. The feature can be useful for companies and brands if they want to limit their business in certain regions. Hashtags are a great way to discover new content on Instagram but they are also being misused on the platform. The company recently announced new tools to help users deal with drug abuse as some users are said to search for opioids on the platform using hashtags. Instagram, in US, now shows a pop-up to offer support when users search for certain drug-related hashtags. This includes references to illegal drugs, opioids and other frequently abused substances. The prompt reads, “If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid or substance misuse, find ways to get free and confidential treatment referrals, as well as information about substance abuse, prevention, and recovery.” While the message is not much of a deterrent for those searching for drugs on the platform, it can provide a brief moment to pause, reflect and maybe encourage users to find help. 
If you are one that is looking to pick up a Mi band or a budget fitness band then we would say hold your horses. Manu Kumar Jain, Global VP, Xiaomi & Managing Director Xiaomi India tweeted that the next generation Mi Band, the Mi Band 3 will launch in India next week. In his tweet, Manu Kumar Jain said, “Exactly 1 year ago we launched a new fitness band - Mi Band HRX! Within a short period, it became the No. 1 wearable device in India. Excited that we are about to launch the next #MiBand in India next week. Which other products do you think we'll launch on 27th? @XiaomiIndia” Coming to the specifications of the Mi Band 3, the device has a 0.78-inch capacitive OLED display panel with a resolution of 128x80 pixels. The band is water resistance up to 50 metres. The wearable has improved the pedometer when compared to the Mi Band 2. The display panel shows information such as incoming calls, text message alerts, current time, steps taken, and heart rate. You can also find your smartphone with a simple tap of the button on the Mi Band. The device can also track a user’s sleep along with heart rate. It is powered by a 110mAh battery. The MI Band boasts of Bluetooth v4.2 connectivity as well as NFC and weighs 20 grams. Manu Kumar Jain has also tweeted about Smart Living hinting that we may see the launch of more devices along with the Mi band 3 on the 27. Xiaomi has been teasing the launch of a new smart TV, an IoT enabled surveillance camera, a new fitness tracker, an air purifier and possibly a suitcase through its social media handles. Exactly 1 year ago we launched a new fitness band - Mi Band HRX! Within a short period, it became the No. 1 wearable device in India. Excited that we are about to launch the next #MiBand in India next week
It looks like HMD Global is gearing up to launch a brand new Nokia device. The company has reportedly sent out media invites an event on October 4 in London. While the invite (which was posted by Pocket-Lint) doesn’t mention the device being launched, the text states that it is to “welcome the latest addition to the Nokia smartphone family.” It’s possible that the company will unveil the Nokia 7.1 Plus smartphone during the event. A couple of days ago, two images said to be of the Nokia 7.1 Plus were leaked, which suggested that the phone may feature a 5.9-inch display, which is slightly smaller than the 6-inch display on the Nokia 7 Plus. The smartphone is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC with support for 18W fast charging. The phone will most likely be a part of Google’s Android One program. There was also speculation that Nokia may announce its next flagship device, the Nokia 9 at the event. The phone is tipped to feature a total of five cameras at the back for a penta-camera setup. It is also expected to sport a 4150mAh battery. However, it seems like the company may launch the smartphone in February next year. According to reports, the launch has been postponed till MWC 2019 as company executives do not see the smartphone “perfect” for the launch yet. It’s not yet known when the company will bring its upcoming device to India. However, the company will finally reveal the price of the Nokia 5.1 Plus on September 24. Considering the fact that the Nokia 6.1 Plus is launched at Rs 15,999, the Nokia 5.1 Plus should be priced at less than Rs 15,000. The device sports a 5.86-inch HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 SoC with 3GB RAM. At the back is a dual-rear camera setup with a 13MP + 5MP combination, while at the front is an 8MP unit. The phone’s camera also features bokeh, haze removal and portrait lighting. The Nokia 5.1 Plus offers 32GB of onboard storage, with the option to expand storage by up to 256GB. Of course, the phone is also a part of the Android One program and as such comes with Android Oreo, and will be one of the first devices to be updated to new versions of Android. 
Samsung has finally launched its Galaxy Watch in India after unveiling it alongside the Galaxy Note 9 in the US. The smartwatch will be available in India in two variants - one with a 46mm case in silver with matt black bezels priced at Rs 29,990 and another 42mm variant in midnight black and Rose gold priced at Rs 24,990. The Galaxy Watch features Samsung’s signature rotating bezel and an Always-On OLED display covered in Corning Gorilla Glass DX+ for added protection. The Galaxy Watch is also 5 ATM water resistant, making it usable in the shower or in the swimming pool. However, Samsung says that the watch should not be used for scuba diving, water skiing, or other activities involving sudden temperature changes. For additional sturdiness, the Galaxy Watch is also gets military-grade MIL-STD-810 certification. In terms of specs and features, the Galaxy Watch is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9110 Dual core 1.15GHz processor and can tracks heart rate, and provides breathing exercises to help users stay focused. In addition, the Galaxy Watch’s advanced sleep tracking monitors all levels of sleep, including REM cycles, to help users get the rest they need to take on their day. The Galaxy Watch also automatically tracks six of the most popular exercises - walking, running, cycling, elliptical, training, rowing, and dynamic workouts - and features 21 new indoor exercises from a selection of 39 activities. The 46mm Galaxy Watch features a 472mAh battery, while the smaller 42mm unit gets a 270mAh battery. The smartwatch runs on Tizen OS 4.0 and features 768MB of RAM and 4GB of storage on the Bluetooth version. The LTE version of the Galaxy Watch is not available in India as of now.
The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 (review) seems to be ever evolving. There have been countless updates to the popular mid-range smartphone which has improved the performance, introduced new features, security patches and the likes. However, Asus still hasn’t opened up image stabilisation even though the smartphone supports it. The good people over at XDA Developers didn’t wait for Asus to officially open up the feature, however, and has listed down the steps to enable EIS for videos on the Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1. XDA member ronello outlined the steps to enable EIS in the Zenfone Max Pro M1. It’s quite easy and if you follow the steps, you’ll have the feature in no time. 1. Open the camera application. 2. Go to Settings 3. Search for “Redeye Reductions” and tap on it until there’s a popup saying you’re in “camera developer mode”. 4. Go to Video mode 5. Set the resolution of videos to anything less than 4K. 1080p will also do. 6. Toggle the “Image Stabilisation” option in the settings. The instructions are easy enough, and we managed to enable the feature in the review unit that we received. The videos do look a little less shaky after enabling EIS. Users on XDA’s forum are also reporting the same. However, it’s still unclear as to why Asus has not enabled the feature officially in the camera app. The company could push out an update in the future to enable it. You can also install the Google Camera app without requiring root access. The instructions are there on XDA and it's pretty easy to follow. The phone apparently has a hidden fastboot command to enable Camera2 API without modifying the system files. The Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1 variant with 3/4GB RAM variant sports a 13+5MP camera on the back with f/2.2 aperture primary lens and f/2.4 aperture secondary lens. The secondary lens is used for depth sensing. The 6GB RAM variant sports an upgraded 16+5MP camera with f/2.0 aperture primary lens. 
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on the PC is getting Update 22 on its test servers today. As one would expect, the new update brings a whole host of new features and bug fixes. Most prominent of the new features is a ranking system and a new ‘wheel menu’ UI option that will allow users quick to access to items in their inventory. Update 22 is currently available on the test server, and should make its may to other players sometime later. The new ranking system should help ensure that evenly matched players are placed together in a match. There will be a total of eight ranks, which will be assigned based on ‘Rank Points’. In order to earn their first rank, players will need to play 10 provisional matches. Further, rank promotion or demotion is decided by total rank points. The Statistics page will now feature rank KDA, Avg. damage, etc. more clearly. It will also display up to 100 ranks. Another change is that server/region will now be decided automatically depending on the player's local region. When a player is grouped with another player from a different region, matchmaking automatically decides which region would be the best to play on. PUBG will also feature new wheel menus for quickly accessing healing as well as throwable items. Pressing G/F1 will access throwables, while pressing ~ / F2 will let them access healing/booster items. The wheel can be cancelled by right clicking the mouse. Other UI/UX changes includes three new alert icons to let the player quickly know what (if any) network issues they are facing. This includes icons for high latency, latency variation and packet loss. There is also a new option for Auto-reload, that will automatically reload the weapon, if the user tries to fire when the magazine is empty. This option is set of ‘Off’ be default, but can be changed from the gameplay menu. There are also a bunch of gameplay improvements and bug fixes. For a complete list of changes, you can check out the patch notes here. PUBG is undergoing massive change in the face of a declining daily active user base. The company already has its 'Fix PUBG' initiative in place and may soon make its way to the PlayStation 4. There are also reports that the game may soon get a snow map called Dihor Otok.
Amazon held a hardware event in Seattle yesterday and announced a number of new Echo devices, including new a Echo Dot and Echo Plus with fabric designs, the long-rumoured Echo Auto for vehicles, a Chromecast Audio-like device called the Echo Input, an Echo Subwoofer, Echo Amp, the second-gen Echo Show, an Echo Wall Clock, improved security features in the form of Alexa Guard, and an Amazon Basics Microwave, smart plug which can be controlled through Echo speakers. Alongside the new range of Echo devices, Amazon also launched a new Fire TV Recast, a DVR that lets users watch and record live OTA TV at home and on mobile devices. Of all the Echo devices launched in the US, three are headed to India starting next month. Here’s what the new hardware from Amazon brings to the table. Echo Dot The new Echo Dot comes with a refreshed design and 70 percent louder speakers thanks to a larger 1.6-inch driver. The speaker is now clad in fabric. Its edges are more rounded and it looks sleeker than before. The Echo Dot will be available in Charcoal, Heather Gray, and Sandstone colours. All the other features and functions of the Echo Dot remain the same, including its ability to connect via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio cable. At Rs 4,499, the new Echo Dot will cost the same as the older Echo Dot. The device goes up for pre-order in India today and will be shipped starting next month. In the US, the Echo Dot is priced at $49.99 Echo Plus The new Echo Plus also gets a new fabric look and better speakers with a built-in Zigbee Hub like the previous Echo Plus. The Echo Plus now includes an embedded temperature sensor, enabling users to set temperature-based routines using other smart home devices. The new Echo Plus now has a larger 3-inch Neodymium woofer and increased back volume, stronger bass and improved mids and highs. The Echo Plus also gets offline voice control now and users will be able to give it voice commands even when the internet goes out. The new Echo Plus will cost Rs 14,999 in India and is up for pre-orders starting today. Shipping will begin next month. In the US, the Echo Plus is priced at $149 Echo Show The new Echo Show gets a design refresh and upgraded speaker. It features a 10-inch HD display, a 5MP camera, and a built-in smart home hub, just like the Echo Plus. There are dual side-firing 2-inch Neodymium drivers next to the screen, with a passive bass radiator, and Dolby sound processing. Customers will also have access to music videos through a direct integration with Vevo. The Echo Show can also be paired with the new Fire TV Recast to watch, record, and replay free over-the-air live TV programming. The Echo Show has launched in the US for $229.99 Echo Auto Alexa’s skills finally come to your vehicle with the new Echo Auto. The Echo Auto features eight microphones for recognising voice commands. Amazon claims that the Echo Auto lets Alexa hear users over music, A/C, and road noise. The device is powered by your car's 12V power outlet or USB port, and connects to the stereo system in the vehicle through a 3.5 mm audio jack or Bluetooth. It connects to Alexa through the Alexa smartphone app and the phone to access a range of features such as music, navigation, calling, and more. Users can also set a routine that turns on the lights in a vehicle while pulling into the driveway. The device is only available by invitation in the US for $24.99. Echo Wall Clock The Echo Wall Clock is..well...a 10-inch battery-powered Wall Clock which connects to Echo devices via Bluetooth to visually enhance timers, alarms and reminders. The Echo Wall Clock is priced at $29.99 and features a 60 LED ring that can display multiple timers for cooking, countdown to a family event, and show visual animations for alarms and reminders to keep you on schedule. Echo Sub The Echo Sub is a new entry into the Alexa-powered range of devices from Amazon. It is quite literally a wireless subwoofer Alexa integration. The Echo Sub can pair with any Echo speaker to provide a more powerful bass. Users can create a 1.1 or 2.1 stereo sound setup with the new Echo Sub and any existing or new Echo speakers. The sub also gets an equalizer feature to adjust the bass, mid-range, and treble through voice commands. Echo Sub is priced at Rs 12,999 in India and will be available later this year. In the US, the Echo Sub is priced at $129. Echo Input The Echo Input is a Chromecast Audio-like device which attaches to your existing speakers via a 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth, and add Alexa smarts to the otherwise dumb speakers. It features a four-microphone array for voice recognition and is priced at $34.99 in the US. Echo Link The Echo Link is an audio component that connects to your high-fidelity stereo system to stream music services. Echo Link includes analog, optical, coax, headphone 3.5mm, and subwoofer line-outs; and analog, optical, and coax line-ins. It has a volume knob for granular control, an Ethernet port for reliable connectivity, and support for multi-room music through Alexa. It connects to your home stereo system to stream high-fidelity music for $199.99. Echo Link Amp The Echo Link Amp is a 60W, 2-channel built-in amplifier to stream high-fidelity music to active or passive speakers. The device cost $299.99 in the US. AmazonBasics Microwave The Amazon Basics Microwave is connects to any Echo device to make cooking easier with voice commands. The Microwave costs $59.99 and comes with Quick-cook voice presets and a simplified keypad with an Alexa button that let users ask the digital assistant to start microwaving. Amazon Smart Plug The Amazon Smart Plug also connects to all Echo devices and lets users control compatible lights, fans, coffee makers, and more for $24.99. Fire TV Recast The Fire TV Recast is a DVR that lets users watch and record over-the-air TV at home or on-the-go with a Fire TV, Echo Show, or compatible mobile device—with no monthly fees. Users can record up to 2 shows at once, with enough storage for up to 75 hours of HD programming. Its Voice Search feature is available through connected Echo devices and can be used to look up shows, manage and schedule recordings, and help with other requests. The device is only available in the US and is priced at $229.99. New Alexa features Amazon’s digital assistant powering all its smart devices, Alexa, all got an upgrade at the event. Amongst the notable additions, Alexa now has enhanced safety features in the form of Alexa Guard which sends users alerts when they are not at home. Alexa can send you Smart Alerts about the sound of glass-breaking, smoke detectors, or carbon monoxide alarms detected in your home. It can also turn lights on and off to help deter intruders using the Away Lighting mode on Echo devices. This feature will be available on select Echo devices later this year. It is also easier to connect smart devices with Wi-Fi and Alexa through the Wi-Fi simple setup feature which automatically detects and connects smart home devices to Wi-Fi and the digital assistant. Local Voice control lets Alexa respond to commands offline, without an active internet connection. It works to control lights, plugs, and switches. You can read more about Alexa’s new features here.
Realme will launch its Realme 2 Pro smartphone on September 27. However, ahead of the launch, a new device has popped up on Geekbench with the name and model number OPPO RMX1807, which is speculated to be the upcoming handset. The listing reveals that the smartphone could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC but the company’s CEO has already confirmed the same. However, there were only rumours of what RAM and storage configuration the device could be shipped with and this sighting suggests that it will pack 8GB RAM. Unfortunately, the Geekbench listing doesn’t reveal the device’s internal storage configuration. The smartphone managed to score 1452 in the Geekbench single-core tests and 5511 in the multi-core performance. We already know that the Realme 2 Pro smartphone is also confirmed to launch as a Flipkart exclusive. The new smartphone is expected to be a more powerful variant of the Realme 2 and it indeed is with the upgraded processor. The device was previously seen in a video that the company had posted on Twitter. In contrast to the standard wide notch on the Realme 2, the Realme 2 Pro is seen featuring a smaller teardrop notch in the video. While its design is similar to its predecessor with a vertically aligned dual-rear camera setup, there seems to be no faceted design on the rear panel. A fingerprint scanner can also be seen on the back and it is also expected to feature Face Unlock. The Realme 2 Pro’s predecessor, the Realme 2 features a 6.2-inch HD+ display with a notch, 19:9 aspect ratio and 88.8 percent screen-body ratio. It sports a diamond-cutting design on the back that is made with a scratch resistant 12-layer nano-tech composite material. There’s are dual-cameras and a fingerprint sensor on the rear. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Octa-core processor with Adreno 506 GPU. It is backed by a 4230mAh battery and it runs on ColorOS 5.1 atop Android 8.1 OS. Coming to the optics, Realme has equipped the device with a 13MP main sensor and a 2MP secondary setup. The front-facing camera features an 8MP sensor with AI-powered features. The Realme 2 comes in a 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant that is priced at Rs 8,990 and its 4GB RAM/64GB storage model costs Rs 10,990. You can read our review of the Realme 2 here.
At its F8 conference in May, Facebook announced that it is working at a dating service called Facebook Dating which will be launched as a part of its main website. Now, The Verge has reported that the company is doing a trial run of the service in Columbia and users in the Country aged 18 and above will be able to create dating profiles. As per the report, one will be able to find some matches when a certain number of users start using the service and it is said to be tailored for those users who are looking for meaningful long-term relationships rather than hookups. Facebook Dating reportedly breaks away from the swiping model that Tinder popularised and many other dating apps also adopted. Instead of swiping mindlessly, it will ask users to answer some questions and start conversations based on similarities that two people share in their profiles. Facebook Dating will also benefit from its integration with Groups and Events and other features of the social media platform to expand the dating pool and encourage users to meet in public. “Dating has been a behaviour that we’ve seen on Facebook for a really long time,” product manager Nathan Sharp said in an interview with The Verge. “We want to make it easier and more comfortable for people to engage in. We just thought that now was the right time.” As per the report, while setting up the dating service on Facebook, only the first name and age of a user are imported from their Facebook profile. They are then asked to write a short introduction for themselves and to state what the person is seeking. The dating profile is said to include photos and answers to Facebook’s question prompts, such as “what does your perfect day look like?” and one will be able to select from up to nine photos and answers on iOS, and up to 12 on Android. The images can be carried over from the user’s Facebook account, Instagram or one can choose to upload them from their device. Many people thought that the new service will launch as a standalone app but the company clarifies it as being an integrated service within the main Facebook app. Currently, it won’t be available on desktops and only for app users and one will be able to access it via the hamburger menu that is on the upper right corner. The service is slated to soon be made available for other regions as well and currently, in Columbia, it’s being tested as a free service without any ads or premium features. 
GoPro, the company that popularised sports action cameras has announced three new additions to its portfolio. The GoPro Hero7 lineup includes the Hero7 Black, Hero7 Silver and Hero7 White. The cameras will go on sale globally on September 27 at Rs 36,000 for the Hero7 Black, Rs 27,000 for Hero7 Silver and Rs 19,000 for Hero7 White. GoPro Hero7 specs The GoPro Hero7 Black is the flagship camera in the new GoPro lineup, featuring several new features. It continues to use the same design as the GoPro Hero6 with a unibody design which eliminates the need for a case. The Hero7 Black shoots videos in multiple resolutions all the way up to 4K (at 60fps) and with frame rates going as high as 240fps (at 1080p), which is the same capabilities as last year’s Hero6 Black. However, the new trick here is the built-in electronic image stabilization which the company claims is “the best stabilization built into a camera yet.” They’re calling this new technology “Hypersmooth”. Other than that, the camera also features live-streaming, and HDR and RAW photo modes and a time-lapse mode. The Hero7 Silver and Hero7 White are designed for newbies and as such, have a slightly more toned down feature set. The Hero7 Silver also shoots 4K video but tops out at 30fps while the Hero7 White has a maximum video resolution of 1080p. Neither of the cameras has super slow-motion capabilities. The two cameras also lack the Hypersmooth digital image stabilization capability. GoPro is seeing the new Hero7 as a way to claw its way back into profitability, given that up until a few months ago, the company was open to being bought out. The Hero7 trio do seem to have a price point that will make them more appealing to a larger audience, but it remains to be seen whether the cameras will bring the company back to profitability.
Amazon held a surprise hardware event yesterday and announced a number of new Echo devices, including new a Echo Dot, a refreshed Echo Plus with offline voice commands, the long-rumoured Echo Auto, a Chromecast Audio-like device called the Echo Input, an Echo Subwoofer, the second-gen Echo Show, improved security features in the form of Alexa Guard, and an Amazon Basics Microwave which can be controlled through Echo speakers. Phew! That’s an exhaustive list of announcements from Amazon that must have definitely left folks at Google scampering. Of all the new Echo devices launched by Amazon, three were announced for India along with their prices and availability. Amazon will be bringing the new Echo Dot and Echo Plus in India, along with the Echo Sub. Here’s what the new Alexa-powered devices have to offer. New Amazon Echo Dot The new Echo Dot comes with a refreshed design and 70 percent louder speakers thanks to a larger 1.6-inch driver. The speaker is now clad in fabric. Its edges are more rounded and it looks sleeker than before. The Echo Dot will be available in Charcoal, Heather Gray, and Sandstone colours. All the other features and functions of the Echo Dot remain the same, including its ability to connect via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio cable. At Rs 4,499, the new Echo Dot will cost the same as the older Echo Dot. The device goes up for pre-order today and will be shipped starting next month. New Amazon Echo Plus The new Echo Plus also gets a new fabric look and better speakers with a built-in Zigbee Hub like the previous Echo Plus. The Echo Plus now includes an embedded temperature sensor, enabling users to set temperature-based routines using other smart home devices. For example, when the living room reaches 32 degree Celsius, Alexa can send a notification to your phone and turn on the AC connected to a smart plug. The new Echo Plus now has a larger 3-inch Neodymium woofer and increased back volume, stronger bass and improved mids and highs. The Echo Plus also gets offline voice control now and users will be able to give it voice commands even when the internet goes out. Amazon says it will be expanding Echo Plus’ local voice commands feature to other Echo devices in the future. The new Echo Plus will cost Rs 14,999 in India and is up for pre-orders starting today. Shipping will begin next month. Amazon Echo Sub The Echo Sub is a new entry into the Alexa-powered range of devices from Amazon. It is quite literally a wireless subwoofer Alexa integration. The Echo Sub can pair with any Echo speaker to provide a more powerful bass. Users can create a 1.1 or 2.1 stereo sound setup with the new Echo Sub and any existing or new Echo speakers. The sub also gets an equalizer feature to adjust the bass, mid-range, and treble through voice commands. Echo Sub is priced at Rs 12,999 in India and will be available later this year. 
