This week Xiaomi’s sub-brand POCO launched the F1 smartphone, HMD Global launched the Nokia 6.1 Plus smartphone and introduced the Nokia 5.1 Plus, OPPO launched the new F9 and F9 Pro smartphones, NVIDIA introduced the new RTX series graphics cards, Fitbit introduced its Charge 3 fitness tracker, and lots more from this week in our weekly roundup.
Xiaomi’s sub-brand POCO launched the F1, the company’s first smartphone in India. It has a 6.18-inch Full HD+ 2.5D curved glass display with a notch, is powered by Snapdragon 845 with up to 8GB RAM and LiquidCool Technology. It runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) with MIUI on top with POCO launcher, and the company has promised Android 9.0 (Pie) update in Q4 2018. It has a 12-megapixel rear camera with LED flash along with a secondary 5-megapixel camera to capture portrait shots and also comes with a 20-megapixel front camera with AI features, has IR face unlock that can unlock the phone 0.4 seconds, even in pitch darkness.
It features a hard-coated polycarbonate unibody design and also comes in Kevlar back option called Armored Edition that uses Kevlar aramid fibre, as you can see in the image above. It has a fingerprint sensor on the back, has Dual 4G VoLTE as well as 4G+ that promises up to 275% faster data throughput over conventional 4G and packs a 4000mAh battery with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging, and also includes 9V/2A (18W) charger in the box.
The POCO F1 comes in Graphite Black, Steel Blue and Rosso Red colors as well as Armored Edition with Kevlar back. It also comes with a soft case in the box. It starts at Rs. 20,999 and will be available exclusively on Flipkart and Mi.com from August 29th at 12PM. Check out the hands-on impressions here.
HMD Global launched the Nokia 6.1 Plus, the global version of the Nokia X6 smartphone in India. It packs a 5.8-inch FHD+ display with a notch and 19:9 aspect ratio, Snapdragon 636 with 4GB of RAM, Android 8.1 (Oreo), 16-megapixel rear camera with RGB sensor, 5-megapixel secondary rear camera with a monochrome sensor, AI portrait and scene recognition and a 16-megapixel front camera with AI selfies with background blur, stickers and face unlock. It has a fingerprint sensor on the 2.5D curved glass back, metal frame and packs a 3060mAh battery.
It comes in Gloss Midnight Blue, Gloss White and Gloss Black colors, is priced at Rs. 15,999 and will be available exclusively from Flipkart as well as Nokia.com/phones starting from August 30th. Check out the review here, if you are planning to get the smartphone.
It also introduced the Nokia 5.1 Plus Android One smartphone. It was introduced last month in China as X5 and packs a 5.86-inch HD+ 19:9 aspect ratio 2.5D curved glass display with 84% screen-to-body ratio, is powered by MediaTek Helio P60 12nm processor with 3GB of RAM, runs Android 8.1 (Oreo) OS. It features a 13-megapixel rear camera along with a secondary 5-megapixel camera for AI portrait shots. There is also an 8-megapixel camera on the front for AI-powered selfie portraits and beauty mode. It has a glass back, fingerprint sensor on the back and packs a 3000mAh battery.
It comes in Black, White and Blue colors and will be available in India in September exclusively through Flipkart and Nokia.com/Phones. Price will be announced closer to the availability. Check out the hands-on impressions of the smartphone here.
OPPO launched F9 Pro, the company’s latest mid-range smartphone in the ‘F series’ in India. It has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with Waterdrop Screen with screen-to-body ratio up to 90.8% for a more immersive experience, is powered by Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P60 12nm processor with up to 6GB RAM, ColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo), 16MP rear camera with LED flash, f/1.85 aperture, secondary 2MP camera and a 25MP front-facing camera, f/2.0 aperture, AI, Sony IMX576 sensor.
The OPPO F9 Pro comes in Sunrise Red, Twilight Blue and Starry Purple color, is priced at Rs. 23,990 and is available for order through Flipkart, and goes on sale through online and offline stores starting from August 31st.
OPPO also introduced the F9, a cheaper version in the ‘F series’ in India. It has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with Waterdrop Screen with screen-to-body ratio up to 90.8% for a more immersive experience, is powered by Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P60 12nm processor, has 16MP rear camera with LED flash, and secondary 2MP camera, similar to the F9 Pro, but this features a 16-megapixel front camera, packs 4GB of RAM and doesn’t have VOOC Flash charge even though it packs the same 3500mAh battery.
It comes in Black and Purple colors, is priced at Rs. 19,990 and will go on sale in India soon.
Samsung launched Galaxy A8 Star, a new mid-range smartphone in India. It has a 6.28-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED Infinity display, is powered by Snapdragon 660 with 6GB of RAM, has a 16-megapixel rear camera with LED flash and a secondary 24-megapixel rear camera with smart beauty, pro lighting and AR stickers. Samsung calls its Dual camera Intellicam since it adjusts itself intelligently to take images in every light condition.
It comes in Midnight Black and Ivory White colors, is priced at Rs. 34,990 and will be available exclusively from Amazon.in starting from August 27th.
Infinix Mobility launched the Note 5, an Android One smartphone as the successor of last year’s Note 4. It has a 5.99-inch Full HD+ screen, is powered by an Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P23 SoC with up to 4GB of RAM and runs on Android 8.1 (Oreo), has a 12-megapixel rear camera with dual LED flash, AI-powered portrait mode and a 16-megapixel front camera with AI features that can map 255 facial points for portrait and AI beautify features.
It comes in Milan Black, Berlin Gray, and Ice Blue colors, is priced at Rs. 9999 for the 3GB RAM with 32GB storage version and the 4GB RAM with 64GB storage version costs Rs. 11,999. It will be available exclusively from Flipkart starting August 31st.
NVIDIA at the Gamescom this week introduced new GeForce RTX series GPUs – GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, 2080 and 2070 based on the new NVIDIA Turing architecture and the NVIDIA RTX platform with next-generation shaders with real-time ray tracing and all-new AI capabilities. The Turing architecture promises 6x more performance than its predecessor, Pascal with new features and technologies for 4K HDR gaming at 60 frames per second.
These start at $499 for the GeForce RTX 2070 and goes up to $1,199 for the RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition. The GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and GeForce RTX 2080 are available for pre-order with availability starting on September 20. The GeForce RTX 2070 will be available in October worldwide, across 238 countries and territories.
Fitbit introduced Charge 3, the company’s next-generation fitness tracker and the successor of the Charge 2 that was launched back in 2016. It has PurePulse heart rate technology, offers automatic exercise recognition, sleep tracking, swimproof design with a touchscreen display, 15+ goal-based exercise modes, and promises up to 7 days battery life.
The Fitbit Charge 3 comes in black with a blue gray with rose gold aluminum case and is priced at Rs. 14,999 in India. There is also a Special Edition with an exclusive, white silicone ports band with a graphite aluminum case or lavender woven band with a rose gold aluminum case, and offers two looks in one with the inclusion of a black Classic accessory band in box at Rs. 15999.
It will be available in India starting November 2018, across Reliance Digital, Croma, Helios and other major retailers offline and online on Amazon and Flipkart. Classic Band costs Rs. 2,990, Woven Band costs Rs. 3,490 and the Leather Band costs Rs. 4,490.
Sony India this week launched its first Dolby Vision capable UBP-X700 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player. The company claims that it can produce myriad colors, greater dynamism and sense of realism as compared to standard HD players. The UBP-X700 supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision via a Firmware update. The UBP-X700 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player is already available in select Sony Centers across India and is priced at Rs. 27,990.
10.or launched 10.or D2, successor of the 10.or D . It has a 5.45-inch HD+ 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by Snapdragon 425 Mobile Platform, runs Android 8.1 (Oreo), has a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel camera, both with LED flash, but it lacks a fingerprint sensor. It has dedicated SIM slots with a microSD slot and packs a 3200mAh battery, compared to the 3500mAh battery on the predecessor. It also has IPX2 water-protection.
It comes in Beyond Black and Glow Gold colors, is priced at Rs. 6999 for the 2GB RAM with 16GB storage version and the 3GB RAM with 32GB storage version costs Rs. 7999. It will be available exclusively from Amazon.in starting from August 28th, while the Amazon Prime users can get it a day early.
Itel launched three new smartphones – A22, A22 Pro and A45 in India. All these have 18:9 aspect ratio displays, while the A45 comes with a 5.45-inch HD+ display, has dual rear cameras and also features a fingerprint sensor on the back. The A22 series is powered by Snapdragon 210 SoC and the A45 is powered by MediaTek MT6739 SoC. The A22 and A45 run Android 8.1 Oreo (Go edition) and the A22 Pro runs Android 8.1 (Oreo).
The itel A45 comes in Midnight Black, Anthracite Grey and Rose Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 5,999. The itel A22 comes in Space Grey, Champagne Gold and Midnight Black colors and is priced at Rs. 5,499. The itel A22 Pro comes in Bordeaux Red, Champagne Gold and Matte Black colors and is priced at Rs. 6,499. All these are available across offline retailers in India.
FiiO launched FB1 Bluetooth Earphones and μBTR Bluetooth Receiver in India. The FB1 Bluetooth earphones support aptX, SBC and AAC audio codecs over a wireless connection. It features a large 13mm dynamic driver specially tuned for popular music.
The FB1 and μBTR Bluetooth Receiver are priced at Rs. 3990 and Rs. 2490, respectively. These are already available to purchase on fiio Store and at leading e-tailers and retailers.
After taking pre-orders, Samsung officially launched its flagship Galaxy Note9 smartphone, as it had promised. It comes with a 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Display – an end-to-end, bezel-less screen that extends to the phone’s sides, similar to the Note8. It has 12-megapixel rear camera with variable aperture tech that uses f/1.5 aperture for night shots for a brighter picture and f/2.4 aperture for normal shots in daytime as well as a secondary 12MP Telephoto lens for live focus for bokeh effect with background blur, similar to the S9+.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 comes in Midnight Black, Ocean Blue and Metallic Copper (128GB only) colors and is priced at Rs. 67,900 for the 6GB RAM with 128GB storage version and the 8GB RAM with 512GB storage version costs Rs. 84,900. It is available from Flipkart, Amazon.in, Samsung online Shop as well as offline retailers across India. Check out the hands-on impressions here.
OPPO announced R17 and R17 Pro. Both have a 6.4-inch Full HD+ 19:9 aspect ratio AMOLED display with a notch, 91.5% screen-to-body ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protection an in-display fingerprint sensor that can unlock the phone in 0.41 seconds, run ColorOS 5.2 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo) and a 25-megapixel AI front camera. The R17 is powered by Snapdragon 670 and the R17 Pro is powered by Snapdragon 710 SoC.
The R17 features a 16-megapixel rear camera with f/1.8 aperture, 5-megapixel secondary camera for portrait shots, gradient glass back, metal frame and a 3500mAh battery with VOOC Flash charge fast charging. The R17 Pro has a 12-megapixel rear camera with f/1.5 and f/2.4 variable aperture that intelligently switches depending on the light and also has OIS. There is also a secondary 20-megapixel camera to capture depth information in portrait shots and zoom. It also has a Time of Flight (TOF) 3D Sensing camera that can get high-precision 3D depth information through nanosecond infrared light measurement.
The OPPO R17 comes in Twilight Blue and Starry Purple colors with gradient finish and is priced at 3199 yuan (US$ 465 / Rs. 32,620 approx.) for the 6GB RAM version and the 8GB RAM version costs 3499 yuan (US$ 509 / Rs. 35,600 approx.). The OPPO R17 Pro comes in Fog gradient color, is priced at 4299 yuan (US$ 509 / Rs. 43,830 approx.) and will be available in China from mid-October.
DJI introduced new Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom drones in the Mavic 2 series, after rumors. The Mavic 2 Pro is the world’s first drone with an integrated Hasselblad camera, and the Mavic 2 Zoom is the world’s first foldable consumer drone with optical zoom capability. The Mavic 2 has new gimbal-stabilized cameras and advanced intelligent features like Hyperlapse and ActiveTrack.
The Mavic 2 Pro with drone, battery, remote controller, charger, and four pairs of propellers cost $1,449 (Rs. 1,01,755 approx.) and the Mavic 2 Zoom with all these cost $1,249 (Rs. 87,710 approx.) . Fly More Kit, including two additional batteries, a multi-battery charging hub, a car charger, a battery to power bank adapter, two pairs of propellers and a carrying bag cost $319. These are already available in the US. Check out the first impressions here.
OPPO launched the A5 smartphone in that was introduced in China last month. It has similar specifications as the A3s, including a 6.2-inch HD+ 19:9 aspect ratio display with a notch and 87.8% screen-to-body ratio, Snapdragon 450, ColorOS 5.1 based on Android 8.1 (Oreo), 13-megapixel rear camera along with a secondary 2-megapixel camera for portrait shot and 8-megapixel front camera with AI beautify features that intelligently recognizes 296 facial features, but this has 4GB of RAM. It comes in Blue and Red colors, is priced at Rs. 14990 and will be available from online and offline stores starting today.
Lava launched Z60s, a new Android Oreo (Go Edition) smartphone. It has a 5-inch HD+ Full View Full-lamination 2.5D curved glass display, is powered by a 1.5GHz Quad-Core processor with 1GB of RAM, has 5-megapixel rear and front cameras with LED flash and Bokeh Mode. It comes in Gold and Black colors, is priced at Rs. 4949 and is available at over 75,000 retail outlets across India.
Shenzhen-based HOMTOM has forayed into the Indian market with H1, H3 and H5 series of smartphones with 18:9 aspect ratio display, feature dual rear cameras, run Android 8.1 (Oreo), comes with a fingerprint sensor on the back as well as face unlock. The company said that it has a global presence, across varied geographies like South Asia, Middle East, Russia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America and has opened office in Noida, India. It aims to manufacture in India in order to endorse ‘Make in India’.
The The Homtom H1 comes in Black and Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 7,499, the Homtom H2 comes in price in Black, Silver and Blue colors and is priced at Rs. 9,990 and the Homtom H5 comes in Black and Gold colors and is priced at Rs. 10,990. The company will offer 3-year warranty and 2 times screen replacement cover. These phones will be available from retail stores soon.
Sound One launched Boom Wireless Portable Bluetooth speaker in India. It offers incredible stereo sound with deep bass delivered with exceptional clarity and zero distortion by high-sensitivity drivers. The company claims that it can offer 6 hours of Continuous Music and supports hands-Free Calling. It is priced at Rs. 2,990, but as a part of the launch offer, the company is offering it at a special price of Rs. 1790 for the limited time period. It is already available on Amazon.in.
Lenovo introduced five new tablets – Tab E7, Tab E8, Tab E10, Tab M10 and Tab P10, including a Android Oreo (Go Edition) tablet. The Lenovo Tab E7 with a back cover starts at $69.99 (Rs. 4,900 approx.), Tab E8 starts at $99.99 (Rs. 7,000), Tab E10 starts at $129.99 (Rs. 9,100 approx.) and the Lenovo Tab M10 and Lenovo Tab P10 will be vailable for pre-order starting this winter.
Nikon introduced the Nikon Z7 and Nikon Z6, as well as NIKKOR Z lenses in the Nikon FX-format mirrorless series. The flagship Z7 features a full-frame 45.7-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor with an Expeed 6 image processor. While the Z6 packs a 24.5-megapixel full-frame sensor with 100-51,200 native ISO, 12 fps continuous shooting.
The Nikon Z7 will be available from September and is priced at $3,400 (Rs. 2,38,360 approx.) for the body-only configuration or $4,000 as a kit with the new Nikkor Z 24-70 f/4 S lens. The FTZ adapter for F-Mount lenses will cost $250 (Rs. 17,526 approx.). While the Nikon Z6 which also will be available from September is priced at $2,000 (Rs. 1,40,210 approx.) and $2,600(Rs. 1,82,273 approx.) with the 24-70mm f/4 kit Z-Mount lens.
LG introduced XBOOM audio lineup; the XBOOM Go portable Bluetooth speakers and XBOOM AI ThinQ smart speakers ahead of IFA 2018. The company says that the XBOOM mini component (model CK99) and all-in-one are crowd favorites are capable of producing an output starting at 1,800 watts and topping off at 5,000 watts for a lively party atmosphere.
The LG XBOOM Go portable Bluetooth speakers and XBOOM AI ThinQ smart speakers will be available key markets and the WK9 8-inch Smart Display will be launched later this year.
LG also introduced TONE Platinum SE (HBS-1120) with a dedicated Google Assistant button and LG TONE Ultra SE (HBS-835S) featuring an external speaker ahead of IFA 2018 later this month. The LG TONE Platinum SE is the first in the TONE series to offer Google Assistant and real time translation at the press of a button with Google Translate. The LG TONE Ultra SE features an external mono speaker in addition to earbuds. This lets you make calls and listen to music without blocking out ambient sounds.
Samsung unveiled its new CJG5 curved gaming monitor at Gamescom 2018. The CJG5 comes in two models; 32-inch(C32JG5) and 27-inch(C27JG5) and these monitors feature key gaming technologies such as WQHD high resolution, curved display, 144Hz refresh rate and a high contrast ratio. It will be available globally from the Q2 2018.
The ASUS Republic of Gamers at the Gamescom announced three gaming graphics cards; the ROG Strix, ASUS Dual and ASUS Turbo versions of the brand-new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and 2080 GPUs. It also introduced the Zephyrus S, ROG Strix SCAR II, and ASUS TUF Gaming FX505 and FX705 gaming laptops.
Dell ahead of the Gamescom announced the Alienware laptops and desktops, as well as a software for a refreshed Alienware Command Center. The Alienware line-up includes Alienware 15 R4 and Alienware 17 R5 laptops. These are the refreshed models to the variants launched in April.
At the Gamescom, HP introduced new OMEN hardware and mobile software innovations for gaming enthusiasts. The OMEN Obelisk is the company’s the latest addition to the desktop gaming family. It also introduced new OMEN Game Stream for Android with an aim to bring OMEN gaming experiences to mobile devices.