Bharadwaj Chandramouli | Fone Arena

Lava Blaze X 5G Review: Stylish Performer

In a hotly contested 15k price segment of the Indian smartphone market, there is very little one can offer as USP that can beat the tight competition. Amidst this toughness, comes Lava, the “Proudly Indian” manufacturer with its Blaze X 5G, touted as the only phone with a segment-first 3D curve AMOLED display. Packing decent specs, the Blaze X 5G enters a tough battlefield where scrutiny is high and margin for error is low. Can it handle the heat? Let’s find out in the review.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 Review — Compact Creative Powerhouse

Samsung’s latest series of folding screen phones are currently the market leaders of this segment. The Z Fold6 we reviewed earlier, is undoubtedly the company’s best foldable 2-in-1 device yet, but at the same time, competition is getting thick and heavy. The same goes for the Flip6, with a tough competitive path ahead, we witness the 6th iteration of a celebrated compact phone with top-end performance and an updated flagship-level main camera. Would these updates be enough to attract new buyers? Will a few compromises that comes with the form factor convince the existing Samsung customer to switch? Let’s find out in this long-term review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Review: A Businessman’s Flagship

To push the technological edge is what flagships are for. My first Samsung flagship experience didn’t start with the S series, it started with the Note Edge, a novel innovation in display where information could be presented in a curve off the side.

From there began the engineering of AMOLED screens that could flex and fast-forward to now, we have the 6th generation of foldable screens, taking this technology to the pinnacle of evolution. Complementing it, is the “smart” part of the experience, which started with a humble auto-complete keyboard, now grown into a full-blown predictive, context-driven and generative AI experience waiting to help and surprise you at every turn, or should I say, at every unfolding. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is hardcore engineering fused with excellence reached in the domains of display, performance and AI, ultimately coming together to give you a highly productive experience that just gets things done. One that perfectly fits a businessman. Read to know more. Continue reading “Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 Review: A Businessman’s Flagship”

OPPO Reno12 Pro Review: Inspired by AI

We are ushering into a new age of smartphone experience with AI. Yes, we know this buzzword has been marketed to maximum hype by everyone, and the market is now so saturated with extremely performant options at the same price, but it’s time to recalibrate our opinions. Continue reading “OPPO Reno12 Pro Review: Inspired by AI”

Sony WF-XB700 Review – Big on Bass, Low on Hype

Sony, the great Japanese electronics giant wants a piece of the new True Wireless economy. Armed with a legacy of delivering on promises and a good dose of “EXTRA BASS” splattered all over the box and inside the headset, the WF-XB700 aims to compete against the Samsung Galaxy Buds, which rightly dominates the premium segment. Beyond bass, there is great battery life rated at 9+9 hours and IPX4+1 certified water and dust resistance. I’ve been using this product for over a week now and I can say this for sure, Sony has delivered on the promises once again but as always, some conditions apply. The main question is, with so many Wireless Stereo Headsets in this world, could this be right one for you? Let’s find out in the review.

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Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Review – a Plus worth having

In just a span of 2 years, the true wireless ear buds market has exploded, with so many options flooding the market almost every single day. In this heavy traffic, it’s easy to get confused and that’s why a big brand name like Samsung gains significance. And unlike other brands, Samsung has stuck to producing only a single line of true wireless earbuds, which make it much easier to choose or suggest. They call it the Samsung Galaxy Buds. After a year of feedback, the upgraded solution has arrived with a PLUS added to its name. How big of an upgrade is it? Has Samsung managed to address the growing requirements in sound quality and battery life? The short answer to the second question is, yes. It is indeed a PLUS worth having, but is the upgrade big enough for Buds users and what are these PLUSes that come as part of the upgrade? Let’s find out in the review.

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Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Review – Bragging Rights

A flagship smartphone from any brand must go beyond the limits set by its predecessors, or its competitors. If it doesn’t, a big question mark hangs over not just the device, but over the person buying it as well. No doubt the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra goes well beyond the limits set by its predecessors. In fact, it even reaches a comfortable parity with the best of the best in the Android cameraphone world. However, for the owner of a flagship, especially the costliest one, this is not enough. It needs to cross the borders of machine and reach into the man, eventually merging into the identity of the owner. In my opinion, after a long time, the Galaxy S20 Ultra has become that iconic S-series Samsung phone which will not only give you the feeling of owning something unique, it becomes an extension of your character as well. Of course, conditions apply. So, what does it feel like to own an iconic device that naturally comes attached with compromises? This is the review of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.

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OPPO Reno 3 Pro Review — An Underrated Conundrum

To say the OPPO Reno 3 Pro is underrated would be an understatement. Because, spoiler alert – I really like this device, but at the same time, it is, by virtue of its pricing, an overpriced smartphone in a hyper-competitive market that has been seeing price wars in all segments. How can such a device, which is both underrated and overpriced, exist? Yet it does and it adds only to the confusion. However, to make purchasing decisions slightly easier, we have things like a dual punch hole 44MP selfie camera, making it a device for selfie lovers, a familiar yet striking design, making it a safe option for OPPO users and for everyone else and even new buyers, specifications that tick all the right boxes. Great. Yet the conundrum remains. Why is the Reno 3 Pro priced this way? And as always, is the device really worth the price it demands? Who is it really for? This is the review of the OPPO Reno 3 Pro. Continue reading “OPPO Reno 3 Pro Review — An Underrated Conundrum”

Samsung Galaxy S20+ Review: Consistently Dependable

2020 is a special year for Samsung. This is not only the first time the numbering of its flagship series takes a 2x jump, but it is also the first year since the launch of a new category of devices, the foldables. Naturally, this redefines the idea of a brand flagship in Samsung’s portfolio, and this reflects in subtle yet very important changes in the S20 series. There are not two, but three flagships this time, starting with the S20 and ending with the S20 Ultra, with the most dependable of them bang in the middle, the Samsung Galaxy S20+. Dependable, why? Let’s find out in the review.
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OPPO Enco Free Review: No-Compromise Productivity

True wireless earphones are trending at their peak right now. It’s true because so many products are coming out day by day, but it’s also true that the market is still not yet fully mature. Especially when it comes to a quality no-compromise experience you get very few options, unlike the smartphone market. At the top is Apple’s Airpods and its Pro version, then we have Samsung Galaxy Buds and its Plus version, then there are countless others from no-name new brands to audio specialist brands to mobile brands to style brands and whatnot. I’ve tested the Galaxy Buds, an in-ear solution and a few other varieties like neckbands, sports bands and even wireless glasses with directional speakers but never have I ever tried an Airpods-like true wireless solution. No, I haven’t tried the Realme Buds yet, but recently, during the launch of the OPPO Reno3 Pro, I got a chance to start trying the Enco Free true wireless earbuds. It’s a well-designed one-of-a-kind experience that falls under the Airpods-like category, which makes this my first time using such a device, so here I am, writing this piece to share my experience with what I consider to be an amazingly productive accessory. Read on for my review of the OPPO Enco Free True Wireless earbuds.

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Moto G8 Plus Unboxing and First Impressions

If you ask Motorola what this is, they will say this smartphone is bringing the best out of the One series into one device which is the Moto G8 Plus. It brings together the One Vision’s primary camera, the One Action video camera and the laser autofocus from the One Macro. If you ask me, we are looking for a smartphone in the end of 2019 and we want to spend only enough for a high quality experience at its basics. It’s a competitive market, every brand is launching a new phone and we are eternally confused, so in this crowd which is battling for our attention, what do Motorola’s words mean to us? Let’s find out in this Unboxing and First Impressions of the Moto G8 Plus.

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PLAYFIT 53 fitness band – Self Starter

PLAYFIT is a new entrant into the world of wearables. We had taken a look at their Smartwatch SW75 earlier, which proved to be a high quality solution to not only a fitness amateur but a wearable enthusiast as well. But, as with any other wearable brand, there are solutions for everyone. For those who want to focus mainly on fitness and are not concerned with wearing a wrist band can go for the PLAYFIT 53, which at Rs. 1,999 is a starter to motivation, the primary reason why one would get these bands. Let’s take a closer look at this particular product then.

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Titan EyePlus Smart Audio Sunglasses Musig X – Unboxing and First Impressions

Solutions to stereo wireless audio on-the-go have taken many forms before but this is the most comfortable unobtrusive solution I’ve used so far. You can not only escape the harsh light of the sun but the nagging feel of something on/in your ears as well, while still enjoying music/podcasts or answering calls. This is Titan Eyeplus’ first foray into the tech, with the Smart Audio Sunglasses Musig X, made by SkyFly in partnership with Mutrics and what you’ll be reading further is my first impressions of a fascinating new category in the world of wearables. Let’s go.

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Motorola One Macro Review – Macro for the Masses

Starting with One Power, Motorola has been consistently releasing devices with a focus on features that are highlighted with branding. The One Power was all about battery life, the One Vision was all about the low light camera with a big aperture and OIS, the One Action was all about that wide angle action camera and now we have the One Macro. Yes, you guessed it right, it’s all about that macro camera, at a relatively micro budget. At Rs. 9,999, the One Macro comes with a 6.2″ HD+ screen, is powered by a Helio P70, has 4,000 mAH of battery and comes only in one variant – 4GB RAM, 64GB ROM. Question is – how big of a difference does the Macro Vision camera make, in terms of experience? and overall, is this Motorola One series device worth the asking price? Lets find out in the review.

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Andy Rubin teases a radically re-imagined compact smartphone – GEM

Andy Rubin, creator of Android and CEO of Essential just tweeted out a colorful glimpse into one of the most radically re-imagined compact smartphones we have ever seen. It’s long, it’s thin, there’s a huge camera at the back and also a fingerprint scanner. The guys at Essential call this device “GEM” and the first tweet from Andy (after almost an year) shows how color-shifty the design is. But it didn’t stop there.

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