Author: Chris Eilers

After the success of the On7 and On5 in India, Samsung managed to launch the Samsung Galaxy On8. This mobile even comes with “Make for India” features. 

Samsung Galaxy On8: “Make for India” features!

As latest news mentioned, Samsung is working hard for the release of Samsung Galaxy On8 in India. This is a new generation in “Galaxy On” series. Since its two predecessors were a big hit in the “yoga country”, users can be optimistic about this upcoming On8. Here is the information about the Galaxy On 8 specs as well as its design for you to consider.

Design-wise, Samsung Galaxy On8 renders a premium feeling thanks to the slim metallic body. There are three options of color: gold, black or white. Besides, the On8 features a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED display. This kind of panel display is an advanced version of the LCD display whom we often found on other Samsung’s devices. In order to make it more enchanting to Indian users, Samsung has added  “Make for India” features to the On8. Those features are the Ultra Data Saving for low data consumption while browsing the Internet; S Bike mode for the safety concern.

It is reported that this handset runs Exynos 7870 Octa-core processor with the clock rate of 1.6GHz. In terms of memory capacity, the On8 comes with 3GB RAM together with a 16GB in-built storage. For camera function, Samsung equips its mobile with a 13MP rear shooter and a 5MP selfie camera. The assistance of 4G VoLTE makes the connectivity faster and smoother. The handsets is packed with a 3300 mAh juice pack.

Samsung Galaxy On8: price and release date

As Flipkart announced that the Galaxy On8 will be exclusively available during the “Big Billion Day Sale” from October 2. At Flipkart, this Galaxy On generation costs you INR 15990, about$240.

Recently, Qualcomm has introduced two new chipsets to users. These products are Qualcomm SnapDragon 410E and 600E. Both of them could be aiming to the mid-range segment with some enhanced features. 

Qualcomm SnapDragon 410E ad 600E : Powerful and versatile

As the recent report, Qualcomm will launch two new chipsets: SnapDragon 410E and SnapDragon 600E. The SnapDragon 410E and SnapDragon 600E are successors of the SnapDragon 400 and SnapDragon 600 respectively. Through launching these chipsets, Qualcomm wants make a huge hit in 2016. This is the first time the company allows third-party manufacturers to sell single SnapDragon CPUs. Qualcomm also brings more enhance features on their two new products.

Let’s talk about the Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 first. This new chipset will come with a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU. Along with it is an Adreno 306 GPU. Besides, it also supports a Bluetooth 4.1 and WLANs internet connectivity. Especially, SnapDragon 410E is claimed to be suitable for those devices with limited battery capacities. For example, Smart Watch.

Meanwhile, the Qualcomm SnapDragon 600E is a bit powerful than its sibling. Compared to SnapDragon 410E, this chipset comes with faster CPU speed: 1.5GHz quad – core. Along with it is a stronger GPU: Adreno 320. This Qualcomm new chipset is also better when to support GPS connectivity. The SnapDragon 600E is said to be a suitable for something like smart fridge.

Qualcomm SnapDragon 410E ad 600E: Accessible Qualcomm chipsets

Imagine that you are traveling in someplace with no signals and WIFI. Don’t worry, 5 navigation apps for smartphones below, with offline maps, will be helpful in that case. 

1. HERE WeGo

5 navigation apps for smartphones – HERE WeGo. This is a free app that are available on both Android and iOS. This app allows you to get information of traffic and detailed routes. With HERE WeGo, you won’t worry about finding routes when traveling or driving. HERE WeGo will tell you taxi costs, traffic delays, and the limitation speed of your bike.

One of the awesome features of HERE WeGo app is the pre-downloading app. You won’t worry about wifi connectivity anymore, just download maps at home and use them later. Especially, this app supports the voice guidance, which is very helpful when you are driving.

2. MAPS.ME

5 navigation apps for smartphones – The next one is MAPS.ME, which is also a free app. It often uses for specific locations. It is better for those who love going to picnic or outdoor adventures. At present, MAPS. ME contains 345 islands and countries. Besides, it features many necessary addresses, such as restaurants, ATM, gas stations, and airway station. Especially, MAPS.ME allows you to compress maps, which helps save memory space of your phone.

3. Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps

5 navigation apps for smartphones – Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps. One of the highlighted features of this app is the 3D maps. This feature allows you to view map likely in offline mode. It also supports free updating map and voice guideline. With Sygic GPS Navigation & Maps, you will easily get information about traffic conditions, packing location, ATM, etc.

4. Waze

5 navigation apps for smartphones – Waze. Compared to other apps below, Waze is the better choice when you are driving in your hometown. It brings a real-time information about road and traffic conditions. Besides, users will receive live maps, reported alerts and some other useful features. Waze is also a free app that is available to download on App store and Google Play Store.

5.  Komoot

5 navigation apps for smartphones – Last but not least, let’s talk about Komoot. This app also supports both offline and online modes. Komoot comes with many useful features, which is suitable for going to picnic, exploring, and outdoor adventures. It gives users guideline for cycling ways, mountain bike routes, and the information about distance. Interestingly, with Komoot app, you can also add images and invite friends to the journey.

5 navigation apps for smartphones

Those are 5 of the finest navigation apps for both iOS and Android smartphones. They will help you freely traveling and adventure. Just download those apps on App Store or Google Play Store, they’ll keep you on track!

It looks like September is the unlucky month of Samsung. While the Galaxy Note7 explosion problem has yet to be solved, another Samsung product has already been reported to explode: Samsung washing machine. And this accident didn’t just happen to 1 unit!

Samsung washing machine: explosion reported

This is absolutely not something Samsung wants to encounter with while they are in the middle of the huge Note7 accident. According to CPSC – U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, a woman from Texas has claimed that her Samsung washing machine has “exploded with such ferocity that it penetrated the interior wall of her garage”. The cause of this incident is speculated to be the “abnormal vibrations” from within the machine.

That’s not the only case to be reported, unfortunately. There have been similar cases from not one, but three states of America. After such incidents, CPSC has made a warning towards people who are using units of Samsung washing machine that were produced from March 2011 to April 2016. Samsung has then participated in the investigation. The Korean company is now working with CPSC to find the cause and in the meantime, they have established a service that helps customers check whether they are using a potentially troublesome washer. This action is done via the serial number of the machine.

At this point, it’s necessary to let you know that a few days ago, a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 unit purchased in China has been reported to explode while in use. The tension is high because China has been claimed as the only country to be safe from the international Note7 recall. Units released in this country are said to not carry the faulty battery.

Samsung washing machine exploded: bad luck or production errors?

In the past few weeks, Samsung has lost a huge portion of its revenue due to the incident of Note 7 explosion. The scandal has also partly destroyed the company’s reputation in the smartphone market. And now, with the new case of Samsung washing machine, it looks like the brand is about to lose it spot in the household electronics market too! What will the brand do to win back customer trust? Looks like it’s not going to be easy for them this time!

Micromax is one of the popular Indian smartphone brands. This company along with their subsidiary -Yu- released many budget products. This time, we’ll introduce you the newest Micromax phones under Rs. 8000. Let’s check them out!

1. Canvas Spark 2 Plus

The first phone in our list of newest Micromax phones is Canvas Spark 2 Plus Q350. This phone was released in July. Under the hood, it is powered by a 1.3 GHz quad-core MT6580M processor and runs on Android Marshmallow OS. It packs 1GB RAM paired with 8GB of expandable storage (+32GB).

For cameras, the company added a 2MP snapper on the front and a 5MP cam with LED flash on the back.The other Canvas Spark 2 Plus specs include a 5-inch display with the resolution of 480 x 854 px, a 2000mAh cell. The phone is available in three colors: Gray, Copper Gold, and Champagne Gold. Canvas Spark 2 Plus price is only about Rs. 3,599.

2. Canvas Amaze 2 E457

Next is Canvas Amaze 2 E457. This handset runs on an octa-core () SND 415 processor paired with 2GB RAM. There is 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded to 32GB via a microSD card. The highlight of Canvas Amaze 2 E457 specs is the 13MP main camera with dual LED flash. In addition, E457 has a 5-inch HD display, a 2500mAh battery life, Android Lollipop, and a 5MP front shooter. Canvas Amaze 2 E457 is quoted at about Rs. 7,499.

3. Bolt Q381

One of the newest Micromax phones is Bolt Q381. On this phone, you’ll find a 1.3GHz quad-core Spreadtrum SC7731G processor along with Android 5.1 OS. It has 1GB RAM and 8GB of ROM. You can expand this memory to 32GB through a microSD card. About the camera, you can use either a 5MP rear cam or a VGA front shooter. Two more Bolt Q381 specs are a 5-inch (480 x 854 pixels ) display and a 2000mAh capacity. Bolt Q381 comes at about Rs. 3,849.

4. Canvas Mega 2 Q426

This device was released in this August is the latest phone from Micromax. In terms of  Canvas Mega 2 Q426 specs, it uses a 1.3Ghz quad-core Spreadtrum SC9832 processor paired with 1GB RAM. There is 8GB of expandable internal storage (+32GB). Canvas Mega 2 Q426 owns a 6-inch (540 x 960 px) display, a 3000mAh battery life, and Android Lollipop. About the camera, the phone is equipped with a 5MP selfie snapper and an 8MP rear cam with autofocus and dual LED flash. Canvas Mega 2 Q426 price costs you about Rs. 6,599.

5. Canvas Xpress 4G Q413

Last but not least – Canvas Xpress 4G Q413. The heart of the phone is a 1.0Gh quad-core MT6753 processor. There is 3GB RAM paired with 16GB of expandable ROM (+32GB). For photography, Micromax added a 2MP cam on the front and an 8MP shooter with autofocus and LED flash on the back. The other Canvas Xpress 4G Q413 specs are  a 5-inch IPS LCD HD display and a 2000mAh battery capacity, and Android Lollipop OS. Canvas Xpress 4G Q413 price is about Rs. 5,999.

Newest Micromax phones for under Rs. 8000

Those are the newest Micromax phones. Those handsets come at the cheap price. They come at around Rs. 5000. Some are even cheaper with Rs. 35000. So, which one is your favorite?

After Meizu Pro 6, the company is reported to bring to the market 2 siblings of this phone – Meizu Pro 6s and Meizu Pro 6 Plus. These phones will come with Exynos 8890, Quad HD display…

Meizu Pro 6s and Pro 6 Plus: Exynos 8890

Back in April, the Chinese company- Meizu- announced its new flagship –  Meizu Pro 6. This phone immediately stepped into the powerful smartphone segment thanks to its powerful specs: Helio X25, 4GB RAM, 21MP cam, etc. A few months after Pro 6 was released, the company is reported to bring a dual-curved screen display phone – Meizu Pro 7 to the market. However, according to the spokesperson of Huawei, Pro 7 will not be launched this year.

Now, instead of Pro 7, it seems that Meizu will launch Pro 6’s siblings- Meizu Pro 6s and 6 Plus. It is said that these two phones will be launched at the end of this October. Meizu Pro 6s will be powered by a 64-bit octa-core Helio P20 processor. It will have a 5.2-inch Full HD display. As the “plus” version, Meizu Pro 6 Plus specs will be stronger than Meizu Pro 6s specs. It could run on Exynos 8890 chipset and own a 5.7-inch FHD/Quad HD display.

Besides these handsets, it looks like Meizu is also working on a new phone with the code number of M611A. This device already has 3C certification (China Compulsory Certification). It will come with a plastic design with the screen size from 4.7 inches to 5 inches. The phone could probably run on Yun OS.

Meizu Pro 6s: price and release date

So, this year, we won’t have a chance to see the flagship Meizu Pro 7. Instead of that, Meizu Pro 6 Plus and 6s will come out soon. Those devices are expected to bring successes to the company, just like Pro 6 did. About Meizu Pro 6s price and release date, as well as 6 Plus, are still unknown. We will keep updating more information about Meizu products. Just stay tuned!

Huawei Mate 9 has just been leaked with 3 versions, featuring either 4GB or 6GB of RAM. And there are quite a few color options to choose from! Isn’t it interesting to find them out?

Huawei Mate 9: 6GB RAM + 256GB ROM

Huawei and Xiaomi are tough competitors to one another in the Chinese market. In the recent time, Xiaomi continues to bring new products to the market – Xiaomi Mi 5s and 5s Plus. Huawei, on the other hand, is still working on their next flagship – the powerful Mate 9. This phone has just shown up online with various color versions. And the best part is that, the Mate 8’s successor is reported to come with not 1, but 3 different variations – making it more suitable to each customer’s needs.

The first version will have 4GB RAM and 64GB of inbuilt storage. It will be available in three colors. The second one will pack 4GB RAM paired with 128GB of internal storage. There will be five colors for this version. The last model will the high-end phone with 6GB RAM and 256GB ROM. All the models will come with a microSD card slot for expandable storage. Although Huawei has yet to announced their color selection, we have spotted the elegant black, classy silver and fashionable pink in the latest leaks.

Under the hood, the phone will be powered by a 64-bit Kirin 960 processor for all 3 versions. It is going to run on Android 7.0 Nougat with EMUI 5 on top. One of the most impressive Huawei Mate 9 specs is the main camera. With this product, Huawei will continue to cooperate with Leica to add a dual 20MP cam on the back. This new Huawei handset will also have a huge 4000mAh battery life, a 6-inch Full HD display, an 8MP selfie snapper, and a USB Type-C port.

Huawei Mate 9: price and release date

With 6GB RAM and Kirin 960, Mate 9 will be one of the best devices in the market. It is expected to be the tough rival to the other 6GB RAM phones, especially Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus. Huawei Mate 9 launched date is said to be at the end of this year. About Huawei Mate 9 price, it will be different for 3 versions. The price of this phone will be in the range of $480 -$510 for the 4/64GB version, $585 for the 4/128GB model, and $705 for the 6GB RAM variant. If you’re interested in this handset, just keep updating with us! (Source and photo credit: phonearena)

TCL 950 has just been launched with 4GB RAM, SND 820, and an awesome camera. This phone is said to be the Full HD version of the upcoming BlackBerry phone- DTEK60.

TCL 950 specs: 4GB RAM, 21MP main camera

TCL – a Chinese company- has just launched its new flagship TCL 950 in China. Besides, the company also introduced a toned-down version of this phone- TCL 580. Let’s take a look at the TCL 950 first. The handset comes with an aluminum frame, as well as 2.5D glass on both the back and the front. In terms of TCL 950 specs, the phone is powered by a 2.15Ghz quad-core SND 820 processor. It packs 4GB of RAM paired with expandable inbuilt storage (+128GB). The phone will be pre-installed Android 6.0.1 OS.

If you are a photography lover, this phone will satisfy you. It sports a 21MP Sony IMX230 camera on the back and an 8MP snapper on the front. Both cameras come with the aperture of f/2.2. TCL 950 has a 5.5-inch AMOLED Ful HD display, a 3000mAh cell supported with Quick Charge 3.0, a USB Type-C, and 4G connectivity. One of the most interesting TCL 950 specs is the “Dual Apps” feature. With this mode, your phone can run 2 apps with different accounts at the same time. On the right edge, there is a button letting you open apps.

TCL 950 is aimed at the high-end segment while TCL 580 is for the mid-range market. Under the hood, the device runs on a 1.5Ghz octa-core MT6750 processor paired with 3GB of RAM. It also has 32GB of expandable storage. About TCL 580 cameras, the company added a f/2.2 5MP front shooter with LED flash and a 13MP primary cam with f/2.0 and LED flash. The other TCL 580 specs are a 5-inch AMOLED HD display and a 2460mAh battery life.

TCL 950: price and release date

With all those specs above, TCL 950 is said to be the Full HD version of DTEK60 of BalckBerry. Both the 950 flagship, and its sibling 850 of TCL will be available in Silver and Gold. TCL 950 release date, as well as TCL 580, will start on 10th October. TCL 950 price will come at about $495. Meanwhile, TCL 580 is lower with $210.

This topic never gets old. Slow performance is always a common annoying issue for Android smartphones users. Today we will show you 3 most effective tips to boost the Android performance of your phone!

Android performance: Three most effective tips

First of all, you can speed up Android performance of your phone by boosting the speed of the animations and transitions of its user interface. To do this, you can go to Setting -> About phone. Then hit on the “built number” multiple times to enable the “developer options” mode. In this mode, you are allowed to change the speed of the host time scale, the scale animation transition and the scale animation window to 0.5x (its default speed is 1x) or you can even deactivate all of them entirely. This simple tip will take effect immediately.

The second tip to boost Android performance is to “tidy up” the memory frequently. The apps you have installed in your device and even the default ones create lots of unnecessary files after long time use. These files not only take up considerable space of the internal storage but also reduce the performance speed of your mobile. Consequently, it’s essential to have a regular smartphone “clean-up” routine. You can do this by using Clean Master – one of the best cleaning application available for free in the Google Play Store.

Last but not least, to speed up your Android performance, you should delete the widgets in your phone and opt for the default launcher. We know how wonderful it is to be able to choose the launcher that fits your interest. However, if the performance of your phone is just average, such launchers are not recommended. Instead, the default launcher is the best option for your phone. You should also delete the unnecessary widgets because those are another factor that slow down your handset.

Android performance: The simpler the better

These tips above are so far three of the most effective ways to speed up Android performance. We know some of them may make your smartphone less appealing to use but in the end, it’s all about the performance right? Try these tips and you will realize the improvement.

BlackBerry is such a huge name in the smartphone market. However, things don’t seem to be going well for them recently. Sad as it may sound, the company is said to be quitting….>

BlackBerry to terminate their smartphone production industry

From recent reports, BlackBerry officials confirmed that the company is terminating their smartphone production industry. In different words, we will not be seeing a smartphone made by BlackBerry anymore in the near future. Instead, there will be a third-party company to do the manufacturing for them.  Also from the same statement, CEO John Chen clearly pointed out that the company will stop all internal hardware development and switch their focus to other segments.

BlackBerry will concentrate on software and service segment. John Chen also said: “In Q2 2017, more than doubled our software revenue year over year and delivered the highest gross margin in the company’s history”. Besides, as the newest revenue report, BlackBerry got 89% growth in software and service revenue. That explained why it won’t be such a surprise if the company concentrate on software and services instead of smartphones.

The truth be told, BlackBerry is facing quite a lot of difficulties in the smartphone market currently. Samsung, Apple and other brands from China are growing fast and dominating the global market. Being left behind, BlackBerry has just earned 0.3 percent of global market share and it is even decreasing gradually.

BlackBerry phone – The future plan

As they are saying a goodbye to smartphone production, the are coming up with another plan. That being said, the Canadian Giant will be concentrating on providing software for other brands in the future. For instances, they have worked with TCL hardware company to mass produce and launched smartphone. Hopefully the new strategy works out and we can keep seeing better and better products from BlackBerry and their partners.

MediaTek vs SnapDragon: It is hard to find the winner in this battle. So, we’ll help you see what different they are, in the specific comparison between MediaTek Helio X25 vs SnapDragon 820. Let’s check!

MediaTek vs SnapDragon: Specific comparison

MediaTek and SnapDragon is two most popular chipset manufacturers. At present, the most famous chipset of MediaTek is Helio X25. On paper, it is comparable to SnapDragon 820 chipset from Qualcomm. Thus, instead of MediaTek vs SnapDragon 820, we’ll show you the MediaTek Helio X25 vs SnapDragon 820 battle. Let’s see how different they are?

Let’s talk about the Helio X25 first. When testing by Antutu platform, it got a 8000+ benchmark score, which is a good result. Meanwhile, the benchmark score of SnapDragon 820 on Antutu is even higher, about 10,000+. So, in terms of the performance, SnapDragon 820 is better than Helio X25. Besides, SnapDragon 820 can support up to 8GB RAM and Hexa-core while Helio X25 can support 6GB RAM and Deca-core CPU.

In contrast, Helio X25 have a lower production cost than its rival. That’s why smartphones with Helio X25 is offen cheaper the others. Although Helio X25 has a low production cost, it is still a powerful processor, which is not too far from the SnapDragon 820. On the other hand, those smartphones with SnapDragon 820 offen have high price. HTC 10, Sony Xperia X series, Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 Edge are some examples.

 MediaTek vs SnapDragon: Which is the better choice?

Overall both MediaTek and SnapDragon are high-quality processor manufacturers. That’s why some big brands often release their new smartphones with two versions: SnapDragon and MediaTek. From the recent report, MediaTek is intending to launch the new Helio X30. This version is expected to be a tough rival of SnapDragon 821. Will MediaTek surpass SnapDragon in the near future. Tell us your opinion by hitting the comment below.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 explosion has been quite a topic these days, isn’t it? And even after the company’s effort of re-qualifying their smartphones, there has been just another incident recently….

Samsung Galaxy Note7 explosion: Another incident reported

In case you don’t know yet, after more than 35 units of Samsung Galaxy Note7 were reported to have exploded, the brand has announced the Note7 recall in all countries – except China. The reason why the units released in China are safe from the recall is that the batteries of these units are made by Amperex Technology Ltd, which is not the faulty supplier according to the result of Samsung investigation.

After the recall, this company is in charge of supplying the battery for ALL Samsung Galaxy Note7 units that return to the market. However, before this brand is able to gain back the trust from customers, there has been another case. Hui Renjie, a user from China – where Note7 is labelled “safe”, has just reported that his Note7 has exploded while in use, burning two of his fingers and damaging his Macbook nearby.

CNN then approached this guy and were able to receive some photos of the remains of his Samsung Galaxy Note7. They also took proof of the damaged Macbook. According to Hui Renjie, after the incident, a representative from Samsung paid him a visit and requested to take the mobile away for further investigation. Mr. Hui then didn’t agree and claimed that he would spread this case to the media.

Samsung Galaxy Note7 explosion: The scandal goes on!

The international Samsung Galaxy Note7 recall and replacement were supposed to be the last thing Samsung can do to reinforce its reputation. Unfortunately, with this new scandal, it is getting extra harder for the Note7 to return to the market successfully. So far, Samsung has not made any statement about the new incident, yet. The brand is still keeping in touch with the unlucky user. Hopefully, they will come up with a convincing solution in the near future.