DoT confirms EMF emissions from mobile towers not a cause of concern

Whenever we hear the word Electromagnetic Field Radiation or Electromagnetic Field Emission (EMF Emission henceforth), first thing that pops up in our mind is its effect on human health. Denying these myths, telecom experts along with doctors came together for Electromagnetic Field (EMF) testing to measure EMF emissions from mobile towers.

This testing was a part of an awareness programme on EMF emissions conducted by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Min. of Communications on EMF Emissions. "This is part of a nationwide public outreach campaign to dispel myths about EMF Emissions and quell unfounded fears of citizens through scientific evidence," noted DoT in press brief.

All towers were well under the prescribed limit of radiation during the surprise inspection by DoT.

The EMF emission levels inspection was carried out on telecom towers in Guwahati at Ashok Path, Belotla, High School, Hatigaon, and Hatigaon Road by a team of experts led by officials from the Telecom Enforcement, Resource & Monitoring Cell (TERM) and Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Communications, Govt. of India). 

It was found that all towers in that location were transmitting well within permissible limits. Surprisingly, in most cases the towers were radiating much lower than the prescribed limits in India.

Shri J.S. Deepak, Secretary, Telecom Commission, DoT, during his address said, 

“We are absolutely committed to protect the health of our citizens, the standards for Electromagnetic Radiation limit that DoT has prescribed for emission from mobile towers are ten times stricter than the international standards prescribed by ICNIRP and recommended by WHO. Indian Government has taken adequate steps to ensure that Telecommunications Service Providers (TSPs) strictly adhere to these norms. The Government recognizes the challenges for the sector & the people at large and is striving to empower the citizens with facts that help them make informed decisions. We want to continue working together to create a fully connected and empowered India and for that we require more towers. Propagation of such myths is detrimental to the progress of nation.”

Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL Review – Premium Smartphone at Perfect Price

Asus started its Zenfone series back in 2014 with the introduction of Asus Zenfone 4, Zenfone 5 and Zenfone 6. Later next year, Asus launched plethora of smartphones under the tag of Zenfone 2 with different processor and RAM configurations. Following the legacy, last year at Computex in Taiwan, Asus announced the next iteration of Zenfone series called the Asus Zenfone 3.

If you follow Asus closely, you might be aware that each new Zenfone series include dozens of different smartphones with same numbering but different title like the original Zenfone 3 – which is further available in different RAM and storage configurations, Zenfone 3 Deluxe, Zenfone 3 Ultra, Zenfone 3 Laser, Zenfone 3 Max and the newly announced Zenfone 3 Zoom.

Soon after the announcement at Computex 2016, Asus launched the Zenfone 3 series in India. I was present at the launch event and what affected me the most during the announcement was the price tag of Zenfone 3 series in the Indian market.

Asus is well-known for delivering quality devices at perfect pricing, but with the introduction of Zenfone 3 series in India the pricing of budget-friendly Zenfone series went all the way up to Rs. 21,999 for the base variant of the smartphone. Considering Asus’ previous pricing, the pricing of Zenfone 3 seemed to high. But this thought did change after using the Zenfone 3 for around two weeks.

Today, I will be reviewing this new Zenfone series by Asus. Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL to be specific. The variant I was reviewing was the base model which comes with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage and is priced at Rs. 21,999. Without much ado, let’s see if Asus Zenfone 3 justifies its price tag.

Before starting the review, do have a look at the specifications of the Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL –

• 5.2-inch Full HD Super IPS+ display
• 2GHz 64-bit Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 14nm processor
• Adreno 506 GPU | 3GB RAM
• Zen UI 3.0 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow
• 16MP rear camera | 8MP front-facing camera
• 32GB internal storage with up to 2TB microSD card support
• 2650mAh battery
• 4G LTE with VoLTE, WiFi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, USB Type-C
• Fingerprint scanner | dual-SIM support (Hybrid slot)
• Dimensions: 146.87 x 73.98 x 7.69mm | Weight: 144 grams

Box Contents

Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL box is no exception, as it also houses a rectangular design with minimal prints and Zenfone 3 logo on top. The moment you open the box, you will be treated with the gorgeous looking Zenfone 3 on top. Beneath the phone, you will find user guide, warranty card, SIM slot ejector tool, USB Type-C data cable, charging adapter and premium quality in-ear earphones with some extra ear plug caps (Yes, finally someone included earphones along with the phone.)

Design & Build Quality

All Asus smartphones launched prior to the Zenfone 3 came with plastic build and average design. But, with the introduction of Zenfone 3 series Asus jumped from plastic body to an all glass design. No doubt, Asus Zenfone 3 is one of the best-looking smartphone available in the market at the moment. The smartphone comes with premium glass unibody build paired with great design.

The front of the device is covered with 2.5D curved glass with the back consisting of the same. The glass used is Corning’s Gorilla Glass 3. Both the front and back are sandwiched between metal frame. Icing on the cake is chamfered edges all around the metal frame.

2.5D curved design along with metal frame do help in holding the device comfortably. On the front, above the display, there’s an earpiece with sensors, front-facing camera and notification LED surrounded. Below the display lies non-backlit three navigational capacitive buttons including back, home and menu key. As the buttons are non-backlit, using the device in dark is somewhat difficult, but not a major deal breaker.

On the right-side you will find volume rockers followed by power button, both made up of metal with concentric ring design. Hybrid SIM tray sits on the left side with USB Type-C port, speaker grill and microphone on the bottom. Unlike other manufactures, Asus has included the 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the device with antenna bands placed nicely around the metal frame.

Finally, on the back there’s the primary camera which lies in-between the laser autofocus and dual-tone LED flash. The camera is protected with sapphire crystal lens cover. Beneath the camera, Asus has included a rectangular shaped fingerprint scanner, which is also made up of glass. The camera does protrude out of the body. Asus branding is embedded on the back-bottom of the device.

As the device is made up of glass, it is very slippery. Also, it is a fingerprint magnet and might get scratches at times due to carelessness. The moment you hold the device, your fingerprints are grabbed by the glass design. I will definitely recommend using a cover for extra protection. The fingerprint scanner on the back is fast and responsive but because of its unjustified shape you might face some issues at times.

Pros	Cons
Premium Glass & Metal Build	Fingerprint magnet
Best Looking Design	Slippery

Display

The unit I was reviewing had a 5.2-inch Full HD Super IPS+ display with 75.6% screen-to-body ratio. According to me, 5.2-inch is a perfect size for any smartphone until and unless your hands are gigantic. The display panel used is Super IPS+ and offers 600 nits in terms of brightness, which is one of the brightest display from Asus. The Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution) display of Zenfone 3 has 424ppi pixel density.

The viewing angles, color reproduction and touchscreen response are very good. If you are not satisfied with the color reproduction, then you can easily tweak the same by going to Display settings. For night power users, Asus has included a Bluelight filter mode for eye care.

Outdoor visibility is impressive, despite the display being highly reflective because of glass. You won’t face any problem using the Zenfone 3 under direct sunlight. Images, text, icons, graphics are sharp and watching media is a delight.

Pros	Cons
Color reproduction	-
Brightness under direct sunlight
Viewing angles

Software

Asus Zenfone 3 runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with Asus’ proprietary ZenUI 3.0 out-of-the-box. ZenUI is another highly-customized version of Android, but with great enhancements. Asus’ ZenUI is sleek and simple to understand, but the only issue with proprietary software is inclusion of Bloatware, or say hell lot of Bloatware.

Unlike other Chinese vendors forked version of Android, ZenUI do come with an app drawer. After setting up the device, you will find three pages full of pre-installed apps from Asus. To give you an estimate, you will find around 25-30 apps from Asus pre-installed. Some are good enough to get uninstalled, others you have to disable them to keep your app drawer clean.

Besides having so much of bloatware, the UI is very smooth and responsive. I never experienced any lag or crash during our two weeks of testing. The biggest issue with bloatware is use of storage space. You can get rid of unnecessary bloatware by rooting your device and uninstalling them.

Another feature of ZenUI is customization in every field like lockscreen, notification panel, homescreen and even native pre-installed apps. You can customize almost everything in ZenUI from changing the font style, font size, icon alignment, icon size, scroll effects, icon label color and much more. On visiting preferences setting of ZenUI, you will be welcomed with every customization option available.

Due to unnecessary apps, the notification panel is flooded with push notifications which aren’t really worth reading. ZenMotion settings include Touch Gesture, Motion Gesture and One Hand Mode.

Touch Gesture setting include double tap to sleep and wake up, and gestures on dark screen in which you can open any application by drawing specific characters (W, S, e, C, Z, V) on dark screen i.e. when the device is locked draw W to open Weather app by default.

Motion Gesture setting include shake shake feature to take screenshot and create a new task when using an app, flip down feature to turn an incoming call into silent mode by flipping the device upside down and hands up feature to automatically answer calls by lifting the device to your ear.

One Hand Mode, as the name suggest lowers down the interface size to help user reach the complete screen with one hand. This feature can be activated / deactivated by double tapping the home button.

Other common settings include glove mode, easy mode, kids mode and screenshot settings. You can also capture game screenshots, record game sessions and even broadcast live gaming videos to YouTube and Twitch using Asus’ in-built Game Genie feature.

Pros	Cons
Smooth & responsive UI	Unnecessary bloatware
Dozens of customization options

Camera

Talking of camera, Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL comes with a 16MP PixelMaster 3.0 rear camera with dual-tone LED Flash. The 16MP rear camera is a Sony IMX298 sensor with f/2.0 aperture, 1/2.8” sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size, 6P Largan lens, HDR support, 4 Stop Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and 3-axis Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS).

Asus has paired the rear camera of Zenfone 3 with TriTech Autofocus technology which makes use of Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF), 2^nd Gen Laser AF and Subject Tracking AF for capturing and focusing images in just 0.03 seconds. The camera is capable of shooting 4K 2160p videos at 30 frames per second and Full HD 1080p videos also at 60 frames per second. Do note that 4K video does not support OIS.

By default, the camera resolution is set at 12MP rather than 16MP. You can change the same by going to camera settings. When it comes to quality and performance, the Zenfone 3 camera is good but I won’t tag it great. When in daylight, the camera performs really well by capturing detailed images with right colors and saturation. But is not the same in lowlight.

In lowlight, you will definitely see noise grains and not that sharp images. At times, the camera did struggle focusing in low-light. Asus has stuffed the Zenfone 3 camera application with plethora of camera modes for every scenario like low-light, night, slow motion, time lapse, smart remove and more.

One of the best feature of Zenfone 3 camera app is manual mode. Using manual mode, you can easily play with white balance (WB), exposure value (EV), ISO, shutter speed and focus to capture perfect image or even record professional video. If you aren’t camera geeky you will definitely be using Auto Mode all time, but some of the modes which are worth discussing are Super Resolution and Night.

Super Resolution (SRES) mode takes several shots and stitch together to form a 60MP shot. Images clicked using SRES mode are more detailed and less noisy. Night mode on the other hand, is a nice touch to camera app when clicking images at night. Images clicked at night using this mode are more detailed than auto mode and are less noisy too.

On the front, there’s an 8MP camera with f/2.0 aperture and 88-degree wide-angle lens. The front camera is also capable of shooting Full HD 1080p videos. Honestly speaking, the front camera of Zenfone 3 is just decent. Selfies aren’t that sharp and do include lot of grain when clicked in low light. Beautification mode is turned on by default, so if you don’t want to look artificial then make sure you turn this mode off. You will find the same set of above mentioned modes when using front camera.

Pros	Cons
Daylight images & selfies	Lowlight images & selfies
Super Resolution & manual mode	Noise and grains
TriTech Autofocus Technology	Plethora of modes
4K video support

Asus Zenfone 3 Review Camera Samples [Full Quality]

Performance

Housing 2GHz 64-bit Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor based on 14nm fabrication method paired with Adreno 506 GPU and 3GB of RAM, Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL is a great performer. RAM management in Zenfone 3 is superb when compared to its predecessors. Application opening and switching was snappy. I never faced any issue while multi-tasking.

None of the graphic centric games lagged during game play. The device did heat up warmly during heavy gaming, which is quite common. All in all, when it comes to performance Asus Zenfone 3 is a great device.

Pros	Cons
Smooth, Lag Free Multitasking	-

Battery

Depending on the variant of Zenfone 3 you buy, you will be treated with different battery stats. Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL comes with 2650mAh battery. As the device has unibody design, the battery is non-removable. In numbers, you might find battery capacity less and think it won’t last long, but when it comes to real-time normal usage and battery management the device can easily last a complete day.

When it comes to heavy usage like gaming, video playback, calling, camera and Wi-Fi full day, all with 100 percent brightness, the device was able to last till evening giving around 3.5 to 4 hours of SOT. With fast charging support, you need not worry about battery charging. The device charges from 0 to 100 in around 1.5 hours.

Pros	Cons
Battery management USB Type-C Fast Charging	-

Verdict

Asus Zenfone 3 series is no doubt the best Zenfone series by Asus. The smartphone has improved in many key areas including design, build, performance, camera and battery. The series has got a major overhaul and can now be termed as a premium smartphone series from Asus at mid-range price.

There are two variants of Zenfone 3, one with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage (ZE520KL) and another with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage (ZE552KL). The former is priced at Rs. 21,999 and the latter is priced at Rs. 27,999. The 4GB RAM variant is directly competing with OnePlus 3, which is no doubt the best budget-Android smartphone anyone can buy today (personal opinion).

If your budget is at around Rs. 22,000, then I would definitely recommend the Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL smartphone. Keeping fingerprint magnet - slipperiness (which can be overcome by using a case) and low-light images and selfies aside, Zenfone 3 ZE520KL is a steal deal.

If you are interested in buying the Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL, then you can head over to Flipkart or Amazon by clicking below links –

Asus Zenfone 3 ZE520KL – Flipkart | Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S8 first live image leaked along with key details, launching on March 29th

After Samsung Galaxy Note7 havoc, everyone seems to be waiting for the next-generation Galaxy S smartphone, easily referred to as the Samsung Galaxy S8. Internet is full of rumors and leaks surrounding the Galaxy S8 with no authentic source. Finally, VentureBeat and @evleaks, together, have published the first ever live image of the most-awaited and upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 smartphone.

The report not only leaks the image of the smartphone, but also shares key specifications and launch details of the Galaxy S8. According to VB, Samsung will be launching two different variants of the Galaxy S8.

For the past several years, Samsung has launched the Galaxy S smartphones at MWC, but it won't be the same this time. The first* Samsung Unpacked 2017 event will take place on March 29th in New York City, highlights VB. (* Samsung will be launching the Galaxy Note 8 later this year)

Starting with display and size, unlike flat and edged variants of the Galaxy S6 & S7, both the Galaxy S8 variants will come with dual-edged display. The major difference will be in size. The regular model will come with a 5.8-inch display and the Plus variant will host a 6.2-inch display. These models are even larger than the Galaxy Note smartphones.

Honor launches Honor 6X with dual-rear cameras in India starting at Rs. 12,999

Honor has officially launched the Honor 6X smartphone in the Indian market. Honor 6X was announced for global market earlier this month at CES 2017. The smartphone is already available in the U.S. and Europe. Honor 6X comes with mid-range specifications including dual-rear cameras and is priced competitively.

The smartphone will be available in three color options including Gold, Silver and Gray and in different RAM and ROM configurations, including 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage. Honor has priced the prior at Rs. 12,999, whereas the latter will be available for Rs. 15,999.

According to Honor, the smartphone will be available via flash sales exclusively from Amazon India starting February 2nd at 2PM. Interested buyers can register for the sale by clicking on this link.

Vivo officially launches Vivo V5 Plus with 20MP + 8MP front camera in India for Rs. 27,980

As promised, Vivo has officially launched the Vivo V5 Plus smartphone in the Indian market on January 23rd at an event held in Delhi. Vivo V5 Plus is a new addition in company's V5 series of smartphones and extends the front camera capability by featuring dual-front facing camera. Vivo V5 Plus is the third smartphone under V5 series which already include the original V5 and the V5 Lite.

Vivo V5 Plus comes in Gold color option and is priced at Rs. 27,980. The device is available for pre-order from various brick and mortar retailers.

According to Vivo, those who pre-order the V5 Pus will additionally get a VR box with the smartphone. The smartphone will be available for purchase starting February 1st.

Talking of specifications, Vivo V5 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD LCD IPS In-cell display with 2.5D curved glass, metal build and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The smartphone is powered by 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor paired with Adreno 506 GPU and 4GB of RAM.

On the software front, the device runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with FunTouch OS 3.0 on top. The V5 Plus comes with dual-SIM support with dual-standby feature, measures 152.58 x 74.00 x 7.26mm and weighs 158.6 grams. On the front, there's a home button which doubles as fingerprint scanner.

Vivo V5 Lite with 5.5-inch HD display, 16MP front camera, 3GB RAM goes official

Along with the Vivo V5 Plus, Vivo has also listed the V5 Lite smartphone on its official website. Vivo V5 Lite, as the name says, is a cheaper variant of the original V5 smartphone. With the introduction of Vivo V5 Lite, the V5 series now consist of three smartphones including the original Vivo V5, the higher-end Vivo V5 Plus and the cheaper Vivo V5 Lite.

This new smartphone from Vivo comes with lower-resolution front camera, 3 gigs of RAM and sans fingerprint scanner, when compared with the V5.

Vivo V5 Lite will be available in Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines first, followed by other countries. The device comes in two color options including Crown Gold and Rose Gold, and was also found listed on Indian e-retailer OnlyMobiles with a price tag of Rs. 15,890.

Xiaomi launches Redmi Note 4 with Snapdragon 625 SoC in India starting at Rs. 9,999

As scheduled, Xiaomi has officially launched the successor of the highly-popular Redmi Note 3 smartphone in the Indian market. Called the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, the device will be available in India in three different configurations. The Redmi Note 4 comes with metal-unibody design and better specifications compared to its predecessor.

The Redmi Note 4 launched in India comes with Snapdragon 625 processor rather than MediaTek Helio X20 found on the Chinese variant of the smartphone. You can find the complete specs sheet below.

According to Xiaomi, the Redmi Note 4 will be available in India in three different color options including Dark Grey, Gold and newly introduced Matte Black. The latter will be available sometime in the third week of February, says Xiaomi. 

Xiaomi will be selling the Note 4 in India starting January 23rd (12 noon), exclusively from e-retailer Flipkart and Mi.com. On the pricing front, the 2GB RAM with 32GB storage variant is priced at Rs. 9,999, whereas the 3GB RAM with 32GB storage costs Rs. 10,999 and the 4GB RAM with 64GB internal storage will be available for Rs. 12,999.

Talking of specifications, the Redmi Note 4 comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD display with 2.5D curved glass, 403ppi pixel density and upto 72% NTSC color gamut. The device is powered by 2GHz 14nm octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor with Adreno 506 GPU. The device runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow with MIUI 8 on top. 

Vivo V5 Plus with 20MP + 8MP front camera goes official, launching in India on January 23

Vivo has officially took the wraps off the Vivo V5 Plus smartphone. The smartphone was teased back in November 2016 during the launch of Vivo V5 in India. Vivo V5 Plus is a new addition in company's V5 series of smartphones and extends the front camera capability by featuring dual-front facing camera.

Vivo will be launching the Vivo V5 Plus smartphone in India on January 23rd. The smartphone will be launched in Malaysia on January 20th. Vivo has started the pre-order of V5 Plus in Malaysia for 1799 MYR, which translates roughly to US$403 / Rs. 27,432.

According to Vivo, the V5 Plus will be launched in Gold color option. We are expecting Vivo to price the V5 Plus in India at around Rs. 25,000.

Talking of specifications, Vivo V5 Plus comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD LCD IPS In-cell display with 2.5D curved glass, metal build and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The smartphone is powered by 2.0GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor paired with Adreno 506 GPU and 4GB of RAM.

On the software front, the device runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with FunTouch OS 3.0 on top. The V5 Plus comes with dual-SIM support with dual-standby feature, measures 152.58 x 74.00 x 7.26mm and weighs 158.6 grams. On the front, there's a home button which doubles as fingerprint scanner.

HTC U Ultra with 5.7-inch QHD display, secondary display, Snapdragon 821 officially unveiled

Along with HTC U Play, HTC has also announced its latest flagship smartphone called the HTC U Ultra. The U Ultra is company's premium device in the newly announced U series of smartphones. The key feature of HTC U Ultra is its secondary display which is similar to what LG has been doing with its V series including LG V10 and LG V20.

According to HTC, the U Ultra will come in four colors — Brilliant Black, Ice White, Sapphire Blue and Comestic Pink. The smartphone will be available starting March 2017. HTC has also started the pre-order process of the U Ultra from htc.com. HTC has priced the smartphone in the U.S. at $750 - which is approx Rs. 51,015 and in Taiwan at NT $23,900 - which translates to approx US$ 754 or Rs. 51275.

HTC has also launched a limited edition Sapphire Glass variant of the HTC U Ultra smartphone, which comes with 128GB internal storage. HTC has priced this variant of the U Ultra at NT $28,900, which roughly translates to US $912 or Rs. 62000.

Similar to HTC U Play, the HTC U Ultra also comes with metal frame with front and back of the device made up of glass. HTC says that it has developed a unique process called "optical spectrum hybrid deposition" to give the glass multi-layered color. On the front of the device there's a home button beneath the main display which doubles as fingerprint scanner.

Also Read: HTC U Play with 5.2-inch FHD display, 16MP cameras, AI Sense Companion officially announced

One of the key feature of the HTC U Ultra is company's newly announced AI-based Sense Companion. Basically, it's an voice controlled AI assistant similar to Google Assistant and Siri. The Sense Companion learns from your habits using 4 always-on active microphones. It helps users in performing various tasks like unlocking phone with voice commands, manage battery to reflect your daily pattern, recommend restaurants, warn about weather and road conditions, make suggestions about your agenda and more.

HTC U Play with 5.2-inch FHD display, 16MP cameras, AI Sense Companion officially announced

After series of leaks and rumours, HTC earlier today officially took the wraps off its new U series of smartphones. The new HTC U series include mid-range HTC U Play and flagship HTC U Ultra.

Talking about the HTC U Play first, the smartphone is a smaller and affordable variant of the HTC U Ultra smartphone. The device comes with mid-range specifications and lacks some of the key features found on the HTC U Ultra.

Also Read: HTC U Ultra with 5.7-inch QHD display, secondary display, Snapdragon 821 officially unveiled

HTC U Play comes in four color options including Brilliant Black, Ice White, Sapphire Blue and Comestic Pink. According to HTC, the U Play will be available in two storage options with different RAM configurations - 3GB RAM with 32GB ROM and 4GB RAM with 64GB ROM.

LG G6 renders leaked, no more modular design; to launch at MWC 2017 with 5.7" QHD+ display

LG has been doing good with its G series of smartphones. It all started with the introduction of LG Optimus G in 2012 followed by the LG G2, the LG G3, the LG G4 and the latest iteration of the G series is the LG G5. The smartphone was announced last year in February with unique but gimmicky modular design which didn't worked out well for the company in terms of sale.

LG seems to be busy building the successor of the LG G5 smartphone, which will be called the LG G6. As the device launch is around the corner, first renders of the upcoming G6 smartphone derived from CAD data have been leaked online.

The renders are coming from @OnLeaks. If you look at the images closely, you will notice that LG has moved away from modular design concept introduced with the LG G5. The design of LG G6 include dual rear camera on the back with dual-tone LED flash in-between them. Beneath the camera module there's a fingerprint scanner which doubles as power / lock button.

Unlike other manufacturers who have #courage to opt-out 3.5mm headphone jack, LG will still host it on the G6. On the left, we can see volume rockers, with speakers and USB Type-C port on the bottom. The device is said to come with metal build with glossy and matte finish.

Contradicting the metal build news, ETNews is reporting that the upcoming LG G6 will come with a glass finish on both the back and the front. The front of G6 is said to employ 2.5D curved glass produced by Biel Company. On the back will be a 3D glass panel by C&S Glass, similar to what we see on the Galaxy S7.

The reason why LG is shifting from metal to glass build is because of wireless charging capability. The device is also said to be waterproof, putting in line with latest flagships from Apple and Samsung.

Talking more about the LG G6, LG has officially confirmed to WSJ that it is opting out of the modular design concept with the introduction of LG G6, as the company will focus into making a phone that is great in the aesthetics department.

Another news related to G6 is that LG Display has unveiled the world's first 5.7-inch QHD+ LCD display for smartphones with 18:9 (in simple words 2:1) aspect ratio. LG Display did confirm that this new panel will be used in LG Electronics next flagship smartphone launching later this year.

This new display panel comes with 2880 x 1440 pixel resolution and has 564ppi pixel density. 18:9 aspect ratio display is first of its kind. Display panels aspect ratio have evolved a lot since the introduction of larger display from 4:3, to 3:2, 5:3 and 16:9; lately, a 17:9 ratio display has been introduced on Xiaomi's Mi Mix.

Lenovo P2 with 5.5-inch FHD display, 5100mAh battery launched in India starting at Rs. 16,999

As scheduled, Lenovo has officially announced the Lenovo P2 smartphone in the Indian market. The Lenovo P2 is successor to Lenovo's P1 smartphone launched last year and comes with massive 5100mAh battery. The device comes with mid-range specifications and will be available in India in two variants — 3GB RAM and 4GB RAM.

According to Lenovo, the device will be available in Champagne Gold and Graphite Gray colors. Lenovo has priced the 3GB RAM variant of P2 at Rs. 16,999, whereas the 4GB RAM variant will cost you Rs. 17,999. The device will be available exclusively from Flipkart starting mid-night with various launch day offers. We will update the post as soon as we hear more about the offers.

Update: As an introductory offer, Flipkart is offering up to Rs. 15,000 off on exchange of old smartphone with additional Rs. 2,000 off and extra 10% instant discount when used SBI Credit Card. You can buy Lenovo P2 from Flipkart by clicking on the link below.

Lenovo P2 comes with a metal unibody design with fingerprint scanner on the front of the device. Like every mid-range device, the P2 also comes with dual-SIM support (hybrid SIM slot).

Lenovo has included TheaterMax technology in P2 which provide immersive VR experience when used with ANT VR headset.

On the specifications front, Lenovo P2 comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD Super AMOLED display with 100% NTSC color gamut. The device is powered by 2GHz octa-core 14nm Snapdragon 625 processor with Adreno 506 GPU. For multi-tasking activities it has 3GB / 4GB of RAM and it runs on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box.

Lenovo P2 at Flipkart

Moto G5 Plus live images and detailed specifications leaked

Last week we saw renders of an upcoming Motorola smartphone with Moto Z-like design language. The device was being referred to as the upcoming Moto X (2017). Turns out the renders leaked were actually of the next-generation Moto G smartphone, the Moto G5 Plus.

An unannounced Motorola smartphone was on sale earlier today (listing removed) on OLX.ro, which looks exactly like the leaked renders. According to the seller, the device goes by the model number XT1685 and was the upcoming Moto G5 Plus. The seller also attached several images of the device along with the listing, which showcased the device from every angle.

The images leaked revealed that the upcoming Moto G5 Plus follows the Moto Z design-language with circular camera hump on the rear and wide square shaped (more like pill shaped) fingerprint scanner on the front, which might double as home button.

The listing did revealed complete specification sheet of the device. The upcoming Moto G5 Plus is said to come with a 5.5-inch Full HD display with 480ppi pixel density, 2GHz octa-core Snapdragon 625 processor with Adreno 506 GPU, 4GB of RAM and run on Android 7.0 Nougat.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with metal build, Snapdragon SoC, MIUI 8 launching in India on January 19

After officially announcing the device last year in August, Xiaomi has finally decided to launch the successor of Redmi Note 3 in India. Xiaomi has started sending out invites to the press media for the launch of Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 in the country. The invite does not explicitly reveal the launch details, but considering company's social media posts — the launch is of Redmi Note 4.

The Redmi Note 3 was a huge success to Xiaomi in India. The device was launched in the country last year in March. The upcoming Redmi Note 4 comes with better build and better specifications.

Xiaomi announced the Redmi Note 4 in China with Helio X20 processor, but the company will be launching a new Snapdragon variant of Redmi Note 4 in India, most probably with Snapdragon 625 processor. The device comes in three colors including Gray, Gold and Silver.

Xiaomi to launch Redmi Note 4X with upgraded specifications soon, images leaked via TENAA

Every year Xiaomi announces array of new smartphones including Redmi, Note and Mi series. Last year in August, Xiaomi announced the Redmi Note 4 in China with metal body, which is soon going to launch in India. Now, the company is rumoured to launch an upgraded version of Redmi Note 4 smartphone, which is allegedly reported to launch as Xiaomi Redmi Note 4X.

Following the same, the Redmi Note 4X was found listed on Chinese certification regulatory authority TENAA website lately. The images leaked by TENAA reveal that the upcoming device looks familiar to its predecessor with metal build and fingerprint scanner beneath the camera module.

Major difference between the Redmi Note 4 and the Redmi Note 4X is visible when it comes to specifications. According to TENAA website, the new Redmi Note smartphone will come with upgraded processor, and extra RAM and storage capacity.

Honor 6X with dual-rear cameras launching in India on January 24th [Amazon Exclusive]

Update (10th Jan): Honor has officially confirmed that it will be launching the Honor 6X smartphone in India exclusively on Amazon. More details including pricing and availability will be revealed on January 24th.

Earlier (8th Jan): Honor announced its latest offering, the Honor 6X smartphone with dual-rear cameras and metal unibody design at CES 2017 couple of days back for global market. The smartphone was already available for pre-order in the U.S. and for purchase in Europe. Now, Honor has officially revealed that the Honor 6X smartphone will be launched in India on January 24th.

The Honor 6X comes in three colors - Gold, Silver and Gray and in two different storage / RAM options, including 3GB RAM + 32GB storage and 4GB RAM + 64GB storage. The 3GB RAM variant Honor 6X is priced at $250, whereas the 4GB variant costs $300 in the U.S.

Talking of specifications, Honor 6X comes with a 5.5-inch Full HD IPS display with 2.5D curved glass, 2.1GHz 16nm octa-core Kirin 655 processor with Mali-T830 GPU, 3GB / 4GB RAM and runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with EMUI 4.1 on top.

Honor 6X will be updated to Android 7.0 Nougat with EMUI 5.0 in the second quarter of the year. EMUI 5.0 will bring huge improvement in performance and interface on the Honor 6X.

Also Read: [CES 2017] Honor 6X with dual rear cameras announced for $250, launching soon in India

Other specifications include an 12MP + 2MP (for depth of field / blur effect) dual rear camera with LED flash, Sony IMX386 sensor, 6P lens, 1.25μm pixel size, PDAF and f/0.95-f/16 aperture, a 8MP front facing camera, 32GB / 64GB internal storage (eMMC 5.1) with expandable memory using microSD card (up to 128GB) and 3340mAh battery with fast charging support.

Asus Zenfone Pegasus 3S with 5.5-inch display, 5000mAh battery, Nougat official in China

Asus has officially unveiled a new budget Android smartphone in China. Called the Asus Zenfone Pegasus 3S, the smartphone is successor to Zenfone Pegasus 3 which was launched last year. The Zenfone Pegasus 3S is a new addition to company's highly popular Zenfone series and the device comes with mid-range specs.

According to Asus, the Zenfone Pegasus 3S will be available in two color options - Black and White with Gold back. The device is priced at 1,999 Yuan for 64GB variant, which is approx US$288 / Rs. 19,630. The Pegasus 3S will be available for purchase soon.

Talking of the device, the Zenfone Pegasus 3S features a metal unibody design and fused antenna band. The device comes with fingerprint scanner on the front embedded inside the home button.

On the specifications front, Asus Zenfone Pegasus 3S comes with a 5.2-inch HD IPS display with 2.5D curved glass and 75% screen-to-body ration, 1.5GHz 64-bit octa-core MediaTek MT6750 processor, 3GB of RAM and run on Android 7.0 Nougat with ZenUI 3.1 on top out-of-the-box.

When it comes to imaging, the Pegasus 3S sports a 13MP rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, f/2.0 aperture, phase detection autofocus (PDAF), Sony IMX258 sensor and 78.4° wide-angle lens, paired with an 8MP front facing camera with f/2.0 aperture and 85° wide-angle lens.

Also Read: [CES 2017] Asus ZenFone 3 Zoom with dual-rear camera, 5,000mAh battery officially announced (Spec Sheet)