Apple iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Unboxing and First Impressions

 

Apple introduced its iPhone 13 series and iPhone 13 Pro series smartphones earlier this month. We got hold of the iPhone 13 and the iPhone 13 Pro. Both these feature a 6.1-inch OLED Super Retina XDR display with a smaller notch, A15 Bionic 5nm Chip, upgraded cameras and a bigger battery. Here we have the unboxing and first impressions of the phones.

Box Contents

We got the Pink version of the iPhone 13 and the Sierra Blue version of the iPhone 13 Pro which are the new colour variants, both with 512GB storage. Box contents include a  USB Type-C to Lightning cable, SIM ejector tool, Apple sticker and documents in the box.

Even though both the phones feature a similar 6.1-inch (2532×1170 pixels) OLED 460ppi Super Retina XDR display, the iPhone 13’s screen is 28% brighter outdoors at 800 nits, and it offers up to 1200 nits brightness when viewing HDR content.

The phone 13 Pro’s screen is 25% brighter outdoors with maximum brightness of up to 1000 nits, and it offers up to 1200 nits brightness when viewing HDR content. It is also the first iPhone to come with ProMotion, supporting an adaptive refresh rate from 10Hz to 120Hz that varies depending on the content. Both these feature Ceramic Shield protection.

These feature a smaller notch since Apple has merged the flood illuminator and dot projector of the FaceID system into one component, and by moving the earpiece cutout up to the edge. Both the phones feature a 12MP TrueDepth front camera with f/2.2 aperture.

There are no change in button placements compared to the predecesors. As you can see, the iPhone 13 has an aluminum frame that offer a matte finish, but the surgical-grade stainless steel frame on the iPhone 13 Pro has a glossy finish and attracts fingerprints easily. These feature IP68 water resistance (6 meters for up to 30 minutes) ratings.

Even though both the models are powered by new A15 Bionic 5nm Chip with new 6-core CPU with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores and a new 16-core Neural Engine. The iPhone 13 has a 4-core GPU and the iPhone 13 Pro comes with 5-core GPU. These run iOS 15 out of the box that bring several new features including focus mode, live text, on-device Siri, Facetime Spatial audio and more.

The iPhone 13 has an improved 12MP (f/2.2) main camera with 1.7 µm pixels, and the company says that it is the biggest sensor ever in an iPhone dual-camera system. The Sensor-shift OIS — a technology introduced in iPhone 12 Pro Max is now available in the main camera for both iPhone 13 and the entry-level iPhone 13 mini. There is a 12MP 120° ultra-wide (f/2.4) secondary camera.

Check out the camera samples from the iPhone 13.

The iPhone 13 Pro has an all-new wide camera with a larger sensor with 1.9 µm pixels, the largest ever on iPhone and has ƒ/1.5 aperture for better low-light imaging. It also has the Sensor-shift optical image stabilisation (OIS). There is a new Ultra Wide camera with a much wider ƒ/1.8 aperture and has a new autofocus system, so it offers macrophotography with a minimum focus distance of 2cm. It can also shoot Macro videos, including Slo-mo and Time-lapse. The iPhone 13 Pro also has a new 77 mm Telephoto camera, offering 3x optical zoom.

Both the phones feature Cinematic mode with depth effect with automatic focus changes. The focus can be changed during and after capture, and you can also adjust the level of bokeh in the Photos app and iMovie for iOS, and  soon in iMovie for macOS and Final Cut Pro. The Cinematic mode records in Dolby Vision HDR. Both models also offer HDR video recording with Dolby Vision. The Pro model also has ProRes (1080p at 30 fps for 128GB storage, 4K 30 fps in other models), an advanced video codec used widely as the final delivery format for commercials, feature films, and broadcasts, to offer higher color fidelity and less compression. This feature will be rolled out in an update.

Check out the camera samples from the iPhone 13 Pro.

Even though Apple doesn’t reveal the battery capacity officially, teardown revealed that the iPhone 13 has a 3,227 mAh battery compared to 2,815 mAh in the iPhone 12, promising up to 19 hours of video playback. The iPhone 13 Pro has a 3,095 mAh battery compared to 2,815 mAh in the predecessor. Apple has managed to pack bigger batteries by using L shaped cell.

The new iPhone models are available through Authorized Apple resellers offline and online retailers like Flipkart, Amazon.in and others, in addition to Apple India online store. HDFC Bank Debit and Credit Card holders get Rs. 6,000 cashback for iPhone 13 and Rs. 5,000 cashback for iPhone 13 Pro.

Amazon Echo Show 15 with AZ2 Neural Edge processor; Astro Household robot; Halo View Fitness tracker and more announced

 

Amazon unveiled a range of new products yesterday, including a brand new Echo Show 15 that features 15.6-inch display and an AZ2 Neural Edge processor for on-device speech processing. The company also introduced the Astro Household Robot, a new Halo View health tracker, and the Amazon Glow interactive device.

The Amazon Echo Show 15 is the newest addition to the Echo family, featuring a 15.6-inch 1080p Full HD display that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a counter. It comes equipped with the next-generation custom designed Amazon AZ2 Neural Edge processor that is capable of processing speech recognition on device and can also process computer vision (CV) workloads in parallel.

The Echo Show 15 can show a household’s shared calendar, add or remove items from the shopping list, reorder favorite items, check the to-do list, and more. It supports Amazon’s visual ID feature that will allow the device to recognize the speaker’s voice and personalize the on-screen information based on them. Users can also stream movies and TV shows from Prime Video, Netflix, or Hulu, and it comes with microphone and camera controls with a built-in camera shutter.

The Amazon Astro is a new household robot that is designed for home monitoring and features built-in Alexa. It uses advanced navigation technology and can be used to remotely check on specific rooms, people, or things in a house.

It is equipped with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant that enables the ability to set up reminders, manage shopping lists, receive activity alerts, and more. It also supports customization such as adding a detachable cup holder, and it can carry items like OMRON blood pressure monitor or a Furbo Dog Camera.

The Amazon Halo is a new fitness tracker featuring an AMOLED color display, and multiple sensors such as an optical sensor, a skin temperature sensor, and an accelerometer. Some of the many features it supports including tracking sleep scores, blood oxygen levels, live workout tracking, text and move notifications, and more. It comes in three stylish sport band colors—Active Black, Sage Green, and Lavender Dream, and the battery life is rated for 7 days with normal use.

Lastly, the Amazon Glow is a new interactive device featuring a dedicated 8” display and the ability to create a 19-inch touch-sensitive, projected space. It comes included with 1-year of Amazon Kids+, that provides access to thousands of books and dozens of interactive games and art activities. It has other kid-friendly features such as Object scanning for creating custom jigsaw puzzle, and Glow Bits learning kit which is a Tangram puzzle game.

The Amazon Echo Show 15 is priced at $249.99 (Approx. Rs. 18,540), the Amazon Halo View tracker is priced at $79.99 (Approx. Rs. 5,932), the Amazon Glow is available for an introductory price of $249.99 (Approx. Rs. 18,540). The Amazon Astro on the other hand is only available through invitations for now.

Xiaomi 11 Lite NE 5G Unboxing and First Impressions

 

It’s that time of the year, again! Android 12 Stable release for Pixel devices is just around the corner, and Android OEMs have started announcing the next iterations of their proprietary UI. Earlier this month, OPPO announced ColorOS 12, and also released a detailed roll-out plan for OPPO and OnePlus devices. Now, Xiaomi has gone a step ahead, and announced the Android 12 Stable testing program for Mi 11 series devices.

Xiaomi, similar to other Android  OEMs, has a tradition of involving community members in software testing. Such programs are meant for the users who don’t mind compromising a bit on system stability, and performance for the latest software and features.

Though, Android 12 Stable testing program, announced by Xiaomi, is limited to flagship devices for now. The company took it to Mi Community (Global) to make the announcement for the same. As per the announcement, the Chinese smartphone giant is looking for Android 12 Stable ROM tester for the following devices,

• Mi 11 Ultra
• Mi 11
• Mi 11i

Xiaomi is accepting applications only from MIUI Global Stable ROM users, so Indian users should not apply for the program as of now. We can expect Xiaomi to announce the program for Indian users in the coming weeks. To those unaware, out of the above-mentioned devices, Mi 11 Ultra, and Mi 11i are available in India. Though, Mi 11i carries a different name in the region- Mi 11X Pro.

The company plans to recruit 200 testers on a first come first serve basis for each of the above-mentioned devices. However, it would have been nice had Xiaomi kept the program open for all enthusiasts rather than limiting it to just 200 consumers. You can head over to this link to fill out the application form in case you own any of the above-mentioned devices. Users are supposed to install an instant messenger Telegram and join the group to discuss bugs with other testers.

We can expect the company to soon roll out Android 12 Stable update for these devices in the coming weeks since it is going to commence the testing program soon. We will update our readers as soon as Android 12 testing program is announced for a Xiaomi device that is available in India.

Moto tab g20 with 8-inch display, Dolby Atmos, 5100mAh battery launched in India for Rs. 10999

 

Motorola has launched moto tab g20, the company’s first tablet in India, as it had announced. It has a 8-inch HD+ LCD screen, is powered by Helio P22T SoC with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, run near-stock Android 11 with Kids mode, features a metal-like design, comes with mono speaker, has Dolby Atmos and packs a 5100mAh battery.

moto tab g20 specifications

• 8-inch (1280 x 800 pixels) HD IPS TDDI 16:10 display with up to 350 nits brightness, 85% screen-to-body ratio
• Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P22T (MT8768T) (4 x 2.3GHz Cortex-A53 +4 x 1.8GHz Cortex-A53) with IMG GE8320 650 GPU
• 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, expandable memory up to 2TB with microSD
• Android 11
• 5MP autofocus rear camera
• 2MP front-facing camera
• 3.5mm audio jack, Bottom-ported loudspeaker, Dolby Atmos
• Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C
• Dimensions: 199.1 × 121.8 × 8.15mm; Weight: 305g
• 5100mAh battery with up to 15 hours of video watching or 18 hours of browsing, 10W charging

The moto tab g20 comes in Platinum Grey colour, is priced at Rs. 10,999 and will be available to pre-order from Flipkart starting from October 2nd during Flipkart Big Billion Days sale.

Launch offer

• Additional Rs. 1,000 OFF on Exchange 
• Big Billion Day Offers (10% Discount on ICICI and Axis Bank Cards) will be available for Flipkart Plus customers on 2nd October and for all customers starting 3rd October. 
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  Motorola has launched moto tab g20, the company’s first tablet in India, as it had announced. It has a 8-inch HD+ LCD screen, is powered by Helio P22T SoC with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, run near-stock Android 11 with Kids mode, features a metal-like design, comes with mono speaker, has Dolby Atmos and packs a 5100mAh battery.

  

  moto tab g20 specifications

  • 8-inch (1280 x 800 pixels) HD IPS TDDI 16:10 display with up to 350 nits brightness, 85% screen-to-body ratio
  • Octa-Core MediaTek Helio P22T (MT8768T) (4 x 2.3GHz Cortex-A53 +4 x 1.8GHz Cortex-A53) with IMG GE8320 650 GPU
  • 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, expandable memory up to 2TB with microSD
  • Android 11
  • 5MP autofocus rear camera
  • 2MP front-facing camera
  • 3.5mm audio jack, Bottom-ported loudspeaker, Dolby Atmos
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0, GPS + GLONASS, USB Type-C
  • Dimensions: 199.1 × 121.8 × 8.15mm; Weight: 305g
  • 5100mAh battery with up to 15 hours of video watching or 18 hours of browsing, 10W charging

  The moto tab g20 comes in Platinum Grey colour, is priced at Rs. 10,999 and will be available to pre-order from Flipkart starting from October 2nd during Flipkart Big Billion Days sale.

  Launch offer

  • Additional Rs. 1,000 OFF on Exchange 
  • Big Billion Day Offers (10% Discount on ICICI and Axis Bank Cards) will be available for Flipkart Plus customers on 2nd October and for all customers starting 3rd October
  Author: Srivatsan Sridhar

   

vivo X70 Pro+ with 6.78-inch Quad HD+ 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 888+, 50MP Gimbal camera, Zeiss optics launched in India for Rs. 79990

 

Along with the X70 Pro, vivo also launched the X70 Pro+, the company’s latest flagship smartphone in India. It has a 6.78-inch Quad HD+ 120Hz Samsung E5 LTPO AMOLED screen, is powered by Snapdragon 888+ with 12GB of RAM, 5G SA/NSA with support and has a 50MP ISOCELL GN1, sensor with gimbal OIS camera, 48MP ultra wide-angle and 50mm portrait camera along with a 8MP 5x telephoto camera. There is a 32MP front camrea.

The phone has  a low-dispersion, high-transmittance glass lenses in the main camera. In addition to the Biotar Portrait Style’s legendary swirly bokeh, vivo has used ZEISS Style Portrait features – inspired by the iconic, classic lenses Distagon, Planar and Sonnar – for X70 Pro+ for users to shoot with. It has a glass back, and packs a 4500mAh battery with 55W fast charging and also has 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging for the first time in a vivo phone. The phone has a water and dust resistant body with IP68 ratings.

vivo X70 Pro+ specifications

• 6.78-inch (3200×1440pixels) Quad HD+ E5 AMOLED HDR10+ 10-bit display, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate
• Octa Core Snapdragon 888 Plus 5nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 660 GPU
• 12GB LPDDR5 RAM with 256GB (UFS 3.1) storage
• Android 11 with Funtouch OS 12
• Dual SIM
• 50MP camera with Samsung GN1 sensor, f/1.57 aperture, LED flash, gimbal OIS, Zeiss T* coating, V1 chip, 48MP ultra-wide camera with Sony IMX598 sensor, 4-axis OIS Gimbal stabilization, 12MP portrait camera with f/1.6 aperture, 8MP periscope camera, OIS, 5x optical zoom, 60x super zoom, Laser autofocus
• 32MP front-facing camera with f/2.45 aperture
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• USB Type-C Audio, CS43131 AMP, dual speakers
• Water and dust resistant (IP68)
• Dimensions: 164.54×75.21×8.89mm; Weight: 213g
• 5G SA/ NSA (n1/n3/n5/n8/n28/n38/n40/n41/n77/n78), Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11 ax (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS (L1+L5 Dual Band) + GLONASS, USB Type-C
• 4500mAh battery with 55W fast charging, 50W wireless fast charging, 10W wireless reverse charging

The vivo X70 Pro+ comes in Enigma Black colour, is priced at Rs. 79,990 and the company will sell the 50W wireless flash charger separately for Rs. 4,499. Pre-booking begins today September 30th, and it will be available from October 12th from Flipkart and vivo.com online and also from offline stores.

Launch offers

Author: Srivatsan Sridhar

Nokia 43-inch Full HD, 43, 50 and 55-inch 4K Ultra HD, 50 and 55-inch 4K QLED TVs with Android 11 launched in India

 

Flipkart has launched new Nokia Smart TVs powered by Android 11. These include Full HD, Ultra HD and QLED variants and are manufactured in India, says Flipkart. These models offer a powerful sound from JBL, are powered by Harman AudioEFX, feature 60W twin speakers, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Gamma engine 2.2, Dual Band Wi-Fi and Data saver.
The existing range of Nokia Smart TVs with Sound by Onkyo will be upgraded with the latest features such as the latest Android 11, Data saver. With this line up, all Nokia TVs will be available with the latest Android 11.

Nokia Smart TVs (2021) specifications

• 43-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD display
• 50, 55-inch (3840 × 2160 pixels) 4K QLED display, Gamma Engine 2.2, Dolby Vision, 102%  NTSC color gamut, HDR10, 400 nits brightness, 5000:1 contrast ratio
• 50, 55-inch (3840 × 2160 pixels) 4K LED display, Gamma Engine 2.2, Dolby Vision, HDR10, 400 nits brightness, 5000:1 contrast ratio
• Micro dimming analyses the TV content in hundreds of separate zones to adjust the brightness and darkness
• Eye protect plus enables 20% less strain on your eyes
• 1.1 GHz Realtek Quad Core Processor,700 MHz Mali G31 GPU
• 2GB RAM, 16GB storage
• Ultra Slim bezel with piano glass finish
• Android TV 11
• Wi-Fi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, 3 x HDMI ports, 2x USB 2.0, Ethernet
• 60W Twin Speaker + Tweeter Setup, Sound by JBL, Harman AudioEFX, Dolby Atmos, Integrated high-end bass reflex tube

The Nokia 50″ and 55-inch 4K LED TVs are priced at Rs. 44,999 and 49,999, respectively. The 50″ and 55-inch 4K QLED TVs are priced at Rs. 49,999 and 54,999, respectively. Pricing for the 43-inch FHD model is not available yet. These will be available from 3rd October 2021 during Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale.

Redmi 9A Sport and Redmi 9i Sport with 6.53-inch HD+ display, 5000mAh battery launched in India starting at Rs. 6999

 

Redmi today launched the Redmi 9A Sport and Redmi 9i Sport smartphones in India, a year after the launch of Redmi 9A and 9i models in the country. Both the phones pack a 6.53-inch HD+ 20:9 Dot Drop screen, are powered by MediaTek Helio G25, feature a 13-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel camera on the front. These feature an Aura 360 design with grip-friendly texture that doesn’t attract smudges or fingerprints and pack a 5000mAh battery.

Redmi 9A Sport and Redmi 9i Sport specifications

• 6.53-inch (1600 x 720 pixels) HD+ 20:9 IPS LCD Dot Drop screen
• 2GHz Octa Core MediaTek Helio G25 processor with IMG PowerVR GE8320 GPU
• Redmi 9A Sport – 2GB / 3GB LPDDR4x RAM, 32GB (eMMC 5.1) storage, expandable memory up to 512GB with microSD
• Redmi 9i Sport – 4GB LPDDR4x RAM, 64GB / 128GB (eMMC 5.1) storage, expandable memory up to 512GB with microSD
• Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD)
• Android 10 with MIUI 12
• 13MP rear camera with LED flash, f/2.2 aperture
• 5MP front camera, f/2.2 aperture, face unlock
• 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio
• Dimensions: 164.9×77.07×9.0mm; Weight: 194g
• Splash proof (P2i coating)
• Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5, GPS + GLONASS, micro USB
• 5000mAh battery with 10w charging

The Redmi 9i Sport and 9A Sport come in Carbon Black, Metallic Blue and Coral Green colours. The Redmi 9i Sport is priced at Rs. 6999 for the 2GB + 32GB model, and the 3GB + 32GB model costs Rs. 7999. The Redmi 9A Sport is priced at Rs. 8799 for the 4GB + 64GB model, and the 4GB + 128GB model costs Rs. 9299.

Both these are available from mi.com and offline stores. The Redmi 9i Sport is also available from Flipkart, and the Redmi 9A Sport will be available from Amazon.in.