Heena Sharma Blog

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd unveiled its much-anticipated foldable phone in San Francisco on Wednesday, urging Android developers to start writing apps for it. Samsung needs to get the foldable phone right to reverse steep declines in profit for its mobile division and restore some of the cachet its brand has lost to Apple Inc . Foldable phones promise the screen of a small tablet in a pocket-sized device. Justin Denison, senior vice president of Samsung Electronics America's Mobile Product Strategy and Marketing, showed a prototype with a screen he said measured 7.3 inches diagonally. Folded in two it appeared to resemble a thick phone, but Samsung did not give media or developers a chance to touch or see the device up close. Dave Burke, vice president of engineering for Google's Android software platform, told a Google conference in California that Samsung planned to introduce a new Android-based device early next year. "We expect to see folda

Good news, Apple loyalists: You won’t have to burn $1,000 on your next iPhone. That’s because for about $750, you can have the iPhone XR , which is just as fast and nearly as capable as its more expensive counterparts. The cheaper iPhone, which becomes available this Friday, is the model that most people should buy. This year’s other iPhones — namely the XS and XS Max devices, which cost about $1,000 and $1,100 and are already in stores — are luxury devices better suited for enthusiasts willing to spend a premium for superior cameras or a jumbo screen. For everyone else, the XR is perfectly adequate and has few downsides. Its 6.1-inch screen, which is based on LCD, an older display technology, looks ever so slightly inferior to the OLED screens on the XS phones — but you would need to be a movie buff to notice the difference. The XR’s single-lens camera is also less capable than the dual-lens cameras on the XS models. Yet the XR can still produce very satisfying photo

The heart rate monitor built into the new Apple Watch has sparked sharp debate over its risks and benefits, even though the feature was cleared by the Food and Drug Administration. But out of the spotlight, the FDA has been doing away with regulatory action altogether on many diagnostic health apps targeting consumers, seeking to accelerate digital health adoption by defining many of these as “low risk” medical devices. As the number of mobile health apps surged to a record 325,000 in 2017, app performance is going largely unpoliced, leading to what’s been dubbed a “Wild West” situation. Unfortunately for health consumers, the public can’t rely on the research community to play the role of sheriff. When colleagues and I recently examined the medical literature on direct-to-consumer diagnostic apps in a study published in Diagnosis, we repeatedly found studies marred by bias, technological naïveté or a failure to provide crucial information for consumers. There was al

Apple and Zimmer Biomet, a global leader in musculo-skeletal healthcare, have launched a major clinical study where an app on Apple Watch and iPhone will guide knee and hip replacement patients through pre- and post-operation care. The "mymobility" app that uses Apple Watch to facilitate a new level of connection between patients and their surgical care teams, which can immediately impact the journey patients experience when they undergo these procedures, Zimmer Biomet said in a statement on Monday. Zimmer Biomet is also commencing the "mymobility" clinical study, designed to study the app's impact on patient outcomes and overall costs for joint replacement patients. During this research, patients will use "mymobility" app with Apple Watch as they progress through their hip or knee replacement journey. Researchers will combine patient-reported feedback with continuous health and activity data from Apple Watch. Read Complete Article

The PUBG mania seems to have swooped gamers the world over like a viral fever in no mood to recede. While the mobile version of PUBG (PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds) is already the talk of the town, the computer version works like a charm, bringing back the teenage memories of Counter Strike. Of the guns you can use in PUBG, the Scar-L is perhaps the most popular and easy to master, so much so that everyone wants to have it in their armoury while ravaging enemy squads in the terrains of Erangel or Miramar. Talking of ease of use, the recently-launched Asus ROG Strix Scar II gaming laptop seems to have taken some cues from the Scar-L gun. A sleek machine with premium features going beyond typical usual gaming laptops, the ROG Strix Scar II has thin bezels, improved battery life and an impressive audio output. The 144Hz refresh rate of the 15.6-inch IPS display as seen in the predecessor Strix Scar, stays unchanged. But the Scar II’s thin bezels give it a refreshing look, an

The series includes entry-level Redmi 6A, budget-centric Redmi 6 and a premium budget offering the Redmi 6 Pro that were launched earlier this year in China Technology News : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is gearing up to launch the Redmi 6-series smartphone in India on September 5. The series includes entry-level Redmi 6A, budget-centric Redmi 6 and a premium budget offering the Redmi 6 Pro. Launched earlier this year in China, the Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 sport 18:9 aspect ratio screen. However, the Redmi 6 Pro would be the company’s first budget smartphone with a notch-based screen. Xiaomi Redmi 6A (1440 x 720) screen stretched in 18:9 aspect ratio. The dualSIM smartphone is powered by MediaTek Helio A22 system-on-chip (SoC), paired with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, expandable via microSD slot that supports card of up to 256GB capacity. For imaging, the phone features a 13-megapixel primary camera of f/2.2 aperture size on the back and a 5MP lens on the

The Oppo F9 Pro would come in three colour options -- sunrise red, twilight blue and starry purple. Interestingly, the phone's side frame would also feature the gradient design Technology News : Oppo , a Chinese smartphone manufacturer, is gearing up for the launch of the Oppo F9 Pro by the end of this month. However, before the launch, the company has been teasing the smartphone features on its social media platforms. The Oppo F9 Pro would feature a redesigned notch screen, called waterdrop screen by the company, and a gradient colour design somewhat similar to the Oppo Realme 1. The phone would also get the VOOC flash charge, which is Oppo’s proprietary fast charge technology similar to the OnePlus dash charge. Speaking of the VOOC charge, the fast charging technology applies a low voltage fast charging mechanism to lightning quick charging. With its standardised configuration of 5V/4A, it can achieve a charging speed 4 times faster than conventional 5V/1A chargi

The two-wheeler mode in Google maps comes to India first as 70% of all the vehicles registered in the country are two-wheelers Technology News : Google is bringing in India-specific features on Google Maps to address unique challenges and opportunities, a senior company official said. " Google Maps is not just about navigating from point A to B. We have been building for India, addressing the unique challenges and opportunities, with the sole aim of making Google maps more comprehensive, accurate and reliable," Google Maps for India, Program Manager, Anal Ghosh said. Ghosh talked about innovating features for India specifically. The two-wheeler mode in Google maps comes to India first as 70 per cent of all the vehicles registered in the country are two wheelers, he added. "Two-wheeler mode in maps shows trip routes that use shortcuts not accessible to cars, buses and trucks. It also provides customized traffic and arrival time estimations,&quo

In terms of best-selling models, OnePlus 6 was the best in the premium segment followed by Samsung S9 Plus and OnePlus 5T Technology News : Riding on the success of its OnePlus 6 device, Chinese smartphone maker OnePlus controlled 40 per cent of the premium segment in India in the second quarter of 2018, a new report has said. Samsung accounted for 34 per cent share of the premium segment, while Apple's share of the market reduced to 14 per cent - its lowest ever. According to Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, the premium smartphone segment (Rs 30,000 and above) grew 19 per cent annually and 10 per cent sequentially during Q2 2018. "The uptick in consumer demand in the premium segment was driven by increasing offers around the new launches as compared to a year ago," said the report, released late on Monday. The top three brands -- Samsung, OnePlus and Apple -- contributed 88 per cent of the overall premium market as compared to 95 per cen

The itel A62 is a budget smartphone with dual rear cameras, a face unlock feature, a multi-functional fingerprint scanner and a modern 18:9 aspect ratio screen Technology News : Transsion Holdings, a Chinese manufacturer behind the smartphone brands like itel, Infinix and Tecno, may have a limited visibility in the online market in comparison to behemoths like Xiaomi and Samsung, but it is a fastest growing company in the offline space. The company recently launched the itel A62, a budget smartphone with dual rear cameras, face unlock feature, multi-functional fingerprint scanner and a modern 18:9 aspect ratio screen. For a budget smartphone, the itel A62 has a solid build quality. It does not have a metallic or the glass build of the current generation smartphone, yet the laminated plastic unibody of the phone feels sturdy and has a solid touch to it. The phone’s front is covered by a 5.65-inch HD+ screen in 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen looks colourful and has good viewi

The Huawei Nova 3 and Nova 3i would be the first Huawei smartphones to boast the company's recently announced GPU Turbo technology, which the company claims to boost graphic performance by up to 60% Technology News : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei is gearing up to launch the Huawei Nova 3 and Nova 3i in India on July 26. Both the phones would feature a Google Lens-like artificial intelligence-based visual search for online shopping, according to a teaser shared by the company on Twitter. The smartphones would be the first Huawei smartphones to boast the company’s recently announced GPU Turbo technology. The Google Lens allows users to get relevant information about anything by just pointing the camera to an object. The Google Lens uses the company's machine learing alogithm to recognise objects and search the internet to provide relevant information around them. Samsung also introduced the Samsung Mall app, which uses a similar visual search interface t

The Nex's performance is top-notch, but the native user interface and cameras to an extent subdue its overall flagship appeal Technology News : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo seems to have taken a lead in the smartphone industry by coming up with innovations to address the legacy issues faced by devices of the current generation, including the premium phones. After launching in India the first in-display fingerprint sensor-based smartphone, the Vivo X21, the company has now brought another technologically farsighted device, the Vivo Nex. With screen becoming the centre for innovation in smartphones, it is about time most of the hardware traditionally kept on phones’ front – ambient light sensor, earpiece, front camera and notification LED, for instance – were moved elsewhere. Xiaomi, another Chinese smartphone manufacturer, has been striving to beat the puzzle: Its latest iteration of bezel-less smartphone, the Mi Mix 2S, relocates most of the front components

Traditionally focused on urban elites, LinkedIn has been steadily making inroads to smaller towns by offering differentiated products targeted for specific users. Technology News : Microsoft-owned social network for professionals LinkedIn has crossed the 50-million user mark in India, its second largest market globally, as its strategy to build localised products for the country begins paying dividends. With this, the company has doubled its user base in the country in the past four years. “Our members-first, localised approach has helped us cross the 50-million mark in India. We are at the beginning of an exciting journey, as we democratise opportunity for every member of the Indian workforce," said Akshay Kothari, country manager - India and Head, International Product, LinkedIn. Traditionally focused on urban elites, LinkedIn has been steadily making inroads to smaller towns by offering differentiated products targeted for specific users. For example, in 201

Launched in May, "OnePlus 6" retains a 16MP front camera and a dual 16MP + 20MP primary camera set-up Technology News : China-based smartphone manufacturer OnePlus on Tuesday said it has started rolling out the next software update that comes with support for "Google Lens" functionality on OnePlus 6's native camera app. The update in its exclusive Android based operating system (OS ) OxygenOS 5.1.9 also introduces significant camera improvements, the company said in a statement. Launched during its I/O conference last year, "Google Lens" is an image recognition mobile app to bring up relevant information using visual analysis. OnePlus 5 and 5T users could also expect to get the "Google lens" via an over-the-air (OTA) update soon, the company informed. "With the integration of 'Google Lens', users can use the camera to scan QR codes and use the image recognition tool to get more information about things

Flipkart is offering discounts, exchange offers, no-cost equated monthly instalment schemes, and buyback add-ons at discounted rates on smartphones under its Big Shopping Days sale Technology News : Home-grown e-commerce platform Flipkart is currently offering discounts, exchange offers, no-cost equated monthly instalment schemes and buyback add-ons at discounted rates on smartphones under its Big Shopping Days sale. The online portal is also offering a 10 per cent instant discount on select smartphones to State Bank of India credit card users. The four-day sale started on July 16 and would continue until July 19. here are some of the best offers under the four-day sale: On the Pixel 2, the online shopping portal is offering a flat discount of Rs 16,001, cashback of Rs 8,000 on select cards and an additional exchange value of Rs 3,000 that brings down the effective cost of the smartphone to Rs 42,999. In addition, the e-commerce portal is also offering an optional buybac

As we become increasingly dependent on online financial transactions, here are a few ways to help you avoid losing your hard-earned money to fraudsters Technology News : Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg recently said that India's digital economy was expected to touch the $1-trillion mark by 2022. As the scope of the country’s digital economy widens – as with every technological advancement – the increasing use of digital transactions also brings the high risk of online frauds. Unsurprisingly, therefore, as a recently released survey revealed, nearly one in four Indians has directly experienced fraud at least once while transacting online. The report suggested that greater digital convenience was linked to higher fraud exposure – presenting a problem for both consumers and businesses. Here are a few tips that could help you make safe transactions online: 1. Use smart apps: As reported by Business Standard a few months earlier, fintech players are comi

The Infinix Hot 6 Pro boasts a powerful 4,000 mAh battery, which lasts for around two days. However, charging times are not good and the phone takes more than two hours to go from 0-100% Technology News : Infinix, a smartphone brand owned by Hong Kong-based mobile phone manufacturer Transsion Holdings, on July 11 launched the Infinix Hot 6 Pro at Rs 7,999. The phone sports a 5.99-inch screen in 18:9 ratio, dual rear cameras and a 4,000 mAh battery, making it a solid proposition in an entry-level smartphone segment. For a budget smartphone, the 5.99-inch HD+ resolution screen stretched in 18:9 aspect ratio looks optimal. It reduces the phone’s overall dimension, making it comfortable to hold and easy to operate. The screen is bright and there is no visible touch lag. The screen and touch calibration is also on spot, making it a budget device that feels like a mid-ranger. The screen supports eye care mode, which calibrates it to warm settings for extended on-screen usage wit

In a poll on the day of launch we asked for our readers for their opinion about the phone, and they said they saw the Oppo Find X as an innovative smartphone and not a marketing gimmick Technology News : Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo on July 12 launched the Oppo Find X in India. The phone is one of its kind and comes with a motorised mechanical pop-up module, which hosts front camera, earpiece, sensors on the front and rear camera, along with LED flash on the back. In a poll run on the day of launch, we asked for our readers to give their opinion about the phone, and their mandate has been in favour of the Oppo Find X. They see the device as an innovative smartphone rather than a marketing gimmick. Oppo Find X features The Find X sports a new design in comparison to the current-generation flagship smartphones. The phone features a curved arc glass-based design with a 6.42-inch AMOLED screen in 19.5:9 aspect ratio on the front, stretchingt from edge to edge on t

Google had recently rolled out an update for its Android messaging app enabling WhatsApp-like web operation for sending messages, emojis, stickers and pictures from computer Technology News : Global search engine and technology giant, Google has recently rolled out an update for its Android messaging app enabling WhatsApp-like web operation for sending messages, emojis, stickers and pictures from a computer. The app also gets several other features such as GIF search, smart reply, link preview, etc. that brings it on par with other instant messaging apps. Dubbed as ‘messages from web’, the WhatsApp-like web-based service allows users to operate Android messages app from notebook or computer. However, the feature is available as a part of the latest update, therefore, will not work in previous versions of the app. Interestingly, the messages app now also supports image attachments, stickers and emojis, which were earlier restricted to only internet-based instant messaging

The Zenfone 5Z is priced at Rs 29,999, Rs 32,999 and Rs 36,999 for 6GB/64GB, 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB variants, respectively. It will be available in midnight blue and meteor silver colours Technology News : Asus, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, on July 4 launched the Zenfone 5z in India. The phone is priced at Rs 29,999, Rs 32,999 and Rs 36,999 for 6GB/64GB, 6GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB variants, respectively. The phone will be available in two colours -- midnight blue and meteor silver – and will go on sale starting from July 9, exclusively on Flipkart. First unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in February, the Asuz Zenfone 5z is a flagship smartphone with top-of-the-line innards, notch-based screen, dual rear cameras and system-wide artificial intelligence capabilities. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 system-on-chip (SoC), the Zenfone 5z boasts 90 per cent screen-to-body ratio, thanks to its 6.2-inch fullHD+ screen that covers almost the entire front. The 19:9 asp