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While it is true that Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and OnePlus had already closed the gap between their flagship products and that of their big-name competitors like Samsung and Sony by a lot, the cameras were still better on the higher priced devices till last year, albeit by a somewhat small margin in some cases. However, it looks like the Mi 8 has just managed close off that gap as well.


DxOMark Image Labs is the standard for camera benchmarks that is accepted by experts and consumers alike and it has just given the Xiaomi Mi 8 the same score as the Galaxy S9 Plus. At 99, both smartphones are tied for the fourth spot, with the Pixel 2 and the iPhone X following close behind with 98 and 97 respectively. In case you are wondering which smartphones are filling the positions of 1,2 and 3, they are the Huawei P20 Pro (109), HTC U12+ (103) and the Huawei P20 (102). We guess the excuse for buying similar hardware with double the price is starting to look weaker and weaker with every passing year.


Saikat Kar 



As 2017 approaches, the new trend for the smartphones of tomorrow seem to be edge-to-edge bezel-less displays. Following the footsteps of the Xiaomi Mi Mix, Huawei is rumoured to be the next manufacturer to release a bezel-less smartphone and it might just arrive sooner than you think. The Honor Magic (as it will possibly be called), could be revealed on December 17. It could have already been out and about, had the original release date of December 7 not been pushed back.


If the latest leak is to be believed, then the Honor Magic will be priced higher than a mid-high end gaming PC, two or three average laptops and even the Apple iPhone 7 Plus 256GB variant! JingDong has the Magic priced at RMB 9,999, which equates to around USD 1441/Euro 1385/1162 pounds. Let's just hope that this listing price is the result of an exaggerated pre-release hype rather than a reflection of the actual official price tag. Also take a look at what the Magic promises to bring with it, as per leaks and rumors.



Curved Super AMOLED edge-to-edge 4K display made by Samsung
A huge battery with charging tech that pumps up the battery from 0 to 50% in five minutes
Dual rear cameras
Included stylus
Fingerprint scanner below the curved glass
3D glass back cover


We are not entirely sure about the authenticity of these rumors, but the image that you see above seems legitimate. However, some of the other specs, as well as the price seem like, well... "Magic!"


Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)


vpn-android-security-privacy


The short answer to that question would be a yes, but we are going to go into a lot more details and actually point out practical reasons why we should all consider using VPNs on our smartphones.


What Exactly is VPN?


VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, which provides anonymity to the user. It makes browsing from any device, be it a computer or a smartphone, safer, more liberated and private.


Smartphones are Our Main Media Consumption Devices Nowadays


The PC can still do things that the smartphone cannot and it's not going to go away any time soon. However, smartphones have mostly dethroned laptops and desktops, as far as media consumption and even gaming is considered.


When you are doing almost everything from accessing Netflix to browsing private websites best left unnamed, then your smartphone is under the same security and privacy threats, that your PC would be.


If you don't want your ISP to find out about the list of websites visited by you, and when you want to keep your location private from prying websites all around the web, a VPN is your best bet, even on a smartphone.


VPN Provides Security through Encryption


Every time you use a public Wi-Fi, your data is at risk of being intercepted by hackers. Wi-Fi signals within a college campus, in a coffee shop, or even private connections which a lot of people have access to, are not safe.


VPN provides protection to your data on unsafe networks, through end-to-end encryption. Not that even encrypted data can't be intercepted, but breaking the encryption is no joke!


Liberated Browsing


China has a very restrictive internetpolicy which doesn't even allow Google, Facebook or Netflix, but if you use a VPN, using the banned sites in China is possible!


Now, we are not saying that the local citizens should do that, because we do not know how the government monitors or punishes such violations, but it would be very, very difficult for even them to know where the user is located. If you are just visiting the country though, having a VPN is a must for your entertainment needs.


Aside from that, any website or service, which doesn't allow your region to access them, or vice-versa, will now open up to your smartphone!


Take Netflix for example, not all content is available in all regions, even though you may have a Netflix subscription. With the help of VPN, you can access any regional content on Netflix with your own account.


Which One Should You Use?


Everything we just discussed are the general benefits of using a VPN on your Android smartphone, but just like everything else, not all VPN providers offer the same quality.


Check out this list of 5 Best VPN apps for Android on ProPrivacy, to know which one would be ideal for you. They are all reliable and does the job pretty well, but depending on where you are located and what your budget is, some may appeal more to you than the others.

 


Syncmate-1

 

Whether it's iOS, iPadOS or MacOS, if it has been made by Apple, we all know that synchronization can be a painfully limiting and timeconsuing experience! Of course, there are advantages to Apple's security measures, but as far as day-to-day usage is concerned, it can be a real nuisance. The latest and 8th version of SyncMate promises to be this one-stop, cross-platform syncing solution for Mac users, but is it fully fleshed out, or half baked?

 

Sync with Android

 

Apple and Google don't exactly see eye-to-eye, when it comes to cross platform compatibility and synchronization, as we all know of course, but SyncMate can help you call a truce in between Android devices and Macs, at least for your own devices anyway!

 

Not only can the file synchronization software for Mac be used to exchange all kinds of data in between multiple Macbooks and iOS/iPadOS devices, but SyncMate enables the user to also easily sync Macs with Android smartphones and tablets. Just in case you are wondering, SyncMate is even compatible with MacOS Catalina and the latest version of Android OS, ak Android 10.

 

MTP, Cloud and Microsoft Synchronization Support for Macs

 

In addition to Android, the user can also use SyncMate 8 to synchronize their Macs with:

  • mounted external storage devices and MTP devices
  • Multiple cloud storage services like iCloud, OneDrive and Dropbox from a singular, united platform
  • Microsoft services such as Outlook and Office 365

What Can You Sync Exactly?

 

syncmate-2

 

Now, we just told you that SyncMate helps Mac users enjoy an unprecedented amount of freedom for letting them sync files across all major platforms, but what about the files themselves? Check out the following list of supported file types to get an idea.

 

  • Real time updating and syncing of address books/contact lists, call records and SMS
  • Synchronization support for all calendar data across multiple OS versions
  • Background sync: a feature that syncs your Mac's data with the linked devices continuously in the background
  • Automatic Sync: Once you set it up, the data you want to be synced, will be done so automatically and regularly, while creting backups
  • Support for syncing isolated folders or entire set of folders from Macs
  • Syncing support for iTunes means that all your music will be playable on all of the linked devices, irrespective of the OS

  • Media, including audio, video and image files will be synced automatically and made available across all the linked devices
  • Safari bookmarks, history, etc. can be synced with SyncMate and made available to all linked devices

As you may have noticed by now, the file sync software for Mac is not only capable of delivering a more fleshed out and liberating experience than any of Apple's first-party apps, but SyncMate actually offers a lot more that goes beyond what one would expect from even a third party Mac synchronization tool! Try it out for free and form your own opinions regarding whether this really is the ultimate Mac synchronization software available today, or not.

 



Before you get too excited about getting the flagship phone for free, we must inform you that this is sadly not the case. A few reports on the internet had suggested that the UAE based operator Etisalat is giving away the HTC 10 for free to some of their customers and after some research, they turned out to be expectedly misleading. Don't get us wrong though, Etisalat is still offering a great deal on the HTC 10, but it's just not giving it away for free like the rumors suggested.


The actual offer of the telecommunications company includes zero upfront, two-years of warranty, enhanced screen insurance and offer on Uber rides with every purchase of the HTC 10 smartphone. The lowest monthly payout for the plan is only Dh105 and you will even get a free home-delivery if you order it online. The offer on Uber ride extends up to Dh100 and the added insurance from HTC on display damage will extend up to six months, during which, all broken or damaged displays will be repaired for free.


Khaled Elkhouly, who is the chief Consumer Officer at Etisalat, said that he feels that this new smart pay option will make the HTC 10 more affordable to their customers and will also help the smartphone reach more buyers. Nikitas Glykas, President of HTC MEA expressed his excitement at the newfound partnership between Etisalat and HTC. To us, it sounds like a great deal as well, given the fact that the HTC 10 has received international acclamation. In case, you just want to pick up a HTC 10 free of contract in the UAE, you can do so for a price tag of Dh2,399.


Author: Saikat Kar (Tech-journalist and enthusiast)



A new rumor is in the market and it suggests that the Korean OEM could be planning to release five flagship devices in 2017. This theoretical list consists of the Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8 Edge, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy Note 7 Edge and the rumored Galaxy X. The design of the Galaxy X is based on what ETNews from Korea had reported last month about a tablet-smartphone hybrid being developed around Samsung's foldable display technology.


Also dubbed as Project Valley, this concept phone consists of a 7-inch 4K display panel that can be folded into a more pocketable 5-inch screen when required and vice versa. Although Samsung has not yet made any official remarks as to the authenticity of these claims, it was the Korean company which had originally given birth to these rumors by showing off the Youm foldable OLED display panel. Since it has now been more than five years since that day at the CES 2011, we would not be surprised if Samsung is truly on the verge of making a foldable smartphone by building on that piece of technology.


Many market analysts believe that the Galaxy X could be the pioneer for the perfect smartphone in terms of display. Portability has always been a problem with phablets while smartphones with small displays are just not adequate enough to fully enjoy video content on them. If something is introduced into the market that brings both the portability and the large screen aspect together in a single device, it could potentially end the halt in smartphone business that the industry is experiencing right now.


Author: Saikat Kar (Tech-journalist and enthusiast)



Samsung continues to urge its customers to return the Galaxy Note 7 as soon as possible. Although more smartphones have been returned since Samsung involved the authorities to speed up the recall process, not all of them have been returned yet. Canada, for instance, has shown better return rates than all other countries, but even then, 30% of the potentially dangerous smartphones are still in the hands of the population. In order to make the danger more apparent to the ones who are holding on to the older models with the defective batteries, Samsung has planned to release an update in Canada with collaboration from local carriers. This update will clearly show the user if their Note 7 is safe to use, or if it needs to be returned to ensure the safety of the users. If it is indeed unsafe, it will also remind the user to return the phone in every three hours!


Additionally, the new batch of safe Note 7s will all show a green battery icon both in the notifications panel and in the power menu. This was possible after Google allowed Samsung to replace the white battery icon in favour of the green one, in light of the precarious situation. You should already be receiving the update as it has started to roll out to Note 7s in Canada from September 21. According to Paul Brannen, COO and Executive Vice President of Samsung Mobiles Canada, "Note users are probably the most loyal customers there are,"


"We've had very few people get a refund and say they don't want the device anymore."



The Galaxy S8 and S8+ showcase an arguable design choice when it comes to the location of the fingerprint scanner. If you are a lefty, reaching it will be tough on a regular basis and even if you are a righty, you may end up smudging the camera lens much more than you may like to. However, as it turns out, the facial recognition feature is blazing fast in unlocking the phone on both the devices. While this does make up somewhat for the oddly positioned fingerprint scanner, the feature isn't as secure as we would have liked it to be.


The lack of security in using the facial recognition system was made apparent by a Twitter video uploaded by MARCIANOTECH (@MARCIANOPHONE). It seems that the Galaxy S8 smartphones are not impossible to unlock even when the face is different and that's not good news for a feature that Samsung has been advertising as one of the main attractions for the Galaxy S8. It is possible that Samsung will be able to fix it by the time the handsets are ready to be shipped to their customers, or maybe they can just release a software update later to take care of it. We will have to wait and see what happens.


Via


Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)



The Galaxy Note 8 was launched yesterday as expected and it's also available for pre-order from various carriers and the Samsung web store. However, is there any advantage that the Note 8 offers to its customers that the S8+ doesn't? I mean, should you choose the more expensive and newer stylus wielding Note or the less expensive S8+ with a bigger battery?


There are four main differences in between the two behemoths from Samsung and they are as follows.


Rear Camera


The rear camera will still need to be tested and seen in comparison before a conclusion can be drawn, but there is no doubt that the Note 8's dual module will beat the S8+'s single but impressive camera in the end; at least in certain aspects like optical zoom, wider angles, true bokeh effect, etc.


S-Pen


The stylus is an impressive add-on which will be useful for people who actually use it, especially the digital artists among us. However, for the majority of the people, it's just something that you will use less and less of within just a few weeks or less.


Display


The 0.1 inch increase in size is nigh-insignificant according to me and everything else about the two displays are identical.


Battery


The Galaxy S8+ sports a 3,500mAh battery, while the Galaxy Note 8 sports a smaller 3,300mAh battery, in spite of sporting a bigger display than the S8+. It doesn't make sense to me, but for brevity's sake let's just say that the S8+ is a clear winner here.



Finally, you should know that the newly announced Gear VR headset is the only one which will work with the new Note 8, while all previous gen, VR-compatible smartphones from Samsung will work fine with the new headset. This means that the S8+ will work with both, but if you have plans to use VR with the Note 8, your older Gear VR headset will become junk! All things considered, I would say, stick with the Galaxy S8+ for now, unless you REALLY need the better camera and the stylus.


Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)



We know that the twin cameras on the upcoming Galaxy S9 (or maybe the S9+ only) are going to be pretty amazing, especially if the rumoured f/1.5 aperture turns out to be a reality, but will it sport the rumoured 1,000fps video recording as well? Keep in mind that it's an old rumor that had been circulating for a while now and it just got recent attention after the famous Chinese tipster Ice Universe (@Universeice) stated the same earlier.


As of now, the only smartphone camera that comes even close to producing 1,000fps is on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium (960fps). Not that Samsung cannot do it of course, but we will have to wait a bit longer to get confirmation. In case you do not know already, the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be unveiled at the MWC 2018 in Barcelona, on the 25th of February.


Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

 



The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are great devices and among the best smartphones released in 2018, just like the Galaxy S series smartphones are expected to be every year. However, the S9 wasn't as well received as the S8 because they look almost identical and a good number of the smartphones suffered from poor call quality issues. However, as the release of the Galaxy Note 9 draws ever closer, Samsung might be all set to surprise their customers with an unexpected boost in specs.


According to an unrevealed source online, Samsung is considering the possibility of putting 8GB RAM and 512GB internal storage in the Galaxy Note 9! This isn't really confirmed news though, given that the source himself admits to the fact that Samsung is only toying with the idea and has not implemented it yet. In any case, would you like to see a Note 9 with 8 GB of RAM and 512 GB of internal storage, or would you prefer it if Samsung stuck with the 6GB formula for now and kept the prices down?


Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)


Evan-blass-galaxy-s10


2019 is here and the Galaxy S10 is hardly a few months away from being unveiled. As expected, the rumors and leaks have already started to trickle in from various sources, just like every year before this. Today's leak comes from popular leakster Evan Blass and the prototype does look quite realistic and at par with the expectations, especially due to the front camera punch hole that we see on the right side. The infinity-O display, aka "punch hole" seems to be quite similar to what was seen on the Galaxy A8s.


Codenamed Beyond 1, the device in the picture doesn't look too different from the current gen Galaxy S9 to be honest, but there are of course, two major changes here. Firstly, the smaller bezels are made possible thanks to the Infinity-O display which will house the front camera under the glass. Secondly, the S10 seems to have been designed with a panel that's not as much curved as the ones on the S9 or the S8 series. Stay tuned for more on the Galaxy S10, as we head closer to the February unveiling date at the MWC 2019.


Saikat Kar


microsoft-visual-c++



Scrolling through your list of installed software on your computer, you are bound to find a lot of interesting information. You may come across Visual C++ Redistributable file(s) on your drive and could be wondering what purpose they render. A Microsoft Visual C++ comes integrated with a computer to aid the running of apps writing in C, and C++ programming language. Visual C++ has gone from the days it used to be a stand alone software to being part of Microsoft Visual Studio.


With Visual C++ Redistributable, developers have an application they can write code with, edit code, test code and debug code. This environment for programming is involved with a lot of shared code libraries which allow developers make use of code that has already been developed for specific procedures, without any need for writing their own from scratch. You must have come across DLLs while using your computer; this is the form the shared code takes. For users to start using a recently developed software, the developers can either choose to bundle a DLL into their software as it installs or simply rely on a standard distributable package of shared code. Most developers choose to rely on a standard distributable package which is essentially Visual C++ Redistributable.


Why There are A Lot Of Them On Your System

 


Some Visual C++ Redistributable are installed along with Windows. For Windows 10 users, the version that is common to it is Visual C++ Redistributable 2012 and  Visual C++ Redistributable 2013. A Windows 10 user will get a 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) version installed on your computer. However, if you are using an older Windows version, that is a 32-bit version, you will not see the ones of 64-bit. This is because a 64-bit computer can run applications that are 32-bit and also those that are 64-bit, but a 32-bit computer can not run a 64-bit app.

 

visual-c++

 


Some other Visual C++ Redistributable get on your computer as a result of the version of programming language that the software's developer wrote a particular software with. So if a program was written with Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable, you may see a Visual C++ Redistributable of version 2008 installed alongside the software. This Is how they slowly eat up memory space on your computer, and increase in number.

 

Deleting some of them to reclaim storage can be risky because they are essential to the running of more than one app on your computer. If you notice that programs that are previously functioning well, but now can't work well, you will have to check to see if you have accidentally deleted a Visual C++ Redistributable program that the software needs to run smoothly.

 

Visual C++ redistributable is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) used to create a Windows application in C, C++ and C++/CLI Programming languages. This software is important for different apps to work on your computer, as developers prefer using this standard distributable and not DLLs. More than one program can be used by multiple computers.

 

All the Visual C++ Redistributable present on your computer are important.

 



We all know that the iPhone 8 will supposedly be more special than ever before because this year will mark the iPhone's 10th anniversary. However, apart from a lot of speculations and a few questionable renders, we have so far been given little else to go on here. Then again, Apple have always been better at keeping secrets than Samsung. Nevertheless, we do have another render for you to look at and marvel today because it looks gorgeous.

 

 

 

If @OnLeaks and @GearIndia is onto something here, we are truly looking at an absolutely stunning bezel-less iPhone 8 this year. Just check the rendered images and the video we have for you to see what we mean. It is a known fact that @OnLeaks is one of the most reliable leaksters on the internet and if he is saying that this could be how the iPhone 8 OLED will look, he could very well be right! However, we could not help but notice that in spite of being different in its own way (especially with that brand new dual camera in landscape orientation), this design does seem a lot like what we saw on the Galaxy S8 and S8+ just a month back.

 

 

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)


iphone-2019-three-camera


Well-known tech designer Ben Geskin has put together all the reliable rumors and some leaked information to create the outer casings of the upcoming iPhones, and it... looks interesting! Check the photos first before reading further.


The entire tech world is abuzz with how ugly the tri-camera bump will look, if Apple does indeed decide to take that route, and I am personally bothered by it too, albeit for slightly different reasons.


You see, the very first time I looked at the three sensors, it aroused a sense of true aversion in me and that doesn't just happen. I am not the kind of person to be disgusted by a large notch, even though I don't care for it. However, the tri-lens setup actually made me feel weird because it inspires the trypophobia in me. In fact, most people who are calling it ugly, probably do not know it, but it is very likely that they hate it for the same reason too.


Then again, the three lenses will almost certainly be a providing a huge bump (no puns intended!) to the upcoming iPhone's camera performance and it certainly needs that! So, what do you think? Will you accept the three-eyed design if it means massive camera improvements?


Via: Forbes


Saikat Kar

 


roulette-gadgets


Roulette is one of the oldest games on the casino floor, attracting players of all kinds with the help of its exciting and highly rewarding nature. It presents players with the challenge of guessing the outcome of the ball spin, a seemingly impossible task, and a massive prize for those that hit the right numbers. In order to limit the house advantage and increase their odds of getting a payout, roulette players have resorted to all kinds of tricks and strategies; ultimately adding aides in the form of gadgets.

 

Types of Roulette Gadgets for the Modern World

 

Nowadays, roulette gadgets come in several different shapes, approaching the game from various angles in order to provide the most accurate prediction possible for a top payout. These include:

 

  • Google Glasses – The smart glasses by Google can help players beat the roulette wheel with the help of apps that can be installed and accessed straight from its virtual screen. Once they enter the relevant parameters about the wheel and ball spins, the software processes it and provides the range of fields where the ball is most likely to land, significantly increasing the player’s odds of hitting a win. Some have been banned from casinos for using these devices for that purpose.
  • Smartphone Apps – The smartphone’s widespread use and increased performances enable it to act as a useful roulette gadget. All players need to do is install a compatible roulette app onto their smartphone – it works the same way as the ones described above.
  • Roulette Computers – Generally, these roulette computers are gadgets that account for the velocity of the wheel and the ball, and through a complex equation determine the deceleration and ultimately, the ball’s landing point or range. Players get a hidden button or clicker that they are supposed to press every time the ball or the zero field of the wheel pass the preset reference point. Ultimately, a sound impulse via a wireless earpiece indicates the prediction as precisely as possible. While the newer computers offer greater precision for higher payout odds, other such gadgets are complete scams, providing unreliable results and tricking players out of their money.

Is Using a Roulette Gadget Legal?

 

Now that you are aware of some of the leading roulette gadgets and the way they function, you should also check for their legality within their jurisdiction. Firm claims have been made towards this matter, as it is mainly considered that a practice is illegal in cases when it is influencing the outcome of the game. Such would be the case with tilted, biased wheels that disreputable casino operators use in order to decrease the players’ payout odds. Here, roulette gadgets simply provide a prediction to the potential outcome of the spin of the wheel and in no way affect the end result. Afterwards, players use it during the final spins of the wheel before ‘no more bets’ is declared, and bet on the range nearest to the gadget’s calculations. Numerous jurisdictions and legal systems have taken on a different attitude towards such gadgets, as well as the casino’s authority to decide upon their use. Thus, some countries have fully legalized the use of said devices when placing their roulette bets. Others have banned the practice altogether. Another group of jurisdictions have left the issue in the hands of the operators themselves. Important: Always check to see if your local casino or local laws have any rules on these gadgets before considering using one!

 

Do Roulette Gadgets Actually Work?

 

Land-based casinos are suitable environments for players to employ roulette computers to their own profit. This is unlikely to go unnoticed, as their winning bets will most likely be placed right before the ‘no more bets’ call. They might even get distracted and confused during the clicking process. As hard as they try to hide these signs by placing various bets and focusing as intently as possible, casino staff has a way of identifying them. Casino policies need to comply with the law, and unless it is officially illegal, such establishments need to provide a payout. However, they may enforce their own rules such as permanently banning the player off the premises. Some may even go as far as reporting it to the relevant authorities or to other casinos. The same goes when playing live dealer roulette online, as the gameplay is taking place on an actual roulette wheel. Nevertheless, the lack of staff surveillance in such game formats has prompted online casino operators allow betting solely prior to the ball release so that players can’t make use of their roulette computers. Classic online casinos offering software roulette games don’t have to deal with this issue at all, as their outcomes are completely random. This is so due to the Random Number Generators running on such online casino platforms, ensuring the outcome of the roulette wheel is unpredictable at all times. Thus, while it may take some time to get into the habit of the gadget’s mechanism, it is definitely worth a try at any of your preferred land-based establishments or live dealer roulette tables.


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