Tech talks#5 Google recharge,HiFiMan,Mi super sale,Mi note 9

     Published on 4/Feb/2020
1.

Google Search Now Allows Users to Recharge Prepaid Packs on Mobile in India: How it Works

Google Search now lets you browse prepaid plans

Google has introduced mobile recharge facility for prepaid users in Search in India. This new feature enables users to search and compare prepaid mobile recharge packs on their Android phones, and perform a recharge from Search itself. This feature is available for signed-in Android users only for now, and it collates prepaid plans from Airtel, Vodafone-Idea, Reliance Jio, and BSNL across India. This new search feature enables users in India to discover, compare, and recharge prepaid mobile plans using Google Search. The tech giant will not only allow users to recharge their own number, but also lets you recharge another person's prepaid plan.

To use this feature, the user must type a search query like ‘prepaid mobile recharge', ‘sim recharge' or other related queries on their Android device. The search result will then show a Mobile Recharge section, where users will have to fill in key fields such as phone number, operator, and circle, then hit ‘Browse plans'. Google will then show you all the prepaid plans available by that operator and the preferred plan can be chosen from the list.

After a user chooses a plan, they are given a list of valid offers from all the compatible providers who can fulfil the selected plan. The user can then tap a provider to complete checkout through the service provider's app or mobile site. Providers like FreeCharge, MobiKwik, Google Pay, and Paytm are currently listed, and operators like Reliance Jio, Vodafone-Idea, Airtel, and BSNL are compatible with this feature.

When the user completes the transaction, the provider's confirmation page includes a Back to Google button that directs the user back to Search. On the confirmation page, users are also given access to customer support information about the recharge. We still cannot see this feature on our Android phone, but we expect it to roll out to all eligible users soon. Google is expected to add more carrier partners and more payment provider options in the future.

2.

HiFiMan TWS600 True Wireless Earphones Review

Love it or hate it, you have to admit that the HiFiMan TWS600 catches your eye

Chinese headphone and audio equipment manufacturer HiFiMan is best known for its audiophile headphones, including the flagship Shangri-La which retails for a whopping Rs. 36,00,000. This brand has come a long way in its relatively short time in the market, and is considered a leading manufacturer of electrostatic and planar magnetic headphones. Fortunately for buyers with smaller budgets, HiFiMan does offer more affordable options as well.

One of these is the company's first true wireless headset, the HiFiMan TWS200. Priced at Rs. 12,999, this isn't what we'd typically expect from this brand, which has thus far stuck to wired audiophile headphones and earphones. The earphones feature the company's proprietary Topology Diaphragm drivers, and promise great sound with the convenience of true wireless connectivity. Does the HiFiMan TWS600 live up to expectations? Find out in our review.

The design of the HiFiMan TWS600 is polarising; you either love it or hate it

HiFiMan TWS600 design and specifications

There's no delicate way to put this - the HiFiMan TWS600 looks a bit strange. The all-plastic earpieces are grey in colour and are the shape of kidney beans. The outer parts of the earpieces have transparent patterns that allow lights to shine through, with a physical button at the centre of each one. There is a pattern on each one's button, which oddly resembles the continent of South America, and small HiFiMan logos just to the sides of them.

The buttons control playback, call handling, volume, and voice assistants through a series of routines. These are fairly easy to remember for the most part; we only had a bit of trouble with the long-press routines, since pressing for too long would power off the headset. The LEDs on the earphones are largely decorative, but they do indicate when the earphones are on or charging.

There is a microphone on each earpiece, found near the bottom. Hilariously, a card in the sales package of the HiFiMan TWS600 recommends removing one earpiece and holding it near your mouth when taking voice calls, suggesting that the microphones aren't very good. We've tested this of course, and you can read about it below.

The charging case of the HiFiMan TWS600 is a bit longer than what we're used to seeing in the true wireless segment, but it looks good and is well built. There is a set of four lights on the inside to indicate the charge level of the case itself, and they illuminate when the earphones are placed in it or when the case is opened. The USB Type-C port to charge the case is at the back, and a useful rubber grip at the bottom helps keep it secure when placed on any surface.

The charging case looks good, and can charge the earphones six times over

The sales package includes nine pairs of silicone ear tips including double-flanged, triple-flanged, and wide-bore options, so there's something for everyone in terms of comfort, fit, and noise isolation on offer. You also get a short USB Type-C to Type-A cable for charging the case.

Coming to specifications, the HiFiMan TWS600 is largely in line with what we'd typically expect from true wireless earphones in this price segment. It has Bluetooth 5 with support for the SBC and AAC codecs - one surprise is that there's no aptX. The frequency response range is 20-20,000Hz. The earphones use HiFiMan's proprietary Topology Diaphragm dynamic drivers, which are said to have a nano particle coating in specific geometric patterns to affect sound.

Battery life on the HiFiMan TWS600 is impressive; we were able to get five hours of use from the earphones per charge, with the case providing six additional full charges, for an impressive total of 35 hours per charge cycle. The case took a little under two hours to charge fully when connected to a laptop.

HiFiMan TWS600 performance

At Rs. 12,999, the HiFiMan TWS600 competes with options such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds, Apple airpod (2nd Gen), RHA true connect, and more. However, the sound was quite different from what we've gotten used to expect in this segment, largely thanks to HiFiMan's unique sound tuning and the Topology Diaphragm drivers powering the earphones. HiFiMan recommends a considerable amount of burn-in time before evaluating the sound, and we ensured that they had about 15 hours before we began our review.

We used a oneplus 7T pro (review)as the main source device for our review, with Spotify, YouTube Music, and our collection of high-resolution audio tracks for music. We also tested the headset for voice calls.

Starting with Dirty Sexy Money by David Guetta, we immediately found the sonic signature of the HiFiMan TWS600 to be neutral and balanced, leaning towards no specific part of the frequency range. The punchy synthesiser elements didn't sound quite as aggressive and driven as we've heard on competing true wireless earphones such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds. The attack in the sub-bass could be felt to a small extent, but we didn't hear any special treatment in the mid-bass frequencies.

3.

Mi Super Sale: Redmi Note 7 Pro, Redmi K20 Series Listed With Price Cuts

Mi.com has partnered with ICICI Bank to offer 5 percent instant discount

Xiaomi is hosting a Mi Super sale on Mi.com currently, and the company is offering up to Rs. 4,000 off on smartphones. The sale is slated to end on February 7, and apart from price cuts, the company is offering no-cost EMI options on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, Redmi Note 7 Pro, and the Redmi K20 series. Mi.com has partnered with ICICI Bank to offer 5 percent instant discount on ICICI credit card EMI transactions on purchases during the sale period.

There's no price cut on the new redmi Note 8 pro, but the 6GB + 128GB gets a Rs. 1,000 additional off on exchange. The redmi Note 7 pro, on the other hand, is priced for as low as Rs. 9,999 for its 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant. This means an effective price cut of Rs. 4,000 has been listed on Mi.com. The 6GB RAM + 64GB storage model of the Redmi Note 7 Pro is also listed at Rs. 10,999, while the 6GB + 128GB model is listed for a discounted price of Rs. 13,999. The Redmi Note 7 Pro 6GB + 128GB is also listed with a Rs. 1,000 additional off on exchange.

The redmi K20 pro is priced starting at Rs. 19,999 for the 6GB + 64GB model, retailing at a Rs. 2,000 price discount. The 6GB + 128GB model carries a price tag of Rs. 22,999 on Mi.com. On exchange, the company is offering an additional Rs. 2,000 off, bringing the effective price further down if you choose to exchange your old phone with the new purchase. Similarly, the redmi K20 pro 6GB + 128GB model is listed at Rs. 24,999, with an effective price cut of Rs. 3,000. The phone's 8GB+256GB variant is also up for grabs at a reduced price of Rs. 27,999 from the official Mi.com store. Apart from the no-cost EMI and ICICI Bank discount options, the Redmi K20 Pro is listed with the Rs. 2,000 additional off on exchange offer as well.

During the Mi Super Sale, the redmi Note 7s is listed with a price cut of Rs. 2,000. The 3GB + 32GB model is priced at Rs. 8,999, and at Rs. 9,999 for the 4GB + 64GB model. Lastly, the Redmi Go is also listed starting at Rs. 4,299. Xiaomi is also offering Mi Protect starting at Rs. 399 and Mi Screen Protect starting at Rs. 299. All the deals in the Mi Super Sale can be found on Xiaomi's dedicated sale page.

4.

Xiaomi India Teases Arrival of New Redmi Phone, Redmi 9 or Redmi Note 9 Series Expected

Redmi 9 is leaked to be powered by the Helio G70 SoC

Xiaomi has started teasing the arrival of new Redmi phones, and while the teaser doesn't mention any details, it could be speculated that the company is talking about the Redmi 9 and Redmi Note 9 series. To recall, the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi 7 phones were launched in February and April respectively, and Xiaomi could just adhere to the same timeline this year around as well. The Redmi phones teaser was shared by India chief Manu Kumar Jain on Twitter.

Jain took to Twitter to share a video teaser, and it suggests that new Redmi phones will be ‘coming soon'. The video gives out no details, but Jain mentions that Redmi has always been synonymous with power, hinting at more battery life. He also teased a powerful processor and a powerful user experience on the upcoming Redmi phone. He also used the hashtag #MorePowerToRedmi reiterating at better battery capacity.

As already speculated, the company may be hinting at the arrival of the Redmi Note 9 series, given that the Redmiedmi Note 8 series was launched in February 2019. If the company were to follow tradition, the Redmi Note 9 series may be in the pipeline for launch soon. To recall, the predecessor Redmi Note 8 was launch in India in October and it was powered by the Snapdragon 665 SoC and packs a 4,000mAh battery. The redmi Note 8 pro, on the other hand, is powered by the Helio G90T SoC and packs a 4,500mAh battery.

5.

Mi 10 Pro, Mi 10 Tipped to Launch on February 13, Go on Sale Soon After

Mi 10 Pro is tipped to sport a quad rear camera setup

Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun had earlier revealed that the Mi 10 series will be launched in the first quarter of 2020. A new leak out of China suggests that the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro will launch on February 13. The leak also tips the Mi 10 will go on sale on February 14 i.e. just a few days from now. The Mi 10 Pro, on the other hand, should reportedly start shipping from February 18. Xiaomi is expected to conduct an online-only launch event of the Mi 10 series, given the recent outbreak of coronavirus in the country that is affecting businesses globally.

As per a new leak out of China, spotted by tipster Xiaomishka, the Mi10 and Mi 10 Pro launch event announcement will be done on February 7. Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic, Xiaomi will reportedly host an online launch conference on February 13. The Mi 10 vanilla variant is tipped to go on sale the very next day i.e. February 14, while the Mi 10 Pro will go on sale on February 18. Even though the Mi 10 Pro sale will begin later, the pre-registrations will begin earlier with a deposit of CNY 100. If this rumour is true, the Mi 10 series launch is just days away, and all official details should be revealed then.

• KEY SPECS
• NEWS

ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 865

Front CameraYes

Rear Camera64-megapixel + 20-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 5-megapixel

RAM8GB

OSAndroid 10

Key Specification of the Mi 10 Pro variant are tipped to include a 6.4-inch full-HD+ display, Snapdragon 865 SoC, up to 16GB of RAM, quad rear camera setup, and a reported 66W fast charger. The quad rear camera setup is tipped to include a 108-megapixel primary sensor, a 16-megapixel secondary sensor, a 12-megapixel tertiary sensor, and a 5-megapixel fourth sensor. Battery is rumoured to be at 5,250mAh, and the phone is likely to run on MIUI 11.20.1.21. Live leaks image in the past suggests the Mi 10 series will sport a hole-punch display.

6.

Huawei, ZTE Urge US FCC Not to Impose National Security Risk Labels

In November, the FCC proposed requiring that US carriers remove equipment from Huawei

Huawei Technologies and ZTE on Monday both asked the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) not to finalise its designation of the China tech giants as risks to US national security.

In November, the FCC voted 5-0 to initially designate Huawei and ZTE as national security risks in a move that would bar their US rural carrier customers from tapping an $8.5 billion government fund to purchase equipment.

Huawei said in a nearly 200-page filing with the FCC the action was "designed to implement a campaign by certain government officials, including members of Congress, to single out Huawei for burdensome and stigmatising restrictions, put it out of business in the United States, and impugn its reputation here and around the world." It called the effort "unlawful and misguided."

ZTE asked the FCC Monday in a filing to "take additional time to assess ZTE's enhancements in the area of US export control and economic sanctions compliance and security controls in ZTE products."

ZTE added it has "spent hundreds of millions of dollars to implement a compliance program relating to US export control compliance regulations."

The commission left the final determination to the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, which could determine not to finalise the risk designation.

Such a move would run counter to the Trump administration's stance to date, after its blacklisting of Huawei in May sharply restricted the export of US high-tech components to the company.

The administration has also tried with limited success to persuade its allies to bar Huawei, saying its equipment could potentially be used by Beijing for spying.

Huawei has repeatedly denied those allegations, and scored a big win last week when the UK announced it was giving Huawei a role in its new generation of telecoms infrastructure.

In its November vote, the FCC proposed requiring that US carriers remove and replace equipment from both Huawei and ZTE, also China-based, from existing networks.

The companies' ties to the Chinese government and military apparatus, and laws requiring their assistance in intelligence activities, are why they pose a security risk, the FCC said.

7.

Coronavirus : Millions in China Banish Blues With Online Games, Video Apps

Plague generated 78,000 downloads in January, up from 16,000 in December

Online games and short video apps have been among the few beneficiaries of China's virus outbreak, raking in millions of views and downloads as people stuck in self-quarantine at home seek entertainment and ways to beguile their time.

The shift has even drawn companies more used to doing business in showrooms, such as carmakers Tesla and Mercedes-Benz, to promote products heavily online during the week.

Chinese travel and gather with family and friends during the traditional Lunar New Year holiday, but many postponed or cancelled their plans over concerns sparked in mid-January about the spread of a new virus that has killed 420. "I only use my mobile phone for three hours a day at work, but at least eight hours every day during the Spring Festival, because it's so boring," Lu Zhang, a junior high school teacher in eastern Shandong province, said of the enforced holiday. Investors have seized on the trend, with shares of Chinese game publishers, such as Tencent rising 2 percent in Hong Kong on Tuesday, outstripping a rise of 1 percent in the benchmark, while in New York, NetEase rose nearly 3 percent. US-listed shares in Chinese video platform Bilibili rose almost 7 percent, while shares of search engine Baidu and e-commerce giant Alibaba also rose. Five mobile game developers, including Ourpalm, surged by the maximum allowed 10 percent on Tuesday. Weekly downloads jumped 77 percent on ByteDance's Xigua video app from Jan 20 to Jan 26, after it announced plans to stream the premiere of a movie, "Lost in Russia" for free, data from performance tracker App Annie showed."My screen time yesterday exceeded 10 hours," one Shanghai resident, identified only as Wang, said in a social media post, adding, "What do you all suggest I do other than look at my cellphone?" Also popular are health and fitness apps, such as Keep, which livestreams fitness classes.

Its revenue surged 15 percent for the week, while healthcare app Pingan Good Doctor saw downloads jump 1,186 percent.

"We believe that China internet and logistics companies are somewhat sheltered," from the impact of the virus outbreak, analysts from Bernstein Research wrote in a Monday note, amid a growing trend for all products and services to move online

Tencent's blockbuster mobile game, Honour of Kings made up to 2 billion yuan ($286 million) on the Jan 24 eve of the holiday, estimated Pei Pei, an analyst with Sinolink Securities Co, exceeding all the Chinese mobile games on Apple's app store during the entire week-long break in 2018. Tencent declined to comment. Strategy simulation app Plague, which jumped to the top of the charts in Apple's app store, retained its popularity. The game, which allows users to create and evolve a pathogen to destroy the world, generated 78,000 downloads in January, up from 16,000 in December, according to Sensor Tower."Many students play games during the Spring Festival," said the junior high teacher, Lu, adding that she spent more than five hours each day playing poker, among other games

"Sometimes they invite me to join when they see me online. "US electric vehicle maker Tesla, which started delivery in December of cars built at its $2-billion Shanghai plant, stepped up daily live streamed sales events on video app Douyin to highlight features of its vehicles.

Several sales dealers for Mercedes Benz also took to the WeChat app with a link to a 360-degree interior view of its GLB compact SUV, simulating the passenger experience and offering close-ups of the seats' leather stitching details and dashboard

"Not leaving home, so use virtual reality to look at cars!" one of the representatives exhorted viewers.