TECH NEWS - MOTOROLA, NOKIA 5 and HTC U11 GETS OREO UPDATE

Tech News

1. Motorola launches Sonic Play series Bluetooth speakers

Motorola has now launched four new Bluetooth speakers in its Sonic Play range in India. The newly announced products include Sonic Play 100, Sonic Play 150, Sonic Play 200, and Sonic Play 270. Motorola has partnered with Shyam Telecom for the launch. While the information about the new speakers is limited, but they will reportedly be available between Rs. 1,499 to Rs. 2,499. These speakers will further come in three colors which will include Black, White, and Red variants.

Talking about the speakers, Motorola Sonic Play 100 and Sonic Play 150 is claimed to deliver up to 4 hours of play time.
They will have a range of 50 feet and come with Bluetooth 4.1. The speakers feature inbuilt mic for hands-free calling and an integrated multipoint technology that is said to offer connection with up to two devices at once.
The Bluetooth speakers boast touch control buttons for playback, 3.5mm audio jack, and a 1.5W output. The Sonic Play 150 features FM radio as well. Both speakers weigh less than 50 grams.
Moving on, Motorola Sonic Play 200 and Sonic Play 270 is said to offer up to 10 hours of play time. This is the longest playback time we have heard in a Bluetooth speaker. However other features are similar to the 100 series like 50 feet range with Bluetooth 4.1, integrated FM Radio, and an integrated microphone for hands-free calling which is exclusive to Sonic Play 270.
The speakers also offer noise isolation, a 3.5mm audio jack, 2x1.5W bass output, touch control playback buttons. Both speakers weigh less than 70 grams. Interestingly, Sony Play 270 is also IP54-rated making it dust and water resistance.
As for the pricing, Motorola Sonic Play 100 is available in Black color variant at a price of Rs. 1,499 while Sonic Play 150 is available in Black and White color options at a price of Rs. 1,799.
Motorola Sonic Play 200 and Sonic Play 270 are available in Black and White color variants. The Sonic Play 200 will cost Rs. 1,999 while the Sonic Play 270 is priced at Rs. 2,499.

2. Nokia 5 starts receiving stable Android 8.0 Oreo update

Along with Nokia 6, Nokia 5 is also receiving the Android Oreo update. Well HMD Global has just announced and confirmed the news that both smartphones are receiving the Android Oreo software update. This comes after Oreo beta builds for the Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 were released last year. Now the stable updates are out.
He has also said that the rollout will happen in phases. What that means is that the Oreo update will come as an OTA download and it will take time before the update reaches all the Nokia 5 units. Users may get the update at different time intervals.
Having said that, some users in India have apparently received the OTA update on their Nokia 6 (TA 1021) devices. The update takes the software version to 5.220. The file size is around 1.8GB. In any case, users will now be able to experience Oreo and its features hands on. As such, Oreo brings in features like picture-in-picture, Smart Text Selection, Notification Dots, Android Instant Apps, Google Play Protect improved booting time, extend battery life and a whole lot more. The update also comes with Google's January security patch along with bug fixes and optimizations.
In addition, the update is said to bring an updated settings UI, enhanced camera quality in low light, screen wake for notifications, scrolling screenshot, Nokia cloud account service, screen record functionality, pedometer card on screen, and enhanced power saving and background activity manager.
It is worth noting that since this is basically a firmware update users are advised to back up all the date before installing the new OS. Users should have at least 50 percent battery or more and they should carry out the installation process over a Wi-Fi network. Using mobile network may cost additional data charges. It is important to remember these things during the time of installation of any major software update.

3. Reliance Jio revises booster plans; get 6GB high-speed 4G data at just Rs. 101

Reliance Jio has lately been making changes to its prepaid panels to offer more data or higher validity. Starting at just Rs. 98, the most affordable plan offers 2GB high-speed 4GB data with a validity of 28 days. The mobile network operator has also come up with many plans, providing up to 5GB daily high-speed data.
Now, Reliance Jio has revised its booster plans to offer more data to customers. For those who are unaware, the booster plans come into effect when your daily or bundle data is exhausted, so that you can keep enjoying using high-speed 4G data. The validity of the booster plans will be the same as your base pack's validity.
In case you are interested, let's have a look at the revised plans and benefits.
Jio has announced a total of four booster plans. The cheapest one starts at just Rs. 11, whereas the maximum plan will cost you Rs. 101. Initially the Rs. 11 plan offered 100MB, but the revised plan now offers 400MB of high-speed 4G data.
The second plan is priced at Rs. 21, under which you can avail 1GB high-speed data. Notably, it is a new plan introduced by the company.
Reliance Jio's third booster plan costs Rs. 51 and it offers 3GB high-speed data. Originally, the plan used to offer only 2GB of data. The fourth one is also a new plan which is priced at Rs. 101. With this pack, you will get 6GB high-speed data.
If you recall, Jio earlier came up with a Rs. 91 plan that offered 2GB high-speed data. Well, the new booster plans provide thrice as much as data compared to previous plans.
In addition to these plans, Reliance Jio has recently launched a new plan for its JioPhone subscribers. Under this plan, JioPhone users can enjoy free voice calls and unlimited data (1GB at high speed) for 28 days at a price of only Rs 49.

4. Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) starts receiving important security update

Samsung is on a roll these past few weeks as the company has been releasing updates for several of its smartphones. While it is not a major update, the South Korean handset maker has been pushing the latest January 2018 security update for most of its older flagships as well as other smartphones in its portfolio.
Just last week Samsung rolled out the January security update for two handsets Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy A8 (2018) has also been quick to receive the update. Having said that we were wondering when will Galaxy A8 (2018) receive the update. Well, Samsung has answered and the company is finally updating the smaller variant of its new mid-range phone with the latest security maintenance release (SMR).
As with the earlier mentioned smartphones, the update is rolling out in select markets as of now. Reportedly users in UAE have started receiving the update. The update comes with firmware version A530FXXU1ARA3. However what's surprising is that Samsung Galaxy A8 is still on the December patch in the UAE even though the update has been released for the smartphone. In any case, it looks like Samsung is just randomly sending the updates to phones in various markets at the moment.
The January 2018 security patch brings fixes for 13 vulnerabilities discovered in Samsung's software, along with five critical vulnerabilities that affect Android in general. It is worth noting that the update doesn't bring in any major changes or new features other than the latest Android security patch. But it is an important update to keep your Android device safe and secure.
Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) owners will be receiving the update over OTA. So it will take time before it reaches all the units. Notification should pop up on their handsets when the firmware becomes available in the respective markets. You can always check for the update manually by heading to Settings > About Device > Software Updates.
The update should be arriving for Indian users as well. But we might have to wait for some time. You could always let us know when you get the update.

5. HTC U11 users now receiving Android 8.0 Oreo update

HTC U11 users in India are now receiving Android 8.0 Oreo update. The news comes from HTC India's official Twitter account. The company yesterday posted that it would starting pushing out the Oreo update to its flagship smartphone from 30th January, which is today. The tweet made by the company reads, ''HTC U11 is going to be packed with more awesomeness. Android Oreo is coming. #HTCU11'
The Oreo update for HTC U11 is is being rolled out via OTA. This means, the update may take some time to reach all the devices. If you are one of those impatient kinds though, you can check for the update manually by going to your phone's Settings>About Phone> System Updates.
Since it is a major software update, users are recommended to make sure that their device has sufficient charge and space before initiating the installation process.
Users should also carry out the installation process using a Wi-Fi network, unless they want to exhaust their mobile data pack. If you own an HTC U11, with the arrival of Android Oreo, several new features will be added to your phone. You will be able to enjoy some Android Oreo exclusive features like Picture-in-Picture mode, Notification Dots, Android Instant Apps, Notification channel, and more.
Just to give you some insight, the picture-in-picture mode allows users to simultaneously watch YouTube videos and use other apps. While a similar feature is already available in the current version of iOS, users can only watch videos running on Safari web browser. Moreover, the YouTube app does not allow any such feature on iOS.
Another feature that makes Oreo a much better improvement over Android Nougat is the notification visuals. With this feature, users can view the notifications with much clarity and there are several options provided for each notification.
Always-on display along with Auto-fill are also included in Oreo update. Auto-fill lets users login into apps more quickly and easily. Besides this, users can find many other options available for any text selection made on Android Oreo.
Talking about the 'smart selection' feature, it provides users with additional options according to the text selected. For example, if you select an address, Oreo will offer you an option to look it up on Maps.
In case, you have already received the Android 8.0 Oreo update on your HTC U11 smartphone, do let us know about your experience in the comments section.

6. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S will reportedly be the first Snapdragon 845 powered smartphone

The rumor mill has lately been quite active with two Xiaomi smartphones; the flagship Mi 7 and Mi Mix 2S. Since the company has already confirmed its presence at MWC 2018, speculations are rife that either the Mi 7 or Mi Mix 2S will get unveiled at the tech show next month. However, most of the recent reports claim that Xiaomi is not planning to announce the Mi 7 smartphone at MWC 2018.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S, on the other hand, is more likely to debut at the upcoming MWC in Barcelona. As per the information we have come across so far, the smartphone will arrive with the Snapdragon 845 SoC.
This means, it will be first Xiaomi phone to feature Qualcomm's latest flagship processor. A new report now suggests the Mi Mix 2S not only be Xiaomi's first but also the world's first Snapdragon 845-powered smartphone.
Since the Snapdragon 845 chipset has in-built AI capabilities, we expect to see some interesting new features on the Mi Mix 2S. For example, the smartphone could have facial recognition feature alongside the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. The Snapdragon 845 SoC also hints at the presence of dual cameras as well as support for AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality).
The report, published by a Chinese blog named IT168, further claims that the Mi Mix 2S will be equipped with an upgraded camera over the one present on its predecessor. According to the source, Xiaomi will make use of the latest Sony IMX363 camera sensor that will come alongside a dual-pixel autofocus technology to capture superior quality images in low-light conditions.
Apart from that, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S is also said to sport a similar design as that of the iPhone X. This means, the smartphone will retain the same full-screen, bezel-less design that was introduced in the original Mi Mix in 2016, but with a notch at the top.

As far as the pricing aspect is concerned, earlier reports suggest that the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S will carry a price tag of 3,000 Yuan in China, which translates to around Rs. 29,770. The smartphone is likely to hit the shelves in China sometime in March, after an initial showcase at MWC 2018 in February.