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Showing posts from August, 2018

Huawei Kirin 980 is worlds first commercial 7nm chipset

Huawei has finally launched the Kirin 980 processor, which is the world’s first commercial System-on-Chip (SoC) manufactured with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) 7nm process. The company says the chipset combines best-in-class performance, efficiency, connectivity features, and Dual NPU AI processing power. During the event, the company compared the SoC with Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and claimed that the Kirin 980 has 37 percent better performance and is 32 percent more power efficient. “Last year, we showed the world the potential of On-Device AI with the Kirin 970, and this year, we’ve designed an all-round powerhouse that not only features outstanding AI capabilities, but also brings cutting-edge raw performance to consumers. Equipped with all-new CPU, GPU and Dual NPU, the Kirin 980 is the ultimate engine to power the next-generation productivity and entertainment applications,” Richard Yu, Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO, said during his keynote at IFA, 2018....
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Idea Cellular, Vodafone India complete merger to become Vodafone Idea

The Aditya Birla Group has announced that the merger of Idea Cellular and Vodafone India is complete, and the new firm is now operational as India’s leading telecom service provider with a subscriber base of over 408 million. In the merger, the Vodafone Group owns a 45.2 per cent stake and Aditya Birla Group owns a 26.0 per cent stake. A new Board of Directors comprising of 12 Directors (including six Independent Directors) has been constituted. Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla is appointed as the Chairman of the board and Balesh Sharma, a Vodafone veteran, has been chosen as the CEO. According to the company, the new firm’s pan India Revenue Market Share (AGR) is 32.2 percent and it has a growing broadband network (3G+4G) with over 340,000 broadband sites as well as the largest voice network with over 200,000 unique GSM sites to cover over 1.2 billion Indians (92 per cent population coverage). The group also claims to have the widest distribution reach with ov...
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aptX Adaptive codec is Qualcomms new step towards better Bluetooth audio

As smartphone manufacturers are ditching the audio jack, the popluace is beign ushered towards a wireless era whther we like it or not. There’s no doubt that one will experience better audio quality with a wired medium, but there’s work to be done in order to get closer to the same level of quality using wireless means. Qualcomm has announced the new aptX Adaptive technology, which is aimed at reaching this goal. The new codec is an amalgamation of aptX HD, which is said to delivering HD sound quality, and aptX low latency that is meant for scenarios like better audio-video sync while watching a movie or gaming.  Qualcomm says that the new aptX Adaptive codec is dynamically adjustable and can switch between delivering the highest possible audio quality and low bitrate with low latency when needed. It also takes the external RF interference into account to provide “optimum audio quality or latency depending on the type of content being played on the device.” “aptX Adaptive is ...
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Android OS to clock nearly 85 market share in 2018, claims IDC

Android OS is expected to capture nearly 85 percent market share in the operating system space by the end of 2018. The volumes of the smartphones with Android OS are expected to grow at a five-year Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.4 percent, with shipments approaching 1.41 billion in 2022, market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) said in its latest Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Also, the average selling prices (ASPs) of the Android shipments are growing at a double-digit pace and are expected to grow 11.4 percent in 2018 to $262, up from $235 in 2017. For iOS, the firm said that iPhone volumes are expected to grow by 2.1 percent in 2018 to 220.4 million in total. IDC forecasts iPhones to grow at a five-year CAGR of 2.0 percent, reaching volumes of 238.5 million by 2022. When it comes to the worldwide smartphone market, IDC says that it is expected to decline again in 2018 and will experience low single-digit growth from 2019 through the end of its f...
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Motorola One and Motorola One Power running on Android One announced

After numerous speculations, reports and leaks, Motorola has finally made its Motorola One and Motorola One Power smartphones official. As previous reports tipped, the two devices are a part of Google’s Android One initiative and are bound to get timely software updates and security patches. Both the devices run on Android Oreo and the company has promised to soon roll out the Android 9.0 Pie update for them. While the Motorola One is a less powerful variant of the Motorola One Power, both the handsets feature a dual-rear camera setup and come with a notched display.  Motola One, One Power Price and Availability The Motorola One comes in a 4GB RAM/64GB storage variant and is priced at €299 (Rs 24,759 approx). It will be available in Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific in the coming months. India specific pricing and availability of the device is not known yet.  Motorola has announced that the One Power will be available in India starting in October. It comes with 3GB and 4...
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Mozilla Firefox will soon block all ad-traffic by implementing a will not track policy

Tracking user behaviour online has become a dominant source of revenue for many companies. By tracking what users do online, companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon are able to sell their services to advertisers in the form of targeted advertising. As users started to block cookies which were the original tracking method, companies developed newer, more persistent ways of tracking people through the browser, using technologies like invisible pixels and what not. Today, Mozilla is taking a stance against such practices, changing their policy in favour of the consumer, switching from passive a “do not track” policy to “will not track.” “In the near future, Firefox will, by default, protect users by blocking tracking while also offering a clear set of controls to give our users more choice over what information they share with sites,” said Mozilla VP of product strategy Nick Nguyen. The changes will roll out on a trial basis later in September with Firefox 63 which will block slow-loa...
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Leaked images show Google Pixel 3 having Pixel 2 XL-like design, 2915mAh battery

As the launch of the Google Pixel 3 XL gets closerm, there has been a surge in the number of leaks regarding the smartphone. The devcie was recently, seen in a YouTube hands-on video by a Ukrainian user named Распаковываем. Amid these extensive reports and videos, the smaller Google Pixel 3 has managed to remain pretty well hidden, but not anymore. An anonymous redditor has shared the photos of what it claims to be the Google Pixel 3, which show the phone’s overall design and reveals some information about the display, its resolution and the battery pack that the smaller Pixel is expected to launch with. The images show a black-coloured smartphone that looks like the Google Pixel 2 XL. It has a two-tone back panel of which almost one-third is covered in glass, while the remaining section seems to be matte. There is only one rear-camera with an LED flash and the fingerprint sensor is centrally located on the back. From the side, the images show the phone carrying a power button and...
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PUBG Creator details five year plan for PUBG eSports

Calling PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds or PUBG a popular game would be an understatement, to say the least. The game has already sold millions of copies and is available on PC, Xbox and mobile. Talking to UK based publication, Express, PUBG creator, Brendan ‘PlayerUnknown’ Greene talked about the future of the game. During the recent PUBG Invitational in Berlin, Greene said that a five-year plan is in place for PUBG eSports. However, the developers will not immediately focus on eSports. The first year plan revolves around finding a working format for eSports while improving the core gameplay experience for gamers. "We outlined a five-year plan for eSports, and this year's all about finding the format, finding the best ruleset for everything and trying to standardise everything so that this can grow," Greene said before adding, “Year one is just stabilising what we have, really getting the game competitive and providing a really good foundation to build an eSport on top of...
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BlackBerry Key2 LE with 45-inch IPS LCD display, Snapdragon 636 announced

BlackBerry has announced its latest Key2 LE smartphone that comes with a full QWERTY keypad. It is a less powerful version of the previously launched BlackBerry Key2 smartphone that was a good device for those who still need a physical QWERTY keyboard but a bit overpriced considering the hardware it runs on. The new handset is aimed at delivering the same sturdy physical keyboard, at a lesser price. Alongside the keyboard, highlights of the Key2 LE include a dual rear camera setup and new colour variants other than the regular black.  BlackBerry Key2 LE Price and Availability The Key2 LE is launched with 4GB RAM and options to select from 32GB or 64GB internal storage. The 32GB version is priced at $399 (Rs 28,283), while the 64GB version will cost $449 (Rs 31,827) in the US. The company has not announced the device’s Indian pricing and availability yet. The smartphone comes in Slate, Champagne and Atomic grey colour variants. BlackBerry Key2 LE Features and Specifications The Key...
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Apple to launch 2018 iPhones on September 12

New iPhones are incoming. Apple has sent out invites for an event on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theatre at its Cupertino Apple Park campus. There is no ‘official confirmation’ that the iPhones are launching next month, but the company tends to unveil the smartphones around this time of the year. Based on several leaks and reports, three variants of the iPhone will be launched along with a new Apple Watch, iPad Pro and probably a MacBook Air. The logo on the invite along with the slogan ‘Gather Round’ has got people guessing, but it could just be a top-down view of the amphitheatre where Tim Cook will take centerstage. What’s interesting is the gold colour of the logo. Will there be a gold coloured iPhone? Shortly after the invites were sent out, 9to5Mac reported at least two of the upcoming iPhone variants will be called iPhone XS. The blog showed a leaked photo which they claimed to be the first glimpse of the devices. It does make sense as Apple has used the ‘S’ moniker to offer...
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58-inch OLED Apple iPhone may be called iPhone XS, may be available in Gold: Report

Apple has officially sent out invites for a launch event that will take place on September 12 at company’s Apple Park headquarters. The comapny is expected to unveil of a number of new iPhone models, a refreshed Apple Watch, new AirPods, and announce a release date for the iOS 12 operating system. But just when people were talking about this development on the internet, 9to5mac has come out with a claim saying that it has got an exclusive access to the 5.8-inch and 6.54-inch iPhones, which are expeted to OLED displays. The website also claims that Apple will be calling this year’s smallest phone the ‘iPhone XS’. The platforms notes that the ‘iPhone XS’ will come in a new gold colour option that was not previously offered. The information provided by 9to5mac is in line other reports that have been making rounds in the industry. Recently, a Bloomberg report claimed that this is the ‘S’ year for iPhone and the models will have an ‘S’ added to their names. The report about the new Gol...
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The Great Red Spot on Jupiter reveals signs of water: NASA

The Great Red Spot is a giant spinning storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere that’s been raging for about 400 years. The Great Red Spot is more than twice the size of our dear blue planet and reaches speeds of about 434 km/h (270 mph). Scientists at NASA have been observing this storm for a while now, and have come across a new observation—they have detected signs of water just above the planet’s deepest clouds.  Researchers say that the pressure of the water mixed with its measurement of another oxygen-carrying gas, carbon monoxide, imply that Jupiter contains two to nine times more oxygen than the Sun. Published in the Astronomical Journal, the findings support theoretical and computer-simulation models that have previously predicted the presence of large amounts of water on Jupiter. The Great Red Spot is full of dense clouds. This makes it hard for electromagnetic energy to escape, thus allowing astronomers to learn very little about the chemistry happening within. “It turns out they’r...
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Best headphone deals on Paytm Mall

If you’re tired of wires and want to get rid of them then it's time to move to a wireless headset. We have found some amazing cashback deals on Paytm Mall on wireless headphones. The products you will find in the list below are on-ear headphones and over-ear headsets.  Sony CH400 Wireless Headphones  Price: Rs 4,990 Deal price: Rs 2,539 (inclusive of cashback) The Sony CH400 is voice assistant compatible, which means a simple press on a button can activate your smartphone assistant for navigation, calling and more. The buttons on the ear cup also help in managing audio tracks and volume easily. As per the company, the headphone can last for up to 20 hours on a single charge. Click here to buy.  iBall Musi Sway BT01 Bluetooth Headset   Price: Rs 1,799 Deal price: Rs 999 (inclusive of cashback) The iBall Musi Sway features a swivel ear cup design that enables easy storage. The control buttons to manage audio tracks and calls are placed on the earcup, which means ...
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Sony launches Xperia XZ3 at IFA 2018 boasting of 18:9 OLED HDR display, Android Pie and Snapdragon 845

Sony has announced the launch of the successor to the Xperia XZ2 conveniently called the Xperia XZ3. The smartphone doesn’t change much in terms of design, and specifications, but it does bring with it a bunch of new features. The Xperia XZ2 was announced back in February. Sony Xperia XZ3 specifications When it comes to the specifications, a lot of the power under the hood is the same as its predecessor with some changes. The Xperia XZ3 is 9.9mm in thickness making it slimmer than the XZ2. The smartphone weighs 193 grams and will be available in single as well as dual-SIM options. The biggest change is that the XZ3 has a P-OLED display instead of the IPS LCD found on the XZ2. The XZ3 has a 6-inch 18:9 HDR display with a resolution of 2880x1440. The display is protected with Gorilla Glass 5. Under the hood, the XZ3 has the tried and tested Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with 4GB RAM. It has 64GB built in storage which is expandable, and the smartphone runs on Android P out of the box. The ...
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Best laptop deals on Paytm Mall: Discounts on Apple, Dell, HP and more

A slow laptop is a nightmare for all of us as it can terribly affect our productivity. If you’re looking for an upgrade then this might be the best time to grab a new laptop. Today, Paytm Mall has a lot of cashback offers on laptops from well-known manufacturers like Lenovo, HP, Dell and more.  Lenovo ThinkPad E480  Price: Rs 40,990 Deal price: Rs 36,480 (inclusive of cashback) The Lenovo ThinkPad E480 is powered by an Intel Core i3 7th Gen processor, which is paired with 4GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB hard drive. The laptop is Bluetooth 4.1 enabled and comes with installed Windows 10, which means one does not need to install an OS separately. Click here to buy.  Dell Inspiron 15-3567   Price: Rs 37,611 Deal price: Rs 29,967 (inclusive of cashback) The Dell Inspiron 15-3567 comes with an Intel Core i3 6th Gen processor. The device packs a 4GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB hard drive. It also has an Intel HD 520 DDR4 graphics card. The laptop is installed with Windows 10, He...
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Best Bluetooth speakers Under Rs 1,000 on Amazon

If you are looking for a Bluetooth Speaker within a limited budget then we got your back. Today, Amazon is offering a considerable amount of discount on BT speakers. Without adding further, let's take a look at it.  AmazonBasics Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker  Price: Rs 1,295 Deal price: Rs 569 The AmazonBasics Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker works within a range of 10m from a connected device. The speaker comes with a built-in mic that lets you talk on call even when the phone is connected to the speaker. The device is splash-resistant and offers a battery life of six hours. Click here to buy.  Aeylight Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker  Price: Rs 2,499 Deal price: Rs 849 The Aeylight Wireless Portable Bluetooth Speaker sports an LED light that comes with seven color variants. The speaker has a built-in mic as well as control buttons to manage audio tracks and volume. The speaker is also equipped with a TF card slot and an AUX port. Click here to buy.  Ke...
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Heres how to get a clutter free Menu Bar by hiding app icons on macOS

macOS is quite streamlined and clutter-free with its neat Dashboard and slick touchpad gestures. However, in this OCD satisfying OS, there’s been a slight oversight as app icons on the Menu Bar keep cluttering the upper-right corner of the screen. The more apps you install, the more of these little icons keep accumulating there and unlike Windows’ System Tray, there is no functionality that groups unused icons into a group to keep the taskbar tidy. Those who want to get a minimalist look, they can install the Vanilla utility. So, here’s how to clean up your Mac Menu Bar. Downloading and Installing Vanilla  To install Vanilla, simply visit this website and click on the ‘Download Vanilla for free’ button. Once it downloads, move the downloaded .dmg file to your Applications folder and boot it up.  How it works Once booted, the Vanilla cleanup tool will add a carrot symbol and a dot to your Menu Bar. The app icons that are between the two new symbols will be hidden. One can drag...
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Top 5 smartphones on Amazon

If you’re thinking of purchasing a smartphone and not yet decided which one to buy, then we’ve got you covered. We have picked out some of the best smartphones, which are currently available on Amazon. The list has products like RealMe 1, Redmi Y2, Huawei P20 Lite and more.  RealMe 1 (64GB)   Amazon Price: Rs 10,999 The RealMe 1 sports a 6-inch FHD+ display, which offers a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels. The smartphone runs on Android 8.0 operating system and is powered by a MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core processor, which is clocked at 2.0GHz. The smartphone packs a 4GB RAM and 64GB internal memory that is expandable up to 256GB via a microSD card. At the back, the device has a 13MP camera with features like Beautify, and Panorama, while the front is equipped with an 8MP unit. Click here to buy.  Samsung Galaxy J6  (32GB) Amazon price: Rs 12,990 The Samsung Galaxy J6 features a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 720 x 1480 pixels. The smartphone is p...
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Bose launches Alexa-powered Home Speaker 500 and two soundbars

Audio equipment pioneer Bose has launched a new wireless smart speaker, the Bose Home Speaker 500, and two new smart soundbars, the Bose Soundbar 700 and Soundbar 500. The company says that each device deliver a “size-defying performance with superior voice pickup and the power of Amazon Alexa now, other voice assistants to follow, and AirPlay 2 for simple streaming from Apple devices added in early 2019.” The Bose smart speaker and new soundbars use the proprietary mic technology found in Bose headsets and headphones. With Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Alexa built in, they can work together together as a multi-room system. The Home Speaker 500 is priced at £399.95 and the Soundbar 500 and 700 will be available for £499.95 and £799.95, respectively. The speakers will be sold at Bose retail stores, Bose.co.uk, and all authorised Bose dealers from October. Bose Soundbar 500 “Voice-controlled speakers aren’t new, and there are plenty of great options to choose from. But we had a different vision...
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HTC U12 Life with 6-inch Full HD+ display, 16MP + 5MP dual rear cameras announced

HTC has launched its new U12 Life smartphone at an event today in Berlin. In line with the previous reports and rumours, the phone features a dual-rear camera setup and features an 18:9 display, sans a notch. The company has highlighted the cameras, design and the battery life of the handset saying that it “captures eye-catching photos and videos. A remarkable dual finish that offers a stunningly fresh take on design. A big battery that keeps up with your life.“ HTC U12 Life Price and Variants The HTC U12 Life comes in only one variant with 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card. It will be launched in Europe, Asia and the Middle East in late September and in the UK, it will cost £300 (Rs 24,800 approx). It has been launched in moonlight Blue and Twilight Purple colour models. There is no information on whether the device will be launched in India or not but if it does, we expect it to be priced slightly lower. HTC U12 Life Specifications The HT...
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Xiaomi may launch Redmi 6, Redmi 6A and Redmi 6 Pro on September 5 in India

Xiaomi may launch the next generation of its affordable, Redmi series of smartphones, the Redmi 6, the Redmi 6A and the Redmi 6 Pro on September 5 in India. The Chinese conglomerate unveiled these smartphones in June in China. Manu Kumar Jain, Managing Director of Xiaomi India, teased the launch of the smartphones in a tweet, but did not mention the date of the event. The tweet has a GIF image attached that shows the number ‘6’ and three smartphones in the background. Later the company sent out invites for a September 5 event, which has the same design that the company executive shared on the microblogging website. The silhouettes of three smartphones in the background revealed that Xiaomi will launch two phones with the regular bezel design and one with a notch. This falls in line with the design of the variants that were launched in China. The Redmi 6 and the Redmi 6A have thick bezels on the top and bottom while the Redmi 6 Pro sports a notch. Let’s refresh your memories and see wh...
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Google updates WearOS with new design making it easier to access information

Google has announced a new update for Wear OS, which brings new UI changes. The update makes it easier for users to access information such as notifications, and Google Assistant as well as smarter health coaching. The company noted in its blog that the new update will be rolling out to users over the coming month. However, the company says that some features may vary by phone OS, watch or country. With the new update, swiping up lets users access their notifications and tapping on any message brings up Smart Replies. Swiping down will enable users to access features like Google Pay or ‘Find My Phone’. As per Google, users will now receive proactive and personalised help from the Assistant. For example, if the user receives an update for their flight status, tapping on the update will show them the weather at their destination, and give them options for hotel reservations. Google also announced that it would be adding two new activity goals with this update, namely Heart points an...
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Asus announces ZenBook Flip 13, Flip 15 at IFA 2018

Asus has announced an updated range of ZenBook Flip convertible laptops at IFA 2018 in Berlin, Germany. The updated range consists of the ZenBook Flip 13 (UX362) and the ZenBook Flip 15(UX562). The former features a 13.3-inch display, while the latter features a 15.6-inch display. What’s interesting is the way Asus has managed to carry on using the same screen sizes seen on previous models on a newer, more compact frame. To be specific, Asus has managed to reduce the laptop’s frame size by 10 percent. As the name suggests, this ZenBook’s display flips completely backwards to become a tablet. It can be placed in a laptop, tablet, and tent modes. What’s special about this convertible laptop is that it retains the ErgoLift hinge technology: it lifts and tilts the keyboard towards the user to offer a more comfortable typing angle when the display is opened beyond 135 degrees. The hinge has been torture-tested for up to 20,000 open-close cycles. Taking a look at the ports on the device, it...
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The Ocean Cleanup is launching a giant floater to tackle the great Pacific garbage patch

The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organisation funded in 2013 by the then 18 year old Boyan Slat. The purpose of the company is to tackle the plastic waste in the oceans. Now, they are on the verge of launching one of the most ambitious attempts to cleanup the great Pacific garbage patch.  The patch is a giant vortex of garbage that spans the largest ocean on the planet, from the west coast of North America to the east coast of Japan. The floating litter accumulates here because of a system of cyclic ocean currents - or gyres. The plastic litter can stay in the oceans practically forever. In the gyres, the plastic does break up into smaller and smaller pieces though. Millimeter sized pieces of plastic gets consumed by the marine life forms. These toxic plastic particles make their way up the food chain, and even ends up in seafood restaurants around the world - which are then consumed by humans. Conventional approaches of cleaning the patch involves using fleets of vessels tugging...
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Micromax launches YU Ace with 4,000mAh battery, 545-inch HD+ 18:9 display at Rs 5,999

Aiming to take on Xiaomi in the affordable smartphone range, Micromax’s sub-brand YU has is back from a sabbatical to launch its latest device, the YU Ace. The Flipkart exclusive smartphone's highlight is its massive 4,000 mAh battery and the 5.45-inch 18:9 display. YU Ace Price and Availability The Yu Ace is priced at Rs 5,999 for the 2GB RAM + 16GB storage variant and the company says that it will also launch its 3GB RAM + 32GB storage version by the end of September. The YU Ace will be available via open sale from September 6. The phone will be available in three colours: Charcoal Grey, Elektric Blue and Rose Gold. YU Ace specifications The YU Ace features a 5.45-inch HD+ Full Vision screen with an 18:9 display aspect ratio. The rear panel sports a glossy finish and comes with rounded edges. It features a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor and on the back is a horizontally aligned single camera setup with an LED flash, on the top-left corner. The smartphone is power...
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