The cost of building Apple Park campus estimated

Apple took the wraps off its Apple iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X last month at the Steve Jobs Theatre inside Apple Park or what is widely known as the 'Spaceship' campus. The campus has been under development for years and the Cupertino-based team is already in the process of moving to the new building. However, not much was known on the cost Apple incurred to build the campus. Now, BuildZoom, a US-based online remodelling marketplace has calculated the estimate on how much it would've cost Apple to create the Apple Park.

The website has shared its analysis and as expected the money involved is massive. It says that Apple shed approximately $1,154,652,399 or $1.1 billion (roughly Rs 7,521 crores). This is for all the 15 structures placed inside the Apple Park.

It has been duly mentioned that the cost mentioned is just estimation and the real money count could be higher than this. It only denotes the construction cost of the overall project. BuildZoom says the estimation comes from publically available building permits that Apple has filed in Cupertino. The given number is also below the $5 billion mark reported by Bloomberg back in 2013.

What is not included in the permit is the cost of work by artists and engineers and the cost taken to demolish the old Hewlett-Packard buildings. Cost of furnishing of the buildings and the cost of buying the land is also not included.

According to the permit, out of the $1.1 billion, the main 'Spaceship' building costs the most at $427,570,867 or Rs 2,785 crores. Also mentioned is that Apple spent around $15 million and $9 million for the photovoltaic roof and both the outdoor dining facilities. The Steve Jobs theatre, where the new iPhone models were announced, cost $179,437,885 or Rs 1,168 crores.

Honor 9i with dual front and rear cameras launched in India: A competitor for Asus Selfie Pro

Huawei's sub-brand Honor has just unveiled a new Honor smartphone at an event in Goa. Surprisingly, it is not Honor 9. 

Dubbed as Honor 9i, this smartphone is pretty much similar to the Huawei Maiming 6, which was recently launched in China as well as the Huawei Nova 2i, which was launched earlier this month in Malaysia. All these smartphones could be the same device. However, it looks Huawei and Honor has some bizarre naming strategy. That being said, the highlight of this new smartphone is again the presence of dual camera setups on both the front an back. Well, we have already seen that on the earlier mentioned devices. Another key feature of Honor 9i is the FullView display on the smartphone. Commenting on the launch Mr. Peter Zhai, President Huawei India Consumer Business Group said "Today is an extremely important day for us in our India journey so far. We are thrilled to launch a phone which can be termed a global first, as the Honor 9i is the only phone so far to boast of two dual cameras and FullView FHD+ display. As frontrunners in bringing breakthrough technology as well as great features at attractive prices, we remain committed to bringing best-in-class devices and services to our users in India." 

Asus Zenfone Max is now available at a new discounted price

With the onset of the festive season, many smartphone brands have been announcing exciting offers and discounts on their smartphones. Joining the bandwagon Asus, the Taiwanese leader in mobile technology, today announced attractive price reductions for its most power-packed smartphone Zenfone Max (ZC550KL). 

The smartphone was priced at Rs. 8,999 and is now available at Rs. 7,999 after receiving a price cut of Rs. 1,000. The price reduction will be across all major e-commerce sites like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal and leading retail stores including Asus Exclusive Stores across India. Apart from this, the company had also slashed the price of another Max series smartphone Zenfone 3 Max 5.5 with the model number ZC553KL. The device hs received a price cut of Rs. 2,000 and is available at Rs. 12,999 from its original price of Rs. 14,999. In any case, if you are interested in Zenfone Max (ZC550KL) then here is what it has to offer. ZenFone Max features embossed leather back that gives the smartphone a stunning and premium look. The handset comes with a 5.5-inch HD display with a resolution of 720 pixels by 1280 pixels at a PPI of 267 pixels per inch. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor which is paired with 2GB of RAM. The handset offers 16GB storage which can be expanded up to 64GB via a microSD card. As for the cameras, ZenFone Max sports a 13 MP rear camera with fastest laser autofocus of mere 0.03 seconds and dual LED real tone flash. Up front, there is a 5MP camera for selfies. The device is backed by a massive 5000mAh battery with reverse charging which provides ample power for daily tasks and activities. It runs on custom ZEN UI 2.0 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The Asus ZenFone Max is a dual SIM (GSM and GSM) smartphone that accepts Micro-SIM and Micro-SIM. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, USB OTG, FM, 3G and 4G (with support for Band 40 used by some LTE networks in India). Sensors onboard include Compass Magnetometer, Proximity sensor, Accelerometer and Ambient light sensor. It measures 156.00 x 77.50 x 10.55 (height x width x thickness) and weigh 202.00 grams.

Nokia 8 doesn't bend; proves durability test

When it comes to durability, Nokia phones have always been the best. The recently launched Nokia 8 is no exception. While HMD had assured us earlier, now its has been proved.

The smartphone has just undergone the durability test on the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything. Let's find out what the video has revealed. Starting with the positive sides, the Nokia 8 doesn't bend. Both the front part and rear part of the device stay intact even after going through a rigorous bend test. To remind you, the current Nokia flagship is made out of a 6,000-series aluminum alloy.Due to its strong built and structure, the phone turned out to be a winner in terms of durability. Quite interestingly, Apple had to switch over to 7,000 series aluminum alloy from 6,000 series since its handsets used to get bent easily. However, that doesn't seem to be the case for Nokia 8. Moving on, the smartphone performs quite impressively in the burn test as well. We know that the Nokia 8 flaunts an LCD screen. Because of this, its screen fully recovered from the burn mark, which it got from a standard lighter. So in case you burn your device, its front panel would at least stay harmless. In the scratch test though, the front panel of the Nokia 8 scratches easily. Well, it was expected as the phone's panel is covered with Corning Gorilla Glass 5. Anyway, it should be fine for day-to-day use. The phone's back panel is made of aluminum as previously mentioned. Hence, a razor blade can scratch and damage it. However, the rear camera setup is covered by glass, so scratches won't appear on it as easily had it been covered by plastic.

Google Home Mini and Google Home Max announced with Pixel 2 smartphones

At the hardware event, Google unveiled the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones, the Pixelbook and two new smart speakers. The speakers those were launched are the Google Home Mini and Google Home Max.   

We knew about the existence of the Home Mini even before the event as the renders of the same along with its pricing information were revealed online. The Google Home Max has come in as a surprise to many. Let's take a look at the details of these smart speakers from here.The Google Home Mini is a perfect device for those who want to try out the assistant without spending a lot of money. It is also suitable for the existing Google Home users who need extra speakers. This Google Home Mini works like a regular Home smart speaker. It can set reminders, control other smart devices, etc. It is covered with fabric and you just have to tap it for a number of functions.This speaker has a 40mm driver for 360-degree sound and supports Bluetooth and dual band Wi-Fi. The smart speaker needs to be connected to a power outlet to be charged. It is priced at $49 and is available in Coral, Charcoal and Chalk color variants. The Google Home Mini will be compatible with both Android and iOS and will start shipping after October 18.Google Home Max is a woofer without an assistant. The major functionality of this device is music playing. It has two 4.5-inch woofers for deep bass and two 0.7-inch custom tweeters for the highs. The device is covered in an acoustically transparent fabric and features a polycarbonate build. The top has a touch surface with volume controls, playback controls, assistant activation, and microphone on and off.The Google Home Max is pretty big measuring 13.2 inches wide and 7.4 inches tall and weighs in at 5.3 kg. The Smart Sound feature is the highlight of its device. It lets you adjust the way you listen to music simply by adapting to the environment. Eventually, you will get the best audio experience wherever you place it. Once you change the position of the speaker while it is playing, it will adjust the audio experience in just a few seconds. If the blender or washing machine is turned on while it is playing, it will increase the volume automatically.

Huawei Mate 10's rear panel looks kind of similar to Mate 9 in leaked image Read more at: https://www.gizbot.com/mobile/news/huawei-mate-10-s-rear-panel-looks-kind-of-similar-to-mate-9-in-leaked-image-044629.html

Huawei Mate 10's rear panel looks kind of similar to Mate 9 in leaked image

We have already stepped into the fourth and final quarter of 2017. Other than the second generation of Google's Pixel devices, we are also waiting for the Huawei Mate 10 series.

According to the information, we have obtained so far, the Mate 10 series will include four smartphones. However, the Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro have been getting most of the attention. Yesterday, Slashleaks again posted a new image acquired from the Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo. Interestingly, this image allegedly shows the Huawei Mate 10 beside its predecessor. While only the rear panel of the smartphones have been revealed, you can still spot some differences. Firstly, the Mate 10 is slightly slimmer and shorter than the Huawei Mate 9. However, the dimension of the Mate 10 is unknown. Another difference is that the Huawei Mate 10 sports a metallic unibody. As depicted by this picture, the Mate 10 though appears to feature a glass back. Even previous reports suggest the same. Moving forward, the camera module on the upcoming flagship device has been modified a bit. Although both Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 9 have vertical rear dual cameras with Leica branding, the placement of the sensors is not the same. The sensors can be seen sitting separately on the former, while on the latter the sensors are placed in a single housing. Other than that, the dual camera setup of Mate 10 is placed on a patterned texture. Whereas, the position of the fingerprint scanner and the Huawei branding has not been changed. Assuming this leak is authentic, the Huawei Mate 10 would not be much different than its predecessor in terms of design.

Google Home Mini leaks just hours before Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL launch

We are just 12 hours away from the launch of the highly anticipated Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. It looks like these will not be the only ones to be launched at today's event as Google appears to have more products such as the Pixelbook that is a new Chromebook, a mini variant of Google Home and the next-gen Daydream VR headset.

We already saw a few renders of the alleged Google Home Mini showing that the company is prepping a new and smaller variant of the smart speaker. The official launch that will happen later tonight will confirm the existence of the same. Now, a Twitter user Raymond Durk appears to have spotted the new Google Home Mini in the Google Home app, claims a report by AndroidPolice. The new device was prompting for a setup tipping that a Google employee could have been testing the same before its official announcement. While Google Home is meant to compete with Amazon Echo, the Google Home Mini is believed to compete with Amazon Echo Dot. Going by the recent report, the Google Home Mini might be priced at $49 (approx. Rs. 3,200). The device is claimed to be available in three color variants such as Coral Red, Charcoal Black, and Chalk White. Similar to Amazon Echo Dot, the Google Home Mini might skip the whopping speaker setup as due to its smaller form factor. From the leaked renders, we can expect the Google Home Mini to feature a fabric material on top as seen on the Daydream View VR headset. It is also believed to arrive with the Google Assistant functionality as in the Google Home with some changes such as low audio capabilities. The report goes on tipping that Google might be working on a high-end variant of the speaker likely dubbed Google Home Max with stereo sound support. This new smart speaker is said to feature a premium design with superior quality build materials. 

OnePlus 5 starts receiving OxygenOS version 4.5.11 update

OnePlus 5 starts receiving OxygenOS version

 When it comes to sending timely software updates, OnePlus is doing a good job. The company pushes out new updates on a regular basis to OnePlus 3, 3T and 5.

As such, OnePlus is now apparently rolling out a new update for its current flagship. Although it was not officially announced, Reddit users have confirmed the news. This latest OxygenOS update for OnePlus 5 carries the build number 4.5.11. It comes a little over a month after the smartphone received the OxygenOS version 4.5.10 update. Anyway, let's check out the new features brought by the update. To start off, the update fixes some bugs that have been annoying the OnePlus 5 users for quite a while now. Most importantly, there was a problem with YouTube video lagging behind audio, which has been solved. Other than that, the update seems to have fixed the display issues of some UI elements. Even the 4G+ network signal reception has been improved in some regions. In addition, the OxygenOS 4.5.11 update has added the option to customize the notification ring tone. The launching speed of apps has been improved as well. Besides this, the update also includes the Android security patch for September and some minor bug fixes. Well, this is pretty much everything the update brings with it. We will know more about the update once OnePlus officially makes an announcement regarding this matter. As is often the case, OnePlus rolls out updates in phases. Hence, don't get panicked if your device has not received the new update yet. It will take a couple of days before the OxygenOS 4.5.11 makes its way to all the OnePlus 5 phones. OnePlus 5 is also expected to get the Android 8.0 Oreo update soon. The device has aleady been spotted on Geekbench running Android Oreo OS. However, it is not known for sure when exactly OnePlus will start rolling out the latest Android iteration to OnePlus 5.  

Watch the Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL launch event live from here

Watch the Google Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL launch event live from here

Google is all set to unveil its next-generation Pixel smartphones and a slew of other products at an event today. The launch event of Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is slated to happen

At the event, Google is expected to take the wraps off a slew of products including the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Google Home Mini, Pixelbook, a new Chromebook and the Daydream View 2 VR headset. Whew, that's a huge list! Those who are interested to catch up with the action live can do so by heading onto YouTube as Google will be live streaming the event for itsThe Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones appear to be different from the other high-end and flagship smartphones. We say so as the rumor mills point out that these smartphones skip the bezel-less design and dual camera setup. The next generation Pixel smartphones will have dual front-facing speakers, Snapdragon 835 SoC, enhanced battery life, a better camera and a squeezable edge feature as the one we saw on the HTC U11. Also, these smartphones are expected to be priced relatively higher than that of the yesteryear models. Talking about the Google Home Mini, the renders of this mini smart speaker were leaked earlier. Going by the fresh reports, it is believed to be priced at $49 (approx. Rs. 3,200) and come with a simplified setup. Even the Pixelbook was leaked just yesterday tipping that it will have a 12.3-inch display and make use of an Intel Core i5 processor. This device is said to be launched in three variants - 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options.Having said that, we are just a few hours ahead of the Google's launch event and we will get to know all the details as and when these devices are unveiled.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8's camera is as good as iPhone 8 Plus's: DxOMark

Apple iPhone 8 Plus's camera was recently pronounced as the best by DxOMark. The website reviewed the device and had given a rating of 94 out of 100. The iPhone 8 closely came second by scoring 92 points.

Well, DxOMark yesterday announced the result achieved by Samsung Galaxy Note 8's camera. And, guess what? It has also scored 94 points out of 100. This means, both iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 now hold the top spot of the DxOMark chart. That being said, things could change soon as the website is yet to review many smartphones. The iPhone X's camera is yet to be tested. Other than that, many flagship smartphones are coming soon. Tonight we will see the unveiling of Google's Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL. Let's not forget, last year Google Pixel was holding the first rank of the DxO camera chart. Also, the upcoming Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro can be considered as possible contenders. Hence, it might not be long before some other device snatches the top spot from iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8. Samsung Galaxy Note 8 has scored 100 out of 100 for photography, which is quite a big achievement. The phablet's camera offers great zoom performance up to 4x, fast and accurate autofocus, and captures minute details in photos taken in both outdoor and indoor conditions. In addition, the images captured in low-light conditions are also sharp.  Talking about the cons, the device has limited dynamic range and frequent highlight clipping. For example, the Bokeh effect is sometimes not visible, as per the website. When it comes to capturing videos, the Galaxy Note 8 displays decent white balance and color rendering, good exposure and fast exposure convergence, a stable and fast autofocus, good noise cancellation in low-light conditions, and good stabilization.Just to recall, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 comes with a dual camera setup with two 12MP sensors at the back. The primary camera is a wide-angle lens supporting dual photodiode (2PD), while the secondary camera acts as a telephoto lens. The camera also supports dual OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), f/1.7 aperture, Max Zoom of 2x (digital) and different modes like live focus, Pro mode, Panorama, Slow motion, Hyperlapse, Food mode and an option to save photos as the RAW file. At the front, there is an 8MP AF camera with f/1.7 aperture and wide angle lens. The cameras also support 4K video recording at 30 fps and 1080p HD video recording at 30 fps or 60 fps. Samsung has also introduced Quick launch and dual capture features for the cameras. 

Comio sells 20,000 handsets in 2 weeks

Comio sells 20,000 handsets in 2 weeks

Chinese smartphone maker COMIO has announced that it has sold 20,000 handsets in two weeks.

The company has recently launched three smartphones- P1, S1, & C1 went on sale through retail stores in north India and online platforms, starting September 5. All the three smartphones have the metal body, with 32GB internal memory and are 4G VoLTE enabled with 8 MP and 13 MP camera. They are backed with unmatched after sales support which includes 30 days DOA, buyback, upgrade offer and one-time screen replacement. Sanjay Kumar Kalirona, CEO, and Director, COMIO India said, "We are delighted to have received an overwhelming response for our smartphones in such a short span of time. This has encouraged us to keep moving towards our aim of becoming leaders in the mid-segment category by bringing out even better products for our consumers." Meanwhile, the company said that 65,000 devices have been handed to distributors. Manufactured by Topwise Communication, one of the leading original device manufacturers (ODM) from China. Topwise Communication is also planning to invest Rs 500 crore over the next two years to mark its presence in the country. Kumar earlier said that "We have been an ODM to many players, including those in India. There is a huge opportunity in India and we are keen on tapping that," He further said that COMIO will play in the Rs 6,000-12,000 price bracket, which is a "sweet spot" accounting for 35-40 percent of the smartphone market in volume terms. "There aren't many players in the offline market in this price range. Most Indian companies are focusing on sub-Rs 6,000, while other Chinese firms are looking at devices over Rs 15,000," he added.