PS5 Games to Be Priced Up to Rs. 4,999 Digitally

PlayStation 5 games will cost up to Rs. 4,999, if the PlayStation website is to be believed. Listings reveal that the most expensive PS5 games - such as Demon's Souls and Destruction AllStars -...

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Oppo Smart TV Will Feature 4K Resolution with 120Hz Refresh Rate

Oppo smart TV will be launched next month, and the company has shown off the design as well as teased the resolution and refresh rate. According to a video shared by Oppo on Chinese micro-blogging...

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Google Meet Free Users Can Have 24-Hour Long Video Calls Till March 31

Google is extending its unlimited time (up to 24 hours) video calls policy on Google Meet till March 31, 2021. Google had earlier set September 30 as the deadline for free users to conduct video calls...

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Google Chromecast With Google TV Software Sees Big Changes

Google Chromecast with Google TV is expected to be launched today alongside the new Pixel devices, but some retailers in the US are already selling the device before launch. As a result, the new...

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Realme 125W Fast Charger Teased by Madhav Sheth, Launching Soon

Realme 125W charger has been teased on Twitter by company CEO Madhav Sheth. The Chinese firm launched the 125W UltraDART Flash Charging technology in July with a claim that it can charge 33 percent of...

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Twitter Says Dataminr Monitoring Service Does Not Violate Surveillance Ban

Twitter said Tuesday a service that monitors tweets for police, alerting them to brewing social justice protests and more, does not break the platform's ban on being used for surveillance.

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Why haven't we seen a Xiaomi Chromebook yet? We found out. android os

Xiaomi's product goals don't align with the Chromebook segment right now, but that may change in a few years.

At the outset, Xiaomi feels like the ideal brand to release a Chromebook; the Chinese manufacturer is associated with value, and Chromebooks are all about delivering great value on a budget. If you think about it, a Chromebook would be a perfect addition to Xiaomi's growing portfolio of products.

It's not like Xiaomi is a stranger to the notebook business. Xiaomi has rolled out products in the Mi Notebook series for four years now, and while these products were limited to the Chinese market, Xiaomi introduced the category earlier this year in India with the Mi NoteBook Horizon Edition.

So, why not a Chromebook? I chatted with Xiaomi India's Chief Business Offer Raghu Reddy to understand why the brand hasn't released a Chromebook yet. Reddy is in charge of Xiaomi's product portfolio and has final say in new growth areas and product categories, making him the ideal person to talk to about Xiaomi's Chromebook plans.

Reddy says Xiaomi hasn't released a Chromebook because of the inherent challenges in making inroads into the category. The Chromebook segment leans heavily on business-to-business (B2B) sales; while there are plenty of Chromebooks on sale in markets like the U.S., a decent chunk of purchases are made by school districts or organizations that buy Chromebooks en masse. From Reddy:

We are pretty young in the notebook business — we sell our notebooks in just China and India for now. We're still learning the nuances of this particular category, so we'll first have to get a better handle on how to run the notebook business and then we'll start making some of those calls to venture into new categories.

The best Chromebooks are filled with models from manufacturers that have an established presence in the enterprise segment. As Xiaomi is still primarily a business-to-consumer (B2C) brand that sells directly to customers, it doesn't see a lot of value in entering the Chromebook segment at this point in time:

Xiaomi is a business-to-consumer (B2C) company; our strength lies in being able to reach out to customers directly and offer good value. For now, our aim is to strengthen our consumer business before making a play for the enterprise. Our focus has always been to take it segment by segment; solidify growth in one category before thinking about the next phase of growth.

While Reddy didn't rule out Xiaomi getting into the Chromebook segment, it's not in the manufacturer's immediate plans. For now, Xiaomi is focused on building market share for its Windows-based notebooks, so we're still a few years out from seeing a Xiaomi-branded Chromebook.

Reddy mentioned that the addressable userbase is a key consideration when deciding to venture into new product categories, and Chromebooks haven't moved the needle enough in markets where Xiaomi has a strong presence. You obviously won't find Chromebooks in China — where Google services are banned — and the devices failed to gain any momentum whatsoever in India over the last decade.

But with Xiaomi focusing on a connected ecosystem as being a key differentiator for the brand. While Chromebooks aren't a focus for the manufacturer right now, that may change in a few years as Xiaomi's notebook business gains momentum.

Chromebooks for all

Chromebooks

• The Best Chromebooks
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Lenovo C340 at Amazon

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Google Meet Free Users Can Have 24-Hour Long Video Calls Till March 31 *APP_NEWS*

Google is extending its unlimited time (up to 24 hours) video calls policy on Google Meet till March 31, 2021. Google had earlier set September 30 as the deadline for free users to conduct video calls on the app for longer than 60 minutes but is now extending the policy until March next year.

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Vivo V20 Series Confirmed to Launch in India Soon

Vivo V20 series of smartphones has officially been teased by the company to launch in India. The company's India handle has posted a short teaser video on Twitter, hinting at the phones' imminent...

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Google Pixel 5, Pixel 4a 5G Launching Today: How to Watch

Google Pixel 5 and Google Pixel 4a 5G phones are all set to launch today. The tech giant is hosting a virtual event titled 'Launch Night In' and a new smart speaker and Chromecast are teased to be...

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The Lion King 2 Official With Moonlight Director Barry Jenkins

The Lion King 2 is on its way. Disney has hired Barry Jenkins - whose 2016 film Moonlight won three Oscars, including best picture - to helm the sequel to The Lion King (2019). The Lion King 2...

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OnePlus 8T Confirmed to Run on Android 11-based OxygenOS 11

OnePlus 8T will launch with OxygenOS 11, based on Android 11, out-of-the-box, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau confirmed through a forum post released on Tuesday. Lau also claimed that the new OnePlus phone will...

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Mi 10T Series Launching Today: How to Watch Livestream

Mi 10T series will be launched today, September 30, at 2pm GMT +2 (5:30pm IST) through a virtual event that will be livestreamed on Xiaomi's social media handles, as well as YouTube and the official...

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TikTok Launches US Elections Guide to Combat Misinformation

TikTok on Tuesday launched a US election guide as part of an effort to battle misinformation on the wildly popular video-sharing app that the White House has targeted for a ban.

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Amazon Defends Warehouse Safety Following Report on Injuries

Amazon on Tuesday defended its warehouse safety record after a news investigation pointed to a higher-than-average injury rate in the company's massive logistics operations.

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Review: The Dyson V11 is a truly outstanding vacuum cleaner android os

The Dyson V11 costs a lot of money, but it is well worth the investment.

I used a $150 corded vacuum for the better part of the last five years, and more recently switched to a robot vacuum. It's hard to be excited about a vacuum cleaner (unless you have the Darth Vader Powerbot), so when the folks at Dyson asked if I wanted to take a look at the V11 — the brand's current-gen cordless vacuum — I was ambivalent.

But I attended a demo session (virtually, of course) where a Dyson specialist went through everything the V11 can do, and I was intrigued. What interested me the most was its versatility; with seven attachments in total, the V11 cleans just about any surface. I also liked the fact that it works as a handheld and a regular stick vacuum, and that there's a built-in LED that shows the remaining battery time.

One of the reasons I didn't pick up a Dyson cordless vacuum in the past was because of the price. At just under $700, the Dyson V11 is several magnitudes costlier than regular vacuums, and on par with high-end robot vacuums. But as I've found out over the course of the last four months, the Dyson V11 is worth every penny. It pays for itself when you factor in the time savings versus using a traditional vacuum, and the versatility makes it a fantastic overall choice.

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro review:

• What I like
• What needs work
• The competition
• Should you buy?

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro

Bottom line: The Dyson V11 is the best cordless vacuum cleaner you can buy today. It delivers outstanding performance in day-to-day use, comes with a lot of useful attachments, and is easy to use and maintain. With a 60-minute runtime, three cleaning modes to choose from, and a built-in LCD that shows real-time battery level, the V11 is a great overall option.

The Good

• Stellar performance
• Versatile attachments
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Three modes to choose from
• Decent battery life with LCD indicator

The Bad

• Costly
• No removable batteries

$697 at Amazon ₹52,990 at Dyson India

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro What I like

The Dyson V11 doesn't look like any other vacuum in the market today. The design immediately suggests this is a high-end product, and the attention to detail is remarkable. The blue and red accents contrast against the grey finish rather nicely, and the V11 is just a nice-looking piece of kit (I didn't think I would ever say that about a vacuum).

The Dyson V11 combines a sleek design with incredible real-world performance.

An interesting addition with the V11 is the LCD screen that lets you view the remaining battery and mode. There are three modes to choose from — Eco, Medium, Boost — and for my use case, the Medium mode worked best. You can easily change modes via the button below the screen, and the ability to glance at the screen to see how much runtime is left makes a lot of difference in day-to-day use.

There's also a nifty auto mode that adjusts suction on-the-fly based on the surface. If you're unsure what mode to use, the auto setting is reliable most of the time.

The batteries are built into the main body, and Dyson touts a 60-minute runtime in Eco mode. That's in-line with what I've seen in the last four months, with the Medium mode averaging about 40 to 45 minutes of use. It takes just over four hours to fully charge the vacuum, and the built-in battery life was enough to clean my 2,000 sq. ft. home two times over. The V11 also has "high-integrity seals" located at the back that ensure the dust that's sucked into the vacuum isn't just blown out again.

At the heart of the Dyson V11 is the cyclonic motor, which delivers 185 Air Watts of suction — 20% more than the V10. The suction is powerful for just about any debris or pet hair, and the Dyson V11 holds up incredibly well in real-world usage conditions. I threw biscuit crumbs and oats on the floor to test the V11's effectiveness, and it cleaned them up without any issues. The vacuum is ideally suited if you have pets, with the V11 Animal designed to clean up pet hair.

I routinely use the V11 on tiled floors and carpets, and it is just as effective on either surface. I was unsure whether a cordless vacuum would be able to deliver enough power for cleaning the house, but my worries were unfounded — the Dyson V11 worked just as effectively as my corded vacuum and did a better job than the robot vacuum I was using.

While a robot vacuum is great at automated cleaning, it's limited to cleaning floors and needs a clear route without any obstacles to do an effective job. My home currently looks like a warehouse with the number of packages strewn about, so it was much more convenient to just use the V11 to clean than rely on a robot vacuum. Then there's the fact that a robot vacuum is limited to cleaning floors, and lacks the versatility that you get with the V11.

One of my favorite features on the V11 is the easy-release latch for the bin. All you have to do is pull down the lever and the lid at the front pops open, and you can just empty the contents of the bin without coming into contact with it.

Based on the V11 variant you're picking up, you'll get anywhere from eight to 11 accessories in the box. I'm using the V11 Absolute Pro, and it comes with seven attachments, a docking station, an extension hose, a wand storage clip, and two extensions bundled with the package. The attachments include a high torque cleaner, soft roller cleaner, a combination tool, a crevice tool for cleaning between sofa cushions, a mini motorized tool, a soft-dusting brush, and even a mattress cleaner head.

I used the soft roller and high torque attachments most of the time, and the best part about these cleaner heads is that they have an articulated design, making it a breeze to clean under the sofa or under the bed. All the accessories attach to the body with a satisfying click. As you'd imagine for a high-end vacuum, the fit and finish here is top-notch, and the V11 should hold up just fine even after several years of use.

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro What needs work

If there's one thing I would change about the V11, it would be the option to switch out batteries. Right now, the batteries are built into the body of the unit, and while the battery life is still just as good as four months ago, Lithium-ion batteries degenerate over time, so a removable solution with the ability to switch out batteries after a few years would have been ideal.

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro The competition

If you don't want to shell out $700 on a vacuum cleaner, you can pick up Dyson's older models at discounted prices. The Dyson V10 is now $440, and that's very decent value for what you're getting with the vacuum.

The Dyson V7 is even better value at $287. Sure, you don't get quite the same amount of suction power as the V11, but it manages to do a great job in day-to-day usage. You get a 30-minute runtime between charges and a variety of cleaning attachments.

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro Should you buy?

You should buy this if ...

You want a powerful cordless vacuum

With a powerful motor and 60-minute runtime, the Dyson V11 dominates in terms of real-world performance.

You want a vacuum with lots of attachments

See yourself using the crevice tool a lot? The V11 comes with seven attachments and a few other accessories, making it a great option.

You need a vacuum that's easy to maintain

The V11 has an easy-release lever for getting rid of the accumulated garbage.

You should not buy this if ...

You want an affordable model

The Dyson name carries a premium, and that makes the V11 one of the costliest vacuums around.

Testing the Dyson V11 over the last four months made me realize just how effective it is around the house. I abhor chores of any kind (I'm waiting for a robot dishwasher that loads itself) but found myself liking the V11. It cuts down on the amount of time I take to clean the house, and that alone makes it an easy recommendation.

Ease of use is one of the biggest selling points of the Dyson V11: the cordless design eliminates a lot of the hassle involved in using a vacuum, the easy-release lever ensures you can get rid of the dust accumulated in the bin without touching it, and the versatility on offer makes the V11 a standout choice in this segment.

4 out of 5

Yes, you're paying a lot of money for a vacuum, but you are also getting an incredible product. The time-saving alone justifies investing in the V11.

Dyson V11 Absolute Pro

Bottom line: The Dyson V11 has everything you could ask for in a cordless vacuum. It looks great, delivers outstanding performance, and the number of attachments on offer makes it the most versatile vacuum in the market today. Yes, it is costlier than other cordless options, but you are getting your money's worth here.

$697 at Amazon ₹52,990 at Dyson India

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Google's new Chromecast comes with six months of Netflix in Canada android os

Both new and existing Netflix subscribers will be eligible for the deal.

What you need to know

• A listing for the new Chromecast with Google TV has been spotted on the Canadian Google Store.
• The listing reveals customers in Canada will get six months of Netflix with the new Chromecast.
• Chromecast with Google TV will be unveiled alongside the Nest Audio smart speaker and new Pixel phones at Google's hardware event later today.

Google is set to reveal a new Chromecast, Nest-branded smart speaker, and two 5G-enabled Pixel phones at its "Launch Night In" event later today. Ahead of the big event, the new Chromecast with Google TV has been spotted on the Canadian Google Store.

Although the listing is no longer accessible, a Reddit user managed to save a screenshot before it was pulled down. In addition to giving us another look at the new dongle and its voice remote, the listing reveals the Chromecast with Google TV will be priced at $69 in Canada. In the United States, however, the device will carry a lower $49 price tag.

To sweeten the deal, Google will be offering six months of Netflix subscription to anyone who purchases the Chromecast with Google TV from its Canadian store between September 30 and December 31, 2021. Even though the dongle will be capable of streaming 4K HDR content, Google will only be giving away six months of the Netflix Standard streaming plan, which supports 1080p streaming on two screens at the same time.

It remains to be seen if Google will be giving away Netflix subscriptions with its new Chromecast in the U.S. and other markets too.

Get More Pixel 4a

Google Pixel 4a

$349 at Amazon $350 at Best Buy

• Google Pixel 4a review
• Best Pixel 4a cases
• Best Pixel 4a screen protectors

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TikTok Launches US Elections Guide to Combat Misinformation *APP_NEWS*

TikTok on Tuesday launched a US election guide as part of an effort to battle misinformation on the wildly popular video-sharing app that the White House has targeted for a ban.

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Apple Grants CEO Tim Cook First Major Stock Package Since 2011

Apple on Tuesday granted CEO Tim Cook 333,987 restricted stock units, with a possibility to earn as many as 667,974 more if he hits performance targets, in the executive's first stock grant since...

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Samsung Galaxy S20 review: A near-perfect, pocket-friendly powerhouse android os

The smaller, the better.

While many folks looking for a new phone will immediately race to the biggest and fanciest new flagship around, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is just too much in size, price, and problems. While the Galaxy S20+ is a more reasonable phone, as a busy woman with small hands, it's too big to use one-handed, too big for my pockets, and too big my shoulder holster.

Thankfully, the "baby" Galaxy S20 is just a few hairs bigger than last year's Galaxy S10, and between a power-user's godsend of a battery, a Lindt Chocolate-smooth 120Hz screen, and the most significant camera upgrade in Galaxy history, the Galaxy S20 is without a doubt the best Android phone for non-Pixel-purists —and especially the best Android phone for women (and men who prefer smaller phones) available today.

I've had my Galaxy S20 for a week now, and while I have some very, very tiny hang-ups with the phone, none take away from the great experience I've had with the S20. If you're in the market for a new phone, I think the Galaxy S20 will win you over, too.

Galaxy S20 review

• Price & release date
• Hardware and design
• Display
• Battery life
• Software and performance
• Cameras
• Oddities and observations
• Should you buy it?

The other S20s

• Galaxy S20 Ultra review
• Galaxy S20 Plus review

At a glance

Samsung Galaxy S20

Bottom line: With the richest 120Hz screen around, battery for days, and top-of-the-line performance, Samsung makes a flagship that actually justifies its premium price without being too full of itself or too overstuffed to hold comfortably.

The Good

• Usable one-handed
• Truly impressive battery life
• Vivid daytime and outdoor photos
• Blissfully smooth performance
• Beautiful design with cute colors

The Bad

• Slow fingerprint sensor fails too often
• Only supports sub-6 5G, not mmWave
• PD charging is still slower on most chargers

From $982 at Amazon $1,000 at Best Buy $1,000 at B&H

Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Price & release date

Six months on, the Galaxy S20 is still priced at $950-$1000 at most retailers. Luckily, we can expect to see the Galaxy S20 on sale during Amazon Prime Day 2020 on October 13-14, possibly all models down to $800 or maybe going as low as $650. If you miss Prime Day, you can be assured that the S20 will see plenty of Black Friday 2020 sales.

If you can't wait any longer for your new S20, you can knock off a few hundred through trade-in credits either at Samsung or from your carrier. Now that the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra line is out and available for purchase, that's where the biggest of Samsung's trade-in credits are available, but you can still get up to $450 off your S20 purchase with an eligible trade-in.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Best in the hand and the pocket

This blue baby might be the smallest of the S20 line, but it's just a hair bigger than last year's Galaxy S10 and Note 10. It's the same width of the Pixel 4, but it's taller. We have a handy size chart that helps demonstrate how the profile of the phone stacks up, but what it doesn't show is how the curved sides of the front and back glass help the phone feel so thin in the hand despite it holding a 4,000mAh battery.

This is the only S20 that I can comfortably use one-handed — though for more than one-word SMS replies, you'll still want to use two hands. I also highly recommend a case, because glass back + sweaty palms = shattered phones and hearts. I'm also a big believer in the power of the PopSocket, especially if you intend to use your phone one-handed most of the time like I do.

Samsung has consolidated buttons this year, putting all the buttons on the right side of the screen and combining the Bixby and power buttons. This is great news on all fronts, mainly because it means that taking a screenshot doesn't need you to press-and-hold anymore; just single press the power and volume down buttons.

Around back, Samsung wised up and shoved the camera module to the left corner while also reconfiguring from a row of cameras to a grid for a smaller footprint. While the device may look more symmetrical if they were still dead center, the corner placement means you're less likely to get a finger in the way when you're lining up a shot — especially if you use a phone grip to steady your shooting hand like me. It also means that if you go in for cute cases like Skinit's licensed cases, there's far less chance the camera module will block out a crucial part of the design.

Of course, I'm not sure you'll want to cover up the S20's natural beauty. While the bigger models are mostly confined to grey and black, the regular S20 got two insanely cute colors this year: Cloud Blue and Cloud Pink. The Cloud Blue on my S20 is very pale, bordering on silver at times (which is why I've lovingly nicknamed it Cinderella Blue), but the color shows through enough to give the S20 personality and a soft glow. Cloud Pink is a little more vibrant, but it's definitely not overpowering. Both are cute enough that I strongly advise getting a clear case, since glass backs are grime magnets and get slippery when sweaty.

Check out all the Galaxy S20 colors you can buy today

While it doesn't show up as much in the renders, these two colors still get those refractive rainbows we saw from the Note series last year, though they've been tastefully toned down from the psychedelic Aura Glow. If you're playing with the S20 in sunlight, the rainbows are easy to find, but they're not always there every time when you're inside in more artificial light.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Prepare to be spoiled by 120Hz

The S20 has the smallest screen of the three models, which means that it has the highest pixels per inch, and — at least to my mind — looks the best. Colors are vivid, the screen is easy to read in direct sunlight, as I did for several hours this last week, and 120Hz is smooth as silk when you're flipping through menus and scrolling through your Twitter feed.

Once you turn on 120Hz, you'll never want to go back to a 60Hz screen.

120Hz doubles the rate your phone refreshes what's on the screen, and because it redraws the screen twice as often, that allows motion to look more natural and more fluid. While not turned on by default for a small battery boost — and honestly, the screen still looks better than the Pixel 4 at 60Hz — it's something you'll notice almost immediately the moment you turn it on and never want to turn it off again.

That butter-smooth experience is a much bigger addiction than using the phone at full 1440p resolution, and you have to pick one or the other because when you go to WQHD, it'll kick you back to 60Hz. The difference between 1080p and 1440p isn't one you'll notice at all times, but you'll see 120Hz far more often.

The screen still has a hole punch, but I like it much more centered on the screen rather than stuck to the right corner. The centered cutout blends in with more apps and with more wallpapers this way, and it doesn't jack up the spacing of the status bar at the top as much since the hole punch itself is smaller than last year.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Battery for literal days

The S20 comes with a 4,000mAh battery, which seems small next to the Ultra's 5,000mAh cell, but it also has a smaller screen to illuminate and refresh. In other words, that capacity is more than enough to get you through the average day. In fact, on the default settings — 1080p 60Hz screen, auto-brightness, mostly indoors with Wi-Fi and LTE — I got 11 hours of screen time on a single charge, including 3.5 hours of reading and three hours of Disney Emoji Blitz gameplay.

Even with 120Hz on, you can expect at least four hours of screen time at max brightness outdoors — the screen was easily readable in full sunlight while waiting for the Magic Kingdom's parade and Epcot's Garden Rocks concert — and a battery that should last you all day on anything less than a park-open-to-close, camera-happy vacation day.

No 9V/2A PD charging is a disservice for a $1000 phone.

When using the in-box 25W charger, the S20 will recharge from dead to full in about 75 minutes, but when you're on the go with a power bank or more generic Power Delivery charging, it seems to top out at 15W (9V/1.65A). Granted, the regular S20 doesn't have 45W charging like the Ultra, but it does still have the same strict requirements for fast-charging at 25W, despite the USB Fast Charger certification which should allow it to quick charge with a wider array of Power Delivery chargers.

Now, I'd understand having stricter requirements in place for charging at 30-45W because you can generate a fair bit of heat depending on your setup. Not supporting standard 18W (9V/2A) PD fast charging is a disservice to your customer, especially for a $1000 phone. After all, even $200 Android phones support 9V/2A charging, and so do iPhones. At least this year Samsung is offering two 25W power banks that can fast-charge the S20 on-the-go.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Android 10 goodness with Samsung's secret sauce

With 12GB of memory and the Snapdragon 865, the Galaxy S20 zips along through any app I throw at it, and especially combined with that 120Hz screen, everything is smooth as silk. If you're wary of the S20 because you've been burned by Samsung's software in the past, One UI 2 is adaptable, reliable, and only minimally bloated.

Samsung's software is refined and closer to Pixel than ever.

The software on the S20 is mostly the same as One UI 2 on the Note 10 and S10 — the menus and Samsung apps are mostly designed to avoid making you reach to the top of its extra-tall displays, we finally have a system-wide dark mode that impacts regular apps as well as system apps, and Android 10 brought more granular permission controls to us so that we can try to curtail the amount of location and tracking data an app collects about us. For the Galaxy S20, we do have a small smattering of pre-installed apps — Facebook, a quartet of apps from Microsoft, a few carrier apps, and a dozen non-essential Samsung apps.

Among some of the more notable improvements made this year, one is something that is needed far more on Samsung's less powerful phones: the ability to pin three apps to memory and prevent the phone from ever killing them. I instantly did this with YouTube Music, just to ensure nothing would throw off my groove. The S20 is the first non-Pixel phone to ship with Live Transcribe and Live Caption, which is excellent news from an accessibility standpoint, but will be rarely used by the average user.

Dual Bluetooth returns from the S10 series, allowing you to play music to two different Bluetooth devices at once. I find this more useful than the new Music Share feature that allows your S20 to essentially act as the DJ, building a playlist of music from your and your friends' phones.

If there's any hangup to be had in the S20's performance, it's that the S20 kept the same finicky, almost useless fingerprint sensor as last year's models. There have been some updates here and there, but nothing changes just how little you can rely on it; I use Smart Lock to avoid that sting of disappointment every time I open my phone, but it's still hiding underneath. There are enough other security options that it's not a dealbreaker, but it is a definite annoyance.

About 5G on the Galaxy S20

The smaller S20 is the only of the three models to not support mmWave 5G, only sub-6, which is only in wide use right now on T-Mobile. I don't mind the lack of mmWave because, as Andrew pointed out in our S20 Ultra review, mmWave covers a ridiculously small area — a few hundred feet per antenna. While sub-6 isn't as widely used, it covers a greater area where it is supported and is more reliable, as mmWave can be notoriously finicky to find and maintain a connection on (especially indoors).

There is no sub-6 5G around Orlando, so I did not get to test 5G on my S20. I don't really mind that because, for a large majority of users here in the U.S. and around the world, you won't see 5G this year anyway. Most networks still count 5G coverage in city-blocks and neighborhoods, and some carriers like my long-time provider AT&T require new, expensive plans to get access to it.

If you are on T-Mobile, you can expect 5G to eat up a little bit more battery, but the phone should still get you through the day. For most of us, the 5G radios will be dormant for the next 12-18 months while carriers keep building out the network.

The frustrations of 5G in 2020 on the Galaxy S20 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S20 Big camera improvements, even on the little one

For anyone that needs a tl;dr for the S20 cameras, here's the lowdown: It's much better than the S10 and it's more vivid than the Pixel 4, but Pixel gets the edge at night and on focus. Faces can get a little too smoothed out, night shots are better than ever before but still get blurry if you're not steady, 1080p video is damn smooth, 4K video is great, and 8K is overkill.

Galaxy S20 (left) | Pixel 4 (right): You can see how the Pixel's shots seem dimmer and duller compared to the S20.

The cameras on the Galaxy S20 are a big improvement over last year's S10, and for most daytime and outdoor photography, the S20 looks more vibrant and vivid than the Pixel 4. It's still slower than Pixel on auto-focus, but the S20 doesn't have a time-of-flight sensor like the S20+/Ultra and doesn't suffer from the wonk in its focus as the Ultra does.

As my colleagues saw in our reviews of the Ultra and Galaxy S20+, the Galaxy S20 can over-smooth facial details and make photos of your friends and kids seem soft or blurry at times. However, it seemed to do just fine on performer's faces during parades and performances. I'm honestly okay with the brightening and smoothing it does on faces most of the time, but I do wish it would be a little faster on shutter speeds so that I wouldn't have quite so many shots lost to motion blur with my shaky hands.

This is especially true at night. The S20 is magnitudes better than the S10 for dimmer indoor scenes and nighttime outdoor shots, but I'll tell you right now that just like Night Sight on the Pixel 4, you're not going to want to use Samsung's night mode without a tripod. It just takes too long to avoid moving your hand and blurring the shot. The S20 lets in a lot more light, but its tendency to try and over brighten at night leads to overprocessing and blur from too long of a shutter speed, so plan your shots carefully and consider shooting on Pro mode instead of Auto.

I did get one good shot while on the newest dark ride at Hollywood Studios, but that happened while the ride vehicle was stopped. Otherwise, I got decent videos (no stabilizer/tripod grip), but individual photos were almost always blurred while the ride was in motion. The ultra-wide is handy for selfies and vacation photos in crowded quarters and limited timeframes, though, especially around Galaxy's Edge and the Millenium Falcon.

One area where the S20 has a clear edge over the Pixel is the GIFs, which is a weird thing to say, but I like to take them during fireworks and the like. While Google Photos, you can't use more than about 40 images to create an animation, but Samsung's Gallery app will let you turn a 100-frame burst shot into a 640x480 GIF. You can even control the speed and add stickers, text, and emoji to the gif as you create it. Is this a totally niche function? Yes, but it's a really nice niche function.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Oddities and observations

No matter how great a phone is, there are always some minor quirks and annoyances. Some of them are bad, some of them are hidden gems, and most are just little things to be aware of:

• This is the first Samsung phone I've ever come across that uses Absolute Volume by default. Most of you probably won't even notice, especially if you come to the S20 from a Pixel or an iPhone, but if you're upgrading from another Samsung, it'll be weird. You can disable it, but you'll have to unlock the Developer options menu to do so.
• In order to use the Android 10 gesture navigation on the S20, you have to use Samsung's launcher. This is a holdover from Google not having its act together when it published Android 10 — only the Pixel 4 lets you use third-party launchers with 10's gesture nav right now — but it's frustrating that after six months, Google still hasn't shared the fix with other manufacturers. Sharing is caring, Google.
• If you have to be stuck with Samsung's "One UI Home" launcher for gesture nav, do yourself a favor and turn on "Swipe down for notification panel" in the launcher's limited settings menu. I don't know why this isn't on by default, but at least it's an option this year.
• There are a couple of quirks to the camera app this year, but the biggest one is that holding down the shutter no longer triggers burst mode: it starts shooting a video. To take a burst shot or a gif, you drag the shutter button to the edge of the screen. It's also really easy to swap between modes when you're adjusting the exposure of a shot, so make sure you tap directly on the slider.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Should you buy it?

Speaking purely from a value standpoint, the Galaxy S20 is the clear winner of the series. For at least $200 less than the other models, you get just as good a camera experience, the same excellent performance, distinct Samsung software, a more pixel-dense screen, and a reasonably-sized phone that will actually fit in a ladies' hand and in some jean pockets. Oh, and you get actual colors instead of boring black and grey.

Even against the latest from Google and Apple, the Samsung Galaxy S20 holds its own and then some. Its battery runs rings around the Pixel, it has the best screen in the industry, and unlike the iPhone 11, it's got sub-6 5G for you to take advantage of in one-two years when networks have actually been built out enough to take advantage of it.

4.5 out of 5

The Galaxy S20 is going to be the phone to beat in 2020, especially for sexy smooth screens and unkillable battery life. I legitimately have to try in order to kill the battery before sundown, which is probably the biggest praise I can give a phone. The Galaxy S20 is the perfect size for my life, but it's also a powerhouse just like the big boys.

The reasonable choice

Samsung Galaxy S20

With the richest 120Hz screen around, battery for days, and top-of-the-line performance, Samsung makes a flagship that actually justifies its premium price without being too full of itself or too overstuffed to hold comfortably.

From $982 at Amazon $1,000 at Best Buy $1,000 at B&H

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Xiaomi MIUI 12 (Android 11) hands-on: Not ready for prime-time just yet android os

MIUI 12 gets a fresh set of features thanks to Android 11, but the beta build is not ready for public use.

Xiaomi is doing things differently in 2020. The Chinese manufacturer switched focus from the value flagship segment to the high-end category, with the Mi 10 series going up against the best Android phones. The move is working out pretty well for the brand; the Mi 10 Pro in particular is one of the best phones you can buy now.

Xiaomi is also paying more attention to software updates. MIUI 12 was introduced a few months ago with exciting new features across the board, and it is now making its way to millions of Xiaomi phones. The MIUI 12 update is based on Android 10, but Xiaomi is offering a build based on Android 11 for the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro, serving up a first look at how the latest features in Android 11 have been integrated into MIUI. So let's take a look at what's new with MIUI 12 based on Android 11, and when the update will be available on your Xiaomi phone.

The right stuff

Xiaomi Mi 10

$605 at Amazon ₹49,999 at Amazon India

Fantastic camera, gorgeous design

The Mi 10 ticks all the right boxes. It has a stunning 90Hz AMOLED screen backed by high-end internal hardware, and it has the same 108MP primary camera as the Galaxy S20 Ultra but for several hundred dollars less. MIUI 12 is a breath of fresh air, with Xiaomi adding dozens of meaningful features to every part of the interface.

MIUI 12 (Android 11):

• Make your conversations stand out
• Chat bubbles extend the conversation
• Control Center gets device controls
• Safeguard your privacy
• There are plenty of bugs to fix
• Here's when it is coming to your phone

Conversations view is here in MIUI 12

Conversations view is a marquee addition in Android 11 that puts all one-on-one and group conversations at the top of your notifications, and MIUI 12 picks up the feature. Xiaomi hasn't made any changes to Google's implementation, with the Conversations view showing up at the top of the notifications list. Like the Pixels, you get the ability to set priority for incoming messages, or deselect an app itself from showing up in the window.

Chat bubbles are also included in MIUI 12 — but with a caveat

Chat bubbles are also baked into MIUI 12, but I wasn't able to test out the feature because there aren't many services that use the feature yet. That's set to change in the coming weeks as the likes of WhatsApp and Telegram integrate the Bubbles API that's needed for chat bubbles to work in Android 11.

Control Center in MIUI 12 gets the smart home dashboard

Xiaomi is adding smart home controls into Control Center — the new dashboard that houses controls for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, and settings tiles. I haven't been able to take a look at how the feature integrates into Control Center as the current build is buggy, but I'll update this post once I switch to a more stable build.

MIUI 12 gets all the new privacy features in Android 11

Xiaomi overhauled privacy settings in MIUI 12, giving you an easy overview of all the permissions in use by apps and easy ways to manage that access. It is a much-needed change and is one of the biggest additions in MIUI 12, and with the Android 11 build, Xiaomi is integrating all the new features Google introduced.

That includes one-time permissions for things like camera and microphone access, mandatory Scoped Storage that ensures apps don't get full access to the file system, and auto-reset permissions for apps you don't use often. The Android 11 features combined with the privacy dashboard in MIUI 12 make for an incredibly powerful combination, and gives Xiaomi an edge in this area.

Should you install MIUI 12 based on Android 11?

Right now, the MIUI 12 build based on Android 11 is limited to the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro, and it is a closed beta. There's good reason for that, because the build itself is very buggy and not ready for consumer use just yet. I've had to use the legacy navigation buttons instead of gestures; that's because I wasn't able to get gestures working reliably on the build on my Mi 10 Pro.

The interface isn't optimized for the 90Hz panel, making animations janky, and there are constant app and system crashes. Then there's a particularly bothersome lock screen issue where the in-screen fingerprint sensor fails and the prompt to key in the PIN doesn't always show up, preventing you from logging in to the phone.

And when I tried to enable the Control Center to try out the new smart home dashboard, the UI crashed. I wasn't able to log back in, so I had to downgrade to the stable MIUI 12 build running Android 10. I'll switch back to the Android 11 build once it gets a few stability fixes and update this post with screenshots, but for now, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer to try out Android 11 on your Xiaomi phone.

When it the Android 11-based MIUI 12 update coming to my phone?

Xiaomi hasn't committed to a timeline for its Android 11-based MIUI 12 update, but it should make its way to the Mi 10 series before the end of the year. Xiaomi will deliver the Android 11 update to over 30 phones in its portfolio, so if you're using a Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO device launched in the last 18 months, you should get the update.

Xiaomi dominates the best cheap Android phones segment in countries like India, and with the manufacturer doing a better job rolling out new software builds, we should see the Android 11-based MIUI 12 build become available in the coming weeks. I'll have more to share on this front once Xiaomi shares a timeline for Android 11 rollout.

The right stuff

Xiaomi Mi 10

$605 at Amazon ₹49,999 at Amazon India

Fantastic camera, gorgeous design

The Mi 10 ticks all the right boxes. It has a stunning 90Hz AMOLED screen backed by high-end internal hardware, and it has the same 108MP primary camera as the Galaxy S20 Ultra but for several hundred dollars less. MIUI 12 is a breath of fresh air, with Xiaomi adding dozens of meaningful features to every part of the interface.

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Presidential debate 2020 live stream: How to watch Trump vs. Biden debate android os

Donald Trump and Joe Biden will finally debate each other, face-to-face on September 29 during the first presidential debate. With just over a month until the November 3 election date, this debate should provide voters a critical look at how each candidate directly compares. This first debate will be helmed by Fox News' Chris Wallace as the moderator.

This debate will be 90 minutes long and be broken up into 15-minute segments around several different topics. The format should allow for each person to provide some back and forth before moving on. Additionally, there will be no commercial breaks taking place.

We know that the exact questions will be evolving up until the last minute to include all news-related developments. The subjects of those questions have been announced though and will cover each candidates' prior records, the economy, COVID-19, the Supreme Court, and racial divides in our cities. Previous presidential debates have sometimes been less interesting, but there's a palpable tension that should make this debate compelling.

First presidential debate: Where and when?

The first presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump will take place Tuesday, September 29. The event begins at 9:00 PM ET. The election is just over a month away and this debate, taking place at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, will surely provide plenty to talk about.

Watch the first presidential debate online from the U.S.

In the U.S., the first presidential debate will be broadcast on all major news networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, C-SPAN, Fox, MSNBC, NBC, and MSNBC.

Not only will it be shown on the major networks, but you can catch the 90-minute debate on YouTube as well.

Hulu TV, FuboTV, AT&T TV Now, and Sling TV will all carry the debate. Sling TV may be the most compelling choice for subscribers and non-subscribers. Anyone can tune into CNN Town Hall's coverage without even entering a credit card. Of course, you can watch the debate on other channels, like CNN (SLING Blue, $30/mo. or SLING Orange, $30/mo.), if you are a Sling subscriber.

Sling TV

Free at Sling

Watch the Presidential Debate for FREE with CNN's Town Hall on Sling Free — no account or credit card required.

Watch the first presidential debate online from anywhere

There are plenty of free ways to access the first presidential debate from around the world. For those Political junkies who can't tune in directly for various reasons might be better served with a workaround.

That's where one of the best VPNs (Virtual Private Network) can really come in handy. They allow you to virtually change the IP address of your laptop, tablet or mobile to one that's back in your home country which will let you watch as if you were back there.

VPNs are incredibly easy to use and have the added benefit of providing you with an additional layer of security when surfing the web. There are also a lot of options but we recommend ExpressVPN as our top pick due to its speed, security, and ease of use. The service can even be used on a wide array of operating systems and devices (e.g. iOS, Android, Smart TVs, Fire TV Stick, Roku, game consoles, etc). Sign up for ExpressVPN now and enjoy a 49% discount and 3 months FREE with an annual subscription. You can even test it out for yourself thanks to the service's 30-day money-back guarantee. Looking for more options?

Here are some other VPNs that are on sale right now.

ExpressVPN

See latest price at ExpressVPN

No matter where in the world you may be, a VPN is one of the easiest ways to watch the 2020 presidential debate. Get in on this deal now!

Watch the first presidential debate online from Canada

Those in Canada eager to hear how Biden and Trump face off against each other should be able to tune in via YouTube. If you'd prefer a different network's stream you can take advantage of a VPN option to gain access to Sling or other network's coverage.

Watch the first presidential debate online from UK

Similar to Canada, the best option for ex-pats or anyone abroad looking to keep up with the news coming from the debate, will be to tune in via YouTube. While Sling TV is only available for U.S. subscribers, there may be a VPN solution that can help you gain access to the full lineup of news networks on the streaming TV service.

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Amazon's The Lord of the Rings Resumes Production in New Zealand: Report

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Fortnite Still Off App Store as Epic Games Fails to Convince Judge

Epic Games on Monday failed to convince a US judge to make Apple put its hit title Fortnite back in the tech giant's App Store, while their legal battle heads for a possible trial next year.

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Elon Musk Plans IPO for SpaceX's Starlink Business

Tesla CEO Elon Musk plans to list SpaceX's space internet venture, Starlink, several years in the future when revenue growth is smooth and predictable.

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Android 12 Will Make Using Third-Party App Stores Easier, Google Says *APP_NEWS*

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The OnePlus Nord has arrived — here's everything you need to know! android os

The spiritual successor to the OnePlus X is here.

The OnePlus Nord marks the start of a new product line for OnePlus The company is getting back to its roots of creating truly affordable smartphones that deliver quality user experiences for as little money as possible — something it's shifted away from with devices like the OnePlus 8 Pro.

OnePlus Nord is one of the most enticing phones from OnePlus we've seen in a while, and if you're eager to learn all about it, you've come to the right place. From official specs, pricing, and our impressions of the phone, here's everything you need to know about OnePlus Nord!

Nice balance

OnePlus Nord

£379 at Amazon UK ₹27,999 at Amazon India

A new value standard

The OnePlus Nord delivers all the features you're looking for in a value flagship. There's a 90Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 765G chipset with 5G connectivity, a 48MP camera at the back, and all-day battery life with 30W wired charging. Add a clean software interface and you get one of the best values in 2020.

Jump to:

• The OnePlus Nord is really cheap
• Here's where you can buy the Nord
• A new model is coming to the U.S.
• Go read our full review
• Here's what the phone looks like
• OnePlus offers exciting specs
• The start of a new product line
• It's a sequel to the OnePlus X
• Don't forget about the OnePlus 8

How much does the OnePlus Nord cost?

The big draw to the OnePlus Nord is that it marks OnePlus' return to affordable smartphones, and that's clearly evident by how much OnePlus is asking for the phone.

If you live in the UK or Europe, the OnePlus Nord costs £379 (around $480 USD) and €399 ($450), respectively. Indian customers, however, are able to buy the phone for even less at just ₹24,999 ($335).

India has one of the most competitive smartphone markets on the planet, particularly when it comes to getting a good deal. So many companies do what they can to deliver excellent phones at low prices in the country, and this is something OnePlus knocked out of the park with the Nord. Combine that with excellent specs, a great design, and clean software with timely updates, and the OnePlus Nord stands out as a clear winner in the Indian market.

When and where can I buy the OnePlus Nord?

The OnePlus Nord is available in 31 countries across the globe. That's an impressive launch for the company and should result in the Nord becoming immensely popular, but there is one market that's missing out on it — the United States.

OnePlus is focusing on European countries and India with the Nord, which is where it expects the phone to sell the best. A few lucky OnePlus fans got the chance to use the Nord in the U.S., but a full-on launch isn't happening any time soon. Per OnePlus CEO Pete Lau:

A select number of users in North America will also get a chance to experience the new device through a highly limited beta program after launch.

That's certainly a bummer if you live in the U.S. and were hoping to buy the Nord as your next smartphone, but now for the good part. OnePlus is set to launch another model in the Nord series that will be available in the U.S.

What is the OnePlus Nord N10 5G and is it coming to the U.S.?

While the OnePlus Nord isn't available in the U.S., OnePlus is releasing another model in the series called the OnePlus Nord N10 5G that will go on sale in the U.S. for around $400 later this year.

We revealed that the Nord N10 5G will be powered by a Snapdragon 690 chipset with 5G connectivity, and the phone will have a 90Hz panel, and 64MP camera at the back.

The fact that a new Nord model is launching in the U.S. makes it that much more enticing, and at $400 it will be going up against the likes of the Pixel 4a. It has the potential to be one of the best mid-range phones in the U.S., and there is a lot of excitement for the device.

Have we reviewed the OnePlus Nord?

If you're interested in learning more about the Nord, you should read our detailed review. The Nord holds up just as well as the OnePlus 8 in real-world use, and the value on offer is incredible.

From our review:

What OnePlus has managed to achieve with the Nord is commendable. You don't miss out on any of the core features that make OnePlus' flagships stand out, and that makes the Nord a particularly great option if you're looking to buy a phone for under $500 in 2020.

As the Nord borrows a lot of the core features from the OnePlus 8, you ultimately get a device that delivers 90% of the same features at 60% of the cost.

What does the OnePlus Nord look like?

The front of the OnePlus Nord is home to a 6.44-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, slim bezels, and a hole-punch cutout in the top-left. The display also isn't curved at all, which is something you do get on the 8 and 8 Pro. You'll also notice that the Nord has two cameras on the front, which is a first for any OnePlus phone.

Gorilla Glass 5 covers the front and back of the OnePlus Nord, giving it a very premium in-hand feel despite its low price. The glossy finish for the glass is different from the matte one on the OnePlus 8 series, but even so, it still looks excellent (especially in that Blue Marble color). The mid-frame is made out of plastic, and you get metal buttons for the volume rocker, power/lock button, and alert slider.

Around back, the Nord opts for a left-mounted rear camera bump, an LED flash, and a couple of OnePlus logos. On the bottom, you're treated to a USB-C port and speaker grille. There isn't a 3.5mm headphone jack, which isn't all that surprising seeing as how the last OnePlus phone to offer it was the OnePlus 6 from 2018.

All-in-all, the OnePlus Nord has an excellent design. You could argue that it's not as eye-catching as something like the OnePlus 8 or 8 Pro, but given just how cheap the phone is, we're more than happy with what OnePlus was able to achieve.

What specs does the OnePlus Nord have?

OnePlus phones are known for delivering flagship specs at lower prices than their rivals. The OnePlus Nord is a little bit different in these regards as its the first OnePlus phone to ship without a Snapdragon 800-series chipset, but that doesn't mean its specs are bad. In fact, these are some of the best specs you'll find for a sub-$500 smartphone.

Category	Features
Operating System	OxygenOS 10.5 based on Android 10
Display	6.44-inch 90Hz Fluid AMOLED 2400x1080 Gorilla Glass 5
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G 1 x 2.4GHz Cortex A76 1 x 2.2GHz Cortex A76 6 x 1.8GHz Cortex A55
GPU	Adreno 620
RAM	6GB/8GB/12GB
Storage	64GB/128GB/256GB
Rear Camera 1	48MP, f/1.75 (Sony IMX586) 0.8μm, OIS, EIS 4K at 30fps
Rear Camera 2	8MP wide-angle, f/2.25 119-degree field-of-view
Rear Camera 3	2MP macro, f/2.4
Rear Camera 4	5MP portrait lens, f/2.4
Front Camera 1	32MP, f/2.45 (Sony IMX616) 0.8μm, EIS, fixed focus
Front Camera 2	8MP, f/2.45 105-degree field-of-view
Battery	4115mAh non-removable
Charging	USB-C 2.0 30W Warp Charge 30T
Security	In-display fingerprint sensor (optical)
Dimensions	158.3 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
Weight	184g
Colors	Blue Marble, Grey Onyx

The Snapdragon 765 powering the Nord has proven to be a big talking point for 2020. It's a chip that allows for fast performance and 5G connectivity without the insane cost of the 865, and we've tested it extensively.

OnePlus offers plenty of RAM and storage options for the Nord, and even the baseline offering of 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is pretty great for a phone in this price category. We're also excited to see that large 4,115 mAh battery, which is of course backed by OnePlus's Warp Charge 30T wired charging.

Add that together with an impressive array of cameras, a 90Hz OLED display, and you're looking at one beast of a phone.

Is the OnePlus Nord part of a new product line?

Back when the OnePlus Nord was thought to be the "OnePlus 8 Lite," we were expecting it to be a typical release for the company. It would obviously target a lower price than we'd seen from past OnePlus phones, but at the end of the day, that's all it would be — another OnePlus phone. Now, we know that it's a much bigger deal.

On June 23, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau shared a post on the OnePlus forums to announce the creation of a new "affordable smartphone product line."

As we have always done when we try something new, we are going to start relatively small with this new product line by first introducing it in Europe and India. But don't worry, we're also looking to bring more affordable smartphones to North America in the near future as well.

This new product team is led by Paul Yu, who has headed product hardware development for many of our previous flagship devices over the past 5 years. We've also assembled a team of young, creative and enthusiastic OnePlus staff from all over the world, who have been working tirelessly over the past few months to bring this product line to life.

Shortly after that on June 30, OnePlus made the name official via a video on its OnePlus Nord Instagram page. In the video, OnePlus CEO and founder Pete Lau says:

Launching the OnePlus Nord product line marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for OnePlus. The 'Never Settle' spirit is centered around sharing the best technology and products with the world, but it is also about challenging ourselves and going beyond our comfort zone. We are immensely proud of our flagship products and will continue to create more tech-leading flagships for our users. Now we are excited to share the OnePlus experience with even more users around the world through this new product line.

All of this is to say that OnePlus Nord is the start of a new beginning for OnePlus. It's been exciting to watch the company compete more and more closely with the likes of Samsung and Apple with its flagship releases, but more premium phones has also resulted in considerably higher prices.

With the launch of Nord, OnePlus can continue focusing on its higher-end handsets while also offering a robust budget option. That's indeed the case with the Nord N10 5G, and OnePlus is planning on following it up with a $200 entry-level option dubbed the Nord N100.

Is the OnePlus Nord a successor to the OnePlus X?

Unless you've been following OnePlus from the very beginning, there's a good chance you don't remember the OnePlus X. Honestly, we don't blame you.

The OnePlus X was released in October 2015, just a few months after the OnePlus 2 hit the scene. The idea behind the OnePlus X was to deliver the OnePlus experience at the lowest price possible, resulting in a $249 phone that offered a 5-inch Full HD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 801 chipset, 3GB of RAM, and a 13MP rear camera. At the time, those were great specs for a phone so cheap.

Unfortunately for OnePlus, the phone was plagued by poor cameras, weak battery life, and just never captivated a similar audience that its other phones had.

The OnePlus X remains as the most affordable handset OnePlus has ever sold, but the OnePlus Nord gets awfully close to it with a price of around $335 in India.

Should I just get the OnePlus 8 instead?

There's no denying that the OnePlus Nord is an exciting phone, but the fact of the matter is that it's not available for purchase in the United States. If you live in the U.S. and want a OnePlus phone, check out the OnePlus 8 or wait for the Nord N10 5G.

The OnePlus 8 is a lot more expensive than what the OnePlus Nord costs, but it's still a pretty good price considering everything it brings to the table. Some highlights for the phone include a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 865 chipset, up to 12GB of RAM, and a 4,300 mAh battery.

The OnePlus 8 isn't the absolute best value we've ever seen from the company, but if you're shopping for a new Android handset, it's definitely one of the top ones you should consider.

Nice balance

OnePlus Nord

£379 at Amazon UK ₹27,999 at Amazon India

A new value standard

The OnePlus Nord delivers all the features you're looking for in a value flagship. There's a 90Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 765G chipset with 5G connectivity, a 48MP camera at the back, and all-day battery life with 30W wired charging. Add a clean software interface and you get one of the best values in 2020.

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