The Hisense Ultra QLED TV (65U7QF) is a smart television launched by Chinese electronics maker Hisense, which made its India debut recently with a whole range of ‘Made in India’ smart TVs based on the Android operating system. Priced at Rs 89,990, the Hisense Ultra QLED TV is not the most affordable 65-inch quantum smart TV with a light-emitting diode (QLED) screen. And, it does not have anything truly exclusive about it.

Why then should you even consider it? Let’s find out:

Design

The Hisense Ultra QLED TV’s front is dominated by a mammoth 65-inch screen with limited bezels on the sides that neither cause distraction nor increase the TVs dimensions to make it unnecessarily big. The TV might not have a gigantic build, but it is heavy and protrudes too much on the back side. Like other TVs, you can either mount it on the wall or place it on a flat table. The bulge makes hanging it on the wall an unattractive idea. It looks better mounted on the table. Thankfully, it uses a centre stand, and not legs, so that keeps it firm without taking much space.

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Samsung is hosting another Galaxy Unpacked event on September 23 where the South Korean electronics maker is likely to launch the Galaxy S20 Fan edition smartphone. Titled ‘Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan’, the virtual event will livestream on company’s web portal.

The Galaxy S20 Fan edition is expected to be a new variant in the company’s Galaxy S20-series. The phone is expected to features a 6.5-inch super AMOLED screen of fullHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Like other Samsung premium smartphones, the Galaxy S20 Fan edition would be based on two different mobile platforms — Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 system-on-chip and Exynos 990.

The model with Qualcomm chip is expected to feature 5G connectivity, whereas, the Exynos 990 model would be targeted to International markets like India where 5G is still work in progress.

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Amitabh Bachchan has partnered with Amazon to power the company’s digital assistant Alexa, which is available on the Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote, Fire TV Edition, Alexa app, Amazon shopping app for Android, and several other third-party devices like mobile phones, Bluetooth speakers, headphones, wearables and smart TVs.

“Technology has always given me an opportunity to adapt to new forms. Be it in movies, TV shows, podcasts and now, I am excited to create this voice experience in partnership with Amazon and Alexa. With voice technology, we are building something to engage more effectively with my audience and well-wishers,” said Amitabh Bachchan.

ALSO READ: Now Indian users can enjoy Spotify with Amazon Alexa on Echo devices

Set to launch next year as a paid voice skill for Alexa, Amitabh Bachchan’s voice will be available for commonly used Alexa offerings, including jokes, weather, shayaris, motivational quotes, advice and more. Once available, you can invoke the Amitabh Bachchan skill by saying “Alexa, Say Hello to Mr Amitabh Bachchan” on any Alexa-enabled device.

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The Redmi 9 Prime is the top model in Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi’s Redmi 9 series. Priced Rs 9,999 onwards, the smartphone boast a screen of the fullHD resolution, has a quad-camera set-up on the back, a big-capacity battery with fast charging support, and P2i dust- and water-resistance coating. These are some features that are hard to find in a smartphone priced under Rs 10,000. So, the Redmi 9 Prime looks like a go-to smartphone in the budget segment. But how does it fare as a complete product? Let’s find out:Design

For a budget smartphone, the Redmi 9 Prime has a good build and inspiring design. Made of plastic, the smartphone has a textured back cover that provides good in-hand grip. It feels comfortable to hold and operate, despite a form factor that is wide and tall.

The phone’s rear camera module does not protrude much from the frame. Therefore, it does not wobble on flat surfaces, unless you do a pressure touch on the top side of the screen. As for the screen, it is covered under Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against scratches and smudges. It is not the best iteration of Gorilla Glass you get on a budget smartphone, but this is better than not having any protection at all. The phone also has a P2i coating for protection against minor water spillage and dust.

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Google Maps for Apple Watch is now available with the latest watchOS update, more than three years after the search giant pulled the app from the device for reasons still unknown.

Google Maps for Apple Watch is rolling out with version 5.52 on the App Store, reports 9To5Google.

Google first announced that Google Maps would be returning to Apple’s wearable in August.

There was a Google Maps for Apple Watch app, but Google ended watchOS support in 2017.

On the Apple Watch, Google Maps is focused on providing step-by-step directions, as well as estimated arrival times.

The app’s primary screen shows the “Current trip,” while there’s a list of “Travel times” below which includes Home, Work, and any other saved shortcuts/destinations.

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South Korean electronics maker Samsung on Thursday launched in India its Galaxy M51 smartphone. It comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants priced at Rs 24,999 and Rs 26,999, respectively. Both the RAM variants come with 128GB internal storage, expandable through a dedicated microSD card slot that supports storage card of up to 512GB capacity. The phone goes on sale on September 18 at Samsung online portal and Amazon.

The Galaxy M51 is a midrange smartphone in the company’s millennial-centric M series. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G system-on-chip, paired with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage. The phone boots Android 10 operating system-based OneUI Core 2.1. It has a 6.7-inch super AMOLED Plus screen of fullHD+ resolution and 20:9 aspect ratio. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

The phone boasts reflective covered on the back made of glastic, which is a fancy name for plastic with glass-like properties.

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Apple Marina Bay Sands is a first-of-its-kind floating retail store with a glass dome that appears as a floating sphere and sits directly on the water. To be thrown open for the public on Thursday, the store introduces a new retail experience at one of the most iconic locations in the country, the company said.

The all-glass dome structure is fully self-supported, and has 114 pieces of glass with only 10 narrow vertical mullions for structural connection. Inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, an oculus located at the apex of the dome provides a flooding ray of light that travels through the space, according to Apple.

Visitors can also receive personal technical support or simply take in the stunning view of Marina Bay. “The Forum is centered around a Video Wall, which will serve as the stage for ‘Today at Apple’ sessions featuring Singapore’s artists, musicians and creators.

Apple opened its first store in Singapore at the Knightsbridge building along Orchard Road in 2017. Its second store, located at Jewel Changi Airport, opened in July last year. Apple Orchard Road was also the first Apple store to open in South-east Asia, according to reports. The new store is Apple’s 512th location worldwide.

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Google Cloud partners are expected to generate $6.11 in 2020 and up to $8.33 in revenue for every $1 of Google Cloud products sold, giving them an opportunity to grow more than 3.7 times by 2025, an IDC study said on Wednesday.

On an average, Google Cloud partners are growing at 35 per cent (year-over-year), with a significant group of partners (20 per cent) growing even faster, at more that 75 per cent.

“The demand for cloud technology and services is growing rapidly in India. The partner ecosystem here is looking to work with cloud providers like us to help businesses of all sizes embark on a digital transformation journey,” said Amitabh Jacob, Head of Partners & Alliances, Google Cloud India.

Nearly 50 per cent of Google Cloud partners are in the late stage of digital maturity and more than a third of Google Cloud partners have fully integrated digital into their strategies and businesses.

“Our goal of 100 per cent partner attachment will create more opportunities for our partners to provide valuable services to customers and help them build for the future,” Jacob said.

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Microsoft has made Office editing available on Android devices that will allow its G Suite users edit, comment and collaborate on Word, PowerPoint or Excel.

The Office editing is already available to all G Suite customers and users with personal Google Accounts on the web.

According to the company, the feature allows users to collaborate on Microsoft Office files using Google Docs’, Sheets’, and Slides’ powerful real-time collaboration tools.

“It improves sharing options, sharing controls and reduces the need to download and email file attachments,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

Office editing will replace QuickOffice (also known aas Office Compatibility Mode), which has more limited functionality and collaboration capabilities.

For the end users, this feature will be on by default. File types such as .doc, .docx, .xls, and .ppt are all supported.

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From affordable fitness bands to luxury smartwatches, wearables come in all shapes and sizes for every need. Yet, the Android ecosystem had no smartwatch that could be as reliable, intriguing and feature-rich as Apple Watch for iPhones. Well, not until now.

The recently launched OPPO Watch seems for the Android ecosystem a smartwatch as good as the Apple Watch. Based on Google’s WearOS platform, the OPPO Watch is compatible with most Android devices. Though the WearOS has not fundamentally improved for ages, OPPO has done a commendable job to build a smartwatch that seems married to the operating system and brings forward the OS strengths in a way not explored before.

Is OPPO Watch the smartwatch the Android ecosystem needed? Let’s find out:OPPO Watch: Design

The OPPO Watch (46mm) seems to have taken inspiration from the Apple Watch (review) in more ways than one. Though its design seems inspired by the Apple Watch, it does not look like a cheap imitation. It looks like a new iteration that might not be unique in its own right, but is fresh nonetheless. The OPPO Watch’s case is made of 6000-series aluminium with reinforced glass at the top and ceramic heart rate sensor at the bottom. For ease of use, there are two programmable buttons on the right side of the frame. These buttons improve usability without adding any distraction to the OPPO Watch’s seamless design. On the left side, there is a loudspeaker. Its muted output, however, does not add much to the utility besides the fact that you can attend calls on the move without taking the phone out from your pocket.

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