tech
realme sets bar high with trendsetting designs
Youth-centric brand realme has been able to stand out from others as creating smartphones and setting new design trend have always been at the forefront of their innovative pursuits.
realme smartphones have always been a favorite among the tech-savvy people. Even the international design community has taken notice of realme’s persistent efforts to improvise their products with innovative and out-of-the-box design aesthetics.
Read:Realme 9 Pro Series soon to be launched globally
With the release of realme 8 series, this brand introduced dynamic speed light design. The back cover is inspired by the Fast & Furious series, taking the speeding headlights from the movie and projecting them on the back of the phone to create a dynamic change of light when the phone is shaken. Whereas realme took smartphone design to another level with their GT Series phones.
To make all the designs all the more striking and trendier, realme keeps collaborating with internationally-acclaimed designers. For instance – renowned Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa has designed the appealing appearance of realme GT Master Edition. Drawing inspiration from suitcases and travel stories, GT Master Edition has been designed into a ‘suitcase’ shape.
Read realme registers stunning global growth in 2021
The spectacular use of high tolerance gray color encourages the users to keep exploring in their lives and take a leap. Moreover, environment-friendly Vegan Leather and the split vegan leather process were used in designing realme GT Master Edition.
For another phone from GT Series – realme GT NEO 2, this smartphone brand came up with NEO design comprising of high-saturation neon green color with a view to blending nature and technology. Inspired from the colors of the sunrise, the NEO Blue design was developed, powered by 8 Gradient Color Nano Layers, that creates a lively and refreshed outlook among the users.
Read Smartphone and Tab Expo 2022: Realme showcases innovation excellence
realme has taken another leap while designing their upcoming release – realme 9i. This new phone flaunts stereo prism design with 5-axis CNC precision machining, creating a unique design of unequal edge and angle processing. The prismatic texture in the light creates a visual feel of ‘light in the movement’.
Despite being a comparatively young brand, realme has won five top international design awards such as the Good Designed Award 2020 for three different products, the Red Dot Design Award for the realme X2 Pro, the Golden Pin Award and more. As the trendsetter in the market, realme is committed to plowing back its revenue into innovation to meet the demands of the Smartphone aficionados.
Read Realme launches GT 2 Series globally Tuesday
Vivo T1 Review: A Solution Based Device or an Average Handset?
Vivo, a Chinese corporation, never stands static and strives to adapt to both rival activities and fan demands. The latest T-series is targeted at the mid-price market, which is now seeing the most intense competition amongst significant manufacturers. The star of today's review Vivo T1 will be the first phone in the series and, when combined, a device capable of displacing a sizable portion of the brand's audience from Xiaomi, Samsung, and other competitors.
Key Features of Vivo T1
While retaining Vivo's superior quality, the T1 achieves a full balance and is very cost-efficient. Let's continue reading my essay to discover it.
Design
This Vivo T1 has an "Electric Light Blue" colour scheme, and the whole machine is designed with a gradient colour scheme, which gives the entire machine a dreamy appearance. Thanks to the blue and white gradient, it looks quite nice aesthetically. Additionally, the Vivo T1 achieves two coating effects via the employment of a double-layer diaphragm method in conjunction with a complicated two-time texture transfer technology.
Read Top 10 Best Phones around 15000 Taka in February 2022
The most significant feature of the Vivo T1 is its groundbreaking flash point crystal diamond technology, which allows the phone's back cover to visually display complete life and a feeling of the future as the angle of the light changes. Simultaneously, the incredibly fine matte texture not only improves the phone's smoothness but also helps avoid fingerprint contamination.
Display
The Vivo T1's front panel has a 6.67-inch LCD centred full perforated screen with a resolution of 2400*1080 pixel, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 240Hz sampling rate. With a 96 percent NTSC colour gamut, the image is smooth, and the control is snappy. Additionally, it has the HBM highlight mode, which maintains a superb display effect in bright sunlight.
The Vivo T1's rear panel has been updated as well. The double-layer diaphragm and flash point crystal diamond technologies provide distinct visual experiences at each angle, while the delicate frosting treatment significantly improves the touch.
Read Xiaomi 12X Review: Is It the New Flagship Killer?
Rear Cameras
Vivo T1 is aimed at young people, which means that it not only provides a good gaming experience but also meets their photographic demands. The Vivo T1's full-scene ultra-clear camera setup, which includes a 64-megapixel primary camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a macro lens, is capable of recording anything from vast sceneries to minute things. Furthermore, the Vivo T1 offers a variety of photography settings, including Super Night Scene 3.0 and Fun Play Meipai. The functions are rather extensive.
In terms of night scene photography, the Vivo T1's overall image performance is not awful in a typical night scene scenario, with the brightness and sharpness controls enabled, and the suppression of noise and glare is also rather decent. There is nothing to criticize about the whole photograph. However, the Vivo T1 seems a bit stretched in low-light scenarios, with fuzzy details and an excess of brightness.
Front Cameras
The Vivo T1 has a 16-megapixel front-facing selfie camera that utilizes clever and tuned beauty algorithms to create delicate, natural-looking selfies. While this is not a camera phone, it has benefitted from Vivo's years of experience with mobile phone photography. Strive to satisfy the everyday requirements of photography. Additionally, the mobile phone offers super anti-shake video, which results in steadier video shooting.
Read Oppo Reno7 SE 5G Review: Can it rule the upper mid-range segment?
Performance and Software
In the mid-range market, the Vivo T1 is packed with the highly regarded Snapdragon 778G CPU. This device is manufactured on a 6nm process and has an eight-core CPU with quite a bit of horsepower. Additionally, Vivo T1 uses LPDDR5 running memory and UFS 3.1 flash memory, which, when combined with the new memory fusion 2.0 technology, provides a significant performance advantage in the same price range, fully capable of meeting the user's performance requirements in a variety of application scenarios.
In terms of gameplay experience, once you've entered the Glory of Kings game, the frame rate, visual quality, and resolution are all set to their maximum settings. The Vivo T1's performance is quite consistent throughout the game, with practically no noticeable frame rate variations. The image is without delay or lag. Additionally, the Vivo T1 supports the King of Glory's 90 frame rate setting. Following the launch, the game's general smoothness was enhanced, although the frame rate remained the same.
Although the Vivo T1's frame rate fluctuates somewhat in the high-quality setting of the peace elite mobile game, the overall performance is still commendable. Everything is really seamless, from picking up goods on the ground to just firing in team engagements. With a 120Hz refresh rate capacity and a sampling rate of 240Hz, the entire experience is near-perfect.
Read Best Upcoming Smartphones in Bangladesh in February 2022
Battery and Charger
The Vivo T1 has a 5000mAh large-capacity battery and 44W ultra-fast flash charging. According to official statistics, it can be completely charged to 70% capacity in 37 minutes and to 100% capacity in roughly 60 minutes. Additionally, there is a five-layer heat dissipation system that can be charged without heating while playing.
While the Vivo T1's endurance performance is adequate, its charging speed is not as fast as devices in the same price range and is only on par with mid-range models.
Price of Vivo T1 in Bangladesh
The Vivo T1 basic variant 8/128GB costs CNY 2,199 which is equivalent to BDT 29,708. Conversion rate 1 CNY=BDT13.51. However, after the official launch in Bangladesh the price of Vivo T1 may vary due to diverse issues like tax, company policy, etc.
Read Tesla Smartphone Model Pi: Leaked features, release date
Conclusion
As a new product series from Vivo, the introduction of the Vivo T1 surely signifies the completion of the Vivo 5G fleet. It's not difficult to see from real hand experience that, although the Vivo T1 makes trade-offs in several areas owing to its location, the overall performance remains rather robust. Not only does it have a high-quality screen, but it also boasts a powerful processor, a long battery life, and adequate heat dissipation. When combined with a customized design, it may be stated to be a model that is ideal for new users.
Top 10 Best Phones around 15000 Taka in February 2022
The BDT 15,000 price range is critical for Bangladesh's smartphone market since it makes smartphones affordable to a large number of consumers. Multiple manufacturers have attempted to grab this niche over the years by delivering better cameras, faster CPUs, and longer batteries. To compete in this sector, manufacturers filled the Tk 15,000 pricing bracket with a variety of high-quality cell phones.
Top Phones around BDT 15000 in February 2022
Tecno Spark 8 pro
In Bangladesh, the Tecno Spark 8 pro costs 16,990 TK. However, for a long period of time, the mobile shops near you sell for 15000 Taka. One of the reasons to choose this phone is its exceptional display quality. Outlook is a completely distinct kind of product that seems to be adequate to me. On a budget, I thought the gaming camera performance was adequate. The customer reviews for the Tecno Spark 8 pro have been fairly positive.
Read Walton Primo S8 Review: The Local Phone Unveils Powerful Processor
Redmi Note 10 Lite
The dual-SIM Redmi Note 10 Lite is equipped with a 6.67-inch full-HD IPS display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G octa-core processor, an Adreno 618 GPU, and up to 6GB RAM. The Redmi Note 10 Lite comes with a storage capacity of up to 128GB.
The rear camera arrangement consists of a 48-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel sensor equipped with an ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5-megapixel sensor equipped with a macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, a 16MP selfie camera is included.
The official price of the phone is BDT 16,000.
Read Xiaomi 12X Review: Is It the New Flagship Killer?
Infinix Hot 11S
The Infinix Hot 11S is a budget-friendly smartphone aimed at gamers. It has a high-refresh-rate display that gamers will like, as well as a respectable budget SoC capable of moderate gaming.
While the plastic body is attractive, it has a glossy covering that feels cheap and attracts smudges. On the other hand, the display is fairly resistant to fingerprints. Due to the huge display, this phone is quite cumbersome, and one-handed operation is difficult.
The official price of the phone is BDT 15,000.
Read Oppo Reno7 SE 5G Review: Can it rule the upper mid-range segment?
Realme C21Y
The Realme C21Y smartphone was announced on July 14, 2021. The phone has a 6.50-inch touchscreen and a 20:9 aspect ratio. The phone is powered by a Unisoc T610 octa-core CPU. It has 3GB of RAM. It is also supported by a 5000mAh battery and runs Android 11. The Realme C21Y is equipped with a patented rapid charging system.
On the back, the Realme C21Y has a triple camera configuration consisting of a 13-MP main camera, a 2-MP secondary camera, and a 2-MP selfie camera. It has a camera on the front with a 5-megapixel sensor for selfies.
The official price of the phone is BDT 14,490.
Read Best Upcoming Smartphones in Bangladesh in February 2022
Vivo Y21
The Vivo Y21 The phone has a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with a 720x1600 pixel resolution. The Vivo Y21 has a Helio P35 (MT6765) octa-core CPU. It has 4GB of RAM. The Vivo Y21 is powered by a 5000mAh battery and runs Android 11. The Vivo Y21 supports Qualcomm's proprietary fast charging technology.
On the back, the Vivo Y21 has a dual camera configuration with a 13-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel secondary camera. It has a front camera with an 8-MP sensor for selfies.
The official price of the phone is BDT 14,490.
Read Tesla Smartphone Model Pi: Leaked features, release date
Poco M2 Reloaded
In Bangladesh, the Poco M2 Reloaded smartphone costs 14,990 TK. This phone was a major factor in our decision. Overall, the camera performs well. Poco M2 Reloaded is a wide-angle camera. A wide-angle camera with a Full HD+ resolution is available for just 15 thousand takas. The Poco M2 Reloaded phone offers much-improved gaming performance and fewer hits. Utilize the finest phone, Poco M2 Reloaded, for heavy-duty or day-to-day usage.
The official price of the phone is BDT 14,490.
Read Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G: What Will It Offer?
realme Narzo 30A
realme Narzo 30A allows you to play a variety of great games, like PUBG, Call of Duty, and Free Fire. Because you will have a strong chipset such as the MediaTek G85 (12nm), you will receive enhanced gaming advantages, as shown by the G85 Antutu Score. Its CPU score is 70862, and GPU score is 38305, both of which are greater than the Snapdragon 665, indicating that it is able to play games well.
The phone includes a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display with quite decent resolution, as well as 4 GB RAM and 64 GB ROM for storage. There are 13MP and 8MP cameras included, and the 6000mAh battery is pretty substantial, allowing you to play games for a long time.
The official price of the phone is BDT 12,990.
Read Motorola Moto Tab G70 Review: Best Mid-Range Android Tab in the Market?
Xiaomi Redmi 9
The Samsung Galaxy A21s smartphone was introduced on May 15, 2020. The phone has a 6.5-inch touchscreen display with a 720x1600 pixel resolution. Samsung Galaxy A21s is powered by an Exynos 850 octa-core CPU clocked at 2GHz. It has 4GB of RAM. The Samsung Galaxy A21s is powered by a 5000mAh battery and runs Android 10. The Samsung Galaxy A21s has Samsung's unique quick charging technology.
In terms of cameras, the Samsung Galaxy A21s has a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel secondary camera, and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. It has a 13-MP front-facing camera for selfies.
The official price of the phone is around BDT 15,000.
Read OnePlus 10 Pro Review: Does it live up to the expectations?
Oppo A12
Oppo A12 is a smartphone that was announced in April 2020. It has a 6.22-inch screen with a 720x1520 pixel resolution. The Oppo A12 is powered by an Helio P35 octa-core chipset. It has 3GB of RAM. The Oppo A12 is supported by a 4230mAh non-removable battery and runs Android 9.
On the back, the Oppo A12 has a 13-megapixel main camera with 1.12um-micron pixel size and a 2-megapixel secondary camera. It has a 5-megapixel camera with 1.12um-micron pixel size.
The official price of the phone is around BDT 15,000.
Read Xiaomi 11i HyperCharge Review: What’s New?
realme 5i
The realme 5i is architectured in the same manner as the realme 5 and realme 5s. It has a 6.52-inch display and a little water drop notch for the selfie camera. The realme 5i is a 5,000mAh battery and weighs 195g.
At the rear, the realme 5i has a quad-camera arrangement consisting of a 12-megapixel primary sensor, a wide-angle camera, a macro camera, and a depth sensor.
The official price of the phone is around BDT 12,900.
Read Vivo V23 Pro Review: Does the quality concur with the look?
Bottom Line
The top smartphones under 15000 strike the ideal blend of price and performance. Each year, a few high-end features make their way down to around BDT 15,000. This also makes the mobile phone category a very volatile one since it is brimming with devices for every kind of user. The list includes phones that include a Full HD+ display with a high refresh rate that is made up of LCD or AMOLED displays. These phones are equipped with numerous cameras ranging from two to four, as well as a huge capacity battery that allows rapid charging. So, it won't be harder to pick a suitable one.
Web 3.0: The Future of Internet
The Internet has been the single greatest invention of mankind which paved the way for the interconnected nature of the current society. Since its earliest days, the internet has made vast information accessible through a few clicks. Over the course of the last three decades, the internet has gone through a drastic change. And it is on the brink of another major shift through web 3.0. What is web 3.0? and how does it change the existing internet? Let’s find out.
What is Web 3.0?
There is no specific explanation of the concept of web 3.0 other than it aims to give control back to the people. The central aim of web 3.0 is to create the internet as a decentralized autonomous entity free from the control of a handful of companies. It plans to incorporate blockchain technology to make sure each individual interacting with the internet has a free choice beyond the existing algorithms.
To better understand what web 3.0 aims to achieve, it is important to understand the previous iterations of the internet. The current internet as it is known is actually web 2.0. Before web 2.0 was the web 1.0 or the primary. It spanned from 1991 to 2004.
Read Top 10 Free Video Editing Apps for iOS, Android
During this time, the internet was mostly static. All information, webpage, data, and everything available on the internet were just for viewing by the internet users. Granted this was a time when very few people used the internet, and even fewer, maybe a handful of people who actually created content.
That all changed with the launch of web 2.0. The second iteration of the web was meant to be more inclusive. It was given the nickname of the social internet because of the connectivity opportunities it brought. Platforms like Google, Facebook, YouTube provided a space for people to have dynamic interaction.
People were not simple observers anymore. Rather anyone could create content, share opinions for the world to see. As a result, the users of the internet saw a drastic rise over the years. Today over 59% of the population are connected to the internet and the number is still rising.
Read Best Free Plagiarism Detection Software, Tools
However, even the seemingly perfect version of the internet, web 2.0 has its limitations. And like all other things, limitations give rise to new inventions. In this case, a new future of the internet.
What Will Web 3.0 Change?
Now the current web 2.0 is not perfect in every way. While this web has paved the way for connectivity and socialization, it has failed to address two important aspects. The issue of privacy and data censoring.
Web 2.0 enables the users to create videos, posts, blogs on different streaming and social media sites. But this huge volume of content is strictly controlled by a handful of companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft. Now the question may arise, how do they control the data if the internet is free?
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Think about the typical internet usage of an average person. They might wake up in the morning and browse some Facebook. Watch a YouTube video with breakfast and check Gmail for emails. The evening might be spent watching Amazon Prime videos. What is a common thing between all these services?
All of these are owned by the companies mentioned above. A person needs to agree with all the terms and conditions to use the services. That in turn allows the companies to have free access to the data.
There is a common saying about tech services, “If it is free, then you’re the product”. The same principle applies here, all the free services come at the cost of unrelenting access to personal data.
Read Top 10 Greatest Science Breakthroughs of 2021
Social media and other content-creating platforms easily control anything that might go against their privacy policy. Agreeing to the terms and conditions simply provides them the tool to control free speech.
Web 3.0 plans to change all that. While web 2.0 made the internet a social place, web 3.0 will provide power to the users. The upcoming web 3.0 will stop having unrestricted control over what is seen and what is said. The power of privacy shall remain with the user and the user will determine their interaction with the internet, not some algorithm.
How Will Web 3.0 Work?
Web 3.0 will work based on a few key features. They are – decentralized web, semantic web, AI, and transparency.
Since the next generation of web will heavily rely on decentralization of the existing web, it will require massive automation to kickstart the change. The existing automation related to security is in blockchain and cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency has led the charge in decentralized finance or DeFi. So, it is expected that blockchain and cryptocurrency will play a huge role in automation and data security in the new age of the internet.
Read Projector Buyer Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh
Then comes the semantics and AI. The use of smart gadgets in everyday life is already apparent. There are smart home controls, car controls, and lots more. The Internet of Things or IoT will lead the charge in the new web. For a seamless interaction between gadgets, the internet, and humans, there is no alternative to AI.
Combining all these together, the new age of the web will give control back to the people. It will essentially be like a fresh start. The big techs will have to figure out how to serve the users without making them the direct product of their service.
Users will have full control over their data thanks to the decentralized nature of blockchain. Beyond the obvious choice of preference and data security aside, people will be truly free to choose how and what content they want to interact with within the internet.
Read Best Upcoming Smartphones in Bangladesh in February 2022
Final Words
The concept of Web 3.0 has been making rounds since as early as 2006. But due to the high central nature of the current web, it has not been able to make much headway. Many naysayers feel the transition will not take place. But the trickling effects of web 3.0 are already apparent. It is just a matter of time when the control of the big techs will be equally matched by the users.
Top 10 Free Video Editing Apps for iOS, Android
Video editing applications enable you to edit footage on your mobile device. These apps are handy for professionals and YouTubers on the fly who need to make fast and simple changes. Some of these video making tools are more user-friendly than desktop video editing software, which makes them an excellent alternative for novices and amateurs. And some are even completely free. Here we are going to discuss the most popular 10 free video editing apps in 2022.
Best Free Video Editing Apps for iOS, Android
Typically, you must wait to upload and edit your video until you return to the studio. When your phone already has all of the video files, you can begin editing wherever and anywhere you choose. By using a free video editing tool for Android or iOS, you may produce videos in any way you like. Here are some of the best video editing apps that are free of cost.
FilmoraGo
If you are looking for a professional-grade application to edit films and media files captured with your Android phone, FilmoraGo Video Editor is the finest option. It has practically all of the editing features you can expect from a PC editing tool. Additionally, the APP includes unique special effects such as overlay and filter effects, animated text and title effects, and motion components. With the simple-to-use intuitive interface, editing your films and sharing them with the world will be a breeze.
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A unique side of the program is that it makes efficient use of the limited screen real estate on mobile devices to speed up video editing. When you import clips into the editor, you are presented with a vertical stack of clips centred on a timeline. Transitions, effects, and filters are crammed between the segments. You may add music from Filmr's collection of over 20 million tracks.
VivaVideo
VivaVideo is one of the greatest video editing software programs, picture slideshow creators, and movie editing applications available. With the storyboard, you can simply import, edit, and cut your video clips, as well as add effects, filters, different effects, text and titles, and fast/slow motion to your film, giving it a professional appearance and allowing you to effortlessly share it with your friends. The free VivaVideo will have a watermark and a time restriction on the duration of your video.
Read Top 10 Free Image Editor Apps in 2022
Quik Video Editor
The GoPro Quik Video Editor is one of the simplest methods to make stunning films with only a few touches. Simply choose photographs and video clips from your Android phone, Facebook, or Instagram account, and the APP will analyze and generate a short film for you. Additionally, you may add transition effects, titles, filters, and music to your video to make it more creative and distinctive and then quickly share it with your friends.
KineMaster
KineMaster is a feature-rich video editing application. It has a multitrack timeline with complete drag-and-drop capabilities, allowing you to simply import and manipulate various sorts of media files with your finger. Additionally, it has sophisticated video editing capabilities and a comprehensive set of tools for enhancing video quality. Additionally, you may add transitions, text, and voice-over.
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Funimate
Funimate is one of the most enjoyable video editors, although it is not very strong. It enables you to make professional-looking picture slideshows with accompanying audio. It includes over 30 video effects and a simple editing method, allowing you to make your movie more fun, creative, and distinctive. You may also post your films on social networking platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube with your friends and family.
Magisto
Magisto is a simple-to-use video editing tool that converts your video clips into music videos in three simple stages. Select your photographs and videos, then choose a piece of music and create a title. The program is ideal for those who don't want to spend a lot of time editing videos but yet want a professional appearance.
Read Best Android, iOS Apps for Home Exercises
WeVideo
WeVideo is a cloud-based collaborative video editing application that enables you to create, edit, and publish films directly from your Android device. It has attractive themes that associate your project with various tunes and visual styles. You may also use your own music if you choose. Once the editing process is complete, you may share your movie through the app's internal network or via other social networking networks.
You must first submit your clips to the company's server and then redownload the edited movie after you're completed.
AndroVid
AndroVid is a highly useful video editor with a plethora of functions that enables you to quickly clip, trim, edit, and add music to your videos. You may effortlessly clip and trim your films, removing any segments that you dislike. Additionally, it enables you to add text, frames, and effects to your movies.
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Additionally, you may enhance your video with effects such as fade in and fade out, switching, and slow/fast motion. You may add frames to your movies that will be shown first on the viewer's screen. Additionally, it may be used to create stunning slideshows complete with music and special effects. And the tool's biggest feature is that it converts any video to MP3 for free.
Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark is a video editor which lets you create quality videos fast. You can edit videos with tools, and effects. The app can create a video using your images if you do not want to do it by yourself. After editing, you will be able to share it on social media or easily open it in Adobe Premiere Pro on PC or Mac for extra polish.
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VidTrim Pro
VidTrim Pro is an Android video editor and organizer. It has a variety of capabilities, including cutting, frame capturing, video effects, audio extraction, and converting. It is regarded as one of the top Android video editing apps due to its extensive feature set and simple-to-use UI. Although it is not free, you may get a free trial to see whether it meets your requirements before purchase. Additionally, you may share files with your friends on social networking platforms using the app.
Conclusion
Video editing is possible without a huge team or high-tech equipment. Now you can find smartphone-compatible video editing apps to begin creating innovative and engaging content. Mobile video editing is designed for those on a budget, allowing them to produce videos without breaking the bank.
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Shares of Facebook parent Meta plunge 22% on lower profits
Newly-renamed Meta is investing heavily in its futuristic “metaverse” project, but for now, relies on advertising revenue for nearly all its income. So when it posted sharply higher costs but gave a weak revenue forecast late Wednesday, investors got spooked — and knocked almost $200 billion off the valuation of the company formerly known as Facebook.
Meta’s shares fell 22.6% to $249.90 in after-hours trading. If the drop holds until the market opens Thursday, the company’s overall value, known as its market capitalization, is on track to drop by a figure greater than the size of the entire Greek economy, based on data from the World Bank.
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The metaverse is sort of the internet brought to life, or at least rendered in 3D. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described it as a “virtual environment” in which you can immerse yourself instead of just staring at a screen. Theoretically, the metaverse would be a place where people can meet, work and play using virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, smartphone apps or other devices.
But building it is not likely to be cheap.
Meta invested more than $10 billion in its Reality Labs segment — which includes its virtual reality headsets and augmented reality technology — in 2021, contributing to the quarter’s profit decline. It expanded its workforce by 23%, ending the year with 71,970 employees, mostly in technical roles.
Read Plenty of pitfalls await Zuckerberg’s ‘metaverse’ plan
The company also said revenue in the current quarter is likely to come in below market expectations, due in part to growing competition from TikTok and other rival platforms vying for people’s attention. Sheryl Sandberg, Meta’s chief operating officer, said in a conference call with analysts that global supply chain issues, labor shortages and earlier-than-usual holiday spending by advertisers put pressure on the company’s advertising sales.
Another problem: Recent privacy changes by Apple make it harder for companies like Meta to track people for advertising purposes, which also puts pressure on the company’s revenue. For months now, Meta has been warning investors that its revenue can’t continue to grow at the breakneck pace they are accustomed to.
Read In the middle of a crisis, Facebook Inc. renames itself Meta
“It is time for a reality check on Meta’s position for the metaverse,” said Raj Shah, an analyst at the digital consulting firm Publicis Sapient. “The metaverse is a long way from being profitable or filling the gap in ad revenue after Apple’s policy change.”
People’s changing online behavior is also limiting Meta’s money-making abilities. More people are watching video, such as Instagram’s Reels (a TikTok clone), and this makes less money than more established features.
The Menlo Park, Calif.-based company said it earned $10.29 billion, or $3.67 per share, in the final three months of 2021. That’s down 8% from $11.22 billion, or $3.88 per share, in the same period a year earlier. Revenue rose to 20% to $33.67 billion.
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Analysts, on average, were expecting earnings of $3.85 per share on revenue of $33.36 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.
Meta Platforms Inc. took on its new name last fall to emphasize Zuckerberg’s new focus on the metaverse. Since then, the company has been shifting resources and hiring engineers — including from competitors like Apple and Google — who can help realize his vision.
Zuckerberg is betting that the metaverse will be the next generation of the internet because he thinks it’s going to be a big part of the digital economy. He expects people to start seeing Meta as a “metaverse company” in the coming years, rather than a social media company.
Read:Plenty of pitfalls await Zuckerberg’s ‘metaverse’ plan
For now, though, the metaverse exists only as an amorphous idea envisioned — and named — by the science fiction author Neal Stephenson three decades ago. It’s not yet clear if it’ll be the next iteration of human-computer interaction the way Zuckerberg sees it, or just another playground for techies and gamers.
This could be spooking investors, who tend to prefer immediate, or at least quick, results on investments.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty about Meta’s investments in the metaverse and if or when they will have a positive impact on the company’s bottom line,” said Debra Aho Williamson, an analyst with Insider Intelligence.
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“While we expect Meta to ramp up testing ads and commerce within its metaverse offerings this year, those efforts will be highly experimental and not likely to drive much revenue in the near term,” she added.
Meta said it expects revenue between $27 billion and $29 billion for the current quarter, below the $30.2 billion analysts are forecasting.
Xiaomi 12X Review: Is It the New Flagship Killer?
Xiaomi 12X was launched on 31st December 2021 in China. It was launched as part of their flagship event alongside the Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro. From the look and build quality, the 12X feels exactly like its big brothers. But the 12X comes at a far cheaper price compared to the other two. So, what were the cut corners here? And is the device worth it? Let’s find out in the detailed review of Xiaomi 12X.
Key Specifications of Xiaomi 12X
Design and Build Quality
The Xiaomi 12 line is part of their premium flagship offering. Just like the 12 and 12 Pro, the 12X comes with a gorgeous design that might feel outdated by 2022 standards. But that is not a bad thing. While phone companies like Samsung and Pixels are compromising on the ergonomics for innovative design, Xiaomi focused on comfort and usability.
The 12X comes in a compact form factor thanks to its near-bezel-less curved screen design. The front of the phone is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, the best yet from Corning. The back comes in two configurations. Users can choose between matte glass back or slightly more premium vegan leather.
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The vegan leather gives the phone a unique look and it feels much more secure and comfortable to hold. The front and the back are held together by the stainless-steel frame. The volume rocker and the power button are situated on the right side of the phone. Sim tray, Type-C port, and a speaker are situated at the bottom of the phone. The top of the phone features another speaker for the stereo sound experience with Harman Kardon branding on it.
At 179 gm, the phone is considerably light and the compact form factor easily makes it a single hand phone.
Display
The display used in the Xiaomi 12X is the same as the flagship 12. Considering the comparatively lower price, this is easily the best display in its price bracket. The display is a 6.28 inch 120 Hz OLED panel with HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision. This alone should be enough to explain how good it is. In addition to that, there is 1B color calibration. The display can also get very bright at 1100 peak nits. The FHD+ resolution is good enough for 419 ppi.
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In the test, the display held up really well. There is a common issue of color shift and mistouch with a curved display. But none of that is present here. There is no weird color shift from angular views. The display out of the box has a warm hue to it which is a classic Xiaomi trend. But the color can be easily calibrated from the display settings.
One drawback here is that there is no LTPO technology in the display. As a result, the display has a fixed refresh rate of either 60 Hz or 120 Hz. While it might sound great to have a constant 120 Hz, it does take its toll on the battery.
Overall, the display is sharp and crisp and one of the selling points of this device.
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Camera
Speaking of selling points, the camera is another strong suit of this device. It has a triple camera setup akin to the Xiaomi 12. The users are getting a 50 MP f/1.9 wide-angle main shooter. There is also a 13 MP f/2.4 ultrawide sensor along with a 5 MP telephoto macro sensor. The ultrawide sensor has a super-wide 123-degree field of view. And the best thing here is the image processing. Even though the lens can shoot ultrawide, it doesn’t induce a fish eye effect.
The Sony main sensor is the same as seen in the OnePlus 9RT and Nord along with the 12. The sensor can take sharp images under direct sunlight. The images look clear with grains and a better dynamic range compared to the Xiaomi 11X. However, the colors look amped up in photos.
This is a common Xiaomi feature where the color looks unusually bright and crisp. The loss of natural color is even more pronounced in artificial lighting. The night sight does a decent job of capturing details but it tends to overexpose subjects at times.
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However, the best feature of the phone is in its video. It can shoot up to 8K at 24 fps along with 4K at either 30 or 60 fps. The 32 MP wide-angle selfie also does a decent job but it's nothing groundbreaking. For the price, the phone has a great camera setup with a few minor drawbacks.
Processor and Performance
Perhaps the greatest cut cost of this device is in the processor. Now that does not mean the processor is any less powerful. The processor here is the Snapdragon 870 5G. This was last year’s flagship and something that was used on the Xiaomi 11X. The processor is coupled with Adreno 650 GPU.
The Snapdragon 870 is a very capable processor. It can handle day-to-day tasks without a hiccup. The gaming experience is also amazing on this device. Graphic intensive leading titles like Fortnite, COD, and Asphalt 9 run without a frame drop and there are no heating issues as well.
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It is more of a psychological thing that the phone comes with a previous generation processor. In day-to-day usage, the difference is hard to come by.
The OS here is the MIUI 13 based on Android 12. Previous Xiaomi users will have no problem adapting to the OS as it is much sleeker with some useful additions.
Battery and Charge Time
The phone boasts a 4500 mAh battery. It comes with a 67W fast charging which takes the phone from 0 to 100% in 39 minutes. However, there is no wireless charging on this device.
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Price of Xiaomi 12X in Bangladesh
The Xiaomi 12X has not been officially launched in Bangladesh yet. The price range of this phone ranges from CNY. 2,668 (BDT 36051) to CNY. 3,201 (43,253) in China. 1 Chinese Yuan equivalents to BDT 13.51. The price in Bangladesh may vary due to tax issues and company policy. However, the exact price will be revealed after the official launch of the phone in the country.
Bottom Line
Xiaomi 12X combines the best of last year with some useful new additions. For its price, it brings a premium design and build quality with a great camera module. The battery is also amazing combined with the fast charging. The only drawback here is the processor but that is on paper only. Overall, the 12X hits the sweet spot between budget and performance.
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Top-selling vivo phones of 2021
Vivo started 2021 by introducing new devices; the latest phones of the V Series, Y series and X Series were released throughout the year.
The top-selling vivo phones in 2021 were X60 Pro, X70 Pro 5G, V21, Y21, and Y12s.
X60 Pro arrived with a state-of-the-art imaging technology co-engineered in collaboration with ZEISS, a world leader in optics and optoelectronics. The phone's Gimbal Stabilization 2.0, Superb Night Camera 2.0, 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM make it a powerful player.
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X70 Pro is equipped with a rear-quad camera array of a 50MP + 12MP + 12MP + 8MP setup together with an Ultra-Sensing Gimbal Camera.
V21 comes with a 44MP OIS Night Selfie System and diverse features to address the challenges of night photography. Also, it includes a Selfie Spotlight and AI Night portrait with AI Night algorithm for an ultimate night selfie experience packed in a super sleek and stylish Ultra Slim AG Design.
The slim and slender Y21 has a 2.5D flat frame and has a 5000mAh large battery. It is a piece of lightweight tech that offers a premium and comfortable hold.
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Y12s features a long-lasting 5000mAh battery, an Ultra-Swift Side-Mounted Fingerprint Technology and AI Dual Camera.
Brand Finance Global 500 index: Huawei becomes 9th most valuable brand
Chinese telecom giant Huawei has made its place in the world's top 10 most valuable brands of 2022, announced recently by Brand Finance Global 500.
This year, Huawei has jumped six places in comparison to last year in the annual Brand Finance Global 500 index.
Huawei has become the ninth most valuable brand in the world with a 29 percent growth to $71.2 billion.
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Despite the unprecedented situation created by the pandemic, the company focused on its ICT services and ploughed revenue back into innovations.
Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping said, "Despite all the trials and tribulations, the company worked with customers and partners to ensure business as usual. After adjusting its strategy accordingly, overall performance was in line with our forecasts."
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Leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance adjudicates 5,000 of the biggest brands and publishes reports every year, ranking the most valuable brands across different sectors.
This year, alongside Huawei, Apple has won the world's most valuable brand title whereas WeChat has become the world's strongest brand.
Vivo showcases tech trends for 2022
Vivo announced a series of technological advancements that will shape 2022 at its recently concluded Vivo Developer Conference, showing strengths in system performance, application services, IoT and industry opportunities.
To enhance computing performance that allows better smoothness and increases the efficiency of power consumption, vivo has designed computing engines including a high real-time computing engine, intelligent scheduling computing engine and high-speed data-chasing-loading computing engine. Zhou Wei, vice-president of vivo and head of vivo Artificial Intelligence Global Research Institute, introduced them at the event.
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Also, vivo has invested in innovation to enhance memory management efficiency and performance. The company optimised an independent virtual cache unit to ensure comprehensive management of the system resident memory life cycle, application memory allocation, and DRAM and SoC internal cache.
There are multiple times consumers face an issue with signals and poor network connection in their smartphones. Being a handheld device, smartphones face signal obstruction due to some postures. Vivo's latest innovation, Unique Antenna RF Design, will solve such signal obstructions faced by the users.
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In addition, AI technology can identify when the Wi-Fi signal is weak. The system can intelligently select the best network to ensure a better internet experience, largely reducing the freezing rate when encountering weak Wi-Fi signals.
Vivo's IoT ecosystem is also empowered by its technological advancement that upgrades and optimises the connection of devices, the efficiency of data flow, and quick apps, offering a more enjoyable smart home experience to users.
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