Gadgets 360

Xiaomi 14 series with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and HyperOS operating system was launched in Chinese markets in October last year. They are yet to make their India debut, but ahead of it, rumours about the next-generation flagship smartphones from Xiaomi have already started surfacing online. The Xiaomi 15 series is tipped to be powered by next-generation Qualcomm flagship processor. The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro are said to go official in September.

Tipster Smart Pikachu (translated from Chinese) on Weibo claimed that the Xiaomi 15 series will be equipped with Qualcomm's unannounced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC. The displays of the purported devices are said to offer a 1.5K resolution. The Xiaomi 14 series was the first handset to feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.

Previous leaks suggested that mass production of the Xiaomi 15 lineup will kick off in September. The regular model is expected to retain a flat display and have the same screen size as the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 13. The Xiaomi 15 Pro is rumoured to come with a slightly curved 2K display with 0.6 mm narrow bezels. Since there's no official announcement from Xiaomi about the 15 series yet, these details should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Xiaomi's 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro were launched in China in October. The price of Xiaomi 14 Pro starts at CNY 4,999 (roughly Rs. 56,500) for the 12GB + 256GB RAM and storage model whereas the Xiaomi 14 is priced at CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs. 50,000) for the 8GB + 256GB RAM and storage variant. There is no official word yet on their debut in markets outside China.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC powers Xiaomi's 14 series. They run on Xiaomi's HyperOS interface and feature up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. They also have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The Xiaomi 14 series has LTPO OLED displays with up to 2K resolution and 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. They have a Leica-tuned triple rear camera setup as well.

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Is the Xiaomi Pad 6 the best Android tablet you can buy under Rs. 30,000 in India? We discuss the company's latest mid-range tablet on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Xiaomi 14 series with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and HyperOS operating system was launched in Chinese markets in October last year. They are yet to make their India debut, but ahead of it, rumours about the next-generation flagship smartphones from Xiaomi have already started surfacing online. The Xiaomi 15 series is tipped to be powered by next-generation Qualcomm flagship processor. The Xiaomi 15 and Xiaomi 15 Pro are said to go official in September.

Tipster Smart Pikachu (translated from Chinese) on Weibo claimed that the Xiaomi 15 series will be equipped with Qualcomm's unannounced Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 SoC. The displays of the purported devices are said to offer a 1.5K resolution. The Xiaomi 14 series was the first handset to feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC.

Previous leaks suggested that mass production of the Xiaomi 15 lineup will kick off in September. The regular model is expected to retain a flat display and have the same screen size as the Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 13. The Xiaomi 15 Pro is rumoured to come with a slightly curved 2K display with 0.6 mm narrow bezels. Since there's no official announcement from Xiaomi about the 15 series yet, these details should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Xiaomi's 14 and Xiaomi 14 Pro were launched in China in October. The price of Xiaomi 14 Pro starts at CNY 4,999 (roughly Rs. 56,500) for the 12GB + 256GB RAM and storage model whereas the Xiaomi 14 is priced at CNY 3,999 (roughly Rs. 50,000) for the 8GB + 256GB RAM and storage variant. There is no official word yet on their debut in markets outside China.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC powers Xiaomi's 14 series. They run on Xiaomi's HyperOS interface and feature up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. They also have an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. The Xiaomi 14 series has LTPO OLED displays with up to 2K resolution and 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. They have a Leica-tuned triple rear camera setup as well.

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Is the Xiaomi Pad 6 the best Android tablet you can buy under Rs. 30,000 in India? We discuss the company's latest mid-range tablet on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Xi Jinping promised Joe Biden China wouldn’t interfere in US Presidential Polls 2024: Report

Those discussions signal just how fraught US-China relations have become, and how wary American officials still are of foreign election meddling.

from mint - politics Those discussions signal just how fraught US-China relations have become, and how wary American officials still are of foreign election meddling.

Gadgets 360

Krutrim, the AI startup founded by serial entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal, has gained unicorn status after securing $50 million in funding from investors including Matrix Partners India. It becomes the first Indian AI startup to gain a billion-dollar valuation, a mere month after debuting a large language model, the firm said in a blog post. Krutrim, which translates to “artificial” in Sanskrit, is also developing data centers and will ultimately aim to create servers and super computers for the AI ecosystem.

A clutch of Indian startups and academic groups are racing to build large language models in Indian languages, so called Indic LLMs, after the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT more than a year ago. Countries are hoping to create their own competing AI systems, rather than relying on technology from the US or China. In Europe, investors are pouring cash into France's Mistral AI, valued at $2 billion after being founded last year. The United Arab Emirates touts its Falcon model, which is backed by an Abu Dhabi government research institute.

India, with 1.4 billion people, is focusing on building smaller, more cost efficient AI systems. Generative AI startup Sarvam, which built its system using available open-source models, launched OpenHathi, its first open-source Hindi LLM last month. The announcement came days after it had raised $41 million in an investment from Lightspeed Venture Partners, billionaire Vinod Khosla and others.

“India has to build its own AI,” Aggarwal, the founder of Indian ride-hailing startup Ola, said in the statement. “We are fully committed towards building the country's first complete AI computing stack.”

© 2024 Bloomberg LP

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Krutrim, the AI startup founded by serial entrepreneur Bhavish Aggarwal, has gained unicorn status after securing $50 million in funding from investors including Matrix Partners India. It becomes the first Indian AI startup to gain a billion-dollar valuation, a mere month after debuting a large language model, the firm said in a blog post. Krutrim, which translates to “artificial” in Sanskrit, is also developing data centers and will ultimately aim to create servers and super computers for the AI ecosystem.

A clutch of Indian startups and academic groups are racing to build large language models in Indian languages, so called Indic LLMs, after the launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT more than a year ago. Countries are hoping to create their own competing AI systems, rather than relying on technology from the US or China. In Europe, investors are pouring cash into France's Mistral AI, valued at $2 billion after being founded last year. The United Arab Emirates touts its Falcon model, which is backed by an Abu Dhabi government research institute.

India, with 1.4 billion people, is focusing on building smaller, more cost efficient AI systems. Generative AI startup Sarvam, which built its system using available open-source models, launched OpenHathi, its first open-source Hindi LLM last month. The announcement came days after it had raised $41 million in an investment from Lightspeed Venture Partners, billionaire Vinod Khosla and others.

“India has to build its own AI,” Aggarwal, the founder of Indian ride-hailing startup Ola, said in the statement. “We are fully committed towards building the country's first complete AI computing stack.”

© 2024 Bloomberg LP

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Gadgets 360

OnePlus Nord N30 SE was unveiled in the UAE on Monday, January 29. The smartphone, succeeds the OnePlus Nord N20 SE and comes with several upgrades over the older model. The newly launched smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset and is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W wired fast charging. The handset is also equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 50-megapixel dual rear camera system, and an 8-megapixel front camera. It is available in a single RAM and storage configuration and two colour options.

OnePlus Nord N30 SE price, availability

The lone 4GB + 128GB variant of the OnePlus Nord N30 SE is priced in the UAE at AED 599 (roughly Rs. 13,600) and is available for purchase via noon.com. Notably, the model is listed on the OnePlus Global website. It is offered in Satin Black and Cyan Sparkle colour options.

OnePlus Nord N30 SE specifications, features

The OnePlus Nord N30 SE features a 6.72-inch full-HD+ (2,400 x 1,080 pixels) LCD panel with a pixel density of 391ppi and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The phone carries a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 SoC paired with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It ships with Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1.

For optics, the dual rear camera system of the OnePlus Nord N30 SE includes a 50-megapixel 1/2.76-inch primary sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor alongside an LED flash unit. The front camera is placed within a centred hole-punch cutout and uses an 8-megapixel sensor.

OnePlus has packed a 5,000mAh battery in the Nord N30 SE with support for 33W SuperVOOC fast charging, similar to its predecessor. For security, the handset is equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, that also doubles as the power button. It supports 5G, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, and USB Type-C connectivity. Weighing 193g, the phone measures 165.6mm x 76mm x 7.9mm in size.

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OnePlus Nord 3 brings some serious upgrades over its predecessor, including some flagship-grade specifications. We discuss this and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/MNhp3JE

OnePlus Nord N30 SE was unveiled in the UAE on Monday, January 29. The smartphone, succeeds the OnePlus Nord N20 SE and comes with several upgrades over the older model. The newly launched smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset and is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W wired fast charging. The handset is also equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, a 50-megapixel dual rear camera system, and an 8-megapixel front camera. It is available in a single RAM and storage configuration and two colour options.

OnePlus Nord N30 SE price, availability

The lone 4GB + 128GB variant of the OnePlus Nord N30 SE is priced in the UAE at AED 599 (roughly Rs. 13,600) and is available for purchase via noon.com. Notably, the model is listed on the OnePlus Global website. It is offered in Satin Black and Cyan Sparkle colour options.

OnePlus Nord N30 SE specifications, features

The OnePlus Nord N30 SE features a 6.72-inch full-HD+ (2,400 x 1,080 pixels) LCD panel with a pixel density of 391ppi and an aspect ratio of 20:9. The phone carries a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 SoC paired with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage. It ships with Android 13-based OxygenOS 13.1.

For optics, the dual rear camera system of the OnePlus Nord N30 SE includes a 50-megapixel 1/2.76-inch primary sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor alongside an LED flash unit. The front camera is placed within a centred hole-punch cutout and uses an 8-megapixel sensor.

OnePlus has packed a 5,000mAh battery in the Nord N30 SE with support for 33W SuperVOOC fast charging, similar to its predecessor. For security, the handset is equipped with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, that also doubles as the power button. It supports 5G, GPS, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, and USB Type-C connectivity. Weighing 193g, the phone measures 165.6mm x 76mm x 7.9mm in size.

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OnePlus Nord 3 brings some serious upgrades over its predecessor, including some flagship-grade specifications. We discuss this and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren accuses ED of being ‘politically motivated’, having agenda to disrupt state govt

Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren accuses ED of having malefic intentions and a politically motivated agenda in issuing summons to him.

from mint - politics Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren accuses ED of having malefic intentions and a politically motivated agenda in issuing summons to him.

Land-for-jobs scam: PMLA court summons former Bihar CM Rabri Devi, daughter Misa Bharti

Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridyanand Chaudhary have been summoned by a PMLA court for their involvement in the 'land for job scam.' The ED lodged a prosecution complaint against them under the PMLA.

from mint - politics Amit Katyal, Rabri Devi, Misha Bharti, Hema Yadav, and Hridyanand Chaudhary have been summoned by a PMLA court for their involvement in the 'land for job scam.' The ED lodged a prosecution complaint against them under the PMLA.

Gadgets 360

Honor X9b is expected to launch in India soon. The phone has earlier been spotted on certification sites. Its launch and price details have also been previously leaked. The model is available in select regions worldwide, and its anticipated India variant is likely to share similar features to its global version. Now the phone has surfaced online again - this time, briefly, in an e-commerce listing, further backing its India launch rumours. The listing showed the RAM and storage configuration that the phone is expected to launch in and also hinted at its colour options.

Tipster Paras Guglani (@passionategeekz) shared a screenshot of the Honor X9b Amazon India listing. Although the Amazon page has since been taken down, the screenshot suggests that the smartphone will be available in a Sunrise Orange colour option and 12GB RAM + 256GB onboard storage. 

{Exclusive} Honor X9B 5G Listed on Amazon India!!

Sunrise Orange with 12GB/256GB is confirmed ✅✅????

As leaked Combo offer will be there!!

Listed by Official Honor Store india pic.twitter.com/OoYQWlELVF

— Paras Guglani (@passionategeekz) January 27, 2024

The Amazon listing also suggests that the Honor X9b will be available in India with a combo offer that would include Honor Choice Earbuds X5e, 12 months of screen and back cover protection, and a 24-month battery health warranty. The listing also shows that the handset will run on Android 13-based UI out-of-the-box.

Previously, the same tipster suggested that the Honor X9b will launch in India on February 8 or February 9 and will be priced between Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000. He also claimed that the phone, alongside the Honor Choice X5 True Wireless Earbuds (TWS), will be available in a bundle priced below Rs. 35,000.

The Honor X9b is expected to launch in India with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC paired with 12GB of RAM and Android 13-based MagicOS 7.2. The global variant of the handset sports a 6.78-inch 1.5K (1,200 x 2,652 pixels) AMOLED panel. It carries a 108-megapixel primary rear camera, that comes alongside a 5-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. It is packed with a 5,800mAh battery and 35W wired fast charging support.

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Honor X9b is expected to launch in India soon. The phone has earlier been spotted on certification sites. Its launch and price details have also been previously leaked. The model is available in select regions worldwide, and its anticipated India variant is likely to share similar features to its global version. Now the phone has surfaced online again - this time, briefly, in an e-commerce listing, further backing its India launch rumours. The listing showed the RAM and storage configuration that the phone is expected to launch in and also hinted at its colour options.

Tipster Paras Guglani (@passionategeekz) shared a screenshot of the Honor X9b Amazon India listing. Although the Amazon page has since been taken down, the screenshot suggests that the smartphone will be available in a Sunrise Orange colour option and 12GB RAM + 256GB onboard storage. 

{Exclusive} Honor X9B 5G Listed on Amazon India!!

Sunrise Orange with 12GB/256GB is confirmed ✅✅????

As leaked Combo offer will be there!!

Listed by Official Honor Store india pic.twitter.com/OoYQWlELVF

— Paras Guglani (@passionategeekz) January 27, 2024

The Amazon listing also suggests that the Honor X9b will be available in India with a combo offer that would include Honor Choice Earbuds X5e, 12 months of screen and back cover protection, and a 24-month battery health warranty. The listing also shows that the handset will run on Android 13-based UI out-of-the-box.

Previously, the same tipster suggested that the Honor X9b will launch in India on February 8 or February 9 and will be priced between Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000. He also claimed that the phone, alongside the Honor Choice X5 True Wireless Earbuds (TWS), will be available in a bundle priced below Rs. 35,000.

The Honor X9b is expected to launch in India with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC paired with 12GB of RAM and Android 13-based MagicOS 7.2. The global variant of the handset sports a 6.78-inch 1.5K (1,200 x 2,652 pixels) AMOLED panel. It carries a 108-megapixel primary rear camera, that comes alongside a 5-megapixel sensor with an ultra-wide lens, and a 2-megapixel macro shooter. It is packed with a 5,800mAh battery and 35W wired fast charging support.

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Maharashtra Yatra: NCP's Chhagan Bhujbal, OBC leaders declare protest rallies against Maratha Quota on 1 February

Maratha Quota: The agitation will begin on 1 February, with a Maharashtra yatra and a rally planned for 3 February. OBCs are calling on scheduled castes and scheduled tribes to join them in opposing the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category.

from mint - politics Maratha Quota: The agitation will begin on 1 February, with a Maharashtra yatra and a rally planned for 3 February. OBCs are calling on scheduled castes and scheduled tribes to join them in opposing the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category.

Lok Sabha 2024 a ‘battle of ideologies’: Congress could be a game-changer if...

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar exited the INDIA bloc and West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee declared that the TMC will go solo in the Lok Sabha elections. In this scenario, what more could the Congress do to defeat the BJP and become a game-changer in the general elections?

from mint - politics Bihar CM Nitish Kumar exited the INDIA bloc and West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee declared that the TMC will go solo in the Lok Sabha elections. In this scenario, what more could the Congress do to defeat the BJP and become a game-changer in the general elections?

Will soon identify Rahul Gandhi's 'body double' used during Nyay Yatra in Assam, just wait…: Himanta Biswa Sarma

'Just wait a few days,' Himanta Biswa Sarma said while quoting a new report claiming that the person who waved at people from the bus was ‘probably not Rahul Gandhi at all’

from mint - politics 'Just wait a few days,' Himanta Biswa Sarma said while quoting a new report claiming that the person who waved at people from the bus was ‘probably not Rahul Gandhi at all’

Lok Sabha election 2024: DMK, Congress to hold seat sharing talks in Chennai today

The Congress and DMK will begin seat-sharing negotiations for the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu on Sunday at the DMK Headquarters in Chennai.

from mint - politics The Congress and DMK will begin seat-sharing negotiations for the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu on Sunday at the DMK Headquarters in Chennai.

Bihar crisis news: Nitish Kumar seeks time to meet Governor, BJP says ‘no clue’ about CM rejoining NDA | 10 points

10 latest updates on the ongoing Bihar political crisis threatening INDIA bloc's unity

from mint - politics 10 latest updates on the ongoing Bihar political crisis threatening INDIA bloc's unity

Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to resume tomorrow even as Bengal Police denies permission

Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to resume on 28 January, with a public meeting in Siliguri denied by West Bengal Police.

from mint - politics Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra to resume on 28 January, with a public meeting in Siliguri denied by West Bengal Police.

A new diplomatic struggle is unfolding over Taiwan

A new diplomatic struggle is unfolding over Taiwan

from mint - politics A new diplomatic struggle is unfolding over Taiwan

Gadgets 360

Moto G34 5G launched in India on January 9 as an affordable 5G smartphone and is now available for purchase as well. The Moto G lineup has been around for more than a decade now. I still remember the very first Moto G launched in 2013 with stock Android, some Moto exclusive features, a single 5-megapixel rear camera, and thick bezels. 10 years later, there are a lot of changes with the G lineup, but Motorola has managed to keep the pricing affordable. The new Moto G34 5G costs less than the launch price of the original Moto G. And instead of a 5-megapixel camera, you now get 50-megapixels.

I've been using the newly launched Moto G34 5G for over a week now, and here's my take on the latest G phone!

Moto G34 5G price in India

Before I start on the Moto G34 5G, I'd like to mention its pricing in India. The base variant, which gets 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, is priced at Rs. 10,999. We're reviewing the 8GB + 128GB variant, which is priced at Rs. 11,999. The original Moto G was launched at Rs. 12,499 in 2013 and had 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. Its predecessor, the Moto G32, was priced at Rs. 11,999 for the base model. What I'm trying to say is that the Moto G34 is an affordable 5G smartphone.

The phone is available in Charcoal Black, Ice Blue, and Ocean Green colour options. The Ocean Green variant has a vegan leather finish rear panel, and that's what we're reviewing.

In the box, the Moto G34 5G is accompanied by a SIM ejector tool, some paperwork, a USB Type-C cable, and a 20W TurboPower charger.

Moto G34 Review: Design

The Vegan leather finish of our review unit gives the Moto G34 5G a nice premium feel. It's a nice change from the usual glass or plastic rear panel that we're all used to. The rear panel has the famous Moto logo in the centre. The Vegan leather finish is soft and leaves no fingerprints or smudges, which is nice. It has flat panels with rounded corners and a slight taper where the rear panel meets the frame. The phone is also decently slim at just 8mm and weighs 180 grams.

Motorola has been using a similar camera bump on its recent G series phones, with the module placed in the top left corner, and I think it looks good. There's barely a camera bump, to be honest, but whatever is there, it's done nicely. It's got a different finish compared to the panel and adds a nice contrast. There's not too much branding going on either, which is nice. I'm not a fan of manufacturers writing the phone's entire history on the back panel.

Overall, the Moto G34 5G has got a nice in-hand feel.

Since there's no glass or metal here, the Moto G34 5G is light, but not in a bad way. The display bezels are slim on the sides, but the top and bottom are thicker and not uniform. The phone has a flat panel with no tapered edges, but it doesn't dig into your skin. Motorola has given the phone an IP52 rating, which means basic splash resistance.

Moto G34 Review: Specifications and software

Alright, now let's talk about specifications. Motorola has used the tried and tested Snapdragon 695 chip on the Moto G34 5G. The chipset is paired with up to 8GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, which is expandable. The phone has a hybrid SIM tray that can accommodate either two nano SIM cards or a nano SIM card, and a microSD card. For connectivity, there's a USB Type-C port at the bottom, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.1, 5G, dual-band Wi-Fi, and support for all the GPS standards. The phone supports 13 5G bands.

The Moto G34 5G comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner placed underneath the Power button. I'm a fan of capacitive fingerprint scanners and prefer them over the in-display sensors. The scanner works well and is fast.

Moving on to the battery, the Moto G34 5G has a big battery. It gets a 5,000mAh unit that supports up to 18W fast charging. However, the box contains a 20W charging adapter.

The phone runs Android 14-based MyUX out of the box. The user interface is very much like stock Android, but there are plenty of additional features baked in. You get software features such as a Game mode, a Sidebar to quickly access apps in Windows mode, Split-screen multitasking, and Family Space. There's also a Moto Unplugged mode that lets you unwind for a set period of time. I also liked the Moto Gestures available on the phone that support easy gestures to perform tasks such as turning on the flashlight, launching the camera app, silencing calls, and more. Motorola has promised 1 year of OS updates and 3 years of security updates. This is usually the norm in this price segment, so I wasn't very surprised.

However, I was surprised by the bloatware and pre-installed apps on the Moto G34 5G. There are three folders that you'll find on the phone, namely GamesHub, Entertainment, and Shopping. While these folders don't have any apps installed, if you tap on them, you are bombarded with ads, and you can install the games. All of these folders are by Swish Apps. However, you can uninstall the Entertainment, Shopping, and GamesHub folders.

Moto G34 Review: Performance

Motorola claims that the Moto G34 5G is the fastest phone in the 5G segment, but it mentions in the footnotes that this claim holds true among other Motorola phones in the same price range. And that may be true. The phone is equipped with an octa-core 6nm Snapdragon 695 SoC that's a good mid-range chipset.

We ran Geekbench 6 and got a single-core CPU score of 912 and a multi-core score of 2050. It scored 1411 points on the GPU benchmark. On AnTuTu, the phone managed a score of 3,50,965, which is decent. I was able to perform basic tasks on the phone without any lag, and I can say that the phone was good for daily use. I also managed to play BGMI on the phone but with graphics limited to HD only. Still, you can totally use this phone for some light BGMI gaming. The phone also doesn't hit up as much as I expected it to, but that's probably because demanding games don't run on their highest settings.

Now, let's look at the phone's display. The Moto G34 5G comes with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display that offers HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It gets a hole-punch cutout for the front camera and Panda glass protection. The panel delivers 580 nits brightness and is good enough to enjoy watching videos, playing games, and so on when indoors, but visibility outdoors isn't great. The phone offers a Natural or Saturated colour mode, and you can choose to set the screen at 120Hz, 60Hz, or auto. Overall, the display is good enough for the price.

The phone offers a dual stereo speaker setup, with one speaker at the bottom and the second one being the ear speaker at the top. While the phone offers Dolby Atmos support and the audio from the speakers is clear, it lacks bass. The phone gets loud enough for indoor use, but you'll need to use headphones when outside. Talking about headphones, the Moto G34 5G comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

In terms of overall performance, the Moto G34 5G did quite well with what it comes packed with. The software, although not as stock as it used to be, is without lag and the impressive 120Hz refresh rate certainly helps with making things appear smoother than they are. The scrolling in apps is smooth, but only if you aren't running multiple apps or multitasking. When things get heavy, the phone does start to lag with some choppiness, even when scrolling.

Where it doesn't lag is in the battery department. The Moto G34 5G comes with a 5,000mAh battery that can easily last over a day with minimum to moderate usage. Keep the display in 60Hz mode, and you can extend the battery further. I consistently managed to get over a day's usage with around 6-7 hours of screen time. My day usually included about 30 mins of gaming, watching a couple of YouTube videos, using the camera for photos, messaging, calling, and other regular tasks. The phone supports 18W charging speeds, and with the included charger, it took about 40 mins to charge from 0 to 50 percent and 2 hours to hit 100 percent. Now, that's pretty slow compared to today's standards.

Moto G34 Review: Cameras

Affordable smartphones also have decent cameras these days, and that's the case with the Moto G34 5G, or so I thought. The phone comes with a 50-megapixel primary rear camera and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. On the front, there's a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies and video calls.

The camera app is easy to use and has all the camera modes laid out right in front. The main Photo mode has 1x and a Macro mode. You get 8x digital zoom in the Photo mode and can choose between three different aspect ratios. Motorola has also included various filters that you can try right in the Photo mode. There's also a video mode, Slow Motion, Portrait, and a Pro mode. Meanwhile, Night Vision, Dual Capture, Timelapse, and Panorama are hidden away in More.

Now, let's talk about the image quality from the main 50-megapixel rear camera. In daylight, the photos taken with the main camera are, at best, decent. While you get details, the colours are saturated, and the HDR is not very good. Image quality was clearly not a priority for Motorola, and I don't blame them. The phone costs around Rs. 10,000, and this is what you can expect. The Macro camera is mostly a bust and I was never able to get any good close-up photos with the camera. And as the sun goes down, so does the image quality. Even with Night Vision mode, the pictures weren't sharp and had plenty of noise. If you're in a completely lit street, then maybe the camera can get some details with the Night Vision mode.

Top to bottom: Main camera, Macro, Night Vision, and Lowlight

 

However, you can get some good photos if you try out the Pro mode, but an average consumer isn't going to spend time trying to get a good shot. Straight out of the pocket, the main camera will only give you good results when used in daylight. The selfie camera is also okay at best. You can play around with features such as Dual capture, which takes photos and videos using both front and rear cameras.

Coming to video performance from the main rear camera, you get 1080p video capture at 30fps, and there is some noise and artefacts even in daylight. There is stabilisation, but it's only electronic. The video quality also falls apart at night. The Moto G34 5G also lets you shoot videos using the Macro camera, and to my surprise, it managed to take better close-up videos than photos.

Moto G34 Review: Verdict

The Moto G34 5G will be competing with similarly priced phones from Xiaomi, Realme, and Poco. However, not a lot of phones in the price segment offer 5G connectivity, 120Hz refresh rate, and a Vegan leather finish on the rear panel.

If you're looking to buy an affordable 5G smartphone and don't really care about camera performance, then the Moto G34 5G is an excellent choice. You also get a good display, dual speakers, pretty good battery life, and you can play games such as BGMI in low settings. However, if you need a good camera setup, then you're going to have to spend some more money.

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Moto G34 5G launched in India on January 9 as an affordable 5G smartphone and is now available for purchase as well. The Moto G lineup has been around for more than a decade now. I still remember the very first Moto G launched in 2013 with stock Android, some Moto exclusive features, a single 5-megapixel rear camera, and thick bezels. 10 years later, there are a lot of changes with the G lineup, but Motorola has managed to keep the pricing affordable. The new Moto G34 5G costs less than the launch price of the original Moto G. And instead of a 5-megapixel camera, you now get 50-megapixels.

I've been using the newly launched Moto G34 5G for over a week now, and here's my take on the latest G phone!

Moto G34 5G price in India

Before I start on the Moto G34 5G, I'd like to mention its pricing in India. The base variant, which gets 4GB RAM and 128GB storage, is priced at Rs. 10,999. We're reviewing the 8GB + 128GB variant, which is priced at Rs. 11,999. The original Moto G was launched at Rs. 12,499 in 2013 and had 1GB RAM and 8GB storage. Its predecessor, the Moto G32, was priced at Rs. 11,999 for the base model. What I'm trying to say is that the Moto G34 is an affordable 5G smartphone.

The phone is available in Charcoal Black, Ice Blue, and Ocean Green colour options. The Ocean Green variant has a vegan leather finish rear panel, and that's what we're reviewing.

In the box, the Moto G34 5G is accompanied by a SIM ejector tool, some paperwork, a USB Type-C cable, and a 20W TurboPower charger.

Moto G34 Review: Design

The Vegan leather finish of our review unit gives the Moto G34 5G a nice premium feel. It's a nice change from the usual glass or plastic rear panel that we're all used to. The rear panel has the famous Moto logo in the centre. The Vegan leather finish is soft and leaves no fingerprints or smudges, which is nice. It has flat panels with rounded corners and a slight taper where the rear panel meets the frame. The phone is also decently slim at just 8mm and weighs 180 grams.

Motorola has been using a similar camera bump on its recent G series phones, with the module placed in the top left corner, and I think it looks good. There's barely a camera bump, to be honest, but whatever is there, it's done nicely. It's got a different finish compared to the panel and adds a nice contrast. There's not too much branding going on either, which is nice. I'm not a fan of manufacturers writing the phone's entire history on the back panel.

Overall, the Moto G34 5G has got a nice in-hand feel.

Since there's no glass or metal here, the Moto G34 5G is light, but not in a bad way. The display bezels are slim on the sides, but the top and bottom are thicker and not uniform. The phone has a flat panel with no tapered edges, but it doesn't dig into your skin. Motorola has given the phone an IP52 rating, which means basic splash resistance.

Moto G34 Review: Specifications and software

Alright, now let's talk about specifications. Motorola has used the tried and tested Snapdragon 695 chip on the Moto G34 5G. The chipset is paired with up to 8GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage, which is expandable. The phone has a hybrid SIM tray that can accommodate either two nano SIM cards or a nano SIM card, and a microSD card. For connectivity, there's a USB Type-C port at the bottom, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.1, 5G, dual-band Wi-Fi, and support for all the GPS standards. The phone supports 13 5G bands.

The Moto G34 5G comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner placed underneath the Power button. I'm a fan of capacitive fingerprint scanners and prefer them over the in-display sensors. The scanner works well and is fast.

Moving on to the battery, the Moto G34 5G has a big battery. It gets a 5,000mAh unit that supports up to 18W fast charging. However, the box contains a 20W charging adapter.

The phone runs Android 14-based MyUX out of the box. The user interface is very much like stock Android, but there are plenty of additional features baked in. You get software features such as a Game mode, a Sidebar to quickly access apps in Windows mode, Split-screen multitasking, and Family Space. There's also a Moto Unplugged mode that lets you unwind for a set period of time. I also liked the Moto Gestures available on the phone that support easy gestures to perform tasks such as turning on the flashlight, launching the camera app, silencing calls, and more. Motorola has promised 1 year of OS updates and 3 years of security updates. This is usually the norm in this price segment, so I wasn't very surprised.

However, I was surprised by the bloatware and pre-installed apps on the Moto G34 5G. There are three folders that you'll find on the phone, namely GamesHub, Entertainment, and Shopping. While these folders don't have any apps installed, if you tap on them, you are bombarded with ads, and you can install the games. All of these folders are by Swish Apps. However, you can uninstall the Entertainment, Shopping, and GamesHub folders.

Moto G34 Review: Performance

Motorola claims that the Moto G34 5G is the fastest phone in the 5G segment, but it mentions in the footnotes that this claim holds true among other Motorola phones in the same price range. And that may be true. The phone is equipped with an octa-core 6nm Snapdragon 695 SoC that's a good mid-range chipset.

We ran Geekbench 6 and got a single-core CPU score of 912 and a multi-core score of 2050. It scored 1411 points on the GPU benchmark. On AnTuTu, the phone managed a score of 3,50,965, which is decent. I was able to perform basic tasks on the phone without any lag, and I can say that the phone was good for daily use. I also managed to play BGMI on the phone but with graphics limited to HD only. Still, you can totally use this phone for some light BGMI gaming. The phone also doesn't hit up as much as I expected it to, but that's probably because demanding games don't run on their highest settings.

Now, let's look at the phone's display. The Moto G34 5G comes with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display that offers HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 240Hz touch sampling rate. It gets a hole-punch cutout for the front camera and Panda glass protection. The panel delivers 580 nits brightness and is good enough to enjoy watching videos, playing games, and so on when indoors, but visibility outdoors isn't great. The phone offers a Natural or Saturated colour mode, and you can choose to set the screen at 120Hz, 60Hz, or auto. Overall, the display is good enough for the price.

The phone offers a dual stereo speaker setup, with one speaker at the bottom and the second one being the ear speaker at the top. While the phone offers Dolby Atmos support and the audio from the speakers is clear, it lacks bass. The phone gets loud enough for indoor use, but you'll need to use headphones when outside. Talking about headphones, the Moto G34 5G comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

In terms of overall performance, the Moto G34 5G did quite well with what it comes packed with. The software, although not as stock as it used to be, is without lag and the impressive 120Hz refresh rate certainly helps with making things appear smoother than they are. The scrolling in apps is smooth, but only if you aren't running multiple apps or multitasking. When things get heavy, the phone does start to lag with some choppiness, even when scrolling.

Where it doesn't lag is in the battery department. The Moto G34 5G comes with a 5,000mAh battery that can easily last over a day with minimum to moderate usage. Keep the display in 60Hz mode, and you can extend the battery further. I consistently managed to get over a day's usage with around 6-7 hours of screen time. My day usually included about 30 mins of gaming, watching a couple of YouTube videos, using the camera for photos, messaging, calling, and other regular tasks. The phone supports 18W charging speeds, and with the included charger, it took about 40 mins to charge from 0 to 50 percent and 2 hours to hit 100 percent. Now, that's pretty slow compared to today's standards.

Moto G34 Review: Cameras

Affordable smartphones also have decent cameras these days, and that's the case with the Moto G34 5G, or so I thought. The phone comes with a 50-megapixel primary rear camera and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. On the front, there's a 16-megapixel sensor for selfies and video calls.

The camera app is easy to use and has all the camera modes laid out right in front. The main Photo mode has 1x and a Macro mode. You get 8x digital zoom in the Photo mode and can choose between three different aspect ratios. Motorola has also included various filters that you can try right in the Photo mode. There's also a video mode, Slow Motion, Portrait, and a Pro mode. Meanwhile, Night Vision, Dual Capture, Timelapse, and Panorama are hidden away in More.

Now, let's talk about the image quality from the main 50-megapixel rear camera. In daylight, the photos taken with the main camera are, at best, decent. While you get details, the colours are saturated, and the HDR is not very good. Image quality was clearly not a priority for Motorola, and I don't blame them. The phone costs around Rs. 10,000, and this is what you can expect. The Macro camera is mostly a bust and I was never able to get any good close-up photos with the camera. And as the sun goes down, so does the image quality. Even with Night Vision mode, the pictures weren't sharp and had plenty of noise. If you're in a completely lit street, then maybe the camera can get some details with the Night Vision mode.

Top to bottom: Main camera, Macro, Night Vision, and Lowlight

 

However, you can get some good photos if you try out the Pro mode, but an average consumer isn't going to spend time trying to get a good shot. Straight out of the pocket, the main camera will only give you good results when used in daylight. The selfie camera is also okay at best. You can play around with features such as Dual capture, which takes photos and videos using both front and rear cameras.

Coming to video performance from the main rear camera, you get 1080p video capture at 30fps, and there is some noise and artefacts even in daylight. There is stabilisation, but it's only electronic. The video quality also falls apart at night. The Moto G34 5G also lets you shoot videos using the Macro camera, and to my surprise, it managed to take better close-up videos than photos.

Moto G34 Review: Verdict

The Moto G34 5G will be competing with similarly priced phones from Xiaomi, Realme, and Poco. However, not a lot of phones in the price segment offer 5G connectivity, 120Hz refresh rate, and a Vegan leather finish on the rear panel.

If you're looking to buy an affordable 5G smartphone and don't really care about camera performance, then the Moto G34 5G is an excellent choice. You also get a good display, dual speakers, pretty good battery life, and you can play games such as BGMI in low settings. However, if you need a good camera setup, then you're going to have to spend some more money.

‘Want Nitish Kumar to stay’: Akhilesh Yadav blames Congress for Bihar political turmoil

Former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav blames Congress for Bihar's political crisis and growing fissures within the INDIA bloc.

from mint - politics Former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav blames Congress for Bihar's political crisis and growing fissures within the INDIA bloc.

Bihar political turmoil: Mahagathbandhan on tenterhooks as Nitish Kumar edges towards NDA | 10 points

Bihar politics: There are indications that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is worried and disturbed in the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and may be thinking about exiting the bloc.

from mint - politics Bihar politics: There are indications that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is worried and disturbed in the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) and may be thinking about exiting the bloc.

Nitish Kumar may take oath as Bihar CM on Sunday with BJP support: Report

Nitish Kumar is likely to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister with BJP's support

from mint - politics Nitish Kumar is likely to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister with BJP's support

Gadgets 360

Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro are now available to purchase in India via offline retail outlets. The gaming smartphones were unveiled at CES 2024 and subsequently launched in India. Both handsets in the ROG Phone 8 series are powered by Qualcomm's latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. They are equipped with 5,000mAh batteries and have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The handsets are also compatible with the company's AeroActive Cooler X snap-on cooling fan.

Asus ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro price in India and availability

Asus ROG Phone 8 price in India is set at Rs. 94,999 and the handset comes in a single 16GB+512GB RAM and storage configuration. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is priced at Rs. 1,19,999 and is available with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of inbuilt storage. The latter comes with the AeroActive Cooler X cooling fan and both handsets are available in a Phantom Black shade.

Both Asus ROG Phone 8 series handsets can now be purchased in India via Vijay Sales, Asus' retail partner for the handset in the country.

Asus ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro specifications

The Taiwan-based technology firm's latest ROG Phone 8 series smartphones run on Android 14 with the company's ROG UI on top. They both sport 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) Samsung AMOLED LTPO display with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, up to 165Hz refresh rate and 2,500 nits of peak brightness. The handsets run on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, paired with up to 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM.

A triple rear camera setup can be found on both the Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro, comprising a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 1/1.56-inch primary sensor, a 13-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, and a 32-megapixel sensor telephoto camera. The handsets are also equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera for capturing selfies or making and receiving video calls.

You get up to 1TB of storage on the Asus ROG Phone 8 series. Meanwhile, both phones support 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, and NFC. The phones have a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB Type-C port. It has an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication.

Both the Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro pack 5,000mAh batteries that can be charged at 65W, along with support for Qi 1.3 wireless charging. The high-end model comes with the company's AeroActive Cooler X cooling fan. The handsets measure 163.8x76.8x8.9mm and weigh 225g and have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, according to the company.

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Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/MRJwzDg

Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro are now available to purchase in India via offline retail outlets. The gaming smartphones were unveiled at CES 2024 and subsequently launched in India. Both handsets in the ROG Phone 8 series are powered by Qualcomm's latest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. They are equipped with 5,000mAh batteries and have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The handsets are also compatible with the company's AeroActive Cooler X snap-on cooling fan.

Asus ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro price in India and availability

Asus ROG Phone 8 price in India is set at Rs. 94,999 and the handset comes in a single 16GB+512GB RAM and storage configuration. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is priced at Rs. 1,19,999 and is available with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of inbuilt storage. The latter comes with the AeroActive Cooler X cooling fan and both handsets are available in a Phantom Black shade.

Both Asus ROG Phone 8 series handsets can now be purchased in India via Vijay Sales, Asus' retail partner for the handset in the country.

Asus ROG Phone 8, ROG Phone 8 Pro specifications

The Taiwan-based technology firm's latest ROG Phone 8 series smartphones run on Android 14 with the company's ROG UI on top. They both sport 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080x2,400 pixels) Samsung AMOLED LTPO display with Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, up to 165Hz refresh rate and 2,500 nits of peak brightness. The handsets run on Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, paired with up to 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM.

A triple rear camera setup can be found on both the Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro, comprising a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 1/1.56-inch primary sensor, a 13-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera, and a 32-megapixel sensor telephoto camera. The handsets are also equipped with a 12-megapixel front-facing camera for capturing selfies or making and receiving video calls.

You get up to 1TB of storage on the Asus ROG Phone 8 series. Meanwhile, both phones support 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, GPS, and NFC. The phones have a 3.5mm audio jack and a USB Type-C port. It has an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication.

Both the Asus ROG Phone 8 and ROG Phone 8 Pro pack 5,000mAh batteries that can be charged at 65W, along with support for Qi 1.3 wireless charging. The high-end model comes with the company's AeroActive Cooler X cooling fan. The handsets measure 163.8x76.8x8.9mm and weigh 225g and have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, according to the company.

---

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

Gadgets 360

Republic Day movie recommendations are often a compilation of patriotic movies, which we have probably already seen a few times over the years. I was about to do the same when I got into thinking if there was another way of feeling more connected to our roots through the lens of cinema, and bingo! What could be a better way to do this than peeping back in time captured by the classic movies shot in pre-Independence India? These films were impacted by the ongoing struggle for independence and rightly capture the essence of that era.

However, to look for films shot before 1947 available to stream on OTT today isn't an easy task. While most platforms have “retro” “classics” or “old” genres, you'll probably wind up with hits from the later parts of Indian cinema – a brilliant array of films starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, or Dilip Kumar.

While I was counting on Netflix the most, I couldn't find a single title from the era in its long list of recommendations (believe me, I tried every cheat code and hack). Even Prime Video had just one – Mehboob Khan's Humayun.

JioCinema, however, will let you stream plenty of these classics, free of cost (of course, with some annoying advertisements at the beginning of the film) Besides the ones recommended below from JioCinema, you could also go for Shah Jehan (1946), Sikandar (1943), Tansen (1943) and Pukar (1949) available on the streaming platform.

Next in line was Sheemaroo's own OTT platform SheemarooMe, which is still harbouring films from the bygone days of even 1920s. While you might still have to battle a few ads here and there, if you aren't a subscriber, for an ardent admirer of retro films this could be their next favourite website!

While YouTube itself doesn't have many films from the pre-Independent era to rent or buy, some channels like Ultra Movies and Shemaroo have uploaded complete films for cinema lovers including Neel Kamal (1947), Achhut Kanya (1936), and Amar Jyoti (1936).

If you have an Amazon Prime Subscription, you could also go for an add-on for Eros Now – which includes plenty of such titles like the iconic Devdas (1935), Khazanchi (1941), and Anmol Ghadi (1946). While the original Eros site and application are down, the Eros Now channel on Prime's Video is working just fine.

With that being said, get ready to take a trip back in time this Republic Day with these rare cinematic pieces. Here are our picks for six classic Indian films shot before 1947, available to stream in 2024. Happy binge-watching!

Bhakta Pralhad (1926)

Where: SheemaroMe

By 1926, silent films had already been around in India for around 13 years. At this time, mythological and religious storylines dominated the cinema.

Bhakta Pralhad is yet another classic by the father of Indian Cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke. It tells the mythological legend of demon king Hiranyakashyap and his defiant son Prahalad, who is a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap did everything — from burning Prahalad with oil to getting him trampled under elephants — to stop him from worshipping Vishnu, but Prahalad's faith remained unscathed. Per the legend, the film shows the Lord finally appearing to his rescue and killing his demon father. The film was later remade in most of the Indian languages.

Now, let's not forget the fact that this was the time when the cinema was still relatively new to colonised India and the viewers were strongly associating the actors with their mythological roles outside of the theatre as well. Interestingly, this is also the time when buses were introduced in India, in the coastal city of Mumbai.

Dharmatma (1935)

Where: ShemarooMe

Dharmatma came to the Indian audience when social injustice and untouchability made the rule of the day. It is a biopic of Sant Eknath – a philosopher, saint, and poet from 16th century Maharashtra. The film particularly focuses on his humanitarian defence of the 'untouchable' castes.

Dharmatma provides a rare glimpse into the deeply troubling social fabric of that time. The bilingual film was shot in both Hindi and Marathi and was one of the only four films made on casteism at that time.

The film was originally titled “Mahatma”, but the name didn't get a clearance from the certification board (probably because the term had become synonymous with Gandhi at the time?). This is also the year when The Government of India Act 1935 was passed by the British Parliament.

Pukar (1939)

Where: JioCinema

Get a taste of the bygone days and lengthy Urdu dialogues in a 4:3 aspect ratio with the black-and-white classic Pukar. One of the earliest Muslim social films of the time, Pukar follows the inner conflict of Mughal Emperor Jehangir – known for his “an eye for an eye” attitude – when a woman accuses his wife Noor Jahan of murdering a commoner by mistake.

It is worth mentioning that after a few months of the release – when people were probably still bringing up the film and its characters in their evening ritualistic tea breaks – British India officially declared war against Nazi Germany, during World War II. (Isn't it intriguing to think how the timeline for wars and art co-exist?)

Kismet (1943)

Where: JioCinema

Kismet holds a special position in the history of Indian cinema for a lot of reasons. It was the first Indian blockbuster film, which grossed one crore and redefined the position of cinema in India. It is also the first one to show an anti-hero character in prominent dual roles. Packed with a bunch of patriotic songs, the film resonated with the ongoing struggle for Independence as well.

Here Ashok Kumar – an undisputed superstar of that time – steps into the shoes of a pickpocket, who doesn't have an ounce of shame for his immoral acts. (You probably remember him from his role as Professor Sinha in Mr. India. Or is it just me?). Moral epiphanies, emotional breakthroughs, and strides of romance are in store.

Prithvi Vallabh (1943)

Where: JioCinema

Prithvi Vallabh is an ideal king for Avantipur- kind, just, and courageous; he bows his head before God and no one. Tailap, the ruler of his neighbouring state is just the opposite. Envious of Vallabh, Tailap hatches an evil plan to attack his estate and hold him captive.

Durga Khote of Mughal-E-Azam fame plays Tailap's equally wicked sister, who plays accomplice in all his conspiracies.

Interestingly, the film was a remake of Manilal Joshi's silent film of the same name from 1924 – which in turn was an adaptation of a Gujarati novel.

Humayun (1944)

Where: Prime Video

Another hit from Ashok Kumar around that time was this classic – the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1945. The movie brings a slice of history in the form of Mughal emperor Humayun, who was forced to flee to Iran after losing Delhi to his enemies, shortly after he was crowned after Babur's death. Nargis (Mother India) plays Humayun's Queen Consort Hamida Bano in the film.

Sadly, this is the only pick from the era which I could find on Prime Video. So, if the cinephile in you awakens and you decide to search for more on the platform, let me save you from the disappointing drill!

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/MI8PbcX

Republic Day movie recommendations are often a compilation of patriotic movies, which we have probably already seen a few times over the years. I was about to do the same when I got into thinking if there was another way of feeling more connected to our roots through the lens of cinema, and bingo! What could be a better way to do this than peeping back in time captured by the classic movies shot in pre-Independence India? These films were impacted by the ongoing struggle for independence and rightly capture the essence of that era.

However, to look for films shot before 1947 available to stream on OTT today isn't an easy task. While most platforms have “retro” “classics” or “old” genres, you'll probably wind up with hits from the later parts of Indian cinema – a brilliant array of films starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, or Dilip Kumar.

While I was counting on Netflix the most, I couldn't find a single title from the era in its long list of recommendations (believe me, I tried every cheat code and hack). Even Prime Video had just one – Mehboob Khan's Humayun.

JioCinema, however, will let you stream plenty of these classics, free of cost (of course, with some annoying advertisements at the beginning of the film) Besides the ones recommended below from JioCinema, you could also go for Shah Jehan (1946), Sikandar (1943), Tansen (1943) and Pukar (1949) available on the streaming platform.

Next in line was Sheemaroo's own OTT platform SheemarooMe, which is still harbouring films from the bygone days of even 1920s. While you might still have to battle a few ads here and there, if you aren't a subscriber, for an ardent admirer of retro films this could be their next favourite website!

While YouTube itself doesn't have many films from the pre-Independent era to rent or buy, some channels like Ultra Movies and Shemaroo have uploaded complete films for cinema lovers including Neel Kamal (1947), Achhut Kanya (1936), and Amar Jyoti (1936).

If you have an Amazon Prime Subscription, you could also go for an add-on for Eros Now – which includes plenty of such titles like the iconic Devdas (1935), Khazanchi (1941), and Anmol Ghadi (1946). While the original Eros site and application are down, the Eros Now channel on Prime's Video is working just fine.

With that being said, get ready to take a trip back in time this Republic Day with these rare cinematic pieces. Here are our picks for six classic Indian films shot before 1947, available to stream in 2024. Happy binge-watching!

Bhakta Pralhad (1926)

Where: SheemaroMe

By 1926, silent films had already been around in India for around 13 years. At this time, mythological and religious storylines dominated the cinema.

Bhakta Pralhad is yet another classic by the father of Indian Cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke. It tells the mythological legend of demon king Hiranyakashyap and his defiant son Prahalad, who is a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Hiranyakashyap did everything — from burning Prahalad with oil to getting him trampled under elephants — to stop him from worshipping Vishnu, but Prahalad's faith remained unscathed. Per the legend, the film shows the Lord finally appearing to his rescue and killing his demon father. The film was later remade in most of the Indian languages.

Now, let's not forget the fact that this was the time when the cinema was still relatively new to colonised India and the viewers were strongly associating the actors with their mythological roles outside of the theatre as well. Interestingly, this is also the time when buses were introduced in India, in the coastal city of Mumbai.

Dharmatma (1935)

Where: ShemarooMe

Dharmatma came to the Indian audience when social injustice and untouchability made the rule of the day. It is a biopic of Sant Eknath – a philosopher, saint, and poet from 16th century Maharashtra. The film particularly focuses on his humanitarian defence of the 'untouchable' castes.

Dharmatma provides a rare glimpse into the deeply troubling social fabric of that time. The bilingual film was shot in both Hindi and Marathi and was one of the only four films made on casteism at that time.

The film was originally titled “Mahatma”, but the name didn't get a clearance from the certification board (probably because the term had become synonymous with Gandhi at the time?). This is also the year when The Government of India Act 1935 was passed by the British Parliament.

Pukar (1939)

Where: JioCinema

Get a taste of the bygone days and lengthy Urdu dialogues in a 4:3 aspect ratio with the black-and-white classic Pukar. One of the earliest Muslim social films of the time, Pukar follows the inner conflict of Mughal Emperor Jehangir – known for his “an eye for an eye” attitude – when a woman accuses his wife Noor Jahan of murdering a commoner by mistake.

It is worth mentioning that after a few months of the release – when people were probably still bringing up the film and its characters in their evening ritualistic tea breaks – British India officially declared war against Nazi Germany, during World War II. (Isn't it intriguing to think how the timeline for wars and art co-exist?)

Kismet (1943)

Where: JioCinema

Kismet holds a special position in the history of Indian cinema for a lot of reasons. It was the first Indian blockbuster film, which grossed one crore and redefined the position of cinema in India. It is also the first one to show an anti-hero character in prominent dual roles. Packed with a bunch of patriotic songs, the film resonated with the ongoing struggle for Independence as well.

Here Ashok Kumar – an undisputed superstar of that time – steps into the shoes of a pickpocket, who doesn't have an ounce of shame for his immoral acts. (You probably remember him from his role as Professor Sinha in Mr. India. Or is it just me?). Moral epiphanies, emotional breakthroughs, and strides of romance are in store.

Prithvi Vallabh (1943)

Where: JioCinema

Prithvi Vallabh is an ideal king for Avantipur- kind, just, and courageous; he bows his head before God and no one. Tailap, the ruler of his neighbouring state is just the opposite. Envious of Vallabh, Tailap hatches an evil plan to attack his estate and hold him captive.

Durga Khote of Mughal-E-Azam fame plays Tailap's equally wicked sister, who plays accomplice in all his conspiracies.

Interestingly, the film was a remake of Manilal Joshi's silent film of the same name from 1924 – which in turn was an adaptation of a Gujarati novel.

Humayun (1944)

Where: Prime Video

Another hit from Ashok Kumar around that time was this classic – the seventh-highest-grossing film of 1945. The movie brings a slice of history in the form of Mughal emperor Humayun, who was forced to flee to Iran after losing Delhi to his enemies, shortly after he was crowned after Babur's death. Nargis (Mother India) plays Humayun's Queen Consort Hamida Bano in the film.

Sadly, this is the only pick from the era which I could find on Prime Video. So, if the cinephile in you awakens and you decide to search for more on the platform, let me save you from the disappointing drill!

Lok Sabha election 2024: BJP launches new campaign 'Modi ko chunte hain’ | Watch

Lok Sabha election 2024: The BJP launched their campaign for Lok Sabha Election 2024 with a song titled 'Tabhi toh sab Modi ko chunte' (That's why people choose Modi).

from mint - politics Lok Sabha election 2024: The BJP launched their campaign for Lok Sabha Election 2024 with a song titled 'Tabhi toh sab Modi ko chunte' (That's why people choose Modi).

Gadgets 360

Google Pixel 8 is still new in the market, but early renders of the Pixel 9 have already started emerging on the Web, giving us a look at what the company's next flagship smartphone could look like. The renders show the handset in a blue shade and suggest three cameras on the rear. This would be a significant update for the vanilla model. It looks like Google may have redesigned the rear camera module. The images indicate flat edges on the Pixel 9, similar to what we saw on the Pixel 9 Pro. It also has a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera on the display.

After posting CAD-based renders of the Google Pixel 9 Pro, tipster Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks), has leaked renders and specifications of the Google Pixel 9 in association with 91Mobiles. The renders suggest a compact design for the handset with flattened sides, resembling the latest iPhone 15 series. The phone appears to get a redesigned rear camera module housing three sensors and an LED flash. This would be a huge upgrade for the vanilla Pixel as the previous Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8 only got dual rear cameras.

Instead of extending the camera bar across the entire width of the back panel as seen on the current Pixel 8 and older models, the Pixel 9 appears to have an oval-shaped island similar to the Pixel Fold. The camera unit appears to include a new periscope telephoto lens. Specification-wise, this update would bring the regular Pixel handset much more in tune with the Pro model.

The Pixel 9 is seen in a blue colour in the leaked images. The handset could be offered in multiple colour options during the launch. Further, the screen has a centrally located single hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera.

Google's Pixel 9 is said to measure 152.8x71.9x8.5mm. It is expected to sport a 6.1-inch screen, down from the Pixel 8's 6.2-inch screen. 

Google is expected to announce the Pixel 9 series in October. The handset could run on Android 15 and the company's in-house Tensor G4 SoC.

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Google I/O 2023 saw the search giant repeatedly tell us that it cares about AI, alongside the launch of its first foldable phone and Pixel-branded tablet. This year, the company is going to supercharge its apps, services, and Android operating system with AI technology. We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/xbQfF6i

Google Pixel 8 is still new in the market, but early renders of the Pixel 9 have already started emerging on the Web, giving us a look at what the company's next flagship smartphone could look like. The renders show the handset in a blue shade and suggest three cameras on the rear. This would be a significant update for the vanilla model. It looks like Google may have redesigned the rear camera module. The images indicate flat edges on the Pixel 9, similar to what we saw on the Pixel 9 Pro. It also has a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera on the display.

After posting CAD-based renders of the Google Pixel 9 Pro, tipster Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks), has leaked renders and specifications of the Google Pixel 9 in association with 91Mobiles. The renders suggest a compact design for the handset with flattened sides, resembling the latest iPhone 15 series. The phone appears to get a redesigned rear camera module housing three sensors and an LED flash. This would be a huge upgrade for the vanilla Pixel as the previous Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel 8 only got dual rear cameras.

Instead of extending the camera bar across the entire width of the back panel as seen on the current Pixel 8 and older models, the Pixel 9 appears to have an oval-shaped island similar to the Pixel Fold. The camera unit appears to include a new periscope telephoto lens. Specification-wise, this update would bring the regular Pixel handset much more in tune with the Pro model.

The Pixel 9 is seen in a blue colour in the leaked images. The handset could be offered in multiple colour options during the launch. Further, the screen has a centrally located single hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera.

Google's Pixel 9 is said to measure 152.8x71.9x8.5mm. It is expected to sport a 6.1-inch screen, down from the Pixel 8's 6.2-inch screen. 

Google is expected to announce the Pixel 9 series in October. The handset could run on Android 15 and the company's in-house Tensor G4 SoC.

---

Google I/O 2023 saw the search giant repeatedly tell us that it cares about AI, alongside the launch of its first foldable phone and Pixel-branded tablet. This year, the company is going to supercharge its apps, services, and Android operating system with AI technology. We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.