Articles by Harish Jonnalagadda

Xiaomi is going to start rolling out MIUI 12 from June. Here’s when your phone will receive the update.

MIUI 12 is now official, with Xiaomi’s latest skin offering an array of new features. Some of those features include an improved system-wide dark mode, AI-assisted calling features, Dynamic Always-on Display, new visual design, tweaks to system animations, and much-needed privacy fixes.

The stable build of MIUI 12 will begin rolling out from next month in China, with the global models picking up the update later in the year. Here’s when your Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO phone will receive the MIUI 12 update.

MIUI 12 update: When it is rolling out?

A tentative MIUI 12 update schedule has been shared by the MIUI team on Weibo, and this gives us an indication as to when your phone will likely receive the update. Based on the release notes, the MIUI 12 update will start rolling out to Xiaomi phones in China sometime in June.

The update schedule is primarily aimed at MIUI’s Chinese audie…

The coronavirus has spread to 181 countries around the world, and it shows no signs of abating. The pandemic has proved particularly devastating in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases crossing 2.6 million and fatalities of over 183,000 globally.

The virus has effectively shut down all sporting leagues around the world, major gatherings including tech events and music festivals, and closed down restaurants and malls. It has transformed how we live and work, and how we connect with our friends and families. Tech brands are doing their part to assist, with Google teaming up with Apple to build a coronavirus tracking tool.

Here’s the latest on the coronavirus and how it’s affecting not only the tech industry, but also the world at large.

April 27, 2020: Global COVID-19 cases inch closer to 3 million

Global COVID-19 cases saw another surge over the weekend, with 150,000 new confirmed cases. The global tally now stands at 2,982,933, with total fatalities of 206,833. The U.S. has …

OnePlus 8 Pro

Performance king

$899 at OnePlus

Pros

Incredible 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED display
Snapdragon 865 chipset with 5G
30W wireless charging
IP68 water resistance
Exciting camera upgrades
Clean software with regular updates

Cons

No 3.5mm headphone jack

The OnePlus 8 Pro delivers all the features fans have been asking for several years. The device features the latest internal hardware and a stunning 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED display that is one of the best on any phone today. Then there’s 30W wired and wireless charging, IP68 water resistance, huge camera upgrades, and the best software on any Android phone today.

OPPO Find X2 Pro

Zoom in

£1,099 at Carphone Warehouse

Pros

Incredible 120Hz QHD+ AMOLED display
Snapdragon 865 chipset with 5G
65W wired charging
IP68 water resistance
Incredible cameras with 10x hybrid zoom

Cons

Costly
No wireless charging
Not available in the U.S.

The Find X2 Pro has the same gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED panel and the same great internal h…

There are a number of reasons why you might need to factory reset your Android phone. Maybe your phone is overloaded with apps and running slow, or you’ve downloaded a recent update and it’s causing problems with your phone’s functionality. Maybe you just want to reset it because you’re selling your phone (you should always do this when selling an old device, by the way). Here’s how to factory reset your Android phone through the phone settings or via the recovery mode.

How to factory reset your phone from the settings menu

Before we get started, know that a factory reset will erase all the data on your phone. If you haven’t backed up your contacts, pictures, videos, documents, and anything else (preferably in the cloud), you should do so now. Not sure where to back up your data before a factory reset? Read our guide on how to do that first.

Given the variety of phones available on Android, I’ll be using the Pixel 3a and Samsung’s Galaxy A51 as the examples for this guide. The P…

The OnePlus 8 will start at just ₹41,999 ($550) in India, with the OnePlus 8 Pro debuting at ₹54,999 ($720).

What you need to know

OnePlus has officially revealed Indian pricing for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, with both phones going on sale in the country in May.
The OnePlus 8 will be retailing at just ₹41,999 ($550), and the OnePlus 8 Pro will be available at ₹54,999 ($720).
Both devices are being sold at a significant discount from their U.S. counterparts, and that should be welcome news to Indian customers.

The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro launched earlier this week, but the company didn’t reveal Indian pricing at the launch event. With the OnePlus 8 starting off at $699 and the OnePlus 8 Pro debuting at $899, that led to a lot of consternation from Indian customers as to how costly the devices would end up being in India.

OnePlus tired to assuage fears with a tweet, and the launch of the OnePlus 8 series in China — with both devices retailing for $135 less than their U.S. e…

The base variant of the OnePlus 8 starts off at $565 in China, with the Pro verison retailing for $765.

What you need to know

The OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are now official in China, with the base version starting off at the equivalent of $565.
The Pro variant, meanwhile, retails for $765 in the country.
OnePlus is likely offering regional pricing in markets where it has to maintain its dominance.

The OnePlus 8 series debuted earlier this week, with the base version starting off at $699 in the U.S. and the Pro version starting at $899. While that’s considerably more than previous generations, the new devices come with a host of new features, including 5G connectivity, and in the case of the OnePlus 8 Pro, IP68 water resistance, 30W wireless charging, and a 120Hz AMOLED panel.

Even though there’s a lot to like with the new phones, the pricing was a point of contention for fans around the world, particularly in India. OnePlus even went on to say that the pricing would be different in…

The coronavirus has spread to 181 countries around the world, and it shows no signs of abating. The pandemic has proved particularly devastating in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases crossing 1.6 million and fatalities of over 97,200 globally.

The virus has effectively shut down all sporting leagues around the world, major gatherings including tech events and music festivals, and closed down restaurants and malls. Google teamed up with Apple to build a coronavirus tracking tool, with the service relying on Bluetooth tech to estimate how many are infected with COVID-19.

Here’s the latest on the coronavirus and how it’s affecting not only the tech industry, but also the world at large.

April 14, 2020: Nest reduces quality to ease bandwidth strain, Sony sets up $10 million fund

In addition to limiting video quality on YouTube, Google announced that it would reduce Nest camera quality to ease the strain on broadband lines.
Google has confirmed that it will deliver updates to …

Switching to a new phone involves a lot of work: you have to make sure your apps and settings are transferred over correctly, along with your photos and videos, text messages, and contacts. Thankfully, Google’s built-in tools seamlessly back up data to your Google account, making it easier to bring all your data — including your contacts — over to your new phone.

Products used in this guide

Incredible value: Google Pixel 3a XL ($415 at Amazon)

How to back up your phone’s contacts to your Google account

Google has a robust backup utility that automatically backs up all data on your phone to your Google account, including contacts, texts, app data, photos and videos, call history, and even your device’s settings. It does all this in the background without your intervention, and when you’re switching to a new phone, you can rest assured that all the data from your old device will transfer over seamlessly.

All the data is stored in your Google Drive, and the best part is that …

All 31 seasons of The Simpsons will be available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar from later this week.

What you need to know

Disney has confirmed that The Simpsons will be debuting on its platform on April 15.
All 31 seasons of the show will be available to stream from later this week.
The series is limited to Disney+ Hotstar Premium subscribers.

When Disney+ Hotstar launched in India earlier this month, there was a glaring omission: The Simpsons wasn’t available to stream on the platform. Disney made most of its back catalog of TV shows and movies available to stream on the platform, and rolled out originals like The Mandalorian, but The Simpsons was missing from the catalog.

Disney has confirmed that The Simpsons will be available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar by the end of the month, and in a new tweet the service has indicated that all 31 seasons of the hit TV series will be going live on April 15, two weeks earlier than scheduled:

Take a break from your family for the world…

The coronavirus has spread to 181 countries around the world, and it shows no signs of abating. The pandemic has proved particularly devastating in recent weeks, with total confirmed cases crossing 1.6 million and fatalities of over 97,200 globally.

The virus has effectively shut down all sporting leagues around the world, major gatherings including tech events and music festivals, and closed down restaurants and malls. It also put a major dent in the airline industry, and is causing panic-buying across the globe, leading to severe food shortages.

The coronavirus has also had a huge impact on the tech industry, affecting the global supply chain and causing interminable product delays. Here’s the latest on the coronavirus and how it’s affecting not only the tech industry, but also the world at large.

April 10, 2020: Amazon sets up COVID-19 testing lab, Microsoft delays Neo

COVID-19 cases have crossed 1.6 million, with the U.S. tally going up to 466,000. Global fatalities stand at…