Posted on

Infinix Zero 40 5G Review: Mid-Range Hero?


Infinix

should
stop
using
the
Zero
moniker
for
their
phones
because,
honestly,
their
phones
are
not
what
they
used
to
be.
The
new

Infinix
Zero
40
5G

is
not
a
zero.
The
phone,
at
a
starting
price
of
Rs.
27,999,
offers
a
lot
of
features.
Infinix
also
claims
that
the
Zero
40
5G
is
the
first
phone
in
its
segment
to
offer
4K
60fps
video
recording
on
both
front
and
rear
cameras
and
to
feature
a
50-megapixel
ultrawide
rear
camera.
It’s
also
the
first
Infinix
phone
to
launch
with
Infinix
AI.

The
company
heavily
emphasises
the
phone’s
video
recording
features,
stabilisation,
and
its
potential
as
an
ideal
device
for
vlogging—I’ve
never
heard
the
word
“vlog”
mentioned
so
many
times
in
a
product
briefing.
So,
is
the
Infinix
Zero
40
5G
any
good?
Do
all
of
these
segment-firsts
make
it
a
hero?
You’ll
have
to
read
the
full
review
to
find
out.

Infinix
Zero
40
Design:
Stylish

  • Dimensions

    164.31×74.47×7.9mm
  • Weight

    195g
  • Colours

    Moving
    Titanium,
    Violet
    Garden,
    Rock
    Black

Infinix
has
done
a
very
good
job
in
terms
of
design.
The
phone
features
curved
sides
and
flat
top
and
bottom
edges,
making
it
comfortable
to
hold
and
easy
to
use
one-handed.
The
phone
is
available
in
three
colour
options,
and
we
got
the
Violet
Garden
variant.
The
rear
panel
has
a
two-tone
finish
and
the
word
‘Zero’
etched
at
the
bottom
right
corner.
It’s
a
nice
phone
to
look
at,
especially
in
the
Violet
colour
option.


infinix zero 40 5g review2 InfinixZero405G Infinix

The
curved
edges
make
the
phone
slimmer
than
it
actually
is

The
back
is
dominated
by
a
large
circular
camera
module,
accented
with
a
focus
ring-like
design.
The
curved
edges
make
the
phone
feel
slimmer
than
it
really
is.
The
left
side
is
clean,
while
the
power
and
volume
buttons
are
placed
on
the
right.
At
the
bottom,
you’ll
find
the
USB
Type-C
port,
a
loudspeaker,
a
microphone,
and
a
SIM
card
tray.
The
top
houses
an
IR
blaster,
another
microphone,
and
a
speaker
grille.
Infinix
has
also
provided
an
IP54
rating
for
added
protection,
which
is
a
nice
touch.

Infinix
Zero
40
Display:
Big
with
a
little
bit
of
curve

  • Size
    and
    type

    6.78-inch,
    full-HD+,
    Curved
    AMOLED
  • Refresh
    rate

    Up
    to
    144Hz
  • Protection

    Corning
    Gorilla
    Glass
    5

The
Infinix
Zero
40
5G
features
a
curved
display
with
slim,
uniform
bezels,
resulting
in
an
impressive
93.4
percent
screen-to-body
ratio.
The
panel
is
of
the
LTPS
variety,
which
means
that
although
it
offers
a
144Hz
refresh
rate,
it
cannot
go
all
the
way
down
to
1Hz.
You
can,
however,
choose
between
auto,
60,
120,
and
144Hz.
The
display
also
offers
a
360Hz
touch
sampling
rate
and
2,304Hz
PWM
frequency.


infinix zero 40 5g review1 InfinixZero405G Infinix

Running
the
screen
at
144Hz
will
drain
the
battery
much
faster

In
terms
of
colour,
you
get
a
10-bit
panel
with
100
percent
DCI-P3
colour
gamut
coverage.
There
are
also
two
colour
modes
available
on
the
phone

Original
and
Bright-coloured.
I’d
recommend
sticking
to
the
former.
You
also
get
TUV
Rheinland
Eye
Care
certification
and
an
Eye
care
mode.
As
for
brightness,
the
phone
gets
plenty
bright
indoors
(1,300
nits
peak),
but
it
can
be
a
bit
dull
under
direct
sunlight.

For
watching
movies,
gaming,
and
any
kind
of
content
consumption,
the
screen
is
great.
It’s
big,
colourful,
bright
(indoors),
and
offers
a
super
fast
refresh
rate.
There’s
also
Widevine
L1
certification
so
that
you
can
use
all
your
streaming
services.

Infinix
has
included
an
in-display
fingerprint
scanner
on
the
phone.
Despite
being
placed
lower
down
on
the
screen,
it
worked
accurately
and
was
fast.

Infinix
Zero
40
Software:
AI
this
and
AI
that

  • OS

    Android
    14
  • UI

    XOS
    14.5
  • Latest
    security
    patch

    August
    5,
    2024

The
phone
runs
Android
14-based
XOS
14.5
out
of
the
box.
As
expected,
it
includes
a
fair
amount
of
pre-installed
apps,
but
fortunately,
most
can
be
uninstalled.
The
user
interface
is
fairly
clean,
with
smooth
animations.

Infinix
has
also
included
an
edge
control
feature
that
lets
you
take
advantage
of
the
curved
screen
and
quickly
access
your
favourite
apps.
There’s
an
IR
Control
option
in
the
Quick
setting
and
within
the
Welife
app
to
control
other
devices
using
its
infrared
blaster.
The
phone
boasts
a
“Works
with
GoPro”
certification,
but
all
it
means
is
that
you
can
control
a
GoPro
action
camera
using
the
GoPro
Quik
app—a
feature
that
virtually
any
smartphone
is
capable
of.


infinix zero 40 5g review ai features InfinixZero405G Infinix

The
AI
eraser
does
a
decent
job

The
Zero
40
5G
has
many
AI
features
as
part
of
the
Infinix
AI
suite.
You
get
an
AI
Eraser
in
the
Gallery
app
that
works
pretty
well
for
removing
objects
from
photos,
though
its
performance
can
be
inconsistent.
Sometimes,
I
could
remove
an
object
with
a
single
attempt,
but
other
times,
it
took
multiple
tries
to
achieve
the
desired
result.

Other
AI-powered
features
include
Smart
Cut-out,
which
allows
you
to
cut
out
objects
from
photos
easily,
and
AI
Vlog,
which
can
automatically
create
a
vlog
using
up
to
20
clips
from
your
gallery.
Additionally,
Smart
Search
lets
you
find
pictures
in
the
Gallery
app
by
simply
typing
a
text
description.

There’s
an
AI
Wallpaper
Generator
that
creates
images
based
on
your
photos
or
text
input,
though
I
couldn’t
test
this
feature
due
to
a
recurring
“server
is
being
upgraded”
error.
The
Infinix
Folax
voice
assistant
is
also
built-in
and
capable
of
answering
questions,
translating
text,
controlling
basic
phone
functions,
and
more.


infinix zero 40 5g review ai eraser InfinixZero405G Infinix

Some
of
the
AI
features
didn’t
work

While
it’s
nice
to
have
all
the
above-mentioned
AI
features,
Infinix
has
a
lot
of
work
to
do,
as
some
of
them,
including
the
wallpaper
generator,
refused
to
work
for
me.

In
terms
of
software
support,
Infinix
has
promised
2
years
of
Android
OS
updates
and
3
years
of
security
patches.

Infinix
Zero
40
Performance:
Good
enough

  • Chipset

    MediaTek
    Dimensity
    8200
    Ultimate
  • RAM

    12GB
    LPDDR5x
  • Storage

    Up
    to
    512GB
    UFS
    3.1

The
MediaTek
Dimensity
8200
Ultimate
chipset
is
quite
capable
and
easily
handles
day-to-day
tasks.
Multitasking
is
a
breeze,e
too.
It
even
fares
well
in
gaming
and
doesn’t
produce
a
lot
of
heat
when
under
heavy
use.
The
phone
has
12GB
RAM
and
256GB
or
512GB
storage.
There
is
also
a
virtual
RAM
expansion
feature,
and
you
get
a
microSD
card
slot
to
add
more
storage.


infinix zero 40 5g review3 InfinixZero405G Infinix

The
phone
is
good
for
gaming

Regular
performance
is
pretty
good,
and
I
didn’t
really
face
any
lag
while
running
multiple
apps,
using
the
camera,
or
performing
various
day-to-day
tasks.
We
ran
our
usual
set
of
benchmarks
on
the
phone,
and
it
performed
similarly
to
other
phones
in
the
segment.


Benchmark

Infinix
Zero
40

Nothing
Phone
2a
Plus

Motorola
Edge
50
Pro

iQOO
Z9s
Pro
Geekbench
6
Single

1096
1204 1142 1136
Geekbench
6
Multi

3601
2658 3124 3091
AnTuTu
v10

956927
762,955 818,387 814328
PCMark
Work
3.0

15466
12663 13,730 10460
3DM
Slingshot
Extreme
OpenGL

Maxed
Out
Maxed
Out
Maxed
Out
Maxed
Out
3DM
Slingshot

Maxed
Out
7243 8393 8255
3DM
Wild
Life

6362
4779 5394 5287
3DM
Wild
Life
Unlimited

6454
5038 5457 5428
GFXBench
T-Rex

144
60 116 119
GFXBench
Manhattan
3.1

92
58 61 74
GFXBench
Car
Chase

52
35 32 40

Gaming
on
the
phone
is
fun,
thanks
mainly
to
the
large
screen
with
144Hz
refresh
rate.
I
ran
BGMI,
Asphalt
Legends
Unite,
and
Genshin
Impact
on
the
phone
and
was
able
to
play
all
of
them
without
much
lag.
In
BGMI
and
Asphalt
Legends
Unit,
I
was
able
to
play
with
the
highest
available
graphics.
However,
with
Genshin
Impact,
I
couldn’t
play
with
the
highest
settings,
and
I
also
found
that
the
phone
would
heat
up
after
just
15-20
minutes.
I
also
noticed
this
heating
when
using
the
rear
camera
for
4K
video
recording.


infinix zero 40 5g review 8 InfinixZero405G Infinix

The
phone
does
heat
up
when
running
heavy
games

The
Infinix
Zero
40
5G
delivers
good
call
quality
and
audio
performance.
It
features
a
dual
stereo
speaker
setup
with
“Sound
by
JBL,”
along
with
support
for
DTS
Hi-RES
Audio
and
Hi-Res
Audio
Wireless.
Calls
came
through
clearly,
both
through
the
microphone
and
ear
speaker.
The
dual
speakers
provide
good
stereo
separation
and
are
loud
and
clear
but
fall
short
in
bass.

Infinix
Zero
40
Cameras:
Decent

  • Rear
    main

    108-megapixel
    wide,
    OIS
  • Secondary

    50-megapixel
    ultra-wide,
    120-degree
    FoV
  • Front

    50-megapixel
    wide

Infinix
is
heavily
marketing
the
Zero
40
5G
video
recording
capabilities
and
even
calling
it
a
vlogging
phone.
As
per
the
brand,
it’s
the
first
phone
in
the
segment
to
offer
4k
60fps
recording
on
the
primary,
ultra-wide,
and
front
camera.


infinix zero 40 5g review4 InfinixZero405G Infinix

The
phone
supports
4K
60fps
recording
across
three
cameras

In
my
testing,
while
you
get
4K
60fps
across
all
three
cameras,
there’s
no
stabilisation
supported
in
this
mode.
However,
the
video
performance
is
just
about
average.
While
there
are
good
levels
of
detail
in
4K
resolution
on
all
three
supported
cameras,
the
dynamic
range,
colours,
focus
shifting,
and
stabilisation
are
average.
There
are
two
levels
of
stabilisation
available
on
the
phone

Ultra
Steady
and
Ultra
Steady
Pro.
If
you’re
shooting
using
4K
resolution
on
any
of
the
cameras,
you
can
only
use
Ultra
Steady
at
30fps.
And
the
stabilisation
here
isn’t
excellent.
The
Ultra
Steady
Pro
does
offer
slightly
better
stabilisation,
but
it
only
works
in
1080p.
However,
no
Ultra
Steady
Pro
stabilisation
is
available
on
the
front
camera
in
any
resolution.
You
also
get
some
Vlog
filters
on
the
front
camera
in
the
video,
but
they’re
passable
and
don’t
shoot
in
4K.

Now,
let’s
talk
about
still
photography.
The
photos
taken
in
daylight
conditions
offer
good
details
across
both
main
and
ultrawide
cameras.
Even
HDR
performance
is
pretty
good
for
a
phone
at
this
price
point.
You
will
find
colour
inaccuracies
between
the
two
cameras
though,
and
there’s
also
some
over-saturation
going
on.



Top
to
bottom:
3
x
Main
Camera;
3
x
Ultrawide
[Tap
to
Expand]

Photos
taken
using
the
primary
rear
camera
in
lowlight
conditions
bring
in
some
noise,
but
it’s
definitely
usable.
Ultrawide
camera
performance
in
the
dark
is
average
at
best,
has
more
noise
than
the
main,
and
is
once
again
plagued
by
colour
inaccuracy.



Top
to
Bottom:
2
x
Main
camera;
2
x
Ultrawide

There’s
also
a
3x
mode,
but
it’s
only
a
zoomed-in
crop,
and
is
mostly
a
miss.
Portrait
photos
are
average,
with
the
bokeh
looking
fake
most
of
the
time.

Infinix
Zero
40
Battery:
Average

  • Capacity

    5,000mAh
  • Fast
    charging

    45W
    wired,
    20W
    wireless
  • Charger

    Included, MagCase

Infinix
has
equipped
the
Zero
40
5G
with
a
sizable
5,000mAh
battery,
but
it’s
average
in
terms
of
battery
life.
While
it
lasted
over
a
day
with
regular
use,
it
underperformed
in
our
HD
video
loop
test.
With
the
brightness
at
50
percent
and
the
refresh
rate
set
to
144Hz,
the
battery
drained
in
just
about
14
hours.
However,
you
can
extend
the
battery
life
by
enabling
adaptive
brightness
and
switching
the
refresh
rate
to
120Hz.


infinix zero 40 5g review6 InfinixZero405G Infinix

You
get
a
MagCase
in
the
box

Charging
the
phone
is
fast,
thanks
to
the
included
45W
charger.
A
full
charge
from
0
to
100
percent
took
about
1
hour
and
10
minutes,
which
is
decent.
The
phone
also
supports
wireless
charging
at
20W.

Infinix
Zero
40
Verdict

The
Infinix
Zero
40
5G
is
a
good
choice
if
you’re
on
the
lookout
for
a
mid-range
phone
that
offers
good
design,
a
good
set
of
cameras
that
you’ll
mostly
use
in
the
day,
good
gaming
performance,
decent
battery
life,
and
a
nice
big
curved
display
with
fast
refresh
rate.
If
you’re
looking
for
a
phone
for
vlogging,
this
is
not
the
one.

In
terms
of
alternatives
in
the
same
price
range,
you
can
try
the

Motorola
Edge
50
Pro

(Review),

iQOO
Z9s
Pro

(Review),
or
the

Nothing
Phone
2a
Plus

(Review).
All
of
these
have
their
own
advantages
and
disadvantages,
so
we’d
recommend
reading
the
reviews
before
making
a
decision.

Posted on

Sony UBP-X700 review: a brilliant budget player that’s great for Dolby Vision

Sony
UPB-X700
review:
One
minute
review

The

Sony
UBP-X700
is
an
affordable

4K
Blu-ray
player
($199
/£199
/
AU$369
at
the
time
of
writing
six
years
on
from
its
release)
that
supports
Dolby
Vision

HDR
and
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
soundtracks.
It
also
supports
a
wide
range
of
media,
including
3D
Blu-ray
discs,
SACDs,
DVDs
and
CDs
and
has
Wi-Fi
for
streaming
from
apps
such
as
Netflix
and
Prime
Video.

Performance-wise,
the
Sony
UBP-X700
is
an
all-around
brilliant
player.
It
doesn’t
quite
manage
the
jack-of-all-trades
excellence
of
the

Panasonic
DP-UB820,
but
it
delivers
superb
4K
images
with
punchy
color,
accurate
and
refined
textures
and
contrast
up
there
with
the

best
4K
Blu-ray
players,
especially
when
fed
Dolby
Vision
discs.
Upscaling
is
generally
effective

more
on
Blu-ray
rather
than
on
the
lower-resolution
DVD
format

and
while
it
does
enhance
certain
colors
and
applies
some
artificial
cleaning
to
film
grain,
the
UBP-X700
still
offers
excellent
image
reproduction,
especially
compared
to
the

Panasonic
DP-UB154

a
solid,
similarly
priced
player.

The
UBP-X700
effectively
handles
Dolby
Atmos
soundtracks
and
has
balanced
and
accurate
sound
reproduction.
CD
playback
is
also
effective.

The
UBP-X700’s
interface
is
easy
enough
to
navigate,
although
a
little
on
the
plain
side.
A
good
number
of
settings
for
video
and
audio
are
provided.
Design-wise,
the
UBP-X700
is
compact,
making
it
ideal
for
smaller
spaces,
though
its
physical
design
is
plain

an
LED
display
with
playback
info
would
have
been
welcome

and
its
remote
feels
very
dated.

It’s
tough
to
argue
against
the
value
of
the
UBP-X700
as
it’s
an
overall
fantastic
performer
for
an
affordable
price.
Pairing
this
with
one
of
the

best
TVs,
particularly
one
of
the

best
OLED
TVs
such
as
the

Samsung
S95D
or

LG
C4,
will
lead
to
a
match
made
in
heaven.

The
Sony
UBP-X700’s
home
page
is
a
little
on
the
plain
side

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Prices
&
release
date

Release
date:
January
2018

Prices:
$199
/
£199
/
AU$369

The
Sony
UBP-X700
is
a
mid-range
model
in
Sony’s
4K
Blu-ray
player
lineup,
sitting
below
the
Sony
UBPX-800MKII.
At
the
time
of
its
release
in
2018,
the
UPBX700
was
priced
at
$249
/
£249
/
AU$399.

Several
years
on
prices
have
dropped
overall,
with
the
UBP-X700
sitting
at
roughly
$199
/
£199
/
AU$369
at
the
time
of
writing,
though
it
has
previously
sold
for
as
low
as
$149
/
£149
/
AU$225.

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

HDR
support

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10

Audio
support

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TrueHD,
DTS:X,
DTS-HD

Music
support

CD,
Hi-res
audio
playback
including
DSD,
ALAC,
FLAC

Connectivity

Coaxial
Audio
Output
(s):
1
(Rear),
Ethernet
Connection
(s):
1
(Rear),
HDMI
Output
(s):
2
(Rear),
USB
Input
(s):
1
(Front)

Dimensions

(W
X
H
X
D):
12.5
x
1.7
x
8.5
(inches)
/
320
x
45
x
217
(mm)

Weight

3lbs
/
1.4kg

The
Sony
UBP-X700
offers
a
good
number
of
connections,
including
dual
HDMI
and
coaxial
digital
audio
outputs

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Features

Dolby
Vision
HDR
support

Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
support

Built-in
Wi-Fi
and
streaming
capability

The
Sony
UBP-X700
supports
4K
Blu-ray,
regular
Blu-ray,
DVD
and
3D
disc
playback.
It
also
plays
not
only
audio
CDs
but
SACDs

a
disc
format
the
more
premium

Panasonic
DP-UB820
and
many
other
4K
Blu-ray
players
don’t
support.

The
UBP-X700
supports
the
Dolby
Vision
and
HDR10
high
dynamic
range
formats,
but
not
HDR10+.
For
comparison,
the
cheaper
Panasonic
DP-UB150
supports
HDR10+,
but
not
Dolby
Vision,
while
the
pricier
Panasonic
DP-UB820
supports
both
Dolby
Vision
and
HDR10+.

For
audio,
the
UPBX700
supports
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
soundtracks
(bitstream
only)
and
can
decode
Dolby
TrueHD
and
DTS-HD
soundtracks.
There
is
also
support
for
High-res
audio
file
formats
including
ALAC,
DSD
and
FLAC.

The
UBP-X700
isn’t
as
well
stocked
with
connections
as
more
premium
4K
Blu-ray
players
such
as
the
DP-UB820,
but
has
two
HDMI
ports

one
for
video
and
audio
and
one
audio-only

as
well
as
a
coaxial
digital
audio
output.
There
is
also
an
Ethernet
port
and
a
front
USB
port.
Built-in
Wi-Fi
allows
access
to
streaming
services
including
Netflix,
Prime
Video
and

YouTube,
and
there’s
BBC
iPlayer
for
UK
customers.

In
terms
of
performance,
navigation
was
easy
enough
without
any
stutter
or
slowdown.
A
good
number
of
settings
are
provided
for
both
picture
and
sound,
including
a
4K
upscaling
setting
with
three
different
modes,
a
Digital
Music
Enhancer,
audio
dynamic
range
control
and
more.

One
frustration
I
had
involved
the
player’s
Dolby
Vision
menu
setting.
With
Dolby
Vision
turned
on,
the
UBP-X700
indicated
it
was
displaying
Dolby
Vision
movies
even
when
it
wasn’t

even
leaving
it
on
when
watching
regular
Blu-ray
discs
without
HDR.
I
could
see
no
obvious
related
picture
issues,
but
it
was
still
frustrating
having
to
turn
this
on
and
off
as
there
are
some
SDR-specific
picture
settings
to
improve
quality
which
are
locked
when
Dolby
Vision
HDR
is
activated.
If
you
regularly
switch
between
4K
and
standard
Blu-ray/DVDs,
that’s
something
worth
bearing
in
mind.

Features
score:
4.5
/
5

The
Sony
UBP-X700’s
color
display
is
fantastic,
filled
with
vibrancy
as
shown
here
on

La
La
Land

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Performance

Short
disc
load
time

Bold,
vibrant
colors

Effective
4K
upscaling

The
UBP-X700
demonstrated
surprisingly
short
load
time
for
a
cheaper
4K
Blu-ray
player.
Loading
a
disc
into
the
disc
tray
to
seeing
the
first
logos
on
screen
took
roughly
30
seconds

some
5-10
seconds
faster
than
the
Panasonic
DP-UB820
and
nearly
30
seconds
faster
than
the
Panasonic
DP-UB154.

For
testing,
the
UBP-X700
was
connected
to
a
Panasonic
MZ1500

OLED
TV.

Starting
with
4K
Blu-rays,
the
UBP-X700
demonstrated
excellent
picture
quality.
In

La
La
Land
(HDR10
format)
colors
were
bright
and
vibrant,
with
plenty
of
dynamic
punch
throughout.
Colors
with
the
Sony
had
a
more
vivid
look
than
with
the
Panasonic
UB820
and
UB150,
both
of
which
had
a
more
natural,
subdued
appearance.
This
isn’t
to
say
colors
were
oversaturated
on
the
UPBX700,
but
they
definitely
had
a
glossier
look
than
on
the
Panasonic
players.

I
did
notice
during
the
‘A
Lovely
Night’
scene
in

La
La
Land
that
the
UBP-X700
favored
a
cooler
color
palette,
accentuating
the
blues
and
purples
of
the
night
sky
in
the
background.
The
colors
were
still
accurate
and
crisp,
but
it’s
worth
noting.

Moving
on
to

The
Batman
on
4K
Blu-ray
in
Dolby
Vision,
the
UBP-X700
demonstrated
superb
black
levels
and
contrast,
with
the
opening
crime
scene
showcasing
a
great
balance
between
the
lights
in
the
room
and
hallways
and
the
darkened
floors
and
walls.
Shadow
detail
was
also
excellent,
with
details
in
clothing
maintained
even
in
the
darkest
shots.

Moving
onto
standard
Blu-ray,
I
used
the
same
scene
from

The
Batman
to
test
the
effectiveness
of
the
UBP-X700’s
upscaling.
Although
it
was
not
as
good
as
the
Panasonic
UB820,
the
UPBX700
still
did
an
impressive
job.
Textures
were
a
touch
softer
and
contrast
wasn’t
quite
as
good
as
you’d
find
on
more
premium
players,
but
the
Sony’s
upscaling
did
improve
the
overall
sharpness
of
the
picture.

The
UBP-X700
even
did
a
decent
upscaling
job
with
a
DVD
of

The
Amazing
Spider-Man,
improving
textures
and
colors.
It
was
more
effective
here
than
the
Panasonic
UB154
but
not
as
effective
as
the
Panasonic
UB820.

I
also
analyzed
how
much
film
grain
the
UBP-X700
left
intact
with
older
movies.
Watching
a
Blu-ray
of

Thief,
particularly
shots
at
dawn
in
the
opening,
the
UBP-X700
did
maintain
some
grain
but
there
was
less
present
compared
to
the
same
scene
played
through
the
Panasonic
UB820.
I
also
found
this
to
be
the
case
when
watching
4K
Blu-rays
of

The
Batman
and

La
La
Land.
Film
purists
may
want
to
make
note
of
this.

For
audio,
I
had
no
issue
playing
Dolby
Atmos
soundtracks
through
the
UBP-X700.
I
also
tested
a
CD
in
the
UPB-X700
and
found
no
issues
with
stutter
or
load
times.

Performance
score:
4.5
/
5

The
Sony
UBP-X700
has
short
loading
times
of
under
30
seconds
from
when
the
disc
is
inserted
to
first
logos
appearing
on
screen

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Design

Very
light
and
compact

No
front
LED
display

Old-school,
cheap
remote

The
UBP-X700
is
a
lightweight
and
compact
player
compared
to
the
wider
and
deeper
Panasonic
UB820
and
UB154,
making
it
more
versatile
for
smaller
spaces.
It
feels
less
premium
and
uses
cheaper
materials
than
players
such
as
the
UB820,
but
looks
and
feels
sturdy
enough
for
the
price.

One
thing
to
note
is
there
is
no
front
LED
display
to
notify
of
timing
while
watching
a
movie,
a
feature
found
on
the
Panasonic
UB820.
Timing
and
other
info
can
be
shown
on
your
TV
by
pressing
the
info
button
on
the
remote,
however.

The
UPBX700
features
two
HDMI
ports
and
a
coaxial
digital
audio
output
alongside
an
Ethernet
and
a
front
USB
port.
This
is
a
respectable
number
of
connections
and
while
it
doesn’t
match
up
to
more
premium
players,
it’s
more
than
found
on
the
budget
Panasonic
UB154.

The
small
supplied
remote
feels
a
little
dated
and
cheap.
While
I
wasn’t
expecting
a
premium
remote,
I
found
the
smaller
buttons
to
be
a
little
more
difficult
to
use
compared
to
those
found
on
Panasonic
player
remotes.

Design
score:
4
/
5

The
Sony
UBP-X700
has
a
small,
cheap-feeling
remote

(Image
credit:
Future)

Sony
UBP-X700
review:
Value

While
the
Sony
UBP-X700
isn’t
going
to
beat
the
workhorse-like
Panasonic
DP-UB820,
it
does
offer
great
performance
and
a
good
number
of
features
including
Wi-Fi
for
streaming,
which
is
a
rare
feature
in
an
affordable
player.

At
$199
/
£199
/
AU$369

even
dropping
as
low
as
$149
/
£149
/
AU$369

the
UBP-X700
is
great
value
for
money
and
while
it
lacks
the
full
HDR
support
of
the
Panasonic
DP-UB820,
Dolby
Vision
is
an
excellent
feature
in
a
cheaper
player.

Value
score:
4.5
/
5

Contrast
in
the
Sony
UBP-X700’s
picture
is
also
very
rich

(Image
credit:
Future)

Should
you
buy
the
Sony
UBP-X700?

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
if
it…

Also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Row
0

Cell
0

Sony
UBP-X700

Panasonic
DP-UB820

Panasonic
DP-UB150/154

Reavon
UBR-X100

Price

$239/£219/AU$319

$499/£349/AU$769

$199/£149/AU$299

$799/£799/AU$1,399

HDR
support

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

Dolby
Vision,
HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

Audio
support

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TrueHD,
DTS:X

Dolby
TrueHD,
Dolby
Atmos,
DTS:X,
DTS-HD
Master
Audio

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TreuHD,
DTS:X,
DTS:HD
MA

Dolby
Atmos,
Dolby
TreuHD,
DTS:X,
DTS:HD
MA

Connectivity

2x
HDMI,
1x
USB,
1x
optical
output,

2x
HDMI
output
(1x
Audio,
1x
Audio/Video),
Digital
optical
output,
Analogue
audio
LR
output,
Analogue
Audio
7.1
ch
output,
Wi-Fi,
LAN,
2x
USB

1x
HDMI,
1x
LAN,
1x
USB
(2.0)

2x
HDMI,
2x
USB,
1x
optical
output,
1x
coaxial
output,

The
Sony
UBP-X700’s
settings
menu

(Image
credit:
Future)

How
I
tested
the
Sony
UBP-X700

Tested
using
a
variety
of
discs
formats
including
4K
Blu-ray,
Blu-ray
and
DVD

Tested
with
Panasonic
MZ1500
OLED
TV

To
test
the
Sony
UBP-X700,
I
connected
it
to
the

Panasonic
MZ1500
OLED
TV,
which
supports
Dolby
Vision.

For
picture
quality
testing,
I
primarily
used
reference
scenes
from
4K
Blu-ray
discs
I
use
for
testing
TVs
such
as

The
Batman,

La
La
Land,

Top
Gun:
Maverick
and
more.
I
also
used
a
Blu-ray
version
of

Thief
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
film
grain
accuracy.

I
used
standard
Blu-rays
and
DVDs
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
upscaling
ability
and
a
CD
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
audio
playback.

I
also
tested
the
UBP-X700’s
software
by
navigating
through
different
menus,
testing
response
times,
and
exploring
the
level
of
settings.
I
also
streamed
content
via
Netflix
and
BBC
iPlayer
to
test
the
UBP-X700’s
streaming
capabilities.

Posted on

Looking to upgrade your Halloween movie marathon? Here are 3 soundbars sure to give you an extra scare

Spooky
season
is
well
and
truly
here
and
we’re
mere
days
away
from
Halloween,
which
means
there’s
pumpkins,
trick-or-treaters
and
costumes
galore
already
around.
With
Halloween
also
comes
a
chance
to
break
out
your
favorite
horror
for
their
annual
re-watch.

Now,
you’ve
got
one
of
the

best
horror
movies
lined
up
to
watch
and
one
of
the

best
TVs
to
watch
them
on
,
but
what
about
the
sound?
Horror
movies
are
known
for
their
sound
design,
with
every
eerie
atmosphere,
creaky
floorboard,
blood-curling
scream
and
scratchy
string-led
score
playing
as
important
a
role
to
the
horror
movie
experience
as
the
visuals
themselves.

With
the
evolution
of
surround
sound
in
recent
years,
horror
movies
have
become
an
entirely
new
beast.
Dolby
Atmos,
which
introduces
height
channels
and
uses
a
dome-like
shape
of
sound
to
completely
immerse
you
during
viewing,
has
given
horror
movies
a
bigger
and
more
atmospheric
sound.
Dolby
Atmos
is
now
commonly
supported
on
a
whole
range
of
the

best
soundbars,
from
cheap
to
premium,
so
it’s
easy
to
upgrade
your
TV’s
sound
(because
let’s
be
honest
it’s
not
always
the
best)
to
add
even
more
scare
to
your
Halloween
movie
marathon.

As
part
of

TechRadar’s
Halloween
Week,
I’ve
included
three
soundbars
below,
which
are
among
the

best
Dolby
Atmos
soundbars
around,
to
suit
any
budget
or
situation
that
are
sure
to
give
your
horror
movie
watch
an
even
more
bone-chilling
feel.

1.
Hisense
AX5125H

(Image
credit:
Future)

The

Hisense
AX5125H
is
a
budget
Dolby
Atmos
soundbar
solution
that
proves
you
don’t
need
to
spend
big
to
get
a
big
sound.
Four
units

a
soundbar,
subwoofer
and
two
satellite
speakers

combine
to
provide
5.1.2
channels
of
sound
and
because
there’s
those
all
important
height
channels,
you’re
getting
an
authentic
Dolby
Atmos
sound.

Despite
its
budget
price,
the

Hisense
AX5125H
delivers
a
powerful,
immersive
and
well-controlled
sound,
with
plenty
of
detail.
It
also
has
very
good
balance
across
all
of
its
speakers,
so
you’ll
still
be
getting
those
all
important
creepy
noises
in
the
rear
speakers
as
well
as
the
clarity
from
the
soundbar
and
thumping
bass
from
the
subwoofer.

The
Hisense
AX5125H
is
admittedly
light
on
features,
limited
to
Bluetooth
for
music
streaming,
but
at
roughly
$299
/
£349,
it
really
does
give
you
awesome
bang
for
your
buck
and
will
still
give
your
horror
movies
that
extra
layer.
(For
our
Australian
readers,
the
Hisense
AX5120G
is
the
closest
alternative
which
has
a
bit
less
power
but
the
same
overall
setup
and
price.)

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

2.
Samsung
HW-Q990D

(Image
credit:
Future)

The

Samsung
HW-Q990D
is
an
elite
soundbar,
delivering
arguably
the
best
sound
experience
you
can
get
at
home
from
a
soundbar
system.
It
is
at
the
premium
end
of
the
market,
but
delivers
in
every
way
you
could
possibly
need.

The
Samsung
HW-Q990D’s
sound
is
punchy,
dynamic
and
chocked
full
of
power
for
big,
climactic
moments
but
also
handles
the
subtleties
of
quieter
moments
with
real
finesse.
Delivering
11.1.4
channels
of
real
Dolby
Atmos
sound,
the
HW-Q990D
continues
the
legacy
of
Samsung’s
flagship
soundbars
by
being
the
best
on
the
market
year-in
year-out.
But
it
doesn’t
just
stop
there,
as
the
HW-Q990D
is
capable
of
Wi-Fi
streaming
for
better
quality
music
playback
and
comes
with

4K,
120Hz
support
for
gaming
via
a
HDMI
2.1
input.

It
is
on
the
pricier
side,
costing
roughly
$1,499
/
£1,499
/
AU$1,995
(although
you
can
pick
up
for
cheaper),
but
it’s
worth
the
cost.
The
HW-Q990D
will
take
horror
movies
to
the
next
level,
making
you
feel
like
you’re
in
the
movie
itself,
almost
if
Michael
Myers
was
in
your
living
room.

3.
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Quad

(Image
credit:
Future)

To
quote
Monty
Python
“and
now
for
something
completely
different”.
The

Sony
Bravia
Theater
Quad
provides
an
alternative
surround
sound
solution
to
anyone
who
wants
to
keep
things
neat,
opting
for
four
slim,
wireless
speaker
units
powered
by
a
control
unit
plugged
into
the
TV
(although
power
for
each
speaker
is
also
required)
instead
of
a
soundbar
and
big
subwoofer.

Although
there’s
no
direct
soundbar
in
front
of
you,
the
Sony
Theater
Bravia
Quad
still
manages
to
deliver
a
dynamic,
immersive
and
engaging
sound
using
its
4.0.4
channel
setup.
If
you
own
a
Sony
TV
however,
say
the
new
Sony
Bravia
9
or
Sony
Bravia
8,
there
is
a
feature
called
Acoustic
Center
Sync
which
uses
the
TV
as
a
center
channel.
Even
without
this
though,
the
Bravia
Quad
effectively
reproduces
surround
sound
soundtracks
such
as
Dolby
Amtos
with
real
clarity
and
detail.

At
$2,499
/
£2,499,
the
Sony
Bravia
Theater
Quad
is
not
cheap.
What
it
does
provide
however
is
a
neater
solution
that’s
perfect
for
on-wall
installation
or
those
looking
for
a
more
discrete
sound
system.
It
also
delivers
on
the
sound
front
and
is
sure
to
perfectly
capture
every
‘bump
in
the
night’
in
your
favorite
horror
movie.

You
might
also
like

Posted on

OnePlus 13 Display Features Revealed Ahead of October 31 Launch Date

OnePlus
13
will
be
launched
by
the
company
in
China
on
October
31,
and
the
company’s
upcoming
smartphone
is
confirmed
to
debut
with
Qualcomm’s
new
Snapdragon
8
Elite
chip
and
a
display
produced
by
BOE.
With
only
days
left
until
the
smartphone
is
unveiled,
OnePlus
has
started
to
reveal
details
of
the
smartphone’s
display
features.
The
upcoming
OnePlus
13
will
run
on
ColorOS
15,
which
is
based
on
Android
15.
The
smartphone
maker
has
also
announced
that
the
phone
will
arrive
in
three
colourways.

OnePlus
13
Display
Features
Revealed

Ahead
of
the
debut
of
the
OnePlus
13,
the
company
has
shared
details
of
its
display
features.
It
will
be
equipped
with
a
second-generation
Oriental
X2
8T
LTPO
AMOLED
display
from
BOE,
with
a
120Hz
refresh
rate
and
HDR10+
and
Dolby
Vision,
according
to
one
of
several
images

posted

to
Weibo,
the
Chinese
microblogging
platform.



OnePlus
13
teasers
shared
by
the
company

Photo
Credit:
Weibo/
OnePlus

The
images
shared
by
OnePlus
also

reveal

that
the
display
will
have
DisplayMate
A++
and
TUV
Rheinland
Intelligent
Eye
Protection
4.0
certifications.
It
will
also
offer

DC
dimming
support

along
with
an
anti-flicker
technology
for
eye
protection.

OnePlus
has
also

teased

features
like
Rain
Touch
2.0
(allowing
the
display
to
be
used
while
it
is
wet)
while
another
image
suggests
it
will
also
work
while
a
user
is
wearing
gloves,
while
another
poster
shows
the
phone’s
display
will
arrive
with
gaming
related
touch
optimisations.

OnePlus
13
Specifications
(Expected)

The
upcoming
OnePlus
13
will
be
equipped

with
a
Snapdragon
8
Elite
chip
,
along
with
up
to
24GB
of
RAM
and
up
to
1TB
of
storage.
The
smartphone
maker
has
also
confirmed
that
the
handset
will
run
on
Android
15,
with
ColorOS
15
(it
will
run
on
OxygenOS
15
in
global
markets).
In
a
recent
benchmark
score
posted
by
the
company,
the
handset
scored

over
three
million
points

on
the
AnTuTu
benchmark
test.

It
is
also
confirmed
to
arrive
with
a
triple
rear
camera
setup
tuned
by
Hasselblad,
comprising
a
50-megapixel
Sony
LYT-808
primary
camera
and
optical
image
stabilisation,
a
50-megapixel
periscope
telephoto
camera,
and
a
50-megapixel
ultrawide
camera
with
a
120-degree
field
of
view.
It
will
also
feature
the
same
image
processing
algorithm
as
the

Oppo
Find
X8

series.


Affiliate
links
may
be
automatically
generated

see
our

ethics
statement

for
details.
Posted on

Apple Said to Test Blood-Sugar App in Sign of Its Health Ambitions


Apple
Inc
.,
seeking
to
make
further
inroads
in
health
care,
tested
an
app
this
year
to
help
people
with
prediabetes
manage
their
food
intake
and
make
lifestyle
changes,
according
to
people
with
knowledge
of
the
matter.
The
company
tested
the
service
on
select
employees
earlier
this
year,
part
of
its
broader
push
into
blood-sugar
features,
according
to
the
people,
who
asked
not
to
be
identified
because
the
work
is
secret.
Though
Apple
doesn’t
have
plans
to
release
the
app,
the
company
may
eventually
integrate
the
technology
into
future
health
products,
including
a
noninvasive
glucose
tracker
that
it’s
been
developing
for
more
than
a
decade.

The
employees
involved
in
the
test
needed
to
validate
that
they
were
prediabetic
with
a
blood
test.
That
means
they
don’t
currently
have
diabetes
but
may
be
at
risk
of
developing
the
Type
2
version
of
the
disease.
As
part
of
the
test,
they
actively
monitored
their
blood
sugar
via
various
devices
available
on
the
market
and
then
logged
glucose-level
changes
in
response
to
food
intake.

The
idea
behind
the
system
is
to
show
consumers
how
certain
foods
can
affect
blood
sugar

with
the
hope
of
inspiring
changes
that
could
ward
off
diabetes.
For
instance,
if
users
logged
that
they
ate
pasta
for
lunch
and
that
their
blood
sugar
spiked,
they
could
be
told
to
stop
eating
the
pasta
or
switch
to
protein.

The
study
was
intended
to
explore
the
possible
uses
for
blood-sugar
data
and
what
tools
the
company
could
potentially
create
for
consumers.
For
now,
though,
the
app
test
has
been
paused
to
let
Apple
focus
on
other
health
features.
A
company
spokesperson
declined
to
comment.

Makers
of
devices
that
treat
conditions
associated
with
diabetes
slid
after
the
report
was
published
Friday,
though
they
soon
rebounded.
Insulet
Corp.,
which
makes
insulin
pumps,
fell
as
much
as
4.7%.
Glucose
monitor
maker
Dexcom
Inc.
dropped
as
much
as
5.3%
before
bouncing
back,
and
Tandem
Diabetes
Care
Inc.
slid
as
much
as
3.4%.
Apple,
meanwhile,
rose
about
1%
to
$232.45.

The
work
indicates
that
glucose
tracking
and
food
logging
could
be
two
important
areas
of
expansion
for
Apple
in
the
future.
The
company’s
current
health
app
lacks
features
for
logging
meals,
a
contrast
with
rival
services.
The
research
could
also
lead
to
Apple
integrating
third-party
glucose
tracking
more
deeply
into
its
offerings.

The
research
wasn’t
directly
tied
to
Apple’s
longstanding
effort
to
build
a
no-prick
glucose
monitor,
but
it
could
ultimately
help
inform
how
the
company
handles
that
project.
The
noninvasive
checker
is
one
of
Apple’s
most
ambitious
health
initiatives.
The
idea
is
to
analyze
a
person’s
blood
without
pricking
the
skin

a
potentially
groundbreaking
advance
in
the
fight
against
diabetes.

Apple
often
uses
employee
studies
to
get
health
features
ready
for
public
launches.
It
took
a
similar
tack
with
its
hearing
aid
and
sleep
apnea
detection
features
for

AirPods

and
the

Apple
Watch
.
The
Cupertino,
California-based
company
has
multiple
labs
on
its
campus
for
testing
health
features.

The
glucose
studies
were
highly
secretive

even
compared
with
Apple’s
previous
projects

and
employees
required
specific
vetting
from
managers
before
they
could
partake
in
the
program.
Several
medical
and
nondisclosure
agreements
were
also
required
to
participate.

Today,
glucose-testing
systems
typically
require
a
blood
sample,
often
through
a
finger
prick.
There
also
are
small
shoulder-worn
patches
from
Abbott
Laboratories
and
Dexcom
that
are
less
cumbersome

though
they
still
require
insertion
into
the
skin.

About
15
years
ago,
Apple
set
out
to
create
something
less
invasive.
The
project

dubbed
E5

was
so
under-the-radar
at
the
start
that
Apple
created
a
subsidiary
dubbed
Avolonte
Health
LLC
to
operate
it.
That
unit
was
eventually
moved
to
Apple’s
hardware
technologies
group
and
is
now
run
by
a
deputy
to
the
company’s
head
of
silicon
chips.

Last
year,
Bloomberg
News
reported
that
Apple
had
made
headway
on
the
project
and
believed
it
was
finally
on
track
to
eventually
commercialize
the
technology.
But
an
actual
product
is
still
years
away.
Before
the
company
can
shrink
down
the
sensor
enough
to
fit
in
a
smartwatch,
it
is
working
on
an
iPhone-sized
prototype.
And
even
with
that
format,
Apple
has
run
into
challenges
with
miniaturization
and
overheating.

The
system
uses
lasers
to
shoot
light
into
the
skin
and
determine
how
much
glucose
is
in
the
blood.
Though
Apple
hopes
to
eventually
provide
specific
blood-sugar
readings,
the
initial
version
will
likely
be
designed
to
just
notify
users
if
they
may
be
prediabetic.

Apple
is
taking
a
similar
strategy
with
new
sleep
apnea
notifications,
which
can
tell
smartwatch
wearers
if
they
may
have
the
condition.
An
upcoming
hypertension
detection
feature
will
work
in
much
the
same
way.


©
2024
Bloomberg
LP


(This
story
has
not
been
edited
by
NDTV
staff
and
is
auto-generated
from
a
syndicated
feed.)

Posted on

Poco C75 With 50-Megapixel Rear Camera, MediaTek Helio G81 Ultra SoC Launched: Price, Specifications


Poco
C75

has
been
launched
globally
as
an
affordable
smartphone
from
the
Xiaomi
subsidiary.
It
is
a
rebranded
version
of
the
Redmi
14C
which
was
unveiled
by
the
company
in
August,
and
shares
several
specifications
with
that
handset.
The
Poco
C75
is
equipped
with
a
MediaTek
Helio
G8
Ultra
chipset,
paired
with
up
to
8GB
of
RAM
and
up
to
256GB
of
storage.
The
handset
has
a
50-megapixel
rear
camera
and
packs
a
5,160mAh
battery
with
support
for
18W
charging.
It
runs
on
Android
14,
with
Xiaomi’s
HyperOS
skin
on
top.

Poco
C75
Price,
Availability

Poco
C75
pricing
starts
at
$109
(roughly
Rs.
9,170)
for
the
6GB+128GB
RAM
and
storage
configuration.
The
handset
is
also
available
in
an
8GB+256GB
variant
that
is
priced
at
$129
(roughly
Rs.
10,900).

It’s
worth
noting
that,
Poco’s

post

on
X
(formerly
Twitter)
states
that
these
are
‘early
bird’
prices,
which
indicates
that
they
could
revised
by
the
company
at
a
later
date.
The
Poco
C75
is
available
in
Black,
Gold,
and
Green
colourways.

Poco
C75
Specifications,
Features

The
Poco
C75
is
a
dual-SIM
(Nano+Nano)
smartphone
that
runs
on
Android
14-based
HyperOS,
Xiaomi’s
custom
interface
that
succeeded
MIUI
14.
It
sports
a
6.88-inch
HD+
(720×1,640
pixels)
LCD
screen
with
a
120Hz
refresh
rate
and
a
peak
brightness
level
of
600nits.
It
is
powered
by
a
Helio
G81
Ultra
SoC
from
MediaTek,
paired
with
up
to
8GB
of
RAM.


poco c75 inline Poco C75

Poco
C75
colour
options

Photo
Credit:
Poco

There’s
a
50-megapixel
rear
camera
on
the
Poco
C75
with
an
f/1.8
aperture,
which
can
be
used
to
capture
images
and
videos.
The
company
has
also
equipped
the
handset
with
an
unspecified
auxiliary
lens.
On
the
front,
the
handset
features
a
13-megapixel
selfie
camera
with
an
f/2.0
aperture.

Poco’s
new
smartphone
is
available
with
up
to
256GB
of
inbuilt
storage.
Connectivity
options
on
the
handset
include
4G
LTE,
dual-band
Wi-Fi,
Bluetooth
5.4,
GPS,
NFC,
a
3.5mm
headphone
jack,
and
a
USB
Type-C
port.
It
is
also
equipped
with
an
ambient
light
sensor,
accelerometer,
e-compass,
and
a
virtual
proximity
sensor.

The
Poco
C75
packs
a
5,160mAh
battery
with
support
for
18W
charging,
but
the
phone
doesn’t
ship
with
a
charger.
The
phone
also
has
a
side-mounted
fingerprint
scanner.
Besides,
it
measures
171.88×77.8×8.22mm
and
weighs
204g.

Posted on

Samsung Galaxy S25 Series to Feature Older Display Technology to Cut Costs: Report

Samsung
Galaxy
S25
series
will
reportedly
feature
slightly
older
display
technology
to
keep
costs
of
producing
the
upcoming
handsets
in
check.
While
the
iPhone
16
Pro
models
sport
displays
that
are
built
with
the
company’s
latest
technology,
the purported
successors
to
the
company’s

Galaxy
S24

lineup
might
not
offer
the
same
display
improvements
as
its
rivals,
according
to
a
report.
Samsung
is
expected
to
launch
the
Galaxy
S25
series
of
smartphones
in
early
2025,
with
Snapdragon
8
Elite
chips.

Samsung
Galaxy
S25
Could
Feature
Older
Display
Technology
to
Cut
Costs

An
ETNews

report

citing
industry
insiders
(in
Korean)
states
that
Samsung
will
equip
the
Galaxy
S25
series
with
low-temperature
polycrystalline
oxide
(LTPO)
OLED
panels
built
by
Samsung
Display
using
M13
organic
materials.
These
are
the
same
OLED
materials
were
reportedly
used
by
the
company
to
produce
the
displays
for
the
Samsung
Galaxy
S24
series
that
arrived
earlier
this
year.

This
means
that
the
Samsung
Galaxy
S25
series
will
not
feature
displays
that
are
built
using
M14
organic
materials,
used
by
Samsung
Display
to
produce
the
panels
on
the
iPhone
16
Pro
models
that
were
launched
earlier
this
year.
Display
Chain
Supply
Consultants
(DSCC)
CEO
Ross
Young
also
echoed
these
claims,
stating
that
the
decision
was
made
for
“cost
reasons”.

The
report
also
sheds
some
light
on
the
display
sizes
of
the
company’s
upcoming
flagship
phones

the
Galaxy
S25
could
feature
a
6.16-inch
screen,
while
the
Galaxy
S25+
and
the
Galaxy
S25
Ultra
may
sport
6.66-inch
and
6.86-inch
displays,
respectively.

At
Qualcomm’s
recent
Snapdragon
Summit
2024
event,
Samsung
Mobile
President
TM
Roh

said

that
Samsung’s
upcoming
smartphone
models
would
be
equipped
with
the
chipmaker’s
latest
flagship
processor.
It
is
unclear
whether
the
purported
decision
to
use
an
older
display
technology
to
cut
costs
is
related
to
the

reported

decision
to
use
Snapdragon
8
Elite
chipsets
on
all
models,
unlike
the
Galaxy
S24
and

Galaxy
S24+

that
arrived
with
an
Exynos
2400
SoC
in
several
markets.

Posted on

I tried JBL’s new Dolby Atmos and Xbox-friendly AV receivers and Stage 2 speakers, and it’s high-end sound without the high-end price

Not
surprisingly,
the
entrances
to
New
York
City’s
music
recording
studios
are
almost
always
unmarked.
That
was
the
case
on
October
16,
2024
when
I
visited
Republic
Studios,
in
the
city’s
Chelsea
district,
for
the
launch
of

JBL’s
Modern
Audio
AV
receivers
(AVRs)
and
Stage
2
speakers.
Luckily
for
me,
next
to
Republic’s
front
door
on
the
day
of
my
arrival
was
a
large
“JBL”
sign
decked
out
in
the
company’s
trademark
burnt
orange
color.

The
Modern
Audio
AVRs
and
Stage
2
speakers
are
not
aimed
at
deep-pocketed
high-end
audio
enthusiasts.
Rather,
they
target
the
latest
generation
of
music
and
movie
lovers,
many
of
whom
haven’t
upgraded
from
the

best
wireless
speakers,

best
headphones,
and

best
soundbars
due
to
the
cost
and
complexity
of
getting
better
sound.

Suggested
retail
pricing
for
the
Modern
Audio
AVRs,
five
models
in
all,
ranges
from
$399
(around
£310
/
AU$600)
to
$1,599
(around
£1,230
/
AU$2,420).
The
eight
different
Stage
2
speaker
models
range
in
price
from
$299
(around
£230
/
AU$450)
to
$1,195
(around
£920
/
AU$1,800)
per
pair.
This
means
that
$1,700
can
buy
a
complete
5.1-channel
audio
system.
Both
product
lines
are
available
in
Espresso
(black),
which
many
will
find
appealing
for
a
darkened
TV
room,
and
a
modern,
clean-looking
Latte
(white).

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Entering
through
the
studio’s
reception,
I
found
myself
in
a
very
large
open
room
containing
stylish
lounge
and
bar
areas.
I
later
learned
that
the
room
is
used
by
Republic’s
staff
and
its
guests
for
parties,
music
release
events,
live
performances
by
artists
like
the
Jonas
Brothers,
and
creative
meetings.

I
was
then
escorted
along
with
several
other
press
members
into
a
large
theater
where
we
were
shown
a
video
presentation
and
heard
from
JBL,
Dolby
Laboratories,
and
Republic
Studios
representatives
about
the
Modern
Audio
AVRs
and
Stage
2
speakers.
A
generous
selection
of
both
product
lines
was
set
up
in
the
theater
and
elsewhere
in
the
studio
for
two-channel
and
multi-channel
Dolby
Atmos
demos,
which
I
will
discuss
momentarily.

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Modern
Audio
AV
receivers

The
Modern
Audio
lineup
are
the
first
JBL-branded
AVRs
and
they
emphasize
simplicity
and
style.
Their
faceplates
have
full-color
displays
and
a
clean,
minimalist,

Apple-esque
industrial
design
that
is
said
to
provide
only
what
the
customer
wants

controls
for
volume,
input,
and
surround
sound
mode.
They
are
not
made
to
connect
to
other
audio-only
components,
but
rather
devices
such
as
one
of
the

best
TVs
and
gaming
consoles
via
HDMI
connections.

Each
AVR
features
built-in
“EZ-Set
EQ”
app-based
calibration
to
optimize
the
sound
to
the
user’s
room
and
the
top
two
models
are
also
Dirac
Live
ready.
Each
AVR
also
integrates
with
IoT
smart
home
products
such
as
lighting
and
window
shades.
Further,
the
AVRs
are
said
to
be
easy
to
operate
and
connect
to
a
Wi-Fi
network
and
Bluetooth
devices
quickly
and
with
no
fuss.
Their
remote
controls
are
said
to
be
simple
and
non-imposing.
And
in
a
feature
that’s
inspired
by
some
gaming
devices,
the
two
upper-level
AVRs
sport
color-changeable
LED
lighting
under
their
chassis.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

As
you
go
up
the
Modern
Audio
AVR
line,
you
get,
among
other
things,
higher
performance,
increased
power
to
accommodate
larger
rooms,
more
audio
channels,
and
the
ability
to
decode
Dolby
Atmos
and
DTS:X
immersive
audio
formats.

Stage
2
speakers

The
eight
Stage
2
speaker
models
consist
of
floorstanders,
bookshelves,
and
subwoofers
(two
of
each
type),
a
center
channel,
and
an
Atmos-enabled
height
module.
Optional
stands
for
the
bookshelf
models
retail
at
$249
per
pair.

The
design
and
construction
of
the
Stage
2
speakers
display
lots
of
technological
know-how.
To
enhance
efficiency,
dynamics,
and
off-axis
response,
the
bookshelves
and
towers
feature
anodized
aluminum
tweeters
in
a
newly
designed
horn
waveguide.
Each
of
the
line’s
speakers
has
Polycellulose
ribbed
woofer
cones
for
what
is
said
to
be
deep,
accurate,
room-filling
bass.
Finally,
premium
inductors,
capacitors,
and
other
components
in
the
speakers’
crossovers
are
also
said
to
improve
performance.

For
the
Stage
2
speakers,
the
higher-end
models
allow
for
increased
performance,
often
in
the
bass
and
upper
bass
frequencies,
and
the
ability
to
work
well
in
larger
rooms.

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Stereo
demos

The
focus
of
the
Modern
AVR
and
Stage
2
gear
in
the
theater
was
on
two-channel
audio,
with
a

JBL
Spinner
BT
($399)
Bluetooth-enabled
turntable
pressed
into
action
for
the
occasion.
Various
model
configurations
were
demoed,
but
regardless
of
configuration,
the
takeaway
was
that
these
days,
upgraded
sound
is
not
out
of
reach
for
the
younger
generation.

With
tracks
from
artists
such
as
the
Beatles,
Shaed,
Rihanna,
Lizzo,
Owl
City,
and
Ariana
Grande,
instruments
were
cleanly
delineated
from
each
other
with
plenty
of
air
between
them.
The
noise
floor
was
low,
electronic
instruments
and
sounds
were
crisp
and
punchy,
and
acoustic
ones
were
warm
and
tonally
on
the
mark.
Bass
notes
sounded
extended
and
deep.
Take
for,
example,
Rihanna’s

Love
the
Way
You
Like
(Piano
version),
where
the
singer’s
voice
was
silky
and
without
fatiguing
sibilance.
On
Lizzo’s

About
Dam
Time,
the
bass
notes
were
deep,
tuneful,
and
had
my
head
bobbing
up
and
down.
Bluetooth
performance
from
the
Spinner
BT
‘table
was
very
satisfying.

(Image
credit:
Howard
Kneller)

Home
theater
demos

We
then
headed
through
one
of
the
recording
studios
towards
Republic’s
artist’s
lounge
for
multi-channel
Dolby
Atmos
demos
in
a
Modern
AVR/Stage
2
speaker
channel
system.
On
the
way
there,
we
passed
striking
music-related
art
and
an
incredible
selection
of
guitars
hanging
on
the
studio’s
walls.

With
a
scene
from
the
movie

Ghostbusters:
Afterlife,
the
sounds
of
pounding
thunder
and
a
truck
smashing
through
a
gate,
repeatedly
flipping
over
in
a
wooden
area
and
smashing
through
trees,
were
detailed,
clean,
and
impactful.
With

Top
Gun:
Maverick,
the
gunfire
and
missile
strikes
were
just
as
visceral.
Even
the
sound
of
air
rushing
around
the
planes
while
they
traveled
at
Mach
speed
was
detailed
and
convincing.

Audio
for
the
modern
era

They
say
that
the
high-end
audio
business
is
doomed
as
the
younger
generation
is
unwilling
to
upgrade
their
home
audio
gear
due
to
the
costs
and
inconveniences
of
separate
components.
With
the
Modern
AVRs
and
Stage
2
Speakers,
JBL
has
made
getting
better
sound
painless,
both
for
consumers
and
their
wallets.
Since
these
products
are
from
a
single
brand,
they
will
almost
certainly
work
well
together
and
deliver
great-sounding
music.
For
movie
and
gaming
fans,
just
add
a
video
source
or
console
and
you’re
good
to
go.

You
might
also
like…

Posted on

Your older LG OLED TV will soon be cursed with screensaver ads – here’s how to banish them

Older
LG
OLED
TV
models
are
now
getting
screensaver
ads
by
default

The
full-screen
ads
are
often
LG-related
but
also
include
third-party
ones

There
is
a
simple
way
to
turn
them
off
in
your
TV’s
settings

It’s
already
pretty
hard
to
avoid
being
bombarded
with
TV
ads,
whether
you’re

watching
Prime
Video
or

pausing
YouTube

and

LG
is
now
making
things
a
little
worse
by
bringing
its
pesky
screensaver
ads
to
older

OLED
TV
models.

Last
month,
we
reported
that
recent
LG
TVs,
including
premium
OLEDs,
were
sneakily
starting
to
show
screensaver
ads
after
sets
had
been
left
idle
for
a
while.
Some
testing
on
our
own
LG
G4
confirmed
that
to
be
the
case.
Now,

FlatpanelsHD
is
reporting
that
those
ads
are
rolling
out
to
older
models
dating
back
to
2020,
too.

If
you
own
LG
models
like
the

LG
GX
OLED
(2020),

LG
B1
OLED
(2021)
or

LG
B2
OLED
(2022),
you
could
soon
see
the
screensaver
ads
turned
on
by
default.
It
seems
they’re
also
spreading
to
more
recent
models
like
the

LG
C4
OLED
(2024),
which
is
galling
considering
we
consider
it
to
otherwise
be
one
of
the

best
TVs
you
can
buy.

Currently,
the
full-screen
ads
appear
to
be
largely
LG-related,
promoting
LG’s
own
channels.
But
an
article
from
LG
Ad
Solutions
previously
suggested
they
could
eventually
be
expanded
to
include
third-party
ones

and
there’s
evidence
on

Reddit
that
this
might
already
be
happening.
Fortunately,
there
is
a
way
to
turn
them
off…

How
to
turn
them
off

For
now,
there
is
a
simple
way
to
turn
off
the
screensaver
ads
on
your
LG
TV
(above).

(Image
credit:
Future)

There
is
currently
a
simple
way
to
remove
the
default
screensaver
ads
on
your
LG
TV.
Just
go
to

Settings
>
General
>
System
Settings
>
Additional
Settings,
then
scroll
down
to
the
unsubtly-named

Screen
Saver
Promotion.
Toggle
this
off
and
you’ll
be
spared
any
more
unsavory
promos
when
your
TV
is
idle.

Hopefully,
this
option
will
remain
in
the
menus
of
LG
TVs,
because
watching
actual
TV
shows
is
quickly
becoming
a
sideshow
to
being
blasted
with
ads
on
many
streaming
platforms.

Earlier
this
month,
the
Financial
Times
reported
that

ads
on
Prime
Video
would
“ramp
up
a
little
bit
more
into
2025”
(according
to
Head
of
Prime
Video
International,
Kelly
Day).
That
follows
the
streaming
service

asking
viewers
to
pay
an
extra
$2.99/£2.99
a
month
to
be
spared
from
ads
earlier
this
year.

Sign
up
for
breaking
news,
reviews,
opinion,
top
tech
deals,
and
more.

But
Prime
Video
and
LG
are
far
from
alone,
with

YouTube
recently

introducing
pause
screen
ads
and

Roku
delivering
Instagram-style
shoppable
ads
to
smart
TVs.
Let’s
just
hope
the

best
smart
glasses
like
the
Meta
Ray-Bans
don’t
start
getting
similar
ideas.

You
might
also
like

Posted on

Do Patti Review: Netflix’s Meatless Thriller About Domestic Violence Falters Despite Brilliant Performances 

We
have
all
at
some
point
encountered
the
kind
of
duplicitous
men
who
would
shamelessly
beat
their
wives,
catcall
every
possible
female,
exert
their
dominance,
and
yet
call
themselves
feminists
who
“respect
women.”
They
won’t
even
deny
their
preposterous
acts
and
would
either
blame
the
victim
for
triggering
them
or
make
fun
of
their
hopelessness.
These
men,
whose
actions
are
often
overcompensating
for
their
own
inadequacies
and
dysfunctions,
can
unfortunately
be
found
in
every
stratum
of
society.

Netflix’s
latest
original
film
Do
Patti,
brings
to
us
one
such
man
in
Dhruv
Sood
(Shaheer
Sheikh)
from
a
small
hill
town,
who
regularly
beats
his
traumatised
wife
Saumya
(Kriti
Sanon).
The
film
begins
with
a
paraglide
gone
wrong,
as
the
couple
hang
in
the
air
for
their
lives
from
their
glider.
Saumya,
who
thinks
her
husband
has
sabotaged
her
harness,
begs
for
her
life.
Upon
being
rescued,
Saumya
tells
inspector
Vidya
Jyothi
(Kajol)
that
her
husband
tried
to
murder
her,
and
we
are
taken
to
a
flashback
sequence
of
three
months
ago,
when
the
two
first
met.

Saumya
is
introduced
as
an
anxious
introvert,
who
has
been
in
severe
depression
since
her
parents
died.
Now
living
with
an
alcoholic
caretaker,
she
is
quietly
suffering
from
several
phobias
and
traumas.
She
also
has
a
tumultuous
relationship
with
her
twin
sister
Shailee,
who
was
sent
off
to
a
hostel
because
of
her
abusive
behaviour
towards
Saumya,
only
to
return
in
time
to
interfere
with
her
love
life.

A
major
flaw
that
holds
Do
Patti
back
is
the
incoherent
plot
and
its
fluctuating
tone.
Some
of
the
scenes
are
intense
and
leave
a
lasting
impact;
others
are
merely
fillers
that
don’t
add
anything
meaningful
to
the
story.
A
thriller
is
supposed
to
constantly
keep
viewers
on
their
toes
and
carefully
set
up
the
pieces
before
pulling
the
rug.
Do
Patti,
however,
isn’t
able
to
maintain
that
iron
grip
on
its
plot.

The
film,
for
instance,
wastes
a
lot
of
time
in
establishing
Kajol’s
character.
She
plays
an
idealist
cop
who
talks
in
Bollywood’s
stereotypical
idea
of
what
a
hinterland
accent
is
supposed
to
be

it’s
neither
Hindi
nor
Haryanvi
or
Bhojpuri.
Can
we
please
stop
with
the
lazy
sub-altern
caricature
already?

At
one
point,
it
begins
to
feel
that
the
writers
were
so
starstruck
by
Kajol
that
they
forgot
to
add
any
meat
to
her
role
and
hoped
she’d
carry
the
character
with
her
natural
charisma.
Kajol’s
Vidya
Jyothi,
who
goes
by
“VJ”,
is
goofy,
close
to
her
popular
roles
in
romantic
comedies,
instead
being
a
serious
cop.
While
Kajol
has
tried
her
best
to
deliver
with
whatever
little
she
was
given,
the
blame
lies
with
the
writers
for
underutilising
a
refined
actor
like
her.
If
you
aren’t
her
fan,
her
story
arc
will
feel
stretched
thing
on
several
occasions.

Another
area
where
the
film
falters
is
its
stereotypical
and
regressive
representation
of
its
female
characters.
Sanon’s
twin
sister
is
shown
as
a
loose
woman,
who
drinks,
has
short
hair,
wears
seductive
outfits,
goes
clubbing
and
flirts
with
men.
Why
are
we
still
sticking
to
these
idiotic
tropes
in
2024
and
feeding
the
patriarchal
beast.
Shailee
is
painted
with
a
singular
brush,
and
there
are
no
other
shades
to
her
character.
She
is
supposed
to
be
villainous
and
scheming,
so
of
course
she’s
not
in
line
with
what
our
“culture”
deems
righteous.
Or
is
it
so
that
she’s
automatically
labelled
evil
just
because
she
drinks
or
likes
to
dress
up?
While
Saumya’s
extremely
introverted
behaviour
can
be
attributed
to
her
trauma,
the
film
could
have

and
in
fact,
should
have

avoided
Shailee’s
version
from
the
witchcraft
era.

Despite
its
flaws,
the
film
does
a
fine
job
in
its
representation
of
patriarchy,
violence
against
women,
childhood
trauma
and
its
deep-seated
impact.
In
a
disturbing
scene
from
the
film,
we
see
Dhruv
brutally
beating
Saumya.
He
pulls
her
hair,
kicks
her
in
the
guts
mercilessly,
rolls
her
like
a
football,
throws
her
over
the
stairs
and
leaves
her
blood-soaked
on
the
floor.
In
the
end,
he
candidly
throws
away
the
typical
“why
did
you
trigger
my
anger”
statement.

The
entire
sequence
is
well-performed
and
boils
your
blood
to
the
extent
where
you’d
feel
like
entering
the
screen
and
punching
Sheikh’s
character.
While
it’s
disturbing
and
can
be
triggering
for
victims
of
abuse,
it
is
also
one
of
the
most
powerful
scenes
in
the
film.
It
not
only
shows
the
brutality
of
domestic
violence
against
women
but
also
the
sick
and
twisted
psyches
of
monsters
who
perpetrate
abuse.

The
film
also
boasts
some
amazing
performances,
especially
by
Sanon
and
Sheikh.
Sanon
has
done
a
brilliant
job
at
playing
dual
roles
and
is
equally
convincing
in
both
of
them.
Her
characters
have
been
carefully
written,
infused
with
the
smallest
aspects
of
the
human
behaviour
in
consideration.
There
is
a
scene
where
Saumya
is
pushed
into
paragliding
for
the
first
time,
despite
having
severe
acrophobia,
and
midway
through
the
activity,
she
gets
teary-eyed
thinking
of
her
dead
mother.
It
is
such
a
moving
representation
of
how
the
grief
one
might
be
carrying
can
subconsciously
erupt
with
even
the
slightest
push,
reminding
us
that
it
was
waiting
beneath
the
surface
all
this
while.
While
the
National
award-winning
actor
has
given
a
few
impressive
performances
earlier
as
well,
especially
in
Mimi,
she
has
outdone
herself
in
this
Netflix
original.

The
way
Do
Patti
handles
and
portrays
the
themes
of
childhood
trauma,
sibling
rivalries,
domestic
violence,
abuse,
and
the
objectification
of
women
is
quite
impressive.
It
intimately
explores
even
the
smallest
details
of
these
difficult
themes,
complemented
by
brilliant
performances.
However,
brilliance
comes
in
patches.
If
only
the
film
had
better
pacing
or
constant
momentum
throughout
its
runtime

and
avoided
harmful
stereotypes

it
would
have
done
justice
to
the
important
issues
it
attempts
to
explore.
Films
dealing
with
such
sensitive
themes
need
to
be
more
captivating
to
appeal
to
a
larger
audience.
Do
Patti
handles
its
subject
matter
in
impressive
ways

it
has
its
intentions
in
the
right
place.
But
it
struggles
to
establish
itself
as
a
good
thriller.


Rating:
6.5/10