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Windows Phone is dead, but Microsoft tried to make it better

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A moment of silence. Joe Belfiore, who used to head the mobile division of Microsoft, took to Twitter for his announcement about the death of Windows Phone or Windows 10 Mobile as it’s called now.

If you own a Windows 10 Mobile device, this is hard to accept. While there’s still no official announcement directly from Microsoft, Belfiore’s tweets confirmed that they’re no longer pushing forward.

It started when a user asked if it’s time to leave the Windows Phone platform, and Belfiore subtle answered that it depends on who and what purpose it serves. The enterprise sector is still a big market for Windows Phone, so it’s not one hundred percent over, yet.

He did specify, though, that new features and hardware are not the focus of their team. No worries! Minor updates for bug fixes and security patches are still part of their gameplan. He also admitted that the low (or “too low”) volume of users is a reason for Microsoft to shut down the platform.

While we do have our own share of disappointment about the slow progress of Windows phones, Microsoft did plan to release a borderless device running Windows Phone 8.1 back in 2014. As reported by Windows Central, the Microsoft Lumia 435 could have been a game-changer. It was planned to be the first-ever borderless Windows smartphone and cost under US$ 200. It was canceled later that year.

There were prototypes and Windows Central was able to get a hold of one.Take a look:

Image from Windows Central

We’re not sure if stores are still selling Windows Phone or Windows 10 Mobile devices, but we strongly suggest not to buy any model now, unless you want to keep a piece of Microsoft’s last efforts to save its mobile platform.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Pro isn’t just an incremental update

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Lifestyle

Netflix is testing engagement by putting ads between episodes

Netflix, no chill

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August 21, 2018

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How would you feel if, after a long day at work, you were relaxing and catching up on a series you’ve been excited to binge, and it gets interrupted by “But first, check out…” followed by a trailer of another show? If you’re miffed at the thought then you should sip your most calming tea, because that’s exactly what Netflix has started to do.

The streaming big shot has confirmed to Ars Technica that this move is a test to see whether or not inserting these ads would help speed up viewers’ discovery of new titles that they’ll like. Right now, these ads only appear for some people globally, but Netflix did not confirm how long this test will last.

The move has garnered some backlash from users encountering the ads, but Netflix has said that, although they are aware of the “chatter on social channels,” their focus is more on the engagement to these ads and that this is what will determine a wider rollout in the future.

If you find yourself faced with these ads though, apparently you can opt out of these tests. That way, you’ll still be able to Netflix, chill, and binge watch the night (and/or day) away.

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India

Huawei’s Nova 3 to go on open sale starting August 23

More than 50 million units have been shipped globally

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August 21, 2018

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Just last month, Huawei launched the Nova 3 and 3i in India, and since then the duo has been up for purchase via flash sales in India. The company says the two phones have garnered incredible response globally and more than 50 million units have been shipped as of now.

Huawei has announced that the Nova 3i’s next flash sale will be held on August 21. On the other hand, the more powerful Nova 3 will be available via open sales (not flash) starting August 23, 1 PM. Both phones are exclusively sold on Amazon.in, and Prime members can order the Nova 3 from 12 noon itself.

The Nova 3 is priced at INR 34,999 (US$ 500) and competes against the mighty OnePlus 6. The phone has an edge over the OnePlus counterpart thanks to the beautiful glass backing that has nice color gradients. It features Huawei’s latest processor along with added AI capabilities and a GPU Turbo mode for a more refined gaming experience.

The phone comes with a host of offers including zero fee EMI and screen protection insurance. American Express cardholders are eligible for an instant cashback of INR 3,000, while telecom operator Jio is bundling along 100GB of data worth INR 3,300 along with the phone.

The Nova 3i is a midrange phone that features the same premium glass backing along with a slightly weaker processor. Though, it also houses a host of AI-powered features along with the popular GPU Turbo mode.  The phone is priced at INR 20,990 and competes against the Honor Play, Nokia 7 Plus, and the Mi A2.

The Nova 3i too has many offers bundled along, including an instant five percent discount when purchased via HDFC credit and debit cards. Zero-fee EMI options up to nine months are also available.

The two phones are cheaper siblings of the P20 Pro and feature the same high-end design language along with a suite of smart features thanks to EMUI.

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Vivo X23 teased online with small notch, in-display fingerprint reader

It’s Vivo’s turn to have a new phone

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August 20, 2018

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OPPO‘s newest phones, the F9 and R17, now have smaller display notches. This is actually a trend among Chinese phone brands with Vivo aboard the wagon.

The upcoming Vivo X23 has just been teased on the company’s website with some of its key features. The main one is probably the latest fourth-generation under-display fingerprint reader which should be faster and more accurate than the NEX’s. It’s pretty obvious that the X23 will not have a complicated front camera setup ala OPPO Find X or iPhone X.

Image credit: Vivo

The X23’s front will have a teardrop notch and reportedly a 91.2 percent screen-to-body ratio. The dual-camera setup on the back of the X23 will now have a secondary super wide-angle camera rather than just a depth sensor for bokeh.

As for the material on the back, it appears to have a glass panel with a 3D color layer with blue or violet colors.

Vivo didn’t unveil much about the X23 apart from its physical design but since it has an under-display fingerprint reader, it’s safe to assume that its display will be an AMOLED panel.

There are no pricing and availability details yet, but Vivo is set to announce it in the coming days.

Source: Vivo

SEE ALSO: Vivo NEX Review: Worth it?

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