TECH with KAPS

Soulful and serene, South Goa offers you a heady mix of exotic and sandy beaches, churches and temples rich in history, glimpses into Portuguese culture, mind-blowing seafood, undiluted lush greenery, and an undeniable romantic vibe. A holiday in the southern part of India’s party capital can easily become a memorable affair if you do two things – book your rooms in one of the best hotels in South Goa and explore the right attractions that dot the region.

Planned your Goan trip and packed your bags already? Let the fun begin. To help you out, we have listed some of the best places to visit in South Goa in no particular order.

1. Palolem Beach, South Goa

Palolem Beach | #1 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

One of the most spectacular beaches in South Goa, Palolem welcomes you to its golden sand and spellbinding scenic views. Dotted with vibrant beach shacks and swaying palm trees, the place exudes a chilled-out party vibe. Whether you are looking for adventurous activities and water sports or just a relaxed day under the sun, Palolem fits the bill perfectly. There’s more! The beach market at Palolem, which is organized every Saturday, gives you an opportunity to experience the lively shopping culture Goa is known for.

Activities: Canoeing, Trekking, Dolphin Spotting, Silent Discos, Yoga, Kayaking, Scuba diving, Turtle spotting, shopping

2. Agonda Beach, South Goa

Agonda Beach | #2 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

A lesser-known beach in the southern region, Agonda is beauty at its best form. The pristine shoreline of this beach is peppered with pretty cottages and shacks. Casuarinas and palms further add to its splendid beauty. It is also one of the four beaches marked as turtle nesting sites, which gives you all the more reasons to visit Agonda. When you are in a mood to relax and rejuvenate, make your way to Agonda and you will come back as a happier version of yourself.

Activities: Canoeing, Dolphin Spotting, Kayaking, Turtle spotting, Water Surfing

3. Benaulim Beach, South Goa

Benaulim Beach | #3 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Blessed with a captivating shoreline and gleaming white sand, Benaulim exudes a romantic charm. From rolling on the white sand and taking a stroll on the shore to indulging in a variety of water sports, you can do it all here. The nightlife at this beach is quite vibrant and you can expect to have a great time with your SO.

Activities: Snorkeling, Wind Surfing, Dolphin Spotting, Parasailing, Jetskiing, Banana boat ride, Rowing

4. Colva Beach, South Goa

Colva Beach | #4 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Colva is a hot favorite among the families and couples heading towards South Goa for a wonderful holiday. While adventure freaks can have a great time indulging in a number of water-based activities, those looking for sunbathing and a peaceful time won’t feel disappointed either. Hip and happening Colva is also famous for its vibrant nightlife and full moon parties, which makes it one of the fun places to visit in South Goa.

Activities: Windsurfing, Speedboat ride, Dolphin Spotting, Parasailing, Jetskiing, Snorkelling, Motorboat rides, Water scooter, Banana boat ride

5. Butterfly Beach, South Goa

Butterfly Beach | #5 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Butterfly Beach is truly a hidden gem in South Goa. An unexploited paradise, this semi-circular bay is where you can spot millions of butterflies flying over the hilltop. Once you turn your attention to the turquoise water, you can spot goldfish and crabs playing about. You will have to take a boat ride to reach this beach as the land route demands you to undergo a challenging hike through the forest.

Activities: Boat riding, Canoe riding, Sunbathing

6. Galgibaga Beach, South Goa

Galgibaga Beach | #6 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Also known as the Turtle Beach, Galgibaga is the nesting ground of the protected Olive Ridley turtles. Sparsely populated and adorned with dense pine vegetation, it is the perfect place for holidaymakers who seek some privacy, splendid sunset views, and tranquillity. No wonder, a visit to this beach counts among the top 10 things to do in South Goa alone or with your family or friends.

Activities: Turtle watching, Sunbathing, Swimming

Want to know more about such pristine beaches in the southern part? Read our blog on the less-crowded beaches in Goa.

7. Our Lady of Remedios Church, South Goa

Our Lady of Remedios Church | #7 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Marked with splendid architecture and a serene ambiance, Our Lady of Remedios Church at Betalbatim is an ancient place of worship that traces its origins back to 1630. Surrounded by green lawns, the white exterior of the church offers a soothing sight during the day. During the night, the church looks magnificent as the whole area is illuminated.

Location: Fatona, Betalbatim
Timings: 6:00 am to 5:00 pm; every day

8. Saviour of the World Church, South Goa

Built in 1586, the Saviour of the World Church is a sight to behold even today. The majestic shrine boasts of being one of Goa’s most gorgeous churches built in the Mannerist Neo-Roman style of architecture.

Location: Salcette, Loutolim
Timings: 6:00 am to 7:00 pm; every day
Distance from Margao: 9 km (approx.)

9. St. Alex Church, South Goa

St. Alex Church | #9 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Built in the year 1597 on the banks of Angoddi Tollem Lake, St. Alex Church is among the oldest chapel churches in the region. An interesting fact about the church is that it was constructed on the site of an ancient Hindu temple, called Ravalnath Temple. If you walk around the church, you can still see the ruins of the temple here.

Location: Curtorim
Timings: 9:00 am to 8:30 pm; every day
Distance from Margao: 6 km (approx.)

10. Three Kings Church, South Goa

Three Kings Church | #10 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

The Three Kings Church, another ancient Church in South Goa, dates back to 1599 and is located in the small village of Cansaulim. The isolated church may not boast of a colossal structure or majestic architecture. But what makes it a major attraction for many people is that it is believed to be haunted. Yes, this may sound pretty strange about a place of worship, but there’s just one way to verify such claims – visit the church and find out for yourself!

Location: Muder, Cansaulim
Timings: 6:00 am to 5:00 pm; every day

Interested to know more such places in the region? Then read our blog on the haunted places in Goa.

11. Chandreshwar Bhoothnath Temple, South Goa

Chandreshwar Bhoothnath Temple | #11 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

One of the famous temples in South Goa, Chandreshwar Bhoothnath Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is worshipped here as the Lord of the Moon. This ancient temple stands atop the Chandranath Hill. If you happen to visit the temple on a full moon night, you can see the Shiva Linga inside the shrine looking resplendent under the moonlight. There’s also the Boothnath Temple nearby which is worth a visit. This temple is also dedicated to Lord Shiva where the deity is worshiped as the Lord of the ghosts.

Location: Paroda, Quepem Taluka
Timings: 5:30 am to 8:30 pm; every day

12. Shri Shantadurga Temple, South Goa

Shri Shantadurga Temple | #12 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Dating back to more than 450 years, this ancient temple exemplifies the Indo-Portuguese architectural style. It boasts of Roman arched windows, which is a rare sight among the temples in Goa. A five-story lamp tower is an additional attraction of this temple. The Shanta Durga Temple is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga as a mediator between Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.

Location: Kavalem Village, Ponda
Timings: 5:00 am to 10:00 pm; every day

13. Tambdi Surla Mahadev Temple, South Goa

Tambdi Surla Mahadev Temple | #13 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

One of the oldest temples in the region, the Mahadeva Temple of Tambdi Surla dates back to the 12th century. The temple, as its name suggests, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is surrounded by lush green vegetation. Another interesting fact about the temple is that it is built in the Kadamba -Yadava style of architecture, something you wouldn’t come across frequently in the Hindu temples in India.

Location: Sanguem
Timings: 7:00 am to 5:30 pm; every day

14. Cabo de Rama Fort, South Goa

Cabo de Rama Fort | #14 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Counted amongst the oldest forts in Goa, Cabo de Rama boasts of a rich past and has many legends associated with it. One such legend states that Lord Rama and his wife Sita had stayed at this fort during their exile from Ayodhya. It is said that the fort was named to honor Lord Rama. Today, the fort is the location of the Church of Santo Antonio and you can enjoy majestic views of the surroundings from this church.

Location: Canacona
Timings: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm; every day

15. Indian Naval Aviation Museum, South Goa

Indian Naval Aviation Museum | #15 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

One of the popular places to visit in South Goa with family and kids, this museum exhibits huge machines and artifacts related to the evolution of naval aviation in the country. By paying a visit to this museum, you can learn many interesting things about flying, like the aircraft ejection system and life-rafts. The place also has a café (called Cockpit Café) where you can enjoy a tea, a souvenir shop, and a mini theatre where you can catch short movies and documentaries on naval aviation.

Location: Vasco da Gama
Timings: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; closed on Mondays
Entry fee:
Adults – ₹ 30 per head
Children – ₹ 10 per head

16. Goa Chitra Museum, South Goa

Goa Chitra Museum | #16 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

If you thought the culture and lifestyle in Goa have always been the same, think again! The Goa Chitra Museum takes you on a journey into the cultural and historical past of Goa through its 4000 plus exhibits. These artifacts map out the lifestyle of the people of Goa in the past and how it changed over time, owing to many historical and cultural factors. The museum is a treasure trove of all sorts of artifacts, ranging from agricultural tools to musical instruments, and even staple food. Needless to say, it is one of the must-visit museums in Goa where you can get a glimpse into the region’s rich and interesting past.

Location: Benaulim
Timings: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm; every day
Entry fee: ₹ 300 per person

17. Big Foot Museum, South Goa

Big Foot Museum | #17 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Big Foot is an off-beat museum in South Goa, one with a lot of difference. For starters, it is established and run privately by an artist names Maendra Alvares. Secondly, it is an open-air museum that recreates a miniature Goan village of the bygone days. Some of the key highlights of the museum include miniature houses that depict traditional Goan life and culture, a handicraft center that sells Goan artifacts, a bird habitat, a restaurant, rubber plantations, a spice yard, and lot more. The 14-meter high Sant Mirabai sculpture, which apparently is the largest laterite sculpture in the country, is another key attraction of the museum.

Location: Loutolim
Timings: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm; every day
Entry fee: ₹ 50 for adults; ₹ 30 for children
Distance from Margao: 9 km (approx.)

18. Mollem National Park, South Goa

Mollem National Park | #18 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

The core area of Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary, Mollem National Park is home to a large number of wildlife species, birds, reptiles, and butterflies. You can easily spot wild boar, barking deer, Bonnet Macaque, and big cats like leopards and tigers while roaming around this park. If you are a bird lover, you will be delighted to visit this place since it houses more than 120 species of birds. The main attraction of the park is the adventurous jungle safaris during which you can watch your wild friends from close quarters.

Location: Sonaulim
Timings: 8:00 am to 5:30 pm; every day
Entry fee: ₹ 20 per adult; ₹ 10 per children
Distance from Margao: 45 km (approx.)

19. Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, South Goa

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary | #19 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Away from the sunny beaches and happening shacks of South Goa, the Cortigao Wildlife Sanctuary entices you to a world of exotic flora and fauna. It boasts of varied wildlife species, including slender Loris, mouse deer, Indian pangolin, Malabar trogon, Malayan bittern, golden-back gliding snake, and many more. One of the prime attractions of the sanctuary is a treetop watchtower overlooking a watering hole. If you climb up the watchtower during dawn or dusk, you can watch many animals visiting the watering hole to quench their thirst. And now, that’s a sight you wouldn’t want to miss in a lifetime.

Location: Canacona Taluka
Timings: 7:00 am to 5:30 pm; every day
Entry fee:
Adults -₹ 5 per person
Children – ₹ 2 per child
Distance from Margao: 58 km (approx.)

20. Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, South Goa

Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary | #20 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Located in the south-eastern part of Goa, Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary is another must-visit place to add to your itinerary. A popular spot for nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, and birdwatchers, the sanctuary is home to a wide range of flora and fauna, including Giant Squirrel, Great Pied Hornbills, Grey Headed Bulbul, Slender Loris, and an exciting range of mammals, butterflies, and birds. For those looking for a tryst with nature and its many wonders, this is the place to be.

Location: Sanguem Taluk
Timings: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; every day
Distance from Margao: 46 km (approx.)

21. Margao Municipal Market, South Goa

Now that you have had your share of beaches, museums, wildlife, and history, isn’t it time to indulge in some retail therapy and shop like a true Goan? Make your way to Margao Municipal Market, one of the most popular markets in South Goa, where you will find everything from cashews, spices, and alcohol to souvenirs, clothes, and handicrafts. You can spend hours here without feeling tired or bored. Don’t believe us? Try it out! By the way, don’t forget to buy a packet of salted dry mangoes, a signature item you find in all Goan markets.

Timings: 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; every day

22. Dudhsagar Waterfalls, South Goa

Dudhsagar Waterfalls | #22 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

Located in the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, this picturesque falls forms the border between Goa and Karnataka. The whole region is surrounded by lush green forests and the falls cascade down from a height of 310 meters, offering a spectacular sight. The word Dudhsagar literally means ‘the sea of milk’ and that’s exactly what this waterfall is – milky, foamy, and just so beautiful.

23. Pinacolada Beach Shack, South Goa

Beach Shacks | #23 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

It’s considered a crime to leave Goa without having a drink or two at its beach shacks. And when you are in the southern part, you have quite a few options, each of which is known for its food, drinks, music, and ambiance. Here’s our list of the best shacks to visit in South Goa:

Pinacolada Beach Shack

Location: Colva
Timings: 8:00 am to 12:00 am; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 1000

Café Del Mar

Location: Palolem Beach
Timings: 8:00 am to 12:00 am; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 800

Johncy’s

Location: Benaulim Beach
Timings: 8:00 am to 2:00 am; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 1000

24. Restaurants, South Goa

Restaurants | #24 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

What’s a trip to Goa if you don’t indulge in the flavorsome seafood the region is renowned for? Now, if anyone tells you the dining scene in South Goa is not as great as that of its northern counterpart, don’t believe them. There indeed are many restaurants serving some of the best Goan flavors along with other types of cuisines. Here are our suggestions for the best restaurants in South Goa:

The Space Goa

Location: Canacona, Palolem
Timings: 08:30 am to 05:30 pm; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 500

Martin’s Corner

Location: Ranvaddo, Salcete, Betalbatim
Timings: 11:00 am to 03:30 pm and 06:30 pm to 11:30 pm; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 1600

The Fisherman’s Wharf

Location: Mobor, Cavelossim
Timings: 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm (Sunday to Thursday); 12:00 pm to 12:00 am (Friday to Saturday)
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 1100

Want to add some spice to your beach holiday? Read our blog on the best restaurants in Goa to know more.

25. Bars and Pubs, South Goa

Bars and Pubs | #25 of 25 Best Places to Visit in South Goa

South Goa may have the reputation for being quieter than North Goa, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy nightlife here. In fact, there are several places to visit in south Goa at night and chill out. Some of the best nightlife spots in the south are:

The Farmhouse Bar and Bristo

Location: Benaulim
Timings: 11:30 am to 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm to 12:00 am; closed on Mondays
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 1000

The Red Ginger

Location: Colva
Timings: 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 1200

Edge

Location: Majorda
Timings: 9:00 am to 1:00 am; every day
Cost for two (approx.): ₹ 2000

South Goa can be full of solitude and tranquility or energy and effervescence, depending on how you want to explore the place. Start with this list and you will discover many other places worthy of your time as you embark on this lovely journey. Here’s wishing you a great time in South Goa.

Frequently Asked Questions About South Goa:

Q: How is South Goa different from North Goa?

A: While North Goa is all about its nightlife, liveliness and crowd of tourists and shoppers, South Goa is known for its clean and isolated beaches, shrines, scenic drives and tranquil environment.

Q: What are the different things to do in South Goa?

A: You can visit the unspoiled beaches and beautiful churches and temples of South Goa and explore its wildlife reserves. There are also many thrilling water sports to indulge in, such as jet skiing and parasailing. When in South Goa, you can also enjoy local cuisine, go for treks, chase dolphins in the sea and attend your first silent party.

Q: How to reach South Goa?

A: The main gateways to South Goa and the rest of the state are Dabolim Airport and Vasco Da Gama Railway Station. You can easily find cabs or rent a car to reach your hotels in South Goa from the airport or train station. Those travelling by bus can get down at Vasco da Gama, Margao or Canacona.

Q: Which are the popular beaches in South Goa?

A: Colva, Palolem, Benaulim, Agonda and Cavelossim are the most popular beaches in South Goa.

Q: Where can i go to enjoy the nightlife in South Goa?

A: Johnny Cool's, Down the Road, Gatsby's Club and especially the Silent Noise pub on Palolem Beach are some of the must-visit places if you wish to explore the nightlife of South Goa.

Q: Suggest some good places to try local cuisine in South Goa.

A: You can enjoy Goan delicacies at The Fisherman's Wharf, Martin's Corner, Dropadi, Peppers, Zeebop, Robin's Ark, Fish Ka, Martins, Joet's, Ben And Sand, Pentagon, Joe's River Cove, Ignia, Nostalgia and Mike Place.

Facebook users should be alert, know what kind of posts can shut down your account

2020-09-24T10:00:00.001+05:30

Facebook users should be alert

Those who mislead on the Corona virus vaccine on Facebook should be alerted. In fact, social media platform Facebook has said that on its behalf those Facebook groups and pages are being closed, which are spreading false information about the Corona virus vaccine. Also, they are recommending the use of Corona vaccine. Not only this, Facebook groups and pages predicting the Corona virus vaccine are also being closed.

Facebook is working on many levels

On behalf of Facebook, the Australian Select Committee on Foreign Interference, while filing a document, was told that Facebook, along with partners and policy makers, is being shut down on its behalf to spread misinformation. Facebook said that we are committed to providing accurate information about the vaccine to the users. For this, many levels of work are being done on our behalf, so that the wrong and misleading information of the vaccine can be spread.

Instructions for giving information on monthly basis

Facebook said that since the beginning of the epidemic, on its behalf, the work of sending official information to users through Facebook and Instagram has been done. The Australian Government and the World Health Organization (WHO) are helping us in this work. Information displayed by the company is reaching every single user who searches the posts related to the corona virus. On behalf of the European Commission, several social media companies including Facebook, Twitter and Google were recently asked to display misinformation related to Kovid-19 on their platform per month. Also, provide data to the authority in this regard on a monthly basis.

No complete restriction on wrong information

Facebook said that authorities on its behalf have been informed of the top Facebook groups and pages that are trying to spread misinformation about the vaccine. Also, the company is labeling misinformation to prevent them from spreading. The company admitted that the misinformation has not been completely stopped. But companies are moving fast in this direction. Facebook said it has recently launched a separate section "Facts about Covid-19" for Kovid-19, where WHO provides accurate information related to the corona virus.

Xiaomi's Mi Smart LED Bulb (B22) launched in India, support for Google Assistant and Alexa

2020-09-23T10:00:00.001+05:30

Xiaomi's Mi Smart LED Bulb (B22) launched in India

Tech company Xiaomi has launched its latest smart LED bulb Mi Smart LED Bulb (B22) in India. Polycarbonate and plastic-clad aluminum have been used in this bulb. Talking about the features, 16 million colors have been given in this bulb. Apart from this, this bulb has got the support of Google Assistant and Alexa. At the same time, the price of Mi Smart LED Bulb is 799 rupees and it can be purchased from the company's official site.

Mi Smart LED Bulb Features

The Mi Smart LED Bulb has 9W power, which produces 950 lumens brightness. The battery backup of this bulb has been claimed for 25,000 hours. Apart from this, 16 million colors have been given in this bulb. Talking about other features, users can also control this bulb by speaking. At the same time, this bulb works on Android and iOS operating systems.

Mi Smart LED Bulb Wi-Fi Equipped

The Mi Smart LED bulb has Wi-Fi for connectivity so that users can connect their phones to it. Let us know that apart from this, there is another smart bulb in the company's portfolio, named Mi LED Wi-Fi. It costs Rs 1,299.

Mi Power Bank 3i

The company has recently launched its new Mi Power Bank 3i PowerBank. Its 10,000mAh power Mi Power Bank 3i is priced at Rs 899, while the 20,000mAh capacity Mi Power Bank 3i has been introduced for Rs 1,499. Both of them are Made in India Power Bank. If you look at the features given in these, the triple port output has been given in the 20000mAh model. Whereas 10000mAh has dual pot input. The 10000mAh Mi Power Bank 3i has 18W and 10W fast charging support. With its help, users can charge multiple devices. At the same time, the 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 3i will also get 18W and 10W fast charging support. But it takes 6.9 hours and 6 hours. Both models of Mi Power Bank 3i have 12 layers of Advanced Circuit Protection. In this, you will also get a low power mode, which can press and charge low power devices such as Mi Band and Mi Bluetooth headset.

Written By - Kapil

Tiktok ban benefited this homegrown app, downloading more than 3 crores in just 3 months

2020-09-22T10:00:00.002+05:30

The TikTok ban benefited this homegrown app

Desi social app Chingari is getting big benefit from iktok ban. The Chinagari app launched after Tiktok ban has been downloaded more than 3 crore times so far. Chingari apps have also been mentioned in the Mann Ki Baat program by PM Modi.
The Chingari app has been the winner of the Central Government's App Innovation Challenge. Also, the use of these native apps was also advised by the PM. Let us know that the Chingari app got a lot of popularity after Tiktok ban. The app Tiktok Bain was downloaded more than 35 lakh times in just 24 hours.
Chingari app users are 18 to 35 years old
Augmented Reality (AR) filters have now been launched by the Chingari app, which will give more creative liberty to the youth using the app. Users will be able to use the new AR filter of the Chingari app through the rear and back cameras of the phone.
Also, users are going to enjoy using the app more than before. Youth are among the most used users of the Chingari app, who are between 18 and 35 years of age.
The Chingari app was the most downloaded in Hyderabad, around 5.6 million times. The app is available in Hindi, Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil, Oriya and Telugu, English languages. According to the report, the Chingari app is being liked not only in India, but the Chingari app is being downloaded in large numbers in other countries including the US, Singapore, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait.

Tata Sky Binge + price cut again, this time Rs 1,500

2020-09-21T14:10:00.005+05:30

Tata Sky Binge price cut again, this time Rs 1,500

Tata Sky has again reduced the prices of its Tata Sky Binge + set-top box in India. The price of the premium STB has been reduced by Rs 1,000. It is now available for new customers at Rs 2,999. New customers will get a six-month Tata Sky Binz subscription and a three-month Amazon Prime Video subscription for free. Apart from this, the price of Tata Sky Binge + Multi-TV connection has also been reduced from Rs 3,999 and it is now available for Rs 2,499.
The revised price of Tata Sky Binge + set-top box for new customers is visible on the company's website. As we said, the new price is set at Rs 2,999. Recall that Tata Sky Binge + Android TV-based set-top box was launched in January this year. In May, its price was first cut, reducing its price from Rs 5,999 to Rs 3,999 and now finally customers can buy it for Rs 2,999
Existing Tata Sky users, who take Binj + for multi TV connection or upgrade to Tata Sky Binz + set-top box, can reportedly fetch it for Rs 2,499. This is Rs 1,500 less than its previous price. When the set-top box was launched in January, these services were priced at Rs 5,999. This price cut was first seen by DreamDTH.
Tata Sky Binge + is a set-top box based on Android TV and supports Google Voice Assistant and Google Play. Not only this, but new customers will also get a Tata Sky Binge subscription for six months at no extra charge. It will get premium content from OTT apps like Disney + Hotstar, SunNXT, Hungama Play, Shemaroo, and Eros Now for free.
Tata Sky has also added a three-month Amazon Prime subscription to it for free. After the free Tata Sky Binz subscription expires, subscribers will have to pay a fee of Rs 249 per month for continued usage. Similarly, for three months after Amazon Prime Video Access, customers have to pay a fee of Rs 129 per month.
Download the Tech with Kaps Android app for the latest tech news, smartphone reviews, and exclusive offers on popular mobiles and follow us on Google News.

Realme 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy M31s, Poco X2: Best Smartphones for Rs 20,000 (September 2020)

2020-09-20T10:00:00.002+05:30

Best Smartphones for Rs 20,000

We have prepared here a list of smartphones which have scored well in our review and in our view each of these smartphones is a great pick.

We update our list of best phones every month and this month we have done something similar. If you are looking for a good smartphone for less than Rs 20,000, then all your complications will end after seeing this list. At present, there are many options available in the market for under Rs 20,000, some new and some old ones too.

Realme and Samsung have launched two new contenders in the market for less than Rs 20,000, which are Realme 7 Pro and Samsung Galaxy M31s.

Apart from this, there are some old phones too, which have still retained their place in this list. These include some other phones including Relame 6 Pro, Poco X2, Motorola One Fusion +, Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. All these smartphones in the sub-20,000 price category come equipped with powerful processors, good cameras and big batteries. Let's look at the top of the best smartphones coming under Rs 20,000 without any delay. All the smartphones mentioned here have also scored well in our review.

Best phones under 20,000

Phone for less than Rs 20,000	Gadgets 360 rating (out of 10)	Price in india
Samsung galaxy m31s	8	Rs. 20,499
Reality 7 Pro	8	Rs. 19,999
Motorola One Fusion +	8	Rs. 16,999
Redmi Note 9 Pro Max	8	Rs. 16,999
Poko X2	8	Rs. 17,499
Reality 6 Pro	8	Rs. 17,999
Samsung galaxy m31	8	Rs. 16,499
Reality x 2	8	Rs. 17,999

Samsung Galaxy M31s

Samsung launched the Galaxy M31s for Rs 19,499, but at the time of updating this guide, its price was increased to 20,499 visible on the company's online store. Samsung has a habit of constantly increasing its prices, so by the time you read this article, we will not be surprised that its price has gone up or down.

We think the Galaxy M31S is a nice upgrade over its younger sibling Galaxy M31. It has a higher starting price, but for this extra money you get an Infinity-O AMOLED display, a charger with high charging support, and a slightly redesigned design.

It retains many of the features that made the Galaxy M31 a success, such as the larger 6,000mAh battery. However some weaker features have not been removed, such as the same old chipset. There is no doubt that this chipset cannot handle your daily task, but other smartphones offer more powerful chipsets at this price.

The cameras are decent but video stabilization is not effective and the detail is not good in low light photos. However, if tremendous battery life matters to you, then Samsung Galaxy M31s is the best option for you.

Realme 7 Pro

More premium models in Realme 7-series, Realme 7 Pro has some major upgrades compared to Realme 6 Pro, such as AMOLED display, 65W fast charging and stereo speakers.

With a big price of Rs 19,999, the new model has a unique mix of features that few phones can offer in this segment. 65 Watt charging allows the battery to be charged very quickly and stereo speakers can enhance any media experience. The new phone is thinner and lighter than the 6 Pro, which is a nice bonus.

However, you don't get a 90Hz display, which is a bit disappointing. The 7 Pro also has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset just like the 6 Pro, so the new phone doesn't see much of a big difference in performance compared to the previous model. The primary rear camera has improved slightly, but once again, you will miss the ultra wide-angle selfie camera and the 6 Pro's rear telephoto camera.

While there is no doubt that Realme 7 Pro is a good phone, however, it goes a step backwards in some areas and that is why Realme 6 Pro still remains a suggested option in this segment.

Motorola One Fusion +

The Motorola One Fusion + Sub-20,000 is a great pick in the price segment. On the one hand, its price is very competitive, on the other hand, Motorola has not reduced the hardware. The Motorola One Fusion + features a large 6.5-inch notch-equipped display. This panel is HDR10 certified and has very good viewing angles. It also has loud speaker output, which coupled with crisp full-view display gives a good movie experience.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset has been given to give power to Motorola One Fusion +. This mid-range chipset is quite capable and scored very well in our benchmark. One Fusion + comes in only one configuration, which offers 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. You can also increase storage by using its hybrid dual-sim tray. Motorola has also provided a 5,000mAh battery and this phone comes with an 18W turbocharger.

This clean stock works on Android and we have not encountered any bloatware. The good thing is that Moto Action gesture control options are available in it, which sometimes prove useful. The Motorola One Fusion + has four cameras at the rear and a pop-up selfie camera at the front.

It has a 64-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra wide angle camera, a 5-megapixel macro camera, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The camera performed well in daylight and was fast at locking phone focus and meter light correctly. Low-light shots were average but using Night Mode made a lot of difference. Video recording can be done at maximum 4K. Footage turns out to be static during the day.

Redmi Note 9 Pro Max

The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is currently the top pick in our list at less than Rs 20,000. When Xiaomi launched this smartphone, its price used to start from Rs 15,000, but due to increase in GST rate, the prices have increased. Redmi Note 9 Pro Max comes with a 6.67-inch display,

The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, which allows you to unlock it quickly. The smartphone comes equipped with four rear cameras. The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max works on Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset. Xiaomi has launched it in 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage options. Their price is Rs 16,999, Rs 17,999 and Rs 19,999 respectively.

Poco X2

The Poco X2 is a tall phone and has a large 6.67-inch display with a 20: 9 aspect ratio. Its panel comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is not common in this range. The Poco X2 has a dual-camera punch-hole at the front, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. The Poco X2 feels big and heavy. It works on Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G, which is a powerful chipset and can handle gaming quite well.

There are many variants of Poco X2. These include 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 256 GB storage options. The prices of Poco X2 have increased since its launch and now the prices of these three variants are Rs 17,499, Rs 18,499 and Rs 20,999 respectively.

Poco has given a 4,500mAh battery in the phone and a 27W charger is also available in the box. This phone sports a quad rear camera setup and we saw that the photo quality is quite good in daylight. The low-light photo quality was also relatively impressive, but lacked the detailing of the day. The quality of low light video is not as good.

Realme 6 Pro

Reality 6 Pro has a 6.6-inch display with dual-camera hole-punch for selfie cameras. It works on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset just like the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max. The device is well designed, but slips slightly, as it has a glass back. This phone comes with a weight of 202 grams, which is slightly heavier. One feature of Realme 6 Pro is its 90Hz refresh rate screen. It also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner that can unlock the phone easily and quickly.

Reality 6 Pro has been introduced in 6 GB RAM + 64 GB storage, 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage options. Their price is Rs 17,999, 18,999 and Rs 19,999 respectively.

There is a quad-camera setup at the back. Camera performance was good for daylight and close-ups, but camera performance in low light requires some improvement. Realme 6 Pro has a 4300mAh battery, which is not as big as some other phones in this list, but when we tested it, it gave excellent battery life.

Samsung Galaxy M31

This Samsung model has a 6.4-inch full-HD + AMOLED display, which comes with vivid colors and a very good viewing angle. There is a quad-camera setup at the back with a 64-megapixel primary camera. It comes with a large 6,000mAh battery and a well performing Exynos 9611 chipset.

Samsung Galaxy M31 has 6 GB RAM and two storage options, 64 GB and 128 GB. Both these variants are priced at Rs 16,499 and Rs 18,999. The large battery gives excellent battery life and this phone can easily run for two days. The cameras perform well in daylight and with night mode enabled, the Galaxy M31 also takes better low-light shots. We found the video stabilization to be average.

The Exynos 9611 chipset is not as powerful as Qualcomm's Snapdragon 720G, which gives the Redmi Note 9 Pro Max and Realme 6 Pro power, but is capable of handling everyday tasks easily.

Realme x2

Realme X2 has a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with an in-display fingerprint scanner. It also runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G processor, just like the Poco X2. The phone performs well in day to day usage. The Reality X2 has a quad-camera setup at the back and comes in various colors.

Reality has given a 4000mAh battery in it and a 30W fast charger in the box which makes charging faster. The Realme X2 can handle day-to-day tasks and gaming very easily, and its battery lasted one and a half days in our tests. Its 4 GB RAM and 64 GB storage variants cost Rs 17,999. Its 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variants are priced at Rs 19,999 and Rs 20,999 respectively.

The quad-camera setup lets you take good pictures in daylight. We liked our portrait shots, as the dedicated depth camera does fine detection. Low-light camera performance is also good but there was a problem of noise in the output. Nightscape mode helps improve low-light photography.

Samsung galaxy m31s

₹19,499

Buy

रिव्यू
मुख्य स्पेसिफिकेशन
ख़बरें

डिज़ाइन
डिस्प्ले
सॉफ्टवेयर
परफॉर्मेंस
बैटरी लाइफ
कैमरा
वैल्यू फॉर मनी

खूबियां
Excellent battery life
Crisp AMOLED display
Bundled fast charger

कमियां
Dated processor
Weak low-light camera performance
Poor video stabilisation

सैमसंग गैलेक्सी एम31एस का रिव्यू पढ़ें

BUY AT

Reality 7 Pro ₹19,499

Buy

रिव्यू
मुख्य स्पेसिफिकेशन
ख़बरें

डिज़ाइन
डिस्प्ले
सॉफ्टवेयर
परफॉर्मेंस
बैटरी लाइफ
कैमरा
वैल्यू फॉर मनी

खूबियां
Well built, pleasing design
Cameras do well in daylight
Stereo speakers sound good
Vivid AMOLED display
Very fast charging, good battery life

कमियां
Average low-light camera performance
Only 60Hz display

रियलमी 7 प्रो का रिव्यू पढ़ें

Also See

Motorola One Fusion +

₹17,499

Buy

रिव्यू
मुख्य स्पेसिफिकेशन
ख़बरें

डिज़ाइन
डिस्प्ले
सॉफ्टवेयर
परफॉर्मेंस
बैटरी लाइफ
कैमरा
वैल्यू फॉर मनी

खूबियां
Good battery life
Powerful processor
Decent cameras
Near-stock Android
Loud bottom-firing speaker

कमियां
Big and bulky
Relatively slow charging
Average low-light video quality

मोटोरोला वन फ्यूजन+ का रिव्यू पढ़ें

BUY AT

आपकी राय

For the latest tech news, smartphone reviews and exclusive offers on popular mobiles, download the TECHwithKAPS Android app and follow us on Google News.

Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio: Best plans with 2GB data every day

2020-09-19T12:51:00.003+05:30

Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio: Best plans with 2GB data every day

Vodafone Idea Limited is running a special double data offer for the time being. Under this, the company is getting double data on plans of Rs 299, Rs 449 and Rs 699.

Mobile data, at the moment it has become an important part of our lives, and especially at present, when people all over the world including India are imprisoned in their homes. We recently told you the best mobile data plans of Vodafone Idea, Airtel, Jio and BSNL, in which you get 1.5 GB of data every day.

If your usage is more than this and you are looking for a plan with more daily data then the good thing is that we have made your work easier. Today here we are going to tell you about the prepaid recharge plan with the best 2GB daily data of Vodafone Idea, Airtel and Jio.

Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio are the three telecom giants currently offering daily data plans ranging from 1GB to 3GB. Even Vodafone has introduced a special double data offer, where the company is giving twice as much data on its three plans in select circles. However, today we are telling you only those plans in which the company is giving 2 GB high speed data per day. Let's know about the best 2GB daily data plan of Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio.

Airtel 2GB daily data prepaid recharge plans

Airtel 2GB Daily Data Prepaid Recharge Plan

Airtel's cheapest 2GB daily data plan starts at Rs 252.54. In this plan, 2 GB high-speed data is available daily. Along with free unlimited local and national calling, 100 daily SMS are also available in the plan. The validity of this plan is 28 days. The company also offers a Rs 295.76 plan, which has the same advantages and validity as the Rs 252 plan, but it also gets an Amazon Prime subscription.

All the benefits of Airtel's Rs 380.51 and Rs 591.53 daily data plans are similar to the Rs 252.54 plan. These plans also get 2 GB daily data, free unlimited local and national calling, free 100 daily SMS. However, their validity is different. Airtel's plans of Rs 380.51 and Rs 591.53 get validity of 56 days and 84 days respectively.

If you want to recharge for the entire year together, then the company also offers a plan of Rs 2116.95, all the benefits of which are similar to the plan mentioned above, only you will get full 365 days validity.

Vodafone Idea daily 2GB data prepaid recharge plans

Vodafone Idea 2GB Daily Data Prepaid Recharge Plan

Vodafone Idea Limited is running a special double data offer for the time being. Under this, the company is getting double data on plans of Rs 299, Rs 449 and Rs 699. Earlier, 2GB daily high-speed data was available in these plans and for a limited time, 4GB data is being available daily on these plans.

Their validity is 28 days, 56 days and 84 days respectively. These three plans provide unlimited local and national calling, 100 SMS per day. Apart from this, Vodafone users get Vodafone Play subscription worth Rs 499 and ZEE5 subscription worth Rs 999. Remember, both these subscriptions are not for Idea subscribers.

Remind that in 1.5 GB data per day plan, the company offers a recharge plan of full year validity, but there is no such long term validity plan available for 2 GB daily data.

Reliance Jio 2GB daily data prepaid recharge plans

Reliance Jio's 2GB Daily Data Prepaid Recharge Plan

2 GB data is available daily in all four plans of Jio's Rs 249, Rs 444, Rs 599 and Rs 2399. Apart from this, they get the benefit of 100 free daily SMS and live free unlimited calling from Jio. However, for calling from Jio to other networks, these four plans get 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 and 12,000 non-Jio FUP minutes respectively and their validity is 28, 56, 84 and 365 days respectively.

Jio also has a Rs 2,599 prepaid recharge plan, which has the same benefits and validity as the Rs 2,399 plan, but in this plan, users will get 10 GB additional total data and Disney + Hotstar subscription. If you want an annual plan as well as a Disney Hotstar membership, then this plan is definitely the best for you.

VLC Media Player Tips and Tricks

2020-09-18T10:00:00.003+05:30

VLC Media Player Tricks. The previous post described how to run the internet from mobile to computer. Today you will learn about some special tips & tricks of VLC video player. VLC is a very popular media player software. Which many people use for video play on their computers and mobiles.

But do you know that you can do some other work also? Like taking a screenshot of a video, converting video, writing your name on video, using a VLC player like camera, cut, and save Video (Movie). Let us know about some useful and fun tips tricks that make many of our work very easy. Some tips and tricks of vlc media player are given below.

VLC Media Player Tricks

1. Convert Video

How to Convert Media Files?

(i) Go to the Media menu in VLC. Then click on the convert / save option.

(ii) A new popup screen will open, click on the add option.

(iii) After this, select the video from your computer file that you want to convert to another video format.

(iv) Then click on the convert / save button. After this, a popup page will open.

(v) In it, you select the video format from the drop-down menu in front of the profile.

(vii) Now to choose Destination File. This means that in which file/folder you want to save the video.

(viii) Then click on Start. This will convert the video and save it in your selected destination folder.

2. Cut and save Video (Movie) in VLC -

How to Cut a Video in vlc? Or, Record a Currently Playing Video / Audio.

(i) Play a video in VLC.

(ii) When the scene/part of the scene you want to cut, press Shift + R. Now your recording will be ON.

(iii) As far as the scene is to be deleted, as soon as it ends, at that time. Shift + R has to be pressed again. This will make the recording OFF. And after getting your video CUT, it will be automatically saved in the video folder.

3. Take a screenshot of the video

How to take a snapshot in vlc player?

(i) If you want to take a screenshot of the scene of any video, then open that video in vlc player.

(ii) As soon as the scene comes which you want to take a screenshot. Press Shift + S. The video scene/picture will be cut and saved in the picture folder of the computer.

4. Using VLC player like the camera-

Record Webcam

(i) Click on the media option in VLC.

(ii) Click on the open capture device.

(iii) Select a direct show from the drop-down menu. Then click the play.

(iv) The camera of your laptop will start. Now you can take your photo by pressing shift + s.

5. Write your name on the video

Write Your Name or Add Watermarks On Video.

(i) Go to Tools menu in VLC.

(ii) Then click on effect and filter

(iii) A popup window will open. In it, click on the video effect.

After this, click on an overlay.

(iv) You will see an option of additional text. Select the checkbox in front of it.

(iv) Write your name after removing VLC in text. Then click on the close button.

(v) Now whatever video you play in VLC player, your name will appear on all those videos.

This post provided information about some tips tricks of vlc video player. I hope VLC Tips tricks will prove useful for you.

These 5 laptops with 10th generation Intel processors for work from home will help increase your productivity

2020-09-17T08:59:00.001+05:30

Top 5 laptops with 10th generation Intel processors

In this challenging time, 'Work from home' has become commonplace. But if you work from home and your computer technology is not according to your expectation. So it is time to invest in a device that will not only help you in working but also increase your productivity from home.

Intel® is changing the dynamics of working from home with its 10th generation Intel® Core ™ processor (10th Gen Intel® Core ™ Processors). This processor is equipped with many features, including - fast performance, faster connectivity, integrated graphics, and more space. These features will benefit the users that they will be able to work professionally and their productivity will also remain intact.

What to consider when choosing a laptop for work from home?

Powerful processor

Whether it is to do more work or video conferencing and streaming, the power of the processor in the laptop is considered very important. So the processor should be the first and important priority for you when purchasing a laptop. The 10th generation Intel® Core ™ processor is a better processor for those who want to increase their productivity while working from home.

Work non-stop

Apart from powerful processors, there are other important factors that users should look for in their laptops. If your job involves more work, then you should look for a powerful processor for your laptop. Apart from this, your laptop should have at least 4GB of RAM, Full HD display, and adequate storage capacity. After this, also pay attention to the life of the battery in the laptop.

If electricity is constantly in your home, this point may be less important to you. But for those who face frequent power cuts, they should take a laptop with a good battery, which can have a good life and last longer. Apart from the specifics given above, the weight and screen size of the laptop also matters a lot. Therefore, pay attention to this also.

Advanced features that cater to everyone's needs

The 10th generation Intel® Core ™ processor comes with superb technology and tremendous features, making the experience of working from home well. Because of the performance of this processor, you can not only improve the productivity of the work but also increase it. Like this, you can eliminate the automatic background noise during a video conference call.

Not only this, with Intel® Iris® Plus graphics, but you can also stream video in 4K brilliance or more. Intel® Wi-Fi 6 (Gig +) enhances streaming, file sharing, and cloud collaboration. Also, this processor has many other technologies, such as Thunderbolt ™ 3 and Intel® Optane ™ memory. With its help, you will get a faster and more responsive experience while working on office apps.

Best Top 5 laptops better for work from home

If you are looking for a good laptop for work from home, then pay attention to the following 5 laptops. All these laptops are equipped with 10th generation Intel® Core ™ processors and are well ahead in terms of performance. The price is also attractive.

Dell 15 3593 Inspiron

The Dell New Inspiron 15 3593 comes with the 10th generation Intel® Core ™ i3-1005G1 processor. This laptop is a perfect processor for those who are looking for a laptop with a good performance in a low budget. It is an ultra-portable laptop that comes with an impressive display. Its fast processor and powerful battery will help you to work without any problem for a long time.

Click for more information about

Dell 15 3593 Inspiron

HP 15s-du2067tu

The HP 15s-du2067tu is also equipped with the 10th generation Intel® Core ™ i3-1005G1 processor. If your laptop demands multitasking with a resource-intensive application, then this laptop is suitable for you. Processors made with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology improve the performance of your laptop based on work demand. Click for more information

Click for more information about

HP 15s-du2067tu

Lenovo 7VIN Ideapad Slim 3

The Lenovo 7VIN Ideapad Slim 3 laptop coming with the 10th generation Intel® Core ™ i3-1005G1 processor can also be a good choice for professionals. Its design is slick and slim, as well as it gives a good performance. Its powerful dual-core processor eliminates every possibility of work delays.

Click for more information about
Lenovo 7VIN Ideapad Slim 3

Asus VivoBook 15 Ultrabook

If you are looking for a laptop that is not only equipped with a powerful processor and dual storage but is compact in appearance and quite light in weight, then you have an Asus VivoBook with 10th generation Intel® Core ™ i3-10110U processor. 15 Ultrabooks can count on. Its integrated Intel® UHD graphics provide good visuals.

Click for more information about
Asus VivoBook 15 Ultrabook

Acer Aspire 3 A315-56

The Acer Aspire 3 A315-56 laptop, which comes with the 10th generation Intel® Core ™ i3- 1005G1 processor, is also included in this list. There are many reasons for this. This laptop is extremely lightweight. It also comes with enough storage memory, which is good enough for day-to-day work during work from home. The included Intel® HD 620 offers unmatched media and video experiences with 4K support.

Click for more information about
Acer Aspire 3 A315-56

Good news for BSNL users, free 5GB data will be available daily at 10Mbps speed till December

2020-09-16T19:08:00.005+05:30

Good news for BSNL users, free 5GB data will be available daily at 10Mbps speed till December

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has extended the validity of its popular "Work at Home" promotional broadband plan till December this year. In the work form issued for landline customers of BSNL, customers were provided free internet. Customers will now be able to take advantage of this plan till December 8. That means BSNL land-line users will be able to enjoy internet service till December without any internet recharge pack.

The company issued a circular

According to the post circular on BSNL's Chennai site, the Work at Home promotional broadband plan has been extended till December 8 for all circles except Andaman and Nicobar. BSNL has not charged any installation service from customers under promotion internet access. However, customers have to use their own modem for internet service.

What is work at home plan

In view of the epidemic on behalf of BSNL, a work at home plan was introduced especially for land-line users, on which BSNL land-line was provided internet without broadband connection and additional charge.

This plan was initially issued by the company for 90 days. But then it has been increased keeping in view the need of the customers. Under the Work at Home Broadband plan, customers are given 5GB of data daily with 10Mbps downloading speed. After the consumption of this data, the speed of the Internet decreases to 1Mbps.

These plans also increased validity

Along with the work at the home broadband plan, BSNL's Rs 499 Bharat Fiber Broadband Plan and 300GB Plan CS 337 have been extended till 12 December 2020. In this plan, customers get a benefit of 40Mbps speed. This is an entry-level monthly plan of BSNL, which is available in select circles of the country.

Xiaomi smartphones going to get Google's great feature

2020-09-15T09:22:00.002+05:30

Xiaomi smartphones going to get Google's great feature

Some smartphones of Xiaomi are going to get a call recording feature in the Google Phone app. First, this feature was given to Google Pixel devices and secondly to some Nokia devices.

Google introduced the call recording feature in its Google Phone app (Google Phone) some time ago. Its information was first revealed in the report of XDA Developers and this feature was first given in Google Pixel Devices. Google launched it for some Nokia smartphones under the Android One program at number two. However, now Google is going to bring this feature for Xiaomi devices as well.

According to a recent report, soon some Xiaomi smartphones are going to get the default call recording feature in the Google Phone app. Let us know that Xiaomi's MIUI operating system has its own dialer app, which comes with a call recording feature. However, the special thing is that recently Xiaomi devices sent outside China, India, and Indonesia were given the preinstalled Google Phone and Google Message app instead of the MIUI dialer app.

Along with this, the call recording feature has also come in the Mi A series of smartphones that work on the Android One operating system instead of MIUI. The thing to note is that users cannot update this feature on their own. They will have to wait for the Google phone app update.

How to make AAJ TAK LIVE NEWS website on WordPress. AAJ TAK WP BLOG THEME

2020-09-14T18:30:00.001+05:30

How to make AAJ TAK LIVE NEWS website on WordPress

Aaj Tak Live is one of the biggest blog news websites on which news related news is read. To create a website like Aaj Tak, a WordPress Theme is required which is as good as today. News websites like Aaj Tak can be easily created by the WordPress theme. In this tutorial, we will create a website like Aaj Tak News Channel to date through the good news and blog theme of WordPress. Any blog or website can be easily created with this WordPress theme.

Till date there is a news channel and along with that till date we are maintaining our own well designed website. This theme can be downloaded and installed easily. If you have to publish a blog or news of your Hindi (Wordpress Hindi News Blog website) in Hindi, then you will learn all this here. Along with Hindi blog, Hindi news, this theme is also used as WordPress English (English) blog theme, WordPress English news theme.

The name of this theme is Bajinga which is used as a WordPress blog and news theme. In this blog, Wordpress News & Blog theme, the design and functionality has been taken care of, which can easily make any kind of blog website or news website.

Aaj Tak news and blog theme features - features of aaj tak live wordpress news and blog theme

As you know, till date there is an Indian news channel website on which all types of news can be viewed or read which are absolutely free. Similarly, if you want to build a website like Aaj Tak Live till today, then a lot of features will be needed, then let us know how many features of this blog, news theme.

1. The design of Wordpress theme like Aaj tak news website is very professional which is similar to Aaj tak live news channel website (Indiatoday).

2. One click demo importer (One click demo importer) is available in this WordPress news or blog theme through which one can easily import demo data. This is the best feature, with the help of which a website like Live News can be easily created till date.

3. Whenever you open the live news website on mobile till date, you can easily read all the posts and till date easily take the news according to the mobile screen. This feature is known as Responsive feature.

4. Writing and publishing posts from today's admin panel is very easy, similarly this WordPress theme can also be easily customized and easily any post can be written.

5. You can also sell your products using this theme. This is a feature that is not on the Aaj tak news website.

Products can also be sold along with news posts. It gets the Woocommerce plugin which is used to do affiliate work in selling products in a news blog theme. Till date live website does not have these features but this features in this WordPress news blog theme.

6. Aaj tak Wordpress theme also has search option through which any news or blog post can be searched.

7. In this WordPress news theme you get the following plugins which are very important for the news blog website.

The WordPress News Theme is also a Responsive news & blog theme.

8. WP Bakery Page Builder for wp - This plugin is used to customize or design a news page,

Essential Grid - This plugin is used to display the news page in the grid. This is also a good feature of the news theme, which is used to manage the content of the page.

MailChimp for wp - This plugin is used to send email subscriptions and latest posts to email.

WooCommerce Plugin - This plugin is used to sell the product in a news blog theme which is part of an ecommerce website.

It has different types of plugins which help in creating news blogs like Aaj tak line Hindi News website till date. The design of this theme is similar to the live website till date.

Let's understand how to create a website like live news channel till date using WordPress news and blog theme.

How to create Aaj tak live hindi news website using wordpress theme ?

1. Ad (Advertisement) can be placed in the sidebar on the news page like the live website till date. At the top of this comes the news or you can say that the title of the blog (Blog title), which is displayed like a website till date. The feature image below the title is displayed, like the feature image below the title appears in the live website till date.

Till date a lot of posts are displayed in the dashboard on the live news channel website, similarly in the sidebar using this WordPress blog (Wordpress Hindi blog theme) and news theme (Wordpress English News theme), display any kind of news post. Can be displayed as well as advertisement.

2. There is also a feature of designing images in WordPress news theme by which any image can be designed circularly, which is a very good feature. Along with the image, it can also be written in Hindi and English. Till date, videos are also shown in the live website, through this theme, videos can be easily displayed. Videos can be displayed by uploading or using any other link. This feature is similar to Aaj Tak live wordpress news theme till date.

3. When a news blog post is written, then you get all kinds of features from which any news post can be designed. Writing a blog post in Hindi (Hindi blog and news post) or English (English blog and news post) becomes very easy.

Just like till date, there are some news on the website which are very popular or related to that news post, in this way this option is also found in this WordPress news & blog theme, like jimmy related news or blog. The posts appear at the bottom.

5. Comment options are also available in this WordPress news theme, however till date there is no comment option on the live news website, but the comment can also be enabled and disabled by this WordPress live news theme.

6. Like the Aaj Tak news website, this wp news theme also has a header and footer which can easily display links or blog posts.

In this way a website like Aaj Tak live can be created using this Wordpress News or blog theme.

Lose ₹ 2.2 lakh from SIM card fraud, know how to avoid

2020-09-14T09:11:00.002+05:30

Lose Rs 2.2 lakh from SIM card fraud

A chartered accountant from Pune has lost Rs 2.2 lakh through SIM card fraud. In such a situation, it is important that you also know what to do to avoid such fraud.

A 39-year-old chartered accountant from Pune lost Rs 2.2 lakh through a SIM card fraud. The fraudsters had implicated the female CA in the name of upgrading their 3G SIM to 4G. He cloned the woman's SIM card and transferred the money from the bank account.

Lime like this

A man called the woman as an employee of the telecom company. The caller said that she (CA) is using a 3G SIM card, which will not be discontinued if not upgraded to 4G. The caller took all the details from the woman and sent a 20 digit number. The fraudster asked the woman to click on that number. On clicking, the SIM card got blocked and the fraudster cloned another SIM card on the same number and accessed the bank accounts.

What is sim card fraud

This is called SIM cloning or SIM swap. In this, hackers block your SIM and activate the same number with them. If your number is linked to bank accounts then the hackers get the benefit. They ask for an OTP on the cloned SIM and empties your bank accounts.

How to avoid SIM card fraud

Usually, fraudsters implicate you in the name of sim card upgrade, network improvement, or another telecom service. In such a situation, it would be better not to give your information to any unknown. If you also want to upgrade the SIM card, do so by visiting the official store. Also do not click on the link sent from an unknown number.

Samsung and LG will reportedly soon stop supplying display panels to Huawei

2020-09-13T21:56:00.002+05:30

Huawei could also face difficulties sourcing other key components such as RAM and storage for its phones.

What you need to know

Samsung and LG's display units have reportedly decided to stop supplying panels to Huawei after September 15.
New restrictions imposed by the U.S. last month bans companies from selling chips made using American equipment to Huawei without a special license.
Huawei will now have to rely mainly on China's BOE for premium display panels.

Anew report published by South Korea's Chosun Biz has claimed Samsung and LG are both going to stop supplying premium smartphone display panels to Huawei after September 15, due to the recent U.S. restrictions.

The stricter export control rules, which were introduced by the U.S. last month, require companies using American technology to obtain a special license before selling chips to Huawei. The ban also includes chips that are used to operate display panels. Both Samsung and LG expect the U.S. move to have a minor impact on their display businesses, as Huawei is far from their biggest customer.

Huawei will now have to increase its reliance on China's BOE for display panels. The report also says Huawei has already started testing display panels from other Chinese display makers such as Visionox, Tianma, and CSOT.

The news comes just a day after a report out of South Korea claimed Huawei plans to produce only around 50 million smartphones in 2021 due to the U.S. sanctions

TSMC, which manufactured Kirin chipsets for Huawei's HiSilicon subsidiary, will also stop supplying to the Chinese tech giant after September 15. Since the company cannot produce its own chips now, chip makers like Qualcomm and MediaTek have shown interest in selling 5G mobile chipsets to Huawei.

Bank account empty in the name of online delivery, you can be the next victim

2020-09-12T10:00:00.002+05:30

Bank Account Empty in the name of online deliver

The methods of the scam are coming out one after the other and many people also become victims of it. Now a new type of scam has surfaced, in which Victim is told that its package could not be delivered due to the lockdown and now the company is trying to deliver when conditions improve. Victims' details are then stolen.

Attackers try different tactics to scam and many of them are successful too. Similarly, these days the scam related to online delivery is being done at a rapid pace, in which many Victims have trapped their bank accounts. Actually, in the new scam, Victim gets a call or message that his order delivery is pending. This messaging scammer states that the order could not be delivered due to the Coronavirus lockdown and the scam begins.

When a user receives a message or call, it is believed that some of its packages are stuck, which could not be delivered. The victim trusts the scammer, assuming the delivery company is trying to send the package after the lockdown. After this, the attacker who is carrying out the scam asks for personal details in the name of sending the package. In addition to sending such a package, the Victim is asked to pay a nominal delivery fee online.

This is the dangerous part

The dangerous part of the new scam is not stealing personal details but stealing backing details. Actually, as soon as one clicks on the Victim link for online payment of delivery fees, his internet banking or credit card details are stolen. Delivery fees are asked for only Rs 10 or Rs 20, in which case, anyone agrees to make the payment. The payment of a small amount can be huge and once the banking details are stolen, the scammer can easily empty the bank account.

It is important to remain alert

In such a situation, if you get a message about delivery padding of a package, then confirm whether any of your packages were coming or not. Apart from this, if a package is asked to be sent by a friend or family member, then you should not make any payment for its delivery. Any delivery service tries itself again in case the package is not delivered and if the package is not delivered, it is sent back to the sender. The way to avoid such scams is to stay alert.

Google removed 6 dangerous apps from the Play Store, delete them immediately

2020-09-11T10:00:00.001+05:30

Google removed 6 dangerous apps from the Play Store

Google Play Store has removed 6 such dangerous apps in which malware was hidden. Surprisingly, these apps had received more than 2 lakh downloads till now.

Cyber Security researchers have found 6 dangerous apps on the Google Play Store that were infected with Joker malware. These apps had received more than 2 lakh downloads so far. According to a report by cybersecurity firm Pradeo, these six apps include Covenant Scanner 2, Safety Applock, Push Message-Texting & SMS, Emoji Wallpaper, Sapart Dock Scanner, and Fingertip Gamebox.

Immediate removal advice

The report says that these dangerous apps have been removed from the Google Play store, although the smartphones in which these apps are still present should be deleted immediately. Actually, after Joker enters the malware device, the users subscribe to the premium service without any knowledge. Let us know that since 2017, Google has removed 1700 apps from the Play Store which were infected with Joker malware. However, these apps keep changing.

Which app do you use

Based on the details given on the Google Play store, we are telling which app users used to download for what purpose. The Convenient Scanner 2 app works by scanning your documents and sending them for email or print.

Safety AppLock's job was to lock an app with a pattern or password. Push Message-Texting & SMS was an SMS and messaging app that could be customized from ringtones to vibration patterns. The Emoji Wallpaper app was used to change the background of the phone, while a Separate Doc Scanner was also a document scanner app.

Big scam happening during online shopping, government agency warns

2020-09-10T10:00:00.005+05:30

Big Scam Happening During Online Shopping

A warning has been given by the Indian government agency CERT-In and it has been reported that with the help of many updated server framework websites and e-commerce sites, the card details and banking data of users are being stolen. Apart from this, the case of targeting users with the help of Android apps has also come up in the past.

A public warning is being given by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) of the Government of India, which is associated with fraud happening during online shopping. A credit card skimming campaign is being run on sports, health, and e-commerce websites, aimed at targeting you and emptying your account. In such a situation, users are advised to remain alert.

CERT-In has revealed in an official post that hackers are targeting websites hosted on Microsoft's IIS servers and operating on the ASP.NET web application framework. Attackers are actually taking advantage of a flaw in ASP.NET version 4.0.30319, which is no longer officially supported on Microsoft and is also easy to hack.

In an advisory, CERT-In has asked websites to immediately update web applications, servers, and database servers in addition to updating to the latest version. Websites have been asked to regularly check the webserver directories so that malicious web shell files can be detected and removed with their help before the users are harmed.

Fear of card details theft

A reference was also given to the recently shared Malwarebytes Labs report from CERT-In, in which the old flaw CVE-2017-9248 was revealed. Researchers at Malwarebytes Labs discovered more than a dozen websites that were trying to steal users' credit card details with the help of malicious code.

Attack with the help of apps

Warning mentions the outdated web server framework, and earlier there was a case of stealing card details by attacking malware with the help of malware. A cybersecurity firm called ThreatFabric has detected a new malware, BlackRock, which attacks more than 337 Android apps and is still active.

Vivo is bringing color-changing phone, see 'magical' technology in video

2020-09-09T10:00:00.001+05:30

Vivo is bringing the color-changing phone

Chinese smartphone company Vivo is working on a very special smartphone, which will change its color like a chameleon. The video of the prototype of this smartphone has surfaced on the Chinese social networking site Weibo. In the video, this phone has been seen in two colors and the color of the phone's ban panel can be easily changed by pressing a button.

One by one innovation in smartphones has been seen in the last few years and even now companies are trying to bring something new. You will no longer have to worry about choosing your favorite color while buying a smartphone because Vivo is preparing a phone that will change its color. The color of the back panel of this smartphone will change automatically and according to your style statement, you will be able to use the same phone in many colors.

Vivo has also brought innovations from in-display fingerprint scanners to Gimbal camera modules such as smartphones earlier. The Android Authority viewed a video shared on the Chinese social site Weibo, showing the color of the Vivo phone's rear glass changing with the press of a button. A tipster has said that Vivo's new color-changing phone will use an electrochromic glass backplate. These plates can change color according to voltage with color morphing material.

Phone seen in two colors

In the concept video of this phone surfaced, the color of the phone initially looks sapphire blue but after some time the phone starts appearing in silver finish. However, a big question is whether the new technology will affect the phone battery or not. However, Vivo has designed this innovative technology keeping in mind the power consumption. Due to such color-changing technology, there should not be much battery cost.

The price will also be affected

All the videos of the new phone have come out, all of which have been hidden with the help of the camera clip in the top right corner. It has been confirmed by Vivo that special color-changing technology will be given after the testing is completed on his new phone. Due to this innovation, how much will affect the price of the smartphone, it will be a matter to be seen.

Let tell you, OnePlus has also used electrochromic glass in its concept phone before Vivo, so that the rear camera sensor can be hidden when not using it.

Airtel's new Extreme bundle plan starts at Rs 499, Jio Fiber competes

2020-09-07T10:00:00.001+05:30

Airtel's new Extreme bundle plan starts at Rs 499, Jio Fiber competes

Bharti Airtel on Sunday announced a new broadband bundle plan with an intention to compete with Jio Fiber. These plans start at Rs 499.

Airtel announced new Airtel Extreme bundle plans on Sunday. New plans of Airtel Xstream Bundle start at Rs 499. Airtel has launched new plans after Reliance Jio recently changed its broadband policy. The price of Jio Fiber plans now starts at Rs 399.

The Airtel Extreme Fiber Plan under the Airtel Extreme Bundle is offering speeds of up to 1 Gbps, unlimited data, Airtel Extreme Android 4K TV Box and all OTT content. Airtel sent a press release informing them about the launch of these new plans.

Airtel said that Airtel Extreme Box is being given with all Extreme Fiber Plans, which is priced at Rs 3,999. With this box any TV can be converted into a Smart TV. With this, Axis of all live channels and many video streaming apps will be available.

Airtel Extreme Android 4K TV Box offers 550 TV channels and OTT content from the Airtel Extreme app. It contains more than 10,000 movies and shows. A total of 7 OTT apps and 5 studios can be enjoyed on a platform.

Axis of video streaming apps like Disney + Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5 get free with Airtel Extreme Bundle. These apps can be used through Airtel Extreme Box. Airtel Extreme bundle will be available to customers from Monday, September 7.

Please tell that on Monday itself, Jio announced its tariff plan with an initial price of Rs 399. Apart from this, Jio is also offering a month-long free trial with a free return option.

PUBG Mobile running even after ban, now 'Chicken Dinner' easily found

2020-09-06T20:38:00.002+05:30

UBG Mobile running even after the ban

Recently, the Indian government has banned 118 apps and this list includes the popular Battle Royal game PUBG Mobile. There were millions of players of this game in India, and even after the ban, the game is running on the devices in which it has been downloaded before the ban. However, the game has been removed from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

On September 2, 118 applications, including PUBG Mobile, have been banned by the Indian government. The multiplayer Battle Royal game in India had a large userbase and the banning of the game is big news for them. The game has now been removed from both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. However, in smartphones where PUBG Mobile is already installed, players can still play this game. Many players in India are still playing the game, who installed the game before it was banned.

Indian gamers can still play the popular Battle Royal game on their phones. However, this will only happen for some time until the Indian game server is shut down by the game developers. Once the game is blocked players will not be able to start a new match. Currently, no timeline has been revealed about when the server will be shut down. Game development company Tencent says that it is also in talks with the government to fix things.

Easy Winning Players

While many gamers are shifting to other games like PUBG Mobile such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Gerena Free Fire, some still want to enjoy PUBG Mobile. The funny thing is that the game has changed a lot since the ban and players are getting 'chicken dinner' if they win easily. Actually, the game is getting a lot of bot players, which makes it easier to win and players are not having the same fun as before.

The game will be completely blocked

The reason for getting chicken dinner easily is the lack of players on the game's server. Bots replace them when the real players are less in the game, which is easier to defeat. Soon this game will be completely blocked, it is set. Earlier, 59 apps that were banned in late June were also completely blocked a few days after the ban was announced. Let me tell you, the PC version of the PUBG Mobile game can still be played.

What is Infolinks & How to earn money from Infolinks ADS

2020-09-05T10:00:00.001+05:30

What is Infolinks - Infolinks make money from ADS [step by step]

Hello guys how are you guys i hope you guys are ok, So let's go to our topic today is our topic if you have a blog or website And you have not received approval from AdSense whatever So today I will tell you how you can do online recording from your blog or website, without google AdSense.

There is an advertisement company whose name is Infolinks, if you know, then no matter if you do not know, then I tell you that Infolinks. And how to make an account in it, and how does it work and how do we get money from it, So how much money it gives you and how it gives...

So lets START

Infolinks is an advertising company that shows the ad of the type of post you are writing so that whoever finds your blog, clicks it and earns it.

And it adds its ads in such a way that the users do not have any problem in falling for your blog.

Provides a code in Infolinks and that code has to be added to the layout of our blog. Infolinks scans our posts and shows ADS according to the post itself.

INFOLINKS Websites Worldwide has over 100,000 and 240 million monthly unique users in 1.5 billion. This is a very good advertising network

Creating an account on Infolinks is very easy, click on the publisher button and And easily login with Facebook or email Id

First of all, we have to make one on Infolinks , Your website's URL is, it has to be added like this, website as shown in the image.

Website takes 1 to 2 days to be approved, But your blog should have at least 10 - 15 good posts published, By doing this, you will easily get the Approval of Infolinks.

You can use subdomain, blogspot.com, wordpress.com, webly.com

How is Infolinks Ads - How to put on Infolinks blog

Infolinks is the 4th type of AIDS provided Like-- InText, InFold, InTag, InFrame, InScreen and InArticle

You can create these 6 ways as shown in these 6 images.

Create new account Official Website

Step 1- ADD your website or Blog Link

Now you have to wait to approvable infolink for 1-2 days and You get code by INFOLINKS. Copy this code and add in your blog layout as shown in IMAGES.

Step 2-

Step 3-

Step 4-

Step 5-

Step 6-

So by following all these processes, you can create an account on Infolinks and earn money from Ads.

I hope you all liked this blog, then you can join this blog and follow us Please this Post share and like.If you want information related to this post or other information, then you can tell in the comment.

THANKYOU

China's Tech Ban Could Have Grave Long-Term Consequences

2020-09-04T10:00:00.004+05:30

China has issued an order that all foreign-made computer equipment and software be removed from government offices and public institutions within the next three years.

The news of Beijing's move came earlier this week in a report from the Nikkei-owned, London-based Financial Times.

China has estimated that upwards of 30 million pieces of hardware will need to be replaced, the paper noted.

This is just the latest salvo in the ongoing trade war between the United States and China, the world's two largest national economies. It began last year when President Donald J. Trump began to set tariffs and other trade barriers on China. The goal of the White House's policy was to address what the president has called "unfair trade practices," which included a growing trade deficit, theft of intellectual property, and the forced transfer of American tech to China.

This latest round has been dubbed a "tech cold war," as China now has banned the use of U.S. tech in government facilities, which could be a response to the Trump administration's ban on the use of Chinese-made hardware by U.S. government agencies and government contractors.

The White House this summer banned all federal agencies from doing business with Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Hikvision and Dahua over fears that the companies could plant surveillance devices and gather sensitive information -- including U.S. trade secrets -- and supply that information to the Chinese government.

The order from the White House came a year before the Congress-mandated deadline of next August for all federal contractors to cease business with those Chinese firms. A number of U.S. companies, such as Google, Intel and Qualcomm, announced they would cease working with Huawei.

The Office of Management and Budget this summer released a statement on its strong commitment to defending the United States from foreign adversaries, including with respect to guarding trade secrets. Legislation aimed directly at Chinese tech companies was included in the defense spending bill passed last year.

China's ban could impact such U.S. multinational firms as Dell, HP and Microsoft.

21st Century Haijin

This ban on U.S. computer products could be viewed as a modern version of the "Haijin," or sea ban -- a series of isolationist Chinese polices that began in the 14th century under the Ming dynasty, with the goal of putting an end to Japanese maritime piracy. It was applied again under the Qing Dynasty beginning in the 17th century, limiting maritime trading and coastal settlement, but that eventually led to smuggling -- including the illicit opium trade -- and then to conflicts with Great Britain and other European powers.

While the intent of Haijin largely was to reduce outside influence, China never completely closed itself to the West or to Western goods.

China's current ban on foreign products should not be viewed as isolationist in its intent, but rather as a direct result of the trade war. It also could be a way to build up the "home team" companies in China.

Lenovo is one such company that could benefit from the move, as it could be among the firms called upon to replace Western hardware.

Other firms likely will be hurt by not being able to offer products to Western markets.

"China's response could very well be seen as a tit-for-tat response," remarked Javvad Malik, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4.
"The move illustrates just how important and integral to everyone's life technology has become, to the point that it is used as a political bargaining tool," he told TechNewsWorld.

Tech Cold War

The question now is whether this is just the latest round of salvos in the ongoing trade war, or whether this ban on Western hardware could result in a very serious tech cold war -- one that might not be resolved quickly, or even ever.

"At this point it's hard to tell whether it represents a serious tactical decision by China's government or is merely a strategic feint aimed at President Trump's bellicose attempts at trade warfare," said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

"The gradual implementation of the plan, with 30 percent of U.S. hardware replaced by the end of next year, could be easily rescinded if the president loses his bid for re-election or leaves office prior to November," he told TechNewsWorld.

Government purchasing represents just a tiny portion of overall tech spending in China, so this may not have a huge impact for U.S. tech companies. It may not affect some U.S. tech companies directly or indirectly.

"It's also unclear -- since the Chinese haven't officially responded to queries -- how 'U.S. tech company products' are defined," added King.

"That is, does it mean literally any product made by any IT vendor headquartered in the U.S.?" he pondered. "Or does it refer to products manufactured in the U.S. by those vendors?"

If the former is the case, then achieving the plan's stated goals could be difficult, since China still has a way to go before it is able to develop and deliver hardware and software that equals, let alone surpasses, the quality of U.S. technologies.

New Operating System

Given the state of China's tech industry, moving to domestically sourced hardware exclusively would not be without problems for the country. Computer hardware would need to be replaced, of course, but a bigger issue is that the ban could require replacing Microsoft, Apple and Google software.

China's software industry trails the United States, and it is unclear if it could develop operating systems and applications comparable to those available from American firms, or provide the related services to support them.

"While current products may not be a perfect feature-by-feature fit, there definitely are more than enough homegrown offerings and talent available to have a viable alternative product," said KnowBe4's Malik.

For U.S. firms, China's move might be far less significant.
"The effect of the ban would be relatively benign if it only impacts U.S.-manufactured solutions, since virtually every major U.S. IT vendor supports global supply chains with manufacturing performed in multiple facilities outside the U.S.," explained King.
"If that's the case, vendors could easily find ways to continue doing business that wouldn't violate the spirit of the ban," he noted.

A Less-Connected World

The lasting impact of this 21st century Haijin may be more serious than whether U.S. tech products are sold and used in China, or whether Chinese hardware is used in the West. It could trigger a complete disconnect in the digital world. China may not become completely isolated, but it could become far more difficult to make digital connections with people in China.

"If this trend continues and more countries take to blocking technology, apps or services from certain countries, we could end up with a highly fragmented or Balkanized Internet," Malik warned, "which could undo much of the progress that has been made over the years."

A Secret Strategy That Could Be Apple's Fatal Self-Inflicted Blow

2020-09-03T10:00:00.002+05:30

Both Intel and a bunch of professors connected to Apple and the FTC last week came out in support of the Judge Koh verdict against Qualcomm, even though it had been shown that the foundational evidence was manufactured contrary to the wishes of the DoJ, DoD and other major government agencies.

That was well after Qualcomm was identified as a national treasure and a critical part of the U.S. defense against Huawei's dominance of 5G.

It is my view that when tricked, a prosecutor should admit gullibility and then move to make sure a similar thing doesn't happen again. Apparently we don't live in that world, however, and instead live in a world where it is more important to win than it is to protect your country or the rule of law. Then again, I'm kind of disgusted with government in general now, so maybe this shouldn't have been as big a surprise as it was.

The working theory was that Apple was using its typical strategy of breaking a supplier in order to acquire its technology for pennies on the dollar and improve its own bottom line. That isn't particularly ethical, but I must admit it has worked incredibly well so far.

However, unlike its prior attempts, Apple's efforts against Qualcomm have failed so far, and that raises the possibility of another strategy.

While Apple is focused on Qualcomm, Amazon and Microsoft are changing the market around them -- and I expect the result will be poetic justice, doing to Apple what Apple is attempting to do to Qualcomm. We seem to live in an ironic world, and that outcome would be incredibly ironic.

I'll close with my product of the week: the new Qualcomm 865 solution, which should make your existing smartphone suddenly feel very, very, very old.

Tim Cook's Apple

As most know, there is a big difference in the skills of Tim Cook, compared to Steve Jobs. Jobs was a product/marketing CEO, and he drove a model in which the firm offered few products with a massive marketing effort that convinced people that one size fit all of them.

That approach was layered on a lock-in model so that once customers were drawn into the Apple ecosystem, the firm mined them for money, so it had a reliable way to increase revenues even during challenging times -- like now, when its market share is declining.

Tim Cook clearly doesn't understand Jobs' model and has been increasing the number of products while reducing marketing, forcing him to increase prices and come up with new services to charge for at an increasing rate, as his approach is contributing to the market share decline. The current cost delta is becoming so high, and the actual innovation so low, that Apple appears to be losing customers faster than it can acquire them.

Apple historically has been hard on suppliers, and one of the first things I was told about the company from a supplier was that no one does business with the firm twice -- largely because they lose their shirt (or company) the first time.

Apple initially gives its suppliers a ton of business so they ramp up and become dependent. Then it dictates ever-lower prices for their products until they can't sustain the business, and eventually buys their assets for pennies on the dollar. As the logistics expert, Cook apparently was the architect of that part of the strategy, and it should be in the dictionary as a leading example of abuse of power.

When Apple tried to dictate pricing to Qualcomm, it said no. Then Apple built a false story of Qualcomm overcharging (admittedly, it was a brilliant piece of b.s.), which did the firm a ton of damage until the correspondence defining that strategy came to light in the San Diego trial, and Apple's legal effort collapsed with a settlement.

However, that was after the FTC case had ended and, the FTC apparently is more interested in winning than in serving justice. This happens too often with prosecutors, as they are measured on their wins. As a result, there are way too many innocent people in jails today. It isn't right, either in criminal or civil court.

We aren't even talking about US$7.50 per phone really, but $1.50 for licensing the technology that allows the phone to function. So, given the cost and embarrassment of the discovery, you'd think Apple would move on -- particularly given that it will be dependent on Qualcomm to meet its 100 million stated forecast for mostly 5G phones next year.

At the very least, working with a company whose employees must resent Apple's attempt to make them jobless should put them at a disadvantage.

What if we got the strategy wrong, though? What if Apple has realized that the only way it can stay in business is to eliminate the competitors that depend on Qualcomm for their phones?

The Possible Scary Apple Strategy

In the value space there are other vendors that provide a decent solution, like MediaTek, but in the premium space Qualcomm largely stands alone. It prices relatively low for the value it supplies, and a company can license everything it needs to make a top end smartphone work as well or better than any other premium phone.

The R&D Qualcomm does is spread across vendors, providing a rich competitive ecosystem. The result is there are lot of phones that have premium features at a fraction of the price Apple charges.

If Apple could cripple Qualcomm's revenue model, its R&D would have to be cut massively, and the firm even might fail. The smaller vendors that depend on Qualcomm likely would fail as well, removing much of the competition in the segment, and allowing Apple to face only a few vendors -- like Huawei and Samsung, both of which both provide chips and phones.

Now some of those vendors might have to use Huawei's solution, but given the concerns surrounding that company they would have to give up large segments of the market to do so, vastly reducing their threat to Apple even if they didn't fail outright.

Given the earlier discovery of the prior strategy of manufacturing evidence, I have doubts this one would remain secret for long, and I expect the antitrust repercussions would be severe. However, Apple likely could delay that outcome until Tim Cook retired, and then his successor would be blamed for destroying Apple -- not Cook. (It kind of makes be feel sorry for whoever that poor sap is going to be.)

What Apple Could Be Missing

However, while Apple is focusing on Qualcomm, Amazon and Microsoft have come up with a different plan that could render Apple's entire model obsolete.

Coming from the cloud -- Azure from Microsoft and AWS from Amazon -- both firms are beginning to integrate vertically, emulating IBM's old model that once defined the industry.

AWS Outposts represent Amazon's move into the server space with an Amazon-built hardware solution that will, if successful, make third-party servers and storage obsolete. Microsoft's Surface X is its initial effort to have a defined client, network, cloud solution.

Each likely will emulate the other eventually, and then move on phones with a cloud-driven solution and innovation on the phone client that Apple won't see coming, any more than the companies that once led the smartphone space -- Palm, Nokia and Research In Motion -- saw the iPhone coming.

It is ironic, because Jobs initially seemed to get this -- his initial iPhone effort was to be cloud-based -- but his team just couldn't execute.

Wrapping Up: The Ironic Outcome

Qualcomm vs. Apple reminds me of the Spartans vs. the Persians. Qualcomm is massively overmatched by Apple, which has reserves that exceed the valuation of the company. Yet Qualcomm has a fighting spirit and not only is holding the line but continuing to advance its technology aggressively in the face of unfair aggression from Apple.

By focusing on that little dragon of a company (I'm a BIG dragon fan) Apple is missing a huge industry pivot that could do to it what it did to Palm and Research In Motion (BlackBerry), making the saying "what goes around comes around" meaningful again, and could make "irony" its new middle name.

On a national scale we are seeing why abuse of power isn't a good tactic, but Apple is too locked in to step back and realize that winning at any cost is often a losing strategy. The next few years should be interesting for the company.

I'm writing this at the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G launch in Hawaii.

Snapdragon 865

Saying this is a big launch would be an understatement. This solution promises to improve the performance of a smartphone massively, to a point where it rivals mid-range PCs. That means this Qualcomm-based Microsoft Surface X I'm using is likely to improve a lot next year -- and it is already impressive when it comes to connectivity, weight and battery life.

Phones based on this chipset will have vastly better sound, be able to record 8K HDR video, connect at wired Ethernet speeds in massively higher numbers without degradation, be more secure, and have better battery life.

The internal artificial intelligence is improved massively, leading to far better real-time translation, auto-editing for pictures, and things app developers just now are wrapping their heads around, like rendered avatars that could make dressing for video conferences obsolete.

Even when they aren't connected to 5G networks, which are expected to start reaching critical mass in the U.S. by the end of next year, most of the improvements will be evident, and the phone manufacturers, including Apple, now are basing their premium phone futures largely on this part.

That said, the real reason that the Qualcomm 865 is my product of the week is that it showcases that even when overmatched, like the Spartans, a smaller company with the heart of a Snapdragon not only can hold the line but also advance and change a market.