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Devices on the lam
A phone under 30k I can’t seem to decide what phone to buy. There are too many options in the market. I am looking for an all-rounder: good camera, long battery, and phone that doesn’t hang. Could you please suggest the perfect smartphone under Rs 30,000?Anuj Bhandari
A phone under 30k I can’t seem to decide what phone to buy. There are too many options in the market. I am looking for an all-rounder: good camera, long battery, and phone that doesn’t hang. Could you please suggest the perfect smartphone under Rs 30,000?
– Asish Regmi
Dear Asish,
It’s true that there are a lot of phones in the market, and sometimes it does get difficult for us to pick one. Let’s face it, there is no such thing as a ‘perfect smartphone’. Even the most expensive, high-end flagship phones come with a couple of drawbacks of their own.
The good news for you is that the rise in competition, among both manufacturers and distributors, has resulted in cheaper, better phones. Different phones come with different USP (unique selling point), so here are a couple of phones that might meet your needs.
If performance and camera are your utmost priorities, then you won’t regret getting the Coolpad Cool1. The device has an Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 processor which is aided by 4 GB of RAM.
Even with heavy usage and multitasking, the device doesn’t stutter. Heating is not an issue while gaming or using the dual rear-facing cameras for long hours. Both the rear cameras are of 13-megapixel and are accompanied by dual tone LED flash. The Coolpad Cool1 is backed up by a huge 4,060 mAh battery which is ample for your day to day needs. It, however, has only 32 GB of onboard storage without an option to expand. Also, there aren’t many accessories available and the aftersales service isn’t that great.
If aftersales service matters the most to you, then I would suggest you opt for the Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime. The device has a 3,300 mAh battery which complements the full HD display quite well. It has Samsung’s very own Exynos 7870 SoC inside which is relatively faster but the inclusion of TouchWiz UI causes lags and stutters here and there. Like the Coolpad Cool1, it is encased in an aluminum body. You also get an option to expand the internal storage with the Galaxy J7 Prime. One complain most people have about this device is the time its fingerprint scanner takes to unlock.
So, if you want a fingerprint sensor which can unlock your smartphone instantaneously and a clean and optimised user interface, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4SD would be a better option. There are two variants of the device available according to the SoC (system on chip) on the inside—MediaTek and Qualcomm Snapdragon. The variant powered by the Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 is better by all means and delivers a top-notch performance. It has an enormous 4,100 mAh battery that fits the needs of even the heavy hitters. You will, however, need to compromise on the camera aspect, which is only decent.
Shattered new toy
A couple of months ago I bought an iPhone 7. Unfortunately, last week I dropped it and the display cracked. Is there a way I can replace the screen without having to spend a fortune?
—Sushmita Shrestha
Dear Sushmita,
Even while using rugged cases and screen protectors, we sometimes break our mobile phone’s display one way or another. This can be a real pain as repair shops
charge a lot to repair our screens.
If you bought the iPhone from an authorised distributor in Nepal, I would suggest you visit the sole authorised repair centre in Nepal—the EVO store. I’m sure they will have a look at your phone and suggest something.
If you bought it from somewhere else, there are a couple of options to visit, say the LCD Refurb Lab. This store replaces LCD or just the glass according to your choice. They have a 30 minutes service time and complete the replacement via a high-end repair machine. Both service centres will charge you nominal amount.
A snail for a computer
I own an ASUS laptop right now. After using it for over two years, the laptop has started to slow down. How can I boost the performance of my laptop? Is there any way?
— Shaswat Jha
Dear Shaswat,
Over time all computers start to slow down. But there are few ways you can make it run faster than before. I’ll list some of them:
1. Install Solid-state Drive (SSD)
If your computer is still using a hard drive, it is time for you to change it to SSD. It has fast read-and-write speed, so, the time duration to open a file or saving something in your drive takes little to no time. If your browser stores cache with the SSD, even web pages will open swiftly. Yes, these drives are more expensive than hard drives but they are worth every rupee you pay.
2. Uninstall unused programmes
Some applications on our laptops/PCs run in the background without our knowledge. There may be other programmes which you have installed but lost track of afterwards. Deleting these programs help increase the efficiency of your computer.
3. Add more RAM (Random Access Memory)
The applications we use these days require more RAM than ever before. Computers slow down and stutter when they have to process large information or files. So, adding more RAM can make a computer run faster. In some of the ultrabooks, however, RAM cannot be expanded due to its inner engineering.
4. Clean the laptop
This is a complex process so please proceed with caution, or you could just pay experienced personnel to complete this task.
The process of cleaning the laptop involves vacuuming the fans which regulate the heat generated in the laptop. Firstly, the ‘fan cover’ and the inner plate that protects the fans are removed. The fans are then cleaned thoroughly. This will help in the regulation of heat produced in your laptop. Please remember that once you go through this process, you will void your warranty.
5. Apply thermal paste
Like the previous process, applying thermal paste or thermal grease also requires expert help. It includes removing any heat/thermal insulator to surge heat transfer. So, applying thermal paste to your CPU and GPU maximises the heat transfer from your laptop to the outer environment, thus controlling heat and making your laptop perform better.
For more news, reviews and information on new and old technology in the town, visit www.gadgetbytenepal.com If your technological devices are giving you a hard time or if you’re just curious about certain things, please drop us an email at