Samsung is gearing up to expand its F-series of smartphone lineup in India with the Galaxy F06 5G. The Galaxy F06 5G India launch was confirmed by the brand through a Flipkart microsite that also teases the design of the phone. Here’s everything to expect from the device.
The Flipkart microsite confirms the Galaxy F06 5G India launch will take place later this month. The design teased shows the phone having a pill-shaped module on the back, housing two camera sensors. The image also teases a flat frame, and the company says that the phone will be “fast and stylish.” The Flipkart teaser also confirmed that the device will start at a sub-Rs 10,000 price tag. However, it’s unconfirmed whether that’s including any bank offers or not.
The specs of the phone are under wraps for now. The Support Page for the device went live a week ago on Samsung India’s website. Further, the device is expected to have a water-drop notch on the front, a 5000mAh battery, 25W fast charging, a 6.5-inch LCD display, and a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 5G Chipset under the hood.
Samsung may also debut the Galaxy F16 5G alongside the F06 5G but it remains unconfirmed. The Galaxy F16 5G price range in India was tipped recently, suggesting it could be priced around Rs 15,000 in the country. The device’s support page also went live alongside F06 5G’s last week itself.
The device is expected to retain the same specs as the Galaxy A16 5G, including a 6.7-inch full-HD+ AMOLED Display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a 6nm Dimensity 6300 processor, alongside 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB storage. It is said to sport a triple rear camera setup comprising a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 5-megapixel ultra Wide-Angle camera and an unspecified tertiary sensor.
We should know more about once the Galaxy F06 5G India launch happens sometime later this month.
BoAt Nirvana X TWS earbuds have been announced in India with support for LDAC codec, 60ms low latency, and more. The earbuds were first showcased at the CES 2025 event a month ago. The earbuds come in different colours and carry an affordable price tag of Rs 2,799.
BoAt Nirvana X: Price, Availability
Priced atbRs 2,799, the Nirvana X is listed on Amazon India for Rs 2,799 and is labelled as “Coming Soon” on Flipkart. The earbuds are available in four colors: Galactic Red, Cosmic Onyx, Mist Blue, and Smoky Amethyst.
BoAt Nirvana X: Features
The Nirvana X is backed by Knowles-Powered dual drivers with boAt HiFi Sound. These are 10 mm drivers and the company says that the two Knowles-enabled drivers reciprocate the Frequency response of the preferred listening curve in your earbuds for an enjoyable audio experience.
The LDAC codec support further enhances the overall experience. They support noise cancellation powered by Artificial Intelligence in the four mics for clear communication indoors and outdoors. Further, they also integrate the boAt Adaptive EQ by Mimi where you can get personalized listening with Adaptive EQ by Mimi technologies. You can set up your profile and listen to movies, series, and podcasts without cranking hearing profile.
Additional features include BoAt Spatial Audio, in-ear detection, Google Fast Pair, and multipoint connectivity for connecting to two devices simultaneously. One can furthet access the boAt Hearables App to toggle between the preset EQ modes, monitor the battery status, check Bluetooth connectivity, modify touch functions, activate or deactivate features, and do more. Finally, they are also IPX5 rated.
Asus has announced the Zenfone 12 Ultra in international markets, packed with the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, a triple camera setup on the back, a good amount of AI features, and much more. Here’s everything to know about the new flagship from Asus.
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra: Price, Availability
The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is available in Europe, Taiwan and Hong Kong. In mainland Europe, the MSRP is set at €1,100 (approx Rs 99,950) for the 12GB + 256GB model. It can be purchased in Ebony black, Sakura white, and Sage green shades.
Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra: Specifications
The Zenfone 12 Ultra sports a 6.78-inch (2400×1080 pixels) Full HD+ 1-120Hz LTPO (max 144Hz for gaming) Samsung E6 flexible AMOLED panel with 10-bit HDR, 20:9 aspect ratio, up to 2500 nits brightness, 107.37% DCI-P3 / 145.65% sRGB / 103.16% NTSC, and Corning Gorilla GlassVictus 2 protection. It also has an in-display fingerprint sensor for biometrics.
It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Chipset under the hood, paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 512GB UFS 4.0 storage. It runs on ROG UI based on Android 15. As for optics, the handset gets a 50MP rear camera with 1/1.56″ Sony LYT 700 sensor, f/1.9 aperture, 6-axis Gimbal stabilisation, paired with a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and a 32MP f/2.4 3x telephoto sensor with OIS. At the front, there’s a 32MP camera sensor for selfies.
Additionally, the phone packs a multi-magnet stereo speaker setup with Qualcomm aptX adaptive audio, Dirac Virtuo for spatial sound. The device is also IP68 rated. It further packs a 5500mAh battery with 65W fast wired charging support and 15W Qi wireless charging support. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4, NFC, GPS, 3.5mm Audio Jack and a USB-C port.
Lyne JukeBox Speakers and Hydro 5 Gaming Headset audio products have been launched in India. “The latest JukeBox Speaker series and the Hydro 5 Gaming Headset are designed for powerful performance, stylish aesthetics and impeccable sound quality,” says the company.
JukeBox 4 Pro Speaker
The JukeBox 4 Pro is a compact speaker features 6W sound output and RGB lights. The True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Function allows pairing with another JukeBox speaker for dynamic stereo sound. Additional features include Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, Type-C charging port, and a 6-hour music time. Portable and versatile, it’s ideal for both casual listeners and party enthusiasts.
JukeBox 2 Pro Speaker
For those seeking robust performance and portability, the JukeBox 2 Pro delivers with its 8-hour backup and 52mm driver unit. The TWS Function enables stereo pairing, while the inclusion of a phone holder makes it perfect for on-the-go entertainment. Available in five color options, the JukeBox 2 Pro also supports FM/USB/TF functions.
The JukeBox 21 features a 100W sound system with Digital FM. Its LED display and remote control add convenience, while Bluetooth compatibility ensures seamless connectivity with mobile devices, PCs, and laptops. The JukeBox 21 is perfect for those who value high-quality sound in professional or home settings.
Hydro 5 Gaming Headset
Designed with gamers in mind, the Hydro 5 Gaming Headset delivers 60ms low latency. With 100 hours of music time and a 180-hour standby time, the Hydro 5 is built for endurance. Its premium game sound effect and sleek design make it a must-have for gaming enthusiasts. Additionally, Bluetooth v5.4 ensures reliable and fast connectivity, while the 2-hour charging time keeps you ready for action. The Hydro 5 also integrates comfortably with a range of gaming consoles and devices.
Price and Availability
The new JukeBox Speakers and Hydro 5 Gaming Headset are available nationwide at leading mobile accessory stores. Introductory prices are as follows:
Zebronics has announced the launched of the Zeb-Pods O open-ear wireless earbuds in India. The earbuds are designed for comfort and awareness, also allowing users to hear ambient sounds while listening to the audio playback. These are the first-ever open-style earbuds from Zebronics in India.
Zebronics Zeb-Pods O: Price, Availability
The Zebronics Zeb Pods O has been launched with an introductory price of Rs 1,699. They are available in Black and Green on brand’s own website, Amazon.in, and Flipkart.com. The earbuds come with a 1-year warranty.
Zebronics Zeb-Pods O: Features
The Zeb Pods O mark Zebronics’ debut in the Open-Ear Wireless (OWS) earbuds segment, combining a comfortable design with the ability to hear ambient sounds without isolation.
Equipped with Neodymium drivers and Bluetooth v5.4, these earbuds support flash connect and dual pairing for seamless connectivity. Additional features include voice assistant support, intuitive touch controls, a dedicated gaming mode, and a splash-proof design, making them a versatile choice for everyday use.
Featuring a quad-microphone system with Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC), the Zeb Pods O deliver up to 40 hours of playback at 50% volume. The Type-C charging case supports fast charging, providing 90 minutes of playback with just a 10-minute charge.
Zebronics’ last launch in the country was the Zeb-StudioXOne 240W Wireless Bluetooth speaker. It sports a 240W RMS output and offers up to 11 hours of playtime on a single charge with support for 45W rapid charging.
The Zeb-StudioXOne features four RGB LED modes and includes dual wireless UHF microphones, voice change modes, internal recording, and XLR/TRS combo inputs for musicians. It further offers multiple connectivity options, including BT v5.3, USB, Type-C OTG, and AUX IN/OUT, supporting karaoke and live streaming.
Samsung went all in this year with its Galaxy AI suite of features baked into One UI. One UI 7 with Galaxy S25 series brought a ton of new ones, adding to the list of existing AI features which were introduced last year. Here are all the new Galaxy AI features in Galaxy S25 series.
Call Assist is the first one that helps you translate in real-time during calls with someone whose language isn’t known to you. Samsung even offers options so you only hear the translation of what the other person says and the same happens when you say anything. Call Assist is available in calls made via WhatsApp, Telegram, Google Meet, and Instagram.
The updated Writing Assist is one of my personal favorite Galaxy AI features in Galaxy S25 series. You can use it to:
Get grammar and spelling suggestions
Change the writing style
Create summaries
Organise the text into bullet points or a table
Compose new text based on a snippet or suggestion
Translate messages in select chat apps
Get suggested replies to text messages
With a new user interface, Chat Assist is now even more intuitive than before. Moreover, it is nicely integrated with the Samsung Keyboard which is my default keyboard, leading me to use it more than I had imagined.
Interpreter is another one of the useful Galaxy AI features in Galaxy S25 series for those who travel to different countries a lot. You can get live translations on your phone or your Galaxy Buds for what the other person is saying. The feature is neatly implemented across Samsung’s ecosystem of products and even works well.
Next, there’s Note Assist, with which you can perform the following actions:
Auto format notes with headers, bullet points and paragraphs.
Summarise notes to see what they’re about.
Transcribe and summarise voice recordings Auto generate covers based on the content of notes.
Correct spelling and grammar.
Translate text in your notes.
Translation and Transcription can also be applied to recorded calls with Transcript Assist. After the call is transcribed, one can turn on the option to automatically summarise those transcriptions which is another useful feature for those who have a lot of calling involved in their workflows. The call transcription hasn’t always been accurate in our usage where some of the words were straight up wrong.
Browsing Assist is one of those Galaxy AI features that can help make content on web easier to comprehend. With this, you can summarise, translate, or read highlights aloud of the content you are reading on your browser. However, this feature works only within Samsung Browser and won’t work on the likes of Chrome, Firefox, etc, which could be a missed opportunity but is acceptable considering Samsung’s browser is decent enough for daily use.
Next is Photo Assist which helps you do the following:
Move, remove, and resize people and objects, then use Al to fill in any empty areas in the background with ‘Generative Edit’.
Transform pictures of people into various artistic styles with ‘Sketch to image’.
Draw on an image, then use Al to make your drawing look like part of the picture with ‘Portrait Studio’.
Another AI feature in the same space is called Drawing Assist where you can “turn simple sketches into detailed images, create images from text descriptions, and change photos into cartoons, paintings, and more.” The output of some of the images we drew was quite decent.
Audio Eraser is one of the new Galaxy AI features in Galaxy S25 series where you can “eliminate distracting noise in videos by adjusting the volume of voices, wind, and other sounds in the Video Editor.” This came in handy when I recorded a video of my friend in a busy area and had to boost his voice due to the loud surroundings.
Now Brief, which resides in the new Now Bar on lock screen, offers “personalised briefing with suggested content and actions that change throughout the day.” Samsung has already revealed the technology behind Now Bar where it is backed by a Personal Data Engine.
Samsung also detailed some instances where the feature can come into use, such as if you are planning a trip to somewhere, Now Bar could prompt to create a folder of your essential apps for quicker access, it can let you know when to leave for the airport so you don’t get late for your flight, and it can also create a travel music playlist on its own. Aside from that, with a single swipe, you can even access the weather forecast for your location or for the next 7 days.
In our usage, the Now Bar showed up at different times during the day, mostly informing us of the weather conditions. It can show various types of content, and you can choose which content to include, such as YouTube Shorts (a shortcut to YouTube Shorts), Events and Tasks, Routines, Digital Wellbeing, Communication, Travel, Health and Wellness, Gallery Stories, Moments, Traffic Updates, News, Smart Home, and Music & Podcasts.
Maybe it requires more time to analyse the user patterns and show content accordingly but as of now, the content was limited to YouTube Shorts, Weather conditions, and a few wellness tips.
Photo Ambient Wallpaper, which was in beta until last year, is now stable to use and can apply weather effects to your wallpaper which corresponds to the real weather condition of where you are at the moment.
Finally, there’s Health Assist, with which you get personalised insights and guidance based on your health data.
All these Galaxy AI features in Galaxy S25 series simply enhance the overall experience of using the devices. While we haven’t used all of them, and some of them could come across as gimmicky, the experience with those which we have used has been impressive enough for us to say that Samsung has done a great job designing and implementing these AI features in One UI 7.
Amongst smartphones at least, we can say that Samsung is indeed ahead of its competitors when it comes to AI, be it the quality of the product or its implementation and practicality.
Stay tuned for our full review to know more about the new Galaxy S25 series, including their camera performance, software experience, and more.
Ola has announced the launch of Ola Roadster X series e-bikes in India after teasing them last year. These are the first electric bikes from the brand and are meant to “redefine the motorcycling experience with impressive performance, innovative technology, and sustainability at its core,” as per the brand.
Ola Roadster X Series: Price, Availability
Ola Electric has unveiled five variants in its Roadster X series, including:
Roadster X (Available in 2.5kWh, 3.5kWh, and 4.5kWh trims):
Deliveries for the Roadster X series are set to begin in mid-March 2025. The motorcycles will come with a standard warranty of 3 years or 50,000 km?
Ola Roadster X Series: Performance
The Roadster X offers a top speed of 105 km/h for the 2.5kWh variant and 118 km/h for the 3.5kWh and 4.5kWh models. In terms of acceleration, the 2.5kWh variant can go from 0 to 40 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, while the 3.5kWh and 4.5kWh versions achieve the same in 3.1 seconds. Riders can choose from Sports, Normal, and Eco modes, ensuring a flexible riding experience tailored to different needs.
The Roadster X+ takes performance even further with a top speed of 125 km/h for both the 4.5kWh and 9.1kWh variants. These models offer rapid acceleration, reaching 0-40 km/h in just 2.7 seconds. The 9.1kWh variant boasts an industry-leading range of 501 km on a single charge (IDC), while the 4.5kWh model delivers 259 km.
The X+ variants also come equipped with advanced features such as digital insights, enhanced regenerative braking, cruise control, and reverse mode, offering a smarter and more personalized riding experience.
The Ola Roadster X series is powered by a mid-drive motor, ensuring smooth torque delivery, superior acceleration, and enhanced range. This efficient energy system optimizes performance while improving safety, offering riders a seamless and powerful experience.
A key innovation in the Roadster X lineup is its patented brake-by-wire technology, an industry-first feature paired with a single ABS for improved braking precision and enhanced safety. This cutting-edge system provides riders with better control, ensuring a secure and responsive riding experience.
The motorcycles run on MoveOS 5, Ola Electric’s advanced software that introduces a host of intelligent features. Riders can benefit from smart regeneration, cruise control, reverse mode, and energy insights, all designed to enhance convenience and riding efficiency. Additional safety features include Geo and time fencing, theft detection, and Find Your Vehicle.
Designed for adaptability, the Roadster X series features a modular battery system that supports multiple capacities. With an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, the battery is built for durability, while its serviceable Battery Management System (BMS) ensures easy maintenance and longevity.
Ola Electric has also introduced innovative flat cable technology, a first in the industry. These cables reduce weight, improve thermal performance, and enhance overall reliability. A first-in-segment feature is the all-LED lamps on the front. It further has a 4.3-inch colour LCD display and front disc brakes.
Structurally, the Roadster X is built with a double cradle frame architecture, offering a lightweight yet sturdy design. Its low center of gravity improves stability and handling, ensuring a safer and more agile riding experience.
Google has announced the release of Gemini 2.0 Pro and 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental models in the Gemini App as well as on the web. Last week, Google announced the availability of Gemini 2.0 Flash stable for all Gemini users on the mobile and web. Here’s everything to know about the new announcements.
Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental: Everything to Know
Google’s Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental is being touted as the brand’s “best model yet for coding performance and complex prompts.” Google says it has the strongest coding performance and ability to handle complex prompts, with better understanding and reasoning of world knowledge, than any model it has released so far.
It comes with the largest context window Google has ever offered with any of its AI models, at 2 million tokens, which enables it to comprehensively analyze and understand vast amounts of information, as well as the ability to call tools like Google Search and code execution. Further, there’s support for multimodal input with text output on release, with more modalities ready for general availability in the coming months
Gemini 2.0 Pro is available now as an experimental model to developers in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI and to Gemini Advanced users in the model drop-down on desktop and mobile.
Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental: All Details
This model is currently ranked as the “world’s best model” and is available at no cost. “Built on the speed and performance of 2.0 Flash, this model is trained to break down prompts into a series of steps to strengthen its reasoning capabilities and deliver better responses. 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental shows its thought process so you can see why it responded in a certain way, what its assumptions were, and trace the model’s line of reasoning,” said Google.
Google is also rolling out a version of 2.0 Flash Thinking that can interact with apps like YouTube, Search and Google Maps. These connected apps already make the Gemini app a uniquely helpful AI-powered assistant, and the company is exploring how new reasoning capabilities can combine with your apps to help you do even more. It further supports multimodal input with text output on release, with more modalities ready for general availability in the coming months.
This model is also available to use on Gemini web and mobile app. Google says it looks to expand both 2.0 Pro and 2.0 Flash Thinking models to Google Workspace Business and Enterprise customers soon.
Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite: Google’s most cost-efficient model yet
Building on the success of 1.5 Flash, Google says it wanted to keep improving quality, while still maintaining cost and speed. As a result, it is introducing 2.0 Flash-Lite, a new model that has better quality than 1.5 Flash, at the same speed and cost. It outperforms 1.5 Flash on the majority of benchmarks as per the company.
Like 2.0 Flash, it has a 1 million token context window and multimodal input. For example, it can generate a relevant one-line caption for around 40,000 unique photos, costing less than a dollar in Google AI Studio’s paid tier. Same as other two models announced, this one also has support for multimodal input with text output.
Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite is available in Google AI Studio and Vertex AI in public preview.
Asus has announced an FE-branded smartphone, which is a first for the brand, called ROG Phone 9 FE in Thailand. While the device belongs to the ROG Phone 9 family, it shares most of its specifications with the ROG Phone 8 from last year. Here’s everything to know about the device.
Asus ROG Phone 9 FE: Price
The ASUS ROG Phone 9 FE comes in a single Phantom Black colour and is priced at THD 29,990 (approx Rs 77,475) for the sole 16GB + 256GB trim.
Asus ROG Phone 9 FE: Specifications
Asus ROG Phone 9 FE sports a 6.78-inch (2400×1080 pixels) Full HD+ 1-120Hz LTPO (max 185Hz for gaming) Samsung Flexible AMOLED panel with 10-bit HDR, 20:9 aspect ratio, up to 2500 nits brightness, 107.37% DCI-P3 / 145.65% sRGB / 103.16% NTSC, and Corning Gorilla GlassVictus 2 protection.
It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Chipset under the hood, paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5x RAM and up to 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. It runs on ROG UI based on Android 15. As for optics, the handset gets a 50MP rear camera with 1/1.56″ Sony IMX890 sensor, f/1.9 aperture, 6-axis Gimbal stabilisation, paired with a 13MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera and a 5MP macro sensor. At the front, there’s a 32MP camera sensor for selfies.
The device packs a 5500mAh battery with 65W fast wired charging and 15W Qi wireless charging. Connectivity options include 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 7 802.11 be, Bluetooth v5.4, GPS/GLONASS/Beidou, Galileo(E1+E5a), QZSS(L1+L5), NavIC(L5), 3.5mm Headphone jack, USB Type-C and NFC. For security, there’s an in-display optical fingerprint sensor.
Additionally, the phone packs a 5-magnet stereo speaker setup with Qualcomm aptXadaptive audio, Dirac Virtuo for spatial sound. The device is also IP68 rated. There’s an Illuminated RGB logo on the back of the phone and there are Air Triggers present on the right spine of the device.
While Vivo hasn’t confirmed the launch date for its next V-series smartphone launch in India, it has confirmed the Vivo V50 design as well as its key specifications. The device is being touted to pack Zeiss optics along with a pair of 50MP Sensors on the back, a 6000mAh battery, and more.
Vivo V50 design and key specs were revealed via a Vivo microsite. The device will be made available in Rose Red, Starry Blue, and Titanium Grey shades, where the Blue variant will have India’s first 3D Star technology in a smartphone. Further, the device has a similar camera module as the V40, housing two camera sensors on the back and a single sensor on the front within a punch-hole.
On the front, the display will be protected with the so-called Schott Diamond Shield Glass that’s claimed to provide up to 50% better drop protection compared to the Vivo V40. It is also IP68 and IP69 rated for dust and water resistance. As for the key specs, the camera details have been revealed, where the rear gets a 50MP primary sensor with OIS and Zeiss optics accompanied by a 50MP ultra-wide angle sensor. On the front there’s another 50MP sensor for selfies.
The device is backed by a 6000mAh battery but the charging speed remains unconfirmed. The Vivo V50 will run on Android 15-based FunTouchOS 15 out of the box, packed with “Smart AI” features.
Leaks suggest the device will be powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 Chipset and will sport a 6.78-inch AMOLED Display with a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is further possible that the device gets up to 12GB LPDDR4x RAM and up to 512GB of UFS 2.2 storage.
The Vivo V50 India launch is expected to take place on February 18 in India, but the company is yet to officially confirm a date. The device may be launched in the Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 segment.
