TecQ: Airtel’s Jio-like Offer, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 Review and More

Here’s a weekly roundup of the top stories in the world of technology and gadgets.

TecQ is our weekly round-up of top stories within the technology space.

Airtel Does a Jio, Launches Smartphone at Effectively Rs 1,399

Bharti Airtel and Karbonn Mobiles on Wednesday announced their partnership to bring affordable 4G smartphones dubbed the Karbonn A40 Indian to the market, effectively at the price of a feature phone.

The Karbonn A40 Indian comes at an effective price of just Rs 1,399 (compared to its current market price of approximately Rs 3,499). For more on how Airtel is offering this scheme, click here.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 First Impressions: It’s a Looker Alright!

XIaomi recently launched the Mi Mix 2. Undeniably, the Mi Mix is eye candy. It’s not made of glass or metal, but ceramic, which makes the phone stand out. It’s curved on all four sides and gives the phone a premium look.

But it has its downsides. The glossy finish at the back makes the phone attract a lot of fingerprints and smudges, so you are going to end up constantly wiping it against your shirt before you show it off. Although, Xiaomi claims it is scratch resistant. Read the full review of the Xiaomi Mix 2 here.

PayTM, BHIM Or Tez? Which Digital Payment App Is Best For You?

There are many of these applications out there, and no matter which one you pick, you feel they’re all the same. Digital payment apps like PayTM, BHIM and Tez are all the rage these days.

However, each one of these apps has their unique benefits. Some are easier to use than the others. Here is a comparison of the top payment apps in India. Read more.

A Waterproof Kindle! I’m Still Not Taking It to the Swimming Pool

It took Amazon 10 years to come up with a waterproof Kindle, but what really confuses me is – do I really need a waterproof Kindle?

The new Kindle is called Oasis and is based on last year’s design with IPX8 waterproof certification. The company says it can function in up to 2 meters of water for 60 minutes. For more on the device, click here.

iPhone 8 Battery Swelling Reported in US

A week after Apple said it is looking into incidents of iPhone 8 batteries swelling, the first such case has been reported in the US.

A Best Buy employee posted on Reddit to report that his store had received a bulging iPhone 8 as a return. It is likely that this may not be the last incident. Read more.