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We’ve all cribbed about how Samsung has stayed away from offering any kind of metal-element on its devices but now things are changing (they have to) and with Alpha, you get first ever instances of metal finishing on a Samsung Galaxy phone. Alpha is Samsung’s effort to move away from the mundane and try out something different, at a time when the numbers aren’t really crunching up for the Korean major. The phone’s back side finishing is more reminiscent to the perforated body on the Galaxy S5. Nothing new about then eh? Here’s what you’ll find with the Alpha.<br />
<br />
Galaxy Alpha sports a 4.7 inch Super AMOLED HD display, running on Android 4.4 KitKat version that’s seen on the phone in the form of TouchWiz interface. From power standpoint, the Alpha packs an octa-core Exynos 5 chipset paired with 2 GB RAM and offering 32 GB internal storage only with no expandable option in tow. It comes fitted with a 12 MP rear snapper with LED flash and 2.1 MP front shooter for selfies. Weighing at a mere 115 grams and 6.7 slim form figure, Alpha benefits from having the fingerprint scanner for those looking for added data protection. It’s loaded with an 1860 mAh battery that’s going to last for a day, or may be even more than that.<br />
<br /> <keyword id="2418732" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Samsung-Galaxy-Alpha">Samsung Galaxy Alpha</keyword> comes in Dazzling White, Charcoal Black and Frosted Golden color variants and will be available on stores from next week onwards, right in time for busy festive period in the country.<br />

Samsung rolls out the metallic-laden Galaxy Alpha Smartphone
at Rs 39,990

<p class="source"><span>Samsung</span></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Samsung has announced the fourth member of its Galaxy Book laptop line, just in time for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ces-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CES 2020</a>.</li><li>Starting at $829.99, the Flex Alpha is a slightly more affordable version of Samsung's flagship QLED notebooks.</li><li>You'll be able to buy the Flex Alpha in the first half of 2020.</li></ul><p>CES 2020 is underway, and most major laptop brands are rolling out new devices. Ahead of the rush, Samsung had already gotten the ball rolling. Meet the new Galaxy Book Flex Alpha. </p><p>Samsung has announced a number of Galaxy Book laptops over the past year, though none have actually hit shelves yet. The Flex Alpha is the fourth, and likely cheapest, iteration. Unlike its siblings, which we expect to hit <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/29/galaxy-book-flex-and-ion-hands-on-gorgeous-qled-laptops/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over $1000</a>, the Galaxy Book Flex Alpha will start at just $829.99.</p><p>The new Galaxy Book sports a 13.3-inch version of Samsung's proprietary quantum dot (QLED) display, which are able to display a massive color gamut beyond that of normal LED panels, and are the closest you can get to OLED-quality screens at a sub-$1000 price point.</p><p>The other signature feature is its portability. Samsung says the device weighs about 2.6 pounds, or just a bit lighter than last year's Dell XPS 13.</p><p>Design aside, the Flex Alpha looks to have fairly solid specs, including a 54Wh battery that Samsung says will last 17.5 hours, 8GB or 12GB of memory (RAM), up to 1TB of storage, and 10th-Generation Intel processors (CPUs) - though, Samsung isn't saying exactly which of these per configuration. The 2-in-1 device also supports Samsung's proprietary stylus, the Active Pen (though you have to purchase it separately), which is handy for artwork or notes.</p><p>Here are the specs, broken down:</p><ul><li><strong>CPU</strong>: 10th Generation Intel processors</li><li><strong>Graphics</strong>: Intel UHD Graphics </li><li><strong>Display</strong>: 13.3-inch QLED FHD touchscreen (1,920 x 1,080, 600 nits brightness)</li><li><strong>RAM</strong>: 8GB - 12GB</li><li><strong>Storage</strong>: 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD (PCIe)</li><li><strong>Ports</strong>: USB-C 3.1, 2 x USB 3.0, HDMI, microSD, headphone jack<p class="source"><span>Samsung</span></p></li></ul><p>I can't recommend a laptop for certain until I've tested it myself, but the Flex Alpha looks to be a solid mid-range purchase. One thing I do miss is the lack of discrete graphics options, but that's an understandable sacrifice for Samsung to make for the Flex Alpha's size and price. If the graphics are a deal breaker for you, you may want to look at the slightly more expensive Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Ion, also slated for release in early 2020. </p><p>Stay tuned for our full review of this device later this year. And if you'd like to know more about laptops launching at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ces-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CES</a>, keep an eye out for our on-the-ground coverage.</p><p><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br /><br />Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br /><br />Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-wrap-gift-present-fast-2017-12">Last minute gift wrapping? Here's how to wrap your present in under 2 minutes.</a></h3>

Samsung's cheapest new 2-in-1, Galaxy Book Flex Alpha, will cost $829.99 this year - here's what you need to know

<ul><li><strong>The <keyword id="17210629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iqoo-12" source="Orion">iQOO 12</keyword> is the latest flagship smartphone from iQOO in India.</strong></li><li><strong>The device has been priced starting at ₹52,999 and is available in two variants.</strong></li><li><strong>Here’s a review of the iQOO 12 that will help you decide whether to buy the device or not.</strong></li></ul>iQOO has launched the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iqoo-12-the-first-snapdragon-8-gen-3-powered-device-to-hit-indian-market/articleshow/105935809.cms">iQOO 12</a>, the company’s latest flagship smartphone in India. It is the successor of the iQOO 11 that was launched in the country in January 2023.<br /><br />The iQOO 12 has become the first smartphone to launch with the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset in India. In addition to hardware improvements, the iQOO 12 also comes with an improved camera setup, which we have already reviewed<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iqoo-12-mobile-phone-camera-overview-before-launch/articleshow/105628499.cms"> here</a>.<br /><br />I have been using the iQOO 12 for a few weeks now, and here is my detailed review of the latest flagship offering from the Chinese smartphone maker. <br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="iQOO 12 price and availability" comment="subhead" text="iQOO 12 price and availability"><span data-til="noop"><keyword id="19080470" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="iqoo-12-price" source="Orion">iQOO 12 price</keyword> and availability</span></cmsannotation> <br /><br />The iQOO 12 has been priced at ₹52,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB internal storage variant and ₹57,999 for the 16GB RAM + 512GB internal storage variant.<br /><br />The device comes in two colour options – Alpha and Legend. While the black coloured Alpha variant comes with AG Glass at the back, the white Legend variant comes with Porcelain Enamel Glass.<br /><br />It will be available from Amazon India starting from December 14.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="In the box" comment="subhead" text="In the box"><span data-til="noop">In the box</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><ul><li>iQOO 12 smartphone</li><li>Silicon case</li><li>Power adapter</li><li>USB Type-C cable</li><li>SIM ejector tool</li><li>Documentation</li></ul><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="iQOO 12 specifications" comment="subhead" text="iQOO 12 specifications"><span data-til="noop">iQOO 12 specifications</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Particulars<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Specifications<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Display<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Refresh rate<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">144Hz<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Protection<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">NA<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chipset<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Variants<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">12GB + 256GB and 16GB + 512GB<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rear camera<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">50MP + 50MP + 64MP<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Selfie camera<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">16MP<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Battery<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5,000mAh<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Charging<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">120W<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fingerprint sensor<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">In-display fingerprint sensor<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weight<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">204 grams<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5G<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.56916975pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 5pt 0pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Yes, SA/NSA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody></table><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="iQOO 12 pros and cons" comment="subhead" text="iQOO 12 pros and cons"><span data-til="noop">iQOO 12 pros and cons</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><strong>Pros</strong><br /><br /><ul><li>Rear camera</li><li>Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset</li></ul><strong>Cons</strong><br /><br /><ul><li>Average selfie camera</li></ul><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Design and display" comment="subhead" text="Design and display"><span data-til="noop">Design and display</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />The iQOO 12 features a glass back, with a minimalist design. The smartphone comes in two colour options – Alpha and Legend. I tested the Legend colour variant which comes with BMW M branding at the back.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Rear design" msid="105937237" hostid="261" sizebytes="34900" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The iQOO 12 5G comes with a glass back&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The Legend variant comes with Porcelain Enamel Glass and is white in colour. The device comes with a large camera module at the back, which the company calls the porthole design. The camera module features a silver steel ring around it, which improves its looks.<br /><br />The white enamel glass design feels good and the device does not attract fingerprint smudges, allowing you to use it without a case without any issues. The large camera module ensures that the device does not wobble, allowing you to easily use it even when placed on a flat surface.<br /><br />Like a lot of smartphones being launched these days, the device comes with flat sides, which makes it easier to hold and use. The device weighs 204 grams, which is slightly on the higher side, but one-handed usage is not an issue.<br /><br />The smartphone features volume rockers and the power button on the right side and the left side comes with a single antenna band.<br /><br />At the top, you get a speaker, microphone and an Infrared sensor, which is nice to have and is rarely found on devices these days.<br /><br />At the bottom, you get the SIM tray, a microphone, a USB Type-C port and the second speaker grille.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Display" msid="105937265" hostid="261" sizebytes="46704" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;iQOO 12 display&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Coming to the display, the smartphone features a 6.78-inch 1.5K LTPO AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate up to 3000 nits peak brightness and 2160Hz PWM dimming.<br /><br />The high resolution, 144Hz refresh rate and the high brightness ensures that the device offers an enhanced visual experience, be it for consuming content or gaming. The device offers excellent visibility even in direct sunlight as it supports up to 3000 nits brightness.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Software and performance" comment="subhead" text="Software and performance"><span data-til="noop">Software and performance</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />The iQOO 12 runs on Android 14 out of the box with the company’s Funtouch OS 14 on top. The device will get three years of Android updates and four years of security updates.<br /><br />For those unaware, Funtouch OS is a highly customised version of Android from the company and is equipped with several custom features.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="IMG_20231126_092522" msid="105937312" hostid="261" sizebytes="50836" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;iQOO 12 pre-installed applications&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />While iQOO has reduced bloatware such as Hot Apps and Hot Games that are present in devices such as the iQOO Neo 7 Pro, the device has its fair share of bloatware such as pre-installed iQOO apps, Facebook, GPay, Netflix, PhonePe, Snapchat and more.<br /><br />In terms of performance, the iQOO 12 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 coupled with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 internal storage.<br /><br />The latest flagship chipset from Qualcomm, coupled with ample RAM and storage allows the device to easily multitask. To test the device’s performance, I played popular titles such as Call of Duty: Mobile and Asphalt 9 on the smartphone. The device offers a good gaming experience and even with high quality graphics enabled, I did not notice any stuttering or lag.<br /><br />The iQOO Neo 7 Pro 5G is powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 120W fast charging support. The device can be charged up to 50% in around 12 minutes and a full charge takes around 25 minutes. The device does not offer wireless charging.<br /><br />The device offers over a day’s battery life with normal usage, which includes streaming and some gaming.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Camera" comment="subhead" text="Camera"><span data-til="noop">Camera</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><div type="image" title="IMG_20231126_110511" msid="105937373" hostid="261" sizebytes="33296" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;iQOO 12 rear camera module&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The smartphone comes with a triple camera setup at the back consisting of a 50MP primary camera with PDAF and OIS, a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 64MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom and 100x digital zoom.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="IMG_20231126_135055" msid="105937398" hostid="261" sizebytes="232122" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured in daylight conditions&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The camera is one of the highlights of the smartphone and it performs well. When it comes to clicking images in daylight conditions, the smartphone is able to capture images with good details and colour reproduction. The device was able to capture images with good highlight retention, and was able to focus on the subject very quickly.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Portrait" msid="105937415" hostid="261" sizebytes="127316" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured in portrait mode&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Coming to portraits, you can adjust the blur effect on the device, which is good, offering you more control over your images. The portrait images captured with the smartphone turned out well, with good edge detection and background blur effect.<br /><br />As the device supports 3x optical zoom, you will have no issues at all with capturing images in 3x. Even images captured in 10x offered decent details, with minimal noise.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Telephoto" msid="105937435" hostid="261" sizebytes="33734" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;3X, 10X and 100X zoom on the iQOO 12&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />When you go to 30x, the images start losing detail and are grainy. The 100x mode is good for identifying objects but loses out on detail.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Night" msid="105937484" hostid="261" sizebytes="58040" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured in lowlight conditions&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The smartphone is able to capture good images even in low light conditions, offering good details with minimal noise.<br /><br />On the front, the device sports a 16MP selfie camera. The selfie camera offers decent images in daylight with minimal noise but struggles a bit when it comes to low-light images.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Verdict" comment="subhead" text="Verdict"><span data-til="noop">Verdict</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />The iQOO 12 is a feature-packed smartphone that offers good performance, a vibrant display and a good camera setup. The device offers a good design and comes with a smooth user experience.<br /><br />While the company has reduced bloatware, the device still comes with several pre-installed apps. If you are looking for a powerful device that offers a good gaming experience and a good camera setup, the iQOO 12 is a good option for you and is priced competitively.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iqoo-12-mobile-phone-camera-overview-before-launch/articleshow/105628499.cms">iQOO 12 camera overview – Samples reveal photography prowess</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/motorola-edge-40-neo-review/articleshow/104487460.cms">Motorola Edge 40 Neo review – feature-packed, affordable device with average camera</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5-review-price-and-features/articleshow/103760937.cms"><strong>Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review – The foldable segment’s bar raised</strong></a><br />

iQOO 12 review – flagship performance and cameras at an affordable price

<ul><li><strong>The Agni 2 5G is the latest mid-range offering from <keyword id="6355189" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="lava" source="Orion">Lava</keyword> in India.</strong></li><li><strong>The smartphone is priced at ₹21,999 and is available in a single memory variant.</strong></li><li><strong>Here’s our review of the <keyword id="16540642" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lava-Agni-2-5G" source="Orion">Lava Agni 2 5G</keyword> that will help you decide whether you should buy the device.</strong></li></ul> Indian smartphone maker Lava recently launched the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/lava-agni-2-5g-vs-oneplus-nord-ce-3-lite-5g-mobile-comparison-of-price-and-features/slidelist/100294724.cms"> Agni 2 5G</a>, its latest mid-range offering in the country and the successor of the Agni smartphone that was launched in 2021.<br /><br />The Lava Agni 2 5G comes with several upgrades over its predecessor, including a better display, better performance and faster charging. The main highlights of the device include its glass back, curved AMOLED display and the clean software experience.<br /><br />Lava has also offered free device replacement for one year in case of hardware issues and free service at home. However, it is too early to talk about this.<br /><br />I have been using the Lava Agni 2 5G smartphone for a few weeks now, and here is my detailed review of the latest mid-range offering from the Indian smartphone maker.<br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Price and availability" comment="subhead" text="Price and availability"><span data-til="noop">Price and availability</span></cmsannotation><br />The Lava Agni 2 is priced at ₹21,999 for the lone 8GB RAM + 256GB internal storage variant. It is available in a single Glass Viridian colour variant from Amazon India.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lava Agni 2 specifications" comment="subhead" text="Lava Agni 2 specifications"><span data-til="noop">Lava Agni 2 specifications</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Particulars<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#000000;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Specifications<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Display<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">6.78-inch Full HD+ curved AMOLED<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Refresh rate<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">120Hz<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Protection<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Schott Xensation Alpha Glass<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chipset<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">MediaTek Dimensity 7050<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Variants<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">8GB + 256GB<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Rear camera<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">50MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Selfie camera<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">16MP<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Battery<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">4,700mAh<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Charging<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">66W<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fingerprint sensor<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">In-display fingerprint sensor<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Weight<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">210 grams<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Water resistance<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">NA<br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">5G<br /><br /></td><td style="border-right:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.6260872500000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#d9d9d9;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Yes, SA/NSA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody></table><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Pros and cons" comment="subhead" text="Pros and cons"><span data-til="noop">Pros and cons</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Pros" comment="subhead2" text="Pros"><span data-til="noop">Pros</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><ul><li>Good design with a glass back</li><li>Bloat-free software</li></ul><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Cons" comment="subhead2" text="Cons"><span data-til="noop">Cons</span></cmsannotation><br /><br /><ul><li>Average camera</li><li>Bulky</li></ul> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Design and display" comment="subhead" text="Design and display"><span data-til="noop">Design and display</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />Design was one of the key areas that Lava focused on and it is evident with the Agni 2 5G’s minimalistic look. It comes with a frosted glass back that gives it a premium look as most devices in this segment offer a plastic back.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Rear" msid="101151518" hostid="261" sizebytes="55848" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lava Agni 2 5G features a glass back&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The Lava Agni 2 5G gives a premium feel when you hold it in your hand but the back can be a bit slippery. While the matte finish is able to prevent fingerprint smudges, I recommend using a case to get a better grip.<br /><br />It is to be noted that the Agni 2 5G weighs 210 grams and may feel bulky to some. One-handed usage may be difficult for extended durations, especially if you’re adding more weight by using a case.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="IMG_20230529_173822" msid="101151556" hostid="261" sizebytes="68302" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rear camera module on the Lava Agni 2 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The smartphone comes with a large circular camera module that houses the quad camera setup at the back. Apart from this, it comes with the Lava 5G branding at the bottom left corner.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Side" msid="101151567" hostid="261" sizebytes="50876" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Volume rocker and the power button&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Coming to the sides, it comes with a plastic frame that is prone to scratches. While the left side is bare, the right side comes with the volume rockers and the power button.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Bottom" msid="101151584" hostid="261" sizebytes="44416" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lava Agni 2 5G bottom&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />On the top, the device comes with just a microphone. The bottom is equipped with a SIM tray, a microphone, the USB Type-C port and the speaker grille.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Display" msid="101151680" hostid="261" sizebytes="72298" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lava Agni 2 5G display&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Display is another area where the Agni 2 impressed me. The device comes with a 6.78-inch Full HD+ curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 950 nits of peak brightness. It is one of the few devices in the segment that offers a curved AMOLED display in this segment. The other device is the recently launched<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-11-pro-5g-review-a-mid-ranger-with-a-premium-design/articleshow/100865073.cms"> Realme 11 Pro 5G</a>.<br /><br />The smartphone’s display comes with HDR 10+ support and features thin bezels, making it a good option to watch content or play games. The high brightness also ensures proper visibility, even in direct sunlight.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Software and performance" comment="subhead" text="Software and performance"><span data-til="noop">Software and performance</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />In terms of software, the Lava Agni 2 5G runs on Android 13 out of the box and the company has promised to offer two Android updates and three years of security updates. This means that the device will get the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/android-14-update-to-rollout-soon-find-out-if-your-smartphone-is-eligible/articleshow/101125653.cms"> Android 14</a> and Android 15 updates.<br /><br />The device offers a near-stock experience and unlike a majority of devices in this segment, it comes with a bloat-free UI and does not come with any pre-installed applications. It was refreshing to not have to uninstall a slew of apps soon after booting up a device in this segment.<br /><br />While my experience with the device was good, the UI needs a little refinement to make it smooth.<br /><br />The device is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset and comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The chipset is able to handle day-to-day tasks with ease and can multitask without any issues. I played games like Battlegrounds Mobile India on the device and while the device did not stutter, it heats up a little after an extended gaming session.<br /><br />It is powered by a 4,700mAh battery coupled with 66W fast charging support. It takes around 45 minutes to fully charge the device and a full charge easily lasts for a day with normal usage and light gaming.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Camera" comment="subhead" text="Camera"><span data-til="noop">Camera</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />The Lava Agni 2 5G is equipped with a quad camera setup at the back consisting of a 50MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro sensor.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="Camera" msid="101151688" hostid="261" sizebytes="41324" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Rear camera module on the Lava Agni 2 5G&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The device offers a simple camera UI and comes with options such as night mode, film, portrait, beauty, macro, time lapse, slow motion, pro mode and more.<br /><br /><div type="image" title="IMG_20230529_173512_947" msid="101151697" hostid="261" sizebytes="272170" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Image captured in daylight conditions&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The camera performs decently in daylight conditions, capturing good detail and dynamic range. The images captured using the ultra-wide sensor did not turn out as good and looked grainy.<br /><br />The device struggled a bit in low-light conditions but this is expected at this price point.<br /><br />On the front, the device comes with a 16MP selfie camera, which captures decent images in daylight but struggles in low-light conditions, just like the primary camera.<br /><br /><cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Verdict" comment="subhead" text="Verdict"><span data-til="noop">Verdict</span></cmsannotation><br /><br />The Lava Agni 2 5G is a good phone at this price point and punches above its weight. The glass back, clean software and immersive display make it a great option under the ₹25,000 segment.<br /><br />The average cameras and occasional software bugs are the biggest drawbacks of the device. In this segment, you can also consider the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-11-pro-5g-review-a-mid-ranger-with-a-premium-design/articleshow/100865073.cms"> Realme 11 Pro</a>, which also offers a curved AMOLED display.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/moto-edge-40-review-price-specifications-and-design/articleshow/101110748.cms">Moto Edge 40 review – sleek design encasing sturdy performance</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-11-pro-5g-review-a-mid-ranger-with-a-premium-design/articleshow/100865073.cms">Realme 11 Pro 5G review – a mid-ranger with a premium design</a><br /><br /></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-a54-5g-review-a-premium-experience-at-an-affordable-price/articleshow/100163350.cms"><strong>Samsung Galaxy A54 5G review – a premium experience at an affordable price</strong></a><br />

Lava Agni 2 5G review – Decent performance, good design

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12002052" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kevin-oleary" source="Orion">Kevin O'Leary</keyword> said he wants cryptocurrencies to be regulated in the US because people don't want to be "cowboys" about it.</li><li>"I don't want to get involved in <keyword id="11893898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="crypto" source="Orion">crypto</keyword> if the regulator says it's not okay," he told CNBC.</li><li>There'd be another trillion dollars worth of buying into bitcoin if regulators class crypto as a security, he said.</li></ul><p>"Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary has called on US regulators to set some rules around the cryptocurrency market, saying that no one in finance wants to be "cowboys" about it.</p><p>"We want the regulator to actually make some decisions about crypto, because none of us that are in financial services want to actually be cowboys about this," he said on <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/09/13/kevin-oleary-us-regulators-need-to-make-decisions-on-cryptos.html">CNBC's "Capital Connection"</a> in an interview published Monday. "I don't want to get involved in crypto if the regulator says it's not okay."</p><p>The US has no single regulatory agency that oversees the crypto market, as digital assets aren't classified as "securities." SEC Chairman Gary Gensler has called the <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/sec-cryptocurrency-market-wild-west-authority-regulation-gensler-bitcoin-investors-2021-8">cryptocurrency industry "the Wild West</a>," and recently urged Congress to provide the agency with more authority to regulate it. </p><p>"I can't afford to be offside. I cannot afford to be non-compliant," O'Leary said. "If the regulator finally allowed financial services companies to call it an asset, put it into an ETF in the United States - like they have in Canada and other countries - I'd figure there'd be another trillion dollars worth of buying into <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/btc-usd">bitcoin</a>. And we don't have that yet, but that's the opportunity."</p><p>Some portfolio managers say although many are excited about bitcoin ETFs, it's a massive contradiction because crypto investors shouldn't need a product like that to get into the crypto market. However, traditional investors want an ETF so they can speculate on bitcoin's price.</p><p>The SEC is yet to approve a bitcoin ETF, but is currently considering applications from more than 20 entities, including billionaire Mike Novogratz's <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/bitcoin-etf-approval-mike-novogratz-galaxy-digital-sec-crypto-regulation-2021-4">Galaxy Digital</a>, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-etf-could-finally-become-a-reality-in-2021-after-vaneck-filing-2020-12-1029926923?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingest?utm_source=markets&amp;utm_medium=ingestm=ingest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VanEck</a>, <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/sec-bitcoin-etf-postpones-decision-valkyrie-digital-assets-vaneck-crypto-2021-6">Valkyrie Investments</a>, and <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/sec-review-bitcoin-etf-applications-fidelity-skybridge-scaramucci-cryptocurrency-vaneck-2021-5">FirstTrust/SkyBridge</a>. </p><p>"I think, at the end of the day, over the next couple of years, that will happen," O'Leary said. "That's why there's so much interest right now."</p><p>O'Leary, popularly known as "Mr. Wonderful," also mentioned the <a href="https://www.salt.org/events/2021/new-york/agenda">SALT event</a>, which will take place in New York from September 12-15. He said the premier hedge fund industry conference, hosted by crypto enthusiast Anthony Scaramucci's SkyBridge, is about the future of decentralized finance and cryptocurrencies.</p><p>"There is not a single hotel room available in New York," he said. "We are jam-packed. This is like 'Bitcoin 2021.' All the institutions are coming to the conference to discuss this very topic."</p><p><strong><em>Read More: </em></strong><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-trade-crypto-hedge-fund-manager-explains-strategies-altcoins-2021-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">A crypto hedge fund manager breaks down his 3 trading strategies, including a liquid fund that has returned 1,240% since June 2019 - and shares the next alpha-generating trend on his radar</a></em></p>

'Shark Tank' star Kevin O'Leary says no one wants to be 'cowboys' by investing in crypto if regulators say it's not okay

<p>Good morning and welcome to Insider <keyword id="25455" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="finance">Finance</keyword>. I'm Dan DeFrancesco, and here's what's on the agenda today:</p><ul><li>JPMorgan Chase poached a trio of executives from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-chase-key-hires-bolster-digital-banking-team-sonali-divilek-2021-4">Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Google</a> to focus on digital banking.</li><li>Merrill Lynch's <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bofa-merrill-lynch-training-program-advisor-morale-prospecting-pause-2021-4">decision to halt financial advisor trainees</a> from reaching out to prospective clients is hurting the group's morale.</li><li>The future of WFH <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wfh-expert-economist-nick-bloom-says-future-of-work-messy-2021-4">could be filled with uncertainty</a>. Nicholas Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University, explains what to expect. </li></ul><p><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/insider-finance">If you're not yet a subscriber, you can sign up here to get your daily dose of the stories dominating banking, business, and big deals.</a></p><p>Like the <keyword id="621414" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Newsletter">newsletter</keyword>? Hate the newsletter? Feel free to drop me a line at <a href="mailto:ddefrancesco@businessinsider.com">ddefrancesco@businessinsider.com</a> or on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/dandefrancesco">@DanDeFrancesco</a>. </p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-chase-key-hires-bolster-digital-banking-team-sonali-divilek-2021-4">JPMorgan Chase poached a top Marcus exec along with key hires from Wells Fargo and Google to support a 'huge agenda' for digital banking</a></h3><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-chase-key-hires-bolster-digital-banking-team-sonali-divilek-2021-4"><div type="image" title="Sonali   Headshot SDivilek" height="2688" width="3583" msid="82065181" hostid="261"></div></a></h2><p>JPMorgan Chase nabbed three new executives who will bolster its digital-banking efforts. One of the hires is Sonali Divilek, a key executive at Goldman Sachs' Marcus.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jpmorgan-chase-key-hires-bolster-digital-banking-team-sonali-divilek-2021-4">Meet the other hires here. </a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bofa-merrill-lynch-training-program-advisor-morale-prospecting-pause-2021-4">Merrill Lynch's advisor training program is on month 9 of a ban on reaching out to prospective clients. Insiders say morale is taking a big hit.</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bofa-merrill-lynch-training-program-advisor-morale-prospecting-pause-2021-4"><div type="image" title="Bank of America" height="2292" width="3056" msid="82065182" hostid="261"></div></a></h3><p>Merrill Lynch's massive pipeline for financial advisors has faced issues, and it's weighing on trainees' morale. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bofa-merrill-lynch-training-program-advisor-morale-prospecting-pause-2021-4">Get the full scoop here</a>. </p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brevan-howard-hires-point72-cubist-cto-gurpreet-singh-alpha-strategies-2021-4">Brevan Howard hires ex-Point72 CTO Singh as it ramps up its 'Alpha Strategies' systematic trading fund</a></h3><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brevan-howard-hires-point72-cubist-cto-gurpreet-singh-alpha-strategies-2021-4"><div type="image" title="Alan Howard" height="1431" width="1907" msid="82065183" hostid="261"></div></a></p><p>Brevan Howard hired Gurpreet Singh as CTO of its Alpha Strategies fund. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/brevan-howard-hires-point72-cubist-cto-gurpreet-singh-alpha-strategies-2021-4">Read more about the hire</a>.</p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-landed-a-100-million-term-sheet-2021-4">A phone call from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong the night before a $100 million deal left one VC feeling 'nauseous.'</a></h3><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-landed-a-100-million-term-sheet-2021-4"><div type="image" title="IVP Team_Square_Tom_Loverro" height="720" width="960" msid="82065184" hostid="261"></div></a></h2><p>The night before submitting a $100 million term sheet, IVP's Tom Loverro received a call from Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, who told him Ethereum had crashed. Now, as Coinbase prepares to go public, IVP's stake could be worth as much as $3.33 billion. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-landed-a-100-million-term-sheet-2021-4">Get the full rundown here.</a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wfh-expert-economist-nick-bloom-says-future-of-work-messy-2021-4">America's best work-from-home expert is bracing for turmoil</a></h3><h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wfh-expert-economist-nick-bloom-says-future-of-work-messy-2021-4"><div type="image" title="Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom" height="1333" width="1777" msid="82065185" hostid="261"></div></a></h2><p>Nicholas Bloom, an economics professor at Stanford University, is warning that the future of WFH could be filled with uncertainty. In our exclusive report, he offers advice for corporate America to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wfh-expert-economist-nick-bloom-says-future-of-work-messy-2021-4">navigate the turbulence.</a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-marcus-top-executives-retail-bank-fintech-consumer-2021-3">Goldman Sachs' Marcus is dealing with an exodus of talent. These are the 14 execs left guiding the digital bank.</a></h3><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-marcus-top-executives-retail-bank-fintech-consumer-2021-3"><div type="image" title="pjimage" height="999" width="1333" msid="82065187" hostid="261"></div></a></p><p>After a rash of departures, these are the executives left running the show at Goldman Sachs' Marcus. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-marcus-top-executives-retail-bank-fintech-consumer-2021-3">Get the full rundown here</a>.</p><h2><strong style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px;">Odd lots:</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/business/bank-deposit-error-charles-schwab.html">A $1.2 Million Bank Error Buys a House, and an Arrest, Officials Say (The New York Times)</a></p><p><a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/currencies/news/bitcoin-etf-approval-mike-novogratz-galaxy-digital-sec-crypto-regulation-2021-4-1030298912">Billionaire Mike Novogratz's Galaxy Digital is the 9th firm to apply for a bitcoin ETF (Markets Insider)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fortnite-maker-epic-games-worth-30-billion-dollars-2021-4">'Fortnite' maker Epic Games is worth just shy of $30 billion after raising another $1 billion in its latest funding round (Insider)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/nyse-nft-crypto-art-first-trades-spotify-roblox-doordash-snowflake-2021-4">The New York Stock Exchange is minting crypto art commemorating the first trades of 6 companies that recently went public (Insider)</a></p>

Coinbase's big day - JPMorgan poaches Marcus exec - Merrill trainees are still on pause

Best smartwatches with blood oxygen monitoring

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div>Samsung consistently pumps out phones with big, beautiful screens, powerful processors, and high-quality cameras. On paper, that seems amazing. These are best-in-class phones. Supercomputers in your pocket.</p>
<p>But for design snoots like me, it's hard to see past all the plastic. Samsung phones may have those gorgeous displays - the best in the world, according to some experts - but they're encased in cheap-feeling, creaky plastic. If the iPhone is a well-designed tool, then Samsung phones are plastic playthings.</p>
<p>Samsung's newest phone, the Galaxy Alpha, is a response to all that design criticism. It's Samsung's first Galaxy phone to incorporate metal - an aluminum band with chamfered edges wrapped around the case.</p>
<p>Oh, and it looks eerily similar to the iPhone 5/5S.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">AT&amp;T is the only US carrier </span><a href="http://www.att.com/cellphones/samsung/galaxy-alpha.html#fbid=9PoCH9Me-yh?sku=sku7380267">selling the Galaxy Alpha right now</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">. It costs $200 with a two-year contract, or $613 off-contract.</span></p>
<p>Feature-wise, the Galaxy Alpha can do pretty much the same stuff as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/samsung-galaxy-s5-review-2014-4">the Galaxy S5</a>, so I'm not going to waste time going over all that. Here's a quick recap: It has a fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button that lets you unlock the phone without entering a passcode, but it doesn't work as well as the iPhone's fingerprint sensor. I often have to try multiple times to get it to work. The Alpha also runs the same version of Android. The screen is a bit smaller at 4.7 inches. It's also not water resistant like the Galaxy S5 is. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Still, to make it easy, just think of the Alpha as a slightly smaller Galaxy S5.</span></p>
<p>The Alpha is all about Samsung testing its design chops. The phone looks good, but it's disappointing to see Samsung using the iPhone 5 design from two years ago for inspiration instead of pushing forward on its own. HTC has been able make phones that are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/htc-one-m8-review-2014-3">just as beautiful as anything Apple can build</a> without copying the iPhone style. The Alpha looks like Samsung took the iPhone 5, made the screen slightly larger, and added a flimsy, removable plastic back cover.</p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></p>
<p>That's what makes the Galaxy Alpha such a strange device. It's supposed to offer a "premium" feel, but the result is a curious Frankensteinish mishmash of plastic and high quality metal. Yes, it looks better than any other Samsung phone, but I wish Samsung had gone all the way and made a unibody, all-metal device.</p>
<p>Other than that, the Alpha performs just as well as the Galaxy S5, which is a good phone if you like Android. The screen on the Alpha isn't as sharp as the one on its big brother, but I doubt most people will notice. It also fits in my hand a lot easier than the Galaxy S5, and the metal band makes it feel more solid and sturdy. The battery can get you through a day and the camera can hold its own against other high-end smartphones.</p>
<p>It's best to think of the Alpha as an experiment, an offshoot of the Galaxy S5 that's more about design and build quality than trying to innovate new features. Samsung will likely wait until its next flagship Galaxy phones launches to wow us with something really new.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>If you like Samsung phones, I think you should buy the Galaxy S5 over the Alpha. It has a bigger, nicer screen and costs about the same. But if you've dying for a Samsung phone with some metal on it, choose the Alpha.<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>

Samsung Made Its Prettiest Phone Yet, But Boy Does It Look Familiar

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Beawiharta</span></p><p class="caption">A model holds a Samsung Galaxy Alpha smartphone during a launch event in Jakarta, August 28, 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Samsung is offering customers a $50 (£33) Best Buy gift card if they sign up to Samsung Pay, according to a <a href="https://samsungpromotions.com/samsungpaybbyoffer/">promotion on the company's website</a>. </p><p>The promotion, which is available until the end of 2015, is available to anyone with a Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, and Note 5. </p><p>Samsung Pay is a direct competitor to Apple Pay. It allows the user to pay for small-value items from their phone using NFC and a credit card.</p><p>Samsung announced that the service has <a href="http://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-pay-crosses-1-million-users-651621/">one million users in South Korea</a> and the Best Buy promotion is aimed at drumming up interest in the U.S.  Apple announced that Apple Pay had <a href="http://time.com/3543263/apple-pay-1-million/">over one million sign-ups</a> in the first three days but has not released any other figures since then.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-camouflage-is-put-on-helmets-2015-11">Watch the mesmerizing way a company puts camouflage on helmets</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="Z3ODZzeDrPK8vxL26hJTFfoY9AHujRm7" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Samsung is going to pay people to use its payment app

<p><em>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Insider Picks</a> team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business <keyword id="79969" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider">Insider</keyword> has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.</em></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://amzn.to/2qXWt9q" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Sony</span></p><p class="caption">You can save $400 on the Sony 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV at Amazon - It now costs $998 (originally $1,398).</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cyber-monday-2018-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cyber Monday</a> is here, and as always, there is a ton of great tech on sale. </li><li>We've rounded up only the best tech deals in every category from smartphones, tablets, and laptops, to TVs, headphones, and speakers. </li><li>We'll be updating the deals all Cyber Monday, so stay tuned! You can also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cyber-monday-2018-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out all our deal coverage on Insider Picks</a>.</li><li>To potentially save more on Cyber Monday, you can visit <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider Coupons</a> to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.</li></ul><p>Cyber Monday is all about the tech deals. Sure, you could snag some great <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/womens-fashion-black-friday-cyber-monday-deals-sales-2018-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clothing</a>, home goods, and travel deals, too, but we all know you want that big-screen TV.</p><p>We've rounded up the best tech deals for Cyber Monday as they pour in.</p><p>We check thousands of deals from dozens of retailers and whittled down the pickings, so you can rest assured that these really are the best deals and the lowest prices.</p><p>Whether you want a TV, projector, tablet, phone, speaker, or great tech accessories for less, we've got the deals here.</p><h2>To save you even more time, here are the top deals in each category that we've seen so far.</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/cyber-monday-2018-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Shayanne Gal / BI Graphics</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Best Amazon device deal: <strong><a href="https://amzn.to/2Fsf1Zp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon Echo (2nd Gen) $69 at Amazon (originally $99.99)</a> [You save $30.99]</strong></li><li>Best speaker deal: <span><a href="https://amzn.to/2DFJj8n" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sonos One Smart Speaker with Alexa, $174 at Amazon (originally $199)</a> [You save $25], also available at <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/sid/biip_112318_black-friday-deals/https://www.sonos.com/en-us/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sonos</a></span></li><li>Best TV deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2qXWt9q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sony 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV, $998 at Amazon (originally $1,398)</a> [You save $400]</li><li>Best curved TV deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2Q7dHPV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung UN65NU8500 Curved 65" 4K UHD 8 Series Smart LED TV (2018), $1,097.99 at Amazon (originally $1,799.99 )</a> [You save $702]</li><li>Best soundbar deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DEW2bv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sonos Beam, $349 at Amazon (originally $399)</a> <strong>[You save $50]</strong></li><li>Best streaming stick deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2r2KIi6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roku Streaming Stick, $29.99 at Amazon (originally $49.99)</a> [You save $20]</li><li>Best smart lights deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DDRwdq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 10W Equivalent LED Smart Light Bulb Starter Kit, $79.99 at Amazon (originally $149.99)</a> <strong>[You save $70]</strong></li><li>Best laptop deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=24542&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fp%2Fsurface-laptop-2%2F8XQJKK3DD91B&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Microsoft Surface Laptop 2, $999.99 at Microsoft (originally $1,299.99)</a> [You save $300]</li><li>Best gaming laptop deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2S4OpPx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GIGABYTE Aero 15X v8-BK4 15" Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, $1,899 at Amazon (originally $2,299)</a> [You save $600]</li><li>Best smartwatch deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=3184&amp;u1=biip_112318_black-friday-deals&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2Fshop%2Ffeatured%2Fapple-watch-sale%3FranMID%3D3184%26ranEAID%3DTnL5HPStwNw%26ranSiteID%3DTnL5HPStwNw-b46yTjpUrZPp44BVWu8vLg%26LinkshareID%3DTnL5HPStwNw-b46yTjpUrZPp44BVWu8vLg%26PartnerID%3DLINKSHARE%26cm_mmc%3DLINKSHARE-_-5-_-63-_-MP563" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Watch Series 3, $229-$329 at Macy's</a> AND <a href="https://amzn.to/2r0yjuS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amazon</a> AND <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=38606&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fapple-apple-watch-series-3-gps-38mm-silver-aluminum-case-with-white-sport-band-silver-aluminum%2F5706617.p%3FskuId%3D5706617&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Best Buy</a> [You save $50-$80]</li><li>Best smartwatch deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2Qfp08H" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fitbit Versa Smartwatch, $149 at Amazon (originally $199.95)</a><span> </span>[You save $50.95]</li><li>Best fitness tracker deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2TxDn7a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fitbit Ionic GPS Smart Watch, $199.95 at Amazon (originally $269.95)</a> [You save $70]</li><li>Best smartphone deals: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DQGsdF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung Galaxy S9, $519.99 at Amazon (originally $719.99)</a> [You save $200] AND <a href="https://amzn.to/2qYWgmf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung Galaxy Note 9, $799.99 at Amazon (originally $999.99)</a> [You save $200]</li><li>Best smartphone under $450 deal: <a href="https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10855&amp;awinaffid=257137&amp;clickref=biip_112318_black-friday-deals&amp;p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oneplus.com%2F6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OnePlus 6, $429 (originally $529)</a> <strong>[You save $100]</strong></li><li>Best headphone deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DTbpxT" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones II, $299 at Amazon (originally $349)</a><span> </span>[You save $50]</li><li>Best gaming deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=41098&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fjet.com%2Fproduct%2Fp%2F0d2dc8906396457a82842391a7ac4ee6&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Microsoft Xbox One X 1TB Fallout 76 Bundle</a>, $429 at Jet (originally $499) [You save $70]</li><li>Best VR headset deal: <a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=2149&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-Explorer-Bundle-Windows-Mixed-Reality-Headset-with-Controllers-Iron-Grey-G0A20002WW%2F148224247&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenovo Explorer Bundle, $179.99 at Walmart (originally $399.99)</a> [You save $220.99]</li><li>Best camera deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DRu7WC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PANASONIC LUMIX GX85 Camera with 12-32mm and 45-150mm Lens Bundle, $497.99 at Amazon (originally $999.99)</a> [You save $502]</li><li>Best Sony camera deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2S6tNqm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/ 16-50mm and 55-210mm Power Zoom Lenses, $598 at Amazon (originally $848)</a> [You save $250]</li><li>Best smart home hub deal: <a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=2149&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-Smart-Display-8-with-Google-Assistant%2F599801301&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenovo Smart Display 8" with Google Assistant, $99 at Walmart (originally $199)</a> [You save $100]</li><li>Best smart home bundle: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DI3gvF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ring Video Doorbell 2 + Free Echo Dot (3rd Gen), $139 at Amazon (originally $248.99)</a> [You save $109.99]</li></ul><p class="tagline">Find the best holiday deals on our <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-deals-2018">Black Friday Deals</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cyber-monday-deals-2018">Cyber Monday Deals</a> page. <a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a>.<br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.<br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.</br></br></p>

The top Cyber Monday tech deals you can get a head start on now

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/black-friday-2018-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Shayanne Gal/Business <keyword id="79969" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider">Insider</keyword></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p><em>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Insider Picks</a> team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.</em></p><p><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=41098&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fjet.com%2Fproduct%2Fp%2F15619e5112114eeebb7fa41147b807bc&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Samsung</span></p><p class="caption">You can save $300 on the Samsung 75" Class 4K Ultra HD Smart LED&#xa0;TV pictured above. It costs $1,297.99 on Black Friday (originally $1,597.99).</p></div><p></p></div></div></em></a></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-deals-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Black Friday</a> has officially begun, and as always, there is a ton of great tech on sale. </li><li>We've rounded up the best tech deals in every category from smartphones, tablets, and laptops, to TVs, headphones, and speakers. Some of the deals aren't live yet, but you can see what's coming.</li><li>We'll be updating the deals all Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so stay tuned! You can also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/black-friday-2018-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">check out all our deal coverage on Insider Picks</a>.</li><li>To potentially save more on Black Friday, you can visit <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider Coupons</a> to find up-to-date promo codes for a range of online stores.</li></ul><p>Black Friday is all about the tech deals. Sure, you could snag some great <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/womens-fashion-black-friday-cyber-monday-deals-sales-2018-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clothing</a>, home goods, and travel deals, too, but we all know you want that big-screen TV.</p><p>We've rounded up the best tech deals for Black Friday and we'll continue to update them through Cyber Monday as they pour in.</p><p>We check thousands of deals from dozens of retailers, so you can rest assured that these really are the best deals and the lowest prices.</p><p>Whether you want a TV, projector, tablet, phone, speaker, or great tech accessories for less, we've got the deals here.</p><h2>To save you even more time, here are the top deals in each category that we've seen so far.</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/black-friday-2018-deals" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Shayanne Gal / BI Graphics</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Best TV deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2qXWt9q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sony 65-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV, $998 on Amazon (originally $1,398)</a> [You save $400]</li><li>Best curved TV deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2Q7dHPV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung UN65NU8500 Curved 65" 4K UHD 8 Series Smart LED TV (2018), $1,097.99 at Amazon (originally $1,799.99 )</a> [You save $702]</li><li>Best streaming stick deal: <a href="http://goto.target.com/c/196318/81938/2092?subId1=-bfischetti&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Froku-streaming-stick-black-3800r%2F-%2FA-52705898" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roku Streaming Stick, $29.99 at Target (originally $49.99)</a> [You save $20]</li><li>Best laptop deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=24542&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.microsoft.com%2Fen-us%2Fp%2Fsurface-laptop-2%2F8XQJKK3DD91B&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Surface Laptop 2, $999.99 at Microsoft (originally $1,299.99)</a> [You save $300]</li><li>Best gaming laptop deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2S4OpPx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GIGABYTE Aero 15X v8-BK4 15" Ultra Slim Gaming Laptop, $1,749 at Amazon (originally $2,299)</a> [You save $550]</li><li>Best Chromebook deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2S4OeUi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Pixelbook i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, $699 at Amazon (originally $999)</a> [You save $300]</li><li>Best smartwatch deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=3184&amp;u1=biip_112318_black-friday-deals&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2Fshop%2Ffeatured%2Fapple-watch-sale%3FranMID%3D3184%26ranEAID%3DTnL5HPStwNw%26ranSiteID%3DTnL5HPStwNw-b46yTjpUrZPp44BVWu8vLg%26LinkshareID%3DTnL5HPStwNw-b46yTjpUrZPp44BVWu8vLg%26PartnerID%3DLINKSHARE%26cm_mmc%3DLINKSHARE-_-5-_-63-_-MP563" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Apple Watch Series 3, $229-$329 at Macy's</a> [You save $50-$80]</li><li>Best fitness tracker deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2TxDn7a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fitbit Ionic GPS Smart Watch, $199.95 at Amazon (originally $269.95)</a> [You save $70]</li><li>Best smartphone deals: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DQGsdF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung Galaxy S9, $519.99 at Amazon (originally $719.99)</a> [You save $200] AND <a href="https://amzn.to/2qYWgmf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Samsung Galaxy Note 9, $799.99 at Amazon (originally $999.99)</a> [You save $200]</li><li>Best headphone deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=41098&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fjet.com%2Fproduct%2Fp%2Fad10f2119ef14660b88b5a0132c201f9&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bose SoundLink AE 2 Black</a>, $199 at Jet (originally $229)[You save $30]</li><li>Best gaming deal: <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=41098&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fjet.com%2Fproduct%2Fp%2F0d2dc8906396457a82842391a7ac4ee6&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Microsoft Xbox One X 1TB Fallout 76 Bundle</a>, $429 at Jet (originally $499) [You save $70]</li><li>Best VR headset deal: <a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=2149&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-Explorer-Bundle-Windows-Mixed-Reality-Headset-with-Controllers-Iron-Grey-G0A20002WW%2F148224247&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenovo Explorer Bundle, $179 at Walmart (originally $399.99)</a> [You save $220.99]</li><li>Best camera deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2DRu7WC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PANASONIC LUMIX GX85 Camera with 12-32mm and 45-150mm Lens Bundle, $497.99 at Amazon (originally $999.99)</a> [You save $502]</li><li>Best Sony camera deal: <a href="https://amzn.to/2S6tNqm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sony Alpha a6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera w/ 16-50mm and 55-210mm Power Zoom Lenses, $598 at Amazon (originally $848)</a> [You save $250]</li><li>Best smart home deal: <a href="http://linksynergy.walmart.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=2149&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLenovo-Smart-Display-8-with-Google-Assistant%2F599801301&amp;u1=1073551387.1500048334" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lenovo Smart Display 8" with Google Assistant, $99 at Walmart (originally $199)</a> [You save $100]</li></ul><h3>Click on a link to jump to a section: Amazon device deals  Google device deals  Apple device deals  Tech under $50  Tech under $100  Laptop and tablet deals  Gaming Deals  Printer, monitor, and PC accessory deals TV, projector, and media streamer deals  Smart home deals  Smartphone and accessory deals  Headphone deals  Fitness tracker and smartwatch deals  Camera and drone deals  Speaker and soundbar deals </h3><p class="tagline">Find the best holiday deals on our <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-deals-2018">Black Friday Deals</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cyber-monday-deals-2018">Cyber Monday Deals</a> page. <a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a>.<br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.<br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.</br></br></p>

Black Friday 2018: Business Insider's guide to the best tech deals so far

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>The first telescope to photograph a "<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carl-sagan-pale-blue-dot-earth-photos-2016-11">pale blue dot</a>" of another Earth in a distant solar system may not be funded by NASA, the European Space Agency, or some other government agency.</p><p>It might come <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/793160377/1581166215?token=359cb0d7" target="_blank">from Kickstarter</a>.</p><p>Dubbed <a href="http://www.projectblue.org/">Project Blue</a>, the effort isn't run by hucksters out to peddle <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/can-triton-device-indiegogo-pull-oxygen-water-2016-3">unrealistic technologies</a>. A consortium of professional scientists and engineers, some of whom work at NASA, is running the show as a nonprofit called <a href="http://www.missioncentaur.org/">Mission Centaur</a>.</p><p>"We're looking for a place that could support life," <a href="https://www.uml.edu/Sciences/physics/faculty/Chakrabarti-Supriya.aspx">Supriya Chakrabart</a>, an optical and space scientist at University of Massachusetts Lowell who's part of Project Blue, told Business Insider.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>They hope their <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/793160377/1581166215?token=359cb0d7" target="_blank">6-week-long panhandle on Kickstarter</a>, which starts November 15, nets them at least $1 million - enough cash to pick up the work a group of the researchers started at NASA but couldn't get more funding to support.<p>They say the money will go toward further design and research of the project.</p><p>The group ultimately expects the mission to cost between $25 and $50 million to get into orbit around Earth within the next 4 to 6 years. That pricetag includes sharing a ride on a rocket like SpaceX's Falcon 9, and it's nothing compared to the billions NASA has spent on space observatories.</p><p>Once in orbit, an epic 2-year stare-down would begin.</p><p>Chakrabart said he's confident that crowdfunding the first stage of Project Blue will work out, buying time to attract a big following - and bigger funders later on.</p><p>"After ghosts and dinosaurs, space comes a close third, in terms of people's interest," he said.</p><h2>Shooting in the dark</h2><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Project Blue's target is Alpha Centauri, a system that contains two of the closest stars to our own solar system at just 4.4 light-years away.</p><p>One of the stars, called Alpha Centauri A, is even sun-like.</p><p>However, nobody actually knows if a blue marble like Earth - a world with liquid-water oceans, a cozy atmosphere, and other conditions necessary for life - might lurk in the double-star system. Not even Hubble, the planet-hunting Kepler space telescope, or other advanced observatories could tell an astronomer.</p><p>So it's a bit of a gamble to make even a small telescope that's purpose-built to stare down one star system.</p><p>But Chakrabart and the other Mission Centaur scientists think it's a good bet. They cite the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-kepler-announcement-2016-5">most recent planet-hunting data</a> from Kepler, which pegs the odds of a rocky planet orbiting a star's "habitable zone," or close enough to create liquid water, near 85%.</p><p>"Roughly one out of every two stars has a potentially habitable planet," said Ruslan Belikov, an astrophysicist at NASA Ames Research Center, in "<a href="https://vimeo.com/174313049">The Search for Earth Proxima</a>" - a short documentary about the project. "The number of potentially habitable planets in our galaxy alone is greater than the number of people alive on Earth."</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/miniature-space-telescope-could-boost-the-hunt-for-earth-proxima-video/">Lee Billings at Scientific American</a>, Belikov and another scientist in 2014 pitched NASA a telescope similar to Project Blue, "but the agency passed over the speculative, narrowly focused project."</p><p>That's not too much of a surprise, since NASA likes its space telescopes more like Swiss Army knives and able to view multiple targets with ease. The equipment and techniques also weren't quite there at the time - hurdles that Mission Centaur no longer foresees.</p><p>"The technology required to do this is only very recent. It hasn't been ready until now," Brett Marty, the filmmaker behind the aforementioned documentary and the executive director of Mission Centaur.</p><h2>How to photograph an 'Earth Proxima'</h2><p><div><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:61%"></div></div></p><p>At roughly the size of a modest washing machine, Project Blue would be pretty dinky space telescope if built - certainly compared to the school bus-size Hubble space telescope.</p><p>But it doesn't need to be large. It's only focused on one part of the sky and needs minimal electronics (whereas Hubble needs large gyroscopes and multiple cameras to move and take aim at different objects in space).</p><p>Project Blue's ultimate task is resolving any very dim objects next to ones 1 billion to 10 billion times brighter.</p><p>"Imagine there's a marble next to a lighthouse in Cape Cod," Chakrabart said. "Ok, now try to image that marble from San Francisco. That is what we're dealing with."</p><p>He said that "three key technologies matured enough that we can tell people with a straight face that we're now actually ready to go and do this thing."</p><p>One is a miniaturized version of a coronagraph, a complex instrument that can blocks each star's blinding light and can reveal planets hiding in the glare.</p><p>"It's kind of like playing tennis and the sun is in your eyes," Marty said. "When you put your hand up to block it, you can see the ball coming. Here we're suppressing both stars at once" and catching the balls. Keeping the precision while shrinking what's normally a very large instrument wasn't easy, they said.</p><p>The next challenge was that "it's near impossible to make a perfect mirror," or at least a large one, Chakrabart said.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>The solution? A "deformable" mirror, which is a computer chip-like array of about 1,000 ultra-tiny (and very perfect) mirrors that can be programmed to move with microscopic precision thousands of times a second, helping cancel out any optical imperfections in the telescope.</p><p>The third and final technical hurdle to making Project Blue possible was image stabilization.</p><p>"A crisp image is what is needed because the planet would be so close to the star," Chakrabart said. "We have built such a system and proven it works to the level Hubble can point."</p><p>Marty said it's similar to the gyros in consumer cameras that stabilize an image - though far more exacting. "This is really the reason we're able to do this mission at such a low cost," he said.</p><p>To prove the stabilizers worked well enough to keep Project Blue gazing endlessly at Alpha Centauri, Chakrabart's team launched experimental prototypes toward the edge of space, some 60 miles up. For the few minutes they floated in the thin air before falling back to Earth, they perfectly stabilized the experimental rig.</p><p>If all goes according to plan, Project Blue will take hundreds or even thousands of pictures of the star system in three colors (including blue), merge the giant pile of images, and lift out a pale blue dot out from the noise of pixels.</p><p>"We have to take care of every single possible event that could contribute to this noise," Chakrabart said. "This is why we've decided we need at least 2 years of measurement to convince ourselves we're seeing a true, Earth-like planet."</p><h2>What if it works?</h2><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>It's important to note this isn't the closest star system we heard a lot about earlier this year, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/red-dwarf-planets-proxima-b-aliens-2016-8">a red dwarf star</a> called Proxima Centauri.</p><p>Although a dogged team of astronomers strongly believe there's a rocky, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/proxima-b-potentially-earth-like-planet-around-closest-star-2016-8">Earth-size planet called Proxima b</a> circling that star in its habitable zone, Chakrabart and Marty said it's not a great target for their ragtag operation.</p><p>At about 4 million miles away from its star, Marty said, "there's a lot of radiation. It's also a tricky target and hard to resolve, and it might not be anything like our planet."</p><p>An observatory like the behemoth <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-new-space-telescope-built-2016-11">James Webb Space Telescope</a> might be the first to study that world, though it wouldn't be a "pale blue dot" photo - more like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/proxima-b-habitable-atmosphere-jwst-2016-9">a fuzzy heat signature</a> that could indicate "this is an incinerated hell hole" or "a useful atmosphere and potentially water lurk here."</p><p>Project Blue, of course, actually intends to return images of a habitable planets, like this:</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>If it works, Russian billionaire Yuri Milner and his Breakthrough Starshot project - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/starshot-proxima-centauri-habitable-planet-2016-8">an effort to laser-propel tiny spacecraft</a> to the Alpha Centauri or Proxima Centauri systems - will have an intriguing new target.</p><p>But even if that pie-in-the-sky idea falls down and all we're left with is an image of a pale blue dot, it would be Earth-shattering.</p><p>"Finding an Earth Proxima would be a transformative event in the history of mankind," said Bill Diamond, president and CEO of th SETI Institute, in Marty's documentary. "I would love to think that is something that helps bring us together. It's a very unifying thing."</p><p>And in divisive times like these, unity is something the human race could <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carl-sagan-pale-blue-dot-earth-photos-2016-11">use a lot more of</a>.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/starshot-launching-tiny-robots-nearest-star-alpha-centauri-2016-4">How these laser-propelled robots could bring us to a star 25 trillion miles away</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="JwcmtzMjE62UOoiv4Vw4S-kom9OujD1H" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Another Earth might exist right next door - and this dinky DIY telescope may be the first to see it

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning! We're looking at a rainy day in New York. Let's look at the news.</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-wants-us-to-acquire-them-2014-8"><strong>Uber has coming out firing at arch-rival Lyft.</strong></a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> It says Lyft's investors are threatening to go "nuclear" on Uber unless Uber buys Lyft. Lyft, for its part, says this is nonsense.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/king-q2-earnings-2014-8"><strong>King, the company behind Candy Crush, reported earnings and they were not so good.</strong></a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> The stock crashed by 21% after hours. It also announced plans for a $150 million dividend.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-diversity-numbers-2014-8"><strong>Apple released its diversity numbers, and for the most part they're just like everyone else in tech - 70% male, 55% white.</strong></a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> CEO Tim Cook says he wants to improve the stats.</span></li>
<li><strong><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/08/12/facebook-sheryl-sandberg-diversity-gap/13787731/">Speaking of diversity, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO talked about the issue.</a> </span></strong></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">She said, "</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">I want half, half, half across the board. Fifty percent. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">I would like women to earn 58% of the (computer science) degrees because women earn 58% of college degrees."</span></li>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2014/08/12/new-youtube-boss-susan-wojcicki-talks-talent-music-and-ma-qa/"><strong>YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki talked to Peter Kafka at Re/code.</strong></a> She reveals that she's pregnant with her fifth child, and she talks about how she's trying to make YouTube better/more lucrative for video makers.</li>
<li><a href="http://localregister.amazon.com/"><strong>With very little fanfare, Amazon has launched a Square-like credit card swiping business.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/08/viv/"><strong>Some of the people behind Siri are building a new version of Siri, which they say will be some of the most advanced artificial intelligence. </strong></a>The goal, basically, is to make a Siri that works. They also say that Apple post-Steve Jobs was not friendly to what they were doing with Siri, and that's why they left.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/linkedins-1-billion-b2b-marketing-plan-2014-8?op=1"><strong>Leaked internal documents show how LinkedIn plans to create $1 billion in sales chasing business to business marketing.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="http://thenextweb.com/gadgets/2014/08/13/samsung-moves-beyond-plastic-galaxy-alpha-4-7-inch-smartphone-metal-chassis/"><strong>Samsung has released the Galaxy Alpha, a slightly nicer version of its flagship smartphone, that has metal edges that look like an iPhone.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sup-video-app-2014-8">There's a new app called Sup.</a> </strong>It's like Snapchat meets FaceTime. You "Sup" a friend, then if the friend accepts, their video camera is turned on and you can see what they're doing. It only lasts a few seconds. </li>
</ol>

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