<ul class="summary-list"><li>A former KGB agent gave disinformation about Hunter Biden to an aide for Mike Pompeo in May 2019.</li><li>The agent also presented the same disinformation to Justice Department officials in January 2019.</li></ul><p>A thumb drive handed by a foreign national to an aide traveling with then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in 2019 suggests efforts by Russia-linked actors to influence the 2020 US presidential election with Hunter Biden disinformation began earlier and were broader in scope than has previously been reported.</p><p>According to two sources with direct knowledge of the incident, a thumb drive containing poorly sourced allegations about Hunter Biden and his work for Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, was thrust into the hands of one of Pompeo's aides at the conservative <a target="_blank" href="https://www.claremont.org/events/40-annual-gala/">Claremont Institute's 40th-anniversary gala</a> in Beverly Hills on May 11, 2019. The man pushing the thumb drive was a citizen of an Eastern European country and a guest of Claremont. He was also, for a time, an FBI confidential informant with the code name "Rollie." His true name is known to Business Insider, which is identifying him only as Rollie in order to protect sources who provided information for this story.</p><p>Rollie, on the other hand, seemed unconcerned about potential exposure. At first, he denied knowing anything about Pompeo when contacted by BI. But when BI sent him a photo of him at the gala with Pompeo, he admitted he had been there. "You can publish," he wrote. "It's advertising for me."</p><div type="image" title="Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with &quot;Rollie&quot;" height="1176" width="759" msid="107926873" hostid="261"></div><p>Rollie told associates and confirmed to Business Insider he had once served in the KGB, the Soviet secret police and intelligence agency, before swearing loyalty to the country where he now resides. The thumb drive that Rollie gave Pompeo's aide contained some of the same material that Rollie had presented weeks earlier, in January 2019, in a briefing to Justice Department officials in Los Angeles.</p><p>"I'm not interested in the past," Rollie said when asked over WhatsApp about the briefing. He denied that he gave anyone a thumb drive at the Claremont Institute event.</p><p>Business Insider has obtained a copy of slides that accompanied Rollie's January 2019 presentation. They accuse Hunter Biden and his business associates of engaging in money laundering, tax evasion, and fraud. Rollie's slides offer a labyrinthine wire chart, clippings from old news articles, and a potpourri of links, including to various Ukrainian and Russian websites. President Joe Biden's first name is repeatedly misspelled as "Josef." They contain no evidence of criminal activity.</p><p>Nevertheless, according to a disclosure prepared by the FBI whistleblower Johnathan Buma, Rollie's handler, the material was taken seriously enough to be passed on to FBI agents in Delaware who were investigating Hunter Biden. Also included were some Ukrainian-language backup materials that BI hasn't reviewed. Rollie confirmed to Business Insider he had prior contact with the FBI.</p><p>The Rollie presentation sheds new light on the timeline of efforts by Russia and by operatives for Donald Trump to seed allegations about Joe Biden's relationship to Burisma with the media and government authorities. While questions about the propriety of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/09/world/europe/corruption-ukraine-joe-biden-son-hunter-biden-ties.html">Hunter Biden's lucrative Burisma work</a> in Ukraine were raised by The New York Times as early as 2015 and explored in a 2018 book by the conservative author Peter Schweizer, they didn't explode into the forefront of the political conversation until March 2019. It was during that month that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/giuliani-says-state-dept-vowed-investigate-after-he-gave-ukraine-n1061931">Rudy Giuliani gave Pompeo</a> a folder of Hunter Biden material that he obtained from Ukraine, and the right-wing investigative reporter John Solomon began publishing a series of columns about Hunter Biden and Burisma in <a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/news/483600-the-hills-review-of-john-solomons-columns-on-ukraine/">The Hill</a>. One month later, in April 2019, Hunter abandoned his laptop at a Delaware repair shop, eventually leading to a wave of revelations in October 2020 that included information about his business dealings in Ukraine.</p><p>The Hunter-Burisma material that was presented in January 2019, and again on the thumb drive given to Pompeo's aide in May 2019, appears to be the earliest known case of Burisma-related disinformation of foreign origin being ingested and apparently taken seriously by members of the US intelligence community. It also suggests a third channel of 2020 disinformation moving from East to West, one that's separate from the previously known efforts that went through Giuliani and Alexander Smirnov, another FBI informant with ties to Russia and Eastern Europe. Smirnov was indicted last week over accusations of lying to the FBI about Hunter Biden. Prosecutors have said in court filings that Smirnov has extensive ties to Russian intelligence.</p><p>It's easy to see why Hunter Biden's critics have focused on Burisma. The energy company paid Biden about $600,000 a year during a period that overlapped with his father's vice presidency. It's unclear what the company got for its money beyond the ability to brag about an indirect line into the White House. But almost five years after his departure from the board, Hunter Biden was never charged with any wrongdoing for his Burisma service. Instead, the special counsel David Weiss has charged Hunter Biden with tax evasion and lying on a form to purchase a firearm.</p><p>The revelation about Rollie's thumb drive comes shortly after Smirnov's indictment, in which he's charged with making false statements about Hunter Biden in June 2020. Like Smirnov, Rollie's materials accuse Hunter Biden of involving his father in Burisma's business and committing vast off-the-books fraud. Smirnov's claims included that Burisma officials paid a $5 million bribe to Joe Biden and were memorialized in an FBI 1023 form, which records raw reporting from confidential sources, that was circulated by the Republican senator Charles Grassley. The thumb-drive incident raises further questions about the ease with which foreign actors can obtain access to the highest levels of the US government and then pass off rubbish as legitimate intelligence.</p><p>A spokesperson for Pompeo didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. There's no evidence to suggest Pompeo or his aide did anything with the material on the thumb drive after receiving it.</p><p>A former State Department official who served under Pompeo told BI that it wasn't unusual for officials to receive random material from people they met at social events and that there was a process in place for handing such materials off to in-house experts for evaluation.</p><p>BI reached out to the Claremont Institute, which was responsible for vetting the gala guest list, on Thursday and didn't immediately receive a reply. After 2016, the Claremont Institute drifted from traditional conservative politics into more extreme territory. It granted a fellowship to the MAGA troublemaker Jack Posobiec, who has used his online platform to spread conspiracy theories, and served as an organizing hub for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/01/20/us/dei-woke-claremont-institute.html">backlash to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives</a> in higher education.</p><p>A spokesperson for the FBI declined to comment. The Justice Department and a lawyer representing Buma didn't immediately return requests for comment sent after hours.</p><p><em>With reporting by Anastasiia Carrier.</em></p>

Exclusive: Russia-linked smear campaign against Hunter Biden began earlier than previously thought

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Free text apps offer different features than the standard SMS <keyword id="12522219" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="texting" source="Orion">texting</keyword> app built into your phone.</li><li>Many third-party texting apps offer better security and privacy, extensive group chats, WiFi texting, and more.</li><li>Here are seven of the best free text apps available for both iOS and <keyword id="11896282" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="android" source="Orion">Android</keyword>. </li></ul><p>Your phone comes with a built-in texting app, but you might not always want to use it. After all, SMS texting uses your wireless plan, which might cost you money — especially when roaming internationally. There are a slew of free texting apps that can use WiFi instead or have other advantages beyond the standard texting app on your phone. Here are seven of the best options that are available for both <keyword id="11895165" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="iphone" source="Orion">iPhone</keyword> and Android. </p><h2>WhatsApp</h2><div type="image" title="whatsapp logo phone" height="1333" width="2000" msid="89488935" hostid="261"></div><p><a href="https://www.whatsapp.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WhatsApp</a> is the most popular texting app in the world with over 2 billion users, which means that if you need to text someone, there's a pretty good chance that they are already using WhatsApp on either <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/whatsapp-messenger/id310633997" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.whatsapp&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a>. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-whatsapp-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Among its many features</a>, WhatsApp supports free texting, photos, videos, file transfers, voice messaging, and video chat. It does that with full <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/end-to-end-encryption" target="_blank" rel="noopener">end-to-end encryption</a>, as well. And because you can have group chats with up to 256 participants or video calls with four people, it can accommodate plenty of communication scenarios. </p><h2>Viber</h2><p><a href="https://www.viber.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Viber</a> isn't as well known in the US, which means you might struggle to get other users to install it on their <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/viber-messenger-chats-calls/id382617920" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.viber.voip&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a> device. Even so, it's a well-rounded text messaging app that can handle the full range of communication needs. You can use it for text chats with up to 250 users at once, as well as make voice and video calls with up to 40 simultaneous participants. Viber features full end-to-end encryption for all text and calls, and you can exchange secret keys with select contacts for enhanced security. With a Viber Out subscription, you can also use the app to make calls to any landline or mobile phone number, even if that person doesn't have a Viber account.  </p><h2>Messenger</h2><div type="image" title="messenger" height="3333" width="5000" msid="89488936" hostid="261"></div><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/messenger/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Messenger</a> is Facebook's messaging service, though it's a standalone app for <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/messenger/id454638411" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.facebook.orca&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a>, and you don't even need to be a Facebook user to take advantage of it. Even so, it earns much of its popularity due to its connection to Facebook and the fact that it's convenient to message while using the social media platform. Messenger supports group texts with up to 150 users at once, and you can also send voice and video messages. And while conversations aren't encrypted by default, you can switch to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/secret-conversation-messenger" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Messenger's "secret" mode</a>, which applies end-to-end encryption to your text messages. </p><h2>Telegram</h2><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-telegram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telegram</a> is focused almost solely on texting, with less emphasis on video chats. It supports a virtually unlimited number of users — you can text up to 200,000 users at once. While <a href="https://telegram.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telegram</a> is not end-to-end encrypted out of the box, you can send secret chats that self-destruct after a set time, so there's no record of them on your  <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> or <a href="https://telegram.org/android" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a> device. You can, of course, send photos, files, and audio along with text. You can take any one-on-one chat to video, but group chats can only be upgraded to voice calls. </p><h2>Signal</h2><div type="image" title="signal app" height="3333" width="5000" msid="89488937" hostid="261"></div><p>While many texting services have, in recent years, added end-to-end encryption, <a href="https://signal.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Signal</a> had it baked into text, voice, and video conversations from the beginning. It's also operated by a nonprofit organization that has no stated interest in reselling your private data, nor does the app have any advertisements. All that adds up to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/signal-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Signal being an excellent choice for secure, private and safe texting</a>. While it's available for <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/signal-private-messenger/id874139669" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.thoughtcrime.securesms&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a>, Android users have an additional benefit: You can configure Signal to replace the phone's default messaging app as the default text app, though only conversations with other Signal users will be encrypted. </p><h2>TextNow</h2><div type="image" title="TextNow website" height="975" width="1241" msid="89488938" hostid="261"></div><p>Signing up for <a href="https://www.textnow.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TextNow</a> means you can use your phone (<a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id314716233?mt=8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> or <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.enflick.android.TextNow&amp;referrer=adjust_reftag%3Dcf0E9zEiRM6Ln%26utm_source%3DTextNow.com%2BReferral%26utm_campaign%3DFC_LANDING_PAGE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a>) even without a traditional wireless data plan — when you sign up, TextNow sends you a SIM card for your phone that gives you voice and texting over its cellular network, with your own phone number, for free. That makes TextNow a great option for a backup phone or a phone to give your kid. This doesn't give you any data, so you'll still need WiFi to use ordinary apps. But TextNow gives you the basics including texting for free, though the TextNow app will host banner ads to pay the bills.</p><h2>Text+</h2><p>Like TextNow, <a href="https://textplus.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Text+</a> can give you voice calling and texting on <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/textplus-call-text-with-sms-mms-group-chat/id314487667" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gogii.textplus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Android</a>. Unlike TextNow, which sends you a SIM card, Text+ uses your phone's WiFi, which you'll need to for Text+ to work. You get a phone number, unlimited free texting, and your outbound  voice calls cost $0.02 per minute (incoming calls are free). </p>

The 7 best free texting apps for iPhone and Android

<ul><li>The popular photo editing platform <keyword id="3098118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="canva" source="Orion">Canva</keyword> now offers a video editing suite as well.</li><li>It’s a free to use platform with access to customisable templates, free tracks, backgrounds and more.</li><li><keyword id="12298311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="canva-video" source="Orion">Canva Video</keyword> also offers a built-in recorder for Chrome.</li></ul>Canva, which recently became one of the world’s most valuable startups, has launched its own video suite. The popular online photo editing website is offering its video editing services for free on desktop and on mobile devices. It offers customisable templates as well as an extensive media library.<br /><br />Like its photo editing platform, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/traditional-workplaces-will-become-the-exception-canva-says-employees-will-only-need-to-come-to-the-office-8-times-a-year/articleshow/85791655.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Canva</a> offers a simplified platform for users to edit videos. It offers a scene-focused interface so you can break the video into different pieces. Canva plans on adding the trim tool soon, according to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/12/canva-is-getting-into-video/" data-type="tilCustomLink">TechCrunch</a>. There are different video templates available such as mobile video, YouTube ad, TikTok, Pinterest, and Facebook. You can also create a custom video template according to your preference. There’s a host of options in the media library with different backgrounds, audio tracks, and tools to add elements and text. <br /><br />The interface is quite similar to the photo editing tools that Canva offers. There’s a paid version as well that gives access to 27,000 royalty-free tracks. Canva also lets you record videos from a Chrome tab, screen or camera. Since Canva Video is multiplayer, you can edit in the same scene-based editor without having to download or reupload the video. The idea behind Canva Video was to offer a simplified service for people to easily edit videos.<br /><br />"One of Canva's guiding principles is to make complex things simple, and our new Video Suite will allow everyone to unlock the power of video, whether that's to market their business, make engaging social posts, or express their creativity," Rob Kawalsky, head of product at Canva was quoted as saying by <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/canva-launches-video-suite-as-workers-report-significant-increase-in-usage/" data-type="tilCustomLink">CNET</a>.<br /><br />Canva Video comes shortly after the company became one of the world’s most valuable startups after it raised $200 million last month. The company is also expected to reach a $1 billion annual revenue this year. <br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-may-soon-end-unlimited-backups-for-whatsapp-users/articleshow/86963282.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Google may soon end unlimited backups for WhatsApp users</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-plans-to-launch-2nm-chipsets-by-2025-could-power-its-2026-flagships/articleshow/86959127.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Samsung plans to launch 2nm chipsets by 2025, could power its 2026 flagships</a><br />

Canva launches video editing suite with customisable templates, scene-based editing and more

<ul><li>Google recently rolled out the <keyword id="11284796" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="locked-folder" source="Orion">Locked Folder</keyword> feature on Pixel devices.</li><li>You can save photos and videos in the Locked Folder to hide them from others.</li><li>On other <keyword id="746389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="android-devices" source="Orion">Android devices</keyword>, you can use the Archive feature in the Google Photos app to hide sensitive media. <br /></li></ul>Most of us have photos that are sensitive and personal that you do not wish for everyone to see. On an Android device, almost all the photos and videos that you capture or receive via messaging apps such as WhatsApp are stored on Google Photos. It is your one-stop organiser for all your photos, as you can create collages, albums, edit media and share them with your contacts.<br /><br />To protect your privacy, Google earlier this year rolled out Locked Folder to hide all your <keyword id="1502441" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sensitive-photos" source="Orion">sensitive photos</keyword> and videos at one location in Google Photos. Though this feature is currently only available on Google Pixel 3 or later devices, the company plans to launch it for all <keyword id="133254" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="android-phones" source="Orion">Android phones</keyword> and tablets at a later date. Until then, you can continue using the Archive feature to protect the sensitive media on your device on your Android devices.<br /><br /><strong>Here’s how you can use the Locked Folder and Archive feature to <keyword id="12033627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hide-your-sensitive-photos" source="Orion">hide your sensitive photos</keyword> and videos.</strong><br /><br /><strong>Before starting to move photos and videos to the Locked Folder, Google will prompt you to set it up.</strong> <br /><br /><strong>Setting up the Locked Folder</strong><br /><ul><li>On your Pixel device, open Google Photos.</li><li>Go to Library at the bottom right of the screen.</li><li>Tap on Utilities and look for Locked Folder.</li><li>Click on 'Set up Locked Folder'.</li><li>Follow the on-screen instructions to unlock your device. If your folder is empty, you’ll find "Nothing here yet."</li><li>Your device must have the screen lock set up, else you will have to set it up first and then create the Locked Folder.<br /></li></ul>You can choose to directly save your photos to the Locked Folder by following the simple steps given below- <br /><strong>How to save photos directly from the camera to Locked Folder</strong><br /><ul><li>Open the camera app on your Pixel device.</li><li>On the top right corner, tap on Photo Gallery and then Locked Folder.</li><li>You can now click a picture and it will get saved to the Locked Folder.<br /></li></ul>Every photo or video that you capture with the Locked Folder on gets automatically saved to the folder. <br /><br />You can also move your photos and videos from the Google Photos app and hide them in the Locked Folder. It is important to note that the Cloud backup of these media will be deleted once they are hidden in the Locked Folder. <br /><br /><strong>How to move photos and videos to Locked Folder<br /></strong><ul><li>Select the photos and videos you want to hide.</li><li>Click on More, the three dots icon, at the top right.</li><li>Tap Move to hide the media away.<br /></li></ul>If you wish to move photos and videos from the Trash to the Locked Folder, you will need to first restore them and then follow the steps given above. The Locked Folder will be accessible only with people you have shared your screen lock with. The folder is only available on your device and the media saved here are deleted from the cloud.<br /><br />If you have any other Android device, you can archive images and videos in the Google Photos app to hide them.<br /><br /><strong>How to move images and videos to the Archive folder<br /></strong><ul><li>Open the Google Photos app.</li><li>Select a photo you wish to hide.</li><li>Tap More, the three-dot icon.</li><li>Select the Move to Archive option.<br /></li></ul>To find any photos that you’ve archived from your Photos view, in the Google Photos app, at the bottom, tap on Library and then Archive.<br /><br />If you wish to unarchive any image or video, you can select them in the Archive folder and tap on the three-dot icon at the top right. Select Unarchive to restore the media to the main Photos folder.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/how-to-deactivate-your-facebook-account-on-an-iphone/articleshow/85914683.cms">How to deactivate your Facebook account on an iPhone</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/how-to-turn-on-dark-mode-in-google-maps-on-your-iphone-or-android/articleshow/85914680.cms">How to turn on dark mode in Google Maps on your iPhone or Android</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/8-ways-to-fix-a-chromebook-that-wont-turn-on/articleshow/85912395.cms">8 ways to fix a Chromebook that won't turn on</a><br />

Here’s how to hide your sensitive photos and videos on Android phones and tablets

<ul><li><strong><keyword id="11267520" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord-ce-5g">OnePlus Nord CE 5G</keyword> is the company’s affordable smartphone for those who aspire to own a <keyword id="2210217" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus">OnePlus</keyword> under a budget.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>The smartphone features Snapdragon 750G chipset, the latest to be seen on mid-range phones.<br /></strong></li><li><strong>The Nord CE 5G starts at ₹22,999.</strong></li></ul>OnePlus <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-nord-ce-5g-tv-u1s-launched-in-india-price-specification-and-availability/articleshow/83403406.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Nord CE 5G</a> has arrived in India and is the cheapest phone from the company on sale right now. It is the follow up of the very popular original Nord, which was touted as an affordable entry point for those who aspire to own a OnePlus phone. CE stands for Core Edition, meaning it strives to offer the same experience at an even lower price with some additional upgrades. <br /><br />The Nord CE uses the Snapdragon 750G chip and comes in 6GB+128GB, 8GB+128GB and 12GB+256GB priced at ₹ 22,999, ₹ 24,999 and ₹ 27,999 respectively. OnePlus sent us the 12GB RAM and 256GB variants for review. Although it's the top-end variant out of the three, it should give a fair idea of how the other two would perform. I've been using the Nord CE for around five days and it's been a very OnePlus-like experience that we're used to. <br /><br />Read on to know more.<br /><br />    <div type="image" title="Nord in hand." msid="83509621" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;OnePlus Nord CE is good for single handed usage.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong>How is it to use the <keyword id="9374259" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="oneplus-nord">OnePlus Nord</keyword> CE?<br /></strong><br />The best thing about all the recent OnePlus phones has been their no-nonsense approach while doing the basics right. Physically, the Nord CE looks quite similar to the previous Nord. The company says it's the slimmest OnePlus phone after the 6T at 7.9mm thickness. A smaller 6.43-inch screen, button and fingerprint sensor placement make it good for single-handed usage, especially when most phones have a minimum 6.5-inch screen nowadays.<br /><br />The flat screen is one of the key highlights as it features a 1080p AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh. The phone is also HDR certified, which makes streaming HDR content on Netflix, YouTube more enjoyable. Combined with OnePlus' OxygenOS (based on Android 11) optimisation, the experience is as fluid as we're used to on more expensive phones from the company. For me, this is a major reason to consider the new Nord.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Nord Display." msid="83509760" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The 90Hz dislpay on the Nord CE is one of the major highlights of the phone.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />I switched to the Nord CE from OnePlus 9R (12GB RAM), which is a transition from a new ₹44,000 to a new ₹28,000 phone running the same OS on different hardware. What's good is that the user experience for general tasks like texting, social media, and navigating apps is almost identical. <br /><br />The performance of the new Nord is quite similar to the original. The Snapdragon 750G chipset with 8/12GB RAM should suffice to run all the popular apps and games. I am an aggressive user and in my five days of use, I could not discern the switch between the 9R with Snapdragon 870 and the Nord CE with a slightly inferior chipset. The benchmark scores of the two phones will obviously differ, which essentially tells you the maximum load that phone can bear when you push it to its limits. So if you are buying the 8GB variant, you should be able to multitask without any hassle and play demanding games like Call of Duty: Mobile, but with a slightly slower opening, closing and switching time.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Nord ports." msid="83509842" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Nord CE brings back the 3.5mm headphone jack.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />Apart from these highlights, what's great about the Nord CE is the snappy fingerprint sensor, the return of the headphone jack, and the 4500mAh battery with 30W fast charge support.<br /><br /><strong>What could've been better?<br /></strong><br />The design and build of the OnePlus Nord are not as exciting. It features the same old boring design that's seen on its predecessor and plenty of other phones. A smooth polycarbonate back with curved sides and three cameras stacked horizontally on the top left corner. Neither the design nor the material makes it stand out from the sea of phones out there.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Nord sides." msid="83509884" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There&amp;#39;s a gradient shade of deep purple around the curve of the Nord CE blue variant.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />The company has also excluded the signature OnePlus alert slider from the side, which is an underrated, but very useful addition on OnePlus phones. The Nord CE seems like the poor cousin of the OnePlus family of phones that couldn't afford to look rich.<br /><br /><strong>Camera performance<br /></strong><br />The Nord CE has three cameras on the back and one on the front. The rear has a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera with a 119-degree field of view, and a 2MP monochrome camera. On the front, it has a 16MP cam. <br /><br />In terms of performance, give the Nord CE enough light and it will give you surprising results, but in challenging conditions, it struggles. The primary camera gives the best results in daylight, with ample details and vibrant colours. The camera software enhances skin tones and colours moderately to make them ready to post on social media. The same goes for the ultra-wide camera but with a lower quality.<br /><br /><em>Discalimer: The camera samples have been resized.</em><br /><br />    <div type="image" title="IMG_20210613_170339." height="900" width="1200" msid="83510397" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The Nord CE captures ample details in good light.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />  <div type="image" title="IMG_20210614_113203_Bokeh." height="900" width="1200" msid="83510452" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;It captures good portraits in day light.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />In low-light though, the results are just average. It uses software tricks to get a brighter, more detailed night shot using the Nightscape feature, but most of my photos looked grainy, though, with more details and exposure. The darker it gets, the more time it takes to get the night shot, which means you need a steady pair of hands to get a good shot.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="IMG_20210613_204320." height="900" width="1200" msid="83510489" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Low-light without nighstcape.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br />    <div type="image" title="IMG_20210613_210215." height="900" width="1200" msid="83510517" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;OnePlus Nord CE camera in artificial light.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <br /><br />Like the rear camera, the front camera is also impressive in well-lit conditions. It uses the software to brighten the skin tones, but it looks good since it's very subtle and balanced. <br /><br />You can also record up to 4K video at 30fps from the primary camera and 1080p 60fps from the front. Videos look stable, but it struggles when it comes to autofocus in dim light. Not just autofocus, but the overall video quality also takes a hit in low light.<br /><br /><strong>Battery life</strong><br /><br />The OnePlus Nord CE has a 4500mAh battery that can last a full day with a single charge unless you're an aggressive user like me. For me, the Nord CE lasts for at least seven to eight hours on a single charge. My usage includes WhatsApp, Slack, calls, YouTube, long scrolls on Instagram and Twitter and playing Call of Duty: Mobile. Interestingly, it gave me a longer backup than the OnePlus 9R with the same usage. <br /><br />OnePlus bundles a 30W fast charger in the box, which takes about 60 minutes to fully charge the device.<br /><br />  <div type="image" title="Nord display 2." msid="83510001" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;OnePlus Nord CE has a good battery life.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div><br /><strong>Should you buy it?<br /></strong><br />If you're in the market for a clean and fluid Android experience with a promise of timely OS updates, the Nord CE is a good pick. Neither the design is very exciting nor there's anything else that makes it stand out from the pool of options. But as I said in the beginning, it's a good pick for those who ask for reliability in terms of performance, battery, software and camera. At ₹22,999, the 8GB variant of the Nord CE makes it as good as its predecessor, unless you're a fan of waterproofing, amazing cameras or a fancy design.<br /><br />SEE ALSO:<br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/oneplus-watch-review-seems-like-a-rush-job-to-join-the-race/articleshow/82052880.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">OnePlus Watch Review: Seems like a rush job to join the race</a><br /><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/moto-g60-mobile-detailed-review-of-camera-design-quality-software-and-price/articleshow/83366540.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Moto G60 review – 108MP snapper sounds impressive, but numbers don’t always paint a detailed picture</a><br />

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