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Indian Express
05-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
5 hidden Google Pay features you probably didn't know about
Google Pay, commonly known as GPay, is one of the most popular digital payment platforms in India. It offers a simple, fast, and secure way to send and receive money, pay bills, recharge mobile services, and more using UPI. While many users are familiar with the basic features, Google Pay also includes several lesser-known functionalities that can enhance your money-sending or receiving experience. Here are five hidden Google Pay tips and tricks worth trying: You don't need a separate app to split bills Google Pay has a built-in feature to split bills with friends and family. You can create a group, add people, and the app keeps track of who has paid and who hasn't—making it easier to track the money you spent on your last trip. I used it for a dinner outing recently, and it made life a lot easier. Tap on New Payment & gt; New Group, add everyone involved and enter the amount to split. Google Pay is available on both Android and iOS platforms (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/Indian Express) Scratch the cards for rewards Not every payment on Google Pay gives you a reward, but some transactions unlock unique scratch cards—especially when you make a utility payment such as a phone recharge or electricity bill. These scratch cards often offer cashback or product discount coupons from partner brands. Check the Rewards section to find all of your scratch cards, including the special ones. Autopay for your favourite subscriptions Hate remembering payment dates for your favourite subscriptions? You can simply pay and subscribe via Google Pay, without the hassle of remembering renewal dates. It supports all the major apps like JioCinema, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube Premium, Google One Cloud, and more. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner and select the Autopay option to manage all your subscriptions. Check bank balance without logging into net banking You can check your linked bank account balance directly from Google Pay without logging into your banking app or website. It's a small feature, but surprisingly useful when you just want to confirm funds before making a payment. Tap on your bank account from the Payment Methods section, then select View Account Balance. Enter your UPI PIN, and you'll get the balance instantly. Add a note to your transaction You can add custom notes or labels to your payments to keep track of why you made a transaction—useful for budgeting, taxes, or business reimbursements. This helps you remember all your payments and their reasons. Just enter a custom text before sending the money, which could be as simple as an emoji.
Indian Express
04-05-2025
- Indian Express
5 budget phones from OnePlus, OPPO, realme, iQOO, and vivo under Rs 20,000, with long battery life
Battery life is one of the most critical pillars of the smartphone experience, often determining how reliable a device is. For communication, navigation, payments, work, entertainment, and social media, smartphones have become central to our digital lives, and the need for a dependable battery has never been greater. A phone with a large battery ensures all-day usage without the anxiety of running out of charge during critical situations. On the other hand, fast charging offers the convenience of quickly topping up the battery when it runs low. Ideally, a smartphone that combines both a big battery and fast charging strikes the perfect balance between endurance and efficiency. Here are five such smartphones worth considering in May 2025, all priced well within Rs 20,000, that pack big batteries, fast charging, or both to deliver excellent battery life. iQOO Z10 Rs 19,999 (Post Rs 2,000 bank discount) One of the best phones under Rs 20,000. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) The highlight of the iQOO Z10 (review) is its 7300mAh battery, one of the largest available in this price bracket. Whether you're gaming, streaming, navigating, or attending back-to-back video calls, the Z10 is built to last well over a full day on a single charge. Complementing the big battery is 90W fast charging, which powers the phone to 100 per cent in just over an hour. The combination of a large battery and fast charging ensures that the iQOO Z10 can easily last for over two days on a single charge. OPPO K13 Rs 17,999 OPPO K13. (Express Photo) At the heart of the OPPO K13 5G is its 7,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. This substantial capacity, although not as large as the iQOO Z10's, ensures users can enjoy extended periods of usage, whether it's for gaming, streaming, or navigation. Complementing this is the 80W SuperVOOC fast charging technology, which can charge the device to 62 per cent in just 30 minutes and achieve a full charge in under an hour. It's an easy pick for anyone looking for a smartphone with great battery life and a seamless software experience. Realme P3 Rs 15,999 realme P3. (Express Photo) At the core of the Realme P3 5G is a massive 6,000mAh battery with support for 45W fast charging. According to Realme, the P3 offers up to 17.5 hours of YouTube streaming, 8.5 hours of gaming, and a massive 91.5 hours of Spotify playback per charge. It also offers segment-first features like an IP69/68 water and dust resistance rating, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 chip for smooth performance, and a fast 120Hz refresh rate display. Vivo T4x Rs 13,999 vivo T4x. (Express Photo) Equipped with a 6,500mAh battery, the Vivo T4x 5G offers extended usage, catering to heavy users who engage in gaming, streaming, and multitasking. The device supports 44W FlashCharge, enabling rapid charging to minimise downtime. Combined with the power-efficient Dimensity 7300 chipset, the Vivo T4x can easily last all day and more, even for heavy users. Easily one of the longest-lasting smartphones under the Rs 15,000 price mark. OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite Rs 17,998 Nord CE4 Lite stands out with its Mega Blue shade. (Image: Bijin Jose/ The Indian Express) Although the Nord CE4 Lite (review) doesn't pack the biggest battery in the segment, its 5,500mAh battery delivers exemplary battery life, and when combined with 80W fast charging support, rest assured, the phone can last all day, even for heavy users. On top of that, the device also offers the latest OxygenOS 15 with an excellent set of AI features, making it a good smartphone beyond its impressive battery life. It also comes in multiple shades, including the ultra-orange variant.
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- Indian Express
vivo V50e review: A reliable mid-range smartphone
Vivo's V series of smartphones has always done a commendable job of delivering a superior camera experience to the masses, including the recently introduced vivo V50 (review), one of the most affordable phones with a Zeiss-tuned camera. Now, the company has introduced yet another camera-centric mid-range smartphone — the Vivo V50e, which looks exactly like the Vivo V50 minus the Zeiss branding and comes with a more affordable price tag. Positioned well under the Rs 30,000 price bracket, the Vivo V50e is an enticing product in itself. But how does it fare against the competition? Check out my comprehensive review of the Vivo V50e to find out. A phone with an identity The Vivo V50e looks a lot like the Vivo V50, which is a good thing. The phone has a distinctive look, featuring a circular camera island and a ring light, which initially reminded me of old-school smartphones with a rear-facing fingerprint sensor. In terms of build quality, it is slightly ahead of the competition and offers an IP68/69 water and dust resistance rating. The phone looks and feels very premium. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) The pearl white variant of the Vivo V50e, the variant I've been testing, looks class apart, and the matte finish ensures that the plastic back panel does not attract fingerprints. If you're someone prone to water-damaging your phone, the Vivo V50e might save you from expensive repairs. However, in case of water damage, the brand won't honour the standard warranty, meaning the repair will be out of pocket. The display is a treat to watch The Vivo V50e has one of the best screens on a phone priced under Rs 30,000. The 6.77-inch FHD+ OLED panel is bright, vivid, and fast, thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate. While the positioning of the fingerprint sensor could have been better, it's a common issue with most phones using optical in-display fingerprint sensors. The quad-curved panel on the Vivo V50e reminds me of my expensive OnePlus 13, which strikes a nice balance between curved and flat displays. However, it's quite difficult to find non-UV tempered glass for this phone. Delivers stunning visuals and is best suited for content consumption. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/ The Indian Express) Although the Vivo V50e isn't the best gaming phone in its class, it can handle casual titles, even games like PUBG at medium graphic settings, for a smooth experience. When it comes to content consumption, the screen shines. Watching HDR content on YouTube has been my favourite thing to do on the V50e. Acceptable pair of cameras I had high hopes for the Vivo V50e's photography capabilities, and the device did deliver, especially the 50MP primary camera. Even the samples from the low-resolution 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera were commendable. The phone takes a couple of seconds in post-processing, and the end results are just stunning. Under both good and low-light conditions, the V50e captures photos that are sharp, contrasty, and detailed. However, the final result may look quite different from what you see on the screen, but in a good way. Here are some camera samples straight from the Vivo V50e camera: vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) vivo V50e camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) A good performer, but not the best The Vivo V50e is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, paired with 8GB RAM and 128/256GB of internal storage. It runs on the latest Android 15-based FunTouch OS 15 and delivers a stable user experience, including some AI features like an AI eraser. In day-to-day use, the V50e is more than capable of handling social media, video streaming, and light gaming. The phone feels fast and snappy. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) If you're already using a Vivo or iQOO smartphone, you'll feel right at home. However, if you're coming from a different brand, there might be a slight learning curve. Also, you'll need to remove quite a bit of pre-installed bloatware. For gamer-first users, though, it's better to opt for a phone with a more powerful chipset. More than all-day battery life The 5,600mAh battery powering the Vivo V50e can easily last more than a day for most users. Heavy users might need to recharge by the end of the day, but the 90W fast charging support ensures that isn't a problem. The charger is included in the box. The device can easily offer over six hours of screen-on time, and battery life is definitely one of the strongest suits of the Vivo V50e. Large battery and fast charging compliment each other. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) An interesting offering Most mid-range phones try to focus on one primary aspect and fail to deliver a holistic experience. The Vivo V50e, however, is a well-balanced smartphone that caters to a wide range of users, although it doesn't have any unique selling points. For anyone considering a new phone under Rs 30,000, the Vivo V50e is clearly a solid choice. That said, there are also strong alternatives like the OnePlus Nord 4 (review), iQOO Neo 10R (review), Poco X7 Pro, and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro (review), which shine in areas like performance and camera. vivo V50e review Pros Cons Nice, unique design Not the fastest for gaming Very water/dust resistant (IP68/69) OS takes getting used to, has bloatware Matte back resists fingerprints No single killer feature Great 120Hz OLED screen Hard to find screen protectors Good for watching videos Camera preview isn't always accurate Good main and wide cameras No Zeiss camera branding Takes good, detailed photos Warranty doesn't cover water damage Smooth for everyday use Lots of good alternatives exist Has helpful AI features Long battery life (& gt;1 day) Charges very quickly (90W) Charger included Good value, balanced phone
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Indian Express
iQOO Z10 review: An all-day phone that won't quit
I have tested numerous smartphones, primarily mid-range and entry-level devices, in the span of my career as a tech journalist. One thing that I always hoped would be better on most of these devices is battery life. In fact, only a handful have actually delivered all-day battery life. It looks like the iQOO Z10 might be one of those rare exceptions, thanks to its massive 7,300 mAh battery. I have been testing the iQOO Z10 for over two weeks, and here is my take on it: A smart-looking phone Although the iQOO Z10 isn't the most original-looking device, I quite like its design, especially the white variant. From the symmetrically placed large circular camera island to the matte-finished back panel with a subtle logo, the iQOO Z10 looks a class apart—especially considering it costs less than Rs 20,000. The iQOO Z10 is a premium and unique-looking phone. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) Despite packing a large 7,300 mAh battery, the phone looks like any other smartphone. It even weighs just 199 grams, making it light and easy to carry around. The quad-curved display adds a premium touch, and although the use of plastic for both the back panel and the frame reminds you that it is a mid-range device, it's definitely among the better-looking ones. Compared to its predecessor— the iQOO Z9 (review) —the Z10 looks a lot more sophisticated. A good display for video streaming and gaming The iQOO Z10 features a 6.77-inch quad-curved display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The panel offers FHD+ resolution and has minimal bezels on all sides. The in-display optical fingerprint sensor is fast and accurate, and the phone even comes with a pre-installed screen protector. The display is fast, sharp, and vivid. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/ The Indian Express) With a high screen-to-body ratio, the Z10 not only looks premium but also delivers an excellent experience for content consumption and gaming. I thoroughly enjoyed playing titles like Asphalt Legends and Candy Crush Saga on this Snapdragon 7s Gen 3-powered smartphone. While it's not the most capable gaming phone in this segment, it handles multitasking and moderate gaming effortlessly. Decent camera with room for improvements The 50 MP main camera does all the heavy lifting. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) The iQOO Z10 appears to have a multi-camera setup, but it actually includes a 50 MP main sensor and a 2 MP bokeh camera. On the front, it features a 32 MP selfie camera. While the main camera performs well in daylight, it struggles in low-light conditions. That said, users upgrading from an entry-level smartphone will likely appreciate the camera's performance. Here are some camera samples straight from the iQOO Z10: iQOO Z10 camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) iQOO Z10 camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) iQOO Z10 camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) iQOO Z10 camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) iQOO Z10 camera sample. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) Android 15-based custom OS The iQOO Z10 runs on Android 15-based FunTouchOS 15. While the phone comes with a fair amount of bloatware, most of it can be uninstalled. The OS is fast and stable but lacks the polish seen on Samsung and OPPO / OnePlus devices. The notification and quick settings panel, in particular, feels a bit dated. iQOO Z10 ships with Android 15 and will receive two major OS upgrades. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) Still, FunTouchOS 15 is fun to use and doesn't cause any major usability issues. iQOO has promised two major OS upgrades and three years of security updates for the Z10. A battery champ If there's one compelling reason to choose the iQOO Z10 over its competitors, it's battery life. With a massive 7,300 mAh battery and 90W fast charging support, it not only lasts longer but also charges quickly. The phone takes slightly over an hour to fully charge, and it reaches 50 per cent in just over 30 minutes. 7,300 battery can easily offer over two days' worth of battery life. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) You can even use the iQOO Z10 to charge other devices, including smartphones. On heavy usage days, the phone consistently delivers over 10 hours of screen-on time. With moderate use—which included gaming, social media, video streaming, and web browsing—it lasted over two days on a single charge. This is the only smartphone I've tested that has consistently delivered more than two days of battery life. Easy choice under Rs 20,000 If you're in the market for a smartphone around Rs 20,000, the iQOO Z10 is definitely worth considering. While it lacks dedicated ultra-wide and telephoto lenses, it checks almost every other box. Its incredible battery life more than makes up for the compromises. One of the best phones under Rs 20,000. (Image credit: Vivek Umashankar/The Indian Express) This phone is perfect for those who need excellent battery endurance and a well-rounded user experience—without burning a hole in their pocket. iQOO Z10 review Pros Cons Excellent battery life (7,300 mAh) Decent camera with struggles in low light Fast charging (90W) Noticeable bloatware (most uninstallable) Modern and appealing design Custom OS (FunTouchOS 15) lacks some polish Lightweight for its battery size (199g) No dedicated ultra-wide or telephoto lenses Smooth 120Hz FHD+ quad-curved display Good for video streaming and moderate gaming Fast and accurate in-display fingerprint sensor Promises two major OS upgrades and three years of security updates Can be used to charge other devices Competitive price (under Rs 20,000)
