In 58 posts with close to 100k words, we shared a lot in 2024! Explore 2024’s biggest geopolitical shifts, cultural battles, and bold insights with Drishtikone’s year in review. See you in 2025! Happy New Year! Be safe!
When you see Russia get into existential war over Ukraine, or Israel bomb Syria or India battle with Pakistan or Bangladesh, it is not because of some whim. It has a historical and geographical context. That is critical to understand for analyzing geopolitics.
Dive into the shadowy world of the Deep State—its hidden structures, powerful networks, and the far-reaching impact on global events and control.
I have always been an Android guy, with my world revolving around Google. Therefore quite obviously a launch of a new breakthrough phone makes me ecstatic. Came across the next one from ASUS – Zenfone 2. It has too many things going for it to be my next phone after its launch. Let me share some of them.
1. Super Price: It has been set to launch at a price of $199. For the features it has, that price is a steal in every way!
2. Latest software: ASUS Zenfone 2 comes with Android 5.0 Lollipop and the latest version of its Zen UI custom overlay – which has some very useful features like ZenMotion, SnapView, Trend Micro™ Security and ZenUI Instant Updates for more user engagement. Therefore, ASUS’s own proprietary technology has been married with the standard Android Lollipop.
3. Top Hardware Options: Along with the latest software, Zenfone 2 comes with some eye-popping hardware options. A 5.5-inch display at Full HD resolution (love the large screen phones btw!) – all with (1080×1920-pixel) IPS display and an amazing pixel density of 403ppi! Also has the latest 64-bit CPU and a whopping 4GB RAM!! It is being marketed as the World’s First 4GB phone!
Under the hood, the Zenfone 2 packs a solid top-of-the-line quad-core Intel Atom Z3580 processor (see above – image source) clocked at 2.3GHz, 32GB of storage plus a microSD card slot for up to 64GB of additional space! This Intel® Atom™ Super Quad Core 22nm processor is said to make it both power efficient and help increase its performance with rendering heavy websites.
The PowerVR-G6430 graphics-processing unit (GPU) used in Zenfone 2 is the same that is used for iPhone 5S. And this is probably the best GPU out there! (Image courtesy Anandtech)
Touchscreen response times are a major factor in how the phone works. Most of the Android and Windows phones have had miserable response times. Traditionally, because of their technology, iPhones have been the kings in this area. For the first time, we have an Android phone which gives a close and strong fight to the iPhone in this area! The Zenfone 2 has a touchscreen response time of 60 ms!! Now, that is close to iPhone 5! (Source)
4. Design: The design of Zenfone 2 from ASUS has some interesting features. The volume buttons have been moved to the rear just below the primary camera lens. The power button is at the top right next to the 3.5mm audio jack (See below: courtesy AndroidCentral). It is remarkably thin for the powerful features it packs in it – 3.9 mm.
5. Camera: These days a smartphone is as much of a camera as it is a phone, so the camera and lens features are extremely critical in evaluating any new phone. Zenfone 2 comes with a 13MP camera which has some amazing top-of-the-line features like zero-lag shutter response, low-light shooting and HDR! It also comes with a front-facing 5 MP camera which is pretty good for the selfie conscious user.
ASUS Zenfone 2 Best of iPhone 5s and Android features for below Rs 20k! @AsusIndia #CantWait4Zenfone2 Click To Tweet
The phone’s 13 MP PixelMaster camera has a f/2.0-aperture lens which uses its low light shooting pixel-merging technology to get some awesome pictures at night – brighter than from the normal phones.
VerdictThe writer believes that Zenfone 2 packs some top-of-the-line features from the Android world (leveraging ASUS’s own Zen UI with Lollipop) and hardware performance matching the hallo-ed iPhone 5S world with one heck of a low price! Based on its Taiwanese price, the 64 GB Storage + 4GB RAM will sell for Rs 19,900, where as the 3 GB Storage + 4 GB RAM will go for Rs 18,000! Now, that is one heck of a deal out there. It is set to launch in India on April 23rd. I am so ready for it! Bring it on baby!!
For those who would like a closer look visually, here is a video review by Danny Winget.
#CantWait4Zenfone2
America's Justice Department and SEC have targeted India's Adani Group with a bribery case. Using Nationalistic sentiment doesn't help. Yes, law has been weaponized and India's sovereignty compromised but not how they think. A definitive guide to understanding the case.
Canadian Intelligence and political establishment have played Jekyll and Hyde games while using Khalistanis against India. The stories of omission and strategic misses are so spectacular that only collaboration can explain them.
At the very least $20 Trillion are at stake in the intersection of AI and Crypto. How are these two technologies headed and who is working to control these? This is a very deep analysis of the convergence.
Geostrategic engagements of Indian PM Modi and his cabinet suggest that India's actions are striking at the very root of the Deep State. That is why everyone from George Soros to his plant Donald Lu are busy planning. A deeper look.
Every Sunday AM (US Time)/ PM (India time), we send out a weekly detailed newsletter. We also share other insightful notes during the week. Its free. Do sign up and share with friends!
