In a world of disappearing headphone jacks, the LG’s V30+ is the saviour device for audiophiles who want the very best audio experience a flagship can provide. The Korean manufacturer has gone overboard on specs in the latest iteration of its premium V series, most notably on its inclusion of a Quad DAC sound system that audibly sets it apart from the competition.
With Apple Music, Anghami and Spotify being among the most downloaded apps in the Arabian Gulf region, having the option to squeeze out a flush listening experience separates this phone from other flagships.
Using wired headphones, listeners experience auditory depth in all musical genres – there was plenty of clarity in The Foo Fighter’s latest riff-heavy album, Concrete and Gold, while driving a trunk-rattling bass on hip-hop tracks.
Away from its audio performance, the V30+ is a delight to hold, with a Gorilla Glass 5 back that resists scratches and drops, and a flat screen beneath a pane of glass that curves just slightly into the frame. It’s available in “Aurora” black or “Cloud” silver.
LG has dropped its interesting-in-theory but largely pointless dual screen set-up of the V20, instead opting for a 6-inch Oled screen, a first for the manufacturer. For those who still find curved screens gimmicky (including me) the V30+ provides an alternative that not only has a flat screen, but a more reasonable 18:9 aspect ratio, compared with the Samsung S8’s 18.5:9 or iPhone X’s awkward 19:5.9.
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Read more:
Sony's WF-1000X headphones are great for noise-cancelling
Apple endorses wireless charging, but are you ready to cut the cord?
Huawei's Mate 10 closing the gap with Apple and Samsung
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As with other LG smartphones, the fingerprint scanner, in the middle of the phone’s back, is snappy and doubles up as the phone’s main button. Some users may find it a bit unwieldy at first; I got used to it, although the button placement is a liability for clumsy users like myself, and isn’t helpful for unlocking the phone when resting on a surface. The placement is better though than the Galaxy S8’s sensor though, with no danger of smudging the phone’s impressive dual camera lenses.
LG wants you to believe that its phone camera technology is capable of taking studio quality images and video, which is stretching it a bit. Nevertheless, taking images and videos with the V30+, as with its predecessors, is an overwhelmingly positive experience, and really shines in low-light situations where the f/1.6 aperture of the main 16MP lens reduces noise and keeps lines crisp. The wide-angle 13MP lens is great for nature shots, or just for getting the most out of a scene.
Battery-wise, the V30+ comes with a 3,300mAh battery that’s bigger (on paper at least) than the Galaxy S8 or iPhone X. As a heavy-user, I experienced a full day’s use without any need to recharge the phones 3,300MAH battery.
All of the above means that the V30+ ticks plenty of boxes that hard-core consumers will look for in a flagship device. But it falls short in two key areas.
First up, LG needs to drop its heavy-handed Android skin. As a Nexus and Pixel user, nothing runs as smoothly and sensibly as the stock Android experience. While it’s understood that companies like LG and others (yes, Samsung, we’re looking at you) need to push their own software, the further companies get from the original OS, the worse the performance.
And secondly, the LG V30+ is overpriced. At an MSRP of Dh3,099 LG is still trying to position itself right up there with the very best (and most expensive) smartphones on the market from Samsung and Apple. But the reality is that LG just doesn’t enjoy the loyal customer-base of their Korean rivals or the fanatical devotion of Apple-users, meaning that the V30+ may struggle to find traction in a competitive market.
That would be a shame though, as the LG V30+ is a solid piece of hardware, and deserves to carve up a dedicated user-base as a specialist phone for its superb audio performance. For non-audio buffs that are looking for a great screen and impressive cameras, its hard to go wrong with this phone.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The years Ramadan fell in May
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
More on animal trafficking
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
