The new OnePlus 3 once again proves that a great smartphone needn’t cost the earth. It’s not quite up there with the iPhones and Galaxy S7s of this world, but it’s a great all round performer and fantastic value at Dh1,599.
The 3’s form factor has come on leaps and bounds from last year’s solid but unspectacular OnePlus 2. Gone is the polycarbonate body, replaced by a curved, brushed metal back that looks and feels like a far more expensive handset, even if the rear camera lense protrudes a little too much for my liking.
It’s not quite iPhone 6S and Galaxy S7 calibre, but the 3’s design certainly gives the likes of the HTC 10 and LG G5 a run for their money.
The 3’s 5.5 inch Optic Amoled display is where one or two corners have been cut to keep the price down, although there’s little to complain about. True, the likes of the HTC 10 and the just launched, similarly priced, recently launched Alcatel Idol 4S pack a higher pixel density. But the 3’s display still does the job admirably, the deep reds and blacks of the Ghostbusters trailer rendering beautifully.
There are no such shortcuts in the camera department; the 16MP rear facing camera, while not the equal of benchmarks like the Galaxy S7 or LG G5, takes images with good colour and contrast, while the selfie camera has been upgraded to 8MP from the OnePlus 2’s 5MP.
Above all, the OnePlus 3 has the zippy, powerful feel of a premium device, thanks to its Snapdragon 820 processor and a massive 6GB of RAM. The cherry on cake is the 3’s fingerprint reader, which is every bit the equal of its more expensive peers.
Retailing for Dh1,599, the OnePlus 3 goes for just over half the price of the iPhone 6S and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. While it doesn’t quite hit the heights of those two flagships, the OnePlus 3 is outstanding value for money, given its great design and performance, and is right up there with the best mid range smartphones on the market.
q&a far from typical marketing
John Everington expands on the new OnePlus 3:
OnePlus? Remind me who that is again?
A relatively new manufacturer, having launched its first phone, the OnePlus One, in April 2014. The OnePlus 3 is the company’s fourth device, following on from the OnePlus 2 and the OnePlus X.
I don’t see their smartphones on sale in Sharaf DG and Jumbo Electronics.
OnePlus eschews the typical retail model by selling only online, either via its own website, or approved local distributors – souq.com in the case of the Middle East.
That sounds good. But I couldn’t see the OnePlus 3 on souq.com the other day.
OnePlus’s media people told me that the handset was temporarily sold out, and that new stock would be arriving soon. This could be down to the phone’s runaway popularity in the Middle East, or it could be because souq.com has only being given limited stock.
Any other details I should know?
The 3 runs Marshmallow, the latest version of Android. Its inbuilt 64GB memory is pretty generous, although that’s no doubt in part to offset the lack of an SD card slot.
Of course, if the OnePlus 3 really wants to compete with premium handsets like the iPhone, then surely it must come in rose gold …
Well, it is available in “soft” gold. So that’s close. And you never know, the OnePlus 4 might even come in pink.
jeverington@thenational.ae
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Read more about the coronavirus
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The UAE's journey to space
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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