Realme 2 Pro, Realme 2 and Realme C1 start receiving the ColorOS update with March Android security patch

Mobiles
News

Aman Singh

-

Mar 30, 2019

Realme 2 Pro, Realme 2 and Realme C1 start receiving the ColorOS update with March Android security patch

Chinese smartphone brand Realme has started rolling out the new ColorOS updates for its three of its smartphones. The devices that will receive the new update are — Realme 2 Pro, Realme 2, and Realme C1. The new ColorOS update brings the March Android security patch along with tweaks and improvements over the previous version of ColorOS. The update for all the devices is currently live in India and Indonesia and the users of the devices mentioned above will receive an over-the-air (OTA) update in the coming days.

Although the users will receive the updates automatically, if you don’t want to wait for it, you would be happy to know that the company has also made the update files available on its website. You can download the update files from the website to manually install it.

The new ColorOS update for Realme smartphones was announced on company’s website. And according to the company, the Realme 2 Pro update carries the software build number RMX1801EX_11.A.17_0170_201903151409 and it includes just the March Android security patch for the handset. However, the company has confirmed that the new ColorOS update will soon bring various new features to the devices.

Furthermore, the Realme 2 update carries the software build number RMX1805EX_11.A.25_0250_201903192122 and it too includes the March Android security patch for the device. But along with that the update also brings Expert mode and fingerprint shooting mode for the camera app of the smartphone. The Expert mode allows the user to manually tweak all the settings of the camera when clicking a picture. And the fingerprint shooting mode allows the user to tap on the fingerprint sensor to take a picture when the camera app is open

Lastly, the Realme C1’s update holds the same software build number as the Realme 2, which is RMX1805EX_11.A.25_0250_201903192122. The Realme C1 update also brings the March Android security patch along with the same new features as the Realme 2. But there is no inclusion of the fingerprint shooting mode on the Realme C1.

Other than the above-mentioned smartphones, Realme U1 has already received its March security patch update. And with the inclusion of the Realme 2 Pro, Realme 2 and the Realme C1, the only devices which haven’t received the new ColorOS update till now are the Realme 1 and the Realme 3.

To recall, the Realme was once a sub-brand of Oppo which later became independent. Since the beginning, the smartphone brand has been appreciated for launching handsets with powerful specifications in the budget segment.

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Top 10 gaming smartphones that you can buy right now

Gadget Bridge Bureau

-

Mar 30, 2019

0

Top 10 gaming smartphones that you can buy right now

Gaming is addictive. One can spend hours playing games on their smartphone, provided they have the right device. If you are a gamer who isn’t able to enjoy his gameplay because your smartphone is not updated with the latest trends, you can pick one among these handsets so that your gaming sessions remain uninterrupted:

In This Article

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Samsung Galaxy S10+ had to be on top of our list. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor – Snapdragon 855 SoC. Along with the most powerful chipset in the world, Samsung Galaxy S10+ comes with a massive 12GB RAM. With this combination, there isn’t a game that wouldn’t run smoothly on the Samsung Galaxy S10+ smartphone.

Asus ROG Phone

Asus ROG Phone is the company’s smartphone that is aimed at gamers specifically. The smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with the company’s ROG Gaming UI. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with Adreno 630 GPU that has been optimized for gaming. It also has 8GB of RAM. There are a number of gaming-centric features on the smartphone including its GameCool vapour-chamber cooling system, side-mounted ports, two programmable ultrasonic AirTriggers and advanced force-feedback haptics. It also comes with an optional TwinView Dock that also has a Mobile Desktop Dock and a Gamevice controller with WiGig Dock that uses 60GHz Wi-Fi for gaming on big screens.

iPhone XS

Apple’s current flagship smartphone – iPhone XS – is one among the best handsets that you can use for playing heavy games. The device is powered by Apple’s own A12 Bionic chipset, which can handle very heavy usage on the iPhone. Even the most graphic-hungry games would run well on the iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max.

Xiaomi Black Shark 2

Since Xiaomi is getting Black Shark to India soon, we can expect the device to be available in the country in the months to come. Xiaomi Black Shark 2 is powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC coupled with 6GB/8GB/12GB RAM. According to the company, the Black Shark 2 smartphone uses the world’s first ‘direct touch multilayer liquid cooling system’ which, according to Xiaomi, keeps the CPU 14-degrees cooler.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro

Huawei Mate 20 Pro is a very powerful smartphone and during our time with it, it handled the heaviest of the games that we played. We played games with very heavy graphics like Asphalt 9: Legends for hours on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro smartphone, and it handled all of them without any hiccups. Huawei has truly put effort into making its flagship device powerful and it shows. The smartphone is powered by the company’s own Kirin 980 octa-core processor coupled with 6GB/8GB of RAM. As promised, the processor does manage to run very power-hungry tasks on the smartphone.

iPhone XR

iPhone XR has the exact same processor as iPhone XS, although the RAM may be slightly lesser. But we can never say for sure as Apple is known for never disclosing its device’s RAM and battery capacity. However, even if the RAM is slightly lesser than that of iPhone XS, we have seen the relatively affordable iPhone XR handle very heavy games. If you are a gamer, you would love to own the handset.

Honor View 20

Much like Huawei Mate 20 Pro, Honor View 20 smartphone comes with the Kirin 980 SoC clubbed with either 6GB or 8GB of RAM. And although the smartphone is a lot cheaper than Huawei Mate 20 Pro, it handled most of the games that we played on it very well. We spent hours playing games on it when we reviewed it.

OnePlus 6T

The flagship by the Chinese smartphone brand is definitely one among the best gaming smartphones that you’ll find. OnePlus 6T is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor coupled with Adreno 630 GPU. The combination of the two makes it a smartphone with very powerful performance. It is, therefore, a device that can handle very heavy games. OnePlus 6T also comes with 6GB/8GB of RAM, which only makes things better for gaming.

Razer Phone 2

The smartphone by Razer is known for its gaming. However, it is not available in India yet. The device comes with Snapdragon 845 SoC and has 8GB of RAM onboard. The company has said that the Razer Phone 2 comes with vapour chamber cooling, wireless charging and water resistance. The battery of the device also supports Qualcomm QuickCharge+.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is also one among the best gaming smartphones that you can buy right now. The device is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 processor, that can handle very heavy usage and gaming. Apart from this, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 comes with 8GB RAM and Adreno 630 GPU, which only enhance the gaming performance of the smartphone.

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Instagram will soon let you scroll through videos on your News Feed

Apps
News

Aadvika

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

Instagram will soon let you scroll through videos on your News Feed

Facebook-owned photo-sharing app Instagram is now testing a seek bar to videos posted on people’s News Feeds. And with this feature, Instagram plans to give users a basic amount of control over the video playback on their News Feed. We should mention that the feature was first discovered by app researcher Jane Manchun Wong and it lets users skip forward to a point in the video that they wish to watch.

Another much-needed feature for Instagram that will be added is the ability to rewind a video without having to restart it completely. Till now, users have to watch the entire Instagram video in order to see a particular part of the video. However, other video players on all other social media platforms have been allowing since their inception.

We should mention that Instagram already has this feature for videos that are posted on IGTV. It is also worth noticing that this is not the first time that this feature is being seen on the user’s regular Instagram News Feeds.

Instagram is testing video seekbar pic.twitter.com/gyIZZhrh2y

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) March 27, 2019

But then, even if Instagram is adding this feature for videos on regular News Feed, it would not be included for videos that are posted on Stories that are posted on the platform.

Recently, Instagram rollout out the checkout feature on its mobile app. Using the new checkout feature, users can store their payment information on the app in order to make purchases more quickly. This is a business-related feature on the app and takes it one step ahead in vision for shopping.

As of now, more than 20 brands will be using the feature on Instagram including Nike, Adidas, Dior, H&M, MAC Cosmetics, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Prada, Uniqlo, Warby Parker, and Zara.

The items that are eligible for in-app checkout on Instagram will now have a big blue ‘Checkout for Instagram’ button below them. Once users tap on it, they will be asked to give their email ID which will help sellers complete their order. Shoppers would then be asked to enter their delivery information and choose their payment method, and once these details are reviewed by the platform, they would be able to go ahead with their order.

We should mention that prior to this, one could technically not complete their purchase on Instagram as the platform acted as a medium via which one could go to the web page on the retailer’s website to buy various items.

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PUBG Mobile 0.12.0 update beta out now: Here’s everything that is new

Gadget Bridge Bureau

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

PUBG Mobile 0.12.0 update beta out now: Here’s everything that is new

PUBG Mobile’s new beta update is now out. The game’s beta version 0.12.0 has been spotted and is reported to be rolling out globally. The update is said to bring some interesting new features including some new weapons and a new zombie adventure mode.

Although the new features are only present in the beta version of the app right now, they are also expected to come to the commercial version of PUBG Mobile. Here are all the features that the beta update version 0.12.0 gets to PUBG Mobile:

In This Article

New weapons

The new update, that was first spotted by News18 Tech, adds two new weapons to PUBG Mobile. The first one is a rocket launcher called RPG-7 and the second one if the explosive crossbow, where the bolt explodes as soon as it hits the target. So, if you throw it at objects like walls and vehicles, they are supposed to get blown up completely. However, currently the availability details of the weapons are not known and it has been reported that it will only be available in the Zombie event mode.

New zombie adventure mode

An all-new zombie mode is said to be added under the Event Mode section of PUBG Mobile. According to the description of the mode, ‘Collect supplies during the day and fend off zombies at night. Survive until the rescue arrives to win!’ In other words, this could be Left for Dead style mode, where players need to defend themselves and survive against zombies for a specified period of time.

Friendly spectate

With this feature, you can spectate your friends while they play PUBG Mobile. You can also keep a track of their stats and information as you look at their gameplay. There will also be an option of seeing how many spectators will be watching you play the game.

Crosshair colour

With this feature, players will be able to choose between nine colours to customize the no-scope crosshair. Furthermore, users can customise the red, holographic, 2x and 3x scope crosshair to either red or green.

Quick Chat

The quick chat option will also be available in a male voice after the update becomes public. The update will also add a new voice wheel, which will offer users with up to eight quick chat audio clips that will enable faster in-game access.

Companions

This feature basically adds an eagle which the player can include your character when they are in the lobby or during the gameplay. The eagle sits on the character’s shoulder and can hover around and comes with some emotes of its own. However, as of now, it isn’t sure if the eagle adds anything else apart from cosmetic value to the game.

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Asus Zenfone 6 gets Wi-Fi certification ahead of its launch

Mobiles
News

Aman Singh

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

Asus Zenfone 6 gets Wi-Fi certification ahead of its launch

This year, we haven’t seen too many launches or announcements by Asus till now. However, the Taiwanese electronics maker is reportedly all set to launch its Asus Zenfone 6 on May 16, 2019.

Weeks ahead of its official release, Asus Zenfone 6 smartphone has reportedly received Wi-Fi certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance, which holds the model number ASUS_I01WD.

Although not much has been revealed about the smartphone in the listing but it is confirmed that the device runs Android 9.0 Pie. For connectivity, it will have the dual-band Wi-Fi connection with support for 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. According to some earlier leaks, Asus Zenfone 6 might come with a notch-less display along with a triple-rear camera setup. But Asus Zenfone 6 is also rumoured to sport a bezel-less and notch-less display.

Although the listing doesn’t mention the exact name of smartphone, it does say that the model number of the device – ASUS_I01WD. And considering that Asus hasn’t launched any flagship smartphone this year, the listed smartphone could be the Zenfone 6.

In February, advertisement images were leaked online which showed that the launch of the Zenfone 6 will take place in Valencia, Spain on May 16, 2019. The images also featured an outline of the device with bezel-less and notch-less design. Later, Asus confirmed about the launch of the device through a tweet.

Similar to previous Asus smartphones, the Zenfone 6 might come in multiple variants. And there is also a strong possibility that the deice might be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC which is Qualcomm’s flagship CPU of 2019. Besides the listings and the launch date of the device, no other specification is known about the Zenfone 6.

Meet the incredible #ZenFone 6 soon! #DefyOrdinary pic.twitter.com/BrmqCAvX4g

— ASUS (@ASUS) February 25, 2019

It should be noted that Asus Zenfone 5Z is the flagship device of the company for 2018. The smartphone is powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with 6GB/8GB of RAM. Asus Zenfone 5Z comes with 128GB/256GB of internal storage with support of microSD card of up to 2TB. It sports a 6.2-inch Full HD+(2246 x 1080 pixels) resolution Super IPS display with a notch. Asus Zenfone 5Z packs a 3,300mAh battery and runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with ZenUI 5.

On the camera front, Asus Zenfone 5Z comes with dual-rear camera setup comprising of a 12MP Sony IMX 363 Sensor with an f/1.8 aperture paired with an 8MP 120Degree Wide Angle camera. On the front there is an 8MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture and 84-degree FOV. The device was placed in a price range similar and competed with OnePlus 6.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) with S-Pen Stylus launched: Price and specifications

News
Tablets

Aman Singh

-

Mar 29, 2019

1

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) with S-Pen Stylus launched: Price and specifications

With the smartphone industry getting new additions with ground-breaking features and powerful specifications every day, it seems like the tablet industry has been forgotten. But keeping the tradition alive, Samsung has quietly launched its Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) in Thailand, and thereby expanding its tablet line-up. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) comes with support of cellular connectivity and it is also compatible with the S Pen Stylus. The newly-launched tablet by Samsung has a dedicated slot for the S Pen Stylus similar to the Galaxy Note series. Samsung Galaxy Tab is powered by an octa-core CPU and sports an 8-inch screen.

In This Article

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) price and availability

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) or Samsung Galaxy Tab A Plus P205 has been listed on the company’s official Thailand website but currently, there is no information about the price or the availability of the device. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 comes in two colour variants — Black and Grey.

But according to a report from XDA developers, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) will be sold in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the UK. However, Samsung has made no comment about the device’s price or availability in India.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) specifications

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) sports an 8-inch WUXGA TFT (1920 x 1200 pixels) display with support for S Pen Stylus input. The tablet is powered by a 1.8GHz octa-core SoC paired with 3GB of RAM. Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with Samsung’s One UI. The device has single LTE-supported SIM slot and it comes with a one-tap blue light filter which activates the native low-light mode for reducing the strain on user’s eyes. As mentioned earlier, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) comes with a dedicated slot for S Pen. There is also an IP68 rating on the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) which protects it from dust and water damage to a certain level. It packs a 4,200mAh battery, however, there is no support for fast charging.

On the camera department, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) packs a single 8MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. The rear camera of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) can record 4K videos at up to 30fps. But camera details such as aperture and pixel size are not mentioned by the company. The Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) comes with support for Galaxy Buds along with 2018 Gear IconX wireless earbuds.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) comes with 32GB of inbuilt storage with support of microSD card of up to 512GB. Other features of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 (2019) include 4G LTE connectivity, Bluetooth LE 5.0, GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, 3.5mm headphone jack, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port. The dimensions of the tablet are 201.5×122.4×8.9mm and it weighs 325 grams.

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Mumbai-based non-IIT engineering student lands job at Google with Rs 1.2 crore package

News

Aadvika

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

Mumbai-based non-IIT engineering student lands job at Google with Rs 1.2 crore package

Scores of technology professionals across the globe dream of getting jobs in big companies like Google, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook among others right after passing out of their respective colleges. In India, thousands of students even prepare for years before they get into prestigious institutes like the Indian Institute of Technology.

However, if you wanted to get through IIT and couldn’t, you have no reason to be depressed as it is not the end of your dreams and you may still be able to work for one of these. You don’t believe us? We’ll give you Abdullah Khan’s example.

According to media reports, technology giant Google has hired the Mumbai based 21-year old engineering student after the company spotted him on a hosting website for online programming challenges. The search giant has reportedly offered him a package of Rs 1.2 crore.

The reports also said that his six-figure package includes a base salary of Rs 54.4 lakh per annum coupled with a 15% bonus and stock options worth Rs 58.9 lakh over four years.

Khan is in the final year of engineering and studies at LR Tiwari Engineering College. After Google saw his performance on the website, the company reportedly reached out to him via email.

What followed was a few rounds of interviews online and then he was asked to appear for a screening at Google’s office in London. Speaking to a popular daily, Khan said, “I used to participate as it was fun. I did not even know that firms check programmers’ profiles on such sites. I showed the email to my friend who knew someone who had received such an email in the past. I am looking forward to joining their team. It will be an amazing learning experience for me. “

It’s definitely a dream opportunity that Khan has got. And with his story, thousands of students who did not make it to the IITs can get inspired to not give up on their dreams only because they didn’t get through a particular college. Colleges and universities are only a way to get through job interviews of big technology companies, and not going to your dream college nowhere means that you would not get your dream job.

At the end of the day, technology companies like Google and Microsoft are looking for talent and intelligence among potential employees and no degree can guarantee entry into these firms.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon Days Sale begins: Discounts on Poco F1, Google Pixel 3, Asus Zenfone 5Z, LG G7 ThinQ and many more

Mobiles
News

Aman Singh

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

Qualcomm Snapdragon Days Sale begins: Discounts on Poco F1, Google Pixel 3, Asus Zenfone 5Z, LG G7 ThinQ and many more

Flipkart’s Mobile Bonanza Sale ended on March 28 but the season of discounts did not. The e-commerce giant is now coming up with Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale for its platform. The sale will begin from March 29 and go on till March 31. As the name of the sale suggests, Flipkart will be offering discounts and offers for the smartphones which are powered by the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors. During the sale, Flipkart is offering new discounts and offers on some of the smartphones while some of the offers from the Mobile Bonanza Sale are being continued in the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale.

Along with discounts and offers, Flipkart is also offering discounts on some of the best-selling devices in the sub-20K prince range. Some of the devices which are on sale during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale include Poco F1, Vivo V15 Pro, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M1, Google Pixel 3 etc.

During the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale, the Poco F1, which is powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC, is being sold for Rs 17,999 for the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. Other variants of the Poco F1 are also being sold at a discounted rate.

Similarly, during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale, the Realme 2 Pro which is powered by the Snapdragon 660 SoC is being sold at a starting price of Rs 11,990 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant.

Asus’s Zenfone Max Pro M1, which is powered by the Snapdragon 636 SoC, currently is being sold for Rs 7,999 with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage variant during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale. It should be noted that this is the lowest price the device is selling for as during the OMG Days sale, its price was discounted by Rs 500. The 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of the device is being sold at Rs 9,999 while the 6GB RAM and 64GB storage variant of the device is being sold at Rs 11,799.

Google Pixel 3, which is titled as the best camera smartphone is also on the sale. Both the devices are powered by Snapdragon 845 SoC and when launched, the Google Pixel 3 was priced at Rs 71,000 but now it is being sold for Rs 57,999 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant during the Snapdragon Days sale.

The newly launched Oppo K1 is powered by the Snapdragon 660 SoC and it is one of the cheapest devices to come with an in-display fingerprint scanner. During the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale, the Oppo K1 is being sold for a price tag of Rs 16,990 for the 4GB RAM and 64GB storage variant.

Similarly, the newly launched Vivo V15 Pro too is being offered at a reduces price during the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale. In the ongoing sale, the Vivo V15 Pro is being sold for Rs 28,990 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB storage variant. The device comes powered by Snapdragon 675 SoC and sports a triple-rear camera setup.

Other smartphones which are being offered at a discounted price in the Qualcomm Snapdragon Days sale are Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 6 Pro and Redmi Note 5 Pro. Both the smartphones are powered by the Snapdragon 636 processor and are available for Rs 11,999 and Rs 10,999 respectively. Nokia 6.1 Plus, powered by Snapdragon 636 SoC, is being offered at Rs 13,999 while the Motorola One which has the same processor is selling for Rs 13,999.

The Asus Zenfone 5Z with Snapdragon 845 SoC is being sold at a starting price of Rs 21,999 while the LG G7 ThinQ with Snapdragon 845 processor is selling at a starting price of Rs 27,999.

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Poco F1 dethrones OnePlus 6 to become the most selling online smartphone in India

Mobiles
News

Aman Singh

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

Poco F1 dethrones OnePlus 6 to become the most selling online smartphone in India

Taking the throne from OnePlus 6 for being the most sold online smartphone in India, Xiaomi Poco F1 has become one of the best-selling devices in the Indian smartphone market. On Wednesday, Xiaomi India’s Managing Director and Global Vice President, Manu Kumar Jain took to Twitter to announce that according to a recent Q4 2018 IDC survey, the Poco F1 has become India’s No.1 smartphone in online smartphone market of Rs 15,000 and above. And with this, Xiaomi’s Poco F1 has dethroned OnePlus 6 to become the most selling online smartphone in India.

Jain’s tweet also includes an image that shows that OnePlus 6 holds a smartphone market share of 17.9% while the Poco F1 holds 22.5%, making it victorious and placing it above the former. It should be noted that the Poco F1 is the most affordable smartphone to come with the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 SoC which was the flagship CPU of the American chipmaker for 2018.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9, which holds a price tag of Rs 60,490, and the Galaxy S9 which bears a price tag of Rs 45,350 run the same Snapdragon 845 SoC. Even the OnePlus 6 runs the same Snapdragon processor and it costs Rs 34,999 for the base model. On the other hand, the base model of the Poco F1 with 6GB RAM and 64GB is available at Rs 19,999, making it the cheapest smartphone to be powered by the Snapdragon 845 SoC. The other variant of the Poco F1 with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at Rs 22,999, while the top-end variant of the Poco F1 with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage is priced at Rs 27,999. All the variants of the Poco F1 come in three colour options to choose from – Graphite Black, Rosso Red and Steel Blue. There is also an armoured edition of the Poco F1 which comes with a Kevlar protection at the back and it is priced at Rs 28,999.

Specifications of the Poco F1 includes a 6.18-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD notched display. As mentioned earlier, the device runs on Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with 6GB/8GB of RAM. At the back, there is a 12MP primary camera coupled with a 5MP secondary camera along with an LED flash. While on the front, there is a 20MP selfie camera with IR blaster.

"#POCOF1: Top Phone above Rs 15,000! With #POCO, has #Xiaomi given OnePlus reasons to worry?" – @techpp @rajupp #POCOF1 stands for true flagship specs. Everything that you need. Nothing that you don't.

RT if you agree & love this champion of speed.https://t.co/amk8y7NTLA

— Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) March 29, 2019

There is also a back-mounted fingerprint scanner on the Poco F1 and it packs a 4,000mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0 support. It runs Android 9.0 Pie skinned with MIUI 10.

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Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e begin receiving the March security patch

Avani Bagga

-

Mar 29, 2019

0

Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e begin receiving the March security patch

South Korean technology Samsung’s newest flagships have been in news for months now. Earlier there were numerous reports and rumours that surrounded the three smartphones. And since Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e have been launched, reports about their features and benchmark results keep popping up online.

And now, Samsung has rolled out a software update to its flagship smartphones of the year. The most important thing that the update gets to Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e is the March security update. Besides this, the changelog of the update also mentioned about improvements for the Wireless PowerShare feature coming to the three handsets.

Although this update also rolled out earlier this week, the company paused it for all the three smartphones. However, Samsung did not give a reason for this and quietly starting rolling out the March Security patch again for Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e smartphones. Personally, we feel that the update that was rolled out earlier may have been pulled back because of some bug.

But since the update is rolling out again, we can safely assume that it is bug-free again. It is worth mentioning that a new firmware version is being rolled out for the Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10e and Galaxy S10+. The Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10e and Galaxy S10+ (review) smartphones are receiving the G973FXXU1ASCA, G970FXXU1ASCA, and G975FXXU1ASCA respectively in India, Germany, the United Kingdom and France.

We should mention that the updates are now available over-the-air and if your device has not received the update yet, it will definitely get it shortly.

Another thing we should add is that the changelog of the update(s) is exactly the same as earlier. It mentions that the Camera stability of the smartphone will be improved and the Wireless PowerShare performance will be enhanced. Other than this, the update gets some bug fixes for the three smartphones.

Samsung Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e users all over the world should begin receiving the new firmware in the weeks to come. Although the rollout has already begun, it may take some time for it to reach everyone.

In case you don’t wish to wait for the update, you can head to Settings> Software update menu and tap on Download updates. Doing this will enable you to install the update manually on your smartphone.

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Borderland 3 announced with launch of an extended trailer: Will get a slew of things in the Year of Borderlands

Gaming
News

Aman Singh

-

Mar 29, 2019

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Borderland 3 announced with launch of an extended trailer: Will get a slew of things in the Year of Borderlands

Borderlands 3, the sequel of Borderlands series, has been announced this week during its panel at the PAX East. An extended trailer of the upcoming game was also showcased at the panel. Gearbox Software, the developers behind the Borderlands series has partnered with its publisher 2K to officially start ‘The Year of Borderlands’ where, besides the sequel of the series, many other things were announced. The major announcements made at the PAX East panel included Borderlands 3, Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition, Borderlands: The Handsome Collection, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Borderlands2 for PC along with Borderlands 2 VR.

Borderlands 3 – The Borderlands 3 is the official sequel of the Borderlands series and the fans had been waiting for it for a very long time. The shooter-looter genre video game was showcased at the PAX East panel where they also showed a 4-minute long extended trailer of the game. Earlier this week, the game’s teaser was released which aroused the curiosity of the fans. Gearbox is planning to make the next announcement about the details Borderlands 3 on April 3 and its launch is scheduled in October.

Borderlands: The Game of the Year Edition (GOTY) – Along with the sequel of the game, the Borderlands: GOTY Edition was also showcased. The GOTY Edition of the Borderlands will have new weapons, visual upgrades, four add-on packs along with quality of life improvements. The GOTY Edition is the definitive edition of the FPS/RPG game Borderlands. And with the GOTY Edition, Borderlands is coming to the current generation gaming consoles. The Borderlands: GOTY Edition will launch on April 4 and can be played on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

Borderlands Ultra HD Texture Packs – The ultra HD texture packs of the game brings HD updates for all of the Borderlands titles. According to the company, the HD texture packs also includes the Borderlands: The Handsome Collection with DLC and comes with increased visual and graphical elements. Also, the Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and its DLC will be a part of this pack. The Ultra HD texture pack has added 4K resolution graphics to the games which the fans had desired for a long time. The Borderlands Ultra HD texture pack can be downloaded from April 4.

Borderlands 2 VR – The last on the list of the announcements made by Gearbox Software and 2K is the addition of four major Borderlands 2 DLC packs to the Borderlands 2 VR on the PlayStation VR. The Borderlands 2 VR will be brought out during Summer this year. The four DLC addition to the Borderlands 2 VR are Captain Scarlett and Her Pirate’s Booty, Mr. Torgue’s Campaign of Carnage, Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt, and Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep. Although the launch date of the updated Borderlands 2 VR is later than the other packs mentioned here but it will be before the launch of the official sequel of the series, Borderlands 3.

Earlier, Gearbox had added the AIM Controller support to the game as requested by the feedback of the players. True to their word, Gearbox Software and 2K have planned to launch sequel, pre-sequels, remakes, DLCs, HD texture packs, weapons and more in The Year of Borderland. And the fans of the game couldn’t be more excited for this announcement as they took to social media to show how much they are looking forward to it.

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iPhone 11 schematics hint the presence of a square triple-camera module

Gadget Bridge Bureau

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Mar 29, 2019

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iPhone 11 schematics hint the presence of a square triple-camera module

Apple will be launching the iPhone 11 (or iPhone XI) in September this year, and there are still months to go for the event. However, that doesn’t mean that rumours about the upcoming iPhone are not circulating online. Since the beginning of the year, a number of reports about the 2019 iPhones have emerged and we have also already seen two sets of renders of the upcoming handset.

Just two weeks ago, some reports also suggested that the iPhone 11 would feature a triple rear camera setup that will be housed in a square module on the smartphone’s back panel. To recall, this particular design was shown in renders that were shared by technology website Digit in collaboration with leakster @Onleaks.

And now, there is another report that supports this claim. Steve H.McFly, or @Onleaks, as he is most popularly known has taken to Twitter to post about how his leak from January was correct. For doing this, he has used a schematic from SlashLeaks and his own render in a picture to show how the former confirms the design that he leaked earlier this year.

We should mention that the image from Slashleaks is supposed to be a welding pattern of the iPhone 11. Although most of the details are rather abstract in the image that has been shared, one thing that can be seen clearly is the fact that it is designed to support the flagship smartphone’s square camera bump that we saw in the renders earlier this year.

https://twitter.com/OnLeaks/status/1111353645768028160

Furthermore, there is also dedicated space for the three camera lenses, a flash and an additional sensor. This only confirms that the renders that were leaked in January this year may actually be close to the actual design of the iPhone 11 that we will get to see in September this year.

iphone-xi-schematics — Image courtesy: Slashleaks

However, we should also add that since many months are left for the launch of the 2019 iPhones, anything that we get to see right now in the form of leaks is ultimately a rumour and should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Another thing we should add here is that not many fans are happy with the square bump that has shown up online more than once now. Apple fans have also taken to social media to voice their opinions about the upcoming smartphone’s design. Since it is too early right now, Apple may also consider changing the look and feel of the handset before it is finally launched in September this year.

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Oppo’s Reno leaked video shows a slanted pop-up selfie camera

Mobiles
News

Aman Singh

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Mar 29, 2019

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Oppo’s Reno leaked video shows a slanted pop-up selfie camera

Oppo’s new sub-brand Reno is going to be launched in China on April 10. The sub-brand will be focused towards the young generation of smartphone users. Some of the leaked images and renders of the first smartphone of the company showed what the device’s front and back panels will look like. But now, a video has surfaced online which shows Reno’s upcoming smartphone in its full glory. The video shows the unusual style of selfie camera the upcoming smartphone will have and it sparked a chain of criticism from the users on social media.

The leaked video shows the design of the Reno, and the back panel of the smartphone has Oppo’s logo engraved on it. However, most people seem to have a problem with the selfie camera placement of the Reno smartphone. The handset comes with a pop-up style selfie camera but it is unlike any other elevating front camera that the smartphone world has seen till now. The selfie camera rises from one side while the other side gets lodged in, meaning the selfie camera pops-up in a slanted way so that it forms an inclined plane on top of the handset.

Users expressed their opinion about how the selfie camera was a step backwards from today’s forward moving smartphone technology or how dirt could get inside the internals of the device from the small ridges of slant of the front camera. And it might be true that in the long run, dirt and dust might hinder the workings of the Reno’s slanted selfie camera and it might not be the best placement of sensors.

The Reno device showcased in the leaked video doesn’t seem to have the 10x zoom behind its periscope lens as it was seen in the MWC 2019. So, the leaked product might be a lower priced variant of the Reno smartphone running on Snapdragon 710 SoC instead of the top-end variant Snapdragon 855 SoC. The video also showcased a USB Type-C port along with a 3.5mm headphone jack on top of the device. At the back, there is a dual-rear camera setup with an LED flash.

It is true that Oppo Find X was another phone with motorized camera module which received mixed criticisms from critics and fans. Around the same time, Vivo launched its NEX smartphone with a pop-up selfie camera, and they all were an instant hit among fans. But Reno’s selfie camera seems to be the mix of the two-camera placement modules and it might not be the best one.

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Twitter adds a new dark mode called ‘Lights Out’ for iOS

Apps
News

Avani Bagga

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Mar 29, 2019

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Twitter adds a new dark mode called ‘Lights Out’ for iOS

Microblogging website Twitter was one among the first few platforms that adopted the much-talked-about Dark Mode for its mobile app. The Dark Mode, which is called ‘Night Mode’ on the microblogging website, has been a hit among Twitter’s audience and most of them agree that it makes the reading experience on the app better, as it put less strain on the eyes. Furthermore, it also uses less battery for those who use Twitter on their Android smartphones.

And now, Twitter has taken a step forward and launched a new kind of Dark Mode. Keeping up with CEO Jack Dorsey’s promise of a battery-saving dark mode, Twitter has just announced via its own platform that it has started rolling out a Dark Mode that has a proper black background and is called ‘Lights Out’.

However, as of now, Twitter has only made the new mode available for its iOS app. And currently, there is no word on when the mode will be made available for Android users.

It is worth mentioning that for most popular flagship smartphones that come with OLED screens, much like iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, the use of a Dark Mode in apps helps in extending their battery life. This happens because the OLED panels of these smartphones only light up the pixels that are not black.

It was dark. You asked for darker! Swipe right to check out our new dark mode. Rolling out today. pic.twitter.com/6MEACKRK9K

— Twitter (@Twitter) March 28, 2019

So, when we use the Dark Mode in most apps and choose a black wallpaper for devices with OLED displays, a lot of battery gets saved, considering the amount of time we end up endlessly scrolling on our phones. Twitter has also added that the proper black background reduces strain on users’ eyes in areas that are lowly-lit.

Some other popular apps that have rolled out the Dark Mode include YouTube, Android Messages app, Pocket, Slack, and Google Assistant. We should also add here that Facebook is also testing the Dark Mode on its popular instant messenger WhatsApp. The company also rolled out the mode on its Facebook Messenger app.

However, as of now, there is no word about the Dark Mode coming to Facebook’s native app and Instagram. However, we expect it to follow considering that it is Facebook’s usual way of first rolling out a feature to one of its apps and based on the response it gets there, it makes the feature available on other apps too.

And looking at the popularity of the Dark Mode among masses, there is a very less possibility of it not getting a good response on WhatsApp and Messenger. So, it’s only a matter of time before the feature gets rolled out to other Facebook apps too.

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Apple Search Ads is now available in India along with 45 other countries

Aman Singh

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Mar 29, 2019

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Apple Search Ads is now available in India along with 45 other countries

Apple has announced that developers from India and 45 other countries can now start promoting their apps in the company’s App Store search pages to increase their reach to more users. The Search Ads of Apple’s App Store was introduced back in 2016 WWDC with the aim to help the app developers reach a larger user base and increase the visibility of their apps on the App Store. Till now, the App Store’s Search Ads was limited to only 13 markets but now it had been expanded to 46 markets/countries. The app ads show up in the first page of the results when the user searches for the relevant apps.

Apple announced about the change in the App Store’s Search Ads policy by putting a notification on its Developer website. Earlier, the Search Ads was limited to only select markets, but in the updated list of 46 markets, India, Jordan, Egypt, Finland, Hong Kong, Argentina, Austria and Malaysia are included. Along with addition of new markets, there are changes made to the campaign configuration. Now, the developers can assign a single campaign to run across multiple countries while earlier, the developers had to configure a campaign individually for every single country where they wanted the campaign to run.

Talking about the Apple Search Ads of the App Store, Apple provides two types of search ads – Search Ads Basic and Search Ads Advanced. The Search Ads Basic just asks for three main parameters from the developers – the ads budget, the ads promotion countries and the app that will be promoted. Once all the parameters are provided, Apple will automatically create the required ad and put it in front of the potential users. In this, the developers are only charged for the number of times their apps are installed by the users. Apple also gives the developer, the max cost-per-install when the developer is setting up the ads. The developers can also specify their own max cost-per-install.

On the other hand, the Search Ads Advanced are for the developers who want to control more aspects of their ads and app promotion. It provides the developers with many options so that they can promote their app according to their own ways. The developers can select their own keywords and choose the devices – iPhone or iPad – and even define their users. In the Advanced Search Ads there is no limit on the budget and the developers can pay more or less as per their limits.

Apple’s App Store is one of its major money-making platforms and with the addition of 46 more countries that are able to use the Search Ads feature, the revenue generation of the company will go up. Although the Search Ads feature doesn’t add much to the Apple’s revenue, but it is believed that by the year 2020, the Search Ads will become a $2 billion business.

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Security researcher accused of hacking into Microsoft and Nintendo’s servers

Gadget Bridge Bureau

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Mar 29, 2019

0

Security researcher accused of hacking into Microsoft and Nintendo’s servers

A 24-year-old security researcher, Zammis Clark, was nearly sent to prison today after he admitted that he hacked into Microsoft and Nintendo servers and stole confidential information. Clark is known as Slipstream or Raylee online and he was charged for various offences of computer misuse in a London Crown Court on Thursday. He pleaded guilty for hacking into Microsoft and Nintendo servers.

According to the prosecutors, Clark had gained access to the company’s server on January 24, 2017, by using an internal name and password. He then uploaded a web shell, with which he could access Microsoft’s security for at least three weeks. This was followed by him uploading multiple shells that enabled him to search the company’s network and even upload files to it or download the data that he wanted.

After Clark broke into Microsoft’s internal Windows flighting server, nearly 43,000 files were stolen. And it is worth mentioning that these servers contain confidential copies of Windows’s pre-released versions and were being used to distribute early beta code to various developers. Clark gained information on pre-released versions of Windows with nearly 7,500 searches. We should mention that he targeted unique build numbers to obtain this information.

Furthermore, he shared access to Microsoft’s servers via an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server chatroom, and this enabled other people to access and steal the information. According to the prosecutors, Microsoft’s servers were accessed by hackers from various countries including France, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. The stolen files were found by the police on Clark’s home computer, and this followed a joint investigation that involved the software giant’s cyber team, the FBI, the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit (NCCU) and EUROPOL.

Thomas Hounsell, a 26-year-old who runs a discontinued BuildFeed website, also appeared with Clark in court on Thursday. He closely followed Microsoft’s development processes and he also used Clark’s server breach to conduct over 1,000 searches over a period of 17 days.

The intrusion in Microsoft servers ended when Clark uploaded a malware on the company’s networks. Post this, he was arrested in June 2017, however, he was also later bailed out without any restrictions on his computer use. Clark then went back to hack into Nintendo’s internal network in March 2018. He gained access via Virtual Private Networks and used similar software to hack into the company’s confidential game development servers. We should mention that these servers have the development code for unreleased games and Clark stole 2,365 usernames and passwords before Nintendo discovered the breach in May last year.

It is worth mentioning that the cost of damage estimated by Nintendo is between $913,000 and $1.8 million, while Microsoft has said that it suffered damage of around $2 million.

Clark’s defence lawyer told the court that his client is an autistic person and has face blindness, he would be very vulnerable to violence from other prisoners if imprisoned. Furthermore, he would be at greater risk of reoffending if he had to go to prison for his crimes. Clark’s parents also wrote to the judge saying that he would be sent to rehabilitation and detailed on the challenges he faced because of autism. His mother also specified that she had given up her day job in order to help her son and work on his rehabilitation.

Judge Alexander Milne, QC sentenced Clark saying, “Everything I have heard and been told leads me to believe this is a young man who would suffer disproportionality if he went to prison. The heartbreak and I can only see it as heartbreak for his parents, comes across loud and clear. They are to be commended.”

Clark has been sentenced to a total of 15 months of imprisonment and will be suspended for. On the other hand, Hounsell has been also sentenced to six months of imprisonment, and he will be suspended for 18 months too. In addition to this, Hounsell will have to complete 100 hours of community service. Judge Milne concluded his sentence saying, “I am trusting this will be a lesson from which you will all learn.”

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Apple’s new WatchOS 5.2 update brings ECG app support and irregular heart rhythm monitor to the Apple Watch series

Aman Singh

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Mar 29, 2019

0

Apple’s new WatchOS 5.2 update brings ECG app support and irregular heart rhythm monitor to the Apple Watch series

Apple has released a new OS update called WatchOS 5.2 for all the compatible Apple Watches. The new update brings many new features to the Apple Watch and the most prominent one among them is support for the ECG app. But the ECG support feature will only be available for 19 markets in Europe and some others in Hong Kong. Other new features that the WatchOS 5.2 brings include an expanded irregular heart rhythm notification feature for the new markets. Currently, both the new features are limited to the Apple Watch Series 4. Furthermore, the new update adds support for second-generation AirPods.

Out of all the changes the WatchOS 5.2 brings, the support of ECG app seems to be the most noticeable and important change. With this feature, the users can record an electrocardiogram using their Apple Watch. The feature is currently available for Hong Kong markets and several European markets which includes Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. But it should be noted that, the ECG feature had already made its debut in December last year in the US and its territories such as Puerto Rico and Guam. The new WatchOS 5.2 update came a week after the debut of iOS 12.2.

Jeff Williams, Apple’s Chief Operating Officer said “We’ve seen the ECG app and irregular rhythm notifications on Apple Watch have meaningful impact on our customers across the United States. We are excited to bring these features to customers in Europe and Hong Kong, giving them access to empowering information about their heart health.”

The other feature enables the notifications for the irregular heart rhythm for the Apple Watch Series 4 in the above-mentioned markets. According to Apple, the data received through the ECG app and the irregular heart rhythm notification will be able to alert the users about the signs of Atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Along with health features, the WatchOS 5.2 also adds support for the second-generation AirPods. Some of the markets where the update has been released, it also adds support for real-time text (RTT) for phone calls. Other features of the Apple WatchOS 5.2 includes support for the Apple News + which was launched for iOS earlier this week. There is also two new gradient-style watch faces for the Apple Hermès watches in Cherry/Sakura and Bleu colours to match the spring Hermès band collection.

Speaking about the update, Apple said that the WatchOS 5.2 brings the new and updated security content and it fixes 29 vulnerabilities which were found on models starting from Apple Watch Series 1. The update adds several other features and fixes the problems of the old update.

Steps to follow to install the WatchOS 5.2 update

The new update will only be compatible with the Apple Watch models running WatchOS 5. Here are the steps you need to follow to install the update:
Go to the Apple Watch app on your iOS device.
Once inside the app, head to General then tap on Software Update.
The device must be connected with an internet connection and the Apple Watch must have at least 50% of battery.
The update will get downloaded on its own and once downloaded, it will begin to update the device.
But during the installation process, the iPhone must be in close proximity with the Apple Watch and both need to be connected with Wi-Fi. Once the installation is complete, the Apple Watch will restart with the new WatchOS 5.2.

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Twitch Prime now offers Nintendo Switch Online service free for a year

Gadget Bridge Bureau

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Mar 29, 2019

0

Twitch Prime now offers Nintendo Switch Online service free for a year

We have some good news for gamers! Gaming video streaming platform Twitch has announced today those who will subscribe to Twitch Prime will get a free year of Nintendo Switch Online service. We should mention that otherwise, the service costs $19.99.

However, you must know that Twitch is offering the service to subscribers in a two-stage process. Firstly, subscribers will be able to get a free membership for three months, and after sixty days, they will be able to get the next nine months. We assume that this has been done in order to ensure that people don’t sign up for a month, claim the entire year of Nintendo Switch Online service and then leave.

The deal is now open for both new and existing Switch Online subscribers. And those who have subscribed already will get extra months in their plan.

But there’s another thing that we should point out. Twitch Online is a part of Amazon Prime service, which costs $12.99 per month or $119 per year. So, it may not make too much sense if you pick the subscription just for the Switch Online service. This is even more valid because you will have to pay for at least two months to get an entire year of free service. However, if you pay for Amazon Prime already, then you don’t have to think about this.

Speaking of Switch Online, it comes with numerous benefits for Switch players. These include the ability to play games online, save various games on the cloud, and access to classic NES games and exclusive titles like Tetris 99.

According to Twitch, Amazon Prime subscribers can redeem their three-month subscription till September 28 and if they want to get their nine-month membership, they have until January 28, 2020, to do it.

In addition to this, the streaming service website has issued a warning saying that “Nintendo Switch Online membership will automatically convert to a 3-month membership for $7.99 unless automatic renewal is turned off any time up to 48 hours before the end of the initial 3-month membership.”

So before you claim your free service, you must check your renewal settings in order to avoid paying extra.

Just yesterday, Twitch also rolled out a new feature called Squad Streams on its platform that enables up to four Twitch streamers to go live simultaneously in one window. Using the feature, creators will also be able to boost the profile of smaller streamers on Twitch.

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Creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson’s name has been removed in the latest update of Minecraft

Aman Singh

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Mar 29, 2019

0

Creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson’s name has been removed in the latest update of Minecraft

The sandbox video game, Minecraft has been popular with the fans worldwide ever since it was launched way back in 2009. And thanks to its constant update cycle, the game remains fresh and free from bugs, and other technical problems. But a recent update of the game has removed the references of its creator Markus ‘Notch’ Persson from Minecraft. The studio behind the game, Mojang, owned by Microsoft has removed the text such as ‘Made by Notch!’ and ‘The Work of Notch!’. In the new update certain quotations has been added such as ‘Don’t worry, be happy!’ and ‘Go to the dentist’.

The new changes in the update were a part of Minecraft’s newest Java snapshot release version 19w13a. In this new form, the Hero of the Village status effect along with the accessibility button has been added to the title screen of the game. Although the new update’s patch notes read that it had fixed 22 bugs but there was no mention about the removal of the creator of the game, Notch’s name from the reference,nor is any reason given behind it. But Notch’s name is listed as the creator in the game’s credits.

This was also confirmed by the Minecraft wiki which has listed the removal of the creator’s name and the quotes in the March 27 snapshot. But neither the company, Mojang or Microsoft has commented about this issue.

Minecraft is a sandbox style videogame, which lets the players build and explore a Lego-like multiplayer virtual world where more than one player from around the world can play together. Till now, it has been downloaded more than 100 million times on PC. It is also one of the most popular online games on Xbox One as well. Breaking many records, Minecraft is one of the most downloaded and most played paid apps for iOS and Android platforms, too.

Microsoft acquired Mojang, the company that created the game after paying $2.5 billion to the game’s creator Notch. And since then Notch has been surrounded with controversy like the endorsing of the QAnon conspiracy or debating about the definition of gender or using the word ‘feminist’ as an insult. There are several other conspiracies and controversies which surrounds the creator of the game. Although not likely, but it could be a reason the company had removed Notch’s name from the game, but till now there hasn’t been any comment made by the company, Microsoft.

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Sony Chairman Kazuo Hirai is retiring from the company

News

Gadget Bridge Bureau

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Mar 29, 2019

0

Sony Chairman Kazuo Hirai is retiring from the company

Japanese consumer electronics company Sony’s chairman Kazuo Hirai has announced his retirement from the company. With this, his 35-year career is coming to a close. It is worth mentioning that Hirai stepped down from the post of CEO around a year back and passed the role of Kenichiro Yoshida.

We should also add that Yoshida was the CFO with whom Hirai orchestrated Sony’s turnaround from a loss-making electronics maker to a profitable company that focussed on its PlayStation business.

Hirai will be leaving his role of chairman on June 18 this year, however, he will continue to be associated with the company as an occasional ‘senior advisor’ upon the request of the company’s management.

Speaking about Hirai’s departure in a statement, Yoshida said, “Hirai-san and I have been working on management reforms together since December 2013. While he will be retiring from both Chairman and our Board of Directors, we look forward to his continuing high-level support to Sony’s management that encompasses a breadth of diverse businesses.”

Hirai also spoke about leaving his post at the Chairman saying, “Since passing the baton of CEO to Yoshida-san last April, as Chairman of Sony, I have had the opportunity to both ensure a smooth transition and provide support to Sony’s management. I am confident that everyone at Sony is fully aligned under Yoshida-san’s strong leadership, and are ready to build an even brighter future for Sony. As such, I have decided to depart from Sony, which has been a part of my life for the past 35 years. I would like to extend my warmest gratitude to all our employees and stakeholders who have supported me throughout this journey.”

It is worth adding that Hirai joined Sony’s music division in 1984 and later moved to the United States to lead the company’s overseas marketing. He then moved to Sony Computer Entertainment in 1995 just before the first ever PlayStation was launched.

In 2006, he succeeded Ken Kutaragi as the head of the gaming business. And in 2012, Hirai replaced Howard Stringer as the CEO of Sony. He then spearheaded the ‘One Sony’ initiative that streamlined the Japanese electronics maker’s operations.

We should mention that the company’s PlayStation business has constantly been making profits and after years of making fans wait, Sony is expected to finally launch the next generation of PlayStation soon. Recently, a report surfaced online which claims that the gaming console will either be launched this year or in 2020.

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Facebook announces key initiatives at AI for Social Good Summit

News

Gadget Bridge Bureau

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Mar 28, 2019

0

Facebook announces key initiatives at AI for Social Good Summit

Social media giant Facebook has today announced some initiatives to deliver social and inclusive growth by harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). the announcements were made by Facebook at its inaugural AI for India Summit that was held in Bengaluru. The summit focussed on AI for Social Good and was attended by AI thought-leaders, start-ups, NGOs, and developers.

Speaking on the event, Ajit Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director, Facebook India said, “At Facebook, we are developing and leveraging cutting-edge technologies for products we develop around the world. From developing a tool to swiftly connect blood banks and hospitals with blood donors to utilizing Disaster Maps to aid the relief work during the 2018 Kerala Floods, we have always sought opportunities to deploy the best of H our expertise in the service of India.”

He further added, “We are an ally for India’s economic growth and social development and this summit is our effort to understand how we can contribute to the development of deep tech in India, as well as corral resources to use these technologies to develop impactful solutions for tough and persistent problems.”

To show how AI can be used for social good, Facebook spoke about its Blood Donation tool and said that till date, more than 35 million people have signed up to be donors across the globe. The social networking giant also spoke about how AI plays a very crucial role at the time of crises and shed light on its efforts during the 2018 Kerala Floods when it partnered with SEEDS India. Facebook’s data was used to track people’s movement and with this, SEEDS could manage early recovery and timely relief organisations.

Mohan also added, “At Facebook, we are also committed to growing the local AI ecosystem, which can be achieved by providing support to start-ups, to the student community, and by ensuring diversity within the ecosystem itself. That’s the thought behind our key announcements today around AI for India Accelerator, trainings and scholarships for students and developers, and ‘Women in AI’ hackathons.”

India Innovation Accelerator: Under this program, the social media giant will extend mentorship and support to startups that are leveraging AI to address gaps within areas of women safety, agriculture, education, healthcare, climate change, and resilient cities, among many others.
100 Scholarships for students and developers: This program by Facebook is focused on nurturing their ideas for utilizing AI for social good. The scholarships under this program will enable the students to gain access to advanced Deep Learning courses.
‘Women in AI’ Hackathons: These AI Hackathons will be aimed at encouraging women developers and women-led startups that focus on AI. The winners will be provided courses on AI and Machine Learning by professors of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras.
AI Trainings: Under Facebook Hubs program, it will conduct extensive, application-based AI training with a host of startups across 20 locations in India. The program is aimed at helping startups and entrepreneurs scale their businesses, Facebook Hubs will extend support for the community by hosting mentor hours and conducting training and workshops.

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Reliance Jio’s usage as primary voice SIM went up in 2018: Report

Aman Singh

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Mar 28, 2019

0

Reliance Jio’s usage as primary voice SIM went up in 2018: Report

Reliance Jio completely changed the face of Indian telecom industry when it was launched. And it has always managed to be in headlines since then. Recently, Reliance Jio launched new plans for its prepaid users and then reports surfaced online suggesting that it is testing the triple-play plan for the Jio GigaFiber. And now, according to a UBS report, the usage of Reliance Jio SIM cards as the primary network for making voice calls by multi-SIM card holders has increased in 2018.

It is a great news for the Reliance Jio as the report states that the users who use more than one-SIM cards in their smartphones have been using the Jio SIM cards as their primary calling SIM. The report noted that around 92% of the Reliance Jio users used the network for voice calls from December 2018 to January 2019. We can see the growth on comparing it to last year’s numbers, when 83% of the Jio users used it as a primary calling SIM from March 2018 to April 2018. So, in under 8 months, the number of Jio user’s reliability on Reliance Jio SIM cards for making voice calls increased by 9%.

The report by UBS was based on a survey carried out in 13 cities of the country which showed that Airtel’s usage as the primary data SIM has increased to 95% during the December 2018 – January 2019 period. Earlier, Airtel’s data usage by users was 83% in March 2018 – April 2018. So, the user’s reliability on Airtel for their primary data SIM card increased by 12% in an interval of around 8 months. The Indian cities which were under the survey — New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Nagpur, Patna, Vishakhapatnam, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Alwar, Salem, Raipur and Allahabad.

It should be noted that Airtel along with many other telecom companies were forced to reduce their voice calls and data service charges after the arrival of Reliance Jio. Reliance Jio was the first to offer unlimited 4G data services along with unlimited voice calling feature for a price of Rs 399 for three months. Seeing users switch their network preferences from other companies to Reliance Jio, forced the telecom companies to come up with new ideas and services to compete with the ever-increasing popularity and user base of the newly- launched Jio. And the end result was that all the major telecom companies like Airtel, Vodafone, Idea had to reduce their charges for the services they offered to stay in the telecom sector and compete with Jio.

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Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 6.1 reportedly begin receiving the March security update in India

Mobiles
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Aadvika

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Mar 28, 2019

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Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 6.1 reportedly begin receiving the March security update in India

HMD Global changed the game for Nokia smartphones when it not only packed them with powerful specifications but also made sure that they get timely Android updates and security patches. No matter which Nokia smartphone it is, the company rolls out timely updates for it.

And HMD Global has done the same again as Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, and Nokia 6.1 have reportedly started receiving the March Android security patch in India. All the four smartphones are receiving over-the-air updates and in case your device hasn’t received it yet, it’s just a matter of time before it gets it.

All the four software updates get the same V3.51F build to Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, and Nokia 6.1 smartphones. The most important update that comes to these Nokia smartphones comes with the March Android security patch and enhancements in their user interface.

In addition to this, HMD Global has rolled out the March security patch for the Nokia 1 smartphone in Iraq. The update for Nokia 1 also includes V1.550 build and also comes with some improvements in the system stability of the device.

It is worth mentioning that Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, and Nokia 6.1 run Android 9.0 Pie already, so there will be no change in the Android versions of the four handsets with the latest update that they have received. On the other hand, the Nokia 1 smartphone still runs Android 8.1 Oreo. However, even that has not received the Android 9.0 Pie after the latest update.

Some reports online suggest that the update for Nokia 7 Plus is 375.3MB in size, whereas the one for Nokia 7.1 is 342.9MB. Nokia 6.1 Plus‘ update is reportedly 339.8MB in size, and the one for Nokia 6.1 update is 530.7MB. The update for Nokia 1 is said to be 816.4MB in size.

We should add that the system stability of Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, and Nokia 6.1 has also improved with the latest update. Furthermore, the update for Nokia 7.1 is also said to be live in the United States. As of now, there is no word on when other markets will get the update for these smartphones.

Considering HMD Global’s past record, the update should reach other markets shortly too. All four Nokia smartphones from HMD Global were launched in India last year but in different months.

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Spotify Premium Duo subscription plan enables two users to buy the same plan at a cheaper price

Aman Singh

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Mar 28, 2019

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Spotify Premium Duo subscription plan enables two users to buy the same plan at a cheaper price

The music streaming platform, Spotify was earlier unavailable to the Indian users. But recently, the company has launched its platform for the Indian users as well. Now, the platform is testing a new subscription service called – the Premium Duo. In this new subscription service, Spotify will offer a user two Premium subscriptions for a discounted price of $12.49 (approximately Rs 865) for a month. The new service also comes with an innovative feature called – the Duo Mix, which auto-generates the music on the listening habits of both the users.

Spotify’s new subscription plan was first spotted by a Reddit user named Hasztagg and later it was confirmed by The Verge. The Premium subscription of the music streaming service, Spotify only costs $9.99 (approximately Rs 692) for a month, which is not cheap if you look at other competing music streaming platforms. But with the Premium Duo, a user can save more money on their monthly subscriptions as the Duo subscription costs $12.49, which is $7.49 (approximately Rs 518) cheaper than taking two separate subscriptions. Couples or roommates can use this service where they both can save money and listen to their choice of music online.

But there is a catch with the Premium Duo subscription service, similar to the Family subscription the subscribers must live at the same address. The Spotify’s Family subscription plan allows up to six users to share the same plan. The Family subscription costs $14.99 (approximately Rs 1,038) for a month. However, the Family subscription plan was a source of frustration for many users as Spotify would ask each of the six users to verify their address and confirm they all live at the same address.

In Premium Duo service, Spotify will ask the user to provide this address when both the subscribers sign up for the Premium Duo subscription.

Once both the users of the Spotify Premium Duo subscription have signed up, they will get access to the Duo Mix. It’s a new auto-generating playlist feature of the music-streaming platform where only one playlist is created when the sign-up process is completed. The playlist will be shared by both the users. The playlist works similar to Spotify’s existing Discover Weekly or Daily Mix playlists. Also, for the Spotify Mobile app, there is an addition of ‘Chill’ and ‘Upbeat’ options for the playlist to switch between songs and tempos.

But there is also an option to create a playlist of your own choice which can be shared with your Duo partner with the ‘Shared Playlist’ feature.

Currently, the Spotify Premium Duo subscription plan is being tested in five markets – Poland, Colombia, Chile, Denmark and Ireland. The company didn’t comment when will it bring the new subscription service to other markets of the world.

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PewDiePie Vs T-Series: The Indian company finally takes a good lead to become the leading YouTube Channel

Gadget Bridge Bureau

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Mar 28, 2019

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PewDiePie Vs T-Series: The Indian company finally takes a good lead to become the leading YouTube Channel

The battle between T-series and PewDiePie has been going on since last year. And each time the former outnumbered the latter in terms of followers on YouTube, PewDiePie’s followers surged up quickly. However, today the followers of T-Series’ YouTube followers have finally taken over PewDiePie’s with a huge margin. At the time of writing, T-series had 44,215 more followers than PewDiePie on YouTube.

We should mention that prior to this, Swedish content creator Felix Kjellberg has enjoyed being the biggest channel on YouTube in terms of subscribers. In fact, Kjellberg’s channel was the most subscribed on YouTube for six years. However, things began to change in mid-2018, when for the first time T-Series came very close to surpassing PewDiePie. Since then, a battle between the two channels started and in the process, they both ended up crossing 90 million subscribers on YouTube.

We should add here that at the beginning of 2018, T-Series had around 30 million subscribers on YouTube. However, with the constantly falling price of 4G data coupled with YouTube’s arrival on feature phones, the user-base of the channel grew tremendously. And today, it has become the biggest YouTube channel in terms of subscribers with over 91,663,221 subscribers (at the time of writing).

It is worth noticing that this is not the first time that T-Series has surpassed PewDiePie in terms of followers on YouTube. There have been several instances in the past when the same has happened. The first time T-Series overtook PewDiePie on February 22 for about 8 minutes and this was followed by 8 minutes on March 9. The third time when T-Series’ YouTube channel’s followers surpassed PewDiePie’s was on March 13 for a few moments. And more recently on March 20, it happened for the fourth time for about a minute.

Tseries vs pewdiepie — Image courtesy: FlareTV (YouTube)

It is worth adding that this time, the record label’s YouTube channel did not take over PewDiePie’s for a few minutes. At the time of writing this article, it had T-Series’ followers were ahead of PewDiePie’s for about 20 minutes and the difference between the two kept on surging in favour of the record label’s channel.

However, we still cannot say if the battle between the Indian T-series and Swedish Kjellberg’s PewDiePie is over or not. Considering that PewDiePie has a very strong fan base who have been adopting a number of ways to get others to subscribe to his channel, it may just bounce back. We will have to wait to see if that happens, but one thing is for sure, at this rate, the two channels will definitely cross 100 million subscribers by April this year.

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