Techy Planet

After the Indian government’s interim order to disallow the use of 59 mobile apps with Chinese origin, Google Play Store and Apple App Store has de-listed TikTok in India along with some of the other apps in the list. The government finds all these apps “engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order.” Having said that, most apps from the list are still available on both the app stores at the time of writing.  Nevertheless, if you want to stop using these apps and are looking to replace these popular mobile apps of Chinese origin, here are the top 10 alternatives to the banned mobile apps. Alternatives to TikTok, Helo, Bigo Live, Vigo Video, Vmate, U Video, Viva Video, Likee and Kwai TikTok and other short video platforms are part of the list of 59 apps banned in India. You can choose Dubsmash, Roposo, Chingari and more such apps available both on Play Store and Apple App Store.  ...

Google has shared what people are searching for the most as part of its ‘This week in Search’ series. June being the LGBT Pride Month, “pride fist”, “blm pride flag” and other associated searches have hit record highs, Google says. Additionally, Marsha P. Johnson is also among the highest searched personalities worldwide for the month o... from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3eLEytX

Google Photos app has received the much awaited redesign with a simpler three tab interface and a map view. The icon has also been reworked and these changes were first described on June 25 in a blog post. Now, the updated Google Photos app is live and brings several changes that Google says offer a more “simplified experience”. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2CNbvYC

OnePlus Nord has officially been confirmed as the name of the company’s upcoming affordable smartphone. The phone has earlier been referred to as the OnePlus Z, OnePlus 8 Lite and more recently, OnePlus Lite. However, putting all rumours and guesses to rest, OnePlus has revealed that its affordable smartphone is called OnePlus Nord. In the first part of the documentary released by OnePlus, the company gives its fans an overview of what went into making an affordable phone in a matter of six months that will be priced below $500. The phone was previously expected to be unveiled along with the OnePlus 8 series that launched on March 15, however, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the launch was postponed to a later date. It’s now speculated that the OnePlus Nord will be launched on July 10. The second part of the documentary is scheduled to release on July 7 where the company is expected to reveal more details about the launch of the OnePlus Nord. OnePlus Nord will also go up for pre-ord...

We won’t be hearing about TikTok for a while now. The viral video sharing app has been banned by the Indian Government along with 58 other apps originating out of China, and this one’s not a hoax. The order came straight The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking the power under section 69A of the IT Act 2009, based on “information available they are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.” The appendix lists out popular apps like UC Browser, Shareit, Helo, Likee, WeChat, ES File Explorer and a bunch of utility and community apps, including that of Xiaomi. Among the 59 apps, TikTok is certainly the largest, and would probably be missed a lot. Based on stats provided by Apptrace, it’s presently ranked fourth in India on the Google Play Store and ranked sixth on the App Store. And the viral short video platform boasts a whopping 119 million active users in India alone! Popular se...

OnePlus Nord a.k.a the OnePlus Lite / OnePlus Z will be up for pre-orders starting July 1, the company has announced. The much-anticipated affordable OnePlus smartphone hasn’t been announced yet and it's not confirmed what it will be called at launch. However, the company is opening up 100 pre-orders for the phone, indicating that we’re close to an official launch. Interestingly, OnePlus is hosting an event on July 2 where it is expected to launch three new TVs. The new Instagram account OnePlus created for its affordable smartphone has posted a story which says “24 hours until we’re open for business - for at least a couple of seconds. 100 pre-orders coming up”, concluding with a phone emoji. The company has been generating a lot of hype for its affordable phone which marks OnePlus’ re-entry into the affordable segment.  How to pre-order OnePlus Nord? OnePlus will go live with 100 pre-orders for its upcoming affordable phone dubbed OnePlus Nord on July 1 from 1:30 PM IST. ...

Google has turned off automatic back up for photos and videos from messaging apps. The development was shared by the search giant on its support blog. The reason for this change is to “save internet resources” due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2NJ4hHu

Google upended plans by European media companies to block it from harvesting data about their readers and slash some of its dominance in online advertising, seven people involved in the talks said this month. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2CVktDl

If you are an ACT broadband customer, then there is good news for you. ACT has upgraded the speed and data of some of its plans in Delhi. Under the existing plans, the ACT Platinum Promo plan has been upgraded to 150 Mbps speed with 1000 GB FUP and ACT Diamond plan has been upgraded to 300 Mbps Speeds with 1500 GB FUP. The price of the plans remains the same. The ACT Platinum Promo plan is priced at Rs 1049 whereas the ACT Diamond plan is priced at Rs 1349. Let’s break down the changes to these 2 plans. ACT Platinum Promo plan and ACT Diamond plan details Starting with the ACT Platinum Promo plan, the price of the plan is the same for new and existing customers - Rs 1049. The data cap is still the same at 1000GB after which the speed drops to 1Mbps. During the FUP usage, however, speed for customers has been increased from 150 Mbps to 200 Mbps.  Moving over to the ACT Diaomind plan, the speed for users has increased from 150 Mbps to 300 Mbps and the data cap has also increased fr...

PUBG Mobile has confirmed that its new map, Livik will be available to all players from July 7 onwards as part of the v0.19.0 update. The new map is the game’s first map that is exclusive to the mobile version. It is also expected to be one of the smallest maps yet for the game, even smaller than Sanhok, with each game limited to 50 players. Pack your virtual bags and get ready to take a trip to PUBG MOBILE's first exclusive map Livik. Break new ground with Update 0.19.0 becoming available to all regions on July 7th! Join in on the action nowhttps://t.co/Lvgc5qlZAp pic.twitter.com/K661LrsUbW — PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) June 30, 2020 In an interview,  the developers noted that the idea behind the new map is to allow for shorter, faster-paced matches. This would make it ideal for working professionals who may not have the time to play a normal game of PUBG Mobile on large maps like Miramar and Erangel as these games can last for 40 minutes or so.  Besides a shorter and more f...

MediaTek has launched Helio G35 and Helio G25 chipsets that are built especially for affordable gaming smartphones and comes with MediaTek HyperEngine game technology. Both the chipsets are part of the company’s G-series of processors such as the Helio G90, G90T, G85, G80 and G70 that offer an enhanced gaming experience and imaging features. “Mobile gaming is now the preferred mode of entertainment across market segments, and MediaTek expanded its G-series to meet the huge demand for competitively priced, mainstream gaming smartphones,” said Dr Yenchi Lee, Deputy General Manager, Wireless Communications Business Unit, MediaTek. The Helio G35 and G25 chipsets have been crafted on a 12nm FinFET process with an octa-core CPU with speeds upto 2GHz and 2.3GHz for the G25 and G35 respectively. The new chipsets come with PowerVR GE8320 GPUs with MediaTek’s Hyper Engine that offers smart power management for efficient battery life during gameplay sessions. With the Hyper Engine technology b...

If information circulating the internet is to be believed, then we could see the much rumoured less powerful Xbox Series S also known as Lockhart revealed in August 2020. According to the source, “The company was aiming to show off the long-rumoured, more-affordable Xbox Lockhart around June 9. But it pushed those plans all the way to August — at least for now”. So it looks like Microsoft is waiting to showcase the new console, but when Sony held its PS5 reveal event, the company showed off the design of the PS5 along with an all-digital version of the console.  According to Tom Warren from the Verge, “I’ve been reporting on Xbox Lockhart having a slightly underclocked CPU, but I now believe it’s the same speed as Series X. Just different GPU frequencies and CU counts”. So if the CPU is the same, then we can presume that the CPU bottleneck will not be an issue for developers. However, the lower CU counts and GPU frequency means that the console could take a hit on resolution but s...

YouTube on Monday shut down six far-right channels for violating rules against "supremacist" content, booting videos by David Duke, Stefan Molyneux and Richard Spencer. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2ZlMNpZ

Google said on Monday that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2NFXpdR

Reddit on Monday shut down r/The_Donald, a forum which long served as a popular online home base for fans of President Donald Trump, saying it violated the site's hate speech rules. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2VsmGML

TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser, Xiaomi Mi Community, ES File Explorer, Clash of Kings are among the list of 59 mobile apps that have been banned by the Indian government. The Ministry of Information Technology finds these apps “engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order.”  The Indian government had earlier reportedly received a list of apps that originated or have links with China from intelligence agencies citing security and privacy concerns over the use of these apps. In a press release issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the government cites several complaints, reports and an “exhaustive recommendation” which forms the basis of this new order to ban 59 apps. The government hasn’t revealed the nature of the ban, neither has it approached Google Play Store and Apple App Store to enforce the order. As of writing this report TikTok, Shareit and more apps from the list a...

A homegrown social networking app called “Chingari” has gone viral with more than 2.5 million downloads on the Google Playstore. Launched as a TikTok alternative, the short video sharing app reached 500,000 downloads in just 72 hours and the new milestone is coupled with thousands of favourable reviews on the app’s listing page on Google Playstore. Apart from helping users reach out to millions with their posts, the biggest draw for the app is that it also pays content creators for content that goes viral. It’s also available on the Apple App Store. It’s a truly Indian app with support for multiple vernacular languages, which has perhaps resonated with the people of the country amidst a surge in Anti-China sentiments. On the Google Playstore, it’s called Chingari - Original Indian Short Video app. What is Chingari app? Billed as a Tik-Tok alternative, Chingari is a homegrown, short video sharing app founded by two Bengaluru-based software engineers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gauta...

As we near the launch of the next iPhone, the rumours and leaks around it start to pick up with a feverish pace. Just like the last few years, we’re getting early, unconfirmed reports surrounding the charger of the iPhone. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that the iPhone 12 will not come with EarPods in the box. Perhaps the more notable claim is that Apple might, in fact, even be doing away with the bundled charger, leaving just the charging cable as the accessory in the box. According to Kuo, the reasoning behind the removal of the bundled accessories is the potentially high cost of making the iPhone 12. Kuo says that Apple wants to maintain the current retail price for the iPhone 12 and apparently, removing essential bundled accessories seems to be the only way to do so. Do note that at this point, it is not clear whether Kuo is referring to all four alleged models that make up the iPhone 12 series or just a smartphone that might be called the iPhone 12. Unfortunately, we cannot hel...

The Realme Narzo 10 may not be the best performing smartphone in the budget segment, but it’s surely one of the best looking. Designed by Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, the phone is crafted using a unique spray-painting process. At launch, Realme got the 'That White' and 'That Green' colour variants of the smartphone. Now, Realme has launched a third colour called 'That Blue'  which will go on sale from tomorrow on Flipkart and Realme.com. The Narzo 10 That Blue also sports the same smooth texture finish, and gradient, glowing lines on the body. It’s available only in one variant priced at Rs 11,999. Realme also said the phone with the new colour variant will be available offline in select areas including Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Kerala. Realme Narzo 10 Specs and Features The Narzo 10 runs on the MediaTek Helio G80, which is a 12nm SoC built for gaming and high performance. Sure enough, the gaming performance is dece...

Gmail accounts linked to the Mail app (also known as Mail and Calendar), which is available pre-installed on Windows 10, are facing multiple issues, several users reported online. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2ZnofwG

It’s been just about a month that Xiaomi announced the global version of MIUI 12 for its smartphones, with beta versions rolling out on the same day. Now, with the sale and production of new smartphones impacted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Xiaomi is focusing on rolling out the new interface to new smartphones on priority. A new report states Xiaomi smartphones have already started to receive the stable update to MIUI 12 which includes the Redmi K30 5G, Redmi K30 Pro Zoom, Mi 9, Mi 9 Pro 5G and Mi 10 Youth. The report claims that the updates started rolling out from June 28 for more phones including the Mi 10, Mi 10 Pro, Mi 9 Explorer Edition, Redmi K20 Pro and the Redmi K20. However, it seems there’s still time for the updates to roll out to phones in India. The rollout falls in line with the timeline shared by Xiaomi at the launch of MIUI 12. Xiaomi had promised that the first stable build will start rolling out from June. The rollout will also depend a lot on the COVID-19...

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is expected to launch a 10.8-inch iPad in 2020 and an 8.5-inch iPad Mini in 2021. It isn’t clear whether the new iPad will replace or be in addition to the 10.2-inch iPad and 10.5-inch iPad Air. It also isn’t clear what chip the upcoming iPads will run on as the refreshed iPad Air and iPad mini in 2019 run on the A12 Bionic chip which is Apple's latest and greatest. It is possible we could get the A13 with the upcoming iPhone 12 and the same chip could find its way to the upcoming iPads. Kuo has also said that a 20W power adapter will come with the new iPads in the box.  Kuo has often been right with his Apple predictions, but we still suggest you take this with a grain of salt. Apple recently refreshed its iPad Pro lineup and also introduced a snazzy new keyboard that magnetically holds the iPad in place, giving the illusion that it is levitating. The refreshed iPad Pros come with the A12z chip. You can read more about the new iPad Pros he...

K-pop band Blackpink’s newly released “How You Like That” music video blasted into the YouTube record books. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2VpTHcs

OnePlus has been drip-feeding us information about the upcoming OnePlus TV with some new teaser every day. So we thought we’d compile everything we know about the OnePlus TV in one place. We will talk about the speculated pricing, display size, features and more. This includes all the information that OnePlus has confirmed about the OnePlus TVs and some information we are guessing based on the teasers, leaks and out experience.  OnePlus TV Screen Sizes As per a Bluetooth listing, it was speculated that OnePlus would launch three variants of the OnePlus TV - 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch. The naming convention in the same listing also hinted that the 32-inch TV would be an HD ready TV, the 43-inch TV an FHD TV and the 55-inch a UHD TV. OnePlus has also teased three prices for the TVs hinting at three models. The 32-inch and 43-inch screen sizes are the hottest space in the TV market right now with brands like Xiaomi, Kodak and more offering TVs in this space and new entries from bra...

With Qualcomm making the 5G modem on the Snapdragon 865 mandatory, Android flagships are struggling to remain affordable with many crossing the Rs 50,000 mark in India, a market where OEMs aim to keep devices affordable. And if you have been hoping the Snapdragon 875 next year will lower the prices again, we have some bad news. Based on information from South Korea, the Snapdragon 875 will be even more expensive than the current Snapdragon 865. A whopping 50 percent increase in price is expected. A forum post claims the Snapdragon 875 SoC itself will cost $130, as compared to Snapdragon 865’s $85 price tag. The entire package, however, is expected to go up to $250, where the Snapdragon 865 is being sourced at $160. The forum post claims this is the price Xiaomi will be buying the chipsets at, from Qualcomm. It needs to be noted that the final unit price of the chipsets will depend on the volume ordered. Considering the number of flagship Android phones Xiaomi launches and sells i...

OnePlus is asking people to guess the name of its upcoming affordable smartphone and as listed the OnePlus Lite and OnePlus Z as two options on Amazon India ahead of the official launch. The affordable OnePlus phone has been leaked previously as the OnePlus 8 Lite and subsequently as the OnePlus Z but there’s no confirmation yet on the official name of the upcoming phone. In fact, OnePlus accidentally indicated that the phone could be called OnePlus Nord instead as has been spotted in a now-deleted picture on Instagram.  OnePlus is generating a lot of hype in the heads up to the official unveiling of their upcoming smartphone which marks the company’s re-entry into the affordable segment after the OnePlus X that was launched back in 2015. With the new phone, the company could be looking to stay relevant in the affordable price segment of the Indian smartphone market which it once dominated. OnePlus Nord Leaked Specifications  OnePlus Nord is rumoured to feature a 6.55-i...

Several people are forwarding a message on WhatsApp and social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter claiming that a COVID-19 exposure sensor has been silently “inserted into every phone.” Here’s what’s the truth about the widely spread message. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2BmBxlh

OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro are going on sale later today on Amazon India. The OnePlus 8 series was previously available in limited quantities earlier due to production issues likely caused by the Coronavirus outbreak. However, this afternoon, both the OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will go on sale on Amazon India and OnePlus India store. OnePlus 8 series pricing, sale date and launch offers  OnePlus 8 is priced starting at Rs 41,999 for the base variant in Glacial Green colour with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 44,999 and comes in Onyx Black colour. The maxed-out variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is up for grabs in Interstellar Glow and Glacial Green colours and is priced at Rs 49,999. OnePlus 8 Pro is priced starting at Rs 54,999 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage while the maxed-out variant with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is up for grabs at Rs 59,999.  As part of the sale offers, OnePlus is offering a...

OnePlus has confirmed that it’s going to unveil three new televisions in India on July 2, entering into the affordable TV segment. The company is going all-in with marketing the new televisions and has revealed some key details about their upcoming affordable TVs. OnePlus currently sells two TVs in its Q1 series and while there’s no word on what the new and affordable TV series will be called, the company has revealed on its official forum, some of the key highlights about the three upcoming TVs in India. In the heads up to the official launch, OnePlus is hosting a contest on Amazon India asking users to guess the starting price of its upcoming televisions. In a tweet, the company has also hinted at the starting price of three models, expected to be 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch starting at Rs 1X,999, Rs 2X,999 and Rs 4X,999 respectively. It's all that you need at a price that you want. Can you guess the price of the upcoming OnePlus TV Series? #SmarterTV #OnePlusTV — OnePlus Ind...

Xiaomi Redmi 9A has been leaked yet again, this time courtesy of the company’s own product brochure for July-August 2020. This brochure is meant for the authorised retailers in the Philippines region and so there’s no word for when the phone will arrive in India. The Redmi 9A is an entry-level phone in the Redmi 9 series of budget phones and the leak also revealed key specifications which corroborate previous leaks about the phone. The brochure has been uploaded by GizGuide, a consumer technology publication based out of Phillippines which lists the Redmi 9A as “coming soon”. Notably, the brochure doesn’t list the prices of the Redmi 9A. Let’s take a look at the leaked specifications of the Redmi 9A. Xiaomi Redmi 9A leaked specifications The leaked image of the Redmi 9A looks in-line with the design of the previous generation Redmi 8 series. The phone features a waterdrop notch with the display measuring 6.53-inches. The display has an HD+ resolution with a rather noticeable bezel at...

The tussle for compute supremacy between Intel and AMD has never been this intense. AMD’s Ryzen series of processors have been hacking away at Intel’s market share in the consumer space at a fairly consistent rate, and team Blue has tried hard to not let go of their dominance. Now, a set of leaked slides from the Intel Partner Connect program has stirred up major controversy for Intel, causing a significant backlash from tech press and enthusiasts alike. The presentation in question was given during the Intel Partner Connect event and is meant only to be used as training material for Intel’s partners. Amongst the many slides, is one that compares a tenth generation Intel Core i7-10750H powered MSI GL65 with the AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS powered Asus Zephyrus G14. The slide shows benchmark data from 6 games that were played on both the machines, with Intel being ahead of the AMD Ryzen chip in every scenario. There is, however, only one problem. The GPU on the MSI GL65 is what is colloquially ...

The US Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to chief executives of five large tech companies asking them to ensure social media platforms are not used to incite violence in the wake of nationwide protests following George Floyd's death. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2ZfNJfn

Huawei Nova 7i could launch in India sometime in July, according to a new report doing rounds of the Internet. The Nova 7i debuted in Malaysia in February earlier this year and features quad cameras on the back, support for fast charging out-of-the-box and is powered by an octa-core processor to boot. As per an exclusive report by Pricebaba that cites a “trusted source”, Huawei is preparing to launch the Nova 7i in India in July. It can be noted here that Huawei hasn’t officially revealed any plans to launch the Nova 7i in India yet. The company had launched the Huawei Y9s in India last month in May alongside the Huawei Watch GT2E and much recently the Huawei Freebuds 3. Huawei Nova 7i specifications and expected pricing Huawei Nova 7i features a 6.4-inch Full HD+ (2310 x 1080 pixels) resolution display with a punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner for the selfie camera. The phone measures 8.7mm at its thickest point and weigh 183 grams.  The Nova 7i is powered by Kirin 810 pr...

In what could be considered a bleak representation of current events, Microsoft has announced that they will be shutting down all but four retail stores. The company said that the four stores that will remain open will be transformed into experience centers. The company said that they will be moving the retail operations online. "Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location," said Microsoft corporate vice president David Porter. Currently, Microsoft has over 80 retail stores that have had to stay shut due to the Coronavirus outbreak. During the time, while retail sales have obvious rock-bottomed, online sales have risen greatly, prompting Microsoft to take the new approach for retail. "Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows," the statement said. While the com...

Google Pixel 4A has allegedly passed through FCC certification hinting at a launch in the future. Google has passed its mid-cycle update deadline already, given that the Pixel 3a launched in May last year. The Pixel 4A has leaked on multiple occasions online, however Google has made no hints of an announcement soon. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3dB3jaQ

Watching movies and TV shows at home have grown since the COVID-19 pandemic and since more people are spending time in front of the TV, the desire to upgrade to a better, more immersive experience is eminent. To give you a package deal, Epson has launched the Cinema@Home offer that brings with it an Epson EH-TW650 home theatre projector, a Yamaha YAS-209 soundbar and subwoofer and a Milan 254-cm (100-inch) screen. The bundle is priced at Rs 89,999 and those interested can know more about it here.  Coming to the Epson EH-TW650, the projector has an RGB liquid crystal shutter projection system and a contrast ratio of 15,000:1. It also brings with it Vertical/Horizontal Keystone - ±30° / ±30°. The projector weighs a mere 2.7 kgs. In terms of connectivity, the projector has a USB-A and one USB type-B port. You also have the traditional RCA input along with a VGA port and 2 HDMI ports. In our review of the projector, we said, “The Epson Eh TW-650 brings with it fantastic performance wi...

OnePlus is all set to launch its 2020 TV lineup and while it isn’t clear how many TVs the brand will launch, it is speculated that we will see three OnePlus TVs - 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch. OnePlus has taken to its official forum page to highlight some details about the upcoming TV. the post reads, “This time, with our brand-new series of OnePlus TVs, burdenless design remains at the core of what we are bringing to all of you. Today, I want to share some of the details in our mid-range segment TV.” The purpose of the TV is to immerse you in the content you are watching on it and hence OnePlus says the new mid-ranged TVs will have very slim bezels giving the TV a 95 percent screen to body ratio.  The forum post reads, “When you look closely, you'll discover that its design is different from the rounded corners used in most TVs. This one has four, nearly 90-degree corners to match the screen. ” The post also highlights that at its slimmest, the TV is a mere 6.9mm thin. That...

Microsoft may be touting the Xbox Series X to be the most powerful next-gen console, but it is possible that they could launch the much-rumoured less powerful Lockhart machine as well. The Xbox Series X was codenamed Project Scarlett but it looks like there were two consoles under the Project Scarlett codename - Anaconda and Lockhart. Even though we have seen the Anaconda symbol on the Xbox Series X motherboard, we haven’t heard anything officially about Lockhart from Microsoft. If leaked documents are to be believed, then it looks like the less powerful Lockhart console could exist. The leaked document reads, “Welcome to the June 2020 Microsoft Game Development Kit (GDK) release. You can use the GDK to develop games that can be certified and approved for release on Windows 10 PCs, Xbox One Consoles, and Project Scarlett consoles. In fact, you can target all those devices using a shared codebase”. So it looks like the multiple Scarlett consoles could hint at the existence of Lockhart....

The US Justice Department is seeking the final documents to complete an antitrust investigation of Alphabet's Google, said three sources familiar with the probe, which is expected to end with a lawsuit this summer. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2Bcgz8B

PUBG Mobile has announced that it will be introducing a map to battle royale that will be exclusive to the mobile version of the game. Called Livik, it is the same map that was known as ‘Secret Map’ in PUBG Mobile Beta. interestingly enough, it is currently still tagged as Secret Map in the beta, but that should change soon. The developers made the announcement via a tweet. Introducing... Livik! Our newest PUBG MOBILE exclusive map! We can't wait for you to experience Livik in it's full glory! Try it in Beta now! https://t.co/Lvgc5qlZAp pic.twitter.com/U99zb3ypCY — PUBG MOBILE (@PUBGMOBILE) June 25, 2020   PUB Mobile Livik map: Details The new map will be much smaller than previous PUBG Maps, even smaller than Sanhok. In an interview, the developers said that the map is designed to offer a 15-minute game, which should make it ideal for working professionals or anyone else who may not have the time to play through the 30-40 minute match on maps like Erangel or Miramar. ...

Those that are familiar with PC and laptop brands will undoubtedly know the name Compaq. Once a household name in the laptop and PC space, the name Compaq dwindled away. Now the brand is making a comeback in one of the hottest consumer electronic spaces in India - TVs. Digit has learned that Compaq will launch its TVs in India in mid-July - 15th to be precise. The company will launch 8 models and there will be a mix of smart and “hybrid smart” TVs. It still isn’t clear what “hybrid-smart” stands for in the TV space but we will find out soon enough. Nothing else is known about the upcoming Compaq TVs.  So how has the Compaq name made a comeback, that too in the TV space? Well, NCR based Ossify Industries has acquired the rights to use the name Compaq for its smart TVs. We think this is finally coming in fruition and we will see the TVs launching soon.  The TV space is heating up in India with the 32-inch and 43-inch dominating and the 50 and 55-inch space also seeing gro...

OnePlus Nord, the much rumoured affordable phone by the company is set to feature dual front-facing cameras, a first for OnePlus. While other smartphone manufacturers have played hard and fast with single and dual selfie cameras, OnePlus has almost always strayed away from using two cameras on the front but all that changes with the affordable OnePlus phone, dubbed Nord. According to an exclusive report by Android Central, the upcoming OnePlus Nord features dual selfie cameras in 32MP + 8MP arrangement. The 8MP camera uses an ultra-wide camera and the dual camera cutout is located in the top-left corner. The report notes that the cutout on the OnePlus phone is “not as wide” as the one on Huawei’s P40 series. Dual selfie cameras is a departure for the company that used the same selfie camera on its latest OnePlus 8 series of phones as we saw on the OnePlus 7 and 7T series. It would be interesting to see how OnePlus positions this new change in its product line-up and whether or not it...

Google has redesigned its Photos app for relatively better management of a user’s pictures and videos. The app has also received a bunch of new features that make it easier for you to look up a particular photo, video and memories. Google Photos is used by over a billion users each month, making it one of the popular photo and video management apps that comes pre-loaded on all Android smartphones. Google Photos redesigned: Here’s what’s new Google Photos app icon has been redesigned and sheds its angular design in lieu of rounded corners. Google’s aim in redesigning the Photos app is to declutter its interface and offer a simpler way of storing and revisiting your pictures and videos. With the previous design, there were four tabs at the bottom namely, Photos, Albums, For you and Sharing. The redesign brings a new three-tab interface-- Photos, Search and Library.  The primary Photos tab has all the pictures and videos but the thumbnails are now larger and the white space in ...

After the collective sigh that was heaved after the delay of Cyberpunk 2077, a lot of fans joked about the idea that the game would actually release in 2077. But, the game will now release on 19 November 2020 and from the online reaction, fans are still incredibly hyped for CDProject Red’s next big release after The Witcher 3 (Review). CD Projekt Red has also kept fans in the loop with a 45-minute gameplay demo back in 2018 and just last night, we all got a brand-new trailer, some more gameplay and an anime announcement. The new trailer was called ‘The Gig’ and sees V breaking into a building to steal a biochip and a better look at Night City as well. We also got a bit of gameplay with some sweet gunplay and driving.  The city in Cyberpunk 2077 looks impressive as well. From the grimy neon-lit streets to the shimmering highrises, it takes its visual cues from comic book artists like Moebius and Geoff Darrow. It feels dystopian but also inviting. We got a look at the ‘braindance’ ...

YouTube is testing a new feature on its mobile apps that will allow users to create and upload short 15-second clips, similar to TikTok. The feature is currently available to limited users, and a mass rollout can be expected after the testing phase is over. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2B1y5MR

June may have been dominated with a lot of love and hate for The Last of Us Part II (review), but that doesn’t mean July will be a dry spell for gaming. The summer of gaming is underway with new game reveals and more. We got our first look at the PS5 design along with some of the games for the system and even a new look at Cyberpunk 2077 which has now been delayed to November 19. While the rest of the year looks to hold some exciting games, July is no slouch. We have not one but two big-name games coming to Sony’s platform and one cute and cuddly game coming to Microsoft’s console. If you have been saving up for some new games, then here are 5 games releasing in July worth considering.  Ghost of Tsushima One of the most anticipated games of the year, Ghost of Tsushima takes players back to feudal Japan when the island of Tsushima was invaded by the Mongols. A lot of gameplay elements were shrouded in darkness until developer Suckerpunch gave us an 18 minute deep dive into the gam...

Google Photos gets a major new upgrade with a new simpler interface, a brand new logo, a new Map view in the search tab, and a more comprehensive Memories section. The redesign is rolling out for Android and iOS users both, over the next week. The ‘For You’ tab that currently houses all Google creations like movies, collages, and animations has... from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/31mD6Kv

Waymo and the Volvo Cars Group have agreed to develop a self-driving electric vehicle designed for ride hailing use, as part of a new global partnership, the companies said on Thursday. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2Nx2aGM

Google Play is said to have at least 17 apps that are a part of a Trojan family called HiddenAds, if cybersecurity firm Avast is to be believed. The apps are found to be a part of a large HiddenAds campaign that initially targeted users in India and Southeast Asia. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3fWuI8z

Google said on Thursday that it is working with partner financial institutions to help small businesses in India impacted due to the coronavirus outbreak. from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3g3aMkF

If you feel like you’ve got the programming chops, then you’ll be glad to hear that Sony has announced a bug bounty program. Anyone can participate in this program. Participants will have to report vulnerabilities on the PS4. Rewards start at $50,000. Senior Director of Software Engineering, Geoff Norton wrote in a blog post,” Our bug bounty program has rewards for various issues, including critical issues on PS4. Critical vulnerabilities for PS4 have bounties starting at $50,000.”. Reporting a low-priority issue could net you a sweet $500 and a critical or serious issue could get you $50,000 or more, depending on the problem. In the blog post, Geoff Norton continued, “To date, we have been running our bug bounty program privately with some researchers. We recognize the valuable role that the research community plays in enhancing security, so we’re excited to announce our program for the broader community.”. You can check out more information about the program at Sony PlayStation’s pa...