Category: All News

March 31, 2024
PlayStation Plus April 2024 Lineup: Immortals of Aveum, Minecraft Legends
Sony unveiled the PlayStation Plus lineup for April, featuring a mix of new and distinct titles for its subscription service. This month’s selection comprises Immortals of Aveum, Minecraft Legends, and Skul: The Hero Slayer, catering to varied gaming preferences and styles.
Immortals of Aveum
In Immortals of Aveum, created by Ascendant Studios and published by Electronic Arts, players immerse themselves in a first-person shooter world where magic reigns supreme. Priced at approximately $80 upon its launch in August 2023, the game follows Jak’s journey from a thief to a crucial defender of the kingdom of Aveum, wielding magical abilities. Noteworthy is its utilization of Unreal Engine 5.1, marking it as the first AAA title to do so.
Minecraft Legends
Minecraft Legends, developed by Mojang Studios and Blackbird Interactive, introduces a real-time action strategy twist to the beloved Minecraft universe. Launched in April 2023, the game has garnered mixed reviews, boasting a metascore of 71 alongside a user score of 4.8.
Skul: The Hero Slayer
Skul: The Hero Slayer offers an immersive 2D platformer experience with rogue-like elements, where players find themselves championing for the demons. Taking on the role of Skul, a skeletal hero, players embark on a mission to rescue their demon comrades from human captors. The game has received a metascore of 80 from 23 reviews, indicating a generally positive reception from critics.
From April 2 till May 6, PlayStation Plus members can enjoy these titles. Moreover, the Overwatch 2 Mega Bundle remains accessible, providing exclusive skins and perks for Overwatch 2 enthusiasts. Some of the inclusions are:
- Beekeeper Sigma Legendary Skin
- Art Deco Symmetra Legendary Skin
- Runner Sojourn Epic Skin
- Punker Queen Junker Queen Epic Skin
- Construction Ramattra Epic Skin
- Matsuri Kiriko Epic Skin
- Cassia Lifeweaver Epic Skin
- Amethyst Illari Epic Skin
- Rugby Mauga Epic Skin
- 5x Battle Pass Tier Skips
Tags: Gaming Titles, Immortals of Aveum, Minecraft Legends, Overwatch 2 Mega Bundle, PlayStation Plus Monthly
March 31, 2024
Pre-order Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Mystic Silver Special Edition with Discount
Xiaomi has recently introduced a special edition color option for its Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, named Mystic Silver, as part of the Xiaomi Fan Festival. This unique color variant is now available for pre-order in the UK and select European regions, boasting an appealing price point.
Pricing and Specifications
The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Mystic Silver variant boasts 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Typically, this configuration of the smartphone is priced at around £449 in the UK and €499.90 in Europe. However, customers can now purchase the Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Mystic Silver with these specifications at a discounted price of just £379 and €400.90.
Limited-time Offer
This discounted rate is a limited-time offer, requiring customers to pre-reserve the device by depositing a nominal fee of £1/€1 before April 1 at 23:59 in the UK or April 2 at 09:59 in the Eurozone. Pre-reservations can be made on Xiaomi’s regional websites. It’s important to note that the specifications of the device will remain consistent with the standard Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G model.
Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G Specifications
The Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G boasts a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display with a 1.5K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Ultra chipset, the device is equipped with LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. On the camera front, it features a 200MP main camera, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro camera at the back, along with a 16MP selfie camera on the front. The smartphone is fueled by a 5000mAh battery and supports 120W wired fast charging.
Tags: Mystic Silver, Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G, Xiaomi
March 31, 2024
Xiaomi Q2 2024 HyperOS Update Plans: Is Your Device Included?
Xiaomi introduced its latest HyperOS operating system, based on Android 14, towards the end of 2023. Since then, the company has been progressively updating its eligible devices to this new operating system.
Xiaomi’s Q2 2024 HyperOS Rollout Plan
As the first quarter of the year concludes, Xiaomi has disclosed the list of devices it intends to upgrade in the second quarter of 2024. The devices slated for the Q2 2024 HyperOS rollout include:
- Xiaomi 11 Ultra
- Xiaomi 11T Pro
- Mi 11X
- Xiaomi 11I HyperCharge
- Xiaomi 11 Lite
- Xiaomi 11i
- Mi 10
- Xiaomi Pad 5
- Redmi K50i
- Redmi 13C series
- Redmi 12
- Redmi 11 Prime 5G
- Redmi Note 11 Series
Devices Already Updated with HyperOS
Moreover, Xiaomi has also listed the devices for which the HyperOS update has already been rolled out. The complete list comprises:
- Xiaomi 13 Pro
- Xiaomi Pad 6
- Redmi 12 5G
- Redmi 12C
- Redmi 11 Prime
- Redmi Pad
- Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Redmi Note 12 5G
- Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G
- Redmi Note 12 Pro+ 5G
- Redmi Note 13 5G
- Redmi Note 13 Pro 5G
- Redmi Note 13 Pro+ 5G
If you own any of these devices and have not yet received the update notification, it is recommended to navigate to Settings > About Phone and select ‘System updates’. For a detailed insight into the new features and differences in HyperOS compared to MIUI, readers can refer to our HyperOS explainer.
Tags: Device Upgrades, HyperOS update, Xiaomi
March 31, 2024
Realme GT Neo 6 SE Design Unveiled Before April Launch
Realme has officially confirmed that the GT Neo 6 SE smartphone is scheduled for an April launch, hinting that an exact release date announcement is on the horizon. Prior to the official unveiling, the device has surfaced on the TENAA listing, offering a glimpse of its design elements both on the front and back.
Design Details Revealed
The TENAA listing showcases a design consistent with earlier leaked renders of the GT Neo 6 SE. Noteworthy features include three circular cutouts on the rear, potentially accommodating three cameras and a flashlight, with the camera setup extending towards the device's sides.
Elegant Design Elements
The GT Neo 6 SE boasts curved edges on both its front and back surfaces. While the images display the device in black, there are hints that a green variant might also be in the works.
Powerful Performance and Display
Realme's GT Neo 6 SE will be powered by the newly unveiled Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor. This chipset packs a 2.8 GHz Cortex-X4 prime core, four 2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 performance cores, and three 1.9 GHz Cortex-A520 efficiency cores, along with an Adreno 732 GPU.
Realme touts significant performance enhancements and energy efficiency improvements with this processor compared to its forerunner.
Impressive Display Features
Moreover, the GT Neo 6 SE will sport a cutting-edge BOE panel with remarkable specifications. The display offers a local peak brightness of 6000 nits and a global maximum brightness of 1600 nits, ensuring exceptional visibility even in well-lit environments.
It further provides a manual maximum brightness of 1000 nits and incorporates advanced features like new 8T LTPO technology, BOE S1 luminescent materials, a 0.5-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, Pro-XDR display, 1.5K resolution, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, and an impressive 94.2% screen-to-body ratio.
Tags: Realme 12 Pro, Realme GT Neo 6 SE, Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
March 30, 2024
Microsoft & OpenAI plan $100B supercomputer Stargate AI
According to a recent report from The Information, Microsoft and OpenAI are in discussions for a collaborative data center project that could amount to an estimated $100 billion. This initiative aims to introduce a groundbreaking artificial intelligence supercomputer known as "Stargate" by the year 2028.
Microsoft and OpenAI's Joint Data Center Project
This ambitious undertaking reflects the escalating demand for AI data centers capable of managing increasingly intricate tasks, largely driven by the emergence of generative AI technology.
Microsoft is anticipated to take on the primary financial responsibility for this venture, with projections suggesting that the project's budget will be a hundredfold greater than current data center operations.
Key Phases of the Stargate Supercomputer Initiative
The envisioned supercomputer, situated in the United States, will serve as the focal point of a comprehensive six-year initiative, segmented into five distinct phases. The deployment of Stargate is envisioned as the final phase, following Microsoft's ongoing development of a smaller supercomputer for OpenAI, set for unveiling in 2026.
The acquisition of specialized AI chips is slated to be a substantial expense during the latter stages of the project, with estimates indicating a price range of $30,000 to $40,000 per chip, as highlighted by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
Financial Projections and Technological Advancements
Microsoft's commitment to enhancing AI capabilities is exemplified through its creation of bespoke computing chips. The new data center project is designed to integrate chips from diverse suppliers, as detailed in the report.
The estimated expenditures for the project could potentially exceed $115 billion, surpassing Microsoft's previous year's capital investment in infrastructure by a significant margin.
Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman unveiled details about the forthcoming GPT-5 model during the World Government Summit in Dubai, revealing its anticipated advancements surpassing prior iterations. GPT-5 is poised to represent a substantial leap in AI capabilities, with early demonstrations showcasing its proficiency in deciphering ancient languages. It is expected to feature functionalities such as image generation through DALL-E and video generation via Sora, with a tentative rollout projected for 2024.
Tags: AI chips, Data Center Initiative, Supercomputer Stargate
March 30, 2024
Huawei’s Remarkable 2023 Financial Success Surpasses 2019
Huawei, the prominent Chinese technology company, has announced strong financial results for the year 2023, demonstrating its resilience in the midst of ongoing adversities. Despite encountering challenges such as U.S. sanctions and market volatility, the company achieved a notable revenue increase of almost 10 percent, amounting to a substantial 704.2 billion yuan ($97.4 billion). This growth was primarily driven by the consumer business segment, which experienced a remarkable 17.3 percent surge, propelled by robust sales in the handset division, notably the Mate 60 in the 5G smartphones market.
Revenue Growth and Segment Performance
Huawei's revenue growth in 2023 showcased its ability to adapt and succeed in a challenging environment. The company's consumer business segment, particularly the handset division, played a significant role in driving this growth.
Overcoming Challenges and Financial Success
Despite facing restrictions on essential technology and software since 2019, Huawei managed to overcome these hurdles effectively, as evidenced by its impressive financial performance. The company's net profit saw an extraordinary surge of 144.5 percent to 87 billion yuan ($12 billion), supported by strong sales and continued earnings from the Honor smartphone brand's sale.
Diversified Business Expansion
Huawei's diverse business segments have been instrumental in fueling its growth trajectory. The cloud computing business witnessed a substantial 22 percent year-on-year increase, generating revenue of 55.3 billion yuan ($7.7 billion). Additionally, the smart car software and components business experienced a remarkable 128.1 percent year-on-year growth, demonstrating Huawei's prowess in emerging sectors.
In response to its financial accomplishments, Huawei's leadership, under the guidance of Rotating Chairman Ken Hu, highlighted the company's resilience and adeptness in facing challenges. Despite the intricacies of the current business landscape, Huawei remains dedicated to investing in research and innovation, allocating 23.4 percent of its annual revenue to R&D endeavors. Looking forward, the company expressed confidence in the future, with a focus on delivering enhanced value to customers and society through collaborative partnerships and innovative solutions.
Huawei's exceptional performance in 2023 not only solidifies its status as a global technology leader but also underscores its capacity to excel even in adverse conditions.
Tags: Consumer business growth, Innovation in adversity, Technology resilience
March 30, 2024
Huawei & PetroChina Collaborate for Smart Energy Solutions
In a unique public gathering convened in Shenzhen, China, Ren Zhengfei, the CEO of Huawei Technologies, participated in discussions with senior executives from PetroChina, spearheaded by Dai Houliang, the chairperson of China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and PetroChina. The session, coinciding with Dai Houliang's tour of Huawei's Computing Innovation Lab, delved into pivotal agendas encompassing corporate governance, digital transformation, and scientific innovation.
Collaborative Initiatives in Low-Carbon Energy
One of the central themes of the discourse revolved around PetroChina's strides in low-carbon energy, emphasizing their advancements towards reaching peak carbon emissions and their ambitious target of doubling the role of low-carbon energy in their overall output capacity within the upcoming two years.
Ren Zhengfei – Huawei
The partnership between CNPC and Huawei has resulted in significant progress, particularly in the creation of a cognitive computing platform named E8. This innovative platform harnesses AI technologies to offer intelligent analyses for oil and gas exploration and production, marking a crucial advancement in modernizing operations within the energy sector.
Past Collaborations and Financial Performance
Previous collaborations between Huawei and PetroChina were underscored, notably their joint endeavors in establishing PetroChina's inaugural comprehensive energy service station in Beijing, integrating diverse energy services with non-energy ventures.
Ren Zhengfei's recent public appearance highlighted Huawei's financial performance in 2023, showcasing a year-on-year doubling of profits despite facing US sanctions. Huawei's growth areas included cloud computing, operating in over 170 countries and regions, driving digital transformation initiatives across various industries, including the energy sector.
The interaction between Huawei and PetroChina represents a notable stride towards nurturing collaboration between the technology and energy realms, with a focus on propelling innovation and sustainability globally. As both entities persist in their pursuit of digital transformation and scientific innovation, their partnership holds the potential to address critical challenges in the energy sector while uncovering fresh avenues for growth and progress.
Tags: Energy Transition, Huawei, Innovation
March 30, 2024
PUBG Mobile to Introduce 120fps Mode in Upcoming Update
Krafton, the developer behind PUBG Mobile, has revealed plans to introduce a 120fps mode for the popular battle royale game in the upcoming version 3.2 update. This new feature aims to enhance gameplay by providing players with a smoother and more responsive gaming experience.
Enhanced Gaming Experience with 120fps Mode
Previously, PUBG Mobile users were limited to a maximum of 90fps for improved gameplay fluidity. With the introduction of the 120fps mode, Krafton is pushing the boundaries of mobile gaming. However, it remains uncertain whether this feature will be accessible on both Android and iOS devices.
The 120fps mode is expected to be tailored for high-end and upper mid-range smartphones, as rendering the game at a higher frame rate can be resource-intensive. Lower-tier devices may struggle to maintain performance at 120fps, especially with reduced graphics settings. Additionally, most entry-level devices have yet to support the 90fps feature.
Expansion to BGMI and Device Compatibility
The introduction of the 120fps mode extends not only to PUBG Mobile but also to BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), aligning the Indian version with the global one. Currently in beta testing, selected users are already exploring the 120fps mode. Early feedback indicates warnings about potential overheating and increased battery consumption while using this feature.
For optimal performance of the 120fps mode, smartphone manufacturers must also optimize their devices to leverage this high frame rate. Flagship smartphones equipped with powerful processors, such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, are expected to seamlessly support the new mode. Likewise, iPhones featuring 120Hz displays are likely to be compatible with this feature.
Recent Updates and Future Enhancements
The unveiling of the 120fps mode closely follows the release of PUBG Mobile version 3.1 update. This recent update introduces various notable additions, including the themed mode "Skyhigh Spectacle" set in the skies with unique transportation modes and strategic items.
Moreover, the "Home" gameplay mode enables players to personalize and construct their virtual homes, explore other players’ homes, and engage in diverse activities to enhance social interactions. Updates to Miramar, WOW gameplay, and Metro Royale introduce fresh elements like urban landscapes, creative opportunities, and firearm attachments, enriching the overall gaming experience.
Tags: 120fps mode, Gaming Updates, PUBG Mobile
March 30, 2024
Xiaomi 14 Ultra Titanium Edition Repair Costs Revealed
Tech giant Xiaomi has recently disclosed the official repair part prices for their flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra Titanium Edition. This premium device stands out with features like satellite communication and a sophisticated design, but repairing it outside of warranty could be a pricey affair.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra Titanium Edition Repair Costs
The cost that might make you wince is the motherboard replacement, priced at a hefty 3030 Yuan ($426). Replacing a cracked screen isn’t far behind, coming in at 1690 Yuan ($238). This figure exceeds the standard Xiaomi 14 Ultra’s screen repair cost of 1350 Yuan ($190).
Component Breakdown
Fortunately, other components like the battery and rear camera modules are more budget-friendly. These prices reflect only the material costs, with an additional standard labor fee of 40 Yuan ($6) added for each repair.
- Motherboard: 3030 Yuan ($426)
- Sub-board: 50 Yuan ($7)
- Display screen: 1690 Yuan ($238)
- Rear Camera (Ultra-wide): 490 Yuan ($68)
- Front Camera: 60 Yuan ($8)
- Rear Camera (Wide-angle): 1000 Yuan ($139)
- Speaker: 30 Yuan ($4)
- Battery: 179 Yuan ($25)
- Rear Camera (Telephoto): 180 Yuan ($25)
- Back Cover: 290 Yuan ($40)
If a repair necessitates multiple parts, you’ll only incur the highest labor fee once.
Justifying the Premium
While Xiaomi hasn’t explicitly clarified the rationale behind the Titanium Edition’s expensive screen, it likely stems from the phone’s premium build materials. In contrast to the standard model, the Titanium Edition features a "higher-grade titanium" mid-frame for improved durability and a tech nano-leather back cover that’s purportedly six times more resistant to wear.
Xiaomi 14 Ultra Titanium Edition made its debut in China on February 22, priced at 8799 Yuan ($1228). This special variant offers 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and satellite communication support and became available for purchase earlier this month.
Tags: Premium Edition, Repair Costs, Xiaomi 14 Ultra
March 30, 2024
Redmi Watch 4 Update Adds Voice Assistant Support
Xiaomi’s Redmi Watch 4, which was launched earlier this year, has received an update that introduces support for the Amazon Alexa voice assistant. This recent update, identified as version 2.2.80, was initially highlighted by a member on the Xiaomi subreddit.
Redmi Watch 4 Update Introduces Amazon Alexa Integration
The integration of Alexa potentially offers Redmi Watch 4 users the capability to execute various tasks using voice commands. This includes setting timers, alarms, controlling compatible smart home devices, creating reminders, and more.
Regional Restrictions on Alexa Support for Redmi Watch 4
Discussions on Reddit indicate that Alexa support on the Redmi Watch 4 might have limitations based on specific regions. A user based in the USA reported that despite receiving the update, the Alexa feature remained inaccessible, accompanied by a message indicating "not available in your region."
How to Test Alexa Support on Redmi Watch 4
To verify if Alexa functions on your Redmi Watch 4, update the device's software and attempt to utilize voice commands. If you encounter difficulties accessing the feature, it is likely that Alexa is currently not supported in your area.
Redmi Watch 4 Specifications
The Redmi Watch 4 boasts an aluminum alloy frame, complemented by a stainless steel crown and a quick-release strap for user convenience. It sports a 1.97-inch rectangular AMOLED display with an LTPS 5Hz screen that offers a refresh rate of 60Hz and a peak brightness of 600 nits.
In terms of health monitoring, the watch features a 4-channel PPG sensor for heart rate and blood oxygen measurement, alongside an accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS for tracking over 150 sports activities. Additionally, it includes standard smartwatch functions like sleep monitoring, stress tracking, weather updates, a stopwatch, app notifications, microphone, speaker for Bluetooth calling, and a water resistance rating of 5 ATM.
The device is powered by a 470mAh battery, providing up to 20 days of battery life under typical usage scenarios.
Tags: Amazon Alexa, Redmi Watch 4, Smartwatch