Amazon announces Luna, a new game streaming service to take on Microsoft and Google

After Microsoft and Google, Amazon has jumped head on into cloud gaming by launching Luna, the company’s video game streaming service. The service was revealed at the company's hardware event which also saw the launch of new Echo speakers and FireTV sticks and an indoor drone that doubles up as a security camera.

Luna works by using a video game controller that connects directly to games stored on Amazon Web Services servers, to stream through a Fire TV sticks and PCs. Luna will also work on smartphones. A dedicated app is under works.

Amazon Luna release date and pricing

Amazon has said the service will be priced at $6 (roughly Rs 400) per month during the introductory phase. The service will be available in early access for a select set of users in the US, with a global launch planned for 2021.

How does the Amazon Luna game streaming service work?

Unlike Google Stadia, which requires you to pay for individual games, or Microsoft xCloud which is bundled with Xbox Game Pass, Luna will offer individual channels, each for a partner publisher. These channels will be priced differently and will come with perks and restrictions.

For now, the service will launch as early-access for a small set of users in the US with just two channels. The first is an Amazon-branded channel called Luna Plus, where it will offer ’4K streaming’ and ‘unlimited hours of play’, along with a dozen games for $5.99 a month (roughly Rs 441). Confirmed titles so far include Resident Evil 7 and Control.

The second channel will be for Ubisoft, and should have access to most of the studio’s games. Amazon has not disclosed the price for this channel, but it’s likely to priced higher than Luna Plus, and closer to Ubisoft’s own subscription service launched last year.

What games are coming to Amazon Luna?

So far, these are the games confirmed to be available on the Luna platform —

Control Sonic Mania Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair Grid Trails of Cold Steel 3 Indivisible A Plague Tale: Innocence Everspace Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Resident Evil 7 The Surge 2 SteamWorld Dig 2 Watch Dogs Legion Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Rime Metro Exodus Abzû

— And 80 more titles.

Amazon Luna minimum system requirements

While Luna won’t need the most powerful GPU or CPU to run, what it will need instead is high-speed internet. Recommended system requirements include —

5GHz Wi-Fi 10Mbps downstream for regular streaming 30Mbps downstream for 4K streaming Compatible Game Controller (Luna, Xbox, or DualShock 4) PC, Mac, FireTV Stick, iPhone or iPad.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/307zcni

Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Dot with clock launched in India: Price, features and availability

Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Dot with the clock have launched in India as the new 4th generation Alexa-powered smart home products. The new Echo range of smart speakers has been refreshed with a new spherical design, upgraded speakers with improved audio quality and more. Amazon announced a host of new devices including the Echo Show 10 but India is only getting the new Echo devices for now.

The new Amazon Echo smart speakers are built with recycled materials and come with Low Power Mode for saving power consumption. The new 4th generation Echo combines the best of the previous generation Echo and Echo Plus into a spherical form factor with support for Dolby stereo sound and more. There are a new smaller Echo Dot and an Echo Dot with clock as well. 

Parag Gupta, Head of Amazon Devices in India said, “With the new range of Echo devices, we are making it more natural and convenient for customers to interact with Alexa. The new range of Echo speakers are completely redesigned for an improved audio experience and seamlessly merge into the home decor. We are proud to share that these are our most sustainable products yet.”

Amazon Echo, Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock pricing and availability

Amazon Echo is priced at Rs 9,999 and is offered in three colours- black, blue and white. It will go on sale sometime later this year on Amazon India. 

The Echo Dot is priced at Rs 4,499 and the Echo Dot with Clock is priced at Rs 5,499. The Echo Dot is already up for pre-orders and will start shipping from October 26 onwards. The Echo Dot with Clock will be available to purchase at a later date.

Amazon Echo features

Amazon Echo sheds its tower design for a spherical form-factor and the ring light has been repositioned to the bottom in order to create a reflective effect when placed on a table or any surface. It is powered by the AZ1 Neural Edge processor that's designed to boost machine learning on the smart speakers allowing the Echo to process speech much faster.

 

The 4th generation Echo is fitted with 3-inch woofers and dual tweeters that makes this speaker capable of delivering great sound quality with clear audio and deep bass profile. The new Echo also comes with Zigbee smart home hub and supports Bluetooth Low Energy mode.

Amazon Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock features

Amazon Echo Dot is a smaller, slightly toned-down version of the Echo smart speaker as it also adopts the new spherical design. It is fairly compact and the blue colour fabric finish does look stylish. The Echo Dot features a 1.6-inch speaker unit that produces clear audio with balanced bass for your bedroom. 

The Echo Dot with Clock adds an LED display under the spherical design that shows the time, temperature, alarm information and more. 

Amazon has also announced that all its Echo devices are built with 100% recycled fabric, aluminium and plastic.

 

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3j3i35Q

Amazon launches new Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick Lite starting at Rs 2,999 in India

Amazon has updated one of its most popular products, the Fire TV stick and also introduced a new entry-level Fire TV Stick called the Fire TV Stick Lite. While both of them perform the same function, there are a few key differences one should be aware of. The Fire TV Stick is priced at Rs 3,999 while the Fire TV Stick Lite is priced at Rs 2,999. Let’s dive in and see what each device has to offer. 

New Amazon Fire TV Stick

When it comes to the design, the new Fire TV Stick is indistinguishable from the old one. However, the improvements it brings with it are under the hood. The all-new Fire TV Stick features an enhanced 1.7 GHz quad-core processor that Amazon claims makes it 50 percent more powerful than the previous generation. The new Fire TV Stick can output 1080p at 60fps with HDR compatibility. HDR is new as the previous-gen 1080p Fire TV Stick couldn’t output in HDR. Previously, if you wanted HDR you would have to invest in the Fire TV Stick 4K. 

The new Fire TV Stick also supports dual-band Wi-Fi. The New Fire TV Stick also supports Dolby Atmos. If you have a 1080p TV and Dolby Atmos enabled home theatre or soundbar, then this can be a great smart stick for you. A lot of home theatres today still have a 1080p projector hooked up to a soundbar or home theatre with Dolby Atmos support. Once again, it looks like this could be the go-to device for such setups as it does fulfil the need and is cheaper than the 4K Fire TV Stick. 

Speaking of the remote control, the Fire TV Stick comes with the same remote control we’ve grown to love. It has a button to bring up Alexa and also has a power button that can be used to switch on/off your TV and soundbar. It also has a volume rocker along with a mute button. 

Fire TV Stick Lite

Amazon says that the Fire TV Stick Lite is 50 percent more powerful than the previous-generation Fire TV Stick. It features HDR support and comes with Alexa Voice Remote Lite, a new remote that allows you to use voice to find, launch, and control content. This remote lacks the ability to switch on/off your TV and does not come with volume controls either. The Fire TV Stick Lite does not support Dolby Atmos. Instead of the volume rocker and mute button, the Fire TV Stick Lite remote control comes with a new guide button. 

Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite price and availability. 

The Fire TV Stick is priced at Rs 3,999 and the Fire TV Stick is priced at Rs 2,999. Both devices are up for pre-order and will be available starting October 15 in India. 

“Millions of Fire TV customers in India will now experience an even better and faster streaming experience with this launch. TV at home has become the mainstay for movies, shows, kids’ entertainment and latest news during these uncertain times. Customers can now get the most out of their TVs with the next-generation Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite. It offers a more powerful and affordable streaming experience with better voice integration with Alexa,” said Parag Gupta, Head of Amazon Devices, India.

To put things into perspective, we have the Nokia Media streamer priced at Rs 3,199 and that supports FHD and not HDR. You can learn more about it here. We also have the Mi TV Stick priced at Rs 2,799 which supports 1080p playback and does not support HDR. You can learn more about it here.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3kGWWGE

Apple's Smaller Rivals Unite to Fight iPhone App Store Rules

Spotify and the makers of Fortnite and Tinder are taking on Apple and Google as part of a newly formed coalition calling for “fair treatment” in the way the tech giants run their app stores.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3301r9f

Amazon Luna Game Streaming Service Unveiled to Take on Google, Microsoft

Amazon on Thursday unveiled Luna streaming video game service, challenging Microsoft and Google in the fast-growing segment.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/3cwFQbD

OnePlus 8T confirmed to launch with Warp Charge 65

OnePlus 8T is now confirmed to feature Warp Charge 65 fast charging technology when it launches on October 14 in India. The OnePlus 8T is slated to be the first phone in the company’s arsenal to support 65W fast charging that is capable of recharging the phone relatively faster than any other OnePlus phone in the market. OnePlus has been revealing key features of the upcoming OnePlus 8T in the heads up to the launch which is scheduled to begin from 7:30 PM IST on October 14.

According to a post on OnePlus Forums, Warp Charge 65 will fully charge the OnePlus 8T in 39 minutes and is capable of charging it up to 58% in 15 minutes tops. Moreover, the company also confirmed that the OnePlus 8T is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery, corroborating earlier leaks and rumours. 

OnePlus 8T uses a dual-cell battery technology that charges two separate cells at more than 30W simultaneously while keeping the thermals in check. A drawback of fast battery charging is the amount of heat generated and the methods deployed to counter it. OnePlus 8T is fitted with a new heat dissipation system and the company has added an encryption chip to the charging adapter along with 12 temperature sensors in the phone to keep the device running cool even when charging at 65W. 

Meet Warp Charge 65 – a day’s power in 15 minutes. #OnePlus8T5G Get Notified: https://t.co/r10hXhRDDh pic.twitter.com/yyfZCAT9Ys

— OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) September 24, 2020

OnePlus 8T will also come with a dual Type-C port charging adapter, a first for any OnePlus phone yet, with support for 45W Power Delivery. The charging adapter is compatible with multiple devices from your wireless earphones to your laptop. It is also backwards compatible with previous Warp Charge solutions.

OnePlus 8T leaked specifications

OnePlus 8T is confirmed to feature a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution display with a 120Hz high refresh rate. There is a punch-hole cutout in the top-left corner for the selfie camera and the screen is relatively flat than the OnePlus 8.

The OnePlus 8T is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor and could be paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage or 12GB+256GB storage options to choose from. The phone is expected to run on OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, out-of-the-box.

OnePlus 8T could come with a 48MP primary camera, a 16MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP macro lens and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there is a 16MP selfie camera that is housed in the punch-hole cutout. OnePlus 8T is confirmed to come fitted with a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W fast charging out-of-the-box courtesy of Warp Charge 65.

 

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3mIK5pv

Dell G7 15 7500 launched in India starting at Rs 1,61,990: Specifications and features

Dell G7 15 7500 has launched in India as the latest gaming laptop in the company’s premium G7 series. The new G7 15 boasts of the latest 10th generation Intel Core processors paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics and a new hinge design that sets it apart from other gaming notebooks. 

Dell G7 15 features a high refresh rate 15-inch display that is surrounded by minimal bezels on three sides and a central hinge design that acts as a bridge between the display and the rest of the laptop body. Let’s take a look at the pricing, specifications and features of the new Dell G7 15.

Dell G7 15 pricing and availability

Dell G7 15 is priced starting at Rs 1,61,990 in India for the base configuration with 10th generation Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage and Rs 2,07,990 for the Core i9 variant.

This gaming notebook is being offered in the single Mineral Black colour and is available to purchase from Flipkart, Dell Stores and offline stores.

Dell G7 15 specifications

Dell G7 15 7500 features a 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution anti-glare display and 300 nits brightness. The Core i9 model is equipped with a 300Hz refresh rate display panel while the Core i7 variant is fitted with a 120Hz panel. 

The G7 15 is powered by 10th generation Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage. The Core i7 variant uses the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics while the Core i9 uses the RTX 2070 graphics card. The laptop runs on Windows 10 Home and comes pre-installed with Microsoft Office.

The I/O ports on the G7 15 include a Thunderbolt 3 port, two USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI port, SD card slot, RJ-45 Ethernet port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The Dell G7 15 is equipped with an 86Whr 6-cell battery pack that supports fast charging.

 

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3mQNCCf