Android 12 Will Make Using Third-Party App Stores Easier, Google Says

Android 12 will make it easier to use third-party app stores, Google has announced through a blog post. The Android maker has also updated its payments policy to emphasise on the requirements for enabling in-app purchases.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/36gJjKo

Fortnite Still Unwelcome in Apple's App Store as Epic Games Fails to Convince Judge

Epic Games on Monday failed to convince a US judge to make Apple put its hit title Fortnite back in the tech giant's App Store, while their legal battle heads for a possible trial next year.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2S99UAQ

There wont be a OnePlus 8T Pro, confirms CEO Pete Lau

The OnePlus 8T 5G is going to be the latest to join the company’s flagship range of smartphones after the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, but the 8T won’t arrive with a ‘Pro’ variant alongside. Earlier this month, leakster Max J suggested that the company might not launch the OnePlus 8T Pro, which is now confirmed by CEO, Pete Lau.

The company started releasing the ‘T’ variants of OnePlus smartphones with the OnePlus 3T, which brought a battery and front camera update to the OnePlus 3. Similarly, the Pro variants made their debut with the OnePlus 7 Pro, followed by the OnePlus 7T Pro.

Looks like the company has decided not to go with an 8T Pro variants this time. But why?

Why no OnePlus 8T Pro?

OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, took Chinese social media website Weibo to share the news that there won’t be a ‘T’ variant of the OnePlus 8 Pro. The reason given in the Weibo post is that there is no room for an upgrade in the Pro variant, and those who would like the best experience can go for the OnePlus 8 Pro, as it’s still a competent device.

Here's what OnePlus CEO, Pete Lau, posted on Weibo.

This means that the OnePlus 8T could be a standalone smartphone at launch. However, the same Weibo post suggests that the company could be coming up with some surprises for its fans. 

The OnePlus 8T has been making headlines since it was first leaked and the company has teased some of its key features as well. Pre-bookings for the 8T are starting from September 25 in India, ahead of its official launch on October 14. OnePlus 8T is confirmed to feature 65W fast charging courtesy of Warp Charge 65 tech that was revealed recently and a 120Hz refresh rate display. Like all OnePlus devices, the OnePlus 8T has been leaked previously with some of its key features spilt way ahead of the launch.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/30i0lEf

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5, Mi Watch Revolve and Mi Smart Speaker to launch in India today: Watch live stream here

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5, Mi Watch Revolve and Mi Smart Speaker are set to launch in India in the next few hours during its Smarter Living 2021 event. Xiaomi launched the Mi Band 5 back in June while the Mi Watch Revolve was announced globally. While three products have been confirmed to launch, it is likely Xiaomi has more surprises for its fans.

The prices of the Mi Smart Band 5 and Mi Watch Revolve have been tipped previously. The Mi Smart Band 5 is expected to be priced starting at 2,999 while the Mi Watch Revolve is expected to be priced under Rs 9,999 in India.

Xiaomi Smarter Living 2021 event live stream: How to watch

Xiaomi Smarter Living 2021 event is scheduled to start from 12:00 PM IST and the event will be live-streamed on YouTube and official social media handles. The company has created a dedicated section on its website for the event where it is revealing some key features of the upcoming products. We have embedded the live stream link below and you can watch the launch right here when it starts from 12 PM.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 features

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 5 features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display which is 20% larger than the previous generation Mi Band 4. The fitness trackers come preloaded with more than 65 watch faces and can be paired with up six different coloured straps. The screen also has a one-touch button which can be used to wake up the screen, otherwise, it serves as the back button.

 

The Mi Smart Band 5 comes with a magnetic charging dock so users will no longer have to take out the tracker from the rubber straps to charge it up every time. The fitness tracker claims to provide 14-day battery life and can be recharged from 0-100% in under 2 hours. In battery saving mode, the tracker can last for upto 20 days on a single charge.

It features 11 professional sports modes including outdoor running, treadmill, cycling, walking, freestyle, pool swimming, elliptical, rowing machine, jump rope, indoor cycling and Yoga. The tracker is also able to monitor running and walking automatically along with data points on pacing, kilometres alerts and heart-rate alerts.

The Mi Smart Band 5 comes with a 5 ATM certification which means that it can survive 50 meters underwater for 10 minutes easily. The fitness tracker also supports 24-hour smart heart rate monitoring by up to 50% increased accuracy and also vibrates alerting wearer of irregular heart-rate.

The Mi Smart Band 5 also comes with 24-hour sleep monitoring which offers 40% improved accuracy over the Mi Band 4 and can monitor your sleeping patterns to create data points that will help you improve your sleeping habits. It can also come in handy for music playback, finding your phone, incoming calls, SMS alerts and more.

Xiaomi Mi Watch Revolve features

The Mi Watch Revolve has a stainless steel casing and features 1.39-inch AMOLED screen. The Watch Revolve is equipped with a heart-rate monitoring system, sleep tracking, air pressure sensor and is certified for use by upto 5ATM waterproof levels. It comes with a 420mAh battery that Xiaomi claims can provide a 14-day backup.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Speaker features

Xiaomi has teased the launch of Mi Smart Speaker during its Smarter Living 2021 event. The smart speaker can be controlled via voice commands and has physical buttons on the top. More details about the smart speaker will be revealed during the event.

 

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

Google Maps is testing Android Auto-like car mode interface for mobile app

Google Maps might get a major makeover soon. A future update for the Google Maps mobile application is reported to bring an all-new car mode UI which is very similar to the current in-car navigation system found in Android Auto. 

Folks at Android Police have spotted a car mode interface within the Google Maps mobile application that resembles the Android Auto's in-car look and feel.  

At the time of writing this article, we did not find the new update on any of our devices yet, but it's being reported to arrive in a phased manner sometime later as Google is testing this feature on some with some of the users.

What's new in Google Maps' car mode?

Android Police has shared a few screenshots of the upcoming car mode which give us a good look at what to expect from it. The most evident design change in the new update is the large tile shaped, Android Auto-style buttons and the main screen. 

As per the screenshots, the new "car mode", when enabled, will only show limited options on the main screen and the bottom navigation bar has only two options when the map is running - Google Assistant and home screen (with tiles-like icons). If you navigate to the home screen, the bottom bar shows Google Assistant button on the left, Maps on the centre and home screen toggle on the right. 

The "home screen" essentially is the dashboard where you can access essential apps for music, calls and messages, just like Android Auto. If you select the “Calls” option, it will display the three recent contacts or three most contacted. It also allows you to “call someone else”, which lets you scroll your contact directory.

Since it's "Google" Maps, YouTube Music and Google Podcasts have got dedicated sub-menu and interface easy access for control music. Just like Android Auto, Google seems to be pushing YouTube Music as the primary app.

It's understandable that this update will add up to the ease of use while driving and might come handy for cars without Android Auto support. What makes this move a bit confusing is that Android Auto interface itself is going to get an overhaul after receiving the Assistant Driving Mode. Looks like we'll have to wait until final versions of these updates are released.

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

OnePlus Warp Charge 65 adapter revealed, multiple OnePlus products to launch on October 14 in India

The OnePlus 8T Warp Charge 65 fast charging adapter has been revealed by CEO Pete Lau, ahead of the official launch of OnePlus 8T on October 14 in India. The company detailed its next-generation 65W, Warp Charge 65, fast charging solution last week and later in the weekend, Lau showed off the retail charging adapter for the Warp Charge 65.

OnePlus CEO Pete Lau posted a picture on Weibo revealing the 65W fast charging adapter with a Type-C cable. Notably, this is the first charging adapter by the company to have type-C to type-C charging adapter and by the looks of it, the adapter does look a bit smaller than the current Warp Charge 30T adapter.

OnePlus 8T is confirmed to pack in a 4,500mAh battery that can go from 0-100% in 39 minutes tops or 0-58% in 15 minutes. OnePlus 8T uses a dual-cell battery technology that charges two separate cells at more than 30W simultaneously while keeping the thermals in check. The Warp Charge 65 adapter also supports 45W Power Delivery and is backwards compatible with all previous Warp Charge 65 standards including Warp Charge 30T and 20W fast charging.

According to the latest rumour, OnePlus is expected to announce multiple products alongside the OnePlus 8T on October 14. However, there is no official word on what these products are. Twitter chatter indicates these products can include a power bank, a smartwatch and a Special Edition of OnePlus Nord. Having said that, we will advise our readers to take the Twitter chatter with a pinch of salt.

Expecting a lot of OnePlus stuff to launch and not just OnePlus 8T. Especially for India. Like 8T + almost 5 in total. #OnePlus8T

— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) September 28, 2020 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 flatter than the OnePlus 8.

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/2Sch7A1

Tata Sky launches 200 Mbps broadband plan with unlimited data, heres how it compares to JioFiber and Airtel

With more people relying on a good internet connection at home to get work done, it is obvious that service providers need to offer fast speeds with high data to have a smooth work from home and binge from home experience. With Airtel removing data caps from its plans and Jio offering some interesting broadband plans, it is up to other players like Tata Sky to stir up the home broadband market. In an attempt to do so, Tata Sky has reduced the price of its 300 Mbps broadband plan and introduced a new 200 Mbps plan to bridge the gap between the 150 Mbps and 300 Mbps plans. The Tata Sky 300 Mbps plan which would have cost Rs 1900 per month for unlimited data is now priced at Rs 1500 for unlimited data. These prices are before taxes. 

But if you are looking at a cheaper alternative or your router isn’t capable of handling 300 Mbps, then you may want to check out the newly introduced 200 Mbps plan from Tata Sky. Let’s take a look at the plan in detail and see how it compares to other competing services. 

Tata Sky 200 Mbps plan details

The Tata Sky 200 Mbps speed plan is available in a bunch of cities offering users unlimited data. The price of the 200 Mbps unlimited plan is set to Rs 1,050 per month, or Rs 3,000 quarterly, or Rs 5,550 for 6 months and Rs 10,200 annually. These prices are excluding GST. Despite being classified as an unlimited plan, the plan offers a monthly cap of 3300 GB under the fair usage policy. Tata Sky’s website reads, “For Unlimited Data plans, speed will reduce to 3 Mbps after 3300 GB data consumption.” 

Airtel 200 Mbps plan details

Airtel also offers 200 Mbps speed and it is priced at Rs 999 per month and offers unlimited data. This is a mere Rs 50 cheaper than the Tata Sky plan and if you opt for quarterly payment, the cost is the same as Airtel while half-yearly payments make the Tata Sky plan cheaper than Airtel. 

In addition to 200 Mbps speed, the Airtel plan also gives users access to services like Lions Gate Play, Voot Basic, Eros Now, Hungama Play, Shemaroo Me, Hoichoi, and Ultra. 

JioFiber 150 Mbps Plan Details

Jio doesn’t have a 200 Mbps plan but it does have a 150 Mbps plan and a 300 Mbps plan. The 150 Mbps JioFiber plan offers unlimited data. The plan is priced at Rs 999 + tax and there are options for quarterly, half-yearly and annual payments priced at Rs 2,997, 5994 and Rs 11988 respectively before taxes. 

The JioFiber Plan also brings with it access to Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar VIP, SonyLiv, ZEE5, SunNext, Voot, Alt Balaji, Hoichoi, Shemaroo Me, Lions Gate Play, Jio Cinema & Jio SAAVN.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/2S2gAAV