What a day it was at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023! After Day 3 of the Champions stage, there were four teams standing. Two teams were sent packing to de_airport while the other two danced away to their hotels celebrating and preparing for the challenge of the Grand Finals. It essentially followed the trend of the tournament so far. Between all of this; there was a spectacular upset and an expected win, which made sure that we have two exciting teams lined up for the finals.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champions Stage - Day 3 - Semifinals open doors for records being broken and new ones being formed; Vitality and GamerLegion in the finals
In the first game of the fourth day of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 we had Heroic, the tournament favourites, facing off against GamerLegion who had worked hard to make their way to this stage. The first map of the best-of-three series, Anubis, saw Heroic comprehensively beat the underdogs of the match. They won 16-13, setting the hopes high for the fans who had filled up the arena on Sunday.
In a closely contested second map of the series, Inferno, GamerLegion bounced back, beating Heroic 16-14. Now, it was time for the third map of the series, the decider, Mirage. Here’s where GamerLEgion asserted their authority over Heroic. Right from the get-go, they were on a roll, taking the first half 10-5. In the second half, they gave away only one round, closing out the series 2-1 in their favour.
We had the first finalist of Paris Major 2023 – GamerLegion.
Then came the most anticipated game of the evening by the fans in the arena. It was the home team, Vitality, facing off against Apeks, who just like GamerLegion had to work really hard to make it to the semis. And, if wasn’t clear by the hint that I dropped in the introduction, Vitality walked home comfortably, closing out their best-of-three series 2-1.
We have our two finalists – Vitality and GamerLegion.
GamerLegion come into this match as the underdogs who have proven their mettle. Vitality have been in to form throughout and will have the support of practically the entire arena coming into this match. Both sides haven’t faced each other in the tournament. However, given the teams that they have taken down on their way to the finals, it is difficult to pick one favourite.
As much as ZywOo would want to win his first Major, dupreeh his fifth, and apEX his second, every member of GameLegion will be putting equal, if not more effort to get their hands on the last CS:GO Major trophy.
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
Amazon is back again with the Blockbuster Value Days. It ends on May 24, 2023. So, till the offers last, here are some of the best-selling affordable smartphones in this sale. We have deals on phones from brands like Samsung, Realme, Redmi, etc.
Here we look into the 5 most affordable and best-selling smartphones at the Blockbuster Value Days sale.
5 affordable and best-selling smartphones on Amazon BVD sale 1. Samsung Galaxy M04
Samsung Galaxy M04 comes in two variants: the 4GB RAM+64GB Storage and the 4GB RAM+128 GB storage. So the 64GB variant actually comes for ₹11,999 but in the sale, it is priced at ₹7,749. On the other hand, the 128GB version comes for ₹13,499 but in the sale it is priced at ₹8,749.
The phone comes with Mediatek Helio P35 and features a PLS LCD screen with 620×1600 pixels resolution. Packed with a 5000mAh battery along with 15W charging support. Talking about the camera, it has a dual-lens rear camera with 15MP primary lens and the other lens is of 2MP. As for the front camera, it is a 5MP sensor.
Check out Samsung Galaxy M04 on Amazon BVD sale.
2. Realme Narzo N55
Realme Narzo N55 is actually priced at ₹12,999, but in the sale, it is currently priced at ₹10,999.
The phone comes carrying a 5000mAh battery along with a 33W charger which claims 50% charge in half an hour. Apart from that, the phone is powered by Mediatek Helio G88 chipset. The phone features an IPS LCD, 90Hz display with 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. This phone too has dual rear cameras - the primary one is a 64 MP shooter and the other one is a 2 MP snapper. The front camera is an 8MP clicker.
Check out Narzo N55 on Amazon BVD sale.
3. Redmi 12C
Redmi 12C is originally priced at ₹13,999 but on the Amazon sale, it comes for ₹8,799. The phone is powered by Mediatek Helio G85 SoC. Talking about the display it comes with IPS LCD, 500 nits along with 720 x 1650 pixels.
The phone is armed with a 5000mAh battery along with 10W charging support. Coming to the camera, the phone has dual rear cameras - 50 MP, (wide) and 0.08 MP (depth). The front camera is a 5MP selfie snapper.
Check out Redmi 12C on Amazon BVD sale.
Also Read: Realme Narzo N53 vs Redmi 12C: Which budget phone offers best value for money?
4. Samsung Galaxy M13
Samsung Galaxy M13 is actually priced at ₹14,999 but the sale on Amazon is offering the phone for ₹9,699. The phone is powered by Exynos 850 chipset and features a PLS LCD display along with 1080 x 2408 pixels resolution.
The phone is equipped with a 5000 mAh battery accompanied by 15W charging support. Talking about the camera. It has a triple-lens rear camera setup including 50 MP (wide), 5 MP (ultrawide) and 2 MP (depth).
Check out Samsung Galaxy M13 on Amazon BVD sale.
5. Redmi A1
The last one on the list is Redmi A1. The actual price of the phone is ₹8,999 but in the Amazon sale, it is available for ₹5,699. The phone is powered by Mediatek Helio A22 chipset. Talking about the display, it features an IPS LCD with 720 x 1600 pixels resolution.
The phone comes packed with a 5000mAh battery along with 10W charging support. Moving on to the cameras, the phone comes with dual lenses viz. An 8 MP primary lens and the other one is a 0.08 MP depth sensor. The front camera is 5MP.
Check out Redmi A1 on Amazon BVD sale.
This was the list of the most affordable and best-selling phones available on the Amazon Blockbuster Value Days sale. If you are in search of a really affordable phone, it would be the best time to get your hands on one of these.
The Unique Identification Authority of India announced a feature which would help Indian residents to get their Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers and email IDs verified online or through mobile apps.
Aadhaar is the world's largest biometric identification system which helps Indian residents to prove their identity offline and online without always carrying around every document for proof. This identity card with a 12-digit unique ID number helps with e-governance, citizen services, banking, trading and other important activities without any hassle.
Just the way updating your Aadhaar address is necessary, same way you should keep yourself updated as to what contact details are attached to your Aadhaar. Now, let's look into why this is important and how it functions.
Why is verifying the Aadhaar mobile number and Email ID necessary?
UIDAI reported that there are circumstances where the Aadhaar card holder isn't aware of which number or email ID their Aadhaar is linked to. This could be a really grave issue as there are times when you need OTPs for different purposes and it goes to the number that is linked to your Aadhaar.
How can the Aadhaar mobile number and Email ID be verified?
UIDAI has given an official statement as to how the mobile number and Email ID can be verified. It says, “Now, with this facility, the residents can check these quite easily. The facility can be availed under ‘Verify email/mobile Number' feature on the official website or through mAadhaar App. This feature gives confirmation to residents that their email/mobile number under his/her knowledge is only seeded to respective Aadhaar.”
Step 1 - Open either mAadhaar app or log into UIDAI’s website to check your Aadhaar details
Step 2 - Find and click the ‘Verify email/mobile number’ button
Step 3 - Verify if your email or mobile number is accurately linked to your Aadhaar
In case the mobile number or the email id isn't linked then the resident gets notified and is provided with the necessary steps that are to be followed for updating their Aadhaar details.
UIDAI has further stated, “In case the mobile number is already verified, residents will see a message like, 'the mobile number you have entered is already verified with our records', displayed on their screen.
In case a resident does not remember the mobile number she/he has given during enrolment, she/he can check the last three digits of the mobile on Verify Aadhaar feature on MyAadhaar portal or mAadhaar app.”
For linking or updating contact number with Aadhaar, you will have to visit your nearest Aadhar centre.
It seemed this day would never come, but it’s finally here. After an unusually long wait, OpenAI has released an iPhone app of ChatGPT which is completely free. The company also confirmed that an Android app is in the works and is going to be available very soon.
Having released it on the Apple App Store, the ChatGPT iPhone app has already gained popularity, making it the top app on the productivity category chart. Within hours of its appearance on the Apple Store, the app has overtaken Gmail, Google Drive and Microsoft Outlook.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. From new upgrades to branching out softwares such as AutoGPT, OpenAI is exploring all the possibilities of generative AI. Taking the baton forward, OpenAI is prompting a new platform for its users through an app on your phone.
Why only iPhone app, why no Android app?
The announcement has Twitterati debating over the “Apple first syndrome”. There is disbelief as to why Apple was prioritised over Android. A user, @ChaosGoddess769 said, “Another example of IOS first and Android later. Concentrating new tools/access for more of the same users. Wouldn't the ideal thing be to diversify to broader demographics and more people by focusing on the Android app first? Devil's advocate here.”
Another user, @SirBogarty had a humorous take on the debate, “User prompt: "Hi Chatgpt, please take this apple IOS code and write code for it to work on android, thank you".
Moreover, there are also tweets expressing disappointment that the app is only available in the US. User @cgledhill shared an image stating that the app is not available in the region. People are also requesting plugins for the app while some are just overwhelmed with the performance of the application. Especially the speech-to-text feature.
Also read: How to get iPhone notifications on Windows PC using this free and quick method
The announcement read that the parent organisation is taking the decision after multiple users suggesting that they prefer using the software on the go instead of having to login in to your PCs or browser on the cell phone. OpenAI mentioned that the application is free to use and is integrated with the speech recognition tool, Whisper for procuring voice inputs. Users who have opted for ChatGPT Plus will benefit out of GPT- 4 features which are more accurate in outputs. They will also be the first to know about the new features and try them out.
Note that in order to download the application, your cell phone should have iOS 16.1. So, if you are thinking if your cell phone is compatible or not, any succeeding iPhone post iPhone 8 will be able to download the app.
The organisation prompted, “We’re eager to see how you use the app. As we gather user feedback, we’re committed to continuous feature and safety improvements for ChatGPT.” in their blog post.
Also read: Apple M3 Pro chip could sacrifice performance for improved battery life over M2 Pro
Moreover, upon downloading and signing in the application every time you use the app the history will sync to any device that you are using to connect to the software. The privacy settings for chat history remain the same as that of the software.
The application has been currently rolled out for the US users only, however the software company plans on expanding the idea across the globe gradually. In addition, the release also prompted the Android users stating, “P.S. Android users, you're next! ChatGPT will be coming to your devices soon.”
After a mind-boggling start of the Champions stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, everyone expected closely contested games to take place on the second day of the major. However, as it would turn out, Day 2 of the playoffs of the Paris Major 2023 was all about domination. Both the quarter-final games ended with Apeks and GamerLegion registering convincing wins over their opponents, going up 2-0 in their best-of-three series.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champions Stage - Day 2 - Underdogs shine as we get our last two semi-finalists of the tournament, Apeks and GamerLegion
The first teams to hit the stage in Paris were Monte and GamerLegion. Both the teams had fought hard in the Challengers and Legends stage to make their way into the playoffs. Monte held on to the hopes and dreams of the CIS region after NAVI crashed out before the playoffs. And, GamerLegion had their own fans legions of fans cheering them on.
CS fans pic.twitter.com/mlq5JndWee
— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 19, 2023
In the first map of their best-of-three series, Mirage, Monte’s pick, the Ukrainian squad held on to a one-point lead in the first half of the game. But when the second half rolled around, GamerLegion showed why everyone had tons of faith in their abilities. They won the map 16-10, and the action moved to Overpass. It was GamerLegion’s pick, and it showed.
GamerLegion closed out the first half of the map 12-3. And, when the second half rolled around, they wasted no time and grabbed a 4-0 unassailable lead over GamerLegion, winning the series 2-0, moving on to the semi-finals.
In the second match of the day, we had the heroes of the lower brackets of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, Apeks, pitted against Liquid, who had the baggage of North American CS fans’ hopes and dreams with them. Both the maps of the series, Ancient, followed by Overpass, unfolded in a similar fashion. The first half was dominated by Apeks 4-11, with the team closing out the maps in the second half as quickly as possible.
Apeks have been on a roll in this tournament and would be my pick for being the surprise winners of the tournament. They have all the ingredients to make a recipe for success, and I am sure they can cook something special in this tournament.
For the semi-finals, we have Heroic taking on GamerLegion for the first game of the day, and for the second match, we have Apeks taking on hometown favourites Vitality. If anything, it is going to be an exciting game of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It is the last time we are taking it to the big stage, so make sure that you make the most of it. Next stop - Counter-Strike 2.
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
Apple has been known to make some of the best smartphones released in the market year on year. Their iPhone 14 lineup, especially the Pro models, were some of the best-performing devices last year in every department. Every year, as we approach the month of September, which I like to call "AppleEmber", there's an air of excitement in the tech community as a whole, not only amongst the fans of the brand.
As Apple gears up to launch their phones from Steve Jobs Theatre in California, there are leaks coming out, left, right, and centre about the next line of phones from the labs at Cupertino. This year, it is set to be the iPhone 15 that will be launched during Apple's fabled September events. And, it looks like the brand might switch up its naming scheme as well, calling the top-of-the-line phone, the Apple iPhone 15 Ultra.
We are about four months away from the launch right now. And, already, we are seeing leaks and renders of the upcoming Apple iPhone 15. In a recent video, Lew, the host of the YouTube channel, Unbox Therapy unboxed a mockup of the upcoming iPhone, giving us a look into what the brand's next "greatest ever" phone would be like. From what has been revealed in the said video and tipped by reputed individuals in the space, there are some key changes that Apple is set to bring to their best iPhone this year. So, let's have a look at the 5 ways in which the brand would change their Pro phones to make them better than ever.
1. No more lightning on iPhone 15
It is safe to say that Apple's Lightning Connector is dated now. The port is limited to a few devices and runs on an ancient USB standard, USB 2.0. So, naturally, there has been a demand from the consumers to shift iPhones to USB-C, which is a much more modern and widely used connector. Now, thanks to the mandate by the European Union, and the massive lobbying by the people, Apple would ditch the Lightning connector in favour of a USB-C port. Good riddance!
The brand has already shifted most of its products, including iPad and MacBook to USB-C, and the only devices that still use the ancient Lighting connector are its Magic Mouse, AirPods, base model iPad, and iPhones. Many people had expected the brand to make the shift starting with the Apple iPhone 14. However, that did not happen. But, it looks more likely than ever that Apple will finally shift their phones to USB-C.
2. Smaller bezels, bigger screen
If you are someone who has followed the development of iPhones, year on year, Apple has shrunk the bezels on their devices, allowing them to fit more screen in a small/similar space as the previous year's models. Many people after looking at the Apple iPhone 14, thought that Apple has already peaked. However, it looks like they are set to one-up themselves with the Apple iPhone 15 line of phones, especially the Pro/Ultra models. The brand had introduced the Dynamic Island on their Pro phones last year. And, to say that the design of that was polarising would be an understatement. Now it looks like the brand is going to retain the same-sized island while shrinking the bezels. So, it will be interesting to see what visible difference there is in the Apple iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro or Ultra, when they launch later this year.
3. The brightest kid on the block
Talking about the display of the Apple iPhone, the iPhone 15 Ultra is set to get an upgraded/brighter display as well. Their phones get better displays every year. Last year, it was the Always-on mode along with ProMotion that made waves. Now, this year, while Apple could make additional changes to the panel, if the recent leaks are anything to go by, the brand is expected to add a 2500 nits display on the Apple iPhone 15 Ultra. If they do, it will be the brightest display on a smartphone in the market. Brightest kid on the block indeed. And, with the brand also set to make changes to its Always-on display technology as well, it will be interesting to see how competitors like Samsung react, when they launch their flagships next year.
4. It will last more than a day and half?
The leaked specifications of the upcoming Apple iPhone 15 Ultra are set to sport a bigger battery in comparison to last year's Pro model of phones. Not only the specifications, the model unboxed by Lew, was thicker than the current iPhone 14 Pro. Previously, there have been stakeholders from within the tech community who have voiced their opinions on the battery life of the iPhones and the utilisation of space inside the phone too. Even though I own an iPhone 12 Mini, and the battery, at 85 percent of its max capacity does not last a day. It is a fact that Apple has over the years made active efforts to make their iPhones' battery last longer. Now, it looks like finally, they will add a bigger battery to their phone, making it last even longer, pushing them even higher in the ranking charts.
5. Gets more powerful every year
Apple's homegrown smartphone processors, AX (X being the generational identifier), are arguably some of the best there are. Last year's Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max, won the Digit Zero1 Award for being the best-performing phone of the year! Apple has nowhere but up to go from here. Their A17 Bionic chip, which is likely to be the power centre of the upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra, is all set to outperform the A16 Bionic on the Apple iPhone 14 Pro. The chip is expected to be made on a 3 nm process, making it more efficient and powerful than last year's model. With the AI wave at its peak right now, it will be interesting to see how Apple adapts its processor to ride the wave.
With that said, the pricing will also play a massive role in the popularity and success of the Apple iPhone 15 Ultra. An exorbitant price tag could deter the users of the brand's last year's flagship to switch things up. With the final announcement five months away, there will be changes and revelations that would tell us more about what this phone would be like.
After a 10-month ban, BGMI is finally set to make a return to India. Krafton has announced the same and the Indian Government has shared some conditions, following which the game will be unbanned. We have covered the 90-day stipulation and the aforementioned conditions in a different article. Here, in particular, we will be taking a look at how the Indian gaming industry has reacted to this news.
Industry reacts to BGMI unban
“There would be no Indus without PUBG/BGMI and playing PUBG and other shooters like Apex, and CoD have defined the space for us and our player expectations. We’re glad it’s coming back, gaming should be without boundaries,” says Roby John, CEO and co-founder SuperGaming.
“This is sure to infuse new energy into the Indian Gaming Industry, and I am sure the whole industry is going to join forces to make it bigger than ever before,” says Mr Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, 8Bit Creatives.
“With Esports getting official recognition from the government and the community adapting well to the absence of BGMI by expanding other titles, we eagerly anticipate the exponential growth that the sector will experience now that the game is back in the picture,” says Mr Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF).
“There has been a dry spell in the mobile competitive scenario for a while now, and this announcement is definitely making many stakeholders happy. Tournaments of all scales can restart, and players/content creators who have been on pause can resume. However, we need to be very cautious and responsible towards the rules set by the government,” says Rohit Agarwal, Founder & Director, of Alpha Zegus.
“On a macro level, this could potentially set the tone for future esports titles being released in India. Hoping for a long and continued to stay for BMGI with no further complications, as the community rejoices and gets back to the grind,” says Mr Sagar Nair, Co-Founder & CEO, of Qlan.
Twitter reactions to BGMI unban
1. Kids when BGMI is back 2. Parents when BGMI is back pic.twitter.com/4p3ZWSfUbN
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 19, 2023
BGMI is coming back Winner winner chicken dinner soon Banning games on basis of data security or privacy issues is understandable but how can unban be decided by whether the game is addictive or not? What is this criteria? People are addicted to watching IPL. BAN IPL? pic.twitter.com/CfXnjiz1SA
— Dhananjay_Tech (@Dhananjay_Tech) May 19, 2023
Well well, #BGMI is coming back. With Apex Legends out and PUBG New State failing to impress people, do you think people will move back to BGMI? Let's see if it can reach the numbers it did before the OG Ban. COD Warzone is also coming in some time. pic.twitter.com/vNspvzH7KF
— Nimit (@gizmoddict) May 19, 2023
If you talk about Indian Gaming industry and esports very few people are immortalised. Congrats to my old boss and friend @hisohn for doing what no one has been able to do (twice!). This is is the best news to start the day. Congrats to all KRAFTON India team. #BGMI pic.twitter.com/CKEpy6ANr1
