Harman announces Prosumer range of audio products

Harman, an American subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, recently announced an array of audio products in India aimed towards content creators and 'Prosumers' (professional consumers). Their aim with this line of products is to target audio enthusiasts amongst the masses and provide professional-grade audio products for them, without compromising on quality, at a reasonable price point. The newly-announced products include two new professional-grade headphones from AKG's K series, the AKG K175 and K245, the JBL 104 Reference Monitors, JBL Nano K series Monitors, and the JBL EON ONE and EON ONE PRO.

AKG K175 and K245

AKG K245

 

The company launched two new studio headphones, the K175 and K245, which are particularly made for mixing and audio editing. These newer headphones are more durable, sturdy, portable and allegedly sound better than previous headphones in the K series. The K175 is slightly later than the K245, and the former are on-ear headphones while the latter are over-ear headphones. The K175 headphones are closed-back, supra-aural headphones which provide good sound isolation and also block ambient noise. The K245, being open-back, offer a more realistic sound and are perfect for studio usage. Both headphones are priced quite conservatively, the K175 costs $129 while the K245 comes in at $149.

JBL 104 Reference Monitors

 

The JBL 104 Reference Monitors small studio monitors that, according to the company, are perfect as PC speakers and are meant to be listened to at a closer range. Harman deems these speakers to be ideal for recording musicians, podcasters, music and video producers, or anyone seeking an enjoyable audio experience. They boast a coaxial design, which basically means offers a truer response from the monitors and a wider sweet spot. They also have an integrated 60-watt Class D power amplifier, with 30-watts distributed to each speaker.

JBL Nano K series Monitors

JBL K8 Monitors

Harman unveiled an array of JBL Nano K Series Monitors including the K3, K4, K5, K6, and K8. These products provide essential, value for money monitoring for home studios, podcasters, content creators and music enthusiasts in general. All the Nano K series monitors come equipped with kevlar cones, which is the material used to make bulletproof vests and are considered superior to the traditional paper cones. The K3 and K4 models come with Bluetooth connectivity as well.

JBL EON ONE and EON ONE PRO

JBL EON ONE PRO

 

The JBL EON ONE and EON ONE PRO are all-in-one linear-array PA systems, with the EON ONE featuring 6 channels while the PRO version has 7 channels. The difference between the two is that the Pro version has a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery which can last for up to 6 hours, making it even more portable and convenient. The devices optimise sound dispersion so that your family, friends or even audience can hear the music from all angles, even from behind allegedly. The EON ONE PRO houses an 8' subwoofer, while the EON ONE has a 10" one which makes sure that the bass is heard.

 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2QAnr2O

Microsoft will showcase 14 first-party games for Xbox One at E3 2019

Microsoft and Sony have been butting heads in the war for console domination for over a decade now. However, the Japanese company seems to have taken a lead this generation thanks in-part to its quality of exclusive titles. Games like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Horizon: Zero Dawn, God of War and Spider-man have been lauded as some of the best games of this console generation, Microsoft’s lineup has been average at best, with Forza and Halo series being some of the best exclusives that the Xbox One has to offer. Now though, it looks like Microsoft will be going to E3 2019 all guns blazing. The company’s Head of Xbox, Phil Spencer tweeted that the company plans to unveil a total of 14 first party games at this year’s E3. He also said that this was the most number of first party titles the company has ever shown off at E3.

Microsoft has been acquiring game studios for the past few years now. The company now owns some very notables studios like Ninja Theory, Playground Games, Undead Labs and more. Microsoft has placed these studios under the umbrella of Xbox Game Studios. 

Just finishing our final E3 rehearsal here with the team in Redmond. Feel really good about the briefing. Lots to show. We have 14 Xbox Game Studios games in the show this year, more first party games than we've ever had in the show. Fun times. #XboxE3

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) May 30, 2019

Spencer hasn’t yet revealed which games will be revealed at E3, but it is safe to assume that Halo: Infinite and Gears 5 should be among them. There are also rumours that the company may unveiled a new game in the Fable series. We also expect to hear about Microsoft's next generation of console at E3. 

Sony, on the other hand, will be absent from this year’s E3. The Japanese company is expected to unveil some more information or even launch a brand new console. Mark Cerney, Lead Architect of the upcoming PlayStation suggests that the new console will offer support for 8K gaming and ray-tracing.

While Sony and Microsoft have been rivals for quite a while, the two have announced a partnership to develop future cloud-gaming solutions. While the news came as a surprise for many gamers, there were a few who were as surprised as the Sony PlayStation Team who weren't informed of the development before hand. 

E3 2019 kicks off from June 11 and will go on till June 14.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2JOdD4R

Samsung Galaxy M40 confirmed to feature 32MP rear camera, 16MP selfie shooter

Just a day after Amazon teased the Galaxy M40 smartphone on its platform, a media report has said that the phone would be equipped with a 32MP sensor at the back and a 16MP selfie shooter. Citing Asim Warsi, Senior Vice President of Smartphone Business, Samsung India, the report from 91 Mobiles said that the phone would launch at a price of around Rs 20,000. The Galaxy M40 is the company’s fourth phone in the M-series.

The Galaxy M40 will launch in India on June 11 at 6 PM, and will sell on Amazon. The landing page on Samsung's website shows the M40 featuring an Infinity-O display with the punch hole on the top left of the screen. On the back, the phone is seen sporting a triple camera setup, but there is no concrete info about the resolution of the sensors and nature of the lenses associated with those sensors. The three cameras are situated on the top left corner with an LED flash under the setup. Apart from the three cameras, the rear panel also shows a fingerprint sensor.

As per Amazon’s listing, the Samsung Galaxy M40 will be powered by a Snapdragon 6 series platform. It is expected to be the Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 that can be seen as a major upgrade over the Exynos 7904 which powers both the Galaxy M20 and the Galaxy M30. Previous reports have suggested that the phone will tout up to 6GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage.

The Galaxy M40 may feature a Super AMOLED display. It could be backed by a large 5000mAh battery and is expected to run on Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box. The handset reportedly bears SM-M405F model number, and has already been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Incidentally, a device with the same model number was also spotted on Geekbench.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2QG4iN6

Alphabet’s DeepMind AI Beats Humans in Multiplayer Shooter

DeepMind, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, has designed automated "agents" that taught themselves how to play a competitive first-person multiplayer video game shooter, and became so good they consistently beat human beings.

from RSS Feeds | GAMES - RSS Feed - NDTV Gadgets360.com http://bit.ly/2Ia7n48

Google apologises for accidentally spamming Duo users worldwide with video ad from Indian cricket team

Google accidentally spammed users of its video calling app, Duo, with a message from the Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli. Many users reported receiving an unexpected video message from someone who wasn’t on their contact list. On opening the notification, they were greeted with Kohli, who thanked them for their wishes and asked them to “Keep cheering for Team India on Duo”. While some people speculated that Google Duo might be starting to show ads, the company has acknowledged and apologised for the message which was accidentally pushed out to users worldwide. 

In a support thread, a Google employee states that the video message was sent accidentally to unintended recipients. “This was not an ad -- it was a message that users in India were intended to receive as a thank you if they chose to participate in an upcoming Duo promotion,” says the Google employee. Additionally, it is confirmed that Kohli was not added as a contact and as soon as one deletes the received video, one will no longer see it in Duo. Some users also complained about being unable to clear the notification of receiving the message. They can long press on the Duo app icon to see a menu show where swiping left or right will remove a notification.

Anyone else get this random #duo message from @imVkohli? #googleduo #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/3COS3VxaeK

— Laura Eileen (@Rawr_b4_coffee) May 30, 2019

While the message was intended for select Indian Google Duo audience, AndroidPolice notes that users in the US, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and New Zealand have reported receiving the above promotional video message. While it’s good news that Google Duo is not jumping on the ads bandwagon, this ‘accident’ of pushing a video ad did cause some worry for users. Google might not have any current plans of making ads a norm on Duo, but WhatsApp will start showing ads from next year. Olivier Ponteville, the Head of Media at Be Connect Agency who tweeted out the announcement along with a photo. 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2IamIl9

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare releasing for PS4, Xbox One and PC on October 25, new trailer revealed

Call of Duty Modern Warfare isn’t a sequel to 2011’s Modern Warfare 3. The game is a sequel and a soft reboot of the 2007 game with the same name. In Modern Warate, there will be a single player campaign where players will “take on the role of highly-skilled Tier One operators in an incredibly raw and gritty narrative affecting the global balance of power.” The campaign of the game will be split in two, to give players a diverse perspective on the story. In one half, players will play as a Tier 1 operator, a special forces soldier. In the second half, players will take on the role of a rebel fighter in the Middle East.

According to the Activision Blog Post, “The new Modern Warfare delivers an emotionally charged and intense campaign that shines a light on the changing nature of modern war. Expect a single-player experience that is edgy, culturally relevant, and thought-provoking. Players will fight alongside a diverse cast of international special forces and freedom fighters working within the grey area of their rules of engagement, in a number of heart-pounding covert operations set throughout iconic European cities and into the volatile expanses of the Middle East. Missions include close-quarter, stealth operations and long-range combat that puts tactical decision-making to the ultimate test.” You can watch the trailer for the game below:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was a genre-defining game bringing FPS war based games in a modern era. Call of Duty has itself been a fan favourite franchise when it comes to FPS games booth with single-player campaigns and online multiplayer. However, games like Halo, Battlefield, Bioshock, Metro, Titanfall and more have given the Call of Duty franchise a run for its money. Maybe it’s time the series went back to the roots that made the franchise so desirable. 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2WfSiaR

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 wont have headphone jack, physical buttons: Report

Samsung generally launches its Note series flagship in August, which means this is the time that rumours and leaks about the phone start to crop up in numbers. In one such rumour, the Note 10 is reported to launch without any physical buttons and 3.5mm headphone jack. Android Police reports that the phone won’t have the power, volume and Bixby buttons, and they would be replaced by capacitive or pressure-sensitive areas. According to the report, these pressure sensitive areas will likely be highlighted by some kind of raised ‘bump’ and/or texture on the edge.

This is not the first time that reports have pointed about a button-less design of the Note 10. Previously, a Korean media outlet had reported that Samsung could have “mechanisms, gestures, and touch-based inputs” to enable functions like summoning the AI-powered virtual assistant Bixby, power on/off the phone and increase/decrease volume. There is no information on whether Samsung intends to carry over the same design to next year’s Galaxy S11 devices.

As far as the 3.5mm headphone jack is concerned, Samsung is probably the last company to get rid of the tech from its flagship phones. Arguably, the 3.5mm jack was one of the key reasons why people chose Samsung devices over others. Premium smartphone makers including, Apple, Google, OnePlus and even Xiaomi (Mi 9) have removed the headphone jacks from their devices, and are offering adapters instead to complement their devices. Samsung's decision to remove the headphone jack is likely to make space for a larger battery.

The displays are becoming more vibrant and its seems that OEMs are now understanding the need for large batteries in the phones. For example, Redmi K20 and OnePlus 7 Pro ship with 4,000 mAh batteries. Samsung Galaxy S10+ houses a 4,100 mah battery pack. Rumours have suggested that a variant of the Galaxy Note 10 might come equipped with a 4500 mAh battery, which is similar to the Galaxy S10 5G phone. Reportedly, the Note device will come with charging “faster than 25W”.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2IfmMQu