OnePlus brand ambassador Robert Downey Jr caught using Huawei P30 Pro

Almost all major smartphone brands resort to celebrity endorsement, and OnePlus is no different. After signing on Robert Downey Jr as its brand ambassador around the launch of the OnePlus 7 Pro to lead the marketing push for the company’s new flagship. However, there seems to be just one slight problem. Iron Man, it seems, had forwarded a Weibo post from OnePlus using a Huawei P30 Pro.

 OnePlus did receive a lot of flack for spending money on celebrity endorsement rather than getting an IP rating, but this incident is something else. The Weibo post was promptly taken down, but not before screenshots of it started circulating the web. This is hardly the first time a celebrity has been caught using a phone that is not from the company they endorse. Recently, Russian TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak was caught using a competitor’s phone on live television, which landed her in trouble with Samsung, seeing as how she is the company’s brand ambassador in Russia. Often times in the past, celebrities endorsing one Android phone or the other have ended up tweeting from an iPhone. So this incident with Robert Downey Jr hardly qualifies as a major blunder.

OnePlus brand ambassador Robert Downey Jr. shared a Weibo post using a Huawei P30 Pro

What is interesting, however, is the choice of smartphone. Apple’s iPhone seems to be the preferred choice of phone for Hollywood, but Robert Downey Jr using a Huawei device is…different. Besides the fact that Huawei has been having its fare share of trouble in the U.S. the company didn’t actually sell the phone officially in the U.S. While the phone’s UI is something of debate, what we know for sure is that it has the best camera on a smartphone as of now. Huawei achieves this with a completely new design for the main sensor, using RYYB pixels instead of RGB. The camera also sports a 5x optical zoom lens and an ultra wide lens, with Leica having manufactured all the optics. You can read our review of the Huawei P30 here and the review of the OnePlus 7 Pro here.

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Netflix says it tracked physical activity of users to improve video streaming quality

If you are using a fitness app on Android Q OS, chances are that it has asked you for Physical activity permission. This makes sense as the app would display data based on your physical activity. However, things turned doubtful when a popular video streaming app like Netflix did the same for some users and a security researcher took note and the company has an explanation as to why its app was using the permission. Netflix told TheNextWeb that it was testing a new way to optimise video playback when a user is traveling and the test is limited to a select set of users. 

“We are continually testing ways to give our members a better experience. This was part of a test to see how we can improve video playback quality when a member is on the go. Only some accounts are in the test, and we don’t currently have plans to roll it out,” says Nextflix. It seems like the company is making use of decoupled app permissions on phones running Android Q and the new activity recognition permission. While there isn’t any information on how exactly the data from this permission was used to improve video streaming, Netflix might be using it to understand how to buffer video for a better watching experience. 

In related news, Netflix recently rolled out a new mobile-only plan for its users in India. Priced at Rs 199 per month, the new pack enables users to opt for the online media streaming service for a comparatively cheaper price. The new plan enables viewing on only one device at a time, which can be a phone or a tablet. In addition, it streams video only in Standard Definition and it is now a part of the company’s basic, standard and premium plans. 

At Rs 199, the new mobile-only plan by Netflix competes with Amazon Prime priced at Rs 129 per month and Disney-owned Hotstar, whose services cost Rs 199 a month. Additionally, local online media streaming providers like AltBalaji and ZEE5 are even more affordable and recently, the video playing app MX Player also announced some free-to-watch original shows. It remains to be seen how the new mobile-only plan by Netflix fares for the company in India. 

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Fortnite Season X arrives with BRUTE Mech Suit, volatile rift zones, and more

Fortnite Season X teaser was showcased at the Fortnite World Cup finals in New York City earlier this week. Now, the new season has been officially released, and it brings a lot of new stuff with it. Epic Games has included a new mech suit, called B.R.U.T.E along with bringing back the Dusty Depot that was a part of the Fortnite world until the Season 4, which was released back in May last year. 

The new season brings a Season X Battle Pass that can be used by gamers to unlock over 100 exclusive rewards. More new things include updates to the Arena Game More, and an overall improved level streaming performance for all platforms. "This time around, you'll get the X-Lord and Catalyst Outfits instantly when you purchase the Battle Pass. As you level up, you'll unlock rewards like dual pickaxes, emotes, loading screens, Outfit styles, and more," the Fortnite team wrote in a blog post.

The B.R.U.T.E suit has room for two players, and it can rain down missiles and shotgun shots while moving ahead on the ground, which means it can easily destroy enemies and structures. The Fortnite Season X has various Arena Game Mode updates, including Solos and Trios Arena and 10 distinct divisions. Using the Advanced Storm controller, you can create your own multi-phase storm or just replicate the Battle Royale 10 wave storm.

Further, a Weapon-Free Zone has also been provided in Fortnite Season X. In this zone, you cannot fire a weapon, swing a pickaxe, throw a grenade, or use items. Also, there is a Sky Station Showdown LTM where you can claim most points from the capture zones by battling other squads.

The new season also has an all-new 'Hit the Road' mission. In the mission, you can bring three other players to help Quinn get to the Radio Station to spin her Song of the Summer. You can also check your favourite Emotes, Music Packs, and Loading Screens in the Save the World from a Locker tab that is available now.

Also, Fortnite Season X will run only on graphics cards supporting DirectX 11 and above.

You can check the official changelog here.

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Elon Musk explains why Tesla is still not in India

The question as to when Tesla will enter the Indian market has been on every EV lover's lips for many years now. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla (and SpaceX), often gets asked the same on Twitter and other forums. Many of his replies suggest that a great number of import policies are making Tesla's entry into India infeasible. In a recent reply, the CEO says that the heavy import duties in India will make Teslas unaffordable in India.

In a recent reply on Twitter, Musk wrote, “I’m told import duties are extremely high (up to 100%), even for electric cars. This would make our cars unaffordable.” In another reply, he added that for other countries, “we pay in part for the local factory by selling cars there ahead of time. Also, gives a sense of demand. Current rules in India prevent that, but recent changes in sales tax give hope for future changes.”

In Musk's words, challenging government regulations have stopped Tesla from penetrating the Indian EV market despite its best efforts in the last two years. The Indian EV market is sparsely populated at the moment. The most recent entrant is the Hyundai Kona EV, which sells for Rs 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom). Other notable models in the market include the Tata Tigor EV, Mahindra eVERITO, and the Mahindra e2o. Maruti is expected to launch an electric version of its popular hatchback Wagon R in the coming year.

If Tesla decides to enter India, it could start by introducing the Model S and Model X, which currently sell in the US for $80,000 (Rs 55 lakh approx) and $85,000 (Rs 59 lakh approx). With an import duty of up to 100 percent, a model in the current range will end up costing over a crore in India if Tesla decides to enter the market right now. While we're all eager to see a Tesla on Indian roads, it's probably better to wait for a more practical solution.

 

For other countries, we pay in part for the local factory by selling cars there ahead of time. Also, gives a sense of demand. Current rules in India prevent that, but recent changes in sales tax give hope for future changes.

— E (@elonmusk) August 1, 2019

 

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Xiaomi Mi Gaming laptop specs leaked, launch teased on August 4

Xiaomi’s laptop lineup is yet to hit Indian shores, but the company already has a sizeable portfolio of laptops which also includes a gaming laptop. The company is now gearing up to launch a new gaming laptop and the specifications of the device leaked on the internet, giving us a peek into what to expect. The laptop could be launched in China on August 4 as suggested by a host of teasers online counting down to August 4.

A leakster took to Twitter to reveal the specs of the upcoming Mi gaming laptop and it certainly looks impressive on paper. The leakster claimed the laptop will sport a 144Hz display and will be powered by a 9th-gen Intel Core i7 processor along with 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD. There night be three variants of the laptop. One with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU and another with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU.

The third variant will be more affordable with a 9th Gen Intel Core i5 processor along with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD. This also could sport the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU.

The launch event’s confirmation comes from Xiaomi’s official Mi Laptop account on Weibo where the company has been posting teasers almost every day, counting down to August 4 which is when the launch will likely happen.

As of now, this is all that we know about the upcoming laptops. Price, availability and the rest of the details will be revealed nearer to the launch.

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FIFA eWorld Cup Grand Final: Gamers Converge on London Chasing $250,000 Jackpot

Thirty two of the world's best e-sports players are flexing their fingers and thumbs in readiness for the FIFA eWorld Cup Grand Final at London's O2 Arena this weekend.

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Realme X, Realme 3i to go on sale in India today: price, sale time, offers, and more

Realme is all set to host another sale for the Realme X and Realme 3i. The two smartphones will be up for grabs from Flipkart and Realme.com. Both the smartphones were launched in India last month. However, both the smartphones are quite different from each other. While Realme X is the company's flagship device, Realme 3i is a budget smartphone. 

Realme X, Realme 3i price in India, sale time and offers

Realme X price starts at Rs 16,999 for the base variant that has 4GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. In contrast, the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model is priced at Rs 19,999. Both the variants come in two colour options, namely, Polar White and Space Blue.

Realme 3i is priced at Rs 7,999 for the 3GB RAM + 32GB storage model, and Rs 9,999 for the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage option. Both the variants will be made available in three colour options, that is, Diamond Black, Diamond Blue, and Diamond Red.

Both the smartphones will go on sale today at 12pm via Flipkart and Realme.com. Sale offers on Realme X include 10 percent MobiKwik SuperCash worth Rs 1,500 and Jio benefits worth Rs 7,000. Further, Flipkart is additionally offering 5 percent Unlimited Cashback to Axis Bank Credit card holders, 5 percent discount for purchases made using an Axis Bank Buzz Credit card, and no-cost EMI.

As for Realme 3i, the Realme online store is offering up to Rs 5,750 worth of cashback. However, the cashback will be credited in the form of 222 vouchers valued at Rs. 100 each and Rs. 4,800 worth of partner vouchers from MakeMyTrip, Myntra, and Zoomcar, that can be availed by recharging with the Rs. 299 prepaid plan. Additionally, there is also a 10 percent MobiKwik SuperCash worth Rs. 1,500. 

Furthermore, Flipkart is offering no-cost EMI options starting at Rs. 278 a month, and five percent cashback with Flipkart Axis Bank credit card transactions, five percent cashback on HDFC Bank debit card transactions, and an additional 10 percent discount on a fashion purchase. 

Realme X specifications

The Realme X features a 6.53-inch Super AMOLED display with a 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and 2340 x 1080 pixels resolution, which gives it a 91.2-percent screen-to-body ratio. It is powered by the Snapdragon 710 chipset, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The phone packs a 3745mAh battery, which supports 20W VOOC-charge technology. Also, it features an in-display fingerprint scanner.

On the optics front, the Realme X features a dual rear camera setup that includes a primary 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor and a secondary 5MP depth sensor. It offers features like Nightscape and Chroma Boost.  Additionally, the 16MP front camera resides in the pop-up mechanism.

You can read our review of the Realme X here. We also did a spec comparision between the Realme X, Redmi K20, Vivo Z1 Pro, and Moto One Vision

Realme 3i specifications

The Realme 3i features a  6.2-inch HD+ (1520x720) display with an aspect ratio of 19:9. It is powered by the Helio P60 octa-core chipset, paired with up to 4GB RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The storage, however, is expandable via a microSD card to up to 256GB. It packs a 4230mAh battery. 

The Realme 3i sports a 13MP primary camera with PDAF and f/1.8 aperture, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. It is also equipped with Super Nightscame mode. At the front, it has a 13MP selfie camera. Also, the smartphone has a diamond-cut design, similar to the Realme C2. 

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