Android 9 Pie, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video update to hit Xiaomi Mi TV 4C Pro, Mi TV 4A Pro and Mi TV 4 Pro in Q4 2019

Xiaomi recently announced the Mi TV 4X series of TVs in India. One of the key announcements at the launch was the company’s TVs getting innate support for Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. While the Mi TV 4X will be available with the said content partners out-of-the-box, there was no word on when the same will be made available for the company’s other TVs. Xiaomi has now announced that its Mi TV 4C Pro, Mi TV 4A Pro and Mi TV 4 Pro series of TVs will receive the Android 9 Pie update in Q4 2019. The update will not only bring Android 9 Pie to the devices but also add Netflix and Amazon Prime Video support. 

The 32-inch Mi TV 4C Pro and the 32-inch, 43-inch and 49-inch models of the Mi TV 4A Pro will receive the Android 9 Pie update. The list also includes the 55-inch Mi TV 4 Pro. The news comes soon after Xiaomi rolled out the Android 9 Pie update for its 32-inch Mi TV 4A Pro and the 32-inch Mi TV 4C Pro models. As for the newly launched Mi TV 4X lineup, it consists of 40-inch, 43-inch, 50-inch and 65-inch TVs. All the new televisions feature 4K HDR10 enabled LED panels and come with Dolby Audio support. 

Xiaomi also introduced a new Data Saver feature for its TVs that is said to enable thrice the amount of streaming content and help track data consumption. The 65-inch model of the Mi TV 4X is priced at Rs 54,999, while its 50 and 43-inch models are priced at Rs 29,999 and Rs 24,999 respectively. The 40-inch base variant of the TV is priced at Rs 17,999. 

Along with the new TVs, the Chinese manufacturer has also introduced the Mi Smart Band 4 and the Mi Smart Water Purifier in India. The Mi Smart Band 4 comes equipped with a colour AMOLED display and supports music and volume control features. You can read more about it in detail here. As for the Mi Smart Water Purifier, It is a DIY water purifier that enables users to change the water filters themselves. It is also IoT compatible so that one can connect it with an app to see water hardness and other details in real-time. 

 

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Google for India 2019: New features for Pay, Assistant, an AI Lab in Bengaluru and more

At the fifth edition of its annual ‘Google for India' event today, Google announced its plans to make the internet more accessible, inclusive and empowering for everyone in India. Moreover, Google announced an initiative to help Indian users who are on 2G phones get the information they need, without requiring data or an internet connection. 

To improve internet access beyond train stations to villages across India, Google has partnered with BSNL to bring fast, reliable and secure public WiFi to villages in Gujarat, Bihar and Maharashtra. Additionally, a Google AI Lab has been announced in Bengaluru to focus on advancing fundamental computer science and AI research and applying this research to tackle big problems in fields like healthcare, agriculture, and education while also using it to make Google apps and services more useful.

“Voice is increasingly becoming their (users’) preferred way to search, and today Hindi has become the second-most used Assistant language globally--after English,” said Manuel Bronstein, Vice President, Product Management at Google recognising Assistant’s popularity in India. 

Now, Google Assistant will be made available in nine more Indian languages, namely, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, and Urdu. To make Assistant respond in Hindi, users will have to say, “Hey Google, talk to me in Hindi.” The feature will be “accessible on all Android, Android Go and KaiOs devices,” says Google.

Moreover, the interpreter mode will be coming soon to the Assistant on Android and Android Go phones in the coming months. It will help users to translate one language to another. 

Google is also adding more Indian languages to the Google feed,namely Discover. These include Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, and Malayalam with Oriya, Urdu and Punjabi to follow soon.

The tech giant has expanded ‘Bolo’, a speech-based app that helps children learn five new Indian languages: Bangla, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Google Lens will also be available in Tamil, Telugu and Marathi. This app will also help children learn how to read. 

Google has also launched Vodafone-Idea Phone Line - supported by the Google Assistant. It enables Vodafone-Idea users to call a single number free of charge (000 800 9191000), at any time, and ask for everything from sports scores, weather forecasts and traffic conditions.

Coming to Google Pay, the company has launched a new Spot platform on Google Pay that enables merchants to create branded commercial experiences. As part of the early access program, Google Pay users will be able to use Spot of popular services like UrbanClap, Goibibo, MakeMyTrip, RedBus, Eat.Fit and Oven Story. Further, tokenized cards have also been launched on Google Pay. It enables debit and credit card holders to pay for things using a digital token on their phones rather than their actual card number. Tokenized cards on Google Pay will be rolling out in the next few weeks with Visa cards for HDFC, Axis, Kotak, Standard Chartered banks, and support to cover Mastercard, Rupay and more banks will be rolled out in the coming months. 

Google has also announced a new Jobs app focusing on entry-level jobs that are not easily discoverable online. Jobs will be available as a Spot on Google Pay to help job seekers find and prepare for entry-level positions that fit their needs. The new feature uses machine learning to recommend jobs and training content to help these users prepare for interviews and learn new skills. 

Job Spot is being introduced with 24 early partners like 24Seven and Healthkart in retail, Swiggy, Zomato and Dunzo in delivery and logistics, and Fabhotels in hospitality, with more sectors and partners to be announced in the coming weeks.

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Google Maps with Incognito Mode is reportedly under testing, new eyes free mode spotted

Google keeps adding new features to Maps and it seems like a couple of fresh options could soon make their way to the navigation app. As per a report by XDA Developers, the company is now rolling out a new incognito mode for closed beta testers of the Maps app in a new update. To recall, the incognito function for Google Maps was initially announced at this year’s Google I/O event and is also supposed to roll out to Google Search. Teardown of the new apk suggests that another feature called “eyes free” mode is under development as well. 

Some Google apps like Chrome already have an Incognito Mode and some other apps by the company are also being updated with the new option. For example, YouTube was updated with the option in July last year and to make the option a bit more accessible, Google is placing the option under the user’s image, which when tapped on brings up some additional options. As for the “eyes free” mode that has been spotted in the apk version 10.26.67 teardown, as the name suggests, it is expected to help users keep their eyes off from their device. Strings related to the feature suggest that the new mode will add “more detailed voice guidance during walking navigation.” 

Google Maps Incognito Mode is now in testing. This was announced by Google back at Google I/O 2019: https://t.co/7khtC4W6Cy pic.twitter.com/ShVUDxLbW9

— Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) September 18, 2019

The latest set of features have surfaced soon after Google rolled out a new “Live View” navigation mode to the Maps app. The option adds an augmented reality overlay over the real world when one is using navigating using walking directions. For Indian users, the Maps app was recently updated with a new Explore tab, a new For You experience section, and the app now also displays some dining options. However, one of the more useful features that were added to it was the ability to predict how crowded your next bus, train or subway ride could be. You can learn more about this feature here.

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Marvel Avengers STATION: A treat for all Marvel fans at High Street Phoenix, Mumbai

Consider yourself worthy enough to wield Thor's hammer, Mjolnir? Or maybe, the Marvel superfan in you wants to put on Tony Stark's Hulkbuster suit to strike down a horde of Ultron's sentinels? You can do all this and much, much more at Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. - an interactive 'all-things-Avengers' experience which is making its way across the globe and has finally landed in India, specifically Mumbai, at Universal Square, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel. The exhibition, of sorts, will be made available for fans to access today and will go on until November 17, after which it will set its sights on Bangalore next. 

An array of Iron Man suits on display at Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N., Mumbai

Treat yourself with interactive VR and AR Avengers-themed games and a comprehensive display of props and costumes used in the MCU movies as well as infographics about your favourite characters including Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Panther, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Falcon, Hawkeye, and more. Surprisingly Spider-Man was entirely missing from the experience which may be owing to the fact that he has been extracted from the MCU recently.

Thor and Loki's original costumes from the MCU films

The Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. (Scientific Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network) has been conceptualised and brought to the public in India by a joint collaboration between BookMyShow and Victory Hill Exhibitions. The experience starts off with Maria Hill, Nick Fury's loyal second in command, addressing you and explaining that you are 'Probationary Agents' who will have to go through a series of experiences to become full-time Agents. 

Captain America's original Harley-Davidson Street 750

The training ensues which involves introducing the 'Recruits' to the super-workings of each Avenger and interacting with original props straight from the sets of the much-loved MCU films. An array of original costumes were on display, as well as Captain America's original Harley-Davidson Street 750 and his original shield from the film. Thor and Loki's helmets were also among the props superfans got to lay their eyes on in real life.

Along with the heroes, the antagonists were also explored extensively with weapons, costumes as well as infographics about Thanos, Ultron, Chitauri army, Dark Elves, and more being on display.

The mighty Thanos towering over the puny fans

Michael Mattox, CTO and COO of Victory Hills Exhibitions, stated, "We worked in conjunction with Marvel Studios to bring an immersive experience to the fan base and have been working on this for the last four years".

"We saw the phenomenal sale of tickets when Avengers: Endgame released and realised the kind of audience MCU has in India. The movie sold 8 and a half million tickets on BMS alone!", said Kunal Khambati, Head of Live Events at BookMyShow.

The experience has made its way to India, which houses a pretty sizeable fan base for MCU films, after successful runs at Las Vegas, Seoul, New York, Singapore, Paris, Beijing, Taipei, London and more.

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Redmi 8A India launch set for September 25: Expected price, specs and more

Xiaomi is expected to launch the new Redmi Note 8 series of handsets in India by the end of September or early October. However, the company has now confirmed that it will introduce the Redmi 8A smartphone in the country on September 25. The ‘A’ series of handsets by Redmi are generally entry-level handsets that are aimed at first-time smartphone users and those who are transitioning from a feature phone to a smartphone. What’s surprising is that it hasn’t even been three months since Xiaomi launched the Redmi 7A in India. 

Redmi 8A rumoured specs

Redmi usually launches its phones first in China and introduces them later in India. However, it seems like the company will launch the Redmi 8A first in India, followed by other markets. Redmi made the launch announcement via a tweet, which also has an image of the phone attached. It is quite clear from the image that the Redmi 8A will feature a waterdrop notch display design with slim bezels all around the screen. Additionally, the tweet's caption suggests that the handset could be equipped with a 5000mAh battery. A Redmi logo is also present on the device’s chin. 

Time for another dumdaar addition to India's most-loved Redmi A series. We'll unveil the #DumdaarRedmi8A for you on 25th September 2019. A lot of dumdaar features to look forward to. Here's one -  Guess it & RT to win this dumdaar phone. pic.twitter.com/mvBeSCMXUt

— Redmi India for #MiFans (@RedmiIndia) September 19, 2019

There’s not much known about the specs of the upcoming handset, however, a device with model number M1908C3KE was previously spotted on TENAA and it is said to be the Redmi 8A. Some images of the handset show off a single camera setup with an LED flash and no fingerprint sensor on the back. As per the listing, the handset supports 4G LTE connectivity and is a dual-SIM device that runs on Android 9 Pie. 

Redmi 8A expected price 

Redmi is known to price its phones rather competitively, even in the entry-level segment. The Redmi 7A was announced for Rs 5,999 and we can expect the Redmi 8A to be priced the same or slightly higher in India. 

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Oppo launches 65W SuperVOOC 20, to debut with Reno Ace

Oppo has launched three new flash charge technologies:  65W SuperVOOC Fast Charge 2.0, 30W Wireless VOOC Flash Charge and VOOC Flash Charge 4.0. The SuperVOOC 2.0 will debut with the Oppo Reno Ace. It has the ability to fully charge a 4000mAh battery in 30 minutes. The 30W Wireless VOOC is on par with wired VOOC in terms of charging speed. Additionally, VOOC 4.0 will be featured in the OPPO K5.

According to the company, the 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 technology can charge a 4000mAh battery from one percent to 100 percent in just 27 minutes, and fill up the battery in 30 minutes. It can also charge up to 27 percent in under five minutes. It is also backward compatible with SuperVOOC and VOOC Flash Charge. 

The 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 technology has adopted the Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductors, which effectively shortens charging time and further reduces adapter size. Oppo says that it does not only deliver improved charging performance but also enhances safety. The company claims that it has placed five safety protection measures throughout the adapter, wire and handset ends to ensure maximum safety during charging.

Coming to the 30W Wireless VOOC Flash Charge, it can fully charge a 4000mAh battery within 80 minutes. It is compatible with QI standard and supports a charging power of 5W or 10W. Oppo says it has adopted several hardware designs to avoid overheating, HVDC and a foreign object detection function that ensures charging stops immediately when the charging board detects the intrusion of foreign metal objects.

Oppo has also upgraded VOOC Flash Charge to Version 4.0, which enables a 4000mAh battery to charge to 67 percent in 30 minutes. The company says it can charge a 4000mAh battery to 100 percent within 73 minutes, which is 12 percent faster than the previous generation. To achieve this, Oppo has reduced the internal resistance of the entire charging system and suppressed heat generation.

“VOOC Flash Charge technology has reshaped the way people view charging and allowed OPPO to bring the ultimate charging experience to more than 145 million users worldwide to date. In the future, OPPO will continue upgrading VOOC, SuperVOOC and Wireless VOOC to meet user needs in various scenarios,” said Zhang Jialiang, head of OPPO’s flash charge team.

Oppo says it is expanding the VOOC ecosystem through licensing the technology to external partners, with more than 20 companies participating to date.

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Call of Duty: Mobile launch date set for October 1, will rival PUBG Mobile with new Battle Royale mode

The mobile experience of Call of Duty was under beta testing in many regions from some time now, with Australia, Canada and Peru being the exception. However, the game developers have now announced that the title will finally be made available for everyone from October 1, in all regions where Google Play Store and App Store are supported. The first-person action shooter title by Activision will soon be made available for all supported Android and iOS running devices. Those who have experienced the Call of Duty franchise might feel nostalgic with the maps features in the mobile version, along with game modes, weapons and some characters that one might have noticed across the COD games like COD Modern Warfare and Black Ops series. 

Call of Duty: Mobile is a free-to-play title that’s developed by Tencent’s Timi studio and is published by Activision. The official public release of the game will be announced with a collection of multiplayer modes, along with a Battle Royale mode. Additional content, playlists and time-limited events are slated to be added regularly to keep gamers interested. The battle royale will enable up to 100 players to fight against each other in solo, duos or quad player team-ups. 

Call of Duty: Mobile is coming to Android and iOS on October 1st. The free to play mobile experience features signature Call of Duty multiplayer, iconic maps, modes, characters and a new Battle Royale experience. #CODMobile pic.twitter.com/dHIowxcaML

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) September 18, 2019

Activision has also revealed some more information about the Multiplayer mode. It will include some modes like Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy and Free-For-All. We’ve already experienced these new modes when the game’s beta version was live in India. The maps like Nuketown, Crash, Hijacked and more will be available as well. Players will also be able to earn and unlock some classic Call of Duty characters such as John “Soap” MacTavish and Simon “Ghost” Riley from the Modern Warfare series, along with Alex Mason from the Black Ops series. Weapons, scorestreaks and additional gear for equipping and customizing loadouts will be available as well. 

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