Ready Student One? Universities Launch Degrees in E-Sports

E-sports tournaments have become a cultural phenomenon and now rival traditional sports events in size and scale.

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Microsoft announces Surface Neo dual-screen running on Windows 10X, truly wireless Surface Earbuds

Microsoft unveiled a bunch of new devices at its Surface Hardware event and one of the announcements was the new Surface Neo. The company has unveiled a new lineup of dual-display Surface devices, which currently comprises of the Surface Neo and the Surface Duo. The Surface Neo sports two displays that are connected together with a couple of hinges that enable the device to unfold 360 degrees. In addition, Micorosoft unveiled its new Windows 10X operating system, which is designed with dual-screen PCs in mind, along with truly wireless Surface Earbuds. 

Microsoft Surface Neo 

The Microsoft Surface Neo comes equipped with two 9-inch screens that when unfolded, turn into a 13-inch display. These displays aren’t seamlessly attached since they are held together by two hinges and there are notable bezels between the two screens. However, Microsoft showed off the device running on the new Windows X operating system specifically built for dual-screen devices. From the device’s demonstration at the event, it seems like most tasks will be handled on one screen and not many apps might be able to span across both the displays. 

The Microsoft Surface Neo is powered by a custom Intel Lakefield processor and it sports a new thin Surface Pen that is magnetically attached to the back and charges wirelessly. There’s also a magnetic keyboard that folds out from the rear and straps onto one of the device’s screen. It leaves some space on the display where it is attached so that it can be either used as a secondary display or a touchpad. After Microsoft, companies like Asus, Dell, Lenovo and HP will also be coming up with their dual-display products. 

Windows 10X 

The new Microsoft operating system for dual-screen devices plays a central role in enabling Surface Neo’s functionalities. The OS is said to be a ‘natural member’ of the current Windows 10 family that also supports running Win32 applications in a container. Additionally, making use of componentization and other elements, the company made the OS capable of supporting more input types, hardware postures while managing Windows applications and taking care of how they consume the battery. Windows 10X will be available on dual-screen and foldable devices in fall 2020. 

Microsoft Surface Earbuds

Microsoft has also forayed into the truly wireless earphones segment with its Surface Earbuds. The new earbuds feature touch and voice controls and come equipped with two mics per bud. It has filters for better noise reduction, features ‘omnisonic sound’ and with touch sensors on both the earpieces, one can control music, volume and calls too. The device is touted to deliver 24 hours of battery life and one of the more notable features it comes with is the Office 365 integration that will enable users in the US to access Outlook calendar and email via voice commands. 

There’s also a live caption and translation feature on the earphones, which works with Powerpoint by employing Microsoft Office and Azure services. The Microsoft Surface Earbuds are priced starting at $249 (Rs 17,682 approx).

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Redmi 8 confirmed to launch in India on October 9: Large battery, cameras teased

Xiaomi launched the Redmi 8A in India a few days ago. Now, it looks like the company is planning to launch the Redmi 8 in the country on October 9. Xiaomi India Managing Director and Global VP Manu Jain has teased a new smartphone launch for October 9, and it is highly likely that the company will be launching the Redmi 8. Xiaomi is teasing a big battery on the upcoming device as well. 

Earlier, a Redmi device with model number M1908C3IC was certified by TENAA in China. Based on that, the phone is said to feature a 6.26-inch HD+ Dot Notch screen. It may have a resolution of 1520 x 720 pixels and a 19:9 aspect ratio. The smartphone is rumoured to be powered by a 2GHz octa-core processor. 

The Redmi 8 is tipped to come with 2GB or 3GB RAM on the 32GB storage variant and 4GB RAM with the 64GB internal storage model. It is expected to have a microSD card slot for expansion of memory by up to 512GB. It may run MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie.

On the optics front, Redmi 8 is said to sport a 12MP camera with Sony IMX 363 sensor and f/1.9 aperture + 5MP dual rear camera setup. An 8MP selfie shooter may reside in the notch on the front. The device may have a fingerprint sensor as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack.

In terms of connectivity, Redmi 8 is expected to have dual  4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS + GLONASS and USB Type-C. It is tipped to sport a 4800mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.

To recall, Redmi 7 was launched in India for Rs 7,999. Hence, Redmi 8 can also launch around the same price.

Mi fans! Just when you thought the #Diwali action has reached a peak, here's #BatteryCameraAction! Battery champion with 4⃣/_ _ arriving on 9th Oct. It's time to do moooooooore!

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55-inch 4K TV deals on Amazons Great Indian Festival Sale

The Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale is just about to end but the deals are still hot. If you are in the market to pick up a new TV and are looking to get onto the 4K bandwagon, then here are the deals to consider. We list 55-inch 4K TVs that are on offer during the sale. If 55-inches is too big for you, then know that most of the TVs listed here are available in smaller screen sizes during the sale and are also available at a discount.

LG 55-inch 4K Smart LED TV 55UM7290PTD MRP: Rs 88,990 Deal Price: Rs 53,999

This LG TV is also available in a 43-inch variant. The TV comes with 3 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports for your connectivity needs. The TV has a 4K resolution along with support for HDR. For audio, it has a total sound output of 20W. The TV comes with LG’s magic remote control that you can use as a mouse pointer with the TV. It runs on LG’s WebOS and also supports popular streaming services. The TV supports the Google Assistant along with Amazon’s Alexa. It also supports Apple Airplay 2. You can buy the TV here. 

TCL 55-inch 4K Smart LED TV 55P65US-2019 MRP: Rs 79,990 Deal Price: Rs 28,999

This TCL TV is available in 43-inch and 50-inch screen sizes as well. The TV comes with 3 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports for your connectivity needs. The TV has a 4K resolution along with support for HDR. For audio, it has a total sound output of 20W. The TV runs on the Android TV OS out of the box. It has access to the Google Play Store, letting you download popular streaming service apps. The TV supports the Google Assistant along with Amazon’s Alexa. You can buy the TV here. 

Samsung 55-inch Super 6 Series 4K LED Smart TV UA55NU6100 MRP: Rs 1,04,900 Deal Price: Rs 52,999

This Samsung TV is also available in 43-inch and 50-inch screen sizes as well. The TV comes with 2 HDMI ports and 1 USB port for your connectivity needs. The TV has a 4K resolution along with support for HDR. For audio, it has a total sound output of 20W. The TV runs on Samsung’s Tizen OS. The TV supports most popular streaming services. You can buy the TV here. 

Kodak 55-inch 4K Smart LED TV 55UHDXSMART  MRP: Rs 70,990 Deal Price: Rs 29,999

This Kodak TV is available in 43-inch and 50-inch screen sizes as well. The TV comes with 3 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports for your connectivity needs. The TV has a 4K resolution. For audio, it has a total sound output of 20W. The TV runs on Android AOSP out of the box. You can buy the TV here. 

Shinco 55-inch 4K Smart LED TV S55QHDR10  MRP: Rs 47,999 Deal Price: Rs 26,999

This Shinco TV is available in 32-inch, 40-inch, 49-inch and 65-inch screen sizes as well. The TV comes with 3 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports for your connectivity needs. The TV has a 4K resolution along with support for HDR. For audio, it has a total sound output of 20W. The TV runs on Android 7.0 AOSP. It has access to popular streaming services. You can buy the TV here. 

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Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, Surface Pro 7, Surface Pro X announced

Microsoft released a range of Surface devices at the October 2019 event. The company launched the Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro 7, powered by 10th Gen Intel Core processors. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 was also announced as a Ryzen Surface Edition variant that features AMD Ryzen CPUs. Alongside the two mainstream releases, the company also unveiled a new Surface device, the Surface Pro X, which is the first Windows machine to be powered by the Microsoft SQ1 chipset. Here is everything you need to know about the three products.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 3

Starting with the Surface Laptop 3, it now comes in two display sizes, 13.5-inch and 15-inch. It has a 2256 x 1504 pixel resolution and a 3:2 aspect ratio. Both the models are powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i5/i7 processors, whereas the 15-inch model also comes in AMD Ryzen variants. It sports AMD Ryzen 5/ Ryzen 7 chips with Vega 9/ Vega 11 Graphics Microsoft Surface Edition respectively.

Surface Laptop 3 has 8GB and 16GB LPDDR4X RAM. Further, the Ryzen model has an option for 32GB RAM as well. While the 13.5-inch model has 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB M.2 NVME SSDs, the 15-inch variant comes with 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of M.2 NVME SSDs. 

As for the ports, the Surface Laptop 3 includes a USB-C, USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack and a Surface Connect port. 

Microsoft claims the Surface Laptop 3 can function up to 11.5 hours on a single charge. The Surface Laptop 3 13.5-inch base variant is priced at $999, whereas the 15-inch model starts from $1,199. There is no word for price and availability in India yet.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 

The Surface Pro 7 is built in the same chassis as the previous generation, and not much is changed in terms of exterior design. Microsoft’s 2-in-1 Surface device features a 13.5-inch display, which has a resolution of 2736 x 1824 pixels and a 3:2 aspect ratio. The Surface Pro 6 successor is powered by 10th Gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors with Intel UHD Graphics in the Core i3 model and Intel Iris Plus Graphics in the Core i5 and Core i7 variants.

On the storage front, the Surface Pro 7 comes in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB LPDDR4x RAM options. The device has 128GB of internal storage and goes up to 1TB. The company claims it can last up to 10.5 hours on a single charge. In terms of ports, the Surface Pro 7 has a USB-A, USB -C and 3.5mm headphone jack alongside the Surface Connect. Also, the 2-in-1 device weighs under 800 grams.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 sports a 5MP front-facing camera and a 10MP rear camera with autofocus

Both the Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro 7 have support for fast charging. Microsoft says the devices can be charged to 80 percent in just over an hour. Both the Surface devices feature Dual far-field Studio Mics that can help users pick calls directly from the screen while their phone rests in the pocket. Further, both the devices run Windows 10.

Microsoft Surface Pro 7 costs $799 for the base variant. Indian price and availability remains unknown.

Microsoft Surface Pro X

A new entry to the Surface Pro lineup, the Surface Pro X sports thinner design and slimmer bezels than the rest. It also comes with a custom processor, developed in partnership with Qualcomm. It runs a full-fledged version of Windows 10. 

The Microsoft Surface Pro X features a 13-inch display in a 12-inch chassis. It has a 2880 x 1920 pixel resolution and 3:2 aspect ratio. The device is powered by the Microsoft SQ1 chip, paired with Adreno 685 iGPU. It comes in 8GB and 16GB RAM options. Further, it has 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage options.

According to Microsoft, the Surface Pro X can run up to 13 hours on a single charge. It supports fast charging technology as well, which can charge the battery to 80 percent in under an hour, as claimed by Microsoft.

Microsoft Surface Pro X has a separate Surface keyboard, which has a slot for the Surface Slim Pen that wirelessly charges in its compartment in the keyboard. Unlike normal styluses, the Surface Slim Pen is flat on two sides.

The Surface Pro X sports 2 USB-C ports, a Surface Connect and a Surface Keyboard connector port. It has a slot for s nano-SIM as well. It weighs 762 grams. It sports a 5MP front camera and a 10MP rear camera with support for 4K video recording.

The Microsoft Surface Pro X is priced and $999. Again, no word on it Indian price and availability yet.

An improved Microsoft 365

Microsoft has always said that the Surface devices are focused towards busy professionals, students and teachers. Today, the company announced several new capabilities to Office apps.

Microsoft has introduced a solution to transcribe audio files to text in Word. It will help researchers, reporters, lawyers, and teachers who spend a lot of time recording audio interviews on their phone, and then spend even more time transcribing those conversations into Word. It will be available in early 2020 in Word for web. The company will announce exact plans and pricing closer to general availability.

Further, Surface Pen will soon be able to easily write, edit, or delete values in Excel. The feature will roll out to Excel for web and desktop in spring 2020 for Office 365 subscribers. Also, Microsoft has introduced Ink Editor, a feature that users can use to create and reply to comments from anywhere using voice or pen.

Microsoft also unveiled the Surface Duo, an Android dual-screen device and Surface New, a dual-screen tablet-laptop. Further, the company also introduced Surface Buds at the event.

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Microsoft Surface Duo with dual-screens is the companys latest attempt at smartphones

Microsoft bowed out of the smartphone business back in 2017 when it announced the end of its Windows Phone platform. Now, the company is again trying to establish itself in the smartphone segment with the new Microsoft Surface Duo smartphone. However, the company is pushing the device as something more than a smartphone or a communication device as it is categorised under the Surface lineup. Equipped with two side-by-side 5.6-inch displays, the Surface Duo can rotate 360 degrees and sports an 8.3-inch display when unfolded. It can be used in various ‘postures,’ which is basically Microsoft’s way of saying you can use the device in different modes. 

While the company has not revealed any specifications of the Microsoft Surface Duo, we know that it runs on Android and comes with Google Play Store. From the launch reveal of the device, we could gather that the Android operating system on the Surface Duo is optimised for dual-screens and it will enable users to do two different tasks on the displays. In landscape mode, the second display can be used as a game controller or a keyboard. It will is slated to hit the US market in late 2020 and there's no information on price yet. Wired says that the device is running on Snapdragon 855 processor and the unit with Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer, Panos Panay, runs on a customised version of Android 9 Pie. 

Alongside Microsoft Surface Duo, the Surface Neo was also unveiled, which is another dual-screen device from the company’ stables. The device runs on a new Windows 10X operating system, which is optimised for the dual-screen Surface device. It runs on a custom Intel Lakefield processor and comes equipped with a new thin Surface Pen that is attached to the back. There’s also a magnetic keyboard that folds out from the rear and attaches to the device’s screen, leaving some space on the display that can be either used as a secondary display or a touchpad.

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Scientists develop second skin that helps you feel VR content in real life

It could be said that VR (Virtual Reality) has not taken off the way a lot of people have speculated it will. Even though the technology has been steadily developing over the years, it lacks that special ‘something’ to really make it mainstream. When we talk about VR, most people immediately think of gaming. It may be a while before the technology and experiences actually start the revolution it was said to bring about. But, according to new research and technology, that vision may not be too far ahead. 

It seems that scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne have come up with a sort of ‘second-skin’ that can take the shape of your body and delivers natural feeling touch feedback. It does not use any sort of electrical vibrations to simulate touch. The research for this tech has been published on Soft Robotics and further explains exactly what this technology is and what is it capable of. In the paper, the scientists claim that the ‘second-skin’ is less than 500 nanometers in thickness and is equipped with pneumatic actuators that will simulate the feeling of touching an actual object. This is unlike electronic haptic feedback but a more refined version of the same idea. The ‘second-skin’ also comes with sensors that sends data which is then used to regulate pressure. 

In the research paper, it states that, “SPA-skin is a multifunctional multilayer system that can readily be implemented as a high-speed wearable bidirectional interface for contact sensing and vibrotactile feedback.”. All this means is that you will be able to actually “feel” things in the virtual world if you have clothing made using this tech. The application of this kind of technology ranges from medicine to virtual worlds. The ‘skin’ is made using silicone and fitted with various electrodes. 

Just to give you an idea of how tough and resilient this material is, researchers say that is can be stretched up to four times its original length for up to a million cycles. The real-world application of this kind of technology is still up in the air, but the possibility of integrating it into the fields of medicine and healthcare could be a big thing. 

According to Harshal Sonar, lead author of the study, “The next step will be to develop a fully wearable prototype for applications in rehabilitation and virtual and augmented reality. The prototype will also be tested in neuroscientific studies, where it can be used to stimulate the human body while researchers study dynamic brain activity in magnetic resonance experiments.”

 

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