Redmi Note 8, Note 8 Pro launched in India: Specs, price and more

Redmi Note 8, Note 8 Pro have been launched in India today. The company had already launched the devices in China in August. Nevertheless, the phones have finally made their way to India. Xiaomi has also announced MIUI 11 and Mi Air Purifier 2C with the Redmi Note 8 Pro today.

Redmi Note 8 specifications and price in India

The Redmi Note 8 comes equipped with a  6.3-inch FHD+ screen that has a dot drop notch. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor. The phone has up to 6GB RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. The smartphone packs a 4,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. It runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie. 

In the camera department, the Redmi Note 8 sports a quad rear camera setup: a primary 48MP Samsung GM1 sensor with f/1.79 lens + an 8MP Ultra-Wide lens that covers120-degree + a 2MP depth sensor + a 2MP Macro lens. The 13MP front shooter is housed in the notch. 

Redmi Note 8 has a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. It also comes with USB Type-C and a headphone jack.

Redmi Note 8 is priced at Rs 9,999 for the base 4GB RAM + 64GB model and Rs 12,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant. 

Redmi Note 8 Pro specifications and price in India

Redmi Note 8 Pro features a 6.53-inch FHD+ LCD display and comes with a waterdrop notch. It boasts a 91.94 percent screen to body ratio. The device also sports a curved Gorilla Glass 5 panel on the back. It comes with dual SIM card slots as well as a dedicated microSD card slot. Further, the phone comes with built-in support for Amazon Alexa.

Redmi Note 8 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Helio G90T chipset. It has been launched in three variants: 6GB RAM + 64GB, 6GB RAM + 128GB storage and storage 8GB RAM + 128GB storage. Further, it has liquid cooling support for improving the gaming experience. 

On the optics front, Redmi Note 8 Pro sports a quad rear camera setup: a Samsung-developed 64MP sensor + an 8MP ultra-wide lens + a 2MP depth sensor + a 2MP macro lens. On the front lies a 20MP camera. The company says Redmi Note 8 Pro is capable of recording videos at 960 frames per second.

The smartphone packs a 4500mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. Redmi Note 8 Pro runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie. 

Redmi Note 8 Pro also features NFC, splash-proof coating, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Redmi Note 8 Pro is priced at Rs 14,999 for the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage variant. It costs Rs 15,999 for the higher, 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model and Rs 17,999 for the 8GB RAM + 128GB storage model. It will be made available in three colour options, namely, Gamma Green, Halo White and Shadow Black.

MIUI 11 announced

Xiaomi has also announced MIUI 11. It will be rolled out to seven devices including the Poco F1, Redmi K20 and Redmi Note 7 series by the end of October. On the other hand, Redmi K20 Pro, Redmi Note 6 Pro, Redmi Note 5 series and more devices will get it in the first two weeks of November. Interestingly, Redmi Note 8 Pro will get MIUI 11 in the third week of December.

In addition to the smartphones, Xiaomi also announced Mi Air Purifier 2C, which will cost buyers Rs 6,499.

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Google officially confirms the end of its VR platform, Daydream

Google’s hardware October 15 event was not one that left a lot of people happy. After the revelation that the Pixel 4 will not be launched in India, we’re now getting confirmation that Google is officially killing its VR platform, Daydream. Additionally, the company will cease the sales of Daydream VR headsets as well.

In an official statement, a Google Spokesperson said, “Over time we noticed some clear limitations constraining smartphone VR from being a viable long-term solution,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. “We noticed some clear limitations constraining smartphone VR from being a viable long-term solution. Most notably, asking people to put their phone in a headset and lose access to the apps they use throughout the day causes immense friction.”

Over the last few years, adoption of Daydream into OEM handsets had been fairly slow, with nobody adding support for the VR platform this year into their smartphones. In fact, the Pixel 3a did not support Daydream VR either, but at the time, it appeared that the budget nature of the device could be the reason behind it. Now with the omission of Daydream from the Pixel 4’s list, it is clear that Google is killing the service.

This, however, does not mean that VR as a technology is dead. Companies continue to heavily invest in AR/VR technologies and solutions, so with Google killing off Daydream, it is entirely possible that the company may have an alternative solution available at some point in the future.

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Google Stadia Launch Date Set for November 19, Company Reveals at Made by Google Event

Google on Tuesday said it will launch its Stadia game streaming service on November 19, hoping to launch console-quality play into the cloud.

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Google Stadia Launch Date Set for November 19, Company Reveals at Made by Google Event

Google on Tuesday said it will launch its Stadia game streaming service on November 19, hoping to launch console-quality play into the cloud.

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Reliance Jio prepaid plans revised to offer bundled IUC top up options: All you need to know

Reliance Jio recently announced that voice calls are no longer free on its network. Since then, rival operators like Vodafone-Idea and Airtel have been trolling Jio for the decision and it remains to be seen how Jio’s decision affects its subscriber count. The telco has also revised its existing prepaid plans, which now come bundled with IUC top-up. All plans by Jio now come with an IUC top up, which will enable users to place calls to users on other networks like Airtel, Vodafone, and BSNL. Additionally, the top-up vouchers Jio offers have also been updated and start at Rs 10, and go all the way up to Rs 1000. 

All prepaid plans by Jio now come with six options to select from. For example, the Rs 98 prepaid pack that offers 2GB mobile data for a month is now available in six options. It comes with IUC recharge options of Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 30, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1000. These IUC plans are available with every other recharge plan. Additionally, the top-up section by Jio has also been updated where the same aforementioned IUC top-ups are listed.  It should also be noted that there is no option to recharge without selecting an IUC top-up. 

As for the top-up vouchers, the Rs 10 IUC recharge offers talk time of Rs 7.47, which converts to 124 IUC Minutes. With Rs 20 and Rs 50 recharge, one gets Rs 14.95 and Rs 39.37 talk time that is equivalent to 249 and 656 IUC minutes respectively. There are also high-value Rs 100, Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 top-ups that offer talk time of Rs 81.75, Rs 420.73 and Rs 844.46 respectively and Jio users will get to avail Rs 1,362, Rs 7,012 and Rs 14,074 of IUC minutes with them. There’s unlimited validity on all of these IUC plans. 

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LG G8 ThinQ to get Android 10 beta this month, V50 ThinQ, V50S ThinQ next month

LG may not have been prompt with the rollout of the Android 9 Pie update but it wants to prove to its users that it’s still a dependable smartphone brand for regular software updates with Google’s most recent Android update. According to a press release published by LG yesterday, the Korean electronics manufacturer is launching the LG OS Preview Program for Android 10 for selected devices. In other words, the LG G8 ThinQ will start seeing Android 10 beta updates this month, followed by the LG V50 ThinQ and LG V50S ThinQ next month.

If you own one of these LG phones and want to experience Android 10 in its beta form as soon as it’s out, you can head to the ‘Quick Help’ app that’s bundled with your phone to sign up for the programme. It’s important to note that the first few beta releases of Android 10 could be full of bugs, since it’s still in the development phase. If you depend on the stability of your phone’s software, then you may as well wait for the final stable release of Android 10, which is expected to roll out to all three LG phones in the coming months.

According to LG, its new Android 10 update will include a refreshed user interface, including ‘menu tabs and pop-ups at the bottom of the screen’. The update will of course include the ‘Full Gesture Navigation’ feature that Android 10 brings with it, along with improved digital wellbeing features. LG appears to be determined to recover the trust of its users with timely software updates. “LG Electronics is focussing on recovering the trust of smartphone customers through the SW Upgrade Center, which opened in April last year,” reads the Google-translated press release.

The LG G8 ThinQ was first announced in February this year. It’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage (expandable up to 1TB). The display is a 6.1-inch P-OLED panel with a resolution of 1440 x 3120 pixels and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 with support for Dolby Vision and HDR10. While we’re still uncertain about the availability of these models in India, we reported that the LG G8S ThinQ went on sale in the market earlier this year at Rs 36,990. We’re not sure when it will receive the Android 10 update. You can read our first impressions of the LG V50 ThinQ here.

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Googles game streaming service, Stadia launching on November 19: Everything you need to know

At last night’s Made by Google event, the company showcased its upcoming lineup of the Nest speaker, mesh WiFi and the Pixel 4 phone which isn't coming to India. But that's not all. Google also dropped the release date for its upcoming game streaming service, Stadia. The service will go live on November 19 and here is everything you need to know about Google’s game streaming service. 

Will Stadia launch in India?

There is no information when Stadia will come to India. Considering the scope and growth of the Indian gaming consumer and growing broadband connectivity, India could be a lucrative market for Google Stadia. But we will reserve our thoughts on this for when the service hits Indian shores. Until then, know that the service will go live in 14 countries - United States, Canada, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland.

How much will Stadia cost?

There are two versions of Stadia that users can get access to - Stadia Base and Stadia Pro. Stadia Base is free while Stadia Pro is $9.99 per month. Stadia Base will be available in 2020 only. Stadia Base will limit the games to 1080p, 60fps and stereo sound. Stadia Pro will give gamers access to 4K HDR gaming at 60fps with 5.1 surround sound. Remember, Stadia isn't a Netflix for games kind of service. You will have to pay for each game you want to play.

In a tweet, Phil Harrison has said, “All games at launch support 4K. We designed Stadia to enable 4K/60 (with appropriate TV and bandwidth). We want all games to play 4K/60 but sometimes, for artistic reasons, a game is 4K/30 so Stadia always streams at 4K/60 via 2x encode”. How this 2x encoding works is something we will have to wait and see. 

Are there any perks to getting Stadia Pro?

Apart from being able to play in 4K at 60fps with 5.1 sound, you will also get one free game a month just like you do with your Xbox Live Gold membership or Playstation Plus which gives you three and two games a month respectively. The first of the free games is Destiny 2: The Collection

What internet speed do I need to run Stadia games?

Google has said that that a 10Mbps connection is enough to run the game at 720p 60fps. For 1080p gaming at 60fps with 5.1 sound, it recommends a speed of 20Mbps. For 4K gaming at 60fps with 5.1 sound, Google recommends a speed of 35Mbps. There is no information on bandwidth consumption during gaming. 

What games will be available on Stadia at launch?

More than 30 games are slated to be available at launch. These include Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Doom (2016), Rage 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Destiny 2, Get Packed, Grid, Metro Exodus, Thumper, Farming Simulator 19, Baldur’s Gate III, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, Football Manager, Samurai Shodown, Final Fantasy XV, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K, Borderlands 3, Gylt, Mortal Kombat 11, Darksiders Genesis, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, Trials Rising, and The Crew.

Will I need a Stadia controller to play games?

No. You will be able to use any popular controller with the service such as a keyboard and mouse, console controller and more. 

How much does the Stadia Controller cost? Does it have any advantages over other controllers?

The Stadia controller is priced at $69. It will be available in Just Black, Clearly White, and Wasabi. It connects to the Stadia server directly and helps with latency as the controller input is interacting directly with the server. The controller can be set up using the Stadia app on a smartphone. 

What devices will Stadia run on?

Stadia can run on your TV, but you will need a Chromecast Ultra to do so. There is no information on a Stadia app for smart TVs yet. For any other device, like a laptop, desktop or tablet, all you need is the Chrome browser and an internet connection. On smartphones, however, Google has said Stadia will be available on the Pixel 3, 3 XL, 3a, 3a XL, the Pixel 4 and the Pixel 4 XL to start with. It will launch on other devices, but there is no timeline for that.

What about other Cloud gaming services?

Well, we do have GeForce Now but that isn’t a widespread launch. Microsoft’s Project xCloud has seen a beta launch in October with a full launch set for 2020. Sony’s Cloud gaming service, PlayStation Now, that has a library of 800+ games, saw a 50% price drop in the international markets where it is available. The service isn't available in India. 

Can I play my console games on any other device?

Sony recently opened up its Remote Play app for all Android devices. You can play on an iOS device, PC or Mac or an Android smartphone /tablet by simply downloading the app and going through the setup process. As long as your PS4 is on and you have good upload speeds back home and good download speeds wherever you are, you can enjoy your PS4 games on the go. If you are at home and someone else wants to watch TV, you can stream your PS4 game to your smartphone, tablet or computer over the local WiFi (without consuming internet) and play them using your PS4 controller. Microsoft is looking to do something similar with Project xCloud for Xbox One owners. 

If you would like to understand Google’s cloud gaming service in detail, you can do so here. We also have a detailed FAQ about the service. You can check that out here. You can also see how your Xbox One can become a free Project xCloud server here.

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