Airtel Xstream Fiber offering Rs 1,000 off to new customers for limited time: All you need to know

The Internet is more or less a necessity nowadays with the government of Kerala realising this and deeming it as a basic human right. With multiple local and national players competing in the segment, there are various broadband options to choose from. Ever since Reliance Jio stepped into the ring with its JioFiber broadband service, the competition is rising once again. In a new bid to outwit the competition, Airtel is offering a limited time discount for users who sign up for its Xstream Fiber broadband service. The telco has a banner running on its Xstream microsite that reads “Get discount of Rs 1,000” and  “first month Rental Free.”

The banner promo was first spotted by TelecomTalk, however, there is no clarity on what exactly does the offer entails. First off, one should note that there's no mention of how or where the discount of Rs 1,000 will be applied. Additionally, the first month of rental is said to be provided free of cost but there aren't details about it either. Will the discount be applied on the installation amount or some other charges will be waived off? It isn’t clear yet. The offer is also showing up for select places regions like Bengaluru or Chennai and is available for a limited time. We suggest you contact the telco to know more about the offer before opting in. 

It’s been some time since Airtel announced its new Xstream Fiber broadband service, which also replaced the Airtel Home Broadband service. The telco has unfortunately also removed the data rollover option from all its current plans but is offering unlimited high-speed data for an additional Rs 299. The company’s new broadband plans start at Rs 799 and go up to Rs 3,999 per month. With the base Rs 799 plan, one gets 150GB of high-speed internet with speeds of up to 100 Mbps and unlimited national calling. There’s also Rs 999 and Rs 1,499 plans that come with 300GB and 500GB of monthly data and speeds of up to 200 and 300Mbps respectively. 

You can read more about Airtel’s Xstream broadband plans here. 

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Dell launches G5 gaming desktops in India

Dell India has announced the launch of its Dell G5 gaming desktops in India. Those looking to buy a pre-built gaming desktop from Dell finally have a choice, and won’t have to shell out the premium commanded by the current Alienware Aurora R8. The company has launched the Dell G5 in three variants.

The most basic configuration of the Dell G5 comes with a 9th generation Intel Core i5 9600K, 8GB of DDR4 RAM running at 2666MHz and a Nvidia GTX 1650. For storage, the system will feature a 1TB hard disk drive spinning at 7200rpm. The second configuration retains Intel’s Core i5 9600K processor and the 8GB RAM, but upgrades the storage to a 512GB NVMe SSD and the GPU gets swapped out for an Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti. The third and top-of-the-line variant sports a 9th generation Intel Core i7-9700K processor mated with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and an Nvidia RTX 2060. For storage, buyers will get both a 512GB NVMe drive and a 1TB HDD. The three models are priced at Rs 67,590, Rs 81,790 and Rs 1,10,490 respectively, exclusive of tax.

In terms of aesthetics and thermals, the Dell G5 uses the same cabinet for all three variants. There’s a blue LED strip running across the front fascia of the cabinet, breaking the otherwise linear structure of case. Cooling is taken care of using a 65W or a 95W air cooler capable of 4500rpm and a air flow rate of 45 cubic feet per minute. There is a second case fan on the back for exhaust as well, but it is a much smaller 80mm fan. Given that Dell is using K-series processors in the new G5 it means that users will have headroom for overclocking as well. In terms of upgradability, the chassis is designed to allow access to all internal components by simply loosening two thumbscrews, which removes the side panel.

The new desktops are available at Dell’s experience stores and also online through Dell’s official website.

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HP announces Spectre x360 13 with Intel 10th Gen Core i5 CPU, smaller footprint

Having launched two iterations of the Spectre x360 this year alone, HP has announced yet another version of its premium convertible laptop. Now called Spectre x360 13, the new model is more compact and employs Intel’s 10th Gen Core i5 CPU along with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of solid-state storage. HP says the new model is 13 per cent smaller than its predecessor even though it retains the 13.3-inch Full HD touchscreen panel from previous models. The new HP Spectre x360 13 is currently available for purchase on the HP Online Store for Rs 99,990.

The new Spectre x360 13 is powered by Intel’s 10th Gen Core i5 (Ice Lake U) processor, which is the chip maker's newest 10-nanometre model. The chip is complemented by an integrated Iris Plus Graphics GPU, which Intel claims delivers up to two times better performance than previous integrated GPUs. In addition, the Spectre features Intel WiFi 6 and 4x4 Gigabit-class 4G LTE connectivity. Like its predecessor, it has a ‘Webcam Kill Switch’ on the side of its body, which electronically cuts off the webcam for increased privacy.

HP has reduced the depth of the Spectre by 23.4mm, which therefore makes it look more rectangular than before. In addition, it has reduced the top border by 12mm and the bottom border by 15mm. HP has also shaved off some weight off the previous model, which means the new Spectre now weighs 1.27 kilogrammes. The company has also gone with a much smaller 2.2mm IR camera for face unlocks. It claims the laptop can deliver up to 22 hours of battery life thanks to its quad-cell 60Wh lithium-ion polymer battery.

Unlike the Spectre and Envy models of the past, the new Spectre x360 13 features a Windows 10-recognised precision touchpad unit. This is expected to enhance the user’s touchpad experience by a large margin. Because it’s a laptop-tablet hybrid, the Spectre x360 13 comes bundled with an HP Active Pen stylus. It can be used to draw and annotate in Windows 10 apps such as Microsoft OneNote and 3D Paint. You can read our review of the new HP Spectre x360 13 here. You can also read our review of the older 2019 Spectre x360 here.

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Oppo Reno3 series to sport 360-degree antenna design for a more stable connection

Oppo Reno3 lineup is all set to go official on December 26. The handsets will be launched in China. However, approaching the launch date, we already have a fair idea about the upcoming phones from leaks and official teasers. Now, Shen Yiren, Oppo’s Global VP has revealed on Weibo that the Reno3 series phones will have “360° antennas.” It is said to ensure optimal connectivity regardless of how a person holds the phone. Further, the phone will switch between 4G and 5G connections depending on what a user is doing, battery consumption and the internal temperature. 

Oppo Reno3 series is confirmed to offer dual-mode 5G (SA + NSA) support. The 360-degree wraparound antenna design will surround almost the entire frame of the phone in order to ensure better signal reception. It is expected to come in handy when users need a faster and more stable connectivity for tasks like video streaming or playing demanding online games. The image shared by Shen hints that the area covered by users' hand might block the signals, however, the phone's upper half will make sure that network reception is not an issue.

The Reno3 series is rumoured to have three phones namely, Oppo Reno3, Reno3 5G and Reno3 Pro 5G. The vanilla Reno3 was spotted on TENAA last week, whereas the Reno3 Pro 5G recently received certification by the Chinese authority TENAA as well. The Pro 5G  is said to feature a 6.5-inch  AMOLED display that has a punch-hole in the top-left corner and an in-display fingerprint scanner. It is likely to be powered by an octa-core processor, which is believed to be the Snapdragon 765G chipset. 

Oppo Reno3 is rumoured to be priced at CNY 3,299 (approx Rs 33,400) for the 8GB RAM + 128GB model.

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PUBG Mobile Chinese beta spotted aping Call of Duty: Mobile with deployable shield, grappling hook and other new features

PUBG Mobile developers have been working hard on bringing new features to the mobile battle royale game. It seems like they could be borrowing some features from one of the game developers' other titles, namely Call of Duty: Mobile. In a new Chinese beta build of PUBG Mobile, the YouTuber Mr.Ghost Gaming spotted some new features that seem like they are ‘heavily inspired’ by Call of Duty: Mobile. The new gameplay video showcases a new mode wherein players are using a deployable shield, which looks quite similar to the deployable shield we first saw in Call of Duty: Mobile. 

In addition to the shield,  PUBG Mobile developers seem to be experimenting with a host of new abilities that players could use in-game to gain an upper hand over their rivals. Like CoD: Mobile, these abilities could be bound by a class system and a player could opt to get special abilities that are exclusive to a particular class. The first ability that’s showed off in the gameplay is a grappling hook, which is again similar to CoD: Mobile. Players can be seen using a grappling hook to almost instantly reach higher ground, like the top of a three-storey building. Additionally, players who choose the grappling hook ability might also get a jetpack type of gadget that provides a momentary thrust to help break their fall. 

PUBG Mobile might also soon introduce a new revive mechanism, which is currently quite tedious. Instead of spending about 7 seconds reviving a wounded teammate, one can simply shoot a healing syringe, instantly reviving them. However, this too seems to be another ability that could be restricted to a class. Those who are revived with a gun get only 20-30 percent of their health back, as opposed to about 50 percent of health when revived the standard way. 

Another interesting addition to the battle royale title might be a portable workbench that another class of players can use. As per the video, a player can deploy a workbench and repair equipment like helmets and body armour to restore and get level 3 loot. Another ability is boosting your speed temporarily and sliding while running, similar to the ability Octane sports on Apex Legends. Finally, an option to repair vehicles while sitting inside could be added as well. 

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Xiaomis new patent hints at a foldable phone with clamshell design

Xiaomi could soon foray into the foldable phone segment. A new patent published by Xiaomi on December 6 shows a foldable phone that has three cameras in the pop-up module. It looks similar to the Motorola Razr 2019. The new foldable phone from Xiaomi is shown in a clamshell form-factor. The company has teased its foldable phone in the past, but it was with a double-folding design - unlike the Motorola Razr 2019 that folds like a traditional flip phone.

The patent was first spotted by Dutch website LetsGoDigital. The patent application was filed with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in August 2018, which received approval by the authority on December 6. According to the drawings attached to the patent filing, the Xiaomi foldable phone appears to vertically fold entirely in half like a traditional flip phone. It also appears to come equipped with a triple camera setup in a pop-up module. However, once folded, a notch would be visible. 

The company has not made any official announcement around the foldable phone. However, back in November, another patent was spotted that showcased a foldable phone with five cameras in the pop-up module. It was a horizontal flipping phone. The left side of the phone, when unfolded, looked thicker, which could house the battery and other components that make up the phone. 

While there is a patent it doesn’t mean that we may see a real product anytime soon or at all. The company has already teased a video of a working prototype, but there is no word on the launch date of the same. However, the Chinese phone manufacturer released Mi Mix Alpha recently that sports a flexible display which wraps around the device.

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ACT Fibernet customers can now pay for Netflix subscriptions through their broadband bills and can avail cashbacks

If you are an ACT Fibernet customer and also a subscriber to Netflix then there is good news for you. If you are living in one of the following 14 cities, then you can pay for your Netflix connection along with your broadband bill. You can do so in Jaipur, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Warangal, Nellore, Guntur, Vizag, Eluru, Rajamundry, Vijaywada, Kakinada, Tirupati, Coimbatore, and Madurai. Why would you do this? Well, depending on the broadband plan, customers will also receive an assured cashback, credited to their accounts, on their ACT bills. The maximum limit of the cashback is Rs 500.

Speaking on the partnership, Ravi Karthik, Marketing Head, Atria Convergence Technologies Ltd. said, “We are delighted to enable ACT Fibernet customers across all our key cities to easily pay for Netflix subscriptions through their broadband bills. Our customers will now be able to enjoy Netflix’s incredible shows and films on ACT Fibernet’s hi-speed and seamless network connectivity and also be eligible for cashbacks of upto INR 500 a month.”

Do note that you will need to have an ACT 6 and 12-month subscription plans to avail the benefits. You can check out all the details of the ACT Fibernet Netflix Plans here.

If you are thinking about getting an ACT Fibernet connection, then know that according to Ookla’s Q2-Q3, 2019 report ACT Fibernet takes the first spot in terms of fixed broadband downloads, with speeds between 45.31 and 47.74 Mbps. Ookla says that fixed broadband speeds in India rose by 16.5 percent during Q2-Q3 2019 and topped 34.07 Mbps in September across operators. While Hathway managed to hang on to the second spot with a top speed of 33.69 Mbps, it was later dethroned by Airtel in September with a mean download speed of 34.43 Mbps. Jio, on the other hand, had an unusual jump in speeds where it went from a sluggish 17.52 Mbps in August to a zippy 41.99 Mbps in September, which is around the time when its new JioFiber service was commercially launched. BSNL showed marginal speed improvements of 16.00 and 18.47 Mbps while GTPL’s score slightly rose from 16.02 to 19.45 Mbps for GTPL. You can read more about the Ookla report here.

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