Xiaomi is calling its Made for India laptop the Mi Notebook Horizon Edition: Specs and features leaked

The upcoming Xiaomi laptop will officially be called the Mi Notebook Horizon Edition and will launch on June 11. The name was revealed in a Twitter post by Xiaomi India VP Manu Kumar Jain  The name indicates this is a new laptop that has not been released anywhere, as promised by Xiaomi.

The image of the retail box also reveals some key specifications of the upcoming laptops. While the text on the retail box is not very clear in the photos (despite the image being taken on the Mi 10 5G with a 108MP camera ;) ), we could make out some key features. That includes a display with thin bezels, Windows Hello support, an SSD drive, DTS surround sound, and antivirus protection.

Tipster Ishan Agarwal made some of the specs clearer. According to his tweet, the Mi Notebook Horizon Edition will sport a 14-inch bezel-less display which will be named Horizon Edge Display by Xiaomi. The notebook will also apparently last for 10 hours on a single charge and will have support for DTS audio. There will be an SSD on board as well, with the exact configurations still unknown.

There’s also a possibility that this is not the only laptop that will be announced on June 11th. Xiaomi may launch other models at varying price segments to capture the market, going by reports. Previous reports also tipped the 'made for India' laptops are nothing but the RedmiBook lineup that launched in China recently, which will be rebranded. Xiaomi is known to have taken this approach with the smartphones before, more recently with the Redmi K30 being rebranded as the Poco X2. And except for the 10-hour battery life claimed by the tipster, all the features line up with the RedmiBook 14.

As far as the marketing positioning is concerned, Xiaomi has namechecked popular laptop OEMs - Dell, Asus, HP, Lenovo and Acer indicating that the upcoming laptop will be a mainstream offering, likely with the latest Intel processors. We will have more details to share with you closer to the launch.

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EA games are back on Steam the publisher is back after leaving the platform 9 years ago

On 4 June 2020, leading game publishing company, Electronic Arts added a whole of bunch of their game titles on Steam. Including the likes of Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection, Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst and NFS: Heat.

For now, players can purchase and play a set of action games which includes titles such as Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, Dragon Age II and Crysis 3. As for the racing genre fans we have Need for Speed: Deluxe Edition (2015), NFS: Heat, Need for Speed Rivals: Complete Edition and finally Burnout Paradise Remastered. In the adventure pool, we have Mirrors Edge: Catalyst and a few indie games including Unravel, Unravel two, Sea of Solitude and Fe. All of these games, including the pre-existing games on Steam are on sale until 9 July as part of their special promotional offer. At the time of writing, Command & Conquer: Remastered Collection is available for pre-order and will be dropping on 5 June.

Other than that, EA is also planning to launch its subscription service on Steam. Similar to Origin Access, EA Access will be adding tons of trials, games and bonus content for exclusive members. EA Access is nothing but a different naming scheme for their exclusive game membership on PlayStation, Xbox and pretty soon Windows PC. For now, there are no details in regards to its launch date.

Previously, EA games were only available to Windows PC via their exclusive launcher and store, Origin. On 29 October 2019, EA and Valve announced their official partnership since EA departure from Steam back in 2011. On 15 November 2019, Steam released the first game post-partnership with EA, STAR WARS Jedi: Fallen Order which set off the first step to their long-awaited partnership.

EA will also be dropping more games on Steam including Battlefield V, Apex Legends, SIMS 4 and FIFA 20 later this year. As for when exactly they release, EA stated, “Keep an eye out for more news and updates on this partnership in the coming weeks and months!”

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HP to launch an aggressively priced 4G LTE laptop in mid-June

It’s open season for laptops as demand surged with more people working from home. To capitalise on this trend, Digit has learned that HP is planning to launch a laptop with a SIM card slot to target small and medium businesses and professionals working from home.

HP 4G LTE Launching mid-June

Our sources tell us the HP laptop will launch in the middle of June. HP will be collaborating with a leading telecom player to provide dedicated data plans through a SIM card so that users remain always connected. The laptop will be marketed under the “Always Connected” banner, which indicates an Intel-based 4G LTE modem, if marketing speak is anything to go by.

Having said that, Qualcomm also made a big splash in this emerging “Always On-Always Connected” category in December 2019, with the launch of the Snapdragon 8c and Snapdragon 7c SoCs made specifically for mobile PCs. If so, this could be the first laptop to bring the technology to India.

HP 4G LTE Aggressively priced

We also learnt that HP is planning to launch the PC which is priced at least half of the current prices for “Always Connected” premium notebooks. This is to help target the mainstream masses who are working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presently, all laptops with 4G LTE connectivity fall in the premium thin and light category. That includes top tier variants of Lenovo ThinkPad and Dell Latitude. Undercutting the status quo can be a good way to acquire more customers.

The aggressive pricing may also target the likes of the iPad Pro, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, and the Microsoft Surface devices, all of which come with dedicated 4G LTE SIM card slots.

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Reliance Jio will soon offer a one year Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription to its users

Reliance Jio will soon introduce Disney+ Hostar VIP subscription for its customers with a validity of one year. The telecom operator teased the upcoming announcement with a “coming soon” banner across its website and My Jio app. Several users also received a push notification with the teaser that says, “Get ready to enjoy Disney+ Hotstar VIP for 1 year”. 

Jio didn’t reveal any more information about the Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription offer and there’s no word on how soon can we expected it to go live in India. The on-demand video streaming service backed by Star India and The Walt Disney Company was launched in early-April in India and was able to garner close to 8 million subscribers in the first week itself. The service has already surpassed 50 million paid subscribers since its launch back in November 2019.

Reliance Jio already bundles Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription with its JioFiber plans and will now offer the same to its mobile subscribers. While it’s currently unknown whether the subscription will be offered with a new tariff plan or will be bundled with existing plans, rival telco Airtel launched a similar offer for its users back in April by introducing a new recharge plan. 

Disney+ Hostar VIP subscription is priced at Rs 399 and gives viewers access to Disney+ shows, movies & kids content, live sports including Cricket, Premier League and Formula 1, Indian movie premieres, Hotstar Specials shows and latest episodes of TV Shows.

Looking at Airtel’s plan which costs Rs 401 and comes bundled with Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription, users also get 3GB data with a validity of 28 days. Jio will likely offer similar recharge plans that come bundled with the VIP subscription.

We will know more details about the Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription offer when Jio announces it officially in the coming weeks.

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Summer Game Fest adds more events to the June lineup

If last month’s game announcements were not enough for you then fear not. Geoff Keighley’s E3 alternative, Summer Game Fest has added more events to its June roster. Summer Game Fest is a 4 month long all-digital gaming experience which was started as a response to the cancellation of gaming events such as E3 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, we saw an Xbox Series X  presentation showcasing some of the games that were coming to the new console, followed by the revival of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Which was then again followed by 2 State of Play Events for Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II showcasing the gameplay and mechanics for the much-anticipated samurai and post-apocalyptic games. Other than that, there was the Unreal Engine 5 reveal, Valorant’s release announcement and a new mobile game announcement - League of Legends: Wild Rift. The fact that the first month of the Summer Game Fest was not packed is understandable, considering the fact that it was a new concept and that some developers were probably reluctant to it. But, seeing the scope and success these online gaming events and even non-gaming events such as the recent TENET trailer reveal on Fortnite, more developers have signed up for the June slot.

PS5: The Future of Gaming

To kick things off, we have the PlayStation 5 event, which will be giving a first look at the games that are set to come out on their upcoming next-gen console. PlayStation has always had a history of showcasing the biggest and the most anticipated games of the year. Maybe this is where we finally get to see the new Batman game reveal from Warner Bros. Montreal? Originally scheduled for 5 June 1:30 AM IST, this event has now been postponed until further notice, out of respect for the ongoing political situation in America.

 

pic.twitter.com/ZAY8StN0EU

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 1, 2020

 

Guerrilla Collective

The second event is a Guerrilla Collective event, which will be giving us a first look at the upcoming RPG Balder’s Gate 3 starting from 6 June 10:30 PM IST to 8 June. Other than that, the event will also be featuring games from developers and publishers such as SEGA, Paradox Interactive, 11-bit studios and Coffee Stain to name a few.

 

A collective of amazing game studios and publishers have come together to create a digital multi-day press conference from June 6th-8th. Teams will share new games, debut trailers while celebrating the gaming culture. More info: https://t.co/Gja0ka2oxN #guerrillacollective pic.twitter.com/yoYDrsJfYC

— Guerrilla Collective (@GuerrillaCollec) May 11, 2020

 

PC Gaming Show

On 7 June at 12:30 AM IST, you have the PC Gaming Show. The annual event showcasing upcoming new games, never-seen-before gameplay footage and developer interviews during E3 will also be taking the digital route this year.

 

One week from today (June 6th), PC Gamer will be hosting the sixth annual #PCGamingShow. Whilst we wait impatiently to bring you this year's show, we wanted to revisit some of our favourite segments and guests from years gone by.

— PC Gamer (@pcgamer) May 30, 2020

 

Future Games Show

Presented by gamesradar+, Future Games Show is scheduled to take place on 7 June at 2:00 AM IST. The digital showcase event will be featuring exclusive trailers, new announcements and some deep dives into some already announced games.

 

Save the date

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Xiaomi Redmi 9 live image leaks online, could launch on June 25

Xiaomi Redmi 9 real-life image has leaked online days after key specifications and pricing of the Redmi 9 series was posted on Twitter. The Redmi 9 series was leaked earlier this week revealing key specifications of the Redmi 9, Redmi 9A and Redmi 9C along with expected pricing.

According to a post on Weibo that reveals the Redmi 9 in two colours-- green and purple, the phone is expected to be powered by a Helio G80 chipset rather than the G70 which was a part of the previous leak. The picture released allegedly shows the rear panel of the Redmi 9 that features a quad-camera setup along with an LED flash and a fingerprint reader. There’s a spherical gradient design around the camera module that we’ve previously seen on phones like the Poco X2.

Another post on Twitter indicates that the Redmi 9 is expected to be announced on June 25 and while the tipster says it will be priced under $150, it is expected to be launched in India with a much affordable price tag. The tweet also reveals that the Redmi 9 could feature a punch-hole cutout in the centre for the selfie camera and will come bundled with an 18W fast charging adapter. 

Redmi 9 leaked specifications

Redmi 9 series features a 6.53-inch display with Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution and is powered by the MediaTek Helio G80 chipset. This is paired with upto 4GB RAM and 64GB storage with an option to increase the storage by using up to 512GB microSD cards. It has a quad-camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 13MP camera, an 8MP camera, a 5MP camera and a 2MP camera which is presumably a depth sensor.

All the phones in the Redmi 9 series come with 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging. 

The Redmi 9A is powered by the Helio G25 with Mali-G31 as the GPU. This is paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage with support for up to 512GB microSD cards. The phone is equipped with a single camera on the back that uses a primary 13MP sensor. It could be priced between 100-120 Euros which is around Rs 8,400 - Rs 10,000 by direct conversion.

Xiaomi Redmi 9C is powered by Helio G35 chipset with Mali-G31 GPU and is paired with 3GB RAM and 64GB storage. The non-NFC version of Redmi 9C features triple camera setup that consists of a primary 13MP camera, a 5MP secondary camera and a 2MP camera. As for the Redmi 9C with NFC, it features a dual-camera setup that consists of a 13MP primary lens and a 2MP secondary camera. Both the variants are expected to be priced somewhere between 130-150 Euros which is around Rs 10,900 and Rs 12,600, respectively.

 

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Bollywood VFX is about to get Unreal

Well, it finally looks like Bollywood will be getting some world-class special effects as Epic Games,  along with Eros have partnered to bring Unreal Engine to the industry. If you’ve seen The Mandalorian on Disney+Hotstar, you’ll have a fair idea of that Engine can do. Unreal Engine brings with it real-time rendering tech to the world of filmmaking, giving directors and VFX crews a ton of flexibility and creativity to play around with. If you’re a gamer, you’ve probably heard of Unreal Engine being utilised in a ton of high profile games. In fact, Epic Games have already released a demo for the latest iteration of Unreal Engine running on the PlayStation 5 called Unreal Engine 5 and you can check it out here. 

The Engine is extremely user-friendly and has even allowed amateur game developers to create some truly stunning games. The Engine also allows for what the industry calls pre-visualization. What this means is that filmmakers will be able to create a rough version of their film in CGI before they can film the real thing, giving directors the ability to see what the final product will look like without blowing through their budget. You can check out a sample of what is actually possible on Unreal Engine in the video below. 

The Chief Content Officer of Eros, Ridhima Lulla has this to say about the collaboration, “We are extremely excited to collaborate with Epic games to further popularize real-time production to India through Unreal Engine. Eros is innovative by nature, and with Unreal Engine, we can bring in better cost efficiency for all our film and television projects across the globe”

The GM SEA/India at Epic Games, Quinton States-Ple also added to that statement saying, “As key figures in Bollywood production, we are excited to support Eros as they help to spearhead virtual production in India. Real-time technology presents a huge opportunity to transform storytelling and the art of filmmaking for creators around the world, enabling new creative horizons and lifting quality while reducing costs and time to market.”

Who knows how this is going to turn out but we can definitely say that the special effects in Bollywood are about to receive a shot in the arm with this partnership between Eros and Epic Games. 

And, speaking of special effects, you may want to check out some of the best fantasy shows on both Netflix and Prime Video, here and here. 

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