OnePlus HydrogenOS 11 goes official with Always-On Display, Zen Mode 20 and more

OnePlus has officially announced HydrogenOS 11 for its smartphones and brings in a host of new features and system optimisations based on Android 11. While the HydrogenOS 11 is used in China, OnePlus has the OxygenOS for all the other markets which are similar to HydrogenOS when it comes to feature-set. So we expect most of the new HydrogenOS 11 features such as the Always On Display, Zen Mode 2.0 and more to be implemented in upcoming OxygenOS 11.

According to the company, the HydrogenOS 11 update is for OnePlus 6 and above phones meaning that OnePlus 5T, OnePlus 5, OnePlus 3T and more are not eligible to receive the update anytime soon. However, this is for China as we don’t have any official information about the OxygenOS 11 as of yet.

Nevertheless, HydrogenOS 11 comes with Always On Display (AOD) which has been one of the most requested features by the OnePlus community. There’s an updated Zen Mode 2.0, new wallpapers that change through the morning, noon and evening, smart gallery, new ORM memory management system and Turbo Booster 2.0, to name a few.

HydrogenOS 11 features a revamped design that makes the whole interface feel more minimalistic. The current OS seems fairly minimal on its own but the developers have used bright colours, geometric shapes and new icon designs to provide a holistic experience. OnePlus phones have a reputation for offering a slick user interface that’s fast and intuitive. There are new wallpapers that change real-time with respect to the time in the day.

The new update also brings Always On Display to OnePlus phones with different designs to choose from. There are two designs by OnePlus, one is a picture shadow and the other one is called Time. The former uses a picture and converts it to a wireframe drawing that is displayed on your phone along with time and other information. As you unlock the phone, the outline turns into the actual colourful picture. 

The Time theme for AOD has been designed in collaboration with Parsons School of Design in the US and has a very minimal design with a single gradient line in the middle. This line basically depicts the user’s full day with the time moving across the line as the day ends and monitors every time the user unlocks the phone and leaves markings on the straight line.

Smart Gallery feature adds editing and week-in-a-review to the gallery app and automatically creates a video clipping with music and filters as memories of the week. There’s a new voice recorder in the Notes app that can switch between text and voice easily. Users will now be able to create document scans after taking a picture of the document from the camera, so you no longer need a third-party scanning app.

OnePlus HydrogenOS 11 goes official with Always-On Display, Zen Mode 2.0 and more

The Zen Mode 2.0 adds multi-user mode which will let you create a virtual meditation room with duration sharing and can add your friends to it. This feature of the Zen Mode will be supported by all the phones and is not restricted to OnePlus phones. 

There’s an optimized dark mode and OnePlus claims that it took over 130 attempts for them to find a shade of black that makes the Dark Mode more comfortable to use. With the new update, the UI will use different shades of black to display information on the phone without straining the user’s eyes.

The HydrogenOS 11 update adds a new memory management system which ensures that the phone remains operational with utmost efficiency. The new ORM memory management system works on optimising the background apps and tasks while keeping apps ready for use at the same time by prioritizing tasks based on usage. The Turbo Booster 2.0 is responsible for maintaining the high refresh rates when playing games, ensuring smooth gameplay.

The HydrogenOS 11 rollout schedule looks set to deliver a stable version sometime in Q4 2020 for the OnePlus 8 series and mid-December for OnePlus 7T, OnePlus 7 and OnePlus 6 series. There’s currently no word on the release of OxygenOS 11 but it shouldn’t be a long time before we hear something on that front from OnePlus now that the HydrogenOS 11 is out.

 

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How to watch Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire episode 2 tonight

If the hype is anything to go by then Cyberpunk 2077 is looking to be one of the biggest releases of 2020 even after the game was delayed multiple times and is now finally coming out on November 19. The game even has its own Xbox One X exclusive edition console. Just a few weeks ago, the folks over at CDProject Red gave us a pretty good look at a few new play styles and more of the world of Night City in a 25 minute trailer. The trailer was shown off first on the Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire and if you liked what you saw then we’ve got some good news for you. The Cyberpunk Night City Wire is back with its second episode as announced by the official Cyberpunk 2077 Twitter account. 

Join us on Monday, August 10 at 6PM CEST, at https://t.co/y8iUIM0gBv for episode 2 of Night City Wire! This time we'll share details about lifepaths, show you the types of weapons you will be using in the game, and discuss Refused's transformation into SAMURAI! #Cyberpunk2077 pic.twitter.com/n3LFFocbVI

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) August 6, 2020

According to the tweet, the second episode of Night City Wire is due to air at 6 PM CEST (Central European Summer Time) which is essentially 9:30 PM at night in India tonight, August 10. Users can log into the streaming site Twitch and head to CDProject Red's official page to tune into the reveal. We assume you will also be able to catch the replay of the event on Youtube. From what we’ve seen in the first episode of Night City Wire, we can expect a few more features about the lifepaths you can take, different weapons and more. There has also been a ton of concept art that has been shown off by CDProject Red. 

How to watch Cyberpunk 2077 Night City Wire episode 2

We also got a sweet look at the braindance feature in the first episode and we’re hoping for more cool gameplay modes and options in the game. The episode also featured the developers of the game also talked about how Xbox One owners will also receive the next-gen version of the game on the Xbox Series X when it does come out. The game was already scheduled for Xbox’s Smart Delivery system. There was also an announcement of a Netflix animated series as well. If anything, this episode of Night City Wire clearly seems like a must watch event. 

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Here are the Top Tech deals on the last days of the Amazon Freedom Sale

Soon after concluding the Amazon Prime Day sale, the e-commerce giant has kicked off the Freedom Day sale that extends a lot of offers across categories. The sale started on August 8 and will end on August 11. These are the last days of the sale, where you can find price drops, bank offers and exchange benefits on a wide range of products. 

Apart from the deals, Amazon is also offering a 10% discount on purchases made with SBI credit cards on a minimum purchase value of Rs 5,000.

Since the sale is coming to an end, it's even more challenging to grab a good value deal. But we might hbe able to help if you're looking for deals on tech products. We've listed the top tech deals on Amazon Freedom Day sale.

OnePlus TV Q1 and Q1 Pro

If you're looking to buy a premium TV on a discount, you must check out the OnePlus TV Q1 and Q1 Pro as both the TVs have got a Rs 10,001 and Rs 20,001 off, respectively. The Q1, which comes without the soundbar and table stand is now selling for Rs 59,899, and the Pro variant is selling for Rs 79,899. 

Get the OnePlus TV Q1 deal on Amazon Get the OnePlus TV Q1 Pro deal on Amazon

Sony WH-1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphone

Packing industry-leading Noise Cancellation and a reliable 30-hours of battery life, the Sony WH-1000XM3 is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for premium cans. The sound quality is warm and pleasant and the accompanying Sony Headphone app allows users to customise the sound profile as well as per their taste and preference. The headphone also comes packing features such as Quick Attention Mode, Ambient Sound mode, and touch controls. The headphones usually sell for Rs 26,990, but are now available at a base price of Rs 19,990 with an additional discount of Rs 1500 for customers paying through SBI Credit card. 

Get the Sony WH-1000XM3 deal on Amazon

Go Pro Hero 8 with accessories

GoPro Hero 8 is the most popular compact 4K action camera in the market right now. It is currently available for Rs 32,990 during the sale, which is its usual price, but the deal here is that the price is inclusive of an extra adventure kit, that includes a compact case, head strap, quick clip, and hand strip.

Get the Go Pro Hero 8 deal on Amazon

Honor Magic smartwatch

The Honor Magic smartwatch was launched last year at Rs 13K, but it's now down to Rs 4,999 during the Amazon sale. It is 9.8mm thick and comes with features like personal fitness mentor, watch faces, 7-days claimed battery life, GPS, 11 workout modes, scientific sleep & heart rate monitor. It is an excellent deal for those who want a feature-packed smartwatch without spending a lot. 

Get the Honor Magic watch deal on Amazon

Audio-Technica ATH-M60X Studio Monitor Headphones

The Audio-Technica ATH-M60X are on-ear, closed-back studio monitor headphones that come equipped with proprietary 45mm drivers (the same as the one used in the acclaimed ATH-M50x). The design is minimalist and low profile, and the build is robust and sturdy since the headphones are crafted using some metal components as well. They also feature a low-impedance design which means you can use them with many kinds of gadgets. Additionally, users also get detachable memory foam earpads and headbands that enhance comfort. The regular price for these headphones remains at Rs 16.5K but it's selling at Rs 14,199 with an additional discount of Rs 1500 for SBI card users. 

Get the Audio-Technica ATH-M60X deal on Amazon

Mi Notebook 14 Intel Core i5-10210U 10th Gen

The new range of slim and light laptops - the Mi Notebook 14 has gotten a price cut of Rs 2000 for the 256GB variant. The Notebook is now selling for Rs 41,999 with an additional discount of Rs 1500 for SBI card users and exchange offer up to Rs 16,550. In case you have an old laptop, you might get a good cashback bringing the least possible price down to Rs 23,950.

Get the Mi Notebook 14 deal on Amazon

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Heres why the Andaman and Nicobar islands had to wait so long for 4G internet

After years of struggling with slow internet speeds, the Andaman and Nicobar islands are finally integrated into the country’s 4G network after the Rs 1,224 crore undersea cable project connecting the islands to Chennai was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Inauguration of the submarine Optical Fibre Cable in Andaman and Nicobar Islands ensures: High-speed broadband connectivity. Fast and reliable mobile and landline telecom services. Big boost to the local economy. Delivery of e-governance, telemedicine and tele-education," the Prime Minister tweeted.

Why the Andaman and Nicobar islands had to wait so long for 4G internet

The 2,313 kilometre submarine optical fiber cable will connect seven islands of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, other than the capital city of Port Blair. That includes Swaraj Deep (Havelock island), Long Island, Rangat, Little Andaman, Kamorta, Car Nicobar, and Greater Nicobar.

Once completed, the undersea cables will deliver 2x200 Gigabits per second (Gbps) bandwidth between Chennai and Port Blair, and 2x100 Gbps between Port Blair and other islands.

4G first arrived in India in 2012, and the entry of Reliance Jio catalysed the adoption across the country. Except the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Before the undersea cable was inaugurated, the region only had 3G services from Airtel, Vodafone and BSNL.

4G arrival will be gamechanging for the islands

Before the undersea cable was laid, tourists and residents of the islands would only get 3G and 2G cellular service, along with obscenely expensive broadband connections, made possible by satellite connections. Previously, the National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) had envisioned to cover all 26 states and union territories by 2011, but Andaman and Nicobar Islands were not included.

As a result, telecom providers had to rely on expensive satellite bandwidth to deliver internet services. BSNL sourced bandwidth from ISRO’s GSAT 16 and GSAT 18 satellites. As a result, only the government authorities, banks and other institutions would get 2Mbps leased internet lines, while the rest of the residents had to rely on 2G connections to run apps like WhatsApp and Facebook.

Because of this arrangement, low-cost high-speed internet services were not able to penetrate the archipelago. The only other private players present in the island were Airtel and Vodafone, but even they failed to keep the costs low, and could only provide patchy 2G services in the major urban pockets, leaving majority of the island areas with no cellular coverage.

Airtel first to offer 4G services in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

With the submarine optical fiber cable now in place, Airtel announced it will be the first mobile operator to launch its 4G services in the islands.

"The new fiber link marks a major milestone in India’s digital transformation journey as this critical infrastructure reaches the strategic archipelago. We are grateful to the Hon’ble Prime Minister for taking the time to launch this key digital infrastructure,” Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel said.

Vodafone is yet to announce 4G services for the island territory, but curiously missing is Reliance Jio. Back in 2018, Jio was unable to provide its services because of the government mandate to mandatorily provide 2G services in the island. But now that 4G services can be offered thanks to the undersea cable, more telecom providers are also expected to announce 4G availability in Andaman and Nicobar islands.

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Asus announces ROG Strix Scar and Strix G series gaming laptops with liquid metal

Asus India has been on a relentless launching spree, releasing one gaming laptop series after another. The lockdown period did see the company delaying their plans, but it appears that the company is eagerly playing catch-up. The third major launch, announced today, is the update to the Asus ROG Strix series of gaming laptops. The announcement includes the Strix G15, Strix G17, Strix Scar 15 and Strix Scar 17. Unlike last year’s update which felt mostly incremental, this year’s models do pack some notable upgrades. the company's post-lockdown launch spree began with the Asus TUF Gaming A15 (Review) followed by the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14, both AMD based systems. Now, we see the company's first Intel refresh. The machines had already been revealed internationally back in April.

Asus ROG Strix G Specifications

The ROG laptop lineup is become excessively crowded and confusing, as the company tries to cater to as many types of users and budges as possible. In the Strix lineup, the G-series is the more budget friendly laptop and comes in two sizes; 15-inch and 17-inch. The 17-inch display comes with 144Hz refresh rate as the highest option while the 15-inch model can go up to 240Hz. The processor choices vary between the Intel Core i5-10300H and the Intel Core i7-10750H. Both models support up to 32GB of DDR memory and come with PCIe 3.0 Gen3 SSDs, with an option of upto 3 slots, with in RAID 0 configuration. As far as the GPUs are concerned, the Strix G15 and Strix G17 can be configured with Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1650Ti, 1660Ti or the RTX 2060.

Asus ROG Strix Scar Specifications

The higher tier in the Strix series packs a few more powerful options in comparison to the G series. These machines come in the same 15 and 17 inch display sizes, but offer a 300Hz/3ms option for both the form factors. In order to be able to push such high frame rates, the Scar 15 and Scar 17 offer a choice between the Intel Core i7-10875H and the Intel Core i9-10980HK processors. GPU options also get bumped up, starting at the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 and going up to an RTX 2080 Super. In between, the Scar machines also offer the RTX 2070 and RTX 2070 super. Specifications with regards to RAM (max 32GB) and storage (PCIe 3.0, 3 ports) remain the same as the G series.

Asus ROG Strix G and Strix Scar common features

This year, Asus is doing something very special. For the first time, the company will be using liquid metal as the thermal interface between the processor and the cold plate. The use of Liquid Metal means that the CPU would run a few degrees cooler, but we don’t yet know by how much. We asked Asus why the company was using Liquid Metal only on the Intel based laptops and not on the AMD based ones, and we were told that due to the fact that liquid metal is conducive, it not possible to use it on AMD’s Ryzen 4000 series processors. The new Ryzen processors have ICs on the processors, which could easily short if the Liquid Metal is applied wrong. The other feature common between the two series is the new Keystone 2, which can enhance gaming performance by switching performance profiles when attached. Additionally, the Keystone 2 also gives access to an internal “shadow drive,” a partition that’s accessible only with the Keystone 2 attached.

Asus ROG Strix G and Strix Scar availability and Pricing

This is another area where Asus makes things difficult for users. The Asus ROG Strix G15 will be available on Flipkart, and will start at Rs 79,990. The Asus ROG Strix G17 will be available on Amazon for a starting price of Rs 1,04,990, starting 3rd week of August. The Asus ROG Strix Scar 15 will be exclusive to offline stores and will be available in the 3rd week of September, for a starting price of Rs 1,44,990. The Strix Scar 17 will be available at some point in September, and the company has neither revealed the starting price nor the channel through which it will be available.

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Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite could launch in India as the Mi 10i

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite has been tipped to launch in India as the Mi 10i. The Mi Note 10 Lite was launched globally alongside the Redmi Note 9 series on April 30 and joins the Mi Note 10 and Mi Note 10 Pro.

According to a tweet by The Tech Guy on Twitter, Xiaomi is looking to rebrand the Mi Note 10 Lite as the Mi 10i for the India market. Notably, Xiaomi Mi 10 was launched in India on May 8 and the Note 10 Lite could be pitted as an affordable phone in the mid-range smartphone segment. Especially when this particular budget segment has seen a couple of new products such as the OnePlus Nord and Realme X3 series.

Mi Note 10 Lite will be Rebranded as Mi 10i for Indian market. codename : tocoin pic.twitter.com/4uxblF72q6

— the_tech_guy (@_the_tech_guy) August 9, 2020

Recently, Xiaomi unveiled the Redmi 9 Prime in India which is a rebranded version of the Redmi 9 for Europe. Let’s take a brief look at the specifications and pricing of the Mi Note 10 Lite.

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite specifications and pricing

The Mi Note 10 Lite features a 6.47-inch Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) resolution AMOLED screen with a waterdrop notch cutout for the front camera. The screen is also home to an in-display fingerprint sensor. 

The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G chipset with an octa-core processor. This is paired with 6GB/8GB RAM and 64GB/128GB storage options to choose from.

The Note 10 Lite has a 64MP primary camera along with an 8MP ultra-wide camera, a 5MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera. On the front, there’s a 16MP selfie camera with f/2.4 aperture.

Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite is equipped with a 5,260mAh battery that supports 30W fast charging out-of-the-box. Xiaomi claims that it can go from 0-100% in 65 minutes.

The base variant of the Mi Note 10 Lite with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage is priced at 349 Euros (~Rs 28,400) while the 128GB storage option is priced 399 Euros (~Rs 32,500).

 

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OnePlus Nord OxygenOS 1054 update brings major camera improvements

The OnePlus Nord marks the company’s return to a price segment it departed many years ago, and fans couldn't be happier. With the phone having gone on sale only recently in India, buyers of the Nord can expect a software update or two already lined up. While our review unit of the Nord already received an update few weeks ago, OnePlus has just release OxygenOS 10.5.4 for the OnePlus Nord (Review) which enhances low light selfies and also improves the quality of images from the Macro camera.

While the main focus of the OxygenOS 10.5.4 happens to be improving the low light performance of the selfie and macro cameras, there are also a number of other improvements packed into this build. According to the changelog, this update includes improvements to the display experience, improved launch speed of the Gallery app, improving the quality of video calls and more. There are also a bumber of bug fixes, the most notable of which solves the issue of background music stopping when the front camera is started.

OnePlus Nord OxygenOS 10.5.4 update brings major camera improvements

OnePlus has a long-standing track record of releasing their phones and then continuing to improve the software experience over time. Some have voiced concerns that OnePlus is basically shipping phones with incomplete software and then rapidly fixing issues with incessant updates. This is only partially true. OnePlus smartphones usually ship with very stable and reliable OS versions, with subsequent updates only tending to very minor issues. It could be argued that the OxygenOS team at OnePlus continues to test software even after a phone’s launch in order to continue improving it. In our visit to OnePlus’s camera lab in Taiwan, we learned that the company has a full-fledged lab that works all year round shooting, analysis and tweaking the camera algorithms. Similarly, the OxygenOS team continues to find ways to improve the OS experience, since the software is what helps OnePlus devices best others in its class. There are major parts of the OxygenOS for OnePlus Nord that are developed in India.

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