Googles Android TV Streaming dongle, Sabrina, surfaces yet again

Google’s next-gen streaming dongle, Sabrina has been leaked a few times before highlighting the design, UI and remote control. Today, however, the device has popped up in an FCC listing which means we could hear something official about the streaming dongle soon. Spotted by 9to5Google, the two devices in the FCC listing are called an “Interactive Media Streaming Device” and a “Wireless Device” with the model numbers GZRNL and G9N9N respectively. The “Interactive Media Streaming Device” is speculated to be the successor to Google’s Chromecast Ultra codenamed Sabrina while the “Wireless Device” is speculated to be the remote control. 

According to 9to5Google, “All the interesting parts of these FCC listings, such as pictures revealing what these two devices are, are locked behind the FCC’s temporary confidentiality until late January. Both of these devices are notably “Made in Thailand” as Google seeks to diversify its supply chain.” Since the images and other information about the devices are confidential until January, does this mean we will see Sabrina launch late this year or early next year?

While there is no new information about Sabrina, we did see information about the design and specifications make an appearance online in June. Back then it was leaked that Sabrina is expected to have the Amlogic S905X2 12nm quad-core CPU with 4 ARM Cortex-A53 CPU cores clocked at up to 1.8GHz. The CPU is accompanied by the ARM Mali-G31 MP2 GPU. It also sports 2GB RAM. The device is capable of 4K 10-bit, H.265 content along with support for 4K at 60Hz over HDMI 2.1. It is also expected to support HDR formats including HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision, and more. You can learn more about the specifications and the design of the upcoming Google Android TV device here. 

Android TV based streaming devices in India

Speaking of India, there are a bunch of Android TV based streaming devices available. We recently saw Nokia launch its 1080p Android TV based streaming stick and you learn about the price, specs and availability here. We also have the Mi TV Stick which has a 1080p output and you can learn more about that here. In the 4K space, we have the Mi Box 4K officially available in India. The device supports HDR 10 as well and has a compact form factor. You can check out our review of the Mi Box 4K here. While the NVIDIA Shield TV devices are not officially available in India, one can get their hands on them if you know where to look.  

Apart from Android we also have the Fire TV Stick and the Fire TV Stick 4K for those looking for other streaming devices to make their TVs smart.

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Exclusive: MG Gloster to feature a 123-inch touchscreen, 12 speaker setup

At the Auto Expo, 2020 MG showed off the Gloster SUV and the car will launch just in time for Diwali 2020. While we did get a good look at the exterior of the car at the Auto Expo 2020, what remains to be seen is the technology powering the Gloster. With MG showing off its iSMART technology and internet connectivity with the Hector, it is expected that the Gloster will also be a tech-centric car. 

Digit has learned that the MG Gloster will sport a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display along with an 8-inch instrument cluster. For your entertainment, the car will pack a whopping 12 speakers. The Gloster is also expected to pack in MG’s iSMART tech. This means the car will be able to receive OTA updates, just like the Hector. The hector sported an M2M embedded SIM which is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPV6 ready) for 5G and we think the Gloster will also bring with it a 5G ready SIM as well. Voice assistant, e-calls and all the other features that are a part of MG’s iSMART technology are expected to make an appearance in the Gloster as well. Considering the 5005mm length of the car, 12 speakers should pack in quite the punch.

The MG Gloster will also sport ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) safety features. Put simply, ADAS enhance vehicle systems for safety and better driving and also assists the driver for parking. The MG Gloster is expected to help the driver with auto park, front collision warning and radar-guided cruise control. 

Instrument clusters in SUV’s today offer a host of information from digital+ analogue speedometer to tyre pressure, torque and more. We think the new 8-inch instrument cluster will also be one packed with features and information for the driver. 

MG Gloster price and release date

While MG is planning to launch the Gloster just before Diwali 2020, there is no exact launch date for the car. As for the price, the MG Gloster is expected to be priced at about Rs 40-45 lakhs (ex-showroom).

MG recently released Gloster released its first official teaser video recently. You can take a look at it below.

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Apple may discontinue iPhone XR and iPhone 11 Pro series at launch of iPhone 12

Apple is all set to announce its next series of iPhone models in October, and while there’s a lot of excitement for the new iPhone 12 series, there’s also some bad news about the existing models. According to a twitter account iAppleTimes, Apple will be discontinuing the iPhone XR and the iPhone 11 Pro models once the new iPhones are announced.

The tweet just mentions that Apple will discontinue the current generation iPhones but leaves out a number of important details. For starters, this is something Apple has done in the past as well. Additionally, if Apple does discontinue the iPhone XR and iPhone 11 Pro models, it would just mean the end of their manufacturing. The phones would still continue to be sold worldwide based on the inventory that’s already out and, Apple would continue to honour the warranty on these devices and even support out-of-warranty claims for a few more years.

The report by iAppleTimes is best taken with a grain of salt as the twitter account does not have a track record of getting things right with respect to Apple’s launches. Also, the iPhone 11 Pro series has been fairly successful for Apple so discontinuing the model right away would not make any sense. What we do expect to see at the announcement of the iPhone 12 series is a price drop for the iPhone 11-series, something that Apple has done every year at the launch of a newer iPhone.

Apple to discontinue iPhone XR and iPhone 11 Pro models after iPhone 12 launch. iPhone 11 at $549

— iAppleTimes (@iAppleTimes) August 20, 2020

This year, Apple is rumoured to launch four iPhone models as part of the 12-series, two models carrying the “Pro” moniker and two being non-Pro. Earlier, there have been reports by Ming-Chi Kuo and others that the iPhone 12 would face some delays due to the COVID-19 situation, which had brought testing of the 5G modem to a halt. This caused a cascading effect which has led to the iPhone event being delayed to October. Apple is still expected to host an event in September, where rumours suggest, the company would announce the new Apple Watch Series 6 alongside a new iPad.

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You can get the iPhone SE 2020 for Rs 35,999

Flipkart is hosting the Apple Days Sale, where the e-commerce platform is offering some exclusive deals on Apple products including the new budget iPhone which is being offered at its most affordable yet — Rs 35,999! 

That’s a big Rs 6,501 discount on Apple’s most affordable iPhone launched in the past few years. With the new price, the iPhone SE (2020) (review) is now just as expensive as the iQOO 3 (review), and Rs 2,000 lesser than the OnePlus 7T (review). If you have been sitting on the fence, trying to decide whether to buy into the iOS ecosystem, this is your best chance because the iPhone SE (2020) is easily the most affordable. Sadly, you won’t be able to play Fortnite on it anymore.

The iPhone SE (2020) has the outer shell of the iPhone 8 with IP67 water and dust resistance, and the small 4.7-inch Retina HD Display. On the inside, however, it runs on the latest Apple A13 Bionic chipset and is wireless-charging capable. In our tests, the iPhone SE (2020) was able to leave behind every other Android smartphone when it came to synthetic performance.

The camera too is typically Apple-tuned, and takes natural-looking photos with the colour output, dynamic range, etc. remaining consistent across scenes. The same cannot be said about the high-end Android offerings in this segment, where the output differs from situation to situation, and from one lens to another. The iPhone SE (2020) only has one camera at the back, and it’s highly reliable. On the front, you get the old-school Touch-ID based Home Button and a 7MP selfie shooter.

Other iPhone deals on Flipkart during Apple Days Sale 2020

Apart from the iPhone SE (2020), Apple is also offering big discounts on the iPhone XR (review) and the iPhone 11 (review). The iPhone XR is being offered at Rs 45,599 (the original price of the iPhone SE (2020), for the 64GB variant), while the 128GB variant of the iPhone XR is selling at Rs 51,999. There are exchange offers that can bring the price down by a few thousand rupees more based on the smartphone you have for exchange.

The iPhone 11 only has bank offers you can club to get a discount. With an HDFC credit or debit card, you get a Rs 5,000 instant discount when opting for EMI payments, or Rs 1,500 when using an HDFC debit card for non-EMI payment. This effectively brings the price down to Rs 63,300, the lowest the iPhone 11 has ever gone.

Similarly, the iPhone 11 Pro (review) and Pro Max are also being offered with a Rs 4,000 instant discount on using an HDFC bank debit or credit card.

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Microsoft Defends Fortnite Maker Epic Games in Apple Fight

Microsoft defended Fortnite maker Epic Games on Sunday, saying in a court filing that Apple's moves to cut off the company from programming tools would hurt other game creators and players as well.

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WB Games Montral Announces Gotham Knights, With Gameplay Footage

French-Canadian game studio, WB Games Montréal has finally announced their latest project - Gotham Knights at DC Fandome. After numerous cryptic tweets over the past year and even a 4-day long teaser campaign recently, the game premiered its first-ever trailer at the global virtual event. The studio also provided us with eight minutes of gameplay footage for the same.

The trailer opens up with the Bat-family receiving an encrypted message - “Code Black”, from the billionaire playboy philanthropist, Bruce Wayne himself. After being presumed dead, following an explosion in Gotham City, it is up to the remaining members - Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing and the Red Hood to become the watchful protectors of the corrupt, chaotic city. With the sad demise of Commissioner Jim Gordon, players will be operating via the Belfry and take control of the city overrun by volatile criminals. At the end of the trailer, we also get a first look at the primary antagonist - the mythical Court of Owls, their secret headquarters and their ninja-like foot soldier group - The Talons. Gotham Knights will be out in 2021.

Thankfully, the developers did not leave us hanging with just a reveal trailer and granted us with a detailed, 8-minute long pre-alpha build gameplay footage as well. Based on the aforementioned premise, it looks like we would not be playing as the Dark Knight in this iteration of the game (highly doubt it). The footage brings us to the snowy streets of Gotham City, about 12 hours into progression. Where we play as Batgirl and ride our way through the massive open-world city to Mr. Freeze’s base. From there, we team-up with Robin to take down a group of unexpecting goons. The game allows players to play through its entirety, either in solo mode or two-player coop. This time around, we see some totally unique features being introduced into the Batman games. Including the RPG-like grinding mechanics, levelled enemies that adjust according to progress and even a teleportation feature for Robin. As for movement and combat, it seems to have retained the grappling hook system for traversal while getting rid of the infamous free-flow combat system the Arkham games have been known for. The footage also offers an insight into the stealth mechanics and the dual takedown system derivative of Batman: Arkham Knight, before embarking on a boss fight against Mr. Freeze.

Earlier presumed to be a linear, single-player Batman story, fashioned the same way as the popular Arkham games, it is clear that the studio has taken a completely different and unpredicted approach. As for whether this change in tactic sits well with avid fans of the franchise, will only be revealed when the game finally releases in 2021. Although there is no mention of the platforms, it is reasonably safe to assume that the game will be out on Windows PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Similarly, Rocksteady had announced their upcoming title Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League at the same event, of which you can check out further details here.

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Rocksteady Reveals Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Rocksteady Studios has just dropped the first official teaser trailer for their upcoming project - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League at DC Fandome. The creators of the Batman Arkham franchise had released a teaser poster featuring a rogue-looking Superman earlier this month as part of the promotional campaign.

The trailer starts out by showing the Brainiac's illuminated Skull ship, floating atop the city of Metropolis, undergoing mass destruction at the hands of his soldiers. From there it goes on to introduce the 4 primary characters in the game - Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot and King Shark aka the Task Force X. Sent on a mission to eliminate a mystery target based on Amanda Waller’s orders, the supervillain special ops team is seen lazing about and bantering in front of a pizza shop on some random rooftop. That is until they are threatened to have their heads blown out. We are then given a first-look at all the unique moves and skill sets each of the characters have to offer while thrashing down a bunch of bad guys. Towards the end of the trailer, it is revealed as to who the mystery target was - Superman. A rogue Superman and the entirety of the Justice League to be precise. Probably under the influence of the Brainiac’s mind control, as indicated by his glowing purple coloured eyes.

As stated by Sefton Hill of Rocksteady, the game is set in the same universe as the Arkham Verse. And that some of the incomplete or referred to storylines in the past games will come to fruition in this title. The game allows you to play either in solo-mode, where the remaining characters will be taken control of by bots, during your playthrough. Or even in an online multiplayer coop mode. Also, playing in the solo-mode in no way limits the player to a particular character. Players will have complete freedom over whichever characters they want to play as and can easily swap between them accordingly.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be out in 2022 on Windows PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Similarly, WB Games Montréal had announced their upcoming title Gotham Knights at the same event, of which you can check out further details here.

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