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Lava Mobiles teases designed in India phone with waterdrop notch ahead of January 7 launch

Lava Mobiles has teased the launch of its designed-in India phone on January 7. The phone has been teased to feature triple cameras on the back along with a waterdrop notch cutout for the selfie camera. Lava has been posting teasers of the phone across its social media handles from quite some time now. The company recently launched an entry-level phone called BeU in India with dual cameras and Android 10 Go Edition to boot.

The upcoming smartphones are likely to fall under the budget and mid-range segment and as per previous reports, as many as four phones could debut at tomorrow’s launch. These phones could be priced between Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 going up against the likes of Xiaomi, Realme, Oppo and Vivo. 

We’re glad & grateful to @Wangchuk66 for his support. India, if you’re wondering what we’re up to, then stay tuned for #Lava7thJanLaunch to witness the unimaginable.#ProudlyIndian pic.twitter.com/kjQPJJdfEL

— Lava Mobiles (@LavaMobile) January 5, 2021

Lava Mobiles is the second company to launch products made in India after Micromax launched two phones marking its comeback. Lava has been manufacturing phones but does not have any successful smartphone in the budget and mid-range segment yet. The company is looking to change that with the new smartphone set to debut on January 7 in India. It’s rumoured that these smartphones could be powered by stock Android out-of-the-box.

We’re glad & grateful to @Wangchuk66 for his support. India, if you’re wondering what we’re up to, then stay tuned for #Lava7thJanLaunch to witness the unimaginable.#ProudlyIndian pic.twitter.com/kjQPJJdfEL

— Lava Mobiles (@LavaMobile) January 5, 2021

The company has also posted a teaser video featuring Sonam Wangchuk who reveals that one of the upcoming phones has been designed in India. Lava hosted a Design in India challenge in July last year when it invited students and design professionals to make a prototype design under the Make in India initiative. 

In all likelihood, the company could launch a designed in India phone based on the results of the challenge it conducted last year. Lava has scheduled the launch of its new smartphones for 12 PM on January 7. The company is yet to share a live stream live to the public. We will update this page with the YouTube live stream link once it goes live.

 

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OnePlus releases OxygenOS 11 Open Beta build for OnePlus Nord: Heres how to test it out

OnePlus has released the open beta build of the OxygenOS 11 for the OnePlus Nord. The company has managed to update the OnePlus 8 series to the latest OxygenOS 11 and it recently revealed the update plans for other devices as well. The final release build of the OxygenOS 11 will be released after issues and bugs are ironed out from the open beta stage.

Announcing the release through a post on its forums, OnePlus kicked off the OnePlus Nord OxygenOS 11 open beta for users to check out the software in its initial stage. “Please bear in mind that this is beta software and, as such, may be less stable than stable MP builds. If you are installing this build, we highly recommend you make a full system back-up before proceeding,” the post reads. MP builds are the final official builds released after beta testing.

The OxygenOS 11 open beta build brings Android 11 update to the OnePlus Nord along with a new visual design, always-on display, improved dark mode, revamped Shelf and more. Do not that anyone can install this build but if at any time you want to revert to the stable build, the process would wipe away all user data. So be very sure before installing this beta build on your OnePlus Nord.

How to install OxygenOS 11 Open Beta on OnePlus Nord?

Ensure that your OnePlus Nord is charged above 30% and has a minimum of 3GB storage space. OnePlus Nord users in India can click here to download the OxygenOS 11 beta update.

Once downloaded, copy the file to the storage and go to the Settings menu. Tap on System from the list of options and select System Updates from the options. Click the icon on the top right and choose Local upgrade. Select the file downloaded earlier and tap Upgrade. The OxygenOS 11 beta should begin installing on your OnePlus Nord.

The update will not erase saved data but it is recommended to back up all user data before updating.

OnePlus Nord specifications and pricing

OnePlus Nord specifications and pricing

OnePlus Nord was launched in July 2020 starting at Rs 24,999 in India. The phone features a 6.44-inch Full HD+ AMOLED screen which offers 90Hz high-refresh-rate. The display is topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5 for added protection.

The Nord is powered by the Snapdragon 765G processor with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 620 GPU. This is paired with upto 12GB RAM and 256GB storage options to choose from. 

It has quad cameras on the back that includes a primary 48MP camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 5MP depth sensor and a 2MP macro camera. There’s a 32MP front-facing camera for selfies along with an 8MP secondary ultra-wide-angle camera. 

OnePlus Nord is equipped with 4,115mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging out-of-the-box.

 

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How ‘Made in India’ Gaming App Hitwicket Superstars Plans to Host a Virtual Cricket World Cup in 2023

With the startup culture thriving in India and the need for ‘going local’ becoming increasingly popular, we take a look at all the hottest tech startups grabbing headlines in the country. Gadgets 360 talks to Hitwicket Superstars co-founder Keerti Singh to know of the company’s history, growth, and future plans. We also talk to experts to understand what the Ind...

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Mi 10i

The Mi 10i is a very strong contender to set the bar for the mid-range segment in 2021. It brings a number of "expensive" features to a phone that's priced lower than most of its competitors. Users get a 108MP primary camera which has good performance and a 120Hz IPS-LCD display with very impressive colours. The phone itself is a stunning device thanks to its elegant design. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor works really well and the IP53 rating lends to the notion of durability when it comes to the Mi 10i. You also get a headphone jack on the phone, which is really nice. What doesn't work for the Mi 10i, however, is the display, which has a fairly low peak brightness, and suffers from reflection issues when using outdoors or in places with strong ambient lighting.

Xiaomi is kicking off the year 2021 strong with the launch of the Mi 10i. The phone comes in squarely in the mid-range segment currently ruled by the OnePlus Nord. The Mi 10i brings with it a number of features usually found only in more expensive devices like a 108MP primary camera, a display that goes all the way up to 120Hz refresh rate and also sports IP53 rating. But does on-paper numbers make for a value for money device? We have the answers.

Mi 10i Performance

The Mi 10i is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G chipset. With this, you get 2 performance cores going up to 2.2GHz and 65 efficiency cores that clock up to 1.8GHz. Our review unit comes with 8GB RAM, although there is a cheaper 6GB variant available as well. Now Qualcomm, over the last year has launched a number of chipsets. We have the OnePlus Nord (Review) with the Snapdragon 765G, the Oppo Reno4 Pro (Review) with the Snapdragon 720G and now, the Mi 10i with the 750G. The Snapdragon 765G remains the top-end SoC in this lineup, with the 750G slotting in between the 765G and the 720G. We see this reflect across our testing as well, as shown in the charts below.

As expected the OnePlus Nord continues to mostly lead in performance for both CPU and GPU, faltering behind the Mi 10i only in a few tests. In real world usage however, the experience is a little different. While using the phone for normal day-to-day tasks is butter smooth, playing games like CoD Mobile on the Mi 10i was not as smooth as playing it on the Nord. This, we see reflected in the notably lower frame-rate stability. While the OnePlus Nord had a 98 percent frame-rate stability at 60fps, the Mi 10i was only able to maintain a 73 percent stability of the same game, while delivering 58fps. The metrics were recorded using GameBench.

Mi 10i Camera

The star-feature of the Mi 10i is the 108 megapixel primary camera. However, Xiaomi is using Samsung’s HM2 sensor instead of the HM1 used on the Mi 10 (Review), which has a slightly smaller pixel pitch (0.7 microns vs. 0.8). Regardless, the results are still impressive. The colours and dynamic range are very much comparable to the binned result, a surprising feat. However, the larger resolution file has lesser sharpness in comparison to the binned file. Additionally, when shooting in the 108 Megapixel mode, the AF slows down noticeably and the time between two shots increases by up to 4 seconds. The latter is likely due to the higher amount of processing power required to merge and tone-map a 108 megapixel file instead of having to deal with just 12 million pixels (a binned image).

Note: All images embded below have been resized for web. To view the full-size, original JPGs, head over to our Flickr Page here.

When considering the binned results, the clear advantage here is the speed (faster AF, negligible time between shots) and notably sharper images. One could argue that a 108MP image could be sharpened in post production, but adding sharpness in post hardly ever yields the same kind of results than the native sharpness added by the ISP.

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The ultra-wide camera on the Mi 10i is above average, offering decent sharpness in the center with a noticeable fall-off towards the edges. The lens also shows noticeable distortion, which is hard to control if your subject is close. The lack of auto focus makes creative framing impossible and you’re limited to shooting subjects that are far away due to the lens’s focus locked at infinity.

The Macro lens on the Mi 10i is surprisingly good, if you can ever manage to get the shot right. It allows you to get really close to the subject, but unfortunately, the closer you are to a subject, the more noticeable shake gets. Even the very act of inhaling or exhaling can change the distance between the lens and the subject, resulting in an out-of-focus shot. There’s no image stabilization and no way to actually tell if your shot is in focus. This isn’t a problem unique to the Mi 10i, but given it renders a camera module practically useless, its high time manufacturers start focusing on making it better, or eliminate it completely.

With respect to low light, we see the Mi 10i falls in line with the Nord’s performance. Shooting in low light in the normal camera mode yields under-exposed images with completely crushed shadows and contrast. Switch over to Nigh Mode, however, and the frame brightens up, allowing more details to be captured in the shadow area, while balancing out the contrast. Interestingly, a low light shot takes nearly the same amount of time, whether its in normal mode or night mode, but the results are visibly better in the night mode.

Mi 10i  Display

The Mi 10i sports a 6.67-inch IPS-LCD panel with a refresh rate of a whopping 120Hz. To make it more lucrative for gamers, Xiaomi’s using a panel with a 240Hz polling rate, which means every swipe and every movement of your finger is going to be registered in all its accuracy. This we were able to corroborate during our gaming sessions. The 120Hz is something you won’t ever be able to leverage in-game, but it does make navigating the UI way more pleasing. The fact that you get Xiaomi’s AdaptiveSync on this phone is also great, seeing as how it will automatically switch the frame rates to match the content.

The panel comes with an HDR10+ certification, but at the time of writing this review, Netflix didn’t recognize the phone as HDR-compliant, although YouTube HDR worked just fine. We do hope that Netflix certifies the Mi 10i soon for HDR playback, given that the phone does have WideVine L1 certification.

The peak brightness as tested by us capped out at 350 nits, which is definitely on the lower side, especially for a display that has an HDR10+ certification. However, the lower-than-competition peak brightness isn’t the real problem, its reflections. The panel is rather reflective and unless you’re looking directly at it, you’re going to have legibility issues. When shooting outdoors, it was difficult to tell what was on the display due to the heavy reflectance. I do feel that removing the screen protector could help, but that’s detrimental to the idea of having a screen protector in the first place. We don’t see this kind of a problem on other smartphones like the Oppo Reno4 Pro or even the OnePlus Nord, both of which come with a screen protector pre-applied.

Overall, the choice of going IPS over AMOLED clearly has had its pros and cons. The advantage has been the higher refresh rate without a cost penalty, but the downside is the notably lower peak brightness. The good thing is that it is entirely possible to boost the peak brightness via a software update, but only up to a point. It is possible that Xiaomi might address this, so we will circle back to the peak brightness issue in a few months.

Mi 10i Battery Life

The excellent battery life on the Mi 10i is courtesy a 4820mAh battery which supports a modest 33W fast charging. One episode of watching Altered Carbon being streamed via Netflix cost only 8 percent battery (started at 100 percect) while one round of CoD Mobile cost only 6 percent battery (started at 80 percent). The phone easily lasts one full day of excessive use, which includes about an hour and a half of CoD Mobile, around 4 hours of phone calls and almost all-day music playback via Bluetooth. Xiaomi’s 33-watt fast charging is also very helpful in topping off the battery quickly, going from 0 to 50 percent in about 35 minutes while a full top up takes only 58 minutes. Honestly, there is little to complain when it comes to the battery life on this phone.

Conclusion

The Mi 10i is a surprisingly good balance between performance and imaging. While the 750G does not match up to the performance of the Snapdragon 765G found on the OnePlus Nord, it does come fairly close. In terms of imaging, the Mi 10i overall does come out ahead of the Nord, thanks to its better detail retention. The display could have been better and while on paper it seems to check off the right boxes, the relatively low peak-brightness paired with the high reflectance does make it a difficult one to use outdoors. If you already love MIUI, then the MI 10i will be no stranger to you. If you like a clean, no-fuss flavour of android, then the Nord is a far better bet, as is the case if you’re looking for a gaming-centric smartphone. The Mi 10i does check off a whole lot of boxes and we do hope that Xiaomi will continue to improve the performance of the SoC and the camera via updates.  



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PlayStation 5 Review

The PS5 is a beast of a console. You either love the design or you hate it, but you can’t ignore the fact that Sony has done everything in its power to ensure the console is whisper quiet even under heavy loads. The removable side plates are great for those looking to customize their console. Apart from packing in some next-gen hardware, it is the DualSense controller which really stands out. The PS5 also has a very good launch lineup and considering the high price of a AAA game, PlayStation Collections is a good way to keep you gaming on the console while you slowly build your games library. While the 667GB built-in storage feels limiting, the option to install off the shelf expansion in the future is there. Not to mention the fact that you can play your PS4 games off an external hard drive. The Xbox Series X and PS5 both cost 50K in India and both are compelling consoles. The lack of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support may be a limiter for those looking for the PS5 to double up as a home entertainment device. But considering the package on offer, you can definitely consider the PS5 as your next-gen gaming console. If you are ready to go all-digital, then the Digital Edition makes sense as it saves you Rs 10,000.

When Sony and Microsoft launched the PS4 and Xbox One back in 2013, both consoles were quite underpowered when compared to an entry-level gaming rig of the time. They ran on an outdated Jaguar CPU, came with slow mechanical hard drives and getting 1080p 30 FPS in some games was tough. Nonetheless, Sony pulled up its socks and gave us some breathtaking games like God of War, Ghost of Tsushima (review), The Last of Us Part 2 (review) and many, many more. In 2020, Sony gave us a deep dive into the specs of the PS5. The console comes with a custom SSD that can outperform most popular PC SSDs, has a respectable AMD Zen 2 CPU and an AMD RDNA 2 based GPU that can also support Ray-tracing. It has also re-envisioned the controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. Needless to say, for an asking price of Rs 50,000 for the disc edition, the PS5 can put any similarly priced PC to shame. Let’s dive deep into our experience with the PS5 spanning a little over a month.  

PS5: Build and Design

From the official reveal of the console, it was clear that the PS5 is a huge console. Just how huge is something that will dawn on you only when you have it in front of you. Needless to say, gone are the days when you could simply place a console below your TV. Just for perspective, the PS5 disc edition is 390mm x 104mm x 260mm (width x height x depth) in size. It is taller and deeper than the Xbox Series X when kept horizontally and slimmer in width. 

The PS5 is taller and deeper than the Xbox Series X.

One thing to note is that all promotional material makes the console look white, but it isn’t exactly ‘white’ in colour. Think of it as an off-white or egg white colour. This isn’t a bad thing as off-white doesn’t get dirty as fast as plain white. It has this sandwich-like design with the white plates on the exterior, a matte finish and the centre of the console housing a glossy black finish which can easily turn into a fingerprint magnet. From the design of the console, it feels like Sony thought of the digital edition of the PS5 first with its symmetric design and a futuristic tower of Mordor look before deciding to slap a disc drive on one side of the console for good old disc-based games. The PS5 is rather heavy as well, weighing at in about 4.5kgs.  

The PS5 can be kept horizontally and vertically and changing the orientation it isn’t as simple as the Xbox Series X which can simply be placed horizontally or vertically, based on your preference or mood. There is an actual mechanical process for the PS5. There is a base stand that needs to be rotated and screwed in to hold the console vertically. When kept vertically, the base stand holds the console surprisingly well and prevents it from wobbling a lot. It is in this orientation that the console was intended to be kept as when the lights in your house go down and the two LED strips on the console light up, it does look quite futuristic. Kept horizontally, they kinda look out of place. 

The PS5 doesn't have flat sides. The sides are curved.

But then again, when the console is horizontal, there is no screw holding it to the base stand. It is a simple clamp design that holds the PS5 to the base stand. The console may wobble a bit in this position when prodded but from the front, it looks like its levitating which, at times, looks cool. 

You either love the design of the PS5 or you don't. I, for one, don't love the design but it tends to grow on you. It has its charms, yes, but it's too big, too bulky and unwieldy. It may be too big for the average home entertainment setup. But the size comes with a much-needed trade-off - Cooling. With liquid metal and a pretty large intake for air, it looks like Sony took all the PS4 jet engine memes seriously and has made the PS5 whisper quiet. But more on that in the performance section. 

PS5: Specifications

Unlike the Xbox Series X and S which have vastly different specs under the hood, the PS5 disc and digital editions are identical with the only difference being the disc drive. So here is a quick look at the specifications of the PS5. 

CPU: x86-64-AMD Ryzen Zen 8 Cores/16 Threads at 3.5GHz (variable frequency) GPU: AMD Radeon RDNA 2-based graphics engine. Ray Tracing Acceleration. Variable frequency, up to 2.23 GHz (10.3 TFLOPS) Storage: Custom 825GB SSD of which 667GB is usable (5.5GB/s (Raw), Typical 8-9GB/s (Compressed). RAM: 16GB GDDR6/256-bit Expandable storage: Yes, NVMe SSD Slot for PS5 games. PS4 games can be played off an external USB 3.0 drive. Minimum drive size for games is 256GB. Optical drive: Ultra HD Blu-ray (66GB/100GB) Video Output: Support for up to 8K at 60Hz, 4K at 120Hz over HDMI 2.1. (VRR support expected in via an update in the future) HDR: Yes Dolby Vision: No Dolby Atmos: No 3D Audio: Yes Wi-Fi: Yes (Wi-Fi 6) Connectivity: USB Type-A port (Hi-Speed USB), USB Type-A port (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps) x2, USB Type-C port (SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps), Ethernet port, HDMI port.  PS5: What's in the box

In the box, apart from the console and manual, you get the DualSense Controller, a USB-A to type-C cable, power cable, manual, HDMI 2.1 cable and the base stand. The screw to hold the PS5 vertically is housed in the base stand. You don't get any physical game with the console, but Astro’s Playroom comes preinstalled with every PS5. 

The PS5 has 2 USB ports, ethernet port, HDMI 2.1 port and the power port at the back.

PS5: UI

Let’s jump ship to the UI for a minute. It’s the one place Sony has taken everything it has learned with the PS4 and PS3 and implemented the best of both worlds. From the get-go, the entire UI is in HDR and the visuals just pop on the right TV. Fire up the console and log in, and you are greeted with 2 tabs - Games and Media. Your most recently used games populate the home screen and the rest are in a listing at the right end of the navbar. Hopefully, Sony will implement folders just like it did on the PS4 UI to the PS5 at some point in the future. While on the home screen, each game has a small tile but the rest of the screen is filled with stunning artwork and a soundtrack from the game. It’s a UI that I like, as it highlights the game you are about to play in a unique and refreshing way. 

PS5 home screen UI

Press down on the D-Pad and you will see activities related to the game. The leftmost icon in the game's navigation menu is the PlayStation Store which, this time around, is integrated into the UI rather than being a separate app. The UI of the store has changed as well and is as easy to navigate as the PS4 store, so no complaints here. The Media tab houses all your entertainment apps and for now, we have YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, and Twitch. There is no Disney+Hotstar app, which is a bummer. Also, because the console does not support Dolby Vision, all the content is available in HDR 10 only. 

The media Tab houses all the streaming apps on the Ps5.

The biggest change to the UI comes when you are in-game. Pressing the PS button on the controller now brings up your achievements, missions and a guide. There is also a hints system that a developer can choose to implement which will help you solve a puzzle at hand, for example. It's the equivalent of looking up the walkthrough on YouTube but saving you the hassle of opening your phone or laptop and Googling the solution. I see the potential for this in some puzzle heavy games as a nice touch. The solution to the puzzle can play PIP (picture in picture) which makes it very easy for you to follow.

The PS5 new UI shoes you your achievements and also has a hints option.

The pop-up menu also tells you how much time a particular mission will take. This time is an average determined by your playstyle. So, for example, in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, I saw that the next mission would take me 30 minutes to complete, letting me know whether I’d finish it in the amount of free time I had. I think this is a great implementation for those of us that have limited time and don't like to leave a quest halfway.  

Tapping the PS button on the controller brings up a quick UI menu in addition to the activity's cards, and you can choose which functions are available in the quick UI. From broadcast to audio settings, games details, controller settings and more can be easily accessed. Long pressing the PS button takes you back to the home screen. This can take some getting used to as the roles were reversed on the PS4. 

There is some annoyance to the UI which have been fixed since I’ve started using the console. For starters, the console now warns you if you are about to start the PS4 version of a game that has a PS5 version as well. This wouldn’t happen earlier. Also, the main games library shows both the PS4 and PS5 version of a game, making the library seem unnaturally bloated. I wish the Xbox style smart delivery was an option here, keeping only the PS5 version only of the game automatically for those games that have a next-gen version. 

The PS5 looks like it has fins.

Another issue is with the transfer of the safe files. You need to upload the safe files from your PS4 to the cloud and then download them to the PS5. The cloud service only works if you are a PS Plus member. Else, you can connect the 2 consoles via Ethernet and transfer the data or simply copy your safe files to a USB drive. Here as well, the Xbox has a more elegant solution with its cloud saves automatically syncing across your devices. 

Overall, the UI is a refreshing change from what we had on the PS4. It has a few misses, but that’s OK as the overall experience is pretty smooth. Just like we saw on the PS4, we will see the UI evolve over the years with new features added to the mix. Those that liked customizing themes on the console will feel left out as the PS5 doesn’t support themes, as yet. 

PS5: Performance

Once you go DualSense, there’s no going back, that’s for sure. But let’s talk about the controller separately and start with one of Sony’s highlighted features - the SSD. The SSD is so fast that it may help me overcome my smartphone addiction. I was spending time on Twitter and checking Instagram while I waited for a game to load. Looks like those days will soon be behind me. Spider-Man: Miles Morales (review) is a great example of this. Fast travelling anywhere on the map is a mere 2 seconds. Loading a match in Mortal Kombat 11 (review) is a mere 3 seconds. Same for Dirt 5 and DMC 5 (review) Special Edition. The game just loads superfast. Take a sip of water or crack your knuckles, and you are in the game. Sure, PS4 games won't take advantage of this feature as much but Cyberpunk 2077 (review), which takes a long time to load on the PS4, loads in a mere 15 seconds from a cold boot on the PS5 and 10 seconds for fast travelling/reloads. And Cyberpunk 2077 isn't even optimized for the PS5 yet.

The PS5 has a large intake to circulate air keeping the console cool.

From the games that have been mastered for the PS5, we played Spider-Man Miles: Morales, Dirt 5, Mortal Kombat 11, Call of Duty: Cold War and DMC 5 Special Edition, to name a few. 60FPS is the new normal. While I was initially bummed that one has to choose Ray-tracing or 60fps in Spider-Man: Miles Morales, the new RT performance mode gives you the best of both worlds. 

Playing the game on the LG B9 OLED TV, the game looks sublime. If this is what games look like at the beginning of the generation, I can only imagine what games will look like once developers unlock the full potential of the console. 

The PS5 has physical power and eject buttons.

While Digital Foundry has made it clear that Devil May Cry 5 won't hit a consistent 120 FPS on the PS5, the 60FPS mode with Ray-tracing enabled is the best way to enjoy the game. The PS5 doesn’t support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) out of the box, which is an important HDMI 2.1 feature and valued by gamers. Sony has said that VRR will be added as a feature via a future update. Just for reference, the Xbox Series X supports VRR out of the box. The PS5 also doesn’t support 1440p resolution which is a downer for those rocking a 1440p monitor. Sony has said they will include the feature in the future if they see enough demand for it, but my question is, is it really a problem to implement 1440p from the get-go? The Series X already supports 1440p.

Moving over to 3D audio, this feature work with any headphones connected to the DualSense Controller via 3.5mm. You can always go into the console’s settings and adjust the 3D audio based on your listening profile. I used a HyperX Cloud Core II gaming headset connected to the controller via the 3.5mm port. The games that use 3D audio do give you a surround sound experience. So, in Astro’s Playroom, it feels like the rain is coming from above you. You feel the sounds of the city pass you in Spider-Man and when the action gets hot, it’s like the sound is everywhere. It is definitely an interesting take on surround sound and from what we experienced at CES 2020 with Sony’s 360-degree Reality Audio, it’s clear the company knows how to deliver immersive audio.

The PS logo is present on the consoles side plate.

There is a problem with the audio though. I connected the console to my TV and my TV is connected to the PS5 via HDMI ARC. For a lot of games, the sound wasn’t coming from the soundbar at all, and I had to manually choose a 2-channel setup from the PS5’s audio settings to get things to work. 

The biggest downer with the console is the built-in storage. It has a 667GB of usable storage which can get filled up pretty fast. There is an expansion slot, but Sony hasn’t enabled it yet. Until then, if you fill-up the internal SSD, you will have to delete the PS5 games to make space and re-download them later if you want to play. Speaking of downloading, you can download the single-player or multiplayer-only version of a game if you want and this can help with significant space management. I only wish you could copy and keep your PS5 games on an external drive and copy them back when you need to play them (a feature the Xbox Series X supports) eliminating the need to delete them to create space on the built-in SSD. Hopefully, this feature will come in the future. 

The PS5 comes with 667GB usable storage.

We spent hours playing games on the console and throughout all our play sessions, the console was whisper quiet. There are reports online of the console making some noise and our unit is a retail unit and doesn’t seem to have any of these issues. But then again, right now the console is used in the Delhi winters. We will talk more about the cooling capabilities of the consoles once we use it for a few more months, especially during the brutal Delhi summers. 

PS5: DualSense Controller

The biggest “next-gen” feature of the PS5 has to be the DualSense controller. Starting with the haptic feedback, it’s something you’ve experienced if you have an iPhone or a Mac with the Force Touch trackpad. The difference in vibrations on the trackpad gives you the illusion that you are actually clicking something whereas there isn’t anything actually moving on the trackpad. It's a haptic motor simulating the physical click. Similarly, a game like Rush Hour 3D on the iPhone gives you the impressions of a car engine starting with its unique and subtle vibrations. This is exactly how the DualSense controller mimics the feeling of walking on different surfaces in a game like Astro’s Playroom. Walk on the sand, in the rain or on a metal surface, the sound from the controller, along with the haptic feedback really does give you a very different feeling from the traditional vibrations, making you feel like you are actually walking on these different surfaces. 

The DualSense controller is comfortable to use for long hours of gaming.

In a game like Astro’s Playroom, the haptic feedback feels like overkill sometimes, but then again this is a demo for what the controller can do. In Miles Morales for example, when you get a text, a part of the right side of the controller vibrates just like your smartphone would. Interactions in combat have different intensities of vibrations. 

A game like Call of Duty: Cold War brings different degrees of tension to the adaptive triggers, giving you a unique experience with every gun you use in the game. When playing COD and hammering away at the triggers, there were times when I heard the motor controlling the adaptive triggers which led me to question its durability. Alas, I wasn’t alone as people have reported the adaptive triggers of the controller are breaking. Thankfully, we haven’t faced this issue yet. 

In Miles Morales, you get subtle feedback from the triggers when swinging. In Dirt 5, the trigger struggles based on the surface you are driving on giving you a very unique experience.

The DualSense can last up to 8 hours of gaming.

The battery life of the DualSense is as bad as the DualShock 4, which is to say that you should get about 8 hours of life with all features dialled up to 11. The controller lost about 70% charge in our playthrough of Astro’s Playroom but then again, that's a tech demo dialling the controller features to the max. It took us a mere 4 to 5 hours to finish the game. Thankfully, the DualSense is rechargeable, unlike the Xbox Series X controller which still uses AA batteries. 

Coming to the form factor of the controller, Sony has changed it considerably, making it a lot bigger than the DualShock 4. The DualSense has a much better grip than its predecessors and can finally go toe to toe with the comfort and ergonomics of the Series X controller. It has a textured grip at the back and upon close inspection, you will notice that the texture is made up of the icons on the controller, a neat touch. 

The DualSense has a fun easter egg for fans.

One more thing to note is that there isn't a plastic divider between the shoulder buttons and the triggers like we had on the PS4 controller. This makes the shoulder buttons a lot bigger and easier to press. The D-pad is the same as the PS4 controller and while I know a lot of people don't like the D-pad I’m OK with it. Yes, the new D-Pad on the Series X controller has better ergonomics, but this one gets the job done quite well.  

The shoulder buttons on the DualSense Controller are bigger this time.

The DualSense controller this time around comes with a built-in mic. During our live session with Cyberpunk 2077, I was talking to our viewers using the built-in mic, and it got the job done quite well. You can always mute the mic with a button on the controller if you like. The addition of a mic is a godsend. When playing Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, I found myself with a team that spoke and coordinated attacks. I didn't need to go and find my headset; I simply used the mic on the controller. Same for typing. Gone are the days of typing a message or a title for your live stream. Simply dictate it and it’s done. The mic has very good recognition and my Indian accent wasn't an issue. 

DualShock 4 vs DualSense controller.

I was one that thought the DualShock 4 was a great improvement over the DualShock 3 but still felt a little like a toy when compared to the Xbox controller. This time, however, the DualSense is a generational leap, and you really need to experience it to appreciate its features. 

The PS5 face buttons are slightly bigger this time around.

PS5: Games

What good is a next-gen console without games, right? While at launch we have games like Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon Souls, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, BugSnax and a few more, Sony has ensured the momentum carries on in 2021 by announcing games like Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart, Returnal, Deathloop, Horizon Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarök, to name a few. And these are just the exclusives. There will undoubtedly be a plethora of third-party games to look out for. Even first-party games like Ghost of Tsushima, The Last of Us Part 2, Days Gone and God of War, which are PS4 games, offer an upgraded experience on the PS5. Games like Days Gone and Ghost of Tsushima have been patched to offer smooth 60fps gameplay, making them all the more enjoyable and worth a revisit. 

The PlayStation Store is integrated into the UI.

Some games like Miles Morales and Demon Souls bring with them visual fidelity one would expect in the second year of a console generation which makes us even more excited for future titles coming to the PS5. 

PlayStation Collection

While Xbox has the prowess of Game Pass, Sony has introduced PlayStation Collection for PlayStation Plus members. PlayStation Collection is a curation of 20 PS4 games comprising 10 first-party and 10 third party games. The collection of games is no small feat. If this is your first PlayStation console ever then this is a collection of some of the best games to get you started and keep you hooked till you build your library of games. 

PlayStation Collection is a curation of 20 games.

The first party offering in PlayStation Collection includes

Bloodborne Days Gone Detroit: Become Human God of War Infamous Second Son Ratchet and Clank  The Last Guardian The Last of Us Remastered Until Dawn Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

The third-party offering includes

Batman: Arkham Knight Battlefield 1 Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Zombies Chronicles Edition Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Fallout 4 Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition Monster Hunter: World Mortal Kombat X Persona 5 Resident Evil 7 biohazard

PlayStation Plus subscribers also get 3 games per month as since the PS5 has been out globally for just 2 months now, the offer of three games includes two PS4 games (that work on the PS5 thanks to backwards compatibility) and one PS5 game. It will be interesting to see how this offering evolves as we move forward into the PS5’s lifecycle. 

PS5: Bottom Line

The PS5 is a beast of a console. You either love the design or you hate it, but you can’t ignore the fact that Sony has done everything in its power to ensure the console is whisper quiet even under heavy loads. The removable side plates are great for those looking to customize their console. Apart from packing in some next-gen hardware, it is the DualSense controller which really stands out. The PS5 also has a very good launch lineup and considering the high price of a AAA game, PlayStation Collections is a good way to keep you gaming on the console while you slowly build your games library. While the 667GB built-in storage feels limiting, the option to install off the shelf expansion in the future is there. Not to mention the fact that you can play your PS4 games off an external hard drive. The Xbox Series X and PS5 both cost 50K in India and both are compelling consoles. The lack of Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support may be a limiter for those looking for the console to double up as a home entertainment device. But considering the package on offer, you can definitely consider the PS5 as your next-gen gaming console. If you are ready to go all-digital, then the Digital Edition makes sense as it saves you Rs 10,000.



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OnePlus Band listed on Amazon India and Flipkart, hinting at an imminent launch

The OnePlus Band has been listed on Amazon India ahead of its India debut sometime this month. The company has been teasing the launch of its first smart wearable product in India and the much rumoured and leaked OnePlus Band could launch as soon as January 11. The company has also posted a link to Flipkart for its smart band store however, the page is not live yet.

The OnePlus fitness band looks likely to be available on Amazon, Flipkart and the OnePlus India store and as per previous reports, it could be priced around Rs 2,499. The OnePlus Band has leaked previously, revealing key specifications and features of the upcoming fitness tracker. 

OnePlus Band specifications

As per previous leaks, the OnePlus Band could feature a 1.1-inch AMOLED screen with adjustable brightness and will be offered in three colours, Black, Navy and Tangerine Gray. The silicone straps are detachable, and it weighs 22.6 grams. The OnePlus smart band is also 5ATM and IP68 certified making it sweat and water-resistant. 

The OnePlus fitness tracker has a SpO2 blood-oxygen monitor, optical heart rate sensor and more. The company will likely launch the band alongside its companion app called OnePlus Health. The app will serve as the dashboard for all OnePlus wearables going forward and is expected to let users keep a track of their sleep, heart rate and fitness along with providing reports based on the analysis.

The OnePlus band will also offer features like notification alerts for calls, messages, remote camera control, Zen Mode and more. It is said to be equipped with a 100mAh battery that offers 14-day battery backup.

OnePlus is also working on a smartwatch based on WearOS that’s due out sometime in early 2021, confirmed CEO Pete Lau. As per previous rumours, it could be called OnePlus Watch and could feature a round dial. You can read more about it here. The company could unveil the smartwatch alongside the OnePlus 9 series that’s rumoured to launch by mid-March. 

Our newest device is as aesthetic as it is useful. It comes in multiple colors to perfectly complement your style. What colors would you like to see it in?#SmartEverywear Head to the link to get notified: https://t.co/whF9OCHG1r pic.twitter.com/INWT4eKxWv

— OnePlus India (@OnePlus_IN) January 6, 2021

Do note, however, the company has not yet revealed the exact date of the launch of its fitness band. Though the release does not look far away given the number of teasers being released across its social media handles.

 

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Minecraft Earth AR Mobile Game Shutting Down on June 30: All You Need to Know

Microsoft took to the Minecraft blog to announce the end of support for Minecraft Earth. The company says that it will discontinue all content and service support for the game on June 30. This means users will not be able to download or play Minecraft Earth after that date.

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