Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! Launching on Android, iOS on March 25, Pre-Register to Get Blue Hyena Skin

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! will launch globally on March 25 for Android and iOS. The game has been up for pre-registration since October 2020.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/2MNatS0

PUBG: New State India launch expected as the official website shows Hindi code

Krafton games announced the PUBG universe expansion with a new mobile title called PUBG: New State. It looks like a more futuristic take on the already popular multiplayer genre. The game will land on both Android and iOS later this year.

Ever since PUBG: New State was first announced, the only question a lot of us have on our minds is whether it will come to India. There's a lot of speculation around the same, but it looks like the India launch might be in cards.

While there's no official confirmation from Krafton themselves, some reports are suggesting that some people have stumbled upon a hidden Hindi version support for the new PUBG game. If you look at the image below, you'll notice a huge dump of source code on the website that indicates the Hindi support.

This may come as a relief for a lot of people who are very excited about the game's release. In fact, this game has a huge potential for an explosive launch here considering the fact that the current version of PUBG Mobile remains banned in India.

PUBG New Slate to launch in India

That being said, it is possible that Krafton will schedule a separate launch for India. Things are quite complicated for PUBG Mobile in India and it might not be a very good idea to get this game out when there's so much going on. In fact, we won't be surprised with Krafton waits for the government to unban the original game first.

So before you get your hopes high, it is worth pointing out that even though there are some codes suggesting the Hindi version support, it is best to expect a delayed-release in India, if it happens at all. Some reports suggest that the PUBG: New State global launch will not include India, China, and Vietnam. Let just wait for some more official info straight from the folks over at Krafton.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/2Pjl1cf

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite specifications leaked via Google Play Console listing

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite key specifications have been revealed courtesy of a listing on the Google Play Console. The Mi 11 Lite is rumoured to be a toned-down version in the Mi 11 series. The Mi 11 was launched in December 2020 in China and was announced globally earlier this year. The Mi 11 Lite, Mi 11 Pro and Mi 11 Ultra have all previously been rumoured or leaked but Xiaomi is yet to unveil them.

According to a report by MySmartPrice, the Mi 11 Lite was spotted on the Google Play Console revealing its key specifications. Do note that while the 5G version of the Mi 11 Lite is listed, previous leaks have also hinted at a 4G model that could be powered by the Snapdragon 732G processor.

As per the listing, the Mi 11 Lite 5G is codenamed ‘renoir’ and is powered by the Qualcomm SM7250 which is the Snapdragon 765G from last year. It was earlier rumoured to be powered by a new Snapdragon 775 processor, but that does not seem to be the case as far as this listing goes. The phone has 8GB of RAM and features a display with a Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) resolution with 440ppi. Moreover, the phone runs on Android 11 out-of-the-box.

The Mi 11 Lite is expected to have a similar built as the Mi 11 but with a flat display and a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera. The Mi 11 Lite has leaked previously showing-off its design and a noticeable chin on the front. 

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite leaked specifications

Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is expected to feature a 6.67-inch Full HD+ resolution display with support for a 120Hz refresh rate. The fingerprint sensor is either under the screen or is embedded with the power button on the side.

The 4G variant of the Mi 11 Lite is expected to be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G processor while the 5G variant could receive the Snapdragon 765G under the hood. This will likely be paired with 6GB/8GB RAM and up to 128GB storage with the phone running on Android 11 based MIUI.

The Mi 11 Lite is rumoured to have triple cameras on the back headlined by a 4MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera and a 5MP macro camera. On the front, there could be a 16MP selfie camera. 

The phone is likely to have stereo speakers and could be equipped with a 5,000mAh battery with fast charging support.

A separate report also indicates that Xiaomi may be working on the Mi 11 Ultra which has a small secondary display on the back. You can read more about that here.

 

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/383SSg3

MediaTeks new TV chip MT9638 brings support for HDMI 21, Wi-Fi 6 and USB 3

Like smartphones, TVs are powered by chipsets to ensure the picture quality and UI run smoothly. While most brands market their TV display technology or underlying tech to enhance the picture quality, the SoC ensures everything is running smoothly on the TV. MediaTek may be second place when it comes to smartphone chipsets, but it does have a relatively large market share for TVs chipsets. Today the company has announced a new chipset for 4K TVs - the MediaTek MT9638. The chipset will power 4K TVs, and also supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, HDR 10+ and HDMI 2.1.

“As smart home appliances become more intelligent and diversified, smart TVs are becoming the new hub for the smart home as consumers take advantage of AI-enabled multimedia features to control all their devices right from their TV,” said Alex Chen, General Manager of the TV Business Unit at MediaTek. “The new MT9638 continues our legacy as the No. 1 chip provider of smart TVs, bringing consumers incredible AI, multimedia, gaming and entertainment experiences in theater-quality 4K.”

MediaTek MT9638 TV chip specifications and features

The MediaTek MT9638 has multiple ARM Cortex-A55 CPU, ARM Mali-G52 GPU and dedicated MediaTek APU integrated into a single chip. The chip can power TVs with a 4K resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate. So, it looks like this chip will not be the heart of any upcoming 120Hz TVs. Interestingly, the SoC supports HDR 10+, which means we can expect more TVs to support the standard. It can also power TVs with full-array backlight with local dimming sporting more than 2000 zones. It will be interesting to see more TVs in the affordable space offering local dimming. 

The MediaTek MT9638 will also support Dolby Atmos and DTS: Virtual X surround sound technologies for users. It will also support HDMI 2.1, making it a great option for gamers. However, it isn't clear how many ports on the TVs powered by this chipset will be HDMI 2.1 enabled. With HDMI 2.1, users can expect VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). While VRR will make a difference for games with screen tearing, it remains to be seen how much of a difference it makes on a 60Hz display as the feature is better suited for displays with a higher refresh rate. Nonetheless, between the PS5 (review) and the Xbox Series X (review), only the latter supports VRR out of the box. The PS5 is expected to get VRR support via an update in the future. 

Moving over to some smart capabilities, the TV chip will support up to four far-field microphones, so you can control the TV with your voice without using the remote control. We have seen this feature in action on the TCL C715 (review), but the feature worked quite slowly on that TV. Hopefully, the new chip will improve the response time, and fluidity of far-field voice commands to interact with the virtual assistant. The chipset also consumes 0.5W on standby and claims to wake the TV from its sleep state in one second. Users will be able to wake the TV from sleep using only their voice for TVs powered by the MediaTek MT9638, which is pretty cool.

The chip also claims to bring support for “cutting-edge AI-enhancement technologies such as AI super-resolution, AI picture quality and AI voice assistants, plus variable refresh rate (VRR) and MEMC (Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation)”. It will be interesting to see how the super-resolution and AI picture quality help with upscaling low-resolution content on the TV and how the picture modes enhance the viewing experience. 

According to MediaTek, “the chip enables real-time content and scene recognition, automatically adjusting colour saturation, brightness, sharpness, dynamic motion compensation and smart noise reduction to improve overall image quality. MediaTek’s AI super-resolution technology, combined with the company’s MEMC technology, intelligently upscales resolution through multi-frame blending to deliver clearer images at the smart TV’s native resolution”. Once again, we will be able to comment on this once we have a TV powered by this chipset for review. But on paper, it looks like we can expect TVs powered by this chip to offer a dynamic colour pallet and crisp resolution. But then again, things like panel used and colour accuracy plays a vital role in aiding the chip to deliver a better colour and viewing experience. 

The MediaTek MT 9638 also supports Wi-Fi 6. While there are many Wi-Fi 6 enabled routers available in the market, the only consumer device we have used that has Wi-Fi 6 is the PS5. It’s nice to see Wi-Fi 6 getting more support, especially in TVs where bandwidth is key to high-resolution stream content.  

When can we expect TVs powered by the MediaTek MT9638 to launch?

According to the press release, “MT9638-powered 4K smart TVs are expected to reach the consumer market in Q2 2021”. So, we will have to wait for some time before we can get our hands on TVs powered by the new chipset.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3qfEFCO

Twitter Spaces expands testing on Android to strengthen its fight against Clubhouse

Twitter announced a new social experience called Twitter Spaces in private beta back in December last year. It was an effort to introduce live audio chat rooms to its users, a lot of whom were hopping on Clubhouse. Now, the company has announced that it is opening up Twitter Spaces for all Android users too.

The experience, in case you didn't know, was only open to select users on iOS. This expansion is clearly aimed at luring Android users, who are still waiting for Clubhouse to land on their operating system.

Android folks, our beta is growing! starting today you will be able to join and talk in any Space. SOON you’ll be able to create your own but we’re still working out some things. keep your  out for live Spaces above your home tl

— Spaces (@TwitterSpaces) March 2, 2021

This testing, by the way, isn't going to offer a full-fledged experience on Android just yet. According to Twitter, Android users will only be able to join and talk in existing Spaces, but won't be able to start their own. That particular feature will land "soon", Twitter says. We don't have an exact timeframe for the same.

Twitter strengthens testing on Android

Twitter has been particularly quick about bringing Spaces to more users. Rightfully so, because there is currently a lot of hype around live audio chat rooms thanks to the explosive launch of Clubhouse. Twitter has also been very transparent about its roadmap and is welcoming feedback from its users. The company even hosted a Twitter Space for users who were using it to collect feedback. Notably, Twitter is also considering bringing Spaces to the web interface.

If everything works out well and Twitter manages to keep up this fast pace, it will most likely beat Clubhouse to offer support for Android. Clubhouse app is currently available only on iOS that too on an invite-only basis. It will be interesting to see the kind of features Twitter rolls out for Spaces in the coming months.

Now that Twitter has expanded the testing, Android users won't have to rely on the beta app to check out Twitter Spaces. When live Spaces are available, they'll appear at the top of the Twitter timeline for Android to hop in and join the conversation.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/30dQheR

Samsung tipped to launch three new Exynos chipsets in 2021

Samsung has been working hard to improve its chip-making business, with the company recently launching the Exynos 2100 and Exynos 1080 SoC. However, a new report claims that the South Korean giant is looking to add to the list by launching 3 new chips in 2021. These chips will be launched to take on mid-range and high-end offerings from Apple, Qualcomm and MediaTek. 

As per the report, the company is expected to launch three new Exynos chipsets in the market, including a mid-range 800-series chip, a high-end 1200-series and a flagship 2200-series. Of the three, the 1200-series and 2200-series chips are expected to feature GPUs based on AMD’s RDNA architecture.

Three new Samsung Exynos SoCs tipped to launch in 2021

Additionally, there are also reports Samsung could launch two different versions of the Exynos 2200 chipset. Interestingly, both won't be for smartphones as one of them will be optimised for Android and the other for laptops. However, the two are expected to be based on the same architecture but tuned for different form factors.

Earlier, known tipster, ICE Universe had claimed that Samsung is working with AMD for developing a custom GPU to use in the company's upcoming chipsets. The GPU is said to be ready for demonstration by June this year. However, these chipsets are expected to launch at a later date and the devices powered by them are expected to go official in the next year.

Talking about the chips, the Exynos 2200 will be the most powerful of the three. According to a report by SamMobile, the early tests of Exynos 2200 have been very promising, with the chip not only turning out to be faster than the existing Exynos 2100 but also faster than Apple's A14 chipset by a great margin.

The report adds that the Exynos 2200 for mobile will deliver 25% better CPU performance and 2.5% faster graphics compared to the Exynos 2100. More importantly, the chipset could double the performance of the Apple A14 in terms of graphics. The Exynos 2200 SoC for laptops is tipped to be even better. This is because laptops are not as compact as smartphones, so the chipset will greatly benefit from better cooling. The report suggests 20% faster performance than the mobile version according to the source.

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3sNDufo

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run mobile game for Android and iOS to be released on March 25

There has been an influx of console franchises making their way to the mobile space. From Mario to Pokemon, we’ve seen a number of games jumping from consoles to mobile. The latest game to make the jump is Crash Bandicoot. As reported earlier, the game is being developed by King entertainment, and is called Crash Bandicoot: On the Run. From what we can see, it shares its DNA with free running games such a Temple Run and the like. The game will also social features that add a bit of depth to the gameplay. Drawing on inspiration from the best of the Crash Bandicoot franchise which is celebrating its 25-year anniversary, gamers will experience classic characters, bosses, enemies and lands all wrapped up in a new mobile game that they can play on the go.

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run to make its mobile debut

As for the story, it’s as cute and quickie as you’d expect from a Crash game. Dr. Neo Cortex has returned to take control of the multiverse, with the help of his maniacal mutagen henchmen. Only Crash and his sister Coco can save the day and put a stop to their plans. Fans will immediately recognize regions from previous Crash Bandicoot games, such as Temple Ruins, Turtle Woods, Bear It and more. For fans of the franchise, this will be a nice addition to their Crash collection. Check out the trailer below. 

You can also sign up early and receive an exclusive Blue Hyena skin on launch day. The game is set to hit both Android and iOS on March 25. Plates on both operating systems will be able to experience the game on their phones. In fact, if you’re a fan of the Crash Bandicoot franchise, you should check out our review of Crash Bandicoot: It’s About time, right here. 

from Latest Technology News https://ift.tt/3sQb30J