PUBG: Battlegrounds Hosting Epic Fails Event, Winners to Get In-Game Currency, Survivor Pass

PUBG: Battlegrounds developer Krafton is hosting a PUBG Epic Fails event for PC and consoles in which the players can submit their in-game “fail” moments to win 20,000 in-game currency (G-Coin), a 16.2 Survivor Pass and a real-life trophy. It says that players can submit their entries via social media till 1pm PST on February 22 (12pm IST on February 23), and a to...

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Google Play Store is now displaying the option to download games on Windows PCs directly

We already talked about how Google is planning on taking Android games cross-platform in 2022 with its Play Games app (reportedly under development), but even before that happens, the game Lineage2M by NCsoft is showing a “Download on Windows” option on Play Store. 

The option is apparently visible to everyone checking the app in Play Store on Windows PC. This works using a custom Purple emulator developed by the game developer NCsoft, but it’s still very unusual that Google has the option for direct download showing up in Play Store. 

Clicking the button downloads a .exe file for Windows and the setup walks you through installing the game and the Purple emulator. 

The Windows OS and requirements are also mentioned in the Playstore listing. Users will need Windows 8 or higher running on a PC powered by Intel i5 processor (3.0GHz) with 8 GB RAM, 4GB VRAM, Geforce GTX9xx series GPU or higher, and at least 10GB storage. 

At the very least, this is an interesting development and it would be cool if users had the option to download other apps and games in a similar manner. Google has also asked developers to optimize their games for PC and it’s likely that we will see some major announcement on the front sooner rather than later. 

A great year for mobile gamers?

Google first announced that it will bring in a Google Play Games app for Windows laptops, tablets and PCs in 2022 at the Game Awards held on December 9. The seamless gameplay switching from Android to Windows will work via a Google Play Games app. 

Of course, Google isn’t the only one working on such a cross-platform solution. Microsoft has partnered with Amazon to build an Android app layer in Windows 11. And emulators like BlueStacks have existed since forever and particularly focus on smooth gaming performance.

Source

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Sony launches SRS-NB10 and SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker along with WLA-NS7 Wireless Transmitter

Sony India, on the 24th of January 2022, launched two new wireless neckband speakers – the SRS-NB10 and the SRS-NS7  along with the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter, allowing users an immersive work from home as well as home entertainment experience. 

The lightweight design of both speakers is IPX4 rated, ensuring that they are splash-resistant and can be used while performing daily chores around the house as well as working out without worrying. Furthermore, both the SRS-NB10 and the SRS-NS7 support quick charging and can be charged for ten minutes via a USB Type-C cable, allowing up to an hour extra of playback time.

SRS-NB10 Wireless Neckband Speaker Specifications 

The SRS-NB10 features a full-range speaker unit angled upwards, which optimises sound towards the user’s ears alone. Along with this, it also has embedded radiators at the back of the unit to boost the bass.

Sony’s SRS-NB10 speakers also come equipped with Sony’s Precise Voice Pickup Technology. Two directional microphones in the speaker minimise echo and ambient noise and deliver clear voice quality.

The SRS-NB10 has a microphone mute button, as well as touch-sensitive volume rockers and a pause/play button.

The SRS-NB10 provides users with up to 20 hours of playback time on a single charge and supports quick charging as well.

SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker Specifications

Sony’s SRS-NS7 is the world’s first Dolby Atmos wireless neck speaker compatible with Sony’s Bravia XR models. With Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer App, it delivers to users a 360-degree surround sound experience. 

Equipped with Sony’s unique X-Balanced Speaker Unit, Sony’s SRS-NS7 has an optimum speaker size in a compact body which helps in increased sound pressure and reduces distortion of vocals. 

Sony’s SRS-NS7 speakers can be used by connecting the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter to the television with an optical cable and a USB cable and pairing the SRS-NS7 to it via Bluetooth. In addition to the SRS-NS7 speakers, the WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter also supports Sony’s WF-1000XM3, WH-1000XM4, WH-XB700, and WI-1000XM2 headphone models.

The SRS-NS7 provides up to 12 hours of playback time with regular usage and around five hours, at maximum volume on a single charge.

Pricing and Availability

Sony’s SRS-NB10 and SRS-NS7 wireless speakers and the Sony WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter are priced at Rs. 11,990, Rs. 22,900 and Rs. 5,690 respectively. They can be purchased at all Sony Centre retail outlets and other major electronics stores across the country, as well as E-commerce portals, and www.ShopatSC.com from the 24th of January, 2022 onwards. 

 

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Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection Review: No Movie Tie-In, No Sweat

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection review: the PS5 remaster of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy looks, sounds and feels great — but Sony’s cynical strategy speaks volumes. Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection release date is February 28 on PlayStation 5.

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Exclusive: OnePlus Nord 2T to come with Dimensity 1300, 80W fast charging and 50MP triple camera stack

OnePlus Nord 2T is an upcoming mid-range phone from OnePlus that builds upon the legacy of the Nord 2. The original Nord sold like hotcakes when it launched back in 2020 and OnePlus doubled it up in the following year with the Nord CE and Nord 2. Now, as expected the OnePlus Nord 2T is all set to launch in India very soon and today we are sharing its key specifications.

Oneplus Nord 2T vs OnePlus Nord 2

As per OnLeaks, the Nord 2T has a Full HD+ display and is powered by the Dimensity 1300 chipset. The Dimensity 1300 is yet to go official but going by MediaTek’s track record you can expect a bump in performance over the 6nm Dimensity 1200. The display on the Nord 2 is seemingly carried over to the Nord 2T, going by the dimensions.

However, one of the key highlights of the Nord 2T is its support for 80W fast charging out-of-the-box. While the Nord 2 arrived with support for 65W fast charging, it wasn’t until the OnePlus 10 Pro which was recently launched in China, where OnePlus officially introduced 80W Warp Charging. 

The camera stack largely remains the same as the Nord 2 though we’re expecting some sensor upgrades. Here’s everything you need to know about the OnePlus Nord 2T.

OnePlus Nord 2 was launched in July 2021 in India

OnePlus Nord 2T leaked specifications

The OnePlus Nord 2T features a 6.43-inch Full HD+ (2400x1080 pixels) resolution display which likely uses an AMOLED panel. The screen supports a 90Hz refresh rate and may or may not have a punch-hole notch cutout for the selfie camera.

The Nord 2T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 chipset which is going to be paired with 6GB/8GB/128GB RAM along with 128GB/256GB storage options to choose from. The phone will likely run on OxygenOS 12 based on Android 12.

The OnePlus Nord 2T has a triple camera array on the back headlined by a 50MP camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP monochrome sensor. On the front, we get a 32MP selfie camera.

As for the battery, the Nord 2T is tipped to come equipped with a 4,500mAh battery that supports 80W SuperVOOC fast wired charging.

It remains to be seen when the Nord 2T launches in India but as per some rumours, OnePlus could launch a Nord phone in February.

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AOC G2 Series Gaming Monitors With AMD FreeSync, 144Hz Refresh Rate, 1ms Response Time Launched in India

AOC has launched three new gaming monitors as part of its G2 gaming monitors lineup in the country. AOC 24G2U/BK, 24G2E5 and G2490VX monitors feature 144Hz refresh rate, a response time of 1ms and AMD FreeSync technology. All three monitors come with HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort connectivity, and feature a smooth backlight system to reduce flickering and eye strain, acc...

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Sony HT-A7000 soundbar Review: A fantastic modular soundbar

The Sony HT-A7000 is a fantastic soundbar for the home theatre enthusiast who doesn't want to run cables through his house. It has a simple plug and play setup and the soundbar can auto-calibrate itself to your room. It supports all popular formats including Dolby Atmos and Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports for a 4K 120Hz pass-through. The soundbar is yet to receive an update to support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) but the two HDMI 2.1 ports make this device futureproof. It has excellent build quality. The overall sound quality is absolutely immersive with a decent representation of Dolby Atmos height channels via its up-firing drivers. The only downside is that the soundbar is very premium priced. As of writing this review, the Sony HT-A7000, paired with the SW3 subwoofer is priced at Rs 1,50,980. The variant we got for review - the HT-A7000 paired with the more powerful SW5 subwoofer is priced at Rs 1,77,980. The SA-RS3S surround speakers are an additional Rs 30,990. It does deliver some breathtaking sound with some impressive surround effects when you get the complete package.

The value of a home theatre has increased tremendously over the past 2 years - and rightly so. While a lot of movies have been released in the theatre only, it hasn't taken them long to transition to streaming services online. Streaming service providers like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and more have cashed in on people spending more time at home by offering quality content in high fidelity formats like 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. To enjoy the content in its fullest fidelity, one needs to invest in a TV capable of doing justice to these formats. But the TV is just one half of the entertainment story. To truly immerse yourself, you need to invest in a quality home theatre as well. While the debate for soundbar vs home theatre is a never-ending one, we can safely say that soundbars have started offering a very immersive experience especially when you consider their plug and play setup. Today we have with us Sony’s flagship modular soundbar - the HT-A7000. You can purchase the soundbar separately with the option of two different wireless subwoofers and can invest in rear surround speakers later if you like. The soundbar boasts of support for Dolby Atmos along with Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio. 

While you can get the bar, sub and satellite speakers separately, for the purpose of this review we have used them all together as a package and will touch upon what it's like using the system as a whole or just the individual components.  

Sony HT-A7000 What’s in the box

In the box, you get the soundbar itself along with an HDMI cable, power cable remote control, and audio cable. The HDMI cable that comes in the box is identical to the one you get with the PS5. It is an HDMI 2.1 cable and the soundbar has two HDMI 2.1 passthrough ports. In the subwoofer box, we get just the subwoofer and the power cable. In the satellite speakers' box, we get two satellite speakers and two power cables. 

Sony HT-A7000 Connectivity options

When it comes to connectivity options, the Sony HT-A7000 has an HDMI port for eARC and two HDMI pass-through ports that support HDMI 2.1 along with 4K/120Hz and Dolby Vision passthrough. The soundbar also has an optical port, aux port, Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi. The speaker also boasts support for DTS-X, Dolby Atmos and Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio. The soundbar has upward-firing drivers along with side-firing beam tweeters, five front-firing drivers and built-in dual subwoofers. These dual-subwoofers are active when you aren't using the dedicated subwoofer. But when the wireless sub is paired with the bar, the low frequencies are transferred to the sub. When it comes to smart features, the speaker supports Amazon Alexa along with Chromecast. 

Setting up the Sony HT-A7000

Setting up the Sony HT-A7000 is plug and play. Place the soundbar under the TV and connect it to the TV via the provided HDMI cable. Since the soundbar has three HDMI ports two are inputs and one is the output. Connect the soundbar and the TV by plugging the HDMI cable in the soundbar’s output port and the eARC port of your TV. Plug the subwoofer and rear satellite speakers into a power outlet. All the speakers sync to the soundbar automatically. If they don't, you can simply press the ‘link’ button behind the speaker when prompted and the little red light on the front of each speaker will turn green. 

When you power on the soundbar for the first time, switch the HDMI source to the eARC port. One of the best features of the HT-A7000 is that just like the HT-Z9F (review), you get onscreen instructions for setup and settings which is a boon, especially when compared to other soundbars. 

Sony HT-A7000 Build and design

The Sony HT-A7000 has a very commanding presence when placed below your TV. Unlike the Samsung Q950A (review), the Sony has a traditional flat rectangular design. Whether you prefer the sharp edges of the Samsung or the traditional design of the Sony is up to you. What I will give Sony the extra point for is putting the display upfront (unlike the Samsung, which has it on top) so it is readable by the user. And yes, the Sony soundbar does give you the option to dim the display and switch it off completely in case it is hampering your experience. 

The front of the HT-A7000 has a grill with a premium finish behind which we have five drivers. Unlike the HT-Z9F, this grill is not removable. We also have two beam tweeters for the surround effects. There are two upward-firing drivers as well on the soundbar for height and Dolby Atmos. The left and the right of the soundbar have two ducts that house the dual built-in subwoofers. The upward-firing speakers and the subwoofer duct have a fabric covering similar to what we saw on the Samsung Q950A. The rest of the top has a premium glass finish. You may want to be careful as it is possible in the long term this glass can get prone to scratches. You also have touch controls on the top right corner of the soundbar and while I am one that prefers physical buttons to touch controls, it is just a personal preference. All the connectivity ports are neatly housed at the back with some space for simple cable management. 

The soundbar is not as deep as say the Sennheiser Ambeo (review), but it will occupy considerable space below your TV. Its length is just right to fit below a 55-inch or even 65-inch TV.

The subwoofer on the other hand has a unique design reminding me of the subwoofer found on the Sony HT-ST5000. The one we have with us is the SA-SW5 subwoofer. It has a textured finish all around with a fabric front. The down-firing driver is slightly elevated for better bass response. It has quite a unique design and is a lot bigger than the Samsung Q950A subwoofer. 

The rear satellite speakers are quite unassuming and remind me a lot of the ones you got with the HT-Z9F. Unlike the Samsung Q950A surround speakers that have 3 drivers facing front, side and up, the Sony has a single driver and a single tweeter facing one direction. I was sceptical about the surround performance of these speakers, but more on that in the performance section. The surround satellite speakers are well built and have a good amount of heft to them. They also have a premium grill covering the drivers, just like the main bar. 

All in all, the soundbar is extremely well built and while it may appear minimal when the lights are down for movie night, in the day, this beast will command attention below your TV and that's a very good thing. 

Sony HT-A7000 Performance

For the course of the review, we paired the Sony HT-A7000 with an LG B9 OLED TV. If you have a compatible Sony BRAVIA TV, then you can use the TV as the centre channel. This wasn't the case for us. However, the LG B9 does support HDMI 2.1 along with eARC, so we were able to exploit Dolby Atmos on this soundbar.  

I would recommend that once you connect the soundbar to the TV, during the setup process you will be asked if you want to optimise the soundbar for the room. You should do this as it calibrates the soundbar and speakers to the room. You can do this again from the settings menu if you move the speakers around. You can find this under Setup- Advanced Settings - Speaker Settings - Sound Field Optimization. It really helps increase the surround effects of the soundbar.   

For the duration of the test, we consumed content from the TV built-in OTT apps, played some games on a PS5 (Review) and Xbox Series X (review) and also connected an Apple TV 4K to the soundbars HDMI port to test the pass-through capabilities. 

Sony HT-A7000 Movie performance

Before we get into the details of the performance, I have always had one problem with soundbars boasting of Dolby Atmos sound - you never feel like the sound is coming from exactly above you. This feeling is amplified when you play Dolby Atmos content and expect the rain to fall from above you. With the Sony HT-A7000, I am happy to say that there were moments when I looked up at my ceiling, wondering if I heard the sound from above me or was my mind playing tricks on me. Considering the lack of height performance on the HT-Z9F a mere two years ago is a testament to how far virtual surround sound technology has advanced in Sony's library of premium soundbars. 

While streaming services have a large catalogue of Dolby Atmos content, we played some of our Dolby Atmos content via a Dolby Atmos demo disc, some content on the Apple TV 4K with moves we’ve purchased and of course, content off streaming services. 

Straight off the bat, I’d like to tell you that for the best immersive experience, you should invest in the SW5 subwoofer and the rear speakers. In a movie like Ready Player One’s race at the 13-minute mark, you have a lot of cars whizzing by the screen. There is a ‘jump’ here where all the cars fly through the air and a subway train comes crashing into the cars. This is just one of the instances where I actually looked up wondering whether I heard the sound come from above me or not. Needless to say, all the cars whizzing on screen were very well represented in the surround speakers. To get the best from the surround speakers I increased their volume to max, which is 12. I kept the subwoofer volume at 10 which is just 2 points shy of the maximum volume to get the thumpiest bass when consuming content.

Even in the Dark Knight rises, the motorcycle chase where Batman appears for the first time was impressively executed by the surround speakers. There is an Immersive AE button on the remote control of the soundbar and I highly recommend you enable it as it does widen the area of surround sound.

Even the sequence in Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Mysterio tricks Spider-Man into walking in front of a train is an absolute treat to watch. The sound of the train at the end of the sequence originates from the left surround speaker before filling the room, giving you a very good surround experience.

The movie enthusiast who has access to good surround sound content will definitely enjoy the effects this soundbar has to offer. The soundbar has sound presets like Cinema, Movie and Standard, but I found that leaving it on Auto Sound yielded the best results. 

We tested the soundbar in a 12-feet by 14-feet room and it was more than enough to bring the house down. For the most part, I left the soundbar at 60% volume and got a very rich experience. Going beyond 80% made the room vibrate considerably. 

Sony HT-A7000 Music Performance

Before we get into music, know that the soundbar supports Sony’s 360 Reality Audio and while I couldn’t get my hands on any music mastered in 360 Reality Audio, there is a demo on the soundbar to give you a taste of the feature. Apple Music does have content in Dolby Atmos and we played music primarily by connecting the smartphone to the bar via Bluetooth and also some content from the Apple TV 4K connected to the soundbar. 

The soundbar does have quite pronounced bass in music and you can manually tune this down if you like. While I know most in India prefer bass-heavy music, the added bass is signature Sony and does not sound bad. Vocals are clear and instruments come to life. Whether you are listening to Mamacita by Black Eyed Peas or The Weekend, some Daft Punk or even some Punjabi music from Jalebi Baby to Bijlee Bijlee by Hardy Sandhu, the soundbar is a sublime experience. Some of the songs do bring their surround effects into the mix as well. But even without that, the separation of the instruments, the clarity of the vocals and the thump of the subwoofer make this soundbar enjoyable for music as well. 

Sony HT-A7000 Soundbar Gaming Performance

Sony’s 3D audio on the PlayStation 5 is quite impressive when it comes to headphones and I am patiently waiting for it to make its way to soundbars. Until then, you can expect some excellent surround sound from the HT-A7000. Once again, the channel separation and surround effects work really well. In a game like Uncharted 4 when you are in the middle of a firefight, you can hear the bullets whiz all around you. Similarly, in a game like Spider-man Miles Morales (review), you get this immersive surround effect when you trigger your Venom powers. Even in Ghost of Tsushima (review), when an archer fires from offscreen, you can hear it from the respective surround speaker.

For the surround output overall, I thought I’d be disappointed that the SA-RS3S surround speakers lack the up-firing and side-firing drivers we've seen in the Samsung Qn950A, but that wasn’t the case. While it is difficult to comment on which system is better without hearing them side by side, I think each brings its own advantage to the table. For the SA-RS3S surround speakers, I placed them equidistant at ear level 4 feet away from me and found the experience to be very good. Then I replaced them and sat in my ideal position at home which placed the left surround speaker 2 feet away from me and the right 6 feet away, both at ear level and facing me. After calibrating the home theatre, I got a very good surround experience. Without the SA-RS3S surround speakers, the soundbar tries to enhance its channel separation to mimic a surround sound experience and while this may get the job done for a small room, I think investing in the surround speakers is paramount for an immersive viewing experience.  

Sony HT-A7000 Remote Control

The Sony HT-A7000 comes with a simple remote control that's almost identical to the one found on the HT-Z9F, with a few key features moved around. In addition to controlling the input source, you also get access to the Immersive AE (which I recommend you switch on and forget about), control for the volume, surround and subwoofer levels along with playback controls. The remote control is functional, intuitive and easy to use. Its only downside is that you need to point it directly at the soundbar to use, which can feel a little dated. 

Sony HT-A7000 Review: Bottom line

The Sony HT-A7000 is a fantastic soundbar for the home theatre enthusiast who doesn't want to run cables through his house. It has a simple plug and play setup and the soundbar can auto-calibrate itself to your room. It supports all popular formats including Dolby Atmos and Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio. It has two HDMI 2.1 ports for a 4K 120Hz pass-through. The soundbar is yet to receive an update to support VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) but the two HDMI 2.1 ports make this device futureproof. It has excellent build quality. The overall sound quality is absolutely immersive with a decent representation of Dolby Atmos height channels via its up-firing drivers. The only downside is that the soundbar is very premium priced. As of writing this review, the Sony HT-A7000, paired with the SW3 subwoofer is priced at Rs 1,50,980. The variant we got for review - the HT-A7000 paired with the more powerful SW5 subwoofer is priced at Rs 1,77,980. The SA-RS3S surround speakers are an additional Rs 30,990. It does deliver some breathtaking sound with some impressive surround effects when you get the complete package, but then again so does the Samsung Q950A which is available for almost half the price. I would highly recommend you visit an offline store and experience these soundbars as you truly have to experience them to believe how sublime they sound.

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