The other day Carl Pei, founder of Nothing and co-founder of OnePlus tweeted that he is back on Android, perhaps insinuating that his company Nothing is going to launch an Android phone. At least that’s what his followers and the tech crowd would like to believe. This tease-of-sorts although came out of nowhere was therefore to the joy of his company’s fans. Not just the general audience, but even the official Twitter handles of Android and Snapdragon greeted him. Here, have a look at this thread:
Back on Android
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) February 15, 2022
To this, Android said, “We've got a lot to catch up on Carl,” with a wink emoji. Meanwhile, Snapdragon shared a gif of Arnold Schwarzenegger saying Welcome Back as well as the three companies joining hands.
pic.twitter.com/tBeFVTnNgq
— Snapdragon (@Snapdragon) February 16, 2022
So, could this be a teaser for a Nothing Phone powered by Android and Snapdragon?
Nothing Phone: Everything we know so far
In one of those latest tweets, he said, “Android 12 is nice!” and tagged Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP, Google (Android, Chrome, Play, etc). In one another recent tweet, he had asked his followers to spell out their favourite Android OS and the reason for the same.
You will soon
— Carl Pei (@getpeid) February 11, 2022
We believe all of these points towards a Nothing Phone running on Android 12. And even though, its successor's developer preview is already here, we think this highly-anticipated Nothing phone could land much before Android 13’s stable release in Q3 of 2022. Even Carl responded “You will soon” to one of the tweets asking him for his pick out of the current Android flavours.
Even a 91Mobiles report from last year had suggested that the Nothing Phone could land in early 2022.
Besides that, Nothing India’s Vice President and General Manager Manu Sharma too had outlined plans to launch more than 5 new products. Out of these, we have come across rumours of a Nothing Power Bank and this Nothing smartphone. Its maiden product, the Ear 1 buds had a decent response from the market. And if there is a Nothing Phone, then that would definitely make some waves.
For more news, buying guides, feature stories, reviews, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Fortnite has added added support for gyroscope-based aiming and motion controls for PS5, PS4 and PC gamers, as part of the 19.30 update. Gamers will be able to use new flick stick controls to reorient themselves with a flick of the thumbstick, and Epic Games has also optimised the game to load directly to the Fortnite lobby, to let gamers jump into a match faster.
Sony has reimagined the TWS earbuds design with its all-new LinkBuds (WF-L900) earphones. These earbuds have a figure-eight shape with an open ring at one-half. Within it sits a tailor-made 12mm driver. This portion is what goes into your ear canal while the other closed half sits on the concha of your ear. Thanks to this open-ring design, the LinkBuds claim a “natural” sound. The uniqueness extends to how you can control the earphones using double or triple taps on the cheek area beside the ears. The earphone is rated to last 17.5 hours and comes with a quick charge feature too.
Sony says the LinkBuds are made with a focus on AR gaming, sound AR navigation, a new work-from-home lifestyle, and easy access to music. The company is also partnering with Niantic for an immersive AR experience in the latter’s popular tile “Ingress”.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Sony LinkBuds:
Sony LinkBuds Specs and Features
Sony LinkBuds rely on a 12mm ring driver that is placed within the doughnut-shaped portion of the earbud. Thanks to its open central diaphragm, you should be able to enjoy audio transparency as well as a much natural sound. Sony underlines the use of precise voice pickup technology that performs advanced voice signal processing with help of an AI-based Noise reduction algorithm.
Not only that, the buds are armed with Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, an Integrated V1 Processor, Compass/gyro sensors, and 360 Reality Audio for clear, rich, and balanced output.
This audio is transmitted wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.2 with AAC codec support. You can double or triple tap on the cheekbone area next to the ears for controlling playback, volume, etc. The ‘Wide Tap Area’ functions can be configured in the Sony Headphone Connect app. Well, this app also has a slew of setting to tinker around with like Speak-to-Chat (auto pause and play the music when you talk), hands-free voice assistants such as Google and Alexa, Quick Access (for quick playback control of Spotify without touching the device), and Adaptive Volume Control (based on your location).
The earbuds weigh just four grams, are made of recycled material, and are IPX4 water-resistant. Sony advertises up to 5.5 hours of runtime from the buds and up to an additional 12 hours from the accompanying case. When it seeks energy, top it up quickly through its USB-C port. In 10-minutes, it claims up to 90 minutes worth of juice.
Sony LinkBuds Price and availability
Sony LinkBuds (WF-L900) is priced at $179.99 (~₹13,540) and is available in White and Gray colours.
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OnePlus fans might not have to wait too long as the OnePlus 10 Pro is purported to arrive on March 15 or 16 or sometime in the third week of March. That would be close to the festival of Holi and thus it is said to go on sale during the coinciding Amazon sale. This report comes from tipster Yogesh Brar through 91Mobiles and it also claims that we may get to hear the OnePlus 10 Pro launch date announcement at the upcoming Nord CE 2 unveiling event on February 17.
Now, since the device has already gone official in another market, let’s see what we can expect it to bring to India.
OnePlus 10 Pro India Specs and Features (expected)
OnePlus 10 Pro has a 6.7-inch Fluid AMOLED LTPO 2.0 display with a 2K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, up to 480Hz touch response, HDR10+ support, and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection. There is a left-aligned cutout that houses the phone’s 32MP selfie snapper.
Meanwhile, behind the phone, you could get a 48MP+ 50MP+ 8MP setup.
The phone is likely to board with Oxygen OS based on Android 12. The so-called unified OS has apparently been delayed as per the same aforementioned sources.
Anyhoo, the processor inside would be Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 coupled with LPDDR5 RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and a 5000mAh battery. The supported chargers are 80W SuperVOOC wired, and a 50W AirVOOC wireless.
As for the I/O options, you may expect 5G, dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, GPS, and a USB-C 3.1 port.
Needless to say, until official confirmation, these are speculations based on the specs of the Chinese variant. We look forward to the OnePlus Nord CE 2 launch event set for tomorrow. Therein we may get some tease of the OnePlus 10 Pro. As for this Nord CE 2, a recent leak revealed that it would come in Bahama Blue and Gray Mirror colors, priced at ₹23,999(~$317) for the 6+128GB variant ₹25,999(~$344) for the 8+128GB model. Let’s see.
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Cyberpunk 2077 next-generation upgrade for PS5 and Xbox Series S/X consoles has arrived in the form of Patch 1.5 after a long wait, with Polish developer CD Projekt unveiling it during a livestream event on Tuesday.
After 2020, everyone took a much-needed breather, but what 2021 brought along in the form of the second wave of coronavirus infections globally, made everyone run straight back into their homes, while sending the medical system into chaos. When everyone thought that the second wave was over, the virus pulled another card out of its sleeve and presented us with its mutated forms, of which the Omicron variant is the newest.
After being a central figure in many conversations, and infecting people worldwide, the SARS-CoV-2 variant: B.1.1.529, popularly known as Omicron, has been labelled a variant of concern. This has raised many eyebrows because the already active variants of the virus have been wreaking havoc, and no one knows what this has in store for us. For the most part.
Before we delve into the details, here’s a brief about how the coronavirus took the form of the Omicron variant. According to the UNICEF webpage dedicated to this variant of the virus, “When a virus is circulating widely and causing numerous infections, the likelihood of the virus mutating increases. The more opportunities a virus has to spread, the more opportunities it has to undergo changes.” This, for sure, indicates that the easing of the curbs across the globe is not an indication that our fight against the virus is over. We are very sad to say this, but it is still on.
As the world governments and administrative bodies prepare, in the wake of the increasing cases being triggered by the Omicron variant, it is important that you also stay informed. So, here we have brought for you a brief guide that will help you know the latest iteration of the coronavirus better so that you can give better information to the ones in contact with you, making them and yourself better prepared to fight the looming third wave, which we pray never comes.
What do we know?
When the first cases of this new variant were reported, no one knew what this exactly was. But since then, efforts of virologists and related researchers worldwide, day in and day out, have brought in some helpful information. One of the firsts in this very brief list is that the variant itself has a lot of variations. This means that this variant of the virus can take different forms and cause infections of varying nature, making it harder to identify and track. Reportedly, this variant hasn’t evolved from any other variant of note but has branched out distinctly, with its evolution starting around the second half of 2020.
The second that we know about the nature of the Omicron variant is that it is less harmful or, to say, severe in terms of causing infections when compared to the Delta variant. This does not mean, though, that we can take it lightly. At the end of the day, be it the Delta or the Omicron variant, once in a person’s body can wreak havoc and cause severe health consequences.
From the numbers that are coming in each day from medical institutions and other statistical bodies across the world, it is evident that this variant has a much higher transmission rate than any other that we know of. It is to be noted that this is just a prediction of sorts. Despite the numbers on paper at the moment suggesting that this variant is transmitting rapidly, we would have to wait to know exactly what the situation is. For now, all we can do is continue practising the regular COVID appropriate behaviour, as directed by the medical institutions and experts.
When it comes to the symptoms, the matter is as ambiguous as the previous aspects. There is no evidence suggesting that the variant has a different set of infection symptoms compared to the previous iterations. There’s some bad news for the previously infected individuals. The reports that have come in at this early stage suggest that the people who had been previously infected by the coronavirus, despite having recovered from the infection, are at a higher risk of being infected again. This time, by this moderately known variant called Omicron. Other variants of concern that are already out there, such as the Delta variant, has been known not to show such behaviour. It hasn’t shown any sign of putting already infected people at a higher risk, but the Omicron indicates that trend.
The dos and don’ts
With the situation of the outbreak, especially concerning the Omicron variant evolving every passing second, as research and infections continue, the best thing to do is prevent yourself from getting infected, because as they say, ‘prevention is better than cure’.
If you are experiencing any symptoms of the infection, instead of waiting for them to reach a stage where they are severely affecting your health, get yourself tested. The RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests have so far been successful in detecting Omicron infections, so that’s some good news. At least early diagnosis, followed by proper health care, will ensure that people are not that severely affected by the disease. It will also be better for the authorities to single patients out, making sure that proper precautions, isolation measures, and medications along with other aids are in order.
One of the most effective ways of protecting against getting infected and limiting the damage in case of infection has been to get vaccinated. And, as far as initial research goes, the results are not that great to be looked at, but one thing is for sure that the damage inflicted on a person’s body, potentially leading to death, can be limited by getting vaccinated. The vaccines that are available worldwide are effective enough to prevent severe infections against other variants too. So, if not Omicron, a vaccinated individual would be safe from infections that originate from other variants, at the least.
In terms of the medication, the more severely affected patients can be treated using Corticosteroids and IL6 Receptor Blockers. But, at the milder levels of infection, research is on to determine whether the current medicines will be effective against the virus or not.
What are the authorities doing?
Given the currency of this new variant’s surfacing and outbreak and the complexity of the process of conducting any meaningful research, the world authorities have scrambled teams of brilliant minds to study this variant. The World Health Organisation, which has been effectively leading the way in our fight against the virus, has coordinated with researchers across the world to hasten the research process. But everything, especially in the field of science, dealing with such a sensitive issue, takes its due time, and so will this.
While we await further information on the virus, we recommend you get vaccinated if you haven’t already. Ensure that you properly wear good quality masks, ensure hand and overall personal hygiene, stay at least 1 metre away from others, and practice other related appropriate behaviour to keep yourself and others around you safe. Also, do keep an eye on these two portals to keep yourself updated with the latest developments related to the Omicron variant:
The Taiwanese iPhone maker Foxconn has joined hands with oil-to-metals group Vedanta to set up a semiconductor manufacturing unit in India. This new venture is worth $118.7 million and will leave Vedanta with a 60% share. It envisages "a significant boost to domestic manufacturing of electronics in India." A joint statement released stated, “This first-of-its-kind joint venture between the two companies will support Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to create an ecosystem for semiconductor manufacturing in India,”.
Foxconn Vedanta Semiconductor Manufacturing in India Deal Details
To reiterate, the new joint venture born out of this partnership between Taiwan’s Foxconn (also called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.) and India’s Vedanta Group aims to start manufacturing semiconductors in India. Although Foxconn is known primarily as a lead iPhone manufacturer, it has been lately venturing into semiconductors for EVs to other electronic goods. So, it’s not exactly clear what would be these utilized for.
Be that as it may, this could be a one of a kind setup that propels domestic manufacturing in the country. The deal is said to be worth $118.7 million with Vedanta as the majority shareholder at 60-per cent. The indigenous group had said back in December 2021, that it will invest up to ₹60,000 crores in the establishment of a chip and glass manufacturing ecosystem in the country over the coming three years.
Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal’s efforts in this direction have finally seen some development. He has also been chaired as the chief of this new venture.
Further, the companies are apparently in talks with various state governments to finalize a location for this unit.
And as you may know, the Union Government is also promising support for such endeavours under its Electronics Manufacturing & Production Linked Incentive scheme. This would come in the form of not just infrastructure support but also speedy bureaucratic approval and clearances. This Foxconn Vedanta deal will thus be the first in the Government’s plan of building at least two semiconductor and two display fabricators in the country. Let’s see how it all comes to fruition.
We will keep you posted on related updates. And for other similar news, buying guides, feature stories, reviews, and everything else tech-related, follow Digit.in.
