CS:GO Paris Major 2023: NaVi bounce back as Heroic and Vitality dance on with a three-match win streak

The BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 is turning out to be the perfect spectacle that would essentially mark the end of one of the best eras of Counter-Strike. There are some issues like under-representation of other regions like Asia, the Americas, and the rest, with Europe being a dominant force. However, I will be taking a deep dive into that after the Major ends. For now, I am sure everyone is loving how the action is unfolding during the Legends stage of the Paris Major 2023.

CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Legends stage - Day 2 - Heroic and Vitality remain undefeated

Day 2 of the Legends stage started with Na’Vi taking on Ninjas in Pyjamas on Overpass. Having lost a game on Day 1 of the Legends stage, Na’Vi bounced back, handing the Ninjas their second defeat. The second match had GamerLegion defeat fnatic 11-16 on the familiar battlegrounds of Overpass.

Same vibes.#BLASTTVMajor @b1tcs pic.twitter.com/Onp4HHriWC

— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 14, 2023

The action then moved on to Vertigo, where Into the Breach showed why they were placed in the Legends bracket from the get-go, as they defeated one of the top-ranked teams from the Challengers stage, ENCE, 7-16. Apeks showed a glimpse of their brilliance as they stole a win from Bad News Eagles on Ancient.

Next, we moved on to the best of three matches, where the first teams facing off against each other were Monte and Vitality. The apEX-led roster (Vitality) trampled over Monte, as they registered an easy 2-0 win. When it was time for Liquid to take on Heroic, things got a little more interesting.

In the first map of the series, Inferno, Heroic won 16-11. On Mirage, Liquid fought back, giving Heroic a taste of their own medicine as they won 16-11. The decider map was Ancient, where we saw Heroic inch past Liquid, 16-12, making the series their own.

The next match of the day, between FaZe and 9INE, landed in FaZe’s bag, as they won 2-0. The story repeated in the last game, where G2 handed Furia a 0-2 loss.

With three straight wins, Heroic and Vitality look to be the teams to beat as we move into another day of some exciting Counter-Strike: Global Offensive action, which will be Day 3 of the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023.

Here's what the points table looked like at the end of Day 3 of the Legends stage of the Paris Major 2023 -

On Day 4, all the matches will be best of three series, so it will be interesting to see how things pan out -

To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.

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Redmi A2 vs Redmi A2+ comparison: Which one to buy when they launch in India

The Redmi A2 series is set to launch in India on May 19 and there will be two phones, namely Redmi A2 and Redmi A2+. Since the A2 series has been already announced elsewhere, we know what to expect from them. There is one key difference between the two devices and that is the presence of a rear-mounted fingerprint reader on the Plus model. Rest, everything else is the same between the two.

Redmi A2 series specs and features 

Redmi A2 Plus (Right)

We suppose the two phones will be the same as their global counterparts.

1. Redmi A2 series sport a 6.52-inch LCD display with HD resolution, 400 nits of peak brightness and a waterdrop notch. 

2. Within the notch lies a 5MP selfie camera that can record up to 1080p @30 fps. The rear cameras include an 8MP main camera and a 0.08MP depth sensing module. Even from the back, you can shoot videos up to FHD at 30 frames per second.

3. Inside the phones there is a MediaTek Helio G36 chipset with a 5000mAh battery (supporting 10W charging). The memory configurations include 2GB RAM+ 32GB storage and 3GB RAM+ 32GB storage. The phone supports microSD card storage expansion too. This will be a dedicated slot.

4. The global model ships with Android 12 Go Edition and MIUI skin on top. However, in India, Xiaomi has teased to boot the device with Android 13 software (probably, Go edition).

5. The connectivity options include micro-USB 2.0, WiFi, dual 4G VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. You also get FM radio support and a 3.5mm headphone jack. 

The phone has been released in the global market in Black, Light Blue, and Light Green colours.

As already mentioned, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+ has got a fingerprint sensor on the back which the vanilla variant misses.

Xiaomi will launch the Redmi A2 series in India on May 19 at 11 AM (IST). It has also hosted a promotional page for the series. With colourful imagery, the brand is teasing various features of the Redmi A2 duo. It also has a small game as an engagement activity. Take part in it and you can stand a chance to win exciting giveaways. 

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Edit WhatsApp messages this way: Heres how to get the feature

WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to edit sent messages. But the feature is available only in WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.23.10.14 and above. Here’s how to get the WhatsApp beta update and this new feature.

How to get the WhatsApp beta update

1. You can get the WhatsApp beta update from Google Play Store. You can enrol into the WhatsApp beta program at this link. 

2. Click on “Become a Tester”. Ensure you are logged in to Google Play with the Google Account you want.

3. You may have to update your WhatsApp. Open the Play Store and search for WhatsApp. Click on the update option.

4. Once updated, you should have WhatsApp for Android beta installed on your device.

Let’s check if you have the edit option for WhatsApp messages.

How to edit WhatsApp messages

1. In case you sent a wrong message or a message with a typo/spelling mistake, the message can now be edited. You have to open the WhatsApp chat window where the message is present. 

2. Hold and press the message you want to edit.

3. Click on the three-dot menu option in the top right corner.

4. Tap on the edit option.

5. The text field and keyboard appear. Make the required changes. Click the tick option when you are finished editing.

6. The newly edited message will appear with an “Edited” tag on both the sender's and receiver’s end.

You get a 15-minute window to make the edit. So, it’s ideal for typos. You can also edit multiple times in this window.

Currently, the feature is available on Android only. iOS users should, however, get it soon. Needless to say, the feature will be available to beta users first. After the major bugs (if any) are ironed out in the testing phase, the ability to edit WhatsApp messages should reach the general public.

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CS:GO Paris Major 2023: cadianNs troops marching on with authority Vitality, Liquid, and Monte also get a strong start

If we were to get a real-life example of how one can start a tournament on a perfect note, then the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 would be it. In a day marked by 16 best-of-one matches, we saw it all.    CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Legends stage - Day 1 - Heroic, Monte, Vitality, and Liquid start off on a strong note   Na’Vi started off the day, facing off and winning against GamerLegion 16-19 and setting the tone for the day. But their joy was short-lived, as later in the day, Liquid beat them 16-8 on the fabled grounds of Inferno.   Liquid, in their first match, were pitted against 9INE. Coming from the Challengers stage, Liquid showed why they are big hopefuls to win the tournament. They beat 9INE who were sat in the Legends bracket after the RMRs 16-9. Monte continued their run of form against Furia and fnatic, beating both teams in their best-of-one match. Fnatic had started their day with a win against Ninjas in Pyjamas and looked in hot form until they faced off against Monte.  

10 years of grinding pic.twitter.com/HZ1Y1Yugsc

— HEROIC (@heroicgg) May 13, 2023   Heroic locked horns with FaZe, who had a rocky start to their Major campaign. And, once again, FaZe’s graph went on a downward trend when they lost against cadiaN’s giants 16-7. They continued their victory trail into their second match where they won against Apeks.    Apeks had carried their form from the Legends stage and beat Into the Breach 16-10. Vitality was one of the few teams beating the Challengers stage progressors when they sat G2 down on Nuke. ENCE, who had qualified with G2, beat the Bad News Eagles on Vertigo. But later in the day were given a taste of their own medicine by Vitality.    Monte and fnatic had an exciting matchup on Vertigo. Their game went into overtime, where we saw Monte getting the upper hand, and emerging as the victors, with the scoreline reading 19-17 in their favour.    The final four matches of the day had – NiP beat Furia, GamerLegion beating 9INE, G2 losing their second match-up after winning their first game against Vitality, and FaZe looking meak with their second loss in their match against Into the Breach.    Here's a look at the points table at the end of Day1 of the Legends stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 -    

Heroic, Liquid, Monte, and Vitality are looking to be the teams to beat at the moment. And, G2, FaZe, 9INE, and Furia having the most amount of rubber to pick up if they want to avoid a trip to de_airport.

Here's the schedule of Day 2 of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 -

To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page  

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Tecno Ultimage camera technology explained: How it benefits the Camon 20 series

Tecno has announced Ultimage camera technology for the Camon and Phantom line of smartphones. Ultimage encompasses 3 camera technologies viz. RGBW Pro sensor, sensor-shift image stabilisation, and a proprietary AI algorithm for portraits. Ultimage will be part of the Tecno Camon 20 series that could launch in India soon. Let’s learn more about this camera technology and what we know about the upcoming Camon family of phones.

What is Ultimage?

Ultimage is a term coined by Tecno for a bundle of 3 camera features it is bringing to some of its forthcoming Phantom and Camon smartphones, especially the Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G.

As for the 3 Ultimage camera technologies, here they are:

1. RGBW Pro Technology

Traditionally, the camera sensors have an RGGB (Red, Green, Green, and Blue) colour filter pattern. However, in this case, one of those Green pixel arrays is replaced by a White pixel array. The white pixels increase the sensor’s light sensitivity and enable it to capture more light. The company claims ​​the new filter can intake 208% light which can be helpful in low-light settings.

This isn’t a new technology or concept and Tecno isn’t the only one working on this. In fact, back in December 2021, Tecno announced it is working on RGBW sensors with Samsung. 

2. Sensor-shift image stabilization

Instead of moving the lens (like in the case of OIS), the sensor-shift technology moves the sensor itself to compensate for any shakes or jittery movements up to 5,000 times per second. 

This anti-shaking technology should offer clearer images than before.

3. Portrait Master Algorithm

The proprietary algorithm is the result of deep learning on over 50 million deep skin tone photos. Tecno claims the algo can discern 7 different skin tones and that it should be able to offer the “most advanced” portraits out of a smartphone.

Needless to say, all these will be tested when the phone lands in our hands. Speaking of which, Tecno Camon 20 Premier 5G is the flagship phone out of the Camon 20 family. It has launched in another market with a 120Hz FHD+ AMOLED display, Android 13 with HiOS software, a triple rear camera setup including 50MP (main)+ 108MP (ultrawide)+ 2MP (depth), a 32MP selfie snapper, a 5000mAh battery with 45W charging, and a Mediatek Dimensity 8050 5G chipset.

Let’s see if it comes to India with these features.

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Google Pixel Tablet vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 vs Apple iPad: Who wins the battle of flagship tablets

Google launched the Pixel Tablet at Google IO 2023. It is priced at €670 and ships with Google’s Tensor G2 processor and high-end specs. Due to its price and stature, you may want to compare it to the flagship tablets from Samsung and Apple, ie., the Galaxy Tab S8 and iPad. 

Google Pixel Tablet compared to Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and Apple iPad

Here is the spec-by-spec comparison —

1. Display

Google Pixel Tablet has a 10.95-inch IPS LCD screen with 1600x2560 pixel resolution, 276 PPI and a 16:10 aspect ratio. You can attach the display to a bundled charging speaker dock (magnetic pogo-pin-based) that turns the device into a smart display. You can set it to show slideshows of your Google Photos and even use it as a Smart Home Control to some extent. 

Apple also offers an IPS LCD stretching 10.9 inches. It has a resolution of 1640 x 2360 pixels and a pixel density of 264 PPI. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a TFT LCD only which is 11 inches in size. The resolution is 1600 x 2560 pixels and the pixel density is 274 PPI.

So, the Google tablet has better display specs.

2. Software

Pixel Tablet boots with Android 13 out of the box. Besides some Pixel-specific features, the UI is mostly stock.

Samsung ships the Galaxy Tab S8 with Android 12 but the device is upgradeable to Android 13. Also, the skin on top named One UI 5 is very different from the stock.

Apple sells the iPad with iPadOS 16.1 which you can upgrade to the latest version via OTA update.

3. Cameras

Both the front and back of the Pixel Tablet sport an 8MP sensor with 1080p @30fps support. Some camera features on offer include automatic lighting and auto-framing.

Samsung has a higher megapixel camera on the back — 13MP while the front camera is a 12MP shooter. You get to shoot at up to 4K 60 fps from both side cameras. Samsung also gives auto-framing on its front camera.

Apple lets you record at 4K60 from the back but only 1080p 60 from the front. On both sides, you get a 12MP camera. Center Stage on iPads does the auto-framing function.

4. Processor

Google equips the Pixel Tablet with Tensor G2 which is not as powerful as the Apple A14 Bionic inside the iPad or Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 within the Galaxy Tab S8. It doesn’t offer a lot of memory combinations like the Samsung tablet but should be enough for most users. Suffice to say, all three tablets should run fine.

5. Connectivity

As for connectivity, both Pixel and Apple Tablet have WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2, while the Galaxy tablet has WiFi 6e and Bluetooth 5.2.

Apple has USB 2.0 type-C port whereas both Samsung and Pixel have USB 3.2 type-C port.

You can check out the complete Google Pixel Tablet, Apple iPad, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 specs and updated pricing on their respective pages.

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JioCinema vs Hotstar and other OTTs compared: Which to subscribe and which to skip

JioCinema gets serious about its OTT business with the introduction of subscription tiers. Yes, the JioCinema Premium plan is here, priced at ₹999 a year. Let’s see what you get for that price and how it compares to its major competitors — Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

JioCinema Premium plan benefits

JioCinema Premium is available in India now. It spices up the OTT war in the country. You pay ₹999 annually and here’s what you get:

- 12 months of premium content like HBO shows and the latest Warner Bros and DC movies. We are not sure if this includes OTT premieres too.

- You can watch it on any device as long as it supports the JioCinema app or website. You can use it on 4 devices at a time.

- JioCinema boasts the highest video and audio streaming quality.

Here’s how that compares to Hotstar and the likes.

JioCinema vs Disney+ Hotstar plan 

The Disney+ Hotstar Premium tier costs ₹1499 per year and you get:

- All content like movies, shows, live sports 

- You can stream content on mobile, laptops, and TV

- You can use 4 devices simultaneously.

- The content will be ad-free (except for live sports)

-  The max quality supported is 4K in video and Dolby Atmos in audio.

There is a Super and Super+ (ad-free content except for live sports) plan with 2 device support at a time.

Hotstar is the one most affected by JioCinema Premium in our opinion as it not only lost IPL but also HBO content to the newcomer.

JioCinema vs Netflix

Netflix Premium plan costs ₹649 a month, which is ₹7788 for 12 months. You can watch on mobile, tablet, TV, and laptop with 4K HDR quality.

There are Standard (1080p: ₹499 a month), Basic (720p: ₹199 a month), and Mobile (480p: ₹149/month) plans. The Mobile plan as you can guess work on phones and tablets only.

It is the most expensive one and so it depends on whether it has the content you want to see and you have the money to pay for it.

JioCinema vs Amazon Prime Video

The annual plan of Amazon Prime subscription (including Prime Video) costs ₹1499. You can also grab an Amazon Prime Lite plan for ₹999 (also 12 months). The Prime Video content on Lite includes ads. The Prime Lite also leaves Prime Music out.  

The Amazon Prime monthly plan costs ₹299 whereas the 3-month plan costs ₹599.

What you are paying for is not just for streaming but for the whole Amazon Prime experience which includes shopping.

However, comparing all, JioCinema seems exciting if you are a fan of HBO and WB content library. 

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