Xiaomi 14 series: First smartphones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Check more details

Xiaomi is said to be in the process of developing its upcoming flagship series, the Xiaomi 14 series smartphones. A famous tipster, Digital Chat Station, has revealed a glimpse of the launch timeline for these smartphones. The smartphone is also expected to roll out with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and could launch this year in China as well. Apart from that, the Xiaomi 14 series might launch with two models: the standard one and the Pro model.

Also read: Forget Xiaomi 13, next flagship may be dubbed Xiaomi 14 series: Here’s why

Qualcomm’s annual Tech Summit event is scheduled from October 24 to October 26 in Maui, Hawaii. The most awaited Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset could roll out in this event. According to Digital Chat Station, the Xiaomi 14 series phones are likely to be the first devices powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. These phones are expected to debut in China by November.

The upcoming Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC is said to use TSMC's 4nm process. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 recently spotted on Geekbench in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus for testing, and in result, it gave 2723 points in single-core and 7525 points in multi-core.

Digital Chat Station has also tipped some specifications of the vanilla Xiaomi 14 smartphone. It will reportedly be equipped with a 50-megapixel primary sensor of a larger 1/1.28 inch sensor than the 50-megapixel 1/1.49 inch sensor on the Xiaomi 13. Along with that, the smartphone is tipped to feature a telephoto sensor with 3.9x optical zoom, accompanied by a design with thin display bezels. Additionally, a previous leak revealed a 4860mAh battery for the Xiaomi 14.

Also read: The Xiaomi 13 Ultra is the best portrait camera phone on the market now, here’s why

Fast charging will be fast, as the smartphone is tipped to support 90-watt wired fast charging and 50-watt fast wireless charging. Global and Chinese variants of the device have been identified through IMEI certification by model numbers 23127PN0CC and 23127PN0CG. The codename for the vanilla Xiaomi 14 is "Houji." The Xiaomi 14 Pro is speculated to feature a 5000mAh battery, supporting 90-watt/120-watt wired fast charging and 50-watt wireless charging.

Xiaomi could launch the smartphones with both flat and curved panel options. IMEI listings for the Xiaomi 14 Pro indicate model numbers 23116PN5BC and 23116PN5BG. This Pro model is tipped to include WLG High-Lens sensors. Lastly, there's speculation that the Chinese brand might introduce the new MIUI 15 along with the Xiaomi 14 series smartphones.

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Indian PC market shrunk by over 15 percent, Acer the only brand that grew

In India, the regular PC market seems to face problems. They sent out 3.2 million computers in the second part of this year. This was a little more than before, but compared to the same time last year, it went down by a lot (15.3% less). This information comes from a group called International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. 

In this quarter, all types of computer products didn't sell as well as they did the year before. Computers such as notebooks sold 18.5% less, and the desktops sold 7.0% less compared to last year. Both regular people and businesses didn't buy as many computers, with a 17.0% drop for regular people and 13.8% for businesses.

Also read: Lenovo strengthens Make In India plans

The PCs sold for schools and the government did better, but businesses had a hard time. Some states like Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu helped schools get more computers, and that made the school computer market grow by 43.7%. The government also increased the PC market by 8.2%, because they needed them for court orders. 

The high-end laptops, priced over ₹80,000, faced a downfall by 30.7%. But they did better in the later part of the year, going up by 39.0% compared to the previous three months. 

However, the top 5 brands in India are HP Inc, Lenovo, Dell Technologies, Asus, and Acer Group. All of these companies have faced a downfall in their market share in 2Q23 compared to last year’s (2Q22) position, except Acer Group, according to IDC. Acer Group has seen a positive growth in its market share this year.

Also read: Laptop import ban explained: Do you need to worry about your next purchase?

Acer Group has gained 11.4% in 2Q23 market share, whereas last year’s score was 8.9%. This company has got a 8.2% positive YoY growth in the total market.

Next up, there’s Asus, which secured 7.2% 2Q23 market share. A slight increase from last year. But it faced a 0.5% decline in 2Q23 YoY growth. 

HP Inc. has faced a 14.4% loss in 2Q23 YoY growth and secured 31.1% 2Q23 market share. A slight increase here as well, 30.8% in 2Q22 market share.

Lenovo failed to achieve positive growth as it faced a 30.2% decline in 2Q23 YoY. Its 2Q22’s market share was 19.6%, whereas this year it was only 16.2%. 

Dell Technologies has done the worst of them all, as it faced a 39.9% decline in 2Q23 YoY. Its 2Q22’s market share was 21.6%, whereas this year it was only 15.3%.

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WhatsApp now lets users share HD photos: Heres how to do it

The days of asking your friends or family to send photos on WhatsApp as a “file” or send them over on Signal instead seem to be behind us. Meta-owned messaging company WhatsApp is finally allowing users to send photos in HD quality on the app (both iOS and Android) and through web experience! Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to share this update and show off the new feature. 

Also read: WhatsApp will soon let you make AI generated stickers: Here’s how

The much-awaited news comes a couple of months after the news first got out that WhatsApp was testing a way for users to send HD photos through WhatsApp messages. The feature has finally arrived and is now rolling out to iOS, Android, and Web Experience users starting today. Users can choose to either send HD photos or SD photos, according to their preference. However, it may take a couple of weeks for all users to be able to use this feature.

How to share HD photos on WhatsApp

In order to send an HD photo on WhatsApp, first head over to the Play Store or App Store and update WhatsApp. Now, simply head over to a chat where you want to send an HD photo and click on the camera icon at the bottom of the screen.

Next, click a photo or choose one from your gallery. Now, click on the new ‘HD’ button on the top of the screen next to the crop button. Next, choose HD quality from the menu and then hit the arrow Send button. That’s it. You have sent an HD photo on WhatsApp.

If you don’t see this option, your device hasn’t gotten the latest update yet and you will have to wait for a few days or weeks to get access to it.

HD photos on WhatsApp have arrived

The resolution of the HD photo sent depends on the aspect ratio and image resolution of your original photo. For example, for a photo shot in 200 MP mode in the 3:4 aspect ratio, WhatsApp’s HD photo’s resolution was 3060 x 4080 pixels. However, the same photo in a 3:4 aspect ratio but taken with the binned 12.5 MP mode turned out to be 3000 x 4000 pixels. 

The same photo taken in WhatsApp’s native camera app had a resolution of 2052 x 3648 pixels with HD photo mode turned on.

Also read: 5 WhatsApp features that you should start using, if you aren't already

So, your experience with HD photos’ resolution on WhatsApp will vary depending on the aspect ratio of the photo, the resolution of the original image, and the device you send it on (Android, iOS or web). 

Now, sending HD photos has been a long sought-after feature, since many other messages apps have it integrated, however, you should note that these photos could take longer to send and will consume more data. So, keep that in mind if you’re on a slow internet connection or if you have limited data. 

There may still be some compression happening on WhatsApp’s end, there’s no clarity on that at this point, but it’s still great to have the option to share photos with higher resolution. Not just this, Meta also indicated that an HD video feature on WhatsApp is in the works as well.

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Marshall Woburn III Review: Elegant and powerful, but lacks some basics

Luxurious and powerful, the Marshall Woburn III stuns with premium looks and impactful sound at first. However, delve deeper and you’ll find that at ₹59,999, there are quite a few misses. There’s no aptX or LDAC codec support, which brings it down from the pedestal it could occupy in the premium speaker space. A great alternative is the AIWA RS-X150 Natsukasii Pro (review) which comes with AAC and LDAC support and is also cheaper! Additionally, the Marshall Woburn III lacks Wi-Fi or voice assistant support, which you get on speakers at half the price. What you won’t get is the carefully crafted blend of classy and retro aesthetics that Marshall has mastered over the years.

Marshall is a legendary audio brand widely known for its celebrated guitar amplifiers. The brand also has a wide portfolio of speakers and headphones, all renowned for their build and sound quality. So, naturally, when I got the opportunity to review the third iteration of Marshall’s flagship speakers, I was immediately excited. The Marshall Woburn III is one of the most pricey speakers you can find on the market at ₹59,999. For that dough, you get a beautiful build, powerful speakers, and an accompanying app. But is the new Marshall Woburn III worth its asking price or are there better options out there? Let’s find out in my detailed review of the Marshall Woburn III. 

Marshall Woburn III Review: Build and Design

The design of the Marshall Woburn III is reminiscent of Marshall’s old guitar amplifiers. It is a hunk of a speaker at nearly 7.5 kilograms and it measures 12.5 by 15.8 by 8.0 inches. The Woburn III is undeniably retro-looking and I think it looks very aesthetically pleasing – so much so, that it would make for a fine showpiece in your living room. However, with these dimensions, the speaker wouldn’t comfortably fit under any TV, which is a shame since it has HDMI connectivity.

The build quality is excellent though; one of the best in the business. The faux leather material and brass control knobs look ridiculously premium. Up front, the cloth speaker grille with the cursive ‘Marshall’ branding set it apart visually. The overall design language screams retro and premium. You can also choose between two colourways – Black and Cream – both of which look equally stunning.

The knobs include volume controls, bass and treble adjusters. There’s also a play/pause button, a track skip forward/backward slider knob, and a source button (Bluetooth, AUX, RCA, or HDMI). And lastly, you’ve got the power switch that is quite literally reminiscent of ‘switches’ of the yesteryears.

One thing missing on the speaker is a carrying strap, but the company has included a cavity in the back panel which you can slip your hand into. It helps make it a bit easier to carry the speaker, but a carrying strap would have taken that a step further. However, it is not really aimed to be a portable speaker, since it does require constant power to operate. As for connectivity options, the speaker has Bluetooth v5.2, HDMI, RCA, and a 3.5 mm jack. 

Marshall has attempted to use sustainable materials in the construction of the Woburn III. It has a PVC-free build which comprises of 70 per cent recycled plastic and vegan leather materials. So, props to the company for that.

Marshall Woburn III Review: Features

Luxury speakers – while usually premium-looking – miss out on some features that are found on other consumer brands’ offerings. Here, we miss out on Wi-Fi connectivity and voice assistant support. I did miss Wi-Fi support as speakers from Sonos and other such companies usually pack full Wi-Fi connectivity and features. There’s no official IP rating as well, so be wary of using the speaker around water or dust.

There’s an accompanying app that allows for some basic customisation. There’s an in-app EQ but it is not visual and only allows you to control the bass and treble frequencies – which you can also control via the physical controls, so there are no additional benefits in the EQ department on the app. 

There’s a Placement Compensation feature within the app that asks you two basic questions to ascertain the position of the speaker in your room and adjust the sound accordingly, to eventually provide a more room-filling sound. Marshall has also added Night Mode which lowers louder sounds but ensures that quiet sounds are still clear and audible. I didn’t find a tangible difference when connected to Bluetooth, but the feature seems to be aimed at HDMI usage, so it could be more effective with HDMI connection.

That aside, you get basic playback controls, the ability to update the firmware, and… that’s about it. It is a pretty barebones app in terms of features. The same is true for the speaker as well; you’ve got a couple of features that work decently well, but that’s about it.

Marshall Woburn III Review: Performance

Behind the speaker grille of the Marshall Woburn III, you’ve got a 90 W Class D amplifier that powers a 6-inch woofer, dual 15 W amplifiers for the two 2-inch mid-range speakers, and dual 15W Class D amplifiers that drive the two 0.75-inch tweeters. The speaker supports a frequency range of 35 Hz - 20,000 Hz and is only compatible with the SBC codec. Here lies the gravest shortcoming of Marshall Woburn III. It is hard to give Marshall a pass for the fact that the speaker doesn’t come with aptX or LDAC codecs since it is priced at a whopping ₹59,999.

The drivers on the Marshal Woburn III pack a punch and are very capable, however, the lack of LDAC or aptX means that you can’t play hi-fidelity FLAC music to its full potential over Bluetooth. If you connect using a wired source, high-fidelity playback is possible, of course. 

The speaker has a V-shaped sound signature with boosted lows and highs, however, they don’t impact the clarity of the mids given the fantastic tuning of the drivers. The low-end has a nice punch to it, and instruments such as kick drums are driven with ease even at low volume levels. In Another One Bites the Dust by Queen, the low-end rumble sounds detailed and has a lot of presence without being overbearing. 

I did notice that there is some discernible distortion at high volume levels though. The speaker gets extremely loud though, so you won’t usually need to push it to maximum volume levels. In fact, it can encompass a large space with room-filling sound at 60-70 per cent volume. At these volume levels, the lows sound clean, the bass has great rumble, and the mids are detailed with sparkly highs to complement. It is not a flat sound profile, but it has character and is very enjoyable. LDAC or aptX codec support would definitely be a cherry on top, but alas, it is missing.

Marshall Woburn III Review: Verdict

Luxurious and powerful, the Marshall Woburn III stuns with premium looks and impactful sound at first. However, delve deeper and you’ll find that at ₹59,999, there are quite a few misses. There’s no aptX or LDAC codec support, which brings it down from the pedestal it could occupy in the premium speaker space. A great alternative is the AIWA RS-X150 Natsukasii Pro (review) which comes with AAC and LDAC support and is also cheaper!

Additionally, the Marshall Woburn III lacks Wi-Fi or voice assistant support, which you get on speakers at half the price. What you won’t get is the carefully crafted blend of classy and retro aesthetics that Marshall has mastered over the years. If looks are the most important to you, the Marshall Woburn III is one of the most artfully-designed speakers you can buy in 2023. For everything else, we have seen better.

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OnePlus Ace 2 Pro with huge 24GB RAM and lightning fast charging of 150-watt launched in China

OnePlus has finally launched the much-awaited and rumoured smartphone, the OnePlus Ace 2 Pro. The Ace series of the brand is exclusively for China only. However, it does rebrand and launch the Ace models in the rest of the world. The OnePlus Ace 2 Pro brings with it a few surprises in terms of specifications. One of them is that it boasts a huge 24GB RAM. Let’s have a look at all the remaining specifications. 

First and foremost, the display. OnePlus Ace 2 Pro comes with a 6.74-inch 1.5K AMOLED curved display which comes with a resolution of FHD+ and offers up to 120 Hz refresh rate. This display can give an output of 1600 nits at full brightness. Also, the OnePlus Ace 2 Pro runs on ColorOS 13 based on Android 13. 

Also read: OnePlus Ace 2 Pro will launch on Aug 16 in China: Here are its 5 specs we know

Talking about the performance, this premium smartphone is equipped with Qualcomm’s latest chipset, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. And the processor is paired with up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage, as mentioned above. Apart from that, there are two more memory options; 12GB + 256GB and 16GB + 512GB. The Ace 2 Pro is packed with a 5000 mAh battery and supports up to 150-Watt fast charging. OnePlus has claimed that you can charge this smartphone from 0-100 per cent in just 17 minutes. 

For photography, you will get a 50-megapixel Sony IMX890 primary camera sensor with OIS, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 2-megapixel macro sensor in OnePlus Ace 2 Pro. On the front, it sports a 16-megapixel selfie shooter.

OnePlus Ace 2 Pro launched in China at a starting price of CNY 2999, which is approximately ₹34,000. The smartphone will be available for purchase on August 23. As of now, it is only available for pre-booking. 

Also read: OnePlus Ace 2 Pro to compete with Realme GT 5: Launch timeline confirmed

OnePlus has not confirmed the global launch of Ace 2 Pro yet but we are expecting this smartphone might make it to other countries as the OnePlus 11T or not at all.

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Apple iPhone 15 will support 35W fast charging, launch tipped for September 12

The upcoming Apple smartphone, iPhone 15 is going to have some cool changes such as switching to USB Type-C charger from the usual Lightning Connector. This new charger can make the iPhone charge really fast, like in a super quick way. Although, it is expected that Apple will throw an event on September 12 or 13, so we are hoping the company will reveal its new iPhone lineup then only. 

According to 9to5Mac, some models of the iPhone 15 can get charged up with 35-watt of power. However, it is not confirmed yet whether the high-end models of iPhone 15 series will get this super-fast charging, or if all of them will have it. This means you won't have to wait as long for your iPhone to be ready to use. 

Also read: iPhone 15 production starts in Tamil Nadu's Foxconn factory: Report

Right now, the iPhone14 Pro charges at 27-watt, which takes a bit more time. Also, there's talk that some of the new iPhones might be able to support Thunderbolt from the USB Type-C port.

Last year, Apple made a charger that can give 35-watt to iPhones, and if the rumours are true, the new iPhone 15 will be using that charger only. It's like giving your phone a big energy boost, but it only works when the phone is not connected to something else. There's another charger from Apple that gives 30-watt which comes for MacBook Air but can also be used for iPhones and iPads. 

Also read: Apple iPhone 15 leaks: Take first look at design and colour options

Talking about iPhone 15’s design, they could also look different. They might have smoother edges and bigger camera modules. The sizes of the iPhone 15 models will most likely be the same as their predecessors. However, some of them won't have that notch anymore, but the Dynamic Island instead reportedly.

In the iPhone 15 Pro models, a new Action button is tipped to do things like turning off the sound. They could be powered by Apple A17 Bionic Chipset, Titanium frame and improved cameras with Periscope lens. 

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You can play all the maps in Counter-Strike 2 - Find out everything new in the latest CS2 Limited Test update

Valve has dropped another update to Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Beta, this time beating everyone’s expectations! In this update, they have not added any new maps or game modes but have done something that would make the experience of the lucky few who are a part of the Limited Test Beta program for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s successor, CS2, even more complete.

Today we're adding all maps shipped thus far in CS2 into one Casual playlist. This and more in today's Release Notes: https://t.co/wBLPW5vSqE

— CS2 (@CounterStrike) August 17, 2023

The Seattle-based gaming giant announced the release of CS2 back in March with the Limited Test Beta Program, highlighting and testing some of the biggest changes to the game prior to its release. In case you didn’t know, Valve has added a multitude of changes and new features to CS2, apart from the engine upgrade. They have been rotating maps in the playable pool and making changes to game modes as well.

The last update of Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Beta included a new map, cs_italy (aka Italy) to Deathmatch and Casual game modes. Valve had also disabled Competitive and Private Matchmaking for the players playing CS2. This was in line with their update pattern, which included gameplay adjustments and changes to game modes and map pools.

Latest CS2 update has enabled all game modes for offline play

With their latest update, which dropped on August 17, they have broken their pattern. The developers made all the maps that had been previously shipped as a part of the updates playable in Casual and Deathmatch game modes online. For offline players, in the words of Valve, “All maps and game modes previously shipped in the Limited Test are available”. There have also been changes to some gameplay elements, which you can read in the update notes here. 

However, that is not it! As is the case with every update CS2 has been receiving, data miners scrambled to get some hidden info from the game files. This time, the findings reveal two maps which could potentially make their way into the game. As per the findings of renowned Counter-Strike data miner Aquarius, the 'gamemodes.txt' file reveals that de_inferno (Inferno) and de_train (Train) could be the next maps shipped in the game.

Based on the changes to the 'gamemodes.txt' file, it seems like the next Counter-Strike 2 maps are going to be de_inferno and possibly de_train. pic.twitter.com/i1o3GoD1it

— Aquarius (@aquaismissing) August 18, 2023

Counter-Strike 2’s release is now close than it has ever been! The active updates being sent to the people who are a part of the program, as I stated in my earlier coverage of the updates, indicate that the game release is on time. Now, I cannot confirm any dates, but there is still time for the North American Summer to get over, so it is not too late.

Sounds like an appetizer before the main course. https://t.co/SCdUzzjWhg

— ‎Gabe Follower (@gabefollower) August 17, 2023

Some people are also speculating that our Lord Gaben could decide to release the game on the same day as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which is August 21. Let’s hope that we get to experience another decade of exciting Counter-Strike action whenever CS2 releases.

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