The built-in usable storage of the PS5, Xbox Series S and Series X are already known and those that are looking to pick up a PS5 should know that the console comes with 825GB of storage of which 667GB is available to users for games and apps. One of the highlights of the PS5 is that users can simply slot in an M.2 PCIe gen 4 drive to expand the storage. The catch is that the drive must be compatible with Sony’s console. 

According to The Verge, the expansion slot “will apparently be disabled out of the box”. Sony tells The Verge that the expansion slot is reserved for a future update. During the reveal of the PS5 specifications back in March, PS5 System Lead Architect Mark Cerny spoke about the expandable storage and how they were testing M.2 drives for compatibility with the PS5. During the talk, he does highlight that the support for expandable storage could come after the launch of the console so this shouldn’t be a big surprise. The Verge goes on to highlight that “Sony’s compatibility testing program hasn’t actually kicked off yet”.

With the PS3 and PS4, users could simply replace the internal drive and with the PS4, players could use an external HDD to store and play games as well. Since the PS5’s SSD is soldered onto the motherboard, it won't be replaceable. 

Microsoft on the other hand has partnered with Seagate for a proprietary solution for expandable storage. You can learn more about it here. 

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Micromax's In-series is set to launch on November 3 in India and the company has started releasing teasers for the upcoming phones across its social media handles. This launch also marks the comeback of Micromax to the Indian smartphone space with rumours suggesting that the company is preparing to launch at least two smartphones.

The details about the upcoming In-series launch in India have been kept under wraps with Micromax releasing teasers in the heads up to the launch. It has been hinted through these teasers and an official partnership announcement that the upcoming phones could be powered by a MediaTek processor under the hood. Here’s everything we know so far about the Micromax In-series launch on November 3.

We know your cherished memories are precious to you. That’s why we’ve made sure you have the space to keep them all. #INMobiles unveiling on 3rd Nov, 12 noon. Are you #INForIndia? #MicromaxIsBack pic.twitter.com/gXWryY5Ptl

— Micromax India (@Micromax__India) November 1, 2020 Micromax In-series: How to watch the live stream

The Micromax In-series smartphone launch is scheduled to launch on November 3 starting from 12 PM. The In-series launch event will be live-streamed on YouTube and the company’s social media handles across Twitter and Facebook. 

Micromax has created a dedicated event page for the In-series launch event on Facebook that you can check out here.

Micromax In-series expected price

Micromax In-series is expected to be priced between Rs 7,000 and Rs 15,000 and will compete directly with the likes of Xiaomi and Realme smartphones in these price segments. The company has previously hinted that it wants to target this highly volatile segment which sees the most number of smartphone shipments in the country.

Micromax In-series rumoured specifications

The names of the smartphones under the In-series is not official yet, however, as per previous leaks and rumours, Micromax could announce the In 1 and In 1a as its first two phones under the new lineup. The phones are expected to feature a 6.5-inch HD+ and Full HD+ displays respectively and could be powered by the Helio G85 and Helio G35 processors. 

Moreover, in an exclusive interview with YouTube channel Technical Guruji, Micromax co-founder Rahul Sharma showed off the upcoming phones and confirmed that one variant does come with a 48MP primary camera housed in the rectangular camera module. 

From the video, we can also see a punch-hole cutout in the centre for the selfie camera and both the phones have a gradient design on the back. There’s a fingerprint reader as well and the phones will likely come with triple and quad-camera array on the back.

The upcoming phones in the In-series are expected to be equipped with a 5,000mAh battery and will likely run on stock Android out-of-the-box.

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We’ve all been waiting with bated breath for some hands-on information about the PS5, and it looks like that day isn't far. International media has started receiving PS5 review units on October 23. So, we can expect content around the console to trickle out starting this week all the way up to the launch of the console. However, it looks like YouTuber, Austin Evans, got a retail unit of the PS5 DualSense controller and decided to have fun with it. You can check out everything he did with the controller in the video below. 

One of the key things to note is that the PS5 DualSense controller is not compatible with the PS4. It does get recognized as a controller. But don't expect to game using it. Austin even plugs it into an Xbox Series X, but as expected, nothing happens. 

What’s interesting is that he pairs the controller with an Android device and uses it as a Bluetooth controller, confirming that the DualSense will in fact work with your smartphone as a Bluetooth controller. He then goes on to play Forza, an Xbox game on his Android device via xCloud, Microsoft’s game streaming service. 

While one can do this using a PS4 controller, what was interesting is to see how the new controller performs. Of course, its haptic feedback features were not active as those need to be implemented by the developer. However, we doubt they’ll be implemented for use with xCloud games. 

He also compares the size of the PS5 DualSense controller with the PS4 DualShock controller and an Xbox controller. While the PS5 controller is definitely chunkier than its predecessor, it looks to be more in line with the design of the Xbox controller, which isn't a bad thing. The trigger of the DualSense also seems to have a bit more tension. 

You can check out details of the India price of the PS5 here and the price and release date of the Series X here.

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The OnePlus Nord N10 and Nord N100 are heavily rumoured to launch later today with their key specifications, expected price and features already out in the open, courtesy of many leaks. Both the phones make the Nord lineup more affordable and have been tipped to launch on October 26, however, there’s no official word on it yet. Given the OnePlus’ penchant for starting the hype-train well in advance, it does come as a surprise that there’s no official teaser of the launch yet.

Nevertheless, courtesy of the various leaks and rumours that have been circulating online since the last few weeks, it's likely that the Nord N10 and Nord N100 will launch in Europe and the US. Both the phones in the OnePlus Nord range are expected to launch at 12 PM GMT (5:30 PM IST) and here’s everything we know about them.

OnePlus Nord N100 leaked specifications

The OnePlus Nord N100 could be the most affordable OnePlus phone in a long time, as per the latest rumours. The phone is expected to retail starting at around EUR 199 for the base variant and could be available to purchase from November 10, according to the tipster Ishan Agarwal. 

OnePlus N100: -6.52" HD+ -Stereo Speakers -Snapdragon 460 -8MP Front -13+2+2MP Main Camera -5000 mAh Battery -OxygenOS -3.5mm Headphone Jack -Around €199 for 4+64GB depending on region -Available by Nov 10#OnePlusN100 #OnePlusNord Please credit, Link: https://t.co/E8CwOIkniM

— Ishan Agarwal (@ishanagarwal24) October 25, 2020

As for the specifications, previous reports by OnLeaks have hinted that the Nord N100 could feature a 6.52-inch HD+ display that uses an LCD panel. It could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 processor and paired with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. 

It is expected to come with a triple camera setup on the back that likely consists of a primary 13MP camera, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. On the front, there could be an 8MP selfie camera housed in a notch cutout. The N100 could come equipped with a 5,000mAh battery and OxygenOS to boot.

OnePlus Nord N10 leaked specifications

The Nord N10 is expected to feature a 6.49-inch Full HD+ display that supports a 90Hz high refresh rate. Since it is expected to be an affordable phone, the phone may likely end up using an LCD panel. It is also expected to have a 3.5 mm audio jack.

OnePlus Nord N10 could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 5G processor with an octa-core CPU and is expected to be paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It is expected to run on OxygenOS out-of-the-box.

The N10 leak indicates that it has a quad-camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 64MP camera, making it the first OnePlus phone to come with that sensor. The secondary camera is touted to be an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor.

The Nord N10 could come equipped with a 4,300mAh battery that may or may not support fast charging.

We expect to know more about the OnePlus Nord N100 and N10 5G when they make their official debut.

 

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Amazon’s Great India Festival has kicked off and will continue throughout the month during the festive season. The sale started from October 17 offering a wide range of electronics, mobiles, and other items on attractive discounts along with exchange and no-cost EMI offers. So if you are in the market for a new smartphone, this is the best time to get one on discount —    OnePlus 8    List Price: Rs 41,999   Deal Price: Rs 39,999 + 10% Discount on HDFC cards   The OnePlus 8 got a price cut recently after the OnePlus 8T launch, and now there's an additional discount bringing the price down to effectively Rs 35,999. With the Snapdragon 865 under the hood, the OnePlus 8 performs like a flagship smartphone and a curved AMOLED display and a 48MP triple camera stack completes the overall package.   iPhone 11   List Price: Rs 61,990   Deal Price: Rs 47,999   The 64GB iPhone 11 is available at its lowest ever! The other storage variants are also on a similar discount, and we’d recommend getting at least the 128GB variant of the smartphone.     Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro Max   List Price: Rs 16,999   Deal Price: Rs 15,999   The Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is available at a Rs 1,000 discount along with additional bank and exchange offers. With a Snapdragon 720G under the hood, and a large LCD display, the Note 9 Pro Max is for those who want a large screen for gaming and watching movies on the go. The 64MP quad camera setup perfoms quite well to bring out rich, vibrant and detailed shots in the day.   Xiaomi Mi 10 (8+128GB)   List Price: Rs 49,999   Deal Price: Rs 44,999   The Xiaomi Mi 10 is now more affordable after the launch of the Mi 10T and the Mi 10T Pro. Both variants are on a Rs 5,000 discount. The Xiaomi Mi 10 is the company's most premium offering sporting a 90Hz AMOLED display, a 108MP triple camera setup and 30W fast wired and wireless charging.   Samsung Galaxy M31s    List Price: Rs 19,999   Deal Price: Rs 18,499   The Samsung Galaxy M31s is available at a small discount officially, and you can club a couple of bank and exchange offers to get the price even lower. With a 64MP quad camera setup, an AMOLED display and a massive 6,000mAh battery makes the M31s the most practical mid-range smartphone to buy.   Samsung Galaxy S10   List Price: Rs 49,999   Deal Price: Rs 39,999   The Samsung Galaxy S10 is available at an attractive Rs 10,000 discount during the Great India Festival sale on Amazon. Even after being a year old, the Galaxy S10 continues to offer a premium experience in a compact form factor. With a curved AMOLED display and a triple camera stack, the Galaxy S10 is both luxurious and reliable.

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Vodafone Idea subscribers, there is a prepaid data plan for those of you that don't want to be limited by 2 or 3GB data per day. The Vodafone Idea Rs 351 plan brings with it 100GB of data and there is no daily limit on it. You can use as much data as you like in a day. 

Vodafone Idea (Vi) Rs 351 plan details

As the name suggests the plan is priced at Rs 351. For that price, it brings a validity of 56 days and data of 100GB. There is no daily limit so one can consume as much data per day as they like until they reach the 100GB limit.  The plan does not bring with it any OTT subscription as a part of the package. 

A Vi spokesperson said, “It is our constant endeavour to create relevant propositions to address the needs of the digital consumers in the current times. Post-Covid the world has seen online activity increase by leaps and bounds - from video calls to online school to binge-watching shows/videos everything is online. And now with the CRICKET season kicking in, we don’t want our customers to miss out on any action. With 100 GB of data @ just Rs 351 for 56 days – with NO DAILY LIMITS on data - we are confident that Vi customers can binge-watch without having to worry about their quotas being exhausted.” 

As of writing this story, on Airtel's website, there are prepaid data packs for 4G users, but nothing that offers 100GB of data. Airtel users can get 30GB of data for Rs 401 with a validity of 28 days. This plan also brings with it the additional benefit of Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscription for 1 year. 

Jio Work from Home Plans 

As far as Reliance Jio is concerned, under its work from home 4G plans, Jio has 3 offerings. All three plans have a validity of 30 days. The three plans are priced at Rs 251, 201 and Rs 151 and bring with them 50GB, 40GB and 30GB data respectively. There is no benefit of OTT services here either. 

If you are looking for a broadband connection with unlimited data, then you can check out our list of the best broadband plans with unlimited data here. We have compared the offerings of all popular broadband providers.

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Motorola Razr 5G has launched in India as the successor to the Moto Razr 2019 that debuted in India earlier this year on March 16. The new Razr 5G was unveiled globally on September 10 and is the company’s second-generation foldable smartphone that supports 5G networks. 

The new Razr 5G is a refined version of the 2019 Razr as it features some cosmetic changes and is powered by the latest hardware under the hood. The phone continues its clamshell foldable design, but it is now much more refined with rounded-off corners with Motorola claiming that the improved hinge design can withstand over 200,000 flips. Let’s take a look at the pricing, availability and specifications of the Razr 5G.

Motorola Razr 5G price and availability

Motorola Razr 5G is priced at Rs 1,24,999 for the sole 8GB RAM + 256GB storage variant and is offered in three colours-- Graphite, Gold and Mercury to choose from. The Razr 5G goes on its first sale from October 12 on Flipkart and major retail stores across India.

Experience the flip of an unmatchable technology packed in an ultra-sleek design with the legendary #razr5G where #MinimalMeetsMaximal. Sale starts on 12th Oct at 12 AM on @Flipkart and leading retail stores. Pre-book now https://t.co/R6fXI4PEcN pic.twitter.com/fDH2ZhTKGE

— Motorola India (@motorolaindia) October 5, 2020 Motorola Razr 5G specifications

Motorola Moto Razr 5G features a 6.2-inch main foldable POLED display that has a 2142 x 876 pixels resolution along with a secondary G-OLED display measuring 2.7-inch and 800x600 pixels resolution. The frame of the phone is built from 7000 series aluminium while the hinge is made from stainless steel. The rear panel and secondary screen are topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 5.

When unfolded, the Razr 5G measures 7.9 millimetres and weighs 192 grams. It also comes with water-repellent coating for protection against usual splashes of water and dust.

The Razr 5G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 620 GPU. This is paired with 8GB RAM and 256GB storage with no support for storage expansion. It runs on Android 10 out-of-the-box.

Moto Razr 5G features a 48MP primary camera with an f/1.7 aperture and OIS support. It can record in 4K at 30FPS and 1080p at 120FPS. When unfolded, there is a 20MP selfie camera in a notch cutout upfront.

The Razr 5G comes equipped with a 2,800mah battery with support for 15W fast charging out-of-the-box.

 

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Paytm has launched its Mini App Store to take on the Google Play Store in India after the popular payments app was temporarily delisted from the Play Store in September. At the time, Paytm had called out Google for its arm-twisting methods saying that the removal from the Play Store was “unjustified”. With the Mini App Store, Paytm now wants to boost the Indian app developer ecosystem by offering a dedicated app store inside its payments app.

This development comes after Google announced that all apps selling digital goods are required to use the Google Play billing system which takes a 30% cut on all payments made within an app. Following this announcement, more than 150 startups including Paytm, MakeMyTrip, PolicyBazaar, RazorPay, ShareChat were reportedly working together to form an alliance to launch an Indian app store. The Mini App Store introduced by Paytm lists over 300 app-based services from companies like Decathalon, Ola, Rapido, Netmeds, Domino’s Pizza, Ovenstory Pizza, McDonald’s and more. 

Launching the Mini App Store, Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma said, “Paytm Mini App Store empowers our young Indian developers to leverage our reach and payments to build new innovative services. For Paytm users, it will be a seamless experience that doesn’t require any separate download and enables them to use their preferred payment option.”

Paytm Mini App Store: What is it and how to use?

The Paytm Mini App Store lists over 300 app-based services presented as custom-built mobile websites that offer an “app-like” experience without the need for users to download any apps. Paytm has stated that it is providing the listing and distribution of these services on its app without any fee. Moreover, app developers have been given a variety of payments options including Paytm Wallet, UPI, net-banking and debit/credit cards.

Additionally, Paytm provides a dashboard for developers to keep a track of the analytics, performance, payments and other such tools that lets them engage directly with the user. The company also revealed that this Mini App Store was being tested with select users in the Beta stage and has already garnered over 12 million visitors in September alone.

Paytm’s Mini App Store lists app-based services that use HTML and Javascript to create a mobile website that offers an app-like experience to the users. The mini-app store lists apps in different categories including shopping, healthcare, food ordering, travel, news, utilities and services, financial services, education, lifestyle, astrology, music, mini-games and live TV. 

To check out the Paytm mini app store, Android users just need to open the Paytm app on their phones and scroll down to the new Discover tab. There is a Mini App Store button that will take users to the listing page within the app. Users don’t need to download separately as the mini-app store exists within the payments app.

 

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Sony has launched its 8K TV, the Z8H in India. The TV is priced at Rs 13,99,990. In India, the TV is available in 85-inches only and the official model number of the TV is KD-85Z8H. Considering this is Sony’s flagship TV it packs in every piece of technology Sony has to offer under its TV umbrella. Let’s take a look at the features of the TV in detail. 

Sony 85Z8H specifications and features

As we’ve mentioned above, the Sony Z8H is an 8K TV giving the display a resolution of 7680 x 4320. To put things into perspective, a 4K TV has a resolution of 3840 x 2160. So, the 8K TV brings with it 4 times the resolution of a 4K TV. It also packs Sony’s TRILUMINOS Display. Powering the TV under the hood is the Sony X1 Ultimate chip. We had a chance to see this chip in action at CES 2020. According to Sony, “The X1 Ultimate, picture processor, precisely analyses and processes data to power 8K pictures with four times the resolution of 4K for scenes rich in depth, texture and detail. Even images filmed in 4K and 2K are upscaled close to 8K by 8K X-Reality PRO using a unique 8K database. Resolution of each subject is then optimised by Object-based Super Resolution to reproduce greater depth, textures, and more realistic pictures textures.” This means that if you watch 2K or 4K content on the TV, then the processing power of the TV will upscale that content to 8K. How this works is something we will only know when we get our hands on the TV. 

The Sony Z8H also has full-array backlighting with local dimming.  The TV is also ready for PS5. The PS5 boasts of support for up to 8K which we think will mostly be for video output to support streaming services as and when they start streaming content in 8K. However, the Sony Z8H is ready for the PS5 in other ways and that is all thanks to HDMI 2.1. With HDMI 2.1 support on the TV and the PS5, users will be able to take advantage of features like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), support for up to 120fps, and more. 

The Sony 8K TV runs on the Android TV platform and comes with access to the Google Play Store. You also have access to all popular streaming services built-in including Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix, Prime Video, Voot, ZEE5 and more. The TV also supports AirPlay so you can consume content from Apple TV+, provided you have an iOS or macOS device to AirPlay from. Just like the Sony A9G (review), you can talk to the Sony Z8H as it features built-in far-field mics. So, you can control the functions of the TV without resorting to the remote control. 

Sony’s X-Wide Angle is another feature making an appearance on the TV. We saw this feature last year on the Sony X9500G (review). Put simply, this is a layer on the display to help with wide viewing angles. When it comes to audio, the Z8H has Sony’s Acoustic Multi-Audio. This makes it feel as though the sound is coming directly from the screen. The TV can also be used as the centre speaker in a home theatre setup. 

In addition to 8K, the TV also supports HDR 10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The TV also comes with a new backlit remote control. 

Sony Z8H Price and Availability  

The Sony Z8H will be available across Sony retail stores (Sony Center and Sony Exclusive), www.ShopatSC.com portal, major electronic stores and e-commerce websites in India from 5th October 2020. The TV is priced at Rs 13,99,990 only.

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Another month, another slew of updates and events planned for Call of Duty: Mobile. However, this month is set to be something special for the game as it marks the 1st anniversary of Call of Duty: Mobile. However, the developers are still tight-lipped about its plans for the game and say that the information about the anniversary season will trickle in via the game’s social media pages and plan to go all out by next week. 

However, one clue that we got is that the in-game Credit Store will see a new weapon being available. But the developers have hand-picked a bunch of Epic Weapon Blueprints and it will be up to the players to vote for the one they want to see available on the store. The winning entry will then be available for half the Credit Cost of Epic Weapon Blueprints (10,000 Credits). To recall, unlike CP, Credits in Call of Duty: Mobile are freely earned by completing missions or by ranking up the Battle Pass Tiers. Players can vote for their favourite weapon here. 

Beyond this, it doesn’t look like the 1st week of October will see too much in terms of updates or anything else. However, there are still a few things players can look forward to.  

October 2 to October 14: Technogeek Event 

The Technogeek event gives players the chance to earn the new Hacker class in Battle Royale. The new class is aimed at disrupting enemies' special abilities and gadgets, making it very potentially, the most annoying class to be up against. However, the class’ ability takes a little time to deploy and the range is limited. Besides the new class, the event also gives players the chance to unlock a few weapon skins as well as the Special Ops 3 - Iridescent character. 

Ending on October 8: King of the Hill Playlist, Rapid Fire Mode, Hardcore Mode Collection Playlist, Attack of the Undead Mode, Pine 24/7, Battle Royale Warfare mode

October 8 will see the end of a bunch of game modes. So players are advised to make hay while the sun shines and play their favourite game modes as much as they want till that date. After that, one can assume that the developers will start preparing for the launch of the next Seasonal update. For a change, the developers did not release a test server for this update as they wanted to keep things a surprise for players. However, there are a few things that might make an appearance in Season 11. You can find out more about that here. 

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Well, it’s finally official. After Microsoft announced the launch date and price of the Xbox Series X and the Series S, it was time for Sony to flex its muscles. And that’s exactly what the Japanese company did. The PlayStation 5 will now officially launch on November 12. The base version of the PS5 will set you back by about $499. The Digital Edition of the console will cost $399, a full $100 less than the base version. Preorders for the consoles will begin today September 17. Also, the console will be releasing in Japan, the US, Mexico, New Zealand and South Korea on November 12 while other countries will be getting the PS5 on November 19. 

See you in November! pic.twitter.com/CjrQ65rJ5a

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 16, 2020

Sony also showed off a bunch of exclusive titles for the system including Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Deathloop, the new Resident Evil game and a brief look at the next chapter in the God of War saga. The PS5 will also come with a decent backwards compatibility mode for a ton of PS4 games. We’re not sure if this applies to PS3 and older consoles. As we earlier reported, the PS5 was thought to cost $449 but that isn’t the case as the company has finally made the $499 tag official. But the report did get the price of the Digital Edition right at $399. 

PS5 Global launch schedule: pic.twitter.com/zgwfUX6iVl

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) September 16, 2020

In other PS5 news, PlayStation is actually hiring people to play video games but you do need to be proficient in one particular language. You can read more about that here. In fact, we also have a comparison between the PS5 and the Xbox Series X which you can check out, right here. 

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Bandai Namco will also be jumping into the location-based with Pac-Man Geo. The company notes that the new game will let players create a Pac-Man level based on the real-world map in their area. This would be a classic version of the game with pellet-munching and ghosts to avoid. Players will be able to create their own mazes or play any other player generated maps. 

Bandai Namco’s announcement doesn’t exactly go into detail about the game itself, but notes that the game would follow the classic rules of the game. “while maintaining PAC-MAN’s simple rules and operability, players can experience the game at a deeper level than ever before, such as the joy of choosing one’s own stage to travel the world as they please, the pleasure of finding interesting terrain, and the fun of sharing these new discoveries,” the company notes.

 

Play PAC-MAN in the world around you! PAC-MAN GEO, a mobile app game that utilizes geographic information, is now open for pre-registration for iOS and Android users. iOShttps://t.co/V5BgCSfW3o Androidhttps://t.co/uq2XvMwvRO pic.twitter.com/3RlLbwkkKR

— PAC-MAN Official (@officialpacman) September 10, 2020

 

Pac-Man Geo will be available for download on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. However, it is not yet known when the game will be available for download, but players will e ale to pre-register for the game on their respective app stores. Apple’s app store also hints that the game might be available for download from November 30. 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Pac-Man, who was arguably one of gaming early success stories and is considered to be one of the greatest characters in gaming. It’s simple yet challenging gameplay attracted many people and is considered fun even today. In fact, back in 2010, Google celebrates Pac-Man's 30th anniversary by releasing an interactive doodle that turned the Google logo into a playable version of Pac-Man. It as reported that the doodle caused a total of a $120 million loss in terms of productivity. You can check out the doodle here. 

A few weeks back, Timex announced that it was released a special Pac-Man-themed version of its classic Timex T80 watch. The device itself is a call back to the early days and features back watch functionalities. However, it also featured a Pac-Man themed front face and also played the Pac-Man melody.

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Get ready for uncensored content on Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+Hotstar to change soon as a self-regulation code has been drafted and signed by 15 of India’s largest streaming companies. This code has not been imposed by the Indian government but rather is more self-regulation by these companies as they would rather not face the wrath of the government and preemptively ‘self-regulate’ content. Companies such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus Hotstar, Zee5, Viacom18’s Voot, ALTBalaji, Eros Now, MX Player, Discovery Plus, Jio Cinema, HoiChoi, Arre, Flickstree, Hungama and Shemaroo have all signed the ‘Universal Self-Regulation Code’which was drafted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India. You can read the entire thing here. 

First reported by Variety, the code was introduced in 2018. This code essentially came about as the Indian government did not want to impose restrictions on streaming companies and would rather these companies do it themselves. The Universal Self-Regulation Code includes frameworks for age classification, content descriptions as well as the introduction of a ‘grievance reporting mechanism’. This system essentially allows viewers to report non-compliant content. Each company will also set up a consumer complaints department along with an advisory panel to deal with the various grievances and issues that viewers might have with the content on their platforms. According to Variety, “the advisory panel will have at least three members including an independent external advisor and two senior executives from the streamer.”. The code is effective immediately on all the above mentioned streaming sites.  Who knows how this will affect content on streaming platforms in the coming months but if history is anything to go by, we’ll could soon be getting censored content on streaming services, just like we are on television. 

In a statement to the media, a representative from the Internet and Mobile Association of India said, “The goal of this industry-wide effort is to empower consumers with information and tools to assist them in making an informed choice with regard to viewing decisions for them and their families, while at the same time, nurturing creativity and providing creators the freedom to tell the finest stories.”

In other news, Netflix has cancelled its cyberpunk show Altered Carbon, but we’ve got a bunch of shows to help you fill that void. Check it out here. You can also watch select Netflix originals for free, without a subscription, and you can find out how to do that, right here. And finally, Netflix is also testing a shuffle button to help you decide what to watch next. You can read more about that here. 

 

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The upcoming NVIDIA RTX 3090 graphics card, part of the RTX 3000 series based on Ampere, might feature a triple-slot design as per some photos that have appeared online thanks to Twitter user @GarnetSunset who has also quoted a price of USD 1400 for what could be the top graphics card from the RTX 3000 family. Direct conversion makes this approximately INR 1,05,000 and it could go up to INR 1,25,000. The photographs seem to indicate that NVIDIA is indeed using the new design that was leaked earlier in June this year. The card uses a twin blower design and has a massive heatsink spread all over the PCB.

RTX 3090 graphics card

The leaked images feature what appears to be the RTX 3090 right next to the older RTX 2080 graphics card. The RTX 3090 is way larger than the RTX 2080 reference graphics card and has a massive thick heatsink which necessitates a triple-slot design.

The backplate of the graphics card has the RTX 3090 lettering engraved into it. Also, the front of the graphics card has the letter “Config 1” written right above the PCIe contact pins which could indicate that there are multiple designs of the card in the works.

NVIDIA is hosting an unveiling event on the 1st of September 2020 for the new RTX 3000-series graphics cards. Several rumours have emerged regarding the RTX 3000 graphics cards and the top of the line RTX 3090 is supposed to use the GA102 GPU which features more than 5200 CUDA cores and apparently will have more than 24GB of GDDR6X memory.

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The average Indian consumes about 12 GB of data per month as of 2019 and this number is expected to rise to 25GB per month by 2025. With the availability of mobile internet at affordable prices, growing coverage of 4G connectivity and affordable smartphones, it's no wonder that content consumption on smartphones has increased. Even though broadband access across India is growing, a lot of people that don't have broadband access are resorting to their smartphone to hotspot or tether to the internet to watch content on the big screen. Devices like the Mi Box 4K, Xiaomi’s smart TVs and the OnePlus TV offer a data saver ability, letting you get maximum streaming from your limited 4G connection.

In 2019, getting 1GB of data per day as a part of your monthly prepaid recharge seemed to be a big deal, but today it looks like 2GB is the norm with telecom operators even offering 4GB data per day as a part of some plans. However, it is the 3GB data per day plans that have started popping up offering an attractive proposition. So if you are looking to streaming content on your smartphone from OTT services, play some PUBG or COD Mobile with friends and even indulge in some social networking, then here is a comparison of plans from various service providers that offer a limit of 3GB data per day. Just remember that some of these plans may not be available in your circle, so do check before recharging. If 2GB daily data is what you are looking for, you can check out our comparison of the 2GB daily data plans on offer from different telecom providers here. 

Jio 3GB daily data prepaid plan

Jio has 3 plans giving users 3GB daily data limit and the biggest difference apart from validity is the amount of talk time you get to non-Jio numbers. Here is a breakdown of the plans.

Jio Rs 401 Plan: This plan brings with it 28 days validity, 3GB data per day along with an additional overall 6GB data bringing the total data to 90GB for the duration of the validity. It also offers 100 SMS’s per day, Jio to Jio unlimited calling and a FUP of 1000 minutes to non-Jio numbers. With this pack, users also get access to 1 Year Disney+ Hotstar subscription worth Rs.399 at no extra cost.

Jio Rs 999 Plan: This plan brings with it 84 days validity, 3GB data per day (giving you a total of 252GB data for the validity duration), 100 SMS’s per day Jio to Jio unlimited calling and a FUP of 3000 minutes to non-Jio numbers.

Jio Rs 349 Plan: This plan brings with it 28 days validity, 3GB data per day (giving you a total of 84GB data for the validity duration), 100 SMS’s per day Jio to Jio unlimited calling and a FUP of 1000 minutes to non-Jio numbers.

Vodafone 2GB Data Plan

Vodafone on its website has a number of plans giving users “double data” per day which translates to 4GB data but we were hard pressed to find a plan offering 3GB data on its website. In the Odisha circle, we found a single plan offering 3GB data per day, and we aren’t sure if this is available in other circles. 

Vodafone Rs 558 Plan: This plan brings with it 56 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and truly unlimited local/national calls to all networks. The plan also gives users access to Vodafone Play subscription worth Rs 499 and Zee5 subscription worth Rs 999.

Airtel 3GB data plan

Airtel Rs 398 Plan: This plan brings with it 28 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and truly unlimited local/national calls to all networks. In addition, users also get access to Wynk Music, free 400+ Live TV Channels, Unlimited Movies and TV Shows via Airtel Xstream Premium and 1-year free online Upskill courses with Shaw Academy.

Airtel Rs 558 Plan: This plan brings with it 56 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and truly unlimited local/national calls to all networks. In addition, users also get access to Wynk Music, free 400+ Live TV Channels, Unlimited Movies and TV Shows via Airtel Xstream Premium and 1-year free online Upskill courses with Shaw Academy. With this recharge users also get Rs. 150 cashback on FASTag. 

BSNL 2GB data plan

BSNL Rs 247 Plan: This plan brings with it 36 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and 250 minutes per day local/national calls to all networks. Users also get access to EROS Now streaming service as well with this plan. 

BSNL Rs 997 Plan: This plan brings with it 180 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and 250 minutes per day local/national calls to all networks.

BSNL Rs 1,999 Plan: This plan brings with it 365 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and 250 minutes per day local/national calls to all networks. Other benefits include BSNL Tunes and Lokdhun video content. Users also get access to EROS NOW Entertainment service for 60 days.

MTNL 3GB data plan

MTNL Rs 365 Plan: This plan brings with it 70 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and unlimited local/national calls to all networks.

MTNL Rs 421 Plan: This plan brings with it 84 days validity, 3GB data per day, 100 SMS per day and unlimited local/national calls to all networks.

For both the above MTNL plans, the benefits of free calling, free SMS will be available from the home network and MTNL Mumbai network. During roaming other than MTNL Mumbai, standard roaming rates will be applicable.

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Information circulating the internet suggests Apple could be looking at introducing bundled services, along with the launch of the iPhone 12. The information comes from a Bloomberg report which indicates that the service called Apple One is “designed to encourage customers to subscribe to more Apple services.”

Just like Amazon Prime, which gives users access to Prime Delivery, Prime Video and Prime Music, Apple One will combine Apple’s services into one cohesive package. While the price of the package isn’t known, the report highlights that there could be different levels of packages with various permutations and combinations designed based on users needs. 

Apple to take on Amazon Prime with bundled subscription service

According to the Bloomberg report, “A basic package will include Apple Music and Apple TV+, while a more expensive variation will have those two services and the Apple Arcade gaming service. The next tier will add Apple News+, followed by a pricier bundle with extra iCloud storage for files and photos”.  

So, if you are one that subscribes to Apple Music and video streaming service, then the basic tier may be a better value for money proposition for you. If you are one that uses Apple’s hardware ecosystem like Macs and iPhones, then the top tier offering iCloud storage could be a better option for you. The new bundled services are expected to work with Apple’s Family Sharing system, which means that the bundle may be accessible by up to 6 people. 

Apple got into the subscription business with the launch of Apple Music and subsequently launched Apple TV+ to rival Netflix and Prime Videos and also, Apple Arcade to rival services like Hatch Entertainment. However, until now, all these services require individual subscriptions. Apple’s iCloud has been around for some time and is used to back up an iPhone, iPad or Mac along with users Photos and more. 

Apple has given customers an incentive to try out their new services in the past. When Apple launched Apple TV+, the company gave out a year of free subscription to anyone who purchased an iOS, macOS, tvOS, iPadOS device on or after September 10, 2019. According to the report, Apple may try the same, giving a years subscription of Apple Arcade to anyone that purchases an Apple TV device.

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HMD Global, the company that has revived the Nokia smartphone brand for the world, wants to make India a hub for exports. The Finland-based company recently secured a $230 million investment from Google and Qualcomm, and will use part of that investment to expand manufacturing in India, according to a report by The Economic Times.

A top HMD Global executive reportedly said that the company will employ local contract manufacturers, along with Qualcomm and Google to make low-cost 4G and 5G smartphones in the future. And Nokia is only the second such brand to do it. Qualcomm also announced a similar partnership with Reliance Jio last month.

HMD Global plans to work with Indian contract manufacturers to produce its upcoming portfolio first for India, and then export to the world.

“For smartphones, we are at the moment in deep discussions with local manufacturing partners, with the government, but also even with local possible component partners. So, we are very excited to see those possibilities become real in the next couple of months. And once we have that established then obviously, as a future step, we could also envision India to be an export hub for us,” HMD Global CEO Florian Seiche told ET.

Incidentaly, this is not the first time we are hearing about Nokia's ambition of turning India into an export hub. HMD Global's country head of India, Ajey Mehta also said the same back in February, but attached a caveat that it also has to manufacture components in India to make exports viable. It's likely that this is where Qualcomm is expected to come in play.

Reap benefits of the PLI Scheme for local manufacturing

Nokia is not the only one eyeing India as a manufacturing hub. Nearly every major smartphone brand including Apple, Samsung, Oppo and more have planned to expand manufacturing efforts in India, primarily to avail the benefits of the government’s production-linked incentive, or PLI scheme.

Under the scheme, the government plans to incentive large-scale electronics manufacturers to shift their manufacturing plants to India by giving them incentives if they meet certain goals. The government is ready to disburse up to Rs 40,951 crores as production-linked benefits over a period of 5 years.

Aimed primarily at smartphone manufacturers, OEMs can be granted incentives ranging from 4% to 6% over a 5-year period. And to avail it, OEMs will have to make high-end smartphones (that has a freight on-board value of more than $200) worth Rs 4,000 crore in the first year, and ramp up manufacturing to Rs 8,000 crores, Rs 15,000 crores, and Rs 20,000 crores over a five-year period.

The scheme seems to have worked, in the sense that it has attracted large investments from foreign smartphone brands. Apple has already committed to scale up production in India through its contract manufacturers, Foxconn and Wistron, while Samsung and other OEMs who have been making in India have already applied to be considered under the PLI-scheme.

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Nokia 5.3 launch in India is imminent as the listing for the phone has gone live on the Nokia India website. The Nokia 5.3 was launched globally on March 20 alongside the Nokia 8.3, Nokia 1.3 and Nokia 5310 (2020). The listing of Nokia 5.3 on the Indian website reveals everything there is to know about the upcoming phone and is confirmed to come in three colours-- Cyan, Sand and Charcoal.

Nokia 5.3 seems to be a budget entry from the house of HMD Global as it comes with an HD+ display, quad cameras on the back and runs on stock Android out-of-the-box. Earlier last week, the Nokia 2.4 entry-level smartphone was also leaked and is expected to launch sometime in September. Let’s take a brief look at the specifications and expected pricing of Nokia 5.3.

Nokia 5.3 specifications and expected pricing

Nokia 5.3 features a 6.55-inch HD+ (1600 x 700 pixels) resolution display with a waterdrop notch cutout on the front that gives it a 20:9 aspect ratio. The screen is topped with a layer of Gorilla Glass 3 for added protection against regular wear and tear. It measures 8.5 millimetres in thickness and weighs 185 grams.

The Nokia 5.3 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 with an octa-core processor and Adreno 610 GPU. This is paired with 3GB/4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB storage with an option to further expand it by using microSD card. It runs on stock Android 10 out-of-the-box.

The phone comes with a quad-camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 13MP camera with an f/1.8 aperture, a 5MP ultra-wide-angle camera, a 2MP macro camera and a 2MP depth sensor. The rear cameras can record in upto 4K UHD at 30FPS. On the front, there is an 8MP selfie camera housed within the notch cutout.

There’s a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel and the Nokia 5.3 is fitted with a 4,000mAh battery with regular 10W charging speeds. It is priced starting at EUR 189 which roughly translates to around Rs 16,500 by direct conversion, but we expect it to be priced much aggressively on launch in India.

 

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The next-gen consoles are just around the corner and while Sony has shown off the design of the PS5 and the PS5 digital edition, Microsoft has only shown off the Xbox Series X. However, numerous leaks have hinted at the existence of the Series S including Microsoft's own internal documents. The less powerful Series S has the codename, Lockhart. New information has emerged suggesting the existence of the console. 

Microsoft Xbox Series S has leaked once again

Twitter user Zak S was able to purchase the controller from a resale site and the packaging of the controller confirms its compatibility with the Xbox Series X along with the Series S. The Verge was able to confirm that it was genuine. According to The Verge, “Twitter user Zak S was able to purchase the controller today, and we’ve confirmed it’s genuine”. The Verge goes on to highlight, “ the side of the packaging notes that the controller works with both Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles.”

Xbox series X controller found in the wild!! pic.twitter.com/TEns4z45CB

— Zak S (@zakk_exe) August 9, 2020

Twitter user Zak S has uploaded photos of the controller alongside the Xbox One controller to show the difference. At first glance, it is only the D-Pad and the share button which acts as a visual highlight to distinguish the two controllers but look closely and you will see that the new controller has a slightly shorter and more rounded grip. The slight U-bend which houses the Xbox button on the controller is also missing from the new controller which has a more flush design. The only downside to the new controller is that it still runs on AA batteries.

Side by side comparison with the Xbox one controller pic.twitter.com/FRPSiLx7OU

— Zak S (@zakk_exe) August 10, 2020

We’ve known about the existence of the Xbox Series S for a while now. It is expected to have the same CPU as the series X but lower RAM at about 7.5GB and a 4 Teraflop GPU. You can check out the details of the leaked document here. 

Sony on the other hand, as mentioned above, is only distinguishing its PS5 variants based on the presence and absence of a disc drive. There is no difference in power or performance. We know the specs of the PS5 and Xbox Series X and you can check out our comparison of the two consoles here. You can also check out our comparison of the design of the two consoles here.

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Microsoft announced that that company was looking to acquire parts of social media app TikTok’s operations in the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand with a few reports even hinting at a complete purchase of all TikTok assets by Microsoft. Most reports seem to state that Microsoft is still in the ‘preliminary stage’ of the massive deal. But according to an exclusive interview on Wired, Bill Gates is not really a fan of the deal. 

Bill Gates is wary of the Microsoft and TikTok deal

In the interview, he says that the deal between Microsoft and TikTok is a ‘poison chalice’. Harsh words! This looks to be Microsoft’s first foray into the social media business and will face still and ruthless competition from companies like Facebook and Twitter. The whole deal is a bit strange and complicated and the interview does a good job of explaining Gate’s position on the issue. 

TikTok was almost banned in the US but disaster was averted when Microsoft made a pitch to buy the troubled social media app. The deadline for the entire process is September 15. Bill Gates does note that this is not a simple and straightforward plan. 

In other TikTok news, the app was banned in India along with 58 other Chinese-based apps. In fact, Japan has been considering banning the controversial app as well. If you’re feeling the loss of TikTok, you can also check out Instagram Reels, which is an alternative to TikTok. 

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