Audio streaming application Spotify is making it easier to parse your liked songs by rolling out a new feature that will let users filter their liked songs by mood and genre. As per a report by The Verge, this feature will only be introduced in its mobile apps and no desktop version at this stage is likely
Your Spotify’s liked songs collection is an easy way to find one of your favorite tracks, but considering all kinds of genres of the songs available there, it makes less than ideal for listening. Your liked songs collection might consist of songs that would be fun in the club but also folky songs for relaxation time, from tear-jerking ballads to bumping rap or trance. You might not want to listen to these right after the other. Thankfully, with the app’s new feature, you won’t have to skip tracks quite so often, and this way, you can enjoy more of what you like without compromising on the vibe.
A minimum of 30 liked songs has to be present in the user’s collections to access the filters. Users can then go to their library, tap into liked songs, and select a filter that is listed across the top that includes rap, trap, chill, folk, indie, electronic and more. Listeners can also swap in a new filter and remove the previous one whenever they like.
As users like new songs, these filters will change. For now, the Swedish audio streaming services provider has said that the new feature will only be rolling out to English-speaking markets, including the US, Canada, and the UK. Over the coming weeks, it will be rolled out to Free and Premium listeners on Android and iOS devices.
Spotify has created a clear goal of becoming an application for every kind of audio need, including music and podcasts. Although this new feature is not that big a deal, it is the kind of update that makes a product more useful for everyday use.
We have already heard the news about Intel working on its new discrete graphics card called the Xe-HPG line-up, and now we finally have the first-ever leaked information regarding the specifications of the line-up.
Three Twitter users, namely Harukaze, One Raichu, and Hougetsu, have tweeted a potential list of specifications regarding the Intel lineup of Xe gaming discrete graphics cards.
512 EU (4096 SP) / 256bit-bus / 8 or 16G VRAM 384 EU (3072 SP) / 192bit-bus / 6 or 12G VRAM 256 EU (2048 SP) / 128bit-bus / 4 or 8G VRAM 192 EU (1536 SP) / 128bit-bus / 4G VRAM 128 EU (1024 SP) / 64bit-bus / 4G VRAM 96 EU (768 SP) / 64bit-bus / 4G VRAM
From the tweets, we can ascertain that the Xe-HPG DG2 GPU will be available in various core configurations. The rumor points out three variants starting with the highest-end 512 EU chip. The 512 EU SKU is followed by the 384 EU and the 128 EU variants.
Intel Xe-HPG DG2 512 EU Discrete Gaming Graphics Cards
The Xe-HPG based DG2 GPU SKU chips will come in various configurations, which will range from the full-fat chip to several cut-down variants. The top DG2 512 EU variant utilizes the full die with 4096 cores, 256-bit bus interface, and 16 GB GDDR6 memory (8 GB GDDR6 listed too).
Intel Xe-HPG DG2 384 EU Discrete Gaming Graphics Cards
According to leaked info, the Intel Xe-HPG DG2 384 GPU SKU is expected to comprise at least three variants. The full fat chip will feature 3072 cores, up to 12 GB GDDR6 memory (6 GB GDDR6 listed too), and a 192-bit bus interface.
The other two variants, the 256 EU and 192 EU variants, will comprise 2048 and 1536 cores. While both variants feature a 128-bit bus interface, the 256 EU SKU will come with up to 8 GB GDDR6 memory, while the 192 EU variant will stick with just 4 GB GDDR6 memory.
Intel Xe-HPG DG2 128 EU Discrete Gaming Graphics Cards
The Intel Xe-HPG DG2 128 EU is a full-fat SKU with 1024 cores, a 64-bit bus interface, and 4 GB GDDR6 memory. The cut-down variant will, however, come with 96 EUs or 768 cores and a 4 GB GDDR6 memory featured across a 64-bit bus interface. Reports indicate that it will be an entry-level desktop discrete GPU.
Since this is just the initial leak, we expect more information around the mid of 2021 related to Intel’s desktop discrete gaming graphics lineup, to be made public.
JBL has many good audio accessories available in the market, but the worst scam it has made has got to be with this headphone. The JBL Club One was launched almost a year ago, but in India, the availability became more at the end of 2020.
However, the headphone was discounted to Rs.9k only from its original ₹ 24,999 MSRP in a peculiar way. This was obviously a thing to be looked upon by a geek like me, so I ordered one to test out, but the experience was devastating. Here I will share my personal experience and how the money invested in this headphone has gone waste:
Specifications
Frequency response (Passive): 10 Hz – 40 kHz
Frequency response (Active): 20 Hz – 20 kHz
Sensitivity: 95 dB SPL@1kHz/1mW
Maximum SPL: 95 dB
Maximum input power (Passive): 3500 mW
Microphone sensitivity: -38 dBV@1kHz/Pa
Impedance: 32 ohm
Driver Size: 40 mm dynamic driver
Weight: 378.5 g
Bluetooth transmitted power: <4 dBm
Bluetooth transmitted modulation: GFSK, _x001F_/4 DQPSK/ 8DPSK
Bluetooth frequency: 2.402 GHz – 2.480 GHz
Bluetooth profile version: A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.5, HFP 1.6
The JBL Club One is a great headphone if you are a music lover as it produces crystal clear sound and the quality of the output generated is really great. The bass of the headphones is not too aggressive and is well-balanced to my surprise, it provides a good overall experience with its huge 40 mm drivers.
The highs and lows are not the most accurate but do note the sound is very sweet because even after long hours of listening, your ears do not get hurt, provided you are not listening at over 60% volume. Also, you have a good time when you watch movies with a great surround effect to make the experience more enthralling.
One feature I truly appreciate is that you can finetune the headphone with the app and it really has a great effect because that lets you configure it as per your choice, only when used in Bluetooth mode and if you have installed the MyJBL app.
The overall audio quality is good, comes with Hi-RES audio support but that doesn’t make a whole lot of difference. It produces better audio output when used in wired mode but in Bluetooth mode, your sound experience is a lot smoother. It doesn’t have any latency of that sort in either of the modes and can even be used for gaming as well.
Build & Comfort
This is a bulky headphone weighing around 400gm but JBL has done no compromise on the build quality. It is very sturdy with the metal frame and a lot of padding on the band of the headphone and the earcup is really very comfortable with soft & deep cushions.
Although it’s a bit heavy, it is very comfortable to wear and listen to music, however, after long hours you will feel a little discomfort because of the weight.
Software
JBL has tried a lot to make the headphones customizable with various options accessible from the app directly with various EQs, noise-canceling, and Ambient mode features.
I do appreciate JBL’s Personifi feature that helps to personalize your sound experience with some tests and to some extent does make a difference. There are various signature EQs from various DJs and you can make your own EQ as well. However, the app works only in Bluetooth mode but not in AUX mode.
Connectivity
The headphone features Bluetooth 5.0 and to be fair its range is great as well as it stays connected during long hours of calls or even music. Even across two rooms, you will have enough range to hear the sound from your smartphone.
Intelligent features like Google Assistant or Siri can be accessed with the JBL Club One and you have to set up the default assistant during configuration. The dedicated switch on the left earcup enables to you quickly ask the assistant anything you want.
Mic Quality & Noise Cancellation
Being a premium headphone, you expect good quality microphones, and it features dual-mic technology to provide great audio output. The True Adaptive Noise Cancelling responds to the environment, and it changes in real-time and honestly, the JBL Club One totally blocks outer noise due to the active noise cancellation.
Even without that, the headphone provides some passive noise cancellation with the design and fitting; all in all, the noise cancellation gives a premium experience.
Battery Life
JBL claims that the CLUB ONE gives up to 45 hours of battery life with the only Bluetooth on and up to 23 hours with BT & ANC on. On the other hand, with both Aux-in & ANC on, you get up to 25 hours of battery life. However, in real life, you can use it for almost a week without ANC turned on and if you are a heavy user, then expect 3-4 days of battery life.
The Horrible Experience so far
Even though JBL has made a great premium headphone, but has lacked the basic thing – the user experience. The weird fact about this headphone is that it is listed for ₹ 9,999 on Amazon, yet it is sold for ₹ 24,999 on the JBL official store. Obviously, this has nothing to do with the review, but if you look at the Amazon review section, you will see why everyone hates it as well as me:
I tested the headphone long back at the start of January but then after using it for two or three days the Bluetooth mode stopped working and I thought it might be the case with my unit only. However, I got it replaced from Amazon, then again used it over a week and still after the app & firmware update the Bluetooth indicator stopped working and you can only use it in AUX mode.
This is the case with almost every user who fell into the trap of this headphone, and I sincerely recommend people to stay away from this headphone, howsoever good the audio and build quality maybe.
The fact that this is more of a software or firmware issue, which can be fixed, but JBL doesn’t have any time to do so, although they are offering a replacement, an average user doesn’t have the time to buy it and repair it or replace it now and then. So, no verdict or pros & cons about it, as stay away from it even if it looks attractive.
During the pandemic, we have seen distance learning, especially e-learning and online learning see an unprecedented increase in their business. The growth in the online education industry led to the increase in demand for high-performing and portable devices especially Chromebooks and tablets.
According to sources, the Indian tablet PC market recorded a 14.7 percent year-on-year rise with 2.8 million-unit shipments in 2020 – marking a year of growth after 4 consecutive years of decline.
In the Indian peninsula, the demand for tablets is more than for Chromebooks, as they have a simple to use Android interface, compared to the Chrome OS.
“It was a year of growth after declining for four consecutive years, mainly aided by the increased utility of tablets to support e-learning demand.”
According to sources, the consumer shipments reported an “exceptional” 59.8 percent growth over 2019. However, commercial shipments declined by 14.3 percent year-on-year as few government projects were postponed to 2021.
In India’s year-on-year growth of 72.3 percent, the major contributors were the shipments of Galaxy Tab S6 Lite and iPad 10.2-inch.
Lenovo led the market with a 39 percent market share, followed by Samsung (32 percent), Apple (13 percent), iBall (4 percent), and Huawei (3 percent).
Anyone purchasing a Sony PlayStation 5 currently is limited to the 825GB of internal storage that the console is shipped with, and only 667GB of that is free to use. This creates a bottleneck that prevents gamers from loading more than a few marquee games on their console at once. According to Bloomberg’s report, Sony is preparing to open up its PS5 for internal storage upgrades this summer, therefore lifting the bottleneck.
“Adding support for additional drives will be enabled with a firmware update that also unlocks higher cooling-fan speeds to ensure the console doesn’t overheat, the people said, asking not to be named because the plans are not yet public.” The PS5 comes with a custom solid-state drive with around 667GB available for storing games, apps, and media — at a time when most popular AAA games are about 40-50GB in size, with games like Call of Duty crossing the 100GB barrier. The PS5 has an M.2 expansion slot, but the expansion option was locked when the console launched.
Sony’s latest console has a customized architecture that accelerates loading and processing times. Still, the typical way that gamers add storage is through an external hard drive, and the PS5 makes it impractical to plug in one. Such a drive can only be used for older PS4 games; however, after the planned firmware upgrade, users will only need to remove the plastic cover off the PS5 and attach a new storage unit to create more space.
“As previously announced, we are working to enable M.2 SSD storage expansion for PlayStation 5. The timing has not been announced, and details will be shared later,” a Sony spokesman said.
The PS5 has been in high demand since its launch in November, so much so that due to various supply chain and logistics failures, the Japanese electronics giant is being prevented from delivering sufficient units. A similar problem of constrained supply is being faced by rival Microsoft Corp., which warned its latest Xbox console generation is unlikely to see relief before June at the earliest.
EA Sports were having the Future Stars promo going on after the most anticipated Team Of The Year promo ended. The Future Stars promo has also ended now, and EA Sports have now replaced it with the What If promo.
The What If promo Team 1 has already been released, with Chelsea’s Kante leading the line. The What If players have their ratings increased and will also get another one-time dynamic upgrade based on certain rules.
For the Attackers & Midfielders, if the player’s club scores at least 6 goals in their next 5 domestic league matches, his overall rating will be increased by +2. Meanwhile, for Defenders & Goalkeepers, if the player’s club keeps at least 1 clean sheet over their next 5 domestic league matches, he will have his overall rating increased by +2.
#FUT 'What If' players are ready to lead their clubs up the table and chase a one-time dynamic upgrade along the way 🚀👊
So, the What If promo promises to be an exciting one with the already improved player having the chance of another +2 overall upgrade, which is great! So don’t waste any time to get your hands on the What If players.
Puma is ready to prise Marcus Rashford away from Nike in a multi-million-pound deal. The sportswear giants want to make Marcus Rashford their face. The Manchester United striker can be offered a hugely lucrative boot sponsorship deal that will send his already iconic status soaring.
Rashford has a current deal with Nike, which is going to expire very soon. Puma wants to take the opportunity of making the English striker their face.
Marcus Rashford is currently a role model in his country for his tireless campaigning against child hunger and his performances for United – though the player has not engaged in any formal conversations outside his current kit deal with Nike. The English striker has been admired for his social work.
Puma have recently signed Brazilian star Neymar in a deal worth a reported £21million a year. Now they turned their interest on the Manchester United youngster. The Sportswear Giants have also expressed an interest in Manchester City star Raheem Sterling, whose own deal with Nike has expired in recent months. Manchester City star had been in talks over a staggering Puma deal worth a minimum of £10-12million across the term, though this is excluding other substantial performance-related bonuses.
Marcus Rashford signed with Nike, aged 11 and is the youngest footballer to ever sign for the iconic brand. He is now 23 years old. But the 12-year association with the sportswear giants is now under significant threat, with rival companies ready to lure him away.
Former Japanese international Kazuyoshi Miura turns 54 yesterday. But who is this Kazuyoshi Miura?
Kazuyoshi Miura is the oldest professional footballer on the planet right now. The 54-year-old is still playing professional football at Yokohama FC. He has already made 6 appearances this season.
Kazuyoshi Miura was born on 26th February 1967 in Shizuoka, Japan. He started his career in Japan. In 1982, he left his country and travelled alone to Brazil at the age of fifteen to become a professional footballer there. There he signed for Club Atletico Juventus, a club in Sao Paulo. In 1986, he signed his first professional contract with Santos. The Japanese have played in some other Brazilian club as well. He becomes the first Japanese player to be played in Italy, joining Genoa in the 1994–95 Serie A season.
Happy birthday to the oldest professional footballer on the planet, Kazuyoshi Miura.
The 54-year-old made his professional debut in 1986 and is three years older than PSG 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DGRzT8oJdt
In 2005, he joined Yokohama FC and he still a part of the team. In his long illustrious footballing career, he has made 763 appearances and scored 221 goals.
Kazuyoshi Miura made his international debut in 1990. He has made 89 appearances for his country and scored 55 goals. He has won AFC Asian Cup with his country in 1992.
After signing the new contract with Yokohama FC he said, “I don’t think I’ll ever leave football.”
“When I signed my first professional contract in Brazil at the age of 18, I never imagined that I would play until this age. I have been able to do this because I have put all my energy into football every single year.”- he added.
The players like Kazuyoshi Miura is an inspiration to the future generation. We have seen Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Gianluigi Buffon and many more playing in the top flight of European football. They all are an inspiration to the upcoming players.
Lenovo’s Legion gaming laptop series is exceptional for professional and casual gaming; among them, the Legion 5 model is one of the most “value for money” product last year. This year though, we have got the “Pro” variant of the laptop and the regular Lenovo Legion 5 15.6-inch and Legion 5 17-inch that we saw at CES 2021.
The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, on the other hand, borrows the same design but is more premium at some ends. The most important thing is that it sports new AMD Ryzen 5000H gaming processors with up to 8 Zen 3 cores and 16 threads.
This is the first time we will see beefier NVIDIA RTX GPUs paired with AMD processors, and the Legion 5 Pro is one of them. With a QHD display and 165Hz refresh rates, the Legion 5 Pro is one of the best; the display is 100% sRGB colour accurate and supports both NVIDIA G-SYNC & AMD Freesync.
40.4 cm (16″) QHD display (2,560 x 1,600) IPS, 16:10, 500 cd/m2, 165 Hz/3 ms response time, 100% sRGB, VESA-certified DisplayHDR, Dolby Vision-enabled, NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD Freesync
Memory
Up to 32GB
Battery
Up to 8 hours (MM18), Rapid Charge Pro
Mass storage
Up to 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
Graphic
Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
Audio
2 x 2 W Harman Speaker with Nahimic Audio
Camera
720p with e-shutter
Dimensions (W x D x H)
2.1 – 2.6 cm x 35.6 cm x 26.4 cm
Weight
From 2.45 kg
Color
Storm GreyStingray White
Connectivity
2 x 2 Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.1
Connections/slots
Links: USB Type C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4)Headphone/microphone combo connector Right: USB-A 3.2 Gen 1E-shutter button Back: 3 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 (1 Always-On)USB Type C (USB 3.2 Gen 2, DisplayPort 1.4, Power Supply), HDMI 2.1, RJ45, Electricity
Keyboard
White backlight, Blue backlight (Stingray White model only), 4-zone RGB backlight
Power Supply (PSU)
Up to 300W power supply with flat plug
Pre-installed software
Lenovo App Explorer Lenovo PC Manager Lenovo Vantage McAfee LiveSafe (trial) Office 365 (trial) Power2go
As you see the specs look premium and with powerful hardware, you have a good-looking display (capable of gaming). From ports to connectivity or from keyboard battery life, Lenovo has made one of the most premium AMD powered gaming laptop of 2021. It is available via the Lenovo German store for €1,799, go get it now!!
Samsung has recently launched its Galaxy A32 4G smartphone in Russia as well as tipped about the Indian launch of this device. As of now, Samsung has not revealed the price but the release date and some official specs went live for sure. As per the reports, the Samsung Galaxy A32 4G official retailing will start in India from March 5. Now, let’s get into the specifications of this device.
The Galaxy A32 4G is powered by the MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core chipset. Regarding the display, this phone offers a 6.4-inch FHD+ (2400×1080 pixels) Infinity-U Super AMOLED panel with 90Hz of faster refresh rate, SGS certification for low blue light, and 800 nits of brightness. This phone has an in-display fingerprint scanner.
The SoC of this phone is paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable (1TB) internal storage [Indian variant]. Coming to the camera section, this phone offers a quad rear camera setup supported by an LED flash that includes a 64MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, a 5MP macro, and a 5MP depth sensor. For selfies, this phone offers a 13MP selfie snapper at the front.
The Galaxy A32 4G is fueled up by a bigger 5,000mAH battery supported by 15W of fast USB-C charging. In terms of connectivity, this phone offers 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS, Samsung’s Knox Security, and a 3.5mm audio jack as well. This phone is available in four different color options: Awesome Violet, Awesome Black, Awesome Blue, and Awesome White.
Though the Indian variant has not revealed its price, in Russia the Galaxy A32 4G carries a price tag of RUB 19,990 (~$268) for its 4GB/64GB variant and RUB 21,990 (~$295) for the 4GB/128GB variant. There are other variants as well in Russia, but prices are not confirmed yet.
