In the second half of 2020, Qualcomm had launched its Snapdragon 888 chipset which is the latest one to date. Most of the flagship smartphones of different companies about to get launched in Q1 of 2021 are powered by this Snapdragon 888 chipset. For example, Mi 11, which will go on sale in January is powered by the SD 888 chipset. Apart from it, so many other devices are there such as Samsung Galaxy S21, Oppo Find X3, OnePlus 9, and many more.
Recently a report has come out from a tipster that it is about to release a new Qualcomm flagship SoC, that is expected to be a one-step higher version of SD 888, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888+. As per the report, Qualcomm will release the SD 888+ chipset in the second half of 2021. The tipster has also stated that the upcoming Snapdragon chipset will be clocked at 840MHz.
The combination of the SD 888 and the 3rd gen Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 5G modem offers mmWave and sub-6 across all major bands worldwide. This helps to enable global compatibility. Definitely, it is a 5G compatible chipset that supports 5G carrier aggregation, global multi-SIM, standalone, non-standalone, and Dynamic Spectrum Sharing.
This Snapdragon 888 chipset comes with the 6th-gen AI Engine and brings 26 tera operations per second (TOPS) if we compare it to the last generation. This chipset has a 2nd generation Qualcomm Sensing Hub, which “incorporates low-power always-on AI processing for intuitive intelligent features.” As per the cores of the SD 888 chipset, its latest Cortex X1 core clocked at 2.84GHz, three Cortex A78 clocked at 2.4GHz, and four Cortex A55 cores clocked at 1.8-GHz.
Hope you know about the AmazonBasics. If not, it’s Amazon’s private label products that come under this branding. Though the portfolio was not so small, there were no televisions earlier. But, Amazon added two Fire TV edition models to the AmazonBasics branding recently. As per the listing, three more models are preparing to launch. Before these come to the market, have a look at the already launched models.
As I said earlier, there are two television models – AmazonBasics AB50U20PS and AmazonBasics AB55U20PS. Hope you already get the screen sizes of the two, the first models, AB50U20PS has a 50-inch screen and the other one has a 55-inch display. Other than the screen size and pricing, there is no difference.
The televisions are equipped with 4K UHD IPS display having the standard 60Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and HDR10 and HLG support. The company added a 1.95GHz Quad-Core processor for a seamless processing experience. Both the TVs are running on Amazon’s FireOS that is, obviously, based on Android. That means you can also enjoy various android applications on your smart television. Coming to the audio part, a 20W speaker is there for audio production and it has Dolby Atmos support. Primarily needed all the ports are available in these smart TVs by Amazon. Features like built-in Alexa support, anti-aliasing, dynamic contrast, and more are also available.
The AmazonBasic 50-inch television is currently up for sale at Rs.29,999 only, whereas the 55-inch model costs Rs.34,999. Needless to say, both these can be purchased from Amazon only. The buy links are given below.
Lastly, the listing by Amazon says they are cooking three more models for us. Those are a 32-inch HD Ready Smart LED TV, a 43-inch FHD Smart TV, and a 43-inch 4K Ultra Smart LED TV. Hope we will not have to wait so long.
BenQ, who is very renowned to make great monitors, has launched a new line of Entertainment monitors in India recently. These monitors have model numbers EW3280U and EW2780Q featuring ‘Brightness Intelligence Plus’ technology that automatically adjust brightness and color temperature based on the environment.
These new monitors also come with BenQ’s HDRi technology and ‘treVolo’ speakers, also they have very color accurate IPS panels. Here the specs of these two new montors:
32-inch BenQ EW3280U monitor
This 32-inch BenQ EW3280U monitor features 32-inch 4K UHD (3840×2160 pixels) IPS panel that support both BenQ’s HDRi and VESA DisplayHDR 400. The display panel comes with 5 millisecond GtG response time and a 60Hz refresh rate.
via Tom’s Hardware
The display seems to be very color accurate as it covers 95% DCI-P3 color gamut with HDR and supports FreeSync technology. On the audio front, you have two built-in 2W BenQ ‘treVolo’ stereo speakers along with one 5W woofer on board.
For the ports, you have a USB Type-C, an HDMI, whereas you get features like several eye-care features like Brightness Intelligence Plus, low blue light, and flicker-free technologies. Then you have an ePaper Mode, Eye Reminder, and Color Weakness Mode; these unique modes make the monitor even more useful for daily usage.
This monitor comes with 27-inch 2K QHD (2560×1440 pixels) IPS display that also supports BenQ’s HDRi technology for an immersive display. This monitor also has 5 milliseconds GtG response time with a 60Hz refresh rate, while for audio you get two 5W ‘treVolo’ stereo speakers.
This IPS panel too is very color accurate, covering 99% sRGB colour gamut with HDR10 support. Being a BenQ monitor, this one is equipped with eye-care features like Brightness Intelligence Plus, TUV-certified flicker-free, low blue light, and ePaper mode.
The new BenQ EW3280U monitor will cost more as it has a 4K panel, priced at a whopping Rs. 69,990 whereas the EW2780Q monitor with its QHD panel will cost you Rs. 29,999, while both of them will be available in retail and online stores soon.
2020 is over and 2021 is welcoming us with open arms. Being said that, it is important to look back to 2020 and analyze how things went. As humans, we always talked about smartphones which are gathering all the buzz. But, somehow, we also miss some of the very good smartphones which are available in the market. Today, we have made a list of 5 smartphones that have gone under the rather for some or other reasons in 2020.
1. Meizu 17 Pro
Meizu, the Chinese consumer electronics company, launched its flagship smartphone in the form of Meizu 17 and Meizu 17 Pro. Both of the mobiles had unique designs that are not present in a lot of other smartphones. Most of the smartphones currently in the market have a front-cam punch hole either on the top-left side or in the center. Whereas Meizu 17 Pro had a punch hole on the top-right side. The rear cameras are placed horizontally with a ring-type LED flash in the center. This smartphone was not released globally which undermined its importance.
2. Vivo X50 Pro and Vivo X51 5G
If you are purchasing a Vivo phone, you would be sure that it will possess an amazing camera with a mid-range chipset and a high price tag. Both, Vivo X50 Pro and Vivo X51 5G are testaments of that. Vivo’s new gimbal system was used to bring stabilization in the camera of the smartphone. It supported the 48MP quad-camera system to capture more clear pictures for the user. But due to the heavy price tag, people found other smartphones more attractive. Being said that, you cannot overlook the qualities brought in by these two Vivo phones.
3. Sony Xperia 5 II
Another smartphone might have lost all the news due to its high price tag. It has a display of 6.1 inches with an area of 86.9 cm2. Its 21:9 aspect ratio also aids in giving users a comfortable hold. Even with modest specs, the phone failed to make a cut due to high competition. Sony’s market size has also shrunk since the arrival of Chinese smartphones. This might have adversely affected its brand image as well which has forced people to look into other smartphones.
4. Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
The Legion Phone Duel was the first smartphone run by a Snapdragon 865+ processor. It was launched as Lenovo’s first gaming smartphone and it was way different than the normal smartphone. It had a side pop-up selfie camera as seen in the photos above. Also, the rear cameras were placed in the middle which is quite different from other smartphones. This stylish handset was launched in October but didn’t catch the eye of many people. This might be as gaming smartphones still comes under a niche category and are not widely talked about.
5. Redmi 10X Pro 5G
How often have you seen a mid-range smartphone offering features which are generally seen in a premium smartphone? Redmi 10X Pro 5G is just one of those rare phones, yet it had gone unnoticed! It has a telephoto camera which is not even present in the flagships like Mi 10 5G and Mi 11. Thus, this device is a must for our list.
A rookie is a first-year newcomer in the league, who tries to have an impact on the team. Rookies nowadays, especially the ones who are drafted higher, have immense pressure to perform for their new teams.
Here’s our ranking of the top rookies from this NBA season, from 5-1.
Tyerse Haliburton was the 12th pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Image Credits: Latest News Post
The 12th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, out of Iowa State, Tyrese Haliburton is the left-handed point guard for the Kings. Many analysts will say that the Kings were lucky that Haliburton was even still available till the 12th pick. He showed signs of being an excellent floor general and team leader in his college. In his 4 games in the NBA, Haliburton has not disappointed yet. He’s even shooting the ball exceptionally these 4 games- 100% from free throw line and 50% from the 3-point line. He could be the dark horse for winning the NBA Rookie of the Year this season.
Toppin will have high expectations as the Knicks has been struggling for many seasons now.
Image Credits: Daily Knicks
4. Obi Toppin – New York Knicks
2020-2021 Statistics: 9 PPG, 3 RPG, 1 APG (1 game)
Obi Toppin is a right handed power forward out of Dayton. He was drafted by the New York Knicks at the 8th pick. Many analysts were sure that Toppin wouldn’t be available after the 5th pick. For the Knicks, luckily, they had the option of drafting Toppin at the 8th spot. In the one game he has played till now, he has proven to be a decent player in the 24 minutes he got. The former National Player of the Year, at Dayton Flyers, has good weight and size for a rookie power forward. He can give the struggling New York Knicks the break they desperately need. He is definitely one of the strong candidates for the NBA Rookie of the Year this season.
Being the 1st pick, Edwards will face a lot of pressure.
Image Credits: Forbes
3. Anthony Edwards – Minnesota Timberwolves
2020-2021 Statistics: 15 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.8 APG (4 games)
Edwards was the number 1 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. The former Georgia player has a lot of high-school and college accolades in his name. He has been selected to play for the Timberwolves who are led by two dynamic young players – Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. Edwards can shoot the ball, handle the ball well and even play the small forward position once a while. Surrounded by a lot of young potentials can help him play his best game. Being the number 1 pick, he will be having many expectations to fulfil, which will definitely be fun to watch. Again, he is a tough contender for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Out of Memphis Tigers, left-handed center James Wiseman was the number 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, picked by the Warriors. According to me, he is the perfect fit for the Warriors as Golden State does need a good and young center who will be a game-changer not only now, but for many years to come. At 7’1″, he will be provided with the ball quite some times. With the experienced players around him – Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson – he’ll have the perfect guidance. According to me, he is the second-best player in the Draft Class.
2020-2021 Statistics: 10.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.5 APG (4 games)
The most talented player, according to me, in this year’s Draft has to be LaMelo Ball. Ball was drafted by the Hornets as the third pick in the Draft. LaMelo Ball has one thing which no player in the whole class has – Experience. LaMelo Ball played professional basketball at the tender age of 16 at Lithuania. He also played at Australia’s NBL for the Illawarra Hawks last year, where he had won the Rookie of the Year and proved his worth to the NBA scouts. Ball is the most entertaining player too. His passing abilities stand out the most, not taking any credits from his shooting and rebounding skills. At the Hornets’ young team, Ball will be able to prove his worth and help lift the team. He is my candidate for the NBA Rookie of the Year.
Other than these rookies, Killian Hayes, Deni Avdija, Onyeka Okongwu and Isaac Okoro do deserve a mention on this list.
Manchester United’s veteran striker Edinson Cavani has been handed a 3 match ban for breaching FA rules following his activity on social media. He was alleged to use racist language.
On November 29, he used the word “negrito” on Instagram following his side’s 3-2 win over Southampton. Cavani scored a brace and assisted one as Manchester United came back from 2-0 down at half-time to 2-3 up in the end. Cavani apologized after that as it was just an affectionate greeting to a friend.
But FA was not happy with the statement of Cavani and finally handed a three-match suspension yesterday. The FA stated, “Edinson Cavani has been suspended for three games, fined £100,000, and must complete face-to-face education after admitting a charge for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a social media post on Sunday 29 November 2020.”
Edinson Cavani has been suspended for three games, fined £100,000 and must complete face-to-face education after admitting a charge for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a social media post on Sunday 29 November 2020. Full statement: https://t.co/6H9ncJgz2u. pic.twitter.com/Ij7HF3CwH6
“A comment posted on the Manchester United FC striker’s Instagram page was insulting, abusive, improper, and brought the game into disrepute contrary to FA Rule E3.1.”
“The post also constitutes an “aggravated breach”, which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included reference, whether express or implied, to color and/or race and/or ethnic origin.”
“An independent Regulatory Commission was appointed to decide the sanction and its written reasons will be published in due course.”
Manchester United is not happy with the decision but they respected the decision. The Club statement read, “As he has stated, Edinson Cavani wasn’t aware that his words could have been misconstrued and he sincerely apologized for the post and to anyone who was offended.”
“Despite his honest belief that he was simply sending an affectionate thank-you in response to a congratulatory message from a close friend, he chose not to contest the charge, out of respect for, and solidarity with, the FA and the fight against racism in football.”
“While it is clear that context and intent are key factors, we note that the independent Regulatory Commission was required to impose a minimum three-game suspension.”
“The club trusts that the independent Regulatory Commission will make it clear in its written reasons that Edinson Cavani is not a racist, nor was there any racist intent in relation to his post.”
Edinson Cavani will miss tomorrow’s Premier League game against Aston Villa, Carabao Cup Semi-Final against Manchester City, and FA Cup tie against Watford. It can be set back for Manchester United in these vital games.
Elon Musk had an extremely profitable year in the form of 2020. Not only are both Tesla and SpaceX performing extremely well, but the man became the second richest person in the world-beating Bill Gates for the Spot. That’s something to be proud of.
But at the end of the year, Musk announced that he is meeting up with the co-founder of Oracle, Larry Ellison “to seek some advice.” For those who don’t know, Larry Ellison is the world’s 11th-wealthiest person and joined Tesla’s board in 2018. In December 2020, he announced that he was leaving California to work from the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
“I’ve received a number of inquiries about whether or not I will be moving to Texas. The answer is no. I’ve moved to the State of Hawaii and I’ll be using the power of Zoom to work from the island of Lanai.”
Just meeting with Larry Ellison to seek some advice. Back working on Tesla end of quarter tomorrow.
Ellison, owns 98% of Lanai, Hawaii’s sixth-largest island. He is the main employer of Lanai’s 3,000 residents and owns three hotels, and also a significant chunk of the housing stock as well as the main grocery store and the monthly newspaper corporation. He is the Hawaiian overlord.
Must announce that earlier in December that he was relocating to Texas from California, and in his tweet announcing that his jet had landed in Hawai. When a user pointed out that Musk was enjoying a much-deserved vacation. The world’s second-richest man responded that he wasn’t there on vacation but to seek advice from Larry Ellison.
As to what will Musk bring to Tesla’s table after his supposed get-together with Ellison remains to be seen.
Amazon Inc.’s computer science program, Future Engineer, is reportedly coming to India, which in turn demonstrates the increase of Amazon’s interest in the world’s second-largest internet market, the education space.
In a job recruitment post, the American tech giant said that initial research for Amazon Future Engineer in India is “currently underway”. Through the Future Engineer initiative, Amazon aims to provide underserved and underrepresented children and young adults of India, computer science education. The chosen candidate for the jobs would be tasked with working with local nonprofits and government officials.
The program is scheduled to launch in India in 2021. Amazon said in a press release earlier this week that the ‘childhood-to-career program’ is currently operational in its home country, where it serves more than 5,000 schools and 5,50,000 students with computer science coursework.
“Amazon India has a specific focus on equipping children and young adults from underserved and underprivileged communities to build better futures for themselves,” the company said in the description, according to TechCrunch.
This is not Amazon’s first venture into the education space in India as last year it launched an app named JEE Ready, aimed at helping students who are preparing for entry into India’s prestigious technology institutes. The app has since been rebranded as Amazon Academy, and the total investment by Amazon into India’s education space has crossed $6.5 billion so far.
With 260 million school-going children in India, Amazon isn’t the only American firm that is paying attention to India’s growing education market, as earlier this year, Facebook partnered with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), to launch a certified curriculum on digital safety and online well-being, and augmented reality for students and educators.
Unacademy, a Bangalore-based startup that offers online learning classes, has also received investments from Facebook this year. According to TechCrunch, another of the tech giants, “Google, which invested in Indian educational tech startup Cuemath this year, also partnered with CBSE to train more than 1 million teachers in India and offer a range of free tools such as G Suite for Education, Google Classroom and YouTube to help digitize the education experience in the nation.”
Microsoft has also contributed to the Indian education space by collaborating with several Indian government and industry bodies including National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), and Nasscom to help more than 1 million people increase their skills.
Apple always values its customer policies and most importantly the laws which the companies that work for it have to follow. if any of the company associated with Apple, breaks any one of the laws or violates any of the policies, it is not new for the Cupertino based tech giant to black-list the company for good.
Lens Technology, which is one of the major Chinese suppliers of consumer electronics components has been accused of using forced-labor Uighur workers from the predominantly Muslim region of Xinjiang, China.
The Chinese supplier is one of the prominent glass suppliers to not only Apple but also for Amazon and Tesla. After an investigation, it was found that the company used thousands of workers as part of the Chinese government’s ongoing detention and forced labor campaign against people of the Uighur minority.
Apple has denied any role in connection to the forced labor program carried out by the Chinese government and Lens Technology. The Cupertino based tech giant states that it regularly investigates its suppliers, and has not found any evidence of LEns Technology’s using such worker for Apple’s production lines.
“Apple has zero-tolerance for forced labor. Looking for the presence of forced labor is part of every supplier assessment we conduct, including surprise audits. Earlier this year we confirmed that none of our suppliers have Uighur workers from ‘pairing programs’ from Xinjiang on any Apple production lines.”
We already know that many Human Rights agencies and Activists have shown concerns over the Chinese government’s treatment of Uighur muslim’s and also the fact that the Chinese government doesn’t allow outside forces to investigate the working conditions of its employees.
Intel, the company once hailed as the king of silicon valley is slowly losing its market share to its rivals. With the emergence of AMD’s groundbreaking Zen3 architecture and Apple’s introduction of its M1 chipset, Intel’s processors seem like a thing of yesterday. But the company might have just received the wake-up call it needed and it came at the right time.
A letter to Intel’s chairman, Omar Ishrak, states that the company needs to resolve its issue with contending in today’s market. it simply cannot use its existing strategies against its rivals in current times. As such the company also needs to rectify its Human capital management. The letter to Intel’s CEO was written by Daniel Loeb, the CEO of Third Point.
According to sources, Third Point was the semiconductor giant to evaluate strategic alternatives via an investment advisor. These policy options include the formal separation of fabrication operations from the chip designing segment via spinoffs or joint ventures with other industry players. It is of great importance for Intel, as we already know that its rivals are teamed and are dependent on each other for their success. Intel’s solo run may not work in the coming years.
“Without immediate change at Intel, we fear that America’s access to leading-edge semiconductor supply will erode, forcing the U.S. to rely more heavily on a geopolitically unstable East Asia to power everything from PCs to data centers to critical infrastructure and more.”
The concerns are real, because not only is Intel the biggest silicon brand in the world but is also the most trusted by the government agencies. But in 2020, the company has been delaying the release of its chips one after the other. Back in July, it reported that its 7nm process node will experience a six-month delay, and the announcement was just the beginning of Intel’s long list of 2020, troubles.
“Intel Corporation (INTC) welcomes input from all investors regarding enhanced shareholder value. In that spirit, we look forward to engaging with Third Point LLC on their ideas towards that goal. The step entails a significant effort that would likely need to play out over several generations given the complexities involved.”
