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OFFICIAL: Parthiv Patel announces his retirement from all formats

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Indian wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel announces his retirement from all formats today. The 35-year-old has played 25 Tests, 38 ODIs and 2 T20Is for India. He made his debut in 2002 at the age of 17. He has scored 1706 runs in his international career. His last match for India was in 2018.

In a statement on Twitter, “Today I announce my retirement from all forms of cricket, and as I bring down the curtains on this 18-year-old cricketing journey, I feel heavier with gratitude towards many. The BCCI showed a generous amount of confidence and faith in a 17-year-old boy to play for India. I have enormous gratitude towards them for being a guiding force and hand holding me, in the formative years of my young career.”

Parthiv thanked all of his captains especially former captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly in his Tweet. He said, “I am thankful to all the captains I have played under. I am especially indebted to Dada, my first captain, who showed immense faith in me. I feel privileged to have been in the company of and learned from some stellar teammates, a lot of whom I can call friends today. In the same breath, I must admit players on the opposing team have been as inspiring and taught me well.”  

Parthiv also thanked his domestic cricket association. “I am full of gratitude to The Gujarat Cricket Association, my home, for solidly rallying around me throughout my journey, and the leadership role conferred upon me couldn’t have been more joyous and fulfilling than our team winning all formats of the game”-he added.

The left-handed batsman has played some vital knocks for India. He was also very dependable behind the wicket.

Seagate develops RISC-V based processor for faster & secure HDDs

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The company built a system on a chip, demonstrating one of the cores as functional in hard disk drives

Storage solution giant Seagate Technology has announced that they have designed two processors based on the open RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA). One is designed for high performance while the other features a design specialized for area optimization. 

The former enhances real-time processing performance in HDDs by introducing advanced servo algorithms. While the latter features a flexible microarchitecture configuration and feature set, optimized for footprint and reduced power consumption. 

This has been tried to work with HDDs, and at the initial stage, it is said that it was possible to achieve up to 3 times the performance of the current one. Seagate made this announcement at the virtual RISC-V Summit 2020, here’s what they have stated:

“Having shipped close to one billion cores over the last year, Seagate has developed significant expertise in system-on-a-chip design,” said Cecil Macgregor, Vice President, Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) Development. “We now expanded the capability to add customized RISC-V cores to our portfolio, which is critical to future products. We live in a time of unprecedented growth of enterprise data—and much of this data is in motion. These cores will allow devices to share a common RISC-V ISA. Using open security architectures, they will enable more secure movement of data.”

The high-performance core offers up to triple the performance for real-time, critical HDD workloads versus current solutions. In an initial use case, this core enabled Seagate to dramatically increase the real-time processing power available. The processor paves the way for finer positioning by implementation of advanced servo (motion control) algorithms.

The area-optimized core boasts a highly configurable microarchitecture and feature set. It’s optimized both for footprint and power savings. It powers auxiliary, supporting, or background workloads. It can execute security-sensitive edge computational operations (including next-generation post-quantum cryptography) while targeting a small-footprint implementation of security features over performance.

One of the key use cases for this core is security. A member of OpenTitan, Seagate is committed to open and transparent security.

As both of the processors offer RISC-V security features, the benefits add up to more robust edge-to-cloud data trustworthiness, security, and mobility, making newer HDDs faster and secure.

“Introducing RISC-V to storage devices creates an opportunity to implement application-specific computational capabilities that enable massive parallel computational storage solutions,” said John Morris, Seagate’s Chief Technology Officer. “We believe that these architectures support many important use cases that include scientific simulation (for example, weather prediction) as well as the learning part of machine learning.”

Learn more here.

(via)

Netflix is once again offering StreamFest from 9th to 11th December

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Netflix, one of the most popular online streaming services came up with an idea of giving their customers a free two days trial. The users will be able to watch any show or series of their choice without entering the card details or buying the subscription. The event was named StreamFest and was live in India from December 5 up to December 6.

Upon the success of the first StreamFest, Netflix has once again offered the StreamFest, which went live at 9 am IST on 9th December and will continue till 8:59 pm on 11th December.

This time too the rules are the same. You just need to have a Netflix account to watch any web series or movies of your choice. You don’t have to give the billing details as well. It’s absolutely free.

But the only thing is that Netflix has capped the number of users that are allowed free access to their content. If the number of users gets filled you will get a message showing “StreamFest is at capacity”. Once the number comes down you’ll be notified again that you can start streaming now.

During StreamFest you will get access to all the contents and features which paid members get access to. So if you love watching web series and movies you should definitely check out Netflix during the StreamFest as this a big opportunity to check their content and make up your mind whether you want a Netflix subscription or not.

NBA teams to reportedly receive $30M each to help with finances amid the pandemic

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According to John Lombardo of Sports Business Journal (SBJ), the NBA is giving each team a cash distribution of $30 million to help with finances and protect against any liquidity issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The entire sum of money comes from the $900 million the league raised from notes issued by the NBA in the private placement market, per SBJ. The publication said that the market generally includes institutional investors and insurance companies.

The notes are for a period of three or four years, and is expected to be paid back with interest from “general collective league sources,” reported SBJ, citing multiple different sources in its report. The publication also noted that the league’s financial strength allowed it to secure the financing and that the NBA was being proactive.

SBJ also said that this is the first time the NBA has turned to the private placement market to fund league initiatives. A source told the publication that the $30 million per team will help with liquidity and cash flow issues caused due to playing with few or no fans in arenas to start the year.

The NBA's revenue dropped 10% to $8.3 billion for the 2019-20 season.
The NBA’s revenue dropped 10% to $8.3 billion for the 2019-20 season. Image Credits: Deseret News

The league gets around 40% of its revenues from game-day incomes, including ticket sales, concessions and other in-arena revenue.

The money could be especially valuable with the 2020-21 season set to start on December 22 despite local restrictions preventing the type of sold-out arenas that bring in cash for franchises.

Several teams have already announced that they will begin the upcoming season without fans in their stands.

Due to the pandemic, NBA reportedly lost 10 percent of its revenue in 2019-20. This includes $800 million in gate receipts and around $400 million in merchandise and sponsorships.

Finishing the postseason in the bubble in Orlando helped recoup a significant part of the money, allowing the NBA to end the season with $8.3 billion in the income generated.

Cristiano Ronaldo: I never saw Messi as a rival

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The much-anticipated reunion between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, finally happened yesterday. Ronaldo as always made his mark on the big stage with two calmly taken penalties.

It was unfortunate for Lionel Messi as they lost 3-0 at home, though they already qualified to the next round in the Champions League.

Sadly, it was maybe the last time we saw two of the football greats on the football pitch together as they are heading towards the twilight of their career.

Cristiano Ronaldo joked when talking to Movistar in comments carried by Football Italia: “It was Mission Almost Impossible,”

“The key was to start strong, as within 20 minutes we were already 2-0 up, so from that point on we really believed that we could do it.”

“This victory is going to be such a confidence-booster, we needed a win like this against a big team.”

Ronaldo further added about the first penalty which Barcelona claimed to be unfair, though there was clear contact. He said: “I couldn’t say, as I didn’t see it on television. Sometimes soft penalties are called, but I don’t want to get into that, because the referee’s job is always tough.”

“When you score three goals at Camp Nou, there can be no doubt you deserve to go through as the group winners.”

Ronaldo concluded by commenting on his relationship with Lionel Messi. He said: “We’ve been in the awards ceremonies for 12-13 years now and I never saw him as a rival, that’s all stirred up in the media. We always got along perfectly well and if you ask Leo, he’ll tell you the same thing.”

Stephen Curry in talks for an extension, wants to retire as a Warrior

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Golden State Warriors big man Stephen Curry said the possibility of signing an extension with the franchise is “on the table” and reiterated that he is hopeful he will eventually retire from the only professional team he has ever known.

32-year-old Curry acknowledged that the discussions are ongoing, when asked if he plans to sign a contract extension.

“We have conversations,” said Curry on Monday during a video conference with reporters. “Everything’s on the table right now. Everything I’ve talked about being a Warrior and what the future holds. Obviously (I’m) fully committed on what that is. And understanding I’ve got to do what’s right for me and the team and having those conversations. I feel blessed to be in that position where I can say that and truly believe that, so it’s a matter of just letting things play out the way they should and that’s kind of where we’re at right now,” he added.

Curry was originally selected by the Golden State Warriors with the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA draft. The guard is currently in the middle of a five-year, $201 million supermax extension signed in 2017 as reported by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the max extension that Curry is eligible for would be for three years and $156 million. It would begin in 2022-23.

Stephen Curry is a six-time NBA All-Star, representing the Golden State Warriors since 2009. Image Credits: USA Today

The two parties have until December 21 to finalize an extension this season.

Curry reiterated what he has said publicly multiple times over the years, which is that he is hopeful that he can end his career as a Warrior.

“That’s a huge goal for sure,” said Curry. “It’s an elite club of guys that you look at that have played with the same organization and been successful and achieved greatness in that respect. So that would be an awesome accomplishment. Something that I’ve obviously spoken publicly about and am very committed to. But that also goes with there’s a lot more to be accomplished on the court, and again I can’t fast forward to what the end is going to be and not enjoy the moment, enjoy the challenges we have in front of us and what I have left to accomplish as a player so we’ll see what happens,” he remarked.

Curry, a two-time NBA MVP and three-time NBA champion, noted that he is in no rush to lock in the security that would come with such a huge extension – he is simply focused on trying to get the Warriors to be the best team they can be in the present scenario.

Stephen Curry has won two MVPs while playing for the Golden State Warriors. Image Credits: NBA.com India

He also said that while the number of years could always fluctuate depending on how he is feeling, he is hopeful that he will be able to play at least as much as his father, Dell, did.

Despite the fact that his friend and teammate Klay Thompson is out for the year after tearing his Achilles, Curry remains optimistic about the Warriors’ odds in the short term.

“I know you guys can analyze the salary-cap sheet and look at what decisions might be in the future, but for what we have right now, I love where we’re at,” he said. “I love the fact that we have enough experience to surprise a lot of people this year and try to compete at the top of the West, see what happens.”

ASUS ROG Phone 4 with Snapdragon 888 SoC spotted on GeekBench and HTML5 Test database

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In July, Asus launched its Rog Phone 3, which has a model number AUSU_I003D. Now it is expected that Asus is preparing to launch the successor of Rog Phone 3, as a new Asus phone has spotted on the GeekBench database, which carries a similar model number with Rog Phone 3: ASUS_I005DA.

Also, ASUS_I005DA and ASUS_I005DB model numbers have spotted on the HTML5 test datasheet. This gives us a clue that the company is expected to launch new devices which may be the successor of previously launched Rog Phone 3.

The previously launched Rog Phone 3 has a model number ASUS_I003D, so it is expected that the successor of the Rog Phone 3 would have a model number of ASUS_I004D, but instead of number ‘4’, the model numbers have ‘5’ in it, which gives a clue that the company may unveil the Asus Rog Phone 5 as the successor of Rog Phone 3.

This upcoming Asus phone has appeared on the GeekBench database, which reveals some specifications of the phone. Let’s check out these specifications.

The GeekBench datasheet reveals only one model number: ASUS_I005DA. This upcoming phone will be powered by Qualcomm’s flagship chipset Snapdragon 888 SoC. The phone will run on Android 11 OS. The motherboard of this phone carries a codename of ‘Lahaina’ and it will be paired with 8GB RAM. The Octa-Core processor will have a clock speed of 1.80GHz.

According to the GeekBench datasheet, this upcoming phone has scored 1080 on the Single-Core test and 3584 in the Multiple-core test.

The HTML5 test datasheet shows two model numbers, which indicates that this phone may come with two variants. According to the HTML5 datasheet, both model numbers have scored 469 out of 555 points.

Apart from this information, the rest remains a mystery. If you look at the previous launch history of Asus, the Rog Phone 2v was announced in July 2019, the Rog Phone 3 was launched in July 2020, so it is too early to say anything about this upcoming device.

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3C Certification reveals the Xiaomi Mi 11 series smartphone will get 55W fast charging support

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After the launch of the Mi 10 series, Xiaomi is looking forward to launching the Xiaomi Mi 11 in the upcoming days. Recently we have got many rumors related to this topic, that reveals that the Chinese Tech Giant Xiaomi is expected to launch Xiaomi Mi 11 series, which includes Xiaomi Mi 11 and Xiaomi Mi 11 Pro.

Now a mysterious Xiaomi phone with the model number M2011K2C appeared on the datasheet of China’s MIIT authority in October. Recently a phone with this same model number has received 3C certification. This device could be the upcoming Mi 11 or Mi 11 Pro smartphone.

According to the 3C certification, the phone carries a model number M2011K2C, and the device will be supported by 5G network connectivity. The datasheet also reveals, this upcoming device could ship with a new charger which has a model number MDY-12-EQ. Unsurprisingly, this charger has got 3C approval last month, which reveals that this new charger supports up to 55W fast charging technology.

The 3C datasheet also reveals that the M2011K2C could be an upcoming flagship model from Xiaomi, which will get the support of a 55W fast charging technology. There is a possibility that this phone may belong to Xiaomi MI 11 or Mi 11 Pro. It is also expected that we can see this model number on the Chinese TENAA website soon.

According to the rumors, the Xiaomi Mi 11 and Mi 11 Pro, both phones will sport a 6-inches QHD+AMOLED display. The display also features a 120Hz of refresh rate. The Xiaomi Mi 11 is also expected to have a curved display on all four sides. Both phones will be powered by the newly launched Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 SoC. It is predicted that both the edition of Mi 11 will have 8GB LPDDR5 and 128GB of inbuilt UFS 3.1 storage configuration. According to the source, the Mi 11 will have 4,780 mAh of battery life, Whereas the Pro version could offer 4,500mAh battery life. Both the phones are expected to have Android 11 OS.

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The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT draws similar power to that of 6800 XT at 4K gaming

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Yesterday, AMD launched or said made their flagship Radeon RX 6900 XT available in the market at a hefty $999 in the US or ₹79,900 in India exclusive of GST but is way cheaper than the NVIDIA flagship RTX 3090. Getting hands-on with these new GPUs is pretty tough, but if you get one, you should keep a check on the thermals as well.

As per the latest testings done by Igor’s lab, it seems the flagship RX 6900 XT draws somewhat similar power to that of the RX 6800 XT. This is mostly because there’s no huge difference between the GPUs as the AMD flagship somewhere around 10-15% performance improvement for $350 extra, kept to fill in the gap between RTX 3090 and RTX 3080.

It draws 303 Watts of power while 4K gaming and is just shy of RX 6800 XT’s 298 Watts power draw, although the high-end GPU has been rated to be used with 850W+ PSU whereas the RX 6800 XT rated to be used with 750W+ PSU.

The AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT draws similar power to that of 6800 XT at 4K gaming
Courtesy: Linus Tech Tips

As we see in the power draw graph of Linus Tech Tip’s video, we see the RX 6900 XT drawing sudden power spikes over 400W in benchmarks and this can actually damage a 750W power supply. So, if you do want an RX 6900 XT, first get a minimum 850W+ PSU, or to be safe get a 1000W gold rated PSU.

However, in games, the Radeon RX 6900 XT seems a good boy and a brother of the RX 6800 XT but a costlier one too as well.

Top 10 most affordable countries to buy a PS5

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PlayStation 5, the next-gen console by Sony, has already been released worldwide last month but the availability has been scarce which has seen an abrupt rise in prices.

A recent research has been made to analyze the retail prices of the digital version of PS5 in 100 countries across the world. The findings are as below.

  • A low retail price for the PS5 combined with a relatively high average monthly income of $2691.26 makes the United States one of the most affordable countries to purchase a PS5 in. 
  • Retailing at $399.99, the average American would only have to set aside 11.3% of their monthly salary in order to afford one (based on the average monthly income of $3554.93).
  • Other high-income countries in Europe and Asia also feature heavily.  
RankCountryPercentage of salary
1Switzerland7.20%
2United States11.30%
3Australia12.60%
4Hong Kong14.00%
5Japan14.00%
6Denmark14.90%
7Canada15.40%
8Norway16.00%
9Netherlands16.20%
10Iceland16.30%
  • Paxful gathered and analyzed the retail prices of the digital version of PS5 from various sources including official brand websites and regional online stores. Prices may reflect the retail price for a console that is shipped from an international retailer. 
  • Average monthly salary data was sourced from Numbeo.
  • Local currencies were converted into USD using the Google Finance tool and are correct as of 6th November 2020.

If you’re from India, you can also take a look at the PlayStation 4 available on Amazon at such a low price, link: https://amzn.to/3mXQay0

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