Tech Radar 247

Due to the pandemic, e-commerce websites have suffered a massive loss in the first quarter of the year 2020. Transport is an integral part of these companies. And due to the lockdown, no trucks or buses are allowed to move. Hence, nothing that you order online would be able to reach you. It also sees the influence of the manufacturing of units in Chinese factories. The electronics market has suffered the most. Most of the mobile phone companies have their factories in China, which are shut. The work and supply by companies like Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal and other such firms are limited to essentials. 

The government has made amendments to their last order

In the last couple of days, there came the news that the government has allowed the sales of smartphones and a few other electronics categories. Flipkart even posted a banner and opened the mobile category for purchase. They came up with guidelines for safe delivery. And they also promised that they would start delivering from 20^th April, according to the government guidelines. 

E-commerce websites must be upset!

For the whole procedure to work, the delivery vans and trucks also had to take permission from the government. Although that seemed to be profitable for the brands as they have not made any profitable sale so far in this year. It was nullified by the government looking at the current scenario. It was instead a shock for brands like Xiaomi and Realme; they were looking forward to launching some new devices.

The government has taken back its order for the e-commerce companies to function normally from 20^th April.

The government has only allowed the sale of essential items 

According to the recent order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, e-commerce companies would not be able to deliver anything but essentials until the lockdown lifts. The official twitter handle also posted a document confirming the same. It is mentioned that the vehicles used by such companies to deliver the essentials would also have to maintain the highest possible hygienic standards. They would not be able to operate without permission.

The latest order is contrary to the previous, where the government allowed the factories for the production of smartphones. All the enthusiasts waiting for new launches have to wait until lockdown lifts in the country. It would be unreasonable to launch products when no one can buy them, especially for brands that have a significant chunk of business from India. The companies that have launched products; OnePlus and Apple have to wait until the lockdown ends, for their sales to begin.

Elon Musk, in his classic way, replied to some fan tweets recently. The CEO revealed some very exciting news about Cybertruck. We are talking about better off-road functionality with increased dynamic air-suspension travel. Even more, the company is working to shrink the size of the futuristic truck. So that it fits into garages in the US. Lowering the window sill height and leveling the centerline are some of the other improvements that one might get to see in the actual retail unit.

The company does not have a production plant yet

Though Tesla has not set up a factory for production, they say that they are searching for a place to start in the US. The manufacturing and production are planned in late 2021. We would likely see different models, based on power and range travel. The high-end models would be produced first, with the less powerful models scheduled for production in 2022.

Cybertruck completely blew minds at launch!

Remember playing those futuristic video games that invoked the desire to use all the gadgets? Those movies like Men in Black which showcase a tremendous amount of future tech that does not even exist. If you say that you never desired those, you would probably be bragging. Last year, all of us witnessed a revolutionary design. Tesla Cybertruck made thousands of heads turn in the launch event. Some even said it was hard to believe as it looked like some sort of animation or hologram. But the prototype was launched and it worked.

We are talking about a truck that virtually looks like a vehicle from some sci-fi movie. Cybertruck features an electric automobile design. It offers par power and acceleration as the ones that run on conventional fuels. The electric pickup has serious payload capacity and can travel a huge distance with respect to electric cars. The chassis of the truck is carved out of stainless steel. As far as the dimensions are concerned, it has targeted some already popular vehicles, with a seating capacity of six people. But, here is when things start to get interesting. The pricing of the truck might begin around $50,000.

Tesla is also preparing some kind of futuristic Cybertruck housing called Cybunker. The rugged and sharp looks of the pickup make it easy to compare it with a tank. Though at the time of launch, the vehicle received mixed reactions from the public, one cannot deny that it is one step ahead to the future. 

OnePlus has tried a different thing this time. Instead of making a device in the mid-premium price range, they have gone straight up tier. Both the devices launched are price at par with some of the best smartphones out there. OnePlus 8 Pro costs a whooping thousand bucks. That is not mid-range folks. And this also makes them compete against some top tier products like iPhone 11 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. Even the lower model starts at 699USD. But, given that the new iPhone, SE(2^nd Generation) is out now, and costs only 499USD, it might be a reason to worry. Let’s get straight into it.

The new OnePlus comes with top of the line android spec sheet. They have tried to make it the fast, for their love of speed. But neither the performance nor the design is as good as the price. For this article, we would focus on OnePlus 8.  Here are some reasons to consider.

• The features that OnePlus is bragging about, the fast charging and official IP certification. They are already available at phones that cost much less than OnePlus 8. The new iPhone is waterproof and supports fast charging as well.
• The new iPhone comes with A13 Bionic. The chipset is currently powering some of the most expensive and powerful iPhones out there. The computational power is seriously off the charts. We are talking about benchmark scores that even Snapdragon 865 cannot achieve.
• The new iPhone would have the flagship Apple camera. It is supposed to have the same lens as some premium smartphones in the line-up do. OnePlus has always struggled delivering in the camera department. And it is not only the hardware. Recent uploads from reviewers show red tone in the pictures in all kinds of lighting, and that is not a good sign.

• There are a lot of people out there who use an older version of iPhone. We are talking about iPhone 6, 6s and even iPhone 7. Essentially the new iPhone is like a no-brainer upgrade for all of them. They get to keep the smaller, compact form-factor that they love, and get updated internals. It’s a win-win situation. A 4.7” Retina display, and TouchID are some of the most successful features of Apple.
• Last but not least, the pricing of the new iPhone is absolutely insane. You get a brand new iPhone for 400USD, with all the latest features and power. iOS has been more efficient than Android for years now. You can get the same work done on an iPhone with 3GB of RAM, that you would get done on an Android device for 6GB of RAM

While the pandemic has sharply dipped the demand of smartphones, both these launches may be able to cope up with it. 

In the past few years, Motorola has only made a mid-range smartphone. A budget-friendly, durable device that gets you through the day. If such a device is what you need, you can turn to the company. Motorola’s devices are always well built. The recent past has seen multiple companies throwing in mid-flagship features in an average price range. But the company sort of lost its place in the market, due to not following the trend.

General Specifications 

The Moto G Power is priced at $249. It comes with Snapdragon 665(octa-core 11nm), coupled with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The combination would be sufficient to get you through everything. Be is multi-tasking or heavy apps. Even games are a treat when played on this device owing to two factors. The Adreno 610 GPU can run Call-Of-Duty at high settings and the 6.4” FullHD+ IPS panel is pretty good at producing colors. 

The Moto G Stylus also comes with the same screen, processor, and GPU. As the name suggests, the company has provided a stylus with the device. It follows an implementation similar to Galaxy Note devices, the stylus fitting inside the device. But the caveat is that it doesn’t connect via Bluetooth. Hence it cannot be used as a remote shutter. It ships with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, and costs $299. The stock android experience tweaked with Moto gestures is a delight to use. Both devices also come with stereo speakers.

The Camera Is Where The Difference Lies

Both the phones come with a triple rear camera setup. The Moto G Power comes with a 16MP primary sensor along with an ultrawide (8MP) and a macro(2MP) lens. Motorola has worked hard on its software. The camera is now able to produce decent images, considering the price point. Surprisingly, you can record 4k videos at 30fps using the primary sensor. The front camera sits in the top left of the screen, in the form of a hole and is a 16MP shooter. The Moto G Stylus has a slight edge here, the primary sensor being 48MP shooter. Both phones are capable of giving decent results in well-lit environments, although there are options in this price range that might offer a better result.

Battery Life is Pretty Good On Both The Devices

Though both the devices are quite subtle, they perform exceptionally well when it comes to screen on time (the better word for battery life). While the Moto G Power comes with a 5000 mAh Lithium Polymer battery, the Moto G Stylus has a 4000 mAh battery. Both phones can easily last up to two days on average usage. The G Power can even touch the third-day mark.

Moto G series once use to be the best in the price range. Excellent built quality, a stock android experience, and a decent camera, it used to be a full package. Getting back on the track, Motorola has launched two mid-range devices. And in this article, we will find out how well do they stack up against the other offerings in the price range. The newly launched devices are very similar to each other in terms of design and appearance. And, you can also listen to FM Radio on both of them!

Xiaomi fans were excited as the premium flagship Mi 10 was scheduled to launch in March. Due to the recent breakout of the pandemic, the company decided to take a step back. There is a nationwide lockdown in India. In such a scenario, it was nothing but wise to delay the launch. While Amazon still has the banners which say “coming soon”, there is no official word on the launch. But there is some hope. If the lockdown ends in the coming month, Xiaomi might launch the phone.

Technical Specifications of Mi 10

We already know a lot about the device, as it was launched a couple of months ago in the international market. The phone houses top of the line Snapdragon 865 processor, which has 5G embedded in it. Adreno 650 is the GPU that would be handling all the heavy graphic tasks. The screen is beautiful, as the company advertises it. We are talking about a 6.67” Super AMOLED (1080×2340), 3D Curved display. Not only it is a 90Hz refresh rate, but it also has a touch sampling rate of 180Hz which uses TrueColor technology. The screen also supports HDR10+.

Long story short, the colour production is excellent. Watching videos or playing games on the device is going to be buttery smooth. The Stereo Speakers are situated at the top and the bottom of the device. And it is one of the best audio smartphones ever. 

108MP Rear-Facing Camera Beast

The main highlight of the smartphone is the massive 108MP rear camera, which supports optical image stabilisation and 8K video recording. Yes, you read that right! The sensor is one of the largest sensors used in a mobile device. As a result, you do not need to turn on the portrait mode for the stunning background blur (bokeh). Night photography is also much better on this device, as the large sensor captures more light. The camera module as has an 8MP telephoto lens, 12MP dedicated portrait lens and a high-resolution 20MP ultra-wide lens. You are looking at a versatile setup here that gives you all kinds of perspectives you require. On the front, you get a 20MP shooter(punch-hole in the top left of screen) that gets the job done, pretty decently.

Interesting fact: you can record a video in 8K. While playing it, pause it at any time, and just by clicking a screenshot, you can have a picture that has a resolution as high as 33MP.

Will Support Wireless Charging & More

The device ships with the latest MiUi 11, which has been refined more than ever. Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, USB Type-C, and support of wireless charging(as well as reverse wireless charging). Internationally, the phone comes with a 65W fast charger in the box, which can charge up the 4500 mAh battery in around 40 minutes. The device also supports wireless fast charging of up to 30W.

Overall, you get a premium smartphone, with top-notch specifications at a not so premium price point. According to global pricing, it might be priced around 50,000INR to 60,000INR. The phone would be available in different colours, and storage models.

On April 2nd, 2020, the Government of India launched an application called “Aarogya Setu.” On the 13th day of launch, the app hit 50 million (5 crores) downloads on Goggle Play Store. Previously, this record was with the mobile game Pokémon Go, which reached the mark in 19 days. It helps the health services to connect with people of India, in the fight against COVID-19.

The app has been launched to keep people informed of the initiatives of the Department Of Health (GOI) and telling them about risks, healthy practices and advisories. The sole objective is awareness about the situation and containment of virus spread. Through access to your location and Bluetooth settings, the application warns the user if they come close to an infected person or area. The app runs on both Android and iOS. With support to more than 11 languages, the app asks Bluetooth and data permissions as soon as you install it on your devices. Then with the help of your contact number and the settings mentioned above, the applications suggest the user, whether they are safe or not.

You would have to enter basic details like your name, age, profession, and a travel record of days. After you enter all the details, the app will indicate the level of danger in two colors: green and yellow. If the app shows green, you are entirely safe. But if the app turns yellow, you are in danger. It would ask you to contact the COVID helpline, in the latter case.

The Novel Coronavirus has infected over 12000 people in India, as of 15th April (source: covid19india.org). Out of them, over 1500 people have been recovered and as many as 400 people have lost their lives. While the government is taking extensive measures to contain the virus through social lockdown, the numbers are still on the rise. An initial lockdown of 21 days was imposed on 24th March 2020. Owing to the rapid spread of the virus, the lockdown has been extended till 3rd May 2020. The people in public services are trying their best to keep the country safe.

A fact worth noting is, the application gained 11 million downloads in just one day. Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi requested his countrymen to download the app in his last address to the nation, and it did not take twenty-four hours for the app to gain 11 million downloads.

Fans are eagerly waiting for GTA VI. Well, the game might be in the early stages of development. The developers might launch the game, and then expand it through updates. It might be a Miami inspired world, like we have seen in GTA: Vice City, while it is also possible that the game might be in a Brazil-based city. A game as heavy and detailed as one in GTA series takes a very long time to develop. It includes various levels of planning, on-field research (contributes to the open-world structure of the game), and then finally the designing part comes in.

The Big Question Is, Will GTA VI Be A Next-Gen Console Launch? 

The previously followed marketing strategy might be a hint. At the launch of GTA V, the game was available on the available consoles; PlayStation 3 and Xbox One. Both Sony and Microsoft launched new consoles the next year. Rockstar, which had earlier kept the game exclusive, launched it for the new consoles. And then in 2015, the game was launched for Microsoft Windows. Given that, the game could be a cross-gen title, and we might see a launch in later 2020 or early 2021.

All those who are in their teens right now must be aware of the name “Grand Theft Auto”. It is the series of games developed and created by Rockstar Games. Be it Vice City, or San Andreas, or the latest GTA V. The company has some of the most popular games on the planet. The series has an open world, action-adventure games, that a person can play in either first-person or third-person view. The setup is around some popular cities of the US: the game has a fictional version of them. That being said, one has a lot to discover in the game.

GTA V Had Set Hard Records To Break

The game was launched back in September 2013. On the very first day of launch, the game earned more than 800 million$. Apart from various awards and acclamations that the venture received, the game also has the title of the fastest-selling product (entertainment). For those who had an experience, roaming around the open world is absolutely a delight. 

One of the most praised and most researched parts of the game is the open world. Upon being observed, it resembles the real world in many ways. The missions bring you to the edge of your seat. The graphics are top-notch. And the fact that it is a cross-generation game also adds to the success of the game.

Owing to their versatile nature and gameplay, Rockstar Games are among the most successful video games. People like to do different things in the virtual opportunities that they get. For instance, some might want to ride a bike, some to fly a plane, play as superman. You can do everything in a GTA game. Ride the car you want, fly aircraft a great variety of planes available. Possibly everything that you can do in the real world, it is all there for you.

When it comes to video games, recreating titles is one tedious job. The more popular the title, the larger the risk it is. While the fans well receive not all recreated games, certain developers are really good at the job. Capcom is one of them. They have been successfully recreating Resident Evil titles. Resident Evil 2 and 3 have been a commercial hit for the company. Furthermore, the news is that Resident Evil 4 remake is the next project that the company has undertaken. The game is scheduled to release in 2022.

Resident Evil title is famous for the attention and activeness it demands from the players. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, can always make you feel the adrenaline rush. However, the 3^rd name in the series does not fulfill the expectations for the same. The complex Resource Management and Instinctive game-play required in the 2^nd title is likely absent in the successor.  Nemesis (Resident Evil 3) is not as scary as compared to Mr. X (Resident Evil 2). The storyline requires you to go through defined checkpoints with a set of enemies that is spawned every time. There are too many ways to escape Nemesis and survive through that part of the game. It seems as if the fans wanted something more exciting!

Resident Evil 3 is a very popular title. Capcom has done an excellent job, especially when it comes to fixing the technological and structural flaws in the game. The game is more realistic as compared to the original one, with drastically improved graphics. Also, a better and efficient control system was very well praised by fans. However, some critics think that the game did not fulfill the expectations that they had from this title. If you have been following the series, you would have noticed that Resident Evil 2 had a far more detailed storyline. 

That being said, the new title in under making and gamers have high hopes from the same. Will it be a cross-generation game or a single generation, that would be revealed at the time of launch.