The Oppo F19 Pro series launch in India is on the horizon. The company has dropped the first teaser of the upcoming Oppo F19 Pro series on Amazon today.
The Amazon teaser suggests there are two new phones incoming - the Oppo F19 Pro Plus 5G and the Oppo F19 Pro. The last-gen Oppo F17 series had the Oppo F17 and the Oppo F17 Pro. The Oppo F19 series is missing the vanilla Oppo F19, at least for now. Ahead of the launch in India tipster, Sudhanshu has leaked the specs of the devices.
While the Oppo F19 Pro Plus is said to bring 5G support onboard, the Oppo F19 Pro seems to not have much of an upgrade from the Oppo F17 Pro.
The Oppo F19 Pro Plus 5G will be the first 5G device in the F series and also the first Plus variant in the series. The F19 Pro Plus is tipped to be powered by MediaTek Dimensity 800U chipset which also powers the Realme X7 and Realme Narzo 30 Pro. As for the screen, the device is said to sport a 6.4-inch AMOLED display though the resolution is not mentioned, it is likely to be an FHD+ screen. It is also tipped to feature an in-display fingerprint sensor.
As for the optics, the device will be having a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP wide-angle camera, and a 2MP depth camera while a 32MP selfie shooter will be placed inside the punch-hole cutout in the front. In terms of battery life, the device is said to pack in a 4,500mAh battery with 30W fast charging support.
The successor to the last year’s Oppo F17 Pro, the Oppo F19 Pro is likely to the same 6.4-inch AMOLED display, MediaTek Helio P95 chipset, and in-display fingerprint scanner. There seems to be a bump in terms of battery capacity with 4,310mAh unit as opposed to a 4,000mAh. The fast charging speed of 30W is also on the cards.
According to the leak, the cameras on the Oppo F19 Pro also doesn’t get a big upgrade from the last gen. It is said to come with a 48MP main camera followed by an 8MP wide angle camera, a 2MP macro and a 2MP depth sensor. The Oppo F17 Pro boasted two 2MP mono sensors. Selfie camera on the Oppo F19 Pro is said to come with a single 16MP which is again looks like downgrade from 16+2MP dual selfie camera.
Oppo F19 Pro pricing (expected)
The Oppo F19 Pro 6+128GB variant is expected to be priced around Rs 20,000 in India, according to the leakster.
Going by the past records, the Oppo F series has always been thin profile, design, and cameras rather than specs game. With the Oppo F19 Pro series as well, we could see thin and light phones.
For now, we do not have any launch date of the Oppo F19 Pro series, but since the Amazon listing is already live, we could see the launch as early as next week. We could also see the Oppo Band launch along with the Oppo F19 Pro series in India as the fitness tracker was spotted on BIS a few weeks back.
The Oppo Find X3 series will be one of the many upcoming smartphone launches in March, with no fewer than three devices expected. A new development potentially confirms the existence of a fourth model.
The family will be unveiled in global markets on March 11. Based on the information currently available, three smartphones will launch: the Oppo Find X3 Pro, the Find X3 Lite and the Find X3 Neo. A regular Oppo Find X3 was notably missing from all previous leaks. That changes now.
(Image credit: Master Lu (via GSMArena))
A new Oppo smartphone with the model number PEDM00 was spotted on Master Lu, which is a benchmarking app that is commonly used in China. The listing confirms some key specifications, such as the Snapdragon 870 chipset at a frequency of 3.2GHz, 8GB of RAM and a QHD+ display with a resolution of 3216 x 1440 pixels.
Other expected features include a 120Hz refresh rate with a new display management system, 65W fast charging, Android 11 and triple cameras.
Since the top-of-the-line Oppo Find X3 Pro will feature the Snapdragon 888 chipset, it makes sense for the slightly cheaper Find X3 to opt for the slightly lower-powered Snapdragon 870 processor.
The fact that the Oppo Find X3 was not spotted on global repositories earlier could be an indication that it will be exclusive to certain Asian countries such as India, where brands tend to be more competitive with the prices. Last year, Oppo launched only the Find X2 in India, skipping on the X2 Pro as it would’ve been too expensive for a price-sensitive market.
It also seems that the March 11 event is only for the global markets, as Oppo India is yet to mention it. While the Find X3 series was confirmed to launch, it might happen a little later.
On the horizon, we have the Oppo Find 19 series and the Oppo Band India launches, which are slated for the coming weeks.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took the first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine as the second phase of the vaccination drive in India got underway.
India is inoculating people over the age of 60, and those over 45 with existing health conditions (co-morbidities). It aims to cover 10 crore people across the country. So far in the first phase, more than 1.5 core people have received Covid-19 shots.
Alongside the second phase of inoculation, the Co-WIN platform for registering for the Covid-19 vaccine is live for those people eligible for it. Those falling in the eligible criteria can get themselves registered at https://selfregistration.cowin.gov.in/
Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) monitors the inoculation drive and also tracks the listed beneficiaries for vaccination on a real-time basis.
Govt releases user manual for help in registration
Snapshot of what the self-registration on Co-WIN entails(Image credit: Indian government)
More than 10,000 private hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat PMJAY, more than 600 hospitals under the CGHS and other private hospitals empanelled under State schemes are functioning as vaccination centres.
The government has also shared a user manual for registration and appointment for the vaccination programme.
The second phase of the inoculation programme will be conducted at 10,000 government facilities, with people receiving shots free of charge, and at 20,000 private hospitals where a fee will be charged.
Private hospitals, it is said, can charge up to Rs 250 per dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.
India, it may be recalled, granted emergency-use approval to two vaccines -- Covishield, the local name of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin, which was developed by Indian drugmaker Bharat Biotech. Both require two doses, administered 28 days apart.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking the Covid-19 vaccine shot at AIIMS, New Delhi today (March 1, 2021).(Image credit: Indian government)
Technical glitches while registering on Co-WIN
Meanwhile, reports have emerged that the Android app has encountered a glitch regarding the One-Time Password (OTP) verification.
After entering the mobile number, users are supposed to get an OTP to successfully register themselves on the app --- only the Android version in available till now.
But as per a news story in News18, the Co-WIN mobile app is not sending the OTP to users’ mobile numbers in order to get registered for the vaccine.
This complaint was also echoed by a few Twitter users who tried to register themselves on the Co-WIN platform.
CoWIN registration done , I can’t move beyond that , not able to chose next step of selection vaccination center , glitches in Govt CoWIN app , what a let down when ppl have been waiting for this this day for vac jab pic.twitter.com/h5yKgqJ7SNMarch 1, 2021
To receive the vaccine, one must register on the app using their mobile number or any other identity documents. The person then needs to visit the vaccination centre on the scheduled date and time and get the inoculation done, following which he gets a certificate.
The Co-WIN dashboard will provide all information including name, age, mobile number, vaccination status, date and time of vaccination, place of vaccination, session site, health facility and name of vaccinator.
The government has also clarified recently that Aadhaar is not mandatory for registration on Co-WIN portal.
For registration, users can upload any one of the officially recognised 12 identification documents.
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After some anticipation, we've finally got confirmation of the Oppo Find X3 launch date - we're going to see the next generation of flagship Oppo phones unveiled on March 11.
This event is set to stream on the company's YouTube channel - a page is already live - and it will kick off at 3:30am PT / 6:30am ET / 11:30am GMT / 10:30pm ACT. That's pretty early in some regions, but since Oppo doesn't sell smartphones in the US, it makes sense.
TechRadar will be sure to cover the launch event and everything it brings, so check back at the allotted time for that. But what will the event bring? We don't know for certain, but Oppo's announcement does hint towards something rumors have already pointed at...
We're not accusing Oppo's next flagship smartphone line of being vapor, but some leaks have suggested that there won't be a phone just called the 'Oppo Find X3', instead suggesting there will be a Find X3 Pro, Find X3 Neo and Find X3 Lite. The Find X2 series had those three phones as well as a 'standard' model.
In its announcement of the 'Find X3 Series launch event', as Oppo calls it, the company refers to the 'high-end, billion colour flagship smartphone, the OPPO Find X3 Pro'. Usually when a company refers to its new smartphone line, it does so through the titular device, which would in this case be the Find X3. The reference to the Find X3 Pro instead is curious.
In fact, the majority of the announcement alludes to new Oppo Find X3 Pro features and specs - the only details confirmed are ones we already knew, like the use of the Snapdragon 888 chipset and new Full-path Color Management display system, which lets the screen be more color accurate.
Of course, the lack of a 'vanilla' Oppo Find X3 being mentioned isn't an explicit confirmation that such a phone isn't coming, but when considered alongside the rumors we've already mentioned, it's as close to definite as we can get until the company actually says so.
So we'll be sure to tune into the Oppo Find X3 series launch on March 11 to see for sure what's coming, and closer to the event you'll see more coverage from us on the phones.
With so many shows and movies to choose from on Australia's major streaming services, it can often be difficult to find the best new stuff to entertain yourself with each week.
In an effort to make things easier, every Monday we'll be highlighting the best new shows and movies to watch on Aussie streaming platforms, covering the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, Binge, Foxtel Now, Stan and Amazon Prime Video.
Below, you'll find a list of this week's highlights, separated by streaming service, with binge-worthy new shows sitting alongside some great big-budget new movie arrivals – and a couple of oddball left-of-field entries, just for some variety.
Thankfully, there's a nice selection of new shows and great movies landing on Australia's streaming services for watching Monday through Sunday. Here are our streaming picks for the week of March 1-7, 2021.
Disney Plus
WandaVision (TV series – series finale available 5/3/2021)
After all these years, last week's episode of WandaVision saw Wanda finally receive the title of Scarlet Witch from her new nemesis. Now, it's time to see what Wanda will do to get herself out of her current predicament. One thing's likely: we imagine this week's finale will have big consequences for the future of the MCU.
A sequel over thirty years in the making, Eddie Murphy's beloved comedy classic Coming to America is getting an official follow-up in the ingeniously titled Coming 2 America. Now King of Zamunda, Akeem (Murphy) discovers he has an estranged son in America and must go back to Queens, New York in order to find him. Of course, his trusted confidante, Semmi (Arsenio Hall), will also be along for the ride, much to his chagrin. Expect all your favourite characters from the original film to return, including the Barbershop guys and even Randy Watson and Sexual Chocolate!
Directed by the funny and talented Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation), the new Netflix Original comedy Moxie sees a shy 16-year old girl anonymously publish a zine as a way to stick it to the sexist, toxic guys at her high school. The zine immediately picks up traction with her classmates, starting a school-wide revolution of sorts.
The Walking Dead (TV Series – Season 10C returns 1/3/2021)
After an extended break, The Walking Dead's 10th season returns today with the first of six new episodes. Picking up after the fall of Alpha (Samantha Morton) and the end of the Whisperers War, we find the survivors trying to put the pieces back together and rebuild.
Manhunt: Deadly Games(TV Series – season premieres 5/3/2021)
The latest season of Manhunt is once again inspired by true events, this time the story of Richard Jewell (Cameron Britton), a security officer who partly foils a bombing and then is immediately hung out to dry by the media who sell the narrative of a man who orchestrated the whole thing to pretend to be a hero.
Broadband users across the country can be broadly divided into three parts. One that has access to blazing-fast internet connections with almost 100% uptime and thanks to the competition, these fibre broadband connections are affordable as well. The second category is of the users who are stuck at a place with poor infrastructure or are of low interest to the service providers, hence these users may have broadband access but at abysmal speeds and exorbitant costs.
Then comes the category where there is no connectivity. Forget broadband, even being able to connect to the internet using your phone is a luxury.
A satellite-based internet system may not be of huge interest to the first category apart from the users who are facing troubled connectivity and for the rest, this can be life-changing. Starlink is one such company that plans to bring fast internet connectivity regardless of their physical locations.
With the help of over 12000 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Elon Musk’s Starlink will beam high speed, low latency internet across the globe. These satellites are being deployed in Earth’s orbit in a phased manner and will form an array around the Earth to relay internet connectivity from the ground-based stations.
These satellites will be interconnected with the help of lasers to offer seamless coverage across the globe.
Is Starlink feasible in India?
Starlink or any other satellite internet service can be of major help in a country like India. It can offer high-speed wireless connection in congested metro cities and tough terrains where installing wired connectivity is still a challenge.
From villages in the desert of Rajasthan to the hilly Himachal, forests in central India or the coastal regions, high-speed internet will not only help people to connect easily but can be a gamechanger when it comes to education, farming, transport, local commerce etc and can boost the economy.
Apart from metros and some tier 2 cities, a wired broadband connection is scarce. The high cost of setting up and maintaining infrastructure turns out to be the biggest roadblock for ISPs, hence an internet connection that doesn’t cost much is easy to set up and can offer seamless connectivity is a godsend in a country like India.
Additionally, offering connectivity in remote locations of the country will be in line with the federal government's “Digital India” dreams. Though, the government prefers local manufacturing and promotes local businesses under Vocal for Local, however, letting Elon Musk’s ambitious project connect rural India to the world could be a massive step in the direction to support innovation.
Starlink, like Tesla, has plans to offer its services in India. SpaceX has already written to the Indian government to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for facilitating approvals to use satellite technology for internet access in remote areas.
(Image credit: Future)
How can I sign-up for Starlink internet in India?
As of now Starlink is offering public beta connections and has over 10,000 users enrolled in the service across various countries like the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, and Australia etc.
Anyone can apply for a Starlink connection in India. Since it’s a beta phase, the connection is being rolled out in a phased manner. Its official website states that the service “is available to a limited number of users per coverage area at this time. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis.”
You can enter your street address to check the availability. This availability date may depend on the area that you live in. In most cases that we’ve come across (including ours), the website mentions limited availability and probably 2022 is when you can expect the services in the country.
What is the cost of a Starlink subscription in India?
Starlink does not have any tie-ups with local payment services in India. Hence all the payments you make will be in US dollars. The payments can be made using a credit card, debit card as well as Apple Pay. The subscriptions charges are as below:
Upfront deposit - $99. This will be deducted from the monthly subscription fee once the connection is activated. This is a refundable deposit that will be refunded, in case, Starlink isn’t able to provide services in your area.
Monthly subscription fee - $99. This includes unlimited data access
Hardware cost - $499 + shipping. The Starlink kit includes an antenna similar to DTH antennas installed all around us, a router, a power supply, and a mount.
This Starlink kit is sent across when the company is able to offer connectivity services in your area. Apart from shipping, customs charges could be additional.
What kind of speed can I expect from Starlink in India?
The speeds offered by Starlink may vary initially depending on the satellite coverage. The website itself warns you to be ready for occasional no connectivity periods as well. Though this is subject to improve as SpaceX deploys more satellites into orbit.
As of now, users who’re a part of the beta test are reportedly getting download speeds of 100 Mbps (megabits per second) and upload speeds of 20 Mbps with latency is at or below 31 milliseconds.
While the current speeds may not be extremely impressive as in most cases wired broadband can offer way faster services, however, Starlink is currently offering internet with the help of one-twelfth of the planned satellites. Once fully deployed, according to the company’s claims, Starlink can offer up to 10Gbps download speeds.
(Image credit: Future)
Should I apply for a Starlink subscription?
Since the service is already in its beta testing phase, it may soon go live for a wider audience. However, in India it may go live sometime next year, subject to regulatory approvals. That being said, you still can sign up for the beta program.
However, keep in mind the below points before paying the upfront fees:
No specific date mentioned for the services to go live
Currently, the speeds are limited. You may get faster internet speeds already on fiber in your area or may get it before Starlink goes live
The subscription charges are $99 per month that translates to Rs. 7000 approximately every month and compared to other ISPs in India, this is the costliest service at the moment.
It is ideal for places with no connectivity.
There could be periods of total blackout as mentioned above
It may not have any local support centre, at least initially
Its services are impacted by bad weather just like your DTH connection
Are there any Starlink competitors in India?
The idea of space on the internet is not new and Starlink is not the only company in its segment. India has Bharti-backed OneWeb with similar plans. It will launch over 640 satellites across 21 launches to offer satellite internet services across the globe. Like Starlink, even OneWeb is expected to start offering services in India in 2022.
Even Amazon’s Project Kuiper is one such service that could beam the internet directly from space and may use over 3,236 satellites. Project Kuiper is also expected to go live next year.
Also, worth mentioning is Google’s Project Loon, which was recently shut down but was working on similar principles. Though rather than using satellites, Google deployed balloons in the stratosphere to deliver wireless internet in remote areas of the world. This project was shut down recently because Google felt that it was not commercially viable. Even Facebook’s Aquila solar-powered internet plane that wanted to beam internet via laser was found impractical and was closed down prematurely.
Having said that, the space internet industry is hotting up. Apart from these multinational corporations, there are smaller companies that are planning to launch similar services, however, for a specific geo-location like a country-specific. We’re yet to hear any such announcements for India.
Aside, State-run BSNL in collaboration with Skylo is also looking to set up the world’s first satellite-based IoT network. This is aimed at offering connectivity to billions of sensors and machines in maritime, agriculture, railway, logistics, and the ones that help in disaster management. Though this may not offer satellite internet commercially, however, works on similar principles.
Lime might have another way to make e-bikes more practical: have them use the same batteries as its scooters. The mobility service is rolling out a new e-bike whose battery is interchangeable with the one in Gen4 scooter models. That saves the compan...
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Samsung Galaxy M12 India launch is India is set on March 11. The device will be launched as the successor to the Galaxy M11 in India. Ahead of the launch, the Amazon teaser has confirmed several specs of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy M12 in India. The product unveiling is set for 12 noon on March 11.
Last week, Mukul Sharma had tipped a few key features of the Samsung Galaxy M12 device and today, the same specs have been confirmed by Amazon. The Samsung Galaxy M12 is said to bring a big leap in terms of display, camera, and processor. Here is what the Galaxy M12 brings to the table.
For starters, the Samsung Galaxy M12 will come with a 6.5-inch Infinity-V display with a 90Hz screen refresh rate. This will be the first Samsung budget phone to offer a high refresh rate and the first in the M series as well. That said, Samsung might go back to the LCD panel as the teaser doesn’t mention AMOLED anywhere. Further, the phone will have a quad rear camera setup with a 48MP ISOCELL GM2 main lens followed by three other cameras. To the front, there is a dew-drop notch that houses the selfie camera.
In terms of battery, the Samsung Galaxy M12 will sport a 6,000mAh battery, which is an upgrade from the 5,000mAh on the Galaxy M11. As for the performance, the device will be powered by an 8nm Exynos chipset - the exact processor is not revealed yet. The fingerprint scanner will be embedded in the fingerprint scanner. While this is all we have as the confirmed specs, for now, the previous leaks give us more details on the Galaxy M12. Textures pattern back panel is also confirmed.
(Image credit: Amazon)
The handset is said to feature a 5MP wide-angle camera, a 2MP f/2.4 macro, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth sensor along with the 48MP main camera. It is expected to have an 8MP selfie camera. It is said to come with an HD+ resolution screen and up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.
Samsung Galaxy M12 price
The Samsung Galaxy M12 Indian pricing is said to start under Rs 12,000 for the base variant according to leakster Mukul Sharma.
Star on Disney Plus has officially launched in New Zealand, bringing with it a wider range of movies in the process – including films which are strictly for grown ups.
For those of you who were already existing Disney Plus subscribers, that means you essentially get twice the content for only a minor increase in price, which is exceptional value.
Along with a huge selection of newly added TV shows, the arrival of Star to the Disney Plus streaming service brings with it a vast back catalogue of films from 20th Century Studios, which has a large number of classics in its lineup.
Best of all, many of the movies added have been made available to stream in 4K HDR, which is a nice bonus for those looking to revisit some greats from Fox's library.
For many '90s kids, there was no bigger cinematic event than the arrival of Independence Day, a science-fiction epic that put all of humanity up against some very hostile invading aliens. It was the movie that solidified Will Smith as a film star, and which doubled down on the charm exhibited by Jeff Goldblum only a few years after his turn in Jurassic Park. A grand-scale movie that's packed with charm and heart, Independence Day is blockbuster cinema at its most entertaining.
The Shape of Water
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
Fan-favourite filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, Pacific Rim) achieved massive awards success with The Shape of Water, a film which went on to earn several Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. A fantasy-tinged romance, The Shape of Water follows a mute cleaner (Sally Hawkins) and her burgeoning relationship with an amphibious creature (Doug Jones) who's being held captive in the facility she works at. Despite its wild premise, The Shape of Water wears its heart on its sleeve, approaching the material with complete seriousness and conviction, which is what all great films should strive for.
Deadpool
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
Disney Plus has long been the streaming home of Marvel, but the service's roster of popular Marvel characters has always suffered from one major omission: Deadpool. Of course, the 'Merc with a Mouth' didn't quite fit with Disney's family friendly image, but that all changes with the arrival of Star, meaning Deadpool can finally join the rest of Marvel's lineup without any censoring whatsoever. Pretty f---ing good news if you ask us.
Deadpool 2
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
Loved Deadpool? Well, why not keep the party going with Deadpool 2? It's a film that ups the ante in terms of scope and action, bringing in fan favourite characters from the X-Men universe such as Cable (Josh Brolin) and Domino (Zazie Beetz) to fill out its super-powered roster. As violent and profane as its predecessor, Deadpool 2 is a great follow-up that sets up even bigger things in the future.
Die Hard
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
There are countless Christmas movies to stream on Disney Plus, but thanks to the arrival of Star, we now have access to arguably the greatest Christmas movie of all: Die Hard. John McClane (Bruce Willis) is a New York cop who arrives in Los Angeles to attend his estranged wife's work Christmas party. Unfortunately, the party attracts a number of uninvited guests who proceed to take the entire building hostage. Now, it's up to McClane to save his wife and stop the terrorists.
Patton
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
One of the great war films of all time, Patton has arrived on Disney Plus Star in glorious 4K HDR. Based on true events, the film stars the late, great George C. Scott, who would win an Oscar for his performance as the titular general (Scott famously refused to accept the award, stating he did not believe in competition with other actors). The film would also go on to win six other Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture. If you haven't seen Patton, now's the time to fill that gap in your cinematic knowledge.
Logan
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
Another grown-up Marvel effort, Logan arrives on Disney Plus Star alongside Deadpool to showcase a grittier, more violent side to the superhero genre. Logan acts as a swansong for Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Wolverine, the tortured mutant known for his ability to instantly heal and the metal claws that shoot out of his knuckles whenever he or his friends are threatened. In his final outing, Logan is tasked with protecting a young girl (Dafne Keen), who shares his exact abilities, from people who want to capture and exploit her powers.
Alien
(Image credit: 20 Century Studios)
Director Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror masterpiece Alien arrives on Disney Plus sporting a glorious 4K remaster which enhances the film's spectacular art design and creature effects. In the coldness of space, the merchant vessel Nostromo receives a distress signal which they are forced to investigate. Once there, a crew member is attacked by an alien creature. Despite the protestations of acting senior office Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the crew member is allowed back on board the Nostromo, unwittingly bringing an implanted alien in with him.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
While many consider Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to be the superior film, its predecessor Rise of the Planet of the Apes is arguably the more important entry in the series, setting the bar when it comes to the character development of computer-generated characters. In Rise, we get to witness the complete transformation of Caesar (Andy Serkis), who goes from happy chimp to ape revolutionary in a way that plays out like a Shakespearean tragedy. The film also boasts the most standout moment in the new Apes trilogy, in which Caesar speaks for the first time – truly the stuff of movie magic.
If you're the type who believes you can never have too much smartphone storage, you might be happy to hear that Apple may be planning on releasing an iPhone 13 model with up to 1TB of storage, as reported by 9to5Mac.
The claim is based on a new report from the investment firm Wedbush Securities, which notes a supply chain check that suggests the Cupertino company's next-generation iPhone will offer a 1TB storage for the first time.
At present, Apple's iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models offer up 512GB of storage, and both are already quite expensive – we can only imagine how much an iPhone 13 Pro model with 1TB will end up costing.
This isn't the first time that an iPhone 13 with 1TB of storage has been mooted – the YouTube channel Front Page Tech made the same claim back in January.
In terms of iOS devices, Apple has offered a 1TB version of its iPad Pro since 2018, so it's entirely plausible that the company will eventually offer the same amount of storage on the iPhone.
Of course, we won't know for sure until Apple officially announces its new handsets later in the year. Thankfully, it seems that iPhone 13 is still tipped to be launching in September 2021 as normal.
U.S. regulators are investigating Robinhood after it temporarily blocked users from purchasing so-called meme stocks on its stock trading app amid the Reddit-fueled short squeeze earlier this year.
Online genealogy company MyHeritage has a new tool that can help bring your family history to... life. Sort of.
Deep Nostalgia is a new AI-powered tool that can animate still photos of people by adding simple effects like smiles, nods and blinks. It can add movement to any old photograph, and is free to try, as long as you create an account with MyHeritage.
After uploading a photograph of a loved one, it's processed through the AI which adds a set of animations based on facial expressions of MyHeritage employees. The result – available in 10-20 seconds – is presented to you in the form of a very short video clip or gif.
A company called MyHeritage is now offering a new service, Called Deep Nostalgia, that can animate people in old photos creating a short video that looks like it was recorded while they posed and prepped for the portrait [read more: https://t.co/TvjAQdSf9A] pic.twitter.com/5Mn3YLgi6WFebruary 27, 2021
The AI has been licensed from Israeli company D-ID (which stands for 'de-identification') and is currently only capable of animating people's faces. Even multiple faces in a single photograph can be brought to life.
Whether the idea of bringing dead relatives to life is brilliant or creepy is, perhaps for you to decide. Even MyHeritage admits this can be polarizing.
"Some people love the Deep Nostalgia feature and consider it magical," MyHeritage states in the FAQ section on its Deep Nostalgia page, "while others find it creepy and dislike it. Indeed, the results can be controversial and it's hard to stay indifferent to this technology."
Deep Nostalgia went viral on Twitter over the weekend, with people keen on bringing the deceased loved ones to life. Some, however, took it a step further and tried it on photographs of historical statues... with some interesting results.
Here's Alexander the Great pic.twitter.com/djbnzszFM0February 28, 2021
If you'd like to try this out for yourself, head to the Deep Nostalgia website and set up a free account. You can upload up to five photos for free, but any more will require you to get a paid account. If you already have a Complete subscription with MyHeritage, you can use the service at no additional cost and upload unlimited photographs.
If you're worried about privacy, MyHeritage says it doesn't share photos with third parties and, as mentioned on the Deep Nostalgia's homepage, "photos uploaded without completing signup are automatically deleted to protect your privacy".
If you're looking to pad out your Switch collection this weekend, you'll be glad to know that both Amazon and Best Buy are offering some excellent Nintendo Switch game deals right now. From super cheap compilations to discounts on some of the best first party titles on the market, there's something for everyone here so you're sure to find something for whatever gaming mood you're in this weekend.
If you want to go even cheaper, though, Amazon is returning to some excellent sales prices on a range of 2K titles. These collections pack some excellent value - offering up multiple games in one low price. The Bioshock Collection is currently available for $19.99 (was $49.99) and you'll find the Borderlands Legendary Collection available for $29.99 (was $49.99) as well.
Bioshock: The Collection:$49.99$19.99 at Amazon There's a $30 discount listed on this collection of Bioshock: Remastered, Bioshock 2, and Bioshock Infinite on Nintendo Switch. We've been seeing this price for a while now, but it did jump back up briefly, so if you missed out on previous discounts you've got another chance this weekend.
Minecraft:$29.99$20.83 at Amazon Minecraft is down to just $20 this weekend at Amazon - an excellent price on the already cheap title. However, you'll need to wait until March 15 for stock to arrive on this one.
Borderlands Legendary Collection:$49.99$29.99 at Amazon This compilation of Borderlands, Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel was previously readily available at this $29.99 sales price. However, recent weeks saw it shoot back up to its MSRP across a number of retailers. You'll find it back on sale at Amazon this weekend, with a $20 savings.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe:$59.99$49.99 at Best Buy Save $10 on Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at Best Buy this weekend - a game that hasn't seen too many discounts in the US since its launch. If you're looking to get as much multiplayer action in as possible, this is an excellent buy right now.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate:$59.99$49.99 at Best Buy Classic beat 'em up Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has also been discount-shy over the last few years. We've seen very few Nintendo Switch deals hitting the multiplayer title since it landed on our consoles. That means we'd grab this $10 discount before the price rises again.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons:$59.99$49.99 at Best Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been seeing a few price drops over the last couple of months, after recovering from stock shortages shortly after its launch. Best Buy has the game for $10 off right now in its latest Nintendo Switch deals.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:$59.99$49.99 at Best Buy A $10 discount is a great price cut on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. We have seen it drop a little cheaper so far in 2021, but that was an incredibly rare offer, so if you missed out back then you've got another chance to score a saving this weekend.
Luigi's Mansion 3:$59.99$49.99 at Best Buy Luigi's Mansion 3 is another rarely discounted title seeing $10 off this weekend. The ghost adventure can be played solo, but is much better enjoyed with a gooigi friend by your side. There's a wealth of multiplayer co-op and competitive minigame content to get through as well as the main story - and Luigi's Mansion 3 remains one of the best titles to hit the system in recent years.
Ring Fit Adventure:$79.99$69.99 at Best Buy You can even save $10 on Ring Fit Adventure in Best Buy's latest Nintendo Switch game deals. That leaves us with an excellent $69.99 sales price on the workout game, and considering stock was so low on this peripheral over the course of last year that's definite cause for celebration.
Four million Vikings! That’s the latest news from the team at Iron Gate, a small group of Swedish developers who have overseen the most staggering indie game launch of the year so far. Valheim is an early access survival title that has comprehensively taken over Steam, clocking in over 500,000 concurrent players at one time on February 21, just 19 days after the game’s launch. With four million players and counting and an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ rating after 90,000 user reviews, it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon, either.
It’s quite an unusual game to be sitting so high on Steam’s most-played list, just behind gigantic esports behemoths like DOTA 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. In Valheim, you play as a fallen Norse warrior trapped in purgatory who has to craft and explore their way through the realm, building up to progress-gating boss battles.
It’s also nowhere near as refined as its peers. Valheim doesn’t feature slick, high-fidelity graphics — but it’s still gorgeous, with its retro PS1 textures juxtaposed against magnificent sun-lit vistas. The game’s combat isn’t the most engaging on the market either, but it has a certain something to it, a Dark Soulsian clunkiness that keeps it addicting and hard to master.
Fate expectations
(Image credit: Coffee Stain Studios)
Valheim is most definitely a work in progress, and the worst thing you could expect from it is a perfectly polished experience. In our adventures, we’ve fallen out of the world, suffered rubberbanding issues in co-op and lost progress and important items to the server maw. It’s been frustrating, sure, but it’s never stopped being fun either. To give you an idea of how much depth is on offer here, we’re 25 hours deep into the game, and we just beat the third boss.
There are still many more biomes and features to discover, and so many bonkers ideas to execute upon, inspired by Valheim’s silly physics systems. Any game where you can kill yourself by cutting down a tree and having it land on your head is going to be a brilliant cradle for the human imagination. We’ve recently been causing civil wars by pitting the game’s enemies against one another and using fallen trees in boss battles to carve through health bars with careful chops.
It’s such a refreshing game to lose yourself to because it’s full of constant surprises. No matter how much you think you understand it, Valheim will find a way to shock and delight you. Just last night, we were cataloging our finds into carefully labeled chests (a thankless task, don’t bother) when the head of a deer boss we slew several hours ago started talking to us. Similarly, while charting the coastline in a Viking longship, we stumbled onto a floating island covered in barnacles we found we could mine for precious chitin. Everything was dandy until we realized we were standing on the back of a suddenly unhappy Leviathan…
Changing the formula
(Image credit: Coffee Stain Studios)
Valheim will certainly feel familiar if you’ve played survival games like ARK and Rust before, but it excels beyond them by warping some of the more conventional elements of the genre. Instead of frantically managing multiple meters, the only thing a player needs to think about in Valheim is putting food on their stomach, which is done in a clever layered fashion.
You’re not going to starve if you don’t eat — you’ll just have a lower health pool. So as you scale up into the mid-game, there’s an emphasis on finding items that provide more nutrition, which leads you to build farms on your homestead and embark on expeditions for rare resources to make, um, entrail sausages… instead of cramming anything you can find into your mouth.
This is quite a neat summation of the game’s unique selling point, actually. Like any survival game, there is an endgame coming which will be Valheim’s first real hype reckoning, but the more appealing overall focus is the exploration and sense of discovery. In that sense, it reminds us of Minecraft. The game’s pace is intentionally lumbering so that you smell the roses, take screenshots and make memories as you play. Even if those memories are unintentionally wandering into a Troll Cave and recruiting the entire server to take him down to get your items back…
There’s no one way to be a Viking
(Image credit: Coffee Stain Studios)
Its adaptability is another one of its greatest strengths. All play styles are welcome and encouraged in Valheim. A complex building system and a wealth of vanity items will please The Sims ex-pats and wannabe interior decorators. Lone wolves can sink their teeth into the game’s tricky boss battles and Dark Souls die-yards will enjoy Valheim’s overwhelming subterranean dungeons that reward tactical thinking, well-timed blocks, prepared potions and careful weapon choice.
But if you just want to barrel in guns blazing and ignore mechanics like sneaking and parrying, then it’s still heaps of fun wailing on mobs with your mates (and perishing in increasingly absurd ways.) There’s no wrong way to play Valheim at the moment, which is a rare thing in a modern survival game, as they often funnel into one accepted playstyle that is ordained by the community. There’s no rush either.
Some nights we’ll just spend a few enjoyable hours farming resources, developing farms and breeding animals rather than rushing the important content.
Jumping the Kraken
(Image credit: Coffee Stain Studios)
Every so often your base will get raided by a horde of random mobs too, which keeps things fresh by brewing tremendous chaos. This brilliantly incentivises building trenches, fences and other defensive structures. If you take care of your home, it’ll take care of you!
The beauty of Valheim’s current cultural moment is that like Minecraft in its heyday, you can get in on the ground floor where everyone has no idea what they’re doing. While many are trying, there’s no comprehensive Wikipedia explaining all of the game’s intricacies and items just yet. It’s pure experimentation and silliness, propped up by inventive, dynamic systems. We might not be playing it by the end of the year, but there’s no better time to enjoy Valheim than the present before all of its systems have been catalogued and understood. The average early adopter probably hasn’t hit the endgame plateau yet. Nobody can see the forest for the beautiful trees.
Today's the day, film buffs - the 2021 Hollywood awards season kicks off with the 78th Golden Globes Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills. In keeping with The New Normal, streaming services are front and center, with nominations galore for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and others, while the awards show itself is taking on a strange new virtual format. Read on as we explain all you need to know about the show, including how to watch a 2021 Golden Globes live stream, the time of the ceremony, who's hosting, and more.
Golden Globes live stream 2021
For those short on time, NBC's Peacock is the place to get a Golden Globes live stream tonight, meaning you can essentially watch for nothing thanks to the FREE Peacock trial currently on offer. Global options are more limited (scroll down for what is on offer), but fortunately for Americans abroad, Peacock works well our No. 1 rated VPN - try ExpressVPN 100% risk-free for 30-days to enjoy tonight's show from anywhere.
Taking place two months later than usual because of you-know-what, the Golden Globe Awards gives us a chance to tip our hats to the artists, directors and studios that have made our lives just that little bit more bearable over the past year or so.
And the one upside of cinemas all over the world being closed is that you'll be able to binge-watch your way through most of the various Golden Globe-winning titles right at home the moment the final acceptance speech has fizzled out and the last remaining painted-on smiles have sagged - because most of the nominees are available to stream right now!
Think you've run out of great films and TV shows to watch? You'll almost certainly discover something new at the Golden Globes, which you can watch on TV or live stream around the world.
And as if you needed another compelling reason to tune in, we may also get to find out how on earth Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You failed to receive a single nomination, and James Corden popped up in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy) category for his almost universally panned performance in The Prom...
How to watch the Golden Globes 2021: live stream and TV channels for tonight's show
As usual, NBC will be broadcasting the 2021 Golden Globes in the US, which means it's also likely to be available as a live stream via Peacock, the network's great value streaming service with plans from just $4.99 a month a free Peacock trial still up for grabs.
But the awards show is also available to view internationally. Check the list below for your local station.
Australia: Arena (via Foxtel TV subscription) / Binge
When are the 2021 Golden Globe Awards? Time and date
The 78th Golden Globes will take place on Sunday, February 28, with the ceremony getting underway at 8pm ET / 5pm PT /7pm CT.
That means European viewers will have to stay up late to catch the glitz and glamour, with the start time set for 1am GMT in the UK or 2am CET for viewers in most of mainland Europe. While that might mean a sleepy morning for the UK and Europe, Australian viewers will need to take the whole afternoon off, with a 12pm AEDT start on Monday, March 1.
(Image credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Golden Globes hosts 2021
The Golden Globes has become the Ricky Gervais show over recent years, but to our immense sadness (and the stars’ immense relief) the creator of The Office has vowed never to host it again.
Fortunately, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has found the perfect replacement in Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who have hosted three times before, but not since 2015.
Where are the 2021 Golden Globes taking place?
Because of Covid-19, the ceremony will be virtually unrecognisable from its usual format - pun very much intended.
The hosts will be split between New York City and Beverly Hills, but many of the nominees and winners will be tuning in and accepting their awards remotely, over the internet. It remains to be seen how many socially-distanced actors will be allowed to attend in person.
Tina Fey has drawn the short straw, and will be anchoring proceedings from the Rainbow Room on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, with Amy Poehler stationed in the familiar surroundings of The Beverly Hilton in a warm and glitzy Beverly Hills, in California.
How to watch the 2021 Golden Globes online: live stream the awards without cable
If you're watching from the US itself, you could simply tune into NBC's coverage, which will be available on TV or via the NBC website if you've got it through your cable package - and as a national broadcaster, it should come with even the most basic ones.
If you've cut the cord, however, you've got plenty ways to watch the Golden Globes 2021 without cable. Head straight to the likes of a FREE FuboTV trial or check out Sling TV's Blue package, which includes NBC in most major US metro area markets.
How to watch the Golden Globes from anywhere
There's even an easy way to tune in to your local Golden Globes coverage if you're abroad. While most streaming services are tied to specific regions and therefore block access from other countries, a simple piece of software called a VPN will help you get around these digital borders - an annoying phenomenon known in geek-speak as 'geo-blocking'.
Why the Golden Globes matters to streaming services - and who’s in to win big
Netflix picked up its first ever Golden Globe Award in 2014, but seven years on the streaming service is the dominant force at the show, with no fewer than 42 nominations across the film and TV categories, with Mank, The Queen’s Gambit and The Crown expected to be some of the biggest hitters of all.
With 10 nominations, Amazon Studios has also capitalized on the closure of cinemas around the world, with its Golden Globes charge led by Borat Subsequent Moviefilm and Small Axe, as has Hulu, which has 10 nominations of its own, with its hopes largely pinned on Palm Springs and Normal People. Disney Plus and HBO Max have also registered their first ever Golden Globe nominations.
That's great news for those of you bored at home, as you can tune into many of the best films and TV shows right now.
Golden Globes predictions
Netflix creations The Crown and Mank, which is about the making of Citizen Kane, lead the way with six Golden Globe nominations each, including for Best Television Series - Drama, and Best Motion Picture - Drama, respectively.
The Crown is widely expected to win the former, but Mank faces stiff competition from Chloé Zhao's critically-acclaimed Nomadland in the latter.
The Best Limited Series category looks especially fierce, with the wildly popular The Queen's Gambit, Normal People and The Undoing all in the mix. And the late Chadwick Boseman looks a shoo-in for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama for his portrayal of trumpeter Levee Green in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, his final role.
