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iQoo 12 India Launch Timeline Tipped, Said to Feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Chipset

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iQoo 12 India Launch Timeline Tipped, Said to Feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Chipset

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iQoo 12 could be launched in India in the coming months, according to details shared by a tipster. The Chinese smartphone maker’s next flagship handset is tipped to feature Qualcomm’s next-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which is expected to be unveiled in the coming days at the chipmaker’s annual Snapdragon Summit 2023. Details of the handset, such as its specifications, are still under wraps and the company is yet to officially announce any plans to introduce the successor to the iQoo 11 5G in India.

According to details shared by tipster Mukul Sharma (X: @stufflistings) on X (formerly Twitter), the iQoo 12 will be the first smartphone in India to debut with the yet-to-be-unveiled Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. Qualcomm’s top-of-the line chip is expected to power flagship smartphones from Xiaomi, OnePlus, Samsung, and other smartphone makers over the coming year.

The purported iQoo 12 will be launched in India “by November end or in December”, according to Sharma. This timeline suggests that iQoo could once again become the first to introduce a smartphone with Qualcomm’s flagship chip — earlier this year, the smartphone maker launched the iQoo 11 5G in India with the current-generation Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC.

The iQoo 11 5G sports a 6.78-inch 2K E6 AMOLED display with 1,800 nits of peak brightness and a 144Hz refresh rate. The handset was launched with Android 13 out-of-the-box. It is equipped with a triple rear camera setup comprising a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 13-megapixel telephoto/ portrait camera, and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle camera. The handset has a 16-megapixel selfie camera.

Aimed at gaming enthusiasts, the iQoo 11 5G features a vapour chamber cooling system that is claimed to reduce temperatures during extended gaming sessions. The handset is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery with 120W FlashCharge support that can charge the phone to 50 percent in eight minutes, according to the company.

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Google Pixel 8a With Curved Edges, Dual Rear Cameras Spotted in Leaked Renders

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hitesh
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Google Pixel 8a With Curved Edges, Dual Rear Cameras Spotted in Leaked Renders

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Google Pixel 8a has been spotted in a set of renders that have leaked online, days after the company announced its flagship phones for the year, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. The leaked renders suggest the handset will be powered by a 6.1-inch flat display. The handset is also shown to feature the same raised horizontal camera bar found on Google’s current-generation Pixel models. The size of the Pixel 8a is likely to be larger than that of the Pixel 8, according to information that has surfaced online.

Detailed renders of the Pixel 8a have been leaked by tipster Steve Hemmerstoffer (X: @OnLeaks) in collaboration with Smartprix. The leaked renders show the Pixel 8a in a colourway that looks quite similar to the Rose colour found on the Pixel 8 that made its debut at the company’s Made by Google 2023 hardware launch event last week. Both the front and rear sides of the phone also have a similar appearance to the standard model, but the bezels on the Pixel 8a appear slightly larger.

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Photo Credit: Smartprix/ @OnLeaks

 

According to the details leaked by the tipster, the Pixel 8a will measure 152.1 x 72.6 x 8.9mm. This suggests that the height, width and thickness of the purported successor to the Pixel 7a will be dropped by 0.1mm, 0.3mm, and 0.1mm, respectively. Unlike the Pixel 7a, next year’s midrange model could feature more rounded corners, according to the leaked images.

The rear panel on the Pixel 8a is equipped with a raised camera module that appears to be nearly identical to the one on the Pixel 8. It is shown to feature two rear cameras aligned to the left, while an LED flash is located on the right side. The rear panel also includes the Google logo in the middle.

The tipster has also shared 360-degree renders of the purported Pixel 8a that show the handset with a USB Type-C port at the bottom of the display flanked by speaker grilles. On the front of the handset is a centre-aligned hole punch cutout that houses the selfie camera, and the top of the display houses a slim ear speaker for calls.

The top edge of the phone has an antenna line that could be used for cellular connectivity or — as the publication points out — for ultra-wideband (UWB) support. Sales of Google’s Pixel 8 series of smartphones in India are yet to begin and the company hasn’t announced plans to launch a midrange version of its flagship smartphones, but we can expect to learn more about the Pixel 8a in months leading up to its expected launch next year.

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Mortal Kombat 1 Review: New Flesh on Old Bones

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hitesh
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Mortal Kombat 1 Review: New Flesh on Old Bones

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Fighting games are not my forte, but I’m always enthralled by their ability to suck you in with an easy-to-learn yet hard-to-master formula. It’s a trait that NetherRealm Studios has embraced by including over-the-top violence and flashy animations, so scrubs like me can jump in and have a jolly good time ripping spines with jellified innards clinging to them. From its arcade origins over 30 years ago, Mortal Kombat has evolved drastically, veering into the 3D era and differentiating itself from competitors like Street Fighter and Tekken by slowly sculpting the larger lore. So, it’s not surprising to see a lot of confused faces when their 12th and latest entry is titled ‘Mortal Kombat 1,’ a nomenclature decision that can easily clash with the 2021 live-action movie, the original 1992 game, and its 2011 reboot. Yep, this marks the second soft rejig for the franchise, but sadly, NetherRealm’s latest fighting playground does little to explore new avenues.

Mortal Kombat 1 review: Story mode

Mortal Kombat 1 opens with a voiceover of Liu Kang explaining how his ascension into godhood helped him forge a new timeline, where familiar characters’ histories are rewritten to align with his vision of peace. He achieved this using Kronika’s Hourglass in Mortal Kombat 11, making this a continuation of that bygone arc, whose events are often referred to in the brisk eight-hour campaign. Historic rivals Scorpion and Sub-Zero are brothers now; villainous sorcerer Shang Tsung is a worthless nobody peddling quack cures; and Mileena is no longer a mutant clone of the fan-wielding Kitana. Instead, they’re biological twin sisters of royalty, with the former getting infected with the Tarkatan virus, resulting in razor-sharp teeth and superhuman agility. It’s a subtle change in character that turns her from a deadly pawn to a successor of Outworld’s throne, forced to maintain appearances and keep her so-called ailment hidden from the citizens.

Oh yeah, realms are still very much present in this universe, with Fire God Liu Kang guiding the lightning-powered Raiden and the Earthrealm combatants for the generational Mortal Kombat tournament. Only this time, the matches are held as a means to peacefully demonstrate honour and strength, rather than any world-invading motives. But given the blood-soaked legacy of this series, peace is soon threatened by some mysterious force, pitting fighters in a series of battles as they chart a heroic tale that’s in line with blockbuster popcorn movies.

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mortal kombat 1 review story mileena mortal kombat 1 review mileena kitana sisters

Instead of being a mutant clone, the reboot makes Mileena the biological twin sister of Kitana
Photo Credit: NetherRealm Studios

There’s a lot of corny dialogue, set against gorgeous cinematics that seamlessly transition into combat scenarios with zero loading time. I’d maybe see the subtitles loading in slightly late, but beyond that, the game flows smoothly with barely any cuts, jumping between visually stunning arenas like Sindel’s bejewelled palace, the pricey Cage Mansion overlooking Los Angeles, and the capital city of Sun Do, adorned with red lanterns and vibrant fireworks painting the night sky.

If you’ve dabbled in previous MK titles — or even Injustice — the campaign format remains the same: you’re granted control over different champions across the fifteen-chapter ordeal and tasked with defeating oncoming opponents to trigger the next cutscene. In Mortal Kombat 1’s case, this works fine for the first, grounded half of the story, as you’re able to resonate with the core cast and their unique quirks through small backstory segments before the Fire God comes around to recruit his warriors. While quippy Marvel-style dialogue was expected from an action-driven title as such, I wasn’t a fan of the exposition bits, which are plainly spoon-fed to the audience. I don’t think Kung Lao needs to literally spell out how he’s going to incorporate a razor rim into his hat or that Liu Kang has to repeatedly insinuate that there’s interference from some alternate timeline. Subtle facial expressions or throwaway comments and references would be just as effective.

My gripe partly has to do with the cycle of events from past MK games repeating itself here, making a lot of the changes feel redundant. Sure, the character dynamics and histories are tweaked, but we’re still exploring past ideas like Shang Tsung treading the evil path once more and the returning conflict between Scorpion and Sub-Zero. It also doesn’t help that as the story reaches the midpoint, it rapidly expands the core cast, making it difficult to connect with them emotionally or mechanically. You see, each chapter — split into four fight segments — throws you into the shoes of a new combatant with zero warning, forcing me to intermittently flashbang myself with the pause menu, so I could learn their movesets and combos through trial and error. But by the time I’ve gotten fairly attuned to them, the chapter’s already over and we’re granted control over the next fighter.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Review

mortal kombat 1 review story core cast mortal kombat 1 review story core cast

Save for the core cast of Earthrealm fighters, it’s hard to connect with anyone in the story mode
Photo Credit: NetherRealm Studios

Characters pop in and out quickly, reciting their plight in the most generic fashion, with no room for growth. In fact, I strongly believe that some of them were forcefully written into the story as a means to introduce the entire roster. This is more apparent in the final chapters, which heavily lean into multiversal nonsense, stripping off all emotional weight and having fighters play grand team-ups and bash into each other like action figures. It’s all spectacle over narrative at that point, which gets continuously bogged down by both classic and alternate versions of Mortal Kombat characters slipping into this timeline. There are twisted amalgamations, from a mime Johnny Cage to a laser-eyed Sonya Blade, and Scorp Lao, a Kung Lao and Scorpion hybrid brawler, who harpoons foes closer to follow up with a slicing hat attack. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were dropped as alt skins in the future, but the fact that it was achieved through a messy, rushed second half will always bug me.

Mortal Kombat 1 review: Combat, Kameos, and the lovely Fatalities

As implied before, I’m not the type of player who’s keen on spending hours in the practice room fine-tuning combos; I’d rather just be mesmerised by all the cool effects and graphic imagery the franchise has to offer. Mortal Kombat 1 delivers that in spades, with a satisfying weight and crushing thunk behind every punch, kick, or slash, accompanied by a (un)healthy dose of blood spraying across the floor. Its relatively simple controls helped me chain together some incredible combos — the eye-catching types that I never fathomed would be doable with my inexperience in fighting games. That said, I did get severely humbled during my online affair, with opponents pulling off devastating moves that barely offered breathing room or opportunities for trade-offs.

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And so, I scurried over to the Tower Mode and tested my skills against a series of increasingly challenging AI kombatants, while working my way up the top of the tower(s) and bagging rewards. Aerial combat seems quite potent this time around, so mastering the art of juggling can easily help hack down one-third of the opponent’s health, as they’re rendered helpless. Special moves can be further amplified by following up each button combination with the press of R2/ RT, effectively dealing more damage and at times, opening enemies up for more attacks.

The Tarkatan Baraka, for instance, has a special Barrage move, in which he whips out his organic blades to perform a hurtful string of slashes that ends with an overhead attack downing the foe. But enhancing the special makes the last attack so impactful, that the opponent bounces back into the air, granting a free chance to get more hits in. With Scorpion, you can perform a fake-out — instead of his regular teleporting special move that ends with a punch, he just won’t follow it up with anything. So, while the enemy instinctively tries to block it, you can catch them by surprise with a grapple or a leg sweep. Of course, there’s a limit to these attacks, which is governed by the Enhance metre at the bottom left corner of the screen. Its three bars deplete with usage, but they can just as easily be refilled by simply trading blows throughout rounds.

Immortals of Aveum Review

mortal kombat 1 review kameo mortal kombat 1 review kameo

Kameo fighters can be tagged in for quick assists in matches
Photo Credit: NetherRealm Studios

Well, what if you’re the one getting constantly molly whopped in matches? That’s where the new Kameo system comes into play, which is essentially a secondary roster of partner fighters you pick at the start of a fight. With just a press of a button (R1/ RB), they can be summoned in for a quick assist — unloading attacks — before dipping back out. To prevent incessant spamming, these come with an exhaustive metre and with enough practice, one can synergise moves so it feels like genuine teamwork — all while retaining the combo. I like the classic design choices for the Kameos, though I see absolutely no reason for some of them to be locked behind as a profile level-up bonus. I largely relied on Kameos for breaking out of combos and occasionally timed them against specific attacks, so they’d sprint into my line of sight and tank the damage instead.

Fatal Blow is a returning feature from Mortal Kombat 11, unlocking when a player’s health drops below 30 percent, giving them a chance at redemption. Timing the prompted button input sees you and your Kameo work together to unleash a barrage of disturbingly gory attacks, with X-ray vision for good measure, as the opponent’s health bar gets heavily drained. Despite the Fatal Blow’s bloody delights, these are separate from the bone-krunching Fatalities the franchise is famous for. Fatalities are triggered when the enemy’s health has reached zero. Hit the required button combination, kick back and watch in horror — or delight — as the shapeshifting Reptile gobbles up people and pukes out their still-alive upper body, drenched in green acidic fluids.

mortal kombat 1 review fatality mortal kombat 1 review fatality

Fatalities are gory and horrific as ever
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Rahul Chettiyar

The canine Mileena bites into skulls and devours brains as a quick snack, while her sister Kitana blends foes into a paste with spinning fans. And Hollywood star Johnny Cage prefers to take selfies with half-split faces. By default, all fighters come with one Fatality apiece, but more can be unlocked by simply playing as a specific character and earning Mastery XP for them, which unlocks more finishers, in addition to cosmetics — akin to a battle pass system.

Mortal Kombat 1 review: Invasions

For lore enthusiasts, Mortal Kombat 1 also serves up Invasions, a sizable new single-player mode that’s fashioned like a board game with branching pathways, stretching across Johnny Cage’s luxurious mansion to the Living Forest swarming with ghosts. Expanding on the campaign’s multiversal ending, you’re tasked with protecting your timeline by warding off foreign, alternate versions of MK fighters by progressing through a series of battles and earning rewards such as cosmetics, Koins (in-game currency), concept art, and more. As complexity starts to build, some of the nodes start pitting you against armoured enemies or have fire-spitting bats flying through the arena, whereas others might have you evade fireballs or engage in ‘Test Your Might’ QTE segments to chop down woodblocks, heads, and live chickens.

It’s surely a nice change of pace, but it falters with its incorporation of RPG elements. Finishing challenges helps you level up individual fighters by spending points on specific stats, though I never felt the need to do the same, or even received a decent benefit from it. Most fights felt like easy pickings that I could just steamroll through by spamming a combo until the process eventually got mundane, after which I’d swap to a different fighter and repeat the grind fest. Yes, there are shops with resistance-granting Konsumables, and even cool Talismans that allow ice-based characters like Sub-Zero to hurl an occasional fire projectile, but they didn’t seem game-changing enough for me.

2bdb97fcd0161808e70360882dc507192deee78e mortal kombat 1 review invasions

The Invasions mode brings some RPG elements into the mix
Photo Credit: NetherRealm Studios

NetherRealm plans to regularly update Invasions mode every six weeks with new locations and challenges, while focusing on new character stories. Hopefully, the mode flourishes and impresses me in time. And as you’d expect with any online game these days, Mortal Kombat 1 also comes with a fair share of microtransactions. Sure, they’re all cosmetics you can gradually grind for, but seeing some of the cooler skins being locked behind a paywall is disheartening.

Mortal Kombat 1 review: Verdict

Ushering a new era in the bone-krunching franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 is a worthy competitor in the teeming fighting game space and serves as a gleefully violent entry point for newcomers to the genre. The reboot doesn’t reinvent its blood-lusting roots in any form but drastically evolves over its predecessors from a visual perspective, delivering excellent particle effects and more gore via shocking Fatalities that look hyper-realistic. There are some noticeable attempts at shaking things up, with the new Kameo system opening room for diverse team-up combos. And while the Invasions mode goes beyond the campaign to offer something new, it soon devolves into a boring grind fest. For a while, it seemed like NetherRealm had once again nailed its story mode, but it drops in quality in the second half when dealing with multiversal mumbo jumbo on a grand scale. Overall, though, it’s a fun entry that’s here to dominate the FGC scene for a good while.

Rating (out of 10): 7

Mortal Kombat 1 was released September 19 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.

Pricing starts at Rs. 4,499 for the Standard Edition on Steam for PC. The PlayStation and Xbox versions are priced at Rs. 4,799, while the Switch variant costs Rs. 5,800/ $69.99

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GoPro Hero 12 Black Review: The Quintessential Action camera

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hitesh
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GoPro Hero 12 Black Review: The Quintessential Action camera

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If you ask people what comes to their mind when they think of an action camera, most would say GoPro. The word action camera has become synonymous with GoPro, that’s the kind of reputation the company has made for itself. Yes, their cameras are not perfect and there are a few other brands that can do certain things better, but when given a choice, most people would still simply get a GoPro.

The latest GoPro Hero 12 Black keeps up to the standards set by its predecessor, while offering several new features. If you’re considering getting one but can’t decide, here’s our review to make things easier.

GoPro Hero 12 Black price in India

Let’s start with the price, which I think GoPro has done a good job with this time around. Last year, the Hero 11 Black (Review) was priced at Rs. 51,500 for the basic kit. The new Hero 12 Black, meanwhile, will cost you Rs. 45,000. That’s instantly a better deal, especially if you’re still using a GoPro Hero 10 or older. If you’ve got the Hero 11 Black, then I’d recommend you hold on to it a little longer.

There’s also a GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition that’s available for Rs. 65,000 which is once again cheaper than the Hero 11 Black Creator Edition, which was priced at Rs. 71,500. The creator edition is meant for vloggers as it comes with the Media Mod, Light Mod, and the Volta Battery grip.

Compared to the competition, which is mostly the DJI Osmo Action 4, the Hero 12 Black is priced quite well.

GoPro Hero 12 Black design

GoPro has stuck to a similar design since the major revamp that the Hero 9 Black brought about. The GoPro Hero 12 Black has a removable camera lens protector, large 2.27-inch touchscreen display at the back, and a 1.4-inch colour display at the front. The displays are bright enough even under direct sunlight and you can adjust the brightness as well. The Hero 12 Black is only available in black with a rubberised body just like the older models, but GoPro has now added blue specks all over the body. You can easily differentiate it from older models though, thanks to the big Hero 12 Black lettering on the side.

gopro Hero 12 black colour gopro-hero-12-black-colour

GoPro Hero 12 Black features blue specks on its body

The only new design change with the Hero 12 Black is the addition of the 1/4-20 tripod thread at the bottom in between the mounting fingers. The new GoPro feels as sturdy as it looks and I can attest to its ruggedness as I’ve dropped it a couple of times already while throwing it in the air, and it had no damage at all. The lens has a hydrophobic coating to keep the water away and it does work well. If your lens has water droplets, then a simple wipe or a blow will get rid of all the water.

GoPro continues to use the same battery flap design that was introduced with the Hero 9 Black, and it is still a pain to access the battery and the memory card.

With the Hero 12 Black, GoPro has also brought the Max Lens Mod 2.0, which offers an even wider field than before. You now get 177 degree FoV, which is a lot. The attachment is easy to use, just remove the standard lens cover and use the Max Lens Mod 2.0 cover. It feels secure after it’s been attached, but it does protrude out a bit more than the standard cover. Once it’s attached, you will need to turn on the Max Lens Mod 2.0 option on the camera to fully utilise the lens.

GoPro Hero 12 Black features

There are several features that are new with the GoPro Hero 12 Black. Apart from the different resolutions, frame rates, and FoVs that the GoPro offers, there’s things such as HDR video recording, Night Effects in 8:7 ratio, and a vertical capture mode for all those who want to shoot for social media.

gopro Hero 12 black bluetooth audio gopro-hero-12-black-bluetooth-audio

You can connect up to four Bluetooth devices to the Hero 12 Black simultaneously

I’ll start with one of my favourite new features on the Hero 12 Black, Bluetooth audio recording. You can now connect any Bluetooth enabled earphones to the GoPro and record audio from the earphones. This is such a useful feature as you can not just record audio from a Bluetooth earphone, but you can also use it to go hands-free with voice commands. As a biker, I sometimes like to record videos and talk, but that would normally require the GoPro Media Mod and a microphone. Now, I can simply pair my helmet intercom to the Hero 12 Black and record my voice and ask it to take a photo or start or pause video recording.

gopro Hero 12 black hdr video gopro-hero-12-black-hdr-video

GoPro Hero 12 Black can now record HDR video in 4K or 5.3K

The HDR video recording feature brings GoPro’s excellent HDR software prowess to videos. However, the feature is only available in 5.3K and 4K resolutions. You can record HDR videos in either 16:9 or 8:7 ratio. When shooting in 16:9, you can choose either 4K or 5.3K resolutions in available framerates of 24, 30, or 60. In 8:7, you can only shoot at 4K resolution in 24 or 30fps. Go lower and the HDR toggle disappears. There is a notable difference between non-HDR and HDR videos, the colours are more vibrant and the shadows and blacks are deeper.

If you loved the Night effects on the Hero 11 Black, then you’d be happy to know that you can now capture TimeWarp in 8:7 and in 5.3K resolution with the new Hero 12 Black. Also, when recording video using Night Effects such as Light Painting, Star Trails, and Vehicle Light Trails, you’ll also get a still image taken from the last few seconds of the video. There are plenty of settings to play with and you get great night shots if you take the time to set things up.

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The vertical mode on GoPro Hero 12 Black doesn’t support HDR

For all those who want to record exclusively for Instagram or TikTok, there’s now a new Vertical capture mode in GoPro Hero 12 Black. The 9:16 ratio Vertical mode is available only in 4K and 1080p resolutions and it does not support HDR. You can also only record in either 30 or 60 fps in wide when using the Vertical mode.

However, I would still prefer to record in 8:7 and then crop that down to 9:16, since you can record in HDR and get that extra pop of colours and deeper blacks. However, if you don’t particularly care about HDR and want to record vertical videos from the get go, then simply use the GoPro in Vertical capture mode. This is especially great since you no longer have to mount the GoPro vertically to record a vertical video.

Now, if you’re a professional videographer, then you’d be happy to know that the Hero 12 Black now offers GP-Log with LUTs for better post editing. You can also combine this with the 10-bit colour to get even better control in post. Then there’s the new Timecode Sync feature, which offers unlimited syncing and makes editing easy when you’re playing around with multiple cameras. This will work with editing tools such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier, and others. However, I wasn’t able to test this out as it’s not out yet.

There’s also a new feature called Interval Photo, which can be turned on in Photo mode. It essentially captures photos at fixed intervals that can be set for 5, 10, 30, 60 and 120 seconds. I tested this out and it works great. This feature can come in handy when you’re doing an activity and want to get some shots hands-free.

Finally, the GoPro Hero 12 Black comes with improved stabilisation. The Hero 11 Black already offered incredible stabilisation, and the new model makes things even better. I can only say that the stabilisation on the GoPro Hero 12 Black is the best on any action camera out there. GoPro also introduced the AutoBoost feature last year that automatically improves stabilisation based on speed and movement in a footage. This is now four times better than before, according to GoPro.

GoPro Hero 12 Black battery life

With the Hero 12 Black, GoPro is claiming that they’ve managed to double the battery life. Obviously, the numbers they showcased were achieved under specific conditions and it will not be possible to replicate it at all times.

When I tested the Hero 12 Black, I managed to get about 25 minutes of recording at 5.3k and 60fps. This was with HyperSmooth 6.0 turned on, and Voice Control turned off. The GoPro had about 85 percent of battery when I started recording, so this would have lasted longer. However, the camera shut down after 25 mins due to overheating. When I turned it on, the battery had 44 percent charge left.

Therefore, under better conditions (I tried the test indoors with no wind and ambient temperature of 32 degree Celsius) the GoPro Hero 12 Black should be able to last at least 40-50 mins before shutting down. With a 100 percent charge, I expect it to last 50-60 mins in ideal conditions wherein there’s wind and the ambient temperature is 25 degree Celsius or lower.

GoPro Hero 12 Black Sample videos

 

Verdict

If you own the GoPro Hero 11 Black, I’d say you don’t need to get the Hero 12 Black. However, if HDR video, Bluetooth wireless audio recording, and the improved battery life is enticing you, then I’d recommend getting this. The Bluetooth wireless audio capability is an excellent feature and a lot of people will find it useful. The new GoPro offers several new features over the Hero 11 Black in terms of software, and the battery life is also better. GoPro also launched the Hero 12 Black at a lower price, so if you’re planning to upgrade from a Hero 10 Black or lower, then you should definitely get the new model.

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Funtouch OS 14 Update Launched: Here’s a List of Eligible Vivo and Iqoo Smartphones

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hitesh
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Funtouch OS 14 Update Launched: Here’s a List of Eligible Vivo and Iqoo Smartphones

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Vivo has launched its new software update, the Funtouch OS 14, which is based on the recently launched Android 14. The company has also confirmed a list of smartphones that are scheduled to receive the update over the coming few months – including both Vivo and Iqoo handsets. The update introduces a significant number of upgrades and new features over the preceding software. Starting in October, the rolling out of the Funtouch OS 14 Beta version is spread over the next few months leading up to April 2024.

Smooth Envision is a new feature introduced with Funtouch OS 14 that claims to enhance the overall performance of the system including increasing speed and optimising RAM usage. For devices with 8GB or more RAM, this ability allows users to free up to 600MB of space, facilitating multitasking. Meanwhile, the App Retainer is said to make sure that whitelisted apps are constantly available for use.

The Motion Blur feature of the new OS update claims to offer more fluid visual transitions while launching and shutting apps, even on models with a 60Hz refresh rate. This update also allows up to 12 small windows to remain active in the background. The Funtouch OS 14 also supports side-swipe suspension and introduces a new non-interactive mini small window mode for when users need to monitor a certain app while playing it over others.

The update also introduces a list of new styles, fonts and themes for the lock screen and always-on display. This also comes with video editing tools which help users to create content without the help of a third-party application. It has also updated the gallery browsing experience by allowing users more tools like choosing the video playback speed or loop videos.

The FuntouchOS 14 has also brought along the Smart Mirroring feature, allowing users to share their screen without revealing personal data in the notification bar. Users can also choose to protect some of their photos and videos with an added password verification in this new update.

List of Vivo phones set to get Funtouch OS 14 Update in India

Vivo has confirmed in a post on X the list of smartphones that will receive the Funtouch OS 14 Beta version in India and has also listed the rollout timeline. In the ongoing month of October, Vivo X90 and Vivo X90 Pro are set to get the Funtouch OS 14 Beta version. Other models to get the update over the next few months include:

Vivo X80 Pro

Vivo X80

Vivo V29 Pro

Vivo V29

Vivo V27 Pro

Vivo V27

Vivo X70 Pro+

Vivo X70 Pro

Vivo X70

Vivo V29e

Vivo V25 Pro

Vivo V25

Vivo T2 Pro 5G

Vivo Y100

Vivo T2 5G

Vivo T2x 5G

Vivo T1 Pro 5G

Vivo T1

Vivo T1 5G

Vivo Y100A

Vivo Y56 5G

Vivo V23 Pro

Vivo V23 5G

V23e 5G

Vivo X60 Pro+

Vivo X60 Pro

Vivo X60

Vivo Y75 5G

Vivo Y36

Vivo Y35

List of iQoo phones set to get Funtouch OS 14 Update in India

In a post on X, Vivo sub-brand Iqoo confirmed the models that are set to receive the Funtouch OS 14 Beta version and also confirmed their rollout timeline. The flagship Iqoo 11 model will be one of the first models to get this update in October. Other Iqoo models to receive the Android14-based beta update will include the following:

Iqoo 9 Pro

Iqoo 9T

Iqoo 9

Iqoo 9 SE

Iqoo Neo 7 Pro

Iqoo Neo 7

Iqoo 7 Legend

Iqoo Z7 Pro

Iqoo Z7

Iqoo Z7s

Iqoo 7

Iqoo Neo 6

Iqoo Z6 Pro

Iqoo Z6 4G

Iqoo Z6 5G

Iqoo Z6 Lite

Is the iQoo Neo 7 Pro the best smartphone you can buy under Rs. 40,000 in India? We discuss the company’s recently launched handset and what it has to offer on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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OnePlus 11 5G Is Available at Its Lowest Price During Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale

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OnePlus 11 5G Is Available at Its Lowest Price During Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale

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OnePlus 11 5G is available at an all-time low pricing during the ongoing Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2023. The sale kicked off last night for Prime members, and starting at midnight, the offers will be available for all users. 

The flagship from OnePlus made its way to India in February this year and has been a solid package in the sub-Rs. 60,000 category. However, with the sale season kick-off, the OnePlus 11 5G will be available with an almost Rs 7,000 discount, and further sweetening the deal will be a free TWS bundle from the house of OnePlus. 

Also read: Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 Sale Goes Live: Best Offers on Smartphones

OnePlus 11 5G: Amazon Great Indian Festival Deal Explained

OnePlus 11 5G launched earlier this year at a starting price of Rs 56,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model, while the top-of-the-line 16GB RAM and 256GB storage model launched at Rs 61,999. 

During the Great Indian Festival Sale, Amazon is offering a flat Rs 4,000 coupon discount on the purchase of the OnePlus 11 5G, and then there’s the Rs 3,000 instant bank discount, further bringing the price of the base variant to under Rs 50,000. Notably, the OnePlus Buds Z2, worth Rs 4,999, is automatically added to the cart as a free bundle.

Also read: Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2023: The Ultimate Guide to Scoring the Perfect Smart TV Deals

Refreshing the specifications, the OnePlus 11 comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC and features the third-gen Hasselblad camera. It packs flagship features like Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos support. The phone also supports 100W Supervooc fast charging and packs a 5000mAh battery. It features a 120Hz refresh display. For cameras, there’s the primary 50-megapixel Sony IMX581 sensor along with a 48-megapixel ultra-wide and 32-megapixel telephoto sensor. For selfies, there’s a 16-megapixel camera. Our review found the OnePlus 11 5G an excellent overall package; you can read the full review here.

OnePlus Nord 3 brings some serious upgrades over its predecessor, including some flagship-grade specifications. We discuss this and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 Sale Goes Live: Best Offers on Smartphones, Electronics

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Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 Sale Goes Live: Best Offers on Smartphones, Electronics

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Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale is now live for Prime members. The festive season special sale will open up for everyone else at midnight, on October 8. Amazon Great Indian Festival sale brings hundreds of deals across all major product categories including mobile phones, laptops, TVs, Amazon devices, and other electronics. Amazon’s sale includes a large selection of bundled offers including product exchange benefits, no-cost EMI options, and bank payment offers.

We’re scanning through this large list of deals to bring you the best tech deals on a single page. We’ll keep this page updated with the best electronics deals so make sure you bookmark this, and share it with your friends who’re shopping during the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale. It’s worth mentioning here that prices are subject to change based on availability, and some deals are expected to run out quickly.

Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale: Best offers on smartphones

Apple iPhone 13
The much anticipated iPhone 13 deal is finally live on Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale. Apple’s iPhone 13 128GB is down to Rs. 46,999 (MRP Rs. 69,900) during Amazon’s festive season sale. What’s more? You can swap an old smartphone and receive an additional discount worth up to Rs. 44,649. SBI credit card users can avail an additional Rs. 1,500 on the final price.

Buy now at: Rs. 46,999 (MRP Rs. 69,900)

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
You can buy the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G for as low as Rs. 17,499 (effective after a bank discount) during Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale. The smartphone comes with an exchange offer capped at Rs. 18,600. There’s a Rs. 1,000 flat discount that you can claim by using a coupon displayed on the product page. Amazon is also offering no-cost EMI payment options with major payment methods.

Buy now at: Rs. 19,999

Samsung Galaxy M13
If you’re in the market for an affordable smartphone with a large battery, the Samsung Galaxy M13 is down to Rs. 11,199 (MRP Rs. 17,999) on Amazon during the Great Indian Festival 2023 sale this week. The exchange offer is capped at Rs. 10,600, and you can pick from a no-cost EMI option as well.

Buy now at: Rs. 11,199 (MRP Rs. 17,999)

Realme Narzo 60X 5G
Another Prime Early Deal on Amazon Great Indian Festival sale 2023 is on the Realme Narzo 60X 5G smartphone. The feature-packed affordable smartphone is down to Rs. 11,999 (MRP Rs. 14,999) and you can swap an old smartphone to further sweeten the deal by up to Rs. 11,300. SBI credit card users can avail an additional discount worth up to Rs.1,199.

Buy now at: Rs. 11,999 (MRP Rs. 14,999)

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G
Amazon is offering a Rs. 2,000 discount on the newly launched Samsung Galaxy S23 FE 5G. All you have to do is tap on the coupon displayed on the product page. You can swap an old smartphone and receive an additional instant discount worth up to Rs. 50,000. SBI credit card users can also avail an additional instant discount worth up to Rs. 9,000 on their purchase.

Buy now at: Rs. 59,999 (MRP Rs. 79,999)](https://pricee.com/api/redirect/t.php?from=gadgets360&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.in%2FSamsung-Galaxy-Graphite-128GB-Storage%2Fdp%2FB0CJ4SCY75%2F)

Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale: Best offers on electronics

Apple Watch SE second generation
Apple Watch SE second-generation (40mm) is down to Rs. 19,900 (MRP Rs. 29,900) on Amazon during the Great Indian Festival 2023 sale this week. You can exchange an old smartphone to receive an additional discount worth Rs. 18,600 (maximum) on the Apple Watch SE second-generation.

Buy now at: Rs. 19,900 (MRP Rs. 29,900)

Apple Watch Series 7 45mm GPS + Cellular
Apple Watch Series 7 45mm GPS + Cellular is down to Rs. 34,900 as a part of a Lightning Deal during the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023 sale. This deal is expected to run out quickly so make sure you don’t waste any time if you really want one.

Buy now at: Rs. 34,900 (MRP Rs. 50,900)

Ultrahuman Smart Ring
The popular Ultrahuman Ring is down to Rs. 15,998 (MRP Rs. 22,499) on Amazon during the Great Indian Festival sale 2023. You can get rid of an old smartphone for an additional instant discount worth up to Rs. 15,150. The Ultrahuman Ring is an advanced sleep tracker with a heart rate monitor and a battery life that can last for up to 6 days.

Buy now at: Rs. 15,998 (MRP Rs. 22,499)

Apple AirPods Pro second-generation
The second-generation Apple AirPods Pro TWS earbuds are down to Rs. 18,499 (MRP Rs. 26,900) on Amazon during the Great Indian Festival sale. SBI credit card users can avail an additional instant discount worth up to Rs. 5,000. This is another deal that’s expected to run out pretty quickly.

Buy now at: Rs. 18,499 (MRP Rs. 26,900)

Samsung 55-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart QLED TV
If you’re looking for a new big-screen TV, the fancy Samsung 55-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart QLED TV is down to Rs. 81,990 (MRP Rs. 1,61,900) on Amazon during the Great Indian Festival 2023 sale this week. Amazon is also offering no-cost EMI payment options, and SBI credit card users can avail an additional instant discount worth up to Rs. 5,000.

Buy now at: Rs. 81,990 (MRP Rs. 1,61,900)

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Samsung Developer Conference 2023: Everything Announced at the Event

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Samsung Developer Conference 2023: Everything Announced at the Event

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Samsung Developer Conference 2023 (SDC23) took place on October 5, where the South Korean tech giant announced a number of security updates and features in order to protect the private data of its users. The company introduced Knox Matrix last year in order to keep the devices of a user safe and connected. Samsung has now added some news updates to the Knox Matrix, along with the rollout of One UI 6 on Galaxy devices. The company also unveiled its Galaxy SmartTag2 at the event, which will have a global launch on October 11. 

Samsung recently hosted the ninth edition of its SDC, which witnessed a number of announcements for enhanced security and data protection. To start with, the company announced a new One UI 6 for Galaxy devices. The new user interface includes a revamped Quick Panel that makes it easier to access apps. It also comes with smart photo editing tools with Samsung Studio. 

The SmartThings Home API makes it easier for developers to create apps that provide connectivity to smart home devices. The SmartThings Hub on Samsung will now be extended to new products, which include soundbars and smart TVs. The company also introduced the Galaxy SmartTag2 at the conference, which provides a battery life of up to 700 days in low-power mode. 

With Bixby, the company plans to add more command control to multiple devices. It will also be soon providing a personalised experience for each user. As mentioned above, the company has added a few updates to Knox Matrix with credential Sync and Trust Chain features. This helps in keeping several devices connected to each other and also warns users when any device is hacked or potentially harmed. 

Samsung is also bringing its Knox Vault to more devices now, including Galaxy A series smartphones that get One UI 6 or later. For health safety, the company has added new apps and features like Samsung Food and Samsung Privileged Health SDK to make it easier for users to manage their diet and health. 

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. We discuss the company’s new devices and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Unveils New Warzone Map, Zombies Mode, More



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OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro Review: Surprisingly Good

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hitesh
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OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro Review: Surprisingly Good

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OnePlus does not just make smartphones anymore and over the years, it has experimented and expanded its range of products. It now has a fairly wide ecosystem of devices, which recently also saw the addition of a tablet. From an ecosystem point of view, it is only missing a computer. Adding to this long lineup of smartphones, TVs, monitors, smartwatches, audio gear, clothing accessories (which also includes a fanny pack), is a mechanical keyboard called the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro. OnePlus tied up with the mechanical keyboard specialists at Keychron to design it.

While I will explain in detail as to why this keyboard is a bit different, like many others I also assumed that it was a rebadged Keychron Q1 Pro. The Q1 Pro is a unique offering as it offers the best of two product lineups — a premium full metal keyboard merged with the ease and convenience of wireless connectivity — giving one the best of both worlds. All of Keychron’s Q-series premium lineup was only offered with a cable until then, which meant that buyers had to choose between a premium-looking and great sounding customisable keyboard, versus a plastic-bodied keyboard that’s focussed more on connectivity and customisation.

After using the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro for more than two weeks, here’s what I think of it.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro price in India and box contents

The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro is available in two options which basically comes down to the type of what switch you prefer. There’s the Winter Bonfire option which comes with PBT keycaps and tactile switches that oddly have red-coloured stems and is priced at Rs. 17,999. The Summer Breeze option is priced a bit higher at Rs. 19,999 and comes with a rather unique Marble Mallow keycaps (which are supposed to be flexible) and linear switches with stems that are strangely blue in colour. The option you choose is basically the name of the switch, which is a result of OnePlus’ collaboration with Keychron.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro inthebox ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro comes with usual cable, keycap and switch puller along with extra tools and spares, which is a nice touch

 

The colours chosen for the switches are a bit odd as the red colour of the Winter Bonfire switch is usually used to signify silent linear switches, while blue colour of the Summer Breeze switch is normally used to signify linear but clicky (read: noisy) switches. Switch makers usually go with brown for tactile switches. So, be careful what you select when you pick one as the colours are very misleading and are different from the standard colour coding for basic mechanical switches.

Apart from the usual keycap and switch puller, OnePlus has a quality braided USB Type-C to Type-C cable which can be used to connect the keyboard to your system for a much higher 1,000Hz polling rate (compared 90Hz with wireless) and a USB Type-A to Type-C adapter as well. Also included with the Keyboard 81 Pro is a hex key which matches the screws used on the case. OnePlus also throws in a few extra screws for the stabilisers and 4 extra gasket foam strips as well, in case they happen to wear out.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro design

There is no real difference between the two keyboard options when it comes to cosmetic design. The only visual cues are the darker grey keycaps used on the alphanumeric keys, directional keys and some function keys on the Winter Bonfire option, which I received for review. The Summer Breeze option inverts the whole theme and uses light grey keys for the majority of the layout, leaving the dark grey keys for the remainder.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro design ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

The colour scheme of the keycaps and case are typically OnePlus

 

Yes, I will agree that grey, white, and red are typically OnePlus colours and there’s the bright red coloured keycaps on the escape key (with a OnePlus logo) and the enter key will remind many of OnePlus smartphones. But that’s pretty much where the OnePlus branding fizzles out as Keychron too sells its Q1 Pro in a very similar-looking Shell White finish complete with red keycaps for the escape and enter keys.

While many may comment that OnePlus could have toned down its branding a bit, those who will end up buying the Keyboard 81 Pro might end up customising it with custom keycaps anyways and the basic aluminium (grey) case seems like a decent starting point for the same. But yes, I feel OnePlus could have gone with more contrasting colour options out of the box.

To me, the colours of the keycaps lend the keyboard a bit of a retro-modern feel. The customisable acrylic knob at the top right corner stands out a bit but thankfully, it does not have RGB. There’s a chrome casing which surrounds it and the navigation keys makes it look very unique from anything that’s currently out there when it comes to pre-built keyboards.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro keycaps ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

The Winter Bonfire option comes with PBT double-shot keycaps

 

While the wedge-shaped layout of the metal keyboard case is similar to the Keychron Q1 Pro with bigger overhangs with the top case on all sides, OnePlus adds a beautifully finished chrome fold out stand (with rubber stoppers) which it calls a ‘keyboard holder’ at the back. It adds a classic touch to what is mostly a modern looking keyboard in terms of its overall appearance and is really useful for those who are looking for that extra incline as it can raise the height of the keys by an inch. The standard Keychron Q1 Pro does not have this feature. OnePlus calls it a keyboard holder because it lets the Keyboard 81 Pro stand up on its top edge helping declutter an office or work desk when you need that extra space.

The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro offers a proper 75 percent layout, so it is a big keyboard overall. However, given the larger overhangs on the top case, it almost feels as big as an 80 percent Tenkeyless (TKL) layout. Indeed, this is not a keyboard which was designed to go into a backpack. At 1.8kg it is quite heavy. But all of this heft is necessary to deliver that well-tuned typing experience which is targeted at those who are looking for a well-built pre-built keyboard to place on their desks and nowhere else.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro performance

Since this is a fully-assembled pre-built keyboard, you can only choose between the two cosmetic options that are limited to two switch types when purchasing one. This is a contrast compared to the plethora of options Keychron offers with the Q1 Pro on its international website (since it’s not available for purchase in India). The Winter Bonfire keycaps are the regular double shot PBT ones. They have a nice rough texture that avoids grease and remained shine-free during the review period during which I used it every day.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro design stand ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

The Keyboard 81 Pro has a very practical ‘keyboard holder’ which doubles up as a fold-out stand to adjust the keyboard’s incline

 

Since I use a mechanical keyboard (albeit a budget one) on a daily basis, it’s easy to tell the huge difference between using a Keychron K6 (priced at Rs. 8,499 onwards) with Gateron G Pro Brown switches and a OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro with its Winter Bonfire switches. Every keypress has a nice tactile feedback which is at the beginning of the keypress. The switches need a bit of force when pressing them down, but with a travel distance of just 3.3mm (2.2mm pre-travel), registering keypresses was pretty quick.

This also meant I could type quite fast and accurately. Given that these are custom-made switches, OnePlus has done a fantastic job with them, given it’s their first go at building a keyboard and will hit the sweet-spot for many. Writers or coders will prefer tactile switches because of the tactile bump. However, if you don’t prefer the tactile bump or the toned down clicky sound, do check out the summer breeze option which has quieter switches that are better suited for gaming because of their lower operating force and increased travel distance.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro switches ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

Our review unit came with the tactile Winter Bonfire switches

 

The switches are mounted on a PCB plate which is double-gasket mounted or suspended with foam-like gaskets to avoid making contact with the keyboard case. This reduces unwanted noise and vibrations. This keyboard uses 10 gaskets in all, five on either side of the PCB, and this along with the additional PC plate and case foam results in a toned-down and dampened clicky sound which I found quite satisfying and good for a pre-built keyboard. And if you aren’t too happy with the sounds this keyboard produces, you can always hot-swap the switches with your favourite ones.

One detail I think OnePlus left out was a custom palm rest. I used a Keychron one which I had lying around at home. But I highly doubt it’s possible to use the Keyboard 81 Pro without a palm rest given its height.

I’m not a big fan of south-facing RGB lighting and the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro, just like the Keychron Q1 Pro, has them. The PBT keycaps aren’t of the shine-through variety so you will need an overhead lamp to light up the keyboard when working in a dark space. The lighting pattern presets can be toggled by pressing down the function key along with the ‘Q’ key.

Colours of these patterns can be altered by pressing down function along with the ‘E’ or ‘D’ keys. The patterns seemed a bit limited compared to a regular Keychron keyboard, but these are all customisable using the VIA keyboard software, which will need your keyboard to be physically plugged into your machine when customising the lighting, macros and layers. The knob too is customisable. It defaults to increasing or decreasing system volume and can mute it when pressed down.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro buttons port ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

The mode selector button is fashioned like a OnePlus Alert Slider found on the brand’s premium smartphones

 

There are also some subtle software tweaks included like a power saver mode which switches on after the battery gets exhausted and the keyboard cannot fire up the RGB lighting anymore. It’s indicated by a blinking red light under the spacebar. The RGB lighting, although not as smart as Logitech’s MX series keyboards, will turn off automatically after five minutes when not being used. Connectivity is quite solid and I used it wirelessly, connected to a Mac Studio during the review period. During this time it never disconnected, which is downright impressive for a third-party keyboard. The Keyboard 81 Pro can be connected to three separate devices, with switching done by pressing down the function key and 1,2 or 3 numeric keys.

Battery life is also quite solid for a wireless keyboard. The 4,000mAh battery lasted me six workdays (9 hours each) with RGB lighting fully lit and on maximum brightness. Beyond this the keyboard lasted two additional work days in power saver mode (sans backlighting) until it switched off. With the backlighting turned off, OnePlus claims that its keyboard will last up to 300 hours (or about 7.5 work weeks) on a single charge, which is still impressive for a regular RGB laden keyboard.

OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro knob ndtv OnePlusKeyboard81Pro OnePlus

The multi-function knob apart from looking great also defaults to volume and mute functions

 

It’s no competition when pitted against the Logitech MX Mini Mechanical we reviewed recently, which is priced similarly but comes with low-profile switches. The MX lasted two whole months on a single charge thanks to its sensor-equipped backlighting system with a basic white backlight. However the use-case for this keyboard is very different (portable and compact) compared to the Keyboard 81 Pro (desk work).

Since this keyboard will be sitting at your desk, delving into charging times seems pointless. Regardless, I still tested it out and it took a good six hours to fully charge when connected to a 65W PD GaN charger.

Verdict

When it comes to premium mechanical keyboards in India, you can either choose to settle for a pre-built one from a short list of manufacturers who officially sell them here, or you can choose the right parts, line-up for group buys, wait and finally assemble the keyboard of your dreams yourself. However, there’s no guarantee that you will not cross the Rs. 20,000 mark to build that thocky or creamy-sounding keyboard.

The OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro, like many other Keychron keyboards, is meant for those who want a mechanical keyboard for the typing experience, but don’t want to get their hands dirty or dig-deep into the business end of it.

With that said, the OnePlus Keyboard 81 Pro sure finds itself in a very advantageous position in the Indian mechanical keyboard scene. That’s because importing such high-end pre-built mechanical keyboards into the country is still quite the challenge. Keychron being the only premium mechanical keyboard manufacturer to offer a decent selection of its products in the country has also over the years garnered quite the following.

While Keychron is quite slow when it comes to releasing its new products in India, it almost seems like it purposely avoided launching its Q1 Pro keyboard out here because of this collaboration with OnePlus.

In short, you can either choose to import a Keychron Q1 Pro via the customs route (which may or may not work out depending on your luck) and you will end up with a keyboard customised to your tastes at a cost of roughly Rs. 16,500 (sans customs or duties). Or, you could simply go for its OnePlus-branded counterpart which can be purchased from Rs. 17,999. Thankfully, it isn’t just limited to branding but also packs in some nice, unique upgrades (switches, fold-out stand, keycaps, design) as well.

I am quite impressed by what OnePlus has achieved thanks to inputs from its inner circle of testers and Keychron. What is also interesting to see is how OnePlus managed to design and create its own take of the Keychron Q1 Pro and also got most of it right in the first go, despite having no experience with building keyboards. In fact, I like this one so much, I can’t wait to see what OnePlus pulls off with the next one! 

Ratings out of 10

  • Design: 9
  • Performance: 9
  • Value for money: 8
  • Overall: 8

Pros

  • Premium build quality
  • Excellent typing experience
  • Keyboard height is adjustable
  • Useful keyboard holder or fold out stand
  • Keys sound great
  • Robust companion software
  • Customisable keys
  • Hot-swappable switches
  • Replaceable keycaps

Cons

  • Case is only available in one finish
  • Could have included a custom palm rest
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Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 With Up to 700 Days of Battery Life Launched; Global Release on October 11

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Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 With Up to 700 Days of Battery Life Launched; Global Release on October 11

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Samsung Galaxy SmartTag was launched in January 2021 at the Galaxy Unpacked event. The company has now announced the release of its successor, the Galaxy SmartTag2, which is scheduled to make a global debut on October 11. It is claimed to offer up to 700 days of battery life, almost twice as much as the previous Galaxy SmartTag models. It comes in a ring-shaped design with an IP67 water and sun resistance rating. The Galaxy SmartTag2 works within the 120-metre range with Bluetooth connectivity. 

Samsung unveiled its Galaxy SmartTag2 on Thursday, more than two years after it launched the Galaxy SmartTag. The new ring-shaped device will be released globally on October 11. It claims to offer new tracking features over its predecessor. The smart tag device can be used to keep a check on valuable items or also to keep track of your pets. 

It gets a new Lost Mode feature that lets users add their contact information with the help of a text message. On finding the lost tag, an item or a lost pet, anyone can scan the Galaxy SmartTag2 and will receive the information of the owner. The feature works on all mobile devices with an NFC reader and web browser. 

The company has also provided some updates to the Compass View feature, making it easier to track directions with the help of allows. The feature is available for access on any UWB-supported Galaxy smartphone. Samsung has also made improvements to the SmartThings Find app, as users can add a shortcut to the application on their smartphone. It provides a full-screen map view as well as an enhanced interface. 

In terms of battery, the Galaxy SmartTag2 offers 700 days of battery life on power-saving mode, while it lasts for 500 days on normal mode. This is double the amount of battery life that was offered on previous Galaxy SmartTag models. It comes with an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance. 

Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 alongside the Galaxy Tab S9 series and Galaxy Watch 6 series at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in South Korea. We discuss the company’s new devices and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on Twitter, Facebook, and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


Xiaomi Announces Festive Deals on Mobiles, Other Products Ahead of Amazon, Flipkart and Diwali With Mi Sales



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