Home Blog Page 1012

MoneyGram Will Let US Users Trade, Sell and Buy Crypto on Mobile App

0
MoneyGram App

According to the latest MoneyGram announcement, the payment company’s US user base can now use MoneyGram mobile app to deal in cryptocurrencies. The app will allow US users to buy, sell and hold various cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. MoneyGram International is a United States based peer-to-peer payments and money transfer company.

In the official announcement, the company also hinted at its plan to explain into international markets according to the regulations and also of adding additional token support by next year. MoneyGram’s announcement is the latest addition to the series of companies entering the crypto market by “bringing real-world cryptocurrency and blockchain use cases to life.”

MoneyGram made the official announcement through a tweet on its official Twitter handle, which read, “MoneyGram announces the launch of a new service enabling consumers to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrency via The MoneyGram App. This feature gives customers in nearly all U.S. states the ability to trade and store BTC, ETH and LTC.”

The company in its official press release, which was posted on its Twitter handle, said, “From on/off-ramp services for digital wallets through partnerships with Coinme, Stellar and G-Coin, to cross-border settlement through Circle’s USD Coin (USDC), to the new ability to buy and store crypto simply by using its app, MoneyGram is pioneering cross-border payment innovation and blockchain-enabled settlement.”

For those unaware, this is not the first time MoneyGram is trying to foray into the crypto market. The company’s last crypto endeavour did not come to fruition when the company entered into a partnership with Ripple Labs. The partnership ended right after the company got into a lengthy legal fight with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The legal battle is still going on.

MoneyGram App

While the latest announcement is an encouraging step by the company to get its feet into the crypto ecosystem, many experts have pointed out that it would not be an easy road for MoneyGram. The crypto ecosystem might seem enthralling from far away but the fact remains that MoneyGram would have a lot of catching up to do on its plane considering how much progress the other players in the industry have already done.

It is also not to be a fact that should be forgotten that the crypto ecosystem is not going through its pleasant phases anymore. 2022 has been a tough year for all stakeholders of crypto services and it has significantly brought down the overall interest in the industry.

The company, however, appears to be positive in its response to all the concerns. Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO, while addressing the press on the occasion of the latest announcement, said, “Cryptocurrencies are additive to everything we’re doing at MoneyGram. From dollars to euros to yen and so on, MoneyGram enables instant access to over 120 currencies around the globe, and we see crypto and digital currencies as another input and output option.”

Holmes further added, “As a next step in the evolution of MoneyGram, we’re thrilled to provide our customers with access to a trusted and easy-to-use platform to securely buy, sell and hold select cryptocurrencies.”

MoneyGram isn’t the first payments company to enter the crypto ecosystem in recent times. Just a month back in October, Mastercard also launched Crypto Source, a program for financial institutions to start providing crypto trading services to their customers.

Recommended Reads:

  1. Top 5 iPhone apps Supporting Live Activities, Including Live Scores Of The Fifa World Cup
  2. Apple Wipes Out 540,000 Apps
  3. List of Battery-Draining Android Apps with 20 Million Downloads Removed from the Google Play Store

PS Plus vs Xbox Game Pass: Which one is a more fiery option?

0
PS Plus vs Xbox Game Pass

Introduction

For a very long time, you had to either buy the game yourself or borrow a friend’s copy if you wanted to play it. However, you now have more options than ever, including Netflix-style services that let you access a constantly expanding library of games in exchange for a monthly subscription fee. Recent developments in game distribution have made this a crucial market for the leading players in the sector, particularly Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation, to compete in.

Microsoft Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, the two major publishing companies’ respective subscription programs, have frequently been compared to one another, which is only natural considering how they both serve to satisfy the same need: an economical way to play games without having to acquire them.

If either of the services interests you, you are probably thinking which is superior. The truthful response is neither. To compare the two, would be like comparing apples and oranges. Although there are certain parallels between the two, and even some areas where one seems superior to the other. Your gaming preferences and the gaming system you already possess will have the biggest impact on your decision.

So, do you want to buy one among the PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass? But you are confused which one is a better option for you? If that’s the case, then we recommend you to continue reading. In this article we have dissected all the major advantages and disadvantages of both the device and provided you with a final consensus.

Sony PlayStation Plus Essential Vs Xbox Live Gold – Benefits

The Xbox’s significantly more established Live Gold is challenged by the most inexpensive tier of Sony’s new subscription service. The commonality between the two is that, to play online multiplayer on either of your consoles, you must be a subscriber to one of them.

Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus Essential both provide free games, however Xbox only provides titles that are compatible with Xbox One and Xbox 360, whilst Sony additionally provides new titles that are even PS5 compatible.

Additionally, Sony has some restrictions on cloud storage. For PS4 and PS5 game data storage, Sony provides 100GB of free cloud storage. Microsoft, on the other hand, is rather accommodating and offers unlimited storage that grows as your saved material does. Microsoft, on the other hand, is rather accommodating and offers unlimited storage that grows as your saved material does.

The PS Plus Essential does, however, have an advantage over Xbox Live Gold because it offers free exclusive game content that is not included in Xbox Game Pass. Additionally, you receive free access to the PS Plus Collection, a collection of more than 4400 titles that is only accessible for the PlayStation 5.

The Essential tier is priced the same as PlayStation Plus was prior to Sony reintroducing the new tires. It costs Rs 499 per month, Rs 1,199 per quarter, or Rs 2,999 per year to subscribe to PS Plus Essential. Xbox Live Gold, on the other hand, is priced at Rs 349 per month, Rs 749 per quarter, and Rs 1,999 annually. PlayStation Plus Essential is definitely more expensive than Xbox Live Gold, but it makes up for the difference in price with a collection of free PS5 titles and exclusive extras.

Sony PlayStation Plus Extra vs Xbox Game Pass – Benefits

PS Plus vs Xbox Game Pass

The PS Plus Extra provides the same advantages as the Essential and additionally access to the game catalog. Sony’s mid-tier plan is competing with Game Pass in terms of price. But the question is whether it is worth the price as Game Pass? If you compare the quantity of games given with the Game Catalog to those with the Game Pass, the answer is no.

For the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and more recent Xbox X/S consoles, Xbox offers 400 games for free through Game Pass. Meanwhile, there are only about 300 games in the PlayStation Game Catalog.

Furthermore, unlike Game Pass, PS Plus does not offer a first-day release bonus for in-house titles; nevertheless, third-party developers may choose to release a game exclusively for PS Plus subscribers before making it available to the general public.

The cost of PlayStation Plus Extra is Rs 749 per month, Rs 1,999 every three months, and Rs 4,999 annually. In contrast, Game Pass costs Rs 349 a month, Rs 1,049 for three months, and Rs 2,099 for the six-month subscription.

Although Microsoft does not offer a yearlong membership, you can still save some money by purchasing the six-month plan twice. Additionally, alternative plans are significantly less expensive than PS Plus Extra. Therefore, Game Pass provides better value than PlayStation Plus Extra.

PS Plus Deluxe vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate – Benefits

The top tiers of both subscription services—PS Plus Deluxe and Game Pass Ultimate—compare reasonably with one another. Both provide a huge selection of free games and allow online multiplayer and RT cloud gameplay.

But then again, only the one with more features and advantages will be superior.

Both Sony and Microsoft have their own cloud gaming services, and since access to both requires a premium subscription, this equalizes the playing field for both. However, PlayStation Now games can only be played on the PlayStation 5 and PC whereas Xbox Cloud Gaming is accessible on mobile devices. Additionally, Xbox Cloud Gaming offers more games, including well-known ones like Fortnite. However, as cloud gaming is not offered in India, it has no relevance to us.

In terms of the games provided, PS Plus Deluxe offers a collection of about 300 classic PlayStation games from earlier PlayStation consoles, in addition to the other 300 games in the Game Catalog. Additionally, it aligns it with the features of Game Pass. However, when it comes to having Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you receive a free subscription to EA Plus, which provides a number of free games and trials from the EA studio. Additionally, you are entitled to a 10-hour trial of Game Pass, but PlayStation Plus trials are only valid for a maximum of two to three hours. The major advantage is that Game Pass Ultimate allows you to play games for free on PC as well, with many options to choose from.

PS Plus Deluxe vs Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: price in India

PS Plus vs Xbox Game Pass

The cost of the PS Plus Deluxe is Rs 849 monthly, Rs 2,299 for three months, and Rs 5,799 annually. Game Pass Ultimate, on the other hand, has monthly prices of Rs 499, six-monthly prices of Rs 2,999, annual prices of Rs 5,999, and two-year prices of Rs 11,999. Although the prices are fairly close, Game Pass Ultimate is a considerably better deal than PS Plus Deluxe due to features like one-day releases, a free subscription to EA Play, and PC games. 

Product Name Cost
Sony PlayStation Plus Essential –          Rs 499 Monthly

–          Rs 1,199 per quarter

–          Rs 2,999 per year

Xbox Live Gold –          Rs 349 per month

–          Rs 749 per quarter

–          Rs 1,999 annually

Sony PlayStation Plus Extra –          Rs 749 per month

–          Rs 1,999 every three months

–          Rs 4,999 annually

Xbox Game Pass –          Rs 349 a month

–          Rs 1,049 for three months

–          Rs 2,099 for the six-month

PlayStation Plus Deluxe –          Rs 849 monthly

–          Rs 2,299 for three months

–          Rs 5,799 annually

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate –          Rs 499 monthly

–          Rs 2,999 for ix months

–          Rs 5,999 annually

–          Rs 5,999 for two years

PS Plus vs Xbox Game Pass: Catalogs

 If the games offered were bad, neither service would be worthwhile. Thankfully, there is a large range of games available on both platforms, and more are constantly being released. However, sometimes a few games are removed from both the services as well.

In terms of number and quality of games, both the products battle neck-to-neck. A large number of games can be enjoyed by the users on either of the devices.

Remember that if a game is removed from either service’s catalog, you won’t be able to play it again unless you purchase a disc or a digital copy. You can utilize your saved game files and any DLC you purchased for the game once you have the game in your possession.

A few of the top titles offered by PS Plus and Xbox Game Pass include:

  • PS Plus
  • Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  • Celeste
  • Dead by Daylight
  • Demon’s Souls (PS5)
  • Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (PS5)
  • Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  • Rayman Legends
  • Returnal (PS5)
  • Spiritfarer
  • Tetris Effect
  • Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

 

  • Xbox Game Pass
  • Deathloop
  • Halo: The Master Chief Collection
  • Hitman Trilogy
  • Doom Eternal
  • Forza Horizon 5
  • Minecraft

Conclusion

We have analyzed both Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus. The service that is best for you ultimately relies on the games you wish to play. The most reasonable choice for you is PS Plus if you’re a PC gamer who wants to play PlayStation exclusives without investing in a PS4 or PS5. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is undoubtedly the greatest choice for someone who plays on both Xbox and PC.

Because Xbox Game Pass prioritizes quality over quantity, we’d argue that it has the advantage overall. The service contains more titles that most people actually want to play, and getting high-profile releases on day one is a significant draw. If you’re unsure, carefully browse both libraries to choose which one suits you better.

Recommended Reads:

  1. PS6: Sony Reveals The Release Date of the PlayStation 6
  2. Sony-Honda Joint Venture To Produce An Autonomous Electric Car With The PS5 System
  3. Xbox Rolls Out Official Support For Discord, Lightstream, And Streamlabs

Apple Said to Expand Live TV Advertising Around Major League Soccer Deal

0
Apple Live TV

Apple Inc is all set to soon expand its live TV advertising network as a part of the deal signed for streaming Major League Soccer games in 2023. As per a company source, the American tech company is currently having many rounds of discussion with MLS sponsors and several advertising partners regarding showing advertisements in between soccer games. A close source, who requested not to be named, was quoted by the international media revealing that the discussion between all parties is being held privately in advance of the launch scheduled for coming February.

The decision to expand the advertisement network for live television is a planned push by Apple to get into advertising aggressively. Apple’s current advertisement unit generates about $4 billion (which is around Rs. 33,000 crores) in revenue every year. Bloomberg News recently reported that the company is now seeking double-digit billions of dollars in revenue. To achieve this revenue, the company plan includes placing search advertisements in the company’s apps such as the maps services. Users can expect all advertisement plans to roll out as early as next year.

Apple has recently signed a 10-year deal for airing MLS games through a new streaming subscription service along with the Apple TV Plus platform. The tech giant is reportedly also chalking out plans of streaming small portions of the games to Apple TV app users without any charge.

According to reports surfacing in the media, Apple is all set to run advertisements in all three major tiers of the partnership as per the deal. Advertisements will run on the dedicated package, the paid TV+ subscriptions, and the free TV app. Although the company have declined to make any comment officially, the move is the company’s way of expanding its early live Apple TV advertising. The company’s previous live TV advertisement included “Major League Baseball games that already air on TV+.”

Apple Live TV

Apple has yet to come out with any official word regarding the matter.

Several media reports indicate that Apple’s vision of generating money from the recently signed MLS deal is through advertising revenue during the games along with the standard amount that comes from subscription fees. The contract reportedly has been estimated to cost $250 million (which is close to 2,050 crores in Indian currency)  per season. This settles for $2.5 billion (which is close to 20,500 crores in Indian currency) for the next decade.

Apple’s vice president of advertising platforms, Todd Teresi is the man Apple guy behind all the expansion into live TV advertisement. Teresi is also responsible for leading the recent addition of more advertisement slot placements in the App Store along with transforming the front page. The idea to push the advertisement front can work for the brand in terms of revenue because the company do have apps other than the App Store as an opportunity. Apple Podcasts and Apple Books can be utilised for this. Moreover, Apple also could mimic other streaming services such as Netflix and Disney and launch an ad-supported version of Apple TV+.

This current push to get aggressively active on the advertisement front is a great deal of an ideological change for the brand, considering Apple once advocated against advertisement overload. Also, its recent privacy policy upgrades don’t allow the brand to have too much freedom to go all out with its marketing efforts.

Recommended Reads:

  1. Why Apple TV 4K is still a great choice in 2022
  2. Error Spotted on HBO Max App by Apple TV 4K Users
  3. Next-Gen Apple TV 4k Comes with A15 Chipset and USB-C-Enabled Remote

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Specifications Leaked; Details Inside

0
OnePlus Nord CE 3
OnePlus Nord CE 3

Highlights

  • Here’s how the OnePlus Nord CE 3 will be different from the Nord CE 2.
  • The Nord CE 3 will come with an IPS LCD display compared to the Fluid AMOLED screen on the Nord CE 2.
  • OnePlus Nord CE 3 is expected to launch early next year.

In Brief

OnePlus Nord series will be having a new member joining the family, Nord CE 3, which has left many users excited at the prospect of getting a new handset from Nord to try out after the immensely successful Nord CE 2.

OnePlus has been quite successful in the past few years as most of its devices have been extremely well received and the upcoming Nord CE 3 will be a new feather in their overcrowded cap.

Users always expect a new model of any smartphone series to march ahead or live up to the expectations of its predecessors and OnePlus Nord CE 3 is no different as many are wanting it to be better than OnePlus Nord CE 2.

Fortunately, Nord CE 3 specifications have been leaked online and it will definitely give an idea to users as to what all they can expect from it. Users are constantly looking forward to these online leaks because it will help them make up their mind by learning about the price, features, and specifications of the upcoming device.

OnePlus Nord CE 3

Features & Specifications

To begin with, OnePlus Nord CE 2 came with an FHD+ 90Hz AMOLED display screen and will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 900 chipset, which is what many people are expecting from Nord CE 3 as well but there are also significant differences that users should know about.

OnePlus Nord CE 3 will come with an IPS LCD display panel of 6.7 inches, along with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is more than the 90Hz refresh rate of Nord CE 2. The camera on Nord CE 3 will come at 108MP sensor, which will be an upgraded version of Nord CE 2 camera that was of 64MP.

Nord CE 3 will come with a larger battery capacity of 5,000mAh units that is expected to come with a 67W fast charging support, along with a USB Type-C port, while Nord CE 2 had a 65W SUPERVOOC fast charging support and its battery capacity was 4,500mAh units.

Conclusion

There are many tipsters from different companies that have connections with inside sources working there who provide them with hints and tips regarding the features or specifications of a device that will be launching soon.

OnePlus Nord CE

However, all said and done, they are all speculations at the end of the day and you’ll have to wait for confirmation from OnePlus’ official sources on whether the aforementioned specifications are true or not or wait for the launch of Nord CE 3 that is expected to happen in early 2023.

Recommended Reads:

  1. OnePlus 11 Colour Options Revealed
  2. OnePlus Y1S Pro Design Revealed
  3. OnePlus 11 photos leaked

Review: Google Pixel 7 VS Pixel 7 Pro

0
Google Pixel 7 VS Pixel 7 Pro

Confused between Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro variants and struggling to decide which one to choose, or if choose one at all? Well, we have tried to map both smartphones from a user’s perspective and lined up detailed accounts of all the features worth discussing. Let’s find out what both variants are made up of.

Irrespective of not always having the most promising hardware, Google Pixel smartphones have been largely appreciated for their excellent AI camera technology. However, many recent Android smartphone manufacturers have been able to sport additional imaging chipsets to achieve similar image quality presenting their products as direct rivals to Google’s Pixel series. The company, on the other hand, has made a comeback in the premium smartphone market segment after a huge gap of four years, which has made experts and smartphone enthusiasts thrilled but yet apprehensive regarding what exactly could the brand offer now. And not just tech experts, the question also remains if these new additions to Google’s Pixel series have what it takes to attract consumers in this highly competitive smartphone segment now.

Let’s start with the price tags. The price tag is significant and more often than not becomes the driving force behind buyer behaviour. This is especially true when it comes to a product category like premium smartphones where the market is stuffed with options at every single turn. Google, as of now, has always been careful when it comes to pricing by keeping it under watch as compared to other competitive brands in the same segment.

The Google Pixel 7 price in India is Rs. 59,999 for the 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant, On the other hand, the bigger variant of the same series, the Google Pixel 7 Pro price in India is Rs. 84,999 for 12 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant. The company has only launched the respective base variants of both smartphone models in the country as of now. Many may find the storage of Pixel 7 Pro to be a problem but that’s how it is and will be since the brand has given no option for storage expansion.  The main motive behind this is what many tech bloggers have suspected. The brand basically is playing to push the users to opt for its cloud storage plans.

Google Pixel 7 VS Pixel 7 Pro

Moving on to the design part, Google Pixel 7 is being made available in Lemongrass, Obsidian, and Snow finishes. And as for Google Pixel 7 Pro, users can get this in Snow, Obsidian, and Hazel finishes. Although the overhauled design is similar to the previous Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro variants, it is easily noticeable that the brand has tried to give Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro variants a bit of a different feel and look. The brushed metal-looking frame on the Pixel 7 looks very similar to the one that the Pixel 6 Pro had but it is definitely a lot more smoother. The camera module looks clean because of the single-piece aluminium band across the phone. Many could feel the Pixel 7 being a little bit slippery thanks to the matte finish. Here the polished Pixel 7 Pro frame gets more marks for making the smartphone easy to hold.

Both smartphones, Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro have some common features even though both have been priced quite differently. Both the devices have the new Google Tensor G2 processor, which is strange considering the huge difference in their prices. The devices are also sporting a 50 megapixel sensor for primary camera performance along with a 10.8 megapixel selfie camera in the front, keeping the photography capabilities of both devices at par with each other. Another identical feature between the two variants remains their standard communication setup. Interestingly, both models offer Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6, NFC, USB Type-C (3.2), and the very usual satellite navigation support systems. The similarities don’t stop here and Google has kept a lot of similar points in both variants.

As for the battery support, the Google Pixel 7 come with a 4,355 mAh battery support, which is further paired with 20 W wired charging. On the other hand, the Google Pixel 7 Pro has been equipped with a rather bigger battery of 5,000 mAh capacity along with 23 W charging. Both smartphones, Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro also have wireless charging support features measured at 20 W and 23 W respectively.

The Pixel 7 variant doesn’t have the Ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna, something that is there in the Pixel 7 Pro variant.

Google Pixel 7 VS Pixel 7 Pro

Coming back to the series of similarities, both Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have been developed to run on the updated version of Android 13. The devices have been further customised to ensure users get their hands on the unique Pixel software experience. The Pixel 7 AMOLED 6.3 inch full HD + display produces sharp image quality with 416ppi pixel density. It has a 90Hz refresh rate that seems enough for regular everyday use along with playing games. With a slight difference comes the Pixel 7 Pro variant with its 6.7 inch QHD + curved-edge AMOLED display making images quality quite unique and large.

Here’s a quick look at the key specifications of both variants.

Parameters Google Pixel 7 Google Pixel 7 Pro
Display 6.3-inch OLED, FHD+ resolution 6.7 inches OLED, QHD+ resolution
Chip Tensor G2 Tensor G2
RAM 5 GB 12 GB
Storage 128 GB, 256 GB 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB
Battery size 4,355 mAh 5,000 mAh
Charging 30 W fast charging 30W fast charging
Rear Camera 50 MP wide, 12 MP ultrawide 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, 48 MP telephoto
Front camera 10.8 MP 10.8 MP

 

Recommended Reads:

  1. Google Pixel 8 Features New Chipset
  2. Google Pixel 7 vs Xiaomi 12
  3. Google Pixel 7 Pro; Users Complain on Scrolling Issue

Facebook CEO Lays Off 11,000 Meta Staff; Offers Justifications

0
Facebook CEO
Mark Zuckerberg

In Brief

Mark Zuckerberg is a name that needs no introduction because he is someone who is equally popular amongst both masses and classes. It is he who co-founded Facebook in 2004, which went on to become one of the biggest social networking services, along with Twitter and YouTube, released around the same time.

Facebook has billions of users across the globe with Zuckerberg coming out with regular changes in its features to cater to the different tastes of people belonging to different cultures and ideologies.

The latest news doing the rounds is that the Facebook CEO is laying off 11,000 Meta Staff, which is nearly 13% of the total employees that work there. This is the first major layoff in Meta’s 18 years of existence.

Although it was initially suspected as a rumour but Zuckerberg himself laid rest to all speculations by sending an internal letter to the company, thereby confirming the rumours to be true.

Meta

In this letter, Zuckerberg justified his actions on how the layoffs work, along with the compensation that the employees will be provided, and what are the future plans for the company in the long run.

The Facebook CEO has claimed that the layoff decision is one of the toughest to have ever been taken in the history of Meta because it is necessary to make the company smoother and leaner, which will help in increasing the efficiency in the workforce.

It is not that Meta has decided to leave the laid off employees to their fate as it has pledged to do everything possible to help them out, where first the employees will receive e-mails for layoffs along with an explanation as to why it was necessary.

Also, each and every employee will be given a fair chance to speak on the matter in an information session where their questions will be answered and provided with the necessary incentives and compensations.

Compensation Breakdown After Layoffs

  • Meta has confirmed that it will pay basic salary of four months, along with two additional weeks per year of service, which is called Severance Pay
  • All employees will be getting Paid Time Off (PTO) as the amount will be reimbursed to the employees directly
  • Then comes the health insurance, where the medical expenses of employees grappling with illness or ailment will be transferred to them and their families for six months
  • Employees will also be getting Equity Shares and an Equity award on November 15, 2022
  • Meta has also made clear that it will provide Career Counselling sections for the laid off employees for a period of three months with additional support from external suppliers, which includes getting early access to job leads
  • Employees dealing with immigration issues will also be taken care of by MetaFacebook CEO

Recommended Reads:

  1. Meta Upgrades Privacy Updates for Teens
  2. Facebook Parent Meta’s Oversight Board Can Now Apply Warning Screens to Moderate Content
  3. Facebook Issues Warning to 1 Million Users

God of War Ragnarök: Everything You Should Know About

0
God of War Ragnarök

God of War: Ragnarök, probably the most hyped game since the release of The Last of Us part 2, has been launched on PlayStation 4 and 5 starting this Wednesday. As a sequel to the popular role-playing game named The God of War, Ragnarök is taking the story of Kratos and his son Atreus forward in the Norse mythical world. Although the series has always been appreciated for being narrative focused, this launch appears to be more special as compared to any previous launch.

Building on the foundations of the seminal 2018 title, Kratos and his son Atreus will be facing “the specter of Ragnarök – the end of the days.” The series of events in this story, which many gaming enthusiasts have claimed to be its strongest point, takes place sometime after the timeline of the first game. There is strong anticipation and buzz around the launch of the game with multiple bloggers already claiming it to be the best game of the year 2022. Here’s everything that you should know about the game, to be played on both PS4 and PS5, before you buy the God of War and enter the mythical world.

Game Story

The God of War 2018 ended on a dramatic note. Even though Kratos and Atreus successfully scattered FaZe ashes on the tallest peak in all the Realms, they somehow accidentally kicked off Thimblewinter by killing Boulder. Thimblewinter is a three years long winter that ends with the beginning of the world ending event known as Ragnarok.

So, when the sequel begins, three will have passed which clearly means Atreus would be visibly older now. And secondly, Ragnarok is about to begin. Kratos, on the other hand, of course, wants nothing more than to mind his own business and live a secure life in isolation. A place where he can keep Atreus safe. His son, however, has other ideas and is driven by the discovery of the fact that he is Loki. Atreus, thus, wants to do everything in his power to stop Ragnarok.

God of War Ragnarök

End of the Norse Saga

The God of War’s Greek saga has a total number of six games and while no one ever really expected the series to be as Norse Era to get to those games, most players expected it would easily be a Trilogy. Santa Monica studio obviously had other plans. The studio made the decision early on that the God of War Ragnarok is going to be the second and final instalment in the Norse saga. The current story will see a conclusion by the end of this game. Although that doesn’t mean in any which way that there would not be any more God of War games in the future, there are many more mythology options that series creators can turn to for more games. However, Ragnarok is going to be the final game in the arc that began with the 2018 title.

Antagonists

What is obvious is that the Father and Son duo’s journey through the Norse Realms is going to be fraught with danger and they’ll run into more than a few formidable enemies on their quest to prevent Ragnarok. To start with, there’s Freya who has sworn vengeance upon Kratos for balder’s death and seems hell-bent on killing him by whatever means necessary. Then, of course, there’s Thor the hammer-wielding Acer brute who has Kratos and Atreus in his crosshairs given the fact that the two of them have killed many in his family by this point. The king of the Acer Odin the all-father is also going to be a prominent antagonist. So far these are the primary villains that could give matters of concern. But a cursory glance at Norse mythology is enough to realise that there are several key figures related to Ragnarok who are likely to have a role to play as well. For example, will Kratos and Atreus have to take on Heimdall the guards the entrance into the realm when they finally get to Asgard? Will the father and son duo end up fighting the fire giant while trying to prevent Ragnarok? Many such questions hang in the balance for answers.

God of War Ragnarök

More Aggressive Combat

At its core, God of War Ragnarok’s combat is going to closely follow the already established framework by the previous launch episode but it will still build on those foundations in several ways. Developer Sie Santa Monica Studio has been emphasising on allowing players to be much more expressive to that end God of War Ragnarok will not only offer more options with loot progression and upgrades, but it’ll also add other wrinkles to the combat such as new tools and abilities to use. Atreus should be expected to be more involved and helpful in fights. You can also expect greater enemy variety who are much more capable of dealing with player attacks and an added level of verticality in part.

Some new combat mechanics being introduced in God of War Ragnarok include the weapon’s signature moves, revealed by Game Informer. In the 2018 game, the triangle button was used to summon the Leviathan axe to your hand but now in the sequel, pressing the button will instead unleash new moves. These newly unleashed movies completely depend on what type of weapon has been equipped. Weapon signature moves will infuse the weapon with elemental energy ice for the axe and fire for the blades which will then allow you to deal additional damage to enemies. As gamers believe, this will run on a meter or a cooldown. However, the game developers haven’t delved into too much detail about the mechanic as of now.

Length

God of War 2018 was a sizable experience of 20 to 30 hours if you stuck to the main story. It included the time tackling side quests and some more time if you really do deeper into the optional content. God of War Ragnarok too as it seems is going to be a longer experience. Although no official word has come from Sony yet, journalist Tom Henderson who covers similar stories has recently reported that the game’s main story is going to be 20 hours long.

Recommended Reads:

  1. Top 5 God of War Ragnarok-like Games to Play
  2. Electronic Arts Shuts Down Service for Multiple Games
  3. Top 5 best Action-Adventure games for android

PlayStation 5 India Restock on November 11; Details Inside

0
PS5 Slim Console
PS5 India

Highlights

  • The next PS5 restock date in India is on Friday, November 11th.
  • During the restock, PS5 will be available in a bundle with Horizon Forbidden West.
  • The next restock will see the PS5 at higher prices following a recent price hike.

Brief Summary

This is the day and age where it is extremely difficult to get leisure time for yourselves and everyone wants to spend their day off the way they want like hanging out with friends, watching a movie in theatre, going to the restaurant or theme park, etc.

However people with a fondness for games would like nothing better than to sit on their couch and play their favourite games on PlayStation5 or Xbox 360. If you’ve grown up in the era of the 90s and 2000s, you would realize the craze for Super Mario, Swat Kats, Aladdin, Pokemon, and many others.

PlayStation 5 India is all set for restock on November 11, 2022, which will be the first since the price hike of PS5 in the country. The gaming console is now available for purchase on various e-commerce websites, where you can get it along with Horizon Forbidden West.

Even Sony has hiked the price for PlayStation 5 by Rs.5,000 in India, which makes it even more expensive than ever before but it won’t deter the excited players that simply want some entertainment for which they are willing to pay any price.

PlayStation 5 India

Price & Specifications

Sony PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition were launched back in 2020 where the former comes with a Blue-Ray drive while the latter does not, while PlayStation 5 is powered by an Octa-Core CPU modelled on Zen 2 architecture that runs at 10.28 TFLOPS with an AMD RDNA 2 GPU.

Flipkart, Amazon, Croma, Vijay Sales, ShotAtSC, Reliance Digital, etc. are among the well-known e-commerce portals from where you can pre-order the PS5 restock although it hasn’t been specified as to how many units will be available for purchase at the time.

It takes mere minutes for PS5 stocks to sell out like hot cakes, which is why users can get a faster checkout and even though many would regret missing out on the restock, there will be another one available very soon.

Coming to the price, PlayStation 5 with Horizon Forbidden West costs Rs.58,990 and PS5 Digital Edition with the same is available for the price of Rs.48,490 in India.

Also Read: PS5 restock in India: Here’s all you need to know about the June restock 2022

OPPO Reno 9 Gets Bluetooth SIG Certification

0
OPPO Reno 9
OPPO Reno 9

Brief Summary

We have just two months to go before 2022 becomes history and it has been raining devices and gadgets all year long with Samsung, Apple, Google, Infinix, etc. rolling out some of their best output for its users, who have lavished them with abundant praise and accolades.

It is not easy to match up to the users’ expectations and that too for a consistent period of time, which is why the aforementioned companies have achieved a place and stature that is unparalleled to match, which is why they have set an example for up and coming tech companies.

OPPO too has its rightful place in the rat race this year and will soon be launching its new handsets on the OPPO Reno 9 series viz. OPPO Find N2 and N2 Flip, along with a new OPPO A98 5G as an added bonus.

OPPO Reno 9

OPPO users are anxiously awaiting more information regarding the Reno 9 series like its features, price, launch date, etc. due to which the company has decided to give them a reason to cheer for.

Both models are all set for launch in December 2022 where users can get the Reno 9 Pro in vanilla, along with the Pro+ variant. As it generally happens, OPPO Reno 9 smartphones have been subjected to online leaks that are slowly spreading like wildfire on all social media platforms.

You can always look forward to tipsters with a sense of reliability and trust because they always have inside information on any device that is nearing the day of its launch, which has happened in this case as well.

Also Read: Oppo Reno 8 Pro goes on first sale, check out details

Features & Specifications of OPPO Reno 9

The tipster in question has revealed that the vanilla Reno 9 Pro has now passed Bluetooth SIG Certification with a model number PHM110 even though SIG is not a certification that is considered worth mentioning as an achievement, but it does confirm that Reno 9 Pro will offer support for Bluetooth 5.2.

OPPO Reno 9 might come with a 6.7 inch Full HD+ OLED screen, along with a 120Hz refresh rate and will have an in-built fingerprint scanner. It may also have a triple rear camera setup with a 64MP OmniVision OV64B shooter, while the 32MP camera from Reno 8 series will remain the same for selfie aficionados.

OPPO Reno 9

It will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC, which will be similar to other devices like Nothing Phone (1) 5G and Motorola Edge 30 5G. The storage variant will be 12GB RAM + 256GB internal configuration, along with a 4,500mAh battery power that comes with a 67W fast charging support.

Also Read: Oppo Reno 8 Series with Dimensity SoCs, 80W Fast Charging Launched in India

Google Pixel 8 Features New Chipset; Details Inside

0
Google Pixel 8
Google Pixel 8

Highlights

  • Pixel 8 Series
  • Features
  • Chipset Revelation

Brief Summary

2022 has been an exceptional year for many tech giants like Google, Apple, Samsung, Sony, and many others as they’ve rolled out one excellent device after another at regular intervals, each with their own unique quality and features.

Apple launched its iPhone 14 series in September while Google came out with the Pixel 7 series the very next month and both have received good reviews from users and tech experts alike.

Google has many other products lined up ready for release for which the tech giant would release official confirmation very soon like the next smartphone in the Pixel series viz. Google Pixel 8 series, for which work has already begun.

The devices that will be launched very soon are subjected to leak online under pseudo names as it will give an idea to the users as to what they can expect. The same has happened this time as well with two new devices codenamed ‘Shiba’ and ‘Husky’ were spotted online.

It has been revealed that both devices will most likely feature the Google Tensor 3 core processor, although it cannot be said for certain, not yet, that they are the Pixel 8 series models.

Pixel 8

There are strong rumours that both handsets will run on Android 14 OS, which has been codenamed ‘Upside Down Cake’ where the Tensor 3 chipset will also feature, which will be manufactured by Samsung.

Zuma Chip

The Tensor 3 processor has been codenamed ‘Zuma’, which has also used the same modem as Google Tensor G2, which is the 5G G5300 modem that has been manufactured by Samsung, which has also worked on a new ARM SoC called the Exynos 2300 from its production.

The ‘Zuma’ processor is said to be based on the same and is considered a customized variant of it. Both Pixel 8 models are said to be high end ones as they come with a 12GB RAM, where ‘Shiba’ comes with a 2268×1080 pixel HD resolution, while ‘Husky’ comes with a 2822×1344 pixel HD resolution.

Also Read: Google Pixel 7 Tensor G2 Chip; Speed in Learning Tasks

Conclusion

It is being theorized that ‘Husky’ will be having the better display features and most likely be a pro model. However, as mentioned above, it hasn’t been confirmed whether they are Pixel 8 series so have to be taken with a sizeable pinch of salt.

Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are being worked on because Google wants it to be even better received than the Pixel 7 series but if the devices that surfaced online are indeed Pixel 8 models, then they are definitely worthy enough to be mentioned.

Pixel 8

Also Read: Google Pixel 7 Pro; Users Complain on Scrolling Issue