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Qualcomm Unveils Snapdragon 675 Processor Supporting Tripple Camera & Advanced AI

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Qualcomm, best known for its next-generation mobile technologies and powerful Snapdragon processors, has just launched the new Snapdragon 675, the latest high to the mid-range mobile computing platform. The production of the Snapdragon 625 is basically focussed on the better gaming experience, photography, and artificial intelligence (AI).

The Snapdragon 625 is being considered as an upgrade over the Snapdragon 670 SoC that was launched in August this year. The Snapdragon 625 chipset has the Kryo 460 architecture that is built on the ARM’s Cortex-A76 cores. The architecture is specially designed for high-end smartphones. It is the first time that the processor has been manufactured using the 11nm process. The processor has got two 2.0GHz performance cores, four 2.8GHz performance cores that are based on the Cortex-A75, and six 1.78GHz efficiency-based cores, making the processor faster.

SND
Image Source: droidsans.com

With Snapdragon 625, Qualcomm has brought the features, that were only available for high-end smartphones, to the mid-range smartphones. Snapdragon 625 has got a new Qualcomm Spectra 250L ISP for 14-bit image signal processing supporting a triple-camera setup, with 5x optical zoom, 48 megapixels, portrait mode, etc.

The processor is also focussed on improving the gaming experience and the AI features. According to the company, the AI features have been improved by 50% than the previous processors, with the help of third-generation Qualcomm AI Engine. The processor supports the Qualcomm Neural Processing Engine SDK, resulting in the addition of features like the adaption of user’s voice, working with multiple voice assistants, etc.

Also, the processor has faster performance, supporting high-end games like PUBG, Best NBA, Honor of Kings, Knives Out, etc. The processor uses the Adreno 612 GPU that supports OpenGL ES 3.2, Open CL 2.0, Vulkan, and DirectX 12. Snapdragon X12 LTE modem supports up to 600Mbps LTE connectivity that provides a support for playing the online games without any interruption.

The Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset is used in every other smartphone. The Snapdragon 625 can be considered Qualcomm’s attempt to provide the users of mid-range smartphones a better experience with its high-end features. By the first quarter of next year, you can find the Snapdragon 625 processors out in new Smartphones.

Yandex’s Driver-less Cars are Out Running on the Roads of Moscow

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The Google of Russia, and the most used search engine of Russia, Yandex, is doing way beyond a search engine must do. The largest technology firm of Russia started its journey by setting up a search engine in the late 90s and by the end of 2018, it has spread its wings in other fields too. On Tuesday it announced the launch of a self-driving autonomous taxi service, that will soon run on the roads of Moscow.

yandex
Image Source: hearstapps.com

Yandex launched the prototypes of the driverless cars last year, in the month of May, and had already announced Europe’s first autonomous taxi service, back in August this year. The self-driven cars, Waymo by Google, are already running in Silicon Valley, and a launch of such cars out of Silicon Valley is a big achievement for Yandex.

Yandex initially will have two types of vehicles, based on the driver-less technology, and will run in the 400-hectare region of Skolkovo, in the Innopolis technology park. The car will have fixed fares for particular destinations, and the user can choose the destinations through an app, on their smartphones.

The self-driven cars by Yandex have sensors, video cameras and lidar, that enables the cars to judge the distance from other cars and other obstacles, using lasers. The odometry, used in the car, calculates how much the tyres of the vehicle have moved, and in which direction. The vehicle is embedded with the technology, that can identify the traffic lights, road marking, and the road signs. The vehicle can also predict the next situation as according to the makers, no one follows all the rules properly, so the car must be intelligent enough, to plan and predict the next step, that must be executed to avoid any type of mishappening.

Although the car has been tested with all its features and is good to go, for now, there will be a human driver sitting on the other seat of the car, to take over the driving at the time of emergency. The driver will be removed soon from the car, and Yandex is planning to reach out to more places, in Russia, where it can impose those self-driven cars. It is also planning to make the technology compatible with different brands cars.

Google Unveils the Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL & a New Chrome OS Tablet

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After much of the leaks of Google’s Pixel 3 phones, finally, Google has launched the new smartphones in an event, held in New York City, yesterday. The new Google collection unveiled at the event includes two new Pixel phones, a new Chromebook and a new Google Home Hub, along with a few accessories.

The new, third generation Google Pixel smartphones, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, have bigger screens than the last year’s Google Pixel phones. The smartphones have a front and back glass finish, giving them more premium look. Both of the phones possess a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, and the storage will range from 64 GB to 128 GB, with a RAM size of 4GB. The two phones are water resistant and have no micro SD slot or a headphone jack.

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Image Source: gadgetstouse.com

The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, both support wireless Qi charging with a 2915mAh battery and 3430mAh, respectively. The two are also having a similar camera set, a 12.2-megapixel rear camera and a dual 8-megapixel front camera. Having all the similarities the two phones differ in the screen size. The Pixel 3 has a 5.5-inch OLED screen, whereas the Pixel 3 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED display. The starting price for the Pixel 3 is $799, and the Pixel 3XL starts at $899, for its basic model. The Pixel 3 and Pixel XL will be the first phones to receive the latest Android updates, possessing no bloatware.

At the event, Google also launched its first Chrome OS tablet, named as Slate. The 12.3-inch display Google Slate is a laptop that can be converted into a tablet. The detachable keyboard is connected to the tablet through the magnet connectors and is empowered with the internal battery of the tablet, itself. The device has come with a better wide-angle front-facing camera, and has the highest pixel density, as compared to the other devices in the same category.

The tablet will be available in a variant of 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB of RAM, built on an Intel Core m3, i5, or Celeron processors, and the available storage will be up to 256GB. The tablet alone will cost approximately $599, and the keyboard will cost $199. Also, you can get a styler pen worth $99.

Along with the Google smartphones and the tablet, Google also announced the Google Home Hub enabled with the Google Assistant. The Google Home Hub does not support video calling as it does not have any camera, and also, it has a smaller screen. The cost of this gadget will be $149. With all these new gadgets, Google also released the Chrome set, but there was no mention of it in the event. The Chrome set costs $35 and still supports 1080p streaming, but with faster 5GHz Wi-Fi network support.

The pre-orders for all Google’s new gizmos will start from October 11 and will go on sale starting November 1 in India.

Yahoo Back into the Chat Business with its New Yahoo Together App

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As they say, “It’s never too late”. Yahoo has followed this phrase by launching its new messenger app. Yahoo launched ‘Yahoo Together’, a messenger app, on Thursday, shutting down its older Yahoo Messenger, due to the reduced usage of the app. Yahoo Together is a Yahoo and Oath’s product that it was testing a few months ago, as the invite-only Yahoo Squirrel app. Now, the Squirrel app is out of beta, and Yahoo has launched the same as the Yahoo Together app.

Even, after the data breach happened, on Yahoo’s messenger, in 2013, Yahoo has gathered some courage to enter back into the business. Yahoo and Oath, together have made an effort in the field of chatting, when there are so many messenger apps already available online.

Yahoo Together
Image Source: 9to5mac.com

The Yahoo Together is similar to other chatting apps, except providing more organized experience for the group chats. The app is having way more similarity with the enterprise level chat apps like Slack than any other simple chat apps. But, the app is specially designed for the personnel groups, like family and friends. The look and feel, as well as the custom reactions below the messages, seems to be directly adopted from Slack only.

Like Slack, it supports private and public group chats, that has been named as Topics. One can easily share audio and video files, on these group chats. The Activity View feature of Yahoo Together shows the user every time his/her name is mentioned in the chat. Like any other chat app, the user can mute the notifications for a particular group or a person.

The only feature that differentiates the app from other chatting apps is the smart reminder feature that notifies the user about different events, or of any particular message in the group, by sending the group members a notification about that message. Also, there is no voice calling feature as well as no third-party app integration, available in the app.

The app is created by the Yahoo’s old Communications Team, but with better functionality and features. Although with the chat apps like What’s App, Facebook Messenger and Slack, already available online, the launch of another chat app from Yahoo have raised many questions on its success, in such a competitive environment, Yahoo’s effort is commendable. But, the app surely needs a lot of improvements to survive in the market.

Mercedes Showcased the Third-gen Merc B-Class at the Paris Motor Show 2018

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The Paris Motor Show 2018 has started, and every automobile company is all set to showcase their new products and inventions in the event. In between the Mercedes has already unveiled its new Mercedes-Benz B-class MPV, as the fourth member of the Mercedes’ range of eight new smaller cars.

The Benz B-class is a hatchback silhouette, made under the internal codename W247. Having a similar shape as its predecessors, it has come with better interiors and fresh sheet metals outside. The vehicle is based on the A-class platform, with new engines, autonomous tech and powertrain options.

Merc MVP
Image Source: yahoo.com

The B-class has adopted the older multi-beam LED headlamps from the A-class and has the split tail lamps at the back. This time, it has avoided the strange side sculptured look from the previous models of the series, giving the car a cleaner and upfront profile. The new Mercedes MPV is 1,557mm taller, 4,359mm longer, and 1,786mm wider, having a wheelbase of 2,929mm and a reduced drag coefficient of 0.24. The roof of the B-class is slightly lower and the wheels of the car range between 16 inches to 19 inch for the different variants.

The overhangs are also shorter, offering more interior space for people and cargo. The Merc MVP has been embedded with the voice recognition, augmented reality features and Mercedes Me connectivity. Similar to the S-class, it also includes the safety features and the driver aid for semi-autonomous driving.

The different variants of the B-class will offer five engines, two petrol and three diesel type, ranging from the 136-horsepower gasoline B180 to the 190-horsepower, 295 pound-foot B220d. Both types of engine cars will have a 7-speed automatic gearbox.

There has been no announcement of the launch of the B-class in India yet. But, we can expect the availability of this new Mercedes model in India, in the coming year, maybe after the launch of A-class hatchback or the A-class sedan.

Microsoft Unveils the Addition of New Products in its Surface Series

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Microsoft hosted its annual event, in the New York City, on Tuesday 2 October. In the event, the company launched a pack of four surface gears, including the Surface Pro 6 tablet/laptop hybrid, the Surface Laptop 2, the Surface Studio all-in-one desktop and also a $349 Surface Headphones, while the rumoured Surface Phone is still under the wraps.

Starting with the new Surface Pro 6 laptop/tablet, it consists of Intel’s quad-core 8th Gen processor, with an improved battery life that can last for 13.5 hours, when fully charged. The laptop has a 12.3-inch display, and no USB-C ports, like its predecessor, Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2. It supports up to 16GB of RAM, and it is 1.5 times faster than the other previous laptops of the same series. The laptop is the first of its family to have a matte black finish. The laptop/tablet is available at a starting price of $899.

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Image Source: idgesg.net

The Surface Laptop 2 is a striking black matte finish laptop, having a 13.5-inch touchscreen. The laptop operates on the quad-core 8th Generation processor. Microsoft has again neglected the USB-C port in the Surface Laptop 2, instead, it has a USB-A. This time Microsoft has introduced a more silent and easier to type on Alcantara fabric-covered keyboard. The laptop costs $999, for its basic model.

The second version, in the Surface Studio range, the Surface Studio 2, is an all in one desktop that converts into a flat drawing panel with the help of its classic Studio hinges. The desktop has a 28-inch display screen, similar to the Surface Studio, but, brighter and with better contrast. The desktop has the 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor, and a speedier SSD storage that can range between 1 TB to 2TB, based on the model. The system has the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or GTX 1070 chipset, specially designed for the creative professionals. Also, the system has got the inbuilt Xbox Wireless support and a USB-C port. The price of the Studio Pro 2 is $3,499 for the base model and may vary with the higher models.

Microsoft has also announced its first smart Surface Headphones. Having the noise-cancelling feature, the user can adjust the sound of the headphones, using the dial on the left ear cup, to eliminate noise. It supports the hands-free voice commands, with the help of the Hey Cortana technology. The headphones consist of the USB Type C port that is used for the charging purpose. It stops the track or the music as soon the user removes it from the ears. It also consists of the touch controls on the ear cups. The headphones can work for 15 hours after they are fully charged. The Surface Headphones costs approximately $350.

Microsoft has also launched the ‘All Access’ payment plan for the Surface products. This is not a monthly subscription plan, but similar to one, as the buyer will pay a fixed amount every month, till the completion of 2 years, to buy any of those Surface products. The buyer will also avail the access to Office 365. But, in this plan, the buyer cannot upgrade to the newer version of the Surface series.

All the new Surface Series gadgets have been available for pre-orders, starting on Tuesday, in the US, with shipments expected later this month.