Google announces it's closing its Stadia game studio, still committed to cloud gaming

When Google first announced its Stadia cloud gaming platform, it took a huge risk that would change the way people play games. It originally planned to release original games developed by Stadia’s in-house studio called SG&E (Stadia Games and Entertainment). The latest blog post from Google announces the company’s shutting down of this very same studio. Creating best-in-class games from the ground up takes many years and significant investment, and the cost is going up exponentially. Given our focus on building on the proven technology of Stadia as well as deepening our business...

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vivo S9 to arrive on March 6 as the first Dimensity 1100-powered phone

Mediatek announced two 6nm chipsets and smartphone companies have already boarded the hype train, rushing to launch their devices with the new platforms. Xiaomi and Redmi already committed to releasing phones with the Dimensity 1200, now we have learned from a leakster that the vivo S9 will be the first phone powered by the Dimensity 1100 chip. The new device will come with a 6.4” screen, but it will have a standard notch, not a waterdrop or a punch hole. It will host dual front-facing cameras - a 44MP main one and an ultrawide unit. The vivo S9 is likely the V2072A phone that has...

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Our Moto G9 Power video review is up

The Motorola Moto G9 Power written and video reviews are up and as expected, the best selling point of this phone is battery life. With an overall score of 155h, the Moto G9 Power took the third place in our battery ranking beating its predecessor, the Moto G8 Power by a large margin. However, the handset seems to be good at shooting with its main camera too. But we don't want to ruin it for you so we suggest you hear out what Will has to say about Motorola's battery champion.

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Apple brings out Limited Edition Black Unity Apple Watch 6

Apple’s Black History Month initiatives are continuing with the releases of the special Black Unity Apple Watch Series 6 smartwatch. The Limited Edition wearable is available in both 40mm and 44mm sizes and comes with a black, green and red color silicone strap inspired by the Pan-African flag. Apple Watch Series 6 Black Unity edition There’s also custom “Black Unity” laser etching on the bottom of the watch casing as well as “Truth. Power. Solidarity” detailing on the pin loop. The Black Unity Apple Watch 6 is available starting today for $399/€429 in the 40mm size and...

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GeForce Now is finally available on Chrome for Windows and Mac

GeForce Now has been available for Android phones and Chromebooks for quite some time now and macOS and Windows users have to stick with the standalone versions in their respective app stores. From today, however, you have the choice to use the service using the Chrome browser. It doesn't matter if you are a Mac or Windows user, you can head over to play.geforcenow.com and start playing as long as you are a subscriber. Keep in mind, though, Nvidia still recommends using the appropriate application instead of the web app for optimal experience but this is still a great way to experience...

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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip's price gets cut by $250

Foldables are the future, or so "they" say, but one specific foldable now has a slightly higher chance of making it into some people's present as well. That's because Samsung has just decided to go with a permanent price cut for its Galaxy Z Flip in the US. The device launched at $1,449, and can now be had for $1,199. This is not a limited time deal or anything like that, the phone simply has a new price from today going forward. Not just that, but if you buy from Samsung's online store, you can apparently get the Z Flip for as low as $199.99 (that's not a typo!), the (rather huge)...

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Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra long-term review

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Oppo Find X3 Pro spied on cloud testing platform, key specs exposed

The Oppo Find X3 Pro will use the new Snapdragon 888 chipset. In fact, it already posted an impressive AnTuTu score. “It” being the PEEM00 device, which is suspected to be the X3 Pro. Details about the phone were discovered on a cloud-based testing platform. It runs Color OS 11.2 (based on Android 11). The particular unit being tested was equipped with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB storage. The three CPU clusters are as expected for an S888 chip – 2.84 GHz prime core, three 2.42 GHz big cores and four 1.80 GHz small ones. This is the global version of the phone, by the way. Oppo...

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Google Maps update brings split screen mode for Street View

Google is quietly rolling out a slight layout update for Google Maps – split screen for Street View and the map. The map shows available imagery (either SV or photo spheres, both highlighted in blue), so you can tap to jump to a specific location. The feature launches automatically after dropping a pin and going into Street View, you don't have to do anything special. Split screen is available in both vertical and landscape orientations. There’s also an Expand button, so that you go full screen if you liked the old look. This feature appears to have arrived with app version 10.59.1,...

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AMD rumored to outsource chip production to Samsung

Samsung and AMD have been working closely on co-developing Exynos chipsets with AMD RDNA GPUs but according to new reports, the partnership may go up a notch. Based on an unofficial report from South Korean tech forum Clien, AMD wants to increase its CPU and APU production volumes by 50% but its current supplier TSMC is not able to meet these orders. This is should be where Samsung enters the picture as its semiconductor division is currently working on optimizing its 3nm process for mass production and AMD could be looking to make the switch for its CPU and APU production. Samsung...

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vivo X60 series coming to India in March or April, Pro+ included

vivo could bring its flagship X60 series to the Indian market in late March or early April. Rumors have the vivo X60 Pro+ as a confirmed announcement, but it's unclear if only one or both of the X60 and X60 Pro will join it. Sadly there are no price details for now. Converting the Chinese prices would have the vivo X60 Pro+ launching at INR 56,500 for the 8/128GB model, the vivo X60 would be INR 39,500, while the X60 Pro costs an equivalent INR 50,900 in China. However it rarely works like that and taxes inevitably lead to higher prices in markets outside China. vivo X60...

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Huawei to bring the Mate X2 in late February

Huawei brought its previous two foldable Mate X smartphones in February, and according to sources, the new Mate X2 will follow suit. One leakster revealed on Weibo the new foldable phone will come “very soon” with improved design, 5nm chipset, and “new impressive technology”. The Mate X2 will be powered by a 5nm chipset - the Kirin 9000. The phone has already been certified at TENAA with an 8” screen but expectations are the form factor to change - from out-folding to in-folding, similar to the Galaxy Fold series. This will bring a secondary panel on the outside, leaving Royole and its...

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Redmi Note 9S gets Android 11

The latest device to get Android 11 in Redmi’s lineup is the Redmi Note 9S, also know as the Note 9 Pro in India. The new update bears the MIUI 12.0.1.0 RJWMIXM build number and comes in at 2.3GB in size. Redmi Note 9s Android 11 update You also get the January security patch on top of the usual Android 11 goodies including chat bubbles, one-time permissions and improved media controls. Keep in mind that this is a staged rollout and availability will vary depending on your region. Via

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Oppo Reno5 Pro+'s global launch imminent, certification reveals

Oppo announced its Reno5-series back in December in China but it is yet to make the Reno5 Pro+ official in other markets. Luckily, the Global Certification Forums published documents that suggest the global launch is imminent. The document only confirms the model number CPH2207, which helps us tie this to the Reno5 Pro+. Previous certification documents, however, suggest that the specs remain unchanged from the Chinese version, which we already know. What remains to be seen is when and for how much the Reno5 Pro and the Pro+ will launch outside of China but hopefully there's not...

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Leakster: OnePlus Nord N10's successor will be called "Nord N1"

OnePlus launched the Nord sub-brand last year, but it hasn’t settled on a naming scheme yet – leakster Max J. reports that the direct successor to the Nord N10 will be called the “Nord N1”. This feels similar to the Sony naming scheme for its phones and especially cameras, e.g. the RX1 full frame camera, RX10 1”-type mirrorless camera and RX100 point-and-shoot. However, it’s not clear if there will be a Nord N10 this year or an N100. And if there is an N10 mid-ranger, will the N1 move upmarket? It is often the case with mid-range sub-brands that they eventually get a near-flagship...

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New Royole Flexpai appears on TENAA with a surprising camera design

Royole is technically the first company that launched a foldable phone, and it has been introducing more products for the past two years. Now, it is time for the third iteration of the Royole Flexpai series, and the phone has appeared on TENAA with specs and images. Previously, the Flexpai had a vertical camera setup in one of the ends, but now the images reveal a square camera with two shooters. On top of that, there is a cutout in the same shape in the opposite corner, allowing for the camera bump to lay in and the phone’s back panels to close completely. Royole Flexpai on...

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Galaxy S21 Ultra faces iPhone 12 Pro Max in gut-wrenching drop test

Drop tests are the kind of videos that give little to no practical information and make for a properly cringy watch for most people. But they can be fun for those with the right mindset. The guys over at EverythingApplePro have pitted the Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 12 Pro Max against each other in a drop test that starts off at waist level and ends up at ceiling height. The Galaxy S21 Ultra lost a lens cover and cracked its screen, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max shattered its rear panel. Here is the full video. These types of tests are far from scientific, mind you, so don't...

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Apple launches iCloud Keychain extension for Chrome

A long-lasting problem for users using Chrome instead of Safari while still being invested in Apple's ecosystem has just been resolved. The iCloud Keychain feature that stores and even generate passwords for your accounts was unavailable in the Google browser. Starting today, Chrome users get the iCloud Passwords extension for Chrome. It's pretty straightforward and ties your Keychain to your Chrome browser. You can have access to all of your iCloud-stored passwords from your iPhone, MacBook, and iPad. And it works backward too. If you generate or save a password from your Chrome...

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Poco X3 Pro incoming, multiple certifications confirm

Poco announced its X3 NFC (aka Poco X3 in India) back in September and now it seems we’re also in for a Pro model. The Poco X3 Pro was certified by the FCC with the M2102J20SG model number. The certification revealed it will boot MIUI 12 and offer dual-band Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity. The listing also mentions LTE band support so it seems the X3 Pro will not offer 5G connectivity. Poco X3 Pro FCC listing details In addition, the upcoming device was seen on TUV, EEC and IMDA listings raveling the handset will make its way to the global market. A quick IMEI search also identified...

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MediaTek gets Apple order for Beats headphones

According to people familiar with the matter, MediaTek has entered Apple's supply chain for headphones. Since Apple owns Beats and its headset factories, the company has chosen MediaTek to make some of the components for the headphones. This is the first time MediaTek has entered Apple's supply chain but it's not clear which components the Taiwanese maker supplies. Industry watchers believe that the first order will ship between February and March this year. Even since Apple discontinued including headphones inside the iPhone's retail box, the company has been expanding its range of...

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