Tech
Top 10 International ESport Events in 2024
Like the previous years, the new year is going to be eventful for the gamers. As 2024 arrives, series of exhilarating esports tournaments are set to deliver a thrilling array of top-tier events that promise electrifying mix of competitions where the elite gamers would compete for massive prize pools and ultimate bragging rights. Here are the ten most exciting esports events coming up in 2024 that would capture the attention of game enthusiasts worldwide.
10 Best Esports Events to Shake the Gaming World in 2024
Copenhagen Gaming Week
BLAST collaborated with Copenhagen Gaming Week for their debut event from January 12-14, 2024, at Bella Arena and Bella Center Copenhagen. This international festival will feature the CS2 tournament powered by BLAST, blending future tech exploration, current trends, and retro-gaming classics.
The event aims to unite gaming enthusiasts, offering a unique community experience. BLAST, known for esports excellence, will leverage its expertise to showcase both invited elite teams and emerging regional talent in the CS2 tournament. While the prize pool details are not declared, yet, the event targets 15,000 visitors, with plans for future growth.
Supported by the Capital Region of Denmark and the City of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Gaming Week promises a dynamic esports arena, distinct from the BLAST Premier tournament circuit.
Read more: Top 11 Free Election Simulator Games for Android
League of Legends World's Championship 2024
The League of Legends Worlds 2024 final is set to captivate esports enthusiasts at London's O2 Arena on November 2. Organized by Riot Games, the prestigious multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) tournament features top teams from around the globe. This annual event, known as Worlds, has evolved into a Superbowl-style spectacle, attracting millions of viewers.
The tournament structure includes a play-in stage, swiss-system group stage, and knockout stage. Teams will vie for the coveted Summoner's Cup and a multi-million-dollar prize pool. Notably, the reigning champions, Korean powerhouse T1, led by esports icon Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, secured their fourth title in the 2023 finals. Riot Games aims to build on the success of the 2022 mid-season invitational held in London, expressing confidence in strong support from European fans.
The 2024 Worlds final promises thrilling gameplay, ceremonial performances, and the unveiling of the redesigned Summoner's Cup, crafted in collaboration with Tiffany & Co. There is nothing yet announced about the 2024 prize pool.
Dota 2: The International
ESL FACEIT Group, the esports tournament organizer, has officially disclosed the schedule for the Dota 2 ESL Pro Tour in 2024. The upcoming ESL Pro Tour season will feature three online DreamLeague seasons and two live ESL One tournaments. A notable addition to Season 2 is the introduction of the EPL Leaderboard, where teams in DreamLeague and ESL One competitions will accrue EPT Points based on their tournament performance.
Read more: 13-year-old American believed to be first person ever to beat Tetris
ESL One Europe, an in-person tournament with a $1.6 million prize pool, follows in April. The ESL Pro Tour Director for Dota 2, Shane Clarke, expressed excitement about the upcoming season, promising significant prize pools and engaging formats.
Following the 'Showdown,' Season 3 will commence with another DreamLeague season and an ESL One competition, with events scheduled for late 2024 and early 2025.
Valorant Champions Tour (VCT)
The Valorant Champions Tour 2024 promises exciting changes, with Riot Games introducing a VCT calendar that outlines key modifications for the season. Famous teams like The Guard, Gentle Mates, and Bleed Esports have committed to the Valorant partnership for the next two years. The VCT 2024 will feature three stages: International+Global, Tier-2/Challengers, and Tier-3/Grassroots/Premier, each offering intense competition.
The tournament kicks off in February 2024 with the International League, followed by Masters events in Madrid and Shanghai. Riot has introduced Championship Points, similar to Dota 2 DPC points, to measure team performance across International and Global tournaments. The VCT 2024 also brings a groundbreaking affiliate partnership system, allowing player trades and loans within Tier-1 and Tier-2 teams.
Read more: Video Games Releasing in January 2024: A Comprehensive Guide to New Releases
Notably, China joins the Valorant Champions Tour, hosting the second Masters event in Shanghai, marking a significant addition to the four main VCT regions. With detailed schedules and innovative changes, VCT 2024 promises a thrilling esports season for Valorant enthusiasts worldwide. The prize pool information is yet to be declared.
Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) - 2024
The adrenaline-packed Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) returns in early 2024 with its intense gaming action. The FNCS, organized by Epic Games, showcases both solo and duo competitions, with participants accumulating points for eliminations and placements across six matches.
While specific details remain undisclosed until January, last year's FNCS provides a glimpse of what to expect. With a staggering $4 million prize pool in 2023, the tournament garnered 6 million viewing hours, captivating a global audience.
More excitement is anticipated in the 2024 FNCS tournament. The jaw-dropping team plays through weekly open qualifiers and finals will certainly entertain the gamers.
Read more: China approves 105 online games after draft curbs trigger massive losses
The tournament's venue, schedule, and additional details are yet to be unveiled, but Fortnite enthusiasts can anticipate a thrilling esports spectacle with top-tier gameplay and substantial prizes up for grabs. Fortnite duos, start planning your strategies now for the forthcoming FNCS action set to unfold in early 2024.
Top 11 Free Election Simulator Games for Android
Simulation games can be a fun way to learn about how elections work. The election based mobile phone games may help the kids, teens and adults understand things like politics, election campaign strategies, budgeting, etc. These games make political learning enjoyable and interactive. In the long run, 3D election games can contribute to creating a more informed and engaged community. Let’s take a look into 11 top-rated android election games that offer a simple and entertaining way to grasp the ins and outs of elections.
11 Best Free-to-Play Election Games on Android Smartphones
Cast Your Vote
Released by iCivics in October 2019, 'Cast Your Vote' is an election simulator game designed for Android (version 5.0 and upper versions), boasting over 50,000 downloads. With a 95 MB download size, this engaging game allows users to witness Town Hall debates, collect candidate notes, and rate responses.
Version 1.0.2, launched on Oct 16, 2023, introduces new features like voice-over, Spanish translation, and a glossary. The game aims to educate users on political processes, helping them evaluate candidates based on qualifications, experience, and voting records.
Players can sign up for an iCivics account to earn Impact Points and access additional support through the Candidate Notes Analyzer. 'Cast Your Vote' is free, providing an accessible way to enhance political acumen.
Read more: Video Games Coming in 2024: January to March
270 | Two Seventy US Election
With 102 MB download size, this game was released by Political Games LLC in January 2017. Updated to version 3.4 on Nov 22, 2023, this Android game challenges players to secure 270 Electoral Votes to clinch victory in the US Election. This election simulation game requires strategic planning as each state has different campaign costs and Electoral Votes.
Downloaded for more than 1,000,000 times, the game incorporates Geographic and Special Interest Groups for a nuanced campaign experience. Available for free, in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $6.99 per item enhance gameplay. Compatible with Samsung devices like SM-M215F and SM-G988N, '270 | Two Seventy' offers a dynamic and immersive election challenge.
Win the White House
Released by iCivics in February 2016, 'Win the White House' is a simulation game where players navigate the challenges of running for president. The latest version, 1.2.4, dropped on Nov 16, 2023, with a download size of 137 MB, is compatible with Android 5.0 and upper versions.
With over 1,000,000 downloads, this game features new avatars, slogans, running mate options, and a 'Maverick Option' to create your platform. In the game’s 'Win the White House' level, players are supposed to manage a presidential campaign, debating opponents, raising funds, polling voters, and strategizing media campaigns to secure electoral votes. The gamers are required to navigate the political landscape, balancing resources and personal appearances to win the presidency.
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'Win the White House' is a free to play game, offering an engaging way to learn about the intricacies of a presidential campaign.
Seçim Oyunu 2023
Yeti Game Studio Seçim Oyunu 2023 in April 2023. The game takes players on a thrilling election adventure across Turkey. With stunning 3D graphics, players can choose from 10 parties, customize their characters, and race in campaign buses through cities, attending rallies and appearing on TV to win votes.
Featuring 7 game modes, including traffic racing, attention games at rallies, and TV question answering, the game offers unique mechanics like head-to-head bus races and bill proposal defense. Players can enhance their party centers, decorate offices, and strengthen convoys.
Supporting Turkish language, the game is available on Android (5.1 and up) with a download size of 256 MB. With 500,000+ downloads, it offers in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $21.99 per item.
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Election Year Knockout
This game provides a unique and entertaining political gaming experience. Released by Exceptionull Games in February 2020, 'Election Year Knockout' throws a punchy twist into politics, inviting players to create their political party and box their way to the White House. With a humorous take on political figures like Jab Bush and Birdie Sanders, the game combines arcade-style boxing with hilarious cutscenes and political jokes.
In this game, players face challenging bonus missions and can customize their fighters, choosing gender, hairstyle, and more. The game supports full controller use, including Xbox One and PS4 controllers. Compatible with Android (5.0 and up), the 3D game has over 100,000 downloads with in-app purchases ranging from $0.99 to $49.99.
Microsoft adds AI button to keyboards to summon chatbots
Pressing a button will be one way to summon an artificial intelligence agent as Microsoft wields its computer industry influence to reshape the next generation of keyboards.
Starting this month, some new personal computers that run Microsoft’s Windows operating system will have a special “Copilot key” that launches the software giant’s AI chatbot.
Also read: 13-year-old American believed to be first person ever to beat Tetris
Getting third-party computer manufacturers to add an AI button to laptops is the latest move by Microsoft to capitalize on its close partnership with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI and make itself a gateway for applications of generative AI technology.
Although most people now connect to the internet — and AI applications — by phone rather than computer, it’s a symbolic kickoff to what’s expected to be an intensively competitive year as tech companies race to outdo each other in AI applications even as they haven’t yet resolved all the ethical and legal ramifications. The New York Times last month sued both OpenAI and Microsoft alleging that tools like ChatGPT and Copilot — formerly known as Bing Chat — were built by infringing on copyrighted news articles.
Also read: Honor Watch 4 Review: Is it worth buying?
The keyboard redesign will be Microsoft’s biggest change to PC keyboards since it introduced a special Windows key in the 1990s. Microsoft’s four-squared logo design has evolved, but the key has been a fixture on Windows-oriented keyboards for nearly three decades.
The newest AI button will be marked by the ribbon-like Copilot logo and be located near the space bar. On some computers it will replace the right “CTRL” key, while on others it will replace a menu key.
Microsoft is not the only company with customized keys. Apple pioneered the concept in the 1980s with its “Command” key marked by a looped square design (it also sported an Apple logo for a time). Google has a search button on its Chromebooks and was first to experiment with an AI-specific key to launch its voice assistant on its now-discontinued Pixelbook.
Also read: Google settles $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking people using 'incognito mode'
But Microsoft has a much stronger hold on the PC market through its licensing agreements with third-party manufacturers like Lenovo, Dell and HP. About 82% of all desktop computers, laptops and workstations run Windows, compared to 9% for Apple’s in-house operating system and just over 6% for Google’s, according to market research firm IDC.
Microsoft hasn’t yet said which computer-makers are installing the Copilot button beyond Microsoft’s own in-house line of premium Surface devices. It said some of the companies are expected to unveil their new models at next week’s CES gadget show in Las Vegas.
13-year-old American believed to be first person ever to beat Tetris
A 13-year-old boy from Oklahoma, United States, is believed to be the first person to defeat Tetris since the game's introduction more than three decades ago.In a video released on Tuesday, the Oklahoma boy, known online as Blue Scuti and by his legal name, Willis Gibson, is seen playing for around 38 minutes and reaching level 157 before stating, "Oh, I missed it," assuming that a misplaced block foiled his attempts, reports The Guardian.
Video Games Releasing in January 2024: A Comprehensive Guide to New ReleasesBut he recovers, and when the blocks fall, he repeats, "Please crash," and completes another line of blocks, the Tetris method for collecting points. The game freezes, indicating de facto victory, and he shouted, "Oh my God! Yes! I’m going to pass out. I can’t feel my hands.” His score read “999999,” it said.Previously, only artificial intelligence-powered bots could push the game, initially launched on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), to its "kill screen," when its blocks fall so quickly that the game itself cannot continue.
China approves 105 online games after draft curbs trigger massive losses“It’s never been done by a human before. It’s basically something that everyone thought was impossible until a couple of years ago,” Vince Clemente, president of the Classic Tetris World Championship, told the New York Times.The game was launched in 1989. According to the New York Times, Willis practices 20 hours a week on a cathode-ray tube television, the report said.
Epic Games wins antitrust lawsuit against Google over barriers to its Android app storeWillis dedicated his victory to his father who died last month.
Willis, according to 404 Media, has become one of United States' best competitive Tetris players in just two years, using a newly trendy way of manipulating the NES controller known as "rolling". He first found the game on YouTube, where he posted a video of his victory, he told the Times.
Honor Watch 4 Review: Is it worth buying?
With the Honor Watch 4, its company entered the realm of budget-friendly square smartwatches. Departing from the fitness-centric design of its predecessor, the Honor Watch 4 embraces a more sophisticated aesthetic look, drawing inspiration from reputed smartwatches such as Apple Watch, Fitbit Versa, etc. This device aims to combine affordability with an array of features typically found in higher-priced smartwatches. Let’s take a look into what the Honor Watch 4 offers.
Key features and specs of Honor Watch 4
Design
The Honor Watch 4, boasts a redesigned and modern appearance with a rectangular aluminum dial featuring rounded and polished edges. The 1.75-inch screen is responsive to touch, and a single button on the side facilitates easy operation.
Weighing only 32g and measuring 11.2mm in thickness, the watch is very light, making it comfortable for continuous wear, even during sleep. Activating the display is a simple light press, and navigating through apps and functions is intuitive using the touchscreen.
The watch gets charged with a magnetic base featuring two contacts. The standard 20mm silicone straps are soft and secure, fastening with a buckle for added safety. The watch offers water resistance up to a depth of 50 meters with an IP68 and 5 ATM rating. It is also dustproof.
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Dial replacement is straightforward, and compatibility with other models ensures customization options for users.
The Honor Watch 4 is available in two dial finishes: gold with a beige wristband or traditional black with a black strap.
Display
The Honor Watch 4 is equipped with an impressive AMOLED panel that delivers a visually appealing display. The screen, with a resolution of 390 by 450 pixels and a pixel density of 340 PPI, offers over 300 different watch faces accessible through a simple press on the screen.
While the display performs well with satisfactory brightness levels, visibility may be compromised in direct sunlight. The screen has a 60Hz refresh rate, and its brightness adjusts automatically based on the ambient lighting conditions.
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Despite Honor's claim of having an always-on display function, the reviewer encountered difficulty activating it. However, the wrist-turn gesture can be used to activate the display quickly, and the screen timeout can be extended to 5 minutes.
The speaker on the Honor Watch 4 is notably powerful, supporting Bluetooth calling with a built-in microphone. While not ideal for prolonged conversations, it effectively allows users to answer calls promptly. The watch provides notifications through sound and vibration, but it cannot interact by responding to pre-created messages.
Performance
The Honor Watch 4 incorporates a micro-optical lens array of sensors to monitor key health metrics, including stress, blood oxygen level, heart rate, respiration, and sleep quality. While some measurements are taken over time for health tracking, on-demand functions are not always available, such as the inability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) when desired.
The watch features an intuitive interface for quick access to settings and notifications through simple scrolling gestures. The ring management system serves as a daily motivator, encouraging physical activity with step and exercise goals.
Read more: Using Smartwatch Daily? Know the Pros and Cons
Colmi P71 Review: Affordable Smartwatch with Voice Call Feature
There was a time when smartwatches used to be very expensive. However, the Chinese smartwatch boom has significantly reduced the price while bringing in tons of value-for-money features. One such brand is the Shenzhen-based Colmi which recently launched its P71 smartwatch. Let’s take a look into the features of Colmi P71 and the unbeatable price it comes at.
Key Specifications of Colmi P71
Design and Build Quality
Colmi smartwatches are known for their inspirations drawn from Apple or pixel watches. But unlike other Chinese brands, Colmi doesn’t blatantly copy their design elements into smartwatches.
The P71 is specifically inspired by the standard Apple watch series. But a close look reveals that the sides are flat instead of curved ones found on the Apple watch. The rotating crown is also positioned slightly above the usual space on the right. The entire build of the smartwatch is also made of plastic unlike aluminum or stainless steel found on the Apple watch.
Coming to actual specifications, it features a 37.9 by 45.5 by 11.2 mm dimension. The length of the smartwatch including the strap comes in at around 220 mm. The strap connectors are conjoined below the smartwatch giving it a flush look from the outside. Overall, the design of the P71 looks sleek. For a smartwatch that’s priced around 10 dollars, there is no room to nitpick.
Read more: Top 10 Smartwatches Released in 2022 and 2023
The Display
The display is often a make-or-break factor in purchasing a basic-level smartwatch. Thankfully the display on the P71 is pretty standard. The 1.9-inch IPS LCD panel has a 240 by 286-pixel resolution. While the pixel count isn’t quite on par with other higher-end smartwatches, it produces decent results.
The colors look sharp with good details. It isn’t possible to make out the individual pixels unless one is closely looking at the display. The viewing angles on the P71 are also good unless it’s looked at from extreme angles. Then it shows slight flickering owing to the lower resolution. Another slight issue is that the display isn’t symmetrical.
There is a large chin at the bottom of the display which may deter the experience a bit. But again considering the price, these are excusable compromises.
Read more: Using Smartwatch Daily? Know the Pros and Cons
Performance, Connectivity, and Battery
The P71 is powered by RTL8763EWE with 270 KB RAM and 128 MB ROM. Smartwatch specs aren’t all that significant considering it's all about usability. Unlike smartphones, smartwatches do not slow down over time so the prime concern is, does it feel snappy out of the box?
Well, users would be pleased to know that the P71 performs well with its friendly UI and fast animations. In addition to all the standard features, there’s a heart rate monitor and pulse oximeter. But the thing about budget-friendly smartwatches is that the accuracy of these sensors is often questionable.
The pedometer was constantly counting 10-20 steps more. Sometimes it would start counting even while riding a car. Similarly, take the results of the pulse oximeter and the heart rate sensor with a pinch of salt. The smartwatch also has IP68 water resistance so a casual dip won’t do it any damage.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Smartwatch Review with Price in Bangladesh
But what sets the P71 apart? It’s the Bluetooth calling feature on the smartwatch. Users can remotely receive and call from the smartwatch. The voice call performance was decent considering the price.
As for the battery, there’s a 2-pin magnetic charger at the back that can top up the device in about 2 hours. Once fully charged, the 230 mAh lithium battery can easily last 5 to 7 days under heavy use. If you’re a casual user, then a charge every fortnight would suffice. Using the smartwatch with a smartphone would require the Pubu Wear app.
Price of Colmi P71 Smartwatch
The official price of the Colmi P71 smartwatch is around $16.95. That roughly amounts to 1,863 BDT (1 USD = 109.93 BDT). The smartphone is also unofficially available in Bangladesh at around the same price.
Read more: Colmi P28 Plus Review: Is It a Worthy Budget Smartwatch?
Final Words
The Colmi P71 smartwatch brings almost all the standard features of a smartwatch at an affordable price point. The design, display, and battery are easily its strongest suit. The sensors could have been a bit more accurate but considering the price, it’s a hard bargain for that. Regardless, the Colmi P71 is still one of the best budget-friendly smartwatches to buy in 2024.
iQOO Neo 8 Review: Is this affordable premium smartphone worth buying?
For the last several years, iQOO has enriched the smartphone market with its affordable premium smartphones. Being a subsidiary of BBK Electronics, iQOO is slowly taking over the mantle of flagship killer status. The company recently launched the iQOO Neo 8 on 23rd May 2023. This mid-range smartphone brings specs that would rival the recent flagship smartphones. Let’s dig into it more.
Key Specifications of the iQOO Neo 8
Design and Build Quality
iQOO devices have a unique design statement with their characteristic rectangular camera housing and contrasting finish on the back (leather variant). The Neo 8 is no different as well. Users will be getting a plastic frame, glass back and front. The build feels durable and sturdy even with the plastic frame.
The dimensions of the Neo 8 come in at 164.7 mm by 77 mm by 8.5 mm with 192 g weight. The front of the device has a noticeable chin at the bottom. But that is about it when it comes to drawbacks. Ports and buttons are similar to that of the Neo 7 which means there aren’t any 3.5 mm headphone jack on the Neo 8.
Read more: iQoo 12 Pro Review: Flagship phone for gamers
The Display
The display on the Neo 8 is easily its strongest suit. The 6.78 inch AMOLED display has 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10, and 1300 nits of peak brightness. The QHD+ resolution display has 1260 by 2800 pixels with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 453 ppi density. There is a slight chin at the bottom and around the side of the display. It accounts for about 87.5% screen-to-body ratio.
The specifications on paper are strongly reflected in real life. The panel looks stunning with great contrast and color balance. The HBM allows for easy readability under direct sunlight. It's not the brightest per se, but it's the best at its price point.
The Camera
There is a dual camera setup on the iQOO Neo 8. The main camera is a 50 MP f/1.9 wide-angle shooter with PDAF and OIS. The secondary sensor is a 2 MP one with an f/2.4 depth sensor. It's essentially a single shooter phone considering the depth sensor doesn’t do anything other than assisting in the portrait shots.
The pictures from the main camera came out sharp and detailed. iQOO has significantly improved its post-processing capacity. Pictures taken during the daylight came out well exposed with good details. The colors had a slight warm tone to them which made the images pop. However, it wasn’t overpowering in any way and the pictures came out looking natural. The dynamic range was also well-preserved in most shots.
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The low-light performance was also on par with the daylight ones. The exposure and color balance were on point even under strong artificial lights. The night mode became significantly better to accommodate extreme low-light shots.
The videography on the iQOO Neo 8 is rated at 8K, 4K, and 1080P at 30fps, 30/60 fps, and 30/60 fps respectively. The gyro-EIS and OIS greatly improve video stabilization.
There’s also a generic 16 MP (f/2.5) front-facing camera that can take decent selfies. The selfie sensor can capture video at 1080P at 30fps.
Processor and Performance
The processor on the iQOO Neo 8 is Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 based on the 4 Nm architecture. This is the same flagship processor from 2 years ago seen on the then-premium smartphones. It's great to see that iQOO is recycling the same flagship-grade processor at a mid-range price point.
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The octa-core processor has a 1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510 chip design with Adreno 730 GPU. Considering the performance capability of the 8+ Gen 1, it doesn’t feel like a mid-range smartphone. Games like PUBG, Genshin Impact, and Asphalt 9 ran on the highest graphics settings without any hiccups. The device also did a great job of dissipating the heat. We didn’t notice any thermal throttling during the test.
However, the performance is slightly spoiled by the OS experience. The global variant comes with Funtouch 13 and the Chinese variant comes with OriginOS 3. Either way, the bloatware feels heavy from a stock Android perspective. The 144 Hz refresh rate is a saving grace in an otherwise bloatware-filled OS.
Battery and Charge Time
iQOO Neo 8 comes with 120W proprietary FlashCharge which can be used to charge up the 5000 mAh battery. The brick can charge up the device from 0 to 50% in about 9 minutes. On average, expect an entire day’s usage out of the device with a full charge.
Pros and Cons of the iQOO Neo 8
Pros:
- Excellent display - Ultra-fast charging support - Powerful processor - Stylish design - Good camera system.
Read more: Xiaomi Redmi K70 Review: Mid-range phone with flagship features
Cons:
- No water resistance rating - Lack of wireless and reverse charging facility.
Price of iQOO Neo 8
iQOO Neo 8 is currently available in 12/256 GB, 12/512 GB, and 16/512 GB variants. The prices of the variants are 2,499, 2,799, and 3,099 CNY respectively. The price roughly translates to 38,817, 43,477 and 48,137 BDT respectively. However, the actual price would differ since it is not officially available in Bangladesh yet.
Verdict
The iQOO Neo 8 takes the design and material values from the Neo 7 and brushes up rough edges. The Neo 8 brings incremental updates to the display, processor, and camera. The Neo 7 was already a great value option considering its price. The Neo 8 takes the bar even higher.
It’s downside would be the OS support which still has a long way to go. Besides, the provision of wireless and reverse charging facilities could make it a better deal.
Read more: Google Pixel 8 Pro Review: Is this the best Android phone of 2023?
So who is the iQOO Neo 8 for? It’s best suited for people wanting a flagship experience at a mid-range price.
Google settles $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking people using 'incognito mode'
Google has agreed to settle a $5 billion privacy lawsuit alleging that it spied on people who used the "incognito" mode in its Chrome browser — along with similar "private" modes in other browsers — to track their internet use.
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The class-action lawsuit filed in 2020 said Google misled users into believing that it wouldn't track their internet activities while using incognito mode. It argued that Google's advertising technologies and other techniques continued to catalog details of users' site visits and activities despite their use of supposedly "private" browsing.
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Plaintiffs also charged that Google's activities yielded an "unaccountable trove of information" about users who thought they'd taken steps to protect their privacy.
The settlement, reached Thursday, must still be approved by a federal judge. Terms weren't disclosed, but the suit originally sought $5 billion on behalf of users; lawyers for the plaintiffs said they expect to present the court with a final settlement agreement by Feb. 24.
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Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the settlement.
iQoo 12 Pro Review: Flagship phone for gamers
iQOO, a sub-brand of Vivo, is known for its high-performance gaming phones. The iQOO 12 Pro was launched in China on November 14, 2023. This device is a shift from the brand’s traditional gaming-centric lineup. The 12 Pro appeared as a high-capacity phone with enhanced gaming capabilities. This shift suggests a broader appeal beyond the gaming community, making it a more versatile option for a wider audience. Let’s take a look at what it offers.
Key Features & Specs of iQoo 12 Pro
Design
The iQoo 12 boasts a sturdy design with dimensions measuring 164.6 mm by 75.4 mm by 8.6 mm (or 8.8 mm). Weighing in at 205 g or 210 g (7.23 oz), it accommodates dual Nano-SIM cards with dual stand-by capability.
Its exterior exhibits flat metallic sides with curved corners, and the glossy rear panel. Although slightly slippery, it is offset by the included TPU cover, enhancing grip and preventing fingerprint smudges.
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The camera module, a rounded square on the left side, is encircled by a metallic ring with a ridged edge. The display boasts slim bezels and a central hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera.
Notably, the phone showcases the BMW Motorsport logo subtly at the rear bottom and attains an IP64 rating for dust and splash resistance, a first for the series, ensuring resilience against the elements.
Display
The iQOO 12 Pro features a LTPO AMOLED display, boasting 1 billion colors and an impressive 144Hz refresh rate, complemented by HDR10+ support and a peak brightness of 3000 nits.
The 6.78-inch screen with a resolution of 1440 by 3200 pixels and a 20:9 ratio provides a sharp pixel density of approximately 518 ppi.
Read more: Google Pixel 8 Pro Review: Is this the best Android phone of 2023?
The upgrade from Samsung's E6 to E7 panel is notable, particularly in the doubled HDR window brightness. Users should be aware that the default resolution is set to 1080p, and adjusting it to UHD in the settings enhances the screen's sharpness.
The fingerprint recognition, although ultrasonic and functional, takes a step back from the larger recognition area of the iQOO 11 Pro, presenting a minor drawback in the overall design.
Cameras
The iQOO 12 Pro incorporates a triple-camera setup featuring a 50 MP (f/1.7) wide lens, a 64 MP (f/2.6) periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 50 MP (f/2.0) ultra wide lens.
The camera system showcases capabilities such as dual-LED flash, HDR, and panorama, supporting video recording up to 8K at 30fps and offering versatile options at lower resolutions. Notably, the dynamic range across all three lenses is impressive, avoiding over-sharpening issues. The camera excels in capturing details, especially in macro mode, providing the flexibility to use the ultra-wide or telephoto lens for varied perspectives.
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However, certain limitations persist, such as the telephoto lens usage in low light and unresolved issues like purple-fringing with telephoto lenses highlight some gaps in comparison to leading photography-focused phones.
On the front side, the iQoo 12 Pro bears a 16 MP (f/2.5) selfie shooter. However, the front-facing camera can record only at 1080p 30fps without image stabilization, impacting its suitability for vlogging.
Performance and Hardware
The iQOO 12 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, built on a 4nm process, featuring an octa-core CPU configuration with Cortex-X4, Cortex-A720, and Cortex-A520 cores. Accompanied by the Adreno 750 GPU, the device offers robust performance.
The 12 Pro is supported by memory options of 256GB/512GB/1TB storage and 16GB RAM, utilizing UFS 4.0 technology. The absence of a card slot for external storage should be noted.
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The iQOO 12 Pro's performance in resource-intensive games like Genshin Impact demonstrates stability with a trade-off of higher power consumption compared to some counterparts.
Software
Operating on Google's latest Android 14 OS with Vivo's Funtouch OS 14 overlay, the iQOO 12 Pro ensures a user-friendly experience. This device facilitates lock screen customization and enhancements to multitasking, RAM utilization, and motion blur effects during app operations.
The promise of three years of OS and security updates, followed by an additional year of security updates, adds to the device's longevity. However, users may encounter occasional notifications from the pre-installed V-Appstore, which encourages trying out new apps and offers customization options that can be manually managed.
Some pre-installed apps like Netflix, Spotify, Snapchat, Facebook, and PhonePe are present but can be easily uninstalled.
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Battery and Charging
The iQOO 12 Pro is equipped with a sizable 5100mAh non-removable battery. Its notable charging capabilities include a rapid 120W wired charging, boasting a 26-minute fill-up time.
Additionally, the phone supports efficient 50W wireless charging, providing a convenient alternative. For reverse wireless charging, the device offers a 10W capability.
Despite the substantial battery size, the overall endurance is comparable to other phones when engaging in resource-intensive activities like gaming. iQOO maintains a commendable consistency by ensuring their charger includes a USB-C port and supports PD 65W charging, offering a practical and universal charging solution.
Pros and Cons of iQoo 12 Pro
Pros
- Elegant design with BMW Motorsport logo- Large display with a high refresh rate- Versatile triple-camera setup- Powerful processor- Ample storage- Fast charging with wireless, and reverse charging facility- Useful ports.
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Cons
- Slippery glossy rear panel- Limited fingerprint recognition area- Low video recording capacity by the front camera- Telephoto lens limitations, purple-fringing issues- Occasional V-App Store notifications- No card slot for external storage- Higher power consumption in resource-intensive games
Price of iQoo 12 Pro
The iQOO 12 Pro is not yet officially available in Bangladesh. In China, the iQOO 12 Pro 16GB+512GB Legend Edition is priced at CNY 5499.00, equivalent to BDT 84626. The conversion rate used is CNY 1 = BDT 15.39. The official price of iQoo 12 Pro in Bangladesh may increase due to diverse issues.
Conclusion
The iQOO 12 Pro offers a complete package with attractive features such as elegant design, vibrant display, standard cameras, performance-driven robust processor, etc. Running on Android 14 with Funtouch OS 14, the device promises extended software updates. Its powerful battery supports rapid wired, wireless, and reverse wireless charging.
Read more: Xiaomi 14 Pro Review: What’s special about it?
On the whole, iQoo 12 Pro strikes a balance between gaming and photography-centric features, distinguishing itself from traditional "gaming phones."
Social media companies made over $11 billion in US ad revenue from minors: Harvard study
Social media companies collectively made over $11 billion in U.S. advertising revenue from minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published on Wednesday.
The researchers say the findings show a need for government regulation of social media since the companies that stand to make money from children who use their platforms have failed to meaningfully self-regulate. They note such regulations, as well as greater transparency from tech companies, could help alleviate harms to youth mental health and curtail potentially harmful advertising practices that target children and adolescents.
To come up with the revenue figure, the researchers estimated the number of users under 18 on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube in 2022 based on population data from the U.S. Census and survey data from Common Sense Media and Pew Research. They then used data from research firm eMarketer, now called Insider Intelligence, and Qustodio, a parental control app, to estimate each platform's U.S. ad revenue in 2022 and the time children spent per day on each platform. After that, the researchers said they built a simulation model using the data to estimate how much ad revenue the platforms earned from minors in the U.S.
Researchers and lawmakers have long focused on the negative effects stemming from social media platforms, whose personally-tailored algorithms can drive children towards excessive use. This year, lawmakers in states like New York and Utah introduced or passed legislation that would curb social media use among kids, citing harms to youth mental health and other concerns.
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Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, is also being sued by dozens of states for allegedly contributing to the mental health crisis.
“Although social media platforms may claim that they can self-regulate their practices to reduce the harms to young people, they have yet to do so, and our study suggests they have overwhelming financial incentives to continue to delay taking meaningful steps to protect children," said Bryn Austin, a professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard and a senior author on the study.
The platforms themselves don't make public how much money they earn from minors.
Social media platforms are not the first to advertise to children, and parents and experts have long expressed concerns about marketing to kids online, on television and even in schools. But online ads can be especially insidious because they can be targeted to children and because the line between ads and the content kids seek out is often blurry.
In a 2020 policy paper, the American Academy of Pediatrics said children are “uniquely vulnerable to the persuasive effects of advertising because of immature critical thinking skills and impulse inhibition.”
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“School-aged children and teenagers may be able to recognize advertising but often are not able to resist it when it is embedded within trusted social networks, encouraged by celebrity influencers, or delivered next to personalized content,” the paper noted.
As concerns about social media and children's mental health grow, the Federal Trade Commission earlier this month proposed sweeping changes to a decades-old law that regulates how online companies can track and advertise to children. The proposed changes include turning off targeted ads to kids under 13 by default and limiting push notifications.
According to the Harvard study, YouTube derived the greatest ad revenue from users 12 and under ($959.1 million), followed by Instagram ($801.1 million) and Facebook ($137.2 million).
Instagram, meanwhile, derived the greatest ad revenue from users aged 13-17 ($4 billion), followed by TikTok ($2 billion) and YouTube ($1.2 billion).
The researchers also estimate that Snapchat derived the greatest share of its overall 2022 ad revenue from users under 18 (41%), followed by TikTok (35%), YouTube (27%), and Instagram (16%).