Friday saw a very big launch in the world of gaming, as the much awaited Nintendo Switch details were finally revealed in full – the new console from Nintendo will be available from March, and will launch at $299 (or just over Rs. 20,000). The Nokia 6 Android phone, which was unveiled last week, crossed a significant milestone, getting more than 250,000 registrations in just 24 hours, ahead of the first sale next week. Also, Consumer Reports, which initially recommended against buying the 2016 MacBook Pro, has now released a new report where it’s changed its decision. All this and more, below.
Nintendo Switch details revealed
Nintendo finally gave you some legitimate reasons to be excited about its upcoming console – the Nintendo Switch. Priced at $299 (just over Rs. 20,000) in the US, the Switch is set to launch on March 3, alongside the highly awaited Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game.
Nintendo detailed the amount of tech it’s packing into the two joy-con controllers that ship with the console, along with all the accessories that come in the box.
Most importantly, Nintendo highlighted the lineup of games we can expect this year on it, including FIFA and Skyrim.
Consumer Reports now recommends 2016 MacBook Pro
Consumer Reports has changed its mind and is now recommending Apple’s new 2016 MacBook Pro models. This is after Apple released a software fix for a bug that allegedly caused a battery issue, which caused it to perform poorly in the earlier tests.
“Now that we’ve factored in the new battery-life measurements, the laptops’ overall scores have risen, and all three machines now fall well within the recommended range in Consumer Reports ratings,” Consumer Reports said after the latest test results.
Uber rides can now be booked from within Google Maps
Users can now book an Uber directly within Google Maps. And you don’t even need the Uber app installed to do it. Users will however be required to sign in to their existing Uber account or create a new one to use this feature. The Google Maps update with Uber integration is rolling out globally but there isn’t an exact timeline on when these features will be available in India and other markets.
250,000 registrations in 24 hours for Nokia 6
The upcoming Nokia 6 has reportedly seen 250,000 registrations in 24 hours ahead of its first sale next week. The Android smartphone will be sold through a flash sale on January 19 exclusively in China. It’s priced at CNY 1699, which is roughly Rs. 16,750.
Parent company HMD Global has also started sending media invites for an event on February 26 – the day more Nokia-branded Android smartphones are expected to launch – at the sidelines of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in Barcelona.
Also on Friday, the Nokia 8, with flagship specifications, was allegedly spotted. Qualcomm reportedly showcased the Nokia 8 smartphone in private at CES earlier this month, and two videos from a YouTube channel, which were supposedly shot at CES 2017, have given an up-close look at the Nokia smartphone and revealed some of the specifications of the Nokia 8.
The alleged Nokia 8 has been tipped to come in two variants.The higher-end variant of the Nokia 8 will reportedly feature a Snapdragon 835 SoC coupled with 6GB of RAM. The lower-priced variant of the Nokia 8 has been tipped to pack a Snapdragon 821 SoC coupled with 4GB of RAM.
Amazon India head apologises for Indian flag doormat
Amazon India head Amit Agarwal has apologised for the Indian flag doormat, which was being sold on Amazon Canada, and said Amazon remains steadfastly committed to India. In a letter to Minster of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj who had raised the issue earlier this week, Vice President and Country Manager of Amazon India, Amit Agarwal, said, “I am writing in connection with the products that carried the Indian flag, as referred to in your tweet. Amazon India is committed to respecting Indian laws and customs. To the extent that these items offered by a third- party seller in Canada offended Indian sensibilities, Amazon regrets the same. At no time – did we intend or mean to offend Indian sentiments.”
BSNL to offer access to 44 million Wi-Fi hotspots worldwide
With an eye on international roaming market, state-owned telecom firm BSNL has partnered with Tata Communications to provide its customers access to 44 million Wi-Fi hotspots globally at fixed prices starting Rs. 999.
Customers can activate the Wi-Fi plan through BSNL’s mobile application. The plans are priced at Rs. 999 for three days, Rs. 1,599 for 15 days and Rs. 1,999 for 30 days, inclusive of all other charges. The mobile application will also show location of the said Wi-Fi hotpsots.
