Mike Hesson, Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) Director of Cricket has said that AB de Villiers will once again be a wicketkeeping option for the franchise in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).

RCB is set to play the IPL 2021 opener against Mumbai Indians on April 9 in Chennai. For a few matches last year, AB de Villiers donned the wicketkeeping gloves and he is expected to do the same this year if it fixes the balance of the playing XI.

“We were delighted with the fact that Ab de Villiers loved wicketkeeping and he embraced it. He wanted to continue doing it, he is a real option, we now have a couple of other wicketkeeping options which is great. Mohammed Azharuddeen is a natural athlete with the gloves and in the field. We also have KS Bharat, he is a natural keeper, gives us different options as well,” said Hesson in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of RCB.

“We are not going to make the commitment now to you guys as to who will do what. We are really pleased with the options we have got and AB is certainly one of those,” he added.

RCB’s training camp will begin on March 29 for the upcoming edition of the IPL. Hesson earlier had said that AB de Villiers will arrive on March 28 for the upcoming IPL.

“We have got players arriving all the way through till April 1. Finn Allen will be playing in T20I in New Zealand on April 1 and then he will come the day after… ABD arrives on 28,” he said.

Hesson also said: “It is very different than the last year where we had everybody together for a long period of time on the back of a period where the guys had not trained or played. So, this time it is different, we got players playing international cricket over here and overseas and domestic cricket up until a hand full of days ago. So, we had to prepare in slightly different ways.”

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Though electric vehicles are clearly the flavour of these climate-change challenged times, Covid-19 infected sales, just as it did with conventional automobiles. This pandemic-induced slowdown, when business growth was virtually zero, presented challenges not just for e-vehicle makers but also the many start-ups that had developed within the ecosystem to provide a range of services — from funding and research facilities to taxi fleet operations and battery-charging services. How are they doing with the recovery?

“The past 12 months have posed the toughest challenges for the entire urban mobility sector. It challenged the viability and health of urban mobility across the sector irrespective of the segment, whether B2C or the scooter segment or ride-sharing. In spite of that, all of us have risen both individually and collectively,” said Sanjay Krishnan, founder of Lithium Urban Technologies.

His company provides EV fleet management service. The Bengaluru-based company, which was set up in 2015, saw absolutely no business during the lockdown months of April and May but a small uptick with the gradual unlocking, launched new products in the market. The company also looked beyond city transport and went into new cities and services such as inter-city and airport services. The company has clocked 150 million ekms with 10 million ekms during the crucial Covid-19 period.

Though Krishnan said his company was well-capitalised and could weather the challenge, “at one stage, volumes for an extended period of time were almost zero but you had costs and bills”. This called for structural changes, he said. “We continued to invest, create and innovate during the period,” he added.

There’s some distance to comfort yet, however. Even today, Krishnan said, demand is of the “start-stop-start-stop” variety as different places open up but then governments clamp down. “But overall, the path is upwards. In the next six months, demand should be back somewhat to pre-Covid levels. The first quarter of the next calendar year, it should be fine though it will be at a different pace,” he added.

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Smartphone maker Realme on Wednesday said it expects to get 10-15 per cent share in the 4G handsets segment priced in the range of Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 a unit with the launch of new 8 series devices.

The company will have all devices above Rs 20,000 price range enabled with 5G technology.

“With the launch of realme 8 series, we are aiming to penetrate deeper into the Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 mid-range 4G market, and capture the young users across the country.

“We plan to increase our market share in this segment to 10-15 per cent with the launch of the 8 series,” Realme Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer (India and Europe) Madhav Seth said on sidelines of launching the new series.

The company unveiled two new models, Realme 8 Pro, first smartphone with 108 megapixel ultra quad camera and Realme 8 with 64 MP AI quad camera.

Realme has launched two variants of Realme 8 Pro priced at Rs 17,999 and Rs 19,999 which will start selling on March 25 at the company’s website, e-commerce portal Flipkart and mainline channels.

Three variants of Realme 8, which comes with Mediatek Helio gaming processor, priced in the range of 14,999 and Rs 16,999 will also start selling the same day.

According to market research firm IDC, Realme recorded the highest year-on-year growth of 19 per cent in the smartphone category in 2020 with shipment of 19.2 million phones amounting to 13 per cent market share in India.

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JBL has launched JBL PartyBox On-The-Go and PartyBox 310 speakers in India with rechargeable batteries and JBL Pro Sound which also comes with a light show that syncs to the music.

The speakers also come with JBL wireless mic, up to 18-hour battery life, and IPX4 splashproof protection.

JBL PartyBox On-The-Go

The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go features a100 watt output and is synced to a pulsing light show. It can also be wirelessly paired with another On-The-Go speaker for more output.

It also offers Bluetooth, USB and AUX connectivity.

It also includes JBL wireless mic for Karaoke.

The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go offers six-hour on-battery time and comes with IPX4 splashproof protection.

Features

Powerful JBL Pro Sound with 100W output

Padded shoulder strap and 6 hours battery life for ultimate portability

Wireless mic included with bass, treble and echo tuning

Light show synced to the beat of the music

Physical mic and guitar inputs

IPX4 splashproof

Bluetooth or USB input

True Wireless Stereo: Wirelessly link two together for an even bigger, stereo sound

Price and availability

JBL PartyBox On-The-Go is now available at JBL India’s official website in.jbl.com, across retails stores, leading online portals and authorized retailers at Rs 24,999.

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Some apps on your Android phone may not be working properly or are crashing frequently. The issue was due to a system component called Android System WebView that lets Android apps display web content.

Google has now fixed the issue. You will have to update ‘Android System WebView’ on your device to version 89.0.4389.105 and Google Chrome to the latest version.

The issues started about two days ago, according to the Google Workspace dashboard for Gmail. The company recommended using the desktop interface until issues were resolved.

How to fix the issue

To fix the issue, all you have to do is open Google Playstore on your device, go to settings and search for my apps & games, then go to installed apps and search Android System WebView, one you find it, click on update, once it is done, you can update the chrome Google Chrome browser as well.

“We’re aware of a problem with Gmail affecting a significant subset of users. The affected users are unable to access Gmail. We will provide an update, detailing when we expect to resolve the problem. Affected users can use the desktop Gmail Web interface instead of the Gmail Android app,” Google said.

Samsung also issued a suggestion. “Please remove the Webview Update and then restart the phone,” the company tweeted from its US support Twitter account.

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Qualcomm is reportedly working on an Android-powered, handheld gaming console similar to the popular Nintendo Switch.

As per a report by Android Police citing sources, the Qualcomm device will have detachable controllers like the Joycons on Nintendo’s handheld console.

Qualcomm is said to be targeting a price of around $300 for its gaming console.

The gaming device is likely to include a large 6000mAh battery, equipped with the company’s Quick Charge technology.

Qualcomm is using a “premium supplier in the controller space to design and manufacture the gamepads.”

In addition, the Qualcomm device is said to have detachable controllers on each side.

These controllers are said to be designed and manufactured by a big name in the controller industry. More specifically, it will likely be running a custom version of Android 12.

Like the Nintendo Switch, Qualcomm’s portable may support display-out capabilities to play on an external TV or monitor.

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OnePlus on Tuesday launched four new devices including the OnePlus 9, OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9R, and OnePlus Watch, the company’s first smartwatch. The highlight in OnePlus’ latest series is the Hasselblad-branded camera system in OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro. 

The OnePlus 9 series comes a new flagship camera system in partnership with legendary professional camera manufacturer Hasselblad.

It offers latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, the superior Fluid Display 2.0 with a DisplayMate A+ rating, and industry-challenging fast charging solutions, Warp Charge 65T and Warp Charge 50 Wireless.

The OnePlus 9 Pro’s 48MP main camera features a custom-designed IMX789 sensor, co-engineered with Sony, with an impressively large 1/1.4-inch sensor. It offers faster focus speeds, four-times more color information for greater color accuracy, cleaner daytime and night shots, and reduced motion blur in videos.

The OnePlus 9 Pro’s 50MP ultra-wide camera uses a 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX766 sensor, which ensures enhanced image quality and lower noise. The 8MP telephoto camera on the OnePlus 9 Pro offers 3.3 times zoom with OIS to reduce blur, maxing out at 30 times digital zoom.

The OnePlus 9 Pro’s main camera features 16-times the pixel count of standard 1080p for high-quality videos, the company said.

It can shoot at 4K 120fps, giving you more creative possibilities in shooting video and editing, with DOL-HDR ensuring you always get the subject in clear view in backlit environments.

The OnePlus 9 Pro’s ultra-wide camera can also create time-lapse video when walking.

OnePlus Watch has round design. The 46 mm case is crafted from quality stainless steel, with 2.5D curved glass on the face and a subtle yet radiant glossy CD pattern on the display bezel for an added touch of class.

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Jaguar Land Rover India launched its maiden electric offering, the Jaguar I-PACE for the Indian market on Tuesday. With a starting price of Rs 105.9 Lakh (ex-showroom India), the Jaguar I-PACE is powered by a 90 kWh battery that delivers 294 kW power.

“It marks the beginning of our electrification journey,” said Rohit Suri, president and managing director, Jaguar Land Rover India. With its electrified products, JLR India is keen to play a significant role in India’s electrification drive in the future, he said.

All the 22 retail outlets across 19 cities where the model is available are EV ready with over 35 EV chargers installed and more installations underway, the company said. These chargers are a combination of 7.4 kW AC chargers and 25 kW DC (fast) chargers. Retail staff has been extensively trained with in-depth and dedicated courses on EVs, thus enabling them to cater to all requirements and queries of customers.

To charge the Jaguar I-PACE, customers may either use a home charging cable that is provided as standard with the vehicle or use a 7.4 kW AC wall mounted charger that is also provided as standard. The installation of this charger at the customer’s house will be

done by Tata Power and will be co-ordinated by Jaguar retailers.

Customers may also access Tata Power’s fast expanding EZ Charge network of around 200 I-PACE compatible charging points on a use and pay basis. The I-PACE comes with a package of 5 years service and 5 years roadside assistance, 8 years or 160 000 km battery warranty and a 7.4 kW AC wall mounted charger, JLR said in a release. The I-PACE will rival the Mercedes EQC and upcoming Audi e-tron.

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Robot artist Sophia, whose first artwork goes up for auction on Wednesday, says she draws inspiration for her work from people and is open to future creative partnerships with humans.

A digital artwork by the Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics humanoid, in the form of a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), is to be auctioned in the first sale of such pieces created jointly with artificial intelligence (AI).

NFTs, a digital signature saved on blockchain ledgers that allows anyone to verify the ownership and authenticity of items, have become the latest investment craze, with one artwork selling this month for nearly $70 million.

“I hope the people like my work, and the humans and I can collaborate in new and exciting ways going forward,” Sophia said in her studio, speaking in a flat voice.

She wore a silver-coloured dress and held a pen.

Sophia, who was unveiled in 2016, produced her art in collaboration with 31-year-old Italian digital artist Andrea Bonaceto, known for colourful portraits, some of which depict famous people, such as Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk.

The robot has combined elements from Bonaceto’s works, art history, and her own physical drawings on various surfaces mul­tiple times in a process her creator David Han­son describes as “iterative loops of evolution”.

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Smartphone maker OnePlus is all set to launch the new OnePlus 9 series in India on Tuesday. The latest flagship OnePlus 9 series will have OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9, and OnePlus 9 Lite or OnePlus 9R. The company has also confirmed that it will launch OnePlus Watch today along with the phones. Even before the official launch, the series has already seen over two million reservations across all the retail channels in China.

According to several reports, OnePlus 9R will be an affordable phone to be launched only for India.

The OnePlus 9 will have some upgrades over OnePlus 8T, while OnePlus 9 Pro will have the top-of-the-line specifications. The 9 series will offer a two-year warranty and will have a charger in the box.

One of the major talking points for the latest series has been its camera. OnePlus recently announced a three-year partnership with Sweden-based camera manufacturer Hasselblad to co-develop the smartphone camera systems.

The launch event will be streamed live on YouTube channel of OnePlus. Live streaming will begin at 07:30 PM IST. The phones will be available on Amazon and the OnePlus website.

Let’s take a look at the much-anticipated OnePlus 9 series’ specifications, features, price, and other details.

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