His tech news roundup, via the DGiT Daily tech newsletter, for Thursday, July 2.
1. Slowly fill in the gaps on the OnePlus Nord
The OnePlus Nord is the brand’s long-awaited return to “cheaper” smartphones, but details have been terribly limited. Now, more than seven months after the device was first rumored to be OnePlus 8 Lite, the device is finally beginning to take shape. This is what we know so far:
- Initially rumored to have a MediaTek processor, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei confirmed that the phone will have a Snapdragon 765G processor in an interview with TechRadar.
- This is a superior mid-range processor with added graphics power for gaming, with built-in support for mmWave and sub-6Ghz 5G.
- It is also the same processor that Google is rumored to use in its Pixel 5 “flagship” line.
- Other specs haven’t been confirmed yet, but you can check the latest rumors here.
- We also learned that the name Nord comes from “True North”, which is supposed to be some kind of reference to an internal compass.
- The price of the phone has not been specified, but we know it will cost “less than $ 500”.
- This could technically mean $ 499, which is $ 200 less than the cheaper OnePlus 8.. Hopefully it will be even cheaper, but only time will tell.
- Despite not having a firm price or release date, the phone was briefly available for pre-order in limited quantities for a deposit of € 20 or £ 20.
- If the first round was missed, there will be a second round of preorders on July 8 and a third on July 15.
- This also means that the phone probably won’t launch until the end of July at the earliest.
Before you get too excited, you should know that OnePlus Nord will not be available everywhere in the world, at least initially.
- See the full list of launch countries here, but noticeably absent are North American countries.
- At launch, the phone will only be available in Europe and India.
- OnePlus has previously limited the global availability of its flagship products, but it’s disappointing that the company’s first affordable phone since OnePlus X will skip across the continent initially.
- However, OnePlus has said that there will be a “select number” of North American users who will be able to access the phone after launch in a limited beta program.
- Until then, it seems like the Pixel 4a could be a solid alternative, if Google can get it out in time.
2. Well, Samsung has just leaked the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in a Mystic Bronze color. And boy, is it pretty. (Android Authority)
3. Last chance: Google has discontinued Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL. Hopefully this means the Pixel 4a is coming very soon. (Android Authority)
4. Flash game legend Kongregate closed new games, closed forums and chats. Sad day for those of us who grew up with flash games, but smartphones have changed the game forever. (combiner)
5. Speaking of which, the Asus ROG Phone 3 will debut later this month, though the exact specs and pricing are still in the air. (Android Authority)
6. Google continues to pay billions from Apple to be the default search engine in Safari. To be more precise, roughly $ 1.5 billion just for the UK market. (The edge)
7. Zoom is missing its own deadline to publish its first transparency report. How many requests for government data has the communication company received? The Magic 8-Ball says: Ask again later. (TechCrunch)
8. How students built a 16th century book reading machine for engineers. The bookwheel machine is beautiful, allowing users to switch between eight books at ease. Think of it like the 1588 Chrome browser tabs. (Atlas Obscura)
9. Black Hole Sun is still an absolute hit, but this is terrifying: a monstrous black hole that devours around a sun every day. (CNET)
10. 3D printed plant-based fillets may arrive in 2021. One step closer to Star Trek replicators. (Engadget)
The DGiT Daily delivers a daily email that keeps you on the cutting edge of all the tech news, opinions and links to what’s happening in the most important field on the planet. You get all the context and information you need, and all with a touch of fun. Plus! Rotating daily fun for each day of the week, like Wednesday Weirdness. Take part!
