Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon just got a gameplay trailer, confirming leaks from earlier this week, that it is indeed releasing on August 25. Marking the first new release in the AC franchise since 2012, the new footage offers a glimpse at the various mech types zipping around, their attack patterns, and key story details. Despite the naming scheme, producer Yasunori Ogura confirmed in an IGN interview that Armored Core 6 will feature a brand-new story that isn’t directly linked to previous titles. Publisher Bandai Namco also unveiled pricing details and system requirements for its next game.

While certainly not a souls-like title, developer FromSoftware has used its years of experience in the genre to revitalise Armored Core VI for a modern era. It is set on a devastated dystopian planet, Rubicon 3, which was reduced to flames and ashes after an unstable energy source called Coral went out of control. Fifty years after the catastrophe, the rare substance surfaces once again, causing extra-terrestrial corporate forces to send out their mechs in an attempt to invade the planet and acquire Coral. Yes, it’s structured quite like Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic Dune. The forces are at war with the natives who resist the advances, and our character, a lone AC pilot is thrust into that war.

The Armored Core 6 gameplay trailer is flush with mech-crunching action, as our AC is seen sliding around the map via thrusters and gunning down enemies while airborne. Assault Boost is a new button-activated feature that instantly switches between long-range to close-range melee fighting modes by closing down the distance. After unloading a barrage of missiles to stagger the enemy mech, you can swoop in and whip out the pulse blade to score a direct hit. Speaking of stagger, FromSoftware has added a version of Elden Ring’s riposte mechanic, where if an AC takes too many hits over a short period, its guard will fall, leaving them vulnerable to a massive attack. You could argue it’s more similar to the deflect mechanic in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but this is solely offence-oriented rather than counter.

FromSoftware is lauded for its ingenious boss designs and Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon promises a lot of them “Huge combat helicopters, heavily armoured mobile turrets, and unmanned heavy demolition machinery that’s programmed to indiscriminately crush intruders,” game director Masaru Yamamura revealed in a PlayStation blog post. “Armored Core VI will offer a number of explosive battle experiences that challenge players to fight against the odds and overcome these ginormous, more abnormal mechs.” The gameplay loop, however, will be focused on customisation — assembling mechs and swapping out parts to fare better in battles, but it isn’t limited to damage numbers or other perks.

“The leg part, which controls the AC’s movement — you could have tank-type legs that can perform drift, and this changes the very basic behaviour and traversal type of the AC,” producer Ogura explained in an IGN interview. But it’s not entirely combat-heavy, as Armored Core VI’s main campaign will have you scour around town to recover data logs and perform other side activities.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon PC system requirements

FromSoftware also dropped the minimum system requirements for Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, which is slightly harsh on the CPU — demanding at least an Intel Core i5-8600K or an AMD Ryzen 3 3300X. You’d also need 65GB of storage space, which is significantly low when compared to most recent AAA releases.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon ‘Minimum’ PC requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-8600K or an AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
• Graphics (GPU): Nvidia GeForce GTX 960 (4GB) or AMD Radeon RX 480 (4GB)
• RAM: 12GB

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon price and editions

On PC (Steam), Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is priced at Rs. 2,499 for the Standard Edition. The Deluxe Edition is only slightly more expensive — Rs. 2,699, and comes with a digital artbook and soundtrack. As for the pre-order bonus, you receive a ‘TENDERFOOT’ customisation option, in addition to early part and emblem unlocks. FromSoftware notes that the latter items can be unlocked through game progression as well.

For PlayStation owners, AC6 will set you back by Rs. 3,999/ $59.99 for the Standard Edition, and Rs. 4,799/ $69.99 for the Deluxe one. Standard Edition prices on Xbox are the same, but the Deluxe Edition costs Rs. 4,974, for some odd reason.

Publisher Bandai Namco has also listed Collector’s and Premium Collector’s Editions on their official website, which include some physical accessories such as a figurine, a steelbook, a hardcover artbook, stickers, and more. They are priced at $229.99 (about Rs. 18,812) and $449.99 (about Rs. 36,807), respectively.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon releases August 25, across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.

iQOO Neo 10 series, including a base and a Pro variant, will launch in China on November 29. The phones are expected to succeed the iQOO Neo 9 and iQOO Neo 9 Pro, respectively. The iQOO Neo 10 Pro will come with a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC paired with support for LPDDR5X RAM and AI features. The lineup will include dedicated in-house Q2 chips. iQOO has revealed the designs of the upcoming handsets and confirmed its display and camera details.

iQOO Neo 10 Series Design, Colour Options

iQOO has shared the design of the upcoming Neo 10 handsets in a Weibo post. The phones appear to have two squircle rear camera units placed within a slightly raised vertical pill-shaped module. An elliptical LED flash unit appears alongside the rear camera module. The volume rocker and power button are placed on the right edge of the handset.

The series will be offered in three colour options — Rally Orange, Shadow Black, and Shining White (translated from Chinese). The iQOO Neo 10 series handsets will be available for pre-booking in China.

iQOO Neo 10 Display, Camera Details, Other Features

The iQOO Neo 10 series smartphones will have 8T LTPO flat displays with a 144Hz refresh rate and eye protection technology support. For security, they will be equipped with in-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensors. The lineup is teased to have “the narrowest screen border in Neo history.” One of the handsets is said to measure 7.9mm in thickness and weigh 199g.

Another post by the company claimed that the iQOO Neo 10 series will be equipped with a 50-megapixel Sony IMX921 primary sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support. Camera samples from the iQOO Neo 10 Pro and iQOO Neo 10 have been shared in a series of Weibo posts.

iQOO’s upcoming Neo 10 series phones will run on Android 15-based OriginOS 5. The models are claimed to run smoothly for up to 60 months. The Pro variant will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC paired with support for support for LPDDR5X RAM and AI-backed features. The lineup models will carry an in-house Q2 gaming chipset.

The festive season has begun with the commencement of the Amazon Great Indian Festival sale 2023. While the sale will be live only for Prime members today, i.e. October 7, it will be open to all starting October 8. The all-new sale from Amazon offers deals and discounts on smartphones, laptops, tablets, cameras, audio devices, wearables and several gadgets. Apart from the off on the price, one can also avail of an instant 10 percent off using SBI credit and debit card for transactions on your purchase.

As the sale season has started, we have curated a list of laptop deals for you.

Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale: Top Laptop Deals

Under Rs. 50,000

Asus Vivobook 14

Asus Vivobook 14, with a 14-inch FHD display, is available on Amazon this season at just Rs. 33,990, down 33 percent from its launch price of Rs. 55,990. One can also club it with an exchange offer of up to Rs. 14,650. It is powered by an Intel Core i3 11th Gen processor, along with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage. The laptop runs Windows 11.

Buy now at: Rs. 33,990 (MRP Rs. 50,990)

Acer Aspire Lite

Another great option in the under-Rs. 50,000 category is the Acer Aspire Lite laptop, powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i3 processor. It is being offered this Amazon sale at just Ra. 27,990 with 38 percent off on its launch price. The company also provides an exchange discount of up to Rs. 14,650, along with bank offers and cash back. It has a 15-6-inch FHD display with a metal build. The laptop packs 8GB RAM with 512GB storage and runs Windows 11 Home.

Buy now at: Rs. 27,990 (MRP Rs. 44,990)

Dell SmartChoice 14

With almost 50 percent off on its launch price, the Dell SmartChoice 14 laptop is now available at Amazon Prime early deal sale at just Rs. 49,990. One can also club this amount with an exchange of up to Rs. 14,650 and bank offers with up to Rs. 5,000 discount. The laptop features a 14-inch FHD display and runs Windows 11. It is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB RAM and 512GB storage. You also get a spill-resistant keyboard with the laptop.

Buy now at: Rs. 49,990 (MRP Rs. 83,127)

Xiaomi Notebook Ultra Max

If you like to swear by Xiaomi products, this 15-6-inch display notebook with 3.2K resolution might be the perfect choice. The notebook is powered by an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and is ultra-thin and super light. It packs 16GB RAM with 512GB storage and runs Windows 11. The notebook comes with MS Office version 2021 pre-installed. It also gets a fingerprint sensor for easy login. It is currently being offered at a discount price of Rs. 46,990, along with an exchange.

Buy now at: Rs. 46,990 (MRP Rs. 76,999)

Acer Aspire Lite AL15-51

With an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, coupled with Intel Iris Xe graphics, another metal-build option from Acer Aspire Lite AL15-51 variant with a 15.6-inch FHD display. It packs 16GB RAM with 512GB storage and runs Windows 11 Home. The laptop gets WiFi and USB connectivity support. It is available on Prime Day early deal at just Rs. 36,990.

Buy now at: Rs. 36,990 (MRP Rs. 61,990)

Under Rs. 1 Lakh

HP Laptop 15s

For under Rs. 1,00,000 deal, one can opt for an HP Laptop 15s, which comes equipped with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor coupled with Iris Xe graphics. With a discounted price of Rs. 63,990, the laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD display. It packs 16GB of DDR4 RAM and 512GB of storage. It comes with pre-installed Windows 11.

Buy now at: Rs. 63,990 (MRP Rs. 78,778)

Samsung Galaxy Book3

At a discounted price of Rs. 69,990, with an exchange bonus of up to Rs. 14,650, the Samsung Galaxy Book3 is powered by an Intel Core i5 13th Gen processor. It packs 8GB RAM with 512GB of storage. It is thin, lightweight, and comes with pre-installed Windows 11 Home. The Galaxy Book3 houses a 15.6-inch display.

Buy now at: Rs. 69,990 (MRP Rs. 93,990)

Dell Inspiron 5430 Laptop

If you wish to invest in a Dell product under Rs. 1 lakh, the Dell Inspiron 5430 is the perfect choice, currently being offered at a discounted price of Rs. 84,990. It comes equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor. The laptop packs 16GB RAM along with 1TB storage. The 14.0-inch FHD+ display offers 250 nits of peak brightness.

By now at: Rs. 84,990 (MRP Rs. 1,01,514)

Asus Vivobook Pro 15

Asus is offering its Vivobook Pro 15 at Prime Day early access at just Rs. 67,990, which can be coupled with an exchange discount up to Rs. 14,650. The laptop features a 15.6-inch FHD OLED display. An AMD Ryzen 5 processor precedes it and houses 16GB RAM with 512GB storage.

Buy now at: Rs. 67,990 (MRP Rs. 96,990)

Lenovo ThinkPad E14

Next in line is the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 laptop, one of the most recommended devices for commercial purposes. It is powered by an Intel Core i7 12th Gen processor and features a 14-inch FHD display. For configuration, it packs 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. The laptop runs Windows 11 Home and comes with pre-installed MS Office.

Buy now at: Rs. 97,990 (MRP Rs. 1,49,400)

Emily Calandrelli, an advocate for STEM education and an aerospace engineer, made history on November 22, 2024, as the 100th woman to travel to space. The flight, conducted by Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, took off and landed at the company’s West Texas facility. This suborbital journey carried six civilian passengers and reached a peak altitude of 106 kilometres, surpassing the Kármán line, which is considered the boundary of space.

Significance of Calandrelli’s Flight

The ten-minute mission aboard Blue Origin’s NS-28, included approximately four minutes of weightlessness. It marked Blue Origin’s ninth human spaceflight, with Calandrelli accompanied by Marc and Sharon Hagle, a couple on their second Blue Origin mission; Austin Litteral, whose participation was sponsored by Whatnot, a livestream shopping platform; J.D. Russell, a former game warden and entrepreneur; and Hank Wolfond, a Canadian investment firm CEO.

Emily Calandrelli, known as “The Space Gal” online, expressed her lifelong ambition to inspire young women in STEM fields. Her journey, she stated, was a culmination of years of study in aerospace engineering and her mission to bring representation to girls in science and technology. Among her personal items was a photo montage of the 99 women who flew before her, acknowledging their contributions to paving the way.

Reflecting on the experience, Calandrelli described the view from space as profoundly moving, likening the emotional intensity to the birth of her children. The mission’s logo incorporated a figure in pink overalls to symbolise her achievement, further emphasising her role as a STEM advocate.

Notable Aspects of the Flight

Blue Origin’s reusable “RSS First Step” spacecraft carried the crew safely back to Earth after the booster’s engine-assisted vertical landing. The flight builds on Blue Origin’s efforts to expand civilian access to space. Calandrelli’s achievement also places her among 714 individuals who have reached space, as recorded by the Association of Space Explorers.

The cost of Calandrelli’s seat was funded through multiple sponsors, enabling her participation while providing opportunities to promote STEM education. This historic flight marks a significant step in representation for women in space exploration.

Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion (nearly Rs. 5,64,100 crore) acquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard over concerns it would hinder cloud gaming.

The ruling was a shock after the regulator had already resolved its concerns about the consoles market, a sector dominated by Sony‘s PlayStation and Microsoft‘s Xbox, which dwarfs cloud gaming.

Is the deal dead?

Not necessarily. Microsoft said it remained fully committed and would appeal.

The regulator’s decision reflected a flawed understanding of the market, it said.

How does the appeal process work?

Microsoft can appeal to Britain’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), an independent judicial body, which will only examine the CMA’s decision-making process, not the merits of the merger.

Microsoft will not be able to offer new remedies at this stage, such as offering to keep Activision content off its Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service for Xbox users, in Britain, as some analysts suggest.

“The CAT will not engage with the merits of the CMA’s decision or conduct a wholesale review of the parties’ evidence,” said Edward Lane, senior associate at law firm Harbottle & Lewis, where his particular focus is on creative industries, including film, TV, video games and music.

What’s next?

Microsoft must appeal by May 24 and a decision may take many months.

“The CAT aims to deal with ‘straightforward’ cases in under nine months – and Microsoft/Activision is anything but straightforward,” Lane, said.

What happens if Microsoft wins?

The Tribunal will return the case to the regulator for further review. Microsoft can then offer new concessions.

“The likelihood is that without a material change in circumstances or new evidence, the CMA is most likely to reach the same conclusion as it did first time around,” said James Groves, a competition associate at European law firm Fieldfisher.

What about other regulators?

European regulators will rule on the world’s biggest gaming deal by May 22. The US Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint to block the deal, which Microsoft has indicated it will fight.

If either of those blocks the deal, it could be game over, Lane said.

If the EU goes against it, Microsoft would be fighting an increasingly uphill battle and could decide to cut its losses, even if that would mean paying Activision a hefty $3 billion (nearly Rs. 2,450) break fee.

What has happened to other CMA appeals?

Facebook-owner Meta appealed a 2021 decision by the CMA to block its acquisition of Giphy, seen as a test case for the British regulator’s resolve to take on “Big Tech”.

Meta succeeded on a single procedural ground, with the decision otherwise upheld. The CMA considered new submissions, but it came to the same view and Meta had to sell animated images platform Giphy.

Global financial services company FNZ appealed a block on its 2019 merger with rival GBST. The regulator then “identified certain potential errors” in its investigation chaired by Martin Coleman, who also oversaw the Microsoft-Activision case.

The CAT sent the case back to be reconsidered, and the CMA agreed to accept a new remedy whereby FNZ could sell GBST and then buy parts of it back.

© Thomson Reuters 2023

iQOO 13 is set to launch in India on December 3, but ahead of it, we got a chance to test out its camera performance. The phone was unveiled last month in China and comes equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, a triple rear camera unit, and a 6,150mAh battery. While most of the specifications of the Indian variant are said to be similar, the battery capacity has been capped at 6,000mAh. The iQOO series phones are not particularly known for their camera performance, but the iQOO 13 is hoping to change that with its triple 50-megapixel rear camera setup.

iQOO 13 camera specifications

The iQOO 13 features a primary 50-megapixel Sony IMX921 sensor with f/1.88 aperture, optical image stabilisation, and electronic image stabilisation. The rear main camera can also shoot videos at up to 8K 30fps resolution.

The phone features a 2x telephoto camera

You get another 50-megapixel ultrawide camera that uses the Samsung S5KJN1SQ03 sensor and offers f/2.0 aperture. Finally, there’s a 50-megapixel Sony IMX816 telephoto sensor with f/1.85 aperture and 2x optical zoom. While the telephoto is a downgrade compared to the iQOO 12, which came with a periscope telephoto sensor, iQOO claims that the new phone uses Vivo’s image processing, which should help provide better results. 

iQOO 13 camera samples

We tested the cameras on the iQOO 13 in Dubai, UAE and captured plenty of photos using all three sensors. While we can’t give our verdict yet, below are some samples from the main, ultrawide, and telephoto cameras you can check out.

First, let’s take a look at some daylight and low-light photos taken using the 50-megapixel Sony IMX921 rear camera. The photos were shot in the default Photo mode.

Main camera daylight samples shot at 1x (23mm)

Next, some low-light photos from the main camera.

Main camera lowlight samples shot at 1x (23mm)

Here are some samples taken from the 50-megapixel Sony IMX816 telephoto sensor in Portrait Mode at four different focal lengths.

Top to bottom: 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 100mm

There’s also a Snapshot mode on the Camera app that is claimed to take sharp images of moving images. We, obviously, tried this on the fast-moving cars (2nd shot below) at the Dubai Autodrome. Take a look at some of the Snapshot mode shots below. 

The iQOO 13 is set to launch in India on December 3. Stay tuned to our full review to know our final verdict on the camera performance.

*Disclosure: iQOO sponsored the correspondent’s flights and hotel for the event in Dubai, UAE.

Amazon’s Great Indian Festival started on October 7 for all Prime members and October 8 for all users. A wide range of products, including electronic items, are being offered at a discounted rate during the sale. Some products include smartphones, laptops, and accessories like smartwatches, earphones, and smart televisions. The sale, which also coincides with Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, also allows customers to avail of additional exchange and bank offers. We have been covering the best deals this sale season has to offer, and the following are some popular electronic items you may not want to miss out on.

5 Crazy Deals During Amazon Great Indian Festival 2023

Apple product, the iPhone 13, is also available during the sale at a lucrative deal. Customers can buy the 128GB variant of the base iPhone 13 model for a price of Rs. 48,999. At launch, this model was priced at Rs. 69,900 in India. Other bank offers and relevant cashback deals can bring the effective price of this Apple smartphone even lower. The handset is powered by an in-house A15 Bionic SoC and is available in six colour options – Blue, Green, Midnight, Pink, (PRODUCT) RED and Starlight.

Redmi’s 32-inch Smart Fire TV is another product with unmissable deals during the Amazon Great Indian Festival. The television set was released in the Indian market earlier this year in March. The HD TV runs FireOS 7 and supports Dolby Audio with its 20W speaker system. It can now be bought at Rs. 8,999 on Amazon. Select bank cards may allow some additional discounts upon this price. Buyers may also opt for a no-cost EMI option, depending on their mode of payment.

AirPods Pro 2 recently received a few upgrades alongside the launch of iOS 17 such as Adaptive Audio, which combines the active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency modes in real-time, enhancing the experience of the users. The true wireless earbuds are available on Amazon during the sale at a price of Rs. 18,499, down 31 percent from the listed price of Rs. 26,999. Customers can avail of additional bank and cashback offers upon the purchase of the earbuds.

OnePlus released the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G in the country earlier this year in April. The smartphone is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC and houses a 5,000mAh battery which supports 67W SuperVOOC wired charging. During the ongoing Great Indian Festival sale, customers can bag the 8GB + 128GB variant of the model with a Rs. 1,000 discounts with added bank and exchange offers.

The MacBook Air M1 laptop which was released in November 2020. The company has since launched the MacBook Air M2, but the MacBook Air with the M1 chip remains a good option for customers looking to buy an Apple laptop. The MacBook Air M1 is currently offered at Rs. 69,990 on Amazon owing to the Great Indian Festival. With additional bank offers and exchange options, this laptop can be bought at an even lower price. It is available in Gold, Silver and Space Grey colour options.