iQOO Neo 10 series will be unveiled in China soon. Details about the upcoming lineup have been circulating in the rumour mill over the past few weeks, and now a senior company executive has confirmed its imminent launch, though the exact date remains unannounced. The series is expected to include a base iQOO Neo 10 and an iQOO Neo 10 Pro. The lineup will succeed the iQOO Neo 9 and iQOO Neo 9 Pro, which were introduced in China in December 2023. iQOO is also set to unveil the iQOO 13 next month in India. 

iQOO Neo 10 Series Launch

The iQOO Neo 10 series was officially confirmed in a Weibo post by iQOO Neo Product Manager. Apart from the moniker, no other details were revealed. 

A recent leak suggested that the iQOO Neo 10 series may arrive in China in November. Since we are almost mid-way through the month, we could see the launch take place towards the end. A formal launch date announcement will likely come soon. 

The leak added that the base iQOO Neo 10 could get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, while the Pro variant may come with a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset. The phones are expected to support 100W wired fast charging. They may get 6,000mAh batteries and 1.5K flat display with narrow bezels. 

Other rumours have claimed that the iQOO Neo 10 series handsets could get metal middle frame, which are considerable upgrades over the plastic frame on the iQOO Neo 9 series.

The base iQOO Neo 9 carries a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC, while the iQOO Neo 9 Pro has a MediaTek Dimensity 9300 chipset. The handsets are backed by 5,160mAh batteries each with support for 20W wired fast charging. The phones have 6.78-inch AMOLED displays and 50-megapixel dual rear camera units.

Samsung has unveiled the new Galaxy Book 4 Edge with an octa-core Snapdragon X Plus CPU for AI features and a 15-inch display. The new laptop ships with select Galaxy AI features and offers Wi-Fi 7 support for communication. Like the vanilla Galaxy Book 4 Edge, the new Copilot+ PC supports AI features such as Cocreator, Windows Studio Effects, and Live captions. It carries 16GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. The original Galaxy Book 4 Edge is offered in two variants — 14-inch and 16-inch displays.

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge 15-inch Price, Availability

Price details of the 15-inch Galaxy Book 4 Edge is yet to be revealed. It is confirmed to be available in select markets including France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, the UK, and the US starting October 10. It comes in a single Sapphire Blue colour.

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge 15-inch Specifications

As mentioned, Samsung’s 15-inch Galaxy Book 4 Edge has a 15.6-inch full-HD (1,080×1,920) display with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 300nits peak brightness and 60Hz refresh rate. It runs on the newly launched Snapdragon X Plus 8-core CPU with Adreno GPU and Qualcomm Hexagon NPU with up to 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second). It comes packed with 16GB of RAM and 256GB and 512GB storage options.

For comparison, the standard Galaxy Book 4 Edge has two variants, the 14-inch and 16-inch displays. Both models run on a 12-core Snapdragon X Elite chipset.

The new Copilot+ PC ships with Windows 11 Home and is integrated with AI capabilities including Cocreator, Live Captions, and Windows Studio Effects. The Cocreator feature assists in creating images with text prompts, while Windows Studio Effects can automatically improve lighting and cancel noises during video calls. The Live Captions offer live translations. Beyond Copilot+ PC capabilities, the 15-inch Galaxy Book 4 Edge has access to select Galaxy AI features

The 15-inch Galaxy Book 4 Edge has Samsung Knox security. It offers Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 7. Other Connectivity options in the new model include two USB Type-C (4.0) ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, a USB Type-A (3.2) port, a microSD port, a headphone microphone combo and a security slot. The laptop has dual microphones and stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support.

Samsung’s new 15-inch Galaxy Book 4 Edge carries a 61.2Wh battery with 65W fast charging support. The battery is claimed to deliver up to 26 hours of video playback time on a single charge. It measures 356.6 x 229.7 x 15.0mm and weighs 1.50 kilograms.

In 1975, NASA’s Viking programme made history when its twin landers became the first American spacecraft to successfully reach the surface of Mars. These landers conducted pioneering experiments, collecting and analysing Martian soil samples for over six years in a quest to determine whether microbial life existed on the Red Planet. However, a provocative new theory suggests that the very methods used in these experiments may have unintentionally killed potential life on Mars.

Life Detection Methods Under Scrutiny

Dirk Schulze-Makuch, an astrobiologist at the Technische Universität Berlin, has proposed that the Viking experiments might have encountered Martian microbes but destroyed them by introducing liquid water. In a commentary published in Nature Astronomy, Schulze-Makuch argued that Mars’ hyperarid environment, drier than Earth’s Atacama Desert, likely harbours lifeforms adapted to extract moisture from salts in the atmosphere. These organisms, if present, could be fatally overwhelmed by the addition of liquid water, as used in the Viking experiments.

Misguided Assumptions About Water

The Viking programme assumed that Martian life, like life on Earth, would depend on liquid water. The experiments added water and nutrients to the soil samples, monitoring for metabolic reactions. While initial results showed potential microbial activity, they were later dismissed as inconclusive. Schulze-Makuch believes these findings might instead indicate the destruction of lifeforms adapted to Mars’ arid conditions. He has suggested adopting a “follow the salts” strategy, which focuses on detecting organisms thriving in salt-driven moisture environments.

Shifting the Search for Life

Highlighting parallels with Earth’s deserts, Schulze-Makuch pointed to evidence of microbes in salt-rich regions surviving through a process called deliquescence, where salts absorb moisture to create brines. His proposal calls for multiple life-detection methods, including AI-assisted motility analysis and advanced microscopes, to avoid relying on water-based assumptions.

This theory challenges NASA’s longstanding approach of searching for water as the key to extraterrestrial life, urging a broader exploration strategy. While controversial, it opens a critical discussion about refining techniques to uncover life on Mars.

Microsoft is adding support for new Indian regional languages to its artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Copilot for Microsoft 365. The tech giant is adding multiple new Indian languages to the AI model to accurately understand queries and generate responses in these languages. As per the company, support for more languages was added to make the AI tool more accessible for users whose primary language is not English. Notably, Microsoft has also added Copilot to the instant messaging app Telegram and the Microsoft Launcher app for Android.

Microsoft now supports these Indian regional languages

The company announced the support for more languages in a press release on Wednesday. Microsoft 365 Copilot will now support regional Indic languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu. The company did not disclose the full list of languages the AI chatbot will support. The updated languages have also not been added to its support page.

Based on the press release, the company is expanding Copilot’s support for regional languages in not just India but other countries in the world as well. Prior to this update, Copilot supported 27 languages for prompt, and no Indian regional languages were included.

As per Microsoft, the increased support will not only enable users to converse with the chatbot in their native language but also get responses in the same language. The company highlighted that this feature will benefit students, small businesses, and native language speakers who have not been able to take advantage of generative AI due to the language barrier.

“By integrating regional languages, we’re making technology more inclusive and accessible. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of language, can benefit from AI advancements,” said Pavan Kumar Verma, Regional Business Head – MWP, Embee Software. Embee Software is a leading Microsoft LSP partner in India.

Separately, Microsoft is also expanding Copilot to different apps, adding its capability within the in-app environment. On Tuesday, the tech giant released Copilot for Telegram in beta for all users. The chatbot is free to use on the messaging app, although there is a daily message limit of 30 turns. Copilot is now also available in the Microsoft Launcher app for Android.

OnePlus seems to be preparing to launch the OnePlus Ace 5 and Ace 5 Pro in China. The Chinese tech brand is yet to make an official announcement, but rumours about the duo continue to surface on the Web. As per a new leak, the OnePlus Ace 5 will run on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, an upgrade from the OnePlus Ace 3 which came with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. The upcoming Ace 5 smartphones are also said to feature a metal middle frame.

OnePlus Ace 5 Series New Leak Reveals Specifications

Tipster Smart Pikachu (translated from Chinese) on Weibo has suggested details of the unannounced OnePlus Ace 5 series. As per the post, the OnePlus Ace 5 and OnePlus Ace 5 Pro will retain the camera module design of their predecessors. They are said to feature a metal middle frame, a ceramic body, and a large battery.

The post suggests that the OnePlus Ace 5 series will boast up to 24GB of RAM. The tipster states that the lineup will feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but only the OnePlus Ace 5 is expected to run on this chipset. The OnePlus Ace 5 Pro is speculated to debut with an even more powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset.

The OnePlus Ace 5 series could launch by the end of this year or early next year. They are expected to bring upgrades over the OnePlus Ace 3 and OnePlus Ace 3 Pro.

OnePlus Ace 5 is tipped to come with BOE’s 6.78-inch X2 8T LTPO 2D display with 1.5K resolution and a triple rear camera unit comprising a 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel secondary sensor, and a 2-megapixel shooter. It could pack a 16-megapixel selfie shooter and a 6,300mAh battery. Meanwhile, the OnePlus Ace 5 Pro is tipped to get a 6,500mAh battery. Both phones are said to support 100W wired charging.

Asus Vivobook S 15 was launched by the company on Thursday ahead of IFA 2024, as the company’s newest Copilot+ PC. It is powered by Qualcomm’s more affordable Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chipset. The Taiwanese firm also launched the Copilot+ version of the Asus ProArt PZ13, a detachable laptop that is powered by the same Arm-based processor, with military-grade durability and an IP52 rating for dust and splash resistance. Both these devices are equipped with Asus Lumina OLED screens and run on Windows 11.

Update: This story has been updated to include pricing for these models in India, announced by the company on September 6. 

Asus Vivobook S 15, Asus ProArt PZ13 Price in India and Availability

Asus Vivobook S 15 price is in India starts at Rs. 1,39,990 and will be available via the Asus e-shop, Flipkart and Amazon, as well as ROG stores and Asus stores. The Asus ProArt PX13 price in India starts at Rs, 1,04,990. It will be sold via Asus e-shop, Flipkart, Amazon, Asus stores, and authorised retailers in the country.

In the US, the Asus Vivobook S 15 price is set at $1,099 (roughly Rs. 92,300) and the laptop is available for purchase via Asus’ online store in the US as well as retail outlets in Canada and the US, in a Cool Silver colourway. The Asus ProArt PX13 is also priced at $1,099. It can be ordered via the company’s website, or via retailers such as Best Buy in Canada and the US. The device is sold in a Nano Black colour option.

Asus Vivobook S 15 Specifications

The company’s new Vivobook S 15 model features the same specifications as the model launched earlier this year, except for the new Snapdragon X Plus 8-core (X1P-64-100) chipset with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and a Qualcomm Adreno GPU. It sports a 15.6-inch 3K (2,880×1,620 pixels) Lumina OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and up to 600nits peak brightness. 

The laptop has 1TB of SSD storage and supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity. It is equipped with two USB 4.0 Gen 3 Type-C ports, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and a HDMI 2.1 port. The laptop also has a 3.5mm audio jack and a MicroSD card reader.

Asus Vivobook S 15
Photo Credit: Asus

Asus has equipped the Vivobook S 15 with a Full-HD infrared camera that supports Windows Hello. It is equipped with a 3-cell 70Wh battery. It is claimed to deliver up to 18 hours of battery life. Besides, it measures 352.6x227x15.9mm and weighs 1.42kg.

Asus ProArt PZ13 Specifications

The Taiwanese firm’s Copilot+ PC version of the ProArt PZ13 detachable laptop features a 13.3-inch 3K (2,880×1,880 pixels) Lumina OLED touchscreen with a 60Hz refresh rate, Asus Pen 2.0 stylus support, and up to 500nits peak brightness. It is powered by the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core (X1P-42-100) processor with an Adreno GPU and 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM.

You get 1TB of SSD storage on the Asus ProArt PZ13, along with two USB 4.0 Type-C ports and a SD Card reader. The device has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera and a 13-megapixel rear camera. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Asus has equipped the ProArt PZ13 Copilot+ PC with a 70Wh battery. The laptop measures 297×202.9×14.7mm and weighs 0.89kg.

A powerful storm system, expected to intensify into a “bomb cyclone,” is heading towards Northern California and southern Oregon, potentially bringing severe weather conditions from Tuesday, 19 November, to Thursday, 21 November. Meteorologists have warned of extreme rain, high winds, and significant snowfall in higher altitudes, raising concerns about flash flooding and other hazards across the region.

According to WeatherNation, the storm is forecast to undergo rapid pressure drops, a phenomenon termed “bombogenesis.” The pressure is expected to plummet from over 1,000 millibars on Monday evening to below 950 millibars by Tuesday night. This sharp decline signifies a rapidly intensifying storm, confirmed by data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Key Areas to Experience Severe Impacts

The University of California, San Diego, has classified the impacts between the San Francisco Bay Area and Eureka, California, as “extreme.” Central Oregon to Salinas, California, is also likely to experience significant effects, including wind gusts reaching up to 70 mph and rainfall ranging between 2 to 4 inches daily. Elevated regions exceeding 3,500 feet could witness snowfall accumulation of up to 2 feet, adding to the storm’s challenges.

Atmospheric River and Its Dual Role

The incoming storm is being driven by an atmospheric river, a weather pattern pulling tropical moisture northwards. While such systems are essential in providing 30% to 50% of the West Coast’s annual precipitation, they are also associated with risks like mudslides and flooding.

NOAA researchers have highlighted the long-term impacts of climate change on these weather events. A study published in 2021 warned of shifting patterns leading to heavy low-elevation rainfall and diminished high-altitude snowfall, which could disrupt the water supply by reducing snowpack that serves as a steady year-round source.

The storm is expected to deliver both challenges and opportunities, as residents brace for its impacts while water reservoirs may receive much-needed replenishment. Emergency services and weather authorities remain vigilant as the system approaches.

Call of Duty: Back Ops 6, the next instalment in Activision’s popular first-person shooter franchise, will be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch, Microsoft confirmed Tuesday. All Game Pass subscribers will be able to play the game on day one. The confirmation came days after reports claimed that the Xbox parent was planning to put the next Call of Duty on its game subscription service.

Microsoft has bet big on Xbox Game Pass, bringing all its first-party titles to the service at launch. That strategy has, however, cost Xbox in sales of its exclusive games. Bringing Call of Duty, one of the best-selling game franchises in the world, to Game Pass would likely result in subscriber growth, but could also end up hurting direct sales. On Game Pass, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 would be playable at launch at no additional cost to subscribers on Xbox consoles, PC and other supported devices.

In January, Microsoft provided subscriber numbers for Game Pass after a gap of over two years, confirming that the service had 34 million subscribers. While that represents a 36 percent jump from numbers reported over two years ago, gaming subscription services have struggled in recent times to add new paying members. Games industry analyst Mat Piscatella claimed earlier this month that spending on non-mobile game subscription services had stalled. “March 2024 non-mobile video game subscription spending was only up 1% vs the April 2023 figures…,” he said in his X post at the time.

Earlier this month, Microsoft shut down several game studios under its umbrella, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall maker Arkane Austin, in order to shift focus on to its “priority games”. While Redfall launched to negative reception and fell short of Microsoft’s expectations, Hi-Fi Rush, in the company’s own words, was a “break out hit” across “all key measurements and expectations.” A big chunk of the player numbers for the rhythm-based action-adventure title, however, was believed to have come from Game Pass, rather than direct sales. Releasing Call of Duty, a mass-market, money-spinning tent-pole franchise, on Game Pass could thus be Microsoft’s biggest bet on the subscription service.

Activision, which was acquired by Microsoft last year, confirmed last week that Black Ops 6 would be the next Call of Duty title. The publisher is planning a full reveal for the game at a Direct presentation immediately following the Xbox Games Showcase on June 9. Activision has so far revealed little about the game, releasing a few teasers and a live-action trailer since the game was confirmed. Microsoft said that it would share more details about Black Ops 6 at the Direct showcase, where players can expect the “first in-depth look at gameplay in this dark new chapter of the Black Ops series.

Asus ROG Phone 9 will be officially launched later this week. Following Qualcomm’s unveiling of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset last month, Asus confirmed that the ROG Phone 9 would use the flagship SoC. Now, ahead of the launch, the handset has been reportedly spotted in the Geekbench ML online database suggesting key specifications. The Geekbench ML listing supposedly shows the ROG Phone 9 with Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, Android 15, and 24GB of RAM.

Asus ROG Phone 9 Spotted in the Geekbench Online Database

MySmartPrice has spotted the Asus ROG Phone 9 on the Geekbench ML listing with model number ASUSAI250E. The listing dated November 8 supposedly shows that the handset will ship with 24GB of RAM and Android 15 operating system. As per the listing, the phone scored 1,812 points in Geekbench’s Core ML Neural Engine Interference test. This test measures the device’s machine-learning capabilities and evaluates how efficiently the handset would run neural network models.

Photo Credit: MySmartPrice

The listing also indicates that Asus ROG Phone 9 will run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. The octa-core chipset has a prime CPU core with a maximum clock speed of 4.32GHz and a base frequency of 3.53GHz.

Asus has confirmed that the ROG Phone 9 will launch on November 19 and come equipped with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. The gaming-focused phone will be launched at Asus’s virtual “AI On, Game On” launch event, which suggests it will ship with AI-based gaming features.

Asus ROG Phone 9 Specifications

As per past leaks, the Asus ROG Phone 9 will sport a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Samsung Flexible LTPO AMOLED screen with up to 120Hz refresh rate and Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It could pack a triple rear camera unit, comprising a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 main camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor size, a 13-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 5-megapixel macro camera.

The Asus ROG Phone 9 is tipped to pack a 5,800mAh battery with 65W wired charging support and wireless charging support.