Thaiger Uppercut 2023 is coming back strong and happening this weekend in Bangkok, Thailand.
Notable players attending the event include RB|Arslan Ash, DRX|Knee, KDF|Ulsan, Fate|Atif, ZJZ, KDF|Meo-IL, KDF|CBM, Talon|Book, LowHigh, DRX|Chanel, Fate|Khan, SP|Mok, Samitto, Seo, Falcon|JoKa, Liquid|Shadow20z, K2, Koukou, Wade, Varrel|Pinya and many more.
This event is a Master Event on the Tekken World Tour circuit and is in fact the final event on this Tekken World Tour season besides the finals and the accompanying Last Chance Qualifier, so unless you want to try your chances right before the finals this is where you can get your spot to finals. 130 hopefuls have signed up for it hoping to grab those points.
It’s also a part of the SNK World Championship and a Power Event for the Dragon Ball FighterZ World Tour so stakes are high on both of these titles as well. King of Fighters 15 landed at around 35 entrants while Dragon Ball FighterZ netted just over 20.
There will also be tournament play for Street Fighter 6 which sits at over 130 entrants, Guilty Gear Strive which has just under 30 players and Mortal Kombat with just over 20 registrants.
Streaming is being done at Tekken, TGU Main, Dragon Ball FighterZ and TGU 1.
Click images for larger versions
Note: The streams on the Sunday schedule are mixed up although the times are correct. Street Fighter 6 will be on TGU Main while Tekken 7 will of course be on Tekken.
Fortnite gets its appeal from its ever-changing world. However, a lot of players look forward to upcoming OG updates that will be coming in the latest Chapter 4 of Season 5. These add a touch of throwback to the older times. This was when the game suddenly shifted to become a battle royale from a survival shooter. The new event aims to do two things. First, it plans to be a nostalgic experience for the players who’ve been playing the title since its launch. Hence, OGs, as the name suggests. Secondly, it plans on showcasing to the newer players how the island looked like before all the various events occurred.
However, while we have the release date for the event, Epic Games hasn’t shared the release times for the OG update of Fortnite. Don’t worry, though, as we have you covered. Keep reading to find out the release date and time of the next major update in the game based on past release times.
When Does the Fortnite Update Come Out?
While Fortnite has already confirmed that the new update for Chapter 4, Season 5, will come out on November 3, 2023, they haven’t disclosed the release time for it. The main menu has already been prepared to end the current season with a blank menu screen. As such, we know it is happening, but not when.
Based on past release times, we know Fortnite goes into maintenance mode right before its new seasons. It generally happens at around 3 AM ET. During this time, the servers go off, and it typically takes around 4 hours for the game to go live with the new season. If we consider the previous launch timings, Fortnite OG should start its maintenance around these times:
Region
Time
Western US
1 AM PDT
CentralUS
3 AM CST
United Kingdom
8 AM GMT
Tokyo
5 PM JST
India
1:00 PM IST
Keep in mind these are educated guesses, but the exact timing of the OG update may vary depending on how it actually rolls out. Nonetheless, it’s good to have an idea of when you can expect it.
What Can You Experience in the Upcoming Fortnite Event
As per the numerous teasers, leaks, and new teaser trailer, we have a rough idea about what Fortnite OG will be about. The new update in Chapter 4, Season 5, is rumored to be a one-month-long festivity. It will be a throwback event where the original map of Fortnite will return. With it, the classic hot zones like the famed Tilted Towers will also make their comeback.
The map is the 2018 version of the game, and as per more leaks, the map will constantly rotate and change throughout the month. Furthermore, numerous reputed Fortnite leakers and data miners have confirmed that the new season will have a new battle pass. However, as per one leaker, this will be a month-long event, as we mentioned, and not the usual 3-month season.
Furthermore, as shown in the trailer, guns like LMG and rideable vehicles like hoverboards will get unvaulted for this event. Even OG weapons like pump shotguns and hand cannons are making a comeback.
So, are you excited for the return of the original map? What are your plans for the first few days in-game? Let us know in the comments below.
The iQOO 12 series is about to become official in the Chinese market on the coming November 7, which is next week. But we’ve been getting teasers from the brand since last month. As we’ve previously covered, the new devices will be among the first devices to be powered by the recently released Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
In addition to that, the iQOO 12 phones will be the first gaming-centric devices with the new flagship chipset. The brand has already confirmed that it will bring improvements in popular titles such as PUBG Mobile, PUBG New State, Genshin Impact, and others. This may have made many gamers wonder how well the devices will perform.
Well, the AnTuTu benchmark results of the iQOO 12 Pro are now out. And with this, you can have an idea of the performance of the new flagship from the brand.
A Closer Look at the AnTuTu Benchmark Results of iQOO 12 Pro
As you can see from the screenshot attached below, the iQOO 12 Pro achieved a total score of 2,169,893 on AnTuTu. This score is in line with the other benchmark scores of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 devices. For those seeking specifics, the device achieved a score of 450,560 points in the CPU test and 873,661 in the GPU test.
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On the other hand, the iQOO 12 Pro got 513,782 in the memory test. And lastly, it achieved 331,890 in the UX test. All of these scores imply that the device will offer a proper flagship-grade performance. Also, it should deliver superior gaming performance.
Besides, the iQOO 12 Pro will feature a 5100 mAh battery with 120-watt fast charging support. Camera-wise, the device will come with a 50 MP primary, 50 MP ultrawide, and 64 MP 3x zoom sensors. It will also feature a 144 Hz display and up to 16 GB of RAM. The device also went through the Geekbench benchmark, which you can check out on this link.
In our latest episode of Talk and Block Catalyst, DreamKing, and I take a look at what the community widely deems the three strongest characters in Street Fighter 6 in an effort to see if we can’t hammer down what specific threads run through them all and thus separate them from the rest of the pack.
We kick things off Luke, who has been notoriously strong since his debut in Street Fighter 5, and continues to enjoy top tier advantages here in SF6.
Catalyst calls Luke “The man of three moves,” noting that the juxtaposition of his crouching medium punch, crouching medium kick, and crouching light punch gives him an absolute ton of control and potential in the midst of the fight.
Any one of these attacks can translate into significant damage and corner carry, and when your opponent is worried about any one in particular, they’re likely not ready to defend against the others.
I personally feel like Luke gets a lot of mileage out of his deceptively far-reaching normal attacks. He is able to bully opponents in that he doesn’t need to be as precises as others with his attacks for them to find their targets.
This isn’t to say you can simply mash your way to victory as Luke, but you can get more mileage than average out of being overly offensive, and that power paired with an intelligent approach can be exceptionally deadly. I’d argue this is a major part of why two time Capcom Cup champion, MenaRD, gels so well with Luke.
Mena has always been a cerebral player, manipulating and taking advantage of opponents’ mental states until he’s able to read them like an open book. Luke can play with patience and precision, but he can also very much go ham and make you feel completely choked out and unable to do anything.
There’s plenty more to the discussion, but you’ll need to check out the video below to hear it all.
We’ll be releasing similar videos detailing the other two top of the top tiers, JP and Ken, as well as our full discussion in the coming days. For now, let us know whether or not you feel like Luke is one of the absolute best and if there are any reasons for this we missed during our discussion.
RCS or Rich Communication Services is a messaging protocol that was first developed in 2007 by a group of people and then taken over by GSMA (GSM Association). The protocol is being heavily marketed by Google and is often referred to as “A replacement to iMessage,” which does make sense from both Google’s and the user’s standpoint given how iMessage still uses the less-secure, old SMS protocol and the Blue/Green bubbles controversy. So what exactly is RCS and is it the next evolution in communication? Let’s find out the same in this article.
What is RCS?
RCS stands for Rich Communication Services and is a messaging protocol that was made to replace the old SMS/MMS protocol. Unlike SMS/MMS which have character and media size limits and work only on a carrier network, RCS has no character limit and supports sending all types of media in high quality.
Google added initial support for RCS in Android in 2019 and named the protocol “Chat.” Since then it’s gained lots of traction with both Google and Samsung adopting the same in their respective Messaging platforms — Google Messages and Samsung Chat. There are lots of reasons to use RCS instead of SMS and some of them are the ability to send high-quality text messages, read receipts, and all types of media using mobile data or Wi-Fi, end-to-end encryption in case of Chat in Google Messages, among other advantages over SMS.
How does RCS Work?
As we mentioned earlier, RCS is more of a technical name. A friendlier name that Google gave it is “Chat Protocol.” It’s like WhatsApp in many ways except it’s tied to your carrier. Therefore, carrier companies need to enable support for RCS (Chat) for you to be able to send text messages via Wi-Fi and mobile data. At first, Google wanted phone manufacturers to integrate it into their platforms, but since most of them didn’t want to do it, it then decided to add RCS to its own messaging platform “Google Messages.”
Another thing worth mentioning is that Chat can only send messages over mobile data or Wi-Fi if the opposite party is also using Chat. Otherwise, the message will be sent as SMS. The messaging app will let you know before sending the message if the opposite party is using an Android device with RCS enabled by the input placeholder in the textbox displaying “RCS message.” It’s also worth mentioning that Google encrypts RCS messages on Google Messages but RCS, by default, doesn’t feature encryption.
How to Enable RCS
Enabling RCS is pretty simple. All you need is a carrier that supports it and an Android device running Android 5.0 or later. Once the criteria is fulfilled, follow the below steps:
1. Install Google Messages if you haven’t already.
2. To check if your carrier supports RCS, tap your Profile Picture on the top right corner and go to settings.
3. Tap RCS Chats and if the status shows Connected, it means your carrier supports it and you can chat easily on the network.
It’s worth noting that you cannot use RCS without a SIM card in your device. RCS might only rely on Wi-Fi and mobile data but it still needs a mobile network to function.
That said, here’s an image with all carriers that currently support it.
What’s Next for RCS?
So far, despite its best efforts, Google hasn’t found success in pushing the RCS narrative to Apple. It has relentlessly tried to force the Cupertino giant to adopt the RCS protocol and end the decades-long green/blue bubble war. For those who are unaware, RCS-supported messages appear in green color, whereas iMessages which support the older SMS protocol appear in blue in the iMessage app. Thus, giving rise to the whole iPhone Blue vs Android Green text bubble controversy.
And it makes sense from a business standpoint why Apple hasn’t shown interest, because the bubbles controversy helps them bring Android users to iPhone and hence make more money. Unlike the West where the majority uses iOS and iMessage, platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger dominate in regions such as Asia and even Europe.
This leaves the tech in no man’s land but the adoption numbers that Google showcased during I/O 2021 where the number of RCS users had crossed 800 million, which is a huge feat. According to the folks at Juniper Research, the number of users is projected to surpass 1.1 billion in 2024, a far cry from over 2 billion WhatsApp users and 1.3 billion iMessage users in 2022. It’s obvious that Google needs a huge push for RCS which it can get from Apple. However, besides treating Android users badly and Google trying to push “Get the Message” slogans, Apple hasn’t moved yet.
Edifier has launched a brand-new pair of True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds in China, the Edifier TWS1 Air. With a launch price of 218 Yuan, which is around US$30, the earbuds offer a great overall value.
To be specific, the Edifier TWS1 Air comes with Adaptive Active Noise Canceling (ANC), five noise cancellation modes, a robust driver setup, low latency audio, great battery life, and a comfort-forward design.
Main Highlights of Edifier TWS1 Air
Among all, the Adaptive ANC feature of the TWS1 Air has to be the biggest highlight. Despite being affordably priced, these earbuds utilize Qualcomm’s ANC system for dynamic noise cancellation adjustment.
As the buds adjust in real time, you are sure to get a top-notch experience regardless of your ear’s shape and where you are. The Edifier TWS1 Air also offers five different ANC modes. That includes a comfortable mode, deep noise cancellation mode, and wind noise reduction mode.
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All of these ANC modes of the TWS1 Air aim to offer the best possible noise cancellation in different environments. Under the hood, the buds come with 10 mm composite drivers. These drivers are designed to deliver a detail-rich sound profile. They ensure the bass is deep and the treble is transparent across the board.
In addition, with aptX protocol, the Edifier TWS1 Air excels in offering high-definition music playback. The earbuds also offer a low latency mode, which makes sure that you get the best gaming audio experience. And with Bluetooth 5.2, you get seamless switching and reliable wireless connectivity.
Regarding battery life, the Edifier TWS1 Air can offer up to 22 hours of total runtime. The buds can offer 5.5 hours of playback. Also, as the buds come with an IP54 rating, you can safely wear them during outdoor activities. And you also get the option to get a tailored listening experience with the Edifier Connect app.
Michemashu is back on EventHubs for another fan art gallery filled with beautiful fighting game gals. The majority of these are from Street Fighter 6, the first of which features the franchise’s newest character, A.K.I.
There’s been a ton of love for A.K.I. here in her first few months in play, but the same can’t exactly be said for her umbrella-like hair. Not everyone hates it, but it’s definitely the least appreciated part of her design. Michemashu makes a small but very noticeable alteration that might be the only change A.K.I. needs.
For those who are indeed fans of her original hairstyle, don’t worry, Miche gives us a traditional version as well. Both pics are drop dead gorgeous, and make us all the more want to “fix” Street Fighter’s new bad girl.
Speaking of Street Fighter bad girls, Juri makes a few appearances here as well. She’s first seen really, really enjoying her SF6 lollipop (not a euphemism) but then we also get to see her imagined as a school girl.
Miche does a top tier job of capturing a certain sense of innocence and cuteness while still hinting at Juri’s eventual bad side with those little horns on the sides of her head. This was clearly drawn before M. Bison murdered Juri’s family and took her eye (you can hear all about that in the Juri history video embedded below) and might be our favorite image in this bunch.
Marisa also looks dominant amid her Colosseum stage, Chun-Li gracefully wisps by, and Cammy shows off the back of her leotard… as she’s prone to do. Check it all out and be sure to peep our previous Michemashu gallery if you haven’t already.
After introducing the Blaze 5G last year, Lava has launched its successor in India. The new Blaze 2 5G phone brings a new design, a glass back, and much more at a starting price falling under Rs 10,000. To recall, Lava already has the Blaze 2 but this is a 4G phone. Check out the details below.
Lava Blaze 2 5G: Specs and Features
The Lava Blaze 2 5G features a big circular camera bump at the back (with a layer of glass), which includes a ring light — a segment-first. There’s a 50MP main camera and a 0.8MP secondary AI camera, along with an 8MP selfie shooter. The phone comes with camera features like Portrait mode, HDR, slow-motion videos, Night mode, and more. The device comes in Glass Black, Glass Blue, and Glass Lavender colors.
The smartphone has a 6.56-inch HD+ IPS display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a 2.5D curved glass. It also includes a center-placed punch-hole. Under the hood, you get a MediaTek Dimensity 6020 chipset, along with up to 6GB of RAM (extendable by up to 6GB) and 128GB of storage (expandable by up to 1TB via a memory card).
The Lava Blaze 2 5G is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging. It runs Android 13 and will get 2 years of updates, which means Android 14 is confirmed. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and OTG support. There’s support for the n1/n3/n5/n8/28/n41/n77/n78 5G bands.
Additionally, the Blaze 2 5G gets FM radio, call recording, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and Face Unlock, among other things.
Price and Availability
The Lava Blaze 2 5G is priced at Rs 9,999 for the 4GB+64GB variant and Rs 1o,999 for the 6GB+12GB model. The phone will be available via Amazon and the company’s website, starting November 9. The company is also a free home service to buyers.
The tech world fgor something new as Cubot prepares to launch the next generation of their mobile innovation. The new P80 model, which features a staggering 512GB of memory. It aims to redefine the smartphone landscape and there is surely excitement in the air about that.
P80: A Memory Marvel
The P80 is not just a smartphone it’s really a memory marvel. With a colossal 512GB of storage, this new device opens the door to endless possibilities. Say goodbye to storage constraints and never worry about deleting cherished memories or essential apps again. The P80 caters to those who demand more from their mobile devices, providing the ultimate solution.
In a world where digital content reigns supreme, having ample storage is essential. Whether it’s capturing stunning photos and videos, downloading your favorite apps, or storing important documents, the P80’s 512GB of memory ensures you have space for it all. No longer will you be plagued by the “Storage Almost Full” notification, the P80 liberates you from such inconveniences.
Moreover, the P80’s memory is not just about quantity, it’s also about quality and speed. With blazing-fast access times and efficient data management, your content is always at your fingertips. This translates into a seamless user experience, where you can switch between apps, access your media and share memories without any hiccups.
More Colors, More Choices
In addition to its incredible memory capacity, the P80 now comes in three stunning looking colors, soft pink, light blue, and classic black. This expansion of color options provides more choices for our users, allowing them to express their individual styles while enjoying the same outstanding features.
Soft Pink: This color exudes elegance and is perfect for those who appreciate a touch of sophistication in their tech gadgets. It’s a statement of style and a departure from the traditional black or silver phones.
Light Blue: For a refreshing and vibrant look, the light blue P80 is a fantastic choice as well. It complements a sunny personality and adds a pop of color to your daily life.
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Classic Black: Timeless and sleek, the classic black P80 appeals to those who prefer a more understated, professional appearance. It’s a perfect match for any occasion.
These color options provide an opportunity for users to customize their P80 to match their personal style and in a world of customization, this is a significant advantage.
Early Bird Special – $119.99
To celebrate the global launch on November 11th, Cubot is offering an exclusive early bird special too. From November 11th to 17th, you can acquire the P80 with 512GB of memory for just $119.99, making it quite the unbeatable deal for tech enthusiasts and anyone looking to upgrade their digital experience.
The P80’s retail price is already a remarkable value for the features it offers. However, during this limited-time offer, you can save significantly on your purchase. The early bird special not only makes the P80 affordable, but also positions it as one of the best deals in the market for a smartphone with such an impressive memory capacity.
This is an opportunity you wouldn’t want to miss. The P80’s early bird special allows you to own a cutting-edge device that not only offers incredible storage but also delivers on performance and style. All with a price, that’s incredibly competitive.
Join the Giveaway Event
As part of the excitement leading up to the P80 launch, Cubot have also announced a remarkable giveaway event. Participants have the opportunity to win the P80 smartphone with 512GB memory for free ! That’s right, there are three chances to become the proud owner of this memory powerhouse. So make sure to check it out and take part.
The fighting game community was treated to the newest Tekken 8 reveal today as gun and sword-toting Victor Chevalier blasted and slashed his way onto the scene in a manner that we can’t help but compare to the red-hot John Wick.
The fleet-fingered Rooflemonger already has a breakdown video up for Victor, slowing down and detailing out all the juicy bits of gameplay footage to help us understand as best as possible how this brand new fighter will play.
Using weapons in Tekken is nothing new, but Victor very much has a unique style as he’s something of a hybrid. Though he’s not above kicking and slashing with blades he seems to keep concealed at the end of his sleeves, Victor uses his hand gun at close range for some very John Wick style sequences.
If this starts to paint a picture in your head of how Victor generally plays, be careful because the next thing we see is him using a massive cyber samurai-like sword and teleporting around the stage like mad. Like we said, he’s unique.
As if that didn’t make him complex enough, we see in the next scene what very well may be a stance as he moves through a few deliberate slashes with his blade. Rooflemonger isn’t certain on this one yet, as it may just be an elaborate string, but Victor is definitely a man of many maneuvers.
One of the many inspirations in this design is clearly Raven, one of Tekken’s long time combatants. Indeed the original Raven (not to be confused with Master Raven, another similarly-styled character who popped up in Tekken 7) pops up in the second half of the trailer to go toe to toe with Victor.
The teleports and general movements seem very inspired by Raven’s design, and indeed it seems his backstory is that he’s the original “Raven” and leader of the “Raven unit” that includes the other two mentioned characters.
There’s a lot more to the trailer as Rooflemonger breaks down the strings, movements, and other happenings to garner as much as we can from this initial look. Check it out and let us know how excited you are for Victor and Tekken 8 in the comments.
Tekken 8 is set for release on January 26, 2024. It will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
