Starbucks’ plushest coffee shop yet serves up AR with its drinks
In keeping with its reputation as a place that likes to serve up cutting-edge tech with its coffee, Starbucks will offer its first-ever in-store augmented reality (AR) experience at its newest Roastery store when it opens on Wednesday.
You will, however, have to be in Shanghai to try it, though perhaps the coffee company will take it stateside before long.
Starbucks debuted its Roastery concept in its home city of Seattle three years ago to offer customers rare coffees from around the world in a lavish setting that’s strikingly different to its regular outlets. Tastings and talks are also available in a bid to further enthuse coffee fans.
The AR fun can be enjoyed by smartphone-owning coffee drinkers visiting Starbucks’ new Shanghai Roastery. It’s the company’s largest site to date, covering an astonishing 30,000 square feet (2,700 square meters) of space. That’s twice the size of the flagship Roastery in Seattle and the equivalent of 40 average NYC apartments, according to Starbucks.
Visitors can whip out their smartphone and point it at various spots throughout the store for “an insider’s digital look” at the brewing process, which includes the enormous copper roasting cask that takes center stage. Just aim your phone’s camera toward a point of interest and the relevant text and graphics will show up as an overlay on your display, “bringing to life Starbucks’ bean-to-cup story.”
“Guided through the space by a custom-designed AR ‘tour-guide,’ customers can unlock virtual badges and a unique Roastery filter to commemorate their visit,” Starbucks said. Yes, it’s essentially all part of a clever marketing ploy to get visitors to explore the enormous location, spend more time there, and perhaps stumble upon the bakery, the 3D-printed tea bar, or “the longest coffee bar in the world,” each of which provides an excellent opportunity to spend a bit more money.
The coffee giant is clearly splashing plenty of cash on its new Roastery in China, which happens to be the company’s fastest growing market.
Back in the U.S., more Roastery stores are planned for New York and Chicago, where Starbucks will no doubt continue to showcase tech in an effort to make customer visits that little bit more convenient and engaging.
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Think twice about posting that koala selfie, Instagram warns
Remember that news story where beachgoers in Argentina reportedly plucked a young dolphin from the sea and passed it around for selfies (above) before it overheated and died? There was a similar incident at a zoo in China, too, where visitors handled a couple of peacocks for selfies, causing both to die of apparent fright.
As a result of incidents like these, Instagram is finally taking steps to make its users aware of the more sinister aspects of some animal photos on its service.
The Facebook-owned company says it’s concerned about how some photographic efforts on its service might impact the animal’s well-being, and wants its users to consider how they interact with them.
As a result, Instagram will now present a “content advisory” message whenever someone searches for a hashtag “associated with harmful behavior to animals or the environment,” while at the same time reminding ‘grammers that “animal abuse and the sale of endangered animals or their parts are not allowed” on the service.
The hashtag list was developed in consultation with the World Wildlife Fund, TRAFFIC, an organization that helps to monitor wildlife trade, and World Animal Protection.
Instagram isn’t giving any specific examples of hashtags that’ll trigger the pop-up message, so it’s impossible to comment on its effectiveness at this early stage. However, we can already see that #koalaselfie, #slothselfie, and #monkeyselfie all trigger the message. At the time of writing, #dolphinselfie and #peacockselfie don’t.
Despite Instagram’s insistence that the “protection and safety of the natural world are important to us and our global community,” and that it’s “committed to fostering a safer, kinder world both on Instagram and beyond the app,” animal welfare advocates may be disappointed to discover that once the user has read the pop-up message, they can still choose to view the content. Alternatively, they can “learn more,” or cancel their search.
According to National Geographic (NG), Instagram was prompted to take action after an investigation by NG and World Animal Protection into the growing industry of problematic wildlife tourism in the Amazon found “animals being illegally captured from the rain forest, kept in cages, and hauled out for well-meaning tourists to hold and take selfies with.”
Cassandra Koenen of World Animal Protection told NG she hopes the warnings will cause those using Instagram to take a moment to consider the kind of content they’re searching for. “If someone’s behavior is interrupted, hopefully they’ll think, ‘Maybe there’s something more here,’ or, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t just automatically like something or forward something or repost something if Instagram is saying to me there’s a problem with this photo.’” It might also make users think twice about taking such pictures themselves, an act that brings with it its own risks and dangers.
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Google launches Android Oreo (Go edition) for entry-level phones
Google’s Android Go platform is designed for phones with less than 1GB of RAM.
Google detailed its Android Go platform back at I/O 2017, and the company is now officially launching the lightweight OS at the Google for India event. Dubbed Android Oreo (Go edition), the OS is targeted at entry-level devices with 512MB to 1GB of RAM. Google is also rolling out lightweight versions of its apps — Gmail, YouTube, Maps, Assistant, and the like — that are optimized to run on the platform.

With most Android Go devices set to offer 8GB of storage, Google is ensuring that customers have enough storage for their own content by bundling fewer pre-installed apps. The company is claiming that Android Go devices will offer 2x the amount of available storage on devices with 8GB of internal memory when compared to a regular build of Oreo.
Android Go devices will have just nine apps pre-installed: Google Go, Google Assistant Go, YouTube Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go, Gboard, Google Play, Chrome, and the new Files Go app.
Google is also optimizing app load times, with Android Go devices set to load apps 15% faster. Chrome’s Data Saver feature is built into Android Go, and is enabled by default. When it comes to security, all Android Go devices will get Google Play Protect built-in, and Google has also optimized the Play Store to highlight apps that will work well on the platform.
Android Oreo (Go edition) is now available for manufacturers, and we should see the first batch of devices running the platform in the coming months. Android Go is designed to cater to the entry-level segment in countries like India. With just 450 million of India’s 1.32 billion population currently online, there’s a lot of potential to target hundreds of millions of new customers.
Then there’s the fact that phones sold in this segment tend to feature vastly outdated versions of Android with no software updates. Google is looking to change all that with Android Go, and provide a decent user experience for first-time smartphone buyers.
Google Assistant is coming to a $25 feature phone in India
Google Assistant is making its way to Reliance’s JioPhone.
Google launched the Android Go platform at its Google for India event, and the company has also announced that it is bringing the Google Assistant to Reliance’s $25 JioPhone. The feature phone made its debut earlier this year, becoming the first device to be powered by Qualcomm’s 205 Mobile Platform.

The 4G-enabled phone also comes with Jio’s suite of apps, and the addition of Google Assistant will be a welcome bonus for buyers looking to pick up the device.
Assistant has thus far been limited to iOS and Android devices, and making it available on a feature phone gives Google the ability to reach a much wider audience. After all, feature phones have always had a place in India, and with the likes of Jio rolling out devices with on-demand video and 4G connectivity, their numbers are set to grow.
Google Assistant on the JioPhone will be available in both English and Hindi, and users will be able to issue voice commands or type in their queries. Google is customizing the Assistant experience to fit the 2.4-inch QVGA screen, but when it comes to usability the AI should work the same way it does on Android and iOS devices.
Google Maps gets a dedicated two-wheeler mode in India
Google Maps now shows directions for two-wheelers in India.
Google has introduced a motorcycle mode in Google Maps that allows those on two-wheelers find the best route for their commute. The feature is designed for India, the world’s largest two-wheeler market. With most bylanes in the country not wide enough to accommodate cars, launching a dedicated two-wheeler mode allows those on bikes and scooters find more optimized routes.

Just like four-wheeler navigation, motorcycle mode offers turn-by-turn directions, estimated time of arrival, and voice prompts. The company also talked about offline maps and landmark-based navigation, two features that were initially developed for India but made their way to global markets.
For now, it looks like the two-wheeler mode is limited to India, but Google may launch it in other markets provided there’s enough interest.
BBC to release ‘Blue Planet II’ on iPlayer in 4K and HDR
It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the BBC has announced it will soon release a full series on iPlayer in 4K and high dynamic range (HDR). Nature documentary Blue Planet II will get the ultra HD treatment on December 10th, after the final episode airs on BBC One. It’s the first time a complete show has been available in the format, following a four-minute Planet Earth II teaser last year and various trials behind closed doors. Like almost everything on iPlayer, it will be available to stream for 30 days. Beyond that, you’ll need to fork out for the inevitable 4K Blu-ray disc.

The BBC says the release “is part of a trial” and that a complete 4K library is still a way off. That will, of course, disappoint those who have already upgraded their TV. The challenge for the BBC is trickier, however, than Netflix or Amazon because it’s also preparing for live 4K broadcasts. Conventional HDR standards would require an additional channel and wasted broadcast bandwidth; to solve the problem, the BBC has been working on a new kind of HDR called Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) with Japanese broadcaster NHK. It’s designed for live TV and is backwards compatible — so both HDR and “SDR” sets can read the same signal.
Little HLG content exists, however many TV manufacturers are already supporting the standard. The BBC has provided a list of almost 400 TVs that will support the 4K stream; they include sets by Panasonic, LG, Phillips, Hisense, Sony and Roku. The broadcaster says “the vast majority” of these will support HLG too, providing better detail in the shadows and brighter, more natural highlights and reflections. The nature of the HLG signal means that 4K, SDR TVs will also benefit from a “high quality ‘compatible’ picture” that uses the BT.2020 wide colour gamut.

“Blue Planet II is the first programme we’ve shown in such high quality and perfectly demonstrates how the BBC is pushing the boundaries of digital innovation,” Matthew Postgate, chief technology and product officer for the BBC’s design and engineering team said. I watched the final episode in 4K and HDR at the Soho Screening Rooms in London. It was, unsurprisingly, a stunning watch, with breathtaking colors and clarity. If you live in the UK and have a compatible set, I highly recommend watching an episode or two this Christmas, even if you’ve already seen the series.
Google releases its Android file storage manager to all
Google has filled a big hole in its Android system by releasing Files Go!, its mobile file organization and sharing app. Launched in beta last month, the app makes it easier for Android users to free up space, find files, back them up to the cloud, and share them with other smartphones, even offline. It’s one of the linchpin apps of Google’s Oreo 8.1 (Go edition), a slimmed down version of Android meant for the less-powerful devices in developing nations.
Files Go! will also be handy for power users who currently lean on third-party file organization apps, which are often paid or ad-supported. On top of giving you direct access to your downloads, received files, apps, images, video, audio and documents, it will offer suggestions for freeing up space. For instance, it can tell you how much you can free from your app cache, unused apps, large files and downloaded files. It’ll also offer to move files to an SD card, if you have one.

Another long overdue feature is the ability to share files offline, Airdrop-style. When you enable the feature, it lets you create a “hotspot” to connect and transfer files via Bluetooth. If a friend also has Files Go and file sharing enabled, it’s simply a matter of hitting send or receive. “The file transfers are encrypted, fast (up to 125 Mbps) and free,” says Google.
The app can also remind you when you’re low on storage and let you backup files to Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and other apps. Google says it has been testing the app for a month and has saved users an average of 1GB space. It’s now available for all on the Google Play Store, assuming you have Android 5.0 or higher.
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Source: Google
Android Oreo for low-powered phones launches today
Google is finally releasing the bare bones version of Android it showed off at I/O 2017 back in May. The tech titan is making Android Oreo Go available to manufacturers with Android 8.1, which is scheduled to drop anytime within the next 24 hours. This optimized version of Google’s mobile OS was created specifically for devices with only 512MB to 1GB of memory. It was built to be lighter and to run faster on phones that don’t come with big ROMs and the most advanced components money can buy, with core apps that are 50 percent smaller and 15 percent faster than their full-sized counterparts.
The suite of pre-installed apps you’ll find on a Go phone include Google Assistant Go, Files Go, Google Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go, YouTube Go, Gboard, Chrome and the Play Store. Most of these apps are stripped-down variants with simpler interfaces and, in YouTube’s case, the ability to load the lowest resolution of videos possible.
Files Go can help make phones with smaller storage spaces more usable and manageable by suggesting unused files and apps to delete, as well as making it easy to back up files to the cloud and to make them available offline. Google Go, which used to be known as “Search Lite,” makes it faster to find info. The other apps like the Play Store and Chrome for Go aren’t exactly a separate entity — in Chrome’s case, its Data Saver function is switched on by default to help users save data.
At an event in India, Google has revealed that its partners’ first Go phones will hit shelves in early 2018. It’s unclear if they’ll also make it to the US and other developed nations, but they won’t make a huge dent in your wallet if ever they do.
Source: Google (1), (2)
OnePlus 5T India review: Hitting all the right notes

The OnePlus 5T builds on the strengths of the OnePlus 5 while introducing a gorgeous new display and low-light camera.
OnePlus is doing rather well in India. The Chinese manufacturer racked up a market share of over 28% in the premium segment, a 16% surge in the space of a few quarters. A healthy interest in the OnePlus 5 was a major contributor to the uptick in market share, with the device by itself accounting for 24.75% of the market share in the premium category.
Of course, OnePlus didn’t have much competition in this segment when it launched the OnePlus 5 in the country earlier this year. Xiaomi missed out on a huge opportunity by not bringing the Mi 6 to India, and with the Moto Z2 Play fielding largely unchanged hardware, there weren’t a lot of phones that went toe-to-toe with OnePlus’ offering regarding sheer performance.
That has changed in recent months, with the introduction of the Mi Mix 2 and the Nokia 8. Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 835 and offer exciting features — a bezel-less frame in case of the Mi Mix 2 and classic industrial design with the Nokia 8 — that make them viable contenders in this space.
OnePlus hasn’t been sitting on its laurels either. With the OnePlus 5T, the company is finally making the switch to an all-screen front, and there’s a brand-new secondary camera that’s designed to improve low-light photography.
The phone is launching just five months after the debut of the OnePlus 5, and given that we’ve seen the same last year with the OnePlus 3/3T, it’s safe to assume that OnePlus will be sticking to a two-phone release cycle going forward. For what it’s worth, the company is calling the 5T an upgraded variant of the OnePlus 5. Let’s find out if it fits that bill.

About this review
I’m writing this review after using the OnePlus 5T in Hyderabad for ten days. The phone received an update on day one, and was connected to Airtel’s 4G network throughout the testing period. The unit was provided for review by OnePlus India.
OnePlus 5T Specs
| Operating system | Android 7.1 Nougat |
| Display | 6-inch Optic AMOLED2160 x 1080 (FHD+)401PPI pixel density |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-coreAdreno 540 GPU |
| Storage | 64/128GB UFS 2.1 |
| RAM | 6/8GB LPDDR4X |
| Rear camera 1 | 16MP (IMX 398), 1.12-micron pixels, f/1.7Dual LED flash, 4K 30 fps, 1080p 60 fps, 720p 120 fps video |
| Rear camera 2 | 20MP (IMX 376), 1-micron pixels, f/1.7 |
| Front camera | 16MP (IMX 371), 1-micron pixels, f/2.01080p 30 fps video |
| Battery | 3300mAhNon-removable |
| Charging | USB-CDash Charge |
| Water resistance | No |
| Security | One-touch fingerprint sensor |
| Connectivity | 802.11ac Wi-Fi, 2×2 MIMO, Bluetooth 5.0, aptX, aptX HDUSB-C (2.0), NFCGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo |
| Network | 3xCA, 256QAM, DL Cat 12, UL Cat 13FDD-LTE Band 1/2/3/4/5/7/8/12/17/18/ 19/20/25/26/28/29/30/66TDD-LTE Band 34/38/39/40/41TD-SCDMA Band 34/39HSPA Band 1/2/4/5/8 |
| Dimensions | 156.1 x 75 x 7.3 mm162 g |
| Colors | Midnight Black |

OnePlus 5T Hardware
The biggest — and most visible — change in the OnePlus 5T is the 18:9 display. OnePlus is the latest manufacturer to join the thin-bezel bandwagon, with the phone sporting a 6.0-inch Optic AMOLED display with minimal borders at the top and bottom. Although the screen size has increased from the 5.5-inch display we’ve seen on the OnePlus 5, the overall dimensions have remained the same thanks to the thin-bezel design. The OnePlus 5T is just 2mm taller than the OnePlus 5, and 1mm wider while retaining the same thickness.
The result is a device that’s much more immersive than the OnePlus 5. It’s not the most dense panel around with a resolution of 2160 x 1080, but you’ll be hard put to find any faults with the display. The Samsung-made Optic AMOLED panel is vibrant and full of colors, and is easily one of the best displays you can get in this category. The only problem I noticed with the screen was that it got quite reflective under harsh sunlight, making it harder to read text while outdoors.
The OnePlus 5T also retains Night Mode, which is essentially a blue light filter. You can either schedule Night Mode automatically from sunrise to sunset, set a custom time range, and adjust the intensity of the filter as well. The mode is designed to boost warmer color tones, reducing strain on the eyes when using your phone at night.
Then there’s Reading Mode, one of my favorite features in OxygenOS. Reading Mode turns the display monochrome, making it easier to read e-books on your phone. You’ll be able to set the mode to automatically kick in for a particular app or activate it system-wide manually.
The OnePlus 5T has one of the best displays in this segment.
Other display features include the ability to adjust the color temperature. You’ll be able to choose between sRGB, DCI-P3, Adaptive mode, and set a custom color profile based on your needs. You can also enable Ambient display, which wakes the screen whenever you receive notifications, and Lift Up display, which does the same when you pick up your phone.
Aside from the new screen, the OnePlus 5T offers the same basic design as its predecessor. There’s nothing particularly noteworthy when it comes to the design — with OnePlus basically copying its sister company OPPO’s design language — but you do get a phone with excellent build quality.
Like the OnePlus 5, the OnePlus 5T features an aluminum chassis with antenna bands tucked away at the top and bottom, and the phone is just as slippery. The device is available in a single color option this time around: Midnight Black. The smooth texture combined with the flat back and tall display doesn’t do the device any favors, and as such a case is highly recommended. Thankfully, OnePlus makes a great selection of first-party cases, and with the OnePlus 5T the company has introduced a red silicon case that complements the device very well.
The all-screen display means that the OnePlus 5T is the company’s first phone without a home button, with the fingerprint sensor moved to the back of the device. Its location at the top-third part of the screen makes it convenient to access with your index finger, and the sensor itself is unerringly accurate. Elsewhere, you get a single-firing speaker at the bottom, and OnePlus has retained the 3.5mm jack 🙏
If you’ve made the switch to Bluetooth audio, you’ll be glad to know that the OnePlus 5T — like previous OnePlus devices — comes with both aptX and aptX HD. Of course, you’ll need an aptX-enabled headset to fully utilize the feature, like Sony’s MDR-1000X or the LG Tone Infinim HBS-910. In addition to the headset, you’ll also need to make sure that your audio files are lossless.
OnePlus built its entire business model on providing flagship-class specs for a few hundred dollars less than the competition, and as you’d expect the OnePlus 5T features the latest hardware available today. That includes a Snapdragon 835, 6GB/8GB of RAM, and 64GB/128GB of internal storage.
You’re not going to notice any slowdowns, nor any hiccups in day-to-day usage. The hardware on tap combined with the 1080p panel and the lightweight OxygenOS leads to a potent combination, making the OnePlus 5T the fastest phone this side of the Pixels. There’s no reason to get the 8GB/128GB variant unless you need the extra storage. The 6GB of RAM is more than adequate to handle everything you throw at it, and then some.
Battery life

The OnePlus 5T consistently manages to deliver a day’s worth of battery life from a full charge, and when you do need to top up the 3300mAh battery, you can call upon Dash Charge. OnePlus’ proprietary charging tech is one of the best around, providing a day’s charge in a half hour: I was able to charge the phone from 35% to 70% in just over 25 minutes.
I routinely saw over five hours of screen-on-time, and OnePlus has done an excellent job cutting down on idle battery drain. The only downside with Dash Charge is that you’ll have to use the provided wall charger or the car charger to access the insanely-fast charging times.

OnePlus 5T Software
The OxygenOS experience is unchanged from the OnePlus 5: you still get a clean user interface layered with a few OnePlus additions. It would’ve been great to see the OnePlus 5T launch with Oreo out of the box, but you’ll have to wait a few months before you can start using the latest version of Android. For what it’s worth, OnePlus has rolled out the Android Oreo beta update to the OnePlus 5 last month, and has committed to doing the same for the OnePlus 5T before the end of the year.
While the overall experience is similar to what you get with the OnePlus 5, there are a few new additions on the OnePlus 5T. Face Unlock is the biggest new feature, with the company relying on the 16MP front camera to scan your face. OnePlus relies on over 100 data points to identify your face, and while it doesn’t get fooled by a photo, the system isn’t as secure as the fingerprint sensor at the back. That said, it is the fastest face unlock mechanism available on Android, handily beating Samsung’s implementation.
Face Unlock isn’t secure, but it sure is fast.
Another new feature is Parallel Apps, which as the name suggests lets you run two instances of the same app simultaneously. You get a list of suggested apps that work with the feature, and all you have to do is hit the toggle in the settings (Settings > Apps > Parallel Apps) to enable another instance of an app. There’s also a visual indicator to distinguish the cloned app from the original.
Now that the fingerprint sensor is located at the back, OxygenOS picked up a few gestures to take advantage of its placement. First up is swipe for notifications, which pulls down the notification panel when you swipe down on the sensor. There’s also a gesture that lets you take a photo when you long press then sensor when in viewfinder mode.
The usual OxygenOS gestures are intact: you can flip the device to mute incoming calls, swipe anywhere on the screen with three fingers to take a screenshot, double tap to wake the screen, and set custom actions.
OxygenOS continues to be fast, but I did run into a few gremlins in the ten days I used the OnePlus 5T: my go-to document storage app Box wouldn’t load text, so I had to find an alternative. Google Keep also ended up crashing constantly, and I ended up using the web-based client to access my to-do lists. Aside from the minor annoyances, OxygenOS is a delight to use, and is easily one of the best manufacturer skins around.

OnePlus 5T Camera
The OnePlus 5T features the same 16MP primary camera as the OnePlus 5, but the secondary telephoto lens has been switched out for an all-new low-light camera. The 20MP f/1.7 sensor kicks in automatically in low-lighting scenarios (under10 lux), but a majority of the time you’ll be taking photos with the primary camera.
You can get stunning shots with the primary camera provided the scene is well-lit, with the OnePlus 5T holding its own next to the Pixel and the Note 8 in a few shooting conditions. The differences start becoming clearer as the lighting conditions deteriorate, and while the OnePlus 5T manages to do a decent job, it isn’t on the same level as Google’s and Samsung’s flagships. Considering it costs less than half that of the Galaxy Note 8 in India, that’s a fair tradeoff.

























The camera app has picked up a new interface, with all the settings laid out in an easy-to-understand manner. You’ll be able to toggle HDR, flash, timer, and switch between the front and rear cameras with ease, and access the shooting modes by selecting the upward arrow. You get Portrait Mode, but it’s just as ineffective as the one on the OnePlus 5.
Then there’s Beautify mode, which is automatically enabled for Portrait Mode. You’ll be able to adjust the setting for the intensity of the filter in Beautify, ranging from natural all the way to Kim Kardashian.

OnePlus 5T Bottom line
OnePlus’ focus on delivering flagship-class performance for less than half the cost of “true flagships” allowed it to cement its position as the go-to brand for those looking to get top-notch hardware without breaking the bank. As a result, there’s considerable excitement over any new release from the manufacturer. The OnePlus 5T is absolutely worthy of that attention.
The 18:9 display at the front is one of the best in this category, as is the primary camera. The clean software experience and all-day battery life make the OnePlus 5T an all-rounder, and the phone to beat in this segment.
The OnePlus 5T costs the same as the OnePlus 5 in India, and that’s amazing.
OnePlus is cognizant of the market conditions in India, and as such the company is introducing the OnePlus 5T at the same price point as the OnePlus 5. The variant with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage is now available from Amazon India for ₹32,999, and the 8GB model with 128GB of storage can be purchased for ₹37,999.
In a market that’s obsessed with price, that’s a masterstroke as it allows the brand to undercut both the Mi Mix 2 and the Nokia 8, which start off at ₹35,999 and ₹36,999 respectively.
Should you buy one? Of course!
If you’re looking for a phone with top-of-the-line specs and an uncluttered software but don’t want to spend over ₹40,000, the OnePlus 5T should be at the top of your list. There isn’t a phone in the sub-₹40,000 segment that offers as much value for your money.
OnePlus is rolling out a Star Wars-themed variant of the OnePlus 5T on December 15. The OnePlus 5T Star Wars edition comes with a custom white paint job and the Star Wars logo etched at the back, and the Alert Slider is painted red. The phone will be sold in limited numbers and exclusively in India, so if you’re interested in Star Wars at all, you’ll want to set a reminder to pick up the phone next week.
Don’t care much for the Force, lightsabers, or spaceships that can do the Kessel Run in under twelve parsecs? Then you can pick up the standard variant of the OnePlus 5T right now from Amazon India.
See at Amazon India
Quentin Tarantino developing ‘Star Trek’ movie with J.J. Abrams
Quentin Tarantino could helm the next Star Trek film, according to sources who spoke to Deadline. Tarantino has shared his pitch on the long-running sci-fi franchise with producer J.J. Abrams, reports The Hollywood Reporter. The two plan to convene a writers room to develop the film at Paramount, with Tarantino in the director’s chair.
Does that mean we’re about to get a R-rated Star Trek scored by Wu Tang Clan’s RZA? That’s doubtful, considering the nature of the series. But, there’s also been no word on a path for the franchise since Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond (the third in the rebooted universe) bowed in July 2016.
It’s no secret that Tarantino is a trekkie. Back in 2015, the filmmaker laid out his vision for a Star Trek movie on the Nerdist podcast, claiming that he wanted to get away from the multi-character story arcs of the reboots, which Beyond would later fully embrace. Tarantino said he’d rather see a repurposed Star Trek episode, namedropping time-travelling classics The City on the Edge of Forever and Yesterday’s Enterprise.
More recently, he told TMZ that if a studio wants him aboard the enterprise, it better set the meeting stat (hinting at his retirement after two more films). Meanwhile, Star Trek made the leap to CBS All Access this year, with the release of TV series Star Trek: Discovery.
Source: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter



