Tag: jio fiber

Reliance Jio Plans to Bring ‘Cloud’ Laptop Soon, to Be Priced Around Rs. 15,000: Report

Telecom giant Reliance Jio has been hard at work on its hardware offerings, launching phones and laptops in the budget segment. The company introduced its second laptop, the JioBook (2023), earlier this year in July at an aggressive price of Rs. 16,499. Jio now seems intent on expanding its PC lineup, with a new report claiming the company plans to bring a cloud laptop to market at around Rs. 15,000. The cloud laptop, which will cut down the high costs involved with shipping a laptop by working off of Jio Cloud, will launch in India in the coming months.

A report from The Economic Times on Saturday said that the Mukesh Ambani-owned telecommunications firm was holding talks with top manufacturers like HP, Acer and Lenovo to introduce the laptop in the country in a few months.

Citing a senior Jio official, the ET report claimed that the laptop would be a “dumb terminal” with all its processing and storage functions done on Jio Cloud infrastructure, thus reducing the need for expensive hardware and consequently bringing down the cost of ownership for a laptop. Bear in mind, however, a cloud-based computer would need an always-on internet connection to access storage, processing and other functionalities off the cloud that a regular laptop would be able to perform natively.

“The cost of a laptop depends on its hardware like memory, processing power, chipset etc. The greater capacity of these hardware increases costs as well as battery power. What we are doing is, we are stripping all this and the whole processing of the laptop will happen at the back end in the Jio cloud,” ET quoted the Jio official as saying.

The report also said that Jio plans to pair the laptop with a monthly cloud subscription, much like Apple’s iCloud or a Google One subscription. Pricing for the cloud membership, however, will be finalised at a later date. The cloud subscription will also likely bundle a host of Jio services, with specialised features available on a higher tier plan.

The proposed cloud laptop is currently undergoing trials on an HP Chromebook, the report added. Additionally, the cloud PC software could also be accessed on existing devices, like a desktop or a smart TV, without having to buy the cloud-based device

Back in September, Jio launched its AirFiber, a digital entertainment and Wi-Fi service, offering access to over 550 digital TV channels, along with subscriptions to over 16 OTT apps. Meant for users with limited fibre Internet access at their location, Jio’s AirFiber services offer Wi-Fi-like internet connection based on 5G FWA (fixed wireless access). Jio AirFiber is now available in 262 towns in India, with plans starting from Rs. 599 a month.

In July, the company launched the JioBook (2023), successor to the first JioBook introduced last year. The latest JioBook is powered by an octa-core MediaTek MT8788 processor and runs on Android-based JioOS operating system.

Earlier this month, Jio also launched JioPhone Prima 4G feature phone at Rs. 2,599. The phone runs on KaiOS platform and supports popular apps like WhatsApp, YouTube, Google Search, Facebook and a host of Jio services. The company is also speculated to be working on a 5G handset.

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Reliance Jio Launches Prepaid Mobile Plans Bundled With Netflix Subscription

Reliance Jio on Friday launched two prepaid mobile plans bundled with a Netflix subscription. 

The company said it is a global first-of-its-kind prepaid bundle partnership for Netflix.

“We are committed to bringing world-class services to our users. The launch of Netflix bundles with our prepaid plan is yet another step to demonstrate our resolve. Our partnership with global partners like Netflix has grown in strength, and together we are creating use cases for the rest of the world to follow,” Jio Platforms CEO Kiran Thomas said in a statement.

A Netflix subscription is already available on select Jio Postpaid and Jio Fiber plans, but this is the first time that a Netflix subscription will be available on a prepaid plan.

With this launch, over 400 million Jio prepaid customers will get the option of availing a Netflix subscription through a Jio Prepaid bundled plan.

“Over the years, we have launched a variety of successful local shows, documentaries and films, which have been loved by audiences across India. Our collection of must-watch stories is growing and our new prepaid bundle partnership with Jio will give more customers access to this exciting line-up of Indian content as well as some incredible stories from around the world,” Netflix Vice President of APAC Partnerships Tony Zameczkowski said.

The company is offering two plans priced at Rs. 1,099 and Rs. 1,499 with 84 days validity with a Netflix subscription.

The plan costing Rs. 1,099 will offer Netflix mobile subscription, unlimited 5G data or 2 GB 4G data per day and unlimited voice calls.

The Netflix mobile separately costs Rs. 149 per month and it allows watching content on mobile phones only.

The higher plan of Rs. 1,499 will offer Netflix’s basic feature, which will allow users to watch on either mobile or television at one time. It will come with similar benefits as the lower-price version but will offer 3GB of 4G data per day.

The Netflix basic plan separately costs Rs. 199 per month in India.

The 2GB data plan with unlimited voice calls and 84 days validity cost Rs. 719, and the same plan with 3GB data starts at Rs. 999. 

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GitHub Users Report Content Domain Blocked in India; May Restrict Access to Open Source Projects, More

GitHub, a popular software development platform that hosts open-source projects is said to be blocked for some users in India. A domain used by the service to serve files and content from repositories to users all over the world, has seemingly been blocked in India. The block appears to be active for some users on ACT Fibernet broadband, while some Jio Fiber users are also facing issues with the URL as well. The block was spotted by users on Sunday, who tweeted about the website being inaccessible on the ACT Fibernet service. As a result of the blocked domain, affected users may have limited access to files used in open-source projects hosted on the platform for developers and GitHub users.

Twitter user Arnav Gupta (Twitter: @championswimmer) first spotted the issue. In his tweet on Sunday, he enquired if http://raw.githubusercontent.com was blocked on ACT internet in Bangalore. Responses to his tweet indicate that the domain has been blocked on certain ISPs in the country.

Gadgets 360 was able to confirm that the URL was not accessible on ACT broadband internet and Jio Fiber. Visiting the URL via a web browser displays the message, “This URL has been blocked under the instructions in compliance with the orders of a Hon’ble Court.” The domain appears to be working normally for Airtel users.Later on, security researcher Karan Saini (Twitter: @squeal) tweeted out more details about the block. “The ‘raw[.]githubusercontent[.]com’ host, which serves files for every single @github repository to users all over the world, has been blocked in India for users of @ACTFibernet , likely at the Govt.’s behest,” Saini tweeted. He added that blocking the URL would reduce the functionality of the platform.

It is worth noting that GitHub is home to numerous, valuable open-source projects. Blocking the raw.githubusercontent.com domain, which is used to serve files stored in GitHub repositories, would restrict access to notable projects including React Native, Linux, and Google’s TensorFlow.

Meanwhile, Gupta also pointed out that previews of Visual Studio Code extensions, Readme files on the GitHub website have also been affected, as well as the functionality of tools like Obsidian and Homebrew which is used to simplify software installation on macOS and Linux. Gadgets 360 was able to confirm that “readme” files, used to display descriptions of projects such as the Linux kernel, were also inaccessible on the affected ISPs.

While the URL is not accessible via browsers on the affected ISPs, using the Command Prompt to send a Client URL (Curl) request also returns the same error, informing the user that the host has been blocked in compliance with a court order.The blocking of Github’s domain used to serve content to users is also surprising, as one of the objectives of the National Policy on Information Technology, 2012 is “To adopt Open standards and promote open source and open technologies”. Restricting access to the platform could hamper the adoption and development of open source technology in the country.

Gadgets 360 has reached out to ACT Fibernet, Jio Fiber, GitHub for comment. The story will be updated with their response. We have also requested the Department of Telecommunications and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for a statement on the blocking of the domain in the country.

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JioGamesCloud: Reliance’s New Cloud Gaming Service Now Available in Beta to Everyone

JioGamesCloud is now available for beta early access to everyone. Announced three years ago at a Reliance AGM event, the Indian cloud gaming service attempts to bring high-quality titles to its platform, including the likes of Saints Row IV, Kingdom Come Deliverance, and more. Though to be fair, most of its lineup is unheard of mobile titles. Interested users can sign up for the JioGamesCloud beta programme and test out games from its catalogue, across the JioGames Android app, their web browsers, and the JioFiber set-top box. Games are available to play instantly without the requirement for any downloads, installations, or updates.

Just like every other cloud gaming service, load times and performance are entirely dependent on your internet connection. Gadgets 360 tested it out on an Android phone, a Windows laptop, and a MacBook Air — and it ran fairly smooth at 16mbps with full-HD 1080p graphics. JioGamesCloud is currently available for free, even those with an Airtel or Vi phone number, we have discovered. Though later on, we would expect it to be locked behind a subscription. It might function on a recurring monthly subscription akin to Xbox Game Pass, which comes packaged with Cloud Gaming albeit not in India. Back in 2020, Reliance Jio confirmed that it was working with Microsoft to bring its Project xCloud gaming service to India, though it’s been mute on the matter ever since.

JioGamesCloud controller support

On an Android device, JioGamesCloud functions similarly to most phone-based titles, featuring on-screen controls that can be expanded via a Bluetooth controller. Meanwhile, the desktop version of JioGamesCloud relies on a keyboard-mouse setup, with additional support for controllers. Gadgets 360 tested both the PS5’s DualSense and the Xbox Wireless Controller shipped with an Xbox Series X. Both worked — though the D-pad didn’t function on either, and the DualSense’s controls setup was unusual and couldn’t be changed. The JioGamesCloud FAQ section on the official website notes that you “would need a gaming controller (Bluetooth or Wired) connected to your Set-Top-Box [and the JioGamesNow app to play on your television].”

How to play games on JioGamesCloud

Logging into the platform requires a phone number, and there’s no need for it to be a Jio SIM card, as we noted before. Hardware specifications are limited as well, simply demanding a “stable internet connection,” though it does recommend running titles on Google Chrome for the “best gaming experience.”

Games on Android would run on a 5G connection or Wi-Fi, with support running on devices ranging between versions Android 5.0 to Android 12.0. On mobile, JioGamesCloud is included as a new tab on the JioGames app, listing its limited library, sorted by genres. My brief playtime with Kingdom Come Deliverance and Saints Row IV on Android was plagued with screen freezes and crashes when a new animation loaded in. Games seem to be running at the lowest possible settings — as expected — and were riddled with hindrances such as screen flickers and sound cutting out. However, this only seems to be the case with heavier AAA titles, as I found less intensive games such as Ben 10 running buttery smooth. It’s also worth noting that JioGamesCloud is currently in beta.

On PC, however, performance was far better, though not considerably. On Saints Row IV, I encountered some input delays and a mild stutter that became super noticeable when moving the camera around. The game was evidently running on the lowest possible settings — and the graphics settings are inaccessible on both Android and PC, prohibiting you from tinkering with the presets to get the best possible framerate. Kingdom Come Deliverance, on the other hand, combats the lag issue by incorporating motion blur, which was quite nauseating for my liking. Would’ve been great if I could reduce it just a tiny bit.

JioGamesCloud to bring Nvidia GeForce Now

For now, the games library on JioGamesCloud is quite limited, though it plans to “keep on enriching” over time. Reliance has also apparently tied up with Nvidia to bring GeForce Now via JioGamesCloud, as confirmed by a support team member in the official Discord channel. The claim is strengthened by a leaked screenshot from the set-top box version, which features a GeForce tab that lists titles such as Watch Dogs 2, Destiny 2, and Trackmania.

JioGamesCloud games library

As of now, there aren’t many AAA or known options, save for the few listed below:

JioGamesPlay is now available free in early access on a desktop browser, the JioGames Android app, and the JioFiber set-top box. It’s expected to be a subscription-based offering once it leaves beta testing. Though there’s no word on a full-scale launch, a Discord support team member hinted that it might happen in January 2023.

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