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OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro: random thoughts – GSMArena.com news – GSMArena.com

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OnePlus introduced the new 8 and 8 Pro this week and now that the dust has settled here are a few thoughts on the new additions. These are mostly about where they fit in the global scheme of things and what they represent for their maker – if you want to learn more about the phones themselves we have hands-on articles for both OnePlus 8 and the 8 Pro.

The flagship killer is no more

Let’s kick-off with the elephant in the room and the thing that definitely has the greatest number of fans riled-up. Starting at USD 699/EUR 699 and USD 899/EUR 899, respectively the vanilla OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro are significantly more expensive than their predecessors, despite the latter coming wiht half the base storage.

At this point the transformation of a company that was initially trying to position itself as the underdog “flagship-killer” is complete. Looking back at the 7T, ant the 7T Pro, those launched at €600 and €760, respectively. And just over 12 months ago the OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro commanded €559 and €700 starting prices.

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Now OnePlus finally feels confident it can compete without having to undercut its rivals. The fact that the 8 Pro costs more than a Galaxy S20+ is a strong statement and if OnePlus retains its competitiveness at these newfound heights it might become BBK’s new golden goose. We are yet to see how that big if pans out however.

The new goalposts

With the move to higher tiers the concept of value for money changes. While being able to perform the largest variety of tasks is king in the mid-range, in the premium segments its also about being the best at at least some of them. You don’t spend this kind of cash without getting at least some bragging rights.

On paper the OnePlus 8 Pro doesn’t have the best camera setup nor the largest battery and while the 30W of wired and wireless charging are decent they are hardly chart-topping.

It seems then that OxygenOS will be crucial to the success of the 8 Pro. If it gets the resource management right and delievers great battery life and if the camera processing makes the most out of the available sensors the new flagship might go places.

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro: random thoughts

The OnePlus 8 in no man’s land

The vanilla OnePlus 8 seemingly finds itslelf in a tough place. Not only does its new price tag bring fiercer competition from outside, but it also has the OnePlus 7T to consider. Last year’s non-Pro phone delivered most of the features of its Pro sibling, while maintaining a more reasonable price. In contrast the OnePlus 8 sits further below the 8 Pro – settling for a 90Hz display, instead of the new 120Hz model, having inferior main and ultrawide cameras and lacking the wireless charging and IP rating.

The OnePlus 8 also entirely misses on the standard telephoto camera and swaps it for a macro unit. The latter substitution stings that little bit more when we consider the OnePlus 7T had a 2x telephoto snapper. How that will compare to a crop from the main 48MP camera on the OnePlus 8 is a valid question and one that we’ll be able to answer once the review is complete.

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro: random thoughts

What could have been

Thanks to being part of BBK Electronics, OnePlus has access to R&D and manufacturing resources far beyond what its revenue streams would otherwise enable. The downside is it has to play the team game and not get too close to its siblings. So while we would have loved to get the camera setup from the Oppo Find X2 Pro on the OnePlus 8 Pro we get how that would have put the two even closer in price and created unwanted in-house competition.

But if the 13MP periscope telephoto unit is too much, why couldn’t we at least get the brighter f/1.7 aperture for the main camera, also found on the regular Find X2?

It somewhat similar with charging – sure 30W sounds great, even better when it is wireless, but the Oppo Ace2 already does 65W SuperVOOC and 40W wireless top-ups.

OxygenOS is the name of the game

We definitely don’t want this to be a rant. The OnePlus new flagship has a lot to offer and we already hinted what their main weapon will be – the refined OxygenOS software.

Standing out as one of the better custom Android launchers out there it has a loyal following that few of the makers partnering with Google can enjoy.

Again, we are yet to examine it in detail, but early signs are that the 2020 OxygenOS experience is going to be snappy and fluid with stock looks and thoughtful and well implemented tweaks and feature additions. And if camera processing takes another step over what the OnePlus 7T Pro had thing might start to look up.

OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro: random thoughts

A couple of questions remain

The official premiere and the first hands-ons gave a lot of answers, but many questions remain. The much requested official IP68 rating is here on the Pro, as well as vanilla OnePlus 8 carrier units, sold by Verizon and T-Mobile. What gives? Well, frankly, it’s a mess that is yet to be unraveled, as people start actually taking apart unlocked and carrier units to see what, if anything, is different in their internal design.

And what about 8K video capture. You get none if that out of the box and while we doubt there are many 8K screens out it appears the outrage is significant. So can OnePlus enable it with a firmware upgrade or was it left out due to hardware limitations?

These are just some initial thoughts and potential talking points. We are already hard at work on in-depth reviews for both the OnePlus 8 and the OnePlus 8 Pro, so we should be able to tell you more about those next week.

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Take-Two Interactive to Acquire 'Borderlands' Developer Gearbox From Embracer Group for $460 Million – Yahoo Canada Sports

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Take-Two Interactive has acquired video game developer Gearbox, the maker of the “Borderlands” franchise, from Embracer Group for $460 million.

Per Take Two, the company “expects the transaction to deepen its successful relationship with Gearbox Entertainment and to provide increased financial benefits through a fully integrated operational structure.”

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As part of the deal, Take-Two will acquire Gearbox IP, including “Borderlands” and “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” franchises, games published by Take-Two’s 2K Games, as well as “Homeworld,” “Risk of Rain,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Duke Nukem.”

Currently, Gearbox has six “key interactive entertainment projects in various stages of development,” per Take-Two, which includes five sequels, two from “Borderlands” and “Homeworld” universes, and at least one “exciting new intellectual property,” all of which have been acquired in the sale.

Take-Two’s purchase of Gearbox is expected to close in June, pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, Gearbox will operate as a studio within 2K, continuing to be led by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his management team.

Former Gearbox owner Embracer, a Swedish gaming conglomerate who snapped up the rights to “Lord of the Rings” two years ago, has undergone a severe restructuring program over the past year, which has seen the company shut down or dispose of dozens of games studios and titles and lay off hundreds of staff, resulting in aftershocks that have reverberated throughout the games industry.

The sale of Gearbox marks the latest insistence of Embracer unloading assets, following the company divesting Saber Interactive.

“Our acquisition of Gearbox is an exciting moment for Take-Two and will strengthen our industry-leading creative talent and portfolio of owned intellectual property, including the iconic Borderlands franchise,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This combination enhances the financial profile of our existing projects with Gearbox and unlocks the opportunity for us to drive increased long-term growth by leveraging the full resources of Take-Two across all of Gearbox’s exciting initiatives.”

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An OLED iPad Pro and the first big-screen iPad Air will reportedly arrive in May – Engadget

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Apple will finally launch new iPads in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Expected are a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, including a 12.9-inch model for the first time in that lineup. The details of the upcoming iPad models have been consistent, circulating through the rumor mill since last year.

The new iPad Pro models will reportedly add OLED displays (offering deeper blacks and richer colors) and run on the new M3 chip, already found in several Macs. The new tablets are said to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Other than a white color option, the latter has remained unchanged since its arrival four years ago.

Meanwhile, the iPad Air will supposedly run on a new processor. Bloomberg didn’t specify which, but — considering the current model uses the M1, and Apple likely wants to reserve the M3 for the more expensive Pro — the M2 sounds like a safe bet. The 12.9-inch screen option would mark the first time the iPad Air line has offered a display larger than 10.9 inches. Although Apple will charge more for that model than the smaller sibling expected alongside it, that would be the cheapest way yet to get a supersized iPad screen.

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Gurman said early this month that the new tablets would launch alongside the M3 MacBook Air, but the laptop arrived without any iPads in tow. He now reports that Apple’s release schedule was pushed back to finish working on the devices’ software and ironing out the kinks from the “complex new manufacturing techniques” they require.

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Ashleigh Oakridge offers boutique-style condos with concrete construction – Vancouver Sun

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Peterson Group’s latest project will be chock-full of amenities and have timeless interiors

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It may not sound exciting to say the big selling points for a new condominium project are that it’s concrete construction and four storeys. But start thinking in terms of getting all the benefits of concrete-tower construction in a sophisticated, boutique-style building of only 34 to 35 units, chock-full of amenities, situated on a quiet, tree-lined Vancouver street and the appeal is obvious—especially to those downsizing in the neighbourhood.

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“That on its own really sets it apart because if you want to be in a boutique setting, you don’t love the idea of highrises, and you want a concrete home type, there aren’t many options. It’s highly unique,” explains Barrett Sprowson, vice-president of sales and project marketing at Peterson Group, the developer of the Ashleigh Oakridge project, which will be composed of three buildings when completed.

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Two of the three buildings, the Berkley and the Alma, will be constructed first, with the Cambridge following later. Each one will have its own curb appeal, but all are designed to integrate into the neighbourhood, hence the plan to maintain the existing trees. The wellness amenities of sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and fully-equipped fitness room are centrally located in the Berkley for all the residents’ use. All three buildings have their own rooftop amenities that feature an indoor-outdoor flow from an expansive entertainment and co-workspace to patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area.

The interiors at Ashleigh Oakridge will feature classic styling with design-forward touches.
The interiors at Ashleigh Oakridge will feature classic styling with design-forward touches. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

The interiors of the homes, which Sprowson says offer generous, well-laid-out floorplans, feature numerous elevated design details that complement a classic esthetic. His personal favourite is the pot filler over the gas cooktop in the kitchen. “There’s not too many times you run into that, and there’s a little feature that’s practical, helpful and useful but is also tricky and expensive to do,” he says.

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The interior design team at Ste. Marie Studio framed their overall concept around the idea of classic styling accented with design-forward touches.

“We looked at it through the lens of a single-family home and wanting it to feel really timeless,” says Craig Stanghetta, founder and creative director of Ste. Marie Studio. “We don’t want it to feel that it doesn’t have a little bit of risk. There’s a little bit of risk in terms of some brushed metal accents.”

Their use of a bold marble for the kitchen backsplashes makes a dramatic visual statement, but though striking, the pattern is a classic marble, not one heavily veined, and one that would be at home in a Paris apartment or a New York brownstone, Stanghetta observes. In the larger homes, they’ve used it to wrap the islands. “They become a big feature, but in some of these other ones, we’re using the manufactured stone in those areas and letting the backsplash be the big design gesture,” Stanghetta says.

The wellness amenities will include sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and a fully-equipped fitness room.
The wellness amenities will include sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and a fully-equipped fitness room. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

In the smaller units where the backsplashes are marble, but quartz is used on the counter and island surfaces, the team introduced a dining table-island combination that works for multiple uses—kitchen prep, home office or dining—and the generous bank of wall storage available in the L-shaped configuration allowed for this unique style of island.

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“I think we just acknowledged that sometimes people are prioritizing different things, and if you’re in a one-bedroom living scenario, then we want the flexibility to choose your own adventure with that piece of furniture,” Stanghetta explains.

The appliance package is Miele and features built-in coffee makers, gas ranges, speed ovens, wall ovens and, in some units, wine fridges. There are also sleek can lights over the islands and open shelving for personalizing the space. Sprowson notes that the full-height pantries also boost the kitchens’ functionality and that, though expected when downsizing from a single-family home, they’re often not an option in condo living.

“It’s also a striking kitchen. You look at the marble backsplash and the marble countertop with the waterfall edge, and you’ve got all the functionality, but it’s also, dare I say, very pretty to look at,” he says.

When complete, each building at Ashleigh Oakridge will have rooftop amenities that include an entertainment and co-workspace, patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children's play area.
When complete, each building at Ashleigh Oakridge will have rooftop amenities that include an entertainment and co-workspace, patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area. Photo by Supplied by Peterson Group

The bathrooms reflect that same mix of functionality and sophisticated styling, with details like flattering sconce lighting and wall-mount toilets. Stanghetta says the floating shelf under the medicine cabinet creates a “nice balance of high-functional storage but then these clean lines that also give you a more fully designed and realized space.”

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He notes that the double vanities in the larger bathrooms have an oversized countertop, a beautiful detail that works with the timeless design concept: attention to detail that will last. The combination of timelessness with contemporary accents creates interiors that reflect the project’s overall vision.

The development is ideally situated to allow residents to be central to everything while enjoying a quiet location.

“This is a viable option for anyone who wants concrete, a good amount of space, decent amenities, all the walkability and proximity to Oakridge and all the cool stuff that’s on the Cambie corridor,” Stanghetta observes.

Ashleigh Oakridge

Project Address: 5080 Ash Street, Vancouver

Project Scope: A development of three, four-storey, concrete, boutique buildings offering one, two and three-bedroom homes that range from 590 to 1,800 square feet. Each building features rooftop amenities and a shared wellness and fitness centre in the Berkley building.

Developers: Peterson Group

Architects: GBL Architects

Prices: Starting in the low $800,000s

Sales centre: Ashleigh PC 2094 W 43rd Ave, Vancouver

Sales centre hours: Open daily (Except Friday), noon to 5 p.m.

Sales phone: 604-476-429

Website: ashleighoakridge.com

Occupancy date: Estimated completion summer 2028

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  1. Hael Construction Inc., project, Stargaze, is a HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence finalist in six categories: Best New Small-Scale Home,  Best Multiplex Development, Best Custom Home: $1 Million — Under $1.5 Million, Best New Custom Kitchen: Under $175,000, Best Non-Certified High-Performance Home: New or Renovated, BC Housing Award for Excellence in Housing Solutions, plus Hael Construction is a finalist for Grand HAVAN Custom Home Builder of the Year Award.

    HAVAN announces finalists for its annual Awards for Housing Excellence

  2. This three-bedroom detached house located at 12614 Thornton Place, in  Maple Ridge, was listed for $1,298,888 and sold for $1,275,000.

    Sold (Bought): Proximity to greenbelt key to Maple Ridge home’s appeal

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