Apple released iOS 17 for all users across the globe earlier this month alongside the new iPhone 15 series. The latest iteration of the iPhone operating system has many interesting features and upgrades including a new NameDrop feature. This functionality works like AirDrop and allows you to share contact details by placing your iPhone close to someone else's iPhone. This can be performed by bringing an iPhone and Apple Watch together as well. However, Apple will bring this feature to the wearable in an update later this year.
How to use the NameDrop feature on iOS 17
iPhone users have to switch on AirDrop to use the NameDrop feature. This can be done by heading to Settings>Select General > AirDrop. Make sure your AirDrop is open to Everyone and both iPhone models are running on iOS 17. Check out how you can swap contacts with another iPhone.
Hold the top of your iPhone near the top of someone else's device.
A glow will emerge from the top of both devices to indicate a successful pairing and NameDrop will appear on both screens.
Continue holding and NameDrop will appear on both screens.
You can choose to Share or Receive Only or do both at once.
To cancel, move the two devices away from each other before NameDrop completes.
NameDrop only works for sending new contact information, not updating an existing contact. Users can turn off NameDrop by heading into Settings>Select General > AirDrop and toggle the Bringing Devices Together option. Apple already confirmed that NameDrop will be available on Apple Watch in an update later this year.
iOS 17
Apple's iOS 17 software has been available to eligible iPhone models since last week. Besides the NameDrop functionality, the latest operating system brings a lot of improvements and new features to iPhone models including StandBy Mode and a Live Voicemail feature that allows users to read a real-time transcription at the same time the caller is speaking. In iOS 17, the Health app offers new mental health features and Reminders show grocery lists. It also includes an Apple Journal app and Offline Maps allow you to share AirTags and other Find My-enabled accessories with other users.
Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Apple Watch Series 9 was launched at the recently held 'Wonderlust' event by the company, which also saw the debit of iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Watch Series 9 was released in 41mm and 45mm display screen variants, and was claimed to be Apple's first carbon-neutral product. It succeeded last year's Apple Watch Series 8 launched at the company's 'Far Out' event. In terms of design, the wearables share similarities. However, Watch Series 9 has received significant upgrades over the Watch Series 8 in terms of specifications.
In order to understand the differences and similarities between the two wearables, we have compared Apple Watch Series 9 with its predecessor, the Watch Series 8.
Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Price in India
The Apple Watch Series 9 is offered in two display sizes — 41mm and 45mm — available in aluminium and stainless steel built. For the aluminium finish, the 41mm dial size wearable is priced at Rs. 41,900. Whereas, the stainless steal body for the same dial size costs Rs. 70,900.
For 45mm display, the stainless steel body finish is being sold at Rs. 75,900, while the aluminium finish is listed at Rs. 44,900. One can avail Watch Series 9 in aluminium body in in Midnight, Pink, (Product) Red, Starlight, and Silver colour options, where as the stainless steel look is offered in Gold, Graphite and Silver variants.
On the other hand, Apple Watch Series 8 GPS was released in India at the starting price of Rs. 45,900, while the Apple Watch Series 8 Cellular costed Rs. 55,900. It was also offered in 41mm and 45mm case sizes, with choice between Gold, Graphite, Midnight, Red, Silver, and Starlight colour variants.
Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Specifications
Last year's Apple Watch series 8 was launched in GPS and cellular options. It is powered by S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor, along with a W3 wireless chip and first-generation Ultra Wideband chip. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 is claimed to be 60 percent faster than its predecessor. It comes equipped with the new Apple S9 SiP process with a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip.
Both smartwatches get the Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display with up to 2,000 nits brightness. In terms of battery, the Watch Series 8 as well as Watch Series 9 are claimed to offer up to 18 hours of battery life, which increased to 36 hours of battery life using the low power mode.
The Watch Series 9 comes with a "Double Tap" gesture that lets users do various actions including answering or ending a call, stoping a timer, or snooze alarm. It can also be integrated with HomePod. In further specifications, the smartwatch gets cycling and hiking features, new watch faces and mental health support 2, over the Watch Series 8 which offer SpO2 tracking, heart rate monitoring, atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection, and ECG monitoring.
The Apple Watch Series 9 runs watchOS 10, while the Apple Watch Series 8 was launched with watchOS 9. In terms of storage, the latest model offers 64GB storage, while Watch Series 8 is available with 32GB storage capacity.
Apple recently rolled out iOS 17 to recent iPhone models and the latest update for the company's smartphones comes with several new features and improvements to the operating system. One of these upgrades has made it much easier to share files with other users via AirDrop — Apple's proprietary file, image, and video sharing protocol to share content over a shared network connection. After updating to iOS 17, you will be able to bring your iPhone close to another iPhone to quickly share various types of media with a single touch.
The new proximity-based sharing system for AirDrop is available on all iPhone models that have been updated to iOS 17. However, the ability to share these files with the new tap to share feature is controlled by a toggle on your phone's settings. You will also need to ensure that the AirDrop feature is enabled on your iPhone — you can do this via the Command Centre on your iPhone.
If you're unable to use the feature on your smartphone, there is a setting that needs to be changed. You can follow these steps to enable the tap to share functionality with AirDrop on iOS 17.
How to use AirDrop to tap and share photos and videos on iOS 17
Make sure your iPhone has been updated to the latest version of iOS 17 — at the moment, the latest version is iOS 17.0.2.
Open the settings app and tap on General > AirDrop.
Toggle the Bringing Devices Together option.
Open the Photos app and navigate to the photo or video you want to share.
Bring your phone close to the second iPhone and tap the Share button to send the file via AirDrop.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 the best foldable phone you can buy in India right now? We discuss the company's new clamshell-style foldable handset on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Google's Pixel Watch is finally coming to India and Android users will now have another option to choose from when buying a smartwatch. The first Pixel Watch didn't launch in India, and we're only getting the Pixel Watch 2, which I believe was a good decision from Google. The Pixel Watch 2 is expected to launch alongside the Pixel 8 series at the upcoming Made by Google event scheduled for October 4. The first Pixel Watch, although a great looking smartwatch and a decent first attempt, has a couple of kinks. I've been using the Pixel Watch for a good part of a year and here's why I think Google didn't bring it to India.
The Pixel Watch was announced last year at the Made by Google event alongside the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro. Google's smartwatch has been a long time in the making, and when they finally unveiled it, most people loved the design, including me. It has a very distinctive design with a dome glass and a round dial with a digital crown. It easily stands out from the rest of the smartwatches and looks gorgeous. I honestly believe that it's the best looking smartwatch currently available in the market.
It's also a decent first attempt by Google. The Pixel Watch isn't the best when it comes to health tracking, but it kept up with the latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 lineup and even the latest Apple Watch. I compared my Pixel Watch' health tracking data such as steps, exercise tracking, sleep monitoring, and heart rate, and a couple of other metrics with a Galaxy Watch 5 (Review) and an Apple Watch SE (2nd gen), and the accuracy was spot on.
In terms of software, I found the Pixel Watch's interface, which is stock Wear OS 3.5, to be much smoother than the Galaxy Watch 5. The battery life was its weakest point though. On a full charge, the Pixel Watch lasted less than 16 hours with AOD turned on. With AOD turned off and other battery saving features enabled, I did get a day's worth of battery life, but throw in a workout or two, and you'll need to charge it at night.
A lot of users also weren't happy with the size of the display, which compared to the Galaxy Watch 5 or the 40mm Apple Watch, was kind of small. Let's also not forget the bezels on the Pixel Watch, which makes the screen look even smaller. However, I did not mind the small dial size or the bezels, as Google did a good job with hiding the bezels with clever software. Almost all of the watch faces on the Pixel Watch have black borders, which blend in with that thick bezel.
The Pixel Watch is also not particularly robust. The dome glass with glossy finish meant that any small scratches were clearly visible, and there's also the huge problem with the glass just cracking if you were to bang the sides to a table or a wall. There was also no glass replacement, which meant that you had to be very careful or slap on a glass protector, which is what I immediately did as soon as I got the watch.
Google priced the Pixel Watch at $349.99 (roughly Rs. 28,700) for the non-LTE variant, whereas the LTE version was priced at $399.99 (roughly Rs. 32,800). At this price range, the Pixel Watch actually offered less compared to its competition.
Meanwhile, the smartwatch market in India is led by brands such as BoAt, Fire-Boltt, and Noise, who make affordable smartwatches. Therefore, with all the flaws with the Pixel Watch, I believe it was a good call by Google to not launch in India. The search giant also hadn't had a great presence in India since it had only launched the Pixel 6a in India since the Pixel 3. With the launch of the Pixel 7 series in India, Google probably wanted to test the markets. And now, Google believes that users in India are ready for a Pixel Watch. That's probably why the Pixel Watch 2 is being brought to India.
With the Pixel Watch 2, Google probably has had more time to refine and make its smartwatch better. Recent leaks have suggested that the new smartwatch from Google will more or less look the same as the predecessor. However, it is expected to offer improved health tracking, better performance with a newer chipset, more bands, and longer battery life. The Pixel Watch 2 is confirmed to be available on Flipkart starting October 5.
Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G, launched last week at the company's event, is now live for sale in India. The smartphone is available for purchase on Amazon. The second foldable from the company was launched globally, including for India market, on September 22. The smartphone is available to purchase in two colour variants. It is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8050 SoC. The clamshell foldable packs a 4,000mAh battery with support for 45W wired fast charging. It gets a circular display on the cover panel, which also houses the rear camera unit.
Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G price in India
Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G is available for sale in India today (October 1) starting 12pm. It was launched on September 22. Interested buyers can purchase the clamshell foldable on the Amazon website. It is offered in two colour variants — Iconic Black and Mystic Dawn. The company has launched a lone 8GB RAM + 256GB storage configuration variant of the smartphone, which is available in India at Rs. 49,999.
Tecno Phantom V Flip 5G specifications
With a circular AMOLED display on the outer cover measuring 1.32 inches, the Phantom V Flip 5G features a 6.9-inch full-HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) flexible AMOLED main display when unfolded. It offers a peak brightness of 1000 nits. The cover display comes with an Always-On display feature and also houses the rear camera unit. It will also display the messages received on the smartphone, when folded.
The company's second foldable is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 8050 SoC paired with Arm Mali-G77 GPU. It packs 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, which can virtually extendable up to 16GB, along with 256GB of UFS 3.1 inbuilt storage. The Phantom V Flip runs Android 13.5 OS. Tecno is offering OS updates for two years and three years of security patches on the phone from the date of release.
For optics, the cover panel gets a rear camera unit, which sports a 64-megapixel primary sensor and a 13-megapixel wide-angle lens. There are four Flashlights. Meanwhile, for selfies, the inner display houses the front camera that is placed at the top-centre within a hole-punch slot. It gets a 32-megapixel sensor. The Phantom V Flip 5G is backed by a 4,000mAh battery with 45W wired fast charging support. For connectivity, it gets 5G, Wi-Fi 6, NFC and Bluetooth 5.1 support.
OnePlus Nord 3 brings some serious upgrades over its predecessor, including some flagship-grade specifications. We discuss this and more on the latest episode of Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
The Great Indian Festival Sale 2023 is set to kick off on October 8, and ahead of the sale commencement, Amazon is dropping deals for consumers. The latest in the series is a deal around the iPhone 13, which brings it down to under Rs 40,000 (effective price). However, this price includes an exchange offer for consumers, which means if you do not opt for an exchange, the iPhone 13 might come at a slightly higher price than what's teased during the sale.
Launched in 2021, the iPhone 13 is currently retailing at Rs 59,900 for the 128GB storage model, Rs 69,900 for the 256GB model and Rs 89,900 for the 512GB model. This means that the upcoming Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale will offer a discount of up to Rs 20,000 on the official MOP of the iPhone 13.
iPhone 13 at under Rs 40,000? Here's a deal breakdown
During the Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale 2023, interested customers can get their hands on the iPhone 13 at its lowest price. But how? The deal breakdown offered by Amazon promises a deal price which is likely to be lower than the Rs 59,900 pricing. Further, if customers use SBI Bank Debit and Credit cards, an additional Rs 1,500 will be offered as a maximum discount. During the Amazon Great Indian Festival Sale, SBI Bank customers can avail 10 percent instant discount on purchases on mobiles which has an upper limit of Rs 1,500, while other categories have an upper limit of Rs 1,750.
Customers who have an old device (working smartphone) to exchange will get extra off, as teased by Amazon, which will be over and above the value of the phone being exchanged. However, not everyone will have a phone to exchange, so we can assume that a bank offer is what a lot of people will be opting for. Nevertheless, combining the deal price, bank discount and extra off on exchange, Amazon claims an effective price of under Rs 40,000 for the iPhone 13.
It's worth mentioning that the deal will only hold for a limited time. As always, we expect Amazon to bump the deal pricing of the iPhone 13 as demand surges and depending on the available stocks.
Apart from the iPhone 13, we can expect Amazon to offer discounts on other iPhone models like iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 14 Pro during the Great Indian Festival Sale 2023.
OnePlus recently launched its first tablet in India, the OnePlus Pad, which is only sold in a Halo Green colour option. With this tablet, OnePlus has stepped into a new territory that's dominated by Apple's iPad. We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
What are the biggest TV shows and web series coming to streaming in October 2023? Leading the pack this month are two returning fan-favourite shows that deal with multiverse-hopping shenanigans. First up, we'll see Tom Hiddleston reprise his role as the God of Mischief and navigate across an alternate version of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) where no one recognises him. Loki season 2 premieres October 6 on Disney+ Hotstar. Chase that down with the ludicrous Rick and Morty season 7, as our alcoholic scientist grandpa prepares to hunt down his villainous multiverse counterpart that killed his family. It starts streaming October 16 on Netflix in India.
A new chapter of Mumbai Diaries fires things up on the local end, pitting the emotionally broken doctors at the BGH (Bombay General Hospital) against the cruel calamity of the Mumbai floods, as they struggle to save lives and fight their personal battles. The medical drama brings back its ensemble cast from the terror-ridden first season — Konkana Sen Sharma, Mohit Raina, and more — and drops October 6 on Amazon Prime Video. Then, Netflix has a survival drama lined up for us — on the glistening shores of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where a group of visitors get trapped and forced into cooperating with each other, only for the social order to start crumbling. Kaala Paani is out October 18.
Other notable releases this month include Sultan of Delhi, a Hotstar Specials crime drama that chronicles the life of a young gangster, who works with Delhi's biggest arms dealer to dominate the capital. Suparn Verma (The Family Man) co-directs some of the episodes, and it's slated to release October 13 on Disney+ Hotstar. You can learn more about the aforementioned TV shows and more below, and also feel free to discover the complete list of upcoming web series at our entertainment hub. With that, here's our TV guide to October 2023, covering releases on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+ Hotstar, and Netflix.
Beckham
When: October 5
Where: Netflix
Touting never-seen-before footage, Netflix's Beckham promises a candid look at the former professional English footballer — from his humble beginnings at Manchester United to turning into a legendary athlete, all the while facing public scrutiny as a sex icon who dated Spice Girls member Victoria. But his meteoric rise in popularity also came with setbacks such as a red card during the 1998 England v Argentina FIFA World Cup game, his locker room scuffle with Alex Ferguson, and people accusing him of having changed with fame. Academy Award-winner Fisher Stevens — who played the bumbling Hugo Baker in Succession — helms this four-part docu-series, featuring interviews with key figures from David Beckham's personal and professional lives.
All episodes of Beckham drop October 5 on Netflix.
Everything Now
When: October 6
Where: Netflix
Netflix is back with another cheeky high-school British show with a dash of teenage angst. This time, we follow 16-year-old Mia Polanco — played by Talk To Me's Sophia Wilde — who returns home after a lengthy battle with anorexia and is immediately thrust into the chaotic world of sixth form. Panic sets in when she realises that while she continued recovering in some dingy room, all her friends had moved on with their teen lives, gaining experiences that she could've shared. Fearing that her childhood is racing by too fast, she creates an ever-evolving bucket list of things to try and make up for all the time she lost.
Hand-in-hand with her three best mates — William (Noah Thomas), Becca (Lauryn Ajufo), and Cam (Harry Cadby) — Mia cleans up and dives headfirst into the world of neon-lit parties to get drunk, have her first kiss, break the law, karaoke, and confess feelings for her newfound crush (Jessie Mae Alonzo). It appears as though Everything Now will lean slightly into the gritty tone depicted in HBO's Euphoria to touch upon the mental health issues in teenagers, stemming from poor body image to drug use, and even some failed upbringing drama. Debutant writer Ripley Parker helms this young adult series, which also ropes in Stephen Fry (A Bit of Fry & Laurie) as Mia's doctor.
All eight episodes of Everything Now will be available to stream October 6 on Netflix.
Loki season 2
When: October 6
Where: Disney+ Hotstar
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been subject to some content drought this year, with Loki season 2 marking only the second live-action entry. After Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) stabbed the non-hostile He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors) to death, splitting the timeline into 63 new multiversal branches, the God of Mischief Loki (Tom Hiddleston) finds himself in a timeline where no TVA member recognises him. That is until his body begins to randomly distort and plop him onto past and future events by way of time slipping. Partnered with an alternate version of TVA agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson), Loki must now navigate through an ever-expanding multiverse to be reunited with his old team.
A version of Sylvie is working at McDonald's now, Hunter B-15 (Wunmi Mosaku) is a doctor, Judge Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) is strolling about elite parties in the past, and Kang the Conqueror appears as a stage magician, of sorts. Things are getting wild, and Loki is unable to keep up with everything as the mysterious force continues throwing him across timelines. The new season also brings in Oscar-winner Ke Huy Quan as OB, a TVA agent archivist who also supplies our heroes with equipment for both time and multiversal travel. Some of it is broken, but it's nothing some duct tape won't fix! Unlike the movies, it's also cool to finally see Loki using his full potential from sparkly magic blasts to creating horned mirror images of himself.
Loki season 2 debuts October 6 on Disney+ Hotstar. It will then follow a weekly release schedule, with new episodes coming out every Friday until November 10.
Mumbai Diaries season 2
When: October 6
Where: Amazon Prime Video
Nine months after the events of the 26/11 terrorist attacks, the crew at Bombay General Hospital face their next big challenge: a series of unprecedented torrential rainfalls that flood the entirety of Mumbai and bring the city to a standstill. As victims of the disaster keep getting rushed into the emergency rooms, our team of doctors led by trauma surgeon Dr. Kaushik Oberoi (Mohit Raina) and Chitra Das (Konkana Sen Sharma), face an identity crisis. Mumbai Diaries season 2 is largely focused on the resilience these doctors show in such times of crisis, despite limited resources and leaky ceilings, all the while worrying about their own families' wellbeing at the back of their minds.
It's also suggested that characters like Chitra will undergo more development in this upcoming chapter, delving into her past to reveal what made her the hard-boiled worker she is. Nikhil Advani returns as the director, with an ensemble cast comprising Tina Desai as Oberoi's wife Ananya, who gets stuck in traffic as the water level continues to rise, while Natasha Bharadwaj returns as the first-year resident Dr. Diya Parekh.
All episodes of Mumbai Diaries season 2 will be up for streaming October 6 on Amazon Prime Video.
The Fall of the House of Usher
When: October 12
Where: Netflix
Mike Flanagan returns this spooky season with a modern-day take on the Edgar Allan Poe short story, The Fall of the House of Usher. After buying Fortunato Pharmaceuticals, ruthless siblings Madeline (Mary McDonnell) and Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood) have turned it into a vast, wealthy corporate empire at the cost of some controversial practices. But when a mysterious shape-shifting woman from their youth, Verna (Carla Gugino), re-enters their life, the Usher heirs start dying one-by-one in brutal fashion, forcing the patriarch to face his past secrets. But she's not the only person hellbent on overthrowing the Ushers, as the determined attorney Auguste Dupin (Carl Lumbly) has been warring with the family for over 30 years, coining them the name, ‘The Usher Crime Family.'
Meanwhile, the Ushers have an invincible lawyer Arthur Pym (Mark Hamill), an enigmatic force who investigates and cuts down loose threads with no questions asked. Flanagan reunites with actors he's worked on in previous projects such as Midnight Mass and The Haunting series, starting with Rahul Kohli as Leo Usher, a video game patron and playboy who relies on drugs to numb the pain of his soulless reality. Then there's Henry Thomas as the eldest son Frederick, Samantha Sloyan as the more suitable heir Tamerlane Usher, Crystal Balint as former model Morella Usher, Sauriyan Sapkota as the youngest child Perry Usher. Kate Siegel's Camille L'Espanaye gets roped into the drama, running PR for the family and collecting dirt on everyone close to her.
Academy Award-winner Brie Larson plays a driven scientist in this drama, falling for her Nobel prize-nominated colleague Calvin Evans (Lewis Pullman) and starting a family. But like science, life's got different plans for us sometimes. And so, things fall apart, and she soon ends up a single mother and challenged by a 1960s patriarchal society when her seniors fire her from the job. All hope seems lost for former Dr. Elizabeth Zott until she's approached by Walter (Kevin Sussman) with an offer to run her own cooking show. But ‘Supper at Six' isn't just any normal show, as she takes an unconventional approach to it by often dishing out witty remarks about how women are one of the most overlooked forces in the household.
Of course, the producers aren't happy about injecting politics into kitchen activities, but the show as a whole begins to perform exceptionally well, inspiring countless housewives to work toward their dreams and understand their true worth. But at its core, Elizabeth wants to pursue science. Helping her on this crusade is Harriet Slone (Aja Naomi King), who herself struggles with running a family when the government decides to forcefully build a freeway through a black-populated neighbourhood. Lee Eisenberg — best known for the WeCrashed miniseries — helms Lessons in Chemistry, drawing from the eponymous Bonnie Garmus novel.
Lessons in Chemistry is out October 13 with a two-episode premiere, after which the remaining six episodes drop weekly until November 24.
Sultan of Delhi
When: October 13
Where: Disney+ Hotstar
Arjun Bhatia (Tahir Raj Bhasin) is a young refugee from Lahore, who's learnt the meaning of survival and its complications at a very young age. Partnering with his gangster friend Bangali (Anjum Sharma), he works with Delhi's biggest arms dealer Jagan Seth (Vinay Pathak) to climb the ranks and become the biggest power broker in the capital. But when past secrets about his family and love life start to unravel, he's thrust into a gung-ho battle against local crime lords, cops, and the government. The creators are very secretive about the key plot device. Suparn Verma and Milan Luthria co-direct Sultan of Delhi, which also stars Mouni Roy (Brahmāstra), Anupriya Goenka (Padmaavat), and Nishant Dahiya (Raat Akeli Hai).
All episodes of Sultan of Delhi will be available to stream October 13 on Disney+ Hotstar.
Rick and Morty season 7
When: October 16
Where: Netflix
The alcoholic scientist Rick Sanchez plans on spending the entire seventh season hunting down Rick Prime, his villainous alternate version that slaughtered the former's family. As you'd expect, his blubbering grandson Morty is tagged along on this mission — only this time, the pair are not alone. Turns out, Rick has assembled an elite crew including Birdperson, Gearhead, President Curtis (Keith David), and Mr. Poopybutthole to storm through the multiversal dangers that await them. There's spaghetti topped with bloody sauce, robot ghosts, a buff Jerry (Chris Parnell), an Evil Dead reference, a hologram of Rick attending a therapy session, and a whole lot more. Keeping with tradition, there's no telling what direction a Rick and Morty season will head into before debut.
The elephant in the room, of course, is co-creator Justin Roiland, who got fired from the show over misconduct allegations earlier this year. Roiland had voiced both Rick and Morty, alongside a bunch of side characters, up until now. With season 7, he's been replaced by two unnamed voice actors, who in my opinion, have done a phenomenal job of sounding similar to the original. Adult Swim hasn't revealed their names yet, but it seems like the pair would continue voicing the lead characters until season 10. Other cast members remain the same, with Spencer Grammer returning to voice Morty's sister Summer and Sarah Chalke as his mom Beth.
Rick and Morty returns October 15 on Adult Swim and Max in the US and elsewhere. While there's no official word yet, going by past seasons, season 7 should be out on Netflix India on October 16 — with new episodes dropping every Monday.
It's no secret that the walls of the Kaali Paani prison aren't made of bricks, but rather thousands of kilometres of seawater that make any plans of escape feel like a pipe dream. But when a mysterious illness spreads across the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, its inhabitants, isolated from the outside world, are forced into a fight for survival as they await a cure. Netflix hasn't dropped a full trailer for this yet, but it's implied that the social order crumbles, causing some of them to venture into the wilderness for answers and uncover a weird conspiracy surrounding some bizarre symbols and tribes in the region.
All episodes of Kaala Paani release October 18 on Netflix.
Pluto
When: October 26
Where: Netflix
From the brilliant mind of mangaka Naoki Urasawa (Monster, 20th Century Boys), comes Pluto, a noirish tale set in a future where humans and robots live in harmony. That is until a string of advanced robots and their human allies are found murdered with horns attached to their heads, indicating that the crimes were committed by the same entity. Gesicht (Shinshu Fuki), a Europol robot detective whose arms can transform into cannons, picks up the task of finding the perpetrator, only to soon realise that he's on the kill list himself. It's a rather perplexing case since humans are physically incapable — and scared — of tearing robots to shreds, whereas every robot has been designed to never kill people.
For the uninitiated, Pluto draws from the legendary manga artist Osamu Tezuka'sAstro Boy — more specifically, ‘The Greatest Robot on Earth' arc, with Urasawa taking its bright-coloured essence and turning it into a riveting murder mystery that often explores themes of post-war PTSD. Familiar characters like Atom/ Astro Boy will be making an appearance in the anime, alongside his sister Uran. Personally, I find the animation in this Netflix adaptation quite jarring, given the over-abundant use of CGI, but since Monster is my favourite anime of all time, I'm down to give this a try. Maybe I'll get used to it a couple of episodes in.
All episodes of Pluto will be up for streaming October 26 on Netflix.
The Chromecast with Google TV that runs on Android TV is here. When will Google learn how to name products? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
