Month: August 2022

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Technology

Chromecast with Google TV review: Make your dumb TV smart

Chromecast with Google TV review: Make your dumb TV smart

Would you like to do more with your television? Well, the newest kid on the block, Google’s Chromecast (now with Google TV) is available in India for Rs. 6,399. Google TV is a user interface running on top of Android TV (Android TV is a smart TV operating system that is based on the Android OS), with a different look and feel. It is pre-installed on the newest Chromecast, which makes dumb smart TVs and could become the home for all your streaming apps and more.

It isn’t the first time Google has launched the Chromecast in India but it’s the first model to come with the Google TV. The Chromecast now brings a dedicated TV UI straight to your big screen. The Chromecast with Google TV is a standalone device with a Bluetooth-enabled remote control and is powered by Google Assistant.

Also read: Review: The Sony HT-A7000 is more than just a soundbar

The Chromecast includes a very good remote control, can stream 4K content (60Hz frame rate) and has support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound. The best part of the Chromecast is the unified home page, now known as Google TV. One can search and watch across different apps with relative ease. The integration of Google Assistant has also vastly improved from its predecessors.

The Chromecast directly competes with Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The big advantage for the Chromecast over the Fire TV Stick is that the interface is more intuitive, comes with no ads and delivers much better search results. If you’re deep into the YouTube ecosystem, then the Chromecast would be perfect for you and your television.

let’s set it up

Setting up the Chromecast with Google TV is extremely easy. Just plug the stick into the HDMI port of your TV/monitor/projector, and power it up using the adapter and cable provided in the box. Thereafter, one just has to follow a few easy steps on the TV, connect with your preferred wireless network, enter your Google account details and voila. That’s it. If you don’t have an Android smartphone on hand, don’t fret because the remote control is here to take over.

One of the best remote controls in business

Let me tell you one thing. The remote control that comes with this Chromecast is best-in-class. It’s neither too tall nor is it hefty. It has a very comfortable, in-hand feel. The icing on the cake is the clicker feature with a four-way directional pad placed in a circle. The middle of the circle has a select key. Then there are two rows of buttons at the bottom – back, Google Assistant, home, mute, YouTube & Netflix. There are also power and input (to switch to and from Chromecast) buttons.

There are easy-to-reach volume buttons on the right side of the device. It’s a compact and curved remote control that does the job it’s tasked with doing.

google tv

By incorporating Google TV, one doesn’t have to rely on their phone, tablet or computer anymore in order to access all the apps, stream content, converse with Google Assistant and more. You can search and control the interface with the brand-new remote control.

Google TV has over 6,500 apps that include all your favorite streaming apps – YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Voot and more – music apps like Spotify, Gaana and TuneIn, lifestyle apps like Loup, health & fitness apps such a Workout At Home, cult.fit, Gymondo, business apps such as AnyDesk (for remote desktop), FX File Explorer, and many more.

The Google TV interface also features a content-centric homepage (rather than Apple TV’s app-centric homepage) and shows rows of movies and TV shows. The bar at the top features search, the ‘For You’ section, and tabs for movies and TV shows and apps.

The built-in Google Assistant also does the job without any hiccups. The feature, that one can access via a black button on the remote, is near flawless.

The built-in Google Assistant also does the job without any hiccups. The feature, that one can access via a black button on the remote, is near flawless.
(Press handout)

The ‘For You’ section has movie and TV show suggestions (based on my preferences). In the ‘For You’ section I can see what’s new from my frequently used streaming apps, summarize shows, and display content I might be interested in.

At times, the interface did lag, especially when switching between apps. That wasn’t enough to determine my wonderful experience with the new Chromecast. It may not be as snappy as Amazon’s Fire TV Stick interface, but it does a good job on its own.

The built-in Google Assistant also does the job without any hiccups. The feature, that one can access via a black button on the remote, is near flawless. I asked the Google Assistant several questions. From “Play NDTV on YouTube” to “What’s the weather?” and from “Open SonyLIV” to simply “No Time To Die”. The results were exactly what I had asked for.

Saying “No Time To Die” brought up a page where I could watch the latest James Bond film (it automatically told me where I could watch it, this time being on Amazon Prime Video), and its trailer, and read the description and details of the cast and crew. It also threw up similar action movies. I also asked about the latest India-West Indies T20I, which threw up the scores without a hitch.

Basically, everything you can do with the Google Assistant on your Android smartphone, you can also now do on your TV via the Chromecast device.

Last, but not least, there is also an Ambient Mode. With this mode, you can enjoy a slideshow of photos (that you’ve selected) from your Google Photos library when the Chromecast is not in use.

Verdict: Is this the streaming device to buy?

Previously, the Chromecast could only be controlled through a smartphone. With the new Chromecast with Google TV, the game has changed. Google has finally caught up with the competition, with the inclusion of a very good remote control.

The problem is that Google has priced the Chromecast with Google TV a little bit on the expensive side. At ₹6,399, it is much more pricier than the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (MRP of ₹5,999, but usually on discount at ₹4,499) and on pair with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is priced at ₹6,499. There’s also competition from Xiaomi and realme that come in at a lesser price point but omit a lot of features. Xiaomi’s Mi Box 4K comes in at ₹3,699, while the realme 4k Smart Google TV Stick is retailing for ₹3,999.

The Google TV interface is cleaner than the rest, the remote control is great, and the performance is pretty good. There’s also ease of use that comes with the Chromecast with Google TV. One big advantage with the Google Chromecast is that you can cast apps from your smartphone. You can even mirror your Google Chrome browser tab to your TV.

One wishes Google had more competitive pricing for the Chromecast with Google TV. Pricing aside, the new Chromecast is a pretty great competitor in today’s industry. For a 4K streaming device, the Google Chromecast should be at the top of your list.

In the end, it may come down to which ecosystem you are more embedded in and which one you prefer more. If your house is full of Alexa products, then you might prefer the Fire TV Stick. If you’re a huge fan of Google Assistant, then the Chromecast with Google TV is the way to go.

Also read: Google Pixel 6a review: A phone worth the two-year wait

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Categories
Sports

Quade Cooper focused on Wallabies v Argentina, not Michael Cheika

Quade Cooper focused on Wallabies v Argentina, not Michael Cheika

“It was a great opportunity to be in a top-flight environment after being out of it for so long. I just really enjoyed the opportunity so every time I am here I try and learn as much as I can. I know my days in and around this are quite limited now, as you get older.”

Quizzed about the state of his relationship with Cheika, Cooper said they didn’t have one.

Quade Cooper injured himself in the warm-up before Australia's first Test against England.

Quade Cooper injured himself in the warm-up before Australia’s first Test against England.Credit:Getty

“I didn’t really have much to do with him,” he said.

“I wasn’t really involved in too many of his teams, so I can’t really say too much about him as a coach or as a man outside the rugby life.”

Cheika’s first Test series as the Pumas’ coach in July saw them beat Scotland, and start to resemble one of the former Randwick man’s teams with lots of running, very little kicking and rock solid defence.

“First and foremost, the Argentinians are a very talented team, Cooper said.

Michael Cheika warms up the Argentinian team ahead of the Scotland series.

Michael Cheika warms up the Argentinian team ahead of the Scotland series.Credit:Getty

“They’re a very difficult team to break down. There are a lot of different styles, most of their players now play in France. Their traditional style is to be quite creative and they’re off the cuff, but they’re also a very physical team.

“You know if you allow them [to] play a lot of football and get their tails up, they’re a hard team to bring down. The most important thing will be to win the physical battle, but then we play our style of game: a fast and creative style as well.”

The Wallabies haven’t played in Argentina in four years and will have to re-acquaint themselves with the boisterous atmosphere generated by Pumas fans. Cooper said he would take that over an empty stadium.

“Personally I think you have to embrace it and enjoy it,” he said.

“A lot of these boys, myself included, would have played during the COVID times when you were playing in front of zero crowd. I can tell you, that’s very difficult to get up for. Playing in front of a packed, hostile crowd, I can tell you which one I enjoy the most.”

Marika Koroibete shared Cooper’s indifference to taking on Cheika, saying it would mean “nothing at all”.

“I just know he is going to rev up the boys, that’s how he is, so it will be very important for us to start well,” Koroibete said.

loading

Cooper also recounted the dramatic scenes in Perth when he picked up a calf injury and withdrew from the team with about 10 minutes to go before kick-off.

“I was warming up and everything was fine,” he said. “I hadn’t had any pre-existing problems with my leg or anything. And at one stage when we were doing a bit of a backs drill I just felt something. I thought maybe my sock was a bit tight. I have never had a soft tissue injury so it was my first. I just felt an odd feeling and knew something wasn’t right.”

“At that point I had to just weigh up in my head how I was going to approach the next little bit. Do I try and run? Try and get out on the field, and let the adrenaline kick in. But I weighed all those things up pretty quickly and decided the best thing to do was rule myself out, and to tell the coach where my head was at and give the team the best opportunity to prepare for the game with 23 players.

“The way I summed up in my head was if I went out onto the field and a minute into the game I tear my calf, well then I would probably out for six to 12 weeks. And straight away our team is down a sub in a very important Test series for us.“

Watch every match of The Rugby Championship on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. All streaming ad-free, live and on demand.

Categories
Australia

Halls Creek Shire president Malcolm Edwards worried for family members reported overdue traveling back from Alice Springs

A composite image showing three people's faces side by side - a man, a woman and an older woman

A Kimberley man whose family have disappeared while on a trip to Alice Springs says it’s completely out of character for them not to answer phone calls and texts.

Bonnie Edwards, 70, and her son and daughter Eldride Edwards, 41, and Virginia O’Neil, 49, were expected to arrive back in their hometown of Halls Creek on either late Sunday or Monday, but have so far not returned and were reported overdue yesterday.

According to a statement issued by Northern Territory Police this afternoon, they were last seen on Sunday.

Malcolm Edwards, who is Bonnie’s husband and Eldride and Virginia’s father, told the ABC on Wednesday afternoon that the trio had traveled to Alice Springs to attend a meeting involving Indigenous people in an outlying community.

The Halls Creek Shire president said the last time he had spoken to his wife had been on Saturday morning after the meeting had wrapped up, but she had not said where they planned to stay that night.

“My wife said they’re back in Alice Springs and they’ll tell me all about it [the trip] when we come home,” he said.

Malcolm Edwards sitting in front of the shire offices.
Malcolm Edwards hasn’t heard from the trio since the weekend, despite numerous calls and texts. (ABC Kimberley: Andrew Seabourne)

He said Virginia had spoken to her son briefly on Sunday morning, and that was the last known contact with the three missing people.

“My daughter said they’d met this really nice guy and they were going to stay at his place. We don’t know who that is. No idea who that person was,” he said.

Police say the trio have not made contact with anyone and there have been no signs of financial activity from them since Sunday.

Cr Edwards said he had raised the alarm on Tuesday after repeated calls and texts to his wife, son and daughter went unanswered.

“They normally ring and tell us. This is out of character,” he said.

“They’d normally ring up and say, ‘we’re leaving Alice Springs now we’ve decided to go via Katherine’, they would tell us.”

Aerial image of outback town's main street
The group were expected to return to Halls Creek several days ago.(ABC Kimberley: Ted O’Connor)

Now he is worried someone else is using his daughter’s phone.

“The police picked up a ping that the phone was turned on at 2am on Monday morning and the ping was located somewhere near a caravan park in Alice Springs,” he said.

“We’re starting to think it was not Virginia who turned the phone on because if it was her she would have seen all those messages.

“As far as we know none of the bank accounts have been used, but there have been a few bank accounts that we haven’t got access to, but the police will check all those out.”

The missing trio were supposed to be traveling from Alice Springs to Halls Creek on the Tanami Road, but Cr Edwards said police had checked CCTV at roadhouses along the way and found no evidence they had embarked on their journey home.

As the Halls Creek community awaits news from police, Cr Edwards said his wife’s relatives in Alice Springs were helping to raise awareness in the community.

A dark red ute parked in a driveway.
The group is traveling in this red Toyota Hilux.(Supplied: Northern Territory Police)

“We feel like we can’t do much,” he said.

“Some people who are related to us in Alice Springs are driving around town, [asking] ‘have you seen this car, have you seen these people?'”

Along with Cr Edwards, Bonnie and Virginia are also councilors with the Shire of Halls Creek.

The group is traveling in a red Toyota Hilux with the WA registration plate, PH27156.

Police are calling for anyone who knows where the trio may be or have seen their vehicle to contact police.

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Categories
US

Trump Gloated Over Chaos Caused by Vague Missouri Endorsement: Report

Trump Gloated Over Chaos Caused by Vague Missouri Endorsement: Report

  • Trump enjoyed the chaos caused by his vague endorsement in the Missouri primary, per Rolling Stone.
  • Trump revealed in watching both candidates named Eric Duke it out, a source told the outlet.
  • The source said Trump “thought it was a thing of beauty” to see both parties claim the endorsement.

Former President Donald Trump privately revealed in the chaos sparked by the vague endorsement message he posted that appeared to support two Missouri GOP primary candidates named “Eric,” Rolling Stone reported on Tuesday.

The outlet spoke to a source close to Trump, who said the former president had enjoyed watching the candidates — Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt — rush to claim the endorsement.

Per Rolling Stone, the source said that Trump “thought it was a thing of beauty and too goddamn funny” to watch the situation unfold.

On Monday, Trump appeared to endorse Greitens and Schmitt in a post on Truth Social but left it ambiguous about which “Eric” he was supporting.

“I trust the Great People of Missouri, on this one, to make up their own minds, much as they did when they gave me landslide victories in the 2016 and 2020 Elections, and I am therefore proud to announce that ERIC has my Complete and Full Endorsement!” Trump wrote in his post about him.

Schmitt, the state’s attorney general, and Greitens, a former governor, scrambled to assert that Trump was referring to them.

Politico reported that Trump’s strange endorsement was due to him having run out of time after imposing a deadline for himself to decide between Greitens and Schmitt.

Per the outlet, an unnamed third party had floated the suggestion that Trump could leave the statement ambiguous and endorse “Eric” without specifying a last name.

According to Politico’s sources, Trump went for the double endorsement after checking that both first names were identical.

Decision Desk has called the race for Schmitt, who at press time had pulled away from Greitens with a clear 45.7% of the vote compared to the latter’s 19.22%.

Greitens’ defeat could represent a victory from factions of the GOP who did not want the MAGA-linked candidate to win his race.

Missouri Republicans, for one, ran attack ads against Greitens, who was accused of blackmail by a woman with whom he had an affair, and of domestic abuse by his ex-wife.

Trump’s endorsement record has come under scrutiny amid the GOP midterm primaries, particularly following the bombshell testimonies heard during the January 6 hearings about the former president’s conduct on the day of the Capitol riot.

High-profile GOP figures like former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Ted Cruz also appear to have broken away from the former president by throwing their weight behind opponents of Trump-backed candidates.

However, a Trump endorsement still appears to hold some sway among the ranks of the MAGA-faithful.

Former Trumpworld loyalist Mo Brooks, for one, unsuccessfully appealed for Trump’s re-endorsement Trump to re-endorse him. This was after Trump rescinded his backing of Brooks in March, saying the congressman “went woke” over the 2020 election.

In May, Trump claimed that his endorsement record was “unparalleled” and that Republican candidates should fear him and fall in line. However, Trump appears to have a habit of endorsing candidates who would win anyway, while his riskier picks like JD Vance and Dr. Mehmet Oz have enraged some of his supporters of him.

Categories
Technology

Nintendo Switch Has Shipped 111.08 Million Units as Semiconductor Shortage Causes Drop Year-on-Year

Nintendo Switch Logo

News

Nintendo announced its financial results and published an update on the number of Switch units shipped worldwide since the console’s launch.

Published on

Today Nintendo announced its quarterly financial results and published an update on the number of Switch units shipped worldwide since the console’s launch.

The data is updated as of June 30, 2021, when the latest fiscal quarter (which began on April 1) ended.

Specifically, the infographic below reveals exactly how many Nintendo Switch units have been shipped to retailers. 111.08 million units of the hybrid console have hit the shelves as of June 30, 2022. We also get to see software units, and figures for the venerable 3DS.

This means that the console has shipped 3.43 million units worldwide during the quarter (compared to 2.4 million PS5 units shipped by Sony in the same period).

This is a 22.9% drop in unit sales year-on-year. While third-party games helped drive hardware sales, the semiconductor shortage affected production. That being said, Nintendo says that demand remains stable with the Switch in the sixth year of its life cycle.

Sell-through to customers of first-party software increased year-on-year, reaching the second-highest level for a first quarter of the fiscal year since the release of the Switch.

The number of playing users for the Switch in the trailing 12 months continues to raise, having reached 104 million in the period between July 2021 and June 2022.

As you can see in the table below, Nintendo did not change its predictions for Nintendo Switch sales or software sales made in May. The company expects to ship 21 million Switch units in the full fiscal year until March 2023, which would bring the total to 128.65 million units if the goal was achieved.

Taking a look at the financial results, both net sales and operating profit dropped year-on-year. That being said, ordinary profit increased.

The consolidated financial forecast for the full fiscal year remained the same, with Nintendo expecting year-on-year drops in both net sales and operating profit.

Due to delays in the procurement of semiconductors, Nintendo didn’t manage to produce as many Switch units as it aimed to so far, but the company expects deliveries to gradually improve from the late summer toward autumn. They will work to deliver as many units as possible during the Holiday season in every region.

Interestingly, Kirby and the Forgotten Land saw the highest sell-through for an entry of the series to date, selling to customers over 4 million units in 15 weeks.

Nintendo Switch Sports has shipped 4,840,000 units, Mario Strikers: Battle League has shipped 1,910,000 units, Kirby and the Forgotten Land shipped 4,530,000 units, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has reached 46,820,000 units shipped.

These were the four Nintendo games that sold over a million units during the examined quarter.

If you want to compare with historical data, you can read our article dedicated to the previous quarter, published in May.

Categories
Sports

VFL or AFL? Patch’s preference for Cunners’ return

VFL or AFL? Patch's preference for Cunners' return

North Melbourne is torn over whether to pick courageous midfielder Ben Cunnington in the AFL or ease him back into football through the reserves.

The Kangaroos veteran has not played since round 19, 2021 after battling testicular cancer.

But Cunnington is set to finally be available to play this weekend in a major boost for the club.

Caretaker coach Leigh Adams is weighing up whether to bring Cunnington in for the AFL clash with the Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, or ease him back via the VFL against the same opponents at Arden St.

The 31-year-old was tracking well to return last month before tweaking his calf at training, and last week tested positive for COVID-19.

“He has to get through main skills, then we’ll have the discussion with the performance team whether we think it’s best for him to have a run around in the twos for a week or bring him straight back in,” Adams said on Wednesday .

“I’m pretty sure I know what his preference is and the coach’s preference, it will be just what’s best for his body going forward.

“At this time of year, it’s a great story for us and the motivation for the group and for the footy club.”

Adams admits the coaches face a tough decision but will be guided by the medical staff.

Cunnington was still one of the Kangaroos’ best midfielders before his cancer battle and he has been sorely missed by the club this season.

He has played 227 games for North since being taken with pick five in the 2009 draft.

“The last thing we’d want to do is he breaks down and he’s out for the rest of the year,” Adams said.

“It’s probably going to be the VFL, even though we’d love it to be straight back in.

“Deep down I know he’d love to play seniors, particularly being a game in Melbourne this weekend and we travel next weekend.

“To have his support network and his family that have been through so much with him at the game would be fantastic.”

North sits bottom of the ladder with a 2-17 record heading into the final three games of the season.

The Kangaroos will remember their 1996 premiership victory on Sunday with club greats gathering to celebrate the famous Grand Final win over Sydney.

Categories
Australia

Accused killer in shooting death of Ipswich man Carlo Stewart granted bail, arguing self-defence

Accused killer in shooting death of Ipswich man Carlo Stewart granted bail, arguing self-defence

A man accused of killing another man after firing “10 shots in six seconds” during a violent brawl in Ipswich, west of Brisbane, has been released on bail after his lawyer told a court he was in fear of his life.

Carlo Stewart died in Ipswich Hospital after suffering two gunshot wounds on a North Booval street in July last year.

The 31-year-old was killed during an alleged altercation between two groups, sparked by stolen motorbikes.

Three people, including Tye Bickle, were charged with his murder as well as two counts of grievous bodily harm.

During a bail hearing for Mr Bickle in Brisbane on Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard the 29-year-old and two friends had planned to meet with Mr Stewart at one of their homes, but several other men had shown up “unexpectedly” and uninvited .

Mr Bickle’s lawyer Angus Edwards told the court the group, some of whom were partially disguised in masks and hoodies and armed with weapons, had quickly become threatening.

“They weren’t there to sell girl scout cookies they were there with violence on their minds,” Mr Edwards said.

“[Mr Stewart] is the most aggressive, he is the man who throws the first punch.

“Anyone would have been in fear of their lives.”

Police car at Baden Jones Way at North Booval on July 28, 2021, after shooting and street brawl
The court heard the accused and two friends had planned to meet with Mr Stewart at one of their homes.(ABC News: Michael Rennie)

Mr Edwards told the court his client had initially been unarmed and unaware his friend had a gun, but somehow gained possession of the weapon after that man was punched by Mr Stewart.

Mr Bickle then “fires 10 shots in 6 seconds”, but only after Mr Stewart attacked him with a bat, Mr Edwards said.

“A witness sees my client get hit in the head. And there’s no doubt that … because he ultimately had to get an operation — he had a fractured skull,” Mr Edwards said.

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Categories
US

Trump, Angry About 2020, Tries to Oust Robin Vos in Wisconsin

Trump, Angry About 2020, Tries to Oust Robin Vos in Wisconsin

BURLINGTON, Wis. — After months of toying with Robin Vos, who as the speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly is the most powerful Republican in state politics, former President Donald J. Trump endorsed Mr. Vos’s long-shot primary challenger on Tuesday in a futile effort to push the state’s Republicans to decertify the results of the 2020 election.

Mr. Trump backed Adam Steen, a largely unknown and underfunded far-right Republican who said he would aim to claw back the state’s 10 Electoral College votes from 2020 — a legal impossibility — and enact sweeping changes to the state’s voting laws.

Mr. Steen’s far-right views are not limited to elections. He is opposed to all abortions under any circumstances and he said in an interview on Monday that he would seek to make contraception illegal in Wisconsin.

“This is way deeper than a political discussion. This is a moral issue,” he said. “To me, you’re ending a life. Yes, I would definitely outlaw contraception.”

In his endorsement message, Mr. Trump blamed Mr. Vos for blocking efforts to conduct a “full cyber forensic audit” of the 2020 election and said he had “refused to do anything to right the wrongs that were done.”

“Speaker Vos had 17 years to prove to Wisconsin residents that he has their best interest in mind, but even in his own campaign efforts, Vos has tried to mislead his constituents, sending out mailers that feature a picture he took with me — trying to make voters believe I am a Vos supporter, which I am not,” Mr. Trump said. “I do not come close to supporting him.”

Mr. Steen, 38, is running on a platform that echoes the former president’s election grievances. He said that if Mr. Vos, who has been Wisconsin’s Assembly speaker for a decade, were removed from office, new leadership would be more amenable to holding a decertification vote, which Mr. Vos has blocked on grounds that it is impossible to decertify the results of a past election.

“I would have voted to pull back our electors because fraud vitiates everything,” Mr. Steen said in the interview on Monday, using a phrase common on the far right among those seeking to overturn past election results. “When you’re looking at the fact that we have an election that has lots of questions, I’d say, ‘Why, why?’ Could you tell me why Robin doesn’t want to look at it? I don’t know.”

Mr. Steen’s voting platform also includes limiting voting to a single day at in-person precincts. He said he would forbid all absentee and early voting except for a limited number of active military members and older adults who are confined to their homes.

Mr. Vos did not respond to interview requests. His spokeswoman said he would not be available to comment until after Wisconsin’s Aug. 9 primary.

Categories
Technology

Telstra is giving away an Xbox Series S with 24 months of Game Pass with select Samsung phones

Xbox Series S

Samsung released its new Samsung Galaxy S22 series of phones earlier this year, and according to our sibling site TechRadar, the premium model in that series—the Galaxy S22 Ultra—is the best Android phone of 2022. If you’ve got at least AU $1,249 to spare and don’t play nice with iPhones, chances are you’ll be looking at the Galaxy S22 range as your next phone. If that’s the case, Telstra has quite a generous deal kicking off tomorrow.

Starting Thursday, August 4 at 1am and lasting 23 hours, any Samsung Galaxy S22 series phone purchased on the Telstra Store will have an Xbox Series S bundled in. Not only that, but it’s a free Xbox All Access bundle, which comes with the console as well as 24 months of Game Pass Ultimate. In other words, spend at least AU$1,249 on a new phone, and get AU$792 worth of gaming goodness thrown in for free.

Categories
Australia

Comanchero boss’s return to Australia set for delay

Comanchero boss's return to Australia set for delay

Mark Buddle has been arrested by the AFP after he was deported by Turkey.

Mark Buddle has been arrested by the AFP after he was deported by Turkey.

Ryan said Buddle had been a target of the AFP’s extensive Operation Gain since March 2021, with further arrests – of up to 20 others – expected to follow.

This includes Hakan Ayik, a Turkish national who recently renounced his Australian citizenship and is currently the subject of a global arrest notice.

“Today’s arrest is a significant blow against organized crime groups,” Ryan said.

“Australians who think they can hide offshore in perceived safe havens, peddling drugs into Australian communities, making huge illicit profits at the expense of Australian lives. Take this as a warning.”

Federal investigators in Australia began preparations for Buddle’s arrest in October 2021, presenting a full brief of evidence to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions by January 2022.

In mid-July, Melbourne Magistrates’ Court issued an arrest warrant for the 37-year-old over his alleged involvement in the cocaine importation, and within weeks, Interpol had issued a red notice, a global alert, for his capture.

Mel Ter Wisscha says she has been separated from Buddle since last year.

Mel Ter Wisscha says she has been separated from Buddle since last year.Credit: Supplied

Buddle had been living in Northern Cyprus on a tourist visa since June last year before being arrested by Turkish authorities and taken to Ankara, where he has spent the past month.

The 37-year-old’s wife, Mel Ter Wisscha, has also been detained by Turkish authorities over visa issues. She told media outlets last month that the pair were separated and had not seen each other in more than a year.

Ryan said Turkish authorities then sported Buddle independently and accompanied him to Darwin.

“All the logistics were actually organized and arranged by the Turkish authorities,” he said.

“The Turkish authorities are regional leaders in relation to the fight against organized crime, and we thank them for their efforts.”

In June 2021, five people were arrested in connection to the importation of more than 160 kilograms of cocaine into Melbourne, including the alleged coordinator of the transnational organized crime syndicate, a 42-year-old Sydney man, and four Victorians.

At the time, federal police said the investigation into the importation came after intelligence confirmed large amounts of cocaine were set to arrive in Melbourne, via Sydney, from Hong Kong in late May 2021.

Federal police alleged a transnational criminal syndicate had been operating out of Hong Kong and Turkey, using encrypted communications to coordinate the shipment, estimated to be worth more than $40 million, via an onshore criminal syndicate leader in Sydney.

AFP seized 160 kilograms of cocaine during Operation Ironside in late May 2021.

AFP seized 160 kilograms of cocaine during Operation Ironside in late May 2021.

With the assistance of AFP officers, federal investigators intercepted and seized the cocaine, which had been concealed inside a shipment of air filters that arrived in Melbourne on May 31, 2021.

The Sydney man was charged with importing a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.

In Victoria, three men accused of playing a role in the collection and distribution of the cocaine shipment were arrested across Melbourne between June 4 and 6.

Mark Buddle (left) with fellow gang member Ali Bazzi in the Mediterranean.

Mark Buddle (left) with fellow gang member Ali Bazzi in the Mediterranean.

They were a 26-year-old Taylors Hill man, a 31-year-old Keilor East man and a 28-year-old St Kilda East man.

Search warrants were also executed in Taylors Hill, Keilor Park, Keilor East, Dandenong, Southbank, Point Cook and Laverton North, as well as in Leichhardt in NSW.

Buddle’s lawyer, Robert Welfare, declined to comment on the case when contacted on Wednesday.

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