The first DJI Mini 3 leak has flown into view on social media – and it suggests the compact drone could be getting a major design overhaul, along with a new controller.
The reliable DJI leaker @OsitaLV posted the image below on Twitter, which has somewhat divided opinion. On first impression, there are signs that it's fake, with the image containing a new take on DJI's RC Pro controller (usually reserved for its higher-end drones) and a fresh design that isn't exactly sleek.
In fact, @OsitaLV even commented that they "regard this pic as joking". But there are also signs that DJI could indeed be planning a DJI Mini 3 Pro, which would be a higher-end successor to its popular DJI Mini 2 .
Firstly, DJI has recently shown a tendency to recycle existing components on new models, with the DJI Air 2S effectively being a mini version of the now-discontinued DJI Mavic 2 Pro . If true, this leak would suggest a similar strategy with the Mini 3 Pro, which appears to take design inspiration from the now retired DJI Mavic Air 2 .
As noted by DJI commentator Jasper Ellens , the leaked image shows new front-facing sensors that look similar to the Mavic Air 2. This would be a big upgrade for the DJI Mini series, which have traditionally lacked external obstacle avoidance sensors to help you avoid crashing into trees.
The Mini 3 Pro leak also suggests that the drone's arms are hinged at opposite ends to the Mini 2, which could provide room for larger props to help keep it steady during a breeze. And while a new controller would be an unexpected addition to the Mini 3, DJI did pointedly call its latest controller the DJI RC Pro – leaving room for a standard DJI RC, which is shown on the leaked packaging.
While this would undoubtedly inflate the mini drone's price, hence the 'Pro' name, DJI would still need to keep the Mini 3 Pro's weight below 250g. In many territories, including the USA and Canada, this would let you to avoid the hassle and cost of registering the drone, which is required for drones weighing above 250g.
Analysis: An odd leak that increasingly makes sense
Our first impression of the DJI Mini 3 Pro leak was that it must be fake – after all, the Mini series has long been DJI's entry-level offering, so why make a 'Pro' version with an expensive controller?
But the packaging does contain elements that are more complex than your average Photoshop job, and the concept would fit the drone king's recent strategy. In the midst of a global chip shortage and the company's troubles in the US , DJI has tended to recycle elements of its existing drones into new models – so a mini version of the DJI Mavic Air 2 would fit the bill.
The addition of front-facing sensors, as show in the leak, would also fix one of the biggest issues with the DJI Mini 2. That drone lacks any kind of obstacle avoidance sensors, and yet an affordable, beginner-friendly model is exactly the kind of flying machine that needs them. After all, even experienced pilots will rely on them when flying near troublesome things like trees.
A DJI RC controller would also make sense for flying safety, offering pilots a bright, 1,000-nit screen in a stripped down version of the DJI RC Pro pad, which is designed for the DJI Mavic 3, DJI Mavic 3 Cine and DJI Air 2S.
The only major doubt we have is the camera shown in the leak – its text doesn't follow DJI's traditional styling and an f/1.7 lens would be extremely bright for such a small drone. By comparison, the DJI Mavic Air 2 and Mini 2 both have f/2.8 lenses.
Still, the leak does fit previously rumored time-frame of a full DJI Mini 3 launch in April, so hopefully we'll see more conclusive rumors land soon.
These are the 10 biggest TV shows on Netflix right now
Netflix announced, in November 2021 , that it would be publishing a weekly list detailing its most popular TV shows over a seven-day period – and it's proven a great way to gauge what the world is watching at any given time.
Ranking titles based on weekly hours viewed – i the total number of hours subscribers globally watched each title between Monday and Sunday of the previous week – Netflix regularly shares four separate lists; two for movies (English and Non-English) and two for TV shows (English and Non-English).
It's also worth noting that the streamer considers each season of a given series as standalone entities, so you might see two of seasons of the best Netflix shows make the cut in the same week. That is, if they're popular enough, of course.
Below, we’ve rounded up the 10 most popular English-speaking TV shows on the streamer this past week. We've also collated the biggest Netflix movies , too, if you're interested in checking out the best feature-length offerings on the streamer right now.
1. Bridgerton season 2
Release date: March 25, 2022 Hours viewed: 115.75 million Weeks in Top 10: 3
2. The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On
Release date: April 6, 2022 Hours viewed: 43.71 million Weeks in Top 10: 1
3. Bridgerton season 1
Release date: December 25, 2020 Hours viewed: 35.76 million Weeks in Top 10: 3
4. Jimmy Savile: A British Horror Story
Release date: April 6, 2022 Hours viewed: 17.7 million Weeks in Top 10: 1
5. Inventing Anna
Release date: February 11, 2022 Hours viewed: 17.32 million Weeks in Top 10: 9
6. Better Call Saul season 5
Release date: February 23, 2020 Hours viewed: 15.17 million Weeks in Top 10: 1
7. Is It Cake?
Release date: March 18, 2022 Hours viewed: 14.76 million Weeks in Top 10: 3
8. Super PupZ
Release date: March 31, 2022 Hours viewed: 13.77 million Weeks in Top 10: 1
9. The Last Kingdom season 5
Release date: March 9, 2022 Hours viewed: 12.97 million Weeks in Top 10: 5
10. CoComelon season 5
Release date: February, 2022 Hours viewed: 12.63 million Weeks in Top 10: 1
Steam Deck stick drift problems have been fixed already – Nintendo, take note
There have been increasing reports of the newly-released Steam Deck handheld console suffering from stick drift – but an update has already been released to fix it.
Stick drift is an issue where the thumbsitcks of a controller act like they are being pushed when they’re actually not being touched. It’s an annoying problem, and can interfere with games as the controller will move player characters on their own.
It’s an issue that has plagued other systems, most noticeably the Nintendo Switch . However, the fact that Valve has identified and corrected the issue already is certainly impressive.
According to Steam Deck engineer Lawrence Yang, the Steam Deck stick drift issue has been caused by “deadzone regression” introduced in a recent update. As Yang tweeted, an update has been released that fixes the issue, so if you have been encountering the problem, installing the update should fix it.
Analysis: Valve’s speedy response should be a lesson to Nintendo
While releasing a faulty update that caused the Steam Deck stick drift is a tad embarrassing, Valve should be commended for how quickly it identified the problem and issued a fix.
This is in stark contrast to Nintendo, where Switch owners have been complaining about stick drift on the Joy-Con controllers for years now.
Valve was able to issue a fix quickly because the Steam Deck stick drift was a software problem, and therefore relatively easy to fix.
The Switch’s stick drift issue, on the other hand, appears to be a hardware problem. This would require a major redesign of the Switch Joy-Con controllers.
Nintendo actually had an opportunity to do this when it released the new Switch OLED model. This could have been the perfect time to introduce new Joy-Con controllers without the stick drift issue. Unfortunately, the Switch OLED ships with the same Joy-Cons as the original Switch, which means they could suffer from stick drift.
Nintendo is at least offering free repairs for affected Joy-Cons, even when out of warranty. But that is the least the company can do, and it only did it after being subject to a class-action lawsuit about the issue .
Nintendo’s lackadaisical approach to addressing the Switch stick drift problem is incredibly frustrating, and looks even worse when compared to Valve’s swift response. For people weighing up whether or not to buy the Nintendo Switch or the Steam Deck , Valve’s quick fix may sway them. Nintendo should take note.
Via: Neowin
