Articles by "GADGETS"
Showing posts with label GADGETS. Show all posts
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
While all the recent focus has been on TikTok, there is an Indian short-form digital video platform that has been making great strides with a better focus on quality content and a wider user base. A measure of this success is the fact that Indian video sharing platform Roposo now has over 50 million users in the country.
“We are ethical, we are clean.” Mayank Bhangadia, CEO & Co-Founder, Roposo said “If you only see clean and good stuff, you will be forced to post videos on that domain,” he says, adding how his company takes content moderation very seriously, something other platforms have not been able to address properly.
“Our priority is to make the platform clean and we do that by creating a lot of channels and not forcing the creator to go in one direction,” he explains. He says that once the content is created, the first level of moderation is done by artificial intelligence. With the help of AI and machine learning, the protective tool flags any content that is not acceptable. Once that is done, Roposo has a dedicated multilingual team that goes through each video uploaded on the platform, searching for elements that violate its standards. Then there is a report button that lets users report an objectionable video if they spot it on the platform.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Amitabh Bachchan is one of the biggest and most popular Bollywood actors in India. Till date, he has been featured in multiple movies, dubbed various movies and shows. A latest report claims now he might be getting ready to lend his voice to one of the most used Map application, Google Maps. The report comes from Mid-Day.
The report states that Google has approached Amitabh Bachchan as its choice for the voice of Google Maps. However, as of now, no contract has been signed.
It further states that Bachchan has been offered a huge fee for the task and due to the current social distancing norms, will have to record his voice from home, if he decides to accept the offer.
As of now, Google Maps features the voice of Karen Jacobsen, who is a New York-based entertainer. She is also the voice of Apple’s Siri voice assistant.
We recommend that you take this report with a pinch of salt, considering neither Google nor Bachchan has commented on it.
It is said that Bachchan might only record his voice for the Hindi voice of the application and the English voice will remain of Karen Jacobsen.
To recall, Google has already worked with a Bollywood actor, Aamir Khan back in 2018. This was for a promotion of Yash Raj Films’ movie, Thugs of Hindistan and was removed after some time. In this partnership, your car turned into a horse with Aamir Khan’s character, Firangi riding it on the screen and giving you directions.
In related news, Google Maps with a recent update introduced features that would alert users about COVID-19 related travel restrictions inside of the app. The features include transit alerts, medical facility alerts and more.
All these features are being tested separately in different countries and will slowly roll out to other countries as and when Google is able to increase their official data of the COVID-19 restrictions.
Amitabh Bachchan is one of the biggest and most popular Bollywood actors in India. Till date, he has been featured in multiple movies, dubbed various movies and shows. A latest report claims now he might be getting ready to lend his voice to one of the most used Map application, Google Maps. The report comes from Mid-Day.
The report states that Google has approached Amitabh Bachchan as its choice for the voice of Google Maps. However, as of now, no contract has been signed.
It further states that Bachchan has been offered a huge fee for the task and due to the current social distancing norms, will have to record his voice from home, if he decides to accept the offer.
As of now, Google Maps features the voice of Karen Jacobsen, who is a New York-based entertainer. She is also the voice of Apple’s Siri voice assistant.
We recommend that you take this report with a pinch of salt, considering neither Google nor Bachchan has commented on it.
It is said that Bachchan might only record his voice for the Hindi voice of the application and the English voice will remain of Karen Jacobsen.
To recall, Google has already worked with a Bollywood actor, Aamir Khan back in 2018. This was for a promotion of Yash Raj Films’ movie, Thugs of Hindistan and was removed after some time. In this partnership, your car turned into a horse with Aamir Khan’s character, Firangi riding it on the screen and giving you directions.
In related news, Google Maps with a recent update introduced features that would alert users about COVID-19 related travel restrictions inside of the app. The features include transit alerts, medical facility alerts and more.
All these features are being tested separately in different countries and will slowly roll out to other countries as and when Google is able to increase their official data of the COVID-19 restrictions.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
After ruling the premium Indian smartphone segment for many quarters, OnePlus is now gearing up to launch affordable products in the country. The company is all set to launch affordable OnePlus TV in the country on July 2. Pete Lau CEO of OnePlus has confirmed that the TV will simply be called OnePlus smart TV.
After ruling the premium Indian smartphone segment for many quarters, OnePlus is now gearing up to launch affordable products in the country. The company is all set to launch affordable OnePlus TV in the country on July 2. Pete Lau CEO of OnePlus has confirmed that the TV will simply be called OnePlus smart TV.
OnePlus entered the smart TV space last year with the launch of two premium TVs — OnePlus TV Q1 and OnePlus TV Q1 Pro with an expensive price tag.
India is a price-sensitive market and most consumers look for products that are big on specifications yet affordable. OnePlus TV Q1 series did offer premium features but was on the expensive side. The series started at Rs 69,990 and went up to touch almost a lakh.
With the launch of the OnePlus smart TV series, the company is aiming to target the mass that wants value for money products.
OnePlus has a massive consumer base in the country and hence the upcoming affordable OnePlus smart TV series will give a serious competition to the Xiaomi’s Mi TVs and the recently launched Realme smart TVs. Ahead of the launch, OnePlus has revealed some of the key details of the OnePlus smart TV series. Here’s everything we know about the TV series so far.
–The launch date is confirmed. OnePlus is all set to launch the affordable OnePlus TVs next month. The launch date is set on July 2. Due to the pandemic, OnePlus will skip the physical launch event, and this one will be an online-only event.
–OnePlus has also confirmed that there is going to be more than one TV. The company has said that OnePlus smart TV series is coming hinting that more TVs. Reports suggest that the company will launch two smart TVs on the slated date. The screen sizes are yet to be confirmed but given the aggressive pricing OnePlus is planning to launch the TVs at we can expect the TVs to either a 32-inch or a 43-inch or 50-inch. OnePlus TV Q1 series comes with a 55-inch screen.
–OnePlus CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that OnePlus smart TVs will be available on Amazon.in similar to all other OnePlus products. The availability date is yet to be revealed by the company. The smart TVs are listed on the e-commerce website with ‘Notify me’ button.
–One of the key highlights of the OnePlus smart TVs will be the price. The company has confirmed that the OnePlus smart TV will have a starting price of under Rs 20.000. With such aggressive pricing, the OnePlus smart TV will directly compete with Realme TV and Mi TV in India.
–Lau has confirmed that the OnePlus smart TV series is exclusively for the Indian consumers, at least for now.
–The company has also revealed that despite the aggressive pricing the OnePlus smart TVs will not compromise on features. The smart TVs are said to be packed with smart and top-notch features. The design of the upcoming OnePlus smart TVs are yet to be confirmed.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
As part of its constant endeavour to make it possible for people “to have conversations in new ways with less pressure and more control”, Twitter has started testing Fleets in India. These self-disappearing tweets will vanish in 24 hours and will not have retweets, likes or public comments. India is among the first markets after Brazil to get this new feature.
We mailed some questions to Twitter’s group product manager Mo Al Adham to learn more about this new feature.
How does Fleets work?
Fleets are a new way to start conversations from your fleeting thoughts. Fleets disappear after 24 hours and don’t get Retweets, Likes, or public replies. Similar to Tweets, Fleets are text-first, but you can also add videos or photos. If you want to reply to a Fleet, tap on it to send a Direct Message or emoji, and continue the conversation in your DMs. Your followers can see your Fleets at the top of their home timeline. And anyone who can see your full profile can find your Fleets there. If you have open DMs, anyone can react to your Fleets. If you have protected Tweets, only people who follow you can see your Fleets at the top of their timeline or by clicking on your profile photo.
What was the idea behind this feature? What problem are you solving here?
Twitter is where people go to see and talk about what’s happening. But, some people tell us that they’re uncomfortable to tweet because tweets are public, feel permanent, and have public counts (Retweets and Likes). There’s also the feeling that a good tweet has to have a lot of likes, RTs, and replies. We want to make it possible for people to have conversations in new ways with less pressure and more control, beyond tweets and Direct Messages. That’s why we are testing Fleets, a new way to start conversations from your fleeting thoughts with no likes, no retweets, no public replies, and no permanence.How have Twitter users in Brazil and Italy reacted to Fleets?
While there is a lot more to learn, we are seeing people become more comfortable about sharing what’s on their minds. People who don’t usually Tweet are starting more conversations and sending both Fleets and Tweets. When people send a Fleet, they often share a number of thoughts rapidly.
What are your expectations from the Indian market?
We are excited to bring Fleets to India. We’re looking to learn how adding a new way to have conversations on Twitter changes the way people in India interact on Twitter, including – are people Tweeting more or less, having more or fewer conversations, and coming back to Twitter to Fleet more or less. We’re focused on seeing how people in India use Fleets and look forward to learning more about its adoption, usage, and changes to the overall behaviour on the service.
Will the product be available for all Indian users?
Fleets will be available for everyone in India on Twitter for iOS and Android in the coming days in updated app versions.
At a time when tweets by public figures are on record, and considered as government communication, how does a feature like this work?
With Fleets, we hope people who are uncomfortable to Tweet feel more comfortable sharing their thoughts. Also, your Fleets are public – everyone can see your Fleets on your profile or at the top of the home timeline if they follow you. Our intention is not to discourage people, institutions, and authorities from exchanging official and critical information.
If people think something is a violation of the Twitter Rules, they can report it to us. We maintain a copy of each Fleet on our servers for a limited time beyond 24 hours to analyse how Fleets are being used and to be able to enforce against Fleets that violate our rules.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Alphabet Inc's Google on Saturday said it has postponed next week's planned unveiling of the beta version of its latest Android 11 mobile operating system in light of protests and unrest in the United States.
Alphabet Inc's Google on Saturday said it has postponed next week's planned unveiling of the beta version of its latest Android 11 mobile operating system in light of protests and unrest in the United States.
"We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate," Google said in a message posted on its Android developers website.
The event was originally scheduled to take place virtually on Wednesday, according to the website. In a tweet, it said that it will announce more details on the new version of Android "soon," without specifying any dates.
Protests have spread across the United States over the killing of George Floyd, a Minneapolis black man who died after being pinned by the neck under a white police officer's knee.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Realme Buds Q India launch has been teased just days after the debut of the true wireless (TWS) earbuds in China. The company is set to launch the new offering with a price tag under Rs. 2,000, which is lower than the recently launched Realme Buds Air Neo. The Realme Buds Q were launched in China earlier this week. The earbuds come in three distinct colour options and have a pebble-like design. The Realme Buds Q also come with 10mm audio drivers.
Realme Buds Q price in India, availability details (expected)
The Realme Buds Q price in India is yet to be announced. However, Realme India Chief Marketing Officer Francis Wang has teased the launch of the new earbuds through a tweet that says the earbuds are coming at under Rs. 2,000. Wang has also mentioned that the earbuds are “coming soon”, though he didn't provide any specific launch date.
Realme launched the Buds Q as its new TWS earbuds earlier this week at CNY 149 (roughly Rs. 1,600). The India pricing is likely to be in line with what's announced in China. Furthermore, the earbuds come in Black, White, and Yellow colour options.
The Realme Buds Q in India are likely to give a tough fight to the Redmi Earbuds S that Xiaomi launched earlier this week at Rs. 1,799.
Realme Buds Q specifications, features
The Realme Buds Q come with 10mm drivers and have Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity support. The earbuds come with a latency rate of 119 milliseconds that's similar to what you'll get on the Realme Buds Air Neo. There are also ‘Quick Controls' that work with touch inputs and allow actions such as play, pause, and skip. The Realme Buds Q also have an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance.
Realme claims that the Buds Q are lighter than an A4 sheet with a weight of 3.6 grams. The earbuds also have a case that supports 30W wired charging. However, you won't get wireless charging that was offered on the Realme Buds Air.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
ACT Fibernet is increasing the rental for its broadband plans starting June 1. The increase will be implemented in eight out of the total 19 cities where the Internet service provider (ISP) currently operates. Also, the revision in the rental will vary on a plan-by-plan basis. This means that there won't be a consistent increase in the rental for all customers. The new revision comes as ACT Fibernet and other ISPs in India are facing a huge pressure due to the coronavirus pandemic that has increased usage among household users.
The eight cities where ACT Fibernet is increasing the rental for its broadband plans include Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Vijayawada, Vizag, and Guntur. The service provider told Gadgets 360 that the increase was two to four percent in most cities, with select plans seeing a slightly higher percentage of revision.
For instance, ACT is increasing the Silver Promo plan price to Rs. 799 in Delhi, from Rs. 749 right now, an increase of Rs. 50. The revised plan prices are expected to be listed on the company website and app over the next couple of days.
ACT Fibernet is sending an email to customers informing about the latest update. The email specifies the exact change in the rental pricing and highlights that it will come into effect from June 1.
“We have kept pricing constant over the past few years, despite significant cost increases and investments for superior Internet experience. In addition, our sector has also seen unprecedented challenges over [the] last few years, leading to increased cost of operations,” the company said in the email to its customers.
Revision comes after freebies
The latest revision notably comes after ACT Fibernet offered increased Internet speeds of up to 300Mbps speeds and unlimited fair usage policy (FUP) to all its customers in two different phases for free until April 30. The free benefits were aimed to ease working from home and help consumers stay indoors.
The latest revision notably comes after ACT Fibernet offered increased Internet speeds of up to 300Mbps speeds and unlimited fair usage policy (FUP) to all its customers in two different phases for free until April 30. The free benefits were aimed to ease working from home and help consumers stay indoors.
Earlier this month, ACT Fibernet revealed that due to a large number of people staying indoors to avoid the coronavirus infection, it saw a 40 percent increase in its peak traffic in March. The Bengaluru-based company also noticed an increase in demands across all major cities, including tier-II markets between February and April.
However, ACT Fibernet isn't the only company that has seen a growth in traffic. Other ISPs have also seen a surge as people are relying heavily on the Internet for their work and entertainment needs.
AAJ KI DELHI :
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched a promotional offer to bundle Google Nest Mini and Nest Hub with its broadband plans. The offer that is currently active in all telecom circles is applicable on both BSNL DSL and Bharat Fiber connections. Eligible customers need to pay their monthly plan charges on an annual basis in advance, along with Rs. 99 a month for the Nest Mini or Rs. 199 a month for the Nest Hub for 13 months. The promotional offer came into its effect on May 23 and is valid for 90 days.
As per a circular posted on the BSNL Chennai site, DSL and Bharat Fiber subscribers need to opt for the annual payment of a minimum monthly plan of Rs. 799 to get the Google Nest Mini at a monthly charge of Rs. 99 for 13 months. The Google Nest Hub, on the other hand, is available at Rs. 199 a month for 13 months for customers who have opted for a monthly DSL or Bharat Fiber plan of minimum Rs. 1,999. To recall, the Google Nest Mini is priced for regular customers at Rs. 3,999, whereas the Google Nest Hub generally retails at Rs. 8,999.
BSNL is providing the promotional offer through its online portal. Customers need to pay the annual payment for their monthly plan in advance along with the one-month charge of the Google Nest Mini or Nest Hub, the one they want to bundle with their broadband connection.
AAJ KI DELHI :
TikTok's app ratings on Google Play have moved up to 4.4 stars from 1.2 stars surfaced last week. The latest development emerges days after the short videos app faced a public backlash chiefly due to the controversy surrounding a video posted by a popular TikTok user Faizal Siddiqui, with hashtags including #IndiansAgainstTikTok surfacing on social media. Google has passively played an important role in improving the average rating of TikTok on Google Play as it removed millions of one-star ratings due to its comment posting guidelines that clearly allows to remove negative reviews and ratings that account for a mass attack.
Without specifying the case of TikTok, a Google spokesperson said that the company takes a corrective action to remove inappropriate ratings and comments when it considers incidents of spam abuse. “Play Store ratings enable users to provide helpful feedback about their experience with apps and content, for the benefit of others to make informed decisions,” the spokesperson said in a statement emailed to Gadgets 360.
If we compare the current app ratings of TikTok on Google Play from what it had exactly seven days back, there is a drop of roughly 80 lakh ratings. The graph on the Web version of Google Play also shows that there was a massive increase in one-star ratings last week, but a large number of those ratings are no longer live.
AAJ KI DELHI :
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is looking into allegations that Alphabet's Google is abusing its market position to unfairly promote its mobile payments app in the country, five sources familiar with the case told Reuters. The complaint was filed in February and the CCI has kept the identity of the complainant confidential, the first source with direct knowledge of the case said. The complaint alleges the US tech giant more prominently showcases its Google Pay app inside its Android app store in India, giving it an unfair advantage over apps of competitors which hurts consumers, the source added.
Google did not respond to a request for comment. Two of the sources said the watchdog informed Google about the case being filed a few days ago and the company will respond in due course.
A source said the case filing is currently being reviewed by senior CCI members. Typically in such cases, Google will appear before the watchdog which will then decide on the way forward.
The CCI can direct its investigations unit to conduct a wider probe into the allegations, or dismiss the case if it finds no merit in it.
"It is at a consideration stage," the source said.
The CCI did not respond to a request for comment.
This is Google's third major antitrust challenge in India. In 2018, the CCI fined Google $21 million (Rs. 136 crores in India) for "search bias", but a company appeal against that is pending. The CCI last year also started probing Google for allegedly misusing its dominant position to reduce the ability of smartphone manufacturers to opt for alternate versions of its Android mobile operating system.
Google Pay allows users in India to do inter-bank fund transfers and bill payments. It competes with apps such as Softbank-backed Paytm and Walmart's PhonePe in India's crowded digital payments market, where Facebook's WhatsApp is also planning a similar service.
Google said on its blog in September that its payments app had rapidly grown in India to reach 6.7 crore monthly active users, driving transactions worth more than $110 billion (roughly Rs. 8.31 lakh crores) on an annualised basis. Use of such apps has surged in India.
The Google antitrust complaint alleges the company is able to leverage its strong position in the Android market to promote the app, the first source added.
Android mobile operating platforms power around 98 percent of the 49 crore smartphones in India, data from Counterpoint Research showed.
The complaint also alleges Google is promoting its payments app using search manipulation, the source added, without elaborating whether the allegations detail how the company did so.
One of the sources, however, said users in India have options to select one of the several digital payment apps available on Android, something that Google can use to defend against complaints over its dominant position.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the CCI was looking into allegations that WhatsApp was abusing its dominant position by offering payment services to its vast base of messaging app users in the country.
AAJ KI DELHI/ INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
RedmiBook and Mi-branded laptops could launch in India anytime soon, going by teasers from Xiaomi India's leadership. While the company is yet to make an official announcement, Xiaomi India Managing Director Manu Kumar Jain along with key colleagues have started teasing the new launch through their social media accounts. The RedmiBook and Mi Notebook models have been long anticipated in India. Xiaomi was even spotted getting a trademark for its RedmiBook brand in the country earlier this year.
Manu Kumar Jain and his colleagues have started posting their videos on Twitter to hint at the launch of Xiaomi's new laptops in India. The videos also carry a hashtag #WhatsNextFromMi.
The videos posted don't give any clarity about what's incoming. Nevertheless, Marketing Lead for Mi brand Sumit Sonal and Lead for Redmi Business Sneha Tainwala are amongst the key Xiaomi employees who have teased the new launch. This suggests that the company may have plans to launch new laptops under both Redmi and Mi brands.
Last month, tipster Ishan Agarwal claimed that Jain recently intimated retailers about the launch of the RedmiBook and Mi Notebook models in the country soon. Agarwal, however, noted that the executive didn't provide any concrete date or timeline for the launch.
Xiaomi has not yet announced its plans to enter the market of notebooks with its new models. However, the Chinese company already secured a trademark for the RedmiBook brand that was spotted in January.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Nokia Smart TV with a 43-inch screen is all set to launch in India on June 4, HMD Global has revealed. The new 43-inch model will go on sale via Flipkart, and the company has also revealed the approximate range it should be priced at. The 43-inch variant will sit alongside the Nokia Smart TV 55-inch model that was launched in India in December last year. The Nokia website has been teasing the arrival of the 43-inch variant since March, and it may have been delayed due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Nokia TV 43-inch price in India (expected)
The company has confirmed to Gadgets 360 that the Nokia Smart TV 43-inch model will launch on June 4. The new smart TV will be positioned at a price point ranging between Rs. 31,000 to Rs. 34,000 in India, and the Nokia Smart TV 43-inch variant will go on sale exclusively via Flipkart. Exact pricing details and offers would be announced closer to launch. Key features on the Nokia Smart TV include JBL Audio and Dolby Vision support.
Nokia TV 43-inch features, specifications (expected)
The Nokia Smart TV 43-inch will run on Android 9.0 operating system, and it should most likely offer the same experience as the 55-inch variant. Design-wise, the Nokia Smart TV 43-inch model looks identical to the 55-inch model with slim bezels and the same V-shaped stand aesthetic. The 43-inch model should have the same specifications as the 55-inch model. The larger variant is priced at Rs. 41,999, and it also runs on Android 9 Pie. The 4K Smart TV pack quad-core processor, Mali-450 MP GPU, 2.25GB of RAM, and 16GB storage. There are two 12W speakers onboard with Dolby Audio and DTS TruSurround.
The 55-inch Nokia Smart TV has support for apps like Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ Hotstar, and Prime Video, and the 43-inch model will likely support them as well. It is also expected to offer Chromecast built0in and support for Bluetooth v5.0.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
A cyber criminal has put on sale records of 4.75 crore Indians claimed to be sourced from online directory Truecaller for about Rs 75,000, according to online intelligence firm Cyble. A Truecaller spokesperson denied any breach of its database and said it is a compiled database which is being sold by using the name of the company so that the data look credible.
"Our researchers have identified a reputable seller, who is selling 47.5 million Indians Truecaller records for USD 1,000 (about Rs 75,000). The data is from 2019. We were also taken off by surprise with such a low price point," Cyble said in a blog.
The data on sale includes phone numbers, gender, city, mobile network, Facebook id etc.
"Cyble researchers are progressing with their analysis, but clearly, this leak may have a potential impact on broader users in India such as spams, scams, identity thefts etc. We will update this blog as we get more information," Cyble said.
When contacted, a Truecaller spokesperson said, "There has been no breach of our database and all our user information is secure. We take the privacy of our users and the integrity of our services extremely seriously and we are continuously monitoring for suspicious activities."
The spokesperson said that the company has information about a similar sale of data in May 2019.
"What they have here is likely the same dataset as before. It's easy for bad actors to compile multiple phone number databases and put a Truecaller stamp on it. By doing that, it lends some credibility to the data and makes it easier for them to sell. We urge the public and users not to fall prey to such bad actors whose primary motive is to swindle the people of their money," the spokesperson said.
The personal data leaked by cyber criminals leads to various nefarious activities such as identity thefts, scams, and corporate espionage.
Last week, Cyble spotted personal data of 2.9 crore Indians being sold on the dark web which was sourced from job websites.
A cyber criminal has put on sale records of 4.75 crore Indians claimed to be sourced from online directory Truecaller for about Rs 75,000, according to online intelligence firm Cyble. A Truecaller spokesperson denied any breach of its database and said it is a compiled database which is being sold by using the name of the company so that the data look credible.
"Our researchers have identified a reputable seller, who is selling 47.5 million Indians Truecaller records for USD 1,000 (about Rs 75,000). The data is from 2019. We were also taken off by surprise with such a low price point," Cyble said in a blog.
The data on sale includes phone numbers, gender, city, mobile network, Facebook id etc.
"Cyble researchers are progressing with their analysis, but clearly, this leak may have a potential impact on broader users in India such as spams, scams, identity thefts etc. We will update this blog as we get more information," Cyble said.
When contacted, a Truecaller spokesperson said, "There has been no breach of our database and all our user information is secure. We take the privacy of our users and the integrity of our services extremely seriously and we are continuously monitoring for suspicious activities."
The spokesperson said that the company has information about a similar sale of data in May 2019.
"What they have here is likely the same dataset as before. It's easy for bad actors to compile multiple phone number databases and put a Truecaller stamp on it. By doing that, it lends some credibility to the data and makes it easier for them to sell. We urge the public and users not to fall prey to such bad actors whose primary motive is to swindle the people of their money," the spokesperson said.
The personal data leaked by cyber criminals leads to various nefarious activities such as identity thefts, scams, and corporate espionage.
Last week, Cyble spotted personal data of 2.9 crore Indians being sold on the dark web which was sourced from job websites.
AAJ KI DELHI / INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
With Facebook's adoption of permanent remote work on Thursday, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has untethered one of Silicon Valley's biggest companies from the place that incubated it.
With Facebook's adoption of permanent remote work on Thursday, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has untethered one of Silicon Valley's biggest companies from the place that incubated it.
But he also dashed a Silicon Valley dream: that tech workers would be able to take their generous salaries with them as they flee the Bay Area's crushing housing costs, dirty sidewalks and crowded roadways.
As lockdowns dragged into their third month, message boards popular with well-paid tech workers have lit up with fantasies of working long-term from tropical beaches and spacious houses in affordable small towns in the Midwest.
"Does that mean I could apply for a job in Silicon Valley and work remotely from, say, the Caribbean? Asking for a friend," wrote one user on Blind, an app designed to let workers swap information anonymously.
Afraid not, Zuckerberg said, addressing employees in a publicly broadcast livestream on his Facebook page.
The company, one of Silicon Valley's biggest employers, is giving US staffers who are approved to work remotely until January 1, 2021 to update the company on where they plan to base themselves, at which point their salaries will be adjusted to reflect the local cost of living.
Zuckerberg said he expects half of Facebook's workforce to take him up on the offer over the next five to 10 years.
Employees who attempt to wiggle around those compensation adjustments will be subject to "severe ramifications," he said, as the company needs to account for employee locations to avoid violating tax laws.
Zuckerberg said Facebook will monitor adherence by checking where employees access its VPN. Facebook also uses its own apps' to track employee locations, according to CNBC, one time using the data to find interns who failed to show up for work.
Even as many tech workers dream of a future in low-tax states, others on message boards fret about how the shift to remote work could exert downward pressure on salaries across the board and warn that being far from headquarters could steepen the climb up the corporate ladder.
One former Facebook employee, who in his 20s lived in Silicon Valley's suburbs for the short commute, said the change would open up opportunities even for employees who stay in California.
"A 25-year-old maybe would rather be in San Francisco, while someone looking to raise a family might prefer to move outside the city," he said.
A Facebook spokesman said the company was not planning layoffs, compulsory moves or salary adjustments for employees who opt to stay in the Bay Area.
If the experiment is successful, Facebook's move could prompt other tech giants to compete for engineering talent by embracing remote work - and other states to compete for Californians.
"The warm, sunny states with affordable housing and zero taxes will see an influx of educated, rich workers. States will need to cut taxes to keep up," Chamath Palihapitiya, the chief executive of venture capital firm Social Capital and an early executive at Facebook, said on Twitter.
AAJ KI DELHI/INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Poco has announced its entry into the truly wireless earphones market with the Poco Pop Buds. As of now, there are no details available for the Poco Pop Buds, but the company says that it is one step closer to making its first truly wireless earphones a reality. The Poco Pop Buds will be the first audio product by the smartphone brand that recently unveiled its much anticipated Poco F2 Pro smartphone. Poco aims at releasing its TWS earphones in the Indian market, owing to the reportedly high growth in the wearables market.
Poco Pop Buds mark the company's entry into the world of TWS earphones. The company is working on developing the earphones and no information about the specifications or design is available as of yet. Interestingly, the company named the Poco Pop Buds through a Twitter poll where it asked fans to pick among a few name options, with Poco Pop Buds getting majority of the votes. Poco has now confirmed that its first audio product will be TWS earphones called the Poco Pop Buds.
Notably, the company first announced it was working on TWS earphones early in April where it confirmed the product will come to India.
AAJ KI DELHI/INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Honor X1 smart TV has launched in China as the latest product in Honor's Smart Lite portfolio. The smart TV comes in three sizes – 50-inch, 55-inch, and 65-inch. Honor X1 smart TV pack 4K resolution and it sports very thin bezels on all sides. The Honor X1 Smart TV can be wall mounted or propped up over a stand. The back panel features a textured design with a large logo, and it is equipped with MEMC motion technology for smoother animation.
Honor X1 smart TV price
The Honor X1 smart TV is up for pre-orders in China, and the 55-inch model is priced at CNY 2,299 (roughly Rs. 24,400), while the 65-inch model is priced at CNY 3,299 (roughly Rs. 35,100). The 65-inch model is slated to go on sale on May 25, whereas the 55-inch model is set to go on sale on June 1. The company is yet to unveil the price and availability of the 50-inch model.
Honor X1 smart TV features
Coming to the features, the Honor X1 smart TV comes with customised 4K UHD (3840x2160 pixels) scree and has a 94 percent screen-to-body ratio and 92 percent DCI-P3 wide color gamut. The aspect ratio is at 16:9, and there's support for DC dimming to reduce eye fatigue and MEMC helps in less jarring animation and action content as well. The TV is powered by the 1.5GHz Honghu 818 quad-core Smart TV processor with support for 8K 30fps video decoding and Mali G51 GPU. It is listed to pack 2GB RAM and 16GB of internal storage.
There are about four 10W speakers with Huawei Histen sound effects. The Honor X1 smart TV is equipped with two 0.5L independent sound chambers for enabling theatre-like surround sound. Other features include a large 1L sound cavity and a 31-segment EQ sound adjustment system. The Honor X1 Smart TV runs on Hongmeng OS 1.0 and has an IoT control centre to link smart devices with the TV. It comes with features like one-touch smart projection that allows for smartphone content to project on the larger display. The TV supports Bluetooth v5.0 and Wi-Fi 802.11 ac. Ports onboard include HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0, Ethernet, AV, and DTMB.
AAJ KI DELHI/INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
Designed for team collaboration in the modern workplace, Microsoft today launched the all-in-one digital Surface Hub 2S. This all-in-one digital whiteboard, meeting platform, and teamwork collaborative computing device has been priced at Rs 11,89,999, which includes a Surface Hub 2 Camera and a Surface Hub 2 Pen. The Steelcase Roam mobile stand is priced at Rs 1,17,500. This new hardware will be available at authorised Hub resellers starting today and will be delivered towards the end of this month.
"We've expanded our Surface family to include not just devices designed for individuals, but also devices purpose-built for teams. In view of the current environment and more teams working remotely, the Surface Hub 2S seamlessly blends into any workspace. The Surface Hub 2S gives teams the mobility and flexibility to collaborate where they work best - whether in a conventional meeting scenario for brainstorms, or virtual meetings powered by Microsoft Teams. For businesses looking to bridge the gap and address different workstyles, the Surface Hub 2S is the perfect addition to enhance productivity, and as a boost to turn innovative ideas to reality," said Rajiv Sodhi, COO, Microsoft India.
The Surface 2S is a portable and interactive device with a 4k 50-inch multi-touch display, with support for Surface Pen and touch experience. It is 40 per cent lighter, and offers 50 per cent faster graphics performance than the original Surface Hub. It is powered by Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Microsoft Whiteboard, and the intelligent cloud. It has an 8th Generation Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB DDR 4 RAM, Intel UHD Graphics 620 and 128GB SSD. Sensors onboard include Doppler occupancy sensor, IMU, thermal sensor. Various ports onboard include USB-A, USB-C/DP, RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI Video Input Mini-DisplayPort Video Output and monitor 4X USB-C (data or FPR) for camera or data.
Microsoft says that the new Surface Hub 2S is the all-in-one collaboration device that lets teams break free from the conference room and turn any space into a teamwork space. To ensure flexible usage in any space, Microsoft worked with Steelcase to design Steelcase Roam, a mobile stand and easy-to-hang wall mounting system, that allows people to use the Surface Hub 2S to collaborate in planned sessions or spontaneously. The mobile stand can be moved easily with one hand, and its small footprint ?ts in all kinds of spaces. The wall mounting system is the perfect solution for private of?ces or smaller spaces, encouraging standing and active postures.
"We joined forces with Microsoft to explore the future of work. Our work together is built on a shared commitment to put people at the centre of how place and technology intersect to empower individuals and teams to do their best work," says Praveen Rawal, Managing Director, India, SAARC, APAC Design Applications, Steelcase Asia Pacific. "We are thrilled to introduce our latest innovation derived from this powerful partnership to India, giving individuals and teams the freedom to collaborate whenever and wherever ideas strike."
When paired together, Surface Hub 2S and Steelcase Roam support active collaboration by encouraging teams to move, stand, gesture and become more physically, mentally and emotionally engaged in their collaborative work. Also, Microsoft Whiteboard allows people to collaborate on a shared digital canvas from almost any device so it's easy to pick up where they left off, keeping teams in their flow. With built-in artificial intelligence features, users can better express their ideas in less time as it supports ink to shape and text, supported by an infinite cloud-based, virtual canvas.
AAJ KI DELHI[ENGLISH]/ INDIAN NEWS ONLINE :
When it comes to best smartwatches, Apple Watch stands at the top of any list. They are the most feature rich wearables for most consumers. However, its walled garden, iPhone-only compatibility, and steep price tag makes it a difficult choice for Android users. While one can’t get the advance features that Apple wearables have, brands like Huami do offer Apple Watch designs at a cheaper price. Inbase is also one of the companies doing the same. Its latest Urban Fit smartwatch is a basic fitness tracker, which is priced under the Rs 5,000 segment.
When it comes to best smartwatches, Apple Watch stands at the top of any list. They are the most feature rich wearables for most consumers. However, its walled garden, iPhone-only compatibility, and steep price tag makes it a difficult choice for Android users. While one can’t get the advance features that Apple wearables have, brands like Huami do offer Apple Watch designs at a cheaper price. Inbase is also one of the companies doing the same. Its latest Urban Fit smartwatch is a basic fitness tracker, which is priced under the Rs 5,000 segment.
The wearable comes with a bunch of basic fitness tracking features with app notifications, music control, and decent battery life. While the company has aped Apple’s design philosophy, it will surely interest those looking for high-end design and basic fitness features at a low price. The Urban Fit smartwatch is priced at Rs 3,999, and at this price point, it will be competing against Huami Amazfit Bip Lite, Lenovo Carme and other budget wearables. If you are interested in buying this smartwatch, find out in our review if it is worth your money.
Design, Display, User Interface
The company has clearly replicated the design of Apple Watch here. Yes, you get a rectangular case with dual color scheme, neon color display, and the same Watch face too. Sounds crazy, right? However, there is no crown to complete the Apple-esque look, but that doesn’t lessen its shine. The square display sits pretty nicely within the polycarbonate steel chassis, and the bottom surface has a plastic build. We really liked the design of the smartwatch, and it has a good build quality, considering its price point. In fact, for a moment, a few of my friends mistook it for the Apple Watch, which was not at all surprising.
The brand is giving a silicone strap, which is quite comfortable and is of high-grade quality. In order to swap the strap, you just need to slide the band to the right or left, which is kind of similar to Apple Watch. The only downside being that there is no release button on the back of the watch to remove the strap. The smartwatch is small and even lightweight, which is why it is comfortable to wear all day and at night too.
It is IP68 water and shock resistant, and it can handle splashes and can be submerged in water up to 1.5m for around 30 minutes. Do note that the device doesn’t have a 5ATM water resistance rating, which is fine, considering the price point. This also means that it can’t withstand pressures to a depth of 50 meters. So, one shouldn’t wear this wearable while swimming. Although, the watch has a swim tracking feature, the IP68 rating might not be enough for most swimmers.
There are no physical buttons on any side, and you just need to swipe on the display to navigate through the watch UI. The Urban Fit smartwatch has a good enough display, and the white text and neon colors stand out against the blackish background. Though, one might find it a bit difficult to read the messages on the smartwatch under harsh sunlight. If you push the brightness level to the top, the display is much more visible.
In case you are wondering, the device has a 1.3-inch IPS LCD screen. It would have been better if the company had opted for an AMOLED panel. The viewing angles are not that great, and black levels are not that deep. You might feel the need for an AMOLED panel after a point. I would like to mention that the watch has a much punchy and brighter display than other smartwatches in its segment. But, it doesn’t have the always-on display, which you will find on rival Amazfit Bip Lite. Also, as long as you are not customizing or changing the watch face with a bright picture, you will not notice the big bezels surrounding the display. The good thing is the fitness smartwatch didn’t pick up scratches when I accidentally dropped it.
Its touchscreen is quite responsive, though we witnessed very little stutters when swiping through different screens. The most annoying part is when you set a Watch face, and after some time the device automatically changes it. This only happened a few times, but is annoying and the company should fix it. The app only offers you three watch faces, which reminds one of Apple wearables. Thankfully, you can customize and add any other picture from the gallery too.
The Inbase Urban Fit has a generic UI design. Swiping down on the watch gives you access to features like Shutter, Music Control, Messages, and other options. Swiping upwards gives you tracking features like heart rate monitor, sleep quality, training modes and more. However, the watch doesn’t show the name of the song and only lets you change tracks.
Smartwatch app
You need to download the company’s Da Fit app to setup the smartwatch and get detailed information. While you don’t get many customizable options, I did like the app’s colorful and minimalistic look. It is easy to use and quick enough to sync the watch with the phone. Once connected, you will witness three sections, one of which shows information about steps taken, sleeping patterns, heart rate, BP, and other training data. The second section gives you the option to set Watch Faces, continuous heart rate, weather, and other things.
There is also a notifications option, which lets you select some apps to alert you on the watch. However, it only shows popular apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Twitter. The rest of the apps on your phone are not displayed and they fall under the “Others” option. This is kind of disappointing as I didn’t get notifications from a few apps like Slack and InShorts. While you will get call and message notifications, you won’t be able to reply directly from the watch, which is fine.
Performance
With this smartwatch, you can track runs, swim, and other activities. Before talking about the steps, it is important to note that you will never get very accurate results with any wearable. We found step count with this device hit or miss. You will get close to original numbers most of the time, and the watch doesn’t record steps while traveling in a car. But, we noticed that the fitness watch doesn’t sometimes ignore motions that are not related to walking. Since the fitness wearables interpret the data from the motion sensors, the Urban Fit counted arm movements as steps. Even though it happened only a few times, Inbase should fix this immeditely.
The smartwatch doesn’t have in-built GPS, but has connected GPS functionality, which is also found on the Xiaomi Mi Band 4. This means that the wearable relies on your phone to offer you outdoor data. It provides detailed data like mileage, distance traveled, average heart rate analysis, pace, time, calories burnt, steps and more. However, the data wasn’t quite accurate, especially the mileage was reported incorrectly.
The smartwatch at least offered accurate sleeping patterns. We were impressed with the detailed information that the app offered. This includes heart rate details, sleep quality score, and sleep metrics, consisting of light, restful, awake and Rapid eye moment. Also, in every activity, the app explains the meaning of analysis, which is good for those who are not aware of many terms. The app doesn’t delete any data, and you get the option to check other month’s data to later analyze, which is nice.
You can turn on continuous heart rate tracking via the “Da Fit” app. But, you don’t get an option to set different intervals for continuous tracking. When we manually checked the heart rate, the result seemed fairly genuine. However, if you are not wearing the smartwatch, it reports false data when the continuous heart rate monitoring option is on.
I liked the fact that it can monitor your blood pressure as well and the results appeared pretty accurate. However, there are a few features, which I wish should also be included. The smartwatch offers a breathing exercise feature, but it is very basic and doesn’t guide you well. Instead of this, the company should have added the ability to set reminders to drink water and register data. Also, the device doesn’t have a feature to tell you how many floors you have climbed. Nevertheless, you get features like Blood Oxygen tracking and outdoor running as well. The training modes include cycling, football, badminton, walking, skipping and basketball.
Battery
As far as battery life is concerned, we got more than four days of battery life with rigorous testing. This includes manually tracking heart rate, runs, walking, steps, sleeping patterns, and BP. I even checked the route, messages, and used a lot of music player. If you are just using the music player, checking notifications, and occasionally tracking HR, BP and steps, then you will get seven days of battery life. Do note that the result may vary depending on your usage.
Inbase Urban Fit smartwatch: Should you buy it?
The Inbase Urban Fit is purely for those who want to flaunt the design of the smartwatch as it resembles Apple Watch. For Rs 3,999, you are getting an attractive design, good enough build quality, decent display and basic fitness features along with notification alerts and music control. Its activity tracking accuracy is average. It can track HR, BP and sleeping patterns fairly reasonably and the company’s app is also very well designed. It is important to note that this fitness wearable is not meant for fitness fanatics. They can check out fitness-focused wearables from Apple, Fitbit, and Garmin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)