Facebook is set to change in these 5 ways this year
Facebook undoubtedly is the most popular social media platform today. And in an attempt to become more user friendly, it has announced a slew of changes at its annual developer conference – F8. Post the recent data scandal, Facebook was expected to make certain announcements at the event that would rebuild users trust on the platform. And Facebook did not disappoint us.
Here are all the changes that Facebook has announced:
Clear History
With this new feature, users will now be able to see what information they are sharing when they use various apps and websites. Users can delete this information and they can also get the option of turning off Facebook’s ability to store it in future.
Sharing to Stories
It will now be easier for you to share Facebook and Instagram Stories. On just tapping on the share button on apps like Spotify, you’ll be able to share whatever you are doing directly into the camera. From there, users can edit to share it as Stories or as a picture on Feed. There’s no longer a need to connect other apps to Facebook or Instagram to do this.
A feature for ‘Dating’
Facebook is taking on Tinder with this new feature. With this, people will be able to create a dating profile, which will be different from their regular profile, on Facebook. Facebook will then suggest potential matches based on dating preferences, things in common, and mutual friends. Facebook would also give users the option to discover others with Groups or Events. And in order to protect their privacy, Facebook will not be sharing what users are doing on their dating profiles with their friends.
Crisis Response
Announced last year, Crisis Response enables users to get information about recent crises and access Safety Check, Community Help and Fundraisers. And now, people who are affected by a crisis will be able to share timely updates of things like roadblocks, photos and videos of the damage, and more, so that others can get this information real-time.
Blood Donations
In September 2017, Facebook launched a new feature in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan which enabled users to register themselves as blood donors. With Blood Donations, Facebook will be informing blood donors about nearby blood donation camps, requests for donations and blood banks.
No more subsidy? Xiaomi increases the price of Redmi Note 5 Pro and Mi TV 4
Xiaomi has become the number 1 mobile phone brand in India, probably because of its rock bottom pricing and great specs combo. However, in a recent change of events, to keep up with the high demand of the Redmi Note 5 Pro in India the company has decided to increase the price of the smartphone by Rs 1,000, ramping up the import of PCBAs.
Yes, they do have a PCBA manufacturing facility in collaboration with Foxconn in our country, but it is still not functional at full 100%. It might get to that by third quarter of 2018. Leaving no room for expansion and no option but to increase the price since the rupee has also depreciated. Then there is the case of increased import duties. All of it not favouring the already low price of the smartphone machinery.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 will now be available at a price of Rs 14,999 (Rs 1,000 up from the original price of Rs 13,999). Manu Jain in a tweet said – “Mi fans! In order to ramp up supply for #RedmiNote5Pro & #MiTV4 (55), we’re marginally increasing the prices. This is because of the recent changes in PCBA import taxes & INR depreciation. This will help us bring more units to all of you!”
But for the pre-orders, the price of the smartphone will stay the same 13,999. Anyone buying it now, would need to cough up additional Rs 1,000. Similarly, the 55-inch Mi LED TV 4 has also seen a price bump. Now the smart TV will be available with a price bump of Rs 5,000. The new price of the TV is 44,999 starting Tuesday May 1, 2018.
Microsoft Windows 10 April 2018 update goes live: 9 features you must know about
Microsoft’s latest Windows 10 update is now live on tablets and PCs. The technology giant hasn’t dramatically changed its operating system, but it has got a number of small tweaks and features to make the user experience on Windows 10 better. However, there is one major feature that Microsoft has added to Windows 10 with this update (which we like) – Timeline. With Timeline, users can resume where they left off across various devices running Windows 10. Other than this, other features that have come to Windows 10 include Dictation, quick Bluetooth pairing, and the ability to mute tabs in Microsoft Edge. Other than this, the technology company will also continue adding various improvements to the Fluent Design system that was introduced with the Fall Creators Update. Here are some must-know features that Windows 10 got in its latest update:
Timeline
We’ll start by talking about Timeline. It is the feature that has got a big change to Windows 10 with the April 2018 update. The feature replaces the Task View button and in addition to letting users see what apps are running on a system, it also enables them to see the apps and activities they have used on their Windows 10 PC in the last month. This information syncs across all your devices running on Windows 10. So basically, if you are working on a word document on your Windows 10 laptop, you can access the same document from your tablet running on Windows 10 provided you are signed into both the devices. Furthermore, users can also use Timeline with Microsoft Edge for iOS and Android. This would let then access their smartphone browser history via their Windows 10 device.
Nearby Sharing
With Nearby Sharing, users can send files like photos, documents or even websites to nearby Windows 10 machines. The feature works over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and it claimed to be a lot quicker than sending a file over email. By default, the option is disabled and it has to enabled each time you wish to send or receive a file.
Dictation
As a part of its latest update, Microsoft has made it very simple for users to dictate instructions to any app on their Windows 10 device. All they have to do is press the Windows Key + H and begin dictating.
Focus Assist
While Windows 10 already had a Do Not Disturb mode, Focus Assist just takes it a step further. It can either be manually set up by users or they can schedule it for a particular time. The feature blocks notifications and all other distractions till the user is done with the task. Users also get information of what happened while they had this feature on to focus better on their work. Users also get an option of receiving updates and emails from certain people while they are on Focus Assist mode. So rather than blocking everyone out, you can actually filter out the people you would want to hear from so that you don’t miss any important updates.
New features added to Microsoft Edge
After Google Chrome added tab muting to its browser recently, Microsoft has got this feature to its Edge browser with the latest update. Users now have the ability to mute audio from websites that they find annoying with this feature. Users can also print web pages Microsoft Edge without any unnecessary clutter by enabling the ‘Clutter-free printing.’ The browser also got Grammar Tools, Full-Screen Reading, Autofill for Credit Cards and more.
Improvements in Cortana
With the April 2018 update, Microsoft has also added features to its virtual assistant Cortana. Cortana will tap into the Timeline feature of the device and suggest various tasks you may want to continue from various devices. Other than this, Cortana’s home automation skills have also been expanded, letting users control various smart home devices while they’re on the go. Voice control for various third party apps like Spotify has also been added to Cortana.
Quick Bluetooth pairing
Pairing Bluetooth accessories with Windows 10 devices will now be easier. Whenever a Bluetooth device will be in pairing mode near your device running the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, you will get a notification o pair it. The Bluetooth accessory can be paired be simply clicking on the notification. One doesn’t even have to go to Setting any more.
Game Bar
Microsoft has redesigned its Game Bar with the latest update. Users can now toggle their microphone and camera, choose a theme, save a highlight of their score — all via the Game Bar. The Game Bar also supports a dark theme now that can be enabled from its Settings.
Customize notifications with Windows Defender
Do you often feel annoyed by notifications that tell you that Microsoft has scanned your device and nothing is wrong with it? If the answer is yes, you’ll be happy to know that with Windows 10 April 2018 Update, users have the ability control these notifications. They can control the types of notifications they wish to receive, disable or enable notifications about recent, automatic scans or if there are threats or files that have been blocked.
Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus go on sale in India: All the details, offers and where to buy inside
If you have been waiting to buy Nokia’s new smartphones, your wait is now over. HMD Global launched Nokia 8 Sirocco, Nokia 7 Plus along with the 2018 Nokia 6 in India just a few weeks back. And now, Nokia 8 Sirocco and Nokia 7 Plus are available for purchase in the country.
While Nokia 7 Plus can be bought online on Amazon India’s website, Nokia 8 Sirocco is available on Flipkart. The smartphones have also gone on sale on Nokia’s online shop as well as some select retail outlets.
Nokia 8 Sirocco, being the flagship is the more expensive smartphone among the two and is priced at Rs 49,999. Airtel prepaid users who buy Nokia 8 Sirocco, can get an additional 20GB data on first 6 recharges of Rs 199 and Rs 349. Postpaid users on the other hand, need to buy plans ranging from Rs 399 to Rs 499 to get the same amount of data. Besides this, Flipkart is offering an exchange discount of up to Rs 19,000.
Speaking of Nokia 7 Plus, it is priced at Rs 25,999 in India. Airtel is offering a cashback of Rs 2,000 on the smartphone as a part of its ‘Mera Pehle Smartphone’ programme. And if Nokia 7 Plus customers opens and activates a Kotak 811 saving account, they will get a complimentary accidental damage insurance from Servify for 12 months. Furthermore, no-cost EMI options are available on all major credit cards.
Speaking of common offers, there is a 25% discount available for customers on MakeMyTrip. However, the discount is only limited to domestic hotel bookings. There is also a cashback available for customers who will be buying the smartphones using their ICICI Bank cards. Buyers also get to extend their free subscription to Airtel TV app till December 2018.
Nokia 8 Sirocco specifications
Nokia 8 Sirocco is the company’s most powerful Android One smartphone yet. The flagship smartphone features a 5.5-inch QHD pOLED display and is powered by octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. It offers 6GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The phone comes with a dual rear camera set up with 12MP and 13MP sensors. On the front, there is a 5MP selfie camera. Nokia 8 Sirocco houses a 3,260mAh battery.
Nokia 7 Plus specifications
Nokia 7 Plus sports a 6-inch full HD+ IPS LCD screen and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor. It has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The handset runs Android 8.1 Oreo and comes under Google’s Android One programme. The smartphone comes with 12MP+13MP dual rear cameras and a 16MP front facing camera for selfies and video calls. It houses a 3,800mAh battery.
Here are the most popular smartphone apps of the last five years on Android Play and Apple App store
If you own a smartphone you are using at least 3-10 apps on a daily basis. There are plenty of apps out there which you can use. These can improve your smartphones functionality, entertain you or improve your productivity amongst other things. This infographic by ClariCode and Appannie.com shows us the most popular apps of the last 5 years according to app purchases and downloads. Check it out below.
OnePlus 6 shows up in a photo online, has infinity display and a notch, plus some other new things
This is by far the most anticipated smartphone launch of the summer season. OnePlus 6 leaks have been coming at blitzkrieg pace and this time a full front image has emerged courtesy Techtastic. The image of the OnePlus 6 shows the infinity display and the notch on the top. It also shows that the button layout has been changed to suits its new style. Which should work in its favour as it is edge to edge display.
Other leaks have also given us a glimpse into how the new OnePlus 6 smartphone will look like. Besides having a large touch screen, which should have a toughened glass, the rear will also sport a 3D curved glass back. This means that the mobile phone will have wireless charging capabilities just like the one found on the iPhone X and Samsung Galaxy S series.
OnePlus 6 is slated to launch on 16th May in London, globally, following which it will be available in India and also other parts of the world. The price should be less than Rs 40,000 as indicated to us by industry insiders. OnePlus 6 will also be available in 2 variants, one with 64 GB and other with 128 GB memory. However, fan boys are going gaga over rumours of a 256 GB special edition variant. OnePlus 6 will also feature a Qualcomm 845 chipset and Android 8.1 operating system.
OnePlus has already announced that this version of the best-selling android phone will have an Avengers special edition version too. More details on it are still awaited. This again will be an online model and official sales will start on 21st May. Online partner for India, you ask? Well, in all likelihood it will be Amazon, that will do proper justice to this smartphones sales.
9 features of ‘new’ Gmail you must know about
The way Google comes to our mind when someone says they want to browse the internet, one immediately tends to think of Gmail when somebody says that they are sending an email. It is undoubtedly of the most popular email services today. And this week, it has been revamped to incorporate more features that are likely to make the users experience better.
It is notable, that this is the biggest overhaul that Gmail has got in the last five years. The email service has got a change in design, and with that new features enable users to ‘snooze’ emails and ‘nudges’ them to respond to messages. Over that, for those who love their privacy, Gmail has come up with a ‘Confidential Mode’ that also made headlines a few weeks back. However, the changes in Gmail are being rolled out in a phased manner, so it may take some time before you get to see them.
Here, we have made a list of new features of Gmail you should know about:
‘Snooze’ emails to read them later
With the latest overhaul, on hovering over an email in your inbox, you’ll see various email shortcuts including Archive, Delete, Mark as Read, and Snooze. While the first three options were already available in Gmail, Snooze has been added just now. On snoozing an email, it resurfaces again in your inbox later in the day or week, or even next week. Besides this, Gmail now also offers the option of clicking on attachments without opening or scrolling through large conversations.
Access your favourite Google apps via Gmail
Do you use certain Google apps like Calendar etc? With the latest revamp, Gmail has shortcuts for accessing these apps directly from the email service itself. You would be able to see them on a side panel on the right once you start receiving the new features. With this, users can easily take down notes or add something to Google Calendar without switching tabs or leaving Gmail.
Get a reminder to reply to emails with ‘Nudge’
Do you often forget to reply to emails? You may like this AI-powered feature, if that’s the case. With ‘Nudge’, Gmail will remind users to respond to emails they haven’t replied to or follow up for emails they haven’t got a response for. So don’t feel surprised if Gmail prompts you with text saying “Sent X days ago. Follow up?” or “Received X days ago. Reply?”.
Use ‘Smart Reply’ on web
Anyone who is used to Gmail, would really appreciate the feature of Smart Reply on its app. For those who don’t know, whenever we receive an email on Gmail, the service prompts three replies one can choose from. While this feature has been available on Gmail’s mobile app for almost a year now, it is finally making its way to web now.
Get ‘Risk Warnings’
The email service will now begin warning its users to alert them about any email received from a source that may be potentially risky. If you happen to receive an email that may not be safe to click on, Gmail will display a warning that reads – “”This message seems dangerous” coupled with a ‘Delete Now’ button.
Get notified about important messages
With the overhaul, users can opt to receive high-priority notifications to get alerts about messages that may be important to them. In addition to this, Gmail will also suggest users to unsubscribe from newsletters they don’t engage with. However, these two features will only be available on mobile.
An all new ‘Confidential Mode’
With the Confidential Mode, senders can stop the receiver(s) of the email from forwarding, copying, downloading or printing messages. This mode can prove to be particularly handy if one is sharing sensitive information on email. Furthermore, the mode also gives the sender the option of making an email expire after a certain duration. For more security, one can also use two factor authentication. With that enabled, the recipient will first have to enter a Google generated pass-code that they will receive via SMS to read the email.
Use the ‘Native Offline mode’
This feature will be coming to Gmail in a few more weeks, but it is definitely a much awaited one. With the native offline mode, one can work on up to 90 days old messages on offline mode. They can search for these messages, respond to them, and delete or archive them.
Create a to-do list with ‘Tasks’
Gmail is now adding ‘Tasks’ on web and at the same time, it has launched its Android and iOS apps too. One can use ‘Tasks’ to create tasks and subtasks so that they remember what all needs to be done. The option of adding due dates and notifications further ensure that the user is reminded of everything in his to-do list. One can create a to-do on Tasks simply by dragging and dropping an email from Gmail to Tasks. More over, items from your to do list which have a due date will also automatically appear in your Google Calendar too.
Five must-have gizmos for your kitchen
They say too many cooks spoil the broth but when it comes to gadgets in the kitchen, the more the merrier. That said, here is our list of five tech toys no self-respecting cook-room should do without.
A WASH WIZARD
Considered the easiest way to clean your dishes, a dishwasher is a good investment. Take Faber’s semi integrated dishwasher for instance. Features include, a foldable bottom rack, an adjustable upper and third layer cutlery basket. As for tech specs, it has a special sensor that sets the wash cycle in accordance with the soil level of the crockery, delayed start option where the wash cycle can be delayed to make use of the most convenient time as per the consumer, and dual zone wash function that allow the user to use either lower or upper basket when there are less utensils are (this save consumption of water, time and energy).
PRICE: Rs 10,000 upwards
SIP IN STYLE
Healthy eating are not only the buzz words of last season; the trend has only garnered more attention. Enter slow juicers. The reason for their growing popularity is the fact that unlike normal juicers these produce next to no heat and so retain all the nutrients of the vegetable or fruit. Regular the juicers use centrifugal force to extract the juice and the extreme heat generated destroys the essential enzymes. The heat also results in oxidation and reducing the nutritional value. On the other hand, slow juicers first crush and then press the fruit to extract maximum amount of juice. Since there is very little heat generated, the nutrient levels stay intact. This is why TTK Prestige’s latest offering is a slow juicer called PSJ 2.0. It comes with a powerful motor which easily separates seeds from juice providing maximum extraction.
PRICE Rs 12,699
BEAT THE HEAT
It goes without saying that a refrigerator is a top-priority gadget in the kitchen. But like all things they too have evolved from being the small cubbyholes to smart and innovative cooling machines. Haier’s latest eight-in-one convertible bottom mounted refrigerators (BMR) caught our eye. BMR implies that the freezer and fridge are interchangeable. Haier says that this conversion can happen within a time span of 50 minutes. Their premium models come with additional features such as twin inverter technology which automatically adjusts the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator.
PRICE Rs 31,050 to Rs 40,150
PURE, FOR SURE
Ask anyone, anywhere, safety comes first. In India that hold especially true for drinking water. The country went from boiling water to loving filters to finally inventing water purifiers. But then they didn’t stop there, today they work in tandem with the internet. Don’t believe us? Take a look at Dr Aquaguard TM Intelligenz by Eureka Forbes. It is a WiFi enabled purifier that senses, monitors, alerts, responds and troubleshoots. Through the Dr Aquaguard Intelligenz app on smart devices the purifier can be controlled and managed from anywhere. The purifier also senses the quality of the water and chooses the optimum purification technology RO+UV or UF+UV.
PRICE Rs 29,999
RAISE A TOAST
Breakfasts are incomplete without the perfect toast. No kitchen should be without a toaster no matter what shape of size it comes in. Opt for the yellow toaster from Morphy Richards if you want the gadget to jazz up you space besides giving you a good toast with several browning options. We also like the Havells Toastino 4 slice grill and BBQ that has a timer setting and adjustable thermostat which ensures perfect results every time. Equipped with 2,000W heating to let the grill plate quickly heat up, it also has an adjustable temperature knob.
PRICE Rs 4,950
A WASH WIZARD
Considered the easiest way to clean your dishes, a dishwasher is a good investment. Take Faber’s semi integrated dishwasher for instance. Features include, a foldable bottom rack, an adjustable upper and third layer cutlery basket. As for tech specs, it has a special sensor that sets the wash cycle in accordance with the soil level of the crockery, delayed start option where the wash cycle can be delayed to make use of the most convenient time as per the consumer, and dual zone wash function that allow the user to use either lower or upper basket when there are less utensils are (this save consumption of water, time and energy).
PRICE: Rs 10,000 upwards
SIP IN STYLE
Healthy eating are not only the buzz words of last season; the trend has only garnered more attention. Enter slow juicers. The reason for their growing popularity is the fact that unlike normal juicers these produce next to no heat and so retain all the nutrients of the vegetable or fruit. Regular the juicers use centrifugal force to extract the juice and the extreme heat generated destroys the essential enzymes. The heat also results in oxidation and reducing the nutritional value. On the other hand, slow juicers first crush and then press the fruit to extract maximum amount of juice. Since there is very little heat generated, the nutrient levels stay intact. This is why TTK Prestige’s latest offering is a slow juicer called PSJ 2.0. It comes with a powerful motor which easily separates seeds from juice providing maximum extraction.
PRICE Rs 12,699
BEAT THE HEAT
It goes without saying that a refrigerator is a top-priority gadget in the kitchen. But like all things they too have evolved from being the small cubbyholes to smart and innovative cooling machines. Haier’s latest eight-in-one convertible bottom mounted refrigerators (BMR) caught our eye. BMR implies that the freezer and fridge are interchangeable. Haier says that this conversion can happen within a time span of 50 minutes. Their premium models come with additional features such as twin inverter technology which automatically adjusts the cooling efficiency of the refrigerator.
PRICE Rs 31,050 to Rs 40,150
PURE, FOR SURE
Ask anyone, anywhere, safety comes first. In India that hold especially true for drinking water. The country went from boiling water to loving filters to finally inventing water purifiers. But then they didn’t stop there, today they work in tandem with the internet. Don’t believe us? Take a look at Dr Aquaguard TM Intelligenz by Eureka Forbes. It is a WiFi enabled purifier that senses, monitors, alerts, responds and troubleshoots. Through the Dr Aquaguard Intelligenz app on smart devices the purifier can be controlled and managed from anywhere. The purifier also senses the quality of the water and chooses the optimum purification technology RO+UV or UF+UV.
PRICE Rs 29,999
RAISE A TOAST
Breakfasts are incomplete without the perfect toast. No kitchen should be without a toaster no matter what shape of size it comes in. Opt for the yellow toaster from Morphy Richards if you want the gadget to jazz up you space besides giving you a good toast with several browning options. We also like the Havells Toastino 4 slice grill and BBQ that has a timer setting and adjustable thermostat which ensures perfect results every time. Equipped with 2,000W heating to let the grill plate quickly heat up, it also has an adjustable temperature knob.
PRICE Rs 4,950 Reliance JIO and Airtel to bring Apple Watch series 3 cellular version to India on May 11
Well, it is about time that the smartest smartwatch comes to India in its cellular avatar. Both, Reliance JIO and Airtel have announced that they will bring the cellular version of the Apple Watch Series 3 to India. The sale will officially start on May 11, with pre-bookings to open on May 4. People who want to pick the smartwatch can either go to the Airtel’s and Reliance JIO’s websites or can head to Reliance Digital offline stores to make a purchase.
For the unaware, the Apple Watch Series 3 cellular version was also announced at the yearly Apple event last year in their new spaceship office in USA. So, what’s more which one can extract from the Apple Watch Series 3 cellular version? Well it is quite similar to the normal variant of the smartwatch, however in the cellular version users can now make or receive phone calls from the watch itself. One does not need to have it connected to the Apple iPhone anymore all the time.
Reliance JIO is giving its customers the option of getting Apple Watch Series 3 cellular edition delivered to their homes with the choice of mobile portability. While, Airtel users will get cellular services for free on the device if they have a postpaid, Airtel My Plan or Infinity plan with the company.
The reception of Apple Watch series 3 on the Indian shores has been nothing but lukewarm. While lot of the customers aspire to own one, many stay away from buying one. Also then there is the case of app makers shying away or stopping services completely for the Apple watch. Instagram to be the latest one. Ebay and Google maps also went away and took a different turn. Hopefully Apple comes up with something really nice this year, with the new versions, that will again woo the app makers to develop more software for the largest selling digital watch on the planet.
Huawei P20 Pro, P20 Lite launched in India: Price, specs and more
Dual rear camera setup is not an uncommon trend in the smartphone industry anymore. Last year there were a number of devices including iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X which featured two rear cameras instead of one. Chinese smartphone manufacturer Huawei today went a step ahead, and launched its flagship smartphone of the year — Huawei P20 Pro – with three rear cameras.
Globally, Huawei P20 Pro was launched in February during MWC 2018 Conference in Barcelona. At its India launch, Huawei has also launch P20 Lite along with their flagship device of the year.
While Huawei P20 Pro is priced at Rs 64,999, Huawei P20 Lite bears a price tag of Rs 19,999. Both the smartphones will be available on Amazon India’s website starting May 3 and that is when the launch offers will be revealed too.
Among the two smartphones it is Huawei’s flagship P20 Pro that comes with high-end specifications. The smartphone features a 6.1-inch full HD+ OLED display that comes with thin bezels and has a Notch on the top. The Notch houses the sensors, receiver and the selfie camera of the smartphone.
Huawei P20 Pro runs on Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with EMUI 8.1 and is powered by octa-core Kirin 970 processor. It offers 6GB of RAM and has 128GB of onboard storage.
However, the most talked about feature of Huawei’s smartphone is its triple camera setup at the back. The phone has a 40MP RGB sensor, 20MP monochrome sensor and an 8MP camera with 3x optical zoom. For selfies and video calls, there is a 24MP front facing snapper. Huawei P20 Pro houses a 4,000mAh battery.
Speaking of Huawei P20 Lite, the set of specifications do differ from that of P20 Pro. While Huawei P20 Pro runs Android 8.1 Oreo, P20 Lite is powered by EMUI 8.1 based on Android 8.0. The smartphone has a 5.8-inch TFT LCD display, which is smaller than Huawei P20 Pro’s. Another difference in the display is that Huawei P20 Lite supports Full HD+ screen resolution. The device runs on octa-core Kirin 659 processor coupled with 4GB RAM. Users get 64GB of onboard storage and they can further install microSD cards of up to 256GB.
For imaging duties, Huawei P20 Lite comes with 16MP+2MP dual rear cameras. For selfie lovers, there is a 16MP front facing snapper and the smartphone houses 3000mAh battery.