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Two Chinese students conned Apple of nearly $1 million in iPhone replacements scam: Report
In a rather shocking scam, two Chinese students in the United States allegedly duped Apple of $1 million. Yes, you read that right. The Cupertino-based technology giant was reportedly fooled by these students of the said amount in iPhone replacements. The two now have criminal charges against them and are undergoing trials in the US Federal Court.
According to a report in The Oregonian, the scam initially started in 2017 when the two Chinese engineering students – Yangyang Zhou and Quan Jiang – began smuggling counterfeit copies of iPhones into the United States from China. They would then send these fake iPhones to Apple for repair or replacement, saying that their devices were not switching on.
The Cupertino-based company, that is known for its after-sales service, in many instances replaced the fake iPhones with real ones. According to the report, the collective cost of the iPhones that were replaced is $895,800. On converting it, this becomes approximately Rs 6,20,17,129.
Zhou and Jiang then shipped the real iPhones back to China. Reports also allege that Jiang submitted 3,069 warranty claims and among these, Apple granted 1,493 replacement iPhones. This resulted in the company losing out on approximately $900,000, which is roughly Rs 6,23,07,900. We don’t know which among the two values is correct, but in either case, Apple lost out on a big amount because of the scam.
However, both the Chinese students are now claiming that they were not aware of the fact that iPhones were fake, according to Federal complaints. It has also been reported that the two worked together as a team. While Zhou is accused of illegally exporting the fake iPhones, Jiang has charges of illegally trafficking copied goods and committing wire fraud against himself.
We should mention that currently, both the accused students are not in custody, Jiang is being monitored by GPS.
The reason for the fraud was explained by a Homeland Security agent who said that the only reason that the scheme by the two students could work is because the employees at Apple Store could not verify the authenticity of the iPhones since they did not switch on. However, they went by the regular procedure that they follow and started with the replacement process.
Last year, another Chinese person who was staying in New Jersey on a student via pleaded guilty for selling fake iPhones and iPads. The Chinese national reportedly pocketed $1.1 million in sales by the scam.
You can now video chat with up to 50 people at once on Microsoft’s Skype
Although video calling is now available on multiple platforms like FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, there are some Skype features that still make users have a preference for it. While WhatsApp may have a much bigger user base, some nifty features of Skype make it a better service than the instant messaging app.
Recently, software giant Microsoft announced that it will be adding another feature to make sure that Skype has an edge over others. Soon after, it rolled out a beta update to Skype for testing group video calls with up to 50 participants. And now, Microsoft has made the feature available to all with a stable update for Skype.
With the new feature, Skype would become very important for a number of businesses and companies as they would be able to use it for holding meetings. The feature would let them add various people who need to be included but cannot be physically present there.
It is also worth noticing that Skype is the only service that allows to add that many people in a group video call. Prior to this, Skype had support for adding up to 25 callers at a given time, but it was surpassed by Apple which allows up to 32 callers on FaceTime. However, Skype has taken its lead back with the latest update.
In order to get so many people on board for a video call, Microsoft will send notifications to all the participants in large video calls. On receiving the notification, participants can specify are allowed to call them.
This makes way more sense than what Skype did earlier. For those unaware, prior to this update, all the participants received a ring when a group call started. It is worth mentioning, however, that in case a video call has fewer than 25 participants, Skype would still let the call organizer ring everyone.
Coming back to the updated features, in case some participants don’t respond to the notification and miss the call, others will have the option of including them by calling them up once the video call has started. The new group calling feature is now available to all. So, if you think that it will be useful to you, you can download the latest version and start video calling up to 50 people starting today.
Which is your favourite app for making group video calls? Let us know in the comments below!
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Oppo A5 with 64GB internal storage launched in India: Price and specifications
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo has launched the 64GB storage version of its A5 smartphone in India. The new storage version of Oppo A5 is already available for purchase via brick-and-mortar stores in the country. Starting next week, it will also be available on online stores.
To recall, Oppo A5 was launched in India in August last year and it packed 32GB of internal storage. The newly launched variant is an upgrade over the original one. Oppo A5 64GB has a dual rear camera setup and is touted to come with AI Beauty 2.0 for selfies.
In This Article
Oppo A5 (64GB) price in India
The 64GB storage version of Oppo A5 smartphone is priced at Rs 12,990 in India. The handset is already available for purchase via offline retailers and will be going on sale via online stores starting next week. At the given price, the smartphone competes with a number of smartphones from Samsung’s Galaxy A and Galaxy M series. Even the base variant of Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7 Pro is priced closely. Back in August 2018, the Oppo A5 with 32GB storage was launched at Rs 14,990. However, the device has received two price cuts since then and can now be bought at Rs 11,990.Oppo A5 specifications
The only difference between the Oppo A5 launched in August and the one unveiled now is the bump in storage. The Oppo A5 smartphone runs Android 8.1 Oreo skinned with ColorOS 5.1 and it features a 6.2-inch HD+ (720×1520 pixels) FullView display that has an aspect ratio of 19:9. The screen of the smartphone comes with a screen-to-body ratio of 87.9%. Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor coupled with Adreno 506 GPU, Oppo A5 comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It can also hold a microSD card of up to 256GB. For imaging duties, Oppo A5 comes with a dual rear camera setup that comprises of a 13MP primary sensor with an f/2.2 lens clubbed with a 2MP secondary camera with an f/2.4 lens. For selfies and video calls, there is an 8MP camera that comes with an f/2.2 lens. The handset comes with an AI Beauty 2.0 technology that is said to enhance selfies taken from it and its front camera also has support for a Face Unlock feature. Oppo A5 smartphone houses a 4,230mAh battery and comes with 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.2, GPS/ A-GPS, Micro-USB, and a 3.5mm headphone jack for connectivity.
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Samsung Galaxy A90 render video leaked; showcases the slider and rotating camera module
Ahead of its scheduled launch on April 10, Samsung Galaxy A90’s render video has been leaked online. The 3-minute long video shows a new and innovative slider and rotating camera module which is said to be one-of-its-kind. Earlier, we had seen a couple of leaks and images about the Samsung Galaxy A90 but this is the first time an actual render video of the device has surfaced online.
Samsung has already scheduled a launch event on April 10 where the company will launch three devices in three different cities – Sao Paulo, Milan and Bangkok. Samsung Galaxy A90 is also expected to launch on the same day.
Coming to the leaked render video of the Samsung Galaxy A90, it comes with a no-notch display coupled with thin bezels. But the key highlight of the leaked video is the slider mechanism of the Samsung Galaxy A90 which houses the rotating camera module of the device.
The video was posted by Waqar Khan who has leaked many smartphones renders in the past. The video shows that Samsung Galaxy A90 will have a notch-less and bezel-less display but it won’t have a pop-up camera like we expected before. Instead, the Samsung Galaxy A90 will come with a slider mechanism which holds the rotating camera module. The back facing camera of the device rotates to the front of the device to become a selfie camera.
Another tipster, OnLeaks had also tweeted in the past that the Samsung Galaxy A90 will have a sliding and rotating camera system. It also said that the Samsung Galaxy A90 or the Samsung Galaxy A80 could hold a 48MP camera with a ToF sensor and a flash.
Prior reports have also suggested that the Samsung Galaxy A90 might come with a notch-less display and will most probably have a pop-up selfie camera. It has also been speculated that the device will have an in-display fingerprint scanner and will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 SoC paired with 6GB/8GB RAM and 128GB of internal storage. But none of the leaked specifications are confirmed and the final product might come with slight changes in the specs sheet or the design.
Other than the camera, the video shows that the Samsung Galaxy A90 will have a regular and traditional earpiece instead of an acoustic display which the Huawei P30 holds. The video also confirms that the Samsung Galaxy A90 will have an in-display fingerprint scanner but whether it will have the face unlock feature or not is currently not known.
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Google Assistant gets a celebrity voice cameo for the first time with John Legend
This week, Google Assistant launched its first celebrity voice cameo and with this, you can listen to Grammy-winning artist John Legend’s voice on the digital assistant. However, like all good things in the world, you will be able to listen to Legend’s voice on Google Assistant for a limited period of time. So we suggest that you make the most of it while it lasts.
Legend’s voice on Google Assistant will sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to you, give you information about the weather and answer some questions that you ask of it. It is worth adding that the Grammy-winning artist’s voice will be available on all devices that have Google Assistant. So you will be able to access it via your smartphone, Google Home or even on devices that run iOS.
We should mention that at Google I/O 2018, the technology giant announced that it has added six new voices to its digital assistant, and John Legend’s voice is one among them. At the event, the company also gave a preview of WaveNet, which is basically its speech synthesis model. Powered by the company’s DeepMind artificial intelligence, the technology works by taking samples of human speech and then directly modelling audio waveforms using it. This results in creating voices that sound more realistic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=40&v=AgHghcYqeto
According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, “WaveNet allowed us to shorten the studio time, and the model can actually capture the richness of his voice.”
The technology giant made Legend record answers to only a few prompts. These include “Hey, Google, serenade me” or “Hey, Google, are we just ordinary people?”. Google has also said that there are some easter eggs that the users may find. However, we should add here that most of the responses will continue to be in the regular voice that we hear on Assistant.
To activate John Legend’s voice, you can say “Hey, Google, talk like a Legend” or go to Settings and switch to his voice. It is worth mentioning that the feature is only available in the United States as of now and Legend’s voice only talks in English.
But then, that’s hardly a reason to be disappointed as it may get rolled out to other regions. Even if does not, let’s not forget that Google Assistant will be getting five other voices and some of them may be rolled out in other regions of the world.
Even if the worst happens and none of them makes it outside the United States, this is the first time Google has got celebrity voices on Assistant, not the last.
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Facebook ‘still looking into’ the millions of exposed user account data report: CEO Mark Zuckerberg
This week, Facebook was in news for negative reasons once again when it was discovered that account data and passwords of millions of users of the social media platform had been stored on cloud servers unencrypted and were visible to the public eye.
Following the reckless act of one of the world’s biggest social networking platforms, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is “still looking into” the report that millions of users’ data was publicly accessible on Amazon’s cloud servers.
In an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News, Zuckerberg said, “In general we work with developers to make sure that they’re respecting people’s information and using it in only ways that they want.”
However, researchers at cybersecurity firm UpGuard on Wednesday said that they had found user information of millions on cloud servers. The information also contained the passwords of the users and as we mentioned earlier, all this was visible to the public eye. The records were 146GB in size and they were even accessible to be downloaded by anyone who found them.
Its just been over a year when the infamous Cambridge Analytica scandal had exposed just how unsecure Facebook users’ information was online. Earlier, Zuckerberg had also said that he was proud how far Facebook has come in protecting the privacy of its users and stopping the spread of misinformation. But the fact that it happened once again proves that what he said was not true after all.
Facebook’s CEO said, “I think in a lot of ways over the last few years, we have changed significantly how we run the company. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made. There’s a lot more to do in each of these areas. There’s a question of what decisions should be left to a private company to make, especially around things like speech and expression for so many people around the world.”
It is worth adding that Mexico-based digital platform Cultura Colectiva had openly stored 540 million records of Facebook users. Those records included the ID numbers, comments, reactions and even the account names of the users. But that database was closed on Wednesday when Bloomberg alerted Facebook about the problem and the social media giant contacted Amazon.
We should mention that WhatsApp’s CEO has said on multiple occasions that the users should delete their user accounts from the social networking platform. With these happenings becoming a regular thing for Facebook, it is not a safe and secure platform anymore.
In an unrelated piece of news, after the terrorist attack on Christchurch, New Zealand, where the terrorist used the Facebook’s live streaming feature to go live at the time of the massacre, the social media platform has said that it is changing its ‘live stream’ feature. It was also heavily criticised when the video was left unchecked and was not taken down hours after the incident. Addressing this CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that Facebook needs to build systems which can identify live stream terror events more quickly. But he didn’t tell if he will be adding a delay to the live broadcasting.
Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 1 price in India slashed: Here’s a look at the new reduced costs
HMD Global has slashed the prices of Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 1 smartphones in India today. The three smartphones have received a price cut of up to Rs 1,500 with the latest revision of their cost.
Customers who buy the 6GB RAM variant of Nokia 6.1 Plus smartphone will also be eligible for a 15% cashback on HDFC cards and EMI transactions via Pinelabs. However, the cashback offer on Nokia 6.1 Plus can only be available between April 5 and April 20. Here’s a look at the revised prices of Nokia 1, Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 6.1 smartphones:
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Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 2.1 and Nokia 1 price in India (revised)
Nokia 6.1 Plus 6GB RAM model has received a price cut of Rs 1,500 in India and can now be picked up at Rs 16,999, down from its previous price of Rs 18,499. On the other hand, the cost of Nokia 1 smartphone has been dropped from Rs 5,499 to Rs 3,999. With the price cut, Nokia 1 will compete directly with the likes of Redmi Go. Coming to Nokia 2.1, till now, the smartphone was priced at Rs 6,999 in India and post the price cut, it is available for Rs 5,499. As we mentioned earlier, those who will buy Nokia 6.1 Plus handset are also eligible to get a cashback of 15%, provided they pay for their purchase via HDFC Bank cards or opt for EMI transactions via Pinelabs. We should mention that the cashback offer can only be availed between April 5 and April 20.Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 2. and Nokia 1 specifications
Nokia 6.1 Plus runs Android 8.1 Oreo and features a 5.8-inch full-HD+ display. Powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor, the smartphone comes with up to 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. It can hold a microSD card of up to 400GB in case the user thinks that he needs more storage on the device. Nokia 6.1 Plus sports a dual rear camera setup that has a 16MP primary sensor with an f/2.0 aperture and a 5MP monochrome sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. For selfies and video calls, there is a 16MP sensor on the front panel. The smartphone houses a 3,060mAh battery. Coming to Nokia 2.1, the smartphone runs Android Oreo (Go Edition) and features a 5.5-inch HD (720×1280 pixels) display. The handset is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 SoC clubbed with 1GB RAM and 8GB of internal storage. Nokia 2.1 can hold a microSD card of upt o 128GB and for imaging duties, it has an 8MP primary camera with an LED flash and a 5MP selfie camera. The handset houses a 4,000mAh battery. Speaking of Nokia 1, the device runs Android Oreo (Go Edition) and features a 4.5-inch FWGA (480×854 pixels) IPS display. Powered by 1.1GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6737M SoC clubbed with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage, the device can hold a microSD card of up to 128GB. It packs a 2,150mAh battery and sports a 5MP primary camera and a 2MP selfie camera.
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Fitbit joins hands with Snap Inc to bring the Bitmoji clock faces to its smartwatches
Fitbit is partnering with Snap Inc to launch the first-ever Bitmoji Clock Face Integration for its smartwatches. The Bitmoji clock keeps getting updated throughout the day based on the user’s activity and personal data. It shows user’s activity, time of day, and weather to help them stay active. The new Bitmoji Clock is available for free for all Fitbit Iconic and Fitbit Versa smartwatches.
Fitbit and Snap are able to visualize and update the Bitmoji avatars on the smartwatch clock face so that the user can choose the clock face of his choice. This is possible because of the integration of APIs of both the platforms. It is powered by Snap’s developer platform, Snap Kit. According to the companies, the Bitmoji character changes based on what a user is doing at the time of day, weather, and personal stats tracked by the user’s Fitbit device. The Bitmoji clock face can also sync with the Fitbit App to motivate the user to be more active, create healthy habits, and celebrate personal achievements.
The Bitmoji clock face can now be downloaded in the Fitbit App Gallery on the following Fitbit smartwatches – Fitbit Versa Lite Edition, Fitbit Versa, Fitbit Versa Special Edition, Fitbit Ionic, and Fitbit Ionic: Adidas Edition. Once the user has downloaded the Bitmoji clock face icon, he will be prompted to connect his Bitmoji account using Snapchat by the Fitbit App Settings page. After connecting, he will be able to use the Bitmoji clock face on his smartwatches.
Speaking about the new feature, Tim Rosa, the CMO of Fitbit said, “Giving our users experiences that are personalized, engaging, and delightful is at the core of what we do at Fitbit. We’re thrilled to partner with Snap to give our millions of users around the globe a creative, shareable depiction of their health and fitness progress through this imaginative concept. The Fitbit x Bitmoji dynamic clock face is the collective result from both Fitbit and Snap teams, to create a new way to help motivate people to be healthier and have lots of fun doing it.”
There are more than 50 Bitmoji clock face variations of the Bitmojis which includes:
- Waving hello to start your day.
- Dancing with your alarm clock when it’s time to rise and shine.
- Throwing confetti after you crush your daily step goal.
- Relaxing when you’ve binged too many of your favorite shows.
- Meditating when you’re totally relaxed and zen.
- On the treadmill after a great run.
- Becoming an avocado when you log food — you are what you eat, literally.
- Carrying an umbrella when there’s a chance of rain so you don’t get caught in a downpour.
- Sleep walking when it’s time to catch some Zzs.
- And many more hidden gems.
Ben Schwerin, vice president of partnerships at Snap Inc said, “Snap and Fitbit have both built incredible platforms to give people a place to share their stories, connect, and build a sense of community. We share a belief in the power of giving people the tools they need to express themselves and share their individuality. Bitmojis are one way that we do that, and we are excited to bring our platforms together with the first-ever smartwatch clock face integration so our combined users can have a unique way to connect, stay motivated, and challenge one another to be healthier.”Fitbit on your wrist. @Bitmoji on your clock face. #FitbitxBitmoji is now available for your smartwatch. Learn how to set yours up now: https://t.co/onH0XXjU5H #SnapPartnerSummit pic.twitter.com/7zoydchH90
— fitbit (@fitbit) April 4, 2019
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Apple Music has slashed prices of all its subscription plans: Check out the new subscription rates here
With the release of new and branded audio streaming services in India like Spotify or YouTube Music, existing music streaming services like Amazon Music, Gaana and Apple Music are facing a massive competition. As Spotify and YouTube both are well-known and veteran brands in this field, more and more people want to try the two services out.
Just a month after the launch of YouTube Music and Spotify, Apple Music has reduced its subscription rates in India. The new subscription rates are –Rs 49 per month for students, Rs 99 per month or Rs 999 per year for individuals, and Rs 149 per month for families. Earlier, Apple Music charged Rs 60 per month for students, Rs 120 per month or Rs 1,200 per year for individuals and Rs 190 per month for families.
The Rs 99 per month plan of Apple Music for individuals brings it in direct competition with other music streaming services such as Google Play Music, Gaana, Hungama Music, JioSaavn, Wynk, and the newly launched YouTube Music. All the aforementioned music streaming services cost Rs 99 per month for individual subscription as well. Out of all these music streaming platforms, only YouTube Music comes with a family subscription plan which is priced at Rs 149 per month.
It should be noted that Apple is known for its costly and premium services. But now that it has reduced the prices of its Apple Music streaming platform, Spotify has become the most expensive music streaming platform of all the above-mentioned names. Spotify’s subscription costs Rs 59 per month for students, Rs 119 per month or Rs 1,189 per year for individuals.
The price of Amazon Music, which users can also get by being an Amazon Prime member can also be tagged as expensive. Amazon Music has a subscription costs of Rs 129 per month or Rs 999 per year which makes its monthly plan more expensive than Spotify’s. But with an annual plan of Rs 999, makes it less expensive than the Spotify’s which costs Rs 1,189 annually.
It is not the first time that a music streaming platform is cutting its prices as Gaana and JioSaavn recently slashed their renewed annual subscription rates which now costs Rs 299.
Even though Apple Music has slashed its prices but people in India rarely pay for these services so paid music service doesn’t have too much of a market in India.
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Samsung Galaxy A20 launched: 10 things you should know
Keeping its promise of launching a Galaxy A series smartphone every month, Samsung has today launched its Galaxy A20 handset in India. The smartphone is priced in the budget range, much like other devices from Samsung’s Galaxy A series range. Here’s everything you should know about it:
Much like other smartphones from Samsung’s Galaxy A-series, Galaxy A20 handset comes with an Infinity-V display. This basically means that Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone has a V-shaped notch on top of its screen which provides more real estate on the display to watch videos and play games. Samsung Galaxy A20 sports a 6.4-inch HD+ (720 x 1560p) Super AMOLED display and according to the company, the Super AMOLED technology on the device delivers the best colour reproduction for immersive video viewing.
A big highlight of Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone is its 4,000mAh battery that comes with support for 15W fast charging. Samsung has said that as a part of its internal research, it found that on average, consumers spend 158 minutes per week on social networking sites and 206 minutes on mobile gaming. It further said that Samsung Galaxy A20’s battery has been designed keeping in mind these consumer needs.
To cater to those who love smartphone photography, Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone has a dual rear camera setup that comprises of a 13MP primary sensor with an f/1.9 aperture paired with a 5MP secondary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. Users will also be able to shoot Ultra-wide videos and photos.
Much like other Samsung’s smartphones in India, Galaxy A10 handset is powered by the company’s own chipset. Samsung Galaxy A20 runs Exynos 7884 Octa-core processor. It is worth pointing out that two high power cores of Samsung Galaxy A20 are clocked at 1.6GHz and six efficiency cores are clocked to function at 1.35GHz.
Samsung’s latest offering is available in only one RAM/storage variant. The newly launched Samsung Galaxy A20 comes with 3GB of RAM and houses 32GB of internal storage. The company has claimed that the given RAM and storage coupled with the processor, are enough to make Samsung Galaxy A20 perfect for gaming, watching videos, multi-tasking and browsing. In addition to this, Samsung Galaxy A20 can also hold a microSD card of up to 512GB.
Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone is powered by Android 9.0 Pie, which we think is plus considering the cost of the device. The latest version of Android on the handset is skinned with Samsung’s new One UI, that has recently replaced its Experience UI. We should mention that this is one of the most affordable smartphones in which you can get to experience Samsung’s latest user interface.
Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone packs an 8MP selfie camera on its front panel that comes with an f/2.0 lens with fixed focus. While there are smartphones in the same range that some with front-facing snappers with more resolution, we should add here that it is not fair to judge mobile cameras just on the basis of their resolution.
Samsung has priced its newly launched Galaxy A20 smartphone at Rs 12,490 in India. The handset is available in three colour options – Red, Blue and Black. We should mention that with Galaxy M and Galaxy A series smartphones, Samsung plans to take back its lead in the budget segment of the Indian smartphone market.
If you are interested in buying Samsung Galaxy A20, we should mention that the handset will be going on sale in India on April 8. The device can be bought from Samsung Online Shop, Samsung Opera House, major e-commerce websites, and retail stores. As of now, the company has not announced any launch offers for Samsung Galaxy A20.
Since Samsung Galaxy A20 is priced at Rs 12,490 in India, it competes with a number of major players in the budget segment including Redmi Note 7 Pro, Asus Zenfone Max M2, Realme U1, Motorola One Power and others. We would soon update you on whether it is a worthy buy or not.
In This Article
Comes with an Infinity-V display
Much like other smartphones from Samsung’s Galaxy A-series, Galaxy A20 handset comes with an Infinity-V display. This basically means that Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone has a V-shaped notch on top of its screen which provides more real estate on the display to watch videos and play games. Samsung Galaxy A20 sports a 6.4-inch HD+ (720 x 1560p) Super AMOLED display and according to the company, the Super AMOLED technology on the device delivers the best colour reproduction for immersive video viewing.
Has a massive 4,000mAh battery
A big highlight of Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone is its 4,000mAh battery that comes with support for 15W fast charging. Samsung has said that as a part of its internal research, it found that on average, consumers spend 158 minutes per week on social networking sites and 206 minutes on mobile gaming. It further said that Samsung Galaxy A20’s battery has been designed keeping in mind these consumer needs.
Packs dual rear cameras
To cater to those who love smartphone photography, Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone has a dual rear camera setup that comprises of a 13MP primary sensor with an f/1.9 aperture paired with a 5MP secondary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. Users will also be able to shoot Ultra-wide videos and photos.
Powered by Samsung’s own processor
Much like other Samsung’s smartphones in India, Galaxy A10 handset is powered by the company’s own chipset. Samsung Galaxy A20 runs Exynos 7884 Octa-core processor. It is worth pointing out that two high power cores of Samsung Galaxy A20 are clocked at 1.6GHz and six efficiency cores are clocked to function at 1.35GHz.
Available in only one variant
Samsung’s latest offering is available in only one RAM/storage variant. The newly launched Samsung Galaxy A20 comes with 3GB of RAM and houses 32GB of internal storage. The company has claimed that the given RAM and storage coupled with the processor, are enough to make Samsung Galaxy A20 perfect for gaming, watching videos, multi-tasking and browsing. In addition to this, Samsung Galaxy A20 can also hold a microSD card of up to 512GB.
Has Samsung’s One UI
Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone is powered by Android 9.0 Pie, which we think is plus considering the cost of the device. The latest version of Android on the handset is skinned with Samsung’s new One UI, that has recently replaced its Experience UI. We should mention that this is one of the most affordable smartphones in which you can get to experience Samsung’s latest user interface.
Comes with an 8MP selfie camera
Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone packs an 8MP selfie camera on its front panel that comes with an f/2.0 lens with fixed focus. While there are smartphones in the same range that some with front-facing snappers with more resolution, we should add here that it is not fair to judge mobile cameras just on the basis of their resolution.
Priced in the budget segment
Samsung has priced its newly launched Galaxy A20 smartphone at Rs 12,490 in India. The handset is available in three colour options – Red, Blue and Black. We should mention that with Galaxy M and Galaxy A series smartphones, Samsung plans to take back its lead in the budget segment of the Indian smartphone market.
Will go on sale starting April 8
If you are interested in buying Samsung Galaxy A20, we should mention that the handset will be going on sale in India on April 8. The device can be bought from Samsung Online Shop, Samsung Opera House, major e-commerce websites, and retail stores. As of now, the company has not announced any launch offers for Samsung Galaxy A20.
Competes with the likes of Redmi Note 7 Pro
Since Samsung Galaxy A20 is priced at Rs 12,490 in India, it competes with a number of major players in the budget segment including Redmi Note 7 Pro, Asus Zenfone Max M2, Realme U1, Motorola One Power and others. We would soon update you on whether it is a worthy buy or not.
For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.
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Apple launches Beats Powerbeats Pro true wireless earbuds: Price and specifications
Apple’s sub-brand Beats has released Beats Powerbeats Pro true wireless earbuds just a week after the company launched its AirPods 2. The newly launched Beats Powerbeats Pro is claimed to have a battery backup of 9 hours and it is also sweat and water resistant, which makes it perfect for sports use. The Beats Powerbeats Pro is targeted towards users who have an active lifestyle and as the earbuds can also be used by the owner when hits the gym for exercising or while going for a run. It also has a different style and comes with an ergonomic design as compared to the Apple AirPods. Here are the pricing details and specifications of the newly launched earbuds:
In This Article
Beats Powerbeats Pro price
The Beats Powerbeats Pro bears a price tag of $249.95 (approximately Rs 17,000) and it is currently listed as ‘Coming Soon’ on the official BeatsbyDre website. Apple also hasn’t released a set date from which the Beats Powerbeats Pro will be made available, but we expect it to hit the markets soon. The Beats Powerbeats Pro comes in various colour options – Ivory, Black, Moss and Navy.Beats Powerbeats Pro specifications and features
The Beats Powerbeats Pro supports Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity and the company has claimed that it provides better sound quality and superior noise isolation than AirPods. The Beats Powerbeats Pro has Apple’s H1 chip equipped in it and it comes with Apple’s voice assistant Siri support. The users can activate Siri just by saying ‘Hey Siri’ and can control it using voice commands. The Siri support was earlier seen in the AirPods 2. The company has claimed that the Beats Powerbeats Pro can give around 9 hours of battery backup on a single charge and similar to the AirPods 2, it also comes with its own charging case which packs a Lightning port. But it should be noted that the biggest difference between the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the AirPods 2 is that the Beats Powerbeats Pro’s case doesn’t not support the Qi wireless charging whereas the AirPods 2’s case does. Also, the Beats Powerbeats Pro comes with the Fast Fuel Charging feature which, the company claims, to give 1.5 hours of playback time with just 5 minutes of charge. https://twitter.com/beatsbydre/status/1113503204409352193 There are volume up/down buttons on the Beats Powerbeats Pro. The user can also long press the ‘b’ button on the earbuds to decline a call. Beats Powerbeats Pro comes with volume and track controls on each earbud so that the user can choose to play music on either of the earbuds. Also, Beats Powerbeats Pro comes with sensors which automatically plays and pauses the music when the earbuds are put on the ear or taken off. Other specifications such as the drivers and decibel range of the earbuds is currently not known.
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Samsung Galaxy A20 vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: Comparison
South Korean technology giant Samsung has today launched its Galaxy A20 in India at Rs 12,490. The handset comes with features like a dual rear-camera setup, a 4,000mAh battery and an Exynos processor. Samsung Galaxy A20 falls between the Galaxy A10 and the Galaxy A30 which were launched earlier in the country along with the current top-end variant of the Galaxy A-series – Galaxy A50. Although Samsung plans to dominate the budget and the mid-range smartphone segments with the release of the Galaxy A-series devices, there are many competitors in the targeted price range. Being a part of one of the most competitive price segments in the smartphone industry, the newly launched Samsung Galaxy A20 has many rivals. If we consider its price, it competes directly with Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphone that is priced at Rs 13,999. Read on to find out the specifications and the features of both the devices and how they compare with each other:
In This Article
Display
Samsung Galaxy A20: 6.4-inch HD+ (720 x 1560p) Super AMOLED Infinity-V display Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: 6.3-inch FHD+ Dot Notch display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9Processor
Samsung Galaxy A20: Samsung’s Exynos 7884 SoC. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 SoCPrimary camera
Samsung Galaxy A20: a 13MP primary sensor + a 5MP secondary sensor Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor + 5MP secondary sensorSelfie camera
Samsung Galaxy A20: 8MP selfie camera Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: 13MP AI front cameraRAM and storage
Samsung Galaxy A20: 3GB RAM + 32GB storage Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: 4GB RAM+64GB storage, 6GB RAM+128GB storageSupport for microSD card
Samsung Galaxy A20: Yes, up to 512GB Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: Yes, up to 256GBBattery
Samsung Galaxy A20: 4,000mAh battery with support of fast charging Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: 4,000mAh battery that has support for Quick Charge 4Operating system
Samsung Galaxy A20: Android 9.0 Pie skinned with Samsung’s One UI. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: Android Pie skinned with MIUI 10Price
Samsung Galaxy A20: Rs 12,490 for the lone 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro: The 4GB RAM/64GB storage model is priced at Rs 13,999 and 6GB RAM/128GB storage variant costs Rs 16,999. In terms of specifications, both the devices a number of common specifications like the battery and their Android version. But we also see that the base variant of the Redmi Note 7 Pro comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage while the Galaxy A20 comes in only one variant with 3GB RAM and 32GB storage. The camera resolution of the Redmi Note 7 Pro is better than Samsung Galaxy A20. But then, we should also remember that Xiaomi’s MIUI comes with a lot of bloatware and annoying and vulgar ads, that can hamper the user experience. And most importantly, Samsung Galaxy A20 costs around Rs 1,500 cheaper than the base variant of Redmi Note 7 Pro. So, in the end it all comes down to what the user prefers in a smartphone. Some may want a better camera experience, while others may want to avoid ads and have a phone that is more durable.
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Elon Musk explains why Tesla Model 3 has a camera inside it
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken to explain the purpose behind the camera that is located on Model 3’s rear-view mirror. Musk said on the microblogging website that the camera is placed there because it will be useful when Tesla Model 3 will be able to work as an autonomous taxi.
In response to a query on Twitter regarding privacy concerns because of the camera, Musk said, “It’s there for when we start competing with Uber/Lyft. In case someone messes up your car, you can check the video.” In addition to this, the camera will also be able to augment Model 3’s Sentry Mode in order to keep an eye on pets and thieves.
It was in 2016 that Musk spoke about his plan to form an autonomous ride-sharing fleet with Tesla cars when he released the company’s ‘Master Plan, Part Deux.’ The CEO also said that those who own Tesla cars will be able to make money by renting out their electric vehicles for autonomous ride-sharing. With this, he hopes that the car’s cost of ownership will go down “dramatically to the point where almost anyone could own a Tesla.”
The CEO also sent out a follow-up tweet confirming that the hardware that will let people to rent out cars like this is already present in vehicles that are being produced by Tesla today, adding that it is “just a matter of finishing the software & going through regulatory approval.” Last year in May, Musk said that Tesla is currently working on the functionality, which will be a mix of “Uber, Lyft and Airbnb“, and it will be fully ready by end of 2019. Musk has said that when the company enables the functionality, the cars will also get an option to disable the internal camera. And till then, the camera will remain turned off permanently. The camera will obviously be useful for keeping an eye on passengers when people rent their cars out and other than this, Musk has also said that it could be “used to supplement cameras on outside of vehicle, as it can see through 2nd side windows and rear window.” Since the feature would be able to record thieves during a break-in, it will also enhance the function of the Sentry Mode. Musk also highlighted this in his follow-up tweet saying, “Sentry Mode is barely at V1.0. Will improve a lot in coming months.” Considering that the functionality will have to be approved by regulators, we can assume that it may take longer for it to be released because Tesla may be able to meet the deadline, but regulations can take time. Tesla CEO Elon Musk will be seen providing more details about the new functionality on a live webcast on April 22.It’s there for when we start competing with Uber/Lyft & people allow their car to earn money for them as part of the Tesla shared autonomy fleet. In case someone messes up your car, you can check the video.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 5, 2019
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Snapchat’s Stories feature is coming to Tinder and Netflix soon
Photo-messaging app Snapchat will soon be expanding its Stories feature to other apps including Tinder and Netflix. With this, the users of these apps will be able to post Snapchat Stories on other platforms too. Snapchat is also looking for integration with other apps such as JioSaavan, Netflix and VSCO. To add Stories on Tinder, Snapchat added a new feature called App Stories to its Snap Kit which can be used by the third-party app developers to integrate some of Snapchat’s most popular features to their own applications.
Snapchat’s Stories feature was one of the most popular features of the app which gave it the most number of user engagement. But in August 2016, Instagram copied the feature and got it to its own platform. As Instagram is owned by Facebook, other apps owned by the company such as WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook’s app too got their own version of Stories on their respective platforms.
With the addition of the new App Stories feature, Snapchat is planning to bring a new feature to its platform which would give it a better traction in the app market. With App Stories, users can post their Stories on Snapchat and they can also share the same story to other third-party platforms such as Tinder. This new feature of Snapchat will be live from Summer 2019. Tinder will be the first third-part app to receive the Snapchat stories followed by HouseParty and Adventure Aide.
To use the new App Stories feature, the user first needs to create their own Stories from Snapchat itself. Then they will be given the following sharing option – My Story, Our Stories and My Tinder Story. The first two sharing option is already available on Snapchat, but the third option will be available once the new feature arrives this Summer. Once the user selects the ‘My Tinder Story’ feature, the story which the user had created will be posted on their Tinder account as part of the user’s profile. And since the user-base of Snapchat largely consists of youth and adults, it could be a way to ensure user loyalty while retaining its user base.
According to Snapchat, more than 200 apps have been integrated with the Snap Kit and the company has assured that Snap Kit has been designed with the user privacy in mind. They also said that Snapchat do not share the demographic information or the friend list of the user to the third party developers. For the developers, Snapchat announced a new feature for its Creative Kit which allows them to design and build their own custom and branded stickers along with filters. And the developers could add their new built features to the Snap Camera. Other third-party apps such as Netflix, GoFundMe, VSCO and India’s JioSaavn will be soon be entering a partnership with Snapchat. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.📲 Post a Story to partner apps, like @Tinder
— Snap Kit (@snapkit) April 4, 2019
💁♀️ Use your @Bitmoji on apps like @Venmo and @Fitbit
✨ Share stickers from your favorite services, from @netflix to @vsco and more!
Read all the updates from #SnapPartnerSummit here: https://t.co/Dbow9rKbd1 pic.twitter.com/Gbl5xBOAQ9
Microsoft’s Windows 10 May 2019 Update will give you control of when you want to install new updates
Software giant Microsoft is planning to begin the roll-out of its Windows 10 May 2019 Update to testers starting next week. This, of course, will be followed by a more widespread roll-out of the update in May this year. The new update is codenamed ’19H1′ and it is the next major version of Windows 10. However, in terms of features, it is a relatively light update.
As a part of the update, the company is adding a new light theme for Windows 10, along with a Windows Sandbox feature and Kaomoji support. In addition to this, the update will also separate Cortana from Windows search.
Furthermore, the May 2019 Update by Microsoft will enable Windows 10 users to control how exactly they get feature updates. Till now, we have seen Microsoft push out updates to machines once they are ready in order to ensure that everyone has the latest version of their operating system. However, this is all set to change now.
Once you get the May 2019 Update, you will be able to decide when you want to install the latest major version on your system. With this, Windows 10 will be able to work on the existing version and the company will keep sending it monthly security updates. So, if there are features in the latest software update that you think you don’t want, you can avoid that and still keep Windows 10 running on your device in a healthy condition.
However, we should add that Windows 10 and Pro users will be able to pause features and monthly updates for up to 35 days. In addition to this, the software company is also coming out with its intelligent active hours, which will enable the operating system to detect when the PC is being used so that it doesn’t start installing any updates then. We have to say this will really be a relief. While the system will prompt users informing them about new updates, it won’t force them to install them immediately.
Microsoft will be seen rolling out the update to Release Preview testers starting next week and it is worth mentioning that the software company has kept the gap between the testing phase and the release of the stable update larger this time. Earlier, Microsoft tested its update for days before it was rolled out to the masses. This time, it will be testing it for weeks. The technology giant will also be adding a new dashboard which will help it track the health of Windows releases.
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Samsung Galaxy A20 with dual rear cameras, 4,000mAh battery launched in India: Price and specifications
Samsung has just added a new device to its Galaxy A-series in India – Galaxy. The company has officially launched the Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone in India, and the handset is all set to go on its first sale next week onwards. The Samsung Galaxy A20 falls between the Samsung Galaxy A10 and the Samsung Galaxy A30. It should be noted that the device was originally announced in Russia last month but India is the first market where Samsung Galaxy A20 has officially been launched. Here’s everything that you need to know about the newly launched Samsung Galaxy A20 smartphone:
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Samsung Galaxy A20 price and availability
The Samsung Galaxy A20 bears a price tag of Rs 12,490 for the lone 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant in India. The device comes in three colour options including Black, Red and Blue. The Samsung Galaxy A20 will be available from April 8 and it can be purchased via the company’s online store, Samsung Opera House, major online e-commerce platforms along with select retailers. Currently, Samsung hasn’t announced any launch offers for the device but we might see them once the device goes on its official sale.Samsung Galaxy A20 specifications
Samsung Galaxy A20 sports a 6.4-inch HD+ (720 x 1560p) Super AMOLED Infinity-V display and it is powered by an octa-core Exynos 7884 SoC, with two high power cores clocked at 1.6GHz and six efficiency cores clocked to function at 1.35GHz. The Samsung Galaxy A20 comes 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage and has support for a microSD card of up to 512GB. The handset runs on Android 9.0 Pie skinned with Samsung’s One UI. Samsung Galaxy A20 packs a 4,000mAh battery with support of fast charging along with a USB Type-C port and it also has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. On the camera front, the Samsung Galaxy A20 comes with a dual-rear camera setup which comprises of a 13MP primary sensor with an f/1.9 aperture accompanied by a 5MP secondary sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. On its front panel, there is an 8MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 fixed focus lens. Samsung Galaxy A20 measures at 158.4 x 74.7 x 7.8mm and it comes with a ‘Glasstic Build’. With the launch of Samsung Galaxy A20, Samsung has added another device to its ever-increasing smartphone portfolio. And targeted at the budget segment, Samsung Galaxy A20 could prove to be a tough competition for its rivals. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.Spotify is testing further integration with Google Maps and Waze: Report
Music streaming platform Spotify got integration for Google Maps in December last year, which allows the user to control the app right from the navigation search of Maps. And now, according to a recent development, Spotify’s Android version is testing Google Maps and Waze integration natively which will allow users to select and decide which app could access the Spotify’s playback control. Some other features have also been discovered with reverse engineering on Spotify’s app including Song Sharing and Sleep Timer.
The information was first revealed by Jane Manchun Wong who reverse engineered the music streaming app to discover the new features it may come with in the future. The discovery shows an integration of the navigation apps in the settings of the music streaming platform, Spotify. As we mentioned earlier, the integration of the navigation included Google Maps and Waze.
The users can decide which navigation app they want to give access so that they can get smart commute updates coupled with Spotify’s playback control. For this, users need to go to the ‘Connect to Apps’ settings in Spotify, and then head to ‘Navigation’ section. From here, they can give access to the apps that they want to. The report also states that Google Maps and Waze both can be connected with Spotify at the same time.
Other than this, users will also have the option to decide whether they want a reminder about using the navigation apps when they are in a car. Waze, a GPS navigation software earlier didn’t have this feature so the users of the app may find it to be a useful addition. However, it is worth mentioning that Google Maps already has similar feature on its platform. With this integration, the users of the Spotify app will get more options.
The discoverer, Wong claims to have discovered multiple new and upcoming features in the Android version of the Spotify app. Some of the features includes a Sleep Timer which allows users to set a timer on the app so that when it reaches the set time, the app will stop the music automatically. When launched, this feature can be used by users of the app by going in the ‘Settings for Songs’ sub-menu inside the Spotify app.Spotify for Android is testing "Connect to Apps" for managing Navigation apps connections pic.twitter.com/Cwe3h49Bd2
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 2, 2019
There is another feature that gives users the ability to share songs with their friends through a new ‘Connect with friends’ option. Once it is available, the users would be able to scan a code from their friend’s Spotify app and play the same playlist on their app.Spotify for Android is testing "Connect with friends" UI in "Connect to a device"
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 2, 2019
"Your friends can add tracks by scanning this code." the feature indicates "You can also scan a friend's code" pic.twitter.com/DCfp3z37KO
We must add that Wong’s discovery of the new features comes through reverse engineering so there is a high possibility that the new features are just being tested and we might not get them. For the latest gadget and tech news, and gadget reviews, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. For newest tech & gadget videos subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You can also stay up to date using the Gadget Bridge Android App.Spotify for Android is testing Sleep Timer for Songs pic.twitter.com/VhhZzW5kPI
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) April 2, 2019
iPhone XR discount is now live on Apple authorised stores and Amazon India
It’s a good time for Apple fans you wish to buy an iPhone from the company’s latest lineup. This week, a temporary price cut on iPhone XR in was announced and today, the offer has gone live. So if you have been waiting for one of the three iPhones to get a price cut so that you can get your hands on them, today is certainly your day.
The price cut will be available on all three storage variants of iPhone XR in India, however earlier it was said that interested customers can only avail the discount from Apple authorised retail stores. However, if you have a preference for online shopping, you would be happy to know that the limited period iPhone XR offer is now live on Amazon India’s website too.
Post the price cut, the cost of iPhone XR in India starts at Rs 59,900 for its base model that comes with 64GB storage onboard. Its other two variants that come with 128GB and 256GB storage can be bought for Rs 64,900 and Rs 74,900 respectively during the time this offer is valid. However, the additional cashback that HDFC is offering at retail stores cannot be availed online.
For those unaware, on buying the iPhone XR from an Apple authorised retail store using an HDFC Ban credit or debit card customers will get an additional cashback of 10%. This will bring down the cost of 64GB model of iPhone XR to Rs 53,900, while the 128GB and 256GB storage variants will be available for Rs Rs 58,400 and Rs 67,400 respectively.
Coming back to the offer on Amazon India, you can also opt for no-cost EMI, provided you are a customer of a major bank in India. In addition to this, you can also make use of the exchange offer that the e-commerce platform is offering that will enable you to get a further discount of Rs 17,400 on the iPhone XR if they exchange their old smartphone. Shoppers can also get benefits of their Amazon Prime membership, provided they have one.
To recall, iPhone XR was launched by Apple in September 2018 along with iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The handset features a 6.10-inch (828×1792 pixels) Liquid Retina display and is powered by the company’s own A12 Bionic processor. For imaging duties, iPhone XR comes with a 12MP rear camera that has an f/1.8 aperture and for selfies and video calls, there is a 7MP sensor with an f/2.2 aperture. You can read our review of iPhone XR here before you buy it.
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Gmail’s Smart Compose can now suggest subject lines of emails
Technology giant Google is focussing a lot on making Gmail as useful as possible. And as Gmail becomes more useful by the day, the more dependent we get on it. Initially, Gmail’s Smart Compose feature helped users complete their message on the email service quickly by suggesting them pre-written responses based on the text that they were writing.
A few days back, Google announced that going forward, Smart Compose will not only suggest answers based on what the user is typing but also adapt to their writing style. This means that Smart Compose will be providing text that looks like it has been written by us. So, instead of making your email look automated, it would learn your writing style to make it look like it has been written personally when it’s not.
And now, Google is going one step ahead as it has announced that its Smart Compose feature will now also be able to suggest email subject lines. The new ability has been rolled out to Gmail today and we have to say it’s a time saver, considering sometimes it is hard to think of an appropriate subject line for an email. But since we have Google suggesting them to us, we are surely happy about the help we’ll get.
We should add here that Gmail’s Smart Compose feature uses Machine Learning to make suggestions and recommendations. According to Google, Smart Compose can “cut down on the effort it takes for you to write emails and replies.” Furthermore, the technology giant has also added that Smart Compose has saved Gmail users from typing “over 1 billion characters each week” on the desktop.
With its newest feature, Gmail’s Smart Compose will be able to suggest a subject for the email based on the content in its body. So, if you are sending some an email wishing them for their new job, Gmail could suggest ‘Congratulations!’ as the subject line of the mail.
The updated feature is rolling out to all Gmail users in a phased manner. Google has said that it will take 15 days for it to reach everyone. Smart Compose is on by default on Gmail, however, if you don’t like the extra-help that Google provides, you can always turn it off by heading to Settings of the email service. Recently, Google also launched a feature called ‘Schedule Messages’ on Gmail. As the name suggests, it enables users to send emails at a later time. So, once a user completes typing an email, they can click the arrow next to the ‘Send’ button in the compose window to bring up the scheduler and set a particular time for the email to be sent.Less time writing, more time celebrating 🎉. Sometimes, the hardest task when writing emails is summarizing it into one phrase that catches people's attention. That's why we're updating Smart Compose with suggested subject lines → https://t.co/DjawVkZJZu #HBDgmail pic.twitter.com/V6hVam0z1w
— Gmail (@gmail) April 4, 2019
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Redmi 7, Redmi 7A and Redmi Y3 to launch in India soon: Report
Redmi’s latest iteration in its budget segment is the Redmi 7, which was launched in China last month. And according to some recent leaks and reports, the Chinese brand has plans to bring the Redmi 7 smartphone to the Indian markets as well. The Redmi 7 is the successor of the Redmi 6 and it is powered by the Snapdragon 632 SoC paired with 4GB of RAM and it packs a 4,000mAh battery.
The Redmi 7 also sports a waterdrop-notch on the display while its back has a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. Furthermore, the leaks also indicate that another Redmi smartphone, the Redmi Y3 could also be launched in the Indian markets in the coming months along with the Redmi 7A.
Xiaomi recently launched its Redmi Note 7 and Note 7 Pro smartphones in India – both of which were priced in the budget segment. The company also recently launched its Redmi Go handset that was aimed at first time Android users. And now Redmi 7 and the Redmi 7A may also be priced in the budget segment, much like their predecessors Redmi 6 and Redmi 6A. This makes perfect sense as Xiaomi’s smartphones that are priced slightly higher have failed to impress its target audience even if they pack good specifications.
The leaks were tipped by a tipster named Ishan Agarwal on Twitter and according to him the device might soon be launched in India. Seeing that India is an important market for the Chinese smartphone company, the news might be true and we may get to see the release of the device in the coming weeks. According to the tipster, the Redmi Y3 will also be launched in India as soon as next month alongside another device with the model number of C3F which could be the Redmi 7A.
Although the Redmi Y3 has not been launched yet, but earlier it was spotted on the Wi-Fi Alliance website running on Android Pie. Also, the Redmi 7A too was spotted on the 3C certification website on China last year in December but till now, the Redmi 7A has not been launched.
On the other hand, the Redmi 7 was launched in China last month with the price tag of CNY 699 (approximately Rs 7,100) for the 2GB RAM/16GB storage variant and CNY 799 (approximately Rs 8,200) for the 3GB RAM/32GB storage variant. The top-end variant of the Redmi 7 with 4GB RAM/64GB storage costs CNY 999 (approximately Rs 10,200). The smartphones are expected to be priced similarly when they are launched in India.
Although the exact launch dates of the devices are currently not known, we could see them getting unveiled in the Indian market in the next couple of months.
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Microsoft revamps Xbox Game Bar on Windows 10: Here’s everything that’s new
Software giant Microsoft’s gaming head Phil Spencer admitted last year that the company has a lot of work to do Windows, keeping in mind its PC gamers. Keeping its word, the software maker will be unveiling a revamped Game Bar feature in Windows 10, that will enable better Xbox integration on PCs. The revamped Game Bar for Windows 10 is available for beta testers starting today. We should mention that the feature comes with widgets that look a lot like the Nvidia GeForce’s overlays.
It is worth adding that these widgets don’t only come with a host of features that one normally finds in a game bar, but also includes a number of things that are new. The most notable change that this has is integration with Spotify, that will give players control over song playback while gaming. The company has also added an audio widget that enables users to adjust the volumes and sound output during the game. In addition to this, there is also a widget to monitor CPU, GPU and RAM usage.
You can activate the Xbox Game Bar by using winkey+G in Windows 10. The new layout that Microsoft has rolled out makes it easier for users to toggle into it to adjust the settings that they want and then quickly go back to playing the game.
The software giant has also added the ability to turn screenshots into memes. You can use the Quick Edit feature on the platform and then share it to Twitter too. That’s not all. Players will also be able to capture videos, overlay text on them and then share it to Twitter instantly. Furthermore, Microsoft has also added an Xbox social widget that has a friend list and using this, players can send messages from their Game Bar itself.
The Xbox Game Bar for Windows 10 has gone from being a simple bar to a fully customizable feature that can prove to be very useful to gamers. Microsoft has really focussed on enhancing the feature and it shows. The company has also added the ability of pinning widgets so that users can place them where they want them to be. In addition to this, players can also hide certain widgets if he does not find them useful.
As we mentioned earlier, currently, the Xbox Game Bar is being tested for PC gamers as the software giant may want to fix all the bugs and issues with it before rolling out the feature to the masses. If you cannot wait for the feature to be rolled out to all and want to try it out yourself, you can head to Xbox Insider Hub on a Windows 10 PC and choose Windows Gaming from insider content in order to enable it.
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Samsung sees its profit slide 60% year on year
South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics has just announced its guidance for Q1 2019 earnings. The company’s first quarter’s operating solid profit has gone down by 60% year on year off revenue, which has also decreased by 14%.
This just goes to show how Samsung is struggling to keep up with falling chip prices. It is worth noticing that Samsung had already issued a warning week saying that its earnings would not meet market expectations.
According to a statement that has been issued by Samsung, the smartphone giant’s total sales are expected to be around 52 trillion won or $45.7 billion and its operating profit will be around 6.2 trillion won or $5.5 billion.
The South Korean technology company has a tradition of announcing these figures at the beginning of each quarter, followed by providing a detailed breakdown a month later. So, we would have to wait for a few weeks before we get that.
It was in this quarter that Samsung launched its flagship smartphones – Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+ and Galaxy S10e. Although their launch did help to get up the performance, we should keep in mind that a quarter includes a three-month period, whereas the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphones have been available in the global markets for just a few weeks as of now.
Samsung has said that it expects more smartphone sales this year as compared to 2019 when they were literally flat all year round. It will also be focussing on selling other smartphone components like OLED screens and its chipsets.
In an unrelated piece of news, the company’s Samsung Galaxy S10 5G variant will be going on sale in Korea starting today. We should mention that this is the first ever 5G smartphone by Samsung to hit the shelves. The South Korean technology giant has also said that the introduction of Galaxy S10 5G is a key milestone in the company’s research and development and it comes with “breakthroughs like the world’s first-gigabit speed 5G transmission, the first 5G handover between multiple cells.”
Speaking on Samsung Galaxy S10 5G going on sale, the company’s President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, DJ Koh, “We are at the beginning of a new era where the incredible speed and connectivity of 5G becomes a reality, bringing the world closer to Samsung’s vision of connected living. We are proud of the work we’ve accomplished to bring our first 5G smartphone to market and look forward to bringing it to everyone around the world in the coming year.”
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Apple’s 5G-enabled iPhone launch plans could be delayed due to Intel, Apple developing its own 5G modem: Report
Till now, most reports have suggested that Apple may not jump in the 5G race as soon as other smartphone manufacturers. Instead, it was said to have planned to launch a 5G-capable iPhone by 2020. But now, according to recent developments, the plans of Apple to launch its 5G iPhone could be delayed as Intel is missing its targets for the 5G modems.
According to a report by UBS, Apple was supposed to use Intel’s 5G modems in its iPhones to make them capable but now because of Intel, the Cupertino-based technology giant’s plans might be delayed. We have already seen Samsung and Huawei unveil their devices which were capable of 5G connectivity. Other brands like LG and Xiaomi among others are also in line to bring their own version of the 5G capable devices in this year or the next.
According to the 9to5Mac, the UBS report to the investors read that Apple might be pushing its 5G-enabled iPhone launch to 2021 but it also thinks that even by that time it might not be entirely possible. Launching a 5G compatible device in 2021 may mean that Apple would lose many of its customers to other brands which, by then, would have already launched their 5G-enabled devices. But UBS believes that because Apple has a loyal and strong user base and a strong portfolio will help it retain its users.
A prior report said that Apple will be looking forward to 5G network becoming mainstream before it launches any 5G capable iPhone. it should be noted that Apple is currently in legal disputes with Qualcomm, the leader in the 5G enabled modem developer. It is because of this legal battle that Apple went to Intel for the 5G modems. Apple stopped using Qualcomm’s chips a few years ago due to their disputes. Apple was also forced to stop selling its older iPhone models in certain countries after Qualcomm won the legal injunctions over allegations of intellectual property violations.
So, besides Qualcomm, Apple had two choices for the 5G modem development – MediaTek and Samsung. But MediaTek’s chips and supplies are not on par with what Apple is looking for and they didn’t want to partner with Samsung even though Samsung had supplied several components to the Cupertino-based company. Samsung has supplied components such as display, DRAM, and flash memory to Apple. But a recent report from Taiwan Electronic Times claimed that the South Korean technology giant was willing to work with Apple but it would not be able to supply an adequate quantity of 5G modem chips which Apple required.
There are also reports that Apple is trying to develop its own 5G modems for which it had employed over 1,000 employees who are currently working on this project including former Intel and Qualcomm engineers. However, the possibility of Apple coming up with its own 5G modem by 2021 is very low.
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Facebook, Instagram and Messenger to stop working on Windows Phone on April 30
Social media giant Facebook is planning to retire some of its Windows Phone apps by the end of this month. The news has been confirmed by a Microsoft spokesperson who said that the social media company will stop support for Instagram, Messenger and Facebook apps for Windows Phone by April 30. This move would leave Windows Phone users with no option but to access the services via third-party apps and their mobile web versions.
However, as of now, there is no word about what will happen to WhatsApp for Windows Phone. There are no speculations about it too, so we will have to wait for an official word from the company to know if WhatsApp will keep on working or not. As of now, WhatsApp only has support for Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile versions.
We should mention that recently Google also closed down a number of its services including Google+, Inbox by Gmail and Allo. And now, with Facebook also closing down three of its apps on April 30, it really seems to be the season of products getting closed down. Post the shutdown, the mobile versions of these services or the third-party apps will be the only way to access these services via Windows Phone or Windows 10 Mobile devices.
It is worth mentioning that the report about the end of support for Facebook apps first surfaced on Engadget. The confirmation from Microsoft about these apps being discontinued also appeared in the same report.
The only reason by Facebook has decided to end support for these apps is that the Windows Phone platform is literally dead and there are hardly any users left on it. It is worth adding that even Microsoft will soon end the support for the latest version of Windows 10 Mobile – 1709 – by the end of this year. However, the smartphones that run Windows 10 Mobile 1703 will lose support in June itself.
Furthermore, a number of major apps are already not working on Windows Phone devices. But then, even now, it is not clear how many consumers are still using Windows Phone devices. It has to be very less considering that so many apps are ending support for it.
As we mentioned earlier, Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 Mobile in December 2019. The software giant has also asked its users to move to either Android or iOS. On its ‘End of Support’ page, the company wrote, “With the Windows 10 Mobile OS end of support, we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device. Microsoft’s mission statement to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more compels us to support our Mobile apps on those platforms and devices.”
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Battlefield V is getting a new in-game currency which can be purchased with real money
The latest installment in the Battlefield series – Battlefield V – was launched back in November 2018. And now, Battlefield V is getting a new in-game currency named Battlefield Currency, that the players can buy with real money. Now, the game has two currencies – Company Coin and Battlefield Currency.
The players can earn the Company Coin by playing the game and on the other hand, the Battlefield Currency can be bought by using real money. The players can use the Battlefield Currency to buy certain in-game items such as cosmetic customisation items, elite sets, and time savers. Although the cosmetic customization can be bought and used from now on, the Elite sets and time savers will be brought in the game later in spring. The microtransactions can be used by the players to speed their progress in the game. The players can also pay money to increase their characters’ levels.
The Elite sets coming later to be purchased using the Battlefield Currency adds new characters to the game, the first among which are Seamus and Ernst. But according to EA, the chosen elite sets don’t give the players any kind of advantage. However, each new character in the set come with unique backstory, voiceovers, a unique Best Squad animation, an assortment of themed cosmetic items, and a Special Assignment mission to help unlock each character’s signature melee weapon.
While on the other hand, the Time savers allows the players to unlock Chapter Reward items and experience points to speed up their progress in the game. And this feature too will come in Spring along with the Elite sets.
It should be noted that the this is not the first game to do this as many other games too ask the players to buy game money with real money to unlock certain things like PUBG, Fortnite, COD: Blackout etc.
Battlefield V is also including loot boxes (also known as value bundles) which the players can purchase with the Battlefield Currency. Although EA said that Battlefield V won’t have any loot boxes but they are being included in the game now which falsifies their claims. EA says that the contents of the bundles will be listed so that players will know what they are purchasing. This could be EA’s attempt to avoid the regulations set by many countries which sees the in-game microtransactions as a form of gambling. The Value Bundles included in Battlefield V will be of two types — Starter Pack and Premium Starter Pack. The Battlefield V Starter Pack value bundle includes: 500 Battlefield Currency Glacial – Face paint (Rare) Night Owl – Weapon Skin Set (Rare) for four weapons: Sturmgewehr 1-5 Sten KE7 Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I While the Battlefield V Premium Starter Pack bundle pack includes: 3,500 Battlefield Currency Demolisher – Axis Soldier Outfit (Epic) Cool Hand Duke – Allied Soldier Outfit (Epic) Skorpion – Panzer IV Vehicle Skin (Rare) Icefire – Spitfire MK VA Vehicle Skin (Rare) Chromed Finish – Weapon Skin Set (Rare) for four weapons: Sturmgewehr 1-5 Sten KE7 Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk IPremium currency comes to #Battlefield V on April 4. Got questions? Check out the Battlefield Currency FAQ: https://t.co/3lZDTA3ZLn pic.twitter.com/dhd9CrUXsw
— Battlefield (@Battlefield) April 3, 2019
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