The closer we are getting to Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference that is scheduled for June, the more the number of reports about the company’s plans are surfacing online. At WWDC 2019, Apple is expected to unveil the next major versions of its iOS, macOS and announce other software updates.
And now, a report has emerged on 9to5Mac which throws light on Apple’s plans for WWDC 2019 in detail. It has been reported that Apple plans to get the Siri Shortcuts feature and a Shortcuts app to the Mac with macOS 10.15. The shortcuts will enable users to create some custom Siri commands that will make certain apps perform the function of their choice. What’s more, these actions can also be linked with one another, so each shortcut can work for multiple apps. This makes the feature a much-loved tool for power users.
And now, these capabilities are coming to the Mac with the latest update. However, the report also added that Shortcuts would only work for ‘Marzipan’ apps. For those unaware, Marzipan apps are the applications that have been ported by Apple from iOS to the Mac including Home, Apple News, and Voice Memos.
It has also been reported that Apple has more plans for WWDC 2019 and it is being said that this year, developers would be able to bring their iPhone and iPad apps to the Mac computers too. We should mention that a number of those have support for Siri Shortcuts on iOS and it only makes sense to replicate this functionality on laptops and desktops.
In addition to this, 9to5Mac also says that Screen Time, which is a feature on iOS that shows how much time you have spent on your device every day and exactly which apps do you use the most, will also make its debut on macOS 10.15. Users will be able to set limits for app usage with Screen Time and in case they spend more time on a particular app, they would have to enter their passcode to continue their usage.
The report also said that the Cupertino based technology giant is redesigning its Apple ID and that the company is getting the iMessage’s visual effects to the Mac.
Apple’s WWDC 2019 conference will reportedly be scheduled from June 3 to June 7 this year. A prior report that surfaced online said that that developer conference would be held at the the McEnery Convention Centre in San Jose, California.
Nokia, a phone brand brought back from the brink of death has been launching new and innovative smartphones consistently. And it was all made possible after the acquisition of Nokia by HMD Global post which the company started launching all its smartphones under the Android One programme.
Smartphones under the Android One programme receive timely security patches and Android updates. And now, the Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and the Nokia 8 are getting a new software update which brings the March 2019 Android security patch to the handsets.
It should be noted that the updates were to be brought out earlier but they were delayed due to some reasons, but now the first generation of the Nokia phones have started receiving the updates. It has been reported that Nokia 8 is receiving the new update this week. Some users of Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 have also reported to receive the update. Furthermore, Nokia 9 PureView has started receiving a new update as well which speeds up its camera performance along with the fingerprint scanner along with the face unlock. In addition to this, the update for Nokia 9 PureView brings the April 2019 security patch.
According to a report by Nokia Mob, HMD Global has said in a community post last week that the March Security patch for the Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and Nokia 8 had been delayed. The delay was because of a one-time issue related to the rollout, so the company decided to take the time to solve the problem and then roll out the update.
The size of the new March Security patch update for the Nokia 5 is 267MB, while for Nokia 6 it is 345MB and for Nokia 8 the file size is 95MB. With the security patch update, the Nokia users will get the solution for the severe critical security vulnerability in the Media Framework which could enable a remote attacker using a specially crafted file to execute the arbitrary code within the context of the privileged process. All three of the first-generation Nokia phones had already received the Android 9 Pie update earlier this year itself.
Furthermore, the Nokia 9 PureView is also getting the new update with the build number 4.22C and it has a file size of around 250MB. According to a report by NPU, the update comes with the April 2019 security patch update along with stability and UI improvements. As mentioned above, the update also brings speed improvements to the camera, the in-display fingerprint sensor along with the face unlock feature.
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.
Facebook may not be handling users’ data effectively and is getting out of one data breach only to be caught in another, but this is clearly not affecting the company’s plans on expanding its services. The company is in fact, working on something that will enable it to learn even more about its users and their preferences. Okay, we won’t beat around the bush anymore. Facebook is now working on a voice-based virtual assistant that will facilitate easier voice search for its users.
Needless to say, the virtual assistant will be competing with the likes of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The report about the social media giant working on its digital assistant first surfaced on CNBC, which got in touch with two ex-employees of Facebook.
The ex-employees said that Facebook is working on an AI-powered virtual aide that will be present on its Oculus VR headsets and Portal. The two also said that the company is also in touch with a number of vendors who supply smart speakers and Facebook’s project is being led by Ira Snyder, the company’s head of AR/VR division.
We should mention that this would not be the first time when Facebook would be working on a virtual assistant as the company also launched ‘M’ in 2015. However, the difference is that M was a text-based smart assistant that was aimed at improving conversations and gives users various recommendations, while the one that will be launched will have support for voice-based searches too. It is worth adding that M was closed down last year because it did not interest a lot of users and was not intuitive enough.
But then, Facebook’s experience with M may benefit the company in creating the new virtual assistant, especially at a time when voice searches are really becoming a hit among users. It has also been estimated that this particular market will grow by 40% annually.
Speaking on the development, Facebook said to Reuters that the AI assistant “may work across our family of AR/VR products including Portal, Oculus and future products.”
As we mentioned earlier, two very big competitors Facebook would have to face in this space are Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The two together have captured 97% of the smart speaker market, and needless to say, a number like this is nearly impossible to beat.
It is worth adding that Facebook’s F8 developer conference will begin on April 30 this month and there is a big possibility that we may get to learn a lot more about the virtual assistant as the event.
Social media giant Facebook has admitted that it had access email contacts of as many as 1.5 million of its users without their consent. Furthermore, the company also stored these email contacts.
A report in Business Insider also claims that between May 2016 and March 2019, Facebook asked some of the new users on its platform to verify their email addresses by sharing the password of their email account. However, once users did this, the email contacts of the user automatically got imported and users did not have the option of stopping it or opting out of it.
In response to this, Facebook told Business Insider that the email contacts were uploaded “unintentionally” in the process. The company also added that these contacts had not been shared by the social media platform with anyone. Facebook also said that it is now deleting the contacts that got uploaded and has also fixed the issue that led to the problem.
It is worth adding that email verification is a very common practice for most online platforms. However, what happened in Facebook’s case is an exception. Usually, when a platform asks users to provide their email address, it sends users a link on their email ID that they have to click so that their account gets verified. On the other hand, Facebook asked users to verify that their accounts by handing over their passwords. The page asking for user’s email password said, “To continue using Facebook, you’ll need to confirm your email address.”
However, users did not have to go through this process as Facebook’s traditional verification options were hidden behind the link between the password box that read ‘Need help?’ Users could also verify their account via a code sent to their smartphone.
We must also add here that Facebook uploaded users’ contacts before May 2016 too when they provided their email password. In fact, that month, Facebook did delete the message that said that their contacts will be uploaded. However, it did nothing to stop the uploading.
While Facebook did mention below its password box that it would not store the password entered as a part of the process. However, Facebook has been embroiled in multiple data breaches since last year, and now, this has become the most recent one.
The social media giant has said that it is notifying all the users whose contacts were uploaded to the service and the process will be completed in the next few days.
Technology giant Google has been testing the Dark Mode for quite some time. And now, a report has surfaced online that claims that the new feature has finally been made available on the table version of Chrome for Android. In addition to this, Google has also started testing a new Reader Mode in Chrome Canary desktop users.
The mode basically removed all the unnecessary content from the page and only keeps the article text and images. Besides this, Google is also working to prevent man-in-the-middle (MiTM) phishing attacks on its browser. Let’s talk in detail about all the three changes.
The stable version of Chrome for Android has finally received support for Dark Mode, according to a report by Android Police. According to the report, the mode will be available with the release of Chrome v74 for Android. However, as of now, in India Google Play only has v73 so we recommend you to wait for the update to arrive rather than download it manually yourself.
Google started testing the Dark Mode feature in February this year and it has finally started making its way to the stable version of the app as well. We should also mention that Mac users also got support for Dark Mode last month and now, Android users have started getting it too.
Coming to the Reader Mode, it is now available in the Chrome Canary for desktop users. Users will be able to enable the flag by going to chrome://flags/#enable-reader-mode section in the Chrome Canary version. Once you have enabled the flag, you should restart your browser and begin using the Reader Mode by clicking on the Chrome Dropdown menu on the top right and then choosing the option of Distill page.
We recommend using this mode when you are browsing news websites and blogs as it will remove all the ads on the page and only show the text and images. It is worth adding that this feature was first spotted by ZDNet.
Last but not the least, Google is taking steps to prevent man in the middle (MiTM) phishing attacks and will be blocking all sign-ins from embedded browser frameworks. This will be enabled starting June this month. The reason for the implementation of this feature is that Chrome is not able to differentiate between a legitimate sign on and a MiTM attack. The technology giant has announced about this feature on its security blog.
Chinese smartphone brand Xiaomi has revealed that its Redmi Note 7 Pro handset will soon be getting support for Fortnite. It is worth noticing that the company has announced this after its rival Realme, which is set to launch its Realme 3 smartphone with Fortnite support in India next week, took a jab at the company’s Redmi Note 7 Pro not being able to support the popular battle royale game. Xiaomi has revealed that it is working along with Qualcomm and Epic Games in order to get the Redmi Note 7 Pro certified for the game.
Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphone in February this year and although the handset has support for PUBG Mobile, players cannot play Fortnite on it, which is also an immensely popular battle royale game. According to the Chinese smartphone brand, the processor used in its Redmi Note 7 Pro handset – Snapdragon 675 SoC – is relatively new and Epic Games is yet to certify it. So currently, the company is working with Epic Games and Qualcomm to get the certification.
Xiaomi took to its official forum to say, “One thing to understand here [the lack of Fortnite support] is that since Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 is relatively a newer chipset and hasn’t been launched in the US (the main market for Fortnite), the makers of Fortnite (Epic Games) haven’t had an opportunity to test and thus, certify the Snapdragon 675.”
As of now, there is no word on how much time the certification process is going to take. However, since Epic Games has already said that Fortnite would run on any Android smartphone that has Adreno 530 GPU or higher, it shouldn’t take long for Redmi Note 7 Pro considering it has Adreno 612 GPU.
Prior to this, while teasing the upcoming Realme 3 Pro smartphone which comes with support for Fortnite, CEO Madhav Sheth had taken a dig at the Note 7 Pro and its lack of support for the game.
In response to this, Xiaomi India’s MD Manu Kumar Jain had called Realme 3 Pro’s processor – Snapdragon 710 SoC – as an ‘older processor’ which is slower than Snapdragon 675. Xiaomi reinforced the same in its blog post when it said, “Some older chipsets, including the Snapdragon 710, have made it to Epic Games and thus been certified.”
To recall, Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphone comes with a 6.3-inch display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 processor clubbed with 4GB of RAM and runs Android Pie. The handset has a 4,000mAh battery that comes with support for Quick Charge 4+ fast charging.
A Google Pixel 3 owner recently found out that his device is defective. After contacting the company, and explaining them the issue, he was expecting a refund for the handset. However, what he got in place of the refund was something he definitely was not expecting, and neither was anyone else. According to reports, the customer received 10 Google Pixel 3 smartphones from the company. We should mention that the total worth of all the 10 Pixel 3 smartphones combines at $9,000 (approximately Rs 6,17,900).
A Reddit user with the username Cheetohz claimed that he had been refunded around $80 (approximately Rs 5,500) when the user returned his defective Pixel 3. But the user also received 10 Not Pink Pixel 3 units as a replacement order. Although many users would have been happy with what they got because of Google’s generosity or mistake, but Reddit user Cheetohtz wishes to return the extra units of Pixel 3. However, he also expects Google to refund the full amount of his original defective smartphone.
“Every large company has its fair share of customer service issues, but Google seems to always find the most perplexing ways to screw up,” a Reddit user pointed out the story about Google’s mess ups in its customer and product services to get the attention of the California-based technology giant.
According to the Android Police’s report, “After returning a defective Pixel 3, Google didn’t issue a refund. Instead, it sent 10 Pixels when the user bought a replacement.” The report also mentioned that the tech giant can’t force the user to return the Pixel devices but the user is definitely trying to return the 10 units he got. He that Google only refunded $80 for tax on the original faulty device.
The Google Pixel 3 for the 128GB internal storage variant costs $899 (approximately Rs 62,500) and since Google has already refunded $80 to the user, only around $800 remains to be refunded.
“That leaves $900 owed (apparently this was a 128GB model). However, Cheetohz (the user) went ahead and ordered a new pink Pixel in a separate transaction. Google’s shipper somehow thought the order was for 10 pink phones, and that’s what they sent,” the report added.
About this matter, Google’s official Reddit support account reached out to the user in the comment section of his post to get the matter sorted. This is one peculiar news, but what happens to the 10 Not Pink Pixel 3 units and what happens to the user’s refund is yet to be seen.
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.
Battle royale games have become one of the most popular gaming genres for millennials and naturally, there are a number of new games that are being released in this genre. Games like PUBG, Fortnite, COD Blackout, Battlefield Firestorm are some of the most popular new battle royale titles and they are known for being too addictive.
However, with great popularity comes great criticism. And in case of these battle royales, their immense popularity has also resulted in bans. Earlier, it was reported that Nepal became the first ever country to put a nationwide ban on PUBG. And now, the government of Iraq has followed the suit and banned two of the most-popular battle royale titles – Fortnite and PUBG.
According to the Iraqi government, they called the vote to ban the games because of their detrimental influence on the younger population of the country. According to Reuters, the ban was put on these games “due to the negative effects caused by some electronic games on the health, culture and security of the Iraqi society, including societal and moral threats to children and youth.”
Last week, Moqtada al-Sadr, a Shi’ite cleric and former head of the Mahdi Army militia warned that the battle royale shooter games like PUBG and Fortnite were addictive and unhealthy for the children and called on the government to ban the game. In a statement, al-Sadr wrote that, “What will you gain if you killed one or two people in PUBG? It is not a game for intelligence or a military game that provides you with the correct way to fight.”
The ban was received with negativity reactions from the public and the government received huge criticism. But the criticism wasn’t just because of the ban on the games but also because of the misplaced priorities of the Iraqi government. As the government in Iraq is the real issue and the country itself continues to suffer with sectarian violence, bad infrastructure and unstable politics. It was all of this combined that led to public’s anger. According to the people of Iraq, the government is not focusing on the real issue and rather it is addressing non-issues and it doesn’t anything for the welfare of the country.
Earlier, we saw the Nepal became the first country to put a nationwide ban on PUBG. And before that we saw that some cities in the Indian state of Gujarat had banned the game (PUBG). The police in those cities had even arrested some of the college going young adults for playing the game in public during the ban.
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.
Facebook-owned photo-sharing app Instagram has reportedly considered hiding the number of likes on pictures that are uploaded by users so that their friends cannot see how many likes a particular post has. The app‘s unreleased feature was spotted today and it is said that it publically hides the like counts beneath all posts.
The new addition to Instagram was first spotted by code-hunter Jane Wong and according to her, the feature is being tested because the company wants “your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get.” If the feature is made active on Instagram, only the person who posts the photo will be able to see the number of likes that it has received.
However, Instagram has clarified that till now, it has not tested this feature. Speaking about the recently spotted feature, the company told technology website The Verge, “We’re not testing this at the moment, but exploring ways to reduce pressure on Instagram is something we’re always thinking about.”
Instagram is testing hiding like count from audiences,
as stated in the app: "We want your followers to focus on what you share, not how many likes your posts get" pic.twitter.com/MN7woHowVN
We should mention that the details of Instagram testing this feature comes days after a report in Independent said that British Information Commissioner’s Office has given a recommendation to social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat to offer the option of turning off likes and streaks, which encourage users to post more on their respective apps. The agency has recommended this ban to protect the safety and privacy of young users of social media platforms.
However, we must add that this would be an enormous change in how the social media platforms function. While we have to admit that ‘Likes’ can be very demotivating at times, they also encourage people to post more by acting as an incentive. But then, we also cannot ignore the fact that just for ‘Likes’, people at times post content that is not authentic.
This has particularly grown since the number of micro-influencers have gone up on Instagram. In order to get likes, people have started posting photos that are doctored with or have nudity, or even thirst trap photos.
While these posts may manage to get ‘Likes’ on the photo-sharing platform, they aren’t necessarily interesting. By removing the concept of ‘Likes’ publically from its platform, Instagram may be able to put an end or at least post of this nature.
It would lead to people posting only the content that they want to share with their followers and not any picture just to get more ‘Likes’.
Google’s Night Sight, a feature exclusively present in Google Pixel smartphones, enables them to produce some impressive low-light photographs. And now, to compete with Night Sight by Google, Samsung is bringing the dedicated Night Mode to its Samsung Galaxy S10-series of smartphones. This new feature is being pushed out to Samsung Galaxy S10 through a software update and it resembles Google’s Night Sight. The new feature comes out as an extension of the Bright Night feature which was spotted last year to improve the low-light shots and night photography.
In the new update for Samsung Galaxy S10-series, the users have to select the available Night Mode through the camera app to capture the images in the dark. The earlier feature used a software-based algorithm on the Galaxy S10 to detect when it was required to take the long exposure shots and adjusted settings accordingly. As mentioned before, this new feature is being rolled out through an update, however currently it is just being rolled out in Switzerland through the over-the-air update. But it will be rolled out on a global scale in the coming weeks.
According to a report by SamMobile, the new Night Mode is brought out by Samsung to improve its Samsung Galaxy S10’s low-light camera performance and to compete with the Google’s Night Sight. Earlier, we saw that a Bright Night feature was spotted in the South Korean technology giant’s code for the Samsung Camera application in the One UI beta version last year. The Bright Night feature used the software intelligence to improve the lighting in the images clicked by the camera. But the new Night Mode is not a beta version, as it is being rolled out as a stable update and it will be added to the camera app of the Samsung Galaxy S10-series. With this, the Night Mode can be used by the users anytime they want and it sits next to the Panorama Mode in the Mode Selection.
Once the Night Mode is selected, the user will be notified to hold the smartphone steady to capture the low-light photographs. There is a possibility that this mode uses the multiple frames and then adds them up together to deliver the bright images. And this process is similar to what Google uses in its Night Sight mode.
But there is also a possibility that Samsung might be using its own native algorithms to give the bright camera results. And this algorithm could be an improved version of the Bright Night feature. Other than the new Camera feature, the new update is also expected to bring the April 2019 security patch along with other minor fixes.
Mukesh Ambani – who happens to be the richest man in India – turns 62 years today. On the occasion of Reliance Industries’ Chairman’s birthday, we have made a list of the most expensive things that he owns. Take a look at them here:
In This Article
He owns one among the most expensive homes in the world
Image Courtesy: vastuhouseoffice
This one had to be on the top of our list. Mukesh Ambani’s house in Mumbai, Antilla, has been built at an estimated cost of over $1 billion. It is said that Antilla is the world’s most expensive property after Buckingham Palace. The house has 27 stories and a six-floor garage that can accommodate 168 cars at once. The house is reported to have a movie theatre that can accommodate 50 people at once, nine high-speed elevators and three helipads. A total of six hundred employees are said to work at Antilla.
He has an Airbus 319 Corporate Jet
Image Courtesy: Success Story
Mukesh Ambani owns the Airbus 319 corporate jet that can carry up to 25 passengers at once. The plane is said to have a large entertainment cabin, a luxury sky bar and a dining area. The corporate jet has customised leather seating and a state of art cockpit. It is said to cost more than $100 million.
He owns a yacht
Representative image
Some call it a yacht, others like to say it looks like a floating palace. Mukesh Ambani’s yacht is 58 meters long, 38 meters wide and comes with a retracting solar glass roof. It has three decks and the yacht has a piano bar, lounge, and dining area. There are personal suites for guests and a dedicated reading room. The yacht is speculated to be more than $100 million in price.
He also has a Boeing Business Jet 2
Image Courtesy: Success Story
For his own private uses, Mukesh Ambani acquired the Boeing Business Jet 2 in 2017. The plane comes with 1004 sq feet cabin space and can seat 78 people at once. It has private suites and a lounge too. According to reports, the private jet cost $73 million to Ambani.
He has a Falcon 900EX
Image Courtesy: Success Story
The Falcon 900EX aircraft has a mid-flight office, a cabin with gaming controls, satellite televisions, music systems and wireless communication. The plane is said to have cost Ambani $43 million.
The BMW 760 Li
Image courtesy: Dummy Gallery
This one is the most expensive car in Mukesh Ambani’s collection yet. For, BMW 760 Li Ambani is said to have paid Rs 8.5 crore. The car is customised for him and it is bulletproof. The BMW is equipped with Z-category security detailing. In addition to the price of the car, Ambani also had to pay Rs 1.6 crore extra to get it registered in Mumbai.
Rolls Royce Phantom
Image courtesy: Carwale
The stunning luxury sedan is definitely one among the most attractive cars in Mukesh Ambani’s collection. It can go from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.8 seconds and its top speed is 249 kmph. Mukesh Ambani paid a whopping Rs 8 crore for the Rolls Royce Phantom.
He is the first man in India to own a Maybach 62
Image Courtesy: NewsDog
Yes, Mukesh Ambani owns a Maybach 62. He got it as a birthday present for his wife Nita Ambani. The car has a top speed of 250km per hour and can go from 0 to 100 kmph in 5.4 seconds. Mukesh Ambani is said to have got it customised and it cost him more than $1 million.
He also has an Aston Martin Rapide
Image Courtesy: NewsDog
Mukesh Ambani’s customized Aston Martin is one among the most expensive cars in this list. The car is said to go from 0-60 in just 4.4 seconds it has a top speed of around 203 miles per hour. Aston Martin Rapide is priced at $170,000.
And a Mercedes S class
Image courtesy: NewsDog
Mukesh Ambani’s Mercedes S Class is bulletproof and it comes with a conference centre and has TV screens and laptops. The car is said to go from 0 to 60 kmph in just 3.9 seconds. According to reports, Mukesh Ambani paid $150,000 for his Mercedes S class.
The company behind Fortnite, Epic Games has announced a list of new security features to keep its game, the Epic Game Store and Unreal Engine users safe from cybercriminals. The most important change added by Epic games is the Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) by using the dedicated authenticator app or email. The SMS-based authentication will be brought out soon by the company for the games and its platforms.
Epic Games will also use other detection techniques to make sure that the email which is used to login into the Epic Games account hasn’t been compromised anywhere else. The Epic Games will also help and guide the players by making them choose a strong password by integrating the ‘Have I Been Pwned’ during the password reset or when creating a new account.
According to a blog post by Epic Games, the Multi-Factor Authentication or MFA will help the user increase and strengthen the security of their account. Currently, the users can choose between using an authenticator app or receiving the 2-factor key on their registered email id. The users can then follow the steps to make their account more secure.
Also, Epic Games has said that the SMS-based 2-factor authentication will be enabled soon for its other games and platforms. The players who have enabled their MFA are receiving the Boogie Down emote for free in Fortnite.
The company has also started using the ‘Pwned Passwords list (v4)’ by ‘Have I Been Pwned’. This new feature makes sure that the passwords created by the users are strong and they haven’t been compromised in the past. If they have, then they will be asked to change and reset their password to something strong.
In addition to this, Epic Games will be making the email verification absolutely necessary now for all the new accounts in the future. But the existing users can also make their accounts more secure and use the email verification process anytime they want. The game studio will be adding a host of account detection techniques throughout the year to make sure that no email which has been used in the Epic Games accounts have been compromised.
On this note, Epic Games said’ “However, specific individual Epic accounts have been compromised by hackers using lists of email addresses and passwords leaked from other sites which have been compromised.”
But if the email of any user has been found to be compromised in the past, the Epic Games will lock the account. It will then ask the user to reset their password and make it strong so that it won’t be compromised easily.
Netflix is one among the most popular video streaming platforms and it has gained a reputation for being very secretive about viewership data on its original content. The case has been the same for shows and films. However, now the platform is set to change this policy as the company has promised more transparency.
Netfix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos spoke about the new transparency that is being undertaken by the company during an investors call earlier this week. He said to the investors that Netflix will begin releasing “more specific and granular data and reporting” to different groups soon. The viewership data will be shared by Netflix with producers, followed by subscribers and then finally the press.
According to the Sarandos, the company’s goal is to be “more fully transparent about what people are watching on Netflix around the world.” The video-streaming service has slowly started release more data and it was announced in December that more than 45 million accounts watched Bird Box within the first one week of its release.
However, it has not been disclosed by either Sarandos or Netflix CEO Reed Hastings that how the company collects its data or what type of information it is set to share with producers, subscribers and press. However, Hastings has acknowledged that Netflix will be become more and more transparent “quarter by quarter.” He also added, “The real metric is, can we keep our members happy and grow that subscriber base as we did so strongly in Q1?”
We should mention that this is a big step for Netflix as in the past, the company has declined the number of times to open up about the viewing habits of its members. Netflix has also been criticised because it, on one hand, it maintains secrecy about its ratings and on the other hand, it does not shy away from making occasional claims about how strong the ratings are. A good example of this is when the company claimed in 2015 that its series Narcos had more viewers than Game of Thrones.
Speaking further on the development, Sarandos said, “I would look at it like these are less financial metrics as they are cultural metrics. I think it’s important for artists to understand, to have the audience also understand the size of the reach of their work. So that’s why you’ll see us ramping up a little bit more and more and giving out — sharing a little more of that information.”
In this modern era, we are bound by our smartphones like kites are connected to threads. The smartphones that we use today have many uses and it is like a number of devices put into one. The creation of smartphones is one of the most important events in recent history, much like the discovery of the Internet. Although smartphones today can do many things but the main purpose of a ‘smartphone’ is to make and receive calls. And sometimes it is frustrating when handsets can’t do this because of problems in the cellular network or data connection.
Your smartphone has to do lots to keep the network connected wherever you go, but sometimes it fails to do so. It can be one of many issues the smartphones face which could lead to the network loss. Here we are sharing few tips and steps which you can follow to keep your smartphone always connected so that you don’t get disconnected to the network.
In This Article
For Android users, here are some of the things to keep in mind to stay connected:
The Android users of smartphone can always swipe down from their screen to toggle the ‘Quick Settings’ panel. Once there, they can tap the ‘Airplane Mode’ to disconnect themselves completely from network. Once this is done, they can wait for a few seconds before they tap on the Airplane Mode again to take their smartphones back on networks.
The user can also restart their Android phones to restart and reset the network itself. For that, they would need to hold the Power button, the user will be given few options, they would need to tap on ‘Restart’ to restart their devices.
If the abovementioned troubleshooting option doesn’t work, the user can remove the SIM cards from their smartphones. Then they can check if the SIM is damaged or not, once it is done, they can re-insert the SIM cards back to their slots in the right way and restart their devices once again.
The user can also reset their network settings from the Settings menu. For that, they would need to go to Settings, then tap on General and then choose the option of Reset. Once they do this, they would be given the option to Reset Network Settings. They can tap on it to reset the network altogether.
The last option is to connect the Carrier or the Telecom company whose SIM card the user owns. He can state his problem and follow the guidance of the operator. If everything goes well, the network should be back on the user’s smartphone.
For the iPhone users, the troubleshooting options to stay connected with network are as follows:
The first thing the user can do is to Open the Control Center. If you have a smartphone from iPhone X-series, you can swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen. Older iPhone model users can swipe up from the bottom of the screen to get to the Control Center. Once it is open, they can tap on the Airplane Mode and after a few seconds, the users can turn it off again to put the iPhone back on the network.
Users can also restart their iPhones. For that, they would need to press and hold the Home button of the iPhone until the Power Slider is displayed. They can turn the device off and on again to restart the network back again.
The users can also visit the Apple’s support page for the troubleshooting options.
Other than that, the users of the iPhones can also update their devices. For that, they will need to go to the Settings then tap on General and then to About. If the update is available for their iPhones, they can choose to download and update their iPhones.
Similar to the Android users, the iPhone users can also reset their Network settings.
But if all the above doesn’t work, they can connect with their Telecom companies and Carriers to talk to them and update them about their problems.
The ever-popular battleroyale PUBG recently got an update for its Mobile version, and now days later the PC version of the game too received a new update. In this new update, PUBG has borrowed some new features and weapon progression from another game, Rainbow Six Siege. The game developer’s post reads that in the new update, the PUBG guns cosmetic items can now be seen in first person view, which is quite similar to the Rainbow Six Siege. The new items will be free and they could be earned by increasing their Weapon Mastery which is another new feature of the update. The new update is being called – PUBG Update 28 for PC and it is already available on the test servers.
The new PUBG Update 28 PC is 5.6GB in size and it will also be made available for the PS4 and the Xbox One but the date hasn’t been announced yet. Talking about the features, Weapon Mastery is a “progression system that allows players to earn free rewards as they level up their gunplay skills. As part of Weapon Mastery, we are also debuting Medals for players who perform awesome feats during their matches.” the post from PUBG’s developers reads.
The post further states that, “In addition to our latest feature, we’ve taken your feedback from our first round of Erangel loot rebalances and made adjustments. Speaking of adjustments, based on player feedback we have reduced the difficulty on a number of missions for Survivor Pass 3: Wild Card, including the elimination of a few missions deemed too difficult to complete.”
With the update, Tencent also released the patch notes for the PUBG Update 28, the patch note reads:
In This Article
New Progression System
Weapon Mastery is a new progression system where players can increase levels by gaining weapon XP based on players’ weapon use.
It operates all the time without being affected by seasons.
Weapon Mastery offers 100 levels for players to achieve per weapon.
In the lobby, players can check their weapon use information, last match results, and the rewards they acquired thus far through the newly created Mastery tab.
Weapon Mastery Rewards
There are three types of Weapon Mastery rewards. These rewards can only be acquired through Mastery achievement.
Charms
Charms are accessories that can be equipped to weapons.
New charm can achieved at every five levels of progression per weapon.
Charms can be used with any weapon skins.
Acquired charms can be equipped/unlocked in the rewards page. Equipped charms can be seen in-game.
Charms cannot be traded, sold, or exchanged for BP.
Medals highlight awesome accomplishments players perform with their weapons.
Each medal can be earned multiple times. There is even a counter that tracks how many medals have been achieved.
Tier Emblems
Players can earn emblems equivalent to their level brackets achieved per each weapon.
Up to 10 tiers can be achieved.
How to earn Weapon XP
Weapon XP for is earned when one or more of the following elements is satisfied during a match.
Damage
Headshots
Defeats
Defeats is a new term used for tracking actions that includes knockdowns, killing the last member of a team and killing solo players.
You can acquire extra weapon XP based on distance of defeats.
When earning Weapon XP, the amount received will increase based on how long you survived.
Defeats follow the existing judgment rules for DBNO/Kills currently used in the game.
Patch 28 is now on Test Servers! This update includes Weapon Mastery, our new weapon progression system, as well as Erangel rebalances based on your feedback, bug fixes and more. Drop in today! Read the full Patch Notes: https://t.co/nNeQ3chayGpic.twitter.com/hnuGur3Nxh
Weapon Mastery does not count friendly fire/team damage.
Weapon Mastery does not count downs caused by road kills or environmental factors (blue zone, red zone, fall damage, or drowning).
Weapon Mastery does not count throwables or melee damage.
There is a maximum limit on each weapon that can be getting weapon XP.
Gameplay
A second round of Erangel loot rebalances has been made, as well as improvements to some sounds and effects related to gameplay.
Erangel 2nd Loot Rebalance
As we have spoken previously in our Dev Letter: Erangel Loot Rebalance, we are constantly analyzing player feedback, play patterns and other data. With this update, we’re implementing a second round of changes to improve the player looting experience on Erangel.
The total amount of items spawned in Erangel has been increased by approximately 28%.
Increased the overall amount of items spawned, especially the spawn rates of those higher priority items.
Spawn rate of AR has been increased by approx 64%.
Spawn rate of DMR has been increased by approx 114%.
Spawn rate of SR has been increased by approx 177%.
Spawn rates of equipment and armor have been slightly increased, especially level 2.
Spawn rates of healing items have been slightly increased.
Erangel Blue Zone Rebalance Test (TEST SERVER ONLY)
During this test server phase, we’ll be testing some changes to the blue zone on Erangel. At this stage, these changes are purely experimental and we’re looking for feedback to understand how players feel about the direction of the changes.
There is no expected date or certainty that these changes will come to live servers, but we greatly appreciate and are looking forward to your feedback as we experiment with the blue zone changes specifically on the test server this week.
SR Damage Multiplier Changes
Decreased the damage modifier of SR shots to the torso from 150% to 130%.
Decreased the base damage of the AWM from 120 to 105.
The AWM will no-longer kill full health players wearing a level 2 vest in one shot with these changes.
Sound Improvements
We’ve now added more sounds for item interactions.
Previously items were looted, dropped, equipped and unequipped, some items had the same sound effects regardless of the characteristics of each item. Sounds will now vary more between items.
Added vehicle suspension sounds.
Sounds of moving vehicles’ suspension working can now be heard.
Different sounds will be played in different situations. Vehicles moving on rough terrain or when landing from a jump will make unique sounds.
Suspension sound volume is different between TPP and FPP.
Smoke Grenade Improvement
Smoke grenades are now more accurately synchronized across all players and observers.
Previously, smoke grenade duration for the viewer would start when coming into viewable range (1 km) of the smoke grenade. Smoke grenade plumes will now end at the same time for all players/observers.
Vehicles Effects Improvement
Added vehicle lighting effects.
Vehicle headlights, tail lights and dashboard are turned on when the vehicle’s engine starts.
The lights are only local visual effects and will not illuminate the surrounding areas.
Open/Close Doors Animation Improvement
Improved the algorithm to determine when vehicles are blocking doors, preventing them from opening or closing.
Survivor Pass 3: Wild Card
After the launch of the Survivor Pass 3: Wild Card, we’ve been continuously collecting and analyzing mission result data. Additionally, we’ve been actively reviewing players feedback regarding specific mission difficulty. We have chosen to adjust and remove some missions which players found too difficult to complete.
Daily Missions: Decreased the difficulty of 16 missions and deleted 4 missions which were too difficult.
Weekly Missions: Decreased the difficulty of 16 missions and deleted 6 missions which were too difficult.
Challenge Missions: Decreased the difficulty of 5 missions.
Use mouse scroll to zoom in/out of the part where the mouse cursor is pointing.
When zooming on the character, character UI is shown on the bottom right.
You can zoom in to 4 different parts (Head, Torso, Lower body, Feet).
Zoomed in parts are highlighted in the character UI.
Click on different parts of the character model to select a view of that part (Head, Torso, Lower body, Feet).
Horizontal rotations are now enabled in weapon and equipment previews.
Release the mouse button during weapon or equipment preview to reset the camera view.
Team UI Overhaul
Teammates boost gauges are now in the team UI visible while playing to enhance team play.
Changes in Display Mode Settings
When using full screen mode, the window mode will be changed to full screen (windowed) while in the lobby to prevent specific crashing caused by typing. In-game will remain full screen.
Full screen: In-game: Full screen / Lobby: Full screen(windowed).
Full screen (Windowed): In-game: full screen (windowed) / Lobby: Full screen (windowed).
Windowed: In-game: Windowed / Lobby: Windowed.
Survivor Title Season 3 Overview UI Improvements
Season reward chart now shows 4 stages of rewards instead of 3.
Additional UI has been added which shows points required for the next title.
Performance
Optimized performance to decrease the time it takes to load into matches.
Custom match
Observer Feature Improvements
Kill message improvements
To prevent confusion and distinguish individual messages from team messages, the existing individual multi-kill messages (RAMPAGE / EXECUTIONER / MASTERFUL / CONQUERING) have been removed to focus on the number of kills.
Team Multi-kill messages will remain the same.
The images for team multi-kill messages are now each shown with a separate image.
Added timer UI for Smoke Grenades while Observing
To show the remaining time for the smoke grenades, each smoke will now have a timer UI showing the remaining smoke plume duration.
The smoke timer lasts for about 40 seconds starting from the moment the smoke grenade plumes.
When the timer hits approx. 20% remaining, the UI turns red and the icon shakes.
When the timer hits 10% remaining, the icon shakes x2 as hard.
The timer UI disappears when the spectator is farther than 100 m.
The transparency of the UI changes depending on the distance.
Restored Kick Player Function
Observers can find the KICK button by right-clicking a player’s name on the player list. Click the left mouse on kick button to remove the player from the game.
Players can be kicked in the middle of a game.
Replay System
In the replay feature, click right mouse button to toggle the REPORT button. Click the left mouse button again to report a player.
The replay feature version has been updated. Existing replays recorded prior to this update are no longer playable.
Skins & Items
The PUBG 2nd Anniversary Cap will no longer be available after April 24th (KST) / April 23th(PDT).
This is a free 2nd anniversary item, so don’t forget to redeem it within the availability period.
Item sales for FACEIT Global Summit Hoodies and Mask will end on April 24th( KST) / April 23th (PDT).
25% of the item’s revenue goes to the teams participating in FACEIT Global Summit, support the teams by purchasing these items.
Bug Fixes
World
Fixed an issue with some barbed wire fences blocking bullets.
Fixed an issue where players are unable to pick up items that are placed under broken barbed wire fences.
General
Fixed the issue with center screen DBNO and kill messages being delayed.
Fixed the issue with interaction UI remaining in spectator screen when is killed during interaction UI activated.
Fixed the issue with certain maneuver could prevent motorcycles from flipping.
Fixed the issue which a vehicle could constantly move when system menu was opened.
Fixed an issue with different UAZ model variants having different maximum speeds.
Fixed the awkward character movement when using an emote and rotating the mouse in FPP view.
Fixed the issue with a frag grenade ground burn mark textures overlapping the player character’s model
Fixed an issue where only one side of footsteps is output in certain situations.
Fixed an issue which would remove player’s hair completely when equipping caps.
Fixed a visual issue when punk knuckle gloves were equipped.
Fixed a visual issue preventing belts from being visible when wearing a fur coat.
Fixed an issue where character’s hair and face overlap when a female character equips specific hair styles and caps.
Fixed a visual issue with shadows displaying incorrectly when swimming in FPP.
Fixed a replay issue causing explosion effects to continue when moving through the timeline.
Fixed an issue where players are unable to revive their teammates if casting UI freezes at 0 while reviving.
Fixed an issue when using a scope and the character moves backward, the scope shakes.
Fixed certain limb animations not playing while vaulting.
Fixed an issue preventing the correct crosshair from being displayed after holstering a sidearm.
Fixed an issue with Shirt (Plaid) icon not matching the in-game asset.
Fixed a bug which prevented footsteps from being heard while walking over mud or water while wearing Harley Quinn Daddy’s Lil’ Monster Outfit.
Looks like Redmi Y3 will not be the only device that Xiaomi will be launching on April 24. The Chinese smartphone brand seems to have a surprise handset in store for its fans at the launch event. Xiaomi India’s Global Vice President and MD Manu Kumar Jian has hinted that the company may also launch its Redmi 7 smartphone in India on the same day. Yesterday, Jain posted a picture on his official Twitter handle with the highlighted number ‘7’ which may be a hint about the upcoming Redmi 7.
Other than this, tipster Ishan Agarwal has hinted that the Redmi 7 smartphone could be launched in India in the coming weeks. And with the upcoming launch of the selfie-camera centric smartphone, the Redmi Y3 just days away, the Redmi 7 too is expected to be launched at the same event. To recall, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro together at the same event in February this year. So, it won’t be a surprise if the company did the same thing again.
In his Twitter post, Jain highlighted the 7 million sold devices of the Redmi Y-series, but his post also highlighted the number ‘7’ multiple times. He also went on to write “But Y 7? RT if you’ve cracked this puzzle”, his statement could refer to the Redmi 7 smartphone which is the successor of the Redmi 6. It should be noted that Redmi 7 has already been launched in China last month, so it would be obvious for Xiaomi to launch the device in India, as it is a very important market for it.
Moreover, tipster Ishan Agarwal last month tweeted that the Redmi 7 could be launched by Xiaomi in India soon. And as mentioned above, we could see the launch of the device when the Redmi Y3 launches in India next week.
7 Mn! 🎉
Generation Y loved everything about #Redmi Y series & this is a testament in itself.
We've shipped 7 Mn+ Y series phones since launch & this is going to be much much higher.
Coming to the specifications of the Redmi 7, the smartphone sports a 6.26-inch HD+ (720 x 1520 pixels) display with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top. The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 SoC paired with up to 4GB of RAM. The device comes with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of internal storage options with support for a microSD card of up to 512GB. Redmi 7 runs Android 9 Pie skinned with MIUI 10 and houses a 4,000mAh battery. The device also comes with a layer of P2i hydrophobic coating which gives it splash-resistance.
On the camera front, the Redmi 7 features a dual-rear camera setup of a 12MP primary camera paired with a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies and video calls, it comes with a 8MP sensor.
Gmail is one among Google’s most useful services and it has garnered appreciation for the kind of features it has since the day it was launched in 2004. Since its inception, Gmail has made it way easier for its users to send emails. And over the year, it has evolved a lot and now most of us are completely dependent on it. Now when a user opens his Gmail account, he is not only greeted by emails, but he can also access other Google services such as Drive, Photos, Calendar and Tasks. There are many useful features in Google’s email service, and one among them is Gmail Confidential Mode.
For sending important and private emails the user has to take certain things into account. The email sent by the user can be forwarded against his wish or it can even be used against him. And that’s where Gmail Confidential Mode comes into play as it lets the user keep his emails private and protected.
The Gmail Confidential Mode is available on Gmail’s web version as well as its Android and iOS apps. When this mode is used, the recipient of the email won’t be able to forward, copy, print or download the message written in the email. The messages sent using the Gmail Confidential Mode can also be locked using a password if the sender of the email wants to protect it further. The best thing about the Gmail Confidential Mode is that the email sent in this mode are deleted from the recipient’s inbox after a fixed period of time which is set by the sender. The time period could range from one day to five years. Here are the steps by which you can send emails using the Gmail Confidential Mode:
Compose the email like you normally do in. Then, in case you are using Gmail for Android or iOS, press on the three-dots icon on the top right. If you are using the web browser of Gmail, click on the Lock icon at the bottom of the compose menu.
Once tapped on the three-dots on the app or the Lock icon, you will see an option of ‘Confidential Mode’. Tap on it.
After selecting the Confidential Mode, you can set the expiration time and date after which the email will be deleted on its own. Once the date and time is set, tap on ‘Done’.
Now, you will be given two options to choose from – ‘SMS Passcode Delivery’ or ‘Standard Confidential Mode’. Select the former if you wish to protect the email using a password, or else, choose the later.
Once you choose once among the two options, you can send your email by tapping on the Send button.
If you had selected the SMS Passcode, you will be asked for the recipient’s phone number if Gmail doesn’t have in its database. Enter the phone number and tap on ‘Add Missing Information’.
But it should be noted that, the recipient will have to tap on the ‘Send Passcode’ to get the SMS message with the code to unlock the email.
That’s all. By doing this, you can make sure that the email that you are sending will not be misused by anyone and will automatically be deleted after the time period decided by you.
Social media giant Facebook has said that it stored millions of passwords of Instagram users in plain text, which left them exposed to people who had access to a certain internal system. We should mention that the security lapse initially came to light last month. However, at that time, Facebook said that it only happened to “tens of thousands of Instagram users”. But now, the company has revised the number to “millions”.
Facebook has also added that the security issue also affected hundreds of millions of Facebook Lite users and tens of millions of other users of its native platform.
Technology companies are supposed to store passwords in an encrypted format that enables websites to confirm that the user is entering the correct password without having to read it. It was previously reported by Krebs on Security that a number of errors seemed to have caused Facebook’s systems to store some passwords as plain text and this has been happening since 2012. The social networking giant only came to know about the issue in January 2018 and last month, it said that the issue had been taken care of.
Krebs has also said that the passwords were stored within Facebook and could be accessed by more than 20,000 employees. The social media giant also said that it had investigated access to the passwords and “no evidence of abuse or misuse” have been found. The company also added that none of these passwords was exposed externally.
It is also worth adding that Facebook has not taken any strong steps to recommend the affected users to change their passwords, but it has said that it will be contacting all the users whose passwords were improperly stored. In a statement, the company said, “This is an issue that has already been widely reported, but we want to be clear that we simply learned there were more passwords stored in this way.”
The update that comes from Facebook today has further expanded the scope of the security lapse. We should mention that Facebook has been embroiled in one data breach after the other since 2018. The most major among these was the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Facebook has been criticised a lot in the United States and other countries for its lack of focus on user privacy. The social media platform is also no longer considered to be a secure platform by many. And now, the data breaches have also started on its other platforms like Instagram, which are far more popular than its native social platform currently.
Many of us would have a fond memory of exchanging our BB Pin with others to chat on BlackBerry Messenger. The instant messaging app was a complete rage and so many people bought a BlackBerry device only because they were totally smitten by the messenger. If you are still a fan of the messenger, you would not be happy to know that BlackBerry Messenger is closing down.
However, all of this doesn’t matter now because the Emtek has announced that the consumer version of its BBM is dying officially next month. For those unaware, Emtek has acquired and has been taking care of BBM since 2016. The company said in a blog post that it will be ending support for the app on May 31.
The reason for closing down the app is that most of the users of the app have left already and the company has not been able to get new users in spite of adding new features like Uber hailing and video calling.
In the blog post, Emtek said, “We are proud of what we have built to date…The technology industry, however, is very fluid, and in spite of our substantial efforts, users have moved on to other platforms, while new users proved difficult to sign on. Though we are sad to say goodbye, the time has come to sunset the BBM consumer service, and for us to move on.”
However, the enterprise version of the app, called BBMe, will continue to work. If you are one among those who don’t want to let go of BBM, you can download the enterprise version of the app from Android or iOS. While it can be downloaded for free, users have to pay a $2.5 subscription fee every six months. But if you have moved on from BlackBerry Messenger already like most other people, you wouldn’t find it useful to pay for a messaging service that mostly has the same features as WhatsApp.
As we mentioned earlier, BlackBerry Messenger used to be a complete rage before WhatsApp came along. When WhatsApp became available on Google Play Store, and people realised that they could have an instant messenger as good as BBM without having to pay for a BlackBerry smartphone, they obviously preferred that option.
Sensing competition, BlackBerry eventually made its messenger available to everyone on Android, but it was too late. WhatsApp already had created its loyalists by then and its user base had swollen tremendously. Some did like BlackBerry Messenger for the privacy that it offered and yes, but it wasn’t enough for BBM to keep its fans loyal for long.
Motorola launched its two Android One smartphones at the IFA 2018 and now reports have surfaced online suggesting that the company may be planning to expand the range. New information about the upcoming Motorola smartphones has been circulating online for weeks online and now their names too have been leaked – Motorola One Vision and the Motorola One Action.
Popular tipster Evan Blass (Twitter handle @evleaks) tweeted that the company has plans of launching new handsets in its Android One smartphone list. We already saw the launch of Motorola One with its glass back panel and the Motorola One Power with its huge battery. Although the Motorola One has just been launched in India, the Motorola One Power was unveiled in the country last year.
According to the report, the upcoming Motorola devices are going to be called Motorola One Vision and the Motorola One Action. The Motorola One Vision was earlier spotted on Google’s ARCore website so it confirms the fact that it will be launched sometime in the future. Last month, we also received a report which read that the Motorola One Vision will be powered by Samsung’s Exynos 9610 SoC and will have a Full HD+ display with an aspect ratio of 21:9. The Motorola One Vision will also be reportedly come with multiple RAM and storage variants and will have a 48MP rear camera. The leaks further claimed that the Motorola One Vision will have a dual rear-camera setup and it will pack a 3,500mAh battery.
According to a couple of new images and renders, the upcoming devices from Motorola will come with a hole-punch display and a USB Type-C port. As per its name, the Motorola One Vision might have a greater focus on its screen for media consumption as it has a 21:9 aspect ratio display. The Motorola One Vision will be launched in China with the named of Motorola P40 and it will be powered by the Snapdragon 675 SoC.
https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/1118470470209241088
On the other hand, the Motorola One Action’s details are not known as of yet and there aren’t many leaks about the device either. But as per its name, we can assume that the Motorola One Action might be focused on cameras and filming or photography element. It could feature a triple or quad-camera setup. But the Motorola One Action could also be a rugged smartphone with a rubberised, tough and waterproofed exterior.
Other details about the Motorola One Action and the Motorola One Vision are currently not known. But we will see them once they are launched in the coming months. However, before its launch, we can also see some leaks and reports about the other details about the upcoming smartphones.
The launch of this year’s iPhones is months away, but the rumour mill about the upcoming devices has been active since the beginning of this year. And now, the latest report about the upcoming iPhones says that the three smartphones will come with upgraded selfie cameras that will offer better performance in low light.
The report which claims that Apple plans to use enhanced selfie cameras in its iPhones first surfaced in MacRumors. The details were found by Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable Apple analyst at TF International Securities.
So, instead of using a 7MP selfie camera, Apple will be using a 12MP front-facing snapper and that too without having to reduce the size of pixels, according to the report. This would bring the megapixel count of the iPhones in line with the cameras on their back panel. It has also been reported that the Cupertino-based technology giant will be adding a slightly faster lens on its front panel. All of this is said to contribute to the low-light performance of the smartphone’s camera.
It has also been said that Apple will be using a black coating on some lenses of the iPhone so that they blend in with the outside of the handset. However, we should point out that this is not a new idea. Samsung has already done this on the front cameras so that they merge within the bezel. While it doesn’t make the lenses look entirely invisible, it does make them appear neater than they do on other smartphones.
In addition to this, Apple is also expected to get upgraded rear cameras. iPhone XR‘s successor is said to come with a dual rear camera setup on its back panel along with a telephoto lens. It is worth noticing that if this happens, it will be the first time that Apple will be using two cameras on its affordable iPhone model. A previous report in The Wall Street Journal has reported the possibility of a dual camera upgrade on the iPhone XR successor.
The more recent report has also added that wide-angle camera will come with larger pixels and will be able to offer better low-light performance.
It has also been reported previously that this year’s biggest camera upgrade for the iPhone is expected to be seen on the successors of iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The two models are expected to get a third super wide angle camera.
If you are a Fortnite lover, you must be aware that the finals of the Fortnite World Cup are approaching. And today, Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, announced what it has up its sleeve for the competition. The company said that the main tournament will have Fortnite’s battle royale mode that is immensely popular among fans. In addition to this, it will come with a component that will involve the game’s Minecraft-style creative mode that was launched in December 2018.
Over the next few weeks, Epic Games will be hosting a series of events where competitors will be able to submit their creations. The winners will then compete with each other at the World Cup finals that will be held in New York in July this year. The winners will be competing for a prize of $3 million. According to Epic Games, the following is the basic process of qualification:
The road to the Fortnite World Cup Creative Finals includes five showcase events running from April 29th – June 7th. Every week you’ll have a chance to try out the latest creative trial and submit your best clip using the event-specific hashtag on YouTube. Our special Fortnite captains will select the top submissions as winners. The selected winners each week will be headed to New York City to participate in the Fortnite World Cup Creative Finals.
We’ll kick things off with the first trial, built and judged by Cizzorz. Tune into Fortnite’s social channels and follow Cizzorz online for the latest news on the first creative trial. Every other week a new creative trial will be revealed, with more opportunities to qualify for the finals.
We have to admit that in a way, it is quite surprising to see the creative mode in the World Cup as e-sports usually focus on direct competition in shooter, fighting and strategy. Having said that, it does make a lot of sense. The Fortnite World Cup will be a huge event and it will provide a big opportunity to push the creative mode. The creative mode is important to Fortnite as it is a key component to the game’s longevity.
Epic Games has made Fortnite and e-sports a big priority and has gone as far as setting aside $100 million for tournaments, which will be given to winners in the World Cup finals. The event will take place at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, which can seat 23,000 people.
Huawei’s sub-brand has launched a new smartphone yesterday in China in its Honor 20 series – Honor 20i. The new Honor 20i comes with a triple-rear camera setup and has a gradient back panel along with a water-drop notched display panel. The Honor 20i comes in four different RAM and storage variants but all of them will have the same configurations other than storage options. It runs Android 9 Pie skinned with EMUI 9. Here’s a look at the pricing details and specifications of the smartphone:
In This Article
Honor 20i price and availability
The Honor 20i has four variants with different RAM and storage options – 4GB RAM/128GB storage, 6GB RAM/64GB storage, 6GB RAM/128GB storage and 6GB RAM/256GB storage. The 4GB RAM/128GB storage and the 6GB RAM/64GB storage variants of the Honor 20i are priced at CNY 1,599 (approximately Rs 16,600).
On the other hand, the 6GB RAM/128GB internal storage variant of the device costs CNY 1,899 (approximately Rs 19,700) while the 6GB RAM/256GB storage model and the AAPE Edition of the Honor 20i holds a price tag of CNY 2,199 (approximately Rs 22,800).
The smartphone comes in three colour options to choose from – Gradient Red, Gradient Blue, and Magic Night Black.
As the Honor 20i has been launched in China, it is already listed for pre-orders on the China’s V-mall, JD.com and T-mail. Three variants of the Honor 20i will start selling from today onwards – 4GB RAM/128GB storage, 6GB RAM/64GB storage and 6GB RAM/128GB storage. The other two variants – the 8GB RAM/256GB storage and the AAPE Edition – will go on sale from May onwards.
Other than China, the company hasn’t said anything about the launch of the device for other markets. But we could see the launch of the device when Honor launches the Honor 20 Lite globally.
Honor 20i specifications and features
The Honor 20i sports a 6.21-inch Full HD+ (1080×2340 pixels) display with an aspect ratio of 19.5:9 and it features a waterdrop style notch. The device comes with a dual-SIM card slot with up to 256GB of storage. It runs on Android 9 Pie skinned with EMUI 9 and is powered by an octa-core Kirin 710 SoC paired with the Mali G51MP4 GPU. As we mentioned earlier, Honor 20i comes with up to 8GB of RAM. For gaming, the Honor 20i has the GPU Turbo 2.0 feature to provide an enhanced gaming experience. The handset packs a 3,400mAh battery with no fast charging support.
On the camera front, the Honor 20i features a triple-rear camera setup with the main camera comprising of a 24MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture paired with an 8MP ultra-wide camera with an f/2.4 aperture along with a 2MP depth sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. While at the front, there is a 32MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 with HDR support, portrait mode, and face unlock.
Other features of the Honor 20i includes Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2 and Qualcomm aptX HD audio, MicroUSB 2.0 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Online video-streaming platform HotStar has quietly revised the price of the monthly subscription plan of its HotStar Premium service. While earlier the plan was priced at Rs 199, it can now be availed at Rs 299. It is worth mentioning that there is no change in the price of the annual subscription plan of HotStar Premium or the recently introduced HotStar VIP plan. The updated pricing is already live on the website of the streaming service.
A report has also surfaced online which suggests that content from Disney+, which is a newly launched streaming service by Disney, will be available in India via HotStar. It is worth noticing that Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox last month, the company has become the official owner of HotStar.
According to the subscription packages page on the service’s official website, the consumers will now have to pay Rs 299 for HotStar Premium monthly subscription package. However, the annual plan is still listed at Rs 999. Both the plans of HotStar Premium get users access to American TV shows, Hollywood movies, live sports, latest episodes of Indian TV shows, HotStar specials and Indian movies.
If you are one among those who only like to watch Indian content and are not interested in American TV shows or Hollywood films, you can go for the Hotstar VIP plan, that was announced by the company last month. For the HotStar VIP plan, you only have to pay Rs 365 per annum.
As of now, there is no word on whether the revised pricing is only applicable to the new subscriber or whether existing subscribers would have to pay the same amount when their next cycle begins.
We should also add that the report which claims that Disney+ content will be available in India via HotStar first published in Mint. It is worth noticing that this content is not available as of now, as the service will go live in the United States in November this year. According to the report, Disney+ will not be launched as a separate platform in India.
But it is worth pointing out that at the launch of Disney+, the company had said that the video-streaming service will be available in the Asia Pacific throughout 2020 and 2021. However, Disney did not mention India specifically.
Coming back to the report, it has also been said that HotStar will be localising the Disney+ content for India by dubbing and adding subtitles of various languages.
Although some reports are connecting the rise of pricing in HotStar Premium’s monthly plan to the reported inclusion of Disney+ content on its platform, we feel that there are still months left for the launch of the service, so it can also be unrelated to it.
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.
UBON has launched a new wireless speaker in its Pro Bass Series named SP-45. The new wireless speaker has funky and colourful design and is targeted towards the younger generations and a younger audience.
But other than the funky design, the UBON SP-45 wireless speaker also delivers good sound output. According to the company, the UBON SP-45 is for the ‘audiophiles’ who cannot afford to compromise with their music and sound quality.
In This Article
UBON SP-45 Wireless Speaker price and availability
The UBON SP-45 Pro Bass Series Wireless Speaker is priced at Rs 2,699 and it is available on the company’s official website as well as all the major e-commerce platforms. The SP-45 wireless speaker also comes with a 1-year manufacturer warranty.
Speaking on the launch, Mandeep Arora, Co-founder of UBON said, “Pro Bass Series packs superb audio clarity combined with strong bass output, and it’s designed considering the exclusive factor demanded by our Gen –Y. If you’re a music fanatic & looking to leave your signature at the party then UBON SP 45 is the right choice.”
UBON SP-45 Wireless Speaker specifications and features
The newly launched UBON SP-45 wireless speaker comes with up to 8 hours of battery backup and supports Radio, TF Card, USB, AUX and Bluetooth. It also comes with a built-in microphone which is able to receive calls. Other than this, the UBON SP-45 Wireless speaker has an external phone holder which is placed right at the top of the speaker. The phone holder allows the user to place their smartphones on the speaker itself.
Ubon sp-45
It has a 1,500mAh battery and it can be connected with smartphones, tablets or laptops using Bluetooth. There are few control buttons on top of the SP-45 speaker such as, volume up/down button, play/pause, station search, mode switch, etc. It comes in an ABS chassis and it has a signal-to-noise ratio of 84. As mentioned above, the speaker can also play songs from USB drive, or microSD card as they both have separate slots.
Other than that, the UBON SP-45 also offers a good sound quality, good battery life along with a colourful design which can be used in the parties. And since the speaker is compact in nature, it is easily portable. It has a frequency range of 20Hz to 25KHz (25,000Hz) and it comes with 6 different designs for the users to choose from. The UBON SP-45 also has ‘intelligent chip control’ which prevents the speaker from overheating and it also promotes stabilised charging.
