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MediaTek  on Tuesday expanded its G-series mobile processors with the launch of Helio G35 and Helio G25 system-on-chips. The SoCs feature  MediaTek  HyperEngine game technology for enhanced gaming performance without compromising on the power efficiency. Besides gaming-centric enhancements, the chipsets are touted to bring improvements with regard to imaging capabilities. Targeting the global smartphone user base, the new chips are designed for feature-rich  smartphones  in budget and midrange segment. “The  MediaTek  Helio G25 and G35 chips offer smartphone users premium features included in our other G-series family, including enhanced power efficiency, optimum performance, seamless gameplay, and enhanced photography,” said Dr Yenchi Lee, Deputy General Manager, Wireless Communications Business Unit, MediaTek. ALSO READ:  Qualcomm unveils 5G-ready Snapdragon 690 SoC for midrange phones: Know more Both the chips boast ARM Cortex-A53 CPUs, which operate at a peak freque

Vivo  is known for its camera-centric  smartphones.  Over the years, the Chinese smartphone maker has made strides in other smartphone categories but imaging remains one of its key core strengths in its  smartphones.  Continuing the legacy is the  Vivo  V19, which the company recently launched in India to expand its V-series line-up. On paper, the  Vivo  V19 seems to be a premium camera-centric smartphone with something in store for everyone. But is it? Let’s find out: Vivo V19 price in India The Vivo V19 comes in 128GB and 256GB internal storage variants, both with 8 GB of RAM, priced at Rs 27,999 and Rs 31,990, respectively. Vivo V19 specifications round-up The Vivo V19 has a 6.44-inch super AMOLED display with a punch hole for selfie camera. It boasts a 3D glass curved back with a gradient design that looks premium. The phone comes in two colours -- Mystic Silver and Piano Black (Business Standard reviewed the Mystic Silver unit). Overall, the phone is lightwe

From 61st position last year, the Indian Institute of  Management  (IIM) Bangalore has broken into the global top 50 Executive MBA (EMBA) Rankings by QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) this year at 36th position. The EMBA rankings measure  management  programs meant for executives with prior work experience. In India, business schools (B-schools) like IIMs have their flagship programs open for both freshers and working professionals. However, they also run one year executive  management  program or MBA that are strictly meant for those with prior work experience of anywhere between five and ten years or beyond. Under QS' EMBA rankings, IIM Bangalore's EPGP program has been ranked. Methodology of the EMBA rankings provide varied weightage to five metric groups including employer reputation, thought leadership, executive profile, career outcomes and diversity. While employer reputation carries a weightage of 30 per cent, thought leadership and executive profile hold 25 pe

TikTok  has not shared information on Indian users with China or other foreign governments, it said on Tuesday after New Delhi last evening banned it along with 58 other apps with Chinese links. “We have been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications,” said Tik Tok India head Nikhil Gandhi in a statement. TikTok  “continued to comply with data privacy and security requirements under Indian law” and had not shared any information of users in India with “any foreign government, including the Chinese government”. The viral app added: “if we are requested to in the future we would not do so.” ALSO READ:  India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, UC Browser and others “ TikTok  has democratized the internet by making it available in 14 Indian languages, with hundreds of millions of users, artists, story tellers, educators and performers depending on it for their livelihood, many of whom are first time in

The Galaxy Buds Plus is a pair of true wireless stereo earphones from South Korean electronics maker  Samsung.  A successor to the Galaxy Buds, the Plus edition gets new touchpad functions, better audio drivers, additional microphone and enhanced on-battery time. How do these improvements add up when it comes to overall experience? And where do they put the Galaxy Buds Plus in 2020? Let’s find out: Samsung  Galaxy Buds+ design “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the mantra behind building the Galaxy Buds+. These earphones are quite like predecessor Galaxy Buds. A closer inspection, however, shows that the buds get another tiny opening for a secondary microphone on the outside frame for better voice reception during calls. The  earbuds  come with three pairs of silicone-made ear tips of different sizes. These ear tips provide snug fit and the  earbuds  latch well into the ears. The earbuds’ fat build might draw attention, but the lightweight design and comforta

The  Xiaomi  Mi Box 4K is a peripheral device that adds smart capabilities — like internet connectivity, voice assistant and access to over-the-top (OTT) content — to non-smart televisions or monitors, when connected with high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port. Though there are several other devices offering a similar experience, such as smart set-top boxes and Amazon Fire Stick 4K, the Mi Box 4K is the only no-frills device that promises nothing more than adding smart utilities to supported non-smart screens. How does the Mi Box 4K fare in comparison to other such devices, and which one is the best pick among? Let’s find out: Design The Mi Box 4K is neither too big like set-top boxes, nor too little like the Amazon Fire Stick 4K. It is a palm-sized device with a squarish (rounded from corners) form factor. It has a dim-lit LED on the front that is hard to notice in good light conditions. Its back accommodates all its ports — HDMI port, full size USB port

NASA  is calling on the global community for toilet designs that will work both in microgravity and lunar gravity. For this, the space agency has tied up with HeroX to launch a Lunar Loo Challenge on Thursday. Interbartolo is the project manager for the Challenge. Space toilet technology has come some way from the grim Apollo years, when bags had to be taped to the astronaut’s buttocks in a setup that was not always as secure as might have been hoped. One mission transcript records an exchange between crew members: “Where did that come from?… There’s a turd floating through the air.” The international space station (ISS) features a large, industrial-looking Russian-made toilet that uses suction technology to overcome the challenge of pooing and peeing in microgravity. NASA, however, is seeking something that would function equally well on the lunar surface, where gravity is about a sixth of that on Earth. NASA  is already working on approaches to miniaturize and streamlin

The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, a thin and light notebook series from Chinese internet company Xiaomi, recently made its global debut from India. It comes with 10th-generation Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processor variants. The two variants are quite similar — other than the processor, of course — so, they have a price difference of only Rs 5,000. Which one makes a better value proposition, and why? Before we answer this pertinent question, let’s look at what the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition has in store for laptop users: Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition Design The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition has an intriguing design, which you otherwise get only in premium notebooks like Apple MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 13. Made of aluminium and magnesium alloy, the notebook looks premium and has a compact form factor that is both thin (17.15mm) and lightweight (1.35 kg). The design is accentuated by a 14-inch screen, which leaves minimal bezels on the top and sides, and the promi

Google  has redesigned Photos, which brings stories-like 'memories' to give more prominence to older photos and videos. It also brings search front-and-centre with a new three-tab structure: Photos, Search and Library. The main tab contains all the photos and videos but users will see larger thumbnails, auto-playing videos, and less white space between photos. "At the very top, you'll also notice a larger Memories carousel. It's become one of our most beloved features, with more than 120 million people viewing Memories every month," informed  Google. Google  said it is putting search front and centre to give you quick access to the people, places, and things most important to you. "The library tab contains the most important destinations in your photo library, like Albums, Favorites, Trash, Archive and more. If you're in the US, EU or Canada, you'll also see our Print Store, where you can purchase printed products featur

Facebook-owned  Instagram  has expanded its new video-music remix feature Reels, which takes inspiration from the Chinese short video making app TikTok, to France and Germany. Instagram  Reels was first launched in Brazil last year as a pilot. According to a TechCrunch report,  Instagram  will now enable users to share Reels to their main Instagram feed, in addition to Stories. Instagram Reels allows users to record short, 15-second video clips set to music or other audio and share those on the platform. ALSO READ:  Instagram to show ads in IGTV videos, share revenue with content creators Just like TikTok, users can soundtrack their 'Reels' with a huge catalogue of music, or borrow the audio from anyone else's video to create a remix of their meme or joke. Read Complete Article

OnePlus  is set to launch its affordable  smart TVs  in India on July 2. Before the launch, however, the company has started taking pre-orders on its partner e-commerce platform Amazon. Amazon is taking pre-orders for  OnePlus  smart TVs  (2020) by offering a two-year extended warranty from Acko general insurance worth Rs 3,000 at a discounted price of Rs 1,000, which would also be reversed to consumers Amazon Pay account later, essentially making the two-year insurance free to all those who pre-order and paurchase the TV. "An email confirmation will be shared on purchase. Purchase any of the new  OnePlus  TVs (2020 models) on Amazon before August 5," the company said in a statement. ALSO READ:  OnePlus goes back to making affordable smartphones, launch set for July After buying the OnePlus TV, all those who opted for two-year extended warranty will receive Amazon Pay balance of Rs 1,000 by August 10. Read Complete Article

Sony  today launched its first true  wireless earphones  in India, the WF-SP800N and WF-XB700. The XB700 is priced at Rs. 9,990 while the SP800N carries a price tag of Rs. 18,990. The new true  wireless earphones  will be available from today for the XB700, while the SP800N goes on sale on June 26. The XB700 will be available in black and blue colour, while the SP800N will be available in black, blue, and white colour. Sony  has brought the WF-XB700 with its signature Extra Bass with 18 hours of IP55 total battery life. The WF-SP800N is a premium offering, it offers active noise cancellation and 9 hours of battery life on the earbuds, with an additional nine hours on the case. The WF-SP800N also supports quick charging that gives you an hour of use with 10 minutes of charging. It also offers water and dust resistance with IP55 protection. Both the  earbuds  have support for SBC and AAC audio codecs. Both the  earbuds  support Voice Assistant feature for quick access to m

SSC CGL  result 2019 : Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is expected to announce the Tier I result for  SSC CGL  2019 today, according to media reports.  SSC CGL  Tier I result will be released on the Commission's official website - ssc.nic.in. Candidates who qualify the SSC CGL 2019 exam will be eligible to appear for the second level of the exam or the SSC CGL tier 2 exam which will be held from October 14 to October 17. Over 2.5 million candidates have appeared for the SSC CGL 2019 tier 1 exam. The tier I exam was held between March 3 and March 9, 2020. SSC CGL Result 2020: How to check Step 1: Visit the official website of SSC at ssc.nic.in. Step 2: Click on SSC CGL Final Result 2020 link available on the home page. Step 3: A new page will open where candidates will have enter the login credentials. Step 4: Your SSC CGL result will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Check the result and download the page. Read Complete Article

Chinese smartphone maker  Realme  on Tuesday said it will hire 7,500 people in India by the end of the year, and will add a slew of IoT (Internet of Things) products like smart toothbrush, sweeping machine and smart locks as it expands its product portfolio in the country. The company, which competes with players like Xiaomi and Samsung in India, outlined its '1+4+N' product strategy, saying it will help  Realme  further enhance its smartphone and IoT product portfolios. The core smartphone business will be the main centre of Realme's ecosystem, along with smart hubs (Smart TV, Smart Earphone, Smart Watch and Smart Speaker) and IoT products (in-car chargers, backpacks, luggage cases, to smart home gadgets),  Realme  Vice-President and India CEO Madhav Sheth said in a statement. He added that the company will very soon introduce products in the smart speaker category, along with smart watches, high-end TVs and smart headphones catering to budget to premi

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has called e-commerce majors, including Amazon, Flipkart,  Snapdeal  and Paytm, for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the ‘displaying origin of the product’ on these platforms, as anti-China sentiment picks up in the country. This follows the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) platform making it mandatory for its listed sellers to specify the country of origin while registering all new products on the portal. The border stand-off between India and China has sparked a campaign here that is gaining momentum to boycott  Chinese products. The meeting is being organised on a video conferencing platform, according to people in the know. Ministry officials said that this issue has come up earlier and implementation issues for e-marketplaces would be discussed at the meeting on Wednesday. Among other invitees to the discussion are  Pepperfry  and The E-commerce Council of India. Read Complete Article

Google announced that it will start identifying some misleading photos in its specific search tool for images with a fact-check label. This new feature is introduced to help people navigate issues around determining the authenticity of images, and make more informed decisions about the content they consume. According to Mashable, the fact-check label will appear on any image that is included in an article that fact-checks a photo or another claim. This new feature is a step to limit the spread of misinformation. Google used these fact-checking labels for years in its main search results and on video-streaming site YouTube. In December, the search giant said fact checks appear more than 11 million times each day in search results. Google product manager Harris Cohen wrote in a blog post announcing the new fact-check labels,"Photos and videos are an incredible way to help people understand what's going on in the world .But the power of visual media has its pitfalls

OnePlus  is set to start making affordable  smartphones  once again. In recent years, the Chinese smartphone maker gradually shifted base to premium segment, leaving the midrange segment it once made mainstream in price conscious Indian smartphone market open for others. Now, the company is set to make cheaper  OnePlus  smartphones, which would launch in India and Europe in July. The upcoming phone will be a part of company’s new smartphone series, which will coexist with company’s premium smartphone line-up. The company has not officially named the series or the first product. It has neither revealed the exact India launch date plans. However, it has started a new Instagram account for the upcoming series with the name OnePlusLiteZThing, which hints at the possible naming nomenclature. While the technology enthusiasts are calling the upcoming phone the  OnePlus  Z and OnePlus Nord, there is nothing official and we might get to hear about the products soon as the company is a

Taiwan's  Foxconn  is planning further investment in India and may announce details in the next few months as the world's largest contract manufacturer views the outlook there very favourably, its chairman said on Tuesday. Foxconn  already makes smartphones in India for  Apple  Inc and  Xiaomi  Corp, though in March said it suspended production due to the novel  coronavirus  outbreak. Chairman Liu Young-way told Foxconn's annual general meeting that looking ahead, India was a bright spot for development even though there was a "certain impact" at present due to the virus. "We are fully pushing ahead with next steps there, and maybe in a few months' time we can reveal on our website the next steps and report back to everyone. We'll have further investment there," Liu said, without detailing plans or reasons for the firm's view on the business outlook in India. Foxconn's January-March profit plunged to its lowest

Apple  Inc on Monday said it will switch to its own chips for its Mac computers, ending a nearly 15-year reliance on Intel Corp to supply processors for its flagship laptops and desktop. Apple  Chief Executive Tim Cook said it marked the beginning of a major new era for a product line powered the company's rise in the 1980s and its resurgence in the late 1990s. "Silicon is at the heart of our hardware," Cook said during a virtual keynote address recorded at the company's Cupertino, California headquarters for its annual developer conference. "Having a world class silicon design team is a game changer." The silicon switch brings the Mac into line with the company's iPhone and iPads, which already use  Apple  designed chips. The  news  came at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference. The conference has gained new prominence since paid services sold through the App Store have become central to the company's revenue growth a