Posts

Showing posts from March, 2021

LinkedIn working on Clubhouse-like audio networking feature: Report

Image
  Inspired by the soaring success of invite-only audio chat app Clubhouse, Microsoft-owned  LinkedIn  is now working on a similar app for over 740 million members in more than 200 countries. The leading professional networking platform confirmed the move to TechCrunch, saying that it is working on an audio networking feature. "We're doing some early tests to create a unique audio experience connected to your professional identity,"  LinkedIn  said in a statement. "We're looking at how we can bring audio to other parts of  LinkedIn  such as events and groups, to give our members even more ways to connect to their community," the company said on Tuesday. According to LinkedIn, it will start beta testing of the new audio chat feature soon. Alarmed at the growing popularity of Clubhouse, several tech giants have begun to a rival app and Twitter has finally started testing 'Spaces' on Android. The Twitter Spaces tool is currently available on

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G variant with Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC launched

Image
  Samsung  on Wednesday launched in India the  5G  variant of its Galaxy S20 FE (Fan Edition) smartphone, powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 system-on-chip. Priced at Rs 55,999, the smartphone is available at an introductory price of Rs 47,999 on  Samsung  online store, Amazon India,  Samsung  exclusive stores and select retail outlets. “At Samsung, consumers are at the heart of everything we do. Our consumers gave us an outstanding response for Galaxy S20FE LTE version launched in Q4’20. Building on its success, we bring to Galaxy fans, Galaxy S20 FE  5G  with the power of Snapdragon Processor and  5G.  In addition to superlative performance, Galaxy S20 FE 5G brings all flagship innovations at an accessible price point. The launch is a testimony of our consistent efforts to deliver the best to our millennial consumers enabling them to do what they love,” said Aditya Babbar, Senior Director and Head, Mobile Marketing,  Samsung India. The Galaxy S20 FE was launched in five colours -

E-car with gaming cockpit, MG Cyberster to make debut today: Details here

Image
  An electric sports car that has an 800-km range, comes with a  gaming  cockpit where the steering wheel looks like a  gaming  console, and has a 5G connection.  Morris Garages  (MG) Motor’s new car has these features and more. MG Cyberster, a two-door electric sports car globally, is scheduled to be released on Wednesday today. MG has said it is the first supercar to be equipped with a  gaming  cockpit and it is the fastest accelerating electric one. The car’s design is inspired from the iconic MGB Roadster sports car. The car has been created by the MG global design team and is aimed at Gen Z. The front of the car comes with the classic round headlights and slim grille design. It will also have the “magic eye” interactive headlights. The sharp lines across its body panels boost the style quotient of the car while the fast flattened tail improves the aerodynamic performance. The wheels come with rotating spokes aligned with a central locking system, which is common in very high-p

Sony to soon shut down PS3, PSP, and PS Vita PlayStation stores

Image
  Sony  has announced to shut down its  PlayStation  Store for the PS3 on July 2 and for hand-held video game console Vita on August 27. It means that the users will not be able to buy digital copies of games for the PS3 and Vita. "We are closing  PlayStation  Store on PlayStation3 consoles on 2nd July 2021 and on  PlayStation  Vita devices on 27th August 2021. Additionally, the remaining purchase functionality for PSP (PlayStation®Portable) will also retire on 2nd July 2021," the company said in an update. Sony  launched PS3 in November 2006, and more than 80 million units of the console have ben sold to date. Vita has sold over 10 million units. The company said that the users will still be able to re-download and play previously purchased game titles. "You will still be able to access previously purchased video/media content. You will still be able to redeem game and PlayStation Plus vouchers. You will still be able to re-download and play claimed game title

Koo has a 'stronger network' than its bigger rival Twitter, says study

Image
  India's local language microblogging platform Koo has stronger networks compared to Twitter, a new study has found. Currently available in seven languages, Koo hit headlines last month when ministers and political leaders said they were going to move to the country's homegrown microblogging platform. "The Koo network has a noticeably high local clustering coefficient of 0.561, that represents how well connected the neighbourhood of a vertex is. This indicates a strong modular structure in the network, presumably due to Koo only catering to audiences from a single country. In contrast, Twitter, which caters to worldwide audiences, only had an average local clustering coefficient of 0.072 during its early years in 2009, indicating much weaker communities," said the study, titled "Koo: The new king? Characterising India's emerging social network". According to network scientist Jérôme Kunegis, clustering is an important property of social networks, as

Zoom, other WFH tech darlings risk user exodus as the world reopens

Image
  Many internet  companies  posted record performance during the pandemic as consumers turned to apps and other cloud software to work, study, socialize and shop from home. But as vaccines roll out and restrictions relax, some of this unprecedented digital demand is fading. Data from research firm Apptopia reveal how the superstar apps of the Covid-19 era are faring now in the U.S. Plus, stats from New Zealand, a country that reopened earlier, show what the future might hold for these services. Here’s the main takeaway: Many well-known apps are losing ground, or usage has stabilized. Some behaviors are sticking, though, suggesting the pandemic will provide a more-permanent boost for a few internet  companies. Zoom  Video Communications Inc.’s app has been so ubiquitous during the pandemic that it’s now a verb. Lately, though, workers complain of “ Zoom  fatigue,” and data from New Zealand are ominous. Usage has dropped in that country as employees and students return to offices a

Sony PlayStation 5 review: A gorgeous portal to next-generation gaming

Image
  The  PlayStation  5 isn't simply the latest iteration of Japanese company Sony's highly successful series of  gaming  consoles, but a genuine leap in terms of possibilities in  gaming.  There are several changes, inside and out, that set up PS5 for a markedly different  gaming  experience from its predecessors. Let's dive into the details. The  PlayStation  5 comes in two variants: with Ultra-HD Blu-Ray Disc, and the Digital Edition -- which is also Rs 10,000 cheaper. Our review unit came with the disc drive. DualSense Wireless Controller PS5 Controller The most highlighted (and rightly so!) aspect of the PS5 is the DualSense Wireless Controller. With its haptic feedback and trigger resistance, DualSense is more than just an accessory to the PS5, and in fact becomes an integral part of the immersive and realistic gaming experience that lets you 'feel' the game. The haptic feedback's effects are most palpable in Astro’s Playroom, in which you can feel

Suez canal blockage: Snarl halts $9.6 billion a day worth of ship traffic

Image
  A back-of-the-envelope calculation shows there’s about $9.6 billion worth of daily marine traffic halted by the massive container vessel that lodged in the Suez Canal earlier this week, blocking transit in both directions. The figure is based off an assessment by Lloyd’s List that suggests westbound traffic is worth around $5.1 billion a day and eastbound traffic approximately $4.5 billion. The venerable journal concedes that these are “rough calculations,” however. There are about 185 vessels waiting to transit the waterway, data compiled by Bloomberg show, while Lloyd’s estimated 165. So far efforts by tugs and diggers to dislodge the Ever Given -- the 400-meter long vessel that became wedged in the canal on Tuesday -- have failed and work to re-float the ship has been suspended until Thursday morning in Egypt, shipping agent Inchcape said, citing the Suez Canal Authority. The queue on Wednesday included 40 bulk carriers hauling commodities ranging from crops to dry goods lik

Check India vs England 2nd ODI playing 11 and head-to-head stats here

Image
  Indian cricket team would look to an unassailable lead in the three-match One Day International (ODI) series, when the Virat Kohli-led side locks horns with England in the 2nd ODI at Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune on March 26. India won the first ODI by 66 runs and took 1-0 lead in 3-match series. Both the sides have to make some forced changes in their playing 11s for second ODI as some key players got injured during the series opener. Check IND vs ENG latest news updates here India vs England  playing 11 prediction Indian batsman  Shreyas Iyer  has been ruled out of the remaining two ODIs after dislocating his left shoulder while fielding in the first match. Surayakumar Yadav is likely to replace Iyer in the Indian playing 11. India tentative playing 11 for 2nd ODI:  Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, Prasidh Krishna. England&

IPL: AB de Villiers is real wicketkeeping option this season, says Hesson

Image
  Mike Hesson, Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) Director of Cricket has said that  AB de Villiers  will once again be a wicketkeeping option for the franchise in this year's Indian Premier League (IPL). RCB is set to play the  IPL 2021  opener against Mumbai Indians on April 9 in Chennai. For a few matches last year,  AB de Villiers  donned the wicketkeeping gloves and he is expected to do the same this year if it fixes the balance of the playing XI. "We were delighted with the fact that  Ab de Villiers  loved wicketkeeping and he embraced it. He wanted to continue doing it, he is a real option, we now have a couple of other wicketkeeping options which is great. Mohammed Azharuddeen is a natural athlete with the gloves and in the field. We also have KS Bharat, he is a natural keeper, gives us different options as well," said Hesson in a video posted on the official Twitter handle of RCB. "We are not going to make the commitment now to you guys as to who

EV start-ups feel the spark of recovery, kick-start post-pandemic biz plans

Image
  Though  electric vehicles  are clearly the flavour of these climate-change challenged times, Covid-19 infected sales, just as it did with conventional automobiles. This pandemic-induced slowdown, when business growth was virtually zero, presented challenges not just for e-vehicle makers but also the many  start-ups  that had developed within the ecosystem to provide a range of services — from funding and research facilities to taxi fleet operations and battery-charging services. How are they doing with the recovery? “The past 12 months have posed the toughest challenges for the entire urban mobility sector. It challenged the viability and health of urban mobility across the sector irrespective of the segment, whether B2C or the scooter segment or ride-sharing. In spite of that, all of us have risen both individually and collectively,” said Sanjay Krishnan, founder of Lithium Urban Technologies. His company provides EV fleet management service. The Bengaluru-based company, which w

Realme 8 Pro with 108 MP camera, Realme 8 launched: Check price, specs

Image
  Smartphone maker  Realme  on Wednesday said it expects to get 10-15 per cent share in the 4G handsets segment priced in the range of Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 a unit with the launch of new 8 series devices. The company will have all devices above Rs 20,000 price range enabled with 5G technology. "With the launch of  realme  8 series, we are aiming to penetrate deeper into the Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 mid-range 4G market, and capture the young users across the country. "We plan to increase our market share in this segment to 10-15 per cent with the launch of the 8 series,"  Realme  Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer (India and Europe) Madhav Seth said on sidelines of launching the new series. The company unveiled two new models, Realme 8 Pro, first smartphone with 108 megapixel ultra quad camera and Realme 8 with 64 MP AI quad camera. Realme has launched two variants of Realme 8 Pro priced at Rs 17,999 and Rs 19,999 which will start selling on March 25 at the

JBL PartyBox On-The-Go and PartyBox 310 launched: Price, specs, more

Image
  JBL  has launched  JBL  PartyBox On-The-Go and PartyBox 310  speakers  in India with rechargeable batteries and  JBL  Pro Sound which also comes with a light show that syncs to the music. The  speakers  also come with JBL wireless mic, up to 18-hour battery life, and IPX4 splashproof protection. JBL PartyBox On-The-Go The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go features a100 watt output and is synced to a pulsing light show. It can also be wirelessly paired with another On-The-Go speaker for more output. It also offers Bluetooth, USB and AUX connectivity. It also includes JBL wireless mic for Karaoke. The JBL PartyBox On-The-Go offers six-hour on-battery time and comes with IPX4 splashproof protection. Features Powerful JBL Pro Sound with 100W output Padded shoulder strap and 6 hours battery life for ultimate portability Wireless mic included with bass, treble and echo tuning Light show synced to the beat of the music Physical mic and guitar inputs IPX4 splashproof Bluetoo

Apps crashing on your Android phone? Here's what you need to do

Image
  Some  apps  on your  Android  phone may not be working properly or are crashing frequently. The issue was due to a system component called  Android  System WebView that lets  Android  apps  display web content. Google  has now fixed the issue. You will have to update 'Android System WebView' on your device to version 89.0.4389.105 and  Google  Chrome to the latest version. The issues started about two days ago, according to the  Google  Workspace dashboard for Gmail. The company recommended using the desktop interface until issues were resolved. How to fix the issue To fix the issue, all you have to do is open Google Playstore on your device, go to settings and search for my  apps  & games, then go to installed apps and search Android System WebView, one you find it, click on update, once it is done, you can update the chrome Google Chrome browser as well. "We're aware of a problem with Gmail affecting a significant subset of users. The affected users a

Qualcomm 'working' on Android gaming console similar to Nintendo

Image
  Qualcomm  is reportedly working on an Android-powered, handheld gaming console similar to the popular  Nintendo  Switch. As per a report by Android Police citing sources, the  Qualcomm  device will have detachable controllers like the Joycons on Nintendo's handheld console. Qualcomm  is said to be targeting a price of around $300 for its gaming console. The gaming device is likely to include a large 6000mAh battery, equipped with the company's Quick Charge technology. Qualcomm is using a "premium supplier in the controller space to design and manufacture the gamepads." In addition, the Qualcomm device is said to have detachable controllers on each side. These controllers are said to be designed and manufactured by a big name in the controller industry. More specifically, it will likely be running a custom version of Android 12. Like the  Nintendo  Switch, Qualcomm's portable may support display-out capabilities to play on an external TV or monitor.

OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9, OnePlus smartwatch launched; check price, more

Image
  OnePlus  on Tuesday launched four new devices including the  OnePlus  9,  OnePlus  9 Pro, OnePlus 9R, and OnePlus Watch, the company's first smartwatch. The highlight in OnePlus' latest series is the Hasselblad-branded camera system in OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro.  The OnePlus 9 series comes a new flagship camera system in partnership with legendary professional camera manufacturer Hasselblad. It offers latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, the superior Fluid Display 2.0 with a DisplayMate A+ rating, and industry-challenging fast charging solutions, Warp Charge 65T and Warp Charge 50 Wireless. The OnePlus 9 Pro's 48MP main camera features a custom-designed IMX789 sensor, co-engineered with Sony, with an impressively large 1/1.4-inch sensor. It offers faster focus speeds, four-times more color information for greater color accuracy, cleaner daytime and night shots, and reduced motion blur in videos. The OnePlus 9 Pro's 50MP ultra-wide camera uses a 1/

JLR launches maiden electric offering Jaguar I-PACE in Indian market

Image
  Jaguar Land Rover India launched its maiden electric offering, the Jaguar I-PACE for the Indian market on Tuesday. With a starting price of Rs 105.9 Lakh (ex-showroom India), the Jaguar I-PACE is powered by a 90 kWh battery that delivers 294 kW power. “It marks the beginning of our electrification journey,” said Rohit Suri, president and managing director, Jaguar Land Rover India. With its electrified products,  JLR  India is keen to play a significant role in India’s electrification drive in the future, he said. All the 22 retail outlets across 19 cities where the model is available are EV ready with over 35 EV chargers installed and more installations underway, the company said. These chargers are a combination of 7.4 kW AC chargers and 25 kW DC (fast) chargers. Retail staff has been extensively trained with in-depth and dedicated courses on EVs, thus enabling them to cater to all requirements and queries of customers. To charge the Jaguar I-PACE, customers may either use a h