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  Google  and  Samsung  have joined hands to give developer an opportunity to sync users' health and fitness data between  Android  apps and their devices. Called 'Health Connect', the platform and API (application programming interface) is for  Android  app developers to securely access users' health data. With user permission, developers can use a single set of APIs to securely access and share health and fitness data across  Android  devices,  Google  said in a statement. "We're building this new unified platform in collaboration with  Samsung  to simplify connectivity between apps" to foster richer app experiences while also providing centralised privacy controls for users," the tech giant added. Google  is working with developers including MyFitnessPal, Leap Fitness and Withings as part of an early access programme. In addition,  Samsung  Health, Google Fit and Fitbit are adopting Health ...

  Twitter  has started testing automatic translation feature with a small group of users across iOS and Android in Brazil. "To make it easier to understand the conversations you follow on Twitter, we're experiencing an automatic translation for Tweets in other languages that appear on your homepage," the company said in a statement. The translation is already a feature of Twitter, but it's not automatic. The platform currently supports inline translations, so users can click on any tweet written in a different language to translate it. ALSO READ:  Now, Twitter lets you control who replies to tweet: Here is how it works If the primary language of the user is set to English within Twitter, all other Tweets in different languages will have a Translate button. However, with the new feature, users in Brazil will see English-language tweets that have been automatically translated to Brazilian Portuguese, rather than having to manually opt to translate it th...

Microsoft  and  Google  have joined hands to help web developers get their Progressive Web  Apps  (PWAs) into the Play Store. Progressive web  apps  use emerging web browser APIs and features, along with traditional progressive enhancement strategy, to bring a native app-like user experience to cross-platform web applications. Microsoft's PWABuilder and Google's Bubblewrap are now working together to help web developers. PWABuilder.com is Microsoft's open source developer tool that helps build high-quality PWAs and publish them in app stores. Bubblewrap is Google's command line utility and library to generate and sign  Google  Play Store packages from Progressive Web  Apps. PWABuilder is now using Bubblerwrap under the hood,  Microsoft  says, and is giving back some integration features to PWAs on Android. After months of collaboration, the two tech giants have announced two great new features...

Amid growing calls for 'Made in India' digital tools,  Reliance Jio  has launched a free video-conferencing application called JioMeet, taking on US-based  Zoom  platform. According to the JioMeet description on Google Play Store, the application can be used for 1:1 video calls and hosting meetings with up to 100 participants with enterprise-grade host controls. Other highlights include easy sign up with either mobile number or email ID, meeting in HD audio and video quality. ALSO READ:  Digital strike: India bans 59 Chinese mobile apps on security threat The application can be used for creating instant meetings to chat with friends and also to schedule a meeting in advance and share meeting details with invitees. Read Complete Article

Apple's App Store has removed Chinese video app Zynn, a clone of the hugely popular video app TikTok, following accusations of plagiarism. The app was taken down from Googles Play Store last week. A spokesperson for Zynn told The Verge that its issues with plagiarism were minor, and that the company was "in communication with both Google and Apple to ensure compliance with their guidelines and regulations." Zynn arrived on iOS and Android in early May and quickly reached the top of the download charts. By the end of May, the app had become the most downloaded free iOS app and a top 10 download in the  Google Play Store. Part of the reason for this rapid growth is the app's rewards programme where users got paid for watching videos and also to get other users on the app, said the report. Google Play Store  earlier removed another  TikTok  rival app Mitron. Read Complete Article

On paper, the PLAYGO BH70 is capable of going toe-to-toe with the best-in-class. But even though it tries really hard to pack everything useful in a pair of  headphones  — and I appreciate the sincere effort — it falls short on some things that an able pair of ears just can’t miss. In the following paragraphs, allow me to explain why you should or shouldn’t buy these headphones, and what you should consider buying instead. This will be especially useful to people who don’t wish to spend more than Rs 15,000 on a pair of all-purpose headphones, ever. The construction At a time when most gadgets have embraced the beauty of vibrant colours, the PLAYGO BH70 comes in two dull, unimaginative SKUs: Graphite Grey and Medallion Brown. At least a bright silver option would have been nice. For a brand called Play, it’s no fun at all. Read Complete Article

Chinese smartphone maker Huawei’s sub-brand  Honor  recently launched in India the  Honor  9X Pro. Priced at Rs 17,999, the phone goes for special early access sale at 12 noon on Flipkart. The sale is exclusive to people who showed interest and registered for the product on Flipkart from May 12 - May 19. The  Honor  9X Pro will available in midnight black and phantom purple colours. Honor is offering several benefits during early access sale, including no interest equated monthly instalment scheme for up to six months, Rs 3,000 instant discount and free one-time screen replacement plan on accidental damage valid for first three months. Besides, the company is also offering seven-day return, subject to terms and conditions. In terms of specifications, the Honor 9X Pro features a 6.59-inch screen of fullHD+ resolution. Powering the smartphone is Huawei’s Kirin 810 system-on-chip, mated with 6GB RAM and 256GB internal storage. Imaging is covered...

Google  has delayed the launch of Android 11 operating system’s first beta version due to the coronavirus crisis. The Android 11 Beta 1 will now go official on June 3 through an online event. Meanwhile, the technology giant has released a fourth developer preview of the upcoming  operating system  for the developers. "When we started planning Android 11, we didn't expect the kinds of changes that would find their way to all of us, across nearly every region in the world. These have challenged us to stay flexible and find new ways to work together, especially with our developer community." the Android Developers team wrote in a blog post. ALSO READ:  Google once evaluated options to acquire video meeting app Zoom: Report The delay in Android 11 Beta 1 version has also impacted the rollout schedule of the  operating system. Read Complete Article

Apple and  Google  on Wednesday released the first version of exposure notification (earlier called contact tracing) Application Programming Interface (API) to select developers associated with public health authorities (PHAs) around the world. This is a developer-focused release and is consistent with both the companies deliver beta copies of their software at the same time. Aimed at helping developers begin testing in anticipation of the API's release in mid-May, another goal of the release is to encourage feedback that will help improve the various features, the tech giants said in a statement. "Collaboration and transparency have been two key principles of the project for both companies. Additional details will be announced on Friday," they added. Read Complete Article

Apple has acquired popular weather app Dark Sky and will shut down its Android and Wear OS versions in July. However, terms of the deal was not disclosed. According to Dark Sky, service to existing users and subscribers will continue until July 1, at which point the app will be shut down. Subscribers who are still active at that time will receive a refund. The Android app of Dark Sky has been downloaded more than a million times on playstore. "Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible, to help as many people as we can stay dry and safe, and to do so in a way that respects your privacy," Dark Sky co-founder Adam Grossman said in a statement on Tuesday. "There is no better place to accomplish these goals than at Apple. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to reach far more people, with far more impact, than we ever could alone," he added. Read Complete Article

The year 2020 seems more about nostalgia than anything else, especially for the kids of the 1990s. Old phones are making a comeback in new avatars (we're talking about the Moto Razr (not Nokia, as it's long gone, and people have moved on), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag opening the innings in a cricket match together, even if not for the national team (in the Road Safety World Series), and yes it’s happening: the F.R.I.E.N.D.S cast is reuniting for an exclusive special on HBO Max. In the middle of all this, Sony has brought its new Walkman, the Sony NW-A105, which has a nostalgic appeal that takes us back to the good ol' days when things were simple and easy. One might wonder... what's the deal with Sony? Why would it launch a Walkman in the streaming age? We had the same question, so we spent a month with Sony's first Android Walkman and tried to find the answers. I do not have one of the sharpest memories when it comes to dates, but if ...

Chinese electronics maker OnePlus took to its official Weibo account to tease something new which is coming on March 18 and now CEO Pete Lau has shared that it will be the unveiling of a new brand logo. On the first look, the new logo is almost identical to the original one, but this time the company is changing the brand's colour from Red to Black which is evident from the new logo that now has Black colour, 9To5Google reported on Monday. Also, the typeface for the number "1" has also been changed and now the company is also adding its "OnePlus" branding below the logo. This new logo will be the one OnePlus uses on its 2020 products such as the upcoming OnePlus 8 series. OnePlus is reportedly planning to launch its upcoming 'OnePlus 8' flagship series on April 15 and recently Hollywood superstar Robert Downey Jr was photographed holding it. Additionally, the company's CEO Pete Lau has confirmed that the upcoming series of phones wil...

While 2019 started off with expectations of Huawei Technologies challenging Samsung Electronics for the title of world’s most prolific smartphone vendor, it’s the more familiar foe of Apple that’s now threatening the South Korean titan’s throne. Industry trackers on Thursday released estimates that show the iPhone maker close to matching or surpassing its Korean rival in shipments during the pivotal holiday quarter. Strategy Analytics put Apple’s iPhone shipments for the fourth quarter at 70.7 million, slightly ahead of Samsung’s 68.8 million. Canalys gauged the US firm had moved 78 million, surpassing the Asian brand’s 71 million. And researchers at IHS Markit have the positions flipped —with Samsung at 70.7 million and Apple at 67.7 million. Research firms are forced to estimate because Apple stopped providing its own iPhone figures a year ago, while Samsung gives a total number that includes smartphones and feature phones. The consensus, however, is that there’s ess...

With the penetration of mobile phones, the reliance on the device has increased many folds. Be it shopping, gaming or banking, there has been an immense growth in the hours people spend on their mobile phones. According to App Annie's latest report, TikTok and PUBG Mobile continued to dominate the mobile space in India. TikTok was the breakout social app of 2019 in the Indian market, while PUBG Mobile saw the highest consumer spend in games in the country. PUBG Mobile remained a distant third in breakout games of 2019 in terms of downloads as Carrom Pool clinched the top spot, followed by Free Fire. However, it bagged the top spot in the same category from consumer spend point of view. Read Complete Article

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite that will be available in India in the first week of February for Rs 39,999 can be pre-ordered on Flipkart from January 23. The e-commerce platform has set up a landing page that reveals the pre-order date for Galaxy S10 Lite. The much-anticipated device in one variant is likely to cost Rs 39,999 -- giving Chinese player OnePlus a tough competition in this price segment, industry sources told IANS on Saturday. The smartphone will give a renewed push to Samsung's strategy in the premium segment (priced above Rs 30,000), where its flagship smartphones Galaxy S and Note series have traditionally done very well. Galaxy S10 Lite will house 48MP main camera, 12MP 'Ultra Wide' and 5MP 'Macro' sensors alongside the new 'Super Steady OIS (optical image stabilisation)'. The device will feature a 32MP Selfie camera. Read Complete Article

Alexa and Fire TV devices are constantly improving over time and now on Monday the company announced that a user can connect their Echo devices with their Fire TV. This allows a user to build a variety of immersive, wireless speaker configurations for living room set-up, including 1.0 and 2.0 configurations and, for owners of Echo Sub, 1.1 and 2.1 configurations as well, the company said in a statement. To use the new update a user need to tap on the devices icon in the Alexa app on the lower right-hand side and then tap the "+" icon on the upper right hand side. Tap "Set Up Audio System" from the popup and then tap "Home Theatre" on the next screen. Select Fire TV device and then "Next" to name your new Home Theatre system. Select the Echo devices like to use as speakers - one can set-up two speakers, plus an optional Echo Sub. Read Complete Article

US-based search engine giant Google has finally released the Android Auto for phone screens, what it promised back in May at I/O 2019. The app is now live in the Play Store, it is basically the same as the previous app but just adds an icon that is slightly different and it is only compatible with Android 10 on certain devices. "This app lets you use Android Auto on your phone screen with a phone running Android 10. If you have Android 10 and an Android Auto compatible car, you can project to your car display without downloading this app. Simply plug in your phone to get started," the company noted recently. "Android Auto is your smart driving companion that helps you stay focused, connected, and entertained with the Google Assistant. With a simplified interface, large buttons, and powerful voice actions, Android Auto is designed to make it easier to use apps that you love from your phone while you're on the road," the company added. Read Complete A...

US based search giant Google on Thursday announced a major update for Assistant users in India where one can now make Assistant talk in Hindi by just asking "Ok Google, Hindi bolo or "Talk to me in Hindi. Besides Hindi and English, users will also be able to find content in Marathi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati and Malayalam. The new update comes to the Google Assistant a day after Amazon announced that Alexa will support Hindi and Hinglish conversations. "For many Indians, voice is increasingly becoming their preferred way to search, and today Hindi has become the second-most used Assistant language globally -- after English," Manuel Bronstein, Vice President, Product Management, Google said in a statement. The feature will be accessible on all Android, Android Go and KaiOs devices. Google also introduced a refreshed design for Google Search in India that will highlight queries in local languages. Read Complete Article

Huawei today unveiled its HUAWEI Mate 30 Series -- world’s first second generation 5G smartphone -- at an exclusive launch event in Munich, highlighting its own apps brand while sidestepping the critical issue of access to Google services. The HUAWEI Mate 30 and HUAWEI Mate 30 Pro features OLED HUAWEI Horizon Display, quad-camera setup, and is powered by Kirin 990 5G chipset. Top salesman Richard Yu showcased the new models in the first such event since President Donald Trump hit Huawei with a U.S. export ban in May. "It's got a large screen but it's very compact in your hand," Yu, head of Huawei's consumer business, said of the phone, whose fate in Europe will hang on whether customers buy a device lacking access to software and apps supported by Google. Read Complete Article

With its brown hybrid leather strap and round dial, Amazfit GTR looks more like an elegant, classic analog watch than sportswear, which I loved. Should you prefer a sportswear look, changing the watch face helps. The straps are easily detachable. The watch has a premium build with a stainless steel casing, and is comfortable, light, and rather slim for a smartwatch. The screen is a 1.39-inch AMOLED display with 454x454 pixels resolution protected by Gorilla Glass 3 panel. The 326ppi pixel density means the display is colourful and vibrant and you should have no problem even in bright daylight. To turn on the screen, just tap on it or lift your wrist. All in all, you get a responsive touchscreen display.Amazfit GTR FEATURES AND PERFORMANCES The watch can detect and keep track of up to 12 exercise modes, including outdoor running, treadmill, walking, outdoor cycling, indoor cycling, open water swimming, pool swimming, elliptical trainer, climbing, trail running, skiing, and re...