Technology

The desktop app has been getting some new features and the latest is being tested in the beta version before the full release. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/I2oFWQx

The secure messaging app has been regularly updating with new features that keeps users on the platform. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/CLGp0c2

The rate at which tech as a whole has been growing annually has been phenomenal. 2022, however, was in a league of its own. There have been some magnificent pieces of tech that have gone mainstream this year. From Generative AI bots like ChatGPT and DALL-E to an all-screen laptop that can actually be folded or flattened out like a tablet, consumer tech saw a lot of things. We take a look at some of the best pieces of tech that the tech industry had to offer this year. Clearly, these things have the potential to impact the tech industry for a long time to come. Generative AI – Dall E and ChatGPT Several organisations have been working on Generative AI for almost a decade now, but the advances we saw this year were simply phenomenal. Image Generators like DALL-E were wildly popular earlier this year. However, nothing beats the notoriety that ChatGPT got. Finally, we have an AI language Model that actually works as it should. And while it may not be the perfect substitute for a Goog...

The minister asked the instant messaging platform to fix the map and said all platforms that do business in India and/or want to continue to do business in India must use correct maps from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/h7vaQbF

New York became the first US state to pass right-to-repair legislation earlier this week. A few months after being enacted by resounding bipartisan majorities in both chambers of the state legislature in New York, Governor Kathy Hochul finally signed the Digital Fair Repair Act into law. Although the passing of this legislation is being hailed as “precedent-setting” by right-to-repair advocacy groups, the bill, in the form that it was passed, is heavily watered down. The new law requires companies to provide the same diagnostic tools, repair manuals, and parts to the public that they provide to their own repair technicians at authorised service centres . However, because of lobbying from special interest groups backed by the tech lobby, the legislation in its current form has been significantly weakened. The bill as signed by Hochul contains even more conditions and exceptions, which mask what the tech lobbyists were concerned about, namely technical issues that could put safety and...

2022 was not a great year for most social media platforms. Starting from Twitter and the entire takeover fiasco and the shenanigans of Elon Musk after he took charge, to the shocking tumble that Meta and all its platforms like Facebook and Instagram, took this year, most social media companies saw negative growth. On the other hand, Koo, India’s very own social media platform saw unprecedented growth. Not only did they launch in a bunch of new languages and markets, this year also saw Koo cross 50 million users. Hitting that sort of milestone within just two years of being launched, is a huge deal; not many social media platforms can boast of such an achievement. Things haven’t been exactly easy for the platform, and yet, Koo seems to be on an upwards trajectory. We had a chat with Mayank Bidawatka, Co-founder of Koo and asked him where he sees the second largest micro-blogging platform in the world go in 2023. Following are the edited excerpts from our conversation: How was 2022 ...

Researchers from the University of Waterloo found a close relationship between ECG data from the Apple Watch's ECG sensor and reported stress levels. The study used heart acceleration and deceleration capacity to predict stress levels. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/1PTalK7

The complete specs of the OnePlus 11 5G, including a triple rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel main sensor, and in-box content has been leaked. Here's what you can expect. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/HQBlSOb

We look back at the year gone by and pick the best flagship smartphones across various budgets ranging from Rs 50,000 to infinity. Here’s the best of the best that 2022 had to offer in the smartphone segment. Best flagship smartphones of 2022 Budget: I am too rich to bother Apple iPhone 14 Pro/ Pro Max No surprises here. If you have the money to splurge, the premium-most models from the latest iPhone 14 series are the ones to get. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max are essentially the same phones in different sizes. By same we mean with identical processing hardware, storage, cameras, design and everything else except screen size and battery capacity. I personally like the Pro for its compact size, but if you prefer a larger screen, by all means go for the Max by paying a small 10K premium. Both phones are powered by Apple’s A16 Bionic chip which is more powerful yet more energy efficient as compared to its predecessor. You have storage options ranging from 128 GB to 1 TB. You...

Samsung is planning to enhance video quality by improving the light sensitivity, luminance range, dynamic range and depth sensing of its ISOCELL camera sensors. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/QuTW1GH

More companies are adopting sustainable measures for production and sales with the impact on the environment becoming a concern. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/4GbV7yB

It is that time of the year when we reflect on things gone by. Today we focus on the best true wireless earbuds that launched this year across various price brackets. Other than sound quality, which was obviously given the highest weightage, we have also factored in features like active noise cancellation (ANC), battery backup and more. All things considered, here are the best TWS earbuds of 2022. Best TWS earbuds of 2022 under Rs 20,000 We have two products in this budget that deserve the honour, starting with probably the first major audio release of 2022. Sony WF-1000XM4 Generally the products released at the start of the year are often forgotten by the end of it, but not these Sony earbuds. The Sony WF-1000XM4 set the bar so high that literally nobody could surpass it in almost 12 months. The performance remains a cut above anything we came across south of Rs 20,000 this year, with a warm and detailed sound output that works well across most genres of music and visual content....

Some parts of the United States are now able to get their online deliveries done using drones. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/6ZzKAHg

Data from the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation or FBI showed that US citizens have lost more than $10 billion to call centres running scams. These call centres operate as startups or fake customer service call centres and offer tech help to unsuspecting victims, who get scammed into sharing their personal details or worse, access to credit card or bank accounts. Some of these scammers have even tried to get their hands dirty with romance-related phishing scams. The data that the FBI released showed that of the $10.2 billion that was looted from American citizens, about $3 billion was done through call centres offering tech help over a VoIP call, and the rest through various other means. All this data was collected over the first 11 months of the year, and the FBI estimates that by the end of the calendar, year, the figure maybe as high as $12 billion. In just these 11 months, the figure saw an increase of 47 per cent, over last year’s $6.9 billion. Reports state that the Federal...

Google was expected to release the 5G update in December but now the company has delayed the rollout till early next year. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/kUhWRzp

The messaging app got as many as 20 new features this year but here are the top 5 that made a difference to the users. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/zNWtAZg

Voice assistants run on smartphones and speakers but you need to be part of an ecosystem to make use of it. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/YNrJHTm

Redmi is using both MediaTek and Qualcomm chipsets to power its new lineup which has three devices in different price bracket. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/VfwplWz

Whether the place that you live has self-driving cars or not, the fact is, if you access the internet in any way, you have come across something that is greatly influenced by AI. Starting from intelligent home appliances like refrigerators and vacuum cleaners to more complex applications such as driving a car, or selecting ads that would actually have some meaning to you, AI has become all-pervasive, and all-encompassing in this day and age. While its proponents claim AI will revolutionise human experience, critics point out that the technology has the massive risk of handing over important choices to robots. Lawmakers in Europe and North America, however, are still catching up to the advancements that AI has made in the last couple of years, and only starting to think of regulating it. The AI Act, a piece of law intended to control the algorithm age, is expected to be approved by the European Union next year. A draft of an AI Bill of Rights was recently released in the United Stat...

Fitbit is transitioning to a single account experience. Here's what it means for existing and new customers. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/vXuV8JF

Apple’s Chinese business is under serious threat from a widespread outbreak of the Coronavirus. Experts claim that this time around, if the supply chain gets disrupted like it did the last time, the compounded effect will be so hard that it may months to get back to normal, if not years. Apple has already suffered a massive setback this year, as their main production facility, Foxconn’s mega factory in Zhengzhou was engulfed in chaos, following a Covid-19 outbreak that started in October. As the Chinese government reverses its zero-Covid policy, factories and workshops across China will potentially see massive worker shortages, as more and more get hospitalised or quarantined.  Foxconn has already started reallocating resources to some of its smaller production facilities in China, whereas Apple is working with its component suppliers to reallocate resources to factories in other countries. Apple already had to let go of their sales target that they had for the holiday season ...

The new budget smartwatch has the looks of the premium model but what about its features? Here are all the details. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/ARGdSzb

At the Fashion X AI show in Hong Kong, more than 80 outfits from 14 designers in the spotlight were created with the help of the artificial intelligence software called AiDA. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/riQULKY

TSMC has announced that they have started manufacturing 3nm chips in their facilities in Taiwan. Earlier this month, the chip manufacturing giant and Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced its upcoming chip plant earlier this month in Arizona, which will also use the new manufacturing node.  According to Focus Taiwan, TSMC is hosting a party today to honour the beginning of 3nm process chip mass manufacturing in Taiwan. The company’s “Fab 18” factory, located in Tainan’s Southern Taiwan Science Park, will begin producing the newest and most advanced chip yet.  Analysts have commented that a celebration of this sort is a little odd, given Taiwan’s culture and that of TSMC as well. However, think the company is hoping it helps with concerns about its recent investments in the US. Those plans more than tripled recently from $12 billion to $40 billion for its Arizona facilities. The idea is, the celebrations will allay all fears of TSMC leaving Taiwan and setting up base in the US perm...

As the year 2022 comes to a close, now is the perfect time to give thoughtful and useful tech gifts to friends and family. Our list includes a range of options, so whether you're looking for something practical or fun, there's something for everyone. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/jCz4NY2

Apple’s Japanese arm is being charged 13 billion yen ($98 million) in retro taxes for bulk sales of iPhones and a number of other Apple devices to foreign tourists that were incorrectly exempted from the consumption tax that is levied when customers buy and use the device in Japan, according to an article in The Nikkei, the world’s largest financial newspaper. Citing unidentified sources, the Nikkei reported on Tuesday that bulk purchases of iPhones by foreign shoppers were discovered at some Apple stores with at least one transaction involving an individual buying hundreds of handsets at once. Japan permits visitors who are staying for less than six months in the country to purchase goods without paying the 10 per cent consumption tax that is levied on all items. However, this exemption does not apply to purchases made with the intention of reselling them. Nikkei reports that Apple Japan is said to have submitted an altered tax return to hide the fact that customers were buying iP...

If you are looking for a flagship phone with top-of-the-line cameras, ample processing power and storage under Rs 75,000, you have come to the right place. Given the generous budget, you get a lot of options to choose from, and the choice is indeed difficult. After a lot of deliberation, we have shortlisted five smartphones that we believe are the best under 75K this month. Take your pick. Best phones to buy under Rs 75,000 in India Google Pixel 7 Pro While the Google flagship smartphone is officially priced at Rs 84,999 in India, it is possible to get it just under 75K. The Pixel 7 Pro is available on Amazon India for Rs 74,999. But given that Flipkart is the official retail partner, a better option would be to use a HDFC card on the platform and get an instant discount of 10K on the phone. The Pixel 7 Pro is powered by Google’s next-gen Tensor G2 processor and offers 12 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. It sports a 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 1500 n...

Voice assistants have become an integral part of smartphones and smart devices at homes and Google seems to have a definite advantage over the rest. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/nA2013t

The MSI Bravo 15 and Alpha 15 — an entry-level gaming and a mid-range laptop respectively — are easily the best in their class and perfect for students and working professionals alike, and are our top picks from MSI’s Year-End sale. The Bravo 15, available at Rs 49,990 during the sale, is a laptop I’d heartily recommend to first-time gamers and students. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H CPU, RX5500M GPU with 4 GB VRAM, 8 GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512 GB of NVMe storage. The display is a fast, 15.6-inch FHD panel with a 144 Hz refresh and “IPS-level” viewing angles. What makes this laptop special is the sheer value on offer here. The Ryzen 5 5600H is a 6-core CPU and a great all-rounder when it comes to general productivity and gaming. With 4 GB of VRAM, the RX5500M is perfect for the first-time gamer and student, allowing you to enjoy popular multiplayer games like CS: GO and Valorant at well over 60 FPS. The Alpha 15, on the other hand, is a significant step up, both in price and ...

This year we have seen PC manufacturers showcase some interesting form factors, eventually proving that a foldable PC is more than just a dream. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/7Jpm2hc

Tesla's wireless charging unit offers 15W speed allows you to charge anywhere on the surface of the pad. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/E4iRvAe

OnePlus has already shared its launch plans in India for the next flagship phone along with other products like the new keyboard. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/3V0YkHb

The pop-up ads can be annoying so using this web browser might be your best option to avoid seeing them on the screen. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/lQeZLqd

The password manager has reported multiple data breaches this year but the new admission comes across as a big shock to its customers. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2ZUgeTt

ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of popular video app TikTok, said on Thursday that some employees improperly accessed TikTok user data of two journalists and were no longer employed by the company, an email seen by Reuters shows. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/wZFYxWo

Merry Christmas 2022: This Christmas let’s focus on the people who matter. Embark on a digital detox and live in the moment to make the most out of the Christmas holidays from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/Un6OFaz

Google's Calendar app has been creating false all-day events that appear to be related to emails received in the user's Gmail account. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/lQaBOiI

Several iPhone 14 Pro users have reported horizontal lines on their displays after waking their phones from sleep or starting them up. Apple has confirmed that this is a software issue. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/tJQijbv

Elon Musk had promised this feature in November and said that the subscribers would get, "Priority in replies, mentions & search, which is essential to defeat spam/scam." from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/ONlKX29

During a court proceeding in a case that the US Federal Trade Commission brought against Microsoft for their acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, Microsoft responded in summary to the allegations against them that its $69 billion bid to buy the “Call of Duty” maker would greatly benefit gamers and consumers, irrespective of the ecosystem they are already in. Microsoft made the case in a brief intended to persuade the US Federal Trade Commission’s judge to approve the merger, after FTC commissioners said the transaction would kill competition in the gaming sector in a complaint this month intended to stop the merger. In a complaint on Dec. 8, the FTC said its concern was that Activision’s popular games, including “World of Warcraft” and “Diablo,” potentially would stop being offered on devices that rival Microsoft’s Xbox . It set a hearing before an administrative law judge for August 2023. Microsoft President Brad Smith said in mid-December the company had offered to sign a legally-...

2022 wasn’t a great year for Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta, formerly known as Facebook. In a year which saw them lose some of the platform’s most avid advertisers, as well as an abysmal failure of their star Metaverse project, Horizon Worlds, Meta will now have to pay a record $725 million to settle the class-action lawsuit related to the Cambridge Analytica data harvesting scandal. The agreement, which was originally reported by Reuters earlier today, comes after news broke about four months ago that Meta had put up a settlement proposal in the Northern District of California, where the lawsuit was initially brought over four years ago.  In the following years, Meta has resisted the lawsuit, which combined grievances from other Facebook users, claiming that people who freely joined the social network should have no legitimate expectations of privacy. The judge supervising the case in 2019 termed this argument “so wrong.” The scandal in question, which is just one of many to have ro...

Pros: – Premium build and design – IP68 ingress protection – Great camera performance – Best Android 13 experience – Sharp 120 Hz display – Good overall performance Cons: – Slow charging; no charger in the box – Moody fingerprint sensor – Only 128 GB storage option available Rating: 4/5 Price: Rs 84,999 When was the last time Google officially launched a flagship Pixel smartphone in India? Don’t bother googling that. While we got the economy variant from the Pixel 6 series here earlier this year, the tech giant has decided to grace us with not just the Pixel 7 but also the top of the line Pixel 7 Pro, and pretty much with the rest of the world this time. The latter has been keeping us company for the past month or two, and today we intend to tell you everything you need to know about it. Google Pixel 7 Pro Design: Feels premium but it’s quite a handful The build quality of the Pixel 7 Pro is quite solid, and it feels premium courtesy of an aluminium frame and glass bac...