Technology

Apple CEO Tim Cook just announced Apple’s next big gadget after launching the first Apple Watch in 2015 – the Vision Pro. He described the Vision Pro ‘headset’ as the next big thing in personal technology. But if it’s so exciting then why did Tim Cook or any of Apple’s senior executives not wear the Vision Pro headset on stage at WWDC 2023?
For the record, Apple– not even for once– has called the Vision pro, a headset. Apple likes to refer to the Vision Pro as a spatial computer. Of course, no one is stopping you from calling it a headset or an ‘Apple ski glass’ or Apple goggles.
You may argue that Tim Cook wears spectacles and it may get difficult to adjust the headset while giving a live demo on stage. But what’s weird is that, if you observe the keynote of WWDC 2023, neither Tim Cook nor any of the senior Apple executives was seen wearing the Vision Pro. In fact, there isn’t one photo of Tim Cook wearing the headset in public. Why so?
One reason could be that Apple is being careful. The Vision Pro is expensive and Apple is promising a lot. Also, the launch of the device is controlled. It will be first launched in the US next year and then may be released in other parts of the world but in a phased manner.
There isn’t one photo of Tim Cook wearing the headset in public. Why so?
Another aspect to consider is that Apple is trying to protect the brand image of Vision Pro and of course, that of its executives. This launch is important for Tim Cook and maybe Apple just doesn’t want the Vision Pro ‘headset’ to drive a ‘meme fest’ online, even before the product actually arrives.
Talking about memes, whenever Apple launches a new product at its events, people seem to be ready to make memes around it. Going beyond the kidney jokes, the powerful Mac Pro computer quickly became the ‘cheesegrater Mac Pro’; there were memes around the dynamic island, then of course, the bendgate and ‘iPhone triple-camera gas burner’ references.
Apple is always very careful about how it presents the new products, the public image of its executives and that of the brand or the products. So, maybe it’s trying to avoid a repeat of the “cheesegrater Mac Pro” episode.
Apple has just presented the Vision Pro ‘headset’. It will only face the real product-market fit test next year, when consumers buy it for $3499 or over Rs 3 lakh in India.
Apple Vision Pro: No touching please, no photosWhile the most exciting aspect of the WWDC 2023 keynote was the “One More thing…” announcement of Vision Pro, the keynote attendees were up for a little surprise. Like with all Apple events, just after the keynote gets over, the attendees go to the general demo area to try out the latest from Apple. But this time, the attendees were not allowed to touch the Vision Pro headset. Forget the headset, they were not even allowed to touch the table on which the Vision Pro headset was displayed. All that the attendees could do was to click photos of the Vision Pro headset– from a distance. So, in reality, you will not find any real-life photo of someone actually wearing the Vision Pro yet.
top videosApple had set up a separate demo zone entirely for the headset where select attendees from the media, bloggers and other sections were ‘secretly’ taken to experience the Vision Pro. But guess what, even they weren’t allowed to click selfies with the Vision Pro. Apple just doesn’t want any controversy with the Vision Pro right now.
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Apple has finally taken the cover off its much-hyped augmented reality headset—the Apple Vision Pro—at its WWDC 2023 event. The headset is the company’s first new product line in years, following the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015. The iPhone maker claims that it is a ‘spatial computer’—designed to blend the digital with the physical world—while staying present and aware of their surroundings.
“Today marks the beginning of a new era for computing,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. He added, “Just as the Mac introduced us to personal computing, and iPhone introduced us to mobile computing, Apple Vision Pro introduces us to spatial computing.”
Apple Vision Pro will be available next year, in 2024, and will retail for $3499 (around Rs 2,88,000) in the United States.
On the inside, the Vision Pro headset gets two micro-OLED screens with a total of 23 million pixels. “This technological breakthrough, combined with custom catadioptric lenses that enable incredible sharpness and clarity, delivers jaw-dropping experiences,” Apple claimed.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorShaurya SharmaShaurya Sharma, Sub Editor at News18, reports on consumer and gaming technology. He has been helping people figure out their tech to make informed cho...Read MoreTags:
Microsoft will pay $20 million to settle U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that the tech company illegally collected personal information from children without their parents’ consent, the FTC said on Monday.
The company had been charged with violating the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by collecting personal information from children who signed up to its Xbox gaming system without notifying their parents or obtaining their parents’ consent, and by retaining children’s personal information, the FTC said in a statement.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment late on Monday.
The order requires Microsoft to take steps to improve privacy protections for child users of its Xbox system. It will extend COPPA protections to third-party gaming publishers with whom Microsoft shares children’s data, the FTC said.
“Our proposed order makes it easier for parents to protect their children’s privacy on Xbox, and limits what information Microsoft can collect and retain about kids," said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
“This action should also make it abundantly clear that kids’ avatars, biometric data, and health information are not exempt from COPPA," Levine added.
top videosThe law requires online services and websites directed to children under 13 to notify parents about the personal information they collect and to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting and using any personal information collected from children.
From 2015 to 2020, Microsoft retained the data that it collected from children during the account creation process, even when a parent failed to complete the process, according to the complaint.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters) window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorRohitRohit is a News18.com journalist with a passion for world affairs and a love for football. Follow him on Twitter at @heis_rohit...Read MoreTags:
The Chinese government will seek to initiate artificial intelligence regulations in its country, billionaire Elon Musk said on Monday after meeting with officials during his recent trip to China.
Musk did not elaborate further and made his remarks in a Twitter Space with Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Monday.
“It’s worth noting that on my recent trip to China, I went to senior leadership there. I think we had some very productive discussions on artificial intelligence risks, and the need for some oversight and regulation," said Musk, owner of Twitter and Tesla Inc chief executive.
“And my understanding from those conversations is that China will be initiating AI regulation in China."
Reuters was not immediately able to reach Chinese officials for comment outside of normal business hours.
Musk departed Shanghai on Thursday, wrapping up a two-day trip to China in which he met senior Chinese government officials including the highest-ranking vice premier.
Musk met with China’s foreign, commerce and industry ministers in Beijing. He also met with Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter said.
China’s cyberspace regulator unveiled draft measures in April for managing generative artificial intelligence services, saying it wants firms to submit security assessments to authorities before they launch their offerings to the public.
Several governments are considering how to mitigate the dangers of the emerging technology, which has experienced a boom in investment and consumer popularity in recent months after the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
top videosIn April, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said that China supports AI innovation and application and encourages use of safe and reliable software, tools and data resources, but content generated by generative AI had to be in line with the country’s core socialist values.
Providers will be responsible for the legitimacy of data used to train generative AI products and measures should be taken to prevent discrimination when designing algorithms and training data, it said.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters) window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorRohitRohit is a News18.com journalist with a passion for world affairs and a love for football. Follow him on Twitter at @heis_rohit...Read MoreTags:
On Monday, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission took aim at the most powerful man in crypto.
The SEC accused Binance founder Changpeng Zhao of operating a “web of deception," charging him and his exchange with 13 offences.
These ranged from allegedly manipulating Binance’s trading volumes and failing to restrict U.S. customers from its unregulated platform to commingling and diverting billions of dollars in customer funds “as they please."
The complaint further threatens Zhao’s vast business empire, which for years has dominated the crypto industry. The billionaire tycoon already faces charges from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, filed in March, and his exchange has been under investigation by the Justice Department too.
Zhao’s towering ambitions are now coming up against the concerted efforts of U.S. regulators to rein in a company that they allege has grown to a colossal size by systematically evading U.S. laws.
In response to the SEC’s allegations, Binance said: “We intend to defend our platform vigorously," adding that “because Binance is not a U.S. exchange, the SEC’s actions are limited in reach." Binance said any allegations that user assets have been at risk “are simply wrong."
Ever since he launched Binance in Shanghai back in 2017, Zhao dreamt big. “We want to take over theentire market!" he told staff in a company chat group that year.
The 46-year-old CEO did not waver in his belief as he builtup his crypto exchange. This year, Zhao felt a major goal wasalmost within his grasp: a seat at the top table of finance.
“The idea that a five-year-old start-up could mature andoperate at the same level as a financial institution that hasbeen around for 200 years was once impossible to fathom," thebillionaire wrote in January in a review of the previous year.
“But we are nearly there today."
That dream is now looking more distant after the SEC’s action.
In the review of 2022, Binance hailed its progress incomplying with regulations across the world. The exchange hadstrived through the year to strengthen client checks, it said,developing crypto’s “best security and compliance team."
But according to the SEC, Zhao and Binance “consciously chose to evade" U.S. laws “in an effort to maximize their own profits." This “put their customers and investors at risk," the SEC alleged, citing a number of practices first reported by Reuters in a series of investigations into the exchange published this year and in 2022.
“Zhao and Binance entities engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said.
The U.S. Justice Department has been investigating Binance for alleged criminal sanctions violations and money laundering, Reuters reported in December, with some prosecutorsbelieving they have sufficient evidence to charge Zhao and othertop executives. Binance said at the time it did not have anyinsight into the inner workings of the DOJ.
ZHAO ‘ANSWERS TO NO ONE’Zhao was born in China before moving to Canada in 1989 whenhe was 12, two months after China’s Tiananmen Square crackdownon pro-democracy protesters, he wrote in a blog last year.
The tycoon, known by his staff and online followers by hisinitials CZ, has crisscrossed the globe in his quest forsuccess, working in Tokyo and New York before moving toShanghai, where he embraced crypto and founded Binance in 2017.
Its expansion was dramatic.
Binance became the world’s biggest crypto exchange withinsix months, and now accounts for about 60% of global cryptotrading volumes, according to research firm CCData. The exchange, however, has repeatedly refused to disclose where its trading platform is located.
From the company’s earliest days, Zhao kept a tight grip on Binance, as a powerful leader committed to secrecy and focused on market domination, a Reuters report last year found.
Zhao installed a tight circle of associates, many ofwhom had worked or studied in China, into top jobs. Co-founder Yi He now runs Binance’s $7.5 billion venture capital arm, as well as other key departments. Zhao tasked his Chinese-born head of back office, Guangying Chen, with managing the company’s finances. This included a series of accounts that Binance opened at now-defunct U.S. lender Silvergate Bank, Reuters reported last month.
In one of these accounts, held by a trading firm called Merit Peak which is controlled by Zhao, Binance mixed customer funds with corporate revenues and used the monies to buy the exchange’s bespoke dollar-linked crypto token, Reuters found. The SEC alleged this too in its complaint.
Chen also operated bank accounts belonging to Binance’s purportedly independent affiliate Binance.US, ensuring that Zhao could direct the company’s expansion in the American crypto market too, Reuters reported on Monday.
top videosWhile Binance has hired widely from the traditionalfinancial and regulatory worlds in recent years, Zhao’s tightcontrol over his company has continued. The company, which calls itself an “ecosystem," has set up at least 70 entities, most controlled by Zhao personally.
“Zhao answers to no one but himself," the CFTC said in its March complaint.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters) window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorRohitRohit is a News18.com journalist with a passion for world affairs and a love for football. Follow him on Twitter at @heis_rohit...Read MoreTags:
IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath has warned of “substantial disruptions in labour markets" stemming from generative artificial intelligence and called on policymakers to quickly craft rules to govern the technology, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
“We need governments, we need institutions and we need policymakers to move quickly on all fronts, in terms of regulation, but also in terms of preparing for probably substantial disruptions in labour markets," Gopinath said in an interview to FT.
She also advocated for governments to bolster “social safety nets" for workers affected by the adoption of AI, while working on tax policies that do not reward companies replacing employees with machines.
top videosGopinath cautioned policymakers to be careful in case some corporations emerge with an unassailable position in the new technology.
“You don’t want to have supersized companies with huge amounts of data and computing power that have an unfair advantage," Gopinath told the newspaper.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters) window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorRohitRohit is a News18.com journalist with a passion for world affairs and a love for football. Follow him on Twitter at @heis_rohit...Read Morefirst published:June 06, 2023, 00:58 ISTlast updated:June 06, 2023, 00:58 IST
OpenAI chief Sam Altman spoke out Monday against immediate “heavy regulation" that could hamper the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, but stressed the need for long-term institutional oversight.
Altman, whose company created the ChatGPT bot, last month told US lawmakers that governmental regulatory intervention was needed to face the risks of AI.
In remarks at Israel’s Tel Aviv University, Altman on Monday stressed that his call for oversight was not aimed at “the systems of today".
“I think it would be a mistake to go put heavy regulation on the field right now or to try to slow down the incredible innovation," he said.
Altman recognised the risk of a “superintelligence that is not really well aligned", saying it was “something that we may have to confront in the next decade, which is not very long for the institutions of the world to adapt to something".
He reiterated OpenAI’s proposal to form a “global organisation" at the “frontier of computer power and techniques", which “could have a framework to license models, to audit the safety of them, to propose tests that are required to be passed".
“That would be one way to treat this as a very serious risk. We do the same thing for nuclear, for example," Altman said, referring the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The US entrepreneur’s Israel visit was part of his global tour to charm national leaders and powerbrokers, as well as to meet with local talent and learn about AI’s applications.
ChatGPT burst into the spotlight late last year, demonstrating an ability to generate essays, poems and conversations from the briefest of prompts.
The programme’s wild success sparked a gold rush with billions of dollars of investment into the field, but critics raised the alarm over the possibility chatbots could flood the web with disinformation or AI-powered automation could lay waste to entire industries.
In a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog earlier on Monday, Altman noted the “urgency" in “figuring out how we mitigate these very huge risks".
“Everyone wants to figure that out," Altman said.
top videosPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said that in a phone call, Altman had told him Israel “could become a main global player in the field" of AI.
In a statement, Netanyahu said his country, which already has a thriving hi-tech industry, must “formulate a national policy" on AI.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - AFP) window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorRohitRohit is a News18.com journalist with a passion for world affairs and a love for football. Follow him on Twitter at @heis_rohit...Read MoreTags:
Apple has introduced the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips in India. The Mac Studio is up to 6x faster than the most powerful Intel-based 27-inch iMac, and up to 3x faster than the previous-generation Mac Studio with M1 Ultra, the company said.
Apple New Mac Studio Price And Availability
Mac Studio starts at Rs 2,09,900 and Rs 1,88,900 for education. Additional configure-to-order options are available at apple.com/in/store. Available in both tower and rack-mounted enclosures, Mac Pro (Tower Enclosure) starts at Rs 7,29,900 and Rs 6,87,900 for education. Mac Pro (Rack Enclosure) starts at Rs 7,79,900 and Rs 7,27,900 for education.
The new Mac Studio and Mac Pro are available to order today on apple.com/in/store and in the Apple Store app. They will start to arrive to customers, and will be available in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorised Resellers, beginning Tuesday, June 13.\
“The new Mac Studio and Mac Pro with Apple silicon are the two most powerful Macs we’ve ever made. Mac Studio has been a breakthrough for pros everywhere, and it’s at the heart of hundreds of thousands of home and pro studios across the world. Today, it gets even better with M2 Max and the new M2 Ultra, featuring even more performance and enhanced connectivity," ” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
Mac Studio with M2 Ultra and Mac Pro have far more memory than the most advanced workstation graphics cards, taking on demanding workloads other systems can’t even process, the company claims.
The new Mac Studio has the same overall design as the original model, but with a higher-bandwidth HDMI port that supports up to an 8K display at 240Hz. The back of the Mac Studio has four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI port, and two USB-A ports.
On the front side, there are two USB-C ports and an SD card slot. As with the new Mac Pro, and the latest MacBook Pro and Mac mini models, the Mac Studio now supports faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The new M2 Ultra chip features a 24-core CPU, a 76-core GPU, a 32-core Neural Engine, and support for up to 192GB of unified memory. Apple says the new Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra chip is up to 3x faster than the previous Mac Studio with the M1 Ultra chip.
top videosMac Studio with M2 Max is up to 50 percent faster than the previous-generation Mac Studio and 4x faster than the most powerful Intel-based 27-inch iMac. The new Mac Studio now has higher-bandwidth HDMI, enabling up to 8K resolution and 240Hz frame rates. With M2 Ultra, Mac Studio supports up to six Pro Display XDRs.
Additionally, it now features built-in wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, On the back, Mac Studio includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10Gb Ethernet port, an enhanced HDMI port, and two USB-A ports. It also conveniently has two USB-C ports and an SD card slot on the front to easily import photos and video.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
During the WWDC 2023, the Cupertino-based tech giant Apple on Monday launched a new MacBook Air laptop with a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, an M2 chip, up to 18 hours of battery life, and a six-speaker sound system and much more.
Apple 15‑inch MacBook Air Price And Availability in India
The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip, is available in midnight, starlight, silver, and space gray colours and the price in India starts at Rs 1,34,900 and Rs 1,24,900 for education. The MacBook Air with M2 is available to order and will arrive to customers, and in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, from June 13.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the first 15-inch MacBook Air. With its incredible performance and striking design, the new MacBook Air is the world’s best 15-inch laptop. And it’s only possible with Apple silicon,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
Apple 15‑inch MacBook Air Specifications
The new MacBook Air features a spacious, high-resolution 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, with up to 500 nits of brightness and support for 1 billion colors. It is also twice the resolution and 25 per cent brighter than a comparable PC laptop. The new MacBook Air measures only 11.5mm thin. It weighs just 3.3 pounds.
MacBook Air also features MagSafe charging, two Thunderbolt ports for connecting accessories and up to a 6K external display, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack for connectivity.
top videosWith the M2 chip, the 15-inch MacBook Air is 12x faster than the fastest Intel-based MacBook Air. The new MacBook Air delivers a battery life up to 18 hours. It features a powerful 8-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, a 10-core GPU for blazing-fast graphics, and a 16-core Neural Engine. M2chip also delivers 100GB/s of memory bandwidth and supports up to 24GB of fast unified memory.
The 15-inch MacBook Air has a 1080p FaceTime HD camera for FaceTime calls and video conferencing. The design of the new 15-inch MacBook Air also features a new six-speaker sound system with two tweeters and two sets of force-canceling woofers. The new speakers deliver twice the bass depth for fuller sound, and Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
Hundreds of users across the globe reported that Microsoft Corp’s product suite which includes Word, Excel and Outlook was down.
“We’re investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web," Microsoft tweeted.
The company said it is reviewing its networking systems and recent updates in an effort to identify the underlying root cause of the issue.
“We’ve identified downstream impact for Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business. We’re providing full impact details and updates for those services via MO571683. Updates pertaining to Exchange and Outlook on the web will continue to be provided via EX571516," it said in a tweet.
We’re investigating an issue with accessing Outlook on the web. Further details can be found under EX571516 in the admin center.— Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) June 5, 2023
The company did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the outage reports on Microsoft 365.
Microsoft services have faced at least three outages since the beginning of the year.
Downdetector tracks outages by collating status reports from several sources including users.
Several users took to Twitter to raise complaint with Microsoft.
@Outlook are u good?— Berat Yıldırım (@EsBerat) June 5, 2023
@Outlook is down this morning; I guess its a sign to not do any work— Legrand (@alex_legrand1) June 5, 2023
top videos(With Reuters inputs)
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorSaurabh VermaSaurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for news18.com as a Senior Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics and loves ...Read MoreTags:
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a significant forensic security deficiency in Google Workspace that enables a hacker to exfiltrate data in Google Drive without any trace.
According to researchers from Mitiga Security, once a malicious user inside has accessed the organisation’s Google Drive, they can take action without being recorded at all.
This flaw affects only users who do not have a paid enterprise licence for Google Workspace.
Users who do not have a paid Google Workspace licence have their private drive actions left undocumented.
Hackers can disable logging and recording by cancelling their paid licence and switching to the free “Cloud Identity Free" licence.
This enables threat actors to exfiltrate files without leaving any trace, save for the indication that a paid licence was revoked, which is visible to administrators.
“A threat actor who gains access to an admin user can revoke the user’s license, download all their private files, and reassign the license," the researchers said.
The experts also notified Google of its findings, who is yet to respond.
Meanwhile, hackers are targeting iPhones with previously unknown malware, via iMessage to, gain complete control over the iOS device and spy on users.
top videosCybersecurity company Kaspersky discovered the mobile Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) campaign targeting iOS devices with previously unknown malware.
Dubbed as ‘Operation Triangulation’, the ongoing campaign distributes zero-click exploits via iMessage to run malware gaining complete control over the device and user data, with the final goal to “hiddenly spy on users".
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - IANS) window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read Morefirst published:June 05, 2023, 19:39 ISTlast updated:June 05, 2023, 19:39 IST
The Meta-owned instant messaging application WhatsApp is reportedly planning to release a feature to add a call link to the calendar app. This feature works as an additional reminder so that the user doesn’t forget that they have generated a link for a WhatsApp call.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
A Bengaluru-based Indian startup, Minus Zero, has unveiled what it claims is India’s first fully autonomous vehicle — ZPod. The vehicle, which can scale upto level 5 autonomy, doesn’t have a steering wheel and navigates using a network of strategically positioned high-resolution cameras, according to the company.
The cameras that are placed on the vehicle capture real-time images of the surroundings and send it to the AI software which processes and takes decisions on navigating the vehicle. Level 5 autonomy can help the vehicle manoeuvre in all geographical conditions, the startup claims.
Gursimran Singh, one of the co-founders of the Minus Zero, told News 18: “Basically, this is a first concept vehicle launched in India, so that we can elaborate how AI can change the future. This particular vehicle is built on our proprietor’s nature-inspired AI which we believe is the right way of mimicking the human mind in the AI paradigm. This vehicle can right now do all the manoeuvres that a normal human can do in a campus environment and there are multiple more things that it can do and learn over time as well to give a safe and healthy ride in the future.”
On when the ZPod can hit the market, Gagandeep Singh, one of the co-founders, says it depends on where it is going to be used. “We always discuss this adoption journey. There are a lot of trial and error processes being carried out. If you talk about campuses, for users, I think they are not too far away. For public roads, there are still certain parts of trials and errors that we are doing. Maybe in the coming days you will have a better understanding of when you will see them on the public roads,” says Gagandeep.
Gursimran adds: “Whenever a new technology starts, it is a journey. When we started building rockets, we did not get to the moon at the first shot. There are multiple points in the process. We are developing this technology for India and for the world as well. Our proprietary nature-inspired AI, of how the human brain works, is a truly remarkable feature of Indian drivers. I believe that Indian drivers are good enough. If we can drive in India, we can drive in any country of the world. I believe that this could be a possible case of AI as well.”
top videosHere’s all you need to know about ZPod:
- The vehicle comprises strategically placed high-resolution sensory cameras to capture real-time images of the surroundings and send it to the AI.
- The computer inside receives the real-time images, processes it and makes decisions on navigating the vehicle.
- The ZPod is devoid of a steering wheel and can scale up level 5 autonomy.
- The ZPod can now be used in enclosed spaces such as campuses or residential complexes.

While the Apple WWDC 2023 keynote is just a few hours away, Android fan boys also have something to be excited about. New reports have started building up the hype for the Pixel 8 series coming out later this year and now we have more details which suggest the upcoming Pixel phone could offer flagship-like performance.
Google has started using its custom Tensor G series since the Pixel 6 series and this year’s Pixel 8 lineup will be powered by the third-gen Tensor or Tensor G3 chipset. The Tensor chip is based on Samsung’s Exynos SoC which has received mixed feedback from the market. Google’s Pixel phones with the Tensor chip have delivered average battery life and many have complained about heating issues. But all those concerns could soon end with the reports that the Tensor G3 chip will have more cores which helps with better management of the device performance and prevent heating.
The leaked specs of the Tensor G3 hint that it will be made on Samsung’s 4nm process and will have a nine-core CPU and ten-core GPU. The benchmark results of the Tensor G3 have more or less confirmed the use of this nine-core SoC this year which should help Google narrow the gap between its custom chip and the MediaTek and Qualcomm of the flagship world.
top videosGoogle is taking the Apple approach with its devices now, which gives it full control over the hardware and software. The latter has surely benefited from its special focus and soon we are hoping the blend of the Tensor chip and stock Android delivers on multiple fronts.
The company positions its Pixel range in the flagship arena without really making a dent with its built-in chip. Looking at the leaked results of the supposed Tensor G3 chip it is possible that Google could finally take on the Dimensity 9000 series or Qualcomm 8 Gen series chipsets in the market, at least with their earlier versions for now. The update about the new Tensor chip has got us excited for the Pixel 8 series which should be unveiled around October this year.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, stumbled his way into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:
Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is set for its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023 keynotes, which is scheduled to take place today at 10:30 PM IST in India. Ahead of the event, Apple has temporarily taken down its online store.
Apple routinely takes down its online store prior to launching new hardware, a move that helps to build anticipation. Interestingly, this is the second year in a row that Apple has followed this practice before the WWDC event.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
London-based smartphone brand Nothing has confirmed that it will manufacture its upcoming Phone 2 in India. The highly-anticipated Nothing Phone 2 will be launched in July 2023 (next month). Ahead of the launch, Manu Sharma, VP and GM of Nothing India confirmed the news of Nothing Phone (2) production in India.
“Nothing smartphones are known for their iconic transparent design. These designs require hi-tech manufacturing processes and precision engineering which have led to the enhancement of smartphone manufacturing capabilities in India Our drive to manufacture in India reflects our commitment to the local consumers and their demands. We are proud to announce that Phone (2) will be manufactured in India," Manu Sharma, VP and GM of Nothing India, said in a statement.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
Apple’s big day is here where we get to see new products and know the latest features that iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users will be getting later this year. The company’s developer conference is not just aimed at the community but millions across the globe have a keen eye on the event. And this year’s WWDC 2023 keynote is likely to show us some very exciting products like the rumoured Mixed Reality (XR) headset and ecosystem from Apple.
Apple has been working on this product for a few years and now it feels ready to showcase it in front of the world. So what does the XR headset promise and how Apple plans to stand out of the crowd with its new product. Here’s a quick-round up of its features, hardware specs expected and the pricing.
xrOS - Platform Powering the XR HeadsetThe XR headset and its success will depend on the effectiveness of the platform which is being called xrOS. Apple is building an ecosystem which means developers need to come on board to build apps and other use cases for the device. The xrOS promises the best software experience from Apple which would be pivotal if the hardware has to make its mark. The xrOS is likely to use the design elements from macOS and even iOS and give you the ideal virtual reality UI that is low on complexity and focuses on delivering productivity.
The Mixed reality aspect of the device means you switch between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) and this transition will happen via the software, where the xrOS has to do the bulk of the work. We have seen concept renders of the software but only Apple can show us what it has worked on, which we will know later on Monday.
XR Headset For The ProsApple has set its sights on the business segment with its XR headset not only because of its rumoured $3000 (Rs 2.4 lakh approx) price tag but the general use case. The company can make a strong case for the healthcare, IT or construction giants to consider adopting the headset which could revolutionise their workforce.
Medical staff can rely on both VR and AR for surgeries and further advancements in treatments. Apple has always made everyone else sit up and notice. The XR headset could show us whether the ecosystem has a future that is limited to the premium class or will it eventually trickle down the food chain.
As per reports from 9to5Mac, the XR headset is likely to feature a micro OLED display with a display density of 4000 pixels per inch and a whopping 5000 nits of peak targeted brightness. Apple will have health warnings, making sure that people with certain conditions are not using the headset.
top videosWe have been hearing reports about issues regarding the launch of the XR headset. Apple has faced scepticism from its own employees regarding its design, pricing and features. Tim Cook and his senior team has decided that the device is ready for public release, which puts the onus on Cook and Co. to live up to those expectations and ensure it has a release date soon rather than later.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, stumbled his way into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:
Oppo Find X6 Pro Camera Review: After launching its flagship smartphone Oppo Find X6 Pro in March this year, the Chinese tech giant Oppo recently showcased its smartphone in India. Although the phone will not be officially available in India, I had the opportunity to test the camera capabilities of the Oppo Find X6 Pro smartphone recently.
Starting with the camera specifications, the rear of the Oppo Find X6 Pro is equipped with an impressive triple camera setup - a 50MP wide camera with a 1-inch sensor, a 50MP periscope telephoto camera, and a 50MP ultra-wide angle lens. On the front, the device features a single camera setup dedicated to selfies, boasting a 32MP sensor. The smartphone is also powered by a MariSilicon X imaging processor.
The phone comes with a 6.82-inch display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. (Image Source: Bharat Upadhyay/News18)When it comes to the in-built camera features, the Oppo Find X6 Pro offers a range of impressive photo modes, including Monochrome, Night, Pro, Portrait, XPAN, and Pro with 120x zoom, I had the opportunity to try out these different camera modes, and I can say that the Oppo Find X6 Pro is one of the decent camera phones I have used in 2023.
From basic photo mode to 120X zoom capabilities, the Oppo Find X6 Pro is truly meant for those who like to take pictures. From capturing landscapes, such as the historic Cellular Jail and beautiful beaches in Port Blair, to taking colourful portraits, the camera system of the Oppo Find X6 Pro delivers good results.
The smartphone was able to capture even small details. Whether you are capturing photos during the day or at night, the Oppo Find X6 Pro ensures consistent results. You can expect vibrant, accurate, and detailed pictures without compromising the originality of the shot. Thanks to a 50MP periscope telephoto camera, the Oppo Find X6 Pro took amazing zoom photos.
What I Liked The Most About Oppo Find X6 Pro Camera- Monochrome mode: The smartphone takes beautiful black & white pictures in various light conditions.
- Portrait mode: Near-perfect experience. Oppo Find X6 Pro with its 3x optical zoom take detailed portrait shots.
- Zoom capabilities: Whether you talk about 3x optical zoom, 6x hybrid zoom, or 120x zoom, the Zoom technology on Oppo Find X6 Pro is incredible.
- Photo Mode: The Oppo Find X6 Pro takes beautiful pictures in normal settings.
- XPAN mode: The XPan mode on the Oppo Find X6 Pro adds a nostalgic touch as the photos first turn into a negative before being rendered into their final form. This mode provides a vintage shooting experience, adding extra points to the marking list.
Camera Samples:
top videosWhen it comes to the camera, the Oppo Find X6 Pro is a true beast in the market. Unfortunately, this smartphone is not available in the Indian market. It checks all the right boxes for photography enthusiasts, thanks to its triple camera setup. With a 50MP wide camera, a periscope telephoto camera, an ultra-wide angle lens, the Oppo Find X6 Pro captures excellent pictures with incredible zoom technology.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
Oppo Find X6 Pro Camera Review: After launching its flagship smartphone Oppo Find X6 Pro in March this year, the Chinese tech giant Oppo recently showcased its smartphone in India. The smartphone will not be launched in India but we got to spend some time with the Oppo Find X6 Pro to test its new camera capabilities.
Starting with the camera specifications, the rear of the Oppo Find X6 Pro is equipped with a triple camera setup -50MP wide camera with a 1-inch sensor, a 50MP periscope telephoto camera, and a 50MP ultra-wide angle lens. On the front, the device features a single camera setup dedicated to selfies, boasting a 32MP sensor. The smartphone is also powered by a MariSilicon X imaging processor.
The phone comes with a 6.82-inch display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. (Image Source: Bharat Upadhyay/News18)When it comes to the in-built camera features, the Oppo Find X6 Pro offers a range of photo modes, including Monochrome, Night, Pro, Portrait, XPAN, and Pro with 100x zoom.
From basic photo mode to 100X zoom capabilities, the Oppo Find X6 Pro focuses on users who take smartphone photography seriously.
The smartphone was able to capture small details. Whether you’re capturing photos during the day or at night, the Oppo Find X6 ensures consistent results. You can expect vibrant, accurate, and detailed pictures without compromising the originality of the shot. Thanks to a 50MP periscope telephoto camera, the Oppo Find X6 Pro took good zoom photos.
What’s Cool About Oppo Find X6 Pro Camera- Monochrome mode: The smartphone takes beautiful black & white pictures in various light conditions.
- Portrait mode: Near-perfect experience. Oppo Find X6 Pro with its 3x optical zoom take detailed portrait shots.
- Zoom capabilities: Whether you talk about 3x optical zoom, 6x hybrid zoom, or 100x zoom, the Zoom technology on Oppo Find X6 Pro is incredible.
- Photo Mode: The Oppo Find X6 Pro takes pictures in normal settings.
- XPAN mode: The XPan mode on the Oppo Find X6 Pro adds a nostalgic touch as the photos first turn into a negative before being rendered into their final form. This mode provides a vintage shooting experience, adding extra points to the marking list.
Camera Samples:
top videosWhen it comes to the camera, the Oppo Find X6 Pro is a strong contender. Unfortunately, this smartphone is not available in the Indian market. It checks all the right boxes for photography enthusiasts.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorBharat UpadhyayBharat Upadhyay, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 Tech, writes about technology and consumer gadgets. He has been covering the technology beat for over six...Read MoreTags:
Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urged people on Friday to not pick mobile phone calls from “unknown numbers” and asserted that measures taken by the ministry have resulted in a significant reduction in spam calls and cases of cyber frauds.
“People should never pick calls made from unknown numbers. I request every citizen that they should respond to calls from only (telephone/mobile) those numbers they recognise,” he told reporters. He was responding to a question about spam calls and cyber frauds.
window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: thumbnails-mid-article , container: taboola-mid-article-thumbnails , placement: Mid Article Thumbnails , target_type: mix }); About the AuthorShaurya SharmaShaurya Sharma, Sub Editor at News18, reports on consumer and gaming technology. He has been helping people figure out their tech to make informed cho...Read MoreTags: