Technology
US Investigating Meta for Role in Illicit Drug Sales: ReportU.S. prosecutors in Virginia are probing whether Facebook-parent Meta’s social media platforms facilitated and profited from the illegal sale of drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing documents and people familiar with the matter.
The prosecutors sent subpoenas last year and have been asking questions as part of a criminal grand jury probe, the report said, adding that they have also been requesting records related to drug content or illicit sale of drugs via Meta’s platforms.
The Food and Drug Administration has also been helping with the investigation, the newspaper added. It noted that investigations do not always lead to charges of wrongdoing.
The paper quoted a spokesman for Meta as saying in a statement: “The sale of illicit drugs is against our policies and we work to find and remove this content from our services”.
“Meta proactively cooperates with law enforcement authorities to help combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs,” he added.
The prosecutors’ office and a spokeswoman for the FDA declined to comment to WSJ.
Meta, the FDA and the Virginia Attorney General’s office did not immediately respond to a Reuters’ request for comment.
Meta’s president of global affairs, Nick Clegg, said on social media platform X on Friday that Meta had joined up with the U.S. State Department, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Snapchat to help disrupt the sale of synthetic drugs online and educate users about the associated risks.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters)Tags:CCI Orders Probe Into Google s Play Store Policies: Here s What The Company Said
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Friday ordered a probe into the Google Play Store, accusing the tech giant of exploiting its dominant position in the country’s online market.
The CCI said that Google allegedly imposed unfair terms and discriminatory practices in its Play Store, violating several provisions of the country’s anti-trust law. The CCI’s investigative arm has been given 60 days to complete the probe.
The company said that it was examining the CCI’s order initiating the investigation.
“The CCI has previously examined our service fee in detail between 2020 and 2022 and found no illegality. However, we take our commitment to comply with local laws and regulations in India seriously and will cooperate with the process in every way,” a Google spokesperson told IANS.
The CCI decision came after multiple Indian app developers and industry groups filed a complaint against Google and raised concerns about the unfair practices of the company after several of their apps were removed. The apps were later restored.
The CCI probe is initiated over a new complaint by People Interactive and some other developers specifically about the service fee levied on Google Play.
Prateek Jain, Associate Director, of The Alliance of Digital India Foundation (ADIF), said in a statement that they applaud the commitment of regulatory authorities such as the CCI to promote a level playing field for businesses.
“We believe that fair implementation and monitoring of billing systems will result in competitive pricing of services in the market, boost innovation, safeguard consumer choice, and benefit the interests of all stakeholders in the digital ecosystem,” Jain added.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - IANS)About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Forgot Your UPI PIN? Here s How You Change Or Reset The Four-Digit PIN
The ongoing technological advancements have given a significant boost to net banking, especially with the advent of the Unified Payments Interface a.k.a. UPI. This instant real-time payment system allows users to send money instantly from one bank to another.
UPI also works as an alternative payment option to IMPS or NEFT and enables a secure transfer of funds. To be able to make UPI payments, users need to set up their UPI accounts and create a UPI PIN, a password that is to be used every time to authorise the transaction from your mobile payment applications.
What is UPI PIN?UPI PIN which stands for Unified Payments Interface Personal Identification Number is a four or six-digit number which is set by the users themselves at the time of UPI registration or later. While users have the option to choose their own UPI pin making it easier for them to remember, there are also instances when we often forget our UPI pin or are unable to access UPI accounts on platforms like Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm.
However, one can always reset or change the UPI PIN by following a series of simple steps.
How to change UPI PIN?1. Open the mobile payment application that supports your UPI service.
2. Go to your profile option displayed on the home screen.
3. Next, click on the bank account option for which you want to change the UPI PIN.
4. Click on the Change UPI PIN/Reset UPI PIN option.
5. Add the necessary information like ATM or debit card details associated with your bank account.
6. Upon entering card details, you will receive an OTP via message on your registered mobile number.
7. Enter the OTP to complete the following steps.
8. Now, enter a new four or six-digit UPI PIN of your choice for the selected account.
9. Re-enter the PIN for verification and click on the Confirm option to complete the process.
Note: Bank details are not required for changing the UPI PIN on every platform. The conditions vary accordingly.
In the meantime, as the UPI PIN holds complete control over the funds in your bank account, it is important to keep it highly confidential and also set up a PIN that is easy to remember.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:The Better One: What Is The Difference Between AMOLED And OLED Display?
When looking for a phone, buyers look for a variety of features and specifications, including the screen size and quality of display. However, before making a choice, it is also important to understand the technology behind the phone display as per one's requirements. While looking for a good quality phone display, terms like TFT, LCD, AMOLED, OLED, and SLCD can make you even more confused.
Today, we'll talk about the two most preferred and popular displays i.e., AMOLED and OLED. While there is not much difference between the two, it is still important to understand their explanations and the technology behind them.
What Is OLED Display?Organic Light Emitting Diode display technology or OLED is considered a much better alternative than LCD technology, thanks to its excellent colour reproduction, faster response time, wider viewing angles, higher brightness, and extremely lightweight designs. Unlike LCDs, OLEDs don't need a separate backlight as pixels in a row emit their own light when an electric current is applied. Besides offering better contrast and more vibrant colours, they are also thinner, lighter and more flexible, as per smartphone companies.
What is An AMOLED Display?There is no substantial difference between OLED and AMOLED. Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode displays aka AMOLED displays are basically a type of OLED display, gaining rapid popularity in smartphones in the present time.
AMOLEDs include all the attributes of an OLED display such as better colour reproduction, faster response time, wider viewing angles, higher brightness, and lightweight. However, when it comes to vibrancy and brilliance, AMOLED manages to beat SLCD display technology. While AMOLEDs inherit most of the benefits of OLED technology, they still consume less power when displaying darker content.
Having discussed the features between the two display technologies that have taken a boom in the past decade, they are also widely used in smartphones followed by laptops, wearables, and other consumer electronic devices. While AMOLEDs generally consume less power than LCD display types, it is widely used in low-power devices such as smartphones and is also considered better than OLED for phone displays.
When it comes to AMOLED, you can turn on or off the individual pixels and switch them quickly, thus enabling precise and rapid control over the display's output. On the other hand, the OLED panel controls the number of pixels row-wise.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Hackers Are Now Targeting eSIM Profiles To Steal Your Data And Money: Here’s What We Know
SIM card frauds are common, a major concern and used extensively by hackers but now they are also evolving with the changes in tech. New reports claim these hackers are now relying on eSIM profiles to transfer your primary number to steal data and money. eSIM is the digital version of a SIM card that can be programmed remotely and the bad actors are using this ability to bypass the physical card and gain access to it using an eSIM.
As we all know that mobile numbers can be used to get data of any kind, and these hackers are now using this trick to get easier control over other phones.
The report also quoted, F.A.C.C.T., a Russian cybersecurity firm that has talked about the latest security issue related to eSIMs and the fact that an eSIM can be activated using a QR code, makes them an easy prey.
You might feel that telcos will have a robust mechanism to avoid getting trapped in this fraud but these hackers are aware that having basic information of the owner allows them to clear the authentication steps and make the telcos do tweaks to the account as per their needs.
So, what happens when these bad actors are able to access the phone number? The firm says they will try to steal money from bank accounts and even retrieve personal information through messaging apps. eSIM has predominantly been a secondary option for most people, however, Apple has a eSIM-only iPhone model available in select countries, who should be aware of this fraud and have been advised to safeguard their details.
People must activate two-factor authentication for their accounts, or even consider having these accounts secured with the help of authenticator apps.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:OpenAI s Chip Venture Seeks Investment Talks With Abu Dhabi-backed Firm
(Reuters) – Abu Dhabi's state-backed investment firm MGX is in early stage discussions to invest in ChatGPT-maker OpenAI's chip venture, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing two sources.
MGX, a technology investment company with Abu Dhabi's Mubadala and artificial intelligence firm G42 as founding partners, was only launched earlier this week.
MGX and OpenAI did not immediately reply to Reuters' request for comment.
The report follows an earlier FT story that said Singapore's Temasek Holdings was in talks to invest in OpenAI.
The UAE’s AI minister Omar Sultan Al Olama told the FT that he also sees xAI owner Elon Musk doing something AI-related in the country.
"I don’t think it's far out for him (Musk) to do something here,” Olama told the FT.
AI startups attracted one out of every three dollars invested last year in the United States, and OpenAI's ChatGPT grabbed the spotlight as startups raced to develop AI technology.
The launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022 brought attention to generative AI technologies, spurring billions in investments on chips and servers required to support the adoption of such applications.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters)Tags:Google I/O 2024 Dates Announced: Big AI, Pixels And More We Expect To See This Year
We’re just three months into 2024 but Google is already gearing up for its big annual developer even in the next few months. That’s right, the Google I/O 2024 bugle has been sounded and we also know when the next Google conference is taking place this year. Google uses the I/O platform to showcase the new Android version, some big Pixel launches, like the Pixel Fold from last year and other core developer stuff that sets the stage for development of platforms. Sundar Pichai will once again take the stage and preside over a keynote along with his executives to talk about AI, Pixel and a lot more.
Google I/O 2024 Dates And TimingGoogle I/O 2024 is going to start on May 14, and the keynote of the event will start from 10:00 AM ET (10:30 PM IST). You can watch the keynote live on Google’s YouTube page as well as the Google I/O 2024 events page.
Google I/O 2024 Keynote: What To ExpectGoogle is expected to continue its focus on AI this year, and we might hear more about its applications for Android. The Pixel phones have already been boosted with the Gemini Nano AI model, but the company could have something lined up for the affordable devices as well. Google has an extensive plan for its AI products and now it is about bringing it to a wider audience.
We also expect to see or even know more about the Google Pixel 8a model that was accidentally leaked by Google recently, which more or less confirms its presence at the I/O 2024 keynote. We are hopeful that Google’s Pixel Fold 2 or Table 2 also makes an appearance in a few month’s time, while also sharing details about Android 15 that is already available in the closed beta avatar.
Google could also have a session on the new-look WearOS 5 version that should carry forward the work done with the battery tech in recent times. AI is going to be at the forefront of the event, and we would be surprised if Pichai doesn’t start an AI counting meme once again.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Charkha to Chips Showcases Gujarat s Journey from Historic Sabarmati Ashram to Dholera-Sanand Industrial Boom
Less than a year ago, Gujarat witnessed the convergence of its rich historical legacy with a promising industrial future.
SemiconIndia 2023, organised by India Semiconductor Mission in collaboration with industry stakeholders, introduced the captivating slogan or tagline ‘Charkha to Chips’ to the nation. This unique combination aimed to symbolise India’s journey from the meditative spinning wheel of Gandhi Ashram to the modern industrial charm of Dholera and Sanand.
The inaugural event of SemiconIndia not only unveiled the slogan but also showcased a display illustrating India’s technological evolution with a charkha and chip model. The significance of this transition became obvious later in the year with significant announcements in the semiconductor industry. Micron’s decision to establish its ATMP plant in Sanand marked a pivotal moment for the country. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside government officials and industry leaders, laid the foundation stone for three semiconductor projects, two of which are situated in Dholera and Sanand.
One of these will be India’s first semiconductor fabrication facility at the Dholera Special Investment Region (DSIR) by Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC). Another semiconductor unit will be established by CG Power and Japan’s Renesas in Sanand.
The choice of these two areas as semiconductor hubs underscores various strategic factors. These include robust government support, availability of skilled labour and land, supportive industrial infrastructure, and advantageous geographical locations. Dholera’s proximity to a port and an upcoming international airport complements its attractiveness for semiconductor investments. On the other hand, Sanand’s connectivity to major transportation networks such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and its proximity to Ahmedabad further enhance its appeal.
But it needs to be understood that all of these began with a simple yet very powerful and strategic idea that India needs to be self-reliant or ‘Atmanirbhar’ and should establish itself as a key partner in the global supply chain.
However, beyond the realm of semiconductors lies a deeper narrative rooted in India’s pursuit of self-reliance. This journey finds its origins in the Swadeshi movement championed by Mahatma Gandhi, who elevated the charkha as a symbol of self-sufficiency during India’s struggle for independence. Ahmedabad, with its historical textile prowess, epitomises this ethos, where the charkha served as a cornerstone of the city’s textile industry.
The historical significance of the charkha echoes through landmarks such as the Sabarmati Ashram, once home to Gandhi. Here, the spinning wheel embodied principles of simplicity, self-reliance, and peaceful resistance. From a philosophical perspective, it was a way of life that Gandhi believed could empower individuals and ultimately lead to a more just and equitable society.
Today, the ashram stands as a testament to these ideals. At this peace sanctuary, situated on the banks of the Sabarmati River which looks nothing less than the Thames after the redevelopment of the riverfront, spinning demonstrations — showcasing the traditional spinning technique — can be witnessed by the visitors, with someone reading out the lines said by Gandhi when he used to reside at the Ashram.
In essence, the journey from charkha to chips epitomises Gujarat’s duality — a seamless blend of tradition and modernity, heritage, and innovation. This convergence underscores the overarching theme of self-reliance that binds these seemingly disparate elements together. As Gujarat emerges as a nucleus for both traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology, it epitomises India’s quest for self-sufficiency in the global arena.
About the AuthorBhaswati Guha MajumderBhaswati Guha Majumder, Senior Correspondent at News18, has been passionately covering stories related to technology, business (infrastructure), gover...Read MoreTags:Google DeepMind s Latest AI Agent Can Play 3D Games: What We Know
Artificial Intelligence (AI) models specialising in one game and always playing to win are old news now. Google Deepmind has come forward with a fresh take, creating a new model that is designed to play multiple 3D games just like a human. Not only that, it will also understand and act based on the gamer's instructions. Google DeepMind recently introduced its AI-based virtual gaming partner, SIMA, which will play just like professional gamers by responding to instructions and carrying out tasks accordingly.
The AI agent's capability is not just limited to linear games where a specific path or story is to be followed; it will also be available in open-world settings.
Google DeepMind: The Virtual Gaming PartnerStanding for 'Scalable, Instructable, Multiworld Agent', SIMA has been trained on a number of video games and essentially understands natural language commands in reference to the 3D gaming world and image recognition to perform tasks effectively.
According to a Google blog post, the company has partnered with several game developers to train SIMA on a number of video games, like No Man’s Sky by Hello Games, Teardown by Tuxedo Labs, Valheim, and Goat Simulator 2 among others. Also, it has translated the capabilities of advanced AI models into useful, real-world actions through a language interface.
“SIMA is an AI agent that can perceive and understand a variety of environments, then take actions to achieve an instructed goal. It comprises a model designed for precise image-language mapping and a video model that predicts what will happen next on-screen,” it said, further adding that the AI agent doesn’t need access to a game's source code or bespoke APIs but just requires the images on screen and simple, natural-language instructions from the user.
“SIMA uses keyboard and mouse outputs to control the games’ central character to carry out these instructions. This simple interface is what humans use, meaning SIMA can potentially interact with any virtual environment,” the post adds.
Presently, SIMA is evaluated across 600 basic skills, including navigation, object interaction, and menu use. Speaking on the same during a media briefing, DeepMind researcher Tim Harley shared that the AI agent has been trained to do what it's told in the game. “We want our future agents to tackle tasks that will require high-level strategic planning and multiple sub-tasks,” he added.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Paytm UPI Service Will Be Available After March 15 But It Will Be More Like Google Pay And PhonePe: What It Means For You
Paytm is officially going to end its support for the Payments Bank which has got many people worried about their digital payments. The last date for its operation is March 15, 2024 and the company has finally managed to get a reprieve of sorts which allows the platform to offer UPI payments through its app.
Paytm’s parent company has got the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to sign off on a deal that lets Paytm to operate its UPI service albeit as a third-party application like Google Pay and PhonePe. Being a third-party app means the tech aspect of the platform comes under their purview while the payment operations are handled by the banks.
The new definition means Paytm will rely on Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India (SBI) and Yes Bank to be its payment service provider after March 15. Paytm has relied on its Payments Bank to serve millions of users but the recent notification warrants Paytm to stop its Payments Bank, giving other traditional banks the chance to tap into its resources and serve the customers.
Paytm’s parent company is now being told to migrate the @paytm UPI ID to @Yesbank ID which allows the payments to go through seamlessly without the customer needing to make any change to their settings on the platform. “This will enable existing users and merchants to continue to do UPI transactions and AutoPay mandates in a seamless and uninterrupted manner,” the release from NPCI states.
While UPI services will be available through other banks, Paytm will not be able to continue offering its FASTag service, and the existing customers have been asked to get from a new FASTag provider to continue using the NFC-based toll payment platform. UPI is a big source of digital payments in India, and Paytm will be hoping the chance to continue as a third-party application will keep its business and customers steady.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra With Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Unveiled: Will It Come to India?
The Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra has been unveiled this week and expected to be available in the coming weeks. With the Zenfone 11 Ultra launch, Asus seems to be done with compact phones and the Ultra moniker makes it similar to Samsung and Apple’s Pro Max.
The new Zenfone series phone is available in four colours and is powered by latest Snapdragon 8 Gen chipset. It comes with an AMOLED display and boasts various built-in AI functions to set the trends list.
Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra: All You Need To KnowThe dual-SIM (Nano) Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra runs Android 14 and comes with a large 6.78-inch full-HD+ AMOLED LTPO display with a screen-to-body ratio of 94 percent, a peak brightness of 2500 nits, and 144Hz refresh rate. The screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, which is combined with up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. It includes AI capabilities such as real-time AI transcript, a new AI-based search tool, live language translation, and noise cancellation, among others.
Asus is offering an AI-powered triple rear camera setup, which includes a 50MP Sony IMX890 1/1.56-inch primary sensor with six-axis gimbal stabilisation, a 13MP super wide-angle camera with a 120-degree field of vision, as well as a 32MP telephoto sensor with OIS and 3x optical zoom.
The phone offers 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, Bluetooth, GPS/A-GPS, a 3.5mm audio socket, and a USB Type-C port for connectivity. It is dust and water-resistant with the IP68 rating.
The device packs a 5,500mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging which promises full juice in under 40 minutes. The price of the Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage is EUR 999 (around Rs 90,000). The price of the 16GB RAM + 512GB storage model is EUR 1099, (about Rs 99,000). It is unlikely that we will see Asus ZenFone 11 Ultra launch in countries like India.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:OpenAI’s Mira Murati Quizzed About Data Used To Train Sora AI Model: Here’s What She Said
OpenAI is an AI juggernaut which has quickly moved beyond ChatGPT and now offers its AI model in other forms. We have seen AI being used to create images and videos that can be generated with a simple prompt or text.
But the company has been facing questions about its policies and how it manages to get data that is used to train the AI model. OpenAI has already gone through these allegations via the New York Times, which has sued the AI giant, claiming its AI model was trained using its articles without their permission.
So, when OpenAI CTO Mira Murati was interviewed recently, and asked about the data used to train its new Sora model, the executive clearly didn’t prepare for the grilling that was coming her way.
Murati was put through a set of questions by the Wall Street Journal, but all of us were eager to see if the company finally reveals its secret sauce to train the AI models. The journalist specifically asked Murati, what data is used by OpenAI to train its new text-to-video AI model, Sora.
Murati was quoted saying that the open has used publicly available data and licensed data to train Sora. She was further quizzed about the source of the publicly available data, with a specific reference to YouTube and Facebook. The OpenAI CTO had a befuddled reaction to that question, and decided against talking about the details of the data OpenAI uses to train its AI model.
And that’s where it has become a problem for OpenAI or any other company in the AI vertical. It is ethically important for these companies to disclose their data source, because the lack of transparency raises questions about the legitimacy and credibility of the responses generated by the AI chatbots. Recent events with Google’s own image generator have raised the concerns further.
OpenAI has Microsoft in its wing, but episodes like these don’t fill the public with confidence about the future of AI, especially when you have AI models that are slowly but surely being prepared to replace manpower. It also is a big concern when OpenAI aspires to have an AI-powered search engine out in the market in the near future.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Apple Buys This AI Startup Ahead Of Its Big GenAI Push In 2024
(Reuters) – Apple has bought artificial intelligence (AI) startup DarwinAI and added dozens of the Canadian company's staffers to its AI division, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.
The iPhone maker purchased the business earlier this year, the report stated, citing people familiar with the matter. The report did not mention the deal value.
The companies did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
Apple has been slower in rolling out generative AI, which can generate human-like responses to written prompts, than rivals such as Microsoft and Alphabet's Google, which are weaving them into products.
Alexander Wong, an AI researcher at the University of Waterloo who helped build DarwinAI's business, has joined Apple as a director in its AI group as part of the deal, the report added.
DarwinAI has developed AI technology for visually inspecting components during the manufacturing process and serves customers in a range of industries, Bloomberg said.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - Reuters)Tags:Poco X6 Neo 5G With 108MP Camera Launched In India: Check Price And Features
POCO has launched its new phone in the X6 series that already includes the POCO X6 and Poco X6 Pro. The new POCO X6 Neo 5G comes with a starting price of Rs 15,999 and seemingly will give very tough competition to other smartphones in the same price segment, like the Samsung Galaxy F15 5G, Realme 12 5G, and Redmi 13 5G, among others. The phone comes powered by a MediaTek Dimensity chipset, features an AMOLED display, and a 5000mAh battery with support for fast charging.
POCO X6 Neo 5G: Price and variantsThe new POCO X6 Neo comes in two variants, priced at Rs 15,999 for 8GB/128GB model and Rs 17,999 for the 12GB/256GB variant. The new Poco X-series phone will be available in three colours Astral Black, Horizon Blue, and Martian Orange.
POCO X6 Neo 5G: Specifications1. It has a 6.67-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. The screen offers up to 1000 nits of peak brightness, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
2. The smartphone is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 6080 which is an 6nm chipset.
3. The phone has a 108MP 1/1.67 rear camera, along with a 2MP depth sensor and an LED flash. It also has a 16MP front camera.
4. The POCO X6 Neo comes with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and infrared sensor.
5. The device is dust and splash-resistant thanks to the IP54 rating.
6. The phone comes with a 5000mAh battery, which can be quickly charged through its 33W charger.
7. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and Dolby Atmos support.
8. The phone runs MIUI 14, based on Android 13.
As the phone will go live on Flipkart on 18 March, several launch offers will be provided, including a Rs 1,000 instant discount on the use of ICICI bank cards. It will be followed by an additional discount of Rs 1,000 on exchange. Buyers can also avail of a no-cost EMI for up to nine months. In short, the POCO X6 Neo 5G comes with a convincing package for budget-conscious buyers who want performance, display, quality, battery life, and a good camera.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:This Budget 5G Phone Offers Wireless Charging And Premium Design: All Details
More brands are bringing premium features to the lower price band and Motorola is the latest to pull off something new for the buyers. Its new Moto G 5G phone offers wireless charging which is very rare to see in a phone that costs below Rs 25,000.
The new Moto G Power 5G smartphone is launching in select markets for now, and the company is giving you support for 15W wireless charging speed, while you get it with 30W wired charging speed. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity chipset, has a 50MP primary camera and a 5,000mAh battery.
While the wireless charging aspect steals the limelight for the Moto G Power, the company has also decided to take out the charger from the box, which means you will have to buy one separately, like the Nothing Phone 2a. Wireless charging has mostly been reserved for phones above Rs 50,000, except for the Phone 1 and Phone 2 that offer the feature for under Rs 30,000 these days.
Adding the coil for charging takes extra space at the back, and tuning it to work effectively doesn’t come cheap either. So, it is interesting to see Motorola take this route and we are hoping more brands can look to bring the tech to their mid-range phones in the near future. Some of you might say that fast wired charging (as high as 67W) is better than having 15W wireless charging tech, which is a fair remark.
However, wireless charging has been around for a long time, so it makes sense to see the feature trickle down to affordable phones now, even if it is just a luxury feature. The Moto G phone also offers NFC which has been missing from the previous versions.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Microsoft’s Satya Nadella Can’t Believe Google Is Not Leading The Global AI Race: Here’s Why
Microsoft has become a household name in the world of AI thanks to its partnership with OpenAI. But the company feels other companies have a better chance to lead the market. Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft says, he can’t believe Google is not leading the AI race, especially with all the tools and resources at its disposal. In fact, Nadella was quoted saying in a podcast that Google should have been the default winner.
Now, why would he say that, especially when his company is way ahead of the California-based giant? Nadella pointed out that Google is the most vertically placed company to take advantage of the AI boom. After all, it has the tech, the man power and even the data to train the AI models.
It is interesting to see Nadella talk about Google in this manner, but he isn’t completely wrong with his estimation. Google has been talked about highly with its focus on AI, but it has been slow to enter the segment with the Gemini AI model.
Google has repeatedly stated that it is in no hurry to push AI without being completely sure about behaviour. And the company’s own concerns came forth recently, when the AI image generator was found to be inaccurate with historical figures and even racist to some extent.
Google was forced to pause the feature and this incident even made Sundar Pichai to internally address the employees and called the whole situation, completely unacceptable. The company has big AI plans in 2024, and some of the changes could entail staff churning which has been done in recent months.
Talking about Microsoft, the company is basking in its proactive approach towards AI, tapping into the vast pool resources available with OpenAI, and offering its hardware to make the final product tick. Nadella would be secretly happy with the progress of the company’s AI focus, which is slowly trickling down to Windows PCs. But he will also be aware of Google’s possible moves that could make it a feisty contest in the near future.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Spotify Expands Its Feature Set With Music Videos But Only For The Paid Subscribers: All Details
Spotify is bringing a new popular feature that it hopes will appeal to new users and make them pay for the platform. Spotify has announced music videos for its premium subscribers, which is basically a direct competition to YouTube and YouTube Music as well. It is interesting that Spotify has taken this long to have this feature, something that YouTube Music has offered from day one.
With the feature you can switch between audio and video of a track with a single click. Spotify’s version of this feature is in beta for now, which means you can only switch the mode for limited tracks. Spotify says the feature is available in 11 countries for now, which includes, Germany, UK, Poland, Brazil, Columbia, Kenya and Netherlands among others. The notable absentees are US and India.
The company says these are just the first batch of markets where the feature is rolling out, so we can expect more to be added in the near future. Spotify’s new premium feature works on Android, iOS, desktop and the TV app as well. All you have to do is login with your premium account and get access to the audio-video toggle tool, available in the Now Playing section.
Spotify has a lot of paid subscribers but the growth hasn’t been steep in the past few years. The platform is sort of getting desperate, closing the door to many basic features for the free users.
Spotify doesn’t let the free users listen to songs on repeat anymore, play music in any order, tapping back to play the same song and more. Now, you also have the option to play music videos and for that, get ready to shell out monthly or annual charges for the platform.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Tech Talk: Un-Masking Facial Recognition Challenges In Wake of Bengaluru Cafe Blast Probe
In the wake of the Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast, the investigators have turned to facial recognition technology (FRT) — a vital asset for law enforcement agencies, offering expedited investigations and enhanced crime resolution capabilities — to identify the suspect.
The law enforcement officials investigating the explosion at the cafe on Kundalahalli Road in Whitefield, used AI-powered facial recognition technology to ascertain the identity of the individual who placed a bag containing the explosive device at the site. Soon, surveillance footage surfaced, revealing a man entering the cafe with the bag.
The city police later stated that the individual’s facial features were recorded by CCTV cameras, with efforts underway to match them using facial recognition systems for tracking purposes. Amid the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe, the delay in apprehending the suspect, despite employing AI-powered FRT, raised questions.
However, one key challenge emerged in the initial probe — the individual captured on CCTV cameras was wearing a mask, a precautionary measure adopted by many amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
FACE MASK HURDLE: THE HONG KONG EXAMPLEIdentifying individuals, even with FRT, becomes challenging due to the usage of face masks. This was notably observed during the 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, where participants, predominantly students, put on masks to evade surveillance cameras with FRT and as safeguard against tear gas. In response, Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong at the time, imposed a temporary ban on wearing masks during public assemblies.
As per tech experts, FRT can identify individuals wearing masks under specific conditions. These conditions involve placing greater emphasis on visible areas such as the eyes, forehead and nose space for identification. Additionally, it also claimed that newer systems are becoming more sophisticated and can work better with partial facial data.
However, the tech becomes less accurate when individuals wear masks, which prompted the Hong Kong authorities to enforce a ban. The tech’s limitation arises because FRT systems rely on analysing the entire face. Masks obstruct the lower face, diminishing available data points for identification. Human brains recognise faces best when the encounter conditions (masked vs. unmasked) are similar to when they first formed the memory of the face. So FRTs may struggle if the initial image used for identification was unmasked and the person is now masked.
FRT USAGE AND THE DEBATEIt needs to be highlighted that the CCTVs with in-built FRT software for real-time analysis and matching CCTV footage with separate FRTs are two different approaches. The latter is considered traditional. Face masks make any of this more difficult. While they may not completely prevent identification, they prolong the process.
Real-time analysis of CCTV video feeds with FRT allows for comparisons with databases of known individuals. Moreover, FRT’s ability to track individuals on watchlists entering sensitive areas offers proactive intervention opportunities, potentially preventing crimes before they occur.
In this context, human rights and privacy concerns take the discussion on the mass usage of FRT systems to another level. Many believe that striking the right balance appears difficult. Despite the undeniable utility of FRT systems in bolstering global security measures, debates or concerns regarding privacy violation, accuracy, and bias dampen enthusiasm for widespread deployment.
However, responsible FRT usage requires robust goverance structures, including transparent data handling protocols. Moreover, transparency regarding FRT implementation and stakeholder involvement becomes imperative to cultivate public trust in its ethical deployment. Achieving the right balance between security needs and privacy concerns could significantly enhance law enforcement’s capabilities by deploying FRT with city CCTV cameras.
About the AuthorBhaswati Guha MajumderBhaswati Guha Majumder, Senior Correspondent at News18, has been passionately covering stories related to technology, business (infrastructure), gover...Read MoreTags:MSI Launches First Gaming Handheld Console, New Lineup Of AI-Powered Laptops; Price In India, Features
MSI has introduced Claw, its first gaming handheld device in the Indian market this week. This is the first gaming portable device to use the new Intel Core Ultra processor. Furthermore, the company introduced its most recent AI-powered laptop portfolio, which includes an Intel Core Ultra processor with an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) built-in. It comprises MSI’s first 18-inch gaming laptops, powered by Intel Core Ultra processors.
All these models come with Nvidia RTX 40 series graphics cards. The entire line of laptops will be offered in the market at a starting price of Rs 68,990.
MSI has also released the MSI AI Engine, an AI-powered program intended to optimise laptop settings based on the application in use, hence improving user experience. Along with that, MSI introduces AI Artist, an offline text-to-image solution for content creators that includes image-to-image, image-to-text, and PSD file exporting.
Moreover, with configurable microphone pickup settings, the AI Noise Cancellation Pro provides studio-quality voice for remote meetings or professional recording, even in busy environments.
MSI ClawThe Claw has a 7-inch Full HD touchscreen display with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. According to MSI, it has a battery life of up to two hours on a single charge under heavy workload conditions. The device also includes MSI Cooler Boost Hyperflow thermal technology, which enables it to provide ideal performance and cool internal components when the workload is high.
18-inch Raider, Titan, and Stealth SeriesThe Titan 18 HX, Raider 18 HX, and Stealth 18 AI Studio are the latest 18-inch gaming laptops, all powered by top-tier Intel 14th generation Core i9 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics. Among its notable features is the world’s first 18-inch 4K 120Hz tiny LED display. Every model has a unique design, such as the Raider 18 HX’s recognisable matrix light bar and the Titan 18 HX’s seamless RGB haptic touchpad. These laptops combine solid build quality and stylish appearance with a durable magnesium-aluminium alloy construction.
Crosshair, Vector, and Pulse SeriesThe Vector 17 HX comes with MSI Overboost technology and a total power output of 250W. Meanwhile, the Crosshair HX and Pulse AI series use novel thermal designs to optimise airflow for maximum performance. These models also include eye-catching designs, such as 24-zone RGB keyboard backlights.
Cyborg, Sword, and Thin SeriesThe Sword 16/17 HX sports a space grey body and a 24-zone RGB-lit keyboard. The Cyborg 15 AI's translucent chassis oozes futuristic appeal. The Thin 15 on the other hand, with its portable design and translucent WASD blue backlit keyboard, provides a fashionable gaming experience. MSI also introduces the Cyborg 14, which offers accessibility in a sleek 14-inch design.
Prestige SeriesThe lightweight Prestige 16 AI leads the pack, with a powerful 99.9WHr battery that promises up to 19 hours of use. The Prestige 14 AI has the largest battery (90Wh) in its class and supports up to PD 3.1 140W charging. Furthermore, the Prestige 13 AI Evo is reported to have impressive battery life and dazzling OLED screens.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags:Microsoft Is Ready To Bet On Foldables Once Again: Here s What We Know
Microsoft launched two Surface foldables and then decided against bringing a third one because clearly it didn’t see a future for the product. However, the company is now gearing for a renewed approach in the foldable segment, at least, that’s what a new patent filing from Microsoft is hinting at this week.
The actual filing date of the patent from Microsoft is around December 2022, and it finally got published in February this year. The new-look Microsoft foldable is likely to be a phone with a vertical hinge axis, as highlighted in the filing, that will have a frame to support the outer and the interior screen.
The new hinge mechanism clearly points to a new smartphone with a foldable display that can be developed by Microsoft using its patent. The Surface Duo lineup barely made a dent in the foldable space, and it has become evident that the product never had the tools and the software to command its hefty price tag.
The patent filed in 2022 clearly shows the company also realised the need to come up with a different foldable product, which can give the Samsung Galaxy Z Folds, Google Pixel Folds and the rumoured Apple foldable device a run for their money.
The company has been busy with AI development thanks to its partnership with OpenAI but it cannot ignore the need to be involved in a segment that will gradually take shape, especially when Apple enters the market with its own foldable product.
Having said that, patent filings are usual, and companies get it done to avoid the competition from getting a leg up, so it doesn’t mean that the said foldable device will actually become a reality and for now, we can just wait and see if Microsoft does try its luck once again.
About the AuthorS AadeetyaS Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media ho...Read MoreTags: