The Poco M2 Pro is now confirmed to make its global debut in India on July 7. The device was making a lot of buzz from the last few weeks and finally, Poco announced the launch date of the device. Unlike the Poco X2, this will most likely be an affordable, budget-friendly device.
The Poco M2 Pro will be Poco’s third smartphone in India after the Poco F1 flagship and most recent Poco X2 mid-ranger. It will also be the cheapest smartphone from the company yet, and is expected to be priced lower than the Redmi Note 9 Pro series.
Cut to the chase
What is it? Poco M2 Pro
When will it come? July 7 in India
Expected price? Under Rs 15,000
Poco M2 Pro launch date in India
Poco India has already confirmed that the upcoming Poco M2 Pro will be launched in India on July 7 at 12 noon. The launch event will be live-streamed on Youtube. The landing page for the device is already live on Flipkart.
Redmi Note 9 Pro(Image credit: Future)
Poco M2 Pro expected specs
The Poco M2 Pro is not a mysterious device anymore. The smartphone is in the news for around two months now. The handset was spotted on Xiaomi’s RF Exposure page back in May but was soon removed from the listing. The device was also spotted on the Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG databases with M2003J6CI model number.
The Flipkart tease images reveal a couple of key features of the Poco M2 Pro. For starters, the Poco M2 Pro will house a quad-camera array at the rear along with an LED flash. The camera array at the back looks similar to the Redmi Note 9 series, which shouldn’t come as a surprise anymore as the declaration ID for the Poco M2 Pro matches that of Redmi Note 9 series on Bluetooth SIG listing. Also, the codename “gram” is the same as the Redmi Note 9 Pro.
This has led to speculations that the upcoming Poco M2 Pro could be a rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro (global variant) which was announced alongside the Poco F2 Pro.
(Image credit: Flipkart)
The Poco M2 Pro is going to be the most affordable Poco device yet, going by the speculations. As of now, there are only a few specs of the device that are confirmed. As said earlier, it is confirmed to come with a quad-camera set up at the rear. And, also from the image on the teaser page, we can’t see the fingerprint scanner on the rear. So, we expect the device to pack in a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
Furthermore, the device is confirmed to come with 33W fast charging capabilities. We expect the device to pack in a huge battery and Type-C port for charging. The key highlight of the device is going to be the performance and so, it is expected to pack in a powerful chipset from Qualcomm or MediaTek.
If we go by the speculation that the device could be a rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro global version, we could see a 64MP quad-camera array with Samsung GW1 sensor, a 6.67-inch full HD+ display and Snapdragon 720G chipset.
Other products
(Image credit: Poco)
Poco had announced it is working on a pair of TWS earbuds for the Indian market, called the Poco Pop Buds. Although the company has not announced officially, we could see the first truly wireless earbuds being launched at the same event.
Apple purchased one of the best weather apps in the business this spring, and unfortunately that meant Dark Sky pulled its Android app. If you haven’t already installed it, it’s gone from the Google Play Store, and the company initially informed subs...
from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/31Bnva7
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/3f42ys4
The ban on 59 Chinese apps by the Indian government seems to have opened the doors for Indian replacements in ways unimagined before.
Sensing an opportunity almost every one is moving in quickly. For instance, social media platform ShareChat has launched the short-video app Moj on the Google Play Store.
And in another swift thrust, Walmart's Indian e-commerce biggie, Flipkart, has unveiled a new social commerce platform: 'social.2gud.com'.
This is a tweak on the Flipkart's existing 2gud.com, an independent value platform for certified refurbished goods. Flipkart had earlier launched it after eBay India shuttered down.
The new social commerce platform will purvey its products through influencer-led video clips. It is primarily aimed at consumers from small towns and lower-income groups, Flipkart sources have been quoted as saying in Economic Times.
The other main existing players in the Indian social commerce space are Mall91, WMall, SimSim, and Bulbul.
JUST IN - - @Flipkart is piloting a new social commerce platform - 2GudSocial - with influencer-led video commerce. AND @sharechatapp has silently launched its short-video app Moj, a direct replica of TikTok on the Google Play Store-48 hours into the China apps ban @sangha_karJuly 1, 2020
Combining social & commerce
Quite simply, the fresh venture will put to use video content to help resellers sell products across categories like fashion retail, mobiles and electronics and accessories.
The interface of social.2Gud.com is currently live for mobile phones and, one look at it, you will be taken in by the similarity with TikTok videos. There is swipe up or down feature, icon placement and more.
Clearly, the idea is to tap into the popularity of the 'celebrities' of the Chinese apps and leverage the same for e-commerce. Chinese apps have an estimated 200-300 million unique users in the country, and many from smaller towns and cities had dedicated viewers base.
But this is not exactly the first project of Flipkart in the social commerce domain.
It previously had 'Flipkart Ideas' - an Instagram-like feed for digital influencers. Users could have a look at the content generated by the influencers as well as brands, and shop for products from within the Ideas tab.
Flipkart Ideas feed, meant for registered users, covered 14 categories, that included, among others, food, travel, reading, gadgets, fashion, health & fitness, parenting.
Flipkart had then said that “Flipkart Ideas improves users’ lifestyle with credible, inspiring and useful content, which will educate and inspire them in the purchase journey."
The same idea has rebirthed in a different avatar now.
The Asus ROG Phone 3 is one of the most anticipated gaming smartphones of the year. Following numerous leaks, the new flagship will finally be unveiled later this month on July 22.
Without a major announcement, Asus silently put up a launch page for the ROG Phone 3 on its website with a countdown timer that ends on July 22. This seems to be a global unveiling and not a local one (for China), as the material does mention the Western timezones as well. In India, the event will start at 8 pm IST, but it’s unclear as of now if there will be a separate event for India in the future.
It is expected to be powered by an over-clocked Snapdragon 865 chipset or a Snapdragon 865 Plus, either of which will be the first in the world. That is supposed to be paired with a whopping 16GB of RAM, which will also be the highest on any smartphone.
The ROG Phone 3 recently got cleared by TENAA which gave us a better idea of what it could look like. The overall design language might not change much, but it moves to a triple camera setup with the main one having a 64MP resolution. It will retain the other hardware elements such as a secondary USB Type-C port on the left and dual front-firing speakers flanking the display.
Another leak on Weibo states that the Asus ROG Phone 3 will sport a 6.59-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz, a large 6,000mAh battery and support for 30W fast charging. It remains to be seen how many of these actually end up making the cut.
We expect Asus to share some details about the device in the coming days, with the launch being just three weeks away. Earlier speculations also suggested that the Asus ZenFone 7 will be unveiled at the same event, but that seems unlikely now. Regardless, it is also confirmed to launch in Q3.
For years, the term "can it run Crysis?" was used as a benchmark for whether a gaming PC was beastly enough to handle the game's incredibly gorgeous, cutting-edge graphics.
So when developer Crytek announced that it would be releasing a remastered version of the first Crysis game, fans immediately started readying their graphics cards in anticipation.
Unfortunately, that enthusiasm has now come to a screeching halt, with a leaked trailer for Crysis Remastered revealing that the game doesn't look all that different from the version that's been available for the last 13 years.
"Looks like original Crysis but with the lowest settings," reads one user's comment under the video on YouTube, while several other users were quick to point out that a modded version of the original game already looks far better than what is shown in the trailer.
While it was reported just days ago that Crysis Remastered might be coming sooner than you think, the negative outcry from fans has now caused the Germany-based studio to not only confirm that the underwhelming trailer is real, but to also delay the game's release by a few weeks.
In its official statement, Crytek noted that it's "seen all the reactions – the good and the bad – and we're listening," further stating that it's "still working on a number of things in the game, as well as the storefront".
It continued, "This extra time until release will allow us to get Crysis Remastered up to the PC- and console-breaking standard that you've come to expect from Crysis games."
Admittedly, we have to wonder if a few extra weeks of polish will be enough to bring the game up to snuff – particularly with a Nintendo Switch port of the game also set to release at the same time.
You can check out Crytek's full statement below.
We would like to share an important update with you all! pic.twitter.com/ylu0OisDf3July 1, 2020
China-based Terminus Technologies will deploy more than 150 interactive robots when Expo 2020 opens doors next year.
Visitors will be greeted and be able to interact with Opti, one of the Expo 2020 robot mascots from Terminus, and will also provide visitor assistance as well as helping with food and beverage delivery and hospitality services.
Expo 2020 Dubai will run from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
After signing in as Expo 2020 Dubai’s Official Robotics Partner, Victor Ai, Founder and CEO, Terminus Technologies, said that they will set up its first headquarters outside of China as well as a research and development centre at District 2020, the human-centric smart city that will repurpose post Expo.
District 2020 oversees the Expo Dubai development and its future operations.
“Expo 2020 Dubai will serve as an incredible hub of innovation for the world, and District 2020 will act as an example for global smart city development. Terminus is working with both to redefine the concept of future cities with our leading robotics, AI and IoT technology,” he said.
By setting up its Middle East operations in the UAE, Terminus becomes the latest global corporation to join District 2020.
“Expo 2020 will be an unparalleled platform to showcase the capabilities of innovative technology. The collaboration will demonstrate the potential of robotics, while also establishing the foundation for District 2020 as a centre for technology innovation,” Mohammed Al Hashmi, Chief Technology Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said.
Nadimeh Mehra, Vice-President at District 2020, said that Terminus will bring significant value to the diverse ecosystem we are curating at District 2020 and will contribute to our mission to support the UAE’s strategy to become a pioneer in AI.
District 2020 is also launching a support programme for startups through a partnership with Dubai SME and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund.
The application and shortlisting process will follow in 2021, with successful applicants announced during Expo 2020 Dubai. Those chosen to be part of the programme will be able to move into their workspaces at District 2020 once it opens, shortly after Expo 2020 ends.
Reem Al Hashimy (right), Minister of State for International Cooperation, signs an agreement with Victor Ai, Founder and CEO, Terminus Technologies, as Official Robotics Partner.(Image credit: Expo 2020)
Update(July 2): OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will go on sale again today.
As reported earlier, Amazon will host a sale of OnePlus 8 series smartphones today at 12 pm. Both OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will be available in today’s sale. While the OnePlus 8 was sold earlier in limited quantity, the flagship device OnePlus 8 Pro will be available for purchase via Amazon and OnePlus website for the first time since its launch in India.
While new OnePlus devices generally sell like hotcakes, however, limited supplies due to production issues at Oppo’s factories in Greater Noida caused an extended delay in availability of these smartphones
The price of OnePlus 8 Pro in India for the base variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is set at Rs 54,999 while the top-specced variant with 12GB RAM and 256 GB of storage is slightly costly for obvious reasons and is available at Rs. 59,999. There are three different colour options to choose from - Glacial Green, Onyx Black, and Ultramarine Blue.
The price of OnePlus 8, on the other hand, starts at Rs. 41,999 for the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant, Rs. 44,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant while the top-end variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage is priced at Rs. 49,999. It is only available in two colour options - Glacial Green and Onyx Black.
OnePlus 8 Pro launch offers
Amazon has taken off card offers from the site now. Buyers of the OnePlus 8 5G series will now get no-cost EMI for up to 12 months with all major credit cards, additional Rs. 1,000 cashback from Amazon only for the customers who had pre-booked the smartphone, free audiobooks from Audible and Jio benefits worth up to Rs. 6,000.
Also, for Red Cable Club members OnePlus is offering Free 6-months extended warranty and free 50GB cloud storage.
Google has officially discontinued its Pixel 3a and 3a XL phones, it has confirmed in a statement sent to Android Police. It was previously marked “Out of Stock” on the US Google Store, but now its listing says it’s already “Unavailable.” Google’s sp...
from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/2VCV8ES
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/2VTD4Xd
UPDATE:Realme has entered the mid-range battle with the incredibly impressive X3 SuperZoom, boasting premium-level specs and an impressive quad camera. Find out more about it onPage 5.
Premium phones have advanced at an accelerated pace over the last couple of years, with many flagship handsets adopting the kinds of features that wouldn't seem out of place in a science fiction novel.
Wireless power sharing, in-display fingerprint scanners, encrypted Face-ID functionality, higher-end OLED displays, advanced multi-camera setups (some with as many as six sensors) and 5G network capability are all undoubtedly impressive features, but they've also helped to raise the cost of premium smartphones dramatically.
Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max is a powerhouse device and one of the best phones you can buy in 2020, but a top-end model will set you back AU$2,499. For many, phones in this price range will be prohibitively expensive.
Thankfully, the rising cost of premium handsets has led to the creation of a category that can now be considered the new 'mid-range'. Even well-known manufacturers like Apple, Samsung and Google have started to offer terrific phones that boast a number of flagship-level features at a much more reasonable price point.
We've taken the liberty of rounding up some terrific handsets that fit within the new mid-range category, which we'd consider to be anywhere between AU$600 and AU$1,050. Here are the best mid-range phones in Australia for 2020.
The full iPhone experience without the exorbitant cost
Weight: 194g | Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm | CPU: Apple A12 Bionic | RAM: 3GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB | Battery: 2,942mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP + ToF
Great battery life
Cheapest iPhone around
Speedy A12 Bionic chip
Lower res LCD display
Only a single rear camera
For many Apple fans, the rising cost of the Cupertino company's premium iPhones has made it harder to justify upgrading on a regular basis. But what if there was a cheaper iPhone option that offered the same updated chipset as its more expensive siblings while dialling back on other extravagances?
Enter the iPhone XR – a more affordable Apple smartphone that's gotten even cheaper since the announcement of its successor, the iPhone 11. Sure, there are better models available now, but the iPhone XR still packs the same A12 Bionic chip that powers the exceptional iPhone XS and XS Max, which is pretty darn impressive for just over a thousand bucks.
Of course, there are a couple of downsides. For one, iPhone XR only sports a single camera on its rear, which is rare in this day and age. Thankfully, it still takes great photos and can even pull off impressive blurred backgrounds in Portrait mode.
Additionally, the iPhone XR sports a fairly low-res LCD display, rather than the beautiful OLED screen thats adorn higher-end iPhone models. It's still quite bright, and Apple's unmistakable notch design at least makes the display look quite modern when glanced at.
Still, if you can overlook those issues, the iPhone XR is a terrific option for those who want to remain in Apple's eco-system without spending an absolute fortune on top-end models.
Weight: 167g | Dimensions: 160.1 x 76.1 x 8.2mm | OS: Android 9.0 (update to Android 10) | Screen size: 6-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2160 | CPU: Snapdragon 670 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 3,700mAh | Rear camera: 12.2MP | Front camera: 8MP
OLED display
Excellent camera
Upgrades to Android 10
Screen is low res
Slighty cheap feeling
Google's Pixel 3 range is known for boasting fantastic cameras, and thankfully, that photographic prowess carries over to the much cheaper Pixel 3a XL. In terms of design, it even improves on the premium Pixel 3 XL in a couple of (albeit minor) ways.
For starters, the Pixel 3a XL lacks the enormous notch that's present on its flagship siblings. Instead, It's got a standard bezel along the top of the display that we think looks more elegant.
Speaking of the Pixel 3a XL's display, we were pleased to find that Google went for a beautiful Full HD+ OLED screen on the device, and while that is a lower resolution that the Quad HD+ sporting flagship models, the difference in quality is barely noticeable unless you're really looking for it.
You'll also find that unlike the Pixel 3 and 3XL, the 3a XL actually sports a 3.5mm headphone jack – a feature that's a real crowdpleaser but which doesn't get a lot of love from smartphone manufacturers these days.
Of course, Google did have to make some concessions in regards to the Google 3a XL's chipset, implementing a Snapdragon 670 processor in order to keep costs down. Thankfully, the handset still feels fast and responsive, which probably has a lot to do with the bloat-free stock version of Android 9 Pie that's installed on it out of the box.
With its beautful 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display and minimal teardrop notch, it would be easy to mistake the Samsung Galaxy A70 for a top-end phone at first glance. And, when you factor in flagship features like an in-display fingerprint scanner and a robust rear-mounted triple camera setup with ultra-wide lens, the distinction between mid-range and premium becomes even harder to detect.
Of course, its mid-range status does become more apparent as soon as you pick up the phone, if only because its plastic body feels lighter than its size would suggest.
Internally, it's got a Snapdragon 675 chipset running things, along with 8GB of RAM (double that of the Pixel 3a XL), granting it significantly more horsepower than Google's mid-ranger. It's also got an enormous 4,500mAh battery, which should last you well into the next day.
When it comes to the Galaxy A70's photographic capabilities, the device can be a bit of a mixed bag. The phone's triple-camera layout can be responsible for some terrific photos, particularly from its 32MP primary sensor.
That said, its ultra-wide sensor sports half the megapixels of the one featured in the flagship Galaxy S10, and the difference in quality is immediately apparent when looked at side-by-side.
But really, what can you expect from a smartphone that's roughly half the price of its premium cousin? The fact that it has an ultra-wide sensor at all is something to be celebrated, particularly at such an affordable price range.
On the flip side, Samsung has delivered a show-stopping 32MP front-facing camera, which may well be the feature that seals the deal for selfie-loving users.
Despite the Realme X3 SuperZoom's mid-range price point, the manufacturer's latest smartphone on the Australian market boasts specs that would be perfectly at home on a premium flagship handset.
We're talking a Snapdragon 855+ chipset (the same featured in US models of Samsung's Galaxy S10 range and in Google's Pixel 4 lineup), up to an astonishing 12GB of RAM, onboard storage up to 256GB, a quad camera with a 64MP primary sensor... all for the max price of AU$799. Feel free to take a moment to let that information sink in.
Additionally, you have a 1080p LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate – a feature that's only now becoming commonplace amongst flagship smartphones. This allows for silky smooth scrolling and gameplay, and unlike some other handsets on the market, the X3 SuperZoom can automatically switch between 60Hz and 120Hz where appropriate in order to conserve battery.
Speaking of battery life, the Realme X3 SuperZoom has a lot of it, with a 4,200mAh capacity that will last you well into the next day – even with the 120Hz mode on at all times.
In terms of its camera, the Realme X3 SuperZoom offers quite a bit of variety, with the aforementioned 64MP primary sensor being the clear standout. As the handset's name would suggest, the SuperZoom has a periscope telephoto lens that's capable of 5x optical zoom without distortion, and 60x hybrid zoom that makes Monet's Water Lillies look Ultra HD by comparison. Oh well, at this price point it's the thought that counts.
As for its remaining sensors, the X3 also offers an 8MP ultra-wide camera, which admittedly struggles a little when it comes to capturing fine detail, and a 2MP macro lens that's surprisingly good for up-close photography.
Performance-wise, the Realme X3 SuperZoom is an absolutely winner. Running Android 10 out of the box, the device feels consistently fast and responsive during navigation and gameplay. If you're after a powerful device with a good camera and a smooth gaming-focused display, you're unlikely to find better value for money than Realme's X3 SuperZoom.
An honest-to-goodness flagship at a mid-range price
Weight: 165g | Dimensions: 149.1 x 71.4 x 7.6mm | OS: Android 9.0 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Kirin 980 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3,650mAh | Rear camera: 40MP + 16MP + 8MP | Front camera: 32MP
Fantastic camera
Flagship features
Gorgeous design
Won't update past Android 10
No wireless charging
Even taking Huawei's recent troubles with US trade bans into account, the P30 is still an absolutely fantastic phone and may very well be the last smartphone the Chinese phone maker releases with access to Googles apps and services... for some time at least.
Still considered a flagship phone, the Huawei P30's price has come down to the point where it now sits alongside the other upper mid-range devices on this list, making it a real steal for those who don't mind the possibility of being limited to Android 9 for the remainder of the phone's lifetime (an Android 10 update was rumoured in September, but it's release is as yet unconfirmed).
It's rear snapper is a Leica-powered triple camera 40MP (main) + 16MP (ultra-wide) + 8MP (telephoto) setup which is capable of absolutely breathtaking photography. We're also big fans of the phone's 3.5mm headphone jack (a rarity in this day and age) and in-display fingerprint scanner.
Additionally, the device boasts a gorgeous 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display and sizeable 3,650mAh battery, which should get you through a day and a half of usage with no problems. If you can overlook Huawei's current troubles, the P30 is more than up to the task of carrying out your daily needs.
Weight: 195g | Dimensions: 162.4 x 75.8 x 8.7mm | OS: Android 9.0 | Screen size: 6.53-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Mediatek MT6779 Helio P90 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB (microSD up to 256GB) | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP
Beautiful all-screen design
Sturdy build quality
Impressive quad camera
Pop-up camera not for everyone
Middling chipset
You have to hand it to Oppo – even when it comes to its budget and mid-range offerings, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer always manages to deliver premium features and a gorgeous design.
Both things are immediately apparent in regards to the Oppo Reno 2 Z, a phone that offers a stunning all-screen design (no notches or cutouts here), an impressive quad camera on its rear and a sturdy aluminium build.
Thanks to the practically non-existent bezels on its aforementioned screen, the Reno 2 Z provides a totally uninterrupted 6.53-inch FHD+ AMOLED display to view media on – perfect for watching movies and scrolling through pictures you've taken.
Speaking of photography, the Reno 2 Z offers a terrific quad camera array on its rear with most of the heavy lifting done by a mighty 48MP main camera, with an 8MP ultra-wide lens and 2MP monochrome and depth sensors to round out the package.
That all-screen design we mentioned earlier? That's only possible due to the inclusion of a very nifty front-facing pop-up camera, which'll only show itself when you choose to take a selfie.
Unlike the Oppo Find X's implementation, which saw the camera pop up to scan your face every time you unlocked your phone, the Reno 2 Z uses an under-display fingerprint scanner for security – this should relieve a lot of the burden placed on the device's pop-up motor in the long run.
Admittedly, we'd have liked a more powerful chipset and GPU in the Oppo Reno 2 Z, but given its premium features and design, the phone is still terrific value for money.
If you're after an impressive smartphone that offers flagship specs at a mid-range price, you can't go past the stunning Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, which we recently awarded 4 and half stars in its review.
When it comes to design, display and power, the Mi 9T Pro has it all – and yes that does mean it has a headphone jack. Flagship features include a truly bezel-free 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display, which Xiaomi has achieved by employing a nifty 20MP pop-up selfie camera and an in-display fingerprint scanner. And there's a massive 4,000mAh battery to keep that display running for a long time.
Speaking of cameras, the Mi 9T Pro definitely delivers the goods in terms of photographic capability, sporting a triple-lens setup that boasts 48MP (main) + 8MP (telephoto) + 13MP (ultra-wide) sensors.
Best of all, it's powered by the latest Snapdragon 855 processor – the very same one that powers premium handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Given that the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro is less than half the price of Samsung's flagship, that's a remarkable achievement.
Of course, Xiaomi's Mi 9T Pro isn't entirely flawless – it's not waterproof, it's only got a mono speaker and its user interface won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're after a powerhouse device at a fraction of the price, you probably won't find a better option in Australia.
Google One, the search giant's equivalent to Amazon Prime, emerged as the surprise leader in SensorTower’s list of top grossing Android apps worldwide for the first half of 2020.
For the first time, Sensor Tower split its list to provide a more granular perspective on the most lucrative applications around. While Tinder rules the overall leaderboard across both App Store and Google Play - earning about $433 million - the dating app plays second fiddle to Google One in the Android marketplace.
We reached out to Sensor Tower to obtain more data about the estimated revenue generated by Google One, but it's likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The subscription service costs as little as $19.99/£15.99/AU$24.99 per year (for a total of 100GB) and is mainly used as additional cloud storage, over and above the 15GB Google users get by default. Other options are available up to 30TB, which costs a staggering $2999 per year.
For Google One to top the rankings, at least 10 million Android users must have purchased subscriptions over the last six months (55,000 per day), which still accounts for less than 1% of the user base of Google’s operating system - the world’s most popular.
Google One allows you to add up to five family members, talk to Google experts and enjoy extra benefits from other Google products, such as special hotel pricing, Google Play credits and more.
However you don’t get YouTube Premium yet (that will cost another $18 per month), nor YouTube Music.
Microsoft and Google have both announced new initiatives aimed at helping people learn the digital skills they'll need to find jobs once countries around the world reopen after the pandemic.
Microsoft is launching a new global skills initiative which will bring more digital skills to 25m people worldwide by the end of the year. To help its initiative be successful, the software giant will bring together every part of its company by combining both existing and new resources from LinkedIn, GitHub and Microsoft.
Microsoft's initiative will use data on jobs and skills from the LinkedIn Economic Graph to identify in-demand jobs as well as the skills needed to fill them. The company will also provide free access to content on LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn and the GitHub Learning Lab. Low-cost Microsoft certifications will also be made available to these job seekers.
In addition to these free resources, Microsoft is backing the effort with $20m in cash grants to help nonprofit organizations worldwide assist those who need it the most.
Microsoft is also currently developing a new learning app in Microsoft Teams to help employers upskill both new and existing employees. The company has even pledged to make stronger data and analytics available to governments around the world so the can better assess local economic needs.
Closing the digital skills gap
Even before the pandemic began, Google realized that the jobs of the future would require a new set of digital skills which is why it launched Grow with Google. In the five years since the program began, the search giant has trained over 14m people in EMEA and 70m around the world.
Now to help people find new job opportunities, Google is launching its job search tools in more countries in EMEA. The company is also testing new features aimed specifically at the post-pandemic world such as helping people find jobs that allow them to work from home.
When it comes to helping local businesses, Google my Business is making it easier for businesses to share their latest opening hours and information across both Google Search and Maps. The improved version of Grow My Store also helps local businesses improve digital shopping, grow customer traffic and optimize their online stores.
Google also recently announced a new $800m commitment to support small and medium sized businesses and crisis response. The commitment includes $340m in Google Ad credits for SMBs as well as a $200m investment fund to support NGOs and financial institutions provide small businesses with access to capital.
Facebook has admitted that it wrongly shared the personal data of ‘inactive’ users for longer than it was authorized to, as revealed in a blog post from the company.
The social media giant estimates the error saw around 5,000 third-party app developers continue to receive information about users who had previously used Facebook to sign into their apps, even if users hadn’t used the app in the past 90 days.
Exceeding that time frame goes against Facebook’s policy, which promises third-party apps would no longer be able to receive personal information about a user if they had not accessed the app within the last 90 days.
While the company didn’t confirm how many people were affected, it said personal information shared with third-party apps could include email addresses, birthdays, gender or language spoken.
How did this happen?
According to a spokesperson for Facebook, if an active user was Facebook friends with an inactive user through a third-party app, the app could continue to receive data that the inactive user had previously authorised.
“For example, this could happen if someone used a fitness app to invite their friends from their hometown to a workout, but we didn’t recognize that some of their friends had been inactive for many months,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We fixed the issue the day after we found it,” says the spokesperson. “We’ll keep investigating and will continue to prioritize transparency around any major updates.”
The 90-day limit was introduced as part of Facebook’s overhaul of its privacy settings, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 which saw an estimated 87 million users have their personal data harvested by the now defunct political consulting firm without consent.
Apple’s Tim Cook, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Google’s Sundar Pichai have all reportedly agreed to testify at a House antitrust hearing in late July. According to Kara Swisher (The New York Times, Recode), Rep. David Cicilline...
from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/31Ck4zN
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/2AGqS3X
Following a turbulent year filled with protests, China has passed a new national security law which will give it greater power over Hong Kong and its citizens.
The controversial law will criminalize secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces but it will also limit freedom of speech in Hong Kong and make it so residents are no longer able to protest. Full details of the new law were only revealed after it came into effect on Tuesday and it will apply to both permanent and non-permanent residents of Hong Kong.
Under the law, Beijing will set up a new security office in Hong Kong to deal with national security cases. The city will also have to establish its own national security commission to enforce the law alongside an adviser appointed by Beijing.
The Chinese government will have full power over how the law should be interpreted. This means that if the law conflicts with any existing laws in Hong Kong, the new national security law will take priority.
National security law ramifications
When the law was first proposed, VPN downloads soared in Hong Kong as residents worried that they would soon face the same internet restrictions that people living in China do.
Unlike in China where residents rely on VPN services to get around the country's Great Firewall, Hong Kong currently maintains an open internet with few restrictions on free speech online. Many foreign social networks and services including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more that are blocked in China are legal in Hong Kong, though residents fear they may not be for long.
Now that the law has passed, both Hong Kong residents and even visitors will need to use a VPN to get around any online restrictions that Beijing may put in place. If popular Western sites and social media networks are blocked in China, there is a good chance that they will also soon be blocked in Hong Kong.
VPNs are set to become a valuable tool for the people of Hong Kong to protect their anonymity and privacy during China's crackdown on the city.
Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services
Ask any seasoned home office worker, and they’ll probably tell you that a good pair of headphones or earbuds is crucial to staying focused and drowning out the noise of your uncontrollable surroundings. There’s no need to listen to your neighbors having their trees trimmed at 7 AM sharp or your roommate’s hourly…
Ask any seasoned home office worker, and they’ll probably tell you that a good pair of headphones or earbuds is crucial to staying focused and drowning out the noise of your uncontrollable surroundings. There’s no need to listen to your neighbors having their trees trimmed at 7 AM sharp or your roommate’s hourly…
IFA 2020 will have a Samsung-sized hole when it takes place in September. According to The Korea Herald, the tech giant will skip IFA in Berlin, which is supposed to be the first big in-person tech conference since the world was put under coronavirus...
from Engadget RSS Feed https://ift.tt/31yAWre
via IFTTT https://ift.tt/2Zwm2iS
The Poco M2 Pro is now confirmed to launch in India next week, on July 7. Just like the Poco X2, it will make its global debut here, this time in the budget segment.
The landing page for the Poco M2 is already live on Flipkart. The teaser shows off a quad-camera setup on the rear with an LED flash. The teaser says “Feel the surge” which is probably referring to the charging speed on the device. Further, the landing page also says “Felt the surge with speed?” which is most likely hinting towards the processor of the device.
The Poco M2 Pro was spotted on Xiaomi’s RF Exposure page back in May but was soon removed from the listing. The device was also spotted on the Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG databases with M2003J6CI model number.
Interestingly, the teaser image looks very similar to the global variant Redmi Note 9 launched recently. This could be an indication that the device will be a rebranded one, but internal specifications could vary.
To make the case even stronger, the declaration ID for the Poco M2 Pro matches that of Redmi Note 9 series on Bluetooth SIG listing. This development has led to the speculation that Redmi M2 Pro might be a rebranded Redmi Note 9 Pro. It is slightly different than the Indian variant that launched in March.
For context, the global version of the Redmi Note 9 Pro comes with a 64MP Samsung GW1 primary camera setup instead of a 48MP quad-camera array. It also comes with a 30W fast charging support instead of 18W on the regular Redmi Note 9 Pro. The global version also gets NFC support. And, lastly, it is powered by Snapdragon 720G chipset and flaunts a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display.
The specifications of the Poco M2 Pro are currently unknown, but it is expected to be priced lower than the Redmi Note 9 Pro and the Poco X2 in India.
In early 2014 a package landed on my desk. Inside was a phone from a company I admittedly knew little about at the time, which came with the company's bold claim to 'Never Settle', and a self-conferred 'Flagship Killer' tag. The OnePlus One had arrived.
I was skeptical, but using the phone changed my mind. In our review, we said "the OnePlus One's performance-to-price ratio is one of the most impressive we've ever seen in a smartphone […] we can't see a better – or cheaper – alternative."
What followed was a procession of affordable flagships, improving with each generation as OnePlus moved from 2 to 3 to 5 (there was no OnePlus 4); however, not all changes were well received by the company's growing fanbase.
OnePlus began to introduce 'T' models, starting with the OnePlus 3T, which arrived six months after a new flagship generation with minimal upgrades, and each new handset tended to come with a higher price tag than the last.
As the prices of OnePlus' handsets continued to climb, the 'flagship killer' was becoming just another flagship manufacturer. Its latest generation of phones, the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, are excellent high-end devices, but they're also the firm's most expensive to date.
The vocal OnePlus community began voicing their frustrations at the ever-increasing price tags. OnePlus had started out as an underdog, taking on an industry that was continuously pushing prices up, and fans feared that OnePlus had lost its way.
Now, OnePlus wants to set the record straight. It's launching a new line of affordable phones, the first of which is the OnePlus Nord.
We sat down with Carl Pei, the Assistant Head of OnePlus Nord, for an exclusive chat about the new handset, and what it means for consumers and fans of the brand.
Why now?
This isn't the first time that OnePlus has launched a more affordable device on the heels of a flagship phone. Back in 2015, three months after the arrival of the OnePlus 2, it launched the cheaper OnePlus X.
That handset failed to gain traction however, and was discontinued just seven months later. As Pei admits, "[the OnePlus X] was great in its own right, but not a great product for that target audience of core techies."
The affordable OnePlus X was short-lived(Image credit: TechRadar)
Five years later, and OnePlus is venturing back into mid-range territory. It's seen a growth in its audience (and prices) in that time, and is confident that it's now in the right place, technology-wise, to make its new offering a success.
"We've been looking at the mid-range smartphone market for a while," Pei tells us.
"It's just that we felt like the technology wasn't really there to be able to create a mid-range product that also lives up to our 'Never Settle' philosophy. But we're pretty confident that this time around the OnePlus Nord will do just that."
Comparisons will be drawn between the Nord and the X, and understandably so, but OnePlus is adamant that this is a new chapter for the company, rather than a nostalgia trip.
In a message to the media on June 23, 2020, OnePlus Founder and CEO Pete Lau, said: "To be clear, this is not a reactionary attempt to 'go back to our roots', as some people have speculated.
"And since our 'roots' are actually in creating the best flagship smartphones, I see this part of our strategy as an important extension of the OnePlus value proposition."
Whether or not you agree with Lau's comments, OnePlus is clear that it's looking to continue its flagship offering alongside a more affordable range of new products – starting with the OnePlus Nord.
How much?
With a growing audience, OnePlus now has more people to please, and its current high-end offerings have priced out some fans – something which they haven't been shy about communicating to OnePlus.
"There's a need from other consumers for a more accessibly priced OnePlus product," Pei continues. "I'm sure you've seen the comments online, people have been asking [for a more affordable phone] for the past couple of years."
Lau confirmed separately to TechRadar that the OnePlus Nord price will be €500 in Europe, and OnePlus later confirmed the Nord price would come in "below $500" (about £410 / AU$730), which sees it go head to head with the new iPhone SE as well as devices from Chinese rivals, including the Honor 20 Pro, Oppo Reno 2 and Xiaomi Mi Note 10.
Lau also revealed, in a post on the OnePlus Forum, that the OnePlus Nord would arrive in Europe and India first, while "a select number of users in North America will also get a chance to experience the new device through a highly limited beta program after launch".
What's on offer?
Now that we know the OnePlus Nord name, how much it'll set you back, and where it will be available first, what does this affordable handset actually offer?
The OnePlus Nord boils down to three things; camera, user experience and the OnePlus quality
"For us, this product really boils down to three things," Pei explains. "The first being the camera […] the second thing is our user experience [...] and I think the third part is the OnePlus quality."
One of the main reasons Pei believes the OnePlus Nord will be able to compete in a crowded mid-range market is its flagship camera proposition.
"We've seen that [the] camera is probably the most used feature of a smartphone," he says. "It's the number one use case, so if we wanted to create a great product, the camera had to be great.
"With the OnePlus Nord we're bringing a flagship-level camera to the mid-range price range, which I think consumers are going to be really excited by."
For now, we don't know what the camera hardware will be, but it's not the company's only focus. OnePlus has found that consumers are fans of its Oxygen OS interface, and the range of optimization and customization it allows.
Speaking to the user experience aspect of the OnePlus Nord, Pei notes that "it's not only the hardware, but also how we optimize the software, the animations, to make sure that every part of it flows really seamlessly."
The third point is design, and what Pei describes as 'the OnePlus quality.' OnePlus is banking on its brand power to lure consumers to its affordable handset, with the promise of the same high standards as its flagship line.
"We wanted to bring out a mid-range smartphone that really lives up to the OnePlus quality," he explains. "All the testing is done exactly to the flagship standard, so when consumers buy a OnePlus product at a more reasonable price point, they can expect the exact same rigorous quality testing that all our flagship phones undergo."
A separate, dedicated team within OnePlus has been created to solely focus on the new mid-range product line, which Pei says will allow the company to get "every little detail right, as we did on the flagship [phones].
"This attention to detail is going to be something that really sets us apart," he continues, "and there's countless small little stories about the things we've done, the tweaks that we've done.
"I don't think any of them are really worth mentioning or talking about at length, but the hope is when the consumer gets the phone, [while] they might not know every little thing we've done to build this product, they're surely gonna feel it."
The driving force
Pei isn't revealing the specifics of the cameras, software or design just yet, but he did reveal what will be powering the user experience on the OnePlus Nord.
The OnePlus Nord uses Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G chipset
The phone will come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G chipset, and it's this piece of tech that has unlocked the potential for an affordable OnePlus device without the company making too many compromises – don't forget that 'Nettle Settle' mantra.
While it's not Qualcomm's flagship-tier chip, the 765G sits between the flagship 8 and mid-range 6 series, and packs many of the features of the higher-end chipset. We found the 765G performed well in our LG Velvet review, which should bode well for the OnePlus Nord.
The OnePlus Nord is a 5G phone
The inclusion of the 765G chipset means the Nord will also be 5G-enabled, allowing users to take advantage of the next-generation network if they live in a coverage area.
Pei believes that the inclusion of 5G on the mid-range Nord "is more about ease of mind, it's more about future-proofing," rather than offering bleeding-edge technology to the early adopters who are usually drawn to flagship devices.
It's for consumers who know that 5G is coming, and know it's not fully rolled out yet, but want the security of knowing that if they buy the Nord they'll be ready for when 5G is widely available.
Does OnePlus have the right ingredients for mid-range success? Unsurprisingly, Pei believes so, saying "based on our understanding of what makes a great phone, I think this is it.
"A great camera, a really fast, smooth and fluid experience, and a device made by somebody you trust to make a good phone. That's the entire concept behind the first product, the OnePlus Nord."
OnePlus is talking a good game, and the OnePlus Nord price pitches it at an exciting point in the market; and it also makes it comfortably cheaper than the OnePlus 8 series, providing a clear distinction between the ranges.
Whether or not the Nord takes off remains to be seen. We've seen great interest in our reporting on the OnePlus 8 Lite and OnePlus Z rumors, which suggests that there is consumer interest in an affordable OnePlus smartphone – but that doesn't guarantee sales.
We'll have to wait for more details of the OnePlus Nord to drop, and until we get the handset in for review, before we can properly comment on this new direction for the brand.
OnePlus isn't stopping there though. As we've already mentioned, Lau has hinted at affordable devices destined for North America further down the line, and back in May of this year, during an interview with Fast Company, he also revealed that OnePlus is looking to diversify its product ranges to create its own ecosystem along the lines of Apple's.
The firm already produces its own Bullets earbuds range, it's launched the OnePlus TV in India, and it sounds like there's even more to come from the firm in the near future. The affordable OnePlus Nord is just the start.
Most of the outdoor activities have come to a halt for the past few months due to Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown across the country. In an effort to stay up in the current scenario, BookMyShow has launched its own online streaming platform in India called BookMyShow Online.
The platform will also host live performances and has hosted over 30 events at scale, including the first-ever global virtual tours of Latin musician Willie Gomez, Australian pop band The Buckleys as also American music artist Taylor Castro’s performances.
The platform is also set to host the first-ever virtual music festival in India. The Sunburn Home Festival will be done virtually this time and will be Asia’s biggest dance and music festival. The festival will feature top DJs from across the globe with 3D animations and special effects. The platform will also bring close to real-life experience with the production of stage, lights, LED, lasers, special effects and more. The Sunburn Home Festival is slated for July 11 and 12, with tickets starting at Rs 99.
Furthermore, the platform will also include both paid and free performances across music, comedy, and other performing arts. You can watch your favourite musician or standup comedian straight from your living room. This also gives an opportunity for artists to stream their live performances directly which in turn will help them reach and engage with millions of their fans in India and globally.
The platform will bring all the performance and entertainment into virtual entertainment. It will be more seamless and quality-driven. The BookMyShow Online will be available in India as well as other countries like the USA, North America, UK, Germany, UAE, South East Asia, and West Indies.
The new streaming feature will run across BookMyShow’s app and web platforms. The company has teamed up with Brightcove to stream and deliver videos on the platform.
The India-China jousting, it seems, is shifting to the cyber frontier. Close on the heels of banning 59 Chinese apps, the Indian government has issued an informal warning to companies and its own systems to be on the vigil as it fears "intensified cybersecurity attacks from China."
According to a news report in Economic Times that quotes an unnamed senior government official saying, "among all the sectors, power, telecom and financial services are being monitored even more closely, given their exposure to Chinese infrastructure."
The report further sounded a warning bell that since India had so far permitted the Chinese to invest in critical infrastructure, especially in communications and power, those can get vulnerable as "the Chinese have keys to those networks in the country".
And even more direly, the report noted that the Chinese using that access may also try to weed into the financial sector.
Quite frankly, New Delhi expects China to foment problem from remote locations. It foresees retaliatory attacks for the bans slapped on the apps.
In the event, the government is beefing up its monitoring systems. And quite pointedly, the official also said the government would "focus on companies that are funded by Chinese investors, although the degree of surveillance may vary."
But allegations of Chinese State or non-State actors trying to attack cyber systems is not exactly new.
Just last week, the officials in the Indian State of Maharashtra claimed that hackers based in China attempted over 40,000 cyber attacks on India's information technology infrastructure and banking sector over just five days.
The spurt in online attacks from across the border was noticed after tensions rose between the two countries in eastern Ladakh.
India also warned its citizens of possible phishing attacks and issued an advisory on it.
There could be phishing attempts by impersonating, online, government agencies, departments and trade associations overseeing the disbursement of government fiscal aid, officials had said.
One such fraudulent email ID was found to be "ncov2019@gov.in'' which sent bogus information about free Covid-19 testing for residents of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad.
The officials also cited complaints about data on Indian users being transferred abroad without authorisation.
According to one statistics, cyber threats in India had increased six-fold since the lockdown began on March 25.
Some people are asking what will we achieve by banning Chinese apps...1) Prevent a potential cyber attack2) Protect data and privacy of users3) Convey that Indian youth is India's asset; not theirs4) And send warning that this is just a beginning..Don't take us for grantedSome people are asking what will we achieve by banning Chinese apps...1) Prevent a potential cyber attack2) Protect data and privacy of users3) Convey that Indian youth is India's asset; not theirs4) And send warning that this is just a beginning..Don't take us for grantedJune 30, 2020June 30, 2020
Chinese surveillance equipment under surveillance
Meanwhile, in an ironical twist, questions are also being asked about some surveillance equipment of Chinese-make being used by the Indian State to keep tabs on people for purported security purposes.
Experts believe that surveillance devices made in China and are used in government and private offices will be next on the radar.
Cybersecurity experts also warned people to be careful against downloading spurious apps in their eagerness to replace banned Chinese apps. They fear people might end up having even more harmful clones on their phones and other digital systems.
Facebook Avatars have finally made its way to India. As the name suggests, Avatars lets users create a unique virtual persona which can be personalized based on your preference and can be used as a profile image, Stories, Messenger comments and even WhatsApp.
With an aim to increase interactions, Avatars supports a variety of faces, hairstyles and even clothing outfits customized especially for Indian users.
While this is an interesting feature, however, it is not so unique and was first introduced by Snapchat called Bitmoji. Taking a cue from Snapchat several other companies introduced the option to create a personalized animated version including Apple, Xiaomi etc.
Facebook Avatars help users share emotions and expressions with a personal touch. This is the digital version that you can customize as per your mood and preference. The option to create an Avatar is only available on the mobile devices, hence to create your Facebook Avatar:
Go to Menu. Three parallel lines on the bottom right on iOS and Top right on Android devices
Scroll down and tap on “See More”
Select Avatars
Tap Next and then you can customize your avatar based on the skin colour, hairstyle, eyewear, facial hair, outfit, etc
Once done, tap on the checkmark on the top right corner
Tap Next and then Done
Alternate method :
Tap on comment composer text field
Tap on the “Smiley” icon
Swipe left to access the Stickers tab
Click on “Create your Avatar” button
Customise and create your Avatar
To use the Avatar that you’ve just created, you can tap the Smiley icon in the Write a comment section and access the avatar.
