LG unveils it's new 'Q series' smartphone in India at Rs 15,990

Expanding its Q series, South Korean tech Major LG Electronics launched a new smartphone "Q7" in India at Rs 15,990.

Technology News: Expanding its Q series, South Korean tech Major LG Electronics on Tuesday launched a new smartphone "Q7" in India at Rs 15,990.

The 5.5-inch FHD+ smartphone with 18:9 aspect ratio will be available across leading retail stores from September 1.

The device is powered by 1.5 GHz Octa-Core chipset coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 2TB.

LG Q7 Offer

"We are confident that the consumers who are looking for a balanced smartphone with the premium features will find the LG 'Q7' very hard to resist," Advait Vaidya, Business Head- Mobiles, LG India, said in a statement.

The device runs Android Oreo and houses 3,000mAh battery -- equipped with Qualcomm's "Fast Charge" technology.

The smartphone sports 13MP with PDAF rear camera and 8MP front camera. It also comes with an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Google admits it tracks users, but says it's 'to improve experience'

The Associated Press ran a story saying an many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store users' location data even if the users explicitly used a privacy setting forbidding that.

Technology News: After facing criticism over reports that certain Google apps track users' whereabouts even when they turn off location data, the tech giant has revised its Help Page, clarifying that it does track location data in order to "improve Google experience".

Previously, the Help Page stated: "You can turn off Location History at any time. With Location History off, the places you go are no longer stored."

The page now says: "This setting does not affect other location services on your device, like Google Location Services and Find My Device.

"Some location data may be saved as part of your activity on other services, like Search and Maps".

Google Tracks your Movements

The new language confirms that location data is, indeed, being tracked by some Google apps.

"We have been updating the explanatory language about Location History to make it more consistent and clear across our platforms and help centres," CNET reported on Friday, quoting a Google spokesperson.

The Associated Press earlier this week ran a story saying an investigation found that many Google services on Android devices and iPhones store users' location data even if the users explicitly used a privacy setting forbidding that...continue reading

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News Source: BS

 

Samsung Electronics unveils Galaxy Note 9, upgraded watch, home speaker

Samsung's latest device enters the ring at a time of slowing smartphone demand globally and a disappointing performance by its cousin, the Galaxy S9.

Technology News: The 6.4-inch screen Note 9 will start at $999.99 and max out at $1,249.99 — becoming, at about $100 above the iPhone X’s upper limit, one of the world’s most expensive consumer phones. It looks similar to last year’s 6.3-inch Note 8 but sports a revamped Bluetooth stylus — a longtime selling point of the Note series — as well as an upgraded camera that takes sharper photos than the S9 released earlier this year.

A new stylus called the S Pen is this year’s highlight upgrade. It will let users remotely control the Samsung Galaxy Note 9’s camera and switch between slides in a presentation, the company said. It’ll also allow more accurate writing and drawing on the phone’s screen. The Note 9’s camera upgrade is on par with the one given to the S9 in March, adding enhanced colors and exposure. It also has a relocated fingerprint scanner on the back but not one built into the screen, something the company has said it’s developing.

At the New York event, Samsung also introduced a new Samsung Galaxy Watch that competes with a similar product from Apple. The redesigned smartwatch has a circular screen, is water-resistant, and can connect to LTE cellular networks, the company said. It has improved battery life over previous Samsung watch models, and will be compatible with a new charger that can simultaneously charge smartphones and the watch.

The gadget will feature revamped health software that works with the heart-rate sensor. It has new tracking functionality for workouts and auto-detection for when a person begins a run, for example. It also has sleep tracking, providing detail into both hours and quality of sleep.

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News Source : BS

Fake News Menace: You can share WhatsApp messages with only up to 5 people

The Facebook-owned instant messaging service is also reportedly testing more features to crack down on fake news on its platform.

Technology News: In response to the government's crackdown on the circulation of fake news, especially using its platform, WhatsApp, the Facebook-owned instant messaging mobile app, has limit the number of people to whom you can forward a message to five.

The move follows several other steps with the same objective, such as issuing guidelines on how to identify forwarded messages and be a responsible user of the service.

The new feature would roll out as part of an app update from this week itself. The step came soon after the government asked WhatsApp and other social media platforms to take onus and help curb fake news circulation, which had been causing violence -- even lynching in some recent cases.

WhatsApp Forward Messages

WhatsApp has also reportedly been testing more features to crack down on fake news on its platform. Recently, the company had started testing a feature in its beta app for Android in which the app recognises authenticity of the link and marks unusual links as ‘suspicious’.

“Spammers may use some character combinations to trick you into tapping on links that appear to go to a legitimate website, but actually take you to a malicious site,” the company said in a statement.

The statement further added that these checks on links happen only on the user device because of end-to-end encryption which does not allow the company to see the content of messages. This also implies that WhatsApp will not be able to stop a malicious link from being forwarded, but can only label it as suspicious once it has…continue reading

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News Source : BS

Android 9 Pie with better privacy features, AI now available on Google Pixel

The revised OS version will offer a new dashboard to users to help them understand how they are spending time on their device.

 

Technology News: Tech giant Google today released Android 9 Pie, the latest version of its Android operating system that promises better user experience and enhanced privacy features.

The rollout comes at a time when users across the globe, including in India, are concerned about privacy and security of information on their smart devices.

The new OS version will start rolling out as an over-the-air update for Pixel phone users, while companies like Sony Mobile, Xiaomi, HMD Global, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus and Essential Phones as well as qualifying Android One will receive the update by the end of the year, Google said in a blogpost.

"We are also working with a number of other partners to launch or upgrade devices to Android 9 this year," it added.

Android 9 Pie

"Android 9 aims to make your phone even smarter by learning from you and adapting to your usage patterns. It also helps you get things done faster, like predicting what you'll want to do next based on your context and displaying that action right on your phone," Sameer Samat, Vice President of Product Management, Android and Google Play said.

Android 9, which harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI), has been built to make the phone smarter by learning from user behavior and adapting to usage patterns, the blog said.
"That's why Android 9 comes with features like Adaptive Battery, which learns the apps you use most and priorities battery for them, and Adaptive Brightness, which learns how you like to set the brightness in different settings, and does it for you," it noted.

Google will also roll out "Slices" later this year that will show relevant information from apps. For example, if a user starts typing 'Lyft' into Google Search, the user will see a "slice" of the Lyft app, showing prices for the ride and the estimated time of arrival to enable the user take action more quickly and…continue reading

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News Source : BS

BlackBerry Key2 Review: Legacy keyboard design gets a fresh, useful twist

The BlackBerry Key2 features an enhanced design, slightly powerful processor, more RAM, latest Google Android operating system and a dual camera set-up on the back.

Technology News : Canadian smartphone brand BlackBerry, licensed to India-based Optiemus Infracom, on July 23 launched the BlackBerry Key2, a successor to the BlackBerry KeyOne, which had a full-QWERTY keyboard. Compared to the predecessor, the Key2 not only features an enhanced design but also gets a slightly powerful processor, more RAM, latest Google Android operating system, and a dual-camera set-up at the back. The Amazon-exclusive touch and type smartphone goes on sale today i.e. July 31.

In current times, when almost all smartphones have begun to look almost the same, the BlackBerry Key2, with a rectangular touchscreen-cum-physical-keyboard design, offers a fresh new experience. But, is it worth going back to legacy keyboard design, which one ditched in favour of the all-screen mobile phone format? Let’s find out:

BlackBerry Key2

Key Features

The BlackBerry Key2 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 system-on-chip, paired with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage – expandable to up to 256 GB using a microSD card. The dualSIM smartphone boots the Android Oreo 8.1 operating system out of the box, custom-tuned by BlackBerry. The customised OS features the BlackBerry Hub, a unified messaging inbox, which combines all emails, texts and messages from social media accounts at one place. It also allows managing multiple email accounts without switching between apps, with support for Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange accounts, etc. As for security, the Key2 comes with the BlackBerry DTEK app that enables users to check and manage app permissions.

The BlackBerry Key2 offers almost vanilla Android experience, so it feels free of clutter and operates swiftly. The phone shows no lags or stutters anywhere and responds well to touch and keyboard inputs. Writing long articles, uploading attachments and sharing multimedia content also show no problem for the BlackBerry Key2, and the phone works optimally in all situations.

Battery

The phone’s small screen, power-efficient processor and optimised operating system make it go for more than a day on a fully charged 3,500 mAh battery. The device supports the Qualcomm quick-charge technology, yet it takes almost 2 hours to go from zero to 100 per cent.

Read the Verdict → BlackBerry Key2 Review

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News Source : BS

Noise Play 2 Review: Budget action camera with flagship features, tools

From 4K videos, EIS, wide-angle lens, water resistant casing to an affordable price tag of Rs 9,999, the Noise Play 2 is a great value-for-money proposition in the action camera segment.

Technology News : Having visited many exciting places across India, I wondered why I never kept a pictorial record of my visits from the first time I started exploring the unexplored. For action cameras, the GoPro did cross my mind. However, considering the price involved, among other factors, I chose not to go for it. Instead, I started looking for a no-frills and more affordable action camera for amateurs. It was then that I came across Noise Play 2 action camera.

An affordable price tag of Rs 9,999, optional accessory pack with waterproof casing at Rs 3,999, and the strength to record videos in ultraHD (4K) resolution are some of the reasons that went in the Noise Play 2’s favour. I would have loved to take it out on a ride to the mountains, but that will be for later. For now, here is my review of the device while running it in city conditions.

In the beginning, the Noise Play 2’s small frame and cuboidal design made me question its capability. However, soon after setting it up and pairing it with my smartphone using the Noise Play 2 app, I realised how innovative and technologically sound even such little devices could be.

The Noise Play 2 sports a 2-inch LCD touchscreen, which also doubles up as a viewfinder. The screen is good enough for changing settings and viewing saved images and videos. However, due to limited brightness and pixels, it does not do the job of a viewfinder exceptionally well. When paired with a smartphone via in-built Wi-Fi, the camera shows live feed on the smartphone’s screen, which is one way around the limitation. Interestingly, the Noise Play 2 app also allows fetching videos and photos stored in camera wirelessly, thereby easing the transfer process.

Coming to the actual utility of the camera, the Noise Play 2 takes detailed videos in good daylight conditions. The electronic image stabilisation helps reduce wobbles while recording videos, but not enough to make the footage smooth. With supplied optional accessories, mounting the camera on motorbike or helmet is easy.

Read the Verdict → Noise Play 2

Xiaomi Redmi Y2 Review: A budget smartphone with great camera, battery life

Priced at Rs 9,999 for the base model, the Redmi Y2 is primarily a camera-centric smartphone with tried and tested processer, modern design and good battery life.

 

Technology News : The Redmi Y2, the successor to of the Redmi Y1, has got major upgrades in terms of design, technical specifications and camera. This brings the phone in line with other selfie-centric budget smartphones. However, it is the processor, 18:9 aspect ratio screen and artificial intelligence-backed camera features that make the Redmi Y2 a modern-day smartphone.

The Xiaomi Redmi Y2 promises enhanced camera performance, especially the selfie camera – thanks to AI-based semantic segmentation – and improved overall performance with a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 system-on-chip (SoC). The Redmi Y2 seems quite an update. But can it match or exceed peers in the same segment? Let’s find out:

Redmi Y2 design

The Redmi Y2 looks identical to the Redmi Note 5 Pro, except that it has a tall and wide instance and metallic finish body. The front is dominated by a 5.99-inch 18:9 aspect ratio screen, which does not stretch from edge to edge, unlike other 18:9 aspect ratio smartphones. So, it leaves huge bezels around the screen. The screen is covered under a flat glass with no protection rating. However, it has a protruding plastic rim to reduce direct impact on the glass in the event of accidental drops.

On to the back side, the smartphone looks like a foil of the Redmi Note 5 Pro, except for its redesigned dual antenna lines, which run parallel on the top and bottom. Like the Redmi Note 5 Pro, there is a vertical dual camera unit on the back that significantly protrudes from the body. The camera bulge makes the phone go uneven on a flat surface causing scratches on the camera rim. Other than the camera, the back also gets a circular fingerprint sensor placed at the upper middle point for ease of reach and accessibility.

The phone sports a microUSB port at the bottom, for charging and data transfer, along with mono speaker and microphone placed under six-hole grills on either side. The volume rocker keys and power button are on the right, the 3.5 audio jack is on the top and the dual-SIM with dedicated microSD card slot on the right.

Redmi Y2 battery

A power-efficient processor, coupled with an HD+ resolution screen, helps the 3080 mAh battery sail through a day without any problem. Online video streaming, screen-on time and multiplayer gaming drains more battery but not so much as to pull the life under 10 hours – that is satisfactory, if not excellent.

Read the Verdict → Xiaomi Redmi Y2 Review

Gionee S11 Lite Review: Average smartphone with entry-level specs, features

Powered by a 3,030 mAh battery, the phone boots Android 7.1.1 Nougat and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor under the hood, paired with 32GB internal memory and 4GB RAM.

Technology News » Chinese handset maker Gionee launched its selfie-centric S11 Lite for Rs 13,999 on April 26, 2018. Powered by a 3,030 mAh battery, the phone boots Android 7.1.1 Nougat and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor under the hood, paired with 32GB internal memory and 4GB RAM.

The Gionee S11 Lite manages to do multitasking, but tends to lag with multiple apps running in the background. The phone shows no lag with casual games such as Subway Surfers and Angry Birds Classic, but heavy games such as Need for Speed No Limits shows inconsistencies, making playing the game impossible.

The phone sports a 5.7-inch 18:9 screen of 1440 x 720 (HD+) resolution. The screen is bright and has good sunlight legibility. However, the colours look washed out and does not do justice to multimedia content.

The S11 Lite features Gionee’s Amigo 5.0 user interface which comes pre-loaded with bloatware such as UC Browser, Truecaller, Amazon Shopping, Prime Video, Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram to name a few. Though the UI is smooth and responds well to the feedback, it feels clustered due to too many preinstalled apps.

In terms of imaging, the S11 Lite boasts dual camera set-up on the back — a 13-megapixel primary sensor mated with 2MP depth sensing lens — with LED flash light. There is a 16MP camera on the front with soft screen flash for selfies. Both the front camera and rear camera take satisfactory images in day light conditions but fail miserable in low light.

As for the utility, the phone sports a fingerprint sensor on the back that works fine, but not as smooth as how other phones in the same league do. There, however, is no face unlocking feature, which has become a common utility tool in the same segment.

Read the Verdict → Gionee S11 Lite Review

Panasonic G85 Review: Brilliant 4k camera with powerful image stabilisation

The G85 takes the specifications of the massively successful Panasonic G7 and adds a 5 axis image stabilisation in a weather-resistant magnesium alloy body.

 

Technology News » Panasonic is known for its mirrorless technology and the impressive line-up of cameras they have launched after the technology co-operation deal with Leica. Be it the G7 or the pricier GH5, the Japanese technology giants have impressed with their launches so far.

The G85 takes the specifications of the massively successful Panasonic G7 and adds a 5 axis image stabilisation in a weather-resistant magnesium alloy body. The camera is power packed with a host of new features so let’s see if the G85 is up for challenges from some landmark DSLRs from Canon & Nikon as well as the mirrorless systems of Fuji and Sony, especially 0the Sony A6300.

Build around a 16MP Micro Four Thirds image sensor, the Panasonic G85 offers a brilliant electronic viewfinder based on OLED technology which is almost equivalent to the size of a 35 mm film camera. The high-res viewfinder is an added advantage as it helps to identify the subject in low-light conditions. In terms of ergonomics, the mirrorless design is compact and a new shutter mechanism with electronic first curtain and a full silent mode adds up to the feel as you can really shoot images with zero shutter noise.

When it comes to the in-hand feel the camera feels rugged with a good grip but it might feel small if you are a DSLR user. Nevertheless, the button placements are superb and the availability of 10 customisable function (Fn) keys take the camera personification to a whole new level. Now you can assign any function to any of the available keys according to your choice.

The flip monitor with touchscreen features work well and live focusing on the touch screen is innovative but needs more refinement. The focus tracking is a bit slow when compared to the dual phase detection systems in advanced mirrorless cameras of Sony like the A6300 or A6500. The autofocus performance struggles in the AF mode and the camera struggles to maintain the focus, double-checking the object frequently in the middle of the shot.

The battery life is decent that counts up to more than 300 images with a fully-charged cell. The sensor remains the same as G7 but the AA filter is dropped and thus the G85 produces sharper images. However, the larger APS-C sensors of Sony A6300 and Nikon D5500 offer much better image quality though, especially in low light and the G85 struggles a lot in low-lit conditions with softer grainy images at higher ISOs. The images in low light are soft and information loss is significant and a professional output is not possible in such conditions.

Read More → Panasonic G85 Review

Vivo X21 Review: A worthy mid-range flagship to challenge OnePlus dominance

Priced at Rs 35,990, the Vivo X21 is a premium mid-range device strong in almost all areas; the phone’s modest processor seems a downside, but it shows no signs of weakness in real-life scenario.

Technology News : After showcasing the prototype of in-display fingerprint sensor technology at the Consumer Electronic Show, 2018, Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on May 29 launched the Vivo X21 with a fingerprint sensor under the display. For a mid-range smartphone, the X21 boasts premium features like dual rear cameras, artificial intelligence capabilities, face-unlock mechanism, Hi-Fi sound with dedicated AMP and modern notch-based screen. These features propel it in the league of mid-range premium smartphones – at least on papers.

Vivo X21 Design

The Vivo X21 glass-metal-glass sandwich design looks similar to other mid-range smartphones. The design, especially the frame, looks close to the OnePlus 6, but the front is dominated by a notch-based screen stretching almost edge to edge on three sides and leaving only a thin chin on the bottom. On the back, the reflective glass design with horizontally aligned dual camera set-up on top left is in line with the current trend and looks similar to the Honor 10.

Vivo X21 The thin frame that holds the front and back glass feels pointed, something similar to the Nokia 8 Sirocco. While the frame makes it easy to hold and operate the phone, the razor thin volume rocker keys and a power button on the right side of the frame are somewhat uncomfortable to use.

On the bottom, the phone sports an outdated microUSB port for charging and data transfers, coupled with a mono speaker on the right and dual-SIM slot on the left. The left side of the frame is vacant and the top side features a 3.5mm audio output port and secondary microphone.

Overall, the design looks modern, but not refreshing. The metallic frame gives to the convenience to hold the phone with confidence, but the thin volume rocker keys and power button reduce the utility overall.

Vivo X21 Battery

The Vivo X21 is powered by a 3,200 mAh battery that keeps the phone going for almost a day. Interestingly, the phone boasts a dual charging technology, which improves charging time and takes the battery level from zero to 100 per cent in less than one-and-a-half hours.

Read the Verdict → Vivo X21 Review

Honor 7C Review: Another budget smartphone with decent camera, performance

For a budget smartphone, the Honor 7C comes loaded with premium features like metallic design, 18:9 aspect ratio screen, Android Oreo-based EMUI 8.0 OS, face unlocking capabilities, etc.

 

Technology News : Honor, an online subsidiary of Huawei, is on a roll in India. After launching the budget Honor 9 Lite, followed by a mid-range Honor 10, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer recently launched the Honor 7C. For a budget smartphone, the Honor 7C comes loaded with several premium features like metallic design, 18:9 aspect ratio screen, Android Oreo-based EMUI 8.0 operating system, face unlocking capabilities, etc.

In terms of design, the Honor 7C looks like another modern day smartphone with 5.99-inch fullHD+ IPS 18:9 aspect ratio screen, which is bright and colourful, covered under curved glass. The phone belongs to Honor 7x lineage, therefore it has an aluminium back that feels sturdy. The phone’s tall stance, coupled with a mammoth screen on front, looks good for a budget proposition.

The Honor 7C is one of the very few Honor devices to boast the Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Honor has been using the in-house developed Huawei Kirin system-on-chip (SoC) in almost all the models. However, the Honor 7C trades in the Kirin 659 SoC for the entry-level Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 SoC to power the device.

As for the performance, the Honor 7C sails through most daily tasks without any hiccups. However, it does feel underpowered, especially while handling processor-intensive tasks like multitasking and online video streaming. The performance, though, is at-par with other budget smartphones in the segment, except for the recently launched Xiaomi and Asus smartphones, which boast a much powerful Snapdragon 660 SoC.

Though the performance is nothing exemplary, the phone handles graphic intensive apps better than Kirin 659 SoC-based counterparts do. The browser-based gameplay is consistent and smooth, app-based video streaming services work satisfactory and games work fine at moderate settings.

In terms of imaging, the Honor 7C sports a 13-megapixel primary sensor, paired with a 2MP depth-sensing lens. There is an 8MP sensor on the front for selfies and face unlock feature. The camera in Honor 7C takes satisfactory shots, however, it is a mixed bag of hits and misses. The auto focus is instant but the touch to focus seems a bit out of calibration. The shots look detailed and the colour reproduction is natural. In low light conditions, the camera is not great, but still better than what other budget smartphones’ cameras turn out to be. It takes decent shots, but the noise is prominent.

Read the Verdict → Honor 7C Review

Here’s what history of advertising suggests about the future of fake news

History also suggests that the danger will probably recede over time as people grow accustomed to the ads, which will cease to work as effectively.

Technology News » Jordan Peele, the comedian turned horror-movie director, recently made a video meant to give American voters shivers of dread.

It showed President Barack Obama giving a speech he never gave, and uttering sentences that he didn’t actually say. The video demonstrated how easy it is to use current technology to create powerful and persuasive lies, now also known as fake news.

When this video magic is coupled with the ability of companies like Facebook to micro-target each of us and select the news we see, the implications for the future of our democracy seem dire. Fake news and micro-targeting can be combined to create a kind of advertising that’s like an evil version of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and we are being exposed to more of these pernicious morsels every year.

But two lessons from the history of advertising suggest that the fake news phenomenon is likely to change significantly in the years to come. Prospects are gloomy for the near future, as this kind of advertising extends beyond politics. History also suggests, though, that the danger will probably recede over time as people grow accustomed to the ads, which will cease to work as effectively.

First, in all likelihood, fake news will spread, despite efforts to rein it in. So far, most attention has focused on efforts to meddle in American elections. That is no small threat.

Yet, based on the historical record, far more effort goes into persuading Americans to buy things than to elect politicians.

By one estimate, political campaigns in the United States will spend an estimated $8 billion on advertising in 2018. But it is likely to be less than 1/25th of total advertising spending for the year, and new technologies are likely to be deployed more frequently on consumers than voters.

We are already seeing technology being used to shade the truth in advertising that targets consumers.

Read More on → Fake News

Toreto Monotone Wireless Earphones Review: Impressive sound in budget segment

The Toreto Monotone wireless headphone offers impressive audio output in a lightweight neckband on-ear hook design.

Technology News : Hong Kong-based audio accessory maker Toreto recently launched the Monotone Tor-265 Bluetooth earphones for audiophiles looking for a wireless option in a sub-Rs 2500 budget.

For an entry-level headset, the Toreto Monotone looks sturdy but falls short on water resistance feature. The ear hook with wired neckband design adds to the utility, especially for fitness enthusiasts who like to listen to music during work out sessions. However, the lack of sweat resistance limits the use and does not qualify it as a gym companion.

In terms of audio output, for a budget unit, this pair of headphones is impressive. The sound falters at high pitches and, at times, is shrill and may force you to lower the volume levels. The bass is average and varies depending on the quality of the audio track. The sound signature is balanced though and watching movies on the go is a delightful experience with the ergonomic ear-fit design cancelling out noise to some extent.

As for the utility, the headset features voice-enabled prompts that inform the user about Bluetooth connectivity, calls and other notifications. The voice also reads out the phone number of the incoming call, which is useful while using the headphones on the go. However, the absence of a vibration mode makes it compulsory to plug in at least one of the earphones to receive the prompts, especially if the phone is on silent mode.

The built quality is impressive and the all-black design looks neat. The huge logo on both the ear hooks does look odd though and might not impress everyone. The power button doubles as pairing, play/pause, call receive/disconnect key. Dedicated volume adjustment keys are present on the right ear hook along with USB port.The earphone battery goes on for a day on moderate usage and last for more than 6 hours if used heavily.

The headset comes in a black hard case that also houses two earplug variants and a USB cable for charging.

Read the Verdict here → Toreto Wireless Earphones

Micromax Bharat Go with Android Oreo (Go Edition) announced at Rs 4,399

The Bharat Go comes bundled with a cashback offer of Rs 2,000 from Airtel that brings down the effective cost to Rs 2,399.

Technology News : Home-grown electronics brand Micromax Informatics on May 22 announced the Bharat Go, an Android Oreo Go edition-based smartphone, in collaboration with India’s leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel. Priced at Rs 4,399, the smartphone comes bundled with a cashback offer of Rs 2,000 from Airtel that brings down the effective cost to Rs 2,399.

The key highlight of the Bharat Go is the operating system it boots — Android Oreo Go edition — which was announced by Google last year. The operating system is a trim-down version of the Android Oreo, optimised to run efficiently on devices utilising much of phone’s hardware resources. As a result, the operating system works efficiently even on devices with 1 GB of RAM or less.

The Android Oreo (Go edition) comes with a dedicated suite of apps designed to run faster while using less data.

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Also Read : Comio X1 Note

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As for the other features and specifications, the Bharat Go features dual-SIM functionality, both of which support voice over long term evolution (VoLTE) calling. The phone comes pre-loaded with Google apps optimised for Go edition, such as Gmail Go, Maps Go, Files Go, Chrome, YouTube Go, Assistant Go, Play Store and GBoard.

The Bharat Go sports a 4.5-inch screen and boasts a smart key that allows users to take screenshots, click pictures and switch the phone into silent mode. On the camera front, it uses a 5-megapixel camera on the back and front. Powering the device is a MediaTek quad-core processor, paired with 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage.

It is powered by 2,000 mAh battery and the phone supports USB on the go (OTG) functionality, which allows users to connect the phone with mass storage devices, serial communications, keyboards/mice, game controllers, Ethernet and camera controller.

Read More About → Micromax Bharat Go Features

Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant can hear this hidden command, but you cannot!

Researchers can now send secret audio instructions undetectable to the human ear.

 

Technology News : Many people have grown accustomed to talking to their smart devices, asking them to read a text, play a song or set an alarm. But someone else might be secretly talking to them, too.

Over the past two years, researchers in China and the United States have begun demonstrating that they can send hidden commands that are undetectable to the human ear to Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant. Inside university labs, the researchers have been able to secretly activate the artificial intelligence systems on smartphones and smart speakers, making them dial phone numbers or open websites. In the wrong hands, the technology could be used to unlock doors, wire money or buy stuff online — simply with music playing over the radio.

A group of students from University of California, Berkeley and Georgetown University showed in 2016 that they could hide commands in white noise played over loudspeakers and through YouTube videos to get smart devices to turn on airplane mode or open a website.

This month, some of those Berkeley researchers published a research paper that went further, saying they could embed commands directly into recordings of music or spoken text. So while a human listener hears someone talking or an orchestra playing, Amazon’s Echo speaker might hear an instruction to add something to your shopping list.

“We wanted to see if we could make it even more stealthy,” said Nicholas Carlini, a fifth-year PhD student in computer security at U C Berkeley and one of the paper’s authors.

Carlini added that while there was no evidence that these techniques have left the lab, it may only be a matter of time before someone starts exploiting them.

These deceptions illustrate how artificial intelligence — even as it is making great strides — can still be tricked and manipulated. Computers can be fooled into identifying an airplane as a cat just by changing a few pixels of a digital image, while researchers can make a self-driving car swerve or speed up simply by pasting small stickers on road signs and confusing the vehicle’s computer vision system.

With audio attacks, the researchers are exploiting the gap between human and machine speech recognition. Speech recognition systems typically translate each sound to a letter, eventually compiling those into words and phrases. By making slight changes to audio files, researchers were able to cancel out the sound that the speech recognition system was supposed to hear and replace it with a sound that would be transcribed differently by machines while being nearly undetectable to the human ear.

The proliferation of voice-activated gadgets amplifies the implications of such tricks. Smartphones and smart speakers that use digital assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri are set to outnumber people by 2021, according to the research firm Ovum. And more than half of all American households will have at least one smart speaker by then, according to Juniper Research.

Read More About → Smart Speakers

Want to change Google Assistant’s voice? You have six choices now

At its annual developer conference Google I/O, the company said these six options, which feature both male and female voices, would be rolled out later this year.

Technology News : Making the competition in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered assistants space tougher, Google on Tuesday announced that people will soon have a choice of choosing from six voices, including one of musician John Legend, to talk to “Google Assistant”. At its annual developer conference Google I/O, the company said these six options, which feature both male and female voices, would be rolled out later this year.

Company CEO Sundar Pichai said that Google has been working on newer and more life-like version of its spoken AI that features a natural voice that is “closer to how humans speak.” The improvements include more natural pauses “that have meaning” and other subtleties to help create a “more natural dialogue” with Assistant. This new version of the Assistant is built on a tech machine learning technology called Wavenet, which the company started building out some 18 months ago.

Now instead of having to say “Hey Google” or “OK Google” every time to give a command, users only have to do this one time and then have a conversation with the Assistant. Google calls this feature “continued conversation” and it’ll roll out in the coming week. The new powerful Assistant can now distinguish between two sentences that are joined by “and” and can reply with two different query-specific answers in one go.

Also Read : Google Gmail now gets smarter with security, productivity and AI features

The tech giant wants to bundle its voice assistant into every device and app and is bringing Google Assistant in Google Maps. It’ll be available on iOS and Android this summer. Users can now share estimated time of arrival with their contacts without touching the device.

Further, the Assistant would soon be able to make calls for you to make reservations at restaurants or salons.

It would also teach children to use polite language when interacting with the Google Assistant’s “Pretty Please feature. When kids say “Please” during a command, they would receive thanks from the virtual assistant in response. Google says that “Pretty Please” feature would launch later this year.

The company also brought Assistant-powered Smart Displays. These devices would be launched in July.

Read more → Change Google Assistant Voice

New update allows users to access Instagram and Facebook content within WhatsApp

In its latest update rolled out for select iOS users, WhatsApp support will allow users to play Instagram and Facebook videos within the app, without exiting the chat.

Technology News : In a bid to increase user engagement, popular instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, has rolled out an update by which users can view content from Facebook and Instagram within the app itself.

In the present day, a user who receives videos or images from Facebook, Instagram or any such app would be redirected to these apps to view the content. However, this is set to change with the new update, reports The Verge.

In its latest update rolled out for select iOS users, WhatsApp support will allow users to play Instagram and Facebook videos within the app, without exiting the chat.

Apart from this, the new update also introduces the ability to add and revoke admin privileges from users in a group chat and empowers admins to edit the subject, description and icon of a chat that is already underway.

In November last year, WhatsApp had announced an update through which one can view YouTube videos directly inside the messaging app, in picture-in-picture mode.

If a YouTube link has been sent on a conversation, then users can directly view the video through the link on WhatsApp itself, as it will no longer be redirected to YouTube. Instead, the YouTube clip will appear within a small floating window on your screen, thus implying that you can watch YouTube videos and message at the same time.

On a related note, the latest update is expected to be rolled out to Android users as well in the coming weeks.

Read More about the Latest → WhatsApp Update