Apple acquires AI Voice App startup Pullstring

Apple has acquired San-Francisco based startup Pullstring that enables the design and publishing of voice apps, according to a latest report. This purchase could help Apple's Siri compete better with Alexa.  Pullstring was founded in 2011 by a group of former Pixar executives and was originally used to power interactive voice apps for toys. Later on, it broadened its approach with the introduction of IoT products like Amazon Echo and Google Assistant. The company raised around $44 million in venture capital, from firms like CRV, Greylock, True Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and First Round Capital. According to PitchBook, the company's most recent post-money valuation was just around $160 million. Apple's upfront deal value is said to be around $30 million, plus around $10 million in potential earn-outs for management, this would also include CEO Oren Jacob, who once served as Pixar's CTO. Digital Assistant is seen as one of the next big things which Apple is lagging behind when compared to both Google and Amazon in terms of adoption and being open to developers. Apple did not comment on the acquisition. Source

Google testing Scroll-to-Text feature that would let you share link to specific section on a page

Google is currently testing a new feature on its Canary version of the browser and this new feature will allow users to share links to specific sections of web pages, even with those pages that don’t have anchor links. This feature will enable a user to highlight a section of the text on the web and then create a custom URL that points directly to that section. Google is calling this 'Scroll to Text', it would load the URL as usual and scroll to a specific section of the article on that page automatically. Since the code commit related to Scroll to Text just appeared, so it will be a while before it makes it to the Canary build of Google Chrome. If the testing turns fruitful for Google, the company will release it to the beta version of the Chrome, and then, hopefully, to the final stable build eventually. The flag description reads: "Enables scrolling to text specified in URL’s fragment." The flag is named "Enable Text Fragment Anchor" Since it is in testing, it might be a while before it rolls out to everyone. Source | Via

ARCore V1.7 update brings Augmented Faces APIs, ARCore Elements and UI improvements

Google's ARCore is getting a new update bringing the version number to V1.7. This update brings new Augmented Faces API for the front camera and other improvements. It creates a "high quality, 468-point 3D mesh" of a user's face, which can be used to create effects. The possible use cases include masks, hats, skin retouching, and more. The mesh provides coordinates and region-specific anchors that make it possible to add these effects.ARCore 1.7 also includes 'ARCore Elements,' which are a set of common AR UI components for Unity developed and tested by Google. Like the Augmented Faces API, this too will prevent developers from having to write object detection code for common use cases without having to reinvent the wheel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-982WeGIasQ ARCore Elements includes two AR UI components that are especially useful; Plane Finding streamlining the key steps involved in detecting a surface and Object Manipulation using intuitive gestures to rotate, elevate, move, and resize virtual objects. Other improvements in the ARCore 1.7 include the ability to 'pause' an AR experience and improving object animations. Source

Xiaomi Mi 9 camera specs confirmed – 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor, 12MP telephoto lens, 16MP ultra wide-angle lens and Sapphire Glass protection

After confirming new holographic display technology and Snapdragon 855 SoC for the flagship Mi 9 smartphone earlier this week, ahead of February 20 announcement, today Xiaomi’s CEO Lei Jun has confirmed the camera specifications of the smartphone. Xiaomi Mi 9 camera specifications 48-megapixel main camera with f/1.75 aperture, 6P lens, 1/2.0" Sony IMX586 sensor, 0.8μm pixel size, 4-in-1 pixel binning 12-megapixel telephoto lens with f/2.2 aperture,  1.0μm pixel size, 6P lens, 2x lossless zoom 16-megapixel 117-degree ultra-wide angle lens with f/2.2 aperture, 1.0μm pixel size, 6P lens, also supports supports 4cm macro at the same time 20-megapixel front camera with support for AI beauty features Xiaomi co-founder Bin Lin also shared a new camera sample from the 16-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens and said that it has implemented anti-distortion algorithm for achieving a perfect shot. Earlier images revealed a camera bump. Now the company has confirmed that the camera part has 243 square millimeters of Sapphire Glass protection as well as stainless steel frame wrapped around the area to protect these lenses form scratches. The chin of Mi 9 is just 3.6mm wide, making it 40% narrower than the Mi 8, which the company says is possible due to improved internal design. Source 1, 2, 3

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e with 10.5-inch WQXGA Super AMOLED display, 6GB RAM, Android Pie, 5.5mm sleek metal body announced

Samsung just announced Galaxy Tab S5e (SM-T725), the company's latest tablet.  It has a 10.5-inch Super AMOLED WQXGA screen, is powered by an Octa-Core SoC and runs on Android 9.0 (Pie). It has quad-stereo speakers tuned by AKG by HARMAN, similar to the Tab S, but it doesn't have an S Pen or Iris scanner. It has Samsung DeX support offering a PC-like environment with a separate DeX dock and is also the first Samsung tablet to feature the new Bixby 2. It has a 5.5mm sleek metal body and packs a 7,040mAh battery with support for fast charging. Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e specifications 10.5-inch (2560×1600 pixel) WQXGA 16:10 aspect ratio Super AMOLED display 64bit Octa-core processor (2x2.0 GHz & 6x1.7 GHz) 4GB RAM with 64GB storage, 6GB RAM with 128GB storage, expandable memory up to 512GB with microSD Android 9.0 (Pie) 13MP rear camera with LED flash 5MP front-facing camera 4 speakers tuned by AKG, Dolby Atmos Dimensions:245.0 x 160.0 x 5.5mm; Weight: 400g WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz/5GHz) MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5, GPS, GLONASS, USB 3.1 Type-C, POGO pin 7,040mAh battery with Fast Charging The Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e comes in Black, Silver and Gold colors, starts at $399.99 (Rs. 28,560 approx.) and will be available in select markets ...

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active, Galaxy Fit / Fit e and Galaxy Buds confirmed on official Galaxy Wearable app

We already know that Samsung will introduce Galaxy Watch Active, new Galaxy Fit and Galaxy Buds along with the Galaxy S10 series at its Unpacked event on February 20th. Now the devices have surfaced on official Wearable app for Android. Extracting the apk also shows use the images of the devices. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active smartwatch is said to skip the company’s signature bezel ring, pack a 1.1-inch (360×360 pixels) AMOLED display, regesigned charger, water-resistant up to 50 meters, dual-core Exynos 9110 chipset, 4GB of storage, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, and Wi-Fi connectivity,  Tizen (version 4.0.0.3), 236mAh battery and Bixby Reminders. The Galaxy Fit will be available in two variants, and one of them is called Galaxy Fit e, as revealed by the app. The Galaxy Buds wireless earbuds will have the ability to charge wirelessly from the Galaxy S10+. You can check out the latest Galaxy Wearable app v2.2.23.19021251 on Google Play or the APK to check these images. We should know the price and availability when these go official next Wednesday. Via

Samsung Galaxy Note8 One UI based Android 9.0 Pie stable update starts rolling out

Samsung has started rolling out Android 9.0 Pie for the Galaxy Note 8 in Bulgaria and Slovakia. The update is being pushed over the air. Bulgaria and Slovakia are not part of the Galaxy Note 8 beta program, but the stable update is also available for beta users right away. The stable Pie update comes with software version N950FXXU5DSB2 and includes the February 2019 security patch. Samsung hasn't released a complete changelog, which might mean that it’s probably not different from the last beta release and will only serve to change the software version. To download the Pie update on Note 8, open the Settings app on the phone, tap Software update if you see an update waiting for you, then tap the Download and install option. For those who are on Oreo, the option will be called Download updates manually. Since it is a Pie update, it brings One UI replacing Experience UI. Have you received the official Android Pie update on your Galaxy Note 8? Source

Sony Xperia L3 with 5.7-inch HD+ display, 3GB RAM, dual-rear cameras surface in renders

Apart from the Xperia XA3 and XA3 Plus, Sony is also said to be planning on bringing a new entry-level model; the Xperia L3. It sports a 5.7-inches 18:9 HD 720p LCD display and will most probably be powered by a MediaTek chipset in-line with few other Xperia mid-range phones. It comes with an 8MP front-camera with portrait feature and on the rear, it has dual-rear cameras with the 13+2MP setup.  There is 3GB RAM and 32GB storage that can be further expanded via a microSD card. The fingerprint sensor is present on the right side, between volume rocker and power button. The overall package is in a plastic case and comes in silver, gray and gold colors. It packs a 3300mAh, the now with USB-C port, but still runs on Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box which again stresses the fact it might be powered by the MediaTek chipset. Though there is no official pricing, the Sony Xperia L3 could range at around 199 Euros (US$ 224 / Rs. 16,020 approx.). Unfortunately, there are no other details about the phone, but there's a chance the company might introduce it at the MWC 2019 event. Source

Google Assistant Interpreter Mode rolling out to Google Home devices and Smart Displays

Last month at the CES Google announced Interpreter Mode for Assistant, a new feature on Google Home devices and Smart Displays where you can ask Assistant to help you have a conversation in dozens of languages. Today the company has announced that this feature is rolling out widely to Google Home devices and Smart Displays  to translate across 26 languages. With this, You’ll both see and hear the translated conversation. You can say "Hey Google, be my Thai interpreter" or "Hey Google, help me speak Spanish" to get started. "Interpreter mode can help businesses better serve their guests through an improved customer experience," said Google. This can be useful wherever language barriers exist, including at hotels, airports, restaurants, customer service kiosks, organizations aiding humanitarian efforts and much more. Google has been  piloting interpreter mode at the concierge and front desks of hotels like Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Dream Downtown in New York City and Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport that makes guests have free-flowing conversations with hotel staff—even if they don’t speak the same language. Now, with interpreter mode on the Google Home Hub, concierge staff can personally provide guest recommendations in real time—leading to better service, plus quicker and easier guest transactions. Source

Apple Acquires UK-based digital marketing startup DataTiger

Apple has acquired U.K.-based digital marketing startup DataTiger in a move that could boost the company’s digital marketing and make it relevant. A regulatory filing in December shows that Apple now controls Operatedata Ltd., the legal name of DataTiger. Apple currently uses several forms of digital marketing, including emails to tout new products and push notifications to encourage users to subscribe to services like Apple Music and more. Apple has acquired several companies in recent times including Shazam music-recognition app, the Texture magazine subscription service, and Akonia Holographics, which makes technology for augmented-reality glasses. DataTiger, U.K.-based startup says that its technology can "optimize the marketing journey" of customers by using data to more accurately send materials to consumers as well as push notifications. DataTiger Chief Executive Officer Philipp Mohr said his firm wants to "bring the stale era of ‘email-list thinking’ and slow, campaign-based marketing to an end." Source