Google releases Android Q Beta 2 with multitasking Bubbles, foldables emulator and more

Google released Android Q Beta 1 last month with a lot of features, now it has released the Beta 2 for Pixel users bringing new capabilities such as support for bubbles, a new way for users to multitask,  new foldable device emulator and more. Multitasking Bubbles — A new way for users to multitask and re-engage with apps from anywhere on their device. Bubbles are built into the Notification system. They float on top of other app content and follow the user wherever they go. Bubbles can be expanded to reveal app functionality and information, and can be collapsed when not being used. When the device is locked or the always-on-display is active, bubbles appear just as a notification normally would. Help users prioritize information and take action deep within another app, while maintaining their current context. They also let users carry an app's functionality around with them as they move between activities on their device. Bubbles are great for messaging because they let users keep important conversations within easy reach. They also provide a convenient view over ongoing tasks and updates, like phone calls or arrival times. They can provide quick access to portable UI like notes or translations, and can be visual reminders ...

Apple iPhone XR gets a limited-period discount of Rs. 17000 in India, up to Rs. 24500 off including HDFC cashback

Apple has announced a promotional discount on iPhone XR after it was launched in the country starting at Rs. 76,900 (MRP). Even though there is no change in the MRP, online retailers like Flipkart and Amazon.in are already selling the phone for Rs. 69,999. After the promotional discount starting tomorrow, April 5th, the phone will be available for Rs. 59,900. HDFC Bank Credit/Debit card users can get the phone at Rs. 53,900 after 10% cashback, while the 256GB will be available for Rs. 67,400 after a total discount + cashback of Rs. 24,500. This move is to boost the sales of the smartphone in the Indian market. MRP Price for non-HDFC customers Price for HDFC customers Discount iPhone XR 64GB Rs. 76900 Rs. 59900 Rs. 53900 Rs. 17000 /            Rs. 23000 (HDFC) iPhone XR 128GB Rs. 81900 Rs. 64900 Rs. 58400 Rs. 17000 /            Rs. 23500 (HDFC) iPhone XR 256GB Rs. 91900 Rs. 74900 Rs. 67400 Rs. 17000 /            Rs. 24500 (HDFC) The 10% cashback on iPhone XR is available only on HDFC Bank Debit and Credit Cards for full payment or EMI. There is also No Cost EMI loans from Bajaj Finance Ltd. and HDFC Bank Consumer Loans. The promotional offer is available for a limited time ...

Get Android 9.0 Pie on Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 with Pixel Experience ROM

Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 was amongst the best selling devices launched in 2017 in India, despite launching in 2017 it was launched with Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and was updated to Android 7.0 (Nougat) in August 2017. Redmi Note 4 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 mobile platform, the same processor that powers Mi A1 which received Android 9.0 (Pie) update along with Dual 4G VoLTE support couple of months ago. Xiaomi has already announced the list of smartphones eligible for Android Oreo/Pie update, but Xiaomi’s best-seller from 2017 is not included in the list and now we can assume that Redmi Note 4 will not receive any Android update. In case you wish to enjoy the latest version of Android on your Redmi Note 4, you can use custom ROM on your device. Earlier, we tried Arrow OS, crDroid ROM and Oxygen OS Port on Redmi Note 4 which were based on Android Pie. Pixel Experience is another custom ROM development project that aims towards bringing Pixel like clean Android experience to the devices. We tried CAF based Pixel Experience on our Redmi Note 4 and here are our impressions. Performance and Benchmarks: [gallery size="large" columns="2" link="file" ids="279141,279140"] Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 is almost three years old now, we obtained AnTuTu score of 79995 which is lesser as ...

Reliance Jio acquires Haptik in a deal valued at Rs. 700 crore

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) today announced that its subsidiary Reliance Jio Digital Services Limited (RJDSL) has entered into a definitive business transfer agreement with Haptik Infotech Pvt Ltd (Haptik). On a fully diluted basis Reliance will hold about 87% of the business with the rest being held by Haptik founders and employees through stock option grants. The deal is estimated at about Rs. 700 crore, with Rs. 230 crore as the consideration for the initial business transfer. Haptik said that it will remain committed to its overall Vision and Mission,that it has pursued since 2013. The Haptik team will continue to drive growth of the business, including the enterprise platform as well as digital consumer assistants. Reliance Jio will leverage Haptik’s capabilities across various devices and touch points. The investment focus is on enhancement and expansion of the platform. This partnership will also give a boost to Haptik’s existing enterprise grade business, with the company continuing to build innovative AI solutions for corporates globally. Haptik said that Times Internet, who invested in the company in 2016 will now be exiting the business as part of this transaction. Commenting on the latest deal, Akash Ambani, Director, Reliance Jio, said: This strategic investment underlines our commitment to further boost the ...

Madras high court directs ban on downloading of TikTok app

The Madurai bench of the Madras high court today issued an interim direction to the state authorities to prohibit downloading of TikTok Mobile Application and also said that medias are prohibited from telecasting the videos made using the app. This is in response to a petition which sought a ban on the app stating that the app promotes disturbing content and degrades culture. As an interim measure, court said that "the Government has to answer whether the Union of India will enact a statute, like Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, enacted by the United States, to prevent the children becoming cyber/online victims" The court said that the matter will be taken up next on April 16th. The order notes: It is stated that the Governments of Indonesia and Bangladesh have already prohibited use of 'Tik Tok' application. In fact, understanding the vulnerability of the children in the cyber space, the United States of America has passed a Statue called 'Children Online Privacy Act', to prevent the children becoming cyber victims. It is stated that memes, lip-synced songs, comedies and videos are made using Tik Tok App. As long as this Tik Tok App., is used for comedy and humour, there should not be any problem. However, ...

Xolo Era 5X with 5.7-inch display, 13MP front and rear cameras with flash launched for Rs. 7499

Xolo has launched Era 5X, the company's latest budget smartphone in India, after it was introduced back in January this year. The main highlight of the smartphone is its 13-megapixel front camera with LED flash and AI studio mode with sudio lighting modes like the iPhone. It has a 13-megapixel rear camera, features 5.7-inch HD+ screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Protection, is powered by MediaTek Helio A22 12nm Quad-Core SoC with 3GB of RAM and has Dual plate graphite layer to reduce heat.  It has support for face unlock that can unlock the phone in 0.6 seconds and a fingerprint sensor on the back that can unlock the phone in 0.2 seconds. It has support for Dual 4G VoLTE and packs a 3000mAh battery. Xolo Era 5X specifications 5.7-inch (1440 × 720 pixels) HD+ 18:9 2.5D curved glass display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection 2GHz Quad-Core MediaTek Helio A22 12nm processor with IMG PowerVR GE-class GPU 3GB RAM, 32GB internal storage, expandable memory up to 256GB with microSD Android 8.1 (Oreo) with Star OS 5.0 Dual SIM 13MP rear camera with LED Flash, f/2.2 aperture, 5P Largan Lens 13MP front-facing camera with LED flash, f/2.0 aperture, 5P Largan Lens Fingerprint sensor 3.5mm audio jack, FM ...

Panasonic Lumix S1 and S1R mirrorless camera launching in India on April 15

Panasonic introduced its mirrorless range of cameras, Lumix S1 and S1R in February this year. The company will bring the mirrorless cameras to India on April 15, and these are expected to be priced between Rs. 2.5 lakhs and 4 lakhs (approx.). Lumix S1 Panasonic Lumix S1 sports a 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor and come with HDR still photo mode, that can be played back on HLG-compliant televisions. Both the cameras can shoot video at 4K, 60fps with dual image stabilization and comes with tiltable LCD display, contrast AD and depth-from-defocus tech. It comes with a 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and supports professional use in videography. This camera also records smooth 4K 60p video and enables full-pixel readout of signals in 4K. Lumix S1R Panasonic LUMIX S1R sports a 47.3-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor. The LUMIX S1R features a High-Resolution mode for the first time as a mirrorless full-frame camera to enable 187-megapixel ultra-high precision photo shooting. Both these cameras are based on the L-Mount standard, which boasts a well-balanced, large inner diameter and compact dimensions for a flange focus to realize optimum size and performance as a mirrorless camera system. Source

Lexar introduces world’s fastest 1TB portable SSD

Lexar, the company that is known for its range of flash memory solutions have launched a new portable SSD and it is the world's fastest portable SSD in the market for now. The new portable SSD from Lexar carries the model name Lexar Professional SL100 Pro and comes in three storage options. The base model is 250GB which is followed by the 512 GB model and followed by the flagship model that comes with 1 TB storage. The Lexar Professional SL100 Pro Portable SSD is the world's fastest portable SSD with Read speeds of 950 MB/s and Write speed of 900 MB/s which is up to two times faster than the SL100 model. It features a brushed aluminum finish and comes in a small and slim size. This SSD also comes with 'DataVault Lite' software which is an advanced security solution with 256-bit AES encryption.  It also features a USB Type-C port that enables the users to store and share quickly with USB 3.1 speeds. Users will get both Type-C to Type-C cable and USB Type-C to standard USB Type-A cable in the box. This SSD is also compatible with Windows 7/8/10, Mac OSX 10.6+ and regular USB ports. The Lexar SL100 Pro will be ...

Snapchat said to be testing Status and Passport feature in Snap Map

Snapchat is reportedly working on adding two new features to Snap Map. The company has been making changes to its social media platform recently and it has been spotted testing two new features, Status, and Passport in Snap Map. Snapchat Status in Snap Map: With the new Status feature in Snapchat, the user gets an option to share a Bitmoji to the Snap Map depicting what the user is up to at a certain place. This can be expressed by showing the little avatar of watching TV, asking friends to hit the user up, playing video games and more such little avatars. The new Status feature will allow users to convey their intention and activity with their friends and this will allow differentiating between "I am stuck nearby" and "I am nearby to hang out". Snapchat Passport in Snap Map: The second feature that Snapchat was spotted working on is known as 'Passport'. The Passport feature will work along the new 'Status' feature and it will keep a track of places that a user has been. The places a user pins to the status will be added to the Passport and it can be seen only by the user. The places history can be deleted if ...

How to check if WhatsApp forwards are true or not

Following the 2016 US presidential election, many have expressed concern about the effects of false stories or fake news circulating largely through social media. What is Fake news? According to the Internet definition, "Fake news or junk news or pseudo-news is a type of yellow journalism or propaganda that consists of deliberate disinformation or hoaxes spread via traditional print and broadcast news media or online social media." Potential to fracture society! In fact, Fake news is written and published usually with the intent to mislead in order to damage an agency, entity, or person. With few weeks to go for General elections 2019 in India social media like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other mediums act as an important yet dominant source of news. Combating fake news is not easy! Having said that social media giant like Facebook, YouTube is coming up with tools to curb fake news circulation. To be more specific, Facebook has added options for readers and third-party fact checkers to flag articles. Now if you see a hoax on Facebook you can report it by clicking the upper right-hand corner of a post. On the other hand, YouTube is reportedly adding a new feature that will help users to verify fake misinformation from authentic ...