Category: Top Around the Web

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Bethesda Roundup E3 2019

Bethesda Game Studio’s kicked off its E3 2019 announcements with the keynote on June 9th. The keynote featured some great reveals and information regarding a lot the studios much-awaited game titles and projects. Bethesda however, has decided to not give out any details regarding The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield, two of its arguably best titles.

Project Orion

With the advent of game streaming services arrival to mainstream audiences and markets globally, Bethesda announced its own stance on it. Orion is a software that essentially optimizes game engines for online streaming services. It will make games run better on streaming platforms like Google’s Stadia and Microsoft xCloud. The selling point is the fact that it can reduce latency by upto 20% per frame and lower the bandwidth demands by an impressive 40% as claimed by Bethesda. The software is open to any platform and will be compatible with any game engine as said by the company.

Doom Eternal Release Date

Doom Eternal will be one of the first few new titles that will bring the debut wave of many game streaming services. The company showcased this feature by playing Doom on a mobile platform. A new trailer of the run-and-gun shooter game has been unveiled with its new story. Exciting new locations were seen in the trailer with many more demons to slay. November 22nd is the official release date in the year-end of 2019.

Arkane’s Deathloop

https://youtu.be/MXv5IDp8y74

The live press conference by Bethesda unveiled a fresh new game title, an always welcomed sight in the industry. Arkane studios best known for its critically acclaimed Dishonored series is back with a new take on its action-adventure genre of games. Deathloop will be from a first-person perspective that will have two assassins, primarily, fighting in an ‘eternal struggle’. The focus of the campaign will have players explore environments hunt down targets all over the island to put an end to the endless cycle of death and revival.

Wolfenstein: Young Blood

Bethesda’s announcement last year of the upcoming Wolfenstein spin-off game finally got an actual release date. Wolfenstein: Youngblood is launching on July 26th on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC and Nintendo Switch. The game will bring a unique 80s vibe to the game with an emphasis on co-op form of gameplay.

Elder Scrolls On The Switch

https://youtu.be/wev_raLJ6PM

Bethesda is seeking to bring its hit mobile version of its famous game title Elder Scrolls to the Nintendo Switch. Elder Scrolls: Blades, was recently launched to the mobile on open beta. The game is a free-to-play dungeon crawler that will ship with cross-play compatibility and cross-progression with its existing mobile variants.

Major Fallout 76 Update

The infamous entry to the popular Fallout series, Fallout 76, is an always online co-op and quest based looter-shooter. The game has received major backlash from gamers and media globally due to false advertising, buggy gameplay, lag and the worst of all predatory form of monetisation in a paid game. This update will seek to revert the negative PR with NPCs from the hit single player titles making an entry, seeking to branch out more storylines with new quests. ‘Wastelands’, the new update, will also bring a 52-person battle royale mode called “Nuclear Winter”.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Shinji Mikami at Bethesda’s E3 keynote revealed his studio’s next big project. Ghostwire: Tokyo is an action-adventure game title. The premise revolves around a horror setting with people mysteriously vanishing in the city of Tokyo. Although, even if it is a horror game by the Resident Evil creator, it will highlight action-oriented combat as a key point in gameplay. Shinji Mikami’s Tango Gameworks latest work includes The Evil Within series.

Commander Keen Mobile

https://youtu.be/FtQjGPfkEe8

The 90s hit side-scrolling action game Commander Keen is being revisited. However, the title is gonna be different from the past with its new free-to-play tag. The cartoon-styled mobile game will receive a soft launch this summer on both the Android and iOS.

Rage 2 Expansion

Rage 2 is receiving a big expansion dubbed the “rise of the ghosts”. The post-apocalyptic first-person shooter gets an addition of new quests, weaponry, and vehicles. The most anticipated addition in gameplay is the new mech suits. Release date is still uncertain but it is confirmed to hit the shelf later on in this year 2019.

Also Read: Advanced Melanoma Can Be Treated With Three-Drug Combination

Bethesda with its diverse lineup of new game entries and healthy updates to pre-existing titles seek to undo the negative press it had garnered over the past year. Tell us about your favourite upcoming game title that you look forward to experiencing in the comment section below.

June 10, 2019
NASA Opens Commercial Opportunities For The International Space Station

The National Aeronautical Space Agency of the US has opened the door for business endeavours in the ISS. The American space agency made this decision with national interest in mind. “US industry innovation and ingenuity can accelerate a thriving commercial economy in low-orbit,” as stated by NASA in a press release, will open the space station to private sectors

NASA executives announced today the commercial viability of opening up certain sections of the International Space Station. This will allow companies to work in space with the station’s facilities. The filming industry could greatly utilize the opportunity for filming commercials or movies in space. NASA is also encouraging the private space industry to send in ideas for habitats and modules attachable to the ISS for a temporary basis.

Private companies can now buy time and space for a chance aboard the ISS to produce, market, or test products. These companies will also be allocated resources directly from the ISS for their commercial endeavours. Starting from 2020, companies can send their astronauts to the ISS but with a heavy cost. NASA has always been openly against the commercialisation of the ISS, unlike Russia that is open to ads and branding on its side of the station. The Russian side has even allowed tourism to some extent while NASA has strictly regulated all forms of commercial activities, save educational undertakings or technological demonstrations that are non-commercial in nature.

The extent of this commercial-phobia even had NASA ban its astronauts from experimenting on any research that might be profitable down on Earth. A committee formed by the western space agency was tasked to devise new methods to commercialize the space station for a new source of revenue and recognition. This business-oriented mindset might also see NASA selling naming rights of its past spacecraft and rockets, although nothing concrete supports this claim.

The leadership behind NASA is looking into a transition for the commercialization of the ISS and its low orbit region of space to the private sector. This will help alleviate the monetary load required to run and maintain the ISS, $3-4 billion per year. Eventually, the entire station might be handed over to private sectors and the funds acquired will help in making the new space station near the moon.

Also Read: Huawei P30 With 12GB RAM Spotted On TENAA

The new opportunities for commercial activities might lead to some really interesting outcomes in the near future. The world has already started moving post this announcement with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon space being contacted by Bigelow Aerospace, the space habitat developer, for the transport of its private astronauts. Soon many more announcements and projects like the aforementioned collaboration are likely to be seen.

June 8, 2019
Google Stadia Price And Launch Date Revealed

Google, ahead of the gaming expo E3 2019, has unveiled the details for its new game streaming service. The company’s announcement in March for Google Stadia had left out many of the finer details that have since been disclosed. Google will directly compete with companies like Sony and Microsoft, that are suddenly dealing with a new platform that had no hardware limitations, in the widely popular and ever-growing cloud based gaming market.

Google Stadia is confirmed to launch in November 2019. 14 regions will be in the first wave of countries to receive the game streaming service, such as the US and Canada. 31 games from 21 different publishers will be available at the initial launch with the “Founder’s Edition”. The special edition will cost $130 (approx. Rs.9,000) for a hardware starter kit (bundling a $70 or Rs.4,000 controller) with 3 months of premium service, and a $10/per month (approx. Rs.700) after the complimentary period ends.

The company has only announced the pricing of one tier in Google Stadia’s subscription options. Stadia Pro that is priced at $99.9 (approx. Rs.7,000) will offer 4K gaming at 60fps streaming with HDR and 5.1 surround sound. This pack requires a stable 35Mbps of bandwidth connectivity. Google Stadia promises more games in its free category alongside exclusive discounts on games. A Standard edition is being prepared as well, with no details given on that version, more information might be revealed at E3 2019.

Google is also planning a separate free tier that will be seen sometime in 2020. Pre-orders for the “Founder’s Edition” of Google Stadia are now open in 14 countries that receive the service first. The quality of this service is yet to be determined in the real world since Stadia has only been seen in action under controlled environments. Stadia should not be grouped with services like Netflix, in which users pay a monthly subscription and watch movies or a series. Google only offers a platform in which users can buy the games that they wish to play, along with a monthly fee for the online service. The only game that comes free with just the subscription is Destiny 2 by Blizzard-Activision, as of right now.

Google Stadia in practice is closer in resemblance to Steam, the digital game store by Valve. Apart from the 31 game titles at launch, like Mortal Kombat 11 and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, more games will be added eventually along the way. However, it is still unclear if Google Stadia will be a host for games developed exclusively for the platform. Notably, the $130 price tag for early buyers is still a cheaper alternative to any gaming console currently available in the market, namely PS4 and Xbox One. Google is currently bundling the Chromecast Ultra that plugs into TVs with a limited-edition dark blue version of Stadia’s controller.

Also Read: iPhones Valued At $19 Million Stolen By ‘Fraud Ring’

The cross-platform streaming of games from Xbox allows users to play on any PC, Pixel 3 or 3a device (Google plans on supporting more smartphones soon) or Chromecast TVs. Google Stadia has led Microsoft and Sony to develop their own game streaming services such as xCloud and PlayStation Now respectively. A move just to stay relevant in the market and in the future. With the advent of network advancements like 5G, digital media is growing at an ever-increasing pace.

June 7, 2019
iPhones Valued At $19 Million Stolen By ‘Fraud Ring’

A gang of fraudsters have reportedly stolen $19 million (approx. Rs. 132 crores) worth of iPhones over the past seven years in the United States of America. The FBI and NYPD aptly named the gang ‘Fraud Ring’, which was run by six people that called themselves ‘Top Dogs’. The gangs used counterfeit debit cards and fake IDs to buy new iPhones to be sold for high prices in the black market.

The payment method that involved instalments enabled the scam to go undetected. A detailed report has been uploaded online regarding the fraud case. The victims of the scam included customers whose accounts were compromised along with respective carriers. The gang, possessing the debit cards and fake identification bought iPhone units from stores posing as the original account holders. The reason listed by the scammers was to upgrade to a newer handset on their previously existing accounts. Fraudsters stretched the scammed devices instalments over many months, that later showed up on the actual customer’s bill.

The perpetrators are being charged with felony counts of mail fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. A total of 34 states in the US were affected while the exact number of individuals have yet to be disclosed. One of the accused co-operated with the authorities and revealed the workings of the Fraud Ring in exchange for a reduced sentence. It has been reported that the ‘Top Dogs’ took the largest chunk of the revenue, while the middlemen were responsible for all illegal activities like stealing identities by scamming customers. The bottom level involved drivers and runners that made rounds to various destinations to commit the fraud and ship the iPhone units back.

The co-operating witness claimed to have joined the gang in 2013 and has made about 18 trips in total. Fraud Ring paid $100 for each iPhone that was stolen by him during that period. A shipping company (back in 2014) was discovered in possession of 250 phones, fraud cards, driver’s licenses, and passports after an employee opened one of the packages.

Also Read: Astrobotic’s Tiny Rover To Test Endurance Of Small Robots On The Moon

This incident is reported to be one of the largest smartphone scams to date in terms of the value of stolen devices. Similarly, a group of scammers was accused of stealing 1,300 iPhones worth $1 million in 2018. Many such scams have been surfacing recently as fraud is being taken more seriously by the Government and investigating agencies.

June 6, 2019
Facebook’s Cryptocurrency May Launch In June Itself

As reported previously, Social Media giant Facebook is planning to unveil its own cryptocurrency. The company is proposing to set up a digital payment system in up to twelve countries by the beginning of the year 2020. The currency is currently referred to as Globalcoin, but the name may change when Facebook outlines its plans in more details. Facebook also claimed that it has already completed talks with the Bank of England regarding the risks and opportunities of a new currency format. However, the latest reports state that the new currency may be unveiled in this month (June 2019) itself.

Apparently, the company is planning a huge push that will include bonuses for merchants that will adopt the cryptocurrency right away. Facebook also plans to introduce real-world kiosks where users can exchange their “GlobalCoins” for cash. Furthermore, the employees of the company can choose to be paid in the new cryptocurrency, an initiative that Facebook believes will encourage newer users to adopt the cryptocurrency with ease.

The project has been in the works for a while now and was codenamed Libra in the beginning. For the alleged project, Facebook will have to collaborate with various banks; which will allow it to exchange international currencies into Globalcoin. As mentioned before, it has already had a successful talk with the Bank of England, so this should not be a major problem.

Also Read: Dell Unveils Latitude 7400 Laptop With New ExpressSign-In Feature

The major advantage Facebook will have with its currency Globalcoin over its rivals like Bitcoin and Ethereum is the sheer number of users of its various products. Over 2 billion people have been recorded to use Facebook actively and millions of other members of the audience are hooked to applications like Instagram and WhatsApp. Hence, these platforms can serve an important role in boosting the popularity of the new cryptocurrency. However, since Facebook has been involved in multiple security and data breaches in the past, the organization will have to establish a fair amount of trust in its users in order to make its cryptocurrency successful in the long run.

June 6, 2019
Microsoft Renames The Windows 10 Xbox App To Xbox Console Companion

Microsoft has always had its gaming console companion app pre-installed on every Windows 10 supported device. This was done in order to bridge the social gap between its PC and console gaming fans. In the latest Windows update, the company renamed its Xbox App to Xbox Console Companion. This update is a refresh right before the upcoming ‘new desktop experience’ by the company. Apart from the name, no functional changes have been made to the Windows application.

However, Microsoft has planned updates in the future that will lead to the revamp of the dashboard setup in the app. Furthermore, these changes will be made for an unannounced Xbox console settings menu. The future iterations may also team up with the launch of Microsoft’s xCloud, the online gaming and streaming service. It will also allow cross-platform game streaming amongst the user’s devices. However, no significant changes are mirrored in the Xbox apps for Android and iOS as of now.

When users will update the Microsoft store, they will receive a pop-up message from the company. The message will start with, “Pardon our dust.” and go on to describe the reason for the new name of the application. Xbox Console Companion receives a new icon and will be dedicated for Xbox users. An up-to-date version of Windows (10th May 2019 Build) is required to experience the new feature as promised by Microsoft.

The original Xbox app is made for managing games installed on the Windows 10 PC. It also provides a simple catalogue for users to browse games in Microsoft Store, or manage the Xbox Live profiles. The app has in-built functions like social chat. This allows for cross-platform chat with friends and participation in communities, sharing in-game achievements and tracking them, managing video clips and capturing screenshots. The latter two of the features were made possible to the users via the console’s DVR feature which also makes game streaming possible via an Xbox console to a Windows 10 PC.

Microsoft will hold a press conference at the gaming expo E3 2019 on June 9th. This event should unveil more details regarding the promised desktop experience and xCloud. The game streaming service will begin its trials in the latter half of the year 2019, as previously claimed by Microsoft. The rebranding of the desktop apps name after the overhaul of Windows 10 Game Bar lays the foundation for the future console’s framework. The Game Bar is now equipped with PC resource monitors, customizable widgets, and broadcast/game capture controls.

Also Read: Google Maps Will Now Provide Info on Trains and Buses In India

With social media now integrated directly with the GameBar, users will be able to access cross-platform voice and text chat. This feature is synchronized across Xbox devices, as well as multiplayer team management. Additionally, Spotify music controls can also be a part of Microsoft future plans to enhance user experience during gaming. The aforementioned features although, might be removed from the now repurposed Xbox Console Companion App.

June 5, 2019
Google Outage Linked To Huawei Ban?

Early morning on June 2nd 2019 Google engineers struggled with a four hour Google cloud services outage. This took out critical Google services down, including Google Drive, Gmail, Youtube, and also affected sever other companies including Vimeo and Snapchat who use Google Cloud Services to host their platforms globally.

This comes soon after an announcement from Google stating that the company will remove Huawei as an authorized Android supported OEM and that the company will not officially get Android updates, or future security updates. Google’s services are crucial for any Android smartphone maker and allow for markets outside of China to fully utilize the devices.

This “ban” originated at the US governments blacklisting of Huawei. which banned US companies from using Huawei hardware or doing any kind of business with Huawei. And while a 90 day grace period was granted to the state funded Chinese Electronics and telecom giant, the future looks bleak for the company, and revenue estimates along with market value of the brand has dropped drastically.

China is not happy about this and has suggested a rare minerals export ban, which could intern affect US manufacturers.

“What is interesting is the timing of the outage,” claims our source ( An Ex Huawei Employee ) “this is the company fighting back”, Suggesting that Huawei or those close to Huawei are responsible for the outage.

While Google has not explained what caused the outage publicly and managed to restore services back in four hours, with no impact to infrastructure or data. A large scale attack on Google’s crucial servers could be a possible reason. Google services were detected down in 249 locations in 170 cities around the world something that could have had long term implications on business and productivity. And if this was a third party attack, it could be considered a warning.

Starting between 12-12:15pm PT ThousandEyes detected a global outage in @GCPcloud that is currently ongoing. At this time we can simply confirm the large scale nature of the outage. #gcpdown pic.twitter.com/8Y2jsQNQi7
— Cisco ThousandEyes (@thousandeyes) June 2, 2019

While we are not sure if anyone was responsible or if there was an attack, we will have to wait for an official statement from Google.

June 4, 2019
Apple Showcases The Updated watchOS 6 and tvOS 13 At WWDC 2019

Apple at WWDC 2019 has delivered on the many requests made by its consumers and fans. Many of the initial rumours were also confirmed within the event. With the company’s focus shifting away from its star player, iOS, and towards the improvement of its other products. In WWDC, the company officially unveiled the new and improved watchOS and tvOS to its audiences present in the event and those watching it live online.

Apple tvOS 13

Apple announced changes for its already revamped Apple TV app with its latest tvOS 13. The new redesigned home screen brought some welcomed aesthetical changes with live previews and cleaner organization. The biggest addition to the tvOS is the ability to add multiple users. Each added member receives personalized recommendations for both Apple TV app and Apple music.

The music app will also be fully synced with complete lyrics displayed alongside the music that is being played. tvOS is scheduled to launch this fall and will feature native support for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 game controllers for its Apple Arcade lineup of games. Apple is set to launch its streaming service later on in the year 2019. Showcasing the service with the reveal trailer of ‘For All Mankind’ as one of the first shows that will be in the streaming service.

Apple watchOS 6

WWDC saw the split of Apple’s core focus from iPhones and shift it towards other devices such as Apple Watch. However, it does make changes for a better standalone experience rather than being just an iPhone peripheral.

The company adds more layers of options and functionality to the new watchOS rather than radically redesigning everything. The biggest design changes are the new ‘Faces’, meant for showcasing the graphic designs with details added for more information on the screen. ‘Faces’ deliver customisation on supported apps with custom notifications.

One of the key announcements for watchOS was definitely the addition of certain apps such as Calculator, Audiobooks and Voice memos. With the latest update apps run natively on the wearable device. This means applications will no longer require a companion app on iPhones to pair with. The introduction of new streaming API will allow apps to stream audio directly to the watch.

Also Read: Apple Launches The All New Revamped Mac Pro Alongside The Pro Display XDR 6K Monitor

A notable announcement on-stage was the inclusion of the App Store integration in the watchOS 6. This will let users pay, browse and download apps directly from their wrists. Apple also made software downloads a direct process on the Apple Watch. Building on its pre-existing health-related features, the company has added a myriad of monitoring and informative functions that will also be available on iPhones. These include apps for monitoring sound levels and menstrual cycle tracking for women.

June 4, 2019
Apple Launches The All New Revamped Mac Pro Alongside The Pro Display XDR 6K Monitor

Alongside the launch of the highly-anticipated iOS 13 operating system, Apple finally unveiled the long-promised Mac Pro with a modular design. The company also announced the 32-inch Pro Display XDR 6K monitor. The first look of the Mac Pro can be very clearly attributed to Apple’s classic “Cheese grater” design. Since the trash can design (previously released in 2013) wasn’t previously accepted very warmly by Apple consumers, the company has decided to choose a much more elegant and modern design. The company claims that the Mac Pro is designed to focus on modular computing and ease of expansion.

Apple Mac Pro: Features & Specifications

The Apple Mac Pro runs on the 28 core Intel Xeon processor with 300W of power and state-of-the-art cooling. Apple claims that the cooling system will enable the system to run at maximum power and efficiency. In terms of memory, the Mac Pro supports up to 1.5TB of RAM, which is staggering at the least. Expansion can be done via six-channel memory across 12 DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) slots.

Another highlighting feature of the machine is the presence of eight PCI Express slots. Four out of those eight slots are double-wide, implying that they can house larger expansion cards. Regarding connectivity, the Mac Pro sports 2 USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-A ports that are present on the front of the case.

Additionally, Apple also launched the MPX module, which is a custom expansion module. In order to provide the components with more power and connectivity speeds, the MPX utilizes the dedicated Thunderbolt 3 module embedded in the motherboard. It can accommodate two graphics cards and sports a custom Thunderbolt connector to plug into the backbone of the motherboard. It also has its own dedicated heat sink for effective heat management.

In terms of graphics, the MPX module can be kitted with AMD’s Radeon Pro Vega 2 or Radeon Pro Vega 2 Duo cards. This will consequently add a total of 4 GPU chips to the Mac Pro, summing up to around 128GB of High Bandwidth Memory graphics. Alongside the MBX module, Apple will also sell an I/O module that will equip the Mac Pro with two more Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-A ports, in addition to the 3.5mm headphone jack. A special feature of the I/O module is the “Afterburner”, which is a dedicated video card for graphics and editing. It uses the FPGA (field-programmable gate array) that enables it to process up to 6 billion pixels a second.

The components of the Mac Pro are powered by a 1400W power supply. Apple claims that the the three large fans present at the front cool the system at the rate of 300 cubic feet per minute. The case can be fitted with optional wheels to enable mobility of the system.

Apple Pro Display XDR

The company also unveiled a 6K monitor at the WWDC, which is named the Pro Display XDR. The 32-inch LCD display has a 6016 x 3384 px Retina HD screen. The monitor has ultra narrow 9mm bezels. The XDR stands for Extreme Dynamic Range. The display supports Apple’s True Tone automatic colour adjustment for ambient lighting.

The display is 40 percent larger than the 5K display present in the iMac. It has a matte variant called Nanotexture and features an anti-reflective coating. The back of the monitor has a similar design to the Mac Pro, which acts as a heatsink. Apple claims that the screen can hit brightness levels of 1600 nits which will assist during the editing of HDR content. It connects to the Mac Pro via a Thunderbolt 3 cable. Moreover, the Pro Stand included with the monitor is extremely modular and functional. The display can be rotated into vertical mode using the Pro Stand.

The Apple Pro Display XDR is priced at US$ 4,999, whereas the Pro Stand will be sold separately for US$ 999.

Apple Mac Pro: Availability And Price

Also Read: LG 88Z9, The World’s First Commercial 8K OLED TV Up For Pre Orders

The Mac Pro will be available in Fall 2019 at a starting price of US$ 5,999 for the most toned down variant. The aforementioned variant will pack an 8-core Intel Xeon CPU, 32GB of RAM, Radeon Pro 580X GPU and 256 gigs of SSD.

June 4, 2019
iOS 13 Launched By Apple, Features Dark Mode, Privacy Upgrades, Performance Boosts

At WWDC 2019, Apple finally launched the highly-anticipated iOS 13 operating system for iPhones. The new update brings a ton of improvements to the Apple ecosystem. It is touted to be the next great release that will bring improvements all across the board for popular iPhones alongside various UI overhauls and apps revamps. Here are some of the major changes that Apple introduced with the all new iOS 13.

Dark Mode

The feature that had been long rumoured and asked for by iPhone users was finally showcased. This has been one of the single most anticipated changes ever occuring on the the iOS. It marks the second major aesthetic change to the UI after iOS 7. The true system-wide dark mode is supported by all Apple apps such as Photos, Calendar and multiple others.

Reminders

Apple has introduced a new update to the Reminder application in iOS 13 at the WWDC 2019. Users can filter their tasks using various filtering options such as “Today”, “Scheduled” and “Flagged”. Additionally, the app has recieved a visual overhaul and will include AI integration, which will automatically suggest users when they would like to be reminded. Users can also tag their contacts and upon opening the respective thread in messages, they will be reminded of the same.

Performance Boost

Similar to the iOS 12 update, the company has designed iOS 13 in order to upgrade the performance statistics of older devices as well as upcoming iPhones. Apple has stated that features such as FaceID will operate 30 percent faster with the new update. Also, applications will open twice as fast on iOS 13 as compared to iOS 12. New updates will also be 60% smaller, while downloads will be 50 percent smaller than the previous OS.

Privacy

Since privacy forms an integral basis of Apple’s ecosystem, the company has introduced a multitude of security features to iOS 13 at the WWDC 2019. For instance, users can decide to grant access to location services “just once”, which will not send their location data every time they use the concerned application. Also, using the “Sign in with Apple” feature, users can log into applications and services using their Face ID and simply create a new account without divulging personal data. Furthermore, users can get new private email addresses made every time they log into a new app using Apple Accounts, which will reduce the amount of spam emails accumulating in users’ inboxes.

Revamped Photo And Video Editing Tools, External Storage

The company has introduced a new editing interface to iOS 13 for photos and videos, which will allow the users to enhance their clicks and snaps in a much detailed scenario. Users can edit vignette, brilliance, shadows, contrast, saturation, white balance, sharpness, highlights, definition, and noise reduction in their images. Videos can now be rotated directly in the new operating system update. The refreshed Photos app UI will ensure that duplicates and clutter-like images will be automatically removed from the storage. Talking of storage, iOS 13 will enable users to directly copy files from SD cards and USB drives to the Files application.

Swiping Keyboard And Memojis

Users familiar with third party keyboards like Swiftkey and Swype will be delighted to know that Apple has finally updated its own stock keyboard with a swiping functionality. Users can simply “glide” through the letters to draft a word and eventually, sentences. Apple calls the new keyboard the “Quick Path” keyboard, and it will help users replace any third party keyboards with the redefined Apple keyboard. Furthermore, Apple also added the option to use Memojis as a profile picture. Apple is also adding more options for customizing Memoji, as well as adding the ability to use Memojis as iMessage stickers in chat.

Availability

Also Read: Microsoft Teases A New Dual-Screen Surface Device

The developer preview of iOS 13 is available to the members of the Apple Developer Program. Noteworthy, a public beta program will be also available to iOS users next month. iOS 13 will be available this Fall as a free software update for iPhone 6s and later iPhones. This rollout is expected to occur at the same time when the company will reportedly announce the next generation of iPhones.

June 4, 2019
New Qualcomm Chips Will Reduce The Prices Of Windows ARM Laptops

As per latest news, Chinese organization Lenovo unveiled a laptop running the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx chipset at the Computex 2019 event held in Taiwan. The market is still devoid of ARM-based laptops with Windows 10 or Chrome OS. However, as per the latest reports, Qualcomm is planning to introduce ARM processors from the Snapdragon series in upcoming notebook-cum-tablet series. Furthermore, they will bear a lower price tag than other ARM-based laptops in the market.

A senior executive at Qualcomm revealed that the company will launch new ARM chips designed especially for affordable devices. Doing so will help the company to enter the market segment currently dominated by Chromebooks. Consequently, the American chip manufacturer wants to increase its popularity amongst software providers to boost the number of Qualcomm devices in the market.

In the upcoming months, Qualcomm states that it will launch new platforms that will enable the production of efficient and inexpensive 2-in-1 tablet devices. The company will continue to treat the 8cx as the flagship chipset variant, however, it will also unveil more chipsets for devices in the $300-$800 price range. One such SoC is rumoured to be the Snapdragon 7cx. The hardware-based designs on affordable Snapdragon platforms will be equipped with both Windows and Chrome OS in the future.

Qualcomm Snapdragon Chipset

Also Read: Samsung Launches The Notebook 7 and Notebook 7 Force Laptops With Intel 8th Generation Processors

The Qualcomm Senior Executive further states that it is still highly unlikely that Google will release an official ChromeOS to support applications on ARM-based platforms. On the other hand, Microsoft is already trying to implement platform support for desktop Office applications on Snapdragon processors. Hopefully, Google will follow suit upon finding suitable incentive in ARM-based chipsets. The more affordable, efficient laptops/tablets running on the new chipsets by Qualcomm are expected to be of big help in the education sector.

June 3, 2019
Spotify Tests New ‘Social Listening’ Feature That Lets Users Listen To Music Together

The experience of jamming to your favourite tracks by your favourite artist is much more accessible in this day and age than ever before. Gone are the days of having to search for songs on CDs that were sold in malls or local stores. Multiple online music streaming services are now available such as Spotify, that now seek to make listening to great songs a shared and interactive experience. The Swedish music streaming company is reportedly starting to test a new feature by the name of Social Listening that would let multiple users add songs and make playlists in real time. This is a group feature that will allow users to share and listen to new tracks simultaneously. Spotify is supposedly testing this feature internally within its employees, however, no confirmation has been officially given by the company as of yet regarding the public release of the feature.

The leaked information has stated that ‘Social Listening’ lets users control music together with their own devices using the added function of scanning Spotify Codes or by opening links to pair with other users to begin sharing songs. Screenshots that were leaked show the screens of devices ready to be paired by scanning codes or shared links, in an Android version of the application.

Spotify’s only official response to the feature is that the company is always testing new products and experiences, but have no news that can be shared regarding this function. The company prior to this had revealed its tests on new hardware (a first for the Spotify) ‘Car Thing”, a voice-controlled music and podcast player for cars. The test was only limited to the United States, however, Spotify will invite a few selected premium users for the experience too. Again no confirmations on the company actually releasing the device for consumers.

Also Read: WhatsApp Profile Photos Now Can’ Be Saved, New Album Features

The new social feature that allows group-based interactive playlist feature by Spotify that has just been teased would most definitely be a welcome addition to the social functions within its application.

June 3, 2019
WhatsApp Profile Photos Now Can’ Be Saved, New Album Features

The popular instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, is planning on removing the functionality that allowed users from saving someone else’s profile photo. This change was first noticed in the beta version of the application for iOS devices but now seems to be rolling out for Android users too. The latest update also adds new album features; such as providing more information about the files that need to be downloaded. These changes were spotted by a renowned WhatsApp leaker.

WhatsApp for iOS: What’s New?

The latest update from WhatsApp brings about many changes in the beta version on iOS. As mentioned above, the messaging app has stopped allowing to save someone else profile picture. While it is not confirmed wy this feature was provided in the first place, the removal of it seems to be related to privacy concerns. Apart from this, album improvements have also been added to the beta update. With this, whenever a user receives multiple images in a chat, the app will now tell the total size and number of images to be downloaded. All the aforementioned features were spotted in the beta version 2.19.60.26 of WhatsApp for iPhone.

Also read: Top Smartphones Launch In India: June 2019

Another change that is reported soon to arrive on WhatsApp is the use of a new media format. The current voice messages and audio filed use a format known as opus. This offers low latency and subpar quality of audio, which will now be replaced with the M4A audio coding format. The new format is reported to offer better quality and support in third-party apps. This feature is only available on iOS as of now. With the latest update, a new pop up prompting users to change their number when they try to delete their account. These features may make their way to the stable update soon.

June 2, 2019
Top Smartphones Launch In India : June 2019

It is June already and many smartphone OEMs have announced that their handsets will launch in India this month. Amidst a sea of devices, we have compiled a list of all the top upcoming smartphones that are expected or have been confirmed to be launching in the Indian market in June.

OnePlus 7

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OnePlus has already announced its latest smartphone, the OnePlus 7 on the 14th of May. The company has now revealed it will go on sale starting on the 4th of June. It is the successor of the OnePlus 6T from last year and boasts of several improvements over its predecessor. In terms of specifications, the OnePlus 7 features a 6.41-inch Optic AMOLED display with a waterdrop notch. For biometric security and rapidly unlocking the device, it has an in display fingerprint scanner and support for face unlock technology.

Under the hood, it is kitted with the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC which is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU. For memory and storage, the OnePlus 7 has up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. In terms of optics, the handset has a dual 48MP + 5MP camera setup and a single 16 MP camera on the front. It is powered using a 3700 mAh battery with 20W fast charging support. The smartphone has been priced at Rs. 32,999 for the base variant with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage and Rs. 37,999 for the version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard memory.

Samsung Galaxy M40

The Samsung Galaxy M40 will be the latest addition to the company’s online exclusive Galaxy M lineup. It has been announced that the smartphone will be launched on the 11th of June. While the specification of the device has not been confirmed yet, past leaks have revealed it will sport a 6.3 inch LCD display; with an Infinity O style hole punch on the top left corner of the display. The teasers have also exhibited the presence of a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for efficiently accessing the handset.

Under the hood, the Galaxy M40 is expected to run on the 11nm Snapdragon 675 SoC; which is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 612 GPU. In terms of optics, it is revealed to have a triple camera setup, details of which are not known yet. The device is also rumoured to feature up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of Internal storage. More details about the upcoming smartphone may be revealed as we move closer to its launch.

Samsung Galaxy A80

The Samsung Galaxy A80 was announced in the month of April and is the first smartphone from the company to feature a mechanical camera mechanism. It was introduced alongside the Galaxy A70 which has already gone on sale in India. In terms of specifications, the Galaxy A80 features a 6.7 inch Super AMOLED display with no notch or hole punch in sight. The device has an in display fingerprint scanner with support for face unlock.

Under the hood, the Galaxy A80 runs on the 8nm Snapdragon 730 SoC, which is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 618 GPU. In terms of optics, the upcoming smartphone has a triple camera setup, which has a 48MP primary sensor, combined with an 8MP ultra wide sensor and a Time of Flight (ToF) sensor for capturing depth. The highlight feature of the device is the rotating camera mechanism, which allows the users to take selfies from the primary camera.

For memory and storage, the handset has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. The Galaxy A80 is powered by a 3700 mAh battery with 25W fast charging. It is expected to be priced at around Rs. 45,000 when it launches in India later this month.

Asus ZenFone 6

Taiwanese electronics giant Asus introduced its latest flagship smartphone, the Zenfone 6 at an event on the 16th of May. It is expected to be launched in India on the 6th of June at a lucrative price tag. In terms of specifications, it has a 6.4 inch LCD display with no obstruction like a notch or hole punch. For quickly accessing the device, there is a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner and also support for face unlock.

Under the hood, the Zenfone 6 is kitted with the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC; comprised of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU. In terms of optics, a dual camera setup is present on the flip camera mechanism on the back. This setup consists of a 48MP primary sensor and a 13MP ultra wide angle sensor which can be flipped to 180 degrees for taking selfies. For memory and storage, the device has up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The handset is powered by a mammoth 5000 mAh battery with 18W fast charging. It is expected to be priced around Rs. 40,000 range in India.

Nubia Red Magic 3

The Red Magic 3 is the latest gaming smartphone from ZTE’s subsidiary Nubia. It was announced in the month of April and features top tier hardware. In terms of specifications, the device has a 6.65-inch OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. For quickly accessing the handset, a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor with support for face unlock is present.

Under the hood, the Nubia Red Magic 3 runs on the 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC, comprised of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU. In terms of optics, it has a 48MP primary rear sensor with a 16MP selfie camera. For memory and storage, the device has up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. For efficiently cooling the upcoming smartphone under heavy gaming load, it has the company’s air and water cooling technology. The handset is powered by a 5000 mAh battery with 27W fast charging. It is expected to be priced around Rs. 35,000 price bracket in India.

Redmi K20 Series

Xiaomi introduced the Redmi K20 and K20 Pro last week. While the former is a mid-range offering, the latter is a flagship-grade device from the company, featuring top tier specifications at a competitive price. In terms of specifications, the smartphones have a 6.39 inch AMOLED display. For biometric security and unlocking the smartphones, the Redmi K20 series has an in display fingerprint scanner along with support for face unlock.

Under the hood, the Redmi K20 is kitted with the 8nm Snapdragon 730 SoC. The chipset is comprised of an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 618 GPU. The more premium Redmi K20 Pro runs on the flagship grade 7nm Snapdragon 855 SoC which has an Octa-core CPU and the Adreno 640 GPU. In terms of optics, both smartphones have a triple rear camera setup consisting of a 48MP + 13MP ultra wide angle sensor + 8MP telephoto sensor. For selfies, a 32MP sensor is housed in the pop-up mechanism on top of the handsets.

Both the Redmi K20 and the K20 Pro are powered by a 4,000 mAh battery. However, the former supports 18 W fast charging while the latter supports 27 W fast charging. The Redmi K20 is expected to be priced around Rs. 20,000 while the K20 Pro might cost around Rs. 30,000 in India. Both the upcoming smartphones are one of the most anticipated in the country.

Honor 20 Series

Announced last month, the Honor 20 and 20 Pro are the latest flagship devices from the Huawei subsidiary. The company has announced the upcoming smartphones will be launched in India on the 11th of June. In terms of specifications, the handsets feature a 6.26 inch LCD display with a punch hole cutout on the top left corner. They have a side mounted fingerprint scanner for quickly accessing the device.

Under the hood, the smartphones pack the Kirin 980 SoC consists of an Octa-Core CPU and the Mali G76 GPU. The key highlight the Honor 20 and the Honor 20 Pro is the rear facing quad camera setup. Both smartphones have a 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor, 16 MP wide angle sensor and 2 MP macro sensor. The fourth sensor on the Honor 20 is a 2 MP depth sensor whereas the Honor 20 Pro has an 8MP telephoto lens. For memory and storage, the handsets have up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

Also read: China Prepares A Counter-Strike On The Huawei Ban

In terms of battery, the Honor 20 is powered by a 3750 mAh battery whereas the Honor 20 Pro is powered by a 4,000 mAh. Both devices also support 22.5 W fast charging. They are expected to be priced around Rs. 35,000 in India.

June 1, 2019
Apple To Focus On Devices Other Than The iPhone In The Future

Apple, in a bold step of decentralizing focus, has decided to shift its vision towards the ‘peripheral’ products with more operational independence. Since the dawn of the iPhone, each new generation of the handset saw the inclusion of new technology within or alongside it. Products made by Apple were only in rare cases focused on providing an entirely standalone experience overall.

The iPad serves as a great example, marketed as a laptop replacement with more freedom in mobility while not sacrificing power. In most other cases devices developed like the Apple Watch only seemed to exist for the sake of supplementing the iPhone and its user experience.

Apple’s upcoming developer conference seeks to draw a road map for the company’s plans on moving away from the iPhones glory, around which products were based. The keynote presentation will have the upper echelon of the tech giant showcase the latest generations of Apple devices and software in San Jose. Going forward Apple seeks to make the Watches more independent, iPads that will actually reduce the needs for laptops, and cross-platform applications to run on every Apple products.

Future Of Apple Watch

Made to be the next great leap in innovation after the iPhone in 2015, the device has yet to reach the level that the handset has achieved years prior. Apple Watch which had the potential to push computing to even smaller frames while still providing the functionality to users had ended up relying on the iPhone.

However, with the inclusion of cellular connectivity support to the device two years ago and the upcoming software update with watchOS 6, the company will further branch off the Watch and the iPhone. The new update will bring features like an on-board App Store with calculator and voice recorder alongside new messaging capabilities.

iPad’s Potential

As brought up previously, the iPad has been marketed often being tagged as the worthy replacement for laptops. Apple has a more than capable hardware lineup which has beaten laptop grade processors in the past in performance but lacks severely when discussed by the software aspects.

The company seeks to improve on the OS that’ll give users more functionality and not something that would seem like a tweaked version of the iPhone iOS. Planned updates to include features like using multiple apps simultaneously and a refreshed Home Screen have been announced.

Also Read: Alphabet’s New AI Defeats Human Players In A Multiplayer Game

Cross-Platform App Ecosystem

Seeking to aid developers, Apple will soon provide tools for iOS applications to be made available to other platforms within the company’s ecosystem. Applications will now be ported over to the Mac desktops and MacBook laptops, following the example of the iPad receiving its own versions of Apple’s News, Voice Memos, Home, and Stock apps from the Mac. This points towards a future with a single version of an App being available across every platform by Apple.

June 1, 2019