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Samsung Has Started Research On 6G Networks At A New Center

At a time where 5G networks are still in their developing times, South Korean technology giant Samsung has already begun research on 6th Generation networks. That is right, the company which is gearing up to launch one of the first 5G smartphones in the market is also looking towards 6G networks. There is absolutely no information regarding the availability of such technology yet, but the fact that advancements are overstepping even the current iteration of the technology is very interesting to witness.

An official from Samsung stated that the organization is already scoping out initial research points by launching a brand-new research centre. The company recently established its Advanced Communications Research Center under Samsung Research. This is one of the company’s main R&D (Research And Development) divisions, and as per reports, it is based in Southern Seoul (the capital of South Korea).

The company had a team of researchers already working on fifth generation networks, which will now be expanded to the level of an all-round research centre as per reports. Furthermore, the newly set up centre will focus solely on 6G networks, even though analysts predict that 6G networks will not be commercially viable until the year 2030. This is almost 11 years from now, so 6G demos might not even be available until the year 2027 or later.

Samsung Galaxy S10e

Also Read: Apple CarPlay Update Makes It A Better Travel Partner

An additional piece of news states that Samsung Research is also in charge of R&D for AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Robotics. Apparently, the company is venturing into future technologies that may set it apart from other electronics manufacturers in the not-so-distant future. Samsung’s Galaxy S10 5G is already rolling out to exclusive Verizon customers in the United States. Demo tests of the same have showcased insanely fast data download speeds, so it is just a speculation that 6G technology will provide speeds that are not even imaginable.

June 5, 2019
Google Maps Will Now Provide Info on Trains and Buses In India

In a modern day world where time is money, information regarding an individual’s commute is extremely important. In Indian states like Mumbai where trains are the most common form of transportation for the masses, details regarding the status of various trains is quite crucial. In a new announcement, Google has unveiled its plans for adding practical (and much needed) features to Google Maps for its Indian user base.

With the new update, Google Maps can provide the user with real-time information on bus travel times derived from live traffic conditions. Furthermore, users will now also be able to track live statuses of Indian Railway trains. The update is set to be introduced to ten major cities in the country. A mixed-mode commute feature will also be introduced. This feature combines auto-rickshaws with public transport for a more detailed route to the user’s destination.

Bus & Public Transport

The aforementioned feature will work hand-in-hand with Google Maps pre-existing live traffic data and public bus schedules. This will provide accurate travel times regarding buses in real-time. Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Chennai, Mysore, Coimbatore, and Surat will be the first cities to receive this feature. The new update will be tested out for the first time in the real world and will help in relaying more detailed information regarding buses to the users.

Indian Railways

Trains will also receive a similar set of updates. Information regarding delays and travel times will now be available on Google Maps. Upon searching for the user’s current location and destination, the app will provide inter-state data regarding train routes. This feature was developed with the help of ‘Where is my train’ app, that was acquired by Google in the year 2018.

Mixed-Mode Commute

Also Read: How ARKit 3, RealityKit And HomeKit Will Help Developers In Creating Apps

With the inclusion of the new mixed-mode feature, route results now also highlight auto-rickshaws. This form of travel is popular in India for quick and short duration rides. Google Maps will suggest rickshaws during trips in public transport only if it is a viable alternative. This particular feature, however, will be only available in Delhi and Bangalore and will eventually spread to other cities as well.

June 5, 2019
How ARKit 3, RealityKit And HomeKit Will Help Developers In Creating Apps

The first day of the WWDC 2019 saw some radical updates being brought forth by Apple. The American multinational company announced the iOS 13, the all-new Mac Pro and iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS and macOS. Furthermore, since the event was a ‘developers’ conference’, Apple also unveiled new software frameworks, especially for developers. The development kits include ARKit 3 and RealityKit frameworks. Additionally, Homekit will now be added to security cameras and wi-fi routers. HomeKit is a software framework by Apple that helps iOS-based devices to communicate with smart-home appliances.

ARKit 3

Developers will find it much easier to formulate AR-based applications with the updated ARKit iteration, which receives a fair overhaul in features from the ARKit 2. Using Motion Capture, developers can track human movements and feed them directly into the applications. Motion Capture will also be able to accurately track the limbs and torsos in real-time. People Occlusion is another feature being included in the ARKit 3 framework. It will ensure that all the Augmented Reality based content will show up naturally in front or behind people.

RealityKit

RealityKit was also introduced by the company, and it enables developers to fabricate ‘photorealistic’ AR experiences, Apple states. This implies that real-world environments can easily accommodate virtual objects. Effects such as motion blur can be manually added into scenes, which will simulate a real-world environment instead of a virtual environment. The company also announced the integration of RealityKit with Swift’s Application Programming Interface (API).

HomeKit

Also Read: Samsung Collaborating With AMD For Radeon Graphics On Its Smartphones

Regarding Apple’s interface to make Home-based Apple devices more accessible via devices running iOS, HomeKit will undergo two new developments. HomeKit Secure Video will ensure that the security cameras connected to the HomeKit network will process and analyze security feed directly on the user’s device rather than on the cloud. Furthermore, the 10-day feed will be encrypted and uploaded to the user’s iCloud account. Alongside, HomeKit-enabled routers will create a virtual firewall between the complete network and the devices connected to it. This will make sure that the network will remain secure even if one of the devices is breached.

June 5, 2019
Apple CarPlay Update Makes It A Better Travel Partner

At the WWDC 2019, Apple announced a planned refresh to its pre-existing CarPlay feature installed in vehicles across the world. The company also announced the iOS 13, tvOS, watchOS, the redesigned Mac Pro, and the iPadOS. With the new upgrades to CarPlay, Apple seeks to enhance the user-cum-driver experience with various practical functionalities.

The announcement for the aforementioned system focused mainly on upgrades from previous iterations. The company is giving CarPlay an aesthetical overhaul. With iOS 13, a new dashboard that can show multiple applications in a single view is now possible in CarPlay. Applications like Music and Maps will be more accessible by users. With the new updates, Apple’s CarPlay would have a more informative Calendar app that relays even more relevant details. The Music app will now highlight the featured album art more noticeably alongside favourites and music discovery.

With the refreshed visual design and UI, CarPlay will also feature improved support for Siri and a new ‘light mode’. Notifications and Siri suggestions are more seamless and cleaner with the new update. iOS 13 will feature numerous compatibility and utility integrations with the new CarPlay.

A significant change to the system is that apps launched in the connected smartphone will not be mirrored on CarPlay. As per the company, this change was introduced so that the smartphone can be used for more than one function at a time. Now, a passenger can simply play music without any interference with applications such as Maps. The new update also allows CarPlay to appear on other digital screens in the car. A new ‘Do Not Disturb While Driving’ mode will also debut with the new update that blocks notifications, a feature derived from iPhones.

Also Read: Samsung Collaborating With AMD For Radeon Graphics On Its Smartphones

With the new CarPlay, Siri will be able to run third-party applications for music and navigation. Apple has also integrated fully hands-free ‘Hey Siri’ support that works with the car’s in-built microphone. Lastly, Apple also announced the system’s ability to automatically adapt to different screen sizes and resolution. The company believes that the new CarPlay update will ensure that users can seamlessly make use of the various new features bundled with the same.

June 5, 2019
Samsung Collaborating With AMD For Radeon Graphics On Its Smartphones

The gaming industry is currently valued at an estimated $93 Billion, with mobile gaming accounting for the largest piece of the pie. American chip manufacturer AMD and Samsung have announced their partnership for upcoming smartphone graphics. Looking at the pace at which the mobile gaming industry is growing, it was only a matter of time until tech giants like AMD had the aforementioned sector in their sights.

Previously, the video game industry used to be a small part of the entertainment business but now, it is one of the major forefronts for digital media. In the year 2018, the gaming industry raked up the same amount of revenue as the US film industry. Unlike in the past when development teams and investment were low and the return profitable, now a dedicated highly qualified team works on a million-dollar project just for the sake of development.

Samsung alongside AMD confirmed the joint venture in a common report. The partnership will see the development of a new ultra-low power high-performance graphics technology. AMD is confirmed to have licensed its proprietary graphical technology to Samsung for use in future mobile chipsets. The South Korean giant will reportedly pay for AMD’s brand new recently announced RDNA graphics architecture.

This will mark a new market for AMD to capitalize on. The graphics technology from team Red will seek to replace the ARM-based Mali GPUs that are found in the Exynos chipsets. Samsung’s strategy to retail different chipsets in different countries may lead to certain countries not witnessing the aforementioned architecture. Most countries are receiving the Exynos chipset while US, Canada, China, Japan and Latin America receive the Qualcomm Snapdragon processors with Adreno GPUs.

Also Read: As Apple Retires iTunes, Here Is How It Paved The Way For Modern Music Platforms

It can be noted that AMD previously owned the Adreno GPU technology before it sold its graphics division to Qualcomm in 2009. Radeon graphics are renowned for its desktop GPU lineup and incorporation in game consoles like PS4 and Xbox One. Its architecture is also being optimized in upcoming Google Stadia, the cloud gaming service.

June 4, 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
As Apple Retires iTunes, Here Is How It Paved The Way For Modern Music Platforms

When Apple first unveiled iTunes back in the year 2001, it revolutionized the music industry. Changing the way people purchased music and digital albums, iTunes remained as an iconic music symbol until now, because Apple has decided to break iTunes apart. iTunes is splitting into three different applications, namely Music, TV and Podcasts. However, the application will stay intact as a standalone iOS application and on Windows PCs. Let’s have a look at the interesting journey of iTunes through the years.

Formally launched on 9th January 2001, iTunes was introduced at a time where music was hugely downloaded via pirated websites and file-sharing platforms. The application had a fairly simple user interface, which made it easy for users to get accustomed to it. It had a simple billing procedure and a detailed yet vast catalogue of music and albums for users to pick from. In a nutshell, the iTunes application provided one of the best user experience at its time.

In the year 2003, iTunes made its way onto the Windows platform. This drastically expanded the reach of the application and made it accessible to a lot more users. This also removed the doubts regarding iTunes being an Apple-only service. However, Apple’s strategy regarding iTunes has always been closely linked with its devices, including iPhones, iPads and MacBooks.

Almost two years later, iTunes started offering TV shows for purchase. This marked one of the most defining eras for iTunes, where music was sold alongside videos, making iTunes the perfect go-to entertainment platform. If that wasn’t enough, Apple also introduced movies on iTunes in the year 2006. Apple was tasting a lot of success with its entertainment platform, so it decided to launch the ‘Genius’ feature within iTunes, which recommended new music to users based on previous listening patterns.

2008 was a really big year for Apple since iTunes became the largest music retailer in the United States. This literally marked the death of record stores, since most users were directly purchasing music from the iTunes store. To enhance the “music anywhere” functionality, the company launched iCloud almost 3 years later. It allowed users to back up their music files and other documents to the cloud. This meant that with an internet connection, users could access their music from any location.

With The launch of the iPhone in subsequent years, Apple required an initial setup and sync to be done using iTunes, and while this process has been reduced to device restores and wireless updates. iTunes will always be remembered as the pain point and the weak link for iPhone Jailbreakers.

In 2010 Apple also attempted to create a music social network dubbed “Ping”. This allowed users to follow artists and see short, timely postings by both friends and artists. This didn’t work as expected and Apple shut it down in 2012.

Skip forward to the present year, a lot of users were skeptical about iTunes’ departure from the scene. However, analysts stated that the iTunes shut-down is an integral part of Apple’s strategy to focus on subscription content and services. This will help Apple in radically boosting its revenue based on selective content delivering. Statistics exhibit that subscription services made up for about 80 percent of all online music and video revenue in the year 2018. Stats further reveal that Apple currently boasts of almost 56 million paying customers, indicating why it decided to branch out to three different applications instead of a single application.

Also Read: Apple Showcases The Updated watchOS 6 and tvOS 13 At WWDC 2019

Apple shutting iTunes doesn’t imply that all the content owned by users will be deleted in one go. The company will release some information shortly regarding the downloaded content. Expectedly, the content will be managed via Apple Music and other applications. Nonetheless, iTunes will always be one of those applications that revolutionized the whole culture of the entertainment when it was turning digital. And it did so in a way that a huge chunk of users depended on it for their daily dose of music and movies. Hopefully, Apple continues to introduce similar overhauls to the newly formed applications that can make up for the removal of iTunes from the Apple ecosystem.

June 4, 2019
Here Is How Apple Watch Covers All Bases In Modern Healthcare

In a world where health concerns are on the rise, each step taken in the right direction may save lives. Apple recognised the need for a device that brings genuine utility for its consumers. Rather than making an entirely new product, it has added new layers of functionality that enables the device to be a small but impactful health partner.

Apple has focused on making the Watch a standalone experience with its own unique functions. With the inclusion of an ECG sensor on the Apple Watch series 4, health took an active role with the device. Incorporating many of the health monitoring features that have been popular in the mobile industry such as tracking the number of steps taken. With individuals becoming more self-aware and conscious with their health, the industry soon adapted to provide the market with their current demands.

Health partner bands and companion wearable devices are not a new concept now, but Apple with its inclusion of functions like noise detection and menstrual cycle tracking made the experience a lot more streamlined and rounded. ECG sensor that brought real-time monitoring of heart rate, in countries like India where heart conditions affect nearly one-third of the entire adult population, makes it more than a useful tool for everyday use. (ECG is presently only available in limited countries)

The latest update to watchOS 6 had Apple say, ‘why stop there?’ The company along with its new ‘faces’ has seamlessly integrated pro-health functions to the Apple Watch. The ‘Loud Noise’ detecting app is one such application that passively records and measure sound levels in the users surrounding ambience. Noise pollution has become a real epidemic in the modern world and areas where sound levels cross 90 decibels are immediately notified to the user as harmful and unsafe. This function has yet to be reproduced by other manufacturers that target health-conscious consumers.

Apple, for its women userbase, has added a uniquely interactive app that lets them track their menstrual cycles. With the new Cycle Tracking App, women can log important data related to their menstrual cycles. The application with data inputs is also capable of predicting future cycles beforehand along with current period flow, symptoms and results from ovulation prediction kits. Fertility and ovulation can also be tracked by Apple Watch.

Also Read: Apple Mac Pro Is The Productivity Machine Apple Promised

No wearable device/companion, even the ones specifically made for health monitoring feature such degree of functionality at this size. Apple succeeded in making the best wearable device in the market in this regard. Users can get a full picture of their health right on their wrist without ever needing an iPhone.

Apple has also made the Apple Watch a more stand alone device, which means it can function without requiring input from the iPhone. The Apple Watch offers Fall detection and emergency auto dial for the elderly, Heart Rate monitoring, and ECG, along with several other features like, Breathe reminders and fitness tracking which include auto exercise detection. The Apple Watch has already saved a lot of lives with some of it’s features and with more being added with WatchOS 6, the Apple Watch has now become the most well developed fitness and health tracker.

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 iPadOS Is Well Designed To Enhance iPad Usage

The first day WWDC 2019 was a huge one for Apple. The company launched the much-awaited iOS 13 for iPhones and announced the all new redesigned Mac Pro, which packs top-of-the-line specifications for content creators. Apple was also rumoured to launch a dedicated operating system for iPads, and so it happened. For the first time, the iPad received its own Operating system, known as the iPadOS. It packs a set of helpful and features that aim to enhance the productivity of the device. Here are some of the major iPadOS features which will improve the user experience on the iPad.

A Redesigned Home Screen

The all new iPadOS has a refreshed home screen with widgets support. Users can expand the widgets on one side of the screen, while the application icons take up the rest of the display. A host of multitasking gestures has also been introduced in the new operating system, so that users can simply ‘glide’ through their task list. For instance, users can drag the applications they intend to use and drop them alongside other applications. This will increase the ease with which users perform multiple tasks over different applications.

The Revamped Files Application

One of the biggest additions to the new iPadOS is undoubtedly the new redesigned Files application. It has been tweaked with a column view that provides users with high-resolution previews of files without even opening them. The app has support for Quick Actions like mark up, rotate and create PDF. A local storage has been introduced where users can organize their files and zip/unzip documents. In order to make the iPad equally functional as notebooks, the iPadOS supports external drives (USBs, SD Cards). Lastly, improved iCloud Drive support implies that anyone with access to a shared folder on the iPad will be easily able to access the latest version of the same on his device.

Upgraded Safari Browser

Another intuitive upgrade in the iPad’s functionalities has been brought to the Safari browser, which automatically presents the desktop version of a website on the iPad. Apple claims that the webpage is aptly scaled as per the iPad’s display. Moreover, the website is optimized for touch usage, so that web applications such as WordPress are seamlessly accessible. Apple has also included a whole new download manager within the browser alongside 30 new keyboard shortcuts.

New Split View And Slide Over

Apple claims that the all new Split view will enable users to work with multiple files from the same document at the same time. Using the slide over functionality, users can also view the window they want and smoothly switch between them. For instance, a user can jot down an email while looking at another email from the same application, all at the same time. Another feature called App Exposé helps the users in getting a quick view of any open windows with just a single tap.

Additional Features

Alongside the aforementioned features, Apple also introduced system-wide Dark Mode to the iPadOS that is applied across all applications. Users can install third party custom fonts which can be used while creating documents. Moreover, Apple’s iPad keyboard can now shrink down to a floating keyboard that can be moved across the screen. Pinching the regular keyboard will instantly convert it to the said floating mode. Performance boosts will ensure that users can launch their applications faster, unlock the iPad faster and reduce download sizes by up to 50 percent.

Availability

Also Read: Xiaomi To Launch The Redmi K20, K20 Pro In India Within The Next Six Weeks

The developer preview of iPadOS is now available to members of the Apple Developer Program. The public beta program will be available to iPadOS users in the month of July 2019. The operating system will be available for iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation and later and iPad mini 4 and later variants.

June 4, 2019
Apple Mac Pro Is The Productivity Machine Apple Promised

When Apple launched the previous version of the Mac Pro a lot of prospective buyers were excited for the new “trash can” design. However, even though it turned out to be an exciting device for pro-consumers, professionals didn’t like the design or the lack of expandability. Especially since Mac Pro’s originally offered expansion and flexibility.

Apple last year clarified that they were working on a redesigned Mac Pro that would live up to the name, and boy has Apple delivered. The new 2019 Mac Pro offers a pro focused approach towards productivity.

The Mac Pro will have Xeon processors up to 28 cores with 64 PCI lanes that will allow for ample expansion for improved graphics cards, capture cards or fast storage. Users can also use the six lane memory which is expandable up to a whopping 1.5TB.

The new pro includes an option for the Radeon Pro Vega II, and Duo cards which were also debuted with the Mac Pro. Users can utilize the dual MPX Modules for 2 Vega II Duos to achieve 56 Teraflops of Graphics performance and upto 128 GB of Graphics Memory.

But all these specifications are only an added plus to the new design of the Mac Pro which is clearly one of the best cpu case designs for pro usage. While aesthetically pleasing the case is designed with cooling in mind . A fully vented front and three fans at the back mean that air moves through the Mac Pro in a singular direction at all times. The open nature of the machine means users will be able to add Liquid cooling into the mix and that may end up in some improved throttle free performance.

The case design also allows for quick all around access the machined aluminum frame sits on solid pipe frame which while reminding us of the original “cheese grater” Mac Pro, is much more simpler to access and customize.

Apple has not held back with performance and expandability and it is evident that the company wants the professionals, movie makers and pro consumers to accept the Mac Pro back into their workflow. Expansion options will also include thunderbolt 3 ports which will allow for EGPUs and displays including the new 6K Apple Pro Display XDR.

The Mac Pro’s Afterburner is also another feature designed to lure big video creators and movie makers. The programmable ASIC is capable of decoding up to 6.3 billion pixels per second. Which means it can live decode upto three 8K Pro Res streams. This also translates to 12 4K streams, means that production houses won’t have to rely on fast proxy media, eliminating production storage costs.

The Apple Mac Pro is more a legend reborn, almost like a cult classic revamped. Ever since the first Mac Pro was introduced it became a staple for video editors and movie producers. Major motion pictures were created on these machines and that legacy may continue yet again for the foreseeable future.

Needless to say Apple will also allow full customization and professionals are already drooling over their favorite specification builds. The Mac Pro will ship in fall and will be available to customize from Apple’s website. In India the Apple Mac Pro will be available in certain pre-configured builds, but Apple is working on bringing full customization to India, and we might see that soon.

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
Microsoft Teases A New Dual-Screen Surface Device

Sources have uncovered that Microsoft has showcased a new dual-screen Surface device within the company. The device was demonstrated to the team working on the new 2 in 1 with the help of a video reel showcasing the new Microsoft Surface with dual-screen prototype hardware.

Codenamed Centaurus, Microsoft has been hard at work regarding the upcoming dual-screen device for about 2 years now. Microsoft Surface is set to pave the way for a new breed of dual-screen tablet and laptop hybrids with its unique new designs. The company had also had plans for a smaller pocketable Surface variant, code-named Andromeda, that had its development halted for Centaurus. The dual-screen laptop prototype (Centaurus) was first heard of in December 2018 with similarities drawing it closer to Microsoft’s Courier tablet concept.

The Surface team at Microsoft demonstrated the hardware, long before any official announcements, showcasing various dual-screen prototypes for it. Centaurus being openly shown to the employees does point at the possibility of the development stages reaching its final cycles with estimates putting the release by year-end or early 2020.

Microsoft’s Centaurus (latest version of Surface) will also be receiving the Microsoft Windows Lite version, making it one of the first devices to run on the Operating System. Windows Lite is a new slimmed down version of Windows for dual-screen devices and Chromebook competitors. Intel’s new stance on ultrabooks and push towards dual-screened devices with more added functionality and productive uses much like the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is expected to popularise the idea of a dual display device.

Also Read: Xiaomi To Launch The Redmi K20, K20 Pro In India Within The Next Six Weeks

Microsoft besides the Centaurus has also showcased the fully functional xCloud, the cloud game streaming platform. More details on the online gaming platform will come on E3 2019 on the 8th of June. The company pitches the cloud gaming service, not as a replacement for Xbox consoles but rather a way to resume the games users were playing on any device, with these upcoming light and portable dual-screened devices.

June 3, 2019
LG 88Z9, The World’s First Commercial 8K OLED TV Up For Pre Orders

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019, South Korean technology company LG unveiled the world’s first 8K OLED TV, the LG OLED88Z9. The company has now opened pre-booking of the television in South Korea. Consequently, the television will be retailed in North America and Europe in the third quarter of the year 2019. As of now, the company has not hinted at an India launch yet.

LG OLED88Z9: Features And Specifications

The 8K OLED TV has a resolution of 7680 x 4320 px with a massive 88-inch display. The resolution implies that the screen houses a total of 33 million pixels. Additionally, the TV supports HDR and Dolby Vision formats. In terms. In terms of sharpness, 8K displays are almost 4 times as sharp as 4K screens and have almost 16 times the number of pixels present in FHD+ displays. Noteworthy, not a lot of 8K content is available on the market which can be showcased on LG’s display.

From a different perspective, even 4K content was quite scarce when 4K displays first made its way into the market. With the development of various online streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video, 8K content can be expected to be pushed out to consumers as well. Moreover, the 2020 Olympics, which will be held in Tokyo will be supposedly broadcasted in 8K resolution. Select video developers roll out custom content in 8K as well, but to be fair, there is not a lot that users can juice out of the LED at the moment.

Also Read: Xiaomi To Launch The Redmi K20, K20 Pro In India Within The Next Six Weeks

Additional features include Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistant. Noteworthy, the voice assistant functionality will not be available globally. The LG 8K OLED TV has an inbuilt LG Gen 2 Pro Intelligent processor. Although the price of the TV has not been officially announced yet, it is expected to be quite expensive since there is no other commercially available 8K OLED TV in the market.

June 3, 2019