Tech News Updates: December 2018

Monday, December 31, 2018

Young Boy Sold His Kidney For an iPhone, is Now Bed-Ridden For Life

In order to get the iPhone 4 he so craved for, Wang sold one of his kidneys for the equivalent of $3,200 USD.

New Year: What We Want From PUBG Mobile In 2019

With the PUBG Mobile Vikendi map, Tencent's take on the battle royale genre for Android and iOS keeps getting better, however there's still room for improvement. Here's what we want to see from PUBG Mobile in the new year 2019.

New Year: What We Want From PUBG Mobile In 2019

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 Review: A Decent Budget Phone With Massive Battery

The new phone brings the Zenfone Max lineup up-to-date with modern designs and more powerful internals. Asus is now maintaining consistency for the Zenfone Max series by ensuring the presence of stock Android OS.

New Year 2019: Gadgets 360 Staff's Tech Shopping Cart for the New Year

New year 2019 is here and so is a brand new wish list. Here's tech we want to buy this year. Happy New Year 2019 everyone!

Apple iPhone XI to Feature Long-Distance 3D camera According to Report

It's no secret that the iPhone will get a radical upgrade in 2020 when Apple integrates 5G tech into the model, but what can we expect from the upcoming 2019 generation?

Samsung Tops in Number of Patents Filed For Self-Driving Cars

According to the data compiled by the European Patent Office (EPO), the number of applications related to self-driving cars filed in Europe came to 3,998 in 2017, growing more than threefold from 922 tallied in 2011.

Airtel's Wynk Music Launches 'Your Year in Music 2018', Shows What You Most Listened to This Year

Wynk Music on Friday introduced a feature through which users can track their choices of music and artistes they followed in 2018.

China Restarts Video Game Approvals After Months-Long Freeze, Tencent Missing From List

China on Saturday approved the release of 80 online video games after a freeze on such approvals for most of the year, but the titles did not include games from industry leader Tencent Holdings.

Google Brings Inbuilt Spam Protection to Messages App

Google has begun rolling out its spam protection feature to its Messages app on Android after almost over six months of developing it.

Microsoft Surface Go Starts Shipping in India: Price, Specifications And More

Aimed at taking on Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy Tab S4, the Surface Go is the lightest Surface device yet, weighing just 522g.

Snapchat Co-Founder Evan Spiegel Limits Stepson's Screen Time

The 28-year-old billionaire, who is the CEO of Snapchat's parent company Snap Inc. allows his stepson, Flynn, 90 minutes of screen time a week.

Facebook Privacy Debacle Continues as Popular Android Apps Found Sharing Data Without User Permission

A bunch of popular apps on Android could be putting your privacy at risk, according to a study conducted by Privacy International.

Top 5 Games Like PUBG Mobile For Android And IOS: Rules of Survival, Free Fire And More

There are different mobile games that seem to run with the same format as PUBG, here are some of the mobile alternatives that you can try out comfortably.

Realme to Expand Offline Sales to 150 Indian Cities in 2019

The offline retailers will be known as "REAL Partners" and will give a value addition to customer experience.

Sunday, December 30, 2018

WhatsApp Will Stop Working on These Phones: is Yours on The List?

WhatsApp had earlier decided to end support for a series of ageing software that includes Nokia Symbian and Blackberry 10.

Google Facial Recognition Lawsuit Dismissed by US Judge

US District Judge Edmond Chang in Chicago granted a Google motion for summary judgment, saying the court lacked "subject matter jurisdiction because plaintiffs have not suffered concrete injuries."

Huawei’s Picture Perfect 2018 is What They Must Build on Next Year

The P20 Pro was the best camera phone for a while, only to be trumped by its incredible sibling, Mate 20 Pro. Huawei truly has come to the party.

NASA Spaceship Zooms Toward Farthest World Ever Photographed

The US space agency will ring in the New Year with a live online broadcast to mark historic flyby of the mysterious object in a dark and frigid region of space known as the Kuiper Belt at 12:33 am January 1 (0533 GMT Tuesday).

WhatsApp Will Stop Working on Nokia S40 Phones Today

WhatsApp says that devices that run on Nokia S40 won't be able to use WhatsApp after December 31 i.e. today.

Facebook to Apologise For Banning Christian Evangelist in US

Facebook said the post went against their "community standards on hate speech."

Nokia 9 PureView Render Confirms Five Cameras, In Display Fingerprint Sensor, Expected to Launch in Jan

The Nokia 9 PureView that is codenamed as “Beholder” features a glass panel on the rear that seems to be curved towards the edges.

Mom Catches 6-Year-Old Using Alexa to Help With Math Homework: Watch Video

The clip, which has over 8 million views, was widely shared on several social media platforms, with many calling the child, “Einstein in the making.”

Apple iPhone XS Max Allegedly Catches Fire While in Owner’s Pants; Victim Weighing Legal Action

Pictures of the burnt iPhone XS Max show severe damage to the handset. It's most visible on the front display where more than half of the screen is charred and deformed, but there is also significant damage on the sides and back of the handset.

Samsung May Launch a Mini Bixby-Powered Google Home Smart Speaker Competitor in 2019

Originally reported by SamMobile, the mini Bixby speaker might have fewer microphones than the Galaxy Home and perhaps lack a subwoofer.

Facebook Least Trusted Tech Company: Survey

Facebook is followed by Twitter and Amazon which tied for the second position with lack of trust from eight percent of the respondents for each of the companies.

Netflix Stops Offering iTunes Billing for New or Rejoining Subscribers

Netflix has stopped offering the iTunes billing as a payment method to its new or returning subscribers on iOS globally.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Sees 'Progress' For Facebook After Tumultuous Year

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said the world's biggest social network has "fundamentally" changed to focus on securing its systems against manipulation and misinformation.

Google Introduces Spam Protection For Text Messages

Based on reports from a handful of tipsters, that spam protection feature is now going live, though not everyone seems to have it just yet.

Facebook in 2018: How Much More Trust Can The Social Network Really Afford to Lose?

Facebook’s terrible 2018 is coming to a close, with the expectations of a better 2019 where users don't log off.

Top 5 Luxury Cars of the Year 2018

Automobiles are a form of luxury for many and when it comes to being luxurious, well, some cars do it better than others. So here are the cars that did it best this year. Starting off with the Volvo XC60, this SUV is arguably one of the best-looking cars that Volvo has made and comes shod with the now iconic thor hammer headlamps. Everything about the car is meant to make it look muscular while still looking premium. On the inside of the car, the Volvo XC60 has one of the best interiors in the world. Then, there’s the BMW 6 series GT which brings along with itself a coupe-like design with the sloping roofline that merges seamlessy into the boot. But it is when you step inside the car that you are greeted by the suave interiors. One of the key design elements is the floating touchscreen infotainment system that supports gesture control and looks fantastic. But when it comes to luxury, you cannot not consider the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. For the year 2018 it came back as a new car and is typically what you would define a car as a proper luxurious sedan. With gigantic proportions on the outside, it has a futuristic interior design with oodles of space for the rear passengers. And when it comes SUVs we have the Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q5 fighting for the podium. And with that we come to the end of the top 5 luxury cars of the year 2018.

Top 5 Smartphones of the Year 2018

The flagship smartphone battles for 2018 were a very closely fought competition. We saw flagships battle it out tooth and nail for your money. Within the Android ecosystem, we had to contend with the Google Pixel 3 XL which arguably has one of the best smartphone cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S9+ which has a great display, its sibling the Galaxy Note 9 which didn’t exactly set the sales charts alight and the OnePlus 6T which offers the best of almost worlds including the comparatively affordable price. At the same time, there was the small matter of competing with the newest Apple iPhone, the iPhone 10S and the iPhone 10s Max. The latter is the largest iPhone ever, the new 10S line-up runs the A12 Bionic chip which is the most powerful processor ever to power the iPhones and are the most artificially intelligent phones too. After everyone revealed their flagship trump cards for the year, Huawei smartly walked in with the Mate 20 Pro, which has a 40-megapixel triple camera setup and is perhaps the geekiest Android flagship phone ever. And that makes our choices of the top 5 smartphones of the year 2018.

Top 5 Motorcycles of the Year 2018

There were several motorcycles that were launched this year but these five were the best of the best. Starting off with the Ducati Panigale V4S, this motorcycle gives cutting-edge technology in motorcycles a new meaning. Not only does it have a host of electronic rider aids to offer but most of them are lean sensitive making it ideal for newbies and professionals alike. And, it is also one of the most powerful production motorcycle in the world right now. Giving it competition is the Suzuki GSX S750 which shows what value for money means. It is a capable motorcycle both on the roads and the track and since it is assembled in India, it has a very competent price tag to boast of as well, making it one of the most affordable in-line 4-cylinder offering in the country. The third nominee is the Triumph Speedmaster which brings sophisticated electronic rider aids to a classic styled motorcycle. It belongs to the iconic Bonneville heritage and makes perfect sense for those who want a versatile cruiser. Wrapping up our list is the Kawasaki Z900 and the Indian Scout Bobber which offer excellent bang for buck in their respective segments. And if you spot one on road, you won’t be able to take your eyes off of them. So these are our Top 5 motorcycles of the year 2018.

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Best Tech of 2018: Gadgets 360 Staff Pick Their Favourite Purchase of the Year

Gadgets 360 staff members bought a lot of gadgets, most notable of which were the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Nintendo Switch — plus a bunch of not-so-mainstream picks.

Fortnite Maker Epic Games Made $3 Billion Profit in 2018: Report

Epic Games appears to have had a fantastic 2018.

Fake Alexa Companion App Tops App Store Charts Before Apple Takes It Down

A fake app posing as the official companion app for Amazon Alexa smart speakers managed to top the App Store charts before it was taken down by Apple.

Instagram Blames 'Bug' for Design Change That Prompted Backlash

The Instagram redesign required users to swipe horizontally instead of the normal vertical scroll to see their feed.

LazyPay Ties Up With Airtel, Flipkart to Expand Its 'Buy Now Pay Later' Model

LazyPay was launched by fintech giant PayU in India back in April last year.

Auto and Tech Trends to Look Out for in 2019

2019 is here and it brings with itself huge expectations when it comes to the field of technology and automobiles. So while there are several speculations out there, here is our list of tech and auto trends to look out for in 2019.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Google Will Launch The Pixel 3 And 3 XL "Lite" Spring 2019

ccording to website Android Police, who spoke with "a source familiar with the company's plans," Google will be launching 'Lite' versions of its newest flagship on Verizon in spring 2019.

Apple iPad Mini 5 Leak Reveals Better Camera Setup, Headphone Jack

The most recent iPad mini rendition was released in September 2015; over three years later, the next generation may finally be arriving.

Citi Cuts First-Quarter iPhone Production Estimates on Weak Demand

Citi said it expects the company to make 45 million iPhones for the quarter, down from 50 million it forecast earlier. The cut was mainly due to weak outlook for the iPhone XS Max.

Smart Glasses With Augmented Reality Weather Info Coming From Vuzix And AccuWeather: Watch Video

An initial demonstration is planned for the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which will run from January 8 to 11, 2019 in Las Vegas.

Oppo Breeno Voice Assistant Announced, Coming to Smartphones

Oppo has unveiled its Breeno digital voice assistant at a developer event in China. It will be available in the company’s future phones.

Zomato Announces Food Carnival 'Zomaland', to Launch in 2019

Zomaland will feature top chefs, eateries, and entertainment. It’ll be held in Delhi, Pune, and Bengaluru in 2019.

Netflix Users Being Targeted by Phishing Scam, US FTC Warns

If you are a Netflix subscriber and have received a strange email, it is likely to be another phishing scam.

Google to Shift Android Messages Web App From Android.com to Google.com: Report

Google is planning to shift its Messages Web app from Android.com to Google.com, a commit on Chromium Gerrit tips.

YouTube Faces Outrage After Lifting Creator's Video Without Credit

YouTube was accused of exploiting the creators on its own platform after it lifted a video of a YouTuber to wish its Twitter followers Merry Christmas.

PUBG Mobile Gets New Exclusive BAPE Outfit Pack

PUBG and BAPE have announced a new collaboration that brings an exclusive BAPE outfit pack to PUBG Mobile.

PUBG Ban in India by 'High Court of Maharashtra' Is Fake News

PUBG Mobile India ban legal notice on Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter is fake news.

Uber Partners Delhi Metro for Kiosks in 50 Stations by H1 2019

Uber on Wednesday said it entered into the second-phase of its partnership with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to set up kiosks in 50 more metro stations by the first half of 2019.

Microsoft Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal Price in India Hiked

Office 365 Home price in India has gone from Rs. 4619 per year to Rs. 5,299 per year, effective January 8, 2019, exclusive of taxes.

Best Tech of 2018: Gadgets 360 Staff Pick Their Favourite Purchase of the Year

Gadgets 360 staff members bought a lot of gadgets, most notable of which were the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Nintendo Switch — plus a bunch of not-so-mainstream picks.

Jio Happy New Year 2019 Offer Launched With 100 Percent Cashback: Here Are The Details

Jio Happy New Year 2019 Offer is valid only till January 31, 2019.

PUBG Mobile Gets New Exclusive BAPE Outfit Pack: Everything You Need to Know

The BAPE crate in PUBG contains the popular shark hoodie and shorts along with a frying pan, shoes and gun.

Fortnite Maker Epic Games Made $3 Billion Profit in 2018: Report

Epic Games appears to have had a fantastic 2018.

Honor View20 to Get a Moschino Edition: Watch Video

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor announced the China launch of the View20, a phone that will come in four flavors: blue, black, red, and Moschino.

Fake Alexa Companion App Tops App Store Charts Before Apple Takes It Down

A fake app posing as the official companion app for Amazon Alexa smart speakers managed to top the App Store charts before it was taken down by Apple.

Facebook Moderators Getting Wrong Interpretation of Indian Law: Report

According to data compiled by Statista, India has the highest number of Facebook users - 294 million (as of October 2018) - 90 million more than the number of Facebook users in the US which has the second-biggest users-base for the social network.

Thursday, December 27, 2018

OnePlus 6T Available With up to Rs 3,500 Discount on Amazon, Croma: Everything You Need to know

The highlights of the OnePlus 6T are that it now has a 6.41-inch display with the 19.5:9 aspect ratio, and this screen is larger than the 6.28-inch display sported by the OnePlus 6.

Samsung Galaxy M Series Phones to Sport Infinity V Display

Samsung is likely to launch up to four smartphones in the Galaxy M series,M10, M20, M30 and M40.

Elon Musk Insists His ‘Pedophile’ Insults to Thai Cave Rescuer Are Free Speech, Wants Lawsuit Dismissed

In July, the Tesla CEO had called Vernon Unsworth a 'pedo guy' in a tweet to more than 22 million Twitter followers, a comment for which he later apologised.

Nokia 5.1 Plus Gets Android 9 Pie Update: Everything You Need to Know

Nokia 5.1 Plus is one of the few budget smartphones to get Android Pie update even months after Google rolled out the Android Pie update to device makers.

5G Rollout For 2019 Looks Promising

5G carriers, modems, and devices: the standard of mobile communications is shifting. Beginning in the first half of 2019, we'll be able to get our hands on the first 5G-compatible devices.

YouTube Criticised on Twitter For Lifting Christmas Holiday Video

The domino artist took to Twitter to express her disappointment. She said: "Very glad to see that my Christmas domino e-card is getting good use. However, I'm a bit disappointed that YouTube would take my video and re-upload it with absolutely no credit."

Instagram 'Back to Normal' After Bug Triggers Temporary Change to Feed

The bug led to a small test being distributed widely, the company said. As part of the test, some users had to tap and swipe their feed horizontally to view new posts, similar to its Stories feature.

Instagram Blames 'Bug' for Design Change That Prompted Backlash

The Instagram redesign required users to swipe horizontally instead of the normal vertical scroll to see their feed.

Apple's Top-end iPhone X Series May be Built in India From 2019, Prices Could Come Down

Foxconn will invest 25 billion Indian rupees to expand its plant for iPhone production, Tamil Nadu's Industries Minister M C Sampath said. The investment may create as many as 25,000 jobs, he added.

Google Launchpad Accelerator Opens Applications for Next Class of AI, ML Startups in India

Google on Wednesday opened applications for the next class of its "Launchpad Accelerator" mentorship programme for start-ups using artificial intelligence (AI)/ machine learning (ML) in India.

Fortnite Could Run at 60fps on iPhone X but Here’s Why It Doesn't

Fortnite for iPhone X could run at 60fps but Epic Games won't allow it. Here's why.

As TikTok Videos Take Hold With Teens, Parents Scramble to Keep Up

The social network became the most downloaded on Apple's App Store in the first half of this year according to market analysis firm Sensor Tower.

Google Play Listed Fake Android Apps With Over 50,000 Installations, Quick Heal Claims

Google Play - Google's Android app and content store - is no stranger to malware, fake apps, and money grabbing schemes.

How to Download Facebook Videos on Android, iPhone, Windows, and Mac

Be it a PC — Windows, Mac, or Linux — an Android device, an iPhone or an iPad, here’s how you can download Facebook videos across all platforms.

LazyPay Ties Up With Airtel, Flipkart to Expand Its 'Buy Now Pay Later' Model

LazyPay was launched by fintech giant PayU in India back in April last year.

Oppo Breeno Voice Assistant Announced, Coming to Smartphones

Oppo has unveiled its Breeno digital voice assistant at a developer event in China. It will be available in the company’s future phones.

Zomato Announces Food Carnival 'Zomaland', to Launch in 2019

Zomaland will feature top chefs, eateries, and entertainment. It’ll be held in Delhi, Pune, and Bengaluru in 2019.

Google to Shift Messages Web App From Android.com: Report

The Android Messages web app has long been hosted at the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) of "messages.android.com".

Netflix Users Being Targeted by Phishing Scam, US FTC Warns

If you are a Netflix subscriber and have received a strange email, it is likely to be another phishing scam.

Netflix Users Being Targeted by Phishing Scam, US FTC Warns

If you are a Netflix subscriber and have received a strange email, it is likely to be another phishing scam.

Microsoft Likely to Launch Two Face-Recognition Webcams in 2019

Microsoft has a couple of ultra-HD webcams in the pipeline for 2019. According to industry blogger Paul Thurrott, the tech giant is set to release one model for Windows 10 PCs and another for the Xbox One.

Google to Shift Android Messages Web App From Android.com to Google.com: Report

Google is planning to shift its Messages Web app from Android.com to Google.com, a commit on Chromium Gerrit tips.

OnePlus 5, 5T Start Getting Android Pie: Everything You Need to Know

The Over the Air (OTA) upgrade would also include a brand new user interface (UI) for Android Pie, new navigation gestures (for OnePlus 5T only) and updated Android security patch to December.

Samsung C-Lab AI Projects to be Showcased at CES 2019: Watch Video

Samsung's Creative Lab, aka C-Lab, will be bringing eight new projects to CES 2019 -- the most the company has ever unveiled at CES since its first appearance at the conference back in 2016.

YouTube Faces Outrage After Lifting Creator's Video Without Credit

YouTube was accused of exploiting the creators on its own platform after it lifted a video of a YouTuber to wish its Twitter followers Merry Christmas.