Tech News Updates: March 2020

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

COVID19 is Airborne? SARS-CoV-2 Stays in The Air And on Your Phone, Says New Study

The study found high levels of the virus contamination on commonly used surfaces and in the air of rooms of COVID-19 patients. The study suggests that COVID-19 patients, even those who are only mildly ill, may create aerosols of virus and contaminate surfaces that may pose a risk for transmission.

Zoom Under Scrutiny in the US Over Privacy Concerns, Porn Hacks

Virtual meeting app Zoom, which has seen its popularity skyrocket in the coronavirus pandemic, is in hot water after users complained to the FBI of being startled by porn during meetings.

OnePlus 8 Confirmed to Feature Snapdragon 865 SoC, UFS 3.0 Storage, LPDDR5 RAM

OnePlus has confirmed three key hardware features that we can expect on the upcoming OnePlus 8 series which will be launching on April 14.

Coronavirus Pandemic: Meeting App Zoom Topped Download Charts in February and March

Fuelled by conferencing apps, business apps topped 62 million downloads across iOS and Google Play during the week of March 14-21, 2020 worldwide -- its biggest week ever.

WWE, Sony India Bringing WWE Network to SonyLIV

WWE and Sony Pictures Networks India have renewed their partnership for another five years. That means WWE Raw, WWE SmackDown, WWE NXT, and WWE specials will stay on Sony’s bouquet of TV channels in the Indian subcontinent. The new deal grants SonyLIV rights access to WWE Network.

WhatsApp Multi-Device Support Spotted in Development Again, Delete Messages Feature May Get a New Name

WhatsApp reportedly has been working on multi-device support for a while now. The feature was spotted in the beta version of WhatsApp for iPhone in November last year, and traces of it being in development go back to as far as July 2019.

There is a Massive Surge in Online Sales of Groceries And Computers Because of COVID-19

Fitness equipment and computers have seen 55 percent and 40 percent boosts in online sales respectively while online grocery shopping category has seen a 100 percent increase.

Xiaomi Had a Great 2019 With Mi TV And Lifestyle Products Complementing Strong Smartphone Sales

The Beijing-headquartered electronic conglomerate's adjusted net profit was 11.5 billion Chinese Yuan, up 34.8 per cent Year-over-Year for the calendar year that ended December 31.

Google Launches New COVID-19 Website For India: Helpline Data, Safety Tips And More

The website will contain information such as key helpline numbers, content about symptoms, protective measures, known treatments, and the latest global and Indian statistics.

Make no Mistake, Zoom is a Cool Video Chat App But is NOT Encrypted The Way You Expect

If you need to discuss sensitive matters with collegues, remember, conservations on Zoom are not end-to-end encrypted.

Money Heist, Modern Family, Shots Please, and More: April 2020 TV Guide to Hotstar, Netflix, and Amazon

Money Heist season 4, Modern Family season 11 finale, Four More Shots Please! season 2, Fauda season 3, Panchayat TVF, Defending Jacob, Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever, Hasmukh — the biggest TV shows coming to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and Apple TV+ in April 2020...

Popular Weather App Dark Sky is Now Owned by Apple, And That is Bad News For Android Users

The Dark Sky app, apart from radar maps and hyperlocal weather forecasting, also has animated forecast maps, minute-by-minute predictions, Apple Watch app and a time machine feature that details weather changes at a location and predictions for the future.

Microsoft Edge New Version Brings Vertical Tabs, Tracking Prevention: All You Need to Know

Microsoft has announced several new features in hopes that it will give Microsoft an 'Edge' over other browsers. The new features are vertically-placed tabs, tracking prevention and a mobile version of the Microsoft Edge browser's Collections feature among others.

Apple iPhone 9/SE 2 Could Launch on April 5 Suggest Third Party Retailers

The label on the UAG case’s packaging doesn't mention “iPhone 9” nor “iPhone SE 2” instead calls it the “New iPhone 4.7", 2020”.

ICICI Bank Launches WhatsApp Banking Service: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

ICICI Bank has launched a WhatsApp banking feature in order ensure smooth banking services amid the coronavirus lockdown. The WhatsApp banking service from ICICI Bank comes as the banking sector has taken a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

WhatsApp Hack That Lets Attackers Easily Gain Access to Your Account Is Back in Action: All You Need to Know

WhatsApp users have been victimised by some attackers due to surge in its usage through a social hacking process. It requires the six-digit security code that you receive via an SMS message to activate WhatsApp on your account.

How Has Coronavirus Changed the Way We Play Pokemon Go?

Pokemon Go has introduced a few notable changes to make the game more stay-at-home friendly, and more improvements are in the pipeline as players stay at home to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.

Four More Shots Please! Season 2 Trailer Invites You to ‘Be Amazing’, Not ‘Perfect’

The Four More Shots Please! season 2 trailer is here. Amazon Prime Video has given us our first look at the sophomore run of the women-centric Indian romantic comedy-drama series, which stars Sayani Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Bani J, and Maanvi Gagroo.

Samsung's Display Unit to Stop All LCD Production by Year End; To Focus on 'Quantam Dot' Screens

The decision by the world-renowned South Korean panel maker comes amid falling demand for LCD panels and a supply glut.

Best Video Call Apps For Work, Home And Some That do Both: Solving The Big #StayHome Debate

Some video conferencing apps are primed for the really serious professional tasks that could involve large teams. Then there are video calling apps which are ideal for personal use. And then there are those versatile in-betweens, that offer the best in both worlds.

Microsoft Aims to Win Back Customers With New Microsoft 365 Personal Subscriptions

The tech giant is also previewing new home features for Teams that are now part of Microsoft 365 subscriptions designed to let friends and family connect in a group chat or through video calls.

Spotify Says Isolation Ups Interest in 'Chill' Music

People spending more time cooped up in their homes to curb the spread of the new coronavirus have changed their daily soundtracks, with many opting for more "chill" music, streaming service Spotify said Monday.

Monday, March 30, 2020

Amazon Fires Employee Who Said Coronavirus Positive Staff Working in New York Warehouse

An estimated 50 to 60 employees joined a walkout at an Amazon worker warehouse in the New York borough of Staten Island, demanding that the facility be shut down and cleaned after a worker tested positive for the coronavirus.

#PlayApartTogether: What is up WHO? Should we Play Video Games or Not Play Video Games?

In 2019, WHO had said gaming is a disorder and added it to their list of diseases. Now, as the world sits at home trying to stay safe from the Coronavirus, WHO says it is all good to play video games.

Facebook, Instagram Delete Bolsonaro's Controversial Video Questioning Coronavirus Quarantine

The Brazil President has repeatedly downplayed the seriousness of the coronavirus, describing it as "a flu" and calling for schools and shops to re-open, with self-isolation necessary only for people over the age of 60.

Microsoft's Skype Witnesses Surge by 70% Amid Coronavirus Outbreak; Calling Minutes Jump 220%

The massive rise in the company's video calling system comes at a time, as more individuals stay home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, Skype is being used by 44 million every day.

Reliance Jio ‘Recharge at ATM’ Service Announced: Here’s How to Use it

Did you know that your nearest ATM machine offers the facility of recharging your Jio mobile number seamlessly?

Facebook Pledges $100 Million to Support News Industry Hit by Coronavirus Pandemic

The social networking giant said the investment will include $25 million in emergency grant funding for local news through the Facebook Journalism Project and an extra $75 million in marketing to get money to publishers around the world.

Castlevania Season 4: Netflix Renews Video Game Anime Series

Netflix renewed its video game series adaptation Castlevania for a fourth season, just over three weeks after the release of the third season earlier in March.

Coronavirus Pandemic: AI Tool to Spot Patients That are at Risk of Severe Respiratory Disease

For the study, demographic, laboratory, and radiological findings were collected from 53 patients as each tested positive in January for the SARS-CoV2 virus at the two Chinese hospitals.

Microsoft 365 is Indicative of a New Direction Where Microsoft is All About Consumers

We expect the India pricing for Microsoft 365 to be similar to the Office 365 plans at this time—Office 365 Home for up to 6 people costs Rs 5,299 per year while Office 365 Personal for single user is priced at Rs 4,199 per year.

Microsoft Says Skype Users Surge 70 Percent in a Month to 40 Million Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The number of people using Microsoft's Skype video calling system has surged by 70 percent in a month to 40 million people presently, as more individuals stay home due to the coronavirus outbreak, the company said on Monday.

Microsoft Office 365 Gets Replaced With Microsoft 365, Coming on April 21

Microsoft 365 will replace Office 365 on April 21, the Redmond company announced through an online briefing on Monday. Microsoft also announced Teams for consumers and a Family Sharing app.

Netflix April 2020 Releases: Money Heist, Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction, The Departed, and More

Money Heist season 4, Chris Hemsworth in Extraction movie, Ana de Armas on Netflix, The Departed, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Vir Das’ Hasmukh, Yours Sincerely, Kanan Gill, Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever, Ricky Gervais’ After Life season 2 — the biggest movies and TV shows coming to Netflix India in April 2020.

Airtel Prepaid Users Get Extended Validity And Additional Talktime; 80 Million Users Benefit

Airtel says they will also credit Rs 10 to the accounts of each of these 80 million users so that they can make calls and send messages. They say these measures will particularly benefit migrant workers and daily wage earners who may have been impacted due to the nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19

Music in The Times of Coronavirus Lockdown: People Are Listening to Low Energy Songs

But on the upside, there is a greater interest in music, virtual concerts and podcasts on Spotify, particularly the latter, when it comes to keeping kids entertained or staying fit.

Samsung Galaxy M11 With 5,000mAh Battery, Triple Camera Goes Official: Specifications, Price and More

The new smartphone is officially listed on the Samsung UAE website, but there is no info regarding the price or availability. The Galaxy M11 carries the model number SM-M115F and considering the price range of the Galaxy M10s, we are expecting the phone to launch around Rs 9,000.

Zoom App for iOS Removes Facebook SDK That Sent User’s Device Information to Facebook

Zoom app for iOS has been updated to remove Facebook SDK as it was sending information about the user’s device to Facebook.

How to Keep Zoom Calls Safe From Zoombombers

Zoombombing is where an uninvited person joins a Zoom conference call and uses the screen-sharing feature to disrupt the call. It happens after trolls get the public link to the call, which allows anyone to join, and use them to make mischief.

BSNL Prepaid Users Will Not Need to Recharge Till Apr 20 to Keep Their Numbers Active

Union telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad further said all users will get a credit of Rs 10 on their numbers to make outgoing calls, without charge.

Smartphone Sales Witnessed a Drop of 14% Globally in February: Counterpoint

Overall, global smartphone sales in February showed weakness in many markets as consumers became cautious. But with the growth of online channels, we saw sales shifting from offline to online.

Report Suggests About 45% Indians do not Back up Their Data

The percentage of smartphone owners that don't know how to back up their data does not vary much between iPhone and Android owners, with 13 percent and 17 percent claiming not knowing how to, respectively.

Coronavirus: What Are Ventilators And Why Are They Critical For Some Patients?

A ventilator is designed to assist a human in breathing when the lungs become too weak to be able to breathe on their own. This allows the patient’s body some time to heal. There are two types of ventilators that are used in hospitals, depending on the severity of each case.

Google Will Not Make April Fools' Day Jokes This Year Amidst Coronavirus Crisis, Internal Email Suggests

Google has reportedly sent out an email to its employees asking them to postpone their April Fools' Day jokes this year.

Redmi K30 Pro Could Possibly Launch in India as the Poco F2

Considering that the Poco X2 was a rebranded version of the Redmi K30, it is possible that the Redmi K30 Pro will make its way to India as the Poco F2.

Fake Coronavirus Cures and Theories Give Social Media its Biggest Headache in Years

The presence of misleading theories and peddling of false medication presents life-endangering threats on social media, raising a grave threat.

Could the Redmi K30 Pro Possibly Launch in India as the Poco F2

Considering that the Poco X2 was a rebranded version of the Redmi K30, it is possible that the Redmi K30 Pro will make its way to India as the Poco F2.

Need Groceries That You Saw Your Neighbour Hoard? Meet Nextdoor, an App Just for That

In times of social distancing, Nextdoor aims to be the community bugle that connects people in a neighbourhood and helps everyone share emotions and resources.

Your Online Privacy May be Completely Over, Thanks to Coronavirus Tracker Apps

Apps across the world are tracking the community spread of COVID-19 with real-time location, GPS history and Bluetooth-based location of nearby devices.

Indian Smartphone Market to Face Weak Demand Rather Than Supply Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

It is predicted that more than supply issues, demand is likely to be low particularly during the April-August 2020 period.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

WhatsApp No Longer Lets You Share Videos Longer Than 15 Seconds as Status in India

WhatsApp has implemented a cap of 15 seconds for videos users can upload and share as their status story in India.

Panchayat: Amazon Prime Video Unveils Trailer, Release Date for Next TVF Series

Amazon Prime Video and The Viral Fever (TVF) have revealed their second series collaboration in Panchayat. Amazon has announced an April 3 release date for Panchayat and unveiled a trailer for Panchayat.

PM CARES Relief Fund: Here is How You Can Contribute to Combat The COVID Pandemic

PhonePe says they will contribute Rs 10 for every Indian who donates to the PMCARES Fund via the PhonePe App using UPI. Paytm has said that they are aiming to contribute Rs 500 Crore to the PM CARES Fund. These are just some examples.

OnePlus 8: Fresh Renders Reveal New ‘Interstellar Glow’ Colour Variant

New colour variants for the OnePlus 8 are pretty much unofficially confirmed. Now, all we need is for OnePlus to just announce the pricing and availability of the new series.

OnePlus 8: Fresh Renders Reveal New ‘Glow’ Colour Variant

New colour variants for the OnePlus 8 are pretty much unofficially confirmed. Now, all we need is for OnePlus to just announce the pricing and availability of the new series.

COVID-19: Microsoft Cloud Services Are Soaring as the Company Sees a Jump of 775%

The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has led to a massive increase in online services around the world. Despite the significant increase in demand, said Microsoft, it has not had any significant service disruptions.

Indians, WhatsApp is Limiting Status to 15 Seconds Because Videos Are Slowing The Internet

Netflix, Amazon Video, YouTube and Facebook have had to cut down on the quality of video streams to save the internet lines as millions are sitting at home and relying on the world wide web for their work and entertainment needs due to the Coronavirus lockdown.

Ireland Has An App That Alerts Users if They Have Been in Contact With Someone Who Has COVID

A number of countries are developing mobile-phone based technologies to help track the virus, prompting criticism from data privacy activists. The HSE said it was working with the Irish data protection agency to approve the app.

Chinese Hackers Undertake Largest Cyber Espionage in Recent Years Amid COVID-19 Panic

In a span of about two months, Chinese hacker collective APT41 attacked over 75 organisations spread across many critical business sectors.

News and Live Videos are Important to Facebook Again, Due to Coronavirus

While Facebook’s key focus was on events and marketplace, it is now quickly shifting emphasis to live videos, groups and news.

Warning: Your 4G Network Has a Flaw That Can Track You and Steal Your Data

Cyber security researchers at Positive Technologies have noted that attackers can track location and get sensitive data on 4G, and 5G isn't immune to it.

Corontine Platform by IIT Profs to Help Govt, Private Firms Build COVID-19 Trackers

Created by a team from IIT Bombay, Corontine allows scalable features for apps to be built based on it, with geo-fencing and other relevant features.

ICYMI Tech Wrap of The Week: Free Apple Apps, Botched Windows Update, Abbot’s COVID Test And More

A large chunk of the focus was on Coronavirus as tech companies did their best to rework policies and more in an attempt to make life easier for the public at large—chatbots, virtual screening tools, the fight against fake news on social media and donations to healthcare systems around the world kept them busy.

Saturday, March 28, 2020

Everyone is Streaming More Than Ever, But it is Not Breaking The Internet: Why The Panic?

Netflix explains they have removed the highest bandwidth stream for each of the streaming categories for home broadband users. But that doesn’t mean you will not get HD or Ultra HD content. Ookla data shows internet speeds are stable in India. So, why the panic?