Tech News Updates: June 2020

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

TikTok Banned in India: Here's How You Can Download Your Videos and Data

TikTok is going to be banned in the country indefinitely, but you can salvage some of your data including videos.

Google Expands Privacy Features For Employees on Company-Owned Devices

The new privacy features on Google will include asset management protections, even if devices are lost or stolen, the tech giant said.

China Says India's Ban on Chinese Apps May Violate WTO Rules

China said on Tuesday that India's move to ban 59 Chinese-origin mobile apps could be a breach of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, and urged New Delhi to create an open and fair business environment.

Apple Not Dominant in Any Market, Plenty of Rivals, Senior Executive Says

iPhone maker Apple, the target of EU antitrust investigations into key segments of its business, on Tuesday rejected accusations of market dominance, saying it competes with Google, Samsung and other rivals.

NASA Mars Rover Launch Has Been Delayed Because Of Some Worrying Data Logs

The Perseverance rover will look for signs of ancient life and also collect rock as well as soil samples for possible return to Earth. The duration of the mission is one Mars year, which means about 687 Earth days.

Facebook to Shut Down Its Pinterest-like Experimental App Hobbi From July 10

Facebook has said that its NPE Team keeps experimenting with apps and shut down those which do not get traction among the users.

IIT Alumni Council Bans Chinese-origin Software, To Develop Indigenous Systems

The IIT Alumni Council will facilitate the design of a Blockchain protected public cloud infrastructure to handle real-time COVID diagnostic and treatment data.

Reliance Jio Adds 2.44 Lakh New Users in Delhi as it Remains in The Lead in The Telecom Battles

Reliance Jio’s network currently has more than 110 Jio stores and Reliance Digital stores put together and having a strong 25000+ retailer-base in Delhi.

Cisco Accused of Job Discrimination Based on Indian Employee's Caste

California regulators sued Cisco Systems on Tuesday, accusing it of discriminating against an Indian-American employee and allowing him to be harassed by two managers because he was from a lower Indian caste than them.

Good News For ACT Fibernet Broadband Users: Free Upgrades To 300Mbps Speeds And More

This move gives ACT Fibernet Broadband a significant advantage over rivals that include Spectra, which offer plans with similar speeds either at higher prices or offer much lesser data limits per month unless you pay in advance for long-term subscriptions in one go.

Spotify Brings Live Lyrics to India and 25 Other Markets in Asia, Americas

Spotify will roll out lyrics support in India and 25 other Southeast Asia, Latin and South American markets on Tuesday, thanks to a new global partnership with lyrics app Musixmatch.

Swiggy Joins Hands with ICICI Bank to Launch Its Own Digital Payment Platform

Users choosing ‘Swiggy Money' can avail instant refunds and use the money for easy checkouts and hassle-free payment processing on future food orders, Swiggy said,

Chinese Apps Banned in India: Here Are Some Popular Alternatives to CamScanner

Worried about not having the perfect document scanning app like CamScanner? We've got you covered...

Reliance Jio Continues to Be Number One in the National Captial, Adds 1.80 Crore New Users

Reliance Jio’s network currently has more than 110 Jio stores and Reliance Digital stores put together and having a strong 25000+ retailer-base in Delhi.

With TikTok Banned in India, Is It The Perfect Time to Launch Facebook Lasso & Instagram Reels?

Does the ban on Chinese apps including TikTok open up the door for Facebook to introduce the Facebook Lasso and Instagram Reels products in India?

Swiggy Money Launched as Swiggy’s Digital Wallet to Enable Seamless Food Order Transactions

Swiggy Money has been launched as Swiggy’s native digital wallet to take on the likes of Amazon Pay and Paytm. The food delivery platform has partnered with ICICI Bank to enable the new experience through which consumers can avail “one-click” checkouts.

TikTok Banned: How to Download All Your Videos from the App

The Government of India has banned 59 Chinese apps, including the popular video-sharing app, TikTok. In this article, we tell you how to download all your TikTok data, since the app has already been removed from both the App Store and Google Play.

Chingari App User Views Surge After TikTok Ban, Sees 10 Lakh Views in 30 Minutes

India’s Chingari app has seen a sudden surge in views and downloads soon after TikTok ban was announced last night. The app, said to be a TikTok alternative, crossed 25 lakh downloads recently. Co-founder Sumit Ghosh shared data to prove Chingari is growing fast since last night, after the government’s introduced its decision of banning Chinese...

Monday, June 29, 2020

Redmi Note 9 Pro Goes on Sale Today: Price, Specifications, Offers And Everything You Need to Know

The Redmi Note 9 Pro will once again be available for purchase today at 12PM on Amazon and Mi.com with prices starting at Rs 13,999.

Realme X3 SuperZoom, Realme X3 Sale Today in India at 12PM: Price, Specifications and More

The Realme X3 SuperZoom comes with a periscope-style lens that supports 5x optical zoom and up to 60x hybrid zoom while the Realme X3 has a telephoto lens that offers 2x optical zoom

Google Takes Down Ads Related to Misleading Voter Registration Information in US

Like other major U.S. tech companies including Facebook and Twitter, Google says it is trying to stem the spread of misinformation in the run-up to the U.S. presidential election.

Realme Narzo 10 Sale Today in India via Flipkart and Realme.com: Check Price, Offers and More

The Narzo 10 comes with a quad-camera setup and is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio G80 processor.

Google's New Tool Will Soon Show You Covid-19 Impact at Community Level

Google said it would test the News feature in a few geographic areas in the US and Canada in the Covid-19 special section of the app,

TikTok Ban: Creators Asking Users to Follow Them on Instagram, YouTube

As TikTok has been banned in India, many creators on the platform have started asking their followers to meet them on Instagram.

YouTube Shuts Down Far-Right Channels Over Hate Speech

YouTube on Monday shut down six far-right channels for violating rules against "supremacist" content, booting videos by David Duke, Stefan Molyneux and Richard Spencer.

TikTok Responds to India Ban, Says User Privacy of Highest Importance

TikTok has responded to the Government of India’s ban in the country. TikTok’s India head, Nikhil Gandhi says, “We have been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications.” It claims to comply with all privacy requirements, and explicitly mentions that it does not share inform...

Microsoft to Open New Campus in Uttar Pradesh, Will Employ 4,000 People

Microsoft currently has two campuses, with capacities of 5,000 and 2,000 each, in its headquarters in Hyderabad and in Bengaluru.

Microsoft Joins Growing Facebook, Instagram Ad Boycott Over Concerns of Inappropriate Content

Microsoft, however, has not announced its participation in the broader advertisement boycott campaign joined by over 100 brands.

Banned in India, TikTok to Meet Govt Panel to Present 'Clarification', Says Will Comply With Privacy Needs

The Chinese apps banned in India include TikTok, Shareit, WeChat, Helo, Likee, UC News, Bigo Live, UC Browser, ES File Explorer and Mi Community.

India Bans 59 Popular Chinese Apps: Status Check On TikTok, Likee, Helo, WeChat, CamScanner & More

The purge of the banned Chinese apps on Apple App Store and Google Play Store may take some time. As of the time of writing this, apps including Likee, Vigo Video, WeChat, CamScanner and UC Browser are still available for download on Android and iOS.

Google Removes Misleading Ads in Voting-Related Searches

Google said on Monday that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data.

USA May Go the Opposite Way of China on Facial Recognition: Where Does India Stand?

India has so far applied facial recognition tools in matters of law and order; will US’ general move against the technology influence and help us to not become the next China?

Tiktok Removed From App Store, Google Play, After Government Bans 59 Apps

Tiktok and 58 other apps were banned by the government on Monday, and overnight, Tiktok has been removed from Google and Apple’s app stores. Other apps are still to be removed.

Chingari App Hits 25 Lakh Downloads on Google Play, But What Is It?

Chingari app, which is being touted as a new "Indian alternative" to TikTok, has crossed over 25 lakh downloads on Google Play store. According to the company, the app reached the latest milestone of 25 lakh downloads from roughly 6 lakh downloads in just ten days.

TRAI Channel Selector App For Android & iPhone Helps You Save Money On Cable TV Bills: How to Use

The TRAI Channel Selector app is free to download from the Google Play Store for Android phones and the App Store for the Apple iPhone.

Sony Wants to Emulate the PlayStation Model for Its Sensor Business

The effort chimes with Sony’s pursuit of recurring revenue after years of loss in the volatile consumer electronics sector.

4G Data at Less Than Rs 5 Per GB: Prepaid Plans from Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Compared

Unlimited data plans from Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone-Idea have significantly reduced the average cost of data in India, and these are some of the most competitively priced plans that users can buy.

Oracle Ups Investment in India, Opens Second Cloud Data Centre in Hyderabad to Help SMBs

The Hyderabad Cloud region will help Indian customers and partners access all Oracle Cloud services, including Oracle Autonomous Database, Oracle Autonomous Linux and more.

Watch the Moon Cast Its Shadow on Earth in This Rare, Haunting Lunar Eclipse Image

A tiny Chinese satellite camera captured a rare, fleeting shot of the moon’s shadow on Earth during a July 2019 lunar eclipse.

Gmail Users on Windows 10 Mail App Facing Multiple Issues, Several Users Report

Gmail accounts linked to the Mail app (also known as Mail and Calendar), which is available pre-installed on Windows 10, are facing multiple issues, several users reported online.

State Governments, IT Firms in India Utilising Cloud-Driven Solutions to Fight Covid-19 Crisis: AWS

The multi-platform system is currently in use by the governments in Goa and Puducherry in India, Amazon said.

The Boys Season 2: New Clips Reveal September Release Date, Opening Minutes, Stormfront First Look

Amazon Prime Video has set a September 4 release date for The Boys season 2. Eric Kripke also unveiled the first three minutes of The Boys season 2. We also got an additional two-minute first look at Stormfront (Aya Cash).

Best Prepaid Data Plans from Jio, Airtel and Vodafone Priced at Under Rs 5 Per GB

Telegram Consents to Pay $18.5 Million Penalty to Settle Digital Token Dispute

The settlement announced over the weekend comes after Telegram in May announced its decision to withdraw its cryptocurrency-focused subsidiary, Telegram Open Network or TON.

Apple Likely to Launch 10.8-inch iPad Later This Year, 8.5-inch iPad Mini in Early 2021

The two upcoming iPad models are likely to follow the iPhone SE's product strategy, which means, these devices could be launched with affordable price points.

OnePlus 8 Pro Sale Today on Amazon India and OnePlus.com: Price, Specifications, and More

Here's your chance to purchase the flagship OnePlus 8 Pro from Amazon India or the OnePlus India official store. Read more for specifications, price and sale offers.

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Gmail Users, Stay Away From Microsoft Outlook & Windows 10 Mail: Issues Have Not Been Fixed

The Microsoft Outlook email client is also facing some serious problems handling Gmail accounts right now.

PUBG Mobile 0.19.0 Update to Launch on July 7 With New Exclusive Map 'Livik'

PUBG Mobile's latest map Livik will be available for all starting July 7 with the new 0.19.0 update.

OnePlus TV 2020 Range to Include 32-inch, 43-inch and 55-inch Models

Fresh details around the upcoming OnePlus TV range have emerged including the expected price range.

Zuckerberg Wanted to Sanction Trump in 2015 But Facebook Rules Reportedly Stopped Him

A video post by Trump in 2015 calling for a ban on Muslim immigrants drew severe criticism by several senior Facebook leaders, including Zuckerberg.

Disney+ Hotstar Teases ‘Bollywood Ki Home Delivery’ With Alia Bhatt, Akshay Kumar, 3 Others

Alia Bhatt, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Varun Dhawan, and Abhishek Bachchan are part of Disney+ Hotstar’s “Bollywood Ki Home Delivery” at 4:30pm on Monday. It’s expected to reveal a slate of straight-to-streaming films that include Laxxmi Bomb, Sadak 2, Bhuj: The Pride of India, and The Big Bull among others.

Have Apple, Google Silently Installed COVID-19 Tracker on Your Phone? Here’s What You Need to Know

Several people are forwarding a message on WhatsApp and social media platforms including Facebook and Twitter claiming that a COVID-19 exposure sensor has been silently “inserted into every phone.” Here’s what’s the truth about the widely spread message.

What Is Happening Between Facebook & Advertisers As Mark Zuckerberg Is Losing Out On Millions?

The Stop Hate For Profit campaign is also spilling over on to Twitter, TikTok and more. At this time, Starbucks, Coca Cola, Unilever, Diageo, Honda, Levi’s, Viber and Verizon are just some of the names on a list that is growing by the day.

Starbucks Suspends Advertising Across Social Media to Help Curb Hate Speech

Starbucks said that it believes in bringing communities together, both in person and online, and stand against hate speech.

iPhone 12 Will Reportedly Ship Without Headphones and Charger to Cut Costs

Analysts suggest that Apple might not ship the next iPhone range with bundled earphones or a charging adapter.

OnePlus 8 Pro Goes on Sale Today at 12PM: Price, Specifications, and More

Here's your chance to purchase the flagship OnePlus 8 Pro from Amazon India or the OnePlus India official store.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Google Pay Is Not Banned, but Is Authorised and Protected by Law, NPCI Clarifies

Google Pay is not banned in India, clarified the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The NPCI is an umbrella organisation that operates digital payments in India, and developed the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) which is used for payments by platforms like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm.

Amazon Disables Its Original iOS App in India, Customers Required to Switch to New App or Use Website

Amazon has disabled its original iOS app for Indian customers and is now asking them to either switch to its new app or use the Amazon.in website to shop from their Apple devices.

PUBG Mobile Livik Map Will Bring New Firearms, Erangel 2.0 Teased to Launch in H2 2020

PUBG Mobile is slated to get an exclusive new Livik map soon. This new map has been designed to enable mobile users play short 15-minute matches on-the-go. It will essentially allow short bursts of play between work breaks and tight schedules.

Ubisoft to Probe Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

Ubisoft said it has launched an investigation into claims of sexual assault and harassment levelled against some of its employees.

Dark Season 3 Review: A Polarising End

Dark season 3 review: the final season of the German Netflix series ends in a poetic, surprising, and polarising fashion. Dark season 3 release date and time in India is June 27 at 12:30pm on Netflix. Watch Dark season 3 trailer within.

US and States' Google Antitrust Probe Said to Near Finish Line

The US Justice Department is seeking the final documents to complete an antitrust investigation of Alphabet's Google, said three sources familiar with the probe, which is expected to end with a lawsuit this summer.

Amazon Launches ‘Smart Stores’ Initiative in India to Digitise Local Shops

Amazon has launched a new initiative called Smart Stores in India to let offline retailers enable contactless discovery of products and their payments. The new move by the US e-commerce giant is an answer to Google’s Spot Platform.

Byju’s Gets an Investment from Mary Meeker’s Equity Fund

Byju’s, an edutech startup that is popular for hosting online classes, has received an undisclosed amount of investment from Mary Meeker’s equity fund Bond.

Japan's COVID-19 App Reaches 4 Million Downloads in First Week

COVID-19 contact-tracing app has been downloaded more than 4 million times since its launch a week ago as the government seeks to head off a second wave of infections now that businesses and schools have reopened.

Fitbit Says Young Adults in US Slower to Step Back to Normal

Fitbit said on Friday that young adults in the United States are lagging behind older age groups in returning to the same number of steps as before the coronavirus outbreak.

Spotify Now Available on Alexa-Enabled Devices in India, Starting With Amazon Echo

Spotify this week announced Alexa voice command support for Amazon Echo devices, adding that it would be made available for more Alexa-enabled devices in the future.

YouTube Testing TikTok-Like Short Video Format on Android, iOS

YouTube is testing a new feature on its mobile apps that will allow users to create and upload short 15-second clips, similar to TikTok. The feature is currently available to limited users, and a mass rollout can be expected after the testing phase is over.

Google Adds Support for Group Video Calls via Duo and Meet on Assistant-Powered Smart Displays

Google is adding the ability to make group video calls with Google Duo and Google Meet via smart displays, starting with the US. Nest Hub Max, JBL Link View, Lenovo’s 8-inch and 10-inch Smart Displays, and LG XBOOM AI ThiQ WK9 Smart Display will be the first smart displays to get support for group video calls via Google Duo; however only Nest Hub...

PUBG Mobile's Tiny Livik Map Will Only Support 40-Player Matches

PUBG Mobile is getting Livik as a new map to let gamers play quick matches while on-the-go. The map was announced by the official PUBG Mobile account on Twitter on Thursday.

Mitron App Hits 1 Crore Downloads on Google Play in Just Over Two Months of Launch

Mitron app, which was launched as an “Indian alternative” to TikTok, has crossed one crore downloads on Google Play store. The app achieved this milestone in just over two months of its launch, and the short video platform has gained popularity at a time when anti-China sentiment is at a high point in the country.

TikTok to Stop Snooping of iPhone Users Through Clipboard

TikTok has promised to no longer access the system clipboard of iPhone users after the first beta of iOS 14 revealed that it was doing just that.

Cyberpunk 2077 New Trailer Unveiled, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Anime Out in 2022 on Netflix

CD Projekt Red has unveiled a new trailer for Cyberpunk 2077, and announced a new original anime series called Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, which will release in 2022 on Netflix.

Google Photos Gets a Complete Redesign: New Logo, Maps View, Simpler UI, More

Google Photos gets a major new upgrade with a new simpler interface, a brand new logo, a new Map view in the search tab, and a more comprehensive Memories section. The redesign is rolling out for Android and iOS users both, over the next week. The ‘For You’ tab that currently houses all Google creations like movies, collages, and animations has...

WhatsApp Says Brazil Central Bank Willing to Restore Payments Service

Facebook messaging service WhatsApp said on Thursday that Brazil's central bank had said it intended to find a way to restore the payments service in the country by working with Visa and Mastercard.

Tencent Expands Video Streaming in Asia With Iflix Acquisition

Tencent said Thursday it had bought some assets of struggling Asian streaming service Iflix, in a major expansion of its online video presence in the region.

TRAI Channel Selector App Launched to Help Easily Modify DTH/ Cable Subscription

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday launched a channel selector application which will facilitate consumers to view their TV subscription and choose the channels of their interest while removing the unwanted ones.

SoftBank Is Not 'SoftPunku' Says CEO in Defence of Strategy

SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son mounted a defence of his investing decisions on Thursday, saying the value of the Japanese conglomerate's holdings has recovered to pre-coronavirus outbreak levels.

The Witcher Season 2 to Resume Production in August, Netflix Says

The Witcher season 2 will resume filming August 17 in the UK, Netflix has announced, after a five-month break. The Witcher season 2 had been forced to halt production in March owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

US Government Asks Tech CEOS to Ensure Online Platforms Not Used to Spur Violence

The US Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to chief executives of five large tech companies asking them to ensure social media platforms are not used to incite violence in the wake of nationwide protests following George Floyd's death.

Telegram to Pay $18.5 Million, Return Investor Money to Settle US SEC Charges

Telegram Group has agreed to return $1.2 billion (972.84 million pounds) to investors and pay an $18.5 million civil penalty to resolve charges over an unregistered digital token coin offering, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said on Friday.

Five PUBG Locations That You Can Actually Visit in Real Life

Did you know that a lot of locations on PUBG have been inspired by real-life locations that you can actually visit?

Google's Phone App is Getting a Verified Calls Feature to Inform Why a Business is Calling You

Google's New Verified Calls feature will reportedly be rolled out only on Pixel phones first and might not be available on every Android smartphone.

Flipkart Reports 125% Increase in New Sellers As It Resumes Operations Post Lockdown

These sellers operate in various categories, ranging from women's clothing, personal care, food and nutrition, home improvement tools and baby-care products, Flipkart said.

Friday, June 26, 2020

Redmi 9A Spotted in Xiaomi's Product Catalogue, Could See Official Announcement in July

The Redmi 9A will reportedly feature a quad rear camera setup and will be powered by the yet to be announced octa-core MediaTek Helio G25 chipset.

J&K Power Development Department Targetted by Hackers, Essential Data Compromised

The J&K Power Development Department has suspended its billing and other operations and officials said that the complete restoration of data would take around 10 days.

Face Masks Are Here to Stay So Here’s One That Has Bluetooth and a Loudspeaker

This innovative device can be placed on top of existing face masks so you can use your phone efficiently.

Facebook to Start Flagging Problematic Posts from Politicians as Ad Boycott Grows

The announcement came after several top-notch advertisers like Coca-Cola, Hershey and Honda joined over 100 brands who have decided to boycott advertising on Facebook.

Google is Sending Its Users to News Websites Over 24 Billion Times Every Month

Google recently announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content to help them weather the Covid-19 crisis.

Microsoft to Permanently Close All 83 Retail Sites to Invest in Digital Storefronts

Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows, reaching more than 1.2 billion people every month in 190 markets.

Why Is Mission: Impossible – Fallout Censored on Netflix in India?

Netflix is playing a censored version of Mission: Impossible – Fallout on its platform in India, which erases all mentions of Kashmir. This is the version that was approved for theatrical release by the Indian censor board. It’s unclear whether Netflix asked for a censored version, or whether the studio Paramount Pictures chose to do so.

Facebook to Label All Rule-breaking Posts, Even Donald Trump's, as Ad Boycott Erases $50 Billion Value

Facebook's stock dropped more than 8 per cent, erasing roughly USD 50 billion from its market valuation after several companies joined a growing ad boycott.

Google Play Has At Least 17 Trojan Apps That Can Steal Your Personal Information: Avast

Google Play is said to have at least 17 apps that are a part of a Trojan family called HiddenAds, if cybersecurity firm Avast is to be believed. The apps are found to be a part of a large HiddenAds campaign that initially targeted users in India and Southeast Asia.