Tech News Updates: April 2021

Friday, April 30, 2021

Vi WiFi Calling Now Available on Apple iPhones: Compatible Devices, How to Use

To enable Wi-Fi calling on your device, head to Settings > Mobile Data > Wi-Fi Calling. Apple says users who have enabled the service, their device's location may be used to aid emergencies.

Apple Accused by EU of Anti-Competitive Behaviour in the Music Streaming Market, Sides With Spotify

If the case is pursued, the EU could demand concessions and potentially impose a fine of up to 10 percent of Apple's global turnover - as much as $27 billion, although it rarely levies the maximum penalty.

Redmi Note 10S With 64-Megapixel Camera Teased to Launch in India Soon, Here's What We Know

Currently, Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi sells Redmi Note 10, Note 10 Pro, and Note 10 Pro Max in India at a starting price of Rs 12,499, Rs 15,999, and Rs 18,999, respectively.

Microsoft Office Is Planning to Replace Calibri as Its Default Font Soon, Introduces 5 New Font Families

Microsoft Office is introducing five new fonts — Bierstadt, Grandview, Seaford, Skeena, and Tenorite. One of them will replace Calibri as the default font in all Office Suite apps soon.

How to Mute Mention Notifications on WhatsApp

WhatsApp has a mute notification feature for some time, though you still get notified if someone mentions you or replies to your existing message in a muted group.

Google Assistant Can Now Better Understand and Pronounce Unique Names

Google Assistant will better recognise and pronounce unique names while also better understanding the conversation between the users and the virtual assistant.

Telegram to Get Group Video Call Support in May, CEO Pavel Durov Says

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has said that the instant messaging app will get video support in the apps Voice Chat feature in May. He adds that will also get features like group calls, screen sharing, encryption, noise cancellation, desktop and tablet support.

Facebook Marketplace Monthly Active Users Now at 1 Billion, Shops Crosses 250 Million Mark: Zuckerberg

In the Q1 2021 earnings call yesterday with Facebook investors, Zuckerberg touched upon how commerce is growing steadily on the platform. He announced that Marketplace has more than one billion visitors each month and Shops already has 250 million monthly visitors in just one year of launch.

Amazon, Intel, Google, More Companies Step Up to Combat India's COVID-19 Crisis

Global and Indian firms are flexing their industrial muscle to help the world's second biggest population battle coronavirus, coming to the rescue of a public health system buckling under the weight of surging infections and deaths.

Among Us Getting 6 New Colours, Enhanced Art Style, 15-Player Lobbies, More

Among Us developer InnerSloth is updating its popular game. The game will get new features including 6 new colours, enhanced art styles, and more, along with various bug fixes and improvements.

1.32 Crore Vaccination Registrations in One Day Through CoWIN Portal

The registration process began 4pm on Saturday, April 28, and the government has announced that over 1.32 crore people registered in just one day. There were initial glitches, probably because the portal was handling more than 50,000 API calls per second.

Tencent Said to Face Substantial Penalty From China in Antitrust Crackdown

China is preparing a substantial fine for Tencent as part of its sweeping antitrust clampdown on the country's Internet giants, but it is likely to be less than the record penalty imposed on Alibaba earlier this month, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Netflix’s Play Something Button Rolls Out for All Users Globally

Netflix’s shuffle play “Play Something” button on TV is here for everyone. You hit the Play Something button and Netflix will pick a title from its catalogue — a film or a TV show — that draws on your existing tastes.

Luca Trailer Out Now, Sets Up Pixar’s Coming-of-Age Italian Adventure

Pixar’s Luca gets a new trailer. Luca release date is June 18 on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer lead Luca voice cast. Enrico Casarosa directs.

Facebook Benefits From Pandemic Ad Spending but Warns Apple Privacy Policies Could Spoil Its Party

Facebook beat Wall Street expectations for both quarterly revenue and profit but warned that growth later this year could "significantly" decline as new Apple privacy policies will make it more difficult to target advertisements.

#ResignModi: Facebook Blocks Posts ‘by Mistake’ for Hours as India’s COVID-19 Crisis Grows

Facebook blocked posts tagged #ResignModi before restoring them hours later, stoking a controversy that’s erupted over government requests to remove social media content as India grapples with an escalating COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Goes Live in India for People Aged 18-44 Years: How to Register

Registration for COVID-19 vaccine for people aged between 18 and 44 years has begun via CoWIN portal and Aarogya Setu apps. Following the registration, the vaccination drive for all the eligible people will begin from May 1. It will, however, be subject to the availability of the vaccines.

Netflix May 2021 Releases: Army of the Dead, Lucifer, Castlevania, Sardar Ka Grandson, and More

Fifty Shades of Grey, Army of the Dead, Lucifer season 5 part 2, Castlevania season 4, Sardar Ka Grandson, Love Death + Robots season 2, The Woman in the Window, Master of None season 3 — the biggest movies and TV series coming to Netflix India in May 2021.

Purple Apple iPhone 12 and 12 mini, AirTag Now Available to Purchase in India: Prices, Best Deals

All devices are available to purchase on the Apple India store and Amazon. Notably, the new iMac 2021 and ipad Pro 2021 will be available to pre-book later today.

Wonder Woman 1984 Sets May Release Date on Amazon Prime Video in India

Wonder Woman 1984 OTT release date is May 15. You can stream and download the full movie online on Amazon Prime Video in India.

Bobble Keyboard App For Android Phones Gets You Real-time Info For Ventilators, Oxygen And Remdesivir

The information for all over India includes the status of oxygen cylinders, concentrators, ICU beds, ventilators, the Remdesivir medicine and plasma donors.

Apple App Store Adds Tags to Help You Refine Search Results: How It Works

Apple shared the development on its social media channels where it claims the search suggestions on the Apple App store will refine search to show more apps and games.

Google Play to Enforce Guidelines to Eliminate Misleading, Spam, or Clone Apps Later This Year

The new strict policy change brings restrictions to app metadata and new guidelines for Store listing preview assets. For instance, an app cannot use graphic or text to indicate ranking, promote deals, incentivise deals, or for any tactics that can be misleading to users. These changes are set to go into effect in the ‘second half of 2021’.

Safari 14.1 on Macs Running macOS Catalina, Mojave are Broken After the Latest Updates

According to multiple forum threads on official and unofficial Apple forums, Safari 14.1 appears to be broken on macOS Catalina and older – after Apple pushed a new update.

Amazon Posts Record Profits as Consumers Continue Shopping Online Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Amazon has now posted four consecutive record quarterly profits, attracted more than 200 million Prime loyalty subscribers, and recruited over 500,000 workers to keep up with surging consumer demand.

Spotify Redesigns Library to Add New, Dynamic Filters, Improved Sorting and More

Spotify has rolled out the update for all users. The company, in its blog post, said that the update will reach all users in the coming weeks.

Among Us Will Arrive on PlayStation Consoles Later This Year, Sony Announces

Among Us also gained popularity as Twitch streamers streamed the game online heavily last year. US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also made her debut on the platform with Among Us last year.

Samsung Files Trademark For 'S' Foldable Display: Tri-Folding Galaxy Z Fold Tab Coming Soon?

The recent report speculates that the "S" refers to the way the display folds itself. Over time, Samsung has patented different types of foldable devices.

How to Find COVID-19 Vaccine, Testing Centres in India on Google Maps, Search and Assistant

Google Maps, Assistant, and Search are also adding advisories from the government to ease travel amid curfews and lockdowns.

Microsoft Edge Vs Google Chrome Continues As Edge Is Set To Get Major Performance Update

Microsoft had earlier rolled out the feature that significantly reduced the activity and resource consumption for tabs that were not in use.

Microsoft Goes After Steam, Epic by Reducing PC Game Revenue Split to 12 Percent

The Microsoft Store will no longer charge game developers a 30 percent revenue split for listing games on their platform, as a clear part of their efforts to revamp the platform.

Google Is Saving More Than $1 Billion Per Year As Employees Work From Home Due to COVID-19

Google is known for the perks it provides its employees in its offices which range from massage tables, catered cuisine, corporate retreats, and the likes. However, all of that has been on hold for the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the company to save a significant amount of money.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Army of the Dead, Lucifer, Toofaan, and More: May 2021 Guide to Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and Prime Video

Radhe, Army of the Dead, Lucifer season 5 part 2, Love Death + Robots season 2, Toofaan, Sardar Ka Grandson, Castlevania season 4, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Jupiter’s Legacy, Master of None season 3 — the biggest movies and TV shows on Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5 and Apple TV+ in May 2021.

IBM to Acquire Software Provider Turbonomic for Over $1.5 Billion

IBM said it has agreed to acquire Turbonomic, a provider of software that helps companies monitor the performance of their business applications, the latest in a series of cloud computing acquisitions by the tech giant.

Microsoft to Take Smaller Cut From Video Game Developers: Report

Microsoft will cut its charges for video game developers who publish games in its online store, starting August, the New York Times reported.

Twitter Warns of Rising Costs, Slow User Growth as Pandemic Boost Fizzles; Meets Revenue Expectations

Twitter posted revenues and user numbers mostly in line with analyst estimates in stark contrast to the better performing digital ad firms like Facebook and Alphabet.

Amazon Expects Sales Windfall as US Economy Reopens, Posts Record Profits

Amazon, one of the biggest winners of the pandemic, posted record profits and signalled that consumers would keep spending in a growing US economy and converts to online shopping are not likely to leave.

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Costs 7% Less to Make As Compared to Galaxy S20 Ultra: Report

The Counterpoint report also said that the increase in computing power with 5nm chips and a lower price as compared to older smartphones helped the Galaxy S21 series quickly gain traction in Europe and North America.

Over 25 Crore People Shop on Facebook Marketplace From 10 Lakh Stores Every Month

Facebook Marketplace, launched last year, was the company’s big e-commerce play announced last year – it is clearly on the route to success.

Windows 10 May 2021 Update is the Smallest Update for Features: What's New in 21H1

The Windows 10 May 2021 update, in terms of new features, will only offer external camera support for Windows Hello, and a ‘news and interests’ widget on the taskbar.

Facebook Marketplace Monthly Active Users Now at 1 Billion, Shops Crosses 250 Million Mark: Zuckerberg

From Amazon to Tata, How Companies Are Stepping Up Efforts to Fight India's COVID-19 Crisis

Tata Group, one of India's oldest conglomerates, imported 24 cryogenic containers to transport liquid oxygen, while its Tata Steel unit ramped up oxygen supply.

Vivo V21 5G With 44MP Front Camera, 4,000mAh Battery Launched in India: Price, Specs and More

Priced at Rs 29,990 (8GB + 128GB) and Rs 32,990 (8GB+256GB), the smartphone will go on sale starting May 6, on Flipkart, Vivo India e-store and all offline partner retail stores across India.

Bang & Olufsen’s Beolab 28 Are Advanced Luxury Speakers, That'll Help You Feel Good About Life

It would be a sight to see the speakers emerge as the motorized outer cover opens up when you power these on. The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 28 cost $14,750 for a pair.

Google Assistant Will Soon Be Able to Recognise Tricky Names, Timer Feature Getting Big Boost

Google Assistant Timer that that essentially works as a countdown timer is getting a big improvement. The update aims to make the virtual assistant more flexible, especially when a user fumbles or stops mid-sentence.

Facebook Temporarily Banned a #ResignModi Hashtag; Says It Was a Mistake

India is currently battling the worst COVID-19 surge that has been witnessed anywhere across the world yet. The country most recently recorded about 3.8 lakh new cases and more than 3,600 deaths in the last 24 hours.

Google I/O 2021 Will Have 'Significant Product Updates and Announcements,' Company Teases

CEO Pichai announced the development regarding the Google I/O 2021 during the Alphabet Q1 2021 Earnings Call earlier this week. He also spoke about Alphabet's aid to Indian bodies to tackle the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID And Masks: Stepping Out? You Need Masks With Latest Health Tech, And That Isn’t Up For Debate

Mind you, not all masks protect you from COVID, and most certainly not the cheap fabric ones. You need masks with smart tech for highest possible protection.

Indian Smartphone Market Grew 38% in Q1 2021; Xiaomi Remains Highest Seller, OnePlus Registers Max Growth

Counterpoint Research's Market Monitor factors-in sell-in estimates based on vendor's IR results and vendor polling, triangulated with sell-through (sales), supply chain checks and secondary research.

Realme 7 Pro and Realme 6 Pro Start Receiving Android 11-Based RealmeUI 2.0 in India: What's New

Both Realme 7 Pro and Realme 6 Pro smartphones that were launched in September and March last year, respectively, came with Android 10 out-of-the-box.

Techies Rejoice! CES 2022 Will Return to A Physical In-Person Format: Dates, Attendees Announced

The CTA said that CES 2022 will be held as per the CDC's safety guidelines, along with state and local guidelines for Nevada and the city of Las Vegas to ensure a safe event for attendees.

Spotify Now Has 158 Million Premium Subscribers and 356 Million Monthly Active Users

Spotify, which launched its services in 86 new countries in the past quarter quarter, said growth in the United States, Mexico, Russia, and India offset lower-than-expected growth in Latin America and Europe.

Apple Earnings Call Shows Strong iPhone 12 and Mac Sales, Warns Chip Shortage May Hurt Business

Last week, Apple hosted its first event for 2021, where the company launched the new iPad Pro tablets, a new redesigned M1-powered iMac, AirTags item trackers, a purple iPhone 12, and the new Apple TV 4K streaming box.

Amazon, Intel, Google, More Companies Step Up to Combat India's COVID-19 Crisis

Among Us Getting 6 New Colours, Enhanced Art Style, 15-Player Lobbies, More

Among Us developer InnerSloth is updating its popular game. The game will get new features including 6 new colours, enhanced art styles, and more, along with various bug fixes and improvements.

1.32 Crore Vaccination Registrations in One Day Through CoWIN Portal

Tencent Said to Face Substantial Penalty From China in Antitrust Crackdown

Netflix’s Play Something Button Rolls Out for All Users Globally

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Spotify Now Has 158 Million Subscribers, Company Posts Rare Profit

Spotify posted rare net profit in the first quarter and a sharp increase in paid subscribers as the music streaming giant launched in dozens of new markets, but disappointing total users sent shares tumbling. The company said in a press release that it now has 158 million subscribers.

Luca Trailer Out Now, Sets Up Pixar’s Coming-of-Age Italian Adventure

Pixar’s Luca gets a new trailer. Luca release date is June 18 on Disney+ and Disney+ Hotstar. Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer lead Luca voice cast. Enrico Casarosa directs.

Facebook Benefits From Pandemic Ad Spending but Warns Apple Privacy Policies Could Spoil Its Party

#ResignModi: Facebook Blocks Posts ‘by Mistake’ for Hours as India’s COVID-19 Crisis Grows

Netflix Binge Watching On Your Mind, But Don’t Know What To Watch? Here Is Something You’ll Love

Netflix has said there are three ways in which you can find Play Something on the Netflix app on your TV. This feature is now available for all Netflix users.

After Land Rover and Rolls-Royce, China Now Appears to Have Copied the SpaceX Starship

Chinese rip-offs from Western designs aren’t exactly new, but CALT’s latest rocket renders hit a bit too close to home with a years-old SpaceX Starship design.

Apple Will Ban All Apps That Offer Rewards to Users for Enabling App Tracking

In the updated Human Interface Guidelines, Apple says that any app that attempts to offer monetary incentives to users to convince them to enable tracking will be banned from the ‌App Store‌.

Realme India to Host 'Biggest' Launch Event on May 4; Realme X7 Max 5G and 4K Smart TV Expected

Realme India is celebrating its third anniversary in the country this year, and Sheth notes the launch event on May 4 has "lots of surprises" to mark the celebrations.

Space Race Between World's Richest Men Heats Up As Bezos Attempts To Challenge SpaceX's NASA Contract

Musk's SpaceX bid alone while Amazon.com founder Bezos' Blue Origin partnered with Lockheed Martin Corp, Northrop Grumman Corp and Draper for the NASA contract.

Whatsapp Testing Chat Migration Tool to Let Users Move Chats Between iPhone and Android Phones

The 'importing chat history' feature is still under development. WhatsApp may likely use Google Drive to momentarily store files for further migration.

Redmi K40 Gaming Edition Launched With MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC, Retractable Shoulder & More

The Redmi K40 Gamign Edition is already up for pre-orders in China, with the sales beginning from April 30. As of now, there is no information about the international availability of the Redmi K40 Gaming Edition.

Vivo V21 4G and 5G and Vivo V21e With 44-Megapixel Selfie Camera Launched: Price, Specs and More

Both Vivo V21 and Vivo V21 5G feature a MediaTek processor, while the toned-down Vivo V21e comes with a Snapdragon chipset. Other notable features include triple rear cameras and 33W FlashCharge fast charging support.

Apple Music Launches Top 25 Playlists for 100 Cities Around the World With iOS 14.5 Update

Apple Music is launching Top 25 Playlists in more than 100 cities around the world. Users who aren’t subscribed to Apple Music can access the playlists through its Web player. Alongside, Apple Music will allow record label searches so listeners can find songs and albums from a particular record label.

Zomato Files for Rs. 8,250-Crore IPO as Food Delivery Surges in Pandemic

Zomato has filed for an IPO of up to Rs. 8,250 crores as consumers increasingly turn to ordering food online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Vaccine Registration to Go Live in India for People Aged 18-44 Years From 4pm Today: How to Register

COVID-19 vaccine registration in India for people aged between 18 and 44 years will begin from 4pm today (Wednesday, April 28). You can register using the CoWIN portal or through the Aarogya Setu or Umang app.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Finding A COVID Hospital Becomes Easier As Truecaller Adds COVID Hospital Directory For All Users

The COVID Hospital Directory can be accessed either via the dialer functionality or from the separate menu action in the Truecaller app for Android phones and the Apple iPhone.

Optoma CinemaX P2 Review: I Used This 4K Projector And Now Going Back To A TV Is Proving Difficult

You pay a generous wad of cash for the brilliance that is the Optoma CinemaX P2, priced at Rs 4,99,999. Yet, if your home deserves this, you will end up with a massive smile on your face.

Vivo 21 4G and 5G and Vivo V21e With 44-Megapixel Selfie Camera Launched: Price, Specs and More

Riding the COVID-19 Wave, Microsoft Teams Now Has 45 Million Daily Active Users

Given the increasing user base, Microsoft Teams has also faced several outages and connectivity issues this year.

Apple Music Gets Cool City Charts For 100 Cities, Including Delhi, London And San Francisco

Apple Music also gets a couple of new features with the latest iOS, iPadOS and macOS updates, including lyrics sharing and Made For You to quickly access your music.

Realme 8 5G To Go On Sale For The First Time Today: Prices, Offers, Specifications & More

Buyers of the Realme 8 5G on Flipkart can avail various bank offers like a 10 percent discount on HDFC Bank cards and EMI transactions, and a 5 percent unlimited cashback on Flipkart Axis Bank credit card.

WhatsApp Chat History Migration Tool Is Being Tested for Android Devices

WhatsApp is testing a new feature for Android devices that will let users import their chat history from iOS devices. Previously, the instant messaging app was working on an export chat feature on iOS. Google Drive may be used to import chat on Android.