The 41 Most Anticipated Games of 2023

What are the biggest games in 2023 on PC, Android, iPhone, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X? Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, Dead Space, Hogwarts Legacy, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, Diablo IV, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Final Fantasy XVI, Sk...

Spotify New Year's Hub Feature Launched, Brings Easy Access to Your Favourite Party Tunes

Music app Spotify is preparing its users for the coming year with a brand new feature that will be of great help in the spree of festivities ahead. The streaming platform launched 'New Year's Hub', a one-stop spot for users to access their favourite party tunes contained in a number of playlists. Some special numbers were also included from a host of pop artists like ...

Twitter to Soon Allow Users to Side Sweep Through Tweets, Trends, Topics, More

Elon Musk has announced that a new side sweep feature will be rolled out on Twitter in January. It will allow users easy access to recommended and followed tweets, trends, topics, and lists.

Google Voice to Alert Users With 'Suspected Spam Caller' Warning for Suspicious Calls

Google Voice will now make it more easy for a user to ignore spam calls with the launch of a new update. Google has now added a warning to its Voice feature which will alert the user by flagging “Suspected spam caller” label on calls that may seem suspicious.

Spotify New Year's Hub Feature Launched, Brings Easy Access to Your Favourite Party Tunes

Music app Spotify is preparing its users for the coming year with a brand new feature that will be of great help in the spree of festivities ahead. The streaming platform launched 'New Year's Hub', a one-stop spot for users to access their favourite party tunes contained in a number of playlists. Some special numbers were also included from a host of pop artists like ...

WhatsApp Desktop Beta Working on Feature to Select Multiple Chats: Report

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature to let users select multiple chats on the desktop app. Using the feature, users will be able to manage their chat easily. WhatsApp currently provides the ability to select multiple chats on Android and iOS app.

Microsoft Excel Gets New Search Bar, Image Function, Formula Suggestion, More: Details

Microsoft has announced new smart features for Excel on Windows, Mac, and the Web. The new features include Suggested Links, Image Function, Formula Suggestions, and more. Windows users get the Image Function and a new keyboard shortcut, while Mac users only get the Image Function tool.

Twitter Gets Significant Backend Server Architecture Changes, Should Feel Faster, Says Elon Musk

Twitter CEO Elon Musk has planned yet another set of upgrades to the platform. Taking to the microblogging site, the Tesla CEO wrote, "Significant backend server architecture changes rolled out". "Twitter should feel faster," Musk added.

Google, YouTube Said to Face Lawsuit in US for Violating Privacy of Children Under Age 13

A US appeals court on Wednesday has said to have revived a lawsuit accusing Alphabet's Google and several other companies of violating the privacy of children under age 13 by tracking their YouTube activity without parental consent, in order to send them targeted advertising.

Amazon Working on Standalone App for Sports Content: Report

Amazon.com is working on a standalone app for watching sports content, the Information reported on Wednesday, citing a source with direct knowledge of the plan. The move will likely complement Amazon's effort to double down on sports programming through its Prime Video service, a key channel to attract consumers to its shopping platform.

Paytm 2022 Recap Calls Delhi-NCR as India's Digital Payments Capital

Paytm parent One97 Communications on Wednesday announced the release of Paytm 2022 Recap, highlighting the interesting trends of transactions made through Paytm in the last year. Users can also check their individual payments journey with Paytm in 2022 through paytm.com/recap.

TikTok Banned From All US House of Representatives-Managed Devices, says House Administration Arm

The popular Chinese video app TikTok has said to have been banned from all US House of Representatives-managed devices, according to the House's administration arm, mimicking a law soon to go into effect banning the app from US government devices.

Ola, Uber, Dunzo, PharmEasy, Amazon Flex Others Provide Poor Working Conditions for Gig Workers: Report

Five digital platforms -- cab aggregators Ola and Uber, grocery delivery app Dunzo, pharmacy platform PharmEasy and Amazon Flex -- have reportedly received the lowest scores in a rating of digital platforms on the basis of providing fair working conditions for gig workers. The Fairwork India Ratings 2022 reportedly evaluated 12 platforms, including Amazon Flex, bigbas...

WhatsApp Said to Be Testing Ability to Report Suspicious Status Update on Desktop Beta App

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature for the desktop app that will let users report a status update to the company for moderation reasons. WhatsApp currently provides the ability to report suspicious messages or spam messages to the company in order to stop the spread of spam and malicious content on the platform.

Twitter Hack: Private Data of 40 Crore Users Up for Sale; Hacker Extorting CEO Elon Musk: Report

Private data of over 40 crore Twitter users has reportedly been hacked and put up for sale. According to a report, the data breach includes phone numbers and emails of prominent Twitter users like American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and a number of celebrities. The hacker is also reportedly attempting to extort Twitter CEO Elon Musk...

Netflix January 2023 Releases: Mission Majnu, Fauda, Vikings: Valhalla, and More

What are the biggest Netflix originals in January 2023? Mission Majnu, Fauda season 4, Vikings: Valhalla season 2, Christian Bale in The Pale Blue Eye, Pamela Anderson in Pamela, a love story, Trial by Fire series, Mumbai Mafia: Police vs The Underworld, Break Point, Copenhagen Cowboy, and That ‘90s Show lead Netflix January 2023 releases.

Twitter Blue Users' Replies Will Now Get Priority Ranking in Conversations: All Details

Twitter Blue subscribers will get more premium features including priority rankings for their replies in chats. This will improve user experience. Additionally, Twitter has also allowed Blue users to upload longer videos of up to 60 minutes.

Windows 11 Notepad Tabs Feature Leaked by Microsoft Employee: Report

Microsoft may roll out the Tabs feature for the Windows 11 Notepad app in early 2023, as per a report. While the feature is still in early testing within the company, a Microsoft employee has been said to have accidentally dropped an image of the same on Twitter. Though the tweet was deleted, a few of the news websites had already spotted it.

Twitter Restores Suicide Prevention Hotline, Other Safety Features for Users

Twitter has restored a feature that promotes suicide prevention hotlines and other safety resources to users looking up certain content, after coming under pressure from some users and consumer safety groups over its removal. Reuters reported on Friday that the feature was taken down a few days ago, citing two people familiar with the matter, who said the removal was ...

Google Calendar Bug Reported To Create Incorrect Events on Android, iOS Devices

Google Calendar users are reportedly experiencing a bug that is causing the app to create random events based on messages from the user's Gmail inboxes. However, these events do not relate to any real event, and hence are bogus, according to a report by 9to5Google. Several users took to Twitter to share their concerns. However, Google hasn't officially responded to th...

Twitter Said to Have Removed Suicide Prevention Helpline, Other Safety Features on Elon Musk’s Order

Twitter is said to have removed a feature in the past few days that promoted suicide prevention hotlines and other safety resources to users looking up certain content. According to two people familiar with the matter, it was ordered by new owner Elon Musk. The removal of the feature, known as #ThereIsHelp, has not been previously reported.

Twitter Rolls Out Ability to Upload 60 Minute Long Videos for Blue Subscribers: All Details

Twitter Blue subscribers can now upload longer videos of up to 60 minutes. However, this feature is only available on the Web version as of now, and not on iOS or Android. The users will be able to upload a video of up to 2GB in size. Earlier, it was limited to only 512MB file size or 10 minutes in length.

Twitter View Count Feature for Tweets Rolling Out Globally: All Details

Twitter is rolling out View Count for tweets enabling users to see how many people have seen a tweet. The feature is already available for videos on the platform, but now it will be accessible on texts as well.

Flipkart, PhonePe Complete Separation, Both Entities to Continue Operation Under Walmart

Flipkart and PhonePe have completed their separation and both entities will continue to operate under US-based retail giant Walmart, a joint statement said on Friday. Walmart will remain the majority shareholder of both business groups.

Best Games of 2022: Gadgets 360’s Favourite PC, PS4, PS5, Mobile, and Xbox Games

The best games of 2022: Gadgets 360’s favourite games on PC, PS4, PS5, Android, iPhone, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X this year include Cult of the Lamb, Elden Ring, Genshin Impact, God of War Ragnarök, A Plague Tale: Requiem, PowerWash Simulator, and Stray.

YouTube TV Wins Right to Broadcast Most NFL Games in the US Next Year

YouTube TV video platform has won the right to broadcast most NFL football games in the US next year, it announced Thursday, a major win by the Google subsidiary that underscores the growing role of streaming in sports.

Google May Be Working On Find My Device Service To Work Even When Offline: Report

Google may be working on updating its Find My Device service to work even when lost or stolen devices are offline, according to a report by Sammobile. The hint was spotted on Google's changelog for December 2022 system updates and hints at a new privacy-centric framework that enables tracking of stolen or lost Android devices.

Digital Competition Act Recommended by Parliamentary Panel to Regulate Big Tech Firms

A parliamentary panel on Thursday mooted a digital competition act aimed at reining in anti-competitive practices of Big Tech firms in India. Companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple have faced scrutiny in the past and the government has been working to tighten regulation of these Big Tech firms.

Meta Took Down 2.29 Crore Posts on Facebook, Instagram in November; Many Users Complained of Hacked Accounts

Meta said in a report released on Thursday that it had taken down more than 2.29 crore pieces of content created by Indian users on Facebook and Instagram in November. The company said it removed over 1.95 crore pieces of content on Facebook and 33.9 lakh pieces of content on Instagram.

Netflix, Nike Training Club Partner on Fitness Content, Launching December 30

Netflix is partnering with Nike Training Club to bring fitness content to its platform. The streaming company announced that it will offer 30 hours of Nike exercise classes, starting next week on December 30. The sessions will be released in two batches, with the second half dropping sometime in 2023. The initiative will be available across all Netflix plans, with the...

Fitbit Sense 2, Fitbit Versa 4 Smartwatches Gain Support for Google Maps on Android: Report

Fitbit Sense 2 and Fitbit Versa 4 smartwatches are getting Google Maps support on Android. Fitbit announced it would offer the Google Maps app on two of its latest smartwatches in November. iPhone users will be able to access the app next year.

Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma Declares End of Cash Burn Ahead of Firm's Plans to Turn Cash Flow Positive

Paytm on Wednesday announced that the company would turn off its cash burn, while the company's founder revealed that the payments firm was "far ahead" on re-setting its strategy. Softbank-backed Paytm said last month that it plans to become free cash flow positive in the next 12-18 months.

Assassin’s Creed Mobile 'Jade' Gameplay Footage Leaked From Alleged Alpha Test

Assassin’s Creed Mobile Jade gameplay footage has seemingly leaked online. The series of recordings allegedly originate from an alpha test for the mobile game — the sign-ups for which have since been shut down by Ubisoft. Being the first game in the Assassin’s Creed franchise to allow character creation, the footage offers a look at the various customisation opt...

More Than 270 Indian OTT Originals Released in 2022. Here Are All of Them

Indian OTT platforms released over 270 originals in 2022. They came from Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon miniTV, SonyLIV, Zee5, MX Player, Voot Select, Discovery+, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, ShemarooMe, manoramaMAX, Hungama Play, Watcho, Ullu, and Atrangii.

Government Asks YouTube to Take Down 3 Channels Spreading Fake News, Sensational Claims

YouTube was asked by the government to take down three channels that were found to have spread fake news online, while making sensational claims about the government's public welfare initiatives. The fact checking unit of the Press Information Bureau had identified three channels using thumbnails and images of TV news channels and their anchors to mislead viewers into...

Twitter Rolls Out Grey Tick Marks For Government Accounts After Giving Companies Gold Verification Badges

Twitter has begun rolling out a grey tick mark for government accounts, days after it enabled golden verification check marks for companies on the platform. Verified users get blue tick marks on the platform, which is part of the Twitter Blue subscription service that is priced at $8 (roughly Rs. 660) per month in a few countries. The microblogging service has now rep...

Twitter Faces Deeper FTC Probe Into Privacy, Security Practices After Elon Musk Takeover: Report

Twitter is facing a deepening probe in the US into its privacy and security practices, according to a report. The company has already been asked by the US FTC whether it has the required resources to comply with the privacy consent decree, and the investigation comes weeks after Elon Musk took over the microblogging platform, firing more than half of the company's sta...

Elon Musk Says Will Step Down as Twitter CEO After Finding 'Someone Foolish Enough' to Replace Him

Elon Musk said on Wednesday that he would step down as Twitter CEO after he finds "someone foolish enough to take the job", adding that he would then only run software and server teams at the microblogging platform. Twitter's new owner posted a poll on Monday asking users if he should resign as head of the company, and 57 percent of users voted in favour of him steppi...

Gmail End-to-End Encryption Beta Testing Expanded for Select Workspace Users: All Details

Google is rolling out the ability to beta test end-to-end encryption for Gmail to some Workspace users. This feature will provide an added layer of security to emails and attachments on the Web. The client-side encryption of emails will give users control over the encryption keys and who will have access to their data.

Amazon Prime Gaming Now Live in India With Free PC Games, In-Game Content for Prime Members

Amazon Prime Gaming has been launched in India. The subscription service offers access to multiple free PC games and in-game content to Amazon Prime members every month. The company is offering free games like The Amazing American Circus, Doors: Paradox and more via Amazon Prime Gaming.

Elon Musk is Changing What You See on Your Twitter Feed: All You Need to Know

Elon Musk has brought several changes to Twitter, weeks after he took over the microblogging platform. The company's new CEO has dissolved the Trust and Safety Council, which was made up of dozens of independent civil, human rights and other organisations. He has also given selected journalists access to some of the company's internal communications.

WhatsApp Rolls Out Feature to Briefly Undo Pressing the 'Delete for Me' Button on iOS, Android

WhatsApp on Tuesday announced the rollout of a feature designed to allow users to briefly undo the action of pressing the "Delete for Me" button on Android and iOS. Accidentally pressing the button instead of "Delete for Everyone" will show users a popup for 5 seconds, allowing them to restore the message and then delete it for all users.

Google for India 2022: Bilingual Search Results Announced, Project Relate to Cover Over 100 Indian Languages

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Monday announced that the company was extending its multimodal AI model to cover 100+ Indian languages, along with bilingual search results pages powered by machine learning. The company also announced other features such as access for Digilocker documents on the Files by Google app, and the rollout of YouTube Courses in India to enable new...

Fortnite Maker Epic Games Hit With $520 Million Penalty Over Alleged Violation of Children's Privacy

Epic Games, creator of the popular battle royale game Fortnite, will pay a record $520 million penalty to settle accusations of violating children's privacy and tricking users into making purchases, according to the US Federal Trade Commission. The Fortnite maker said it had eliminated pay-to-win and pay-to-progress mechanics, along with random loot boxes on 2019, and...

Twitter Will Restrict Voting on Major Policy Decisions to Twitter Blue Subscribers, Elon Musk Says

Elon Musk has announced that Twitter will make a change to only allow Twitter Blue subscribers to vote on major policy decisions, hours after his poll asking users whether he should step down as the head of Twitter concluded on Monday. Twitter's new owner agreed with a user's suggestion that only Twitter Blue subscribers should have a voice in future policy, adding th...

iPhone Maker Apple Fined Over EUR 1 Million by Paris Court Over App Store Practices

iPhone maker Apple was fined over EUR 1 million (nearly Rs. 8 lakh) by the Paris Commercial Court on Monday for imposing abusive commercial clauses on French app developers for access to the company's App Store, the court ruling showed. The ruling, seen by Reuters, said there was no need to order Apple, which has a market value of about $2.1 trillion (nearly Rs. 1,73,...

Meta Warned of Potential Breach of EU Antitrust Laws Over Competition in Online Classified Advertising

Meta was warned by the European Commission on Monday that it was likely breaching EU antitrust laws. The social media firm will face an investigation into whether it abused its dominant position and distorted competition in markets for online classified advertising. EU antitrust regulators last month were said to be drawing up charges against Meta over its use of cust...

FIFA World Cup 2022: JioCinema Records 32 Million Viewers During the Argentina vs France Final Match

JioCinema is celebrating a new record with FIFA World Cup 2022, as it managed to get 32 million viewers to tune into the finals match between France and Argentina. 110 million viewers consumed the content on digital platforms, placing India as one of the “highest digital viewership markets” for the global sporting event. As for the entirety of the contest, the com...

Twitter Backtracks on Policy to Remove Accounts Linking to Rival Social Media Services

Twitter on Monday backtracked from its new policy to ban accounts that linked to other social media platforms, such as Instagram, Mastodon, and Facebook, after some notable accounts were suspended under the new policy, including tech investor Paul Graham. The company's support handle has deleted its tweets announcing the new policy, which has also been taken down from...

Elon Musk Restores Journalists' Suspended Accounts After Twitter Poll, But Concerns Remain

Elon Musk has restored the Twitter accounts of several journalists who were suspended from the microblogging platform for a day, after they published public data about the private jet of the company's CEO. A Twitter poll that Elon Musk conducted had showed that a majority of the respondents wanted the accounts restored immediately. Musk had accused the journalists of ...

YouTube is Testing 'Add To Queue' Feature for Android, iOS Premium Subscribers: Report

YouTube is testing 'Add to Queue' feature on Android and iOS devices for users having a YouTube Premium subscription. The feature, which has been available on Youtube's web platform, is now being brought to the mobile app. The feature will be accessible through the three-dot menu. Once a video is added to the queue, users will be able to use gestures like drag and dro...

Elon Musk Dissolves Twitter's Trust and Safety Advisory Group Over Email

Elon Musk on Monday dissolved Twitter's Trust and Safety Council via email. The advisory group comprised around 100 independent civil, human rights and other organisations that provided expertise and guidance on how Twitter could better combat hate, harassment and other harms but didn’t have any decision-making authority and didn’t review specific content disputes...

Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G Spotted on NBTC Certification Site, May Debut as Redmi Note 11 Pro (2023) in Other Regions

Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G is reportedly in the works. Ahead of the official confirmation, the handset has been spotted on Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) website with model number 2209116AG. The listing indicates that Redmi will likely launch the Redmi Note 12 Pro 4G in markets in different monikers.

Apple Plans to Unveil 15.5-Inch MacBook Air in Spring 2023: Report

Apple is reportedly planning to launch a MacBook Air in 2023 with a larger display. According to DSCC'S Ross Young, its panel production will start in the first quarter of next year and the laptop will be launched in spring 2023.

Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro Series Launch Date Set for December 16; May Feature 6000mAh Battery: Details

ZTE Nubia Red Magic 8 Pro is all set to launch for Chinese markets on December 16. The smartphone will feature a a triple rear camera setup - 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide and a 2-megapixel tertiary camera and a 16-megapixel selfie shooter. It will have a screen resolution of 2,480 x 1,116 pixels, and narrow bezels.

Twitter Suspends Accounts of Prominent Journalists Covering Elon Musk, Mastodon's Account Also Suspended

Twitter suspended the accounts of prominent journalists who covered Elon Musk, the company's new owner. The microblogging service on Wednesday suspended @elonjet, an account tracking Musk's private jet in real-time using data available in the public domain. On Thursday, the Twitter account of Mastodon, a Twitter alternative, was also suspended on the platform.

Amazon, Flipkart Served Notice by DCW for Selling Dangerous Acids Online

Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart have been issued with notices by the DCW asking why dangerous acids are available on their sites after a schoolgirl became the victim of an acid attack in Delhi. The Delhi Police had also issued a notice to Flipkart after it found that the acid was procured from the e-commerce firm.

Can Sending Fewer Emails or Emptying Your Inbox Really Help Fight Climate Change?

Reducing the number of emails that are sent and deleting them is claimed to reduce an individual's carbon footprint, an idea that has also been propagated in various news stories. However, quantifying the carbon footprint of sending emails, or any other digital service, is not an easy task. Here's everything you need to know about whether sending fewer emails or empty...

TikTok Algorithms Promote Videos About Self-Harm, Eating Disorders: Report

TikTok algorithms boost posts related to self-harm and eating disorders, which are shown to vulnerable teenagers, a new report claims. Researchers created TikTok accounts for fictional teen personas in the US, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, and liked videos about self-harm and eating disorders and saw that the algorithm recommended similar content within minute...

Microsoft 'Data Boundary' for EU Cloud Customers to Be Rolled Out on January 1

Microsoft on Thursday said it would allow European Union cloud customers to process and store parts of their data in the region from January 1, as part of the company's phased rollout of its “EU data boundary”. The company said that the changes will apply to Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and the company's Power BI platform, or all of its core cloud services.

Spotify Reportedly Cancels Six Audio Shows as Part of Programming Cutback

Spotify has decided to pull the plug on at least six of its audio shows, according to a report. The audio streaming service will reportedly retain two shows, which have survived the company's programming cuts.

Twitter to Discontinue Newsletter Product Revue in 2023 Amid Elon Musk's Interest to Buy Substack

Twitter said on Wednesday it will discontinue its newsletter product Revue next year, days after owner Elon Musk said he was open to buying rival online publishing platform Substack. The social media platform bought Revue in 2021 for an undisclosed sum amid a larger boom for newsletters during the pandemic, and as it sought to attract users who wanted to make money fr...

Facebook Parent Meta's Oversight Board Increased Policy Implementation in Q3 2022

Facebook parent Meta Platforms implemented more recommendations from its oversight board in the third quarter than the second, the independent body said on Wednesday. The oversight board received more than a quarter of a million appeals from Facebook and Instagram users around the world during the quarter ended September 30.

Instagram Introduces Candid Stories, 'Add Yours' Nominations, Notes and More: All Details

Instagram introduced several new features making it easier for users to connect with their friends and followers. The Meta-owned photo sharing app has rolled out Notes, candid stories, Group profiles, Collaborative Collections and more. Notes will let users create a short post of up to 60 characters by using text and emojis.

YouTube Introduces Improved Bot Detection Feature, to Notify Users Posting Spam Comments: Details

YouTube has announced the introduction of improvements made to its artificial intelligence and machine learning systems that detect spam on comments, and bots in live chat. The platform has also introduced a notification system that will warn users when an offensive comment is detected and removed for violating its Community Guidelines. Meanwhile, YouTube has also int...

Elon Musk is Changing What You See on Your Twitter Feed: All You Need to Know

Elon Musk has brought several changes to Twitter, weeks after he took over the microblogging platform. The company's new CEO has dissolved the Trust and Safety Council, which was made up of dozens of independent civil, human rights and other organisations. He has also given selected journalists access to some of the company's internal communications.

Jack Dorsey Announces Annual Grant of $1 Million to Signal Private Messenger

Jack Dorsey said on Tuesday that he would give an annual grant of $1 million to Signal, the non-profit privacy-oriented messenger. The Twitter Co-Founder said that the grant to the private messaging app was the first in a series of grants to support "open internet development" and that social networking should not be owned by a single company or group of companies.

Microsoft Activision Deal: Firm Offered to Agree to FTC Consent Decree on Call of Duty Games for Rivals

Microsoft President Brad Smith on Tuesday revealed that the US firm, which is seeking approval for its takeover of Activision Blizzard that was announced earlier this year, offered to agree to a consent decree with the US FTC to provide its Call of Duty games to Sony and other rivals, like Nintendo. The company's acquisition deal is also facing scrutiny outside the US...

Android 13 Output Switcher Adds Support for Chromecast Devices With YouTube Music: Report

Google has rolled out support for Chromecast devices on Android 13 to the device output switcher. YouTube Music is the first app to display Chromecast devices in the output switcher.

Google Defeats Lawsuit Over Privacy Practices Involving Chrome Browser

Google defeated a lawsuit filed in a US court on Monday, that accused the company of collecting data of users who had opted out of sharing web activity on the browser. The lawsuit had alleged that Google tracked IP addresses and browsing history, even if users did not have a Google account, or if they had chosen not to synchronise their Google accounts with Chrome.

WhatsApp Rolls Out Feature to Let Users Search Recent Groups via Contact Names: Details

WhatsApp is rolling out a feature to desktop users that will allow them to find their recent groups by just entering in a contact name that is also part of the group. The feature is intended to add more convenience for users who operate or are part of multiple WhatsApp groups.

Spotify Rolls Out Rewards Program in India, Offers Premium Mini Subscription for as Low as Rs. 2

Spotify has launched a new Rewards Program in India. The new initiative is available only for Premium Mini subscribers and rewards users for various challenges. Spotify’s product manager Szymon Kopeć announced the feature on Twitter. The rollout started with India before gradually reaching other Asian countries.

Elon Musk’s Archaic Management Style Prioritises Profit Over People

Elon Musk has made a number of changes to Twitter since he took over the company at the end of October. The platform's new CEO laid off half of the company's 7,500 employees and its top executive, forcing more to resign after he issued an ultimatum to commit to being "extremely hardcore". Here's how Musk's archaic style of management prioritises profit over people.

Elon Musk Dissolves Twitter's Trust and Safety Advisory Group Over Email

Elon Musk on Monday dissolved Twitter's Trust and Safety Council via email. The advisory group comprised around 100 independent civil, human rights and other organisations that provided expertise and guidance on how Twitter could better combat hate, harassment and other harms but didn’t have any decision-making authority and didn’t review specific content disputes...

Twitter Community Notes Feature Rolling Out to All Users Globally: How to Join

Twitter is rolling out its much-awaited Community Notes feature to all its users across the world. It’s a renamed version of crowdsourced fact-checking feature ‘Birdwatch’ introduced in January 2021 to deal with the spread of fake news. The feature is now live for all allowing Twitter users from anywhere in the world to see and rate notes as helpful.

Smartphone Use Could Be Hurting Your Relationship, Study Shows

Smartphone usage, when excessive, can hurt the relationship of married couples in India, a study by smart device maker Vivo said on Monday. The study found that 67 percent of people confessed to being on their phones even while they're spending time with their spouse.

MIUI 14 With Photon Engine, Core System Improvements Announced; Coming to Xiaomi, Redmi Phones in January

MIUI 14 was unveiled by Xiaomi as its latest proprietary skin. The new MIUI version is claimed to improve battery consumption by third-party applications by 22 percent. It is also touted to have improved system fluency by up to 60 percent.

Did a Robot Write This? We Need Watermarks to Spot AI

ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence and machine learning powered text-generation system from OpenAI can effortlessly write essays, screenplays and limericks within seconds. However, the better the artificial intelligence gets, the harder it will be to distinguish between human and machine-made text, which means that OpenAI needs to work on labelling the work of its m...

China's Rules on 'Deepfakes' to Come Into Force From January 10, Cyberspace Regulator Says

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Sunday said that its new rules for content providers that alter facial and voice data will take effect from January 10. The regulations are designed to protect people from being impersonated by deepfakes without their consent, according to the regulator.

Twitter Blue to Relaunch With 1080p Video Uploads, Blue Checkmark; Apple Users to Pay $11

Twitter Blue will be relaunched on December 12, the company announced on Saturday. The company's subscription service will let users edit tweets, upload 1080p video, while showing a blue checkmark against their name. However, accounts will be verified manually, according to the company, and Apple users will pay $11 (roughly Rs. 900) which is higher than the $8 (roughl...

WhatsApp 'Message Yourself' Feature Rolling Out to Windows Beta App Users: Report

WhatsApp Message Yourself feature is reportedly rolling out to the WhatsApp for Windows beta app. The feature lets users send texts, files, media, reminders, and more to themselves. The feature was rolled out to WhatsApp for Android and iOS late last month. It is currently said to be available on the Windows beta app version 2.2248.2.0.

Google Chrome Update With Passkey Support on Android, Windows, and Mac Released

Google Chrome 108 stable update is rolling out on Android, Windows 11, and macOS with passkey support. Passkeys were first announced by the search giant in October to provide users a safer way to sign in than traditional passwords, and two-factor authentication methods.

Twitter Files: Elon Musk's Twitter Leak Raises Concern Over External Access to User Data

Elon Musk's "Twitter Files" leaks have provided outside writers unprecedented access to Twitter information, raising concern about external access to Twitter data and user accounts. Twitter's new CEO handed a collection of internal documents and emails from former Twitter employees over to external writers, who are now publishing those documents on Twitter.

Elon Musk Says Twitter Will Soon Display Account Shadowban Status, Allow Users to Appeal Decision

Elon Musk said on Thursday that Twitter was working on a software update that would inform users if their account was shadowbanned, along with the reason, and give them an option to appeal the decision. The announcement was made after the second instalment of the so-called "Twitter Files" that revealed how the company allegedly built blacklists and actively limited th...

Twitter Files: Firm Reportedly Placed People on 'Secret' Blacklists, Actively Limited Visibility, More

Twitter reportedly built blacklists and actively limited visibility of accounts on the platform using specialised tools. The second instalment of Elon Musk's "Twitter Files" published on Thursday claims that the company's executives and employees accessed a "Visibility Filtering or VF" tool that was used to block searches of users and to limit the scope of a particula...

Microsoft Activision Deal: US FTC Sues to Block $69 Billion Takeover Deal Over Competition Concerns

Microsoft's $69 billion (roughly Rs. 5,66,800 crore) bid to acquire Activision Blizzard, maker of the popular Call of Duty series, hit a roadblock on Thursday after the US FTC sued to block the takeover deal. Brad Smith, the company's president, tweeted on Thursday that the company would fight the FTC to complete the deal.

Twitter Set to Introduce New Controls for Ad Placements to Lure Advertisers Back After Elon Musk Takeover

Twitter is set to roll out new controls for companies to control where their ads appear on Twitter, according to an email sent to advertisers. The company earns 90 percent of its revenue through advertising, and new CEO Elon Musk has blamed civil rights organisations that have pressured brands to pause their Twitter ads for a "massive drop in revenue".

Biden Administration Tells US Supreme Court Section 230 of Communications Decency Act Has Limits

The Biden administration on Wednesday argued that Section 230 of the US Communications Decency Act that protects social media firms from liability has limits. The legislation protects firms like Google and Meta, and states that these firms can't be treated as the publisher or speaker of information posted by users.

WhatsApp Avatar Feature Rolling Out to Users With Support for 36 Customisable Stickers

Meta-owned instant messaging service, WhatsApp has rolled out an 'Avatars' feature which offers customisable digital personas. These can be made from a combination of hairstyles, facial features, and outfits. The feature could be used as a profile picture or as part of 36 customised stickers that could be used in chat and elsewhere. In the Meta family of applications,...

Instagram to Inform Creators When Posts Are Blocked From Being Recommended to Other Users

Instagram will now inform users and creators about posts that are blocked from being recommended to other users. Users will be able to check which posts are blocked from recommendations via their account settings. The Meta-owned service shows users recommendations in places like the explore page and home feed.

Apple Brings 5G Support to Beta Testers in India with iOS 16.2 RC Update, Adds Karaoke-Like Sing Feature

The iOS 16.2 RC update from Apple finally adds 5G network support to compatible iPhones for beta testers in India. The update is expected to soon roll out to a wider userbase. The iOS update is also adding a new Freeform app for whiteboard collaborations and a Sing feature to Apple Music.

Apple Announces End-to-End Encrypted iCloud Backups, Security Keys Support for Apple ID, More

Apple on Wednesday announced support for Advanced Data Protection, a feature that enables end-to-end encryption of iCloud data. iCloud currently protects 14 sensitive data categories with end-to-end encryption technology, and the new feature will raise the number to 23. Apple has also added support for security keys, and will show iMessage users a security warning for...

Uber Fined AUD 21 Million in Australia Over Misleading Advertisements About Fares, Cancellation Fees

Uber was fined AUD 21 million (roughly Rs. 115 crore) by an Australian court on Wednesday, for misleading customers over fares, and threatening cancellation fees that it never charged users. Uber apologised to Australian users on its website, and said it had made changes to its platform based on concerns that were raised with the ride-hailing firm.

ChatGPT Could Soon Be the Better Way to Google

ChatGPT, the popular new chatbot from OpenAI that allows users on the Internet to generate poems, screenplays, essay answers, marked the first time that OpenAI brought its powerful GPT3 language-generating system to the general public. Here's how ChatGPT could soon be a better way for users to search for information on the Internet.

Apple Introduces 700 New Price Points in Biggest Upgrade to App Store Pricing Structure

In its biggest change to the App Store pricing structure to date, Apple is introducing 700 new price points for developers listing apps on its storefront. The new price points will provide greater flexibility and control over setting the price for an app. The new App Store pricing update is in effect for subscription-based apps and will be extended to paid apps and in...

Google Asked to Drop Ads of Online Betting Firms in YouTube, Search Results: Report

Google has been asked by the central government to stop direct and surrogate advertising of overseas betting firms like Fairplay, PariMatch, and Betway in the country. Ads for these companies were showing up in search and YouTube, according to a letter reportedly sent to the company by the government last week.

Microsoft Agrees to Release Call of Duty on Nintendo Platforms for 10 Years Amid Regulatory Scrutiny

Microsoft on Wednesday announced that it had agreed on a 10-year commitment to release Call of Duty for Nintendo platforms, a few days after it was revealed that the company had offered Sony same day releases for PlayStation consoles for a 10-year period. The agreement was announced by Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer in a tweet on Wednesday.

Twitter Fired Deputy General Counsel Over Concerns About Role in Information Suppression, Elon Musk Says

Elon Musk on Tuesday tweeted that he had fired James Baker, Twitter's deputy General Counsel. Twitter's new CEO said that Baker was fired over concerns about his role in supressing information posted to Twitter. Last week, Journalist Matt Taibbi in collaboration with Elon Musk published the "Twitter Files" alleging suppression of information on the microblogging platf...

Meta Oversight Board Calls for Overhaul of 'Cross-Check' Programme That Prioritises VIP Users

Meta's Oversight Board on Tuesday recommended that the world's biggest social media firm revamp its 'Cross-check' system that adds a layer of enforcement review for millions of Facebook and Instagram accounts belonging to celebrities, politicians and other influential users. Oversight Board director Thomas Hughes said the system prioritises users of commercial value t...

Google Photos Testing New 'Search' Button With Lens Features on Android: Report

Google is testing a new “Search” button for the Photos app for Android that will let users view photos, and recognise faces. Users can currently tap a “Lens'' icon in Google Photos to get more info about a particular subject in the photo. But the new generic “Search” button will replace the Lens button, as per a report.

Apple Faces Antitrust Complaints in Brazil, Mexico Over 'Anti-Competitive Practices'

Apple faces antitrust complaints from MercadoLibre in Brazil and Mexico. The e-commerce giant has accused Apple of indulging in anti-competitive practices and said the iPhone maker has abused its monopoly in the distribution of digital goods and in-app purchases.

Facebook Dating Will Allow Users to Verify Their Age Using AI Face Scanning, Meta Says

Meta has announced that it was prompting users on Facebook Dating to verify that they're over 18 if the platform suspects a user is underage. According to the US social media giant, it has partnered with a firm called Yoti, which uses facial cues to determine a user's age without identifying them.

ChatGPT: Everything You Need to Know About OpenAI's Powerful, Potentially Problematic Chatbot

ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that is trained using a machine learning technique called Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF), is capable of simulating dialogue, answering follow-up questions, admitting mistakes, challenging incorrect premises and rejecting inappropriate requests. OpenAI's chatbot service has grown in popularity since i...

Government Tax Panel Said to Be Unlikely to Reach Consensus on Taxing Online Gaming in December

A government panel of state finance ministers has not yet submitted its report on plans to tax the online gaming sector, according to a government official. The panel is yet to decide whether to talk the profits of these firms, or the value of the entire pool of money collected from game participants.

WhatsApp Beta Update Adds ‘Picture-in-Picture' Support During Video Calls for iOS Testers: Report

WhatsApp has rolled out a ‘picture-in-picture' feature during video calls as part of its new beta update 22.24.0.79 on iOS. The feature is currently only available on iOS 16.1 to select beta testers and is expected to reach more users in the coming days. Those who have received the update can try multitasking during an ongoing video call on the messaging app.

Google Messages Group Chats to Get End-to-End Encryption Soon

Google is testing end-to-end encryption for group chats on its Messages app. The new feature will be rolling out to Messages users enrolled in the open beta program. Google announced that E2EE will be coming to group chats at its I/O 2022 earlier this year.

Gamers Who Spend Money on 'Loot Boxes' Twice as Likely to Gamble, Research Shows

Gamers who pay for "loot boxes" in games are twice as inclined to bet, according to research findings based on 1,600 adults in Canada published in the peer-reviewed journal Addiction Research & Theory. The findings call into question the hypothesis that psychological factors cause the link between gambling and loot boxes, according to the researchers.

New Zealand Plans to Introduce Law to Make Google, Facebook Pay Local Outlets for News

Facebook and Google may soon be required to pay media companies in New Zealand for local news content that appears on their feeds, based on proposed legislation from the government. The law is said to be modelled on similar laws in Australia and Canada aimed at large online digital companies.

Apple, Amazon Resume Advertising on Twitter After Elon Musk Takeover: Reports

Amazon and Apple have resumed advertising on Twitter, according to reports. The social media firm acquired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk sent emails to advertising agencies, offering what it called the "biggest advertiser incentive ever on Twitter", allowing US advertisers to have their ad spending matched with a "100 percent value add," up to a $1 million (roughly Rs. 8 cro...

UPI, Digital Transactions: Government Extends Deadline to Implement 30 Percent Cap

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on Friday extended the deadline for third party UPI players to meet its 30 percent volume cap in digital payment transactions by two years to end-December 2024. The decision may provide a relief to third party app providers (TPAP) like Google Pay and Walmart's PhonePe which have a majority share in UPI-based transactio...

MIUI 14 Changelog Leaked Ahead of Xiaomi 13 Series Launch; Promises Better Performance, Privacy Controls

A new leak has teased the features coming to MIUI 14, Xiaomi’s Android 13-based operating system, ahead of the launch of the company’s Xiaomi 13 series of smartphones. A changelog of the upcoming MIUI 14 update surfaced on Twitter, detailing performance improvements, greater privacy control and increased personalisation.

Netflix Fraud: Elderly Mumbai Man Trying to Renew Subscription Duped Out of Rs. 1.22 Lakh

Netflix fraud has recently left a 73-year-old Mumbai resident lose Rs. 1.22 lakh. The online theft took place when the man received an email that appeared to have been autogenerated by Netflix, reminding the user to renew streaming subscription for the monthly price of Rs. 499.

YouTube Removed 56 Lakh Videos Globally From Its Platform in Q3 2022

YouTube removed 5.6 million (56 lakh) videos from its platform in the month of July and September 2022 for violating their community guidelines. The platform received roughly 2,71,000 removal appeals during the two months. Upon review, it reinstated about 29,000 appeals, said YouTube in its latest blog.

WhatsApp Begins Beta Testing Android Tablet Support, iOS Testers Get 'Search by Date' Feature

WhatsApp has begun testing support for Android tablets on its latest beta version. Until now, users couldn't link their primary WhatsApp account with the messaging app on Android tablets and multi-platform support was limited to computers and iPads. A recent update, now out for beta testers, will let select users access their existing account on an Android tablet.

Elon Musk Suspends Kanye West's Twitter Account Again; West Drops Plan to Acquire Parler

Elon Musk said on Friday that Twitter had suspended rapper Kanye West's account for the second time, after he posted a picture of a swastika merged with the Star of David. “I tried my best. Despite that, he again violated our rule against incitement to violence. Account will be suspended,” Musk tweeted on Friday morning.

Government Launches DigiYatra Facility at 3 Airports; Promises Data Security

The Indian government has launched DigiYatra facility at three airports across the country. With the new facility, the passengers will now be able to access a seamless entry for their travel at the airports using facial recognition technology. Starting December 1, the DigiYatra facility will be available on airports in Delhi, Bangalore and Varanasi.

Twitter Users May Witness Dip in Followers as Elon Musk Has New Plans for Spams

Twitter's new boss Elon Musk is working on "purging a lot" of spam/scam accounts. On Thursday, Musk took to his Twitter account and shared the particular update with everyone. Elon Musk is also planning to up Twitter's character limit from 280 to 1000.

WhatsApp Bans Over 23 Lakh Accounts in India in October, 'Proactively' Barred 8.1 Lakh Users

WhatsApp on Wednesday stated that it had banned over 23 lakh users in India in October. The company's monthly report, issued in compliance with the IT Rules, revealed that it banned 8.1 lakh users "proactively", which means they were blocked before WhatsApp users reported them.

Mark Zuckerberg Calls Apple's App Store Moderation Rules a 'Conflict of Interest'

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook parent Meta, on Wednesday said that Apple's App Store was a conflict of interest, joining Twitter's new CEO Elon Musk in his criticism of the platform. The social networking giant's chief executive said the Cupertino company's content moderation rules for apps were a “conflict of interest” since they are often pointed at rivals...