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August 13, 2020

apple releases update for green tint issue — Image credit: macrumors.com

Apple released a new update for the iPhone last month, which had a lot of new features and optimization for the existing one. The iOS update 13.6 brought in a digital car key feature and a lot more. Now Apple has released a new update iOS 13.6.1 which addresses a lot of old issues in the iPhone such as storage space issue, notifications, etc. However, the latest update also brings the resolution to the green tint issue that emerged in iPhone 11.

As per users, the iPhone screen had a green tint when used in the a dark environment. The updates noted have mentioned a thermal management issue, which is the reason behind the green tint issue. As per details, the issue will b permanently be taken care of in the iOS 14 update. Currently, the iOS 14 is available to users in the beta stage where many such issues are being handled and optimized as per users’ experience. Apart from the green tint issue, the company is also trying to cover all the other problems that users face in the iPhone 11.

As per Apple, iPhone 11 does have rare issues as almost all of them have already been taken care of through updates. Remaining issues will be resolved through updates but they will be completely removed and optimized in the iOS 14 updates. The new update for the green tint issue is now available and can be downloaded on your iPhone device.

New Lawsuit on Facebook for using Biometric recognition data without consent, can cost $500 billion

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August 13, 2020

$500 billion lawsuit on facebook — Image credit: business insider.com

It seems like Facebook is going to face a lot of heat again in an issue where the social networking giant has been accused of collecting biometric data of the users through Instagram. As per the details a new lawsuit has been placed on Instagram for illegally collection users’ facial recognition data with informing them or asking for their permission. If turned out to be true, the company could face a fine of $500 billion, which is going to affect the company’s reputation in a very negative way.

A class-action lawsuit filed in San Mateo Superior Court by Illinois resident Kelly Whalen on Aug. 10, claims that Facebook is sharing the biometric data with the user’s consent. As per the lawsuit, the company will have to pay $5000 for each intentional violation and $1000 for negligent violation. The claim figures an estimate of around 100 million users which can take the amount to $500 billion. Facebook has already paid $650 million in July to settle a similar case about the misuse of facial recognition data.

As per the concerned parties, the action that Facebook has been taking through Instagram is very problematic as it does not allow the user to give permission to know about it and the company is profiting by collecting and selling their data to other companies. The problem remains when Instagram users share their data on the apps and the same is shared by Facebook automatically over all platforms. It is also a major concern where the apps can use the facial recognition feature without activation and content to scan and collect data into Facebook.

Google bringing new set of features in Google Meet for Students and Educators

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August 12, 2020

Google bringing new set of features in Google Meet for Students and Educators — Image Credit: venturebeat.com

Google Meet has seen a major increase in the usage due to students and educators during this pandemic. As educators are unable to open their educational institutions, they are conducting online classes using the Google Meet tool. Google recently had an event named “Back-to-school” where they provided a road map for upcoming moderation tools and other functionality that will make Google Meet a better tool for people in the field of interactivity and education.

The new features in Google Meet will increase the level of control for the moderators while they are conducting the class online. One of such features provides the moderators the authority to prevent any previously rejected participants from joining the meeting. It will also have the following features.

Manage join requests with ease by accepting or rejecting them in bulk
Lock meetings until the moderator join
End meetings for all participants when class is finished
Disable in-meeting chat and set restrictions on who can present during a meeting

Google will also be integrating a new feature that allows a group of 49 students to join simultaneously. The feature will also be joined by a collaborative whiteboard, through Jamboard. Teachers and educators will also be able to change their backgrounds and add custom backgrounds to the call. There are some more features that will be added to the GSuite Enterprise for Education.

Attendance tracking to see and track which students attended virtual class (G Suite Enterprise for Education)
Breakout rooms so educators can split classes into simultaneous small group discussions (G Suite Enterprise for Education)

These are the features that will be launched in Google Meet later this year.

Hand-raising to help you identify students who may need help or have a question
Q&A features to provide a way for students to ask questions without disrupting the flow of the class discussion or lesson, and polling to engage students to share their voice (G Suite Enterprise for Education)
Temporary recordings allow for lessons to be viewed for up to 21 days within a domain

Xbox Series X confirmed to launch this November

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August 12, 2020

X box coming this november — Image credit: polygon.com

There was a lot of speculation about the release date for the next generation console from Microsoft, with many expecting a delay in the launch. However, it is now confirmed that the next-generation X series console will launch in November of 2020. There is no confirmation yet on the price but it will surely go on sale in the 2020 holiday season. The next-gen console will be launched around the same time when the Sony Playstation 5 will be launched for global sales.

As per the details about the X box X series gaming console, it is said that the console will be able to run thousands of games spanning four generations. therefore, if you are using the current Xbox one series, then you will be able to use all the game on the new generation console as well. As per Microsoft, 50 news games have already been planned for the new generation Xbox which includes Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Dirt 5, Gears Tactics, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Watch Dogs: Legion and many more. What one can find from the images and leaked details is that the console will be more powerful than the Sony Playstation 5 and will be designed like a rectangular.

The next-generation console will also get a new controller with re-designed buttons and new control options. It is said that the console will have a better SSD and will support 120fps gameplay. Backward compatibility will also be a great option in this console which will allow the players to run all their previous games. Currently, there are no confirmed details on the price of the console, but it is expected that it will cost around $500, which will be closer to what PS5 has been priced at. The price will soon be revealed after the console goes on sale.

New Security patch from Microsoft resolved more than 120 bugs and issues

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August 12, 2020

microsoft bring updates for 120 bugs — Image credit: computerworld.com

Microsoft has recently released a new security patch for its Windows operating system and Edge where it is said that more than 120 flaws have been fixed. Kaspersky had earlier provided Microsoft with a report where it found a remote code execution bug in internet explorer scripting engine. The latest August update which takes care of these bugs and various others has been rolled out globally. It also includes the two zero-day bugs and Internet Explorer that were being exploited by the hackers.

The security patch will also bring improvement and bug resolutions to SQL server and, .NET framework. Out of all the 120 bugs that have been resolved, it was noticed that 17 bugs were rated to be very critical, also the zero-day bugs reported by ZDNet has also been resolve under this patch. As per the developer team in Microsoft, the bug allowed the hackers to validate incorrectly on the operating system. Other bugs were also found in the report of Kaspersky that uses the code to integrate or inject malicious software and code to the system. This bug was also identified by the company and has now been completely resolved.

Microsoft has been facing a lot of attacks and bug issues lately and the company has been realising the patches regularly to make sure that the issues do not prevail for so long. The new bugs in the Microsoft Edge do state that hackers have been trying to use the code on Edge to get unauthorized access to Windows file.

Xiaomi launches the world first mass-produced transparent TV, and it does look stunning!!

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August 12, 2020

Xiaomi launches the world first mass-produced transparent TV — Image Credit: newatlas.com

Many companies have been working on a transparent glass screen for a long time but none has been able to provide a device that could use a transparent screen and is commercially available. But it seems that Xiaomi will be the first to use this technology in their smart TV’s. They have just launched their new smart TV named Mi TV LUX Transparent Edition, which is the world’s first transparent TV to be mass-produced commercially. Xiaomi did show a lot of details about the TV in the press blog and have mentioned a big part of the success in designing to Samsung.

The TV seems like an edge to edge transparent self-luminous display transmitting images. A lot is still needed to be discovered about this new technology from Xiaomi. It does seem like all the mechanism of the TV that used to be at the back of the TV is now placed to the bottom of the screen in place of the stand. The smart TV has an aesthetically pleasing circular base stand, which will have all the controls and hardware necessary to run the television. The screen is said to be a transparent OLED panel which does not require any kind of backlighting. The screen is pure glass, that is why it is made in a way that it will remain “On” all the time with some fancy art. It will help people to differentiate it from normal glass.

The company has also confirmed that they are using the all-new AI Master Smart Engine in the TV for refined graphics and higher resolution for vibrant images. The product does seem very promising and would definitely be a treat for eyes in the real-world test. However, it might still take a while before it is commercially available for sale and testing as well. The TV will be a 55 inch unit with a 120Hz refresh rate and Meditek 9650 under the hood. The TV will also support Dolby Atmos and will be priced at RMB 49,000. Smart TV will be available in China from August 16. There is no information on the global availability of TV yet.

TikTok was accessing the Android device and user details by surpassing Google’s security policies.

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August 12, 2020

surpassing Google's security policies — Image credit: techcrunch.com

There has been a lot of fuss about the Chinese app TikTok and its ban in various countries like the US and India. As per the government, TikTok was passing on the customer data back to China without their authorization. TikTok has been constantly denying the allegations ever since and has been trying to put their side in the conversation as well. However, as per the recent leaks about TikTok, it seems that the company was dealing with unethical practices. It was found that TikTok was collecting user device data for months through the Android app, using a technique that Google has prohibited the developers from doing for a long time now.

The technique is prohibited by Google as it cannot be used without the consent of the user. The report was provided by the Wall Street Journal. Although TikTok has not been doing this since November last year, the findings have added to the problem of the platform that it has been facing for a long time now. Due to the very same reason the company is facing a threat of a complete ban in the US. As per the report, TikTok added an unusual layer of encryption to hide the tactic and then took advantage of a security hole to collect the data. The data currently state the problem only for the Android users, however, it might be a possibility that the same problem might also exist for iOS users.

The tactic is currently being associated with advertising goals but the details will be further checked to know the real purpose of such data collection. Google has not yet given any clarification on the same but has been investigating the issue. It is also hoped that Apple would be checking similar things on their end as well to make sure that any such loophole does not exist at their end.

Microsoft Surface Duo will finally be available on September 10

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August 12, 2020

Surface duo avaialbe for preorder — Image Credit: financialexpress.com

Microsoft has finally revealed the details about the launch of their new Surface Duo device. The foldable smartphone will be available with the Android operating system at the price of $1,399 and will be available for the users to buy from September 10, at your nearest retail stores. The pre-order of the phone are currently open. Apart from the usual leaked details, the spec sheet of the device confirms that the foldable phone will have a two 5.6 inches FHD+OLED display with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

The device will have the Snapdragon 855 chipset and a 3,577 mAh battery. The processor does seem to be an odd choice for the device as the Snapdragon 855 chipset was released last year, and the company should have gone for the latest 865 chipsets to add new features to the phone. Another thing that could be a bummer for the phone is the battery capacity of 3,577 mAh. With dual-screen and a powerful processor, it does seem that the phone will hardly give a day’s usage with balanced usage.

However, a lot will depend on how the OS has been optimized as per the device. Other details about the phone reveal that it will have a single camera of 11MP which will be placed on the top-right display along with LED flash. The camera will also have a superzoom feature with a digital 7x zoom. It is said that the phone will be great when it comes to multitasking and will be a game-changer in terms of productivity when used by professionals.

It will work with all the existing Android apps and will come with 18W fast charging out of the box. The phone will come in 128 and 256 GB variants and will have 6GB of RAM for fast performance. Currently, the phone would only launch in the US market and later in the global market. However, Microsoft has not announced anything yet about the launch in global markets.

WeChat ban in the US could impact the sales of iPhone and accessories globally

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August 12, 2020