CTC BLOG

tech2 News StaffNov 30, 2019 12:50:34 IST

Starting from 15 December, FASTag is going to be mandatory across a total of 525 toll plazas. This means all four-wheelers have to attach FASTag RFID stickers on their vehicle’s windscreens. Failing to do so will result in vehicle owners without the FASTag to pay double the toll fare as a form of penalty. A separate lane will be present at the plazas for non-FASTag vehicles. Earlier, the deadline was on 1 December that has been given an extension to 15 December, according to PTI, to provide citizens some more time to acquire the FASTags.

FASTag sanctioned by the National Highway Authority of India.

What is FASTag?

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) sanctioned the Electronic Toll Collection program using FASTag as a pilot project back in 2014. It was implemented for the first time in the Delhi-Mumbai stretch of the Golden Quadrilateral towards the end of 2014. Aimed at making toll plaza payments on highways automatic with the ‘One Nation One Tag’ mission, it will also reduce congestion and sometimes long waiting times at tolls. As already mentioned, this was meant for all the toll plazas at the national highways that would gradually include all state highways as well.

It works by using an RFID chip that’s stuck on a four-wheeled vehicle’s windscreen. Sensors on the FASTag lanes at toll plazas will detect the sensor and automatically deduct the toll fare from the vehicle owner. This means no more waiting at the toll and you could simply slow down and continue driving without having to stop to pay the fare.

How and where to buy FASTag?

The service started with ICICI bank and now it is available with up to 22 certified banks including Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, IDFC Bank, State Bank of India and Syndicate Bank. A FASTag lane is valid for five years and you have to continue recharging the NHAI payment wallet that will be linked to your bank account. When the fare has been deducted, the user will receive a confirmation over a text message. In the future, you will be able to pay fuel bills and for parking at places enabled with FASTag.

FASTag stickers can be purchased from PayTM as well. Image: PayTM.

Car dealers are already selling FASTag stickers to people buying new cars since around 2016. Otherwise, you can buy new stickers from NHAI toll plazas where you will need to submit your vehicle’s registration certificate (RC), a recent passport-size photograph of the vehicle owner, and KYC documents depending on whether the tag is meant for commercial or private use. It can also be bought online from Amazon and PayTM.

After you’ve bought a FASTag, you need to download the My FASTag app to link your bank account. You can use the same app to recharge your FASTag wallet or visit your bank’s websites to recharge your account.

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Apple’s 9.7” iPad at $329 has been the best valued tablet for sometime now. It offers a bang for the buck and not some trashy cheap experience. This year, the company updated the device to feature a larger 10.2” display with the same resolution and added the smart connector which will allow connection of smart keyboards without requiring bluetooth.

Well, the good news is that, the $329 32GB model of the 10.2” iPad is now available at just $229 at Target. At $229, the 10.2” iPad is a steal as it offers a good iOS experience with a collection of “made for iPad” apps which no Android tablet can boast about.

So if you have been planning on buying an iPad or any tablet for that matter, you should get the 10.2” iPad from Target. It’s the best offer you can get and it definitely won’t get any lower than that unless you look at the “used” market.

Best valued iPad

The 10.2” iPad is powered by Apple’s A10 Fusion chip, the same processor that powered the iPhone 7 in 2016. Yes, it’s an old processor but Apple devices are so optimized that they run just fine. Of course, it won’t be as snappy as the iPad Pro which features the A12X Bionic chip but this tablet is not meant for heavy duty work but for casual tasks like watching movies & TV shows, reading, creating documents, etc.

Also, this year has been good for the iPad as the company introduced iPadOS, an extension of iOS which features iPad specific features. iPads now support external storage, has a full-fledged file browser, supports third-party game controllers like the PlayStation DualShock 4 and Xbox Wireless Controller, and more.

The new 10.2” iPad now also supports Apple Pencil for sketching, taking notes, and more.

tech2 News StaffNov 30, 2019 18:23:50 IST

Huawei is preparing to launch the second version of its wearable in the form of the Watch GT2. The Indian website was recently updated with a ‘Notify Me’ section that leads to Amazon and Flipkart.

The Huawei Watch GT2 was announced at IFA 2019 in September and now the wearable is making its way to India. As Gizmochina reported, the website now has a banner on the homepage that takes you to the product’s landing pages on Amazon and Flipkart. It’s clear that the device will be selling on both e-commerce platforms. However, there’s no official date out yet.

Huawei Watch GT2. Image: Huawei

Huawei Watch GT2 Specifications

The Watch GT2 uses Huawei’s own Kirin A1 chipset that has been developed exclusively for wearables. Claimed to offer two weeks of battery life on the 46 mm variant, the watch has a 455 mAh battery. It runs on Lite OS that’s based on Google’s WearOS. The 42 mm variant lasts up to a week.

It features a 1.39-inch AMOLED display on the 46 mm version and a 1.2-inch display on the 42 mm model. Multiple customisable watch faces are available. You can view notifications from apps including SMS messages, email, calendar, and social media apps.

The Watch GT2 packs all the necessary sensors including an optical heart rate sensor, geomagnetic sensor, gyroscopic sensor, accelerometer sensor, ambient light sensor, and air pressure sensor. It’s waterproof for up to 50 metres.

As a wearable, it supports several types of outdoor and indoor sports activities. Outdoor activities include running, walking, hiking, trail runs, cycling, open water swimming and triathlons. With the range of sensors, the watch is able to record your real-time heart rate, steps, calories, and length of workouts.

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Black Friday deals are unbelievably tempting as they offer goods on rock-bottom prices. Case in point- the new 10.2 inch iPad is down to an eye-popping tag of $249 from its original price of $329. This makes the entry-level iPad a looker for someone who wants a high-quality Apple product for an absolute steal.

The 10.2 inch iPad sports a Retina display and a speedy A10 chip capable of handling everyday tasks. You’ll be able to create documents, send an email or two, go on social media and consume video content on Apple TV+ and Netflix without needing a laptop as your everyday driver.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XL7G4H6

iPad

Touch ID makes everything more convenient. You also get stereo speakers, an 8MP rear camera and up to 10 hours’ use on a single full charge. The new iPad has support for Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard to expand its capabilities.

What are you waiting for? Get your new iPad while there’s still some left!

tech2 News StaffNov 30, 2019 14:12:00 IST

Music streaming service Spotify is running a time-limited offer for its Premium subscription. It’s offering a year’s subscription at Rs 699 which is half the standard price. The discount will be active until 31 December 2019.

Headphones are seen in front of a logo of online music streaming service Spotify. Image: Reuters

Spotify has listed the offer on its website. This offer only stands for a 12-month subscription and not on a monthly basis. Spotify clarified that the discount isn’t available for Premium Family users or people who have registered to the service via third-party services.

The company offers its Premium service for Rs 119 per month in India that sums up to Rs 1,189 annually. Users can avail three months of a free trial before getting a subscription. In the current deal, users can get a year’s subscription for only Rs 699.

Spotify Premium 50 percent discount for individuals. Image: Spotify

If you’re already subscribed with the Premium plan, your regular monthly fees will be resumed and charged once the annual plan is over. For those who weren’t subscribers, their accounts will go back to being free accounts.

Spotify had introduced its Family subscription plan in India last month that was priced at Rs 179 per month. The subscription allows access to the premium version of the music streaming app and the plan accounts for up to six people. Each member can use the account individually, and the master account holder will be billed at the end of each month.

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So today, we at iLounge will be sharing our honest review on the Lepow portable monitor. But before we get down to the review, I would like to thank the Lepow team for sending us a unit and giving us the opportunity to review their famous portable monitor.

So what’s in the box?

• A user guide.
• A gift card.
• A Warranty card.
• A screen protector.
• A USB charging cable.
• A USB power adopter.
• A USB-C cable.
• An HDMI cable.
• A cover for the display.
• Lepow portable monitor/display.

Using the Lepow Portable Monitor

It comes with a premium leather cover

Ok, so I was very impressed to see the company including a screen protector and a cover for the display. While the cover is not just a normal cover, it’s a high-quality leather cover that can also be used as a stand for the Lepow portable monitor.

Easy to set up with any computer

The setup was extremely easy! To get the monitor to work with my MacBook Pro, all I had to do is connect the display to my MacBook via HDMI cable and connect the USB power cable to get the display running.

Since the display supports HDMI and USB-C, it should work with almost any computer/laptop.

It works with mobile phones that support USB-C

Yes, you read that right. The Lepow portable monitor also works with all smartphones that support USB-C. While I own an iPhone, sadly I wasn’t able to mirror my screen on the display since the iPhone does not support USB-C cables Yet.

However, luckily my brother isn’t much of an iPhone fan, so he owns the Samsung Galaxy S10+. I connected his Samsung Galaxy S10+ and the mobile screen was mirrored without a problem. Although, I still had to keep the Lepow portable monitor connected to a power supply.

Having to connect a mobile phone that supports USB-C would make Netflix more enjoyable. This would allow you to watch your favorite movies or TV shows on a bigger screen. As we all know, watching something on a mobile phone can be very tiring.

Display quality is good

To be honest, the display of the Lepow portable monitor is really good. Due to the full HD 1080p display, it would be perfect to watch a movie or simply play a game using a PS3/4, XBOX ONE, Wii or Nintendo Switch.

Yes, the display is great for video games and I would definitely recommend it to those gamers who are looking for an affordable portable screen.

It has built-in speakers, headphone jack and brightness control

The display also has built-in speakers. Although, the volume cannot be controlled from the display. If you don’t like to listen to something on the speakers, you can also connect your headphones using the headphone jack inside the Lepow portable monitor.

Brightness can also be adjusted easily from the monitor. It has a small round button that allows you to adjust the brightness according to your comfort.

It’s also great for parental control

If you are a parent that would like to control your kids from playing games on their PlayStation 3/4, XBOX ONE, Wii or Nintendo Switch from time to time, this portable screen would be the best. As you can disconnect the display and keep it away easily.

What I didn’t like about the monitor

It doesn’t have built-in batteries

Since the monitor does not come with built-in batteries, you will need to connect the display to your computer via USB cable or connect it to a wall socket for power with the charging plugs provided.

If you are to connect it to your laptop for power, this will end up eating more battery. Therefore, I would suggest connecting the Lepow monitor to a power bank that supports USB cables so it doesn’t eat up your laptop battery.

The monitor is a little heavy

Sorry to say, but the Lepow portable monitor was a little heavy. I’m not sure if it’s due to the outside quality build material or what. But a monitor without any build-in batteries this heavy is a little disappointing I would say.

If you aren’t in need of a monitor for traveling around, then I would say this display is a good fit for you. But if you are to travel around, you may not feel comfortable carrying it like you would with an iPad.

The USB charging cable is a little small

Yup, the USB charging cable is a little small so you might have to fuddle around to get it connected to a wall socket for power. While it has no built-in batteries, Lepow should have at least have a longer USB charging cable.

However, if you are to take power from your computer/laptop, then the cable size should just be fine.

Is it worth buying?

For $169, I believe its totally worth the price. It’s best for those who are planning to use it for work or simply for entertainment.

Now I know that I have been complaining about the weight of the display in this article, but I personally travel too much, so having to carry a portable display won’t be my thing. But its weight is similar to a laptop with the cover on.

But if you are a guy who isn’t traveling much, but needs multiple screens for work done. This display would do.

Buy the Lepow Portable Monitor

Sale

704 Reviews

Portable Monitor – Lepow 15.6 Inch Computer Display 1920×1080 Full HD IPS Screen USB C Gaming Monitor with Type-C Mini HDMI for Laptop PC MAC Phone Xbox PS4, Include Smart Cover & Screen Protector

• [Full HD 1080P Display] Lepow USB C Monitor delivers stunning 1920 x 1080 resolution visuals with awesome color reproduction. The IPS screen delivers you a vivid image and an awesome viewing experience when extending your screen or playing games.
• [Multiple Devices Connection] Lepow monitor is compatible for laptops, PCs, Phones, PS3/4, XBOX ONE, Wii or Nintendo Switch etc. You can connect your devices to this portable monitor easily via Type-c or Mini HDMI port to play business presentations, games, videos, TV series, photos etc.

The New York TimesNov 30, 2019 10:26:14 IST

Blue whales have a flair for paradox. They live in water but breathe air. They’re enormous — the biggest creatures that have ever lived, as far as anyone knows — but subsist almost entirely on tiny krill.

And as new research reveals, even the animal’s dunk tank-size heart jumps between extremes. In a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers for the first time attached an electrocardiogram tag to a free-diving blue whale to trace its heart rate.

A blue whale surfacing off the California coast in Monterey Bay. By Duke Marine Robotics and Remote Sensing Lab © 2019 The New York Times

They found that the rate ranged as low as two beats per minute and as high as 37. Such numbers paint a picture of an animal frequently pushing its own limits and suggest that the whale is not only the largest animal ever but perhaps as large as an animal with a circulatory system can possibly be.

To learn the secrets of the blue whale’s heart, Jeremy Goldbogen, a marine biologist at Stanford University, led a team that attached a noninvasive suction-cup tag to a blue whale in Monterey Bay, California. The tag contains electrodes, a depth measurement sensor and a GPS tracker. It stayed on for 8 and a half hours and recorded data from a number of dives before it detached and floated to the surface. The researchers then tracked it down and reviewed its readings.

Such tags are part of a suite of technologies that make it easier for researchers to study the lives of whales without disturbing them too much. When the tags are attached, a whale likely just feels something akin to a tap on the shoulder, Goldbogen has said.

The data showed that when this whale descended, its heart rate plummeted, too. At the bottom of the dives, the whale’s heart rate hovered around four to eight beats per minute. At times, it fell all the way down to two.

In general, sticking to a slow rhythm while diving lets marine mammals conserve oxygen, so they can stay underwater for longer. But this is “just amazingly low” — far lower than the 11 beats per minute scientists had predicted, said Goldbogen. And it stays down around 8.5 beats per minute even when the whales are feeding, an energy-intensive process that involves lunging into clouds of krill.

Goldbogen credits the blue whale’s flexible aortic arch, which is able to hold about 90% of the animals’ blood and slowly release it even when the heart isn’t actively beating.

As a whale climbs back to the surface, its heart rate rises again. By the time it reaches the surface, its blood is moving much more quickly, reoxygenising in preparation for the next dive. This whale’s heart rate reached a peak of 37 beats per minute.

“That’s about as fast as that heart can physically beat,” Goldbogen said.

These rapid shifts happen quite quickly — sometimes within the span of a minute or two — and repeat often. It’s sort of like if you tried moving from a comfortable recliner straight into a set of wind sprints over and over again. “They’re doing this all day long,” said Goldbogen.

The blue whale’s heart still keeps some secrets.

“It would be interesting to know how the whale nervous system controls such rapid changes in heart rate,” said Travis Horton, an associate professor at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, who was not involved in the study but has undertaken his own investigations of humpback whale heart rates using drones and infrared light.

And Goldbogen and his team hope to plumb other unfathomed depths. “Sperm whales, beaked whales — some of those species can dive for an hour or more,” he said. “We would like to understand what their hearts are doing.”

Cara Giaimo © 2019 The New York Times Company

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Apple Music launched in 2015 on iOS and Android as part of a new app, however on the desktop platforms Mac and Windows, the service was accessible only through iTunes. The case has changed this year for good on Mac as the company has begun breaking iTunes into multiple apps.

However, it’s not the same case on Windows as the company still asks users to install iTunes if they would like to stream songs from Apple Music. The other option being the web version of Apple Music accessible through major web browsers, however it’s still in beta and not recommended for daily-use.

Apple Music on iOS and Mac of course provides the best possible experience while the Android app continues to get better. Spotify provides the best experience on all the platforms the service is available on. There is a growing need for a dedicated Apple Music app on Windows as a lot of people still use iPhone-Windows combination and are not invested in the “all Apple” ecosystem.

As the company focuses on services

The iPhone has a huge market share in the smartphone world, however the Mac does not get the same love. While a lot of people that buy an iPhone, tend to invest in a Mac as well, not all do, so to make the “Apple devices and services” experience better, it is essential for Apple to release a dedicated Apple Music app on Windows.

Apple understands that device sales will not be similar as to when they were for the first ten years as people continue to use their phones for years without upgrading. The company has been investing in the services market to maintain its revenue with the growing demand for services where people pay the fees on a monthly basis.

Apple TV Plus is another Apple service which is not available on the Windows platform. However, Windows users can still stream using the web version at the moment.

tech2 News StaffNov 29, 2019 19:25:51 IST

In April this year, Google added a feature to Google Pay that allowed its users to buy and sell gold through the app. Paytm, Mobikwik and PhonePe have been offering this feature for a while.

Now, Google Pay is apparently getting a new feature that will allow its users to gift gold to others.

This feature was spotted in the app’s code (v48.0.001_RC03) by XDA Developers. Reportedly, the backend codes of the app suggest that Google may be working on a feature that will allow users to gift gold to each other.

Google Pay.

As of now, there is no clear information on when this feature will rollout or how it will work. It’s also quite possible that Google does not launch this feature at all if it faces any issues in it during its testing.

Earlier this year, Google announced its partnership with bullion refiner MMTC-PAMP India to allow users to purchase and sell 99.99 percent 24-karat gold. The feature allows users to purchase gold for any value, which is stored on their behalf, by MMTC-PAMP, in secure vaults. The users can buy and sell the gold any time at the latest price, refreshed every few minutes, as displayed on the Google Pay app.

At the Google for India event in September this year, the company announced that the app has 67 million monthly active users and $110 billion in transactions in 2019.

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The next iPhone is months away and the rumour mill has already begun. The latest rumour states that the next year’s iPhone will pack much thinner displays. So what does that mean for the consumer? If the display is to take less space, the same space can be used to pack an even larger battery.

The iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro are the finest phones the company has made in a longtime. While they don’t sport the most modern design or offer the fantastic 120Hz displays, they are the most reliable smartphone on the market, period (except for the iOS 13 bugs).

Improved battery backup

One of the biggest complaints with the iPhone has always been the battery life. Last year, Apple released the iPhone XR which ditched 3D Touch in favour of a better battery and also to make the product cheaper. Apple took cues from the iPhone XR and has implemented the same concepts on the iPhone 11 Pro series.

The iPhone 11 Pro and the iPhone 11 Pro offer great battery backup with the smaller phone giving more than seven hours of screen on time (varies from user to user). Also, this year, the iPhone 11 Pro models come bundled with fast chargers unlike the 5W charger which came bundled with the iPhone XR.

If the rumours pertaining to the reduction in thickness of the iPhone 12’s display are true, then it’s very likely that Apple will use that space to pack a larger battery or for some other purposes. If this rumour was produced a few years ago, we would have speculated a reduction in the thinness of the iPhone’s body. 

However, this year, Apple actually increased the thickness of the iPhone 11 Pro to pack a larger battery. So, we at iLounge are betting on Apple packing a larger battery for even longer wire-free hours.

tech2 News StaffNov 29, 2019 20:33:36 IST

Airtel has reportedly been testing Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWi-Fi) calling service in a few cities across India.

And according to a report by ETTelcom, the telecommunication company may now be ready to rollout the service in India next month. Reportedly, the company has completed the beta trial of the service in the country, which it had been testing with its employees and select customers as well.

As of now, it is unclear if the VoWi-Fi service will rollout across the country or if it will be available in a select few cities initially.

A Bharti Airtel office building in Gurugram. Image: Reuters

As of now users on any network can make free voice-over calls using third-party apps like WhatsApp, Hike, Messenger, Telegram, among others. With the VoWi-Fi service that Airtel is working on, however, users will be able to natively make these voice calls using any Wi-Fi network in their homes, and will not require any app for the same.

Airtel VoWi-Fi calling service is already available for select flagship devices like Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (review), according to a report by Times Now. Reliance Jio is also reportedly offering VoWi-Fi service for the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max (review).

In case you have any of the mentioned flagship smartphones and a corresponding Jio/Airtel network, to enable the VoWi-Fi calling, find a Wi-Fi Calling feature in your device settings. The VoWi-Fi calling feature will work only when your 4G network is weak or not available. Also, to use VoWi-Fi calling, you will need a strong Wi-Fi connection.

Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost

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A new Apple Store is set to be built in Downtown Toronto, more specifically the Eaton Centre. The opening of the new shop is sooner than we’d think- before the first half of December or sooner.

The existing Apple Store in Eaton Centre will have its Today at Apple programs end in December 6, 2019, which suggests a December 7 opening day for the new store. Rumors say that employee training may push the opening date to around December 14, 2019.

In January, a report was filed for new plans to build a store in Eaton Centre in Canada. The space was a former Abercrombie & Fitch location and spanned over 10,000 square feet.

Apple has other retail stores in Toronto- in Fairview, Sherway Gardens and Yorkdale, all of them inside shopping malls. There’s a rumor that Apple will be setting up a street-facing store in a retail and condominium complex called ‘The One’ in Bloor and Yonge, Toronto by 2022.

tech2 News StaffNov 29, 2019 13:48:05 IST

Xiaomi’s upcoming Redmi flagship smartphone, the Redmi K30 is going to launch on 10 December in China. Leading up to the announcement, the company has been teasing some of the features that the device will pack. The latest update is about the rear camera.

Redmi K20 Pro with the Aura Prime back

Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing has teased that the Redmi K30 will feature the “world’s first high-resolution image sensor.” Gizmochina reported that Weibing didn’t reveal the resolution of the camera and the rest of the details will be announced at the launch event.

The Xiaomi Mi CC9 Pro and Mi Note 10 both feature Samsung’s 108 MP camera sensor. While the same sensor could make its way to the Redmi K30, it’s being reported that it could actually feature the 60 MP Sony IMX686 camera sensor. Although the sensor is official, it hasn’t been officially announced for a commercially available phone.

The Redmi K30 series will be the company’s first smartphone to support dual-mode 5G that includes hardware for standalone (SA) and non-standalone 5G networks.

Earlier, Weibing had teased two posters in China on Weibo. The first teaser confirmed that the Redmi K30 will sport a dual-punch hole display camera for selfies. Two front cameras are seen horizontally aligned and are placed on the top right of the smartphone. The other teaser was about 5G support.

Redmi K30 Pro and Redmi K30 specifications (expected)

Recently, live images of the phone were leaked that gave us a glimpse of the kind of specs the phone could carry. In the leaked images, we can see the ‘Display Settings’ of the phone, which reveals that the Redmi K30 is likely to come with a 6.6-inch display that has an FHD+ resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. In terms of processing power, the images reveal that the smartphone might have Qualcomm’s Adreno 618 GPU, but it does not reveal the processor. It is being speculated that Redmi K30 might be powered by a Snapdragon 700 series 5G chipset. The images also suggested that the Redmi K30 will also come with a 120 Hz display.

As reported by Droidshout, Redmi K30 is expected to come bundled with a 30 W fast charger. As per previous reports, the smartphone might feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor. In terms of camera, Redmi K30 is likely to come with a Sony IMX686 image sensor.

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Black Friday deals are officially here, and if you’ve been over the fence in getting the latest iPad Pro, then this should convince you to open your wallet.

The iPad Pro 12.9-inch model with 256GB of storage and Wi-Fi is down to just $999 from its original price of $1,149 on Amazon. The ‘Pro’ moniker means it’s the most powerful iPad of the three available variants.

iPad Pro

You get a 12.9-inch display with Liquid Retina technology and wide color, True Tone and ProMotion. It’s nicely powered by an A12 chip processor, 12MP rear and 7MP front camera, Face ID for convenient payment options and four stereo speakers with wide stereo sound.

Update the iPad Pro to iOS 13 and you can multi-task more efficiently. When fully charged, the Apple tablet can last up to 10 hours.

You may not get a better deal this year for the iPad Pro, so click the ‘Buy Now’ button and get yourself a Thanksgiving or an early holiday gift!

Sunny SenNov 28, 2019 20:33:19 IST

The fair trade regulator, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has given a go-ahead to Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC to acquire 49 percent in Future Coupons (Private) Limited.

Future Coupons is a subsidiary of Future Group, which owns 7.3 percent of Future Retail (owner of Big Bazaar brand), and through the deal, Amazon will own 3.58 percent stake in the brick-and-mortar retailer.

The deal is expected to give Future Group a big boost in the online retail space, an opportunity, which has eluded Kishore Biyani-owned Future Retail, which owns Big Bazaar. For Amazon, it gets better presence in India’s offline retail. Amazon has also invested in Shoppers Stop.

Amazon packaging. Image: Reuters

In the US, Amazon has long been trying to get a strong foothold in the offline grocery and daily needs retail space through its acquisition of Whole Foods. In India, Future Group gives Amazon that foothold as the e-commerce behemoth wants to corner more customers in grocery and daily essentials.

As part of a pilot, Amazon Now does deliveries from 18 Big Bazaar stores in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai. As the companies come out of successfully running the pilot, Amazon along with Future Group will spread presence to 12 cities and eventually will extend to over 130 cities that have a Big Bazaar store, sources confirmed Tech2. “Following this approval, this (partnership) will be extended across 295 Big Bazaar stores in over 100 cities and towns,” said a source.

The source also said that Amazon has been testing a two-hour delivery model for Amazon Now customers. “In addition, the Future Group and Amazon companies will operationalise business partnership agreements to jointly promote and sell FMCG and fashion brands on Amazon platforms,” the source said.

Also, most leading brands will now have dedicated brand portals or storefronts on Amazon. “Following the approval, Future Consumer, the FMCG arm of Future Group will leverage Amazon’s partnership with Future Group to develop it as a significant alternate channel for selling its brands,” said the source, commenting on Future Group’s private label strategy.

Future Consumer brands span across food, home care, personal care and beauty categories, which include brands like Tasty Treat, dairy brand Dreamery, fabric care brand Voom, dry fruits brand Karmiq, spices brand Sangi’s Kitchen, staples and pulses brands Golden Harvest and Desi Atta Company, among others.

Currently, all FCL brands are listed on Amazon Now and the company source said that the response has been “favourable”. “Future Group is building a relationship with Amazon, strategizing, reviewing it jointly very frequently. Both Future Group and Amazon are also exploring partnerships that will allow Amazon Prime and Future Pay customers to avail of common benefits and privileges,” said the second source.

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Looking for comprehensive photo editing and management software? ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 could be the answer for all your creative needs.

In this article we will be taking a look at ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019. This popular digital asset manager, also a RAW image editor with layers, strives to make sure photographers get back out behind the lens much faster.

Above all, this ACDSee offering gives you valuable access to a powerful set of editing and photo management tools. This means that Windows PC users can have all they require to unlock their creative potential.

But, why do you need this sort of software in your life? It’s obvious once you start using it. If you’re a keen photographer and want to get the most out of your portfolio, whether it be improving quality or mastering management, this can be an absolute game changer!

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 is the world’s first digital asset manager and RAW editor with layers. It comes with a wealth of stand-out features. Combined, they allow the user to increase productivity, work imaginatively and push creative boundaries.

Here we will be focussing on three areas in particular that make this product special. Comprehensive video editing features, intelligent adjustments and digital asset management hacks will all be explored and explained.

Finally, we’ll round off by concluding just why ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 is the perfect tool to help you unleash your creative potential. So, put that camera down for a moment, and hear just why there is so much hype around ACDSee’s latest product.

Comprehensive Video Editing

A lot of photographers argue that you should always be shooting RAW. This file format captures all the image data picked up by the sensor when you take your snap. Whereas, if you’re shooting JPEG for example, a lot of the information is normally compressed or lost.

So, by sticking to RAW you will be able to produce better quality images – and the results will be an obvious testament to that theory! One issue that often comes up, however, is a lack of RAW image support – but not with ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019.

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 is a comprehensive RAW editor with layer editing

With built-in support for over 500 different camera models, it’s brilliant for RAW image editing. It includes several detail-based tools that allow you to non-destructively transform your image. You can make the most out of your photos by using exposure, contrast, colour, repair, sharpening, and more.

This suite offers advanced layered editing capabilities. This means your digital image will be separated into different parts and will allow you a better eye of what your edits are doing to the image. This, combined with a liquify tool which lets you manipulate exact parts of your image, means you can make sure every fraction of your picture is fine-tuned.

So, at this point we reckon the photography geek within you is already thinking that you can have a lot of fun with this – you’d be right! With this suite you can seamlessly colour grade images too and adjust contrast in specific tones. Tweaking temperatures and tiny parts of photos has never been so easy, while ‘black and white mode’ allows you to increase and decrease individual colours.

Intelligent Adjustments

ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate’s advanced adjustment features allow you to take what you want from your images and integrate the rest.

Its Smart Erase tool is a lifesaver for photographers. It allows you to pick unwanted objects for removal and fill the area with a matching background.

Enhance your workflow with intelligent adjustments

It’s this sort of function that helps ACDSee live up to its promise of producing natural results even when extracting natural parts of the imagery – like crowds, clouds and imperfections.

Meanwhile, Face Detection and Facial Recognition are another two fantastic feathers in this program’s cap. Organising has never been so personal, say ACDSee. Any human faces in your snaps will be found and you can then name the individuals for quick searching and isolating.

Not only will this help you never lose grandpa again, it will also cut out hours of tedious manual skimming. You can then keep photos distinguished by family, clients or anything else!

Digital Asset Management

In short, your digital asset management experience with this product will be effortless. Everything you need for complete control over your photography workflow at the tips of your fingers.

Organising your image collection will feel like a breeze. The software gives you the ability to add ratings, hierarchical keywords, and meta data to your images for easier sorting and organising.

Want to take it a step further? You can even add visual tags and customisable colour labels to make life even easier.

Organise your photo collections with ease

ACDSee Mobile Sync will allow you to instantly, and wirelessly, send photos and videos directly to the photo studio from your mobile. It’s as straightforward as selecting and sending! The app will also keep track of your history, so you don’t have to.

There are scores of time management and productivity features to make the most out of. Whip through your management process with customisable hot keys, available for every stage of your workflow. Or you can use Auto Advance to organise your folders without moving your hands from the keyboard – just the beauty of meta data!

Know someone also using this suite? Share your actions with them or receive their actions. Importing and exporting actions in the form of convenient, compressed packages is a true luxury.

Final Thoughts

So, with all that said – it should be no surprise that ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 is in high demand.

We know it’s a great piece of software for allowing you to enhance and manage your photo collection. But it’s made so much better thanks to its great usability.

ACDSee’s video tutorial resource centre, and its System’s community, is constantly available too for that extra advice.

With a free trial and 30-day moneyback guarantee, you can try ACDSee Photo Studio Ultimate 2019 for yourself and download today.

You can find more great software from ACDSee on FileHippo here.

Enjoyed hearing our thoughts? Be sure to have a read of our other software reviews when you get a chance too!

It can be quite difficult to make time to care for a child with today’s fast-paced lifestyle. For this reason, a nanny or babysitter can fill in the need, allowing you to work and earn money for your family.

It goes without saying that only the best nannies should be left alone with your baby or child, but you may not have the time to screen them or train them about proper care.

Enter NannyHunt, a nanny finder app that gives you everything you’ll need to find the perfect babysitter. Discover the app’s best features in this NannyHunt review.

Comprehensive Caregiver Network

NannyHunt is unlike other childcare apps in that it’s connected to social media. The app uses your connections on social media platforms to give you the highest-rated nannies your friends have had.

The app gives guardians a background on how a particular babysitter performed and how they are remembered by their past clients. You’ll be able to tap into a large network of possible child caretakers for your loved one, whether it be a full-time position or just a few hours for the night as you go on a date with your spouse.

Profile and Review Checks

This feature works just like a background check, only that it’s done by the people you know. You can view the nanny’s profile, work history and experience with previous clients. Parents who have hired their services can leave reviews to help other parents in need.

In-App Messaging

Ratings and reviews in-app reduce the time needed to interview a possible candidate. You can simply pick the one that has the highest rating or the one with the most experience, then connect via messaging in-app.

Once they’re hired, you can send messages in-app to see how your child or baby is doing.

App Availability & Pricing

NannyHunt is a reliable childcare app that gives you innovative technology and tools to locate the best possible nanny in your location. The app is available as a free download on the App Store and Play Store. To fully unlock the features you will need to spend some money via cashless transactions. It’s convenient, secure and none of your data is shared to other third parties.

tech2 News StaffNov 28, 2019 21:25:47 IST

Looks like Facebook, Instagram and Messenger are facing outages for many users around the globe.

The issue has been seen across the world, although, it does not appear to affect all users the same. The affected areas include the US East Coast, Central Europe, and East Asia, and India. While many users on Twitter are complaining about all Facebook products not working — barring WhatsApp — we only faced issues with Facebook‘s desktop version and the app and Instagram app.

Image: Reuters

We were unable to load the Facebook page for a while. However, it started to load after a few tries but we could only see the cover image. Rest of the profile page was inaccessible.

Facebook is down.

We also referred to downdetector.com, which shows a surge in reported issues with Facebook at around 8 pm IST today. Per the website 67 percent of complaints were regarding issues with logging-in, 17 percent users reported total blackout, whereas 14 percent reported issues with images and media files. Interestingly though, at the time of writing this story, Facebook’s status dashboard showed that everything was running “healthy”.

Reports are similar for Instagram. A few minutes past 7 pm IST, Instagram’s down reports surged with 51 percent users reporting issues regarding the News Feed, 44 percent about log-ins and 3 percent about the website.

Down detector reports on Facebook and Instagram’s issues.

While there aren’t many reports about Messenger being down, but DownDetector does show many reports about the app as well. Some users on Twitter also posted about the app.

Is Facebook Messenger down? Anyone?

— king david (@sangalangdavid) March 14, 2019

Is Facebook/Messenger down for anyone else? it’s been like 3 hours and I can’t get on?

— Jaimie-Lee [EliteSniperGirl] (@EliteSniperGirl) November 25, 2019

Can’t post pics and send pics to my Facebook and messenger #facebookdown pic.twitter.com/iPNkhfKn1i

— clarence balagso (@Dreamer_Cla19) November 28, 2019

Obviously, Facebook and its products being down means a lot of yuzh Twitter spam about it.

“Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp is officially down”

Twitter HQ: pic.twitter.com/nuGmH7ZDfm

— Typical Malaysian (@TypicalMsian) April 14, 2019

Ah shit, here we go again.#instagramdown#facebookdown

— Alessandro Viero (@VieroAlessandro) November 28, 2019

Me right now – After trying to post a photo on fb and insta #facebookdown #instagramdown pic.twitter.com/AR3yvKr0df

— Ananya Dutta (@Ananya___D) November 28, 2019

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It was just recently that Apple unveiled the 16 inch MacBook Pro, and now it’s getting a price cut on Amazon. If you’re waiting for the right moment to buy the newest MacBook, this is it. 

Thanks to Black Friday, the 512GB model is down to just $2,199, while the 1TB model is down to just $2,599 on Amazon.

MacBook Pro

The newest 16 inch MacBook Pro packs a powerful i7 or i9 Intel processor at 2.4 and 2.6 GHz and a Radeon Pro 5500M or 5300M at 8GB and 4GB of VRAM, respectively. The biggest change is arguably the keyboard and display, with the all-new keyboard getting an overhaul in design and the 226 ppi, 3072 x 1920 resolution providing crystal-clear views.

You also get a 6-speaker system, ultra-fast SSD storage, Touch ID and Touch Bar and four USB-C for connectivity options. The MacBook Pro can run for 11 hours before needing a charge.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro is down to its lowest price. Take advantage and buy it today!

tech2 News StaffNov 28, 2019 16:43:36 IST

Google now finally lets Google Photos users to manually tag people in their pictures — that’s of course if there is a face recognised in the pictures.

Google Photos always had the ability to automatically detect and tag faces in the app. Tagging can be really helpful in sorting images or at the time of searching for a particular one. However, the automatic face detection feature by Google isn’t the most accurate. Many a time it misses faces. And what’s worse is there has not been a way to correct it.

Now, according to a report by Android Police, Google now allows users to manually add new tags or correct them if the auto-detect feature misses any faces.

Google Photos. Image: tech2

The Verge says that the company confirmed that the feature is now rolling out. We have also written to Google to confirm the same.

However, there seems to be a notable caveat in this feature — you can only add a tag to a picture on Google Photos if Google detects a face in the photo in the first place.

Essentially, if Google detects a face in a picture but doesn’t recognise it, you can manually tag the person. But if Google realise a person/face in the picture, then you still can’t tag someone in the photo.

“Face tagging still relies on Google’s algorithm and its ability to detect a person or pet’s face to begin with. So if you have part of a face, a silhouette, a weird side angle, or any other photo where a person shows up but their face isn’t immediately recognisable, you can’t tag them,” Android Police reports.

While Google has confirmed the feature, the same isn’t available for all users yet, suggesting it may be a slow rollout. The feature will likely be available to all users by the end of this week.

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iLounge has a special deal on the Babbel Language Learning, which allows you to speak a second or even a third language with conversational fluency.

Backpackers and those who aspire to travel the world can either bring a language dictionary or the Babbel Language Learning app, which gives you access to high-quality online education and 14 languages. You can learn German, French, Spanish, Italian and more, with each one broken down into easy-to-digest 15-minute chunks.

Babbel Language Learning

You’ll learn to speak naturally and gain knowledge on practical words that you can use in conversations. Moreover, you can download lessons for offline use and without needing Wi-Fi or a mobile network.

The Babbel Language Learning is normally priced at $155.90, $279 and $399 for one year, two year and lifetime subscription, while we at iLounge are giving it away for just $119, $139 and $143 respectively. 

Enter our discount code ‘BFSAVE15‘ and you can take an additional 15% off the price tag!

tech2 News StaffNov 28, 2019 09:52:08 IST

A couple of days ago, Twitter announced that it will start deleting accounts of users who have been inactive for at least six months. Users had already started getting warning emails from the company regarding the same. Twitter said this was being done to cleap up Twitter, but as a bonus, it would also free up a tonne of usernames.

While the plan sounds great, it appears there’s a small hitch. As per a recent series of tweets, the company is halting this process and will only restart it after it has found a way to memorialise the accounts of deceased users. The company must have realised, following feedback from users, that it cannot just delete those accounts without appearing insensitive.

(Also read: Twitter intends to deactivate all accounts that have been inactive for at least six months)

The process of deleting inactive accounts will be resumed as it is a part of their Inactive account policy. Image: Reuters

We’ve heard your feedback about our effort to delete inactive accounts and want to respond and clarify. Here’s what’s happening:

— Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) November 27, 2019

In a report by TechCrunch, whose headline reads, “You can take my dad’s tweets over my dead body”, the author mentioned that his father passed away four years ago and that he still reads his tweets every now and then, and that is his way of remembering him. He further said that Twitter is “sweeping” such accounts “like crumpled-up paper and junk in a dustbin”. He said his father’s account isn’t “inactive, he passed away”.

(Also read: Twitter will now let you turn on two-factor authentication without a phone number)

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Sunny SenNov 27, 2019 22:32:23 IST

Ahead of a shift from Bharat Stage-IV to BS-VI, the world’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp has discontinued more than 50 variants of their BS-IV vehicles, and has constituted an interim council to look after the transition to the next emission norm, a top-level official told Tech2, on the condition of anonymity.

Among the models that will get discontinued are BS-IV variants of Splendor, HF Delux, Glamour motorcycles, and Pleasure scooters, in an effort to migrate completely to the new emission era.

2018 Hero Super Splendor

“The Company has informed its dealers in an email sent earlier this week that production of more than 50 SKUs of its BS-IV range of products has been stopped. The email also mentioned that Hero MotoCorp would soon stop manufacturing more BS-IV models, and rapidly scale up the production of BS-VI vehicles,” the official said.

(Also read: Auto sector slowdown: Hero MotoCorp comes out with voluntary retirement scheme for employees)

The Indian government has given automakers a deadline of March 31, 2020 to shift to BS-VI vehicles, as companies won’t be allowed to sell vehicles with older emission standards from April 1.

The company has set up an interim council as Sanjay Bhan, Head of Sales, After-Sales and Parts has resigned from Hero MotoCorp ahead of the transition. The interim council will have multiple department heads, including Malo Le Masson, head of global product planning and Niranjan Gupta, Chief Financial Officer. “The interim office will look after sales, and after-sales during the transition period,” said the official.

“The company has set up an interim council that will oversee the sales and after-sales function as Bhan has been relinquished from his duties to pursue opportunities outside of Hero MotoCorp,” the official said.

(Also read: Hero MotoCorp unveils initiative to deliver bikes, scooters at customer doorstep at nominal charge)

“The interim council, which comprises Hero’s leadership team and will be operational from December 13, will play an important role to guide, support and handhold the sales and after-sales team to migrate the entire inventory to BS-VI well before the deadline of March 31, 2020,” the official said.

Meanwhile, Hero MotoCorp is ramping up its BS-VI variants. It recently launched the BS-VI compliant Splendor iSmart, the first BS-VI motorcycle to be introduced in the country. “The company’s post-festive inventory levels are already at a two-year low, putting it in good space for the transition,” said the official.

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The iPhone XR helped skyrocket the sales of Apple devices in India. However, it appears that it’s not just the iPhone that’s performing well in the country but also other products such as the Apple Watch and the Mac.

In September, Apple launched the Watch Series 5 which offers substantially new features compared to the previous generations. The company now sells the Apple Watch Series 5 at the same price as the Series 4. Also, the prices of the previous generation Apple Watch Series has dramatically been reduced.

Series 3 is the most popular

As a result, the sales of the Apple Watch have picked up by a large number. The Apple Watch Series 3 is the most popular version of the Watch as it costs the lowest in the company’s smartwatch catalogue. Specifically, it’s the non-cellular version which is the most popular in India, according to Upasana Joshi, Associate Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India.

“The previous generation model continues to drive majority volumes with an attractive price drop on Series 3 GPS (now starting at ₹20,900) during the festive quarter. We expect this momentum to continue in the coming few quarters,” said Joshi.

The Apple Watch Series 3 now sells for Rs. 20,000 which is the best deal one could get on the premium watch. For comparison, the new Apple Watch Series 5 costs Rs. 40,000 which is exactly double the price of the Series 3.

Apple has priced its watches strategically at different price brackets, allowing buyers to choose the smartwatch based on their liking and the required functionalities. Apple also sells cellular enabled smartwatches in India but they seldom spark any interest as people find less or no use of the feature at all.

Apple continues to strategize its operations in India as it understands the importance of grabbing a big piece of the world’s second most populous country’s market share.

The Associated PressNov 27, 2019 19:06:55 IST

President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and other Republican election groups criticised tech giant Google on Tuesday for making it harder for political advertisers to target specific types of people.

The GOP groups said the changes will lead directly to suppressing voter turnout and would “disproportionately” hurt Republican candidates.

Google has said that, beginning in January in the United States, advertisers will only be able to target political ads based on broad categories such as sex, age and postal code. Currently, ads can be tailored to more specific groups, such as political affiliation.

Google logo

But the Trump campaign and Republican groups said Trump has built the greatest digital operation in politics, so Google’s decision will “disproportionately impact both the Trump operation and all of the Republican candidates and organizations that derive strength from it.”

“Google should immediately reverse its decision in order to ensure they do not suppress voter turnout during both the Democrat primaries and the 2020 general election,” the GOP groups said.

Re: Google

Political elites & Big Tech want to rig elections – Dem primary & 2020 included. They’re targeting Trump because he’s the big dog, but they’re also after Dems like Sanders & Warren.

Won’t stop until they control all digital political speech.https://t.co/kpDpIAmHV7

— Brad Parscale (@parscale) November 21, 2019

Democratic political groups have also been critical of Google’s new policy. “Tech companies should not reduce the power of the grassroots just because it is easier than addressing abuse on their platforms,” said leaders of the Democratic National Committee and allied groups helping oversee Democratic congressional campaigns.

Social media companies are grappling with how best to prevent a repeat of 2016 when Russian operatives, masquerading as Americans, used targeted advertisements and intentionally falsified news articles to interact with and attempt to deceive tens of millions of social media users in the United States.

IMPORTANT@facebook wants to take important tools away from us for 2020.

Tools that help us reach more great Americans & lift voices the media & big tech choose to ignore!

They want to raise prices to put more of your hard earned small dollar donations into their pockets. https://t.co/gJbFfTLnzW

— Team Trump (@TeamTrump) November 20, 2019

Google’s announcement follows the decision by Twitter to ban political ads. Twitter also placed restrictions on ads related to social causes such as climate change or abortion rights. Twitter said the move would help reduce the flow of election-related misinformation. The Trump campaign protested that change as well but said Google’s will have more impact.

(Also read: Facebook is reportedly mulling over changing its political advertisement policy)

“Much has been made of Twitter’s equally concerning decision to ban political ads and suppress speech, but because advertising on that platform is ineffective and only a tiny percentage of Americans use Twitter, their impact is insignificant,” the Trump campaign and GOP groups said in a joint release. “Google, however, is a serious platform with very deep reach across the entire country.”

Twitter bans political ads in yet another attempt by the left to silence Trump and conservatives. Wouldn’t be surprised if @twitter lifted the ban after 2020.

Statement: pic.twitter.com/4ZdHGJw3js

— Brad Parscale (@parscale) October 30, 2019

Trump has been complaining of bias from social media companies, though he is a voracious user of their services. Republican groups followed his approach Tuesday, saying they’re skeptical Google’s new ad policy will be applied equally to conservative and liberal groups.

Google said in response to the Republican groups’ complaints Tuesday that it’s going to stay the course.

“We know that political campaign strategists on both sides of the aisle have raised concerns about how our changes may alter their targeting strategies,” said Google spokeswoman Charlotte Smith. “But we believe the balance we have struck … is the right one.”

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