Realme 3 Launch, Redmi Note 7 First Sale, and More News This Week

Redmi Note 7 and Samsung M30 go on sale in India, Realme 3 price in India revealed, Realme 3 Pro unveiled, Galaxy S10 S10 Plus S10e officially in India, and more news this week. https://ift.tt/2Txxt91

Samsung Galaxy A40 May Be Launched Soon, Gets FCC Certification

The Samsung Galaxy A40 has been certified by the FCC, which indicates that the smartphone is nearing its official launch. https://ift.tt/2tYi6YQ

Samsung, Huawei Settle 2-Year Patent Dispute in US

Huawei had in 2016 brought suits against Samsung in San Francisco and China, claiming that the South Korean company used its cellular technology without a licence. https://ift.tt/2TtLGEH

How Facebook Stands to Profit From Its 'Privacy' Push

Critics say that Facebook's privacy announcement obscures the company's deeper motivations. https://ift.tt/2Us3c8z

Huawei May Launch Two New Smartwatches Alongside P30 Series

Huawei Watch GT Active and Huawei Watch GT Elegant smartwatches have been leaked ahead of their rumoured launch alongside the Huawei P30 Series. https://ift.tt/2tUitn8

Huawei Mate 20 Pro Receiving Update With ViLTE Support in India

Huawei has rolled out a new software update for the flagship Mate 20 Pro that brings ViLTE support and the February Android security patch. https://ift.tt/2CfOKtj

NASA Spacecraft Observes Movement of Water Molecules on Moon

Until the last decade, scientists thought that the Moon was arid, with any water existing mainly as pockets of ice in permanently shaded craters near the poles. https://ift.tt/2EZQPeJ

Poco F1 Receiving MIUI 10.2.3.0 Update with February Security Patch

Poco F1 has started receiving the MIUI 10.2.3.0 stable update that brings the February security patch and other mystery changes. https://ift.tt/2NSiC3A

PUBG, Momo challenge banned in Rajkot for being addictive in nature

Highlights: Playing PUBG in Rajkot is now a punishable offence till April, 2019. The game is banned as it is being said to induce violence amongst kids and negatively impact their studies. The violent Momo challenge has also been banned. There is now a city-wide ban on the popular battle royale game PUBG and action can be taken against anyone who is found playing the online multiplayer game in the city of Rajkot. This decision was apparently taken by the city administration as children are getting more violent and their studies are being impacted because of playing the game. Along with PUBG, the Momo challenge has also been banned from the city. As per a tweet by Rajkot City Police, the ban will be imposed from March 9 till 30 April and strict action will be taken against anyone found playing the game as per “Section 144 of the Criminal Procedural Act, 1973 (Act No. 1 of 1974) and Section 37 (3) of the Gujarat Police Act, under the authority of Rajkot City Police Act, Rajkot City Police Commissionerate, in view of public safety and security.”  The circular has also banned the Momo challenge, which is a dangerous online game similar to the Blue Whale challenge. The Momo challenge targets teenagers and forces them to do dangerous tasks, usually ending with suicide. As per DNA, Manoj Agrawal, Police Commissioner of Rajkot said, "We issued the notification against both the games. Due to increasing violent behaviour of children and the youth, who were addictive to the game, we have imposed the ban." This is not the first time PUBG has been viewed in a negative light. The game has already been banned from primary schools in Gujarat and previously, a 11-year old kid filed a PIL to get the title banned in Maharashtra from the state government. In another incident, a 19-year old boy reportedly hanged himself when his family members refused to buy a Rs 37,000 phone to play PUBG Mobile on.  PUBG has over 30 million daily active players. Seeing how kids are having trouble in moderating themselves while playing the game, developers of the game announced a “digital lock” on some games that requires players under the age of 13 years to ask their guardians to allow gaming. However, the restriction is reportedly being tested for the Chinese versions of PUBG Mobile and for the Honor of Kings game. Related Reads: PUBG Mobile might soon let you play as a zombie PUBG Mobile gets “digital lock” as parental control to curb violence among minors https://ift.tt/2H7YFFA

Samsung Galaxy A90, Galaxy A40 and Galaxy A20e listed on official UK website

Highlights: Samsung Galaxy A90, Galaxy A40 and Galaxy A20e listed on official UK website The listing does not show any specs of the phones It confirms that the phone could launch in near future Samsung has changed its strategy to better compete with Chinese smartphone makers globally, and as a part of this change, the South Korean company is introducing some of the flagship innovation to its high-end models of the A-Series. There have been several leaks regarding the series, but now Samsung has put all the rumours to rest by listing three phones of the series: the Galaxy A90, the Galaxy A40 and the Galaxy A20e, on its official UK website. Though these product pages do not include any specifications, the listing is an indication that Samsung will launch these phones in the near future. Earlier this month, the Samsung Galaxy A40 was seen in a product page in Germany with model number SM-A405FN/DS. It is expected to have an Exynos 7885 mobile platform, and 4GB of RAM. There have been no specs revelation about the Galaxy A20e.   However, the Samsung Galaxy A20 with model number SM-A260F was spotted on the Geekbench database. The listing showed that the phone will have an octa-core Exynos 7870 processor. The phone may run on Android 8.1.0 Oreo, and the company may also launch an Android Go model under the Galaxy A20 name because the benchmark listing showed ‘universal7870_go’ in front of the motherboard column. Coming to the third phone, the Galaxy A90 has been rumoured to come with a sliding and rotating camera system. Popular tipster OnLeaks believes that the device will be a “kinda mix between Oppo Find X and Oppo N1 systems”, suggesting that the camera module could slide out of the smartphone’s body and rotate to face either the user or the subject behind. This means that the same cameras can be used for taking selfie and regular photos. The development cannot be confirmed, and even the tipster himself is not sure of the claim. He said that he heard about the tech from a “new and yet unconfirmed but seemingly reliable source”. So we’ll have to take this information with a hint of salt. Moreover, the mechanical slider and rotating could increase the price of the phone, and given Samsung’s take on Chinese counterparts, the tech seems unlikely. We’ll have to see how (if it actually does) the company will pull this off. Related Read: Samsung Galaxy A10, Galaxy A30, Galaxy A50 launched in India https://ift.tt/2tS9V02

NASA to conduct first ever all-female spacewalk

Highlights: The first ever all-female spacewalk is set to happen, confirms NASA. It will happen on March 29. NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Anne McClain will be two women.   NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Anne McClain are all set to embark on what will become the first ever all-female spacewalk. According to a recent CNN report, the duo will step outside the International Space Station and perform a seven-hour spacewalk as part of Expedition 59 on March 29. McClain is already aboard the space station as part of Expedition 58 while Koch will blast off from Earth on March 14. The March 29 spacewalk will mark McClain’s first spacewalk and Koch’s first spaceflight. “It is the second in a series of three planned spacewalks. Anne also will join Nick Hague for the March 22 spacewalk. And, of course, assignments and schedules could always change,” NASA spokesperson Stephanie Schierholz told CNN. “It was not orchestrated to be this way; these spacewalks were originally scheduled to take place in the fall.” The news of the spacewalk was first broken to the public by flight controller Kristen Facciol of the Canadian Space Agency, who tweeted a few days ago, “I just found out that I'll be on console providing support for the FIRST ALL FEMALE SPACEWALK with @AstroAnnimal and @Astro_Christina and I can not contain my excitement!!!!” Facciol’s excitement seems justified given the fact that up until now spacewalks have always included a male member. Both McClain and Koch are part of the 2013 astronaut class, which contained fifty percent  women. According to NASA, even the most recent class of flight directors was fifty percent women. The March 29 spacewalk will be an occasion to remember for all of us just like the first time a woman walked in space, which happened on July 25, 1984 when Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya participated in a spacewalk aboard Salyut 7.   Related Read: NASA recreates ingredients for life on ocean floor   I just found out that I’ll be on console providing support for the FIRST ALL FEMALE SPACEWALK with @AstroAnnimal and @Astro_Christina and I can not contain my excitement!!!! #WomenInSTEM #WomenInEngineering #WomenInSpace — Kristen Facciol (@kfacciol) 1 March 2019   https://ift.tt/2H7J20K

Apple will soon make all iPhones in India, including high-end iPhone XS line-up, lowering prices significantly: Report

Highlights: Two additional iPhone production facilities in India to enable production of all iPhones in India Government has greenlit a Wistron manufacturing facility. The move could lower iPhone prices in India significantly. Apple iPhones in India are sold at ultra premium prices owing to the high import duty slapped on them by the time they reach the country’s shores. While Apple does manufacture the compact iPhone SE as well as its 2015 flagship, the iPhone 6s, in India, the newer and more premium iPhones still cost the proverbial kidney to purchase. This might change very soon as a new report from Phonearena points out that the Ministry of Information Technology has greenlit an additional Wistron manufacturing unit. Wistron is a Taiwanese Apple manufacturer which also assembles the iPhone 6s in India. This new Wistron facility will be deputed to manufacture the iPhone 8 in India. Additionally, the report notes that a proposal for a new Foxconn manufacturing unit was also been submitted to the Indian Government on December 31, 2018. This facility could be commissioned to assemble the complete iPhone line-up in India, right upto the new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR. Speaking on the benefits of manufacturing in India compared to more established facilities in China, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told Phonearena, “Openness of India’s democratic polity, where creativity is recognised and respected, adds its own incentive. We gave little incentive and you saw how many people came.” The assembly of iPhones in India should be a big incentive for buyers as it is expected to reduce iPhone prices significantly since Apple will be able to do away with the import duties it has to pay currently. There is no timeline for when this manufacturing will begin, but it’s a step in the right direction for Apple as well as the government’s Make In India programme. https://ift.tt/2J1gdVm

You can now stream your PS4 games to your iOS device

Highlights: The PS4 system update 6.50 is live. The update lets you remote play PS4 games to your iOS device. You need a minimum of an iPhone 7 or a sixth gen iPad for this to work. The PS4 has a new system update, version 6.50. With the new update, you can now stream your PS4 games to your iOS device. To be able to do this, you will need to download the Remote Play app on your iOS device and ensure your PS4 or PS4 Pro is updated to the latest 6.50 version. Games that are compatible will be playable on your iOS device with on-screen buttons. The only downside to this is that gamers cannot connect their Dualshock 4 controllers to the smartphones to enjoy the games. They will have to use the onscreen touch controls. Another thing to note is that you will need an iPhone 7 minimum or a sixth generation iPad or higher to run remote play. Also, the service will work over WiFi only and not 4G.   Remote Play isn’t a new function. It was first announced back in 2013 where PS4 gamers could remote play their games on the PS Vita (read our review here). The PS Vita has now officially been discontinued and Sony isn't talking about the future of a portable PlayStation console. Coming back to remote play, Sony introduced the ability to remote play your PS4 games on your PC or Mac in 2016. As far as Android devices go, you can only use the remote play functionality on Sony’s Xperia smartphones. Since remote play works on Xperia smartphones, it's hard to understand why the function isn't available on other similarly specced Android devices.   Another interesting change with the 6.50 update is the ability to remap the X and O buttons. For those unaware, the X button is used as the “accept” button in western regions while O is used as “accept” in eastern regions. This has caused problems for those that have purchased their consoles overseas. Finally, Sony has given players the ability to remap the buttons. Remote play is an extremely useful function for those that live in a house with a single TV. If you need to let others in the house watch TV while you game, you can simply remote play on your iOS device or Mac or PC.  Sony has its PlayStation Now service which sadly isn't available in India. The service is a Netflix like streaming service giving PlayStation owners and non PS hardware owners a chance to experience the PlayStation library of games. Players can stream the games off the internet to their PS4, compatible smart TV, or PC. This is a true Netflix like game streaming service but is sadly available in select regions only. It was after Microsoft’s Game Pass started getting traction that Sony alloweed PS4 subscribers of PS Now to download and play the games (just like Game Pass) to get a better gaming experience. Sadly, PS3 games (which are a part of the PS Now subscription library) cannot be downloaded and played on the PS4. Sony originally launched the PS4 back in 2013 and introduced the souped up PS4 Pro in 2016. Rumour mills are abuzz about the upcoming PS5 and the next generation Xbox. You can read about the speculated specs of the upcoming consoles here.  Also Read: Ready, Aim, Fire: Talking esports and evolving gaming tech with Intel PUBG confirms it is revamping in-game maps, starting with Erangel HyperX Cloud Earbuds earphones launched in India at Rs 5,990 https://ift.tt/2TzAq92

Samsung Galaxy S10 units shipment may reach 40-45 million: Ming-Chi Kuo

Highlights: Ming-Chi Kuo has increased his Samsung Galaxy S10 shipment estimate by 30%. The analyst increased the shipment estimate from 30-35 million to 40-45 million units. He attributed the increase to the ‘spec differentiation’ from current iPhones.   Ming-Chi Kuo has said that he is increasing his Galaxy S10 shipment estimate by 30 percent citing ‘spec differentiation’ from current iPhones, including an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor. The analyst said that as compared to his previous shipping estimates of the Galaxy S10 series from between 30 and 35 million, the South Korean company is expected to ship between 40 and 45 million units of the newly-launched flagship. Kuo outlined a few reasons for his change in estimates. The first is due to the market’s view on high-end smartphone sales. The second is the trade-in programmes and a strong demand in China, and the third is the spec differentiation from iPhones. In terms of feature differentiation, Kuo says that the Galaxy S10 packs several features that currently aren’t available on the iPhone. This includes an in-display ultrasonic fingerprint reader, a rear triple-camera setup, and bilateral wireless charging, popularly known as reverse wireless charging. Kuo thinks that the Galaxy S10 is benefiting from the iPhone’s lack of some features for the time being, a media report said. Last year, Apple removed the fingerprint sensor from the iPhone X and this year, all the iPhones ship sans Touch ID (in favor of Face ID). The Galaxy S10, however, features both face recognition and an in-display fingerprint reader. “Kuo seems to think that the addition of an in-display fingerprint reader is helping Galaxy S10 sales compared to the iPhone,” the report said. Kuo also explains that O-film, a camera part supplier, will benefit if Apple upgrades the 2019 iPhones with three cameras. This further adds to speculation that the Cupertino-based company is planning a three-camera setup on this year’s iPhones. Kuo also says that the Galaxy S10 is performing “much better-than-expected” in China and that the company is growing despite increased competition from domestic players like Huawei. Related Read: Samsung Galaxy Fold India launch https://ift.tt/2XKMaVt

Researchers set new internet speed record in transatlantic undersea cable

Highlights: Researchers set a new internet speed record with the Marea undersea cable. They used 16QAM modulation toolkit to modulate the lasers being sent. This enabled bumping up data transfer speed up to 26.2 terabits per second. The internet, as we know it, might seem intangible since it’s a digital domain but it is actually enabled via cables. To be specific, long and heavy undersea cables allow users around the world to access the internet. These cables connect different countries, and continents, together to facilitate data transfer. One of these cables called Marea runs from Virgin Beach in the US to Balboa, Spain and it has apparently set a new internet speed record by transferring data at an unprecedented rate. As per a media release, Infinera, a transport network solutions company, employed its new experimental tool-kit called 16QAM modulation toolkit to modulate the lasers being sent via the cable. These generated signals were transferred at speeds of up to 26.2 terabits per second, which is said to be over 20 percent of what the cable was expected to be capable of.  The new method will be presented at the upcoming Optical Fiber Conference and Exposition in March, in the USA. The transatlantic cable Marea is funded in part by Microsoft Telxius, and Facebook, and holds the record for the highest-capacity cable crossing the Atlantic Ocean. It became operational last year and consists of eight pair of optic fibers, each pair of which can carry 20 terabytes of data per second, which, in layman terms converts to the capability of streaming over 4 million HD videos at once. “In an optical fiber, it’s desirable to carry more data per second, which we call the fiber capacity, and also to be able to send the signal over longer distances, which we call the optical reach,” says Dr Pierre Mertz, an author on the study. “In simple terms, if you try to push the limits of fiber capacity you will reduce the reach. “ As per the media release, the challenging part was bumping up the data transfer speed to such an extent that they were operating close to the Shannon Limit. The Shannon limit is the theoretical data transfer rate for a communication channel.  Via Related Reads: ISRO chairman says India to soon get more than 100 Gbps internet speeds with the launch of three new satellites   https://ift.tt/2TyZXPp