Tech Nuggets with the Technology

Friday, April 10, 2020

[Thread] Moxie Marlinspike explains how Apple and Google's contract tracing framework will work in practice (Moxie Marlinspike/@moxie)

Moxie Marlinspike / @moxie:
[Thread] Moxie Marlinspike explains how Apple and Google's contract tracing framework will work in practice — First look at Apple/Google contact tracing framework: 1) Once a day, your device derives a new key ("daily tracing key"). 2) It uses that to derive a new “proximity ID” every time your device's bluetooth address changes (15min), which is broadcast to nearby BT sensors. 1/10

Thursday, April 9, 2020

Nokia 42 and Nokia 32 start receiving the Android 10 update

Nokia 4.2 and Nokia 3.2 users rejoice. The smartphones have started receiving the Android 10 update. You should see a notification on your smartphone stating that the update is available. If not, you can go into the settings and manually check for the update on the smartphone. With the addition of the Nokia 4.2 and 3.2, nine smartphones from Nokia are running on the latest OS. These include the Nokia 8.1, Nokia 7.2, Nokia 7 Plus, Nokia 7.1, Nokia 6.1 Plus, Nokia 6.1, Nokia 4.2, Nokia 3.2 and Nokia 2.2.

The update on the Nokia 4.2 and 3.2 brings with it a bunch of new features as well. Users get access to gesture navigation and smart reply which are a part of Android 10. Users also get access to better privacy controls all in one place along with the ability to control location access to apps – be that always, just while in use, or never. Focus mode is also available in Beta. This lets users block out distracting apps when they need to concentrate on what’s important. Users also get access to Family Link which is now a part of the Digital Wellbeing settings.

Coming to the specifications, the Nokia 4.2 features a 5.71-inch HD+ LCD display with a U-shaped notch. The handset is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 439 mobile platform. It integrates a notification light in the power button, which is placed on the phone’s right edge, and it comes equipped with a dedicated Google Assistant button as well. The Nokia 4.2 sports dual cameras on the back. There is a 13MP sensor that is paired with an f/2.2 aperture lens and a 2MP secondary depth sensor that gets an f/2.2 aperture. The handset runs on a 3000mAh battery that can be charged via a micro USB port. It also supports face unlock and comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

The Nokia 3.2, on the other hand, features a 6.26-inch HD+ display with a U-shaped notch with a 1520x720p resolution. Just like the Nokia 4.2, it also features a dedicated Google Assistant button and a 'breathing light' power button notification light. Under the hood, the smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 429 SoC. The Nokia 3.2 is a dual SIM smartphone running on Android 9 Pie out-of-the-box. When it comes to the camera, the smartphone has a single 13MP sensor on the back with an f/2.2 aperture and a 5MP fixed-focus shooter in the front. The smartphone has a 4000mAh battery and comes equipped with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The rear-mounted fingerprint sensor is available only on the 32GB variant.

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India saw a slight dip in internet download speeds during March: Ookla

Quite expectedly, India recorded a notable decline in internet speeds in March, primarily because of the stress the networks are under with so many people working from home. The mean mobile download speed fell by 1.68Mbps while mean broadband mobile speeds fell by 3.67Mbps, according to Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index.

The report states that with the networks under strain during the unprecedented lockdown period in India to curb the coronavirus menace, it is natural to see some level of slowdown.

Just how big of a decline are we talking about? India slipped two ranks down for mobile internet speeds and now ranks at 130th. Even in the broadband speed index, India declined two spots compared to the previous month. We’re at rank 71 globally in broadband speeds.

As for mean mobile download speeds, India posted a decline of 1.68Mbps. Mobile download speeds went from 11.83Mbps in February to 10.15Mbps in March 2020 according to the report. Similarly, mean broadband speeds fell from 39.65Mbps to 35.98Mbps.

To be fair, broadband speeds have been seeing a decline since the beginning of 2020. It came down from 41.48Mbps in January to 35.98Mbps in February, showing a drop of 5.5Mbps in speed.

“It is important to note that while the internet itself should handle elevated usage, there may be impacts to speed as people continue to move their daily activities increasingly online. While the core of the internet remains stable, some ISP networks may struggle to keep up,” Ookla CEO Doug Suttles said in a statement about the report.

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Vodafone Idea Offering Cashback for Recharging Other People's Accounts

Vodafone Idea has introduced a new #RechargeforGood programme that enables a subscriber to earn commission for recharging other prepaid accounts. https://ift.tt/2RpKQ8X

OnePlus 8 series design teased in official video ahead of launch on April 14

OnePlus has officially teased the design of its upcoming OnePlus 8 series of phones, set to launch on April 14. The company has been revealing some of the key features in the build-up to the launch amidst the ongoing Coronavirus health crisis. But now, we also have our first official look at the upcoming OnePlus 8 phones in a new colour.

Courtesy of previous teasers, we know the OnePlus 8 series is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip with 5G support and the Pro variant most likely features a 120Hz refresh rate screen.

In a blog post, CEO Pete Lau revealed some of the design elements that have been adopted in making the design “beautiful to be(hold)”. Lau starts by pointing out how OnePlus was the first company to bring the industry-first matte-frosted glass back with the Midnight Black variant of the OnePlus 6. And now, the company is taking it forward with fifth-generation matte-frosted glass.

This latest generation of glass design features a higher degree of haze effect that Lau says varies between 64%-82%. As a measure of scale, he revealed that the first generation glass had 20%-30% haze while the second and third-gen glass design bumped that effect to 30%-40%. OnePlus 7 and 7T series glass back has between 40%-60% haze effect.

OnePlus has used a new crafting process to create a 3D curved glass for the OnePlus 8 phones with a smooth finish and “it feels just as warm and comfortable as our first-generation Silk White back covers on the OnePlus One,” Lau says.

The phones have a thinner profile and are lighter than the previous generation due to the use of CNC milled aluminium chassis. The haze effect allows the rear panel of the phone to reflect light in certain ways to produce a gradient effect that looks opaque and at times, transparent.

Lau says that the company’s design team explored “more than 300 colours and texture combinations” and that the phone will be offered in multiple colours including a new Glacial Green colour. Some of the previously leaked renders of the OnePlus 8 revealed that the phone will be available in three colours-- Glacial Green, Onyx Black and Interstellar Glow.

“With this colour, we aim to invoke fresh, environmentally friendly, natural, and youthful feelings,” Lau said of the new Glacial Green colour.

Most of the key specifications about the OnePlus 8 series have been leaked along with a new Wireless Bullets earbuds and Warp Charge 30 wireless charger that’s launching on April 14. Just this past week, the prices of the phones were also leaked and you can read more about it here.

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Google creates an application portal to help New York State with the recent surge of unemployment filings, says it could bring a similar service to more states (Jennifer Elias/CNBC)

Jennifer Elias / CNBC:
Google creates an application portal to help New York State with the recent surge of unemployment filings, says it could bring a similar service to more states — - The state of New York announced a partnership with Google for an online unemployment application system.

Facebook Must Face Renewed Privacy Lawsuit Over User Tracking: US Court

A federal appeals court on Thursday revived US nationwide litigation accusing Facebook of violating users' privacy rights by tracking their internet activity even after they logged out of the social... https://ift.tt/2yPgrdG

Singapore Stops Teachers Using Zoom App After 'Very Serious Incidents'

Singapore has suspended the use of video-conferencing tool Zoom by teachers, its education ministry said on Friday, after "very serious incidents" occurred in the first week of a coronavirus lockdown... https://ift.tt/34nuuTx

As fever checks become the norm in coronavirus era, demand for thermal cameras soars

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Singapore stops teachers using Zoom app after 'very serious incidents'

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Demand for video calling continues to surge, Microsoft and others say

Microsoft Corp said on Thursday that video calling and educational usage of its Teams productivity software had risen in recent weeks as employees work remotely and some U.S. schools cancel in-person classes for the rest of the academic year. https://ift.tt/2wtJ3bv