Flipkart, Amazon line up sales in May to help revive demand for non-essentials

Several brands wanted the two marketplaces to provide some sales booster since their cash reserves are affected due to no sales since late last month https://ift.tt/3b8jThR https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Apple and Google reps confirm contact tracing update will be for devices with iOS 13 or Android 6+ via Google Play, say only health authorities can access API (TechCrunch)

TechCrunch:
Apple and Google reps confirm contact tracing update will be for devices with iOS 13 or Android 6+ via Google Play, say only health authorities can access API  —  Last week, Apple and Google announced a partnership that will soon let users opt-in to a decentralized tracing tool …

Zomato may buy Grofers in an all-stock deal valuing e-grocer at $750M

SoftBank Vision Fund, the largest shareholder in Grofers, may look to invest around $100-200 million in the merged entity, sources close to the matter said. https://ift.tt/3cgJLIA https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

iQOO Neo 3 5G with Snapdragon 865 set to launch on April 23

Vivo’s spin-off brand, iQOO is set to launch its next flagship smartphone, the iQOO Neo 3 5G on April 23 in China. The successor to the iQOO Neo, the Neo 3 features a high-refresh-rate screen, top-of-the-line Snapdragon 865 chip with 5G support. iQOO recently brought it’s flagship iQOO 3 to India which is powered by the same flagship processor, however, misses out on high-refresh-rate display.

As per the launch invite shared by iQOO on Weibo, the phone is revealed to be powered by an SD865 chip with a 144Hz refresh rate display and UFS 3.1 storage. The phone also supports dual-mode 5G SA/NSA, however, not many countries including India have operational 5G networks.

The Neo 3 features a punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera, according to a previous leak and could come with support for 55W fast charging, courtesy of the Super FlashCharge solution.

With a high 144Hz refresh rate screen, the Neo 3 is only the second phone of it’s kind, the first one being Nubia Red Magic 5G that was announced in March 2020. Regardless, phones with a high refresh rate haven’t been utilized properly due to the lack of support for complementing games. And while that is expected to change in due course with more game developers now going the mobile way, there aren’t many enjoyable games that are tuned for high refresh rate screen.

As for the other specifications, iQOO hasn’t revealed anything more yet, however, we can get an idea based on its last launched device, which happens to be the iQOO 3.

A flagship phone, by all means, the iQOO 3 features a Super AMOLED screen topped with Gorilla Glass 6, powered by Snapdragon 865 with upto 12GB RAM and 256GB storage options and 48MP quad-camera setup. The phone is fitted with a 4,400mAh battery with support for 55W fast charging out-of-the-box. The phone is priced starting at Rs 38,990 in India.

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You can now view Instagram Live videos on your desktop

With a spike in the number of active users using social networking apps, Facebook, which owns some of the most popular messaging apps, have been on an upgrading spree. The company previously announced new features for its web app. Now, Instagram announced you can watch live videos straight from the browsers.

Instagram, the photo-sharing social media platform has a desktop app that isn’t all that useful. You can only browse your feed, see your own posts and browse through your messages. A new update in the future will add the ability to send and receive messages on the web and also view Insta live videos on your laptop.

Watching an Instagram Live on the web may not mean much to you since you would usually check the app on your smartphone only, but it can be quite useful for creators who are in the live stream. Unlike Facebook live videos which are geared more towards larger screens, Insta Lives are meant for smaller smartphone screens. So you get a small frame to fit your head in. Portrait mode only. And the comments appear one after the other and if you have a lot of viewers commenting, they go by much faster without giving you the time to read. Streamers often have to scroll down quite a bit to find a specific comment. Moderating a Live session via a desktop can help iron out these kinks.

While Instagram is relaxing its rules of sticking to mobile only with the ability to send DMs and watch live videos on the web app, it still won’t allow users to post photos using the desktop app.

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In Da (Digital) Club: Life Under Quarantine Fuels Parties Online

With New York's nightlife spots closed digital dance parties are all the rave, as DJs stream sets while revellers don their nipple pasties and disco-ball facemasks for clubs online. https://ift.tt/2XwdWY7

PayPal and Intuit say they have been approved by the Small Business Administration to distribute funds from its $350B emergency lending program (Kate Rooney/CNBC)

Kate Rooney / CNBC:
PayPal and Intuit say they have been approved by the Small Business Administration to distribute funds from its $350B emergency lending program  —  - PayPal and Intuit are among the first non-bank, fintech companies to be approved for the Small Business Association's emergency lending program.

Global PC shipments fell 8% in Q1 2020 despite surge in demand: Report

As the world began dealing with a massive remote workforce coupled with millions of kids taking classes online at home during the COVID-19 lockdowns, demand for PCs soared in Q1 2020 but the health crisis caused severe delays in production and logistical issues, leading to worldwide PC shipments falling over 8 per cent (Year-on-Year) in the first quarter this year - the largest decline since Q1 2016. https://ift.tt/3cbAuBo

Huawei lost over $60-70 million on Mate Xs foldable phone

Huaweis consumer business CEO Yu Chengdong has revealed that the company has so far lost around $60 to $70 million dollars in selling the Mate Xs foldable smartphone, even though it is priced at 16,999 Yuan ($2,267). https://ift.tt/3b38sYA

Australians, New Zealanders observe Easter online and in backyards

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The Simpsons Begins Streaming April 15 on Disney+ Hotstar

Wednesday, April 15 - that's the release date for all 31 seasons of The Simpsons on Disney+ Hotstar in India. The Simpsons Movie, Playdate with Destiny will also be available. https://ift.tt/2K26MTu

Russia Space Chief Spars With Elon Musk Over Launch Pricing

The head of Russia's space agency on Saturday accused Elon Musk's SpaceX of predatory pricing for space launches, which is pushing Russia to cut its own prices. https://ift.tt/2RvisSU

Virus-hit Oyo puts Masayoshi Son's $2 billion guarantee at risk

Oyo is freezing operations around the world and furloughing thousands of employees as it struggles to survive the coronavirus pandemic. https://ift.tt/2yfiqHJ https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Apple books new Corona domain name after Google collaboration

Apple has booked a domain name called AppleCoronavirus.com, after the iPhone maker and Google last week announced a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the new coronavirus. https://ift.tt/2VlQBFP

Coronavirus in India: Live helpdesks, central and state helpline numbers and email IDs you need to know

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