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Articles by Noor Imtiaz
Oppo has unveiled 10x zoom camera prior to MWC 2019
Oppo released a teaser in mid-January that confirmed a 10x zoom camera. Following up on that announcement, Oppo held an event on Saturday, just before MWC 2019, revealing lossless zoom technology now ready for mass production. The camera will be inserted into Oppo’s new smartphone by Q2 2019.
What to expect from Sony at the MWC19
On Monday, Sony officially announced the date and time for their event at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in a new teaser on Twitter. Encouraging customers to “Embrace a new perspective,” the company revealed on their blog that the event will be live-streamed from 8:30 to 9:15 am CET on February 25. Embrace a new perspective with #Xperia at #SonyMWC pic.twitter.com/RrWJFShpGR — Sony Xperia (@sonyxperia) February 18, 2019 Will We See the Xperia 1?
Samsung announces four new Galaxy phones before MWC '19
The new year has truly begun Samsung now that they’ve announced the release of four new Galaxy phones. Last week’s Galaxy Unpacked event celebrated ten years of that Samsung Galaxy and saw the unveiling of the Galaxy S10. It’s a remarkable remarkable phone and the event was made even more exceptional with the announcement of 3 other S10 models. There is an affordable S10e, a flashier S10 Plus, and one with the tech to support 5G (S10 5G).
Everything Samsung announced at Galaxy Unpacked '19
Galaxy Unpacked Event Samsung celebrated the ten-year anniversary of its Galaxy line by going all out on their Galaxy Unpacked event. Other than the Galaxy S10 range that headlined the event, Samsung released other phones and wearables as well. Here is a complete rundown of all the new Samsung products for those who missed the event: Samsung Galaxy Fold image credits: Samsung The new Samsung Galaxy Fold is the most ambitious product in the new lineup.
Huawei founder defiant amidst U.S. accusations
TechEngage » News » Internet » Huawei founder defiant amidst U.S. accusations On Monday, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei appeared in his first internationally broadcast interview since the highly controversial arrest of his daughter and Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. Mr. Ren was defiant throughout the appearance, insisting that the U.S.’s hostility towards the company could not harm it.
Child abuse images being traded on encrypted apps
TechEngage » News » Internet » Child abuse images being traded on encrypted apps Security experts told BBC Radio 4’s “File on 4” program that pedophiles are using encrypted apps, such as Telegram and Discord, to trade child abuse photos on the dark web. Investigators have even found links to Telegram’s disturbing images in comments on YouTube videos. Dr. Victoria Baines is a former Europol officer who now serves as a cybercrime expert and advisor to the UK’s Serious and Organised Crime Agency.
Tech scene in New York faces a blow as Amazon backs out
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage Amazon announced on Thursday that they have canceled their big plans to build a second headquarters in New York. This sudden move took both Amazon’s allies and opponents by surprise. The decision comes as a blow to people expecting a sudden influx of tens of thousands of tech job openings in the city. Now the tech community of New York is left wondering what might have been.
Facebook bans pages that spread Russian-backed videos targeting American millennials
On Friday, Facebook suspended several pages that published viral “news” videos viewed by millions that failed to disclose their Russian affiliations. After years of failing to suspend or close accounts potentially affiliated with misinformation campaigns, Facebook is now trying to increase transparency about who, exactly, is running pages that post news and propaganda.
Apple bought PullString: The AI for voice apps
Design by Abdullah (@abdugeek) | TechEngage On Friday, a report by Axios revealed that Apple has purchased the AI company PullString. When PullString (also known as ToyTalk) started in 2011, its main focus was on creating voice apps for children’s toys. The company later got into voice recognition apps and contributed to the development of both Alexa and Google Assistant.
Autonomous Vehicles: The Future of Transportation
Autonomous vehicles are no longer simply the future of transportation; smart cars capable of driving themselves are already here. The real challenge is their integration into the everyday fabric of human life and our successful transition from manual to autonomous vehicles. The Emergence of a New Era By March 2018, 52 companies had permits to test autonomous vehicles in California alone.
Instagram users lose followers due to bug
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage Several Instagram users woke up on Wednesday to see a follower count much smaller than the day before. Users initially believed Instagram had deliberately shut down dummy accounts, but Instagram later confirmed that the losses were due to a bug. Instagram has been working to remedy the situation. The company said in a statement: “We’re aware of an issue causing a change in account follower numbers for some people right now. We’re working quickly to fix this”.
Drone shuts down Dubai International Airport
Image credits: Dubai International Airport On Friday morning, a drone sighting forced authorities to ground flights to and from the Dubai International Airport. The halt remained in effect for half an hour. Between 10:13 to 10:45 am local time, the third busiest airport in the world did not allow departure flights. The airport allowed airborne inbound flights to land but temporarily grounded flights that had not taken off yet that were set to land in Dubai until they had the all clear.
Twitter CEO Makes Drastic Statements in Latest Interview
Credits: Wikimedia Commons Kara Swisher from Recode interviewed Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Tuesday and got some surprising responses to her questions. Several of Dorsey’s statements from the online interview, which took place on Twitter with the hashtag #KaraJack, have sparked controversy. The major takeaway from the interview was that the tech mogul did not believe that tech companies were doing enough to curb abuse and hate speech on their platforms.
Twitter shares quarterly earnings and loss in active users
Design Muntaha Hussain | TechEngage Twitter reported on Thursday that its monthly active users had fallen from 326 million in the third quarter to 321 million. In its earnings report, the company also revealed that it expected expenses to rise in 2019. Twitter attributed these expenses to “health, platform, conversation, revenue product, and sales.” As news of a 20% rise in expenses circulated, Twitter’s stock slid by 9.8%.
Facebook faces a strict ruling in Germany
Design by Muntaha Hussain | TechEngage In Germany, a ruling on Thursday has declared that Facebook abused its dominance in the social media market. A German antitrust watchdog had been investigating Facebook for apparent violations of market rules. The historic ruling that concluded the investigation has declared that Facebook was amassing data without the consent of its users. Germany has decided it will no longer allow Facebook to collect data from users without their express consent.
UK government issues report with new guidelines for autonomous vehicle testing
Waymo Driverless Car The UK’s Department of Transport said that it wants to test autonomous vehicles on roads in order to get the technology up and running by 2021. In a new report, they speculated that autonomous cars may end up on UK roads by the end of 2019. A new government report says it will lift the previously mandatory requirement of a safety driver for self-driving car tests. This means that testing autonomous vehicles in their true sense would now be possible.
The benefits of using AI to revamp agriculture
Design by Muntaha Hussain | TechEngage The agriculture industry needs to keep up with how fast the rest of the world is moving. Most nations that depend on agricultural products as the bulk of their GDP are low-income. Mankind’s survival depends on agriculture, so it’s important that this sector flourishes. One of the ways it can do so is through the application of cutting-edge technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.
Somehow Facebook continues to grow, despite constant scandal
Design by Muntaha Hussain | TechEngage Facebook announced their quarterly earnings on Wednesday. The tech giant has been drenched in scandals that show no signs of slowing down. Their latest squabble with Apple over Facebook Research is one example. The surprising part, however, is that Facebook’s growth has not slowed down either. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said: “Our community and business continue to grow.
Google also has a data-collecting app, just like Facebook
After the shocking revelation on Tuesday about a Facebook app that collected web browsing and other sensitive data from its users, TechCrunch is back with a similar bombshell about Google. Apparently, Google has its own version of a data-collecting app, similar to Facebook Research. Moreover, it also misuses the Apple Enterprise Program exactly like Facebook Research. Google calls it Screenwise Meter.
Apple blocks Facebook from running internal apps on iOS
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage Apple has responded to the Facebook Research app scandal with decisive action. Facebook was collecting data from teenagers in return for small payments, in open defiance of Apple’s official policy. Therefore, Apple has revoked the certificate that enables Facebook to distribute the app via Apple’s Enterprise Certificate Program, and bans the Research app, according to Recode.
Judge rejects Yahoo's settlement offer over data breaches
On Monday night, a US judge rejected Yahoo’s attempt to pay its way out of explaining data breaches. Yahoo had been attempting to settle with victims of several data breaches between 2014 and 2016. The judge rejected the offer because Yahoo would not disclose the exact amount of money going to the victims.
Vodafone halts purchase of Huawei equipment amid Western bans
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage On Friday, Vodafone became the first major network to suspend the use of Huawei in its core networks. This comes after several major governments have banned Huawei. Vodafone is the largest wireless carrier in the world. Therefore, this new development is a major blow for Huawei. The Chinese company is already facing accusations of evading sanctions against Iran.
Facebook looking to merge Instagram DM, WhatsApp, and Messenger
Credit: @abdugeek | TechEngage Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed plans to merge the messaging services of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. But this would not mean making these into one platform. Rather, it would allow users to communicate across the apps. Zuckerberg aims to bring the three networks together under his leadership. After numerous scandals have tarnished the Facebook brand over the last few years, morale within the company is low.
WeDo Technologies
Our CEO & Founder Jazib Zaman and Editor-in-Chief Jessica Baron are both in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this week to attend a two-day event hosted by WeDo Technologies. The event, called WeMeet Asia brings together experts, corporate representatives, and delegates from all over the world to discuss challenges posed by emerging technologies in the telecommunications industry. This will be followed by WeMeet Europe and WeMeet Americas later in 2019.
Is Facebook's "10 Year Challenge" more than a meme?
(Last Updated On: January 23, 2019) When the #10YearChallenge began on social media a few days ago, it seemed like a harmless trend. The challenge was to post one recent picture alongside a photo from ten years ago (or your first and most recent profile photo). An estimated 5.2 million people participated in the challenge. It quickly became a meme on nearly all social media platforms, including Twitter, which is not otherwise popular for posting pictures.
Apple Pay expanding to Target, Taco Bell, and more
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage (Last Updated On: January 23, 2019) Apple has announced the expansion of it’s Apple Pay program to five more businesses in the US. These include Target, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Hy-Vee, and Speedway. Apple Pay will now be available in 74 out of the top 100 retail supermarkets in the US, allowing customers to use their iPhones or Apple Watches to pay for their items.
WhatsApp limits forwards to five accounts only
(Last Updated On: January 22, 2019) WhatsApp is trying to rein in fake news on its platform. So, to put its reputation back on track, they are trying to restrict the feature that fuels fake news. Yesterday, the app (which is owned by Facebook) announced that users will only be able to forward a message up to 5 times in order to keep viral content to a minimum. WhatsApp sent emails announcing this change.
Get the iPhone SE for a limited time on the Apple site
(Last Updated On: January 20, 2019) Apple has silently started selling the iPhone SE again. The company had previously put a stop to its sales in September 2018 along with the iPhone X iPhone 6s. This happened when Apple released the iPhone XR and iPhone XS models. However, a poster on MacRumors linked to an Apple clearance sale of new iPhone SEs on Saturday. The X and 6s are not on clearance.
Shareholders ask Amazon to stop selling Rekognition software
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage (Last Updated On: January 19, 2019) Amazon shareholders have delivered a complaint to CEO Jeff Bezos on Thursday. It lists their concerns over the company’s policy of selling Amazon’s facial recognition software, called Rekognition, to government agencies. Investors believe the software puts the general public at risk and may endanger or violate privacy and civil rights.
Facebook removes accounts linked to Russian-owned news agency
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage (Last Updated On: January 18, 2019) Facebook has labeled hundreds of pages linked to Russia as perpetrators of false news. Facebook claimed yesterday that the Russian Sputnik news agency was involved in serious misdemeanors that violated its policy by engaging in “coordinated inauthentic behavior.” Facebook’s head of cybersecurity policy, Nathaniel Gleicher, made an official blog post on behalf of Facebook on January 17th.
Netflix raises subscription prices on all plans
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage Netflix has invested billions in original content over the last few years in order to compete with rivals such as Amazon, Hulu, and HBO NOW. A price hike in the subscription charges was therefore inevitable. Yesterday, Netflix officially announced the price hike for all subscribers in the US. 58 million people will see their rates go home on every subscription plans that Netflix offers.
German antitrust watchdog goes after Facebook
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage The German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported on Sunday that the country’s antitrust watchdog The Federal Cartel Office will order Facebook to stop collecting user data. There is serious concern regarding the way personal data is collected and used by Facebook for targeted advertisement. But Facebook potentially abusing consumers’ data is not breaking news for anyone – or at least it shouldn’t be.
CES 2019: Our top picks of the tech show this year
(Last Updated On: January 14, 2019) The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas ended last week, but we’re still marveling at this year’s incredible lineup of new and future tech that gave us a glimpse into humanity’s future. Although CES is famous for spectacular tech products that seldom make it to realistic markets, this year many products were accompanied by solid release dates and pricing.
Alexa-enabled devices abound at CES 2019
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage The CES 2019 at Las Vegas is showcasing countless products by thousands of companies. But the battle between the world’s two major voice assistants has been one of the biggest parts of the spectacle. Google’s Assistant is about to be available on a billion devices soon, while Alexa gears up to give it a run for its money Alexa vs. Assistant Google has stolen the show more than once at CES.
Google at the CES 2019: Assistant reigns supreme
Google made many cutting-edge announcements at the CES this year. From releasing innovative gadgets like the Interpreter to software accessories for Google Assistant, their booth had it all. In addition to the own announcements, Google also flaunted their new partnerships at CES. Third-party integrations with Lenovo, McAfee, and Samsung mean Google had one of the more impressive runs at this year’s show. A recurring theme this year was Google Assistant.
Samsung shows Galaxy X folding phone at the CES 2019
As CES 2019 continues Las Vegas, tech companies big and small are pitching their product concepts to audiences from all over the world. But one pitch was limited to a much smaller audience – Samsung announced their first folding phone in a closed-door meeting with high-level tech executives. According to sources, the new device will go by the name of Samsung Galaxy X. News outlet The Investor broke the news after hearing from someone present at the meeting.
Hyundai releases a "walking" car at CES 2019
Several companies are bringing groundbreaking car tech to the CES happening now in Las Vegas. To wow investors and analysts, companies are also presenting concepts for future products. Yesterday, Hyundai presented their brand new concept of a walking car. The “Elevate” is a car with the capability of navigating rough terrain at a seemingly unimpressive speed of 3mph. But the cool part is that the car accomplishes this by using robotic “legs” instead of tires.
10 things to expect from CES 2019
We are now entering Day 2 of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas where a crowd of around 200,000 people and 4,400 companies have gathered to revel in new technology products making their debuts. Companies are also pitching ideas for future products to lure potential investors, the media, and the analysts. Even before the event began, news concerning major releases and groundbreaking launches has been leaking out.
HP unveils Chromebook with AMD processor at CES 2019
HP just launched their Chromebook 14 at the CES 2019. This is the first time that a Chromebook has an AMD processor. As AMD processors cost less than their Intel counterparts, HP announced that the laptop will sell for a mere $269. The new AMD Chromebook comes with Radeon graphics. In 2018, HP made several announcements that made their products some of the most appealing of the year. From leather laptops to the Spectre line getting premium updates, HP gave us its all.
Marriott breach now involves passport numbers
The age of data breaches is upon us in full force. One month ago, Marriott released a statement confirming a large-scale data breach. This leak affected hundreds of millions of Marriott customers. Although authorities detected the leak in November 2018, Marriott confirmed it started years ago. Now after a month of speculations around the nature of these data leaks, Marriott has revealed more information from their ongoing investigation into the matter.
Massive data leak leaves Germany bewildered
Design by Muntaha | TechEngage This is undeniably the age of harrowing data leaks. The latest leak has affected several high-profile politicians from Germany and left the country reeling. The most embarrassing part, however, is that the leaks involve German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The leak also affected German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In December, hackers leaked personal documents and data belonging to several public figures in Germany, though it was only discovered a few days ago.
A summary of Facebook's disastrous 2018
2018 brought challenges and hurdles even for the best of us. However, for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, it was an especially strenuous year. But in a recent post on his own social media platform, Zuckerberg claimed he is proud of the progress Facebook has made in 2018.
Top 10 tech stories from a bittersweet 2018
2018 has been an exceptional year for several reasons and the world of tech never had a dull moment. Unfortunately, in terms of producing new technology or reaching the bar set by predictions, it did not deliver. But in terms of drama, it made up for the shortage of productivity several times over. Cambridge Analytica and the Zuckerberg Testimony The Cambridge Analytica scandal spearheaded Facebook’s spectacular fall from grace.
Trump to Ban Huawei and ZTE on New Year
Design by Muntaha / TechEngage International news company, Reuters, has found sources who told them about an upcoming executive order. These sources believe that Trump is hoping to sign a new executive order by the start of the New Year. This order would put an effective nationwide ban on buying Huawei and ZTE products. Hence, US companies would no longer be able to buy any telecommunications equipment that Huawei or ZTE made.
Instagram accidentally rolls out horizontal feed, causes user outrage
Yesterday, Instagram really tested the patience of some of their users when they temporarily discontinued the scrolling feature. They later realized the inadequacy of such a move and apologized while promising to revert. Analysts believe that this move by Instagram was a bid by owners of both Facebook and Instagram. This was the “innovation” to make sure they can somehow increase the user traffic on the app.
Ten AI Movies to Watch This Holiday Season
With the holidays upon us, there is no better time than now to lay back and relax. Spending time with family and friends is obviously a crucial part of the holiday season. However, festivities cannot be complete without revisiting familiar stories on the screen. Most people would prefer to watch traditional films that circulate around the theme of Christmas and the holiday spirit. But for tech geeks, the holidays are a new excuse to go back to masterpieces in the genres we love.
Gatwick Suspects Released Without Charge
Sussex Police had arrested two suspects after the drone chaos at Gatwick. However, after keeping the 47-years-old man and 54-years-old woman for less than a day, they have released them. The police authorities had arrested the two from Crawley, West Sussex. This release has left the police to resume searching for possible suspects for a drone disturbance that closed Gatwick Airport for two days.
SpaceX Launches New Powerful Satellite For the US Military
SpaceX has launched several payloads for the US military in the past. However, their most recent endeavor with the US forces is the only one they officially termed a ‘National Security Space’ mission. SpaceX launched a next-generation GPS III satellite into space. They sent the satellite on top of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Officials have named the spacecraft “Vespucci.” This new satellite will hopefully be a major boost to the Global Positioning System (GPS) of the US government.
AT&T will put a fake 5G logo on its 4G LTE phones
Design by abdugeek / TechEngage AT&T is hoping to pull a leaf out of their own past. The company is planning to dupe its customers into thinking they are using 5G by a small loophole in their logo. This new development is basically AT&T trying to put 5G E on their most advanced 4G LTE phones. The small E in their logo will mean ‘evolution.’ However, this trick will deceive users who are likely to overlook the E.
Alexa Told Someone to Kill Their Foster Parents
Users or Amazon itself did not previously report the incidents of outbursts by Alexa which put its reliability in question. Amazon has a strategy of making Alexa better by making it more human-like. Letting the robot mimic human banter has led to several incidents of similarly creepy outbursts. In the past year, Alexa has talked about dog defecation, sexual acts and has told a customer to ‘kill his foster parents.’ These incidents have not risen from Alexa suffering through a systemic collapse.
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