Category Archives: Tech

Business, Tech

Pakistan Abolishes Ban On The Famous Chinese App “TikTok”

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On 9th October 2020, Pakistan introduced a ban on the famous TikTok app by the Government of Pakistan as several angry citizens had lodged complaints related to this Chinese application. The app was criticized for spreading indecent and vulgar content among teenagers.


However, Pakistan wasn’t the first country to do that, previously, Indonesia and Bangladesh have also banned the app due to highly unethical content. India has also banned the application due to increasing tension between Beijing and New Delhi on the situation of the Ladakh border. U.S President Trump also attempted to ban the app due to the risk of privacy and has given threats to the Chinese owners.


However, just after 10 days of the ban, on Monday 19th October 2020 the Government of Pakistan announced to abolish the ban on TikTok. They said that the decision was changed after receiving assurance from the Chinese officials that the social media platform will review its policies and will moderate the content according to the laws of the country.


Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) also told that they had warned ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company to restrict such accounts and videos that promote indecency, however, TikTok didn’t take any action nor released any statement. TikTok has 20 million active users in Pakistan and is widely popular in the country, but the higher authorities released a statement saying that the app which was a place of fun and entertainment, is now promoting the sexualization of young girls and has been filled with vulgar item song numbers and dark memes.


Pakistan is 12th Largest Market Place of TikTok:


Pakistan is TikTok’s 12th largest market with approximately 43 million downloads according to the information by Sensor Tower. But in the first 6 months of 2020, up to 6.4 million videos had been removed by TikTok itself, making Pakistan the 3rd country for the removal of videos due to violating the platform’s community policies.


PTA also stated that even though the ban is now lifted from the app, however, there’s a possibility that it could be banned in the future if TikTok’s authorities will not fulfill their promise of moderating the content and blocking of such accounts that promote immoral content.
TikTok then released a statement in which they welcomed this decision of lifting the ban. The users might see heavier moderation and filtration from now on.


Conclusion:


TikTok is a popular social media platform but recently it has been under the radar of many countries due to the above-stated reasons. I think that such bans and threats will hinder the growth and prosperity of the Chinese app and the authorities should look into these matters immediately.

Tech

First Lunar Network Station – NASA Selects Nokia To Install 4G Network On Moon

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Do you want to call someone on the moon? No, I’m not crazy as recently it was announced that NASA has selected Nokia, a Finnish company which was once a leading telecom company all over the world, to build a network station on the Moon, cool right? It has been over 50 years since the first lunar landing but scientists are still working extremely hard to build stations on the moon for exploring space which is still a mystery to humans.


$14.1 Million Contract and Tipping Point:


NASA gave Nokia a $14.1 million contract to install an “ultra-compact, low –power, space-hardened” wireless 4G network on the Moon as a part of Nasa’s Artemis program which involves various plans to establish stations in which human can work on the Moon by 2030. The U.S based space company has selected a total of 14 companies including Nokia, SpaceX, SSL Robotics, etc for its Moon mission and a total of $370 million is allocated for its Tipping Point program.

Artemis program:


The main target of the Artemis program is to send humans to Moon by 2024 where astronauts will begin carrying out different experiments and procedures to develop its first mission of sending humans to Mars. In its official statement, NASA said, “… this 4G system can support communication on Moon at a longer distance, faster speed and in the better way”.


However previously in 2018, Nokia had tried to launch an LTE network on the moon. It was a collaboration between PTScientists, a German space company, and Vodafone UK but that plan was never implemented due to some reasons.


Bell Labs in their Twitter thread said that the astronauts will use a wireless data network for transmission of data, controlling of lunar rovers, and real-time navigation so that high-definition videos of Earth can be made and seen through this network.


Small and Compact Cell Towers:


The 4G network on earth consists of large cell towers with giant generators but BellLabs has helped in creating a much smaller and compact cell tower that can be easily packed in the spaceship and transported to the moon.


Can Tolerate Brutal Environmental Conditions:


Nokia’s Lunar network station consists of an LTE- base station with EPC (Evolved Packet Core) functionalities, highly reliable operations, RF antennas, LTE user appliances, and control software. The company claims that the network will be designed in such a unique way that it can tolerate the extreme environmental conditions while launching and landing of the spaceship.


Future Plans:


In the future, Nokia has decided to further convert this 4G technology to a more rapid 5G network, so that communication can be made easier and faster in space. If these plans work out well, then astronauts would be able to send live pictures of space to Earth and the communication barrier would be diminished with the possibility of exploring different planets too.
New technologies are being made and scientists are trying hard to solve the mysteries involving space and our universe.


Tech

Google’s Latest “Hum To Search” Feature

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Introduction:

Google has launched a new feature to its search tool named “Hum to Search” feature that will let you hum or sing a song that is stuck in your head and you can’t find its name. With this tool, you can easily identify the name and lyrics of that particular song which keeps irritating you. The machine learning techniques make this tool efficient in finding that song in Google’s database.

Also read: Best Budget True Wireless Earbuds


On 15th, October, Google announced their “hum to search” feature and it is now available in Google App of both, iOS and Android versions or even in Google assistant.
You can simply go to the Google search engine and click on its voice option, ask the Google “What is this song?” then hum the song which is stuck in your head while the rest of the work will be done by machine-algorithm itself. Voila, Google will find that song.


According to Google, this feature works by a machine-learning algorithm that transforms the audio into a binary sequence that eventually represents the melody of the song which then compares to the songs existing in its database.

You don’t have to be an amazing singer for using this feature. In addition to this, even if your singing skills are worse and your friends tell you that their ear bleeds every time you sing, it doesn’t matter!
As this tool is solely designed on the number-sequence of the melody, if you got the melody right, Google will find it for you.


Google also said that they have experimented on a variety of sources including humans singing, whistling while removing the background musical instruments but the results remain the same.


Even if you were off-pitch, this feature will surely find the song for you.
The latest “Hum to Search” feature is now available in more than 20 different languages on the Android version. However, for the iOS version, it is only available in the English Language.

Future Plans:


The Tech Company gave hints of their upcoming plans as they stated that more languages will be added for this feature in the near future.

Tech, Videos

Top 6 Online Games To Play This Winter Season

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This pandemic has mostly affected our social relationships. Since you can’t be with your friends while maintaining social distance, it doesn’t mean that you can’t play with them. And having fun isn’t only for kids.

Studies confirm that playing online games as an adult can do everything from help you to challenge your hassle to boost your overall well-being—something that we all need during these heavy times.


Here’s a list of virtual games that you can enjoy with your family and friends.


Top 6 Online Games:

  1. Words with Friends 2:
    The name of the game says it all “words, with, friends.” March together with your mother, father, aunt, distant cousin, boss, or neighbor and dare them into taking you on as you struggle to create words out of the letters that you are allotted. Whoever gets the maximum points wins.
  2. Best Fiends Stars:
    Best Fiends Stars is a riddle game that challenges you to match and boom your way through a sequence of fiery riddles, gathering attractive characters and teaming up with your friends along the way. Dare your friends to race to gather fallen possessions and stars before they get caught by a team of creepy slugs.
  3. Fortnite:
    It’s a family-friendly battle royale game that continues to attract millions of regular active users. While some gamers aim on winning their next Victory Royale, the game proposes many challenges for gamers to undertake and overcome.
  4. Jackbox Games:
    This may be the authorized game of the lockdown, as fresh account makings for the platform have been heaving since more and more people have learned about this popular trivia game “You Don’t Know Jack” can nowadays be played with friends. The corporation posted a recent lesson on how to do so here. The game will have everybody on their toes as it flings pop culture trivia questions as fast as you can answer them.
  5. Minecraft:
    In which players produce and breakdown numerous types of blocks in three-dimensional worlds. Up to eight people can play this online game as a team and construct whatsoever they can visualize in creative mode, or possibly they join up to see how long they can last in a survival mode.
  6. Sea of Thieves:
    Searching for a game to take you away from present occasions to stunning beaches, and maybe a splendid line of the pirate journey? Sea of Thieves, It’s a vast multiplayer experience where you play as a pirate in an undefended world of opportunities. Online gamers pursue treasure, back down skeleton heaps, and learn the tall stories the world holds.

There’s a constant option to go as old-fashioned as feasible in your virtual gaming: You can discover free online versions of several masterpieces like Battleship. You can as well work on a puzzle with friends through The Washington Post. Tabletop Simulator is an application that contains games like chess, poker, dominoes, and jigsaw puzzles that you can play with friends.

Tech

South Korea’s Digital Gov’t Index – Recognized as The Top Most Advanced OECD Country

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Introduction:

South Korea has been recognized as one of the topmost advanced country among OECD- Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in a report which was published on 16, October 2020.

The survey included 29 member countries and four non- member countries of OECD. The country secured the first rank among 33 countries which included the United States, Australia, Switzerland, Hungary, and Mexico. It was the first-ever Digital Government Index (DGI) report published by OECD which measured the level of digitalization and transparency of public sectors in different countries of the world.


All of these countries were surveyed from 2018-2019. Among these, South Korea topped with a score of 0.742 on a 1.0 point scale, Britain came second at 0.736, the third position was secured by Colombia at 0.729 while Denmark and Japan got 0.652 and 0.645 points respectively. The rest countries secured an average point of 0.501.

Factors included in the survey:

The survey included score points of six different dimensions.

  • Digital by design
  • Data-driven public sector
  • User-driven sector
  • Proactiveness
  • Open by default
  • Overall government

South Korea gathered maximum scores in two sectors namely digital by design and open by default. They measure the integration of digital technology with the present governing processes. It also includes different data, systems, and policies shared by the government to the general public.

The country showed remarkable performance within these sectors. It also showed the extent to which digitalization has embedded in the core of government policies, reforms, and administration making it a top-notch digitalized country in the world.

The OECD appreciated the efforts of the country saying, “They have worked to build long-term foundations and strategies as a basis for digital transformation” in the report.

The interior minister of South Korea, Chin Young said in the press release that “the government’s innovative effort to promote the digital transformation of the public sector have been internationally recognized and it will try to enhance it too to lead in the post-pandemic area”

Conclusion:

Through this survey, we can conclude that South Korea is now listed as one of the most advanced countries in the world. South Korean government has made huge changes in its reforms and policies which has made a great impact on revolutionizing the whole country.

Tech

Global CDN Market – Present Value and Future

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What is CDN?
A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of servers or workstations interlocked over the internet, that is located to users across the globe to lessen the distance content travels. CDNs offer a solution for proficiently and successfully handling the content of all types.

Solutions include core services such as combination, management, and distribution of content as well as the variation of value-added functionality. Many CDN organizations can run on commercial off-the-shelf hardware with virtual machines, thus decreasing costs and refining infrastructure elasticity.


Content Delivery Network (CDN) Market Forecast: (2020-2025)
CDN market value was $11.85 billion in 2019 and is expected to see an increase during the forecast era and will extend to $24.70 billion till 2025 rising at a CAGR of 13.4% between 2020 to 2025. Exponentially increasing internet penetration in all the business verticals along with the increasing deployment of this type of delivery network for traffic handling has been encouraging market growth across the world.


Solution:
The content delivery network market is divided into two parts i.e media delivery, web performance optimization by a solution. The media delivery division held the major share accounting for around 34% in 2019. CDN market value concerning media delivery solutions was $4.06 billion in 2019 and a rise is estimated throughout the forecast.
The market will reach $8.6 billion by 2025 rising at a CAGR of 13.66% from 2020 to 2025.


End-User Industry:
Media and entertainment are the leading end-user industry of the CDN market accounting for a 30% share of the market in 2019. Users can also view and access the high definition video content with web performance optimization and media delivery.
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and others are also one of the causes of increasing internet traffic. Around, 1500 million are registered users in social networking sites presently.


Geography:
America is capable of holding the major share of 38% of the global CDN market. It is predicted that it will reach $9.18 billion by 2025 rising at a CAGR of 13.2%. The market is examined to be driven by enterprises choosing for CDN solutions. America’s CDN market value was highly dependent on media and entertainment industry with online gaming composed to witness the highest growth of CAGR 18.95% during 2020-2025. The largest growing CDN market in APAC is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 18.46% from 2020 to 2025 projecting to $7.49 billion by 2025.


The market is composed to be driven by rising SMEs which decide on cloud CDNs and P2P CDNs due to its cost efficiency and flexibility. The penetration of huge scale e-commerce websites along with the consumers’ preferences for online shopping is also pushing for the service of CDNs by mobile companies which has enhanced the market growth in this region.


The Effect of Covid-19:
Due to the covid-19 condition, there is an upsurge in work from home opportunities, which can, directly and indirectly, lead to greater media consumption. Remote classes and training plans also add to improved IP traffic, which leads to more use of CDNs across nations.

Tech

Nokia Signs Deal with Google Cloud – Another Win for U.S Company

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History of Nokia:
Nokia is a Finnish multinational telecommunication company that was built in 1865. It had been ruling over the world since the 1990’s often called the King of Mobile phones. However, the Finnish company has been on a roller coaster ride for the past few years. Leading as the world’s biggest telecommunication company, Nokia saw a huge decline in the market after Apple started launching its iPhone.

In 2010 the market value of Nokia drastically decreased by about 90% and even the quality of the Nokia phones suffered the impact. With competition getting high, Nokia leaders didn’t acknowledge their gaps and kept a blind eye to the shift which the industry was making at that time.


Things went down a rough path and in 2013, Nokia was acquired by Microsoft as the company couldn’t hold its ground amongst its competitors. Since then Microsoft has worked hard on improving the operational features of smartphones launched by Nokia. Now Nokia phones aren’t in the mainstream yet they are still liked by their hardcore fans.


Nokia signs Five-year Deal with Google Cloud
Recently, news has been released that Nokia Oyj has signed a five-year agreement to move its IT configuration to Alphabet’s Inc, Google Cloud. This has been another notch in the U.S based Tech company’s belt.
The company’s Vice President, Ravi Parmasud said, “Nokia will move away from the less efficient data centers and servers it owns and rents across roughly a dozen countries, accumulated over various acquisitions”.
This is a quite big leap for the Nokia company. However, no more information has been released by the officials and financial terms aren’t disclosed yet.
Nokia has now set its target on building network appliances for Future-generation 5G wireless services. Global 5G became one of the hottest trends in a tech firm and the competition is getting quite high so Nokia is currently battling in the field of 5G against two beastly warriors, China’s Huawei Technologies Co and Sweden’s Ericsson AB.
The case about progress has been entirely different for Google’s Cloud sales as “it has been progressing rapidly in the telco area”, said President of Google Cloud Sale, Rob Enslin. The year, 2020 has been going quite profitable for the Google company in many aspects as Google has won a deal with Renault SA’s manufacturing data which made it the U.S tech company’s first Cloud deal in France. Another deal has been also signed with Vodafone Group Plc.

Future plans of Google
Now Google is planning to become one of the world’s largest providers of internet infrastructure while building the pipelines of the internet in an area that was previously dominated by Telecom operators. We can see that Google has clever plans to dominate this particular niche in the future.

Tech

Google Pixel 5 Review –A Simple and Minimalistic Approach

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Google Pixel used to be one of the most powerful and cleanest smartphones. But last year everything went down-hill as Google launched a range of lower-cost smartphones that were technically not that amazing but were mostly focused on software and other features.

The line-up of Pixel phones includes cheap Pixel 4a, a Pixel 4a with 5G, and now Pixel 5- a device that seems like a branch of Pixel 4a instead of a significant improvement from the previous smartphone.

Configuration:

There isn’t a variety of models of Pixel 5. It will cost around $700 plus tax for a 128GB model. It also doesn’t offer a wide range of colors. It only offers Just Black and Sorta Sage color options for Pixel 5.

Design and hardware:

Google’s Pixel 5 doesn’t have an innovative style instead it has the same look as the cheaper Pixel 4a- compact and an all-screen design. It has a sleek 6-inch display panel of 2340×1080 pixels. It isn’t technically as crisp as the Pixel’s 4 line-ups.

Also read: Best Affordable True Wireless Earbuds

It has a good brightness level indoor but can struggle a bit under bright light. It has wide viewing angles and a variety of vivid colors. It also has a refresh rate of a smooth 90Hz. It has 8 GB RAM with a 128 GB storage processor. The rest of the Pixel’s 5 design is pretty much straightforward. Google went with a metal body for Pixel 5 though it is extremely light, and the coating doesn’t give a metal-feel.However many things are quite weird as there is not any headphone jack in this model which can make you feel irritated at times. Also, the Pixel’s 5 audio situation isn’t very great.

Pixel 5 Camera:

The Pixel’s 5 camera is as good as the previous Pixel’s line-up. Its photos are sharp and have a good contrast level too. However saying this, the only problem is that Pixel 5 is still using the same image sensor for the main 12-mega pixel lens like it used in Pixel 3. No big leap in this case.
Video quality has been improved from the previous Pixel phones but it still isn’t great like iPhone 11 or Galaxy Note 20.


Battery life:

Pixel 5 has improved its battery life up to 4000-mAh which is quite a leap from its previous Pixel phones. The best thing about this phone is that it can go 24 hours or beyond without charging if used mildly.

Here’s the summary of Google Pixel 5.


Cons:

  • A bit expensive
  • Lack of luster
  • Average Audio quality

Pros:

  • A compact and well-built structure
  • Longer battery life.
  • Android 11 is very clean and powerful.

Conclusion:

Google didn’t make a remarkable impact on the minds of Pixel’s fans yet they have tried to draw a minimalistic yet nice approach in the market. It didn’t add any exciting features to the phone but kept it simple for the users so that they can enjoy a cheap phone with moderate technology. This phone is all about focusing on the major parts like camera, battery life, and quality.

Tech

Google’s “Search On” Event – Waiting For The Reveal Of A Mysterious Surprise

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Keeping aside the latest topic in the Tech world – Apple’s iPhone 12 launch, another hot news has been making rounds and rounds on social media, and that is released by Google itself- “Search On” event.
If you’re an active social media user then I’m certain that you would have heard of it. However, even if you have not then let me allow to brief you a bit about it. On Thursday, October 15th at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET, Google will be holding a live-stream event in which they will be announcing the latest ways through which Google is harnessing the power of AI to help people all around the world.


Due to the Covid-19 situation, Google has previously canceled its I/O launch even after making several announcements. Instead of this, the legendary organization is now focusing on improving its search-related features and has handed out several invitations for a live event named “Search On” which will be hosted both on YouTube and on the official Search On website.

Until now, the company has kept everything a surprise and has only teased the audience by releasing a statement from which we know that the main focus of the event will be on the power and use of AI and search.
They only shared an explanatory quote attached to the Google Calendar event stating “Join us to hear how Google is helping people explore information like never before”
This news has spread like blazing fire causing havoc through the internet as everyone is guessing what new features will be added. Curiosity has spiked amongst the whole Tech World as people are now waiting for the main event eagerly.

In the past years, such events were held by Google in which they introduced important Google Search-related features like “Google Duplex” – now turned into “Google Assistant”. All these were an instant success as they become popular among the general public due to interesting and unique features.

They also announced the news of “Discover Feed”, different upgrades for Google Images and “subtopics” on the celebration of Google Search’s 20th Anniversary.

Previously, they have also showcased the concept of Next-Generation Google Assistant, Assistant driving mode, and Assistant support in Waze. The organization also stated back then that the new updated version of Google Assistant will not much depend on the data centers of Google for computing purposes. Rather than this, it will launch a speech recognition feature for user’s smartphones for a faster and much reliable experience.

They have also revealed the next phase of Google Duplex for its web-based client. Everybody is chanting now what’s next? (Yes, we are excited too!)
So for now go and relax, set a reminder for the event and get ready for an ultimate surprise tomorrow! We will be reporting you all the information regarding the event in our next article. Stay tuned.

Tech

5 Things You Should Know About Chrome’s Updated Security Features

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Information technology is prospering day by day and so are the different types of frauds and scams. Keeping all this in mind, tech companies are always trying to update their security features so that they can battle against hackers and their malicious software. Google’s Chrome browser is one of the most popular browsers through out the whole world. Recently, Google has updated the security features of Chrome so that people who use it can be protected against different malware and scams.
In the latest Chrome update, Chrome 86, many interesting features are added which everyone should know about.
Here’s the list of 5 main things you should know about the latest Chrome’s update.

  1. Get Alert Notifications:

Everyone knows that you can save passwords in the Chrome browser but have you ever thought what if your saved password gets changed by a hacker? Well, in this new update they have provided an easy solution for it too. If your password or data gets compromised, in such cases a special encrypted username and password are sent to you that can be checked against online secured databases.
Users can also directly select the option of “change password” for the particular password that is thought to be security breached instead of looking through the list of all the saved passwords. Hence it will save us precious time.

  1. Auto-fill Passwords For iOS:

This feature was previously added for the android users in which they had the option to auto-fill saved passwords, however, in this new updated version, it also supports iOS with a fingerprint verification to keep everything highly secure. It is an amazing feature that will save a lot of time and makes things easier for users.

  1. Improved Safe Browsing:

One of the amazing features that this version of Chrome has launched is the concept of “Safe Browsing”. The user simply has to turn this feature on and then they can surf through the internet without any worries or fear. This feature will automatically check whether the webpage that the user is trying to open contains viruses or bugs etc. Wow right?

  1. Warns Against Downloading From Risky HTTPS Pages:

Through this update, Chrome will directly block downloading content from the websites that are risky or less-secure to prevent the user from getting phished. Right now they are only blocking such files that are downloaded from unsecured links but they have more plans for this problem which they will implement soon.

  1. Advanced Changes In-Display:

Other than these security features, Chrome has also done some changes in the display to make its icon more eye-appealing. Android users will also get an overflow menu and tabs that haven’t been used for five minutes or more will see their CPU time decreased to a max of 1%

This latest version has improved security features that will make it more user-friendly and will protect users from cyber-attacks and deadly viruses.

Tech

“Evolution of Artificial Intelligence in the Marketing industry”

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The underlying purpose of marketing has always remained the same. It is to indulge the customers in the products which they are selling or creating awareness of their brands among the general public. However, the strategy of marketing has changed rapidly in some years due to the arrival of artificial intelligence (AI). In the market, there are several AI tools that connect with the targeted audience boosting the sales of the brand.

 Birth of Artificial Intelligence:
In the late 2000s, AI was only found in the theoretical discussions and courses or they were thought to be only useful to large companies like Google Amazon, etc. However, in the year 2009, this stance was changed as machine learning gained the interest of the public. This sky-rocketed the growth of industries and created a great potential for these applications in the market. New algorithms were introduced.

 Adaptations in AI:
For AI to get successful, many adaptations and changes were required. Different experimental algorithms were tested and then the critical points were observed in each case. Many algorithms were rejected and few got successful after a strict trial. The key points in AI which were quite necessary were:
– Algorithms must be easy to use and understand.
– They should be target-oriented.
– A business should get improved rapidly with its use.

Different marketers applied different strategies and the outcome was common- the tech industries boosted at another level.

 AI in the Present days:
By 2017, various brands started to use AI strategies for their businesses and were quite successful. According to a Demandbase survey, by 2019, 84% of marketing and sales professionals were either using AI as part of their business or were in process of implementing their AI strategies. AI has started to become a necessity for our everyday lifestyle. These superior algorithms are proposing a quantum leap within the high quality of experiences they allow, however marketers should perceive the worth they yield.

 AI in the future:
In the future, artificial intelligence is likely to noticeably change both marketing strategies and customer behaviors. AI already has had some impact on marketing, it will exert significantly more effective in the future, and so there is still much to learn. Pursuing to the long run, we forestall an extra hybrid method, with better algorithms that take extra duty in decision making while additionally offering entrepreneurs with a better degree of management.

AI is expected to play a vital role in predicting not only what customers want to buy, but also what price to charge, and whether price promotions should be offered. Manufacturers must consequently, consider their AI-based mechanisms in line with their distinct wants and preferences, whether or not trusting the algorithms entirely, A/B testing each step of the way in which, or solely making use of machine studying if completely educated the way it works.

Irrespective of the case could be, we anticipate AI will proceed to play a significant position in how capitalists cultivate the client knowledge and produce positive outcomes.



Tech

Apple’s iPhone 12 – Everything you need to know about the unreleased beast

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Within the next few hours, a launching event will be held by Apple where it will showcase its iPhone 12 collection. People have been going frenzy with the expectations they hold regarding the latest iPhone.
We all are eagerly waiting for the official launch too, but before this, we have collected some information about iPhone 12 to share with all of you.
Just like the 2019 iPhone line-up, we are expecting


Apple to use the same name scheme and same variety of display sizes for their 2020 line-up too.
 iPhone 12 –6.1 inch
 iPhone 12 Pro – 6.1 inch
 iPhone 12 Pro Max – 6.7 inch
It is said, that Apple will also be launching its first mini iPhone of 5.4 inches in this collection- which will be the smallest iPhone released since 4.7 inch iPhone SE.
 Design and Display:

The upcoming 2020 iPhones will have a sleek design look with a combination of a metal frame- similar to the frame of the iPhone 4. Standard iPhone 12 models are believed to have a display like iPad-Pro.
Apple is also introducing a new “Ceramic shield” – a glass screen that will protect the phone from scratches. Some major display schemes have also been leaked.

A list of things that are expected in the iPhone 12 design:
 camera lenses can be slightly large
 Thicker antenna lines
 SIM tray will be relocated to the left side of the device

 Colors:

Rumors has been surfacing on the twitter that the new iPhone 12 Pro will come in a navy-blue color replacing the mid-night green color introduced for the iPhone 11 Pro. While some other colors including silver, gold, and graphite are expected too. The standard iPhone 12 models are expected to be available in different colours like black, white, red, blue, and green.

 RAM, Processor, and Storage:

iPhone 12 mini and the standard iPhone 12 is said to have a 4 GB RAM with storage options of 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB while iPhone 12 pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max is believed to have 6 GB RAM with storage options of 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB.


 Battery and 5G connection:
The iPhone’s models of 2020 could have a better battery capacity as Apple suppliers are consistently working on improving it. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro will have a capacity of 2,775 mAh. While the mini iPhone 12 will have 2,227 mAh and the iPhone 12 Pro Max will have a battery of 3,687 mAh.

Apple has solved the dispute between them and the Qualcomm. So for the latest iPhone models- Qualcomm’s modem chips are said to have been used instead of Intel chips.

Conclusion:
Based on all the rumors and leaks surrounding the iPhone 12, Apple’s 2020 line-up sounds pretty much exciting.

We all just need to wait a little bit longer than usual for the new iPhones to arrive as they are said to be launched in the market in the mid of November. There are so many mysteries that we still can’t figure about the iPhone 12 and will only get to know after its launch. So be sure to get ready for the latest arrival in the coming hours!

Tech

Rocket Lab Debuts Fully Autonomous Flight Termination System

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American aerospace manufacturer and small satellite launch service provider Rocket Lab said on 9 December that it had flown a fully Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) for the first time on an Electron launch vehicle, part of its reusable rocket program.

According to the company’s press release, the AFTS flown on the company’s most recent mission, ‘Running Out Of Fingers’, makes Rocket Lab one of only two US launch companies to have flown using an autonomous system.

AFTS is a GPS-aided, computer-controlled system designed to terminate an off-nominal flight, replacing traditional human-in-the-loop monitoring systems. It is crucial to increasing launch frequency and providing responsive launch capability, while maintaining high safety standards, Rocket Lab said.

In theory, it reduces the turnaround time between missions and provides greater schedule control by eliminating reliance on ground-assets and human flight termination operators.

‘Running Out Of Fingers’ hosted the first fully autonomous system on Electron, following four ‘shadow’ flights where the AFTS unit was flown on the vehicle for testing while traditional ground-based flight termination infrastructure remained in place. With the first fully autonomous mission now complete, Rocket Lab intends all future Electron missions to fly with the AFTS.

Flight termination systems are a vital part of launch operations. Traditionally, flight termination infrastructure is a ground-based system that involves a human making the decision to terminate a mission in the event of a launch vehicle straying from a pre-determined flight path.

By contrast, the AFTS is an independent, self-contained subsystem mounted on-board the Electron launch vehicle. It eliminates the need for a ground-based infrastructure by moving the flight termination function to the launch vehicle.

The system makes flight termination decisions autonomously by using redundant computers that track the launch vehicle using Global Positioning System and on-board sensors, combined with configurable software-based rules, that identify where the rocket can safely fly.

If a rocket goes off course the AFTS will issue a command to terminate the flight by shutting down the engines. The AFTS also delivers faster response times and improved monitoring as launch vehicle travels downrange, providing over-the-horizon tracking capabilities that are not limited by line-of-sight tracking such as that required by ground-based instrumentation at the launch site.

“The AFTS is yet another way Rocket Lab is innovating to increase the pace of launch and support responsive launch capability for small satellites,” Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck, said in a statement.

“As we move to an autonomous system, I’d like to thank . . . White Sands Missile Range and Alaska Aerospace Corporation, who have provided ground-based flight termination system support for Electron missions since our first launch in 2017,” he added. “Their support has ensured the safety of every Electron mission and they have contributed to our record of mission success for customers.”

“I’m immensely proud of the team here at Rocket Lab that has made AFTS on Electron a reality,” Naomi Altman, Rocket Lab’s Avionics Manager and Project Lead for the AFTS program, added.

“For AFTS to be part of Electron’s 10th launch was the cherry on top of a monumental year for the whole team,” she said. “Reaching this milestone is also testament to the ongoing support of government agencies and contractors who worked closely with us to bring the AFTS online.”

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AFRL completes initial Ultra LEAP flight tests

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The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Center for Rapid Innovation (AFRL) said on 15 December that it had successfully completed initial flight tests for a new Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) with a “customizable suite of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance tools that supports extended missions”.

This series of flight tests began in February at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, culminating with a two and a half-day continuous flight demonstration in early December. Subsequent flight tests are expected to demonstrate increased levels of flight endurance.

The Ultra Long Endurance Aircraft Platform – or Ultra LEAP – consists of a sport-class commercial airframe converted to a fully automated system and secure navigation that uses anti-jam GPS and has full global operational access via a satellite-based command and control, and a high-rate data relay link.

Developing Ultra LEAP from concept to first flight took less than 10 months, and the system could be ready for operational fielding as soon as 2020, the AFRL said. This level of automation is expected to greatly reduce operator training requirements and smaller support crews are expected to lead to lower operating costs.

According to the AFRL, Ulta LEAP uses subsystems and lessons learned from its prior LEAP program, a UAS that supports missions lasting up to 40 hours. To date, LEAP has “completed more than 18,000 combat flight hours, and demonstrated one of the lowest mishap rates and smallest mission crew size of any operational UAS in its class”.

“As the Air Force balances current readiness with long-term modernization, Ultra LEAP represents an affordable approach that supports both existing and future force needs,” Major General William Cooley, AFRL commander, said in a statement.

The “enhanced UAS capabilities, along with the cost savings, offers the military a winning solution,” he added.

“Developing a UAS with this level of endurance is an incredible achievement for future warfighting and battlefield success,” Paul Litke, the AFRL project engineer leading the effort, said. “This way, the U.S. military will save money without sacrificing reliability and maintainability.”

“Accomplished after only 10 months of development by our AFRL industry team, today’s 2 1/2-day Ultra LEAP mission is a significant milestone in solving the tyranny of distance problem for ISR systems,” added Dr. Alok Das, AFRL senior scientist and director of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI).

“It will provide immediate benefit to our warfighters while at the same time paving the path for future low-cost, multi-day endurance ISR systems,” he concluded.

Going forward, the Air Force expects parallel AFRL-CRI efforts to focus on UAS operations with short takeoff and landing distances to support deployments at non-traditional locations.

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Bigscreen and Paramount Pictures sign multi-year agreement to distribute movies in VR

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Image by David Mark from Pixabay

California-based Bigscreen Inc, a social virtual reality movie watching platform, and legendary Hollywood studio Paramount Pictures announced on 16 December a multi-year agreement to distribute classic 2D & 3D films in 10 countries worldwide.

In Bigscreen’s virtual world, users can customize personal avatars, hang out in a virtual lobby, and voice chat with other movie fans. Movies are streamed on screens inside virtual cinemas, providing a social movie watching experience.

Beginning December 16, four new movies will premiere in Bigscreen every week. Movies will run for one week with a new lineup of movies available the following week. Films are broadcast live on a pay-per-view basis with scheduled showtimes every half an hour.

December’s lineup included blockbusters like Interstellar and Star Trek. For a full list of upcoming screenings and showtimes, visit: bigscreenvr.com/cinema/comingsoon.

“Bigscreen’s virtual reality platform offers a new way for fans to experience films in their homes,” Bob Buchi, President of Worldwide Home Entertainment at Paramount Pictures, said in a statement.  “We’re excited to be a part of this experiment using cutting-edge technology to give fans a new entertainment option.”

“We are excited to enable fans around the world to chat and watch films together in our virtual movie theater,” Darshan Shankar, CEO and founder of Bigscreen, added.

Bigscreen’s virtual screenings will be available in 10 countries: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, and Japan.

In addition to 2D screenings, Bigscreen will also broadcast select movies in 3D. Bigscreen says that its rendering technology “uses VR to create a perfect 3D picture in each eye, producing a level of depth and detail that is not possible with traditional 3D glasses”.

Bigscreen can be downloaded for free from bigscreenvr.com and runs on the Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift, Oculus Go, HTC Vive, Valve Index, all SteamVR headsets, and all Microsoft Windows Mixed Reality headsets.

Tickets can be purchased through Bigscreen’s website: bigscreenvr.com/cinema

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SatRevolution, Virgin Orbit and Polish universities establish Mars consortium

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Image by Aynur Zakirov from Pixabay

Poland-based satellite company SatRevolution has partnered with scientists and engineers from nearly a dozen Polish universities and Sir Richard Branson’s small satellite launch company, Virgin Orbit, to establish a new consortium to “design and carry out the world’s first dedicated commercial small satellite mission to Mars”.

The parties established the consortium – which will look to jointly develop the first in a series of up to three Mars missions, with the initial launch expected as early as three years from now – at a formal signing ceremony during the Impact Mobility’19 rEVolution conference in Katowice, Poland.

According to a statement issued by Virgin Orbit, the consortium’s preliminary work indicates that “spacecraft as small as 50 kg or less can be used for a broad range of opportunities for scientific study”, such as image collection, analysis of the Martian atmosphere and looking for underground water.

The consortium members include the AGH University of Science and Technology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Poznań University of Technology, Gdańsk University of Technology Lódz University of Technology, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, and Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences have each signed on to take part in the collaborative program.

“Leadership from these universities see the consortium and the missions it will conduct as an unprecedented opportunity for growth and development across many technical disciplines, in addition to creating opportunities for commercialization”, Virgin Orbit said.

The mission is expected to fly on Virgin Orbit’s LauncherOne rocket, a “responsive air-launch platform” allegedly capable of operating from spaceports around the world. LauncherOne rockets are made in the USA – in Long Beach, California – and are deployed from a dedicated 747-400 carrier aircraft.

Virgin Orbit’s first orbital rocket is currently undergoing final checkouts and preparation for a test flight expected this year, the company said.

SatRevolution, headquartered in Wroclaw and specializing in complete satellite solutions, will be primarily responsible for the design and manufacturing of the small satellite, providing its basic subsystems. In April 2019, SatRevolution sent its Światowid spacecraft into Earth orbit, Poland’s first commercial nanosatellite.

“To me, it is only fitting that the nation of Copernicus should play an important part of the humanity’s understanding of our solar system,” Poland’s Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology, Jadwiga Emilewicz, commented.

“To that end, in 2014, we established the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), which was given the specific task of supporting the growing Polish space industry by combining the world of business and science. But the future looks even brighter”, he added.

“Polish scientists and engineers are ready to develop the first ever interplanetary scientific CubeSat mission,” Grzegorz Zwoliński, SatRevolution president, said, expressing a desire for Poland to become the “go-to country” for small interplanetary spacecraft.

“This mission will galvanize the Polish space sector and mark its position on the international arena,” he added. “The project will accelerate the development of small satellites and of lightweight space science instrument technology.”

“Virgin Orbit is thrilled to join this consortium, as it speaks directly to our mantra of ‘opening space for everyone’,” Virgin Orbit’s Vice President of Business Development Stephen Eisele, said. “Given Poland’s strong foundation in engineering and sciences, government and academia in the country would benefit greatly from the increased access to space afforded by flexible, dedicated launch platforms like LauncherOne.”

“We have already seen the incredible utility of small satellites here in Earth Orbit, and we’re thrilled to start providing dedicated launches to deep space,” he concluded. “We’re proud to enable a new wave of Polish creativity and innovation in space.”