Heena Sharma Blog

In his televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the extension of the PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana until the end of November. The scheme will cover around 800 million people. Explaining the steps taken by his government in dealing with the impact of Covid-19 in India, the PM said that we are at a stage, especially after lockdown, where we needed to take more precautions to stay safe from the coronavirus. "We are entering a time when we all become prone to common illnesses. So, I urge everyone to take good care of themselves," he said. "So far as coronavirus is concerned, India is better placed than the rest of the world, said the PM. The timely implementation of the lockdown in India saved many lives," he added. Read More

A leaked Microsoft document has revealed that the company's second next-gen Xbox will be fully revealed in August. Microsoft had originally planned to unveil the console, codenamed "Lockhart", in June, but now the tech giant has moved these plans to August, reports Eurogamer. Project Lockhart, or Xbox Series S, is expected to be a cheaper and less powerful version of the Xbox Series X, unlike Sony's PS5 Digital Edition, which will be a standard PS5 but without an optical drive. While Microsoft has not acknowledged Lockhart, the codename can also be found in the company's Xbox One operating system, alongside references to Anaconda and Dante. The Xbox Lockhart will come with 7.5 GB of usable RAM and 4 teraflops of GPU performance. It will reportedly support 1080p or 1440p gaming. Read More

Security outside Mumbai's two Taj hotels - Colaba and Bandra - and the nearby areas has been tightened after a bomb threat call from Karachi said the Mumbai Police on Tuesday. "Security tightened outside Taj Hotels and nearby areas after a threat call was received yesterday from Karachi, Pakistan to blow up the hotels with bombs," said the Mumbai Police. The police further added that the call from Karachi came in the late hours on Monday. Taj Hotel was one of the venues which was targeted during the 26/11 attacks in 2008. Mumbai had come to a standstill on November 26, 2008, when 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists who entered the city via sea route from Pakistan carried out a series of coordinated shootings and bombings that injured over 300 and claimed the lives of 166 people in India's financial capital. Read More

Vivo is known for its camera-centric smartphones. Over the years, the Chinese smartphone maker has made strides in other smartphone categories but imaging remains one of its key core strengths in its smartphones. Continuing the legacy is the Vivo V19 , which the company recently launched in India to expand its V-series line-up. On paper, the Vivo V19 seems to be a premium camera-centric smartphone with something in store for everyone. But is it? Let’s find out: Vivo V19 price in India The Vivo V19 comes in 128GB and 256GB internal storage variants, both with 8 GB of RAM, priced at Rs 27,999 and Rs 31,990, respectively. Vivo V19 specifications round-up The Vivo V19 has a 6.44-inch super AMOLED display with a punch hole for selfie camera. It boasts a 3D glass curved back with a gradient design that looks premium. The phone comes in two colours -- Mystic Silver and Piano Black (Business Standard reviewed the Mystic Silver unit). Overall, the phone is lightweight and has goo...

India has banned 59 apps of China origin, including some popular names such as TikTok, CamScanner, Shareit, Mobile Legends, UC Browser, Mi Community, Mi Video Call and Weibo. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Monday invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act to put a ban on these apps and termed their usage ‘prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order’. Currently, some of the apps listed under the ban are available on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store for download. Moreover, these apps are still functional and do not seem to have been taken down from any other app distribution platforms. It is about time and the apps would be taken down from distribution platforms to curtail new downloads. However, there are ways to side load the applications on smartphones, at least on Google Android platform. Read More

MediaTek on Tuesday expanded its G-series mobile processors with the launch of Helio G35 and Helio G25 system-on-chips. The SoCs feature MediaTek HyperEngine game technology for enhanced gaming performance without compromising on the power efficiency. Besides gaming-centric enhancements, the chipsets are touted to bring improvements with regard to imaging capabilities. Targeting the global smartphone user base, the new chips are designed for feature-rich smartphones in budget and midrange segment. “The MediaTek Helio G25 and G35 chips offer smartphone users premium features included in our other G-series family, including enhanced power efficiency, optimum performance, seamless gameplay, and enhanced photography,” said Dr Yenchi Lee, Deputy General Manager, Wireless Communications Business Unit, MediaTek. Read More

The Maharashtra government on Monday said that the lockdown in the state is being extended till July 31. The announcement comes amid a rapid growth in the number of cases in the state. The current lockdown was to end on June 30. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had on Sunday ruled out lifting the lockdow n from July 1. The government issued guidelines for what it called ' Mission Begin Again ’. The order said that movement for non-essential activities will be restricted within neighbourhoods in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). It further reads, “It is further directed that the movement of persons for the purposes of non-essential activities like shopping and the outdoor exercises, shall be restricted within the neighbourhood area limits with all necessary prescribed mandatory precautions of wearing masks, social distancing and personal hygiene.” Read More

American fashion accessories maker Fossil on Monday launched the ‘ Solar Watch ’ at Rs 9,995 for the base model. Globally available as a limited edition in 1,754 pieces for each size – 36mm and 42mm, the Fossil Solar Watch comes encased in a partially bio-based plastic case made from environmentally-friendly castor oil. It will be available on Fossil online portal and at select Fossil retail stores. The Fossil Solar Watch’s outer ring acts as a solar panel, capturing light and converting it to energy using a solar cell beneath the dial. It then stores the energy in a rechargeable battery that powers the movement of the watch. Once fully charged, the Solar Watch is expected to run for around 4 months before you will need to charge it again. Read More

Researchers have developed an Internet of things (IoT) device for soap dispensers which they say can ensure that people wash their hands properly for over 20 seconds as per the World Health Organization guidelines for COVID-19 . The device called '20Sec4Life' will glow, beep and play a musical tone for more than 20 seconds to help people disinfect their hands properly, according to the researchers from Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab. The splash-proof device can be mounted on any liquid soap dispenser and operates using a battery, they said. According to WHO, promoting good hand hygiene is one of the most basic yet powerful tools that countries must leverage to reduce the spread of COVID-9. Read More

People are feared killed in an ongoing gunbattle after the Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi came under attack from terrorists, Geo News reported. Four militants stormed the exchange and opened indiscriminate fire. Initial reports said that four attackers came out of their vehicle and threw grenades after which they reportedly entered the building, Dawn reported. Police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed Abbasi said that five bodies and seven injured, including policemen, have been brought at the Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi. According to the report, all four terrorists have been killed and weapons, hand grenades have been recovered from the attackers. A clearance operation is underway in the exchange. Read More

The total number of coronavirus cases across the world has crossed the 10-million mark and the death toll has gone past 500,000. There currently are over 100 vaccines at various stages of development worldwide, including in India, Britain, China, the US, Russia and Israel. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the chief scientist at WHO, said nearly 2 billion doses of the Covid-19 vaccine would be ready by the end of next year. But who would be the first to get a Covid-19 vaccine? Probably people in the country where the first effective vaccine is developed. Thus, there's pressure from governments on pharmaceutical companies and scientists to come up with a vaccine as soon as possible. Last week, WHO said UK-based AstraZeneca was leading the vaccine race while US-based pharmaceutical major Moderna was not far behind. Read More

The Galaxy Buds Plus is a pair of true wireless stereo earphones from South Korean electronics maker Samsung. A successor to the Galaxy Buds, the Plus edition gets new touchpad functions, better audio drivers, additional microphone and enhanced on-battery time. How do these improvements add up when it comes to overall experience? And where do they put the Galaxy Buds Plus in 2020? Let’s find out: Samsung Galaxy Buds+ design “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” seems to be the mantra behind building the Galaxy Buds+. These earphones are quite like predecessor Galaxy Buds. A closer inspection, however, shows that the buds get another tiny opening for a secondary microphone on the outside frame for better voice reception during calls. The earbuds come with three pairs of silicone-made ear tips of different sizes. These ear tips provide snug fit and the earbuds latch well into the ears. The earbuds’ fat build might draw attention, but the lightweight design and comfortable ear ti...

The upcoming mid-range OnePlus TV in India will be so burdenless that even the display of OnePlus 8 smartphone will look bulkier when it comes to the screen-to-body ratio, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said on Friday. In terms of screen-to-body ratio, the new mid-range segment OnePlus TV is up to 95 per cent, one of the highest if not the highest at this price point, Lau said in a statement. "By optimizing the internal design, we got rid of the conventional four-sided frame and covered the entire front with a sheet of matte black glass. When the screen is dark, it fades into the background of your room, and never calls attention to itself," he informed. The design is different from the rounded corners used in most TVs. This one has four, nearly 90 degree corners to match the screen. Read More

Apple has added a few smart features to the latest version - iOS 14 - intended for use by people with vision and hearing impairments. According to TechCrunch, though the new features are intended to help specially-abled people, some of them could be helpful to everyone. A striking feature is that of sound recognition which notifies the user whenever the iPhone detects any of the long lists of common noises that the user wants to be aware of. The notifications of the new feature can also go to the Apple Watch of the user connected to the phone. Read More

India reported nearly 17,300 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 490,401, an increase of 3.7% according to the Health Ministry. Around 15,300 people have died in the country from Covid-19 so far, with 407 fatalities in a day. India is the fourth-most-affected country by total cases, and eighth by death toll. With 13,940 new recoveries being reported, India’s recovery rate has improved to 58.2%; however the death rate remains unchanged at 3.1%. The total number of confirmed virus patients have risen to 1,47,741 after 4,841 more patients tested positive in the last 24 hours. Maharashtra now accounts for 30.12% of all cases in India. And Of the 407 new deaths reported till Friday morning, 192 were in Maharashtra. Delhi recorded 3,390 fresh coronavirus cases today, taking the Covid-19 tally in the city to 73,780. Several experts have reasoned that the aggressive Covid testing is behind the spiralling of cases in Delhi. Read More

India was among several countries in the world where greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission from fossil fuels combustion reduced due to lockdowns imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said after observing satellite data. America’s NASA , the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) collaborated for the first time to document planet-wide changes in the environment and societies during the lockdowns. The agencies collated data from their Earth-observing satellites tracking changes in air and water quality, climate change, economic activity, and agriculture. Read More

The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition, a thin and light notebook series from Chinese internet company Xiaomi, recently made its global debut from India. It comes with 10th-generation Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i7 processor variants. The two variants are quite similar — other than the processor, of course — so, they have a price difference of only Rs 5,000. Which one makes a better value proposition, and why? Before we answer this pertinent question, let’s look at what the Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition has in store for laptop users: Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition Design The Mi Notebook 14 Horizon Edition has an intriguing design, which you otherwise get only in premium notebooks like Apple MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 13. Made of aluminium and magnesium alloy, the notebook looks premium and has a compact form factor that is both thin (17.15mm) and lightweight (1.35 kg). The design is accentuated by a 14-inch screen, which leaves minimal bezels on the top and sides, and the pr...

CBSE result 2020 : The Central Board of Secondary Education on Friday informed the Supreme Court that CBSE 12th and CBSE 10th result would be announced by July 15, 2020. This comes a day after the board decided to cancel the Class X and XII examinations scheduled from July 1-15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and they would be conducted later. The apex court approved the assessment scheme submitted by CBSE in the court about remaining board exams. Class 10 and class 12 exams will not be held for remaining papers and the board may allow students to appear for the exam at a later date when the situation is conducive. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that it was a pro-students measure. The petitioner's lawyer sought a clarification on the timeline of by when students can opt for the remaining papers. Read More

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Thursday launched a channel selector application which will facilitate consumers to view their TV subscription and choose the channels of their interest while removing the unwanted ones. In a statement, TRAI said that after issuing the new tariff order for broadcasting services it was noticed that consumers were facing difficulty to opt for TV channels or bouquets of their choice on the web portal or applications of their respective Distributed Platform Operators (DPO). Therefore, the authority decided to develop an app which will fetch data from DPOs. The channel selector app is presently functional with major DTH operators and Multi System Operators (MSO/cable operators). However, efforts are being made to integrate other service providers also on the platform, TRAI said. Read More

Assam 12th result 2020: The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) has declared AHSEC 12th result 2020 . AHSEC has announced Assam HS Result 2020 for all streams (Commerce, Vocational, Arts, and Science) on the official websites, ahsec.nic.in and resultsassam.nic.in. For the year 2020, more than 200,000 students from Arts, Science, Commerce and Vocational Studies had taken the exam. Students can also check their Assam 12th result marks on alternative websites: examresults.net and indiaresults.com. This year, AHSEC 12th result date has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year, the Assam HS results were released on May 25. Assam HS result 2020: How to check at AHSEC 12th result Step 1: Visit official website of Assam Higher Secondary Education Council: ahsec.nic Step 2: Search for the tab ‘Assam HS Result 2020’ and click on it Step 3: On the new window, enter the required details like roll number and date of birth Step 4: Submit your details. Rea...

The Centre and the CBSE Thursday informed the Supreme Court that they have decided to cancel the Class X and XII examinations scheduled from July 1-15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and they would be conducted later. A bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar was apprised by the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that a scheme has been formulated to assess the performance of class XII students on the basis of their performance in last examinations. The top court was also informed that the students will have the liberty to opt either for the examinations, to be conducted later, or go with the assessment process based on past performance. Read More

Momentum True Wireless 2 is second-generation true wireless stereo earphones from Sennheiser that adds active noise cancellation on top of other capable features of the predecessor. Though they look similar to the first-generation earphones, they boast slightly smaller footprint, improved on-battery time, and unmatched sound quality in its segment. But do these things justify the earphones premium price tag of Rs 24,990? Let’s find out: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2: Design Similar to predecessor, the Momentum True Wireless 2 has a simple yet exciting design. Though minimal, they look premium and ooze luxury. The charging case is not be the most compact one that we have seen but it has lightweight build with premium fabric coating that compensate for the otherwise thick and bulky form factor. Speaking of earbuds, they are big but lightweight (6g each).   Read More

The Delhi High Court asked the Centre and the AAP government on Thursday to reply to a PIL seeking directions to them to issue guidelines for COVID-19 testing of mentally ill homeless persons in the national capital. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan issued notice to them seeking their stand on the plea by a lawyer alleging a "casual approach" on the part of the Delhi government, particularly its Chief Secretary, while dealing with issues of health of homeless persons with mental illness. The court listed the matter for further hearing on July 9. Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal claimed in his petition that the Delhi government has not taken seriously the lack of guidelines with respect to COVID-19 testing of mentally ill homeless persons. Read More

SSC CGL result 2019: Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is expected to announce the Tier I result for SSC CGL 2019 today, according to media reports. SSC CGL Tier I result will be released on the Commission's official website - ssc.nic.in. Candidates who qualify the SSC CGL 2019 exam will be eligible to appear for the second level of the exam or the SSC CGL tier 2 exam which will be held from October 14 to October 17. Over 2.5 million candidates have appeared for the SSC CGL 2019 tier 1 exam. The tier I exam was held between March 3 and March 9, 2020. SSC CGL Result 2020: How to check Step 1: Visit the official website of SSC at ssc.nic.in. Step 2: Click on SSC CGL Final Result 2020 link available on the home page. Step 3: A new page will open where candidates will have enter the login credentials. Step 4: Your SSC CGL result will be displayed on the screen. Step 5: Check the result and download the page. Read More

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will purchase 100,000 antigen testing kits to ensure speedy results for suspected Covid-19 patients , an official said on Wednesday. According to a release issued on Tuesday, the civic body has initiated Mission Universal Testing, under which it will use ICMR-approved antigen testing kits that provide results within 15 to 30 minutes. These kits will be used at all civic, state-run hospitals and Covid-19 treatment facilities to test suspected patients and ensure timely treatment, the release stated. At present, RT-PCR tests are being used to detect infections, but the results of antigen tests will be comparatively faster, the civic body said. Read More