Heena Sharma Blog

  The latest YouTube for Android TV update has reportedly started rolling out limited support for 8K streaming . According to a report in Android Police, YouTube TV for Android v. 2.12.08 version includes support for 8K streaming to TVs running Android 10 and above. The changelog states that the update brings 8K streaming support to a limited number of devices, but it doesn't specify exactly which models are supported right now. Apart from the limited 8K streaming support, the latest YouTube for Android TV update brings another noteworthy change - Cast Connect support. Cast Connect will let users control caste media on their Android TV with the TV's remote control instead of controlling it with the device that's casting the media. Interestingly, YouTube's changelog had initially featured support for AV1 HDR playback, but was later omitted to include the Cast Connect support. Read More

  Smart wearables and GPS tracker maker Garmin on Friday launched an all-new Forerunner 745, an advanced GPS smartwatch built for runners and triathletes looking for detailed training data, on-device workouts smartwatch features and more. The smartwatch is priced at Rs 52,990 and is available in four colours: whitestone, magma red, neo tropic and black. "The all-new Forerunner 745 is developed by Garmin's R&D team understanding the actual need of all the athletes which keeps them away from all the distractions and supports with the detailed performance metrics," Ali Rizvi, Director, Garmin India said in a statement. The smartwatch lets users sync indoor and outdoor workouts automatically from Garmin Connect or other training apps, including TrainingPeaks and TrainerRoad, right to the watch. Read More

  South Korea's LG Chem Ltd plans to more than double production capacity of battery cells it makes in China for Tesla Inc electric vehicles (EV) next year, sources said, to keep up with its U.S. client's growth in the biggest car market. The firm, a supplier for Tesla's Shanghai-built Model 3, will also ship its increased output from China as well as Korea to Tesla's factories in Germany and the United States, said two people with knowledge of the matter, signalling an increased role in the supply chain of the world's leading EV manufacturer. The plan comes as Tesla, LG Chem's primary customer, scrambles to secure cells as part of an aggressive global production expansion plan, as it targets soaring demand fanned by governments promoting EVs to curb air pollution. LG Chem has already added production lines in South Korea this year mainly to meet demand from Tesla's U.S. plant, the people said. Moreover, the automaker has asked Japan's Panasonic ...

  Microsoft will not love this news but developers have emulated old Sony PlayStation games onto the new Microsoft Xbox Series X and S gaming consoles . Using a technology called RetroArch emulator, developers worked on the "Developer Mode" in Xbox Series X/S gaming consoles which can help add the emulation software as a Universal Windows Application (UWA). It allows users to download a retail version of the emulation software directly to their gaming console, reports The Verge. Microsoft doesn't officially support this kind of emulation and PCSX2 support is still in progress. To add RetroArch to Xbox using Developer Mod, one needs to pay a $19 registration fee to be part of Microsoft's Developer programme. They can then download the "Dev mode activation" app from the Xbox store. Read More

  Jabra on Monday introduced the adjustable active noise cancelling (ANC) feature to its true wireless stereo earbuds portfolio with the launch of the Elite 85T series . The Jabra Elite 85T comes with dual chipset in the earbuds for ANC and sound processing. It is touted to be Jabra’s most advanced and powerful ANC technology. "With the Elite 85T, there will be no compromise in the discreet design or comfort, no compromise in the calls or music experience and no compromise in the effectiveness of the ANC," the company said in a statement. The Jabra Elite 85T features a 12mm audio driver inside a semi-open design and offers 5.5 hours of listening with ANC on, extendable up to 25 hours with the charging case with ANC on and 31 hours with ANC off. The Jabra Elite 85T has IPX4 rating and comes with a 2-year warranty for dust and water damage. The earbuds also support wireless charging. Read More

  Tesla Inc has obtained permission to start selling its Shanghai-made Model Y sports utility vehicle in China. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology published the approval on its website on Monday. Tesla, now sells its Model 3 electric cars in China and has been building new car manufacturing capacity in Shanghai to make its Model Y SUVs. It applied for the Shanghai-made Model Y SUV sales permission earlier this month. It started delivering vehicles made in its Shanghai factory last December and sold more than 13,000 vehicles in China in October. The company has started exporting China-made Model 3 cars to Europe and said last week it plans to also start making electric vehicle chargers in China in 2021. Read More

  Lunar Eclipse 2020 : A lunar eclipse will take place today. This year, a total of four penumbral lunar eclipses were expected to take place, out of which the first lunar eclipse took place on January 10, the second on June 5 and the third on July 5. The fourth one will occur today. "A penumbral lunar eclipse takes place when the sun, earth, and moon align in almost a straight line. The earth blocks some of the sun's light from directly reaching the moon's surface, and partially covers the moon with the outer part of its shadow, also known as the penumbra," Rajendraprakash Gupt, superintendent of Jiwaji Observatory in Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh said. At what time will the lunar eclipse take place The 'penumbral lunar eclipse' will begin at 12:59:09 pm and continue till 05:25:09 pm today. Lunar Eclipse 2020: Which countries will witness it? The lunar eclipse will be seen in most of Europe, most of Asia, Australia, North America, South America, Pacific, ...

  Samsung is reportedly working on new devices with a triple-folding screen and a rollable display. The South Korean tech giant has currently only revealed the designs as concepts on its display blog, reports GSMArena. The first drawing shows a tri-folding display Galaxy Fold. This new device would eliminate the Fold's need for an external display, as it could fold down to a third of its unfolded footprint. The other device that the company hinted at was a rollable display gadget. This product essentially has a long cylindrical body, which houses the flexible rolled up display. A recent patent for the tri-folding device was re-imagined by LetsGoDigital in the form of a few mock-up renders. This tri-folding device would feature a slide-out keyboard and could be used in different positions. Read More

  Lenovo-owned smartphone brand Motorola on Monday launched in India the Moto G 5G . Touted to be made in India, the smartphone is among the first to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G system-on-chip. Priced at Rs 20,999 for its sole 6GB RAM and 128GB model, the phone will be available exclusively on Flipkart from December 7. As a part of its launch offer, the phone gets Rs 1,000 instant discount on HDFC Bank cards. In terms of specifications, the Moto G 5G sports a 6.7-inch screen of 20:9 aspect ratio with HDR10 support. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G SoC, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB on-board storage. The phone boots near-stock Android with no bloatware and ads. It is IP52 rated for protection from minor water spillages and dust. The phone is powered by a 5000 mAh battery, supported by TurboPower 20W fast-charging. Read More

  LG Electronics has started trials for its indoor robot called Cloi Servebot that can carry up to 15 kgs of items in its three drawers and deliver them efficiently and hygienically to its destination without remote control. The company said on Monday that LG Cloi Servebot will deliver products from convenience stores run by local store chain GS25 to the customers within LG Science Park, the company's headquarters in Seoul. The company earlier deployed the robot assistant at Seoul National University Hospital where it has been tasked with picking up and delivering equipment, blood samples, prescription drugs and other items, freeing up busy staff to concentrate on patients. The robots can get onto elevators on their own to move between nine floors above ground and a basement level to deliver lunch boxes, sandwiches, and drinks, LG said. Read More

  Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi on Friday launched its first smartwatch in China for about $45. The watch will go on sale in China on December 1, but it may come to other markets - including the US, reports The Verge. It comes in varied dial colour options like elegant black, ink blue, and ivory white. Strap colour variants include elegant black, ink blue, ivory white, cherry blossom powder, and pine needle green.   The smartwatch features a 1.4-inch (320x320 pixels) square display with 323ppi pixel density and 2.5D tempered glass screen. The watch has 120 watch face options, and it comes with a 230 mAh battery. Redmi says the watch will take two hours to get charged completely with seven days of battery life in regular usage and 12 days in battery life mode. Read More

  Aiming to sell 30 lakh Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) in the festive Q4 quarter, Realme on Friday said that 2021 will see the company further cement its position as the leading tech-lifestyle brand beyond just smartphones. The company has already sold over 20 lakh AIoT products in the ongoing October-December quarter, among which more than 190,000 are Smart TVs. "We aim to launch more than 100 new AIoT and lifestyle products in 2021 with a comprehensive AIoT range like trimmer, smart bulb, etc so that customers can get all that they need for a smart, connected lifestyle," Madhav Sheth, Vice President, Realme and CEO, Realme India & Europe, told IANS. "Our fans will see a versatile, and really exciting AIoT product portfolio in the upcoming months. We are still working on the 2021 AIOT strategy, roadmap and general target. The ambition is big and we will announce more on it soon," Sheth elaborated. Read More

  Samsung on Wednesday launched a new line-up of curved Odyssey G9 and G7 gaming monitors in India at a starting price of Rs 49,000. The new range of gaming monitors comprises two models: the G9 -- with 49-inch display -- and the G7, available in 32-inch and 27-inch size variants. "Gaming enthusiasts can now experience the next level of heart-pounding immersive gaming with industry-first features such as 1000R Curvature, 1ms response time, 240Hz refresh rate, HRD10+ support among others," Puneet Sethi, Vice President, Consumer Electronics Enterprise Business, Samsung India, said in a statement. The new monitors will be available for pre-booking in India from November 25 till December 31. According to the company, Odyssey monitors are the world's first Dual Quad High-Definition (DQHD) monitors with crystal clear QLED picture quality for incredibly detailed, pin-sharp images for an immersive gaming experience. Read More

  A MiG-29K fighter trainer jet of the Indian Navy met with an accident at sea on Thursday evening after which one of the two pilots has been missing while the other one has been recovered. Search is in progress to locate the pilot, who went missing after the accident, the Indian Navy said, while adding that an inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident. "A MiG-29K trainer aircraft operating at sea met with an accident at about 1700 hrs on 26 November. One pilot has been recovered and search by air and surface units in progress for the second pilot. An inquiry has been ordered to investigate the incident," the Indian Navy said. The Indian Navy has a fleet of over 40 MiG-29K fighter aircraft based out of Goa and also operated from the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier. Read More

  Delhi Police resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse protesting farmers as they reached Singhu border (Haryana-Delhi border) on Friday. Accorrding to sources, the Delhi Police has also asked for nine stadiums from the Aam Aadmi Party government to detain the farmers in case they manage to enter the national capital. Police has tried to negotiate with a delegation of farmers. They have made it clear that the farmers won't be allowed to cross the border and enter Delhi. The protesters though appear adamant. There are 32 unions of farmers among others who are taking various routes, Singhu, Tikri and all peripheral towns of the capital are witnessing massive protests. "We are not here to fight or cause any trouble. We just want to put forward our point peacefully, the police though seems in a confrontation mood," said a protesting farmer. Read More

  Russia's sovereign wealth fund and Indian pharmaceutical company Hetero have agreed to produce over 100 million doses per year in India of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 , according to a statement on the Sputnik V Twitter account on Friday. Hetero and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which has been backing the vaccine and marketing it globally, plan to start production of Sputnik V in India at the beginning of 2021, the statement said. Phase II-III trials are ongoing in India, the statement said. Drugmaker Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd has said it expects late-stage trials to be completed by as early as March 2021. Read More

  AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford face mounting questions about their Covid-19 vaccine trial results after acknowledging a manufacturing error. While an announcement earlier this week by Astra and Oxford showed their shot was 70 per cent effective on average in a late-stage study, the scant details released by the UK partners have sparked worries, with some expressing doubts about whether US regulators would clear it. Astra and Oxford had said their vaccine was 90 per cent effective when a half-dose was given before a full-dose booster. Two full doses showed an efficacy of 62 per cent. But the head of the US vaccine program known as Operation Warp Speed said the next day that the dose showing the higher level of effectiveness was tested in a younger population. Read More

  Realme on Thursday announced Black Friday sale offers on its smartphones and AIoT products. Starting from November 27 at 12 noon, the sale will continue for 24 hours on Realme online portal, Flipkart and Amazon. In the sale, the Chinese electronics maker is offering discounts on products, besides bank offers and no interest equated monthly instalment option on purchases. Here are the Realme Black Friday sale details: Smartphones In the Black Friday sale, Realme is offering discounts worth Rs 1000 on the Realme C3, Realme 6, Realme 6i and Narzo 20. The company’s midrange smartphones the Realme X3 and Realme X3 SuperZoom get Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 discount, respectively. The Realme X50 Pro gets a discount of Rs 7,000 in the sale. These discounts are available on Realme online portal. Audio In the audio products, Realme is offering its Buds Air Neo earphone at a discounted price of Rs 1,999, the Realme Buds Wireless Pro at Rs 3,199 and the Realme Buds Air Pro at Rs 4,299....

  Many factories, offices and commercial establishments remained closed in and around Chennai on Thursday as the very severe cyclonic storm Nivar , crossed the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts. Meanwhile, Chennai received 1497.60 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours 9(till 6 am). Some of the factories including Hyundai, Ashok Leyland and a few other manufacturing units in and around Chennai were also closed. Tamil Nadu government had announced a public holiday in 16 districts, including Chennai, due to the cyclone. NV Balachandar, president, HR, Ashok Leyland said that the company's Chennai plant was closed due to the cyclone as a precautionary measure. "We expect to resume the operations from November 27, 2020. Additionally, according to emergency protocols, all preventive measures for the cyclone are in place. Manpower has been deployed for emergency responses round the clock with necessary equipment like cranes, excavators, tree cutters etc. And, at the moment, we do...

  Amazon.com Inc's widely used cloud service, Amazon Web Services (AWS), is experiencing a large-scale outage, the company said on Wednesday, affecting users ranging from websites to software providers. It has also affected the ability to post updates to its service health dashboard, the company said. "Kinesis has been experiencing increased error rates this morning in our US-East-1 Region that's impacted some other AWS services. We are working toward resolution," an AWS spokesperson said in a statement. Amazon Kinesis, a part of its cloud offerings, collects, processes and analyzes real-time data and offers insights. Video-streaming device maker Roku Inc, Adobe's Spark platform, video-hosting website Flickr and the Baltimore Sun newspaper were among those hit by the outage, according to their recent posts on Twitter. Read More

  Chinese electronics maker Xiaomi has announced its Black Friday sale in India. The sale starts from November 26 and will continue till November 29 on Xiaomi web portal, Amazon, Flipkart and offline stores. In the sale, the company is offering discounts on wide range of Mi and Redmi branded products, including smartphones, audio products, health and fitness products, and lifestyle products. Here are the details: Smartphones Xiaomi is offering discounts on its budget and midrange line-up of Redmi branded smartphones. The Redmi 8A and Redmi Note 8 (4GB + 64GB) are available at a discounted price of Rs 6,999 and Rs 11,499, respectively. The Redmi 9i, Redmi 9 Prime and Redmi Note 9 Pro’s 4GB + 128GB variant are available at a discounted price of Rs 8,999, Rs 10,999 and Rs 14,999, respectively. Read More

  As consumer spending shifts from travel, dining out and general leisure to consumer electronics during the Coronavirus pandemic , the global smartphone market is expected to return to growth during the holiday quarter this year amid strong push towards 5G, according to a new IDC report. According to the IDC 'Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker', smartphone shipments are forecast to grow 2.4 per cent (on-year) in the fourth quarter of 2020, followed by 4.4 per cent growth in 2021. The market rebound will be fuelled by an impressively quick supply chain recovery as well as significant incentives from both original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and channels on new 5G products. "Despite concerns around weakness in 5G demand, smartphone volumes exceeded the forecast in 3Q20 and supply-side momentum headed into the holiday quarter and 2021 remains strong," said Ryan Reith, programme vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. Read More

  Microsoft is planning to bring its gaming console Xbox app on Smart TVs over the next year, which means people can stream Xbox games directly from their TVs soon. In an interview with The Verge, Microsoft Xbox head Phil Spencer revealed this plan. "I think you're going to see that in the next 12 months. I don't think anything is going to stop us from doing that," said Spencer when asked about turning the Xbox into a TV app. While Microsoft is pushing its xCloud gaming service, the company has no plans to abandon consoles or hardware. The Xbox Series X and Series S gaming consoles went on sale on November 10 internationally. Despite launching the middle of a global pandemic, Xbox has beaten all previous console launch records with its new systems, Spencer had said earlier. Read More  

  The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus is a one-of-its-kind notebook with dual displays – a 13.3-inch primary screen complemented by a secondary 10.8-inch e-Ink screen. It may not be the only notebook with a dual-screen design, but it is indeed the only that lets you use the secondary screen without lifting the display lid. That is because the e-Ink display is available on the cover, and it is always active – unless the notebook runs out of battery. Therefore, you neither have to open the lid nor wake the laptop to use the secondary screen. Moreover, the e-Ink display is touch-enabled and supports Lenovo’s digital pen tool (an in-box accessory). The e-Ink display is supplementary, and so is its usage. Besides showing notifications, the e-Ink display can be used as an e-reader (through the Windows Kindle app) and PDF viewer with annotate and review functionality. Moreover, you can use it to sketch and take notes. Thankfully, Lenovo has integrated Microsoft OneNote – not something of its own...

  Google has announced that around 400 new games are on the way for its Stadia Cloud game streaming service . In an interview with MobileSyrup on Tuesday, Jack Buser, Stadia Director of Games, said most of these games would be arriving in 2021 and beyond. The number of games on Stadia's roadmap gives evidence that Google is intended to run the service for a long period of time. "We are looking many years out into the future. Gaming is one of the biggest businesses at Google, which is why you see us investing so much time and energy to support all these hundreds of developers building all these games. We have a very exciting year ahead of us. And, in fact, we have very exciting many years ahead of us," Buser was quoted as saying. Having 400 games from so many different developers on the Stadia roadmap shows both how much Google is pushing the platform. Read More

  Facebook allegedly made a change in its News Feed algorithm immediately after the US presidential election, to favour top news publishers so that trustworthy and quality content can be pushed ahead on its platform, The New York Times reported. The social network reportedly tweaked how much weight the News Feed gives to its internal "news ecosystem quality" metric. The change was part of the "break glass plans" Facebook had developed for the aftermath of a contested election where Donald Trump kept calling the results stolen and rigged. "It resulted in a spike in visibility for big, mainstream publishers like CNN, The New York Times and NPR, while posts from highly engaged hyperpartisan pages, such as Breitbart and Occupy Democrats, became less visible," the report said on Tuesday, citing sources. Read More