Twitter globally testing the Downvote replies feature, Android & iOS support coming soon

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Feb 4, 2022

A silent revolution is going on in the electric vehicle manufacturing segment, as a few carmakers are looking at expanding access to clean and sustainable power to homes through an EV. The Ford F-150 Lightning is the latest EV that will provide the option of extending power to homes through its bi-directional power system. The company says the F-150 Lightning can light up homes for up to 72 hours.

Ford claims that the F-150 Lightning was the first electric pickup truck that can offer power backup to homes. Although the company says it is the first to offer this functionality in vehicles to consumers, it is noted that BYD recently announced a Type A all-electric school bus that provides such a bi-directional power solution to schools in the US.

Ford has announced a working partnership with US solar power company, Sunrun to offer the backup power feature to F-150 Lightning customers. The electric pickup truck’s onboard battery capability will be utilized in this regard. The F-150 Lightning extended-range battery system can store up to 131 kWh power and deliver up to 9.6 kW for several days. It is also a cleaner option than gasoline or diesel generators.

The F-150 Lightning home charging solutions include an 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro and Home Integration System, which enables the F-150 Lightning to store and innovatively supply power to homes. It automatically starts to power homes when the power goes out using the Ford Intelligent Backup Power and the Home Integration System. It also reverts once power is restored to the home. US consumers are expectant of the new power solutions offered by the Ford F-150 Lightning and await further details from Ford.

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Xiaomi Soundbar 3.1ch with 430W output, wireless subwoofer launched for €279

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Feb 4, 2022

Xiaomi Soundbar 3.1ch has finally been launched for the global market and is priced in Europe for €279. However, the product is currently available only in Spain but is expected to be available in other European countries soon. It is already listed on Amazon’s website in Germany bu tis yet to be stocked.

The Xiaomi Soundbar 3.1ch was first announced in November 2021 as part of the Xiaomi Smart Living ecosystem. The new soundbar is the company’s first of its kind for the global market. It supports one-touch NFC pairing, comes with a smart LED panel that shows the status of the device. There are connection toggles at the top, and a power button at the top, as well as volume controls.

On the sound components, the new Xiaomi Soundbar 3.1ch has Dolby audio and DTS Virtual X sound, with a wireless subwoofer for enhanced versatility of the soundbar. You can place the subwoofer anywhere that you desire to have a more powerful sound output. The Soundbar 3.1ch can produce a maximum output of 430W distributed between the subwoofer and the soundbar itself.

The Xiaomi Soundbar 3.1ch comes with a USB port, as well as Coaxial, Optical and HDMI input/output ports. It also features support for Bluetooth 5.0. There is a Dot-matrix OLED display integrated with the speaker grill at the front. It also comes with wall-mount brackets and a remote control. The soundbar and subwoofer are available in black colour only.

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JioBook gets approved online running on Windows 10 OS

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Feb 4, 2022

It’s been a while since we last heard about the JioBook. The laptop was previously spotted on Geekbench listing revealing its key specs. Now, the laptop has yet again arrived online, this time it got approved on a hardware certification.

The Reliance JioBook’s listing was first spotted by Mukul Sharma(via 91Mobiles) and it confirms the laptop’s OS. The laptop with model product ID: 400830078 boots on Windows 10 operating system.

Furthermore, the listing reveals the company name as Emdoor Digital Technology LTD, which hints that the laptop could be manufactured by this company, but could be launched under Reliance’s JioBook branding.

In terms of its other specs, the JioBook was previously spotted with 2GB of RAM. It scored 1,178 points in the single-core department and 4,246 points in the multi-core department. These scores are possible due to the MediaTek MT8788, under the hood.

Considering these specs, the JioBook seems to be a basic laptop in the market. The laptop also appeared on BIS earlier confirming its India launch. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t spoken a word about the laptop, but given that it has passed another certification, we can expect a sooner release.

In related news, the company is also expected to launch the JioPhone 5G soon in India. Some of its specs are a 6.5-inch IPS LCD display, 13MP dual cameras, and Snapdragon 480 chipset. The smartphone will come at an aggressive price in the country and offer five 5G bands.

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 12GB + 512GB variant is now available at a never before price!

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Feb 4, 2022

While Xiaomi is gearing to launch the Mix 5 smartphones, here we have a new price drop on the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4. The smartphone was initially priced at CNY 6299(~$990) for the 12GB RAM + 512GB storage variant. Now, the device has received a CNY 1400(~$220) discount coupon in China. After the discounted price, the smartphone costs CNY 4899(~$770).

Notably, this is even cheaper than the launch price of the base variant of the Mi Mix 4. The base variant was priced at CNY 4,999(~$770) at the time of launch. Having said that, at the price of CNY 4899(~$770), the Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 makes for a good flagship phone.

The Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 comes with a 6.67-inch curved AMOLED display with a 10-bit color depth. The smartphone has Gorilla Glass Victus protection and the screen has an under-display camera. It sports a 20MP selfie snapper that offers a 4-in-1 Superpixel imaging sensor. It has a 108MP + 8MP + 13MP triple rear cameras.

Under the hood, it is powered by the Snapdragon 888+ SoC and has a 4,500mAh battery. The device has support for 120W wired fast charging and 50W wireless fast charging support. The phone has an in-display fingerprint scanner and boots on Android 11 OS.

In related news, this year, Xiaomi is prepping to launch the Xiaomi Mix 5 phones, and the specs look interesting. The Pro model will have a 6.73-inch WQHD+ 120Hz refresh rate AMOLED screen. It will have a 50MP Leica branded lens.

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DJI Mini 2 drone used for cross-border drug smuggling intercepted in the US

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Feb 4, 2022

The surge in technological advances has opened up new challenges for security agencies to deal with emerging crimes using tech devices. A tiny DJI drone has been reported to have been used to attempt smuggling drugs across the US border wall with Mexico. The details were contained in a recently released search warrant from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The incident happened back on October 7, 2021, and involved a DJI Mini 2 drone dropping a quantity of meth up to its weight and was discovered by the US Border Patrol. It would seem that drug dealers are availing themselves of cheap consumer drones that could be used to fly packets of hard drugs into the United States. The DEA search warrant relates to the investigation to unmask the owner of the DJI Mini 2 drone, while the suspected recipient in the US is also to be unmasked.

The drone was observed on the specified day moving above the 25-foot border wall and landed on a parking lot while a man inside a grey Mercedes was waiting behind to pick up the package before it was intercepted by border security agents. The 249g drone was then discovered to be carrying 259g of methamphetamine. It is believed that the DJI Mini 2 can carry loads up to twice its weight for short distances.

The area where the incidence happened is reported to have seen substantial activities of drug cartels who continue to seek ways to sustain their criminal business of drug trafficking. It is not clear at this time whether the DEA will seek flight and ownership information for the drone from DJI to track the actual owner. In such instances, drone makers ought to provide all the needed information to help curb this emerging dimension of drug trafficking.

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Caviar launches $26,000 iPhone 13 Pro Olympic Hero Gold commemorating Beijing Winter Olympics made of 18 caret

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Sudhanshu

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Feb 4, 2022

Earlier today (February 4, 2022) Winter Olympics commenced in Beijing, China. To commemorate the Winter Olympic games, luxury iPhone casings maker Caviar has created two special edition iPhones covered in gold.

The Beijing Winter Olympics iPhones are modified iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Caviar has made the back casing of the phone with an impact-resistant and lightweight red composite material which gives the illusion of rays of the sun.

The back of the phone also features the Beijing Winter Olympics logo along with the Xiaohaituo Mountain, the National Alpine Ski Center, and the delicate pattern of its skating tracks. The most impressive thing about these iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max is that all the designs along with the Caviar branding as well as the edges and camera rings are all made of 18-carat gold. Being limited edition, there are only eight of these devices available for purchase.

Other than exclusivity, there is another reason why Caviar only made eight of these devices and that is their price tag. The iPhone 13 Pro Olympic Hero Gold has a price tag of $26,000 for the 128GB model. On the other hand, the luxury casing maker has priced the iPhone 13 Pro Max Olympic Hero Gold 1TB model at $27,080.

In the past, Caviar has made some costly yet intriguing iPhone casings like the iPhone 13 Pro which is capable of stopping a bullet, the iPhone 13 Pro made from melted Tesla Model 3, and an interesting iPhone 13 Pro that features an actual dinosaur tooth fragment on its back.

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Apple to charge 27% commission on 3rd party payments in Dutch dating apps

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Sean

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Feb 4, 2022

Following the dating app dispute in Netherlands, Apple has announced that it will be charging 27 percent commission on purchases through a third party payment systems in the application.

Back in October 2021, we had reported on the Dutch authority labeling the Cupertino based giant’s in app purchase rules as anti competitive. Netherland’s Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) had ordered the iPhone maker to make changes in order to not face a fine. However, Apple had failed to comply in time and faced a 5 million US Dollars fine per week till it eventually made the changes. Now, it seems that the brand is finally moving to comply with the Dutch authority.

The company further added that “Consistent with the ACM’s order, dating apps that are granted an entitlement to link out or use a third-party in-app payment provider will pay Apple a commission on transactions. Apple will charge a 27% commission on the price paid by the user, net of value-added taxes. This is a reduced rate that excludes value related to payment processing and related activities. Developers will be responsible for the collection and remittance of any applicable taxes, such as the Netherlands’ value-added tax (VAT), for sales processed by a third-party payment provider.”

On its developer support site (Via MacRumors), the company shared an update that revealed that Apple would take a 27 percent commission, which is lower than its usual 30 percent commission rate that it charges on payments made through alternative payment methods in dating apps. It also warned that it will not be aware of any purchases made through other methods, so it won’t be able to assist users with refunds, purchase history, subscription management, and other issues that it usually keeps track of. Despite complying with the original order, Apple is still appealing the ACM ruling.

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POCO F3 GT gets updated to Android 12-based MIUI 13 in India

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Feb 4, 2022

The POCO F3 GT was released in July 2021 with Android 11 and was treated to MIUI 12.5 Enhanced late last year. The gaming phone went unmentioned on Xiaomi’s official MIUI 13 rollout plans for India but has now surprisingly bagged the update, bumping up its Android version for the very first time.

The update carries version V13.0.0.10.SKJINXM and is based on Android 12. Its size stands at 3.2GB and can be installed through recovery. The build awaits a wider rollout since it’s a Mi Pilot release targeted at those that are part of the pilot testing program alone. But if all goes well, it should be making its way to all users in the coming days.

An official changelog is unavailable at the time but yesterday’s MIUI 13 Indian launch event had given us a glimpse into what to expect. There aren’t too many changes over MIUI 12.5 really, although Xiaomi does claim that performance has been boosted significantly, thanks to four new elements aimed at improving user experience and reducing power consumption.

These are Optimized File Storage System, RAM Optimization, Processor Priority Optimization, and Smart Balance, descriptions of which can be found here.

Apart from this, the MIUI 13 update for the POCO F3 GT will be bringing in some new wallpapers, both static and live. Although, live wallpapers aren’t guaranteed to show up since Xiaomi says that they’re limited to select devices.

To download the V13.0.0.10.SKJINXM build for POCO F3 GT, head over to this official link (via Xiaomiui). Keep in mind that it may fail to install since it’s targeted at pilot testers.

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Redmi 10C and Poco C4 get BIS certified

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Feb 4, 2022

Last time, we learned that Redmi is expected to launch the Redmi 10C this year in the Indian market. We also learned the codenames of the phone. Now, the smartphone has arrived on the BIS certification hinting at an imminent launch. In addition to this, the Poco C4 budget-centric phone has also cleared the same certification.

These listings confirm that the phones are coming to the Indian market soon. However, there’s no launch date as of now. But so far, we know that the Redmi 10C will be codenamed as ‘Fog’, ‘Rain’, and ‘Wind’.

Redmi 10C and POCO C4 clear BIS. pic.twitter.com/KGOsooxmjh

— Mukul Sharma (@stufflistings) February 4, 2022

The smartphone has model number 220333QBI for the Indian market and will be powered by a MediaTek chipset. Unfortunately, we do not know the exact chipset.

The phone will come with a triple camera system and as per a previous leak, it will have a 50MP Samsung ISOCELL S5KJN1 main lens, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP OmniVision sensor.

If we talk about the Poco C4, it also shares a similar model number. It could be a rebadged model of the Redmi 10C. Having said that, it may come with a triple camera system. Just to compare, the predecessor Redmi 9C and Poco C3 came with a 13MP triple camera system. A 50MP main sensor will surely be a big upgrade, at least on paper.

Other than this, we can expect the Redmi 10C and Poco C4 to have HD+ displays and big batteries.

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Samsung promotes Galaxy Unpacked 2022 by installing 3D tiger screens across 5 cities

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Feb 4, 2022

The Galaxy Unpacked 2022 event, scheduled for February 9th, is almost upon us now. The event will see the launch of one of the most awaited devices this year, namely the Galaxy S22 series and the Tab S8 series. And ahead of the big day, Samsung has begun its own unique way of promotions, installing 3D tigers across five of the world’s “most vibrant cities.”

Starting on February 4, Samsung’s “Tiger in the City” campaign will bring a giant 3D tiger roaring to life in New York, London, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, and Seoul. Check it all out in the video below.

“The disruptive 3D tiger will burst through digital barriers to showcase how Samsung’s next smartphone lineup is set to help users own the night with new advancements to its low-light smartphone photography technology,” reads Samsung’s press release.

By channeling the image of the tiger, Samsung is also embracing its innovating past and refusing to play it safe by pushing mobile innovations that shape our world. The company says that the new campaign aims to help customers “feel its vision up close at street level” ahead of the Unpacked event.

The Galaxy S22 series will be comprised of the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra. The Ultra model will be a sort of revival of the now-defunct Note series and will come with an S Pen out of the box.

The Galaxy Tab S8 series will have a similar lineup, comprised of the Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra. From this, the Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra will feature a 14.6-inch 2960x1848px Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

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Vivo T1 5G box packaging and camera samples leaked

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Feb 4, 2022

Vivo has scheduled to launch the Vivo T1 5G smartphone on February 9 in India. Ahead of its launch, the company has started the promotions of the device on its social media platform. Also, we have learned a few of its specs, thanks to a tipster. Now, another tipster Mukul Sharma has shared the box and camera samples of the smartphone.

Vivo seems to be keeping things simple with the Vivo T1 5G. Especially with the box packaging. The smartphone has a simple White-colored box with the T1 5G and Vivo branding.

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The camera samples of the device have also been shared. These shots have been captured in the daylight and they look good.

Previously we learned that the Vivo T1 5G will come with a 6.58-inch LCD display with an FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate.

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The smartphone will be equipped with a triple camera system with a 50MP primary lens and two 2MP sensors. There will be a single 16MP selfie snapper on the front. Inside, it will be powered by the Snapdragon 695 SoC paired with up to 4GB, 6GB, and 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage.

It will pack a 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support. It will have a side-facing fingerprint scanner and have a 3.5mm audio jack.

The Vivo T1 5G will come at under Rs. 20,000(~$268) in India.

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Google Pixel 6 devices have a new bug, this time with the Magic Eraser

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Sudhanshu

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Feb 4, 2022

Google recently fixed a whole host of major connectivity issues on their latest Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices. However, the Google flagships can’t seem to catch a break as another bug has appeared on the devices.

Users have taken to Twitter and Reddit to report and discuss a new issue they are facing with the Magic Eraser feature on the Google Photos app. Users have stated that whenever they tap on the Magic Eraser, the Photos app crashes.

@googlephotos has been crashing every time I try to use the "magic eraser" on my Pixel 6. Has it been the case for anyone else @madebygoogle users?

— John Sohrawardi (@johnsohrawardi) February 4, 2022

The bug has apparently come along with the latest update to the Google Photos app. Users have tried to find a workaround to this problem by clearing cache and data but to no avail. Restoring the device to the factory setting also doesn’t work since it removes the Magic Eraser functionality completely from the device.

For those unaware, Magic Eraser is one of the key features in the Pixel 6 devices which uses the machine learning capabilities of Google’s new Tensor processor and enables users to remove unwanted objects or people from their photos.

Google Photo’s official Twitter handle has directed users affected by this bug to follow the steps in their “Fix an installed Android app that isn’t working” article, however, the generic fixes mentioned in the article don’t appear to work.

For users who have not been infected by this new bug yet, we highly recommend you to turn off the automatic update for the Google Photos App for the time being. To turn off automatic updates for your Google Photos app, go to the Play Store and open the Google Photos app page. Then click the three dots button on the top right and uncheck the “Enable auto-update” checkbox.

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iGear Evoke solar radio and MP3 player launched in India

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Feb 4, 2022

Indian smartphone accessories and gadgets manufacturer iGear has launched a new product in India dubbed iGear Evoke Solar Radio and MP3 player. The product adopts a retro-styled design with a design looking like a radio cassette player but instead, it is just a radio and MP3 player.

In keeping up with the retro design, the Evoke ditches the more modern digital dial but instead, it comes with an analog dial with moving needle tuning indicators and more. The body is made from toughened ABS plastic

The radio is well suited for regions where electricity is a challenge, as it comes with solar charging support. It isn’t just designed for FM radio but it still supports AM and SW. It also features support for Bluetooth 5.0 which can be used to play music from a connected phone. There is also a USB flash drive port to also connect a media device. The 5-watt speaker onboard is powerful enough to deliver vivid bass.

The iGear Evoke packs a 1200mAh battery that is rechargeable. The design includes a solar panel at the top integrated with the body and can charge the battery. Apart from solar charging, it can also be charged from a power source.

As for the price, the iGear Evoke solar radio and MP3 player is priced at Rs. 3000 (~$40). The device will be available in three color options – Pearl Blue, White-Champagne Gold, and Yellow- Black. The gadget will be sold on Amazon, Flipkart, and via iGear’s website.

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OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite camera specs revealed, alert slider given a miss

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Feb 4, 2022

OnePlus has steadily been expanding its Nord lineup. Many of you may already be familiar with the OnePlus Nord CE 2 that has been making rounds on the internet lately, but it’s now known that the device will be joined by a Lite version. While several of its specs have already been leaked, a tipster has shared more details about its camera setup.

According to tipster Yogesh Brar (via 91mobiles), OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite will have a triple camera setup at the rear, comprised of a 64MP OmniVision primary camera, a 2MP macro sensor, and a 2MP macro lens. The selfie shooter upfront will be a 16MP Sony IMX471 sensor.

OnePlus Nord 2 CE Renders Leak Featured B — OnePlus Nord CE 2 by Yogesh Brar x 91mobiles

The fan-favorite alert slider has unfortunately been given a miss but a headphone jack has been retained.

A previous leak from OnLeaks had revealed that the OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite would have a 6.59-inch fluid full-HD display but did not mention its type. Yogesh suspects that it could be an LCD panel.

The older leak had also revealed that the device will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset, supported by up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The battery is expected to be sized 5,000mAh with 33W charging support. And out of the box, the device will be booting into Android 11-based OxygenOS.

The OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite’s price tag is said to read Rs 20,000 or so for the base model but we should be getting official confirmations quite soon.

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Xiaomi passes annual Data Privacy audit in compliance with the EU

By

Sean

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Feb 4, 2022

Xiaomi had just announced the results of an independent review that was conducted for its data protection standards. The company passed the annual audit for data privacy, which was in compliance with the European Union.

The Chinese tech giant had brought in TRUSTe LLC, a subsidiary of TrustArc, for the independent audit of its data protection and security management system. Furthermore, this review had tested in details if the processing of personal information conducted by Xiaomi is in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) of the European Union (EU). TRUSTe said in the review that “The measures described in the GDPR Validation Assessment were suitably designed to provide reasonable assurance,” with the review meeting all 40 GDPR validation requirements.

In a statement, the smartphone maker stated that its annual assessment has passed the standard with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation requirements. Xiaomi has been going through these annual audits by TrustArc since the regulation was first introduced back in 2018. The company also added that it will continue to maintain its high standards when it comes to user privacy and private data protection.

Cui Baoqiu, Vice President and Chairman of Xiaomi Security and Privacy Committee, said that “We regularly engage with TRUSTe, as well as other credible institutions globally to warrant that Xiaomi’s user privacy protection, including GDPR compliance, keeps improving and perfecting its practices to offer our users reliable and trustworthy products and services. I’m very pleased to see that Xiaomi has completed TRUSTe’s annual audit of GDPR privacy compliance, which demonstrates our commitment to privacy protection.”

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OPPO working on another Find N-like foldable except this one folds at 2 points

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