Google launches ‘Allo’ messaging app with Google Assistant

Facebook, are you ready for the competition? Technology giant Google has launched Allo, its new intelligent messaging app for the Android and iOS platform, which is expected to give tough competition to WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The new app combines the best of Google’s predictive and search superpowers along with an all-new personal assistant feature. Google had announced Duo and Allo at its I/O developer conference in May this year.
Allo has now-standard messaging features like stickers, changing font sizes, emojis, smart reply and marked-up photos. Google has customized Allo for Indian users by enabling smart replies in ‘Hinglish.’ It is also rolling out over 200 stickers relevant to Indian users that have been created by popular independent artists. “Sometimes a “Badhai Ho” or “Party to banti hai” say a lot more,” said the company in a statement.
Amit Fulay, Group Product Manager, Google said on the launch, “Whether it’s planning a night out or just catching up, we rely on messaging to stay in touch with friends and family every day. But too often we have to hit pause on our conversation — whether it’s to check the status of a flight or look up that new restaurant. So we created Allo, a messaging app that helps you keep your conversation going, by providing assistance when you need it.”

The “Smart Reply” feature in the app suggests responses to chats and can be send with just a tap.
“If your friend sends you a photo of their pet, you might see Smart Reply suggestions like ‘aww cute!’,” Fulay wrote.

Before sending the photos, the users can also use stickers and scribble on them.
Allo will also mark the debut of Google Assistant, an intelligent chat AI that brings Google’s services to your conversations in a preview edition.
“Now users no longer need to leave a conversation with friends just to grab an address, or share a YouTube video, or pick a dinner spot. Chat with your Assistant one-on-one in Google Allo to answer questions, or type @google to bring the Assistant into your chats with friends, whenever you need it,” said the statement.
Currently, both Smart Reply and Google Assistant are in English-only, with “more languages coming soon.”

All chats in Google Allo are encrypted using industry standard technologies like Transport Layer Security (TLS), it said. Users can also chat in Incognito mode, which would have end-to-end encryption and have additional privacy features like discreet notifications and message expiration.
You can download Allo from Google Play and Apple’s App Store, though you may have to wait a bit, as this is a gradual rollout. However, “the app will be live worldwide in the next few days,” the company says.

Five questions that arise when and why smartphone batteries explode

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 has been in the headlines for the past couple of weeks after a series of reports of the device catching fire and exploding due to defective batteries surfaced. As a result, the South Korean giant was compelled to globally recall the Galaxy Note 7 and warn its customers to stop using the device.
The Galaxy Note 7 is the latest in a series of lithium-ion batteries catching fire on products ranging from laptops to hoverboards to airliners. This incident just serves as a reminder that pushing the technology cover can sometimes be difficult.
Here are some things to know about the recall and why batteries can be a fire hazard.

How do these batteries work and why do they catch fire?
A lithium-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery in which lithium ions move from the negative electrode – the anode – to the positive electrode – the cathode – during discharge and back when charging.

Manufacturers insert separators to keep these two layers—or conductors— apart, as they are not supposed to touch each other. Regrettably, the chemical reaction that makes batteries work also generates heat. However, charging them too fast or overcharging the packs can lead to fires.
What is the issue with Samsung’s batteries?
While no one knows the reason, Samsung has however given some hints. It said due to a “very rare manufacturing process error,” parts of the battery came together that should never touch each other.
When manufacturing their next-generation technology, device makers consider all kinds of factors like performance, cost and safety. Further, the need to induce more battery life into their latest smartphone or tablet can lead to unexpected results.

“Smartphone makers are trying to squeeze these batteries into a small, thin package,” said Hideki
Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute in Tokyo.
“Since batteries generate energy through a chemical reaction, it’s really hard to reduce the risk (of fire) to zero.
“Sometimes convenience comes with a price.”
Has this happened before?
Yes. Products such as Sony Vaio laptops, last-year’s must-have toy – the hoverboard, electric bikes and even Boeing’s Dreamliner jet have reported instances of battery fires.
In Samsung’s case, defective batteries caused some devices to explode and catch fire while charging.
Following the recall announcement of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 devices, cases of exploding batteries continued to appear as users claimed a burning device had set a car on fire in the U.S. or damaged a hotel room in Australia.
How widespread is the problem?
Not much. In a year, millions of lithium-ion batteries are produced with a small fraction of those catching fire or exploding.
About 35 incidents that involved Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 batteries were received at the start of this month.
“It’s not easy to know if Samsung’s problem is the same as others…at this point,” Yasuda said.
“If its battery suppliers sell these same ones to other producers, it could possibly affect them too.”
What does this mean for Samsung and other gadget makers that use these batteries?
It will harm Samsung’s reputation and likely upset profits at a time when it is facing tough competition from Apple’s iPhone and Chinese rivals in the lower-end category. A major share of Samsung’s profits comes from its mobile business accounts.
It will also put pressure on gadget manufactures to find out how to make battery packs safe for ever-smaller devices.
“We always want batteries to be safe but also to be more efficient,” said Guy Marlair, a France-based safety expert.
“The more that we boost the battery’s performance, the higher the energy density in a small space and the tougher it is to manage security.”

Apple’s iOS 10 Download That Was Bricking iPhones Has Been Fixed Now

Last night, Apple released its “biggest iOS release ever” – iOS 10 and macOS Sierra to the public. However, just less than an hour after launch, social media was flooded with complaints from users that their iPhone and iPad devices are getting ‘bricked’ after attempting the over-the-air iOS 10 update.
It was reported that the smartphones or iPads were shutting down to install the software after downloading the iOS 10 update. Instead of the device automatically turning back on with iOS 10 installed, a screen appeared that were prompting users to plug their handsets into a computer, rendering the smartphone useless until they did so.
However, Apple has issued an official statement saying it’s already resolved the issue. The company claims it only affected a “small number of users” in the first hour that iOS 10 was available.

“We experienced a brief issue with the software update process, affecting a small number of users during the first hour of availability. The problem was quickly resolved and we apologize to those customers. Anyone who was affected should connect to iTunes to complete the update or contact AppleCare for help.”
Apple Support has been reminding users to back up their smartphones before attempting to upgrade, and suggesting that they download the software over iTunes.

If you are one of the many unfortunate users with a bricked device, which means that your smartphone or iPad won’t function, all you need to do is plug the device into a Mac or PC, open iTunes, and trigger a restore. Here’s what you need to do.
1. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC.
2. Open iTunes on your Mac or PC.
3. Press and hold your device’s Sleep and Home buttons simultaneously until you see the recovery mode screen.
4. A prompt in iTunes will ask you to update or restore. Select Update.
5. When the install completes, you can use your smartphone.
Note: Repeat steps 2–4 if you run into a problem during setup.
Apple has also recommended using AppleCare directly, or you can head over to an Apple Store if you don’t have access to a Mac or PC.

iPhone 7 Plus camera samples released online and the results are stunning

The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus were launched on Wednesday last week. A lot has been said about the enhanced photo abilities of these new smartphones. The iPhone 7 Plus boasts of a completely new dual-camera system that incorporates a 12-megapixsel telephoto lens, which Apple says is capable of stunning performance.
The iPhone 7 Plus launched with a completely new dual-camera system set up on its 12MP sensor. It has a wide-angle ƒ/1.8 aperture, and a telephoto ƒ/2.8 aperture, both of which fire at the same time and is capable of stunning performance, says Apple. The camera has 2x optical zoom and up to 10x digital zoom.
However, it is difficult to confirm the claims of Apple regarding its new dual-camera system, as the shipments are only scheduled to begin this Friday.

But, thanks to Sports Illustrated magazine, we get to see some iPhone 7 Plus camera samples from the Titans-Vikings NFL game that would help to prove the capabilities of the new dual-camera unit available on the new device.
Professional photographer David E Klutho was given the task of clicking pictures using the handset at the Tennessee Titans versus Minnesota Vikings American Football game on Sunday, September 11.

The iPhone 7 Plus’ dual-camera system is able to take high quality photos with unbelievable detail even when zooming in from a distance besides taking vibrant photographs. The images are crisp, the details in the images have been preserved, and everything is in focus. According to the sources, no edits have been made to the images clicked.

Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy

In a post-Snowden era, where the gentle fiction we’ve maintained about not being the target of hackers was shattered, it’s more important than ever to take care of your internet privacy. Hacking is not the work of fiction, confined to popular TV shows like Mr. Robot; it’s a real, everyday occurrence and just about anyone can be a target. That doesn’t mean you have to be a victim, however. There are a number of precautions you can take to ensure that your data remains secure and only available to those at your discretion. Below, we’ve discussed a number of ways to protect your online privacy.

Always Change Passwords Regularly

While this one should be a no-brainer, it’s surprising how many people don’t follow this simple etiquette. Server access passwords, social media accounts, network access, even the PIN on your cell phone, all of these should be changed and varied on a regular basis. Although it seems like a pain, avoid making these passwords too simple. Passwords should be strong and lengthy, contain both capital and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. The more complicated it is to remember, the harder it will be to crack for any potential data thieves.

Have an SSL Certificate

Whether it’s a company website or a personal blog, your site should always have SSL encryption. This encryption ensures that all data such as passwords, contact information and payment details will remain secure and unable to be intercepted by third parties, and should be high on your priority list when building a website. There are many companies to help you get started with this, such as www.1and1.com, who can assist you with your website security.

Use a Virtual Private Network

A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, is a private group of computers linked together over a public network – in this case, the internet. A VPN ensures that your computer’s internet connection is secure and that all the data being exchanged is encrypted and safe from third party access. This means that your traffic is completely encrypted and, even if your data is intercepted it won’t be able to be decoded. While there are a number of different VPNs out there, you may want to look at Tor Guard, which is highly rated in the VPN world.

Install Security Applications

There are a number of security applications you can install on your computer to protect your data from unsafe websites and spyware. It is advised to have a firewall present at all times, and, it goes without saying, a powerful antivirus program running in the background. The latter is a precaution against any malware that may slip through the cracks or any potentially harmful websites you may stumble upon (the internet, after all, is full of digital pitfalls). Check out PC Mag’s list for the best free anti-virus software

Apple is everywhere, in the news, in the digital world, up to an extent that even people who write about politics couldn’t stop themselves from typing a piece about Apple’s latest “reinvention”, the iPhone 7.
Last month, Apple sent the “See you on the 7th” invites and as always, the world went crazy about the launch of the new iPhone which continued Apple’s legacy of making their hardware more proprietary, removing the scope for “open” things to exist in Apple’s ecosystem. It’s true, such things don’t deserve to be there, where people just buy any device flaunting a bitten Apple logo on its back.

Apple’s defense on the removal of the headphone jack was to shrink down the iPhone, they did it, 1mm thinner iPhone 7 was launched on September 7. They wanted to make the device waterproof, the new iPhone is only water resistant. Sony has been making waterproof smartphones with an analog jack. I remember putting my friend’s Xperia Z under the tap, just to check whether it is really hydrophobic or not.
The company did come up with an analog jack adapter for its lightning port. How humble of them, they care about the people who have invested hundreds of dollars on a pair of studio headphones. They also launched AirPods. But everyone knows that wireless earphones can’t compete with the wired ones, at least for now.
The lightning port is Apple-made, so any manufacturer wanting to create a product will have to take Apple’s permission and pay a license fee to the company. Here it is, a new income source for the company which had more money than the US government at one point in time.

DRM Drama

DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. It has been conceptualized to keep an eye on what content the user can access on a device and what the user can’t. For instance, you can play your purchased song only on one device is because of DRM. The reason that DRM has been in existence throughout the digital world is that it is protected by the DMCA. Anyone who tries to sidestep the DRM gets legally prosecuted.
The use of the lightning port for connecting earplugs will definitely open the doors for the DRM advocates and the protectors of the copyrighted content. The media production companies might convince Apple to create a rule book for how their content would be served on its devices.
It might be possible, you won’t be able to connect your newly purchased headphones or a stereo system to your iPhone because it doesn’t support it.

We wiped out the dinosaurs once again

It would be wrong, just to yell at Apple for the treason they committed. They removed a 19th-century tech from the iPhone which was hardwired into the music DNA of the audiophiles. The company might be having some sort of explanation.
“The audio connector is more than 100 years old,” Apple VP Greg Joswiak told Buzzfeed. “It had its last big innovation about 50 years ago. You know what that was? They made it smaller. It hasn’t been touched since then. It’s a dinosaur. It’s time to move on.”
So, basically, according to that logic, we should remove every other tech that hasn’t been modified since the last couple of decades. What would Apple say for the GPS technology, that works on the half-a-century old Kalman algorithm which hasn’t seen much changes yet? They should create their own algorithm and a new positioning system.
Apple can tap their back for their “courage” when they ditched the floppy drive from the Mac and then the optical disc drive. The floppy drives became a thing of the past. But the same logic doesn’t fit here. Because there was a need for the removal of the floppy drive from the computers at that time. The world is not feeling the same for the analog jacks. In fact, we have some great earphones from reputed manufacturers.
Apple’s Phil Schiller’s excuse appears more compelling than wiping out the dinosaurs for the second time. “The idea that there’s some ulterior motive behind this move, or that it will usher in some new form of content management, it simply isn’t true,” says Schiller. “We are removing the audio jack because we have developed a better way to deliver audio. It has nothing to do with content management or DRM — that’s pure, paranoid conspiracy theory.”
Tagging all the backlash as a “conspiracy theory” can be a good move for the time being, until the moment Apple might actually start managing the content. Not on its own, but due the pressure of bigger production studios. As far as their “better way” is concerned, they shouldn’t have done it so quickly. If their technology was so good, they should’ve put the lightning earphones-side by side with the analog ones and let the people decide which was better.
Maybe, Apple only wanted to take a gigantic leap into the future or maybe they wanted to take more control over the devices used by their customers. No one knows.

Apple’s new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus to come with A10 Fusion 64 bit quad-core processor, new Black and Jet Black colours, AirPods instead 3.5 mm headphone jacks

Here is the new iPhone 7 from the house of Apple. Apple’s iPhone 7 launch going on in San Francisco and half the tech world is glued to the release. The new iPhone 7 was announced amidst great fanfare by Tim Cook by Apple CEO.
Here is what the new iPhone 7 will look like. iPhone 7 will come in two versions, iPhone and iPhone Plus. It will come in two new shades, Jet Black and Black in addition to the normal iPhone shades like Rose Gold. It will have a redesigned and reengineered home button. The new home button on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is customisable and you can use it for quick actions, messages, notifications and more through Taptic Engine API. The new Home Button is similar to the Force Touch trackpad you use on your Mac PCs.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be dust and water proof meeting the IP67 waterproofing standards.

Camera on iPhone 7

Apple has improved the camera on iPhone 7 tremendously. The new iPhone 7 will come with Quad-LED true tone flash. It will also bring a new feature called Flicker Sensor. iPhone 7’s photo sensor can perform hundred billion functions every time you take a photo. iPhone 7 will come with dual cameras with two 12MP lens. The first lens will be used for normal photos while the second one a telephoto zoom lens and will be used for zooming upto 10x .

Both iPhone 7s will have a 7MP Facetime HD front camera for selfies. The front camera also comes with a feature called “wide colour capture” along with auto image stabilisation.

Display on iPhone 7

Apple has continued with the display size of iPhone 6s with iPhone 7 and iPhoen 7 Plus. However, it will be 25 percent brighter according to Apple. It will also have 3D touch like iPhone 6s

No 3.5 mm headphone jacks

As was rumoured, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will not have 3.5 mm headphone slot. Instead, it will connect to the headphones through lightning connector. However, Apple will be shipping lightning to 3.5 mm connector adapter bundled with every iPhone 7.

Apple also announced new Apple AirPods. Apple said that built-in sensors will detect when the AirPod is in your ear. The music will start playing once AirPod had detected your ear. Users can also use Siri to access the AirPod directly. Each AirPod will last for 5 hours on a single charge according to Apple. You can also use a single AirPod or use them both for a stereo setup. AirPod will be powered by a new chip called W1. Beats will be launching new set of AirPods called BeatsX.

Apple Pay

Apple is expanding its wallet, Apple Pay to all countries. It will also launch in Japan with a new NFC technology called FeliCa.

Under the Hood

iPhone 7 will come with a new chip called A10 Fusion. A10 Fusion is a 64 Bit Quad Core processor with 3.3 billion transistors. Out of the four cores, two cores will be running at lower power to save power and increase battery life. Apple said that the new A10 Fusion will be performing 50 percent better than the earlier A9 chip and three times faster than A8.
Apple said that its A10 Fusion is the most powerful smartphone processor in the world today and can run any game flawlessly. Apple displayed A10 Fusion’s power with a game called Broken Kingdom with 400 flying monkeys. A10 Fusion will give iPhone 7 and 7 Plus the longest battery life ever.

iPhone 7 will come with a new feature called LTE Advanced for connectivity with speeds up to 450 Mbps in addition to all the other iPhone features.

iPhone 7 Price

iPhone 7 will start at $649 for 32GB, the other options are 128GB and 256GB. While iPhone 7 Plus will start at $769 for 32GB version. iPhone 7 pre-orders will start on 9th September and will be available to buyers on 16th September in 28 countries around the world with 30 countries to be added a week later.
The new AirPods will ship at $159 and start shipping in October.

Another Samsung’s flagship Galaxy Note 7 explodes causing the company to recall all sold Note 7s around the world for a fix

Samsung is in deep shit. Its flagship product, Galaxy Note 7 has been exploding non-stop around the world due to defective batteries, causing the world’s largest smartphone maker to announce a recall unprecedented in smartphone history.
We had recently reported that how a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 exploded in Korea while it was charging, making it the second incident of the device being exploded in less than a weeks’ time. The first report of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 randomly exploding while charging in China appeared online on August 24.
Samsung confirmed that it was investigating the matter and said that, “Shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 are being delayed due to additional tests being conducted for product quality.”

The South Korean company added, “In response to questions on Galaxy Note7, we are conducting a thorough inspection. We will share the findings as soon as possible. Samsung is fully committed to providing the highest quality products to our consumers.”
However, it now looks like Samsung is likely to recall Galaxy Note 7 units shipped worldwide. “The most important thing is the safety of our customers and we don’t want to disappoint our loyal customers,” a Samsung official who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Yonhap News Agency. The problem has been narrowed down to the Galaxy Note 7’s internal [non-removable] 3,500 mAh battery said the anonymous Samsung spokesman.

“Products installed with the problematic battery account for less than 0.1 percent of the entire volume sold. The problem can be simply resolved by changing the battery, but we’ll come up with convincing measures for our consumers,” stated the official.
The development comes a few days before rival Apple is set to unveil its new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus next week in San Francisco, and will surely weaken Samsung’s position in the market.
If the report of a worldwide recall of Galaxy Note 7 holds true, the company doesn’t plan to announce the results of its investigation soon, as it is in talks with partners in the U.S. on the issue.
“Global discussions are under way about matters such as how to deal with products delivered to dealers. Results of the investigation and relevant countermeasures will be made public this weekend or early next week at the latest,” the official added.

“The decision will be made in consideration of maximum consumer benefit,” Samsung official noted.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 had gone on sale August 19th in more than 10 countries worldwide to critical acclaim.

Facebook’s first satellite destroyed in SpaceX test rocket explosion

AMOS-6 satellite, the first from Facebook’s Internet.org initiative and part of Mark Zuckerberg’s future vision for delivering the internet in Sub-Saharan Africa, went up in flames, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral in Florida during a test, destroying it and its payload. The Falcon 9 rocket costs about $60 million, and Facebook’s AMOS-6 cost about$200 million.
Both the rocket and the satellite were destroyed in the explosion, which resulted from an “anomaly” with the launch pad and not the rocket itself. However, there were no injuries, SpaceX said in a statement.
“SpaceX can confirm that in preparation for today’s standard pre-launch static fire test, there was an anomaly on the pad, resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload,” SpaceX said in a statement about an hour after the explosion. “Per standard procedures, the pad was clear and there were no injuries.”

SpaceX was conducting a test firing of the unmanned rocket when the blast occurred, shaking buildings several miles away. Eyewitnesses reported multiple explosions in the aftermath.
The rocket was set to launch on Saturday, September 3, 2016. Its mission was to deliver an AMOS-6 communication satellite belonging to Facebook. The AMOS-6 satellite, which reportedly was set to be used to provide internet connectivity to rural parts of sub-Saharan Africa, was on board the Falcon 9 rocket at the time of the test and was destroyed in the explosion.

The loss of the satellite is expected to delay the rollout of an important component of Facebook’s ambitious plan to connect every person on the planet to the Internet. “We are disappointed by the loss but remain committed to our mission of connecting people to the Internet around the world,” a Facebook spokesperson was quoted as saying.
“As I’m here in Africa, I’m deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX’s launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent,” Zuckerberg said in a statement posted to Facebook. He had scheduled an Africa trip this week to coincide with the satellite’s launch. On Friday, Zuckerberg met with Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari and also visited Kenya.
However, pointing other efforts in the works to spread Internet connectivity around the globe, such as a fleet of Facebook-built drones, Zuckerberg said, “Fortunately, we have developed other technologies like Aquila that will connect people as well. We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided.”
The satellite’s destruction is just the latest setback for Internet.org, Zuckerberg’s signature project to bring connectivity to remote places around the world that do not have it. In October, Facebook announced it had teamed with French satellite company Eutelsat to launch the AMOS-6 satellite in a deal valued at $95 million for a five-year lease on the Ka-band communication array.

Google cancels plan for smartphone with interchangeable parts

Project Ara, which was the dream project and an innovative attempt of Alphabet Inc.’s Google to develop modular smartphone with interchangeable components like cameras, batteries and speakers, has been shelved. However, the decision comes as a surprise especially since the company at its developer conference in May that it would begin shipping Project Ara devices to developers this autumn and a consumer release for 2017.
Google has decided not to release the product itself, but it may work with partners to bring Project Ara’s technology to market, possibly through licensing agreements, according to Reuters. The company regularly partners with device makers to build its Nexus smartphones and tablets, so this wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Google.
“Most people do not upgrade their phone to get the next processor — they do not even know what that is — but they do it to get the next best camera, or fingerprint sensor, or better speaker, all in one device,” Rafa Camargo, Google’s engineering lead, demonstrated a functional developer version of an Ara phone told Digital Trends in an interview this year. “[We developed] a new set of technologies to create a more seamless modular experience for users …”

For those unfamiliar, Project Ara was initially developed by the company’s Advanced Technology and Projects group, which Google held onto after selling Motorola Mobility to Lenovo in 2014. Project Ara was first announced by Motorola almost three years ago.
Project Ara was designed to allow users to switch key smartphone parts when they’re broken or to upgrade them when better segments go along. This would allow a user to assemble a phone like building blocks. With this modular smartphone designing scheme, Google aimed at creating a phone can be customized with an extra camera, battery, camera, speakers and other elements, depending on what you require from your device. This Project Ara was reported to unify Google’s hardware segment, which ranges from Chromebook Laptops to Nexus Mobiles.

Modular smartphones are indeed an exciting concept to bring to the market for their potential to prolong the lifespan of a device and reduce electronic waste, which would definitely keep consumers interested. However, modular smartphones are bulkier and costlier to produce than the regular ones, making them a risky business move.
Last year, Google shelved plans to sell the modular smartphone in Puerto Rico with Latin American carriers.