Twitter Inc has said that they will be testing their new feature that will allow users to tweet with their voice. The feature will capture up to 140 seconds of audio in a single tweet.&nbsp;

According to Twitter's blog post, the feature will be out for few users using Apple's iOS platform for now and later on it will be out for more users in the coming weeks.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/as-cases-of-domestic-violence-shoot-up-amid-covid-19-pandemic-twitter-launches-dedicated-tool-to-help-people-combat-the-menace-306527" hreflang="en">As cases of domestic violence shoot up amid COVID-19 pandemic, Twitter launches dedicated tool to help people combat the menace</a>

A new "wavelengths" icon will be present for users composing a tweet, this will allow them to use the new audio feature.&nbsp;

Twitter Inc has been under pressure for a long time to curb content that contains abuse, harassment and misinformation spread through their platform.&nbsp;

"We are working to incorporate additional monitoring systems ahead of bringing this to everyone," Twitter spokeswoman Aly Pavela told Reuters.

"We'll review any reported voice tweets in line with our rules, and take action, including labelling, as needed."

Earlier the social media platform came with a dedicated tool to help people combat domestic violence. As the reported cases of domestic violence against women continue to rise globally, microblogging platform Twitter has launched a dedicated search prompt that will direct people looking for domestic violence-related keywords towards relevant information and sources of help on Twitter.

According to the company statement, this feature will be available on iOS, Android, and mobile.twitter.com in India in English and Hindi languages.

Twitter Inc has said that they will be testing their new feature that will allow users to tweet with their voice. The feature will capture up to 140 seconds of audio in a single tweet.

Twitter Inc has said that they will be testing their new feature that will allow users to tweet with their voice. The feature will capture up to 140 seconds of audio in a single tweet. According to Twitter's blog post, the feature will be out for few users using Apple's iOS platform for now and later on it will be out for more users in the coming weeks. Also read: As cases of domestic violence shoot up amid COVID-19 pandemic, Twitter launches dedicated tool to help people combat the menace A new "wavelengths" icon will be present for users composing a tweet, this will allow them to use the new audio feature. Twitter Inc has been under pressure for a long time to curb content that contains abuse, harassment and misinformation spread through their platform. "We are working to incorporate additional monitoring systems ahead of bringing this to everyone," Twitter spokeswoman Aly Pavela told Reuters. "We'll review any reported voice tweets in line with our rules, and take action, including labelling, as needed." Earlier the social media platform came with a dedicated tool to help people combat domestic violence. As the reported cases of domestic violence against women continue to rise globally, microblogging platform Twitter has launched a dedicated search prompt that will direct people looking for domestic violence-related keywords towards relevant information and sources of help on Twitter. According to the company statement, this feature will be available on iOS, Android, and mobile.twitter.com in India in English and Hindi languages.

Twitter to test new voice tweeting feature on iOS users

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-federal-trade-commission-probes-facebooks-acquisition-practices-report-240072">Facebook</a> Inc started adding its name to some screens on its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/artificial-intelligence-to-help-curb-cyber-bullying-on-instagram-with-pop-up-warning-234138"> Instagram </a>photo-sharing platform this week, one of the first links it has given users to its ownership of the popular platform.

The move comes as the world's largest social media company faces greater scrutiny from regulators around the world for more transparency over data privacy practices and how and with whom Facebook shares user information.

While not immediately visible to users, "Instagram from Facebook" can be seen a few clicks away at the bottom of the settings page in the Instagram app on some iOS devices.

"We want to be clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook," a company spokesman told Reuters.

Some US lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate, have pushed for action to break up Facebook, Amazon.com Inc &lt;AMZN.O&gt; and Alphabet Inc's Google.

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes in an opinion piece in the New York Times in May urged US regulators to split the company into three.

Facebook will also add its name to its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-asks-rbi-to-confirm-whatsapps-compliance-with-local-data-rules-240210">WhatsApp</a> messaging service, The Information reported earlier on Friday.

Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, and each is now used by more than 1 billion people.

Instagram has become especially important in adding to Facebook's revenue as the app largely stayed out of its parent's privacy scandals, and it pulls in younger consumers at a much faster rate, attracting more advertisers.

Facebook in July said new rules and product changes aimed at protecting users’ privacy would slow its revenue growth into next year. It also agreed to pay $5 billion to settle a US Federal Trade Commission data privacy probe

The FTC is also investigating Facebook for anti-competitive behaviour.

Facebook Inc started adding its name to some screens on its Instagram photo-sharing platform this week, one of the first links it has given users to its ownership of the popular platform.

Facebook Inc started adding its name to some screens on its Instagram photo-sharing platform this week, one of the first links it has given users to its ownership of the popular platform. The move comes as the world's largest social media company faces greater scrutiny from regulators around the world for more transparency over data privacy practices and how and with whom Facebook shares user information. While not immediately visible to users, "Instagram from Facebook" can be seen a few clicks away at the bottom of the settings page in the Instagram app on some iOS devices. "We want to be clearer about the products and services that are part of Facebook," a company spokesman told Reuters. Some US lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic presidential candidate, have pushed for action to break up Facebook, Amazon.com Inc <AMZN.O> and Alphabet Inc's Google. Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes in an opinion piece in the New York Times in May urged US regulators to split the company into three. Facebook will also add its name to its WhatsApp messaging service, The Information reported earlier on Friday. Facebook bought Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014, and each is now used by more than 1 billion people. Instagram has become especially important in adding to Facebook's revenue as the app largely stayed out of its parent's privacy scandals, and it pulls in younger consumers at a much faster rate, attracting more advertisers. Facebook in July said new rules and product changes aimed at protecting users’ privacy would slow its revenue growth into next year. It also agreed to pay $5 billion to settle a US Federal Trade Commission data privacy probe The FTC is also investigating Facebook for anti-competitive behaviour.

Facebook begins adding its name to some screens on Instagram

A vulnerability discovered in Facebook’s WhatsApp messaging app is being exploited to inject commercial spyware onto Android and iOS phones by simply calling the target. The spyware, reportedly developed by Israel’s secretive NSO group, can be installed without trace and without the target answering the call, according to security researchers and confirmed by WhatsApp.

WhatsApp voice calls used to inject spyware on phones

Video sharing platform, Vine, and popular HQ trivia app co-founder Colin Kroll on Monday found dead in his apartment in New York.

According to reports, Kroll was found by police after his girlfriend called 911 and asked for a wellness check.

Following the call, the New York Police department went on to Kroll's flat in Manhattan to check on him and found his body along with drug paraphernalia.

Reports say that he died of a drug overdose.

HQ spokesperson has confirmed the death with a brief statement reading, "We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it’s with deep sadness that we say goodbye. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time."

Police have launched its investigation.&nbsp;

Kroll co-founded HQ trivia app with Rus Yusupov who also paid tribute on Twitter saying that his "thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones."

"So sad to hear about the passing of my friend and co-founder Colin Kroll. My thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones. I will forever remember him for his kind soul and a big heart. He made the world and internet a better place. Rest in peace, brother," the tweet read.

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So sad to hear about the passing of my friend and co-founder Colin Kroll. My thoughts &amp; prayers go out to his loved ones. I will forever remember him for his kind soul and big heart. He made the world and internet a better place. Rest in peace, brother.
— Rus (@rus) <a href="https://twitter.com/rus/status/1074387250933325825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Colin Koll co-founder Vine, a short-form video hosting service where users could share six-second-long looping clips. It was founded in June 2012.

Later Twitter acquired Vine in October 2012 before its official launch.

He also co-founded HQ, an app and trivia game on August 26 last year for iOS and later it was released for Android as well.

It was a daily no cost daily trivia game through which players can outright win or split prize money if they can correctly answer a series of questions.

Video sharing platform, Vine, and popular HQ trivia app co-founder Colin Kroll on Monday found dead in his apartment in New York. According to reports, Kroll was found by police after his girlfriend called 911 and asked for a wellness check.

Video sharing platform, Vine, and popular HQ trivia app co-founder Colin Kroll on Monday found dead in his apartment in New York. According to reports, Kroll was found by police after his girlfriend called 911 and asked for a wellness check. Following the call, the New York Police department went on to Kroll's flat in Manhattan to check on him and found his body along with drug paraphernalia. Reports say that he died of a drug overdose. HQ spokesperson has confirmed the death with a brief statement reading, "We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it’s with deep sadness that we say goodbye. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time." Police have launched its investigation. Kroll co-founded HQ trivia app with Rus Yusupov who also paid tribute on Twitter saying that his "thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones." "So sad to hear about the passing of my friend and co-founder Colin Kroll. My thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones. I will forever remember him for his kind soul and a big heart. He made the world and internet a better place. Rest in peace, brother," the tweet read. So sad to hear about the passing of my friend and co-founder Colin Kroll. My thoughts & prayers go out to his loved ones. I will forever remember him for his kind soul and big heart. He made the world and internet a better place. Rest in peace, brother. — Rus (@rus) December 16, 2018 × Colin Koll co-founder Vine, a short-form video hosting service where users could share six-second-long looping clips. It was founded in June 2012. Later Twitter acquired Vine in October 2012 before its official launch. He also co-founded HQ, an app and trivia game on August 26 last year for iOS and later it was released for Android as well. It was a daily no cost daily trivia game through which players can outright win or split prize money if they can correctly answer a series of questions.

Vine, HQ trivia app co-founder Colin Kroll dies at 34

Tech giant Apple has been sued by over 60,000 iPhone users&nbspin South Korea&nbspfor damages on Friday.

The compensation that is being demanded is $12 million in total with each customer demanding $188.

The lawsuit has been lodged by a local firm Hannuri in a Seoul Central district court against the local unit of iPhone manufacturer, Appl and Apple Korea.

According to reports, four lakh users were seeking legal action against the company initially but the number fell during the course of verification of documents and other legal procedures.

The company is accused of slowing down phones through software tweak after they release new model is released to make buyers purchase the latest one.

In December last year, the company confirmed the reports of slowing certain models deliberately in order to prevent phone from aging batteries.

The company further assured users that it does to 'protect your phone' as the lithium-ion batteries age through time and after that,&nbspit can't process at the same capacity which could cause a phone to shut down unexpectdely.

 
&nbsp

The compensation that is being demanded is $12 million in total with each customer demanding $188

Tech giant Apple has been sued by over 60,000 iPhone users&nbspin South Korea&nbspfor damages on Friday. The compensation that is being demanded is $12 million in total with each customer demanding $188. The lawsuit has been lodged by a local firm Hannuri in a Seoul Central district court against the local unit of iPhone manufacturer, Appl and Apple Korea. According to reports, four lakh users were seeking legal action against the company initially but the number fell during the course of verification of documents and other legal procedures. The company is accused of slowing down phones through software tweak after they release new model is released to make buyers purchase the latest one. In December last year, the company confirmed the reports of slowing certain models deliberately in order to prevent phone from aging batteries. The company further assured users that it does to 'protect your phone' as the lithium-ion batteries age through time and after that,&nbspit can't process at the same capacity which could cause a phone to shut down unexpectdely.

Over 60,000 iPhone users sue Apple in South Korea

Apple Inc said on Thursday <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apples-revenue-outlook-not-as-bad-as-some-feared-analysts-31600">a bug in some versions of its operating </a>systems is causing its devices to crash when a single character in Telugu is sent to the device or typed in text editor.

The company was working on a fix for the iOS 11, the macOS High Sierra, watchOS 4 and tvOS 11 versions that the bug affects, an Apple spokesperson said.

The company said older versions were not affected by the bug and added that Apple had already fixed the issue in the current beta versions of the operating systems.

Devices running on iOS 11 are affected and crash when any application receives the character, tech news website The Verge reported.&nbsp;

Apps become unresponsive, including Apple&#39;s iMessage and third-party applications like WhatsApp, Gmail and Facebook messenger, the news report said.

However, some apps like Telegram and Skype seem to be unaffected, the report said, adding that an Italian blog Mobile World spotted the bug.

The company was working on a fix for the iOS 11, the macOS High Sierra, watchOS 4 and tvOS 11 versions that the bug affects

Apple Inc said on Thursday a bug in some versions of its operating systems is causing its devices to crash when a single character in Telugu is sent to the device or typed in text editor. The company was working on a fix for the iOS 11, the macOS High Sierra, watchOS 4 and tvOS 11 versions that the bug affects, an Apple spokesperson said. The company said older versions were not affected by the bug and added that Apple had already fixed the issue in the current beta versions of the operating systems. Devices running on iOS 11 are affected and crash when any application receives the character, tech news website The Verge reported. Apps become unresponsive, including Apple's iMessage and third-party applications like WhatsApp, Gmail and Facebook messenger, the news report said. However, some apps like Telegram and Skype seem to be unaffected, the report said, adding that an Italian blog Mobile World spotted the bug.

Working to fix Telugu script bug causing device crash: Apple

Facebook on Monday unveiled a version of its Messenger application for children, aimed at enabling kids under 12 to connect with others under parental supervision.

Messenger Kids is being rolled out for Apple iOS mobile devices in the United States on a test basis as a standalone video chat and messaging app.

Product manager Loren Cheng said the social network leader is offering Messenger Kids because &quot;there&#39;s a need for a messaging app that lets kids connect with people they love but also has the level&nbsp; of control parents want.&quot;

Facebook said that the new app, with no ads or in-app purchases, is aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds. It enables parents to control the contact list and does not allow children to connect with anyone their parent does not approve.

The social media giant added it designed the app because many children are going online without safeguards.

&quot;Many of us at Facebook are parents ourselves, and it seems we weren&#39;t alone when we realized that our kids were getting online earlier and earlier,&quot; a Facebook statement said.

It cited a study showing that 93 per cent of 6- to 12-year-olds in the US have access to tablets or smartphones, and two-thirds have a smartphone or tablet of their own.

&quot;We want to help ensure the experiences our kids have when using technology are positive, safer, and age-appropriate, and we believe teaching kids how to use technology in positive ways will bring better experiences later as they grow,&quot; the company said.

Facebook&#39;s rules require that children be at least 13 to create an account, but many are believed to get around the restrictions.

Cheng said Facebook conducted its own research and worked with &quot;over a dozen expert advisors&quot; in building the app.

She added that data from children would not be used for ad profiles and that the application would be compliant with the Children&#39;s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA).

&quot;We&#39;ve worked extensively with parents and families to shape Messenger Kids and we&#39;re looking forward to learning and listening as more children and families start to use the iOS preview,&quot; Cheng said.

Messenger Kids is being rolled out for Apple iOS mobile devices in the United States on a test basis as a standalone video chat and messaging app

Facebook on Monday unveiled a version of its Messenger application for children, aimed at enabling kids under 12 to connect with others under parental supervision. Messenger Kids is being rolled out for Apple iOS mobile devices in the United States on a test basis as a standalone video chat and messaging app. Product manager Loren Cheng said the social network leader is offering Messenger Kids because "there's a need for a messaging app that lets kids connect with people they love but also has the level of control parents want." Facebook said that the new app, with no ads or in-app purchases, is aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds. It enables parents to control the contact list and does not allow children to connect with anyone their parent does not approve. The social media giant added it designed the app because many children are going online without safeguards. "Many of us at Facebook are parents ourselves, and it seems we weren't alone when we realized that our kids were getting online earlier and earlier," a Facebook statement said. It cited a study showing that 93 per cent of 6- to 12-year-olds in the US have access to tablets or smartphones, and two-thirds have a smartphone or tablet of their own. "We want to help ensure the experiences our kids have when using technology are positive, safer, and age-appropriate, and we believe teaching kids how to use technology in positive ways will bring better experiences later as they grow," the company said. Facebook's rules require that children be at least 13 to create an account, but many are believed to get around the restrictions. Cheng said Facebook conducted its own research and worked with "over a dozen expert advisors" in building the app. She added that data from children would not be used for ad profiles and that the application would be compliant with the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA). "We've worked extensively with parents and families to shape Messenger Kids and we're looking forward to learning and listening as more children and families start to use the iOS preview," Cheng said.

Facebook to launch chat app for kids, with parental controls

The Corporate Vice President in the Operating Systems Group at <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-once-surrendered-green-card-for-wife-20669" target="_blank">Microsoft,</a> Joe Belfiore has revealed that the software giant will not be developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile.&nbsp;

Belfiore has clarified that their company&#39;s focus will not be on building new features instead they will just be enhancing the security updates and bug fires.&nbsp;

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Of course we&#39;ll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc. But building new features/hw aren&#39;t the focus. ?? <a href="https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu">https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu</a>
&mdash; Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) <a href="https://twitter.com/joebelfiore/status/917071399541391360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Microsoft&#39;s Windows Phone has been dead for a while now. However, the company has never officially admitted the same.&nbsp;

The company cleaned out its phone business last year, killing thousands of jobs.&nbsp;

In the recent Build and Inspire conferences of Microsoft, CEO Satya Nadela had replaced the company&#39;s mantra of &quot;mobile -first, cloud- first&quot; with intelligent cloud and intelligent edge, what he describes as.&nbsp;

Microsoft will now be working on multi-device scenarios and cloud-powered technologies which will have less involvement of Windows.&nbsp;

The company has also switched to Android.

Microsoft will now support Windows 10 customers who want to use Android and iOS on their phones.&nbsp;

The company is ending the Windows Phone as developers never backed that platform. It also had many problems with the Microsoft App store. It was even difficult to retain the apps which were developed.&nbsp;

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We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs. Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest. ?? <a href="https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB">https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB</a>
&mdash; Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) <a href="https://twitter.com/joebelfiore/status/917071857370595328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Actually, a huge, huge majority of our Windows/Office (and Xbox) users are mixed-ecosystem. MOST people have a different phone than &quot;PC&quot; <a href="https://t.co/maS1yBRPSs">https://t.co/maS1yBRPSs</a>
&mdash; Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) <a href="https://twitter.com/joebelfiore/status/917084988176076800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/microsoft-launches-new-nokia-feature-phone-6618" target="_blank"> Microsoft launches new Nokia feature phone</a>

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Corporate Vice President in the Operating Systems Group at Microsoft, Joe Belfiore has revealed that the software giant will not be developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile

The Corporate Vice President in the Operating Systems Group at Microsoft, Joe Belfiore has revealed that the software giant will not be developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile. Belfiore has clarified that their company's focus will not be on building new features instead they will just be enhancing the security updates and bug fires. Of course we'll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc. But building new features/hw aren't the focus. ?? https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu — Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017 × Microsoft's Windows Phone has been dead for a while now. However, the company has never officially admitted the same. The company cleaned out its phone business last year, killing thousands of jobs. In the recent Build and Inspire conferences of Microsoft, CEO Satya Nadela had replaced the company's mantra of "mobile -first, cloud- first" with intelligent cloud and intelligent edge, what he describes as. Microsoft will now be working on multi-device scenarios and cloud-powered technologies which will have less involvement of Windows. The company has also switched to Android. Microsoft will now support Windows 10 customers who want to use Android and iOS on their phones. The company is ending the Windows Phone as developers never backed that platform. It also had many problems with the Microsoft App store. It was even difficult to retain the apps which were developed. We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs. Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest. ?? https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB — Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017 × Actually, a huge, huge majority of our Windows/Office (and Xbox) users are mixed-ecosystem. MOST people have a different phone than "PC" https://t.co/maS1yBRPSs — Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017 × Also read: Microsoft launches new Nokia feature phone

Windows 10 phone is dead: Microsoft

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Monday that Amazon Prime Video would be available on Apple TV and other Apple devices starting later this year.

Apple has about 50 media partners that supply content to its Apple TV and on the television app on its popular iPhone. But Amazon&#39;s service, which includes hit shows like &quot;Transparent,&quot; has been a notable absence from Apple&#39;s hardware.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apple-debuts-homepod-speaker-to-take-on-amazon-google-16472">Also read: Apple debuts HomePod speaker to take on Amazon, Google</a>

CEO Tim Cook also used the Apple keynote to show off new iPad and Mac computer models, as well as provide glimpses at coming versions of the software powering the technology titan&#39;s devices.

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said the next Mac operating system will be named &quot;High Sierra&quot; in tribute to the California mountain range.

High Sierra features will include being able to stop unexpected videos from starting to play automatically when landing on web pages and &quot;intelligent tracking prevention&quot; that will prevent ads from following people about the internet.

High Sierra will be released later this year as a free update, according to Federighi.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Apple has about 50 media partners that supply content to its Apple TV and on the television app on its popular iPhone.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Monday that Amazon Prime Video would be available on Apple TV and other Apple devices starting later this year. Apple has about 50 media partners that supply content to its Apple TV and on the television app on its popular iPhone. But Amazon's service, which includes hit shows like "Transparent," has been a notable absence from Apple's hardware. Also read: Apple debuts HomePod speaker to take on Amazon, Google CEO Tim Cook also used the Apple keynote to show off new iPad and Mac computer models, as well as provide glimpses at coming versions of the software powering the technology titan's devices. Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said the next Mac operating system will be named "High Sierra" in tribute to the California mountain range. High Sierra features will include being able to stop unexpected videos from starting to play automatically when landing on web pages and "intelligent tracking prevention" that will prevent ads from following people about the internet. High Sierra will be released later this year as a free update, according to Federighi. (WION with inputs from agencies)

WWDC 2017: Amazon Prime Video coming to Apple devices

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature for iOS that lets users ask Siri to read out messages for them. Users can get their messages read by simply saying: &quot;Hey Siri, read new WhatsApp messages.&quot;

The new WhatsApp feature is expected to make life a little easier for people with visual impairments. Also, it is seen as a significant contribution towards vehicle safety by keeping eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

&ldquo;Users can activate the feature in WhatsApp&rsquo;s settings menu, and request that Siri read the latest message with the usual &ldquo;Hey Siri&rdquo; command. Replying by voice is possible, too, since WhatsApp added the option last September,&rdquo; report The Verge.

It is available to users running iOS 10.3 on their devices.

This feature is seen as a result of Apple opening up Siri&rsquo;s software to third-party developers at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2016.

The updated version of WhatsApp for iOS has also added support for the Persian language.

(WION)

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature for iOS that lets users ask Siri to read out messages for them. Users can get their messages read by simply saying: "Hey Siri, read new WhatsApp messages." The new WhatsApp feature is expected to make life a little easier for people with visual impairments. Also, it is seen as a significant contribution towards vehicle safety by keeping eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. “Users can activate the feature in WhatsApp’s settings menu, and request that Siri read the latest message with the usual “Hey Siri” command. Replying by voice is possible, too, since WhatsApp added the option last September,” report The Verge. It is available to users running iOS 10.3 on their devices. This feature is seen as a result of Apple opening up Siri’s software to third-party developers at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2016. The updated version of WhatsApp for iOS has also added support for the Persian language. (WION)

iPhone users can now ask Siri to read out WhatsApp messages for them

It is the second part of the interview with Vivaldi CEO

In the first part of the interview with former Opera CEO Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner (who is now the CEO of Vivaldi), we shared with you details about his unfortunate exit from Opera and why he decided to pit his new browser against Opera. Now we bring you the second part of the interview wherein Jon shares with us an interesting trivia behind the name Vivaldi, explains how he plans to make it stand out in the competitive browser market, shares his opinion on browsers with built-in ad blockers, and speaks about the business model and monetisation techniques that are helping Vivaldi sustain as a startup. WION: So can it be said that you started Vivaldi from where you left Opera? Jon: Yes, the philosophy is the one that we have of Opera. The philosophy is all about putting the user first. It is about this extremely close relationship that we have with users where we get feedback from them continuously. It is about accepting that we are different. There is no one correct way to do a software UI. There are different opinions on it and they are all valid. WION: First Opera and then Vivaldi, what's the connect with music? Is there something that I am missing? Jon: My co-founder Geir came up with the Opera name. He came up with a lot better names than the lot other names that I came up with. WION: So what all names you actually came up with? Jon: The typical techie names like Map (a name for the browser). I am glad that we ended up with Opera instead of Map. Yes, it is related to music. We love music. And there is a lot of music in my family. WION: So are you a musician? Jon: Not myself. I have no talent whatsoever. Sadly, I wish I had. When I was a kid I wanted to be like my grandmother and my great grandfather. They were composers. My great grandfather in Iceland is the most recognised classical composer. WION: What's his name? Jon: His name is Sigvaldi Kaldalóns. Maybe outside of Iceland, his name is not so known. But in my little country of 3,30,000 people, his music is played for Christmas, for weddings and other things. WION: So you wanted to become a composer when you were a kid? Jon: I wanted to be a composer when I was a kid. But sadly, to be a composer, you actually need talent. And I didn't have any. I was about to become a scientist. I always had an interest in business, but I had chosen computing because I had to do something there. × WION: So what talent do you have? Jon: My background is that I am a geek. So, I mean I have been into computers from the time I got my first Sinclair ZX81 with one kilobyte of memory in 1981. So I mean the two of us that founded Opera, we were both geeks. The only reason why I became the CEO was because the other guy Geir, who is 10 years older than me, was a better coder than me - sadly. It was actually an eye-opener for me. He was so much better. In the first years of Opera, I coded the UI and he coded the core part. But my focus was more on usability, accessibility and how things look and feel. But I think I was a good coder, but there is a big difference between a good and a fantastic. WION: If not Opera, what would it have been then? Jon: I had two different pasts. I was working at the research lab at Telenor. I was actually planning to go to MIT and take a doctorate degree there - Doctorate in Informatics. But instead it became Opera. I am not sure what else would have happened. I was working at the research lab. I was about to become a scientist. I always had an interest in business, but I had chosen computing because I had to do something there. WION: You began with a startup (Opera) and now you are back to a startup (Vivaldi)? How has it changed your daily routine? Jon: One of the difficulties for me now is that the team is not with me. Most of the team is in Norway and Iceland. So that's a little bit hard. Because I love being with my team. But as soon as I get up, I connect with them. I may not even get out of bed. I just get my computer and I am online and talking what's happening this morning. Hit the shower, get online, follow up what's happening and communicate, basically. WION: At what time do you start your day? How early? Jon: I mean, it depends. I am really a wee person. But after moving to the US, I am quite often waking up at 6 o'clock in the morning. The good thing for me in the US is that I work from home and I work from the innovation house, which is a 5-minute walk away. So I like that. I don't like to commute. WION: I am not going to ask you why do we need a new browser. Because I personally believe we need innovation in the browser space. There are a few browsers available. These browsers look different, but in terms of functionality, they work more or less the same. Having said that it's very difficult to make people, who are used to using a particular browser, switch to a new one. And to make that shift happen, you need something really interesting. So in such a scenario, how are you planning to make people move to Vivaldi? Jon: So this is the position. I have been in my whole life in many ways. With Opera, we were always the underdog. Actually, we got to be very big in mobile. We got to be very big in TVs, in game consoles and things like that. And even on the PC side, we got to be quite big in certain markets. But in markets like the US, they always say who uses Opera? It never really got too much of a foothold in the American markets. So I am kind of used to a situation where you have to work for every user. And this is what this is about. We have to, and we do, focus on what users want. We just put in a lot of functionality that users want. We combine that with innovation. And innovation means that someone comes up with something. It's not something that is driven by me or anyone at the top. We are a team that works together. And I believe strongly heads think better than a head. So anyone can come up with an idea and the ideas happen in different ways. So, we work very closely with our users and then we must build products that are good enough for them to share with their friends. That's really what this is about. The Vivaldi team in Iceland. (WION) × Then we think what we see if people download Vivaldi. They give it a bit of time. I mean most people who download it, they say it looks nice, it's more colourful and has a fresh design and approach. And then you spend a bit of time with it. You get to know the features better, you get to know certain differences that allow you to work a lot faster. So if you give it enough time, then you learn a little bit more. I think a lot of people will like what Vivaldi is all about. And that's what we are seeing. And if you see the people who start to use Vivaldi, they become extremely enthusiastic. We do not monitor how you use the browser. We just take your words for it. If you say you want this, we will put it in. × We see that in comments on Facebook and Twitter. We see that in the comments on our community. People are really enthusiastic about what we are doing. They like the philosophy that if they ask for things generally our answer is yes. It may take a little bit of time, because we do get a lot of requests. So, the general thing is that we see every user as someone that should be able to get the browser they want and that means for us to provide different options so people can change them. So they get the perfect browser for them. So there is a a lot of options being added all the time. And if there is disagreement on something, let's make it possible to do it both ways. WION: You said you are going to make Vivaldi an innovation-driven browser and you are working closely with your community. And also, many a time, you have been quoted as saying that tools should adapt to users, instead of making users adapt to them. So what exactly are you doing? What different are you doing with Vivaldi? Jon: The typical approach that we are seeing is that Opera did this, Firefox did this. Well, they say they have monitoring of their users - not individually, but they see this function is getting this much used or that function is getting that much used. So then they remove a function if too small a fraction is using it. And then you end up building a browser that is optimised for average user. Because if you take all the things that we have on special requests away, then you just end up with a browser that is quite limited in its approach. We are a little different here. So if you requested, we put it. We do not monitor how you use the browser. We just take your words for it. If you say you want this, we will put it in. That means gradually we put in a lot of different ways to do the same thing. Some people want to close tabs by clicking the "x". Some people want to use Ctrl + F4. Some people want to middle click it. So there are a lot of different ways to do the same thing. You want to go back and froth in history, you can do that by clicking the arrows, you can do that by using mouse gestures, you can do that by using keyboard shortcuts. I mean these are all different ways to do the same thing. And what I am finding is that people have different opinions on what works best with their work flow. And that's really what this is all about. All those things can be customised. We put in what we believe is the best default values. But if you don't like those default values, you can get it your way. So this is part of it. The web as we know it has the benefit of having ads. You may not like them, but I think the consequences of the opposite is worse. × Then there is innovative part. There is always how do you innovate and things like that. To me how do you kill innovation. And you kill innovation by not allowing people to be innovative, by telling that everything needs to go through a centralised hub and things like that. As an example, in our case, I love the fact that guys just say I just did this. And we have a feature in v1.5, which is an example of this. So this designer Henrik got himself a new toy. So he got himself a Philips Hue, which is a smart bulb. So we have this nice little feature in Vivaldi. We change the colour of the browser when you visit a site - Facebook, becomes blue; Vivaldi becomes red, and things like that. So that's a feature that is coming in 1.5. So this is an example of the innovation that happens. And the point is he came to work and he said guys, come and see this. This is what I did the other weekend. And we all gathered around him and said this is cool. Let's get it in. So this is how the innovation happens. (You can go here to see what’s new in the latest version (version 1.5) of Vivaldi.) WION: As you said you always say yes to requests that you get from users. Don't you think by acknowledging all the requests there is a likelihood of the browser getting cluttered over a period of time? Jon: Not really, because this is about options. For example, with other browsers, the options on the Settings page is something that they don't really spend a lot of time on. They don't want you to use them. They want you to use the browser as is. In our case, we spend a lot of time making that Settings page easy to use. But out of the box, it is not supposed to be cluttered, but you can then make it as cluttered as you like. That's your choice as a user. So, it's up to you. WION: So what kind of feature requests are you getting from users nowadays or for that matter you got in the last few weeks or few months? Jon: A lot of it is about details. Like middle clicking the tab to close it, for example. Or when you click the active tab to activate the previously active tab. Things like that. Or mouse gestures that allow you to do slightly more advanced functionality. Then there are a lot of people who are just waiting for our mail client. So, it's not one thing, because all our users are individuals. So they have very different opinions. Every now and then, there is a rant from someone saying that why you are doing this, you should be doing this. We can't satisfy them all at the same time. But our goal is to satisfy them all. It just takes time. WION: I am sure that the idea to make it feature rich won't happen at the cost of the speed that it has. So what all technologies are you integrating to make it faster with every release? Jon: The base that we are using is actually Chromium and Chromium is actually a pretty fast browser underneath. The UI itself is we are building using web technologies. And that's an interesting aspect because it allows us to work really fast. And the web technology has now become so fast that you can now do it in a way that both looks good and is fast. So that's kind of our focus. We are not profitable yet. We have one investor and that is me. × WION: What is your take on browsers with built-in ad blockers? Jon: If users want ad blockers, there are plenty to choose from. That's one thing. But secondly, we also think that we don't want to change the web as we know it. The web as we know it has the benefit of having ads. You may not like them, but I think the consequences of the opposite is worse. That's my humble opinion. So, personally, I don't use an ad blocker. WION: So with Vivaldi are you trying to strike a balance between the user experience and how the web should work? Jon: Yes. So my hope is that more and more of those making ads for the web will avoid doing the kind of things that annoy the user. WION: How are you planning to create a space for yourself in the browser market? Jon: The plan is just to really focus on building the best possible product. We are building a browser for our friends. We need a few million users to break even. And after that we just take it from there. I mean with Opera we reached a 100 million in 15 years. A few years later it was up to 350 million. We don't need 350 million or a 100 million. It would be nice if it happens. We just work for every user. Hopefully we will reach some really nice number after a while. WION: How do you find Opera doing now? Jon: I am saddened. You know what happened recently. The buyout of the browser business by the Chinese consortium went through. I find that a sad end to Opera. 85 people lost their job recently. When I left the company 750 people were there. I think less than half are left. So, I really see that is a sad development. I can't see it in any other way. A good team at Opera has been dismantled over the last few years. And what is now left is a mobile advertising company. And that's not Opera. WION: What is Vivaldi’s current market share? Jon: We are on our way towards our first million users. I know that's a small percentage of the market. But we just started. So, we are happy with that. So, it's a very good start and as I said a we need a few million users and then we will take it as far as we can. WION: When can we see Vivaldi for Android and iOS? Jon: Vivaldi for Android will come sometime next year. We started mobile in parallel, but we hit some roadblocks, which is why it is taking us longer than we have hoped. And Vivaldi for iOS is a bigger question. The problem with iOS is that we can't run the same piece of code. They don't allow us to run the same code. So it's an Apple policy. And if Apple changed that policy, things would happen quicker. If Apple doesn't change that policy then we have to do a lot more work to make it work on iOS. So that's the problem. WION: Can we see Vivaldi for iOS in the latter part of the next year? Jon: I would not say next year. But if Apple changes its ways then it's possible. WION: How big is the Vivaldi team? Jon: We are 37 at this time. A lot of the employees in Vivaldi are the former Opera people. I know many of them individually. Opera had hired really smart people from all across the globe. WION: How is Vivaldi making profit and when are your plans to go public? Jon: We are not profitable yet. We have one investor and that is me. I am funding it. And all the employees have stocks. We currently have no plans to go public. We just want to focus on building a good product. What happened at Opera, I don't want that to happen again. I want to be able to promise the employees and the users that it's not going to happen again. I want to ensure them that the company is in good hands. WION: So do you have any plans to go public in the next five years? Jon: Never. I mean this is not a financial-driven thing. This is basically passion. We are doing this for our friends. When the company is profitable that is nice. That is good for all of us who own shares in the company. But that is not why we are doing this. WION: What is your business model? Jon: The business model for Vivaldi is very simple. This is same as for all the browsers. basically, it is the included search defaults and some of the bookmarks. So we include a various range of bookmarks in every market. And the principle of that is that we want to give the user a good start. The bookmarks are typically based on the feedback from our community. What would be the good sites to have. And then a small fraction of them can rake in revenue. So unless the user uses them, we make no money. This also means that we select our partners very carefully. WION: Can you share the future roadmap of Vivaldi? Jon: We will continue to build a company. We will put in the mail client. We will put in the mobile version and whatever else that we have of ideas and suggestions from our users. We will grow the company based on how the user growth is. If the user growth is really fast, we will grow faster. If the user growth is stable then we grow a bit slower.

#WIONSpecial | CEO explains how Vivaldi is different from other popular browsers

Google has introduced a new app called PhotoScan, which scans your printed photos and converts them into high-resolution digital images.

PhotoScan is a free to download app. It detects edges, straightens the image, rotates it to the correct orientation, and removes glare.

&ldquo;Scanned photos can be saved in one tap to Google Photos to be organized, searchable, shared, and safely backed up at high quality,&rdquo; said Google. 
&nbsp; 
Google PhotoScan is available for both <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.photos.scanner&amp;referrer=utm_source%3Dlanding">Android</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1165525994?mt=8">iOS</a>. 
<style type="text/css">.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%
</style>


<div class="embed-container"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MEyDt0DNjWU"></iframe></div>

&nbsp; 
Besides, Google has also rolled out three ways to edit pictures better. These features include a new and improved auto enhance, unique new looks, and advanced editing tools.

Users can simply open a photo and tap the pencil icon to start editing. First, for auto enhance, just select Auto, and see instant enhancements like balancing exposure and saturation to bring out details.

Second, as Google explains, its 12 new looks have taken style to the next level. These &quot;unique looks&quot; make edits based on the individual photo and its brightness, darkness, warmth, or saturation. All looks use machine intelligence to complement the content of photos. 
&nbsp; 
Third, the &ldquo;advanced editing controls&rdquo; for light and colour allow you to fine-tune your photos, including highlights, shadows, and warmth.

Google has started rolling out the Google Photos app with the new photo editor for Android, iOS and the web.

(WION)

Google PhotoScan is available for both Android and iOS

Google has introduced a new app called PhotoScan, which scans your printed photos and converts them into high-resolution digital images. PhotoScan is a free to download app. It detects edges, straightens the image, rotates it to the correct orientation, and removes glare. “Scanned photos can be saved in one tap to Google Photos to be organized, searchable, shared, and safely backed up at high quality,” said Google. Google PhotoScan is available for both Android and iOS. Besides, Google has also rolled out three ways to edit pictures better. These features include a new and improved auto enhance, unique new looks, and advanced editing tools. Users can simply open a photo and tap the pencil icon to start editing. First, for auto enhance, just select Auto, and see instant enhancements like balancing exposure and saturation to bring out details. Second, as Google explains, its 12 new looks have taken style to the next level. These "unique looks" make edits based on the individual photo and its brightness, darkness, warmth, or saturation. All looks use machine intelligence to complement the content of photos. Third, the “advanced editing controls” for light and colour allow you to fine-tune your photos, including highlights, shadows, and warmth. Google has started rolling out the Google Photos app with the new photo editor for Android, iOS and the web. (WION)

Google PhotoScan: A new app that converts your printed photos into high-quality digital images

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