With coronavirus still spreading, several researchers are making strenuous efforts to come up with new and advanced ways of detecting the virus. &nbsp;

One such team of scientists in the US has developed a highly sensitive Covid test, which relies only on low-tech kit and a smartphone. It could be used as a quicker and cheaper alternative to PCR testing. &nbsp;

This 25-minute saliva test provides a highly reliable platform for testing at the workplace or home, as per the team of researchers. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explainer-what-is-new-coronavirus-neocov-that-kills-1-in-3-patients-find-out-the-truth-448684" hreflang="en">Explainer: What is new coronavirus NeoCov&nbsp;that kills 1 in 3 patients? Find out the truth</a>

This test only needs a basic lab kit, which includes a cardboard box, a small hot plate and LED light. This whole package can cost less than £75 ($100). &nbsp;

The cost of the whole test including the reagents is about a 10th of a PCR test. This is also cheaper than a lateral flow test. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The findings of the study have been published in JAMA Network Open journal. &nbsp;

This test uses a process, which is called Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp), to amplify viral RNA in the saliva and detect specific target genes. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/now-robot-conducts-surgery-on-pigs-successfully-without-any-help-448430" hreflang="en">Now, robot conducts surgery on pigs successfully without any help</a>

The freely available app uses a smartphone’s camera to identify colour changes indicating a chemical reaction and determines a diagnosis in just 25 minutes. On testing 50 patients with coronavirus, it matched PCR testing for sensitivity. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“As new Covid variants emerge globally, testing and detection remain essential to pandemic control efforts,” said Dr Michael Mahan of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is also the lead author of the study. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

With coronavirus still spreading, several researchers are making strenuous efforts to come up with new and advanced ways of detecting the virus. One such team of scientists in the US has developed a highly sensitive Covid test, which relies only on low-tech kit and a smartphone.

With coronavirus still spreading, several researchers are making strenuous efforts to come up with new and advanced ways of detecting the virus. One such team of scientists in the US has developed a highly sensitive Covid test, which relies only on low-tech kit and a smartphone. It could be used as a quicker and cheaper alternative to PCR testing. This 25-minute saliva test provides a highly reliable platform for testing at the workplace or home, as per the team of researchers. Also Read: Explainer: What is new coronavirus NeoCov that kills 1 in 3 patients? Find out the truth This test only needs a basic lab kit, which includes a cardboard box, a small hot plate and LED light. This whole package can cost less than £75 ($100). The cost of the whole test including the reagents is about a 10th of a PCR test. This is also cheaper than a lateral flow test. The findings of the study have been published in JAMA Network Open journal. This test uses a process, which is called Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (Lamp), to amplify viral RNA in the saliva and detect specific target genes. Also Read: Now, robot conducts surgery on pigs successfully without any help The freely available app uses a smartphone’s camera to identify colour changes indicating a chemical reaction and determines a diagnosis in just 25 minutes. On testing 50 patients with coronavirus, it matched PCR testing for sensitivity. “As new Covid variants emerge globally, testing and detection remain essential to pandemic control efforts,” said Dr Michael Mahan of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is also the lead author of the study. (With inputs from agencies)

US scientists come up with cheap Covid test relying on low-tech kit, smartphone. Find out how does it work

In the increasingly digital world, anonymity is often a necessary thing in order to safeguard own details. There are many privacy measures to ensure anonymity of smartphone users. But a study has now suggested that the measures that have been used may no longer be suitable for the digital age.

Vast quantities of data are scooped up from smartphone apps by firms looking to develop products, conduct research or target consumers with adverts.

In Europe and many other jurisdictions, companies are legally bound to make this data anonymous, often doing so by removing telltale details like names or phone numbers.&nbsp;

But the study in the Nature Communications journal says this is no longer enough to keep identities private.&nbsp;

The researchers say people can now be identified with just a few details of how they communicate with an app like WhatsApp.&nbsp;

One of the paper's authors, Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye of Imperial College London, told AFP it was time to "reinvent what anonymisation means".

'Rich' data

His team took anonymised data from more than 40,000 mobile phone users, most of which was information from messaging apps and other "interaction" data.&nbsp;

They then "attacked" the data searching for patterns in those interactions -- a technique that could be employed by malicious actors.&nbsp;

With just the direct contacts of the person included in the dataset, they found they could identify the person 15 percent of the time.

When further interactions between those primary contacts were included, they could identify 52 percent of people.&nbsp;

"Our results provide evidence that disconnected and even re-pseudonymised interaction data remain identifiable even across long periods of time," wrote the researchers from the UK, Switzerland and Italy.&nbsp;

"These results strongly suggest that current practices may not satisfy the anonymisation standard set forth by (European regulators) in particular with regard to the linkability criteria."&nbsp;

De Montjoye stressed that the intention was not to criticise any individual company or legal regime.&nbsp;

Rather, he said the algorithm they were using just provided a more robust way of testing what we regard as anonymised data.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In the increasingly digital world, anonymity is often a necessary thing in order to safeguard own details. There are many privacy measures to ensure anonymity of smartphone users.

In the increasingly digital world, anonymity is often a necessary thing in order to safeguard own details. There are many privacy measures to ensure anonymity of smartphone users. But a study has now suggested that the measures that have been used may no longer be suitable for the digital age. Vast quantities of data are scooped up from smartphone apps by firms looking to develop products, conduct research or target consumers with adverts. In Europe and many other jurisdictions, companies are legally bound to make this data anonymous, often doing so by removing telltale details like names or phone numbers. But the study in the Nature Communications journal says this is no longer enough to keep identities private. The researchers say people can now be identified with just a few details of how they communicate with an app like WhatsApp. One of the paper's authors, Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye of Imperial College London, told AFP it was time to "reinvent what anonymisation means". 'Rich' data His team took anonymised data from more than 40,000 mobile phone users, most of which was information from messaging apps and other "interaction" data. They then "attacked" the data searching for patterns in those interactions -- a technique that could be employed by malicious actors. With just the direct contacts of the person included in the dataset, they found they could identify the person 15 percent of the time. When further interactions between those primary contacts were included, they could identify 52 percent of people. "Our results provide evidence that disconnected and even re-pseudonymised interaction data remain identifiable even across long periods of time," wrote the researchers from the UK, Switzerland and Italy. "These results strongly suggest that current practices may not satisfy the anonymisation standard set forth by (European regulators) in particular with regard to the linkability criteria." De Montjoye stressed that the intention was not to criticise any individual company or legal regime. Rather, he said the algorithm they were using just provided a more robust way of testing what we regard as anonymised data. (With inputs from agencies)

Just making smartphone data anonymous no longer enough, says study

One of the main concerns of the parents is to ensure that their children remain safe. It becomes especially tough for them to keep track of their kids whenever they go to school or play outside.

But a small tracker that can monitor their kids’ activities can make bring a major sigh of relief.

Over the past decade, the scale of technological innovation has grown leaps and bounds. So much so, that parents can now even keep track of their children’s location without having to be physically present.

From the era of smartphones and smartwatches, now comes the era of smart school bags equipped with many hi-tech features, including GPS technology.

What is a ‘smart bag’?

Named as ‘Smart Positioning Children Schoolbag’, the smart bag functions exactly like a smartphone, except without the functions of a dialler phone.

<img alt="This smart bag has GPS" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b24d8338-d96a-4c5b-9350-89a2eb64ffec" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Smart-Positioning-Children-Schoolbag-Huawei-1.jpg" />

It has an operating system, GPS tech, LCD panel, among other things.

Who made the smart bag?

Chinese tech conglomerate Huawei has designed the new smart school bag for kids that features many advanced features.

The school bag has app controls and comes with HarmonyOS Connect support.

This bag will prove useful in places where children are not allowed to carry smartphones and smartwatches, such as schools.

What kind of features does the smart bag have?

Apart from GPS tracking technology, the bag has a 1.54-inch display, which is IP67 dust and waterproof. Parents can schedule class, set theme clock, etc..

<img alt="The bag comes with the “Smart Life” app which can be connected to a phone" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0d395600-f732-405d-b325-9d5fbaeaf84b" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Smart-Positioning-Children-Schoolbag-Huawei.png" />

With the help of the smart positioning function fitted on the bag, parents will be able to keep an eye on the real time location of their children. It runs on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System—a Chinese satellite navigation system and GPS with 5CEP accuracy.

How can parents track their kids using the smart bag?

The bag comes with the “Smart Life” app which is connected to a phone. Once connected to the app, parents can set up to three-guard areas which will include home, school and other places.

As soon as the child reaches/leaves the set location with this bag, the parents would get an alert notification on their phone. They would get a real-time update of their children every 2 minutes.

How much does the bag weigh?

Surprisingly, it is lightweight compared to traditional school bags.

The structural design of the horizontal schoolbag is about 6-7 cm shorter than the height of the general schoolbag.

The strap design is made in such a way as to ensure that the bottom of the schoolbag is not dragged below the waist to avoid damage to the waist due to force. Thus, it is more suitable for children under 135cm.

There is also a U-shaped shoulder strap fitted on the schoolbag to provide comfort to the child’s shoulder and neck.

When will the smart bag be available?

At present, the bag is undergoing some tests before it can be launched commercially worldwide, as Huawei is currently recruiting public testers to check the functionalities of the bag.

(With inputs from agencies)

One of the main concerns of the parents is to ensure that their children remain safe. It becomes especially tough for them to keep track of their kids whenever they go to school or play outside.

One of the main concerns of the parents is to ensure that their children remain safe. It becomes especially tough for them to keep track of their kids whenever they go to school or play outside. But a small tracker that can monitor their kids’ activities can make bring a major sigh of relief. Over the past decade, the scale of technological innovation has grown leaps and bounds. So much so, that parents can now even keep track of their children’s location without having to be physically present. From the era of smartphones and smartwatches, now comes the era of smart school bags equipped with many hi-tech features, including GPS technology. What is a ‘smart bag’? Named as ‘Smart Positioning Children Schoolbag’, the smart bag functions exactly like a smartphone, except without the functions of a dialler phone. It has an operating system, GPS tech, LCD panel, among other things. Who made the smart bag? Chinese tech conglomerate Huawei has designed the new smart school bag for kids that features many advanced features. The school bag has app controls and comes with HarmonyOS Connect support. This bag will prove useful in places where children are not allowed to carry smartphones and smartwatches, such as schools. What kind of features does the smart bag have? Apart from GPS tracking technology, the bag has a 1.54-inch display, which is IP67 dust and waterproof. Parents can schedule class, set theme clock, etc.. With the help of the smart positioning function fitted on the bag, parents will be able to keep an eye on the real time location of their children. It runs on BeiDou Navigation Satellite System—a Chinese satellite navigation system and GPS with 5CEP accuracy. How can parents track their kids using the smart bag? The bag comes with the “Smart Life” app which is connected to a phone. Once connected to the app, parents can set up to three-guard areas which will include home, school and other places. As soon as the child reaches/leaves the set location with this bag, the parents would get an alert notification on their phone. They would get a real-time update of their children every 2 minutes. How much does the bag weigh? Surprisingly, it is lightweight compared to traditional school bags. The structural design of the horizontal schoolbag is about 6-7 cm shorter than the height of the general schoolbag. The strap design is made in such a way as to ensure that the bottom of the schoolbag is not dragged below the waist to avoid damage to the waist due to force. Thus, it is more suitable for children under 135cm. There is also a U-shaped shoulder strap fitted on the schoolbag to provide comfort to the child’s shoulder and neck. When will the smart bag be available? At present, the bag is undergoing some tests before it can be launched commercially worldwide, as Huawei is currently recruiting public testers to check the functionalities of the bag. (With inputs from agencies)

Now, parents can track children’s location with this smart school bag

Chinese smartphone companies in India are under scrutiny. They are being raided & exposed for irregularities. Xiaomi & Oppo have been founding violation tax laws & evading customs duty. Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Xiaomi & Oppo found violating India's tax laws

Two Chinese smartphone makers operating in India may be fined Rs 10 <a name="_Hlk91924825">billion (US $134&nbsp;million approx.) </a>for violating a tax law relating to non-disclosures of transactions with associated enterprises.

On December 21, the Income Tax department had carried out search and seizure operations across India after receiving a tip-off on select foreign-controlled mobile communication and mobile handset manufacturing companies and their associated persons.

Several premises in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and Delhi NCR were covered.

“The search revealed that two major companies have made remittance in the nature of royalty, to and on behalf of its group companies located abroad, which aggregates to over Rs 5,500 crore. The claim of such expenses does not seem to be appropriate in light of the facts and evidence gathered during the search,” the I-T department said in a statement without naming the Chinese mobile manufacturers, but media reports confirmed the names Xiaomi and Oppo.

“It is gathered that both these companies had not complied with the regulatory mandate prescribed under the Income-tax Act, 1961 for disclosure of transactions with associated enterprises. Such lapse makes them liable for penal action under the Income-tax Act, 1961, the quantum of which could be in the range of more than Rs 1,000 crore (US $ <a name="_Hlk91924825">134&nbsp;</a>million approx.),” the CBDT statement added.

The tax sleuths also found that one of the companies utilised the services of another entity located in India but did not comply with the provisions of tax deduction at source introduced since April 1, 2020, and the quantum of liability of TDS on this account could be around Rs 3 billion (US $42 million).

(With inputs from agencies)

Two Chinese smartphone makers operating in India may be fined Rs 10 billion (US $134 million approx.) for violating a tax law relating to non-disclosures of transactions with associated enterprises.

Two Chinese smartphone makers operating in India may be fined Rs 10 billion (US $134 million approx.) for violating a tax law relating to non-disclosures of transactions with associated enterprises. On December 21, the Income Tax department had carried out search and seizure operations across India after receiving a tip-off on select foreign-controlled mobile communication and mobile handset manufacturing companies and their associated persons. Several premises in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan and Delhi NCR were covered. “The search revealed that two major companies have made remittance in the nature of royalty, to and on behalf of its group companies located abroad, which aggregates to over Rs 5,500 crore. The claim of such expenses does not seem to be appropriate in light of the facts and evidence gathered during the search,” the I-T department said in a statement without naming the Chinese mobile manufacturers, but media reports confirmed the names Xiaomi and Oppo. “It is gathered that both these companies had not complied with the regulatory mandate prescribed under the Income-tax Act, 1961 for disclosure of transactions with associated enterprises. Such lapse makes them liable for penal action under the Income-tax Act, 1961, the quantum of which could be in the range of more than Rs 1,000 crore (US $ 134 million approx.),” the CBDT statement added. The tax sleuths also found that one of the companies utilised the services of another entity located in India but did not comply with the provisions of tax deduction at source introduced since April 1, 2020, and the quantum of liability of TDS on this account could be around Rs 3 billion (US $42 million). (With inputs from agencies)

Two Chinese phone makers break tax laws in India, may face $134 million fine

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers, led by Dr Katy Borodkin of the Department of Communication Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, observed 33 Israeli mothers and their 16 toddlers, all boys aged 24-36 months for a certain period of time.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers reportedly invited participants saying they would examine the common interests between mothers and children. The mothers were asked to browse a specific Facebook page and 'like' content that interests them, read printed magazines and mark interesting articles and play with their child while the phone and magazine were in another room. 
 
Borodkin revealed that the activity was intended to observe mothers while they took care of their children and also devote some of their attention to her smartphone.&nbsp; 
 
"The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions between the mothers and the toddlers and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction," said Borodkin in her research.&nbsp; 
 
The researchers defined three aspects of the interaction between a mother and her child: Maternal linguistic input - the "linguistic content that the mother conveys to the child"; conversational turns - the level of interactivity of a mother-child verbal exchange; and maternal responsiveness - the timeliness and specificity of a mother's response to a particular "bid" from her child. 
 
According to the research, a decrease in maternal linguistic input leads to reduced vocabulary in a child, even when they become adults.&nbsp; 
 
Similarly how interactive a particular conversation was - affect a child's linguistic and social development as "the child learns that he or she has some time to contribute to the interaction as well as the basic social norms of social interactions."&nbsp; 
 
Maternal responsiveness is critical for child development, including linguistic, cognitive emotional and social development.&nbsp; 
 
"For example, when the child says 'look, a truck', there is no comparison between a response such as 'yes, that’s great' and a response such as 'correct, this is a red truck, like the one we saw yesterday", said the researchers.&nbsp; 
According to the research the three components of mother-child interaction were two to four times lower when the mother was using her smartphone or reading a magazine.&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;"Moreover, they exchanged fewer conversational turns with the toddler, provided less immediate and content-tailored responses, and more often ignored explicit child bids," TAU stated. 
 
The team stated that using a smartphone and reading was equally distracting. TAU though was careful to add that there is currently no evidence that smartphones directly impact child development because smartphones are a recent phenomenon- although finding suggest "an adverse impact on the foundation of child development." 
 
The research may also be relevant to father-child interaction as the use of smartphones by both women and men is comparable. 
 
"In our current research we focused on the mothers, but we believe that our findings characterize communication interferences between fathers and their toddlers as well, since the smartphone usage patterns are similar between men and women, thus allowing us to estimate with high probability that the research findings are applicable to fathers and to mothers”, Borodkin further said.&nbsp;

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development.

Your addiction to smartphones may affect your child's development, says a new study. The Tel Aviv University conducted a study for the peer-reviewed journal Child Development last month and have revealed that kids whose parents are on smartphones for long hours tend to have slow development. The researchers, led by Dr Katy Borodkin of the Department of Communication Disorders at the Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine of Tel Aviv University, observed 33 Israeli mothers and their 16 toddlers, all boys aged 24-36 months for a certain period of time. The researchers reportedly invited participants saying they would examine the common interests between mothers and children. The mothers were asked to browse a specific Facebook page and 'like' content that interests them, read printed magazines and mark interesting articles and play with their child while the phone and magazine were in another room. Borodkin revealed that the activity was intended to observe mothers while they took care of their children and also devote some of their attention to her smartphone. "The mothers were unaware of the purpose of the experiment, so they behaved naturally by splitting their interest between the toddlers and the smartphone and magazines. We videotaped all the interactions between the mothers and the toddlers and later scanned the recordings frame by frame in an attempt to quantify the mother-child interaction," said Borodkin in her research. The researchers defined three aspects of the interaction between a mother and her child: Maternal linguistic input - the "linguistic content that the mother conveys to the child"; conversational turns - the level of interactivity of a mother-child verbal exchange; and maternal responsiveness - the timeliness and specificity of a mother's response to a particular "bid" from her child. According to the research, a decrease in maternal linguistic input leads to reduced vocabulary in a child, even when they become adults. Similarly how interactive a particular conversation was - affect a child's linguistic and social development as "the child learns that he or she has some time to contribute to the interaction as well as the basic social norms of social interactions." Maternal responsiveness is critical for child development, including linguistic, cognitive emotional and social development. "For example, when the child says 'look, a truck', there is no comparison between a response such as 'yes, that’s great' and a response such as 'correct, this is a red truck, like the one we saw yesterday", said the researchers. According to the research the three components of mother-child interaction were two to four times lower when the mother was using her smartphone or reading a magazine. "Moreover, they exchanged fewer conversational turns with the toddler, provided less immediate and content-tailored responses, and more often ignored explicit child bids," TAU stated. The team stated that using a smartphone and reading was equally distracting. TAU though was careful to add that there is currently no evidence that smartphones directly impact child development because smartphones are a recent phenomenon- although finding suggest "an adverse impact on the foundation of child development." The research may also be relevant to father-child interaction as the use of smartphones by both women and men is comparable. "In our current research we focused on the mothers, but we believe that our findings characterize communication interferences between fathers and their toddlers as well, since the smartphone usage patterns are similar between men and women, thus allowing us to estimate with high probability that the research findings are applicable to fathers and to mothers”, Borodkin further said.

Are you addicted to smartphone? It may affect your child's development, claims new study

A regulator in Australia has said that it wants Google to give option to users to use search engine of their choice through a 'choice screen'. This is being looked at as a step to challenge Google's monopoly of the search market.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also wants to limit Google's ability to pay Apple Inc to have its search engine installed as the default option on the smartphone maker's devices, the regulator said in a report on Thursday.

These measures will take Australia roughly in line with Europe.

Europe has forced Google to offer a choice of search engine on phones using its Android operating system. Google has 94% of the Australian search engine market, which makes money by selling advertisements.

"We are concerned that Google's dominance and its ability to use its financial resources to fund arrangements to be the default search engine on many devices and other means through which consumers access search, such as browsers, is harming competition and consumers," said ACCC Chair Rod Sims in a statement.

"Google pays billions of dollars each year for these placements, which illustrates how being the default search engine is extremely valuable to Google's business model."

The search engine report was part of the ACCC's wider examination of large internet companies, which led this year to laws making Google and social media giant Facebook Inc pay media companies for content on their websites.

A Google spokesperson said the company was reviewing the report and looked forward to discussing it with the ACCC and government.

"Android gives people choice by allowing them to customise their device, from the apps they download to the default services for those apps," the spokesperson said.

The ACCC said it would put the potential measures out for industry consultation in 2022.

(With inputs from agencies)

A regulator in Australia has said that it wants Google to give option to users to use search engine of their choice through a 'choice screen'. This is being looked at as a step to challenge Google's monopoly of the search market.

A regulator in Australia has said that it wants Google to give option to users to use search engine of their choice through a 'choice screen'. This is being looked at as a step to challenge Google's monopoly of the search market. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also wants to limit Google's ability to pay Apple Inc to have its search engine installed as the default option on the smartphone maker's devices, the regulator said in a report on Thursday. These measures will take Australia roughly in line with Europe. Europe has forced Google to offer a choice of search engine on phones using its Android operating system. Google has 94% of the Australian search engine market, which makes money by selling advertisements. "We are concerned that Google's dominance and its ability to use its financial resources to fund arrangements to be the default search engine on many devices and other means through which consumers access search, such as browsers, is harming competition and consumers," said ACCC Chair Rod Sims in a statement. "Google pays billions of dollars each year for these placements, which illustrates how being the default search engine is extremely valuable to Google's business model." The search engine report was part of the ACCC's wider examination of large internet companies, which led this year to laws making Google and social media giant Facebook Inc pay media companies for content on their websites. A Google spokesperson said the company was reviewing the report and looked forward to discussing it with the ACCC and government. "Android gives people choice by allowing them to customise their device, from the apps they download to the default services for those apps," the spokesperson said. The ACCC said it would put the potential measures out for industry consultation in 2022. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia wants Google to make alternative search engines available on smartphones

Let’s talk about buying an iPhone for $1,000. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, once compared this eye-popping price tag to buying a cup of coffee a day over a year. No big deal, right?

But financial advisers see this differently. By some estimates, an investment of $1,000 in a retirement account today would balloon to about $17,000 in 30 years.

In other words, $700 to $1,000 — the price range of modern smartphones — is a big purchase. Fewer than half of American adults have enough savings set aside to cover three months of emergency expenses, according to the Pew Research Center. Yet 1 in 5 people surveyed by financial website WalletHub thought a new phone was worth going into debt for.

Tech companies fairly argue that our smartphones are our most powerful tools for work and play and thus worth every penny. But they also play numbers games to downplay the costs of a new phone. Samsung, for example, has said the price of its new Galaxy phone is $200 — but that’s only if you trade in a year-old phone for credit toward the new one. The true price is $800.

So it’s worth looking at phone upgrades in a different light to weigh their financial impact. That can help us make well-considered decisions so that the move isn’t automatic.

The irony of Cook’s coffee analogy isn’t lost on Suze Orman, the financial adviser who once famously equated people’s coffee habits to “peeing $1 million down the drain.” The seemingly small amount of money that people mindlessly spend on java — and now phone upgrades — could be a path to poverty, she said.

“Do you need a new one every single year?” asked Orman, who hosts the “Women and Money” podcast. “Absolutely not. It’s just a ridiculous waste of money.”

Apple and Samsung didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

So what’s the true cost of a phone upgrade? Let’s look at the math.

Flipsy, a company that buys and sells used phones, published an analysis this year arguing that it’s smart to buy a new iPhone every year. Here was its breakdown:

— The iPhone 12 cost $799 last year. It’s now worth $460 if you trade it in to defray the cost of a new phone. The newest iPhones, the iPhone 13, also cost $799. So if you traded in your iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 would cost $339. At this rate, if you bought an iPhone every year for four years, including the original $799, the net total would be $1,816.

— If you waited three years for the iPhone 15, your iPhone 12’s trade-in value would diminish to about $200. Trade it in and the cost of the iPhone 13 would be $599. Add in the original $799 and your net cost over four years would be $1,398.

In summary, upgrading annually over three years costs $418 more, or roughly $12 a month, compared with upgrading every three years, Flipsy said.

Framed this way, it may sound like a bargain to get a new phone every year as opposed to every few years. But plugging these numbers into a financial calculator tells a different story.

If you put $12 a month into a retirement account, like a Roth IRA that has an average annual rate of return of 10%, that amount would turn into $25,161 over 30 years, according to Orman’s savings calculator.

Orman compared the trade-in dilemma to buying cars. Car manufacturers could argue that the diminishing trade-in value of your car should compel you to buy a new one regularly — but don’t fall for it.

“I love my car, and I don’t care that the value goes down,” she said. “Think of the 11 years I have saved money not having car payments, or trading it in and spending more money to get another car.”

So what about those cups of coffee? On average, we pay $3 a cup, so $1,000 could buy roughly 333 cups. But naturally, making your own coffee is much cheaper.

I plugged some numbers into a coffee calculator designed by Bone Fide Wealth, a financial planning service. A $16 bag of beans from Peet’s Coffee at Costco could brew about 41 cups of coffee for 39 cents each. So a $1,000 iPhone is worth about 2,500 cups of coffee. Not as compelling.

Doug Boneparth, the president of Bone Fide Wealth, made a counterpoint. For people who have plenty of cash and are aware of the effects of their spending, splurging on new phones could be inconsequential to their overall savings goals compared with bigger expenses like housing — and if phones make them happy, go for it. He said he sets aside cash every year to buy a new iPhone as a sort of hobby.

“Personal finance is quite personal,” Boneparth said.

But he acknowledged that even his hobby was beginning to have diminishing returns because new phones weren’t getting much better technologically every year. “The 13 is the first one where I’m like, ‘This one literally only has a better camera,’” he said of the latest iPhone.

Orman cautioned that for most people who didn’t have as much money in the bank, especially those in debt, the effects of a phone upgrade could snowball. A $1,000 phone charged to a credit card could turn into $3,000 with interest by the time it’s paid off, she said. More debt could also affect your credit score, making it harder to buy or rent a home.

“If you think a phone is worth going into debt for, then, oh my God, you’ve now just set yourself up for always being in debt,” she said. “The truth of the matter is there’s nothing other than a medical expense worth going into debt for.”

Let’s talk about buying an iPhone for $1,000. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, once compared this eye-popping price tag to buying a cup of coffee a day over a year.

Let’s talk about buying an iPhone for $1,000. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, once compared this eye-popping price tag to buying a cup of coffee a day over a year. No big deal, right? But financial advisers see this differently. By some estimates, an investment of $1,000 in a retirement account today would balloon to about $17,000 in 30 years. In other words, $700 to $1,000 — the price range of modern smartphones — is a big purchase. Fewer than half of American adults have enough savings set aside to cover three months of emergency expenses, according to the Pew Research Center. Yet 1 in 5 people surveyed by financial website WalletHub thought a new phone was worth going into debt for. Tech companies fairly argue that our smartphones are our most powerful tools for work and play and thus worth every penny. But they also play numbers games to downplay the costs of a new phone. Samsung, for example, has said the price of its new Galaxy phone is $200 — but that’s only if you trade in a year-old phone for credit toward the new one. The true price is $800. So it’s worth looking at phone upgrades in a different light to weigh their financial impact. That can help us make well-considered decisions so that the move isn’t automatic. The irony of Cook’s coffee analogy isn’t lost on Suze Orman, the financial adviser who once famously equated people’s coffee habits to “peeing $1 million down the drain.” The seemingly small amount of money that people mindlessly spend on java — and now phone upgrades — could be a path to poverty, she said. “Do you need a new one every single year?” asked Orman, who hosts the “Women and Money” podcast. “Absolutely not. It’s just a ridiculous waste of money.” Apple and Samsung didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. So what’s the true cost of a phone upgrade? Let’s look at the math. Flipsy, a company that buys and sells used phones, published an analysis this year arguing that it’s smart to buy a new iPhone every year. Here was its breakdown: — The iPhone 12 cost $799 last year. It’s now worth $460 if you trade it in to defray the cost of a new phone. The newest iPhones, the iPhone 13, also cost $799. So if you traded in your iPhone 12, the iPhone 13 would cost $339. At this rate, if you bought an iPhone every year for four years, including the original $799, the net total would be $1,816. — If you waited three years for the iPhone 15, your iPhone 12’s trade-in value would diminish to about $200. Trade it in and the cost of the iPhone 13 would be $599. Add in the original $799 and your net cost over four years would be $1,398. In summary, upgrading annually over three years costs $418 more, or roughly $12 a month, compared with upgrading every three years, Flipsy said. Framed this way, it may sound like a bargain to get a new phone every year as opposed to every few years. But plugging these numbers into a financial calculator tells a different story. If you put $12 a month into a retirement account, like a Roth IRA that has an average annual rate of return of 10%, that amount would turn into $25,161 over 30 years, according to Orman’s savings calculator. Orman compared the trade-in dilemma to buying cars. Car manufacturers could argue that the diminishing trade-in value of your car should compel you to buy a new one regularly — but don’t fall for it. “I love my car, and I don’t care that the value goes down,” she said. “Think of the 11 years I have saved money not having car payments, or trading it in and spending more money to get another car.” So what about those cups of coffee? On average, we pay $3 a cup, so $1,000 could buy roughly 333 cups. But naturally, making your own coffee is much cheaper. I plugged some numbers into a coffee calculator designed by Bone Fide Wealth, a financial planning service. A $16 bag of beans from Peet’s Coffee at Costco could brew about 41 cups of coffee for 39 cents each. So a $1,000 iPhone is worth about 2,500 cups of coffee. Not as compelling. Doug Boneparth, the president of Bone Fide Wealth, made a counterpoint. For people who have plenty of cash and are aware of the effects of their spending, splurging on new phones could be inconsequential to their overall savings goals compared with bigger expenses like housing — and if phones make them happy, go for it. He said he sets aside cash every year to buy a new iPhone as a sort of hobby. “Personal finance is quite personal,” Boneparth said. But he acknowledged that even his hobby was beginning to have diminishing returns because new phones weren’t getting much better technologically every year. “The 13 is the first one where I’m like, ‘This one literally only has a better camera,’” he said of the latest iPhone. Orman cautioned that for most people who didn’t have as much money in the bank, especially those in debt, the effects of a phone upgrade could snowball. A $1,000 phone charged to a credit card could turn into $3,000 with interest by the time it’s paid off, she said. More debt could also affect your credit score, making it harder to buy or rent a home. “If you think a phone is worth going into debt for, then, oh my God, you’ve now just set yourself up for always being in debt,” she said. “The truth of the matter is there’s nothing other than a medical expense worth going into debt for.”

The true cost of upgrading your phone

Researchers have revealed preliminary evidence that using smartphone sensors, it is feasible to detect if someone is high on cannabis.

The method uses information from the owner's smartphone to determine whether they are inebriated after taking cannabis. 
 
The study was based on a survey of 57 young individuals aged 18 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

The subjects said they used cannabis at least twice a week, and the researchers examined data from their phones to determine if that was enough to figure out when they used it.&nbsp;

“A smartphone sensor, much like what is used in GPS systems, might be a way to determine whether or not someone is intoxicated after consuming marijuana,” notes a study write-up posted on Rutgers Today.

In order to detect intoxication, the accelerometer - the phone's motion sensor – and GPS data were crucial.

The study was able to correctly identify 60 percent of the 451 cannabis usage episodes using only time factors such as day of the week and time of day.

When time features and smartphone sensor data were included in the analysis, the accuracy increased to 90%.&nbsp;

Intoxication with cannabis has been linked to decreased response times, which can influence performance at work or school, as well as altering driving behaviour, which can lead to injuries or fatalities.

Existing screening methods, such as blood, urine, and saliva tests, have limitations as indications of cannabis intoxication and impairment in daily life.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers have revealed preliminary evidence that using smartphone sensors, it is feasible to detect if someone is high on cannabis. The method uses information from the owner's smartphone to determine whether they are inebriated after taking cannabis.

Researchers have revealed preliminary evidence that using smartphone sensors, it is feasible to detect if someone is high on cannabis. The method uses information from the owner's smartphone to determine whether they are inebriated after taking cannabis. The study was based on a survey of 57 young individuals aged 18 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. The subjects said they used cannabis at least twice a week, and the researchers examined data from their phones to determine if that was enough to figure out when they used it. “A smartphone sensor, much like what is used in GPS systems, might be a way to determine whether or not someone is intoxicated after consuming marijuana,” notes a study write-up posted on Rutgers Today. In order to detect intoxication, the accelerometer - the phone's motion sensor – and GPS data were crucial. The study was able to correctly identify 60 percent of the 451 cannabis usage episodes using only time factors such as day of the week and time of day. When time features and smartphone sensor data were included in the analysis, the accuracy increased to 90%. Intoxication with cannabis has been linked to decreased response times, which can influence performance at work or school, as well as altering driving behaviour, which can lead to injuries or fatalities. Existing screening methods, such as blood, urine, and saliva tests, have limitations as indications of cannabis intoxication and impairment in daily life. (With inputs from agencies)

Smoking weed? Your phone can detect if you’re high on marijuana

The European Commission will publish a legislative proposal for a standard charger for mobile phones, tablets, and headphones on Thursday — a move that is expected to harm iPhone maker Apple more than its competitors.

For more than a decade, the European Union executive and legislators have pushed for a standard charger, claiming that it would be better for the environment and more convenient for users.

The Commission wants the sale of chargers to be decoupled from devices and also propose a harmonised charging port.

If implemented, the new regulation will mandate the use of USB-C chargers in all cellphones sold in the European Union by 2024.&nbsp;

Brussels wants smartphone manufacturers to use a USB-C charging port to "harmonise the charging stations on devices."

Manufacturers must also utilise the same fast-charging software protocol across all phones, according to the legislative body.

That way, you can use a USB-C charger or charging cable that you bought for your Samsung Galaxy to charge your iPhone.

Apple is, of course, the prime target. Other smartphone makers are slowly but steadily making the conversion to USB-C.

For the iPhone, Cupertino, on the other hand, utilises its own Lightning adapter.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Commission will publish a legislative proposal for a standard charger for mobile phones, tablets, and headphones on Thursday — a move that is expected to harm iPhone maker Apple more than its competitors.

The European Commission will publish a legislative proposal for a standard charger for mobile phones, tablets, and headphones on Thursday — a move that is expected to harm iPhone maker Apple more than its competitors. For more than a decade, the European Union executive and legislators have pushed for a standard charger, claiming that it would be better for the environment and more convenient for users. The Commission wants the sale of chargers to be decoupled from devices and also propose a harmonised charging port. If implemented, the new regulation will mandate the use of USB-C chargers in all cellphones sold in the European Union by 2024. Brussels wants smartphone manufacturers to use a USB-C charging port to "harmonise the charging stations on devices." Manufacturers must also utilise the same fast-charging software protocol across all phones, according to the legislative body. That way, you can use a USB-C charger or charging cable that you bought for your Samsung Galaxy to charge your iPhone. Apple is, of course, the prime target. Other smartphone makers are slowly but steadily making the conversion to USB-C. For the iPhone, Cupertino, on the other hand, utilises its own Lightning adapter. (With inputs from agencies)

'Common charger for all phones': EU wants phones to use USB-C chargers by 2024

What's the toughest substance on Earth? Diamond? Vibranium? Apparently, the answer is Nokia 3310. True fans are gushing over the iconic, NOT smart but super nostalgic phone completing 21 years of its release.&nbsp;

Nokia 3310 was released in September 2000. The phone had a black and white display, memory enough to save just 8 dialled calls in call records and absolutely no capabilities smartphones today offer us.

But it was tough! The body appeared unbreakable as the phone showed no signs of discomfort after a nasty fall. Some users would still remember miracle tales of Nokia 3310 surviving a fall from second storey of a building!

Social media is expectedly abuzz with posts recalling the good-ol-days filled with appreciation of the yesteryear tech piece.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The hardest substance found on Earth? 
 
Nokia 3310 <a href="https://t.co/wycnTltKRl">pic.twitter.com/wycnTltKRl</a>
— MB (@Bowx_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bowx_/status/1431899640874536962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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&nbsp;

You remember Snake don't you?

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What a classic. Nokia 3310. <a href="https://t.co/JAveyZJD65">pic.twitter.com/JAveyZJD65</a>
— Chitter Chatter (@ChitterChatUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChitterChatUK/status/1431886532303020037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

A time when you could compose your own ringtones!

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Playing snake for hours and composing your own ringtones were the best things to do on the Nokia 3310 <a href="https://t.co/bWohWIPP2z">pic.twitter.com/bWohWIPP2z</a>
— ᴛᴀsʜᴀ ʟᴏᴜɪsᴇ | ᴇǫᴜᴀʟs ɪs ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ 🦋 (@eds_afterglow) <a href="https://twitter.com/eds_afterglow/status/1431905247014883330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Seems legit!

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How Nokia 3310 was made <a href="https://t.co/4nEBtLIFe6">pic.twitter.com/4nEBtLIFe6</a>
— STEM 🔬🤖⚙️🧮 (@stem_feed) <a href="https://twitter.com/stem_feed/status/1432553523238129673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Another thing the phone was loved for was its battery life! Today when we metally celebrate when our smartphone battery lasts for a whole day, Nokia 3310 gave you enough juice to comfortably last two days (and more!)

So much was the love for the old gizmo that Nokia even launched a 4G version of Nokia 3310 couple years ago. But the new phone, though eliciting nostalgic reactions could not match the craze for the old one when it ruled the handset market.

What's the toughest substance on Earth? Diamond? Vibranium? Apparently, the answer is Nokia 3310. True fans are gushing over the iconic, NOT smart but super nostalgic phone completing 21 years of its release.

What's the toughest substance on Earth? Diamond? Vibranium? Apparently, the answer is Nokia 3310. True fans are gushing over the iconic, NOT smart but super nostalgic phone completing 21 years of its release. Nokia 3310 was released in September 2000. The phone had a black and white display, memory enough to save just 8 dialled calls in call records and absolutely no capabilities smartphones today offer us. But it was tough! The body appeared unbreakable as the phone showed no signs of discomfort after a nasty fall. Some users would still remember miracle tales of Nokia 3310 surviving a fall from second storey of a building! Social media is expectedly abuzz with posts recalling the good-ol-days filled with appreciation of the yesteryear tech piece. The hardest substance found on Earth? Nokia 3310 pic.twitter.com/wycnTltKRl — MB (@Bowx_) August 29, 2021 × You remember Snake don't you? What a classic. Nokia 3310. pic.twitter.com/JAveyZJD65 — Chitter Chatter (@ChitterChatUK) August 29, 2021 × A time when you could compose your own ringtones! Playing snake for hours and composing your own ringtones were the best things to do on the Nokia 3310 pic.twitter.com/bWohWIPP2z — ᴛᴀsʜᴀ ʟᴏᴜɪsᴇ | ᴇǫᴜᴀʟs ɪs ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ 🦋 (@eds_afterglow) August 29, 2021 × Seems legit! How Nokia 3310 was made pic.twitter.com/4nEBtLIFe6 — STEM 🔬🤖⚙️🧮 (@stem_feed) August 31, 2021 × Another thing the phone was loved for was its battery life! Today when we metally celebrate when our smartphone battery lasts for a whole day, Nokia 3310 gave you enough juice to comfortably last two days (and more!) So much was the love for the old gizmo that Nokia even launched a 4G version of Nokia 3310 couple years ago. But the new phone, though eliciting nostalgic reactions could not match the craze for the old one when it ruled the handset market.

Nokia 3310 turns 21 and tweeple know how to celebrate

LG has decided to walk away from its smartphone business. It's the end of an era. Many features that we take for granted in our smartphones were actually pioneered by LG.

They rolled out the first capacitive touch screen. They introduced us to slow motion video recording, but with a dwindling market share and mounting losses, they had no option but to shut shop.

Wacky displays, ultra-wide cameras, gesture controls, LG did it all.

And they did it, way ahead of their rivals.

Apple can't stop bragging about its stainless-steel frames. For LG, that's old news because they did it in 2015.&nbsp;

When Sony and Apple were toggling their screen brightness in 2014, LG unveiled quad high definition, four times standard HD, etc. LG had managed to conjure magic into its screens.

Everyone wanted to own one. By 2013, it was the world's third largest smartphone maker.

But then, things went south. The market was becoming more competitive. Apple and Samsung were making durable phones. Devices suited to our multi-tasking lives. LG just couldn't keep up. Its phones struggled with hardware and software issues. Users grew tired of staring at the buffering bezel. They abandoned LG. In the last 6 years, losses mounted.

LG bled around 4.5 billion dollars in this period. They were shipping 28 million phones compared to Samsung's 256 million. It was time to call it a day. LG first tried to sell its smartphone business. No luck, nobody wanted to bet on a sinking ship. So instead, they shut shop. Leaving behind an industry, it helped build. But we haven't heard the last of LG. Not by a long shot. They still own a thriving consumer appliances business. They are the second best-selling TV brand in the world.

The company plans to focus more on robotics and artificial intelligence. It's a bold new era for the Korean giant but LG's fall is a commentary on our times. The markets change every fortnight. Consumer taste depends on the next advertisement they watch. Market domination isn't absolute anymore. It's a game of musical chairs.

The smartphone industry is known to be a giant slayer. Companies that were perceived to be too big to fall have been shunned to the market fringes. Remember Nokia and Motorola?

Pioneers reduced to paupers. Loyal customers are an overrated concept. More than loyal today's customer are wily. They swapped out Yahoo for Gmail and Orkut for Facebook.

In the 90s and 2000s, blockbuster video ruled the video rental space, games, movies. They had it all.

In 2010, blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. They'd missed the digital bus. In 2000, blockbuster turned down an offer from what was back then a little-known business, Netflix.

Then there was polaroid, pioneers of instant photography. They basked in their initial success while DSLRs scooped away their customers.

The airline industry is another giant slayer. Big guns like Pan Am and Concorde revolutionised flying but they soon fell into ruin.

Remember the first rule of business. The customer is always right. Today, their message is clearer than ever. Innovate or die. LG's bag of neat tricks couldn't hide their slow processors in this highly competitive world. The only constant is change.

LG has decided to walk away from its smartphone business. It's the end of an era. Many features that we take for granted in our smartphones were actually pioneered by LG.

LG has decided to walk away from its smartphone business. It's the end of an era. Many features that we take for granted in our smartphones were actually pioneered by LG. They rolled out the first capacitive touch screen. They introduced us to slow motion video recording, but with a dwindling market share and mounting losses, they had no option but to shut shop. Wacky displays, ultra-wide cameras, gesture controls, LG did it all. And they did it, way ahead of their rivals. Apple can't stop bragging about its stainless-steel frames. For LG, that's old news because they did it in 2015. When Sony and Apple were toggling their screen brightness in 2014, LG unveiled quad high definition, four times standard HD, etc. LG had managed to conjure magic into its screens. Everyone wanted to own one. By 2013, it was the world's third largest smartphone maker. But then, things went south. The market was becoming more competitive. Apple and Samsung were making durable phones. Devices suited to our multi-tasking lives. LG just couldn't keep up. Its phones struggled with hardware and software issues. Users grew tired of staring at the buffering bezel. They abandoned LG. In the last 6 years, losses mounted. LG bled around 4.5 billion dollars in this period. They were shipping 28 million phones compared to Samsung's 256 million. It was time to call it a day. LG first tried to sell its smartphone business. No luck, nobody wanted to bet on a sinking ship. So instead, they shut shop. Leaving behind an industry, it helped build. But we haven't heard the last of LG. Not by a long shot. They still own a thriving consumer appliances business. They are the second best-selling TV brand in the world. The company plans to focus more on robotics and artificial intelligence. It's a bold new era for the Korean giant but LG's fall is a commentary on our times. The markets change every fortnight. Consumer taste depends on the next advertisement they watch. Market domination isn't absolute anymore. It's a game of musical chairs. The smartphone industry is known to be a giant slayer. Companies that were perceived to be too big to fall have been shunned to the market fringes. Remember Nokia and Motorola? Pioneers reduced to paupers. Loyal customers are an overrated concept. More than loyal today's customer are wily. They swapped out Yahoo for Gmail and Orkut for Facebook. In the 90s and 2000s, blockbuster video ruled the video rental space, games, movies. They had it all. In 2010, blockbuster filed for bankruptcy. They'd missed the digital bus. In 2000, blockbuster turned down an offer from what was back then a little-known business, Netflix. Then there was polaroid, pioneers of instant photography. They basked in their initial success while DSLRs scooped away their customers. The airline industry is another giant slayer. Big guns like Pan Am and Concorde revolutionised flying but they soon fell into ruin. Remember the first rule of business. The customer is always right. Today, their message is clearer than ever. Innovate or die. LG's bag of neat tricks couldn't hide their slow processors in this highly competitive world. The only constant is change.

Bidding goodbye to nostalgic LG smartphones 

Researchers have developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face.

The development comes at a time when telehealth has become a critical way for doctors to provide healthcare while minimising in-person contact during Covid-19.

The University of Washington-led team’s system uses machine learning to capture subtle changes in how light reflects off a person’s face, which is correlated with changing blood flow. Then it converts these changes into both pulse and respiration rate.

The researchers presented the system in December at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference. 
Now, the team is proposing a better system to measure these physiological signals.

This system is less likely to be tripped up by different cameras, lighting conditions or facial features, such as skin colour, according to the researchers, who will present these findings on April 8 at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Health, Interference, and Learning.

"Every person is different," said lead study author Xin Liu, a UW doctoral student.

"So, this system needs to be able to quickly adapt to each person’s unique physiological signature, and separate this from other variations, such as what they look like and what environment they are in."

The first version of this system was trained with a dataset that contained both videos of people’s faces and ‘ground truth’ information: each person’s pulse and respiration rate measured by standard instruments in the field.

The system then used spatial and temporal information from the videos to calculate both vital signs.

While the system worked well on some datasets, it still struggled with others that contained different people, backgrounds and lighting. This is a common problem known as ‘overfitting’, the team said.

The researchers improved the system by having it produce a personalised machine learning model for each individual.

Specifically, it helps look for important areas in a video frame that likely contain physiological features correlated with changing blood flow in a face under different contexts, such as different skin tones, lighting conditions and environments.

From there, it can focus on that area and measure the pulse and respiration rate.

While this new system outperforms its predecessor when given more challenging datasets, especially for people with darker skin tones, there is still more work to do, the team said.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Researchers have developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face.

Researchers have developed a method that uses the camera on a person’s smartphone or computer to take their pulse and respiration signal from a real-time video of their face. The development comes at a time when telehealth has become a critical way for doctors to provide healthcare while minimising in-person contact during Covid-19. The University of Washington-led team’s system uses machine learning to capture subtle changes in how light reflects off a person’s face, which is correlated with changing blood flow. Then it converts these changes into both pulse and respiration rate. The researchers presented the system in December at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference. Now, the team is proposing a better system to measure these physiological signals. This system is less likely to be tripped up by different cameras, lighting conditions or facial features, such as skin colour, according to the researchers, who will present these findings on April 8 at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Health, Interference, and Learning. "Every person is different," said lead study author Xin Liu, a UW doctoral student. "So, this system needs to be able to quickly adapt to each person’s unique physiological signature, and separate this from other variations, such as what they look like and what environment they are in." The first version of this system was trained with a dataset that contained both videos of people’s faces and ‘ground truth’ information: each person’s pulse and respiration rate measured by standard instruments in the field. The system then used spatial and temporal information from the videos to calculate both vital signs. While the system worked well on some datasets, it still struggled with others that contained different people, backgrounds and lighting. This is a common problem known as ‘overfitting’, the team said. The researchers improved the system by having it produce a personalised machine learning model for each individual. Specifically, it helps look for important areas in a video frame that likely contain physiological features correlated with changing blood flow in a face under different contexts, such as different skin tones, lighting conditions and environments. From there, it can focus on that area and measure the pulse and respiration rate. While this new system outperforms its predecessor when given more challenging datasets, especially for people with darker skin tones, there is still more work to do, the team said. (With inputs from agencies)

Smartphone camera can help doctors measure pulse, breathing rate

Internet is a wonderful place but there are many pitfalls. With net neutrality going bye-bye and several other things changing over the years, it has been important to keep yourself and your identity online safe when needed. With data of whole of our lives going digital, it doesn't hurt to guard our privacy. With trackers, cookies and whatnot, this is increasingly becoming difficult. But there's a way to keep yourself safe online. Here we recommend privacy apps that'll help you surf the net freely and securely

1. Signal (Android, iOS)

There are messaging apps galore and each one claims to be supersafe for its users. There's WhatsApp, Telegram and more.

But if you are searching for a secure messenger app that has got good endorsements, then choose Signal.

Signal protects your text, voice messages and even videos with end-t-end encryption. This bit by Signal has even found to have been useful for protesters to protect their identities.

The open-source app has got endorsements from Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists, Mozilla and even US Military.

The app is free.

 
2. Tor (Android)

Not even Google Chrome's incognito mode does what you think when it comes to anonymous web browsing. But by using Tor, its possible to come closest to true anonymity on the net.

Tor browser is available free to download for your desktop.&nbsp;

Whether you want to keep your web browsing a secret for the sake of your job or safety or you don't want companies tracking you as you surf the net, Tor browser is for you. It is available for Android but currently not for iOS.

&nbsp;

3. Onion Browser (iOS)

Don't sulk if you want to surf web anonymously and can't download Tor Browser because you don't have Android phone. Onion Browser does the same trick for iOS.

Onion browsers offers three levels of protection (gold, silver and bronze)

&nbsp;&nbsp; 
4. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser (Android,iOS)

DuckDuckGo has become quite popular in this category because of the ease of its use. It doesn't block certain of your browsing habits like Tor Browser does but offers good protection from trackers on a particular website.

It automatically blocks third-party trackers and forces websites to use encrypted (more secure) connection when available.

 
5. ProtonMail (Android,iOS)

ProtonMail lets users encrypt and later self-destruct their e-mails so they don't remain lying around in your recipient's inbox for too much time and potentially letting crawlers get the info.

ProtonMail works like Gmail but it lets users put an extra layer of security on their e-mails.

 
6. Haven (Android)

Want to stop unwanted people from sneakily checking your phone when you are not around? Haven is for you.

Haven turns your phone into a motion-sensitive camera. It can detect light, sound and vibration too.

So if someone is to break into your home when you are taking a walk. Haven will not only detect it but also send you pictures of the person.

Internet is a wonderful place but there are many pitfalls. With net neutrality going bye-bye and several other things changing over the years, it has been important to keep yourself and your identity online safe when needed.

Internet is a wonderful place but there are many pitfalls. With net neutrality going bye-bye and several other things changing over the years, it has been important to keep yourself and your identity online safe when needed. With data of whole of our lives going digital, it doesn't hurt to guard our privacy. With trackers, cookies and whatnot, this is increasingly becoming difficult. But there's a way to keep yourself safe online. Here we recommend privacy apps that'll help you surf the net freely and securely 1. Signal (Android, iOS) There are messaging apps galore and each one claims to be supersafe for its users. There's WhatsApp, Telegram and more. But if you are searching for a secure messenger app that has got good endorsements, then choose Signal. Signal protects your text, voice messages and even videos with end-t-end encryption. This bit by Signal has even found to have been useful for protesters to protect their identities. The open-source app has got endorsements from Amnesty International, Committee to Protect Journalists, Mozilla and even US Military. The app is free. 2. Tor (Android) Not even Google Chrome's incognito mode does what you think when it comes to anonymous web browsing. But by using Tor, its possible to come closest to true anonymity on the net. Tor browser is available free to download for your desktop. Whether you want to keep your web browsing a secret for the sake of your job or safety or you don't want companies tracking you as you surf the net, Tor browser is for you. It is available for Android but currently not for iOS. 3. Onion Browser (iOS) Don't sulk if you want to surf web anonymously and can't download Tor Browser because you don't have Android phone. Onion Browser does the same trick for iOS. Onion browsers offers three levels of protection (gold, silver and bronze) 4. DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser (Android,iOS) DuckDuckGo has become quite popular in this category because of the ease of its use. It doesn't block certain of your browsing habits like Tor Browser does but offers good protection from trackers on a particular website. It automatically blocks third-party trackers and forces websites to use encrypted (more secure) connection when available. 5. ProtonMail (Android,iOS) ProtonMail lets users encrypt and later self-destruct their e-mails so they don't remain lying around in your recipient's inbox for too much time and potentially letting crawlers get the info. ProtonMail works like Gmail but it lets users put an extra layer of security on their e-mails. 6. Haven (Android) Want to stop unwanted people from sneakily checking your phone when you are not around? Haven is for you. Haven turns your phone into a motion-sensitive camera. It can detect light, sound and vibration too. So if someone is to break into your home when you are taking a walk. Haven will not only detect it but also send you pictures of the person.

Privacy apps you needed to have downloaded in 2020

November 23 in history: First smartphone, Maguindanao massacre and more

Would you ever buy a Ferrari, if you lived in a place that didn't have good roads? The answer, I think, would be a resounding no, because you won't be able to drive it and experience the thrill of high speed. Simply because, the roads cannot handle those speeds. So, what’s the whole point of getting one, right?

The 5G-powered iPhone 12 is a bit like that Ferrari. It comes with the power of 5G, a technology that theoretically offers speeds 10 to 20 times faster than the current 4G wireless networks. But can you actually experience these blazing speeds on the new iPhone? No, you can’t. Because we don’t have the infrastructure that can facilitate these super-fast speeds.

This may sound harsh, but in India, buying a 5G phone is a waste because we don’t have 5G networks yet. And I don’t expect them to be in place before the mid of 2021.

If you talk about the US, several telecom operators have deployed 5G networks on lower spectrum bands, which offer slightly higher speeds than 4G. In fact, a noticeably faster variant of "mid-band" 5G is also being rolled out in America, but it will take around 5 years to reach 75 percent of the country's population. The fact is that, currently, 5G phones in the United States are seeing only a small bump up from 4G speeds. So, there's going to be relatively very little you can do on a 5G iPhone that you can't with a 4G iPhone.

In South Korea, 5G networks are better and faster, but local players such as Samsung are in a stronger position to woo users. Apple is likely to struggle there with its 5G proposition.

Another important thing to note is that we don’t even have many apps that can tap into the potential of 5G. Remember how the interest in 4G was fuelled by Facebook and YouTube mobile apps?

So, perhaps, we first need applications that can use higher speeds to deliver something new and kindle our interest in the next-gen mobile network.

The point I am trying to make here is that don’t buy the new iPhone just because it has 5G. Pick it only if you think it has everything else that you are looking for in your phone. The same holds true for 5G-enabled Android phones as well.

In short, 5G is still evolving. So, don’t fall for the 5G marketing gimmick that many phone makers are now banking on. It's simply a sales ploy.

Would you ever buy a Ferrari, if you lived in a place that didn't have good roads? The answer, I think, would be a resounding no, because you won't be able to drive it and experience the thrill of high speed.

Would you ever buy a Ferrari, if you lived in a place that didn't have good roads? The answer, I think, would be a resounding no, because you won't be able to drive it and experience the thrill of high speed. Simply because, the roads cannot handle those speeds. So, what’s the whole point of getting one, right? The 5G-powered iPhone 12 is a bit like that Ferrari. It comes with the power of 5G, a technology that theoretically offers speeds 10 to 20 times faster than the current 4G wireless networks. But can you actually experience these blazing speeds on the new iPhone? No, you can’t. Because we don’t have the infrastructure that can facilitate these super-fast speeds. This may sound harsh, but in India, buying a 5G phone is a waste because we don’t have 5G networks yet. And I don’t expect them to be in place before the mid of 2021. If you talk about the US, several telecom operators have deployed 5G networks on lower spectrum bands, which offer slightly higher speeds than 4G. In fact, a noticeably faster variant of "mid-band" 5G is also being rolled out in America, but it will take around 5 years to reach 75 percent of the country's population. The fact is that, currently, 5G phones in the United States are seeing only a small bump up from 4G speeds. So, there's going to be relatively very little you can do on a 5G iPhone that you can't with a 4G iPhone. In South Korea, 5G networks are better and faster, but local players such as Samsung are in a stronger position to woo users. Apple is likely to struggle there with its 5G proposition. Another important thing to note is that we don’t even have many apps that can tap into the potential of 5G. Remember how the interest in 4G was fuelled by Facebook and YouTube mobile apps? So, perhaps, we first need applications that can use higher speeds to deliver something new and kindle our interest in the next-gen mobile network. The point I am trying to make here is that don’t buy the new iPhone just because it has 5G. Pick it only if you think it has everything else that you are looking for in your phone. The same holds true for 5G-enabled Android phones as well. In short, 5G is still evolving. So, don’t fall for the 5G marketing gimmick that many phone makers are now banking on. It's simply a sales ploy.

Apple iPhone 12: Don't get tricked by the 5G gimmick

A report claims that 3 top supplies of Apple are ready to invest $900 million in India's smartphone industry. WION's Palki tells you more.

Gravitas: 3 big suppliers of Apple to invest $900 million in India

Smartphones have made it easier for us to capture moments and file away those memories. But, here's the thing - though we are quick to whip out our phones to click those photographs, we tend to forget about them after some time.

We barely revisit those old pictures. But what if I tell you that you can print those photos with ease, bring those heartwarming moments to life, and keep them near you - in your room or at workstation?

Enter smartphone printers. I get my hands on one such device - the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link - to find out how it performs in the real world.

The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link not only lets you print photographs saved in your phone, but it also allows you to choose favourite moments from your videos and print them. It's simple to choose and print a frame from videos. The feature is edgy because not all contenders out there in the market are offering this facility.

Before I talk about its other features, let me tell you that it's easy to set it up and pair it with a phone. Place the print sheets in the allocated compartment, download the Instax Mini Link app on your Android phone or iPhone, switch on the Bluetooth and voila!

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&nbsp;

The interface of the app is intuitive. As one would expect, the app lets you edit photos before printing - you can overlay a photo with text, add a filter and even correct the brightness or contrast. And once you're ready to print, you can either tap the print button in the app or just swipe up.

Also, the Instax Camera mode lets you capture a current moment right from the app itself and print in real-time. And the gesture-based zoom controls make it easy to set up the right frame.

The Fun Mode is another feature that claims to make photos interesting. The Fun Mode is nothing but a place where you can customise your photographs before the print. You can add frames, choose a layout for a collage, and make it personal with sketches and illustrations.

The app offers various features - while some of them are useful, others are gimmicky.

I have used the gadget extensively and printed a lot of photos. I must say, the print quality is impressive. It prints pictures with great details, but don’t expect them to look as bright and vibrant as they appear on your phone. Overall, it functions smoothly and delivers nice prints.

Talking about its design, it has a nice build quality and looks good. The printer comes in three colour options - blue, white and pink - and all of them look trendy.

As you would agree, no review is complete without looking at the shortcomings. There are two things I don't like about the smartphone printer.

One is the battery as it’s not great. In less than two hours of continuous usage, the battery comes down to half. But it’s still manageable as you are not expected to use it daily for hours.

But the other pitfall is a serious one - the expensive price sheets. A pack of twenty sheets costs Rs 999. I wish it was priced a little more reasonably. But if the price isn’t a constraint for you, you can go for it.

Overall, at Rs 9,999 , it’s a good device.

Smartphones have made it easier for us to capture moments and file away those memories. But, here's the thing - though we are quick to whip out our phones to click those photographs, we tend to forget about them after some time.

Smartphones have made it easier for us to capture moments and file away those memories. But, here's the thing - though we are quick to whip out our phones to click those photographs, we tend to forget about them after some time. We barely revisit those old pictures. But what if I tell you that you can print those photos with ease, bring those heartwarming moments to life, and keep them near you - in your room or at workstation? Enter smartphone printers. I get my hands on one such device - the Fujifilm Instax Mini Link - to find out how it performs in the real world. The Fujifilm Instax Mini Link not only lets you print photographs saved in your phone, but it also allows you to choose favourite moments from your videos and print them. It's simple to choose and print a frame from videos. The feature is edgy because not all contenders out there in the market are offering this facility. Before I talk about its other features, let me tell you that it's easy to set it up and pair it with a phone. Place the print sheets in the allocated compartment, download the Instax Mini Link app on your Android phone or iPhone, switch on the Bluetooth and voila! × The interface of the app is intuitive. As one would expect, the app lets you edit photos before printing - you can overlay a photo with text, add a filter and even correct the brightness or contrast. And once you're ready to print, you can either tap the print button in the app or just swipe up. Also, the Instax Camera mode lets you capture a current moment right from the app itself and print in real-time. And the gesture-based zoom controls make it easy to set up the right frame. The Fun Mode is another feature that claims to make photos interesting. The Fun Mode is nothing but a place where you can customise your photographs before the print. You can add frames, choose a layout for a collage, and make it personal with sketches and illustrations. The app offers various features - while some of them are useful, others are gimmicky. I have used the gadget extensively and printed a lot of photos. I must say, the print quality is impressive. It prints pictures with great details, but don’t expect them to look as bright and vibrant as they appear on your phone. Overall, it functions smoothly and delivers nice prints. Talking about its design, it has a nice build quality and looks good. The printer comes in three colour options - blue, white and pink - and all of them look trendy. As you would agree, no review is complete without looking at the shortcomings. There are two things I don't like about the smartphone printer. One is the battery as it’s not great. In less than two hours of continuous usage, the battery comes down to half. But it’s still manageable as you are not expected to use it daily for hours. But the other pitfall is a serious one - the expensive price sheets. A pack of twenty sheets costs Rs 999. I wish it was priced a little more reasonably. But if the price isn’t a constraint for you, you can go for it. Overall, at Rs 9,999 , it’s a good device.

Fujifilm Instax Mini Link review: Is the smartphone printer worth your money?

You shouldn't charge your phone to 100%. Watch the video to find out other tips that can help you make the most out of your phone battery.

Phone charging mistakes you should stop making

Apple may have paid $950 million to Samsung for not meeting its goals in terms of the number of OLED screen it had ordered.

The iPhone maker depends on Samsung to procure Organic Light Emitting Diodes screens. Samsung makes over 40 per cent of all OLED screens in the world. With its AMOLED displays, it has a 98 per cent share of screens in the market. Out of the $400 million yearly revenue from screens over $100 million is generated by Samsung alone.

The report, which was published by Display Supply Chain Consultants suggests a one-time payment for falling short in terms of product acquirement.

"One-time gain"

During its Q2 2020 release, Samsung made a reference to a “one-time gain” coming from its screen display enterprise. However, no clear indication of Apple’s involvement or amount was mentioned in this report.

Last month, reports of Samsung receiving over $700 million circulated on social media. But this new revelation pins the approximate amount at $950 million.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/technology/apple-supplier-foxconn-to-invest-1-billion-in-india-sources-312563" hreflang="en">Apple supplier Foxconn to invest $1 billion in India: Sources</a>

The report also mentioned how this affects the profit for Samsung. “The Apple payment likely turned what otherwise would have been an operating loss for display devices into an operating profit,” it said.

The revenue incurred from screens was down by 7 per cent for Samsung, while its operation profit was up by 23 per cent, much higher than expected.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/samsung-smartphone-receive-mysterious-1-notification-company-says-it-was-mistake-281871" hreflang="en">Samsung smartphone receive mysterious '1' notification; company says it was mistake</a>

Not the first time

This is not the first time Apple has paid a hefty amount to Samsung. In 2019, a similar penalty was enforced by Samsung for not buying enough OLED screens. For perspective - let’s say Apple placed an order for 20 million screens, but due to market fluctuations and demands, was only able to accommodate 15 million screens. The value of the 5 million screens would then have to be paid to Samsung, or made up by procuring even more screens from the company, which is exactly what happened last year.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/technology/ceos-of-apple-amazon-facebook-and-google-to-testify-in-congress-over-antitrust-issues-310090" hreflang="en">CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google to testify in Congress over antitrust issues</a>

Most big companies make deals with screen makers with a guaranteed purchase of a minimum number of screens, which lowers the total cost of buying them. As part of the contract, inability to fulfil this imposes fine on the buyer.

It is likely that this year’s disruption will be attributed to COVID-19, which has caused a global slowdown of selling and buying power. Factories have also remained shut in the face of growing concerns about social distancing to conquer the virus.

Apple may have paid $950 million to Samsung for not meeting its goals in terms of the number of OLED screen it had ordered. The iPhone maker depends on Samsung to procure Organic Light Emitting Diodes screens.

Apple may have paid $950 million to Samsung for not meeting its goals in terms of the number of OLED screen it had ordered. The iPhone maker depends on Samsung to procure Organic Light Emitting Diodes screens. Samsung makes over 40 per cent of all OLED screens in the world. With its AMOLED displays, it has a 98 per cent share of screens in the market. Out of the $400 million yearly revenue from screens over $100 million is generated by Samsung alone. The report, which was published by Display Supply Chain Consultants suggests a one-time payment for falling short in terms of product acquirement. "One-time gain" During its Q2 2020 release, Samsung made a reference to a “one-time gain” coming from its screen display enterprise. However, no clear indication of Apple’s involvement or amount was mentioned in this report. Last month, reports of Samsung receiving over $700 million circulated on social media. But this new revelation pins the approximate amount at $950 million. Also read: Apple supplier Foxconn to invest $1 billion in India: Sources The report also mentioned how this affects the profit for Samsung. “The Apple payment likely turned what otherwise would have been an operating loss for display devices into an operating profit,” it said. The revenue incurred from screens was down by 7 per cent for Samsung, while its operation profit was up by 23 per cent, much higher than expected. Also read: Samsung smartphone receive mysterious '1' notification; company says it was mistake Not the first time This is not the first time Apple has paid a hefty amount to Samsung. In 2019, a similar penalty was enforced by Samsung for not buying enough OLED screens. For perspective - let’s say Apple placed an order for 20 million screens, but due to market fluctuations and demands, was only able to accommodate 15 million screens. The value of the 5 million screens would then have to be paid to Samsung, or made up by procuring even more screens from the company, which is exactly what happened last year. Also read: CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google to testify in Congress over antitrust issues Most big companies make deals with screen makers with a guaranteed purchase of a minimum number of screens, which lowers the total cost of buying them. As part of the contract, inability to fulfil this imposes fine on the buyer. It is likely that this year’s disruption will be attributed to COVID-19, which has caused a global slowdown of selling and buying power. Factories have also remained shut in the face of growing concerns about social distancing to conquer the virus.

Apple reportedly paid almost $1 billion to Samsung for faltering on order for screens

How to keep your smartphone safe in times of coronavirus

If you have a chronic headache, we suggest you put your smartphone away. A new study finds that excessive time spent on your smartphone could be contributing to a relentless headache

Smartphone users may be more likely to use painkillers and find less relief and the subjects of this study were from India.

We are all guilty of being addicted to our smartphones whether it is surfing social media or online shopping.

Be it using WhatsApp to communicate or a trending news app to stay updated. From content consumption to content creation — the smartphone has become the hub of all activities.

People are relying on their phones to complete daily tasks.

And now, a new study finds a link between smartphone usage and headaches. Up until now, there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that excessive use of smartphones and "screen time" can lead to lifestyle disorders and now, a study carried by researchers at the all India institute of medical sciences in New Delhi, makes some alarming suggestions.

It suggests that smartphone users were more likely to use pain medication for headaches and find less relief than those who didn't use smartphones.

The study was published in the medical journal 'Neurology: Clinical practice'. Researchers studied 400 people in India with headaches which included migraines, tension headaches and others.

They were questioned on their smartphone use, headache history as well as medication use. The study cites associations which suggest that smartphones may be a potential trigger for worsening headaches.

The study found that 96 per cent of smartphone users were more likely to take medication compared to 81 per cent of non-smartphone users.

In the study, smartphone users also reported a higher occurrence of "aura", which is a warning sensation before epilepsy or migraine attack.&nbsp;

This was in comparison to non-smartphone users. Medical experts believe that excessive smartphone screen time hampers your posture.

The act of bending your neck to look at your phone, dubbed as "text neck", maybe a strain on one's spine.

While this new research doesn't make any conclusive claims, it adds to the existing knowledge which warns against increased smartphone usage 
so put that phone down and step out for some fresh air.

If you have a chronic headache, we suggest you put your smartphone away. A new study finds that excessive time spent on your smartphone could be contributing to a relentless headache Smartphone users may be more likely to use painkillers and find less relief and the subjects of this study were from India.

If you have a chronic headache, we suggest you put your smartphone away. A new study finds that excessive time spent on your smartphone could be contributing to a relentless headache Smartphone users may be more likely to use painkillers and find less relief and the subjects of this study were from India. We are all guilty of being addicted to our smartphones whether it is surfing social media or online shopping. Be it using WhatsApp to communicate or a trending news app to stay updated. From content consumption to content creation — the smartphone has become the hub of all activities. People are relying on their phones to complete daily tasks. And now, a new study finds a link between smartphone usage and headaches. Up until now, there has been plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that excessive use of smartphones and "screen time" can lead to lifestyle disorders and now, a study carried by researchers at the all India institute of medical sciences in New Delhi, makes some alarming suggestions. It suggests that smartphone users were more likely to use pain medication for headaches and find less relief than those who didn't use smartphones. The study was published in the medical journal 'Neurology: Clinical practice'. Researchers studied 400 people in India with headaches which included migraines, tension headaches and others. They were questioned on their smartphone use, headache history as well as medication use. The study cites associations which suggest that smartphones may be a potential trigger for worsening headaches. The study found that 96 per cent of smartphone users were more likely to take medication compared to 81 per cent of non-smartphone users. In the study, smartphone users also reported a higher occurrence of "aura", which is a warning sensation before epilepsy or migraine attack. This was in comparison to non-smartphone users. Medical experts believe that excessive smartphone screen time hampers your posture. The act of bending your neck to look at your phone, dubbed as "text neck", maybe a strain on one's spine. While this new research doesn't make any conclusive claims, it adds to the existing knowledge which warns against increased smartphone usage so put that phone down and step out for some fresh air.

Smartphone use cause migraines, headaches: Study

A new study has found that smartphones may make your headaches worse. This report has more.

Gravitas: Smartphones can make your headaches worse

A study has been done by a premier Indian hospital which reveals that smartphone addiction leads to severe headache. It's also been studied that 96% of smartphone users likely to take medication.

Your Story: Smartphone, reason behind the chronic headache!

The <gwmw class="ginger-module-highlighter-mistake-type-1" id="gwmw-15804758428590289701161">coronavirus</gwmw> outbreak in China could start to disrupt India's production of smartphones if it continues to spread in February, as it could delay component shipments, industry executives said.

India is the world's biggest smartphone maker after China but is still largely dependent on China for supplies of parts such as cells, display panels, camera modules and printed circuit boards.

Taiwan's Foxconn and Wistron make iPhones in India for Apple, and Foxconn produces phones there for China's Xiaomi as well. Other smartphone makers in India include <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/samsung-electronics-third-quarter-net-profit-slumps-52-258964">South Korea's Samsung</a> and China's OnePlus.

So far smartphone makers in India have weathered the impact of the virus, which has already killed 170 people, partly because they had ramped up inventories of Chinese-made parts anyway to cover the Lunar New Year holiday period when China's factories close down.

"Those disruptions were already planned but if it (the virus' spread) gets prolonged then for March and April production we will have serious trouble," said S.N. Rai, the co-founder of homegrown smartphone maker Lava.

"We're definitely worried about it." Some components can be shipped in from markets such as South Korea, Vietnam or Taiwan, but smartphone makers will only make such purchases as a "last resort" as it would force companies to make changes including in design and software, Rai said.

Samsung declined to comment, while Foxconn, Wistron, Apple and Xiaomi did not respond to requests for comment. China's OnePlus said its Indian operations could manage, in the short term at least.

&nbsp;"We are well covered because we have the entire production in India, we already have enough stock, and even going forward many of the components will anyway be coming directly from other markets," said Vikas Agarwal, the India head of OnePlus.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/latest-business-news-apple-prepares-from-for-virus-fallout-samsung-says-it-will-affect-first-quarter-earnings-277547">Apple prepares for Coronavirus fallout, Samsung fears it may affect earnings</a>

While Beijing has expressed confidence in defeating the "devil" virus, which is yet to be declared a global emergency by the World Health Organisation, major companies such as Alphabet Inc's Google and Sweden's IKEA have closed operations in China.

India's Tata Motors, which counts China as a major market for its luxury Jaguar Land Rover cars, said on Thursday it was worried about the coronavirus and warned that the outbreak could hit profits.

As several airlines suspend flights to China, the movement of technical staff from the country - such as on-site support executives, machine and automation specialists - will also be curtailed and that will hit India's smartphone sector, an executive at another foreign-owned smartphone maker, who did not wish to be named, said.

For now, the industry just hopes the outbreak can be contained within the next two weeks. "If the problem persists beyond February 10 then we have a real problem at hand," said Pankaj Mohindroo, head of the India Cellular &amp; Electronics Association, an industry lobby group.

The coronavirus outbreak in China could start to disrupt India's production of smartphones if it continues to spread in February, as it could delay component shipments, industry executives said.

The coronavirus outbreak in China could start to disrupt India's production of smartphones if it continues to spread in February, as it could delay component shipments, industry executives said. India is the world's biggest smartphone maker after China but is still largely dependent on China for supplies of parts such as cells, display panels, camera modules and printed circuit boards. Taiwan's Foxconn and Wistron make iPhones in India for Apple, and Foxconn produces phones there for China's Xiaomi as well. Other smartphone makers in India include South Korea's Samsung and China's OnePlus. So far smartphone makers in India have weathered the impact of the virus, which has already killed 170 people, partly because they had ramped up inventories of Chinese-made parts anyway to cover the Lunar New Year holiday period when China's factories close down. "Those disruptions were already planned but if it (the virus' spread) gets prolonged then for March and April production we will have serious trouble," said S.N. Rai, the co-founder of homegrown smartphone maker Lava. "We're definitely worried about it." Some components can be shipped in from markets such as South Korea, Vietnam or Taiwan, but smartphone makers will only make such purchases as a "last resort" as it would force companies to make changes including in design and software, Rai said. Samsung declined to comment, while Foxconn, Wistron, Apple and Xiaomi did not respond to requests for comment. China's OnePlus said its Indian operations could manage, in the short term at least. "We are well covered because we have the entire production in India, we already have enough stock, and even going forward many of the components will anyway be coming directly from other markets," said Vikas Agarwal, the India head of OnePlus. Also Read: Apple prepares for Coronavirus fallout, Samsung fears it may affect earnings While Beijing has expressed confidence in defeating the "devil" virus, which is yet to be declared a global emergency by the World Health Organisation, major companies such as Alphabet Inc's Google and Sweden's IKEA have closed operations in China. India's Tata Motors, which counts China as a major market for its luxury Jaguar Land Rover cars, said on Thursday it was worried about the coronavirus and warned that the outbreak could hit profits. As several airlines suspend flights to China, the movement of technical staff from the country - such as on-site support executives, machine and automation specialists - will also be curtailed and that will hit India's smartphone sector, an executive at another foreign-owned smartphone maker, who did not wish to be named, said. For now, the industry just hopes the outbreak can be contained within the next two weeks. "If the problem persists beyond February 10 then we have a real problem at hand," said Pankaj Mohindroo, head of the India Cellular & Electronics Association, an industry lobby group.

China virus causes scare for India's smartphone makers

Ever wonder what could be the future of touchscreen smartphones? Global handset-making giants have already introduced the concept of foldable touchscreen devices and what could come next is a touchscreen material that not only gets folded but can be twisted as well.&nbsp;

Australian experts are working on devising an ultra-thin electronic material that can work as a touchscreen&nbsp;and could be printed like newspapers.

According to reports, the touch-responsive material is 100 times thinner than the traditional touchscreens.&nbsp;

The innovation led by a team at Australia's RMIT University in Melbourne uses indium tin oxide (ITO) - "a transparent conductor used in applications such as touch screens, smart windows and displays," as described by the report published online in the journal Nature Electronics.

The team used liquid metal chemistry to compress a common smartphone touchscreen film from 3D to 2D, using liquid metal chemistry.

Experts at the RMIT say that the film is flexible and can easily be bent or twisted and can be a cheaper alternative to currently manufactured touchscreens.

It is also believed that the 2D touchscreen film will be more transparent, letting through more light which will let a smartphone run on less power as compared to devices carrying conventional touchscreens. &nbsp;

RMIT geniuses believe that the novel touchscreen material can turn out to be cost effective and could be produced easily.&nbsp;

Ever wonder what could be the future of touchscreen smartphones? Global handset-making giants have already introduced the concept of foldable touchscreen devices and what could come next is a touchscreen material that not only gets folded but can be twisted as well.

Ever wonder what could be the future of touchscreen smartphones? Global handset-making giants have already introduced the concept of foldable touchscreen devices and what could come next is a touchscreen material that not only gets folded but can be twisted as well. Australian experts are working on devising an ultra-thin electronic material that can work as a touchscreen and could be printed like newspapers. According to reports, the touch-responsive material is 100 times thinner than the traditional touchscreens. The innovation led by a team at Australia's RMIT University in Melbourne uses indium tin oxide (ITO) - "a transparent conductor used in applications such as touch screens, smart windows and displays," as described by the report published online in the journal Nature Electronics. The team used liquid metal chemistry to compress a common smartphone touchscreen film from 3D to 2D, using liquid metal chemistry. Experts at the RMIT say that the film is flexible and can easily be bent or twisted and can be a cheaper alternative to currently manufactured touchscreens. It is also believed that the 2D touchscreen film will be more transparent, letting through more light which will let a smartphone run on less power as compared to devices carrying conventional touchscreens. RMIT geniuses believe that the novel touchscreen material can turn out to be cost effective and could be produced easily.

Australian experts develop ultra-thin touchscreen material that you could twist and fold

The end of one year of technology means looking forward to the next and better one. The year 2020 has brought another year filled with amazing game-changing technology trends.

Here is the list of upcoming technologies that could change the game in 2020.

Foldable phones

We now have phones that come with foldable screens. Last year, a handful of companies teased us with their models. In 2020, the trend is expected to grow manifold. More companies are expected to design phones with screens that can fold. So new warriors such as Xiaomi and Oppo will march into the battleground with their foldable designs. And existing players will improve their products. If all goes as expected, 2020 could truly be the year of foldable phones. 
&nbsp; 
5G is coming to India! 
&nbsp; 
Next-gen 5G technology has been a talking point for years. But it was only in 2019, that the world finally witnessed the launch of 5G phones, that too only in a handful of countries. But in 2020, 5G will be the catalyst to a digital revolution in more countries, including India. Indian telecoms have been conducting 5G tests and are implementing 5G-ready equipment, so it's quite plausible that 5G will finally take off in the country this year. And we'll get to enjoy the benefits of even faster internet speeds! 
&nbsp; 
The rise of video streaming 
&nbsp; 
Over the last 12 months, there has been a significant rise in the consumption of media on video streaming platforms. Many people now avoid going to cinema halls and wait for the movies to stream on OTT platforms. Companies are creating content exclusively for video-on-demand services, which are popular within all age groups. And this trend will be seen in 2020, OTT services will continue to adversely impact the business of cinema. 
&nbsp; 
Voice assistants - What's next? 
&nbsp; 
Voice assistants have been around for a few years now. Every year, they get better and are packed with new functionalities. Today, services like Alexa and Google Assistant can do a lot of things, answer our queries and make suggestions based on our schedules. But as anyone who uses a voice assistant knows, there's a huge scope for improvement. In 2020, voice recognition software will improve, so it will get better at understanding different accents. Artificial intelligence technology behind voice applications will continue to be a focus area in the space of technology.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;Connected retail 
&nbsp; 
Tech companies are working on making our shopping experience better.&nbsp;We have seen connected shopping devices in India and other countries.&nbsp;Amazon has set up a checkout-free grocery store. Facial recognition is improving payment systems. But all of these services are yet to go mainstream.&nbsp;

Price of privacy

After a series of data leaks at facebook and hacking attempts on apps like WhatsApp in 2019, there are increasing fears about privacy. &nbsp;But at the same time, many of us are knowingly trading our privacy for convenience.&nbsp;

For instance, users are granting app permissions without even giving it a second thought.&nbsp;

Devices like smart speakers, that have been accused of eavesdropping, are still flying off the shelves. And how many of us have stopped using Facebook despite knowing that it's in the middle of multiple data privacy rows?

We do think that these tech giants will continue profiting from invading our privacy, so let's hope we see better consumer protection and privacy laws in 2020. 
&nbsp;

The end of one year of technology means looking forward to the next and better one. The year 2020 has brought another year filled with amazing game-changing technology trends.

The end of one year of technology means looking forward to the next and better one. The year 2020 has brought another year filled with amazing game-changing technology trends. Here is the list of upcoming technologies that could change the game in 2020. Foldable phones We now have phones that come with foldable screens. Last year, a handful of companies teased us with their models. In 2020, the trend is expected to grow manifold. More companies are expected to design phones with screens that can fold. So new warriors such as Xiaomi and Oppo will march into the battleground with their foldable designs. And existing players will improve their products. If all goes as expected, 2020 could truly be the year of foldable phones. 5G is coming to India! Next-gen 5G technology has been a talking point for years. But it was only in 2019, that the world finally witnessed the launch of 5G phones, that too only in a handful of countries. But in 2020, 5G will be the catalyst to a digital revolution in more countries, including India. Indian telecoms have been conducting 5G tests and are implementing 5G-ready equipment, so it's quite plausible that 5G will finally take off in the country this year. And we'll get to enjoy the benefits of even faster internet speeds! The rise of video streaming Over the last 12 months, there has been a significant rise in the consumption of media on video streaming platforms. Many people now avoid going to cinema halls and wait for the movies to stream on OTT platforms. Companies are creating content exclusively for video-on-demand services, which are popular within all age groups. And this trend will be seen in 2020, OTT services will continue to adversely impact the business of cinema. Voice assistants - What's next? Voice assistants have been around for a few years now. Every year, they get better and are packed with new functionalities. Today, services like Alexa and Google Assistant can do a lot of things, answer our queries and make suggestions based on our schedules. But as anyone who uses a voice assistant knows, there's a huge scope for improvement. In 2020, voice recognition software will improve, so it will get better at understanding different accents. Artificial intelligence technology behind voice applications will continue to be a focus area in the space of technology. Connected retail Tech companies are working on making our shopping experience better. We have seen connected shopping devices in India and other countries. Amazon has set up a checkout-free grocery store. Facial recognition is improving payment systems. But all of these services are yet to go mainstream. Price of privacy After a series of data leaks at facebook and hacking attempts on apps like WhatsApp in 2019, there are increasing fears about privacy. But at the same time, many of us are knowingly trading our privacy for convenience. For instance, users are granting app permissions without even giving it a second thought. Devices like smart speakers, that have been accused of eavesdropping, are still flying off the shelves. And how many of us have stopped using Facebook despite knowing that it's in the middle of multiple data privacy rows? We do think that these tech giants will continue profiting from invading our privacy, so let's hope we see better consumer protection and privacy laws in 2020.

Technology trends of 2020: What to expect?

Smartphones have come a long way in the last two decades, from the days when Nokia was the undisputed king and owning a Blackberry was a status symbol, to a time when the iPhone shifted the focus to app-based touch screen phones.&nbsp;

These devices have truly transformed - they've gotten bigger, slimmer, faster and more powerful. The world saw a dramatic shift in smartphone trends in 2019 too.&nbsp;

Foldable phones arrived in 2019, and the segment is sure to grow in 2020. Many phones makers unveiled their versions of foldable phones.&nbsp;

Samsung unveiled the galaxy fold. Despite the initial hiccups due to a faulty design, the company managed to launch the phone. 
&nbsp; 
Chinese tech major Huawei also showcased its phone with a flexible screen. Even Motorola brought back its iconic Razr with a screen that folds.&nbsp;

Other companies such as Microsoft and Oppo didn’t lag either. Joining the race of foldable phones.&nbsp;

Before 2019 began, we were used to seeing phones with a dual-camera setup. But now, companies are taking phone cameras a notch higher.

Phone makers revised the rear camera arrangement, be it Samsung, Huawei, Oppo or Nokia, almost all leading players moved from a dual-camera setup to multi-cameras.

2019 also saw the launch of 5G phones, allowing people to enjoy much faster internet speeds. Companies such as Samsung, Huawei and LG introduced their 5G models.&nbsp;

Many other phone makers are also working on 5G handsets.

Smartphones have come a long way in the last two decades, from the days when Nokia was the undisputed king and owning a Blackberry was a status symbol, to a time when the iPhone shifted the focus to app-based touch screen phones.

Smartphones have come a long way in the last two decades, from the days when Nokia was the undisputed king and owning a Blackberry was a status symbol, to a time when the iPhone shifted the focus to app-based touch screen phones. These devices have truly transformed - they've gotten bigger, slimmer, faster and more powerful. The world saw a dramatic shift in smartphone trends in 2019 too. Foldable phones arrived in 2019, and the segment is sure to grow in 2020. Many phones makers unveiled their versions of foldable phones. Samsung unveiled the galaxy fold. Despite the initial hiccups due to a faulty design, the company managed to launch the phone. Chinese tech major Huawei also showcased its phone with a flexible screen. Even Motorola brought back its iconic Razr with a screen that folds. Other companies such as Microsoft and Oppo didn’t lag either. Joining the race of foldable phones. Before 2019 began, we were used to seeing phones with a dual-camera setup. But now, companies are taking phone cameras a notch higher. Phone makers revised the rear camera arrangement, be it Samsung, Huawei, Oppo or Nokia, almost all leading players moved from a dual-camera setup to multi-cameras. 2019 also saw the launch of 5G phones, allowing people to enjoy much faster internet speeds. Companies such as Samsung, Huawei and LG introduced their 5G models. Many other phone makers are also working on 5G handsets.

The transformation tale of mobile phones: How we evolved from Nokia 3310 to Samsung Galaxy Fold

Are you addicted to your smartphone? #SmartPhoneAddict #Gravitas #SmartPhones #Mobiles

Gravitas: Indians spent 1800 hrs in 2019 on phones

Picture Posted By American Actress Bette Midler Has Sparked An Online Debate. And It's A Much-Needed Debate! #WION #Gravitas #ThinkAboutIt

Gravitas: There's a world outside the smartphone

Chinese tech giant <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/huawei-plans-to-shift-research-center-to-canada-from-us-globe-and-mail-265889">Huawei Technologies</a> plans to equip more of its products with its<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-unveils-own-operating-system-harmonyos-to-compete-with-android-241698"> Harmony operating system </a>(OS) next year, and will promote them at home and abroad, a Huawei spokesman said on Monday.

But there are no plans currently to roll out the OS to its phones, tablets, and computers, among Huawei's most popular products, the spokesman added.

The plans were first reported in the government-backed Shenzhen Special Zone Daily newspaper which cited comments made by Wang Chenglu, president of the Huawei consumer business group's software division, at a store event held in the city of Shenzhen, where the firm has its headquarters.

Huawei unveiled its proprietary OS in August as a possible alternative to Google's Android, as it copes with trade restrictions by the United States that threatens to cut its access to technology made by US&nbsp;firms.

A "smart screen", or connected television product was its first product to use Harmony, called Hongmeng in Chinese, but it said at the time that it would stick to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/android-o-google-teases-next-version-of-its-operating-system-15725">Android</a> for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/smartphones-booming-indias-electronics-manufacturing-sector-173345">smartphones</a> and gradually roll out Harmony to other devices such as smartwatches, speakers and virtual reality gadgets.

Wang reiterated that stance at the store event and noted the company would still prefer to use Android on its phones, according to the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily newspaper.

Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies plans to equip more of its products with its Harmony operating system (OS) next year, and will promote them at home and abroad, a Huawei spokesman said on Monday.

Chinese tech giant Huawei Technologies plans to equip more of its products with its Harmony operating system (OS) next year, and will promote them at home and abroad, a Huawei spokesman said on Monday. But there are no plans currently to roll out the OS to its phones, tablets, and computers, among Huawei's most popular products, the spokesman added. The plans were first reported in the government-backed Shenzhen Special Zone Daily newspaper which cited comments made by Wang Chenglu, president of the Huawei consumer business group's software division, at a store event held in the city of Shenzhen, where the firm has its headquarters. Huawei unveiled its proprietary OS in August as a possible alternative to Google's Android, as it copes with trade restrictions by the United States that threatens to cut its access to technology made by US firms. A "smart screen", or connected television product was its first product to use Harmony, called Hongmeng in Chinese, but it said at the time that it would stick to Android for smartphones and gradually roll out Harmony to other devices such as smartwatches, speakers and virtual reality gadgets. Wang reiterated that stance at the store event and noted the company would still prefer to use Android on its phones, according to the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily newspaper.

Huawei to roll out Harmony OS to more products next year, but not phones and tablets

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