China's market regulator has been fining companies for failing to declare 43 deals to&nbsp;the authorities that date back to 2016. These companies include Alibaba, Baidu and JD.com. The companies are being fined with an amount of 500,000 yuan under China's 2008 Anti-Monopoly law.

The earliest listed deal was from the year 2012 and the latest one was from 2021. It was an agreement between Baidu and Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holdings to create a new-energy vehicle company.

Few other deals include Alibaba's 2014 acquisition of Chinese digital mapping firm AutoNavi and itspurchase of a 44 per cent stake in Ele.me with the aim of becoming the food delivery service's largest shareholder.

Alibaba, Baidu, JD.com and Geely have not yet commented on the same.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/one-year-since-jack-mas-speech-alibaba-has-lost-344-billion-report-423908">Also read |&nbsp;One year since Jack Ma's speech, Alibaba has lost $344 billion: Report</a>

Meanwhile, earlier a Bloomberg report cited that Alibaba has lost around $344 billion in market capitalisation, the largest ever decline in shareholder value globally.

In response to Jack Ma's speech last year, Chinese authorities had not only pulled Ant's IPO but also launched an antitrust probe against Alibaba, which ultimately resulted in a $2.75 billion fine for the company.

The value of Alibaba's stock fell the most over the past year globally.&nbsp;

Jack Ma, delivered a blunt criticism of China's financial system last October. This is when few had predicted a downward spiral for the holdings of the group.

China's market regulator has been fining companies for failing to declare 43 deals to the authorities that date back to 2016. These companies include Alibaba, Baidu and JD.

China's market regulator has been fining companies for failing to declare 43 deals to the authorities that date back to 2016. These companies include Alibaba, Baidu and JD.com. The companies are being fined with an amount of 500,000 yuan under China's 2008 Anti-Monopoly law. The earliest listed deal was from the year 2012 and the latest one was from 2021. It was an agreement between Baidu and Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holdings to create a new-energy vehicle company. Few other deals include Alibaba's 2014 acquisition of Chinese digital mapping firm AutoNavi and itspurchase of a 44 per cent stake in Ele.me with the aim of becoming the food delivery service's largest shareholder. Alibaba, Baidu, JD.com and Geely have not yet commented on the same. Also read | One year since Jack Ma's speech, Alibaba has lost $344 billion: Report Meanwhile, earlier a Bloomberg report cited that Alibaba has lost around $344 billion in market capitalisation, the largest ever decline in shareholder value globally. In response to Jack Ma's speech last year, Chinese authorities had not only pulled Ant's IPO but also launched an antitrust probe against Alibaba, which ultimately resulted in a $2.75 billion fine for the company. The value of Alibaba's stock fell the most over the past year globally. Jack Ma, delivered a blunt criticism of China's financial system last October. This is when few had predicted a downward spiral for the holdings of the group.

China imposes a fine of $78,000 each on major tech giants

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Carbon capture technology: Can it fight climate change?

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

Dutch and European startups are showcasing their latest gadgets at Consumer Electronics Show (CES), CES Unveiled Amsterdam runs from 14th-15th October. A relaxation VR app, an electric scooter, and a medical backpack are just a few of the gadgets on display at CES Unveiled Amsterdam.

Dutch and European startups showcase their gadgets at Consumer Electronics Show

DuckDuckGo and three other search engine rivals to Google on Thursday urged EU lawmakers to take action against the Alphabet unit via new tech rules, saying they have yet to see positive results from an antitrust ruling against Google.

The European Commission in 2018 levied a record 4.24- billion-euro ($5 billion) fine on Google for unfairly using Android to cement the dominance of its search engine and ordered it to ensure a level playing field for rivals.

Google subsequently made changes and four months ago said it would let rivals compete for free to be the default search engines on Android devices in Europe.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-to-invest-1-billion-to-lift-africa-internet-access-418618">Google to invest $1 billion to lift Africa internet access</a>

US&nbsp;search engine DuckDuckGo, Germany's Ecosia and French peers Qwant and Lilo said lawmakers should use tech rules drafted by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager called the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to ensure competition.

"Despite recent changes, we do not believe it will move market share significantly due to its persisting limitations," they said in a joint letter to European Parliament lawmakers.

They said a preference menu that let users choose their search default when setting up an Android device is not available on Chrome desktop or on other operating systems, and that it is only shown once to users.

"The DMA should enshrine in law a requirement for a search engine preference menu that would effectively ban Google from acquiring default search access points of the operating systems and the browsers of gatekeepers," they said.

The DMA may come into force in 2023 once it gets the green light from EU lawmakers and EU countries. 
($1 = 0.8654 euros)

DuckDuckGo and three other search engine rivals to Google on Thursday urged EU lawmakers to take action against the Alphabet unit via new tech rules, saying they have yet to see positive results from an antitrust ruling against Google.

DuckDuckGo and three other search engine rivals to Google on Thursday urged EU lawmakers to take action against the Alphabet unit via new tech rules, saying they have yet to see positive results from an antitrust ruling against Google. The European Commission in 2018 levied a record 4.24- billion-euro ($5 billion) fine on Google for unfairly using Android to cement the dominance of its search engine and ordered it to ensure a level playing field for rivals. Google subsequently made changes and four months ago said it would let rivals compete for free to be the default search engines on Android devices in Europe. Also Read | Google to invest $1 billion to lift Africa internet access US search engine DuckDuckGo, Germany's Ecosia and French peers Qwant and Lilo said lawmakers should use tech rules drafted by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager called the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to ensure competition. "Despite recent changes, we do not believe it will move market share significantly due to its persisting limitations," they said in a joint letter to European Parliament lawmakers. They said a preference menu that let users choose their search default when setting up an Android device is not available on Chrome desktop or on other operating systems, and that it is only shown once to users. "The DMA should enshrine in law a requirement for a search engine preference menu that would effectively ban Google from acquiring default search access points of the operating systems and the browsers of gatekeepers," they said. The DMA may come into force in 2023 once it gets the green light from EU lawmakers and EU countries. ($1 = 0.8654 euros)

Google rivals want EU lawmakers to act via new tech rules

China fired a fresh regulatory shot at its tech giants on Monday, telling them to end a long-standing practice of blocking each other's links on their sites or face consequences.

The comments, made by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) at a news briefing, mark the latest step in Beijing's broad regulatory crackdown&nbsp;that has ensnared sectors from technology to education and property and wiped billions of dollars off the market value of some of the country's largest companies.

China's internet is dominated by a handful of technology giants which have historically blocked links and services by rivals on their platforms.

Restricting normal access to internet links without proper reason "affects the user experience, damages the rights of users and disrupts market order," said MIIT spokesperson Zhao Zhiguo, adding that the ministry had received reports and complaints from users since it launched a review of industry practices in July.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-fines-alibaba-record-275-billion-for-anti-monopoly-violations-376566">Also read |&nbsp;China fines Alibaba record $2.75 billion for anti-monopoly violations&nbsp;</a>

"At present we are guiding relevant companies to carry out self-examination and rectification," he said, citing instant messaging platforms as one of the first areas they were targeting.

He did not specify what the consequences would be for companies that failed to abide by the new guidelines.

The MIIT did not name any companies, but the 21st Century Business Herald newspaper reported on Saturday&nbsp; that&nbsp;Alibaba&nbsp;Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd were among the firms told to end the practice by an unspecified time last week.

Shares in&nbsp;Alibaba&nbsp;Group and Tencent Holdings fell on Monday by over 6% and 3% respectively against a 3% decline in the Hang Seng Tech Index.

COMMON PRACTICE

The practice targeted by the MIIT is common.

Tencent restricts users from sharing content from ByteDance-owned short video app Douyin on Tencent's instant messaging apps WeChat and QQ. In February, Douyin filed a complaintwith a Beijing court saying it constituted monopolistic behaviour. Tencent has called those accusations baseless.

In other cases,&nbsp;Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall e-commerce marketplaces do not allow Tencent's payment service WeChat Pay to be used as a payment option.

Tencent said it supported the MIIT's guidance and would make the necessary changes in phases.&nbsp;Alibaba&nbsp;said it would comply with the MIIT requirements and "looked forward to finding common ground with other platforms."

ByteDance "called on all Internet platforms to take action, not make excuses, clarify timetables and actively implement them to provide users with a safe, reliable and convenient network," it said in a statement.

Michael Norris, research and strategy manager at Shanghai-based consultancy AgencyChina, said, "Forced cracks in China's walled gardens has the potential to re-write China's digital advertising and e-commerce landscapes," said

"In the short term, all eyes will be on Tencent as it comes to grips with what it means to open WeChat to&nbsp;Alibaba&nbsp;and ByteDance," he said.

The MIIT also said on Monday that China had "too many" electric vehicle (EV) makers and the government would encourage consolidation.

China fired a fresh regulatory shot at its tech giants on Monday, telling them to end a long-standing practice of blocking each other's links on their sites or face consequences.

China fired a fresh regulatory shot at its tech giants on Monday, telling them to end a long-standing practice of blocking each other's links on their sites or face consequences. The comments, made by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) at a news briefing, mark the latest step in Beijing's broad regulatory crackdown that has ensnared sectors from technology to education and property and wiped billions of dollars off the market value of some of the country's largest companies. China's internet is dominated by a handful of technology giants which have historically blocked links and services by rivals on their platforms. Restricting normal access to internet links without proper reason "affects the user experience, damages the rights of users and disrupts market order," said MIIT spokesperson Zhao Zhiguo, adding that the ministry had received reports and complaints from users since it launched a review of industry practices in July. Also read | China fines Alibaba record $2.75 billion for anti-monopoly violations "At present we are guiding relevant companies to carry out self-examination and rectification," he said, citing instant messaging platforms as one of the first areas they were targeting. He did not specify what the consequences would be for companies that failed to abide by the new guidelines. The MIIT did not name any companies, but the 21st Century Business Herald newspaper reported on Saturday that Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd were among the firms told to end the practice by an unspecified time last week. Shares in Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings fell on Monday by over 6% and 3% respectively against a 3% decline in the Hang Seng Tech Index. COMMON PRACTICE The practice targeted by the MIIT is common. Tencent restricts users from sharing content from ByteDance-owned short video app Douyin on Tencent's instant messaging apps WeChat and QQ. In February, Douyin filed a complaintwith a Beijing court saying it constituted monopolistic behaviour. Tencent has called those accusations baseless. In other cases, Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall e-commerce marketplaces do not allow Tencent's payment service WeChat Pay to be used as a payment option. Tencent said it supported the MIIT's guidance and would make the necessary changes in phases. Alibaba said it would comply with the MIIT requirements and "looked forward to finding common ground with other platforms." ByteDance "called on all Internet platforms to take action, not make excuses, clarify timetables and actively implement them to provide users with a safe, reliable and convenient network," it said in a statement. Michael Norris, research and strategy manager at Shanghai-based consultancy AgencyChina, said, "Forced cracks in China's walled gardens has the potential to re-write China's digital advertising and e-commerce landscapes," said "In the short term, all eyes will be on Tencent as it comes to grips with what it means to open WeChat to Alibaba and ByteDance," he said. The MIIT also said on Monday that China had "too many" electric vehicle (EV) makers and the government would encourage consolidation.

China tells tech giants to stop blocking rivals' links

Amazon is planning a huge recruitment drive and looking to hire 55,000 people for corporate and tech role globally. Reuters reported about the recruitment plans citing Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy exclusively. This was Jassy's first press interview since taking Amazon's top post in July.

The recruitment headcount alone is more than a third of Google's as of June 30 and is close to all of Facebook's

Jassy said that Amazon needed more firepower to keep up with demand in retail, the cloud, advertising and other businesses. &nbsp;He said the company's new bet to launch satellites into orbit to widen broadband access, called Project Kuiper, would require a lot of new hires, too.

With Amazon's annual job fair scheduled to begin Sept. 15, Jassy hopes now is a good time for recruiting.&nbsp; 
“There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs,” said Jassy, who cited a U.S. survey from PwC that 65% of workers wanted a new gig.

“It’s part of what we think makes ‘Career Day’ so timely and so useful,” he said. The new hires would represent a 20% increase in Amazon's tech and corporate staff, who currently number around 275,000 globally, the company said.

Amazon’s move, only the latest hiring spree on which it has embarked, follows a period of heightened scrutiny of its labor practices and opposition by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. read more Earlier this year, a failed effort by some staff in Alabama to organize put on display Amazon’s taxing warehouse work and its aggressive stance against unions. In that battle’s aftermath, Jeff Bezos, the CEO whom Jassy succeeded, said Amazon needed a better vision for employees.

Asked how he might change Amazon’s demanding workplace culture, Jassy said its heavy focus on customers and inventiveness set it up for improvements.

“Everybody at the company has the freedom - and really, the expectation - to critically look at how it can be better and then invent ways to make it better.”

The positions Amazon is marketing include engineering, research science and robotics roles, postings that are largely new to the company rather than jobs others quit, it said.

In a reopening U.S. economy, and tightening labor market, some companies have struggled to fill vacancies and balance remote and in-person work. It was unclear how many of the Amazon jobs - such as for competitive engineering hires - have been open for some time.

Amazon, which earlier touted an "office-centric culture," later dialed back its vision and offered workers the opportunity to spend just three days a week at its offices in person starting next year.

Amazon is planning a huge recruitment drive and looking to hire 55,000 people for corporate and tech role globally. Reuters reported about the recruitment plans citing Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy exclusively.

Amazon is planning a huge recruitment drive and looking to hire 55,000 people for corporate and tech role globally. Reuters reported about the recruitment plans citing Amazon Chief Executive Andy Jassy exclusively. This was Jassy's first press interview since taking Amazon's top post in July. The recruitment headcount alone is more than a third of Google's as of June 30 and is close to all of Facebook's Jassy said that Amazon needed more firepower to keep up with demand in retail, the cloud, advertising and other businesses. He said the company's new bet to launch satellites into orbit to widen broadband access, called Project Kuiper, would require a lot of new hires, too. With Amazon's annual job fair scheduled to begin Sept. 15, Jassy hopes now is a good time for recruiting. “There are so many jobs during the pandemic that have been displaced or have been altered, and there are so many people who are thinking about different and new jobs,” said Jassy, who cited a U.S. survey from PwC that 65% of workers wanted a new gig. “It’s part of what we think makes ‘Career Day’ so timely and so useful,” he said. The new hires would represent a 20% increase in Amazon's tech and corporate staff, who currently number around 275,000 globally, the company said. Amazon’s move, only the latest hiring spree on which it has embarked, follows a period of heightened scrutiny of its labor practices and opposition by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. read more Earlier this year, a failed effort by some staff in Alabama to organize put on display Amazon’s taxing warehouse work and its aggressive stance against unions. In that battle’s aftermath, Jeff Bezos, the CEO whom Jassy succeeded, said Amazon needed a better vision for employees. Asked how he might change Amazon’s demanding workplace culture, Jassy said its heavy focus on customers and inventiveness set it up for improvements. “Everybody at the company has the freedom - and really, the expectation - to critically look at how it can be better and then invent ways to make it better.” The positions Amazon is marketing include engineering, research science and robotics roles, postings that are largely new to the company rather than jobs others quit, it said. In a reopening U.S. economy, and tightening labor market, some companies have struggled to fill vacancies and balance remote and in-person work. It was unclear how many of the Amazon jobs - such as for competitive engineering hires - have been open for some time. Amazon, which earlier touted an "office-centric culture," later dialed back its vision and offered workers the opportunity to spend just three days a week at its offices in person starting next year.

Amazon to hire 55,000 people in a big recruitment push

Last week, a cyberattack on American IT firm Kaseya, was reported to be the biggest global ransomware attack on record. It's reported that hackers have demanded $70 million to restore the data. This time, it's an American company that has been hit, but unfortunately, cyberattacks are not restricted to any particular country. Many nations are witnessing a rash of high-profile ransomware attacks. Cyber criminals are exploiting vulnerabilities to attack the critical IT infrastructure of different companies and countries. Clearly, cyber space is the new battleground and cyberattacks are emerging as new-age weapons. We find out which countries have better cyber capabilities than others and also look at how prepared India is to take on enemies in cyber warfare.

Tech It Out: Cyber warfare: How prepared is India?

The US&nbsp;Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a US&nbsp;congressional advisory report. 
 
The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, due to be published on Tuesday, said the Commerce Department had been slow to create a list of sensitive technology that should be scrutinised before export to China. 
 
The lag in developing the list of emerging and foundational technologies, as required by a 2018 law, may exacerbate national security risks, the report said. 
 
The Commerce Department, entrusted to strengthen US&nbsp;export control laws, "has, to date, failed to carry out its responsibilities," said the report, titled, "Unfinished Business: Export Control and Foreign Investment Reforms." 
 
In a statement, the Commerce Department declined to directly respond to the lack of a list, but noted it had published four rules on controls on emerging technologies and more are pending. 
 
It also said it had expanded the military end user rule and added companies to its entity list, which restricts US&nbsp;suppliers from selling to companies like Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision. 
 
In 2018, Congress tightened US&nbsp;export policies and the process for screening foreign investment in response to efforts by Chinese entities to obtain sensitive US&nbsp;technology and use civilian innovation for the military. 
 
The report questions whether a more-than-two-year delay in developing the list should be investigated&nbsp;by the Commerce Department's inspector general. It also asks whether the authority to enforce export controls should be delegated to another agency. 
 
Congress passed the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to make it harder to export key technologies to adversaries like China. 
 
The law directed the Commerce Department to work with other agencies to identify emerging, or cutting edge, technologies and so-called foundational technologies essential to making key items like semiconductors, that should be controlled. 
 
In November 2018, the department published 45 examples of emerging technologies, including face and voice recognition, but no list was ever finalised. And it has yet to propose a list of foundational technologies, instead asking for input in August about how to define the category. 
 
Eric Hirschhorn, a former Commerce under secretary, said the criticism of the agency was unfair. "They’re already controlling emerging technologies to the extent that it can be done, which is limited by the need to be specific,” he said. “Foundational technologies are, by definition, widely available outside the United States, which makes controlling them difficult, if not impossible." 
 
The report did note some actions by Commerce. 
 
The department has proposed to regulate software for gene editing, which can make it easier to develop biological weapons, but the rule has not been finalised. It also released an interim rule on geospatial imagery involving AI neural networks. 
 
Advanced surveillance technology has received some attention as well, including on export controls to promote human rights, given its use in Xinjiang for the detention of minority Muslim Uyghurs. But the department still does not control&nbsp;newer types of advanced surveillance software, the report says. 
 
The US-China commission was created by Congress two decades ago to report on the national security implications of trade with China. It is now chaired by Carolyn Bartholomew, who was appointed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The US Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a US congressional advisory report.

The US Commerce Department is failing to do its part to protect national security and keep sensitive technology out of the hands of China's military, according to a US congressional advisory report. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, due to be published on Tuesday, said the Commerce Department had been slow to create a list of sensitive technology that should be scrutinised before export to China. The lag in developing the list of emerging and foundational technologies, as required by a 2018 law, may exacerbate national security risks, the report said. The Commerce Department, entrusted to strengthen US export control laws, "has, to date, failed to carry out its responsibilities," said the report, titled, "Unfinished Business: Export Control and Foreign Investment Reforms." In a statement, the Commerce Department declined to directly respond to the lack of a list, but noted it had published four rules on controls on emerging technologies and more are pending. It also said it had expanded the military end user rule and added companies to its entity list, which restricts US suppliers from selling to companies like Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision. In 2018, Congress tightened US export policies and the process for screening foreign investment in response to efforts by Chinese entities to obtain sensitive US technology and use civilian innovation for the military. The report questions whether a more-than-two-year delay in developing the list should be investigated by the Commerce Department's inspector general. It also asks whether the authority to enforce export controls should be delegated to another agency. Congress passed the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to make it harder to export key technologies to adversaries like China. The law directed the Commerce Department to work with other agencies to identify emerging, or cutting edge, technologies and so-called foundational technologies essential to making key items like semiconductors, that should be controlled. In November 2018, the department published 45 examples of emerging technologies, including face and voice recognition, but no list was ever finalised. And it has yet to propose a list of foundational technologies, instead asking for input in August about how to define the category. Eric Hirschhorn, a former Commerce under secretary, said the criticism of the agency was unfair. "They’re already controlling emerging technologies to the extent that it can be done, which is limited by the need to be specific,” he said. “Foundational technologies are, by definition, widely available outside the United States, which makes controlling them difficult, if not impossible." The report did note some actions by Commerce. The department has proposed to regulate software for gene editing, which can make it easier to develop biological weapons, but the rule has not been finalised. It also released an interim rule on geospatial imagery involving AI neural networks. Advanced surveillance technology has received some attention as well, including on export controls to promote human rights, given its use in Xinjiang for the detention of minority Muslim Uyghurs. But the department still does not control newer types of advanced surveillance software, the report says. The US-China commission was created by Congress two decades ago to report on the national security implications of trade with China. It is now chaired by Carolyn Bartholomew, who was appointed by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. (With inputs from agencies)

US agency not doing its job to halt tech to China's military: Congressional report

Tencent should expect a penalty of at least C¥10-billion (US$1.54-billion), significant enough for the State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) to make an example of it, both people said.

China readies Tencent penalty in antitrust crackdown

A number of China's top regulators published draft guidelines on Monday dictating how apps must protect the privacy and personal information of users.

The rules, drafted under the guidance of the Cyberspace Administration of China along with its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration of Market Regulation, come as China's tech giants face an ongoing wave of scrutiny from policymakers.

The guidelines call for apps to disclose to users what personal information will be collected and for what purpose, and orders apps not to collect users` personal information without first obtaining consent.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="No begging or borrowing: China is stealing tech to dominate world">No begging or borrowing: China is stealing tech to dominate world</a>

Meanwhile, when processing sensitive personal information such as "race, ethnicity, religious belief, personal biometrics, medical health, financial accounts, personal whereabouts, etc," users should receive a separate notification.

Apps should only collect a minimum amount of information and should not obtain personal information that goes beyond the scope of the user`s consent or which is not related to the app's main purpose.

The draft regulations also call on "app distribution platforms" to register and verify the true identify of app developers, to refrain from deceiving users into downloading certain apps, and to carry out standardized reviews of personal information processing activities upon the launch of new apps.

They also urge app stores to establish credit scores for app developers, and to set up portals to handle complaints from the public.

The regulations will be open for comment until May 26.

In recent years, Chinese policymakers, concurrent with those in other countries, have steadily called for more thorough regulations dictating how internet companies manage the user data they collect.

The new draft regulations also arrive as Chinese tech companies such as e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and food-delivery app Meituan faced investigations from the country's anti-monopoly regulator.

A number of China's top regulators published draft guidelines on Monday dictating how apps must protect the privacy and personal information of users. The rules, drafted under the guidance of the Cyberspace Administration of China along with its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration of Market Regulation, come as China's tech giants face an ongoing wave of scrutiny from policymakers.

A number of China's top regulators published draft guidelines on Monday dictating how apps must protect the privacy and personal information of users. The rules, drafted under the guidance of the Cyberspace Administration of China along with its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration of Market Regulation, come as China's tech giants face an ongoing wave of scrutiny from policymakers. The guidelines call for apps to disclose to users what personal information will be collected and for what purpose, and orders apps not to collect users` personal information without first obtaining consent. Also read: No begging or borrowing: China is stealing tech to dominate world Meanwhile, when processing sensitive personal information such as "race, ethnicity, religious belief, personal biometrics, medical health, financial accounts, personal whereabouts, etc," users should receive a separate notification. Apps should only collect a minimum amount of information and should not obtain personal information that goes beyond the scope of the user`s consent or which is not related to the app's main purpose. The draft regulations also call on "app distribution platforms" to register and verify the true identify of app developers, to refrain from deceiving users into downloading certain apps, and to carry out standardized reviews of personal information processing activities upon the launch of new apps. They also urge app stores to establish credit scores for app developers, and to set up portals to handle complaints from the public. The regulations will be open for comment until May 26. In recent years, Chinese policymakers, concurrent with those in other countries, have steadily called for more thorough regulations dictating how internet companies manage the user data they collect. The new draft regulations also arrive as Chinese tech companies such as e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and food-delivery app Meituan faced investigations from the country's anti-monopoly regulator.

Chinese regulators issue draft rules on privacy protection for app users

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption.

Apple has been on the receiving end because of&nbsp;an attack on one of its suppliers.

The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops.

The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch

Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public.

Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer.

Apple may be the influential tech company that is at the forefront of innovation but when it comes top sophisticated cyberattack, Apple's interests are as vulnerable as our tech-challenged friend's computer. The company is now facing a 'ransomware attack'. For those who don't know what this is, a ransomware attack involves cybercriminals encrypting your valuable data. After the data becomes inaccessible to you, the hackers ask ransom money to provide the key to break the encryption. Apple has been on the receiving end because of an attack on one of its suppliers. The group of hackers calls themselves 'Sodin' and the ransomware is called 'REvil'. The hackers stole Apple's data from Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that assembles some of Apple's laptops. The hackers claim that the stolen information has to do with Apple's upcoming products. These, they say, include Apple laptops and a new Apple Watch Quanta Computer has refused to pay the ransom and hackers are now threatening that they will make information about Apple's next launches public. Well, well. What will Apple do next? They aren't saying anything for now that's for sure!

Apple faces ransomware demand from cybercriminals

Chinese regulators have warned 34 technology giants, including Baidu and Tencent, to 'rectify' any anti-competitive measures, a statement said on Tuesday, days after e-commerce giant Alibaba was fined nearly $2.8 billion for abusing its dominant market position.&nbsp;

The move suggests Beijing's scrutiny of its most powerful tech firms is far from over, with regulators warning they will continue to eradicate monopoly practices and telling internet companies to 'heed the warning of Alibaba's case’.&nbsp;

Companies summoned by the regulator include internet giants Baidu, Tencent and ByteDance, the owner of TikTok.&nbsp;

The 34 firms have been given one month to undergo 'complete rectification' after conducting internal checks and inspections, the statement said, and to correct any practices which 'harms competition’.&nbsp;

Unfair competition "hinders innovation and development, and harms the interests of operators and consumers," the statement said, telling the companies to give 'priority to national interests'.&nbsp;

The meeting was organised jointly by the antitrust watchdog with the cyberspace and tax regulators.&nbsp;

Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Vey-Sern Ling said the move was "positive because (regulators are) giving the platform one month to review their practices, rather than dish out fines and penalties without warning."&nbsp;

"They are using Alibaba as an example to deter misbehaviour from the rest of the industry players."&nbsp;

Alibaba was hit with a $2.78 billion fine on Saturday after a months-long probe.&nbsp;

The statement also came a day after fintech firm Ant Group announced it would comply with an overhaul outlined by regulators and become a financial holding company, meaning in the future it will be supervised more like a bank.&nbsp;

Tech giants like Alibaba, JD.com and Tencent became hugely profitable on the back of growing Chinese digital lifestyles, relatively lax legislation and the government's 'great firewall', which bans some major US competitors.&nbsp;

But Beijing has been getting tougher on the sector in recent months over allegations of anti-competitive behaviour and misuse of consumer data.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Chinese regulators have warned 34 technology giants, including Baidu and Tencent, to 'rectify' any anti-competitive measures, a statement said on Tuesday, days after e-commerce giant Alibaba was fined nearly $2.

Chinese regulators have warned 34 technology giants, including Baidu and Tencent, to 'rectify' any anti-competitive measures, a statement said on Tuesday, days after e-commerce giant Alibaba was fined nearly $2.8 billion for abusing its dominant market position. The move suggests Beijing's scrutiny of its most powerful tech firms is far from over, with regulators warning they will continue to eradicate monopoly practices and telling internet companies to 'heed the warning of Alibaba's case’. Companies summoned by the regulator include internet giants Baidu, Tencent and ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. The 34 firms have been given one month to undergo 'complete rectification' after conducting internal checks and inspections, the statement said, and to correct any practices which 'harms competition’. Unfair competition "hinders innovation and development, and harms the interests of operators and consumers," the statement said, telling the companies to give 'priority to national interests'. The meeting was organised jointly by the antitrust watchdog with the cyberspace and tax regulators. Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Vey-Sern Ling said the move was "positive because (regulators are) giving the platform one month to review their practices, rather than dish out fines and penalties without warning." "They are using Alibaba as an example to deter misbehaviour from the rest of the industry players." Alibaba was hit with a $2.78 billion fine on Saturday after a months-long probe. The statement also came a day after fintech firm Ant Group announced it would comply with an overhaul outlined by regulators and become a financial holding company, meaning in the future it will be supervised more like a bank. Tech giants like Alibaba, JD.com and Tencent became hugely profitable on the back of growing Chinese digital lifestyles, relatively lax legislation and the government's 'great firewall', which bans some major US competitors. But Beijing has been getting tougher on the sector in recent months over allegations of anti-competitive behaviour and misuse of consumer data. (With inputs from agencies)

China warns 34 tech firms to 'rectify' any anti-competitive measures after record Alibaba fine

Remote-controlled Venus flytrap "robo-plants" and crops that tell farmers when they are hit by disease could become reality after scientists developed a high-tech system for communicating with vegetation.

Researchers in Singapore linked up plants to electrodes capable of monitoring the weak electrical pulses naturally emitted by the greenery.

The scientists used the technology to trigger a Venus flytrap to snap its jaws shut at the push of a button on a smartphone app.

They then attached one of its jaws to a robotic arm and got the contraption to pick up a piece of wire half a millimetre thick, and catch a small falling object.

The technology is in its early stages, but researchers believe it could eventually be used to build advanced "plant-based robots" that can pick up a host of fragile objects which are too delicate for rigid, robotic arms.

"These kinds of nature robots can be interfaced with other artificial robots (to make) hybrid systems," Chen Xiaodong, the lead author of a study on the research at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), said

There are still challenges to be overcome. Scientists can stimulate the flytrap's jaws to slam shut but can't yet reopen them -- a process that takes 10 or more hours to happen naturally.

The system can also pick up signals emitted by plants, raising the possibility that farmers will be able to detect problems with their crops at an early stage.

"By monitoring the plants' electrical signals, we may be able to detect possible distress signals and abnormalities," said Chen. &nbsp;

"Farmers may find out when a disease is in progress, even before full-blown symptoms appear on the crops."

Researchers believe such technology could be particularly useful as crops face increasing threats from climate change.&nbsp;

Scientists have long known that plants emit very weak electrical signals but their uneven and waxy surfaces makes it difficult to effectively mount sensors.

The NTU researchers developed film-like, soft electrodes that fit tightly to the plant's surface and can detect signals more accurately.&nbsp;

They are attached using a "thermogel", which is liquid at low temperatures but turns into a gel at room temperature. 
They are the latest to conduct research communicating with plants.

In 2016, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology team turned spinach leaves into sensors that can send an email alert to scientists when they detect explosive materials in groundwater.&nbsp;

The team embedded carbon nanotubes that emit a signal when plant roots detect nitroaromatics -- compounds often found in explosives. The signal is then read by an infrared camera that sends out a message to the scientists.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Remote-controlled Venus flytrap "robo-plants" and crops that tell farmers when they are hit by disease could become reality after scientists developed a high-tech system for communicating with vegetation.

Remote-controlled Venus flytrap "robo-plants" and crops that tell farmers when they are hit by disease could become reality after scientists developed a high-tech system for communicating with vegetation. Researchers in Singapore linked up plants to electrodes capable of monitoring the weak electrical pulses naturally emitted by the greenery. The scientists used the technology to trigger a Venus flytrap to snap its jaws shut at the push of a button on a smartphone app. They then attached one of its jaws to a robotic arm and got the contraption to pick up a piece of wire half a millimetre thick, and catch a small falling object. The technology is in its early stages, but researchers believe it could eventually be used to build advanced "plant-based robots" that can pick up a host of fragile objects which are too delicate for rigid, robotic arms. "These kinds of nature robots can be interfaced with other artificial robots (to make) hybrid systems," Chen Xiaodong, the lead author of a study on the research at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), said There are still challenges to be overcome. Scientists can stimulate the flytrap's jaws to slam shut but can't yet reopen them -- a process that takes 10 or more hours to happen naturally. The system can also pick up signals emitted by plants, raising the possibility that farmers will be able to detect problems with their crops at an early stage. "By monitoring the plants' electrical signals, we may be able to detect possible distress signals and abnormalities," said Chen. "Farmers may find out when a disease is in progress, even before full-blown symptoms appear on the crops." Researchers believe such technology could be particularly useful as crops face increasing threats from climate change. Scientists have long known that plants emit very weak electrical signals but their uneven and waxy surfaces makes it difficult to effectively mount sensors. The NTU researchers developed film-like, soft electrodes that fit tightly to the plant's surface and can detect signals more accurately. They are attached using a "thermogel", which is liquid at low temperatures but turns into a gel at room temperature. They are the latest to conduct research communicating with plants. In 2016, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology team turned spinach leaves into sensors that can send an email alert to scientists when they detect explosive materials in groundwater. The team embedded carbon nanotubes that emit a signal when plant roots detect nitroaromatics -- compounds often found in explosives. The signal is then read by an infrared camera that sends out a message to the scientists. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists fuse nature with tech as 'robo-plants' surge

Are you unable to buy a phone you like? Having a hard time buying a new gaming console? Is the delivery of your new car delayed? A 'missing' chip could be the reason behind all these delays.

Gravitas: Can't buy that favorite piece of tech you like? Here is why

Technology is a force multiplier. Think of it as a cheat code in geopolitics. It helps you gain an advantage over your rivals. Technology is how a small island of a few million people forged the biggest empire in history. It's how the United States brought a swift end to the second world war.

You can match your rivals in courage and resolve. But not in technology. Every era is marked by a defining invention.

Today it's tiny chips.

The countries behind these inventions dominated world politics.

Rise of companies like Microsoft and Apple coincided with America's leadership of a unipolar world. A world that China is looking to topple.&nbsp;

Beijing has one advantage compared to the democratic world. In democracies we can't set millennium goals. Elections happen, governments change and so do priorities. China doesn't have the inconvenience of free thought. Its goals are permanent.

China shells out 2% of its GDP on R&amp;D. That's around 346,000 million US Dollars.

What about the US?

It spends 2.7% of the national GDP on R&amp;D. Equivalent to 476,000 million dollars. China is gaining rapidly on the US. But it's not quite at the same level.

Here's an even more stark indicator. China employs 1,089 researchers per million inhabitants.

The US? 4,205 per million inhabitants. The US is spending more money and manpower on the tech race.

But here's the issue. The US is a superpower on the decline. China is on the ascendancy.

Trajectory is more important than absolute numbers. The only area where China leads the US right now -- in cybersecurity.

The great electronic wall is impressive. But it's built at the altar of liberty and dissent. This is why the world is betting on China losing the tech race.

Key to china's downfall will be emerging powers like India. India spends around 0.7% of its GDP on Research and Development.

That's 47,000 million US Dollars. Numerically that just doesn't cut it. But India has an ace up its sleeve.

Ingenuity.

Indian researchers can squeeze more out of each dollar than their peers. The space missions are the best example.

India's Mars probe cost 74 million dollars. Matt Damon's movie The Martian had a budget of 108 million. India has succeeded where China failed. Beijing produces cheap goods that last a lunar cycle.

India has managed to combine low cost and top quality. The next step is marketing. How do you get foreign investors to make in India? A couple of schemes have already been rolled out. Like the production-linked incentive scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing.

It has an outlay of around 41,000 crore rupees spread over 5 years. There's a similar incentive scheme for information technology as well.

This has an outlay of 7,300 crores over 4 years. India is pitching itself as a stable and open supplier. It is reflected in india's climb up the ease of doing business ladder.

But there are a couple of things India needs to be wary about.

One, not sacrificing on ingenuity.

Manufacturing is a money spinner...

But inventions pay more. The focus must remain on research and development. Deploying robots is one thing. Making them from scratch is the real deal.

But who makes the robots? Should the tech race be led by the government or the private sector.

In Japan, Germany, the US and the UK it's the private sector. But in India the government outspends the private sector by 10,000 million dollars.

Capitalism has many failures. Spurring ingenuity is not one of them. India's private sector must join the race. It must bet big on Indian minds.

Today's geopolitical race is a race to attain the tech edge. It's at the root of military deterrence. It's the key to solving domestic problems like poverty and climate change.&nbsp;

And as always, this race is also about coming first.

As Mikhail Gorbachev said he who comes late is punished by life. The world can't afford to be late this time. Because the punishment in store is a cyber-world led by a cyberbully. 
&nbsp;

Technology is a force multiplier. Think of it as a cheat code in geopolitics. It helps you gain an advantage over your rivals. Technology is how a small island of a few million people forged the biggest empire in history.

Technology is a force multiplier. Think of it as a cheat code in geopolitics. It helps you gain an advantage over your rivals. Technology is how a small island of a few million people forged the biggest empire in history. It's how the United States brought a swift end to the second world war. You can match your rivals in courage and resolve. But not in technology. Every era is marked by a defining invention. Today it's tiny chips. The countries behind these inventions dominated world politics. Rise of companies like Microsoft and Apple coincided with America's leadership of a unipolar world. A world that China is looking to topple. Beijing has one advantage compared to the democratic world. In democracies we can't set millennium goals. Elections happen, governments change and so do priorities. China doesn't have the inconvenience of free thought. Its goals are permanent. China shells out 2% of its GDP on R&D. That's around 346,000 million US Dollars. What about the US? It spends 2.7% of the national GDP on R&D. Equivalent to 476,000 million dollars. China is gaining rapidly on the US. But it's not quite at the same level. Here's an even more stark indicator. China employs 1,089 researchers per million inhabitants. The US? 4,205 per million inhabitants. The US is spending more money and manpower on the tech race. But here's the issue. The US is a superpower on the decline. China is on the ascendancy. Trajectory is more important than absolute numbers. The only area where China leads the US right now -- in cybersecurity. The great electronic wall is impressive. But it's built at the altar of liberty and dissent. This is why the world is betting on China losing the tech race. Key to china's downfall will be emerging powers like India. India spends around 0.7% of its GDP on Research and Development. That's 47,000 million US Dollars. Numerically that just doesn't cut it. But India has an ace up its sleeve. Ingenuity. Indian researchers can squeeze more out of each dollar than their peers. The space missions are the best example. India's Mars probe cost 74 million dollars. Matt Damon's movie The Martian had a budget of 108 million. India has succeeded where China failed. Beijing produces cheap goods that last a lunar cycle. India has managed to combine low cost and top quality. The next step is marketing. How do you get foreign investors to make in India? A couple of schemes have already been rolled out. Like the production-linked incentive scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing. It has an outlay of around 41,000 crore rupees spread over 5 years. There's a similar incentive scheme for information technology as well. This has an outlay of 7,300 crores over 4 years. India is pitching itself as a stable and open supplier. It is reflected in india's climb up the ease of doing business ladder. But there are a couple of things India needs to be wary about. One, not sacrificing on ingenuity. Manufacturing is a money spinner... But inventions pay more. The focus must remain on research and development. Deploying robots is one thing. Making them from scratch is the real deal. But who makes the robots? Should the tech race be led by the government or the private sector. In Japan, Germany, the US and the UK it's the private sector. But in India the government outspends the private sector by 10,000 million dollars. Capitalism has many failures. Spurring ingenuity is not one of them. India's private sector must join the race. It must bet big on Indian minds. Today's geopolitical race is a race to attain the tech edge. It's at the root of military deterrence. It's the key to solving domestic problems like poverty and climate change. And as always, this race is also about coming first. As Mikhail Gorbachev said he who comes late is punished by life. The world can't afford to be late this time. Because the punishment in store is a cyber-world led by a cyberbully.

Today's geopolitical race is to attain tech edge

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/google">Google</a> is cutting in half its commission on developers’ first $1 million in app sales, following a similar move by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/apple">Apple</a> that is aimed at appeasing developers and regulators who accuse the companies of abusing their dominance of the smartphone industry.

Google said that starting July 1, it would take 15% of the first $1 million developers take in from certain app sales, down from 30%. Google will still charge 30% after the first $1 million.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-collects-data-in-incognito-mode-consumers-allege-in-lawsuit-370408" hreflang="en">Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit</a>

Apple last year said it was halving its App Store commission to 15% on companies that earn less than $1 million a year in app sales.

The dual actions reverse years of resistance by the companies to change their app commissions, which have become important to their growth.

Rivals have intensified their criticism of the rates, saying they are artificially high because the companies have a duopoly on the distribution of mobile apps. Regulators around the world have begun investigating the commissions as part of larger antitrust probes, and lawmakers in several states are considering bills that would make it more difficult for Apple and Google to impose the fees.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/i-pity-you-after-timnit-gebru-google-fires-top-ai-researcher-margaret-mitchell-364958" hreflang="en">'I pity you': After Timnit Gebru, Google fires top AI researcher Margaret Mitchell</a>

Apple has been largely the focus of the criticism because it forces developers to use its App Store to reach iPhone users. Google’s Android software allows users to download apps outside of its flagship Play Store. Still, Android is the dominant smartphone operating system around the world, underpinning roughly 85% of the world’s smartphones, according to IDC, a market research firm.

Google said its change would halve the fees for 99% of Android developers. But while Apple’s and Google’s moves have earned them positive headlines, they will likely have little impact on the companies’ bottom lines, because most of their app revenues come from larger developers.

Apple’s new policy, for instance, will affect roughly 98% of the companies that pay Apple a commission, but those developers accounted for less than 5% of App Store revenues last year, according to estimates from Sensor Tower, an app analytics firm.

Google is cutting in half its commission on developers’ first $1 million in app sales, following a similar move by Apple that is aimed at appeasing developers and regulators who accuse the companies of abusing their dominance of the smartphone industry.

Google is cutting in half its commission on developers’ first $1 million in app sales, following a similar move by Apple that is aimed at appeasing developers and regulators who accuse the companies of abusing their dominance of the smartphone industry. Google said that starting July 1, it would take 15% of the first $1 million developers take in from certain app sales, down from 30%. Google will still charge 30% after the first $1 million. Also read | Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit Apple last year said it was halving its App Store commission to 15% on companies that earn less than $1 million a year in app sales. The dual actions reverse years of resistance by the companies to change their app commissions, which have become important to their growth. Rivals have intensified their criticism of the rates, saying they are artificially high because the companies have a duopoly on the distribution of mobile apps. Regulators around the world have begun investigating the commissions as part of larger antitrust probes, and lawmakers in several states are considering bills that would make it more difficult for Apple and Google to impose the fees. Also read | 'I pity you': After Timnit Gebru, Google fires top AI researcher Margaret Mitchell Apple has been largely the focus of the criticism because it forces developers to use its App Store to reach iPhone users. Google’s Android software allows users to download apps outside of its flagship Play Store. Still, Android is the dominant smartphone operating system around the world, underpinning roughly 85% of the world’s smartphones, according to IDC, a market research firm. Google said its change would halve the fees for 99% of Android developers. But while Apple’s and Google’s moves have earned them positive headlines, they will likely have little impact on the companies’ bottom lines, because most of their app revenues come from larger developers. Apple’s new policy, for instance, will affect roughly 98% of the companies that pay Apple a commission, but those developers accounted for less than 5% of App Store revenues last year, according to estimates from Sensor Tower, an app analytics firm.

Google reduces some app commissions amid criticism

As NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, the agency is looking to the US universities for lunar-focused research to bring about advancements in onsite resource utilisation and sustainable power solutions.&nbsp;

The US space agency on Monday said that it has selected six project proposals under its first-ever Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) solicitation.&nbsp;

"Our inaugural LuSTR opportunity targeted two technology areas within NASA's Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative that are essential to the agency's Artemis programme, which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon," Walt Engelund, Deputy Associate Administrator for programmes in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) said in a statement.&nbsp;

"The systems developed by the US universities could make future exploration more accessible, robust, and exciting."&nbsp;

Through LuSTR, NASA selected three university-led proposals to research innovative ways to identify resources, like water, on the Moon, and inventive designs for extraction and utilisation equipment.&nbsp;

The University of Texas in El Paso will research an advanced thermal mining approach that could release, trap, and transport water vapour found on the Moon, NASA said.&nbsp;

Washington University in St Louis will build a rover-mounted drill to quantify the 3D distribution of water at the Moon's South Pole.&nbsp;

Michigan Technological University in Houghton will adapt a heated percussive cone penetrometer, an engineering instrument regularly used on Earth, to characterise the strength of lunar soil, or regolith.&nbsp;

Understanding a lunar region's regolith strength could inform methods of excavating water and building structures using local materials.&nbsp;

Complementing this research, three other university teams will mature next-generation energy storage and power distribution technologies.&nbsp;

The projects could help power in-situ resource utilisation operations and other robust infrastructure on the Moon.&nbsp;

The University of California in Santa Barbara will research wireless power transfer feasibility from a base station to multiple distant assets on the Moon.&nbsp;

Vanderbilt University in Nashville will look into using silicon carbide power components for lunar surface applications.&nbsp;

The Ohio State University in Columbus will explore flexible energy distribution between multiple, different power grids, that may use solar, radioisotope, and battery sources, that could be deployed on the lunar surface to support the Artemis programme, NASA said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

As NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, the agency is looking to the US universities for lunar-focused research to bring about advancements in onsite resource utilisation and sustainable power solutions.

As NASA aims to land the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, the agency is looking to the US universities for lunar-focused research to bring about advancements in onsite resource utilisation and sustainable power solutions. The US space agency on Monday said that it has selected six project proposals under its first-ever Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) solicitation. "Our inaugural LuSTR opportunity targeted two technology areas within NASA's Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative that are essential to the agency's Artemis programme, which will land the first woman and next man on the Moon," Walt Engelund, Deputy Associate Administrator for programmes in NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) said in a statement. "The systems developed by the US universities could make future exploration more accessible, robust, and exciting." Through LuSTR, NASA selected three university-led proposals to research innovative ways to identify resources, like water, on the Moon, and inventive designs for extraction and utilisation equipment. The University of Texas in El Paso will research an advanced thermal mining approach that could release, trap, and transport water vapour found on the Moon, NASA said. Washington University in St Louis will build a rover-mounted drill to quantify the 3D distribution of water at the Moon's South Pole. Michigan Technological University in Houghton will adapt a heated percussive cone penetrometer, an engineering instrument regularly used on Earth, to characterise the strength of lunar soil, or regolith. Understanding a lunar region's regolith strength could inform methods of excavating water and building structures using local materials. Complementing this research, three other university teams will mature next-generation energy storage and power distribution technologies. The projects could help power in-situ resource utilisation operations and other robust infrastructure on the Moon. The University of California in Santa Barbara will research wireless power transfer feasibility from a base station to multiple distant assets on the Moon. Vanderbilt University in Nashville will look into using silicon carbide power components for lunar surface applications. The Ohio State University in Columbus will explore flexible energy distribution between multiple, different power grids, that may use solar, radioisotope, and battery sources, that could be deployed on the lunar surface to support the Artemis programme, NASA said. (With inputs from agencies)

US varsities to develop lunar power tech for NASA 

Those in their 20s or early 30s today can be safely be said to have been part of the generation who grew up playing video games for hours. Quick advent in tech, smooth graphics and great game development 90s onwards has given everyone a reason to indulge in gaming for hours unashamedly. It didn't matter if parents yelled or the sky fell.

The unparalleled joy of clearing that pesky level or beating that boss was something worth dying for (or not, if you had&nbsp;limited lives left in your game). Professional gamers literally earn millions and this gives everyone a shot at saying that this is not entirely a wasteful activity.

But pigs can play video games too.

This is not a snub to noobs (aka new gamers who.....are not that great in gaming) but a literal thing. A scientific study has found that with a little training, pigs can learn video games.

The research paper published by researchers from Purdue University and Comparitive Cognition Project has to do with these findings.

In the first half, the paper notes that earlier studies had already found that pigs "could solve multiple choice problems".&nbsp;

So what about video games?

Four pigs - Omlette, Hamlet, Ebony and Ivory were trained to play a game that could be played with&nbsp;an arcade-style joystick. The pigs were rewarded with food each time they completed a 'level'. &nbsp;

While the promise of food was&nbsp;a reward enough, it was found during the testing that the&nbsp;pigs started playing the game even when encouragement was just some kind words from the researchers. The food trays broke so reward could no longer be given, but the pigs continued to play the game.

Pigs kept on playing the game!

Researchers have been quoted as saying that it was no small feat that the pigs could link video game play with reward in the first place. The research paper has been published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

The competency level of video game playing pigs was different of course. One pig could play the game much better than other pigs.

The game wasn't exactly anything complex. The pigs were not asked to play Grand Theft Auto or CounterStrike. They just had to move on-screen cursor and make it hit a wall in the game.

But the bottomline? Even pigs can play video games.

Take heart gamers. Unless pigs can compete in professional gaming competitions, your dreams of making it big can still be a reality.

Go play now!

Those in their 20s or early 30s today can be safely be said to have been part of the generation who grew up playing video games for hours. Quick advent in tech, smooth graphics and great game development 90s onwards has given everyone a reason to indulge in gaming for hours unashamedly.

Those in their 20s or early 30s today can be safely be said to have been part of the generation who grew up playing video games for hours. Quick advent in tech, smooth graphics and great game development 90s onwards has given everyone a reason to indulge in gaming for hours unashamedly. It didn't matter if parents yelled or the sky fell. The unparalleled joy of clearing that pesky level or beating that boss was something worth dying for (or not, if you had limited lives left in your game). Professional gamers literally earn millions and this gives everyone a shot at saying that this is not entirely a wasteful activity. But pigs can play video games too. This is not a snub to noobs (aka new gamers who.....are not that great in gaming) but a literal thing. A scientific study has found that with a little training, pigs can learn video games. The research paper published by researchers from Purdue University and Comparitive Cognition Project has to do with these findings. In the first half, the paper notes that earlier studies had already found that pigs "could solve multiple choice problems". So what about video games? Four pigs - Omlette, Hamlet, Ebony and Ivory were trained to play a game that could be played with an arcade-style joystick. The pigs were rewarded with food each time they completed a 'level'. While the promise of food was a reward enough, it was found during the testing that the pigs started playing the game even when encouragement was just some kind words from the researchers. The food trays broke so reward could no longer be given, but the pigs continued to play the game. Pigs kept on playing the game! Researchers have been quoted as saying that it was no small feat that the pigs could link video game play with reward in the first place. The research paper has been published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. The competency level of video game playing pigs was different of course. One pig could play the game much better than other pigs. The game wasn't exactly anything complex. The pigs were not asked to play Grand Theft Auto or CounterStrike. They just had to move on-screen cursor and make it hit a wall in the game. But the bottomline? Even pigs can play video games. Take heart gamers. Unless pigs can compete in professional gaming competitions, your dreams of making it big can still be a reality. Go play now!

Gamers listen up! Even pigs can play video games, study has found

For some it's a month of love, for others, it's a month of cringe. For some, it's Valentine's, for others, it's Galentine's. Some are planning Covid-safe romantic dates, others are planning to order in pizza with their poison of choice and admire Regé-Jean Page on the latest Netflix sensation, Bridgerton.

Whatever your plan is for this Valentine's Day, a gift will definitely put a smile on your partner's face. And if you're your own Valentine like some of us, it's time to splurge on yourself! Flowers are passé, put some tech in your cart of love. Here are some suggestions for you or your partner.

Love is in the hair!

<img alt="Dyson Corrale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d68d3576-2646-4dee-a259-ba77a8a983a9" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/DYSON%20CORRALE.jpg" />

The Dyson Corrale is the pick of the season. It happens to be the only hair straightener with flexing plates to shape and gather hair and applies heat and tension to all the right places. It is an indulgence for Rs 36,900, but your hair will thank you in the long run. If you're gifting it to yourself, rest assured, you'll be styling your hair like a pro for all future dates. The fact that it is cordless means you can multi-task while styling your tresses. So turn down the heat on your hair and turn up the heat elsewhere!

TRACK YOUR STEPS... TO THE FRIDGE 
&nbsp;

<img alt="Apple Watch" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ff3533c-943c-4899-827f-ee517280654d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/apple%20watch.JPG" />

I've said it once, I'll say it again. No one has ever been unhappy with an Apple watch (unless they're android loyalists)! But instead of paying an arm and a leg on the top model, in this season of love (and overdue credit card payments), opt for the Apple Watch SE. It comes with the same larger display size as series 6, a fall detection feature, a compass, and noteworthy fitness features. And it is a sliver of a price lesser than the top model and can be yours for Rs 29,900 for the GPS variant.

TREAD ONE

<img alt="Tread One spin cycle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fecbbe4-e7b6-4882-a7c0-36eb5431a698" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Cycle.JPG" />

Disclaimer and warning -- this gift could backfire and lead to fireworks, but not the right kind. Gifting a gym membership, a fitness gadget, or running shoes is often dubbed as a "hint" to shed the lockdown kilos. But it is 2021 and good health and fitness should be more than a Valentine's Day goal! So go for the TREAD ONE, a spin cycle with an HD LCD Screen that integrates various workouts within one product, for all your workout needs. It is the brainchild of an Indian start-up which is another reason to give it a shot. While many of us are outdoor fitness fanatics, some of us are still wary of Covid-19 and would prefer to workout at home, at our convenience. This bike is a big investment though and you can order the same at the price of Rs 59,900.

Sound on, noise off!

<img alt="Sony" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a75526d1-8223-45d9-875d-f6e25ef2c525" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Sony%20WH-1000MX4.JPG" />

If your partner is an audiophile and understands the dynamics of good sound, gift him or her the Sony WH-1000MX4, the company's latest flagship headphones. You will have to put your money where your mouth is with this one since it's priced at Rs 24,990. It comes with improved noise cancellation and 30 hours of playback on a full charge.

Wireless audio for those on the go

<img alt="AKG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="99a5786b-c8de-445d-8e39-8c1a2a973147" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/samsung%20galaxy%20buds%20pro.JPG" />

For those who love in-ear audio and want to amp up their fitness with some good beats, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro should be on your wishlist. They have active noise cancellation and powerful 2-way speakers with sound by AKG. They're available now for Rs 15,990. The purple colour screams romance so you can't go wrong with these.

A smart speaker to dispel the tension

<img alt="Google Nest Audio" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fd79a425-0262-4e9e-9ccb-96ccf2153424" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/google%20nest%20audio.JPG" />

Here's some unsolicited relationship advice -- in the middle of an argument, start talking to Alexa or Google and tell the assistant to act as a mediator! Ok, that may not help but a smart speaker is a great investment for a couple in the times of working from home and multi-tasking chores. Google's speakers may suit you better than Alexa-enabled devices if you're an Android loyalist. The Google Nest Audio offers great sound and a holistic smart home experience, priced at Rs 7,999.

For work-from-home couples

<img alt="Amazon fire stick" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e9b122ee-a15b-4ad1-8960-b8fc4720a61f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/amazon%20fire%20stick.JPG" />

Why should a gift be intended only for your partner's happiness? After all, Valentine's Day is a commercial enterprise for two! So gift your relationship the New Amazon Fire TV stick priced at Rs 3,999. It comes with HDR compatibility and supports Dolby Atmos sound. If you're staying at home, working from home, and arguing at home, what better to dispel the tension than some popcorn and binge-watching? You can stick the Fire TV stick into any TV and make it a smart TV.

Read, discuss, debate

<img alt="Amazon Kindle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ce7a539b-028f-4b19-9cba-5bc58b67842c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Amazon%20kindle.JPG" />

Every relationship needs intellectual stimulation and gifting yourself or your partner a Kindle is a great option. The Amazon Kindle is a treat for bookworms at Rs 7,999. It comes with adjustable lighting for outdoor, indoor, day, and night reading. For all those couples quarantined at home in need of some "me-time", this one is a life-saver.

A stand for your daily luxury gadgets

<img alt="iPhone stand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca7eaf1d-6930-46ba-a412-87807db6cd5f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IPHONE%20STAND.jpg" />

If your partner has a habit of dropping their precious iPhones or Apple Watch, opt for this elegant and steady stand for your precious gadgets from Daily Objects. It's called Halo and it can also be used as a charging dock for your devices. It is priced at Rs 1,499. The company also offers an adjustable laptop or tablet stand for your work-from-home hours. This one is compatible with all laptops and tablets up to 16 inches. It is priced well at Rs 2,999.

Stop fighting over chargers!

<img alt="XP 60" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c4ba637-5486-496e-a33f-201b8ddd1639" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/XP%2060%20CHARGER.png" />

We've all been there, quarreling over chargers and plug points -- a hallmark of every long-term relationship! So ditch the arguments this month and opt for the XP 60 from a company called AMX. It claims to charge anything -- from a 90s MP3 player to yet-to-be-launched gadgets. It is available for Rs 1,799.

In the end, Tech conquers all

There are plenty of more tech options to make your partner happy. There's the newly-launched Playstation 5 starting at Rs 39,990 designed to occupy your partner for hours so you can enjoy your Galentine's Day; the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 to capture memories and enjoy the feel of tangible photos in a digital age; smart clocks and displays from Google and Lenovo to make your love nest more organised and ofcourse, styling tools for him and her that promise the world.

All I'll say is, be creative, not wasteful, romantic, not cringy. And if you're broadcasting your love on social media, do a spell-check and grammar check!

Happy Valentine's Day!

For some it's a month of love, for others, it's a month of cringe. For some, it's Valentine's, for others, it's Galentine's. Some are planning Covid-safe romantic dates, others are planning to order in pizza with their poison of choice and admire Regé-Jean Page on the latest Netflix sensation, Bridgerton.

For some it's a month of love, for others, it's a month of cringe. For some, it's Valentine's, for others, it's Galentine's. Some are planning Covid-safe romantic dates, others are planning to order in pizza with their poison of choice and admire Regé-Jean Page on the latest Netflix sensation, Bridgerton. Whatever your plan is for this Valentine's Day, a gift will definitely put a smile on your partner's face. And if you're your own Valentine like some of us, it's time to splurge on yourself! Flowers are passé, put some tech in your cart of love. Here are some suggestions for you or your partner. Love is in the hair! The Dyson Corrale is the pick of the season. It happens to be the only hair straightener with flexing plates to shape and gather hair and applies heat and tension to all the right places. It is an indulgence for Rs 36,900, but your hair will thank you in the long run. If you're gifting it to yourself, rest assured, you'll be styling your hair like a pro for all future dates. The fact that it is cordless means you can multi-task while styling your tresses. So turn down the heat on your hair and turn up the heat elsewhere! TRACK YOUR STEPS... TO THE FRIDGE I've said it once, I'll say it again. No one has ever been unhappy with an Apple watch (unless they're android loyalists)! But instead of paying an arm and a leg on the top model, in this season of love (and overdue credit card payments), opt for the Apple Watch SE. It comes with the same larger display size as series 6, a fall detection feature, a compass, and noteworthy fitness features. And it is a sliver of a price lesser than the top model and can be yours for Rs 29,900 for the GPS variant. TREAD ONE Disclaimer and warning -- this gift could backfire and lead to fireworks, but not the right kind. Gifting a gym membership, a fitness gadget, or running shoes is often dubbed as a "hint" to shed the lockdown kilos. But it is 2021 and good health and fitness should be more than a Valentine's Day goal! So go for the TREAD ONE, a spin cycle with an HD LCD Screen that integrates various workouts within one product, for all your workout needs. It is the brainchild of an Indian start-up which is another reason to give it a shot. While many of us are outdoor fitness fanatics, some of us are still wary of Covid-19 and would prefer to workout at home, at our convenience. This bike is a big investment though and you can order the same at the price of Rs 59,900. Sound on, noise off! If your partner is an audiophile and understands the dynamics of good sound, gift him or her the Sony WH-1000MX4, the company's latest flagship headphones. You will have to put your money where your mouth is with this one since it's priced at Rs 24,990. It comes with improved noise cancellation and 30 hours of playback on a full charge. Wireless audio for those on the go For those who love in-ear audio and want to amp up their fitness with some good beats, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro should be on your wishlist. They have active noise cancellation and powerful 2-way speakers with sound by AKG. They're available now for Rs 15,990. The purple colour screams romance so you can't go wrong with these. A smart speaker to dispel the tension Here's some unsolicited relationship advice -- in the middle of an argument, start talking to Alexa or Google and tell the assistant to act as a mediator! Ok, that may not help but a smart speaker is a great investment for a couple in the times of working from home and multi-tasking chores. Google's speakers may suit you better than Alexa-enabled devices if you're an Android loyalist. The Google Nest Audio offers great sound and a holistic smart home experience, priced at Rs 7,999. For work-from-home couples Why should a gift be intended only for your partner's happiness? After all, Valentine's Day is a commercial enterprise for two! So gift your relationship the New Amazon Fire TV stick priced at Rs 3,999. It comes with HDR compatibility and supports Dolby Atmos sound. If you're staying at home, working from home, and arguing at home, what better to dispel the tension than some popcorn and binge-watching? You can stick the Fire TV stick into any TV and make it a smart TV. Read, discuss, debate Every relationship needs intellectual stimulation and gifting yourself or your partner a Kindle is a great option. The Amazon Kindle is a treat for bookworms at Rs 7,999. It comes with adjustable lighting for outdoor, indoor, day, and night reading. For all those couples quarantined at home in need of some "me-time", this one is a life-saver. A stand for your daily luxury gadgets If your partner has a habit of dropping their precious iPhones or Apple Watch, opt for this elegant and steady stand for your precious gadgets from Daily Objects. It's called Halo and it can also be used as a charging dock for your devices. It is priced at Rs 1,499. The company also offers an adjustable laptop or tablet stand for your work-from-home hours. This one is compatible with all laptops and tablets up to 16 inches. It is priced well at Rs 2,999. Stop fighting over chargers! We've all been there, quarreling over chargers and plug points -- a hallmark of every long-term relationship! So ditch the arguments this month and opt for the XP 60 from a company called AMX. It claims to charge anything -- from a 90s MP3 player to yet-to-be-launched gadgets. It is available for Rs 1,799. In the end, Tech conquers all There are plenty of more tech options to make your partner happy. There's the newly-launched Playstation 5 starting at Rs 39,990 designed to occupy your partner for hours so you can enjoy your Galentine's Day; the Fujifilm Instax Square SQ1 to capture memories and enjoy the feel of tangible photos in a digital age; smart clocks and displays from Google and Lenovo to make your love nest more organised and ofcourse, styling tools for him and her that promise the world. All I'll say is, be creative, not wasteful, romantic, not cringy. And if you're broadcasting your love on social media, do a spell-check and grammar check! Happy Valentine's Day!

Month of love or month of cringe?

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned against the increasing influence large tech companies wield. He said &nbsp;that these tech giants were "competing" with states. Russia is ramping up pressure on foreign internet companies. The companies usually are not subject to state censorship that majority of Russian media outlets work under.

Putin sounded the warning during his virtual address at Davos virtual economic summit. He said it was unclear where the line should be drawn between &nbsp;a "succesful global business" and "attempts to crudely, at their own discretion, control society".

"We just saw it all in the United States," he added, referring to riots earlier this month in Washington led by supporters of then US President Donald Trump.

Moscow earlier this week accused US tech giants of interfering in Russia's internal affairs, in particular during anti-government protests led by supporters of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Saturday.&nbsp;

Ahead of the rallies, Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor ordered several online platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, to delete posts by users calling for protesters to attend demonstrations.

On Wednesday, the chairman of the lower house State Duma's foreign interference committee, Vasily Piskaryov, said that the head of TikTok's Russian branch had been invited to parliament for a conversation.&nbsp;

\Piskaryov was cited by the TASS news agency as saying that "questions had piled up" about the China-based video-sharing service.

In recent months, TikTok has emerged as a popular platform for young Russians to express their political views.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-biden-putin-phone-call-russias-lower-house-of-parliament-approves-new-start-nuclear-control-treaty-359670">After Biden-Putin phone call, Russia's lower house of Parliament approves New START nuclear control treaty</a>

Hashtags dedicated to Navalny have been trending on TikTok, garnering more than 1.5 billion views, after the anti-corruption campaigner was jailed on his return to Russia from Germany.

(With AFP inputs)

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned against the increasing influence large tech companies wield. He said that these tech giants were "competing" with states.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned against the increasing influence large tech companies wield. He said that these tech giants were "competing" with states. Russia is ramping up pressure on foreign internet companies. The companies usually are not subject to state censorship that majority of Russian media outlets work under. Putin sounded the warning during his virtual address at Davos virtual economic summit. He said it was unclear where the line should be drawn between a "succesful global business" and "attempts to crudely, at their own discretion, control society". "We just saw it all in the United States," he added, referring to riots earlier this month in Washington led by supporters of then US President Donald Trump. Moscow earlier this week accused US tech giants of interfering in Russia's internal affairs, in particular during anti-government protests led by supporters of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny on Saturday. Ahead of the rallies, Russia's media watchdog Roskomnadzor ordered several online platforms, including YouTube and Instagram, to delete posts by users calling for protesters to attend demonstrations. On Wednesday, the chairman of the lower house State Duma's foreign interference committee, Vasily Piskaryov, said that the head of TikTok's Russian branch had been invited to parliament for a conversation. \Piskaryov was cited by the TASS news agency as saying that "questions had piled up" about the China-based video-sharing service. In recent months, TikTok has emerged as a popular platform for young Russians to express their political views. Also Read | After Biden-Putin phone call, Russia's lower house of Parliament approves New START nuclear control treaty Hashtags dedicated to Navalny have been trending on TikTok, garnering more than 1.5 billion views, after the anti-corruption campaigner was jailed on his return to Russia from Germany. (With AFP inputs)

Putin warns against influence of tech giants, says they 'compete' with states

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

Shoppers washed their hands and sterilized their smartphones in the streets of Tokyo's posh Ginza district on Saturday (December 19) using handwashing stations that a Japanese start-up hopes will revolutionize access to clean water and better hygiene.

Tokyo shoppers clean hands, phones with high-tech wash stations

Canada plans to impose a tax on corporations providing digital services from 2022 that will stay in place until major nations come up with a coordinated approach on taxation, the Finance Department said on Monday.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is working on a common approach to ensure digital behemoths, such as Alphabet Inc’s Google and Facebook Inc, pay their share of taxes as the coronavirus hammers budgets.

Canada said it was concerned about a delay in reaching an agreement. The threat of digital services taxes has prompted threats of trade retaliation from outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.

The new tax would come into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, and remain in place until a common approach is agreed upon. The measure would raise federal revenues by C$3.4 billion ($2.6 billion) over five years, starting in the 2021-22 fiscal year.

“Canadians want a tax system that is fair, where everyone pays their fair share,” Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told legislators in the fall economic update.

“Canada will act unilaterally, if necessary, to apply a tax on large multinational digital corporations, so they pay their fair share just like any other company operating in Canada.”

More details are due in next year’s budget.

Foreign-based vendors with no physical presence in Canada will also have to start collecting sales taxes on products such as mobile apps, online video gaming and streaming. The measure should raise C$1.2 billion over five years.

Ottawa also plans to oblige people renting out short-term accommodation to charge sales taxes, saying popular digital rental platforms do not currently have to impose the taxes.&nbsp;

That puts hotels at a disadvantage, it added.

The government is also clamping down on the award of stock options to prevent “high-income individuals employed at large, long-established, mature firms” from taking unfair advantage.

From now on, a C$200,000 annual limit will apply to stock option grants for those people. Ottawa did not provide a definition of high-income individuals or mature firms.

The rules will not apply to startups or emerging companies, which often cannot afford to pay competitive salaries and instead offer stock options. The new rules will generate about C$200 million in federal revenues, the Finance Department said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Canada plans to impose a tax on corporations providing digital services from 2022 that will stay in place until major nations come up with a coordinated approach on taxation, the Finance Department said on Monday.

Canada plans to impose a tax on corporations providing digital services from 2022 that will stay in place until major nations come up with a coordinated approach on taxation, the Finance Department said on Monday. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development is working on a common approach to ensure digital behemoths, such as Alphabet Inc’s Google and Facebook Inc, pay their share of taxes as the coronavirus hammers budgets. Canada said it was concerned about a delay in reaching an agreement. The threat of digital services taxes has prompted threats of trade retaliation from outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. The new tax would come into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, and remain in place until a common approach is agreed upon. The measure would raise federal revenues by C$3.4 billion ($2.6 billion) over five years, starting in the 2021-22 fiscal year. “Canadians want a tax system that is fair, where everyone pays their fair share,” Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland told legislators in the fall economic update. “Canada will act unilaterally, if necessary, to apply a tax on large multinational digital corporations, so they pay their fair share just like any other company operating in Canada.” More details are due in next year’s budget. Foreign-based vendors with no physical presence in Canada will also have to start collecting sales taxes on products such as mobile apps, online video gaming and streaming. The measure should raise C$1.2 billion over five years. Ottawa also plans to oblige people renting out short-term accommodation to charge sales taxes, saying popular digital rental platforms do not currently have to impose the taxes. That puts hotels at a disadvantage, it added. The government is also clamping down on the award of stock options to prevent “high-income individuals employed at large, long-established, mature firms” from taking unfair advantage. From now on, a C$200,000 annual limit will apply to stock option grants for those people. Ottawa did not provide a definition of high-income individuals or mature firms. The rules will not apply to startups or emerging companies, which often cannot afford to pay competitive salaries and instead offer stock options. The new rules will generate about C$200 million in federal revenues, the Finance Department said. (With inputs from agencies)

Canada plans digital tax in 2022 on global tech giants such as Facebook, Google

The UK government has published guidance it says will help UK firms negotiate the "ethical, legal and commercial" questions they may encounter in China, or when working with Chinese businesses, and safeguard national security concerns.

The guidance released by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Friday sets out key issues digital and tech small and medium enterprises (SMEs) should consider as they weigh the benefits and risks of commercial ventures, as well as signposting specialist sources of advice.

The DCMS notes that China is the UK's third-largest export market and the world's second-largest and fastest-growing major economy. But warns that accessing the market should be done 'safely'&nbsp;and in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns.

"The latest statistics show UK-China bilateral trade has exceeded the 76 billion pound mark for the first time and our digital tech sector is the fifth biggest exporter of services in the world. But we recognise the ethical, legal and commercial questions businesses face when they work in China or with Chinese businesses, said UK Minister for Digital and Culture Caroline Dinenage.

"The UK is determined to support our businesses to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns," she said.

A new online hub, which the DCMS said has been developed in response to demand from the tech sector, will support "safe and appropriate" UK-China collaboration in digital and tech. The guidance will help SMEs to make a success of business ventures linked to China, to choose the right partners and to manage risk by taking appropriate steps.

"We welcome the government's launch of the bespoke guidance to SMEs and we look forward to working together to help digital and tech SMEs to grow safely and successfully in China," said Julian David, CEO of tech UK.

"At techUK, we recognise the massive opportunity that China presents for the UK's digital and tech businesses as well as challenges that firms face when navigating each other's unique marketplaces. To be successful and protect their operations, digital and tech businesses need to know the challenges and take the right steps to navigate them," he said.

The DCMS said that the new hub complements measures announced earlier in the year to support UK tech companies to seize trade and investment opportunities overseas.

These included a new Digital Trade Network for Asia-Pacific, which will support UK SMEs to break into the Asian market, and a new Tech Exporting Academy to provide expert advice to UK scaleups on subject areas essential to expansion, including regulation, intellectual property, and compliance.

In June, the UK government had stipulated that Chinese giant Huawei will be completely removed from the UK's 5G networks by the end of 2027 in the wake of US sanctions on the company over data privacy concerns.&nbsp;

Restrictions on Huawei operating in the 'sensitive'&nbsp;and critical parts of the UK network have also been in place.

The UK government has published guidance it says will help UK firms negotiate the "ethical, legal and commercial" questions they may encounter in China, or when working with Chinese businesses, and safeguard national security concerns.

The UK government has published guidance it says will help UK firms negotiate the "ethical, legal and commercial" questions they may encounter in China, or when working with Chinese businesses, and safeguard national security concerns. The guidance released by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Friday sets out key issues digital and tech small and medium enterprises (SMEs) should consider as they weigh the benefits and risks of commercial ventures, as well as signposting specialist sources of advice. The DCMS notes that China is the UK's third-largest export market and the world's second-largest and fastest-growing major economy. But warns that accessing the market should be done 'safely' and in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns. "The latest statistics show UK-China bilateral trade has exceeded the 76 billion pound mark for the first time and our digital tech sector is the fifth biggest exporter of services in the world. But we recognise the ethical, legal and commercial questions businesses face when they work in China or with Chinese businesses, said UK Minister for Digital and Culture Caroline Dinenage. "The UK is determined to support our businesses to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns," she said. A new online hub, which the DCMS said has been developed in response to demand from the tech sector, will support "safe and appropriate" UK-China collaboration in digital and tech. The guidance will help SMEs to make a success of business ventures linked to China, to choose the right partners and to manage risk by taking appropriate steps. "We welcome the government's launch of the bespoke guidance to SMEs and we look forward to working together to help digital and tech SMEs to grow safely and successfully in China," said Julian David, CEO of tech UK. "At techUK, we recognise the massive opportunity that China presents for the UK's digital and tech businesses as well as challenges that firms face when navigating each other's unique marketplaces. To be successful and protect their operations, digital and tech businesses need to know the challenges and take the right steps to navigate them," he said. The DCMS said that the new hub complements measures announced earlier in the year to support UK tech companies to seize trade and investment opportunities overseas. These included a new Digital Trade Network for Asia-Pacific, which will support UK SMEs to break into the Asian market, and a new Tech Exporting Academy to provide expert advice to UK scaleups on subject areas essential to expansion, including regulation, intellectual property, and compliance. In June, the UK government had stipulated that Chinese giant Huawei will be completely removed from the UK's 5G networks by the end of 2027 in the wake of US sanctions on the company over data privacy concerns. Restrictions on Huawei operating in the 'sensitive' and critical parts of the UK network have also been in place.

UK creates tech hub for more 'ethical' business with China

Watch the video to know why you should be wary of the 5G feature in the brand-new Apple iPhone 12

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

The Canadian&nbsp;Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched an investigation to find&nbsp; the truth behind the allegation of the use of Canadian military technologies in the ongoing&nbsp;Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

It was recently alleged the Canadian&nbsp;imaging and targeting systems were being used on unnamed drones.

"In regards to the Canadian military equipment that may have been used in this situation, the minister of foreign affairs (Francois-Philippe Champagne) has launched an investigation into what exactly happened," Trudeau told a news conference.

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Trudeau has&nbsp;been a promoter of non-violence, and so has been the history of Canada.&nbsp;"It is extremely important that the terms of Canada's expectations of non-violation of human rights is always respected and we will have more to say as more becomes clear."

The accusation has been made with regards to sale of the Wescam gear to Turkey&nbsp;a close ally of Azerbaijan. Earlier in October 2019, Canada had announced a freeze on issuing of export permits of military shipments to Turkey. However, the ban was later lifted in may 2020.

The local media is citing a few government officials and claiming that the permits might again be cancelled permamanetly if it is proven that the technologies have been misused.

Trudeau said his government is "extremely concerned about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh," calling for a "de-escalation of hostilities."

"There is no question, there is not a military solution to this conflict," he said. "It can only be resolved through proper dialogue and engagement."

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and new fighting that erupted on Sunday has been the heaviest in decades, with nearly 200 people confirmed killed.

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched an investigation to find the truth behind the allegation of the use of Canadian military technologies in the ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has launched an investigation to find the truth behind the allegation of the use of Canadian military technologies in the ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. It was recently alleged the Canadian imaging and targeting systems were being used on unnamed drones. "In regards to the Canadian military equipment that may have been used in this situation, the minister of foreign affairs (Francois-Philippe Champagne) has launched an investigation into what exactly happened," Trudeau told a news conference. × Trudeau has been a promoter of non-violence, and so has been the history of Canada. "It is extremely important that the terms of Canada's expectations of non-violation of human rights is always respected and we will have more to say as more becomes clear." The accusation has been made with regards to sale of the Wescam gear to Turkey a close ally of Azerbaijan. Earlier in October 2019, Canada had announced a freeze on issuing of export permits of military shipments to Turkey. However, the ban was later lifted in may 2020. The local media is citing a few government officials and claiming that the permits might again be cancelled permamanetly if it is proven that the technologies have been misused. Trudeau said his government is "extremely concerned about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh," calling for a "de-escalation of hostilities." "There is no question, there is not a military solution to this conflict," he said. "It can only be resolved through proper dialogue and engagement." Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a simmering conflict for decades over the region and new fighting that erupted on Sunday has been the heaviest in decades, with nearly 200 people confirmed killed.

Canada to investigate use of its tech in Armenia-Azerbaijan clash

It’s not every day that you’re genuinely excited about a product that has just been announced in India. I had first heard about the Sony WF-1000XM3 TWS earbuds months ago when many of my colleagues had travelled abroad for an event. They picked up these earphones on their way back and have been raving about them ever since.

Sony has launched these TWS earbuds in the Indian market a year after they were released in the USA. As the saying goes though, “better late than never”.

Let me tell you why.

It was not long ago when the Apple AirPods were the only pair of truly wireless earphones on the market. In 2020, the floodgates have been unleashed. Every manufacturer and their uncle is releasing TWS earbuds across different price brackets.

Sony recently unveiled the WF-XB700 and WF-SP800N models and those were very well-received by the media and consumers. Now, the top-of-the-line - WF-1000XM3 - goes head-to-head with the Apple AirPods Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, Jabra Elite 75t, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and others. Priced at Rs 19,990, the terribly named WF-1000XM3 from Sony are on the upper range.

Fortunately, though, the TWS earbuds from Sony have a lot going for them.

The one thing you notice right out of the box is the elegance that the case and earbuds carry. The copper and black dual-tone finish are premium through and through. The case does seem bulkier than the competition. It becomes understandable when you take the earbuds out of the case. They are larger than you’d think compared to the competition. Surprisingly, they weigh just 8.5g each and, once you find a comfortable fit, they are good to wear for hours on end.

Finding that comfortable fit though is the problem. I went through all different eartips (there are seven different sizes in the box) and tried to twist and turn the earbuds in my ear.

The earbuds come with what Sony calls a ‘tri-hold structure’, leaning upon three key parts of the ear. This is supposed to be for a better fit. Nonetheless, after fiddling with them for a couple of days, I got a fit that was comfortable enough for hours on end. Luckily, after finding the right fit, these earbuds never seem to want to fall out. Even during an intense workout.

One downside is the fact that the case is chunkier than most of the competitors’ cases. The case also doesn’t have an LED indicator for battery level. The case also lacks wireless charging, which is a strange omission for TWS earbuds at this price.

The earbuds also lack any IP rating and hence they aren’t sweat/water resistance. Another thing to note if you’re going to use these while jogging or going to the gym daily.

Active noise-cancelling leads the way

With my gripes out of the way, let me just tell you that the WF-1000XM3 earbuds sound exceptionally good. Thanks to the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e chip and Dual Noise Sensor Technology, Sony leads the way in active noise-cancellation (ANC). No competitor comes close.

The QN1e chip also allows for better battery life, which I’ll get to in a moment. There may be no aptX HD Bluetooth support but unless you’re a hardcore audiophile, you probably won’t miss is.

No matter what track you play, the balanced audio signature shines across all frequency ranges. The vocals are crisp and the instruments are distinguishable. From Iron Maiden to Bollywood hits and even Hanz Zimmer’s soundtracks, the WF-100XM3 handles every track with aplomb. There is that thumping bass as well for though who like it.

I was surprised by the fact that these tiny earbuds can have such a wide soundstage. It definitely feels like the sound is surrounding you from all sides.&nbsp;

Furthermore, it’s the ANC that shines through and through. While I was walking on the road, the traffic noises were completely blocked out. I even couldn’t hear the people talking loudly next to me.

Call quality was also something that I was impressed with. I could hear people clearly and vice-versa. There was also no lag or any sort of distortion, which is a boon in these times.

Connectivity: Good but not the best

Pairing the earphones is seamless and connecting to the Sony app is even easier. I had no problem stepping dozens of feet away from my device and still hearing the crystal clear sound. The only niggle I had was that the right earbud sometimes got disconnected. I’ve reset the earbuds and there have been no problems in the last day or so. So maybe it was just a temporary problem.

Battery life: Brilliant

With ANC turned on, I was constantly getting around five and a half hours of battery life. The charging case is good for an additional three full chargers of the earbuds. That’s about sixteen and a half hours in total. Not the best in class but pretty consistently good, I must say.

Verdict: Are these worth the premium price tag?

The only people to whom I’d not recommend these TWS earbuds are those who need it for their ‘active’ lifestyle, namely exercising. For them, the clearcut option is the Jabra Elite Active 75t. Nothing even comes close to those for fitness-oriented earbuds.

For everyone else it is totally worth it. If you can afford to spend Rs 20,000 on a pair of TWS earbuds then don’t look elsewhere. These are much better than the AirPods Pro from Apple.

A little bit lower down the price range one can find the Galaxy Buds Live and Jabra Elite 75t, both excellent in their own respect, but what Sony has, no one else has. That’s a great pair of active noise-cancelling TWS earbuds.

It’s not every day that you’re genuinely excited about a product that has just been announced in India. I had first heard about the Sony WF-1000XM3 TWS earbuds months ago when many of my colleagues had travelled abroad for an event.

It’s not every day that you’re genuinely excited about a product that has just been announced in India. I had first heard about the Sony WF-1000XM3 TWS earbuds months ago when many of my colleagues had travelled abroad for an event. They picked up these earphones on their way back and have been raving about them ever since. Sony has launched these TWS earbuds in the Indian market a year after they were released in the USA. As the saying goes though, “better late than never”. Let me tell you why. It was not long ago when the Apple AirPods were the only pair of truly wireless earphones on the market. In 2020, the floodgates have been unleashed. Every manufacturer and their uncle is releasing TWS earbuds across different price brackets. Sony recently unveiled the WF-XB700 and WF-SP800N models and those were very well-received by the media and consumers. Now, the top-of-the-line - WF-1000XM3 - goes head-to-head with the Apple AirPods Pro, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, Jabra Elite 75t, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 and others. Priced at Rs 19,990, the terribly named WF-1000XM3 from Sony are on the upper range. Fortunately, though, the TWS earbuds from Sony have a lot going for them. The one thing you notice right out of the box is the elegance that the case and earbuds carry. The copper and black dual-tone finish are premium through and through. The case does seem bulkier than the competition. It becomes understandable when you take the earbuds out of the case. They are larger than you’d think compared to the competition. Surprisingly, they weigh just 8.5g each and, once you find a comfortable fit, they are good to wear for hours on end. Finding that comfortable fit though is the problem. I went through all different eartips (there are seven different sizes in the box) and tried to twist and turn the earbuds in my ear. The earbuds come with what Sony calls a ‘tri-hold structure’, leaning upon three key parts of the ear. This is supposed to be for a better fit. Nonetheless, after fiddling with them for a couple of days, I got a fit that was comfortable enough for hours on end. Luckily, after finding the right fit, these earbuds never seem to want to fall out. Even during an intense workout. One downside is the fact that the case is chunkier than most of the competitors’ cases. The case also doesn’t have an LED indicator for battery level. The case also lacks wireless charging, which is a strange omission for TWS earbuds at this price. The earbuds also lack any IP rating and hence they aren’t sweat/water resistance. Another thing to note if you’re going to use these while jogging or going to the gym daily. Active noise-cancelling leads the way With my gripes out of the way, let me just tell you that the WF-1000XM3 earbuds sound exceptionally good. Thanks to the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1e chip and Dual Noise Sensor Technology, Sony leads the way in active noise-cancellation (ANC). No competitor comes close. The QN1e chip also allows for better battery life, which I’ll get to in a moment. There may be no aptX HD Bluetooth support but unless you’re a hardcore audiophile, you probably won’t miss is. No matter what track you play, the balanced audio signature shines across all frequency ranges. The vocals are crisp and the instruments are distinguishable. From Iron Maiden to Bollywood hits and even Hanz Zimmer’s soundtracks, the WF-100XM3 handles every track with aplomb. There is that thumping bass as well for though who like it. I was surprised by the fact that these tiny earbuds can have such a wide soundstage. It definitely feels like the sound is surrounding you from all sides. Furthermore, it’s the ANC that shines through and through. While I was walking on the road, the traffic noises were completely blocked out. I even couldn’t hear the people talking loudly next to me. Call quality was also something that I was impressed with. I could hear people clearly and vice-versa. There was also no lag or any sort of distortion, which is a boon in these times. Connectivity: Good but not the best Pairing the earphones is seamless and connecting to the Sony app is even easier. I had no problem stepping dozens of feet away from my device and still hearing the crystal clear sound. The only niggle I had was that the right earbud sometimes got disconnected. I’ve reset the earbuds and there have been no problems in the last day or so. So maybe it was just a temporary problem. Battery life: Brilliant With ANC turned on, I was constantly getting around five and a half hours of battery life. The charging case is good for an additional three full chargers of the earbuds. That’s about sixteen and a half hours in total. Not the best in class but pretty consistently good, I must say. Verdict: Are these worth the premium price tag? The only people to whom I’d not recommend these TWS earbuds are those who need it for their ‘active’ lifestyle, namely exercising. For them, the clearcut option is the Jabra Elite Active 75t. Nothing even comes close to those for fitness-oriented earbuds. For everyone else it is totally worth it. If you can afford to spend Rs 20,000 on a pair of TWS earbuds then don’t look elsewhere. These are much better than the AirPods Pro from Apple. A little bit lower down the price range one can find the Galaxy Buds Live and Jabra Elite 75t, both excellent in their own respect, but what Sony has, no one else has. That’s a great pair of active noise-cancelling TWS earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM3 review: Truly wireless earbuds for the audiophiles

There is something that many of us often worry about - should we let your phone charge overnight or should you unplug it? This dilemma exists because we have heard that it’s not safe to charge a phone for long hours at a go. A lot of people also fear that it might explode.

So, let's address this concern straightaway, along with some best practices, so that you can get the most out of your phone battery.

1. Firstly, let's address the most important question - should you leave your phone plugged in overnight? The answer is that it’s completely safe to let your phone charge overnight given that your battery isn't faulty. Understand that the battery embedded in the phone nowadays doesn’t overcharge. Once the battery hits 100 percent, it automatically stops charging. But here is a word of caution. Make sure you are using a genuine charger because there have been cases of inexpensive and fake chargers catching fire. Whenever possible, use the charger that comes with the phone as it’s tested, checked and approved. When it comes to phone chargers, avoid cheap alternatives.

2. Secondly, while it’s completely safe to charge the phone battery overnight, it might not be the smartest thing to do. It's also a good idea to not charge it to a full 100%. That's because the battery is under a lot of stress during the last 20% of charge and it can affect the battery’s lifespan. Therefore, to keep your phone’s battery healthy, it’s advisable to charge it to 80%.

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&nbsp;

3. Here's another common myth that many people believe yields good results, and that is - charge your phone battery once it’s fully drained. I would say, don't do this! Never wait for it to come down to 0 percent. This too can adversely affect the battery’s performance over time. Charge it when it’s down to 20-30 percent. So, an ideal situation is don’t let it go below 20 percent and above 80 percent.

4. Also, when it comes to Lithium-ion batteries, the ones in your phone, you don’t have to wait for it to drain or come down to a certain level. You can even charge it randomly. Let’s say, you charge it 5 percent and unplug it. After an hour or so, you charge it 10 percent and then unplug it again. That’s totally okay. There's nothing wrong with partial charging. In fact, these short top-ups work the best for modern-day phone batteries.

5. Whenever you charge your phone and especially, leave it overnight, it’s recommended that you remove your phone out of the case during charging. Charging it inside the case may generate excess heat, which could harm the battery capacity. Also, don’t put it under your pillow or a pile of books or any such thing. If you keep doing this, you can expect the phone to heat up, which could be damaging for the battery in the long run.

There is something that many of us often worry about - should we let your phone charge overnight or should you unplug it? This dilemma exists because we have heard that it’s not safe to charge a phone for long hours at a go.

There is something that many of us often worry about - should we let your phone charge overnight or should you unplug it? This dilemma exists because we have heard that it’s not safe to charge a phone for long hours at a go. A lot of people also fear that it might explode. So, let's address this concern straightaway, along with some best practices, so that you can get the most out of your phone battery. 1. Firstly, let's address the most important question - should you leave your phone plugged in overnight? The answer is that it’s completely safe to let your phone charge overnight given that your battery isn't faulty. Understand that the battery embedded in the phone nowadays doesn’t overcharge. Once the battery hits 100 percent, it automatically stops charging. But here is a word of caution. Make sure you are using a genuine charger because there have been cases of inexpensive and fake chargers catching fire. Whenever possible, use the charger that comes with the phone as it’s tested, checked and approved. When it comes to phone chargers, avoid cheap alternatives. 2. Secondly, while it’s completely safe to charge the phone battery overnight, it might not be the smartest thing to do. It's also a good idea to not charge it to a full 100%. That's because the battery is under a lot of stress during the last 20% of charge and it can affect the battery’s lifespan. Therefore, to keep your phone’s battery healthy, it’s advisable to charge it to 80%. × 3. Here's another common myth that many people believe yields good results, and that is - charge your phone battery once it’s fully drained. I would say, don't do this! Never wait for it to come down to 0 percent. This too can adversely affect the battery’s performance over time. Charge it when it’s down to 20-30 percent. So, an ideal situation is don’t let it go below 20 percent and above 80 percent. 4. Also, when it comes to Lithium-ion batteries, the ones in your phone, you don’t have to wait for it to drain or come down to a certain level. You can even charge it randomly. Let’s say, you charge it 5 percent and unplug it. After an hour or so, you charge it 10 percent and then unplug it again. That’s totally okay. There's nothing wrong with partial charging. In fact, these short top-ups work the best for modern-day phone batteries. 5. Whenever you charge your phone and especially, leave it overnight, it’s recommended that you remove your phone out of the case during charging. Charging it inside the case may generate excess heat, which could harm the battery capacity. Also, don’t put it under your pillow or a pile of books or any such thing. If you keep doing this, you can expect the phone to heat up, which could be damaging for the battery in the long run.

Phone charging mistakes you should stop making

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?

By Shikhil Sharma

Cyberspace security has become the need of the hour as companies increasingly switch to digital business models. Cyber security hasbecome a common concern (and term) in the boardroom meetings. &nbsp;

With an active rise in the interest of cybersecurity and having an on ground view of the threats we face as a nation - I think the following 5 points should be included in our new cyber security policy, with a revision every 2-3 years

1. State-sponsored threat retaliation strategy

One of the biggest threats a nation faces is state-sponsored targeted threats from other nations. Quite recently, Australia became victim of a state-sponsored attack. In such attacks government infrastructure, private infrastructure and citizens are targeted at the same time in a series of cyber attacks. This Advansed Persistent Threat (APT) is something which poses a big challenge.&nbsp;

Truth be told, just having a policy to tackle state sponsored APT won’t be enough. The policy needs to define a ‘retaliation’ action plan too.&nbsp;

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>The policy should define or make a provision to define an ‘action plan’ in case of a state sponsored attack.</li>
	<li>Containing the APT won’t be enough. There needs to be a clear ‘trapping’ plan to have enough data on the origin of the APT or state sponsored threat.</li>
	<li>A retaliation plan should also be in place if need arises to fend off the enemy.</li>
	<li>These plans need to have a clear flow from policy to a government department executing it. ‘Mock drills’ for such scenarios need to be done.</li>
</ul>

2. SOS lockdown policy

When a cyber attack happens, there can be a mass disruption in services/infrastructure. There needs to be a clear nationwide lockdown policy for key infrastructure of the nation. We are talking about nuclear grids, power grids, financial institutions, satellite communication etc.&nbsp;

Whenever a nation wide security incident/attack happens, it’s often well thought out and planned for months if not years. In such cases, the bad actors know which components to target first. This makes it important to have a lockdown policy to ensure critical infrastructure is protected during such time and damage is controlled.

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>SOS lockdown policy should not be made public fully as that might give enemy the information.</li>
	<li>The lockdown policy will require cyber security specialists to be deployed or trained in each of the critical sectors.</li>
</ul>

3.&nbsp;Security framework for 5G &amp; iOT devices

With 5G setting foot, the rise of iOT devices is inevitable. This means more devices connected to the internet and each other. This also means ‘smart’ being appended to everything we can think of.&nbsp;

This calls for a security standard to be defined for all the 5G devices coming to the market. The best case would be the government defining security standards of these new internet connected devices with the help of security companies.

Also Read : <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-eu-imposes-cyberattack-sanctions-on-chinese-nationals-linked-to-chinese-intelligence-agency-318078">Now, EU imposes cyberattack sanctions on Chinese nationals linked to Chinese intelligence agency</a> 
&nbsp;

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>A clearly defined certification or ‘standard’ needs to be put out for iOT devices.</li>
	<li>Government or government authorized departments/companies should ensure these newly entering iOT devices meet privacy requirements and security standards ensuring private data of citizens isn’t at risk.</li>
	<li>These are the devices which will be kept at our homes, in our cars &amp; bedrooms - the privacy risks can be un-imaginable. One cannot take any risk with this one.</li>
</ul>

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&nbsp;

 
4. Nationwide cyber security training

India has the responsibility of bringing 600 million+ population to the internet ‘safely’. It should also be ensured that current population already on the internet (over 700 million) is security conscious.

Important points to be noted:

<ul>
	<li>‘We are as strong as our weakest link’, our training programs should be built with this principle in mind. When it comes to cyber security, even in most tech savvy organizations, humans have been found to be the weakest links.</li>
	<li>This nationwide training has to be done in a way that less savvy people understand at least basic do’s and don'ts of the internet&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Our banks have been largely successful in raising awareness around banking frauds. It’s always a work in progress, but in today’s world more people understand that they don’t have to give their online banking password, CVV or any other sensitive information to anyone, even if the other person claims to be a bank official. Such awareness will definitely meet a certain threshold of cyber security. Ofcourse, such models are constantly evolving.</li>
	<li>Training over SMS, IVR and emails need to be made at a mass scale, in a way the common man understands.</li>
</ul>

5. Enforcing security standards on private companies &amp; rewarding&nbsp;

The nation should have a cyber security standard defined for every private company. Every company uses emails for communication and has a website even if it is not an internet business. The government should clearly define what is expected of private companies when it comes to cyber security and what are the consequences of not meeting the expectations. Ideally, this should be not more than a 2 page checklist. Making it straightforward and easy to understand will encourage companies to follow the guidelines.&nbsp;

When a country faces a cyber security challenge, its private organizations are also on the radar of hackers. It’s important their infrastructure is also secure.

Important points to be noted:

The security standards defined for private companies should be in checklist form.

<ul>
	<li>Government should reward the organizations that follow these standards. This reward can be in the form of publicly displayable certificates which can be verified on government websites or even some tax rebates.</li>
</ul>

 
The fact that our government is talking about updating our cyber security policy and preparing it for the upcoming innovations means that we’re headed in the right direction. Considering the privacy concerns and data at stake, information security is not a luxury but a necessity. Having a strong cyber security policy means that the government is not only looking out for the data of its citizens but also inspiring confidence so that foreign companies choose India over other nations for their expansion.

I strongly believe that countries having a strong cyber security policy that can be implemented neatly will have a massive advantage on all fronts in years to come.

By Shikhil Sharma Cyberspace security has become the need of the hour as companies increasingly switch to digital business models. Cyber security hasbecome a common concern (and term) in the boardroom meetings.

By Shikhil Sharma Cyberspace security has become the need of the hour as companies increasingly switch to digital business models. Cyber security hasbecome a common concern (and term) in the boardroom meetings. With an active rise in the interest of cybersecurity and having an on ground view of the threats we face as a nation - I think the following 5 points should be included in our new cyber security policy, with a revision every 2-3 years 1. State-sponsored threat retaliation strategy One of the biggest threats a nation faces is state-sponsored targeted threats from other nations. Quite recently, Australia became victim of a state-sponsored attack. In such attacks government infrastructure, private infrastructure and citizens are targeted at the same time in a series of cyber attacks. This Advansed Persistent Threat (APT) is something which poses a big challenge. Truth be told, just having a policy to tackle state sponsored APT won’t be enough. The policy needs to define a ‘retaliation’ action plan too. Important points to be noted: The policy should define or make a provision to define an ‘action plan’ in case of a state sponsored attack. Containing the APT won’t be enough. There needs to be a clear ‘trapping’ plan to have enough data on the origin of the APT or state sponsored threat. A retaliation plan should also be in place if need arises to fend off the enemy. These plans need to have a clear flow from policy to a government department executing it. ‘Mock drills’ for such scenarios need to be done. 2. SOS lockdown policy When a cyber attack happens, there can be a mass disruption in services/infrastructure. There needs to be a clear nationwide lockdown policy for key infrastructure of the nation. We are talking about nuclear grids, power grids, financial institutions, satellite communication etc. Whenever a nation wide security incident/attack happens, it’s often well thought out and planned for months if not years. In such cases, the bad actors know which components to target first. This makes it important to have a lockdown policy to ensure critical infrastructure is protected during such time and damage is controlled. Important points to be noted: SOS lockdown policy should not be made public fully as that might give enemy the information. The lockdown policy will require cyber security specialists to be deployed or trained in each of the critical sectors. 3. Security framework for 5G & iOT devices With 5G setting foot, the rise of iOT devices is inevitable. This means more devices connected to the internet and each other. This also means ‘smart’ being appended to everything we can think of. This calls for a security standard to be defined for all the 5G devices coming to the market. The best case would be the government defining security standards of these new internet connected devices with the help of security companies. Also Read : Now, EU imposes cyberattack sanctions on Chinese nationals linked to Chinese intelligence agency Important points to be noted: A clearly defined certification or ‘standard’ needs to be put out for iOT devices. Government or government authorized departments/companies should ensure these newly entering iOT devices meet privacy requirements and security standards ensuring private data of citizens isn’t at risk. These are the devices which will be kept at our homes, in our cars & bedrooms - the privacy risks can be un-imaginable. One cannot take any risk with this one. × 4. Nationwide cyber security training India has the responsibility of bringing 600 million+ population to the internet ‘safely’. It should also be ensured that current population already on the internet (over 700 million) is security conscious. Important points to be noted: ‘We are as strong as our weakest link’, our training programs should be built with this principle in mind. When it comes to cyber security, even in most tech savvy organizations, humans have been found to be the weakest links. This nationwide training has to be done in a way that less savvy people understand at least basic do’s and don'ts of the internet Our banks have been largely successful in raising awareness around banking frauds. It’s always a work in progress, but in today’s world more people understand that they don’t have to give their online banking password, CVV or any other sensitive information to anyone, even if the other person claims to be a bank official. Such awareness will definitely meet a certain threshold of cyber security. Ofcourse, such models are constantly evolving. Training over SMS, IVR and emails need to be made at a mass scale, in a way the common man understands. 5. Enforcing security standards on private companies & rewarding The nation should have a cyber security standard defined for every private company. Every company uses emails for communication and has a website even if it is not an internet business. The government should clearly define what is expected of private companies when it comes to cyber security and what are the consequences of not meeting the expectations. Ideally, this should be not more than a 2 page checklist. Making it straightforward and easy to understand will encourage companies to follow the guidelines. When a country faces a cyber security challenge, its private organizations are also on the radar of hackers. It’s important their infrastructure is also secure. Important points to be noted: The security standards defined for private companies should be in checklist form. Government should reward the organizations that follow these standards. This reward can be in the form of publicly displayable certificates which can be verified on government websites or even some tax rebates. The fact that our government is talking about updating our cyber security policy and preparing it for the upcoming innovations means that we’re headed in the right direction. Considering the privacy concerns and data at stake, information security is not a luxury but a necessity. Having a strong cyber security policy means that the government is not only looking out for the data of its citizens but also inspiring confidence so that foreign companies choose India over other nations for their expansion. I strongly believe that countries having a strong cyber security policy that can be implemented neatly will have a massive advantage on all fronts in years to come.

5 essential points that should make it to India’s new cyber security policy

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