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Any gadget user would think Apple's phones and laptops would be hurt the hardest by worldwide supply shortages, but that isn't the case.

The $19 Polishing Cloth is Apple's most backordered new product, according to The New York Times.

You'll have to wait 10 to 12 weeks to acquire your Apple-branded polishing experience if you get the microfiber cloth from the corporate shop as of this writing – in other words, you won't have your Apple-branded polishing experience until January 2022 at the earliest. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-unveils-a-19-polishing-cloth-to-clean-your-macbook-iphone-422529">Also read | Apple unveils a $19 ‘polishing cloth’ to clean your MacBook, iPhone</a> 
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The 6.3-by-6.3-inch cloth was released in October, which is when Apple usually unveils new goods.

But, unlike some of Apple's other recent launches, such as the long-awaited M1 MacBook Pro and a redesigned iPad Mini, the Polishing Cloth arrived quietly and without fanfare.

Despite the fact that the cloth was not technically a new product, it rapidly became a best-seller.

The fabric was previously only available for Apple's XDR Pro Displays, but it's now available for all Apple devices.&nbsp;

If you're cleaning a standard screen, it's no secret that you can find far, much less expensive options.

The deficit, on the other hand, demonstrates both the official product's cachet and the breadth of supply limitations influencing technology, often in surprising ways.

If you can't even receive a polishing cloth in a timely manner, you know the sector is suffering from widespread supply problems.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Any gadget user would think Apple's phones and laptops would be hurt the hardest by worldwide supply shortages, but that isn't the case. The $19 Polishing Cloth is Apple's most backordered new product, according to The New York Times.

Any gadget user would think Apple's phones and laptops would be hurt the hardest by worldwide supply shortages, but that isn't the case. The $19 Polishing Cloth is Apple's most backordered new product, according to The New York Times. You'll have to wait 10 to 12 weeks to acquire your Apple-branded polishing experience if you get the microfiber cloth from the corporate shop as of this writing – in other words, you won't have your Apple-branded polishing experience until January 2022 at the earliest. Also read | Apple unveils a $19 ‘polishing cloth’ to clean your MacBook, iPhone You can buy a new MacBook Pro and wait two months for the screen to be (officially) cleaned of smudges. × The 6.3-by-6.3-inch cloth was released in October, which is when Apple usually unveils new goods. But, unlike some of Apple's other recent launches, such as the long-awaited M1 MacBook Pro and a redesigned iPad Mini, the Polishing Cloth arrived quietly and without fanfare. Despite the fact that the cloth was not technically a new product, it rapidly became a best-seller. The fabric was previously only available for Apple's XDR Pro Displays, but it's now available for all Apple devices. If you're cleaning a standard screen, it's no secret that you can find far, much less expensive options. The deficit, on the other hand, demonstrates both the official product's cachet and the breadth of supply limitations influencing technology, often in surprising ways. If you can't even receive a polishing cloth in a timely manner, you know the sector is suffering from widespread supply problems. (With inputs from agencies)

Worst shipping delay: $19 polishing cloth is Apple's most back-ordered product

Three years after an employee revolt forced Google to abandon work on a Pentagon program that used artificial intelligence, the company is aggressively pursuing a major contract to provide its technology to the military.

The company’s plan to land the potentially lucrative contract, known as the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability, could raise a furor among its outspoken workforce and test the resolve of management to resist employee demands.

In 2018, thousands of Google employees signed a letter protesting the company’s involvement in Project Maven, a military program that uses artificial intelligence to interpret video images and could be used to refine the targeting of drone strikes. Google management caved and agreed to not renew the contract once it expired.

The outcry led Google to create guidelines for the ethical use of artificial intelligence, which prohibit the use of its technology for weapons or surveillance, and hastened a shake-up of its cloud computing business. Now, as Google positions cloud computing as a key part of its future, the bid for the new Pentagon contract could test the boundaries of those AI principles, which have set it apart from other tech giants that routinely seek military and intelligence work.

The military’s initiative, which aims to modernize the Pentagon’s cloud technology and support the use of artificial intelligence to gain an advantage on the battlefield, is a replacement for a contract with Microsoft that was canceled this summer amid a lengthy legal battle with Amazon. Google did not compete against Microsoft for that contract after the uproar over Project Maven.

The Pentagon’s restart of its cloud computing project has given Google a chance to jump back into the bidding, and the company has raced to prepare a proposal to present to Defense officials, according to four people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. In September, Google’s cloud unit made it a priority, declaring an emergency “Code Yellow,” an internal designation of importance that allowed the company to pull engineers off other assignments and focus them on the military project, two of those people said.

On Tuesday, the Google cloud unit’s chief executive, Thomas Kurian, met with Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., the chief of staff of the Air Force, and other top Pentagon officials to make the case for his company, two people said.

Google, in a written statement, said it is “firmly committed to serving our public sector customers,” including the Defense Department, and that it “will evaluate any future bid opportunities accordingly.”

The contract replaces the now-scrapped Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, the Pentagon cloud computing contract that was estimated to be worth $10 billion over 10 years. The exact size of the new contract is unknown, although it is half the duration and will be awarded to more than one company, not to a single provider like JEDI.

It is unclear whether the work, which would provide the Defense Department access to Google’s cloud products, would violate Google’s AI principles, although the Defense Department has said the technology is expected to support the military in combat. But Pentagon rules about outside access to sensitive or classified data could prevent Google from seeing exactly how its technology is being used.

The Defense Department said it would seek proposals from a limited set of companies that could meet its requirements. “As this is an active acquisition, we cannot provide any additional information related to this effort,” said Russell Goemaere, a spokesperson for the department.

After a late start in selling its cloud computing technology to other organizations, Google has struggled to close the gap with Amazon and Microsoft, which have the two biggest cloud computing businesses. To bring in more big customers, Google hired Kurian, a longtime executive at the software company Oracle, to take over the business in 2018. He has beefed up the size of Google’s sales staff and pushed the company to compete aggressively for new contracts, including military deals.

But Google employees have continued to resist some work pursued by the cloud unit. In 2019, they protested the use of artificial intelligence tools for the oil and gas industry. A year later, the company said it would not build custom AI software for the extraction of fossil fuels.

Google started working on Project Maven in 2017 and prepared to bid for JEDI. Many Google employees believed Project Maven represented a potentially lethal use of artificial intelligence, and more than 4,000 workers signed a letter demanding that Google withdraw from the project.

Soon after, Google announced a set of ethical principles that would govern its use of artificial intelligence. Google would not allow its AI to be used for weapons or surveillance, said Sundar Pichai, its chief executive, but would continue to accept military contracts for cybersecurity and search and rescue.

Several months later, Google said it would not bid on the JEDI contract, although it was unlikely that the company had a shot at landing the deal; the Maven experience had soured the relationship between Google and the military, and Google lacked some of the security certifications needed to handle classified data.

Google’s cloud business recently has done other work with the military. Since last year, Google has signed contracts with the U.S. Air Force for using cloud computing for aircraft maintenance and pilot training, as well as a U.S. Navy contract for using artificial intelligence to detect and predict the maintenance needs of facilities and vessels.

Some Google workers believed the new contract would not violate the principles, a person familiar with the decision said, because the contract would enable generic uses of its cloud technology and artificial intelligence. The principles specifically state Google will not pursue AI that can be applied in “weapons or those that direct injury.”

Lucy Suchman, a professor of anthropology of science and technology at Lancaster University whose research focuses on the use of technology in war, said that with so much money at stake, it is no surprise Google might waver on its commitment.

“It demonstrates the fragility of Google’s commitment to staying outside the major merger that’s happening between the DOD and Silicon Valley,” Suchman said.

Google’s efforts come as its employees are already pushing the company to cancel a cloud computing contract with the Israeli military, called Project Nimbus, that provides Google’s services to government entities throughout Israel. In an open letter published last month by The Guardian, Google employees called on their employer to cancel the contract.

The Defense Department’s effort to transition to cloud technology has been mired in legal battles. The military operates on outdated computer systems and has spent billions of dollars on modernization. It turned to U.S. internet giants in the hope that the companies could quickly and securely move the Defense Department to the cloud.

In 2019, the Defense Department awarded the JEDI contract to Microsoft. Amazon sued to block the contract, claiming that Microsoft did not have the technical capabilities to fulfill the military’s needs and that former President Donald Trump had improperly influenced the decision because of animosity toward Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s executive chair and the owner of The Washington Post.

In July, the Defense Department announced that it could no longer wait for the legal fight with Amazon to resolve. It scrapped the JEDI contract and said it would be replaced with the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability.

The Pentagon also noted that Amazon and Microsoft were the only companies that likely had the technology to meet its needs but said it would conduct market research before ruling out other competitors. The Defense Department said it planned to reach out to Google, Oracle and IBM.

But Google executives believe they have the capability to compete for the new contract, and the company expects the Defense Department to tell it whether it will qualify to make a bid in the coming weeks, two people familiar with the matter said.

The Defense Department has previously said it hopes to award a contract by April.

Three years after an employee revolt forced Google to abandon work on a Pentagon program that used artificial intelligence, the company is aggressively pursuing a major contract to provide its technology to the military.

Three years after an employee revolt forced Google to abandon work on a Pentagon program that used artificial intelligence, the company is aggressively pursuing a major contract to provide its technology to the military. The company’s plan to land the potentially lucrative contract, known as the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability, could raise a furor among its outspoken workforce and test the resolve of management to resist employee demands. In 2018, thousands of Google employees signed a letter protesting the company’s involvement in Project Maven, a military program that uses artificial intelligence to interpret video images and could be used to refine the targeting of drone strikes. Google management caved and agreed to not renew the contract once it expired. The outcry led Google to create guidelines for the ethical use of artificial intelligence, which prohibit the use of its technology for weapons or surveillance, and hastened a shake-up of its cloud computing business. Now, as Google positions cloud computing as a key part of its future, the bid for the new Pentagon contract could test the boundaries of those AI principles, which have set it apart from other tech giants that routinely seek military and intelligence work. The military’s initiative, which aims to modernize the Pentagon’s cloud technology and support the use of artificial intelligence to gain an advantage on the battlefield, is a replacement for a contract with Microsoft that was canceled this summer amid a lengthy legal battle with Amazon. Google did not compete against Microsoft for that contract after the uproar over Project Maven. The Pentagon’s restart of its cloud computing project has given Google a chance to jump back into the bidding, and the company has raced to prepare a proposal to present to Defense officials, according to four people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly. In September, Google’s cloud unit made it a priority, declaring an emergency “Code Yellow,” an internal designation of importance that allowed the company to pull engineers off other assignments and focus them on the military project, two of those people said. On Tuesday, the Google cloud unit’s chief executive, Thomas Kurian, met with Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., the chief of staff of the Air Force, and other top Pentagon officials to make the case for his company, two people said. Google, in a written statement, said it is “firmly committed to serving our public sector customers,” including the Defense Department, and that it “will evaluate any future bid opportunities accordingly.” The contract replaces the now-scrapped Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI, the Pentagon cloud computing contract that was estimated to be worth $10 billion over 10 years. The exact size of the new contract is unknown, although it is half the duration and will be awarded to more than one company, not to a single provider like JEDI. It is unclear whether the work, which would provide the Defense Department access to Google’s cloud products, would violate Google’s AI principles, although the Defense Department has said the technology is expected to support the military in combat. But Pentagon rules about outside access to sensitive or classified data could prevent Google from seeing exactly how its technology is being used. The Defense Department said it would seek proposals from a limited set of companies that could meet its requirements. “As this is an active acquisition, we cannot provide any additional information related to this effort,” said Russell Goemaere, a spokesperson for the department. After a late start in selling its cloud computing technology to other organizations, Google has struggled to close the gap with Amazon and Microsoft, which have the two biggest cloud computing businesses. To bring in more big customers, Google hired Kurian, a longtime executive at the software company Oracle, to take over the business in 2018. He has beefed up the size of Google’s sales staff and pushed the company to compete aggressively for new contracts, including military deals. But Google employees have continued to resist some work pursued by the cloud unit. In 2019, they protested the use of artificial intelligence tools for the oil and gas industry. A year later, the company said it would not build custom AI software for the extraction of fossil fuels. Google started working on Project Maven in 2017 and prepared to bid for JEDI. Many Google employees believed Project Maven represented a potentially lethal use of artificial intelligence, and more than 4,000 workers signed a letter demanding that Google withdraw from the project. Soon after, Google announced a set of ethical principles that would govern its use of artificial intelligence. Google would not allow its AI to be used for weapons or surveillance, said Sundar Pichai, its chief executive, but would continue to accept military contracts for cybersecurity and search and rescue. Several months later, Google said it would not bid on the JEDI contract, although it was unlikely that the company had a shot at landing the deal; the Maven experience had soured the relationship between Google and the military, and Google lacked some of the security certifications needed to handle classified data. Google’s cloud business recently has done other work with the military. Since last year, Google has signed contracts with the U.S. Air Force for using cloud computing for aircraft maintenance and pilot training, as well as a U.S. Navy contract for using artificial intelligence to detect and predict the maintenance needs of facilities and vessels. Some Google workers believed the new contract would not violate the principles, a person familiar with the decision said, because the contract would enable generic uses of its cloud technology and artificial intelligence. The principles specifically state Google will not pursue AI that can be applied in “weapons or those that direct injury.” Lucy Suchman, a professor of anthropology of science and technology at Lancaster University whose research focuses on the use of technology in war, said that with so much money at stake, it is no surprise Google might waver on its commitment. “It demonstrates the fragility of Google’s commitment to staying outside the major merger that’s happening between the DOD and Silicon Valley,” Suchman said. Google’s efforts come as its employees are already pushing the company to cancel a cloud computing contract with the Israeli military, called Project Nimbus, that provides Google’s services to government entities throughout Israel. In an open letter published last month by The Guardian, Google employees called on their employer to cancel the contract. The Defense Department’s effort to transition to cloud technology has been mired in legal battles. The military operates on outdated computer systems and has spent billions of dollars on modernization. It turned to U.S. internet giants in the hope that the companies could quickly and securely move the Defense Department to the cloud. In 2019, the Defense Department awarded the JEDI contract to Microsoft. Amazon sued to block the contract, claiming that Microsoft did not have the technical capabilities to fulfill the military’s needs and that former President Donald Trump had improperly influenced the decision because of animosity toward Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s executive chair and the owner of The Washington Post. In July, the Defense Department announced that it could no longer wait for the legal fight with Amazon to resolve. It scrapped the JEDI contract and said it would be replaced with the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability. The Pentagon also noted that Amazon and Microsoft were the only companies that likely had the technology to meet its needs but said it would conduct market research before ruling out other competitors. The Defense Department said it planned to reach out to Google, Oracle and IBM. But Google executives believe they have the capability to compete for the new contract, and the company expects the Defense Department to tell it whether it will qualify to make a bid in the coming weeks, two people familiar with the matter said. The Defense Department has previously said it hopes to award a contract by April.

Google wants to work with the Pentagon again, despite employee concerns

Microsoft President Brad Smith has downplayed the metaverse 'hype' and said that it still requires a lot of work.

According to Smith, ''We're all talking about the metaverse as if we're entering some new dimension. This is not like dying and going to heaven. We're all going to be living in the real world with people.''

"I think (the metaverse) will be very big. Everyone is going to be entering this. We have to ensure that it protects privacy, digital safety and protects against disinformation, manipulation. We have a lot to clean up."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-launches-3d-avatars-enters-metaverse-race-426360" hreflang="en">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella launches 3D avatars, enters metaverse race</a>

His statement comes a day after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella unveiled three-dimensional versions in the company's teams app and stepped into the world of metaverse.

Smith highlighted that metaverse needs Big Tech actors like Facebook, Microsoft, Google and Apple would likely each develop their own versions of metaverse.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tech-it-out-what-is-the-metaverse-424223/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

As Covid lockdown measures and work-from-home policies pushed more people online for both business and pleasure, the concept has surged in popularity during the pandemic.

During an interview he sidelines of Lisbon's Web Summit, he also said that ''Tech is going to have to lean in...with real concrete ideas...even make concessions, so that we can all compromise and build a common platform that better protects people than ... the internet as a whole has in recent past.''

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/what-is-metaverse-the-new-buzzword-in-internet-technology-412364">Also read |&nbsp;What is metaverse, the new buzzword in internet technology?</a>

"Government (will) see through that, and it's not going to bode well for the sector...We sort of need to get real."

Mark Zuckerberg renamed&nbsp;Facebook Inc. to&nbsp; Meta Platforms Inc. or Meta for short.&nbsp;

Facebook as 'Meta' in a strategic rebranding move that experts believed was a distraction from its privacy violations.

In a stinging rebuke,&nbsp;whistleblower Frances Haugen had accused&nbsp;the company of yet again prioritising expansion over people's safety.

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft President Brad Smith has downplayed the metaverse 'hype' and said that it still requires a lot of work. According to Smith, ''We're all talking about the metaverse as if we're entering some new dimension.

Microsoft President Brad Smith has downplayed the metaverse 'hype' and said that it still requires a lot of work. According to Smith, ''We're all talking about the metaverse as if we're entering some new dimension. This is not like dying and going to heaven. We're all going to be living in the real world with people.'' "I think (the metaverse) will be very big. Everyone is going to be entering this. We have to ensure that it protects privacy, digital safety and protects against disinformation, manipulation. We have a lot to clean up." Also read | Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella launches 3D avatars, enters metaverse race His statement comes a day after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella unveiled three-dimensional versions in the company's teams app and stepped into the world of metaverse. Smith highlighted that metaverse needs Big Tech actors like Facebook, Microsoft, Google and Apple would likely each develop their own versions of metaverse. As Covid lockdown measures and work-from-home policies pushed more people online for both business and pleasure, the concept has surged in popularity during the pandemic. During an interview he sidelines of Lisbon's Web Summit, he also said that ''Tech is going to have to lean in...with real concrete ideas...even make concessions, so that we can all compromise and build a common platform that better protects people than ... the internet as a whole has in recent past.'' Also read | What is metaverse, the new buzzword in internet technology? "Government (will) see through that, and it's not going to bode well for the sector...We sort of need to get real." Mark Zuckerberg renamed Facebook Inc. to Meta Platforms Inc. or Meta for short. Facebook as 'Meta' in a strategic rebranding move that experts believed was a distraction from its privacy violations. In a stinging rebuke, whistleblower Frances Haugen had accused the company of yet again prioritising expansion over people's safety. (With inputs from agencies)

'Requires lot of work': Microsoft President Brad Smith downplays metaverse 'hype'

Facebook said today it will be shutting its facial recognition system amid uncertainty over a "clear set of rules governing its use".

The company said the move will delete "facial recognition templates" of over 1 billion people. The process is likely to be completed by December.

The social media giant informed that over a third of Facebook's users had opted for the facial recognition setting on its platform. The company has been under fire in recent years over privacy concerns and data leaks.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-is-failing-to-safeguard-users-from-covid-19-disinformation-research-425995">Also Read |&nbsp;Facebook is failing to safeguard users from COVID-19 disinformation: Research</a>

"There are many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society, and regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use,"&nbsp;parent company Meta said, adding, "amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate," it added.

Watch:&nbsp;Whistleblower Frances Haugen denounces Facebook's Meta rebranding

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/whistleblower-frances-haugen-denounces-facebooks-meta-rebranding-426064/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Facebook's vice president Nick Clegg had said on Monday that the company had made changes to its policies since 2014 while acknowledging that&nbsp;"legitimate questions" have been raised over its work in "fragile" countries.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-asks-staff-to-preserve-records-dating-back-to-2016-amid-inquiries-424794">Also Read:&nbsp;Facebook asks staff to preserve records dating back to 2016 amid inquiries</a>

Frances Haugen, 37, the former Facebook engineer had earlier leaked data as she&nbsp;accused&nbsp;the company of fuelling hate.

"It pushes you to the extremes and it fans hate," Haugen told British lawmakers. "Anger and hate is the easiest way to grow on Facebook... bad actors have an incentive to play the algorithm, and they figure out all the ways to optimise Facebook," the Facebook whistleblower said.

Haugen also accused the company of putting profits before safety.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/inside-the-big-facebook-leak-423804">Also Read:&nbsp;Inside the big Facebook leak</a>

"I think it is unlikely the company will change if [Mark Zuckerberg] remains the CEO," she said as she asked the Facebook founder to step down during a&nbsp;web summit.

Facebook had rebranded itself last week naming the company Meta as it sought to focus on "metaverse".

(With inputs from Agencies)

Facebook said today it will be shutting its facial recognition system amid uncertainty over a "clear set of rules governing its use". The company said the move will delete "facial recognition templates" of over 1 billion people.

Facebook said today it will be shutting its facial recognition system amid uncertainty over a "clear set of rules governing its use". The company said the move will delete "facial recognition templates" of over 1 billion people. The process is likely to be completed by December. The social media giant informed that over a third of Facebook's users had opted for the facial recognition setting on its platform. The company has been under fire in recent years over privacy concerns and data leaks. Also Read | Facebook is failing to safeguard users from COVID-19 disinformation: Research "There are many concerns about the place of facial recognition technology in society, and regulators are still in the process of providing a clear set of rules governing its use," parent company Meta said, adding, "amid this ongoing uncertainty, we believe that limiting the use of facial recognition to a narrow set of use cases is appropriate," it added. Watch: Whistleblower Frances Haugen denounces Facebook's Meta rebranding Facebook's vice president Nick Clegg had said on Monday that the company had made changes to its policies since 2014 while acknowledging that "legitimate questions" have been raised over its work in "fragile" countries. Also Read: Facebook asks staff to preserve records dating back to 2016 amid inquiries Frances Haugen, 37, the former Facebook engineer had earlier leaked data as she accused the company of fuelling hate. "It pushes you to the extremes and it fans hate," Haugen told British lawmakers. "Anger and hate is the easiest way to grow on Facebook... bad actors have an incentive to play the algorithm, and they figure out all the ways to optimise Facebook," the Facebook whistleblower said. Haugen also accused the company of putting profits before safety. Also Read: Inside the big Facebook leak "I think it is unlikely the company will change if [Mark Zuckerberg] remains the CEO," she said as she asked the Facebook founder to step down during a web summit. Facebook had rebranded itself last week naming the company Meta as it sought to focus on "metaverse". (With inputs from Agencies)

Facebook decides to shut its facial recognition system

Whiskey makers Glenfiddich have sold extremely rare non-fungible tokens (NFTs)&nbsp;for $270,000.

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Check out our latest NFT release on <a href="https://t.co/qVD6dtWnaO">https://t.co/qVD6dtWnaO</a>, 15 limited edition 1973 46 year old Armagnac Cask finish whiskies.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Glenfiddich?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Glenfiddich</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GlenfiddichNFT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GlenfiddichNFT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFTs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFTs</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlockBar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlockBar</a> <a href="https://t.co/Y5J6giUka3">pic.twitter.com/Y5J6giUka3</a>
— Glenfiddich Whisky (@GlenfiddichSMW) <a href="https://twitter.com/GlenfiddichSMW/status/1451494464518868992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2021</a></blockquote>
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An NFT is a digital asset that exists on a blockchain. The blockchain serves as a public ledger, allowing anyone to verify the asset’s authenticity and ownership.

So unlike most digital items which can be endlessly reproduced, each NFT has a unique digital signature, meaning it is one of a kind.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-lionel-messi-launches-messiverse-nft-crypto-art-collection-407123">Also read |&nbsp;Football: Lionel Messi launches 'Messiverse' NFT crypto art collection</a>

NFTs are usually bought with the cryptocurrency Ether or in dollars and the blockchain keeps a record of transactions.

While anyone can view the NFTs, the buyer has the status of being the official owner, a kind of digital bragging rights.

Utilising the surge in popularity in NFTs, Glenfiddich has fetched $18,000 apiece for 15 bottles of Armagnac-casked, 46-year-old whiskey along with its own unique.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tim-berners-lees-nft-of-world-wide-web-source-code-sold-for-54-million-395074">Also read |&nbsp;Tim Berners-Lee’s NFT of World Wide Web source code sold for $5.4 million</a>

According to Dov and Sam Fallic, founders of BlockBar, who&nbsp;handled the technical side of the project, ''Who cares about something that’s digital? But the younger generation spends more time in the digital world than the physical world. That's where they live, and that's where they interact.''

''We are always looking at new ideas; most recently, we've been working on converting our delivery trucks to work on biogas fuel generated from distillery waste. The whisky is unique,&nbsp;using an Armagnac cask was an innovation in 1973,&nbsp;and has an incredible flavour. This is a marriage of a very rare, unique proposition in whisky with blockchain that felt right for us,'' said William Grant and Sons will certify the possession of the NFTs.

Total NFT trading volumes on the Ethereum blockchain amount to over $400 million, nearly half of which were in the last 30 days, according to NonFungible.com, which aggregates data from NFT marketplaces.

Enthusiasts see NFTs as the future of ownership. All kinds of property - from event tickets to houses - will eventually have their ownership status tokenised in this way, they believe.

For artists, NFTs could solve the problem of how they can monetise digital artworks. They can receive more income from NFTs, as they can get a royalty each time the NFT changes hands after the initial sale.

Whiskey makers Glenfiddich have sold extremely rare non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for $270,000. Check out our latest NFT release on https://t.co/qVD6dtWnaO, 15 limited edition 1973 46 year old Armagnac Cask finish whiskies.

Whiskey makers Glenfiddich have sold extremely rare non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for $270,000. Check out our latest NFT release on https://t.co/qVD6dtWnaO, 15 limited edition 1973 46 year old Armagnac Cask finish whiskies.#Glenfiddich #GlenfiddichNFT #NFTs#BlockBar pic.twitter.com/Y5J6giUka3 — Glenfiddich Whisky (@GlenfiddichSMW) October 22, 2021 × An NFT is a digital asset that exists on a blockchain. The blockchain serves as a public ledger, allowing anyone to verify the asset’s authenticity and ownership. So unlike most digital items which can be endlessly reproduced, each NFT has a unique digital signature, meaning it is one of a kind. Also read | Football: Lionel Messi launches 'Messiverse' NFT crypto art collection NFTs are usually bought with the cryptocurrency Ether or in dollars and the blockchain keeps a record of transactions. While anyone can view the NFTs, the buyer has the status of being the official owner, a kind of digital bragging rights. Utilising the surge in popularity in NFTs, Glenfiddich has fetched $18,000 apiece for 15 bottles of Armagnac-casked, 46-year-old whiskey along with its own unique. Also read | Tim Berners-Lee’s NFT of World Wide Web source code sold for $5.4 million According to Dov and Sam Fallic, founders of BlockBar, who handled the technical side of the project, ''Who cares about something that’s digital? But the younger generation spends more time in the digital world than the physical world. That's where they live, and that's where they interact.'' ''We are always looking at new ideas; most recently, we've been working on converting our delivery trucks to work on biogas fuel generated from distillery waste. The whisky is unique, using an Armagnac cask was an innovation in 1973, and has an incredible flavour. This is a marriage of a very rare, unique proposition in whisky with blockchain that felt right for us,'' said William Grant and Sons will certify the possession of the NFTs. Total NFT trading volumes on the Ethereum blockchain amount to over $400 million, nearly half of which were in the last 30 days, according to NonFungible.com, which aggregates data from NFT marketplaces. Enthusiasts see NFTs as the future of ownership. All kinds of property - from event tickets to houses - will eventually have their ownership status tokenised in this way, they believe. For artists, NFTs could solve the problem of how they can monetise digital artworks. They can receive more income from NFTs, as they can get a royalty each time the NFT changes hands after the initial sale.

Whiskey brand fetches $270,000 for extremely rare NFTs

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has launched three-dimensional avatars and immersive meetings in a bid to enter the metaverse race.

The company is going to roll out a collaborative platform for virtual experiences that will combine HoloLens meetings with mixed reality.

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The metaverse is here, and it’s not only transforming how we see the world but how we participate in it – from the factory floor to the meeting room. Take a look. <a href="https://t.co/h5tsdYMXRD">pic.twitter.com/h5tsdYMXRD</a>
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1455624165201887234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The metaverse broadly refers to the idea of a shared virtual platform that people can access through different devices and where they can move through digital environments.

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According to Nadella, ''As the digital and physical worlds come together, we are creating an entirely new platform layer, which is the metaverse.''

''In a sense the metaverse enables us to embed computing into the real world and embed the real world into computing, bringing real presence to any digital space,'' he added.

Microsoft will update its Teams app to push towards metaverse environment that will ''transform how we see the world but how we participate in it.''

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/what-is-metaverse-the-new-buzzword-in-internet-technology-412364">Also read |&nbsp;What is metaverse, the new buzzword in internet technology?</a>

It comes after Mark Zuckerberg changed Facebook's name to Meta Platforms Inc to reflect its focus on building the ''metaverse.''

As Covid lockdown measures and work-from-home policies pushed more people online for both business and pleasure, the concept has surged in popularity during the pandemic.

Microsoft, which owns Xbox and the world-building game Minecraft, is also a key player in the gaming world.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/facebook-is-now-meta-but-another-company-pocketted-money-from-all-the-buzz-425058">Also read |&nbsp;Facebook is now Meta, but another company pocketted money from all the buzz</a>

Recently, metaverse has become one of the tech sector's hottest buzzwords, with companies pouring millions of dollars into its development.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has talked about planning for "a metaverse or mixed-reality construct."

Fortnite's owners Epic Games said in April that $1 billion of funding raised recently would be used to support its "vision for the metaverse".

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has launched three-dimensional avatars and immersive meetings in a bid to enter the metaverse race. The company is going to roll out a collaborative platform for virtual experiences that will combine HoloLens meetings with mixed reality.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has launched three-dimensional avatars and immersive meetings in a bid to enter the metaverse race. The company is going to roll out a collaborative platform for virtual experiences that will combine HoloLens meetings with mixed reality. The metaverse is here, and it’s not only transforming how we see the world but how we participate in it – from the factory floor to the meeting room. Take a look. pic.twitter.com/h5tsdYMXRD — Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 2, 2021 × The metaverse broadly refers to the idea of a shared virtual platform that people can access through different devices and where they can move through digital environments. According to Nadella, ''As the digital and physical worlds come together, we are creating an entirely new platform layer, which is the metaverse.'' ''In a sense the metaverse enables us to embed computing into the real world and embed the real world into computing, bringing real presence to any digital space,'' he added. Microsoft will update its Teams app to push towards metaverse environment that will ''transform how we see the world but how we participate in it.'' Also read | What is metaverse, the new buzzword in internet technology? It comes after Mark Zuckerberg changed Facebook's name to Meta Platforms Inc to reflect its focus on building the ''metaverse.'' As Covid lockdown measures and work-from-home policies pushed more people online for both business and pleasure, the concept has surged in popularity during the pandemic. Microsoft, which owns Xbox and the world-building game Minecraft, is also a key player in the gaming world. Also read | Facebook is now Meta, but another company pocketted money from all the buzz Recently, metaverse has become one of the tech sector's hottest buzzwords, with companies pouring millions of dollars into its development. Xbox boss Phil Spencer has talked about planning for "a metaverse or mixed-reality construct." Fortnite's owners Epic Games said in April that $1 billion of funding raised recently would be used to support its "vision for the metaverse". (With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella launches 3D avatars, enters metaverse race

Epic Games, the US tech giant has said that it will shut down its hugely popular battle royale survival game Fortnite in China. This has come months after Chinese authorities imposed strict curbs as part of their crackdown on the technology sector. China is world's biggest gaming market.

The regulatory crackdown embarked on by Chinese state has affected several industries in China. The crackdown has been undertaken to tighten control over the economy. Tech firms have taken brunt of the pain.

In September, officials said they wanted to curb addiction in the gaming-mad nation by announcing drastic cuts to the amount of time children spend playing online and ordering players to use ID cards when registering.

The moves dealt a severe blow to companies' ability to make profits in the country and sent the share prices of gaming firms tumbling.

Now, Epic has pulled the plug, saying it will shut down the massively popular game on November 15.&nbsp;

"Fortnite China's Beta test has reached an end, and the servers will be closed soon," it said in a statement.&nbsp; 
"On November 15 at 11am, we will turn off game servers, and players will no longer be able to log in."

Hong Kong-listed shares of Tencent, which has a large stake in Epic, were down Tuesday. &nbsp;

The move brings an end to a long-running test of Epic's version of Fortnite specifically created for the Chinese market, where content is policed for excessive violence.

The action-packed shooter and world-building game is one of the most popular in the world, boasting more than 350 million users -- more than the population of the United States.

Epic is the second US-based company to pull a popular product from China in recent weeks, after Microsoft announced in October that it will close its career-oriented social network LinkedIn.

In September, hundreds of Chinese video game makers including Tencent vowed to better police their products for "politically harmful" content and enforce curbs on underage players, as they looked to fall into line with government demands.

The 213 gaming firms promised in a joint statement to ban content that was "politically harmful, historically nihilistic, dirty and pornographic, bloody and terrifying".

(With inputs from agencies)

Epic Games, the US tech giant has said that it will shut down its hugely popular battle royale survival game Fortnite in China. This has come months after Chinese authorities imposed strict curbs as part of their crackdown on the technology sector.

Epic Games, the US tech giant has said that it will shut down its hugely popular battle royale survival game Fortnite in China. This has come months after Chinese authorities imposed strict curbs as part of their crackdown on the technology sector. China is world's biggest gaming market. The regulatory crackdown embarked on by Chinese state has affected several industries in China. The crackdown has been undertaken to tighten control over the economy. Tech firms have taken brunt of the pain. In September, officials said they wanted to curb addiction in the gaming-mad nation by announcing drastic cuts to the amount of time children spend playing online and ordering players to use ID cards when registering. The moves dealt a severe blow to companies' ability to make profits in the country and sent the share prices of gaming firms tumbling. Now, Epic has pulled the plug, saying it will shut down the massively popular game on November 15. "Fortnite China's Beta test has reached an end, and the servers will be closed soon," it said in a statement. "On November 15 at 11am, we will turn off game servers, and players will no longer be able to log in." Hong Kong-listed shares of Tencent, which has a large stake in Epic, were down Tuesday. The move brings an end to a long-running test of Epic's version of Fortnite specifically created for the Chinese market, where content is policed for excessive violence. The action-packed shooter and world-building game is one of the most popular in the world, boasting more than 350 million users -- more than the population of the United States. Epic is the second US-based company to pull a popular product from China in recent weeks, after Microsoft announced in October that it will close its career-oriented social network LinkedIn. In September, hundreds of Chinese video game makers including Tencent vowed to better police their products for "politically harmful" content and enforce curbs on underage players, as they looked to fall into line with government demands. The 213 gaming firms promised in a joint statement to ban content that was "politically harmful, historically nihilistic, dirty and pornographic, bloody and terrifying". (With inputs from agencies)

Battle royale game Fortnite to shut down in China, says Epic Games

As the British government examines new legislation to tackle online abuse, internet "trolls" might face two years in prison for words or material that cause "psychological injury."

Following a series of high-profile internet abuse cases involving sports journalists and Premier League sportsmen, the Department for Culture, Media and Sports has adopted suggestions from the Law Commission to base offences on "probable psychological injury."&nbsp; 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/58-girls-young-women-face-online-harassment-abuse-says-global-survey-333020">58% girls, young women face online harassment, abuse, says global survey</a>&nbsp;

Under the watchful eye of Ofcom, the Online Safety Bill aims to hold digital companies more responsible for user-generated dangerous information housed on their platforms, ranging from child sex exploitation to terrorism.

However, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport is contemplating accepting the Law Commission's proposal that offences be based on "probable psychological injury." 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-google-tiktok-twitter-vow-to-stop-online-gender-abuse-395209">Also read | Facebook, Google, TikTok &amp; Twitter vow to stop online gender abuse</a> 
 
It will move the attention away from texts with "indecent" or "grossly offensive" content and toward the message's "harmful effect."

Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, might include the changes in the bill that will be debated in Parliament next month.&nbsp;

The bill's present version focuses on frightening social media corporations with fines of up to $24.6 million if they fail to combat abuse, but modifications may result in individual users being punished on a far greater scale.

'Threatening communications' is one of the new offences, which encompasses messages and postings in which the author intends for their victim to fear that a threat will be carried out.&nbsp;

Messages made with the intention of causing 'emotional, psychological, or physical harm to the likely audience' will be considered as 'knowingly false communications.'

Currently, similar laws exist, but convictions are based on whether the clip contains 'indecent' or 'grossly offensive' material.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

As the British government examines new legislation to tackle online abuse, internet "trolls" might face two years in prison for words or material that cause "psychological injury.

As the British government examines new legislation to tackle online abuse, internet "trolls" might face two years in prison for words or material that cause "psychological injury." Following a series of high-profile internet abuse cases involving sports journalists and Premier League sportsmen, the Department for Culture, Media and Sports has adopted suggestions from the Law Commission to base offences on "probable psychological injury." Also read | 58% girls, young women face online harassment, abuse, says global survey Under the watchful eye of Ofcom, the Online Safety Bill aims to hold digital companies more responsible for user-generated dangerous information housed on their platforms, ranging from child sex exploitation to terrorism. However, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport is contemplating accepting the Law Commission's proposal that offences be based on "probable psychological injury." Also read | Facebook, Google, TikTok & Twitter vow to stop online gender abuse It will move the attention away from texts with "indecent" or "grossly offensive" content and toward the message's "harmful effect." Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, might include the changes in the bill that will be debated in Parliament next month. The bill's present version focuses on frightening social media corporations with fines of up to $24.6 million if they fail to combat abuse, but modifications may result in individual users being punished on a far greater scale. 'Threatening communications' is one of the new offences, which encompasses messages and postings in which the author intends for their victim to fear that a threat will be carried out. Messages made with the intention of causing 'emotional, psychological, or physical harm to the likely audience' will be considered as 'knowingly false communications.' Currently, similar laws exist, but convictions are based on whether the clip contains 'indecent' or 'grossly offensive' material. (With inputs from agencies)

UK's online safety bill: Internet trolls could face two years in prison for psychological harm

Apple this month unveiled an array of new gadgets: more powerful MacBook laptop computers, AirPod wireless headphones with longer battery life and HomePod Mini speakers in three more colors.

But a different and unheralded Apple release is garnering so much interest that it has become the company’s most back-ordered new product: a $19, 6.3-by-6.3-inch cloth to wipe smudges and fingerprints off screens.

The cloth, imprinted with the Apple logo in the corner, is made with “soft, nonabrasive material” to clean the screens of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks “safely and effectively,” according to the product page. The listing adds that the Polishing Cloth — capital P, capital C — is “compatible” with 88 different Apple products. For most U.S. shoppers, shipment is delayed until Jan. 11, at the earliest.

Charging $19 for a piece of cloth about the size of two stacked dollar bills is bold even by Apple’s standards, a company whose legions of loyal customers are conditioned to stomach steep prices. An Apple-branded set of four wheels to “improve mobility” for the Mac Pro, the company’s most expensive desktop computer, is priced at $699, for instance.

But the Polishing Cloth stands out because it is far more expensive than widely available alternatives. MagicFiber, a popular brand of microfiber cloth that uses ultrafine fibers to clean glass without scratching the surface, offers a pack of six for $9 on Amazon.

“You have to give them credit for the chutzpah to charge $19,” Walter Gonzalez, president and founder of Goja, the parent company of MagicFiber, said of Apple.

Even so, the price has not stopped Apple fans from rushing to be early adopters.

Albert Lee, 47, a director at a consulting firm in New York, said he bought the cloth at an Apple Store on Tuesday. He was picking up a new MacBook Pro, a high-end laptop computer, when the Polishing Cloth caught his eye. He bought four and then posted a picture of his bounty on Twitter.

“It’s just a point of sheer excess,” Lee acknowledged, calling the splurge an impulse buy of “the most elite cloth.” He added: “I just spent $4,000 on a laptop. What’s another $19?”

On Twitter, the cloth has been fodder for jokes and even a parody account since Apple quietly put it on sale on Oct. 18. Later that week, when Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, posted a tweet promoting a new retail store in Turkey, Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, needled him by replying, “Come see the Apple Cloth” with a trademark logo.

(Musk’s company is also not shy about testing the strength of its brand and the fealty of its customers. Tesla’s website offers a company-branded “handblown” decanter for $150 and a $60 umbrella with an “ergonomically designed handle.”)

Technically, the cloth is not a new product. Apple had previously provided it free for customers who bought one of its high-end monitors, Pro Display XDR. The $5,999 display has a special type of glass that reduces glare, but may scratch if wiped with a conventional cloth. Apple said it designed its own cloth for that special glass and decided to sell the product separately when some customers asked to buy extras.

An Apple official said in an interview, based on the condition that The New York Times not quote or identify her, that the company was not surprised by the demand for the Polishing Cloth. The official said the cloth was very effective and had been designed to be special, including a custom light gray color. Apple said the cloth was made of a nonwoven microfiber but declined to elaborate.

Federico Viticci, editor-in-chief of MacStories, a website dedicated to Apple news and apps, said he initially thought the Polishing Cloth was a joke.

“I’ve been cleaning my iPhone screen and my iPad screen with the cloth that comes with my eyeglasses or my T-shirt, or a paper towel like normal people,” he said.

But Viticci, who is based in Italy, said he ended up buying the Polishing Cloth because “I kind of realized the meme potential here.” His tweets about the product have since gotten hundreds or thousands of likes and retweets, with subscribers to his site asking for exclusive cloth photos.

Patrick Tomasso, 32, a Toronto-based YouTube creator of tech and photography-related videos, said he also thought that Apple charging 25 Canadian dollars for the cloth was “ridiculous” since many tech products include a free microfiber cloth.

But when he noticed that it was not shipping until next year, he said he got a “bit of FOMO” — fear of missing out — and quickly snapped up two sheets from a nearby Apple store. As a spoof, Tomasso then made an “unboxing video” of himself opening the “most revolutionary Apple product.”

In the video, he noticed that the Polishing Cloth’s color looked different in person — more gray, less white — and that there was a big crease in the middle that might need to be ironed.

His assessment? It’s a nice cloth worth maybe $5.

“I probably would not buy it again but I like the fact that I own one,” Tomasso said. Then he paused and added, “But I hate that I like that I own one.”

Apple this month unveiled an array of new gadgets: more powerful MacBook laptop computers, AirPod wireless headphones with longer battery life and HomePod Mini speakers in three more colors.

Apple this month unveiled an array of new gadgets: more powerful MacBook laptop computers, AirPod wireless headphones with longer battery life and HomePod Mini speakers in three more colors. But a different and unheralded Apple release is garnering so much interest that it has become the company’s most back-ordered new product: a $19, 6.3-by-6.3-inch cloth to wipe smudges and fingerprints off screens. The cloth, imprinted with the Apple logo in the corner, is made with “soft, nonabrasive material” to clean the screens of iPhones, iPads and MacBooks “safely and effectively,” according to the product page. The listing adds that the Polishing Cloth — capital P, capital C — is “compatible” with 88 different Apple products. For most U.S. shoppers, shipment is delayed until Jan. 11, at the earliest. Charging $19 for a piece of cloth about the size of two stacked dollar bills is bold even by Apple’s standards, a company whose legions of loyal customers are conditioned to stomach steep prices. An Apple-branded set of four wheels to “improve mobility” for the Mac Pro, the company’s most expensive desktop computer, is priced at $699, for instance. But the Polishing Cloth stands out because it is far more expensive than widely available alternatives. MagicFiber, a popular brand of microfiber cloth that uses ultrafine fibers to clean glass without scratching the surface, offers a pack of six for $9 on Amazon. “You have to give them credit for the chutzpah to charge $19,” Walter Gonzalez, president and founder of Goja, the parent company of MagicFiber, said of Apple. Even so, the price has not stopped Apple fans from rushing to be early adopters. Albert Lee, 47, a director at a consulting firm in New York, said he bought the cloth at an Apple Store on Tuesday. He was picking up a new MacBook Pro, a high-end laptop computer, when the Polishing Cloth caught his eye. He bought four and then posted a picture of his bounty on Twitter. “It’s just a point of sheer excess,” Lee acknowledged, calling the splurge an impulse buy of “the most elite cloth.” He added: “I just spent $4,000 on a laptop. What’s another $19?” On Twitter, the cloth has been fodder for jokes and even a parody account since Apple quietly put it on sale on Oct. 18. Later that week, when Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, posted a tweet promoting a new retail store in Turkey, Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, needled him by replying, “Come see the Apple Cloth” with a trademark logo. (Musk’s company is also not shy about testing the strength of its brand and the fealty of its customers. Tesla’s website offers a company-branded “handblown” decanter for $150 and a $60 umbrella with an “ergonomically designed handle.”) Technically, the cloth is not a new product. Apple had previously provided it free for customers who bought one of its high-end monitors, Pro Display XDR. The $5,999 display has a special type of glass that reduces glare, but may scratch if wiped with a conventional cloth. Apple said it designed its own cloth for that special glass and decided to sell the product separately when some customers asked to buy extras. An Apple official said in an interview, based on the condition that The New York Times not quote or identify her, that the company was not surprised by the demand for the Polishing Cloth. The official said the cloth was very effective and had been designed to be special, including a custom light gray color. Apple said the cloth was made of a nonwoven microfiber but declined to elaborate. Federico Viticci, editor-in-chief of MacStories, a website dedicated to Apple news and apps, said he initially thought the Polishing Cloth was a joke. “I’ve been cleaning my iPhone screen and my iPad screen with the cloth that comes with my eyeglasses or my T-shirt, or a paper towel like normal people,” he said. But Viticci, who is based in Italy, said he ended up buying the Polishing Cloth because “I kind of realized the meme potential here.” His tweets about the product have since gotten hundreds or thousands of likes and retweets, with subscribers to his site asking for exclusive cloth photos. Patrick Tomasso, 32, a Toronto-based YouTube creator of tech and photography-related videos, said he also thought that Apple charging 25 Canadian dollars for the cloth was “ridiculous” since many tech products include a free microfiber cloth. But when he noticed that it was not shipping until next year, he said he got a “bit of FOMO” — fear of missing out — and quickly snapped up two sheets from a nearby Apple store. As a spoof, Tomasso then made an “unboxing video” of himself opening the “most revolutionary Apple product.” In the video, he noticed that the Polishing Cloth’s color looked different in person — more gray, less white — and that there was a big crease in the middle that might need to be ironed. His assessment? It’s a nice cloth worth maybe $5. “I probably would not buy it again but I like the fact that I own one,” Tomasso said. Then he paused and added, “But I hate that I like that I own one.”

Apple's most back-ordered new product is not what you expect

A $1.75 trillion Democratic spending proposal could give a big boost to electric vehicles especially to Detroit's Big Three automakers and the US&nbsp;Postal Service.

The House plan boosts electric vehicle credits to up to $12,500 per vehicle, including $4,500 for union-made vehicles and $500 for US-made batteries. Vehicles would have to be made in the United States starting in 2027 to qualify for any credit.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/uk-government-greenlights-self-driving-cars-on-motorways-380964">UK government greenlights 'self-driving' cars on motorways</a>

The EV tax credits would cost $15.6 billion over 10 years and disproportionately benefit Detroit's Big Three automakers - General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler-parent Stellantis NV - which assemble their US-made vehicles in union-represented plants.

Foreign automakers have harshly criticized the decision to give union-made vehicles a big leg up, while the United Auto Workers union strongly supports it.

Tesla and foreign automakers do not have unions representing assembly workers in the United States and many have fought UAW efforts to organize US&nbsp;plants.

Honda said in a letter Friday "this tax credit plan would pit Americans working for the three 'legacy'&nbsp;companies against the American workers of other automakers."

The bill would award $6 billion for the US&nbsp;Postal Service to purchase electric delivery vehicles and infrastructure. USPS said Friday it estimates under the bill "all delivery fleet acquisitions could feasibly be electric by 2028, and a corresponding 70 per cent&nbsp;of our entire delivery fleet by" 2030.

In February, USPS awarded a 10-year contract to Oshkosh Defense, a subsidiary of Oshkosh, to build a mix of internal combustion and EV delivery vehicles that could be worth$6 billion.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/china-made-electric-vehicles-should-not-be-sold-in-india-modi-govt-to-elon-musk-419293">China-made electric vehicles should not be sold in India: Modi govt to Elon Musk</a>

The EV proposal eliminates phasing out tax credits after automakers hit 200,000 electric vehicles sold, which would make GM eligible, along with Tesla.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm defended the decision to exclude Tesla from the higher credit, telling CNBC: "We want to make sure that we do everything possible to encourage that business and labor really focus on elevating the standards for everyday Americans."

The bill would create a new electric bike and three-wheel vehicle tax credit, a 30 per cent&nbsp;credit for commercial electric vehicles and $4,000 used EV tax credit.

It would authorize $3.5 billion for "domestic manufacturing conversion" grants for electric and other green vehicles and provide $3 billion to boost a US loan program to retool existing auto plants to build more fuel efficient models and expand it to cover zero-emission trains, airplanes, boats and Hyperloop technology.

A $1.75 trillion Democratic spending proposal could give a big boost to electric vehicles especially to Detroit's Big Three automakers and the US Postal Service.

A $1.75 trillion Democratic spending proposal could give a big boost to electric vehicles especially to Detroit's Big Three automakers and the US Postal Service. The House plan boosts electric vehicle credits to up to $12,500 per vehicle, including $4,500 for union-made vehicles and $500 for US-made batteries. Vehicles would have to be made in the United States starting in 2027 to qualify for any credit. Also Read | UK government greenlights 'self-driving' cars on motorways The EV tax credits would cost $15.6 billion over 10 years and disproportionately benefit Detroit's Big Three automakers - General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler-parent Stellantis NV - which assemble their US-made vehicles in union-represented plants. Foreign automakers have harshly criticized the decision to give union-made vehicles a big leg up, while the United Auto Workers union strongly supports it. Tesla and foreign automakers do not have unions representing assembly workers in the United States and many have fought UAW efforts to organize US plants. Honda said in a letter Friday "this tax credit plan would pit Americans working for the three 'legacy' companies against the American workers of other automakers." The bill would award $6 billion for the US Postal Service to purchase electric delivery vehicles and infrastructure. USPS said Friday it estimates under the bill "all delivery fleet acquisitions could feasibly be electric by 2028, and a corresponding 70 per cent of our entire delivery fleet by" 2030. In February, USPS awarded a 10-year contract to Oshkosh Defense, a subsidiary of Oshkosh, to build a mix of internal combustion and EV delivery vehicles that could be worth$6 billion. Also Read | China-made electric vehicles should not be sold in India: Modi govt to Elon Musk The EV proposal eliminates phasing out tax credits after automakers hit 200,000 electric vehicles sold, which would make GM eligible, along with Tesla. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm defended the decision to exclude Tesla from the higher credit, telling CNBC: "We want to make sure that we do everything possible to encourage that business and labor really focus on elevating the standards for everyday Americans." The bill would create a new electric bike and three-wheel vehicle tax credit, a 30 per cent credit for commercial electric vehicles and $4,000 used EV tax credit. It would authorize $3.5 billion for "domestic manufacturing conversion" grants for electric and other green vehicles and provide $3 billion to boost a US loan program to retool existing auto plants to build more fuel efficient models and expand it to cover zero-emission trains, airplanes, boats and Hyperloop technology.

US House plan would give electric vehicles big boost

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, announced rebranding of the social media platform in a live streaming session on Thursday.&nbsp;"Facebook is now&nbsp;Meta," he announced.

"We've learned a lot from struggling with&nbsp;social issues&nbsp;and living under closed platforms, and now it is time to take everything that we've learned and help build the next chapter," Zuckerberg said, but added that all apps and their brands will remain the same.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-is-now-meta-says-mark-zuckerberg-changes-company-name-424860">Facebook is now Meta, says Mark Zuckerberg, changes company name</a>

Zuckerberg slipped in the information while explaining the Facebook users about the platform's&nbsp;vision for the metaverse in a live streaming session.

Through this the social media platform is "helping to build the metaverse, a place where we’ll play and connect in 3D," Facebook's official Twitter handle explained.

This announcement comes at a time when several former employees are coming forward in forma of whistleblower and making claims about the social media platform's negligence towards misinformation, security issues, fake news and more.

While Facebook was excited to show off their rebranded company, several people expressed their anger over this change of name and lashed out at Zuckerberg, claiming that the problems in the company will not fade away through rebranding.

Twitter users logged in to shower Mark Zuckerberg with their sets of memes and jokes about the new name, 'Meta'.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAK?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAK</a> Facebook's new company name is Meta 
 
It still has all the same problems it had this morning. <a href="https://t.co/3AROaibCeU">pic.twitter.com/3AROaibCeU</a>
— Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) <a href="https://twitter.com/donie/status/1453788294160990216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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How to fix a company: simply change your name<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Facebook?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meta?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meta</a> <a href="https://t.co/3fVL1vHeUR">pic.twitter.com/3fVL1vHeUR</a>
— Jack O'Connor (@itsjackoconnor) <a href="https://twitter.com/itsjackoconnor/status/1453789382784262144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Can't have problems with Facebook if the company isn't called Facebook <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meta?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meta</a> <a href="https://t.co/AdZvrD1bWi">pic.twitter.com/AdZvrD1bWi</a>
— Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) <a href="https://twitter.com/LukeSmithF1/status/1453796399783596033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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At least the new Facebook rebrand is accurate <a href="https://t.co/5hiyEzMndV">pic.twitter.com/5hiyEzMndV</a>
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) <a href="https://twitter.com/TechnicallyRon/status/1453794952182370308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Meta accomplishes only one thing. It allows Mark Zuckerberg to say he’s not the CEO of Facebook. 
 
He will now do less controversial things like build a new virtual universe where he can be king. 
 
While running Facebook.
— Andy Slavitt 🇺🇸💉 (@ASlavitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1453795679059513348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Hey. <a href="https://t.co/axAbzsW86I">pic.twitter.com/axAbzsW86I</a>
— Matthews Martins (@helloimatthews) <a href="https://twitter.com/helloimatthews/status/1453795387953778692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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There it is. It’s official. Facebook has a new name. 
 
Introducing… 
 
MetaBollocks <a href="https://t.co/SRDMij7jI7">pic.twitter.com/SRDMij7jI7</a>
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) <a href="https://twitter.com/carolecadwalla/status/1453788769807654920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Facebook's name wasn't the problem 
 
The toxic nature of content on its platform won't be addressed by rebranding it Meta
— Edward Hardy (@EdwardTHardy) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdwardTHardy/status/1453798724984057864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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holy shit i cannot get over facebook's new name <a href="https://t.co/42UNPlgfdS">pic.twitter.com/42UNPlgfdS</a>
— 🐢 bob 📼 (@bobvids) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobvids/status/1453792610330492928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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His mama named him Facebook ima call him Facebook.
— Rod (@rodimusprime) <a href="https://twitter.com/rodimusprime/status/1453791731711946754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Mark Zuckerberg when someone calls his site Facebook instead of Meta: <a href="https://t.co/nlJYAJFqar">pic.twitter.com/nlJYAJFqar</a>
— In My Mind (@MeAloneInMyMind) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeAloneInMyMind/status/1453798298700025873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, announced rebranding of the social media platform in a live streaming session on Thursday. "Facebook is now Meta," he announced.

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, announced rebranding of the social media platform in a live streaming session on Thursday. "Facebook is now Meta," he announced. "We've learned a lot from struggling with social issues and living under closed platforms, and now it is time to take everything that we've learned and help build the next chapter," Zuckerberg said, but added that all apps and their brands will remain the same. Also read | Facebook is now Meta, says Mark Zuckerberg, changes company name Zuckerberg slipped in the information while explaining the Facebook users about the platform's vision for the metaverse in a live streaming session. Through this the social media platform is "helping to build the metaverse, a place where we’ll play and connect in 3D," Facebook's official Twitter handle explained. This announcement comes at a time when several former employees are coming forward in forma of whistleblower and making claims about the social media platform's negligence towards misinformation, security issues, fake news and more. While Facebook was excited to show off their rebranded company, several people expressed their anger over this change of name and lashed out at Zuckerberg, claiming that the problems in the company will not fade away through rebranding. Twitter users logged in to shower Mark Zuckerberg with their sets of memes and jokes about the new name, 'Meta'. #BREAK Facebook's new company name is Meta It still has all the same problems it had this morning. pic.twitter.com/3AROaibCeU — Donie O'Sullivan (@donie) October 28, 2021 × How to fix a company: simply change your name#Facebook #Meta pic.twitter.com/3fVL1vHeUR — Jack O'Connor (@itsjackoconnor) October 28, 2021 × Can't have problems with Facebook if the company isn't called Facebook #Meta pic.twitter.com/AdZvrD1bWi — Luke Smith (@LukeSmithF1) October 28, 2021 × At least the new Facebook rebrand is accurate pic.twitter.com/5hiyEzMndV — TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) October 28, 2021 × Meta accomplishes only one thing. It allows Mark Zuckerberg to say he’s not the CEO of Facebook. He will now do less controversial things like build a new virtual universe where he can be king. While running Facebook. — Andy Slavitt 🇺🇸💉 (@ASlavitt) October 28, 2021 × Hey. pic.twitter.com/axAbzsW86I — Matthews Martins (@helloimatthews) October 28, 2021 × There it is. It’s official. Facebook has a new name. Introducing… MetaBollocks pic.twitter.com/SRDMij7jI7 — Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) October 28, 2021 × Facebook's name wasn't the problem The toxic nature of content on its platform won't be addressed by rebranding it Meta — Edward Hardy (@EdwardTHardy) October 28, 2021 × holy shit i cannot get over facebook's new name pic.twitter.com/42UNPlgfdS — 🐢 bob 📼 (@bobvids) October 28, 2021 × His mama named him Facebook ima call him Facebook. — Rod (@rodimusprime) October 28, 2021 × Mark Zuckerberg when someone calls his site Facebook instead of Meta: pic.twitter.com/nlJYAJFqar — In My Mind (@MeAloneInMyMind) October 28, 2021 ×

Meta or Facebook? Twitter users make fun of rebranding of social media platform

Mark Zuckerberg's announcement of changing Facebook's name to 'Meta' has triggered an online debate on social media platform Twitter about the future of tech companies.

"To reflect who we are and what we hope to build I am proud to announce, starting today our company is now Meta," Zuckerberg said.&nbsp;

"Our mission remains the same, it is still about bringing people together," he added while asserting that "we are still the company that designs technology around people."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/facebook-changes-its-name-to-meta-as-it-forays-into-newer-horizons-like-virtual-reality-424885/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The change in Facebook's name comes as a rebrand that focuses on building the "metaverse," a shared virtual environment that it bets will be the successor to the mobile internet.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-is-now-meta-says-mark-zuckerberg-changes-company-name-to-reflect-metaverse-vision-424860">Facebook is now Meta, says Mark Zuckerberg, changes company name</a>

Earlier, the acronym used for Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google was FAANG. After Zuckerberg's decision, the acronym has been reshuffled by analysts and financial journalists.

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How it started How it's going <a href="https://t.co/ewty6VbaVh">pic.twitter.com/ewty6VbaVh</a>
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) <a href="https://twitter.com/MorningBrew/status/1453797543096238080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Taking a jibe at the change of Facebook's name and logo, Twitter users speculated the transformation in the acronym for tech companies.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-or-facebook-twitter-users-make-fun-of-rebranding-of-social-media-platform-424869">Meta or Facebook? Twitter makes fun of rebranding of social media platform</a>

While some called it MANGA, which stands for Meta, Amazon, Netflix, Google, and Apple, others called it MAGMA.

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FAANG is over. 
meta, apple, google, ms, amazon = MAGMA <a href="https://t.co/F9WGhiA5UP">pic.twitter.com/F9WGhiA5UP</a>
— Eric Adler (@ericladler) <a href="https://twitter.com/ericladler/status/1453797659907526668?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Shorthands for monikers are usually used by today's tech-savvy generation that faces a character limit on posts in the case of Twitter.

Some Twitteratis even questioned why is Google not using the name of its parent company Alphabet Inc and what would happen if Netflix is dropped from the acronym and is replaced by&nbsp;Elon Musk's Tesla.

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if we're using Meta for Facebook then Google has to be Alphabet so the new acronym should really be: 
 
MAAAN 
 
pretty fitting tbh
— Ali Spittel 🐞 (@ASpittel) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASpittel/status/1453794812260323336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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What do we call FAANG now? If we drop Netflix for Tesla, it could be MAGAT...
— CIO of The North (@MNupdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNupdate/status/1453799924487819280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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MANGA is also a term used for anime or graphic novels in Japan.

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FAANG is now MANGA 
 
better brush up on your anime.
— Hedgeye (@Hedgeye) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hedgeye/status/1453790162782146560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Facebook is battling criticisms from lawmakers and regulators over its market power, algorithmic decisions, and the policing of abuses on its services.

Mark Zuckerberg's announcement of changing Facebook's name to 'Meta' has triggered an online debate on social media platform Twitter about the future of tech companies.

Mark Zuckerberg's announcement of changing Facebook's name to 'Meta' has triggered an online debate on social media platform Twitter about the future of tech companies. "To reflect who we are and what we hope to build I am proud to announce, starting today our company is now Meta," Zuckerberg said. "Our mission remains the same, it is still about bringing people together," he added while asserting that "we are still the company that designs technology around people." The change in Facebook's name comes as a rebrand that focuses on building the "metaverse," a shared virtual environment that it bets will be the successor to the mobile internet. Also read | Facebook is now Meta, says Mark Zuckerberg, changes company name Earlier, the acronym used for Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Google was FAANG. After Zuckerberg's decision, the acronym has been reshuffled by analysts and financial journalists. How it started How it's going pic.twitter.com/ewty6VbaVh — Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) October 28, 2021 × Taking a jibe at the change of Facebook's name and logo, Twitter users speculated the transformation in the acronym for tech companies. Also read | Meta or Facebook? Twitter makes fun of rebranding of social media platform While some called it MANGA, which stands for Meta, Amazon, Netflix, Google, and Apple, others called it MAGMA. FAANG is over. meta, apple, google, ms, amazon = MAGMA pic.twitter.com/F9WGhiA5UP — Eric Adler (@ericladler) October 28, 2021 × Shorthands for monikers are usually used by today's tech-savvy generation that faces a character limit on posts in the case of Twitter. Some Twitteratis even questioned why is Google not using the name of its parent company Alphabet Inc and what would happen if Netflix is dropped from the acronym and is replaced by Elon Musk's Tesla. if we're using Meta for Facebook then Google has to be Alphabet so the new acronym should really be: MAAAN pretty fitting tbh — Ali Spittel 🐞 (@ASpittel) October 28, 2021 × What do we call FAANG now? If we drop Netflix for Tesla, it could be MAGAT... — CIO of The North (@MNupdate) October 28, 2021 × MANGA is also a term used for anime or graphic novels in Japan. FAANG is now MANGA better brush up on your anime. — Hedgeye (@Hedgeye) October 28, 2021 × Facebook is battling criticisms from lawmakers and regulators over its market power, algorithmic decisions, and the policing of abuses on its services.

From FAANG to MANGA: Twitter users speculate future of tech companies

A Japanese startup, known as A.L.I. Technologies, has launched a hoverbike worth $680,000 to target supercar users.

Backed by soccer player Keisuke Honda and electronics giant Mitsubishi, the hoverbike is called ''XTurismo Limited Edition.''

It is environment friendly and on a single charge can fly at a top speed of 100km/hr. It is equipped with a conventional engine and four battery-powered motors.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/want-a-flying-car-you-may-take-a-look-at-jetson-one-424234">Also read |&nbsp;Want a flying car? You may take a look at Jetson One</a>

Resting on landing skids when stationary, the black and red hoverbike consists of a motorcycle-like body on top of propellers.

According to Chief Executive Daisuke Katano, ''Until now the choice has been to move on the ground or at scale in the sky. We hope to offer a new method of movement.''

Commercial success for A.L.I. Technologies, whose suppliers include engine maker Kawasaki Heavy, would help reinforce Japan's industrial edge amid a generational shift towards new technology such as autonomous and electric vehicles.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/future-of-racing-full-size-flying-race-car-takes-first-flight-392179">Also read |&nbsp;'Future of racing': Full-size flying race car takes first flight</a>

The growth of sectors like ride-sharing has been hobbled due to Japan's strict regulations driven by safety concerns. The country faces the problem of overcrowding as Tokyo alone has 13.5 million residents.

Uber along with aviation corporations as well as venture capitalists are also investing heavily in the burgeoning flying automotive industry, which analysts say could be worth as much as $1.5 trillion by 2040.

Global sales of electric vehicles (EVs), estimated at 2.5 million vehicles in 2020, are forecast to grow more than 12-fold to 31.1 million by 2030 and account for nearly a third of new vehicle sales, as per consulting firm Deloitte.

Promising an era of personal air transportation from jetpacks to flying taxis, funding is flowing to startups from California-based Joby Aviation to Israel's AIR.&nbsp;

A Japanese startup, known as A.L.I. Technologies, has launched a hoverbike worth $680,000 to target supercar users. Backed by soccer player Keisuke Honda and electronics giant Mitsubishi, the hoverbike is called ''XTurismo Limited Edition.

A Japanese startup, known as A.L.I. Technologies, has launched a hoverbike worth $680,000 to target supercar users. Backed by soccer player Keisuke Honda and electronics giant Mitsubishi, the hoverbike is called ''XTurismo Limited Edition.'' It is environment friendly and on a single charge can fly at a top speed of 100km/hr. It is equipped with a conventional engine and four battery-powered motors. Also read | Want a flying car? You may take a look at Jetson One Resting on landing skids when stationary, the black and red hoverbike consists of a motorcycle-like body on top of propellers. According to Chief Executive Daisuke Katano, ''Until now the choice has been to move on the ground or at scale in the sky. We hope to offer a new method of movement.'' Commercial success for A.L.I. Technologies, whose suppliers include engine maker Kawasaki Heavy, would help reinforce Japan's industrial edge amid a generational shift towards new technology such as autonomous and electric vehicles. Also read | 'Future of racing': Full-size flying race car takes first flight The growth of sectors like ride-sharing has been hobbled due to Japan's strict regulations driven by safety concerns. The country faces the problem of overcrowding as Tokyo alone has 13.5 million residents. Uber along with aviation corporations as well as venture capitalists are also investing heavily in the burgeoning flying automotive industry, which analysts say could be worth as much as $1.5 trillion by 2040. Global sales of electric vehicles (EVs), estimated at 2.5 million vehicles in 2020, are forecast to grow more than 12-fold to 31.1 million by 2030 and account for nearly a third of new vehicle sales, as per consulting firm Deloitte. Promising an era of personal air transportation from jetpacks to flying taxis, funding is flowing to startups from California-based Joby Aviation to Israel's AIR.

Get, set, go: Japanese startup launches hoverbike worth $680,000

On Tuesday, former President Trump claimed that his proposed new social media company Truth Social is a philanthropic endeavour to offer a voice to his fans who have been "silenced by Big Tech," rather than a big-bucks money-making scheme.&nbsp;

"We have fallen far down the 'slippery slope' of censorship in our country, and the topics that Americans are increasingly forbidden to debate are among the most important issues of our day," Trump said in a lengthy statement.

"We are inviting people of all political stripes, and all different viewpoints, to come and participate once again in the great American debate," he said.&nbsp;

"That's what our country is supposed to be about," the statement read. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Here's why Donald Trump could win the 2024 Presidential Race

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-heres-why-donald-trump-could-win-the-2024-presidential-race-420803/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The ex-president, who was banned from Twitter after a mob of his supporters invaded the Capitol last year, fueled by false claims about last year's election, to stop the Electoral College vote certification, framed his effort as an attack on Big Tech and what he claimed was its censorship.&nbsp;

Trump said that he was the "only person in America with the megaphone, the money, the expertise, and the drive" to develop the platform, and that 'Truth Social' was a critical step toward restoring democracy.

Trump is still the de facto Republican Party leader and is considering a candidacy for the White House in 2024.

However, the efforts taken by social media firms to ban him from their platforms after January 6 have greatly harmed his capacity to influence news cycles and engage with millions.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

On Tuesday, former President Trump claimed that his proposed new social media company Truth Social is a philanthropic endeavour to offer a voice to his fans who have been "silenced by Big Tech," rather than a big-bucks money-making scheme.

On Tuesday, former President Trump claimed that his proposed new social media company Truth Social is a philanthropic endeavour to offer a voice to his fans who have been "silenced by Big Tech," rather than a big-bucks money-making scheme. "We have fallen far down the 'slippery slope' of censorship in our country, and the topics that Americans are increasingly forbidden to debate are among the most important issues of our day," Trump said in a lengthy statement. "We are inviting people of all political stripes, and all different viewpoints, to come and participate once again in the great American debate," he said. "That's what our country is supposed to be about," the statement read. Watch | Gravitas: Here's why Donald Trump could win the 2024 Presidential Race The ex-president, who was banned from Twitter after a mob of his supporters invaded the Capitol last year, fueled by false claims about last year's election, to stop the Electoral College vote certification, framed his effort as an attack on Big Tech and what he claimed was its censorship. Trump said that he was the "only person in America with the megaphone, the money, the expertise, and the drive" to develop the platform, and that 'Truth Social' was a critical step toward restoring democracy. Trump is still the de facto Republican Party leader and is considering a candidacy for the White House in 2024. However, the efforts taken by social media firms to ban him from their platforms after January 6 have greatly harmed his capacity to influence news cycles and engage with millions. (With inputs from agencies)

Truth Social: Trump wants to 'SAVE' US with new social media company

Richard Errington clicked to stream a science fiction film from his home in Britain last month when YouTube carded him.

The site said Errington, who is older than 50, needed to prove that he was old enough to watch “Space Is the Place,” a 1974 movie starring jazz musician Sun Ra. He had three options: Enter his credit card information, upload a photo identification such as a passport, or skip the video.

“I decided that it wasn’t worth the stress,” he said.

In response to mounting pressure from activists, parents and regulators who believe tech companies haven’t done enough to protect children online, businesses and governments around the globe are placing major parts of the internet behind stricter digital age checks.

People in Japan must provide a document proving their age to use the dating app Tinder. The popular game Roblox requires players to upload a form of government identification — and a selfie to prove the ID belongs to them — if they want access to a voice chat feature. Laws in Germany and France require pornography websites to check visitors’ ages.

The changes, which have picked up speed over the past two years, could upend one of the internet’s central traits: the ability to remain anonymous. Since the days of dial-up modems and AOL chat rooms, people could traverse huge swaths of the web without divulging any personal details. Many people created an online persona entirely separate from their offline one.

But the experience of consuming content and communicating online is increasingly less like an anonymous public square and more like going to the bank, with measures to prove that you are who you say you are. This month, lawmakers in Washington, which has lagged other world capitals in regulating tech companies, called for new rules to protect young people after a former Facebook employee said the company knew its products harmed some teenagers. They repeated those calls Tuesday in a hearing with executives from YouTube, TikTok and the parent company of Snapchat.

Critics of the age checks say that in the name of keeping people safe, they could endanger user privacy, dampen free expression and hurt communities that benefit from anonymity online. Authoritarian governments have used protecting children as an argument for limiting online speech: China barred websites this summer from ranking celebrities by popularity as part of a larger crackdown on what it says are the pernicious effects of celebrity culture on young people.

“Are we going to start seeing more age verification? Of course,” said Hany Farid, a professor of engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, who has called for more child safety measures. “Because there is more pressure, there’s more awareness now on how these technologies are harming kids.”

But, Farid said, regulators and companies need to proceed with caution. “We don’t want the solution to be more harmful than the problem,” he said.

Many websites have long required visitors to submit their birth date to see content meant only for adults. But visitors could usually do so without showing any evidence of their age.

That is no longer enough for some regulators. New child protection guidelines in Britain say some websites need to take additional steps to verify their users’ ages when the services collect sensitive user data.

An update to the European Union’s rules for video and audio services requires sites to protect minors, which may include checking users’ ages. In response to the change, Google said last year that it would ask some users of YouTube, which it owns, for their identification documents or credit card details before they could watch adults-only videos. A spokesperson for Google pointed to an August blog post where the company said it was “looking at ways to develop consistent product experiences and user controls for kids and teens globally” as regulators applied new rules in different countries.

Facebook is exploring similar options. The company said in July that it was developing programs to look for signs that users were lying about their age, such as spotting when someone who claims to be 21 gets messages about her quinceañera. But when “we do feel we need more information, we’re developing a menu of options for someone to prove their age,” Pavni Diwanji, Facebook’s vice president of youth products, said in the post. Facebook later said one option would involve providing identification documents.

Many of the new age verification efforts require users to submit government-issued identification or credit card information. But other companies are using, or considering, other options, such as software that scans a user’s face to approximate the person’s age.

Critics of the checks worry that the requirement will force users to give sensitive information to websites with limited resources to prevent hacks. Outside companies that offer age checks would be vulnerable, too.

“Either way, that’s still a treasure trove of data that’s exploitable,” said Daly Barnett, a staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an online privacy and free speech advocacy group.

Many companies, and governments, say they are putting measures in place to address privacy concerns, such as limits on how long data is stored. The British privacy regulator overseeing the new child protection code said this month that websites should deploy the most aggressive age checks — such as requiring government identification — only when the potential risk to a child was equally significant.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

While sorting out which age-check method to use, Roblox, the game company, showed prototypes to 10 teenage players, said Chris Aston Chen, a senior product manager at the company.

One possible method required players to get on a video call, while another checked government databases. Chen said the players gravitated toward using government IDs, an option they trusted and thought was convenient. (Roblox’s chief product officer is a board member of The New York Times Co.)

The technology will also make it easier for Roblox to keep out players it has barred because of inappropriate conduct in the voice chat feature. If those players log back in using a new account but try to verify their age using the same government document, they’ll be locked out.

“I do imagine that over the next few years that there will be an increased level of comfort and expectation, almost, to provide some sort of personal verification on a platform for the greater good,” Chen said.

Some services are resisting the checks. Twitter allows users to disclose their birth date but does not require it. If users want to view adult content, they must click through a warning but don’t have to prove they are 18 or older.

“At the heart of Twitter is the belief that there’s a huge value to the public conversation of people being able to speak pseudonymously to the world,” said Nick Pickles, a senior director of global public policy strategy at Twitter, “and also not requiring a significant amount of personal information to be provided before you can use online services.”

The shift might be troublesome for some people, critics said. Posts related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are more likely to be mistakenly marked as “adult” content even if they are not overtly sexual, for example, said Barnett.

Automatic facial analysis is also often less accurate for female faces or people with darker skin. And critics worry that strict age checks could make life more difficult for people such as sex workers and political dissidents who rely on anonymity online.

Perhaps no part of the web has more new age-check requirements than pornography sites, which are often at the leading edge of technology trends. In addition to Germany and France, governments including Poland, the Philippines and Canada have considered proposals that would require pornography sites to check ages.

“The internet was created by adults, for adults,” said Julie Inman Grant, who runs Australia’s Office of the eSafety Commissioner and has been developing age-check guidelines. “And I think one of the key challenges for us is to come up with a system that proves a child is a child sitting behind a keyboard.”

It is unclear how internet users will respond to the increasingly common age checks.

For months, YouTube explained to frustrated users on Twitter that it was demanding government IDs because of new regulations.

“I pay for youtube music, yet it wants me to upload a copy of my ID so it can verify my age before it will let me play ‘in bloom’ by Nirvana,” one user tweeted. The user noted that he had first bought the track on cassette “when I was about 12, almost 30 years ago.”

“This is a rule applied to video sharing platforms in certain countries,” YouTube’s customer support account responded.

Errington said YouTube had asked him for a credit card when he tried to watch “Space Is the Place.” He doesn’t have one. And he said he felt uncomfortable uploading a photo ID.

“I wasn’t prepared to give out this information,” he said. “So the Sun Ra video remains a mystery.”

Richard Errington clicked to stream a science fiction film from his home in Britain last month when YouTube carded him. The site said Errington, who is older than 50, needed to prove that he was old enough to watch “Space Is the Place,” a 1974 movie starring jazz musician Sun Ra.

Richard Errington clicked to stream a science fiction film from his home in Britain last month when YouTube carded him. The site said Errington, who is older than 50, needed to prove that he was old enough to watch “Space Is the Place,” a 1974 movie starring jazz musician Sun Ra. He had three options: Enter his credit card information, upload a photo identification such as a passport, or skip the video. “I decided that it wasn’t worth the stress,” he said. In response to mounting pressure from activists, parents and regulators who believe tech companies haven’t done enough to protect children online, businesses and governments around the globe are placing major parts of the internet behind stricter digital age checks. People in Japan must provide a document proving their age to use the dating app Tinder. The popular game Roblox requires players to upload a form of government identification — and a selfie to prove the ID belongs to them — if they want access to a voice chat feature. Laws in Germany and France require pornography websites to check visitors’ ages. The changes, which have picked up speed over the past two years, could upend one of the internet’s central traits: the ability to remain anonymous. Since the days of dial-up modems and AOL chat rooms, people could traverse huge swaths of the web without divulging any personal details. Many people created an online persona entirely separate from their offline one. But the experience of consuming content and communicating online is increasingly less like an anonymous public square and more like going to the bank, with measures to prove that you are who you say you are. This month, lawmakers in Washington, which has lagged other world capitals in regulating tech companies, called for new rules to protect young people after a former Facebook employee said the company knew its products harmed some teenagers. They repeated those calls Tuesday in a hearing with executives from YouTube, TikTok and the parent company of Snapchat. Critics of the age checks say that in the name of keeping people safe, they could endanger user privacy, dampen free expression and hurt communities that benefit from anonymity online. Authoritarian governments have used protecting children as an argument for limiting online speech: China barred websites this summer from ranking celebrities by popularity as part of a larger crackdown on what it says are the pernicious effects of celebrity culture on young people. “Are we going to start seeing more age verification? Of course,” said Hany Farid, a professor of engineering and computer science at the University of California, Berkeley, who has called for more child safety measures. “Because there is more pressure, there’s more awareness now on how these technologies are harming kids.” But, Farid said, regulators and companies need to proceed with caution. “We don’t want the solution to be more harmful than the problem,” he said. Many websites have long required visitors to submit their birth date to see content meant only for adults. But visitors could usually do so without showing any evidence of their age. That is no longer enough for some regulators. New child protection guidelines in Britain say some websites need to take additional steps to verify their users’ ages when the services collect sensitive user data. An update to the European Union’s rules for video and audio services requires sites to protect minors, which may include checking users’ ages. In response to the change, Google said last year that it would ask some users of YouTube, which it owns, for their identification documents or credit card details before they could watch adults-only videos. A spokesperson for Google pointed to an August blog post where the company said it was “looking at ways to develop consistent product experiences and user controls for kids and teens globally” as regulators applied new rules in different countries. Facebook is exploring similar options. The company said in July that it was developing programs to look for signs that users were lying about their age, such as spotting when someone who claims to be 21 gets messages about her quinceañera. But when “we do feel we need more information, we’re developing a menu of options for someone to prove their age,” Pavni Diwanji, Facebook’s vice president of youth products, said in the post. Facebook later said one option would involve providing identification documents. Many of the new age verification efforts require users to submit government-issued identification or credit card information. But other companies are using, or considering, other options, such as software that scans a user’s face to approximate the person’s age. Critics of the checks worry that the requirement will force users to give sensitive information to websites with limited resources to prevent hacks. Outside companies that offer age checks would be vulnerable, too. “Either way, that’s still a treasure trove of data that’s exploitable,” said Daly Barnett, a staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an online privacy and free speech advocacy group. Many companies, and governments, say they are putting measures in place to address privacy concerns, such as limits on how long data is stored. The British privacy regulator overseeing the new child protection code said this month that websites should deploy the most aggressive age checks — such as requiring government identification — only when the potential risk to a child was equally significant. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) While sorting out which age-check method to use, Roblox, the game company, showed prototypes to 10 teenage players, said Chris Aston Chen, a senior product manager at the company. One possible method required players to get on a video call, while another checked government databases. Chen said the players gravitated toward using government IDs, an option they trusted and thought was convenient. (Roblox’s chief product officer is a board member of The New York Times Co.) The technology will also make it easier for Roblox to keep out players it has barred because of inappropriate conduct in the voice chat feature. If those players log back in using a new account but try to verify their age using the same government document, they’ll be locked out. “I do imagine that over the next few years that there will be an increased level of comfort and expectation, almost, to provide some sort of personal verification on a platform for the greater good,” Chen said. Some services are resisting the checks. Twitter allows users to disclose their birth date but does not require it. If users want to view adult content, they must click through a warning but don’t have to prove they are 18 or older. “At the heart of Twitter is the belief that there’s a huge value to the public conversation of people being able to speak pseudonymously to the world,” said Nick Pickles, a senior director of global public policy strategy at Twitter, “and also not requiring a significant amount of personal information to be provided before you can use online services.” The shift might be troublesome for some people, critics said. Posts related to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are more likely to be mistakenly marked as “adult” content even if they are not overtly sexual, for example, said Barnett. Automatic facial analysis is also often less accurate for female faces or people with darker skin. And critics worry that strict age checks could make life more difficult for people such as sex workers and political dissidents who rely on anonymity online. Perhaps no part of the web has more new age-check requirements than pornography sites, which are often at the leading edge of technology trends. In addition to Germany and France, governments including Poland, the Philippines and Canada have considered proposals that would require pornography sites to check ages. “The internet was created by adults, for adults,” said Julie Inman Grant, who runs Australia’s Office of the eSafety Commissioner and has been developing age-check guidelines. “And I think one of the key challenges for us is to come up with a system that proves a child is a child sitting behind a keyboard.” It is unclear how internet users will respond to the increasingly common age checks. For months, YouTube explained to frustrated users on Twitter that it was demanding government IDs because of new regulations. “I pay for youtube music, yet it wants me to upload a copy of my ID so it can verify my age before it will let me play ‘in bloom’ by Nirvana,” one user tweeted. The user noted that he had first bought the track on cassette “when I was about 12, almost 30 years ago.” “This is a rule applied to video sharing platforms in certain countries,” YouTube’s customer support account responded. Errington said YouTube had asked him for a credit card when he tried to watch “Space Is the Place.” He doesn’t have one. And he said he felt uncomfortable uploading a photo ID. “I wasn’t prepared to give out this information,” he said. “So the Sun Ra video remains a mystery.”

Anonymity no more? Age checks come to the web

A routine voice message that Soundarya Rajinikanth received from her cinema superstar father Rajinikanth, gave her the idea to launch Hoote, a voice-first social networking platform. Launching the Hoote mobile application in 15 native Indian languages, Co-Founders Soundarya Rajinikanth and entrepreneur Sunny Pokala said that Hoote was meant to enable users to share and broadcast their content, thoughts via a recorded 60-second voice clip. They see voice-based social media as a means to capture real emotion, nuance and context, as opposed to text-based social media.&nbsp;

This made-in-India tech offering, available on both Android and iOS, is aimed at the English-speaking urban users and the rural audience, that might not be comfortable in using English-first social media apps. It is also being touted as a means for politicians, celebrities, eminent professionals and industrialists to connect with a larger audience, via voice. The app’s name is inspired by the Owl’s call, which goes by the same name. White owls are said to be a symbol of wisdom, Soundarya added.&nbsp;

It was in December 2020, as Rajini was planning his political foray and acting in a film that he sent his daughter a voice message in Tamil, owing to his inability to write/message in the same language. Realizing the power of voice-based communication, Soundarya reached out to Sunny and started building Hoote in early 2021. “That(Rajini’s political foray) didn’t happen owing to circumstances, but this (Hoote) happened”, she says proudly.&nbsp;

Sharing his first 60-second voice clip on the App, Rajini said that Hoote provided an opportunity for even illiterate persons to easily share their thoughts to the world, via their own voice. As advisors to the founders, Girish Mathrubootham of Freshworks fame and Silicon Valley investor Arvind Parthasarathy&nbsp;shared their wishes and commended the idea of harnessing the power of voice.

According to the founders, Hoote users would be able to create and be a part of private and public groups, can share image and background music, along with their voice clips. Some of the upcoming features include availability in 10 International languages, pinned Hootes, accessing multiple profiles from a single device, adding background music to voice clips, privacy controls on who gets to hear a Hoote, subtitles for different languages, text and voice comments, the option to listen to audio teasers and trailers. They envision Hoote as an aggregator for voice content across genres and across languages.&nbsp;

When asked about the kind of user data that the app would collect and the revenue model (advertisement-driven or freemium), the founders told Zee Media that it would only collect basic information such as name, profession, contact information, at the time of signing up. “There is no charge and it is not monetized using advertisement revenue. We want to popularize the app”, they added.&nbsp;

On queries regarding how they planned to take on existing social media giants, the founders said that Hoote was not meant to be a director competitor. Hoote would also feature security measures to keep a tab on abusive content and allow users to report it and is compliant with all Indian laws, besides having stringent verification, the founders added.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A routine voice message that Soundarya Rajinikanth received from her cinema superstar father Rajinikanth, gave her the idea to launch Hoote, a voice-first social networking platform.

A routine voice message that Soundarya Rajinikanth received from her cinema superstar father Rajinikanth, gave her the idea to launch Hoote, a voice-first social networking platform. Launching the Hoote mobile application in 15 native Indian languages, Co-Founders Soundarya Rajinikanth and entrepreneur Sunny Pokala said that Hoote was meant to enable users to share and broadcast their content, thoughts via a recorded 60-second voice clip. They see voice-based social media as a means to capture real emotion, nuance and context, as opposed to text-based social media. This made-in-India tech offering, available on both Android and iOS, is aimed at the English-speaking urban users and the rural audience, that might not be comfortable in using English-first social media apps. It is also being touted as a means for politicians, celebrities, eminent professionals and industrialists to connect with a larger audience, via voice. The app’s name is inspired by the Owl’s call, which goes by the same name. White owls are said to be a symbol of wisdom, Soundarya added. It was in December 2020, as Rajini was planning his political foray and acting in a film that he sent his daughter a voice message in Tamil, owing to his inability to write/message in the same language. Realizing the power of voice-based communication, Soundarya reached out to Sunny and started building Hoote in early 2021. “That(Rajini’s political foray) didn’t happen owing to circumstances, but this (Hoote) happened”, she says proudly. Sharing his first 60-second voice clip on the App, Rajini said that Hoote provided an opportunity for even illiterate persons to easily share their thoughts to the world, via their own voice. As advisors to the founders, Girish Mathrubootham of Freshworks fame and Silicon Valley investor Arvind Parthasarathy shared their wishes and commended the idea of harnessing the power of voice. According to the founders, Hoote users would be able to create and be a part of private and public groups, can share image and background music, along with their voice clips. Some of the upcoming features include availability in 10 International languages, pinned Hootes, accessing multiple profiles from a single device, adding background music to voice clips, privacy controls on who gets to hear a Hoote, subtitles for different languages, text and voice comments, the option to listen to audio teasers and trailers. They envision Hoote as an aggregator for voice content across genres and across languages. When asked about the kind of user data that the app would collect and the revenue model (advertisement-driven or freemium), the founders told Zee Media that it would only collect basic information such as name, profession, contact information, at the time of signing up. “There is no charge and it is not monetized using advertisement revenue. We want to popularize the app”, they added. On queries regarding how they planned to take on existing social media giants, the founders said that Hoote was not meant to be a director competitor. Hoote would also feature security measures to keep a tab on abusive content and allow users to report it and is compliant with all Indian laws, besides having stringent verification, the founders added.

Rajinikanth shares first 'Hoote' on daughter's newly launched voice-based social network

Along with its new MacBook Pro and AirPods 3, Apple just released a product that has sparked internet buzz.

The&nbsp;tech behemoth has released an unique cleaning cloth for its gadgets, which costs $19.

The cloth was created specifically to clean any Apple display, "even nano-texture glass," in a safe and effective manner.

The high price for something as basic as a cleaning cloth, on the other hand, elicited a flurry of comments on Twitter.&nbsp;

While many people thought that selling a cleaning cloth for that price was absurd, others wasted no time in creating amusing memes around the product.

Not only that, but users' laughter was heightened when they discovered a list of compatible gadgets for Apple's new offering.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, Apple's cleaning cloth has already surpassed the status of the highest-margin tangible product.

Furthermore, the firm claims that the polishing cloth is currently in low supply and will take three to four weeks to ship worldwide.&nbsp;

Apple also provided a compatibility list, demonstrating that the polishing cloth is compatible with nearly all Apple devices.

Apple claims that it is compatible with iPhone 6 and later, MacBooks and iMacs dating back to 2015, all iPads, Apple Watches, and iPod touches, and, as previously noted, the Pro Display XDR.

It's amusing that earlier iPhone models aren't included on this list, implying that they're incompatible... with a cleaning cloth.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Along with its new MacBook Pro and AirPods 3, Apple just released a product that has sparked internet buzz. The tech behemoth has released an unique cleaning cloth for its gadgets, which costs $19.

Along with its new MacBook Pro and AirPods 3, Apple just released a product that has sparked internet buzz. The tech behemoth has released an unique cleaning cloth for its gadgets, which costs $19. The cloth was created specifically to clean any Apple display, "even nano-texture glass," in a safe and effective manner. The high price for something as basic as a cleaning cloth, on the other hand, elicited a flurry of comments on Twitter. While many people thought that selling a cleaning cloth for that price was absurd, others wasted no time in creating amusing memes around the product. Not only that, but users' laughter was heightened when they discovered a list of compatible gadgets for Apple's new offering. Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, Apple's cleaning cloth has already surpassed the status of the highest-margin tangible product. Furthermore, the firm claims that the polishing cloth is currently in low supply and will take three to four weeks to ship worldwide. Apple also provided a compatibility list, demonstrating that the polishing cloth is compatible with nearly all Apple devices. Apple claims that it is compatible with iPhone 6 and later, MacBooks and iMacs dating back to 2015, all iPads, Apple Watches, and iPod touches, and, as previously noted, the Pro Display XDR. It's amusing that earlier iPhone models aren't included on this list, implying that they're incompatible... with a cleaning cloth. (With inputs from agencies)

Apple unveils a $19 ‘polishing cloth’ to clean your MacBook, iPhone

When a product starts making a lot of noise on social media, it can be attributed either to good marketing or sheer customer curiosity. This is the reason why the FlexBike's popularity across social media intrigued me.

I was excited to try out the product on three counts.&nbsp;

One, it has been launched by an Indian start-up, a Gurugram-based fitness technology start-up called Flexnest. Capitalising on the at-home fitness trend, the start-up offers multiple fitness equipment — from equipment stands, kettlebells, barbells, a fitness scale and the most popular one, a Bluetooth-enabled smart bike called FlexBike.

Two, I am a fitness enthusiast and since the pandemic took over our lives, I have been wary of heading to a gym. If you're someone who is counting on at-home workouts to keep up with your fitness levels, then this review is for you.

Three, the simple offering of a smart bike with preloaded workouts is hard to resist. Especially when the fitness industry has overwhelmed us all with terms like HIIT, strength training, AMRAP, and what not. The Flexbike is more than just a cycle, it's a workout experience.

Who shouldn't bother reading this review? All those who have resumed their gym memberships and are habitual runners in the great outdoors. No matter how many features I propose, this is not for the outdoor fitness enthusiast or iron-pumping gym rat.

The FlexBike is priced at INR 29,990 which is steep for an indoor cycle. But do note it is cheaper than quite a few popular fitness smartwatches that are in the market currently.

<h2>Looks</h2>

I was pleasantly surprised to see a compact box make way into my living room which had different parts of the FlexBike. Once it's set up, you'll be surprised to see how chic and sturdy it looks. It&nbsp;won't be an eyesore in your interiors. It's all black with orange accents and doesn't look like those clunky, intimidating exercise bikes which you find inside gyms. The wheels at the front make it easy to lift and move around the house, depending on where you want to exercise. You can set it up by watching the tutorial online or ask the company to send someone to set it up for you. There is a tablet stand in the front, where you can easily park your tablet or smartphone. This stand can be adjusted manually to suit your preference.

<img alt="Flexibike" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ff0dd21c-d221-41fe-bfb5-696ce27d25b7" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Flexibike.jpg" />

<h2>Performance</h2>

So why would you put an exercise bike in a confined space when you can invest in a superior bike and head outdoors? In this case, for the motivation and easy accessibility. The FlexBike comes with a Bluetooth sensor which connects with a user's smartphone or tablet. You'll have to download the FlexNest app and then start peddling. You'll then be introduced to a series of rides with instructors. You can choose between a Quick Ride, a Virtual Ride and a Class Ride. There is a resistance lever at the bottom of the bike to increase or decrease the difficulty levels.

If you're trying to get a good cardio workout in, I would recommend opting for a "Class Ride". A fitness instructor will yell in your ear -- assuming you're cycling with earphones on — to increase the intensity from time to time. There's something about having a personal coach take you through an intensive workout with variations that keeps you motivated and that is where the FlexBike excels. 
Cardio workouts are great for heart health and indoor cycling has seen great popularity with especially during spinning sessions. I also loved the "Virtual Ride" where you can ride through the beautiful, scenic landscapes from Provence in France to the Apline mountains in Switzerland and Italy. So you can burn the calories while watching the beautiful scenes pass by. Trust me, it makes it easier to wrap up a 30 minute workout without looking at the clock. If you buy the bike, you get a free subscription of classes on demand for a year which is a great value addition for all those who want to hit their fitness target with a little bit of support from a certified instructor.

<h2>Should you buy an exercise bike for nearly INR 30,000?</h2>

In 30,000 rupees you can probably buy an annual membership at a decent gym or even sign yourself up for online fitness coaching. 
However, in my experience, consistency is key when it comes to fitness. So ask yourself, will you head to the gym regularly? If the answer is "maybe", then the FlexBike is a great addition to your routine. Even a 30-minute ride, three times a week, will be a great start, I say.

Since the pandemic forced us to stay indoors, there has been a rise in demand for at-home fitness equipment and services. Products like the FlexBike have entered the market at a time when people are starting to adapt to stay-at-home workouts. Some have begun to prefer them to noisy gyms. The FlexBike makes a simple ride enjoyable with its interface and Bluetooth connectivity. Its sturdy yet portable form factor makes it easy to move around rooms and floors.

Also, if you are planning on indulging in the festive treats, there's a strong chance that a new year fitness resolution is being jotted down somewhere in your calendar. The FlexBike can nudge you in the right direction. &nbsp;

If you are someone who is just starting their fitness journey and find the grunts and smells of a classic gym too overwhelming, the FlexBike is a great product for you.

If you can't travel to Paris and New York right now, you can cycle to the scenic locations virtually, while burning some calories. Just make sure you start pedalling instead of using the bike as a towel rack.

When a product starts making a lot of noise on social media, it can be attributed either to good marketing or sheer customer curiosity. This is the reason why the FlexBike's popularity across social media intrigued me.

When a product starts making a lot of noise on social media, it can be attributed either to good marketing or sheer customer curiosity. This is the reason why the FlexBike's popularity across social media intrigued me. I was excited to try out the product on three counts. One, it has been launched by an Indian start-up, a Gurugram-based fitness technology start-up called Flexnest. Capitalising on the at-home fitness trend, the start-up offers multiple fitness equipment — from equipment stands, kettlebells, barbells, a fitness scale and the most popular one, a Bluetooth-enabled smart bike called FlexBike. Two, I am a fitness enthusiast and since the pandemic took over our lives, I have been wary of heading to a gym. If you're someone who is counting on at-home workouts to keep up with your fitness levels, then this review is for you. Three, the simple offering of a smart bike with preloaded workouts is hard to resist. Especially when the fitness industry has overwhelmed us all with terms like HIIT, strength training, AMRAP, and what not. The Flexbike is more than just a cycle, it's a workout experience. Who shouldn't bother reading this review? All those who have resumed their gym memberships and are habitual runners in the great outdoors. No matter how many features I propose, this is not for the outdoor fitness enthusiast or iron-pumping gym rat. The FlexBike is priced at INR 29,990 which is steep for an indoor cycle. But do note it is cheaper than quite a few popular fitness smartwatches that are in the market currently. Looks I was pleasantly surprised to see a compact box make way into my living room which had different parts of the FlexBike. Once it's set up, you'll be surprised to see how chic and sturdy it looks. It won't be an eyesore in your interiors. It's all black with orange accents and doesn't look like those clunky, intimidating exercise bikes which you find inside gyms. The wheels at the front make it easy to lift and move around the house, depending on where you want to exercise. You can set it up by watching the tutorial online or ask the company to send someone to set it up for you. There is a tablet stand in the front, where you can easily park your tablet or smartphone. This stand can be adjusted manually to suit your preference. Performance So why would you put an exercise bike in a confined space when you can invest in a superior bike and head outdoors? In this case, for the motivation and easy accessibility. The FlexBike comes with a Bluetooth sensor which connects with a user's smartphone or tablet. You'll have to download the FlexNest app and then start peddling. You'll then be introduced to a series of rides with instructors. You can choose between a Quick Ride, a Virtual Ride and a Class Ride. There is a resistance lever at the bottom of the bike to increase or decrease the difficulty levels. If you're trying to get a good cardio workout in, I would recommend opting for a "Class Ride". A fitness instructor will yell in your ear -- assuming you're cycling with earphones on — to increase the intensity from time to time. There's something about having a personal coach take you through an intensive workout with variations that keeps you motivated and that is where the FlexBike excels. Cardio workouts are great for heart health and indoor cycling has seen great popularity with especially during spinning sessions. I also loved the "Virtual Ride" where you can ride through the beautiful, scenic landscapes from Provence in France to the Apline mountains in Switzerland and Italy. So you can burn the calories while watching the beautiful scenes pass by. Trust me, it makes it easier to wrap up a 30 minute workout without looking at the clock. If you buy the bike, you get a free subscription of classes on demand for a year which is a great value addition for all those who want to hit their fitness target with a little bit of support from a certified instructor. Should you buy an exercise bike for nearly INR 30,000? In 30,000 rupees you can probably buy an annual membership at a decent gym or even sign yourself up for online fitness coaching. However, in my experience, consistency is key when it comes to fitness. So ask yourself, will you head to the gym regularly? If the answer is "maybe", then the FlexBike is a great addition to your routine. Even a 30-minute ride, three times a week, will be a great start, I say. Since the pandemic forced us to stay indoors, there has been a rise in demand for at-home fitness equipment and services. Products like the FlexBike have entered the market at a time when people are starting to adapt to stay-at-home workouts. Some have begun to prefer them to noisy gyms. The FlexBike makes a simple ride enjoyable with its interface and Bluetooth connectivity. Its sturdy yet portable form factor makes it easy to move around rooms and floors. Also, if you are planning on indulging in the festive treats, there's a strong chance that a new year fitness resolution is being jotted down somewhere in your calendar. The FlexBike can nudge you in the right direction. If you are someone who is just starting their fitness journey and find the grunts and smells of a classic gym too overwhelming, the FlexBike is a great product for you. If you can't travel to Paris and New York right now, you can cycle to the scenic locations virtually, while burning some calories. Just make sure you start pedalling instead of using the bike as a towel rack.

Take a virtual ride to Paris with the Flexbike

Social media giant Facebook is mulling to rebrand itself with a new name that focuses on the&nbsp;metaverse.

According to a report published in 'The Verge,' Facebook Inc will announce the change in name next week.

The move would likely position the flagship app as one of many products under a parent company overseeing brands such as Instagram and WhatsApp as per the report.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/facebooks-ai-reality-scroll-images-on-a-computer-screen-by-just-thinking-about-it-371594" hreflang="en">Facebook's AI reality: Scroll images on a computer screen by just thinking about it</a>

In 2015,&nbsp;Google adopted such a structure when it reorganized into a holding company called Alphabet.

What is metaverse?

The Metaverse is a term used to describe a virtual space within digital environments such as online games, social media, and virtual reality. It is a combination of the prefix "meta", meaning beyond, and stem "universe".

Coined by Neal Stephenson, the metaverse is, in fact, the stuff of science-fiction. He talked about it in detail in his 1992 novel "Snow Crash", in which people don virtual reality headsets to interact inside a game-like digital world. The book has long enjoyed cult status among Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.

The term, which&nbsp;derived from digital antiquity, was re-imagined as the Oasis in Ernest Cline's novel ''Ready Player One.''

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/what-is-the-metaverse-and-how-does-it-work-411928/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Freed from cultural and economic sclerosis, a&nbsp;utopian metaverse may be portrayed as a new frontier in fiction, where social norms and value systems can be written anew.&nbsp;But more often, metaverses are a bit dystopian, virtual refuges from a fallen world.

Recently, metaverse has become one of the tech sector's hottest buzzwords, with companies pouring millions of dollars into its development.

'Next great leap'

Metaverse is a vision of the future that may sound fantastical, but which tech titans like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are betting on as the next great leap in the evolution of the internet.

It refers to shared virtual worlds where land, buildings, avatars, and even names can be bought and sold, often using cryptocurrency.

In these environments, people can wander around with friends, visit buildings, buy goods and services, and attend events.

With the help of augmented reality glasses, it might allow you to see information whizz before your eyes as you walk around a city, from traffic and pollution updates to local history.

Surge in popularity

As Covid lockdown measures and work-from-home policies pushed more people online for both business and pleasure, the concept has surged in popularity during the pandemic.

Games in which players enter immersive digital worlds offer a glimpse into what the metaverse could eventually look like, blurring virtual entertainment with the real-world economy.

World built on blockchain

As far back as the early 2000s, the game Second Life allowed people to create digital avatars that could interact and shop with real money.

More recently, plots of land in Decentraland, a virtual world where visitors can watch concerts, visit art galleries, and gamble in casinos, have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars in MANA, a cryptocurrency.

'More than a game'

The hugely popular video game Fortnite has also expanded into other forms of entertainment, with 12.3 million people logging in to watch rapper Travis Scott perform last year. Fortnite's owners Epic Games said in April that $1 billion of funding raised recently would be used to support its "vision for the metaverse".

And on Roblox, a gaming platform popular with children, a digital version of a Gucci bag sold in May for over $4,100, more than the physical version would have cost.

(With inputs from agencies)

Social media giant Facebook is mulling to rebrand itself with a new name that focuses on the metaverse. According to a report published in 'The Verge,' Facebook Inc will announce the change in name next week.

Social media giant Facebook is mulling to rebrand itself with a new name that focuses on the metaverse. According to a report published in 'The Verge,' Facebook Inc will announce the change in name next week. The move would likely position the flagship app as one of many products under a parent company overseeing brands such as Instagram and WhatsApp as per the report. Also see | Facebook's AI reality: Scroll images on a computer screen by just thinking about it In 2015, Google adopted such a structure when it reorganized into a holding company called Alphabet. What is metaverse? The Metaverse is a term used to describe a virtual space within digital environments such as online games, social media, and virtual reality. It is a combination of the prefix "meta", meaning beyond, and stem "universe". Coined by Neal Stephenson, the metaverse is, in fact, the stuff of science-fiction. He talked about it in detail in his 1992 novel "Snow Crash", in which people don virtual reality headsets to interact inside a game-like digital world. The book has long enjoyed cult status among Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. The term, which derived from digital antiquity, was re-imagined as the Oasis in Ernest Cline's novel ''Ready Player One.'' Freed from cultural and economic sclerosis, a utopian metaverse may be portrayed as a new frontier in fiction, where social norms and value systems can be written anew. But more often, metaverses are a bit dystopian, virtual refuges from a fallen world. Recently, metaverse has become one of the tech sector's hottest buzzwords, with companies pouring millions of dollars into its development. 'Next great leap' Metaverse is a vision of the future that may sound fantastical, but which tech titans like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are betting on as the next great leap in the evolution of the internet. It refers to shared virtual worlds where land, buildings, avatars, and even names can be bought and sold, often using cryptocurrency. In these environments, people can wander around with friends, visit buildings, buy goods and services, and attend events. With the help of augmented reality glasses, it might allow you to see information whizz before your eyes as you walk around a city, from traffic and pollution updates to local history. Surge in popularity As Covid lockdown measures and work-from-home policies pushed more people online for both business and pleasure, the concept has surged in popularity during the pandemic. Games in which players enter immersive digital worlds offer a glimpse into what the metaverse could eventually look like, blurring virtual entertainment with the real-world economy. World built on blockchain As far back as the early 2000s, the game Second Life allowed people to create digital avatars that could interact and shop with real money. More recently, plots of land in Decentraland, a virtual world where visitors can watch concerts, visit art galleries, and gamble in casinos, have sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars in MANA, a cryptocurrency. 'More than a game' The hugely popular video game Fortnite has also expanded into other forms of entertainment, with 12.3 million people logging in to watch rapper Travis Scott perform last year. Fortnite's owners Epic Games said in April that $1 billion of funding raised recently would be used to support its "vision for the metaverse". And on Roblox, a gaming platform popular with children, a digital version of a Gucci bag sold in May for over $4,100, more than the physical version would have cost. (With inputs from agencies)

What is metaverse, the new buzzword in internet technology?

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday it has developed a processor that will be used to power servers in its data centers.

The development marks the latest foray into semiconductors for the company, mirroring moves from other global cloud computing players while also dovetailing with Chinese government's priorities to boost the nation's chip sector.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-us-lawmakers-accuse-amazon-of-possibly-lying-to-congress-following-reuters-report-421811">&nbsp;Five US lawmakers accuse Amazon of possibly lying to Congress following Reuters report</a>

Developed by Alibaba's in-house semiconductor unit T-Head, the chip — the Yitian 710 — is based on architecture from UK-based Arm Ltd, and will not be available for commercial use outside of Alibaba.

Alibaba is the largest cloud computing provider in China by market share and the third-largest globally, according to research firm Gartner.

Its rivals in the sector have also released server chips of their own. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Amazon.com Inc rely on their respective Kunpeng and Graviton chips to power their cloud computing infrastructure.

Alibaba also said it has a developed proprietary line of servers, called Panjiu, and added that it will make the source code for its Xuantie series of IP cores — based on the RISC-V open source architecture — available to the public. Alibaba unveiled the Xuantie in 2019.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exhausted-chinese-employees-start-worker-lives-matter-campaign-over-grueling-work-hours-421420">Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours</a>

China's government has long urged industry to invest in the domestic chip sector, which remains behind that of global counterparts.

The country remains reliant on overseas companies for much of its advanced semiconductors, a vulnerability brought forth when US&nbsp;sanctions against Huawei crippled that company`s booming smartphone business.

In addition to Alibaba, search giant Baidu Inc, phone maker Xiaomi Corp, and a number of Chinese automotive and appliance companies have begun investing in chips.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday it has developed a processor that will be used to power servers in its data centers. The development marks the latest foray into semiconductors for the company, mirroring moves from other global cloud computing players while also dovetailing with Chinese government's priorities to boost the nation's chip sector.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd said on Tuesday it has developed a processor that will be used to power servers in its data centers. The development marks the latest foray into semiconductors for the company, mirroring moves from other global cloud computing players while also dovetailing with Chinese government's priorities to boost the nation's chip sector. Also Read | Five US lawmakers accuse Amazon of possibly lying to Congress following Reuters report Developed by Alibaba's in-house semiconductor unit T-Head, the chip — the Yitian 710 — is based on architecture from UK-based Arm Ltd, and will not be available for commercial use outside of Alibaba. Alibaba is the largest cloud computing provider in China by market share and the third-largest globally, according to research firm Gartner. Its rivals in the sector have also released server chips of their own. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Amazon.com Inc rely on their respective Kunpeng and Graviton chips to power their cloud computing infrastructure. Alibaba also said it has a developed proprietary line of servers, called Panjiu, and added that it will make the source code for its Xuantie series of IP cores — based on the RISC-V open source architecture — available to the public. Alibaba unveiled the Xuantie in 2019. Also Read | Exhausted Chinese employees start 'worker lives matter' campaign over grueling work hours China's government has long urged industry to invest in the domestic chip sector, which remains behind that of global counterparts. The country remains reliant on overseas companies for much of its advanced semiconductors, a vulnerability brought forth when US sanctions against Huawei crippled that company`s booming smartphone business. In addition to Alibaba, search giant Baidu Inc, phone maker Xiaomi Corp, and a number of Chinese automotive and appliance companies have begun investing in chips.

Alibaba unveils custom ARM-based server chip for cloud computing data centers

Analysts expect Apple Inc to unveil new Mac laptop computers with more powerful processor chips at an event that will be streamed later Monday.

Bloomberg has previously reported that Apple plans to release two new MacBook Pro models with 14-inch and 16-inch screens. The Cupertino, California-based company introduced some new laptop models last year that for the first time used its "Apple Silicon" chips, which it said would be phased into the company's desktop and laptop lineup over the course of two years.

Before Monday, Apple's most powerful laptops still relied on chips from Intel Corp. The company has already placed a first generation in-house-designed M1 chip into some MacBooks as well as its Mac Mini and iMac desktop machines, but the new larger MacBook Pro models are expected to feature a second, more powerful generation of the company's chip.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/durian-fruit-triggers-gas-leak-alert-in-canberra-421755">Also read |&nbsp;Durian fruit triggers 'gas leak' alert in Canberra</a>

The new chip, along with a general rise in laptop sales as employees and students stocked up on tech hardware to work and learn from home, prompted a boom in Mac sales during the pandemic. Revenue rose 11 per cent&nbsp;to $28.6 billion in Apple's fiscal 2020, even as iPhone revenue declined 3 per cent.

The expected MacBook Pro introduction comes weeks after Apple overhauled its iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad lineup.

Some analysts believe Apple on Monday will also update its AirPods wireless ear buds, though rumors of an update have circulated ahead of other Apple events this year without coming to pass. Add-on devices like AirPods tend to be large sellers during holiday shopping seasons and have become one of Apple's fastest-growing categories, with its home and accessories segment growing 25 per cent&nbsp;to $30.6 billion in Apple's fiscal 2020.

Analysts expect Apple Inc to unveil new Mac laptop computers with more powerful processor chips at an event that will be streamed later Monday. Bloomberg has previously reported that Apple plans to release two new MacBook Pro models with 14-inch and 16-inch screens.

Analysts expect Apple Inc to unveil new Mac laptop computers with more powerful processor chips at an event that will be streamed later Monday. Bloomberg has previously reported that Apple plans to release two new MacBook Pro models with 14-inch and 16-inch screens. The Cupertino, California-based company introduced some new laptop models last year that for the first time used its "Apple Silicon" chips, which it said would be phased into the company's desktop and laptop lineup over the course of two years. Before Monday, Apple's most powerful laptops still relied on chips from Intel Corp. The company has already placed a first generation in-house-designed M1 chip into some MacBooks as well as its Mac Mini and iMac desktop machines, but the new larger MacBook Pro models are expected to feature a second, more powerful generation of the company's chip. Also read | Durian fruit triggers 'gas leak' alert in Canberra The new chip, along with a general rise in laptop sales as employees and students stocked up on tech hardware to work and learn from home, prompted a boom in Mac sales during the pandemic. Revenue rose 11 per cent to $28.6 billion in Apple's fiscal 2020, even as iPhone revenue declined 3 per cent. The expected MacBook Pro introduction comes weeks after Apple overhauled its iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad lineup. Some analysts believe Apple on Monday will also update its AirPods wireless ear buds, though rumors of an update have circulated ahead of other Apple events this year without coming to pass. Add-on devices like AirPods tend to be large sellers during holiday shopping seasons and have become one of Apple's fastest-growing categories, with its home and accessories segment growing 25 per cent to $30.6 billion in Apple's fiscal 2020.

Apple expected to unveil new Macs with more powerful chips

With the shadow of the pandemic still chasing us, we're heading into the festive season albeit with caution and wariness. This is also the time when people in India upgrade their phones, especially iPhones. So the big question is, does the new iPhone 13 Pro live up to Apple's claim, of "The most advanced cameras ever on an iPhone"?

We'll try and answer that in this review because lets face it, there are three primary reasons why people spend well over Rs 100,000 on a smartphone. One, to stay within the Apple ecosystem. Two, for the premium brand value attached to Apple, especially in India. And three, for Apple's camera system which has always been lauded as true-to-life and great for content creation.

If you want to take a look at what all the iPhone 13 Pro offers in terms of design, battery and experience, take a look at our first impressions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/iphone-13-pro-first-impressions-417657">here</a>.

The new iPhone 13 Pro camera system promises a lot. Lets see if it delivers.

Here's a disclaimer -- if you have an iPhone 12 Pro, you possibly wouldn't notice any hardware changes in the new iPhone. The differences lie in the overall experience that Apple offers, a factor that has motivated people to upgrade phones year on year despite minor incremental changes. And the differentiator here is the camera and prolonged battery life.

ALL ABOUT THE CAMERA

<img alt="iPhone pro" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2596dfe1-60af-4ed5-ae07-46cf5757ab2f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/iphone%20pro%20camera.JPG" />

Here's the good news, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max have identical camera systems so you'll be spending less for the same camera specifications if you buy the smaller sibling, the iPhone 13 Pro.

Flip your iPhone 13 Pro and you'll see bigger camera rings in the 12MP triple camera set-up. The wide, ultra-wide and telephoto lens all get better when compared to their predecessors especially with the 3x optical zoom.&nbsp; 
The images are crisp, vibrant and yes, as true-to-life as a smartphone camera can capture. The new camera system doesn't miss anything -- tired eyes, dark circles, poorly blended makeup or even fine lines. The iPhone 13 Pro captures light better than its predecessor and focusses faster on a subject.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL

<img alt="Low light" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e9e73861-be42-4a79-837d-8845d0db6dc2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Low%20light%20photography_0.JPG" />

If you click a photo with the iPhone 13 Pro, at first glance, you'd probably say any decent phone can capture the same. But it's the low-light photography which give the iPhone 13 Pro an edge. The rear camera captures all details in low light to great accuracy which is a testament to how much light the camera of the 13 Pro can capture in a shot. Very few smartphones in the market can boast of such exceptional low-light photography at the moment.

Another fun feature is the brand new macro mode. How do you use it? Well, there's no mode here. Simply go extremely close to an object and you'll see the macro mode in action. Apple has upped the ante here in a big way.

PORTRAIT SHOTS GET BETTER

<img alt="Portrait" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abb36de4-86d7-4506-a773-3a2aa14fddf0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_55.jpg" />

If you love clicking your children despite their protest, then Apple's Portrait mode gets better. I could see a visible improvement in how sharp the images were with crisper edges. Have no doubt, you'll be able to capture some beautiful moments that are frame-worthy to say the least. You may struggle to get good portrait shots in low light so keep that in mind.

CINEMATIC MODE: WORTH THE HYPE?

<img alt="Cinematic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7cb02823-80e5-47a2-b67d-f7d297ced7c5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/cinematic%20mode.JPG" />

Even before the iPhones came to India in September, there was plenty of buzz surrounding the "Cinematic Mode" which is essentially a portrait mode in video.&nbsp;

So when you take a video using this mode, it blurs out the background and zooms into subjects. I used this to take videos of my overactive toddler and I have to say, the results were great. Also, for all those who love details, the Cinematic Mode only works in 1080p at 30FPS.

In the age of social media, this feature will be loved by influencers and content creators who are in the Apple ecosystem. Apple is clearly competing with smartphones from Google and Samsung so this feature has been a long time coming and adds to Apple's arsenal of great camera features.

CHOOSE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE

For all those who love filters and yet want to look "natural", Apple now gives you Photographic Profiles in its camera system. It will allow you to set default options for clicking images in either Standard, Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm or Cool tones. You can tweak your image using the sliders and while Apple insists these modes are not filters, they are there to appeal to our vanity. I quite liked them as I am sure most who invest in a superior camera smartphone will!

BATTERY IS THE REAL DEAL CLINCHER

Click all the fantastic "true-to-life" images that you desire with Apple's fantastic camera system but if the phone will die on you in 8 hours, you're not going to be happy. Apple has finally given us an iPhone with major battery improvements along with a beast of a processor in the A15. Bigger batteries in the new iPhones mean that your iPhones will easily last you an entire day with functional use. And if you're shooting heavy-duty videos and watching content, I can still vouch for a 12-hour battery life.

THE BIG QUESTION: SHOULD YOU UPGRADE?

If you already have the iPhone 12 Pro, you can skip this one since the upgrades are incremental with battery and camera getting most of the exciting improvements. But for Apple loyalists who love to upgrade year on year, a major reason can be the stunning screen which gets a major facelift with its 120-Hz ProMotion display and a higher refresh rate.&nbsp;

This technology was previously only reserved for the high-end iPad Pro. Your iPhone 13 Pro will dynamically change the refresh rate depending on your usage. This has been a big gamechanger for me.

Another reason to upgrade is the camera system which gets better with its low-light photography and Cinematic Mode. This is a phone for video creators who don't want to lug heavy equipment everywhere.

And finally, with news of the chip shortage causing Apple to slow down production making headlines, you may get your iPhones much later. This factor in itself has sparked curiosity in the new iPhones with multiple people calling their relatives in other markets to get their hands on the new iPhones.

So if you've got the budget for it and want to upgrade from an iPhone 11, I suggest you place your orders quickly because you may in the queue for long.

With the shadow of the pandemic still chasing us, we're heading into the festive season albeit with caution and wariness. This is also the time when people in India upgrade their phones, especially iPhones.

With the shadow of the pandemic still chasing us, we're heading into the festive season albeit with caution and wariness. This is also the time when people in India upgrade their phones, especially iPhones. So the big question is, does the new iPhone 13 Pro live up to Apple's claim, of "The most advanced cameras ever on an iPhone"? We'll try and answer that in this review because lets face it, there are three primary reasons why people spend well over Rs 100,000 on a smartphone. One, to stay within the Apple ecosystem. Two, for the premium brand value attached to Apple, especially in India. And three, for Apple's camera system which has always been lauded as true-to-life and great for content creation. If you want to take a look at what all the iPhone 13 Pro offers in terms of design, battery and experience, take a look at our first impressions here. The new iPhone 13 Pro camera system promises a lot. Lets see if it delivers. Here's a disclaimer -- if you have an iPhone 12 Pro, you possibly wouldn't notice any hardware changes in the new iPhone. The differences lie in the overall experience that Apple offers, a factor that has motivated people to upgrade phones year on year despite minor incremental changes. And the differentiator here is the camera and prolonged battery life. ALL ABOUT THE CAMERA Here's the good news, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max have identical camera systems so you'll be spending less for the same camera specifications if you buy the smaller sibling, the iPhone 13 Pro. Flip your iPhone 13 Pro and you'll see bigger camera rings in the 12MP triple camera set-up. The wide, ultra-wide and telephoto lens all get better when compared to their predecessors especially with the 3x optical zoom. The images are crisp, vibrant and yes, as true-to-life as a smartphone camera can capture. The new camera system doesn't miss anything -- tired eyes, dark circles, poorly blended makeup or even fine lines. The iPhone 13 Pro captures light better than its predecessor and focusses faster on a subject. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL If you click a photo with the iPhone 13 Pro, at first glance, you'd probably say any decent phone can capture the same. But it's the low-light photography which give the iPhone 13 Pro an edge. The rear camera captures all details in low light to great accuracy which is a testament to how much light the camera of the 13 Pro can capture in a shot. Very few smartphones in the market can boast of such exceptional low-light photography at the moment. Another fun feature is the brand new macro mode. How do you use it? Well, there's no mode here. Simply go extremely close to an object and you'll see the macro mode in action. Apple has upped the ante here in a big way. PORTRAIT SHOTS GET BETTER If you love clicking your children despite their protest, then Apple's Portrait mode gets better. I could see a visible improvement in how sharp the images were with crisper edges. Have no doubt, you'll be able to capture some beautiful moments that are frame-worthy to say the least. You may struggle to get good portrait shots in low light so keep that in mind. CINEMATIC MODE: WORTH THE HYPE? Even before the iPhones came to India in September, there was plenty of buzz surrounding the "Cinematic Mode" which is essentially a portrait mode in video. So when you take a video using this mode, it blurs out the background and zooms into subjects. I used this to take videos of my overactive toddler and I have to say, the results were great. Also, for all those who love details, the Cinematic Mode only works in 1080p at 30FPS. In the age of social media, this feature will be loved by influencers and content creators who are in the Apple ecosystem. Apple is clearly competing with smartphones from Google and Samsung so this feature has been a long time coming and adds to Apple's arsenal of great camera features. CHOOSE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE For all those who love filters and yet want to look "natural", Apple now gives you Photographic Profiles in its camera system. It will allow you to set default options for clicking images in either Standard, Rich Contrast, Vibrant, Warm or Cool tones. You can tweak your image using the sliders and while Apple insists these modes are not filters, they are there to appeal to our vanity. I quite liked them as I am sure most who invest in a superior camera smartphone will! BATTERY IS THE REAL DEAL CLINCHER Click all the fantastic "true-to-life" images that you desire with Apple's fantastic camera system but if the phone will die on you in 8 hours, you're not going to be happy. Apple has finally given us an iPhone with major battery improvements along with a beast of a processor in the A15. Bigger batteries in the new iPhones mean that your iPhones will easily last you an entire day with functional use. And if you're shooting heavy-duty videos and watching content, I can still vouch for a 12-hour battery life. THE BIG QUESTION: SHOULD YOU UPGRADE? If you already have the iPhone 12 Pro, you can skip this one since the upgrades are incremental with battery and camera getting most of the exciting improvements. But for Apple loyalists who love to upgrade year on year, a major reason can be the stunning screen which gets a major facelift with its 120-Hz ProMotion display and a higher refresh rate. This technology was previously only reserved for the high-end iPad Pro. Your iPhone 13 Pro will dynamically change the refresh rate depending on your usage. This has been a big gamechanger for me. Another reason to upgrade is the camera system which gets better with its low-light photography and Cinematic Mode. This is a phone for video creators who don't want to lug heavy equipment everywhere. And finally, with news of the chip shortage causing Apple to slow down production making headlines, you may get your iPhones much later. This factor in itself has sparked curiosity in the new iPhones with multiple people calling their relatives in other markets to get their hands on the new iPhones. So if you've got the budget for it and want to upgrade from an iPhone 11, I suggest you place your orders quickly because you may in the queue for long.

iPHONE 13 Pro: Should you upgrade?

Ransomware attacks are one of the most pressing threats faced by public and private sectors, India has told a US-led international meet on the latest emerging challenge and has called for taking steps to ensure that the country's critical infrastructure remains safe and secure.

Representing India at the Counter Ransomware Initiative, hosted by the White House, Lt. Gen (Retd) Rajesh Pant, National Cybersecurity Coordinator, told the participating 30 countries that the rapid digitization and cryptocurrency have added to the vulnerabilities in the cyber domain.

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Ransomware is an evolving form of a cyber threat and the culprits are becoming more sophisticated and agile. The upcoming Global dynamics have also created a digital climate ripe for exploitation,&nbsp;Pant said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further added fuel to this and introduced many IT vulnerabilities due to the hasty Digital Transformation,&nbsp;he added.

Another contributor is the rising prominence of cryptocurrency, which is seemingly difficult to trace, he said at the two-day conference on Wednesday.

The conference concluded Thursday with a joint statement from 30 countries in which they pledged to act against safe havens for ransomware players.

India, considered an IT superpower, played a key role by leading discussions on resilience.

In today's world, Ransomware attacks are one of the most pressing threats faced by Public and Private sectors,&nbsp;Pant said, adding that by the end of 2021, ransomware is expected to attack a company every 11 seconds and cause damages of up to USD20 billion.

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In light of these rising threats, we need to ensure that our organisations, especially the Nation's Critical Infrastructure, remain safe and secure,&nbsp;he said.

Pant said it is the collective responsibility of the international community now to ensure that global cyberspace is not dominated by criminal activities such as Ransomware and we create for our future generations&nbsp;a safe, secure and resilient cyberspace.

The Indian official appreciates the US initiative of bringing 30 nations on a common platform to discuss and find solutions to improve our collective resilience, misuse of virtual currency, and need to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of ransomware.&nbsp;

Ransomware attacks are one of the most pressing threats faced by public and private sectors, India has told a US-led international meet on the latest emerging challenge and has called for taking steps to ensure that the country's critical infrastructure remains safe and secure.

Ransomware attacks are one of the most pressing threats faced by public and private sectors, India has told a US-led international meet on the latest emerging challenge and has called for taking steps to ensure that the country's critical infrastructure remains safe and secure. Representing India at the Counter Ransomware Initiative, hosted by the White House, Lt. Gen (Retd) Rajesh Pant, National Cybersecurity Coordinator, told the participating 30 countries that the rapid digitization and cryptocurrency have added to the vulnerabilities in the cyber domain. Also Read | Not ransomware, 'killware' is the new threat, top US security official explains Ransomware is an evolving form of a cyber threat and the culprits are becoming more sophisticated and agile. The upcoming Global dynamics have also created a digital climate ripe for exploitation, Pant said. The COVID-19 pandemic has further added fuel to this and introduced many IT vulnerabilities due to the hasty Digital Transformation, he added. Another contributor is the rising prominence of cryptocurrency, which is seemingly difficult to trace, he said at the two-day conference on Wednesday. The conference concluded Thursday with a joint statement from 30 countries in which they pledged to act against safe havens for ransomware players. India, considered an IT superpower, played a key role by leading discussions on resilience. In today's world, Ransomware attacks are one of the most pressing threats faced by Public and Private sectors, Pant said, adding that by the end of 2021, ransomware is expected to attack a company every 11 seconds and cause damages of up to USD20 billion. Also Read | US Open stars fall at Indian Wells, which struggles to draw a crowd In light of these rising threats, we need to ensure that our organisations, especially the Nation's Critical Infrastructure, remain safe and secure, he said. Pant said it is the collective responsibility of the international community now to ensure that global cyberspace is not dominated by criminal activities such as Ransomware and we create for our future generations a safe, secure and resilient cyberspace. The Indian official appreciates the US initiative of bringing 30 nations on a common platform to discuss and find solutions to improve our collective resilience, misuse of virtual currency, and need to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of ransomware.

Ransomware an evolving cyber threat, culprits becoming agile: India

Fed up with traffic jams&nbsp;Imagine a world where your taxi takes to the skies and lands on top of your office building, recharges and sets off afresh.

That's the vision of Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Britain's Vertical Aerospace, which is set to raise $394 million in a merger with a blank-cheque New York-listed company, and who says his aircraft will be flying by the mid-2020s.

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And he's not alone. Some of the world's most high-profile engineers and airlines believe Vertical is onto something with its plan for zero-emission mini-aircraft to almost silently take four passengers through the skies for up to 120 miles (193 kms).

American Airlines, aircraft lessor Avolon, engineers Honeywell and Rolls-Royce, as well as Microsoft’s M12 unit are investing in the merger, which is expected to complete by the end of the year.

Fitzpatrick, who also set up OVO Energy, Britain's no.3 energy retailer, said Vertical flights between London's Heathrow airport and its Canary Wharf financial district will take 15 minutes and cost 50 pounds ($68) per passenger.

That potential is attracting airlines&nbsp;attention. More than 1,000 VA-X4 aircraft have been pre-ordered by customers. Interest in the zero-emission aircraft comes at a time when aviation companies are under mounting pressure from investors to help decarbonize the sector and boost their environmental, social and governance scores.

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"We are going to sign deals. We`re finding the appetite and the demand from airlines to be really strong," Fitzpatrick told Reuters.

The biggest challenge for Vertical is certifying its aircraft, which Fitzpatrick said it is on track to do by the end of 2024, funded by new money from the merger.

Test flights

Fitzpatrick first had the idea back in 2015 when he sat for hours in 10 lanes of gridlocked traffic in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Back then, there weren't many competitors, he said, but today analysts estimate there are more than 100 companies working on rival electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVOTL) aircraft.

The VA-X4 is still in construction and will start test flights early next year. Fitzpatrick believes Verticals partnerships will help it emerge as a winner.

Using battery technology from the car industry, and tried and tested electrical propulsion units and motors, and backed by Honeywell's electronics, Fitzpatrick has "no doubt" that the VA-X4 will fly.

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Certification will depend on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

"The process of certifying the aircraft is known. The technologies are new, but the steps we need to go through are relatively similar to other aircraft," said Fitzpatrick, who has recruited senior engineers from both Airbus and Rolls-Royce.

Developing a new mode of transport comes with other challenges such as the infrastructure, but Fitzpatrick is confident.

"We're already in discussions with, for example, Heathrow Airport," he said, pointing out of his office window to potential skyport locations on rooftops.

As for convincing passengers, that's where airlines come in.

"I think the brand association with trusted airlines is really going to help passengers embrace the new technology," he said.&nbsp;

Fed up with traffic jams Imagine a world where your taxi takes to the skies and lands on top of your office building, recharges and sets off afresh. That's the vision of Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Britain's Vertical Aerospace, which is set to raise $394 million in a merger with a blank-cheque New York-listed company, and who says his aircraft will be flying by the mid-2020s.

Fed up with traffic jams Imagine a world where your taxi takes to the skies and lands on top of your office building, recharges and sets off afresh. That's the vision of Stephen Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Britain's Vertical Aerospace, which is set to raise $394 million in a merger with a blank-cheque New York-listed company, and who says his aircraft will be flying by the mid-2020s. Also read | Tesla holds 'Giga Fest' at disputed German factory And he's not alone. Some of the world's most high-profile engineers and airlines believe Vertical is onto something with its plan for zero-emission mini-aircraft to almost silently take four passengers through the skies for up to 120 miles (193 kms). American Airlines, aircraft lessor Avolon, engineers Honeywell and Rolls-Royce, as well as Microsoft’s M12 unit are investing in the merger, which is expected to complete by the end of the year. Fitzpatrick, who also set up OVO Energy, Britain's no.3 energy retailer, said Vertical flights between London's Heathrow airport and its Canary Wharf financial district will take 15 minutes and cost 50 pounds ($68) per passenger. That potential is attracting airlines attention. More than 1,000 VA-X4 aircraft have been pre-ordered by customers. Interest in the zero-emission aircraft comes at a time when aviation companies are under mounting pressure from investors to help decarbonize the sector and boost their environmental, social and governance scores. Also read | Jury orders Tesla to pay $137 million over racist treatment "We are going to sign deals. We`re finding the appetite and the demand from airlines to be really strong," Fitzpatrick told Reuters. The biggest challenge for Vertical is certifying its aircraft, which Fitzpatrick said it is on track to do by the end of 2024, funded by new money from the merger. Test flights Fitzpatrick first had the idea back in 2015 when he sat for hours in 10 lanes of gridlocked traffic in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Back then, there weren't many competitors, he said, but today analysts estimate there are more than 100 companies working on rival electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVOTL) aircraft. The VA-X4 is still in construction and will start test flights early next year. Fitzpatrick believes Verticals partnerships will help it emerge as a winner. Using battery technology from the car industry, and tried and tested electrical propulsion units and motors, and backed by Honeywell's electronics, Fitzpatrick has "no doubt" that the VA-X4 will fly. Also read | Lucid to start deliveries of electric cars with range exceeding Tesla's in October Certification will depend on the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). "The process of certifying the aircraft is known. The technologies are new, but the steps we need to go through are relatively similar to other aircraft," said Fitzpatrick, who has recruited senior engineers from both Airbus and Rolls-Royce. Developing a new mode of transport comes with other challenges such as the infrastructure, but Fitzpatrick is confident. "We're already in discussions with, for example, Heathrow Airport," he said, pointing out of his office window to potential skyport locations on rooftops. As for convincing passengers, that's where airlines come in. "I think the brand association with trusted airlines is really going to help passengers embrace the new technology," he said.

Flying taxis to take to the sky in mid-2020s, says UK's Vertical Aerospace

Twitter Inc on Tuesday rolled out new ad features and revamped the algorithm that decides which ads users see, as part of an effort to lay the groundwork to launch future ecommerce features, the social networking company told Reuters.

The new features come as Twitter is pushing to grow its performance advertising business, a strategy that aims to quickly generate sales, and constituted just 15 per cent&nbsp;of Twitter's business last year. The effort could help Twitter reach its goal of doubling annual revenue by 2023.

The San Francisco-based company is positioning itself to eventually allow brands to sell products through the service by first improving on its ability to show users relevant ads and increasing the likelihood they will click the ad.

"Performance ads are a very large opportunity&nbsp;that's relatively untapped for us," said Kamara Benjamin, group product manager at Twitter, in an interview.

"Ultimately, this is going to lead to people installing apps, visiting websites and finding products that meet their needs."

Ads promoting downloads for mobile games and other apps, which are a major type of ad on social media sites, will now allow users to initiate the download without leaving the Twitter app, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. Previously, users had to leave Twitter to download other apps.

Twitter added it is working on new tools to let companies run ads to find customers who are more likely to make in-app purchases.

Slide-show ads that feature multiple products can now send users to different websites when they click the ad, whereas previously brands could only choose one destination. This increased the number of clicks by 25 per cent&nbsp;on ad campaigns that set a goal of driving website visits, the company said.

Twitter also improved the advertising algorithm, showing the ads to a larger pool of people at the beginning of the campaign so it can better gauge user interest, Benjamin said.

Those algorithm improvements led to a 36 per cent increase in ad campaigns that achieved at least five downloads during the time period that the ad ran on Twitter, the company said.

Twitter Inc on Tuesday rolled out new ad features and revamped the algorithm that decides which ads users see, as part of an effort to lay the groundwork to launch future ecommerce features, the social networking company told Reuters.

Twitter Inc on Tuesday rolled out new ad features and revamped the algorithm that decides which ads users see, as part of an effort to lay the groundwork to launch future ecommerce features, the social networking company told Reuters. The new features come as Twitter is pushing to grow its performance advertising business, a strategy that aims to quickly generate sales, and constituted just 15 per cent of Twitter's business last year. The effort could help Twitter reach its goal of doubling annual revenue by 2023. The San Francisco-based company is positioning itself to eventually allow brands to sell products through the service by first improving on its ability to show users relevant ads and increasing the likelihood they will click the ad. "Performance ads are a very large opportunity that's relatively untapped for us," said Kamara Benjamin, group product manager at Twitter, in an interview. "Ultimately, this is going to lead to people installing apps, visiting websites and finding products that meet their needs." Ads promoting downloads for mobile games and other apps, which are a major type of ad on social media sites, will now allow users to initiate the download without leaving the Twitter app, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. Previously, users had to leave Twitter to download other apps. Twitter added it is working on new tools to let companies run ads to find customers who are more likely to make in-app purchases. Slide-show ads that feature multiple products can now send users to different websites when they click the ad, whereas previously brands could only choose one destination. This increased the number of clicks by 25 per cent on ad campaigns that set a goal of driving website visits, the company said. Twitter also improved the advertising algorithm, showing the ads to a larger pool of people at the beginning of the campaign so it can better gauge user interest, Benjamin said. Those algorithm improvements led to a 36 per cent increase in ad campaigns that achieved at least five downloads during the time period that the ad ran on Twitter, the company said.

Twitter debuts new ad features, revamped algorithm ahead of ecommerce push

Apple Inc&nbsp;is likely to slash production of its iPhone 13 by as many as 10 million units due to the global chip shortage, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The company was expected to produce 90 million units of the new iPhone models by the end of this year, according to Bloomberg. The reportsaid Apple told its manufacturers that the number of units would be lower because chip suppliers including Broadcom Inc and Texas Instruments are struggling to deliver components.

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Shares of Apple fell 1.2 per cent&nbsp;in after-hours trading, while Texas Instruments and Broadcom were both down about 1 per cent. 
 
Watch | Apple to cut down production of its iPhone 13 by as many as 10 million units

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/apple-to-cut-down-production-of-its-iphone-13-by-as-many-as-10-million-units-420322/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Apple declined to comment. Broadcom and Texas Instruments did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

In July, Apple forecast slowing revenue growth and said the chip shortage, which had started hitting its ability to sell Macs and iPads, would also crimp iPhone production. Texas Instruments also gave a soft revenue outlook that month, hinting on chip supply concerns for the rest of the year. read more

The chip crunch has put immense pressure on industries from automobiles to electronics, leading many automakers to temporarily suspend production.

With its massive purchasing power and long-term supply agreements with chip vendors, Apple has weathered the supply crunch better than many other companies, leading some analysts to forecast that iPhone 13 models released in September would have a strong sales year as consumers looked to upgrade devices for 5G networks.

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Jeff Fieldhack, research director for Counterpoint Research, said the reported Apple production cut could also be part of the iPhone maker's normal launch process of over-ordering devices to be prepared for an initial customer rush and then trimming orders as sales trends become clearer.

Fieldhack said iPhone 13 sales appear to be healthy and higher than last year's iPhone 12, and Counterpoint is not changing its estimate of 85 million to 90 million iPhone 13 sales for the fourth quarter.

Apple Inc is likely to slash production of its iPhone 13 by as many as 10 million units due to the global chip shortage, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Apple Inc is likely to slash production of its iPhone 13 by as many as 10 million units due to the global chip shortage, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The company was expected to produce 90 million units of the new iPhone models by the end of this year, according to Bloomberg. The reportsaid Apple told its manufacturers that the number of units would be lower because chip suppliers including Broadcom Inc and Texas Instruments are struggling to deliver components. Also Read | Google set to launch 'Pixel Pass' subscription inspired by Apple one Shares of Apple fell 1.2 per cent in after-hours trading, while Texas Instruments and Broadcom were both down about 1 per cent. Watch | Apple to cut down production of its iPhone 13 by as many as 10 million units Apple declined to comment. Broadcom and Texas Instruments did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. In July, Apple forecast slowing revenue growth and said the chip shortage, which had started hitting its ability to sell Macs and iPads, would also crimp iPhone production. Texas Instruments also gave a soft revenue outlook that month, hinting on chip supply concerns for the rest of the year. read more The chip crunch has put immense pressure on industries from automobiles to electronics, leading many automakers to temporarily suspend production. With its massive purchasing power and long-term supply agreements with chip vendors, Apple has weathered the supply crunch better than many other companies, leading some analysts to forecast that iPhone 13 models released in September would have a strong sales year as consumers looked to upgrade devices for 5G networks. Also Read | NYC: Security guard stabbed over mask dispute at Apple store Jeff Fieldhack, research director for Counterpoint Research, said the reported Apple production cut could also be part of the iPhone maker's normal launch process of over-ordering devices to be prepared for an initial customer rush and then trimming orders as sales trends become clearer. Fieldhack said iPhone 13 sales appear to be healthy and higher than last year's iPhone 12, and Counterpoint is not changing its estimate of 85 million to 90 million iPhone 13 sales for the fourth quarter.

Apple likely to cut down iPhone 13 production. Here’s why?

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