How fast can the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet really fly?

Did China ask its people 'not to respond to aliens'? Origin of bizarre claim on social media

MS Dhoni-CSK Fallout? Report claims failed stake sale talks triggered rift

Scientists reveal the SAFEST COUNTRY when catastrophe strikes the planet

Serial killer on the loose in South Korea's Jeju Island? Fourth body found in three days as more than a dozen people go missing

2/3rd of glacier detached, collapsed: ISRO satellite images reveal what triggered Nepal floods

Trump once again claims without him there would be ‘no Israel right now’

Foreign espionage attacks against German companies surge to 37%, Bitkom report reveals

Blake Lively wins partial legal fee from Justin Baldoni after $8M request

Why is Pakistan deploying Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones near India border?

'OH MY GOD! We've found other agents!': Investigators discover not one or two, almost 700 OpenAI AI agents went rogue, hacked Hugging Face

Lunar eclipse 2026: India timings, places to see and more. August Blood moon factsheet

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on global outreach tour 

Both pilots killed as training aircraft crashes in Lucknow – What we know

16-year-old charged with preparing terror attack on kindergarten in Norway

How the S-400 protects itself from enemy attacks

Nepal floods: Over 165 dead, 400 missing; US, India, China, World Bank mobilise aid

India's multi-layered watch: The new surveillance war

5 doomsday planes spotted in US skies hours after CIA director's secret trip to Russia

9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to finally face trial in 2028, nearly 27 years after horrific attacks

Islamabad hospital fire: What we know about one of the biggest facility that housed Imran Khan

Workers run for life while filming Nepal flash flood: Scary new visuals emerge from Rasuwa

Russian military planes enter South Korean air defence zone amid rising tensions with North Korea: What's happening

Ron Weasley Is Back! Rupert Grint set to return to Harry Potter universe on Broadway

400-year-old 'vampire' grave in Poland reveals non-existent genetic lineage

Dolly Parton, global icon and queen of country music, dies at 80

Nepal flash floods: Kailash Mansarovar yatra affected, close to 400 pilgrims out of contact

'If he is dead, they're putting on a pretty good show': Trump casts fresh doubt over Mojtaba Khamenei's fate

Man arrested near US Capitol with guillotine in pickup truck: What happened?

Why the Su-30MKI cockpit is painted bright turquoise green

Tesla, the futuristic maker of self-driving cars is now facing flak for an apparent glitch. Recently, a Tesla vehicle mistook the Moon for a traffic signal.

Currently, wildfires in the United States have given the Moon a pale yellow tint. Many observers blame the natural satellite's mischaracterisation as a yellow traffic light on the same.&nbsp;

Tesla is famous for pushing the limits of car technology, delivering cars that are capable of navigating independently. The company also claims to have a robust series of safety measures to avoid mishaps. But every now and then, stories of these cars malfunctioning come to light.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/abuse-of-power-tesla-shareholders-accuse-ceo-elon-musk-of-rescuing-his-investment-in-solarcity-397077" hreflang="en">'Abuse of power': Tesla shareholders accuse CEO Elon Musk of rescuing his investment in SolarCity</a>

The identification of the Moon as a traffic light is reportedly causing issues in the autopilot mode. A Tesla owner, Jordan nelson filmed the futuristic vehicle mistaking the Moon for a yellow traffic light. Due to this, the car continued to slow down.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/tesla-car-owner-urges-vehicle-recall-after-spontaneous-fire-395466" hreflang="en">Tesla car owner urges vehicle recall after 'spontaneous' fire</a>

A report in AutoWeek blamed the wildfire for the misunderstanding and believes that the issue is more temporary than permanent, for Tesla's identification mechanism is not based just on its camera. It also takes into account map data from intersections, including data about traffic lights. The system is created to slow down the vehicle whenever a light is spotted.

The technology may be extremely smart. But some intersections are simply too complex or closely positioned, which could make the car's job difficult.

Carmakers who specialise in autonomous cars are attempting to refine the experience and decision making of the vehicles at intersections, especially where traffic lights are situated higher up than usual or are too close to the front of the vehicle, successfully evading the camera detection system. Only time will tell how makers like Tesla solve the crisis.

Tesla, the futuristic maker of self-driving cars is now facing flak for an apparent glitch. Recently, a Tesla vehicle mistook the Moon for a traffic signal. Currently, wildfires in the United States have given the Moon a pale yellow tint.

Tesla, the futuristic maker of self-driving cars is now facing flak for an apparent glitch. Recently, a Tesla vehicle mistook the Moon for a traffic signal. Currently, wildfires in the United States have given the Moon a pale yellow tint. Many observers blame the natural satellite's mischaracterisation as a yellow traffic light on the same. Tesla is famous for pushing the limits of car technology, delivering cars that are capable of navigating independently. The company also claims to have a robust series of safety measures to avoid mishaps. But every now and then, stories of these cars malfunctioning come to light. Also read: 'Abuse of power': Tesla shareholders accuse CEO Elon Musk of rescuing his investment in SolarCity The identification of the Moon as a traffic light is reportedly causing issues in the autopilot mode. A Tesla owner, Jordan nelson filmed the futuristic vehicle mistaking the Moon for a yellow traffic light. Due to this, the car continued to slow down. Also read: Tesla car owner urges vehicle recall after 'spontaneous' fire A report in AutoWeek blamed the wildfire for the misunderstanding and believes that the issue is more temporary than permanent, for Tesla's identification mechanism is not based just on its camera. It also takes into account map data from intersections, including data about traffic lights. The system is created to slow down the vehicle whenever a light is spotted. The technology may be extremely smart. But some intersections are simply too complex or closely positioned, which could make the car's job difficult. Carmakers who specialise in autonomous cars are attempting to refine the experience and decision making of the vehicles at intersections, especially where traffic lights are situated higher up than usual or are too close to the front of the vehicle, successfully evading the camera detection system. Only time will tell how makers like Tesla solve the crisis.

Tesla vehicle mistakes the Moon for a yellow traffic light. What went wrong?

NASA&nbsp;on Friday said it had selected&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;to launch a planned voyage to&nbsp;Jupiter's icy&nbsp;moon&nbsp;Europa, a huge win for Elon Musk's company as it sets its sights deeper into the solar system.

The&nbsp;Europa&nbsp;Clipper&nbsp;mission&nbsp;will launch in October 2024 on a Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy&nbsp;Space&nbsp;Center in Florida, with the total contract worth $178 million.

The&nbsp;mission&nbsp;was previously supposed to take off on&nbsp;NASA's own&nbsp;Space&nbsp;Launch System (SLS) rocket, which has been plagued by delays and cost overruns, with critics calling it a "jobs program" for the state of Alabama where much of the development work is taking place.

While SLS isn't yet operational, Falcon Heavy has deployed on both commercial and government missions since its maiden flight in 2018 when it carried Musk's own Tesla Roadster into&nbsp;space.

It generates more than five million pounds of thrust (22 million Newtons) at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft.

The&nbsp;Europa&nbsp;clipper orbiter will make about 40 to 50 close passes over&nbsp;Europa&nbsp;to determine whether the icy&nbsp;moon&nbsp;could harbor conditions suitable for life.

Its payload will include cameras and spectrometers to produce high-resolution images and compositional maps of the surface and atmosphere, as well as radar to penetrate the ice layer to search for liquid water below.

NASA on Friday said it had selected SpaceX to launch a planned voyage to Jupiter's icy moon Europa, a huge win for Elon Musk's company as it sets its sights deeper into the solar system.

NASA on Friday said it had selected SpaceX to launch a planned voyage to Jupiter's icy moon Europa, a huge win for Elon Musk's company as it sets its sights deeper into the solar system. The Europa Clipper mission will launch in October 2024 on a Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the total contract worth $178 million. The mission was previously supposed to take off on NASA's own Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which has been plagued by delays and cost overruns, with critics calling it a "jobs program" for the state of Alabama where much of the development work is taking place. While SLS isn't yet operational, Falcon Heavy has deployed on both commercial and government missions since its maiden flight in 2018 when it carried Musk's own Tesla Roadster into space. It generates more than five million pounds of thrust (22 million Newtons) at liftoff, equal to approximately eighteen 747 aircraft. The Europa clipper orbiter will make about 40 to 50 close passes over Europa to determine whether the icy moon could harbor conditions suitable for life. Its payload will include cameras and spectrometers to produce high-resolution images and compositional maps of the surface and atmosphere, as well as radar to penetrate the ice layer to search for liquid water below.

NASA selects SpaceX for mission to Jupiter moon Europa

Google's parent Alphabet unveiled a new "moonshot" project to develop software for robotics which could be used in a wide range of industries.

To expand beyond its main search and advertising business,&nbsp;Google&nbsp;in 2015 established Alphabet as a holding company overseeing various "other bets", ranging from its autonomous vehicle unit to helium balloons that provide solar-powered internet services in remote areas.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-37-american-states-sue-google-396829/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Intrinsic develops software tools designed to make industrial robots that can be used to make everything from solar panels to cars and has been incubating its technology at&nbsp;Google's research unit, X, for over five years.

The new unit, dubbed Intrinsic, will "become an independent Alphabet company," and seek industrial partners to advance their work helping to make everything from solar panels to cars,&nbsp;the new unit's chief, Wendy Tan-White,&nbsp;said in a blog post.

"Intrinsic&nbsp;is working to unlock the creative and economic potential of industrial robotics for millions more businesses, entrepreneurs, and developers," she said.

"We're developing software tools designed to make industrial robots ... easier to use, less costly and more flexible, so that more people can use them to make new products, businesses and services."

Intrinsic emerged from Alphabet X, the so-called "moonshot" project that launched self-driving car division Waymo and life sciences group Verily.

"We are currently looking for partners in the automotive, electronics, and health care industries who are already using industrial robotics and want to learn together," said Tan-White, who founded the website-building platform Moonfruit.

Intrinsic also may help "support a shift towards a more sustainable and equitable way" of manufacturing by facilitating low-cost production, she said.

"Currently only 10 countries&nbsp;manufacture 70 percent of the world's goods," she said. "This means most things are made far away from their end consumers, which drives&nbsp; global transport emissions, and many countries and businesses miss out on economic opportunities."

Known as Alphabet's "Moonshot Factory", X is a research and development unit that acts as a nursery for the company's many offshoot projects, such as Waymo, Wing, Makani, Loon and others, helping them take root as viable separate entities.

(With inputs from agencies)

Google's parent Alphabet unveiled a new "moonshot" project to develop software for robotics which could be used in a wide range of industries. To expand beyond its main search and advertising business, Google in 2015 established Alphabet as a holding company overseeing various "other bets", ranging from its autonomous vehicle unit to helium balloons that provide solar-powered internet services in remote areas.

Google's parent Alphabet unveiled a new "moonshot" project to develop software for robotics which could be used in a wide range of industries. To expand beyond its main search and advertising business, Google in 2015 established Alphabet as a holding company overseeing various "other bets", ranging from its autonomous vehicle unit to helium balloons that provide solar-powered internet services in remote areas. Intrinsic develops software tools designed to make industrial robots that can be used to make everything from solar panels to cars and has been incubating its technology at Google's research unit, X, for over five years. The new unit, dubbed Intrinsic, will "become an independent Alphabet company," and seek industrial partners to advance their work helping to make everything from solar panels to cars, the new unit's chief, Wendy Tan-White, said in a blog post. "Intrinsic is working to unlock the creative and economic potential of industrial robotics for millions more businesses, entrepreneurs, and developers," she said. "We're developing software tools designed to make industrial robots ... easier to use, less costly and more flexible, so that more people can use them to make new products, businesses and services." Intrinsic emerged from Alphabet X, the so-called "moonshot" project that launched self-driving car division Waymo and life sciences group Verily. "We are currently looking for partners in the automotive, electronics, and health care industries who are already using industrial robotics and want to learn together," said Tan-White, who founded the website-building platform Moonfruit. Intrinsic also may help "support a shift towards a more sustainable and equitable way" of manufacturing by facilitating low-cost production, she said. "Currently only 10 countries manufacture 70 percent of the world's goods," she said. "This means most things are made far away from their end consumers, which drives global transport emissions, and many countries and businesses miss out on economic opportunities." Known as Alphabet's "Moonshot Factory", X is a research and development unit that acts as a nursery for the company's many offshoot projects, such as Waymo, Wing, Makani, Loon and others, helping them take root as viable separate entities. (With inputs from agencies)

Google's parent Alphabet launches new robotics software company Intrinsic

Social media giant Facebook will pay&nbsp;the creators of popular posts, from fashionistas to comedians and video gamers, $1 billion&nbsp;through 2022.

It is the strongest signal yet that Facebook now recognises the strategic importance of the "creator economy".&nbsp;&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-joe-biden-lashes-out-at-facebook-over-vaccine-misinformation-399119/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat have waged an increasingly fierce battle to attract figures with big followings that can in turn attract serious advertising revenues.&nbsp;

Last November, photo and video app Snapchat began paying $1 million a day to top creators, although the payments have since tapered off. Popular YouTubers have been receiving a slice of the site's billions in ad revenues since 2007.&nbsp;

Facebook has been comparatively slow on the uptake. While the site began paying popular video-makers in 2017, most vloggers have found YouTube to be far more lucrative.&nbsp;

Facebook-owned Instagram has meanwhile launched the careers of many a food blogger and fashion influencer, but the app only began sharing its advertising income directly with them last year.

Traditionally, the bulk of Insta-celebrities' earnings has come through product endorsement deals negotiated directly with brands.&nbsp;

Late to the influencer party

Joe Gagliese, co-founder of international influencer agency Viral Nation, said it was not surprising that Facebook's efforts had lagged behind competitors'.

Founded in 2004, Facebook had already built a hugely lucrative advertising business by the time the phenomenon of full-time internet celebrities emerged at the end of the decade. Courting influencers wasn't crucial to its "primary business", Gagliese said.&nbsp;

But as creators have headed elsewhere, their predominantly young followings have followed, contributing to a sense that Facebook, in the eyes of Gen Z, has become an irredeemably uncool website where their parents hang out.&nbsp;

Facebook's user base is indeed ageing. The proportion of over-65s has shot up roughly a quarter over the past year, almost double the average, according to the Digital 2021 report from media companies We Are Social and Hootsuite.&nbsp;

In the meantime, Chinese-owned TikTok was the world's most downloaded app in the first half of 2021.

It has largely replaced Facebook as the driver of international social media crazes,&nbsp;not least during the pandemic, as bored millions have turned to its dance videos and cooking trends for light relief.&nbsp;

In this context, Facebook's $1 billion gambit is being seen partly as an attempt to regain cultural relevance and stem the youth exodus.&nbsp;

"The only way for these platforms to keep their relevance with younger generations is to understand what resonates with them and keep up with the pace of innovation," said Claudia Cameron, head of marketing and insights at Amsterdam-based influencer agency IMA.

"Creators are a very important part of this equation, as they set the tone for what's cool."

A drop in the ocean?&nbsp;

While young users from Iran to Brazil have been flocking elsewhere, industry insiders say it is far too early to regard Facebook as doomed.&nbsp;

"You can't underestimate them, because they are so powerful when it comes to the tech," said Gagliese.&nbsp;

Facebook's vast income,&nbsp;it raked in $84.2 billion in advertising revenues last year, more than the GDP of some countries,&nbsp;gives it huge funds with which to innovate.&nbsp;

It is also, despite its relative loss of street cred, still growing, with 2.8 billion monthly users worldwide.&nbsp;

Gagliese suggested Facebook should be spending far more on its efforts to lure internet stars from other platforms.&nbsp;

"Unless Facebook leans in really hard,&nbsp;I'm talking, 'way more than a billion dollars' hard,&nbsp;it's going to be very hard for them to attract all these new creators," he said.&nbsp;

Facebook has yet to outline detailed plans for the $1 billion, but Cameron pointed out that a large chunk will likely be distributed via Instagram, which still enjoys a "cool" factor.

That would be good news for TikTok comedian Mwas, who also has a sizeable following there.&nbsp;

"I'm taking a wait-and-see approach," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Social media giant Facebook will pay the creators of popular posts, from fashionistas to comedians and video gamers, $1 billion through 2022. It is the strongest signal yet that Facebook now recognises the strategic importance of the "creator economy".

Social media giant Facebook will pay the creators of popular posts, from fashionistas to comedians and video gamers, $1 billion through 2022. It is the strongest signal yet that Facebook now recognises the strategic importance of the "creator economy". YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat have waged an increasingly fierce battle to attract figures with big followings that can in turn attract serious advertising revenues. Last November, photo and video app Snapchat began paying $1 million a day to top creators, although the payments have since tapered off. Popular YouTubers have been receiving a slice of the site's billions in ad revenues since 2007. Facebook has been comparatively slow on the uptake. While the site began paying popular video-makers in 2017, most vloggers have found YouTube to be far more lucrative. Facebook-owned Instagram has meanwhile launched the careers of many a food blogger and fashion influencer, but the app only began sharing its advertising income directly with them last year. Traditionally, the bulk of Insta-celebrities' earnings has come through product endorsement deals negotiated directly with brands. Late to the influencer party Joe Gagliese, co-founder of international influencer agency Viral Nation, said it was not surprising that Facebook's efforts had lagged behind competitors'. Founded in 2004, Facebook had already built a hugely lucrative advertising business by the time the phenomenon of full-time internet celebrities emerged at the end of the decade. Courting influencers wasn't crucial to its "primary business", Gagliese said. But as creators have headed elsewhere, their predominantly young followings have followed, contributing to a sense that Facebook, in the eyes of Gen Z, has become an irredeemably uncool website where their parents hang out. Facebook's user base is indeed ageing. The proportion of over-65s has shot up roughly a quarter over the past year, almost double the average, according to the Digital 2021 report from media companies We Are Social and Hootsuite. In the meantime, Chinese-owned TikTok was the world's most downloaded app in the first half of 2021. It has largely replaced Facebook as the driver of international social media crazes, not least during the pandemic, as bored millions have turned to its dance videos and cooking trends for light relief. In this context, Facebook's $1 billion gambit is being seen partly as an attempt to regain cultural relevance and stem the youth exodus. "The only way for these platforms to keep their relevance with younger generations is to understand what resonates with them and keep up with the pace of innovation," said Claudia Cameron, head of marketing and insights at Amsterdam-based influencer agency IMA. "Creators are a very important part of this equation, as they set the tone for what's cool." A drop in the ocean? While young users from Iran to Brazil have been flocking elsewhere, industry insiders say it is far too early to regard Facebook as doomed. "You can't underestimate them, because they are so powerful when it comes to the tech," said Gagliese. Facebook's vast income, it raked in $84.2 billion in advertising revenues last year, more than the GDP of some countries, gives it huge funds with which to innovate. It is also, despite its relative loss of street cred, still growing, with 2.8 billion monthly users worldwide. Gagliese suggested Facebook should be spending far more on its efforts to lure internet stars from other platforms. "Unless Facebook leans in really hard, I'm talking, 'way more than a billion dollars' hard, it's going to be very hard for them to attract all these new creators," he said. Facebook has yet to outline detailed plans for the $1 billion, but Cameron pointed out that a large chunk will likely be distributed via Instagram, which still enjoys a "cool" factor. That would be good news for TikTok comedian Mwas, who also has a sizeable following there. "I'm taking a wait-and-see approach," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

What is Facebook's $1 billion gamble to regain lost users?

Researchers at Google's DeepMind and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have&nbsp;unveiled the most exhaustive database yet of the proteins that form the building blocks of life,

The database of 20,000 proteins expressed by the human genome, freely and openly available online.&nbsp;Observers believe the&nbsp;breakthrough&nbsp;would "fundamentally change biological research".

They also included more than 350,000 proteins from 20 organisms such as bacteria, yeast and mice that scientists rely on for research.

Every cell in every living organism is triggered to perform its function by proteins that deliver constant instructions to maintain health and ward off infection.

Unlike the genome, the complete sequence of human genes that encode cellular life,&nbsp;the human proteome is constantly changing in response to genetic instructions and environmental stimuli.&nbsp;

Understanding how proteins operate, the shape in which they end up, or "fold" into,&nbsp;within cells has fascinated scientists for decades.&nbsp;

But determining each protein's precise function through direct experimentation is painstaking.

Fifty years of research have until now yielded only 17 percent of the human proteome's amino acids, the subunits of proteins.

To create the database, scientists used a state-of-the-art machine learning programme that was able to accurately predict the shape of proteins based on their amino acid sequences.&nbsp;

Instead of spending months using multi-million dollar equipment, they trained their AlphaFold system on a database of 170,000 known protein structures.&nbsp;

The AI then used an algorithm to make accurate predictions of the shape of 58 percent of all proteins within the human proteome.

This more than doubled the number of high-accuracy human protein structures that researchers had identified during 50 years of direct experimentation, essentially overnight.&nbsp;

The potential applications are enormous, from researching genetic diseases and combating anti-microbial resistance to engineering more drought-resistant crops.

'Protein-folding problem'&nbsp;

Paul Nurse, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize for Medicine and director of the Francis Crick Institute, said Thursday's release was "a great leap for biological innovation".

"With this resource freely and openly available, the scientific community will be able to draw on collective knowledge to accelerate discovery, ushering in a new era for AI-enabled biology," he said.

John McGeehan, director for the Centre for Enzyme Innovation at the University of Portsmouth, whose team is developing enzymes capable of consuming single-use plastic waste, said AlphaFold had revolutionised the field. &nbsp;

"What took us months and years to do, AlphaFold was able to do in a weekend. I feel like we have just jumped at least a year ahead of where we were yesterday," he said.&nbsp;

The ability to predict a protein's shape from its amino acid sequence using a computer rather than experimentation is already helping scientists in a number of research fields.

AlphaFold is already being used in research into cures for diseases that disproportionately affect poorer countries.

One US-based team is using the AI prediction to study ways of overcoming strains of drug-resistant bacteria.

Another group is using the database to better understand how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, bonds with human cells.

Venki Ramakrishnan, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, said Thursday's research, published in the journal Nature, was a "stunning advance" in biological research.&nbsp;

He said AlphaFold had essentially solved the so-called "protein-folding problem", which argued that the 3D structure of a given protein should be determinable from its amino acid sequence, and which had puzzled scientists for half a century.

Given that the number of shapes a protein could theoretically take is astronomically large, the protein-fold problem was partly one of processing power.&nbsp;

The task was so daunting that in 1969 US molecular biologist Cyril Levinthal famously theorised that it would take longer than the age of the known universe to enumerate all possible protein configurations using brute calculation.&nbsp;

But with AlphaFold capable of performing a mind-dizzying number of calculations every second, the problem stood no chance when faced with AI and algorithms.

"It has occurred long before many people in the field would have predicted," Ramakrishnan said.&nbsp;

"It will be exciting to see the many ways in which it will fundamentally change biological research."

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers at Google's DeepMind and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have unveiled the most exhaustive database yet of the proteins that form the building blocks of life, The database of 20,000 proteins expressed by the human genome, freely and openly available online.

Researchers at Google's DeepMind and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have unveiled the most exhaustive database yet of the proteins that form the building blocks of life, The database of 20,000 proteins expressed by the human genome, freely and openly available online. Observers believe the breakthrough would "fundamentally change biological research". They also included more than 350,000 proteins from 20 organisms such as bacteria, yeast and mice that scientists rely on for research. Every cell in every living organism is triggered to perform its function by proteins that deliver constant instructions to maintain health and ward off infection. Unlike the genome, the complete sequence of human genes that encode cellular life, the human proteome is constantly changing in response to genetic instructions and environmental stimuli. Understanding how proteins operate, the shape in which they end up, or "fold" into, within cells has fascinated scientists for decades. But determining each protein's precise function through direct experimentation is painstaking. Fifty years of research have until now yielded only 17 percent of the human proteome's amino acids, the subunits of proteins. To create the database, scientists used a state-of-the-art machine learning programme that was able to accurately predict the shape of proteins based on their amino acid sequences. Instead of spending months using multi-million dollar equipment, they trained their AlphaFold system on a database of 170,000 known protein structures. The AI then used an algorithm to make accurate predictions of the shape of 58 percent of all proteins within the human proteome. This more than doubled the number of high-accuracy human protein structures that researchers had identified during 50 years of direct experimentation, essentially overnight. The potential applications are enormous, from researching genetic diseases and combating anti-microbial resistance to engineering more drought-resistant crops. 'Protein-folding problem' Paul Nurse, winner of the 2001 Nobel Prize for Medicine and director of the Francis Crick Institute, said Thursday's release was "a great leap for biological innovation". "With this resource freely and openly available, the scientific community will be able to draw on collective knowledge to accelerate discovery, ushering in a new era for AI-enabled biology," he said. John McGeehan, director for the Centre for Enzyme Innovation at the University of Portsmouth, whose team is developing enzymes capable of consuming single-use plastic waste, said AlphaFold had revolutionised the field. "What took us months and years to do, AlphaFold was able to do in a weekend. I feel like we have just jumped at least a year ahead of where we were yesterday," he said. The ability to predict a protein's shape from its amino acid sequence using a computer rather than experimentation is already helping scientists in a number of research fields. AlphaFold is already being used in research into cures for diseases that disproportionately affect poorer countries. One US-based team is using the AI prediction to study ways of overcoming strains of drug-resistant bacteria. Another group is using the database to better understand how SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, bonds with human cells. Venki Ramakrishnan, winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry, said Thursday's research, published in the journal Nature, was a "stunning advance" in biological research. He said AlphaFold had essentially solved the so-called "protein-folding problem", which argued that the 3D structure of a given protein should be determinable from its amino acid sequence, and which had puzzled scientists for half a century. Given that the number of shapes a protein could theoretically take is astronomically large, the protein-fold problem was partly one of processing power. The task was so daunting that in 1969 US molecular biologist Cyril Levinthal famously theorised that it would take longer than the age of the known universe to enumerate all possible protein configurations using brute calculation. But with AlphaFold capable of performing a mind-dizzying number of calculations every second, the problem stood no chance when faced with AI and algorithms. "It has occurred long before many people in the field would have predicted," Ramakrishnan said. "It will be exciting to see the many ways in which it will fundamentally change biological research." (With inputs from agencies)

Google's DeepMind creates ‘transformative’ map of human proteins drawn by Artificial Intelligence

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will seek global rules on how to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence&nbsp;as he renewed warnings against Russia over hacking.

His remarks come amid mounting concern about hacking for ransom, including an&nbsp;attack&nbsp;that shut down a major fuel pipeline in the United States.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-14-heads-of-state-on-pegasus-hacking-list-who-ordered-the-snooping-399567/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

President Joe Biden said he warned his counterpart Vladimir Putin in a telephone call&nbsp;that the United States would take action,&nbsp;a message reiterated by Blinken.

These increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks represent a new type of warfare aimed at disorganising and even destroying a nation's economy. This has been called 'hybrid warfare.'

It's a mixture of conventional and unconventional methods used against a much stronger adversary that aims to achieve political objectives that would not be possible with traditional warfare.

The problem is often identifying the culprits. In hybrid warfare the state responsible for the actions will often use non-state actors, which allows it to deny responsibility.

But over the past two decades, many cyber-attacks targeting western state institutions and businesses have been far more sophisticated than a couple of tech-savvy individuals operating as 'lone wolves'&nbsp;and bear the hallmarks of actions taken with the support or approval of a hostile government.

Without a doubt, several major nations,&nbsp;particularly Russia, but also China and Iran at the very least, have become adept at using leaks, rumour and political subterfuge to support their geopolitical ends.

The problem, though, is that growing forces within Western countries have also embraced very much the same tactics. It makes getting to the bottom of what is really going on difficult, sometimes impossible. And perhaps most dangerous of all, it means the international climate continues to deteriorate and become ever more paranoid - whether it is justified or not.

It offers a potentially alarming model for any future high-intensity confrontation with Russia, China or both, pointing to an era where ever more players embrace tearing up the rule book and risking - or at worst, even embracing – bloody mayhem.

Proxy wars

In Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, and to a lesser extent in Libya and beyond, these calculations and their resulting proxy wars have already killed hundreds of thousands.

Elsewhere, particularly in the Western world, the contests have been largely bloodless. Getting to the bottom of what is really going on, however, is more difficult. Indeed, many of those involved are clearly embracing and taking advantage of that dynamic and its resulting confusion.

Conspiracy theories

More broadly this alarming rise in Machiavellian ambiguity risks being a disaster for democracies. Without doubt, it feeds into just the kind of conspiracy theories the far right, Kremlin and other spoilers thrive on, and that the international level it dramatically raises the risks of miscalculation.

With their own more ruthless traditions, autocratic states like Russia, China and Iran, and their leaders in particular,&nbsp;are scarcely less paranoid. All three have made it clear to varying degrees they see the hand of the West in domestic dissent at home, and as discontent such as that in Hong Kong escalates, such worries may get worse.

Honest, open diplomatic channels - both between nuclear nations and domestic political factions - offer almost the only hope of keeping such strains under control.

Clearly, there is no shortage of forces that believe that kind of chaos serves their interests. In the short term, they may be right. In the longer run, however, they may find that they suffer the consequences just as harshly as the rest of us.

(With inputs from agencies)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will seek global rules on how to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence as he renewed warnings against Russia over hacking.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will seek global rules on how to prevent misuse of artificial intelligence as he renewed warnings against Russia over hacking. His remarks come amid mounting concern about hacking for ransom, including an attack that shut down a major fuel pipeline in the United States. President Joe Biden said he warned his counterpart Vladimir Putin in a telephone call that the United States would take action, a message reiterated by Blinken. These increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks represent a new type of warfare aimed at disorganising and even destroying a nation's economy. This has been called 'hybrid warfare.' It's a mixture of conventional and unconventional methods used against a much stronger adversary that aims to achieve political objectives that would not be possible with traditional warfare. The problem is often identifying the culprits. In hybrid warfare the state responsible for the actions will often use non-state actors, which allows it to deny responsibility. But over the past two decades, many cyber-attacks targeting western state institutions and businesses have been far more sophisticated than a couple of tech-savvy individuals operating as 'lone wolves' and bear the hallmarks of actions taken with the support or approval of a hostile government. Without a doubt, several major nations, particularly Russia, but also China and Iran at the very least, have become adept at using leaks, rumour and political subterfuge to support their geopolitical ends. The problem, though, is that growing forces within Western countries have also embraced very much the same tactics. It makes getting to the bottom of what is really going on difficult, sometimes impossible. And perhaps most dangerous of all, it means the international climate continues to deteriorate and become ever more paranoid - whether it is justified or not. It offers a potentially alarming model for any future high-intensity confrontation with Russia, China or both, pointing to an era where ever more players embrace tearing up the rule book and risking - or at worst, even embracing – bloody mayhem. Proxy wars In Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, and to a lesser extent in Libya and beyond, these calculations and their resulting proxy wars have already killed hundreds of thousands. Elsewhere, particularly in the Western world, the contests have been largely bloodless. Getting to the bottom of what is really going on, however, is more difficult. Indeed, many of those involved are clearly embracing and taking advantage of that dynamic and its resulting confusion. Conspiracy theories More broadly this alarming rise in Machiavellian ambiguity risks being a disaster for democracies. Without doubt, it feeds into just the kind of conspiracy theories the far right, Kremlin and other spoilers thrive on, and that the international level it dramatically raises the risks of miscalculation. With their own more ruthless traditions, autocratic states like Russia, China and Iran, and their leaders in particular, are scarcely less paranoid. All three have made it clear to varying degrees they see the hand of the West in domestic dissent at home, and as discontent such as that in Hong Kong escalates, such worries may get worse. Honest, open diplomatic channels - both between nuclear nations and domestic political factions - offer almost the only hope of keeping such strains under control. Clearly, there is no shortage of forces that believe that kind of chaos serves their interests. In the short term, they may be right. In the longer run, however, they may find that they suffer the consequences just as harshly as the rest of us. (With inputs from agencies)

How have cyber attacks become strategy for hybrid warfare?

Bots have a bad rep. Shady manipulators have used these automated computer programs on social networks to spread conspiracy theories, spew vitriol and scam people. But when bots are programmed to do good, they can help us accomplish the seemingly impossible.

Take buying a PlayStation 5. Since the Sony console was released in November, it has been hard to find in physical and online stores, partly because a global chip shortage has slowed down manufacturing of all kinds of tech products, from graphics cards to automobiles.

As a result, when the new PlayStation appears online on sites like Amazon, Target and Best Buy, it sells out in minutes — sometimes seconds. Sony has said that demand for the PlayStation 5 is unprecedented and that supply constraints could continue through next year. That makes the odds of buying the console feel as random as winning the lottery.

Someone is buying them, though, and the lucky few I’ve talked to relied on some form of automation.

“It’s really difficult to get one without any bots,” said SV Yesvanth, an information security engineer who wrote a web script to automatically scan online stores for available consoles after his own struggles to buy one in Hyderabad, India. After he succeeded in buying a PlayStation, he said, he connected his bot to a Twitter account and helped hundreds of other eager shoppers.

This month, I joined the club. I volunteered to help a friend who had been trying to buy a PlayStation for six months. After setting up several Twitter bots to blast alerts to my phone as new consoles were stocked, I managed to snag one within a week. It wasn’t easy — I failed three times on Best Buy’s website and ultimately succeeded with GameStop. But the bots gave me a necessary edge to beat thousands of others furiously refreshing their web browsers.

You can’t pick just any bot and expect to land the device. I interviewed several creators of automated tools that have helped people score PlayStations. They said there were traps to avoid, like scammy bots purporting to sell consoles. There are also some hidden tricks to speed up orders. Here’s what you need to know.

Bots can be your friend …

Dozens of bots online publish a post on Twitter whenever a retailer refreshes its inventory with more PlayStations. They all generally work the same way: They search an online store’s web code for a signal — like an “add to cart” button — indicating that the PlayStation is back in stock. As soon as they detect that the console is available, they publish an alert on Twitter.

The first step is to follow trustworthy bots. Here are some reliable Twitter accounts I vetted:

— @PS5StockAlerts, which tweets when consoles are available at Best Buy, Sam’s Club and Walmart, among others.

— @mattswider, which initially relied on information from bots for restock updates but is now curated entirely by Matt Swider, the editor-in-chief of the blog TechRadar. Swider gets a heads-up from sources at big-box retailers and some independent stores before they refresh PlayStation inventory, he said.

— @ps5_india, the account run by SV Yesvanth, has a small following focused on obtaining a PlayStation in India, where it has been especially challenging to buy the console.

— @iloveps_5, a bot hosted by Kevin Hirczy, a software developer in Austria. Hirczy’s bot focuses on PlayStation availability in Europe.

You could scan your Twitter feed for in-stock alerts from these accounts. But a more efficient route is to set up notifications to show up on your phone whenever the accounts tweet. To do that, download the Twitter mobile app and allow it to push notifications to your phone. Then follow Twitter’s instructions to set specific accounts to send notifications to your phone when they tweet.

Once you see that consoles have come back in stock, don’t hesitate: Click through and add the item to the cart as quickly as you can.

... but most bots should be avoided

The risky part about relying on bots is that more often than not, you will run into scammers. The general rule of thumb: Avoid Twitter accounts offering to sell you a PlayStation 5 directly. Once they receive your payment, you probably won’t hear from them again.

So be very careful about which Twitter accounts you follow. Some scammers use account names and avatars that closely resemble the names of legitimate accounts. It’s best to follow only accounts that post links to trusted retailers.

“The scary thing is there are so many scam accounts that try to piggyback off legitimate accounts,” Swider said. “It’s hard to tell them apart.”

Other bots to avoid are the automatic checkout tools, like browser add-ons that refresh websites and try to order the PlayStation for you. Many retailer sites have systems that detect orders placed by nonhumans, so using these tools could cause your order to fail, SV Yesvanth said.

There are hidden tricks

Beyond following some bots and setting up alerts for your phone, you can tilt the odds in your favor with a few more steps:

— On retail sites such as GameStop and Best Buy, create a membership account and fill out your mailing address and credit card information ahead of time. This will speed up checkout by valuable seconds, Swider said.

— In rare cases, PlayStation orders have failed in the middle of a credit card transaction. On some store sites, like Amazon, you can buy gift credit for yourself, which allows you to skip the credit card verification process, SV Yesvanth said. (The downside is this strategy commits you to trying to buy the console from a specific retailer.)

— Some online stores have quirks. On Best Buy, for example, you shouldn’t refresh the website after clicking the “add to cart” button — that could cause you to lose your PlayStation. Swider regularly streams live YouTube videos walking people through the different checkout processes, and SV Yesvanth and Hirczy host group chats on Discord where people discuss what’s working for them.

At the end of the day, the sheer amount of effort to buy a product may sound absurd. But in an era when frantic shoppers compete even for hand sanitizer and toilet paper, bots may lead the path to victory.

Bots have a bad rep. Shady manipulators have used these automated computer programs on social networks to spread conspiracy theories, spew vitriol and scam people.

Bots have a bad rep. Shady manipulators have used these automated computer programs on social networks to spread conspiracy theories, spew vitriol and scam people. But when bots are programmed to do good, they can help us accomplish the seemingly impossible. Take buying a PlayStation 5. Since the Sony console was released in November, it has been hard to find in physical and online stores, partly because a global chip shortage has slowed down manufacturing of all kinds of tech products, from graphics cards to automobiles. As a result, when the new PlayStation appears online on sites like Amazon, Target and Best Buy, it sells out in minutes — sometimes seconds. Sony has said that demand for the PlayStation 5 is unprecedented and that supply constraints could continue through next year. That makes the odds of buying the console feel as random as winning the lottery. Someone is buying them, though, and the lucky few I’ve talked to relied on some form of automation. “It’s really difficult to get one without any bots,” said SV Yesvanth, an information security engineer who wrote a web script to automatically scan online stores for available consoles after his own struggles to buy one in Hyderabad, India. After he succeeded in buying a PlayStation, he said, he connected his bot to a Twitter account and helped hundreds of other eager shoppers. This month, I joined the club. I volunteered to help a friend who had been trying to buy a PlayStation for six months. After setting up several Twitter bots to blast alerts to my phone as new consoles were stocked, I managed to snag one within a week. It wasn’t easy — I failed three times on Best Buy’s website and ultimately succeeded with GameStop. But the bots gave me a necessary edge to beat thousands of others furiously refreshing their web browsers. You can’t pick just any bot and expect to land the device. I interviewed several creators of automated tools that have helped people score PlayStations. They said there were traps to avoid, like scammy bots purporting to sell consoles. There are also some hidden tricks to speed up orders. Here’s what you need to know. Bots can be your friend … Dozens of bots online publish a post on Twitter whenever a retailer refreshes its inventory with more PlayStations. They all generally work the same way: They search an online store’s web code for a signal — like an “add to cart” button — indicating that the PlayStation is back in stock. As soon as they detect that the console is available, they publish an alert on Twitter. The first step is to follow trustworthy bots. Here are some reliable Twitter accounts I vetted: — @PS5StockAlerts, which tweets when consoles are available at Best Buy, Sam’s Club and Walmart, among others. — @mattswider, which initially relied on information from bots for restock updates but is now curated entirely by Matt Swider, the editor-in-chief of the blog TechRadar. Swider gets a heads-up from sources at big-box retailers and some independent stores before they refresh PlayStation inventory, he said. — @ps5_india, the account run by SV Yesvanth, has a small following focused on obtaining a PlayStation in India, where it has been especially challenging to buy the console. — @iloveps_5, a bot hosted by Kevin Hirczy, a software developer in Austria. Hirczy’s bot focuses on PlayStation availability in Europe. You could scan your Twitter feed for in-stock alerts from these accounts. But a more efficient route is to set up notifications to show up on your phone whenever the accounts tweet. To do that, download the Twitter mobile app and allow it to push notifications to your phone. Then follow Twitter’s instructions to set specific accounts to send notifications to your phone when they tweet. Once you see that consoles have come back in stock, don’t hesitate: Click through and add the item to the cart as quickly as you can. ... but most bots should be avoided The risky part about relying on bots is that more often than not, you will run into scammers. The general rule of thumb: Avoid Twitter accounts offering to sell you a PlayStation 5 directly. Once they receive your payment, you probably won’t hear from them again. So be very careful about which Twitter accounts you follow. Some scammers use account names and avatars that closely resemble the names of legitimate accounts. It’s best to follow only accounts that post links to trusted retailers. “The scary thing is there are so many scam accounts that try to piggyback off legitimate accounts,” Swider said. “It’s hard to tell them apart.” Other bots to avoid are the automatic checkout tools, like browser add-ons that refresh websites and try to order the PlayStation for you. Many retailer sites have systems that detect orders placed by nonhumans, so using these tools could cause your order to fail, SV Yesvanth said. There are hidden tricks Beyond following some bots and setting up alerts for your phone, you can tilt the odds in your favor with a few more steps: — On retail sites such as GameStop and Best Buy, create a membership account and fill out your mailing address and credit card information ahead of time. This will speed up checkout by valuable seconds, Swider said. — In rare cases, PlayStation orders have failed in the middle of a credit card transaction. On some store sites, like Amazon, you can buy gift credit for yourself, which allows you to skip the credit card verification process, SV Yesvanth said. (The downside is this strategy commits you to trying to buy the console from a specific retailer.) — Some online stores have quirks. On Best Buy, for example, you shouldn’t refresh the website after clicking the “add to cart” button — that could cause you to lose your PlayStation. Swider regularly streams live YouTube videos walking people through the different checkout processes, and SV Yesvanth and Hirczy host group chats on Discord where people discuss what’s working for them. At the end of the day, the sheer amount of effort to buy a product may sound absurd. But in an era when frantic shoppers compete even for hand sanitizer and toilet paper, bots may lead the path to victory.

Want to buy a PlayStation 5? Befriend a bot.

Apple&nbsp;Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported&nbsp;on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The company will start selling a 5G version of budget iPhone SE in the first half of 2022, Nikkei reported, adding the device will be powered by its A15 processor and its 5G connectivity will be enabled by Qualcomm Inc's X60 modem chip.

Telecom operators have been spending billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to the much-touted 5G to enable faster internet and better coverage.

However, analysts are skeptical of the uses of the technology to individual consumers and believe there are years to come before one can reap the actual benefits.

Meanwhile, demand for iPhone Mini, the smaller version of&nbsp;Apple's flagship device has been muted, compared with its bigger and high-end models like iPhone 12 Pros and the older iPhone 11s as users prefer larger devices to run almost every day-to-day tasks.

US&nbsp;sales of iPhone 12 Mini were just 5 per cent&nbsp;of overall sales of its new phones during the first half of January, according to industry data provider Counterpoint.

Apple&nbsp;did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Apple Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Apple Inc's cheapest handset will support 5G technology in its next iteration and its iPhone Mini will not be included in its 2022 lineup, Nikkei reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The company will start selling a 5G version of budget iPhone SE in the first half of 2022, Nikkei reported, adding the device will be powered by its A15 processor and its 5G connectivity will be enabled by Qualcomm Inc's X60 modem chip. Telecom operators have been spending billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to the much-touted 5G to enable faster internet and better coverage. However, analysts are skeptical of the uses of the technology to individual consumers and believe there are years to come before one can reap the actual benefits. Meanwhile, demand for iPhone Mini, the smaller version of Apple's flagship device has been muted, compared with its bigger and high-end models like iPhone 12 Pros and the older iPhone 11s as users prefer larger devices to run almost every day-to-day tasks. US sales of iPhone 12 Mini were just 5 per cent of overall sales of its new phones during the first half of January, according to industry data provider Counterpoint. Apple did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Apple to upgrade budget handset to 5G, drop iPhone Mini from 2022 lineup

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Pros</td>
			<td>Cons</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Light and portable</td>
			<td>Smaller attachments not so ergonomic</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Effective deep cleaning</td>
			<td>Battery life</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Omni-directional cleaning</td>
			<td>Not meant for carpets</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Easy to use</td>
			<td>Priced too high</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

&nbsp;

I want to start this review with a joke:&nbsp;an "affordable" Dyson product is now a reality.

What's the punchline? It still costs INR 34,900! However, if you look at Dyson's many uber-luxe offerings in the market at present, this one may be one of the cheapest.

Say hello to the Dyson Omni-glide, the latest deep cleaning tool from the company which is designed to make your life simpler and tidier.

<blockquote>
There are gadgets that were useful at a time before the pandemic and those were a luxury. Now, there are gadgets that are useful in the post-pandemic time and are a necessity.
</blockquote>

Dyson's new vacuum cleaner fits into the latter. While it is cheaper than its more expensive, elder sibling — the mighty V11 Absolute Pro vacuum cleaner — the Omni-glide is still a costly investment.

What makes this new cleaning tool different? You can multitask while cleaning hard floors and it won't sprain your forearm.

Lockdowns made us all self-reliant when it came to household chores and perhaps that independent streak will always stay with us. The market for dishwashers, cooking equipment and vacuum cleaners saw a big boom during lockdowns. In the same streak, Dyson's V11 Absolute Pro became the undisputed king in the category because of its novel design, multiple attachments, and effective cleaning across diverse spaces.&nbsp;However, it is priced above INR 50,000 and becomes a hefty though useful investment for the house.

<img alt="Dyson" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b33ce3bc-f5e2-4ceb-a287-bdc2d96c1fbd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Dyson%20Omni%20Glide_Manoeuvrability%20Mongrel_May%202020_RGB_photo%20%282%29.jpg" />

I have used the V11 for two years now, knocked it into hard surfaces, cleaned carpets and hard floors, scooped up my son's online class experiments — all in a jiffy. My only gripe with it was its weight. The heaviness of the machine made it difficult for younger and older family members to use it.

However, Dyson may have solved that problem with the Omni-Glide.

<h2>Smaller is better</h2>

The new Omni-glide weighs under two kilos, carries Dyson's trademark design and colour ethos and looks more like a cool Avengers' weapon than a vacuum cleaner. My hunch is this would be ideal for smaller houses with young professionals and kids, instead of sprawling villas and commercial spaces —&nbsp;that market may belong to the V11 for now. So, if you're setting up your own house for the first time,&nbsp;this would be the vacuum cleaner for you.

Omni-glide weighs only 1.9 kilos, which is a blessing. If you are familiar with Dyson's clickety-clackety sounds, then you would know how to set it up in seconds. Unlike the overwhelming number of attachments that come with the V11, here, you only get three attachments to clean other surfaces.

Remember, you cannot clean your carpets with the Omni-glide since it is meant for hard floors only. This may be a deal-breaker for some, especially at this cost.

The best thing about the smaller size was the ease of use. Both, my son and my mother could lift it up, wheel it and glide it around easily, much to their glee and excitement.

<h2>360 degrees of cleaning</h2>

The main selling point of the Omni-glide is how easy it is to maneuver and that is predominantly because of its Omni-directional fluffy cleaner head. It rotates in all corners catching every stubborn speck of dirt, dust, hair, grime, and food. The power button on the long stick lets you seamlessly switch hands while cleaning in case you need to grab a snack, tend to an unruly kid, or even take some work calls.

<img alt="Dyson" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a5962703-6c4e-45a4-9d6a-bbcbaf990bb0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Dyson%20Omni%20Glide_Manoeuvrability.jpg" />

However, do not use the Omni-glide on wet surfaces. Apart from that, the motor will pick up anything in its way. For young couples with kids or pets or both, I can't recommend this cleaning tool enough.

Effortless deep cleaning remains Omni-glide's biggest advantage and in the new age of self-reliance, it could be an asset.

<h2>Battery life</h2>

At this price point, I am not too happy with the battery life. The smaller size has also led to smaller battery life and you'll get around 20 minutes on the Eco Mode and if you use the Max power mode through a separate button, this beast will die down in 10-15 minutes.

<img alt="Dyson" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfda5040-592f-4878-8971-78b393f0fc49" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Dyson%20Omni%20Glide_Battery.jpg" />

So Dyson, if you want customers to splurge more than INR 33,000 on a small vacuum cleaner, you've got to give them a longer battery life. It may be wise to invest in one of Dyson's swappable batteries.

To charge the Omni-glide, you get a wall charging unit which can fit seamlessly into any room corner —&nbsp;out of reach of sticky, nimble hands.

<h2>How to clean the equipment?</h2>

Make sure you empty the bin regularly. The small bin of the cleaner opens easily with a button and a drag-down movement.&nbsp;

<img alt="Dyson" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3db98380-8b50-422a-8cdc-3058a8145058" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Dyson%20Omni%20Glide_Bin%20Emptying.jpg" />

<h2>Final verdict</h2>

If Santa was real and I could ask for an early Christmas present, it would be affordable and effective deep cleaning equipment for smarter, compact homes. Lockdowns have made us value our homes even more. They have become our safe spaces, where we spend most days with our loved ones. This is why products such as vacuum cleaners, dishwashers and smart microwaves have become so popular in the post-lockdown world. They help to make mundane tasks easier and give better results.

The Dyson Omni-glide packs in superior-tech and delivers on its biggest promise —&nbsp;a clean floor in seconds. If it was priced under INR 30,000, it would be accessible to a whole new market of customers. But to want is not to get and for now if you want fuss-free deep cleaning with a beast of a machine, the Dyson Omni-glide ticks all the boxes.

Pros Cons Light and portable Smaller attachments not so ergonomic Effective deep cleaning Battery life Omni-directional cleaning Not meant for carpets Easy to use Priced too high I want to start this review with a joke: an "affordable" Dyson product is now a reality.

Pros Cons Light and portable Smaller attachments not so ergonomic Effective deep cleaning Battery life Omni-directional cleaning Not meant for carpets Easy to use Priced too high I want to start this review with a joke: an "affordable" Dyson product is now a reality. What's the punchline? It still costs INR 34,900! However, if you look at Dyson's many uber-luxe offerings in the market at present, this one may be one of the cheapest. Say hello to the Dyson Omni-glide, the latest deep cleaning tool from the company which is designed to make your life simpler and tidier. There are gadgets that were useful at a time before the pandemic and those were a luxury. Now, there are gadgets that are useful in the post-pandemic time and are a necessity. Dyson's new vacuum cleaner fits into the latter. While it is cheaper than its more expensive, elder sibling — the mighty V11 Absolute Pro vacuum cleaner — the Omni-glide is still a costly investment. What makes this new cleaning tool different? You can multitask while cleaning hard floors and it won't sprain your forearm. Lockdowns made us all self-reliant when it came to household chores and perhaps that independent streak will always stay with us. The market for dishwashers, cooking equipment and vacuum cleaners saw a big boom during lockdowns. In the same streak, Dyson's V11 Absolute Pro became the undisputed king in the category because of its novel design, multiple attachments, and effective cleaning across diverse spaces. However, it is priced above INR 50,000 and becomes a hefty though useful investment for the house. I have used the V11 for two years now, knocked it into hard surfaces, cleaned carpets and hard floors, scooped up my son's online class experiments — all in a jiffy. My only gripe with it was its weight. The heaviness of the machine made it difficult for younger and older family members to use it. However, Dyson may have solved that problem with the Omni-Glide. Smaller is better The new Omni-glide weighs under two kilos, carries Dyson's trademark design and colour ethos and looks more like a cool Avengers' weapon than a vacuum cleaner. My hunch is this would be ideal for smaller houses with young professionals and kids, instead of sprawling villas and commercial spaces — that market may belong to the V11 for now. So, if you're setting up your own house for the first time, this would be the vacuum cleaner for you. Omni-glide weighs only 1.9 kilos, which is a blessing. If you are familiar with Dyson's clickety-clackety sounds, then you would know how to set it up in seconds. Unlike the overwhelming number of attachments that come with the V11, here, you only get three attachments to clean other surfaces. Remember, you cannot clean your carpets with the Omni-glide since it is meant for hard floors only. This may be a deal-breaker for some, especially at this cost. The best thing about the smaller size was the ease of use. Both, my son and my mother could lift it up, wheel it and glide it around easily, much to their glee and excitement. 360 degrees of cleaning The main selling point of the Omni-glide is how easy it is to maneuver and that is predominantly because of its Omni-directional fluffy cleaner head. It rotates in all corners catching every stubborn speck of dirt, dust, hair, grime, and food. The power button on the long stick lets you seamlessly switch hands while cleaning in case you need to grab a snack, tend to an unruly kid, or even take some work calls. However, do not use the Omni-glide on wet surfaces. Apart from that, the motor will pick up anything in its way. For young couples with kids or pets or both, I can't recommend this cleaning tool enough. Effortless deep cleaning remains Omni-glide's biggest advantage and in the new age of self-reliance, it could be an asset. Battery life At this price point, I am not too happy with the battery life. The smaller size has also led to smaller battery life and you'll get around 20 minutes on the Eco Mode and if you use the Max power mode through a separate button, this beast will die down in 10-15 minutes. So Dyson, if you want customers to splurge more than INR 33,000 on a small vacuum cleaner, you've got to give them a longer battery life. It may be wise to invest in one of Dyson's swappable batteries. To charge the Omni-glide, you get a wall charging unit which can fit seamlessly into any room corner — out of reach of sticky, nimble hands. How to clean the equipment? Make sure you empty the bin regularly. The small bin of the cleaner opens easily with a button and a drag-down movement. Final verdict If Santa was real and I could ask for an early Christmas present, it would be affordable and effective deep cleaning equipment for smarter, compact homes. Lockdowns have made us value our homes even more. They have become our safe spaces, where we spend most days with our loved ones. This is why products such as vacuum cleaners, dishwashers and smart microwaves have become so popular in the post-lockdown world. They help to make mundane tasks easier and give better results. The Dyson Omni-glide packs in superior-tech and delivers on its biggest promise — a clean floor in seconds. If it was priced under INR 30,000, it would be accessible to a whole new market of customers. But to want is not to get and for now if you want fuss-free deep cleaning with a beast of a machine, the Dyson Omni-glide ticks all the boxes.

Gliding between the dirt: Review of Dyson Omni-Glide vaccum cleaner

Dyson Omni-Glide: Rs&nbsp;34,900

Pros &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Light and portable 
Effective deep cleaning 
Omni-directional cleaning 
Easy to use

Cons

Smaller attachments not so ergonomic 
Battery life 
Not meant for carpets 
Priced too high

Specifications:

Air watts: 11 aw (eco), 50aw (boost) 
Bin capacity: 0.2l 
Battery life: 20 mins (eco) 
Charge time: 3.5 hours 
Weight: 1.9 kg

<img alt="DYSON OMNI-GLIDE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="df12a8ea-f8eb-40a8-9d1d-fad495f2586a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/G2.JPG" />

Gliding between the dirt

I want to start this review with a joke -&nbsp;an "affordable" Dyson product is now a reality. What's the punchline? It still costs Rs 34,900! But if you look at Dyson's many uber-luxe offerings in the market at present -- this one may be one of the cheapest.

Say hello to the Dyson Omni-glide -&nbsp;the latest deep cleaning tool from the company which is designed to make your life simpler and tidier.

There are gadgets that were useful at a time before the Pandemic and those were a luxury. Then there are gadgets that are useful in a time after the Pandemic and these are a necessity.

Dyson's new vacuum cleaner fits into the latter. While it is cheaper than its more expensive, elder sibling, the mighty V11 Absolute Pro vacuum cleaner, the Omni-glide is still a&nbsp;costly investment.

What makes this new cleaning tool different? That you can multi-task while cleaning hard floors and it won't sprain your forearm.

Lockdowns made us all self-reliant when it came to household chores and perhaps that independent streak will always stay with us. The market for dishwashers, cooking equipment, vacuum cleaners saw a big boom during lockdowns. And Dyson's V11 Absolute Pro became the undisputed king in the category because of its novel design, multiple attachments and effective cleaning across diverse spaces.&nbsp;

But it is priced above 50,000 rupees, and becomes a hefty though useful investment for the house.

I have used the V11 for two years now, knocked it into hard surfaces, cleaned carpets and hard floors, scooped up my son's online class experiments -- all in a jiffy. My only gripe with its was how heavy it was making it difficult for younger and older family members to use it.

Dyson may have solved that problem with the Omni-Glide.

<img alt="DYSON OMNI-GLIDE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="42785746-27b7-4532-8d2b-ff8856fcdf72" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/G1.JPG" />

Smaller is better 
&nbsp;

The new Omni-glide weighs under two kilos, carries Dyson's trademark design and colour ethos and looks more like a cool 'Avengers' weapon than a vacuum cleaner. My hunch is this would be ideal for smaller houses with young professionals and kids instead of sprawling villas and commercial spaces -- that market may belong to the V11 for now. So if you're setting up your own house for the first time-- this would be the vacuum cleaner for you.

The Omni-glide weighs only 1.9 kilos which is a blessing. If you're familiar with Dyson's clickety clackety sounds, then you would know how to set it up in seconds. Unlike the overwhelming number of attachments that comes with the V11, here, you only get 3 attachments to clean other surfaces.&nbsp;

Remember, you CANNOT clean your carpets with the Omni-glide since it is meant for hard floors only. This may be a deal-breaker for some especially at this cost.

The best thing about the smaller size was the ease of use. Both my son and my mother could lift it up, wheel it and glide it around easily much to their glee and excitement.

<img alt="DYSON OMNI-GLIDE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="81ee2573-f93a-4d87-8ec8-d8384ce5c4f3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/G4.JPG" />

360 degrees of cleaning

The main selling point of the Omni-glide is how easy it is to maneuver and that is predominantly because of its omni-directional fluffy cleaner head. It rotates in all corners catching every stubborn speck of dirt, dust, hair, grime and food. The power button on the long stick lets you seamlessly switch hands while cleaning in case you need to grab a snack, tend to an unruly kid or even take some work calls.

Do not use the Omni-glide on wet surfaces. Apart from that, the motor will pick up anything in its way. For young couples with kids or pets or both, I can't recommend this cleaning tool enough.

Effortless deep cleaning remains the Omni-glide's biggest advantage and in the new age of self-reliance, it could be an asset.

Battery life

At this price point, I am not too happy with the battery life. The smaller size has also led to a smaller battery life and you'll get around 20 minutes on the Eco Mode and if you use the Max power mode though a separate button, this beast will die down in 10-15 minutes. So Dyson, if you want customers to splurge more than 33,000 rupees on a small vacuum cleaner, you've got to give them a longer battery life. It may be wise to invest in one of Dyson's swappable batteries.

To charge the Omni-glide, you get a wall charging unit which can fit seamlessly into any room corner -- out of reach of sticky, nimble hands!

<img alt="Dyson Omni Glide" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8020eb4d-85bd-4f24-acdb-47bcf3c6cb80" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/77777.JPG" />

How to clean the vacuum cleaner?

Make sure you empty the bin regularly. The small bin of the cleaner opens easily with a button and a drag down movement.&nbsp;

Final verdict

If Santa was real and I could ask for an early Christmas present, it would be affordable and effective deep cleaning equipment for smarter, compact homes. Lockdowns have made us value our homes even more. They have become our safe spaces, where we spend most days with our loves ones. Which is why products like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers and smart microwaves have become so popular in the post-lockdown world. They help to make mundane tasks easier and give better results.

The Dyson Omni-glide packs in superior tech and delivers on its biggest promise -- a clean floor in seconds. If it was priced under 30,000 rupees, it would be accessible to a whole new market of customers. But to want is not to get and for now, if you want fuss-free deep cleaning with a beast of a machine, the Dyson Omni-glide ticks all the boxes.

Dyson Omni-Glide: Rs 34,900 Pros Light and portable Effective deep cleaning Omni-directional cleaning Easy to use Cons Smaller attachments not so ergonomic Battery life Not meant for carpets Priced too high Specifications: Air watts: 11 aw (eco), 50aw (boost) Bin capacity: 0.

Dyson Omni-Glide: Rs 34,900 Pros Light and portable Effective deep cleaning Omni-directional cleaning Easy to use Cons Smaller attachments not so ergonomic Battery life Not meant for carpets Priced too high Specifications: Air watts: 11 aw (eco), 50aw (boost) Bin capacity: 0.2l Battery life: 20 mins (eco) Charge time: 3.5 hours Weight: 1.9 kg Gliding between the dirt I want to start this review with a joke - an "affordable" Dyson product is now a reality. What's the punchline? It still costs Rs 34,900! But if you look at Dyson's many uber-luxe offerings in the market at present -- this one may be one of the cheapest. Say hello to the Dyson Omni-glide - the latest deep cleaning tool from the company which is designed to make your life simpler and tidier. There are gadgets that were useful at a time before the Pandemic and those were a luxury. Then there are gadgets that are useful in a time after the Pandemic and these are a necessity. Dyson's new vacuum cleaner fits into the latter. While it is cheaper than its more expensive, elder sibling, the mighty V11 Absolute Pro vacuum cleaner, the Omni-glide is still a costly investment. What makes this new cleaning tool different? That you can multi-task while cleaning hard floors and it won't sprain your forearm. Lockdowns made us all self-reliant when it came to household chores and perhaps that independent streak will always stay with us. The market for dishwashers, cooking equipment, vacuum cleaners saw a big boom during lockdowns. And Dyson's V11 Absolute Pro became the undisputed king in the category because of its novel design, multiple attachments and effective cleaning across diverse spaces. But it is priced above 50,000 rupees, and becomes a hefty though useful investment for the house. I have used the V11 for two years now, knocked it into hard surfaces, cleaned carpets and hard floors, scooped up my son's online class experiments -- all in a jiffy. My only gripe with its was how heavy it was making it difficult for younger and older family members to use it. Dyson may have solved that problem with the Omni-Glide. Smaller is better The new Omni-glide weighs under two kilos, carries Dyson's trademark design and colour ethos and looks more like a cool 'Avengers' weapon than a vacuum cleaner. My hunch is this would be ideal for smaller houses with young professionals and kids instead of sprawling villas and commercial spaces -- that market may belong to the V11 for now. So if you're setting up your own house for the first time-- this would be the vacuum cleaner for you. The Omni-glide weighs only 1.9 kilos which is a blessing. If you're familiar with Dyson's clickety clackety sounds, then you would know how to set it up in seconds. Unlike the overwhelming number of attachments that comes with the V11, here, you only get 3 attachments to clean other surfaces. Remember, you CANNOT clean your carpets with the Omni-glide since it is meant for hard floors only. This may be a deal-breaker for some especially at this cost. The best thing about the smaller size was the ease of use. Both my son and my mother could lift it up, wheel it and glide it around easily much to their glee and excitement. 360 degrees of cleaning The main selling point of the Omni-glide is how easy it is to maneuver and that is predominantly because of its omni-directional fluffy cleaner head. It rotates in all corners catching every stubborn speck of dirt, dust, hair, grime and food. The power button on the long stick lets you seamlessly switch hands while cleaning in case you need to grab a snack, tend to an unruly kid or even take some work calls. Do not use the Omni-glide on wet surfaces. Apart from that, the motor will pick up anything in its way. For young couples with kids or pets or both, I can't recommend this cleaning tool enough. Effortless deep cleaning remains the Omni-glide's biggest advantage and in the new age of self-reliance, it could be an asset. Battery life At this price point, I am not too happy with the battery life. The smaller size has also led to a smaller battery life and you'll get around 20 minutes on the Eco Mode and if you use the Max power mode though a separate button, this beast will die down in 10-15 minutes. So Dyson, if you want customers to splurge more than 33,000 rupees on a small vacuum cleaner, you've got to give them a longer battery life. It may be wise to invest in one of Dyson's swappable batteries. To charge the Omni-glide, you get a wall charging unit which can fit seamlessly into any room corner -- out of reach of sticky, nimble hands! How to clean the vacuum cleaner? Make sure you empty the bin regularly. The small bin of the cleaner opens easily with a button and a drag down movement. Final verdict If Santa was real and I could ask for an early Christmas present, it would be affordable and effective deep cleaning equipment for smarter, compact homes. Lockdowns have made us value our homes even more. They have become our safe spaces, where we spend most days with our loves ones. Which is why products like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers and smart microwaves have become so popular in the post-lockdown world. They help to make mundane tasks easier and give better results. The Dyson Omni-glide packs in superior tech and delivers on its biggest promise -- a clean floor in seconds. If it was priced under 30,000 rupees, it would be accessible to a whole new market of customers. But to want is not to get and for now, if you want fuss-free deep cleaning with a beast of a machine, the Dyson Omni-glide ticks all the boxes.

Review: Dyson Omni-Glide

Just minutes after logging into social media accounts, children are potentially bombarded with a host of dangerous content that could lead to self-harm,&nbsp;sexualisation, misleading diets and wrong concepts on weight loss, a disturbing study has revealed.

Through the "endless scroll"&nbsp;features, kids are sucked into a vortex&nbsp;of "targeted"&nbsp;content.

Now a study has shed light on the extent of this dangerous practice.

Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have come under the radar of governments across the globe with new regulation drives.

Many administrations are increasingly growing wary of the role played by these companies in dissemination of content on their platforms, especially in terms of "targeted content".

Targeted content may be defined as that which is created especially for a niche audience in mind to elicit a specific response. Easiest example? Perhaps the little advertisements you see every time on Instagram that weirdly pitch&nbsp;products you may be looking to buy on other portals. You become the target, and the purchase of the advertised product is the expected response.

With each positive response to such target advertisements, the algorithms that pitch personalised content to users become refined and stronger. While adults may be able to successfully understand that they're targets of a marketplace strategy, children may be inadvertently exposed to dangerous products and content.

<img alt="social media" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="baf56a74-91dd-4908-be46-3f060c753eef" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_73.jpg" />

Graphic online content 
 
A new research sheds light on the disturbing content targeting designed especially for children. According to researchers at "Revealing Reality" who undertook the project, accounts of minors and children are being fed inappropriate material soon after joining any social media platform.

What is "inappropriate material", you wonder? In this case, it refers to images of self-harm including razors and cuts.&nbsp;

The researchers&nbsp;set up social media accounts that would essentially resemble the online avatar of a child based on information from kids aged between 13-17. They took into account the kind of profiles generally followed by kids and the nature of content they're expected to "like" across platforms.

Just hours into the creation of accounts on social media, these fake accounts representing kids were fed content about diets and sexualisation. In addition, pornography and other explicit content was easily accessible through these accounts.

<img alt="social" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ad03b99f-5819-4152-837f-65f836f713f4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_59.jpg" />

Worryingly, just hours after signing up, the accounts were approached by unknown adults, positing that a part of this targeted content attempted to link kids to adults on social media. This experiment was commissioned by 5Rights Foundation and the Children's Commissioner for England, who are urging governments to formulate rules to regulate the design and models of online platforms.

Researchers believe that such content is dangerous especially for kids who are grappling with body image issues, for they're constantly fed unrealistic ideas of an ideal body type.

A 14-year-old girl, Molly Russell took her own life after viewing graphic self-harm and suicidal content online. Her father, Ian Russell told SkyNews that social media companies prioritise profit over safety and is urging governments to bring online content in line with what kids are shown in the physical world.

Facebook, Instagram and TikTok were named explicitly in the report. In response, both Facebook (which also owns Instagram) and TikTok commissioned the same staple response, claiming they have robust models to ensure kids are safe on their platforms.&nbsp;

<img alt="social" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5e249b-d93a-42da-8e25-3fcd225e2f50" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/4_18.jpg" />

Weight-loss frenzy 
 
The same research also revealed how&nbsp;Instagram is flooding the feeds of teenagers with weight-loss content. While accounts created for girls were receiving more content about dieting and losing weight, ghost accounts for boys were constantly fed images of models with unrealistic body types.

In one instance, an account set up for a 17-year-old girl liked a post about dieting which Instagram fed to the account in its "Explore" tab&nbsp;where people discover new content from users they may not be "following". Soon, suggestions in the "Explore" section radically changed to focus on weight loss, with amplification&nbsp;of&nbsp;"distorted body shapes". Similar patterns were noted for accounts created for girls.

Instagram claims that the study only represents a fraction of the teenage experience on its platform, claiming the content shown in the research&nbsp;is the kind which shows up when actively searched by users.

<img alt="social" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9680ef00-6f76-4f09-83c1-475738ee304d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/3_48.jpg" />

United Kingdom has taken the need to protect children from harmful content extremely seriously.

Six weeks from now, social media companies will be required to follow a strict set of rules for age-appropriate content on social media, which the county's Information Commissioner's Office is calling the pursuit of a "child-safe internet".

Starting September, companies will be expected to curate child-friendly content on their platforms by default, instead of the current model which operates under the assumption that every user on their portal is an adult until they state otherwise. With this, the United Kingdom is&nbsp;setting a precedent for other countries where there are no safeguards for children in the online sphere.&nbsp;

Just minutes after logging into social media accounts, children are potentially bombarded with a host of dangerous content that could lead to self-harm, sexualisation, misleading diets and wrong concepts on weight loss, a disturbing study has revealed.

Just minutes after logging into social media accounts, children are potentially bombarded with a host of dangerous content that could lead to self-harm, sexualisation, misleading diets and wrong concepts on weight loss, a disturbing study has revealed. Through the "endless scroll" features, kids are sucked into a vortex of "targeted" content. Now a study has shed light on the extent of this dangerous practice. Social media giants like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have come under the radar of governments across the globe with new regulation drives. Many administrations are increasingly growing wary of the role played by these companies in dissemination of content on their platforms, especially in terms of "targeted content". Targeted content may be defined as that which is created especially for a niche audience in mind to elicit a specific response. Easiest example? Perhaps the little advertisements you see every time on Instagram that weirdly pitch products you may be looking to buy on other portals. You become the target, and the purchase of the advertised product is the expected response. With each positive response to such target advertisements, the algorithms that pitch personalised content to users become refined and stronger. While adults may be able to successfully understand that they're targets of a marketplace strategy, children may be inadvertently exposed to dangerous products and content. Graphic online content A new research sheds light on the disturbing content targeting designed especially for children. According to researchers at "Revealing Reality" who undertook the project, accounts of minors and children are being fed inappropriate material soon after joining any social media platform. What is "inappropriate material", you wonder? In this case, it refers to images of self-harm including razors and cuts. The researchers set up social media accounts that would essentially resemble the online avatar of a child based on information from kids aged between 13-17. They took into account the kind of profiles generally followed by kids and the nature of content they're expected to "like" across platforms. Just hours into the creation of accounts on social media, these fake accounts representing kids were fed content about diets and sexualisation. In addition, pornography and other explicit content was easily accessible through these accounts. Worryingly, just hours after signing up, the accounts were approached by unknown adults, positing that a part of this targeted content attempted to link kids to adults on social media. This experiment was commissioned by 5Rights Foundation and the Children's Commissioner for England, who are urging governments to formulate rules to regulate the design and models of online platforms. Researchers believe that such content is dangerous especially for kids who are grappling with body image issues, for they're constantly fed unrealistic ideas of an ideal body type. A 14-year-old girl, Molly Russell took her own life after viewing graphic self-harm and suicidal content online. Her father, Ian Russell told SkyNews that social media companies prioritise profit over safety and is urging governments to bring online content in line with what kids are shown in the physical world. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok were named explicitly in the report. In response, both Facebook (which also owns Instagram) and TikTok commissioned the same staple response, claiming they have robust models to ensure kids are safe on their platforms. Weight-loss frenzy The same research also revealed how Instagram is flooding the feeds of teenagers with weight-loss content. While accounts created for girls were receiving more content about dieting and losing weight, ghost accounts for boys were constantly fed images of models with unrealistic body types. In one instance, an account set up for a 17-year-old girl liked a post about dieting which Instagram fed to the account in its "Explore" tab where people discover new content from users they may not be "following". Soon, suggestions in the "Explore" section radically changed to focus on weight loss, with amplification of "distorted body shapes". Similar patterns were noted for accounts created for girls. Instagram claims that the study only represents a fraction of the teenage experience on its platform, claiming the content shown in the research is the kind which shows up when actively searched by users. United Kingdom has taken the need to protect children from harmful content extremely seriously. Six weeks from now, social media companies will be required to follow a strict set of rules for age-appropriate content on social media, which the county's Information Commissioner's Office is calling the pursuit of a "child-safe internet". Starting September, companies will be expected to curate child-friendly content on their platforms by default, instead of the current model which operates under the assumption that every user on their portal is an adult until they state otherwise. With this, the United Kingdom is setting a precedent for other countries where there are no safeguards for children in the online sphere.

This is how social media giants are feeding dangerous content to children

Researchers in Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology recently set a new world record for the world's fastest internet speed at 319 Terabytes &nbsp;per second (Tbps).

The long-haul transfer of data took place over 3,001 kilometres.

This record marks speeds twice as fast as the previous one set by researchers from the University College of London with 178 Tbps.

319 Tbps&nbsp;is a remarkably fast speed for transfer of data online. One terabyte (TB) contains 1,000 gigabytes (GB). Most home connections are based on megabits per second (Mbps). A 1 GBPS internet connection is 10 times faster than Mbps&nbsp;connectivity and equal to at least 1,000 Mbps.

What can you do with 319 Tbps?

What 319 terabytes per second mean: Forget downloading Netflix's whole catalogue. This speed is too quick for even the platform's vast offerings, which could download everything as soon you as tap the download button. With the previous record of 178 Tbps, all of Netflix could be downloaded in less than a second. You can only imagine the speeds!

319 Tbps&nbsp;is an extraordinary speed for internet. It means that 57,000 full-length films can be downloaded in less than a second. This is just in theory. In practice, no single user would be able to download 57,000 films in one go per second.

All of Spotify's catalogue can be downloaded in less than three seconds with 319 Tbps!&nbsp;But these speeds are not commercially available and need supporting infrastructure.&nbsp;

Which countries offer high internet connectivity?

A 2020 report claims that the fastest mobile broadband speed recorded in the world is 100 Mbps&nbsp;- in South Korea. The same report claimed that Singapore has the fastest fixed-line broadband speed with a whopping 2015 Mbps!

Hong Kong and Romania came in close with speeds of 210.73 Mbps&nbsp;and 194.47 Mbps&nbsp;respectively. Internet speed in India is rather unimpressive with 38.19 Mbps&nbsp;for fixed broadband and 12.16 Mbps&nbsp;for mobile connections, the same report added.

With this, researchers hope the mechanism&nbsp;can be employed to upgrade existing models of data transmission and support the speeds claimed by 5G, which is not available everywhere yet.

Researchers in Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology recently set a new world record for the world's fastest internet speed at 319 Terabytes per second (Tbps).

Researchers in Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology recently set a new world record for the world's fastest internet speed at 319 Terabytes per second (Tbps). The long-haul transfer of data took place over 3,001 kilometres. This record marks speeds twice as fast as the previous one set by researchers from the University College of London with 178 Tbps. 319 Tbps is a remarkably fast speed for transfer of data online. One terabyte (TB) contains 1,000 gigabytes (GB). Most home connections are based on megabits per second (Mbps). A 1 GBPS internet connection is 10 times faster than Mbps connectivity and equal to at least 1,000 Mbps. What can you do with 319 Tbps? What 319 terabytes per second mean: Forget downloading Netflix's whole catalogue. This speed is too quick for even the platform's vast offerings, which could download everything as soon you as tap the download button. With the previous record of 178 Tbps, all of Netflix could be downloaded in less than a second. You can only imagine the speeds! 319 Tbps is an extraordinary speed for internet. It means that 57,000 full-length films can be downloaded in less than a second. This is just in theory. In practice, no single user would be able to download 57,000 films in one go per second. All of Spotify's catalogue can be downloaded in less than three seconds with 319 Tbps! But these speeds are not commercially available and need supporting infrastructure. Which countries offer high internet connectivity? A 2020 report claims that the fastest mobile broadband speed recorded in the world is 100 Mbps - in South Korea. The same report claimed that Singapore has the fastest fixed-line broadband speed with a whopping 2015 Mbps! Hong Kong and Romania came in close with speeds of 210.73 Mbps and 194.47 Mbps respectively. Internet speed in India is rather unimpressive with 38.19 Mbps for fixed broadband and 12.16 Mbps for mobile connections, the same report added. With this, researchers hope the mechanism can be employed to upgrade existing models of data transmission and support the speeds claimed by 5G, which is not available everywhere yet.

With 319 Terabytes  per second, Japan sets new world record for internet speed. What does this mean?

A novel wearable device converts a finger's touch into a power source for small electronics and sensors.

Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, created a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on a fingertip and generate small amounts of energy when a person's finger sweats or presses against it.&nbsp;

According to the researchers who took part in this study, wearing this strip for 10 hours while sleeping could help charge electronic equipment that could run a watch for 24 hours.&nbsp;

To charge devices, most wearable power-producing charging strips on the market today require users to engage in strenuous exercise or rely on external sources such as sunshine or large temperature fluctuations. 
&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p_Bcthb4uTU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Researchers have invented a new technology that allows users to charge their cellphones and watches while they sleep.&nbsp;

"Unlike other sweat-powered wearables, this one requires no exercise, no physical input from the wearer in order to be useful. This work is a step forward to making wearables more practical, convenient, and accessible for the everyday person," said Lu Yin, a doctoral student, and co-author of the study in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

A novel wearable device converts a finger's touch into a power source for small electronics and sensors. Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, created a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on a fingertip and generate small amounts of energy when a person's finger sweats or presses against it.

A novel wearable device converts a finger's touch into a power source for small electronics and sensors. Engineers from the University of California, San Diego, created a thin, flexible strip that can be worn on a fingertip and generate small amounts of energy when a person's finger sweats or presses against it. According to the researchers who took part in this study, wearing this strip for 10 hours while sleeping could help charge electronic equipment that could run a watch for 24 hours. To charge devices, most wearable power-producing charging strips on the market today require users to engage in strenuous exercise or rely on external sources such as sunshine or large temperature fluctuations. × Researchers have invented a new technology that allows users to charge their cellphones and watches while they sleep. "Unlike other sweat-powered wearables, this one requires no exercise, no physical input from the wearer in order to be useful. This work is a step forward to making wearables more practical, convenient, and accessible for the everyday person," said Lu Yin, a doctoral student, and co-author of the study in a statement. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches

Microsoft believes malware used to infect PCs running its Windows operating system was created by an Israeli organisation.

Microsoft is taking a new effort to reduce internet security issues.

The company has also been looking for government-backed hackers, such as the Chinese organisation Hafnium, which it believes is responsible for attacks on its Exchange Server email software.&nbsp;

The problem was only recently rectified by Microsoft, and it took them a long time to resolve, with several people claiming that it was ineffective for their experience.

The threat actors were revealed to be from the private sector, and the company launched an inquiry to learn more about their genuine motives.&nbsp;

Microsoft's investigation into their latest breach and zero-day vulnerability came from an Israeli private sector business called "Sourgum," according to the company's blog post. 
 
Watch: India rolls out new education policy, teams up with Microsoft

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-rolls-out-new-education-policy-teams-up-with-microsoft-389629/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The company in question is a PSOA, or private sector offensive actor, intending to sell "cyberweapons" to its clients to hack them.&nbsp;

Another group discovered in the investigation is known as "Candiru," and they have been related to Sourgum with regards to the recent Microsoft attack.

While the motives of Candiru are unknown, it poses a direct threat to Microsoft and would be subject to an inquiry in the hopes of apprehending the perpetrator.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft believes malware used to infect PCs running its Windows operating system was created by an Israeli organisation. Microsoft is taking a new effort to reduce internet security issues.

Microsoft believes malware used to infect PCs running its Windows operating system was created by an Israeli organisation. Microsoft is taking a new effort to reduce internet security issues. The company has also been looking for government-backed hackers, such as the Chinese organisation Hafnium, which it believes is responsible for attacks on its Exchange Server email software. The problem was only recently rectified by Microsoft, and it took them a long time to resolve, with several people claiming that it was ineffective for their experience. The threat actors were revealed to be from the private sector, and the company launched an inquiry to learn more about their genuine motives. Microsoft's investigation into their latest breach and zero-day vulnerability came from an Israeli private sector business called "Sourgum," according to the company's blog post. Watch: India rolls out new education policy, teams up with Microsoft The company in question is a PSOA, or private sector offensive actor, intending to sell "cyberweapons" to its clients to hack them. Another group discovered in the investigation is known as "Candiru," and they have been related to Sourgum with regards to the recent Microsoft attack. While the motives of Candiru are unknown, it poses a direct threat to Microsoft and would be subject to an inquiry in the hopes of apprehending the perpetrator. (With inputs from agencies)

Israeli company is behind malware that affected Windows PCs: Microsoft

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones.

Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed. The phone cannot be switched off and in case of network loss, the app does not work simultaneously on other devices.

The new capabilities appear to be aimed at decreasing users' dependence on smartphones in order to run Facebook-owned WhatsApp on other devices.

In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook engineers said the new feature would allow for the hugely popular service be used on multiple "non-phone" devices without needing to connect to the smartphone app.&nbsp;

"The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles" by no longer requiring a smartphone to perform every operation, the company said.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/watch-now-use-your-bodys-energy-to-charge-smartphones-and-watches-398373">Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches</a>

The new capability will be expanded more broadly as it is refined, Facebook added.

It also made assurances that WhatsApp's security measures will still work under the new system.&nbsp;

"Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption that people who use WhatsApp have come to expect."

(With inputs from agencies)

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones. Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed.

WhatsApp, the hugely popular instant messaging app, has announced that it is testing new capability that will free its users from smartphones. Currently, users can run their WhatsApp account via other devices (like desktops) but the user needs to be connected to internet via smartphone on which respective WhatsApp account is installed. The phone cannot be switched off and in case of network loss, the app does not work simultaneously on other devices. The new capabilities appear to be aimed at decreasing users' dependence on smartphones in order to run Facebook-owned WhatsApp on other devices. In a blog post on Wednesday, Facebook engineers said the new feature would allow for the hugely popular service be used on multiple "non-phone" devices without needing to connect to the smartphone app. "The new WhatsApp multi-device architecture removes these hurdles" by no longer requiring a smartphone to perform every operation, the company said. Also Read | Watch: Now use your body's energy to charge smartphones and watches The new capability will be expanded more broadly as it is refined, Facebook added. It also made assurances that WhatsApp's security measures will still work under the new system. "Each companion device will connect to your WhatsApp independently while maintaining the same level of privacy and security through end-to-end encryption that people who use WhatsApp have come to expect." (With inputs from agencies)

WhatsApp tests function to allow users to log in without linking to smartphones

Are human beings&nbsp;be getting closer to creating a viable flying device that allows a person to take to the air as freely as Robert Downey Junior’s Marvel character 'Ironman'?

British inventor Richard Browning, founder and chief test pilot of Gravity Industries, has created 1050 hp jet-engine powered 'jet suit' for the&nbsp;fans of solo manned flight.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/the-real-life-iron-man-on-tech-it-out-320820/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The one-of-its-kind suit is&nbsp;powered by electricity and&nbsp;is part of the company's&nbsp;desire to push the boundaries of what's possible

"It is right on the margin of what's possible because of energy density and batteries. And yet we've actually&nbsp;managed to go and get it to work today," Browning said at the Goodwood Festival of Speed motoring event in southern England where the electric 'E-Suit' was first flown.

The current batteries are only powerful enough to get a human&nbsp;airborne for a matter of seconds, compared to the four-minute flight time of the jet fuel-powered model.

"The electric suit has enough power to run a small street of houses. It is phenomenal how much energy you need in a small form factor to get a human&nbsp;off the ground. And it really just brings home how much energy you have in gasoline and diesel or those fuels. So we're getting there and it'll only ever get better," added Browning.

Gravity Industries was launched in March 2017, with founder and Chief Test Pilot Browning demonstrating his jet suit all over the world.

The jet fuel-powered suit can hit speeds in excess of 80 mph (128 kmh) and is technically capable of reaching an altitude of 12,000ft, although for safety purposes it is flown lower.

In recent months the company has demonstrated their jet suits to the Royal Marines to test how their product can assist in Maritime Boarding Operations.

The company said their team spent three days with 42 Commando Royal Marines from HMS Tamar off the south coast of the United Kingdom.

The jet suit has previously been tested by paramedics in England's remote, rugged Lake District region to get them to people in danger or distress in a fraction of the time it would take to travel by car or on foot.

Browning added: "So military and such a rescue; they are new applications, but they're very real. We've done enough exercises with both of those groups now in a variety of countries to prove that there's actually a really powerful role for the equipment. So watch this space."

Similarly styled ‘wingless jet pack’ created by Jetpack Aviation, a company founded by Australian David Mayman and American Nelson Tyler, and the 248 mph ‘jet wingpack’ designed by ex-Swiss Air Force pilot Yves Rossy who founded Jetman Dubai are other&nbsp;flying machines to have completed test flights.

(With inputs from agencies)

Are human beings be getting closer to creating a viable flying device that allows a person to take to the air as freely as Robert Downey Junior’s Marvel character 'Ironman'?

Are human beings be getting closer to creating a viable flying device that allows a person to take to the air as freely as Robert Downey Junior’s Marvel character 'Ironman'? British inventor Richard Browning, founder and chief test pilot of Gravity Industries, has created 1050 hp jet-engine powered 'jet suit' for the fans of solo manned flight. The one-of-its-kind suit is powered by electricity and is part of the company's desire to push the boundaries of what's possible "It is right on the margin of what's possible because of energy density and batteries. And yet we've actually managed to go and get it to work today," Browning said at the Goodwood Festival of Speed motoring event in southern England where the electric 'E-Suit' was first flown. The current batteries are only powerful enough to get a human airborne for a matter of seconds, compared to the four-minute flight time of the jet fuel-powered model. "The electric suit has enough power to run a small street of houses. It is phenomenal how much energy you need in a small form factor to get a human off the ground. And it really just brings home how much energy you have in gasoline and diesel or those fuels. So we're getting there and it'll only ever get better," added Browning. Gravity Industries was launched in March 2017, with founder and Chief Test Pilot Browning demonstrating his jet suit all over the world. The jet fuel-powered suit can hit speeds in excess of 80 mph (128 kmh) and is technically capable of reaching an altitude of 12,000ft, although for safety purposes it is flown lower. In recent months the company has demonstrated their jet suits to the Royal Marines to test how their product can assist in Maritime Boarding Operations. The company said their team spent three days with 42 Commando Royal Marines from HMS Tamar off the south coast of the United Kingdom. The jet suit has previously been tested by paramedics in England's remote, rugged Lake District region to get them to people in danger or distress in a fraction of the time it would take to travel by car or on foot. Browning added: "So military and such a rescue; they are new applications, but they're very real. We've done enough exercises with both of those groups now in a variety of countries to prove that there's actually a really powerful role for the equipment. So watch this space." Similarly styled ‘wingless jet pack’ created by Jetpack Aviation, a company founded by Australian David Mayman and American Nelson Tyler, and the 248 mph ‘jet wingpack’ designed by ex-Swiss Air Force pilot Yves Rossy who founded Jetman Dubai are other flying machines to have completed test flights. (With inputs from agencies)

British inventor unveils first electric 'Iron Man' jet suit that can fly at an altitude of 12,000 feet

Social audio app&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;launched a direct messaging feature&nbsp;called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats.

The feature is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app.

Its competitors, notably Twitter Spaces and Facebook Live Audio Rooms, both allow people to text chat while also running or participating in an audio conversation, so Backchannel brings Clubhouse more up to par and ensures users keep their conversations, and more of their social life, on the app.

The invite-only app, which saw explosive early growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now competing against a raft of tech companies from Facebook and Twitter to Spotify pushing out similar audio chat services.

Clubhouse&nbsp;said it had added more than 8 million new users since launching on Android in late May. It said the ability to direct message was one of its most requested features.

Launched last year, the San Francisco-based platform is looking to establish itself as the standard-bearer for digital audio and has already inspired copycat products from Facebook and Twitter.

Taking advantage of the pandemic and celebrity appearances such as Tesla boss Elon Musk,&nbsp;Clubhouse&nbsp;has popularized long conversations, whether they be chats between friends or celebrity interviews.

(With inputs from agencies)

Social audio app Clubhouse launched a direct messaging feature called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats. The feature is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app.

Social audio app Clubhouse launched a direct messaging feature called 'Backchannel' to allow one-to-one and group text chats. The feature is designed to help moderators chat among themselves during an active room; let people connect after an event; and broadly, foster text conversations that otherwise would have to take place in a separate app. Its competitors, notably Twitter Spaces and Facebook Live Audio Rooms, both allow people to text chat while also running or participating in an audio conversation, so Backchannel brings Clubhouse more up to par and ensures users keep their conversations, and more of their social life, on the app. The invite-only app, which saw explosive early growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now competing against a raft of tech companies from Facebook and Twitter to Spotify pushing out similar audio chat services. Clubhouse said it had added more than 8 million new users since launching on Android in late May. It said the ability to direct message was one of its most requested features. Launched last year, the San Francisco-based platform is looking to establish itself as the standard-bearer for digital audio and has already inspired copycat products from Facebook and Twitter. Taking advantage of the pandemic and celebrity appearances such as Tesla boss Elon Musk, Clubhouse has popularized long conversations, whether they be chats between friends or celebrity interviews. (With inputs from agencies)

Invite-only app Clubhouse launches direct messages feature 'Backchannel'

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards. Twitter has had to take the step just when such products appear to do well on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Ilya Brown, Twitter's Head of Product, Brand &amp; Video Ads, made the announcement on Twitter Blog on Wednesday (July 11)

"We built Fleets as a lower-pressure, ephemeral way for people to share their fleeting thoughts," Brown says at the very start of his blog post. However, he says that Fleets have not been able to increase the number of people joining the conversation.

"...in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped...," says Brown.

It is because of this, he says, Twitter will be discontinuing the Fleets feature from August 3.

Similar features are doing well on rival platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Snapchat was a pioneer of this feature as it launched disappearing messages in 2013. Since then many platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc have launched their own versions.

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards.

Twitter has had to admit that Fleets have not been able to attract more users to the social media platform and has now announced that it will discontinue the feature August onwards. Twitter has had to take the step just when such products appear to do well on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Ilya Brown, Twitter's Head of Product, Brand & Video Ads, made the announcement on Twitter Blog on Wednesday (July 11) "We built Fleets as a lower-pressure, ephemeral way for people to share their fleeting thoughts," Brown says at the very start of his blog post. However, he says that Fleets have not been able to increase the number of people joining the conversation. "...in the time since we introduced Fleets to everyone, we haven’t seen an increase in the number of new people joining the conversation with Fleets like we hoped...," says Brown. It is because of this, he says, Twitter will be discontinuing the Fleets feature from August 3. Similar features are doing well on rival platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Snapchat was a pioneer of this feature as it launched disappearing messages in 2013. Since then many platforms like Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn etc have launched their own versions.

Twitter Fleets to be discontinued in August

Apple unveiled 'MagSafe Battery Pack' that attaches onto the rear of the iPhone 12 to provide more battery life.

It will assist consumers in getting more battery life out of their iPhones if they are nearing the end of their battery life.

One of the magnetic batteries costs $99 and is available for purchase on Apple's website.

Apple has previously sold iPhone battery cases, but the latest pack uses inbuilt magnets to attach to the iPhone 12 phones. 
 
<img alt=" MagSafe Battery Pack" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5e2f5d07-0426-493f-bae6-f3f65dcdf35c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Iphone.JPG" />

It will also function with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini.

It works directly with the iPhone's operating system to display additional battery life in iOS, just like other Apple accessories.

(With inputs from agencies)

Apple unveiled 'MagSafe Battery Pack' that attaches onto the rear of the iPhone 12 to provide more battery life. It will assist consumers in getting more battery life out of their iPhones if they are nearing the end of their battery life.

Apple unveiled 'MagSafe Battery Pack' that attaches onto the rear of the iPhone 12 to provide more battery life. It will assist consumers in getting more battery life out of their iPhones if they are nearing the end of their battery life. One of the magnetic batteries costs $99 and is available for purchase on Apple's website. Apple has previously sold iPhone battery cases, but the latest pack uses inbuilt magnets to attach to the iPhone 12 phones. It will also function with the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max, as well as the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini. It works directly with the iPhone's operating system to display additional battery life in iOS, just like other Apple accessories. (With inputs from agencies)

This battery will snap tight to your iPhone: Apple launches MagSafe pack

Apple Inc is working on a service that will let users pay for purchases in instalments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, sending shares of Afterpay Ltd and other "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) companies sharply lower. 
 
The US&nbsp;tech giant will use Goldman Sachs, its partner since 2019 for the Apple Card credit card, as the lender for the loans, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. 
 
Shares of Australia-listed Afterpay, the country's biggest BNPL provider, slid close to 10% in Wednesday trading. Smaller rival Zip Co Ltd and Sezzle also fell sharply. Nasdaq-listed Affirm Holdings Inc tumbled more than 14% on Tuesday before closing down 10.5%. 
 
The BNPL industry has boomed over the past year due to a pandemic-driven surge in online shopping. The trend has also attracted the attention of mainstream firms such as PayPal Holdings Inc. 
 
The prospect of going up against a company the size of Apple, as well as other likely entrants, would pose a major test to pure-play BNPL firms which have so far gone largely unchallenged. 
 
The Bloomberg report said Apple Pay users would be allowed to split their payments into four interest-free instalments, or across several months with interest. 
 
A Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. 
 
Such an offering would rival similar services by Klarna, Afterpay, Zip's Quadpay and Affirm in the United States, the sector's key growth market where competition is intense. 
 
PayPal launched its BNPL service in Australia on Wednesday, challenging Afterpay on its home turf where the U.S. payments giant said it would do away with late fees, an area that earned Afterpay close to A$70 million in fiscal 2020. 
 
A Zip spokesman said Apple`s reported move was "validation that what Zip has been doing is resonating with customers and merchants" and that it was growing customer numbers despite increased competition.

Apple Inc is working on a service that will let users pay for purchases in instalments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, sending shares of Afterpay Ltd and other "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) companies sharply lower.

Apple Inc is working on a service that will let users pay for purchases in instalments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, sending shares of Afterpay Ltd and other "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) companies sharply lower. The US tech giant will use Goldman Sachs, its partner since 2019 for the Apple Card credit card, as the lender for the loans, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Shares of Australia-listed Afterpay, the country's biggest BNPL provider, slid close to 10% in Wednesday trading. Smaller rival Zip Co Ltd and Sezzle also fell sharply. Nasdaq-listed Affirm Holdings Inc tumbled more than 14% on Tuesday before closing down 10.5%. The BNPL industry has boomed over the past year due to a pandemic-driven surge in online shopping. The trend has also attracted the attention of mainstream firms such as PayPal Holdings Inc. The prospect of going up against a company the size of Apple, as well as other likely entrants, would pose a major test to pure-play BNPL firms which have so far gone largely unchallenged. The Bloomberg report said Apple Pay users would be allowed to split their payments into four interest-free instalments, or across several months with interest. A Goldman Sachs spokesperson declined to comment. Apple was not immediately available for comment. Such an offering would rival similar services by Klarna, Afterpay, Zip's Quadpay and Affirm in the United States, the sector's key growth market where competition is intense. PayPal launched its BNPL service in Australia on Wednesday, challenging Afterpay on its home turf where the U.S. payments giant said it would do away with late fees, an area that earned Afterpay close to A$70 million in fiscal 2020. A Zip spokesman said Apple`s reported move was "validation that what Zip has been doing is resonating with customers and merchants" and that it was growing customer numbers despite increased competition.

Apple's potential 'buy now, pay later' plan sends sector tumbling

A Russian-based hacker group blamed for a massive ransomware attack went offline Tuesday, sparking speculation about whether the move was the result of a government-led action.

The "dark web" page of the group known as REvil disappeared some two weeks after an attack that crippled networks of hundreds of companies worldwide and prompted a ransom demand of $70 million.

"REvil has seemingly vanished from the dark web, as its website has gone offline," tweeted Allan Liska, a security researcher with the firm Recorded Future, who noted that the site had been unresponsive from around 0500 GMT.

The news comes after US President Joe Biden repeated a warning to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin late last week about harboring cybercriminals while suggesting Washington could take action in the face of growing ransomware attacks.

Analysts in the past have suggested that the US military's Cyber Command has the capability to strike back at hackers in the face of threats to national security, but there was no official word on any such action.

"The situation is still unfolding, but evidence suggests REvil has suffered a planned, concurrent takedown of their infrastructure, either by the operators themselves or via industry or law enforcement action," John Hultquist of Mandiant Threat Intelligence said in an emailed statement.

"If this was a disruption operation of some kind, full details may never come to light."

Brett Callow of the security firm Emsisoft also pointed to unanswered questions.

"Whether the outage is the result of action taken by law enforcement is unclear," Callow said.

"If law enforcement has managed to disrupt the gang’s operations, that would obviously be a good thing, but could create problems for any companies whose data is currently encrypted. They'd not have the option of paying REvil for the key needed to decrypt their data."

James Lewis, head of technology and public policy at the Washington-based Center for Strategic &amp; International Studies, said the site may be down for a number of reasons including pressure from Russian authorities.

"I don’t think it was us," he said.

Liska noted that the site's ownership had not been changed, making a domain seizure less likely. "This could suggest these are self-directed takedowns (too early to tell)," he said.

The unprecedented attack targeting the US software firm Kaseya affected an estimated 1,500 businesses.

The Kaseya attack, which was reported July 2, shut down a major Swedish supermarket chain and ricocheted around the world, impacting businesses in at least 17 countries, from pharmacies to gas stations, as well as dozens of New Zealand kindergartens.

A Russian-based hacker group blamed for a massive ransomware attack went offline Tuesday, sparking speculation about whether the move was the result of a government-led action.

A Russian-based hacker group blamed for a massive ransomware attack went offline Tuesday, sparking speculation about whether the move was the result of a government-led action. The "dark web" page of the group known as REvil disappeared some two weeks after an attack that crippled networks of hundreds of companies worldwide and prompted a ransom demand of $70 million. "REvil has seemingly vanished from the dark web, as its website has gone offline," tweeted Allan Liska, a security researcher with the firm Recorded Future, who noted that the site had been unresponsive from around 0500 GMT. The news comes after US President Joe Biden repeated a warning to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin late last week about harboring cybercriminals while suggesting Washington could take action in the face of growing ransomware attacks. Analysts in the past have suggested that the US military's Cyber Command has the capability to strike back at hackers in the face of threats to national security, but there was no official word on any such action. "The situation is still unfolding, but evidence suggests REvil has suffered a planned, concurrent takedown of their infrastructure, either by the operators themselves or via industry or law enforcement action," John Hultquist of Mandiant Threat Intelligence said in an emailed statement. "If this was a disruption operation of some kind, full details may never come to light." Brett Callow of the security firm Emsisoft also pointed to unanswered questions. "Whether the outage is the result of action taken by law enforcement is unclear," Callow said. "If law enforcement has managed to disrupt the gang’s operations, that would obviously be a good thing, but could create problems for any companies whose data is currently encrypted. They'd not have the option of paying REvil for the key needed to decrypt their data." James Lewis, head of technology and public policy at the Washington-based Center for Strategic & International Studies, said the site may be down for a number of reasons including pressure from Russian authorities. "I don’t think it was us," he said. Liska noted that the site's ownership had not been changed, making a domain seizure less likely. "This could suggest these are self-directed takedowns (too early to tell)," he said. The unprecedented attack targeting the US software firm Kaseya affected an estimated 1,500 businesses. The Kaseya attack, which was reported July 2, shut down a major Swedish supermarket chain and ricocheted around the world, impacting businesses in at least 17 countries, from pharmacies to gas stations, as well as dozens of New Zealand kindergartens.

Ransomware gang REvil disappears from dark web after Biden warning

France on Tuesday fined Google $593 million for failing to negotiate with news publishers over their content under EU copyright rules.

The US tech giant however asserted that it had acted in "good faith throughout the entire process".

"Our objective remains the same: we want to turn the page with a definitive agreement. We will take the French Competition Authority's feedback into consideration and adapt our offers," it said.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-37-american-states-sue-google-396829/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

French anti-trust&nbsp;watchdog chief Isabelle De Silva said it was the biggest fine imposed by the agency&nbsp;for failing to comply with its ruling.

The watchdog ordered Google to offer remuneration to current publishers for copyrighted content or risk fines amounting to 900,000 euros a day.

"When the authority decrees an obligation for a company, it must comply scrupulously, both in the spirit and letter (of the decision). Here, this was unfortunately not the case," the French competition watchdog said.

The French regulators in April had asked Google to negotiate "in good faith" with media groups after it refused to comply with the EU's digital copyright law of 2019.

Under the "neighbouring rights", news publishers need to be compensated for their work on websites and social media platforms including on search engines.

The regulator said Google's actions demonstrate "a deliberate, elaborate and systematic lack of respect" for its order.

Google had earlier announced it had reached an agreement on copyright payments with French newspapers and magazines after initially refusing to pay media outlets for news stories.

The Australian government had earlier come down hard on Google and Facebook to pay media companies for their content after a landmark legislation, after resisting the government the two US companies signed deals worth millions of dollars with the media companies.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

France on Tuesday fined Google $593 million for failing to negotiate with news publishers over their content under EU copyright rules. The US tech giant however asserted that it had acted in "good faith throughout the entire process".

France on Tuesday fined Google $593 million for failing to negotiate with news publishers over their content under EU copyright rules. The US tech giant however asserted that it had acted in "good faith throughout the entire process". "Our objective remains the same: we want to turn the page with a definitive agreement. We will take the French Competition Authority's feedback into consideration and adapt our offers," it said. Watch: French anti-trust watchdog chief Isabelle De Silva said it was the biggest fine imposed by the agency for failing to comply with its ruling. The watchdog ordered Google to offer remuneration to current publishers for copyrighted content or risk fines amounting to 900,000 euros a day. "When the authority decrees an obligation for a company, it must comply scrupulously, both in the spirit and letter (of the decision). Here, this was unfortunately not the case," the French competition watchdog said. The French regulators in April had asked Google to negotiate "in good faith" with media groups after it refused to comply with the EU's digital copyright law of 2019. Under the "neighbouring rights", news publishers need to be compensated for their work on websites and social media platforms including on search engines. The regulator said Google's actions demonstrate "a deliberate, elaborate and systematic lack of respect" for its order. Google had earlier announced it had reached an agreement on copyright payments with French newspapers and magazines after initially refusing to pay media outlets for news stories. The Australian government had earlier come down hard on Google and Facebook to pay media companies for their content after a landmark legislation, after resisting the government the two US companies signed deals worth millions of dollars with the media companies. (With inputs from Agencies)

France fines Google $593 million over news copyright row

Entrepreneur with a big vision, Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, as well as the co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors.

Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates have all been compared to him because of his phenomenal success.

And now, during questioning at a trial over SolarCity's acquisition, the Tesla CEO&nbsp;revealed that he turned down multiple high-paying Wall Street jobs to focus on technology.

Musk, who studied at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Silicon Valley, did not reveal the names of the companies that approached him.

Tesla is accused of purchasing SolarCity for $2.6 billion in 2016 as a "bailout" for the company.

Paypal, formerly X.com, was the source of Musk's fortune.

Paypal was founded in 1999 and was later purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion, with $165 million in stock being paid to Musk.

Musk established Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in 2002.

Musk believed that humanity's survival based on its potential to evolve into a multi-planetary species, but that present rocket launch technologies were prohibitively expensive.

With the launch of the Falcon 1 in 2006, the Falcon 9 in 2010, and the Falcon Heavy in 2018, he was able to do this.

(With inputs from agencies)

Entrepreneur with a big vision, Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, as well as the co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors. Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates have all been compared to him because of his phenomenal success.

Entrepreneur with a big vision, Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX, as well as the co-founder of PayPal and Tesla Motors. Steve Jobs, Howard Hughes, Henry Ford, and Bill Gates have all been compared to him because of his phenomenal success. And now, during questioning at a trial over SolarCity's acquisition, the Tesla CEO revealed that he turned down multiple high-paying Wall Street jobs to focus on technology. Musk, who studied at the University of Pennsylvania before moving to Silicon Valley, did not reveal the names of the companies that approached him. Tesla is accused of purchasing SolarCity for $2.6 billion in 2016 as a "bailout" for the company. Paypal, formerly X.com, was the source of Musk's fortune. Paypal was founded in 1999 and was later purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion, with $165 million in stock being paid to Musk. Musk established Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, in 2002. Musk believed that humanity's survival based on its potential to evolve into a multi-planetary species, but that present rocket launch technologies were prohibitively expensive. With the launch of the Falcon 1 in 2006, the Falcon 9 in 2010, and the Falcon Heavy in 2018, he was able to do this. (With inputs from agencies)

I turned down high-paid jobs on Wall Street to focus on technology: Elon Musk

The benefits of a 5G network have yet to be experienced by the majority of the world, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up.&nbsp;

Amid the threat of cyber espionage activity linked to several Chinese state-sponsored data activity organisations, China continues to innovate and develop 5G mobile technology.

It has already deployed 70 per cent of the world's 5G base stations, reports Chinese state-backed media outlet Global Times.

According to the report, the country has deployed 916,000 5G base stations, accounting for 70% of the world's total, while the number of 5G-connected devices has now surpassed 365 million, accounting for 80 per cent of the global total. 
 
Watch | Gravitas: Huawei dumped from India's 5G trials

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-huawei-dumped-from-indias-5g-trials-383088/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Global security concerns about Chinese 5G technology

Chinese telecommunication vendors Huawei and ZTE are major firms in the 5G equipment market.

Huawei has been banned or severely restrained from participating in the development of 5G in several nations, including the United Kingdom,&nbsp; US and Canada.

The company is also prevented from purchasing anything made with US technology or software. 
 
Huawei, according to US officials, is virtually an extension of the Chinese Communist Party.

Huawei, like all Chinese corporations and institutions, appears to be legally obligated to do intelligence work on behalf of the Chinese government under China's 2017 National Intelligence Law.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-huawei-faces-tough-times-ahead-301211/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Mobile operators in the United Kingdom were&nbsp;prohibited from purchasing new Huawei 5G equipment after December 31, 2020, and are required to remove all Huawei 5G equipment from their networks by 2027.&nbsp;

The fifth generation of wireless technology, 5G, is substantially quicker than its predecessors and enables much more simultaneous connections.

It uses high frequencies, which necessitates higher capacity.

(With inputs from agencies)

The benefits of a 5G network have yet to be experienced by the majority of the world, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up.

The benefits of a 5G network have yet to be experienced by the majority of the world, but the geopolitical race for the next big thing in telecommunications technology is already heating up. Amid the threat of cyber espionage activity linked to several Chinese state-sponsored data activity organisations, China continues to innovate and develop 5G mobile technology. It has already deployed 70 per cent of the world's 5G base stations, reports Chinese state-backed media outlet Global Times. According to the report, the country has deployed 916,000 5G base stations, accounting for 70% of the world's total, while the number of 5G-connected devices has now surpassed 365 million, accounting for 80 per cent of the global total. Watch | Gravitas: Huawei dumped from India's 5G trials Global security concerns about Chinese 5G technology Chinese telecommunication vendors Huawei and ZTE are major firms in the 5G equipment market. Huawei has been banned or severely restrained from participating in the development of 5G in several nations, including the United Kingdom, US and Canada. The company is also prevented from purchasing anything made with US technology or software. Huawei, according to US officials, is virtually an extension of the Chinese Communist Party. Huawei, like all Chinese corporations and institutions, appears to be legally obligated to do intelligence work on behalf of the Chinese government under China's 2017 National Intelligence Law. Mobile operators in the United Kingdom were prohibited from purchasing new Huawei 5G equipment after December 31, 2020, and are required to remove all Huawei 5G equipment from their networks by 2027. The fifth generation of wireless technology, 5G, is substantially quicker than its predecessors and enables much more simultaneous connections. It uses high frequencies, which necessitates higher capacity. (With inputs from agencies)

China claims to have 70% of global 5G stations amid international security concerns

A sealed cartridge of Nintendo's Super Mario 64 sold for $1560000 at auction. 
 
The Super Mario cartridge manufactured in 1996 is one of the first versions of the game still in existence.&nbsp;

The game sold for more than the previous record price for a single video game, according to Heritage Auctions in Dallas.

This copy of the N64 classic has no sign of being a special or rare print; instead, it bears an exceptional Wata Games rating of 9.8 out of 10, making it the most pristine copy of the 25-year-old game you'll ever discover.

When asked who bought the game, a spokesperson did not immediately comment.&nbsp;

On June 23, 1996, Super Mario 64 was released in Japan for the first time.

On September 29, 1996, the game was released in North America, and on March 1, 1997, it was released in Europe.

It was well-received by critics and is the best-selling Nintendo 64 game.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the record for the most costly video game ever has grown substantially in the last 12 months.

Here is the timeline of the world records:

July 11, 2021: Super Mario 64 auctioned for $1,560,000

July 9, 2021: The Legend of Zelda auctioned for $870,000

April 2, 2021: Super Mario Brothers auctioned for $660,000

November 23, 2020: Super Mario Brothers 3 auctioned for $156,000

July 10, 2020: Super Mario Brothers auctioned for $114,000

According to the auction house, Super Mario 64 was the best-selling Nintendo 64 game and the first to showcase the Mario character in 3D.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

A sealed cartridge of Nintendo's Super Mario 64 sold for $1560000 at auction. The Super Mario cartridge manufactured in 1996 is one of the first versions of the game still in existence.

A sealed cartridge of Nintendo's Super Mario 64 sold for $1560000 at auction. The Super Mario cartridge manufactured in 1996 is one of the first versions of the game still in existence. The game sold for more than the previous record price for a single video game, according to Heritage Auctions in Dallas. This copy of the N64 classic has no sign of being a special or rare print; instead, it bears an exceptional Wata Games rating of 9.8 out of 10, making it the most pristine copy of the 25-year-old game you'll ever discover. When asked who bought the game, a spokesperson did not immediately comment. On June 23, 1996, Super Mario 64 was released in Japan for the first time. On September 29, 1996, the game was released in North America, and on March 1, 1997, it was released in Europe. It was well-received by critics and is the best-selling Nintendo 64 game. Meanwhile, the record for the most costly video game ever has grown substantially in the last 12 months. Here is the timeline of the world records: July 11, 2021: Super Mario 64 auctioned for $1,560,000 July 9, 2021: The Legend of Zelda auctioned for $870,000 April 2, 2021: Super Mario Brothers auctioned for $660,000 November 23, 2020: Super Mario Brothers 3 auctioned for $156,000 July 10, 2020: Super Mario Brothers auctioned for $114,000 According to the auction house, Super Mario 64 was the best-selling Nintendo 64 game and the first to showcase the Mario character in 3D. (With inputs from agencies)

Super Mario 64 from 1996 is now the most expensive game ever, click here to know the price

A giant 3D cat was recently added to Tokyo’s bright and bubbly cityscape. The gigantic cat mimics the behavioural characteristics of a real cat.

The inviting movement of the digital feline may be seen by crowds on a high-tech screen. AFP reported that the cat is also able to sleep, meow and look at the large crowds below looking straight in its mesmerising eyes.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gigantic-3d-cat-on-tokyo-billboard-dazzles-passersby-396775/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;The 3D cat dons a series of colours including white, black, and orange and appears in between advertisements on a new billboard in Shinjuku, one of Tokyo’s most busy shopping and travelling spots. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The cat was officially launched on Monday but had been teasing appearances for a few days. As soon as it was revealed that a gigantic cat would be visible on the screens, excited people with closely clutching their smartphones eager to take a peek at the cat and also film it. &nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/in-a-first-new-3d-map-reveals-details-about-the-edge-of-our-solar-system-393123" hreflang="en">In a first, new 3D map reveals details about the edge of our solar system</a>

"He looks much more real than on YouTube. He's a beauty! And he is much bigger than I thought," university student Nanami Isawa told AFP. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The real-life three-dimensional appearance to the cat is given through a curved 4K LED screen. The LED screen is big, covering an area of 155 square metres (1,668 square feet). &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Another student Emine Atajanova referred to the cat as “so cute” which looks larger then in real life. &nbsp;"Actually, it looks really real. I feel like when you look at social media, and the difference... it's like really pretty," she said.

A giant 3D cat was recently added to Tokyo’s bright and bubbly cityscape. The gigantic cat mimics the behavioural characteristics of a real cat. The inviting movement of the digital feline may be seen by crowds on a high-tech screen.

A giant 3D cat was recently added to Tokyo’s bright and bubbly cityscape. The gigantic cat mimics the behavioural characteristics of a real cat. The inviting movement of the digital feline may be seen by crowds on a high-tech screen. AFP reported that the cat is also able to sleep, meow and look at the large crowds below looking straight in its mesmerising eyes. The 3D cat dons a series of colours including white, black, and orange and appears in between advertisements on a new billboard in Shinjuku, one of Tokyo’s most busy shopping and travelling spots. The cat was officially launched on Monday but had been teasing appearances for a few days. As soon as it was revealed that a gigantic cat would be visible on the screens, excited people with closely clutching their smartphones eager to take a peek at the cat and also film it. Also read: In a first, new 3D map reveals details about the edge of our solar system "He looks much more real than on YouTube. He's a beauty! And he is much bigger than I thought," university student Nanami Isawa told AFP. The real-life three-dimensional appearance to the cat is given through a curved 4K LED screen. The LED screen is big, covering an area of 155 square metres (1,668 square feet). Another student Emine Atajanova referred to the cat as “so cute” which looks larger then in real life. "Actually, it looks really real. I feel like when you look at social media, and the difference... it's like really pretty," she said.

Watch: Giant 3D cat in Tokyo draws heavy crowds

technology

Technology, News on Technology, stories on Technology, articles on Technology, Technology stories at Wion, Technology news, Technology latest news