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   Bollywood  megastar  Hrithik Roshan  has been summoned to appear before the Mumbai crime branch at 11 am on Saturday to record his statement in a case he registered against actor  Kangana Ranaut  in 2016 involving an exchange of emails between the two. In 2016, Roshan had filed a complaint alleging that someone impersonating him was emailing Ranaut from a bogus email id. Kangana had then claimed that the email id was provided to her by Roshan and they had been communicating through the same email id till 2014. The emails were allegedly sent in 2013 and 2014. In 2016, Roshan had sent a legal notice to Ranaut after she had referred to him as a silly ex. Roshan had denied having any kind of relationship with Ranaut. The two actors had worked together in the films 'Kites' (2010) and 'Krrish 3' (2013). Roshan had then claimed that Ranaut had been sending him hundreds of absurd emails. In 2016, the Cyber Cell had also taken Roshan's laptop and phone for i...

   Leading consumer electronics firm Xiaomi has enlisted three original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to boost its supply of smartphones and smart televisions (TVs) in India. The Chinese major will now have three additional plants to feed local demand that has grown rapidly after the lockdown in mid-2020. Xiaomi, that leads in both the smartphone and smart TV markets in India, has partnered two Chinese OEMs — BYD Electronic Company and DBG Technology — for smartphone  manufacturing  here. Shenzhen-headquartered BYD has been a supplier to Nokia and Motorola for years, and is currently setting up a plant for Xiaomi in Chennai. DBG, that originated from Huizhou (in China’s central Guangdong province), has already set up a facility in Bawal in Haryana. Additional capacity offered by DBG has increased Xiaomi’s monthly smartphone supply by 20 per cent in India. While the smartphone company did not specify numbers, the data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) sho...

   Twitter  is planning a new tool to let users automatically block and mute abusive accounts. With the new safety mode, the micro-blogging platform will automatically detect accounts that "might be acting abusive or spammy." The company will limit how those accounts can engage with your content for seven days. During its virtual Analyst Day on Thursday, the company showed a presentation where a slide revealed that the feature will be a toggle in the new safety mode. "Automatically block accounts that appear to break the  Twitter  Rules, and mute accounts that might be using insults, name-calling, strong language, or hateful remarks," the description read. Currently, not many  Twitter  users in India are aware of how to report abuse or harassment they face on the open communication platform, opting for the wrong way of posting an abusive photo or tweet and then requesting us to take action. At the moment, users can report abusive behaviour directly fro...

   By Sankalp Phartiyal and Aditya Kalra NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India announced new rules on Thursday to regulate content on social media, making Facebook,  WhatsApp  and others more accountable to legal requests for swift removal of posts and sharing details on the originators of messages. The rules -- part of an effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist government to tighten the leash on Big Tech -- come after Twitter recently ignored government orders to drop content related to farmers' protests. India is the largest market by users for both  Facebook  and its messenger service  WhatsApp. The new rules issued by the government, called the Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code, will be legally enforceable. They will require big social media companies to set up a grievance redressal mechanism and within three months appoint new executives to coordinate with law enforcement. Social media firms should be "more responsible and a...

   Chinese tech giant  Huawei  has announced that its smart wearables are now open to third-party apps. Huawei  has created a live proof of concept of a third-party app with a workout app for the Watch GT2 Pro called Fitify, reports GSMArena. Fitify is a fitness app that is fine-tuned for mobile devices and wearables. With over 10 million users in 170+ countries, the App has 900+ exercise guides. The company seems to have used HMS's 5 integration kits like Account, Push, in-app purchases, Analysis, and Wear Engine. The App is now available on the App Gallery, supports up to 18 languages -- English, Arabic, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, and Turkish. As per the report, the app was created using five integration kits developed by  Huawei  Mobile Services, and the Chinese company aims to provide "one-stop, full-spectrum operational support for all app co...

   Australia's laws forcing  Google  and  Facebook  to pay for news are ready to take effect, though the laws' architect said it will take time for the digital giants to strike media deals. The Parliament on Thursday passed amendments to the so-called News Media Bargaining Code agreed between Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and  Facebook  chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Tuesday. In return for the changes,  Facebook  agreed to lift a ban on Australians accessing and sharing news. Rod Sims, the competition regulator who drafted the code, said he was happy that the amended legislation would address the market imbalance between Australian news publishers and the two gateways to the internet. All signs are good, Sims told Australian Broadcasting Corp. The purpose of the code is to address the market power that clearly  Google  and Facebook have.  Google  and Facebook need media, but they don't need any particular media compan...

   The South Korean unit of tech giant  Google  is considering lowering its planned commission rate for in-app purchases, lawmakers said on Tuesday, amid complaints from local software developers over steep commission costs. According to lawmakers from the parliamentary committee on science and technology,  Google  Korea representatives have told committee members that they were persuading the company headquarters to lower its planned 30 percent commission on in-app purchases. Google  has announced a plan to newly introduce the 30 percent commission to all in-app digital goods purchases in  South Korea  later this year. Company representatives did not share further details, lawmakers added. A recent government projection showed that Google's new commission policy would lead to an increase in app store costs for South Korean developers by more than 150 billion won (US$136 million). The new billing policy has met fierce opposition from local te...

   Buoyed by renewed surge in the demand for  smartphones  and rising device costs may push the local smartphone market beyond the record Rs 2-trillion mark in 2021. While disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic led to the market size shrinking for the first time last year, in 2021, the market is expected to touch unprecedented levels — both in terms of volume and value. In 2020, the local market recorded a fall in the number of units shipped, as shortage in supply of components and the lockdown brought the market to its knees during the first half of the year. “Stay-at-home mandates, remote learning, travel restrictions, and manufacturing shutdowns led to a sluggish first half (shipments declined 26 per cent year-on-year, or YoY),” observed the International Data Corporation (IDC). IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. Total shipment...

  LG  Electronics said on Wednesday its  smart TV  platform will be used by other TV makers this year as the company eyes boosting its software capability. LG  said some 20 TV manufacturers, including RCA, Konka and Ayonz, will release TVs installed with its webOS platform. To attract more TV brands using its  smart TV  platform,  LG  said it has also signed partnerships with streaming giants like Netflix, YouTube and Amazon, as well as remote controls solution provider Universal Electronics Inc. The world's top OLED TV maker hopes the latest move helps the company generate profits and reinforce its presence in content and software services. LG Electronics said webOS' openness, easy accessibility and user-friendly interface will attract more TV makers and that it will actively support content and broadcasting services to expand the ecosystem of its  smart TV  platform. In recent years, LG Electronics has been trying to upgrade its s...

   Google  Maps is now getting a full-fledged dark mode on Android, the feature has been in testing since September 2020. "These days, we are all experiencing a bit of screen fatigue. With the dark themes in  Google  Maps soon expanding to all Android users globally, you can give your eyes a much-needed break and save on battery life," the company said in a statement on Tuesday. Once your  Google  Maps has been updated, you can turn it on for your entire phone by heading to Settings > Theme and pick Always In Dark Theme. The company also introduced some updates to Android Auto. In addition to custom wallpapers, Android Auto is now going to feature games as well. For longer drives, you and your passengers can stay entertained with voice-activated games like trivia and "Jeopardy!". Just say, "Hey Google, play a game" to get started. Android Auto is also getting a split-screen feature that will put Maps side by side with media controls, Google is also ...

   BlueStacks, the world's largest Android gaming platform for PCs and Macs, is bullish on India and with over 2 million games across numerous developers, the company is revolutionising the way Android gaming is taking shape in the country, a top executive said on Monday. BlueStacks has over 500 million users globally across more than 200 locations. "India is an extremely large  mobile gaming market  for us. Last year, the pandemic drove a surge of gamers across the world, including India, which saw a near 100 per cent jump in user base," Rosen Sharma, CEO BlueStacks, told IANS in an interview. A typical BlueStacks user is spending an average of 5 hours playing mobile games every day. According to Sharma, the gaming eco-system in India is majorly driven by mobile games. "With developers coming out with bigger and heavier games, more mobile gamers will play in interruption-free environments and migrate to PC-based platforms. Mobile games are not designed for long game...

   Microsoft  and European media groups on Monday urged EU regulators to require online platforms to seek arbitration in disagreements over how to share revenues with news publishers, a sticking point in the spat between  Facebook  and  Australia. The EU's 2019 overhauled copyright rules, which force Alphabet unit Google and other online platforms to sign licensing agreements with musicians, authors and news publishers to use their work, are not sufficient,  Microsoft  and the publishers said. "This initiative is a logical next step,"  Microsoft  Vice President Casper Klynge said, adding that the company already shares revenues with publishers via its product Microsoft News. Facebook  last week imposed a news ban in  Australia  in protest against a forthcoming law that would require online platforms to reach deals to pay news outlets for content, or agree on a price through arbitration. The call by Microsoft, the European ...

   Samsung  Galaxy F62 on Monday goes on sale in India at  Samsung  online store, Flipkart, Reliance Digital, My Jio retail stores, and select offline stores. Launched last week, the smartphone comes in 6GB and 8GB RAM variants, both with 128GB on-board storage, priced at Rs 23,999 and Rs 25,999, respectively. As part of launch offers, the Galaxy F62 gets up to Rs 2,500 cashback on ICICI Bank cards and equated monthly instalment transactions. Besides, Reliance Jio users get benefits worth up to Rs 10,000 on the purchase of the Galaxy F62. The benefits include Rs 3,000 cashback on recharge discount coupons and Reliance partner brand coupons of Rs 7,000. Samsung  Galaxy F62: Specifications The Galaxy F62 sports a 6.7-inch super AMOLED Plus screen of fullHD+ resolution and 60Hz refresh rate. It is an infinity-O screen with centre-aligned punch-hole accommodating the phone’s 32-megapixel front camera sensor. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 3. The smart...

   The pandemic has laid bare the deficiencies in the cloud infrastructure, security and network architecture capabilities of businesses, hindering their ability to adapt and remain agile. It has forced a cultural mindset shift, with global organisations adapting their agility plans from recovering infrastructure and applications to getting office-based workers working from home. Despite this uncertainty, it has provided a significant opportunity to accelerate digital transformation initiatives. An NTT report on cloud technology says about 89 per cent of Indian businesses agree that the pandemic has forced their business to rely on technology more than ever before. The report, which conducted research with 950 decision-makers in 13 Asia Pacific countries, including India, says hybrid cloud is now seen as critical to data-driven processes and real-time decisions, both now and in the future. Read Complete Article

   The Samsung   Galaxy S21 Ultra (review)  is an impeccable smartphone but it is expensive. This brings us to the next best in the series, the  Samsung  Galaxy S21 Plus. Priced Rs 81,999 onwards, the Galaxy S21 Plus is a toned-down model if you compare it with the Ultra. But it does not compromise on the key parameters that define the Galaxy S21 series. It boasts  5G  network support, an AMOLED screen of 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, triple rear cameras capable of recording videos in up to 8K resolution, Dolby Atmos-powered stereo speakers, IP68-rated for water and dust resistance, and a big-capacity battery with fast-charge support. The  Samsung  Galaxy S21 Ultra gets you the best. But can the same be said for the Galaxy S21 Plus overall? Let’s find out. Samsung  Galaxy S21 Plus: Design The Galaxy S21 Plus is designed on the same blueprint as ther Galaxy S21 series  smartphones.  It has minimal design with comfortable erg...

   Samsung  has officially started bringing the One UI 3.1 update to Galaxy S20 Series, Note 20 Series, Z Fold2, Z Flip devices and several 2019, 2020 Galaxy A-series models. The latest update is rolling out to various regions in the UK, Europe(like Austria, Germany), and South Korea, reports GizmoChina. The latest One UI 3.1 update from  Samsung  primarily focuses on camera-centric features. The update includes an upgraded Single Take feature, Eye Comfort Shield, Object Eraser tool, improved touch autofocus, and auto-exposure control. Samsung  also points out that this update will bring additional features that debuted on the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra to older devices. One UI 3.1 features improved touch autofocus and autoexposure controller, making adjusting the focus and brightness of photos easier. One UI 3.1 also introduces the new Multi Mic Recording feature, which, when in Pro Video mode to simultaneously record audio through both phone and a co...

   Ride-hailing major  Uber  has extended work-from-home policy for its employees till September 13, as California continues to show a dramatic decline in the number of Covid-19 cases. Uber  is also encouraging employees to get vaccinated when it's possible to do so, reports TechCrunch. "In considering the extension, we took into account the latest scientific data and experts' views; the fact that different countries are at different stages of recovery; and the start of the school year,"  Uber  Chief People Officer Nikki Krishnamurthy said in an email. In August, Uber told employees they should expect to  work from home  through June 2021. "We're taking a number of aspects into consideration, such as how being physically together benefits or reduces productivity, collaboration, and engagement," Krishnamurthy said. Google has also extended  work from home  till September 2021 and when the offices reopen, employees may rejoin the work...

   OneWeb, the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network owned by the UK Government, Bharti Global and other strategic investors, have announced the appointment of Srikanth Balachandran as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). A press release issued by Bharti Global says that Balachandran has joined from Bharti Global, where he was CFO since October 2018, prior to which he was CFO of Bharti Airtel for seven years. The release says under his financial stewardship, Airtel engaged in some intense M&A, grew its customer base five-fold to become the world’s No.3 mobile operator in subscriber numbers, and expanded its operations to 18 countries. Balachandran was closely associated with Airtel’s launch and scaling up of the Satellite TV business in India and the expansion of the firm's global business. Neil Masterson, CEO of OneWeb, said, “Having had the opportunity to work with Srikanth in his most recent role as CFO of Bharti Global, the team at OneWeb has seen first-hand the wealth of ...

   India’s largest manufacturer of industrial and medical gases, INOX Air Products (INOXAP) plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore to build 8 new air separation units across the country. This will be India’s largest greenfield  investment  plan in the industrial gases sector. This follows a manifold increase in demand for medical oxygen because of the Covid-19 pandemic though the company says it is looking ahead at the government's push for the manufacturing and infrastructure sector. With a combined capacity to make more than 1500 tonne a day (TPD) of liquid gases, the expansion will take INOXAP’s total liquid gases production to 4800 TPD by 2024. The  investment  would be funded by a mix of debt and internal cash accruals. "The debt portion is yet to be worked out but it could be 40 per cent of the investment," Siddharth Jain, director - INOX Air Products, told Business Standard. INOXAP’s new plants will be strategically located in proximity of high demand growth...

   (Reuters) - Facebook Inc's  WhatsApp  said on Thursday it will go ahead with its controversial privacy policy update but will allow users to read it at "their own pace" and will also display a banner providing additional information. The messaging platform laid out fresh terms in January, aimed at increasing business transactions on the platform. The policy update would allow owner Facebook and its subsidiaries collect user data, including their phone number and location, which sparked a global outcry and a rush of new users to competitors Telegram and Signal, among others. WhatsApp  then moved to delay the new policy launch to May from February and sought to clarify the update was focused on allowing users to message with businesses and would not affect personal conversations, which will continue to have end-to-end encryption. In its latest blog post,  WhatsApp  said it will start reminding users to review and accept updates to keep using the messa...

   The cybercrime wing of the  Mumbai Police  has saved the lives of two persons, who posted suicidal thoughts on social media, an official said on Wednesday. The cyber police's Twitter analysis cell examined a tweet by a Class 12 student, who posted about feeling depressed and suicidal over his studies on February 14, the official said. A probe revealed that the person was a resident of Amaravati city, and accordingly, the police there were informed about the tweet, he said. A team was formed to locate the student, who was subsequently tracked down and sent for counselling, he said. Similarly, the cyber police analysed a Facebook post in which a man wrote about his suicidal thoughts on Tuesday night, the official said. On analysing the post with technical support, the man was traced to the western suburb of Borivali here, he said. The cyber police alerted the MHB police station about the man, who was tracked down after an overnight operation, he added. Read Complete...

   By Derek Francis and Nandakumar D (Reuters) -  Jaguar  Land Rover said on Wednesday it would cut 2,000 jobs from its global salaried workforce, just days after announcing its luxury  Jaguar  brand will be entirely electric by 2025 and e-models of its entire lineup will be launched by 2030. "The full review of the  Jaguar  Land Rover organisation is already underway," the company said in an emailed statement. "We anticipate a net reduction of around 2,000 people from our global salaried workforce in the next financial year," it said. However, it added that the organisational review did not impact hourly paid, manufacturing employees. JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors, said earlier that its Land Rover brand will launch six fully electric models over the next five years, with the first in 2024. Known for its iconic, high-performance E-Type model in the 1960s and 1970s, Jaguar faces the same challenges as many other carmakers as it transitions to e...

   VA TECH WABAG  Ltd ('WABAG'), a leading pure play  water technology  company, announced financial closure for its  Hybrid Annuity Model  (HAM) project received from Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). The project debt requirement will be funded by a consortium of  International Finance Corporation  (IFC) and Tata Cleantech Capital Limited (TCCL) WABAG had earlier signed a Rs 575 crore HAM concession agreement under the Namami Gange programme administered by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) which included the scope of engineering, supply and construction of new sewage treatment plants, renovation and upgradation of existing sewage treatment plants, rehabilitation of pumping stations and other associated infrastructure in Kolkata. WABAG will execute Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) portion of this project over 24 months followed by O&M of 15 years. Once complete, the project with a cumulative wast...

   Australia's government said on Tuesday it will amend draft laws that would make  Google  and  Facebook  pay for news to clarify that publishers would be paid in lump sums rather than per click on news article links. The legislative changes described in a government statement as clarifications and technical amendments follow Australian ministers' weekend discussions with  Facebook  CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary  Google. The conservative government hopes to enact the so-called News Media Bargaining Code before the current session of Parliament ends on Feb. 25. The amendment to be introduced to Parliament on Wednesday improve the workability of the code while retaining its overall effect, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher said in a joint statement. The opposition center-left Labor Party agreed at a meeting of lawmakers on Tuesday to support the bill...

   Finance Minister  Nirmala Sitharaman  on Tuesday explained the government’s priorities to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) central board during their first meeting after presentation of the Union Budget 2021-22. The finance minister addressed the 587th RBI central board meeting and informed the members about key initiatives in the Budget and the priorities of the government, RBI said in a statement. Complimenting the finance minister on the Budget, the board members made various suggestions for consideration of the government, it added. “The board in its meeting reviewed the current economic situation, global and domestic challenges and various areas of operations of the Reserve Bank, including ways for strengthening grievance redress mechanism in banks,” it said. The meeting on Tuesday was chaired by RBI Governor  Shaktikanta Das  through video conferencing. The government’s nominee directors on the board — Financial Services Secretary Debasish Panda...