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India's Covid-19 pandemic fiscal cost lowest among major nations: Report

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The actual fiscal cost of the Centre’s Rs 21-trillion ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Covid-19 package was lowest among 20 major nations, said a recent research report by  Motilal Oswal. “The true fiscal stimulus in FY21 (fiscal year 2020-21), as per our estimates, amounted to only around Rs 2.5 trillion or 1.3 per cent of  gross domestic product  (GDP). The bulk of the fiscal support constituted loan guarantees and non-budgetary measures,” the report said. Business Standard’s  own calculations suggest that the Centre’s fiscal impact amounts to around Rs 2.28 trillion, or around 1.2 per cent of GDP. This includes  tax revenue  foregone, outlay towards free food distribution and cash handouts, increase in NREGA, interest subvention, increase in viability gap funding for social infrastructure, and initial support from the centre’s coffers to kickstart some of the liquidity and credit measures announced by Finance Minister  Nirmala Sitharaman. Rea...

Microsoft to resume optional Windows 10 non-security updates from July

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Microsoft  has announced to resume optional non-security releases for  Windows 10  and Windows Server next month. In March, the company paused these optional non-security update releases (also referred to as 'C' and 'D' releases) for all supported versions of Windows client and Windows Server, to give organisations time to focus on business continuity in the face of the global pandemic.  "Based on feedback and the ongoing stabilization of business continuity, we will resume optional releases in July of 2020 for  Windows 10  and Windows Server, version 1809 and later,"  Microsoft  said in a statement late Wednesday. ALSO READ:  Microsoft Surface Duo smartphone with dual-screen design may launch in July "We are also instituting a few changes to simplify the update process and help you continue to stay current with  Windows 10  and Windows Server," the company added. Read Complete Article

TCL launches Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision certified 8K and 4K smart QLED TVs

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TCL  on Thursday launched a new range of smart QLED TVs in India. Available in entry level, premium and ultra-premium, the new range of  TCL  smart QLED TVs have up to 8K resolution with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support. Moreover, the televisions support hands-free voice control for voice command-based operations. Here are the details of  TCL  smart QLED TVs: TCL X915 8K QLED – 75-inch This Android TV supports IMAX Enhanced and has a built-in pop-up camera. It is a Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos certified TV QLED screen panel of 8K resolution. The TV is powered by AI 8K processor, which allows it to upscales non-8K content to 8K. Price:  Rs 2, 99, 990. Read Complete Article

Twitter for iOS gets 'Voice Tweet' feature: How to add voice notes to tweet

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Twitter  has been testing several new features, and the new one to join the list is the voice notes feature, which allows its users to tweet voice messages. The feature is currently available to a limited group of people on  Twitter  for iOS platform, and it will be available for everyone on iOS in the coming weeks. “There’s a lot that can be left unsaid or uninterpreted using text, so we hope voice Tweeting will create a more human experience for listeners and storytellers alike,” said  Twitter  in an official blogpost.  “...we hope voice Tweeting gives you the ability to share your perspectives quickly and easily with your voice. We can’t wait to see how people will use this to make their voices heard and add to the public conversation,” the blogpost added. How the voice tweet feature works: Voice tweets are not different from text tweets. To start, open the Tweet composer and tap the new icon with wavelengths. You will see your profil...

Google Duo now allows up to 32 people participants in a group video call

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Google  on Wednesday announced that the technology giant has raised the group video participants limit to 32 from 12. At 32 participants,  Google  Duo is now on par with Apple's FaceTime, but still less than Skype's 50 people limit and Zoom which allows as many as 100 users (500 if used with the 'Large Meeting' add on). "Today, one of our most requested features for Duo, group calling on the web with up to 32 people, is starting to roll out on the latest version of Chrome," tweeted Sanaz Ahari, Google's senior director of product and design. ALSO READ:  Google Meet video conference service coming soon to Gmail for Android, iOS  The search engine giant is also rolling out a new video codec technology to improve video call quality and reliability, even on very low-bandwidth connections. Read Complete Article

Samsung Galaxy A21s with 5000 mAh battery launched: Price, specs, and more

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South Korean electronics maker  Samsung  on Wednesday launched the Galaxy A21s in India. The smartphone will be available in black, white and blue colours, from June 17 at retail stores,  Samsung  Opera House,  Samsung. com and online e-commerce platforms. The Galaxy A21s comes in 4GB and 6GB RAM variants, both with 64GB internal storage, priced at Rs 16,499 and Rs 18,499, respectively. Samsung Galaxy A21s specifications  The Galaxy A21s has a 6.5-inch screen of HD+ resolution, stretched in 20:9 aspect ratio. The screen has punch-hole on the top left corner, accommodating the phone’s 13-megapixel front camera. On the back, the phone has a quad-camera set-up, featuring a 48MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. Read Complete Article

After Google, Apple removes TikTok clone app Zynn from App Store

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Apple's App Store has removed Chinese video app Zynn, a clone of the hugely popular video app TikTok, following accusations of plagiarism. The app was taken down from Googles Play Store last week. A spokesperson for Zynn told The Verge that its issues with plagiarism were minor, and that the company was "in communication with both Google and Apple to ensure compliance with their guidelines and regulations."  Zynn arrived on iOS and Android in early May and quickly reached the top of the download charts. By the end of May, the app had become the most downloaded free iOS app and a top 10 download in the  Google Play Store. Part of the reason for this rapid growth is the app's rewards programme where users got paid for watching videos and also to get other users on the app, said the report. Google Play Store  earlier removed another  TikTok  rival app Mitron. Read Complete Article