UPI and Ru-Pay Cards ready for Cross Border Payments

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April 29, 2023

NPCI International and PPRO Partnership for Global E-commerce Transactions with UPI

NPCI International, the worldwide subsidiary of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has teamed up with PPRO to facilitate global e-commerce transactions through UPI (Unified Payment Interface). In simple terms, this collaboration will enable Indian consumers to shop at international stores using Indian Rupees, either via UPI or RuPay cards. This will offer a smooth and secure payment experience for cross-border purchases.

Furthermore, this agreement will include India in PPRO’s Local Payment Method (LPM) coverage map, making RuPay cards and UPI acceptance possible for PPRO’s global clients, including payment service providers (PSPs) and international merchant acquirers.

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Twitter Introduces 10% Content Subscription Fee

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April 29, 2023

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Twitter Introduces 10% Content Subscription Fee and Updates Blue Tick Verification Process

On Friday, Twitter CEO Elon Musk announced that the platform will charge a 10 percent fee on content subscriptions after the first year to diversify its revenue sources. Earlier, Musk had stated that users could offer content subscriptions to their followers, without the platform taking a cut for the initial 12 months. This move comes after Twitter saw a decline in advertising income, prompting Musk to make changes to increase revenue.

In addition, the company’s cut from subscriptions on iOS and Android platforms will decrease to 15 percent in the second year from 30 percent in the first. Musk has also made updates to the blue tick verified accounts on Twitter, prioritizing their verification process, which will likely encourage more accounts to pay for the blue tick. The blue tick helps protect well-known individuals from impersonation and misinformation.

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Seagate Fined $300 Million by US

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April 29, 2023

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Seagate Fined $300 Million for Selling Hard Drives to Huawei

Seagate, the data storage manufacturer, has been issued with the largest fine in the history of the US Department of Commerce (DOC), according to a report by Ars Technica. The DOC’s Bureau of Industry and Services imposed a fine of $300 million on Seagate for selling hard drives to Huawei, a Chinese technology company. In addition, the company violated the US export controls that were established in August 2020.

Reuters reports that Seagate sold hard drives to Huawei between August 2020 and September 2021, despite the US Department of Commerce (DOC) placing Huawei on the Entity List due to national security concerns. The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) criticized Seagate’s business dealings with China in a statement, noting that the company continued to sell to Huawei while the two other companies capable of making hard disk drives, Western Digital and Toshiba, had ceased sales to Huawei.

The BIS imposed a $300 million fine on Seagate, more than double the company’s profits from the “alleged illegal exports” to Huawei. As part of the settlement, Seagate agreed to a multi-year audit and a five-year suspended denial order that prohibits the company from exporting goods, but this order is suspended as long as Seagate complies with the settlement.

Under the settlement, Seagate has agreed to make quarterly payments of $15 million for the next five years. Unfortunately, the company recently reported a net loss of $433 million on $1.86 billion in revenue for Q1 2023. However, Seagate maintains that they complied with trade sanctions as the hard disk drives were made in their manufacturing plants located in China, Northern Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States.

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Snapchat Introduces Advanced My AI Chatbot

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April 29, 2023

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Snapchat’s CEO Evan Spiegel has announced that the company’s My AI chatbot is now available to all users. This new version of My AI has been improved and is more advanced than its predecessor. With this upgrade, you can personalize your My AI by creating a Bitmoji avatar. Once set up, you can send snaps to My AI and receive text responses. Furthermore, you can now include My AI in Snapchat Groups and DMs by simply typing “@My AI” and asking it questions based on the conversation. To identify My AI, look for the sparkle next to its name.

One of the main benefits of My AI is that it can provide tailored recommendations for restaurants and places based on your Snap Map activity. It can also suggest AR lenses based on your Snap Map usage. Moreover, future updates and improvements to My AI will allow Snapchat+ subscribers to receive generative snaps in response to any snap sent to My AI. This is a significant development in visual conversational AI.

Apart from this announcement, Snapchat also announced Generative AI Lenses, giving you the capability to transform yourself into sci-fi characters using the Cosmic Lens. Snapchat will also make it easier for you to comb through your most relevant and necessary filters. Along with that, you will now be able to add AR to your memories. With new AR experiences and technologies, you will be able to experience live music concerts much more immersively.

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Amazon Prime Subscription Prices Increase in India

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April 29, 2023

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Amazon Prime Subscription Prices Increase in India - Monthly and Quarterly Plans Affected

After a price increase in 2021, there has been another hike in Amazon Prime subscription prices in India, specifically affecting the monthly and quarterly plans. This marks the first price increase in a year and a half. The monthly membership now costs Rs 299, up from Rs 179, while the quarterly plan is priced at Rs 599 instead of Rs 459. This translates to an additional cost of Rs 120 and Rs 140 for the monthly and quarterly plans, respectively.

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New Hubble Measurements Suggest Universe is Expanding Faster Than Expected

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April 15, 2023

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New measurements by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the universe is expanding faster than previously thought, with important implications for our understanding of its evolution and structure.

The universe is a vast expanse that has fascinated scientists and non-scientists alike for centuries. One of the most important questions about the universe is how it is expanding and at what rate. Recent measurements by the Hubble Space Telescope have provided new insights into this question, suggesting that the universe is expanding faster than previously thought. In this article, we will explore these new findings and what they mean for our understanding of the universe.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been observing the universe for over three decades, providing astronomers with invaluable data about its structure and evolution. One of the key parameters that scientists have been measuring is the rate at which the universe is expanding, known as the Hubble Constant.

New measurements by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the universe is expanding faster than previously thought. — Hubble Space Telescope

Previous measurements of the Hubble Constant had suggested that the universe is expanding at a rate of around 70 kilometers per second per megaparsec. However, new measurements using the Hubble Space Telescope have provided a different result. According to the latest measurements, the universe is expanding at a rate of around 73 kilometers per second per megaparsec. This may not seem like a large difference, but it has important implications for our understanding of the universe.

So, what does this new measurement mean? One possible explanation is that the universe contains more dark energy than we previously thought. Dark energy is a mysterious force that is thought to be driving the expansion of the universe. If there is more dark energy than we thought, then the expansion rate would be faster.

Another possibility is that there is some unknown physics at work that we don’t yet understand. This is a tantalizing possibility that could lead to new discoveries in the future.

WhatsApp to Introduce Feature to Lock Individual Chats

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April 3, 2023

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whatsapp introduces feature tolock individual chats

Messaging app, WhatsApp, is set to introduce a new feature that allows users to lock individual chats with a fingerprint or passcode. The feature, spotted by WhatsApp tipster WABetaInfo, will enable users to keep their personal chats private from prying eyes.

Users will be able to open locked chats and read notifications using their fingerprint or passcode. These chats will be moved to a separate section, accessible via the dedicated “Locked chats” section. The feature will be available for personal and group chats and will hide not only messages but also media files. Media files, such as photos, videos, and audio, will not be saved in the device gallery automatically, enhancing privacy.

WABetaInfo also highlighted a unique aspect of the feature. If someone attempts to access a user’s phone and fails to provide the necessary authentication, they will be prompted to clear the chat to open it. However, this may result in the loss of chat history. The feature is currently under development and will be available to test on WhatsApp beta for Android and iOS soon.

WhatsApp is also developing other privacy features, such as ephemeral audio messages (playable only once) and granular admin controls for groups. Users will have the option to lock the complete WhatsApp app or individual chats once the feature goes live.

Samsung Launches Galaxy F14 5G

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March 27, 2023

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Samsung has introduced the Galaxy F14 5G, a budget-friendly 5G smartphone, in India.

The Galaxy F14 5G, the latest edition to Samsung’s Galaxy F series, has been revealed in India. The phone has a plethora of remarkable features, such as RAM Plus, a large 6,000mAh battery, and a 50MP main camera. With this announcement, Samsung hopes to capitalize on the growing demand for low-cost 5G devices in the Indian market.

Specs and Features

The Galaxy F14 5G has two rear cameras, one with 50MP resolution and the other with 2MP resolution. A 13MP selfie camera is positioned under a waterdrop notch on the front. The smartphone has a 6.6-inch IPS LCD display with Full HD+ resolution, a refresh rate of 90Hz, and a protective layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

The phone is powered by an Exynos 1330 chipset, which is paired with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The RAM can be increased by up to 12GB. The Galaxy F14 5G has a 6,000mAh battery that supports 25W rapid charging, allowing it to last all day on a single charge.

The phone is powered by One UI Core 5.1, which is based on Android 13 and will receive two major updates and four security patches, according to the company. The smartphone supports 13 5G bands and includes, among other features, a fingerprint reader incorporated in the power button, USB Type-C, Bluetooth version 5.2, Wi-Fi, and GPS.

The Galaxy F14 5G also supports Samsung Wallet and Voice Focus, a function that allows customers to make uninterrupted calls. The phone is available in three different colors: OMG Black, GOAT Green, and BAE Purple.

Price and Availability

The 4GB+128GB form of the Samsung Galaxy F14 5G costs Rs 12,990, while the 6GB+128GB variant costs Rs 14,990. From March 30, the phone will be available for purchase on Flipkart and Samsung’s online shop

The New OnePlus Nord Lineup is Launching on April 4th in India

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March 24, 2023

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OnePlus is set to launch the Nord CE 3 and Nord Buds 2 in India on April 4. The Nord CE 3 will have a flat design and come in Pastel Lime, while the Nord Buds 2 will have a pill-shaped in-ear design. Expected features include a 120Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 782G CPU, and 50MP triple back cameras. Prices are anticipated to be under Rs 30,000 for the phone and under Rs 5,000 for the earbuds. The launch event will also offer savings on trading previous OnePlus devices, two months of YouTube Premium, and the chance to win more prizes.

Following OnePlus’ flagship launch event, which saw the arrival of the OnePlus 11, the OnePlus 11R, and even the brand’s first tablet in India, the company is gearing up to introduce new Exciting goods. The new Nord CE 3 and Nord Buds 2 will be available in India from April 4. Here’s what you can expect.

OnePlus will host a ‘Larger than life’ Nord event on April 4 at 7 p.m. to unveil the Nord CE 3 and Nord Buds 2. It will also be a global launch. The Nord CE 3 will succeed the Nord CE 2 and will be priced in the mid-range, while the Nord Buds 2 will be low-cost TWS earbuds.

The business has also shown how both of these goods would seem. The Nord CE 3 will have a flat design and massive rear camera housings. This corresponds to earlier leaked renders of the phone. It appears in a refreshing Pastel Lime color, which is incredibly appealing.

Specifications

Although the specifications are unknown, a new rumor suggests a 6.72-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, the Snapdragon 782G CPU, 50MP triple back cameras, and a 5,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging. The phone is likely to run OxygenOS 13, which is based on Android 13. It could cost less than Rs 30,000.

Pricing

The Nord Buds 2 will have a pill-shaped in-ear design, similar to the OnePlus Nord Buds. The TWS will be available in both black and white. There is no indication on the earbuds’ capabilities as of yet, but we anticipate certain enhancements, such as improved AI ANC over their predecessor, and a price tag under Rs 5,000.

OnePlus has also stated that the Nord CE 3 will come with two months of YouTube Premium, as well as savings on trading previous OnePlus devices and the opportunity to win even more amazing prizes. Further information about the next OnePlus Nord goods will be released soon stay tuned.

We don't mean to exaggerate, but we have something #LargerThanLife coming your way on April 4. Stay tuned.#OnePlusNordCE3Lite 5G
April 4, 19:00 IST | 14:30 BST
— OnePlus (@oneplus) March 23, 2023

What exactly is ‘Call Before u Dig’ app launched by PM Modi?

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March 23, 2023

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Call Before u Dig app launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced the ‘Call Before u Dig’ (CBuD) app on Wednesday to enhance cooperation between excavation agencies and underground utility owners in order to prevent utility damage due to digging.

Why is the app Required?

According to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release, the Call Before u Dig mobile application, an initiative of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, aims to prevent damage to underlying assets such as optical fiber cables caused by uncoordinated digging and excavation, which results in losses of about Rs 3,000 crore annually.

It will prevent possible corporate losses and lower citizens’ discomfort owing to less disruption in key services such as roads, telecommunications, water, gas, and power.

How does the app Function?

The CBuD app will connect excavators and asset owners via SMS/Email notifications and click-to-call to ensure the safety of subsurface assets during planned excavations across the country.

It attempts to provide a point of contact for excavating contractors to enquire about existing subsurface utilities before beginning excavation work. Utilities owners can also learn about impending work at the site.