Apple is now the most valuable publicly traded company on the planet

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Apple released its third quarter financial report for the fiscal year 2020 a day ago, posting a revenue of $59.7 billion (up 11% on a YoY basis) on top of strong hardware sales. Following the earnings reveal, Apple’s stock went up by 10.47% and it helped the company achieve a market valuation of a staggering $1.84 trillion (via CNBC), the highest market cap of any company in the world.

With that market cap, Apple toppled Saudi Aramco as the most valuable publicly traded company on the planet. State-owned Saudi Aramco – which has held the distinction of being the world’s most valuable publicly-owned company ever since its IPO – currently has a market value of $1.76 trillion as of the market’s closing on Friday.

Apple also announced a four-for-one stock split in its quarterly report, riding on top of a record-breaking quarter that shattered analyst predictions in the wake of the pandemic. The company’s June quarter witnessed double digit growth in the sale of both products as well as services across all markets.

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17-year old Florida teen arrested for being the mastermind behind Twitter’s massive hack

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

The massive Twitter hack of July 15 – in which the accounts of high-profile people such as Barack Obama, Elon Musk and Bill Gates were hacked to promote a Bitcoin scam – has finally led to the first series of arrests. Among them, a 17-year old teen named Graham Ivan Clark from Tampa (Florida) has been apprehended by the authorities as ‘mastermind’ behind the hack that was accomplished using a phone spear phishing attack.

Clark has been charged with 29 counts of fraud and one count of accessing electronic devices without authority to plot a fraudulent scheme. “This defendant lives here in Tampa, he committed the crime here, and he’ll be prosecuted here,” Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren was quoted as saying in a press release.

In addition to Clark, law enforcement authorities have also charged Mason Sheppard, aka “Chaewon,” 19, from Bognor Regis in the United Kingdom and Nima Fazeli, aka “Rolex,” 22, hailing from Orlando in Florida. As per the US Department of Justice, the scam bitcoin account that was mentioned in the fraudulent tweets got transfers worth over $100,000 from more than 400 transactions.

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Netflix users can now control the playback speed on its Android app

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar
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Netflix began testing the ability to control playback speed on its platform back in October last year. Today, Netflix has announced that users can now speed up or slow down the playback speed on its Android app. This new feature is rolling out to users starting today on the mobile app for Android, and will soon arrive on the iOS app and the web version as well.

Talking about the playback controls, users can choose between slower (0.5X or 0.75X) or faster (1.25X and 1.5X) options for video playback on their phone or tablet, and soon, on any screen of their choice. The playback control button appears in the bottom left corner of the screen while watching content.

Once users tap on it, a window will pop up that will let them choose between 0.5x, 0.75x, 1x (Normal), 1.25x and 1.5x playback speed options. However, the playback speed will revert back to normal every time users start watching a new movie or TV show, indicating that there might not be an option to set a default playback speed that applies to all content from the get-go.

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Twitter is surveying users about a subscription-based model of its platform

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

It was recently reported that Twitter is exploring a paid subscription-based model of its social media platform that might enter testing later this year. It now appears that Twitter has already started testing the waters by asking a small bunch of users what features will they desire from a paid tier of the social media service.

Reporter Andrew Roth shared screenshots of a purported survey Twitter has been conducting to ask users about potential exclusive features for a paid version of the platform. Among the options on the table are an unsend tweet tool (only for 30 seconds), custom fonts and themes, up to 5x higher length limit for uploading videos and much more.

Here’s a list of potential features mentioned in the survey:

Undo send: A 30 seconds window for you to recall/withdraw a Tweet before anyone can see it.Recruiting: Able to connect, open positions, and recruit on Twitter.
Custom Colors: In addition to night mode, you could change the fonts and theme color of Twitter on your phone and computer.Video Publishing: You could publish videos up to 5x longer than current default with a much higher maximum resolution (8192 x 8192).
Background color, links, mentions, hashtags, and icons would appear in whatever color you choose.User roles: The ability to give different members of your organization access to your account in a secure way that doesn’t involve sharing usernames and passwords. Administrator of the account could control what others have access to do and not to do.
Video Publishing: You could publish videos up to 5x longer than current default, with a much higher maximum resolution (8192 x 8192).Hashtags: You could create custom stickers and custom hashtags that include emojis.
Advanced analytics: Additional insights, including the best time to post and best length, audience demographics etc.Badges: You get a badge(s) on your profile that links you to businesses you own or work for (Example: A journalist can have a badge showing the magazines they write for.
Badges: You get a badge(s) on your profile that links you to businesses you own or work for (Example: A journalist can have a badge showing the magazine they write for. Insights into other accounts: The ability to easily see all of your past interactions with other accounts in one place(e.g. Last time you replied to this personal, etc.) Custom Stickers &
Auto responses: Able to write and set a menu of auto responses to use in replies

Twitter is also asking users if they are willing to pay to see lesser ads on social media, an option to filter the kind of ads they want to see, and how the audience will react to a paid version of the platform.

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Apple’s new Mac mini, the Razer Blade 15 and more devices are on sale today

Posted on by Samuel Martinez

We start today’s deals with the new Apple Mac mini. This great PC comes with 8gB RAM, 512GB storage, and an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor. It is currently listed for $975 after a $124 discount, but you will see an extra $48.75 discount at checkout, so you would only end up paying $926.25.

Buy Apple Mac mini

Next up, we have the Razer Blade 15. This gaming laptop is getting a $285 discount, which leaves it at $1,315. You will get a powerful laptop with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD.

Buy Razer Blade 15

You can get a new Samsung device with a free Galaxy Watch Active2. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip is available for $1,380 and the Galaxy S30 for $1,000, with $249 and $238 discounts. Both devices are unlocked, but the Z Flip comes with twice the storage as the Galaxy S20.

Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
Buy Samsung Galaxy S20

If you’re looking for a less expensive Android smartphone, the TCL 10L is currently selling for $212.50 after a $37.50 discount. You get a new device with a 6.3-inch FHD LCD display, a 48MP quad-camera system, 6GB RAM, 64GB storage, and a 4,000mAh battery. This device is also unlocked, meaning you can use it on the network of your choice.

Buy TCL 10L

Razer is also offering discounts on several of its gaming controllers. The Razer Wolverine Ultimate is getting a $30 discount leaving it at $130; the Razer Raion is selling for $80 after a $20 discount. The Razer Raiju Mobile is getting a $50 discount, which leaves it at $100, and the Razer Junglecat is getting a $10 discount, meaning you can get yours for $90. While you’re at it, you may also want to take a look at the Nintendo Joy-Cons in Neon Pink and Neon Green, which are available for $69 after a $10.99 discount.

Buy Razer Controllers
Buy Nintendo Joy-Con

Finally, the Jabra Elite 65T are available for just $94.03. You get a pair of one of the best wireless earphones in the market. These include an IP55 rating, a two-year warranty, and up to fifteen hours of non-stop action.

Buy Jabra Elite 65T

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Apple’s new gift card is for ‘everything Apple’, both hardware and software

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Apple has so far sold two types of gift cards – the Apple Store Gift cards for purchasing products from an Apple Store (both online and retail) and the App Store & iTunes Gift cards for purchasing games, apps, music and subscription. But things have been a bit confusing for buyers when it comes to the limitations of each card. That is about to change for good, though.

The company has now launched what you might call a universal gift card for ‘Everything Apple.’ Apple says the new universal gift card can be used to purchase “products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud, and more.” As always, you can buy the new gift card online, choose a design and also add a personalized message to the person you’re sending it.

The products and platforms across which the new universal Apple gift card works.

You can choose from a total of eight designs if you purchase a digital card and five design options for a physical gift card that will be sent via an email. Currently, the new Apple gift card is exclusive to the US market. The older Apple Store Gift Cards and the App Store & iTunes Gift Cards will continue to be valid, but they are no longer up for purchase on Apple’s website.

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Nvidia is reportedly in advanced talks to buy semiconductor giant ARM

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar

Nvidia is reportedly in advanced levels of negotiation to buy semiconductor and software giant ARM in a deal worth more than $32 billion. Talks between the two companies began in the past few months when Nvidia approached SoftBank, the Japanese holding company which purchased the chipmaker back in 2016.

“US chip company Nvidia is in talks to buy the UK chip designer Arm from SoftBank in a cash-and-stock deal that would value the unit at more than $32bn, said two people with direct knowledge of the matter,” reports FincancialTimes. A separate Bloomberg report mentions that the two companies might reach a deal in the next few weeks.

The deal terms reportedly involve a cash and stock purchase that would put the initial sale price at over $32 billion. Nvidia’s current market valuation is close to $260 billion, and purchasing ARM – whose chips can be found inside smartphones, PCs, TV and a wide range of other devices – will further boost the graphics hardware giant’s assets and send ripples across the industry.

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Black Shark 3S gaming phone packs a 120Hz AMOLED display and Snapdragon 865

Posted on by Nadeem Sarwar
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Xiaomi-backed Black Shark has today launched its latest gaming smartphone – the Black Shark 3S. This one borrows a lot of design elements and internal hardware from its predecessor – the Black Shark 3 – but does bring an upgraded display that offers a 120Hz refresh rate. The rear panel has also received a few aesthetic tweaks, but the device still screams gaming aggression.

You get the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 865 silicon ticking under the hood alongside a beefy 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of onboard storage. Up front is a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, flanked by stereo speakers at the top and bottom. The whole system draws power from the 4,729mAh battery that also supports 65W charging.

There are three cameras at the back (64MP primary + 13MP wide-angle + 5MP depth) and a 20MP front camera. The Black Shark 3S is priced at CNY 3,999 (~ $570 / Rs. 43,000) and is currently up for grabs in China with a choice between two colors – Crystal Blue and Sky Cloud Black. However, there is no word on its availability in the international market.

Black Shark 3S specifications

Display 6.67-inch AMOLED
20:9 aspect ratio
500 nits brightness
1080 x 2400 pixels
394PPI pixel density
120Hz refresh rate
Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
RAM 12GB
Storage Up to 256GB
Rear Cameras 64MP (F/1.8) primary
13MP (F/2.2) wide angle
5MP (F/2.2) depth
Front Camera 20MP (F/2.0) front
Battery 4,729mAh
65W fast charging
Software JoyUI 12
Based on Android 10

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ASUS collaborates with Dirac for ROG Phone 3’s audio

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

Swedish company Dirac has partnered with ASUS for the ROG Phone 3. The gaming phone comprises of Dirac’s immersive audio and optimization technologies for its built-in speakers and connected headphones.

“Today’s flagship smartphones allow users to do more than ever before, including online gaming – where high-quality audio is as critical as visuals, processing power, and other notable features” said Mats Oberg, Chief Sales Officer, Dirac. “ASUS understands that, which is why it teamed up with Dirac to design the digital audio system for their latest device. We’re proud of what we’ve together accomplished, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration for years to come.”

Dirac’s patented immersive audio solution employs advanced MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) technology to enable a phone’s primary speakers and receiver speaker – responsible for sound during phone calls – to work together and produce superior audio. 

Furthermore, Dirac’s sound optimization solution upgrades headphone sound quality by measuring and correcting the connected headphone’s impulse and frequency response. The Dirac sound optimization solution is now compatible with ROG headphones such as the ROG Cetra, ROG Delta, ROG Strix Go 2.4, and ROG Theta 7.1, amongst others.

Notably, the ASUS ROG Phone 3’s GameFX audio comprises upgraded speakers with seven magnets for more power and less distortion. One of the speakers is slightly larger, with an extra-long throw for helping generate deeper bass notes.

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The next Apple Watch could feature blood oxygen monitoring sensor

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

According to a new report, Apple is working on adding new upgrades to the health-related features of Apple Watch. The company might add a blood oxygen monitoring sensor to its Apple Watch Series 6. It reiterates on the previous rumor that said future Apple Watch will detect blood oxygen levels for the first time.

The latest development comes from DigiTimes. It says that Apple Watch‌ 6 will feature biosensors that can monitor sleeping conditions, detect blood oxygen and measure pulse rates. It will also allow the watch to give data on heartbeats and atrial fibrillation. The report adds that the future Apple Watch will also incorporate MEMS-based accelerometer and gyroscope. It will allow the device to lead in measurement precision among wearable devices.

According to previous reports, the Watch will send a notification when it detects blood oxygen below a certain level. Previous rumors have also stated that the Apple Watch 6 could arrive with a Touch ID sensor. We had seen this feature embedded in the devices Digital Crown, even though it is currently used for capturing ECG.

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Best External Hard Drives for your Mac in 2020

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

At times we are short on inbuilt storage and have to rely on some kind of external backup solution. And the best external hard drives offer an effective way to counter that. They bring a backup solution that can be used for carrying your files wherever you go. External hard drives are an excellent way to protect, secure and save all your files and folder.

USB flash drives and microSD memory cards are not always enough to get the work done. They are comparatively low on read and write speeds and carrying large files could be an issue on these. That’s where external hard drives come into play. Portable hard disks are one of the best ways to store and secure large files that require a lot of storage space and faster read/write speeds.

Further, portable SSDs take the external hard drives up a notch and offer a more durable and a lot faster solution. There are secured drives as well, which are specifically designed to keep your files extremely secure. But these could be costly.

The best external hard drives are those which offer ample storage, fast read and write speeds, and are not heavy on the wallet. These are cost-effective and practical. Here’s our pick for the best external hard drives that you can buy right now. Whatever your storage needs, here’s something for everyone.

    Seagate

    4TB at a budget

    You can easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive. Included is an 18-inch USB 3.0 cable.
    Samsung

    Extra Fast

    It offers superfast Read-Write speeds of up to 540 MB/s. The Samsung SSD comes with a top to bottom metal design that fits in the palm of your hand.
    MiniStation

    NFC external HD

    It is ruggedized and is USB PC Compatible plug-and-play. It is compatible with Mac after formatting. It has integrated wrap-around USB 3.0 Cable
    Western Digital

    Affordable 2TB

    It comes with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatibility. Moreover, WD offers 2 year of manufacturer's limited warranty.
    Seagate

    Stylish 5TB

    Store and access 5TB of photos and files with Seagate Backup Plus Portable, an on the go USB drive for Mac and Windows.
    Western Digital

    My Passport

    It is designed for Mac. It comes with WD Discovery software for WD backup, password protection and drive management.
    G-Technology

    Armored

    It comes with triple-layer shock resistance for added durability. It is rain-and dust-resistant (IP54) with a 1000lb crush rating.
    LaCie

    Rugged Mini

    Travel with a massive capacity of up to 5TB in an ultra compact portable external hard drive. Included is Adobe creative cloud.
    iStorage

    Encrypted HD

    It is a USB 3.1 Portable Hardware Encrypted Hard Drive. It is real time military grade AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption.

We recommend buying the Samsung T5 SSD that offers read-write speeds of up to 540 MB/s. Moreover, it comes with optional password protection and AES 256 bit hardware encryption. It features a top to bottom metal design that fits in the palm of your hand. The company is also offering three years warranty with this product.

If you are looking for a rugged external hard drive, you should go with the G-Technology one mentioned here. It offers triple-layer shock resistance for added durability. Moreover, it comes with rain and dust resistant (IP54) enclosure with a 1000lb crush rating so it’ll withstand being squashed in the cabin baggage section. It is ready to go with mac and Windows.

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HONOR 9A, HONOR 9S entry-level phones launched in India

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

HONOR has launched two entry-level smartphones in India – the HONOR 9A and HONOR 9S. The HONOR 9A features a 6.3-inch HD+ display and is powered by the MediaTek Helio P22 SoC. You get three cameras at the back, with the main snapper using a 13MP sensor, accompanied by a 5MP wide-angle lens and a 2MP depth sensor.

It sports an 8MP camera on the front, and a large 5,000mAh battery keeps the lights on. It costs Rs 9999 and will be available from Amazon.in starting from August 6. For the first sale it will be available for Rs 8999.

HONOR 9S

On the other hand, the HONOR 9S features a 5.45-inch (1440 × 720 pixels) 18:9 HD+ display. It is powered by the same MediaTek P22 SoC. It packs a 3,020mAh battery and 2GB RAM with 32GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 512GB. It costs Rs 6499 and will be available from Flipkart starting from August. For the first sale it will be available for Rs. 5999.

HONOR 9A and HONOR 9S specifications

HONOR 9AHONOR 9S
Display6.3-inch HD+ IPS LCD
1600p x 720 pixels		5.45-inch (1440 × 720 pixels) 18:9 HD+
SoCMediaTek Helio P22MediaTek Helio P22
RAM3GB2GB
Storage64GB
Expandable up to 512GB via microSD		32GB storage
expandable up to 512GB
CamerasRear: 13MP (f/1.8) main
5MP (f/2.2) wide-angle
2MP (f/2.2) depth

Front: 8MP (f/2.0)		Rear: 8MP

Front: 5MP
Battery5,000mAh
10W charging		3,020mAh
OSMagic UI 3.1 (Android 10)Magic UI 3.1 (Android 10)

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HONOR MagicBook 15 with AMD Ryzen 5 CPU launched in India for Rs 42,990

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

HONOR has announced the launch of MagicBook 15 in India. The laptop was first announced its MagicBook 15 at CES 2020. It went official globally alongside its 14-inch variant on February 25. Now, it has finally been introduced in India.

The HONOR MagicBook 15 comes with a compact, thin and lightweight design. It features a 15.6-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) display with TÜV Rheinland Certification. The laptop is powered by AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Mobile Processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics. It packs 8GB DDR4 RAM with 256GB PCIe NVME SSD storage.

The MagicBook 15 Space Gray and Mystic Silver color options. It is priced at Rs 42,990 and will be available from Flipkart starting from August 6. The company is offering Rs 3,000 discount on the first sale so that you can get it for Rs 39,990.

HONOR MagicBook 15 specifications

  • 15.6-inch ( 1920 x 1080 pixels) 16:9 display, TÜV Rheinland Certified
  • AMD Ryzen 5 3500U Mobile Processor with Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
  • 8GB DDR4 RAM, 256GB PCIe NVME SSD
  • Windows 10
  • Pop-up webcam
  • Magic-Link 2.0
  • WiFi 802.11 ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 5.0, USB Type- C x 1 (Supports charging and data transfer), HDMI x 1, USB3.0 (Type A) x 1, USB2.0 (Type A) x 1
  • Dimensions: 322.5 x 214.8 x 15.9mm; Weight: About 1.38kg
  • 3.5mm audio jack, Fingerprint power button
  • Battery: 42Wh (Rated capacity) battery with 65W Type- C Power Adapter with fast charging (53% in 30 minutes), up to 9.5 hours of local video playback on a single full charge

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HUAWEI MatePad T8 likely coming to India soon

Posted on by Prakhar Khanna

HUAWEI India has teased the launch of the MatePad T8 tablet. Its Twitter account posted a puzzle that hints at the upcoming launch. To recall, it was launched back in May. The tablet features an  8-inch HD+ display with 80% screen-to-body ratio and a curved-edge metal body.

The HUAWEI MatePad T8 is powered by the Octa-core MediaTek MT8768 SoC paired with 2GB RAM. It sports a 5MP autofocus rear camera and a 2MP front camera. Further, it runs EMUI 10.0.1 based on Android 10.

The tablet packs a 5,100mAh battery with support for 5W charging through a micro USB port. The company says it can last up to 12 hours in video playback and offer 12 hours of browsing web pages. It is likely to be a budget tablet.

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