Newsbits

Xiaomi set to heat up competition in the laptop segment

Handset maker Xiaomi is all geared up to enter the laptop market, which is dominated by the likes of HP, Dell and Lenovo, who are all trying to tap the current surge in demand with a bulk of India Inc. continuing to work from home. According to reports quoting Xiaomi India Chief Business Officer Raghu Reddy, the company, though, won’t be following the smartphone model of affordability, or pricing the laptops at the entry-level, and will instead target power users such as content creators, gamers, and students. He added that Xiaomi won’t flood the market with too many models. “We were planning to launch it before the big festive season, before Diwali. But given the situation in industry and people working from home and students looking for devices for online classes, short-term demand might be higher than the past,” Reddy was quoted as saying.

Realme forays into affordable TV segment, smartwatch

Chinese smartphone maker Realme recently entered the smart television segment of India with the launch of company’s first-ever affordable smart TVS at a starting price of Rs 12,999. The smart TV is powered by Mediatek 64-bit quadcore processor and Dolby Audio-certified 24W quad stereo speakers. Along with this, the company also launched its firstever smartwatch, Buds Air neo and also 10,000mah Power Bank 2. The Realme Watch comes in a square screen with a 1.4 inch LCD display and is priced at Rs 3,999. While the Realme Buds Air neo is priced at Rs 2,999, its all-new 10,000mah Power Bank 2 that comes with 18W twoway quick charge and dual output ports USB-A and USB-C is priced at Rs 999.

Former Apple executive Navnit Nakra joins Oneplus India as VP and Chief Strategy Officer

Premium smartphone brand Oneplus has appointed navnit nakra as Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for its India operations. As part of the Oneplus senior leadership team, nakra will spearhead the company’s corporate strategy plans in the India region. He will be leading the strategic operations on the Red Cable Club, Oneplus’ marquee digital lifestyle membership initiative, and will also drive key strategic partnerships that are vital to the India business. Prior to Oneplus, nakra has worked with Apple as Head of Affordability in India for over three years. He has led the strategic initiatives on devising effective consumer and enterprise finance offers across categories ranging from smartphones, tablets, and laptops, to watches and accessories.

HMD Global hires ex-oneplus executive Adam Ferguson in key role

HMD Global has appointed Adam Ferguson as its new Head of Product Marketing. Formerly Head of Marketing for Oneplus in europe, Adam brings with him a wealth of experience in FMCG, having also held senior marketing positions at ee, nestle and unilever. Adam will be responsible for leading HMD Global’s overarching product marketing strategy across the entire portfolio of nokia smartphones and feature phones. Adam’s appointment comes hot on the heels of Stephen Taylor joining the company as Chief Marketing Officer, as HMD Global continues to bolster its leadership team following a host of new product announcements. Adam will report directly to Stephen Taylor as they both develop the long-term growth strategy for the full portfolio of nokia phones.

Vivo patents phone with a unique slider mechanism

Vivo recently patented a new smartphone. The patent reveals a smartphone with a slider mechanism, which is likely automated and surprisingly resembles Oppo Find X’s design quite a bit. According to reports, the patent was applied by Vivo in CNIPA (via Incopat database) in China. Looking at the images, one may think it’s a new Oppo Find X series device that is looking to bring back the iconic slider mechanism. However, that is not the case since it’s from a different OEM entirely. Although, unlike the Oppo Find X, it is currently unsure as to what purpose the new slider mechanism may serve in the Vivo smartphone. On the front, the patented design for the smartphone sports a full-screen body. no punch-hole selfie camera or sensor can be discerned with extremely thin bezels on every side of the device. Moving to the rear, the smartphone has a quad-camera setup. Interestingly though, the primary sensor is separated from the other three cameras due to the former being a part housed on the sliding mechanism itself.

Xiaomi patents new smartphone with under screen camera

Xiaomi has patented a new smartphone with an under-screen camera. This design was filed by Xiaomi back in April 2019 with the CNIPA (China Intellectual Property

Administration) and was recently published. According to the patent discovered by Letsgodigital, the device does not have a curved screen like the one from Xiaomi Mi 10. Instead, it will adopt a flat display. As for the camera, the patent suggests that it will probably be on the top left or in the middle. The area housing the camera will be transparent when taking pictures and will go back to normal while it is not in use to allow full-screen experience. earlier, the company also patented a new dual-display smartphone with quad rear cameras setup. According to the patent, the primary display is like any other phone with ultra-slim bezels and earpiece up top. The secondary display on the new Xiaomi-patented phone is as small in size as the quad-camera housing on the back.

Qualcomm announces new Snapdragon 768G 5G processor

Global chip-maker Qualcomm has launched a new processor, Snapdragon 768G, with enhanced CPU and GPU performance to boost mobile games. The first phones with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 765 processor are just starting to trickle out, but that isn’t stopping the company from announcing an upgraded version today called the Snapdragon 768G, which offers better CPU and GPU performance than its predecessor, The Verge reported. The original 765G was announced back in December alongside the standard Snapdragon 765 and the flagship Snapdragon 865. The two 765 processors were notable in being Qualcomm’s first chipsets to feature integrated 5G modems. The main difference between the regular 765 and the 765G was the addition of a Qualcomm Adreno 620 GPU, which the company promised would offer up to 20 per cent improved performance over the standard Snapdragon 765.

LG working on rotating 2nd display smartphone

South Korean electronics major LG is working on a new smartphone project codenamed “Wing” that is reported to have a rotating second display in a T shape, said The Verge in a report. According to the report, the phone will have a main 6.8-inch display alongside a smaller 4-inch screen with a 1:1 aspect ratio. The LG “Wing” dual-screen phone will utilize its second screen for multitasking. For instance, the primary display can be used to view a photo while leaving the second screen open to access editing controls. The device would pack the same Snapdragon 765 processor as the recently-launched LG Velvet. It will also sport a triple-rear camera array with a 64MP main sensor. Pricing would be higher than Velvet, at approximately $800, and the company is reportedly planning to release the phone in the second half of 2020. Recently, the company patented a new handset with an extendable display that doubles the screen surface.

Mediatek unveils Dimensity 820 SOC for 5G smartphones

Mediatek recently announced the Dimensity 820 SOC which is optimized for premium user experiences capable to deliver ultra-fast 5G speeds, AI and imaging innovations. “Our Dimensity 1000 is already powering impressive flagship 5G devices in a number of markets. With the new Dimensity 820, we’re now making 5G much more accessible,” said Dr. Yenchi Lee, Assistant General Manager of Mediatek’s Wireless Communications Business unit. “The Dimensity 820 stands out beyond competitors by offering four high-performance Arm Cortex-a76 cores at 2.6GHZ within its octa-core CPU, delivering superb performance and responsiveness, among its incredible AI, gaming and photography experiences.” Dimensity 820 packs high performance Arm Mali G57 GPU graphics plus Hyperengine 2.0 enhancements so users can immerse themselves in the latest mobile games. Brands can embrace support for 120Hz high frame-rate displays, while leading HDR features with Mediatek Miravision showcases the most vivid visuals in videos and streams. Mediatek’s Dimensity 820 integrates a 5G nr (sub-6ghz) modem into this single-chip solution with Mediatek’s 5G ultrasave technologies, including exclusive 5G ultrasave network environment Detection and 5G ultrasave OTA Content Awareness, that altogether provides best-in-class energy efficiency.

Facebook takes on Tiktok again with music making app Collab

Taking on Chinese short-video making platform Tiktok, Facebook’s experimental app division has introduced a new IOS app called Collab for making and mixing music with friends. Facebook’s app-focused new Product experimentation (npe) team announced the invite-only beta version of Collab that brings together creators and fans to create, watch, and mix and match original videos, starting with music. Facebook npe team said in a statement, “Collabs are three independent videos that are playing in sync. With the app, you can

create your own arrangement by adding in your own recording or by swiping and discovering an arrangement to complete your composition. no musical experience is required.” In a Tiktok-like feature, once a collab is created, you can publish it for others to watch and mix and match further. You can also share the music creation to Instagram, Facebook Stories, or any other platform. The social networking giant has aimed to take on Tiktok in the past, with the Reels editing feature on Instagram and the standalone app Lasso.

Amazon launches food delivery service in India

Amazon India has launched its food delivery service, Amazon Food, in select pin codes of Bengaluru. The development comes at a time when order volumes for the two largest players in the online food delivery space – Swiggy and Zomato – have hit an all-time low due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The food delivery apps have also reduced staff strength to trim expenses and increase cash runway. “We are launching Amazon Food in select Bangalore pin codes, allowing customers to order from handpicked local restaurants and cloud kitchens that pass our high hygiene certification bar,” an Amazon spokesperson said. The us-based ecommerce behemoth has been wooing eateries with competitive commissions since mid-2019 as a part of a larger initiative to build a comprehensive product portfolio – from grocery and food to electronics and home products.

Linkedin launches virtual events solution for companies

Professional networking platform Linkedin recently announced the global launch of a virtual events solution, a tighter integration between Linkedin Live and Linkedin events, to enable companies stay connected with their online communities in real time. This integration between Linkedin Live and Linkedin events will help companies to host live, real-time events in a trusted environment, attract the right professional audiences, drive strong reach and engagement, and get more mileage for their events with a dedicated hub for videos of the event on their pages. In October 2019, Linkedin launched Linkedin events globally and in March 2020, the platform enabled companies to create an event via their Linkedin Pages.

Gmail accounts get Google Meet integration in India

Google’s video conferencing app Meet has arrived within Gmail accounts globally including in India and users can now start or join video conferencing right from their Gmail accounts and they do not need to download the app separately. Google Meet is completely free and anyone with an email address can sign up and get started. users can see Google Meet on the left menu, with two options: Start a meeting and join a meeting. To start a meet, just click and you will be directed to Google Meet app, which will ask permission to access the camera and microphone on your laptop, desktop or notebook. Once the permission is given, you are ready to start a secure meet with a Dial-in and a PIN which you can then share with other participants. If you are joining a meeting, you need to enter the Meet code in a pop-up box and you are done. You can plan video meetings and invite others directly from Google Calendar. Meet app is also available for free at meet.google.com and on IOS or Android.

Gautam Gambhir backs community health monitoring platform FYI Health

FYI Health, a community health monitoring solution exclusively designed for enterprise use, was launched recently in India. It is backed by former cricketer and current member of the Lok Sabha, Gautam Gambhir. FYI Health allows companies of all sizes to create a safe environment for their workforce by enabling a daily health check-in for employees, employers and guests visiting the corporate ecosystem and contact tracing, if and when required. FYI Health is unique to the work community it is deployed in and provides employers with a health dashboard that showcases the overall health index of employees in a corporate location, that allows them to take timely and pre-emptive action pertaining to flagged cases and those vulnerable to transmission.

Mapmyindia Covid-19 tools, APIS to help businesses safely resume operations post lockdown

Mapmyindia, a leader in digital maps and location-based technologies, has launched Covid-19 tools and APIS including map APIS, location-based analytics and GIS (geographical information systems), navigation and route planning, location tracking, fleet and field workforce management to help organizations and businesses open up safely post lockdown. Mapmyindia’s pan-india hyperlocal safety assessment, planning, operational and visualisation software/tools/apis empower businesses to assess, visualise, analyse, plan, generate real-time location-based alerts and operate their pan India strategy and activities at a micro- and hyper-local level. Mapmyindia Covid-19 tools and APIS will help maximise business/economic activity and productivity while increasing safety of all stakeholders – office employees, field workers, delivery and driver staff, and of course, consumers and society at large – from the threat of coronavirus spread.

Indusind Bank launches Video KYC for savings account, credit card customers

Indusind Bank has expanded the scope and capabilities of its video banking services, with the integration of a ‘Video KYC’ platform. The video KYC services will simplify the on-boarding process for new customers seeking to open a savings account, or for those applying for a credit card from the bank. The new facility enables the bank to on-board customers using a live video-based interface, thereby, replacing the existing practice involving physical authentication of documents. With this, customers who are new to the bank can request for opening an Indusind Bank savings account and complete the entire formalities from their homes or offices, without any direct physical interaction or meeting with bank officials.

Camscanner offers OCR feature for employees to ensure seamless remote working

Mobile scanning app Camscanner now offers OCR (Optical Character Recognition) feature to make the daily work easy for employees that are working from home amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The OCR feature will help employees to extract and organize useful information from paper documents, turning pictures into editable text format, doing quick digital search and accessing information anywhere one wants in a few steps. The feature will help employees to avoid physical contact and encourage paperless working in offices in order to avoid contact and to reduce the risk of cross-infection. Be it posters, contracts, slides, essays, magazines, one can save and edit anything with the Camscanner OCR feature. Text extraction is one of the important features that OCR provides, allowing users to extract information from paper materials and edit directly through their smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

MPL launches India’s first indigenous shooter game Rogue Heist

India’s largest mobile gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) has partnered with Mumbai-based game developer Lifelike Studios to launch Rogue Heist, the country’s first indigenous multiplayer online shooter game exclusively on the MPL app, ahead of other platforms. Rogue Heist is developed by Lifelike Studios and backed by Bollywood actor and producer Arbaaz Khan and Time2play Gaming Studios. Rogue Heist is one of the first multi-player esports on the MPL platform and will see users face off against each other, with cash prizes for grabs for each battle and tournament. MPL currently has over 40 games on its platform.

NPCI to launch Smart Data Center in Chennai national Payment Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India, is all geared-up to launch its own Smart Data Center in Chennai. Tamil nadu Chief Minister edappadi K. Palaniswami laid the foundation stone of

Smart Data Center that will be built as per the international Data Center standards. The Smart Data Center would be recognised as the first TIER IV Data Center in Chennai. NPCI is building its own Smart Data Center to house the national critical set-up with highly secured infrastructure. The Smart Data Center will host major services under the Digital India initiative. It will be located in SIPCOT Information Technology Park, Siruseri.

Annseva app helps NGOS track food distribution in India

IT solutions firm Dew Solutions has launched a suite of B2B offerings to help individuals and enterprises fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The company’s newlylaunched Annseva app helps ngos and food donors keep track of the food distributed along with checking if a person is not hoarding food through facial recognition using Artificial Intelligence. The app’s users can create a food distribution session and start distributing food to the needy by adding consumers and scanning their face image. The distributor can also get a summary of total distribution done so far along with the stats for the last distribution session. Besides Ann Seva, the firm has also come up with a suite of mobile apps, including ‘Fight Karo na’, a contact tracing app for Android and IOS that works on Bluetooth and GPS technology.

Paytm First Games eyes international expansion, partners with Daraz for South Asia Leading gaming destination Paytm First Games has partnered with Daraz to enter South Asian markets. The company has launched its premium gaming app in Bangladesh, and will soon enter into nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Recently, the popular gaming platform had announced its plan to expand to international markets. Launched in 2012, Daraz is South Asia’s premier online shopping marketplace with 5 million consumers across the region. This partnership will help Paytm First Games get access to one of the fastest-growing gaming regions in Asia. named as ‘Daraz First Games’, the app will offer gaming content across different genres like casual and arena games that can be played in multiple formats. ■