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Microsoft planning to launch a mixed-reality headset to rival Apple: Report

Microsoft planning to launch a mixed-reality headset to rival Apple: Report

by | Aug 15, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Aug 15 2024 | 1:24 PM IST


Microsoft is reportedly planning to launch its own portable virtual reality (VR) headset next year. According to a post on X, spotted by consumer technology publication Android Authority, Microsoft has signed a supply contract with Samsung Display to receive hundreds of thousands of micro-OLED panels for the mixed reality headset. The VR headset will reportedly be geared towards gaming and entertainment, rather than focusing on the metaverse.


The partnership between Microsoft and Samsung is still in its early stages, and mass production might not begin until 2026, according to Korea’s The Elec.


Microsoft previously launched its HoloLens augmented reality (AR) headset and the Windows Mixed Reality line of VR headsets. However, the company later reduced the size of the HoloLens team and discontinued Windows Mixed Reality. Meanwhile, Samsung announced a partnership with Google and Qualcomm last year for a new handset, which might be launched around the end of this year.


If Microsoft’s mixed reality headset enters the market, it will likely be seen as a rival to Apple’s Vision Pro and compete with Meta Quest. Apple and Meta currently hold a substantial share of the VR headset market, offering a variety of options. Apple is reportedly planning to launch a more affordable variant of its mixed reality headset by the end of next year, after having to cut Vision Pro production due to low demand. Meanwhile, Meta has positioned its VR headset as a more accessible alternative.

First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 1:24 PM IST



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Lenovo Legion Tab now available for purchase in India: Check price, specs

Lenovo Legion Tab now available for purchase in India: Check price, specs

by | Aug 15, 2024 | Technology


2 min read Last Updated : Aug 15 2024 | 1:26 PM IST


The Lenovo Legion Tab, a gaming tablet powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, is now available for purchase in India. Launched on August 13, the tablet is designed specifically for gamers, offering features that enhance performance and manage thermals during gaming sessions. Lenovo aims to bridge the gap between PC and mobile gaming with this Android tablet. Here are the details:


Lenovo Legion Tab: Price and availability


Priced at Rs 39,999, the Lenovo Legion Tab comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB of on-board storage. The tablet is available for purchase on Lenovo’s official website and the e-commerce platform Flipkart.


Lenovo Legion Tab: Details


The Lenovo Legion Tab features an 8.8-inch QHD+ (2560×1600) display with a 144Hz refresh rate. It also supports DisplayPort 1.4 technology through its USB-C port, allowing users to connect the tablet to an external display.


Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, the Legion Tab is equipped with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM. It also features Lenovo’s Legion ColdFront vapor thermal solution to keep thermals in check. The tablet offers multiple performance modes, including Beast Mode for maximising performance during gameplay, Balanced Mode for optimised performance, and Energy Saving Mode for conserving battery life.


The Legion Tab integrates Lenovo Freestyle, the company’s in-house technology that allows users to connect with other Legion devices. This feature enables content sharing between a Lenovo Legion laptop and the tablet, as well as quick connectivity with Legion series monitors, headsets, keyboards, and mice.


The Lenovo Legion Tab is equipped with a 6550mAh battery and supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 technology using a 45W charging adapter.


Lenovo Legion Tab: Specifications


  • Display: 8.8-inch, QHD+ (2560×1600) resolution, 144Hz refresh rate


  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm)


  • RAM: 12GB LPDDR5X


  • Storage: 256GB


  • Rear Camera: 13MP primary + 2MP macro


  • Front Camera: 8MP


  • Ports: 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4 support


  • Battery: 6550mAh


  • Charging: 45W

First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 12:40 PM IST



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Google to expand AI initiatives in India, target language barrier, farming

Google to expand AI initiatives in India, target language barrier, farming

by | Aug 15, 2024 | Technology


Google’s ongoing focus is on continuously improving language quality and expanding support for more Indian languages in the future | Representative Image

3 min read Last Updated : Aug 15 2024 | 12:28 PM IST


Google is intensifying its focus on India with the introduction of advanced AI tools aimed at breaking down language barriers and enhancing agricultural practices, a senior company official said.


Abhishek Bapna, Director of Product Management at Google DeepMind, highlighted the importance of reducing language barriers in India’s economic development.


Language is very essential for economic development. For instance, a language barrier should not hinder someone from explaining their medical issues to a doctor or accessing banking services, Bapna said during his short visit to IIM Calcutta.


The tech giant has launched Google Gemini, formerly known as Bard, an artificial intelligence chatbot that supports more than 40 global languages, including nine Indian languages.


Bapna added that Google’s ongoing focus is on continuously improving language quality and expanding support for more Indian languages in the future.


Currently, the chatbot supports nine Indian languages – Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.


Bapna noted the complexity of India’s multilingual environment, where people often use multiple languages simultaneously.


This presents unique challenges for AI models, as they must correctly identify and apply the appropriate dictionaries to understand and generate accurate responses, Bapna said.


To empower developers in India, Google is expanding Project Vaani in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).


The project offers developers over 14,000 hours of speech data across 58 languages, collected from 80,000 speakers in 80 districts.


Additionally, Google introduced IndicGenBench, a comprehensive benchmark designed specifically for Indian languages. This initiative aims to assess and fine-tune language models for more accurate and effective use in India.


In a parallel effort to support India’s agricultural sector, Google is working towards launching the Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API. This limited availability tool is designed to make agricultural practices more data-driven and efficient.


The ALU API aims to enhance farm yields, improve access to capital, and provide better market access for farm products.


“On agriculture, right now we are conducting a pilot with the Telangana government that is already underway. Once the pilot is complete, we plan to scale it up and engage actively with state governments, Bapna said.


He emphasized that Google’s agricultural initiatives are driven by two major goals: improving livelihoods and addressing climate change through necessary interventions.


“Banks and insurance companies could also be end users. Right now our focus is to make sure that the technology works properly,” Bapna said.


By offering granular landscape insights at the farm field level, the ALU API is expected to transform India’s agricultural ecosystem.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 12:28 PM IST



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Google announces price cut for older models following Pixel 9 series launch

Google announces price cut for older models following Pixel 9 series launch

by | Aug 15, 2024 | Technology


Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 XL

2 min read Last Updated : Aug 15 2024 | 11:28 AM IST


Google has announced a price reduction for its previous-generation Pixel smartphones in India. The prices are revised for the Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a, and Pixel 7a smartphones. The Google Pixel 8 Pro with 256GB on-board storage, launched at Rs 113,999, is now priced at Rs 106,999. Similarly, the 128GB storage variant of the Pixel 8 Pro is now offered at Rs 99,999, down from its launch price of Rs 106,999. The price of the Pixel 8a smartphone, launched in May this year, has also been reduced. Here are the new prices:


Google Pixel Smartphones: Models and new pricing


Pixel 8 Pro


128GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 106,999


New Price: Rs 99,999


256GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 113,999


New Price: Rs 106,999


Pixel 8


128GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 75,999


New Price: Rs 71,999


256GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 82,999


New Price: Rs 77,999


Pixel 8a


128GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 52,999


New Price: Rs 49,999


256GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 59,999


New Price: Rs 56,999


Pixel 7a


128GB storage


Launch Price: Rs 43,999


New Price: Rs 41,999


Google has reduced the prices of these previous generation models following the launch of the new Google Pixel 9 series on August 13. The series includes the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. While Google has started accepting pre-orders for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL in India, the other two models will be available at a later date. Google has also announced pre-booking offers for both the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL in India.


Pixel 9: Pricing


12GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs 79,999


Pixel 9 Pro XL: Pricing


16GB RAM + 256GB storage: Rs 124,999  


16GB RAM + 512GB storage: Rs 139,999


On Flipkart, both Google smartphones are available with introductory offers from banks on full and equated monthly instalment (EMI) transactions. Customers pre-ordering the Pixel 9 can avail of a Rs 4,000 discount on ICICI Bank credit cards and EMI transactions, while a Rs 10,000 discount is applicable on the Pixel 9 Pro XL. Additionally, Google is offering Pixel Buds Pro wireless earbuds at a discounted price of Rs 7,999 with the pre-order of either smartphone. There is also an option for no-cost EMI for up to 12 months on pre-orders from ICICI Bank.

First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 11:28 AM IST



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Apple plans major overhaul for iPhone lineup from 2025: What to expect

Apple plans major overhaul for iPhone lineup from 2025: What to expect

by | Aug 15, 2024 | Technology


Representative image: iPhone 15 series

2 min read Last Updated : Aug 15 2024 | 10:31 AM IST


Apple is reportedly planning a significant overhaul of its iPhone lineup, starting from 2025. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple will introduce a new iPhone “Air” model in the iPhone 17 series next year, positioned between the standard iPhone and the Pro models. The report also mentioned that this year’s iPhone 16 will not feature a substantial upgrade over the current generation, with Apple Intelligence being the primary selling point for the new iPhones.


The report stated that Apple is searching for the perfect “fourth iPhone model” after trying with the iPhone mini and Plus models, neither of which have been significant sellers for the American technology giant. Apple now plans to launch an “Air” model that will be similar to the standard iPhone but with a sleeker form factor.


Earlier, Bloomberg reported that with the new iPad Pro, Apple has successfully figured out how to make its devices thinner while still incorporating major upgrades. The iPad Pro 2024 features a chassis that is 5.1mm thick, making it the thinnest Apple device to date. Despite its sleek profile, Apple managed to include significant upgrades such as a tandem OLED display. The company now aims to apply the same approach to other devices, including one of the models in the iPhone 17 series.


However, according to the report, a slim variant of the standard iPhone 17 is just a step towards a more significant change in the overall iPhone design, as the company aims to develop a slimmer Pro model. Bloomberg stated that this change will take time, with a slimmer iPhone Pro not expected to debut before 2027.


Apple is also expected to release a foldable iPhone model, but according to the report, the company is currently prioritising a foldable iPad.


Earlier, Apple analyst Jeff Pu stated that Apple is working on multiple foldable devices, including a flip-style iPhone and an “all-screen MacBook” or iPad. Pu mentioned that the foldable MacBook/iPad is on track to be unveiled in the second quarter of 2026, while the foldable iPhone will likely launch towards the end of 2026.

First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 10:31 AM IST



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Meta ignores pleas, kills off misinformation tracking tool CrowdTangle

Meta ignores pleas, kills off misinformation tracking tool CrowdTangle

by | Aug 15, 2024 | Technology


Meta acquired CrowdTangle in 2016. | (Photo: Reuters)

2 min read Last Updated : Aug 15 2024 | 7:46 AM IST


Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms has shut down CrowdTangle, a tool widely used by researchers, watchdog organisations and journalists to monitor social media posts, notably to track how misinformation spreads on the company’s platforms.


Wednesday’s shutdown, which Meta announced earlier this year, has been protested by researchers and nonprofits. In May, dozens of groups, including the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Digital Forensic Research Lab at the Atlantic Council, Human Rights Watch and NYU’s Center for Social Media & Politics, sent a letter to the company asking that it keep the tool running through at least January so it would be available through the US presidential elections.


This decision jeopardizes essential pre- and post-election oversight mechanisms and undermines Meta’s transparency efforts during this critical period, and at a time when social trust and digital democracy are alarmingly fragile, the letter said.


CrowdTangle, has been an essential tool in helping researchers parse through the vast amount of information on the platform and identify harmful content and threats, it added.


In March, the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation sent Meta a similar letter asking it to keep the tool, which was available for free, functioning until January. That letter was also signed by several dozen groups and individual academic researchers.


For years, CrowdTangle has represented an industry best practice for real-time platform transparency. It has become a lifeline for understanding how disinformation, hate speech, and voter suppression spread on Facebook, undermining civic discourse and democracy,” the Mozilla letter said.


Meta has released an alternative to CrowdTangle, called the Meta Content Library. But access to it is limited to academic researchers and nonprofits, which excludes most news organizations. Critics have also complained that it’s not as useful as CrowdTangle — at least not yet.


Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, said in a blog post last week that the company has been gathering feedback about Meta Content Library from hundreds of researchers in order to make it more user-friendly and help them find the data they need for their work.


Meta acquired CrowdTangle in 2016.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Aug 15 2024 | 7:46 AM IST



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