2 min read Last Updated : May 30 2024 | 12:11 PM IST
Home-grown smartphone brand Lava on May 30 launched Yuga 5G. The budget 5G smartphone is offered in 64GB and 128GB storage configurations, both with 4GB RAM, at Rs 9,499 and Rs 9,999, respectively. The Lava Yuva 5G will be available on e-commerce platform Amazon India, Lava e-store and Lava retail outlets from June 5. It will be available in Mystic Blue and Mystic Green colours with matte finish and a side mounted fingerprint sensor standard across variants.
Lava Yuva 5G: Pricing and variants
4GB RAM + 64GB storage: Rs 9,499
4GB RAM + 128GB storage: Rs 9,999
Lava Yuva 5G: Specification
Powered by the UNISOC T750 and a 5,000 mAh battery, the Lava Yuva 5G smartphone sports a 6.52-inch HD+ display of 90Hz refresh rate. The Yuva 3 smartphone has a 50-megapixel main sensor and a 2MP camera sensor on the rear, and an 8MP camera sensor on the front. As for the camera features, Lava offers portrait, slow motion, timelapse, audio note, motion photo, ultra-resolution, beauty, HDR, night, AI, PRO, panorama, and more. The smartphone boots Android 13 operating system with a clean user interface. The company has promised Android 14 and two years of security update.
minimised custom tab feature on Chrome browser for Android
2 min read Last Updated : May 30 2024 | 11:58 AM IST
Google is officially rolling out a minimised custom tab feature on Chrome browser for Android. The feature makes use of the Picture-in-Picture (PiP) window to offer a more simplified transition between native apps and web content. Google in a post on Chromium Blog page said that this feature enables “multitasking across surfaces, enhancing the in-app web browsing experience.”
The PiP view of a Chrome custom tab is only accessible from native Android applications, essentially Google apps such as Gmail, Chats, and more. The feature will be available soon on other apps that use Chrome browser to open links, but not apps with built-in browser functions such as Meta’s Instagram.
How it works
Update Chrome browser to the latest version
Tap on any link to a website that is shared or available on a native Android app, such as Google Chats
Tap on the new downward arrow button available next to the back button on Chrome’s toolbar. This shrinks the opened chrome tab in a PiP window on the bottom right of the screen
You can tap on the window and select the full screen button that appears at the centre to maximise the Chrome tab
Just like any other floating windows, the Chrome tab in PiP view can be repositioned anywhere on the screen and can be resized as well. However, it should be noted that in PiP view the Chrome tab only shows the name of the page and the domain. This limits the functionality of the feature as you still need to maximise the window in order to interact with it. Additionally, while testing out the feature, links from Google Messages app did not offer the new minimise button despite being a native Android app.
2 min read Last Updated : May 30 2024 | 1:07 PM IST
Google now offers an option to play games within its video streaming platform YouTube. Announced in 2023, the YouTube Playables has graduated from the initial testing phase and is now available in select countries as part of an experimental rollout. India is not among the countries where Playables is available, but the country is expected to receive this feature once the general rollout commences.
In the initial testing phase, Google offered 30 games as part of the YouTube Playables. Now, the catalogue has grown to over 75 games. For context, Google had a gaming project called GameSnacks, which was a dedicated site for online games that has eventually led to YouTube announcing Playables.
YouTube Playables: How to play games
Open the YouTube app on Android or iOS, or visit the YouTube home page using browser on any PC
Head over to “Explore Menu” to find Playables
Here, you can browse and choose from over 75 games, Moreover, you can tap on the three-dot menu to share the games with friends
To play games, you can either use touchscreen controls on mobile or use mouse or trackpad on the desktops
Games on YouTube Playables are available with options to exit the game, mute/unmute the audio, and view additional controls via an overflow menu.
YouTube premium users will have the option to continue playing videos in the background while muting the game audio. Moreover, paid subscribers can also save game progress and see their all-time best scores.
YouTube Playables: Details
Playables has been included in YouTube to make it a more entertaining experience for the users. Currently the gaming catalogue includes classic games like Chess and Solitaire and popular games like Angry Birds Showdown, Words of Wonders, Cut the Rope, Tomb of the Mask, Trivia Crack, and more.
Since these games are available on the app, users will not require downloading any other app or games separately to access this feature. Netflix also has a collection of games but it requires you to download the title separately. YouTube is rolling out the feature in a phased manner and will be available for more users soon.
The data centre will power services including Search, Maps and Workspace, and will help deliver AI services, while the cloud centre will offer services to local firms and public sector organisations, it said | (Photo: Reuters)
2 min read Last Updated : May 30 2024 | 11:32 AM IST
Google will invest $2 billion in Malaysia to develop its first data centre and Google Cloud region in the country, the unit of Alphabet said on Thursday, the latest in a wave of expansion by global tech firms into Southeast Asia.
The government said the investment would advance Malaysia’s digital ambitions, and the artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and other advanced technologies would help local industry move up the global value chain.
With a young tech-savvy population of 670 million, Southeast Asia has been attracting plenty of interest and investment recently from technology giants including Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia and Apple.
Google said in a statement the data centre and cloud region will be located in Sime Darby Property’s Elmina Business Park in central Selangor state.
The data centre will power services including Search, Maps and Workspace, and will help deliver AI services, while the cloud centre will offer services to local firms and public sector organisations, it said.
“Malaysia and Google are partnering to advance our shared work to create a supportive ecosystem for innovation and unlock the potential of digital transformation,” Google’s Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat said in the statement.
Last November, the government and Google announced a collaboration aimed at accelerating innovation domestically.
Other tech giants have also been announcing large investments in the region. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced cloud services investments worth $2.2 billion in Malaysia and $1.7 billion in Indonesia during a recent visit to the region.
In December, Malaysian conglomerate YTL’s utilities unit announced it would partner with Nvidia to develop AI infrastructure in a $4.3 billion investment deal.
Amazon has announced plans to invest $9 billion in Singapore, $5 billion in Thailand and $6 billion in Malaysia.
(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.)
Apple MacBook Pro M3, Apple, MacBook Pro 2023, new MacBook Pro
2 min read Last Updated : May 30 2024 | 10:41 AM IST
After launching the new iPad Pro models with OLED displays, Apple is reportedly planning to extend the OLED screen to MacBook Pro in the coming years. According to reports by market research firm OMDIA, Apple will introduce MacBook Pros with an OLED display by 2026. The demand for OLED displays in mobile devices is projected to grow by 37 per cent from 2023 to 2031, the report added.
For reference, OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) displays offer improved image quality compared to LCD and LED displays. Since each pixel on the OLED displays is illuminated independently, such displays offer superior contrast, faster response times, better viewing angles, and great design flexibility. Currently, tech companies like Samsung, LG, Lenovo, HP, Dell, and ASUS are adopting OLED displays across their product portfolios.
Apple MacBook Pro: What to expect
Apple is expected to develop MacBook Pro in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch display options, both with OLED displays. For reference, the current generation MacBook Pro models boast mini-LED displays that are significantly better than traditional LED displays but not quite in the same league with OLEDs. Report from OMDIA stated that Apple will adopt OLED displays for its MacBook Pro models that will replace the mini-LED backlight versions in 2026.
Further, the report states that Samsung Display will supply the panel from its newly built oxide backplane Gen 8.6 flexible OLED fab. However, there is no suggestion whether LG Display will be the panel supplier or not.
MacBook Air: What to expect
The reports state that Apple would expand OLED displays to MacBook Air, too. However, OLED displays on the Air models would have 60Hz refresh rate, compared to 120Hz on the MacBook Pro models. For the MacBook Air OLED, the display supplier could be BOE rather than Samsung because the latter’s Display Gen 8.6 fab capacity is geared for the Pro model. Speculations also suggest that the iPad Mini and iPad Air will also get OLED screens in the future.
3 min read Last Updated : May 30 2024 | 10:40 AM IST
Google’s Fitbit has launched the Ace LTE smartwatch specifically designed for kids aged seven or more. With built-in LTE connectivity, the Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch can connect with Fitbit Ace companion app on both iOS and Android devices, allowing parents to track their child’s location in real-time, make calls, send-and-receive text and voice messages, and more.
Fitbit Ace LTE: Price and availability
The Fitbit Ace is available for pre-orders in the US for $229.95, while open sale starts from June 5 in the country. While the company has not detailed the availability of the smartwatch in other markets, it is expected to be available in select markets outside the US later this year.
It should also be noted though that the US version of the Fitbit Ace LTE comes with built-in LTE connectivity and the consumers are required to subscribe to Fitbit Ace Pass data plan to enable it. The Fitbit Ace Pass is priced at $9.99 a month, or $119.99 for an annual subscription.
Fitbit Ace LTE: Features
The Fitbit Ace LTE comes with multiple features dedicated to kids such as interactive games, which progresses with real-life activity and movements. The smartwatch comes with customisable creatures called “Eejies” that respond to kid’s movements and motivates them to stay more active, said Google in a press note. The smartwatch also features a new activity ring called noodles that progresses with steps, jumps and other activities.
For parents, Google said, the Fitbit Ace LTE connects with the Fitbit Ace app on their smartphones allowing them to track their kid’s location in real time. Google said that only parents have the access to their kid’s location and location history which gets automatically deleted after 24 hours. Similarly, activity data is deleted after 35 days. There are no third-party apps installed on the smartwatch and only the parents have the ability to add contacts for calling and messaging. The smartwatch also comes with features such as Tap to Pay and School Time mode that google said eliminates distractions during classes.
The Fitbit Ace LTE is offered in six collectable band style options, each with different theme and user interface. Google said that the smartwatch is water resistant up to 50 metres and features corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the display. It also comes with a watch bumper that is included in the box, adding to the ruggedness of the watch.
Google said that the Fitbit Ace LTE offers more than 16 hours of battery life and comes with fast charging options, providing up to 11 hours of battery with 30 minute of charge.
