Google Cloud services restored after Play Store, YouTube, Gmail, Snapchat and other services faced worldwide outage

One might have recently experienced some issues while trying to access Google services like the Play Store, YouTube or G Suite. This apparently happened because of a multi-region issue with Google Compute Engine that left many users globally unable to access the company’s suite of services. However, the problem not only affected Google’s own services but it took out other popular services like Discord, Shopify,  Snap, among others. “The network congestion issue in eastern USA, affecting Google Cloud, G Suite, and YouTube has been resolved for all affected users as of 4:00pm US/Pacific,” Google said in a blog post. 

While the outage is now taken care of, with all services restored to normal, the incident sheds light on how some of the most popular services are dependent on Google’s cloud services. As TechCrunch notes, Google Cloud is usually considered a safe bet for services but companies need to have a backup as well in case of a big outage happens again. While Google has not detailed exactly what the problem was, it says, “We will conduct an internal investigation of this issue and make appropriate improvements to our systems to help prevent or minimize future recurrence. We will provide a detailed report of this incident once we have completed our internal investigation. This detailed report will contain information regarding SLA credits.”

Users started complaining of YouTube and Snapchat not working for them late at night, on June 2. While multiple users on Twitter reported of only the above two mentioned services not working for them, downdetector.in suggests that the Google Play Store also went down between 6 PM and 10 PM on June 2. Users reported that content was not loading on the Play Store and that they saw a server error message. While there’s no information on whether Google Cloud services going down is linked with the outage of Google Play Store, it could be a possibility.

me going on youtube cos snapchat is down then realising youtube’s down aswell #YouTubeDOWN #snapchatdown pic.twitter.com/zHgnya8doc

— kaylei (@m0rri55ey) June 2, 2019

 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2EPzxR7

Mortal Kombat 11 first DLC details revealed

For all those who are fans of the Mortal Kombat franchise, the new game is getting its first DLC, details of which are now public. The first Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat pack includes a few characters, a whole bunch of character skins and items, along with early access for those who buy the pack.

Mortal Kombat 11 already has a stellar set of playable characters as we noted in our review of the game, but the first DLC is set to make things even more exciting for the fans of the franchise. The Kombat Pack will add Shang Tsung to the roster, a staple name since the beginning of the Mortal Kombat franchise. In addition to Shang Tsung, other characters coming to the game as part of the DLC are Nightwolf, Sindel, Spawn and two other characters who are yet to be announced. In addition to the characters, there will be characters skins, including a Johnny Cage Nina Mime character skin. The DLC also includes gear set for characters along with 18 skins for existing characters.

It has also been announced that Keith David, who previously voiced Spawn in the HBO series, will also be the voice behind Spawn in the Mortal Kombat 11 DLC. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa who played the main antagonist in the first Mortal Kombat film will be reprising his role as the voice of Shang Tsung.            

The Kombat Pack is included for those who bought the Mortal Kombat 11 Premium and Collector’s edition. Eligible players will receive the content on June 25. However, those who buy the pack separately will get one week early access to  Shang Tsung starting June 18.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2Xim4s6

NASA Mars 2020 spacecraft gets high-res cameras to enable unprecedented 3D imaging

In the latest NASA Mars mission development, the space agency installed a couple of high-resolution cameras on its Mars-bound spacecraft, Mars 2020. Named Mastcam-Z, the pair of cameras is a multispectral, stereoscopic imaging instrument that, according to NASA, will enhance the Mars 2020 rover's driving and core-sampling capabilities. In other words, it’s a good deal better than the average 16-megapixel shooter on your smartphone.

With a picture of the spacecraft being tended to by a trio of engineers in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility's High Bay 1 clean room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, NASA explained that the two Mastcam-Z high-definition cameras are kept covered until it’s time for flight. The cover on top of the camera units reads “Remove before flight”. The Mastcam-Z cameras sit along with the head block of the remote sensing mast (RSM).

Look at the wrapped camera below the red cap

“Mastcam-Z will be the first Mars color camera that can zoom, enabling 3D images at unprecedented resolution,” commented Mastcam-Z Principal Investigator Jim Bell of Arizona State University in Tempe. “With a resolution of three-hundredths of an inch [0.8 millimeters] in front of the rover and less than one-and-a-half inches [38 millimeters] from over 330 feet [100 meters] away - Mastcam-Z images will play a key role in selecting the best possible samples to return from Jezero Crater.”

One of the first few activities Mars 2020 will perform after landing on the Red Planet is raising the RSM to activate its optics and testing equipment. According to NASA, “Mars 2020 will be the first spacecraft to in the history of planetary exploration with the ability to accurately retarget its point of touchdown during the landing sequence”. The spacecraft will also carry with it a sample-caching mechanism, which will be used to collect Martian rock and soil samples and store them on the Martian surface until a future mission takes them back to Earth for deeper study.

Inline image courtesy: NASA

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2IrR4Qr

Samsung Galaxy Note 10 could get 45W fast charging support

Refuting previous claims that the Samsung Note 10 will come with 25W fast charging tech, a media report has said the South Korean giant will move further and bring 45W fast charging support to the upcoming Galaxy Note 10. The information was first leaked by Ice Universe. The famous tipster shared an image of famous polymath Leonardo Da Vinci with a morse code on the foot of the image.

‘Da Vinci’ holds quite a significance here because apparently, Samsung has code named the Galaxy Note 10 as ‘Da Vinci’. Now moving on to the morse code, it reads: 101101, which reportedly translates to ‘45.’ Given the codename and encrypted message, it could be said that the tipster is pointing towards the fast charging tech of the Galaxy Note 10. Rumours have suggested that a variant of the Galaxy Note 10 might come equipped with a 4500 mAh battery pack.

pic.twitter.com/8tvkvfvqdD

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) 1 June 2019

The tipster also revealed that Samsung’s upcoming Note flagship would retain physical buttons, but won’t have the headphone jack. Reports till now have suggested that the Note 10 would remove all the physical buttons, including the Bixby button, in favour of capacitive or pressure-sensitive areas. A media report said that these pressure sensitive areas will likely be highlighted by some kind of raised ‘bump’ and/or texture on the edge.

As for the headphone jack, it is not optimistic. pic.twitter.com/BY2FWzK68m

— Ice universe (@UniverseIce) 31 May 2019

A previous report suggested that the phone could sport a massive 6.66-inch display. It is rumoured to be priced starting at 7499 yuan (Rs 77,600 approx). Samsung might employ its Exynos 9820 SoC on the phone and for some regions, it is most likely to be powered by the Snapdragon 855 SoC.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2EOYI69

iPhone 11 mockup confirms previous design renders, hands-on video with leaked case shows iPhone XR will also get triple cameras

As the launch of the 2019 iPhones inches closer, we’re getting more and more confirmation that at least two variants of the iPhone XI will come with a triple camera setup. A new leak from tipster Ben Geskin shows that the past renders of the iPhone XI are still holding strong and little has changed in the design of the square camera module. Digit.in, in partnership with OnLeaks, had revealed the first renders on the upcoming iPhone XI with triple cameras in a square module back in January. Since then, numerous leaks and schematics have confirmed our exclusive.

The new leak reveals a mockup of the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 11 Max, in the new gold colour variant that Apple debuted with the iPhone XS. There are three giant cameras housed in a square module on the corner. Like we have seen previously, two cameras are aligned vertically, while the third one is offset from the center. The flash module sits above the third camera, with little to no symmetry.

On top of that, 9to5Mac reportedly used three prototype cases of the 2019 iPhones which were then released in a video. The hands-on video of the cases reveal the same giant triple-camera module. Interestingly, the video claims all the three cases that were shipped to the publication had the cutout for triple-cameras. This is in contrast to previous leaks which claimed the iPhone XR refresh will not come with triple-cameras.

The video also delves into some of the little details like the placement of the volume buttons and the mute button is slightly lower than before. This is probably to improve the ergonomics of the device. The cases also seem to fit the present-generation iPhones in size, indicating that Apple will not increase the footprint of the devices this year.

If the above information are correct, the 2019 iPhones are going to follow the Galaxy S10+ in offering a triple-camera setup. Rumour has it that the third camera will be a 12-megapixel super wide lens. Apple will also reportedly attempt to make the giant camera bump look more aesthetic by using a special black coating.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2QOb9El

PlayStation 4 Days of Play India sale starts June 7: Discounts on games, DualShock 4 controllers, PS VR headsets

Sony may be skipping E3 2019 which kicks off on June 7, but the company is ensuring that gamers don’t forget about what's coming on the PS4. The company recently announced a trailer for the highly anticipated game Death Stranding, that included a release date of November 8, 2019. You can read details about the game and watch the trailer here. Sony is also kicking off its Days of Play sale on June 7, the same day as the beginning of pre-E3 conferences. The sale will include discounts on both hardware and software. 

The Days of Play sale will also see a discount on PlayStation Plus subscription. The PlayStation Plus 12-month subscription which would normally cost you Rs 4,439 can be yours for Rs 3,107 during sale days. According to IGN India, the PS Plus subscription is expected to see a price hike in India soon, so this is a good time to get your hands on the online subscription for one year. 

Speaking of hardware, the PlayStation VR Starter Pack will receive a discount. The system which would have cost you Rs 28,580 will be available for Rs 24,630. DualShock 4 controllers will also see a discount from Rs 5,050 to Rs 4,050. Below is a list of all the games that will be available during the sale along with their discounted price.

Shadow of the Colossus - Rs. 1,499 Marvel's Spider-Man - Rs. 2,499 God of War - Rs. 1,999 Detroit: Become Human - Rs. 1,999 Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition - Rs. 1,499 God of War 3 Remastered - Rs 1,499 Bloodborne Game of the Year Edition - Rs. 1,499 PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - Rs. 1,499 Minecraft - Rs. 1,499 DriveClub VR - Rs. 1,499 Until Dawn: Rush of Blood - Rs. 999 The Last of Us Remastered - Rs. 999 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - Rs. 999 Uncharted Collection - Rs. 999 InFamous: Second Son - Rs 999

If you are looking to pick up a PS4, then know that the 500GB variant of the PS4 is priced at Rs 22,690 as of writing this story. Along with the console, gamers get three free games - Gran Turismo - Sport, Uncharted 4 and Horizon Zero Dawn. A PS4 with 1TB HDD and The Last of Us will cost you Rs 29,490. If you are looking for the PS4 Pro, then you will have to shell out Rs 36,990 and the system comes with no games. 

It should also be noted that 2019 is the year when both Sony and Microsoft are expected to launch the next console generation. Sony has already confirmed some of the specs of the upcoming PS5 and you can read more about it here. Microsoft, on the other hand, is expected to launch two variants of the next Xbox. Codenamed Lockhart and Anaconda, both consoles are expected to be next-gen devices; one being an entry-level console and the other being spruced up to take on the PS5. 

For those unaware, this is the first year that Sony will not be presenting at E3 2019 so all eyes are on Microsoft. Xbox Head Phil Spencer has confirmed that there will be 14 Xbox One Studios games at E3 2019. In a Tweet, he says, “Just finishing our final E3 rehearsal here with the team in Redmond. Feel really good about the briefing. Lots to show. We have 14 Xbox Game Studios games in the show this year, more first party games than we've ever had in the show. Fun times. #XboxE3”. It looks like Microsoft will come guns blazing to E3 2019.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2JSBaBw

Oppo F11 Pro, Oppo A5 get price cut of up to Rs 2,000 in India

In India, Oppo announced its mid-range Oppo A5 smartphone in August last year, and launched the F11 Pro smartphone in March this year. The two handsets have now received a price cut and will be available with a discount of up to Rs 2,000. As per Mumbai based reseller Mahesh Telecom, Oppo is reducing the price of the 64GB variant of the Oppo A5, which will now cost Rs 11,990 down from Rs 12,990. Additionally, the 64GB version of the Oppo F11 Pro that was launched at Rs 24,990 is being discounted by Rs 2,000 and will now be available for Rs 20,990. The new discounted pricing on the 64GB variants of the two handsets is now reflecting on Flipkart and Amazon, and is also said to apply when purchasing the phones via offline retail stores.

The Oppo F11 Pro runs on the Octa-core MediaTek Helio P70 processor and comes equipped with a 6.5-inch Full HD+ display, 2340 x 1080p screen resolution. The handset is backed by a 4000mAh battery that supports VOOC 3.0 fast charging and it runs on ColorOS 6.0, which is based on Android 9 Pie. The smartphone gets a dual-rear camera setup that consists of a 48MP primary sensor and a 5MP secondary camera. On the front is a pop-up module that houses a 16MP selfie camera.

Coming to the Oppo A5, the midrange smartphone features a 6.2-inch HD+ display with a 1520 x 720p screen resolution. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 octa-core processor. In terms of optics, it sports dual rear cameras that feature a 13MP + 2MP sensor configuration. The 13MP sensor is paired with an f/2.2 aperture lens and the 2MP sensor gets an f/2.4 aperture lens. There’s an 8MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture for selfies. The phone is backed by a 4230mAh battery and it runs on Android 8.1 Oreo-based ColorOS 5.1.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2QFFNQb