Indian engineering student gets Apple WWDC 2019 scholarship: Report

An Indian student has received the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2019 scholarship for developing an application for Mac that can be used to create flowcharts to help beginners study programming and algorithms easily. Neel Makhecha, a second year student of Computer Engineering at Chandubhai S Patel Institute of Technology (CHARUSAT), presented the complete software with a skeuomorphic user interface to Apple. Neel will be a part of a list of 125 students who will be attending Apple’s annual event, a media report said.

Apart from the Apple scholarship, Makhecha has also won a scholarship to attend Layers Conference in the US. In this conference, he will will have a chance to connect with dignitaries like Linzi Berry, Product Designer at Lyft, Josh Brewer, CEO of Abstract, Dylan Field, CEO of Figma, Pieter Omvlee, Founder of Sketch, May-Li Khoe, Vice President of Designing at Khan Academy, Kat Zhou, Product Designer at IBM Security, among others.

At WWDC, Apple invites developers from across the globe to showcase their latest software made for latest versions of iOS, macOS, Apple watch OS and Apple tvOs. The company also announces features and products for the next year. Apple will hold this year’s conference at its Cupertino campus in California. Apple is likely to releases refreshes of operating systems for its range of products, including iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, Mac PCs and AppleTV. Apple is also expected to host workshops and development sessions with the attendees.

“WWDC is Apple’s biggest event of the year. It brings thousands of the most creative and dedicated developers from around the world together with over a thousand Apple engineers to learn about our latest platform innovations and to connect as a community. Our developers are incredibly passionate about creating the next generation of mind-blowing experiences for the world through apps. We can’t wait to get together with them and share what’s next,” Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, had said when the company confirmed the dates for this year’s conference. This year's WWDC will start from June 3 till June 7.

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2JT6y2O

Redmi Note 6 Pro 6GB RAM variant discounted by Rs 2,000 in India

Redmi is ramping up its offerings in India with its new handsets. After the Redmi Note 7 Pro, the phone maker announced the Redmi Note 7S and is reportedly looking to launch newer handsets in the country. However, with the introduction of new smartphones, the phone manufacturer is lowering the price point of one of its previous handsets. The 6GB RAM variant of the Redmi Note 6 Pro has received a price cut in India and it will now be available for Rs 13,999. The handset was announced in November last year and its 6GB RAM version was priced at Rs 13,999.

The discount can be availed while buying the Redmi Note 6 Pro via Flipkart, Mi.com or Mi Home stores. Additionally, there are some offers to sweeten the deal like Rs 2,400 instant cashback for Jio users, along with up to 6TB 4G data benefit, and an exchange and a no-cost EMI option. Those who get the phone from Flipkart can also avail a 10 percent instant discount on buying the device using Axis Bank Buzz credit cards. 

Redmi Note 6 Pro specifications

The Redmi Note 6 Pro (review) features a 6.26-inch Full HD+ display with a 1080x2280 pixel resolution. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 SoC and comes with 64GB of storage. One can choose from 4GB or 6GB RAM options of the phone, which supports dual-SIM with dual-4G VoLTE and runs on MIUI 10 atop Android 8.1 Oreo. It is backed by a 4000mAh battery that supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0.

In terms of optics, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro sports a dual rear camera setup. It sports a 12MP primary sensor that is coupled with an f/1.9 aperture lens and a 5MP depth sensor. On the front, the phone features a dual camera setup with a 20MP primary sensor and a 2MP secondary sensor. The front camera supports 4-in-1 pixel binning, AI Face Unlock, AI Scene Detection, AI Portrait Selfie, and AI Beautify features.

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

Realme 3 Pro now available on Open Sale through Flipkart and Realme website: Specifications, price and features

Almost a week after going on sale on Flipkart and Realme.com, the Realme 3 Pro is now available on open sale on both of these platforms at a starting price of Rs 13,999. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 mobile platform and it competes with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro, Asus Zenfone Max Pro M2, among a few others. The smartphone is offered in three colour options, including Carbon Gray, Nitro Blue, and Lightning Purple.

The company is offering extra Rs 2,000 discount on purchase of any variant. Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card owners can get additional 10 percent off. The 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant of the Realme 3 Pro costs Rs 13,999, while the 6GB RAM + 64GB storage version retails for Rs 15,999. The 6GB RAM + 128GB storage variant of the phone is priced at Rs 16,999.

Realme 3 Pro specifications:

Under the hood, the Realme 3 Pro sports the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor, assisted with up to 6GB RAM and up to 128GB of local storage. It features a 6.3-inch Full HD+ display with Gorilla Glass 5 protection. The display features a dewdrop notch and Realme says that the it delivers a 90.8 percent screen-to-body ratio. The phone comes equipped with Hyper Boost 2.0 software, which is claimed to enhance the phone’s speed and gaming experience.

In the camera department, the Realme 3 Pro sports a dual camera setup on the back. There is a 16MP primary Sony IMX519 sensor, which is paired with a lens having an aperture of f/1.7. The 5MP secondary has a lens with f/2.4 aperture lens. On the front is a 25MP sensor which is paired with an f2.0 aperture lens. The front camera supports AI beautification modes and face unlock feature. The handset runs ColorOS 6.0 based on Android 9 Pie and is backed by a 4045mAh battery with VOOC 3.0 fast-charging support.

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

Spotify testing Social Listening feature to enable shared playlists and music controls

Picture this scene. You are at a party at your close friend’s house with good music playing. How many times have you hounded the person-in-charge of the music to play a song of your liking? Well, to address this and many similar problems, Spotify seems to be working on a new “Social Listening” feature. The well-known reverse engineering expert Jane Manchun Wong discovered the option and says that the it will enable friends to control music together from their own devices. However, the new feature is said to be under testing by Spotify employees and only those who have access to the option will be able to control someone else's music. 

Wong says one can scan a Spotify code or open a link to give others access to the “Social Listening” feature. Once connected, users can add their own songs to another person’s playlist and control playback from their device. Going by the images depicting the new feature, its UI seems well developed and there’s a chance that it could be rolled out for everyone soon. Those who are connected to Spotify's Social Listening option will show up on a user’s "Already connected" list. The "Now Playing" UI will showcase how many people are listening to the playlist. 

Spotify is working on Social Listening, letting friends to control music together with their own devices Scan Spotify Code or open link for it to begin For example, I'm listening Spotify right now. Feel free to introduce me new music: https://t.co/f59D0sis7Y pic.twitter.com/nPOlcPwQdG

— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 31, 2019

Songs added while using the new Social Listening option will be added to a shared queue. The new feature will also be made available for Spotify’s web player. While this new option is under testing and yet to be made available for the masses, the online music streaming service recently added a sleep timer function to its app. As the name suggests, the option enables users to select for how long music will keep on playing before stopping automatically. One can select between 5 minutes to one hour for the audio to pause or until the end of a track. 

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

Apple starts migrating links from iTunes to music domain, removes iTunes Facebook and Instagram content

A day after it was reported that Apple is pulling the plug on its music-related service iTunes, a media report has somewhat confirmed the development. Citing developer Craig Hockenberry, Apple Insider reported that the Cupertino-based company has started to migrate the domains away from iTunes.Apple.com to music.apple.com. This further solidifies the claims of iTunes shutting down. It is expected that the iPhone-maker would announce the development at its annual WWDC 2019.

The publication says that it starting keeping tab on tracks that were still hosted on the itunes.apple.com domain. A day later, it found that some of the tracks moved to music.apple.com. Application links and movies were still on the iTunes domain, it said. Apple is reportedly separating out its Music and Podcasts elements from iTunes on macOS. Apple has also removed the social media page of iTunes from Instagram, and has deleted all content from iTunes' Facebook page.

Apple iTunes is a media library and player that allows users to purchase, manage, and play multimedia files on their Macs and Windows PCs. It has been around for nearly two decades, the service was also used to ‘sync’ music and videos to iPhones. It was launched for macOS in early 2001, followed by a Windows version in 2003. The iPod models that do not support Apple Music natively depend on iTunes for media management.

In its Apple WWDC prediction report, Bloomberg wrote, “This year, Apple is finally ready to move into a new era. The company is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac – Music, TV, and Podcasts – to replace iTunes. That matches Apple’s media app strategy on iPhones and iPads. Without iTunes, customers can manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.”

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

Nikon may launch three Z-Series Full Frame Mirrorless cameras in upcoming months: Report

In September last year, Nikon expanded its Full Frame Mirrorless cameras portfolio by launching the Nikon Z7 and Nikon Z6 in India (First Impressions). The Japanese company is reportedly looking to further expand the series by launching three more cameras namely: Nikon Z3, Nikon Z5 and Nikon Z9. Apart from these, there is also a mention of two more D-Series cameras. According to a report, the company may also launch Nikon D5700 and D7600.

According to Nikon Rumours, there are a total of 5 new camera codes that Nikon got registered at various certification agencies, including in Russia and Indonesia, suggesting at least five new cameras in the coming months. As mentioned above, these include three Z-Series cameras and two D-Series shooters. The Nikon D5700 and D7600 will be upgraded versions of the Nikon D5600 and D7500 respectively.

As far as the launch date is concerned, both the D-Series cameras are rumoured to launch in the second half of 2019. Meanwhile, the Z-Series cameras may have variable launch dates. The Nikon Z3 is rumored to be announced in 2020, and it is likely to be an entry-level DX mirrorless camera with fix LCD screen. The report says that the camera could have 24 or 26MP sensor, and equipped with one micro SD card slot. The company may skip electronic viewfinder (EVF) in this one and it is likely to be “very compact.”

Rumoured to be announced later this year, the Nikon Z5 could feature a 30-32MP APS-C sensor. It could be possible that the camera sports a similar body as the Nikon Z6. Reportedly, the shooter will comes with a dual- card slot (XQD and micro SD). The Nikon Z5 could be joined by the Nikon Z9. The rumours about the Nikon Z9 have been on the internet for long but according to the latest report, the company is expected to make a development announcement as early as in this summer. This camera is likely to be the top-of-the line Z-mount full frame mirrorless camera, and may feature dual-card slots like the Z5.

In February this year, Nikon launched NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens with an anti-reflective ARNEO Coat that allows for backlight tolerance. The lens has a multi-focusing system for reduced aberrations and sharp focussing. The lens provides a constant maximum aperture of f/2.8 throughout the lens’ entire zoom range. It is priced Rs 1,90,000 in India.

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

Vodafone rolls out Rs 229 prepaid recharge with 2GB daily data, unlimited calling for 28 days

Vodafone-idea is currently the number one telecom operator in India in terms of active subscriber count. The company plans to maintain its lead over its competitors and to do so, it has announced a new prepaid plan priced at Rs 229. To entice new customers and retain its existing subscribers, Vodafone is offering 2GB of high-speed daily data and unlimited calling (local, STD and roaming) with the new prepaid recharge. The plan has a validity of 28 days and it also offers 100 SMS per day, along with free access to movies, live TV and shows via the Vodafone Play App. 

The new prepaid recharge is listed on the company’s website but is currently available for only select circles like Mumbai, Delhi & NCR, and Rajasthan. In Assam, the Rs 229 unlimited plan is available for new consumers as a first recharge option. As always, we suggest that our readers check with Vodafone about the new pack’s availability in their circle before recharging. This new pack by the telco sits just below the Rs 255 prepaid plan that comes with 2.5GB daily data, unlimited calls with roaming and 100 sms per day for 28 days. 

Jio and Airtel also have their respective recharge options in the same price range. Jio offers a prepaid plan that is priced at Rs 299 and credits 3GB data per day with unlimited calls and 100 daily SMS for 28 days. Airtel’s Rs 249 prepaid plan comes with 2GB data and offers other benefits similar to Jio’s Rs 299 plan. However, Airtel is also offering additional benefits with the recharge like free one year subscription to Norton Mobile Security, access to Airtel TV Premium, a chance to avail up to Rs 2,000 cashback while purchasing a new 4G device and a Rs 4 lakh term life insurance cover from HDFC Life/ Bharti Axa with the recharge. You can learn more about this here. 

from Latest Technology News http://bit.ly/2WFJH0I