Google services including Youtube and Gmail suffer temporary outages

As the country enters its fourth day of the nationwide lockdown, internet services are essential to how we communicate and live our lives. But, services like Youtube, Gmail and other Google services were wracked by a few outages. This comes at a time when google’s entire infrastructure is being swamped with a record number of users because of the unique situation we find ourselves in. 

Urs Holzle, who oversees Google’s data centres said that the problem was not virus-related or even any sort of overload but more from a failed router in Atlanta. He tweeted, “This wasn’t related to traffic levels or any kind of overload, our network is not stressed by Covid-19. Things should be back to normal now.” So, if you were worried that the internet was shut down. Fear not, as it seems to just be a router issue. Holzle also said that this was a case of systems being overloaded so that theory goes out the window as well. 

As more and more people are accessing the internet at home, it becomes imperative that these services remain on to, at the very least, keep society in order. The surge in traffic is seen on almost every platform as the entire world is gripped by the fear of the Coronavirus. 

Stay tuned to Digit for more tech news and reviews. 

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Windows 10 March 2020 update could stop your PC from accessing the Internet

If you are a Windows 10 user, then there is some bad news for you, especially if you have left your system to auto-update. The March update comes with a problem that restricts apps and software from accessing the internet. A fix for this is that you can restart the computer, but don't expect an update from Microsoft for the same until April 2020. This issue is a really bad one to have especially since the COVID-19 outbreak, everyone is working from home. 

According to Microsoft, “Devices using a manual or auto-configured proxy, especially with a virtual private network (VPN), might show limited or no internet connection status in the Network Connectivity Status Indicator (NCSI) in the notification area.  This might happen when connected or disconnected to a VPN or after changing state between the two. Devices with this issue might also have issues reaching the internet using applications that use WinHTTP or WinInet. Examples of apps that might be affected on devices in this state are as follows but not limited to Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office, Office365, Outlook, Internet Explorer 11, and some version of Microsoft Edge.” 

According to the statement, if you use Microsoft apps like Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Office, Office365, Outlook, Internet Explorer 11 and Edge, you may not be able to connect to the internet using these applications. It is not limited to these applications and could cause a connection issue with other applications as well. As a workaround for the issue, Microsoft says, “You might be able to mitigate the issue by restarting your device.” This has gone back to the old days of PC advice where before even checking your system the technician asks, “have you tried switching it off and on again?”

Microsoft has said that the fix will come early April, but with everyone around the world working from home, we hope it doesn't get delayed. If you have not updated your Windows 10 PC, we suggest you hold off from doing so. 

In other news related to Microsoft, the source code for the Xbox Series X (Microsoft’s upcoming gaming console) was leaked online along with details of AMD’s current and next-gen GPUs. you can read more about it here. 

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AMD current and future GPU including Xbox Series X graphics source code stolen and leaked online

In December 2019, AMD was contacted by someone who claimed to have the source code for the company’s current and future graphics products. This included information about the Xbox Series X graphics source code. AMD’s statement on the subject reads, “At AMD, data security and the protection of our intellectual property are a priority. In December 2019, we were contacted by someone who claimed to have test files related to a subset of our current and future graphics products, some of which were recently posted online, but have since been taken down. While we are aware the perpetrator has additional files that have not been made public, we believe the stolen graphics IP is not core to the competitiveness or security of our graphics products. We are not aware of the perpetrator possessing any other AMD IP. We are working closely with law enforcement officials and other experts as a part of an ongoing criminal investigation.”

According to the statement, AMD is aware that the perpetrator has additional files that are yet to be made public. However, they go on to reassure that the stolen graphics IP is “not core to the competitiveness or security of our graphics products”. The person who stole the code got in touch with TorrentFreak and said that “if they don't get a buyer for the remainder of the code, they will dump the whole lot online”. The hacker claimed that the information was worth $100 million. If the hacker doesn't get a buyer for the code, they claim to dump everything online. The information about AMD’s graphics cards appeared on GitHub which is owned by Microsoft but has since been removed. 

According to the hacker, “The source code was unexpectedly achieved from an unprotected computer//server through some exploits. I later found out about the files inside it. They weren’t even protected properly or even encrypted with anything which is just sad,” the hacker said. “I haven’t spoken to AMD about it because I am pretty sure that instead of accepting their mistake and moving on, they will try to sue me. So why not just leak it to everyone?”

How this will affect AMD’s future RDNA 2 based GPU’s which are expected soon and the Xbox Series X set to launch at the end of 2020 is something only time will tell. Microsoft has been bold in showing not only the design of the upcoming Xbox series X but also the specifications powering it and giving select journalists a close look at the console. You can check out the details of the Xbox Series X here. It is surprising that details of the PS5 GPU weren't leaked as the PS5’s graphics processor is also based on RDNA 2. You can check out the details of the PS5 specs and how it compares to the Xbox Series X here.

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Call of Duty: Mobile Season 4 Will Go Live in April, Brings New Modes and Improvements

Call of Duty: Mobile season 4 is called Steel Legion and will be added to the game in April with several changes and bug fixes.

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Coronavirus: Monument Valley 2, One of the Best Games on Android, Is Now Free on Google Play

The successor to 2014’s Monument Valley, the sequel built upon the geometry-based puzzle solving of the first game. It’s now free to download and play on Android devices amidst the COVID-19 lockdown

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World Health Organization to launch Coronavirus COVID-19 tips app for iOS and Android

The Coronavirus COVID-19 global cases keep rising along with the death toll. People are not only battling the virus but also misinformation spreading about the disease. A lot of organizations including Google, Microsoft and more have taken steps to ensure the right kind of information is being circulated, educating people about the virus. The government of India has also launched a WhatsApp chatbot that provides relevant information about the virus and you can check out the details of the chatbot here. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) is also launching an iOS, Android and Web App to educate people and provide tips in regards to the Coronavirus. Aside from telling you to wash your hands and maintain social distancing, the app will essentially give you the same information found on the WHO WhatsApp Chatbot. According to 9to5Google, the app “was originally proposed by a team of volunteer experts that have formed what they’re calling the “WHO Covid App Collective.” The team consists of former Google and Microsoft employees as well as WHO advisors and ambassadors, along with other industry experts”.

According to the source, the WHO MyHealth app will offer notifications and information specific to your location. So we can expect some India specific information to come via the app. The app is also expected to have “self-triage” tools to help diagnose whether the symptoms you have match those of COVID-19.

According to 9to5Google, “On an even grander scale, there are ambitions for those who have been directly affected by COVID-19 to offer the WHO with their Android or iPhone location history in an effort to perform “contact tracing,” to better understand the spread of the virus. However, given the obvious privacy concerns with sharing in-depth location history, it remains to be seen whether this feature will actually launch.” 

Because of the global pandemic of COVID-19, a lot of technology events like Microsoft Build, GDC, MWC, Google I/O and many more have been cancelled. You can check out the complete list of cancelled events here. A lot of telecom and broadband operators like Reliance, MTNL, BSNL and more are doing their part to ensure that those working from home in this time of crisis can do so effectively and efficiently.

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Googles true wireless Pixel Buds expected to launch in the first half of 2020

Google Showed off their true wireless Pixel Buds in 2019 and they were expected to launch in the first half of 2020. Since Google I/O 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak it was speculated that the headphones would be delayed. However, information circulating the internet suggests that they could launch in the first half of 2020. According to 9to5Google, the Google Pixel Buds have passed through the FCC listing. Every consumer electronic that launches in the US must pass through the FCC certification before being made available to the public. Two listings have appeared on the website, G1007, and G1008. According to the source, “These model numbers could correspond to the left and right earbuds, or the earbuds jointly and the charging case separately. Both are rated with the same Bluetooth frequencies, though it’s possible that the case could communicate directly with a paired phone”.

Coming to the features of the Pixel Buds, the headset has hands-free access to the Google Assistant, which can be used to send texts, get directions or use google translate. The new buds are also said to feature long-range Bluetooth connection that can connect with a device up to three rooms away when inside or across a football field when outside. This is similar to most Bluetooth headphones though. Additionally, the earphones are sweat and water-resistant. 

According to Google, the new truly wireless Pixel Buds can deliver up to five hours of audio playback on a single charge and up to 24 hours with the wireless charging case. Rather than being wider, the carry case for the device is taller, similar to the Apple AirPods. The new Google Pixel Buds also come equipped with a Spatial Vent for picking up environment sound and enabling some level of awareness. It’s volume also dynamically adjusts, based on the ambient noise and it comes with beamforming mics that are said to pick up voice while on a call clearly. Coming to the price, the Pixel Buds will be available for $179 (Rs 12,807 approx). It will be offered in Clearly White, Oh So Orange, Quite Mint and Almost Black colour options. There is no information on whether the new Pixel Buds will come to India.

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