WhatsApp may take down contact sharing for iOS devices, heres why

Earlier this year, WhatsApp released a new contact sharing feature for iOS devices wherein you can see a carousel of frequently used contacts right when you are trying to share an image, link, etc. This would make it easier to share without having to go into WhatsApp and click on the contact. But a report from WABetaInfo claims a beta version of WhatsApp has removed the feature.

The latest WhatsApp beta update for iOS devices (version 2.20.42) does not show the contact sharing feature anymore. Instead, users only see the WhatsApp icon for sharing. To share something on WhatsApp, users will have to tap on the WhatsApp icon and select the contact they wish to share content with.

This is likely because some users reported the feature is making WhatsApp crash on iOS devices. Some users reported the app would crash every time the share sheet would be pulled up. However, some users also said the feature is working just fine with them and are disappointed seeing the feature go.

Yet, nothing is permanent and WhatsApp could bring back the contact sharing feature after ironing out the kinks. However, this isn’t the first time WhatsApp for iOS is riddled with bugs. In 2019, a WhatsApp bug was crashing the app on many iOS devices but it was soon fixed.

Meanwhile, the Android app has seen new additions like advanced Search, fact-checking and more in the beta version. Hopefully, these new features will be carried over for iOS users as well.

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Google reportedly testing HDR photography in Camera Go app

Google recently released a dedicated camera app for Android Go devices, called Camera Go. It’s a watered-down version of the Pixel camera app and so far offered limited features. But a new report from XDA-Developers revealed Google is testing HDR photography for Android Go devices.

While the camera app itself is pretty barebones, it does offer a host of never-before-seen features in entry-level devices including portrait photos. Now, you may be able to enable HDR photos on low-end devices.

HDR mode in the Google Camera Go app

When Gcam modders on XDA got hold of the Camera Go app, they found out a setting with a ‘Detail Enhance’ toggle. Turning it on should enable HDR mode, but the modders didn’t notice any difference yet. Maybe Google has kept the option as a placeholder for now, to include HDR photos in a future update.

There are three toggles in Detail Enhance - Off, Auto and On. However, it’s unlikely it will work in the same way that Google’s HDR+ algorithm does on the Pixel phones. HDR+ requires on-device processing that relies on advanced ISPs on high-end smartphones.

HDR or High Dynamic Range is a way to add more dynamic range to the photos. HDR algorithm involves taking multiple photos of varied exposures and fusing them together to create one well-lit images with details in the shadows and highlights.

On the other hand, HDR+ is Google’s proprietary algorithm which it started using with the Nexus 5. The algorithm, according to Google, takes more shots to get more details out of it. The magic is in the way Google processes and combines these images.

If Google does manage to implement HDR+ in its Camera Go app, a lot of smartphone users stand to benefit from it. The Google Camera app is easily sideloadable in many devices and sometimes it does lead to a significant improvement in camera output. The Camera Go app can be a good fit for many under-powered entry-level devices and who doesn’t want a good camera in their hands?

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Motorola Edge+ to launch on April 22 with waterfall display, SD865 and more

Motorola will officially launch its flagship phone, the Edge+ on April 22 and a regular Moto Edge is also expected to tag along. The new phones by Motorola feature waterfall display and come with 5G support as has been leaked previously. The phone was earlier expected to be unveiled during Mobile World Congress 2020, but due to the outbreak of Coronavirus in various parts of the world, the annual show was called off.

The company took to Twitter and posted a video teasing everyone with the waterfall display on the upcoming flagship. Some key features and specifications of the phone have been leaked previously along with renders making it to the Internet.

It’s arriving. Join us for the Motorola Flagship Launch E-vent, April 22nd, 11AM CDT. pic.twitter.com/FNqbOskRxg

— Motorola (@Moto) April 13, 2020 Motorola Edge+ leaked specifications

Motorola Edge+ is rumoured to feature a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED display with a Full HD+ (2340 x 1080 pixels) resolution. It has a 90Hz refresh rate and a punch-hole cutout that gives it a 19.5:9 aspect ratio. The highlight of the display is that it wraps around the edges giving it an almost 90-degree curve. A fingerprint reader is also embedded into the display.

The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chip with an octa-core CPU and Adreno 650 GPU. This is paired with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage with support for a microSD card in case you need to expand the storage further. The Motorola Edge+ runs on stock Android 10.0 out-of-the-box with Moto customizations.

The Edge+ was earlier spotted on Geekbench and was awarded a score of 4106 points in the single-core tests and 12823 points in the multi-core benchmark. 

The Edge+ has a triple camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 108MP sensor with an f/1.7 aperture with OIS support. The second camera is an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, followed by a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens. On the front, there’s a 25MP selfie camera with an f/2.0 aperture.

The rear cameras are backed by dual-LED flash and can record 4K UHD at 30fps. 

The phone is said to come with a 5,100mAh battery with support for 15W fast charging.

Motorola Edge rumoured specifications

The regular Motorola Edge is also expected to make an appearance alongside the Edge+ on April 22. It also features the same waterfall display as the Edge+ but is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chip instead. 

The SD765G has an octa-core CPU and is paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The phone has a microSD card slot for memory expansion is needed. It runs Android 10.0 out-of-the-box with some popular features such as Moto Actions.

Unlike the Edge+, this one comes with a 64MP primary camera with an f/1.9 aperture, a secondary 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom and a 16MP ultra-wide-angle lens. The selfie camera is the same as on the Edge+.

Apart from that, the Edge is slated to come with a slightly smaller battery rated at 4,500mAh with 15W fast charging support.

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A new Crysis game is probably coming get your gaming rigs ready

What was initially thought to be an April fools' joke might actually not be the case, and a new Crysis could very well be on the way. The idea that it was a joke came about when crysis.com was updated with an image of Nomad just sitting there with the lights flickering on and off. Of course, this wasn't enough to confirm it was a joke, but a quick look into the source code and hidden among the meta tags were the words "April Fool." Well, case closed. Or not.

Yesterday, the Crysis Twitter tweeted something. After four years of inactivity.

RECEIVING DATA

— Crysis (@Crysis) April 13, 2020

That makes this the first tweet on the account since December 2016. The tweet still doesn't give away a lot, but what we do know is that it's definitely well past April 1, so we still have hope about this not being a prank. The time frame also adds up, what with this usually being the time E3 hype starts building up here and there.

The first hint that a new Crysis game or remaster might be dropping was in the CRYENGINE showcase video that dropped in March. Towards the end of the video, what almost certainly looks like a remaster of the first Crysis is teased for a brief moment. The game that set the standard for gaming PCs with a simple, "but can it run Crysis?". From the 2:20 timestamp, it's obviously a Crysis game. Possibly a remaster, but it could even be a new Crysis.

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Bharti Airtel to provide customers with 1Gbps broadband despite lockdown

The lockdown in India has extended till May 3, 2020. Those that are working from home will have to continue to do so and rely on the internet connection they have to fulfill the need. However, there are those that need high bandwidth, be it for heavy uploads, downloads to ensure work happens smoothly. For such users, Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal says that the company is ready to provide home broadband users an Airtel Xstream Fiber connection with 1 Gbps speed. The company will do its best to fulfill the requirement despite the lockdown challenges. 

“We know how critical it is to have a consistent and seamless experience while working from home. If you would like to get 1 Gbps Airtel Xstream Fiber…While we are facing challenges in fulfillment given the national lock-down, we will arrange for installation as soon as we can,” Vittal said in a letter to customers as reported by ET Telecom. 

Airtel offers broadband services to homes in more than 100 cities in India through its V-Fiber and Xstreme services. Airtel’s VIP plan offers unlimited data cap with speeds up to 1Gbps for Rs 3,999 per month. The Airtel Premium plan gives users 500GB data cap with speeds up to 300Mbps. Airtel’s entertainment plan gives users 300GB data cap with speeds up to 200Mbps for Rs 999 per month. 

If you are a Reliance Jio user, then know that JioFiber’s Rs 199 combo plan offers 1000GB of data with a validity of 7 days and a speed of 100Mbps. You can read more about it here. BSNL users are getting free 5GB data daily as a part of the companies 'work@home' broadband plan. 

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Google reveals how its tackling misinformation around the Coronavirus in India

Google is doubling down on its efforts to make accurate information and tools readily available to people, in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak in India. The company has tweaked it’s existing products such as Maps, Search and YouTube to display verified news and updates related to COVID-19 and also launched a new website dedicated to the resources around the spread of the disease.

In a blog post, detailing the actions that were taken, Sanjay Gupta, Vice President and Country Manager at Google India says, “Since the virus first began to spread, our focus at Google has been on making sure people have the information and tools they need to stay informed and connected. But we know there’s much more work ahead. Today, we’re sharing an update on the actions that Google has taken in India to help bring authoritative and reliable information to people, and provide features across its products that can be helpful during these trying times.”

Google’s COVID-19 website has lots of information and resources for people to read and keep in handy during this trying time It details the national helpline contacts, including the toll-free number, a brief overview of the disease, its symptoms and prevention techniques. The portal also has pictures and videos for people to better educate themselves on the disease.

There’s a separate tab for data and insights that you can look at to see a real-time map of any country, state or city in the world affected by the virus. The website has other resources in the form of videos to help kids learn at home, DIY tutorials, cooking tutorials, among others. 

Google has amped up its Search results, Maps, YouTube and Google Pay to better reflect and suggest health updates around COVID-19 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and WHO on the respective products.

For instance, if you search for the term “Coronavirus”, the Search engine will take you to a dedicated page with concise information on the disease, including news reports, diagnosis information such as symptoms and treatments. The page also mentions the central and state Coronavirus helpline numbers which can come in handy if looking for hospitals or doctors in the lockdown.

On YouTube, Google is pushing credible sources like the MoHFW, WHO on the homepage and search for users to directly visit these websites for up-to-date information. A ‘Coronavirus News Shelf’ has also been set-up on the YouTube homepage which lists videos from official sources. Google also partnered with MoHFW for an educational public service campaign “Do the Five” on Coronavirus featuring Amitabh Bachchan and is now promoting the series across YouTube, Search and Assistant.

Moreover, Google has made sure that all videos uploaded on YouTube regarding Coronavirus will have additional links redirecting users to the MoHFW website or WHO website.

The website also lists response efforts in place to support healthcare workers and daily wage earners. So, if you’re someone who wants to help people in need donation links to PM Cares fund and Give India are listed on the website.

As daily wage workers were the worst hit by the Coronavirus outbreak in India, hoards of people started walking back to their villages and homes across the country barefoot. To curb the spread of the disease, state governments have set-up food and night shelters for people to stay. Now, Google Maps, Search and Assistant are displaying 1500+ results across India for people looking either for a food shelter or a night shelter.

This information can also be easily accessed by Assistant on KaiOS and even Vodafone-Idea subscribers can dial 000 800 9191 000 to get details about the food or night shelters nearby.

Additionally, Google has also set-up a dedicated COVID-19 spot on the Google Pay app that lists all the official information about the disease and links to donate to PM CARES fund or other NGOs.

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Lenovo Legion Gaming Phone Teased to Feature Staggering 90W Fast Charging Support

Legion Gaming phone is expected to get fully charged faster than all the other fast-charging smartphones. However, in the poster shared on Weibo, Lenovo has not specified the amount of time required for charging the smartphone. Currently, Oppo Reno Ace comes with 65W SuperVOOC fast charging technology.

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