Google Photos to stop auto-backup of media files from WhatsApp, Facebook and other apps

Google announced it will no longer back up media files from messaging apps like WhatsApp, Snapchat, Facebook and more automatically to Google Photos. So far, Google Photos would automatically create folders to backup media files received on messaging apps.

With the new update, Google has turned off the default setting to automatically backup files from messaging apps. Users who want to backup their media files received on WhatsApp, Facebook and others can do so manually by enabling it in the Settings. Here are a few tips and tricks to master Google Photos.

Users who have already enabled the setting manually will not see a difference. But you should still check if there’s any change in the settings.

Google said the change is only temporary and was done to “save internet resources” since there has been a sharp rise in sharing media via messaging apps during the pandemic.

Google will be notifying users about the change via a push notification. The list of apps that will not be automatically backed up includes WhatsApp, Facebook, Kik, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and LINE.

Google also rolled out a new design for the Google Photos app, changing even the logo. The update focuses a lot more on archived photos, and give you a peek into what you were up to a couple of years back.

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Vivo X50 Series with gimbal-stabilised camera teased to launch in India soon

Vivo started a campaign for the X50 Series, teasing a launch in India soon. The company published a video on Twitter teasing the smartphone lineup that consists of three phones — The Vivo X50, X50 Pro and X50 Pro+. Now, how many of these will eventually turn up in India, nobody knows. But what we do know are the specs and features because they are already out in China. The X50 Pro+ is the most premium of the lot and is powered by the Snapdragon 865 SoC.

The X50 and X50 Pro are both powered by the Snapdragon 765G and they all come with punch-hole displays and quad-camera setups at the back.

Vivo X50 Series teased on Twitter

The teaser video confirms the launch of the Vivo X50 series is near, which corroborates a previous report that tipped it will launch in India in mid-July. The biggest highlight of the series is gimbal-assisted cameras for smooth, shake-free videos. The teaser video is all about that.

Vivo X50 Series features and specs

As mentioned above, out of the three, the Vivo X50 Pro+ is the flagship with the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 under the hood, while the other two are powered by the Snapdragon 765G, the same chipset that’s rumoured to power the OnePlus Nord.

The X50 and X50 Pro rock 6.56-inch displays with 90Hz refresh rate along with 8GB LPDDR4X RAM and 256GB storage. The X50 has a 4,200mAh battery while the X50 Pro+ has a slightly larger 4,315mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging.

The X50 and X50 Pro also feature quad-camera setups led by a 48MP primary sensor. The regular X50 touts a 13MP 'portrait' lens with 2x optical zoom, an 8MP ultrawide lens and a 5MP macro lens. The X50 Pro, on the other hand, rocks an 8MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, gimbal-assisted stabilisation in the primary camera, the same13MP portrait lens and an 8MP ultrawide lens. Both rock 32MP selfie cameras.

As for the X50 Pro+, it rocks a 50MP primary camera with a 1/1.31” sensor size, while the rest of the features are the same as the X50 Pro. However, the refresh rate of the display goes up to 44W and rocks a leather finish exterior and 12GB RAM.

Vivo X50 series expected price

The Vivo X50 series is clearly focused on the cameras. The price of the 8+128GB X50 starts at CNY 3,498 (approximately Rs 37,000) in China while the 8+256GB variant is priced CNY 3,898 (roughly Rs 45,000).

The Vivo X50 Pro starts at CNY 4,298 (roughly Rs 45,000) for the 8+128GB variant. The 8+256GB option starts at CNY 4,698 (roughly Rs 50,000).

The X50 Pro+ is the flagship and is priced at CNY 4,998 (roughly Rs 53,000) for the 8+128GB variant. The 12+256GB variant is priced CNY 5,998 (roughly Rs 63,000).

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Thomson launches OATH Pro series 4K HDR Android TVs starting at Rs 24,999

Thomson may be a French brand, but the TVs that have launched are made in India. Today, Thomson has launched three screen sizes in their OATH Pro series Android Smart TV lineup - 43-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch priced at Rs 24,999, Rs 32,999 and Rs 52,999. All three TVs run on Android TV 9 with access to the Play Store for your streaming needs. In addition to supporting 4K, the TVs also support HDR 10 and Dolby Vision.   

Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO SPPL, Exclusive Brand Licensee of Thomson TVs in India exclaims, “We are proud that all our premium Android TVs are made in India. In a short span of 2 years, we are delighted to have captured 5% of the smart TV market space, with our entry into the premium TV segment now. For almost a decade 4 brands had 80% market share, the foremost reason was premium technology products. This TV has world best features with the Android ecosystem and at a super affordable price. There will be a definite shift in the market share of the premium segment, in the next 3 years, we plan to achieve 15% in this segment. Thomson TV has taken a strategic decision to  launch more premium technology TVs in future.”

Thomson OATH Pro 4K HDR Android TVs Specification

As we mentioned above, Thomson TVs are available in three sizes - 43-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch screen sizes. All three TVs boast of 4K and support for HDR including Dolby Vision. The 43-inch TV has a peak brightness of 500 nits while the 55 and 65-inch TVs have a peak brightness of 550 nits. All the TVs come with 3 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports for your connectivity needs. They also support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only and not the 5GHz band. For a wired connection, all three TVs support ethernet connectivity. The TVs don’t have a headphones port but they do have an Optical port for audio. The TV has an IPS panel and a refresh rate of 60Hz. 

Under the hood, all three screen sizes have a quad-core processor coupled with the Mali-450 GPU and 1.75GB RAM. The TVs come with 8GB storage for you to download and store apps. 

Coming to audio, all three screen sizes support DTS TruSurround, Dolby digital plus and have two 15W speakers giving you a total sound output of 30W. The remote control that accompanies the TV comes with a Google Assistant button and voice controls.

Thomson OATH Pro 4K HDR Android TVs Price

The Thomson OATH Pro series 4K HDR Android Smart TV lineup is available in 43-inch, 55-inch and 65-inch priced at Rs 24,999, Rs 32,999 and Rs 52,999 respectively. The TVs will be available starting 5th July on Flipkart. 

A few months ago we saw Kodak launch Android TVs with support for Dolby Vision and you can read more about them here. Nokia also entered the 43-inch screen space with the launch of a new Dolby Vision-enabled TV and you can read more about it here.

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Google allows dinosaurs to roam your house using AR

Google’s ARCore lets you run AR apps on smartphones, but the most accessible AR elements reside in Google Search itself. Google has been ingesting augmented reality versions of popular animals like lions, horses and more in Google Search for quite some time now. The latest addition is straight out of Jurassic Park — Dinosaurs.

Google has collaborated with Universal to bring the fun dinosaurs from Jurassic Park into lifesize form, projected on a flat surface. Google has also added animations and effects like roaring and stomping to make it more immersive.

As of now, you can see dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velociraptor, Triceratops, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Pteranodon, and Parasaurolophus, with AR.

The thing about dinosaurs is that they are humongous,  as compared to a lion or a wolf. So fitting them in a small space was a big challenge for Google. The company says it added a new auto-scaling feature to fit them automatically into a space, so you can see them as you move.

Finding these dinosaurs are also easy. You just need to ask for dinosaurs on Search or any of the 10 dinosaurs Google has listed out. It can be viewed on the Google Search app or on the browser of any device running on Android 7 and above. However, you will need a device that supports Google’s ARCore APIs. Otherwise, you will just be seeing them in 3D. You can also check out the dinos in Chrome and Safari on iOS devices running on iOS11 and above.

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Here are some great alternatives to the 59 banned Chinese apps in India

After the Indian government’s interim order to disallow the use of 59 mobile apps with Chinese origin, Google Play Store and Apple App Store has de-listed TikTok in India along with some of the other apps in the list. The government finds all these apps “engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order.” Having said that, most apps from the list are still available on both the app stores at the time of writing. 

Nevertheless, if you want to stop using these apps and are looking to replace these popular mobile apps of Chinese origin, here are the top 10 alternatives to the banned mobile apps.

Alternatives to TikTok, Helo, Bigo Live, Vigo Video, Vmate, U Video, Viva Video, Likee and Kwai

TikTok and other short video platforms are part of the list of 59 apps banned in India. You can choose Dubsmash, Roposo, Chingari and more such apps available both on Play Store and Apple App Store. 

Alternatives to Shareit and Xender

Shareit and Xender are two popular file transfer apps that are part of the apps that have been prohibited for use in India. Users have the option to download Google Files, ShareAll and more for transferring files between devices. 

Alternatives to UC Browser, CM Browser, APUS Browser and DU Browser

Popular mobile browsers such as UC Browser have been banned and instead, you can switch to other popular and secure browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox Browser, Opera and more.

Alternatives to Camscanner

Camscanner is a popular document scanning app for smartphones but with its ban in India, you can now look at using Adobe Scan and Microsoft Office Lens which are equally good, if not better.

Alternatives to UC News, Newsdog and QQ Newsfeed

News curating apps such as UC News has been banned in India and so alternate options include Google News, Apple News or dedicated apps of various news publications.

Alternatives to ES File Explorer

A popular file manager, ES File Explorer is among the list of 59 apps being banned in India. You can download Files by Google, Solid Explorer File Manager and more such apps.

Alternatives to Club Factory, Shein and ROMWE 

Popular shopping apps like Club Factory are now banned for use in India. Users can instead install and shop from Amazon India, Myntra, Flipkart and more such e-commerce platforms.

Alternatives to Baidu Map and Baidu Translate

You can install and use alternative apps like Google Maps, Google Translate, Apple Maps and more.

 

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Its officially called OnePlus Nord

OnePlus Nord has officially been confirmed as the name of the company’s upcoming affordable smartphone. The phone has earlier been referred to as the OnePlus Z, OnePlus 8 Lite and more recently, OnePlus Lite. However, putting all rumours and guesses to rest, OnePlus has revealed that its affordable smartphone is called OnePlus Nord.

In the first part of the documentary released by OnePlus, the company gives its fans an overview of what went into making an affordable phone in a matter of six months that will be priced below $500. The phone was previously expected to be unveiled along with the OnePlus 8 series that launched on March 15, however, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the launch was postponed to a later date. It’s now speculated that the OnePlus Nord will be launched on July 10.

The second part of the documentary is scheduled to release on July 7 where the company is expected to reveal more details about the launch of the OnePlus Nord. OnePlus Nord will also go up for pre-orders for 100 units on July 1 from 1:30 PM IST. OnePlus also has a dedicated section for the OnePlus Nord on its website and the Amazon India page for pre-orders has also gone live. On Amazon, users will have to click on "Notify me" to stay updated about the pre-order that is set to go live tomorrow.

OnePlus Nord leaked specifications

OnePlus Nord is rumoured to feature a 6.55-inch Full HD+ (2400 x 1080 pixels) AMOLED screen with a 90Hz high-refresh-rate. The leaks have indicated that the phone could have a dual punch-hole cutout in the corner for the selfie camera. 

The phone will reportedly be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset with an octa-core processor and Adreno 620 GPU. This is paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage and there could be more variants as well. 

The OnePlus Nord could come with a triple camera setup on the back that consists of a primary 64MP camera, a 16MP ultra-wide-camera and a 2MP macro lens. On the front, there is a 32MP primary camera supported by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera for selfies. 

It is rumoured to be fitted with a 4,300mAh battery with support for 30W fast charging out-of-the-box. Carl Pei even suggested the phone could be priced as much as the original OnePlus One, which launched at around Rs 22,000. We’ll keep an eye out for the official launch that is rumoured to be tentatively scheduled for July 10.

 

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TikTok banned in India: Heres what TikTokers have to say about the ban

We won’t be hearing about TikTok for a while now. The viral video sharing app has been banned by the Indian Government along with 58 other apps originating out of China, and this one’s not a hoax. The order came straight The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking the power under section 69A of the IT Act 2009, based on “information available they are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”

The appendix lists out popular apps like UC Browser, Shareit, Helo, Likee, WeChat, ES File Explorer and a bunch of utility and community apps, including that of Xiaomi.

Among the 59 apps, TikTok is certainly the largest, and would probably be missed a lot. Based on stats provided by Apptrace, it’s presently ranked fourth in India on the Google Play Store and ranked sixth on the App Store. And the viral short video platform boasts a whopping 119 million active users in India alone!

Popular sentiments nonetheless, TikTok had become a viral phenomenon among teenagers and young adults who participate in lip-syncing songs, comedic skits and viral challenges, which gets consumed and shared millions of times. Even if you are not on TikTok, chances are, you hear about the app or the ‘TikTokers’ every few days.

The app has now been taken down from the Google Playstore and the Apple Appstore. Considering the influential platform it had become, banning the app would certainly have an impact on these creators, and the popularity and following they command. Digit.in spoke to two popular tech TikTokers to find out how they feel about the ban —

Aarish Khan, 19. A.K.Technical Point 1.7 million followers on TikTok

The conversation happened in Hindi. We have translated it to English.

Do you think it was right for the Government to ban TikTok?

I’ve been on TikTok for 2 years now and gained a lot of followers. Earlier, I used to spend more than two hours a day scrolling on the app and it’s very addictive. But I don’t think it should be banned. Instead, TikTok should work at removing hateful content from the platform.

How will you reach out to your audience?

I have asked my followers to start following me on Instagram, as I think that’s the only other platform where I can upload my videos. I also had a good 2.7 million following on Likee (another social media app banned among the 59 apps). There are Indian apps also that are like TikTok, but I don’t think they are as good. I have also heard YouTube is working on a short video platform. I might join that.

Vijay Karthikeyan, 36 Techboss India 233k followers on TikTok

Do you think TikTok is a bad influence?

Yes. TikTok is certainly very addictive. They have a simple user interface anyone can use and you can end up spending a lot of time browsing it. While I do have a lot of followers, I support the Indian government’s move to ban TikTok and other Chinese apps because they are posing a threat to our national security by stealing our data.

Are you thinking of joining other short video platforms?

Right now, I will focus more on YouTube. That’s where most of my audience comes from. I have also heard of a bunch of Indian apps that are like TikTok but for now, I will sit and observe what happens and then decide if I want to join another platform.

Was it right to ban TikTok in India?

TikTok, like any other social network, may feel addictive to young users, but the app is also designed in a way that incentivises you to keep scrolling and engaging. Speaking to a counselling psychologist who works with children in India, we learnt teenagers sometimes spend more than 5-6 hours getting a TikTok video right.

“I absolutely support the ban of TikTok. And I’m happy yesterday itself it was declared banned in India, but it should be all around the world too. People need to understand the side effects of it, “ said Saleha Bootwala, a counselling psychologist based out of Pune.

However, TikTok is only considering this an interim ban and has complied with it by taking down the apps from the app stores. TikTok India has been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications. It's also not the first time the app was banned. Previously, the Madras High Court had asked the app to be removed citing pornographic content, but that ban was soon lifted. The present order is far more sweeping and includes a lot more apps, and came at a time when nationalistic sentiments are at an all-time high. 

“TikTok has democratized the internet by making it available in 14 Indian languages, with hundreds of millions of users, artists, storytellers, educators and performers depending on it for their livelihood, many of whom are first-time internet users,"  said Nikhil Gandhi, Head of TikTok, India

The company said in a statement that it continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and have not shared any information of our users in India with any foreign government, including the Chinese Government.

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