Google Adds Meaningful Updates to Photos, Docs, and Drive

Google has announced a slew of key updates to its popular applications such as Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Photos. At first glance, they may seem like rather basic features but will enhance the user experience. Not only that, whenever Google rolls out something, especially to the aforementioned apps, that is likely to impact the daily workflow of millions. So, let’s have a crack at the new ones to see if you fall in those millions, as in would you be benefitted from these features. If yes, how to make use of them.

Get your real skin tone on your photos with the Google Photos 

During the Google I/O 2022, the company had revealed its working on implementing the Monk Scale of colour representation in the Google Search image results. It has now brought that colour tuning to Google Photos in the form of filters. There are Playa, Isla, Honey, and Desert as the various options and the company claims they will “work well across skin tones.”

The new colour adjustments are available on the web as well on iOS and Android.

Simultaneously cut, copy, and format multiple blocks of text on Google Docs

Just hold Command (⌘) or the Control key and select the section of text you want. Thereafter, apply formatting options from the top menu/toolbar. You can also press Cmd/Ctrl along with C (for Copy) and X (for Cut). This doesn’t require much explanation as you must have used these keyboard shortcuts on other apps.

Keyboard shortcut based Cut, Copy, and Paste on Google Drive

This is yet again self-explanatory but Google also enables copying (cutting) and pasting files from Google Drive across tabs. If you try pasting the file into an email (Gmail) or Google Docs, the file title with the actual file’s link hyperlinked is what will be shared.

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Microsoft Keystone Is Officially Confirmed to Be an Upcoming Xbox Streaming Stick

Microsoft has finally confirmed that it is working on an Xbox streaming device codenamed Keystone. The rumor has it that the Redmond-based company has been engaged in the project (which has been heard under names like Hobart before) for a long time now. This time though a Microsoft spokesperson has disclosed about its game streaming stick to Windows Central and here’s the statement —

“Our vision for Xbox Cloud Gaming is unwavering, our goal is to enable people to play the games they want, on the devices they want, anywhere they want. As announced last year, we’ve been working on a game-streaming device, codename Keystone, that could be connected to any TV or monitor without the need for a console. 

As part of any technical journey, we are constantly evaluating our efforts, reviewing our learnings, and ensuring we are bringing value to our customers. We have made the decision to pivot away from the current iteration of the Keystone device. We will take our learnings and refocus our efforts on a new approach that will allow us to deliver Xbox Cloud Gaming to more players around the world in the future.”

So, let’s unpack this new revelation.

Microsoft Xbox Keystone Streaming Stick: What we know so far

Some years back, there was chatter about this Microsoft streaming device which then went by the name Project Hobart. As a Windows Central post dated Nov 7, 2016 notes, “Project Hobart would have been a $99 dongle, with low computational power — albeit powerful enough to run UWP apps and even light UWP games”. This would have been over WiFi through Xbox Windows 10 app.

The device was set to hit the production floor in a quantity of about 300,000 units and launch not so long after E3 2016. But then, owing to reasons unclear, things took a left turn, and Hobart got canceled. Some consider Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro leak played a part in this. But, God knows.

Now fast forward to May 2022, we are allegedly hearing straight from the horse’s mouth that such a device exists somewhere in the Microsoft labs.

XBOX KEYSTONE pic.twitter.com/warAwisfKh

— Tero Alhonen (@teroalhonen) March 9, 2022

The Project Xbox Keystone was first discovered in the Xbox OS list. Besides this and the words of the official source, there isn’t much known at the moment. It’s not even clear whether the Keystone device will run on Xbox OS, Windows, or Android. Also, as the spokesperson hints, the company is yet to decide on a final version of the product. So, we may still be in for a long wait.

As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.

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Sony Fixes PlayStation Plus 'Technical Error' Causing Overcharged Subscriptions to Existing Users

Sony on Thursday announced that it has fixed a "technical error" that was causing users to pay more to upgrade to one of the new PlayStation Plus tiers. The issue was reported by some users following the launch of the revamped PlayStation Plus service in select Asia markets.

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PS5 to Overtake PS4 Install Base in Year 4, as Sony Eyes More PC and Mobile PlayStation Titles

Sony said it plans to ramp up production of its PlayStation 5 console as supply chain snarls ease, with the PS5 expected to overtake PS4's install base in year four. While PS4 and PS5 titles are expected to make up more than two-thirds of releases in 2022, PC and mobile titles will make up almost half of new games in 2025.

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LG Unveils New OLED and IPS UltraGear Gaming Monitor Lineup: Details

LG has unveiled 32GQ950, 32GQ850, and 48GQ900 UltraGear gaming monitors. LG has said that the new gaming monitors of the UltraGear lineup will be available in Japan starting this month.

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Samsung May Stop Selling Sub 15,000 Phones In India Very Soon: Heres Why

Samsung India is reportedly planning to exit the feature phone business in the country owing to not enough demand or yields. The report comes from ET Telecom and claims the last batch of feature phones made for the Indian market will be in the month of December. Now, if you want to know what could have made the Korean chaebol decide so, read on for the probable causes.

Dwindling yields for Samsung in the feature phone market

In Q1 2022, the overall basic phone shipments have dropped 39-per cent (on year) according to Counterpoint Research. This is apparently due to a supply crunch, high inventory levels, and an inflation-induced decline in demand.

Coming to Samsung, it fell down to the third spot with a 12-per cent share, behind Itel (21-per cent) and Lava (20-percent). 

Counterpoint Research also notes that at the end of March, Samsung’s entire quarterly shipment was 1-per cent in value and 20-per cent in volume.

Now, this is not all. There’s one more vector to cover.

Govt. of India’s PLI Limit

The Government of India’s PLI (Performance Linked Incentive) scheme has a mandate which offers sops only on manufacturing phones costing more than Rs. 15,000 (factory price). So, no concession if you make handsets below that. You are incentivized to only make phones above ₹15k in India.

There’s also the case of rising selling prices of phones in the ₹10-20K price bracket owing to traction in terms of volume. 

This could also be part of the problem Samsung is currently in.

The sources with knowledge of the matter have told ET, “Samsung has spoken to channel partners and said they will exit the India feature phone business in the next few months or by this year's end". This contract partner in question is believed to be Dixon.

It could then channel its efforts toward the rewarding higher-end smartphone business. In March, it had garnered a 22% share thanks, especially thanks to its performance in the 5G phone market. In fact, it has been topping the charts for two quarters in a row.

Now, while Samsung may stop selling feature phones in India, it may still make the phones in the country to meet the export demands. As per government records, the total feature phone exports from us to the foreign markets like Latin America and Africa was Rs. 1,496 crores in FY21, which was a 621-per cent surge from the previous year.

We will be keeping a close eye on the developments of this news. So, stay tuned.

As for other news, reviews, feature stories, buying guides, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.

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Nothing Phone 1 with transparent design previewed ahead of launch

Nothing Phone (1) is one of the most anticipated smartphones this year building upon the success of the Nothing Ear (1) TWS earphones. With the Nothing Phone (1), Carl Pei and co. are vying to radically disrupt how modern smartphones look and it’s now confirmed that the upcoming Phone 1 has a translucent design, just like the Ear (1) earbuds. While most details about the Phone 1 are kept under wraps, its specifications have allegedly leaked earlier this month and it’s expected to be a mid-range smartphone.

Early design schematics of Nothing Phone (1)

In an exclusive interview with Wallpaper, CEO Carl Pei and Tom Howard, head of design revealed some intricate details about the Phone (1). Starting with the design of the back panel, Howard told Wallpaper that they “wanted to bring the inside out”, hinting at a transparent or translucent design for the debutant. The Phone (1) isn’t the first phone to ship with a transparent design but since it's Nothing’s first phone, the approach here is to make it look different from what’s known today as the modern smartphone. It’s also confirmed that the Phone (1)’s frame is made out of recycled aluminium. 

I want to be transparent with my followers (and everything we design). We cracked a transparent design with ear (1) and now it’s time (2) do it again. pic.twitter.com/APQW3XNHvu

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) May 24, 2022

“There are over 400 components in a smartphone, assembled in layers. We wanted to celebrate the “good ones”, the things we thought were really interesting to emphasise,” Howard says. To that end, some of the elements that are highlighted on the Phone (1) include the cameras and the wireless charging coil.

1972 New York Subway map

The engineering team derived inspiration for the design of the Phone (1) from the 1972 New York Subway map designed by Massimo Vignelli and Bob Noorda and the 1933 London Underground map by Harry Beck, along with many other subway maps. 

“One of the issues we saw with the tech industry was that nobody had a consistent way of designing products. Apart from Apple – you can see their coherent vision. But if you had a table full of products from another manufacturer, you don’t really see that. From the very start, we wanted to have a very distinct and iconic design language of our own,’ says Pei. 

He goes on to assert that Nothing will maintain the same philosophy as it ventures into other product categories meaning that the transparent design language will make it to other Nothing products as well.

When will Nothing Phone (1) launch?

Previously in March, Carl Pei revealed that the Phone (1) will launch in Summer 2022 but apart from that we don’t know the exact date of the launch. However, Pei has hinted in one of his tweets that the Phone (1) will launch on June 9 at 4:20 PM.

6/9 at 4:20

— Carl Pei (@getpeid) May 4, 2022

As per the latest report by popular tipster Max Jambor that cites a European retailer, the Nothing Phone (1) will either launch or will go on sale on July 21 and is expected to be priced around 500 Euros.

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