Telegram update adds Infinity Reactions and Emoji Statuses: Heres how they work

Encrypted messaging app Telegram has announced that it is rolling out a new update that gives users more ways to use new emojis to express how they are feeling -- with infinite reactions and emoji statuses.

The company said that premium users can pick reactions from an infinite selection of custom emojis. To make choosing from thousands of emojis easier, they can now attach up to three reactions per message.

"All users now have access to dozens of reactions - including those that were previously only available with Telegram Premium," the company said in a blogpost.

"To accommodate all the new emojis, we have redesigned the reaction panel, making it expandable. The reactions you use frequently will show up at the top," it added.

These changes to reactions are currently available in groups and 1-on-1 chats.

With the new update, group admins can control whether custom reactions may be used in their groups.

Now, the premium users can add an animated emoji status displayed next to their name -- to quickly let everyone know how they are feeling or what they are doing.

"This custom status takes the place of your Premium Premium Badge in the chat list, in your profile and in groups," the company said.

Users can set one of seven standard statuses that change their colour to match different Telegram themes -- or choose from an infinite number of custom emoji. Popular suggestions for working, sleeping, traveling and more will be shown at the top.

"Tap the premium badge at the top of your chat list or go to settings to change your status. Press and hold an emoji to set a status for a specific duration," as per Telegram.

"Anyone can use Telegram's open emoji platform to upload custom packs with unique art styles and characters for Telegram Premium users," it added.

Users, who log out and log back in frequently, can now receive login codes through their email address or using Sign in with Apple or Sign in with Google.

(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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iPhone 14 Pros Dynamic Island gets new games around it: Here are some of the Dynamic Island games

As Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max users try out the new Dynamic Island feature, some app developers have created games around the new design on the home screen.

App developer Kriss Smolka has created a Pong-style game called 'Hit the Island'. It challenges the user to bounce a ball between the paddle and the Dynamic Island to earn points.

"Who has an iPhone 14 Pro right now? Need to test this on device asap. Hit The Island -- our game concept for iPhone 14 Pro, still laggy but it's turning out nice," he said in a tweet.

"As simple as it sounds, Hit The Island with the ball and score points. But wait, there is a catch! The ball speeds up. It can get cloned. Then the paddle shrinks!" according to the app on iOS store.

Christian Selig, the developer of Apollo app for Reddit, has added the fun option to keep a pixelated pet on the Dynamic Island when using the app.

"I found the best idea for the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro. I added a cat that lives up there like a tamagotchi and just hangs out and does cute stuff as you browse Reddit in my app (Apollo)," Selig said.

The Dynamic Island enables new ways to interact with iPhone, featuring a design that blends the line between hardware and software, adapting in real time to show important alerts, notifications, and activities, according to Apple.

With the introduction of the Dynamic Island, the TrueDepth camera has been redesigned to take up less of the display area.

Without impeding content on the screen, the Dynamic Island maintains an active state to allow users easier access to controls with a simple tap-and-hold. Ongoing background activities like Maps, Music, or a timer remain visible and interactive, and third-party apps in iOS 16 that provide information like sports scores and ride-sharing with Live Activities can take advantage of the Dynamic Island.

(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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18-year-old hacks Uber as employees share emoji with him on Slack

San Francisco, Sep 16 (IANS) An 18-year-old hacker has broken into the internal systems of Uber, reaching company tools including Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform, and employees thought someone was playing a prank.

The hacker made himself known to Uber employees by posting a message on the company's internal communication system Slack.

"I announce I am a hacker and Uber has suffered a data breach," screenshots of the message circulating on Twitter read.

The hacker then listed confidential company information and posted a hashtag saying that Uber "underpays its drivers".

The Slack message from the alleged hacker "was so brazen that many Uber employees appear to have initially thought it was a joke", reports The Washington Post.

Some employees even responded to the hacker with emoji like sirens and popcorn, as well as the "it's happening" GIF.

One unnamed Uber employee told bug bounty hunter and security engineer Sam Curry that staff were interacting with the hacker thinking "they were playing a joke".

Uber said in a statement that it was investigating a "cybersecurity incident" while it took Slack offline for employees.

"We are currently responding to a cybersecurity incident. We are in touch with law enforcement and will post additional updates here as they become available," Uber posted in a tweet.

An Uber employee posted that they were told to stop using Slack as "anytime I request a website, I am taken to a page with a pornographic image" and the message "f*** you wankers".

The hacker reportedly said he broke into the Uber systems because "they had weak security".

(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)

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A new wearable device can spot the changing size of tumours below skin

New York, Sep 17 (IANS) A team of US engineers has created a small, autonomous device with a flexible sensor that can be adhered to the skin to measure the changing size of tumours below.

The non-invasive, battery-operated device is sensitive to one-hundredth of a millimetre (10 micrometers) and can beam results to a smartphone app wirelessly in real-time with the press of a button.

The researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Stanford University said that the device called FAST (Flexible Autonomous Sensor measuring Tumours) represents an inexpensive, hands-free and accurate way to test the efficacy of cancer drugs.

On a bigger scale, it could lead to promising new directions in cancer treatment.

"In some cases, the tumours under observation must be measured by hand with calipers," said Alex Abramson, first author of the study and now an Assistant Professor at Georgia Tech.

The use of metal pincer-like calipers to measure soft tissues is not ideal, and radiological approaches cannot deliver the sort of continuous data needed for real-time assessment.

On the other hand, FAST can detect changes in tumour volume on the minute-timescale.

"It is a deceptively simple design, but these inherent advantages should be very interesting to the pharmaceutical and oncological communities," said Abramson.

FAST's sensor is composed of a flexible and stretchable skin-like polymer that includes an embedded layer of gold circuitry.

This sensor is connected to a small electronic backpack designed by former post-docs and co-authors Yasser Khan and Naoji Matsuhisa.

The device measures the strain on the membrane and how much it stretches or shrinks and transmits that data to a smartphone.

The researchers said that the new device offers at least three significant advances.

First, it provides continuous monitoring, as the sensor is physically connected to the mouse and remains in place over the entire experimental period.

Second, the flexible sensor enshrouds the tumour and is therefore able to measure shape changes that are difficult to discern with other methods.

"Third, FAST is both autonomous and non-invasive. It is connected to the skin, not unlike a band-aid, battery operated and connected wirelessly," said the study published in Science Advances.

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Apple-Epic Games Lawsuit: US Justice Department Asks to Take Part in Tussle Scheduled for October: Report

]The US Department of Justice reportedly wants to have a say on Apple’s antitrust issue with Epic Games. The lawsuit is due to be heard on appeal next month. An appeals court has granted the justice department the right to send a representative to the hearing that is scheduled to take place on October 21.

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You can catch Jupiters closest date with Earth in 70 years on Sep 26

Washington, Sep 17 (IANS) Jupiter is set to make its closest approach to Earth in the last 70 years and on September 26, stargazers can expect an excellent view when the giant planet reaches opposition.

From the viewpoint of Earth's surface, opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth.

Jupiter's opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year. But that's not all.

"Jupiter's closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, which means this year's views will be extraordinary," NASA said in a statement late on Friday.

At its closest approach, Jupiter will be approximately 365 million miles in distance from Earth.

The planet is approximately 600 million miles away from Earth at its farthest point.

"With good binoculars, the banding (at least the central band) and three or four of the Galilean satellites (moons) should be visible," said Adam Kobelski, a research astrophysicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

"It's important to remember that Galileo observed these moons with 17th century optics. One of the key needs will be a stable mount for whatever system you use," he noted.

Kobelski recommends a larger telescope to see Jupiter's Great Red Spot and bands in more detail -- a four inch-or-larger telescope and some filters in the green to blue range would enhance the visibility of these features.

According to Kobelski, an ideal viewing location will be at a high elevation in a dark and dry area.

Jupiter has 53 named moons, but scientists believe that 79 have been detected in total.

The four largest moons -- Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto -- are called the Galilean satellites.

NASA's Juno spacecraft, which has been orbiting Jupiter for six years, is dedicated to exploring the planet's surface and its moons.

Scientists believe studying Jupiter can lead to breakthrough discoveries about the formation of the solar system.

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WhatsApp enters the film-making business, will premiere 1st original on Prime Video

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) In an unusual move, Meta-owned WhatsApp is venturing into the film-making business and will premiere its first original short film titled 'Naija Odyssey' on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

The 12-minute short film tells the story of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was born in Greece to Nigerian parents.

"The Greek Freak. That's not me, that's not all of me. Naija Odyssey, the cross-culture story of Giannis by WhatsApp. Stream Sept 21 on Prime Video," WhatsApp said in a tweet.

The 12-minute short film signifies WhatsApp's foray into entertainment, a first for a social media messaging platform.

However, 'Naija Odyssey" appears to be a way to promote WhatsApp as Antetokounmpo recently signed an endorsement deal with the company, another first for the platform, reports Variety.

"'Naija Odyssey' is a story that reinforces how WhatsApp helps us embrace our multifaceted lives. In navigating relationships, identity, and even adversity, WhatsApp is there a" enabling you to embrace all sides of you by connecting you to those who matter most," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying.

The 12-minute movie will also be released on WhatsApp's social media accounts, including its YouTube channel.

Antetokounmpo was named the 'NBA All-Star Game MVP' for the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.

Narrated by Antetokounmpo and his mother, 'Naija Odyssey' is inspired by the classic Greek epic poem 'The Odyssey', depicting different moments in his life.

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