You can now can create and share fun avatars on Whatsapp

Whatsapp’s own blog page explains the concept of avatars to those who haven't used such tech Mark Zuckerberg announced that users will be able to create their own Avatars on Whatsapp, via a Facebook post today. “We're bringing avatars to WhatsApp! Now you can use your avatar as a sticker in chats. More styles coming soon across all our apps.” he said, sharing an image of a fabricated Whatsapp chat wherein a user had created an Avatar of herself DJing. Mark Zuckerberg may just be the last human on earth who has an active Facebook profile and isn’t somebody’s mom. 

before. “Your avatar is a digital version of you that can be created from billions of combinations of diverse hairstyles, facial features, and outfits. On WhatsApp you can now use your personalized avatar as your profile photo or choose from one of 36 custom stickers reflecting many different emotions and actions,” it says.

What are Whatsapp Avatars?

After selecting the right combination of facial features and clothes, you can create your own sticker pack filled with your avatar performing various activities, or expressing different emotions. In many ways, it’s similar to the way a Bitmoji is created and used, with the exception being that you can use it on Whatsapp. 

If you’re wondering why companies are suddenly upping their Avatar game, with Instagram also offering an Avatar creation feature, and Snapchat recently offering a Bitmoji and Adidas collaboration drop, the reason could be simple: The Metaverse. We’ll all need digital avatars to enter the Metaverse and this might be the most basic version of them all. 

Whatsapp says that they will continue to add enhancements to the avatar’s feature lineup, with skin tones, clothing, and facial expressions to help you create the perfect version of yourself. 

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. 

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Will Apple actually release its car in 2026 Heres what we know

There have been plenty of rumours circulating regarding the launch of the Apple Car, with dates ranging from 2024 to 2028. Now, fresh rumours indicate that the Apple Car may hit markets 2026. It is believed that this car will not be equipped with self-driving, will run on the Apple Silicon chip, and will be priced under $100,000. There had even been rumours in 2017 that Apple had given up on making their own cars altogether, and was moving on to focus on autonomous vehicle software instead. 

Apple cars won’t have the self-driving feature

According to Bloomberg, Apple is shifting the priority to getting a vehicle out in the market and is willing to sacrifice the self-driving feature for the same.  “In a significant shift for the project, the company is now planning a less-ambitious design that will include a steering wheel and pedals and only support full autonomous capabilities on highways, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private.” said the report. The report went on to elaborate “Apple currently plans to develop a vehicle that lets drivers conduct other tasks — say, watch a movie or play a game — on a freeway and be alerted with ample time to switch over to manual control if they reach city streets or encounter inclement weather. The company has discussed launching the feature in North America initially and then improving and expanding it over time.”

What is Apple Silicon?

Apple Silicon is the proprietary chip on which the car will run. It is claimed to be “equal to about four of Apple’s highest-end Mac chips combined.”

Bloomberg states “The heart of Apple’s technology is a powerful onboard computer system — codenamed Denali after the tallest mountain peak in North America — and a custom array of sensors. The processor’s performance is equal to about four of Apple’s highest-end Mac chips combined and is being developed by the company’s silicon engineering group. The chip has reached an advanced state and is considered nearly production-ready, though Apple may scale it down before the car’s launch to lower costs.”

Apple car release date and price

The brand has not revealed the release date for the car as of yet and based on speculations, it will hit markets in 2026. It is believed to be priced below $100,000.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. 

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India to finally evaluate social media algorithms with the Digital India Act

Social media algorithms have always been a great mystery, with many wondering how they are utilised to shape an entire generation. Celebrities like Andrew Schulz, Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and others have famously talked about how Tiktok’s algorithm for China rewards ‘useful’ content, such as videos on engineering and skill sharing. The short video app rewards twerking and silliness everywhere else. In light of that, India’s determination to evaluate how these algorithms work spells great news.

The government is reportedly working on a proposal that will hold social media platforms more accountable for the content they are showing users, based on profile and browsing history. The proposal is known as Digital India Act (DIA) and will include language that ensures platforms like the metaverse, AI-governed apps, and those that use advanced quantum computing do not slip through the cracks. This will make India a part of a handful of countries that want to take a closer look at how social media algorithms are used. 

“The idea is to prevent misuse of Indian citizens’ data. Even if the data is stored in India, it can be misused by highly advanced algorithms. That must be prevented,” said a government official about the same.

What will the DIA disallow?

The DIA will allegedly have mandates that can regulate the way different tech giants process the data they collect. The idea is to prevent these companies from identifying individuals from an anonymous dataset and then pushing specific content onto them. Social media companies will also have to be more transparent about the processes they use to collect data.

“We are not going to overload the DIA with too many legal regulations. Instead, it will be an umbrella framework with space for executive rules which can be updated as required with time,” officials said.

 

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You can now search for verified government contacts via Truecaller

Truecaller has announced the launch of a new government director available within its app to help people find verified contact details of government officials. The idea is to ensure that citizens can contact officials. This digital government directory has been created to enhance the trust between people and local government rulers, protect them from fraud and spam, and empower citizens to take an active role in local governance. While Truecaller currently has over 240 million users in India, this service may lead to a spike in numbers.

The new Truecaller feature lets you access verified government  contacts

Why has Truecaller launched this feature?

This new feature will offer citizens better access to law enforcement agencies, helplines, educational institutes, embassies, hospitals, and other critical government departments across the whole country.

According to the app, the contact details have been taken directly from official government sources to ensure that they are accurate. The main aim is to help streamline access to pertinent government representations and make things easier for users in India. 

Truecaller revealed that the most effective scams that occur through random numbers are carried out by impersonating different government officials. As the average citizen does not have the contact details of these officials or their offices, they have no way to verify who is actually calling them. The directory should help reduce such cases of fraud, while also allowing customers access to the numbers if they require them. Phone calls from a verified government number will appear with a green background and a blue tick mark to indicate that the number is an authentic one. 

Truecaller is currently working with different departments of the government in order to expand its directory and make it as comprehensive as possible. The next phase will include adding the contact details of representatives who are at the municipal and district levels. 

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. 

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Realme UI 40 India launch date has been scheduled for December 8: Here are its top features

The Realme 10 Pro series is right around the block and it will be coming with Realme UI 4.0. Both the phone line as well as the software version is already out in the Chinese market. Today, the brand’s chief Mr Madhav Sheth revealed that we will be getting the new Android 13-based Realme UI update with the Realme 10 Pro smartphones out of the box. He has classified Realme UI 4.0 improvements in 4 key areas viz. design, interaction, fluidity, and security. 

We are officially rolling out realme UI 4.0 with our upcoming #realme10ProSeries5G . The new operating system aims to enhance 4 critical areas - design, interaction, fluidity, & security to ensure a seamless user experience. pic.twitter.com/CS4gqiEeq0

— Madhav Sheth (@MadhavSheth1) December 6, 2022 Realme UI 4.0 features 

One of the new and noticeable UI elements would be Realme UI 4.0’s card-style layout, which arranges information across the interface in customizable ‘cards’. 

Always-on-display on Realme UI 4.0 gets interactive music player controls which means you don’t have to unlock the phone lock screen to adjust the playback.

You can even personalize the AOD with your expression-based Bitmoji emojis.

So, that pretty much addresses the design and interaction aspects of Realme UI 4.0.

Now when we speak of fluidity, you get Dynamic Computing Engine for optimum resource allocation, Quantum Animation Engine 4.0 for a smoother UI, and the brand claims a 10% boost in performance whilst offering a 4.7% gain in terms of power efficiency. 

As the name suggests, Auto Pixelate lets you automatically pixelate personal information on screenshots.

Lastly, for security, you have a Private Safe equipped with the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

There are many more small yet ‘could-be-useful’ features sprinkled throughout the new Realme software. We’ll get to know them on December 8, which is when both the software and the phones carrying them will launch. So, stay tuned.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. 

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PLAYGO DURA launched in India Here are its top 5 features

PLAY has announced the launch of its latest offering, the PLAYGO DURA, which is an affordable TWS available for purchase on Play’s official website as well as most e-commerce websites like Amazon  and Flipkart. The earbuds are feature-rich and available for just ₹1,499. 

PLAYGO DURA launched in India

Speaking about the product, the brand said "At PLAY, we have always focused on designing and delivering premium products at suitable budgetary price targets of our discerning consumers. We pride ourselves in understanding the ever-evolving needs of our consumers and accordingly design products to make their lives more convenient and hassle-free with a mix of fashion and the latest technology. The latest product, PLAYGO DURA is also crafted in line with this philosophy. We are extremely motivated to bring PLAYGO DURA to our consumers and feel that the product will surely strike chord with the consumer on account of its fashionable and handy design aided by the best-in-class device audio experience. We hope to receive an equally compelling user delight as has been experienced for our other portfolio. We will continue to launch more fashionably innovative products and strive to establish tech leadership in the AioT category."

PLAYGO DURA Top Features

Some of the top features offered by the PLAYGO DURA are as follows: 

1. Long battery life

The  PLAYGO DURA offers a total playtime of 30 hours, with 10 hours from the buds and the remaining charge from the case they are stored in. The brand claims that you can get up to 5 hours’ worth of battery life after charging it for just 10 minutes.

2. Environmental Noise Cancellation 

The  PLAYGO DURA is equipped with Environmental Noise Cancellation technology which can help users enjoy seamless phone calls even in a crowded setting. To facilitate the same, the earbuds are also equipped with HD microphones. 

3. Enhanced Bass Extra Loud drivers

The  PLAYGO DURA also comes with the brand’s proprietary Enhanced Bass Extra Loud (EBEL) drivers, which promise to deliver deep bass and crisp sound. 

4. Easy touch controls

The accessible touch controls that are built into the earbuds allow users to control the volume, start and stop the music and even call upon voice assistants like Google Assistant or Siri. 

5. In-ear design

Finally, the  PLAYGO DURA comes with an in-ear design that promises to reduce ear fatigue when listening to music or podcasts for a long time. 

The earbuds are available in black and white. You can buy them on Flipkart and Amazon, as well as the brand’s official website. 

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in or head to our Google News page. 

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Amazon Prime Gaming Service Launch Teased in India, Will Offer Free PC Games Every Month to Subscribers

The Amazon India website recently teased the launch of Prime Gaming in the country, promising free monthly PC games and more. The service, which comes bundled with a Prime membership, is currently unsupported in India and provides mobile gaming offers only, in addition to other Prime benefits.

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