WhatsApp to roll out Telegram-like broadcasting channels soon: Report

Just like Telegram and Instagram, Meta is now working on a broadcasting channels feature for WhatsApp. It will reportedly be known as 'Channels'. Here's what we know so far.

WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, has been working to cater to bigger groups on the messaging app. It earlier allowed 1,024 members in a WhatsApp group and even created the 'Communities' feature. Now, to entertain a larger audience 'Channels' is under construction.

According to rumours online, it will be similar to broadcasting channels as seen on Telegram and Instagram. This will allow several groups with similar interests to come together. A WABetaInfo report suggests that it is being developed for both Android and iOS.

WhatsApp Channels Details

This new feature will be located under the ‘Status’ tab on WhatsApp, as suggested by a screenshot shared by WABetaInfo. The Status and Channels will be available together and the tab will be known as 'Updates'.

On this new tab, you will be able to locate the Channels you've subscribed to and even search for different ones.

As you might have seen with Instagram and Telegram, this broadcasting tool can be based on different topics. So, WhatsApp users can subscribe to a Channel that they are interested in to receive information.

But, only the admins and those who've been invited to the Channel by the admins will receive the messages sent on a particular Channel. However, people can still react, and vote in polls on these Channels.

However, since this is a more public feature, end-to-end encryption may not be available for messages sent on Channels. But WABetaInfo reveals that this won't compromise on end-to-end encryption WhatsApp chats.

There's no official communication related to the release date of this new feature, so we will have to wait.

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WhatsApp Keep in Chat feature will let you bookmark messages: Heres how

Mark Zuckerberg has been announcing significant changes and features to different applications of META. Recently, there were quite a lot of features added to Instagram and Whatsapp. Now it's time to introduce a new feature for WhatsApp. This feature was announced via a tweet from the official WhatsApp Twitter account with the caption: "Somethings are worth keeping". 

The new WhatsApp feature is named 'Keep in Chat.' It allows all users to keep the important messages and save them in chat irrespective of whether the disappearing messages option is turned on or not. The disappearing message feature in WhatsApp was introduced to keep any personal conversation safe, as the entire chat would disappear after that. 

But there would be certain messages which you might want to keep in order to refer back for something in the near future. 

How does WhatsApp 'Keep in Chat' feature work?

This feature can be used by someone with the consent of the sender of that chat. As someone decides to keep a certain text safe, the sender will get an alert. Then it will be in the hands of the sender, whether they allow the user to keep the text safe or whether they just want it to disappear from the chat. If the sender doesn't want the other person to keep the text, then the message sent will get deleted after the timer expires. 

How will the 'Keep in Chat' feature look like in WhatsApp?

The texts which are saved, will have a bookmark icon on them. Users can go back to these texts via the ‘Kept Messages’ folder. Zuckerberg has announced that people can now discreetly choose which text they want to keep and which they are fine with disappearing. He also added that WhatsApp’s 'Keep in Chat' feature is set to reach every user globally within the next few weeks.

So, after the new security features, the ‘Keep in Chat’ is going to be one very useful feature for all WhatsApp users and something that would clear out the mess and keep only what is required in users’ message threads. 

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Google Bard gets smarter, can now generate code in C, Python, JavaScript programming languages

With the rising curiosity and interest to use AI Chatbot amongst the users, companies are on the battleground with the features for the technology since the arrival of the star player Open AI's ChatGPT. Google has recently announced the code generation feature for its AI Chatbot Bard. The other two competitors, Microsoft’s Bing AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT both were already compatible with the feature hence motivating Alphabet Inc to take the popular feature in action. 

Paige Bailey, a group product manager at Google Research, wrote in a blog post, “Today, we’re updating Bard with the ability to help people with programming and software development tasks, including code generation, code debugging, and explanation,” 

Also Read: Google Pixel Fold leak reveals its likely price and 4 key specs

According to Google, Bard has been improved to help professionals with activities connected to programming and software development, such as code generation, reasoning, and debugging. 

More than 20 languages for programming, including Go, C++, Java, Python, JavaScript, and Typescript, are used to perform the duties and skills associated with programming and software development. Additionally, users may now easily transfer Python code to Google Colab. Additionally, Bard will be able to help customers with Google Sheets' authoring features.

Users merely need to tell the bot the type of code they would like to generate, along with the parameters and language, and the chatbot will respond with a code sample. Additionally, it has the ability to export Python code straight into Colab, Google's cloud-based platform for developing models for data science and machine learning via the Chrome browser. Users who want assistance writing routines for Google Sheets can use the chatbot.

Users can either provide an address to a GitHub source or their own piece of code for the chatbot to analyze and explain. After scanning the code, it will provide a thorough analysis of what transpired, along with a summary of all of its features and functionalities. 

Also Read: Windows 11’s Smart Snap to Office 365, Microsoft’s going all in with AI

Bailey said the chatbot may assist with code debugging by searching through it to find flaws or weaknesses, "even code that Bard wrote." By asking Bard to "fix it," users can instruct it to assist in debugging any given piece of code.

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Xiaomi Pad 6 vs Vivo Pad 2: Comparison of the two new Android tablets

Xiaomi Pad 6 launched on April 18 and two days later, on April 20, the Vivo Pad 2 debuted. These two tablets have a 144Hz IPS display, Android 13, quad speakers, 13MP main cameras and other similarities. But there are several differences too.

Xiaomi Pad 6 vs Vivo Pad 2 comparison

Xiaomi Pad 6

1. Xiaomi Pad 6 is lighter and slightly slimmer than the Vivo Pad 2. Both feature a glass (front) and aluminium (back+ frame) sandwich chassis.

2. Xiaomi Pad 6 has a smaller display with more pixel density than Vivo Pad 2. It has also got Dolby Vision support while the Vivo tablet sports HDR10. Xiaomi has also offered Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the front of its tablet while Vivo hasn’t mentioned the protection it offers (that is if any). Both offer stylus support but Xiaomi's one can attach magnetically too.

3. Xiaomi powers the Pad 6 with a 7nm Snapdragon 870 chip whereas the Vivo Pad 2 has got a 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 9000 processor.  

The Xiaomi tablet starts at 6+128GB and goes up to 8+256GB memory configuration. Vivo Pad 2, meanwhile, offers more memory options from 8+128GB to 12+512GB.

On top of this hardware, you get Android 13-based MIUI 14 on the Xiaomi Pad 6 while the Vivo Pad 2 boots Android 13-based Origin OS in the Chinese market.

Vivo Pad 2

4. Xiaomi Pad 6 is equipped with a single 13MP rear camera and an 8MP front camera. Vivo has given a 13MP ultrawide camera plus a 2MP macro module on the back of the Pad 2 and an 8MP selfie snapper on the front.

You get to record 4K30 fps videos from both tablets.

5. Pad 6 has got a smaller battery (8840mAh) and slower charging (33W) compared to the Vivo’s Pad 2 (10,000mAh with 44W PD wired charging).

In the Chinese market, the Xiaomi Pad 6 starts at CNY 1,899 (~₹22,000) and Vivo Pad 2 starts at CNY 2,499 (~₹29,800).

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Arm semiconductor chips are reportedly in the making: Heres what we know so far

Arm won’t just design, but also manufacture chips as per a new FT report. The British company which is known for selling design IPs to brands like Apple, Qualcomm, Nvidia, etc. is aiming for vertical expansion into the chip-making business. Here’s what we know so far about this.

Arm’s semiconductor business plans

As already mentioned, Arm's semiconductor plans include not just designing, but also manufacturing chips, states the report. However, since it’s new to the game, it will seek help from manufacturing partners. 

The report reveals Arm has created a "solutions engineering" team that’s tasked with the development of prototype chips. These chipsets will be used in mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic devices.

The company has reportedly made some strides so far. It has been working on an advanced chip for the last 6 months. This is said to be a step above the current chips.

Once its IPO happens sometime this year, Arm could announce its efforts to the public.

History of Arm in the semiconductor business

Acorn Archimedes​

Recently, Arm signed a partnership with Intel whereby Arm’s partners involved in semiconductor manufacturing can use Intel foundries to make the chips. The foundries will be in particular used for making mobile SoCs in the beginning.

This and the new report of its loftier business plans all seem to have been set in motion post the collapse of its deal with Nvidia. Nvidia was going to buy Arm from its current parent, viz. Japan’s Softbank. This could have been the biggest deal on record valued at $40 billion. But regulatory challenges pushed it to fall apart. 

Still, Arm has been doing well in terms of revenue from its server-chips business, chip sales in the automotive sector, and Arm V9-based processors in smartphones. Recently, it has also announced its intention to raise the royalty and licencising fees.

So in its over 3-decade existence, the company named ARM (short for Acorn RISC Machine), whose first product was a RISC processor for a personal computer called Acorn Archimedes, has its design-based chips in almost every major electronic product.

Now only time can tell if it manages to directly compete with its customers, and showcase the actual potential of an Arm-based chip. Let’s see where it goes from here.

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Xiaomi Mi Band 8 comes with an improved strapping system, games and more

Xiaomi has launched the Mi Band 8 in China. It is a pill-shaped fitness band like its predecessor. But there are certain areas of improvement like the new strapping mechanism, watch faces that double as games, and aerobic boxing sensor. Here are all the Mi Band 8 features you need to know about.

Xiaomi Mi Band 8 specs and features

1. Xiaomi Mi Band 8’s pill-shaped fascia is a 1.62-inch AMOLED panel with a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, and an Always-On-Display facility. The band attached to the chassis can be easily swapped. You just have to press a button at the bottom and pull the thing to eject it.

2. You get up to 200 watch faces to personalize the look and feel of the Band 8 background. One of the attractive features of the Mi Band 8 is that some of those watch faces are interactive games like 2048, ping pong shooter, etc.

3. Mi Band 8 supports 150+ activity modes and a highlight is the aerobic boxing option. You have to attach the Band 8 to one of the boxing gloves and follow the lessons within the Mi fitness app. The accelerometer in Band 8 triggers and act like a Joycon. 

4. You can also track heart rate, SpO2, sleep health, female menstrual cycle, etc with this Mi band.

5. Mi Band 8 has a 190mAh battery that is rated to run for 16 days between charges in standard mode and about 6 days on a single charge while AOD is enabled. You get a magnetic fast charger that can fill the tank full in 1 hour.

Xiaomi Mi Band 8 price and availability

You can also use the Band 8 as a pendant or attach it to your shoes to track your running and walking stats.

The standard variant of Xiaomi Mi Band 8 is available for 249 Yuan (~₹2,975) and the NFC edition is up for grabs at 299 Yuan (~₹3,575) in China. 

The company is yet to reveal its plans for the global (including Indian) release of Mi Band 8. Stay tuned to know when that’s announced. 

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5 features of the newly launched Honor MagicBook 2023 series

Honor has launched the MagicBook X14 and MagicBook X16 laptops in India. Both are refreshed with 12th-gen Intel core processors, 16:10 displays, LPDDR4x RAM and SSD storage. Here are the complete specs of the 2023 MagicBook X14 and X16. 

Honor MagicBook X14 and X16 specs

1. Both Honor MagicBook X14 and X16 are powered by 12th gen Intel Core i5-12450H process that has got 8 cores and 12 threads. These boast 30 percent improved performance. You get up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD storage. The storage can be further extended up to 1TB.

2. Inside the laptops also pack a 60Whr battery that supports a 65W USB-C fast charger.

3. The Honor laptops come with 1x USB-C, 2x USB-A, 1x HDMI for connectivity.

4. The key difference between the MagicBook X14 and X16 comes in their displays. The X14 has got a 14-inch FHD IPS screen while the X16 has got a 16-inch FHD IPS display. They both come equipped with 100% SRGB coverage, 300 nits of brightness, anti-glare and a TuV Rheinland-certified anti-flicker as well as anti-blue-light properties. There is a 720P webcam above both displays.

5. The MagicBook laptops also feature a fingerprint reader (embedded within the power button), a full-size backlit keyboard (with a numpad, only on the X16), and Windows 11 Home 64-bit software.

Honor MagicBook X14 and X16 price and availability

Honor MagicBook X14 and X16 are retailing through Amazon India. The MagicBook X14 is priced at ₹48,990 for the 8+512GB model and ₹51,990 for the 16+512GB variant.

The base variant of X16, meanwhile, is retailing for ₹50,990 (8+512GB) and its higher-end model costs ₹53,990 for the 16GB + 512GB SKU. 

There is a limited period launch offer of Rs. 2500 instant discount with purchases made using HDFC cards.

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