It was back in October when news about a COVID-19 outbreak in the world’s largest iPhone manufacturing plant hit the internet. A surge in COVID-19 cases at Foxconn’s Zhengzhou, China site lead to a complete lockdown at the factory as a measure to curb the spread. As a result, several factory workers were seen fleeing the facility citing poor working conditions and a lack of basic resources. News outlets around the world also focussed on individual stories where workers from the factory shared their experience of being under the strict lockdown and finally making their way to the world. Foxconn’s Zhengzhou plant employs about 200,000 people and produces the maximum number of iPhones for Apple across the world. Thus it was expected that the production of iPhones will take a hit due to this outbreak. Now, California-based Apple has shared an official press release stating that people can expect a delay in the supply of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Check out Apple’s press release below –
Apple’s press release for iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max supply delay
COVID-19 restrictions have temporarily impacted the primary iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max assembly facility located in Zhengzhou, China. The facility is currently operating at significantly reduced capacity. As we have done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we are prioritizing the health and safety of the workers in our supply chain.
We continue to see strong demand for iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. However, we now expect lower iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max shipments than we previously anticipated and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products.
We are working closely with our supplier to return to normal production levels while ensuring the health and safety of every worker.
On the other hand, Foxconn recently said that it was working to resume full production of the plant as quickly as possible. It is currently in the process to implement new measures in order to curb the COVID-19 spread.
If you haven’t been under the rocks for the past few weeks then I am sure you know Elon Musk is now the new Twitter boss. After an expensive acquisition, Elon Musk bought the micro-blogging app and is bringing upon several changes to the platform. One of his most controversial changes to Twitter (besides mass layoffs) has been the $8 Twitter Blue fee which allows users to get a verified check. Many on the platform have argued that allowing people to pay a certain monthly payment for a verified status on Twitter could lead to an epitome of impersonators of famous celebrities and politicians on the platform. Musk himself is not safe as a slew of Elon impersonators were seen popping up like mushrooms on Twitter. It looks like the Twitter boss finally has a crackdown on this menace.
Impersonators to be banned from Twitter
Elon recently Tweeted – ‘Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended’ This news comes just a few days after Twitter suspended several users who had changed their usernames to Elon Musk to impersonate the billionaire. Some high-profile celebrities also hopped on the trend and face consequences including comedian Kath Griffin whose account has now been suspended.
Going forward, any Twitter handles engaging in impersonation without clearly specifying “parody” will be permanently suspended
Musk also shared that previously a warning was issued before account suspension on the platform. However, the new rules do not give users such a luxury as their accounts will be discarded swiftly. Accepting that users won’t impersonate any known face is also a condition they would have to agree to while signing up on Twitter Blue. Musk wrote – ‘Previously, we issued a warning before suspension, but now that we are rolling out widespread verification, there will be no warning. This will be clearly identified as a condition for signing up to Twitter Blue.’
This won’t be all as any changes to a Twitter Blue username will temporarily lose the verified checkmark! This decision by Elon has yet again sparked the debate of whether the billionaire is actually the champion of free speech that he has vocally advertised himself and Twitter to be.
Being an iPad user and operating Instagram has always been a frustrating experience. Once you’ve bought the iPad you expect it to be compatible with all the applications present in the iPhone with an even better experience. While that is indeed true for most applications out there, the same cannot be said for Instagram. Being an iPad user myself, it gets frustrating to operate Instagram on a small vertical screen without proper integration of the iPad’s widescreen. Well, it looks like the pains of iPad users are not going to be fixed by Instagram, but there’s a silver lining to this cloud!
iPad Instagram web interface gets better
Our friendly neighborhood tech enthusiasts at The Verge were one of the first people to notice the changes in the web interface of Instagram on the iPad. While there is no specific app design for Instagram on the iPad, a slightly redesigned version of Instagram on the web can be seen. This new design includes a navigation sidebar with links to options like search, explore, notifications, and messages. These options were previously placed unlabelled at the top of the screen.
The Verge received a statement from Meta spokesperson Christine Pai where it was revealed that the company is working on improving the instagram.com web experience for users. The recent changes have been described as updates to ‘modernize’ Instagram web with the inclusion of improved navigation, optimization of video experience, and the introduction of a more ‘immersive’ way to DM.
This surely does not fill the shoes of having a dedicated application designed for the tablet experience but it’s a step in the right direction nonetheless. It was only back in February when Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram had written that creating an iPad-specific Instagram app was not on their priority list. It looks like nothing has changed since then!
Christmas has carols and Valentine’s Day has chocolates, however, Halloween simply would not be the spooky affair it is without horror movies. While the costumes and candies are definitely nice, scary movies to go with them add to the fun. Whenever October rolls around, there is no shortage of fun Halloween activities but the one for me is to curl up on the couch with a big bag of popcorn and immerse myself in movies that scare the living wit out of me. The list below is purely subjective and might miss out on some of your best horror film picks, forgive me for that. Whereas the idea of horror for me is not limited to spirits and evil forces as some psychological horrors are also noted in the list. Without further ado, here are some of the best scary films to watch this Halloween.
Get Out (2017)
2017’s Jordan Peele directorial debut Get Out is an oddly spine-chilling film. The director managed to merge two themes of horror and racism into a film that charts territories you cannot imagine. The film follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) who goes to meet his girlfriend’s parents only to get trapped in a situation he never anticipated. The film’s subtle creepy hints toward the ultimate horrific reveal are what make it one of the best neo-horror films out there.
The Shining (1980)
I watched The Shining only back in 2020 not knowing it was a horror film! Watching Stanley Kubrick’s films are always a treat for cinephiles but this one with Jack Nicholson’s creepy performance makes it one of his best. The ‘Here’s Johnny’ moment from the film has been parodied and holds pop-culture value to this day which proves the film’s prominence. If you wish to watch a classic horror film this Halloween, The Shining should be your pick.
Hereditary (2018)
The film is definitely not the one for everyone, but if you’re someone who can stomach gruesome visuals and wild jumpscares, then go for Hereditary. The film revolves around a mother who loses her child and descends into madness. However, there’s a big twist here that I wouldn’t reveal. The film is sure to shock you with the falling family dynamics and horrifying moments.
Midsommar (2019)
From the same production house, A24, and the director of Hereditary came Midsommar in 2019. The film for sure is a slow burner where one doesn’t anticipate the steep left turn. But once the film goes ‘Goblin’ mode with its depiction of cults and their activities, it’s sure to spook you out. The twist ending is also something to take you by surprise.
The Conjuring (2013)
How does one talk about horror films and not include The Conjuring? The first film in the Conjuring universe is for sure one of the best horror films ever produced. The film was so successful that it enabled the studios to churn out spin-offs and sequels that are indeed successful. The film revolves around paranormal investigators Lorraine and Ed Warren who help protect a family from evil forces. The crux of The Conjuring films revolves around the same base of saving a haunted family, which is an effective formula to base a horror franchise in, to say the least. If you end up enjoying The Conjuring, make sure to check out the sequels as they are equally scary (The spin-offs can be skipped in my opinion)
IT (2017)
The original IT film based on Stephen King’s novel was surely creepy but the 2017 retelling of the story is more chilling. The film revolves around a severe-dwelling murderous clown who goes around creeping children out. The ‘They All Float Down Here’ line is surely iconic in cinema history and after watching the flick ‘You’ll Float Too’. However, the 2019 sequel with the ensemble of children all grown up can be skipped.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
The Paranormal Activity film surely made a fool out of me when I watched it as a kid. The found footage approach to filmmaking portraying a documentary-style horror film was an innovative outing. However, knowing that it is a scripted film as opposed to real people going through paranormal activities in their homes does break the illusion a little. Watch this film if you’re looking for a raw horror movie with little to no pretentious horror film tropes.
Devil (2010)
With a runtime of 80 minutes, M Night Shyamalan written Devil should definitely be on your horror binge list. The film revolves around five strangers getting stuck in an elevator and dying one by one. The film has a twisted reveal in the end that is tied up to Biblical teachings. Made on a budget of $10M, the film rake up a box office collection of $62.6 million, which should indicate how good this elevator horror film is.
Being an iPhone user in India is not easy when it comes to juicing up the device. I am sure a lot of iPhone users had to go through the perils of charging their devices up but not finding any person with an Apple lightning cable. People with Android devices, on the other hand, can surely get their USB-C cables due to their universal availability. Well, it looks like Apple is finally solving this issue for iPhone users by adopting the USB Type-C port with the upcoming iPhone 15.
USB-C for iPhone 15
Apple may be switching to USB Type-C from the next lineup of iPhones which means that the iPhone 15 will finally bid goodbye to the lightning port. The tech giant is clearly not very fond of this decision as it is being forced to adopt Type-C to comply with the EU law which demands the company abandon the lightning port and opt for the universal Type-C port instead.
In a new law passed, EU has mandated all phones to have USB Type-C port by 2024. Apple is currently the only smartphone manufacturer around the world that has its unique charging port. There were rumors around the web that Apple was going to remove the charging port from iPhones altogether and rely on wireless charging to comply to the EU rule, but that luckily is not the case. The company is already facing online criticism on the removal of the SIM card slot on the iPhone on USA exclusive models, thus it won’t be the brightest idea to now go on and remove the Type-C port.
Apple’s senior Greg Joswiak was the first one to address the EU mandate issue stating, “Obviously, we’ll have to comply; we have no choice.” But he also expressed Apple’s displeasure on the new law stating that replacing the lightning port with Type-C will generate a lot of e-waste. As of now, it is unknown whether only iPhones launched in Europe will arrive with USB Type-C or other parts of the world will also see this change. if the USB-C change is only exclusive to EU then one can expect the sales of EU-imported iPhone 15s in the black market to go up marginally!
The concept of eSIM has been around for a while but tech giant Apple brought the technology to the forefront by eliminating a physical SIM card slot in its latest iPhone 14 lineup. While Apple’s decision to remove the SIM card slot is exclusive to the USA for now, it is only about time that other countries like India and more also see this change. eSIM is not a new concept for India as carriers like Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone have been providing them for a while. However Indian users are yet to fully embrace it. Before I tell you how to activate an eSIM on your device, let’s have a look at what eSIM actually is.
What is an eSIM?
The eSIM in the simplest terms is a virtual SIM card. It stands for Embedded-Subscriber Identity Module and is a type of SIM that is embedded onto a device virtually. Readers should note that it is not possible to have a physical SIM card and an eSIM for the same mobile number. Once an eSIM is activated, a physical SIM with the same number does not stay operational. While regular SIM cards can hold a single profile for each customer, an eSIM can hold multiple profiles. Another thing to note is that users cannot physically replace eSIMs like SIM cards. One upside to eSIM-exclusive smartphones is that if stolen, no one can swap the SIM card for another one and use the device as their own. However, one downside to having an eSIM is that if a smartphone is ever damaged then a user cannot simply swap the SIM card for an instant replacement.
How to activate an eSIM on Jio India?
Note down your device’s IMEI and EID number
Send SMS – GETESIM with the 32-digit EID number and 15-digit IMEI to 199 from your Android device having an existing Jio number
You will receive a 19-digit eSIM number and profile configuration details
Send another SMS to 199 with the 19-digit eSIM number
You will get an update about the eSIM process after 2 hours
After receiving the message, confirm it by sending ‘1’ to 183
You will receive a call on your Jio number asking you to share the 19-digit eSIM number
Your eSIM will be shortly activated
How to activate eSIM on Airtel?
Make sure your email ID is registered with Airtel to activate your Airtel eSIM
Send SMS- eSIM (space) registered email address to 121
You will receive a reply message from 121 to confirm your activation
Reply to the SMS with ‘1’
You will then receive another message from 121 to provide consent through a call for eSIM activation
Once done, you will receive the final message from 121 for a QR code which will be sent to your registered email address
Kanye West cannot stop making headlines ever since his divorce from Kim Kardashian. The ‘I am a God’ rapper was seen making outlandish comments against her ex-wife and then about her boyfriend when Kim started dating Pete Davidson. Kanye was seen calling Pete Davidson ‘Skete’ on several occasions on social media which sparked a slew of memes across the internet. Everything up until now was considered an amusing banter amongst Ye fans and other internet users (of course, not Kim) but things took a steep left turn when the rapper was seen making anti-semitic comments while making public or podcast appearances. The internet quickly turned its back on Kanye with platforms like Instagram and Twitter deleting some of Kanye’s hate-mongering posts and ultimately banning him from the platforms altogether. Now, Ye has yet again made headlines for a controversial reason as he has decided to acquire the right-wing social media platform, Parler.
Kanye Acquires Parler
Just shortly after Kanye West was banned from mainstream platforms for sharing anti-semitic posts, Kanye West has made a bid to purchase the right-wing friendly social media platform, Parler. West, who is now legally known as Ye will now be gaining control of Parler allowing him to share his unrestricted thoughts. In his official statement, Ye noted that “In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial, we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves”
Parler was introduced back in August 2018 but it did not gain mainstream traction until 2020. The controversial platform was taken offline due to its connection with the US Capitol violence, but it quickly relaunched in a month. Ye and Parlement Technologies, who run Parler have not stated the exact price for which the former has acquired the platform.
Right now, there is no way to know whether Parler will be making its way to the mainstream climbing up the social media ladder already crowded with multiple platforms. Parler is currently collecting the crumbles left by platforms like Twitter and Instagram as people banned from those platforms usually make their way to platforms like Parler. However, the platform can soon become irrelevant as Elon Musk’s Twitter acquisition could bring relaxation to its content moderation policy.
When it comes to Apple, we all expect the company to launch its products in a lavish style. Apple fanatics are presented with highly produced launch events each year. Be it the iPhone or MacBook launch, Apple makes sure that it presents the best launch event to leave a lasting impression. Well, it looks like that won’t be the case this time around with the launch of its speculated iPad Pro and MacBook M2 Pro lineup.
It was Bloomberg’s analyst Mark Gurman who suggested that Apple will be holding back on an in-person event for the new Macbooks, iPads, and Apple TVs, and instead just announce the devices via press releases. As we all know, September was pretty big for Apple as the ‘Far Out’ event introduced the new iPhone 14 lineup along with Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and 2nd Gen AirPods Pro. As an Apple fan myself, I was taken by surprise when news about the tech giant skipping the October event started doing rounds on the web. But I was then reminded that it won’t be the first time Apple opts for this release strategy. The tech giant occasionally announces major new products like AirPods Pro and AirPods Max via press releases, hence the move is not unprecedented. So, what are the new devices speculated to be launched by Apple in October?
Apple is expected to release the new iPad Pro with its powerful M2 processor. Besides the Pro model, the company is also expected to launch an entry-level iPad with a revamped design. Besides this, Apple is also expected to unveil three new Mac devices in 2022, and rumor mills had suggested it’ll be in October. The new Mac Mini and Mac Pro were also expected to be launched in October. While reports suggest that Apple has a whole slew of products to be launched in October, others reported that the company decided to skip an in-person event as the new products were not exciting enough to warrant one. None of these new products is a major departure for Apple as it will only be updating upon and building upon previously launched devices. The devices will get improved specifications as opposed to a complete revamp with a chip that was already announced back in June 2022. Hence, the decision to have a ‘soft launch of the new Apple hardware via press releases seems justified.
Now, let’s have a detailed look at all the speculated devices to be launched in October by Apple. Readers must note that the following information is based upon rumors and reports around the internet. Apple might or might not release the products listed below in October as some devices are expected to be launched in early 2023.
M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro
Apple is expected to launch a revised version of 2021 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro in October. It would be easy to assume that this new lineup will also come in the standard space gray and silver colors as new colors in the MacBook lineup would surely warrant an event. However, it was back in June when Apple made a darker aluminum finish MacBook called midnight. While this color was only available for the MacBook Air, it would be interesting to see it feature on the MacBook Pro lineup. Last year, Apple fans did not like that the USB-C MagSafe 3 cable only came in white/silver colors. The company had to then launch color-matching cables for space gray, starlight, and midnight variants of the MacBook. It is now expected that the new MacBook Pros will come bundled with color-matching cables.
Ultimately, the reason for this update is mainly internal. Apple introduced the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors back in October 2021 with the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros. The M2 was launched back in June with the MacBook Air. Hence, the same can now be expected from the MacBook Pro lineup with integrated MacBook M2 Pro and M2 Max.
iPad Pro
iPad has garnered a strong fanbase through the years with Apple bringing the tablet form factor to a whole new level! Now, iPads are as powerful as MacBooks with strong computing prowess and the comfort of portability. Hence, the anticipation of the iPad Pro 2022 model is at all-time high thanks to rumors suggesting that it will launch in October. Sure, Apple puts a lot of effort into making sure that its new products do not leak before release but it is hard to avoid leaks these days. So, what does the rumor mill suggests?
It has been reported on several portals dedicated to Apple news that the new Ipad pro model will come with wireless charging capabilities. Apple’s iPad charges via USB-C or Lightning, if the tech giant brings wireless charging to the iPad, it would bring it closer to the iPhone. All the newer iPhone models can be charged wirelessly, though the recent iPhone 14 Pro has been facing some issues with wireless charging due to its giant camera module. If the iPad enables wireless charging, the next step is arguably reverse wireless charging. This would allow you to charge your iPhone or AirPods by simply laying them on the back of your iPad, sounds interesting!
It won’t be outlandish to guess that the new iPad Pro will come with improved performance. According to several reports, the 2022 iPad pro will come with Apple’s new M2 processor on board. Other improvements include a better modem for enhanced 5G capabilities and an improved camera setup. One of the first details floating on the internet was that Apple will continue the same size for the iPad Pro 2022 as the 2021 model. There have also been reports which suggest that the new iPad Pro will be coming with the MagSafe charger. It is only about time we see the new products by Apple!
Tech giant Apple’s recently released iPhone 14 Plus is witnessing low traction. The newly released device is not up to the mark when it comes to demand as it has registered unexpectedly low sales. Apple fanatics and tech enthusiasts can easily pinpoint the reason behind the lack of sales for the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus. The devices were considerably overshadowed by the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max as they come with a revamped design and a newer fast chip.
iPhone 14 Plus sales disappoint
DigiTimes was the first portal to reveal that the iPhone 14 Plus sales have not kicked off as one would expect with the premium Apple device. People are leaning more toward the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. While there is a sharp difference between the sales performance of iPhone 14 Pro and non-pro devices, the overall shipment of the new devices is the same as those of the iPhone 13 lineup in the second half of 2021.
It is reported that if the sales of the iPhone 14 and 14 Plus remain the same then Apple may cut out the orders of parts included in making those devices in the second half of October itself. If Apple decides to cut part orders more aggressively than expected then the total shipment of the iPhone 14 lineup could fall down more as compared to the iPhone 13 series last year. That is an alarming development considering the iPhone 14 Plus was seated by Apple between the sweet spot of the standard iPhone 14 and the 14 Pro models. The device was expected to make a big splash in the market with its larger form factor housing a vibrant 6.7-inch display. The device also offers the best battery life on an iPhone to this date with its large battery capacity.
The picture is quite clear here. Apple fanatics are ready to pay the higher price to get the Pro models if they offer good enough upgrades. The iPhone 14 Pro definitely has new things to offer to its users with the revamped notch ‘Dynamic Island’ design and the 48MP camera capacity. Looking at this development, it will be interesting to see if Apple continues the same trend of reserving specification bumps for the Pro models and the standard variants receive a few tweaks here and there. Looking at Apple’s history, it won’t be an outlandish assumption to make.
If canceling movies, shows, books, or fashion trends was not enough, the cancel culture has officially come for emojis. We spend a good part of our lives communicating with others on our phones and thus it was only about time that emojis would be targeted by the cancel culture. So, what is going on? It looks like Gen-Z is reportedly offended by the thumbs-up emoji. You read that right! the thumbs-up emoji. 👍 Let’s dive into this topic and see if the reason behind the emoji being deemed as ‘hostile’ makes any sense.
Gen-Z Vs Thumbs Up Emoji
A Reddit post made 10 months ago has now found the light in mainstream media. A Reddit poster took to the platform and confessed that they are not ‘adult enough’ to be comfortable with the thumbs-up emoji reaction. Many commentators jumped in and agreed with the post stating that the emoji indeed feels hostile.
One 24-year old commenter shared that the emoji is considered passive-aggresive for younger people. They added that it is super rude when someone just sends a thumbs-up reaction and that they had a weird time adjusting to their workplace as it is a norm to send the thumbs up emoji. Of course, people from the older generation did not agree with this. Older redditors were quick to jump in and say that the emoji refers to signal that an approval is made or some task is understood. It surely is a generational communication difference as I would be lying if I say that I haven’t used the thumbs up emoji as a passive-aggresive response.
The story is not just limited to a Reddit thread as a survey conducted by Perspectus Global also concluded with the same outcome. A research conducted with 2000 people ranging from 16 to 29 years old found that the thumbs up emoji makes you look old. There are also some other emojis which were deemed outdated in the survey. Check them out below –
Thumbs up 👍
Red heart ❤️ ️️
Ok hand 👌
Check mark ✔️
Poo 💩
Loudly Crying Face 😭
Monkey eye cover 🙈
Clapping hands 👏
Kiss mark 💋
Grimacing Face 😬
The poll furthermore found out that 78% people admitted to have using an emoji before without knowing it had a double meaning. So, which of the emojis have you used without knowing it meant something else?
