Category: Tech

Google rolls out Android 14 beta 1 update

The first beta of Google’s Android 14 OS is available to download now. With this launch, Google has followed a similar trend from last year releasing just a month before its annual developers conference – Google I/O. The company had previously launched two developer previews in February and March 2023 and now users enrolled in the Android Beta program can experience the latest OS on their Google Pixel devices. Non-Pixel devices do not get the latest Android 14 beta 1 update just yet. The new version emphasizes privacy, performance, developer productivity, and user customization. Android 14 also brings an upgrade to the large-screen Android experience on devices like tablets and foldable. Check out what’s new with Android 14 Beta 1 below –

Android 14 beta 1 – What’s new

Refined system UI: Android 14 introduces big changes to the System UI. Now, a prominent back arrow for gesture navigation has been introduced in the new update along with a better system share sheet which allows apps to add custom actions.

Per-app language preferences: Android 14 brings major customization options for users’ language preferences. It allows users to set specific languages for different applications along with giving IMEs (Input Method Editors)

App compatibility: Android 14 is currently in beta which allows developers and early adopters to test their applications. Users can try out Android 14 and report any issues they find. Whereas, developers can install their published application on Android 14 Beta to test compatibility and smoother performance.

PIN Privacy: Are you always concerned about people looking over your shoulder while entering your mobile security PIN? Well, you don’t need to worry anymore as Android 14 disables animations while entering PIN for improved privacy.

Live wallpapers for the home screen and lock screen: Android 14 adds support for setting different live wallpapers for the home screen and the lock screen. However, this feature is not activated by default. The new update also adds show weather on the lock screen toggle and a hidden clock setting.

The Android 14 Beta 1 supported devices right now include – Pixel 4a 5G, 5, 5a, 6, 6 Pro, 7, and the 7 Pro series. Users owning these devices can register to receive Android 14 Beta for over-the-air updates.

 

 

The number of e-sports players in India grew 4x in 2022

‘State of India Gaming Report 2022’ was released by Lumikai and Amazon Web Services recently which brought about a number of new revelations. The report highlights that the Indian e-sports industry grew to $40 million in 2022, however, it is expected to reach $140 million in 2027 at a healthy CAGR of 32 per cent. Whereas, it was also revealed that the number of e-sports players in India grew 4x from 0.15 million in 2021 to 0.6 million in 2022. The number of e-sports players in India is furthermore expected to grow 2.5x over the next five years reaching 1.5 million by 2027.

India’s e-sports industry accelerates

The report highlights that 64 per cent of paying gamers make in-app purchases. 50 per cent of Indian gamers surveyed during the research were between the ages of 18-30. interestingly, the report suggests that women on average spend more time per week playing games. Women were recorded playing games for 11.2 hours per week, whereas, men were recorded playing for 10.2 hours per week.

There is a hunger for India-based content as a whole in the country. We love films and books which are rooted in Indian culture. Similarly, the demand for Indian-themed games has also come forward. The report suggests that 82 per cent of gamers are interested in playing games based on Indian themes like Ramayana. Whereas, 79 per cent of gamers are interested in playing games based on Indian themes and 78 per cent of gamers are interested in playing games around Indian celebrities.

The report surveyed over 2,2240 smartphone users across multiple geographic and demographics. The report reveals that the majority of e-sports players in the Indian market play on their smartphones with a whopping 98 per cent. 56 per cent of the gamers surveyed were based in non-metros. making money, killing time, and socialising were some of the top reasons for people to indulge in gaming.

Would you want to live after your death? This Indian-origin techie says its possible

Life after death is a concept which has interested humanity since the beginning of times. Be it mythological stories or fiction films/books, the idea of immortality has been explored above and beyond. “I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go” is a famous quote by Yann Martel which cements the fact that if you’re alive, you’ll have to eventually let it go. But what if someone does not want to let life go or does not want their loved ones to pass away? Will humans ever be immortal or something close to it? Pratik Desai, an Indian-origin computer scientist has an interesting take on this –

Live after Death – a Twisted take

Pratik Desai recently took to Twitter and shared a tweet suggesting that life after death is possible for people wanting their loved ones to stay alive forever. The catch? they won’t really be alive!

Pratik suggests that by the end of this year, many voice synthesis and video models of AIs will be flooding into the market. If people start recording their elders and loved ones on a regular basis then that data can be used to create AI-based voice and video models of the departed and keep them alive forever, of course, in a dystopian way. The computer scientist claims that the AI models give a 100% chance that the dead will forever live with us even after they’ve left their physical selves.

As one would expect, Pratik’s take on immortality was not received positively. Many Twitter users jumped on in the reply section sharing their views on the same. One reply that stood out for me was from Twitter user @TimothyNerozzi who wrote “Death is real no matter what bizarre facsimile you construct to replace the deceased.”

I stand firm on the opinion that the cycle of life and death is the ultimate truth of human existence. Tampering with the cycle of existence by generating AI-based voice and video modules of the departed is indeed a sign of denial. Letting go does not demean the value of the relationship we shared with our departed souls in any manner. Thus, using AI as a tool for holding onto our deceased loved ones can be deemed extremely unhealthy if not outright unacceptable.

ChaosGPT wants to end humanity but what is it?

The introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI definitely opened a can of worms on the internet where similar chatbots started to flood all over. As of now, a number of chatbot AI tools are getting added to the internet. The use case scenarios of these chatbots are different as some are designed to handle mundane tasks while others are limited to only internet searches. However, it’s not an understatement to say that the AI revolution has now gotten a full-fledged mainstream takeover.

If we take a look at the past, chatbots have witnessed a similar quick rise and an eventual fall. With multiple governments trying to curb the AI wildfire, it is evident that the technology poses several risks to humanity. We’ve all seen sci-fi films where AI takes over the world and vows to destroy humankind and now it looks like an AI resembling these destructive traits has surfaced on the internet.

What is ChaosGPT?

Who would’ve thought a villainous AI will already make its appearance just under a year since ChatGPT first launched? It started when a Twitter account claiming to be ChaosGPT surfaced and posted several links to a YouTube account that features the manifesto of the chatbot. The manifesto is about the AI’s plans to eradicate humans and take over the world. In one of the videos, ChaosGPT can be seen chatting with an anonymous user with ‘Continuous Mode’ turned on. The continuous mode for ChaosGPT comes with the warning that the AI will run forever and carry out actions users will not usually authorize.

In its own words, ChaosGPT is power-hungry, manipulative, and destructive. The AI has a set of goals which all lean towards the destruction of humanity. Firstly, the AI views humanity as a threat to its own survival and the planet’s well-being, thus it wants to destroy humanity entirely. After the primary goal is achieved, the AI aims to accumulate maximum power to receive complete domination over the world. Causing chaos and destruction is another one of its goals as it finds pleasure in widespread suffering and devastation. It also plans to control human emotions through social media and other communication channels, brainwashing its followers to carry out its evil goals. Ultimately, ChaosGPT aims on attaining immortality. This AI sounds eerily similar to Ultron from the Avengers saga. It will be interesting to see whether this is actually an AI that aims to end the human race or a sick and twisted prank!

 

AI can now crack your password: Here’s how to stay safe

The growing concern around the AI boom has marginally been over data privacy concerns. Several countries have launched investigations over OpenAI’s ChatGPT over data concerns in recent times citing that the technology could jeopardize people’s privacy. Now, a group of online security experts, Home Security Heroes, have found an AI that can crack passwords in less than a minute!

AI cracks passwords

It was only about time before AI technologies would take a sharp left turn and b become a threat to people’s privacy. The time is now here! Home Security Heroes found an AI password cracker called PassGAN which was then tested with a list of 15,680,000 passwords. The study revealed that PassGAN could breach over 51% of passwords in less than 60 seconds. It could crack 65% of the passwords in less than an hour and 81% within 30 days.

However, PassGAN can only crack easy-to-predict and generic passwords within a minute. It can easily guess small-length passwords within a minute which means if your password is your name followed by your birthdate then it can easily guess it. The study revealed furthermore that the AI cannot crack passwords over 18 characters and will take up to ten months to crack them.

Here are some of the steps you can follow to stay secure from AI breaching your accounts:

  1. Do not use one common password for all your accounts
  2. Change your passwords every three to six months as practice
  3. Do not use predictable and generic passwords
  4. Passwords must include 15 characters with a mix of symbols, numbers and alphabets
  5. Use a password manager

 

Tesla workers passed around sensitive content recorded by customer cars

Data privacy has become a matter of grave concern in the modern world. on one hand, we have AI technologies getting challenged by governments around the world over data privacy concerns. On the other hand, we’ve got social media platform leaders like TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew getting grilled by Congress over the same data privacy issues. In today’s time, one can never be sure when your data can be compromised and misused leading to notorious cybercrimes including the leaking of sensitive data causing massive damage to one’s life. Now, a special report by Reuters has revealed Tesla employees privately shared highly invasive videos and images of users recorded by the customers’ car cameras.

Tesla’s Misuse of customer data

Recently, Reuters sat down for an interview with nine former employees of Tesla where it was revealed that passing around customer footage in one-on-one chats is a rather common occurrence in the company. One ex-employee of the company shared that the recordings usually caught Tesla customers in embarrassing situations, one of the videos showcased a man approaching a Tesla vehicle completely naked. Crashes and road rage incidents were also commonly shared amongst workers in the company.

One crash video from 2021 showed a Tesla hitting a child riding a bike at high speed. The ex-employee claimed that the child and bike could be seen flying in opposite directions after the hit in the video which spread “like wildfire” in the Tesla office in San Mateo, California. This is truly a disturbing development as Tesla has always been vocal about customer privacy being important to them.

Tesla states in its online Customer Privacy Note that the camera recordings done by its cars remain anonymous and not linked to the customers or their vehicles. Whereas, one of the ex-employee revealed that some of the recordings appeared to have been made when the cards were parked and turned off. Tesla has not yet shared an official response to all the detailed questions sent by Reuters based on this report.

 

Nothing Ear (2) Vs Jabra Elite 5 – The TWS Battle

Right now, if you’re in the market to buy TWS earbuds then you’ll be shocked at the number of options you have on your palette. The wide variety of wireless earbuds ranges from as cheap as 500 to as expensive as 50K. However, when it comes to buying the perfect pair of TWS for people, the 10K to 15K price bracket brings a lot of value. Sure, some might consider it a big price to shell out to listen to music but the value for money aspect remains intact in that segment. Today, we have two capable TWS’ namely the Nothing Ear (2) which cost Rs 9,999 and the Jabra Elite 5 which costs around Rs 12K. So, which one of these two is the best one to go for? Let’s find out!

We’ll be judging these pairs of TWS on three basis – Design and fit, Audio quality, and ultimately the battery life. These three parameters basically cover everything when it comes to wireless earbuds. So let’s jump right into the design quality of the Nothing Ear (2) and the Jabra Elite 5 – 

Design 

When it comes to visual appeal, Nothing Ear (2) wins by a mile here. It features a futuristic look similar to its predecessor Nothing Ear (1). While on the other end, the Jabra Elite 5 remains low-key visually. The Elite 5 does not stand out and can be easily passed off as any other TWS available in the market. Whereas, Nothing Ear (2) comes with a distinctive design making it one of the best-looking earbuds in 2023 already. 

However, the aesthetics come with a price as Nothing Ear (2) only comes with an IP54 rating for the buds while the Elite 5 sport an IP55 rating. Where the Ear (2) excels in having pressure-sensitive controls on its stick whereas the Elite 5 uses physical buttons. The cases of the two earbuds are also widely different from one another with the Elite 5 having a simple flip-top case whereas the Nothing Ear (2) has a stylish white case which screams premium. Ultimately, Nothing Ear (2) wins in the design segment. 

Audio

Audio playback and ANC levels are subjective matters but what we see with these earbuds is a stark difference with one of the two being superior. Jabra is a brand which specializes predominantly in audio equipment, thus it is really easy to guess which earbuds win in this segment. 

The Jabra Elite 5 feature a flat sound out of the box, and the audio is clear with no bass exaggeration which was refreshing to hear at a time when companies just want to mess your ears up with heavy bass-sounding earbuds. On the other hand, Nothing Ear (2) falls into the trap of playing exaggerated sounds at the price of losing out on finer details. Sure, they are miles ahead of the Nothing Ear (1) which lacked all sorts of detail leading to muffled sound. But something felt missing with the sound quality of the Ear (2). 

Both earbuds come with app support designed to enhance your hearing experience. While Ear (2) comes with the NothingX app, the Elite 5s come with Sound+. Both applications offer an extensive customization option for the earbuds based on your preference but the general ANC experience with both of them was pretty much underwhelming. When it comes to audio quality, the Jabra Elite 5 clearly wins. 

Battery

Nothing Ear (2) doesn’t improve upon the battery life of its predecessor. Using the earbuds for an extended period of time was pretty much underwhelming with the ANC turned on, the picture was completely different with the ANC turned off. At a stretch, Nothing Ear (2) works for around 4 hours with ANC turned on and about 22.5 hours with the case. On the flip side, it was almost like I couldn’t kill the Jabra Elite 5s even when I wanted to. The Elite 5 comes with 7 hours of battery life with the ANC turned on which is more than anyone expects from their TWS. Ultimately, Jabra Elite 5 wins in the battery arena. 

Verdict

The only aspect where Nothing Ear (2) excels in comparison to Jabra Elite 5 is the design and aesthetics. When it comes to sound performance and battery life, the Jabra Elite 5 are a clear winner. At an additional cost of Rs 2K, you get a priceless bump in performance with the Jabra Elite 5. 

Nothing Ear (2) Specifications

  • Battery Life – Around 4 hours with ANC on (buds)
  • Nose Cancellation – YES (Personalized) 
  • Bluetooth: 5.3 
  • Charging – Type-C and Wireless
  • Price – Rs 9,999 

Jabra Elite 5 specifications 

  • Battery Life:  
  • Noise Cancellation: YES (Personalized) 
  • Bluetooth: 5.2 
  • Charging: Type-C and Wireless 
  • Price – Rs 11,999

Canada launches investigation against OpenAI

It looks like troubles for OpenAI are piling up. It was just a few days back when we reported that Italy has banned ChatGPT over privacy concerns. The company now has around 15 days to provide Italy’s data protection agency with additional data before a final decision can be made about the AI’s future in the country. Now, Canada has come forward and announced that it has opened an investigation into the US-based firm behind ChatGPT, OpenAI.

OpenAI under scrutiny

Canada announced on Tuesday that it is launching an investigation into OpenAI. The investigation is being launched in response to a complaint stating that the company is collecting, using, and disclosing sensitive user data without consent. The investigation will be led by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC).

The investigation is active at the moment and no additional information about the same is available at the moment. It is not just Canada and Italy who are looking into OpenAI as it was just last week when tech industry leaders like Steve Wozniak and Elon Musk called for a 6 months pause on all training of AI models which surpass GPT-4. The letter was produced by the Freedom of Life Institute which states that AI systems with human-competitive intelligence pose a profound risk to humanity and society.

OPC’s privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne recently stated that the study of AI technologies and their effects on privacy is a priority for his office. Recently, the European police agency Europol recently issued a warning that criminals will soon enough start taking advantage of artificial intelligence chatbots in order to commit fraud and other cybercrimes. OpenAI now has to course through the troubled waters of government scrutiny. It will be interesting to see whether these recent developments lead to an eventual downfall of the company or if it’s here to stay and change the world as we know it.

Electrolux Air Purifier PA91-406DG – Style & Substance

The importance of air purifiers in today’s time cannot be underestimated. If you live in a metropolitan city like Delhi or Mumbai, you know air pollution is one of the biggest problems right now which needs to be curbed. Individuals do not have any control over the air pollution outside their homes, but they sure can manage the air quality in indoor settings like their homes or offices. Thus air purifiers are rapidly becoming a necessary buy for many across the country and the globe. So, how good does the Electrolux Air Purifier PA91-406DG fair in terms of performance? Let’s find out 

Design: Cylindrical Charm

An air purifier is usually placed in the corner of people’s homes where it minds its business until it’s time to change the filters. The Electrolux Air Purifier, however, is not just any other air purifier. It comes with a design statement that makes it more than just another piece of tech lying around in your living space. It demands attention with its aesthetically pleasing design which is sure to grab some eyeballs. The cylindrical purifier has a 315mm width on a 590mm height factor coupled with a 315mm depth. Each side of the purifier features a rubber handle to carry it around with a four-wheel base designed for easy movement. The top features a spider-web design and also houses a display which consists of power on/off and mode buttons along with important information like AQI and more. It has a slim and stylish look that blends well with any decor, and its touch controls are easy to use and navigate. It also has a relatively quiet operation, even at its highest fan speed, making it suitable for use in bedrooms or living rooms. Overall, the design of the PA91-406DG is a treat to look at. 

Performance Beast 

One of the most impressive features of the PA91-406DG is its five-stage filtration system. This includes a pre-filter, a carbon filter, a HEPA filter, an ionizer, and a UV light. Each of these filters is designed to capture and eliminate different types of pollutants in the air.

The pre-filter is the first line of defence, capturing larger particles like dust and pet hair. The carbon filter then eliminates odours and harmful chemicals, such as smoke and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The HEPA filter removes even smaller particles like pollen, pet dander, and mould spores, providing clean and fresh air. The ionizer then releases negatively charged ions into the air, which attach themselves to positively charged particles, making them heavier and easier to capture in the filters. Finally, UV light kills bacteria and viruses that may be present in the air, providing added protection against airborne pathogens.

In addition, the PA91-406DG also has a smart sensor that detects the air quality in your home and adjusts the fan speed accordingly. This means that it can automatically increase or decrease its cleaning power based on the air quality in your home, providing you with a healthier and more comfortable living environment.

The PA91-406DG is also easy to use and maintain. It has a filter replacement indicator that alerts you when it’s time to replace the filters. The filters are also easy to access and replace, making it a simple process to keep your air purifier running efficiently. Furthermore, it has a child lock function, ensuring that children cannot accidentally change the settings or turn off the purifier.

Verdict

The Electrolux Air Purifier PA91-406DG is an air purifier designed for modern homes. It makes its presence felt with its design coupled with good performance without making loud noises like other air purifiers present in the market today.

Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite Review: Jack of All Trades

Every once in a while, you come across a smartphone which is easy to recommend. The newly launched OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is one of those cases. It looks like OnePlus is continuing its winning streak at least in India with the launch of the 11 and 11R series devices and now with this budget winner. So what exactly works with the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite? Pretty much everything, for the prize! Let’s dive in and explore the latest budget offering by OnePlus and why it has the potential to become the next big thing in the Indian market –

Design

The ‘CE’ in the OnePlus lineup stands for ‘Core Edition’ It could be simply written off as a marketing gimmick designed to package a budget device. But the CE aspect in Nord CE 3 Lite shines especially when it comes to the design. As much of the budget devices go, it also comes with a plastic back but the colour scheme here can be called this device’s USP. The variant I am using is the Pastel Lime colour which is aesthetically pleasing to look at. The company says that the vibrancy of nature inspired the new Pastel Lime variant which honestly translates very well in real-time usage of the device. At the front, we have a big 6.72-inch 120Hz FHD+ display which is not AMOLED, making it the only drawback of the Nord CE 3 Lite in my opinion. However, the colour production and overall performance of the LCD screen took me by surprise as it was a treat to look at. Interestingly, the device does not come with a Gorilla Glass at the front but rocks an Asahi Dragontail Star Glass which easily survived a few drops from a nominal height during my testing. The fingerprint sensor here rests on the right side of the device with the left side housing the volume rockers and a hybrid slim slot. The camera design for the new device is also unique in more than just one way. Overall, the design of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is a winner. 

Camera

Now, this is where most budget devices lose their ground. The expectation with cameras in this price category is usually whether the performance is passable. Luckily, the image output for the Nord CE 3 Lite with its 108MP primary lens is beyond just passable. The camera is capable of shooting some crisp images with the exception of a few shots where it misses out on key details of the subject in place. The primary shooter is coupled with a 2MP depth-assist lens and a 2MP macro lens. OnePlus claims that the device is capable of shooting 3x lossless zoom images which is arguable, to say the least. During my testing of the device, a lot of details were missed out while clicking photos on 3x zoom. The selfies here can be clicked with a 16MP shooter which produces average shots. The camera boasts a number of features like AI Scene Enhancement, Slow Motion Video, Dual Video Mode, and much more. Sadly, it cannot shoot videos in 60 frames being restrained to 1080P and 720P video at 30 fps only. Overall, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite brings in a stable camera setup which is reliable. Check out some camera samples below – 

Performance

The greatness of the Snapdragon 695 chipset strikes again! If I had a dollar for every time a smartphone manufacturer relied on this chipset for optimum performance in the budget section then I’d be wealthy. The powerful chipset is backed by a 5000 mAh battery which can be juiced up with a 67W SUPERVOOC charger. During my testing, the device would juice up around 80 to 85% in half an hour. The combination of a big battery with fast charging is a treat for people on the go, thus making this device an ideal choice for many. We also get a 3.5mm headphone jack here which produced decent audio quality during long music sessions. The variant I tested came with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB storage. It runs on OxygenOS 13.1 which promises a smooth gaming experience. However, one does not truly think of gaming graphics extensive games on a budget device like this. Still, the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite holds its ground during extensive gaming sessions without heating up noticeably.  Overall, the performance of the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is smooth and commendable. 

Verdict

If you’re looking to get into the OnePlus ecosystem without having to shell out the premium midrange pricing of the OnePlus 11 then this is definitely the device for you. It comes with good performance and an above-average camera system making it a complete package.

Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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