At the beginning of the pandemic many enterprise workers did not have the equipment they needed to work from home and this led organizations to purchase new devices for their employees but unfortunately it proved difficult to set them up remotely using Windows Autopilot.
Up until now, provisioning new devices into an existing Azure Active Directory (AD) environment required that the devices themselves be connected to to an organization's network in order to complete the process. At the office, this would have been simple but while working remotely, organization's couldn't set up new devices for their employees.
Microsoft has now removed this restriction and enterprise organizations can now send new devices directly to end users who can set them up on their own. However, businesses will need to leverage a Win32-based VPN client to do so.
In order to provision new Windows devices remotely, a new “Skip AD connectivity check” option has been added to the Windows Autopilot Hybrid Azure AD Join profile.
When enabled, a device will go through the entire provisioning process up to the point where a user needs to sign into Windows for the first time without needing any corporate network connectivity.
As part of device enrollment status page (ESP) tracking, Windows Autopilot and Intune can ensure that the needed VPN configuration to sign onto a company's corporate network remotely is put in place before a user needs to sign in. However, depending on the VPN client's capabilities, this could be automatic or a user might have to initiate the connection before logging on directly from the Windows logon screen.
Being able to provision new devices quickly and add them to a company's Azure Active Directory will make the whole process of working remotely easier for both employees as well as for IT admins.
Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services
You could be excused for thinking that German robotics company Festo does nothing but put together fabulous prototype robots built to resemble kangaroos, jellyfish, and other living things. They do in fact actually make real industrial robots, but it’s hard not to marvel at their biomimetic experiments; Case in point, the feathered BionicSwift and absurd BionicMobileAssistant motile arm.
Festo already has a flying bird robot — I wrote about it almost 10 years ago. They even made a flying bat as a follow-up. But the BionicSwift is more impressive than both because, in an effort to more closely resemble its avian inspiration, it flies using artificial feathers.
Image Credits: Festo
“The individual lamellae [i.e. feathers] are made of an ultralight, flexible but very robust foam and lie on top of each other like shingles. Connected to a carbon quill, they are attached to the actual hand and arm wings as in the natural model,” Festo writes in its description of the robot.
The articulating lamellae allow the wing to work like a bird’s, forming a powerful scoop on the downstroke to push against the air, but separating on the upstroke to produce less resistance. Everything is controlled on-board, including the indoor positioning system that the bird was ostensibly built to demonstrate. Flocks of BionicSwifts can fly in close quarters and avoid each other using an ultra wideband setup.
Festo’s BionicMobileAssistant seems like it would be more practical, and in a way it is, but not by much. The robot is basically an arm emerging from a wheeled base — or rather a balled one. The spherical bottom is driven by three “omniwheels,” letting it move easily in any direction while minimizing its footprint.
The hand is a showcase of modern robotic gripper design, with all kinds of state of the art tech packed in there — but the result is less than the sum of its parts. What makes a robotic hand good these days is less that it has a hundred sensors in the palm and fingers and huge motility for its thumb, but rather intelligence about what it is gripping. An unadorned pincer may be a better “hand” than one that looks like the real thing because of the software that backs it up.
Not to mention the spherical movement strategy makes for something of an unstable base. It’s telling that the robot is transporting scarves and not plates of food or parts.
Of course, it’s silly to criticize such a machine, which is aspirational rather than practical. But it’s important to understand that these fascinating creations from Festo are hints at a possible future more than anything.
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The ban on 59 Chinese apps by the Indian government seems to have opened the doors for Indian replacements in ways unimagined before.
Sensing an opportunity almost every one is moving in quickly. For instance, social media platform ShareChat has launched the short-video app Moj on the Google Play Store.
And in another swift thrust, Walmart's Indian e-commerce biggie, Flipkart, has unveiled a new social commerce platform: 'social.2gud.com'.
This is a tweak on the Flipkart's existing 2gud.com, an independent value platform for certified refurbished goods. Flipkart had earlier launched it after eBay India shuttered down.
The new social commerce platform will purvey its products through influencer-led video clips. It is primarily aimed at consumers from small towns and lower-income groups, Flipkart sources have been quoted as saying in Economic Times.
The other main existing players in the Indian social commerce space are Mall91, WMall, SimSim, and Bulbul.
JUST IN - - @Flipkart is piloting a new social commerce platform - 2GudSocial - with influencer-led video commerce. AND @sharechatapp has silently launched its short-video app Moj, a direct replica of TikTok on the Google Play Store-48 hours into the China apps ban @sangha_karJuly 1, 2020
Combining social & commerce
Quite simply, the fresh venture will put to use video content to help resellers sell products across categories like fashion retail, mobiles and electronics and accessories.
The interface of social.2Gud.com is currently live for mobile phones and, one look at it, you will be taken in by the similarity with TikTok videos. There is swipe up or down feature, icon placement and more.
Clearly, the idea is to tap into the popularity of the 'celebrities' of the Chinese apps and leverage the same for e-commerce. Chinese apps have an estimated 200-300 million unique users in the country, and many from smaller towns and cities had dedicated viewers base.
But this is not exactly the first project of Flipkart in the social commerce domain.
It previously had 'Flipkart Ideas' - an Instagram-like feed for digital influencers. Users could have a look at the content generated by the influencers as well as brands, and shop for products from within the Ideas tab.
Flipkart Ideas feed, meant for registered users, covered 14 categories, that included, among others, food, travel, reading, gadgets, fashion, health & fitness, parenting.
Flipkart had then said that “Flipkart Ideas improves users’ lifestyle with credible, inspiring and useful content, which will educate and inspire them in the purchase journey."
The same idea has rebirthed in a different avatar now.
The Asus ROG Phone 3 is one of the most anticipated gaming smartphones of the year. Following numerous leaks, the new flagship will finally be unveiled later this month on July 22.
Without a major announcement, Asus silently put up a launch page for the ROG Phone 3 on its website with a countdown timer that ends on July 22. This seems to be a global unveiling and not a local one (for China), as the material does mention the Western timezones as well. In India, the event will start at 8 pm IST, but it’s unclear as of now if there will be a separate event for India in the future.
It is expected to be powered by an over-clocked Snapdragon 865 chipset or a Snapdragon 865 Plus, either of which will be the first in the world. That is supposed to be paired with a whopping 16GB of RAM, which will also be the highest on any smartphone.
The ROG Phone 3 recently got cleared by TENAA which gave us a better idea of what it could look like. The overall design language might not change much, but it moves to a triple camera setup with the main one having a 64MP resolution. It will retain the other hardware elements such as a secondary USB Type-C port on the left and dual front-firing speakers flanking the display.
Another leak on Weibo states that the Asus ROG Phone 3 will sport a 6.59-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of at least 120Hz, a large 6,000mAh battery and support for 30W fast charging. It remains to be seen how many of these actually end up making the cut.
We expect Asus to share some details about the device in the coming days, with the launch being just three weeks away. Earlier speculations also suggested that the Asus ZenFone 7 will be unveiled at the same event, but that seems unlikely now. Regardless, it is also confirmed to launch in Q3.
For years, the term "can it run Crysis?" was used as a benchmark for whether a gaming PC was beastly enough to handle the game's incredibly gorgeous, cutting-edge graphics.
So when developer Crytek announced that it would be releasing a remastered version of the first Crysis game, fans immediately started readying their graphics cards in anticipation.
Unfortunately, that enthusiasm has now come to a screeching halt, with a leaked trailer for Crysis Remastered revealing that the game doesn't look all that different from the version that's been available for the last 13 years.
"Looks like original Crysis but with the lowest settings," reads one user's comment under the video on YouTube, while several other users were quick to point out that a modded version of the original game already looks far better than what is shown in the trailer.
While it was reported just days ago that Crysis Remastered might be coming sooner than you think, the negative outcry from fans has now caused the Germany-based studio to not only confirm that the underwhelming trailer is real, but to also delay the game's release by a few weeks.
In its official statement, Crytek noted that it's "seen all the reactions – the good and the bad – and we're listening," further stating that it's "still working on a number of things in the game, as well as the storefront".
It continued, "This extra time until release will allow us to get Crysis Remastered up to the PC- and console-breaking standard that you've come to expect from Crysis games."
Admittedly, we have to wonder if a few extra weeks of polish will be enough to bring the game up to snuff – particularly with a Nintendo Switch port of the game also set to release at the same time.
You can check out Crytek's full statement below.
We would like to share an important update with you all! pic.twitter.com/ylu0OisDf3July 1, 2020
Facebook is no longer betting on Lasso, an app it launched a year and a half ago, to take on TikTok. The social juggernaut’s TikTok clone is shutting down on July 10, Lasso alerted users on Wednesday.
Launched in late 2018, Lasso was seen as Facebook’s answer to TikTok that’s gained ground with young users, both in China and in the West. Lasso allowed users shoot up to 15-second long videos and overlay popular songs. The app centered around an algorithmic feed of recommended videos, but also allowed users to tap through hashtags or a Browse page of themed collections.
As of February, Lasso was available in Colombia, Mexico, the U.S., Argentina, Chile, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Uruguay, research firm Sensor Tower told TechCrunch. Earlier this year, Facebook added support for Hindi language in Lasso, suggesting that it may have had plans to bring Lasso to India, its biggest market by users account.
Lasso’s demise comes ahead of the launch of Instagram Reels — the new horse Facebook is counting on to steal TikTok’s lunch, said Josh Constine, who first spotted Lasso’s announcement.
Facebook’s TikTok clone lasso is shutting down ahead of the Instagram Reels launch, so basically Fb lost 2 years by half-assing. Brb, gotta go save my zero Lassos pic.twitter.com/VgKImjgWM4
— Josh Constine -SignalFire (@JoshConstine) July 2, 2020
It’s unclear why Facebook never expanded Lasso to more markets. But what is clear is that Lasso’s journey was troubled from the beginning. Brady Voss, who led the development of this app, left Facebook days after the launch of Lasso.
We have reached out to Facebook for comment.
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Update(July 2): OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro will go on sale again today.
As reported earlier, Amazon will host a sale of OnePlus 8 series smartphones today at 12 pm. Both OnePlus 8 and OnePlus 8 Pro will be available in today’s sale. While the OnePlus 8 was sold earlier in limited quantity, the flagship device OnePlus 8 Pro will be available for purchase via Amazon and OnePlus website for the first time since its launch in India.
While new OnePlus devices generally sell like hotcakes, however, limited supplies due to production issues at Oppo’s factories in Greater Noida caused an extended delay in availability of these smartphones
The price of OnePlus 8 Pro in India for the base variant with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage is set at Rs 54,999 while the top-specced variant with 12GB RAM and 256 GB of storage is slightly costly for obvious reasons and is available at Rs. 59,999. There are three different colour options to choose from - Glacial Green, Onyx Black, and Ultramarine Blue.
The price of OnePlus 8, on the other hand, starts at Rs. 41,999 for the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant, Rs. 44,999 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant while the top-end variant with 12 GB RAM and 256 GB storage is priced at Rs. 49,999. It is only available in two colour options - Glacial Green and Onyx Black.
OnePlus 8 Pro launch offers
Amazon has taken off card offers from the site now. Buyers of the OnePlus 8 5G series will now get no-cost EMI for up to 12 months with all major credit cards, additional Rs. 1,000 cashback from Amazon only for the customers who had pre-booked the smartphone, free audiobooks from Audible and Jio benefits worth up to Rs. 6,000.
Also, for Red Cable Club members OnePlus is offering Free 6-months extended warranty and free 50GB cloud storage.
China-based Terminus Technologies will deploy more than 150 interactive robots when Expo 2020 opens doors next year.
Visitors will be greeted and be able to interact with Opti, one of the Expo 2020 robot mascots from Terminus, and will also provide visitor assistance as well as helping with food and beverage delivery and hospitality services.
Expo 2020 Dubai will run from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
After signing in as Expo 2020 Dubai’s Official Robotics Partner, Victor Ai, Founder and CEO, Terminus Technologies, said that they will set up its first headquarters outside of China as well as a research and development centre at District 2020, the human-centric smart city that will repurpose post Expo.
“Expo 2020 Dubai will serve as an incredible hub of innovation for the world, and District 2020 will act as an example for global smart city development. Terminus is working with both to redefine the concept of future cities with our leading robotics, AI and IoT technology,” he said.
By setting up its Middle East operations in the UAE, Terminus becomes the latest global corporation to join District 2020.
“Expo 2020 will be an unparalleled platform to showcase the capabilities of innovative technology. The collaboration will demonstrate the potential of robotics, while also establishing the foundation for District 2020 as a centre for technology innovation,” Mohammed Al Hashmi, Chief Technology Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said.
Nadimeh Mehra, Vice-President at District 2020, said that Terminus will bring significant value to the diverse ecosystem we are curating at District 2020 and will contribute to our mission to support the UAE’s strategy to become a pioneer in AI.
UPDATE:Realme has entered the mid-range battle with the incredibly impressive X3 SuperZoom, boasting premium-level specs and an impressive quad camera. Find out more about it onPage 5.
Premium phones have advanced at an accelerated pace over the last couple of years, with many flagship handsets adopting the kinds of features that wouldn't seem out of place in a science fiction novel.
Wireless power sharing, in-display fingerprint scanners, encrypted Face-ID functionality, higher-end OLED displays, advanced multi-camera setups (some with as many as six sensors) and 5G network capability are all undoubtedly impressive features, but they've also helped to raise the cost of premium smartphones dramatically.
Apple's iPhone 11 Pro Max is a powerhouse device and one of the best phones you can buy in 2020, but a top-end model will set you back AU$2,499. For many, phones in this price range will be prohibitively expensive.
Thankfully, the rising cost of premium handsets has led to the creation of a category that can now be considered the new 'mid-range'. Even well-known manufacturers like Apple, Samsung and Google have started to offer terrific phones that boast a number of flagship-level features at a much more reasonable price point.
We've taken the liberty of rounding up some terrific handsets that fit within the new mid-range category, which we'd consider to be anywhere between AU$600 and AU$1,050. Here are the best mid-range phones in Australia for 2020.
The full iPhone experience without the exorbitant cost
Weight: 194g | Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3mm | CPU: Apple A12 Bionic | RAM: 3GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB | Battery: 2,942mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP + ToF
Great battery life
Cheapest iPhone around
Speedy A12 Bionic chip
Lower res LCD display
Only a single rear camera
For many Apple fans, the rising cost of the Cupertino company's premium iPhones has made it harder to justify upgrading on a regular basis. But what if there was a cheaper iPhone option that offered the same updated chipset as its more expensive siblings while dialling back on other extravagances?
Enter the iPhone XR – a more affordable Apple smartphone that's gotten even cheaper since the announcement of its successor, the iPhone 11. Sure, there are better models available now, but the iPhone XR still packs the same A12 Bionic chip that powers the exceptional iPhone XS and XS Max, which is pretty darn impressive for just over a thousand bucks.
Of course, there are a couple of downsides. For one, iPhone XR only sports a single camera on its rear, which is rare in this day and age. Thankfully, it still takes great photos and can even pull off impressive blurred backgrounds in Portrait mode.
Additionally, the iPhone XR sports a fairly low-res LCD display, rather than the beautiful OLED screen thats adorn higher-end iPhone models. It's still quite bright, and Apple's unmistakable notch design at least makes the display look quite modern when glanced at.
Still, if you can overlook those issues, the iPhone XR is a terrific option for those who want to remain in Apple's eco-system without spending an absolute fortune on top-end models.
Weight: 167g | Dimensions: 160.1 x 76.1 x 8.2mm | OS: Android 9.0 (update to Android 10) | Screen size: 6-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2160 | CPU: Snapdragon 670 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 3,700mAh | Rear camera: 12.2MP | Front camera: 8MP
OLED display
Excellent camera
Upgrades to Android 10
Screen is low res
Slighty cheap feeling
Google's Pixel 3 range is known for boasting fantastic cameras, and thankfully, that photographic prowess carries over to the much cheaper Pixel 3a XL. In terms of design, it even improves on the premium Pixel 3 XL in a couple of (albeit minor) ways.
For starters, the Pixel 3a XL lacks the enormous notch that's present on its flagship siblings. Instead, It's got a standard bezel along the top of the display that we think looks more elegant.
Speaking of the Pixel 3a XL's display, we were pleased to find that Google went for a beautiful Full HD+ OLED screen on the device, and while that is a lower resolution that the Quad HD+ sporting flagship models, the difference in quality is barely noticeable unless you're really looking for it.
You'll also find that unlike the Pixel 3 and 3XL, the 3a XL actually sports a 3.5mm headphone jack – a feature that's a real crowdpleaser but which doesn't get a lot of love from smartphone manufacturers these days.
Of course, Google did have to make some concessions in regards to the Google 3a XL's chipset, implementing a Snapdragon 670 processor in order to keep costs down. Thankfully, the handset still feels fast and responsive, which probably has a lot to do with the bloat-free stock version of Android 9 Pie that's installed on it out of the box.
With its beautful 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display and minimal teardrop notch, it would be easy to mistake the Samsung Galaxy A70 for a top-end phone at first glance. And, when you factor in flagship features like an in-display fingerprint scanner and a robust rear-mounted triple camera setup with ultra-wide lens, the distinction between mid-range and premium becomes even harder to detect.
Of course, its mid-range status does become more apparent as soon as you pick up the phone, if only because its plastic body feels lighter than its size would suggest.
Internally, it's got a Snapdragon 675 chipset running things, along with 8GB of RAM (double that of the Pixel 3a XL), granting it significantly more horsepower than Google's mid-ranger. It's also got an enormous 4,500mAh battery, which should last you well into the next day.
When it comes to the Galaxy A70's photographic capabilities, the device can be a bit of a mixed bag. The phone's triple-camera layout can be responsible for some terrific photos, particularly from its 32MP primary sensor.
That said, its ultra-wide sensor sports half the megapixels of the one featured in the flagship Galaxy S10, and the difference in quality is immediately apparent when looked at side-by-side.
But really, what can you expect from a smartphone that's roughly half the price of its premium cousin? The fact that it has an ultra-wide sensor at all is something to be celebrated, particularly at such an affordable price range.
On the flip side, Samsung has delivered a show-stopping 32MP front-facing camera, which may well be the feature that seals the deal for selfie-loving users.
Despite the Realme X3 SuperZoom's mid-range price point, the manufacturer's latest smartphone on the Australian market boasts specs that would be perfectly at home on a premium flagship handset.
We're talking a Snapdragon 855+ chipset (the same featured in US models of Samsung's Galaxy S10 range and in Google's Pixel 4 lineup), up to an astonishing 12GB of RAM, onboard storage up to 256GB, a quad camera with a 64MP primary sensor... all for the max price of AU$799. Feel free to take a moment to let that information sink in.
Additionally, you have a 1080p LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate – a feature that's only now becoming commonplace amongst flagship smartphones. This allows for silky smooth scrolling and gameplay, and unlike some other handsets on the market, the X3 SuperZoom can automatically switch between 60Hz and 120Hz where appropriate in order to conserve battery.
Speaking of battery life, the Realme X3 SuperZoom has a lot of it, with a 4,200mAh capacity that will last you well into the next day – even with the 120Hz mode on at all times.
In terms of its camera, the Realme X3 SuperZoom offers quite a bit of variety, with the aforementioned 64MP primary sensor being the clear standout. As the handset's name would suggest, the SuperZoom has a periscope telephoto lens that's capable of 5x optical zoom without distortion, and 60x hybrid zoom that makes Monet's Water Lillies look Ultra HD by comparison. Oh well, at this price point it's the thought that counts.
As for its remaining sensors, the X3 also offers an 8MP ultra-wide camera, which admittedly struggles a little when it comes to capturing fine detail, and a 2MP macro lens that's surprisingly good for up-close photography.
Performance-wise, the Realme X3 SuperZoom is an absolutely winner. Running Android 10 out of the box, the device feels consistently fast and responsive during navigation and gameplay. If you're after a powerful device with a good camera and a smooth gaming-focused display, you're unlikely to find better value for money than Realme's X3 SuperZoom.
An honest-to-goodness flagship at a mid-range price
Weight: 165g | Dimensions: 149.1 x 71.4 x 7.6mm | OS: Android 9.0 | Screen size: 6.1-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Kirin 980 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3,650mAh | Rear camera: 40MP + 16MP + 8MP | Front camera: 32MP
Fantastic camera
Flagship features
Gorgeous design
Won't update past Android 10
No wireless charging
Even taking Huawei's recent troubles with US trade bans into account, the P30 is still an absolutely fantastic phone and may very well be the last smartphone the Chinese phone maker releases with access to Googles apps and services... for some time at least.
Still considered a flagship phone, the Huawei P30's price has come down to the point where it now sits alongside the other upper mid-range devices on this list, making it a real steal for those who don't mind the possibility of being limited to Android 9 for the remainder of the phone's lifetime (an Android 10 update was rumoured in September, but it's release is as yet unconfirmed).
It's rear snapper is a Leica-powered triple camera 40MP (main) + 16MP (ultra-wide) + 8MP (telephoto) setup which is capable of absolutely breathtaking photography. We're also big fans of the phone's 3.5mm headphone jack (a rarity in this day and age) and in-display fingerprint scanner.
Additionally, the device boasts a gorgeous 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display and sizeable 3,650mAh battery, which should get you through a day and a half of usage with no problems. If you can overlook Huawei's current troubles, the P30 is more than up to the task of carrying out your daily needs.
Weight: 195g | Dimensions: 162.4 x 75.8 x 8.7mm | OS: Android 9.0 | Screen size: 6.53-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Mediatek MT6779 Helio P90 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB (microSD up to 256GB) | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 48MP + 8MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front camera: 16MP
Beautiful all-screen design
Sturdy build quality
Impressive quad camera
Pop-up camera not for everyone
Middling chipset
You have to hand it to Oppo – even when it comes to its budget and mid-range offerings, the Chinese smartphone manufacturer always manages to deliver premium features and a gorgeous design.
Both things are immediately apparent in regards to the Oppo Reno 2 Z, a phone that offers a stunning all-screen design (no notches or cutouts here), an impressive quad camera on its rear and a sturdy aluminium build.
Thanks to the practically non-existent bezels on its aforementioned screen, the Reno 2 Z provides a totally uninterrupted 6.53-inch FHD+ AMOLED display to view media on – perfect for watching movies and scrolling through pictures you've taken.
Speaking of photography, the Reno 2 Z offers a terrific quad camera array on its rear with most of the heavy lifting done by a mighty 48MP main camera, with an 8MP ultra-wide lens and 2MP monochrome and depth sensors to round out the package.
That all-screen design we mentioned earlier? That's only possible due to the inclusion of a very nifty front-facing pop-up camera, which'll only show itself when you choose to take a selfie.
Unlike the Oppo Find X's implementation, which saw the camera pop up to scan your face every time you unlocked your phone, the Reno 2 Z uses an under-display fingerprint scanner for security – this should relieve a lot of the burden placed on the device's pop-up motor in the long run.
Admittedly, we'd have liked a more powerful chipset and GPU in the Oppo Reno 2 Z, but given its premium features and design, the phone is still terrific value for money.
If you're after an impressive smartphone that offers flagship specs at a mid-range price, you can't go past the stunning Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro, which we recently awarded 4 and half stars in its review.
When it comes to design, display and power, the Mi 9T Pro has it all – and yes that does mean it has a headphone jack. Flagship features include a truly bezel-free 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display, which Xiaomi has achieved by employing a nifty 20MP pop-up selfie camera and an in-display fingerprint scanner. And there's a massive 4,000mAh battery to keep that display running for a long time.
Speaking of cameras, the Mi 9T Pro definitely delivers the goods in terms of photographic capability, sporting a triple-lens setup that boasts 48MP (main) + 8MP (telephoto) + 13MP (ultra-wide) sensors.
Best of all, it's powered by the latest Snapdragon 855 processor – the very same one that powers premium handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 10. Given that the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro is less than half the price of Samsung's flagship, that's a remarkable achievement.
Of course, Xiaomi's Mi 9T Pro isn't entirely flawless – it's not waterproof, it's only got a mono speaker and its user interface won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you're after a powerhouse device at a fraction of the price, you probably won't find a better option in Australia.
Google One, the search giant's equivalent to Amazon Prime, emerged as the surprise leader in SensorTower’s list of top grossing Android apps worldwide for the first half of 2020.
For the first time, Sensor Tower split its list to provide a more granular perspective on the most lucrative applications around. While Tinder rules the overall leaderboard across both App Store and Google Play - earning about $433 million - the dating app plays second fiddle to Google One in the Android marketplace.
We reached out to Sensor Tower to obtain more data about the estimated revenue generated by Google One, but it's likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The subscription service costs as little as $19.99/£15.99/AU$24.99 per year (for a total of 100GB) and is mainly used as additional cloud storage, over and above the 15GB Google users get by default. Other options are available up to 30TB, which costs a staggering $2999 per year.
For Google One to top the rankings, at least 10 million Android users must have purchased subscriptions over the last six months (55,000 per day), which still accounts for less than 1% of the user base of Google’s operating system - the world’s most popular.
Google One allows you to add up to five family members, talk to Google experts and enjoy extra benefits from other Google products, such as special hotel pricing, Google Play credits and more.
However you don’t get YouTube Premium yet (that will cost another $18 per month), nor YouTube Music.
Microsoft and Google have both announced new initiatives aimed at helping people learn the digital skills they'll need to find jobs once countries around the world reopen after the pandemic.
Microsoft is launching a new global skills initiative which will bring more digital skills to 25m people worldwide by the end of the year. To help its initiative be successful, the software giant will bring together every part of its company by combining both existing and new resources from LinkedIn, GitHub and Microsoft.
Microsoft's initiative will use data on jobs and skills from the LinkedIn Economic Graph to identify in-demand jobs as well as the skills needed to fill them. The company will also provide free access to content on LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn and the GitHub Learning Lab. Low-cost Microsoft certifications will also be made available to these job seekers.
In addition to these free resources, Microsoft is backing the effort with $20m in cash grants to help nonprofit organizations worldwide assist those who need it the most.
Microsoft is also currently developing a new learning app in Microsoft Teams to help employers upskill both new and existing employees. The company has even pledged to make stronger data and analytics available to governments around the world so the can better assess local economic needs.
Closing the digital skills gap
Even before the pandemic began, Google realized that the jobs of the future would require a new set of digital skills which is why it launched Grow with Google. In the five years since the program began, the search giant has trained over 14m people in EMEA and 70m around the world.
Now to help people find new job opportunities, Google is launching its job search tools in more countries in EMEA. The company is also testing new features aimed specifically at the post-pandemic world such as helping people find jobs that allow them to work from home.
When it comes to helping local businesses, Google my Business is making it easier for businesses to share their latest opening hours and information across both Google Search and Maps. The improved version of Grow My Store also helps local businesses improve digital shopping, grow customer traffic and optimize their online stores.
Google also recently announced a new $800m commitment to support small and medium sized businesses and crisis response. The commitment includes $340m in Google Ad credits for SMBs as well as a $200m investment fund to support NGOs and financial institutions provide small businesses with access to capital.
Facebook has admitted that it wrongly shared the personal data of ‘inactive’ users for longer than it was authorized to, as revealed in a blog post from the company.
The social media giant estimates the error saw around 5,000 third-party app developers continue to receive information about users who had previously used Facebook to sign into their apps, even if users hadn’t used the app in the past 90 days.
Exceeding that time frame goes against Facebook’s policy, which promises third-party apps would no longer be able to receive personal information about a user if they had not accessed the app within the last 90 days.
While the company didn’t confirm how many people were affected, it said personal information shared with third-party apps could include email addresses, birthdays, gender or language spoken.
How did this happen?
According to a spokesperson for Facebook, if an active user was Facebook friends with an inactive user through a third-party app, the app could continue to receive data that the inactive user had previously authorised.
“For example, this could happen if someone used a fitness app to invite their friends from their hometown to a workout, but we didn’t recognize that some of their friends had been inactive for many months,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We fixed the issue the day after we found it,” says the spokesperson. “We’ll keep investigating and will continue to prioritize transparency around any major updates.”
The 90-day limit was introduced as part of Facebook’s overhaul of its privacy settings, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 which saw an estimated 87 million users have their personal data harvested by the now defunct political consulting firm without consent.
Following a turbulent year filled with protests, China has passed a new national security law which will give it greater power over Hong Kong and its citizens.
The controversial law will criminalize secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces but it will also limit freedom of speech in Hong Kong and make it so residents are no longer able to protest. Full details of the new law were only revealed after it came into effect on Tuesday and it will apply to both permanent and non-permanent residents of Hong Kong.
Under the law, Beijing will set up a new security office in Hong Kong to deal with national security cases. The city will also have to establish its own national security commission to enforce the law alongside an adviser appointed by Beijing.
The Chinese government will have full power over how the law should be interpreted. This means that if the law conflicts with any existing laws in Hong Kong, the new national security law will take priority.
National security law ramifications
When the law was first proposed, VPN downloads soared in Hong Kong as residents worried that they would soon face the same internet restrictions that people living in China do.
Unlike in China where residents rely on VPN services to get around the country's Great Firewall, Hong Kong currently maintains an open internet with few restrictions on free speech online. Many foreign social networks and services including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more that are blocked in China are legal in Hong Kong, though residents fear they may not be for long.
Now that the law has passed, both Hong Kong residents and even visitors will need to use a VPN to get around any online restrictions that Beijing may put in place. If popular Western sites and social media networks are blocked in China, there is a good chance that they will also soon be blocked in Hong Kong.
VPNs are set to become a valuable tool for the people of Hong Kong to protect their anonymity and privacy during China's crackdown on the city.
Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services
Self-driving trucks startup TuSimple laid out a plan Wednesday to create a mapped network of shipping routes and terminals designed for autonomous trucking operations that will extend across the United States by 2024. UPS, which owns a minority stake in TuSimple, carrier U.S. Xpress, Penske Truck Leasing and Berkshire Hathaway’s grocery and food service supply chain company McLane Inc. are the inaugural partners in this so-called autonomous freight network (AFN).
TuSimple’s AFN involves four pieces: its self-driving trucks, digital mapped routes, freight terminals and a system that will let customers monitor autonomous trucking operations and track their shipments in real-time. For now, TuSimple will operate the trucks and carry goods for its customers, which now number 22. TuSimple wants to eventually be able to sell its autonomous trucks so customers can choose to operate their own fleets.
The plan was made public just days after TechCrunch learned that TuSimple had hired investment bank Morgan Stanley to help it raise $250 million. Morgan Stanley recently sent potential investors an informational packet, viewed by TechCrunch, that provides a snapshot of the company and an overview of its business model, as well as a pitch on why the company is poised to succeed — all standard fare for companies seeking investors. TuSimple, which has raised $298 million to date, has also shared its plans to build its autonomous freight network with potential investors.
“Our ultimate goal is to have a nationwide transportation network consisting of mapped routes connecting hundreds of terminals to enable efficient, low-cost long-haul autonomous freight operations,” TuSimple President Cheng Lu said in a statement. “By launching the AFN with our strategic partners, we will be able to quickly scale operations and expand autonomous shipping lanes to provide users access to autonomous capacity anywhere and 24/7 on-demand.”
TuSimple already carries freight in its autonomous trucks (always with human safety operators on board) along seven different routes between Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso and Dallas. TuSimple said it will expand its service area with existing customers UPS and McLane. U.S. Xpress is a new partner. Penske will help TuSimple scale its fleet operations nationwide and provide preventative maintenance for the self-driving trucks, the company said.
TuSimple said the network will be rolled out in three phases, starting with a focus on a service area in the Southwest where it already operates. Phase 1, which will launch in 2020 and into 2021, will cover service between cities Phoenix, Tucson, El Paso, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. TuSimple plans to open this fall a new shipping terminal in Dallas. TuSimple said these terminals are designed to be shared by mid-sized customers. TuSimple will carry freight directly to a company’s distribution center if it is a high-volume customer.
The second phase will begin in 2022 and expand service from Los Angeles to Jacksonville and connect the east coast with the west, the company said.
The final phase will expand across the lower 48 states, beginning in 2023. The company said it will replicate the strategy in Europe and Asia after the AFN rolls out nationwide.
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