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End to end encrypted messaging app Telegram has announced a whole bunch of new features that will be seen on the app soon. These features were announced in a blog post last night. Being a security focused app, Telegram will now let developers who make open source apps to independently verify their code on GitHub and ensure that it is the same code that was used to build the app they downloaded from the App Store or Google Play Store. The new features coming to Telegram  have already started rolling out. Here are the major features. New Theme Editor 2.0 via GIPHY You will need to head to Chat Settings (Android) or Appearance Settings (iOS) to tweak how your Telegram interface looks. From changing the background to changing the chat window gradients, you can tweak the look to your heart's content. You also have predefined colour themes, where you can further tweak some things. Send When Online via GIPHY Telegram already had a feature to schedule your messages when th...

The hackers claimed to be The Chuckling Squad, also broke into the account of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and actress Chloe Grace Moretz. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2F7RLwQ

India will launch Chandrayaan-3 in 2020, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday, asserting that the mission cost will be less than Chandrayaan 2. Singh, who is the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, said it is wrong to term Chandrayaan 2 as a disappointment since it was India's maiden attempt to land on the lunar surface and no country could do so in its first attempt. "Yes, the lander and rover mission will mostly likely happen in 2020. However, as I have said before, the Chandrayaan 2 mission cannot be called a failure as we have learnt a lot from it. There is no country in the world that has landed on its first attempt. The US took several attempts. But we will not need so many attempts," Singh said. He added that the experience gathered from Chandrayaan 2 and available infrastructure will bring down the cost of Chandrayaan-3. He, however, declined to specify the month of the third lunar mission launch. Chandrayaan 2 mission was India...

From India, as many as 107 legal requests were sent to TikTok, of which 8 were categorized as emergency requests. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/39t22BJ

Gloria Rivera likes the freedom of freelance. She moved to San Diego from Peru in 2005 and has a bustling career as an interpreter and translator for doctors, courts and conferences. Now, as a new California law governing freelancers is set to take effect Wednesday, her clients are wary. They are asking for more paperwork. Some services are hitting pause on hiring Californians at all. “Everyone’s scared in California,” Rivera, 42, said. “Who’s going to hire me as an employee for three assignments a month?” The new law, Assembly Bill 5, will radically reshape freelance work in California. Prompted in part by frustration with the treatment of workers by companies like the ride-hailing behemoths Uber and Lyft , the bill was created to extend workplace legal protections to roughly 1 million people in the state. On Monday, Uber and Postmates filed a lawsuit in federal court in California seeking to block the law from being enforced against them. But the suit is unlikely to stop the ...

From India, as many as 107 legal requests were sent to TikTok, of which 8 were categorized as emergency requests. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2QEwbp9

As of December 15, the government says that 1.15 crore FASTags have been issued. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/39u4BDK

The New Year's special Google doodle has Froggy seated on a high-rise watching the skyline and the magnificent and symbolic sunrise signifying the dawn of a new morning. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2ZKHNuL

Xiaomi's new Mi Watch Color will be available in three colours: silver, gold and black, and will have multiple colour bands. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/37lJrFO

The Season 10 of PUBG Mobile will soon come to an end and as we move into the new year, the next season is reportedly already on its way next week. New details have emerged about Season 11 and there are many updates incoming. Popularly known for PUBG Mobile leaks, Mr Ghost Gaming has posted a new video containing several leaks from the upcoming 0.16.5 update. While the majority of the update is all about cosmetic changes and new skins, there are a few functional updates as well. Team Deathmatch Mode is receiving a refreshed loadout menu where players will be able to set their loadout before entering a match. Now, players will be able to choose the weapons and utilities that they want to carry into the rounds. Most of the video showcased all the weapon skins and outfits that are arriving with the new update. An Ace tier reward is coming with a parachute and a new MK-14 weapon skin. Gold tier outfits and rewards were also shown. Another useful update being introduced is the feat...

Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite will most likely have center aligned punch-hole selfie camera, and a rear triple camera system positioned vertically. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/39oleAy

As part of the Computer Science Week, Apple India had organised an 'Everyone Can Code' session at one of its Mumbai retailers' outlet on 14 December. The session which was open to junior school kids, as well as their parents, saw participation by around 30 children from across Mumbai. Apple has been conducting these workshops when school children generally have vacations. But an exception was made during the Computer Science Week . So far, Apple has conducted five such workshops across five cities in India with around 400 participating students. Jalpa Seth, who teaches at Oberoi International School, guided the assembled children through the Swift Playground app which has easy to follow lessons on coding. Apple has two programmes, namely Swift — Everyone Can Code (Swift Playground) and Develop in Swift . Swift Playgrounds has exercises and interactive puzzles to teach children aged 8 and over, not only to code but also think critically. The language used to perform tas...

Users in Delhi-NCR who lose their mobile phones will now have some respite, with the government launching a portal that will enable blocking and tracing of stolen or lost mobile phones. The initiative was launched in Mumbai in September this year  and has now been rolled out for mobile phone users in Delhi-NCR. The will be extended to other parts of the country in 2020. The launch of the portal for Delhi-NCR subscribers will facilitate requests for blocking of stolen or lost mobile phones by customers, blocking of such mobile phones across various mobile networks, allowing services to other existing customers having mobile phones with the same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, sharing of traceability data with police authorities, as well as unblocking of recovered phones. The project is backed by the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) system, which was undertaken by the telecom department for addressing security, theft and other concerns including ...

Even though Samsung had a rough start with Galaxy Fold in the foldable smartphone market, looks like that the company is not backing out. Rumour has it that Samsung is working on yet another foldable smartphone, expected to be named as Galaxy Fold 2. One major design change that is expected in this handset is, it will fold like a clamshell, just like we saw in Motorola's Razr 2019. It was earlier expected that this foldable phone might launch alongside the company's upcoming Samsung Galaxy S11, or might be named as S20, series. But as per a new report by Korea's Yonhap News agency , the company's second foldable smartphone might be available for purchase before Galaxy S11 series. It further reveals that Samsung is in talks with three of the countries' major mobile carriers right now regarding the launch of this handset in February. It is also a possibility that the company might launch this phone at its "Unpacked" event that is also expected to be held...

While the year still hasn’t ended, Niantic has already announced in-game activities for Pokémon Go for 2020. For January, the popular AR mobile game is bringing back a Legendary Pokémon , including the debut of new Gen 5 Pokémon , a Research Breakthrough award, Team Rocket Special Research and a few more updates. First off, Pokémon Go players will get to witness the return of Legendary Pokémon Heatran, as reported by Polygon . It’s a fire and steel-type Pokémon from the Sinnoh region. Players will be able to capture it during five-star raids between 7 January and 4 February in the Lava Dome. They will also get an opportunity to encounter its Shiny form. The event introduces another Special Research quest around Team Rocket that will ultimately lead to a battle with the boss Giovanni. Defeating him gives players a chance to capture the Shadow Legendary Pokémon , Moltres. New Field Research tasks will also be available and after completing a Research Breakthrough, players will co...

Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shootin' stars I could really use a wish right now With the New year looming, we can all do with a few wishes and it looks like we are getting it. The annual meteor shower, the Quadrantid meteors will be making their scheduled appearance this Saturday, 4 January 2020. The shower is active for around two weeks from 27 December to 10 January. However the peak intensity of the shower last for only a few hours and if you miss it, well its tata, goodbye till next year. If you do manage to catch it, it is a sight to behold and you might be able to see around 100 meteors an hour. Here is everything you need to know to have a successful meteor watching experience: What are the Quadrantids? The Quadrantid meteors or Quads" are among the oddest meteor showers known to us. They were discovered fairly recently in 2003 and have a very short peak period of a few hours, unlike the Perseids or the Orionids which last for days. ...

In 2019, Google launched the first A-series of Pixel phones – Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL (review) – which carried a lot of flagship features with a sub-Rs 35,000 price tag. This year, Google also announced the fourth generation of Pixel flagship phones, which were unfortunately not made available for the Indian market . However, we are hoping the Pixel 4a and Pixel 4a XL make it to India. If we look at last year's launch timeline, then the Pixel 4a smartphones will likely be announced in April 2020. Ahead of the launch, some renders of the smartphones have apparently been leaked revealing a bunch of specifications of the smartphone. The leak comes via  OnLeaks and 91Mobiles  and claims that the Pixel 4a may feature a punch-hole design for selfie camera that will be located at the top-left corner of the display. The leak also claims that the Pixel 4a will likely feature a 5.7 or 5.8-inch display, with thinner bezels as compared to the Pixel 3a. The thin bezel also...

Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad announced that India will be opening up its 5G spectrum for trials to all telecom equipment manufacturers,  including Chinese telecom giant Huawei. An official has stated that the Huawei clearance, along with clearance for other telecom equipment makers, is only for the testing phase at the moment. "5G is the future, it is speed. We will encourage new innovation in 5G," said Prasad. Huawei India CEO Jay Chen thanked the Indian government for its decision. "We firmly believe that only technology innovations and high-quality networks will be the key to rejuvenating the Indian telecom industry. We have full confidence in the Indian government and industry to partner with the best technology for India's own long-term benefit and also for cross-industry development," said Chen. Why is Huawei's participation in 5G trials a big deal? One of the major technology-related pieces of news of 2019 was the fact that the Uni...

The promotional offer is available for Airtel customers and is limited to Android device users only. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/39pOzKV

I often look back in wonder at the horrors of humanity’s past, marvelling at the primitive barbarity of Spartans that  tossed young Leonidases out to survive  in the untamed wilds, of Indian tribes that skewered the muscles of their young and hung them upside down till they fainted as a rite of passage, of the Amazonian people that forced boys to be bitten by bullet ants and girls to have every strand of their hair individually plucked out at their roots. When I think about it though, I would imagine that Generation Alpha — the successor to Gen Z — would ascribe that same horror to parents who sent their kids to school sans smartphone, to students who had to endure college without YouTube , and to the 20-somethings of yore forced to find mates without Tinder . Would Gen Alpha even be able to comprehend travel without Uber  or  Airbnb , navigation without Google Maps , and a social life without Instagram ? How would one even surv...

Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, who is awaiting trial in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, has arrived in Beirut, a close friend said Monday. He apparently jumped bail. It was not clear how Ghosn, who is of Lebanese origin and holds French and Lebanese passports, left Japan where he was under surveillance and is expected to face trial in April 2020. Ricardo Karam, a television host and friend of Ghosn who interviewed him several times, told The Associated Press Ghosn arrived in Lebanon Monday morning. “He is home,” Karam told the AP in a message. “It’s a big adventure.” Karam declined to elaborate. Local media first reported Ghosn arrived in Lebanon but didn’t offer details. There was no immediate comment from Japan or from Lebanese officials. Ghosn, 65, has been on bail in Tokyo since April and is facing charges of hiding income and financial misconduct. He has denied the charges. He had been under strict bail conditions in Japan after spending more than 120 days...

Realme could simply rebrand Oppo's VOOC 4.0 and Super VOOC fast charging systems and use them in its upcoming smartphones in 2020 as Dart and SuperDart systems. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/37sebVP

It wasn’t the smoothest year for Microsoft, but the groundwork seems to be in place for a solid showing in 2020. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/36c7vuJ

This is it, the last day of 2019 has already arrived! Now, most of you must be planning to let your hair down and start the new year with bash by going to fancy parties and while many like me may planning to stay back at home in pyjamas and greet the new year with a peaceful vibe. One thing that is common in both the scenarios is everyone wants to celebrate it around their friends and family. But some of us cannot be with our close ones during this time of the year for whatever reason, you can always wish them in your own ways. Wishing people via text is now so old-school, that I would suggest you go ahead with themed WhatsApp stickers. Representational image: Pixabay All you need to do is go to the Play Store and search for apps like "WhatsApp stickers for New Year 2020" or something on the same lines and you will see a huge list of apps. New Year WhatsApp stickers Select any app and install it in your device. Once it is installed, open it and select the preferr...

Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said that the government will allow all market players to perform 5G trials in India. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2ZC6VDY

This essentially means that Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung and Huawei will now get to perform 5G trials in India, however this does not assure an approval for commercial roll out from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/39rX4Fh

As 2019 comes to an end, Netflix announced the list of most popular titles of 2019 in India. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2F5VzPb

Last month,  Instagram announced that it will be making alliances with fact-checkers around the world to expose deception in shared photos or videos. Starting today, the social media platform has started to roll out the feature. I spotted the fact-checker pop-up on Instagram  Stories today. For any post that is found by fact-checkers to be 'factually incorrect', the images are blurred with a 'False Information' warning. Right below the warning is an option to see why the image has been blocked. If you tap on that, you will be shown details on who the fact-checker, what is the conclusion on the authenticity of the content in the post, and more information that will explain why the content may not be true. After been warned that the content is false, you can still see the image by shutting the fact-checker pop-up and tapping on 'See Post' at the bottom of the image/video. The fact-checker pop-up shown to me was by  Agence France Presse APAC . Instagram sa...

There are fireworks, there's a cityscape, there's a tiny boat, and there's Froggy the weather frog wearing a party hat, next to its pigeon friend (also wearing a hat) celebrating the New Year's Eve 2020. That's the Google Doodle for the day. For anyone who has used the Google weather app on mobile, you'd know of Froggy. And if you are thinking why is Froggy in the New Year's Eve doodle, well the connection is interesting because it's a leap year! Get it? Leap year, frogs leap, Froggy leaping into the leap year, New Year 2020?! I'm sure you get it. Another significance of Froggy in the doodle could be a dedication to all the "party animals" this New Year's Eve. Google has also shared a little message from Froggy on its blog : "Froggy is gearing up for New Year's celebrations in any weather. He says he’s most excited about it being a Leap Year. “The 2020s are sure to be ribbitting!” Once the clock strikes midnight, the new d...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released images of a 'burning' cloud or the Perseus Molecular Cloud captured by its Spitzer Space Telescope. The fiery image showcased a gigantic collection of gas and dust that stretched over 500 light-years. The image of the Perseus Molecular Cloud is actually 'infrared radiation' of the warm dust and it makes it seem like the outer space is ablaze. According to Fox News , the cloud consists of more than 10,000 gas and dust solar masses and has been a reason for astronomers' fascination for years. "Clusters of stars, such as the bright spot near the left side of the image, generate even more infrared light and illuminate the surrounding clouds like the sun lighting up a cloudy sky at sunset," Fox News quoted NASA as saying. According to the space agency, most of the dust particles that could be seen in the image emits no or very little visible light and hence, it was revealed using the Spitze...

That application collected personal data from millions of Facebook users worldwide, which were then transferred to British consultancy Cambridge Analytica and used without consent in political campaigns. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2F9ywms

A court in China on Monday sentenced He Jiankui, the researcher who shocked the global scientific community when he claimed that he had created the world’s first genetically edited babies, to three years in prison for carrying out "illegal medical practices." In a surprise announcement from a trial that was closed to the public, the court in the southern city of Shenzhen found He guilty of forging approval documents from ethics review boards to recruit couples in which the man had HIV and the woman did not, state broadcaster China Central Television reported. He had said he was trying to prevent HIV infections in newborns, but the state media Monday said he deceived the subjects and the medical authorities alike. He sent the scientific world into an uproar last year when he announced at a conference in Hong Kong that he had created the world’s first genetically edited babies — twin girls. On Monday, China’s state media said his work had resulted in a third genetically edite...

As per the leaked images, the upcoming 2020 iPad Pro will also have rounded corners and slim bezels. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2tYHPmV

To summarize the LG G8X ThinQ Dual Screen, we really don’t want a heavy phone, half-baked software, uninspiring design and pretense of being a premium phone. from Top Tech News- News18.com https://ift.tt/2taMoKK

In the 2000s, the word that spelt environmental doom was 'global warming'. Since the 2010s, we've learned a great deal about the consequences of human activity on ecology and the environment from climate change. Urbanisation and deforestation have caused irreparable damage to our planet in recent years. With rapid changes underway that scientists don't fully understand, climate change spurred by human activity is on its way to causing some irreversible damage to the planet and its residents. In the last decade, the world has witnessed disasters that were out of the ordinary — more intense, more frequent and harder to predict that it already was. One of the most dramatic impacts of these changes in recent years has been the increase in hydroclimatic hazards. These hazards have, over time, also increased the vulnerability of people to weather-related disasters in many developing nations. The cost of defending residents and reco...