Realme launches C15, C12 budget smartphones in India

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Realme launches C15, C12 budget smartphones in India

Chinese smartphone maker Realme on Tuesday launched two new budget-friendly smartphones C12 and C15 with a massive 6000mAh battery in the Indian market.

Realme C15 will be available in two variants – 3GB+32GB priced at Rs 9,999 and 4GB+64GB priced at Rs 10,999. The smartphone will be up for sale on August 27.

Realme C12 will be available in one variant which is 3GB+32GB priced at Rs 8,999. The device will be up for sale on August 24, the company said in a statement.

“With the new members, we aim to redefine the C series by bringing multiple options in the entry-level segment,” said Madhav Sheth, Vice President, Realme and Chief Executive Officer, Realme India.

Both the smartphones are equipped with a 6.5-inch HD+ mini-drop full-screen display with an aspect ratio of 20:9, which aims to offer a larger field of view.

According to the company, the mini drop on the screen is 30.9 percent smaller than the normal dewdrop, making the screen to body ratio as high as 88.7 percent.

Both Realme smartphones feature a distinct Geometric Gradient finish and are powered by MediaTek Helio G35 processor.

Based on Android 10 and ColorOS 7, both smartphones feature an instant fingerprint sensor and support facial recognition.

The Realme C15 is the first C-series smartphone equipped with a quad camera. It features a 13MP main camera, 8MP Ultra-Wide-Angle Lens, 2MP B&W lens, and 2MP Retro lens.

The 8MP selfie camera captures crystal clear selfies and supports AI beautification function, HDR mode, portrait mode, and a Panoselfie feature.

The C12 features a 13MP AI triple camera, with additional features such as chroma boost, portrait mode, and slow-motion video recording.

The main camera is accompanied by a 2 MP B&W lens that provides a special artistic effect for portraits along with a 2 MP Macro Lens.

The smartphone has a 5MP selfie camera that offers users the “Panoselfie” feature to capture wider selfies.

The Realme C15 comes with an 18W fast charger, which can charge the smartphone from 0 per cent-25 percent of 6000mAh in 30 minutes. The C12 comes with a 10W charger in the box.

In addition, the company also announced Realme Buds Classic for Rs 399. The Buds Classic will be available in two classic colors – black and white.

Cricket South Africa appoint Beresford Williams as acting president

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Cricket South Africa appoint Beresford Williams as acting president

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has appointed Beresford Williams as acting president till the next Annual General Meeting slated for September 5.

The appointment has been made following the resignation of Chris Nenzani who stepped down as the president of the Members’ Council and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of CSA on Monday, with his resignation coming into effect from August 15.

Acting CEO, Dr. Jacques Faul, has too decided to step down from his post with immediate effect. His secondment was due to terminate on September 15, said CSA in a media release.

Nenzani led Cricket South Africa since 2013. He was due to exit the post at CSA’s annual meeting on September 5. However, he decided to quit 22 days before his new successor was elected.

“Dr. Faul has put in place a detail transitional plan that will ensure the organization makes a seamless transition to a new Acting CEO, that the Board will advise on shortly,” the CSA statement read on Tuesday.

“The Board is forever grateful for the outstanding commitment and leadership that Dr. Faul has made and continues to make to CSA and the game of cricket,” it added.

Govt jobs in MP only for state residents: CM Shivraj

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Govt jobs in MP only for state residents: CM Shivraj

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday announced that state government jobs will be reserved only for local residents, for which his government is going to take necessary steps.

Chouhan told reporters that the state government has taken a key decision that government jobs in Madhya Pradesh will now be given only to the residents of the state. “For this, we are making necessary legal provisions. Madhya Pradesh’s resources are for the children of the state,” he said.

Petrol prices on rise again

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Petrol prices on rise again

Petrol prices have risen again in the country improving its gap with diesel as the global oil market flipped turning the cycle of price rise in favor of gasoline.

In the national capital, petrol prices rose for the third consecutive day on Tuesday by 17 paise to Rs80.90 a liter. Pump prices of petrol rose by 14 paise a liter on Sunday breaking a 47-day pause since June 29.

This was even as diesel prices, which maintained a regular increase since late June, was now holding on to the retail price line for the last two weeks.

Sources in oil marketing companies said that international petrol prices were on a boil now resulting in revision on its prices while diesel remained steady.

Even in India, diesel consumption in August has witnessed a slowdown in a clear indication that economic activity remained muted during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest price hike comes at a time when crude oil prices have been rising and the Brent crude is trading around $45 per barrel.

Price of petrol in the other key metros was also revised upwards on Monday.

Pak filmmaker Asim Abbasi: Art felicitates what political conflicts cannot

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Pak filmmaker Asim Abbasi: Art felicitates what political conflicts cannot

Pakistani film director Asim Abbasi, who made his digital debut with the web series Churails on an Indian OTT platform for the first time, says such exchange in the field of entertainment, can felicitate unity between India and Pakistan despite the political bitterness between the two countries.

“Art should felicitate something that political conflicts are unable to do, and that is building bridges. For the last few days that is exactly what I am doing. I have been speaking to several Indian journalists, sitting here in the UK but I am a Pakistani. We are connecting through the medium of storytelling, which is one of the oldest forms of entertainment,” Asim told IANS

He added: “Earlier people used to gather around fireplaces to tell stories. These days we are doing the same thing on the screen. We are watching stories on phones and laptops. The purpose of art is to bring people together. Due to institutional politics, the exchange will get stopped for a while but honestly, it is like a magnet. We will keep coming together. Look at our history. We were separated and then came together again.”

The web series featuring Nimra Bucha, Sarwat Gilani, Yasra Rizvi, Meher Bano, and Pakistani superstar Mahira Khan in a special appearance.

“Our agenda is different than that of politics, we are not infuriating hate, our stories only bring us together,” mentioned the filmmaker who made his debut with the 2018 film “Cake”, which was Pakistan’s entry at the Oscars.

Asim’s 10-episode web series “Churails” is streaming on the OTT platform Zee5.

Mukesh Khanna: The ‘Shaktiman’ who knows too much?

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Mukesh Khanna: The ‘Shaktiman’ who knows too much?

Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna may have opened up a Pandoras Box with his recent comments on Bollywood against the backdrop of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

In a couple of TV debates, Khanna — of the “Shaktiman” — has claimed that there have been many ‘murders in Bollywood’ which were allegedly ‘declared as suicides’, in the past.

His remarks were greeted with murmurs of disbelief and disdain, while some dismissed allegations of the actor – fondly remembered for the role of ‘Bhishma Pitamah’ (“Mahabharata”) – as “the man who knows too much”.

Now, Khanna’s statements have become a potential cause of action — in the form of a letter to Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh — demanding that the utterances should form the basis for the police to re-investigate all ‘Bollywood suicides that may have been potential murders’ in the past 50 years or so.

Shiv Sena leader and Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavlamban Mission (VNSSM) President Kishore Tiwari — who is accorded the status of Minister of State — has shot off the letter to the Mumbai CP for a thorough probe into Khanna’s allegations in the public interest.

“On August 13 in a debate on Republic TV, Khanna made the stunning declaration in the presence of the Editor Arnab Goswami, and several others like legal luminary Ujjwal Nikam, BJP leader Sambit Patra and even myself… Nobody questioned him on such a serious matter which he later repeated on at least one other channel, and others have followed it up prominently,” Tiwari told IANS.

Taking the lead, Tiwari has urged (Mumbai CoP) Singh to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and probe Khanna’s TV comments that “many crimes of murders in Bollywood are suppressed and turned into cases of suicide like the Sushant Singh Rajput case”.

Maharashtra home department sources indicated that considering the serious nature of Khanna’s charges repeatedly openly on at least two TV channels, the government will seek a report on the same from the Director-General of Police.

“If he or anybody, has knowledge of any ‘murders sought to be turned into suicides’, as stated in the TV debates, they must share and depose before the police and the courts,” said an official declining to be identified.

As this amounts to ‘knowledge of very serious cognizable crimes or even its conspiracy’, Tiwari said the Police must immediately summon Khanna, Goswami, and Patra “to share whatever inside knowledge they possess to enable a re-probe” of all such 100-odd crimes.

“Let them voluntarily reveal details of all such alleged murders-turned-suicides in the past 50 years, whether Khanna and others actually witnessed these alleged ‘murders’, who committed them – whether mafia in connivance with some Bollywood rogues or some ‘supari’ killers, etc,” Tiwari pointed out.

“However, if Khanna’s contentions are proved fake or false, then he and the others like Goswami and Patra, must face criminal action and be penalized for Rs100 crore each…

“Let them realize that such loose statements on a public platform paints Bollywood in poor light, tarnishes the image of Maharashtra Police and the credibility of the entire Indian Judiciary,” warned the Sena leader.

Tiwari also lauded Khanna’s courage for “pointing a finger at (Bollywood) where there is so much hidden muck” of which the Sushant case is just one off-shoot, and this will now result in a ‘Maha Swachhata Abhiyan’ to cleanse the film industry.

He admitted Khanna’s statements pose huge ramifications for the entire Bollywood, corporate, television media, and political world, besides the people at large who have full faith in the police and judiciary which was shaken by such statements.

3D printing enables swift response to Covid-19 amid disruptions

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3D printing enables swift response to Covid-19 amid disruptions

Amid worldwide disruptions in supply chains due to Covid-19 restrictions, the 3D printing technology has enabled on-demand solutions for needs ranging from personal protection equipment to medical devices and isolation wards, say researchers.

The researchers examined how the digital versatility and quick prototyping of 3D printing have enabled the rapid mobilization of the technology and a swift response to emergencies in a closed-loop economy.

“The agility and precision of 3D printing have allowed for innovative solutions amidst the supply chain pressures that we are facing globally,” said Professor Chua Chee Kai from Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

“This has resulted in rapidly deployable built environment, healthcare medical devices and training tools which have been crucial in the fight to save lives and contain this virus,” said the professor who is also the corresponding author of an article published in the journal Nature Reviews Materials.

The researchers from SUTD, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and HP Inc explained how 3D printing has enabled product customization, complex designs and on-demand manufacturing using any decentralized 3D printing facility in the world by leveraging designs shared online.

This has led to the broad spectrum of 3D printing applications in the fight against Covid-19 including the printing of personal protective equipment, medical and testing devices, personal accessories, visualization aids, and emergency dwellings.

For instance, due to severe shortages of ventilator machines, continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) machines were used as substitutes for Covid-19 patients who require sub-intensive therapy.

An Italian engineering company, Innova, came up with a 3D printable mask connector design, the Charlotte valve, was produced and it was specially designed to fit and connect Decathlon’s Easybreath snorkeling masks to CPAP machines, the researchers noted.

The 3D printing technology also served as an alternative and more efficient manufacturing option to keep up with the demand for nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs.

The 3D-printed NP swabs were fabricated with complex tip structures for enhanced sample collection efficacy, hence eliminating the need to apply flocks at the tips.

Separately, 3D printing has even been used to fabricate temporary emergency dwellings to isolate those under quarantine, relieving the overloaded medical infrastructures, said the study.

Now special books for kids with intellectual disabilities

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Now special books for kids with intellectual disabilities

Children with intellectual disabilities will now find it easy to learn English as the English Language Teaching Institute (ELTI) is preparing to roll out books that have been specially designed for such students in primary classes.

The move comes after directions from the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

The State Institute of Education and State Hindi Institute in Varanasi are also working on similar books.

The team that has worked on these books includes academicians, doctors working in the field of intellectual disability, and teachers experienced in teaching children with special needs.

ELTI Principal Skand Shukla said, “Such children usually have limitations in two areas. The first is intellectual functioning – the ability to learn- reason, make decisions, and solve problems. The second is adaptive behavior which involves skills necessary to communicate and taking care of oneself. These children might also be diagnosed with other learning disabilities like dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.”

The books have been designed differently to focus on the special needs of such children.

For instance, the pictures are colorful, while the text is in bigger fonts. Topics are presented in a way that they invoke a students’ curiosity. These books also have formats to document a child’s case history into an individualized education program.

Shukla said that intellectual disability is a condition when one’s IQ level is less than 70 and the mental growth is slower than the person’s physical growth.

“A child with an IQ over 50 can be educated by using special methods. Autism, attention deficit disorder, and Down’s syndrome are some of the conditions related to intellectual disability,” he explained.

NSNIS Patiala employee tests positive for COVID-19

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NSNIS Patiala employee tests positive for COVID-19

Netaji Subhash National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) Patiala’s catering manager, who traveled from Lucknow, UP earlier this week, has tested positive for coronavirus and has been shifted to a COVID Centre as per protocol.

He, along with two other officials, had reported back to NIS Patiala after availing leave and were quarantined as per guidelines of local health department and tested for COVID-19 upon arrival, SAI said in a statement on Tuesday.

While the other two employees tested negative, the catering manager’s test results came out positive for the virus and he has thus been shifted to a COVID Centre for better treatment and as a precautionary measure.

As he was in quarantine since arrival, he has not interacted with others at NIS Patiala.

Dell launches ‘XPS 17’ laptop for over Rs 2 lakh in India

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Dell launches ‘XPS 17’ laptop for over Rs 2 lakh in India

PC and laptop major Dell on Tuesday launched a fresh XPS laptop ‘XPS 17’ at a starting price of Rs 2,09,500 in the Indian market.

The laptop features the latest 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processors and up to NVIDIA GeForce GTXTM graphics.

The machine is badged with Creator Edition on Dell.com to support hobbyists and creative enthusiasts.

“The optional 4K Ultra HD+ (3840 x 2400) resolution provides pinpoint accuracy, precise detail, and sharp images, and immersive viewing experience. The Eyesafe display technology helps reduce harmful blue light while maintaining vivid colors,” the company said in a statement.

With very little borders, the XPS 17 comes with a 4-sided “InfinityEdge” display which, Dell claimed, will help bring the size of the laptop almost 48 percent down to about 15-inch laptops available today.

The XPS 17, like the XPS 15, features the Waves Nx 3D audio for speakers tuned by multi-Grammy Award-winning producer Jack Joseph Puig.

The laptop is made with recycled ocean-bound plastics, locally recycled plastic, sustainable materials, and recycled corrugate qualified by Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Silver Certification said the company.

The 10th Generation Intel Core i7 FHD processor, i7 UHD processor with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU configured XPS 17 will be available across Amazon India and select Dell Exclusive Stores.

Cricket South Africa President Chris Nenzani steps down

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Cricket South Africa President Chris Nenzani steps down

Cricket South Africa has announced that Chris Nenzani has resigned as the President of the Members Council and the Chairman of the board of directors of CSA. The resignation came into effect from August 15.

Nenzani led Cricket South Africa since 2013. He provided valuable leadership, insight, assistance, and direction in advancing the game of cricket with a focus on achieving transformation and access for the majority of the South African population, said CSA in a media release.

“On behalf of Cricket South Africa’s Members Council and the board of directors, we thank Nenzani for his contributions to Cricket South Africa and for being a loyal servant to the game of cricket for over 20 years.

“We wish him well in his future endeavors, and we are sure that he will continue to contribute to the game of cricket,” it added.

Cricket South Africa further said that a new President and Chairman will be appointed at the annual general meeting scheduled for September 5.

Hockey India provides financial assistance to unemployed 61 players

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Hockey India provides financial assistance to unemployed 61 players

The Hockey India Executive Board has announced its immediate support to 61 athletes from across the senior and junior men and women core problems who are not currently employed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

From this initiative, 61 athletes will receive this financial assistance from Hockey India, this includes 30 junior women, 26 junior men, 4 senior women, and 1 senior men core probable.

The objective is to provide basic financial relief for the athletes to be able to assist them to again resume sporting activities.

“The ongoing battle with the COVID-19 pandemic has had an adverse impact on athletes who don’t have jobs, for them to be able to continue sporting activities while their families face financial constraints will be difficult,” expressed Hockey India Officiating President Gyanendro Ningombam.

“Hockey India was keen to find a way to give them some immediate relief and has decided to help these players with Rs 10,000 each as financial assistance in these difficult times, which would mean they would not add any additional burden on their families as they look to resume sports activities in the near future.

We hope this assistance will help the players to soon resume sporting activities and give them the necessary confidence to focus their energies on excelling for the country,” he added.

Amazon’s move in India’s online pharma space faces flak

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Amazon’s move in India’s online pharma space faces flak

Amazon has faced criticism from different quarters including an industry body and officials of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an influential offshoot of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for its move to enter into the medicine delivery business in India.

The e-commerce giant last week announced the start of a trial of the service, Amazon Pharmacy, in Bengaluru.

The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD), which claims to represent more than 850,000 members across the country has demanded that the government should immediately stop these “illegal online pharmacies”.

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch joined AIOCD in making similar demands.

“We at @swadeshimanch have long been saying that foreign-funded pharmacies are illegal. Now #Amazon is trying to barge into this, which again is illegal. Despite HC court orders, govts have failed to act…,” Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convener, SJM, said in a tweet this week.

The Amazon Pharmacy offers both over-the-counter medicines and prescription-based drugs.

Some Ayurvedic medicines and several healthcare devices like oximeter and digital blood pressure monitors are also available at the store.

Following the launch of the online store, AIOCD drafted a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Amit Agarwal, Senior Vice President and Country Manager, Amazon India.

“We are writing to you as we came to know that www.amazon.com has decided to enter an online Pharmacy’ space, probably oblivious to the fact that the E-Pharmacies are illegal and not recognized by the laws under Drug & Cosmetic Act & Rules thereunder,” reads the letter dated August 14.

“This space has been marred by extreme controversies, court cases, and legal issues in the last few years.”

Amazon is not the first to launch an online drug store in India. There are already a few companies doing business in this space, but many players have struggled due to a lack of clear regulations, according to a CNBC report on Monday.

Amazon did not comment on the report.

Apple threatens to close Epic Games’ developer account on Aug 28

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Apple threatens to close Epic Games’ developer account on Aug 28

Fortnite developer Epic Games has said that Apple is threatening to terminate its developer account by August 28 which would cut the company off from iOS and macOS development tools.

Apple and Google have removed Fortnite game from their app stores because Epic Games allegedly added a direct payment option in both the iOS and Android versions of Fortnite, “bypassing the need to pay Apple and Google a 30 percent cut on all in-app purchases”.

According to Epic Games, Apple has sent the notice about the account termination after the antitrust feud between the two companies exploded.

“Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store and has informed Epic that on Friday, August 28 Apple will terminate all our developer accounts and cut Epic off from iOS and Mac development tools. We are asking the court to stop this retaliation,” the company tweeted on Monday.

According to Apple, Epic Games has grown into a multi-billion dollar business that reached millions of iOS customers around the world.

“Upon further review of the activity associated with your Apple Developer Program membership, we have identified several violations of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Therefore, your Apple Developer Program account will be terminated if the violations set forth below are not cured within 14 days,” Apple said in a letter to Epic, which is also included in the court filing.

According to a report in MacRumors, cutting off Epic’s access to Mac and iOS developer tools could have a significant impact on all of the apps and games that use Epic’s Unreal Engine.

Epic Games asked the court to prevent Apple from taking “any adverse action” against it, including restricting, suspending, or terminating Epic’s access to the Apple Developer program.

Launched in 2017, Fortnite features a battle royale format where 100 players compete to survive as the last player standing on a remote island. The popular game has amassed a huge following of 350 million players and is available on multiple platforms.

IPL 13: Delhi Capitals replace Chris Woakes with Anrich Nortje

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IPL 13: Delhi Capitals replace Chris Woakes with Anrich Nortje

Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals on Tuesday announced the signing of South African pacer Anrich Nortje as a replacement for England’s Chris Woakes.

Woakes had pulled out of this year’s IPL edition to keep himself fresh for the English summer, but will not be able to join the team even after the post-COVID-19 pandemic schedule shuffle after being replaced.

Nortje was with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)last season, but a shoulder injury cut short his chances of making an IPL debut.

“I am excited to join the Delhi Capitals, a team that was the talk of the tournament last season,” the Proteas pacer said in an official statement.

“With its exciting mix of experienced and young players and a stellar coaching line up, there is no doubt this is going to be a massive learning experience for me. I am grateful to the Delhi Capitals management for giving me this opportunity.”

The 26-year-old made his Test debut in 2019 against India, and has to his credit, a total of 19 wickets from six Test matches, 14 wickets from seven ODIs, and two wickets from three T20Is. Nortje, who was named as Cricket South Africa’s Newcomer of the Year for 2020, will be joining fellow South African Kagiso Rabada at Delhi Capitals.

The 13th IPL edition starts on September 19 in the UAE. The tournament to be played across three venues in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah will run until November 10.

Eng vs Pak: Root says bad light issue needs to be addressed

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Eng vs Pak: Root says bad light issue needs to be addressed

Following the culmination of the rain-marred second Test against Pakistan which ended in a pale draw, England captain Joe Root believes bad light issues need to be addressed to keep the players on the ground.

Only 134.3 overs could be bowled in the second Test at the Ageas Bowl because of rain and bad light, making it the ninth shortest Test in England in terms of balls bowled and the shortest match since England hosted Pakistan at Lord’s in 1987.

In his post-match press conference on Monday, the 29-year-old said authorities could consider using a brighter red ball, bringing forward the start time and improving floodlights.

“It is something that needs looking at higher up the chain,” Root was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

“It is way above my pay grade but there are different things that may be able to be trialed to see if there are other ways we could do things in this country to avoid similar scenarios.

“It has been a huge talking point but it needs to be addressed somewhere somehow,” he added.

Root, who did not blame the umpires, added: “We are all for playing but don’t want anyone getting injured or hurt because of light or wet ground.”

Pakistan, who lost the first Test at the Old Trafford by three wickets, must win the final Test, which starts at the Ageas Bowl on Friday, to draw the series.

Meanwhile, Root also said he would “love” to play in Pakistan, however adding that it was “not my decision to make”.

England has not toured Pakistan since 2005-06 over security concerns following the 2009 terrorist attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore. The Three Lions are, however, scheduled to tour the country in 2022.

“It would be a great opportunity to go and play there personally,” said the England skipper.

“It looks a wonderful country to go play in. The wickets look nice and flat as well, which would be a nice change to what we have had here,” he added.

Sushant’s sister Shweta urges for early decision from SC

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Sushant’s sister Shweta urges for early decision from SC

Shweta Singh Kirti, sister Sushant Singh Rajput has urged for an early decision from the Supreme Court in the pending hearing for a CBI probe into her late brother’s case. Shweta took to social media on Tuesday to voice her demand.

“Requesting for an early decision from the Supreme Court, we have been very hopeful and have been patiently waiting. Every minute of delay is causing pain and heartbreak. #CBIForSSR,” Shweta tweeted from her unverified account on Tuesday morning.

Shweta has been vocal on social media over the past few days in demanding a CBI probe into her brother’s death.

“We stand together as a nation for CBI Enquiry! Demanding an unbiased investigation is our right and we expect nothing but the truth to come out. #CBIForSSR #Warriors4SSR #justiceforSushanthSinghRajput @PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShah,” Shweta had tweeted last week.

Sushant was found dead in his Bandra residence on June 14, and the late actor’s family has suspected foul play. They have also alleged that they are getting threats as they continue their fight for justice.

Instagram Reels emerges top choice in Tik Tok’s absence in India

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Instagram Reels emerges top choice in Tik Tok’s absence in India

After the departure of Tik Tok, Instagram Reels has become the most popular app for young Indians as seen in 10 (18-29 age group) said they would like to use Reels as a platform for video sharing, a new report said on Tuesday.

In the absence of the Chinese short-video-making app TikTok, nearly two-thirds of urban Indians (65 percent) said they are likely to turn to alternatives or start using video apps that are either Indian or non-Chinese in origin, according to data provided by YouGov, Internet-based market research and data analytics firm.

Millennials (69 per cent) were most likely to show their readiness to switch to Tik-Tok’s alternatives, as compared to GenZ (54 per cent).

Likewise, men were more likely than women to hold a similar view (70 per cent vs 59 per cent).

“The government’s decision to ban TikTok along with other Chinese apps has presented an opportunity for homegrown players who are gearing up to take advantage of this situation,” said Deepa Bhatia, General Manager, YouGov India.

“It is, therefore, imperative to gauge the needs of the audiences and understand their preferences in this space,” she added.

Nearly 68 percent of TikTok content creators said they are likely to switch to Indian or non-Chinese versions of video-sharing apps.

On being presented with a list of alternatives, Instagram Reels topped the list of apps most likely to be used by people in the future.

The platform, which is Facebook’s answer to TikTok, is welcomed by more than six in 10 (62 percent) urban Indians who claim to have tried it and are likely to continue using it.

“Nearly as many have a similar view about Singapore-based app Cheez (59 percent), which has a higher appeal among tier-2 users as compared to tier-1 city residents,” said the survey.

Apart from these foreign apps, more than half claimed to have tried the homegrown app Roposo and are likely to use it in the future (54 percent).

Other regional social media apps such as moj (47 percent), Gana hotshot (44 percent), Josh (42 percent), Taka Tak (42 percent), Mitron (40 percent) and Chingari (36 percent) also appear to have gained ground, said the survey.

Google testing secret 6GHz network in 17 states in US: Report

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Google testing secret 6GHz network in 17 states in US: Report

As the world aims to switch to a faster Wi-Fi network soon, Google is reportedly testing a 6GHz network in 17 different states in the US.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in April opened up spectrum in the 6GHz band for unlicensed use — the way 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands which are currently in operations.

According to a batch of FCC filings spotted by Business Insider, Google is secretly experimenting with the 6GHz spectrum to “produce technical information relevant to the utility of these frequencies for providing reliable broadband connections.”

The tech giant has asked permission to do the tests in 26 cities and towns across 17 states —Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.

A 6GHz network would allow faster and more reliable connections as it carries more bandwidth than the 2.4GHz or 5GHz connections.

Devices are expected to begin supporting 6GHz Wi-Fi by the end of this year.

Wi-Fi 6E brings a common industry name for Wi-Fi users to identify devices that will offer the features and capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 – including higher performance, lower latency, and faster data rates – extended into the 6GHz band.

According to Wi-Fi Alliance, Wi-Fi 6E devices are expected to become available quickly following 6GHz regulatory approvals, utilizing this additional spectrum capacity to deliver continuous Wi-Fi innovation and valuable contributions to consumers, businesses and economies.

“If the regulatory landscape permits, we expect companies to move forward aggressively with products that operate in 6 GHz because they understand the tremendous value brought to their customers by this portion of unlicensed spectrum,” Phil Solis, research director at IDC, said early this year.

“The capacity of 6GHz is enormous and will be efficiently used by Wi-Fi 6 and newer versions of Wi-Fi. The US is taking a big lead on the 6 GHz market, with Europe and APAC regions also exploring access to this band”.

Once 6GHz is made available by regulators, analysts predict the first Wi-Fi devices to use the band will include Wi-Fi 6E consumer access points and smartphones, followed by enterprise-grade access points.

“6GHz will help address the growing need for Wi-Fi spectrum capacity to ensure Wi-Fi users continue to receive the same great user experience with their devices,” according to Edgar Figueroa, President, and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance.

The Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi.

Shah admitted to AIIMS after complaining of fatigue

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Shah admitted to AIIMS after complaining of fatigue

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who tested negative for the novel Coronavirus on August 14 has been admitted to the All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after he complained of “body ache” and “fatigue”.

According to a statement from AIIMS, Shah has been complaining of fatigue and body ache for the last three-four days.

“He has been admitted to AIIMS for post-COVID-19 care. He is comfortable and is continuing his work from the hospital,” the AIIMS administration said.

On August 2, Shah had tweeted about his corona positive report after initial symptoms of the disease. He said that he was fine but was getting admitted to a hospital on the advice of doctors. Ever since he has been undergoing treatment at the Medanta Hospital.

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