Mobile app helps adolescents access health services in B’desh

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Mobile app helps adolescents access health services in B’desh

Millions of adolescents in Bangladesh will be able to access health information and services through two online portals launched at the National Adolescent Health Conference.

The Adolescent Health website and mobile application, launched by the Bangladeshi Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with support from the UN children’s fund UNICEF and the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, on Tuesday are aimed at increasing awareness and ensuring easy access to physical and mental health information and services for adolescents.

“Adolescents can be powerful agents of change, and we must do all we can to empower them and to address their age-specific needs. The launch of these platforms represents the government’s commitment to strengthen adolescent-friendly health services in Bangladesh,” said Bangladeshi Minister of Health and Family Welfare Zahid Maleque.

Adolescents in Bangladesh, accounting for more than 36 million of the country’s population, face multiple social barriers to accessing information and health services that are essential for them to grow and thrive, UNICEF said in a statement.

It said low awareness and social stigma about mental health and mental illness, for example, are widespread among communities. And when it comes to sexual and reproductive health, it is challenging for both girls and boys to seek and find trusted information and vital services, the statement added.

“Adolescents need access to information, skills, and services to enable them to reduce risk, but also to grow into capable adults that form a strong foundation for the next generation and the global future,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative to Bangladesh.

“The app gives them critical health information that they may be too shy to ask from parents, peers or health professionals.”

The Adolescent Health platforms include educational and gender-adapted guides and courses on sexual and reproductive health and rights, nutrition, violence, and physical and mental health, as well as information on how and where to access adolescent-friendly health services, Xinhua news agency reported.

To promote widespread use of the platform, the UNICEF said, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and Ministry of Education will engage with adolescent clubs, youth peer groups, and teachers in all secondary schools in the country.

Apple unveils more powerful Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro chips

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Apple unveils more powerful Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro chips

Apple on Tuesday introduced a new Mac mini with M2 and M2 Pro chips — more powerful, capable, and versatile than ever — starting at Rs 59,900.

The new M2 Pro chip delivers pro-level performance to Mac mini for the first time, enabling users to run high-performance workflows that were previously unimaginable in such a compact design.

The device delivers faster performance, even more, unified memory, and advanced connectivity, including support for up to two displays on the M2 model, and up to three displays on the M2 Pro model.

Customers can order the new Mac mini models starting Tuesday, with availability beginning January 24.

“With incredible capabilities and a wide array of connectivity in its compact design, the Mac mini is used in so many places, in so many different ways. Today, we’re excited to take it even further with M2 and M2 Pro,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

“Bringing even more performance and a lower starting price, Mac mini with M2 is a tremendous value. And for users who need powerful pro performance, Mac mini with M2 Pro is unlike any other desktop in its class,” he added.

Mac mini with M2 starts at Rs 59,900 and Rs 49,900 for education.

Mac mini with M2 Pro begins at Rs 129,900 and Rs 119,900 for education, said the company.

Compared to the previous-generation Mac mini, M2 and M2 Pro bring a faster next-generation CPU and GPU, much higher memory bandwidth, and a more powerful media engine to the Mac mini.

Both models feature an advanced thermal system for exceptional sustained performance.

Featuring up to a 12-core CPU with eight high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, along with up to a 19-core GPU, M2 Pro has 200GB/s of memory bandwidth — double the amount in M2 — and supports up to 32GB of memory.

Google Translate rolls out support for 33 new offline languages

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Google Translate rolls out support for 33 new offline languages

Google has rolled out support for 33 new offline languages under the offline language functionality.

“We’re expanding the offline language functionality to 33 new languages. This allows users to download the languages of interest and translate text when the internet connection is unavailable,” according to Google’s support page.

The added languages include — Basque, Cebuano, Chichewa, Corsican, Frisian, Hausa, Hawaiian, Hmong, Igbo, Javanese, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Kurdish, Lao, Latin, Luxembourgish, Myanmar (Burmese), Oriya/Odia, Sindhi, Zulu, and among others.

To download a language offline in Google Translate, simply tap the download button next to that language when picking which languages you are translating with the app.A

Meanwhile, Google added a new feature to its Clock application on Pixel devices with which users can now record their own alarm and timer sounds.

Earlier, users had to copy the files over using a file manager application and then add them using the alarm sound settings, reports The Verge.

However, now, users don’t need to do all of that work because the tech giant has added a new option to record sounds right inside the Clock application.

The new feature appears to be limited to Pixel devices right now because it uses the Pixel-exclusive Recorder application, the report said.

Apple set to enter bidding war for English Premier League streaming rights

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Apple set to enter bidding war for English Premier League streaming rights

Tech giant Apple is preparing a bid for the rights to stream the English Premier League in the UK, the media reported.

According to The Daily Mail, the Premier League’s current three-year agreement with the UK-based Sky Sports and BT Sport expires in 2025, with the bidding process for the next set of rights set to begin later this year.

The report further mentioned that many American-owned clubs, such as Chelsea under Todd Boehly, believe the current rights are undervalued at $6.23 billion over three years and are looking to the US technology companies to increase the price.

The tech giant is looking to expand its sports coverage, building on a decade-long deal it recently secured to exclusively stream Major League Soccer (MLS) on Apple TV beginning next month, according to the report.

In November 2022, Apple and Major League Soccer announced plans to launch a streaming service on February 1, 2023.

The ‘MLS Season Pass’ streaming service will feature “live MLS regular-season matches, entire playoffs, and the Leagues Cup, all with no blackouts”, Apple said in a blog post.

The service will make MLS more accessible to a global audience in a more streamlined manner.

Starting from February 1, users can subscribe to the service on the Apple TV application for $14.99 per month or $99 per season.

Tesla cuts EV prices in US, Europe amid poor sales, stalled growth

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Tesla cuts EV prices in US, Europe amid poor sales, stalled growth

Elon Musk-owned Tesla has drastically lowered prices of EVs across its lineup in the US and Europe, in an effort to boost sales as its stock plummeted more than 60 percent.

The least expensive EV, the Model 3 RWD, has dropped from $46,990 to $43,990, reports Engadget.

Moreover, the 5-seat Model Y Long Range’s price decreased 20 percent from $65,990 to $52,990.

As a result, the latter model is now eligible for the $7,500 US Federal Tax Credit, resulting in a final price reduction of $20,500 which is more than 30 percent.

Price reductions were made to other models too, including the performance versions of the Model 3 and Model Y, and the regular and plaid versions of the Model S and Model X.

However, the Model Y’s 7-seat option has increased in price by $1,000 to $4,000.

In Germany, Model 3 and Model Y prices were decreased by one to 17 percent and also dropped in Austria, Switzerland, and France.

Customers must place their orders before mid-March when it is expected that the rebate would be reduced to half, in order to receive the full $7,500.

SUVs priced below $80,000 and cars priced under $55,000 are eligible for tax rebates, the report said.

Meanwhile, A the electric car maker has missed its target of 50 percent growth in production and deliveries for 2022, as its stock plummeted around 65 percent amid Musk’s $44 billion Twitter takeover last year.

The automaker needed to sell 495,760 vehicles in its fourth quarter (Q4) to have achieved the 50 percent growth guidance.

In the fourth quarter, Tesla produced over 439,000 vehicles and delivered over 405,000 vehicles.

Investors fear that China’s Covid situation and supply chain-related challenges will further impact Tesla sales. They are also concerned about Musk’s distraction from his Twitter overhaul.

The Tesla CEO recently became the first person ever to lose $200 billion from his net worth.

Tesla last month announced a price drop on several of its models, offering a $7,500 discount for its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, in a bid to sell more vehicles.

Future Google TV to get self-charging, battery-free remote

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Future Google TV to get self-charging, battery-free remote

TW Electronics, the UK-based company behind the reference remote used on most Android TV and Google TV devices in recent years, has introduced a new design of the remote that includes a photovoltaic panel at the bottom that allows for self-charging of the battery.

“Excited to announce the launch of a self-charging, battery-free #remotecontrol powered by indoor light. Developed with #Exeger, the device is #GoogleTV ready and easily integrated into your existing system,” TW Electronics tweeted.

According to 9to5Google, the panel used in the remote uses light sources to convert that energy into electricity that can charge the battery within the device.

In recent years, self-charging remotes from brands like Samsung have been introduced, and Amazon is expected to be working on incorporating the technology into its next Fire TV remote.

However, it is unclear when this self-charging remote might actually launch with a Google TV product, said the report.

Last year, the tech giant started rolling out ‘personalized profiles’ for its users on Google TV.

The new Google TV profiles let users enjoy their own personalized space with their Google Account.

“As you watch TV, your profile takes into account your interests and preferences to help you discover more of what’s out there for you. And for the little ones, you can always set up a kids profile to help them access a fun collection of movies and shows under your guidance,” the company said in a blog post.

Microsoft brings new features on Teams Rooms

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Microsoft brings new features on Teams Rooms

Microsoft has announced that it has improved its Teams Rooms on Android with new touch-enabled features including the ability to walk up and use Microsoft Whiteboard, Chat bubbles, and more.

Users can leverage all of the new features by updating to Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android update 3, the tech giant said in a statement.

A Microsoft Whiteboard session can be launched with just one touch, allowing for instant collaboration.

“With Microsoft Teams Rooms on Android displays, whiteboard sessions can be started from a supported displays home screen at any time, including outside of a formal meeting,” the company said. With Chat bubbles, Teams Rooms on Android can now display chats sent during a Teams meeting on the front-of-room display.

Chat messages are displayed as chat bubbles over the current view, which allows in-room participants to engage with the conversation happening in the chat.

With the Touch awareness feature, touch screens allow users to “control the room system from both the touch display at the front of the room as well as the touch console, making it convenient to operate a Teams Room using whichever device is closest to reach”.

Moreover, a 4K display is now supported to further enhance the meeting experience on large-screen devices.

The tech giant has also redesigned the share menu because of which content sharing in a meeting is now more accessible. Also, users can now “bring Microsoft Whiteboard into an ad hoc meeting”.

Users can seamlessly switch from a local collaboration experience to an online co-creation space by tapping “Start meeting” on the local Whiteboard screen.

“‘Start meeting’ quickly kicks off an ad hoc meeting and automatically presents the Whiteboard already started on the home screen onto the meeting stage,” the company said.

Apple working on AR shopping feature on iPhone: Report

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Apple working on AR shopping feature on iPhone: Report

Tech giant Apple is reportedly working on a new version of its Apple Store application that will offer an augmented reality (AR) shopping feature on iPhone.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, this feature is likely to allow customers to point their iPhone towards a product like a Mac in an Apple Store and immediately receive its details like pricing and specifications in an overlay on their screen, reports MacRumors.

Gurman said the iPhone maker has been working on this feature since at least 2020 and has been testing it at stores in recent months. However, it is still unclear when the company will roll out this feature.

“If the service debuts in the near future, it would be one of Apple’s most significant AR-related launches to date — and a taste of what’s to come with the headset,” wrote Gurman.

He also said that the tech giant is planning to release an application programming interface (API) for developers so that other retail stores could also use this feature, in the report said.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, it was reported that the company was working on a new in-house chip that is likely to power cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth functionality on its devices.

The iPhone maker was also working on a replacement for the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that it currently uses from Broadcom and was planning to start integrating it into devices in 2025.

Google hits back in US search antitrust lawsuit, says doesn’t block rivals

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Google hits back in US search antitrust lawsuit, says doesn’t block rivals

Google has hit back at a US government anti-trust lawsuit over its search engine, saying its search deals — including agreements with Mozilla and Apple — don’t prevent users from trying other search platforms.

The US Department of Justice and a coalition of state attorneys general sued Google in 2020 under the Donald Trump administration.

The complaint alleged that Google used its “incumbent power” and its Android operating system to lock up the search market, denying competitors “vital distribution, scale, and product recognition”.

Google said in its filing that “no evidence suggests that Google coerced Apple, Mozilla, or any other browser developer into adopting a design that includes a single default search engine”.

The tech giant also argued that its contracts with Android phone makers don’t constitute exclusive deals.

The lawsuit against Google contended that the company harmed competition by entering revenue share agreements with web browser developers that provide that Google will be the pre-set default general search engine on their browsers.

“Plaintiffs also contend that Google has harmed competition through three sets of agreements with companies that manufacture and/or sell Android devices,” said the Google filing.

Android is a mobile operating system, licensed open source, in which Google has invested billions of dollars since its release in the fall of 2008.

Google said although ITS agreements with browser developers are individually negotiated and differ in some respects, they have three important commonalities.

“First, the agreements have never prevented companies such as Apple and Mozilla from promoting other search engines in their browsers, and those companies have in fact agreed to promote Bing, DuckDuckGo, and other search services,” argued the company.

Second, Apple and Mozilla, not Google, designed their browsers to each include an integrated search box with a default search engine upon first use, and they continue to believe that design enables the best user experience.

“Third, Apple and Mozilla decided to set Google as the default search engine in their browsers because they believe it provides the highest quality experience for their customers,” said Google.

In September last year, a US court allowed a larger antitrust case against Google to proceed that alleged that the tech giant monopolized the ad-tech market and suppressed competition by its access to data.

The Attorneys General of 10 US states brought an action in Texas against Google, alleging that Google’s digital advertising practices violate the laws of their states.

The judge, however, dismissed claims of collusion between Google and Facebook (now Meta) in the “Jedi Blue” program, a deal in which Google and Facebook allegedly joined hands for ad auctions.

Meta Quest users can now track heart rate

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Meta Quest users can now track heart rate

Meta has introduced a new heart rate tracking feature and Health Connect by Android integration on Meta Quest so that users can keep track of all their fitness statistics.

“One of the most-requested fitness features for Meta Quest has been heart rate tracking so that you can easily see tangible and real-time results,” the company said in a blog post on Wednesday.

With the new heart rate feature, users will be able to see their heart rate, when measured by a Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor, even while they are in a virtual reality (VR) workout.

When users pair a heart rate monitor to their headset, they will have access to better information about how their VR workouts are raising their heart rate.

“Heart rate monitors that can work with Meta Quest are the Garmin HRM-Dual and the Polar H10. Other heart rate monitors that use Bluetooth for pairing may also be pairable with your Meta Quest,” the company said.

Moreover, users can now sync their statistics to the Meta Quest mobile application, and those with Android devices can link and share information directly to Health Connect by Android

With the new update, users can keep track of all their virtual reality (VR) workouts and compile all their statistics in one place.

Meta announced a similar integration with Apple Health in June last year.

Moreover, for a limited time, users will get the Elite Strap at no additional cost if they purchase a Meta Quest 2, which will help them to balance and support the headset, the company said.

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