Page 360 - Technology Internet
VECV sales up 31% in May
VE Commercial Vehicles, a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, today reported 30.7 per cent increase in sales in May this year to 5,977 units. It had sold 4,573 units in May 2017, VECV said in a statement. Eicher branded trucks and buses posted total sales of 5,874 units last month as against 4,539 units in May 2017, up 29.4 per cent, it said. VECV further said Volvo trucks clocked 103 units in May 2018 as compared to 34 units in the year-ago period.
Novel artificial nerve system to give robots sense of touch
Researchers have developed an artificial sensory nerve system that can restore sensation to amputees using prosthetic limbs and one day give robots some type of reflex capability.
Google launches its 'Lens' feature on Xperia handsets
Google is reportedly expanding its "Google Lens" to the native camera apps of more devices that now includes Sony's "Xperia XZ2" and "XZ2 Compact" handsets.
YouTube, Snapchat more popular than Facebook among US teens
YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat are the most popular online platforms among US teenagers today, pushing Facebook, which once dominated the social media landscape, to the fourth position, according to a new survey.
Gravitational wave event likely signaled birth of black hole
The merger of two neutron stars that generated gravitational waves detected last year may have led to the birth of the lowest mass black hole ever found, say scientists who analysed data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The data was taken in the days, weeks, and months after the detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) and gamma rays by NASA's Fermi mission on August 17, 2017. While nearly every telescope observed this source, known officially as GW170817, X-rays from Chandra are critical for understanding what happened after the two neutron stars collided. From the LIGO data astronomers have a good estimate that the mass of the object resulting from the neutron star merger is about 2.7 times the mass of the Sun. This puts it on a tightrope of identity, implying it is either the most massive neutron star ever found or the lowest mass black hole ever found. The previous record holders for the latter are no less than about .
Novel photo filter can deter AI photo recognition systems, protect privacy
Scientists, including those of Indian origin, have created a privacy filter' that can prevent artificial intelligence facial recognition systems from identifying our photos on social media. Each time we upload a photo or video to a social media platform, its facial recognition systems learn a little more about us. These algorithms ingest data about who we are, our location and friends. As concerns over privacy and data security on social networks grow, researchers led by Professor Parham Aarabi and graduate student Avishek Bose from University of Toronto in Canada have created an algorithm to dynamically disrupt facial recognition systems. "Personal privacy is a real issue as facial recognition becomes better and better. This is one way in which beneficial anti-facial-recognition systems can combat that ability," said Aarabi. The solution leverages a deep learning technique called adversarial training, which pits two artificial intelligence algorithms against each other. Researchers ..
Artificial nerve system may give prosthetics, robots sense of touch
Scientists have developed an artificial sensory nerve system that could lend a sense of touch in prosthetic limbs and give future robots reflex capability. The researchers are on a quest to mimic how skin can stretch, repair itself and act like a smart sensory network that knows not only how to transmit pleasant sensations to the brain, but also when to order the muscles to react reflexively to make prompt decisions. The study, published in the journal Science, describes an artificial sensory nerve circuit that could be embedded in a future skin-like covering for neuro-prosthetic devices and soft robotics. This rudimentary artificial nerve circuit integrates three previously described components. The first is a touch sensor that can detect even minuscule forces. This sensor sends signals through the second component - a flexible electronic neuron. The touch sensor and electronic neuron are improved versions of previous inventions. Sensory signals from these components stimulate the ...
Telegram accuses Apple of blocking updates
Secure messaging app Telegram has accused Apple of blocking its updates for users worldwide after Russian authorities imposed a ban on Telegram for refusing to hand over keys to decrypt messages. "Apple has been preventing Telegram from updating its iOS apps globally ever since the Russian authorities ordered Apple to remove Telegram from the App Store," said the founder of the app, Pavel Durov, on his Telegram feed yesterday. In April, a Moscow court banned the popular free app following a long-running battle between authorities and Telegram, which has a reputation for securely encrypted communications. Telegram refused to provide Russian authorities with a way to read communications over its network as Moscow pushes to increase surveillance of internet activities. "We believe we did the only possible thing, preserving the right of our users to privacy in a troubled country," said Durov. "Unfortunately, Apple didn't side with us." Russian authorities have ordered domestic internet ...
Swiggy pilots WhatsApp solution to send real-time updates to users
Food delivery company Swiggy today said it is testing WhatsApp enterprise solution that will allow it to provide consumers with updates for their orders through the popular messaging platform. "Swiggy will appear in WhatsApp chat interfaces on consumers' smartphones and will keep them abreast of their order status in real-time, providing a more seamless communications system," the company said in a statement. It added that using WhatsApp's enterprise solution will provide a faster and more convenient avenue to connect with consumers. The company said consumers will have the option to opt out of the WhatsApp services by replying with STOP' to Swiggy's WhatsApp chats. For customers opting out of the service, Swiggy will provide SMS updates. "With this new integration, Swiggy aims to further enhance utility and convenience for its consumers, as it continues to deliver on its promise of a delightful experience and lightning fast delivery," it said. The service, which is already available .
Business-briefs
Tech giant Google today launched an app 'Neighbourly' that aims to help people source local information from their neighbours. Developed by the Next Billion Users team, the beta version of the app has been rolled out in Mumbai for smartphones users (Android Jelly Bean and higher). The app makes it easy for people to ask questions and find answers that are relevant locally, the company said. "In our research, we've found that most of life happens within a 1 km radius of where you live, so we wanted to create a new experience for neighbours to benefit from the collective knowledge inside their neighbourhoods," Josh Woodward, Group Product Manager in Google's Next Billion Users team, said. * * * * * CredRight raises Rs 9 cr in funding from YourNest, others Hyderabad-based fintech startup CredRight today said it has raised Rs 9 crore in funding from Accion Venture Lab, YourNest and few prominent angels. CredRight is a data-driven lending platform that provides credit to micro, small, and
Patanjali removes 'Kimbho app' from Play Store
Patanjali today removed its messaging app 'Kimbho' from Google Play Store and Apple's App Store, a day after the launch saying it was released only for one-day trial. A company spokesperson said it would launch the app officially soon, once its technical development phase is completed. Yesterday, Patanjali spokesperson had tweeted about the launch of 'Kimbho', claiming it to be India's reply to Facebook-owned Whatsapp. The company claimed that it placed the new app on Google Play Store and Apple's App Store only for a day, that too for technical testing. "We put our trial version of Kimbho app on Google Play Store and Apple Store for trial for a day only and we had witnessed around 1.5 lakh downloads in the first three hours. We thank the people for such encouraging response," Patanjali spokesperson S K Tijarawala said. The spokesperson said it would be launched soon and that technical work is in progress. "Now it is no more available on any platform for download," he added. According
DoT ammends licence rule to allow higher spectrum holding
The telecom department has amended telecom licence norms to allow higher spectrum holding by individual mobile operators and facilitate ongoing consolidation in the sector. The amendment removes limitation on telecom operator of holding more than 50 per cent in a spectrum band above 1,000 megahertz frequency range that are used for transmitting mobile signals. The new licence norms allows telecom operator to hold up to 35 per cent of total spectrum allocated in a service which was earlier limited to up to 25 per cent. "The total spectrum held by the resultant entity shall not exceed 35 per cent of the total spectrum assigned for access, by way of auction or otherwise, in the concerned service area," the licence amendment dated May 30, 2018 said. However, a mobile operator cannot hold more than 50 per cent radiowaves in a service area in premium bands below 1 Ghz - 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz and 900 Mhz band. The 900 Mhz band was used for providing 2G services when mobile telephony in the ...
Patanjali's new app 'Kimbho' receives great response
Yoga guru Ramdev's new messaging application called Kimbho received a positive response following a one day trial on Google Play store.In just three hours, the messaging application was downloaded by 1.5 lakh people.Patanjali's spokesperson SK Tijarawala tweeted, " Patanjali had put Kimbho app for one day trial on Google Play store and in just 3 hours 1.5 lakh people downloaded it. We are grateful for this encouraging response. Technical work is in progress and #KIMBHO APP will be officially launched soon."Yoga guru Ramdev on Wednesday launched a new messaging application called Kimbho under his flagship company Patanjali.Kimbho application is touted to be a competitor of the messaging app-- WhatsApp. The tagline of Kimbho is kept as "Ab Bharat Bolega".Earlier on May 27, Ramdev launched Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards, in alliance with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).Initially, only the employees and office bearers of Patanjali will be able to avail the benefits of the SIM card.After
Swiggy to send real-time updates to users
Popular food delivery platform, Swiggy, announced that it is testing a WhatsApp-based enterprise solution to provide its consumers with real-time updates on all orders.Swiggy will appear in WhatsApp chat interfaces on consumers' smartphones and will keep them abreast of their order status in real-time, providing a more seamless communications system.However, the company said consumers have the option to opt out of the WhatsApp services at any point in time by just replying with 'STOP' to Swiggy's WhatsApp chats.On the other hand, Swiggy will continue providing SMS updates to consumers who are not on the messaging platform.With this new integration, Swiggy aims to further enhance utility and convenience for its consumers.This service is already available for a few users and will be rolled out to all users in the following weeks.
German spy agency can keep tabs on internet hubs: court
Germany's spy agency can monitor major internet hubs if Berlin deems it necessary for strategic security interests, a federal court has ruled. In a ruling late yesterday, the Federal Administrative Court threw out a challenge by the world's largest internet hub, the De-Cix exchange, against the tapping of its data flows by the BND foreign intelligence service. The operator had argued the agency was breaking the law by capturing German domestic communications along with international data. However, the court in the eastern city of Leipzig ruled that internet hubs "can be required by the federal interior ministry to assist with strategic communications surveillance by the BND". De-Cix says its Frankfurt hub is the world's biggest internet exchange, bundling data flows from as far as China, Russia, the Middle East and Africa, which handles more than six terabytes per second at peak traffic. De-Cix Management GmbH, which is owned by eco Association, the European internet industry body, ...
Obscure Jamtara in Jharkhand has become cyber crimes hub: Home Secy
More than half of India's cyber crimes are being committed by fraudsters from an obscure place called Jamtara in Jharkhand, Union Home Secretary Rajib Gauba said today. Gauba, a 1982-batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, also said that Jamtara, located in Santhal Pargana region, has become the "underbelly" of digital India due to the notoriety it received as the country's cyber crimes hub. "Jamtara is a sleepy town in the tribal region of Santhal Pargana. It continues to be an obscure town. But in the last few years it got the notoriety as cyber crimes hub," he said at a conference on homeland security here. "More than half of India's cyber crimes, mostly committed by fraudsters posing as bank managers, were traced back to this small town. This place has become digital India's underbelly," Gauba said. The home secretary said victims of the fraudsters located in Jamtara are spread across the country. "The NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) data has not been fully captured the ...
Quora now available in Hindi
Online knowledge sharing firm Quora today said its platform will now also be available in Hindi, a move that will allow about 500 million speakers of the language to engage on the platform in Hindi. Launched in English in 2010, the question-and-answer platform already supports languages like Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese. The platform gets over 200 million unique monthly visitors. Quora was founded in 2009 by Adam D'Angelo, former CTO of social networking giant Facebook. About half of Quora's user base is from outside the US, including from India. "Quora's mission is to share and grow the world's knowledge. The platform has been been popular in India for years now and with the addition of Hindi language, we expect the participation from India to grow further," Quora India Country Manager Gautam Shewakramani told reporters here. He added that an estimated 500 million people speak Hindi and many of them may prefer to use the language on Quora's platform. Shewakramani ...
Will cooperate if Xiaomi stops patent infringement: Coolpad
Shenzhen-based smartphone maker Coolpad said on Thursday that its rival Xiaomi has to immediately stop selling and manufacturing devices that infringe upon many of its patents -- more than two weeks after it locked horns with the Chinese competitor.
Xiaomi, bound for IPO, woos fans (and investors) at glitzy launch
SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, lining up for a $10 billion IPO, held a rock concert-style launch on Thursday to unveil its latest flagship smartphone and a virtual reality headset developed with Facebook Inc's Oculus.
Infosys launches new Microsoft Cloud Business Unit
To boost digital transformation of its enterprise clients, Infosys on Thursday launched a new Microsoft Cloud Business Unit, marking the strengthening of relationships between the two software majors.