NewsBytes Briefing
22 Dec 2021
Smartphones37 new emojis coming in 2022: How are they selected?
Nothing punctuates a text message like the perfect emoji. In the digital world, where face-to-face conversations have declined and most conversations take place through messages, emojis have become the go-to way of adding expressions and emotions.
26 Nov 2021
Smartphones#NewsBytesExplainer: Understanding how in-display fingerprint sensors work in smartphones
Our phone unlocking journey started by pressing two keypad buttons on the Nokia 3310, passed through physical capacitive scanners, and has now reached a new level with in-display fingerprint sensors.
23 Nov 2021
Ram (Random Access Memory)#NewsBytesExplainer: What is virtual RAM technology in smartphones?
In almost every new smartphone these days, we hear terms like Dynamic RAM Expansion, RAM Plus, or even Extended RAM. All of these terms mean the same thing - virtual RAM.
13 Nov 2021
Smartphones#NewsBytesExplainer: Understanding smartphone screen refresh rate and why it matters
With each passing year, tech giants like OnePlus, ASUS, ZTE, and Xiaomi are introducing smartphones with a higher screen refresh rate than ever before.
17 Jun 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Twitter loses safe harbor in India, and more
Twitter seems to have lost the dangerous game of chicken it has been playing with the Indian government.
11 Jun 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Biden shows China some love, and more
US President Joe Biden's love hate relationship with China continues with his latest order revoking his predecessor Donald Trump's executive orders against Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat apps.
10 Jun 2021
MicrosoftNewsBytes Briefing: Apple keeps Android users in check, and more
"Don't call us, we'll call you," best describes the dynamics between Android and Apple users when it comes to the new cross-platform FaceTime update.
09 Jun 2021
AppleNewsBytes Briefing: The internet experienced a brief hiccup, and more
Several major news websites and social media platforms such as Reddit were down for about an hour starting 3 PM Indian Standard Time. The disruption was caused by cloud computing services provider Fastly experiencing technical difficulties with its services.
08 Jun 2021
SamsungNewsBytes Briefing: Tinder makes it easier for cheaters, and more
Tinder's very nature makes it unviable for cheaters. While fake profiles don't get you anywhere, using your real identity will get you spotted and ratted out by common friends.
05 Jun 2021
GoogleNewsBytes Briefing: Biden goes all Trump on China, and more
Many consider US President Joe Biden as an antidote to his predecessor Donald Trump, hoping for him to undo the latter's policies. However, reality is quite different. After continuing Trump's immigration policies, Biden is also continuing Trump's trade war with China.
04 Jun 2021
Donald TrumpNewsBytes Briefing: Reliance weaponizes 3D printing against COVID-19, and more
Reliance might have disrupted the technology space with Jio, but now it has its eyes set on COVID-19. The Indian conglomerate is coming up with a lot of lateral solutions to tackle issues such as combating the virus itself with experimental treatments.
03 Jun 2021
SamsungNewsBytes Briefing: Samsung's helping Google fold the Pixel, and more
As more rumors emerge hinting at Google considering a foldable version of its Pixel smartphone, the terrible durability of Samsung's first foldable device is a cautionary tale for anyone trying to replicate it.
02 Jun 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Tesla gets dearer due to pandemic, and more
The pandemic has made life hard for everyone across the board. Gamers can't buy graphics cards and carmakers can't, well, make cars due to lack of essential chips.
01 Jun 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Amazon will set your Wi-Fi free, and more
Not long after nipping the workers' union in the bud, Jeff Bezos and company want to share your means of internet connectivity. You have 10 days to opt out of Amazon's Sidewalk program if you own an Alexa, Echo, or other Amazon devices.
29 May 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Apple has its eyes on cryptocurrencies, and more
Apple either bucks the trend and adopts radically new technologies long before competitors, or it takes its own sweet time to embrace new tech used by everyone. The cryptocurrency craze, however, fits between these two scenarios.
28 May 2021
InstagramNewsBytes Briefing: Wuhan lab-leak hypothesis no longer thought-crime, and more
Mainstream media, so-called fact checkers, and Big Tech censors have a busy weekend of stealth editing incriminating content and revising their algorithmic ban hammers ahead of them.
27 May 2021
WhatsAppNewsBytes Briefing: WhatsApp avenges Twitter in India, and more
Not long after Delhi Police raided Twitter's offices, WhatsApp has avenged its social media peer by suing the Indian government. Facebook is playing it smart by refraining from simply refusing to comply to government demands.
26 May 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Delhi Police pays Twitter a visit, and more
Twitter learned the hard way that Narendra Modi shouldn't be confused with Donald Trump, and that its arbitrary policies won't fly in India.
25 May 2021
GoogleNewsBytes Briefing: Clubhouse hits million downloads on Android, and more
Despite Big Tech doing its best to clone Clubhouse into their existing platforms, evidently nothing beats the original. Android users flocked to the newly launched app of the audio-only social media platform and downloaded it a million times.
22 May 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Clubhouse officially comes to Android, and more
Clubhouse sure has played its exclusivity card to the ragged end. But like all things new and intriguing, the novelty of the audio-only social media platform has worn off, which has manifested in a 10-fold drop in downloads of the iOS app.
21 May 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: ByteDance co-founder steps down as CEO, and more
While the Big Tech oligarchy unpersoned a sitting US President, China seemingly took those lessons to heart and began cracking down on the tech oligarchy within its own backyard.
20 May 2021
MicrosoftNewsBytes Briefing: Microsoft tries hiding Windows 10X's demise, and more
In the deluge of Google I/O announcements, news of Microsoft killing Windows 10X has slipped through the cracks. But we have taken it upon ourselves to bring this tragic development to light.
19 May 2021
MicrosoftNewsBytes Briefing: Germans are making a flying Tesla, and more
What's better than an electric car? An electric aircraft, of course. German aviation start-up Volocopter is about to give a whole new dimension to range anxiety with its electric-powered rotorcraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing.
18 May 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Twitterati feels the subscription blues, and more
Apple has been going after its Big Tech rivals by hurting their ad revenue models, but Twitter is making sure it can weather Apple's impending "adpocalypse".
15 May 2021
PUBGNewsBytes Briefing: New vulnerability affects every internet-connected device, and more
Security researchers have discovered a new FragAttack vulnerability that isn't restricted to smartphones, but encompasses absolutely every single device bearing Wi-Fi capability. It even compromises the new WPA3 Wi-Fi security protocol.
14 May 2021
FlipkartNewsBytes Briefing: Tesla doesn't like Bitcoin anymore, and more
Not long after allowing Tesla electric vehicles to be bought using Bitcoin, CEO Elon Musk has had a change of heart.
13 May 2021
YouTubeNewsBytes Briefing: YouTube's TikTok clone already doing well, and more
Silicon Valley's foundation is built on compelling ideas. But ideas can be stolen, which happens with clockwork precision in the world of social media platforms. For instance, YouTube's TikTok clone has been gradually phased out from testing to global roll-out now.
12 May 2021
WhatsAppNewsBytes Briefing: WhatsApp masters the art of lying, and more
After the public outcry over WhatsApp's ham-handed privacy policy, Facebook was forced to delay the deadline and assure that users won't lose their accounts or functionality.
11 May 2021
NetflixNewsBytes Briefing: Clubhouse finally launches Android app, and more
Clubhouse just found out the hard way that it is no De Beers, and that boosting app popularity with artificial scarcity doesn't work forever.
08 May 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: IBM creates first 2-nanometer chip, and more
Those who thought IBM had stopped making processors are in for a surprise as the company claims to have created the world's first 2nm processor.
07 May 2021
YouTubeNewsBytes Briefing: SpaceX's Starship finally sticks the landing, and more
After numerous flight tests ending up in fiery balls of fire, Elon Musk's SpaceX has finally managed to land a Starship prototype without an incident.
06 May 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Signal weaponizes Facebook ads against it, and more
In a brilliant move of lateral thinking, Signal showcased the real danger of Facebook's invasion of user privacy through, well, Facebook's targeted advertisements.
05 May 2021
Mark ZuckerbergNewsBytes Briefing: Twitter finally opens up Spaces, and more
After beta testing Spaces on minorities and marginalized netizens for a while, Twitter has finally opened up its Clubhouse clone to common folks, provided you happen to have at least 600 followers.
01 May 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Chip shortage cripples the auto industry, and more
Global chip shortages are getting ridiculous. Ford has projected its earnings will be slashed by an eye watering $2.5 billion as a consequence. That's 1.1 million fewer vehicles from just one auto maker.
30 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook commits accidental censorship, and more
Facebook is so used to censorship that it sometimes does so accidentally. That's the reason it cited after being caught hiding posts calling for the resignation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the country's worsening pandemic crisis.
29 Apr 2021
ZomatoNewsBytes Briefing: Intel should be worried of Apple, and more
Even as Apple's new iOS 14.5 wreaks havoc on Facebook's and Google's advertising business model, its custom-designed processors have not only displaced Intel's offerings, but their performance and efficiency threatens the x86 rivals.
27 Apr 2021
WhatsAppNewsBytes Briefing: Here's how deepfakes could end humanity, and more
Unknown perpetrators, using the power of deepfakes, duped Dutch politicians into believing they were video conferencing with Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's chief of staff.
24 Apr 2021
InstagramNewsBytes Briefing: App makers are terrified for Apple, and more
If you thought the term Big Tech mafia was a hyperbole, think again. App makers told US senators that they are scared of Apple and Google during the ongoing anti-trust dog and pony show.
23 Apr 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Hackers blackmail Apple with repair schematics, and more
Apple has been fleecing customers with exorbitant repair charges and planned obsolescence, but now a hacker collective called REvil has turned the tables on it.
22 Apr 2021
NetflixNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook promotes cybercriminals targeting its userbase, and more
Facebook's recent string of security snafus aren't mere coincidences, but a symptom of what's turning out to be systemic security lapses. Case in point: Facebook Messenger users in 84 countries face serious phishing threats.
21 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook announces its Clubhouse clone, and more
You can find everything in Silicon Valley except originality. Sure enough, Facebook joins the mad rush to clone Clubhouse.
20 Apr 2021
TeslaNewsBytes Briefing: Domino's leaks all your data, and more
So you thought you'd order pineapple topping on your pizza and no one would find out? Well, think again because Domino's India has somehow managed to leak 180 million order details, which include names, phone numbers, addresses, and even credit card details.
17 Apr 2021
MicrosoftNewsBytes Briefing: Chip shortages will continue until 2023, and more
Want a new graphics card, gaming rig, or a next-generation console? Well, you might as well pay the atrocious scalper prices because the world's largest chipmaker TSMC has painted a rather grim picture.
16 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook could enter the dating game, and more
Facebook had already made an abortive attempt at its own dating app back in 2019, but that didn't work out at all. Now, the social media behemoth is trying its hand at video-based speed dating.
15 Apr 2021
WhatsAppNewsBytes Briefing: Germany clamps down on WhatsApp, and more
Even as Indian government scrambles to figure out how to prevent Facebook from taking advantage of its citizenry, Germany has leveraged the European Union's solid privacy laws to take WhatsApp to task.
14 Apr 2021
MicrosoftNewsBytes Briefing: Your WhatsApp account isn't safe anymore, and more
Another day, another colossal security bungle from the good folks at Facebook. If two separate data leaks weren't bad enough, it was revealed that anyone who knows your phone number can nuke your WhatsApp account.
13 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook data leak gets much worse, and more
Facebook just can't seem to get a break. After the embarrassing leak where CEO Mark Zuckerberg's phone number was found linked to Signal messenger app, it appears the 533 million user accounts compromised might just have been the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
10 Apr 2021
AppleNewsBytes Briefing: LinkedIn suffers massive data leak, and more
Even before the news cycle on the Facebook data leak had died down, private data belonging to a whopping 500 million LinkedIn users has been leaked.
09 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook refuses to inform leak victims, and more
By now everyone knows how a Facebook security breach leaked personal data belonging to its 533 million users. That means one in five active Facebook users has been compromised.
08 Apr 2021
GoogleNewsBytes Briefing: PUBG Mobile bans millions for cheating, and more
When your game is predicated upon competitive multiplayer gameplay, it's a terrible prospect to have cheaters run amok. PUBG Mobile's Ban Pan initiative has been banning in excess of a million players every week.
07 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Mark Zuckerberg gives off mixed Signals, and more
People are best judged by their actions and not their words, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is a resplendent example.
06 Apr 2021
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Facebook springs a massive data leak, and more
Facebook demonstrated how MobiKwik's data leak affecting 100 million users were rookie numbers by leaking the data of 535 million users, 6 million of which were Indians.
03 Apr 2021
AmazonNewsBytes Briefing: Twitter, LinkedIn punish MobiKwik whistleblower, and more
Security researcher Rajasekhar Rajaharia recently pointed out how personal data belonging to 10 crore MobiKwik users was being sold on the darknet. The company refused the allegation and then Twitter and LinkedIn mysteriously began censoring Rajaharia.
02 Apr 2021
SpaceXNewsBytes Briefing: US Army bets big on HoloLens, and more
If you thought augmented reality tech was just a passing fad, the US Department of Defense begs to differ. The agency made a massive $21.88 billion deal with Microsoft to supply the US Army with 120,000 ruggedized HoloLens AR units.
01 Apr 2021
GoogleNewsBytes Briefing: India continues to punish TikTok, and more
The best way to deal with bullies is to inflict a significant cost for their belligerence. And India has been doing a fine job hurting the economic interests of China for its border transgressions.
31 Mar 2021
MobikwikNewsBytes Briefing: Tesla surprises customers with two-for-one offer, and more
Tesla customers were in for a surprise when they received two withdrawals instead of one for vehicles that cost anywhere between $37,000 and $100,000.
29 Mar 2021
GoogleNewsBytes Briefing: Google bats for the terrorists, and more
Google faced some internal turmoil over the contentious issue of foiling a nine-month-long counterterrorism operation run by an unnamed US ally.
27 Mar 2021
GoogleNewsBytes Briefing: The curious case of disappearing NFTs, and more
Even as everyone gets ready to jump on the NFT bandwagon, here's something you might want to know before putting your life savings into them.
26 Mar 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Reddit users get transgender employee fired, and more
The last couple of days saw high drama with several high-profile subReddits going private to protest Reddit censoring dissent against an employee. Redditors expressed concerns against a recent Reddit hire and former transgender politician's checkered past.
24 Mar 2021
QualcommNewsBytes Briefing: Apple Card isn't sexist after all, and more
Back in 2019, prominent Silicon Valley millionaires accused a credit card of being sexist, because their wives were given lower credit limits compared to them.
20 Mar 2021
TwitterNewsBytes Briefing: Twitter gets ready for fifth-generation warfare, and more
You really need to pay attention when Angela Merkel, who was once scouted by Stasi secret police, gets spooked by Big Tech censorship.
18 Sep 2020
FacebookNewsBytes Briefing: Apple's online store launching next week, and more
Last night, Apple confirmed the launch of its online store in India.
15 Jul 2020
IndiaNewsBytes Briefing: UK bans Huawei, WhatsApp goes down, and more
In the last few hours, a lot has happened in the world of technology.