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  SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Corp has formally entered the automotive industry with a new smart electric vehicle (EV) business, the company announced on Tuesday in a filing. The firm will initially invest 10 billion yuan ($1.52 billion) in the wholly-owned subsidiary, with a total investment goal of $10 billion over the next ten years. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun will also serve as CEO of the smart electric vehicle unit, the company added. The company's move into the EV industry follows similar steps by other tech giants, both in China and overseas. Read Full Article Here

  Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday began her campaign for the April 6 assembly polls in Kerala, by taking out a road show meandering through this ancient maritime trading town in Alappuzha district, seeking votes for the party candidate. Kerala Assembly Elections 2021 Seated atop a moving vehicle along withAritha Babu, the Congress candidate from Kayamkulam, Priyanka clad in a yellow salwar kameez, waved to the jostling crowd of people lined up on both sides of the road and also shook hands with many enthusiastic voters. Twenty six-year-old Aritha is the youngest candidate in the poll arena in Kerala. Sitting CPI(M) MLA U Prathibha Hari is the LDF candidate in the constituency, while BJP has fielded Pradeep Lal. Read More

  Vivo today launched Vivo X60 series of flagship smartphones co-engineered with optics and opto-electronics major ZEISS. The X60 series 5G consists of the X60, X60 Pro, and X60 Pro+ and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 series 5G Mobile Platform. X60 Pro and Vivo X60 Pro + feature a quad-camera setup, punch hole display, and a 4,200 mAh battery with fast charging. Vivo X60 comes with a triple rear camera setup and a 4,300 mAh battery. The smartphones feature gimbal stabilisation 2.0 that detects horizontal and vertical shakes to give you a clear image. It also comes with Pixel shift imaging that helps in capturing accurate colours. Specifications: Vivo X60 Read Full Article Here

  Smartphone maker Realme on Wednesday said it expects to get 10-15 per cent share in the 4G handsets segment priced in the range of Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 a unit with the launch of new 8 series devices. The company will have all devices above Rs 20,000 price range enabled with 5G technology. "With the launch of Realme 8 series , we are aiming to penetrate deeper into the Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 mid-range 4G market, and capture the young users across the country. "We plan to increase our market share in this segment to 10-15 per cent with the launch of the 8 series," Realme Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer (India and Europe) Madhav Seth said on sidelines of launching the new series. Read Full Article Here

  The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on Wednesday ordered a probe into the updated privacy policy of WhatsApp for breaching the antitrust law. CCI said that with no fear of erosion of its userbase, Facebook-owned WhatsApp was in a position to compromise quality in terms of protection of individualised data. whatsapp privacy case “CCI is of prima facie opinion that the ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ nature of privacy policy and terms of service of WhatsApp and the information-sharing stipulations mentioned therein, merit a detailed investigation in view of the market position and market power enjoyed by WhatsApp,” stated the CCI order. The investigation comes against the backdrop of WhatsApp’s proposal to update its privacy policy in late December/early January. The update was worded in a way that led users to believe their information was unsafe and not end-to-end encrypted, prompting many to leave the messaging platform. Click Here

OnePlus on Tuesday launched four new devices including the OnePlus 9 , OnePlus 9 Pro, OnePlus 9R, and OnePlus Watch, the company's first smartwatch. The highlight in OnePlus' latest series is the Hasselblad-branded camera system in OnePlus 9 and OnePlus 9 Pro.  The OnePlus 9 series comes a new flagship camera system in partnership with legendary professional camera manufacturer Hasselblad. It offers latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 mobile platform, the superior Fluid Display 2.0 with a DisplayMate A+ rating, and industry-challenging fast charging solutions, Warp Charge 65T and Warp Charge 50 Wireless. The OnePlus 9 Pro 's 48MP main camera features a custom-designed IMX789 sensor, co-engineered with Sony, with an impressively large 1/1.4-inch sensor. It offers faster focus speeds, four-times more color information for greater color accuracy, cleaner daytime and night shots, and reduced motion blur in videos. The OnePlus 9 Pro's 50MP ultra-wide camera uses a 1/1.56-

  Robot artist Sophia , whose first artwork goes up for auction on Wednesday, says she draws inspiration for her work from people and is open to future creative partnerships with humans. Humanoid Robot A digital artwork by the Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics humanoid, in the form of a Non-Fungible Token (NFT), is to be auctioned in the first sale of such pieces created jointly with artificial intelligence (AI). NFTs, a digital signature saved on blockchain ledgers that allows anyone to verify the ownership and authenticity of items, have become the latest investment craze, with one artwork selling this month for nearly $70 million. “I hope the people like my work, and the humans and I can collaborate in new and exciting ways going forward,” Sophia said in her studio, speaking in a flat voice. Read More

  OnePlus has confirmed that the OnePlus 9 series in China will run on ColorOS instead of the HydrogenOS. OnePlus CEO Pete Lau took to Weibo to announce that the OnePlus 9 series will run on ColorOS 11 out-of-the-box in the country, reports Beebom. The user interface also shipped with Realme-branded phones for a while before they announced their own skin called realme UI. OnePlus 9 series will be launched on Tuesday in India while it will be launched in China a day later. The smartphones are expected to come with a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) panel with adaptive refresh rates from 5Hz to 120Hz. The resolution of the screen is said to be 2K+, which is how the Chinese companies often mislabel QHD+ or 1440p. Read Full Article Here

  LG Electronics on Tuesday said it has joined forces with two other partners to develop next-generation 6G network technology. LG signed a partnership with Keysight Technologies, a US-based electronics test and measurement firm, and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (KAIST), South Korea's leading research university. Under the agreement, the three sides will cooperate in developing technologies related to terahertz, a key frequency band for 6G communications. They target to complete 6G research by 2024, reports Yonhap news agency.LG said the 6G network is expected to be commercialised in 2029. The company said 6G will provide faster data speed, lower latency and higher reliability than 5G, and will be able to bring the concept of Ambient Internet of Everything (AIoE), which provides enhanced connected experience to users. Click Here

  Home to one out of 10 gamers across the globe, gaming is now competing with other popular entertainment categories such as short-form video, streaming services, and social networks for user attention in India. According to an InMobi mobile gaming report, the country has become the fifth-largest mobile gaming market across the world supported by access to affordable smartphones, low network data tariffs and improving mobile internet speeds. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic also brought about a significant shift in mobile usage and consequently in mobile gaming too. According to estimates, 44 per cent of India’s smartphone population will be playing games on their devices by 2022. Click Here

  Samsung Galaxy M12 goes on sale in India on Thursday. The budget smartphone from the South Korean electronics maker Samsung is available online on Amazon India and Samsung online store, and offline on select retail stores. The phone comes in 4GB RAM + 64GB on-board storage (Rs 10,999) and 6GB RAM + 128GB on-board storage (Rs 13,499) configurations, and black, blue and white colour options. The Samsung Galaxy M12 is currently available with cashback offer from ICICI Bank wherein customers using ICICI credit cards can avail up to Rs 1,000 cashback on both equated monthly instalment (EMI) and non-EMI transactions. Similarly, customers using ICICI debit cards can avail up to Rs 1,000 cashback on EMI transactions. This limited period introductory launch offer is available on Samsung online store, Amazon India and select retail stores. Read Full Story Here

  Photo-messaging app Snapchat on Tuesday launched its new entertainment platform 'Spotlight' for user-generated content in India. According to the company, Spotlight surfaces the most entertaining snaps from the Snapchat community all in one place and will become tailored to each Snapchatter over time, based on their preferences and favourites. With over 5 billion snaps created each day, Spotlight aims to empower the Snapchat community to express themselves and reach a larger audience in a new way. Spotlight has been designed to entertain the Snapchat community while living up to the snaps' values, with their wellbeing as a top priority. Spotlight content is moderated and doesn't allow for public comments. Snaps submitted to Spotlight must respect the content guidelines to receive distribution. Click Here

  Super Plastronics, a brand licensee for Kodak HD LED TVs for India, on Tuesday said it will invest Rs 300 crore to strengthen its capabilities in IoT technologies to tap emerging opportunities in the smart home devices market. Phased over three years, the investment will focus on building intelligent TVs that are intuitive and meet the demands of the 'new Indian customer', the Noida-based company said in a statement. The investment will help Kodak HD LED TV to be a one-stop platform for work-from-home needs for the new customer, it added. Equipped with large screens, Kodak Android TVs will also connect all the smart home devices in the house. Read More

  Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief and actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan on Monday filed his nomination from Coimbatore South Constituency for Tamil Nadu Assembly polls . While addressing a press conference after filing his nomination, he said, "Our Strategy is honesty which is lacking with other parties". Asked about the reason for contesting from Coimbatore, he said, "Coimbatore is very close to my heart. I have lot of friends in this city. So many memories...Many important events in my life happened here." "I will work to make Coimbatore not only the best city in Tamil Nadu but the best in India," he added. Click Here

  ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) on Monday announced a new range of PC lineup featuring the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile Processors in India, at a starting price of Rs 10,3990. The new range of laptops include ROG Strix SCAR 15/17, Strix G17/G15, TUF A15 and ROG Strix Desktop GA35, designed to give the best gaming experience to consumers. "Our new range of devices comes packed to the brim with the latest technological innovations that give competitive gamers an edge and casual players a whole new level of immersion. We have introduced industry's fastest display along with innovative cooling solutions to boost gamers' in-game experience," Arnold Su, Business Head, Consumer and Gaming PC, System Business Group, ASUS India, said in a statement. Read More

  The Grammys 2021 kicked off on Sunday with two early awards for music sensations Beyonce and Megan Thee Stallion, who both took home prizes ahead of the main gala. As per Variety, Beyonce captured her first trophy of the day for Best Music Video, an award she shared with her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy, who was in the clip for 'Brown Skin Girl'. Beyonce took home her second award for her collaboration with Megan. "Imma cry!" said Megan via video chat to accept the award for Best Rap Performance for 'Savage', fanning her eyes as she thanked Beyonce along with her late mother. The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were delayed owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The annual show shifted from its original January 31 broadcast to March 14. The ceremony honours musical artistes, compositions and albums across 84 categories. Click Here

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Monday said it has filed a police case against a Bollywood actor for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines. The civic body in a release said despite being infected by the coronavirus, the actor moved out in public places and took part in shootings. As there is a chance of spread of the coronavirus infection among others, the BMC has filed the FIR against the actor, the release said without naming the actor. "No Compromise On City's Safety! BMC has filed an FIR against a Bollywood actor for non-compliance to COVID19 guidelines on testing positive. The rules apply to all alike and we urge citizens to follow all guidelines and help the city beat the virus," the civic body tweeted along with a copy of the FIR. Read More

  Active noise cancellation (ANC) is one premium feature still scarcely available in true wireless earbuds, especially in the budget segment. That said, there are no other earbuds better at present than the recently launched Realme Buds Air 2 to experience the ANC for the first time without actually having to pay much for it. Fourth in the Realme’s Bud Air series, the Buds Air 2 is a completely reworked model with a fresh design, improved acoustics, and ANC among its core features. Starting with the design, the earbuds come in two colour options – black & blue and silver & white – with a dual-tone accent for novelty. These in-ear earbuds have a stem-based design with earbuds donning a white glossy finish and silver theme on the stems (review unit – silver & white). With each earbud weighing about 4.1g, the Buds Air 2 is comfortable for extended usage. Click Here

England could get an idea of where they stand heading into this year's World Cup at the end of their limited overs engagements against formidable India, captain Eoin Morgan said on Thursday. CHECK IND VS ENG 1st T20I playing 11 and head to head details here Hosts India and England will be engaged in a T20 series, starting here on Friday, and that will be followed by a three-game ODI rubber. "It is going to be from our point of view a learning process, going through what positions we might find ourselves in seven month's time at the World Cup, with a perfect case scenario that we are playing against one of the best sides in the world, in their backyard and we know they are very difficult to beat," Morgan said. He was addressing a pre-match press conference here. Read Full Article Here

  Chennai-based TVS Motor Company on Wednesday launched the 2021 edition of its motorcycle model Apache RTR 160 4V with price starting at Rs 1,07,270 (ex-showroom Delhi). The bike powered by a 159.7 cc single-cylinder engine delivering a power of 17.63 PS will be available in two variants, with disc brake version priced at Rs 1,10,320 and the drum brake variant priced at Rs 1,07,270 (ex-showroom Delhi), TVS Motor Co said in a regulatory filing. The 2021 edition Apache RTR 160 4V has become lighter with a 2 kg weight reduction, with the disc variant weighing 147 kg and the drum variant weighing 145 kg, it added. Read Full Article Here

 Preparations are in full swing here for the ' Kumbh Mela 2021 ', which is around the corner. The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Department earlier said that Covid-19 standard operating procedures will remain in force throughout the duration of the event. Hand sanitiser stalls have also been put up at several places across the Mela area, which spreads over Haridwar, Pauri Garhwal and Dehradun districts of Uttarakhand. Kumbh Mela officer, Deepak Rawat said, "The first holy bath is on ' Shivratri ' and all preparations have been done for it. All in all, we have assigned duties to security personnel at the routes...Changing rooms have been built in places and we would have volunteers who would keep sanitizing the area." Click Here

  China’s Lenovo-owned smartphone brand Motorola on Tuesday launched in India the Moto G10 Power and Moto G30 smartphones. Powered by Android 11 operating system, both the smartphones boot near-stock Android user interface. Besides, both the smartphones ships with Motorola ThinkShield technology, which is touted by the company to provide four layers of enhanced protection to users in terms of protecting personal data from malware, phishing, and other threats. The Moto G10 Power and Moto G30 will be available in aurora grey & breeze blue and dark pearl & pastel sky colours, respectively. Priced at Rs 9,999, the Moto G10 Power will go on sale starting March 16 at 12 pm on Flipkart. The Moto G30 is priced at Rs 10,999. It will be available on Flipkart starting March 17 at 12 pm. Moto G10 Power: Specifications Read Full Article Here

  Nokia is one of the last few brands that are still selling smartphones based on Android One platform in India. For the uninitiated, Android One is a family of Android smartphones powered by stock versions of Android with a focus on Google services. That said, the Nokia smartphones often come with an up-to-date Android operating system that has advertisement-free vanilla user interface and no pre-installed bloatware. The Nokia 5.4 , a new midrange smartphone from Finnish technology start-up HMD Global, which owns the Nokia brand, is banking on the Android One and select creator-centric imaging features. Priced Rs 13,999 onwards, the smartphone, however, seems to lag peers in price-to-specifications ratio. But how does it work out in real-life usage? Let’s find out: Click Here

The Women of Big Bazaar SOS, the composite group of women who work for the Future Group , on Monday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought his support to protect their livelihoods as legal tussle between Amazon and Future Group continues. In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Women of Big Bazaar SOS group said: "Future Retail and Reliance had entered into an arrangement through which Future's retail stores will continue to be operated by Reliance. Reliance has also committed to clear all debts and dues owed by Future Retail to suppliers and vendors." "Since we had been facing tough times during the pandemic, this deal provided us with a lot of hope and confidence for our continued livelihoods. However, Amazon... has tried to stop this tie-up, and consequently our future and that of our families hangs precariously," it added. Read More

  OPPO is set to debut in India its entry-level health and fitness tracker named the OPPO Band Style on March 8. Alongside, the Chinese smartphone maker will launch the OPPO F19 Pro Plus and OPPO F19 Pro, expanding its camera-centric F-series line-up. While the former is touted by the company as a 5G smartphone, the latter would be a vanilla model sans 5G. However, both the smartphones are expected to bring new imaging features, including the ‘AI Highlight Portrait video’ that the company introduced earlier this year in the OPPO Reno 5 Pro 5G (review). As for the OPPO Band Style, it is touted by the company to feature a sensor to monitor blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) and 1.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen. OPPO F19 Pro series launch event: Livestream details Read Full Article Here

WhatsApp will Thursday roll out voice and video calling from the desktop, making it easier for people to take calls at their convenience. Voice and video calls on WhatsApp Web will also be end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that WhatsApp can’t hear or see them, whether you call from your phone or your computer. "We’re starting with one-to-one calls on the WhatsApp desktop app so we make sure we can give you a reliable and high-quality experience. We will be expanding this feature to include group voice and video calls in the future," the company said in a statement. The Facebook-owned messaging app had been testing this feature for very few users since late last year. In order to make a WhatsApp desktop call, you need to have a Windows 10 64-bit version 1903 and newer or macOS 10.13 and newer. One of the reasons for WhatsApp to roll out this feature is increased calling on the platform due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Click Here

Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) was assured of a medal in her first competitive outing since qualifying for the Olympics last year when she entered the semifinal of the Boxam International Tournament in Castellon, Spain on Wednesday. The 37-year-old Mary Kom, who had not competed since her Tokyo qualification last year in Jordan, defeated Italian Giordana Sorrentino with a split verdict in the quarterfinal stage of the event. Also advancing to the medal rounds were Olympic-bound Simranjit Kaur (60kg) and debutant Jasmine (57kg), competing in her maiden international tournament. Jasmine defeated American Selma Medina in her quarterfinal fight, while Simranjit prevailed over Spaniard Eugenia Albons. Both the Indians notched up unanimous victories. Read More

  Realme is going to unveil its latest 5G smartphone, Realme GT 5G , on Thursday. The model will be launched in China and later in India too. While Realme is yet to confirm dates for India launch, thanks to promotional teasers and leaks, we already know some of the features of the phone. Keep reading to find out more about the upcoming smartphone Specifications According to reports, Realme is working on a MediaTek version which will be part of its “Dual Platform-Dual Flagship” strategy. The smartphone will be equipped with Super AMOLED display and a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is likely to have Ford GT inspired design and will be a mix of black and yellow colours with dual tone vegan leather design, according to reports. It might get a punch-hole display design and feature a single cut out for a selfie camera. Click Here

  Samsung on Wednesday launched Galaxy A32 smartphone that comes with 64MP quad camera, 90Hz display along with a long-lasting 5000mAh battery for Rs 21,999 (6GB+128GB variant). The device with 6.4-inch FHD+ sAMOLED screen will be available in four colours -- Awesome Black, Awesome White, Awesome Blue, and Awesome Violet available across retail stores and leading online portals, starting Wednesday. Samsung Galaxy A32 As an introductory offer, consumers can get cashback up to Rs 2,000 on HDFC Bank credit card, debit card and EMI transactions, making Galaxy A32 available at an effective price of Rs 19,999. Click Here

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc's Prime Video streaming service on Tuesday issued a rare apology to its Indian viewers for some scenes in its original political drama series "Tandav", which allegedly offended Hindu religious beliefs. "Tandav", a Hindi word meaning "fury", stars top Bollywood actors. In several states it has faced police complaints and court cases alleging the show had depicted Hindu gods and goddesses in a derogatory manner, and offended religious beliefs. Lawmakers from India's ruling nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have also criticised it. Tandav Web Series In a statement titled "Amazon Prime Video Apologizes", the company on Tuesday said it deeply regrets viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable. Amazon apologizes "unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt," it said, adding that it will continue to develop content while respecting the diversity of audiences' culture and beliefs.

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ' Maritime India Summit 2021 ' on Tuesday. Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the second edition of the summit via video conferencing. Prime Minister also launched e-book of maritime vision 2030, which is aiming to make the Indian maritime insutry at par with the top global benchmark in the next 10 years. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of State (MoS) Ports, Shipping and Waterways (Independent Charge) in his opening remark said that the summit is one of the biggest virtual summit in the world with the participation of 1.7 lakhs partipants from more than 100 nations. Read More

Chadwick Boseman was posthumously honoured with a Golden Golden for his performance as the strong-willed trumpet player Levee who marches to his own beat in the musical period drama "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom", the actor's swansong. Boseman, who died in August at the age of 43 following a four year-long private battle with colon cancer, won the award in the best performance by an actor in a motion picture category. Boseman's wife, Simone Ledward, accepted the award on his behalf in a Zoom call. "He would thank God. He would thank his parents. He would thank his ancestors for their guidance and their sacrifices," an emotional Ledward said. It's the first Golden Globe win for Boseman, who achieved global stardom as King T'Challa of fictitious African country Wakanda aka superhero Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Read More