A former children’s commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, has lodged a claim in the high court on behalf of millions of children in the UK and the European Economic Area who have used TikTok since 25 March 2018.
According to some media reports, Longfield alleges the app is breaching UK and EU children’s data protection law and aims to stop it processing the information of millions of children, make it delete all such existing data and pay compensation she believes could run into billions of pounds.
Despite a minimum age requirement of 13, the UK’s communications regulator Ofcom found last year that 42 per cent of eight to 12-year-olds in the UK used TikTok the report said.
As with other social media companies such as Facebook, there have long been concerns about data collection and the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office is investigating TikTok’s handling of children’s personal information, it added.
The legal claim alleges that TikTok takes children’s personal information without sufficient warning, transparency or the necessary consent required by law and without parents and children knowing what is being done with their private information.
Lingfield believes more than 3.5 million children in the UK alone could have been affected.
Audio brand Truke has launched three new TWS earbuds named Buds S1, Buds Q1 and Fit 1+. The next-generation of true wireless earbuds will be available on Amazon and Flipkart.
The Truke Buds S1, Buds Q1 and Fit1+ come equipped with Bluetooth 5.1, which offers 2X transmission speed, 1.8X Reliable Connection and are 2X Energy Efficient. The snug fit in-ear earbuds are skin-friendly and come in stylish miniature cases, making them perfect for outdoor endeavors as they refuse to fall off in any kind of head movement.
Buds S1:Offering a playtime of up to 10 hours on single charge, the Truke Buds S1 comes equipped with a 500mAh Premium Sliding case, providing a total playtime of up to 72 hours. For Music lovers, it offers High fidelity Powerful sound with its 10mm Graphene Speakers coupled with AAC Codec Support. It also comes with a universal Type-C charging interface and features a rich Digital LED Display with one touch maneuver. The latest earbuds also have a Quad MEMS Mic ENC that allows a Rich Calling Experience.
Buds Q1:The Truke Buds Q1 is backed by a 400mAh charging case that allows up to 60 hours of total music playback time on full charge and up to 10 hours on a single charge. Its instant pairing technology with Bluetooth 5.1 allows the users to connect the earbuds for a stable and fast connection. The True Wireless In-Ear earbuds also promise high fidelity sound with its 10mm dynamic driver and AAC Codec Support. It is also equipped with a Quad MEMS Mic ENC enabling crystal clear calls. The product also features a Low Latency Gaming Mode.
Fit1+:The third generation Truke Fit1+ possesses a music playback capacity of 12 hours on single charge. The 300mAh Charging Case earbuds extends a total music playback of up to 48 hours. Bluetooth 5.1 allows a Stable and Fast Seamless connection. Featuring low latency Gaming mode and AAC Codec Support, the earbud also has one touch control and a digital display.
Pankaj Upadhyay, Founder and CEO, Truke, said, “Truke is dedicated towards furnishing superior quality sound through state of the art wireless earphones and sonic accessories for music enthusiasts and sound experts that desire the best in acoustics. We are focused on extending an ultra-rich sound along with dependability and wearing comfort and durability. We are sure that our newest product line made with next gen tech innovation and superlative design will enthrall users far and wide.”
Russia-based hackers have hit Apple in a $50 million ransomware attack via a Taiwan-based company that manufactures MacBooks and other products for the Cupertino-based iPhone maker, the media reported.
As per the report, the operators of the REvil ransomware are demanding that Apple pay a ransom demand to avoid having confidential information leaked on the Dark Web.
The cybercriminals timed the attack to coincide with Apple’s “Spring Loaded” event. Files leaked on the Dark Web show “schematics for Macbook laptops”.
The hackers claimed that they have Apple product data after breaching Quanta Computer, a Taiwanese company that is the biggest laptop manufacturer in the world.
“In a message posted on a dark web portal, the REvil gang said that Quanta refused to pay to get its stolen data back and, as a result, the REvil operators have now decided to go after the company’s primary customer instead,” the report said.
According to report, Quanta refused to pay the $50 million ransom for the data.
The company on this has said that it was looking into the incident and had nothing to share at the moment.
The REvil operators said in the message that “Our team is negotiating the sale of large quantities of confidential drawings and gigabytes of personal data with several major brands. We recommend that Apple buy back the available data by May 1.”
Known customers of Quanta Computer include some of the biggest laptop vendors in the world, such as HP, Dell, Microsoft, Toshiba, LG, Lenovo, and many others, according to the report.
Files leaked today show schematics for Macbook laptops, none of which are particularly sensitive nor appear to include anything beyond assembly information and technical details. One of the file was dated March 9, 2021, but is unclear if the depicted product was new or just updated technical specs.
Google Pixel 5a 5G likely to launch with Snapdragon 765G
Tech Giant, Google, is all set to launch its Pixel 5a 5G soon, and rumors revealed that its appearance will be quite similar to the Google Pixel 4a 5G from last year. According to some media reports, Google reveals that the Pixel 5a 5G will be driven by the Snapdragon 765G SoC. Google has previously used the Snapdragon 765G chip to power the Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a 5G. The report has no other information on the specs of the Pixel 5a 5G. It is being said that the Pixel 5a 5G may get limited release as it likely to release only markets like the U.S. and Japan. There is no confirmation on whether there will be a 4G version of the Pixel 5a.
Amazon launches Fire TV Cube 4K streaming box in India
In 2019, Amazon announced a Fire TV Cube in the USA. After a long delay, it has finally brought the flagship streaming box to India. The Amazon Fire TV Cube is priced at Rs 12,999 in India. This is the 2nd-gen Fire TV Cube (2019) that’s already retailing in the US for $119.99. Under the hood, the Fire TV Cube is powered by an Amlogic S922X Hexa-core processor clocked up to 2.2GHz. This is paired with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. This is said to offer the best-ever Fire TV experience with video content maxing out at 4K Ultra HD resolution at 60 fps.
Vivo X60t Pro is coming too but we don’t know how soon
The Chinese smartphone maker, Vivo, recently launched its X60 series which already has six members but it appears that the company is not done with it yet as it plans to announce yet another model. A new leak has revealed that this new model will launch as the Vivo X60t Pro but there is no info on when it will arrive. As per reports, a Pro version of the Vivo X60t may launch.
Samsung Display begins OLED panel production in Noida plant in India
In a move to expand its smartphone presence in the Indian market, Samsung has began the production of OLED panels as of this month at its Noida plant in India through its Display unit. As per a spokesperson from the company’s display unit, “Some of the production lines starts to manufacture” in the plant in India. Furthermore, the brand is also planning on soon start the production of making IT display panels as well at this factory. Notably, this would mark the first time the company has made any display manufacturing is being done in India.
Hackers hit Apple in $50M ransomware attack via MacBook supplier
Russia-based hackers have hit Apple in a $50 million ransomware attack via a Taiwan-based company that manufactures MacBooks and other products for the Cupertino-based iPhone maker. According to some media reports, the operators of the REvil ransomware are demanding that Apple pay a ransom demand to avoid having confidential information leaked on the Dark Web. The cybercriminals timed the attack to coincide with Apple’s “Spring Loaded” event. Files leaked on the Dark Web show “schematics for Macbook laptops”.
Adding to its M-series, online smartphone brand Poco has come up with the M2 reloaded smartphone in India. The new smartphone comes with a 4GB RAM, making it even more affordable for the users. In a market that offers limited multimedia device options under Rs 15,000 price segment, Poco M2 reloaded is all set to be the most affordable multimedia smartphone with a starting price of Rs 9,499.
Much like the Poco M2, the reloaded version is also powered with MediaTek Helio G80 octa-core processor, two Cortex-A75 cores at 2.0GHz and six Cortex-A55 cores at 1.8GHz. MediaTek’s gaming features strike a perfect balance between performance and efficiency, making it a well-rounded device in the price segment.
The smartphone features a 6.53-inch Full HD+ IPS LCD with a resolution of 2340 × 1080 and an aspect ratio of 19.5:9, ensuring a high quality video streaming experience for the consumers. The screen has a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 to provide protection from accidental damage and scratches. Poco M2 reloaded also features a fingerprint sensor on its rear side to allow quick unlocking. It comes with a 13MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide sensor, 5MP macro sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. POCO M2 reloaded packs a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W fast charging.
Poco M2 breached 1 million mark recently and has continued to sell well. Known to offer the best value for money, Poco M2 is rated 4.9 across 150k reviews on Flipkart.
The reloaded version aims to make the Poco M2 even more affordable for its users, by offering the 4GB/64GB variant at Rs 9,499. Poco M2 reloaded is available for purchase via Flipkart.
Vivo’s iQOO 7 smartphone has won the 2021 Red Dot Award for product design, thanks to its outstanding layout that gives users a strong sense of control. The Red Dot Award: Product Design appraises the best products created across the globe every year. Inspired by the brand’s affinity for speed, iQOO 7’s aesthetic visual experience comprises corrosion-resistant marine aluminium in its middle frame and AG frosted glass which made it win the race amongst other contenders, it said in a statement.
iQOO 7 is the latest performance flagship offered by iQOO, the independent sub-brand of vivo that aims to provide an unparalleled experience to young and tech-savvy consumers in their relentless quest for passion. iQOO 7 runs on the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G mobile platform and features multiple industry-leading technologies, including super flash charging capabilities and a liquid cooling system. Together with a 120Hz full-sensing screen, super touch acceleration with a 1000Hz Instant Touch Sampling Rate and 300Hz Touch Sampling Rate, and dual speakers, iQOO 7 also redefines the mobile gaming experience to match professional e-sports standards.
According to iQOO’s product design team, they have always focused on the users and prioritize what is best for them by addressing their true needs. When designing iQOO 7, they considered some of the most common user scenarios, including extended use for game-playing as well as when the phone is accidentally dropped. The team was tremendously excited that the efforts have been recognized by Red Dot, the world’s most prestigious design award.
iQOO 7 adopted corrosion-resistant marine aluminium in its middle frame, which prevents corrosion from oils and perspiration on users’ hands. It also provides extra protection to the smartphone’s rear cover and screen when the phone is dropped. The hard-edged middle frame with a slightly curved surface on the side provides a comfortable grip.
Adopting AG frosted glass on its rear helps iQOO 7 resolve the issue of sticky fingerprints and also makes the underlying light and shadow comparison more transparent. The resulting transparency enhances the smartphone’s three-dimensional feeling while expressing iQOO’s goal to epitomize both fun and speed through design.
With iQOO’s inherent spirit for exploration and commitment to overseas markets, the company will soon offer iQOO 7 series in India. iQOO will customize its product portfolio based on market conditions and sophisticated insights into local customer needs and preferences.
Homegrown consumer lifestyle technology brand RAEGR has introduced two new car charging adapters to fast-charge your devices while driving. The RAEGR RapidLink 350 is a 30W fast car charger featuring USB Type-C PD and the RAEGR RapidLink 400 is a 38W dual-port USB PD 3.0 with USB 3.0 QC 3.0.
“The RAEGR RapidLink 350 and 400 are ideal for those who travel by car or drive around frequently and don’t have sufficient time to charge their devices before leaving. Using a RapidLink in the car, your devices can charge at super speeds of up to 38 watts. So, you can now forget about charging your devices at home and when you reach your destination, your smartphone or tablet’s battery will be fully replenished on arrival,” said Ajesh George, MD, RAEGR.
The two new car charging adapters are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that not only quick charges various devices on the fly but also protects your devices from heat and power issues.
RapidLink 350: This is a single-device 30W thumb-sized car charger that can quickly replenish your smartphone or tablet using a USB Type-C Power Delivery (PD 3.0) port. Built within a very compact metal housing, the charger sits flush inside the car’s cigarette lighter port and does not protrude outwards, leaving room for other things to be comfortably placed around the area. The charger has a blue LED to indicate power and a small foldable handle that allows for easy removal.
The RAEGR RapidLink 350’s PD port can charge your devices 3X faster. Compatible with fast and quick charging devices such as Samsung’s Note 10/10+, Apple’s iPhone 12/12 Mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max/11/Pro/Max, iPhone X/XS/XR/8/8 Plus/SE, Google’s Pixel 3/3a/XL, and many other brands. Every device that is connected to the RapidLink 350 is protected from overheating, over-voltage and over-current. Lastly, along with the charger, you will also receive a 3.3ft USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable so you can instantly start using it. The RAEGR RapidLink 350 is available for a price of Rs 1,599 with a standard industry warranty of 1 year.
RapidLink 400: This is a dual-port 38W car charger that can simultaneously charge two devices at the same time. The RapidLink 400 sports a USB 3.0 port and a PD 3.0 USB port that together can provide up to 38 Watts of power. The USB 3.0 port supports QuickCharge 3.0 and compatible connected devices can charge with a maximum power of 18 Watts. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S series (S8 and above) and the Note series (Note 8 and above) can attain 0%-50% charge within the first 30 minutes using the USB 3.0 port. The PD port supports 3X fast charging and can provide up to 20 watts of power for your devices. Compatible with fast and quick charging devices such as Samsung’s Note 10/10+, Apple’s iPhone 12/12 Mini/12 Pro/12 Pro Max/11/Pro/Max, iPhone X/XS/XR/8/8 Plus/SE, Google’s Pixel 3/3a/XL, and many other brands.
The RAEGR RapidLink 400 is built using a scratch-resistant metal housing body which also helps efficiently dissipate heat to keep the product running at peak performance. All connected devices are protected from overheating, over-voltage and over-current. Lastly, along with the charger, you will also receive a 3.3ft USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable so you can instantly start using it. The RAEGR RapidLink 400 is available for a price of Rs 1,619 with a standard industry warranty of 1 year.
The RAEGR RapidLink 350 and RapidLink 400 will be available on Amazon and Flipkart.
Domestic gadget accessory and consumer electronics brand Ubon has expanded its product line with the launch of brand new BT-5690 Prime Star headphones which can stream powerful sound upto 12 hours at a single charge.
These headphones are equipped with 32 mm Ubon drivers and are easy to use because of the wireless Bluetooth technology. The headset has a built-in dual microphone which provides a 360-degree surround sound support. Its independent CPU delivers a crystal clear sound and a deeper bass music and is equipped with durable connector.
Ubon’s Prime Star headphones are carefully designed to provide hands-free experience for those indulging in sports activity or driving without any hassle. It’s adjustable volume feature helps you to adjust volume when you’re listening to music or you want to talk on call without any distraction.
The headphone offers extra soft cushions for superb comfort and its speaker provides natural sound effect to give a real-time experience. This Bluetooth device has an inbuilt Aux system to play music anywhere and anytime. With easy portability, these headphones are a grab to inject music into the everyday aspect of your busy life.
Mandeep Arora, Managing Director, Ubon, said, “The Ubon BT-5690 Prime Star headphones have been launched with undisturbed and constant 12H audio. We have worked on the material factors of consumer demand and therefore these headphones are lightweight and compact with noise isolation and suited with the active lifestyle. We will try to maintain our performance level best for the upcoming years as well.”
Priced at Rs 2,499, the all-new headphones are available for sale at offline retail outlets and e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal etc.
Fabless semiconductor major MediaTek, which claims to power nearly 2 billion connected devices a year, has announced plans to further strengthen its India footprint by enabling the smart device ecosystem through OEM collaborations in technologies like 5G, IoT and Wi-Fi routers across both smartphones and smart device categories.
The leading provider for smartphone SoCs has also introduced its flagship System-on-Chip (SoC), Dimensity 1200, in the Indian market with Realme being the first smartphone brand to feature the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 SoC in India.
MediaTek showcased its latest technologies at the 8th edition of the MediaTek Technology Diaries titled “Incredible Technologies empower Incredible Experiences.” MediaTek also reiterated its commitment to spur innovation in the smart devices segment across a wide range of products powered by MediaTek – such as Chromebooks, Smart TVs, Voice Assistant Devices (VAD).
Anku Jain, Managing Director, MediaTek India, said, “As a frontrunner in 5G domain, MediaTek has been ambitiously pursuing the vision of creating incredible technologies and delivering exceptional 5G solutions to everyone. We have strengthened our R&D in India to further advance our product portfolio. Our continued effort in this line has brought several leading OEM brands on board, who deliver on the commitment of our incredible, experiences across device.MediaTek has identified a great opportunity in the Indian smart devices segment and has tailored the products to address the emerging demands from the digitally empowered customers here opening a new world of opportunities for the industry players and customers.”
Also present on the occasion were Madhav Sheth – Vice President – Realme and CEO, Realme India and Europe, Nitish Singal – Category Head for Notebooks & Desktops, HP India, Varun Gupta – Whole Time Director, Kent Ro Systems, Prabhu Ram – Head – Industry Intelligence Group (IIG), CyberMedia Research (CMR), Aveg Agarwal – SVP, Institutional Sales, Toppr, Kuldeep Malik – Director, Corporate Sales, MediaTek India, Raghavan Sampath – Director, Business Development, ?MediaTek India and Anuj Sidharth – Deputy Director, Marketing & Communications at MediaTek India.
Focused on designing innovative solutions, MediaTek has two R&D centers in India located in Noida and Bangalore. MediaTek is a market leader in digital TVs, voice assistant devices, Wi-Fi routers and other smart home products with a portfolio that caters to a wide range of customers across smartphones, smart homes, automotive, IoT and home/enterprise connectivity segment.
Smartphones and tablets contribute a major share, about 45-50% of the company’s revenue, while solutions like VADs, AIoT, Power Management and ASIC etc. contribute 29-33% revenue. The remaining 21-26% of the revenue is led by smart home and other categories which includes Digital TVs, DVD Players, Optical Storage, STB and feature phones etc. The MediaTek Dimensity 5G family has 1100, 1000+, 1000, 800U, 700 and the flagship Dimensity 1200 SoC in India.
Esports and skill gaming platform Mobile Premier League has acquired New Delhi-based GamingMonk which hosts esports tournaments across multiple platforms including PC, console and mobile. It serves as a launchpad for publishers and a community for gamers creating an integrated ecosystem across esports, live streaming and content discovery.
As part of the transaction, MPL has absorbed the complete GamingMonk team. This acquisition will allow MPL to accelerate bringing to market key national, regional and global tournament IPs and allow MPL to develop a full suite of esports and broadcasting capabilities. This would be anchored by the GamingMonk team’s strong track record of leading online and offline esports tournaments.
As of April 2021, GamingMonk had a registered user base of over 1.3 million users.
Speaking about this strategic acquisition, Sai Srinivas, Co-founder and CEO, MPL, said, “In our mission to serve gamers in India, GamingMonk will augment our efforts in reaching our target audience and engage with our users effectively. With the increased consumption of esports in the last couple of years and it becoming as competitive as any other sport, it gives us immense pleasure to present our users with the best of games to play, and enjoy their passion for gaming.”
Esports Arena Launch
MPL has also launched Esports Arena, the banner under which the platform will host fortnightly esports tournaments in some of its marquee games such as Chess, WCC, Pool, etc. Each of these tournaments will carry a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and entry is free for all gamers. MPL will also stream the games on its social media platforms to millions of viewers.
With Esports Arena, MPL aims to take esports truly to the masses across India, with gaming titles that are smartphone friendly and can be played on a range of smartphones, it said. With so much untapped talent all over the country, MPL hopes to discover the next esports champions through Esports Arena, it added.
In four such tournaments conducted for games such as Pool, Chess, and WCC, the number of livestream views have crossed 5 million, with over 70,000 participants registering for the tournaments. Chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, along with famous gamers and streamers such as Jonathan Gaming, Gaming Guru, Soul Regaltos, and others were a part of these tournaments.
“We are extremely excited to be a part of MPL. From the very onset, GamingMonk’s vision was to change the esports scenario in India, and I strongly believe that our collaboration with MPL will not only help us accomplish our goal, but also transform the way every individual in our country views esports. MPL has been one of the pioneers in changing the gaming culture in Asia, and it was a no brainer for us that if there was someone who could help us reach our goal at the earliest it had to be them,” said Ashwin Haryani, Co-founder, GamingMonk.
