Only a month of free music streaming on Apple music! Apple has reduced the free trial limit from three to one month now. The update applies to all the new Apple subscribers, although buyers of AirPods and other devices still get six months. Apple Music`s terms and conditions on the official site now make no mention of a specific period. But as late as January 2022, the banner headline was “Enjoy 3 months on us”, and it`s now “Start your free trial today”.
It’s time to Take a Break : Instagram introduces new feature
Take a Break with Instagram now. Instagram has launched its new feature, ‘Take a Break’. It is introduced to put a stopper on the limitless scrolling and control the urge to post to every single thing happening online. With the mass obsessing over the ‘show on the web’ trend, this feature will remind the user to take a break for 10, 20, and 30 minutes. It will also show some ways in which one can really relax, like taking a few deep breaths, writing down what you’re thinking, listening to your favourite song or taking care of something on your to-do list.
Minix to launch multifunctional smartwatch ‘Prime’ with dynamic UI
Minix has recently announced the launch of its latest smartwatch – Minix Prime with advanced features. The password-protected smartwatch is power-packed with a find phone feature and dynamic UI.
The Minix Prime is multilingual and boasts a myriad of useful features such as rotary encoder, mass dial, information reminders, call rejections and remote control hand machine photo. In addition, the smartwatch also provides health monitoring, sleep monitoring and multi-sport mode.
Minix Prime of Minix Store said, “At Minix, we strive to combine technology, style and performance to enhance the quality of our customers’ lives. With Minix Prime, we wanted to go beyond providing routine notifications with safety features.”
“Minix Prime is an innovative product in the smartwatch segment. It is a customizable watch with a dynamic UI that allows our customers to personalize their experience,” he added.
The newly launched smartwatch is water, sweat and dust resistant with an IP67-certified enclosure. Users can wear the smartwatch underwater or during intense workouts. It is compatible with Android 5.0 and iOS 9.0 and above.
Specifications
- Screen Size: 1.32 Inch (round screen)
- Battery capacity: 260 mAh
- Heart rate chip: HRS3300
- Masterchip: Realtek RK8762DT
- Magnet Charging
- Waterproof level: IP67
- HD Sound Quality
- Multilingual
- Find Phone Feature
- SMS Notifications
- Call reject Features
Minix Prime is priced at Rs 4,999 and comes with a 260 mAh battery life. It will be available for purchase on leading e-commerce stores as well as the company’s official website.
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HP Inc. to bridge digital divide among underserved communities in India through PATH
To contribute towards digital equity for underserved communities around world, HP Inc. and the Aspen Institute have announced a new initiative to accelerate digital equity. The association is aimed to enable equal access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities and livelihoods within the digital economy. HP seeks to achieve this goal through its PATH (Partnership and Technology for Humanity) Program.
Led by the Aspen Digital program, the ‘Digital Equity Accelerator’ will assist participating non-profits in scaling up their innovative approaches to aid underserved communities affected by the digital divide. HP is backing the Accelerator with innovative technology as well as more than $100,000 (USD) in capacity-building grants for each participating organization, progressing toward its commitment to advance digital equity for 150 million people worldwide by 2030.
Half of the world’s population remains offline, with marginalized and underrepresented communities often bearing the brunt of disconnection. The Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected this divide in India and around the world, with more communities falling far behind than ever in terms of access to a quality education, democratised healthcare, and opportunities to thrive in an increasingly digital economy – in other words, fundamental human rights.
“We are looking forward to supporting innovators dedicated to improving digital equity for impacted communities in the US and around the world,” said Vivian Schiller, Executive Director of Aspen Digital.
Target population and areas
This initiative pilots in India, United States, and Morocco and will target populations including women and girls; people with disabilities; aging populations; historically excluded groups, such as communities of color and ethnic minorities; those who are socio-economically marginalized; refugees and internally displaced persons; and the educators and practitioners who support them. The goal is to amplify scalable impact in the areas of healthcare, education, and economic opportunity via a local approach that bolsters community leaders. The effort will leverage a diverse mentor network of practitioners who possess a range of technical and sectoral expertise as well as lived experience.
Ketan Patel, MD, HP India Market, said, “The importance of digital equity for economic growth, social development and job creation has increased exponentially in India. At HP, we are committed to ensure that every Indian has an equitable and inclusive access to skills, knowledge and economic opportunities in the digital economy. Our partnership with Aspen Digital is a step towards this effort as we double down on our efforts to bridge the digital equity gap in communities that need it most.”
The intention is to expand in subsequent years to additional countries, building on lessons learned from the first cohort. Applications are open now through March 21, 2022. To learn more about the criteria and process, visit AspenDigitalEquity.org.
“Digital equity is the path for everyone, everywhere to have equal access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity,” said Michele Malejki, Global Head of Social Impact at HP Inc. “Our partnership with Aspen Digital will bring impact and accountability to advancing the benefits of digital equity in people’s lives.”
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Truke Air Buds and Air Buds+ with 20 preset EQ modes launched: First impressions and Unboxing inside
Following the recent launch of Air Buds Lite and BTG 3 (Review), German audio brand Truke has now come up with two new TWS earbuds – Air Buds and Air Buds+ in India.
Priced at Rs 1,599, Truke Air Buds will be available only on Flipkart from today onwards, whereas Air Buds+ will be available on Flipkart as well as Amazon at Rs 1699.
Promising premium user experience, both the TWS earbuds come packed with an array of top-notch features, 20 pre-defined EQ modes along with customizable EQ via smart application, allowing the user to tweak the frequency of music/sound as their liking for richer and more immersive experience.
Truke Air Buds and Air Buds+ Unboxing
Both the products have a battery capacity of 40mAh in earbuds and 300mAh in the charging case. They offer a playback time of up to 10 hours with a single charge and 48 hours of total playtime with the case, having a Type-C port for charging the device.
For an increased call quality enhancement, these earbuds are equipped with Quad MEMS Mic (Dual Mic on each earbud) powered by an AI noise cancellation system. It also has an Auto in-ear high precision contact sensor achieving real time detection on wearing status, allowing music to play/pause automatically as you wear in or out the earbud.
In addition to extended battery life, improved connectivity and enhanced fit, it has a dedicated gaming mode feature with up to 55ms ultra-low latency to provide the best gaming experience.
The secure fit and feather light earphones are ergonomically built for all-day comfort and are tilted at 45 degrees to provide the best possible fit. These earbuds come with IPX4 water resistant rating that makes them your ultimate companion for adventures.
Pankaj Upadhyay, CEO, Truke India, said, “We are extremely proud to launch Air Buds and Air Buds+ with our clear focus on the headset market. These products are designed for a perfect listening experience. Truke has always envisioned itself as a market leader with a strong presence in a variety of sub-sectors. We have established a strong position in the industry as one of India’s fastest growing soundware brands, with a market share of roughly 5% in the TWS category in Q2 2021 CY.”
“With this specific launch, we aim to provide the best gaming experience too, with a dedicated gaming mode and ultra-low latency of upto 55ms in an affordable price range. As our each product is made with a spirit of innovation and better technology, we are confident that our users are in for a perfect listening experience,” he added.
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Google Duo crosses 5 billion downloads through Play Store
Google Duo, the video calling app of Google has crossed more than 5 billion download through the Play Store. Duo is the highest quality video calling app. It is free, simple and works on Android phones, iPhones, tablets, computers, and smart displays, like the Google Nest Hub Max. Whether it’s one-to-one calls, group calls or video messages, conversations on Duo will always stay private with end-to-end encryption.
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WhatsApp launches #TakeCharge campaign: 5 ways to ensure your safety on the internet
WhatsApp announced the launch of a week-long #OnlineSafety campaign in partnership with Yuvaa on February 8, 2022. The campaign, #TakeCharge will commence on ‘Safer Internet Day on Feb 8 with a series of infotainment content on Yuvaa’s Instagram page to raise awareness about online safety, encouraging people to understand the various safety tools and resources that can be used to stay in control online.
Through the voice of a diverse set of creators, the campaign will touch upon various aspects of online safety and the best practices that people should follow to stay in control of their safety on the internet. Youth creators Taneesha Mirwani, Anchal Agarwal, Anmol Sachar and Shreya Kapoor will share important content about internet safety such as understanding – best online practices, digital payments, group controls, and others to educate users on managing their online presence and interactions better.
Talking about the latest #TakeCharge user-safety campaign Abhijit Bose, Head of India, WhatsApp, said, “WhatsApp is an industry leader among private end-to-end encrypted messaging services in promoting online security. Besides continuously innovating on the product side to build safety features, WhatsApp also deploys dedicated teams of data scientists, analysts, security experts as well as AI & ML to keep users safe online 24x7x365. Additionally, it has been our continuous endeavour to raise awareness and education about user safety. Our current Safer Internet week campaign is another such attempt to help users understand the importance of online safety and how they can #TakeCharge to navigate the internet safely.”
This Safer Internet day, practice five simple rules to #TakeChargeofYourSafety:
- Be careful of what you click or believe
- The Internet is privy to spam messages, cyber threats and frauds, be it winning a cash prize or a fully sponsored trip from an unknown number. These messages often include links to a website or request access to your personal information with disguised malware. One must think before they click – If you receive it on WhatsApp, you can simply report accounts to WhatsApp by flagging a specific message. To do so, you can simply long-press a particular message to either ‘report’ or ‘block a user’.
- Think twice before forwarding messages
- WhatsApp has created a label for all forwarded messages and limits the number of times you can forward messages as a way to encourage users to reconsider before sharing. If you aren’t sure whether something’s true or don’t know who wrote the message, do not forward it, as it may be fake information.
- Make online payments using secure sites
- The Reserve Bank of India has been reiterating the practice of safe digital banking by taking all due precautions while carrying out any digital (online/mobile) banking/payment transactions. Be vigilant of cashback fraud, do not scan a QR code to receive money, check URLs and domain names received in emails / SMSs for spelling errors, among others.
- Control what you share
- Protecting one’s personal information and privacy is essential when using the internet. Sharing sensitive information such as address, phone number, passwords, credit/ debit card numbers, and bank account information should be avoided. On WhatsApp, users have the power to control their personal details such as – Profile Photo, Last Seen, About, Status and who it’s seen by – everyone, contacts only, or no one.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication
- Two-Factor Authentication provides additional safety to the user. WhatsApp allows users to add an extra layer of security to their account by enabling the Two-Step Verification feature. It requires a six-digit PIN when resetting and verifying the WhatsApp account, in the event of the SIM card being stolen or if the user’s phone is compromised.
Safe Internet Day: Internet browsing increased in a post-pandemic world, finds survey
A survey on the dependence on internet usage in India show an increasing trend in a post-pandemic world. Not only usage, the concern about safety of data as well as steadily increasing cybercrimes of varied kinds – from banking frauds, OTP/ATM frauds, fake news to stalking or bullying women, and data theft are also increasing.
The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) CRIME IN INDIA 2020; VOL II released in September 2021, India recorded 50,035 cases of cybercrime with a 11.8% increase over the previous year. The rate of cybercrimes (incidents per lakh population) also surged from 3.3 in 2019 to 3.7 in 2020.
The fourth edition of the OLX initiative, the OLX 2022 Safer Internet Day Study intends to foster awareness among online users, thereby helping make the internet a better and safer space for everyone.
The study revealed that over three-fourths of all respondents experienced at least one online fraud during the pandemic. Within this, financial frauds topped the list, with half (47%) of all respondents having faced it. Online shopping stands out as the top activity that makes respondents feel most vulnerable or unsafe on the Internet (36%), followed by use of social media (20%). In the age group of 50 and above, online content consumption is cited as potentially unsafe by 1 in 5 respondents (19%).
Increased online safety awareness
While instances of fraud have increased, users perceive that their own awareness towards online safety has also increased. During the continuing pandemic, over 3 in 5 respondents believe that their online safety awareness has gone up during the pandemic. Among those aged 50 and above, safety awareness has improved for 2 in 3 respondents. Similarly, maintaining password hygiene – changing passwords regularly and frequently, and having different passwords across different online services and platforms – is the most preferred choice among various safety measures across all respondents (43%).
Use of child locks on apps
Among other things, the survey attempted to gauge how parents are responding to the challenge of keeping their children safe as their online activities have increased in the wake of the pandemic. It found that a majority of parents rely on using child locks on apps, and monitoring the time spent by their children on digital devices (60% in total), to manage their online time. Women respondents overwhelmingly rely on monitoring time spent on devices (56%) by their children.
For a majority of respondents, internet usage has gone up by over 50% in the last one year, as the frequency of accessing services online has increased, as well as new activities have been added.
The survey also revealed that internet usage among the millennials (aged 35 and below), has increased marginally by 10% as compared to 18% among those aged above 35.
It also indicates that work requirement is the largest contributor (27%), followed by social media usage (21%) to increased internet usage, overall. Among those aged 50 and above, online shopping stands out as the single largest contributor (28%).
Further, nearly three-fourths of the respondents across all age groups agree that operating digitally is going to be the predominant way forward. Female respondents are more emphatic in this agreement compared to male respondents by a factor of two.
“Internet usage has seen a more than steep rise as people have been confined to their homes, and almost all activities or part thereof has moved online – education, shopping, banking, content consumption. This has led to a significant increase in screen time across age groups” said Amit Kumar, CEO, OLX Autos India. Adding further he said, “Safer Internet Day highlights the netizens’ online experience, their understanding and awareness of cyber security and safe online behaviour, and challenges that need to be addressed. Our intent through this annual study is to get a first-hand account of the netizens’ changing digital behaviour, and provide them with the right measures to safeguard their online presence.”
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You can now purchase select Xiaomi products at Shell fuel stations: Here’s how
Xiaomi India has entered into a partnership with Shell India, with a focus to make its range of accessories more accessible to consumers. Kickstarting the partnership in Bangalore, the pilot is currently live at five Shell fuel stations where consumers will be able to purchase a select range of accessories 24X7.
Some of the products available at Shell fuel stations will include products like Mi Portable Electric Air Compressor, Mi Smart Band 5, Mi 2A Fast Charger with Cable, Mi Beard Trimmer 1C, Redmi Earbuds 2C, Redmi Power Bank 20,000mAh and many more.
With a vision of making technology and innovation more accessible to consumers across the country and tapping into an unexplored customer base, Xiaomi India is further strengthening its commitment to the consumer through its partnership with Shell by offering consumers the option of purchasing their favourite Xiaomi and Redmi accessories even when on the move.
Sunil Baby, Senior Director, Offline Sales, Xiaomi India, said, “Through our partnership with Shell, our aim is to increase the availability and accessibility of Xiaomi India’s range of accessories in the country for consumers. We are proud to pilot this initiative with hopes of becoming the perfect product partner for consumers and fans across the country. We are hopeful and confident that this partnership will be a disruptor in changing the dynamics of our accessory retail business in our rural markets along with bringing forth the ease of purchase for consumers with round the clock availability.”
Sanjay Varkey, Director, Shell Retail India, said, “We are delighted to partner with a brand like Xiaomi India which follows a similar philosophy like us at Shell of providing customers best in class products and product experience. With this partnership, we are excited to explore the world of electronics and look forward to creating a long lasting relationship with the brand.”
Xiaomi India has been the No. 1 smartphone brand for 16 consecutive quarters and currently has 75+ Mi Homes, 75+ Mi Studios, 9400+ Mi Preferred Partners, and 4000+ Large format Retail partners along with 3000+ Mi Stores. The brand also launched its first omni-channel solution last year during the pandemic – Mi Commerce as a special initiative with the intent to blur online and offline boundaries.
Also Read: Cyfirma introduces DeFNCE to protect users, mobile devices from cybercriminals
Cyfirma introduces DeFNCE to protect users, mobile devices from cybercriminals
Cyfirma, an external threat landscape platform management company, today announced the launch of DeFNCE, a mobile app to help users acquire cyber safe habits such as knowing how to set a secure password, learn about emerging cyber threats like phishing campaigns and other social engineering lures. It also helps users to be aware of cybercriminals targeting apps they have installed.
According to App Annie Mobile App Landscape Report, there were 218 billion app downloads in 2020, time spent in finance apps was up 45% worldwide, and m-commerce experienced a massive growth. Similarly, social networking apps, video streaming apps, and gaming apps have all experienced a surge in recent times as the world’s population migrated to mobile and digital formats for work and play. In Cyfirma’s research, threat actors and cybercriminals are increasingly viewing mobile devices as attack surfaces to carry out not just scams but also cyber espionage. The company predicts in 2022, cybercriminals will mount attacks to take over mobile devices and demand ransom knowing that many will succumb to the extortion tactics.
DeFNCE redefines mobile security as the only app with the capability to provide a safe browsing experience by using advanced algorithms to discover the user’s digital risk profile and alert him or her to spying, phishing, ransomware, malware and other cyber threats. The app contains over a million data sources to bring to the user’s attention on emails and passwords which have been stolen or leaked into underground marketplaces, specific hacking campaigns planned by cybercriminals to compromise banking and other sensitive apps, and help the user ensure the device settings adhere to cyber safe security standards.
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“The mobile internet and mobile apps are not just a place to check your email or watch cat videos on YouTube anymore, it’s also a way to find news, connect with friends and family, and do business on the go. But it’s also a wild west full of unknown threats that can turn your digital footprint into a real-world crime scene. These threats can take many forms – from cybercriminals who are out to steal your identity, phishing campaigns to lure you into divulging confidential data, and even state-sponsored attacks trying to collect sensitive information,” said Kumar Ritesh, Founder and CEO, Cyfirma. “That’s why we created DeFNCE to be that mobile device bodyguard for the everyday mobile user. DeFNCE is the first layer of protection for anyone who owns a smartphone and wants to keep away from the prying eyes of cybercriminals.”
DeFNCE contains the following functions to protect the mobile device user’s data and digital identity:
- Check cyber risk level according to a device scan
- Keep digital identity and emails safe
- Be assured that the device’s configuration and settings are providing the best security
- Be alerted to cybercriminals targeting the apps which have been downloaded to the phone
- Be cyber astute, stay updated on the latest in cybercriminal activities
DeFNCE features:
Risk Score – A rating of Critical, High, Medium & Low is provided for each user with recommended actions to immediately strengthen security posture.
Explore – User can build his or her personal cyber situational awareness and learn the latest happenings related to cybersecurity.
Data leaks – Be alerted to emails and credentials that have been leaked and circulating in dark web marketplaces.
Mobile Cyber hygiene – Check that WIFI, Bluetooth, permission settings, mobile device OS version, and others, are properly configured.
App health – Watch for phishing attacks where criminals are masquerading the apps and seeking to profit from the user.
In the last 12 months, Cyfirma has seen nearly a 10-fold increase in cyberattacks targeting mobile phones users. The company has observed fake apps being created by hacking groups to collect sensitive data, steal behaviour data, profile customer interest and other malicious activities. Phishing campaigns which mimic legitimate apps have also become prevalent. Hackers are also exploiting connection layers to install surveillance apps.
Mobile devices will continue to attract more attention in 2022 by both cybercriminals and nation-states threat actors. They can be perfect spying tools attached to a treasure chest of valuable data. Unlike desktop platforms, the mobile app lacks mature and robust security checks to prevent and detect phishing, command & control traffic, credential theft, etc. Voice call (vishing) spamming, and scams are on a rise, all messaging apps are riddled with phishing and spam aimed at stealing credentials or lure users into installing malicious or fake apps. Even mobile device management platforms can be targeted in supply chain attacks to get a foothold into an organization’s networks.
Attacks on mobile-based devices and operating systems like Android and iOS will increase in 2022 as cybercriminals look to implant look-alike or malicious applications, exploit legitimate software. Do not overlook and neglect mobile security, enforce strict security policies, limit numbers of apps installed on any device and minimize surface used for social engineering.
The mobile phone has become an absolute necessity, directing every aspect of our lives. In 2022, cybercriminals will mount attacks to take over mobile devices and demand ransom knowing that many will succumb to the extortion tactics.
The app is free and now available in both Google Play Store and iOS App Store. Cyfirma is targeting 1M downloads in India.
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