Your Tech Story

Athulya

Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm Reveals Details Regarding Faster and More Powerful Snapdragon 888

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Snapdragon, as a part of its annual Tech Summit Digital 2020 introduced its flagship 888 5G platform for mobile phones. As per reports, this chipset will serve as the benchmark for most flagship phones to hit the market next year. The new platform contains key industry-leading innovations in the fields of 5G, gaming, camera, and artificial intelligence. The Snapdragon 888 has the power to transform mobile devices into gaming rigs of exceptional quality. Additionally, the new chipset can convert phones into high-quality cameras and capable personal assistant. Let us now take an in-depth look at the new chipset and what features it will bring to the world of smartphones.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888

The Snapdragon 888 provides advanced 5G capabilities and connectivity, which will allow it to redefine mobile experiences for users. As a result, the chipset will usher in a new dawn of console-quality gaming, enterprise mobility, and telephony.  Senior VP of Mobile and Infrastructure for Qualcomm Technologies, Alex Katouzian said that this new chipset is yet another breakthrough technology. Qualcomm has a long history of providing such historic breakthroughs in the field of premium-tier mobile phones. The new chipset will allow manufacturers to differentiate their products and bring to life cutting-edge mobile technologies.

Key Features of the Snapdragon 888

Qualcomm
Image Source: qualcomm.com

Connectivity: Features the world’s most advanced 5G platform that supports both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth audio. It also features the Snapdragon 3rd Gen X60 Modem-RF System that extends support for 5G-enabled sub-6 carrier aggregation. This will help make the system capable of delivering the world’s fastest 5G speeds, up to a maximum of 7.5 Gbps.  The system also enables superior coverage as it uses a Dynamic Spectrum Sharing technology. The chip also supports Global 5G multi-SIM, enabling international roaming, and allows users to manage multiple numbers on the same phone.

Additionally, the system also allows users to optimize their different monthly plans and receive the best services at the most affordable costs. The chip also supports the world’s fastest Wi-Fi 6 speeds up to 3.6 Gbps as it runs on the FastConnect 6900 Connectivity System. This feature also supports Bluetooth 5.2, the Qualcomm aptX suite, and unique modulation and coding features.

Artificial Intelligence: Snapdragon 888 has a unique 6th Gen AI Engine that features the Hexagon 780 processor. This new system provides the perfect blend of voice assistants, gaming capabilities, camera quality, and fast connectivity. The chipset also features power-efficient options and performance that is three times better than the previous generation at 26 TOPS.

The platform also makes use of the 2nd Gen Sensing Hub, integrating a low-power processor to improve activity detection, screen wake, and audio detection. Such features make use of advancements in technologies like 5G, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. The updated AI Engine Direct software will enable developers to run AI-powered apps on the platform.

Camera: The Snapdragon 888 features the Spectra 580 ISP, and will be the first to have a Triple Image Signal Processor. This will enable it to capture streams simultaneously from three cameras at speeds as high as 2.7 gigapixels per second. Users can use 120fps snapshots to capture HD action sequences or three 4K HDR videos. The Spectra 580 ISP also has an updated low light architecture, allowing users to take brighter photos, even in near darkness conditions. To enable image capture in more shades, the chip features a 10-bit color depth in HEIF.

Gaming: The chipset features an Elite Gaming arsenal allowing users to enjoy ultra-smooth play at high graphics, mirroring desktop capabilities. The Snapdragon 888 also brings Variable Rate Shading to mobiles for the first time, improving rendering by 30%. The Game Quick Touch function improves responsiveness by 20% and helps in lowering touch latency.

Performance: The chipset features several significant architectural advances. Manufacturing of the platform makes use of 5nm process technology, with the Kryo 680 improving CPU performance by 25%. Top frequencies lie close to a whopping 2.84GHz, and this will be the first commercial subsystem based on the Arm Cortex-X1. The Adreno 660 renders graphics 35% faster when compared to the previous generation and can sustain better performance for more extended periods.

Security: Snapdragon 888 features the following technologies to protect user data and maintain a secure ecosystem. 

  1. Secure Processing Unit
  2. Trusted Execution Environment
  3. Wireless Edge Services 
  4. Type-1 Hypervisor, which helps isolate data between apps 
  5. Capture cryptographically-sealed photos 

Mobile phones that make use of the Snapdragon 888 will hit the market by the first quarter of 2021. All the features listed above make it evident that the devices making use of this chipset will be miles ahead of its competitors. There will be a substantial boost in Qualcomm’s capabilities, helping our smartphones become faster, safer, and more efficient than ever before!

FAU-G

FAU-G – India’s Very Own Shooter-Game Up for Pre-Registration on Google Play Store.

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FAU-G, which is a mobile game that Indians have been looking on with a lot of excitement, has finally come up live on the Google Play Store. While the game is not ready for download yet, gamers can now pre-register for the game, which will be out soon. The Indian public has been waiting patiently for what they believe to be India’s most high-profile made-in-India shooter game. Indians believe that FAU-G will rival PUBG in popularity, and see it as an Indian-made alternative to the viral Chinese shooting game. Let us now take a closer look at the game’s launch on the Google Play Store and what this means for Indian gamers.

FAU-G Up for Pre-Registration

FAU-G had to battle through multiple changes in its launching date and delays to appear on the Google Play Store finally. However, the developers have plans to launch only an Android version initially, and later expand to newer markets. Additionally, the listing on the Play Store helps in expanding on the storyline more than what the teaser initially did. The plans for such a game came out two days after India banned over 118 Chinese apps way back in September. However, the game has been marketed as more than just a replacement for PUBG Mobile India. Most Indians acknowledge that the game is a patriotic one as its developers will contribute a share of their earnings to the armed forces. 

FAU-G
Image Source: i.gadgets360cdn.com

FAU-G Gameplay

FAU-G stands for Fearless and United Guards, and users who sign up for the pre-registration will receive a notification when the game drops on the Play Store. Also, all eligible devices which have signed up will automatically download and install the game. However, the developers have not revealed details regarding the game’s size and other technical details. The listing does give a brief outline of the basic gameplay that FAU-G will follow and the storyline it will stick to, which follows closely what gamers saw in the teaser. As expected, the game will in some ways emulate the clashes that occurred in the Galwan Valley between the Indian and Chinese armed forces. The scenario described on Google Play Store emphasizes that the game will focus on Indian soldiers posted on India’s northern borders. The characters will go by the name FAU-G commandos, which will serve as an elite Indian wing of soldiers who patrol the most dangerous territories.

FAU-G Development

Bangalore-based gaming company nCore Games have been developing FAU-G. The company has been partnering with Bollywood actor and celebrity Akshay Kumar, and the first trailer for the game went live on October 25th. While the game was to drop by the end of October, the team ran into delays and pushed the launch into November. However, this puts the game on a collision course with the launch of PUBG Mobile India. PUBG Mobile India is an alternate version of the trendy shooter game that is tailored for the Indian market. Both have announced that launches in November but ran into delays and now seem to be competing on who will hit the market first. On a troubling note for nCore, the number of followers that PUBG India boasts far outweighs the support that FAU-G enjoys on Tap Tap. However, things might pan out quite differently once the games drop, as FAU-G has a patriotic angle.

PUBG Corporation Hassles

The PUBG Corporation has been trying very hard to minimize the effect of the border tensions between Indian and China in the last few months. The company has had to do this so that they receive the approvals required to make a comeback into the Indian market. Meanwhile, FAU-G has been using the heightened nationalism and anti-China sentiment that arose as a result of the skirmish for their gains. Their teaser emulated the Valley skirmish along the LOC and used brawler mechanics to depict the clash realistically. The game is also using the Atma Nirbhar Bharat sentiment to inspire more Indians to use its made-in-India services. Additionally, the developers will donate 20% of their revenue to Bharat Ke Veer. This is a trust that the government established to help the families of soldiers who died in the line of duty. 

Apple

Indian Government import hurdles affect Apple and Xiaomi devices

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India and China have been engaging in a war of words for a while now.  The border skirmish that took place in July has led to several disputes and talks which have not led to much. The world also seems to be having a tough time with China due to its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to an escalation of problems around the world, leading to trade embargos of various kinds. In recent news, India’s stringent quality checks and clearances regarding Chinese goods have led to import troubles for various brands. Here’s a quick look at what impact the control measures will have on the electronics industry.

How Import hurdles affect Apple

The import of goods such as the new iPhone model and several devices by Xiaomi has been delayed due to India’s more stringent quality checks. All electronic goods coming from China now require tight quality clearances, leading to delays in procurement and order fulfillment. Since the release of the new iPhone model early last month, the demand for the phone has been rising in the country. However, industry sources claim that the need for better quality measures has led to a significant slow-down in the import of such goods. In the past, the Bureau of Indian Standards took around 15 days to process such imports. However, recently the same process has been taking up to two months. 

Other Moves

The BIS began to delay the quality checks and reports sometime in August, shortly after the border incident. The delays in quality checks mostly had an impact on the shipping of laptops, smartphones, and smartwatches. Experts believe that this was a direct repercussion of India’s deteriorating ties with China. Since the border skirmish, India has made the rules regarding foreign investment a lot more stringent. While this has made it more difficult for Chinese companies in India, the government has also been pushing for other reforms. Recently, the Indian government banned hundreds of Chinese applications, including some by ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent. All three are some of the biggest tech giants in the world, worth billions of US Dollars, and the government banned an additional 43 apps on Tuesday.

Moves from the Electronics Sector

Since these measures have led to a bottleneck in the procurement of the new Apple models, executives from Apple India have begun negotiations. Top executives from the company are talking to BIS to get them to speed up the process of approval. The executives are also providing assurances that the company will shortly set up manufacturing plants in India for local production and assembly. While it remains unclear just how long the delay will extend, both parties refused to comment when asked what their opinion was on the matter. 

Apple

While Apple does have assembly stations in India, newer models, like the iPhone 12, come from China. India has been pushing heavily to set up establishments in India and make the production a local affair. Contract manufacturers in China make a bulk of Apple’s devices which are then shipped to all four corners of the world. As of yesterday, the BIS had over 1080 pending applications for tablets, laptops, and other devices. A staggering 669 of those have been delayed for over 20 days as per reports from the agency’s website. These included several units built in Chinese factories of Wistron and Compal Electronics and Hangzhou Hikvision. Some of these applications have been pending since way back in September, leading to supply chain delays and hiccups.

Boycott Calls

Both nationalist groups and Indian manufacturers have been calling for a complete ban on imported Chinese goods in recent months. On a similar line, Prime Minister Modi has also been heavily pushing an agenda that supports local production and self-reliance. Experts believe that the Ministry of Electronics and IT are pushing Indian manufacturers to produce more goods locally. As per BIS regulations, various electronic devices need to meet specific predefined standards. While the clearance delays do cause problems for large tech giants, it allows Indians to source more locally.

With the festive season coming up, the delays regarding clearance will lead to huge problems for several companies. Since the government restricted the importing of TVs in July, this is another segment that has been affected by recent events. Such moves will have a detrimental impact on brands such as Samsung and Xiaomi. This might be a crucial moment for India as it tries to improve and increase its domestic production.  We will have to wait and see if the delays hurt the electronics sector or give it an impetus to start producing more locally. The latter will lead to the availability of more products while also providing employment opportunities to millions.

comcast

How Brain Roberts Turned His Family Business Comcast into a Stellar Company

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Brian Roberts always wanted to work for his father’s company and started doing so at the young age of thirteen. Since then, he grew up to become one of the world’s foremost businessmen with a knack for aggressive policies. He quickly turned Comcast into a national brand by investing smart and acquiring competitors aggressively. The fourth of five kids, Robert revolutionized the cable industry and made it as big as it is today. Read on to learn more about how Roberts turned his family business into a company of international repute.

Birth of a Family Business Comcast

The Roberts family underwent a significant transformation during the Depression. While Brian’s father, Ralph Roberts, who founded Comcast was born into great wealth, he saw it quickly turns to dust. The Depression caused trouble for people who had never faced financial troubles before in their lives. Such experiences led to Ralph acquiring an entrepreneurial flare which later grew into a passion. He started with a company that sold men’s accessories, such as belts and suspenders. Roberts soon switched lanes from fashion to cable, buying American Cable Systems with two colleagues. He then renamed the enterprise Comcast in 1969 giving birth to a legendary family business. Though the company had humble origins, it soon became a national presence as the industry grew in scale. The company went public in 1972 and grew over eight times between 1987 and 1992.

About Comcast

When Roberts was at Wharton, few people guessed that he would grow to become one of the nation’s major industrial players. While the cable business wasn’t this large when he started, Roberts turned Comcast into a national company. Over the years, his family business has grown into America’s largest cable-TV operator. The company has over 24 million cable customers, 2.5 million customers for their voice services, and another 11 million who use their internet services. Some of the content networks Comcast owns include AZN TV, PBS Kids, E! Entertainment, Style Network, and TV One. Furthermore, the company owns four SportsNet channels and owns the Philadelphia Flyers and the Philadelphia 76ers. In addition to this NHL and NBA team, Roberts also owns two massive Philadelphia arenas.

comcast
Image Source: nexttv.com

Early Life and Beginnings

Brian L. Roberts was born on June 28th, 1959 to Ralph J. Roberts, who founded the Comcast Corporation. Born to Jewish parents in Philadelphia, Roberts had a privileged childhood wherein he showed an aptitude for business. Even as a child, Brian was involved in the business, helping his parents assemble coupon books that were mailed to customers. When he became a teenager, he started developing a love for facts, figures, and finance. This led him to a finance degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Classmates have later spoken about how the young Brian would read the Wall Street Journal between classes. Additionally, Roberts also had a personal financial advisor and even accompanied his father to meetings.

He studied at Germantown Academy and passed out from Wharton School in 1981. Right after his graduation, he started working full-time at Comcast under his father’s guidance. To highlight that he would receive no special treatment, Robert’s father started him out selling cable from door-to-door. He then had to work his way up the ladder through sheer merit and determination, which he did fairly quickly. Soon enough when Comcast joined the Turner System board during an industry-bailout, Ralph sent Brian as the company representative. Not long after this, Comcast bought half of Storer Communications, becoming America’s fifth-largest cable company. Along the way, Brian’s clout grew as well, finally culminating in his Presidency appointment.

Roberts owns 33.3% of the company and acts as the Chairman and CEO. In 1990, when he became the President at the young age of 31, the company was making $657 million annually. Since taking over, Roberts has grown Comcast exponentially, with the company now raking in $94.5 billion as annual revenue. 

Journey in Comcast

Roberts took over as Comcast’s president way back in 1990, becoming CEO twelve years later in 2002. Two years after that, he became the chairman in 2004, all the while growing the company exponentially. Out of all these, one of the most memorable is Comcast’s historic acquisition of AT&T Broadband. This one acquisition helped triple Comcast’s subscriber count in the US. Additionally, his belief in the potential of broadband as the future of the cable industry led to Comcast’s rapid growth. In recent years, Robert has also pursued high-speed data and video services to diversify the company profile. Institutional Investor named him one of America’s top CEOs four years in a row for his aggressive policies and sharp business acumen.

Leadership Decisions

Roberts made a leadership move by acquiring AT&T Broadband for a whopping $53.2 billion in 2000. This one deal grew the company significantly, making Comcast the world’s largest cable operator with over 21.3 million subscribers. Later on, in 2009, Comcast acquired NBCUniversal in another power move. When it comes to Robert’s personal wealth, it was regarded to be around $1.7 billion as of 2020. He has been quoted to be the one who oversaw Comcast’s growth from a simple cable company to America’s largest telecom operator. His vision for the future and belief in the need for quality content led him to purchase stakes in various channels, such as QVC, and E! Entertainment Television. He also saw broadband as the future for cable, aggressively going after various such operations.

Qualcomm Snapdragon

Boost for Mobile Gaming in India Through Qualcomm India’s Snapdragon Conquest Program

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Qualcomm India has been launching a few initiatives in recent months and is showing no signs of stopping. Yesterday they announced their plans for an extensive mobile gaming e-sports program. Named Snapdragon Conquest, this first-ever gaming program will give a significant boost to the mobile gaming sector in India. Read on to find out more about Qualcomm’s plans and how they will shape India’s future as a gaming center.

What does the Snapdragon Conquest offer?

Qualcomm stated that the Snapdragon Conquest will be powered by features, such as Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite Gaming. The event will feature various games and programs spread across the year. The program will encourage mobile gamers from across the country and of varied skills to take part and showcase their talent. The event will also feature varying levels of difficulty, helping individuals of varying levels of proficiency to take part in it.

Snapdragon Tournament Details

The kick-off event will be the Snapdragon Conquest: Free Fire Open 2020, which will feature prizes worth a whopping INR 50,00,000. Players from around the world will be able to witness this spectacle as it will be broadcasted live via player live streams. Apart from the opener, Qualcomm has not revealed the other games which will be a part of the Snapdragon Conquest. However, experts believe that Need for Speed and PUBG India will be a part of the lineup due to their popularity within the country.

Entry Specifications for the Tournament

Additionally, the Snapdragon Conquest features no registration fee, making it entirely free to enter. Interested participants may register for the tournament through its official website. Qualcomm also stated that it would reveal further details through the company’s official Twitter ID. Other updates, dates, and details regarding the events and their timings will also be updated through the company’s Twitter handle. The eligibility criteria here is that contestants must be well-versed with Garena Free Fire, which is similar to PUBG Mobile’s works in a way. Each team competing will have four members, and there will be multiple rounds which will help teams progress up the ladder.

Qualcomm India’s Snapdragon Conquest Program
Image Source: indianexpress.com

Qualcomm and India

Qualcomm is an American tech company based infsnap San Diego. Over the years, they have expanded and found a place for themselves within the Indian digital ecosystem. The chipset manufacturer now enjoys a hood position within the Indian market, powering several flagship phones in the market. The Snapdragon Conquest will be their first foray into competitive gaming in India. The Fire tournament that sets off the event will also be Qualcomm’s first Free Fore tournament in the country.

India is the world’s second-largest smartphone market. The rise in the usage of smartphones and improved internet penetration has led to a boom in mobile gaming in India. The advent of 4G has also helped improve access to such games and events in India, leading to more users. The recent $100 million investment by PUBG Corporation is an example of this untapped potential. The move will also trigger a surge in popularity for the Garena Free Fire game that works on a battle royale structure. This event will also help them boost interest regarding their planned launch of PUBG Mobile India.

Impact on Indian Gaming

Qualcomm believes that India is a mobile-first industry wherein most people rely on their smartphones for most things. Rather than invest in a gaming rig, most Indians prefer to play games on their smartphones. Hence, encouraging the mobile-gaming sector within the country is an excellent way to encourage more people to play such games. The rise of mobile gaming in India has been phenomenal, with it raising the demand for better technology as well. As a result, there is a push for an improved ecosystem and better opportunities for such gaming.  

Qualcomm announced that it was excited about the launch of such an event, that is the first of its kind. They believe that they are helping create a community that challenges and understands the gaming needs of Indians across the country. Such an event will also test the competitiveness and skill of our gamers. Meanwhile, it will also give the company a deeper understanding of what this audience needs. Hence, the VP of Qualcomm India, Rajen Vagadia, believes that this event is the start of much greater things.

EU and tech giants

Tech Giants Face another Threat from the EU

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Technology companies have been feeling the heat ever since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic. Throughout these last six months, they have faced various sanctions and threats from around the world. With the EU trying to bring into play a Data tax, and the American government investigating their power, big tech firms have been under the microscope this year. Several nations around the world have also stated that their handling of false news amidst the global health pandemic has not been satisfactory. The EU, in particular, has been sharp regarding its criticism of the power yielded by such companies. Now once again, the EU has threatened to ban them from the European market unless they follow EU regulations. Let us now take a look at what the ban could mean for the big tech firms and what guidelines the EU wants to be implemented.

EU Ban on the Horizon

The services of tech companies could be banned from the EU unless they follow the organization’s guidelines. EU’s chief of industry, Thierry Breton while speaking to a German weekly named Wely am Sonntag pointed out that the EU is in the process of finalizing their data handling rules. The EU has been very vocal in its criticism of big tech companies, and have been drafting better policies to control the power they wield. The new rules named the Digital Services Act, and the Digital Markets Act will revolutionize the tech industry within Europe. Breton and Margrethe Vestager, who serves as the European Competition Commissioner, will announce the new guidelines on 2 December.

What are the new rules about?

The new guidelines will serve as a list of Do’s and Don’ts for tech companies, acting as gatekeepers for such companies. They will limit the power yielded by such companies and prevent them from monopolizing the European market. It will also force such companies to share the data they collect with both rivals and regulators. Hence, it will also serve as a significant deterrent to the promotion of their services and products unfairly. All of these laws will help the EU have a more significant say on the power and exclusivity yielded by large tech firms. 

EU and tech giants
Image Source: medium.com

Who impact will the new rules have on the market?

The newly drafted rules will have a massive impact on American tech firms, which have been on the firing line for the past year. The EU pin-pointed Alphabet-owned Google, which has failed to stop its anti-competition activities. In the past, Google has been criticized for monopolizing the market and driving competition out by unfairly promoting its services and products. While it has been called out several times, the American giant has failed to curb such practices. Certain industry experts want the EU enforcers to do more than order companies to stop. Hence, the newly drafted rules will give the EU the power to ban such companies from the coalition. As a result, it is safe to say that the tech giants will take these new laws more seriously, fearing a ban from the 27-country political bloc.

What is the need for such rules?

However, until the EU passes the newly drafted rules, the organization does not have the power to enforce its threats. Breton told the German weekly that the power to enforce its threats is important if people wish to see any change. He was clear to state that the EU was done waiting for the change to occur organically. Having appropriate rules and measures in place, including fines, penalties, legal action, and bans will help the companies take these laws more seriously. The laws also allow the enforces to split companies up and limit their access to the Single market, helping them put some weight behind their threats.

However, Breton was quick to point out that the committee would take only required measures, saving the strictest rules for exceptional cases. Also, it is clear to see that big tech firms fear such rules. Google launched a 60-day plan to gain American allies to push back against such EU regulations. Donald Trump has also been vocal regarding his criticism of such strict laws and rules against American companies. But, it looks like such rules will become a reality soon enough and that the tech giants will have to curb their power finally. Such a move coupled with the enforcement of the Data tax would lead to tech giants, such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft becoming more accountable for their actions. We will have to wait and see to what extent the EU goes in a bid to fight the tech giants and their unchecked power.