Sandhya Gupta

Meta releases new $1500 Meta Quest Pro VR Headset

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled the all-new Quest Pro(formerly Project Cambria), a premium $1500 Meta Quest Pro VR Headset, at Meta’s annual Connect conference.

The $1,500 headset, which was presented at Meta’s Connect Conference, will be available to buy from October 25. Users can also place pre-orders on the Meta website. The launch is a part of Meta’s strategy to grow its user base.

Since its release in 2020, the Quest Pro’s predecessor, the Quest 2, had a sale of around 15 million units. Unlike its predecessor, Quest Pro supports mixed reality, allowing users to view digital content overlaid on the actual world.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, called mixed reality “the next major step for VR.”

Meta Quest Pro is the first in a lineup of cutting-edge headsets designed to increase the potential of mixed and virtual reality. The headset’s pancake lenses compress light multiple times, resulting in smaller overall dimensions and crisper sights. Overall, the Meta Quest Pro headset is more ergonomic and balanced because of the new, flared battery on the back.

The device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ processor. It offers 256GB of internal storage and 12GB of RAM. In order to provide users with a full-color mixed reality and virtual environment, it features ten high-resolution sensors, five of which are located within the headset and five outside.

There are two LCD panels that provide richer, more vibrant colors due to the local dimming and quantum dot technology. Meta Quest Pro’s design enables users to switch between the physical and virtual worlds while using their peripheral vision. If the user desires an immersive experience, magnetic partial light blocks are included in the box. It contains sensors for detecting the eyes and capturing facial expressions.

For a richer virtual experience, if the person raises an eyebrow, grins, or just engages in eye contact with somebody, their avatar does the same. To track the user’s position in 3D space independently of the headset, the headset contains three built-in sensors for each controller. In comparison to Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro provides 10% more pixels per degree and 37% more pixels per inch.

Additionally, users will notice a 50% improvement in the periphery of the screen and a 25% rise in full-field visual acuity in the center. The color spectrum has also increased by 1.3 times from the previous version. The device comes with rechargeable batteries and a TruTouch Haptics system.

The Quest Pro has a battery life of one to two hours, though users can also use the device while it’s charging. According to Meta, a complete battery charge will take about two hours.

Microsoft CEO and Chairman Satya Nadella also joined Zuckerberg to reveal a brand-new partnership that will bring potent new work and productivity features to Meta Quest Pro and Meta Quest 2 in the coming years. These tools include apps for Microsoft Teams and Windows 365 as well as the capability to attend a Teams meeting from within Meta Horizon Workrooms.

Most likely, Apple’s rumored AR/VR headset will compete with Meta’s newest headset. The advancement of Meta’s headsets is essential to the company’s plans for the Metaverse, wherein Mr. Zuckerberg envisions a brand-new internet where users can play and work together.

Metaverse is a virtual environment where users may both conduct their daily lives as avatars and explore fantastical virtual worlds. Although several IT companies are developing their metaverses, it will probably be years before any are materialized. There have been conflicting reviews of Meta’s current virtual reality environment, Horizons, and there have also been allegations of sexual assault and violence committed by avatars there.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

WhatsApp reportedly tested to increase group size up to 1024 participants

There is good news if you enjoy WhatsApp groups but believe that their biggest drawback is that they never get big enough. The messaging service WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, has announced a number of new features and is now enabling the addition of up to 1024 users to groups for certain beta testers.

When it pertains to group chat capacity, WhatsApp has traditionally been a bit stingy, but it’s getting better. The company expanded the group chat size to 512 individuals in May and added the capacity to exchange files with up to 2GB in storage. Users of WhatsApp’s most recent beta for iOS and Android can form groups with up to 1,023 members.

Only a small group of beta testers have access to the feature for now, but it’s reasonable to anticipate that it will soon be made available to more people to add 1024 users in groups. With this minor upgrade, WhatsApp moves a bit closer to the Telegram messenger, which supports big groups of thousands of users.

Pavel Durov, the developer of Telegram, recently claimed that the system’s encryption standards are pointless if it constantly has security problems and that WhatsApp has been utilized as a surveillance tool. He made these remarks after WhatsApp delivered a critical update that, as per reports, contained security weaknesses that exposed users to hackers,

Large groups are useless if one can’t effectively manage them, but there is also positive news in that regard. WaBetaInfo claims that WhatsApp is creating new capabilities that will provide administrators with additional choices for handling huge groups. To examine all of the applicants and approve them all at once, they include a membership approval process and a list of group members who are presently awaiting permission.

The move would improve the recently introduced Communities feature, which enables several groups to all be placed underneath a single Community umbrella. The messaging app has undergone a tonne of changes and additions this year, including emoji reactions, the option to hide the “Last Seen” status for specific contacts, more features for group phone conversations, and an enhanced native Windows client, in addition to the increased group chat member limit.

WhatsApp unveiled a new calling function for its app last month. With its new Call Links feature, users may now join an audio or video call with just one tap. On the messaging network operated by Meta, users can post links to the corresponding calls for their family and friends. This virtual call service functions quite similarly to Google Meet or Zoom.

In the meantime, the platform launched WhatsApp Premium, a new tool for business accounts. Right now it is only available for beta testers in some nations.

Through WhatsApp Premium, businesses may take use of several cutting-edge features, including a better way to connect with clients and some advantages when connecting new devices. WhatsApp has recently started testing features that restrict users from taking screenshots of photographs transmitted with the “View once” option but only with a small group of beta testers.

WhatsApp Group has become the go-to spot for users to connect with various individuals on a single topic. The new update will increase its popularity and has a lot of potential.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Elon Musk Slams PayPal’s ‘New Policy’ to Fine Users

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Sandhya Gupta

Last week, according to a number of media sources, PayPal issued a new policy update prohibiting users of its services from engaging in actions it defined as “sending, publishing, or publication of any messages, content, or materials” disseminating misleading information.

According to reports, the policy change, which stated that users could be required to pay charges of $2,500 for every breach, was set to take effect on November 3. After receiving a barrage of condemnation from a number of well-known people, including the company’s former president, David Marcus, PayPal hastily apologized for what it termed “confusion” and claimed it was all just an oversight.

David Marcus, the former President of PayPal, criticized the new policy change on Twitter, noting that it runs against everything he believes in.

Marcus noted in his tweet, “A private company now gets to decide to take your money if you say something they disagree with. Insanity”.

Elon Musk, the co-founder of PayPal and the CEO of Tesla responded “Agreed” in response to Marcus’s tweet.

Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, co-founded the online bank X.com in 1999. In 2000, X.com and Confinity merged to become PayPal. PayPal was purchased by the online auction site eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion. eBay separated it in 2015.

Musk, who has reopened negotiations to purchase Twitter for over $44 billion, has also stated a desire to create a super app called X.com that will be accessible to everyone worldwide, similar to China’s WeChat.

On Monday, PayPal announced that it will not penalize users for false information and that a previous policy update stating that users would be required to pay damages of $2500 was sent incorrectly. The update, which PayPal claimed contained inaccurate information, provoked severe outrage on social media. The shares of the California-based corporation fell by about 6%.

The company states, “An acceptable use policy (AUP) notice recently went out in error that included incorrect information. PayPal is not fining people for misinformation and this language was never intended to be inserted in our policy.”

According to Google Trends data, global searches for “delete PayPal” increased by 1,392% after the update revelation and the company’s subsequent apologies.

PayPal has found itself in several controversies this year. On September 15, PayPal removed two right-leaning organizations from its platform in the UK. They were a campaign organization called The Free Speech Union and a news website called ‘The Daily Sceptic’. After a public outcry that reached Parliament, the accounts were subsequently reinstated.

Recently, Paypal also banned Gay Against Groomers, a group of LGBT individuals opposed to the sexualization and gender transformation of minor children.

This occurs during a crucial phase for PayPal. This year, pressure on tech and fintech companies as well as more specialized difficulties for businesses has caused PayPal shares to lose more than half of their value.

In order to adjust expectations to the new economic realities, the corporation lowered its prediction numerous times throughout 2022. Additionally, PayPal executives admitted that they had overestimated how pandemic-era trends would continue once the world reopened.

PayPal is a multinational financial tech company that operates an online payment platform in most countries that permit online money transfers. The business processes payments for internet retailers, auction sites, and several other business users for a fee.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Meta Might do ‘Quiet Layoff’ and Axe over 12,000 Facebook Employees

Leave a Comment / News, Tech News / By Sandhya Gupta

Meta Platforms is implementing “quiet layoffs” at Facebook to reduce its workforce as global constraints and declining ad expenditure pose severe issues for Big Tech corporations.

According to a Business Insider report, Facebook executives are currently in the midst of carrying out “quiet layoffs” of underperforming employees, which might result in thousands of workers receiving pink slips. Executives around the firm were instructed by Facebook leadership to choose at least 15% of the employees in their teams to be classified as “needs support” through an internal review process. This targeted restructuring raises the possibility of removing 12,000 employees or 15% of Facebook’s staff.

The report said that the possible layoffs were made public last week through a post by a Meta employee on Blind. Blind is a popular app amongst tech employees that requires a valid workplace email account to use the portal anonymously.

In Facebook’s employee-review procedure, an employee “in need of support” is regarded as performing below the benchmark standards. Such employees are placed on a performance improvement plan (PIP), which typically results in layoffs.

Facebook employees made predictions on the work app Blind that anyone who fell into the 15% bracket would probably lose their jobs. If 15% of Facebook’s workforce were to be let go, 12,000 workers might lose their jobs.

As per Business Insider, In July 2022, Maher Saba, Facebook’s chief engineer, reportedly told its managers that they should identify team employees that “needs support”. However, they did not give a specific percentage.

During the weekly Q&A session, Zuckerberg told its employees:

“ I had hoped the economy would have more clearly stabilized by now, but from what we’re seeing it doesn’t yet seem like it has, so we want to plan somewhat conservatively.”

In May 2022, the company announced a recruiting freeze that has since been extended to all of Meta’s other departments and verticals. While this is going on, a few employees have been given 30 to 60 days to find a new position within the company or leave. Meta has a longtime policy of dismissing the employee when a job position is eliminated but an employee cannot locate a replacement within the firm.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pinned the blame on the economy and forewarned that the company would have to go through a downsizing or restructuring process. Zuckerberg said that all of Meta’s departments and subsidiary companies including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, would be experiencing budget cuts.

The CEO mentioned that Facebook had significant growth during the initial 18 years of its existence. However, according to Zuckerberg, recent quarters’ sales and revenue statistics have plateaued.

Meta’s move is in line with similar measures made by other major tech companies including Google, Apple, and Microsoft. To reduce costs while maintaining operating margins, some companies have stopped hiring new employees or started issuing pink slips to existing ones.

As per data collated by Crunchbase until late July, over 32,000 tech employees were laid off from their jobs in the USA.

After a surge in success that escalated during the pandemic, the tech sector has been experiencing a lull lately. Many tech giants are halting or ceasing hiring in the face of a more widespread global economic slowdown, interest rate hikes, and regulatory challenges.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Journey of Kevin Plank from being Broke to Billionaire

Leave a Comment / Story, Tech Story / By Sandhya Gupta

Kevin Plank is a millionaire businessman and philanthropist from the United States. He is the founder of Under Armour, a company that manufactures sportswear, accessories, and footwear. Plank also serves as the company’s executive chairman. In 2021, his net worth was projected to be US$1.8 billion.

Early Life

Kevin Plank was born and brought up in Kensington, Maryland. His father was a real estate developer and his mother was the mayor. Plank developed an interest in sports at a very young age while playing football with the Maplewood Maple Leafs. He attended St. John’s College for his high school education before enrolling in the University of Maryland, where he studied business administration and graduated with a BA and an MA.

Kevin Plank was entrepreneurial by nature. Even before starting Under Armour, he started several businesses while still being a university student. He launched many small firms and later utilized the profits to finance his big sportswear endeavor. One of them, Cupid’s Valentine, brought in roughly $17,000 on Valentine’s Day.

Success Story

An unexpected desire of Plank led to the idea for Under Armour. Plank was the most sweaty player on the football field and was searching for an option that’d keep him dry and comfortable as he played—something his sweaty cotton shirts couldn’t. He, therefore, started looking for a suitable material that would allow sweat to escape the body and help the player feel faster and lighter. Plank noticed that compression shorts remained dry during practice.

Hence, he decided to make clothes that vent away moisture using the same material. Before he discovered the ideal match, he evaluated at least seven prototypes. He invited his old teammates to test his method after explaining to them the way his T-shirt would substantially aid and boost their performance on the soccer field.

Additionally, Kevin Plank sent the T-shirts by mail to his pals, asking them to distribute them to the other teammates in the dressing room. As a result, Plank’s T-shirts began to gain popularity. He founded Under Armour in the basement of his grandmother’s home. For about $17,000, he made his first sale to Georgia Tech of his product. Soon thereafter, 20 NFL teams made purchases from him as well.

After his second year, he made sales of $100,000. The product eventually became more well-known, and renowned teams and stores began selling them. Under Armour’s first funding came from Planks’ own savings and debt. While still in college, Plank had earned about $20,000 from selling t-shirts at concerts.

Late in 1999, Plank spent almost all of Under Armour’s funds so that the business could purchase a $25,000 ad in ESPN The Magazine. The company’s staff also agreed to forgo their salary for a few weeks for this purpose. This proved to be a turning point for the business.

Athletes and teams started buying the product as a result of this advertisement, which generated over $1 million in direct purchases for the subsequent year. In 2010, Plank’s business achieved $1 billion in yearly revenue for the very first time. He attained billionaire status in 2011 when his estimated net worth hit $1.05 billion.

Other Ventures

In 2015, Urban Armour paid over $475 million to acquire two important fitness programs, Endomondo and MyFitnessPall. This was to build a global digital healthcare system to compete with Apple, Fitbit, and Google. In 2014, Plank also donated $25 million to the University of Maryland to promote sports and academics.

Despite the initial setback, Plank managed to build a billion-dollar business. He credits his network of family, friends, and coworkers for this. Plank’s success story gives confidence to business owners who feel trapped after experiencing initial setbacks in their companies.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

John Paul DeJoria Success Story: From Homeless to Millionaire

Leave a Comment / Story, Tech Story / By Sandhya Gupta

John Paul DeJoria, is an American businessman, self-made billionaire, and philanthropist. He is best known for co-founding The Patrón Spirits Company and the Paul Mitchell hair care line. DeJoria is often referred to as a living embodiment of the American Dream. This is because of his achievements in his career and business.

His success has moved him from homelessness to a self-made billionaire and prosperous entrepreneur. He has also been highlighted in numerous publications and documentaries.

Early Life

John Paul Jones DeJoria was born in Los Angeles, California. His father was an Italian immigrant and his mother was a Greek immigrant. He also has an elder brother. Before he turned two, his parents got divorced. When his single mother could not care for both of them, they were placed in a foster home in East Los Angeles.

They remained there remained for a week until John turned nine and reunited with his mother. At the age of nine, John started working alongside his elder brother to sell newspapers and Christmas cards to help support their family. John spent two years in the US Army, but when he got out he couldn’t afford an education. For the next few years, he worked as a caretaker, shampoo salesperson, and insurance salesman among other things.

He learned about hair-care products through his employment in 1971 at Redken Laboratories. He was terminated in 1975 owing to a difference of opinion over business tactics. He trained the management and sales personnel at Fermodyl Hair Care after this, but despite increasing sales, he was once more let go from his position. His subsequent position was with the Institute of Trichology, from where he was laid off because they were unable to pay his wage.

Success Story

Despite everything, John maintained his optimism and drive for success. He decided to launch a company in 1980 with his hairstylist buddy Paul Mitchell. Together they established John Paul Mitchell Systems with a $700 loan. They decided to create products for trained stylists which would help in reducing the amount of time needed to style a client’s hair.

A single-application shampoo and a leave-in conditioner were the company’s initial products. The company achieved over $1 million in gross revenue after two years of struggle, which signaled the start of something spectacular. John Paul Mitchell Systems(JPMS) currently sells more than 100 items in salons in about 87 different countries. JPMS was one of the first businesses to oppose animal cruelty testing.

John Paul DeJoria consistently backed environmental causes and provided funding to Gustin Energy Cos., which would conduct sophisticated oil and gas exploration while keeping the environment in mind. He founded Patreon Spirits Co. with his buddy Martin Cowley after the passing of Paul Mitchell in an attempt to produce smooth tequila. Additionally, his tequila business sells over 2 million cases of tequila annually.

Other Ventures

The Paul Mitchell Schools, which have over 100 locations in the USA, were also founded by John Paul. DeJoria works in both the film and business sectors of the economy. John appeared in several movies, including You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and The Big Tease. He has also appeared as an investor on the reality Television program Shark Tank. In 2021, John DeJoria and Leif Rogers declared their partnership.

Leif Rogers is a prominent plastic surgeon in California. He specializes in facial rejuvenation and microsurgical body restoration. According to John and Leif, they intend to use technology and innovation to improve the world through their business cooperation. They seek to provide answers to the enormous and expanding requirements of the rapidly changing globe.

John Paul DeJoria’s life story gives everyone the belief that everything is possible. His difficulties throughout life and his attitude of never giving up tell us that one shouldn’t quit working or waste valuable time sulking around; the only path forward is to continue ahead and give everything you’ve got.

Sandhya Gupta

I am a law graduate from NLU Lucknow. I have a flair for creative writing and hence in my free time work as a freelance content writer.

Follow Us