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windows 11

Microsoft brings iMessage to Windows 11, will it last?

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Microsoft announced on Tuesday that it intends to counter one of the major advantages enjoyed by Apple products by incorporating fresh interoperability features to Windows 11. These features will enable Windows 11 to interact with iPhones to view notifications, send texts, and make and take calls.

Windows 11
Image Source: androidauthority.com

By connecting an iPhone and a Windows 11 computer via Bluetooth radio, the new feature, which Microsoft is dubbing Phone Link for iOS, will enable “basic” support for calls, texts, and app alerts.

The software is initially only available for limited public testing, and it prevents users from sending multimedia messages like pictures and videos or joining group message chats.

Also Read: Are all Google One subscribers now able to access Magic Eraser?

The feature’s announcement was made in a blog post by Microsoft’s chief product officer, Panos Panay. “This builds on our continued efforts to bring you closer to what’s more important,” he wrote. Microsoft’s attempts with its Phone Link software are merely the most recent in a line of initiatives to better integrate Windows PCs with Apple’s well-known products and services.

In particular, Apple’s iMessage tool for texting and iCloud for pictures, documents, contacts, and calendars helped make numerous sync and messaging services for smartphones popular.

Additionally, it has made use of those technologies to link up its Mac computers, iPad tablets, and iPhone smartphones in a way that observers of the market say makes Apple products stick out.

However, over the last few years, Microsoft has released enhancements that make Windows Computers more similar to Apple products, including an updated photos app that supports Apple devices, more iCloud syncing, and a phone link application for devices running Google’s Android operating system.

Microsoft announced on Tuesday that its new features for Android smartphones would be included in the Windows 11 upgrade, including the capacity to switch on a Samsung device’s personal hotspot from a computer.

According to Microsoft, Samsung customers will also be able to access websites they recently viewed on their phones from a computer. Both features have long been accessible on Apple devices.

Microsoft is starting testing with a “small percentage” of testers this week, but if you’re intrigued, you can test the new Phone Link feature for iOS in the Dev, Release Preview, and Beta networks for Windows Insiders.

Also Read: Will the iPhone 15 Pro have as much RAM as a MacBook?

The Windows team at Microsoft stated in a blog post, “We will increase the availability of the preview to more Insiders over time and based on feedback we receive with this first set of Insiders.”

Microsoft has never before supported calls or messaging for iPhone users, so this is a move in the correct direction. The Phone Link interface for iOS is basic in comparison to what’s available for Android. Contrary to other PC link applications we’ve seen from Dell, Intell, and others, Phone Link is included with Windows 11, making it native as well.

Magic Eraser

Are all Google One subscribers now able to access Magic Eraser?

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In a rather unexpected development, Magic Eraser, one of the best aspects of the Pixel smartphone, is now available to any Google Photos for iOS or Android user who is a Google One subscriber.

“Magic Eraser,” one of the finest photo-editing tools on the Google Pixel, is now available on other iOS and Android gadgets. It won’t be free, though. Google revealed today that Google One users in addition to current Pixel owners will now have access to the well-known app that employs AI to remove unwanted stuff from images.

Image Source: thehansindia.com

A select few additional editing tools, including a new HDR video effect, unique collage Styles, and more, will be made available to Google One users.

Also Read: Is Apple working on a secret project to help people with diabetes?

In the beginning, the Google One membership was used to pay for extra online storage for apps like Photos, Docs, and Gmail.

However, over time, it has grown to become a more comprehensive set of features, which now also includes a VPN and other members-only benefits, such as the possibility of holding longer group videoconferencing on Google Meet, 10% cashback on Google Store purchases, longer trials, and other premium Google Photos features, such as Portrait Light for tweaking the light position and brightness on subjects’ faces.

With the release of Magic Eraser along with the other new features, an exclusive list of Google Photos benefits is now growing once more.

Magic Eraser, which was previously only accessible to Google Pixel 6 and 7 users, is now accessible to all Google One users on both Android and iOS. The Pixel 5a and previous Pixel devices will also be able to access it without a Google One subscription.

Magic Eraser adds the feature to the primary Photos application on Android devices, which many iPhone users favor over Apple’s Photos despite the fact that there are third-party apps that provide object removals. A fresh HDR video effect that attempts to blend dark backdrops and vibrant backgrounds, or the opposite, will also be available to Google One subscribers.

The collage editor in Google Photos is also getting a variety of new Styles to pick from as well as the option to only implement a Style to one picture in the collage. Both Google One users and Pixel customers will have access to this.

One more new benefit will allow Google One user’s free shipping when they buy photo prints from the website in the US, Canada, the UK, and the EU.

The combined package provided along with other benefits, the backup and sync choices, and the additional storage have made Google One’s membership a big seller in the app stores.

Also Read: Why suddenly are Twitter feeds flooded with Elon Musk’s tweets?

Even though each feature might not be worth paying for on its own. According to data.ai, the Google One application ranked No. 6 worldwide among non-game apps in terms of user spending in 2022. In the US, it was ranked No. 8.

Although the majority of customers purchase the membership for the additional storage and backup — in a sense, it’s Google’s answer to Apple’s iCloud — it’s also another means for Google to lock users into its app environment, even if they don’t use its Pixel smartphones or any other Android device.

Magic Eraser, the HDR effect, and new collage designs will start to roll out on 24th February, according to Google, but not to all users worldwide for a few weeks. However, free shipping is now available.

uber

Uber’s Redesigned App Puts The Focus On Personalization

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Uber has unveiled an upgraded version of its application that focuses on simplifying and customizing the user experience.
The updated app has a simpler home screen, which eliminates the resistance of a few additional clicks when making reservations for a ride or placing orders for delivery.

Uber
Image Source: wired.com

It also simplifies the way consumers can view saved venues, as well as some iPhone users can monitor the advancement of a trip on their lock screen.

Also Read: Google tests blocking news content for some Canadians

With the redesign, Uber wants to make the user experience so effortless and intuitive that more customers see Uber as the “one-stop shop for going anywhere and getting anything,” according to Jen You, head of product for rides at Uber.


“The redesigned Uber app has increased awareness and consideration to a wider array of products, which has driven growth to several lines of business,” You told TechCrunch. “This redesign leans into our platform strategy by expanding the breadth and relevance of products that Uber customers can engage with every time they open the app, especially Uber One members who use more of our products more often and will now have easier access to all the offerings in their city.”


Reference is taken from: https://techcrunch.com/2023/02/22/uber-redesigns-app-for-simpler-more-personalized-experience/
As per Uber, the update will be distributed to “tens of millions” of consumers in 1,200 cities worldwide on Wednesday. Customers must ensure that their devices and the Uber application have been upgraded to access the new app.


A simpler Home Screen
Several Users have had a glimpse of the updated home screen for several weeks now. The latest home screen incorporates carousels that prompt users with “More ways of using Uber,” “Ways to prepare with Uber,” or “Ways to save with Uber,” which would offer choices for facilities such as introducing a stop across a route, linking with public transportation, riding a Lime e-scooter, or selecting an even smoother riding experience.


At the screen bottom, the latest “Services” tab lists all of the trips and delivery resources obtainable in that city, such as e-scooters, supper choices, rental cars, delivering packages, and bus charter facilities. A new “Activity” button at the bottom of the screen lets customers keep a record of past and forthcoming trips and Eats bookings.


Getting to know you better
“Saved Places” will show up as a recommendation of locations and travel types predicated on a user’s preferences, previous trips, and also most probable locations whenever a user presses “Where to?” on the latest app. The app will keep gathering information about the user to provide more personalized suggestions in the future.

Also Read: Amazon Web Services pairs with Hugging Face to target AI developers


Updates to live tracking
iPhone owners running iOS 16 or subsequent can monitor their trips without manually opening the Uber app by using a “dynamic island,” which is essentially a little sphere that shows content that’s operating in the background. Users now receive alerts on their lock screen whenever a driver seems to be on their way or near to pick-up.

The dynamic island would then consistently show information such as automobile details which includes the driver’s photo, license plate, model of vehicle, and image of the vehicle as well as the most recent ETA and ride status.

Apple

Is Apple working on a secret project to help people with diabetes?

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A profile of Apple’s Exploratory Design Group reveals how teams are collaborating covertly on cutting-edge technologies, such as the frequently rumored non-invasive glucose sensor for the Apple Watch.

Apple is working on a noninvasive blood glucose monitoring device and long-term plans to integrate the technology into the well-known Apple Watch. The device is said to be powered by two technologies, silicon photonics, and optical absorption spectroscopy, and is intended to measure the reflection of laser light directed into a region beneath the skin in order to determine glucose levels.

Apple
Image Source: scmp.com

Apple is said to have tested the technology with hundreds of users. Although the sources claim that Apple tested the technology under the guise of a startup, Avolonte Health, it doesn’t seem that info from the trials is publicly accessible, so it is not known how well it worked. Apple has yet to formally confirm this information.

Also Read: Will the iPhone 15 Pro have as much RAM as a MacBook?

In order to create new products and technologies that might one day be sold to the general public, Apple has a number of groups operating within its company. The ultra-secretive Exploratory Design Group is described as a small group that functions in some ways like a start-up mini Apple.

According to Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter for Bloomberg, the XDG, which has a few hundred workers, is much smaller than the Special Projects Group, which is responsible for the Apple Car. Additionally, it is much smaller than the Technology Development Group, which has 1,000 members and is developing Apple’s mixed-reality device.

The small XDG, made up of “engineers and academic types,” operates similarly to Alphabet’s Moonshot team in that they are provided with enormous resources to test out pretty much any concept. Instead of focusing on new iterations of current products, XDG explores completely original concepts to see if they are workable or pointless endeavors.

The group was founded by late Apple engineering fellow Bill Arthas with the goal of creating novel battery designs and low-power processor technologies. Additionally, it is believed to be working on next-generation AR and VR headset display technologies to aid those with eye diseases, as well as the glucose monitor.

Also Read: Will Twitter now start charging for SMS two-factor authentication?

The XDG performs some functions similar to those of a miniature Apple, notwithstanding being a very tiny organization in comparison to the powerhouse that is Apple itself. Members of the team operating on specific projects in the XDG are not permitted to talk about the projects with other members who aren’t on the same team, similar to the way each Apple division can maintain work privately from other employees within the business.

Individuals in the group are arranged according to skill sets rather than specific projects, so one person may find themselves engaging in several projects at once while still being required to keep confidentiality.

iPhone 15 Pro

Will the iPhone 15 Pro have as much RAM as a MacBook?

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Though the iPhone 15 Pro won’t go on sale until almost the end of the year, there is already a lot to report from the global supply chain. The most recent information is provided by Taiwanese supply chain analysis company TrendForce, which asserts that Apple has increased the RAM for the iPhone 15 Pro.

iPhone 15 Pro
Image Source: gizchina.com

The iPhone 15 Pro, according to a recent rumor, will have the same amount of RAM as the base model MacBook Air. TrendForce claims that Apple intends to upgrade ” the capacity and specifications of the DRAM solutions featured in the next generation of the iPhone.”

Also Read: iPhone 15 and 15 Plus to get redesigned camera. What to expect?

Since Apple only recently upped the RAM in the non-Pro iPhones to 6GB, the iPhone 15 Pro is the candidate that will most likely leap to 8GB of RAM. In contrast, the iPhone Pro has had 6GB of Memory since the release of the iPhone 12 in 2020.

The iPhone 15 will most likely have the same A16 CPU as the iPhone 14 Pro, which means that it will most likely receive the same 6GB of LPDDR5 RAM, an improvement over the LPDDR4 RAM in the iPhone 14. The iPhone 15 Pro might also switch to LPDDR5X RAM, which has a higher bandwidth than LPDDR5 RAM.

There have been reports about the iPhone Pro getting 8GB of RAM before, and this is not unusual for smartphones. The base edition of the Galaxy S23 series has 8GB of RAM, and the Ultra variant has 12GB of RAM with greater storage tiers. There is some idea of what the iPhone 15 will include when it launches later this year.

There might be a USB-C port because reports claim that Apple will adopt the new standard starting with the iPhone 15—especially given that the switchover’s target date is 2024. The gadget might have solid-state buttons that function like tiny trackpads. As the buttons are pressed, Apple’s Taptic Engines will provide haptic input.

Also Read: 15-Inch MacBook Air Rumored to Launch in April

In order to attract rugged users, Apple may also give an “ultra” version of the iPhone, similar to how it markets the Apple Watch Ultra. The iPhone 15 Pro will be among the most potent portable devices ever created, along with persistent rumors that Apple will switch to a 3nm process for the A17 chip, which is said to bring the largest speed increase in years.

Online 3D models of the forthcoming 15 Pro Max from tech behemoth Apple have disclosed that the device will have a thicker body and no physical buttons. Ice Universe, a tipster, shared the 3D models in a tweet on Saturday along with the statement, “Compared with 14 Pro Max, the bezel is narrower but thicker.”

Google

Google tests blocking news content for some Canadians

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Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., announced on Wednesday that it is implementing tests that may restrict access to news material for certain Canadian users as a potential countermeasure to the government’s internet news law.

The Liberal government of Justin Trudeau unveiled House of Commons Bill C-18, the “Online News Act,” in April. This legislation outlined regulations that would compel Google and Facebook to enter into business agreements and compensate news publishers for their material.

Image Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com

In an email statement to Reuters, a Google spokesperson stated, “We’re briefly testing potential product responses to Bill C-18 that impact a very small percentage of Canadian users. We run thousands of tests each year to assess any potential changes to Search.”

Also Read: Amazon Web Services pairs with Hugging Face to target AI developers

As it considers potential responses to the bill, the company said on Wednesday that it is momentarily restricting access to news material for less than 4% of its Canadian users. The update affects both its widely used search engine and Android’s Discover tool, which offers news and sports content.

The test, which will last for approximately five weeks, has an impact on all forms of news content, the company said. The tech giant acknowledged that the time-limited tests “limit the visibility of Canadian and international news to varying degrees”.

Canadians won’t be frightened, according to a spokesperson for Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez, who also criticized Google for copying Meta’s strategy. She stated, “Canadians need to have access to quality, fact-based news at the local and national levels, and that’s why we introduced the Online News Act.

Tech giants need to be more transparent and accountable to Canadians.” Due to worries about laws that would require digital platforms to compensate news publishers, Facebook issued a warning last year that it might restrict the sharing of news material on its network in Canada.

A government report claimed that a similar law in Australia, which went into force in March 2021 after negotiations with major tech companies resulted in a brief suspension of Facebook news feeds there, has largely succeeded. The Canadian news media sector has fought Facebook and requested more control of tech firms from the government in order to make up for the financial losses the sector has endured as a result of Facebook and Google’s steady increase in market share of ads over the years. Since 2008, more than 450 Canadian news organizations have shut down, with 64 of those happening in the previous two years.

Also Read: Google Chrome rolls out long-awaited battery-saving features

Google voiced concerns about the proposed law to a House of Commons committee, saying that it would favor big publishers over smaller outlets, would not require publishers to follow fundamental journalistic standards, and could lead to the spread of “cheap, low quality, clickbait content” rather than public interest journalism.

The corporation has stated that it would prefer to contribute to a fund that would compensate news publishers indirectly, comparable to the Canada Media Fund. The bill was approved by the House of Commons in December and will soon be reviewed by the Senate.