Gadgets unveiled at CES but Russia is banned:
One of the world’s largest technology shows kicks off in Las Vegas this week, with about 100,000 attendees expected and more than 3,000 exhibitors from around the world showcasing what they hope will be the next big thing. From the technology giants to the smallest start-ups, all are welcome here, if they can afford to attend. It’s a smorgasbord of clever ideas – and some completely bonkers ones. But one country is notably absent from CES 2023 – Russia. Last time I was here, in 2020, I took a ride around the city in a driverless car developed by Russian technology giant Yandex. But this year, Gary Shapiro, head of the Consumer Technology Association, which runs the event, says, Russia is “not welcome”.
Samsung Launches Galaxy A14 5G With Much Better Specs and Low Price:
Ahead of its major Galaxy S series launch event, Samsung is launching various budget phones in different regions. The Galaxy A14 5G is the latest one to join the fray with a Dimensity chip, a large battery, and multiple color options to choose from. The Galaxy A14 5G is quite similar to its predecessor in terms of design, but the screen resolution has been upgraded from 720p to 1080p. The panel is a 6.6-inch IPS LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate and sizable surrounding bezels. There is a waterdrop notch for the selfie camera and a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for fast unlocks.
PTA Chairman Relinquishes Charge After Completing Term:
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (Retd) Amir Azeem Bajwa on Wednesday left charge after completing his tenure. Sources in PTA have confirmed to ProPakistani that Bajwa has relinquished charge on completion of his four-year tenure. According to the sources, PTA chairman has informed the authority about leaving the charge of the office. He also thanked the officers of the authority for their cooperation during his tenure. It may be recalled that Bajwa assumed office back in January 2019. His four-year tenure as chairman ended on January 02, 2023.
PTA Slaps 4 Telcos With Rs. 29 Million Fine:
The Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) has imposed a penalty of Rs. 29 million on four Cellular Mobile Operators (CMOs) over their failure to meet the Quality of Service (QoS) standards laid down in their licenses. The licensees have been directed to improve the quality of services to meet the target value of QoS parameters as per the license standards and QoS Regulations. In case of failure to comply, legal proceedings will be initiated against the licensees as per applicable law. Officials sources told ProPakistani that PTA recently conducted a survey in five cities including Sialkot, D.I. Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Mardan, and Mastung using smart benchmark quality of standard tool.
Microsoft Will Stop Supporting Windows 7 and 8 Next Week:
Microsoft will end technical support and security updates for Windows 7 and 8.1 as soon as January 10, 2023. This will happen in just one week and also marks the launch of Microsoft Edge 109, the last version to support the outgoing operating systems. Edge isn’t the only browser to abandon Windows 7 and 8.1. Google announced in October that Chrome would cease support for Windows 7/8.1 on February 7th. Both browsers will still work on these devices but they won’t get any security updates or new features. WebView2, which allows developers to embed web content in their apps, will also be discontinued on January 10.
OnePlus 11 Launched With Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 For $580:
A month ahead of its global debut, the OnePlus 11 has launched in China after a row of leaks and teasers. This time, we are only getting a vanilla OnePlus 11, but it is complete with all the latest and greatest hardware and design elements. Just as the leaks predicted, there is a stove-like main camera on the rear similar to last year, but this time, it sits on a shiny circular island labeled with Hasselblad’s logo. The screen is a tall 6.7-inch curved LTPO 3.0 AMOLED panel with 2K resolution. The 120Hz refresh rate can be dialed down all the way to 1Hz to conserve battery. The fingerprint sensor is located underneath the display.
Economic Meltdown Forces Telcos to Cut Costs:
The current economic meltdown and related liquidity issues have forced telecom companies to opt for cost cuttings, with one major player reportedly looking for a suitable buyer to take over the reins. Additional Secretary Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication Aisha Humera said that due to high expenditures and low profit, Telenor is thinking of leaving Pakistan. MNA Aliyah Kamran said that if Telenor is leaving the country, then there would be some other issues other than low-profit margins. Interestingly, the committee was informed that Telecom Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is the lowest in Pakistan. Further, due to the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) restrictions on the opening of Letters of Credit (LCs), imports were being delayed, resulting in hampering project implementations.
Intel 13th Gen Laptop Processors Announced With 49% Performance Uplift:
Nearly four months after launching its latest Raptor Lake CPUs for desktops, Intel is finally bringing the 13th-gen processor family to laptops as well. The announcement comes from CES 2023 and it includes laptop equivalents of the new 13th gen HX-series and others. These new processors target gamers and professionals alike, offering up to 24 total cores split between 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. This core structure was first introduced with 12th gen Intel processors. Intel claims that the Core i9-13980HX is now the world’s fastest laptop CPU, capable of reaching up to a 5.6 GHz max frequency on the performance cores.
Google Pixel 7’s Affordable Sibling Appears in Hands On Video:
A leak of Google’s smartphone launch roadmap indicates that the Pixel 7a will become an official product “around April or May”. This announcement is most likely to take place at the Google I/O annual developer conference which typically takes place in May each year. As we approach the launch date, more and more leaks are beginning to surface. A blurry video was leaked today that was recorded hands-on, possibly from Vietnam. This is because the phone appears to have its language set to Vietnamese. Despite the blur, the phone’s design and UI are clearly visible in the video below.
The Future of Work is Mobile, Reveals Telenor Asia Study:
More than two years after the COVID-19 outbreak, businesses and employees around the world are finding their balance in this new, digitally connected reality. Professionals with desk jobs survived and thrived in the new and socially distant workplace, transforming the forced reset into a catalyst for accelerated digital transformation. Mobile technology has been and will continue to be essential for future dynamics of success. The new and improved hybrid work culture that we all are a part of today started to take shape years ago. The pandemic, however, turbo-charged these changes and forced the economy to quickly readjust and keep businesses afloat even in times of isolation.
FIA Ordered to Recover Rs. 2.2 Million For Unauthorized Phone Usage:
Public Accounts Committee (PAC), directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to recover Rs 2.2 million from a former minister and employees of the commerce ministry for the unauthorized use of 22 telephone connections. During the audit of accounts at the commerce ministry, the office of the auditor general discovered 22 unauthorized telephone connections in fiscal years 2015-16 and 2017-18. The commerce secretary said that the minister himself and other ministry officials had used these telephone lines within prescribed limits. Noor Alam Khan, chairman of PAC, directed his staff towards producing the “Federal Ministers and Ministers of State (Salaries, Allowances, and Privileges) Act, 1975”.
Nvidia Launches 4070 Ti Graphics Card For $799:
Nvidia has just announced the “new” GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics card, previously known as the RTX 4080 12 GB. With buyers holding off on Nvidia’s RTX 4080 16 GB due to its absurd $1,200 price, this is the one they may go for. At this point, the story of the RTX 4080 12 GB has become well-known. After a huge amount of criticism regarding the pricing, specifications, and naming, the card was “unlaunched” and pulled from any future releases. It has now returned with a new name and a slightly lower cost.
Matt Hancock bids ‘fond farewell’ to his app after five years:
Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced the closure of his app. The Matt Hancock MP app debuted in 2018 with a promise to let his West Suffolk constituents follow his latest news and “promote a healthy, open and impartial debate”. In his final post he said it was “time to bid a fond farewell” to what he called an “iconic” app. But the verdicts of its modest number of users have been more mixed, with some mocking its impact. Mr Hancock was the first MP to launch an app. The then-culture secretary greeted new users with a video saying: “Hi I’m Matt Hancock and welcome to my app.”
Meta fined €390m over use of data for targeted ads:
Meta has been fined €390m euros (£346m) for breaking EU data rules. The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) says the way Meta asked permission to use peoples’ data for ads on Facebook and Instagram was unlawful. Meta, which owns both platforms, has three months to change how it obtains and uses data to target ads. Meta says it is “disappointed” and intends to appeal, stressing that the decision does not prevent personalised advertising on its platforms. The regulator said that Facebook and Instagram can not “force consent” by saying consumers have to accept how their data is used, or leave the platform.
Innovation vital to Welsh manufacturing, says Sony boss:
Skilled workers will still be needed in Wales as factories move toward automated production lines, a former boss of one of Wales’ biggest employers has said. Steve Dalton, former managing director of Bridgend’s Sony factory, will leave the firm in March after 40 years. He has seen huge changes in production but believes there are still skilled jobs for people. But he added that Wales needs to be innovative. He said: “Manufacturing was a long line with lots of people working close together. Those days are gone.
Leeds heads drive to ensure ‘no-one left behind’ in cost of living crisis:
Leeds City Council is leading a national drive to improve internet access amid fears the cost of living crisis will worsen “digital exclusion”. The local authority has been working with hundreds of community organisations to get people connected. More than two million households in the UK struggle to afford the internet, according to the Sheffield-based charity Good Things Foundation. The government said it had worked with telecoms firms to offer low-cost deals.
Google alleges Competition Commission of India ‘copied’ EU order:
Google has alleged that India’s competition watchdog “copied” parts of an EU ruling in its order to fine the firm, Reuters has reported. The tech giant said this in a filing to an Indian appeals tribunal, the report said. The tribunal will hear Google’s appeal against the penalty on Wednesday. In October, the Indian regulator fined Google 13bn rupees ($157m; £131m) for using its Android platform to dominate the market. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) had accused Google of entering into “one-sided agreements” with smartphone makers to ensure the dominance of its apps.
US regulators warn banks over cryptocurrency risks:
US regulators have issued their first ever joint warning to banks over the risks associated with the cryptocurrency market. The watchdogs told financial institutions to be wary of potential fraud, legal uncertainty and misleading disclosures by digital asset firms. Banks were also cautioned over the “contagion risk” from the sector. It comes just two months after the collapse of trading platform FTX sent shockwaves through the crypto industry.
Harry Styles and Kate Bush among 2022’s biggest songs:
British stars were responsible for all of the UK’s top 10 most popular singles in 2022, for the first time since year-end charts began over 50 years ago. Harry Styles’ smash hit As It Was was the biggest-seller, while last year’s number one, Ed Sheeran’s Bad Habits, clung on to second place. Kate Bush’s 1985 single Running Up That Hill, which enjoyed a new lease of life thanks to Stranger Things, came sixth. Styles also had 2022’s biggest album with his third release, Harry’s House. Sheeran’s latest album = (Equals) was at number two for a second consecutive year, while Taylor Swift’s Midnights was 2022’s third biggest album – and the biggest-seller on vinyl.
Tesla says it delivered record 1.3 million vehicles in 2022:
Electric car maker Tesla said it delivered a record 1.3 million vehicles last year, 40% more than in 2021. But the firm, led by billionaire Elon Musk, fell short of Wall Street sales forecasts for the final months of the year. The company’s shares sank by more than 12% on Tuesday after the update. In a statement to investors, Tesla said it had to deal with “significant Covid and supply chain related challenges throughout the year”. Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday authorities in South Korea said they would fine Tesla $2.2m (£1.8m) for failing to tell its customers about the shorter driving range of its electric vehicles in low temperatures.
Microsoft recognises first labour union in US:
Workers at Microsoft’s ZeniMax Studios have voted to form the tech giant’s first labour union in the US. Microsoft agreed to recognise the group after a “supermajority” of workers at the video game production company signalled support for the plan, said the Communications Workers of America (CWA) union. ZeniMax owns popular games including The Elder Scrolls and Fallout. It follows an uptick in unionisation efforts in the US. Apple, Amazon and Google are among the other US companies that have seen labour fights in recent years, as workers demand more from employers amidst the rising cost of living.
Dad’s wedding dreams kept alive by robotic therapy:
A man who was left paralysed after a crash is now dreaming of walking his daughters down the aisle after receiving innovative robotic therapy. Luke Louden, 32, suffered a broken neck and back, alongside multiple serious leg injuries, in August 2020. For more than two years the dairyman was forced to contemplate that he would never walk again. But a new type of therapy at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow has given him fresh hope.
How are ‘kamikaze’ drones being used by Russia and Ukraine?:
Russia is planning to “exhaust” Ukraine with attacks using Iranian-made drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. It has been accused of launching waves of so-called “kamikaze” drones against Ukrainian cities and power stations in recent months. Ukraine’s government and Western intelligence agencies say Russia has been using Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in the conflict since autumn last year. Also called the Geranium-2 by Russia, it has explosives in a warhead on its nose and is designed to loiter over a target until it is instructed to attack. The Shahed-136 has a wingspan of about 2.5m (8.2ft) and can be hard to detect on radar.
Ken Block: Rally driver and YouTuber killed in snowmobile accident:
American motorsport legend and YouTube star Ken Block has died in a snowmobile accident in Utah at the age of 55. A competitive rally driver in series such as Rally America and Global Rallycross, he earned wide renown later in life for his “Gymkhana” video series on YouTube. The 10-part series, in which he performed daring racing feats, earned him nearly two million subscribers. Block also co-founded the skate-wear clothing brand DC Shoes. Hoonigan Industries, another clothing company he owned, confirmed its founder’s passing in a statement on Instagram on Monday.
Social media a threat to Welsh language, study suggests:
Social media could have an impact on the Welsh language and erode cultural identity, a study has suggested. Academics compared social media responses by 800 first-language Welsh and first-language English speakers aged 13 to 15 at Welsh-medium schools. Nearly 70% of Welsh speakers used English “often” or “always” online with the majority using it more than Welsh. Richard Jones, from Swansea University, said online language erosion could “threaten” cultural identity. The findings have been published in the journal Trends in Psychology.