Classic Nokia 3210 Returns With a New Look After 25 Years:
HMD may be rebranding its smartphones, but the Nokia name is still very much alive when it comes to feature phones.The Nokia 3210 has been revamped for the modern era, sporting a fresh design inspired by the recently launched Nokia 6310 (2024), despite sharing its name with the classic 1999 model. The updated Nokia 3210 (2024) boasts a 2.4-inch TFT LCD with QVGA resolution and features a 2MP rear camera equipped with an LED flash. It operates on the S30+ system, includes Cloud Apps support, and is powered by a Unisoc T107 chipset. The phone comes with 64 MB of RAM and 128 MB of storage, which can be expanded up to 32 GB via a microSD card slot.
Jazz Planning IPO At PSX In the Near Future:
Jazz is eyeing an Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in the near future. In a recent media briefing, Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim said the telecom company doesn’t aim to raise capital by going public but to show commitment to Pakistan and for local investors to benefit from its success, Profit reported on Wednesday. While Ibrahim did not specify a timeline for the listing, he affirmed that it is indeed part of the company’s future plans. Contrary to the typical objective of raising capital through an IPO, Jazz aims to utilize this step to contribute to the development of the country’s capital markets.
Govt Introduces New Laws to Control Social Media:
The federal government has decided to introduce legislation aimed at regulating social media. In this regard, amendments to the PECA Act 2016 are set to establish the Digital Rights Protection Authority. According to the sources, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has approved the establishment of the authority by amending the PECA Act.The Cabinet’s Legal Reforms Committee had proposed the amended bill and the establishment of the Digital Rights Protection Authority. Recommendations were sought from the Ministry of IT, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, and other stakeholders regarding this bill.
IT and Telecom Sector Vital for Pakistan’s Economic Uplift: IT Minister:
A high-level delegation of EDOTCO Group led by its Group CEO Mohamed Adlan Ahmad Tajuddin called on Minister of State for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Wednesday. Matters of mutual interest and related to telecom infrastructure were discussed in the meeting. While talking to the delegation, the minister said that steps are being taken for digitalization in the country. She said that the present government is committed to the provision of quality broadband and internet services to the masses. She said that the IT and telecom sector has an important role in the economic uplift of the country. She said the ministry is taking alongside the telecom industry, adding that issues confronting the telecom industry will be resolved.
TikTok Goes to Court Against US Govt to Fight Ban:
The US government recently passed a bill into law that gives TikTok a 9-month deadline before it gets banned in the country unless it hands over control to an American company. TikTok has now retaliated by filing a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s divestiture bill to contest the ban. The Chinese social media giant’s lawsuit labels the new US legislation as unfair and unconstitutional. Beckman, TikTok’s director of U.S. public policy, strongly criticized the bill and warned of severe consequences for its extensive user base of 170 million Americans and the 7 million small businesses that depend on the platform. In a series of internal communications, Beckman vowed to launch a strong defense aimed at protecting free speech and economic opportunities. TikTok says in its lawsuit that a sale from ByteDance, its parent company, is not possible and that it would force TikTok to shut down by January 25, 2025. This is because TikTok claims that a sale would require the company to transfer “millions of lines” of code to a new owner, and due to limitations from the Chinese government, it cannot be sold with its algorithm.
Infinix NOTE 40 Series Takes Centre Stage with All-Round FastCharge 2.0:
Infinix, a rising star in the smartphone industry, has been making waves with its innovative and stylish phones crafted for the young and tech-savvy. Recently, the brand achieved a remarkable feat, recording the largest year-on-year increase in units among global smartphone brands.With their latest offering, the NOTE 40 Series, Infinix is once again setting new standards, particularly in fast and innovative charging technology that vastly improves the daily experience for users. A recent video shared by renowned influencer Wild Lens by Abrar highlights the extreme capabilities of the new Infinix NOTE 40 Series. The “Extreme Cold Challenge” conducted in the Arctic showcased the phone’s ability to charge at -16°C Celsius, a testament to its durability and performance even in the harshest conditions.
New Details About Xiaomi’s First Flip Phone and Mix Fold 4 Leaked:
Xiaomi is gearing up to release the Mix Fold 4 along with its first flip-style foldable, the Mix Flip. Specifications for the Mix Fold 4 surfaced in March, while the Mix Flip has been certified in China and includes support for satellite connectivity. Recent updates on both devices were shared by the well-known leaker, Digital Chat Station, on Weibo. He claims that the Mix Fold 4 will set a new benchmark as the thinnest foldable smartphone, surpassing the Honor Magic V2. Both of these upcoming Xiaomi foldables will be equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and feature a 50 MP 1/1.55″ main camera with optical image stabilization.
Govt Prepares Terms of Reference For Restructuring IT Ministry:
The federal government has started working on attracting foreign investment in vital sectors. As part of this effort, key federal ministries are undergoing reorganization to enhance efficiency, sources informed Media.Sources said Terms of Reference (TORs) have been prepared for restructuring the Ministry of Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication. The IT Ministry sought input from IT, Telecom, Legal, Internal Coordination, and others departments to prepare these TORs. Via restructuring, skilled technicians and consultants will be hired to transform the IT and Telecom sectors. Sources said the Establishment Division will facilitate this process by creating appropriate pay scales for such candidates.
Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Will Launch in Early 2025:
During the company’s financial call, Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa revealed some details about the upcoming successor to the Switch.Furukawa stated that the successor to the Switch will be announced sometime within this financial year, which concludes on March 31, 2025. This means we can expect to see a Nintendo Switch 2 announcement in early 2025. A March launch would also align with the original Nintendo Switch launch, which took place in March 2017.
50MP is Better than 200MP? TECNO’s CAMON 30 Series Proves More is Not Always Better:
Today’s age is all about capturing moments, snapping photos, sharing them on social media, and creating content as a profession or hobby. When people are in the market for a new phone, the camera quality is often their top priority.A few years back, there weren’t many options for phones with great camera quality. But times are changing, and technology is moving fast. Every brand is racing to create top-notch products that match the latest trends and demands. However, only a few brands can really deliver on their promises, drawing attention to the challenges of meeting the growing demand for high-quality smartphone cameras amidst fierce competition. Anticipating the needs of its customers well in advance, TECNO, Pakistan’s fastest-growing smartphone brand, has been meticulously designing futuristic products. Their products are crafted with a deep understanding of their customer base, their preferences, tastes, and the imperative to stay ahead of the curve.
Google Pixel 8a Launched With New Chip and Screen Upgrade:
Google has unveiled the most affordable phone in its Pixel 8 series, the Pixel 8a, which brings a design update to match the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro and has been updated to the new Tensor G3 chipset. It starts at $499. The Pixel 8a continues to be somewhat of a compact phone with its 6.1-inch screen size. This is an OLED panel with 1080p resolution, but the 90Hz screen refresh rate has been updated to 120Hz, not that many people are going to notice. Regular peak brightness is 1400 nits and HDR content goes up to 2000 nits. It comes with IP67 water and dust resistance and Google says the Pixel 8a is the most durable A series phone yet.
Apple iPad Air Now Comes in Two Sizes With M2 Chip and Apple Pencil Pro Support:
Alongside the new iPad Pros, Apple has unveiled 2024 editions of the iPad Air, which now comes in 13″ and 11″ sizes just like the iPad Pro models. These have been updated to the M2 chip and the front camera location has been updated.The screen is still limited to 60Hz IPS LCD and the resolution is 2,360 x 1,640px on the 11-inch model while the 13″ model features a 2,732 x 2,048px resolution. Screen brightness goes up to 500 nits on the former and 600 nits on the latter.
WorldCall’s Holding Company Commences Trading on NASDAQ:
Worldcall Telecom Limited (PSX: WTL) has been informed by Worldcall Services (Private) Limited (WSL) that GlobalTech Corporation (GTC), a US Company, has commenced trading under the symbol GLTK, the tech firm informed the main bourse on Wednesday.With the commencement of trading of GTC, all terms and conditions mentioned in the plan and agreement of reorganization have been successfully completed. The Majority Shareholders of WTL i.e. WSL and Ferret Consulting F.Z.C (Ferret) have now consolidated their holding into GTC, which is now the ultimate holding company of WTL, the stock filing stated.
How quantum physics could ‘revolutionise everything’:
Growing up on a farm in Australia, Liam Hall was a mechanic “getting greasy, scraped knuckles”, but in recent years his career has taken a more technical turn. He’s now the head of quantum biotechnology at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. “I’ve got a bit of a weird background. I always wanted to be a diesel mechanic. Doing that for a while led to wanting to do engineering at university. That introduced me to the physics, and then to the quantum physics. A rollercoaster ride is a good way to describe it,” he says. His team has been developing diagnostic technologies, experimenting with micro sensors crafted from tiny slivers of diamonds about 50 nanometers in size (about 1,000 times finer than human hair) to test patients’ iron levels. Current methods monitor a protein known as ferritin, the body’s iron storage mechanism. While monitoring ferritin is a good way to measure iron, it would be more accurate to measure the actual iron levels inside the protein.
How the computer games industry is embracing AI:
Andrew Maximov has been working in the computer games industry for 12 years, but despite all that experience he still marvels at the amount of money spent on building the biggest titles. “I used to work for PlayStation and the last game that I worked on, just production alone cost us $220 [£176m], and then you double that for marketing, and you are in half a billion dollars for every game that you put out there, which is a bit unsustainable for most companies.” He believes that artificial intelligence (AI) will play a crucial role in keeping the soaring costs of game production down, and save video game designers vital time by automating repetitive tasks. His company, Promethean AI offers developers a set of tools to craft their own virtual worlds. Mr Maximov hopes to disrupt the way games are currently produced. “What we’re trying to do is replace that with a system that can learn directly from artists, so that artists can be the authors of their own automation.”
Migrants hit by high fees to send money home:
Jerry Lukendo Mbokani has to make several calculations when he sends money to his elderly mother in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In Kampala, Uganda, where Mr Mbokani has lived for 16 years, he first has to buy US dollars. To convert approximately $100 (£80) worth of Ugandan shillings would cost almost $3, he reports. He also adds the withdrawal fee of $7, so that his mother doesn’t incur a fee when receiving the money. He sends these remittances through mobile money, usually phone-based digital transfers, rather than through a physical location like a bank, post office, or Western Union-style money transfer company. In real terms 10% of the amount could be eaten up in fees. Mr Mbokani, the chief executive of the Refugee-Led Organization Network (Relon), knows he’s far from alone.
Why green steam is a hot issue for business:
Colorado-based New Belgium Brewing can trace its roots to 1988 and a cycle trip through Belgium. The experience inspired co-founders Kim Jordan and Jeff Lebesch to bring Belgian brewing techniques back to their home town. Three years later and the duo were selling Fat Tire, one of their first beers at a local festival, and they now have over a dozen beers in production. But while they have spent 30 years creating flavours unique to the US market, they have at least one thing in common with all brewers – the use of steam. Steam is used to sanitise their brewing equipment, as well as being a key part of the brewing process.
How robots are taking over warehouse work:
Shoppers probably don’t think much about what happens next when they place an online grocery order. But it sets-off an intricate dance of software, artificial intelligence, robots, vans and workers. At an Ocado warehouse just outside Luton, I’m in the middle of such a dance. As far as I can see, hundreds of robots whizz around a grid, fetching items for online orders. They move with dizzying speed and precision. In the early days of online shopping, when you placed an order, humans would dash around a warehouse or a store collecting your items. But for years now, Ocado has been using robots to collect and distribute products, bringing them to staff, who pack them into boxes for delivery. And Ocado is not the only firm investing in such automation.
Disney and Warner to bundle streaming services:
Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery say they will start to offer a bundle of the Disney+, Hulu and Max streaming services to customers in the US this summer. The new package will be available to customers on all three streaming platforms. The media giants said they will offer plans with and without adverts but did not reveal how much they will charge customers. The move comes as Disney and Warner Bros face competition from rivals, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. “This new offering… will help drive incremental subscribers and much stronger retention,” Warner Bros Discovery executive JB Perrette said in a statement. The two media companies said they will reveal more details about the plans in the coming weeks. As audiences move away from traditional TV, companies like Disney and Warner Bros are under pressure to attract more subscribers to their streaming services. The companies will be hoping that their combined offering will complement each other.
Will AI dream up the hit TV shows of the future?:
Many of us of a certain age will remember the Alan Partridge scene where he is pitching to a TV executive in a bid to get a new series commissioned. Getting ever more desperate, the fictional British TV presenter suggests shows such as Inner City Sumo, Youth Hostelling With Chris Eubanks, and finally, Monkey Tennis. All were perhaps unsurprisingly rejected. Maybe Partridge, played by comedian and actor Steve Coogan, would have had better luck if he had let an artificial intelligence (AI) computer system pick the ideas. That may initially sound like a highly fanciful idea, but a number of TV production companies have already announced that they are using AI to help them dream up new programmes.
Is it possible to protect under-18s from harmful content online?:
Marianna Spring looks at how Ofcom wants to protect under-18 from harmful content on social media. The UK’s media regulator has published draft codes of practice which require tech firms to have more robust age-checking measures, and to reformulate their algorithms to steer children away from what it called “toxic” material. In statements, Meta and Snapchat said they had extra protections for under-18s, and offered parental tools to control what children can see on their platforms.
Electric car driver turned away from hospital car park:
A father who was taking his child to Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool says he was turned away from the car park because he was driving an electric vehicle (EV). Paul Freeman-Powell said he was told to park next to nearby grass because his car “could explode.” The hospital says it has temporarily banned access to the car park while it improves its sprinkler system. But industry figures have challenged the decision, pointing to research that indicates petrol cars are considerably more likely to catch fire than EVs. Mr Freeman-Powell told the Media he attempted to tell the security guard he spoke to that the hospital’s policy did not make any sense. But he said in the end he complied because he did not want his seven-year-old son to miss an appointment he had waited nearly five years for.
Apple working to fix alarming iPhone issue:
Apple says it is working quickly to fix an issue that caused some iPhone alarms not to play a sound, giving their slumbering users an unexpected lie-in. For many people, their phone is an indispensable alarm clock and some over-sleepers turned to social media to vent.
One TikTokker complained that she had set “like five alarms” and they didn’t go off. Apple has confirmed it is aware of the issue – but is yet to spell out what it believes is causing it, or what users can do to avoid a late start. It is also unclear how many people are affected or whether the problem is restricted to particular models of iPhone.