Here’s When Xiaomi 15 and Honor Magic 7 Will be Released:
Xiaomi and Honor, two leading brands in the smartphone market, are expected to unveil their latest flagship devices, the Xiaomi 15 and Honor Magic 7. The two phones will come packed with the latest hardware such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 or the the Mediatek Dimensity 9400 chips. The two companies are waiting for the flagship SoCs to be released. Both of these processors are confirmed to roll out in the following few days.Xiaomi will release the Xiaomi 15 on October 17, while reports indicate that Honor will launch the Honor Magic 7 on October 20th.
DRAM Prices Drop by Nearly 20% in Just a Month:
The DRAM and NAND industries are currently experiencing a significant drop in consumer demand, with contract prices plummeting by nearly 20% in just one month. This has presented serious challenges for memory manufacturers. DDR4 memory modules are particularly hard to sell, leading to increasing inventory pressure. As a result, manufacturers have had to reduce prices to clear out excess stock. According to a report from The Elec, the market has cooled, with DRAM and NAND prices experiencing double-digit declines. Analyst firm DRAMeXchange noted that DDR4 8Gb 1Gx8 modules saw a 17.07% price drop in September, bringing prices down to $1.7. The decline in demand is primarily due to consumers transitioning to next-generation memory technologies.
Lawyer’s Injury Leads to Arrest Warrant for Bykea Owner:
A Judicial Magistrate (South) has issued a non-bailable arrest warrant for the owner of Bykea, an online service, due to his absence in court despite being summoned for a lawyer’s petition.The case was heard in the Judicial Magistrate (South) court following a petition from Advocate Rafay Zafar. The petition claimed that Advocate Zafar was involved in an accident while using a Bykea service, leading to a broken leg. The rider fled the scene, leaving the injured lawyer without assistance.The petitioner urged legal action against the parties involved and called for an investigation to ensure the rider’s travel documents were valid. The accident was attributed to the rider’s negligence and speeding, and the petitioner sought a formal ruling on the complaint.
Systems Limited and BNU Launch Third Batch of IT Mustakbil Training Program:
Systems Limited has officially launched the IT Mustakbil Training Program, Batch 3, in collaboration with Beaconhouse National University (BNU). The orientation session for the Diploma in Computer Science under this IT Mustakbil Training Program was held at Systems Limited, welcoming over 60 trainees eager to embark on their IT journey.Toima Asghar, Group CHRO – Systems Limited, extended a warm welcome to trainees from diverse educational backgrounds, along with the leadership teams from Systems Limited and Beaconhouse National University (BNU). She congratulated the students on embarking on this exciting new chapter and inspired them to emulate the success of graduates from ITM Batches 1 and 2, who have gone on to secure rewarding positions at Systems Limited and numerous other reputable companies.
Mobilink Bank’s Invisible Heirs Campaign Bags Digital Nations Video Creativity Award at M360 APAC:
Pakistan’s leading digital microfinance bank, Mobilink Bank, has achieved a significant milestone on the global stage by winning the prestigious ‘Digital Nations Video Creativity Award’ at the high-profile M360 APAC event held in Seoul, organized by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA).The accolade was received by Hande Asik, Group Director of Communications and Strategy at VEON, for the Bank’s groundbreaking campaign, The Invisible Heirs. The campaign shines a spotlight on the deeply rooted issue of women’s inheritance rights in Pakistan, breaking new ground in raising awareness and driving social change on this critical issue.
Connecting Cultures: How Zong 4G Strengthens Pak-China Relations Through Culture Transfusion:
Cultural diversity has long been a hallmark of Pakistan and China. As neighbours with deep historical ties, their exchange of traditions, values, and customs continues to grow stronger. Zong 4G, a subsidiary of China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC), plays a vital role in promoting cultural transfusion between the two nations, positioning itself as an ambassador for Pak-China friendship. Zong 4G recently celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, a cherished Chinese tradition focused on unity, gratitude, and cultural diversity. This event brought together Chinese and Pakistani employees, fostering mutual respect and understanding. For Zong, the festival symbolizes more than just cultural observance; it is a reflection of the company’s commitment to cross-cultural communication.
Senate Panel to Deliberate on Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2024:
The Senate Standing Committee on IT and Telecom is set to discuss the “Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2024” in its next meeting, according to a copy of the agenda obtained by the Media. The bill proposes the creation of an Artificial Intelligence Commission, which will oversee AI-related matters. The commission will comprise one chairperson and four members, all of whom will be entitled to salaries and privileges equivalent to those of an MP-1 officer. A dedicated AI regulation fund will be established by the federal government to cover the commission’s operational expenses.
ISPs Ask Govt to Completely Restore Internet in Pakistan:
Since June 2024, Pakistan has experienced continuous internet issues, leaving consumers, ISPs, and the IT industry in a state of disarray. Repeated reassurances from authorities have done little to restore confidence, with shifting timelines and vague promises. Each new deadline—from June to July, then early September, then the start of October, and now the end of October—has failed to bring the much-needed resolution. These constantly moving timelines create more doubts among the public and ISPs, leading to skepticism about whether any substantial solution will be implemented. The end-of-October deadline appears more like another temporary measure, rather than a definitive plan for improvement.
Concerns Raised as Hearing on PTCL-Telenor Merger Continues:
The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is actively progressing with the Phase II Merger Review of PTCL’s proposed acquisition of 100 percent shareholding in Telenor Pakistan (Private) Limited (TP) and Orion Towers Private Limited (OT). The hearing was conducted by CCP Chairman, Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, with the presence of members Salman Amin and Abdul Rashid Sheikh, CCP said in a press release.Jazz Telecom’s counsel Khalid Ibrahim argued that PTCL’s acquisition of Telenor could give it a dominant position in the market. Therefore, the Commission should impose both pre-merger and post-merger conditions. These conditions could include requiring the merged entities to allow other mobile operators to roam on their network under mutually negotiated terms. Additionally, PTCL should be mandated to provide wholesale, non-discriminatory access to other operators, along with fair terms for active infrastructure, fibre, and spectrum sharing and trading.
K-Electric’s Star Customers Get Access to Exclusive Discounts!:
Urban inflation is a raging reality, topping at 30% for the outgoing fiscal year. That number is 19 percentage points higher compared to the previous one. What’s driving it upwards? Utilities: Gas, electricity, and housing rents. The burden of paying that cost in addition to taxes has (unduly) fallen on salaried individuals – now Pakistan’s largest tax-paying bloc.In this context, it is pleasantly surprising to see K-Electric announce a loyalty program for its STAR Customers. They call it KE’s STAR Rewards, accessible through the KE Live App. Finally, there’s some relief for consumers who pay bills every month and on time. It’s like a digital treasure chest filled with discounts and deals on everything from education and healthcare to dining out and entertainment.
Pakistan Has Assembled 20.5 Million Mobile Phones in 2024 So Far:
The local manufacturing/ assembling plants manufactured/ assembled 20.44 million mobile handsets during the first eight months (January-August) of the calendar year 2024 compared to 1.1 million imported commercially. Official data revealed that the locally manufactured/ assembled 1.49 million mobile handsets in August compared to 0.1 million imported commercially. The locally manufactured/ assembled 20.44 million mobile phone handsets included 7.71 million 2G and 12.73 million smartphones.
Comstech and Huawei to Host International Workshop on Cybersecurity in OIC Countries:
The OIC-COMSTECH and Huawei will jointly hold an international workshop on the “Cybersecurity Landscape in OIC Countries: Issues and Prospects” in Islamabad from December 16-18, in hybrid mode.Cybersecurity has become a crucial component for the stability and security of nations in an era of rapid digital transformation. With increasing reliance on digital infrastructure, OIC countries face unique challenges in protecting their data, networks, and critical systems from cyber threats.According to COMSTECH, the workshop aims to provide a platform for stakeholders from OIC Member States, including experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, to discuss current cybersecurity challenges, share best practices, and develop strategies for mitigating risks and fostering collaboration.
Google introduces new way to search by filming video:
Google has released a new feature which will allow people to search the internet by taking a video. Video search will let people point their camera at something, ask a question about it, and get search results. Android and iPhone users globally will gain access to the feature from 1700 GMT by enabling “AI Overviews” in their Google app, but it will only support English at launch. It is the latest move from the tech giant to change how people search online by utilising artificial intelligence (AI).
How a stale A$17.50 cookie sparked a social media storm:
Set against a backdrop of cliffside mansions, bronzed bodies, and vast ocean views – Bondi is the go-to suburb for international brands looking to launch down under. So, when news broke on TikTok that a Crumbl Cookie pop-up was coming to Sydney’s iconic beachside hub, few raised questions. With a host of famous fans, the US-based bakery chain – which only sells domestically and in Canada – has secured a cult-like following. But when Australian foodies sunk their teeth into the treats, outrage spread like wildfire after it became clear they were eating days-old goods, sold by a few enterprising locals – with no connection to Crumbl – who had brought the cookies back in suitcases from Hawaii.
Stalker 2: ‘We want to show Ukraine can make great games’:
“I would say that maybe half of our studio is currently working under the constant threat of being killed,” says Evgeniy Kulik. Evgeniy is a technical producer on Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, an upcoming video game developed by Kyiv-based developer GSC Game World. It’s a title fans of the original, released in 2007, have been awaiting for some time. But it might not have happened at all, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Media spoke to Evgeniy about how Stalker 2’s developers kept going, losing colleagues to war, and why the studio feels it’s so important for them to complete the game.
AI software a ‘game changer’ for social workers:
Artificial intelligence (AI) software cut the hours that social workers spent on admin tasks by more than 60% in a recent pilot scheme. Magic Notes, a tool which records conversations and generates assessments, was trialled by 19 Swindon Borough Council social workers, with “overwhelmingly positive” results. The workers were able to spend more time “engaging in meaningful, person-centred conversations with those they support”, the council said. Councillor Ray Ballman, cabinet member for adult social care, said Magic Notes had been “a game changer”.
Musk faces regulators’ questions over X takeover – but will he show up?:
Elon Musk has been ordered by a federal court to answer further questions from lawyers about his takeover of Twitter – now called X – on Thursday. And the financial world has one question: Will he be there? Last month, he was a no-show for a court ordered appearance at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) office in Los Angeles. Thursday’s planned interview is part of a high-level investigation into whether Mr Musk waited too long to disclose he was building up a stake in Twitter before acquiring the social media platform in 2022. The billionaire has previously said this delay was a mistake.
AI camera rolled out to monitor driving offences:
A camera that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect road traffic offences has been deployed on a main road in Plymouth. The system, which is in place along Tavistock Road in Derriford, captures images of passing vehicles to identify whether or not passengers are wearing seatbelts and whether the driver is using a mobile phone at the wheel. Plymouth City Council said, although the cameras use AI to detect offences, the images are subsequently reviewed by a human. If an offence is identified, the driver will either be sent a warning letter or a notice of intended prosecution.
BAFTA judge pledges to boost diversity in gaming:
A voice actor has pledged to improve diversity in gaming after becoming a fully voting member of the BAFTA Awards. Melissa Thom, from Bristol, will now have a say in the winners of the academy’s annual games awards, which recognise and reward outstanding creative achievement. As founder of the Bristol Academy of Voice Acting (BRAVA), Ms Thom has helped hundreds of students to become professional voice actors, with many working in the gaming industry. “As the popularity of gaming continues on its upwards march, it’s critical that people from all backgrounds see themselves represented in games,” she said.
Microsoft: ‘ever present’ AI assistants are coming:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistants with “really good long-term memory” are about a year away, according to Microsoft’s head of AI, Mustafa Suleyman. Products which can recall conversations, projects and problems will encourage users to invest more time and share more of their personal history with them, he said in an exclusive interview.”I think we’re moving to a fundamentally new age where there will be ever present, persistent, very capable co-pilot companions in your everyday life,” he added. Critics have voiced strong concerns around this level of integration, including data security, privacy, the possibility of AI tools giving bad advice or wrong information, or displaying inbuilt bias towards the person they are supposed to be helping.
Samsung accused of obstructing Fortnite downloads:
Epic Games has accused Samsung of making it too difficult to download its massively popular video game Fortnite on certain mobile devices. In a legal complaint it said it would file on Monday, it says people have to go through 21 steps before they can play the game on a new Samsung product, including viewing security warning screens and changing settings. Epic claims this means 50% of people who try to install the game on these devices give up before they complete the process.
Samsung said it would “vigorously contest” the “baseless claims”. According to Epic, the process takes 12 steps, rather than 21, for other Android phones and tablets. The firm has blamed a Samsung feature called Auto Blocker for the issue, which is turned on by default on the manufacturer’s latest products. The tool is intended to block “malicious activity” and prevent app installations from unauthorised sources.
Worker shortage hampers datacentre boom:
If someone had asked Billy Keeper five years ago what a datacentre was, he admits: “I would not have had a clue.” The 24-year-old joined specialist electrical firm Datalec Precision Installations as a labourer straight from school. He’s now an electrical supervisor for the UK-based firm, and oversees teams up to 40-strong carrying out electrical and cabling installations at datacentres. This means, “managing the job, from a health and safety perspective, making sure everything goes smoothly, and dealing with the clients”. And those clients are central to today’s technology landscape. Datacentres are the massive warehouse-like buildings from which big tech firms like Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook deliver their cloud services. Other organisations, large and small, run their own dedicated facilities, or rely on “co-location” datacentres to host their computer equipment.
The UK coal-fired power station that became a giant battery:
With the closure of the last coal-fired power station in the UK, it raises questions about how old fossil fuel infrastructure can be repurposed. One option is to use them to store energy from renewables. It’s an unassuming place for a major era of British history to come to an end. Surrounded by farmland drenched by recent rains and trees with leaves starting to turn ahead of the autumn – all within earshot of the thundering traffic from the M1 motorway – the UK’s last coal-fired power station is shutting down for good. As of 30 September 2024 the turbines at the Ratcliffe-on-Soar power plant in Nottinghamshire will fall silent while smoke and steam will cease to belch from the chimney and cooling towers that dominate this part of the landscape.
‘Everybody wants to be in’: How songs are chosen for EA FC:
“Most musicians, one of our dreams, one our goals – it’s not the Grammys, it’s not the Oscars – it’s to get a song on Fifa, man.” That’s Femi Koleoso, from Ezra Collective, on why getting on Fifa – now known as EA FC – is such a big deal. Each year, around a hundred songs get selected for the soundtrack of the world’s favourite football video game. But how do they get chosen from the countless acts desperate to make their name on it? “It’s a brutal question to answer,” EA’s president of music, Steve Schnur, told me, as he gave the BBC a rare peek behind the curtain of how the game studio makes its decisions. “We go through thousands and thousands of songs,” he says “At the very beginning, I was flying around like a madman, looking everywhere for the next great thing. “Now, humbly speaking, everybody wants to be in EA FC, so people come to us.”