BTC holds crucial support at $40K! | Watch The Market Report with Gareth Soloway

“The Market Report” with Cointelegraph is live right now with special guest Gareth Soloway, an experienced swing and day trader.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3AZooYK

Google apps no longer functional on select smartphones: See if your device is on the list

Popular Google apps such as Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps will soon stop working on a number of smartphones. Read on to know if your device will be affected by this, too.

Google app ban on select phones

Google has revealed that individuals using smartphones running Android 2.3 aka Gingerbread or older will no longer be able to access Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps on their devices. This has already come into effect from 27 September.

Hence, if your smartphone runs Android version 2.3.7 or older, you won't be able to sign into the aforementioned Google apps. If you try to sign in, Google will return an error and will continue to do so until the device is updated. For the uninitiated, these Google apps require users to sign in to their Google accounts to easily access them, as well as their app history.

Google, in a previous statement, said, "As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our users safe, Google will no longer allow sign-in on Android devices that run Android 2.3.7 or lower starting 27 September, 2021. If you sign in to your device after 27 September, you may get username or password errors when you try to use Google products and services like Gmail, YouTube, and Maps".

While people can still access these apps on older phones via the in-built browser, they won't be able to enjoy the app-specific features. Therefore, it would make more sense for them to upgrade their devices.

Such users can update the Android OS on their phone by updating the software (accessed via the Settings menu) on their smartphone. In case the smartphone no longer supports an updated version of Android, it would be best for them to switch to a newer smartphone.

One thing worth noting is this change won't affect a lot of users, as not many still use a phone with a 10-year-old Android OS.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/39QR0aG

Amazon introduces Echo Show 15, Halo fitness band, Astro robot and more at 2021 hardware event

Amazon recently held its 2021 hardware event and launched a number of products such as the Amazon Echo Show 15, Halo fitness band, Amazon Glow, Astro robot, Amazon Blink video doorbell and more. Here's a closer look at the new Amazon devices.

Amazon Echo Show 15

The Amazon Echo Show 15 smart speaker comes with a 15.6-inch Full HD display and is powered by Amazon's latest AZ2 Neural Edge processor. It features a redesigned home screen and comes with customisable Alexa widgets.

It comes with the new visual ID feature for the device to recognise and display content for a particular user, and also the ability to control other compatible smart home devices. It also supports 1080p Full HD content from Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and soon, from SLING TV as well. There's support for a number of privacy features as well such as microphone and camera controls, the ability to view and delete your voice recordings and a built-in shutter to cover the camera.

The Echo Show 15 is priced at $249.99 (around Rs 18,500).

Halo fitness device

Amazon has introduced three new products to the Halo lineup: the Halo View fitness tracker, Halo Fitness service and Halo Nutrition service.

The Halo View fitness tracker comes with an AMOLED coloured display and comes with a SpO2 monitor, heart rate monitor, skin temperature monitor, accelerometer and the ability to track activity and workouts. It also allows people to monitor sleep, is swim-proof and comes with a battery life of up to seven days. It can fully charge in under 30 minutes and comes in Active Black, Sage Green, and Lavender Dream colours.

Halo Fitness is a service that provides people access to hundreds of exclusive, studio-quality workouts for all fitness levels that are led by popular coaches such as Michael Hildebrand, Elena Cheung, Elizabeth Andrews and trusted industry experts. Halo Nutrition is a tool for people to get personalised, time-saving tools to discover delicious, nutrient-rich recipes or plan out a week of healthful eating. Both these services are available to Halo View and Halo Band users via the Halo app.

The Halo View is priced at $79.99 (around Rs 5,900).

Amazon Glow

Amazon Glow is a new interactive device meant for kids to connect with their loved ones over video calls by indulging in activities together. Kids can use the device to read, play games, and do more things fun via the eight-inch display and others can use the Glow app to participate in the same.

It is priced at $249.99 (around Rs 18,000) and comes with a mat, a mat case, 1-year of Amazon Kids+, and is bundled with Tangram Bits.

Astro Robot

There's also a new Amazon Astro robot that guards people's homes, monitors individuals and offers a portable Alexa experience. It comes with mics, cameras, and more features. It is priced at $999 (around Rs 74,200).

Amazon Blink video doorbell

The new Blink video doorbell comes with a two-year battery life, 1080p HD day and night video, two-way audio and more. It comes with support for Alexa, can withstand any weather conditions, can be controlled via the Blink Home Monitor app, and has more features.

It is priced at $49.99 (around Rs 3,700).

Additionally, Amazon has introduced the AZ2 CPU Chip and has collaborated with Disney to introduce the "Hey, Disney" voice assistant.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3CZOGLk

Ola Electric raises over $200 million in funding, to accelerate development of electric car and motorcycle

Ola Electric has announced it has raised over $200 million in funding led by global asset manager Falcon Edge Capital, Japan’s Softbank and other firms, with the electric vehicle maker valued at $3 billion. Ola says the newly secured funding will help the company ‘accelerate development of other vehicle platforms’ including its upcoming electric motorcycle, electric car and scooters that follow its maiden offering, the Ola S1. Right now, Ola is starting its journey in the vehicle manufacturing business with a scooter, but eventually plans to have an extensive portfolio of both two- and four-wheelers.

In a tweet published on Thursday evening, Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal announced the fund-raising, and said India is “building technologies of the future” as it evolves into a “global EV hub”. He also said that he hopes motorists in the country will shun petrol-powered two-wheelers entirely after 2025.

India is building technologies of the future and becoming a global EV hub! With this raise, we will accelerate our vehicle dev across 2W scooters, motorbikes and 4W.

And fast track Mission Electric: No petrol 2W in India after 2025! #jointherevolution https://t.co/u2IGW7oshB

— Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) September 30, 2021

“We’re proud to lead the EV revolution from India to the world. India has the talent and the capability to build technologies of the future for the industries of the future for the entire world. I thank our existing investors and welcome new ones to Ola. Together we will bring mobility to a billion and sustainability to the future”, added Aggarwal in a subsequent statement.

After finally commencing sales on 15 September, Ola Electric was forced to temporarily stop accepting purchase orders on 16 September. In two days’ time, the company claims to have sold scooters worth Rs 1,100 crore, and Tech2 understands the total order bank with Ola Electric for the S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters is in excess of one lakh units, with bookings running into multiples of lakhs. The purchase window will reopen at the start of November, but prices for the S1 (Rs 99,999) and S1 Pro (Rs 1,29,999) are likely to see an upward revision.

Ola has previously said it will commence deliveries straight to buyers’ doorsteps from late-October, and is currently in the process of conducting trial production at its sprawling Futurefactory in Tamil Nadu, which the company claims is the world’s largest factory to employ an all-women workforce.

The plant is billed the world’s largest two-wheeler production facility, spread out over a total of 500 acres of land. Ola’s facility has an annual production capacity of two million vehicles in Phase 1, and that number will rise to ten million vehicles by next year. At that point, Ola Electric estimates it will be producing a new two-wheeler every two seconds from ten production lines.

While its first product was based on the AppScooter developed by Dutch start-up Etergo (acquired by Ola Electric in 2020), the company is working to develop different types of electric vehicles, and has even appointed former Jaguar design chief Wayne Burgess as its vice president of design.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3CZ7Kcp

Powers On… Don’t worry, Bitcoin’s adoption will not be stopped

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3BaREw5

MG Astor SUV first drive: The 800-pound gorilla

Standing in the pit lane at the Buddh International Circuit, I listened with rapt attention as a senior colleague regaled us with tales of his extensive travels across south India in the MG ZS EV, one of the earliest electric cars available in India. That car escaped my attention by way of its blandness and (then) high price. The Astor is the same vehicle, but with a traditional petrol engine under its bonnet, and there’s absolutely no fear of it going unnoticed.

What is it?

The MG Astor uses the same body shell as the ZS EV, but this time round, the bold colours borrowed from the Hector lineup and the raft of features don’t just bring it up to date but place it beyond the competition. For brevity, it’s a Creta-fighter, so it goes up against the Hyundai, the Kia Seltos, the recently-launched Skoda Kushaq, Volkswagen Taigun and more. Where it is likely to score is on space and the laundry list of high-tech features. MG claims this is the first vehicle in its category to include ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), putting it in the category of ‘Autonomous Level 2’ cars. More on this later.

Many words about tech

Understatement would be disingenuous here; the MG Astor is awash in technology like you wouldn’t believe (for this sort of vehicle). The least impressive, and most gimmicky of these is the personal ‘AI Assistant’ in the form of a cute, disembodied head floating in a little dish on the dashboard. It has a screen that displays eyes, emojis and blinks at you. It also turns toward the person that addresses it with the “Hey Astor” or “Hello Astor” prompt. This can be cute or creepy, depending on the user. The voice is supposed to be Deepa Malik, and it does sound a bit clipped; like first-gen Siri. Functions are limited to jokes, Wikipedia look-ups, festival updates, and some car functions such as opening the sunroof.

The infotainment system and driver binnacle are well-appointed, with a seven-inch display for the driver, and a 10.1-inch display for infotainment on the centre of the dash. This screen is good quality, with a wide-viewing angle, so it’s visible despite its dead-straight orientation. Response was average, and occasionally sluggish, and I’m not a big fan of the way the UI is laid out. It’s a bit cluttered on the “home screen”, and I don’t appreciate going through menus in a car. Thankfully, MG has provided physical buttons and toggles for the air conditioning, unlike on the Hector. Smartphone connectivity is provided for: Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto are present, though they can only be used tethered via USB cable, not wirelessly like in so many other cars these days. A wireless charger is also missed.

Also, unlike many newer vehicles — Skoda and VW’s offerings come to mind — the USB ports are the full-size USB-A variety, not USB-C. Sure, C is the way forward, but I really don’t care about the future of tech when my present condition is that I can’t charge my phone, because I only have a USB-A cable. MG includes five USB-A ports in the Astor, plus one 12v DIN socket.

MG has also provided a ‘digital key’ app that allows one to enter and drive the car via their smartphone; no physical key required. It works as intended and does so over Bluetooth, so there is no dependence on cellphone coverage like a traditional connected car suite. In basement #2 at IKEA with no signal? No worries: the digital key app allows you to flash the lights and honk the horn, as well as unlock and drive away. From what we understand, the digital key app needs to be provisioned by the dealer at the time of delivery, so no word on what the process is if you want to change your phone. All this is included in the next-gen version of MG’s ‘i-Smart’ connected car suite, and as such includes all the features we’ve already seen in the Hector and Gloster including geofencing, remote cooling and security features over the cellphone network. The Astor takes it a step ahead with the app-based key. There’s also support for the Apple Watch and Android WearOS watches, a built-in JioSaavn app for unlimited music streaming and so on. We didn’t have enough time with the car for a deep-dive but will fill in the gaps in a future story.

Everybody ADAS now

The first time I experienced ADAS-like features in a car was in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class that was launched around 2014. It read road signs to alert the driver about speed limits and had emergency braking to avoid pedestrian and vehicle collisions in case the driver did not react in time. I even had these demonstrated on a test track; it is most unnerving to be driven straight into the back of a truck and come out alive thanks to automatic braking.

MG demonstrated a bunch of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) features to us in the safe confines of the sprawling Buddh International Circuit (BIC) complex. The Astor is considered an ‘Autonomous Level 2’ car, but be clear that the Astor is not a self-driving car, even though it can feel like that in specific circumstances. It is not going to follow your Google Maps route back home or come out of parking and pick you up, like a Tesla would.

The ‘autonomous’ aspects of ADAS in the Astor are limited to lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control. For the lane functions, you have three options: warning, departure prevention and keep assist. When activated, ‘Lane Departure Warning’ does just that: read the white lines on the road and beep at you if you’re straying. ‘Lane Departure Prevention’ is the next step, where the car will actually steer you back into your lane if you stray with a slight steering input. This can result in a ping-pong effect between lane markings if you decide to be obstinate. The ‘Lane Keep Assist’ mode is where you feel some magic; the Astor will actively steer the car to keep it in the centre of your lane, and combined with adaptive cruise control, will continue to follow the car ahead of you at a safe distance, at a speed you specify.

I tried this in a controlled environment, and short of turning the car, I was able to navigate with no inputs all the way to a dead stop. Lane functions will even adjust and brake to accommodate people cutting in front of you, but stop short of full automation; you must have your hands on the steering wheel, else ADAS disables itself after a while. It’s clear that these intelligent, adaptive modes are geared toward safety, and there are more run-of-the-mill aids such as blind spot alert and rear collision alert as well.

Design: Rakish, proportionate, unfussy

We’ll leave you to make your judgements about the exterior design of the MG Astor and leave you with some highlights. The face is rather aggressive, with a well-executed, concave grille. The all-LED headlights may be reminiscent of some M-B models, but aren’t too derivative overall. I like the proportions of the vehicle front-to-back, with no concerns with the front, side or rear profiles. I also liked the 17inch machined alloys that exercise good taste in the use of the two-tone aesthetic. They’re also large enough to adequately fill the wheel wells. All in all, I like the way the Astor looks, and I suspect it will appeal to a wide swathe of people.

Interior: plush, feature-rich

Our time with the Astor was brief, but the interior makes enough of an impression to be remembered. This SUV is 4,323mm long, so there’s much less of a space crunch than we’ve seen recently with the Kushaq and Taigun. Rear knee room is generous, and sitting behind a 5’9” driver, I was unable to touch the front seat with my legs. Width is okay; not as tight as the German/Czech twins, and you’ll have a better time with three rear passengers. Rear AC vents are present, as are two USB-A charging ports just below them.

The seats are plush, with plenty of bolstering and a nice, two-tone ‘sangria red’ colour scheme. The leatherette seems well-finished and goes all the way to the dash; there isn’t a plastic panel in sight on the dash, only in a couple of places on the door. The controls are un-fussy, and I appreciate the inclusion of physical buttons for the AC. There are no paddle shifters, and the six-speed torque converter automatic makes do with a simple shift lever with a ‘Sport’ mode. There is a panoramic sunroof on offer that really brightens up this cabin.

The boot too appears to be generous. It’s quite flat, with a couple of cubby holes on either side, and contains a full-size (16-inch vs the 17s on our test car) spare tyre below the floor. The added room is quite evident when one compares the Astor to the competition, and especially to sub-4m SUVs.

On the go: quiet, mostly smooth, very soft

The experienced drivers / armchair racers among you may see red flags in an SUV being driven on a racetrack. Rest assured, this driver is risk-averse, and we drove the MG Astor well within its limits on the BIC, taking advantage of the space and lack of distractions to get a feel of the ADAS features as well as the driving dynamics.

That said, this is not a vehicle for the spirited driver. Even at my avuncular pace, there was pronounced body roll around the corners, and I say corners very charitably, since I was not pushing the Astor at all. The tyres squeal at mild lateral forces, and in general, I did not feel comfortable throwing the Astor around corners with any degree of enthusiasm. Hold the racing line tightly and anticipate where you need to throttle, and it works fine.

The 1,349 cc turbo-petrol engine makes 140 hp and 220Nm of torque, and this feels adequate. The Astor will accelerate to 100 kph smartly, go on to 160 kph reasonably, before running out of steam. In general, I think the suspension and performance should translate very well to city streets, and I suspect this will be a benchmark in terms of comfort over bad roads.

The Astor also allows for three different levels of steering ‘feel’, which is to say that you can adjust the resistance you feel at the wheel when turning it. Even at the stiffest ‘dynamic’ setting, the Astor is easy to steer. The lightest ‘urban’ setting might be a bit too light for high-speed driving, but there’s a ‘normal’ mode as a compromise. Using all three, I only noticed some difference in resistance going off-centre, with no change in ‘feel’, which is just fine.

The six-speed torque converter automatic that’s mated to this turbo engine is fine. I’ve felt smoother shifts in cheaper cars, but for the most part and for most people, this will be adequate. It is not the quickest to shift either, and I suspect if you’re hustling up a ghat section of highway, you might be slightly annoyed. Putting it into ‘S’ mode held the gears longer, but only just.

Verdict: blockbuster package, if the price is right

The MG Astor seems to have it all. Handsome looks, unassailable technology package, adequate performance, good equipment and comfort. The only thing that remains to be seen is how it performs in our cities and highways, and what it costs. Considering that MG has already priced the larger Hector very aggressively, and the Astor comes in below that vehicle in the line-up, I expect prices to range between Rs 11-18 lakh (ex-showroom). If that comes to pass on the 7th of October, the competition should be justifiably concerned. Perhaps the only negative for the MG Astor would be the lack of a diesel engine, which is where the Hyundai/Kia twins score points and sales.

Stars: 4/5 (pending road test)

Pros:
- Space
- ADAS
- Equipment

Cons:
- Not driver-focused
- No diesel option

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/2Y1lbtp

Visa working on blockchain interoperability hub for crypto payments

Visa’s new blockchain interoperability project is designed to serve as a “network of blockchain networks.”

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/39TrrG1

Switzerland national postal service to debut crypto stamp

The Swiss crypto stamp is a digital collectible linked to a traditional physical stamp issued by the Swiss Post.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3mf3vmb

CoinEx crypto exchange to remove all mainland China users in October

CoinEx previously blocked access and terminated the registration of new users from mainland China in March 2019.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3CZYcOp

Co-infection: What happens when two different respiratory viruses infect the same cell, at the same time

Right now, there’s just one virus on everyone’s minds: SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But humanity is plagued by many respiratory viruses, such as influenza A (IAV) and respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), which cause hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. Most of these viruses – apart from influenza and SARS-CoV-2 – have no vaccines or effective treatments.

A recent study from the University of Glasgow has discovered what happens when you get infected with some of these viruses at the same time, and it has implications for how they make us sick and how we protect ourselves from them.

For many reasons, respiratory viruses are often found during winter in the temperate regions of the world, or the rainy season of equatorial regions. During these periods, you’ll probably be infected with more than one virus at any one time in a situation called a “co-infection”.

Research shows that up to 30 percent of infections may harbour more than one virus. What this means is that, at some point two different viruses are infecting the cells that line your nose or lungs.

We know that co-infection can be important if we look at a process called “antigenic shift” in influenza viruses, which is basically caused by virus “sex”. This sometimes occurs when two different influenza strains meet up inside the same cell and exchange genes, allowing a new variant to emerge.

Co-infection can create a predicament for viruses when you consider that they need to compete for the same resource: you. Some viruses appear to block other viruses, while some viruses seem to like each other. What is driving these positive and negative interactions during co-infections is unknown, but animal studies suggest that it could be critical in determining how sick you get.

The University of Glasgow study investigated what happens when you infect cells in a dish with two human respiratory viruses. For their experiments, they chose IAV and RSV, which are both common and cause lots of disease and death each year. The researchers looked at what happens to each virus using high-resolution imaging techniques, such as cryo-electron microscopy, that their labs have perfected over the years.

They found that some of the human lung cells in the dish contained both viruses. And, by looking closely at those co-infected cells, they found that the viruses that were emerging from the cell had structural characteristics of both IAV and RSV. The new “chimeric” virus particles had proteins of both viruses on their surface and some even contained genes from the other. This is the first evidence of this occurring from co-infection of distinct respiratory viruses.

Follow-up experiments in the same paper showed that these new chimeric viruses were fully functional and could even infect cells that were rendered resistant to influenza, presumably gaining access using the RSV proteins could even get into a broader range of human cells than either virus alone could. Potentially, this could be happening during natural co-infections during the winter.

Why we need to study chimeric viruses

Studying disease-causing pathogens is extremely important and helpful for creating vaccines and treatments, yet safety is still paramount. It’s important to point out that the researchers in this study did not perform any genetic engineering between two viruses and only modelled what is already happening in the real world, but using safer laboratory strains of viruses under lab conditions.

We know about the significant role co-infection can play in a virus’s life, such as during influenza antigenic shift or the curious case of hepatitis D virus borrowing bits of the other viruses, such as hepatitis B, to spread. Nevertheless, the work by the University of Glasgow researchers has significant implications for our understanding of how other very different respiratory viruses might interact, antagonise and even promote each other’s infections in the ecosystem of our nose and lungs. Together, this work shows the complex and often messy interactions between viruses during the winter.

Undoubtedly, future work will explore how this co-infection affects transmission, disease and immunity – things that aren’t easy to determine in a dish.

Connor Bamford, Research Fellow, Virology, Queen's University Belfast

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3ojAgRU

Is $40K Bitcoin the new $10K? BTC holds $43K support as exchange Bitfinex halts trading

An unexpected problem causes Bitfinex to temporarily shut down, with Bitcoin price action undoing gains in the process.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3urGOPB

Top-spec Mahindra XUV700 AX7 priced from Rs 17.59 lakh, bookings to open on 7 October

Having unveiled prices for entry-level versions in August, Mahindra has now announced the full variant line-up and introductory variant-wise prices for its brand-new SUV, the Mahindra XUV700. What will be of interest to potential buyers are prices for the top-spec XUV700 AX7 variants, which were under wraps until now. The Mahindra XUV700 AX7 petrol-manual is priced at Rs 17.59 lakh, while the automatic version costs Rs 19.19 lakh. The XUV700 AX7 diesel-manual on the other hand, is priced at Rs 18.19 lakh, and the diesel-automatic is the most expensive version of them all, costing Rs 19.79 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).

As standard, the XUV700 AX7 versions come with space for seven passengers with three rows of seats, and an optional ‘Luxury pack’ – which adds the segment-first flush-fitting door handles, 360-degree cameras, Sony 3D sound system, blind spot monitor, wireless phone charging and electronic parking brake – is available for an additional Rs 1.80 lakh on the AX7 automatic variants. Additionally, buyers of the XUV700 diesel-automatic can also opt for all-wheel-drive by paying an additional Rs 1.30 lakh.

The XUV700 is being offered in two main trim lines - MX and Adrenox (AX). The MX line is essentially the entry point to XUV700 ownership, and misses out on most of the goodies, featuring 17-inch steel wheels, a smaller 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, power-adjustable ORVMs and Android Auto connectivity. Prices for the MX variants are Rs 11.99 lakh for the petrol-manual version and Rs 12.49 lakh for the diesel-manual variant. Mahindra has announced these prices will be valid only for the first 25,000 buyers, post which they may witness an upward revision.

The AX line is further divided into three variants: AX3 (which packs Adrenox infotainment with twin 10.25-inch screens, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Alexa voice operations, a six-speaker sound system, connected car features), AX5 (panoramic sunroof, curtain airbags, diamond-cut alloy wheels, LED headlights) and AX7 (dual-zone climate control, ADAS, six-way power-adjustable driver seat, driver drowsiness detection, side airbags and more). As standard, the AX3 and AX5 are five-seaters, but buyers can opt to add a third row of seats for an added Rs 60,000.

The highlight inside the Mahindra XUV700 is twin 10.25-inch 'Superscreen' layout, which is quite reminiscent of a modern Mercedes. There’s a fully digital instruments display, a bespoke Sony 3D sound system with 12 speakers, with the touchscreen unit running a new OS that Mahindra terms ‘AdrenoX’. This system integrates Alexa-based voice commands, a Sony 3D sound system and drive modes named ‘Zip’, ‘Zap’ and ‘Zoom’ (exclusive to the diesel XUV700).

Also available on the top-spec AX7 are a large panoramic sunroof, a driver fatigue alert system, an air purifier and personalised safety messages. The XUV700 also packs segment-first advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking.

There are two engine options – with segment-leading power outputs – to choose from with the XUV700: a 2.0-litre Stallion turbo-petrol with 200 hp and 380 Nm, and the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel with close to 185 hp and over 420 Nm of torque.

Both engines come with a choice of a six-speed manual and a six-speed torque-converter automatic, and the diesel-auto version actually gets 30 Nm more torque, taking overall output to 450 Nm. It must be noted, however, the diesel engine will be offered in a lower state of tune in the entry-level MX version, producing a considerably lower 155 hp and 360 Nm of torque. Mahindra has also confirmed an AWD system will be available as an option.

Bookings for the Mahindra XUV700 will open on 7 October, and Mahindra will reveal the date of start of deliveries on 10 October. Deliveries of the XUV700 petrol will happen first, and Mahindra will commence test drives for the XUV700 in 11 cities (Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Indore, Lucknow, Coimbatore and Vadodara) on 2 October.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3CYJcQV

List of winners for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in the fields of science and technology

The winners of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (SSB prize) for Science and Technology has been announced. The award is given out, each year, to scientists who have shown extraordinary capability and made "outstanding contributions" in the fields of science and technology.

The award is named after the founder Director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) India - the late Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar. He is credited with establishing twelve national laboratories and held many positions in the government in independent India. It is only given to Indian scientists working in India. The Director-General announces the winners on 26 September on the CSIR Foundation Day.

The SSB prizes are awarded to scientists below 45 years of age for conduction research in one of seven disciplines. The prize includes a citation, a plaque, and a cash award of ₹5,00,000 lakh.

In addition to the recognition and cash prize, CSIR will also grant the winners an honorarium of Rs.15,000 per month. The Prize is bestowed on a person who, in the opinion of CSIR, has made conspicuously important and outstanding contributions to human knowledge and progress – fundamental and applied – in the particular field of endeavour, which is his/her specialization.

Recipients of the award have made accomplishments in applied or fundamental areas in the following disciplines:

• Biological Sciences,
• Chemical Sciences,
• Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences,
• Engineering Sciences,
• Mathematical Sciences,
• Medical Sciences
• Physical Sciences

The winners for the year 2021 are:

Biological Sciences

• Dr Amit Singh, Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science
• Dr Arun Kumar Shukla, Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Chemical Sciences

• Dr Kanishka Biswas, International Centre of Materials Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research
• Dr T Govindaraju, Bio-organic Chemistry Laboratory, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for
  Advanced Scientific Research

Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences

• Dr Binoy Kumar Saikia, Coal and Energy Research Group, CSIR North East Institute of Science and Technology

Engineering Sciences

• Dr Debdeep Mukhopadhyay, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Mathematical Sciences

• Dr Anish Ghosh, School of Mathematics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
• Dr Saket Saurabh, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences

Medical Sciences

• Dr Jeemon Panniyammakal, Achutha Menon Centre for Health Science Studies, Sree Chitra Tirunal lnstitute for Medical Sciences and Technology
• Dr Rohit Srivastava, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Physical Sciences

• Dr Kanak Saha, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics

Some of the few challenges that Naidu presented to CSIR include agricultural research and coming up with new "innovations, techniques and solutions to address the problems faced by farmers."

Some of the few challenges that Naidu presented to CSIR include agricultural research and making new "innovations, techniques and solutions to address the problems faced by farmers." He also asked them to look for solutions to cited climate change, drug resistance, pollution, epidemic and pandemic outbreaks.

Naidu said "India was ranked 3rd in the world in terms of research publications" and has made significant contributions to the world of science in space, atomic energy, ocean science, or defence research. Scientists and researchers should consistently work to enhance our position in global scientific research.

"The ultimate aim of science should be to improve people’s lives and make their lives comfortable."

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh also spoke during the 8p0ht Foundating day. He asked CSIR and all the science departments to explore S&T innovations needed in the next ten years to make India globally competitive.

He said, “We should not restrict our ambition to be best in India but be best in the world as India is blessed with the demographic dividend of youth and they can take up any challenge with the right training and motivation”.

Singh said, "the combined strength of CSIR, DBT, DST and MoES along with other science ministries can indeed transform the entire country in the next 25 years as the entire progress is going to remain heavily Technology dependant. When India turns 100, it should be a global leader ranging from Defence to Economics with strong scientific and technological inputs."

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3maxaNu

China's crypto holdouts: Bitcoin nodes and OTC desks struggle on

There are still a handful of Bitcoin nodes hanging on in China and OTC trading remains viable, but it may not be for long.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3kR1lde

Traders identify $41K as Bitcoin’s key support to hold for the short-term

While the long-term sentiment remains bullish, traders warn that BTC must hold the $41,000 support to avoid a sweep of the $38,000 level.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3m9Ijhy

Price analysis 9/29: BTC, ETH, ADA, BNB, XRP, SOL, DOT, DOGE, AVAX, UNI

A week-long pattern of daily lower highs suggests bulls will be unable to flip $43,000 to support and this could weigh on the fledgling recovery seen across many altcoins.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/2ZCDplv

Ethereum will replace Bitcoin as the leading crypto network, claims Polygon co-founder

According to Polygon’s co-founder, Sandeep Nailwal, it is only a matter of time before Ethereum overtakes Bitcoin as the dominant layer-1 protocol.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3oiyqkd

Bitcoin yet to prove inflation hedge status, but the time may come soon

As inflation numbers across the globe continue to rise, is it only a matter of time until Bitcoin’s potential as a store of value is recognized?

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3m8Bxsj

Bitcoin ‘FOMO rally’ long overdue that could see BTC price top $200K — Bobby Lee

An unapologetically bullish Bobby Lee takes to mainstream media to dispel any hint of doubt about what’s next for Bitcoin price action.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3oiZuA4

Cool green mayor giving a grand in Bitcoin to each resident

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/39MkjLF

Rolls-Royce to ditch combustion and go all-electric by 2030, previews two-door EV named Spectre

In a major announcement, Rolls-Royce has confirmed it will completely phase out internal combustion engines and switch to an electric-only vehicle portfolio by 2030. At the unveil of its first production electric vehicle (EV), named the Rolls-Royce Spectre, company CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said that by the end of this decade, the luxury marque will “no longer be in the business of producing or selling any internal combustion engine products.” This decision mirrors that of Rolls-Royce’s rival-in-chief, Bentley, which is owned by the Volkswagen Group and has also committed to having an all-electric portfolio by 2030.

The world has also gotten its first glimpse of the two-door, fastback-style Rolls-Royce Spectre, which is said to be based on the same ‘Architecture of Luxury’ as the Phantom sedan and Cullinan SUV, and will have nothing in common with any existing models from parent company BMW. Rolls says the Spectre showcased today – which does look a lot like the now-discontinued Rolls-Royce Wraith – is not a prototype but the ‘real deal’, and confirmed deliveries of the Spectre will commence globally sometime towards the end of 2023, so it’s quite likely that the super-luxury EV will make its world premiere sometime in 2022 or early in 2023.

The Spectre will be subject to what is “the most demanding testing programme in Rolls-Royce’s history”, in the words of Müller-Ötvös. Testers will begin on-road trials shortly and will cover over 2.5 million kilometres in the Spectre, said to be akin to over 400 years of use for a Rolls on average, all over the world.

Quotes emblazoned all over the camouflage on the Spectre previewed today means design details are neatly hidden, but you can expect to see a fresh take on the iconic Rolls ‘Pantheon’ grille as well as the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot. The Spectre in the official pictures runs on rather cool-looking aero-focused alloy wheels, has a hunkered-down stance, suicide doors, prominent side skirts and taut surfacing.

No specifications have been shared at this time, but it’s almost certain that Rolls will opt for nothing less than the best electric powertrain around, so Spectre buyers don’t miss the soon-to-be-discarded twin-turbo V12 petrol engine. Müller-Ötvös went so far as to say that electric powertrains are “uniquely and perfectly suited to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, more so than any other automotive brand.” This is true to a certain extent, as Rolls-Royces are expected to be eerily quiet but also have a stunning amount of power on tap. Expect to see a fairly large battery and a multi-motor setup with the production-ready Spectre.

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3mbHqFc

El Salvador president teases geothermal Bitcoin mining farm

El Salvador’s president showed the supposed first steps of a geothermal Bitcoin mining facility.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3iksOCj

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Review: Third time's the charm

Smartphones and the features they’re equipped with are improving with each iteration. Every generation change brings better cameras, faster processors, and impressive screens for smartphones. However, we are yet to see a disruptive change in the vein of the introduction of the iPhone all those years ago. Sure, a few companies have experimented with new, foldable form factors. However, due to the lack of mature hardware and prohibitively expensive price tags, these devices are yet to go mainstream. Samsung is planning to change that perception with its Galaxy Z Flip 3. Let's find out if it is worth its Rs 84,999 price tag.

Design

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a fine balance of incredible engineering and impressive style. Its unique hinge and flexible display won’t go unnoticed wherever you go. Usually, when I switch to a review unit, a few friends ask me about the device, and that's that. However, with the Flip 3, almost every person I met was astonished by its futuristic looks.

Such fascination towards this handset is understandable, since the last time anyone saw a popular phone bend was the iPhone 6, and that wasn't meant to happen. In addition to extreme engineering, the handset is also a triumph in ergonomics. Its compact form factor is a breath of fresh air in a sea of large and unwieldy smartphones.

Flip it open, and the Z Flip 3 is as slim as any conventional flagship phone. Owing to the use of aluminium alloy and perfectly-tuned hinge resistance, the Flip 3 feels incredibly sturdy. What's more impressive is that Samsung has made the device water-resistant.

Display

The flexible display on the Z Flip is the star of the show. Developed in-house by Samsung, it is a 6.7-inch Full HD OLED panel with a resolution of 2640 x 1080 pixels. The company has tuned the screen for a 120 Hz refresh rate. With a peak brightness of 1,200 nits, the display has HDR10+ support. It has a punch-hole design to accommodate a selfie camera. The crease is noticeable whenever you swipe in the middle, but it is barely a distraction.

The Flip 3 comes with a secondary cover display. It is a pill-shaped 1.9-inch panel with a resolution of 260 x 512 pixels. The panel has a neat mirror finish that creates a dual-tone look. Samsung has done a great job of making this screen useful. You can check messages, call notifications, and control music from this screen. It can also be used as a camera viewfinder to shoot when the device is folded. There are also several ways to customise the cover display.

Experience

The Z Flip 3 is a futuristic device that brings back the charm of yesteryear's clamshell mobiles. Flipping the device open and answering a call takes you back to the 2000s. Samsung has been thoughtful with software customisation, too. Based on Android 11, the highlight of Samsung's OneUI skin is the Flex Mode.

Flex Mode kicks in when the device is partially opened like a laptop. For example, if you open the camera in Flex Mode, the live frame moves to the top half of the screen, and camera settings slide down to the bottom half. It is a neat feature, but currently, only a handful of apps support this mode. Samsung claims its software team is working towards making more apps compatible over time.

If you don't mind diving down into settings, you can head over to Advanced Features – Labs – and activate Multi windows for more apps. However, doing this merely adds brightness, volume, and screenshot controls for more apps. Since this feature hasn't graduated from Labs yet, expect to put up with a few bugs.

Performance

While the Flip 3 is more about the style, Samsung hasn't compromised on performance. The South Korean brand has gone with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 chipset. It goes without saying that the phone handles any game you throw at it, at the highest settings. However, this sleek phone lacks effective thermal management. As a result, the Flip 3 doesn't deliver sustained performance. It won't be noticeable under normal usage; however, if you are planning to play COD: Mobile for hours, the thermal throttling is going to make its presence felt.

The Flip 3 is 5G-compatible, but for obvious reasons, we couldn't test that. That said, the phone had no issues with 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. Moving on to other features, the side-mounted fingerprint scanner is quick, and the onboard stereo speakers deliver surprisingly good sound.

Camera

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with a dual-camera setup. It comprises a 12 MP standard and a 12 MP 123-degree wide lens. Owing to its unique form factor the Flip 3 opens up many possibilities in photography. For starters, in the partially open position, the bottom half of the phone works like a tiny tripod. It is perfect for capturing time-lapse videos. Similarly, you can also place it on a car's dashboard.

Moving onto the image quality, both the standard and wide-angle lens produces great results in daylight. The wide camera has noticeable barrel distortion at the edges, but that's not really a deal-breaker. In low-light conditions, the primary camera holds up quite well. It is worth noting that you have to hold the phone steady for two to three seconds to get good results. While it captures a good amount of detail, the dynamic range is where it truly shines. The wide camera struggles in low-light with visible noise in almost every shot.

Samsung's latest phone also offers an interesting twist on selfies. While the 10 MP camera that sits in the punch-hole is quite good. However, if that doesn't cut it for you, the phone's external display enables you to frame a selfie shot using the primary 12 MP camera.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 can record 4K videos at up to 60 fps. The results are great with plenty of detail. Moreover, thanks to Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS), the videos turn out quite smooth.

Battery

If there's one department where the Flip 3 drops the ball, it has to be the battery life. The Flip 3 is a compact device, so it is no surprise that it holds a small 3,300 mAh battery. Having used this device for two weeks, I can tell that it does not last over 12 hours on a single charge. While this may not be a problem in the current WFH scenario, once the offices start opening up, you'll probably have to carry a power bank.

Samsung could have alleviated the situation with fast-charging tech. So that you can quickly top up the device during the downtime. However, the brand has settled for 15 W charging, which is slower than peak-hour Mumbai traffic.

Verdict

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 sports a futuristic look without compromising on elegance. It is unique enough to trigger a sense of astonishment among people, yet never looks out of place. Sure, it is held down by its underwhelming battery life. Additionally, most people won't find it practical. However, the Galaxy Z Flip 3 – with its unique clamshell design – is like the Jaguar E-Type of the smartphone world. It has its share of quirks and may not be for everyone, but is undeniably awesome.

Pros

Stunning design
Excellent build quality
Water-resistance
High-quality OLED screen that folds
Tuned for 120 Hz refresh rate
Charming secondary screen
Onboard stereo speakers

Cons

Small battery
Fast charging capped at 15 W
Doesn't ship with a charger

Rating: 4/5
Design and build 5/5
Display 4.5/5
Performance 4/5
Camera 4/5
Battery 2.5/5
Software 4/5
Value for Money 3.5/5

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3F1yMlu

BTC price reclaims $42K as infrastructure bill vote, monthly close loom for Bitcoin

Limp Bitcoin price action precedes two potential watershed moments on lower timeframes as September draws to a close.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/2Y1vjTn

Bajaj Chetak price hiked for the third time in 2021, making it India’s priciest electric scooter

The Bajaj Chetak has witnessed yet another substantial hike in price – the third such increase in 2021 – that has made it the most expensive electric scooter on sale in India today. The ex-showroom price of the Bajaj Chetak in its home state of Maharashtra is now Rs 1,87,390; a significant increase on its ex-showroom price of Rs 1,44,987 up until a few months ago. Compared to its price at launch in 2020, the Chetak’s price has risen by well over 60 percent in less than two years’ time.

The latest price hike was introduced after the Central government increased the FAME-II subsidy for electric two-wheelers, and under the revised national scheme, the Chetak is eligible for a substantially higher Rs 45,000 incentive. However, despite the increase in subsidy, the latest price hike means customers still pay roughly the same amount of money for the Chetak on-road as before.

Even with the higher FAME-II subsidy factored in, the Chetak’s on-road price in Maharashtra is Rs 1,48,452, which isn’t too far off its old on-road price (Rs 1,51,680). Once the additional subsidy (including both base and early bird incentives) is taken into account, the Chetak’s on-road price in Maharashtra comes down by a further Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,23,452. However, even at that price, the Chetak is a little more expensive than its main rival, the Ather 450X, with the latter priced at Rs 1,22,741.

In the three other states where it’s on sale at present (Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu), the Chetak’s ex-showroom price is around the Rs 1.90 lakh mark, and with the FAME-II subsidy factored in, the on-road price is a little over Rs 1.50 lakh, which makes it a tad more expensive than the Ather 450X in these states as well.

Additionally, Bajaj has discontinued the base Urbane variant of the Chetak electric scooter. Available in just two colours (which have also been withdrawn) and equipped with a drum brake up front, the Chetak Urbane offered limited choices to the buyer. With the Urbane being cheaper by only a few thousand rupees, most Chetak buyers ended up opting for the better-equipped Premium variant, following which Bajaj decided to pull the plug on the base model and retail the Chetak in a single variant, a source told Tech2.

The Chetak packs a 3.8kW/4.1kW (continuous/peak power) electric motor, which draws power from a 3 kWh lithium-ion battery. Range is pegged at 95 kilometres in Eco mode (85 kilometres in Sport mode), and the company says a full charge takes five hours. The Chetak’s battery comes with a three-year/50,000-kilometre warranty. Waiting periods for the Chetak are in the range of two to three months at present, Tech2 has learned.

At a time when rival Ather Energy is pursuing an aggressive expansion strategy and disruptor Ola Electric is offering the S1, a more feature-rich electric scooter with better performance and range at a lower price, progress for the Bajaj Chetak has been relatively slow, with Bajaj rolling it out in other cities in phases. It remains to be seen if nostalgia will continue to draw buyers to the Chetak or if the substantially increased prices will repel them, as the reborn icon faces fierce competition from newer, better-equipped e-scooters available for around the same price or even less.

Also read: Maharashtra EV policy 2021 finally goes live, EV prices set for substantial drop

from Firstpost Tech Latest News https://ift.tt/3mbOnGg

Crypto is impossible to destroy, says Tesla CEO Elon Musk

The decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies may be a challenge for the Chinese government, Elon Musk suggested.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/2XYrXQi

First cryptocurrency fund approved in Switzerland

The fund tracks the performance of the 10 largest cryptocurrencies from SIX Swiss Exchange’s Crypto Market Index 10.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3unkPsZ

Former Bitcoin lead dev predicts demise of BTC network ... with a major silver lining

Bitcoin prices could reach $6 million per coin in forty years’ time, but the whales may eventually pull the plug.

from Cointelegraph.com News https://ift.tt/3AQnpKz