I am introducing cryptography.
Cryptography is used to secure and protect data during communication. Encryption is a process which transforms the original information into an unrecognizable form. Decryption is a process of converting encoded/encrypted data in a form that is readable and understood by a human or a computer.
Google is expanding its generative AI search experience, known as SGE (Search Generative Experience), beyond the United States to India and Japan. This feature will be accessible through Google’s Search Labs in these markets, offering users a more conversational and interactive search experience akin to chatting with an AI.
Initially introduced at Google’s I/O Developer conference earlier this year, SGE enables users to ask Google questions about specific topics and receive informative responses, resembling interactions with an AI chatbot. Over time, the feature has been enhanced to support various content types, such as videos, images, local information, travel recommendations, and even coding-related queries.
Google has also begun experimenting with integrating ads alongside AI-generated responses to capitalize on the additional space created by the AI chat experience.
For this global expansion, Google is customizing the SGE experience for the newly added regions. In Japan, users can utilize generative AI in their local language, while in India, SGE will support both English and Hindi, with a language toggle to facilitate switching between the two. Additionally, Google is introducing voice input, catering to the popularity of voice-based interactions in India.
In both India and Japan, search ads will continue to appear in designated ad slots on the search page.
Accompanying these launches, SGE is introducing a new feature designed to help users discover and visit web pages that provide the information underlying the AI-generated responses. This aims to provide users with a pathway to explore more context and details related to the information presented by the AI.
Google is introducing a new feature alongside its AI-powered search experience, SGE (Search Generative Experience), that allows users to access the source of the AI-generated information directly from the overview. This feature, represented by a new arrow icon, enables users to click on it and be directed to relevant web pages where they can obtain more detailed information about the answers to their queries.
Initially launching in the United States, this feature will subsequently roll out to India and Japan in the coming weeks.
Google observed that SGE has gained popularity among younger users, particularly those aged 18-24, who appreciate the conversational manner in which they can ask questions. Users are increasingly asking follow-up questions and framing their queries in more conversational and detailed sentences, a departure from traditional Google searches that typically involve entering keywords.
Google also stated that users found the integrated ads in SGE useful, although specific click-through rate data was not provided.
To access SGE, users can find it in the Search Labs section of the Google app on Android and iOS, as well as on the desktop version of Chrome.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla’s “Elon Mode,” a feature that reportedly allows the driver-assistance system to take control for an extended period of time.
The NHTSA issued a letter to Tesla on July 26, requesting data related to its Autopilot feature. This letter was made public on the US Department of Transportation website recently.
Going overboard with fun
The NHTSA’s concern stems from the possibility that the Autopilot configuration could be activated to control the vehicle without notifying the driver to keep their hands on the steering wheel. This could lead to drivers becoming less engaged and attentive while using the system, potentially compromising safety.
Under the Autopilot system, drivers are expected to maintain their hands on the steering wheel, even when the driver-assistance features are active. If the driver removes their hands, a symbol on the vehicle’s touchscreen blinks as a reminder.
However, a software hacker discovered that if the driver ignores this reminder and continues driving without their hands on the wheel, the vehicle’s driver-assistance features could be disabled for the remainder of the drive. This discovery was made public through a video posted on YouTube.
How ‘Elon Mode’ was found
Philip Koopman, an automotive safety researcher and associate professor of computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, expressed concern over hidden features that could compromise safety. He noted that such features have no place in production software.
The NHTSA is already investigating several Tesla crashes involving stationary emergency vehicles, and this new investigation adds to the scrutiny the company is facing. The agency emphasized the importance of driver attention and monitoring systems that accurately assess drivers’ trust in technology.
The NHTSA has given Tesla until August 25 to respond to the order, which includes providing all relevant documentation. Failure to comply could result in civil penalties of up to $26,315 per day. In response, Tesla requested confidential treatment for its response, leaving the public unaware of the details. It remains to be seen how the NHTSA will address Tesla’s response.
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The big four technology companies in China, like Baidu and SenseTime Group, have publicly launched their artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots after receiving approval from the Chinese government.
This move comes as China aims to expand the use of AI products and technology, particularly in competition with the United States.
China releases AI to the general public
Baidu, China’s top online search engine, announced that its ChatGPT-rival named Ernie Bot, which is similar to ChatGPT is now fully accessible to the public.
SenseTime’s chatbot, SenseChat, is also available to serve all users according to a company spokesperson. Two other AI startups, Baichuan Intelligent Technology and Zhipu AI, have also launched their chatbots to the public.
Unlike many other countries, China requires companies to undergo security assessments and gain clearance before releasing mass-market AI products. This recent wave of approvals is part of China’s efforts to support AI development, recognizing the growing significance of AI technology in global competition.
Issue with Alibaba
Chinese media reports suggested that a total of 11 firms, including ByteDance, owner of TikTok, and Tencent Holdings, have received government approvals for their AI products. Alibaba’s status in this regard remains uncertain, although the company has indicated that it has completed filings for its AI model and is awaiting official launch.
Being the first to market in China is crucial in its competitive internet industry. Baidu’s Ernie Bot, for instance, quickly rose to the top of the free app category on China’s Apple App Store after its public launch.
Heavily regulated
The approval process was widely anticipated after China introduced interim rules to regulate generative AI products for public use, effective from August 15. Previously, companies were only allowed to conduct small-scale public tests of AI products.
However, the new rules permit more extensive product testing and marketing without prior government approval for products targeting businesses.
Industry experts believe that the government’s move to greenlight AI products could lead to consolidation in the industry, with only companies possessing the necessary data and technological capabilities being able to thrive.
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It seems that the US is further tightening the screws on China, and ensuring that they do not get their hands on any NVIDIA AI chips, especially through countries with whom it is working on AI.
The US has imposed a fresh set of restrictions on NVIDIA, which stops them from exporting AI chips to certain countries in West Asia. This is in addition to the restrictions that have already been imposed on exports to China. The reason why West Asian countries were at the receiving end of this trade restriction, may have to do with the fact that most countries in the region are working with Chinese tech companies to develop their own AI bots and LLMs.
NVIDIA recently announced an extension of its export restrictions for advanced artificial intelligence chips, which was previously applicable to China, and will now include additional regions such as certain West Asia countries. This development was mentioned in a regulatory filing which was released publically this week.
Surprising, but now exactly
US authorities often use export controls, citing national security issues. This was at its height last year when the US escalated measures aimed at curtailing China’s technological capabilities. However, the specific risks associated with exports to West Asian countries remain unclear.
In a separate communication, Nvidia clarified that this new licensing requirement “does not affect a significant portion of our revenue.” The company is actively collaborating with the US government to address this matter.
NVIDIA stated that these restrictions were mainly for their A100 and H100 chips, which are designed to accelerate machine-learning tasks. NVIDIA also clarified that the directive was unlikely to have a significant impact on its financial outcomes.
NVIDIA is not the only one to receive such instruction
Last September, NVIDIA competitor Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) also reported being subjected to new licensing requisites that would suspend the export of its MI250 AI chips to China. Following these events, NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel have all revealed intentions to create less potent AI chips for export to the Chinese market.
NVIDIA, without providing an explanation for the fresh restrictions in the filing dated August 28, had mentioned last year that US officials informed them of the regulation’s purpose in addressing potential risks related to products being employed for “military end use” or by a “military end user” in China.
Although NVIDIA did not explicitly specify West Asian countries affected in its recent announcement, it did state that most of its $13.5 billion in sales for the fiscal quarter ending July 30 came from the United States, China, and Taiwan. The remaining countries combined contributed around 13.9 per cent of the sales, with no detailed breakdown for West Asia.
The regulatory filing on August 28 revealed, “During the second quarter of the fiscal year 2024, the US government informed us of an additional licensing requirement for a subset of A100 and H100 products destined to certain customers and other regions, including some countries in West Asia”
West Asia collateral of US-China tech war?
The developments of the previous year coincided with heightened tensions surrounding Taiwan, a major manufacturing hub for chips utilized by NVIDIA and numerous other leading chip manufacturers.
In October 2022, the Biden administration adopted an even more comprehensive set of export controls, which included measures to cut off China’s access to specific semiconductor chips produced globally using US equipment. This action notably extended Washington’s influence in its bid to impede China’s technological and military advancements.
Japan and the Netherlands subsequently implemented similar regulations earlier in the current year.
The unavailability of American AI chips, provided by firms like NVIDIA and AMD, would hinder Chinese entities from cost-effectively undertaking advanced computing tasks, including image and speech recognition, among others.
These capabilities are integral not only to consumer applications like voice-activated smartphones but also have significant military implications, such as analyzing satellite imagery for potential weapons or bases and sifting through digital communications for intelligence purposes.
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A novel artificial intelligence large language model that is designed specifically for Arabic, and was developed in Abu Dhabi, has been introduced by the UAE government. The objective of developing such an AI language LLM was to integrate one of the world’s most extensively spoken languages into the mainstream AI landscape.
Meet Jais – UAE’s own LLM
Known as Jais, this open-source bilingual Arabic-English model was created through collaboration between Inception, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s AI firm G42, Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, and Silicon Valley’s Cerebras Systems.
The developers assert that Jais surpasses the accuracy of existing Language Models (LLMs) for Arabic. This resource can be downloaded via the machine-learning platform Hugging Face.
The unveiling of Jais marks a progressive stride in encouraging the scientific and computational communities to direct more attention toward non-English LLMs, akin to initiatives seen in Japan and India, according to Andrew Jackson, the CEO of Inception.
In an interview with a local news agency, Jackson elaborated, “We envision Jais as highly valuable for generative applications, such as formulating responses to queries, generating documents, performing translations, composing emails, and even dispensing advice and recommendations.”
Jais is adept at capturing the subtleties within various Arabic dialects and possesses the capability to comprehend language, context, and cultural allusions, which renders it notably more precise and contextually pertinent compared to other models, as stated by the collaborating companies.
Dubbed ‘Jais’ after the tallest peak in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, this innovation was specifically designed for governmental use, as well as for sectors spanning finance, energy, climate, and healthcare.
Mainly developed for the UAE government
Numerous public and private entities within the UAE have joined as launch partners for Jais, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, ADNOC, Etihad Airways, FAB, and e&, the technology conglomerate previously known as Etisalat.
Jais has undergone training on the Condor Galaxy, recognized as the “world’s largest AI supercomputer,” established by G42 and Cerebras in July. This training involved 116 billion Arabic tokens and 279 billion English tokens. The model is continually expanding as more Arabic content is amassed to create fresh instruction sets.
The need for local languages in LLMs and AI
Arabic is widely spoken worldwide, encompassing over 400 million individuals, as indicated by WorldData. It serves as the official language in 22 nations and is partially spoken in 11 others. However, its online presence remains limited, with only around 1 percent of Arabic content accessible on the internet, as per data shared by the collaborating companies.
Jackson said that Jais would aid in elevating this statistic. He noted, “We’re initiating an project to collect more Arabic data from offline sources. This initiative has already been launched earnestly.”
He added, “We’re also exploring novel methods to synthesize Arabic content and translate existing English content into Arabic. Although we have a long way to go, optimism is crucial as we vigorously advance.”
Overall, this has introduced a new battleground within the tech sector, with companies striving to establish an early advantage and broaden their horizons in generative AI.
The availability of LLMs stands to assist these companies in their endeavors, particularly as developers continually enhance AI capabilities.
“Speed performance is a priority for developers, not only because it expedites the introduction of new models to the community, production, or market, but also because it empowers data scientists and machine learning researchers to promptly implement and iterate various models,” emphasized Jackson.
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The Aditya-L1 solar observatory is all set to be launched on board the PSLV-C57 rocket tomorrow, from Sriharikota. Once it reaches its destination, the Lagrange Point 1 or L1 as it is also known, the observatory will get to work, and collect an immense trove of data from the sun, on a daily basis. The Aditya-L1 is expected to start collecting and transmitting data from January 2024.
As per a report by the Hindu, just the main instrument on board the Aditya-L1 observatory, which is called the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph or VELC, will transmit a total of 1,440 ultra-high-resolution images of the sun every day to ISRO’s ground stations.
VELC, the main instrument on board
Developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) located in Bengaluru, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) possesses the capability to consistently observe the sun’s corona from a significant vantage point known as Lagrange point 1 (L1), positioned approximately 1.5 million km away from Earth.
According to Professor Ramesh R, principal investigator of the VELC payload, the Coronagraph has been meticulously crafted to capture an image of the sun every minute, accumulating a total of 1,440 images daily.
“With so much data, the ground segment should be ready to process these images in real time and within a turnaround time of 24 hours these should be sent back to ISRO so that the data are disseminated to the scientific community and the public,” Prof. Ramesh told The Hindu.
Enormous computing power needed
The sheer volume of data that will be gathered every day, means that ISRO and IIA, the two institutes that will be analysing and studying the data, will need enormous computing power.
Rigorous testing of all software components is underway to ensure seamless data handling, said Professor Ramesh. “All the software is being tested so that with the minimum overlap time the data from the spacecraft will be downloaded at the Indian Deep Space Network in Bylalu from where they will process the L0 data [Level 0] data and send them to the payload operations centre in the IIA which will be processed within 24 hours and sent back to the Indian Space Science Data Centre for dissemination,” said the professor.
The VELC is the most important payload on board the Aditya-L1 observatory and is being accompanied by 6 other payloads, all of which will be working round the clock for over 5 years.
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When you have 40K to spare for a smartphone, you get plenty of options to choose from. With more choice comes more confusion. But that’s where we come in to closely analyse all the candidates and shortlist the five best options in this budget. We have chosen phones with premium features like flagship-grade processors, high-quality cameras with OIS, high refresh rate AMOLED displays and more. Time to take a look at the best smartphones you can buy under Rs 40,000 this month.
Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India
OnePlus 11R 5G The OnePlus 11R 5G may not have all the bells and whistles of the flagship OnePlus 11 5G, but it is no pushover either, and probably offers better value at its selling price. It also borrows a lot of goodness from its flagship sibling including the design. This stylish phone looks just like the 11 5G from the front and back, barring the placement of the front camera and a missing Hasselblad logo at the back.
The OnePlus 11R has a 6.74-inch curved display with a higher than Full HD resolution of 2772 x 1240 pixels. You get a standard Fluid AMOLED display here instead of the more premium LTPO3 variant on the 11. This HDR10+ compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth, 120Hz refresh rate and can get up to 1450 nits bright. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s previous generation flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, and you get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB UFS 3.1 storage variant in this budget.
The 50MP primary camera with OIS, despite the lack of Hasselblad’s colour tuning, is quite impressive and does most of the heavy lifting. The support cast is modest with an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera. There’s a 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls. Its 5000 mAh battery can last for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 100W charger promises to juice it up in just 25 minutes. The phone runs OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13 and can expect several OS and security updates periodically.
OnePlus Nord 3 5G
Here’s another OnePlus phone on the list. We wouldn’t say the OnePlus Nord 3 5G is better than the 11R 5G but doesn’t lag far behind either. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 9000 SoC that is about 10 per cent less powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. But more importantly, you can get double the RAM and internal storage as compared to the 11R 5G and for a good Rs 2,000 less. Yes, that’s 16 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage.
You get a similar-sized display here with the exact resolution, refresh rate, brightness figures and HDR10+ compliance, however, this one isn’t curved at the edges. A lot of people prefer a flat display like this. It is protected against scratches by Dragontrail Glass and the phone’s glass back has Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. This phone too runs Android 13 with OxygenOS 13.1, and one can expect more OS updates for a couple more years at least.
The camera department on the Nord 3 5G is very quite similar to the 11R 5G. It consists of a 50MP primary camera with OIS that does a good job in different lighting, along with an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 2MP macro camera. You get a 16MP selfie camera up front. The OnePlus Nord 3 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that lasts over a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 80W fast charger juices it up fully in just 37 minutes.
Google Pixel 7a
The Google Pixel 7a is quite similar to the more expensive Pixel 7 for significantly less money. Though the official price of this phone is Rs 43,999, you can currently get a Rs 4,000 instant discount on most popular credit cards on Flipkart, thus scoring the phone in our budget. Like other phones in the Pixel 7 series, the Pixel 7a is powered by Google’s current best Tensor G2 processor and offers 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage. It sports a compact 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display with 90Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The phone has an IP67 rating for ingress protection.
As you expect from a Pixel phone, you get the purest version of the latest Android 13 with the Material You design language. Other than speedy OS updates, the Pixel phones are known for their camera capabilities too, and the Google Pixel 7a delivers strongly in that department courtesy of two cameras at the back. You get a 64MP primary camera with OIS and a 13MP ultra-wide camera with 120-degrees FOV that do a great job in different lighting and modes. Software tricks like the Magic Eraser and Camouflage are great additions.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G holds on to its spot in this budget. This phone has a sleek design and also flaunts an IP68 rating for dust and fluid resistance. It has a 6.4-inch Full HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with HDR10+ compliance, 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection. It is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2100 chip which can be found in several S21 series phones. You can get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant in this budget. The phone launched with Android 12, and is upgradeable to Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.x.
The photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G comprises three cameras at the back starting with a 12MP primary camera with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with 123 degrees FOV and an 8MP telephoto camera with OIS that provides 3X optical zoom. The camera performance is impressive with excellent detail and wide dynamic range, and a strong low light performance too. A 4500 mAh battery keeps the phone running for close to a day and a half of moderate use and supports wireless charging as well.
iQOO 9 5G
The iQOO 9 5G is a great option for those looking for a solid camera phone with ample storage, and now at an even better price. It is powered by Qualcomm’s former flagship Snapdragon 888+ chip, and you can get its 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage variant under 35K currently. Its 6.56-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display has 120Hz refresh rate and can display a billion colour shades. The phone launched with Android 12 with FunTouch OS 12, and can be upgraded to Android 13 now. One can expect more software updates for this device in the future.
The rear camera department here is quite versatile. You get a 48MP primary camera with Gimbal stabilisation, accompanied by a 13MP ultra-wide camera and a 13MP 50 mm professional portrait camera for great portrait shots. The 16MP front camera is more than decent for selfies and video calls. The iQOO 9 5G has a 4350 mAh battery that can easily last over a day of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge it fully in just 18 minutes.
Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, a subsidiary of Tata Motors that oversees the electric vehicle (EV) business, has undergone a rebranding and is now known as Tata.ev.
The new brand identity incorporates both the “Tata” and “ev” names, with the “ev” portion encircled by a dot and a circle. This rebranding was first introduced with the Tiago EV model, which prominently features the “.ev” emblem on its body.
It’s important to note that the Tata.ev brand will exclusively cover passenger electric vehicles and will not include the company’s line of commercial electric vehicles.
Vivek Srivatsa, Head of Marketing, Sales, and Service Strategy at Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., commented on the rebranding, stating,”We are entering a new era with Tata.ev. Our new brand identity for electric vehicles underlines our commitment to accelerate the adoption of clean energy mobility solutions. We intend to drive positive change in the automotive industry with a focus on sustainability, community, and technology. Both the products and services are intended to create highly differentiated and meaningful consumer experiences. The brand personality is humane, honest, invigorating, and conversational – a rallying point for those curious about having a better impact on the world.”
The reimagined brand identity was created in collaboration with Landor & Fitch, a global company specializing in brand transformation. Accompanying the new brand name, Tata has unveiled a fresh tagline, ‘Move with Meaning,’ which encapsulates the emphasis on sustainability that underpins the Tata.ev business.
The logo’s design features an orbit encircling the “.ev,” symbolizing how Tata.ev operates within a circular ecosystem of human and environmental interaction, all aimed at a brighter future. The branding elements will incorporate the Evo Teal colour.
To minimize the environmental footprint, the print materials displaying the new logo utilize a white background, which reduces ink consumption. Digital materials utilize an all-black backdrop, conserving battery life and energy on digital displays.
In the Indian market, Tata is the clear market leader in the passenger electric vehicle segment, commanding over 70 per cent of the market share. The brand has recently celebrated a significant milestone of achieving 100,000 EVs on the road. Tata’s current EV portfolio comprises models like the Nexon EV Max, Nexon EV Prime, Tiago EV, and Tigor EV.
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A few days ago, reports surfaced online that OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT may declare bankruptcy as early as the end of 2024.
However, now it seems that OpenAI will generate some pretty decent revenue after all and may not go bankrupt any time soon.
Backed by Microsoft, who invested over $10 billion in the company, OpenAI had projected that it would only manage to make just over $200 million this year. Last year, the company managed to generate only $28 million in its entire year of operations.
Changing tides
As per a report by The Insider, Sam Altman’s OpenAI is currently set to generate over $80 million in just a month and will continue to do so at least throughout the year.
The change in OpenAI’s fortune stems from the fact that it has broadened its approach and is now selling specialised licenses of its GPT-4 LLM, along with other AI software products. Most notably it is selling a lot of plug-ins as well as access to its API to companies who want to create their own AI chatbots, based on OpenAI’s GPT-4 LLM.
Core challenges remain the same
Although OpenAI is generating a healthy revenue, now, its core challenge remains the same. It is still burning through a lot of cash, just to keep the public version of ChatGPT, its website running. Reports have suggested that OpenAI burns about $700,000 dollars a day, just to keep the public-facing chatbot running every day.
Moreover, it has some tremendous costs for other, more intensive AI generators, like Dall-E2 and some of its other AI solutions
The problem of scaling an AI business
Scaling any business is a tremendously difficult proposition to be faced with. For Sam Altman and for OpenAI, the task is even more challenging. The more users that ChatGPT has, the more computational power it will need, which means investing in more data centres, more supercomputers, and more GPUs.
Plus, ChatGPT is facing some serious challenges from Meta and Google, and their AI solutions. Google and Meta, both, have released solutions that not only work faster than ChatGPT, but their enterprise solutions are also more accurate. Both Meta and Google are also offering their AI services coupled with a bunch of services that already have a ton of paid, enterprise users
Then there is the issue of drifting. ChatGPT is miserably bad at maths and is only getting worse, especially in complex mathematics, as per studies conducted by Stanford and various other universities. Large language models like GPT-4 have the tendency to get worse in certain areas when developers try to improve one specific area. No one knows why this happens, nor can anyone predict which in which areas will an LLM deteriorate.
The cost of all of this adds up, pretty quickly. While OpenAI may be generating a pretty solid revenue as of now, it certainly is miles away from sustainable profitability.
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Japan’s National Center of Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cybersecurity or NISC, the agency tasked with safeguarding Japan’s national defenses against cyber threats has itself fallen victim to hackers, potentially exposing sensitive information for a period of up to nine months, a report by the Financial Times has revealed.
According to reliable sources from both governmental and private sectors, the intrusion into J NISC is believed to have been orchestrated by state-backed hackers from China. This attack started in the autumn of 2022, but it was only in June 2023 that the Japanese got to know that their systems were compromised.
Can Japan defend itself against cyberattacks?
This revelation holds significant gravity due to the nature of the target and the current atmosphere of intense scrutiny surrounding Japan’s susceptibility to cyber-attacks. Tokyo is in the process of enhancing its military collaboration with the United States and regional partners. This includes exercises such as a joint fighter project alongside the United Kingdom and Italy, which involved the exchange of top-secret technological data.
The capability of Japan to securely manage sensitive data has raised concerns among cyber security experts in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Recent reports have unveiled a major cyber attack on Japan’s defence networks in late 2020, attributed to Chinese military hackers. Additionally, in July, the port of Nagoya experienced a temporary shutdown following what was believed to be a ransomware attack linked to Russian origins.
These incidents have sparked apprehensions at the highest levels of the Japanese government regarding the possibility of state actors, such as China, probing Japan’s defence capabilities.
How the breach was discovered
In early August, NISC revealed that certain personal data associated with email exchanges between October of the previous year and June of the current year might have been exposed to bad actors after an intrusion into its email system.
The breach seemed to have exploited an individual staff member’s email account, according to NISC.
To address the potential compromise, NISC issued a series of email notifications to both domestic and international private and governmental partners, warning them about the situation.
The agency’s public statement explained that an external investigation had recently uncovered the possibility of leaked email data and that those involved in the affected email correspondences had been duly informed.
Operating within Japan’s highest government circles as part of the Cabinet Office, NISC’s breach has reportedly prompted an inquiry into whether the hackers’ access extended to other highly sensitive servers situated in the same government building in central Tokyo.
An official from NISC confirmed that their investigation had determined that only the email system had been compromised. The official declined to comment on whether the intrusion was attributed to Chinese state-sponsored hackers.
Japan blames China, China blames the US
According to sources, the incident is believed to have been orchestrated with Chinese involvement. One individual familiar with the situation noted, “There is always a small element of doubt, but given the style of attack and the nature of the target itself, we can say with almost complete certainty that this originated with a state actor and that the actor was most probably China.” Another source asserted that they were “without doubt” certain that China was responsible for the attack.
China’s foreign affairs ministry dismissed these claims and pointed the finger at the United States, suggesting that Japan should scrutinize US activities, given the latter’s history of spying on allies. The ministry referred to previous WikiLeaks disclosures revealing US cyber espionage against Japanese cabinet officials, financial institutions, and companies.
Japan’s efforts to bolster its cybersecurity capabilities have been hindered by a shortage of personnel and expertise in the digital domain. The government’s initiatives have primarily focused on expanding and enhancing training facilities for the cyber unit within the Self-Defense Forces. As of the end of March, this unit comprised just under 900 members, a stark contrast to the estimated 6,200 in its US equivalent and at least 30,000 in China’s cyber forces.
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The Pragyan rover just snapped a picture of the Vikram lander hard at work on the Moon’s surface. This pic is like the superstar of the mission pics, and it was captured by the rover’s Navigation Camera, aka NavCam.
The NavCams are one of the most vital components on board the rover and will lead it during the whole mission. They were developed by the smart folks at the Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS) in Bengaluru. These cameras are the real MVPs.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
Smile, please📸!
Pragyan Rover clicked an image of Vikram Lander this morning.
The ‘image of the mission’ was taken by the Navigation Camera onboard the Rover (NavCam).
Think of these cameras as the rover’s trusty ‘eyes,’ guiding it through all the bumpy and tricky lunar landscapes. They’re like the rover’s GPS, helping it figure out where to go and what to avoid so it can cruise safely on the Moon.
ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 has been making some significant strides since it nailed a soft landing on the Moon’s surface on August 23, 2023. With that, India joined an elite club of just four countries that have pulled off this sort of lunar landing. What makes India’s landing even more special, is that it did it at the lunar south pole, a territory that was unexplored up until now.
Ever since the soft landing, the Pragyan rover and the Vikram lander, have been hard at work. The rover is like a space detective with its payloads, which include the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) and the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS). These gizmos help it figure out what the Moon is made of by analyzing its dirt and rocks.
It has already made some significant discoveries on the surface of the moon. For example, it has discovered traces of sulphur on the lunar surface. Along with sulphur, the rover has also found traces of aluminium, titanium, oxygen, silicon, magnesium and several other minerals, which will be crucial for the development of human colonies on the Moon.
The photo of the Vikram lander taken by the Pragyan rover isn’t just a simple social media post. This pic shows how the rover and lander, are working together. The rover is collecting and analysing certain aspects of the moon on its own and is relaying all of that to the lander. The Vikram lander, for its part, is carrying out its own data collection and experiments and then relaying everything it is learning to ISRO’s ground stations.
As the rover and the lander continue with their mission, we’re bound to get more pics and data that’ll help us with our understanding of the Moon.
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After numerous rounds of speculation, Apple has at last officially unveiled the much-awaited launch date for its upcoming iPhone 15 series. Mark your calendars for September 12, as the company will be hosting the anticipated Wonderlust event.
To ensure widespread access, the event will be live-streamed across Apple’s official platforms, including YouTube and its own official website. For those tuning in from India, the event is set to kick off at 10:30 PM.
As has become an annual tradition, Apple consistently uses its September event as a platform to unveil its latest iPhone iterations. This year appears to be no exception. Enthusiasts can look forward to the grand revelation of the cutting-edge iPhone 15 series, accompanied by the introduction of the newest Apple Watch lineup.
iPhone 15 series
Out of all the products slated for launch on the notable date of September 12, it’s quite likely that the iPhone 15 non-pro models will garner the highest sales, judging by the company’s consistent performance history.
Surprisingly, even the non-pro iterations of the iPhone are set to receive substantial enhancements this year. Apple’s commitment to diversity is apparent as they persist in offering two size alternatives: the iPhone 15 featuring a 6.1-inch screen, and the larger iPhone 15 Plus with a 6.7-inch display.
The most significant departure anticipated in these phones is the elimination of the familiar notch. This marks a significant shift since the introduction of the iPhone X series, representing the first line-up to eschew this design element.
Instead, Apple plans to introduce the dynamic island, its pill-shaped cutout in the more affordable iPhone models. Furthermore, Apple enthusiasts can anticipate a fresh array of color choices for the iPhone 15.
In terms of processing power, Apple is poised to introduce the 4nm A16 Bionic chipset to the non-pro models of the iPhone 15, promising noteworthy improvements in performance.
Maintaining consistency, the iPhone 15 Pro variants are also set to adhere to the two size choices strategy. The iPhone 15 Pro is scheduled to boast a 6.1-inch screen, while its counterpart, the iPhone 15 Pro Max, will offer a more expansive 6.7-inch display. There are rumours of an iPhone 15 Ultra as well. Now, this will either replace the iPhone 15 Pro Max, or will be launched as a standalone, true flagship device this time around.
The captivating dynamic island design will remain a hallmark feature of the 15 Pro models. However, it’s worth noting that the bezels surrounding the display are anticipated to be sleeker in comparison to those of the iPhone 14 Pro models.
A noteworthy alteration lies in the material used for the frame of the forthcoming Apple iPhone 15 Pro models. Titanium is poised to replace conventional materials, reflecting a significant shift in the device’s construction.
On the photography front, there’s substantial excitement brewing around the potential enhancement of the iPhone 15 Pro Max model. This may come in the form of a periscope lens, a feature capable of enabling optical zoom ranging between 5x to 6x.
Apple Watch Series 9
As per insights shared by Bloomberg’s Mark Gruman, Apple is gearing up to unveil a trio of novel smartwatches on the forthcoming September 12 event, having been codenamed N207, N208, and N210. These new additions will flesh out the Apple Watch Series 9 lineup, encompassing two distinct models distinguished by their varying sizes.
Additionally, the event will also mark the arrival of a revised iteration of the Apple Watch Ultra, a variant that was launched just last year. While the finer details remain veiled in secrecy, it’s worth mentioning that the Apple Watch Series 9 might introduce incremental modifications, implying subtle improvements rather than groundbreaking changes.
In the case of the Ultra variant, its exact upgrades are still shrouded in mystery; however, certain sources propose the possibility of an expanded display for the Watch Ultra, which would certainly pique the interest of enthusiasts.
iOS 17 and iPadOS 17
Finally, we will also get to see the final version of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The upcoming mobile operating systems are bringing some massive and equally impressive changes. Although the design language looks the same, the UI has been given some pretty subtle tweaks here and there that just lift the experience up.
Furthermore, there are a lot of upgrades to security as well. Apple has already showcased the beta version of iOS 17 at WWDC 2023 and its most notable features include Contact Posters, Live Voicemail, upgrades to AirDrop, and more.
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It seems that India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission is a gift that keeps on giving. After sharing reports about the varying temperature of the soil at the lunar south pole a couple of days ago, ISRO shared an update last night that is set to have huge ramifications on India’s space program, as well as on those in other countries.
The Pragyran Rover of the Chandrayaan-3 mission has found traces of aluminium, calcium, iron, chromium, titanium, manganese, silicon, and most importantly, oxygen in the soil of the Moon. ISRO has also found sulphur in the lunar surface.
Chandrayaan-3 Mission:
In-situ scientific experiments continue …..
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument onboard the Rover unambiguously confirms the presence of Sulphur (S) in the lunar surface near the south pole, through first-ever in-situ measurements.… pic.twitter.com/vDQmByWcSL
What Chandrayaan-3 has found on the Moon
ISRO also confirmed that it has found sulphur in the moon’s soil, another massive discovery. In a post on X, ISRO said that thanks to its ongoing in-situ experiments, the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) instrument onboard the Pragyan Rover has determined and confirmed the presence of Sulphur in the lunar surface near the south pole.
While scientists and researchers were aware of the presence of these elements on the Moon, the discovery made by Pragyan Rover is vital for interplanetary missions.
The discovery of these elements is important
The discovery of elements such as aluminium, iron, chromium, titanium etc., at the lunar south pole indicates that the Moon has a rich deposit of these minerals.
This, in turn, means that Moon is more hospitable than we had thought, and could actually be used to mine for its natural resources, especially when we set up a colony up there.
The discovery of oxygen in the soil of the moon also reaffirms the fact that at one point, the land on the Moon was not always arid and at once it could have been well suited for the growth of vegetation, and by extension, even agriculture. This would mean that it is possible to make the Moon fertile again, especially if ISRO finds large deposits of water ice.
Chandrayaan-3 is in a race against time Having found these elements on the Moon, the Pragyan Rover will continue looking for hydrogen, specifically, H-3. This is one of the most important aspect of the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
Scientists are currently emphasizing the time-sensitive nature of the rover’s operations. ISRO is diligently working to ensure the rover covers the expansive uncharted terrain of the lunar south pole, as much as possible. Right now, the rover and the lander are focused on gathering as much data as it can, after which, it will start helping in analysing them.
Nilesh M Desai, the Director of the Space Applications Centre, conveyed that the mission’s timeline is tight, affording a mere 14 days in total, equivalent to one lunar day. The significance of this tight timeframe lies in the necessity to conduct an array of experiments and research during these ten days. “The more experiments and research we can do in the remaining ten days will be important. We are in a race against time because in these 10 days, we have to do maximum work and all the ISRO scientists are working on it,” he said.
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ChatGPT can be a godsend for some people, especially those who need to deal with a ton of texts. Not only is it pretty useful in writing and editing texts, but it is also a great place to summarise complex subjects and begin understanding them. So proficient is the AI bot that it cleared the US Medical license test better than most humans who had applied.
However, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has always had an Achilles heel — complex maths problems, especially those that involve complex numbers. For that very reason, it may have to go to Google and enlist its help.
ChatGPT, LLMs and their problem with Maths
It is not just ChatGPT that is failing at maths, most LLMs of Large Language Models perform terribly in Maths. Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley, recently published a research paper which basically said that LLMs do pretty well with simple maths, one that would be taught in a high school. However, even then, there are times when LLMs like ChatGPT get confused and hallucinate.
What this means is that most LLMs haven’t been trained on the core basics of performing calculations. In case they had been trained on that, they wouldn’t have had issues in completing calculations with larger and more complex numbers. In all likelihood, most LLMs have simply read equations and calculations that are already on the internet.
This is just like children rote learning maths — it just doesn’t work in the long run. As our parents always told us while helping us with our maths homework, we need to have our basics clear and strong.
What’s worse is that ChatGPT and other LLM models have become worse at Maths, while developing their language skills. The situation is so bad with ChatGPT in particular, that it now often gets basic math questions wrong. This is because of a phenomenon called “AI Drift” and it happens when a part of a complex AI model, ends up negatively affecting a different part. No one knows why or how exactly this happens.
How Google can help
Google has come up with a solution to all this and is willing with the developers of AI studios who work with LLMs to work logically with algorithms and numbers. Basically, they are offering to help studios like OpenAI train their LLMs and AI Chatbots to carry out calculations.
A report by Analytics India Magazine has revealed that a team of researchers at Google have come up with a paper, called ‘Teaching language models to reason algorithmically’, in which they talk about in-context learning. They have also come up with an algorithm that makes LLM bots and AI bots better at number-based reasoning.
In-context learning basically means instructing a model by systematically guiding the learning process step by step, rather than inundating the learner with all instructions at the outset. This approach pertains to the capacity of a model to execute a task after being exposed to a small number of examples presented within the framework of the model’s existing knowledge and understanding.
Google is not the only one
Analytics India Magazine reports that Wolfram Research, another AI development studio, is working on giving AI LLMs some proficiency in maths. They have been working with OpenAI to improve their LLM, and GPT’s proficiency with numbers.
In an interview with AIM, the studio revealed that their plug-in for ChatGPT, which is known as Wolfram+ChatGPT has helped OpenAI improve their maths skills significantly. The way the plug-in works is that it turns queries from text into equations, and some visual representations as well. These include graphs, charts etc.
From there, Wolfram’s programming language takes over, which specialises in presenting data in a computational form.
However, as wonderful as Wolfram’s plugin is, that cannot be the solution to the problem that OpenAI’s and LLMs in general have with maths. In effect, such plug-ins do not usually train the LLM for a wider purpose and are a stop-gap solution at best. ChatGPT’s best bet, therefore, is Google’s algorithm for the problem and the study they have conducted.
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It seems that Apple has already finished the production of the first lot of its upcoming iPhone 15 Ultra devices. Prominent supply chain analyst Ming Chi Kuo, known for his reliable insights, has indicated that Apple’s upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max is set to initiate mass shipments this week, even in the face of concerns over supply chain issues.
This announcement from Kuo contrasts with recent reports that have suggested delays in production. Kuo’s outlook is also optimistic when it comes to unit shipments, bucking the trend of other analysts who have recently revised their forecasts downward.
Kuo emphasizes, “There has been market concern that supply chain challenges might lead to further reductions in iPhone 15 shipments (an estimate of 80 million units compared to conservative projections of 70–80 million units), particularly with regards to the iPhone 15 Pro Max and its potential delay.”
However, Kuo asserts that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will indeed commence mass shipments during the current week, and Apple is concurrently increasing shipments of previous iPhone models.
Just last week, a significant equity analyst note indicated a potential three to four-week delay for the iPhone 15 Pro Max in comparison to other models.
Analysts like Jeff Pu and Mizuho, both of whome have tempered their iPhone 15 unit shipment forecasts. Pu’s estimates went from 83 million units to 77 million, while Mizuho scaled down its production projection from 84 million to 73 million units.
In contrast, Kuo remains steadfast in his expectation of 80 million iPhone 15 units being shipped, and he anticipates a grand total of 250 million iPhone shipments throughout 2024. Kuo even suggests that Apple could outpace Samsung in terms of units shipped by the end of 2023.
Kuo explains, “Samsung’s projected smartphone shipments for this year have been revised to 220 million units. Should Apple maintain the iPhone orders for the second half of 2024 as they are, the iPhone shipments are likely to reach 220–225 million units in 2023, surpassing Samsung to become the world’s largest smartphone brand.”
Kuo further envisions Apple maintaining its lead over Samsung in 2024.
Recent reports have also indicated that Apple is making adjustments to the colour options for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models. The traditional gold option is being replaced with a “Titan Gray” colour, featuring the new titanium frame. Meanwhile, the unique Deep Purple colour will make way for a new dark blue alternative.
As anticipation mounts, Apple is anticipated to unveil its iPhone 15 lineup on September 12. The official confirmation of this date is expected sometime between August 29 and September 5.
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The buzz is back around the iPhone 15 Ultra, stealing the spotlight once more. Just like the past three iPhone lineups, Apple is gearing up to unveil four fresh models this year: the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
However, conflicting reports have really caused a stir, with several reports hinting at the possibility of an iPhone 15 Ultra replacing the iPhone 15 Pro Max. Adding to the intrigue, leaks have suggested at a potential extra iPhone 15 Ultra, which could mark the fifth entry in this smartphone series.
Details of Camera
Before the official launch of the device, which is scheduled for September 12 or 13, a comprehensive rundown of the iPhone 15 Ultra specs has been leaked.
As per insights from the Apple enthusiast account, AppleLeaker on X, the iPhone 15 could come with a major upgrade to its camera system, especially in the zoom camera. Apparently, Apple has thrown in a 10X periscope camera in the mix. The primary 48MP camera might also come with eight lens elements.
Details on design
On the design front, the chassis may feature titanium for a sturdier and more premium feel. Similar design shifts are anticipated for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max variants.
A fresh tweak might be in store for the volume button layout on the sides, alongside the possible inclusion of an “action button” on the iPhone 15 Ultra. This new button could provide quick access to apps, including the camera app — a feature reminiscent of the Apple Watch Ultra introduced last year.
Details on the hardware
Under the hood, the iPhone 15 Ultra is rumoured to pack the latest A17 Bionic SoC using a 3nm process, potentially coupled with an 8GB RAM configuration. The leak also hints that the base model could kick off with a generous 256GB storage offering.
Interestingly, all the upcoming iPhone 15 models might make the shift to a USB-C charging port, doing away with the proprietary Lightning port. Should the iPhone 15 Ultra make its appearance, it would also adopt this new charging port.
The battery could support 35W charging, though it’s expected that the charger won’t come bundled in the box. A new braided USB-C charging cable with Thunderbolt 4 capabilities is rumoured to be on the horizon, boasting a charging output of 240W. Furthermore, an increase in battery capacity by around 10-15% is also hinted at.
Details on the display
While the display size might retain its 6.7 inches, a notable change could come in the form of thinner bezels this year. Apple might persist with its dynamic island notch, albeit with some refinements. Adding to the mix, a fresh 7nm U2 chip could enhance compatibility with Apple’s lineup, including the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset.
Considering the influx of new enhancements and hardware, a price hike for the iPhone 15 Ultra is probable. Leaks have indicated a potential increase of $200 (roughly Rs 16,500). To put things in perspective, the starting price for the iPhone 14 Pro Max in India is Rs 1,33,900. Keep those ears perked for more updates as the launch draws near.
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Toyota Motor has made a significant stride by unveiling India’s first car designed to operate completely on ethanol, an alternative fuel source, supplemented by a flex-fuel engine.
This innovation takes the form of a prototype based on the popular MPV model, Innova HyCross. The electrified flex-fuel variant of Innova HyCross is distinctive in its capability to run on ethanol, a renewable fuel derived from organic matter.
Moreover, this MPV is equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack and has the capacity to generate sufficient electric power, enabling the vehicle to function in an EV mode. Notably, this prototype adheres to the latest emission standards, Bharat Stage 6 (Stage 2).
Toyota’s endeavour aligns with India’s vision towards cleaner alternative fuels, which was evident in last year’s introduction of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol by the government.
In a previous milestone, Toyota Motor unveiled India’s premier all-hydrogen electric vehicle, the Mirai, as part of a collaborative venture with the International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT). Operating on pure hydrogen-generated electricity, the Mirai stands out as a true zero-emission vehicle, emitting only water from its tailpipe.
Japanese automotive giants like Toyota Motor and Honda Cars have pioneered the integration of hybrid technology into their Indian lineup. Toyota’s journey began with the Urban Cruiser HyRyder compact SUV, which showcased a robust hybrid technology. This technology subsequently was then used in the new generation of Innova.
India’s heavy reliance on oil imports to fulfil its fuel requirements places a significant strain on the nation’s financial resources. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari highlighted that the current expenditure on petroleum imports amounts to approximately ₹16 lakh crore.
By transitioning towards biofuel alternatives like ethanol, derived from renewable sources like sugarcane, there exists a substantial opportunity to curtail these import bills, fostering better self-sufficiency in meeting the country’s fuel demands.
Minister Gadkari emphasized that achieving self-reliance, or “atmanirbhar,” necessitates the elimination of oil imports. The existing import cost, standing at ₹16 lakh crore, underscores the magnitude of the economic impact.
Furthermore, this shift is deemed essential in light of India’s pressing pollution concerns, signalling the urgency of adopting sustainable strategies.
The adoption of biofuels concurrently serves as a vital mechanism for curbing pollution. India’s strategy involves the incorporation of 20 per cent ethanol in petrol, which was introduced last year.
There are plans to double the ethanol quantity by 2025. This measure is projected to result in a 50 per cent reduction in carbon monoxide emissions from two-wheelers and approximately 30 per cent reduction in four-wheelers, in comparison to conventional petrol.
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ChatGPT has a new, professional cousin! OpenAI recently introduced ChatGPT Enterprise, a dedicated solution tailored for businesses and professionals who want to use its AI service.
In a recent blog post published on Monday, the company expressed its conviction in the potential of AI to enhance all facets of professional activities, fostering heightened creativity and productivity within teams.
Major step for OpenAI
The unveiling of ChatGPT Enterprise signifies a notable step towards an AI assistant uniquely attuned to workplace demands. This AI solution adeptly handles a spectrum of tasks, conforms to organizational specifications, and prioritizes the safeguarding of corporate data.
The current landscape is abuzz with discussions surrounding the transformative influence of AI across diverse industries. OpenAI evidently aspires to position itself as the vanguard of this transformative movement.
The latest iteration of the chatbot addresses previous concerns over data privacy and security, promising noteworthy improvements in these domains. Moreover, it boasts swifter response times and expanded options for tailoring content to specific requirements.
What is really noteworthy among its attributes is its proficiency in data analysis, a facet that has consistently stood out as one of the platform’s most marketable features.
Pricing remains a mystery
The exact pricing details for accessing the Enterprise version are currently not transparent. OpenAI’s website features a “Contact sales” button without explicit pricing information. It’s reasonable to assume that the platform’s pricing structure could vary based on the scale of businesses.
The introduction of the Enterprise version comes subsequent to the launch of two prior iterations of the chatbot: the original ChatGPT, accessible to all at no cost but deemed suboptimal for business utility, and ChatGPT Plus, which debuted in February as a subscription-based variant.
For $20 per month, ChatGPT Plus guarantees users an enhanced, premium experience along with early access to supplementary features. ChatGPT Enterprise appears to be a progression from the foundation laid by ChatGPT Plus, evidently addressing certain user experience gaps that OpenAI had previously faced criticism for.
In essence, OpenAI’s imperative lies in generating revenue. While the company has gained global recognition through the introduction of its remarkable platform, the ultimate value of the product hinges on OpenAI’s ability to monetize it effectively.
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The Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO is going to attempt a brave mission to create history, yet again. The Indian space organisation is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 observatory, on board the PSLV-C57 rocket on September 2, 2023, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR Sriharikota, India.
The mission is to place the Aditya L1 observatory at Lagrange Point 1 or L1, a special point between the sun and the Earth, from where it will be able to study the star with an uninterrupted view.
For this mission, ISRO is going to spend over Rs 400 crores. If that number seems high, rest assured, that’s not the case — after all, ISRO has a knack of completing its space missions at an abnormally low cost. But why is ISRO placing an observatory at L1 or Lagrange Point 1 in the first place?
What is a Lagrange Point
There are several points in our solar system, where the gravity of the sun, is equal to the gravity of a planet. These are called Lagrange Points. In total, there are 5 such points.
Lagrange Points are specific locations in space where the combined gravitational pull of celestial bodies, in Aditya’s case the Sun and the Earth, leads to intensified areas of both attraction and repulsion. As a result, smaller bodies, such as orbiters or satellites can remain suspended in that position, while moving around in an orbit, around an unspecific point.
These strategic points can be used by spacecraft to minimize the amount of fuel required to maintain their position.
In the context of the Earth-Sun system, Lagrange Point 1 (L1) is situated at a position nestled between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth, directly facing the Sun. This specific point aligns with the imaginary line that connects these two celestial bodies and is positioned along Earth’s orbital path around the Sun.
What Makes Lagrange Point 1 or L1 so fascinating
L1 holds a distinct allure due to its inherent stability in between the Earth-Sun system. This stability emerges from the intricate interplay of gravitational forces at this juncture, making it an ideal position for a variety of scientific investigations and space endeavours.
One prominent example involves the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), strategically situated near L1 for an uninterrupted viewpoint of the Sun and outer space, unaffected by Earth’s atmospheric interference or the light-dark cycle. This means the Aditya-L1 will have a constant view of the sun, and won’t have to deal with eclipses or any other phenomena.
Using the unique vantage point offered by L1, the Aditya-L1 will have four scientific payloads with a direct line of sight to the Sun, while three other payloads will engage in on-site analysis of particles and fields at L1.
What will Aditya-L1 study from Lagrange Point 1
Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven distinct payloads designed to closely examine different layers of the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layer known as the corona. These payloads employ electromagnetic particle and magnetic field detectors for their observations.
Four of these payloads have a direct line of sight to the Sun, while the remaining three focus on conducting on-site investigations of particles and fields within the Lagrange Point L1. As a result, this mission plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of various solar phenomena and their effects on the interplanetary environment, as well as on Earth.
ISRO also elaborated, stating, “The instrumentation carried by the Aditya L1 payloads is anticipated to yield pivotal insights into key areas such as coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, pre-flare and flare activities, along with their distinct characteristics. Additionally, it will contribute to our comprehension of space weather dynamics and the propagation of particles and fields.”
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Jio Platforms is taking a proactive role in advancing India-specific AI models and solutions spanning various sectors. This move aims to extend the benefits of cutting-edge AI technology to Indian citizens, businesses, and the government, as highlighted by Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of RIL, on Monday.
Ambani’s commitment to bring “AI to everyone, everywhere” underscores Jio’s ambition to drive AI’s growth, positioning it as the forefront of their strategy, much like the broadband connectivity promise made seven years ago.
Speaking at the 46th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries, Ambani emphasized the significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative frontier for Jio’s expansion. The company is setting forth ambitious initiatives in this sphere, with a vision to establish up to 2,000 megawatts of AI-ready computing capacity. This capacity will be distributed across both cloud and edge locations, aligning with sustainable practices for a greener future.
“Withing the RIL Group, we are rapidly augmenting a talent pool and capabilities to swiftly assimilate the latest global innovations in AI especially the recent advances in generative artificial intelligence,” Mukesh Ambani said.
“Jio platforms want to lead the efforts towards the India-specific artificial intelligence models and AI-powered solutions across domains, thereby delivering the benefits of artificial intelligence to Indian citizens, businesses, and government alike,” the RIL chairman added.
In a world increasingly influenced by the global AI revolution, Ambani asserted that intelligent applications are on the cusp of redefining industries, economies, and daily life. He further stressed that India must harness the potential of AI to foster innovation, growth, and national prosperity in order to maintain its competitive edge on the global stage.
Recognizing India’s vast pool of talent and data, Ambani acknowledged that a strong digital infrastructure is essential to handle the computational demands of AI. He outlined plans to transition a significant portion of Jio’s energy consumption towards green energy sources over the next five years, underscoring the company’s commitment to sustainability and cost-efficiency.
Within the Reliance Industries Group, efforts are underway to bolster capabilities and expertise to rapidly assimilate global AI innovations, particularly recent strides in generative AI. Ambani’s forward-looking vision positions Jio Platforms at the forefront of India’s AI revolution, driving the development of tailored AI solutions to benefit various sectors of the country.
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Mukesh Ambani, the Chairman of Reliance Industries, unveiled the Jio True5G developer program during the company’s 46th Annual General Meeting on August 28th. This initiative brings together the power of their 5G network, edge computing, and a wide array of applications and services.
Ambani also introduced the Jio True5G lab, aiming to accelerate industry transformation by leveraging the capabilities of the Jio True5G suite.
Under the True 5G platform, companies will have the ability to control and customize their network slices as needed, deploy their applications on Jio’s multi-access edge computing locations, and access a diverse ecosystem of partner applications all within a single suite, Ambani explained.
During his address, Ambani emphasized, “We’re constructing a revolutionary platform that will revolutionize how Indian enterprises, small businesses, and tech startups engage with the digital realm.”
The Chairman went on to highlight that enterprises will gain access to advanced network slicing options, allowing them to establish and optimize network slices regularly. This, in turn, will enhance their network resource management.
Ambani elaborated, “This accelerates innovation, shortens time-to-market, and reduces costs.” He also added, “Through the Jio True5G marketplace, our partners can seamlessly integrate their offerings and create customized solutions tailored to specific requirements.”
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Mukesh Ambani, the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), announced during the 46th Annual General Meeting (AGM) that Jio, a telecommunications company, has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing 450 million subscribers.
This growth has led to a year-on-year revenue increase of more than 20%. Jio has achieved its highest-ever revenue of Rs 1,19,791 crore and an EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) of Rs 50,286 crore.
During the meeting, Ambani also shared insights on Jio’s digital services business. He mentioned that the data consumption per user on Jio’s network has experienced a substantial rise. On average, each user now consumes more than 25 gigabytes of data every month. This translates to a monthly data traffic of 1,100 crore gigabytes, marking a growth of 45% compared to the previous year.
Reflecting on Jio’s journey, Ambani stated that the company was launched seven years ago with a grand vision of transforming India into a premier digital society. The goal was to leverage technology to create positive changes across various aspects of life and every sector of the economy. He emphasized the pride Jio takes in contributing to this digital revolution and building a Digital Public Infrastructure that has gained global admiration. Ambani asserted that Jio has played a pivotal role in driving India’s remarkable digital transformation.
During the AGM, Mukesh Ambani highlighted Jio’s distinctive position as the sole provider of a comprehensive 5G ecosystem to its customers.
He stated that Jio offers its 5G customers a complete package including connectivity, devices, support services, and value-added offerings. Through Reliance Retail, Jio has established an extensive sales and support network for 5G devices and services across India.
This network is open to various leading 5G Smartphone Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), ensuring widespread availability and adoption of diverse 5G devices. This integrated approach solidifies Jio’s role as the driving force and clear leader in India’s 5G evolution.
Ambani pointed out that while launching 4G services in 2016, Jio relied on global partners for equipment. However, the company’s 5G rollout is now powered entirely by Jio’s own 100% in-house developed 5G stack. This aligns with the Indian Prime Minister’s Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) vision.
The 5G stack incorporates advanced technologies like Standalone 5G architecture, Carrier Aggregation, and Network Slicing. It also features advanced Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning capabilities that optimize the network for exceptional quality, reliability, and user experience.
This in-house development is designed to smoothly integrate with both 4G and 5G equipment from global vendors. Jio’s 5G radio portfolio spans from small cells to large tower-based radios, catering to various outdoor and indoor usage scenarios.
Furthermore, Jio’s focus on continuous innovation has positioned it as one of the early adopters of 6G capabilities. The company has also significantly contributed to global patent filings from India for digital technologies, signifying its evolution from a telecom operator to a technology company.
Ambani expressed his vision for Jio to leverage its Made-in-India technology stack to generate value and drive revenue growth not only within India but also on the international stage in the years to come.
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In a groundbreaking move, Toyota Motor is set to achieve a major milestone by introducing India’s very first car powered entirely by ethanol.
The exciting announcement comes as Union Minister Nitin Gadkari prepares to unveil this innovative vehicle, which is based on Toyota’s highly popular MPV model, the Innova. This momentous launch is scheduled for tomorrow, August 29th.
Toyota’s prowess in biofuel
What sets the Innova apart is not just its ethanol fuel prowess. This vehicle is also about to make history as the first-ever model worldwide to sport a Bharat Stage VI (Stage II) certification for its flex-fuel capabilities. It’s a significant step forward in the automotive industry.
This development comes on the heels of Toyota’s previous milestone—the introduction of the Mirai, a hydrogen fuel-cell car that caught the world’s attention a year ago.
The news of the upcoming Innova model’s debut was shared by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari during a recent summit. This launch aligns perfectly with the government’s push toward vehicles that can function on alternative fuels like biofuel, hydrogen, and the flexible mix of ethanol.
This strategic move aims to not only reduce India’s reliance on expensive fuel imports but also make a substantial impact on reducing the nation’s carbon footprint.
Addressing the audience at the Mint Sustainability Summit, Gadkari emphasized, “Mark your calendars for August 29th because that’s when I’ll be introducing the well-loved Toyota Innova, now running entirely on 100 per cent ethanol. To achieve self-reliance, we need to eliminate our oil imports, which currently stand at a staggering ₹16 lakh crore. This is a significant economic loss that we’re determined to overcome.”
Toyota’s other initiatives in alternative fuels
Recalling the past, in March of the previous year, Toyota had unveiled India’s maiden all-hydrogen electric vehicle— the Mirai, through a collaborative pilot project with the International Center for Automotive Technology (ICAT). The Toyota Mirai FCEV stands as one of the pioneering hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles globally, powered by electricity produced from pure hydrogen. It’s a true emissary of environmental responsibility, emitting nothing but water vapor from its tailpipe.
Under the hood, the Toyota Mirai FCEV sedan boasts a high-pressure hydrogen fuel tank coupled with an electric motor. This sophisticated powertrain ingeniously transforms hydrogen into water and oxygen, generating energy along the way. A distinct departure from the conventional internal combustion engines, the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain ensures that the only emission from its tailpipe is water—an environmentally friendly feat that deserves applause.
The first true flex-fuel car in the world
While the upcoming Innova may be the first mass-production car to be able to completely run on ethanol, it won’t be the first car ever to do so.
Back in 2007, Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg launched a variant of the CCX, that made it the first car in the world that could run on biofuel, specifically, ethanol. The car could run on both, premium petrol, as well as ethanol.
Apart from environmental benefits, the supercar showed that ethanol has a positive influence on performance as well. A Koenigsegg CCX running on petrol would produce a whopping 806 bhp. The same car, when fed with ethanol or a similar biofuel would produce over 1018 bhp.
Because the CCX was produced in a very limited number, it was never considered mass-produced. However, the car was monumental in establishing the fact that ethanol-fueled cars were not only viable, but could be great fun.
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Pros:
– Flex Window screen is a lot bigger and more practical to use
– Redesigned hinge, solid built quality
– Awesome main display
– No gap when folded
– IPX8 water resistant
– Widgets on the screen work well
– Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– Compact form factor
Cons:
– Pricey for its specifications
– Cameras could have a lot better for its price
– Battery life could have been better
– Apps transition weirdly from the main display to the smaller display
– Flex screen could have supported more apps natively
– Need to download and set up Good Lock for more functionality of the cover display
– Lacks rating for dust protection
Rating: 4.75/5 Pricing: Starts at Rs 99,999 for the 256GB+8GB variant
Just about a month ago, the Motorola Moto Razr 40 Ultra set the bar for what a flip-styled foldable smartphone should be in 2023. Then Samsung came along with its Galaxy Z Fold 5, and took back the crown.
The outbound Galaxy Z Fold 4 was a pretty solid foldable phone, albeit with some issues. The new Galaxy Z Fold 5, takes all of those issues and tosses them away. The biggest highlight is the all-new cover display, which, at 3.4 inches. However, there’s a lot more to the Z Flip 5.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
With increasing competition from the likes of Motorola and Oppo, Samsung has to proceed cautiously. They can’t go in all guns blazing at once, nor can they update each iteration in an extremely staggered manner. They will need to pace themselves. And that’s what Samsung has done with the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Design
On the surface, it looks like the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s new, bigger outer display is the biggest change. However, one upgrade that is even more consequential than the outer display, is that Samsung is using an all-new hinge mechanism. Because of this, the phone closes with no gap in between the two halves.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
And you can even tell from the way the foldable opens up and closes that the hinge is a new and better design. It feels a lot more smoother, and yet a lot sturdier. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 comes with an IPX8 rating, which means that it can survive some splashes of water, without any worries. Just keep it away from dust and you’re good to go.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
When it comes to the overall look and foldable design, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 isn’t drastically different from its predecessor. It has the same placement of the buttons and the fingerprint scanner, as the Fold 4. And aside from the two main cameras poking out on the cover screen, there’s an additional in-screen camera on the main display. The earpiece doubles up as a speaker, giving you that sweet stereo speaker setup.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
The device, obviously, looks very premium in the hand, but more importantly, it also feels very premium, like it has been built really well. Yes, you cannot open up the device using just one hand, but it snaps close pretty easily and smoothly.
The Galaxy Fold 5 comes in a bunch of cool colours, like Graphite, Cream, Lavender, and a really pleasant Mint. I had the mint-coloured one as my variant, and it looks awesome, although not as awesome as the Lavender. You can also get a special edition Grey, Blue and Green, only from Samsung’s website.
Then, there is the outer display, the main highlight of the Galaxy Flip 5. It isn’t perfectly squared–in fact, it has a weird shape to accommodate those two main cameras. However, the screen has been given a massive upgrade.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Displays
Let’s take a look at the cover display first. The new Flex Window is a big step up from last year’s Cover Display. It’s a 3.4-inch Super AMOLED screen that’s super smooth with a 60Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 720X748, and comes with Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Do note, that the shape isn’t a proper rectangle and is shaped like a folder icon. The display is tack-sharp and looks very crisp. But the real game-changer here is the size.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
With a bigger screen, you get to see more stuff all at once, and all the buttons become way easier to hit.
When you swipe left, you’ll find a bunch of standard widgets. Dragging down from the home page gets you to quick settings, and swiping right shows your notifications. You can also see all of your widgets with a new pinch move that lets you zoom out.
Although you can’t run every app on the Flex Window, Samsung did make a bunch of them work great on this smaller screen. You’ve to tweak some settings to enable it, but once you do, you can open up Google Maps, YouTube, Netflix, Messages, and WhatsApp on the outside display. However, the functionality is a bit limited. You cannot run most of the apps directly.
What Samsung has done, is allow users to install an app called Good Lock from Samsung’s Galaxy Store. Using that, you can use practically any app on the cover screen. This is a functionality that shouldn’t need a separate app and should be enabled natively.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
Barring this, the Flip 5’s software for the cover display is actually very refined and allows users to use it properly. Even though the screen is half of what we have become used to, you can actually chat away on any of your messaging app.
Now, let’s talk about the main display. We get a 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED 2X, with a refresh rate of 120Hz, support for HDR10+. With a resolution of 2640X1080, the display has a peak brightness of 1750 nits.
It’s pretty much the same display that we saw last year, and it still continues to be pretty impressive. The colours really stand out and catch your eye. It’s super contrasty and punchy – a real joy to use the display, no matter what you’re doing.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
What’s cool is how the phone’s design lets you bend it into an L-shape for taking pictures and use it as its own stand. And if you prop it up at a 45-degree angle, it’s perfect for watching videos.
You also get a ton of new options in the flex mode, or when you pop the device up between roughly 20 and 160 degrees, which allows certain apps to work really well. Take YouTube, for instance; it still keeps the video up top while you can smoothly scroll through the comments below.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
This year though, they have added a few features. After a bit of toggling through a few hidden settings, you have the option to show a button at the lower left corner of every app. When you tap it, the Flex dashboard pops up. This dashboard gives you shortcuts to cool stuff like taking a screenshot, swiping down the notifications panel, and more.
Now, let’s address the two elephants in the room. First, the display’s 9:22 quirky aspect ratio takes a bit of getting used to, but over time, you really do adjust to it.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
The second issue is that crease which may seem pesky at first, especially if you haven’t used a foldable before, but after a while, you kind of stop noticing it. Of course, you can feel it when you swipe your finger across, and it definitely catches the light in certain angles, but it surprisingly doesn’t really get in the way of your everyday use.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Camera
Samsung has stuck to the same dual 12MP camera setup for the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as it did with the Z Flip 4. It’s a standard 12MP f/1.8 main sensor, paired with a 12Mp 2.2 ultrawide sensor. True to Samsung’s style, it’s packed with a ton of features.
The images from the Z Flip 5 are pretty much the same that we got to see in last year’s Flip 4 However, that’s not a bad thing necessarily – the photos these cameras produce are still pretty awesome. Snapshots taken from the main two cameras on the cover display bring out vivid blue skies and reds that truly stand out.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
And, using the external 12-megapixel cameras has become a much better experience, all thanks to the Flex Window.
While the camera performance is pretty good, there are a few trade-offs you’ll have to consider. If you’re used to having a telephoto lens in your photographic arsenal, you’ll definitely notice its absence.
Having said that, the camera is not what you’re paying for. You’re buying a specific kind of lifestyle device. However, in a phone as expensive as this, the camera has to be top-notch.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
You can check out a few unedited samples from the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s cameras here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Performance, software experience and UI
Inside the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, you’ll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 designed specifically for Galaxy. It’s a slightly faster version of the standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. This is the very same processor powering the Galaxy S23 series and, of course, the Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Flip 5 comes with 8GB of RAM and has UFS 4.0 storage in both its 256GB and 512GB variants.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor, the Flip 5 performs just as well as top-tier phones like the Galaxy S23+. Out of the box, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 operates on Android 13 with OneUI 5.1. The UI is sleek and user-friendly. Samsung usually keeps bloatware to a minimum on their high-end top of line and devices and their flagship phones.
No matter what I threw at Flip 5, it didn’t slow down at all. It did pretty well in benchmarks and handled even the most demanding games pretty well, There were no stutters or frames to drop of any sort in games like BGMI and COD Mobile, even at maxed-out graphics, and it did not get uncomfortably hot during long gaming sessions.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
I don’t really think the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a device meant for heavy-duty gaming or for demanding tasks. It’s just not built with that in mind. But even if you do decide to use it for those purposes, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 won’t let you down.
With the Galaxy Z Flip 5, we also get Samsung’s long-term commitment to the software where they’re pledging four years of major OS updates along with five years of security patches.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Battery
Samsung has stuck with the same 3,700mAh battery that was used in the Flip 4. It’s pretty decent to keep you going through a regular day of use, but don’t expect it to last much longer than that, especially if you’re a power user.
We got about 5 hours of screen-on time during our testing period. This means, if you live your life on your phone, you’ll certainly need to top up the phone at least once every day. The power-efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip makes up for the larger Flex Window. However, if you’re going to use the smaller display most of the time, the battery will last you much longer.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
Unfortunately, we don’t get to see a charging brick included in the box, so you’ll need to get a 25W adapter. It takes about 90 minutes to fully charge the phone. The good news is that you get USB 3.2 instead of last year’s USB 2.0
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review: Verdict
Before we give you a verdict on the Galaxy Z Flip 5, we need to make one thing absolutely. Foldable smartphones are not meant for everyone, especially if you’re the sort of person who uses their devices very roughly or keeps their devices for a long time.
The hinge, no matter what device you’re using, does cause issues. Moreover, there are problems with dust and durability.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
As for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, it is a pretty solid phone, even when you consider regular phones. Samsung’s decision to enlarge the cover screen is a clear invitation to make better use of the Galaxy Flip 5 even when it’s folded. This is particularly useful for folks aiming to cut down on their screen time. You can conveniently check notifications, respond to messages, take quick peeks at social media, and then get back to the real world. However, Samsung needs to work on app support for the smaller display.
It is expensive for its specifications, especially when you consider its price and specifications. The camera, although it puts out great photos and videos, is an old one. The battery could have been a lot better.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
Having said all that, the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the most practical flip-styled foldable devices in the market – it certainly is the best one. So it becomes a lot easier to recommend the device if you’re searching for something unique, stylish, and practical – a device with a distinct folding design, dual screens, and solid performance.
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