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.
In a significant move towards promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable mobility, the Delhi government has unveiled the ‘Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme 2023.’
This initiative aims to regulate and license aggregators providing passenger transport and delivery services, with a focus on enhancing the quality of transportation services in the national capital.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot emphasized the long-standing need for licensing and regulation of aggregators to ensure smoother operations for the people of Delhi.
Notably, this scheme is the first in India to define phase-wise electrification targets for operators, aligning with India’s goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
The scheme outlines a commitment to completely electrify the entire fleet of aggregators in Delhi by 2030. It also marks the introduction of bike taxis in the city.
Gahlot highlighted that the scheme aims to enhance public safety and convenience by providing guidelines on vehicle cleanliness, driver behaviour, and timely resolution of customer complaints.
To address environmental concerns, the scheme mandates a phased transition to electric mobility to combat air pollution and promote green mobility.
The Delhi government stated that aggregators will be permitted to operate electric vehicle-only bike taxi services, with operational guidelines specified in the scheme.
The scheme establishes stringent standards for service quality to enhance customer satisfaction. This includes requirements for vehicle cleanliness, driver behaviour, and prompt resolution of customer complaints. To ensure public safety, the scheme outlines compliances that operators must adhere to.
The scheme’s applicability extends to aggregators, delivery service providers, or e-commerce entities operating within the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Operators with 25 or more motor vehicles (2W, 3W, and 4W, excluding buses) in their fleet, utilizing a digital intermediary such as an app or web portal to connect with consumers, fall under the scheme’s purview.
Operators, both existing and new, are required to obtain a license within 90 days of the scheme’s notification or before commencing operations. Licenses will be valid for five years, with annual fees applicable. Electric vehicles will be exempt from fees, and a 50 per cent rebate is provided for vehicles under two years old.
The scheme emphasizes strict enforcement, with violations incurring monetary penalties ranging from Rs 5,000 up to Rs 1,00,000 per instance.
This comprehensive regulatory framework aligns with the Delhi government’s commitment to fostering sustainable and eco-friendly transportation solutions.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Alphabet Inc.’s Google has identified a significant increase in cyberattacks originating from China targeting Taiwan, according to cybersecurity experts.
In the past six months, the tech giant’s threat analysis division noted a “massive increase” in Chinese-sponsored hacking campaigns, with hackers adopting intricate tactics to obfuscate their origins.
Kate Morgan, a senior engineering manager at Google, highlighted that Chinese hackers are utilizing tactics that complicate tracking efforts.
These include infiltrating small home and office internet routers and repurposing them to launch attacks while concealing their true source.
Morgan revealed that Google is monitoring over 100 hacking groups in China alone, targeting various sectors in Taiwan, including defence, government, and private industry.
Concerns have risen globally over the potential for conflict in Taiwan, exacerbated by the strained relationship between the US and China. While the US does not formally recognize Taiwan as a nation, it has committed to assisting the island in defending itself against what it perceives as an increasingly aggressive China. China considers Taiwan a part of its territory.
Despite the tensions, outgoing Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen acknowledged during a summit that China currently appears “overwhelmed” to consider a major invasion of the island.
However, she emphasized Taiwan’s resilience and commitment to enhancing defence capabilities amid military intimidation, cyberattacks, and information manipulation.
Google’s findings come as part of its broader observations on global cybersecurity threats. Kate Morgan mentioned that North Korea and Iran continue to pose significant hacking threats, while Russia’s cyber focus has predominantly been on Ukraine since its invasion in February 2022.
In a move to address cybersecurity challenges, Google has launched a new cybersecurity centre in Malaga, Spain.
The “safety engineering centre” will house around 100 security experts, aiming to collaborate with European businesses and government officials to enhance cyber resilience on the continent.
Google already operates safety engineering centres in Dublin, Ireland, and Munich, Germany, focusing on various aspects of cybersecurity, content moderation, and privacy engineering.
Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs, cited Malaga’s pro-innovation policies and its digital profile as key reasons for choosing it as the location for the new hub.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Over the past decade, about 200 elephants lost their lives due to collisions with trains, posing a significant threat to both wildlife and railway operations.
In a bid to address the rising concern of elephant deaths in train collisions, Indian Railways has rolled out a groundbreaking, indigenously developed new technology called Gajraj Suraksha, that is aimed at preventing such tragic incidents.
Gajraj Suraksha, which is a kind of Intrusion Detection System or IDS, is based on an AI algorithm and claims to detect 99.5 per cent of potential collisions, providing a much-needed solution to this longstanding issue. What makes this system unique is that it primarily relies on OFCs or Optical Fibre cables for quick transmission of signals.
Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw announced plans to install these AI-powered systems in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Kerala, certain parts of Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu.
How does the Gajraj Suraksha Intrusion Detection System work?
Gajraj Suraksha senses pressure waves generated by the movement of elephants along the tracks. While explaining how exactly the mechanism works, officials revealed that as elephants move, the optical fibres detect vibrations caused by their footsteps.
These vibrations trigger signals within the optical fibre network, enabling the system to identify the presence of elephants up to 200 meters ahead of their arrival on the track.
The OFC-based Intrusion Detection System works by sending alarms to station masters whenever movement is detected along the tracks.
The network is designed in such a way that it can track the movement of the elephant with great accuracy and report it to nearby station masters. This allows them to promptly inform locomotive drivers in the affected areas.
This quick communication ensures that trains can be slowed down or stopped, preventing potential collisions with elephants.
Cost-effective, easy-to-deploy
One of the key advantages of this technology is its cost-effectiveness. On a vast network spanning 700 kilometres of railway tracks, the implementation cost is estimated at Rs 181 crores, making it a viable and scalable solution for Indian Railways. The Indian Railways plans to deploy this solution across all elephant corridors in the country in the next 8 months.
The Indian Railways has chosen the Northeast Frontier Railways to pilot this programme and implement this new, cutting-edge technology in some of the worst affected areas.
The system is being installed over a large area and is already fully operational along a specific stretch covering approximately 70 kilometres. Authorities believe that this proactive approach will significantly reduce the number of elephant casualties caused by train accidents in the region.
The introduction of this indigenous technology marks a significant step forward in the efforts to protect wildlife and enhance the safety of railway operations.
As India continues to grapple with the delicate balance between modern infrastructure and environmental conservation, innovations like the Gajraj Suraksha, showcase the potential for technology to mitigate the impact on the country’s rich biodiversity.
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NASA has drawn up plans to set up a permanent base on the Moon and is roping in France’s Thales Alenia Space and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to help them build it. This will be a key element in NASA’s Artemis mission.
The dream of establishing a permanent lunar base has been a recurring theme in science fiction, notably portrayed in iconic films like “2001: A Space Odyssey” and TV series like “Space: 1999.”
On November 23, Thales Alenia Space announced a contract with ASI to develop the Multi-Purpose Habitat (MPH), a crucial component of NASA’s Artemis program aimed at establishing a sustainable long-term human presence on the Moon. While specific costs and deployment timelines were not provided, the module is not expected to reach the lunar surface before the 2030s.
The MPH project marks a historic milestone as the first Italian habitation module designed to operate on the lunar surface. Franco Fenoglio, head of human planetary exploration and robotics programs at Thales Alenia Space, expressed pride in the company’s technical and organizational capabilities to overcome the challenges posed by such an endeavour.
The collaboration between NASA and ASI on this project began in 2020 with a joint statement of intent supporting the Artemis program. The initial agreement focused on developing crew habitation capabilities and related technologies for short-term lunar stays.
In June 2022, ASI signed an agreement with NASA to conduct a preliminary design of the module. The project achieved a significant milestone in October by passing NASA’s Element Initiation Review, leading ASI to assign Thales Alenia Space the responsibility of further developing the lunar base.
The MPH, as depicted in an image released by Thales Alenia Space, features a cylindrical design with telescopic legs and solar arrays. While details are limited, the pressurized module appears to be approximately 33 feet (10 meters) in length.
This lunar base will serve as a starting point for Artemis astronauts, enabling missions to conduct experimental science in the lunar environment, deploy and test new technologies, and investigate potential exploration risks. Additionally, it could lay the groundwork for NASA’s proposed lunar base camp, accommodating up to four astronauts at a time.
The next significant step for the project is the Mission Concept Review scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. This review is crucial for advancing to subsequent phases, focusing on developing critical technologies for extended lunar stays.
Thales Alenia Space’s responsibilities include forming an industrial consortium to move the project into its implementation phase. Notably, the company is also working on developing three pressurized modules for the Lunar Gateway, a planned space station orbiting the Moon.
While the project represents a small step, it is a crucial one, bringing us closer to realizing the lunar bases once confined to the realm of science fiction. This foundational multi-functional lunar habitat is a promising start toward humanity’s long-envisioned presence on the Moon.
(With input from agencies)
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The much-anticipated OnePlus 12 is set to be unveiled on December 5th, marking a significant milestone after the company’s 10th-anniversary celebration event.
Although the global and Indian launch is slated for January 24th, eager enthusiasts can expect the phone to hit the Chinese market first before making its way to international markets.
For a sneak peek into what’s in store, interested individuals are encouraged to explore the promotional microsite, particularly the dedicated section for the Indian market.
OnePlus 12’s images have already been made public on both the global and Indian editions of the OnePlus website. Upon visiting these pages, users are treated to an engaging promotional video that highlights the phone’s green variant, inspired by the beauty of nature.
As an added incentive for fans, the website prompts visitors to subscribe to the OnePlus 12 launch event, with the opportunity to win the phone itself or other upcoming products from the company. Positioned alongside the Subscribe button is a link to the Terms and Conditions, providing crucial details for those interested in participating.
For a closer look at the campaign duration, users can explore the oneplus.com/uk page. Clicking on the Terms and Conditions link redirects to a new page, disclosing that the campaign will run from November 27, 2023, to January 23, 2024.
A few key details also crop up when you go through the Indian website, oneplus.com/in. The campaign concludes a day before the much-anticipated OnePlus 12 launch event. This insightful detail provides a clear indication of the highly awaited launch date.
As for the rumoured and some of the confirmed specs of the upcoming OnePlus flagship, it will feature a 6.82-inch 2K LTPO BOE X1 OLED screen, promising an immersive visual experience.
Camera enthusiasts can look forward to a potential 32MP front shooter and a triple-camera setup on the back featuring 50MP+50MP+64MP lenses. The cameras, again, have been fine-tuned by Hasselblad. The OnePlus 12 will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, coupled with up to 24GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
Keeping everything running smoothly is a robust 5,400mAh battery, supporting 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging for added convenience. Tech enthusiasts and OnePlus fans alike eagerly await the official unveiling, counting down the days until December 5th.
As for the colours, the device is likely to be available in a bunch of colors, including green, black, and white.
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NASA is set to train an Indian astronaut for an upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by the close of 2024, as announced by Bill Nelson, the administrator of the US space agency, during his visit to Delhi. Emphasizing India’s potential as a “great future partner,” Nelson expressed the United States’ openness to cooperating on the development of an Indian Space Station.
During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister [Prime Minister’s Name], the call for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists to establish an Indian Space Station by 2035 and to send an Indian astronaut to the moon by 2040 was reiterated. Nelson indicated that the US plans to de-orbit its space station in 2031 and anticipates the presence of commercial space stations by then. He affirmed the US’s willingness to provide counsel or collaboration if India seeks assistance.
Nelson highlighted the NISAR satellite program as another significant outcome of the India-US collaboration, scheduled for launch in the first quarter of 2024. According to the agreement between the two space agencies, NASA will assist in training an Indian astronaut, selected by ISRO, who will embark on the ISS mission by the end of 2024. The selected astronaut is likely to be chosen from the pool of four individuals who have undergone basic space astronaut training in preparation for the Gaganyaan mission.
The specifics of the two-week-long mission’s science objectives will be determined by India, as Nelson stressed the importance of the Indian astronaut having the autonomy to focus on scientific research that aligns with India’s priorities.
Following a meeting between Nelson and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, a joint working group comprising representatives from both space agencies is exploring collaboration on various fronts, including radiation impact studies, micro-meteorite and orbital debris shield studies, and space health and medicine aspects. An implementing arrangement for ISRO-NASA collaborations has been established and is currently undergoing inter-governmental approvals, as per a statement from the Department of Space.
(With inputs from agencies)
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The government of India is planning to add friction in the way first-time online transitions are done between two parties, in order to combat online payment frauds.
In a move aimed at curbing the surge in online payment frauds, the government is considering the introduction of a minimum time limit for the first transaction between two individuals, particularly for amounts exceeding Rs 2,000, as per a report by the Indian Express.
One way using which friction could be introduced in this process is by introducing a four-hour window for the initial transaction to be realised and settled in full between two users in digital payments, when they make a transaction for the first time
While this measure may introduce some friction in digital payments, officials argue that it is necessary to address cybersecurity concerns. If implemented, the regulation could cover various digital payment methods, including Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS), and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
The intended approach is not solely to delay or restrict the first transaction upon account creation, as is already the case in some digital payment methods. Instead, the plan seeks to regulate every first transaction between two users, regardless of their independent transaction history.
Presently, when a user establishes a new UPI account, they can send a maximum of Rs 5,000 within the first 24 hours. Similarly, in the case of National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), following the activation of a beneficiary, up to Rs 50,000 (in full or parts) can be transferred in the initial 24 hours.
Under the proposed plan, a four-hour time limit would apply whenever a user initiates the first payment over Rs 2,000 to another user with whom they have never transacted before.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated, “We are looking to add a time limit of four hours for first-time digital transactions over Rs 2,000. The discussion will be taken up during a meeting on Tuesday with government and industry stakeholders, including the Reserve Bank of India, various public and private sector banks, and tech companies like Google and Razorpay.”
How it will work is that users will have four hours after making a payment to someone for the first time to reverse or modify the payment. It will be along the lines of NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) where the transaction happens within a few hours.
The move comes in response to a rise in fraud cases, particularly in digital payments, with banks witnessing the highest number of frauds in this category during the financial year 2022-23, as per the RBI Annual Report.
The meeting on November 28 will discuss digital payment frauds, financial crimes, and cybersecurity measures needed to counter these activities.
(With input from agencies)
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India’s mobile phone manufacturing sector has experienced a remarkable surge from a negligible presence to a substantial $44 billion today, with approximately $11 billion worth of these handsets being exported, announced Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, on Monday.
Reflecting on the evolution over the past decade, Vaishnaw emphasized the significant expansion of electronics manufacturing in the country.
Following a tour of Tata Electronics’ iPhone casings factory in Hosur, he noted, “Ten years ago, electronics manufacturing was a very small activity in our country. Today, the magnitude of electronics manufacturing is worth 8.5 lakh crore in the country.”
Highlighting India’s ascent up the value chain, Vaishnaw underscored the diverse array of parts, components, and sub-assemblies now manufactured within the country.
Over the past eight and a half years, India has positioned itself to take a lead role in exports within the electronics industry, according to the minister.
A decade ago, a staggering 98 per cent of mobile phones used in India were imported, but today, an impressive 99.2 per cent of mobile phones are made in India, a testament to the success of the Make in India initiative, Vaishnaw revealed.
The minister also commended the progress in the semiconductor industry, citing the launch of the India Semiconductor Mission on January 1, 2022. Notably, Micron Technology has initiated the construction of the country’s first chip manufacturing plant as part of this mission.
With around 250,000 people directly employed in the mobile phone industry, India is witnessing a substantial boost in employment opportunities.
Vaishnaw discussed the recent Tata takeover of Taiwanese company Wistron’s iPhone assembly plant in Karnataka’s Kolar district, highlighting the precision and technological advancements involved.
Furthermore, he shared that 27 companies have received approval under the production-linked incentive 2.0 scheme for IT hardware, with at least 23 of them already operational.
The minister expressed confidence that every aspect of the electronics value chain, including PCs, mobile phones, power electronics, servers, and laptops, will soon be manufactured in India.
(With input from agencies)
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In a groundbreaking move, Agnikul Cosmos, an aerospace startup based in Chennai specialising in the development of satellite launch vehicles, is set to launch its inaugural flight with the world’s first 3D-printed engine before the close of this year, according to a report by the Economic Times.
The upcoming mission serves as a technological demonstrator, and is supposed to emulate Agnikul’s planned orbital launch — the first commercial launch anticipated in 2024 — but on a smaller scale.
“We are looking to launch by the end of the year. One test is pending, which will be conducted on our campus at IIT-Madras. Once the final reviews with ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) are complete, we are good to go as the launch vehicle is already at the launch pad,” stated Chief Executive Srinath Ravichandran told reporters. “This isn’t a sounding rocket and is a complex machine, so we want to get it right in the first attempt.”
Should the mission prove successful, the startup, incubated at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras campus, will become India’s second private company to develop a small satellite launch vehicle. The first, Skyroot Aerospace, launched the Vikram S in November 2022.
Ravichandran highlighted a key distinction between Agnikul’s rocket, Agnibaan, and the Vikram S. While the Vikram S was a sounding rocket launched from guide rails, Agnibaan would lift off vertically, following a predetermined trajectory and executing precisely orchestrated manoeuvres during flight.
Agnibaan SOrTeD (SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator) is a highly customizable, single-stage launch vehicle capable of carrying up to 300 kg payload to orbits around 700 km above the ground (basically into the low Earth orbits). Anirban follows a plug-and-play configuration, adapting to the size of the satellite taken to space.
One of the biggest differences comes in the propellant system that Agnikul is using and how they resize their launch vehicles. Because they offer customisable sizes of launch vehicles, they can configure the vehicle for a particular payload size or satellite size. Furthermore, liquid propellants, used in Agnikul’s rocket, are reusable and safer compared to solid propellants.
Agnikul’s patented Agnilet engine stands as the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed engine, designed and manufactured entirely in India. Successfully test-fired in early 2021, this achievement marked a significant milestone for 3D printing technology in India, which traditionally have been reserved for medical implants.
The integration process of the launch vehicle, located at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, with the company’s private launchpad, was completed on August 15.
Agnikul’s customer base encompasses entities building small satellites aiming for a low Earth orbit, with payloads mainly consisting of communication and imaging satellites.
The Agnikul 3D printing Rocket Factory houses a metal 3D printer from EOS, along with other machines facilitating end-to-end manufacturing of a rocket engine within a single facility.
(With input from agencies)
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Pros:
– Solid performance thanks to the CPU and GPU package
– Solid performance for the price
– No non-sense design
– Improved cooling design
– Bang & Olufsen speakers
– Solid build quality
– High refresh rate display
– Pretty solid selection and positioning of ports
Cons:
– Battery life
– Fans can get a little loud
– Materials used are a fingerprint magnet
– 1080P display could have used with more contrast
– Can be a bit cumbersome to carry around
– Missing an SD card reader
Price: Rs 1,34,999/- Rating: 4/5
Many people tend to assume that gaming hardware always comes with a hefty price tag. HP’s Omen Lineup, however, defies this stereotype in a refreshing manner. The Omen series of gaming laptops, in essence, offers a solution that gets the job done without unnecessary frills and the typical drawbacks associated with traditional gaming laptops.
Enter the HP Omen 16, a standout in the Omen lineup that embodies all the qualities one seeks in a budget-friendly gaming laptop — an impressive performance, robust build quality, and a reasonable price point that won’t obliterate your bank balance. In a nutshell, this machine stands out as an exceptional piece of hardware, appealing not only to casual users but also to seasoned gamers who are more than willing to make it their daily driver.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
What sets the Omen 16 apart is not just its performance and affordability, but also its thoughtful design. HP has struck a perfect balance by incorporating RGB elements into the keyboard rather than saturating the entire body with flashy lights. This design choice allows the laptop to seamlessly transition from a hardcore gaming session to a serious, no-nonsense boardroom meeting.
The subtlety and refinement in the aesthetics of the Omen 16 set it apart from the crowd, a quality that many gaming laptops attempt to emulate but seldom achieve.
In our review of the latest addition to the Omen lineup, we delve into what makes the HP Omen 16 the go-to gaming laptop worth investing your hard-earned money in if you’re currently in the market for one.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review: Specs and features
Our test unit of the HP Omen 16 was powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU. The system came equipped with a dual-channel configuration of 16GB DDR5 RAM (2x16GB) running at a speedy 5600MHz.
In terms of graphics, our testing model was outfitted with the laptop version of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, boasting 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM for robust graphics performance.
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The display on our unit featured a 16.1-inch FHD (1920X1080) IPS micro-edge display, with an impressive refresh rate of 165Hz and support for Low Blue Light, aiming to alleviate eye strain during extended use.
For storage, our unit was equipped with a 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 SSD, providing ample and high-speed storage capacity. In terms of connectivity, users had access to two USB-C ports with a 10Gbps signalling rate, one of which supports DisplayPort 1.4a. Additionally, there were two USB Type-A ports with a 5Gbps signalling rate, an HDMI 2.1 port, an RJ-45 Ethernet port, a headphone/mic combo jack, and an AC smart pin. Wireless connectivity options included WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
The battery on our unit boasted an impressive capacity of 83Whr, and it could be charged using one of the USB-C ports or the proprietary connector, providing flexibility for users on the go.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review: Design and build quality
The design philosophy behind the HP Omen 16 2023 is aptly described as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” HP has crafted most of the laptop using a pretty solid grade of plastic that doesn’t feel cheap at all. Only the top lid is made using aluminium. The unit we tested came in the Shadow Black colour, and it looked premium and sophisticated. With the RGB lighting on the keyboard turned off, the laptop becomes very stealthy and seamlessly blends into a professional corporate setting.
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Despite its unassuming aesthetics, the HP Omen 16 reveals just how capable it is as a machine, thanks to the array of vents at both the sides and the bottom of the laptop. Although HP is using a new design of larger and more squarish air vents for better cooling performance, it has been done in a very aesthetic manner. You also get a set of vents under the chassis.
The plastic top lid has some flex but it is minimal. Bezels are again, thin, but not the thinnest by any margin. The lid comes with this really cool-looking chrome-finished OMEN logo that looks awesome when light hits it in a certain way. The hinge that HP has used for the Omen is again, pretty solid. The lid can be effortlessly opened with one hand and we don’t get to see any unnecessary wobbling. Thin bezels surround the screen on the left, and right edges, with a slightly thicker bezel at the top and an even thicker one at the bottom, proudly showcasing the Omen logo.
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The Omen 16 stands out for its excellent port selection, strategically distributed across all edges of the machine. At the rear, you’ll find a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, Ethernet, the power jack, and a lone USB-A port—arranged thoughtfully to keep the bulkier cables neatly routed away from the laptop’s immediate workspace.
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On the left side, you’ll discover two USB-C ports, with one supporting USB power delivery, alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack. Meanwhile, on the right side toward the back, there’s a discreetly positioned USB-A port, ensuring it stays unobtrusive, especially for users employing an external mouse. This thoughtful layout enhances the overall user experience, providing convenient access to a versatile range of ports without cluttering any particular side of the laptop.
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Built like a tank with a weight exceeding 2.32 kilograms, the Omen 16 may seem hefty at first. However, considering the robust specifications and the necessary cooling system housed within, the weight becomes more justified and less burdensome.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review: Keyboard and trackpad
The keyboard on the Omen 16, has a pretty good travel distance and feels mushy at first, but it is very comfortable to work with and provides a pretty easy and enjoyable typing experience. The keycaps are well-sized and spaced, although, we do miss a number pad. And although the key presses and switch actuation are average, it certainly is better than what we have seen on many laptops that cost more than this.
The Omen 16 features four-zone key lighting, with one of the zones dedicated to the crucial WASD keys. The Light Studio, where users can customize this dynamic lighting setup, is conveniently located in the Omen Game Hub—a user-friendly interface that puts control over the keyboard lighting right at your fingertips. The keyboard comes with 26-key rollover anti-ghosting.
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While the HP Omen 16 is undeniably a gaming laptop, it surprises with a generously sized trackpad. Positioned towards the left side to allow comfortable typing, this design choice frees up extra space on the right.
The trackpad itself is pretty accurate and easy to use, delivering excellent tracking and abd palm rejection sensitivity. It proves suitable for everyday tasks, though gamers inclined towards precision may opt for an external mouse, minimizing the importance of any minor trackpad considerations.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review: Webcam and speakers
The webcam is housed on the top bezel of the display. We get a 1080P FHD webcam with IR and a physical shutter for security and privacy.
The camera on the device captures images and videos that are more than satisfactory for essential tasks. However, if you have aspirations of streaming while gaming, you might want to consider investing in a separate camera for enhanced quality.
The built-in camera is quite adept in reproducing colours as a typical camera in a laptop and performs well even in challenging lighting conditions. It’s more than sufficient for your typical video conferencing needs. Additionally, the device features an integrated array of dual digital microphones equipped with temporal noise reduction, ensuring clear audio during your virtual meetings and conversations.
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The speakers from Bang & Olufsen deliver an expansive sound characterized by good stereo dispersion, albeit with a noticeable bias towards higher volume on the left side. Strategically placed towards the front, just beneath the display, the sound emanates directly or reflects off the screen for an immersive experience.
While the bass lacks a certain punch, the overall audio quality provides a pleasant experience across various media—be it music, films, games, or vocals. It’s not exceptional, but it’s certainly decent.
The speakers demonstrate a well-balanced output, achieving noteworthy volume levels without distortion. Even at 70 per cent volume, the sound is loud enough to easily fill a room.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review:Display
The display on our test unit was a 16.1-inch FHD (1920X1080) IPS micro-edge display, with a refresh rate of 165Hz, with 7ms of response time and support for Low Blue Light to reduce the strain on your eyes.
Although the resolution may not be exceptionally high, the high refresh rate more thank makes it up and suits the laptop for what it is meant to do — gaming. And because this is a gaming laptop, the 16:10 aspect ratio doesn’t seem that weird.
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The image quality-wise, the display truly bring colours to life. It covers 100 per cent of the sRGB colour space. With excellent brightness and colour reproduction, this display appears to have everything one could desire in a gaming display.
However, even for an LCD panel, the display isn’t that bright and is rated at 300 nits. Having said that, the colours are still vibrant, with impressive contrast levels.
Content consumption is still great, games look really good, but not to an extent that you will be blown avail. The focus is really on gaming and not on sitting back and enjoying the visuals of an environment-rich game like Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review:Performance: Productivity and Gaming
The Omen 16 AMD showcases an impressive hardware setup, powered by the formidable AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU boasting 8 cores, 16 threads, and a maximum boost clock of 5.1 GHz. Accompanying this powerhouse is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM.
This configuration allows the laptop to strike a balance between performance, maintaining coolness during lighter workloads, and preserving graphic functionality when running on battery power or in eco mode.
We also get the Omen Gaming Hub provides control over the keyboard’s RGB, temperature and also allows resource utilization monitoring, fan curve customization for improved cooling, and the ability to switch between performance modes for enhanced efficiency and longer battery life.
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The overall performance of the Omen 16 is nothing short of exceptional. The Ryzen 7 7840HS CPU excels in both single-threaded and multithreaded workloads, as demonstrated by outstanding results in benchmark tests. The RTX 4060’s healthy 145W TGP allows it ample room for optimal performance.
The effectiveness of the package is enhanced by HP’s designed cooling solution, the Therman First Trunk Design, featuring larger fans for increased airflow and improved heat dissipation efficiency. HP’s optimization of the cooling mechanism, which includes a 15 per cent reduction in fin length, contributes to the laptop’s ability to stay cool even during prolonged gaming sessions or benchmark runs.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
Practically, the laptop maintains cool temperatures, even during demanding tasks, as observed in a half-hour gaming session. While the fan’s volume is noticeable at maximum speeds, the laptop’s surfaces, including the area around the keyboard housing the GPU and CPU, remain cool. However, areas near the vent can become considerably warm, especially towards the back and the bottom of the laptop.
Benchmarks further emphasize the Omen 16’s outstanding performance. In 3DMark’s Time Spy test, the laptop achieved a score of 10,440. Cinebench R23 yielded a single-core score of 1,684 and a multicore score of 16,016. PCMark10’s overall score stood at 7,410, while in Crossmark, the laptop achieved an Overall score of 1.560, a Productivity score of 1.545, Creativity score of 1,668, and a Responsiveness score of 1,215. In Geekbench6, a single-core score of 2,498 and multi-core score of 11,218 were recorded.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
Gaming performance is equally impressive, with titles like Red Dead Redemption II, Forza Horizon 5, Cyberpunk 2077, Far Cry 6, GTA V, Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, and Valorant running smoothly at the highest presets, 1920X1080 resolution, and ray tracing off.
In 1080p, we got some pretty solid framerates, with averages of 70 fps in Red Dead Redemption II, 103 fps in Forza Horizon 5, 67 in Cyberpunk 2077, 98 fps in Far Cry 6, 121 in GTA V, 92 fps in Call of Duty Warzone 2.0, and 310 fps in Valorant.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review: Battery
The Omen 16 comes with a pretty sizeable battery pack. It has a 6-cell, 83W/hr battery, and that supports fast charge. The Omen 16 comes with a pretty sizeable battery pack. It has a 6-cell, 83W/hr battery, and that supports fast charge. However, as expected from a gaming laptop, The Omen 16 doesn’t excel in the battery life department, and has a rather mediocre battery life.
On an average day of work, which consisted of a ton of writing, some photo editing, and quite a bit of content consumption on YouTube and Netflix, we got about 5 hours of usage at about 65 per cent screen brightness.
During our extended battery testing, where we play a 4K Video on YouTube on 75 per cent brightness and 50 per cent volume, the Omen 16 lasted just over 2.5 hours. As with all the serious, hardcore gaming laptops that we have tried, battery life isn’t a strong suit for the Omen 16.
While the Omen 16 doesn’t rank as the worst in terms of battery life, there is room for improvement, and HP could enhance the machine’s longevity when operating on battery power. Fortunately, the Omen Gaming Hub offers a setting that allows users to automatically switch to Eco mode upon disconnecting the charger, although we kept that setting off.
HP Omen 16 AMD 2023 Review: Verdict
The HP Omen 16 AMD faces some really tough competition from its competitors. However, it has one major advantage up its sleeve — its price.
Priced at Rs 1,39,999, the HP Omen 16 comes with a CPU and GPU package that performs really well, especially when you consider that most other gaming laptops at this price point are either using the previous gen RTX 3000 series, or have nerfed the RTX 4000 GPUs by giving it way less headroom for power and thermals.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Mehul Reuben Das
HP has been very strategic about some of the compromises it made to keep the price tag of Omen 16 under check, and while there are areas that could see improvement—such as a brighter screen and limited battery life, even when using integrated graphics—the Omen impresses where it matters most for gamers.
The combination of a powerful processor and GPU delivers remarkable gaming performance. Additionally, the high-refresh display ensures smooth and detailed graphics, offering a competitive edge for gamers.
Despite its drawbacks, the Omen 16 manages to deliver on the essentials, making it a solid choice for those seeking an affordable yet potent gaming experience.
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Consumers in the European Union (EU) might experience higher prices to fund enhanced rights for gig workers, but this won’t jeopardize the industry’s business model, according to Nicolas Schmit, the EU’s Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.
In discussions around a potential directive, which, if passed, would compel ride-sharing and delivery companies like Uber and Deliveroo to provide greater social protections to workers on their platforms, EU officials estimate that service prices, such as those for Uber, could surge by up to 40 per cent.
Schmit expressed confidence that consumers would accept the price hikes if it meant improved conditions for gig workers. He emphasised the necessity for a balance between the interests of consumers and service providers in the economy, stating that there is a cost that “has to be paid” to ensure fair worker rights.
The directive, currently under debate by the European Parliament, member states, and the European Commission, is expected to reach its final phase by the end of November.
Addressing concerns raised by Anabel DÃaz, head of Uber’s mobility division in Europe, who warned of potential shutdowns in hundreds of EU cities if prices rose significantly, Schmit dismissed the notion that better worker protection would kill the industry’s model.
He likened Uber’s argument to historical instances of scaremongering, emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt rather than threatening legislative bodies.
Schmit referred to ongoing court cases in Europe as evidence of the need for a new directive to provide clarity for businesses.
He pointed out that the UK’s recent Supreme Court ruling on Deliveroo riders and the 2021 UK court ruling designating Uber drivers as “workers” highlight the lack of clarity in the gig economy.
The proposed directive aims to clarify the status of platform workers, allowing them to remain self-employed without being considered “bogus self-employed.”
(With input from agencies)
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Google is placing some major bets on Indian startup CoRover, and believes it to be India’s answer to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. That is why, the tech giant is set to invest about $4 million in CoRover.
CoRover is the Indian AI studio behind BharatGPT, an LLM-based AI solution that has proven to be much more capable than ChatGPT, and supports a number of Indic languages.
Earlier this year, CoRover unveiled BharatGPT, a significant addition to a body of large language models or LLMs.
This innovative language model supports more than 12 Indian languages and over 120 foreign languages, surpassing the language range of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which is limited to 95 languages and primarily operates in English.
What sets BharatGPT apart is its versatility, as it can process diverse data formats, including images, audio, video, and maps, unlike ChatGPT, which predominantly handles text.
CoRover emphasizes that BharatGPT boasts an impressive accuracy level of 90 per cent. Leveraging a vast repository of internet data as its foundation, BharatGPT offers the flexibility to fine-tune and enhance its content.
This adaptability allows the system to incorporate contextually relevant information based on factors such as region, sector, domain, client, business, and specific use cases, ensuring that users receive current and pertinent information in response to queries.
In a blog post, CoRover highlights BharatGPT’s ability to integrate with custom knowledge bases, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, as well as Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for real-time transactions.
This latest offering from CoRover provides organizations with the capability to build and manage chatbots across communication channels.
CoRover currently extends its AI virtual assistant services to prominent organizations such as IRCTC, LIC, Max Life Insurance, NPCI, and the Government of India, catering to over one billion users.
Moreover, in a notable development, Google is reportedly on the verge of investing approximately $4 million in CoRover, marking another significant milestone in the growth of the Indian conversational artificial intelligence startup. Following a non-equity funding of $500,000 earlier this year, discussions are underway for a $4 million equity investment after the official launch of BharatGPT. As a strategic partner, Google offers cloud computing credits to CoRover, and the additional funds are intended to scale up BharatGPT in the coming weeks.
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In a significant move, Tata Electronics, a part of the Tata Group, is set to amplify its iPhone-casing facility in Hosur, with intentions to double its current size, according to a report by the Economic Times, quoting sources familiar with the matter.
The company, which recently acquired Wistron’s iPhone assembly plant in Karnataka, is strategically positioning itself to enhance its contract manufacturing capabilities for premium electronic devices and accessories.
The existing Hosur unit, established with a substantial investment of Rs 5,000 crore, is spread across 500 acres and accommodates over 15,000 employees. The proposed expansion, anticipated to conclude within 12-18 months, could result in a workforce surge to approximately 25,000-28,000 individuals at the consolidated site.
The report quotes a senior government official saying, “The company is looking to expand the unit to 1.5-2 times the current size and capacity.” While speculations suggest the new facility may primarily focus on manufacturing components for Apple phones, there is also a possibility of catering to other high-end smartphone manufacturers.
Industry insiders have believed for long that Tata Electronics is planning to establish a major plant in Hosur, emphasising its commitment to manufacturing phone components, potentially aligning with Apple’s ambitious export targets from India.
Tata Electronics, being the sole Indian company shortlisted by Apple as a vendor, is playing a pivotal role in diversifying Apple’s manufacturing operations away from China, particularly in the production of iPhone enclosures.
This expansion aligns seamlessly with Apple’s overarching strategy to bolster smartphone manufacturing within India.
The Cupertino-based tech giant has steadily increased its reliance on Tata Electronics to meet the escalating demand for iPhone exports. Notably, in the second quarter of this year, Apple surpassed Samsung to become the leading smartphone exporter from India, commanding 49 per cent of the country’s total shipments compared to its Korean counterpart’s 45 per cent.
The latest estimates indicate that Apple has exported iPhones worth over $5 billion in the first seven months of FY24 (April-October) from India, marking a remarkable year-on-year growth of 177 per cent. This underscores the mutually beneficial partnership between Tata Electronics and Apple, further solidifying India’s role in global smartphone manufacturing.
(With input from agencies)
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In response to growing concerns and public outcry surrounding a series of deepfake videos circulating on social media, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced today that the Central government plans to appoint an official to tackle the issue.
Following discussions with representatives from social media companies, the minister revealed that a designated Rule Seven officer would be tasked with taking action against the dissemination of deepfake content.
#WATCH | On Deep fake issue, MoS Electronics & Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar says, “Today we had a very longish meeting with all of the important players on the Internet, the Internet intermediaries. And we have raised the issue of Deep Fakes with them… I reminded them that… pic.twitter.com/m8UHlVwXRI
Said Minister Chandrasekhar, “Today we had a very longish meeting with all of the important players on the Internet, the Internet intermediaries. And we have raised the issue of deepfakes with them. I reminded them that way back from October 2022, the government of India has been alerting them to the threat of misinformation and deepfakes, which are part of misinformation.”
He added, “The intermediaries today all agreed that the current IT rules under the IT Act provide for adequate compliance requirements on their part to deal with Deep Fake, even as we speak to future regulations and a future law, which is certainly required, given that our IT Act is 23 years old. It was emphasized to them again, to which they have agreed that the current law and the current act and the current rules provide for compliance requirements by the platforms on misinformation, patently false information and Deep Fakes. This has been agreed to by the platforms.”
Chandrasekhar emphasized that social media platforms have been given a seven-day deadline to align their terms of use with the existing IT rules. Additionally, he stated that the government would provide assistance to citizens in filing First Information Reports (FIR) against social media companies.
He added, “As far as harms are concerned, that includes Deep Fakes and also includes CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) also includes various other categories of content that are prohibited on the Indian Internet”
Underlining the seriousness of the matter, the minister explained that FIRs would be registered against intermediaries. If these intermediaries disclose the origin details of the content, legal action would then be taken against the entities responsible for posting the deepfake material.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued an advisory to social media platforms, highlighting the legal provisions and potential penalties associated with the creation and dissemination of deepfakes. Chandrasekhar asserted that online platforms have a “legal obligation” to promptly remove misinformation within 36 hours of reporting and to disable access to such content, as stipulated by the IT Rules 2021.
The minister concluded by reiterating the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and trust of Indian citizens in the digital space. Notably, the Central government has declared that the creation and circulation of deepfakes could result in a significant penalty, including a fine of ₹1 lakh and a potential three-year jail term.
(With input from agencies)
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The festive sales are over but the hangover still remains. While the prices of several phones are back to their usual number, there are still some interesting deals available for you to choose from. We found a couple such deals under 40K this time. Discounts or no discounts, we have chosen phones with premium features like flagship-grade processors, high-quality cameras with OIS, high refresh rate AMOLED displays and more. Here are the best smartphones you can buy under Rs 40,000 at this moment.
Best phones to buy under Rs 40,000 in India
Realme GT 2 Pro
The Realme GT 2 Pro is selling for probably its lowest price ever. The Realme flagship offers some great features and performance, and can be purchased under 35K at the moment, and that too its top variant. This phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 SoC and is accompanied by 12 GB RAM and 256 GB internal storage. The design is quite soothing, thanks to its paper-like biopolymer back.
Another striking feature of this phone is its 6.7-inch QHD+ 10-bit LTPO 2.0 AMOLED display with an adaptive refresh rate ranging between 1 to 120 Hz and 1400 nits peak brightness. The HDR10+ compliant display is protected against scratches by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. The Realme GT 2 Pro launched with Android 12 and Realme UI 3.0, and an Android 13 update is now available with Realme UI 4.0.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Ameya Dalvi
The rear camera department here flaunts two 50MP cameras – the primary with OIS and an ultra-wide camera, that do an excellent job in different modes and lighting. A 3MP micro camera is quite unique and provides 20X to 40X magnification. The 32MP front camera will certainly impress the selfie enthusiasts. A 5000 mAh battery keeps the phone running for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 65W SuperDart charger juices it fully in just 37 minutes.
OnePlus 11R 5G
We now move on to the OnePlus duo that managed to retain their place in our lineup. The OnePlus 11R 5G may not have all the frills of the more premium OnePlus 11 5G, but borrows a lot of goodness from it including the design, at a lot more affordable price point. This stylish phone has a 6.74-inch curved Fluid AMOLED display with a higher than Full HD resolution of 2772 x 1240 pixels. The HDR10+ compliant screen supports 10-bit colour depth, 120 Hz refresh rate and can get up to 1450 nits bright.
Image Credit: OnePlus
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, does a very good job. 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 lasts for a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 100W charger promises to juice it up fully in just 25 minutes. The phone runs OxygenOS 13 based on Android 13 and one can expect several OS and security updates going ahead.
OnePlus Nord 3 5G
The OnePlus Nord 3 5G may not necessarily be better than the 11R 5G but doesn’t lag far behind either. 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 UFS 3.1 internal storage. The phone is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 9000 SoC that is about 10% less powerful than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip in benchmarks.
You get a similar-sized display here but a flat one instead of curved one. It has the exact resolution, refresh rate, peak brightness figures as well as HDR10+ compliance. 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.
Image Credit: OnePlus
The camera department on the Nord 3 5G is also quite similar to the 11R. 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 located in a punch-hole 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.
iQOO Neo 7 Pro 5G
The iQOO Neo 7 Pro 5G is another powerful phone with a solid camera and ample storage that will appeal to the gamers too. It is powered by Qualcomm’s former flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip, and you can get its 12 GB RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.1 internal storage variant well under 40K. Its 6.78-inch HDR10+ compliant Full HD+ AMOLED display has 120 Hz refresh rate, 1300 nits peak brightness and can display a billion colour shades. The phone runs Android 13 with FunTouch OS 13.
Image Credit: iQOO
The rear camera department here is similar to that of the OnePlus phones with a 50MP primary camera with OIS, accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide shooter and a 13MP macro camera. The 16MP front camera is more than decent for selfies and video calls. The iQOO Neo 7 Pro 5G has a 5000 mAh battery that can last close to a day and a half of moderate use, and the bundled 120W fast charger claims to charge half of it in just 8 minutes and fully in 25 minutes.
Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G holds on to its spot again, and is now available for an even better price; probably its lowest ever. 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, 120 Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection against scratches. It is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2100 chip which is still fairly powerful.
You can get its 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage variant under 32K currently. The phone launched with Android 12, and is upgradeable to Android 13 with Samsung’s One UI 5.x. 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.
Image Credit: Samsung
Photography department on the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is handled by three cameras at the back starting with a 12MP primary camera with OIS, a 12MP ultra-wide snapper 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 commendable low light performance as well.
Pros:
– Good picture quality overall (except in Dolby Vision content)
– Close to natural colours in SDR content
– Google TV with clean UI
– Access to picture settings on the fly
– Dual-band WiFi
– Decent sound output
Cons:
– Erratic Dolby Vision output
– Lacks HDMI 2.1 ports
– No analogue audio output
– Ports are hard to reach
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Price: Rs 32,999
Around this time last year, we reviewed a budget QLED TV from Thomson and quite liked most of what it offered for a modest asking price. Cut to the present, we now have a newly released standard LED TV from the company that has a lot in common with the QLED model, except the Quantum Dot film, and is even more affordable. But does it truly address a substantial need gap? After having used the 55-inch variant from the Thomson OP Max series for a couple of weeks, it is time to answer the question and tell you if it’s worth buying.
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – Design and connectivity: 7/10
Just like its QLED cousin and most TVs these days, the OP Max also sports a near bezel-less design on three sides. The bottom bezel is relatively thicker and has a small chin that hosts the power LED. The connectivity ports are placed closer to the centre of the TV rather than near the edge, making them hard to access once you wall mount it. It is a common design flaw in several budget TVs.
Image Credit: Thomson
The TV can be wall-mounted or placed on a desk using the bundled mount or the metal stands respectively. The stands feel sturdy and hold the TV firmly in place without a wobble. You get a compact voice-enabled remote in the package. It is fairly uncluttered with only a handful of keys and a few hotkeys. The necessary screws and a pair of AAA batteries are present in the package.
The connectivity department has the basics covered, barring one. You get three HDMI ports, one of which supports ARC. Still no HDMI 2.1 ports on Thomson TVs. In addition to that, you have two USB 2.0 ports, Optical audio out, A/V input and a LAN port. Analogue audio output like a 3.5 mm headphone jack or a coaxial A/V port remains absent just like in the case of its QLED variant. Wireless connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band WiFi with support for 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks.
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – Features and specifications: 7/10
This Thomson LED TV has a 55-inch IPS panel with an Ultra HD resolution of 3840X2160 pixels and a 60 Hz refresh rate. The viewing angles are good and the peak brightness is rated at 500 nits. It claims to support HDR10/10+ as well as Dolby Vision. It also offers 10-bit colour depth and can display over a billion colour shades. The marketing material of the TV talks about the use of some TQLED technology; it doesn’t mean anything and has nothing to do with QLED.
Image Credit: Thomson
This TV is powered by a quad-core processor with four Cortex A53 cores clocked at 1.5 GHz. You get 2 GB RAM and 16 GB of internal storage, a chunk of which is taken up by the Google TV OS and a few preinstalled apps. You are left with about 10 GB for installing more apps. Sound output is rated at 40 Watts RMS with support for Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS TruSurround. Like all Android/Google TVs, it has Chromecast built-in and lets you cast content to the TV from compatible apps on your smartphone or tablet.
The wireless remote control bundled with this TV is Bluetooth-enabled. After pairing it with the TV, you can bring up the Google Assistant by keeping the corresponding button pressed and issue voice commands. It works well without much delay. The key layout is fine and most of the necessary buttons are present. You also get hotkeys for Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube. The finish and build quality are acceptable for the segment.
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – User interface: 8/10
The Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 runs the latest Google TV based on Android 11 for TV. The UI is quite polished and assigns a higher weightage to content discovery rather than installed apps. It shows you suggested content from various OTT platforms which the AI believes would interest you. Their subscriptions need to be purchased separately though. Suggestions do feel random at the start but get better over time as it learns your taste.
Google Play Store is available here to download a lot more apps if needed. There isn’t too much bloatware on this TV, which is good. A dedicated settings button on the remote gives you access to picture and other settings of the TV on the fly irrespective of the app or input in use. The UI is fairly simple and the learning curve isn’t steep even for someone new to smart TVs.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Ameya Dalvi
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – Picture quality: 6.5/10
The colour reproduction of this TV is quite good when watching SDR content. The picture is tuned well out of the box. But you can always play around with multiple picture settings available here to make it look a little better. You get quite a few options ranging from the usual brightness, contrast, and sharpness settings to adjustments for gamma, colour temperature, white balance and more. In case you don’t want to bother with the tweaks, the Standard preset does a good job most of the time with normal colour temperature.
The contrast is good (after switching off all the auto contrast settings) with details in dark areas in high contrast scenes in our test videos clearly visible. But one can notice a bit of flickering in high-contrast scenes, especially in HDR content. On that topic, the TV performs reasonably well in HDR10 and HDR10+ content. The colours seem a tad boosted but can be reigned in through the picture settings. The black levels are average though.
You get about half a dozen presets including a custom (User) option and they get a Dolby Vision or HDR prefix when viewing content in the corresponding formats. Speaking of Dolby Vision, a lot of budget TVs boast of compliance for that format and so does this Thomson OP Max model. While the performance is just about acceptable in most LED TVs due the limited panel brightness, the output here is outright erratic.
Dolby Vision content on Netflix or Disney+Hotstar is unwatchable on this TV. It feels like someone has lit up a few neon lights on the screen. The colours and contrast are completely off. I had a word with a company official who acknowledged the issue and assured me that a fix is in the works. An interim option to switch off Dolby Vision was provided, something that will also be provided through customer support to those who already have or intend to buy this TV before the OTA update with the fix is available.
After disabling Dolby Vision, the corresponding content was a lot more palatable though not perfect. There were still the odd glitches in dark scenes but not as glaringly bad. The TV upscales lower resolution 1080p videos perfectly well, and even 720p videos are very much watchable on this TV. Understandably, anything lower than that looks flat as is the case with most 55-inch TVs. All said and done, things are generally acceptable here when not watching Dolby Vision content. If that’s your primary requirement, this is not the TV for you.
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – Audio quality: 7/10
A pair of speakers rated at 40 Watts RMS delivers decent sound quality. It is nowhere close to the best around, but is pleasant and gets the job done. The output is reasonably loud and offers good dialogue clarity. There is also a fair degree of warmth that makes it sound more pleasant. It is better suited for watching news or sports or any dialogue-heavy content. It is just about acceptable for music and action movies/ web series.
The audio is loud enough at 40 to 50 per cent volume level in most cases. If you seek better sound quality, you can always connect a soundbar or a speaker system to one of the audio outputs available here like Bluetooth, optical or HDMI ARC. As I mentioned earlier, the TV speakers are compliant with Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS TruSurround, but these are basic TV speakers, so keep your expectations real.
Image Credit: Firstpost | Ameya Dalvi
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – Overall performance: 7/10
The TV takes about 50 seconds to boot up when you switch it on from the mains, which is on the slower side. Post that, the TV comes back on almost instantaneously from standby mode. The voice assistant is fairly prompt to respond and works as expected. Media playback through USB is perfectly fine on the default media player, and you can always install a better player from the Google Play Store available on this TV. Things were generally stable with no app crashes or system restarts during the course of testing.
Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV – Price and verdict
The Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030 TV is priced at Rs 32,999 with a one-year warranty and was selling just under 30K on Flipkart in the recent festive sales. The Dolby Vision fiasco notwithstanding, this is not a bad-budget TV for less than 30K. They could have probably dropped Dolby Vision entirely and made this TV even more affordable. At the moment, the similar-sized Thomson Q55H1001 QLED TV is available for just a thousand Rupees more, and it is a far better option than this OP Max model.
Image Credit: Thomson
That brings me to my original question – does this model serve any real purpose? I don’t think so unless there’s a price difference of at least Rs 5,000 between this and its QLED variant, and if the company fixes the Dolby Vision glitch soon in an upcoming update as promised. But it is not just in-house competition that this TV has to worry about, with better performing 55-inch models from brands like Xiaomi and Hisense also going under 35K these days. The way things stand right now, it is hard to recommend the Thomson 55OPMAXGT9030.
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In a disturbing turn of events, a deepfake video featuring the esteemed industrialist Ratan Tata has surfaced on social media platforms, leading unsuspecting individuals into a deceptive online betting scam.
The deepfake videos involving Rashmika Mandanna, Katrina Kaif and Kajol may have been disconcerting, but they were just the tip of the iceberg. With video manipulating AI becoming more efficient and cheap, deepfakes are only set to increase.
The deepfake of Ratan Tata shows him endorsing an online betting coach and urging viewers to join a Telegram channel managed by an individual named Amir Khan. This incident highlights the growing threat of deepfake technology in facilitating financial frauds and scams.
Investigations into Khan have revealed that he operates a Telegram channel using which, he entices users with promises of earning a pretty sizeable amount of money, daily, through a real money-betting game called Aviator.
However, the registration link that the Telegram channel shares redirects users to a different platform where personal information such as phone numbers and email IDs are requested — a common tactic employed by scammers to harvest sensitive data.
The deepfake video featuring Ratan Tata was discovered as an advertisement published on Facebook. Analysis revealed that it is a manipulated version of a June 2015 video depicting Ratan Tata receiving an Honoris Causa degree at the HEC Paris Business School.
What’s worse, is that the Ratan Tata deepfake is not a one-off. There are several other deep fake videos involving Shah Rukh Khan, Gautam Adani, the late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and several other top industrialists are also being used for fake investment opportunities in businesses that offer very lucrative returns, but are actually just shell companies.
Similarly, deepfakes of prominent journalists, and spiritual leaders are being used to sell life coaching services and courses, as well as investments.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the perils associated with deepfake technology, emphasizing the need for vigilance when encountering such content online. It underscores the importance of verifying the source of information and exercising caution when prompted to provide personal details.
In response to the escalating threat of deepfakes, India is taking proactive measures. Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the country is in the process of formulating regulations to govern deepfake technology. Following concerns raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vaishnaw stated, “We plan to complete drafting the regulations within the next few weeks.”
While the specifics of these regulations are yet to be revealed, they are expected to play a crucial role in addressing the challenges posed by deepfakes in the digital landscape.
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In a surprising turn of events, Elon Musk took to Twitter to share a letter from purported former OpenAI employees accusing Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, CEO and president of OpenAI, respectively, of a “disturbing pattern of deceit and manipulation.”
The letter, which surfaced amidst the recent leadership upheaval at OpenAI, alleges secretive and abusive behaviour by Altman and Brockman, citing a “motivated grudge against Elon Musk following their falling out.”
Altman and Brockman were recently ousted from their positions by the OpenAI board but were subsequently reinstated, leading to a significant shake-up within the company.
The letter, whose authenticity is unverified, describes a climate of fear and retribution within OpenAI and raises concerns about the pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Among the allegations in the letter:
Altman instructed employees to conceal progress on “secret” research initiatives, dismissing those who questioned the practice.
Investigations into employees were allegedly conducted without management’s knowledge, with Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever being a target.
Brockman is accused of using discriminatory language against a gender-transitioning team member, leading to their termination for alleged underperformance.
Altman is accused of exploiting OpenAI’s non-profit resources for personal goals, motivated by a grudge against Elon Musk.
It’s essential to note that the letter’s authenticity has not been confirmed, and there is speculation that it may be a hoax. Musk tweeted that the letter was sent to him, expressing the need for an investigation into the concerns raised.
OpenAI has not yet responded to requests for comment on the letter. The recent events at OpenAI have left the company in a state of uncertainty, with questions about the motivations behind the leadership changes and the future direction of the organization.
Altman has officially resumed his role as OpenAI CEO, and an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his initial firing is reportedly underway.
The company, known for its work in artificial intelligence, is navigating challenges both internally and externally as it seeks to maintain its mission and address concerns raised by its employees.
Here’s a copy of the letter that Elon Musk shared. Please note, that the letter was deleted from Git, but was recovered using Wayback Machine and posted using X Community Notes.
11/21/2023
To the Board of Directors of OpenAI:
We are writing to you today to express our deep concern about the recent events at OpenAI, particularly the allegations of misconduct against Sam Altman.
We are former OpenAI employees who left the company during a period of significant turmoil and upheaval. As you have now witnessed what happens when you dare stand up to Sam Altman, perhaps you can understand why so many of us have remained silent for fear of repercussions. We can no longer stand by silent.
We believe that the Board of Directors has a duty to investigate these allegations thoroughly and take appropriate action. We urge you to:
Expand the scope of Emmett’s investigation to include an examination of Sam Altman’s actions since August 2018, when OpenAI began transitioning from a non-profit to a for-profit entity.
Issue an open call for private statements from former OpenAI employees who resigned, were placed on medical leave, or were terminated during this period.
Protect the identities of those who come forward to ensure that they are not subjected to retaliation or other forms of harm.
We believe that a significant number of OpenAI employees were pushed out of the company to facilitate its transition to a for-profit model. This is evidenced by the fact that OpenAI’s employee attrition rate between January 2018 and July 2020 was in the order of 50%.
Throughout our time at OpenAI, we witnessed a disturbing pattern of deceit and manipulation by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, driven by their insatiable pursuit of achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI). Their methods, however, have raised serious doubts about their true intentions and the extent to which they genuinely prioritize the benefit of all humanity.
Many of us, initially hopeful about OpenAI’s mission, chose to give Sam and Greg the benefit of the doubt. However, as their actions became increasingly concerning, those who dared to voice their concerns were silenced or pushed out. This systematic silencing of dissent created an environment of fear and intimidation, effectively stifling any meaningful discussion about the ethical implications of OpenAI’s work.
We provide concrete examples of Sam and Greg’s dishonesty & manipulation including:
Sam’s demand for researchers to delay reporting progress on specific “secret” research initiatives, which were later dismantled for failing to deliver sufficient results quickly enough. Those who questioned this practice were dismissed as “bad culture fits” and even terminated, some just before Thanksgiving 2019.
Greg’s use of discriminatory language against a gender-transitioning team member. Despite many promises to address this issue, no meaningful action was taken, except for Greg simply avoiding all communication with the affected individual, effectively creating a hostile work environment. This team member was eventually terminated for alleged under-performance.
Sam directing IT and Operations staff to conduct investigations into employees, including Ilya, without the knowledge or consent of management.
Sam’s discreet, yet routine exploitation of OpenAI’s non-profit resources to advance his personal goals, particularly motivated by his grudge against Elon following their falling out.
The Operations team’s tacit acceptance of the special rules that applied to Greg, navigating intricate requirements to avoid being blacklisted.
Brad Lightcap’s unfulfilled promise to make public the documents detailing OpenAI’s capped-profit structure and the profit cap for each investor.
Sam’s incongruent promises to research projects for compute quotas, causing internal distrust and infighting.
Despite the mounting evidence of Sam and Greg’s transgressions, those who remain at OpenAI continue to blindly follow their leadership, even at significant personal cost. This unwavering loyalty stems from a combination of fear of retribution and the allure of potential financial gains through OpenAI’s profit participation units.
The governance structure of OpenAI, specifically designed by Sam and Greg, deliberately isolates employees from overseeing the for-profit operations, precisely due to their inherent conflicts of interest. This opaque structure enables Sam and Greg to operate with impunity, shielded from accountability.
We urge the Board of Directors of OpenAI to take a firm stand against these unethical practices and launch an independent investigation into Sam and Greg’s conduct. We believe that OpenAI’s mission is too important to be compromised by the personal agendas of a few individuals.
We implore you, the Board of Directors, to remain steadfast in your commitment to OpenAI’s original mission and not succumb to the pressures of profit-driven interests. The future of artificial intelligence and the well-being of humanity depend on your unwavering commitment to ethical leadership and transparency.
Sincerely,
Concerned Former OpenAI Employees
Contact
We encourage former OpenAI employees to contact us at formerly_openai@mail2tor.com. We personally guarantee everyone’s anonymity in any internal deliberations and public communications.
Further Updates
Updates will be posted at https://ift.tt/4eHL7wm
Further Reading for the General Public
https://ift.tt/v9JRpGi
