WhatsApp will soon allow users to chat with themselves; details here

There is much speculation around the latest WhatsApp updates under development. The Meta-owned platform is currently believed to be working on a slew of features from Companion mode to increasing the group size of WhatsApp groups.

The latest news to join the list of much-anticipated upcoming features is that WhatsApp will soon allow users to send messages to themselves. According to a report in WaBetaInfo, the messaging app is working on “letting you use your own chat on linked devices”. As per the report, WhatsApp is planning to release the feature in a future update of WhatsApp Desktop beta.

Right now, users can text themselves using the URL wa.me/91 followed by their phone number. But this is not applicable in multi-devices as the chat with your phone number can only be on the primary device. But this update will allow you to send messages to yourself without the need of another device.

According to WaBetaInfo, the “chat will also show up when you try to log into WhatsApp from another different mobile device when the feature will be released to people at a later date.”

As per the report, the feature is under testing so it is not ready to be released to beta testers. The report also had a screenshot of the upcoming update where “You” was listed at the top of the contact list.

Other WhatsApp features under development:
Apart from this, WhatsApp is all set to roll out some other interesting features, according to reports. The Meta-owned app is working on allowing users to react to a WhatsApp status. It is also set to bring in support for 3D avatars, following in the footsteps of Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram.

Users will also be able to hide their online status on the app. Furthermore, the messaging app is also mulling on the introduction of admin delete in WhatsApp groups.

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Oppo will stop including its super-fast chargers with some phones

Oppo will be joining the likes of Apple and Samsung and a number of other smartphone makers who do not provide a charging brick or a charger with their smartphones.

When Apple started off with this trend of not providing charging bricks with their phones, they cited environmental reasons for their decision. Manufacturers like Samsung and Xiaomi took digs at the Cupertino-based giant for a year when they too finally decided to stop shipping chargers with their phones.

As much as most tech companies will have us believe their greenwashing strategies to be altruistic, the real motive behind such a move has been money – by selling an item separately that has always been included in a package, companies can make big money. Apple, for instance, made about $6.5 Billion, by just removing chargers from the iPhone boxes.

Oppo however stood opposed to that move, and for a long time, still included a super fast charging brick with its phones. That is now set to change. This also means, Oppo’s sub-brands, including OnePlus, will also ditch providing fast chargers with the box.

Oppo has confirmed its plans to stop including a charging brick with its smartphones. Several products will start to ship without chargers according to Oppo’s Vice President, Billy Zhang.

“We will take the charger out of the box in the next year for several products. We have a plan. It’s not that easy for consumers to get access to SuperVOOC chargers, so we have to keep them in the box. However, as we are expanding our business operations, we are looking to take chargers out of the box and put them in the store so that our users are able to buy the chargers and continue using them even when they upgrade their devices,” he said in a statement.

Oppo and OnePlus have had some of the fastest charging mobile devices for years now. Most of these chargers use proprietary standards to charge compatible smartphones significantly faster than devices from other manufacturers.

The Oppo Reno8, for example, charges at 80W, while the OnePlus 10T uses the same technology to hit speeds of up to 150W. Faster charging speeds also tend to require a new charging brick, which means that customers would need to separately purchase a charger to get the full speed their new phone is capable of. 

Oppo’s smartphones still support USB-C Power Delivery, a universal fast charging method, but they won’t be nearly as fast as SuperVOOC chargers. Moreover, users will have to buy Type-C based chargers, which tend to be more expensive than Type-A chargers.

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After Apple, Google is now preparing to move its production facilities out of China

Apple and a number of smartphone manufacturers have for long been contemplating moving their production facilities outside China. Apple even took the step of moving a vast portion of their upcoming iPhone 14’s production to India. It seems Google will be taking a leaf out of Apple’s playbook and will start moving the production of the upcoming Pixel 7 device out of China.

A recent New York Times report suggests that Google will be moving a part of its newest Pixel phone production to Vietnam, where it already has a facility that manufactures the Pixel 4a, 5a, and 6a.

Google has apparently started looking at alternatives to the Foxconn factories it uses in southern China mainly due to increased tariffs. China’s factory shutdowns, increasing geopolitical tensions with India and especially Taiwan, and its harsh COVID lockdowns can also be the reason. Apple, too, had to move most of its production facilities away from China for the very same reasons.

For the time being, only a portion, about 20-25 per cent of all Pixel 7 devices will be made in Vietnam, while a vast majority of the devices will still be made in China. However, with the next series of devices, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, at least 50 per cent of the devices will be made outside China, preferably in Vietnam.

Things are a little different with Pixel’s foldable devices, however. Back in March, a report said that Google was postponing its foldable plans for 2022, which could be branded as the “Pixel Notepad.” It’s supposed to have an inner folding display and an external screen with a shape closer to the Oppo Find N than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold.

Newer, more complicated manufacturing processes still require China as it has a strong supply chain network, especially when it comes to foldable displays and hinges that are used in smartphones. 

That is the reason why the Pixel Notepad’s manufacturing process will be developed in China. This is also the reason why, for the foreseeable future, Google’s Pixel Notepads will be made in China. Over a few years, the production may be moved to other countries.

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You Can Now Add Nominee To Your DigiLocker, Check Out The Steps Here

Carrying important documents like Aadhaar cards, driving licenses, PAN cards and others daily in your wallets can be tricky. There is always a threat of you misplacing, losing, or spoiling it. DigiLocker is your one solution for all document-handling woes.

Launched in 2015, the application has a file size of about 56.5MB for android and 68.2MB for iOS devices. All you need is an Aadhaar number to operate DigiLocker. From school and college mark sheets, to passports, ID Proofs, and more, you can save the digital copies of all your important documents in DigiLocker.

Last month, on August 29, the ministry rolled out a new feature on the app. Following which, people can now add nominees for their accounts. “DigiLocker users can now add their nominee for their respective accounts in quick easy steps. Take a look,” the ministry tweeted.
https://twitter.com/GoI_MeitY/status/1564477338523471872?cxt=HHwWgMC43bb2kbYrAAAA
How to add a nominee to the DigiLocker account? Check out the steps:

Step 1: Open the DigiLocker app.
Step 2: Head to the menu and click on nominee.
Step 3: Tap ‘Add Nominee’
Step 4: Next, the app will ask you a bunch of details about your nominee. Fill it up.
Step 5: Now enter the one time password (OTP) sent to your mobile number. And ‘Submit.’
Step 6: The nominee has been successfully added to the DigiLocker account.

How to create a DigiLocker account?
Step1: Download the app. Enter your Mobile Number in the field and tap on ‘Continue’.
Step2: You will receive an OTP on the mobile number through DigiLocker. Now, click ‘Verify’ button.
Step3: You may create a User Id and Password or just set up a 6 digit PIN for login.
Now to pull the e-copies of Aadhar and other documents from the registered issuers, you are required to link your Aadhar to the DigiLocker Account. Here are the steps to link your Aadhar Card with DigiLocker after signing up:
Step1: Once you sign up, you have to enter your Aadhar Number and check the consent box of Aadhar based e-KYC. Tap on ‘Submit’.
Step2: Enter the OTP received on the mobile number, which is linked with Aadhar. Now click ‘Verify.’
Step 3: Once the Aadhar Verification is successful, Your DigiLocker account dashboard will display a series of messages.
Step 4: Upon successful verification, you will be able to view your Digital Aadhar upon clicking the Issued Document section.

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Twitter starts testing ‘edit’ option in big move

Twitter announced today that it is testing the much-requested ‘edit’ feature internally. The new feature will be one of the biggest changes to the platform. Users had to post a new tweet to correct any mistakes.

The social media giant has announced that it will be rolling out the feature to paid subscribers of the Twitter blue service in the coming weeks.

“If you see an edited Tweet it’s because we’re testing the edit button. This is happening and you’ll be okay,” Twitter said in a post.

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>if you see an edited Tweet it&#39;s because we&#39;re testing the edit button<br><br>this is happening and you&#39;ll be okay</p>&mdash; Twitter (@Twitter) <a href=”https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1565318587736285184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

“Edit Tweet is being tested by our team internally. The test will then be initially expanded to Twitter Blue subscribers in the coming weeks,” the company added.

The feature will allow users to edit or make changes to their posts for a certain number of times up to 30 minutes after the tweet was published. Each edited post will be labelled as an edited tweet and will have a timestamp as well as an icon identifying it as an edited version. Users will also be able to tap the label and see the tweet’s edit history. The edit history will allow one to see all the past versions of the tweet.

Twitter has stated that it will be first testing the feature internally to understand potential issues like possible cases of misuse. “Like any new feature, we’re intentionally testing Edit Tweet with a smaller group to help us incorporate feedback while identifying and resolving potential issues. This includes how people might misuse the feature,” the company said.

Once the feature is internally tested, Twitter will release the feature to Twitter Blue users. The feature at first will be released only to a single country as the company notes how the feature changes the Twitter experience. The ‘Edit Tweet’ option is likely to ship to certain Twitter Blue users later in the month.

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Asus launches Zenbook 17 OLED, an all-screen foldable tablet PC that turns into a laptop

Asus had teased the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED (UX9702) at CES at the beginning of 2022. Now the Taiwanese tech giant has launched it officially and will soon make it available to customers. Well, those who can afford it at least.

The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED UX9702 is a hybrid device based around a folding 17.3-inch 2560x1920px OLED display of 4:3 aspect ratio when fully unfolded. It also has a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, a 100 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut, 0.2 ms response time, 60 Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness. When fully unfolded, it can stand on its own kickstand and work as a monitor – a nice combination for office work, combined with the Bluetooth keyboard.

The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED can also be folded at 120 degrees and used with the Bluetooth keyboard, which allows users to still enjoy its 17.3-inch display in full. Users can also make the bottom half of the display act as a virtual keyboard.  

Finally, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED can be used as a conventional laptop with a magnetically-attachable physical keyboard and only half of its display at 12.5-inch and 1920x1280px.

And if you just fancy a tablet, the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED can be used regularly as well, although, at 17.3-inches it is a bit bulky, especially to be held in one hand.

The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED runs on Windows 11 and is powered by Intel’s i7-1250U processor with 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM. This is Intel’s 12th-gen hybrid architecture with 2 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores. Graphics are taken care of by Intel’s Iris Xe processing unit. There’s a 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD – the latest and fastest storage around.

There are two USB-C ports on the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED – both Thunderbolt 4 with support for both, display output and charging, which tops out at 65W. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack.

Inside, there’s a 75Whr 4-cell battery that’s good for up to 9 and a half hours of screen-on time. The Zenbook 17 Fold OLED weighs 1.5kg, which again, is huge for a tablet but very reasonable for a 17.3-inch device.

As for the price and availability, the Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED will be available by the end of the year for $3,499 in the colour black.

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Want To Download Instagram Stories With Music? Check Out The Steps Here

Social media is all about documentation. Where you go, what you do, what you eat and drink, and what’s most memorable: These are typical fodder for Instagram Stories. They are basically short glimpses of people’s lives, shared on Instagram for only 24 hours.

Instagram Stories is an in-app feature that allows users to share content. Going by Instagram’s current UI, the recently posted Stories are showcased by a gradient border around the user’s profile picture.

When posting Instagram Stories, you can add stickers, time stamps, doodles as well as music to each and even use certain filters and effects. People bring their best foot forward when it comes to aesthetics and music. What if you want to download someone else’s Instagram Stories along with the audio or music they have used.

Don’t worry, we are here with a solution. Follow the steps to download Instagram Stories of other people along with music:

Step 1: Open the Instagram app

Step 2: Go to the profile of the user whose Instagram Stories you want to download.

Step 3: Copy the username from the profile

Step 4: Download the Instagram Story Downloader app. Paste the username in the given box.

Step 5: Tap on “search”

Step 6: Now scroll down the page and open the desired Instagram Stories. Tap on the “Download” button and voila.

The Instagram Stories will be downloaded in the phone Gallery.

How to make Instagram Stories:

Posting Instagram Stories is no brainer. Here are the steps you should follow for making an upload:

Step 1: Open the Instagram app and tap your profile picture near the upper left-hand corner. Now, swipe right to open up the camera.

Step 2: You can pick a filter by swiping right and left at the bottom. You also have the option to preview each filter live.

Step 3: Pick a photo or video from your phone gallery. You also have the option to capture the moment using the camera on Instagram.

Step 4: Add stickers, time stamps, or GIFs to the Story.

Step 5: Once you’ve finished editing your photo or video, tap on ‘Your Story’ to share it with all of your followers.

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How to lock and unlock your biometric details in Aadhaar

The importance of having an Aadhaar Card is known to all. From making a bank account to getting a loan to COVID-19 jab, Aadhaar details are a must.

However, this does mean that if this information falls into the wrong hand then it can cause a lot of problems. As a result, care must be taken to prevent any misuse. One way to secure the details is by locking the biometric details.

“UIDAI has introduced a feature to lock and unlock your Aadhaar Number. After locking your Aadhaar Number, Authentication cannot be performed using Aadhaar Number. In that case, you may use your Virtual ID to perform Authentication,” explained UIDAI, the agency behind the Aadhaar system.

“Biometric Locking/Unlocking is a service that allows an Aadhaar holder to lock and temporarily unlock their biometrics. This facility aims to strengthen privacy and confidentiality of Resident’s Biometrics Data,” the agency added.

However, users should keep in mind that when their biometric details are locked they won’t be able to use their fingerprint or iris identification to authenticate their details. But users can unlock their biometrics ahead of any planned use.

Here’s how to lock and unlock biometric details.

Step 1: Generate your 16-digit Virtual ID number via the SMS service or UIDAI website.

Step 2: Navigate to https://ift.tt/J4uYE1K or go to the UIDAI website and navigate to the ‘My Aadhaar’ tab, and select the ‘Aadhaar lock/unlock’ under ‘Aadhaar Services’.

Step 3: Enter Aadhaar number or VID as prompted.

Step 4: Enter the OTP that you received on your registered mobile number

Step 5: Click on ‘Enable’ on the next screen after entering the security code.

Your biometrics are now locked. To unlock your biometrics follow the steps below:

Step 1: Follow steps 2

Step 2: Enter your previously generated VID

Step 3: Enter the security code and OTP

Step 4: After you submit the OTP, you can unlock your biometrics

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Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate’s launch confirmed for September 19; Check specifications

Asus is keen on capturing the Indian gaming market. That is the reason, why they are focusing on mobile devices as well, given that most Indian gamers actually prefer mobile gaming over PC or console gaming.

To that effect, Asus is all set to expand its line of gaming smartphones in India, and will soon be launching the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. The Taiwanese tech giant has confirmed that it will be launching the device on September 19 and has also published a microsite on its official website. 

Asus also reveal the launch timeline which suggests that the New York launch will kick off at 8:00 AM, the Berlin launch will begin at 2:00 PM, and in Taipei, the launch will start at 8:00 PM local time.

Although they have revealed some of the specifications of the upcoming  ROG Phone 6D Ultimate, rumours surrounding the device have shed some light on some of the other specifications.

Apparently, the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate will be powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ chipset. The ROG Phone 6D Ultimate is also said to be backed by up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM which carries an ARM Cortex-X2 core clocked at up to 3.2GHz. The ROG Phone 6 and Phone 6 Pro, on the other hand, feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 SoC.

Furthermore, the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate is slated to have a rear camera setup that will be headlined by the 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor. It is also said to pack a 6,000mAh battery with 65W wired fast charging support.

Tipster Evan Blass, in collaboration with 91Mobiles, has shared some renders of the upcoming Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate and the ROG Phone 6D. From the images shared, it looks like the ROG Phone 6D Ultimate will feature a design similar to the ROG Phone 6 Pro, which was launched globally alongside the vanilla ROG Phone 6 in July.

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Department of Telecom seeks TRAI's views on regulating services like WhatsApp, Google Meet

A recent report has revealed that the Department of Telecom (DoT) has approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and is seeking its views on regulating internet messaging and voice calling applications. 

The exercise is being conducted to prepare a framework of regulations that would be directed at services like WhatsApp, Google Meet, Signal, Telegram and other similar apps and services.

For years, various telecom operators in India have asked TRAI to ensure that its rules for telcos are also applicable to these services that provide similar calling and messaging functionality. The telcos have argued that these services should pay licensing fees and be subject to the same rules relating to lawful interception, and quality of service.

TRAI had previously recommended that such services, which provide internet telephony and internet messaging, need not be regulated. This suggestion was not accepted by the DoT, after which the DoT sought a comprehensive reference on internet telephony and messaging service providers that allow users to make calls and send messages over the internet, according to a report by PTI citing an unnamed government official.

Last week, the DoT asked TRAI for new recommendations, in light of the changing environment with new technologies. At the time, TRAI had recommended that internet service providers (ISPs) could provide internet telephony for making calls on phone networks, if they paid interconnection charges, which have since been scrapped for telecom operators, and installed lawful interception equipment, as per the report.

The government is yet to officially announce any plans to regulate internet telephony and messaging service providers like WhatsApp, Google Meet and Signal.

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iPhone 14 series new price leaked, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max will be available in stores from September 16

Given Apple’s history with the pricing of its products and the hype that surrounds the upcoming iPhone 14 series, one might assume that the new iPhone 14 lineup will be substantially more expensive. However, it turns out, that may not be the case after all, at least if we consider the most recent leaks about the iPhone 14 series’ prices.

In a new blog post, which cites sources who have the final iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro production devices, notable tipster and Twitter user @yeux1122 claims that prices may be in a completely different direction than what people are expecting. Shocking as this may seem at this late stage, yeux1122 has a history of going against the tide and being right.

It is expected that the new iPhone 14 series, for the most part, will be priced similarly to the iPhone 13 series. There are two basic reasons for this. First, the world is going through a recession and people don’t want to spend exorbitantly on a smartphone. Apple is wary of that and has therefore decided to cut its profit margins by a little.

Second, the iPhone 14 & iPhone 14 Max uses a lot of bits from the existing iPhone 13 series. This includes certain portions of the display panel, the chassis, the processor etc. Given that these are older pieces of hardware and aren’t exactly cutting-edge, the prices of these old phone parts tend to drop like a stone.

Pricing for last year’s iPhone 13 started at $799, and the iPhone 14 will use the same chassis, rear cameras, display and chipset. Keeping this in mind, it is not unreasonable for Apple to price the iPhone 14 between $699-$749. 

Similarly, the iPhone 14 Max, is likely to be priced between $799-$849.

Things change a bit for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, mainly because they are using a newer camera module with a 48MP main camera and a newer ultrawide system. On top of that, the iPhone 14 Pro and the 14 Pro Max are getting newly developed displays and a new SoC.

Considering all this, the iPhone 14 Pro is likely going to be about $300-350 more expensive than the the non Pro model, meaning, it should start at about $999-$1049. The iPhone 13 Pro, at the time of its launch, was priced at $999. 

Similarly, the iPhone 14 Pro Max should start at about $1,149. The iPhone 13 Max started at $1,099 at launch. 

These are the prices for the base variants for each of the devices in the lineup. In India, realistically, you should be looking at paying about 15-20 per cent more as a premium as has been the case all these years. Prices may go down in India after a few months, considering that Apple will be moving a majority of the iPhone 14’s production to India from China, but it wouldn’t be wise to expect prices to drop by 10-15 per cent in just a few months after the launch, especially with the iPhone 14 Pro series.

Also, reports suggest that the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Max will be available at the time of launch should be available to customers right after launch. The iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, will be available from September 16, mainly due to a delayed production run that was caused by logistical and quality control issues.

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