Google Photos has temporarily disabled images and video backup for folders created by Facebook, WhatsApp and other messaging apps. This step has been taken by the company to conserve internet resources amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Due to COVID-19, people are sharing more photos and videos. To save internet resources, backup & sync has been turned off for device folders created by messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messages and Kik,” reads a message on Google Photos community forum.
Users will be receiving a notification in this regard in the app. In order to store photos and videos, they will have to manually go into the app and select those folders to be backed up.
The search giant has only mentioned a few messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messages and Kik but the tech website noticed a list of other apps in a teardown of the latest Google Photos APK.
The apps that will not be able to provide backup facility are Facebook, Helo, Instagram, LINE, Messages, Messenger, Snapchat, Twitter, Viber, and WhatsApp.
Before Google Photos, YouTube lowered its video quality to standard definition 480p on the service across the European Union. However, if users want to watch videos in HD, they will have to select that option. Otherwise, by default, videos will run in 480p.
Netflix in May also lowered its streaming quality in Europe.
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The Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea reopened on Wednesday after being closed for four months due to the COVID-19 crisis. The two theme parks will follow infection containment guidelines to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus among visitors, reports Efe news. Tokyo Disneyland is ranked the third theme park of the Disney chain by number of visitors – about 18 million in 2018, only behind those of Florida and California.
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How long can you stay away from your best friend? Not for long, right? A similar feeling is going on in the hearts of our Bollywood girl gang including-- Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Karisma Kapoor, Mallika Bhatt, and Amrita Arora. The BFFS have been staying away ever since the COVID-19 lockdown and keeping in touch only through the medium of social media. Known for their shenanigans, the girls are missing out the fun from their life due to the pandemic which is why every now and then they take to their social media to share pictures of themselves from their previous outings. Yet again, their fans got to see another gem of a photo that was shared by the diva Malaika on her Instagram that depicted their motto saying pouting and staying friends forever.
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Last month, Samsung announced the BTS edition for its new Galaxy S20+ smartphone and the Galaxy Buds+ earphones. The BTS edition essentially adds a purple colour option to these devices. Earlier this week, Samsung also teased the launch of the BTS edition devices in India. The company revealed that the Galaxy S20+ BTS edition and the Galaxy Buds+ BTS edition will be available to purchase in the market starting 10 July.
Now, ahead of the launch in India, Samsung has opened the pre-booking for the devices in India. If you wish to pre-book the new variants of Buds+ or Galaxy S20+, you can head to the Samsung India website. The pre-orders for the both the devices will go on till 9 July.
Galaxy Buds+, Galaxy S20+ BTS edition pricing
The Galaxy Buds+ BTS edition can be pre-booked at Rs 14,990 as per the website, which is also the launch price for the earphone. Whereas, the Galaxy S20+ BTS edition, according to a press release shared by Samsung, is priced at Rs 87,999, whereas the Samsung India website shows a priced tag of Rs 77,999, however, the website lists it "Not for sale" currently.
While the Buds+ and Galaxy S20+ will pretty much be the same devices with similar specifications, the difference you will notice is of the colour option (duh!) – the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ BTS Edition can be seen with purple accents, with its case also coloured purple. On top of the buds, you can also see a heart on the left one and the BTS logo on the right. Similarly, on the Galaxy S20+, the BTS edition will have the logo of the BTS group at the back.
In addition to that, the smartphone will also have UI customisations, new live wallpaper, 7 collectible BTS photo cards, unique stickers, and an “inspiring” lock screen.
Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan and costume designer Neeta Lulla are among the 819 artistes and executives who have received invitations to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Bhatt's last movie, Zoya Akhtar-directed "Gully Boy" was India's official entry for best international feature category at the 2019 Oscars. However, the film had failed to make it to the final five.
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By 2020, the American space agency NASA is planning to demonstrate its ability to deflect an asteroid – a strategy to ensure that Earth has the technological capability to defend itself from a potentially deadly asteroid collision in the uncertain future.
The target of the mission will be the moon orbiting the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, which was recently given the name 'Dimorphos'. The mission will be both, the first full-scale demonstration of a planetary defense technology, and a first of its kind mission for NASA.
Dimorphos is a near-Earth object – a class of asteroids and comets whose orbits place them within 30 million miles of Earth. This is an important classification of space rocks, and help the US government determine which asteroid threats to take seriously.
Planetary defense is a priority
In 1908, a powerful asteroid is thought to have struck the Tunguska river in a remote Siberian forest in Russia. Millions of trees were destroyed in the forest covering an area of roughly 2000 square kilometers. The impact is said to have thrown people to the ground in a town 65 km away, as per a CNN report.
As recently as 2013, an asteroid managed to survive its fiery entry through the Earth's atmosphere over the town of Chelyabinsk, Russia. In a blinding mid-air explosion, the asteroid released 20 to 30 times more energy than the first atomic bombs, briefly generating more brightness than the sun along with an enormous amount of heat. The event reportedly damaged 7,000 buildings, injuring over 1,000 people, after which shock waves from the impact broke windows 95 km away.
At the time, the US had the capacity to scan the visible sky and detect potentially dangerous asteroids heading the way of our planet. The Chelyabinsk asteroid went undetected because it came from the same direction and path as the sun. This blind spot continues to exist today, which leaves room for error in predicting potential asteroid collisions with Earth.
NASA's DART will crash into Dimorphos
In the second half of 2022, the near-Earth asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos will be relatively close (within 1.1 crore km) of Earth. NASA has chosen this range to fire up its DART mission. DART will deliberately collide with Dimorphos to change the asteroid's motion in space, according to NASA. The advantage of hitting a target while it is still very, very far away is that even the slightest deflection from its original path will take the asteroid far enough away from Earth as it closes in distance.
A companion CubeSat called LICIACube, provided by the Italian Space Agency, will accompany DART and record the collision.
"Astronomers will be able to compare observations from Earth-based telescopes before and after DART's kinetic impact to determine how much the orbital period of Dimorphos changed," Tom Statler, program scientist of the DART mission at NASA, said in a statement.
"That's the key measurement that will tell us how the asteroid responded to our deflection effort."
ESA's Hera mission – a follow-up
A few years after DART's impact, the European Space Agency plans to launch Hera, a mission to investigate Didymos and Dimorphos to collect more data.
While the DART mission was developed as part of NASA's Planetary Defense missions, the team of scientists and engineers will work with ESA's Hera mission team under a larger, international collaboration called the Asteroid Impact and Deflection Assessment, or AIDA.
At the moment, this might be our best defense strategy against an asteroid on a collision course with Earth – if scientists catch it early enough.
Other efforts to deal with a potential collision include a biannual Planetary Defense exercise to evaluate our preparedness for a collision that is inevitable. This simulation exercise hasn't yet proven our readiness for an event. After wrecking the French Riviera in 2013, destroying Dhaka in 2015 and sparing Tokyo in 2017, an international team of scientists and disaster response experts took to New York in 2019 to gauge how well prepared the city is to deal with a killer asteroid heading their way. New York didn't survive the killer asteroid simulation.
Here's hoping better strategy, more preparation and a hope for survival could come from the next Planetary Defense simulation, scheduled to take place in Vienna in 2021.
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It was recently confirmed that OnePlus' much talked about affordable smartphone will be named OnePlus Nord instead of OnePlus Z or OnePlus 8 Lite. The smartphone teaser has now popped up on the Amazon India website, hinting that the launch is near. The company has also confirmed that the smartphone will debut in July, hence we can expect that the OnePlus Nord might launch in the coming few days.
As per an Instagram story put up by the company on OnePluslitezthing handle, the pre-booking of OnePlus Nord might start from tomorrow. The company has put a countdown of 24 hours with the caption "Get Ready 24 hours to go" and "OnePlus pre-order drop".
According to a report by Android Central, OnePlus Nord will be launched on 10 July in India. The report also suggests that the smartphone is likely to feature a dual-camera setup on the front that houses a 32 MP primary sensor and an 8 MP wide-angle sensor.
As per a previous report, the smartphone is expected to sport a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It is expected to be powered by Snapdragon 765 SoC with 5G support. The smartphone is likely to offer 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.
The report mentions that OnePlus Nord may have three cameras on the rear. A 64 MP primary camera, a 16 MP (supposedly ultra-wide) lens, and a 2 MP shooter, which can either be a depth sensor or dedicated macro unit. It is expected to house a 4,300 mAh battery with the company's 30W Wrap charge.
Global icon Priyanka Chopra entered Hollywood eight years ago and she has beautifully carved a niche for herself there. Along with doing films and shows, the actress is collaborating with the biggest filmmakers and brands, making the country proud. According to the reports in Variety, PeeCee has signed a first-look television deal with Amazon. The actress also shared the same on her Instagram and was thrilled to announce it.
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There might be much in common between humans and monkeys then what we already know. A study has revealed that there are similarities in the ways of thinking.
The study published in the journal Science Advanceswas conducted by researchers from UC Berkeley, Harvard University and Carnegie Mellon University.
The research was conducted on 100 participants across age groups, cultures and species. It divulged that indigenous Tsimane' people in Bolivia's Amazon rainforest, American adults and preschoolers and macaque monkeys have one thing in common. They all show, to varying degrees, a flair for "recursion," a cognitive process of arranging words, phrases or symbols in a way that helps convey complex commands, sentiments and ideas, reported Science Daily.
The interesting thing about the study is that the monkeys were found to perform far better in the tests than the researchers had predicted.
"For the first time, we have strong empirical evidence about patterns of thinking that come naturally to probably all humans and, to a lesser extent, non-human primates," said study co-author Steven Piantadosi, a UC Berkeley assistant professor of psychology.
Researchers examined the recursive skills of 10 US adults, 50 preschoolers and kindergarteners, 37 members of the Tsimane' and three male macaque monkeys.
They were first given the training to memorise different sequences of symbols in a particular order. Following the training, they were tested. “These results are convergent with recent findings that monkeys can learn other kinds of structures found in human grammar,” Piantadosi said.
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Counted amongst one of the most adorable couples, Bollywood actors Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal were all set to announce the good news of their wedding before the coronavirus pandemic took place. The couple was all set to get hitched in the month of April this year before the country went into lockdown due to the COVID-19. However, do you know they shot for their ever joint cover shoot for a Bridal magazine together weeks before the shutdown? Yes, that's true! And now, the magazine has finally released the June-July cover of the same in which the two of them look adorable together in their respective traditional outfits. The magazine talks about the low-key couple became best of friends and then life partners.
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Sushmita Sens brother Rajeev Sen will make his Bollywood debut with "Iti: Can You Solve Your Own Murder?" He says he always had a hidden desire to express his creative side. "Movies, acting, performing are a massive part of my life. To get such a brilliantly written role in a concept-driven and unique thriller for my debut movie, is an honour," said Rajeev. He said that he has been an introvert.
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With a grand start to the new episodes of Roadies Revolution, the entertainment quotient is at an all-time high with the fun-filled audition rounds. This week, the Roadies Revolution takes you to the city of joy, Kolkata for the auditions. The celebrity leaders saw an interesting mix of contestants and discussed their viewpoints, struggles, and different ideas of revolution. Watch out for some swag, drama, laughter, conflicts, the Bong style!
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Bollywood celebrities like Richa Chadha, Athiya Shetty, Neha Dhupia and others expressed their disappointment and anger towards the man who brutally beat up a physically challenged woman after she asked him to wear a mask. A contract worker who worked under Andhra Pradesh tourism department in a hotel in Nellore district has filed a police complaint against a senior employee of the state tourism department who beat her with a rod fro being asked to wear a mask. The video of the same has gone viral on the internet.
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2020 has definitely been a devastating one for Bollywood. One after the other, we are hearing about shocking deaths of various celebrities and the latest one in the list was that of Sushant Singh Rajput. He died due to suicide on June 14 and was found hanging at his Bandra residence in Mumbai. The 'Kai Po Che' actor was battling with depression for which he was even taking treatment. While the investigation behind the reason why he took such a stern step goes on, fans are left with just memories in the form of his films and photographs. And the recent one we got our hands on will leave everyone missing the lost star even more. Shared by the late 34-year-old actor's brother-in-law Vishal Kirti, the picture has been taken in the year 2014 and features the 'Chhichhore' actor with his niece.
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Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor has reacted to the new flu strain discovered in China which has the potential to turn into a pandemic like the coronavirus. The actress is a survivor of a version of swine flu which she contracted in 2015 and said that she would never wish it for her worst enemy. Taking to Instagram stories, the actress expressed her concern about the same and said that she hopes it is not true.
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On Tuesday, actress Namrata Shirodkar conducted an interactive session with fans on Instagram. From talking about her husband, Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, to opening up on her skincare routine and her hobbies, Namrata candidly answered to the queries of her followers. A user asked her about her favourite cricketers, and she named Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
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Actress Urvashi Rautela's film Virgin Bhanupriya is set to release soon, and she says a lot of people are curious if her film is "inspired" by Hollywood star Emma Stone's movie "Easy A". "Easy A", a 2010 American comedy film, is about Olive, who lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to one of the college boys. A girl overhears their conversation, and soon her story becomes talk of the town.
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Wherever in India you are, you're able enough to participate in Asteroid Day — an event meant to raise awareness about these small, rocky bodies, globally. On this day in 1908, a large asteroid impact flattened the forest in Tunguska, Siberia, leaving behind a crater (now a huge pond) spanning as fas as the eye can see on both sides from the centre.
Researchers argue that the meteor, which blasted millions of trees in the forest, just 'grazed' the Earth. The morning sky above Siberia on 30 June 1908 flared so bright and hot that a witness standing dozens of kilometers from the site thought that his shirt had caught fire, according to a LiveScience report. An explosion, which followed the minute-long blinding brightness, smashed windows and knocked people off their feet in a town 60 km away, BBC reported.
"The sky was split in two, and high above the forest the whole northern part of the sky appeared covered with fire," another witness reportedly said in testimony. NASA estimated that the energy released by the blast was roughly 185 times greater than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.
It has also been theorised that asteroids were a major player in the cataclysm that killed the last of the dinosaurs. An asteroid that hit Earth at an incline – roughly 60 degrees – maximised the amount of climate-changing gases that entered the atmosphere.
The consequences of the asteroid impact lasted a lot longer, researchers say, than the impact itself. It released sulphur into the air, jumpstarting a "nuclear winter" on the planet's surface, which not only wiped out the dinosaurs but caused 75 percent of life on Earth to go extinct.
Today, asteroids are a lot more than an object of scientific curiosity. Researchers are also studying rocks in space to understand what forms them, to map their path and make predictions about likely future impacts that pose a threat to Earth, and because asteroids are time capsules of the early solar system.
In fact, research into asteroids alongside advancements in satellite technology have revealed that small asteroids impact Earth very frequently. A map released by NASA's Near-Earth Object (NEO) Program reveals that small asteroids regularly enter Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate with a random location distribution around the globe. The map visualizes data gathered by American government sensors from 1994 to 2013.
Asteroidday.org, a multi-partner effort to spread awareness about asteroids and events associated with them, released a petition in 2014 for public support to launch education programmes for awareness about asteroids. They also called on governments to accelerate the funding of asteroid discovery programs.
The website is hosting a day-long live program, covering many interesting dialogues, explaining research, and an exhibition by the European Space Observatory (ESO) with asteroids on display. You can catch the livestream here.
The year 2020 has already witnessed two penumbral lunar eclipses so far. The third penumbral eclipse or Chandra Grahan of the year is all set to take place on 5 July.
The lunar eclipse will be visible across much of North and South America and Africa. During the maximum phase, the moon may turn slightly darker than usual, according to timeanddate.com.
The penumbral lunar eclipse will start at around 8.37 am IST on July 5 and will go on till 11.22 am IST. The maximum eclipse will be at 9:59 am IST. It will last for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. However, it will not be visible from India as it is taking place during the day time.
According to NASA, a lunar eclipse occurs when the earth moves between the sun and the moon. When this happens, the earth blocks the sunlight that normally is reflected by the moon. Instead of the light reaching the moon's surface, the earth's shadow falls on it.
A penumbral eclipse creates only a dark shading on the moon’s face. If the moon passes through the dark central shadow of the earth, which is also called the umbra, a partial or total lunar eclipse occurs. However, if the celestial body passes through the penumbra or the outer part of the shadow, a penumbral eclipse occurs.
There are three basic types of lunar eclipses -- a subtle penumbral eclipse, a partial eclipse and a total eclipse.
Traditionally July's full moon is called a Buck moon because a buck's antlers are in full growth mode this period. According to Forbes, the Buck moon eclipse will see about 35 per cent of the full Moon pass into the Earth’s outer shadow and lose some of its brightness.
The last Penumbral lunar eclipse of this year will take place on 29-30 November.
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COVID-19 is significantly associated with an increased risk of strokes, according to a study which says patients infected with the novel coronavirus should undergo aggressive monitoring for the neurological condition.
According to the researchers, including those from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the US, COVID-19 infection is a risk factor for acute strokes.
In the study, published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, the scientists assessed patients presenting to six New York City hospitals for suspicion of stroke between March to April.
"We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 41 cases and 82 control subjects matched by age, sex, and risk factors," the scientists wrote in the study.
After adjusting for age, gender, and risk factors, the scientists found that COVID-19 infection had a significant independent association with acute ischemic stroke -- caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain.
Comparing the group of patients with stroke versus non-stroke, they showed a significantly elevated number of patients with COVID-19 infection among the stroke group after accounting for other known common stroke risk factors.
The researchers believe that patients with COVID-19 should be evaluated early for acute neurological changes.
"This is the first major peer-reviewed study to show that COVID-19 infection is a risk factor for acute strokes," Puneet Belani, study co-author from Mount Sinai Hospital.
"Patients with COVID-19 should be evaluated early for acute neurological changes, and timely workup should be performed in patients suspected to have stroke to reduce morbidity and mortality," Belani said.
Citing the limitations of the study, the scientists said the study involved only 41 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, adding that further studies involving a larger population may help validate the findings.
"Future endeavours may assess whether this relationship holds true in a larger population and with the pathophysiologic mechanisms inherent in COVID-19 that drive this association," they wrote in the study.
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After a long delay due to the lockdown in the country, Realme Narzo series that includes Narzo 10 and Narzo 10A finally debuted in India last month. Today, the higher variant of the series―Narzo 10―is going on sale in India.
Realme Narzo 10 pricing, sale
Realme Narzo 10 comes in a 4 GB RAM and 128 GB storage variant and will cost you Rs 11,999. It will be available in two colour variants: That Green and That White.
Realme Narzo 10 sports a 6.5-inch waterdrop notch display and is powered by Helio G80 chipset. It comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. The smartphone offers 4 GB RAM and 128 GB of internal storage.
In terms of camera, it features a quad-camera setup at the back that has a 48 MP primary lens, a portrait lens, a macro lens, and an ultra-wide-angle lens. For selfies, it features a 16 MP front camera.
The smartphone is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery.
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Bollywood actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar has finally reacted to Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara co-star Abhay Deol's statement that the two actors were demoted to 'supporting actor' by an award show. While Abhay claimed that they did not get the due credit for their performance because the film eventually was seen as a love story of Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Sharing his point of view about the same, Farhan shared that he entered the industry for being much more than a 'star'. He said that he doesn't focus on these things much.
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Bollywood actor Anupam Kher is an avid social media user. Every now and then he is seen sharing his opinion on every issue as well as revealing some funny stories related to his films. This time he has shared his fan moment that each one of us will relate to. Taking to his Instagram handle, the veteran Bollywood actor shared a throwback picture with pop icon Michael Jackson from the time when he visited India in the year 1996. Recalling fond memories, he revealed how he broke the barricades to jump on the stage and was almost thrown out by Michael’s bodyguards.
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Broadway's theatres will remain closed until January next year as the industry figures out a plan to function amid coronavirus pandemic, trade group the Broadway League has announced. The Broadway League said that theatre owners and producers will refund or exchange tickets previously purchased for shows through January 3, 2021, reported Variety.
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Environmental degradation, including deforestation, land-use change and agricultural intensification, may make pandemics more likely and less manageable, according to a study.
The study, published in the journal Environmental Science and Policy, presents the hypothesis that disease risks are "ultimately interlinked" with biodiversity and natural processes such as the water cycle.
The researchers at the University of the West of England and the University of Exeter in the UK used a framework designed to analyse and communicate complex relationships between society and the environment.
They conclude that maintaining intact and fully functioning ecosystems and their associated environmental and health benefits is key to preventing the emergence of new pandemics.
The loss of these benefits through ecosystem degradation -- including deforestation, land use change and agricultural intensification -- further compounds the problem, according to the researchers.
This happens by undermining water and other resources essential for reducing disease transmission and mitigating the impact of emerging infectious diseases, they said.
"Ecosystems naturally restrain the transfer of diseases from animals to humans, but this service declines as ecosystems become degraded,” said study lead author Mark Everard, of the University of the West of England.
"At the same time, ecosystem degradation undermines water security, limiting availability of adequate water for good hand hygiene, sanitation and disease treatment," Everard said.
He said the disease risk cannot be dissociated from ecosystem conservation and natural resource security.
"The speed and scale with which radical actions have been taken in so many countries to limit the health and financial risks from COVID-19 demonstrate that radical systemic change would also be possible in order to deal with other global existential threats, such as the climate emergency and collapse of biodiversity, provided the political will is there to do so," said David Santillo, of the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter.
The researchers said the lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is that societies globally need to "build back better", including protecting and restoring damaged ecosystems keeping the many values of nature and human rights at the very forefront of environmental and economic policy-making.
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COVID-19 is significantly associated with an increased risk of strokes, according to a study which says patients infected with the novel coronavirus should undergo aggressive monitoring for the neurological condition.
According to the researchers, including those from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the US, COVID-19 infection is a risk factor for acute strokes.
In the study, published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology, the scientists assessed patients presenting to six New York City hospitals for suspicion of stroke between March to April.
"We conducted a retrospective case-control study of 41 cases and 82 control subjects matched by age, sex, and risk factors," the scientists wrote in the study.
After adjusting for age, gender, and risk factors, the scientists found that COVID-19 infection had a significant independent association with acute ischemic stroke -- caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain.
Comparing the group of patients with stroke versus non-stroke, they showed a significantly elevated number of patients with COVID-19 infection among the stroke group after accounting for other known common stroke risk factors.
The researchers believe that patients with COVID-19 should be evaluated early for acute neurological changes.
"This is the first major peer-reviewed study to show that COVID-19 infection is a risk factor for acute strokes," Puneet Belani, study co-author from Mount Sinai Hospital.
"Patients with COVID-19 should be evaluated early for acute neurological changes, and timely workup should be performed in patients suspected to have stroke to reduce morbidity and mortality," Belani said.
Citing the limitations of the study, the scientists said the study involved only 41 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, adding that further studies involving a larger population may help validate the findings.
"Future endeavours may assess whether this relationship holds true in a larger population and with the pathophysiologic mechanisms inherent in COVID-19 that drive this association," they wrote in the study.
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The novel coronavirus can spread through surface contamination, that means if you touch a surface that has the virus and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth you can get infected. Hence, apart from wearing a mask outside and frequently washing our hands, health authorities have also prescribed people to keep our hands away from the face.
As it is quite difficult to do so in practice, a small team from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) has a pendant made. Known as PULSE, it is a 3-dimensional pendant“that pulses, or vibrates, when a person’s hand is nearing their face”.
A video clip on how the pendant functions have been uploaded on YouTube. As soon as you wear the pendant and reach for any part above the necklace, you will experience "haptic feedback from a vibration motor", simulating a nudge in your hands. This will readily remind you to keep your hands off of your face.
The video adds that the pendant works most efficiently when worn 6 inches below the chin. Another important point to remember is that the pendant is only an add on device and is not meant to replace masks or respirators.
The official page of the PULSE pendant states that its “simple and affordable” technology can be easily replicated by individuals and companies so that it gets widely distributed.
A list of parts, STL files, and assembly instructions have been made available for the public by JPL as open source. Anyone with a soldering tool, 3D printer, wires, coin battery, and a motor will be able to build the device.
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On this day in 2019, a powerful LGBTQ+ rights activist, performer and self-identified drag queen Marsha P Johnson was given the posthumous honored of "Grand Marshal" of the New York City Pride March.
In a decorative, colorful illustration by Los Angeles-based artist Rob Gilliam, the Google Doodle today celebrates the LGBTQ+ activist Johnson, who is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in the United States. Johnson was born on 24 August 1945, in New Jersey as Malcolm Michaels Jr.
After graduating high school in 1963, she moved to New York City’s Greenwich Village, which is a burgeoning, thriving community of LGBTQ+ people and culture. After she arrived, she legally changed her name to Marsha P Johnson. Her initial "P" was allegedly also her response to those who questioned her gender: "Pay It No Mind", as per a Google blog post on the doodle.
Johnson grew to be one of the most beloved and charismatic figures in the LGBTQ+ community. She is regarded as among the key leaders that brought about the 1969 Stonewall uprising — a key event and turning point in the global LGBTQ+ rights movement.
The year following the uprising, Johnson founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (now 'Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries' or STAR) with fellow transgender activist Sylvia Rivera. In the USA, STAR was the first organization to be led by a trans woman of color and the first organisation to open the country's first shelter for LGBTQ+ youth.
In 2019, New York City announced plans to put up statues of Johnson and Rivera in Greenwich Village – one of the world’s first monuments in honor of transgender people.
Google put it best when it said, "Thank you, Marsha P Johnson, for inspiring people everywhere to stand up for the freedom to be themselves."
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The novel coronavirus can spread through surface contamination, that means if you touch a surface that has the virus and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth you can get infected. Hence, apart from wearing a mask outside and frequently washing our hands, health authorities have also prescribed people to keep our hands away from the face.
As it is quite difficult to do so in practice, a small team from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) has a pendant made. Known as PULSE, it is a 3-dimensional pendant“that pulses, or vibrates, when a person’s hand is nearing their face”.
A video clip on how the pendant functions have been uploaded on YouTube. As soon as you wear the pendant and reach for any part above the necklace, you will experience "haptic feedback from a vibration motor", simulating a nudge in your hands. This will readily remind you to keep your hands off of your face.
The video adds that the pendant works most efficiently when worn 6 inches below the chin. Another important point to remember is that the pendant is only an add on device and is not meant to replace masks or respirators.
The official page of the PULSE pendant states that its “simple and affordable” technology can be easily replicated by individuals and companies so that it gets widely distributed.
A list of parts, STL files, and assembly instructions have been made available for the public by JPL as open source. Anyone with a soldering tool, 3D printer, wires, coin battery, and a motor will be able to build the device.
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Realme launched a bunch of products last week in India including the Realme X3, Realme X3 SuperZoom, Realme Buds Q, and a Realme Adventurer Backpack.
The two smartphones come with Snapdragon 855+ chipset, a 64 MP quad-camera setup, a 120 Hz refresh rate display, and 4,200 mAh battery. They will go on the first sale today at 12 pm on Flipkart and Realme.com.
Realme X3 comes in two storage variants―8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage that is priced at Rs 25,999 and 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variant is priced at Rs 24,999.
Realme X3 SuperZoom also comes in two storage variants―12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage variant is priced at Rs 32,999 and 8 GB RAM + 128 GB storage variant is priced at Rs 27,999.
Both smartphones come in Glacier Blue and Arctic White colour variants.
Both smartphones will be available for purchase today on Flipkart and Realme.com at 12 pm.
The smartphone features a 6.6-inch LCD Display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Snapdragon 855 + processor and offers up to 8 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage.
In terms of camera, the smartphone comes with a 64 MP quad-camera setup that also includes ultra-wide angle tens, 2X telephoto lens, and a macro lens.
On the front, it features a 16 MP + 8 MP dual camera setup for selfies.
It is equipped by a 4,200 mAh battery that supports the 30W Dart charge.
Realme X3 SuperZoom specifications
Realme X3 SuperZoom features a 6.6-inch full HD+ LCD display that has a resolution of 1,080 x 2,400 pixels and a 120 Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ chipset and offers up to 12 GB RAM 256 GB internal storage.
On the camera front, it comes with a quad rear camera setup that houses a 64 MP primary sensor, an 8 MP sensor that allows 5X optical zoom and 60X digital zoom, an 8 MP ultra-wide sensor and a 2 MP macro camera. Realme X3 SuperZoom also features Nightscape 4.0 with a new Starry Mode. For selfies, you will get a dual-camera setup that includes a 32 MP primary camera and an 8 MP camera.
The smartphone houses a 4,200 mAh battery that supports 30W Dart Charge.
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After a month-long wait, it looks like Xiaomi is all set to resume its smartphone sale in India.
Redmi Note 9 Pro that debuted in March this year, will go on sale today (30 June) at 12.00 pm.
Redmi Note 9 Pro pricing
The smartphone comes in two storage variants — 4 GB RAM + 64 GB storage is priced at Rs 13,999 and the 6 GB RAM + 128 GB storage will cost you Rs 16,999.
The Redmi Note 9 Pro comes with a 6.67-inch full-HD+ IPS display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on top. It runs on Android 10 with MIUI 11 atop.
Under the hood, it is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 720G chipset, coupled with Adreno 618 GPU and up to 6 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage.
For photography, it sports a quad-camera setup at the back, which includes a 48 MP primary shooter, 8 MP secondary ultra-wide sensor and 5 MP macro camera and a 2 MP depth sensor. Up front, it uses a 16 MP selfie camera.
Fueling the Redmi Note 9 Pro is a massive 5,020 mAh battery that supports 18 W fast charging that comes in the box.
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While color discrimination or racism has been an issue for ages, it recently came into limelight when George Floyd died. Many around the world protested and showed support to the black community through social media posts. Stars such as Priyanka Chopra, Sara Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan and others also raised their voice in support of the black community. Recently, fairness cream Fair and Lovely also announced that they are dropping 'Fair' from their name. After the incident, many celebrities also came out with their stories of discrimination. Actress Bipasha Basu shared how 'dusky' became the first adjective to describe her. Now Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain actress Soumya Tandon has revealed that she lost out on a lot of work abroad as she was termed 'too fair'.
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Amid the lockdown, people are trying to make the best use of the opportunity to spend quality time with their loved ones. For our favourite Bollywood celebrities, the lockdown has given them a chance to do things that they would not have been able to do it considering their hectic schedule. Sailing in the same boat is actress Sonam Kapoor who is making the most of this vacation at home with her husband Anand Ahuja and other family members. She recently made her way back to Mumbai as she was stuck in New Delhi ever since the countrywide shutdown. After celebrating her birthday, it now seems that she is back to enjoying her evenings with her husband and her latest photo on social media is proof of the same.
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Bollywood actress and entrepreneur Shilpa Shetty Kundra finds the current time of staying home precious as she can spend many more moments with her son Viaan and her newborn daughter Samisha, whom she welcomed via surrogacy in February. "I couldn't have timed it better. It's God's grace, it worked perfectly in my scheme of things. This time is so precious with my son and with my newborn. I can only be thankful and have utmost gratitude for the way things have panned out," Shilpa told IANS.
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Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is one of the most active celebrities on social media. Every now and then, we see posts from him where he is seen talking about lessons learned in life, throwback photos, inspirational quotes, poems by his father Harivanshi Rai Bachchan, and whatnot. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he kept his fans engaged through his activities not just on Instagram or Twitter but also on his blog. His enthusiasm is what drives fans to know what he is up to and probably this is the reason why his followers keep on increasing day by day. Well now, Big B has achieved a milestone as his Twitter followers have now increased to 43 million. The good news was shared by the 'Don' actor himself through a quirky post that read, "This is Insta Mr B , be not the Twitter be Millions on the T , have no bearing here, as u can C."
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Global icon Priyanka Chopra keeps treating fans with photos of her and husband Nick Jonas' family. The diva on Tuesday shared a photo of brother-in-law Joe Jonas and his wife Sophie Turner as she wished them on their first wedding anniversary. Joe and Sophie got hitched twice- once in a surprise wedding in May 2019, then they had a France wedding on June 29 in the presence of their friends and family. Wishing them on the big day, PeeCee shared a photo of the lovestruck couple on Instagram and wrote, "Happy 1 year anniversary. Love you both."
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Actress-producer Anushka Sharma says her early start in showbiz has taught her a lot, adding that she applies that wisdom in her personal and professional life every day. "The story of 'Bulbbul'' is the story of a girl's journey from innocence to strength and resilience... and it's a story I'm all too familiar with," she began her post on Instagram.
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Actor Akshay Kumar on Monday said his character in "Laxmmi Bomb" as a transgender person is the most "mentally intense" role of his three-decade-long career and he had to be careful about delivering his performance "without offending any community". The horror-comedy is a remake of the 2011 Tamil film "Kanchana" and is directed by Raghava Lawrence, who also helmed the original.
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Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan recalled the time when he jumped barricades to meet actress Sagarika Ghatge, in order to request her to convey a message to superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The actor on Monday shared a selfie that he clicked with Ghatge and had a fan moment. "2008 Mumbai Marathon! I jumped barricades to take a pic with Preeti Sabharwal #sagarikaghatge and also told her 'Shah Rukh Khan ko mera Hi bolna' @iamsrk sir did she convey ?" Kartik tweeted.
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Actress Alia Bhatt is looking forward to making her digital debut with the premiere of her film "Sadak 2", and says she is open to the idea of diving deep into the streaming platform. She even shared the genre on her wishlist: An investigative limited TV show. "Actors not only in the West but over here also are working directly on the OTT. (Web) has created a huge opportunity for actors to showcase their talent," she said while using the recent success of web series like Sushmita Sen-starrer web series "Aarya" and "Special Ops" series to support her point.
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Instagram is apparently working on a new 'Voice Note' feature that allows users to keep track of what is being said on a video in the Threads app. The feature was reported by the developer and tipster Alessandro Paluzzi on Twitter.
"Instagram is working on a new feature for the Threads app: video note. This feature will turn the audio of the video into live captions that will be shown in time with the recording," Paluzzi posted.
#Instagram is working on a new feature for the Threads app: video note 👀
This feature will turn the audio of the video into live captions that will be shown in time with the recording. pic.twitter.com/OxQrdIF7lH
The ‘Video Note’ feature may prove helpful to those with hearing disabilities.
Instagramlaunched the Threads app in October 2019. The app allows users to quickly share text, photos, and videos with “close friends” list. It also invites constant, passive sharing of location, status and other intimate data.
Threads have three core components, camera, inbox and status screen. The inbox mirrors direct messages on Instagram but is limited to close friends while the status screen allows users to create a status and then tell Instagram how long to keep it visible.
Twitter too recently started rolling out audio tweets on iOS. “Sometimes 280 characters aren’t enough and some conversational nuances are lost in translation. So starting today, we’re testing a new feature that will add a more human touch to the way we use Twitter — your very own voice,” Twitter’s Maya Patterson and Rémy Bourgoin posted on the company's blog.
According to the blog, users have to open the Tweet composer and tap the new icon with wavelengths. Users will see the profile photo with the record button at the bottom. They need to tap it to record their voice.
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Hollywood's 'Thor' Chris Hemsworth is as vulnerable as anybody else and grapples with uncertainties just like everyone. The actor says he looks at vulnerability as an access point for the audience and feels they make the character more relatable. "I'm as vulnerable as anybody else," Hemsworth told IANS when asked about tapping into vulnerabilities for a character. "You know, anything involving children, children (being) in jeopardy or if their safety is threatened, having children myself, it's certainly easier to sort of draw upon the visceral nature of what that the circumstances would evoke in you," he added.
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Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's demise sent shockwaves not just to the Bollywood industry but the whole country. Even after two weeks of his death, no one is able to recover from deep sorrow. Actress Bhumi Pednekar, who worked with him in the film 'Sonchiriya', will provide food to impoverished families as a tribute to the lost star. Taking to her social media, the actress shared the information about the same and informed that she will be joining hands with Ek Saath -- The Earth Foundation for the same. Previously, it was Sushant's debut film director Abhishek Kapoor and his wife Pragya Kapoor who pledged to feed 3,400 poor families through an NGO.
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Many celebrities on social media have also been urging people to take all preventive measures. Joining the league is Jennifer Anniston.
Chef Vikas Khanna said that it was a spam e-mail but the pictures in the e-mail, where old people were lying down without food, broke my heart.
