New Delhi: Dropping your iPhone in water can be a nerve-wracking experience and many people might think of the age-old trick of placing it in a bag of rice. While this advice has been passed around for years it’s actually more myth than fact. In its support document on handling wet iPhones, Apple advises, “Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. Doing so could allow small particles of rice to damage your iPhone”. So, if your iPhone ends up getting wet it’s better to follow Apple’s guidelines instead of relying on rice. Before giving up, there are a few things you can try to increase the chances of saving your device. Apple provides some important advice to follow. First, disconnect the cable from your iPhone and remove the other end from the power adapter or accessory. Make sure not to reconnect the cable until both your iPhone and the cable are fully dry. Dos If your iPhone gets wet, follow these steps to help dry it out. If these don’t work consider taking it to an authorised service provider: – Remove Excess Liquid: Gently tap your iPhone against your hand with the connector facing down to shake out any excess liquid. – Air Dry: Place your iPhone in a dry area with good airflow. – Wait and Test: After at least 30 minutes, try charging it with a Lightning or USB-C cable, or connecting an accessory. – Check for Alerts: If you see a liquid detection alert, there may still be moisture in the connector or on the cable pins. Leave your iPhone in the dry area for up to 24 hours. – Periodic Testing: Throughout this period, you can occasionally try charging or connecting an accessory to check if the moisture has evaporated. – Re-check Connections: If your iPhone seems dry but still isn’t charging, unplug the cable from the adapter and the adapter from the wall (if possible), then reconnect them. Dont’s It’s natural to want to save your iPhone from water damage but it’s important to avoid making things worse. According to Apple, here’s what not to do: –  Avoid External Heat: Don’t use a hair dryer, heater, or any other external heat source to dry your iPhone. – No Compressed Air: Don’t try to blow out moisture using compressed air, as it could push the liquid deeper into the device. – Don’t Insert Objects: Avoid sticking anything into the connector, like a cotton swab or paper towel, as this can cause damage. – Skip the Rice: Don’t put your iPhone in a bag of rice. The tiny particles can get into the device and cause more harm than good.

iPhone 16 Series Launch: Apple has announced the launch date of the highly anticipated iPhone 16 series in India during Apple’s ‘It’s Glowtime’ event in the US on September 9. The series includes the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. In addition to the iPhone 16 series, the Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to launch the Watch Series 10, Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE and AirPods 4. Notably, the mega event will be broadcast from Apple Park in Cupertino, California. It is interesting to note when the iPhones are likely to go on pre-order. Moreover, could Apple change the pre-order and release dates from the usual Fridays following the launch event? According to reports and the company’s track record, new iPhones are generally open for pre-orders on the Friday following the launch announcement and go on sale the Friday after that, even if the announcements don’t occur on the usual Tuesday. For example, the iPhone 14 series launch was on a Wednesday, and pre-orders still opened on the Friday of the same week. The iPhone 16 series, along with other products, could be available for pre-order on September 13 and might go on sale on September 20. iPhone 16 Series India Price (Expected): The iPhone 16 series may come with a lower price tag in India compared to the iPhone 15, thanks to a reduction in the basic customs duty on mobile phones from 20 per cent to 15 per cent. The iPhone 16 is expected to be priced around ₹67,000. The iPhone 16 Plus could cost approximately ₹75,500, while the iPhone 16 Pro is estimated to be available for ₹92,300. For those looking at the top-of-the-line model, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is anticipated to be priced at ₹1,00,700. 

iPhone 16 Launch: Are you thinking of purchasing the iPhone 15? Hold on! Here’s why you should wait for the iPhone 16 series, set to be unveiled during Apple’s ‘It’s Glowtime’ event on 9 September next month. The excitement surrounding Apple’s latest iPhone 15 is undeniable, but with the iPhone 16 series on the horizon, you might want to reconsider your purchase. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are expected to see significant upgrades compared to the current generation models. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are powered by the A16 Bionic chip, which debuted with the iPhone 14 Pro line. Adding further, both models missed out on the new Action button, which Apple introduced to replace the mute switch on the Pro models. However, things are set to change this year, as Apple plans to bring the base iPhone 16 models closer to the Pro models.  From groundbreaking features to expected upgrades that could redefine your smartphone experience, let’s have a quick look on the four compelling reasons why waiting for the iPhone 16 could be the smarter and perfect move.  Performance:  The Apple’s iPhone 16 base models will see a significant boost in terms of performance. The Cupertino-based tech giant might use the A18 chip from the Pro models in these base versions as well. However, the company could configure the chip differently for various models, so the iPhone 16 and iPhone  Plus models might have fewer cores for the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) compared to the Pro models. However, these base iPhone 16 models will be a considerable upgrade over their previous generation counterparts.  To enhance performance, Apple may provide 8GB of RAM in the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, as this is the minimum requirement for running advanced intelligence features. This is a significant improvement compared to the 6GB RAM in previous generation models.  Design:  The base iPhone 16 models might feature some cosmetic changes. The rear camera module on the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus could be aligned vertically instead of diagonally when compared to the previous generation,. Adding further, Apple might introduce new colour options for the base variants. Apple Intelligence:  It is important to note that Apple’s suite of artificial intelligence features is coming to the entire iPhone 16 series. The upcoming Apple Intelligence features include text generation and summarisation tools across the board. It also houses the Image Playground app for generating images from prompts, Genmoji for generating emojis using artificial intelligence, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT integration into the operating system. Moreover, it has an improved artificial intelligence-powered Siri with better natural language processing capabilities.   Functionality:  The base iPhone 16 models are expected to come with the “Pro” elements. The capacitive Action Button, which replaces the mute switch on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone Pro Max, is expected to be included in the base models of the iPhone 16 series as well. Unlike the mute switch, which only allows users to switch between sound profiles, the Action Button offers a wide range of functions and customization options based on user preferences.

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday granted a one-month extension to access service providers to comply with its direction regarding the whitelisting of URLs, APKs and OTT links. TRAI had earlier asked major telecom operators in the country to regulate messages containing URLs, OTT link, APK files and phone numbers unless they are whitelisted by September 1. The move is aimed at curbing the number of spam and phishing attempts by scammers who try to dupe people using SMS service. The telecom regulator has now directed all access providers to furnish to the authority an updated status on action taken within 15 days and a compliance report within 30 days from date of issue of this direction. The revised direction mandates that all access providers ensure that traffic containing URLs/APKs/OTT links, which are not whitelisted, is not permitted with effect from October 1. “This step aims to curb the misuse of Headers and Content Templates, ensuring a more secure and efficient telecom ecosystem. Further, in consideration of the issues brought out by Access Providers, the revised timeline for implementing call back numbers will be fixed separately,” said TRAI. On August 20, the Centre mandated access service providers to take concrete measures to curb misuse of messaging services, effective from September 1. All access service providers were to be prohibited from transmitting messages containing URLs, APKs, OTT links, or call back numbers which are not whitelisted by the senders. To deter the misuse of templates for promotional content, TRAI has introduced punitive measures for non-compliance. “Content templates registered under the wrong category will be blacklisted, and repeated offenses will lead to a one-month suspension of the sender’s services,” said the government. The telecom regulator said that the revocation of traffic from the sender shall be done only after legal action is taken by the sender against such misuse.

Realme 13 Pro+ New Variant: Realme has launched a new colour variant of the Realme 13 Pro+ smartphone in India. Notably, the Chinese tech brand has already launched the Realme 13 Pro+ in July this year alongside the Realme 13 Pro 5G. Initially, the handset was available in the country in two colour options — Green and Gold. Now, the Realme 13 Pro+ will be offered in a third Monet Purple shade as well.  Realme 13 Pro+  Price And Availability: The recently launched smartphone is priced at Rs 32,999 for the 8GB + 256GB storage model. The 12GB + 256GB variant costs at Rs 34,999, while the 12GB + 512GB storage model carries a price tag of Rs 36,999.  Consumers can purchase the Realme 13 Pro+ 5G with a new variant on September 2 at 12pm IST via Flipkart, the Realme India website and offline mainline stores. Realme 13 Pro+ New Colour Variant Bank Offers:  Customers who purchase the Monet Purple colour option between noon and midnight on September 2 can take advantage of a ₹3,000 bank offer and a Rs 4,000 exchange offer. It’s important to note that the bank offer is exclusively available during this time frame and applies only to the new purple variant.  Realme 13 Pro+ Specifications:  The smartphone features a 6.7-inch full-HD+(1,080×2,412 pixels) AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by a 5,200mAh battery along with 80W SuperVOOC fast charging support. The dual-SIM (Nano) Realme 13 Pro+ runs on Android 14-based Realme UI 5.0 and powered by an octa-core 4nm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 SoC, along with an Adreno 710 GPU.  In the camera department, the phone comes with a triple rear camera unit which includes a 50-megapixel 1 / 1.56-inch LYT-701 sensor with optical image stabilisation (OIS) and an f/1.88 aperture, a 50-megapixel LYT-600 periscope telephoto camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide angle lens.  For selfies and video chats, there is a 32-megapixel camera for selfies and video chats. Notably, the camera setup is equipped with several AI-based features such as AI audio zoom, AI group enhance and AI smart removal among others collectively called HyperImage+.  

Motorola Razr 50 India Launch: Motorola has announced the launch date for its latest foldable Motorola Razr 50 smartphone in India. This is the second foldable smartphone from Motorola to launch here after the Razr 50 Ultra. The Lenovo-owned brand is launching the Motorola Razr 50 foldable device in India on September 9 this year.  The foldable smartphone is expected to come with direct access to Google’s Gemini AI assistant from the external display. Consumers can purchase the foldable Motorola Razr 50 smartphone via Amazon India, the Motorola India website and leading retail stores. However, there is no official confirmation from the company yet whether Motorola will host an event for the Razr 50 India launch or not. Notably, the upcoming smartphone was already unveiled in China with the same moniker in June, but it is available in US markets as Motorola Razr 2024.  Make your #MotorolaRazr50 more you! Choose animated characters, photos, & templates for Home & Lock screens. Keep commenting—you’re so close to win #FlipItOrMissIt contest! T&C: https://t.co/30LCgXhEP9 Launching 9 Sep on Amazon Specials, https://t.co/YA8qpSWDkw & leading stores — Motorola India (@motorolaindia) August 31, 2024 Motorola Razr 50 Specifications (Expected) The foldable smartphone is rumoured to feature a 6.9-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,640 pixels) pOLED inner display and a 3.6-inch full-HD+ (1,056×1,066 pixels) pOLED cover display.  It is expected to run on a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chipset alongside up to 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. The foldable smartphone is expected to be powered by a 4200mAh battery with support for 30W wired fast charging and 15W wireless charging.   On the optics front, the foldable phone could sport a dual outer camera unit comprising a 50-megapixel primary sensor and a 13-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera. For selfies and video chats, there is a 32-megapixel shooter on the inner display along with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor.

New Delhi: ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has appointed political veteran Chris Lehane, who is a member of the executive team at OpenAI, as its vice president of global policy, according to New York Times reports. Chris Lehane, a former policy chief at Airbnb and a member of the Clinton White House, could not be reached for comment by OpenAI when contacted by Reuters. This appointment comes after the Cupertino-based tech giant Apple and chip giant Nvidia are reportedly in talks to invest in OpenAI as part of a new fundraising round that could value the Microsoft-backed startup above $100 billion. Earlier in the day, the Financial Times reported that OpenAI is considering restructuring its corporate framework to be more appealing to investors. OpenAI names political veteran Lehane as head of global policy, NYT reports https://t.co/BfChnf7ybw pic.twitter.com/XWGX45QbHG — Reuters (@Reuters) August 31, 2024 Lehane has also served in the Clinton White House as a lawyer and spokesman, specializing in opposition research. He earned a reputation as “the master of disaster” during his time working for President Bill Clinton. A spokeswoman for OpenAI, Liz Bourgeois, said, “Just as the company is making changes in other areas of the business to scale the impact of various teams as we enter this next chapter, we recently made changes to our global affairs organization.”

iPhone 15 Discount: Ahead of the iPhone 16 Launch at the Apple Event 2024 on September 9, there is a massive discount offer available for the iPhone 15 models on various e-commerce platforms.  Notably, the 128GB variant of the iPhone 15 is currently offered at its lowest price ever. Many smartphone users must be planning to upgrade their iPhones. However, if you are eyeing the iPhone 15 Pro, then you must wait for the iPhone 16 Pro to experience notable upgrades.  iPhone 15 (128 GB Variant) Discount On Flipkart: Currently, the phone is listed on Flipkart at Rs 79,600. Now, users can purchase it for Rs 65,999 after a 17 per cent discount on the iPhone 15. Moreover, users can enjoy  5 per cent unlimited cashback when they use the Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card, with applicable terms and conditions. Adding further, you can get Rs 1,000 off on payments made through Flipkart UPI, and save Rs 1,000 on transactions using UPI. If you have an old smartphone, then you can exchange for up to Rs 40,850. Combining all the bank offers and exchange offers, users can purchase the iPhone 15 at the lowest price.  iPhone 15 Specifications:  The premium smartphone comes in five colour options: Pink, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black. It features a stunning 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with an impressive peak brightness of up to 2000 nits, enhanced with Ceramic Shield glass for durability. The premium handset is powered by a 3349 mAh battery and the formidable A16 Bionic chip. In the camera department, it houses a powerful 48MP primary sensor and a 12MP telephoto lens, along with a 12MP front camera for quality selfies and video chats.  

New Delhi: Apple-owned audio brand Beats has launched the latest premium products to the Indian market. The new line-up includes the Beats Solo Buds true wireless earphones, Beats Solo 4 on-ear headphones, and Beats Pill portable Bluetooth speaker. Consumers can book premium products on apple.com/in. Notably, these products will hit store shelves on September 4.  Beats Solo Buds Earphones Price And Colour Options The device is priced at Rs 6,900 in the country. It will be available in Matte Black, Storm Gray, Arctic Purple, and Transparent Red colour options.  Beats Solo 4 On-Ear Headphones Price And Colour Options The Beats Solo 4 Headphones is priced at Rs 22,900. It comes in three colour options: Matte Black, Slate Blue, and Cloud Pink.   Beats Pill Portable Bluetooth Speaker Price And Colour Options The speaker is priced at Rs 16,900. It comes in Champagne Gold, Statement Red and Matte Black colour options.  Beats Solo Buds Specifications:  The device offers are equipped with a custom-designed microphone powered by an advanced noise-learning algorithm. It offers  Class 1 Bluetooth for extended range with fewer dropouts. (Also Read: Realme Buds T01 TWS Earbuds Launched In India With AI ENC For Calls Under Rs 2,000; Check Specs, Price) The device features a one-touch parking and Find My Device. It also offers customisable on-ear functions to control music, take calls, activate the voice assistant, and more.   The TWS earbuds are claimed to offer up to 18 hours of playback and the carry case can be charged via a USB Type-C port.  Beats Solo 4 On-Ear Headphones Specifications:  The headphones feature custom-built 40mm drivers and support personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, promising superior call performance and seamless voice assistant interaction. Compatible with both iOS and Android, the device offers one-touch pairing, automatic account setup across your devices, and a convenient Find My Device feature. The company claims that the battery lasts up to 50 hours on a single charge, with Fast Fuel providing up to 5 hours of playback from just a 10-minute quick charge. Beats Pill Portable Bluetooth Speaker  The portable speaker features a 20-degree upward tilt for improved on-axis sound projection and is reportedly 10 percent lighter than its predecessor. It boasts an IP67 rating, ensuring resistance to both dust and water. Compatible with both iOS and Android, the speaker supports instant one-touch pairing, Find My/Find My Device, and automatic pairing across your other devices. The Beats Pill is said to deliver up to 24 hours of continuous music playback, with Fast Fuel providing 2 hours of playback from just a 10-minute charge. 

Jio has introduced Jio Phonecall AI, a new service that brings AI capabilities right to your phone calls. With this tool, users can record and save calls in Jio Cloud, automatically turn them into text and even get summaries and translations in different languages. Akash Ambani explains that Jio Phonecall AI is designed to make managing and understanding phone conversations easier and more efficient. How to Use Jio Phonecall AI Using Jio Phonecall AI is simple. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide: – Dial the AI Number: Call 1-800-1732673 to connect with Jio Phonecall AI. – Start Recording: After the welcome message, press 1 to begin recording. – Speak Freely: The AI will automatically record, transcribe, and translate your conversation in the background. – Recording Alerts: The AI will periodically announce, “The call is being recorded,” to ensure transparency. – Pause Transcription: Press 2 if you need to pause transcription. You’ll hear “Transcription is paused.” – Resume or End: Press 1 to resume transcription or press 3 to end the session. This feature supports various communication formats, including one-on-one calls, group conferences, and personal notes. Jio Phonecall AI is especially helpful for hearing-impaired individuals, promoting inclusivity and ensuring that everyone’s voice can be heard. All the call recordings and transcripts will be stored in Jio Cloud so user can easily retrieve them whenever they need. Jio Phonecall AI makes recording and transcribing calls as straightforward as dialing a number, making it an essential tool for smooth and effective communication in our connected world. In addition, Jio has also introduced Jio TvOS, a fully home-grown operating system for the Jio Set Top Box. Designed for a superior big-screen experience, Jio TvOS delivers faster, smoother performance with features like Ultra HD 4K video, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. According to Kiran Thomas, President of Reliance Jio, it provides a custom-made entertainment system for home use.