JioTV, Reliance Jio's live streaming service now has a Web version. Along with JioCinema, it is Jio’s second service to be available through a Web browser. It includes all TV channel categories such as Entertainment, Sports, and News. You can filter out HD channels from standard definition and you can even filter channels as per your language of choice. To use JioTV or JioCinema on the Web, you need to login on the respective websites with a valid Jio ID and password. Unlike the app versions, you do not need to be on a Jio mobile network in order to access the Web version. This move is expected to pave the way for Jio users to view their favourite channels even when connected to Wi-Fi or other mobile networks.
In other Reliance Jio news, the MyJio app for Android has received an update adding HelloJio. It’s a new voice assistant from Reliance Jio accessible on the top right corner of the app. It can be used in English and Hindi and while its details aren’t listed on the app’s change log on Google Play, you can use it to make bill payments, play music, and make calls. There’s no handsfree support just yet and you can ask questions like "What is Dhan Dhana Dhan offer" to get answers related to Jio's tariff plans. The HelloJio voice assistant can set alarms with the voice command - "set the alarm [followed by the time you wish to set]”.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2, other mobiles discounted on No.1 Mi Fan Sale
The No. 1 Mi Fan Sale is Xiaomi’s Christmas and New Year sale. It starts from 12am IST Wednesday, December 20 and will be on until Thursday, December 21. As part of the Xiaomi sale, the Mi MIX 2 will be available at Rs. 32,999 on Wednesday, down from Rs. 35,999, while the Mi Max 2 will be available at Rs. 12,999, down from Rs. 14,999. On Wednesday, accessories like the 20000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i will be available at Rs. 1,499, down from Rs. 1,999, while the 10000mAh Mi Power Bank 2i will be available at Rs. 799, down from Rs. 1,199. Check out the complete list of deals including Re. 1 flash sales and timings.
Idea, Airtel, and Vodafone reveal new prepaid plans and features
The after-effects of Reliance Jio have forced other telcos to bring more competitive offerings to the market. The latest from Idea is called Validity Accumulation. It lets prepaid subscribers pay for a pack of longer validity now and activate it at a later time. It’s similar to the My Vouchers feature from Reliance Jio.
In addition to this, Airtel revealed a new data pack for prepaid users. It offers 1GB of 3G/4G data with a single day’s validity for Rs. 49. This offer is valid on select mobile numbers and circles in India. It’s one of the few to give 1GB of data under Rs. 50. At the moment, Reliance Jio offers 1GB for Rs. 52 with free voice calls, messages, and a 7-day validity.
Furthermore, Vodafone prepaid users in select circles including Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, Bihar & Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh have two new Super Plans - Rs. 409 and Rs. 459 - to choose from. These offer unlimited voice calls (local, STD, and roaming), 100 SMSes per day, and unlimited 2G data.The only difference between the two packs is that the Rs. 409 plan has a validity of 70 days while the Rs. 459 plan has a validity of 84 days. The circles, where the two packs are available, currently do not have Vodafone 3G coverage.
iPhone prices in India marginally increased after import tax hike
Apple India on Monday updated prices across nearly the entire iPhone lineup, a couple of days after the government announced its decision to hike import tax on mobile phones, video cameras, and televisions. On Friday, the government said that mobile imports will now be taxed at 15 percent instead of 10 percent, an increase of 5 percentage points, and on Monday, Apple increased iPhone India prices by around 3.5 percentage on average. iPhone SE is assembled in India and is the only model whose price remains unchanged.
OnePlus 5 gets Android Oreo-based OxygenOS Open Beta 2
OnePlus 5 has received OxygenOS Open Beta 2, which is based on Android 8.0 Oreo, the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system. It comes with fixes to various widget and shortcut issues as well as comes with camera UI improvements. The pre-installed Files Manager app has also added the f4v format for videos and there are speed improvements when deleting massive files. Also, the company claims to have added system-level improvements to Reading mode, vibration, and Bluetooth audio. The new Open Beta update also fixes Parallel apps bugs and fixes a reboot issue while using Picture-in-Picture mode. OnePlus has additionally updated Android security patch for November and included general bug fixes and stability improvements.
You can install the Open Beta 2 OxygenOS on your OnePlus 5 by flashing the new build onto the smartphone. Users are recommended to back up their data as all the stored data will be lost during the flashing process. The official OnePlus flashing guide is available with instructions to get the new beta version and you can download the ROM from the OnePlus site for flashing.
Micromax Bolt Q3001 with 4GB of RAM goes official
Micromax’s next smartphone is the Bolt Q3001. It’s a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) smartphone based on Android Marshmallow. There’s a 4-inch TFT display, 1.2GHz Spreadtrum SC773 quad-core processor, 4GB of RAM, 5-megapixel rear camera and a 2-megapixel front facing camera. There’s 32GB of in-built storage and microSD support for 32GB as well. Micromax has told Gadgets 360 that the smart phone will not launch in the Indian market and is meant for the international market. However with India-focussed apps preloaded like Askme, Chaatz, Clean Master, Dr. Safety, Hotstar, Housing, News Hunt, Paytm, Quickr, Snapdeal, and Reverie we won’t be surprised to see an India launch in the days to come.
Xiaomi Mi A1 Special Edition Red Colour variant launched in India
The Xiaomi Mi A1 will soon be available in red. Dubbed as the Xiaomi Mi A1 Special Edition Red, it will be on sale from December 20 on Flipkart and Mi.com in limited quantities. All Mi Home stores, Mi Preferred Partner stores, and retail partner stores will sell it as well. Xiaomi Mi A1 Special Edition Red variant price in India has been set at Rs. 13,999. It features a vibrant shad of red alongside discreet separation lines. Except for the new paint job, the variant has identical hardware to the original Mi A1 that was launched in India back in September. The dual-SIM Mi A1 Special Edition Red runs Android 7.1.2 Nougat operating system with stock UI and features a 5.5-inch IPS display with full-HD (1080x1920 pixels) resolution. The handset is powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 SoC, coupled with 4GB of RAM.
Uber's alleged shady tactics detailed in newly revealed letter from ex-employee
A former Uber security specialist accused the company of dispatching a team of spies to steal its rivals' trade secrets and using shady tactics to thwart its competition in the ride-hailing market, according to an inflammatory letter unsealed Friday by a federal judge. Those tactics allegedly included impersonating other people, illegally recording conversations and hacking into computers.
Former Uber manager Richard Jacobs, who was fired earlier this year, made the explosive claims in a 37-page letter that sought a big payoff for being forced out of the company. The letter, written by a lawyer on Jacobs' behalf, has already reshaped a high-profile trial pitting Uber against Waymo, a Google spin-off that accuses its rival of stealing its self-driving car technology.
Microsoft Store won't get iTunes this Year, disappointing Windows 10 S users
iTunes won’t be coming to the Microsoft Store this year. Much to the dismay of Windows 10 S users, Apple’s music app is skipping Microsoft’s digital storefront. No exact cause for the delay has been given just yet. An Apple spokesperson confirmed the delay in the process of adding iTunes to Microsoft Store, which was transformed from Windows Store in October. "We have been working with Microsoft to deliver the full iTunes experience to our customers, and we need a little more time to get it right," the spokesperson said in a statement to ZDNet.
So far, the Microsoft Store is the only option for downloading third-party apps on Windows 10 S - a tweaked version of Windows 10 that was released earlier this year. This, therefore, brings a major disappointment for Windows 10 S users as they cannot experience Apple Music and iTunes Store just yet. Windows 10 'regular' users can get Apple services by downloading the latest iTunes version.
Google Project Tango support ends next year, succeeded by ARCore
Google is shutting down Project Tango — the company’s augmented reality platform. A tweet from the official Project Tango Twitter account announced that support for Project Tango will be 'turned down' from March 1, 2018 and that Google will continue its efforts in augmented reality with ARCore. The news comes over three years after Project Tango was first introduced back in 2014.
Pixel 2 XL apparently affected by slow fingerprint unlocking after Android 8.1 Oreo update
It seems that the Pixel 2 XL’s problems aren’t going to end anytime soon. Pixel 2 XL owners have reported slower fingerprint unlock times on their devices after the Android 8.1 Oreo update. Those impacted claim Pixel 2 XL units on Android 8.1 took a second to unlock the device. "My Pixel 2 XL's screen takes a good second before the screen turns on. This just started after performing the update," one of the users posted on Google forums. In addition to this, this issue has been reported on Reddit, and a video on YouTube surfaced replicating it live with a near three seconds of delay in unlocking a Pixel 2 XL unit. However, we weren't able to replicate the issue on a Pixel 2 XL unit.
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