Technology

Foldables have indeed come a long way, especially in India. While earlier limited to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold range, 2024 has provided enough variety from a number of manufacturers across foldable segments. You can now get one for as low as Rs. 64,999 in a flippable clamshell form factor or pony up Rs. 1,59,999 for a top-of-the-line book-style foldable that literally competes with premium slab-style smartphones. With the emergence of tri-fold devices, foldables even make those bloated iPhone price tags in India appear palatable for Android users.

And for those curious iPhone Pro users wanting to try out something new, a foldable offers a new form factor and is a value-for-money offering given that they are already paying well over Rs. 1,00,000 for a “Pro” iPhone. And what better Android device to begin with than Google’s own Pixel foldable! It has an almost iPhone-like philosophy, with both the software and chip design controlled by the brand.

Indeed, this is something we are witnessing for the first time in the foldable segment (at least in India). With a long moniker that makes sense given the numerous features it brings to the table, is Google’s first Pro-branded Pixel worthy of its “Pro” branding and its price tag?

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review Design: Beauty and the beast

• Dimensions (Folded) – 155.2mm x 77.1mm x 10.5mm
• Dimensions (Unfolded) – 155.2mm x 150.2mm x 5.1mm
• Weight – 257 grams
• Durability – IPX8 water resistance

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold sure looks cool. It has a slimmer, leaner and minimalist avatar, but it’s also the heaviest foldable in the segment

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold currently has the slimmest design of any foldable in India. When placed on a table next to the OnePlus Open, it literally feels half as thick when folded (because of its thinner camera bump) and abnormally slim when opened. It looks very “Swedish” (read minimalist) in terms of overall design, and I would have loved holding it if it had not weighed over a quarter of a kilo.

Vivo’s X Fold 3 Pro is taller and thicker (by about a millimetre) and is surprisingly more comfortable to hold than the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. This is partially due to its slightly narrow design (accompanied by thin bezels), but it is also lighter by 21 grams and has bevelled corners and curved edges.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold (left) is slimmer and flatter, while the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro (right) is easier to hold thanks to its curved edges and bevelled corners

I wish that Google had stuck to its smaller passport-sized design (like the old Pixel Fold), which was unique and special. The original Fold’s design also meant that the device always opened directly in a tablet state (horizontal versus vertical) and so did not need to be reoriented when watching movies. It was the perfect design for a foldable (which most people expect to turn into a tablets when opened), but Google’s designers took a smartphone-first design approach and kind of ruined its USP.

How slim is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold? Here, it is pictured next to Google’s own slab-style Pixel 9 Pro XL flagship

This new approach results in a narrower cover display, which I agree is more comfortable to hold, but this also means you will have to reorient the phone when watching a movie, as explained in the display section below.

Google uses aluminium alloy for the metal parts and has the slimmest profile thanks to its use of flat front and rear panels. However, I’m not confident about its durability because the frame is thin. It’s barely 1mm thick near the hinge, and while it looks sleek, it also feels quite delicate.

With such skinny margins for its front and rear frames, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold does feel quite delicate around the hinge area

Another area where Google manages to chisel down its foldable to beat the competition is the bezel surrounding the main folding display, which literally looks like a glossy sticker.

Lastly, the overall finish of the Fold is a bit lacking when compared to the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s design. While the buttons and port cutouts are a bit sharp, there are minor gaps where the glass panel meets the metal frame. The phone is IPX8-rated, meaning that it can withstand splashes of water from any direction, but do keep in mind that the warranty will not cover any damage caused by the same.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review Display: Actually good

• Cover display – 6.2-inch, 1080 x 2424 pixels, full-HD+, 120Hz
• Main display – 8.03-inch, 2076 x 2152 pixels, 120Hz
• Display Type – Cover: OLED, Main: LTPO OLED
• Display protection – Cover: Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Main: UTG

As you can tell from the specifications listed above, only the folding display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold offers the battery-saving LTPO technology. Both displays show slightly punchy colours at the Adaptive setting, with the same getting toned down at the Natural setting. If you prefer the Natural setting for true-to-life colours, be sure to switch to the Adaptive setting when watching movies on OTT apps, as the displays tend to lose contrast in this mode.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold has an attractive overall design, but it’s hard to ignore those thick borders around its cover display.

I liked how broad the cover display is, which also reduces the need to open the phone all the time. Like with the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s display, The well-rounded corner cutouts of the Fold’s design also eat into the viewable display area. It only makes things worse on a foldable as those corners make the rectangular display appear squarish.

Given the main folding display’s size, you get a more usable video viewing area when holding the device horizontally, and that’s the reason why you have to reorient it when viewing video on full screen (non-cropped view). And even then, there’s tons of wasted space above and below (letterboxing), so the squarish aspect ratio is better suited to run two apps side-by-side than for entertainment.

While its bezel is now thinner than before, the main display on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has a very noticeable crease

In fact, if you are just looking for a bigger display for watching movies on, the Pixel 9 Pro XL is a better choice because it will last longer than the 9 Pro Fold with a single charge as well.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Review Software: AI-tastic

• Software – Pixel UI
• Version – Android 14
• Software commitment – 7 years of OS, security and Pixel Drop updates

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the only foldable to offer a proper tablet-style split notification tray with toggles on the left and notifications on the right

There is a lot of detail and attention given to the folding experience. There’s a subtle closing animation with the home screen icons and widgets moving inwards when closing the main display. The lock screen clock also glides to the left when unlocking the device directly from the main display, which is a nice touch. My favourite is the split layout for the notifications tray with toggles on the left and the notifications on the right, which is commonly found on Android tablets that run near-stock Android software.

However, the Pixel 9 Pro’s multi-tasking capabilities are far from what the competition offers. Currently, it’s just limited to running two apps (displayed in full) in Split Screen mode, and that’s about it. The OnePlus Open, despite being the oldest foldable currently available, still seems to offer the best productivity setup with the ability to run three apps in full and another app in a small floating window, for those who need it.

The Pixel 9 Pro’s multi-tasking capabilities are limited to running two apps at a time

While you can read about all the AI features in my review of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold does come with a few fun extras. This would include the adorable Made You Look feature, which plays funny animations on the cover display to make kids laugh and smile when on camera. Dual Screen on Meet also lets users show the output from both front and rear cameras together when on a Meet video call. Dual-Screen mode for Live Transcribe is also very useful when on a holiday and can instantly translate 120+ languages. It also comes in use for those with hearing and speech disabilities.

Just like the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Car Crash Detection is now available, with the satellite-based Emergency SOS coming at a later date.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review Performance: Pretty average

• Processor – Google Tensor G4
• RAM – 16GB
• Storage – 256GB

Despite the many foldable-friendly software refinements, it is a bit disappointing to see the UI stuttering with random apps (including the Google Discover feed). I understand that the Fold’s cover display is not an LTPO unit, but I noticed this very obvious lack of scrolling fluidity with both displays when browsing any app. This became more obvious when I compared it with the Pixel 9 Pro XL side by side. I believe the culprit here is the stricter battery optimisations. Either way, Google desperately needs to fix the jitter and stuttering, as Vivo’s X Fold 3 Pro offers a much smoother software experience at a lower price.

Google also skimps on storage, given that most foldables at this price point easily offer 512GB of storage. In a way, they do back it up with a free 2TB Gemini Advanced plan (for a year), but again, we would have loved to see more storage on a phone that’s this expensive.

I was not able to try out Google’s in-game split-view, which is available for certain titles as a Beta tester, because of some access-related issues. However, I tried Call of Duty: Mobile (at Max and Ultra frame rate) on the cover and main display and found its performance quite satisfactory. Genshin Impact stuttered a lot when the settings were maxed out. Touch sampling or sensitivity is not as accurate, and it felt a bit weird to play FPS games on a square display, even though it provides you with a much bigger display compared to the cover screen.

The phone gets hot while using the camera app outdoors, but it does not seem to affect camera performance (like on previous Pixel models) thanks to the vapour chamber cooling system.

It sure is impressive how Google managed to pack in wireless charging and VC cooling into a phone that’s as thin as a USB-C port when unfolded

For some reason, volume levels like those on the Pixel 9 Pro XL do not seem sufficient, especially while watching movies. I often found myself maxing it out most of the time and still did not find it sufficient in terms of sheer loudness. It also lacks a sufficient bass (even for a foldable).

While the side-mounted fingerprint reader worked just fine, I only needed to use it in dimly lit settings, or those with no light at all, as the secure face unlock system did the job quite well.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review Cameras: Not what we expected

• Main camera – 48-megapixel (OIS), f/1.7 aperture, AF
• Telephoto camera – 10.8-megapixel (OIS), 5X optical, f/3.1 aperture, AF
• Ultra-wide camera – 10.5-megapixel, 0.5X, f/2.2 aperture, AF
• Selfie cameras – 10-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, AF (cover/main)

Google’s camera system on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold remains similar to the older Pixel Fold

Indeed, there’s nothing “Pro” about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s cameras, as they don’t hold a candle to the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s cameras. Regardless, things only get worse when compared with the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro, as can be seen from the camera sample comparison below.

Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold loses to the sharper and more detailed photos produced by Vivo’s X Fold 3 Pro. Also, notice the better dynamic range in low light (tap images to expand)

Unlike most manufacturers trying to squeeze high-resolution camera sensors into their foldables. It remains to be seen whether Google wants to copy Samsung’s camera hardware strategy and stick with the same set of cameras for three generations, as the only real upgrades we have seen this year are with its selfie cameras.

Photos from the primary camera are decent and come out a bit soft when shooting indoors or against any outdoor lighting. When shooting outdoors, colours appear natural, with resolved detail on the lower side and some minor purple fringing. In low light, photos have decent detail but tend to crush the blacks as the older Pixel cameras did.

Edge detection in Portrait mode really needs a lot of work… even for a foldable (tap image to expand)

As with the Pixel 9 Pro XL, Portrait shooting is limited to 1.5X and 2X. However, unlike the XL, the Fold has to handle it all with a rather dated camera sensor, so these digitally scaled crops don’t look great. Portrait mode photos from the rear camera not only lack detail and contrast but also have horrible edge detection that can cut out hair, ears and glasses. So, I recommend using it only in daylight (if you really have to). In fact, I preferred shooting regular photos at 1X and adding an AI blur effect to them in the post, which also provided better detail.

Photos captured at 5X (optical zoom) appear a bit flat and soft (tap image to expand)

Photos from its primary camera (1X) come out alright (tap image to expand)

The 5X telephoto camera, while managing quality photos in daylight, shoots soft images in low light even when resorting to the Night Sight mode. The ultra-wide camera really feels like it’s been added to complete the spec sheet. Video performance is passable in daylight but comes out very noisy in low light; even Google’s Video Boost tool cannot seem to turn water into wine here.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Review Battery: A bit below expectations

• Battery capacity – 4,650 mAh
• Wired charging – 21W
• Wireless Charging – 7.5W wireless (Qi)

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s battery life lasts a full day on a single charge with moderate use. This would include some calls, camera usage, gaming, and frequently switching to the main display. In our video loop battery test, the phone managed to last 12 hours and 50 minutes when using the cover display and 8 hours and 8 minutes when using the larger main display. These numbers are below average for a foldable device, as I have seen better battery performance on foldables like the Vivo X Fold 3 Pro or even the OnePlus Open (which is now a bit dated).

Google does not provide the Pixel 45W charger in the box

Charging speeds are relatively slow, with the phone managing a full charge in 1 hour and 45 minutes when connected to a 61W PD charger. They are on par with Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 but nowhere close to what the current Chinese foldables offer both in terms of wired and wireless charging.

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Verdict

Google’s neatly laid out software and segment-leading AI tricks may come to the 9 Pro Fold’s rescue, which finds itself in the hands of Pixel fans who have been desperately waiting for the foldable to reach Indian shores. But its dated camera system desperately needs an upgrade and does not fit the “Pro” moniker that Google’s chasing for its foldable.

When it comes to practical features that matter to most consumers, like smooth software, good battery life, fast charging and quality cameras, it comes up horribly short of Vivo’s X Fold 3 Pro (Review), making it an antithesis to this year’s Pixel 9 Pro XL (Review), which was a big step in the right direction for Google’s slab-style smartphones.

If you are looking for your first foldable, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 (Review) and OnePlus’s Open (Review) offer extended repair warranties to give you better peace of mind and both of these, like the Vivo, are priced lower than Google’s foldable Pixel.

The forecast of a revenue decline, which will be its first after two years, came after the company reported its first fall in quarterly revenue, also in two years.

Shares of SanDisk, which makes products for cloud computing and datacentres as well as for smartphones and other mobile devices, fell 6 percent in extended trading.

There is strong demand for SanDisk’s solid-state drives and memory chips.

But, lower pricing, lean inventory, unplanned maintenance at its chip foundry last year and delay in sales of certain embedded parts has led to two revenue forecast cuts this year, including a warning last month.

“It looks like SanDisk is going to have pretty tough road ahead to haul in 2015,” said Wedbush Securities analyst Betsy Van Hees, adding that the company’s spending is high and will continue at “elevated levels”.

The company plans to reduce its non-factory headcount by about 5 percent to cut costs, it said on a conference call. SanDisk had 8,696 full-time employees as of Dec. 28.

The job cuts were “a natural thing for them to do” given the shortfall in revenue numbers and the fact that SanDisk was ramping up headcount over the last year, said RBC Capital Markets analyst Douglas Freedman.

SanDisk’s revenue forecast for the current quarter was well below analysts’ average estimate and its full-year revenue forecast of $5.4-$5.7 billion also fell short of expectation of $6.15 billion.

SanDisk’s revenue fell nearly 12 percent in the first quarter ended March 29 to $1.33 billion, slightly above analysts’ average estimate of $1.31 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Net income fell nearly 86 percent to $39.0 million. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 62 cents per share, short of analysts estimates of 66 cents per share.

The company had said in January it had lost a major customer, widely believed to be Apple Inc , which switched to using solid state drives made by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd in its MacBooks.

SanDisk’s shares were down 5.8 percent at $67 in trading after the bell.

The stock has lost just over a quarter of its value this year, which analysts say makes SanDisk an attractive target for companies looking to boost their presence in the enterprise market.

© Thomson Reuters 2015

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US Supreme Court’s Climate Change Ruling Could Weaken Agencies Efforts to Rein in Big Tech

Winter is fast approaching, but that’s never going to put a dent in the streaming content output that’s governed by a revolving slate that switches trends so fast. It can be hard to find time to watch something, even during the weekend, so we’ve returned to make selections easy for you. David Fincher’s The Killer is the top release on Netflix this week, as we follow a nameless hitman on a globe-trotting path of revenge against his employers in a killing spree he insists isn’t personal. On the same platform, we’ve got The Railway Men, charting the untold story of brave railway workers who risked their lives to save others during the terrifying Bhopal gas tragedy. The series is out on Saturday, November 18, on Netflix.

Those keen on some superhero action can watch the Ezra Miller-led The Flash — not listed below — which is finally out on JioCinema, centring around Barry Allen’s attempt at using the Speed Force to change his past, only for things to go wrong when he inadvertently creates a world without metahumans. Paired with an alternate version of himself and Michael Keaton’s Batman, he must engage in multiversal shenanigans to fix the timeline from a returning intergalactic overlord. With that, here’s a guide on what to stream this weekend:

The Killer

When: Now streaming
Where: Netflix

David Fincher doing comedy is always refreshing to see, and with The Killer, he takes it up a notch by somewhat bashing his ideas about perfectionism. In it, we follow a nameless OCD-driven assassin (Michael Fassbender) lying in wait at an abandoned Parisian WeWork, with a sniper rifle pointed at the opposite building and repeatedly chanting a mantra about sticking to the plan and how one must ‘forbid empathy’ to do what he does. That egotistical self-hype all goes down the drain when he misses his target, driving him into panic mode and altering his psyche, leading him onto a revenge path to clean up all loose ends. The premise driving The Killer is undoubtedly cliché, but Fincher’s tactile execution sheds light on how a realistic John Wick would play out in a contemporary world. There’s an incredibly well-choreographed fight scene, cautionary ad placements, and The Smiths’ music to jam along.

The Railway Men

When: November 18
Where: Netflix

On the night of December 2, 1984, the cheerfulness of Bhopal came to a screeching halt when the highly toxic gas from the nearby Union Carbide India pesticide plant leaked into the air, poisoning and killing countless citizens. In the face of this disaster, four men played by Madhavan (Rocketry: The Nambi Effect), Kay Kay Menon (Farzi), Divyendu Sharma (Mirzapur), and Babil Khan (Qala), unite their efforts to escort as many breathing civilians out of the state — despite being abandoned and cut off from all kinds of aid. To make matters worse, running trains are heading into the state, unaware of the catastrophe that our brave heroes must stop. All four episodes of The Railway Men are out this Saturday.

Apurva

When: November 15
Where: Now streaming

Tara Sutaria (Ek Villain Returns) makes her digital debut in Apurva, who on a trip to Agra to surprise her boyfriend, gets kidnapped by a group of gangsters, headed by Jugnu (Rajpal Yadav) and Sukkha (Abhishek Banerjee). After being tortured and harassed for hours, her narrow escape causes disarray within the group when one of the members starts fancying her and affecting his judgement on their next heist mission. Amidst this, there’s an unfolding conspiracy, which Apurva is drawn into and forced to solve to ensure her survival. Nikhil Nagesh Bhat — best known for The Gone Game — helms the film.

The Crown season 6: Part 1

When: Now streaming
Where: Netflix

Netflix is bringing its dramatised reimagining of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign to a close with the sixth season of The Crown, which now sets eyes on France, where Princess Diana (Elizabeth Debicki) is out on holiday, constantly tailed by the paparazzi for her continued involvement with Dodi Fayed (Khalid Abdalla). If you’ve been keeping up with the British royal monarchy series, you’ll know that the said events are a precursor to the princess’ death in a traffic collision and its resulting ramifications across the world. Back at home, the queen (Imelda Staunton) mourns the loss while grappling with the future of her bloodline and displaying strong resolve as the mother of England. Season 6 is divided into two halves, with the second part dropping on December 14.

Jawan

When: Now streaming
Where: Netflix

After shattering Indian box office records, Jawan is finally out on streaming, with Shah Rukh Khan returning as a rebel prison warden looking to correct the wrongs in society and expose deep corruption. As part of it, he recruits a group of inmates — Priyamani (The Family Man), Sanya Malhotra (Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery), Ridhi Dogra (Asur), and Sanjeeta Bhattacharya (The Broken News) — who would help him commit outrageous crimes to send a message, as he unexpectedly reunites with his ex-commando lookalike father, played by SRK himself. Jawan also stars Nayanthara as the hard-nosed special agent trying to thwart his plans, while Vijay Sethupathi (Farzi) plays an arms dealer.

Remember that while the Netflix version is labelled as an ‘Extended Cut,’ it is only 5 minutes long.

AI chatbot company WiseOx has launched a new AI tool to help people communicate more effectively with AI. Named Pronto, this “AI Mascot” is specifically trained in prompt writing — in other words, it’s here to tell you what to say to other AIs so you can (hopefully) get the results you want.

We all know what coding is — it’s the way we give instructions to a computer so it can understand and produce the desired results. With large language models (LLMs), we can give our instructions in natural human language, but it turns out there are still effective and ineffective ways to do this.

If your instructions are unclear or you skip steps that would be obvious to human listeners, the LLM you’re using could easily get confused and give you output that you don’t want. The reason for this is pretty simple — here it is in Pronto’s own words:

Yes, ChatGPT and other generative AI can’t really understand what you’re saying. They don’t understand what they’re saying either. It’s all just smoke and mirrors, and if you want to maximize the chances of the AI being precise and accurate, you have to be precise and accurate yourself.

This is where “prompt engineering” comes in. By utilizing clear and simple language, concise instructions, and breaking down complex tasks into simpler steps, you can consistently get better results. Things will still go wrong sometimes, but overall, it should improve your experience.

If your prompt game isn’t that strong, you can paste your attempt into Pronto and ask for an improved version. The tool is new right now so we’ll have to wait to see how well its improved prompts actually perform, but if it does a decent job, it could speed things up for people who like to use LLMs but often find themselves having to revise their prompts.

New court documents have surfaced in the Bambu Lab v. Stratasys, Inc. case. Stratasys, the company that invented FDM 3D printing, is currently suing China-based Bambu Lab for patent infringement in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The dispute is over ten U.S. patents covering technology now commonplace in desktop 3D printers, such as PEI-coated build plates, purge towers, and automatic bed leveling.

Armchair lawyers in the 3D printing community were excited when court documents surfaced on CourtListener, a free legal research website that tracks proceedings in the U.S. federal and state courts. The website allows users to download public records filed in any case.

On October 3rd, 2024, the documents appeared to indicate the lawsuit was being dismissed.

However, once the documents were unlocked, we learned that Stratasys merely dropped two names from the list of defendants: Beijing Tiertime Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Yinhua Laser Rapid Prototyping and Mould Technology Co. Ltd.

Beijing Yinhua Laser Rapid Prototyping and Mould Technology Co. Ltd. is Tiertime’s original name, so these are in effect the same company. Tiertime is China’s oldest 3D printer manufacturer, founded in 2003. The company is known for launching one of the first desktop 3D printers that included auto bed leveling.

Many in the 3D printing community are concerned this patent dispute will cripple desktop 3D printing for small businesses and enthusiasts. If Bambu Lab can not fight off Stratasys there will be nothing to stop them from going after other manufacturers and driving them out of business.

Stratasys monopolized 3D printing in the early years by patenting the technology and shutting out competition. Once the patents began to expire, other companies were able to enter the 3D printing market and create affordable consumer-grade machines.

The original documents can be read here:

https://insight.rpxcorp.com/litigation_documents/15797606

https://insight.rpxcorp.com/litigation_documents/15797607

macOS Monterey 12.3 has been released by Apple to bring Universal Control for Mac and iPad users. The new feature, which is currently in beta, allows you to use a single mouse and keyboard across your Mac. The new macOS release also brings spatial audio support and new emojis. Alongside the macOS Monterey update, Apple has introduced watchOS 8.5, iOS 15.4, and iPadOS 15.4. The iPhone maker has also enabled users to restore firmware of their Apple Watch directly from the iPhone, without requiring them to visit a nearby service centre.

macOS Monterey 12.3: What’s new

One of the biggest changes that macOS Monterey 12.3 brings to Mac users is the addition of Universal Control. This new feature was announced at WWDC 2021 in June. It was also expected to be available as a part of the original macOS Monterey in October, though Apple delayed the feature.

Universal Control requires your iPad to run on iPadOS 15.4, and both your iPad and Mac to use a single Apple ID. The devices should also be within a few metres of each other.

Once all the above conditions are fulfilled, you can leverage Universal Control to use a single mouse and keyboard across your iPad and Mac. You can also drag and drop files between the devices using the new feature.

In addition to Universal Control, Apple has included spatial audio support in macOS 12.3 specifically for Mac devices with the M1 chip to allow users with supported AirPods to experience a surround sound experience. Customisable spatial audio settings to Off, Fixed, and Head Tracked are also available in the Control Centre when using supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip.

The macOS Monterey 12.3 brings over 40 new emojis and a new Siri voice — just like iOS 15.4. The new emojis include faces, hand gestures, and household objects.

Apple has updated its Podcasts app within macOS Monterey 12.3 that brings episode filters for seasons, played, unplayed, saved, and downloaded episodes. Safari webpage translation also added support for Italian and Chinese (Traditional). Further, Shortcuts included support for adding, removing, and querying tags with Reminders. Saved passwords in Safari can also include notes.

The new macOS release carries bug fixes and improvements that include improved accuracy of battery capacity readings, updated Apple TV app to fix sound distortion while watching video, and a Photos app fix for an issue of photos and videos being moved unintentionally when organising albums.

Apple has also included a number of security patches in macOS Monterey 12.3 that are detailed on the security updates page.

iPadOS 15.4: What’s new

Apple has introduced iPadOS 15.4 with features including Universal Control, over 40 emoji, and the updated Siri that includes the new voice. Siri on iPadOS 15.4 can also provide time and date information while offline on iPad Pro and later models. Further, the new iPadOS version includes an updated FaceTime that enables SharePlay sessions initiated directly from supported apps.

The iPadOS 15.4 update also includes the ability to adjust volume controls when you rotate your iPad. It works with iPad (5th generation and newer), iPad mini (4th and 5th generation), iPad Air 2, iPad Air (3rd and 4th generation), and iPad Pro. There are also updates to iCloud, Safari, Podcasts, News, and Camera apps with few tweaks.

The update additionally carries bug fixes to address issues including one where the keyboard may insert a period between typed numbers. The new macOS version also addresses a syncing problem with iCloud Photo Library where photos and videos are not synced.

Apple has also detailed the security updates that are a part of iPadOS 15.4.

watchOS 8.5: What’s new

Apple Watch users have also received watchOS 8.5 with a few upgrades. It brings the ability to authorise Apple TV purchases and subscriptions directly from your wrist. You can also use audio hints in Fitness+ with audio commentary of visually demonstrated moves during workouts. Apple’s Fitness+ subscription service is yet to debut in India.

The latest watchOS release also updates irregular rhythm notifications designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification. It is currently available in the US, Chile, Hong Kong, South Africa, and some regions.

The watchOS 8.5 release also includes a list of patches that are detailed on the security updates page.

Users with iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5 get a new tool to let users recover their Apple Watch wirelessly. Up until now, users needed to visit a service centre to fix the firmware on the Apple Watch in case of an unresolvable issue.

Apple has updated its support article, as spotted by 9to5Mac, to detail how users can restore their Apple Watch firmware.

Make sure that your Apple Watch and iPhone are running the latest software version and are connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. You will now need to put your Apple Watch on the charger and double-click the side button on the Watch. After that, follow the on-screen steps on your iPhone to proceed with the firmware restore.

Apple Watch firmware can now be restored using an iPhone
Photo Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch might show a red exclamation point in some instances. You just need to double-click the side button and follow the same steps to recover your Apple Watch in those cases.

You may have to contact Apple Support if your Apple Watch continues to show the red exclamation mark.

How to download macOS Monterey 12.3

Apple has released macOS Monterey 12.3 for all eligible MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Pro. You can manually check for the update by going to System Preferences > Software Update after clicking on the Apple menu icon from the top-left corner of your computer’s screen. You can also alternatively get the update by visiting the About This Mac setting from the Apple menu.

How to download iPadOS 15.4

iPadOS 15.2 is compatible with all iPad models that are eligible for iPadOS 15. It can be downloaded by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

How to download watchOS 8.5

You can download watchOS 8.5 on the Apple Watch Series 3 and above by going through General > Software Update on the Watch app on your iPhone. You can also download the latest watchOS update directly from your Apple Watch if it is connected to Wi-Fi, by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

Returnal is headed to PC next month, and with that, Sony has unveiled new features and system requirements for the upcoming port. Developer Housemarque and porter Climax Studios have partnered to bring the once PS5-exclusive roguelike to PC on February 15. Returnal on PC comes with support for Nvidia’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR upscaling techniques, in addition to DualSense compatibility, ensuring haptic feedback when ripping through the haunting alien planets in the game. Returnal is now available to pre-order on Steam and the Epic Games Store at Rs. 3,999.

Returnal PC new features

Akin to past PlayStation–PC ports, Returnal boasts a slew of enhancements and customisable settings. To begin, the aforementioned Nvidia and AMD’s upscaling methods should allow players to dial up their framerate without making sacrifices in the resolution and/or visual quality. Being a third-person, bullet hell roguelike, Returnal is littered with tonnes of moving objects that could heavily stress your GPU — making this feature quite significant. Additionally, support for NIS (Nvidia Image Scaling) has also been added for players who desire better performance, but don’t have the hardware to support DLSS or FSR.

Returnal also derives ray-traced shadows from its original PS5 kin. However, in the PC version, co-developer Climax Studios has added support for ray-traced reflections as well. “This will make the contrast of a dark setting and neon bullets pop out even more than before,” the PlayStation blog notes. Returnal on PC will also enable unlocked framerates, support for ultra-wide monitors ranging between 21:9 and 32:9 aspect ratios, and performance metrics — FPS counter, a gauge for measuring GPU and CPU usage, and a latency tracker.

All of this comes packaged with Dolby Atmos Audio, which extends its auditory flair to plugged-in DualSense controllers. As expected, support for keyboard and mouse controls is included as well, with a wide range of customisation options to tailor your needs. Returnal PC will also feature an FOV (field-of-view) slider, which helps adjust how much of your surroundings can be seen on screen.

As for co-op mode, Housemarque has stressed that cross-play with players on the PS5 console is not supported.

Returnal PC system requirements

The PC system requirements list comes courtesy of PlayStation, with the common requirements being Windows 10 64-bit (version 1903) and at least 60GB of free storage space on an SSD.

Returnal ‘minimum’ PC requirements

• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-6400 or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
• Graphics (GPU): Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Resolution: 1,280×720 pixels at 60fps, at Low settings

Returnal ‘medium’ PC requirements

• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
• Graphics (GPU): Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Resolution: 1,920×1,080 pixels at 60fps, at Medium settings

Returnal ‘recommended’ PC requirements

• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i7-8700 or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
• Graphics (GPU): Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
• RAM: 16GB DDR4
• Resolution: 1,920×1,080 pixels at 60fps, at High settings

Returnal ‘epic’ PC requirements

• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i7-9700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
• Graphics (GPU): Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 or AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT
• RAM: 32GB DDR4
• Resolution: 4K at 60fps, at Epic settings

Returnal ‘ray tracing’ PC requirements

• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i9-11900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
• Graphics (GPU): Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT
• RAM: 32GB DDR4
• Resolution: 4K at 60fps, at Epic settings — upscaling options are recommended

Returnal PC pre-order price and bonuses

Pre-orders for the PC version of Returnal are now live, offering early access to some in-game items. The tools are otherwise obtainable through story progression, with the pre-order bonus simply giving players a headstart — akin to what you would expect from a New Game+ mode. The included items are an Electropylon Driver weapon, a Hollowseeker weapon, one Reflex Stimulant, one Pulsating Mass artefact, and one Adrenaline Booster. Additionally, linking your Steam account to PSN (PlayStation Network) unlocks two in-game outfits — a Prototype and a Tactical suit.

As stated above, Returnal costs Rs. 3,999 across Steam and Epic Games Store. There’s only one edition for this game, and it launches February 15 on PC.

Amazon Prime Day 2024 sale will be held in India on July 20 and 21. Different products, ranging from personal electronics, home furnishing items, large appliances and more, will be available at lower prices than usual. Some of the best deals during this time are expected to be on smartphones from leading brands like Samsung, Honor, iQoo, Motorola and more. The e-commerce site has previously confirmed that the upcoming Prime Day sale will see new product launches from over 450 Indian and global brands. It has been confirmed that the new smartphones will be available during the sale.

Amazon Prime Day 2024 launches

The Samsung Galaxy M35 and the iQoo Z9 Lite 5G are both set to launch in India on July 17 and go on sale during Amazon Prime Day 2024. 

Among new launches are also the Honor 200 series handsets. The Honor 200 5G and Honor 200 Pro 5G are set to launch in India on July 18. They will be available for purchase during the upcoming Prime Day sale. The Lava Blaze X, confirmed to be unveiled on July 10, will also go on sale during the sale.

The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra, launched in India earlier this month, will also go on sale during the Amazon Prime Day 2024. The phone is priced in the country at Rs. 99,999 for the sole 12GB + 512GB option. Customers can get a flat Rs. 10,000 discount, bringing down the price to Rs. 89,999 during the sale. People can start pre-reservations on Amazon from July 10. 

During the sale, the OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite 5G will be introduced in the Ultra Orange colourway. The Redmi 13 5G and the Realme GT 6T are also confirmed to be unveiled in Orchid Pink and Miracle Purple shades, respectively. An unspecified new OnePlus 12R 5G variant will also be launched during the Amazon Prime Day 2024 sale.

Amazon Prime Day 2024 offers

The Amazon Prime Day 2024 sale will be live for all users in India starting at 12am IST on July 20. It is also confirmed to end at 11:59 pm IST on July 21. During the sale, customers can get massive discounts on a wide range of items besides smartphones. 

The e-commerce site confirmed that all customers would get up to 40 percent discount on mobile phones and accessories. People who use ICICI Bank credit or debit cards or the EMI option will be eligible for a 10 percent discount during transactions. The same benefits would also be extended to SBI credit card holders.

Customers may also be eligible for up to 24 months of no-cost EMI options, as well as additional coupons and exchange offers on any particular item, which can lower the effective price.

Nayar designed a pixel that not only can measure incident light (a ray of light that strikes a surface) but also convert the incident light into electric power.

“We are in the middle of a digital imaging revolution. A camera that can function as an untethered device forever without any external power supply would be incredibly useful,” said Nayar, who heads the computer vision laboratory at the Columbia Engineering.

At the heart of any digital camera is an image sensor, a chip with millions of pixels.

The key enabling device in a pixel is the photodiode which produces an electric current when exposed to light.

The photodiode in a camera pixel is used in the photoconductive mode while in a solar cell it is used in the photovoltaic model.

This mechanism enables each pixel to measure the intensity of light falling on it.

Nayar, working with research engineer Daniel Sims, and consultant Mikhail Fridberg of the consultancy firm ADSP Consulting used off-the-shelf components to fabricate an image sensor with 30×40 pixels.

In Nayar’s prototype camera, which is housed in a 3D printed body, each pixel’s photodiode is always operated in the photovoltaic mode.

When the camera is not used to capture images, it can be used to generate power for other devices, such as a phone or a watch.

According to Nayar, the image sensor could use a rechargeable battery and charge it via its harvesting capability.

“But we took an extreme approach to demonstrate that the sensor is indeed truly self-powered and used just a capacitor to store the harvested energy,” he noted.

“We believe our results are a significant step forward in developing an entirely new generation of cameras that can function for a very long duration ideally, forever without being externally powered,” the authors wrote.

The team is set to present its work at the international conference on computational photography at the Rice University in Houston April 24-26.