Uncategorized – Techno World

Goodbye, Internet Explorer: Microsoft to retire 27-yr-old browser on Jun 15

Microsoft has announced the retirement of 27-year-old Internet Explorer as the browser will be completely phased out from June 15

Microsoft has announced the retirement of 27-year-old Internet Explorer as the firm’s oldest browser will be completely phased out from June 15.

Internet Explorer was launched in 1995 as an add-on package for Windows 95. Microsoft later started providing the app for free as part of the package.

The nearly three-decade-old browser peaked at 95 percent usage share in 2003. However, IE could not maintain its position, and its user base started to decline drastically as other competitors released new browsers with better user interfaces, faster internet speed, and smoother performance.

Internet Explorer, over time, has devolved into a default browser that is used to install other browsers.

“The future of Internet Explorer on Windows 10 lies in Microsoft Edge,” said Sean Lyndersay, Microsoft Edge program manager, quoted Mashable.

Lyndersay added, “Not only is Microsoft Edge a quicker, more secure, and more contemporary browsing experience than Internet Explorer, but it also addresses a crucial concern: compatibility for older, legacy websites and applications.”

“Internet Explorer mode (‘IE mode’) is incorporated into Microsoft Edge, allowing you to view older Internet Explorer-based websites and applications directly from Microsoft Edge,” the Microsoft Edge program manager said.

“With Microsoft Edge capable of taking on this and other responsibilities, the Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be discontinued and phased out of support for certain versions of Windows 10 on June 15, 2022.”

Sony Bravia X75K smart TV review: Audio-visual mismatch subdues experience

Powered by Google TV platform, the Sony Bravia X75K has a clean but buggy interface, which hinders interactivity and experience

When 4K resolution televisions first flooded the market in 2014-15, the TV sets were overpriced, and there was not much content on offer. Besides Tata Sky streaming the Cricket World Cup in 4K, there was no other service providing 4K content. Besides, internet speeds were on the slow side to support the smart TV ecosystem. The increase in internet speeds over the years and cost reduction have brought 4K televisions within the average consumer’s price range. Easy availability of the internet and 4K content availability on over the top apps has further provided a fillip to the sale of smart 4K televisions. A boom in gaming has also helped things.

While the market has changed, Sony’s approach has not changed much over the years. The company’s focus on video quality has ensured that it remains one of the market leaders, despite stiff competition. With its X1 processors, Sony has maintained its quality. Its new iteration, the X75K series, offers more of the same with slight infractions in user interface and connectivity.

Design

The basic design of televisions has not changed. The bezels have become smaller, and the TVs are thin at the top end and thicken at the bottom end with a place for connectors and speakers. The Sony X75K is no different from its old ones. The borders are thin, and the port placement on the side is convenient. Just the power cord (removable) connectivity could have been better. The way it is placed right now, on the side of the panel towards the edge of the box is not very convenient to plug in the system. The table stand is sleek and elegant but has too much play, which gives it the impression that the TV is not sturdy. The hinges could have been made tighter to cut down on the play, as the TV has a slight swivel.

Display

Sony is tough to beat in picture quality, and the new iteration does not disappoint. The upscaling works very well with full HD videos, the blacks are more pronounced, and the brightness is perfect. Although at lower levels, I wanted the colour profile to be a bit warmer. Still it was not too bad compared to the competition. The X1 4K processor works very well in rendering 1080p content, primarily when gaming, where you notice the difference at times. Connected to a PlayStation, Sony’s video quality was good, not excellent, unlike its higher models.

Sound and interface

This is where Sony’s X75K series lagged a lot. Given the downward-firing speakers, the sound was muffled. I had to crank up the volume to 45 and above for movies. Sometimes, to 60, if I was listening to instrumental music. Even while playing games, the sound profile was on the muted side. Sony needs to consider sound improvements with upcoming models. The other issue was the interface. Google TV does allow more interactivity for the user, in terms of voice remote and controlling the TV via your phone. It is certainly convenient to use the Google Home app on the phone to control and manage the smart TV, but the software is too buggy right now. The user interface was clean but took a lot of time to load and faltered. App crashing was sometimes an issue, and it did not work as smoothly as expected. The sleep timer feature worked perfectly.

Connectivity

It is surprising that TV manufacturers offer Bluetooth connectivity to pair devices but do not provide multi-device audio support. When I tried connecting two Bluetooth headphones to the TV, it would disconnect from one to connect to the other. This must be an essential feature, given the TVs are also meant for gameplay.

Verdict

Sony’s lowest range at 43 inches for this series starts at Rs 69,900, and the 65-inch model (review unit) is priced at Rs 1,39,900. If you have a home theatre at home, the Sony X75K is a good buy. However, if you are planning to go for 55 inches and above, I recommend going one step further and trying the higher range with a better sound system.

Massive podcast outage after Spotify fails to renew security certificate

Due to an outage on podcast hosting platform owned by Spotify, Megaphone, podcast listeners could not access many of their shows for more than eight hours this week.

Due to an outage on podcast hosting platform owned by Spotify, Megaphone, podcast listeners could not access many of their shows for more than eight hours this week.

According to The Verge, the outage stemmed from the company’s failure to renew Megaphone’s security certificate.

“Megaphone experienced a platform outage due to an issue related to our SSL certificate,” Spotify spokesperson Erin Styles was quoted as saying in a statement.

“During the outage, clients were unable to access the Megaphone CMS and podcast listeners were unable to download podcast episodes from Megaphone-hosted publishers. Megaphone service has since been restored,” Styles added.

As per the report, it is a simple mistake with big ramifications.

Megaphone, which inserts dynamic ads into episodes, hosts many of the industry’s top shows.

It also distributes shows on platforms beyond Spotify, including Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Spotify hosts many of its own licensed and owned shows on Megaphone, the report said.

Styles said that the company is reaching out to affected publishers.

Spotify acquired Megaphone in December 2020 for $235 million, making it the streamer’s biggest purchase in its quest to build a comprehensive podcasting tech stack.

Spotify did not comment as to why Megaphone’s SSL certificate was left to expire and why it took so long to fix. The certificate expired at 8PM ET on Monday, according to data found by Podnews. The issue was not resolved for another eight hours, according to the platform’s status page.

Even after Megaphone came back online just before 6AM ET, podcasters experienced delays with the Megaphone CMS. As of 9:45AM, the company said the issue was fully resolved.

Apple is working on a self-driving electric car

Apple is working on a self-driving electric car that could launch in a few years.

Apple is working on a self-driving electric car that could launch in a few years and now a new report has claimed that the iPhone maker has partnered with a South Korean company to develop the autopilot chip for its car.

According to a report by TheElec, Apple has partnered with a South Korean outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) company to develop its car’s autopilot technology.

The project is led by Apple’s South Korean offices. It was initiated in 2021 and is expected to last till next year.

Apple is reportedly taking a similar route to Tesla. The Elon Musk-owned EV firm while developing its autopilot chip, used Samsung memory and gave assembly work to…read more

What is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) ?

With the rise in the number of devices using Internet, the current IPv 4 is bursting at the seams. The world is now switching to IPv6 to accommodate billions of addresses.

Let us know more about IPv6:

About three decades ago, computers were limited to government institutions and universities. They were bulky and expensive. Over the years, the advancement in technology has made them small, affordable and obviously ubiquitous. They are in billions now. And their numbers are swelling as we talk.

Internet Protocol, or IP in short, manages the huge traffic of information between these billions of devices. It attaches an “electronic return address” to all online….read more

OPPO Reno 7 Pro 5G : Full phone specification

The OPPO Reno 7 Pro offers a brilliant design language, feature-rich operating system with tons of options for customisation, and several value-added features for improved everyday experience

OPPO is known for its camera-centric innovations in smartphones. There, however, is one more thing this Chinese smartphone maker does not always get enough credit for, and that is its smartphones’ design language. Look at newly launched smartphone in the Reno series, OPPO Reno 7 Pro 5G.

It is touted by the company as a camera-centric smartphone, but there is more to it than meets the eyes. It has a fresh new design, feature-rich operating system with tons of options for customisation and personalisation, and several value-added features for improved everyday experience.

Click here to read Full phone specifications

Twitter testing new feature to allow users to post longer messages

Jane Manchun Wong, known for finding experimental features within apps, discovered the existence of a ‘Twitter Articles’ tab, reports Engadget

Twitter is reportedly working on a new feature that would cater to the needs of those who want to share their thoughts on the micro-blogging site in one lengthy article.

Jane Manchun Wong, known for finding experimental features within apps, discovered the existence of a “Twitter Articles” tab, reports Engadget.

The name itself signifies a long-form format for the social network that has long only allowed people to post bite-sized text messages, but its exact nature is…read more

The best tablets of 2019

Listing top 5 tablets launched in 2019 that offer the best of both smartphone and notebook functions

Tablets were originally conceptualised as devices with bigger screen to bridge the gap between smartphones and notebooks. Until last year, they were viewed as a characteristic expansion of cell phones, but not much of a computing device. However, things changed for tablets in 2019 and the great ones propelled during the year offered the best of both cell phone and scratch pad capacities.

Listing top 5 tablets launched in 2019:

Apple iPad Pro

The iPad Pro 2019 is one of the best tablets launched during the year. It flaunts a smooth structure, first class execution, faceID, big screen home, motion backing, and console and pencil support. Besides, the iPad Pro is powered by a iPadOS – a dedicated operating system for Apple tablets.

Like notebooks, the iPad Pro’s operating system is designed for easy and convenient multitasking and faster graphic rendering. The smart keyboard and pencil support makes it an ideal big-screen device striking the right balance between a smartphone and a notebook.

Get more technology updates on Technology news

Samsung Galaxy Tab S6

Based on the Android platform, the Galaxy Tab S6 comes pre-loaded with the Samsung DeX computing platform and supports digital inking with the SPen stylus bundled with the device. The tablet has other worth included highlights like call and message congruity which brings it to some degree near being a genuine two-in-one gadget.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 is certainly one of the most costly tablets, yet it merits the cost. The tablet’s dazzling display, exceptional multimedia prowess, stylus support, class-leading computing platform, first class execution and the capacity to fill in as a two-in-one gadget make it the best Android tablet yet one that could truly contend with Apple iPads.

Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e

In the Android ecosystem, the Galaxy Tab S5e is the one of the tablets that actually bridge the gap between a smartphone and a notebook. The Galaxy Tab S5e has a no-frills design,

and its light weight and thin profile make it an ultra-portable device that you can carry wherever you go. Besides, its AMOLED screen, near ordinary in perspective proportion, makes it an ideal counterpart for most assignments like perusing site pages, looking through online networking profiles, playing games, streaming videos and editing multimedia.

Apple iPad Air

Resurrected after several years, the Apple iPad Air is a big-screen device that has benefitted the most from the newly introduced iPadOS. The tablet’s moderate sticker price makes it one of the better suggestions for somebody searching for a practical option in contrast to the premium iPad Pro.

Moreover, it has top-notch specifications, a big screen, brilliant console and pencil support, and a negligible plan.

Apple iPad Mini

Like the Apple iPad Air, the iPad Mini also got invigorated with a few programming and equipment refreshes in 2019. The iPad Mini 2019 continues with the smaller screen estate of its predecessor,

but refreshed equipment and an improved working framework make it perhaps the best tablet you can convey along throughout the day. Besides, the iPad Mini has also got the Apple Pencil support, which makes it a fun device to use.

Year in Review: Galaxy Fold to Moto Razr, best foldable smartphones of 2019

Business Standard takes a look at the new kid that emerged on the block in 2019 – foldable smartphones

Technology news: Top Foldable Smartphones 2019: Foldable devices, which were seen only as a concept until last year, became a reality in 2019. Though the first breed of foldable devices boasts bendable screen, the technology industry did not shy away experimenting other formats, too, including the dual-screen design. From a new category of smartphones doubling up as tablets, to just smartphones with the same qualities, phone makers explored different avenues to market their first foldable devices. Business Standard takes a look at what the 2019 had in store insofar as foldable devices are concerned:

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Samsung Galaxy Fold The world’s first foldable device, the Galaxy Fold, is the only bendable smartphone that is currently available for purchase in India. Pitched as a new category of smartphones with foldable screens, the phone has two displays — a 7.3-inch dynamic AMOLED foldable display that bends inwards, and a conventional 4.6-inch secondary super AMOLED display on the back that becomes primary display when the device is folded. The device supports the app continuity feature, which allows easy transition between both…read more

ISRO shares video of successfully deployed RISAT-2BR1’s Radial Rib Antenna

The radar imaging satellite weighs about 628 kg along with all nine customer satellites. The countdown for the launch of the PSLV-C48 mission had commenced at 16:40 hours (IST) on Tuesday.

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Monday shared a video of the effective sending of the Radial Rib Antenna of RISAT-2BR1 in its assigned circle in the space.

ISRO on December 11 had effectively propelled the radar imaging earth perception satellite – RISAT-2BR1 and nine business satellites by PSLV-C48 from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh.

The radar imaging satellite weighs around 628 kg alongside every one of the nine client satellites. The commencement for the dispatch of the PSLV-C48 mission had started at 16:40 hours (IST) on Tuesday.