Archives January 2023

Windows 11’s latest updates have been hit by yet another bug that causes the installation process to fail while producing a mysterious and unhelpful error message.

This problem has been plaguing Windows 11 users for some time now, and as Windows Latest (opens in new tab) reports, it’s continuing to frustrate some folks who can’t install the January update from Microsoft (known as patch KB5022303), and the recent optional update for January released last week (KB5022360 – a preview update which will be fully honed and released in February).

Your Gmail account will soon look a little bit different as the company finally rolls out its long-expected makeover to all users.

In a bid to offer users a more complete Google Workspace experience, the updated Gmail will now provide not just email services, but video conferencing and chat options, all in a single location.

Airtel has expanded its 5G services in Andhra Pradesh. The telecom operator has now rolled out Airtel 5G Plus service in seven cities of Andhra Pradesh. The Airtel users in Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Kurnool, Guntur & Tirupati can now access 5G service on their smartphones
Here’s the list of areas where Airtel 5G Plus service is available right now

Customers with 5G-enabled smartphones can access Airtel 5G service at the above-mentioned locations. Airtel users must remember that they don’t need a new SIM card to access the 5G services. Subscribers can avail of the 5G services on their existing 4G SIM. Also, presently the telecom operator is offering 5G services at no additional cost. So, the users don’t have to pay extra money to access Airtel 5G Plus.

Talking about the launch, Shivan Bhargava, CEO, Bharti Airtel, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana said, “I am thrilled to announce the launch of Airtel 5G Plus in Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Kurnool, Guntur & Tirupati in addition to Vizag. Airtel customers in Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Kakinada, Kurnool, Guntur & Tirupati can now experience ultrafast network and enjoy speeds up to 20-30 times faster than the current 4G speeds. We are in the process of lighting the entire city which will allow customers to enjoy superfast access to High-definition video streaming, gaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos and more.”
Download the Airtel Thank app to check 5G availability in your area
Airtel has also updated its Thanks app which now allows users to check the 5G compatibility of their smartphone. Users can also check the availability of Airtel 5G Plus in their location with the help of the app. Just make sure that you have a 5G-enabled handset to use the 5G services. Also, you can click here to check our brand-wise guide on how to enable 5G on your smartphone.

Xiaomi global vice president and former India head, Manu Kumar Jain, on Monday (January 30) announced that he is leaving the company after nine years of association. He announced his exit through a post on Twitter saying that he will be taking some time off.
“Change is the only constant in life! Last 9 years, I’m lucky to have received so much love that it makes this goodbye so difficult. Thank you all. The end of a journey also marks the beginning of a new one, full of exciting opportunities. Hello to a new adventure!” Jain said in a tweet, which also had his full statement.

Xiaomi smartphones grabbed the top spot under Jain
Jain has been Xiaomi’s poster boy for a long time. He joined the Xiaomi Group in 2014 to start its India journey. “The first few years were full of ups and downs. We started as a one-person startup, working from a small office,” he said.
Jain says that within three years of his joining, the company became the top smartphone brand in India, that too without spending any advertising money.
“Soon, 100% of our smartphones and smart TVs were being ‘Made in India’. Our expanding scale of operations helped generate more than 50,000 jobs in India,” he added. Jain was shifted to a better role and joined the Xiaomi international team as Group Vice President.

Xiaomi-ED case
The development comes in the middle of the ongoing legal issue between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Xiaomi over an alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation by the company. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued the order to seize Rs 5,551 crore worth of deposits of the Chinese company on April 29 last year under FEMA. The ED also sent it for approval from the competent authority.
In October, Xiaomi India said it was disappointed with the decision of the competent authority to approve the order of seizure.
Xiaomi said over 84% of the total royalty payments made to Qualcomm for patents and IPs were only for the Indian version of smartphones. It also noted that the royalty payments were made via RBI-approved banking channels.

Smartphone shipments in India registered a decline in 2022 but is forecast to witness a marginal rise in 2023, market research firms recently said. Xiaomi sub-brand Poco which, like all other OEMs, was plagued by weakening demand, is looking to seize this opportunity to increase its user base in the country. Himanshu Tandon, Country Head, POCO India, has said that the company will stick to a lean smartphone portfolio and adopt different market strategies to achieve its ‘significant growth targets’.
“We have very high aspirations in 2023 and are taking significant growth targets this year to match with overall group aspirations. Last year was a little bit bumpy with regard to some fluctuations in the dollar-to-rupee rate, weak demand and inflation. But this time, we are sticking to our lean and mean portfolio to increase our base,” Tandon told TOI Gadgets Now in an interview.

Indian smartphone shipment decline in 2022
Tandon’s comments came after market research firms reported that Xiaomi lost its top position in the fourth quarter of 2022 (Q4 2022).
Canalys said that Xiaomi grabbed the third spot with shipments of 5.5 million units losing its leadership position in Q4 2022 after 20 quarters on the top spot. However, for 2022, Xiaomi was still the number one smartphone vendor.
Canalys noted that Samsung, which topped the Q4 2022 shipments, changed strategies and refreshed its smartphone lineup in India which helped it regain the pole position for the first time since Q3 2017.
A report by Counterpoint research echoed the numbers saying that the Chinese company Xiaomi (including Poco) slipped to third place in Q4 2022 but held the top spot with a 24% YoY decline.
The executive also said that, from a marketing perspective, the company will also try a lot of different things to increase its base in the market. Poco recently announced that it signed Hardik Pandya as a brand ambassador. “This is us making a statement into the market that we are serious about this business,” Tandon added.

Exploring offline channels
Part of the company’s marketing strategy in 2023 is exploring more channels to reach customers. Tandon said that Poco has a strong online presence and is open to exploring offline channels to increase market share. “We are the number two brand on Flipkart, which is around 60-65% of the online market on the platform. We might also explore offline to expand our base to hit our growth aspirations from an overall company perspective,” Tandon noted.
Reaching the right target audience
Recently, Navkendar Singh, associate vice-president, IDC India said that Xiaomi is launching anything, anywhere. “The consumers, because they are confused by the portfolio, are migrating to rival brands,” Singh told The Economic Times. Xiaomi India president Muralikrishnan B also said that the company wants to create a leaner portfolio for 2023.
When asked how Poco differentiates from Redmi when it comes to cannibalisation owing to products in similar market share, Tandon said Poco’s target audience is Gen-Z – customers who are between the ages of 18-24 years “who are rebellious.” Furthermore, Poco believes in a philosophy of price-to-performance.

Poco X5 Pro specifications
Poco has started to tease the launch of the X5 Pro smartphone in India. When asked about the launch date of the company’s next phone, Tandon declined to share that information but said that Poco X5 Pro will have a ‘very powerful chipset’ at ‘that’ price point.
When asked about the specifications, the executive did share some information. “The USP of the upcoming Poco X5 Pro will be a 778G SoC, 108MP main camera, and a 5,000mAh battery, among others,” said Tandon. “Also, Poco X5 Pro will also be the first smartphone from Xiaomi to get MIUI 14 out-of-the-box,” he added.
Tandon did not share other information about the smartphone. The company recently announced that Poco X5 Pro will launch in India on February 6. It will be available on Flipkart, the company announced via a tweet. Teasers shared by the company suggest that the phone will have the “Poco OG” (Yellow colour) variant with Black chassis.

With Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman getting ready to present the last full budget of the Modi 2.0 government, expectations are high. The finance minister has held several rounds of discussions with various stakeholders, and final touches are being given to the Union Budget for 2023-24 which will be unveiled in the Lok Sabha on February 1. Since this will be the last full Budget before the 2024 general elections, Sitharaman may offer income tax relief for salary earners, and incentives for industry. Here’s looking into wishlist of top execs of Kaspersky, Skye Air and World of Play:
Spending on digital public infrastructure and incentives to boost electronics manufacturing
Genie Gan, head of public affairs for APAC and META, Kaspersky, said, “The Indian government is rightly rethinking its approach to tackling technology-related issues, given the unprecedented scope and impact of cyber attacks. Investments in digital infrastructure and cybersecurity are crucial for the tech sector in the Union Budget 2023. CERT-In and Kaspersky have been striving to enhance the overall security of the Indian computing environment through our collaboration and commitment to security, privacy protection, reliability, incident response and integrity. The Indian critical sector plays an important role in securing the nation from external threats and cyber-attacks and also has been an area of concern for governments. And I believe the country’s cybersecurity sector will be closely looking at the spending on digital public infrastructure, skill development, and incentives for boosting electronics manufacturing, along with measures to facilitate ease of business.”
Full-fledged component ecosystem
Hamish Patel, chief product officer, World of Play, which makes Bluetooth headphones, neckbands, smartwatches, said the electronics sector lacks a full-fledged component ecosystem, which results in higher import costs and increased lead time for the manufacturers. Patel said tax exemptions and schemes will boost the confidence of investors and entrepreneurs, leading to the creation of a component manufacturing ecosystem.

Reduction in duty on raw materials
Ankit Kumar, CEO, Skye Air, said, “We expect the government to ensure better synchronisation between customs, tax and GST authorities. Apart from this, a reduction in duty on raw materials would also go a long way in boosting the confidence of local manufacturers and brands. The government should lay down clear export and import policies which are in favour of the sector to keep with the momentum and tap on global opportunities. Giving more tax and non-tax incentives to the UAV sector will be a game changer even for the allied industries and the economy as a whole.”
Entrepreneurs three years of 100% tax deductions
He added, “More funding for drone pilots’ training and skill-building program should be allocated in the upcoming budget, along with increased government support. The budget for the Production-Linked Incentives (PLI) programme for manufacturers should also be increased.
The market has great potential and will require trained professionals to realize the aim of making India the global drone hub by 2030. So, the government should also take initiatives to introduce more training institutes for the industry.”

Incentives for investment in innovative technologies
Rajiv Srivastava, MD, Redington Ltd, said, “In the Union Budget 2023, we look forward to policy initiatives which will accelerate our journey to a $10 trillion economy in the near term. Economic growth is now increasingly driven by digital transformation and therefore investment initiatives that lead to the build-out of a quality digital infrastructure – data centres and high-speed internet – will be crucial. India is a global leader in technology services and we expect incentives for investments in new innovative technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Metaverse, 5G, Internet of Things, and Data Sciences to ensure we maintain our leadership. We have to encourage people to participate in the digital economy and towards this, the budget should also address the need for talent and skilling in digital technologies. This has the potential of creating a range of sustainable jobs.”
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The original Garena Free Fire was updated with high-resolution graphics and released as Garena Free Fire Max last year. The popular battle royale game Garena Free Fire is among the apps and games that the Indian government has forbidden. Fans were disappointed by the game’s inaccessibility in India. The good news for fans of multiplayer battle royale is that there is still a suitable alternative to the banned game available on app stores.
How to play Garena Free Fire Max
The Garena Free Fire Max game has 50 players competing in the battle royale mode. As a multiplayer battle royale game, it gained popularity in the country. In addition to being able to pick their starting positions in this game, players can also gather suppliers and weaponry to help them survive on the battlefield. But in a battle royale action-adventure game, there can only be one winner.
Garena Free Fire Max redeem codes
The developers of the game are always incorporating new alphanumeric codes into it. Players can win complimentary prizes by using these codes. These codes can also be used to unlock different steps and acquire various reward points.

Check out the Garena Free Fire Max redeem codes for today (January 31):
FSVCD-EYIY-8URDT
FF2VH-BNFH-OGH
FBNJ-K3IVI-KBNST
F76Y-HGJ1U-GYTF5
FAGT-FQRD-E1XCF
FVGE–4FGCT–GVXS
FHNJ-UFGY-V6TGD
FJ4K-56M7-UHONI
FUJA-OQIU-Y2GBE
FRFG-TCDX-REQDF
FFGB-HJHU-CASQE
FJST1-32HS-DMJG
FNJH-35JIG-HTD56
MAX2023-REDEEM
FREEFIRE-MAX2023
Follow the below steps to redeem Garena Free Fire Max redeem codes for today (January 31):
Step 1: Go to the official redemption page: https://reward.ff.garena.com/en/
Step 2: Log in with your social media accounts, such as Facebook, Google, Twitter, or VK IDs.
Step 3: Players can now copy and paste the redeem codes into the text field and confirm their actions by clicking the “confirm” button.
Step 4: After the confirmation, a dialogue box will appear for cross-referencing. To redeem the codes, hit the OK button.
Note:

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has rolled out a new entry-level recharge plan for its prepaid users. The telecom operator has introduced a recharge plan of Rs 99 which is available across the country.
Vi Rs 99 prepaid plan
Under the Rs 99 prepaid plan, Vodafone Idea is offering 200MB of data and talk time of Rs 99. The service provider will be charging 2.5 paise per second for calls. The plan comes with a validity of 28 days. The users will not get the facility of free SMS as part of this plan. The company claims that the Rs 99 plan is the minimum recharge plan and it is introduced to maintain connectivity. Users can purchase this new plan from the Vi website and app.

“Catering to the affordability of consumers, Vi continues to take measures to offer the best in class mobile services at most attractive price points. We invite mobile users and non-users to join the high speed Vi network at just Rs. 99 and continue enjoying the benefits of mobile connectivity in the digital era. This will not just drive inclusivity but also enable more users to enter the digital bandwagon,” said the company.
Along with the Rs 99 prepaid plan the company has also announced that it will offer unlimited high-speed nighttime data to the users of the Rs 249 plan and above. The nighttime data will be available from 12 am to 6 am.
Your mobile bills may go up soon
Recently, it was reported that telecom companies may increase mobile tariffs this year. Mobile companies are likely to increase tariffs by the middle of 2023. “With 5G related ARPU (average revenue per user) uplift likely to be insignificant in near future, 4G prepaid tariff hike remains the most important ARPU lever for telcos. We see higher probability of 4G prepaid tariff hikes in mid-2023,” told brokerage firm IIFL Securities in a report. It further added that pushing tariff hikes closer to the 2024 elections raises the risk of political backlash.
The service providers are expected to increase the price of both prepaid and postpaid plans. To recall, the telecom companies announced the last tariff hike in November 2021.

OnePlus’ co-founder Carl Pei’s technology startup Nothing launched its first smartphone — Nothing Phone (1) last year. The smartphone received a lot of appreciation for its unique design and smooth performance. Now it appears that the company has already started working on its successor which may launch this year.
Nothing Phone (2) coming later this year
As reported by Inverse, Carl Pie has confirmed to the publication that the company will launch its next flagship smartphone — Nothing Phone (2) in the US later this year. “We decided to make the US our No. 1 priority in terms of markets,” said Pie.
“We couldn’t do it earlier because we were only in our second year and our hands were tied building the team as we were building the products. Now as we’re on a more solid footing, we can take a step forward,” Pie told Inverse.

Along with this, Pie also revealed that the company’s revenue has increased tenfold from 2021 to 2022. The internal team of the company also grew from 200 people to 400 people. “We did more than $200 million last year; the first year we did something like $24 million USD. We’re growing quite quickly. We shipped over a million products already,” added Pei.
Pei didn’t reveal any other information about the smartphone but he did mention that the Nothing Phone (2) will be more premium as compared to its predecessor. He also added that the company is working on improving the software experience on the upcoming smartphone. He mentioned that nearly 100 people are working on the software part of the smartphone.
It is expected that the company will keep the same transparent design for the Nothing Phone (2) and will introduce more innovations on the software part. The smartphone maker did not reveal any details about the global launch of its next-generation flagship smartphone.