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Celebrating the 74th Republic Day of the country, Croma has announced its Republic Day sale. As a part of the sale, the electronic retail store is offering deals and offers on a wide range of product categories including laptops, smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs, soundbars, headphones, speakers, tablets, accessories and more from popular brands like Apple, Samsung, HP, Dell, Lenovo, LG, Voltas, Redmi, Oppo, etc.
Croma Republic Day sale: Dates
The Croma Republic Day sale begins on January 19 and is set to end on January 29. Also, the deals and discounts will be available on both Croma online and offline stores.
Croma Republic Day sale: Deals and offers
Customers can enjoy discounts of up to 50% on gadgets, home appliances, accessories, and more. Up to Rs 5,000 cashback on consumer finance at Stores and up to 10% instant discount on select bank cards. In addition to these discounts, Croma is also offering unique promotions like coupon codes and scratch-and-win cards for in-store purchases.
Users will have to purchase a smartphone from Croma and get a scratch-and-win card to get a chance to win 2.5 lakh+ gifts or a Tata Nexon EV car or a Revamp Moto Electric bike.
Buyers can grab Intel Core i3 laptops starting at Rs 33,990, while gaming laptops with Intel processor starts at Rs 54,990.
Students and teachers get a flat 10% on laptops. Samsung NEO QLED TVs begin at Rs 1,990 per month, and 4K LED TVs are available at an EMI starting at Rs 990 per month.
During the sale, buyers can also buy ACs at a discounted price. Voltas four-in-one inverter AC is available at Rs 2,999 EMI option. Inverter frost-free refrigerators at available at Rs 22,990.
Aquaguard RO+UV water purifiers are available at Rs 14,990, and front-load washing machines start at Rs 19,900.

With the new M2 Pro MacBook Pros finally official, it’s a great upgrade for anyone moving on from an Intel Mac. However, if you’re thinking of trading it in through Apple to knock some of the price off, you might be far worse off than I’ve found with my M1 Pro MacBook Pro.

While I’m holding off for an M3 Pro MacBook Pro, curiosity made me check on Apple’s site about how much my current Mac would be worth to trade in (opens in new tab). I paid $2399 / £2199 / AU$2799 for it back in October 2021, and I’m still planning to own one until 2025. It’s a powerful machine, and I want to get my money’s worth.

While Google has a plethora of Nest devices, Amazon has a strong lineup of Echo products, and now Ring too, and Apple has HomePod, two of them. But this may change soon as Apple plans to take on Google and Alexa with a couple of new smart-home devices that may include a big smart display, among others.
iPad-like smart display under development
Over the last few years, standalone smart-home displays that just sit on a countertop and can be used to control smart devices at your home and even more have surged into popularity.
While the iPad can do everything a smart home display is supposed to do, it still costs a lot more than those. But what if there was a tad affordable at-home iPad-like tablet? If you have ever wondered about any such thing, it may become a reality soon, as Apple is planning a low-end iPad that would essentially be used to control smart home devices, play videos, and do FaceTime calls, reports Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the development.
The smart display would be similar to the Google Nest Hub or Echo Show. Instead of being a handheld tablet like the iPad, the said smart display could be mounted on walls or any other surface using magnetic fasteners.
Like Google’s upcoming Pixel Tablet, which is rumoured to come with an optional stand for those who want to turn it into a smart hub, Apple is also said to be talking about a “Home Stand” for the current iPads. However, Apple has not made up its mind on that.
Gurman does not expect the smart display to launch sooner than next year.
Apple TV with faster processor en route, Apple TV and HomePod combo delayed
In addition to the recently unveiled Matter-enabled HomePod and rumoured smart display, there is also an Apple TV refresh underway that may come next year with a new chip, but it still would not come with support for 8K playback.
The much-rumoured set-top box that would have combined Apple TV and HomePod, which would have come with a FaceTime camera, has suffered some setbacks, but the project is still under active development. The said Apple TV and HomePod combo was expected to arrive later this year, but as of now, it is unknown when it may launch.

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 19):
VNY3MQWNKEGU
FFIC33NTEUKA
SARG886AV5GR
ZYPPXWRWIAHD
8F3QZKNTLWBZ
WOJJAFV3TUSE
WLSGJXS5KFYR
FF11HHGCGK3B
FF119MB3PFA5
B61YCTNH4PV3
FF11NJN5YS3E
Y6ACLK7KUD1N
YXY3EGTLHGJX
FF1164XNJZ2V
MCPTFNXZF4TA
X99TK56XDJ4X
FF10GCGXRNHY
FF11WFNPP956
ZRJAPH294KV5
FF11DAKX4WHV
FF10617KGUF9
ZZATXB24QES8
Follow the below steps to redeem Garena Free Fire Max redeem codes for today (January 19):
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:

Apple launched its second generation of HomePod smart speaker on January 18. Apple’s smart speaker lineup has seen a refresh after two years as the last device was the HomePod mini. The smaller smart speaker from Apple first launched in October 2020 at the price of Rs 9,900. Now, Apple has increased the price of the HomePod mini in India.
HomePod mini: New price
The HomePod mini is now selling for Rs 10,900, which means that the price has been hiked by 1,000. The HomePod mini is available in yellow, orange, blue, space grey and white colour options.
2nd-gen HomePod launched in India
Meanwhile, Apple’s new HomePod brings a host of new features. The new HomePod is powered by the S7 chip and features a custom-engineered high-excursion woofer, built-in bass-EQ mic and five tweeters around the base. Apple also claims that it has a powerful motor that drives the diaphragm 20mm.
Like the previous generation model, the new HomePod comes with room-sensing technology. This means that HomePod recognises sound reflections from nearby surfaces to determine if it is against a wall or freestanding, and then adapts to sound in real-time.
HomePod also easily pairs with Apple TV 4K for a powerful home theatre experience and eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) support on Apple TV 4K. The new HomePod also offers support for Find My, which makes it possible for users to locate their Apple devices, like an iPhone, by playing a sound on the misplaced device. Using Siri, users can also ask for the location of friends or loved ones who share their location via the app.
The new HomePod is available to order online starting today, with availability beginning Friday, February 3. The HomePod (2nd-gen) is priced at Rs 32,900 and is available in white and midnight colour options.

South Korea-based tech giant Samsung Electronics has announced that the Samsung Wallet will soon be available for new markets. Samsung Wallet is now official for eight more regions including — India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Samsung Wallet will be launched in these countries later this month. The company already offers the Samsung Pay service in India and now Samsung Wallet will also be available for Indian users. Here are some more details about Samsung Wallet:
Samsung Wallet: What is it
Samsung introduced its Wallet platform in 2022. Initially, the service was introduced in 6 countries – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the US. Later, it was expanded to more countries like — Bahrain, China, Denmark, Finland, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Norway, Oman, Qatar, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Vietnam and UAE.
Users can organise and access documents easily and securely using the Samsung Wallet service. These documents include identification and other necessary certificates bank cards and digital keys to travel passes, driver’s licenses and student IDs. Samsung Wallet allows users to access these documents with just one swipe.
Samsung Wallet: More details
Samsung’s security platform — Samsung Knox is responsible for the protection of the Samsung Wallet platform. The security features include fingerprint recognition and encryption. These features ensure that users’ important data remain protected.

The company claims that Samsung Wallet can store sensitive documents in an isolated environment. The platform offers an extra layer of protection against potential digital and physical hacking attempts as well.
Samsung’s EVP and Head of Digital Wallet Team, Jeanie Han claimed that the company is committed to build the experience through open partnerships with Samsung and other service providers. This ensures access to the platform for “as many people as possible”.
Han also mentioned that over the past several months, Samsung has worked “to rapidly expand the availability of Samsung Wallet,” to bring the platform to more potential users. The company said that it is also looking forward to sharing new developments related to Samsung Wallet in the coming year.
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Coin Master is a single-player mobile game that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store. This game has become increasingly popular in recent years, with over 100 million downloads. Coin Master was created by the Israel-based studio Moon Active and was released in 2015. The goal of the game is to construct your own village.
The Coin Master also has a time slot machine that can help you get additional coins and other sundries to help you enhance your community. Players must spin the slot machine and collect free gifts in order to fully build their hamlet. Unfortunately, the game only allows five spins per hour, and if you run out, you’ll have to wait an hour.
Fortunately, players can gather coins in this game in a variety of ways. Players can raid and attack the towns of other players in order to steal cash. You can even get free extra spins in this game. Coin Master offers free spins that can be used to gather coins and other prizes. To obtain Coin Master Free Spins and Coins today, simply follow the procedures outlined here.

How to get Coin Master Free Spins and Coins for today (January 19):
Step 1: To get the rewards, first log in to your Facebook account in the game.
Step 2: Go to this link for a free spin: Link 1, Link 2 and Link 3.
Step 3: After being routed, you will be prompted to log in to your Facebook account in order to link the spins to your account.

Tech majors like Amazon, Meta and Google have been the biggest investors in clean energy, including wind and solar power. According to a report by an industry group, named the American Clean Power Association (spotted by CNBC), Amazon, Facebook’s parent company Meta and Google which is a subsidiary of Alphabet have been listed as the top three corporate purchasers of wind and solar energy. Here are the details about the clean energy purchases made by different countries:
Clean energy purchase: How much did each company buy
As per the report, these companies announced their plans to buy wind and solar power last decade. Up until September 2022, Amazon had contracted 12.4 gigawatts of clean (wind and solar) energy in the US. On the other hand, Meta managed to buy 8.7 gigawatts and Google bought 6.2 gigawatts of clean energy.
These figures indicate that the technology sector is outpacing other industries in buying clean power. However, the adoption of clean energy has been increasing across all industries, the report adds. The amount of wind and solar energy bought by companies has increased by an average of 73% per year between 2012 to 2022. The report also claims that clean energy procurement surpassed 1 gigawatt in 2015, 8 gigawatts in 2018, and almost reached 20 gigawatts in 2022.
Why tech companies are switching to clean energy
The reason for tech companies to be inclined towards clean power is not only just to save the world from climate change but is also dependent on the price. The report claims that the price of clean power has been falling steadily. In the last decade, the cost of wind and solar energy has gone down by 71% and 47%, respectively.

When it comes to buying clean energy, the technology sector has been the leader by contracting 48% of all wind and solar power. Meanwhile, the energy, telecom and food and beverage sectors have been the next largest corporate buyers with 9%, 8% and 7% of total contracted wind and solar power, respectively.
To sum up, 326 companies in total have contracted 77.4 gigawatts of wind and solar energy by the end of 2022. This much energy is enough to power over a thousand data centres or 18 million US homes, the report adds.
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If you are in the market for Apple products, then this might be the right time as the company is offering instant savings across several products. Users can get up to Rs 10,000 of instant savings on the Apple Online Store in India.

Instant cashback on iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch Ultra and more

Apple is offering instant cash back on most of its products. The only category which hasn’t seen a cashback is the iMac. Also, the offers are mostly on new products and not older models. For instance, there isn’t any instant cashback on buying the iPhone 13 from the Apple Store. However, on the latest iPhone models, buyers can get instant savings.
Buyers can get up to Rs 10,000 instant savings on selected products with HDFC Bank credit cards. Here’s a list of products and the amount of instant cashback users can get on the Apple Store.

Things to keep in mind
Buyers can also get up to Rs 12,000 instant savings when they upgrade to selected iPhone models. This includes Rs 7,000 instant savings with HDFC Bank credit cards on selected iPhone models plus up to Rs 5,000 extra savings when you exchange an eligible iPhone towards the purchase of a new one.
There’s also the no-cost EMI option for 3 or 6 months on selected products from most leading banks.
It’s also not clear till when the instant cashback offers will be available on the Apple Store.

Meta-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp keeps updating the service with new features to improve the user experience. Some of these features have already been rolled out for end users while beta testers are still testing others. One such feature that WhatsApp is currently testing is the ability to share voice notes via status updates. According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is rolling out a new update (version 2.23.2.8.) through the Google Play Beta Program. The latest update will add the mentioned ability to some selected beta testers. This feature has been under development since September 2022.
WhatsApp voice recordings as status updates: How it works
This feature will enable users to share a voice note as a status update. These voice notes can be shared only with a certain audience configured within the user’s privacy settings. The latest WhatsApp feature will be available to beta testers who install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.2.8 update available on the Google Play Store.
The report also shares a screenshot to demonstrate how this feature will work. Eligible beta testers will be able to share voice notes as status updates by accessing the feature within the text status section. However, before doing that testers have to enable the text status section before using it.
WhatsApp will also let users have more control over their voice recordings. Users can even discard a recording before sharing it. The maximum recording time for a voice note is 30 seconds. Moreover, users also need to update their version of WhatsApp to listen to voice notes shared via status.

WhatsApp voice recordings as status updates: More details
The voice notes shared as status updates will also be end-to-end encrypted. This will ensure that only the contacts that users choose within their privacy settings will be able to access them. Just like images and videos, voice notes shared via status will also disappear after 24 hours.
However, users will also be able to delete voice notes for everyone after they have been posted as status updates. These abilities will help users to always stay in control over what they share. This feature is expected to be rolled out to more users over the coming weeks.
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