Archives January 2024

CMF by Nothing, a sub-brand of Nothing focussed on the affordable line of products, teased a new product on its social media handles. The accompanying image contains a line art of a product design where the dimensions can be seen. The image also has the words ‘coming soon’ written on top. Some users have guessed that the product could be a neckband-style earphone. Interestingly, a CMF-branded product named Neckband Pro was reported to be listed on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification portal earlier this month.

The company posted a teaser on X (formerly known as Twitter), and said, “Something new is coming soon.” The image is rather cryptic, with only a portion of the product design visible. The visible portion shows a stem-like structure with what appears to be a button on the top. Company’s brand logo can be seen towards the bottom of the structure as well.

Many commenters have tried guessing what it could be, with suggestions ranging from a digital thermometer to a smart toothbrush. However, several users have said that it could be a neckband-style earphone with the illustrated part being the ending of the neckband that houses the power button, volume rockers, and the microphone.

There might be some possibility of the teased device being a pair of neckband-style earphones. According to a report by Gizmochina, a ‘CMF by Nothing’ branded product named Neckband Pro was seen listed on BIS portal. It could be that the brand is gearing up to launch it as its fourth offering, alongside CMF Watch Pro, CMF Buds Pro, and CMF Power 65 GaN (gallium nitride) adapter. However, this is speculative as the company has not shared any details regarding a neckband. Gadgets 360 was unable to verify the listing for the product.

Meanwhile, Nothing Phone 2a is also expected to be launched at the end of February. It was recently spotted on the TUV certification website. Rumoured to be a midrange version of the Nothing Phone 2, some of its key specifications have been leaked online. It is expected to feature a 6.7-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The handset could be equipped with MediaTek’s Dimensity 7200 processor, paired with up to 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and run on Android 14-based Nothing OS 2.5 out-of-the-box.

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Samsung Galaxy F14 4G may launch in India soon. The 5G variant of the handset was launched in India in March 2023. Details about the 4G version have now surfaced online. Its design and key specifications have been tipped via the user manual of the purported handset. A user manual for the Galaxy M14 4G was also spotted online. Both the Galaxy M14 4G and Galaxy F14 4G are expected to share a similar design. Notably, the Galaxy M14 5G model was introduced in India in April 2023. 

A 91Mobiles report notes that the name for the Galaxy A05s was changed to Galaxy F14 4G on the Google Play Console. The listing suggests that the Galaxy F14 4G may launch with a full-HD+ screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 SoC paired with Adreno 610 GPU, and an Android 13-based UI. Essentially the rumoured model is expected to be a rebranded model of the Samsung Galaxy A05s that was launched in India in October 2023.

Meanwhile, another report by MySmartPrice claimed to have spotted the user manuals for the Galaxy F14 4G as well as for the Galaxy M14 4G. The handsets bear the model numbers SM-E145F and SM-M145F, respectively, according to the report. The support page for the latter model was also reportedly seen live on the Samsung India website, but at the time of writing, we could not locate it.

As per the diagrams seen in the user manual, the design of the Galaxy M14 4G and Galaxy F14 4G are expected to be similar. The phones are seen with flat displays with slim bezels, a thick chin, and a centred waterdrop notch to house the front camera. The volume rockers and the power button are seen on the right side of the handset, with a USB Type-C port, headphone jack, speaker grille, and microphone placed on the bottom.  

The triple rear cameras of the Galaxy M14 4G and Galaxy F14 4G models are seen in small, circular, separate units arranged vertically on the top left corner of the back panel. A smaller round LED flash unit appears next to the cameras. No other details about the handsets are available so far.

Samsung’s Galaxy A05s was launched in the country in Black, Light Green, and Light Violet colourways starting at Rs. 14,999 for its 6GB + 128GB option. Later in November 2023, the company introduced a 4GB + 128GB variant priced at Rs. 13,999.

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In a recent regulatory filing, Dell Technologies has confirmed it will be terminating its commercial framework agreement with VMware by using a clause that would allow either party to pull out should there be a change in the control of the other party.

Until November 2021, Dell had an 81% stake in VMware, but this was sold as part of  Broadcom’s takeover of the company, which also introduced several significant changes to VMware operations which left left many customers and partners unhappy.

The 1953 French movie Wages of Fear is widely regarded as a classic and one of the key influences on modern movies. It’s a tale of desperate men transporting two truckloads of nitroglycerine across a danger-laden desert – and while it’s an edge of the seat thriller, it’s also a savage satire. 

One reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes, where it has a flawless 100% score, calls it “an uncompromising parable about money, greed, and man’s jealous desire for that which he can never have”. The movie is so iconic that it was remade in 1977 under the title Sorcerer, and now Netflix is remaking its own version of it.

Dr Neeraj Mittal, Chairman of the Digital Communications Commission and Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications (MoC), unveiled the “Bharat 5G Portal- an integrated portal” during the ‘Bharat Telecom 2024, an exclusive international business expo.’
The event, organised by the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) in collaboration with DoT, took place from January 29-30, 2024.
Bharat 5G Portal announced
As part of the Department of Telecommunications’ initiatives, a call for 6G Research and Development proposals was announced on the integrated portal, seeking accelerated research on 6G ecosystem development. Additionally, Secretary Dr. Neeraj Mittal inaugurated the Future Tech-Experts registration portal in collaboration with PANIIT USA, a strategic move to support and guide the Indian Telecom ecosystem. This initiative is prominently featured on the Bharat 5G Portal.
During the expo, a special meeting session titled “Bridging Dreams and Funding: Linking Venture Capital/Investors to the Future of Startups” was opened by Secretary (T). The session showcased innovative telecom products from 26 startups/MSMEs, presenting a funding opportunity. Over 10 venture capitalists/investors participated in discussions on how their support could contribute to the growth and scalability of these products.
In his address at the launch of the Bharat 5G Portal, Dr Neeraj Mittal highlighted India’s rapid progress in the 5G rollout, asserting its position as one of the fastest in the world. Notably, he mentioned India’s emergence as a trusted global partner in the realm of 5G and now, 6G technology. Dr Mittal emphasized the country’s thriving tech startup ecosystem, with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of creating new business opportunities for Indian manufacturers through increased startup participation.
The Bharat 5G Portal serves as a comprehensive platform, addressing the needs of startups, industry, and academia in quantum, 6G, IPR, and 5G domains. With features like the Future Tech-Experts registration portal, the platform aims to advance the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat, acting as a one-stop solution for all quantum, IPR, PoCs/Pilot, 5G, and 6G-related works. It seeks to propel India’s 5G capabilities by fostering innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing within the telecom sector.

WhatsApp introduced its new chat lock feature in May last year for mobile users. The Chat lock feature enables users to safeguard their intimate chats. The Meta-owned messaging app is now all set to bring the same feature for desktop users.
As reported by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is working on a chat lock feature for its desktop users. The Chat Lock feature is currently in development and it will be available in a future update.
WhatsApp is currently working on a forthcoming feature that enables users to secure their web client chats.The anticipated locked chats will be housed in a dedicated tab, offering an enhanced level of privacy and security for user conversations. As the feature is still in the development phase, the specific method for accessing this tab remains uncertain. Speculation suggests it may involve a secret code, possibly allowing users to discreetly conceal the tab.
“By implementing chat locking, users will be able to add an extra layer of security, especially in situations where they are using WhatsApp Web in close proximity to other people and wish to maintain privacy for specific conversations. In addition, we believe that WhatsApp establishes a consistent and standardized security feature across multiple devices and platforms by introducing this feature in the future, especially as these locked chats will be synchronized across all their platforms,” mentions the report.
WhatsApp working on bringing passkeys to iPhones
A recent online report revealed that WhatsApp is working on the passkey feature for iPhone users. As reported by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has rolled out the passkey feature for iOS beta users and it comes with the updated version 24.2.10.73.
iPhone users can transition effortlessly. Instead of dealing with passwords or one-time PINs, just utilise your reliable Face ID, Touch ID, or device passcode. This not only enhances security but also simplifies the login process, ensuring both convenience and safety.

Ever since ChatGPT emerged, debates have broken out globally on the opportunities and obstacles that have arisen courtesy of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Privacy and security have been some of the biggest concerns, with nations insisting on safeguards against AI to protect citizens. However, threat actors still seem to get past them. In a recent incident, ChatGPT leaked several private conversations in an unrelated chat. Here’s what happened.

ChatGPT leak

As per a report by ArsTechnica, one of their readers posted screenshots of seeing leaked conversations in ChatGPT. The reader, named Chase Whiteside, entered a query on ChatGPT but saw additional unrelated conversations along with the query’s response. One of the conversations involved a user trying to troubleshoot a system at a pharmacy drug portal. What’s more concerning is the leaked conversation not only included the name of the app the user was troubleshooting but also the login credentials, including the username and password.

In an email to ArsTechnica, Whiteside wrote, “I went to make a query and when I returned to access moments later, I noticed the additional conversations. They weren’t there when I used ChatGPT just last night. No queries were made—they just appeared in my history, and most certainly aren’t from me.”

The report further states that another conversation featured an unpublished research proposal, as well as the name of a presentation being worked on by someone.

In a statement to Mashable, OpenAI clarified, “Based on our findings, the users’ account login credentials were compromised and a bad actor then used the account. The chat history and files being displayed are conversations from misuse of this account, and was not a case of ChatGPT showing another users’ history.”

However, Chase says it is unlikely his account was compromised as he uses a nine-character password with upper and lower case letters and special characters – all of which are ideal guidelines for setting a strong password. OpenAI said that these conversations originated from Sri Lanka and not Brooklyn, where Whiteside entered the query.

Also read other top stories today:

Brain Chip Implanted! A lucky individual has become the first human to receive a brain implant from Elon Musk’s Neuralink, marking a step toward being able to steer computers with our minds. Is that the right way to go? Find out out here.

Bad news for Apple! Influential technology analyst Ming-Chi Kuo warned that the company is expecting lower demand for iPhone 15 and the upcoming iPhone 16 in 2024. Know all about it here.

Samsung Woos China with Ernie Bot! Samsung will feature Baidu Inc.’s Ernie Bot as a key attraction of its new Galaxy S24 smartphone series in China. Dive in here.

One more thing! We are now on WhatsApp Channels! Follow us there so you never miss any updates from the world of technology. ‎To follow the HT Tech channel on WhatsApp, click here to join now!

2024 should be the year of Android 15, if everything at Google runs on schedule, and the signs are that the upcoming successor to Android 14 is going to bring with it a significant boost in Bluetooth functionality.

As spotted by seasoned code digger Mishaal Rahman over at Android Authority, the latest beta version of Android 14 comes with numerous mentions of audio sharing. This code is hidden for now, but it’s ready and waiting to be utilized.

Developer Type-Moon has revealed Fate/stay night Remastered, a remaster of the first game in the long-running Fate series that sees it officially released in English for the first time.

Originally releasing on consoles as Fate/stay night Realta Nua for PlayStation 2 in 2007 (which was itself a significantly enhanced port of the even earlier PC game Fate/stay night) this remaster is based specifically on the later PlayStation Vita version of the title. 

With the convenience of streaming services like Netflix, travellers often seek to enjoy their favourite shows and movies even when away from home. Many hotels now offer smart TVs with built-in apps like Netflix, allowing guests to access their accounts directly from their rooms. However, connecting your Netflix account to a hotel TV requires some caution to ensure security, privacy, and a seamless viewing experience.
In this article, we’ll explore important factors to consider when linking your Netflix account to a hotel TV, helping you navigate the process safely and enjoy uninterrupted entertainment during your stay.