Alchemative Acquires Epinovus to Reimagine and Expand its eCommerce Journey:
Alchemative, Pakistan’s leading technology and digital business solution company, held a media event on 1st June 2022 to announce and commemorate the acquisition of Epinovus, a B2B e-commerce solution company. The event was attended by Umar Rana, CEO of Alchemative, who announced the acquisition with Kashif Iqbal, CEO of Epinovus.
SkillReactor Launches Platform to Bridge Gap Between Employers and Newly Skilled Developers:
Global tech platform, SkillReactor, has launched a new work experience platform for emerging software engineers to help them develop the skills and credentials they need to find employment. The platform will connect candidates with recruiters and employers for job opportunities. It aims to bridge the gap between employers and newly skilled developers with an emphasis on problem solving, comprehension, and research abilities.
Windows 11 Will Let you See Which Apps are Spying on You:
Privacy has been one of the biggest criticisms against Windows 11. Thankfully, Microsoft has addressed these concerns with previous Windows versions and now Windows 11 is about to get a handy new privacy feature as well. The latest version of Windows is testing a new privacy tool that will let you see if any of your applications are accessing sensitive hardware such as your microphone or webcam. This will let you keep an eye on any dubious apps that have no business with your mic or camera.
HBL Becomes the First Pakistani Bank to Provide Payment Services on WhatsApp:
HBL has become the first bank in Pakistan to launch ‘full-feature’ banking services on WhatsApp. The facility has been developed in partnership with leading cloud communication service provider E.Ocean. HBL’s Conversational Banking was made available to its clients through E.Ocean’s WhatsApp Business Platform in 2021.
Realme C30 Launched With a Large Battery for Only $96:
Realme C30 is the latest entry-level phone from the Chinese brand that has just made its way to India for cheap. It should arrive in Pakistan as well as other regions eventually. Realme C30 has a 6.5-inch LCD with a 720p resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. There is a U-shaped notch for the selfie camera and a thick bottom bezel. There is no fingerprint sensor on the phone, so you will have to stick with PIN/pattern unlocking.
PTA Issued 25 Security Advisories to Telecos in July-March FY22:
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) Cyber Security Team has issued 152 security advisories and 160 security threats to telecom operators since its inception. According to documents available to ProPakistani, PTA Cyber Security Team has issued 25 security and threat advisories in the first three quarters of the current financial year. Similarly, 48 security advisories were issued in 2020-21, and 40 security threats/advisories were issued in 2019-20. The regulator’s specific team on cyber security has issued 39 security advisories in 2018-19.
Pakistan Produced Over 12 Million Phones in First 5 Months of 2022:
Local manufacturing plants manufactured/assembled 12.41 million phones during the first five months (January-May) 2022, as compared to 0.94 million imported commercially, according to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). Local manufacturers manufactured/assembled 2.69 million mobile phone handsets in May. These manufactured/assembled mobile phone handsets stood at 24.66 million during the calendar year 2021 as compared to 13.05 million in 2020, indicating an 88 percent increase.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 to Have a Smaller Crease:
Samsung’s next generation of foldable phones is expected to debut in August this year with multiple improvements, one of which is expected to be a less noticeable crease. Samsung has been working on improving the obnoxious display crease for years and it will do so again with the Z Fold 4. The news comes from the popular tipster Ice Universe who has shared side-by-side images comparing the Galaxy Z Fold 4’s crease with last year’s Z Fold 3. The image shows that the display crease is still there, but it’s less prominent than the Z Fold 3. This goes in line with previous leaks which claimed that the Z Fold 4 would have a 20% shallower crease than before.
Telegram Premium Brings Faster Downloads and Exclusive Stickers for $4.99:
A few weeks after announcing a premium tier for Telegram, the messaging app has finally made it official. As expected, Telegram Premium brings bonus features such as bigger upload limits, faster download speeds, and exclusive stickers for $4.99 per month. All of these premium features are highlighted in Telegram’s blog post, including the ability to upload 4GB files, up from the standard 2GB. Premium users will also get double the limits imposed on standard users. For instance, paid users will be able to join up to 1000 groups and channels instead of 500, pin up to 10 chats instead of 5, save 400 GIFs instead of 200, and more.
OnePlus to Launch a Flagship Phone for Around $500:
The upcoming OnePlus 10T has already leaked extensively over the past weeks. We have seen 3D renders for the phone as well as its full spec sheet, but now we have more info on a possible price tag. According to the Chinese tech blog IT Home, the OnePlus 10T could be a flagship killer phone, something that OnePlus hasn’t done in years. This means that the phone will be offered at a much lower price than the company’s flagship phones, but with premium specifications.
Could nuclear desalination plants beat water scarcity?:
There are communities on every continent running short of water, according to the United Nations. Unfortunately, although our planet is swathed by oceans and seas, only a tiny fraction of Earth’s water – about 2.5% – is fresh, and demand for drinking water is projected to exceed supply by trillions of cubic metres by 2030. Desalination plants, which remove the salt from seawater, could help supply the fresh water needed.
Four Tet wins royalty battle over streaming music:
Pioneering electronic artist Four Tet has reached a settlement in the legal battle against his former record label. The musician, whose real name is Kieran Hebden, sued Domino Records last year over the royalties he gets paid when his music is downloaded or streamed. He argued that the 13.5% royalty rate he was being offered was unfair, and demanded a 50% split with the label. In a settlement, Domino agreed to the honour the 50% rate and reimbursed the musician for historic underpayments.
New rules proposed for buy now pay later:
Rules on so-called buy now pay later (BNPL) loans will be tightened up, the government says – including new guidelines on advertising and checks to ensure customers can afford to pay. Apple has said it plans to launch a buy now pay later option for users of Apple Pay, initially in the US. But critics say BNPL schemes encourage people to spend beyond their means. The loans – used by 15 million people in the UK in 2021 – are typically spread over a number of payments. Although the instalments are interest free – BNPL companies make money from the retailer, usually taking a cut from sales – there may be additional charges if customers miss payments.
A social media murder: Olly’s story:
It was only after Olly Stephens was murdered, in a field outside his home in Reading, that his mum and dad realised the violent and disturbing world their son had been exposed to through his phone. For Media Panorama, reporter investigates the role social media played in his death and exposes how a 13-year-old’s social media accounts can be recommended violent videos and knives for sale. Last January, Amanda and Stuart Stephens watched their son from separate windows as he left home, not realising it would be the last time. Olly wandered over to a field, Bugs Bottom, opposite their house – sliders on his feet, his phone in hand. Fifteen minutes later, he had been murdered. That phone he was holding would provide the answers to what had happened. Olly was stabbed to death by two teenage boys in a field behind his house, after they recruited a girl online to lure him there. The entire attack had been planned on social media and triggered by a dispute in a social media chat group.
Apple store workers vote to form first US union:
Workers at an Apple store in Maryland have voted to unionise, forming the tech giant’s first retail union in the United States. The employees of the shop in Towson passed the measure 65-33, with about a dozen abstentions. After the result came in, the group tweeted: “Now we celebrate… tomorrow we keep organising.” It is the third Apple store to launch a union drive this year, but the first to successfully hold a vote. The new Apple Core union – short for the Coalition of Organized Retail Employees – penned an open letter to Apple in May, saying its bid was “about us as workers gaining access to rights that we do not currently have”, but that it did not want to “go against or create conflict with our management”.
Holiday scam warning over ‘fabulous’ Donegal home:
A woman duped by a fraudster selling holidays in the Republic of Ireland is warning others not to be conned. Berni Campbell, from Strabane, County Tyrone, paid a deposit before realising she had been duped. Media NI has spoken to a number of others who say they have fallen for the same scam after seeing an advert on Facebook Marketplace. “There’s people out there won’t even know they’ve been scammed,” Mrs Campbell said.
While the ad had been removed from social media for a short time, she said it had now returned. Mrs Campbell’s ordeal began when she booked a break at the holiday home in March, advertised online as being in the village of Bunbeg, County Donegal.
Big Tech must deal with disinformation or face fines, says EU:
Large tech companies, such as Google and Meta, will have to take action on deepfakes and fake accounts – or risk facing huge fines. Deepfakes are videos using a person’s likeness to portray them doing something they never did. New EU regulation, supported by the Digital Services Act (DSA), will demand tech firms deal with these forms of disinformation on their platforms. Firms may be fined up to 6% of their global turnover if they do not comply. The strengthened code aims to prevent profiting from disinformation and fake news on their platforms, as well as increasing transparency around political advertising and curbing the spread of ‘new malicious behaviours’ such as bots, fake accounts and deepfakes.
Kate Bush: The Lambeg that gave Running Up That Hill its thunder:
One of Northern Ireland’s most mysterious musical stories has been given new life by the resurgence of one of the most famous pop songs of the 80s. On one side – Kate Bush, the enigmatic singer-songwriter, and Running Up That Hill, which has hit number one in the UK charts a full 37 years after its original release. Back then, the song went to number three in the charts but thanks to prominent usage in Netflix’s horror smash Stranger Things, it will become Bush’s second number one of her career, a mere 44 years after Wuthering Heights. On the other side, the Lambeg drum – Northern Ireland’s most iconic musical instrument, a seriously loud and huge piece of kit with a booming sound made famous by street parades. Unlikely musical bedfellows perhaps – but no better way to ring out Running Up That Hill’s “thunder in our hearts” than with the thunderous timbre of the Lambeg.
School meal drone delivery trialled in Scotland:
Schools in remote parts of Argyll and Bute could have school meals delivered by drones if a trial project is successful. The local council has partnered with drone specialist Skyports to test the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). A UAV has already delivered a fresh meal prepared in Oban to Lochnell Primary, 1.5km (0.93 miles) away. The council hopes it could offer a new way of giving children in remote areas access to healthy school meals. The provision of school meals to some rural and remote schools currently relies on traditional transport like vans, taxis and ferries, which can be affected by weather conditions.