Asus Chromebook Plus CX3402 Launched in India

Asus has introduced the Chromebook Plus CX3402 as part of Google's recently unveiled Chromebook lineup in India. Marking Asus's debut in the Chromebook Plus series, this lightweight and affordable option offers notable features such as a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, a versatile 180-degree hinge, extensive support for Android apps, and more. Weighing just 1.4 kg, the Chromebook Plus CX3402 boasts a durable design that meets US MIL-STD 810H durability standards, incorporating Asus Antimicrobial Guard protection for the backlit keyboard and the 5.7-inch touchpad. Its 14-inch Full HD three-sided NanoEdge IPS display delivers a brightness of 250 nits, and there is also a touchscreen display variant available. The laptop can be equipped with up to the 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U processor (for business consumers), accompanied by up to 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD. With a 50Wh battery and a 45W adaptor, it offers approximately 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. The Chromebook CX3402 features multiple I/O ports, including 2 USB 3.2 Type-C ports, 2 USB Type-A ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and an HDMI 1.4 port. It supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. Equipped with a 1080p camera featuring Temporal Noise Reduction and Webcam Shield, the laptop enhances video calling performance. It grants access to millions of Android apps via the Google Play Store and includes built-in Google Photos with AI-backed features like Magic Eraser. Additionally, users purchasing the Asus Chromebook Plus CX3402 before January 31, 2024, can avail a complimentary 3-month trial of Adobe Photoshop Web. The Chromebook Plus CX3402 is priced starting at Rs 39,990 and will be exclusively available through Flipkart, with the Business version offered through leading Commercial PC channel partners.

WhatsApp now allows users to pin messages in both individual and group conversations

WhatsApp is introducing the capability to pin chats in both one-on-one and group conversations. Users can now pin various types of conversations, encompassing text, polls, images, and emojis. However, the feature allows the pinning of only one chat at a time. According to the Meta-owned chat app, users can pin a chat by long-pressing on a conversation and selecting "Pin" from the menu. Duration options for pinning include 24 hours, 7 days (the default option), and 30 days. This feature proves particularly handy for scenarios such as sharing addresses for a first-time visit to a friend's place, ensuring easy access. In group chats, it facilitates highlighting essential information about an event or a place, such as rules or critical details. The company notes that in groups, administrators can decide whether only admins or any member can pin a message. Notably, WhatsApp's rivals Telegram and iMessage already provide a pin message option for users in both individual and group chats. It remains unclear if WhatsApp intends to extend the pinned messages feature to Channels. In a recent update, WhatsApp also introduced the ability to send disappearing voice messages that can only be viewed once by the recipient.

iQoo 12 Launched in India

The iQoo 12 made its debut in India on Tuesday, marking the country's first smartphone to feature Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. Boasting a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate, this device incorporates a triple rear camera setup, highlighted by a 64-megapixel telephoto camera. Noteworthy improvements include a 6,010 sq. mm vapor cooling chamber, 40 percent larger than its predecessor, and a robust 5,000mAh battery with 120W FlashCharge support. Priced at Rs. 52,999 for the 12GB + 256GB configuration and Rs. 57,999 for the 16GB + 512GB variant, a promotional offer of Rs. 49,999 is available, inclusive of HDFC or ICICI bank offers. The iQoo 12 will be accessible on Amazon India from December 13 for Priority pass holders and from December 14 for others. The Alpha variant showcases an AG Glass rear panel, while the Legend model features white porcelain enamel glass. Operating on Android 14-based Funtouch OS 14, the dual-SIM device features a quad-HD LTPO AMOLED screen, reaching up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and iQoo's dedicated Q1 chip, it offers up to 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. The triple rear camera setup includes a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 64-megapixel periscope telephoto camera. A 16-megapixel selfie camera caters to front-facing photography. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and NFC. With a 5,000mAh battery, IP64 rating, and various enhancements, the iQoo 12 aims to deliver a compelling smartphone experience.

Google's "Project Ellmann"

Google has unveiled a new AI initiative called "Project Ellmann" that aims to transform users' stored memories into comprehensive narratives enriched with contextual information. The concept is to offer a "bird's eye" perspective into users' lives through this project, utilizing advanced language models like Gemini. As reported by CNBC, the AI model, drawing from the capabilities of models like Gemini, seeks to address previously unanswerable questions. It can gather insights from users' search results, recognize patterns in their photos, and incorporate a chatbot for interactive engagements. Project Ellmann is purported to extract information from biographies, past photographed events, and recent occurrences to craft a cohesive story.

During a presentation, a Google product manager mentioned that Project Ellmann could discern a child's date of birth, outline details about their parents, and identify if they are an only child. The "Ellmann Chat" aspect of the software envisions a scenario where a user engages with a ChatGPT-like interface that is already well-versed in their life details. Leveraging stored memories, the AI can respond to queries like "When did I last see my sibling?" or "Do I have a pet?" In the case of the latter, Google asserts that the AI can provide specific details, including the pet's name and the individuals they were most frequently photographed with. Despite the potential invasiveness, Google emphasizes its commitment to privacy, stating that this was an early internal exploration and any new features would prioritize user privacy and safety.

Project Ellmann is designed to comprehend users' eating habits, favorite foods, preferred websites, and apps. As Google expresses interest in creating an AI serving as a "Your Life Story Teller," the deployment plan for Project Ellmann remains uncertain. However, insights from a Google Photos product manager suggest potential integration with Google Photos, a platform already familiar with AI features such as the "Memories" view and the AI video editor.

It's noteworthy that Google has been intensifying its AI endeavors, introducing models like Gemini, which consists of three variants—Nano, Pro, and Ultra—tailored for diverse applications. While Pro excels at a wide array of tasks and Ultra handles complex ones, Nano specializes in on-device tasks. If Project Ellmann aligns with Google Photos, speculation leans towards it utilizing Nano, especially considering the recent introduction of Gemini Nano to the Pixel 8 series in Google's December 2023 feature drop, enabling applications like Recorder summaries and "Smart Reply in Gboard."

iOS 17.2 Update Features

On Monday, December 11, Apple rolled out the iOS 17.2 update as the latest operating system version for the iPhone, encompassing security fixes, patches, improvements, and new features. Among the highlights, the update introduces the much-anticipated Journal app to the iPhone, focused on health and wellness, allowing users to record daily activities and thoughts. This app, announced at Apple's WWDC event in June, features options to secure the Journal with Touch ID or Face ID, scheduled notifications, filters for bookmarked entries, and iCloud syncing. Additionally, the iOS 17.2 update enables Spatial Video capture on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, which can be viewed in 3D using Apple's Vision Pro mixed reality headset.

The update also enhances the iPhone 15 Pro's Action Button with new functions, introduces a new Weather widget, AirDrop improvements, and enhancements to the Messages app. Qi2 wireless charging support is extended to the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 series. Notably, the AirPlay in hotels feature and the Apple Music collaborative playlists have been delayed and are now expected in 2024. Apple released iOS 17.2, alongside updates for iPadOS 17.2, macOS 14.2 Sonoma, and watchOS 10.2, following several weeks of testing. Siri in iOS 17.2 gains the ability to access data from the Health app using voice commands. Other features include Enhanced AutoFill, keyboard layout support for eight Saimi languages, Sensitive Content Warning for stickers in Messages, and a translate function for the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

To download the update, users can go to Settings > General > Software Update, following the instructions. It is advisable to connect the iPhone to a power source until the update installation is complete. However, it's worth noting that the Apple Music collaborative playlists and AirPlay in hotel rooms features, initially present in beta versions, are not available in the final iOS 17.2 version and have been postponed to 2024, as confirmed by Apple.

The closure of Google Play Movies and TV is scheduled for January

It seems that Google is bidding farewell to the Google Play Movies and TV app. The company has initiated the removal of the app from various platforms, having already transitioned Android and iOS users to the Google TV app. The app is also being phased out from platforms like Roku and smart TVs. In 2022, Google made Android TV the default platform for renting, watching, and purchasing movies and TV shows. Now, in a recent blog post, Google has officially announced the discontinuation of Google Play Movies and TV. The app will be removed from Google Play and TV devices. However, users won't lose access to their purchased content. Google has provided a straightforward method to access purchased content. For users on Android TV or streaming devices with Android TV, the content can be accessed in the 'Your Library' row on the Shop Tab. If using a web browser or a set-top box powered by Android TV, purchased content can be accessed on YouTube.

This move by Google is aimed at consolidating its entertainment apps, likely leading to a simpler and more user-friendly experience in the long run. Similarly, Apple has structured its TV app to allow users to access Apple TV Plus while also renting and buying TV shows and movies.

Launch of Poco C65 in India is slated for December 15

Having been globally launched in November, the Poco C65 is now anticipated to make its debut in India. The global version features a MediaTek Helio G85 SoC and houses a 5,000mAh battery supporting 18W wired fast charging through a micro USB port. Equipped with a 50-megapixel dual rear camera unit and a 6.74-inch HD+ display, it succeeds the Poco C55 unveiled in February of the same year. Poco India has officially confirmed the smartphone's India launch date, set for December 15, and the handset will be available for purchase via Flipkart. The teaser poster hints at a purple color option and suggests a design similar to the global variant, likely with corresponding specifications.

Internationally, the Poco C65 is priced starting at $129 (approximately Rs. 10,700) for the 6GB + 128GB variant, with the 8GB + 256GB option at $149 (roughly Rs. 12,400). It is available in Black, Blue, and Purple colors. The global variant features a 6.74-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Helio G85 SoC, up to 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and up to 256GB of eMMC 5.1 storage (expandable up to 1TB with a microSD card). Operating on Android 13-based MIUI 14 for Poco, the phone incorporates a 50-megapixel primary rear sensor with an f/1.8 aperture and a 2-megapixel sensor with an f/2.4 aperture macro lens. The front camera, housed in a centre-aligned waterdrop notch, features an 8-megapixel sensor with an f/2.0 aperture.

Powering the Poco C65 is a 5,000mAh battery supporting 18W wired fast charging through a micro USB port, and for security, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor is included. Connectivity options comprise 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, GPS, and GLONASS.

Vivo's X100 and X100 Pro smartphones will be launched globally on December 14

On November 14, Vivo introduced its latest smartphones, the X100 and X100 Pro, in China, and the company is now gearing up for a global launch. The official announcement on Vivo's website has stirred excitement among tech enthusiasts worldwide. Boasting an impressive array of features, including the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 processor, the newly launched smartphones promise an exceptional mobile experience. The global launch is set for December 14, exactly a month after their debut in China, with Vivo expected to stream the event on its official social media platforms.

When initially launched in China, the Vivo X100 was priced at 3,999 Yuan (approximately Rs. 45,600), while the X100 Pro series was priced at 4,999 Yuan (around Rs. 57,000). The global pricing is yet to be revealed. The phones, available in Chen Ye Black, Star Trail Blue, Sunset Orange, and White Moonlight colors, feature a 6.78-inch curved AMOLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate for an immersive visual experience.

Diving into specifics, let's explore the camera and battery aspects of the phones. The X100 boasts a 50MP main sensor with a Sony IMX VCS sensor and a 64MP telephoto camera with a Zeiss lens, offering up to 3x optical zoom. In comparison, the X100 Pro features a 50MP primary sensor with a Sony IMX989 lens and a 50MP Zeiss lens, providing an impressive 4.3x optical zoom. Both devices incorporate a 50MP ultra-wide-angle camera for stunning photography capabilities. Regarding the battery, the X100 comes with a 5,000 mAh battery and a 100W charger, while the X100 Pro elevates the game with a 5,400 mAh battery and a 120W wired charger.

Ensuring top-notch performance and a seamless user experience, both devices offer up to 16GB of LPDDR5T RAM and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 storage. Connectivity options include USB-C 3.2, WiFi-7, 5G, NFC, and Bluetooth 5.3. Despite the global anticipation, Vivo is yet to disclose the official launch date for the X100 series in India, adding an extra layer of excitement for fans.