Technology

San Francisco, May 6 (IANS) Microsoft has announced that it has created a new and large collection of animated backgrounds (or virtual backgrounds) for Teams that have started rolling out worldwide.

The company said this is the biggest update to the virtual backgrounds in Teams since the original collection launched in 2020.

"Featuring all-new images, the re-imagined visual library for Teams has been thoughtfully designed to represent the people that use them and how they work best," Microsoft said in a blogpost on Friday.

The tech giant has added six new categories to Teams backgrounds to cater to millions of different users.

"By mapping out a series of user needs and meeting types, the Teams crew applied a fresh lens to craft and organise the new backgrounds into six categories," Microsoft said.

The new six categories of Microsoft Teams backgrounds include -- ones that focus on wood and light, others that have contemporary backgrounds, and some that are colourful clouds or mountains.

"We aim to drive progress for everyone, and we're excited to create more avenues for representation and allyship in our products,a said Director of Global Brand Marketing Aleksey Fedorov.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has rolled out 'Avatars' in public preview for its proprietary business communication platform Microsoft Teams.

"Avatars for Microsoft Teams offers an alternative to the current binary option of video or no video," the tech giant said in a blogpost.

"Avatars for Teams gives you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively."

Users can represent themselves the way they want with customisable avatars and reactions.

--IANS
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New Delhi, May 3 (IANS) Twitter on Wednesday backtracked on its decision to put its application programming interface (API) behind a paywall, and will allow emergency and transportation service providers to access its APIs for free.

Twitter in February announced to stop offering free access to its API and instead launch a paid version for developers worldwide.

After the controversial decision, Several emergency and transportation accounts encountered issues posting alerts to the platform.

The US Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) also experienced disruptions to their API access.

Now, the Elon Musk-run platform has reversed its decision for some users.

"One of the most important use cases for the Twitter API has always been public utility. Verified gov or publicly-owned services who tweet weather alerts, transport updates and emergency notifications may use the API, for these critical purposes, for free," said the company.

What the platform means by "verified" is still unclear.

MTA responded: "Glad that Twitter got the message. We're happy that they've committed to making API access free for the MTA and other public sector agencies. In light of this reversal, we're assessing our options for service alerts going forward".

Other affected services, including the NWS, United States Geologic Service, and the US Forest Service, had directed users to other ways to receive real-time alerts.

With the free version of Twitter's API, users can only post 1,500 automated tweets per month.

--IANS
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New Delhi, May 3 (IANS) Samsung has reportedly blocked the use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT on company-owned devices as well as non-company-owned devices running on internal networks.

According to TechCrunch, the decision has apparently been taken after sensitive data from Samsung was accidentally leaked to ChatGPT last month.

According to earlier reports, soon after Samsung's semiconductor division started allowing engineers to use ChatGPT, workers leaked secret info to it on at least three occasions.

Now, the company has banned ChatGPT and other AI services like Microsoft's Bing and Google's Bard on computers, tablets and phones in the company.

The rule would only apply to devices issued by Samsung to its workers.

Consumers and others that own Samsung phones, laptops and other connected devices would not be impacted.

Samsung did not immediately comment on the report.

According to a memo seen by Bloomberg, the restriction would be temporary, lasting until it builds "security measures to create a secure environment for safely using generative AI to enhance employees' productivity and efficiency".

In the aftermath of the data leak, Samsung also asked staff using generative AI tools elsewhere "not to submit any company-related information or personal data", which could disclose its intellectual property, according to the memo.

ChatGPT's data policy states that, unless users explicitly opt out, it uses their prompts to train its models.

Samsung is said to be developing its own in-house AI tools for "software development and translation".

--IANS
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New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) In a unique collaboration to safeguard the misuse of location-tracking devices, Apple and Google on Tuesday said they have jointly submitted an industry specification to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth location-tracking devices for unwanted tracking.

The first-of-its-kind specification will allow Bluetooth location-tracking devices to be compatible with unauthorised tracking detection and alerts across iOS and Android platforms.

Samsung, Tile, Chipolo, eufy Security, and Pebblebee have expressed support for the draft specification, which offers best practices and instructions for manufacturers.

"Apple launched AirTag to give users the peace of mind knowing where to find their most important items," said Ron Huang, Apple's vice president of Sensing and Connectivity.

"This new industry specification builds upon the AirTag protections, and through collaboration with Google results in a critical step forward to help combat unwanted tracking across iOS and Android," Huang added.

The specification has been submitted via theAInternet Engineering Task Force (IETF), a leading standards development organisation for review and comment over the next three months.A

"Bluetooth trackers have created tremendous user benefits, but they also bring the potential of unwanted tracking, which requires industrywide action to solve," said Dave Burke, Google's vice president of Engineering for Android.

"Android has an unwavering commitment to protecting users, and will continue to develop strong safeguards and collaborate with the industry to help combat the misuse of Bluetooth tracking devices," he added.

In addition to incorporating feedback from device manufacturers, input from various safety and advocacy groups has been integrated into the development of the specification, said Apple and Google.

--IANS
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San Francisco, May 2 (IANS) Microsoft has launched a new Payments app, which will allow small businesses to easily manage and collect payments from within Teams on their desktop or mobile device during a meeting.

The app will be initially available for users in the US and Canada.

For instance, a lawyer or financial advisor can collect payments for consultative appointments, a real estate instructor can do the same for license-renewal sessions, or a teacher for tutoring classes.

Moreover, the company said that it has partnered with some of the largest players in the payments space to combine the core collaboration capabilities in Teams with powerful commerce features.

"With a mutual focus on helping small businesses prosper, we are excited to partner with GoDaddy, PayPal, and Stripe to help you increase your revenue and make it even easier for customers to interact with you," Microsoft said in a blogpost.

The app is available in public preview in the Teams Store for Teams Essentials and Microsoft 365 business subscribers at no charge.

Stripe and PayPal are both now available within the app, while GoDaddy Payments is coming soon, Microsoft said.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced the integration of Snapchat Lenses in Teams to make the virtual meet more expressive, which will be available to users globally starting this week.

"A collection of 20 plus of the most popular Snapchat Lenses are available to Teams customers globally, giving you more ways to express yourself, build relationships and let your meetings shine," Microsoft said in a blogpost.

--IANS
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New Delhi, May 2 (IANS) Microsoft India on Tuesday announced two new initiatives to support Indian SMBs and enable their digital transformation journey, namely an SMB-focused website and a dedicated helpline.

According to the company, the SMB-focused website -- Microsoft for Small and Medium Businesses, aims at bringing together business owners and entrepreneurs in India to network with peers, enhance their skills and achieve holistic growth.

However, the Digital Transformation helpline aims to offer dedicated support to help SMBs navigate their technology adoption and deployment journey.

"Microsoft has been committed to digitally transforming the SMB ecosystem in India with trusted technology, resources and extensive partner ecosystem. These new initiatives are aimed at further supporting these organisations and working closely with them so they can do more with less," Samik Roy, Executive Director - Corporate Medium and Small Business, Microsoft India, said in a statement.

Moreover, the company said the Microsoft for Small and Medium Businesses website is a rich repository of skills, resources and tools to cater to every requirement of a business.

It offers an SMB Academy to gain valuable digital skills and improve workforce productivity with access to Microsoft's top curated business and technology courses, as well as inspiring stories of businesses from around the country.

Additionally, the website offers a wide range of Microsoft solutions addressing the needs of organisations, as well as an easy access point to Microsoft's vast network of over 17,000 partners in the country.

Further, the tech giant stated that the Digital Transformation Helpline, which is available at 1800-102-1147, offers SMBs dedicated support when navigating their digital transformation journey.

The helpline provides expert guidance and assistance in leveraging technology solutions that best address their business challenges, improve operations, increase efficiency and drive growth.

--IANS
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San Francisco, May 2 (IANS) Apple has released its first batch of publicly available "rapid security" patches, which are specifically designed to address security vulnerabilities that are currently being actively exploited or pose a significant risk to the safety and privacy of customers.

According to Apple, the 'Rapid Security Responses' deliver important security improvements between software updates.

"Rapid Security Responses are a new type of software release for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. They deliver important security improvements between software updates -- for example, improvements to the Safari web browser, the WebKit framework stack, or other critical system libraries. They may also be used to mitigate some security issues more quickly," according to Apple's support page.

Customers running iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1 will receive the rapid security update.

It will add a letter to the software version once installed, such as iOS 16.4.1 (a), iPadOS 16.4.1 (a), and macOS 13.3.1 (a).

Older versions of Apple's software will not receive the quick security fix.

Users' device, by default, allows Rapid Security Responses to be applied automatically and, if necessary, will prompt them to restart it.

To check your device settings on iPhone or iPad -- go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates, then make sure that "Security Responses & System Files" is turned on.

In Mac -- choose the Apple menu then System Settings and then click General in the sidebar, then click Software Update on the right.

Further, click the Show Details button next to Automatic Updates, then make sure that "Install Security Responses and system files" is turned on.

--IANS
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New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Meta-owned Instagram has announced new features on its short-video making app to empower creators.

The social network has added a dedicated destination for trending audio and hashtags, two new metrics to Reels insights and brought gifts on Reels to more countries.

Creators will now be able to see what the top trending topics and hashtags are on Reels.

"We're making it easier for you to edit your reels on Instagram by bringing together video clips, audio, stickers, and text on a unified editing screen," said Meta.

This makes it easier to align and time elements of your reel to the right moments in a more visual way.

This feature is available globally, across both iOS and Android devices.

The two new metrics being added on Reels are total watch time and average watch time.

"Total watch time captures the total amount of time your reel was played, including any time spent replaying the reel. Average watch time captures the average amount of time spent playing your reel, calculated by dividing watch time with the number of total plays," explained the company.

For example if your average watch time is 17 seconds, out of everyone who watched your Reel they watched an average of 17 seconds.

This will help creators better understand where people are being engaged or where you may need to create a stronger hook to have viewers stay longer.

"We're also adding a new way to see how your reels are contributing to your growth. You'll now receive a notification with new followers from your reels," the company mentioned.

The company is also adding a new feature to show creators which fans have sent them a gift, so they can recognise their supporters.

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New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) Twitter launched its verification system in 2009 to protect celebrities from impersonation but now, Elon Musk wants everyone to pay for the Blue badge, and the move has not gone well with several celebrities on the platform.

Musk now wants everyone to pay $8 a month (Rs 900 in India a month) for verified Blue check marks, and all legacy Blue badges are set to go away any moment.

The White House and The New York Times have already refused to pay for verified Blue with subscription service.

LeBron James, the highest-paid NBA player of all time and earning over $40 million per year, refused to pay Twitter.

"Welp guess my blue check mark will be gone soon cause if you know me I ain't paying the 5," he posted on the platform.

Actor William Shatner tweeted at Musk: "Now you're telling me that I have to pay for something you gave me for free? What is this - the Columbia Records & Tapes Club?"

Michael Thomas, a wide receiver for the NFL's New Orleans Saints, posted: "Don't nobody want that raggedy blue check no way anymore".

Activist-lawyer Monica Lewinsky posted a set of screenshots showing several Twitter accounts impersonating her.

"Well this is going to be fun. In what universe is this fair to people who can suffer consequences for being impersonated? A lie travels halfway around the world before truth even gets out the door", she posted.

Meanwhile, Musk-run Twitter has removed the Blue badge of The New York Times, barely a week after he announced a new policy for keeping verification badges.

--IANS
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By Shrey Srivastava
New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) As laptops come of age, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14-inch 8th Gen — a 2-in-1 laptop — offers a versatile design and strong performance, making it a great choice for users who need a device that can handle a variety of tasks.


With an OLED touch display and a 360-degree rotating soundbar with powerful speakers, you get good performance, plenty of ports, and excellent battery life.

You will find this device to be an excellent companion if you need a lightweight, long-lasting, and highly adaptable 360-degree laptop.

Let us dig deeper to find out more about the device.

Starting with the design and build quality, the Yoga 9i has a sleek, slim design with rounded "comfort edges" all around.

It weighs just under 1.4 kg, making it easy to carry around in a backpack or briefcase. The device's hinge is well-designed and allows for smooth transitions between laptop, tent, stand, and tablet modes.

On the left side, you will find a USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port and two Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Type-C ports, while, on the right side, you will find a single USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port with a combo microphone/headphone jack and a Power button.

Talking about the Display, the 14-inch 4K touchscreen display is bright and vibrant, with good colour accuracy and excellent viewing angles. The slim bezels on the sides and top of the screen gives the device a modern, stylish look.

The Yoga 9i is powered by a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with upto 16GB of RAM and upto 1TB of SSD storage. This combination of hardware delivers swift performance and allows to multitask with ease.

When it comes to battery life, all of us want laptops to stay longer.

The Yoga 9i's battery life is one of its standout features, with Lenovo claiming up to 10.5 hours of use on a single charge.

When using it for basic work like typing, surfing the internet and playing audio, the laptop performs well and lives up to Lenovo's promise.

Lenovo provides a 100W charger that is capable of charging the laptop for 2 hours in just 15 minutes.

This makes it a great choice for users who are looking for a device that can last all day without needing to be plugged in frequently.

Moreover, the audio performance of the Yoga 9i is great too. The 360-degree rotating soundbar provides a surround listening experience, plus it comes with Dolby Atmos technology, which provides a more immersive listening experience.

Talking about Keyboard and Touchpad -- the device's keyboard retains the classic Lenovo scalloped look, newly curved on all sides, and short key throws, which makes it comfortable to type on, resulting in a satisfying tactile response.

The touchpad is highly responsive, accurate and supports multi-touch gestures such as volume control and brightness control.

In additional features, the Yoga 9i comes with a Precision Pen 2, enabling you to write, draw, and more. When you choose to use this device like a tablet, the Precision Pen works more efficiently.

It also offers one-click keys at the extreme right side of the keyboard in a vertical row, which includes -- smart power, background blur, audio profile and colour mode.

Though these keys aren't used very frequently, you might end up hitting them while using the keypad.

There is also a dedicated fingerprint reader on the keyboard, which performs really well as it barely takes a second to unlock the system.

One thing that might bother you while using the laptop is the noise of the fan as it gets a little louder than usual, which according to the company, is not a cause for concern.

Additionally, we also feel that the device relies heavily on USB-C ports.

Conclusion: Overall, the Lenovo Yoga 9i is a great 2-in-1 laptop that offers strong performance, a sleek design, and an excellent battery life. Its powerful speakers and versatile design make it a great choice for users who need a device that can handle both work and entertainment.

(Shrey Srivastava can be reached at shrey.s@ians.in)

--IANS
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