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This Android Malware Is Hacking WhatsApp & Stealing Your Private Pics, Chats, Videos

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The cyber theft and fraud does not cease as new malware get discovered each day!
A new malware called ‘WolfRAT’ is targeting messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Line on Thai Android devices.
Read to find out more…

How Does the Malware Attack Your WhatsApp, Messenger, Line?

With easy access to the internet, almost every person on this planet uses messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook messenger among others. 
The users of these apps are being misled into installing a Trojan on their Android phones that spies on them by collecting photos, videos, messages, and recording audio. 
It targets users of Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and Line in the guise of a Google Play or Flash update and gets them to install the trojan on their phones after which it not only collects different types of data but also sends them to the trojan command and control (C2) servers.
Campaigns targeting Thai users and their devices were identified with some of the C2 servers located in Thailand.
The C2 server domain names contained Thai food names and panels contained Thai JavaScript comments. The interesting domain names are used to entice users to click/visit the C2 panels without much disruption.

What is Known of the ‘WolfRAT’?

Cisco Talos, an intelligence team named this Trojan ‘WolfRAT’. According to their research, it is based on a leak of the previously leaked DenDroid malware family. DenDroid’s source code was leaked in 2015 and since then, other malware like WolfRAT have come out to attack unsuspecting users. 
Talos said in a blog post it highly believes that this modified version of the malware is operated by an outfit known as ‘Wolf Research’, appears to be closed ­but rebranded as ‘LokD’, posing an active threat.
In March, PC Risk reported that LokD belongs to the ransomware family called Djvu, which encrypts victim’s files, renames them, and creates a ransom note. LokD renames encrypted files by appending the ‘.lokd’ extension to their filenames.
During the VirusBulletin conference in 2018, CSIS researchers Bsenoît Ancel and Aleksejs Kuprins did a presentation on Wolf Research and its offensive arsenal, Talos noted. Ancel and Kuprins mentioned an Android, iOS, and Windows remote-access tool (RAT). 
The researchers claim the WolfRAT is very likely to be run by Wolf Research, an organization that used to create interception and espionage-based malware. While the organization may not be formally active, its members are likely to be functioning. 
Wolf is headquartered in Germany with offices in Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, India, and (possibly) the U.S. Wolf closed after the CSIS presentation but reemerged based in Cyprus as the aforementioned LokD.
Also Read:- How IOT AND AI can be used to replace manpower in agriculture
Talos reported the malware is most likely used as an intelligence-gathering tool for actors that can be packaged and sold, based on its tracking of Wolf Research’s past activities. Talos called the actor’s operations were carried out in a ‘lazy manner’.
There was a lot of copy/paste from public sources, dead code, unstable code, and open panels etc..  
However, it was also added by them that the ability to gather data from phones is a big win for the operator because people send a lot of sensitive information via messages and are mostly unafraid about their privacy and security. Hence the messaging apps being on their radar.
SOURCE
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WhatsApp Group video calling now supports up to 8 people on Android, iOS

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WhatsApp on Tuesday said it will now allow up to eight people to connect on a group video call as an increasing number of people turn to digital platforms to connect with friends and family amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

 The Facebook-owned company said over the last month, people on average are spending over 15 billion minutes talking each day on WhatsApp calls, well above a typical day before the pandemic.
“…we see that people all over the world are turning to voice and video calling on WhatsApp more than ever before. Group calling has been particularly useful and our users have asked to connect with more people at once,” WhatsApp said in a blogpost.
Starting Tuesday, the company is doubling the number of participants one can have on a WhatsApp video or voice call from 4 to 8 people at a time, it added.
WhatsApp emphasized that like written messages, all calls on its platform are protected with end-to-end encryption.
“We have built group calling in a way that makes it available for as many users as possible, including people on lower-end devices and slow network conditions,” it added.
WhatsApp said that to access the new, higher participant limit on WhatsApp calls, all participants in a call need to update to the latest version of WhatsApp available on iPhone or Android.
Video calling tools like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and others have also seen a significant jump in userbase and traffic as people connect while maintaining social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Last week, Facebook had introduced Messenger Rooms that will soon hold up to 50 people with no time limit.
It had added that the company will also add ways to create rooms from Instagram Direct, WhatsApp, and Portal.
Noting that between WhatsApp and Messenger, more than 700 million accounts participate in calls every day, Facebook had said, adding that video calling on Messenger and WhatsApp more than doubled in many countries.   
Also, views of Facebook Live and Instagram Live videos have also increased significantly in March, it said.
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YouTube app to save you from long scrolls by hiding video comments

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YouTube is about to bring one of the biggest changes to its app– the ability to collapse the comments section to save you from long scrolls.
For now, people have to scroll through the entire comments tab under a video to see the recommendations. But soon they will be able to reach the particular section quickly without wasting those precious seconds.
This change will be coming to both Android and iOS versions of the YouTube app in the ‘next few weeks’ as mentioned in Google’s updated support page.
The company says it will be adding a comments preview section right below the YouTube video’s description that can be expanded by tapping on the dedicated icon.
When collapsed, you will see other videos under the current one. “From the preview, simply tap anywhere to view all, like, and reply to comments.
.Also Read:- How IOT AND AI can be used to replace manpower in agriculture
We hope this makes it easier for you to connect with others and discuss the video you’re watching – in our early experiments, we found that more people are writing comments with the new design,” said YouTube.
However, it has been added that since the comment preview section has a limited space, it is not for sure if the pinned comment by the creator will show up in the preview section or not.
Some other changes have been made as well. The videos in the watch next section will now have a larger thumbnail and longer titles so you get more information about the video at a glance.
There will also be some channel icons below every video to “help you recognize your favorite creators while you scroll through the feed.”
Also Read:- Kioxia Corporation Launches New Consumer Product Portfolio (microSD/SD Memory Cards, USB Memory and SSDs
Furthermore, users will see a new type of content alongside videos to watch next. This includes everything from Community Posts from your selected creators to text updates, polls, images, GIFs, and more. People will also see YouTube Mixes as additional content.
YouTube Mixes are curated playlists made by YouTube featuring videos from the channel you’re watching, or that you recently watched.
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Jio vs Airtel vs Vodafone Idea: Top prepaid plans under Rs 200

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Jio vs Airtel vs Vodafone Idea: Top prepaid plans under Rs 200. Continuing our series on the best-prepaid plans from Jio, Airtel and Vodafone-Idea, herein we present the best-prepaid plans under Rs 200, which you can recharge in 2020.Jio vs Airtel vs Vodafone Idea: Top prepaid plans under Rs 200.
With the recent price hike by every telecom provider, we hope that this blog post helps you in choosing the best-prepaid plan, under Rs 200.

Vodafone Idea’s Best Prepaid Recharges Under Rs. 200

Vodafone Idea has 3 unlimited prepaid recharge plans that cost less than Rs. 200. The first one costs Rs. 129, which has a validity of 14 days and internet benefits of 2 GB. The next one costs Rs. 149 and comes with 28 days validity and 2 GB internet data. The last one by Vodafone Idea costs Rs. 199 and offers 1 GB daily data for a validity of 21 days. Related: Redmi K20 Pro Marvel Hero Limited Edition Announced, Comes With an Iron Man-Themed Finish
Additionally, all these plans come with complimentary access to Vodafone Play and ZEE5.

Airtel’s Best Prepaid Recharges Under Rs. 200

Airtel has only one unlimited prepaid plan that is priced under Rs. 200. In this plan, customers will be offered 2 GB fixed internet data benefits and the plan will be valid for 28 days. They will also be offered truly unlimited local and national calling without any FUP. Additional benefits include complimentary access to the Airtel Xstream app and Wynk Music.

Best one-year plans

Jio Rs 2,199 plan: It should be noted that as a part of Happy New Year’s offer the Jio Rs 2,199 is currently available for the lower price of Rs 2,020 until January first week. This is the only good Jio annual plan users can opt for right now, Under the plan, Jio users get total 547.5GB data with 1.5GB per day FUP, Jio to Jio unlimited calls, 12,000 minutes limit for Jio to Non-Jio calls, 100SMS per day, and access to all Jio apps. This plan comes with 365 days validity.
Airtel Rs 2398 plan: Similar to Jio, Airtel also offers only one good annual plan worth Rs 2398. Under this plan, Airtel users get 1.5GB data per day, 100/day SMS, unlimited calls to all networks for a period of 365 days. Other benefits that the plan brings include Wynk Music subscription, Airtel Xstream App Premium, and Rs 100 cashback on FASTag.
Vodafone Rs 2,399: Vodafone users looking for an annual or 365days recharge plan also get only one option similar to Airtel and Jio. Under the plan, users get 1.5GB per day, unlimited calls to all networks, and subscription to Vodafone Play and Zee5.

Reliance Jio’s Best Prepaid Recharges Under Rs. 200

Reliance Jio has four prepaid plans under Rs. 200, which are priced at Rs. 98, Rs. 129, Rs. 149, and Rs. 199, and all of them allow free calling benefits for Jio to Jio.  Related: Samsung Galaxy Note 10, Galaxy Note 10+ Leak Shows Gradient Design; Galaxy Note 10 5G Tipped to Offer 1TB Storage
The plan priced at Rs. 98 offers a validity of 28 days and 2 GB high-speed internet data. Once the 2 GB data is finished, the speed of the net goes down to 64 kbps. There is also the added benefit of 300 local and national SMSes. There are separate talk time charges to get in touch with cards of other companies, for which you can recharge with a separate top-up.  Related:  NOKIA 6.2 AND NOKIA 7.2 LAUNCH COULD REPORTEDLY HAPPEN IN AUGUST IN INDIA AND RUSSIA
The next one is for Rs. 129, and it offers 2 GB internet data with a validity of 28 days. It will also give free 300 SMSes daily and 1000 calling minutes to other telecom operators.
Jio also offers a plan for Rs. 149 which offers 1 GB daily data, 100 local and national SMSes, and a validity of 24 days. There will also be 300 minutes of voice calls to other telecom operators.
The last one is priced at Rs. 199 and it will offer 1.5 GB daily internet data, a 28-day validity and 100 local and national SMSes daily. Users will also get 1000 minutes of free calling to other telecom operators.
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BlockchainTOP TECH

Blockchain Technology Explained 2020

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Blockchain Explained: A Simple Explanation of How It Works

Blockchain technology allows consumers and suppliers to connect directly, removing the need for a third party.
It provides a decentralized database or digital ledger of transactions that everyone on the network can see. Or we can say it is a simple way of transaction.
Let us study through this article about blockchain technology, where it is used, who invented blockchain technology, what are its advantages and disadvantages, is it safe to use, etc. Blockchain Technology Explained
Blockchain technology is associated with cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and others.
Have you ever imagined a world where there is not necessary to validate any sale or purchase with no receipts, no bank documents and no need for registering or disposal of the property with the concerned government department?
We know that buying or selling of any property is put in a record. Before taking a commercial decision we always want all the information should be available in one place. This is possible only when a technology of code writing in financial system circles all over the world. Isn’t it. And this developed the root for Blockchain Technology.

While doing any transaction the main problem is about trust. Can one trust another party? This made a need for legally binding stamps and seals and to maintain records.
Several centuries ago, when populations and commerce were both a tiny fraction of what they are now, some communities maintained a ledger of all financial transactions, which was open to public scrutiny and anything mentioned in the ledger acquired the status of truth.
Gradually do you know what happened, these records become voluminous and to keep them or to maintain them was very difficult. And so it became the function of government departments and banks and was no longer freely available to the public. Related:- Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat
Let us study through this article about the pros and cons of Blockchain technology.

What is Blockchain Technology?

A Microsoft Excel Sheet file in your computer or laptop with the details of some of your transactions is known as a ledger.
If your Excel file is copied to hundreds of your friend’s computers and connected to each other forming a network is known as a distributed ledger. And if there will be a technology to update this Excel sheet whenever you or your friends update a ledger.
Therefore, blockchain is nothing but a digital ledger. That is a book containing accounts to which debits and credits are posted from books of original entry.
A blockchain is an anonymous online ledger that uses a data structure to simplify the way we transact. Without the help of a third party, blockchain allows users to manipulate the ledger in a secure way.
It protects the identities of the users. This way blockchain is a more secure way to carry out transactions. Each list of records in a blockchain is called a block. That is why it is known as a blockchain because the various growing list of records i.e. blocks are linked and secured.

Do you know who invented Blockchain Technology?

In 2008, Blockchain Technology was invented by Satoshi Nakamoto for use in the cryptocurrency bitcoin, as its public transaction ledger.
He aims at creating the decentralized Bitcoin ledger and on the other hand, the blockchain was to allow users to control their own money so that no third party, not even the government, would be able to access or monitor it.
Blockchain for bitcoin made it the first digital currency to solve the double-spending problem without the need for a trusted central authority or central server.

Why Blockchain technology is required?

The blockchain technology is a method that brings everyone to the highest degree of accountability. With the help of this technology no more transactions will be missed, human or machine errors will be minimized, etc.
Even nowadays major banks are experimenting with this technology as they can use it for money transfers, record keeping, and other backend functions.
As an un-alterable ledger in real-time, it enables them to track documentation and authenticate ownership of assets digitally. Also, Indian IT service providers like Infosys and TCS companies are using this technology to create core banking platforms for banks. Related:- Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao

Advantages of Blockchain Technology

It will allow smart devices to speak to each other better and faster.
– The blockchain mechanism brings everyone to the highest degree of accountability. Therefore, solves the problem of manipulation.
– The data that belongs to us we can own that is online identity and reputation will be decentralized.
– Cryptocurrencies will take power from the government to control the value of currencies and hand it to people.
– It will allow a middleman-free way to exchange assets.
– It will allow the removal of intermediaries that are involved in record keeping and transfer of assets.
– It provides durability, reliability, and longevity with the decentralized network.
– The data that are entered in blockchain-based systems are immutable which prevents fraud through manipulating transactions and the history of data. Therefore, all the transactions can be investigated and audited easily.

Challenges of Blockchain Technology

– To verify all the transactions huge power i.e. electricity is required.
– There should be security about the private key. Every time private key must remain secret because revealing it to third parties is equivalent to giving them control over the bitcoins secured by that key.
Also, it is necessary to have a back up of the private key so that it can be protected from accidental loss. We know that if it is lost ones cannot be recovered and the funds secured by it are lost forever.
– We know blocks in a chain must be verified by the distributed network and it can take time. So, transaction speed can be an issue. Related:- What Is Blockchain Technology?

 Is Blockchain technology safe to use?

Hope from the above discussion, it is clear that no doubt blockchain architecture can significantly bring down the costs and reduce inefficiencies in the financial sector.
As it allows two parties to execute a transaction without any intermediary. Without any human intervention, blockchain allows financial institutions to execute and verify transactions discretely.
And transactions are continuously maintained and verified in ‘blocks’ of records.
With the advancement of technology and the development of society the main goal of the government is to provide a method for a secure way of transactions.
Whether methods are advanced or new technologies are emerging but the goal is the same. As, blockchain allows consumers and suppliers to connect directly, removing the need for a third party.

About India’s first Blockchain-Based network

When three online bill-discounting exchange platforms came together, the first blockchain-based network went live and implemented a solution for their operations.
The three platforms that offer Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) are the Receivables Exchange of India, A.TReDS and M1xchange that implemented the use of blockchain in the enterprise financial segment.
Let us tell you that Receivables financing is one of the fastest-growing and most efficient trade finance mechanisms for small businesses to gain credit.
US-based MonetaGo has designed and implemented the production solution. No doubt the technology will allow working with the other exchanges to achieve shared goals without sharing specific data. Read Also: Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing and The Laws of encryption
Do you know about Trade Receivables? These are the amounts billed by a business to its customers when it delivers goods or services to them in the ordinary course of business or it is the total amount receivable to a business for sale of goods or services provided as a [art of their business operations.
Trade receivables consist of Debtors and Bills Receivables. Due to credit sales Trade receivables arise.
Trade Receivables = Debtors and Bills Receivables
On the other hand discounting is the process by which an accepted draft or bill of exchange is sold for early payment to a bank or credit institution at less than face value after the bank deducts fees and applicable interest charges.
The bank or credit institution then collects full value on the draft or bill of exchange when the payment comes due.
RBI introduced TReDS to facilitate financing trade receivables of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from corporate buyers through multiple financiers.
Without any cryptocurrency being used for settlement, the project has been implemented. As we know that Cryptography involves creating written or generated codes that allow information to be kept secret.
Receivables Exchange of India (RXIL) is promoted by the National Stock Exchange and Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi). Related: Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat
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Gaming

PS4 Price in India Drops to Rs. 29,990, New 1TB Bundle Available Mid-September

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The 1TB PlayStation 4 has a new MRP in India: Rs. 29,990, Sony India has confirmed to Gadgets 360.PS4 Price in India Drops to Rs. 29,990, New 1TB Bundle Available Mid-September . That’s an effective price drop of nearly 11 percent, considering the PS4 was previously priced at Rs. 33,650 at the start of the year, thanks to a Goods and Services Tax (GST) cut on consumer electronics. The new Rs. 29,990 1TB PS4 (Slim) bundle is called ‘Mega Pack’ and will come with three games: the 2018 critically-acclaimed God of War, the 2017 award-winning Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition, and the 2016 bestselling PS4 game of all time Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Not the first time that God of War will be offered in a bundle, but this is the first time we’ll be getting this particular combination in India.

The new 1TB PS4 ‘Mega Pack’

The new 1TB PS4 ‘Mega Pack’ bundle will be available mid-September in India, Sony India said, and will also come with three free months of PlayStation Plus membership. That makes this the same bundle as the ‘Mega Pack’ that Sony launched in Hong Kong in August. It was priced at HKD 2,480 (about Rs. 22,800), which means those of us in India are looking at a premium of roughly Rs. 7,000. Considering the various taxes in play, that’s what we’d expect.
The Mako Reactor was the first to bring the word of the new PS4 price in India, claiming the new aforementioned 1TB PS4 bundle would be available next week on Amazon, Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital, and Games The Shop among other online and offline retailers. Currently, the 1TB PS4 bundle featuring God of War, Uncharted 4, and GT Sport comes in at Rs. 28,990 on Flipkart, while the newest (available) 1TB PS4 bundle is the one with Red Dead Redemption II over on Amazon at Rs. 31,990. That makes the new offer a good one. Considering Sony India is pushing the PS4 MRP down to Rs. 29,990 with three games, expect prices of existing bundles to be slashed as well.
If you were hoping for a price cut on the 500GB PS4, that’s been discontinued in India, per The Mako Reactor. Of course, leftover stocks are still available both online and offline in India, but you shouldn’t bother considering it’s priced similarly and the sizes of games these days. For instance, the aforementioned Red Dead Redemption II comes in at nearly 100GB. And that’s just one game.
And if you were hoping to jump on the 4K bandwagon with the PS4 Pro, there’s no price drop on that just yet. It retains its Rs. 38,710 MRP, though you can find it starting at Rs. 34,990 online in India. It’s possible that Sony India might announce seasonal discounts around Diwali late next month, though it’s more likely that said discounts will apply to the PS4 Slim, rather than the PS4 Pro.
For those in the market for the cheapest console online, the disciples 1TB Xbox One S bundle — with Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, and Sea of Thieves — is your best bet at Rs. 21,990 on Amazon and Flipkart. If you’d like to have the option of using discs, you’ll need to fork over a thousand or more for single-game bundles. Its 4K counterpart, Xbox One X, meanwhile starts at Rs. 34,990 with zero games. Naturally, you’ll get a better price if you wait for sales.
Both Sony and Microsoft are expected to announce new consoles — PS5 and Project Scarlett, as they are currently known — in 2020.

8 Latest Whatsapp Updates Which Will Make Your Social Life Easy

AppsTOP TECH

8 Latest Whatsapp Updates Which Will Make Your Social Life Easy

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With over 1.5 billion users in 180 countries, WhatsApp continues to ace the game of messaging applications.
And why not as it continues to add new features to amaze its users.
With the latest WhatsApp updates news in the market, people are eager to know more about their favorite brand. The fun continues with these updates, they are user-friendly and extremely entertaining.
8 Latest Whatsapp Updates Which Will Make Your Social Life Easy
So here is a countdown of 7 for our favorite features:

1st Private voice notes

Many people don’t know about this feature. Voice notes can be listened privately without using any earplugs. You simply have to start the note and keep it next to your ears. When you try this, WhatsApp routes the audio from loudspeaker to earpiece. So that you can hear it while enjoying your privacy.

2nd Consecutive voice notes

Earlier when we used to receive voice notes, if we try to play it, we had to manually select every note to make sense of the subject which the sender is trying to say.
With consecutive voice notes feature, we could able to here note in the sequence we have received them without the interruption. This will make life much easier I guess.

3rd Frequently forwarded label

WhatsApp has its own frequently forwarded tool feature.
In every update, they are working to make the user experience more acceptable. With this feature, if a message is forwarded five times then a tag will be attached as “frequently forwarded” to notify users that this post can be part of spam activity or fake news.Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat

4th Fingerprint Recognition

Now you can lock your messenger and open it with the simple application of your fingerprints. This feature may come handy in use.
For doing this WhatsApp has recently adapted the fingerprint authentication feature in its android beat version.

5th Group Invites

Does it happen with you that one fine day you open your WhatsApp application and you find yourself members of the groups which you didn’t intend to participate in?
Pictures, videos and forwarded messages taking up all the spaces in your Smartphone. Think about the amount of time you need to put in to resolve this debacle. How does it sound? Scary.
And if you try to leave the group, people might feel offended while you are totally innocent in your act.
With this new feature, we will have an option to choose for group invitation by
1.       Everyone
2.       My Contacts
3.       Nobody
You can keep your piece without any intrusion.
Also once you add someone to a group. WhatsApp will send a group joining invitation to that particular user and this request will expire in 72 hours time frame. Blockchain Technology Explained

6th Notification settings

This feature will give you total peace of mind. No more notification for less important matters.
With this setting, you can set notifications for messages, calls, and groups by your choice. It will provide options like
1.       Notification tone
2.       Vibration length
3.       Choose to show popup notification in the middle of the screen when you open your phone.
4.       High priority notifications – This notification is shown on the top part of your mobile phone.

7th WhatsApp from Facebook tag

This tag doesn’t change anything for functionality or usability prospect for users. But with this label, Facebook started to mark its territory. According to BBC, the idea of adding the label is marking the start of the “long process” of integration of different platforms.   

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Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao

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Eminent Indian scientist C N R Rao on Monday hoped that sodium batteries would emerge as an alternative to lithium batteries in view of the short supply of lithium. Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao
“It can be a sodium battery. A sodium battery will be a reality. Already, it is available. We have little problems in sodium battery. We have to make it as good as lithium. Magnesium, we can make it, but is again, short in supply,” Rao told reporters hereafter delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) as part of its platinum jubilee celebrations.[Read related article: Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat]
Cobalt, which is useful, is also in short supply as it is available only in Congo, he said.
He expressed confidence that sodium battery would be a reality as efforts made in laboratories have been successful.
Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao
In the laboratories, many people have made sodium battery. You can make it…I am, somehow, confident we will make good sodium batteries in the laboratory, he said, when asked how far, is the realization of alternative (to lithium).
Notably, a French startup Tiamat is designing, developing and manufacturing sodium-ion batteries cells, which are suitable for mobile applications and stationary storage. Tiamat claims that these sodium-ion batteries cells are 10 times faster than the other existing batteries.

Sodium Batteries will Replace Lithium-ion Ones, says Scientist C N R Rao

Tiamat Sodium-ion battery cells [Credit: © Beaujot/RS2E, phys.org]

IICT director S Chandrasekhar said the institute, which has been working on drug discovery program for 10 years, has a national molecular bank where about 60,000 new chemical entities (both synthetic and natural) are preserved.
“One of those compounds during the screening was found to be a very powerful anti-sclerotic compound. We found that this compound has also multiple indications,” he said. PTI SJR NVG[Read related article: Internet Of Everything (IoE) Market Likely to Emerge over a Period of 2015-2020]

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Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat

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Exide Industries Ltd on Saturday said its JV plant, which will focus on e-transport and fleet vehicles, with Switzerland-based Leclanché SA in Gujarat will be operational by December.Exide’s EV Battery Plant with Swiss-based Leclanche Operational by Dec in Gujarat.
Last week, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh had told that “A big company will announce investment” in Dholera (near Ahmedabad) in lithium-ion batteries manufacturing for Electric Vehicles (EVs).
Exide, which is the largest manufacturer of lead-acid batteries in India and 4th largest in the world, had last year entered into a joint venture (JV) with the Leclanché for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.[Related: Explore Intelligent Assistant Embedded Consumer Devices Market size, analysis, and forecast report by 2026]
“About Rs, 100 crores has so far been invested in the facility and an equal amount will be pumped in within March,” Exide Industries MD and CEO G Chatterjee told reporters here.
He said the JV is initially for installing three assembly lines in the facility for manufacturing different types of products. Of the three, a battery pack assembly line is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2019-20 fiscal.
“Two other assembly lines will be ready by March,” Chatterjee said on the sidelines of the company’s 72nd annual general meeting.
Last week, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, announced the game plan for electric vehicles and its components like batteries to ensure clean cities, reduce imports and utilize solar power.[Related: Internet Of Everything (IoE) Market Likely to Emerge over a Period of 2015-2020]
Leclanché SA, which is a 100+ years old company of Switzerland, evolved from a traditional battery manufacturer to become a developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion cells. The swiss firm listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LECN) has production facilities in Willstätt, Germany, and in 2017, the company announced a trial to install energy storage batteries at sites owned by Dutch charging station operator Fastned.[Related: Explore Intelligent Assistant Embedded Consumer Devices Market size, analysis, and forecast report by 2026]

AppsTOP TECH

CUTCUT, the AI photo-editor enjoys more than 10 million downloads on Google Play

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Beijing-headquartered APUS announced the launch of its newly developed apps, CUTCUT and VidMax, and two mobile games – Amazing Fishing and Pot Shot at ADTECH 2019.

It also presented its already popular user system for Android smartphones – APUS System that already has accumulated 1.4 billion users globally by 2018, with more than 100 million users in India. This latest development indicates the company’s willingness to building Eco-System in India via the smooth transition from system and tools development to a new era of content related apps development.
APUS user system, an enhanced version of user system for Android smartphones, designed to provide the fastest and most convenient access to the Internet, already offers a string of products, such as APUS Launcher, APUS Security, APUS Booster+, APUS Search, APUS News, APUS Know, APUS Discovery, APUS Message Center and APUS Arts in the Indian market.
The new entrant, VidMax, allows its users to download all the trending videos from social media channels, such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in just one click. Best described as the finest free video downloader app for Android smartphones, VidMax is tailormade to suit the needs and interests of the Indian users.
APUS-Apps CUTCUT
Mr. Tao Li, Founder, and CEO, APUS Group, said, “We are very excited to launch these content-driven apps in the Indian market. India has always been central to APUS’ overall market development strategy as it is the single largest market for the company that has grown from 100 million to 1.4 billion APUS users globally. The idea behind launching these apps stems from our thorough understanding of user profiles across India. APUS has been offering a host of applications via its user system to assist the first adoption of smartphones for Indian users. There is a huge demand for content that involves formats, such as photos, videos, news, and games on mobile. Therefore, we feel that we must elevate our ‘ecosystem’ establishment from being a basic user system towards a content- focused platform. Later this year, we will bring new service-driven apps catering to segments, such as e-commerce and O2O service.”
APUS has set up its game sector recently to offer a comprehensive content experience. The two games shown at this ADTECH event are the best examples of Eco-System establishment strategy. Amazing Fishing (download link), an easy and fun fishing game, and Pot Shot (download link), a brand new agile and casual type of cannon shooting game, help users have fun while gaining knowledge.
CUTCUT, the AI photo-editor, already launched in India, enjoys more than 10 million downloads on Google Play. The AI technology embedded in the app has the power to calculate the shape of the figure instantly. Tens of millions of photos have been shared from CUTCUT in the past 2 months onto users’ Instagram and Facebook accounts as the app offers varied backgrounds, WhatsApp statuses, and stickers for free downloading, editing and sharing. According to Google Play, CUTCUT is ranked No.1 in the Indian market in the category of photo taking since its debut in January 2019.
The app is a result of APUS’ in-house sophisticated big data analytics and its user-driven application development philosophy. APUS has created an overseas app index based on the big data collated via its worldwide users. The index offers profound insights into user profiles in many countries including India. These apps are launched after a thorough internal analysis of the demands of the end users in the country.
“Taking VidMax as an example, as per our big data analysis, the majority of our Indian users are young, typically defined as millennials, with an average age of 18-25 years – comprising college students and young careerists. Consuming video content and photo sharing are both central to their content consumption patterns. More than 40 percent of Indian users in India like to watch videos online, use or browse music-related apps every day. As far as photo sharing is concerned, Indian users, mostly women, are keen to take selfie photos with their smartphone. We strongly believe CUTCUT is popular because of it,” said, Ms. Jing Young, Head, APUS India Office and General Manager, South Asia Region.
Also, the company will focus on the APUS ecosystem in India as a part of the company’s market development strategy. APUS has entered into partnerships with a host of local companies during ADTECH 2019, including video providers such as ShareChat, Vmate, ROPOSO, INJOY, KLUFY, and Flickstree and two news publishers —India Today and News point.
In the future, more content and service developers, along with publishers, are expected to join hands with APUS and be a part of its ecosystem to improve users’ experience on the mobile.