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Twitter now uses machine learning to bring smart auto-cropping for your photo posts

The social media giant, Twitter just announced a few feature on their website. Keeping in mind the photos in the Twitter post containing objects and scenery. These are present apart from humans or their animals. The company just come up with a new feature they called smart auto cropping. It uses the power of machine learning and image processing to frame the right parts of shared images. It then automatically crops the image to the right part. So that your followers can focus on the image and not the random background.

What does Twitter's new feature do?

According to the company, the new system will crop images with the help of a neural network. In this case, it uses a picture "saliency quality". It can then use that to help in determining attributes of the picture. Then the attributes are selected depending on which would normally attract attention. These attributes would be included in the pictures and cropped accordingly.

Twitter now uses machine learning to bring smart auto-cropping for your photo posts example

The company has also used data from eye-tracking studies. The data helped them to form various predictions for smart cropping. The data helped them to found that the puppies, faces, text, and regions of high contrast attracted the most attention from people. This data would help them to then crop the images to attract the most attention. Dubbed as smart auto-cropping, this can be helpful for those images where there may not be facial images.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 to launch later next month, Here’s what we know so far

This new feature is being rolled out in Twitter’s app on iOS and Android. Right now the feature is only limited to photos. Later on, the feature will roll out to videos as well. Although, Twitter is expected to come out with a new feature to help users shoot images directly from the app. This will help them implement this feature to the videos easily.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 to launch later next month, Here's what we know so far

One of the most anticipated devices under the Rs. 15,000 price bracket is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5. Xiaomi is all set to introduce Redmi Note 5. As per a recent report, the smartphone has now received 3C certifications from China. There are two models listed on the upcoming smartphone as MEE7S and MET7s. The certification point towards a very soon launch of the smartphone. Speculations suggest that the smartphone will be a part of the company's portfolio later next month.

The Chinese 3C certification was reported by MyDrivers. The report also gives us a glance at what the Redmi Note 5 will carry under the hood. According to the report, the base variant of the Redmi Note 5 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 SoC. The top-variant, on the other hand, will come with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chipset.

Also Read: Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 gets a price cut in India again: Here’s what you need to know

Specifications

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is said to feature a 5.99-inch Full-HD+ display with an 18:9 aspect ratio. The 18:9 aspect ratio will help the massive display to fit into a smaller form factor. The base variant of the smartphone will pack in 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The Snapdragon 636 will carry 4GB of RAM and 64GB of onboard storage. The storage on both the variants is expected o be expandable using a microSD card. The smartphone is expected to be backed by a 4,100mAh battery and will run on MIUI 9 out of the box.

In terms of the camera department, the Redmi Note 5 is said to feature a dual camera setup at the back. The camera setup at the back will sport a 16-megapixel primary sensor along with a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. up front, there will be an 8-megapixel selfie snapper.

Motorola testing Android 8.0 Oreo for Moto Z2 Play?

Lenovo owned Motorola, confirmed last year that they will be bringing the Android 8.0 Oreo update to its Moto Z2 Play. Moto Z2 Play is one of the company's modular smartphones. Now, according to a report, the company is testing the Android 8.0 Oreo update for the Moto Z2 Play in Brazil. The soak test started yesterday according to the report.

Moto Z2 Play
As reported by an XDA Developer, the update weighs 1.13GB in size. The update also includes the security patch for January 2018. The latest update brings the Android 8.0 Oreo to the smartphone. It also brings all the features of the Android 8.0 Oreo such as Picture-in-Picture mode, Google Play Protect, Notification Dots, Android Instant Apps and others. The update also promises to bring battery and connectivity improvements to the device.

Moto Z2 Play

If you don't remember the Moto Z2 Play. It is the successor to the Moto Z Play. It was the toned down edition of the Moto Z. Moto Z was company's first modular smartphone designed to work with the Moto mods. All the moto Z series smartphones are compatible with the Moto mods.

Also Read: iOS 11.3 preview is here, Apple adds battery health feature and more

The Moto Z2 Play sports a metal unibody. The smartphone also sports a 5.5-inch full HD Super AMOLED display of 1080x1920 pixel resolution. The Moto Z2 Play is powered by a 2.2GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 processor with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The smartphone also sports a micro-sd card slot. The device also offers all modern connectivity options such as 4G VoLTE, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and USB Type-C.

In terms of optics, the Moto Z2 Play houses a 12MP rear camera with phase detection and laser autofocus. The smartphone houses a camera that can record 4K resolution videos as well. For the selfies, there's a 5MP selfie shooter with a two-tone dual-LED flash. Although, the smartphone is backed by a 3000mAh battery. That is smaller than the Moto Z Play's battery.

Reliance Jio offers unlimited calls and data for as low as Rs. 49, Exclusively for JioPhone

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. has a few big plans this for Republic Day. The company says that this Republic Day will mark an acceleration towards achieving the vision of Digital Freedom for the 50 Crore feature phone users of India. Jio claims that these people can not even afford the cheapest 4G smartphone nor the charges for 2G data and voice. This sets them back from using the digital ecosystem brought by a 4G phone. Jio wants this digital disempowerment and unfairness to end.

As per Jio, there will be three ways to achieve this, namely, Connectivity, Data Affordability and Device Affordability.

Reliance JioPhone

Jio is expecting to reach a user base covering a total of 99 percent of India's population. This will help to increase the 4G coverage over the 2G. Jio aims to deliver high-quality connections and affordable data to every common man. Further, the company wants to make tariffs for the data packs more affordable.

Also Read: Detel launches the D1+ in India: Price, Specifications and Availability

New offers

So, this Republic Day, the company will introduce yet another plan. This plan will be exclusively for the JioPhone. JioPhone users can now enjoy unlimited calls and data for 28 days at just Rs. 49. Notably, the unlimited data will offer reduced speed after 1GB of usage.  Additionally, the company is also introducing affordable data add-ons at Rs. 11, 21, 51 and 101.

Reliance Jio introduced the JioPhone for effectively free. The company wants more and more people to take advantage of this and just shift to the 4G network. JioPhone is currently available at offline stores as well as online orders can put up on the MyJio app or Jio.com.

iOS 11.3 preview is here, Apple adds battery health feature and more

California based tech giant Apple just released the preview build of their latest iOS version 11.3. The newest build of the iOS 11.3 includes many new features. Features like the updated Animojis, an enhanced AR experience as well as battery health and power management improvements. The biggest update is the battery health feature. This feature can be utilized “show battery health and recommend if a battery needs to be serviced”. The update will roll-out till spring.

Apple iPhone X 2

New power management features in the iOS 11.3

The new power management feature can be found in Settings -> Battery. These features will be available for iPhone 6 and later models only. There will also be a feature under power management that “dynamically manages maximum performance to prevent unexpected shutdowns”. This can be found in Settings -> Battery and is available for iPhone 6 and above models. Apple also says that more battery related features will come in a later iOS 11.3 beta release.

Other new features in the iOS 11.3

The new iOS 11.3 preview also introduces four new Animojis for iPhone X. The new Animojis include a dragon, lion, bear, and skull. Also with the update, ARKit will be able to recognize and place virtual objects on vertical surfaces. These surface may include objects like walls and doors. It will also enable them to more accurately map irregularly shaped surfaces like circular tables.

Apple iOS 11.3 Update

Another new feature is the Bussines chat. It will help users chat to the various business directly inside the messaging app. This will launch in the US with the support of select businesses. They like Discover, Hilton, Lowe’s and Wells Fargo. “With Business Chat, it’s easy to have a conversation with a service representative, schedule an appointment or make purchases using Apple Pay in the Messages app,” an Apple press release said.

Also Read: Samsung is all set to launch the Galaxy S9 on February 25, media invites rolled out

Also, there is a new Health Records feature. It will combine the data from the health app and other medical records for a combined report. Patients who are attached to participating medical institutions will have information from other institutions. It will help them receive regular reports from hospitals with lab tests and much more.

How to get Apple iOS 11.3 version 

The developer preview of iOS 11.3 is only available to iOS Developer Program members. You can sign up for the program at developer.apple.com. Starting today, the public beta preview is available at beta.apple.com. For consumers looking to update without the developer id, the iOS 11.3 will be available this spring. It will be available as an update for iPhone 5s and later, as well as all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini 2 and later and iPod touch 6th generation.

Samsung is all set to launch the Galaxy S9 on February 25, media invites rolled out

Samsung, the South Korean giant, is gearing to launch its next flagship smartphone. The much anticipated Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are on their way. The company has started rolling out the media invites for the upcoming event. The Unpacked event is set for February 25. Notably, the event is just one day before the MWC 2018 kicks in.

The media invite shows a huge 9 which clearly points toward the Samsung Galaxy S9. Further, the media invite says "The Camera. Reimagined." This claims that Samsung is planning something big with the cameras. It is expected that the cameras will be much improved, unlike the Galaxy S8 which carried the Galaxy S7's camera with minor improvements.

Samsung Galaxy S9 invite

Also Read: Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus get cash back offers of up to Rs. 12,000

Specifications

According to previous leaks and rumours, the Samsung Galaxy S9 is expected to feature a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display. Whereas, the larger variant will feature a 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display. Samsung Galaxy S9 will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC in the United States. While the other markets will receive the smartphone with the Exynos 9810 chipset. Rumours suggest the Galaxy S9 will pack 4GB of RAM while the larger S9+ will comes with 6GB of RAM. It is also being said that the storage options will include 64GB and 128GB.

In the camera department, the Galaxy S9 will sport a Dual Pixel 12-megapixel rear camera. The rear camera will have variable aperture sizes of f/1.5 and f/2.4. Up front, there will be an 8-megapixel selfie shooter.

Vivo X20 Plus UD with In-Display Fingerprint Scanner Launched: Price, Specifications and Availability

Smartphone giants have been working hard on achieving a great under display fingerprint sensor. The Chinese smartphone giant, Vivo has already achieved the much-anticipated project. The company showcased its first smartphone with an under display finger. Vivo is now making the smartphone official under the name Vivo X20 Plus UD. The fingerprint sensor is made by Synaptics and hides under the AMOLED display of the smartphone.

Specifications

The Vivo X20 Plus UD features a 6.43-inch AMOLED display. The display comes with a resolution of 1080x2160 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. At the heart of the X20 Plus UD sits a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC. The device packs in 4GB of RAM and a massive 128GB of onboard storage. Storage on the device is further expandable up to 256GB using a microSD card. The smartphone runs on Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box. Under the hood, there is a 3,900mAh battery powering up the internals.

Vivo X20 Plus UD

Also Read: Fortune ranks Asus one of the world’s most admired companies

On the optics front, the Vivo X20 Plus UD sports a dual camera setup at the back. The dual camera setup consists of a 12-megapixel primary sensor with an aperture of  f/1.8 and a 5-megapixel secondary sensor. Vivo's most phones being selfie centric, this phone also comes with a 12-megapixel sensor up front with f/2.0 aperture. The front camera also comes with features like face like.

Price and Availability

The Vivo X20 Plus UD comes at a price tag of CNY 3,598 (roughly Rs. 36,100). The smartphone is launched in China and will be available starting February 1. There is only one colour variant - Black (with gold accents). However, as of now there are no details on when the smartphone will be made available to other markets.

Detel launches the D1+ in India: Price, Specifications and Availability

Detel, after the wild success of their Detel D1, the company is geared up for its replacement. The Detel D1+ is the company's latest feature phone. The D1+ is designed specifically for the visually impaired and senior citizens. The smartphone comes with a ‘Talking feature’ which is designed to help anyone with challenged vision.

Detel D1+ Black

Detel launched this phone stating their vision of ‘Connect the Unconnected’. The company is been working to uniquely benefit various sections of the society. Detel launched the first phone to offer a device with a talking feature at this price. The talking feature speakers loud the number and text messages to help those with challenged vision. After successful entry in the market with the Detel D1, the D1+ offers to enhance their vision of connecting the still unconnected in today's world.

Also Read: Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus get cashback offers of up to Rs. 12,000

Mr. Yogesh Bhatia, MD, S. G. Corporate Mobility (parent company of Detel), stated commenting the launch.“We are glad to bring to our customers a feature phone that is not only economical & affordable but also caters to a lot more needs of the feature phone buyers in India.  India is a price sensitive market and the consumers especially in tier- 2, 3 markets, and in rural areas are cautious about their spending behavior”

Detel D1+ specifications

  • Dual Sim Slot
  • 1.44 inch TFT display
  • T9 Keyboard
  • 650 mAh Li-ion battery
  • Wireless FM
  • Fast Charging with Micro-SD  support
  • Power saving mode
  • Big torchlight
  • 3D Speaker
  • GPRS Web Browser
  • Talking feature
  • 7 colour variants

The Detel D1+ costs only Rs 399 and will be exclusively available at B2BAdda.com. The device will be available to purchase from 26th January 2018, midnight.

Detel, last month tied up with BSNL to bring voice and data offers along with all of its feature-phones. The company believes in customer satisfaction and says that it leaves no stone unturned to reach out its customers in the nooks and corners of the country.

Apple iPhone X, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus get cashback offers of up to Rs. 12,000

Apple India has partnered up with HDFC Bank to bring down the prices of its iPhones. Customers who purchase select Apple products using HDFC Debit or Credit card can get up to Rs.12,000 cashback. The cashback offers are applicable to select models of iPhone, iPad, Mac and even the Apple Watch. To avail the offer, the customer needs to opt-in for the EMI option. However, Apple Watch buyers can even avail the offer also on non-EMI transactions. Notably, the offer is only available at offline stores.

Customers who purchase an iPhone X can get Rs. 12,000 cashback bring down its price to Rs. 80,430 from Rs. 92,430 for the 64GB variant. iPhone 8 and 8 Plus buyers get a cashback of Rs. 10,000. Older iPhones are also eligible for cashback offers like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus get Rs. 3,000 cashback. Customers purchasing iPhone 6s or 6s Plus can get a cashback of Rs. 2,000 while the iPhone 6, iPhone SE and iPhone 5S buyers can avail a cashback of Rs. 1,000.

Also Read: Apple Airpods and TV get massive cashback offers, Here’s what you need to know

The offer is already available via offline stores and will available until March 11, 2018. The cashback will be credited to the customer's HDFC account within 90 working days.

Currently, Apple iPhone X and iPhone 8 series are available on discount via e-commerce websites like Flipkart and Amazon. Amazon India is also offering additional 10 percent cash back on purchases made via an HDFC card. Similarly, Flipkart is offering 10 percent cash back on Citibank Debit or Credit cards.

KFC's Kentucky Flying Object (KFO) is a DIY drone you can get from your next order at KFC, Here is how to get it

Fast food giant KFC is known for its delicious chicken food. Apart from that, they are also known for messing with stuff like power bank in a meal box and more. KFC also offers something called as wings. They can mean two things, one you can eat and one you can fly. Now, KFC India has decided to make sure that you can have both. Now when you order the new KFC Smoky Grilled wings, you can get your food in a really cool packaging. A packaging that can be made into a drone, that to powered by your smartphone. Although the offer is available in only 10 cities, still it is a great initiative.

KFC's Kentucky Flying Object

What is KFO exactly?

The Kentucky Flying Object or the KFO is what they call the most fly meal ever. The red and white snazzy packaging for the KFC Smoky Grilled Wings now has detachable parts. These detachable parts are easy to re-assemble. With a user manual available online, assembly and installation is easy and quick with minimal effort. Once everything is assembled and set up, all you need to do is connect the power supply. The DIY drone can be controlled using your smartphone. It connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Then you can use the KFO app to control it. Few lucky consumers can win the KFO for free. When they order their Smoky Grilled Wings, they can stand a chance to win it for free. On 25th and 26th January, 24 lucky customers can avail this at across 12 stores in 10 cities in the country.

Also Read: Vodafone and Flipkart offer 4G smartphones at just Rs. 999, Here’s how to get one

While Lluis Ruiz Ribot, CMO, KFC India said commenting on the launch. “Food and technology, are two things that keep us and our consumers excited. To celebrate the introduction of our new scrumptious Smoky Grilled Wings, we are launching a limited edition KFO box. It is super cool packaging that converts into a drone”.