Google CEO admits mistakes in handling mass layoffs

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Google CEO admits mistakes in handling mass layoffs
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In January this year, Google announced a plan to lay off 12,000 employees, about six percent of its global workforce. The decision came amid an economic downturn that forced mass layoffs across the tech industry. Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently opened up about it. He said the company had to make this tough decision to ensure a better future. However, it could have handled the layoffs better.

Google CEO opens up about the mass layoffs

Almost a year has passed since Google announced the mass layoffs but the decision still appears to be top of mind for employees. The topic was widely discussed during the company’s latest all-hands meeting this Tuesday. Responding to an employee’s question about the impact of the layoffs on the firm’s “growth, P&L, and morale,” Pichai said it had a “clear big impact on morale.”

“It’s reflected in the comments in Googlegeist and the feedback,” the Google CEO continued. Googlegeist is an internal survey of the company’s employees. It measures employee satisfaction across various areas, including leadership, compensation, product focus, diversity, and company values. Pichai’s response suggests employees had strong opinions over the mass layoffs that affected several Google teams.

Pichai added that it was a difficult situation for the company, more so because it “hasn’t had a moment quite like that in 25 years.” If it didn’t act on time, “it would have been a worse decision down the line.” With economic uncertainty looming large, Google had to reduce its workforce to cut its operational costs. “I think it would have made it very difficult in a year like this with such a big shift in the world to create the capacity to invest in areas.”

Google employees also asked Pichai whether the company could have handled the layoffs better than it did. The CEO replied affirmatively. He acknowledged that it wasn’t a good idea to inform all affected employees simultaneously, regardless of time zone. “Clearly, it’s not the right way to do it. I think it’s something we could have done differently for sure,” Pichai said, according to an audio recording of the meeting obtained by Business Insider.

Google has laid off more employees since January

The mass layoffs in January affected Google’s teams across various products and services, including Waze, Fuchsia OS, and the Area 120 incubator. It killed all but three Area 120 projects. The company has made a few more rounds of smaller layoffs since then. Most recently, it fired around 20 employees from the Google Assistant team. The recent layoffs appear to have been handled better by the internet giant.


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Soon, you’ll be able to put down Google Keep notes from the lock screen

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Soon, you’ll be able to put down Google Keep notes from the lock screen
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The ability to change and set shortcuts on the Android 14 lock screen comes in handy, when one wants to access something different from Device Controls and Wallets (like previous Android versions allowed). Now, Android 14 adds shortcuts for Camera, Do Not Disturb, Mute, QR Code Scanner, Flashlight, and Video Call.There’s another, hidden option for a shortcut to “Note-taking” that can be added to the lock screen. It needs a “default notes app” to be set to function (via Android Authority).

One such, is version 5.23.482.04 of Google Keep, which now qualifies and appears in the “default notes app” selection page in Settings > Apps > Default apps. If you don’t see this selection page, you have to enable it by toggling “force enable Notes role” in Developer Options.

If this is your first time enabling Developer Options, don’t panic. It’s just a menu that lets you configure system behaviors to improve app performance or to grant you access to some hidden areas. You can enable Developer Options by going to the About phone page, then scrolling to the bottom and tapping the Build number several times. You’ll see a pop-up that counts the taps needed, and then it will announce that the Developer mode is enabled.

The author (none other than reputable Android specialist Mishaal Rahman) has it that when the “default notes app” is launched from the lock screen shortcut, the device doesn’t need to be unlocked for the user to write down notes. When the device is unlocked and the user presses the stylus tail button to launch the notes app, the notes app will open in a floating bubble on top of whatever app is currently open.

He also notes that this new stylus note-taking feature is not yet “fully supported” by Google Keep. When you set Google Keep as the “default notes app” and then try to launch it from the lock screen shortcut, a message is shown to “update Keep to continue” even though you’re already on the latest release.

“Fortunately, we at least have a good idea about how the feature should work, given that I’ve already demoed this feature in full using another notes app a few months back. Plus, Google Keep has added some new settings in preparation for this new stylus note-taking feature, as shown below. These new settings let you decide whether to use the last lock screen note created or create a new note every time you launch the app from the lock screen or stylus tail button press” he says.

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BazarCall Attack Weaponizing Google Forms to Appear Legitimate

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BazarCall Attack Weaponizing Google Forms to Appear Legitimate
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A new type of phishing attack known as BazarCall has emerged, and it’s using a clever technique to make it appear more legitimate.

The attack utilizes a Google Form to trick unsuspecting victims into divulging sensitive information.

The method of phishing that is being discussed here is one that poses a high level of risk as it can easily fool even those who are well-versed in technology and its intricacies.

In 2020, the BazarCall attack type gained notoriety for using a unique malware distribution method involving phone conversations with victims.

BazarCall/BazaCall attacks usually start with a phishing email that appears to be a payment notification or subscription confirmation from a well-known company. The email will contain the amount that is going to be charged, which is usually between $49.99 and $500 or more, depending on the subscription or service being impersonated.

It’s worth noting that these days, Google Forms are being utilized by certain individuals or groups to create an impression of authenticity or credibility.

BazarCall Attack Weaponizing Google Forms
BazarCall Attack

The attacker starts by creating a Google Form and filling it out with information regarding the fictitious transaction, such as the product or service that was allegedly purchased, the payment method, and the invoice number and date.

Secondly, to enable the response receipt option, the form sends a copy to a hacker’s forum. The hacker then sends an invitation to the victim to complete the form by themselves.

First, the attacker enters the target’s email address in the “Your email” area and then clicks on Submit. Upon submission, the victim will receive a copy of the completed form.

The attacker can trick the victim into believing that the form is a payment confirmation for Norton Antivirus software by activating the response receipt option.

BazarCall Attack Weaponizing Google Forms
The attacker’s mail

It is difficult for inaccurate email security solutions, such as secure email gateways, to reliably identify this email as a possible threat.

A popular and reliable tool for making surveys, quizzes, and forms is Google Forms. Because the emails used in BazarCall attacks come from a reliable source and could seem harmless, it can be difficult for SEGs to tell them apart from authentic ones.


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InsideBitcoins Review – Best Platform To Catch Up on Crypto News?

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InsideBitcoins Review – Best Platform To Catch Up on Crypto News?
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The volatile state the crypto market is in has made it a requirement for investors and traders to check in often on the latest news. However, standard platforms that offer crypto-related updates aren’t always thorough. That is why crypto publications such as InsideBitcoins.com are getting a lot of traction.

Launched in 2015, InsideBitcoins is a crypto news aggregator that covers everything from daily news about the crypto market to “how-to-buy” guides for old and new cryptocurrencies. 

In this article, we break down all the crypto-related topics that InsideBitcoins.com covers. We will also give our complete analysis related to the thoroughness of these write-ups to see if they are up to today’s standards. 

Listed below are the types of content that InsideBitcoins.com offers: 

How-to-Buy Guides

The first type of article that InsideBitcoins.com delivers is a “how-to-buy” guide. Comprehensive, these guides give a complete analysis of new and old cryptocurrencies through multiple perspectives. Following are the points these guides cover:

  • The growth drivers of this project
  • History of the cryptocurrency or NFT
  • The project’s origins and tokenomics 
  • The perks and shortfalls of the project
  • Critical analysis of the project’s roadmap
  • Where the asset is available for purchase
  • The community’s sentiment for this project
  • The current price and the development of this project

Crypto Price Predictions

Crypto price predictions are where InsideBitcoins.com’s writers are known to flex their analytical viewpoints about cryptocurrencies. These write-ups break down the content in terms of their forecast for specific years.

For instance, when they are giving price predictions for short-term tokens like PEPE, they focus on where the token can end up in the next three years. 

Following are key points the writers say they focus on: 

  1. The token’s utility 
  2. The prospects of the token
  3. The current price of the token 
  4. The macroeconomic conditions 

Listicles

When InsideBitcoins.com first started, it focused on giving guides and predictions of all the tokens available in the market. However, the recent update has changed the site’s look, with none of those old reviews readily available. Instead, it has swapped those with the “best crypto lists,” which cover the best DAO projects, best memecoins, best cryptos to buy, best Web3 tokens, and more. 

There are also other long-form guides and reviews available for cryptocurrency exchanges and crypto trading platforms.

News About The Crypto Markets

While the evergreen guides and articles are similar to Wikipedia articles, giving users information about how to buy a token and its long-term prospects, news articles keep investors abreast with the latest developments. In this regard, there are two types of news articles that InsideBitcoins.com delivers.

Latest Developments

The latest updates about the crypto space can be found in Insidebitcoin.com’s “Breaking news” section. This section often covers byte-sized news pieces related to development related to specific cryptocurrencies. 

These also include statements from the major voices in the crypto space. Michael Saylor’s comments about Bitcoin, for instance, often have a major impact on the BTC price movement. InsideBitcoins.com often covers such statements. It also focuses on the latest regulatory developments that could have a long-term impact on the market. 

Daily Crypto Analysis

The second type of news article is available on InsideBitcoins.com and can be found under the “More Crypto News” section. 

These articles focus on two niches: 

  • Daily price predictions – Daily price predictions cover cryptocurrencies and NFTs that have either gone through a major upside or have faced a downturn. These articles often focus on their current prices and developments. They often end with an analytical view of the project that predicts the token’s price.   
  • Top cryptos of the day: The second type of news piece covers the best cryptos of the day to buy. Multiple niches are covered, and the list of leading cryptos is sourced from platforms like CoinMarketCap and DEXtools. They give a brief overview of the tokens that are trending and why.  

Quality of the Articles – A Complete Analysis 

Our experts read through the majority of the content available on the website. Here are our findings:  

Thoroughness

The articles available on the website are thorough. We appreciate the detailed approach the writers have taken with all the how-to guides. The long-form articles are structured in a way that no details are missed. Everything from the tokenomics to the roadmap is seen through a critical lens. 

The price prediction articles were our favourites in this regard. Not only do they offer insight into the tokens that are already available on the market, but also give a holistic view of the cryptos that are currently available as a presale. 

The writers focus a lot on the community’s sentiments and technical indicators when assessing the quality of cryptocurrency. These long-form guides, which also contain reviews of the presale cryptos, focus a lot on the macroeconomic conditions and the technical qualities of an asset.  

News articles also display the same propensity of being thorough. Writers don’t simply regurgitate what’s available on another website. They do their research and go to social media platforms and key websites to source key details to add weight to the news they deliver. 

Information Provided

The next information we looked into was the information available on the website. Thoroughness is the key to this website, and most of the key details are covered. Everything from the ticker symbol of the tokens to the latest developments of the projects is available. The information is structured in a way that no reader is going to miss any critical detail. 

The standard “who, what, where, and why” questions are covered right at the beginning, with nothing left to chance. The information provided on InsideBitcoins.com shows that writers are interested in delivering as much info as they can. 

Tone

With the degree of thoroughness the website has displayed, we were worried that the content may seem like an info dump. Content with no personality doesn’t get our attention, even if the information it provides is valuable. 

Fortunately, we are happy to report that writers and analysts have taken care of the tone of the content on InsideBitcoins.com. How-to-guides take a Wikipedia-like tone, taking some conversational route where the perks of the project have to be made clear. Price prediction articles are also thorough and often contain industry slang to make the content more interactive. 

The tone in the news articles, on the other hand, is of a reporting style. No needless fluff or jargon is present that could deter the flow of the content. 

Understandability

InsideBitcoins.com has taken a comprehensive approach to its content. Although they use industry slang to communicate their intentions to the crypto community, they don’t let that get in the way of understandability. Furthermore, the simple words and the writing flow ensure that even those outside the crypto space can grasp what’s going on.  

Testing Policies

We found Insidebitcoin.com’s claim of a thorough analysis of a project before putting it in their how-to guides to be true. Every intricate detail – whether it is a con or a perk – has been displayed on the platform. 

InsideBitcoins.com is a Near Perfect Crypto News Site, But...

While the content quality is overall great, and the navigation of the platform is easy, InsideBitcoins.com has gone through multiple changes in the past. There used to be a full list of cryptocurrencies arranged in alphabetical order at the top. However, now, only trending cryptos are displayed there. 

Another issue that we would like to point out is that the news articles have an overly reporting tone. While the reporting style is appreciated since it maintains neutrality, we would have liked some insight from InsideBitcoin.com’s in-house analysts too.

What are the Pros and Cons of InsideBitcoins.com

Here are the pros and cons of InsideBitcoins.com: 

Pros

  • Understandable content
  • Thorough testing policies
  • Robust how-to-buy guides
  • Thorough content available 
  • Analytical price predictions
  • A neutral tone is maintained

Cons

  • The site’s navigation could be improved
  • The news articles could have more flavour through insights

Recommending InsideBitcoins.com for Crypto News?

InsideBitcoins.com is an all-rounder in most aspects. One must appreciate the thoroughness of the news it delivers and the understandable content that makes it appealing. The website’s complete approach and reporting style are also good on all accounts. 

The only improvement suggested is the navigation. While not completely deterring, the menu should provide richer options. Another area it could improve in is the news articles. Although a neutral tone is appreciated, an insight from analysts at the end could level up their content even more. 

Overall, InsideBitcoins.com is a suitable website and fit for all types of readers.

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  6. The Metaverse is connected to cryptocurrencies – but not so much to Bitcoin

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Samsung searches for a distinctive term for Galaxy S24 ‘AI Phone’

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Samsung searches for a distinctive term for Galaxy S24 ‘AI Phone’
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Samsung’s upcoming flagship lineup, the Galaxy S24 series, will have AI built into the system. Leaks have already revealed some of the AI features the company has readied for the phones. It believes the unprecedented on-device AI capabilities of the new flagships will redefine smartphones and warrant a fitting title. As such, the firm’s mobile chief TM Roh has asked employees to come up with a fancy new term for its first “AI Phone.”

Samsung is looking for a fancy new term for its “AI Phone”

According to the Korean media, Roh recently briefed Samsung executives and employees on the AI (artificial intelligence) features of the Galaxy S24 series. During the presentation, the mobile boss highlighted that the upcoming flagships are vastly different from the current generation of smartphones thanks to the built-in AI tools. He suggested the difference is too being for the devices to be still called “smartphones.”

The company has already filed trademark applications for the monikers “AI Phone” and “AI Smartphone” in several countries. However, Roh says these are too generic and don’t stand out. He wants a more fancy term that can create an identity of its own while explaining the AI capabilities of the Galaxy S24 lineup. Perhaps he finds “AI Phone” sounding too similar to “iPhone.”

The idea is to usher the industry into a new era of smartphones with AI at the core, similar to how Apple did with the “iPhone” all those years back. Samsung sees an opportunity to emulate Apple’s success with the AI-powered Galaxy S24 series next year. It will be interesting to see what unique term it comes up with for the new flagships. More importantly, whether it can have the same impact on the industry as the iPhone.

Interestingly, noted X tipster Ice Universe recently quoted a post about Samsung’s quest for a new term for its first “AI phone” and added “One AI.” It is unclear whether that is one of the names the company is considering or if “One AI” is the term for the Galaxy S24’s AI-powered software. We might get a clearer picture in the coming weeks as the Korean firm prepares for the launch next month.

The new Samsung flagships are just about a month away

Samsung has yet to announce the launch date for the Galaxy S24 series. However, there are strong indications that the new flagships will debut on January 17, 2024. The company is reportedly holding the Galaxy Unpacked event in San Jose, USA. Like before, it will open pre-orders for the phones immediately after launch in most markets. General sales may begin on January 30. Stay tuned for the official announcement.


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Kirin K9 chip coming, it could debut on the Huawei P70

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Kirin K9 chip coming, it could debut on the Huawei P70
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A mysterious Kirin K9 chip is coming, it seems. That chip was mentioned by Digital Chat Station, one of China’s most prominent tipsters. Unfortunately, though, the tipster was not particularly talkative when it comes to that processor.

The Huawei Kirin K9 chip is coming, though it could be just a rebrand of the Kirin 9000s

Considering the name ‘K9’, this could be just short for the Kirin 9000s, in which case we’re only looking at a rebrand. It could be a rebrand for global markets, or something of the sort, it remains to be seen.

In any case, the tipster mentioned this chip while talking about the Huawei Nova 12 Ultra specifications. That phone will offer a 1.5K OLED display with two holes, and an interesting dual camera setup on the front, including a 60-megapixel camera. A 50-megapixel main camera with variable aperture is also mentioned, as is blazing fast charging, and so on.

The Huawei P70 series is expected to arrive in Q1 2024

So, the Kirin K9 chip will fuel that device, but it could also fuel the Huawei P70 series which is expected to arrive in Q1 next year. The Kirin 9000s chip was announced a while back, and it’s the first Kirin chip after a long, long time.

This processor was made by SMIC, and it’s a 7nm processor. It fuels the Huawei Mate 60 series, and the Huawei Mate X5 too. It enables 5G connectivity for Huawei devices, which is something they lacked since the US sanctions hit.

The Huawei P70 series will almost certainly utilize a Kirin chip. The only thing that we don’t know is… which one. It could use the Kirin K9 mentioned here, whether it’s a rebrand of the Kirin 9000s, or not.

Huawei & SMIC are expected to announce a new 5nm chip, following the Kirin 9006C

Huawei and SMIC are expected to launch a new processor at some point in 2024, though. The two companies did announce the Kirin 9006C not long ago, a chip that fuels the Qingyun L540 laptops.

That is a 5nm processor, which suggests that the two companies are capable of providing a 5nm chip. It would be interesting to see a 5nm processor for the Huawei P70 series, that’s for sure. It remains to be seen if it will happen or not. We may have to wait until the Mate 70 series.


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Storm-1283 Sent 927,000 Phishing Emails with Malicious OAuth Apps

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Storm-1283 Sent 927,000 Phishing Emails with Malicious OAuth Apps
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Microsoft Warns of OAuth-Fueled Cyber Attacks Exploiting Cloud Infrastructure for Phishing and Cryptocurrency Mining.

Microsoft has discovered a sophisticated cybercrime scheme by Storm-1283 threat actor who infiltrated a user account to hijack digital keys and mine cryptocurrency within the Microsoft cloud platform Azure. 

According to the Microsoft Threat Intelligence unit’s research, the attacker utilized compromised user accounts to establish inbox rules with suspicious names, redirecting emails to the junk folder and marking them as read. Additionally, the malicious OAuth applications created by the actor were responsible for sending over 927,000 phishing emails.

Microsoft Cloud Hit by OAuth-Fueled Cybercrime Spree
Screenshot of the sample phishing email sent by the malicious OAuth application (Credit: Microsoft)

In this campaign, hackers exploited the OAuth feature, which permits apps to access user data with proper authorization. They pilfer digital keys, enabling them to cause havoc through phishing or brute force—cracking weak passwords or deceiving users into divulging their login credentials. Once inside, they create or modify OAuth applications with elevated access, effectively transforming them into ‘master keys’ for online resources.

These stolen keys are used for cryptocurrency mining, granting hackers lasting access even if passwords are changed. Email and spam sprees are also common, as the master key grants hackers lasting access. 

Storm-1283 breached a user account, gaining access to a virtual private network and tenant domain within Microsoft Entra ID. They created a new “OAuth application” using stolen credentials, allowing them to control resources within the compromised account.

They double-dipped existing OAuth applications, adding secret credentials to these keys. With the keys, Storm-1283 deployed virtual machines (VMs) within the compromised Azure subscription, generating cryptocurrency for their illicit gains. They re-entered the cloud, deploying more VMs to maximize their operation. 

The targeted organizations suffered financial losses ranging from $10,000 to $1.5 million. Microsoft’s security researchers discovered the suspicious activity and exposed the hacker’s tactics, including masking VMs by mimicking the domain name.

Microsoft analysts also detected a threat actor who compromised user accounts and created OAuth applications to maintain persistence and launch email phishing activity. The actor used an adversary-in-the-middle (AiTM) phishing kit to send a significant number of emails with varying subject lines and URLs to target user accounts in multiple organizations.

Microsoft worked with the Microsoft Entra team to block the OAuth applications involved in the attack and advised further actions. 

The company also observed large-scale spamming activity through OAuth applications by Storm-1286. The actor launched password-spraying attacks to compromise user accounts, most of which did not have multifactor authentication (MFA).

The user agent BAV2ROPC was observed in sign-in activities related to the compromised accounts, indicating the use of legacy authentication protocols such as IMAP and SMTP that do not support MFA. 

Microsoft Threat Intelligence has limited the actor’s activity by taking down all malicious OAuth applications related to this campaign, which ran from July to November 2023.

DoControl‘s Vice President of Solution Consulting, Tim Davis, also commented on this campaign with Hackread.com, urging for making the cloud platform secure.

“These types of attacks underscore the need for visibility into what both systems and users are doing on any cloud platform. Both limiting of permissions (the least privilege or zero trust model) and robust anomaly detection are critical to protecting resources that are located in the cloud.”

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  4. EvilProxy Phishing Kit Targets Microsoft Users via Indeed.com Vulnerability
  5. Scammers Use Fake Ledger App on Microsoft Store to Steal $800K in Crypto

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OnePlus 12R specs leak, telephoto camera ditched

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OnePlus 12R specs leak, telephoto camera ditched
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The OnePlus 12R is coming alongside the OnePlus 12, based on rumors, and the phone’s specs have just surfaced. The information comes from Digital Chat Station, one of the most prominent tipsters out there.

The OnePlus 12R specs have leaked, saying that the telephoto camera has been ditched

What caught our eye the most is the IMX709 camera he mentions. He says that OnePlus basically ditched this telephoto camera, it was supposed to be a 2x optical zoom camera. Just to be clear, he’s talking about the OnePlus Ace 3, but that device will be rebranded to the OnePlus 12R in global markets.

In any case, there’s always a chance that the OnePlus 12R will differ from the Ace 3 a bit, in which case that telephoto camera could still be included. If not, OnePlus will most likely use a 2-megapixel depth or macro camera, based on what we’ve seen in the past. Let’s hope that’s not the case, though.

What about the rest of the specs? Well, we’ll get a 6.78-inch 2780 x 1264 display. That will be the BOE X1 panel, an LTPO AMOLED display with a 2,160Hz PWM dimming. So basically the same one that OnePlus used in the OnePlus 12.

A large battery will be used, with blazing fast charging

A 5,500mAh battery is also rumored, along with 100W wired charging. A 50-megapixel main camera will be included, in addition to an 8-megapixel ultrawide shooter, and a mysterious third camera. A 16-megapixel selfie camera will be a part of the package.

The phone will be made out of metal and glass, and it will have a centered display camera hole. It’s coming in Gray, Blue, and Gold colors, at least in China. The OnePlus 12R may be released in different color variants, we’ll see.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is expected to fuel this phone, as it will be inferior to the OnePlus 12, of course. This smartphone will launch side-by-side with the OnePlus 12, in global markets. The OnePlus R series was exclusive to India thus far, but that will no longer be the case, it seems.


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Apple intros standalone USB-C charging case for AirPods Pro 2

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Apple intros standalone USB-C charging case for AirPods Pro 2
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Apple is now selling a USB-C charging case for the second-generation AirPods Pro separately. The Cupertino-based tech giant transitioned to USB-C port on all its devices with the iPhone 15 series and AirPods Pro at the annual fall event in September this year. Owners of the TWS earphones with a lightning port charging case can now rejoice as the standalone USB-C case eliminates the need to purchase a new set.

Apple now offers a standalone USB-C case for second-gen AirPods Pro

Apple is selling the standalone USB-C case for the AirPods Pro 2 on its official website priced at $99. Although not exactly cheap, it is still cheaper than purchasing a new set of second-generation AirPods Pro retailing at $249. This means that those who own the TWS earphones with lightning port charging case can upgrade to the USB-C case.

The AirPods Pro USB-C case is available to purchase starting today. However, delivery estimates show that buyers may not receive it until after the new year. It is only estimated to reach between December 29 and January 4.

A standalone USB-C case for AirPods Pro 2 makes even more sense for iPhone 15 owners as it offers the convenience of carrying only one charging cable instead of two. Apple also already offers USB-C on some of its iPad and MacBook models.

USB-C case features on the AirPods Pro 2

In addition to the USB-C port on the second-generation AirPods Pro, it is also IP54-rated dust and water-resistant which is missing on the lightning case. The case has a U1 chip to help users find their lost AirPods quickly and accurately. There is a built-in speaker that can play sound when the user is near the case. The USB-C case also offers MagSafe charging just like the lightning port case.

Apart from the benefits of the USB-C case, it’s worth noting that the core specifications of the AirPods Pro 2 remain the same as the model with the lightning port.


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Instagram testing new privacy tool to control who can see your likes

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Instagram testing new privacy tool to control who can see your likes
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Instagram may soon let you control who can see when you like other peoples’ posts and reels. The social media app is readying a crucial new privacy tool that allows you to completely hide the likes that you have made or limit the visibility to your close friends or people you follow. The tool is currently in development and doesn’t have a release timeline.

Instagram prepares to let you hide your likes from other users

Until 2019, Instagram allowed users to see what people they followed were interacting with on the app. Anyone could see the posts you liked and commented on. The firm rightly determined this was a violation of privacy and personal information and removed the feature entirely. Currently, you can only see the shared activity of people you follow. This included when you followed each other and tags, likes, and comments made on each other’s posts.

However, there is still a way to see someone else’s Instagram likes. Since people usually interact more with accounts they follow, you can go to any account a user is following, open a post, and see the list of people who liked the post. Instagram even lets you search for a specific account on this list. So you can easily see if the person you are looking for liked the post. It is a huge hassle but possible as long as the creator hasn’t hidden the like count on their post.

The Meta-owned social media platform is further restricting the visibility of your likes with a new privacy tool. Spotted by X user @ihammod_oh, the firm is preparing to add a new option to the “Who can see your content” section in the app’s privacy settings. The “Likes that you have made” privacy tool sits below the existing Account privacy, Close friends, Blocked, and the Hide story and live tools.

Screenshots shared on X show that Instagram will give you four ways to manage who can see your likes across the app. You can allow everyone to see that you have liked a post, limit the visibility to people you follow or your pre-selected close friends, or hide likes from everyone. The settings page notes that the account that shared the post or reel can always see that you have liked their content. The firm could tweak things before the public rollout, though.

The new privacy tool is currently in development

Instagram is currently working on this new privacy tool to hide your likes from other users. The source says the firm is testing it. However, they didn’t make it clear whether the tool is available to beta users or if it’s an internal test. Nonetheless, it shouldn’t be long before the new feature is rolled out publicly. It should be available with a new update for Instagram on the Google Play Store in the coming weeks.


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