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Category: Tech

  • Twitter will soon delete 1.5 billion inactive accounts to free up name space

    Twitter will soon delete 1.5 billion inactive accounts to free up name space

    Twitter is preparing to delete 1.5 billion inactive accounts to free up dormant profiles and user names on the social media platform.

    Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, stated that the suspensions would free up the “name space” of inactive profiles. He also stated that the accounts that would be erased were “obvious” since they had “no tweets” and “no log in for years.”

    Some Twitter users have expressed dissatisfaction with defunct accounts having interesting and appealing usernames that were captured during Twitter’s formative years.

    In the second quarter of 2022, Twitter counted 237.8 million of its users as “monetisable daily active users,” a measure that suggests they’re active on the platform and are being shown advertisements.

    Musk has already committed to deleting dormant Twitter accounts. He said in November that accounts that had been idle for 15 years would be deleted.

    How long an account may remain dormant before being marked for deletion is unknown at this time. Musk announced in October that accounts that had been inactive for more than a year would potentially be in danger.

    According to statistics from Apptopia, Twitter usage appears to have increased in the weeks after Musk’s takeover. In the first week of November, Twitter saw its highest daily active user count ever.

  • Google is officially registered as a company in Pakistan

    Google is officially registered as a company in Pakistan

    Google has opened a liaison office in Pakistan and registered with the Securities Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), according to Brecorder.

    A spokesman for SECP stated that the company “has been registered as a foreign company” in Pakistan, while a Google representative also verified that the liaison office had been opened.

    A liaison office is a foreign company’s office set up to promote its products, offer technical support and advice, consider potential joint ventures, and promote exports.

    The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoITT), according to insiders, was in contact with foreign companies and made arduous attempts to attract them to Pakistan, but the businesses hesitated owing to the political unrest.

    However, there has been a breakthrough in this regard with Google and TikTok agreeing to set up offices in the country, while the talks between the ministry are ongoing with Meta.

  • Meta introduces Stars for Pakistani content creators to monetize content

    Meta introduces Stars for Pakistani content creators to monetize content

    All Pakistani content creators who meet the requirements can now use Facebook Stars, Meta’s monetization tool, to connect with their viewers and grow their businesses.

    According to Express Tribune, Pakistani online content creators will be able to sign up, monitor their profits by content type, manage their goals, and access other Stars settings thanks to Stars, a digital tool that fans can buy and send to support creators.

    This feature is accessible in a variety of media, including Facebook Live, on-demand videos, photographs, and text updates.

    “Helping creators to build community and turn their passions into professions is a key part of our continued investment in Pakistan,“ said Jordi Fornies, Meta’s Director of Emerging Markets for the Asia Pacific region. “Today, we are thrilled to announce that Facebook Stars is open to all eligible creators in Pakistan, so more people can start earning while they grow their creativity, audience, and careers.”

    Reels introduced short-form, amusing video experiences and tools to creators and fans earlier this year when Meta debuted it in Pakistan. The fastest-growing content format on Meta platforms right now is reels. Every day, Reels are played on Facebook and Instagram in excess of 140 billion times.

    “We are encouraged to see Meta’s contribution to supporting local businesses in Pakistan and opening up different ways for Pakistani content creators to generate meaningful, reliable revenue on their platforms. We hope the Stars program will create new opportunities to monetize and play a role in strengthening the country’s digital economy,” said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, during his visit to the Meta regional office in Singapore today.

    The following eligibility requirements must be met in order for any Pakistani creative with at least 1,000 online followers over the previous 60 days to start getting Stars from their fans.

    “So wonderful to see Stars has launched in Pakistan, giving more creators like me on Facebook and Reels the opportunity to build community and earn money through doing what we love,” said Danish Ali, Pakistani content creator.

    “I’m excited for creators in Pakistan to start using Stars to generate an income and build deeper connections with their audiences as they grow on Facebook,” he added.

  • Twitter Blue will reportedly cost $11 for iPhone users instead of $7.99

    Twitter Blue will reportedly cost $11 for iPhone users instead of $7.99

    Twitter plans to increase the pricing of its Twitter Blue subscription product to $11 from $7.99 if paid for through its iPhone app and to $7 if paid for on the website.

    According to The Information, the move was likely in response to Apple’s 30 per cent cut on any payments made by users via apps on the iOS operating system.

    According to the report, the lower cost on the website was also likely to encourage more customers to join up there rather than on their iPhones. If prices will also change for the Android OS was not mentioned.

    Musk, who gained ownership of Twitter in October, is going to roll out the micro-blogging site’s verified service with different coloured checks for individuals, companies, and governments after a bungled initial launch led to a surge in users impersonating celebrities and brands on the website.

    Requests for comment from Twitter, Apple, and Google—which owns the Android operating system—were not immediately responded to.

    Musk cited a number of issues with Apple in a series of tweets last week, including the 30 per cent fee the iPhone manufacturer charges software developers for in-app purchases.

    Additionally, he posted a meme that said he would be prepared to “go to war” with Apple rather than pay the commission.

    Musk later met Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, at the company’s offices. Musk then tweeted that the misunderstanding regarding Twitter’s removal from Apple’s app store had been cleared up.

  • Lahore to become Pakistan’s first smart city

    Lahore to become Pakistan’s first smart city

    The CEO of the Aga Khan Cultural Services Pakistan, Khawaja Tauseef Ahmad, paid a visit to Chief Minister of Punjab (CM) Ch Parvez Elahi at the CM Office. 

    The key decision to transform Lahore into a smart city in collaboration with the AKCSP was taken during the meeting.

    In this regard, the CM also sought a project plan. He said that Lahore would have the honour of being the first smart city in Pakistan.

    According to The Nation, he continued by saying that the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) will assist in the digitalization of the city of Lahore and that urban utilities will be provided via a mobile application.

    Moreover, Baba Bulleh Shah’s tomb in Kasur will also be renovated to resemble the architecture of the Wazir Khan Mosque.

    Last week, CM Punjab attended the induction ceremony of MPA Khayal Ahmad Kastro as minister at the Governor House. Khayal Ahmad Kastro was sworn in by Governor Balighur Rehman.

    The CM congratulated the newly appointed minister on taking the oath and expressed confidence that he will execute his duties responsibly while working to serve the people. The administration is focused on the welfare of the public, and it is taking every effort to provide assistance to the citizens.

    CM Elahi earlier said that Punjab is the most suitable province for investment and we have formulated a policy to give on lease uncultivated land on 30-year period.

  • Punjab IT Board develops more than 500 quality websites for different govt departments

    Punjab IT Board develops more than 500 quality websites for different govt departments

    For several government departments in the province, the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) has designed and developed more than 500 official websites, 490 of which are in English and 18 of which are in Urdu.

    This was announced at a progress review meeting on Tuesday presided over by PITB Chairman Syed Bilal Haider. The meeting was briefed on how the PITB’s web presence team developed these websites with a strong emphasis on transparency and citizen facilitation, offering optimised performance, scalability, improved loading times, and responsiveness.

    According to The News, the Punjab government has been helping many ministries set up portals to increase the government’s online presence with the help of PITB. CPEC, Web 3.0, SMU, CM Inspection Team, PESSI, Punjab Portal, Punjab Examination Commission, Lahore High Court, Punjab Police, Excise & Taxation Department, Punjab Information Technology Board, Punjab Procurement Regulatory Authority, Finance Department, and Chief Minister Punjab are among the top 10 websites developed by PITB among many others.

    It was reported that these websites had received more than 8.5 billion hits overall. The Right to Information (RTI) Act of 2013 has been used by PITB to increase transparency. As websites are being developed, PITB instructs the relevant departmental officials how to frequently and independently update and manage the content on their own websites.

    PITB has assisted various government departments, including the Audit Bureau of Circulation, the Baluchistan Police, the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, and National History and Literary Heritage, in addition to creating websites for the administrative departments of Punjab and their affiliated bodies. The services offered as part of this project are all free. You can visit the websites created by the PITB’s web presence team at pitb.gov.pk/web.

  • Apple is reportedly considering transferring some of its iPad production to India

    Apple is reportedly considering transferring some of its iPad production to India

    According to two sources close to the Indian government, India is looking into ways to transfer some of Apple’s iPad production from China. The tech behemoth is reportedly in constant communication with authorities. Although no specific plans have been established, if the initiative is successful, Apple’s presence in the country would expand.

    Apple said earlier this year that it has started producing the premium iPhone 14 in southern India. For a number of years, the tech giant has produced the country’s older iPhone models.

    Following nationwide protests that have taken place over the past two weeks in response to Beijing’s tough zero-Covid policy, the tech giant has announced plans to diversify more of its supply chain away from China. Apple issued a warning in early November that iPhone shipments will be delayed as a result of the Chinese government’s lockdowns, and experts have been lowering their expectations for the important holiday shopping period.

    Over the weekend, The Wall Street Journal claimed that Apple is aggressively exploring to move production out of China to other Asian nations, including Vietnam and India.

    Even so, sources warn that similar ambitions in India could be slowed down by a shortage of highly skilled workers and people with experience in creating complicated products like the iPad. The backdrop of foreign policy, with rising hostilities between China and India, is particularly unhelpful. Due to recent territorial disputes between the two nations, the military presence near the China-India border has increased.

    10 per cent of Apple iPhones, according to Gene Munster of Loop Ventures, are produced in India, but he anticipates a gradual increase in output.

    “I think in five years, 35 per cent will be manufactured in India,” added Munster. “I think Apple will add iPhone production to other countries outside of India and China in the next five years. Perhaps Vietnam, Malaysia and the USA.” In a note to clients, Piper Jaffray’s Harsh Kumar wrote: “While Apple has made efforts to move production out of China, in our opinion, India still accounts for less than 5.”

  • Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its first-ever Windows PC with gaming GPU

    Xiaomi is gearing up to launch its first-ever Windows PC with gaming GPU

    Xiaomi seems to be gearing up to enter yet another technological market. The Chinese juggernaut is most likely known for its smartphones, and some of you may be familiar with their line of laptops, but it now appears that at least a few Windows PCs are on the way.

    According to gsmarena, the two designs were reportedly planned to be unveiled at the Xiaomi event on December 1. Due to Jiang Zemin’s passing as the former general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, the event has been postponed. It appears that two PC designs were still showed off to select folks a little early while we wait for a new date to be set.

    Let’s begin with the stranger of the two. The Xiaomi Host Mini PC appears to be a small form factor (SFF) prototype that has been left in its most basic form. That is to say, the system in the image only has a 100W XM22AL5X PSU installed. The remainder of the hardware that will be included in the box hasn’t been revealed because it’s unlikely that Xiaomi will sell it as a barebones kit.

    We can infer from the images that a Mini-ITX motherboard will support low-profile, half-height, up to dual-slot dedicated GPUs. Although we are unsure of how a dedicated GPU will function with the 100W power supply, it’s possible that it isn’t the final or only component in the setup.

    The windows key and “M” key combination are illustrated on a bespoke plate that is attached to the back of the case. Perhaps Xiaomi intends to change the Windows key combination that generally dismisses all windows and replace it with a unique function. The mechanical switch that is mounted on the back of the Host Mini PC is another intriguing feature. Even though neither of us is certain what it does, the leaked Weibo images do show an accessory package that includes a keycap for the button in question, indicating that it is probably functional.

    Now let’s go on to the other system, about which we know a lot more. It is a small PC with a form factor similar to the Mac Mini or Intel NUC. It will reportedly be powered by a 45W MD Ryzen 7 6800H APU with a Radeon 680M RDNA2 iGPU, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD.

  • Oppo is launching a Galaxy Z Flip competitor this month

    Oppo is launching a Galaxy Z Flip competitor this month

    Oppo’s INNO Day 2022 event, which is expected to take place by the middle of this month, will serve as the official launch event for the Find N2 and Find N2 Flip, according to recent reports.

    The Find N2 Flip will be Oppo’s first phone with a foldable screen. A leaked video of the Find N2 Flip is now doing the rounds on social media. It gives a good look at the design from the front and rear sides. It is likely to feature a Dimensity 9000 chipset and a 4,300mAh battery with 44W rapid charging support. It will come preinstalled with the Android 13 OS, which will be skinned with ColorOS 13.

    According to reports, the upcoming smartphone will be equipped with a 50MP Sony IMX766 main camera and an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide unit. Interestingly, it will be sold outside of China for the first time, giving tough competition to the popular Galaxy Z Flip series. 

    In a leaked video, the OPPO Find N2 Flip can be seen sporting a foldable display with a centrally positioned punch-hole.

    Tech news websites claim that the device is equipped with a 6.8-inch foldable E6 AMOLED panel that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 2520 x 1080 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate.

    The right side of the phone seems to feature a volume controller and a power key, which is integrated with a fingerprint scanner.

  • Finance Ministry agrees to IT minister’s suggestion regarding Google payments

    Finance Ministry agrees to IT minister’s suggestion regarding Google payments

    Following the Ministry of Finance’s decision to allow blocked payments to international service providers, including Google, on the advise of IT Minister Aminul Haque, Pakistan averted the suspension of paid Google Play mobile apps on Thursday.

    A $34 million payment suspension by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to foreign service providers might have prevented inward mobile users from downloading paid Google Play Store services using their cell balance as a source of payment starting on December 1, 2022.

    After the SBP stopped using the direct carrier billing (DCB) mechanism, a $34 million payment to foreign service providers like Google, Amazon, and Meta was put on hold.

    Using their mobile phone carrier bill as a form of payment, users of the DCB online mobile payment system can make purchases.

    According to Geo, customers of telecommunications firms can buy these products using airtime and send money abroad to pay for IT-related services.

    However, Tariq Bajwa, the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Finance, got in touch with Haque and expressed his thoughts on the payments that had been halted.

    The Finance Ministry agreed to distribute the payments on schedule, the IT minister later confirmed.

    Insisting that “paid Google Play apps will not be suspended in Pakistan,” he said that the Finance Ministry had instructed the SBP to postpone for one month the implementation of the policy that had blocked payments.

    He stated that the payment method must be implemented by telecom companies within a month.

    According to the IT minister, the ministry has written to the finance minister, Ishaq Dar, requesting a timeline for the implementation of the telecom operators’ request for help from the government. Haque commended Dar and Bajwa for their prompt judgement.