Category: Tech

  • Meet your future self: What is this viral FaceApp?

    Meet your future self: What is this viral FaceApp?

    Social media trends are forever changing. Last week the Bottle Cap Challenge had taken over the internet and this week people are playing around with an app called FaceApp that make you look younger or older. The app transforms your face and gives you an image of what you would look a few decades down the line. Celebrities and social media enthusiasts alike have jumped the FaceApp bandwagon which is why we’re seeing old people all over our timelines these days.

    The app is going viral for the second time in two years. The app fascinated internet users in 2017 with its fun filters that included gender-swap selfie filter, and now with this age filter.

    Here are some of our celebrities trying this new app.

    Faisal Qureishi
    Fahad Mustafa
    Ahmed Ali Butt

    But beware! The app may also breach your privacy. FaceApp is allowed to use your name, username or any likeness provided in any media format and you will not be able to take it down or complain about it. Because FaceApp uploads your photo to the cloud for processing, it doesn’t do on-device processing as other apps do. It retains the image even after you’ve deleted the app.

    name, username or any likeness provided in any media format and you will not be able to take it down or complain about it. Because FaceApp uploads your photo to the cloud for processing, it doesn’t do on-device processing as other apps do. It retains the image even after you’ve deleted the app.

  • Changes to WhatsApp You Need to Know About

    Changes to WhatsApp You Need to Know About

    We can all safely say that no one checks their text messages anymore since it’s usually spam. Our lives revolve around WhatsApp and WhatsApp groups. The Facebook owned App is going to introduce five changes that might change the way you use the App.

    1. DARK MODE

    Constantly using your WhatsApp which drains your battery and gives you tired eyes? WhatsApp’s new “dark mode feature” will now give the app a darker appearance in the night, reducing the glare from the phone and also helping save battery life.

    2. QUICK EDIT MEDIA

    Want to edit media files you send or receive on WhatsApp? You’ll be able to do a lot more than cutting down on duration and adding text to pictures. The Quick Edit feature will allow you to make changes to files you get or send and share them directly.

    Some of the updates are already available on the Beta Version

    3. SHARE FACEBOOK STORIES

    In what seems like hope to get more users to engage with Facebook Stories, WhatsApp will now let users share a story on Whatsapp directly from their Facebook accounts. No news yet if it’s going to be available for Instagram as well. incorporated for Facebook stories initially. 

    4. MORE INFO ON FORWARDED MESSAGES

    Constantly spammed with “forwarded as received” messages, especially on family groups? In a much needed feature, if a message is forwarded more than five times, it will now have a “frequently forwarded” label. WhatsApp will also notify users how often the message has been forwarded, in hope of controlling the spread of rumours and false information (Uncles and Aunties might not be too happy about this one).

    5. QR CODE

    Users will be able to add a new contact using a QR code directly. Every user will have a unique code (similar to nametags on Instagram) and you can share your code with oders (so it’s easier for them to add you)

  • Think twice before posting unkind comments on Instagram

    Think twice before posting unkind comments on Instagram

    Instagram is rolling out a new feature to identify negative comments before they are published and asks “Are you sure you want to post this?” before it is posted in order to stop bullying on social media platforms.

    It will not stop people from making negative comments, but it will give them the option to “undo” the comment before it is posted.

    People who are reluctant to block or unfollow their bullies will have a new option to restrict them without letting them know. If you restrict someone, their comments on your posts will only be visible to them, unless you approve a comment for general consumption. They also won’t be able to see if you’re active on Instagram or if you’ve read their direct messages.

  • UET bans social media on campus

    UET bans social media on campus

    When Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp all were down earlier this week, we all panicked slightly and wondered to do with all the free time. Because let us admit, social media is a very important part of our lives. But imagine having to do without it for long periods of time and having to use emails for communication.

    Students of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) might have the answer to that as the university has banned the use of social media on campus, as well as the hostels. As per reports, students will no longer be allowed to use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube or WhatsApp. They will only be permitted to use those social media pages that have been approved by the Vice Chancellor. Official Facebook pages of university societies have also been instructed to shut down.

    Negative comments on any UET page will also be checked and action taken. Students who continue to use social media will be investigated under the Pakistan Cyber Law 2016.

    This is not the first time the UET management has taken such actions. Previously, UET made it compulsory for female students to wear a scarf or dupatta while imposing a ban on sleeveless shirts and capri pants. For male students, wearing shalwar kameez on Fridays was made compulsory.

  • KP launches mobile app for tourists

    KP launches mobile app for tourists

    The tourism department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has launched Pakistan’s first mobile app and web portal called KPtourism with the aim to promote tourism in the country.

    Senior provincial minister of Tourism, Culture, and Youth Affairs Atif Khan inaugurated the mobile app on Wednesday.

    Through the app, you can search for more than 100 destinations, find nearby attractions on the go, and interact with other travellers. Both the app and the website have the images and videos of all scenic destination along with relevant data.

    Android users can download the app from:

    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kptourism.kptourism

    For Apple users this is the link to download the app

    https://apps.apple.com/pk/app/kptourism/id1470219062

    You can also find packages and updates on events. However, the itineraries and blog section have not yet been updated.

    The app also allows people to share their experiences, videos, pictures and give suggestions, and plans using the “Contribute” section.

  • Google Maps leads people to the middle of nowhere

    Google Maps leads people to the middle of nowhere

    No matter how much we rely on Google Maps, it is not always 100% accurate. Approximately 100 people ended up in the middle of nowhere in Denver, Colorado after Google Maps directed users to take a detour.

    According to the CNN, about 100 drivers trying to avoid a traffic jam near Denver International Airport ended up on a muddy road after Google Maps provided users with a detour. Some vehicles couldn’t make it through the sludge, and dozens became trapped behind them.

    Google said the road was not marked as private. They added, “While we always work to provide the best directions, issues can arise due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather. We encourage all drivers to follow local laws, stay attentive, and use their best judgment while driving.”

    Hence proven, Google is not 100% reliable. Think twice before you take that detour or tell your Uber or Careem driver to follow the map. And if you’re short of time, don’t even think about it.

  • ‘Data of around 45,000 Pakistanis stolen to unlock smuggled mobile phones’

    ‘Data of around 45,000 Pakistanis stolen to unlock smuggled mobile phones’

    Identity credentials of around 45,000 international passengers have been stolen to unlock smuggled mobile phones since the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) launched its crackdown on illegally-imported devices.

    This was revealed by PTA and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) while briefing a federal cabinet meeting presided by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan last week, a private media outlet reported.

    The authorities informed the cabinet that travel documents such as passport, CNIC copies etc of around 44,943 resident and overseas Pakistanis were stolen and misused to unlock the smuggled phones since the implementation of PTA’s Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS).

    According to PTA, 986,000 mobiles phones were received for registration, out of which around 656,000 were registered under FBR baggage rule exemption with no tax while around 33,000 mobile phones were registered under the duty paid category.

    PTA says that with the implementation of DIRBS, a significant increase has been seen in the legal commercial import of mobile phones. The authority hopes the system will give more dividends towards the elimination of smuggled phones.

  • Uber Increases Fares for Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi

    Uber Increases Fares for Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi

    Uber has increased the fares of Go, Go Mini and Auto rides for the residents of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore following the fluctuation in petrol price and the inconsistent dollar rate in the market. The last increase in prices occurred at the start of this year and six months later Uber is increasing the price again for Islamabad. Lahore and Karachi.

    Lahore


    UberGo
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 80 Rs. 11.58 vs 10.16 Rs. 5.18 vs 4.54
    Mini
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 64 Rs. 9.26 vs 8.13 Rs. 4.14 vs 3.63

    Auto
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 17.71 Rs. 13.42 vs 12.09 Rs. 3.10 vs 2.79

    Karachi

    UberGo
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 80 Rs. 12.76 vs 11.00 Rs. 5.70 vs 4.91
    Mini
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 64 Rs. 10.21 vs 8.80 Rs. 4.56 vs 3.93
    Auto
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 24 Rs. 13.73 vs 12.13 Rs. 3.61 (unchanged)

    Islamabad

    UberGo
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 90 Rs. 5.38 vs 4.10 Rs. 8.98 vs 4.62
    Uber Mini
    Base Fare Per KM (Now vs Previous) Per Minute (Now vs Previous)
    Rs. 72 Rs. 7.81 vs 6.17 Rs. 4.30 vs 3.67
  • NASA to open International Space Station to tourists

    NASA to open International Space Station to tourists

    NASA is to allow tourists to visit the International Space Station from 2020, priced at $35,000 (Rs 5,233,900) per night.

    NASA will allow up to two private trips to the station per year, each lasting up to 30 days. The first mission could be as early as 2020. But the ride won’t be cheap. NASA estimated the cost of a flight would be around $50 million per seat. NASA will charge visitors for food, storage and communication at the station.

    “If you look at the pricing and you add it up, back of a napkin, it would be roughly $35,000 a night, per astronaut,” NASA’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff DeWit said at a news conference in New York.

    The two companies hired by NASA are SpaceX and Boeing which will be responsible for all the arrangements.

    NASA had previously banned any commercial use of the space station and prohibited astronauts from taking part in for-profit research.NASA does not own the station however it was built in 1998, with Russia, which has taken a more relaxed approach in recent decades to commerce.

    In 2001, US businessman Dennis Tito became the first tourist to visit when he paid Russia around $20 million for a round trip.

  • Bye Bye Apple iTunes

    Bye Bye Apple iTunes

    Apple has officially decided to discontinue its iTunes music service and offer three separate applications for music, television, and podcasts.

    One of the biggest questions that longtime users of iTunes have is “What would happen for your existing music”

    During the announcement for the new macOS Catalina operating system that revealed the separate apps, it was revealed that Apple doesn’t intend to let the back catalogs of their users disappear.

    Technology and Telco editor at Finder, Alex Kidman said,

    “That’s data that Apple already makes available to your existing iOS devices, and there’s no real reason to think that it won’t take this approach with split apps under MacOS. If you’ve got content purchased through Apple, it’ll still be on record with them and should be accessible on compatible devices. For PC users, we’ll have to wait and see what Apple’s replacements will be, but again, it’s not like Apple wants to lose consumers who have Apple Music subscriptions, or those who buy or rent movies or TV shows through Apple. That’s still a lucrative revenue source for them.”