Apple unveils affordable iPad: 9.7-inch display, 8MP camera with Pencil

Apple executives said the company will release a iPad model that works with its Apple Pencil accessory and features an upgraded A10 Fusion chip, the same CPU that powers the iPhone 7

Apple Inc on Tuesday kicked off an event in Chicago where it announced a new Apple iPad that would work with its Apple Pencil accessory aimed at helping it grab more of the U.S. education market.

The tablet will have a starting price of $299 for students and $329 for consumers. Tech companies are battling for dominance in US schools with inexpensive devices and laptops that are geared towards classroom use and seen as a way to hook young consumers.

Education-geared laptops running operating systems by Alphabet Inc's Google or Microsoft Corp can be had for less than $200.

Apple hit hard on the education theme on Tuesday, with school bells and announcements over a public address system directing press and teachers into an auditorium at Lane Tech College Prep High School. Apple board member and former US Vice President Al Gore mingled with the crowd.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook opened the keynote with a nod to politics, saying "we are deeply inspired by the courage of the students who walked out" and marched on Washington, advocating for stricter gun control laws following a school shooting in Florida. The line elicited loud cheers from students seated at the rear of the auditorium.

The Chicago event comes during a spring buying season when many schools are making purchasing decisions for the upcoming school year.

Apple executives said the company will release a iPad model that works with its Apple Pencil accessory and features an upgraded A10 Fusion chip, the same CPU that powers the iPhone 7. The company also released a new version of its word processing apps for the iPad designed to work with the pencil and allow students to take handwritten notes more easily.

Apple made up just 17 percent of the K-12 U.S. educational market in the third quarter, according to data from Futuresource Consulting. Meanwhile 60 percent of mobile computing shipments to schools ran Google's Chrome operating system, and 22 percent had Windows.

Chromebooks sold by Dell Technologies Inc can be had for as little as $189. Microsoft last year introduced an education-focused laptop from partner Lenovo Group Ltd running Window 10 S.

Apple in recent years made changes to its operating system so that more than one student can log into an iPad, and to its software to let teachers better manage groups of students. (more)

Xiaomi Redmi 5 review: Premium-priced all-rounder with a modern 18:9 screen

The Redmi 5 costs a tad higher when compared with the earlier Redmi-series smartphones. But the Redmi 5 notches up the smartphone game with its modern 18:9 aspect ratio screen

After a successful run in 2017 with its value-for-money smartphones, Xiaomi started 2018 with the launch of its budget-centric devices. Soon after the launch of the Redmi Note 5 and the Redmi Note 5 Pro, the Chinese mobile phone maker has launched the entry-level Redmi 5 in India at a price of Rs 7,999 for the base model.

Unlike what has been seen in previous-generation devices, the succeeding generation of Redmi-series smartphones costs a tad higher than the predecessor -- be it the Redmi 5 Pro or the Redmi 5. However, the Redmi 5 notches up the smartphone game with its modern 18:9 aspect ratio screen wrapped in a metallic-plastic chassis which looks premium.

The smartphone is built on the blue print of its elder sibling, the Redmi Note 5,which gives it an edge in terms of design. However, the innards have been kept in line with previous generation, besides some minor improvements, to keep the price in check.

Business Standard reviewed the Redmi 5 to test its overall performance. Here are our observations:

Design and display

The Redmi 5 takes design cues from the Redmi Note 5 and, therefore, looks similar. However, the younger sibling has a few elements of difference. The front of the Redmi 5 is dominated by a 5.7-inch HD+ 18:9 aspect ratio screen, covered by a 2.5D glass. It does look plush; but for an 18:9 screen device, the smartphone has huge bezels on the top and bottom.

The screen is bright and vivid. However, the HD+ resolution in the 5.7-inch screen looks pixelated. For a budget smartphone, the screen works satisfactorily to render multimedia content such as photos and videos. The touch response is smooth and the phone registers the touch without lag.

Coming on to the back side, it is covered with a metallic sheet, but the chassis is made out of plastic that extends towards the back from top and bottom. The colour of the metallic sheet and plastic chassis has different shades; it comes to notice in bright light conditions. As for the build quality, it is top-notch and the edges blend well into the chassis with no gaps, either on the front or back.

Reliance Jio Prime membership subscription to end on March 31: What next?

Jio Prime subscriptions, started April 1 last year, expire on 31 March. Now, with the expiry approaching, it is expected that Jio would make a new announcement sometime soon

Reliance Jio shook the Indian telecommunication space with the launch of its affordable, data-centric network. After doling out freebies for more than the first six months since the launch, the Mukesh Ambani-owned telecom major introduced Prime membership at Rs 99 with the promise of offering subsidised recharge options and additional benefits for a period of one year.

The Jio Prime memberships, which came into effect on April 1 last year, are valid until 31 March. Now, with the subscription expiry approaching, it is expected that Jio would make an announcement sometime soon.

While there is nothing official yet, it is expected that the company might completely do away with the Prime subscription or offer it as a free service.

Here is what the company offered in the first iteration of the Prime membership:

• Free unlimited data and voice services for one year at an effective price of Rs 10 per day
• Special recharge plans with additional data and validity
• Free VoLTE-based voice calls to any network, even on roaming with no black out days either.
• Free access to Jio app suite

The Prime membership was initially rolled out as a loyalty programme to retain subscribers as the company moved from free to paid services.In the first leg, the Prime membership was advertised as a limited period offer. However, as time moved, the company continued offering the membership to get more subscribers. Now, according to Jio’s official portal, there is no mention of services that the company offers to non-prime subscribers. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the subscription based membership program may eventually fade out.

Oppo F7 with 25MP AI selfie camera launched: Know price, specifications

The phone would be available in two storage and RAM variants - 64GB/4GB and 128GB/6GB. Price starts at Rs 21,990

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo Mobiles has launched the Oppo F7 in India at a starting price of Rs 21,990. The selfie-centric smartphone boasts a 19:9 aspect ratio screen, artificial intelligence-based camera filters and a mammoth 25-megapixel selfie camera.

In terms of specifications, the Oppo F7 sports a 6.23-inch fullHD+ (2210 x 1080p) screen, with a notch on top, in the 19:9 aspect ratio. It features a MediaTek Helios P60 processor, coupled with the company’s NeuroPilot AI technology. Powering the device is a 3,400 mAh battery. In terms of imaging, the Oppo F7 has a 16-megapixel rear camera and a 25MP high dynamic range (HDR)-enabled front camera assisted by AI.

The selfie camera supports artificial reality-based stickers, along with an enhanced beauty mode.

On the feature side, the phone boots Oppo’s proprietary ColourOS 5.0 based on Google Android 8.0. The Oppo F7 will come with the face unlock feature, along with a fingerprint scanner capable of recognising wet fingers, too. Powering the device is a 3,400mAh battery. The phone would be available in two storage and RAM variants – 64GB/4GB and 128GB/6GB.The phone would go on sale starting April 9. However, there would be a flash sale exclusively on Flipkart and offline retail stores on February 2 with limited stocks.

Here are some of the features of the Oppo F7

• Facial unlock
• 16 AI-based scene recognition
• 16MP rear camera with portrait mode and vivid colour
• 25MP selfie camera
• AI-backed camera features
• Group selfie beautification
• Live video beautification
• AR stickers
• Full screen multitasking (pop-up)

Anna Hazare begins indefinite fast for Lokpal, calls govt 'sly': 10 points

Hazare recently slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre for failing to appoint a Lokpal and fulfilling its promises to farmers

Anna Hazare is back in New Delhi's Ram Lila Maidan today and is set to go on an indefinite hunger strike against the Narendra Modi government, nearly seven years after his anti-corruption movement caught the imagination of millions of Indians and shook the then ruling Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. This time, Hazare's agitation is over not just the Jan Lokpal but also on farmers' issues. Recently, Hazare slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre for failing to appoint a Lokpal and fulfilling its promises to farmers.

Ahead of today's agitation, Hazare also slammed the central government for its "sly attitude", claiming it had "cancelled trains carrying protesters to Delhi".

"This will be a satyagrah for Jan Lokpal, farmers' issues, and poll reforms. At least 1.2 million (12 lakh) farmers have committed suicide in the past 22 years. I want to know the number of industrialists who committed suicide during this period," Hazare said. The venue of his protest will be the same iconic Ram Lila Maidan, where he sat on a hunger strike in 2011 demanding that the then Congress-led government set up a Lokpal to investigate cases of corruption.

Hazare has been pressing for setting up of the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states, besides the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which suggested ways to address the agrarian distress plaguing the country.

Initially, Hazare is set to go to Rajghat on Friday with others. Later, they will reportedly march to Shaheedi Park and from there to Ram Lila Maidan. The day, March 23, has been chosen on purpose as this is the anniversary of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev's hanging to death by the British, said an aide of Hazare's.

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory, warning commuters to avoid taking routes towards Aruna Asaf Ali Road, Delhi Gate, Darya Ganj, New Delhi Railway Station, Ajmeri Gate, Paharganj, ITO, Rajghat, Minto Road, Vivekanand Marg, and JLN Marg. Read more

Apple's 2018 iPhone with 5.85-inch OLED to cost much lower than iPhone X Edit

According to Digitimes research analyst Luke Lin, the next-generation iPhone's manufacturing bill of materials will be over 10 per cent lower than that for iPhone X

The Apple iPhone X was the first smartphone that crossed the $1,000 price mark -- the smartphone was launched at $999 and $1149 for 64GB and $256, respectively. Now, according to Digitimes research analyst Luke Lin, the company would launch a new 5.85-inch iPhone this year with OLED screen that would cost much lower than the iPhone X.

According to Lin, who cited information from Apple's upstream supply chain, the next-generation iPhone’s manufacturing bill for materials will be over 10 per cent lower than that for the iPhone X. He added, that the MBOM of the iPhone X was more than US$400 in 2017.

In the past, Lin also alleged that Apple was preparing for a new inexpensive smartphone similar to the iPhone SE for 2018, featuring the wireless charging functionality, but without 3D-sensing technology.ALSO READ: Apple plans giant high-end iPhone, lower-priced model, aims to boost sales

In 2018, Apple is expected to launch three iPhone models, according to Taiwan-based KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The smartphones are reported to sport screens of sizes between 5.8 inches and 6.2 inches, and different display technologies – OLED and IPS LCD.ALSO READ: It's a secret: How Apple is planning to design and build its own screens

Recently, a leak had emerged showcasing a smaller 4-inch iPhone SE-based design with all-screen display, similar to the one found in iPhone X. Touted as the iPhone SE 2, the smartphone’s design sketches were first reported by a technology portal BGR, which claimed to have received them from a reliable industry source.

Also, a video that recently surfaced on the web showcased a working prototype of the product.

The purported iPhone SE 2 shows an aluminium chassis, similar to the one seen in the original iPhone SE. However, the front showed an all-screen design with an iPhone X-inspired notch. On the back, the leak video also showed a dual-camera set-up placed in a style similar to the iPhone X's.

Flipkart lists Reliance JioFi WiFi hotspot JMR815 at Rs 999: Details here

JioFi 4G WiFi hotspot is capable of attaining a download speed of up to 150Mbps, and upload speed of 50Mbps. It features a circular design and allows up to 32 simultaneous connections

Reliance Jio has added a new 4G LTE hotspot model to its portfolio of JioFi devices. The new model, dubbed the JioFi JMR815, is currently available on Flipkart at a price of Rs 999. However, the JioFi is not yet listed on Jio’s online portal.

The JioFi 4G WiFi hotspot, according to the Flipkart listing page, is capable of attaining a download speed of up to 150Mbps, and upload speed of 50Mbps. The device features a circular design, unlike the oval design of the predecessor.

It allows up to 32 simultaneous connections – 31 WiFi and 1 USB – to connect over Jio’s 4G network for accessing the internet. The device also allows HD voice calls and video calls on non-4G phones via Jio 4G Voice app.

JioFi 4G WiFi hotspot JMR815In terms of features, the device has power buttons, along with WiFi Protected Setup (WPS) button for instant connection. There are notification lights for battery, 4G connectivity and signal strength. It is powered by an ALT3800 processor and supports 4G connectivity at FDD-Band 3, Band 5, and TDD-Band 40 – supported by Reliance Jio.

JioFi 4G WiFi hotspot JMR815The new JioFi hotspot device also sports a a microSD

card slot to augment storage to up to 64GB. The device is powered by a 3,000 mAh battery.

39 Indians killed in Iraq's Mosul; govt didn't listen to survivor in 2015

As many as 40 Indians were originally abducted by the terrorist organisation ISIS in June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq but one of them escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh

As many as 40 Indians were originally abducted by the terrorist organisation ISIS in June 2014 from Mosul in Iraq but one of them escaped by posing as a Muslim from Bangladesh, Swaraj said in a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha. The remaining 39 Indians were taken to Badoosh and killed.

Search operations led to a mound in Badoosh where locals said some bodies were buried by the ISIS. Deep penetration radars were used to establish that the mound indeed was a mass grave, Swaraj said, adding that the Indian authorities requested their Iraqi counterparts to exhume the bodies.

Swaraj said the mass grave had exactly 39 bodies, with distinctive features like long hair, non-Iraqi shoes, and IDs. The bodies were then sent to Baghdad for DNA testing.

DNA testing by Martyrs Foundation has established the identity of 38 Indians while there has been 70 per cent matching of the DNA for the 39th person, she said.

Here are the top 10 developments around the

All the 39 Indians who were abducted by ISIS in Iraq nearly three years ago were killed, and their bodies had been recovered, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday. Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh will be flying to Iraq to bring back their mortal remains to India on a special flight.

killing of the 39 Indians in Iraq's Mosul by the ISIS:

1) Hopes of families of those killed in Iraq dashed

The news of death of two youths from this district, who were among the 39 missing Indians in Iraq, has shell-shocked their family members in villages Jaitpur and Chhauni Kalan.

Kamaljit Singh of village Chhauni Kalan went to Iraq in 2014 to earn for his family, his younger brother Parwinder Singh Lucky said.

Kamaljit Singh is survived by wife Harwinder Kaur, a son and a daughter, he said.

The family approached Sushma Swaraj, Union External Affairs Minister, nine times to know about the fate of Kamaljit Singh, Lucky said claiming "she did not given a suitable reply". (more)

KCR meets Mamata Banerjee to discuss non-BJP, non-Congress 'federal front'

Rao had recently said a non-Congress and non-BJP front should be formed in the country, as he called for a "qualitative change" in politics

Telangana CM KCR (K Chandrasekhara Rao's) idea of creating a federal front with non-BJP and non-Congress political parties at the national level has received a hint of positive response with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee terming their meeting in Kolkata on Monday as a good beginning.

"We have relations with many political parties and if we can do something together, it is good for the country" Mamata Banerjee said at a joint press conference after an hour-long meeting with KCR, who flew to Kolkata in a special flight to discuss the formation of federal front with her earlier in the day.

Rao said the idea behind federal front was to provide an alternate political model for the country and they would discuss with other leaders to forge a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance under a collective leadership in the days to come.

Rao-Banerjee meeting comes as a first concrete step towards bringing together like-minded leaders and parties in various states. Earlier, Rao had spoken with some of the other leaders over phone.

He is expected to make similar visits to other states to meet other leaders, including Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, according to his party men.

Preparations are also on to formally declare the formation of a federal front at Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS) plenary meeting on April 27. Rao will be personally inviting the potential federal front partners at this event.

Fodder scam: Lalu Prasad convicted, to move High Court: Top 10 developments

The fourth fodder scam case is related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 31.3 million from Dumka treasury in 1990s

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court on Monday convicted former Bihar chief minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (CM) Lalu Prasad in the multi-billion fourth fodder case, but acquitted another former CM, Jagannath Mishra. The fodder scam case is related to the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 31.3 million (Rs 3.13 crore) from Dumka treasury in 1990s.

The quantum of sentence in the Lalu Prasad Yadav fodder scam case will be pronounced later, according to Lalu Prasad’s lawyer. Judge Shuvapal Singh delivered the judgment in the case involving fraudulent withdrawal of money between December 1995 and January 1996 from the Dumka treasury. The verdict, scheduled on March 15, was deferred four times.

The court had earlier postponed the judgement in view of Lalu Prasad's counsel filing a petition under 319 CrPC asking that the then three officials of the Accountant General (in the 1990s) be made party to the case. Section 319 Cr PC is invoked when there is some strong and cogent evidence against the accused.

Lalu Prasad was convicted in the first fodder scam case in 2013 and awarded five years in jail. He was convicted in the second case on December 23, 2017 and given three-and-a-half years imprisonment. Conviction in the third fodder scam case on January 24 got him another five-year jail term. The bulk of the cases were transferred to Ranchi after Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in 2000.

The over Rs 9 billion (Rs 900 crore) fodder scam cases relate to illegal withdrawal of money from the government treasury in different districts in the animal husbandry department in undivided Bihar in 1990s, when RJD was ruling the state.

Here are the top 10 developments of Lalu Prasad fourth fodder scam case:1. Lalu to move High Court in fodder scam The decision on moving to the High Court in connection with the conviction of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad will be taken after the quantum of the sentence pronounced in the fodder scam case, his lawyer said on Monday.After Lalu's conviction, his lawyer Prabhat Kumar said: "The sentencing will be pronounced on Friday and it is only after the quantum of punishment we will decide on moving the high court in the case."

2. Lalu Prasad convicted: The CBI convicted Lalu Prasad today in the case RC 38A/96 for illegal withdrawal of Rs 31.3 million (3.13 crore) from Dumka treasury in the 1990s. There were 31 accused in this case, of which 19 were convicted and 12 acquitted. Lalu Prasad has been convicted in four cases of fodder scam so far.

Lalu Prasad is already serving a jail term of 13.5 years in three fodder cases and lodged in the Birsa Munda jail in Ranchi. The 69-year-old RJD chief has been in Ranchi's Birsa Munda jail since December 23, 2017, after being convicted in the second fodder scam case involving the illegal withdrawal of Rs 8.927 million (Rs 89.27 lakh) from the Deogarh treasury 21 years ago.

3. Lalu Prasad wasn’t present in court: The judge delivered the case alphabetically but Lalu Prasad reached the court after the verdict was delivered, however, his lawyer was present during the verdict.

Lalu Prasad was admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) on Saturday after he complained of constipation. His lawyer was present when the verdict came.

4. Jagannath Mishra acquitted: Jagannath Mishra was present in the court in Ranchi. The CBI, for the second time, acquitted former chief minister Jagannath Mishra in the fodder scam case. Both Lalu Prasad and Jagannath Mishra are facing five cases each in the fodder scam in Ranchi.

5. CBI accused 3 former Bihar account generals: The special CBI court, on Friday, had accused three Bihar accountant generals in the fourth fodder scam case.

The court had issued summons to former Bihar accountant general P K Mukhopadhyay, former deputy Accountant General B N Jha and former senior director general of accounts office Pramod Kumar on the request of Prasad, who had sought a trial against the three former bureaucrats.

6. ‘Modi playing some game’: Reacting to the judgement, RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said: "There were four conspirators in the case and three including Mishra have been acquitted.

Apple iPhone SE 2 video leak shows small iPhone X-like screen, dual cameras

The purported iPhone SE 2 shows aluminium chassis, similar to the one seen in original model, dual-camera set-up on the back and all-screen iPhone X-like design on the front

Apple, the Cupertino-based software and technology giant, is expected to launch three iPhone X-based smartphones this year, according to Taiwan-based KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The smartphones are reported to sport 5.8-inch-6.2-inch screen sizes and different display technologies – OLED and IPS LCD.

However, a new leak has emerged showcasing a smaller 4-inch iPhone SE-based design with all-screen display, similar to the one found in iPhone X. Touted as iPhone SE 2, the smartphone’s design sketches were first reported by a technology portal BGR, which claimed to have received them from a reliable industry source.

Soon, a video surfaced on the web that showcased a working prototype of the product.

The purported iPhone SE 2 shows aluminium chassis, similar to the one seen in original iPhone SE. However, the front shows an all-screen-based design with an iPhone X-inspired notch. On the back, the leak video also shows dual-camera set-up, placed in similar style as found in iPhone X.

In the past, a report by Luke Lin, analyst at Digitimes Research, also alleged that Apple is preparing for a new inexpensive smartphone similar to the iPhone SE for 2018, featuring the wireless charging functionality, but not 3D sensing.

The iPhone SE 2 design and sketches contradicts previous information shared by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which stated that Apple would launch three new iPhones this year – two with OLED display, while the other one with an LCD display – featuring screen size not smaller than 5.8-inch.