United News of Bangladesh

The inventive smartphone brand Vivo launched the vivo T4 Ultra, a midrange flagship, on June 11, 2025, in India. Packed with high-end features, the uniquely designed phone is an instant head-turner. The phone extends the reputation of Vivo’s T-series models, coming as one of the most well-rounded products from its manufacturer. Here is a detailed feature-by-feature description of the vivo T4 Ultra with an effort to delve deeper into its configuration, performance, pros, cons and pricing in Bangladesh. Key Specs and Features of the Vivo T4 Ultra The vivo T4 Ultra, drawing forth the efficiency granted by its robust processor and other compatible chipsets and features, seeks to cater to the demands of power users. Since the Pixel 7 Pro, the Galaxy S24 FE 5G, and the iQOO Neo 10, the T4 Ultra are remarkable additions to the higher mid-segment. Design The vivo T4 Ultra measures 6.32 inches by 2.95 inches by 0.30 inches dimensionally, coming a few mm shorter than the Galaxy S24 FE 5G and the iQOO Neo 10. Available in two colour variants, each with discernible design patterns: Phoenix Gold with a glittering back and Meteor Grey with a solid, minimal back design. The rear panel of the Phoenix Gold variant is styled with a feather pattern that shimmers dynamically when light is projected from different angles. The Meteor Grey, on the other hand, has a flat, polished rear surface that glows under light with a soft gleam. Read more: Infinix GT 30 Pro Review: Best Budget Gaming Phone with Flagship Features in 2025 The rear camera panel is a giant vertical ellipse, which may remind you of a vintage wall clock. A circular cutout at the top of the ellipse houses two primary lenses. There is another lens placed below the circle. Near the bottom of the ellipse, a ring flashlight is placed. The fingerprint sensor is in-display, located near the bottom. Users will find all the essential buttons and ports, apart from a 3.5mm audio jack, around the phone's sides. Display The vivo T4 Ultra uses a 6.67-inch AMOLED display, which is the current market norm for higher-mid-range smartphones. The pixels on the display are balancedly distributed, keeping a resolution of 1260 x 2800 pixels and a density of 460 ppi. Its peak brightness level of 5000 nits distinguishes it from the other choices. The display is highly touch-responsive at a 120 Hz refresh rate and gives precision when controlling motion graphics. Apart from the linear punch-hole cutout on the top, the screen extends throughout the front surface. The bezel and chin around the screen are maintained to the minimum extent, allowing for a spacious visual window. Rendered graphics look crisp and bright equally under direct or low lights with adjusted brightness. Read more: Basic to Flagship: Top 5 Official Smartphones Released in Bangladesh in 2025 Camera The vivo T4 Ultra sports a 50MP primary camera setup. Its powerful 50MP periscope lens sets the new standard for phones at this price, going beyond the Google Pixel 7’s 48MP periscope shooter. The setup also includes an 8MP ultrawide lens that helps capture panoramic shots, sprinkling balance all over. It’s a clear upgrade over the iQOO Neo 10’s simple 50MP wide and 8MP ultrawide camera module. The vivo T4 Ultra offers a 32MP wide secondary lens for selfie lovers. Photography with the phone is set for a good experience with features like 3X zoom, AI enhancements, OIS support, and detailed macro images. This makes it the only option available to confront the camera-centric Pixel 7’s renown. All lenses perform noticeably better in daylight and brighter settings. Darkness nudges down the usual sharpness from the images and smoothens the overall features to fill in missing details.  Read more: Xiaomi Redmi Turbo 4 Pro Review: Can It Survive the Competition? Hardware and Software The Vivo T4 Ultra outperforms the Galaxy S24 FE 5G and the Pixel 7 Pro, as the latter two are based on older chips. With T4 Ultra, you will get a last-generation 4nm Dimensity 9300+ chipset, which accompanies an Immortalis-G720 MC12 GPU and up to 12GB of RAM. Combined, these features contribute to outstanding performance. Playing graphically demanding games like Genshin Impact and PUBG will feel effortless without putting you through lag or slow movements. The phone, though, falls short of reaching the level of performance delivered by the iQOO Neo 10 with its Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 and up to 16GB RAM. The Vivo T4 Ultra runs on Funtouch 15, the native customized operating system built on the stock Android 15. The Funtouch OS is popular for letting users personalize their phone’s navigational outlines, empowering ease of use and better appearance. There are a few promotional bloatware programs that are uninstallable on wish. Battery and Charger The phone presents a 5500 mAh Silicon-Carbon battery, which is already a great leap forward compared to the Pixel 7 Pro’s 5000 mAh and Galaxy S23 FE 5G’s Lithium-Ion cells. However, considering the high energy-consuming features and the current market trend, a 7000 mAh battery would be more appreciable for the phone, just as we have seen in the iQOO Neo 10. To compensate for fast power drainage during heavy gaming sessions, users will get a 90W wired charger that takes only 48 minutes to replenish the battery. A reverse charging facility is also included. Read more: vivo iQoo Z10 Turbo Review: Is It the Mid-Range Beast You Are Looking For? Price of vivo T4 Ultra in Bangladesh The vivo T4 Ultra is still not available in Bangladesh. Multiple variants of the phone are available in India, starting from (8/256 GB) INR 37,999 or BDT 53,590. Pros and Cons of vivo T4 Ultra . Pros - Stylish, premium design with unique finishes- Bright AMOLED display- 5000 nits peak brightness- Robust camera setup- Dimensity 9300+ and up to 12GB RAM- 90W fast charging- 5500mAh Silicon-Carbon battery- Reverse charging support- Runs Android 15 with customizable Funtouch OS. Cons - No 3.5mm headphone jack- Demands for higher battery capacity- Low-light photography could be sharper- Some pre-installed bloatware. Read more: Motorola Edge 60 Pro Review: Know the Pros and Cons Conclusion The vivo T4 Ultra is a stylish, performance-focused midrange flagship with a stunning AMOLED display, powerful Dimensity 9300+ chipset, and a standout 50MP periscope camera. With 90W fast charging, Android 15, and unique design variants, it offers excellent value, though it could benefit from better low-light photography and larger battery capacity.

Imagine spending more than 50 days living and working hundreds of miles above the Earth. That has been the real-life experience of China’s Shenzhou-20 astronauts — Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie — aboard the Tiangong Space Station. Far from a peaceful retreat, their mission has been a busy one. A short video released Monday by China’s state broadcaster CCTV offered a glimpse into their “space business trip,” highlighting a packed schedule filled with scientific experiments, routine health monitoring, and maintenance work — all essential tasks to support future space exploration efforts. According to a report by CCTV, the three astronauts are in good health, and the various space science experiments are progressing steadily. Led by experienced astronaut Chen Dong, the crew began their six-month mission after launching into orbit on April 24. Space station leak concerns can delay astronaut visit from India, Poland, Hungary Over the past week, they devoted substantial time to space medicine research. During their research, they have explored fundamental aspects of cognitive function in microgravity, focusing on teamwork dynamics, self-awareness in isolation and how astronauts perceive motion, depth, and relationships absent Earth's gravity. These studies are critical for ensuring safe operations during spacewalks and complex tasks. In addition, they also conducted routine vascular ultrasound scans tracked changes in cardiovascular function over time and used apparatus to capture subtle changes in control and coordination during precise tasks like equipment operation or sample handling, according to the report. On the front of life science, they focused on the "effects and mechanisms of space microgravity on microorganisms" experiment. The video showed that in Tiangong's specialized biotechnology experiment rack, the crew observed the growth, developmental patterns, and bioactive compound synthesis of Streptomyces bacteria in weightlessness. This research is expected to reveal new biological adaptations and potential applications for space-based pharmaceutical research. The crew carefully sampled liquid cultures, preserving the samples for their eventual journey back to Earth. Another highlight of their daily routine, in addition to the meticulous space station upkeep, is their rigorous exercise to counter the physical toll of microgravity. The video captures the astronauts running on a treadmill in the space module. Beyond exercise, the crew undergoes regular checkups like detailed heart monitoring and blood pressure tracking. They also participate in unique health assessments based on traditional Chinese medicine principles, according to the report. China's space station has now hosted over 200 scientific projects, with nearly 2 tonnes of scientific materials and applied equipment sent to orbit and nearly 100 experimental samples returned to Earth, according to the China Manned Space Agency.  

WhatsApp said Monday that users will start seeing ads in parts of the app, as owner Meta Platforms moves to cultivate a new revenue stream by tapping the billions of people that use the messaging service. Advertisements will be shown only in the app's Updates tab, which is used by as many as 1.5 billion people each day. However, they won't appear where personal chats are located, developers said. “The personal messaging experience on WhatsApp isn’t changing, and personal messages, calls and statuses are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be used to show ads,” WhatsApp said in a blog post. It’s a big change for the company, whose founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton vowed to keep the platform free of ads when they created it in 2009. Facebook purchased WhatsApp in 2014 and the pair left a few years later. Parent company Meta Platforms Inc. has long been trying to generate revenue from WhatsApp. WhatsApp said ads will be targeted to users based on information like their age, the country or city where they're located, the language they're using, the channels they're following in the app, and how they're interacting with the ads they see. WhatsApp said it won't use personal messages, calls and groups that a user is a member of to target ads to the user. It's one of three advertising features that WhatsApp unveiled on Monday as it tries to monetize the app's user base. Channels will also be able to charge users a monthly fee for subscriptions so they can get exclusive updates. And business owners will be able to pay to promote their channel's visibility to new users. Most of Meta's revenue comes from ads. In 2025, the Menlo Park, California-based company's revenue totaled $164.5 billion and $160.6 billion of it came from advertising.

Infinix is a brand known for delivering high-performance smartphones at budget-friendly prices, and it has made waves with its GT series focused on mobile gaming. The Infinix GT 30 Pro, launched on June 1, 2025, continues this trend with powerful specs and gamer-centric features.  Features of the Infinix GT 30 Pro . Design and Build Quality The Infinix GT 30 Pro keeps its gamer-centric appeal with a distinctive "cyber-mecha" aesthetic, customizable RGB LED strips, and well-thought-out ergonomics for handheld gaming. The body is made from a glass front with a plastic frame and back, weighing a reasonable 189 grams.  It feels lightweight yet sturdy in hand, with IP64-rated resistance for dust and water splashes—an upgrade from the GT 20 Pro’s IP54, though still a notch below the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro’s IP65 and Realme 14’s full IP68/IP69 protection. The side frame houses pressure-sensitive gaming triggers, giving the GT 30 Pro a clear advantage for gamers who prefer tactile input. While this is not entirely new—its predecessor offered a similar experience—the layout and responsiveness have improved.  Read more: Basic to Flagship: Top 5 Official Smartphones Released in Bangladesh in 2025 Comparatively, the Realme 14 and iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro lack such dedicated gaming hardware, relying solely on screen touch for interaction. For gaming-focused users, this design tweak delivers real functional value. Display Quality  Infinix has gone all out on display specs here. The GT 30 Pro sports a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate, 1 billion colours, and an astonishing peak brightness of 4500 nits. It is easily one of the brightest displays in its class and provides an excellent viewing experience under any lighting condition. The 1224x2720 resolution and ~440 PPI density make content sharp and fluid. Compared to the GT 20 Pro’s 1080p panel at 1300 nits and the realme 14’s 120Hz AMOLED with 2000 nits, the GT 30 Pro clearly stands out. Even the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro, with its superior 1260x2800 resolution and HDR-ready 144Hz display, only marginally edges past in pixel density (~453 PPI) but not in raw brightness.  When factoring in price, the GT 30 Pro's panel punches way above its weight class and offers a near-flagship visual experience, especially during gaming or media consumption. Read more: Xiaomi Redmi Turbo 4 Pro Review: Can It Survive the Competition? Camera Performance The Infinix GT 30 Pro is equipped with a dual rear camera setup — a 108 MP (f/1.9) main shooter and an 8 MP (f/2.2; 111˚ ultrawide) ultrawide lens. The main sensor performs solidly in daylight with crisp detail and accurate colour reproduction.  However, it lacks OIS (optical image stabilisation), which becomes apparent in low-light scenarios where the images show grain and motion blur. The 8MP ultrawide camera is usable but not spectacular, mainly serving as a utility lens.  Compared to the GT 20 Pro, which also has a 108 MP primary sensor but with OIS and additional macro and depth cameras, the GT 30 Pro loses some ground in versatility and stability. realme 14 offers a single 50MP sensor with OIS that does surprisingly well in all conditions, while the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro boasts a 50MP wide camera with both PDAF, OIS, and 8MP ultrawide camera producing clearer, more stabilised shots and better video quality. The 13 MP front-facing camera on the GT 30 Pro offers decent selfies, with acceptable skin tone processing and 4K @ 30 fps video support—another spec where it surpasses the competition, especially Realme 14's 1080p-only selfie cam. Read more: vivo iQoo Z10 Turbo Review: Is It the Mid-Range Beast You Are Looking For? Processor Performance At the heart of the GT 30 Pro is the new MediaTek Dimensity 8350 Ultimate chipset, built on a 4nm process. It includes a powerful octa-core CPU (3.35 GHz prime core) and Mali-G615 MC6 GPU. Performance is excellent for the price, offering smooth multitasking and rapid app loads.  When benchmarked, it outpaces the Dimensity 8200 Ultimate in the GT 20 Pro, especially in sustained workloads. However, the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro’s Qualcomm SM8735 Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip is a step above. It uses a Cortex-X4 prime core and Adreno 825 GPU, which perform better under stress, particularly for heavy multitasking and 3D gaming.  Realme 14’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 falls behind all three in CPU and GPU performance, making it the least powerful in this comparison. For most users, especially gamers and content creators, the GT 30 Pro provides more than enough raw processing power for both everyday and intensive tasks. Gaming Performance Gaming is where the GT 30 Pro truly shines. The high-refresh-rate screen, advanced cooling, and dedicated triggers create a performance-focused setup. The pressure-sensitive zones allow customisable in-game control, which can be mapped to shoot, aim, or other actions in FPS games. Bypass Charging 2 reduces thermal strain during long gaming sessions, preventing throttling while preserving battery health. Read more: Motorola Edge 60 Pro Review: Know the Pros and Cons Compared to the GT 20 Pro, which offered similar gaming features without bypass charging and with slightly less thermal efficiency, the GT 30 Pro is a noticeable upgrade. While iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro edges ahead in raw gaming frame rates due to its stronger GPU, it lacks the dedicated hardware gaming triggers. realme 14 simply is not built for gaming at the same level. It offers decent performance but has no dedicated hardware or cooling features. Battery Life The GT 30 Pro offers a massive 5200 mAh or 5500 mAh battery, which supports 45W wired, 30W wireless, 10W reverse wired, and 5W reverse wireless charging. It also features bypass charging—a godsend for gamers. The battery easily lasts over a day under mixed use, and even heavy gaming does not deplete it drastically. The GT 20 Pro, by contrast, has a smaller 5000 mAh battery with no wireless or reverse charging features. realme 14 features a 6000 mAh battery with 45 W fast charging and bypass support but lacks wireless capabilities. iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro leads the pack in raw charging speed with a 7000 mAh battery and insane 120 W wired charging—charging to 50% in just 15 minutes. Here, iQoo offers the biggest battery while Infinix wins on charging versatility with both wireless and reverse features, making it more flexible than its competitors. Read more: Best 10 Smartphones Releasing in May 2025 Software and User Interface The GT 30 Pro ships with Android 15 and XOS 15. It guarantees two major OS updates, which is decent but still trails behind flagship standards. XOS is feature-rich, especially for gamers, thanks to its XArena gaming mode, trigger customisation, and performance tuning. However, it suffers from the typical drawbacks of bloatware and occasional UI inconsistencies. The GT 20 Pro had similar issues on Android 14 XOS 14, so while the UI has improved, it is not a revolution. Compared to Android 15 OriginOS 5 on the iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro and Android 15 Realme UI 6.0 on the Realme 14, Infinix's XOS feels more feature-heavy but less polished.  Vivo’s and Realme’s UIs are cleaner, smoother, and more optimised for day-to-day use, although they lack some of the deep gaming tools that XOS offers. Storage Options Infinix GT 30 Pro does not hold back in the memory department. With up to 12GB RAM and 512GB UFS 4.0 storage, it competes aggressively. The storage is blazing fast and perfect for gamers and power users alike. Read more: vivo V50 Lite Review: Does it offer value-for-money GT 20 Pro offers the same RAM but tops out at UFS 3.1 storage, meaning slower app loads and file transfers. The iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro offers even higher specs (up to 16GB RAM/512GB storage and UFS 4.1), making it ideal for multitaskers and streamers. Realme 14 maxes out at 12GB RAM and 512GB storage but uses older memory tech. In this regard, GT 30 Pro hits a sweet spot of affordability and performance with modern storage solutions that most users will appreciate. Pros and Cons of Infinix GT 30 Pro . Pros  - 6.78-inch AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate.- Super bright screen (up to 4500 nits).- Powerful Dimensity 8350 Ultimate chipset.- 8GB/12GB RAM with UFS 4.0 storage.- 108 MP main camera for sharp photos.- Dual stereo speakers tuned by JBL.- Large 5200/ 5500 mAh battery.- Fast 45W wired and 30W wireless charging.- Bypass charging for better gaming thermals.- Pressure-sensitive gaming triggers.- RGB back panel adds unique design flair.- NFC and infrared ports included.- Under-display fingerprint scanner.- Android 15 with gaming-focused XOS 15. Read more: Tecno Camon 40 Pro Review: Is It Worth It? Cons - Only IP64 rating (dust and splash proof, not waterproof).- No 3.5mm headphone jack.- No microSD card slot for storage expansion.- Slight software bloat with XOS skin.- Plastic build may feel less premium.- Ultrawide and low-light camera quality could be better. Price of Infinix GT 30 Pro The official price of the Infinix GT 30 Pro in Bangladesh is BDT 41,999 for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage variant. Takeaways The Infinix GT 30 Pro is ideal for mobile gamers and power users who want top-tier performance without overspending. However, if camera quality or water resistance is your top priority, or you need a headphone jack, this phone might not be the best fit for you. Read more: Infinix Note 50 Pro Plus Review: Is it a value-for-money midrange smartphone?

Google says its latest artificial intelligence upgrade to Search will revitalize the internet. But critics fear it could devastate the open web and change how we access online information forever. One thing is certain: a turning point for the internet is rapidly approaching. Welcome to what some are calling the dawn of the "machine web." For decades, the internet has operated on a basic understanding—websites allow search engines like Google to index their content for free, and in return, Google drives users to those websites, helping them generate revenue through ads and sales. It’s a system that has sustained countless online businesses and independent content creators. Roughly 68% of online activity begins on a search engine, and Google dominates with a 90% market share. If the web is a garden, Google has long been its source of sunlight. But this relationship may soon shift. At Google’s developer conference on May 20, 2025, CEO Sundar Pichai unveiled a major update to Search—AI Mode, a new feature that promises a “total reimagining” of how people search online. Unlike existing AI Overviews that supplement traditional search results, AI Mode offers chatbot-style answers that often eliminate the need to click on links altogether. Search experts warn that this could slash web traffic to independent publishers and news sites, upending the economic foundation of the open internet. "If AI Mode becomes the default, it could drastically reduce the revenue of online publishers who depend on organic traffic,” says Lily Ray, SEO strategist at marketing firm Amsive. “Millions of websites could be affected. Google has all the power in this situation.” Google, however, insists the new tools are beneficial. The company claims AI Mode will enhance the search experience, broaden the range of queries users can make, and still support content discovery. “We send billions of clicks to websites daily, and that remains a priority,” a Google spokesperson told the BBC. “AI Mode opens new doors for people to find and engage with online content.” Even so, there is widespread agreement that the look and function of the internet is about to change dramatically. Whether that’s good or bad remains to be seen. Threat to the Open WebWhile the internet isn’t going away, the way we navigate it is undergoing a seismic shift. Social media remains strong and subscription-based content is thriving, but it’s the “open web”—the vast space of freely accessible, independent websites—that some fear is endangered. Taiwan places Huawei and SMIC on export control list amid growing tech tensions Such concerns aren’t new. In 2010, Wired magazine famously declared “The Web is Dead.” Since then, the rise of smartphones, apps, and social media has sparked similar predictions. But experts now warn that Google’s AI Mode is unlike any previous disruption. “I wouldn’t say websites will go extinct,” says Barry Adams of SEO consultancy Polemic Digital. “But ‘decimated’ is the right word.” Google disagrees. It maintains that AI Overviews have already increased engagement by leading users to a broader array of sites and encouraging deeper interaction with the content they click on. Still, it hasn’t released hard data to support these claims. And while Google asserts that AI tools include source links, critics argue users are less likely to click on them if they get complete answers upfront. Data seems to back this up: some studies suggest click-through rates have dropped by 30% to 70% for certain types of queries. Meanwhile, over 60% of Google searches now reportedly end without a single link being clicked. A Shrinking Revenue StreamThe concern is not just about declining traffic—it’s about a system-wide impact on how content is produced, distributed, and discovered. If AI Mode becomes the default search experience, it could double the decline in web traffic because traditional search results would disappear entirely. "Clicks to the web from Google could be cut in half, even in a best-case scenario," says Adams. “For some online publishers, that difference could mean survival or bankruptcy.” Gisele Navarro, editor of the product review site HouseFresh, says the shift is already hurting smaller sites. “We’re seeing our search impressions go up, but actual clicks are going down,” she says. “AI is answering users’ questions before they ever reach us.” Navarro believes this trend threatens to shrink the diversity of content people can find online. “It’s like asking a librarian for a book and being told the summary instead,” she says. “That sense of the web as a public library is disappearing.” Google says it’s committed to the web’s future. Nick Fox, senior VP of Search, recently said that the volume of web content has grown 45% over the past two years, not including spam, and that user engagement remains strong. Speaking with AI: Best Free Apps for English Speaking Practice Yet many online businesses say the damage is already happening. Sites like HouseFresh that once relied on Google's algorithm for steady traffic are now struggling, as Google appears to prioritize big brands—and now, AI answers—over independent voices. Navarro is blunt: “Google made the rules and rewarded players for years. Now they’re changing the game without warning. I think it will destroy the open web as we know it. Maybe it already has.” Enter the Machine WebWhat lies ahead is a new digital ecosystem that some are calling the "machine web"—a version of the internet where content is created for machines, not people, and users rely on AI summaries instead of browsing pages. Demis Hassabis, head of Google DeepMind, predicts that publishers may soon prioritize feeding content directly into AI models, potentially bypassing traditional websites entirely. That may create a streamlined, always-on information system. But it could also mean the end of spontaneous discovery—the rabbit holes, the unexpected gems, the diversity of thought that have defined the web for decades. In a recent podcast, Sundar Pichai acknowledged the magnitude of change ahead. “Ultimately, it depends on what users want,” he said. But Dame Wendy Hall, a pioneer of web science, offered a cautionary note: “I’m not worried because change is natural. Something new will come. But for many people, it might be too late by the time it arrives.” Source: With inputs from BBC   

Taiwan’s Commerce Ministry has added Chinese tech giants Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to its export control list, reflecting rising trade and technology tensions between Taiwan, China, and the United States. Being listed as part of Taiwan’s “strategic high-tech commodities” control measures means Taiwanese businesses must now obtain special licenses before exporting products to these companies. The list also includes groups such as the Taliban, al-Qaeda, and various entities in China, Iran, and other regions. The updated list was released on Sunday, though neither Huawei nor SMIC has issued a statement regarding their inclusion. Both Huawei and SMIC are already under U.S. sanctions. They are developing China’s most advanced AI chips as part of Beijing’s strategy to compete with American tech firms like Nvidia and to reduce reliance on foreign chip supplies amid international export restrictions. Taiwan plays a key role in global semiconductor production and is home to the world’s largest chipmaker, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), which supplies major players like Nvidia. In November, the U.S. directed TSMC to stop delivering certain high-end chips to Chinese clients, further tightening controls on China's access to leading-edge technologies. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out using force to bring it under its control. Meanwhile, the United States remains Taiwan’s most important unofficial ally and arms supplier.

NASCAR fans have grown accustomed to seeing speed, throttle and braking on broadcasts for years. There has been one measurement, though, that has eluded networks and viewers for years. Until now. Viewers of the Prime Video races have been able to see fuel usage with the introduction of the Burn Bar. Race teams have measured burn rates and fuel levels down to the last ounce for years, but the methodology has been kept secret for competitive reasons. Prime Video, though, developed an AI tool using car data available to broadcasters and teams that can measure miles per gallon. The Burn Bar made a brief appearance during Prime's first broadcast, the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. It has been used more frequently the past two weeks and will be deployed again on Sunday during the race in Mexico City. NASCAR on Prime analyst Steve Letarte, a former crew chief for Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., contributed to the development of the Burn Bar and sees it as the first step in taking race analysis to a new level. Speaking with AI: Best Free Apps for English Speaking Practice “It’s the first true tool that is taking information off the car, making calculations and then displaying to the fan a calculation or measurement that is being used in the garage. And it does affect the team,” he said. “There’s not a sensor on the car giving us miles per gallon. It’s a mathematical calculation of other cars performances.” The AI model analyzes thousands of performance data per second, including a range of in-car telemetry signals, RPMs, throttle and optical tracking of each car’s position. The model then evaluates each driver’s fuel consumption and efficiency throughout the race. Letarte worked with Prime Video “Thursday Night Football Prime Vision" analyst Sam Schwartzstein and Amazon Web Services during the process. They came up with four methodologies that were tested during the first part of the season, which was broadcast by Fox. Schwartzstein and Letarte would then get the data from teams after races to see how close they were until they picked one that worked the best. The Burn Bar received its toughest test during last week's race at Michigan as the final 48 laps were run without a caution flag. Most teams made their final pit stops with 50 laps to go, meaning teams were going to be down to the end of their fuel runs at the checkered flag. “We projected William Byron to run out, which he did, and then we were on the razor’s edge for Denny Hamlin. And then watching the truck push him back into victory lane at the end, knowing he was as close as we thought he was. What a cool way to see this feature come to life and elevate NASCAR broadcasts,” Schwartzstein said. Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports, also sees the Burn Bar as the first tool of many that Amazon and Prime Video can develop for its coverage. Prime Video is in the first year of a seven-year agreement to carry five races per season. “It’s really cool to live in a world where it shows us that anything is possible. We’re starting with something that we’re really excited about, but it’s setting us down a path that will open up new doors for us,” he said. “I think that’s what we’re really excited about is to say, ‘OK, we’ve had success in Year 1 on a feature that’s resonated with fans right out of the gate.’ It raises the table for our offseason.” Meta invests $14.3B in AI firm Scale and recruits its CEO for 'superintelligence' team After Sunday's race in Mexico City, Prime Video's coverage for this season wraps up with the race at Pocono on June 22.

Want to speak English confidently? Whether it is for work, study, or travel, strong speaking skills can make a big difference. But you do not always need a tutor — AI apps are changing the way we learn languages. With free, smart tools available on your phone, you can practise speaking anytime, anywhere. In this article, we explore the best free AI-powered apps to improve your English speaking skills quickly and effectively.  Top 10 Free AI Apps for English Speaking Practice . Loora AI Loora AI is a powerful AI English-speaking app designed to help users build fluency through guided conversations and real-time feedback. With its highly accurate speech recognition, Loora provides instant corrections and pronunciation coaching, making it feel like having a private tutor in your pocket.  Learners love its stress-free, judgement-free environment and the wide variety of conversation topics it offers. While it lacks human interaction, its constant availability makes up for it. The only downside is that advanced features require a subscription. Still, with a 4.8 rating on the Google Play Store, Loora stands out as an effective tool for speaking improvement.  Read more: Everyday Habits to Learn English Successfully Rosetta Stone  Rosetta Stone shines as the go-to app for immersive language learning, especially when it comes to improving English speaking skills. Built on the idea of learning through real-life context, it uses AI-driven tools and native speaker audio to simulate real conversations. Its clean, user-friendly interface and bite-sized lessons make it easy to stay consistent.  Users especially praise the immersive feel, which helps boost both confidence and comprehension. While it lacks detailed explanations for wrong answers and does not offer strong progress reminders, its overall impact is undeniable. With a solid 4.6 Google Play rating, Rosetta Stone remains a favourite for serious learners.  Babbel Babbel stands out for its structured and practical approach to English learning, blending grammar, vocabulary, and conversation into a seamless experience. The app focuses on real-life scenarios, using short, clear lessons and adaptive review features to help users retain what they learn. It is ideal for learners with some prior knowledge who want a more challenging and professional feel.  While the subscription cost is higher than some alternatives, users praise its well-organised content, repetition techniques, and live classes. Some languages offer more content than others, but overall, Babbel is a reliable platform with a 3.9 Google Play rating and strong user satisfaction.  Read more: Best Free Websites to Improve English Writing Skill Duolingo Duolingo makes learning English fun, engaging, and easy to stick with—especially for beginners. Its colourful interface, gamified lessons, and daily streak tracker keep users motivated while they build their vocabulary and grammar basics. The app uses spaced repetition to reinforce learning and even offers podcasts for skill enhancement.  However, it falls short in speaking and real-life conversation practice, making it less ideal for advanced learners. Still, its free version offers great value, and the premium plans are affordable. With a 4.5 rating on Google Play Store, Duolingo is a fantastic starting point for anyone beginning their English-speaking journey.  ChatGPT  ChatGPT is a surprisingly effective tool for practising English conversations, even though it was not specifically designed for language learning. Its ability to generate natural, human-like responses makes it perfect for learners wanting to simulate real-life dialogue. With a 4.5 Google Play rating, ChatGPT is a smart companion for conversational growth. You can chat about almost any topic, get instant replies, and even use the “speak” feature to work on pronunciation. While it does not offer progress tracking or traditional lesson structures, its flexibility and responsiveness make it a favourite for personalised practice. Many users love how it helps build vocabulary in context.  Read more: Top 10 Football Live Streaming Apps for iOS and Android in 2025 Talkpal With a 4.4 rating on Google Play Store, Talkpal is a strong contender for fluency training. TalkPal offers an AI-powered language learning experience centred around real-life role-play scenarios. It is especially effective for improving speaking skills, thanks to real-time feedback and personalised sessions that adjust based on your progress.  The app allows users to practise conversations in a flexible, interactive way, simulating human-like tutoring. While vocabulary retention methods could be stronger and the style may not suit everyone, many users praise its natural conversation features and 24/7 accessibility. The chat-based format and tailored approach make it a convenient choice for language learners.  Makes You Fluent Makes You Fluent offers an AI tutor that feels like chatting with a real person, providing instant feedback to help learners improve their English speaking skills. The app features level-based dialogue games and vocabulary lists, making it great for casual conversation practice in a stress-free environment.  With 24/7 availability, you can practise anytime without waiting for a human tutor. Users appreciate how the AI corrects mistakes and helps conversations flow naturally. While it lacks human interaction and advanced customisation, its ease of use and personalised learning plans have earned it a solid 4.4 rating on Google Play Store.  Read more: How to Get Traffic Updates in Dhaka: Useful Apps and Sources Lingvist Lingvist is an AI-powered app focused on rapid vocabulary acquisition through spaced repetition, making it ideal for learners who want to build a strong foundation quickly. With a 4.4 Google Play rating, Lingvist is a solid choice for vocabulary-focused learners. The app personalises lessons based on your progress, ensuring that vocabulary remains relevant and engaging.  While Lingvist excels at helping users expand their word bank and track progress, it falls short on conversational practice and grammar instruction, which limits its use for holistic language learning. Despite fewer free features, many users praise its effective algorithm and enjoyable interface.  ELSA Speak ELSA Speak is an AI-powered app designed to improve English pronunciation and fluency with over 7,100 targeted lessons focusing on syllable stress, intonation, and articulation. It offers instant, detailed feedback using advanced speech analysis, helping users identify and correct specific pronunciation issues. The app’s structured lesson plans and progress tracking make learning efficient and motivating.  Read more: Best Free Bangladeshi Online Doctor Apps for Android, iOS But its speech recognition can sometimes be overly strict, and it mainly focuses on American English, limiting accent diversity. Grammar corrections are not included, and the AI tutor is only accessible through a premium subscription. Despite these, ELSA Speak holds a solid 4.4 rating on the Google Play Store.  Praktika Praktika is a unique language learning app that uses AI avatars to simulate real-life conversations, making it ideal for users seeking immersive, interactive speaking practice. Through engaging role-plays and casual dialogues, users can enhance their grammar and vocabulary skills in realistic scenarios. The app is beginner-friendly and understands imperfect pronunciations, allowing learners to build confidence as they practise.  However, it lacks in-depth pronunciation correction and structured pronunciation lessons, which may limit its usefulness for more advanced learners. While it provides valuable support for grammar and vocabulary development, those seeking advanced fluency may need additional resources. It currently holds a 4.1 rating on the Google Play Store. Read more: 10 Best eBook Reader Apps for Android, iOS Tips to Maximize Learning - Set clear goals that match what you want to improve—like speaking, writing, or vocabulary.- Practice every day, even if it is just for 10–15 minutes.- Combine different apps to build a complete learning experience.- Write down new words and corrections for later review.- Speak out loud while using the app to improve your pronunciation.- Use headphones to hear clearly and get accurate feedback.- Pay attention to mistakes and repeat corrected phrases until you master them.- Choose apps that offer real-life scenarios or conversation practice.- Keep track of your learning progress and celebrate small wins.- Stay motivated with games, streaks, or by learning with a friend. Read more: Best Free Personal Safety Android, iOS Apps for Women Verdict Each AI English learning app has its unique strengths—some excel in conversation, others in pronunciation or vocabulary. Depending on your learning goals, combining a few of these tools can offer a well-rounded experience. Choose the one that suits your style, stay consistent, and enjoy your language learning journey!  Read more: Best Video Editing Apps for Android, IOS

Meta is making a bold move to strengthen its position in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race with a $14.3 billion investment in Scale AI. The social media giant has acquired a 49 per cent stake in the startup and appointed its 28-year-old CEO, Alexandr Wang, to lead a newly established AI lab within Meta. Wang will now report directly to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, while remaining on Scale AI’s board of directors. Jason Droege, formerly Scale's chief strategy officer, has stepped in as interim CEO. The investment is seen as Meta’s most aggressive push in AI since the underwhelming launch of its Llama 4 language model earlier this year. Despite high expectations, the rollout of Llama 4 was plagued by delays and controversy, leaving it lagging behind competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude. Meta’s partnership with Wang is part of a wider strategy to rebuild its AI ambitions and develop what it calls “superintelligence.” Space station leak concerns can delay astronaut visit from India, Poland, Hungary Zuckerberg has reportedly been courting AI talent from rival firms with substantial offers in a bid to fast-track progress. Scale AI, founded by Wang, provides annotated data essential for training AI models, working with leading tech firms including Google and OpenAI. The company also maintains high-profile government contracts, including with the US Department of Defense and the Qatari government. Notably, Meta has opted for a 49 per cent non-voting stake in Scale, likely to avoid additional regulatory scrutiny amidst ongoing antitrust investigations. Wang described Meta’s investment as a major milestone, assuring Scale employees that those holding equity will benefit from the deal. He will now oversee Meta’s new AI lab, which is expected to focus on building general intelligence systems. Further details on the lab’s mission are set to be revealed in the coming weeks. Source: With inputs from India Today

Meta is making a $14.3 billion investment in artificial intelligence company Scale and recruiting its CEO Alexandr Wang to join a team developing “superintelligence” at the tech giant. The deal announced Thursday reflects a push by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to revive AI efforts at the parent company of Facebook and Instagram as it faces tough competition from rivals such as Google and OpenAI. Meta announced what it called a “strategic partnership and investment” with Scale late Thursday. Scale said the $14.3 billion investment puts its market value at over $29 billion. Scale said it will remain an independent company but the agreement will “substantially expand Scale and Meta’s commercial relationship.” Meta will hold a 49% stake in the startup. Wang, though leaving for Meta with a small group of other Scale employees, will remain on Scale’s board of directors. Replacing him is a new interim Scale CEO Jason Droege, who was previously the company’s chief strategy officer and had past executive roles at Uber Eats and Axon. Zuckerberg's increasing focus on the abstract idea of “superintelligence” — which rival companies call artificial general intelligence, or AGI — is the latest pivot for a tech leader who in 2021 went all-in on the idea of the metaverse, changing the company's name and investing billions into advancing virtual reality and related technology. It won't be the first time since ChatGPT's 2022 debut sparked an AI arms race that a big tech company has gobbled up talent and products at innovative AI startups without formally acquiring them. Microsoft hired key staff from startup Inflection AI, including co-founder and CEO Mustafa Suleyman, who now runs Microsoft's AI division. Google offers more employee buyouts amid AI expansion, antitrust challenges Google pulled in the leaders of AI chatbot company Character.AI, while Amazon made a deal with San Francisco-based Adept that sent its CEO and key employees to the e-commerce giant. Amazon also got a license to Adept’s AI systems and datasets. Wang was a 19-year-old student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when he and co-founder Lucy Guo started Scale in 2016. They won influential backing that summer from the startup incubator Y Combinator, which was led at the time by Sam Altman, now the CEO of OpenAI. Wang dropped out of MIT, following a trajectory similar to that of Zuckerberg, who quit Harvard University to start Facebook more than a decade earlier. Scale's pitch was to supply the human labor needed to improve AI systems, hiring workers to draw boxes around a pedestrian or a dog in a street photo so that self-driving cars could better predict what's in front of them. General Motors and Toyota have been among Scale's customers. What Scale offered to AI developers was a more tailored version of Amazon's Mechanical Turk, which had long been a go-to service for matching freelance workers with temporary online jobs. More recently, the growing commercialization of AI large language models — the technology behind OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini and Meta's Llama — brought a new market for Scale's annotation teams. The company claims to service “every leading large language model,” including from Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Microsoft, by helping to fine tune their training data and test their performance. It's not clear what the Meta deal will mean for Scale's other customers. Wang has also sought to build close relationships with the U.S. government, winning military contracts to supply AI tools to the Pentagon and attending President Donald Trump's inauguration. The head of Trump's science and technology office, Michael Kratsios, was an executive at Scale for the four years between Trump's first and second terms. Meta has also begun providing AI services to the federal government. Meta has taken a different approach to AI than many of its rivals, releasing its flagship Llama system for free as an open-source product that enables people to use and modify some of its key components. Meta says more than a billion people use its AI products each month, but it's also widely seen as lagging behind competitors such as OpenAI and Google in encouraging consumer use of large language models, also known as LLMs. It hasn't yet released its purportedly most advanced model, Llama 4 Behemoth, despite previewing it in April as "one of the smartest LLMs in the world and our most powerful yet.” Meta's chief AI scientist Yann LeCun, who in 2019 was a winner of computer science's top prize for his pioneering AI work, has expressed skepticism about the tech industry's current focus on large language models. “How do we build AI systems that understand the physical world, that have persistent memory, that can reason and can plan?” LeCun asked at a French tech conference last year. These are all characteristics of intelligent behavior that large language models “basically cannot do, or they can only do them in a very superficial, approximate way,” LeCun said. Instead, he emphasized Meta's interest in “tracing a path towards human-level AI systems, or perhaps even superhuman.” When he returned to France's annual VivaTech conference again on Wednesday, LeCun dodged a question about the pending Scale deal but said his AI research team's plan has “always been to reach human intelligence and go beyond it.” Nvidia chief calls AI ‘the greatest equalizer’ — but warns Europe risks falling behind “It’s just that now we have a clearer vision for how to accomplish this,” he said. LeCun co-founded Meta's AI research division more than a decade ago with Rob Fergus, a fellow professor at New York University. Fergus later left for Google but returned to Meta last month after a 5-year absence to run the research lab, replacing longtime director Joelle Pineau. Fergus wrote on LinkedIn last month that Meta's commitment to long-term AI research “remains unwavering” and described the work as “building human-level experiences that transform the way we interact with technology.”