United News of Bangladesh

Apple is addressing a glitch in its iPhone dictation feature that momentarily suggested the word “Trump” when users spoke words with an “R” sound, including “racist.” The issue gained attention after iPhone users shared videos on social media demonstrating the error. When using the dictation feature and saying the word “racist,” the text initially displayed “Trump” before automatically correcting itself. “We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday. Apple explained that the speech recognition model sometimes suggests words with phonetic similarities, causing certain words with an “R” sound to trigger the bug. However, The Associated Press was unable to replicate the issue a day after it was first reported. Meanwhile, Apple recently announced plans to invest over $500 billion and create 20,000 jobs in the U.S. over the next four years, including building a new factory in Texas. This comes amid former President Donald Trump’s push for tariffs on imports. Separately, Apple shareholders rejected a proposal to align the company with Trump’s efforts to eliminate corporate diversity initiatives.  

WhatsApp has commenced the rollout of its much-anticipated voice message transcription feature in India, providing users with a seamless way to read the contents of voice messages without the need to listen to them. Initially announced in November 2024, this feature is currently available for Android users and is expected to be introduced to iOS users shortly. The newly introduced feature aims to enhance user convenience, particularly in situations where listening to a voice message is impractical, such as in noisy environments or while multitasking. By enabling real-time transcription, WhatsApp seeks to offer an improved messaging experience while maintaining user privacy. Privacy and Security at the Forefront WhatsApp has assured users that the transcription process is entirely secure, as it relies on on-device processing. This means that both the voice message and its corresponding text transcript are processed locally on the user’s device, ensuring that no external access is granted to the contents of the messages. 31 sued in Feni over anti-state activities in WhatsApp group The company has reiterated that privacy remains a top priority, with neither WhatsApp nor any third party being able to access the transcriptions. Language Availability and Future Expansion The transcription feature currently supports multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian. However, despite WhatsApp displaying text transcripts for Hindi voice messages in some instances, the company has yet to officially introduce Hindi support. It is expected that more languages will be incorporated in subsequent updates to cater to a wider user base. How to Enable the Feature Users wishing to activate the voice message transcription feature can do so by navigating to the settings menu within the WhatsApp application. The following steps outline the activation process: Open WhatsApp and go to Settings. Select Chats. Scroll down to the Voice Message Transcripts section. Enable the feature and choose a preferred language from the available options. Complete the setup using either mobile data or Wi-Fi, depending on personal preference. Once activated, users can transcribe voice messages by simply tapping and holding the message, selecting More Options, and then choosing Transcribe. The text version of the voice message will then appear within the chat alongside the original audio, offering a convenient way to track important conversations without the need to listen to every voice note. Understanding Zero-Click Hacks: The Growing Cyber Threat to WhatsApp Users With the ongoing rollout, WhatsApp continues to refine its features to provide a more user-friendly experience while upholding its commitment to privacy and security. As language support expands, the transcription feature is expected to become an invaluable tool for millions of users across India and beyond. Source: Indian media

Apple shareholders rebuffed an attempt to pressure the technology trendsetter into joining President Donald Trump's push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce. The proposal drafted by the National Center for Public Policy Research — a self-described conservative think tank — urged Apple to follow a litany of high-profile companies that have retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives currently in the Trump administration's crosshairs. After a brief presentation about the anti-DEI proposal, Apple announced shareholders had rejected it. In a regulatory filing submitted Tuesday evening, Apple disclosed that 97% of the outstanding shares that cast ballots voted against the measure. The outcome vindicated Apple management's decision to stand behind its diversity commitment even though Trump asked the U.S. Department of Justice to look into whether these types of programs have discriminated against some employees whose race or gender aren't aligned with the initiative's goals. But Apple CEO Tim Cook has maintained a cordial relationship with Trump since his first term in office, an alliance that so far has helped the company skirt tariffs on its iPhones made in China. After Cook and Trump met last week, Apple on Monday announced it will invest $500 billion in the U.S. and create 20,000 more jobs during the next five years — a commitment applauded by the president. Kieslect Pura Reno Review: A Compact Smartwatch for Women Tuesday's shareholder vote came a month after the same group presented a similar proposal during Costco's annual meeting, only to have it overwhelmingly rejected, too. That snub didn't discourage the National Center for Public Policy Research from confronting Apple about its DEI program in a pre-recorded presentation by Stefan Padfield, executive director of the think tank's Free Enterprise Project, who asserted “forced diversity is bad for business.” In the presentation, Padfield attacked Apple’s diversity commitments for being out of line with recent court rulings and said the programs expose the Cupertino, California, company to an onslaught of potential lawsuits for alleged discrimination. He cited the Trump administration as one of Apple's potential legal adversaries. “The vibe shift is clear: DEI is out and merit is in,” Padfield said in the presentation. The specter of potential legal trouble was magnified last week when Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a federal lawsuit against Target alleging the retailer’s recently scaled-back DEI program alienated many consumers and undercut sales to the detriment of shareholders. Just as Costco does, Apple contends that fostering a diverse workforce makes good business sense. But Cook conceded Apple may have to make some adjustments to its diversity program “as the legal landscape changes” while still striving to maintain a culture that has helped elevate the company to its current market value of $3.7 trillion — greater than any other business in the world. “We will continue to create a culture of belonging,” Cook told shareholders during the meeting. In its last diversity and inclusion report issued in 2022, Apple disclosed that nearly three-fourths of its global workforce consisted of white and Asian employees. Nearly two-thirds of its employees were men. iPhone 16e Review: Budget-Friendly Apple Experience with Premium Features Other major technology companies for years have reported employing mostly white and Asian men, especially in high-paid engineering jobs — a tendency that spurred the industry to pursue largely unsuccessful efforts to diversify.

Vivo recently launched the Y29 4G, a reconfigured rendition of the previously released model vivo Y29 5G. The new model showcases a few tweaks, responding to more performative demand and attempting to garner greater attention. Let’s look at the detailed specifications of the vivo Y29 4G and assess its worth compared to its reasonable alternatives. Key Features and Specs of the vivo Y29 Vivo Y29 will enter the lower-midrange market, drawing a clash with authorities, like the Sansung Galaxy A16 5G, Google Pixel 4, and Redmi Note 13 4G. Let’s find out where the vivo Y29 positions itself among these popular models. Design The vivo Y29’s design differs from its previous iteration, featuring a wider camera panel, a matte-finished anterior, and a heavier body. Measuring 6.52” by 3.00” by 0.32”, the phone uses a plastic-glass sandwiched mainframe that, with all the contained components, weighs between 204g and 208g.  That makes the phone the taller and the weightier compared to the Google Pixel 4, Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G, and Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. The camera panel houses two vertically aligned primary lenses with an extra lens-shaped grooving and a flash horizontally placed below the lenses. The entire camera covers well around half of the width and one-third of the length of the phone. Though placed on a matted surface, the camera module is glossy and grabs prints if touched. Read more: iPhone SE 4 (2025): Latest Leaks, Rumors, and Features of Apple’s Most Affordable Powerhouse The vivo Y29 provides resistance to water splashes with an IP64 certification. Users will find a double-functioned volume rocker, a fingerprint-censoring power pad, and a SIM tray on the sides. The only lack in the design is the absence of a 3.5mm audio jack. Display The vivo Y29 uses a 6.68-inch IPS LCD panel for display, an apparent deviation from the segment-standard use of AMOLED panels and a far cry from Google Pixel 4’s P-OLED and Galaxy A16 5G’s Super AMOLED. In addition, users will only get HD+ support, while full HD displays are widely used in similar-range phones. The phone may struggle to show explicit details under daylight, given its 1000 nits of brightness, even though it is much higher than Samsung Galaxy A16 5G’s 800 nits.  Y29’s 120Hz refresh rate ensures optimal touch responses. The display comes with Schott Glass protection to withstand scratches and minor drops. However, its 720 by 1608-pixel resolution promises a vast viewport but falls behind the rivals Pixel 4 (1080 by 2280 pixels), Redmi Noted 13 4g (1080 by 2400 pixels), and Galaxy A16 5g (1080 by 2340 pixels).  Read more: OPPO Reno 13F 5G Review: A Stylish Powerhouse or Just Another Mid-Range Phone? Cameras The vivo Y29 boasts a dual-lense setup—a 50MP (f/1.8) wide and a 2MP (f/2.4) depth sensor—as the primary shooter and an 8MP (f/2.0) selfie shooter.  Though many nearly priced phones offer similar setups, market-rulers like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 4G and Samsung Galaxy A16 5G come with more robust triple-camera setups. The Redmi Note 13 4G’s 108MP and Galaxy A16 5G’s 50MP are both better performers than Y29’s primary lens.   vivo Y29 can record videos in 1080p at 30 frames per second at maximum. However, offering 4K utmost video capturing feature Google Pixel 4 wins the race. Hardware A Qualcomm SM6225 Snapdragon 685 6nm processor may be a suitable replacement for the previous model’s Mediatek Dimensity 6300; however, both use the same 6nm architecture,  without drifting much in power. An Adreno 610 graphical processing unit accompanies the main chipset in rendering visuals.  Read more: iPhone 16e Review: Budget-Friendly Apple Experience with Premium Features At this price, a 6nm processor meets the market norm, even though the influx of 5nm processors is becoming distinct. 6nm Snapdragons bear accusations of heating while playing highly configured games for long hours; nevertheless, they excel at running regular tasks, specifically, multi-app maneuvering, media browsing, and video rendering. However, Google Pixel 4 outwins vivo Y29 with its Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) processor combined with Adreno Adreno 640 GPU. Memory RAM power of vivo Y29 ranges from 6 to 8GB, while internal storage capacity reaches up to 256GB starting from 128GB supported by the eMMC 5.1 mechanism. It comes in 3 variants 128/6GB, 128/8GB, and 256/8GB. It has a MicroSD SIM card slot feature which is praiseworthy. Among the rivals, Redmi Note 13 4G is one step ahead sporting 512GB of internal memory. Read more: Kieslect Pura Reno Review: A Compact Smartwatch for Women Software Vivo provides the Funtouch  OS 15, its latest feature-rich operating system based on Android 15, with the vivo Y29. The Funtouch OS 15 brings several changes over its past version, expanding its repertoire of thematic and stylistic choices and gestural maneuvers. Users will find three-finger gesture controls for screenshots and split-screen mode, along with distinguished navigation procedures for multitasking, switching between apps, customizing, and organizing. The phone also features limited bloatware. Battery and Charger A massive 6500mAh Lithium-Ion battery capable of supplying power for days heightens the vivo Y29’s usability. With moderate usage, exempting high-end gameplay and binge-watching, users will get at least a couple of days of power supply.  Charging the battery is quickened by providing a whopping 44W charger that takes only 41 minutes to charge 50% and 92 minutes to fill up 100% of a depleted battery. Reversewired charging offers an added advantage to this package. Vivo Y29 beats the rivals like Google Pixel 4, Redmi Note 13 4G, and Samsung Galaxy A16 5g in battery power and charging capacity. Read more: itel S25 Ultra Review: Budget-Friendly Phone with AMOLED Display, Reliable Battery, and More

Apple shareholders rebuffed an attempt to pressure the technology trendsetter into joining President Donald Trump's push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce. The proposal drafted by the National Center for Public Policy Research — a self-described conservative think tank — urged Apple to follow a litany of high-profile companies that have retreated from diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives currently in the Trump administration's crosshairs. After a brief presentation about the anti-DEI proposal, Apple announced shareholders had rejected it. In a regulatory filing submitted Tuesday evening, Apple disclosed that 97% of the ballots cast were votes against the measure. The outcome vindicated Apple management's decision to stand behind its diversity commitment even though Trump asked the U.S. Department of Justice to look into whether these types of programs have discriminated against some employees whose race or gender aren't aligned with the initiative's goals. But Apple CEO Tim Cook has maintained a cordial relationship with Trump since his first term in office, an alliance that so far has helped the company skirt tariffs on its iPhones made in China. After Cook and Trump met last week, Apple on Monday announced it will invest $500 billion in the U.S. and create 20,000 more jobs during the next five years — a commitment applauded by the president. Tuesday's shareholder vote came a month after the same group presented a similar proposal during Costco's annual meeting, only to have it overwhelmingly rejected, too. That snub didn't discourage the National Center for Public Policy Research from confronting Apple about its DEI program in a pre-recorded presentation by Stefan Padfield, executive director of the think tank's Free Enterprise Project, who asserted “forced diversity is bad for business.” In the presentation, Padfield attacked Apple’s diversity commitments for being out of line with recent court rulings and said the programs expose the Cupertino, California, company to an onslaught of potential lawsuits for alleged discrimination. He cited the Trump administration as one of Apple's potential legal adversaries. itel S25 Ultra Review: Budget-Friendly Phone with AMOLED Display, Reliable Battery, and More “The vibe shift is clear: DEI is out and merit is in,” Padfield said in the presentation. The specter of potential legal trouble was magnified last week when Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a federal lawsuit against Target alleging the retailer’s recently scaled-back DEI program alienated many consumers and undercut sales to the detriment of shareholders. Just as Costco does, Apple contends that fostering a diverse workforce makes good business sense. But Cook conceded Apple may have to make some adjustments to its diversity program “as the legal landscape changes” while still striving to maintain a culture that has helped elevate the company to its current market value of $3.7 trillion — greater than any other business in the world. “We will continue to create a culture of belonging,” Cook told shareholders during the meeting. In its last diversity and inclusion report issued in 2022, Apple disclosed that nearly three-fourths of its global workforce consisted of white and Asian employees. Nearly two-thirds of its employees were men. Other major technology companies for years have reported employing mostly white and Asian men, especially in high-paid engineering jobs — a tendency that spurred the industry to pursue largely unsuccessful efforts to diversify.

The itel S Series is known for offering budget-friendly smartphones with AMOLED displays, standard camera specs, and long-lasting batteries. Launched in November 2024, the itel S25 Ultra continues this trend, but what sets the "Ultra" version apart? Let’s dive into its key features.  Key Features of itel S25 Ultra  . Design and Build Quality The itel S25 Ultra boasts a sleek and lightweight design, measuring just 6.9 mm in thickness and weighing 163 grams, making it a slim and lightweight device. The phone's rear panel features a premium dual-shade pattern and comes in three attractive colors: Bromo Black, Meteor Titanium, and Komodo Ocean. The RGB ring notification light on the back is a standout feature, adding a modern touch.  Additionally, the device is IP64 certified for dust and water resistance, offering some level of protection against splashes. Compared to its predecessor, the itel S24, which is bulkier at 192 grams and 8.3 mm thick, the S25 Ultra is more refined and ergonomic.  Read more: Kieslect Pura Reno Review: A Compact Smartwatch for Women However, against the similarly priced competitors realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, which have stronger builds with IP68 ratings and better materials like glass and aluminum frames, the S25 Ultra falls behind in durability. Display Quality  The itel S25 Ultra comes with a stunning 6.78-inch AMOLED display that supports 1 billion colors, 1080 by 2436 resolutions, about 393 PPI density, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a peak brightness of 1400 nits. This makes it an excellent device for content consumption, offering vibrant colors and deep contrasts. The Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protection adds an extra layer of durability.  Compared to the itel S24, which features an IPS LCD with just a 90Hz refresh rate and lower resolution (720 by 1612 pixels), the S25 Ultra provides a significantly better visual experience. However, when stacked against the realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, which offer 120Hz IPS LCDs, the itel S25 Ultra’s AMOLED panel has the upper hand in display quality, providing richer colors and better contrast. Read more: iPhone 16e Review: Budget-Friendly Apple Experience with Premium Features Camera Performance  The itel S25 Ultra is equipped with a dual-camera setup, featuring a 50 MP primary sensor and an auxiliary lens. It can record videos at 1440p@30fps and 1080p@30fps. The front camera houses a 32 MP sensor, ensuring crisp and detailed selfies. Compared to the itel S24, which has a superior 108 MP main sensor, the S25 Ultra falls short in terms of raw camera resolution.  However, the S25 Ultra's image processing software has been improved, leading to better color accuracy and detail in daylight shots. Against the realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, both of which also sport 50 MP primary sensors, the S25 Ultra performs on par in well-lit conditions but struggles with low-light photography due to the absence of advanced night modes and OIS support. Processor Performance Under the hood, the itel S25 Ultra runs on the Unisoc T620 chipset, a 12nm octa-core processor that includes two Cortex-A75 cores clocked at 2.2 GHz. While the performance is adequate for daily tasks, it lacks the power needed for heavy multitasking and demanding applications. Compared to the itel S24, which runs on the MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra, the S25 Ultra offers better power efficiency but marginally slower processing speeds.  Read more: OPPO Reno 13F 5G Review: A Stylish Powerhouse or Just Another Mid-Range Phone? The Realme P3x, powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 6400 (6 nm) chipset, and the Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, running on the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 (4 nm) processor, both provide significantly better performances, especially in multitasking and app loading speeds. The lack of 5G connectivity in the itel S25 Ultra is also a downside when compared to its competitors. Gaming Performance Gaming on the itel S25 Ultra is decent but not exceptional. The Unisoc T620 chipset, combined with the Mali GPU, can handle casual and moderately demanding games, but struggles with high-end titles like Call of Duty Mobile or Genshin Impact at higher settings. The 120Hz refresh rate helps smoothen animations, but frame drops and heating issues become noticeable during extended gaming sessions.  In contrast, the Realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G, both equipped with more powerful chipsets and better GPUs, offer a superior gaming experience with fewer frame drops and better thermal management. The itel S24, while slightly weaker in raw performance, offers similar gaming capabilities due to its MediaTek Helio G91 Ultra chipset. Read more: iPhone SE 4 (2025): Latest Leaks, Rumors, and Features of Apple’s Most Affordable Powerhouse Battery Life The itel S25 Ultra houses a 5000 mAh battery, offering solid battery life for moderate users. The phone supports 18W wired bypass charging, which is standard at this price point but slower compared to some competitors. Under normal usage, the battery lasts a full day with ease, but heavy users might need a top-up by the evening. The itel S24 has a similar battery with the same charging speed.  However, the realme P3x takes the lead in terms of endurance and charging speed with its 6000 mAh battery, 45W fast charging, and 5W reverse charging options, which significantly reduces downtime. The Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G offers quite similar battery and charging as the S25 Ultra.  Software and User Interface  Running on Android 14 with itel OS 14.5, the S25 Ultra provides a fairly smooth user experience with some pre-installed apps. The UI is functional but lacks the polish and customization options found in Realme UI 6.0 on the Realme P3x or HyperOS on the Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G.  Read more: OPPO Reno13 Pro 5G Review: Is It Worth the Hype? The presence of bloatware is another downside, as users might have to spend time disabling or uninstalling unnecessary apps. The itel S24, which runs on Android 13, feels slightly outdated compared to the S25 Ultra. However, both the Realme and Xiaomi devices offer a cleaner and more feature-rich software experience. Storage Options The itel S25 Ultra comes in three storage configurations: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all paired with 8GB of RAM and using UFS 2.2 storage technology. This ensures faster read and write speeds compared to eMMC storage found in older budget-friendly phones. The itel S24, on the other hand, maxes out at 256GB with eMMC 5.1, making the S25 Ultra a better choice for those needing more storage and faster performance.  The realme P3x and Xiaomi Redmi 14C 5G offer expandable storage via microSDXC cards, which the itel S25 Ultra lacks, making the competitors a more flexible choice for users needing additional storage beyond the built-in options.  Read more: Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition Review: A True MacBook Competitor or Just Hype? Pros and Cons of itel S25 Ultra . Pros - 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate.- 8GB RAM with 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage options.- Dual rear cameras with a 50MP primary sensor.- 32MP front camera for high-quality selfies.- In-display fingerprint scanner for quick access.- NFC and infrared port for added functionality.- 5000mAh battery with 18W fast charging support.- Runs on Android 14 with itel OS 14.5 UI.- Always-on display feature for convenience.- Gorilla Glass 7i protection and IP64 dust & water resistance.- RGB ring notification light on the back. Read more: Honor 300 Review: New Contender in Midrange Smartphone Segment Cons - No 5G support.- Unisoc T620 processor may limit performance.- No 4K video recording capability.- Lacks Gyro-EIS for video stabilization.- No ultrawide or optical zoom camera.- No reverse or wireless charging.- Missing 3.5mm audio jack.- Heating issues during heavy use.- No expandable storage via microSDXC card slot. Read more: itel A80 Review: Smartphone under Tk 10k with Standard Features Price of itel S25 Ultra in Bangladesh The itel S25 Ultra is priced at BDT 19,990 in Bangladesh. However, the price may vary depending on the sellers. Takeaways The itel S25 Ultra can be a good choice for users seeking a stylish phone with a high-refresh AMOLED display and decent cameras at an affordable price. However, it is not ideal for gamers, power users, or those needing 5G connectivity and expandable storage. If performance and future-proofing are priorities, you may consider other alternatives. Read more: Best Flagship Smartphones of 2024: Top Premium Picks You Shouldn’t Miss

A swarm of submersibles will be used to monitor and provide data on offshore artificial reefs that are intended to attract marine life in otherwise barren sections of sea, officials said Monday. The autonomous underwater vehicles, or AUVs, will be equipped with sensors and high-definition cameras to give scientists at the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute a clear picture on the effectiveness of their artificial reefs designed and built using 3D printing. Made of an environmentally friendly cement mixture, the artificial reefs will be embedded with a docking station at which the AUVs can recharge and transmit collected data including video, said CMMI CEO Zakarias Siokouros. The advantage of the AUVs lies in their ability to stay underwater for as long as a month at a time and provide continuous data while “protecting” the reefs by alerting scientists to any disturbance in protected waters from illegal fishing and encroaching boats. Scientists would, in turn, notify local authorities. A trial run of the project, dubbed EONIOS, is underway off Cyprus’ Ayia Napa marina. Scientists plan to place the artificial reefs in waters off Cyprus’ southern coastal town of Limassol at a depth of around 20 meters (66 feet) where sunlight can still reach the seabed. “The reefs attract everything from vegetation to large fish and for waters off Cyprus where there isn’t enough food for fish, we aim to create the appropriate environment to bring such fish there,” Siokouros told The Associated Press following a demonstration of the AUVs' capabilities at the Ayia Napa Marina. EONIOS is a partnership between the CMMI, AUV makers Arkeocean of France, Cypriot tech company SignalGeneriX and French consultancy company Lanego. Siokouros said the partnership aims to market EONIOS to other countries who would want to build up their fish stocks using artificial reefs. Microsoft Unveils Majorana 1: A Breakthrough in Quantum Computing A key selling point for the AUVs is that they can provide surveillance, 3D data collection and area protection at a significant discount compared to tethered submersibles, said Arkeocean official Tamara Brizard. “Our goal is to make a system under which six of our mini-drones can do the same work for the price of one conventional drone,” Brizard said. Arkeocean AUVs can currently pack a maximum 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of sensors and other gear and can operate to a depth of 300 meters (984 feet) although newer versions are being designed to reach 3,000 meters (9,842 feet). The AUVs receive commands through an attached acoustic antenna and can pinpoint their location. Battery-powered thrusters make the AUVs very stealthy and nearly undetectable, Brizard said, making them extremely useful for defense purposes such as surveillance in restricted waters. The AUVs can operate anywhere in the world thanks to an Iridium satellite antenna. Rich in cash, Japan automaker Toyota builds a city to test futuristic mobility The AUVs can also use undersea currents to roam, extending battery life. Another application is in the energy field where the submersibles can be used to detect seismic activity for offshore oil and gas exploration as well as finding suitable areas on which to build offshore wind and solar farms, said Brizard.

Toyota's Woven City, located near Mount Fuji, is designed as a testing ground for robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous zero-emission transportation in daily life. Daisuke Toyoda, a project executive from Toyota’s founding family, emphasized that it is not a "smart city" but rather a "test course for mobility," differentiating it from real estate development. On Saturday, during a tour of the site where the first phase of construction has been completed, The Associated Press became the first foreign media outlet to preview the $10 billion project. The initial phase covers 47,000 square meters (506,000 square feet), roughly the size of five baseball fields, and the entire project will eventually span 294,000 square meters (3.1 million square feet). Built on the site of a former Toyota Motor Corp. factory, Woven City aims to be a hub for researchers and startups to collaborate and exchange ideas, according to Toyoda. Many ambitious smart city projects have struggled or remained unfinished, including Google's Alphabet-backed initiative in Toronto, Saudi Arabia's "Neom," a development near San Francisco led by a former Goldman Sachs trader, and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi. Construction of Woven City began in 2021. The buildings are interconnected by underground passageways, where autonomous vehicles will handle tasks like garbage collection and deliveries. Currently, no one resides there, but the first 100 residents—referred to as "weavers"—will include employees from Toyota and its partner companies, such as instant noodle manufacturer Nissin and air-conditioning maker Daikin. At the site, coffee brand UCC was already serving hot drinks from an autonomous bus stationed in a plaza surrounded by empty apartment buildings. The city's name pays tribute to Toyota's origins as an automatic textile loom manufacturer. Daisuke Toyoda’s great-great-grandfather, Sakichi Toyoda, originally invented the loom to ease his mother’s labor-intensive work. Unlike other projects focusing on electric vehicles, Toyota has prioritized hydrogen as the primary energy source for Woven City, despite lagging behind competitors like Tesla and BYD in the EV market. Toyota does not anticipate generating profits from Woven City anytime soon. However, auto analyst Keisuke Konishi from Quick Corporate Valuation Research Center suggests that Toyota is investing in robotic mobility to compete with Google's Waymo—even if it requires building an entire city to do so. “Toyota has the financial resources to make it happen,” he said.            

Microsoft has taken a significant leap forward in quantum computing with the launch of its first quantum processor, Majorana 1. Unlike most quantum chips that rely on electron-based qubits, this revolutionary processor leverages Majorana particles, a groundbreaking development in the field. Trump says Microsoft is one of the companies eyeing TikTok A New Era in Quantum Computing At the World Governments Summit in Dubai last week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai likened quantum computing to artificial intelligence a decade ago, highlighting its potential to reshape the future.  Despite its promise, quantum computing remains one of the most complex challenges in modern science. In a breakthrough announcement on Wednesday, Microsoft unveiled Majorana 1, a quantum processor that utilises a new type of material called a topoconductor, or topological superconductor. This enables the development and control of Majorana particles, which do not exist naturally but can be formed under specific conditions using superconductors and magnetic fields. The use of these particles is expected to dramatically improve the stability and scalability of quantum computing. How Majorana 1 Works Quantum processors today, including those from Google, Intel, and IBM, typically use qubits based on electrons or superconducting circuits. While these systems show promise, they require extensive error correction mechanisms to function reliably. Microsoft’s approach, using topological qubits, introduces error resistance at the hardware level, significantly reducing the need for additional correction mechanisms. “Whatever you’re doing in the quantum space needs to have a path to a million qubits. If it doesn’t, you’re going to hit a wall before you get to the scale at which you can solve the really important problems that motivate us,” said Chetan Nayak, a Microsoft technical fellow. Microsoft claims Majorana 1 is so advanced that it can be scaled up to a million qubits while remaining compact enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand. A quantum computer with such a capability could surpass the combined power of all existing computers worldwide. How Close Is Majorana 1 to Commercial Use? While Majorana 1 represents a remarkable scientific achievement, its commercial deployment remains years away. Microsoft’s researchers have dedicated over 17 years to developing this technology, and while they have successfully built a working prototype, further engineering work is needed before it can be widely adopted. Microsoft asserts that Majorana 1 will help “realise quantum computers capable of solving meaningful, industrial-scale problems in years, not decades.”  However, perspectives on the timeline vary. Google CEO Sundar Pichai estimates that practical quantum computers could be available in five to ten years, whereas Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes they may still be decades away. At present, quantum computing is akin to artificial intelligence a decade ago—an advanced but largely theoretical technology understood mainly by researchers. As developments progress, its potential real-world applications become increasingly tangible. What Majorana 1 Means for Everyday Users For most people, quantum computing still feels distant, with no immediate impact on daily life. However, as advancements continue, its influence could be profound. Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionise industries. In medicine, it could accelerate drug discovery by simulating molecular and chemical interactions in ways that classical computers cannot. In environmental science, it could contribute to solving climate change challenges by enhancing solar panel efficiency, optimising battery technology, and advancing carbon capture solutions. Moreover, quantum computing is expected to transform artificial intelligence, making it more efficient and capable of tackling complex problems such as predicting natural disasters and optimising traffic systems in real time. Microsoft reports 10% quarterly profit growth as it works to show AI investments paying off While the technology is still in its early stages, Microsoft’s Majorana 1 is a milestone that signals a future where quantum computing will play a critical role in shaping the world. If breakthroughs continue at this pace, quantum-powered solutions may become a reality much sooner than expected Source: Indian media  

Renowned Chinese smart-wearable maker Kieslect has launched a new smartwatch, Pura Reno, expanding its Lady Smartwatch Series. Embodying a women-centric aesthetic, the Pura Reno boasts an unrivaled appeal. Let’s go over the key features of this smartwatch. Essential Features of the Kieslect Pura Reno Smartwatch The Pura Reno smartwatch is a forerunner in the less crowded, affordable women's smartwatch niche with no remarkable competitors. Here is a complete dissection of its design, display, hardware, software, and other mentionable features.  Design The Pura Reno’s mainframe is a solid circular 40.5 by 40.5 by 10mm metal body with a plastic back panel. The metal part of the frame glosses with polished gold overcoating, which manifests in a worm aura. Elaborating on that aura, two narrow soft leather straps join the frame through golden strap holders. With the sleekness of the metal body, the warmth of the golden coating, and the softness of the leather straps, Pura Reno’s design relishes femininity. Read more: Kieslect Kr 2 Ltd Review: A Premium Smartwatch Within Budget Display A 1.19-inch rimless AMOLED panel fitted on the mainframe renders vivid imagery at a 390 by 390 px resolution. With a 60Hz refresh rate, the display responds well to touch instructions. For protection, a high-hardness glass piece covers the display. Users can customize the watch face through a dedicated app with over a hundred colorful screens.  Hardware and Software Pura Reno offers a combination of fitness, connectivity, and lifestyle functionalities. Users will get over a hundred sports modes that cater to diverse measurements and trackers for multifarious athletic moves. Connection with the Kstyle OS app is effortless for Android and iOS devices thanks to its Kstyle OS.  Battery and Charger A robust 250mAh battery with a typical runtime of 7 to 8 days bolsters relentless usage. The runtime can be further extended to 20 days using the battery-saver mode. A strong magnetic charging device precisely places itself on the charging port and takes around 2.5 hours to charge a completely depleted battery. Read more: Colmi P78 Smartwatch Review: A Feature-Packed Budget Wearable Worth Considering Pros and Cons of the Pura Reno Smartwatch . Pros - Elegant design- Vivid AMOLED display- 100+ sports modes- Long battery life- Customizable watch faces- Affordable price Cons - No built-in GPS- Limited smart features- Slow charging- Plastic back panel. Read more: Xinji Nothing 3 Review: Amoled Smartwatch for 5000 Taka Price of Kieslect Pura Reno in Bangladesh The Pura Reno smartwatch is available at BDT 5,149. However, the price may vary depending on the sellers. Conclusion The Kieslect Pura Reno perfectly balances style and functionality, boasting a feminine design, a vivid AMOLED display, a durable battery, diverse metrics and sensors, and easy customization options. Anyone seeking an affordable smartwatch for women can consider the Pura Reno. Read more: Havit M9030 Pro Review: A Competent Mid-range Smartwatch