United News of Bangladesh

An industrial robot crushed a worker to death at a vegetable packaging plant in South Korea, police said Thursday, as they investigate whether the machine was unsafe or had potential defects. According to police officials in the southern county of Goseong, the man died of head and chest injuries Tuesday after he was grabbed and pressed against a conveyor belt by the machine’s robotic arms. Police did not release his name but said the man was an employee of a company that installs industrial robots and was sent to the plant to examine whether the machine was working properly. Read: Can Earthquakes Really be Predicted? The machine was one of two pick-and-place robots used at the facility that packages bell peppers and other vegetables exported to other Asian countries, police said. Such machines are common in South Korea's agricultural communities. “It wasn’t an advanced, artificial intelligence-powered robot, but a machine that simply picks up boxes and puts them on pallets,” said Kang Jin-gi, who heads the investigations department at Gosong Police Station. He said the police were working with related agencies to determine whether the machine had technical defects or safety issues. Another police official, who did not want to be named because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters, said police were also looking into the possibility of human error. The robot’s sensors are designed to identify boxes, and security camera footage indicated the man had moved near the robot with a box in his hands, which likely triggered the machine’s reaction, the official said. Read: The iPhone 12 emits too much radiation and Apple must take it off the market, a French agency says  “It’s clearly not a case where a robot confused a human with a box – this wasn’t a very sophisticated machine,” he said. South Korea has had other safety accidents involving industrial robots in recent years. In March, a manufacturing robot crushed and seriously injured a worker who was examining the machine at an auto parts factory in Gunsan. Last year, a robot installed near a conveyor belt fatally crushed a worker at a milk factory in Pyeongtaek.

OPPO’s Zero-Power Tag was announced to have landed on TIME’s list of Best Inventions for 2023 in the Experimental category, putting OPPO among the likes of Apple, Samsung, and Sony with a highly prestigious international accolade for invention. Every year, TIME recognizes products, software, and services that are solving compelling problems in creative ways. The result is a list of 200 groundbreaking inventions changing how we live, work, play, and think about what’s possible. In the Experimental category, TIME’s recognition of the OPPO Zero-Power Tag adds to OPPO’s international reputation for technical expertise and novel thinking, and highlights a new approach to a sustainable world where IoT devices won’t generate polluting batteries. “We are honored to be included in TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023 list for the OPPO Zero-Power Tag in recognition of our achievements in innovation and sustainability,” said Elvis Zhou, OPPO Overseas CMO. Born from OPPO's vision to blend convenience and environmental responsibility, OPPO Zero-Power Tag is an eco-friendly IoT device that communicates with phones using ambient energy instead of a battery. With object tracking, environmental monitoring and other smart features, we are very excited about the possibilities it will unlock in the IoT space. Moving forward, OPPO will continue to make contributions to sustainability and develop innovative initiatives that positively impact the environment.” At MWC 2023, OPPO unveiled the company’s first battery-free IoT prototype device — OPPO Zero-Power Tag — powered by Zero-power Communication technology. Leveraging key technologies such as RF power harvesting, backscattering, and low-power computing, the Tag is able to harvest energy directly from Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellphone signals, resulting in surprising advantages such as smaller size, better durability, greater signal distance, and lower cost. Sustainability has long been a central component of OPPO’s business operation and product design. In February 2023, OPPO released the OPPO Climate Action Report with support from global consultancy Deloitte. In the report, OPPO pledges for the first time to achieve carbon neutrality across its global operations by 2050, and outlines five key areas in achieving this goal: low-carbon manufacturing, reducing the carbon footprint of products, investing in options that generate less carbon, utilizing digital technology to manage carbon emissions, and collaborating on industry standards to address climate change. This year, OPPO Battery Health Engine received the 2023 SEAL Business Sustainability Award, and thanks to its innovations, OPPO was also named one of the 10 Most Innovative Asia-Pacific Companies in 2023 by influential business media Fast Company. In the 2023 OPPO Inspiration Challenge, OPPO added a new category, “Inspiration for the Planet,” to recognize innovations for sustainability and attract more than 280 proposals from worldwide startups, covering from biomimetic materials to sustainable and safe energy storage.  

Vivo's V29 and V29e smartphones have been launched in Bangladesh bringing cutting-edge technology that promises professional photography experiences on mobile devices. The challenge of capturing images with minimal light and colour temperature discrepancies during photography will be addressed by the smartphones’ Smart Aura Light technology, according to a press release. Measuring just 7.46 millimetres in thickness and weighing a mere 186 grams, the smartphones can be availed in two colours: Saint Martin Blue and Nobel Black with premium glass finish on the back, it said. Read: Xiaomi Pad 6 Review: Can It be a True iPad Alternative? In the real world, lighting conditions can be complex and dynamic. Therefore, the Aura Light system is designed to adapt to any lighting condition, whether it's daytime or nighttime. The device's camera configuration includes a 50-megapixel rear camera, a 50-megapixel selfie camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel monochrome camera. The new Vivo smartphones feature a 6.78-inch 3D curved amoled display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering a vivid viewing experience. It comes with a resolution of 2800 x 1260 pixels and a pixel density of 452 PPI. With support for around 1.07 billion colours, said the release. In addition, the smartphones are powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G processor and runs on FunTouch OS 13. Gamers will particularly appreciate the device's 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Its 4,600mAh battery, coupled with an 80W Type-C fast charger, can be fully charged in just 30 minutes, it also said. Read: 10 Best GPS Trackers for Cars in Bangladesh Vivo's Country Brand Manager Tanzib Ahmed affirmed Vivo's commitment to providing the highest level of service to customers. He emphasised that the smart Aura Light technology, the result of extensive research, will bring a professional photography experience to smartphone users. He expressed hope that Vivo's V29 series smartphones will become an indispensable companion for those interested in professional photography, there lease also said. Pre-booking for the vivo V29 will begin alongside the opening of Vivo's authorised showrooms and e-store, starting from October 24. The price of the vivo V29 is set at Tk 56,999. On the other hand, the Vivo V29e is set at Tk 36,999. The brand will also present gifts to new buyers.

‘National Intelligence Employment and Entrepreneurship (NISE)’ and ‘Muktopaath’ – two innovative initiatives of Aspire to Innovate (a2i) have won the ‘WITSA 2023 Global Innovation and Technology Excellence Awards’. The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) conferred the awards in recognition of remarkable contribution to the skills development and education of millions of people in the country through online platforms. The award was presented on the third day of the three-day WCIT 2023 International Conference held in Kuching, Malaysia on October 5. Read: Huawei, ASEAN Foundation, and SEAMEO host 'Seeds for the Future Summit 2023' Program Associate or a2i, Alavi Zaman Disha, and E-Learning Coordinator, Jinia Jerin, received the award from WITSA Chairman Dr Sean Seah on behalf of NISE and Muktopaath respectively. About 130 innovative projects from different countries vied for the prestigious award. From Bangladesh, a2i’s project NISE won the 1st place in the Public Sector Digital Opportunity/Inclusion category and Muktopaath won the 1st place in the e-Education and Learning category. Awards were given this year in a total of 14 categories for the government and private/NGO sectors. In recognition of its significant contribution to upskilling millions of unemployed youths through online platforms, the NISE project bagged the award. Read: Google brings its AI chatbot Bard into its inner circle, opening door to Gmail, Maps, YouTube Muktopaath won the accolade for providing online education to millions through e-learning platform. WITSA 2023 Global Innovation and Technology Excellence Awards is considered a prestigious award in the global IT sector. More than 10,000 delegates from member countries participated in the conference, titled World Congress on Innovation and Technology (WCIT-2023).

Google on Wednesday unveiled a next-generation Pixel smartphones lineup that will be infused with more artificial intelligence tools capable of writing captions about photos that can also be altered by the technology. The injection of more artificial intelligence, or AI, into Google’s products marks another step toward bringing more of the technology into the mainstream – a push company executives signaled they were embarking upon during their annual developer’s conference five months ago. Read: Google brings its AI chatbot Bard into its inner circle, opening door to Gmail, Maps, YouTube “Our focus is on making AI more helpful for everyone in a way that is bold and responsible,” Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president of devices and services, said during Wednesday's event held in New York. As if to leave no doubt about Google’s current priorities, Osterloh described the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones as a conduit for having “AI in your hand.” The next moves will include allowing the 7-year-old Google Assistant to tap into the company’s recently hatched AI chatbot, Bard, to perform tasks. The expanded access to Bard comes just two weeks after Google began connecting the AI chatbot to the company's other popular service such as Gmail, Maps and YouTube. Google is leaving it up to each user to decide whether to allow Bard to interact with its other services, an effort to address worries about AI sifting through potentially sensitive information as it seeks to learn more about language and people. Read: It's Google versus the US in the biggest antitrust trial in decades One of the new tricks that the Bard-backed assistant is supposed to be able to do is scan a photo taken on a phone powered by Google’s Android software and generate a pithy caption suitable for posting on social media. As Google has been doing with most of its AI gambits, the Bard-backed Google Assistant initially will only be available to a test audience before it is gradually offered on an opt-in basis to more owners of the latest Pixels. As has become common across the industry, most of the other technology in the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones unveiled Wednesday will be similar to what has already been available in last year’s models. One of the main selling points of the new phones will be improved cameras, including more AI-empowered editing tools that will mostly be available on the Pixel 8 Pro. The AI features will be able to spruce up photos, zoom into certain parts of images, substitute faces taken from other pictures in group shots and erase objects and people from images. Read: Fair Technology launches ‘Hyundai Exchange Program’ Google is counting on the new AI twists added to this year’s lineup to be enough to justify a price increase — with the starting prices for both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro increasing by $100 over last year’s comparable models. That will result in the Pixel 8 selling for $700 and the Pixel 8 Pro for $1,000 when they go on sale in stores next week. Apple also raised the starting price of its top-end iPhone by $100 when its latest models came out last month, signaling inflationary pressures are starting to drive up the costs of devices that have become essential pieces of modern life. The Pixel 8 Pro will also be able to take people's temperatures — an addition that could be a drawing card in a post-pandemic era as various strains of COVID evolve. But Google is still trying to get regulatory approval to enable that capability in the U.S. A 2020 phone, the Honor Play 4 Pro made my Huawei, also was able to screen for fevers, so Google isn’t breaking totally new ground. Despite generally getting positive reviews, the Pixel phones have barely made a dent in a market dominated by Samsung and Apple since Google began making the devices seven years ago. But they have been gaining slightly more traction in recent years, with Pixel’s share of the high-end smartphone market now hovering around 4% from less than 1% three years ago, according to the research firm International Data Corp. Read: Digital Quality of Life Index 2023: Bangladesh ranks 82nd, internet quality 5% lower than global average Google can afford to make a phone that doesn’t generate huge sales because it brings in more than $200 billion annually from a digital ad network that’s anchored by its dominant search engine. A big chunk of the ad revenue flows from the billions of dollars that Google pays annually to lock in its search engine as the main gateway to the internet on the iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy lineup. The agreements that have given Google’s search engine a lucrative position on phones and computers are the focal point of an ongoing antitrust trial in Washington, where the U.S. Justice Department is trying to prove its allegations that Google has been abusing its power to stifle competition and innovation.

The history of earthquakes is nothing less than terrifying. Whether it’s the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake or something as recent as the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake, every major earthquake in the world involves destruction and death. For centuries, scientists, geologists, saints, and seers alike have searched for answers to one inevitable question: Can earthquakes be predicted? Let’s try to find out. Myths about Earthquakes and Predicting Them The phenomenon of earthquakes has long been attributed to mythical and otherworldly happenings. Thousands of years ago, the occurrence of an earthquake not only brought destruction but also paved the way for the fear of the unknown and faith in supernatural power.  The concept of an earthquake is often attributed to Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. It is said that Poseidon uses his trident to shake the earth which causes earthquakes. Similar stories are found in Japanese mythology where the giant catfish Namazu causes earthquakes. According to Mongolian mythology, the earth is placed on the back of a giant frog. When the frog stumbles, it causes earthquakes. Read more: 10 Most Earthquake-prone Countries around the World But beyond the myths, there are also some common misconceptions about earthquake predictions. Unlike the myths, these aren’t quite outlandish and are often passed on as hard facts. Some of the common misconceptions regarding earthquake prediction include:  - Animals can predict earthquake - There are always advanced signs of earthquakes - Earthquake is preceded by sudden weather change - Planetary alignment influences earthquake - Increased seismic activity is a precursor for a large earthquake - A series of small earthquakes deters the chance of a large earthquake in a region. Unfortunately, none of these concepts are true. There is no set pattern to earthquakes and neither does it have any identifiable precursors. And that brings us to the all-important question.  Read more: Earthquake Safety Tips for Parents to Keep Children Safe

Bangladesh has dropped six places on Surfshark’s annual Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index since last year. The country ranked 82nd among 121 countries, according to Surfshark’s 5th annual DQL index. The Digital Quality of Life Index is an annual study that ranks 121 countries by their digital wellbeing based on 5 core pillars. Also read: Bangladesh climbs 5 spots in latest passport ranking, still behind Sri Lanka and Libya The study is based on the United Nations’ open-source information, the World Bank, and other sources. Out of the index’s 5 pillars, Bangladesh performed best in internet quality, claiming 65th place.  

Google is introducing Bard, its artificially intelligent chatbot, to other members of its digital family — including Gmail, Maps and YouTube — as it seeks ward off competitive threats posed by similar technology run by Open AI and Microsoft. Bard’s expanded capabilities announced Tuesday will be provided through an English-only extension that will enable users to allow the chatbot to mine information embedded in their Gmail accounts as well as pull directions from Google Maps and find helpful videos on YouTube. The extension will also open a door for Bard to fetch travel information from Google Flights and extract information from documents stored on Google Drive. Also read: Google's AI Chatbot Bard: All You Need to Know Google is promising to protect users’ privacy by prohibiting human reviewers from seeing the potentially sensitive information that Bard gets from Gmail or Drive, while also promising that the data won’t used as part of the main way the Mountain View, California, company makes money — selling ads tailored to people’s interests. The expansion is the latest development in an escalating AI battle triggered by the popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot and Microsoft’s push to infuse similar technology in its Bing search engine and its Microsoft 365 suite that includes its Word, Excel and Outlook applications.ChatGPT prompted Google to release Bard broadly in March and then start testing the use of more conversational AI within its own search results in May. Also read: ChatGPT by Open AI: All you need to know The decision to feed Bard more digital juice i n the midst of a high-profile trial that could eventually hobble the ubiquitous Google search engine that propels the $1.7 trillion empire of its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc. In the biggest U.S. antitrust case in a quarter century, the U.S Justice Department is alleging Google has created its lucrative search monopoly by abusing its power to stifle competition and innovation. Google contends it dominates search because its algorithms produce the best results. It also argues it faces a wide variety of competition that is becoming more intense with the rise of AI. Giving Bard access to a trove of personal information and other popular services such as Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube, in theory, will make them even more helpful and prod more people to rely in them. Also read: Top 5 AI Chatbot Platforms and Trends in 2023 Google, for instance, posits that Bard could help a user planning a group trip to the Grand Canyon by getting dates that would work for everyone, spell out different flight and hotel options, provide directions from Maps and present an array of informative videos from YouTube.

A government watchdog agency in France has ordered Apple to withdraw the iPhone 12 from the French market, saying it emits levels of electromagnetic radiation that are too high. The National Frequency Agency, which oversees radio-electric frequencies as well as public exposure to electromagnetic radiation, called on Apple in a statement Tuesday to "implement all available means to rapidly fix this malfunction" for phones already being used. Corrective updates to the iPhone 12 will be monitored by the agency, and if they don't work, "Apple will have to recall" phones that have already been sold, according to the French regulator's statement. Update your iPhone: Apple just pushed out a significant security update Apple disputed the findings and said the device complies with all regulations governing radiation. The agency, which is known by the French acronym ANFR, said it recently checked 141 cellphones, including the iPhone 12, for electromagnetic waves capable of being absorbed by the body. It said it found a level of electromagnetic energy absorption of 5.74 watts per kilogram during tests of a phone in a hand or a pocket, higher than the European Union standard of 4 watts per kilogram. The agency said the iPhone 12 met the threshold when radiation levels were assessed for a phone kept in a jacket or in a bag. Foxconn to make iPhones in new Indian factory, in shift from China Apple said the iPhone 12, which was released in late 2020, has been certified by multiple international bodies and complies with all applicable regulations and standards for radiation around the world. The U.S. tech company said it has provided the French agency with multiple lab results carried out both by the company and third-party labs proving the phone's compliance. Jean-Noël Barrot, France's minister in charge of digital issues, told France Info radio that the National Frequency Agency "is in charge of controlling our phones which, as there are software updates, may emit a little more or a little less electromagnetic waves." He said that the iPhone 12 radiation levels are "slightly higher" than the standards but "significantly lower than levels where scientific studies consider there may be consequences for users. But the rule is the rule." Apple iPhone 15 Pro: Leaks, Rumors, Everything We Know So Far Cellphones have been labeled as "possible" carcinogens by the World Health Organization's cancer research arm, putting them in the same category as coffee, diesel fumes and the pesticide DDT. The radiation produced by cellphones cannot directly damage DNA and is different from stronger types of radiation like X-rays or ultraviolet light. In 2018, two U.S. government studies that bombarded mice and rats with cellphone radiation found a weak link to some heart tumors, but federal regulators and scientists said it was still safe to use the devices. Scientists said those findings didn't reflect how most people use their cellphones and that the animal findings didn't translate into a similar concern for humans. Among the largest studies on potential dangers of cellphone use, a 2010 analysis in 13 countries found little or no risk of brain tumors. People's mobile phone habits also have changed substantially since the first studies began and it's unclear if the results of previous research would still apply today. Since many tumors take years to develop, experts say it's difficult to conclude that cellphones have no long-term health risks. Experts have recommended that people concerned about their cellphone radiation exposure use earphones or switch to texting.

Google will confront a threat to its dominant search engine beginning Tuesday when federal regulators launch an attempt to dismantle its internet empire in the biggest U.S. antitrust trial in a quarter century. Over the next 10 weeks, federal lawyers and state attorneys general will try to prove Google rigged the market in its favor by locking its search engine in as the default choice in a plethora of places and devices. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta likely won't issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google broke the law, another trial will decide what steps should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California-based company. Top executives at Google and its corporate parent Alphabet Inc., as well as those from other powerful technology companies are expected to testify. Among them is likely to be Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page four years ago. Court documents also suggest that Eddy Cue, a high ranking Apple executive, might be called to the stand. Read: Elon Musk says he may need surgery before proposed 'cage match' with Mark Zuckerberg The Justice Department filed its antitrust lawsuit against Google nearly three years ago during the Trump administration, charging that the company has used its internet search dominance to gain an unfair advantage against competitors. Government lawyers allege that Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and on web browsers such as Apple’s Safari and Mozilla’s Firefox. Regulators also charge that Google has illegally rigged the market in its favor by requiring its search engine to be bundled with its Android software for smartphones if the device manufacturers want full access to the Android app store. Google counters that it faces a wide range of competition despite commanding about 90% of the internet search market. Its rivals, Google argues, range from search engines such as Microsoft's Bing to websites like Amazon and Yelp, where consumers can post questions about what to buy or where to go. Read: Reluctant Twitter users, influencers and others are flocking to Meta's new Threads app From Google’s perspective, perpetual improvements to its search engine explain why people almost reflexively keep coming back to it, a habit that long ago made “Googling” synonymous with looking things up on the internet. The trial begins just a couple weeks after the 25th anniversary of the first investment in the company — a $100,000 check written by Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim that enabled Page and Sergey Brin to set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage. Today, Google’s corporate parent, Alphabet, is worth $1.7 trillion and employs 182,000 people, with most of the money coming from $224 billion in annual ad sales flowing through a network of digital services anchored by a search engine that fields billions of queries a day. Read: Microsoft will pay $20M to settle U.S. charges of illegally collecting children's data The Justice Department's antitrust case echoes the one it filed against Microsoft in 1998. Regulators then accused Microsoft of forcing computer makers that relied on its dominant Windows operating system to also feature Microsoft’s Internet Explorer — just as the internet was starting to go mainstream. That bundling practice crushed competition from the once-popular browser Netscape. Several members of the Justice Department's team in the Google case — including lead Justice Department litigator Kenneth Dintzer — also worked on the Microsoft investigation. Google could be hobbled if the trial ends in concessions that undercut its power. One possibility is that the company could be forced to stop paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine on smartphones and computers. Or the legal battle could cause Google to lose focus. That’s what happened to Microsoft after its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department. Distracted, the software giant struggled to adapt to the impact of internet search and smartphones. Google capitalized on that distraction to leap from its startup roots into an imposing powerhouse.