United News of Bangladesh

Global smartphone brand vivo has brought Y01, the latest addition to its Y series smartphone, to Bangladesh. The device has a 5,000mAh battery and is also engineered to offer 5V/1A reverse charging, enabling it to charge other devices. Read: Vivo brings X80 to Bangladesh Y01 also features a 6.51-inch Halo FullView Display with HD+ (1600x720) resolution, providing a wide and immersive view for both videos and games.  The device has an 8.28mm body equipped with a stylish 3D back cover, an 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. Read Walton Primo R9 Review: Competitive in entry-level budget segment Y01 also has the Face Wake feature that unlocks one's phone the moment it recognises his or her face. Priced at Tk9,990, Vivo Y01 is available in Elegant Black and Sapphire Blue.

Instagram is testing new ways to verify the age of people using its service, including a face-scanning artificial intelligence tool, having mutual friends verify their age or uploading an ID. But the tools won’t be used, at least not yet, to block children from the popular photo and video-sharing app. The current test only involves verifying that a user is 18 or older. The use of face-scanning AI, especially on teenagers, raised some alarm bells Thursday, given the checkered history of Instagram parent Meta when it comes to protecting users’ privacy. Meta stressed that the technology used to verify people’s age cannot recognize one’s identity — only age. Once the age verification is complete, Meta said it and Yoti, the AI contractor it partnered with to conduct the scans, will delete the video. Meta, which owns Facebook as well as Instagram, said that beginning on Thursday, if someone tries to edit their date of birth on Instagram from under the age of 18 to 18 or over, they will be required to verify their age using one of these methods. Meta continues to face questions about the negative effects of its products, especially Instagram, on some teens. Kids technically have to be at least 13 to use Instagram, similar to other social media platforms. But some circumvent this either by lying about their age or by having a parent do so. Teens aged 13 to 17, meanwhile, have additional restrictions on their accounts — for instance, adults they are not connected to can’t send them messages — until they turn 18. The use of uploaded IDs is not new, but the other two options are. “We are giving people a variety of options to verify their age and seeing what works best,” said Erica Finkle, Meta’s director of data governance and public policy. To use the face-scanning option, a user has to upload a video selfie. That video is then sent to Yoti, a London-based startup that uses people’s facial features to estimate their age. Finkle said Meta isn’t yet trying to pinpoint under-13s using the technology because it doesn’t keep data on that age group — which would be needed to properly train the AI system. But if Yoti does predict a user is too young for Instagram, they’ll be asked to prove their age or have their account removed, she said.   “It doesn’t ever recognize, uniquely, anyone,” said Julie Dawson, Yoti’s chief policy and regulatory officer. “And the image is instantly deleted once we’ve done it.” Yoti is one of several biometric companies capitalizing on a push in the United Kingdom and Europe for stronger age verification technology to stop kids from accessing pornography, dating apps and other internet content meant for adults -- not to mention bottles of alcohol and other off-limits items at physical stores. Yoti has been working with several big U.K. supermarkets on face-scanning cameras at self-check-out counters. It has also started verifying the age of users of the youth-oriented French video chatroom app Yubo. While Instagram is likely to follow through with its promise to delete an applicant’s facial imagery and not try to use it to recognize individual faces, the normalization of face-scanning presents other societal concerns, said Daragh Murray, a senior lecturer at the University of Essex’s law school. “It’s problematic because there are a lot of known biases with trying to identify by things like age or gender,” Murray said. “You’re essentially looking at a stereotype and people just differ so much.” A 2019 study by a U.S. agency found that facial recognition technology often performs unevenly based on a person’s race, gender or age. The National Institute of Standards and Technology found higher error rates for the youngest and oldest people. There’s not yet such a benchmark for age-estimating facial analysis, but Yoti’s own published analysis of its results reveals a similar trend, with slightly higher error rates for women and people with darker skin tones. Meta’s face-scanning move is a departure from what some of its tech competitors are doing. Microsoft on Tuesday said it would stop providing its customers with facial analysis tools that “purport to infer” emotional states and identity attributes such as age or gender, citing concerns about “stereotyping, discrimination, or unfair denial of services.”   Meta itself announced last year that it was shutting down Facebook’s face-recognition system and deleting the faceprints of more than 1 billion people after years of scrutiny from courts and regulators. But it signaled at the time that it wouldn’t give up entirely on analyzing faces, moving away from the broad-based tagging of social media photos that helped popularize commercial use of facial recognition toward “narrower forms of personal authentication.”

Any stereo system requires a good speaker setup. Audio speakers are the single determinant that makes the difference between an average sound system and a great sound system. While there is a common misconception that expensive speakers are the best ones, it's not necessarily the case. There are a lot of factors that go behind a home speaker along with the brand value. With that said, here is a detailed buying guide on home speakers along with suggested models at different price points in Bangladesh. Things to Consider Before Buying a Home Speaker Quality of Sound The sound quality or sound preference is a completely personal thing. Some prefer clarity while others are bass heads. The best way to judge a sound system is to test it out with familiar music. Bring along a playlist and test it out at different volume levels. Check for the treble and overall pleasantness to the ear. Another good measure would be to check out the sounds at different bit rates. Simply play songs ranging from 128 kbps to 320 kbps to see how the speakers perform at different bit levels. Read: Used Laptop, PC Buyer Guide: What to look for before buying Types Much of the sound output depends on the size and type of the speaker. Over the years, home audio has had a long evolution. Nowadays, there are options ranging from floor standing, subwoofer, bar, bookshelf and in-wall speakers. Granted each of these has its own unique offerings but not all of them are best for home surround sound. Bar speakers work best as a supporting speaker for monitors and TVs while the in-wall speakers require extensive installation procedures. Subwoofers also aren’t great standalone performers as they work best combined with a satellite-type speaker. The ideal choice is floor standing and a bookshelf for home. They provide the best range while preserving clarity and bass. But it has its issues as well as it tends to take up floor space. Read: Cloud Computing Benefits: Perfect Cloud Service Provider Choosing Tips The in-wall speakers are the overall best choice as they are discreet and don’t interfere with the layout. But we will exclude them from the list as they run a high cost and specialized setup requirements which aren’t often possible from a Bangladeshi context. Room Dimensions The size of the room and its contents plays a huge role in the performance of the sound systems. For example, a satellite speaker with additional sub-woofers works best for a spread-out room with acoustic barriers like furniture, mats, and cushions. But for a small room with a minimal acoustic barrier, floor standing and bookshelf will provide the best performance. The key thing here is sound propagation. Sound travels in a horizontal line. If there are barriers, it's best to settle for overhead speakers. If not, go for any standard speaker options. Read Apartment Buyer Guide: What to consider before purchasing a Flat Power Output Every speaker requires a specified range of power output to perform at an optimum level. It generally ranges from anywhere between 30 watts to 100 watts. Anything less and more than that will result in muffled performance. It might also harm the speaker in the long run. A pro tip for surround sound setup is to use the same brand and same model of speakers. It will ensure an equivalent performance and won't end up distorting the sound. Tuning This is the last thing to ensure for a perfect-sounding home speaker. Tuning can be of two types – physical and acoustic. Test and find the best place where the speakers provide the best performance. In addition to that, play with the tuners to get the desired sound output. Read Projector Buyer Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh Best Home Speakers at Different Price Range Below are some of the best home audio speakers at different price ranges currently available in Bangladesh. Top Home Audio Speakers Under 3000 Havit SK755BT Bluetooth Speaker Looking for a funky Bluetooth home speaker? The Havit SK755BT can be a perfect choice. It’s a Bluetooth speaker with a combined battery time of 30 hours in each of the speakers. The speakers are lightweight and are easily portable depending on the setup. In addition to Bluetooth, users can also use an aux cable for stationary use. Key Features - USB and 3.5 m plug-in option - 52 mm driver - 60 Hz to 20 KHz response - Priced at 1,550 BDT Read SD, MicroSD Memory Cards for Smartphones in Bangladesh: Comprehensive buyer guide DigitalX X-Lab Multimedia Speaker The DigitalX multimedia home speaker can be the perfect choice as a standalone stereo speaker. It comes with two supporting speakers along with the main subwoofer. The remote controller also comes in handy for external controls. Key Features - 4-inch subwoofer for high dynamic sound - Aux in and Bluetooth option - 100 Hz to 18 KHz range - Priced at 2,000 BDT Read Bluetooth Headphones Buyer Guide and Price Ranges in Bangladesh Xtreme Phantom 2:1 Multimedia Speaker The Xtreme Phantom provides some of the best clarity and sound separation in the sub 3000 range. In addition to that, the speaker has a distortion of less than 0.5% which enhances the experience even further. The main sub-woofer is complemented by two 2.5-inch speakers making it ideal for a TV or PC setup. Key Features - White noise reduction - Clarity at high volume - 4-inch subwoofer - Priced at 2,900 BDT

Walton has launched its new budget smartphone Primo R9 with a large display, powerful RAM, battery and triple rear camera setup. Priced at Tk11,999, the device is available at the stores in aurora green and magnetic black. Primo R9 has a 6.52-inch HD+ dew-drop display. Read Infinix brings Note 12 G96 Running on the Android 11 operating system, it sports a 1.8 GHz Helio G25 octa-core processor with PowerVR Vogue GE8320 graphics. Also, Primo R9 has 3GB DDR4 RAM, 32GB internal storage and 128GB microSD card support. The device features an F/1.8 aperture AI triple rear camera setup with PDAF technology and LED flash. The main sensor of the rear camera is 13MP. Also read: Walton launches gaming smartphone Primo S8 Mini Walton Primo R9 is powered by a 5000mAh battery with type-C charging.

Twitter plans to offer Elon Musk access to its “firehose” of raw data on hundreds of millions of daily tweets in an effort to push forward the Tesla billionaire’s agreed-to $44 billion acquisition of the social media platform, according to multiple news reports. Lawyers involved in the deal would not confirm the data sharing agreement. Musk made no comment on Twitter, although he has previously been vocal about various aspects of the deal. Twitter declined to confirm the reports and pointed to a Monday statement in which the company said it is continuing to “cooperatively” share information with Musk. Musk, who struck a legally binding agreement to buy Twitter in April, contends that the deal can’t proceed unless the company provides more information about the prevalence of fake accounts on its platform. He has argued, without presenting evidence, that Twitter has significantly underestimated the number of these “spam bots” -- automated accounts that typically promote scams and misinformation — on its service. On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also announced an investigation into Twitter for allegedly failing to disclose the extent of its spam bot and fake accounts, saying his office would look into “potential false reporting” of bots on Twitter. Read: Elon Musk wants to buy Twitter, make it 'maximally trusted' The Washington Post first reported Twitter’s plan to provide Musk with full access to the firehose, citing a person familiar with the matter. Other reports suggested the billionaire might only receive partial access. Twitter’s reported offer could blunt Musk’s attempts to use the spam bot issue to cast doubt on the deal’s future. This week, lawyers for Musk accused the company of refusing to surrender information about the true number of bot accounts on Twitter. Mike Ringler, the Palo Alto, California, attorney who signed that Monday letter, told the AP he was not at liberty to speak about the matter when reached Wednesday afternoon. Fake social media accounts have been problematic for years. Advertisers rely on the number of users provided by social media platforms to determine where they will spend money. Spam bots are also used to amplify messages and spread disinformation. The problem of fake accounts is well-known to Twitter and its investors. The company has disclosed its bot estimates to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for years, while also cautioning that its estimate might be too low. Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal has said that Twitter has consistently estimated that fewer than 5% of its accounts are spam. But Musk has disputed that figure, contending in a May tweet — without evidence — that 20% or more of Twitter’s accounts are bogus.

Telecom operator Grameenphone and Northern Education Group (NEG), country partner of Kotler Impact, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the textbook "Essentials of Modern Marketing" by Professor Philip Kotler and his associates – to be written and published in 2022. The book will illustrate Grameenphone's success in Bangladesh in the local edition to inspire new era marketers to take inspiration from the entrepreneurial mindset and social impact of the company. At the signing ceremony in the Dhaka, Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman said, "With the ongoing technological advancement in the country, the digital lifestyle of the people is evolving. MyGP understands the increasing digital needs of the people and has played a pivotal role in supporting digital inclusion and enabling digital advancement." "It gives us immense joy to have our flagship app featured in Philip Kotler's book. We hope the journey of MyGP inspires new era marketers." The MyGP case study presented in Essentials of Modern Marketing is expected to benefit thousands of graduates and undergraduate students, professionals, practitioners, and executives in Bangladesh and other countries in South Asia academically and intellectually. The book will have printed copies and also be available on Amazon.com in 2022.

Thirty students have made it to the third round of the Seeds For The Future 2022 Bangladesh, a CSR programme by Chinese telecom giant Huawei for aspiring science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM students. Based on their academic results and knowledge, creativity, and English proficiency, the jury board consisting of Huawei staff, project manager, and university teachers shortlisted them from 200 participants in the second round. Also Read: Huawei: 'Fastest-growing' cloud provider in Asia-Pacific Professors from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Islamic University of Technology, Brac University, East-West University, and Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology joined the jury board of the round. At the end of the third round, nine students will be promoted to the regional round which will be held in Thailand. Read Seeds for the Future winners visit Huawei Bangladesh headquarters The winners of the regional round will go to Singapore to join the "Tech4Good Accelerator Camp." Initially, more than 1,100 students enrolled in the Seeds For The Future 2022 Bangladesh. Launched in Bangladesh in 2014, Seeds for the Future has been nurturing ICT talents since its inception and become popular among academics as well as students. Read Seeds For The Future 2021: Bangladesh team heads to global round

Cloud computing is a blessing of modern science that keeps numerous organisations and companies active in the current realm of the digital world. Cloud service providers assist a company to manage their data securely. Choosing the best cloud service provider for an organisation might be a difficult choice. Besides impacting the company's financial line, it may affect server, data, downtime period, security issues, etc. Stay with us, to know about the basics of cloud service and ways to find the perfect cloud service provider for your company. What is Cloud Computing? Computing in the cloud refers to providing a variety of services over the internet. Data storage, servers, databases, networking, and software are all examples of resources that fall under this category. Using cloud-based storage, it is feasible to store files in a distant database as opposed to storing them on a local storage device like a hard drive that is only accessible from a single location. As long as a piece of electronic equipment is connected to the internet, it will have access to the necessary data as well as the software applications to operate it. Read: Metaverse: 10 Ways Virtual Reality Platforms Will Change the World Cloud computing is a popular choice among individuals and organizations for a variety of reasons, including cost savings, enhanced productivity, speed and efficiency, performance, and security. Cloud computing is also an alternative that provides better performance. What is a Cloud Service? The phrase "cloud services" refers to a wide variety of services that are made available to businesses and their clients on-demand via the use of the internet. These services are intended to make it simple and inexpensive to get access to a variety of applications and resources, all without the need to require an organization's own internal infrastructure or hardware.  Cloud computing vendors and service providers are responsible for the whole management of cloud services. It is not necessary for a business to host apps on its own servers located inside its own premises since they are made accessible to clients directly from the servers operated by the providers. Read: SD, MicroSD Memory Cards for Smartphones in Bangladesh: Comprehensive buyer guide What is a Cloud Service Provider? A third-party organization that offers a platform, infrastructure, application, or storage services through the cloud is known as a cloud service provider (often abbreviated as CSP). In the same manner that a household would pay for a utility such as electricity or gas, businesses normally are required to pay only for the number of cloud services that they use, which is dictated by the requirements of the company. Why use a Cloud Service Provider? Businesses have been forced to search for methods to become more flexible and adaptable as a result of the rising market pressure, which stems from both more competition and increased customer demand. At the same time, cloud computing platforms have been essential in fostering innovation and producing cost savings. Here are some of the most prevalent explanations for why companies use cloud services: The majority of cost savings come in the form of pay-as-you-go pricing, which means that you do not pay for services or bandwidth unless you actually use them. However, cloud service providers not only reduce internal IT costs but also reduce energy costs and result in higher employee productivity levels. Read Used Laptop, PC Buyer Guide: What to look for before buying Cloud service providers are an additional backup option that may be used as a safeguard against the breakdown of power supplies, natural catastrophes, or other types of infrastructure. The majority of CSPs will include redundancy in their backup plans in order to defend themselves against interruptions in regional operations. Performance and dependability have risen to the top of the list of priorities for cloud service providers as a result of the intense competition and growing demand for cloud services. When shifting to the cloud, businesses can often anticipate increased uptime as well as assistance that is available around the clock. Scale-up as needed and rely on IT resources for all or part of the infrastructure for a cost-effective method of handling spikes in required bandwidth. The obligation of upgrading software, including both routine upgrades and critical security patches, is taken on by the providers of cloud services. Read Fixing Wet Phones: What to do if your phone falls into the water? How to Choose the Best Cloud Service Provider for Your Organization The use of cloud services facilitates collaborative work, increases the capacity for data storage, and strengthens security measures. The fact that cloud computing incorporates a multitude of components, however, is one of the primary reasons why organizations often lack clarity on which cloud provider best meets their objectives. When choosing a cloud service provider, there are three actions that are absolutely necessary to take: Meets the Requirements You shouldn't automatically go for the company that has the most market share in the sector. It is important for organizations to investigate all of their available possibilities and get an answer that meets all of their criteria. Read Best Free Data Science, Machine Learning Courses Online Reliability To reduce their exposure to the dangers of data loss and cyberattacks, businesses need to work with a cloud service provider that offers dependable security and storage capabilities. The best cloud services are the ones that you can have complete confidence in. However, standard security packages do not provide sufficient protection; a company's cloud security must be customized to meet its specific requirements. Flexibility Cloud service providers should be able to expand their offerings in tandem with the success and expansion of their customers' businesses. They should encourage development rather than stifle it in any way. To assist you in locating the cloud services that are optimal for commercial enterprises, we have compiled a guide on the most prominent cloud providers. Read How Can Artificial Intelligence Improve Healthcare? Conclusion You may be concerned about the location of servers and what will happen to your apps and data if they fail. Although these worries are legitimate, they should not prevent you from pursuing cloud services objectives. Instead, your first focus should be on selecting the best service. One of the most prevalent reasons a migration to the cloud might fail is a lack of preparation. This includes understanding the company's requirements, the benefits and drawbacks of using different cloud service providers, and the expertise necessary to develop the cloud today. With the assistance of a trustworthy partner, many of these frequent cloud failure difficulties may be overcome and resolved. So far, we have discussed the how cloud computing and cloud service provider works and ways to choose the best cloud service provider for your organisation. Hope it helps! Read Successful transplant of pig's heart into a human body for the first time

Global ICT solutions provider Huawei has said its Cloud has become the "fastest-growing" cloud provider in Asia-Pacific. In Bangladesh, the government, Robi, IFAD Autos, bdjobs.com, Rokomari.com, Daily Star, DBC News, Ekattor TV, Symphony Softech, New Zealand Dairy, Ajkerdeal.com, Perfee, deliveryTIGER, UNITEX, and FLORA TELECOM are using Huawei Cloud. Read: Vivo X80 5G to arrive in Bangladesh soon Also, Huawei provided cloud service for the launch of the virtual Amar Ekushey Boi Mela last February so that the visitors and interested people can access all information related to the fair through a website. In 2021, Huawei Cloud's key customers in Asia-Pacific increased by 156 percent, and the number of ecosystem partners grew by 90 percent. Read: Robi's Binge available in 120-plus countries Huawei Cloud will bring new cloud solutions and services to the region in 2022, namely global network acceleration service (GA), real-time audio and video service (SparkRTC), software development production line (DevCloud), and financial distributed database GaussDB (for openGauss), according to a media statement.

Imagine a world where a company released a new car, and as a buyer, you could drive the car from anywhere in the world. Or like a dress, while shopping online, and you could wear it virtually before buying it. This may seem like a science fiction movie or book. But, it is no longer in the imagination. The creation of such technology has already started. This technology will make the online virtual world feel like the real world. Suppose a friend of yours posted some wonderful pictures on Facebook while walking through the hills or a beach. The augmented reality technology will make you feel like you are there for real when you are on Facebook. As a whole, this technology is called Metaverse. It is believed that Metaverse will change the world in the near future or sooner. Let’s get some ideas in detail. Read Plenty of pitfalls await Zuckerberg’s ‘metaverse’ plan What is Metaverse? Metaverse is a term used to describe a hypothetical internet where users can access an online platform that allows them to interact with each other and share information in a three-dimensional environment. The concept was first introduced in the science fiction novel Snow Crash written by Neal Stephenson in 1992.  It’s similar to the virtual world concept, but Metaverse immerses users in an entire world that exists inside the internet. Metaverse could potentially provide users with new ways to socialize and share information, and it has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. Read What the metaverse is and how it will work How Metaverse Will Change the World? Metaverse is a new virtual reality platform that is set to change the world. It allows users to create and interact with digital worlds that are completely customizable. The metaverse has the potential to change how we live and work and has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about technology. Here are 10 ways Metaverse will change the world. Make the World Safe for Virtual Reality The first thing that Metaverse will do is to make the world safe for virtual reality. This will allow people to experience the world from the comfort of their own homes. In addition, this will help people to avoid going outside and being exposed to dangerous situations. It will also allow people to enjoy a different type of entertainment. They can go anywhere on the planet and visit any place they want to, which is much more realistic than anything that they can currently experience. Read Meta partners with BRAC to empower Bangladeshi women, youth online Create New Opportunities for Social Media Metaverse has the potential to create new opportunities for social media, as it can provide an easier way for users to share information and collaborate on projects. Hence, it can make the world more social. It will allow users to meet new people and interact with them. It could also create new ways to communicate and share information. Expand the Reach of Gaming Metaverse will allow people to play more realistic games. It could allow users to interact with other people in the real world and virtual ones while gaming. Metaverse’s unique architecture allows for a fast and seamless gaming experience for games and other online content providers. When you interact through a video game or VR app, you can share your thoughts and imagination with others. You can directly experience another person’s thoughts through augmented reality. Read Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Review: Is it worth it?