United News of Bangladesh

Apple has released a sleeker and more expensive version of its lowest priced iPhone in an attempt to widen the audience for a bundle of artificial intelligence technology that the company has been hoping will revive demand for its most profitable product lineup. The iPhone 16e unveiled Wednesday is the fourth-generation of a model that’s sold at a dramatically lower price than the iPhone’s standard and premium models. The previous bargain-bin models were called the iPhone SE, with the last version coming out in 2022. Like the higher-priced iPhone 16 lineup unveiled last September, the iPhone 16e includes the souped-up computer chip needed to process an array of AI features that automatically summarize text, audio and create on-the-fly emojis while smartening up the device’s virtual assistant, Siri. It will also have a more powerful battery and camera. All those upgrades will translate into a higher starting price for an iPhone 16e at $600, a 40% increase from $430 for the last iPhone SE. But iPhone 16e will be more affordable than the cheapest standard iPhone 16 at $800. The new phone will be available in stores Feb. 28, but can be pre-ordered beginning Friday. “We’re so excited for iPhone 16e to complete the lineup as a powerful, more affordable option to bring the iPhone experience to even more people,” said Kaiann Drance, an Apple vice president in charge of promoting a device lineup that accounts for more than half of the company's revenue. But Apple is also trying to balance its desire to offer a more affordable iPhone that will lure more people into its sphere of product against its self interest in maximizing its profits from selling higher price products, according to Forrester Research analyst Dipanjan Chatterjee. iPhone SE 4 (2025): Latest Leaks, Rumors, and Features of Apple’s Most Affordable Powerhouse “The problem with a lower-end product in a luxury portfolio is that you want it to be good but not so good as to cannibalize the crown jewels," Chatterjee said. Although Apple has been hyping its foray into AI since last June, the complete set of features still haven’t been released in the U.S. and the technology still isn’t even available in some parts of the world. The delays in making the iPhone’s AI — dubbed “Apple Intelligence’" — more widely available through free software updates dinged the Cupertino, California, company during the past holiday when sales of the device dipped slightly from their 2023 levels. Apple has primarily been losing the ground in China, where it hasn’t yet specified when the iPhone's AI technology will be available. But the company recently struck an AI partnership with Alibaba in China that could pave the way for the technology coming to iPhones in that country this spring. Besides being able to handle AI for the first time, the iPhone 16e has a different look from previous SE models. It boasts a 6.1-inch display screen, slightly larger than the 4.7-inch display on SE model and no longer has a home screen button like the SE had. The new iPhone 16e will rely include a facial recognition option for unlocking the device, just like the higher priced models do. Apple’s foldable iPhone now closer to reality Apple's shares edged higher Wednesday to close at $244.87, below the stock's peak of roughly $260 reached in late December.

Italian prosecutors said Wednesday they will seek to drop a tax evasion investigation against Google after the tech giant agreed to pay a 326 million euro ($340 million) settlement. Milan prosecutors had opened an investigation against Google for failure to pay taxes on earnings in Italy from 2015-2019. The investigation focused on revenues from the sale of advertising, and cited the presence of servers and other infrastructure in Italy. Mexico awaits new response from Google on dispute over Gulf of Mexico name before filing lawsuit Google acknowledged the settlement in statement, saying it resolves “a tax audit ... without litigation.” Tech giant Google previously paid over $1 billion to French authorities to settle a years long dispute over allegations of tax fraud.

Mexico said Monday it's awaiting a new response from Google to its request that the tech company fully restore the name Gulf of Mexico to its Google Maps service before filing a lawsuit. President Claudia Sheinbaum shared a letter addressed to her government from Cris Turner, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy. It says that Google will not change the policy it outlined after U.S. President Donald Trump declared the body of water the Gulf of America. “We will wait for Google’s response and if not, we will proceed to court,” Sheinbaum said Monday during a morning press briefing. As it stands, the gulf appears in Google Maps as Gulf of America within the United States, as Gulf of Mexico within Mexico and Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America) elsewhere. Turner in his letter said the company was using Gulf of America to follow “longstanding maps policies impartially and consistently across all regions" and that the company was willing to meet in person with the Mexican government. “While international treaties and conventions are not intended to regulate how private mapping providers represent geographic features, it is our consistent policy to consult multiple authoritative sources to provide the most up to date and accurate representation of the world," he wrote. Mexico has argued that the mapping policy violates Mexican sovereignty because the U.S. only has jurisdiction over around 46% of the Gulf. The rest is controlled by Mexico, which controls 49% and Cuba, which controls around 5%. The name Gulf of Mexico dates back to 1607 and is recognized by the United Nations. Avro Keyboard: Groundbreaking Journey of a Bangla Typing Software by Mehdi Hasan's Team In response to Google's letter, Mexican authorities said they would take legal action, writing that “under no circumstance will Mexico accept the renaming of a geographic zone within its own territory and under its jurisdiction." The renaming of the body of water by Trump has flared tensions between Mexico and the U.S. at a pivotal time for the neighboring allies. Sheinbaum has had to walk a fine line with Trump amid threats of tariffs and Mexico and other Latin American countries have braced themselves for promised mass deportations, the brunt of which has still not been felt. Along with the legal threat to Google, the Mexican president also announced Monday that Mexico and the U.S. would hold high-level meetings this week on trade and security in an effort to maintain a “long-term plan of collaboration" between the two countries. It's the latest round of talks between the two countries in which Mexico hopes to hold off a larger geopolitical crisis. The renaming of the water body has fueled strife within the U.S. as well. Last week, the White House barred Associated Press reporters from several events, including some in the Oval Office, saying it was because of the news agency’s policy on the name. The AP is using Gulf of Mexico to ensure that names of geographical features are recognizable around the world but also acknowledging Trump’s renaming of it as well. OpenAI board unanimously rejects Elon Musk's $97.4b proposal Other journalistic organizations such as the White House Correspondents' Association and the New York Times have echoed the AP in raising alarm about press freedom violations.

Huawei on Tuesday held a global launch for the industry’s first tri-foldable phone, which analysts said marked a symbolic victory for the Chinese tech giant amid U.S. technology curbs. But challenges over pricing, longevity, supply and app constraints may limit its success. Huawei said at a launch event in Kuala Lumpur that the Huawei Mate XT, first unveiled in China five months ago, will be priced at 3,499 euros ($3,662). Although dubbed a trifold, the phone has three mini-panels and folds only twice. The company says it's the thinnest foldable phone at 3.6 millimeters (0.14 inches), with a 10.2-inch screen similar to an Apple iPad. “Right now, Huawei kind of stands alone as an innovator" with the trifold design, said Bryan Ma, vice president of device research with the market intelligence firm International Data Corporation. Huawei reached the position despite “not getting access to chips, to Google services. All these things basically have been huge roadblocks in front of Huawei,” Ma said, adding that the “resurgence we're seeing from them over the past year has been quite a bit of a victory." Huawei, China’s first global tech brand, is at the center of a U.S.-China battle over trade and technology. Washington in 2019 severed Huawei’s access to U.S. components and technology, including Google’s music and other smartphone services, making Huawei's phone less appealing to users. It has also barred global vendors from using U.S. technology to produce components for Huawei. American officials say Huawei is a security risk, which the company denies. China’s government has accused Washington of misusing security warnings to contain a rising competitor to U.S. technology companies. OPPO Reno13 Pro 5G Review: Is It Worth the Hype? Huawei launched the Mate XT in China on Sept. 20 last year, the same day Apple launched its iPhone 16 series in global markets. But with its steep price tag, the Mate XT “is not a mainstream product that people are going to jump for,” Ma said. At the Kuala Lumpur event, Huawei also unveiled its MatePad Pro tablet and Free Arc, its first open-ear earbuds with ear hooks and other wearable devices. While Huawei’s cutting-edge devices showcase its technological prowess, its long-term success remains uncertain given ongoing challenges over global supply chain constraints, chip availability and limitations on the software ecosystem, said Ruby Lu, an analyst with the research firm TrendForce. "System limitations, particularly the lack of Google Mobile Services, means its international market potential remains constrained,” Lu said. IDC's Ma said Huawei dominated the foldable phone market in China with 49% market share last year. In the global market, it had 23% market share, trailing behind Samsung's 33% share in 2024, he said. IDC predicted that total foldable phone shipments worldwide could surge to 45.7 million units by 2028, from over 20 million last year. Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition Review: A True MacBook Competitor or Just Hype? While most major brands have entered the foldable segments, Lu said Apple has yet to release a competing product. “Once Apple enters the market, it is expected to significantly influence and stimulate further growth in the foldable phone sector,” Lu added.

“Language must be free”—guided by this solemn statement, Avro, Bangladesh’s first free and open-source graphical keyboard software, emerged in 2003 and revolutionized the Bengali typing system forever. Marking a groundbreaking leap over traditional intricate and paid methods, Avro shattered barriers and made Bengali input on digital devices effortless and free from commercial constraints. Let’s reminisce about this transformative software's dramatic journey and the story of its visionary innovator, Mehdi Hasan's Team. A Young Dreamer with a Striking Idea . At the 2003 Ekushey Book Fair, Mehdi Hasan Khan, then a higher-secondary student with a passion for programming and technology, attended the “Bangla Linux” display held by a voluntary organization, Bangla Innovation through Open Source (BIOS). There he saw the first Bengali website using a Unicode model named, Unibangla, which was designed for Linux. Moved by the display, young Mehdi began researching “Bangla Linux,” which included an on-screen click-based keyboard for typing Bengali. Overwhelmed by the lack of a similar option for Windows, Mehdi developed the idea of a new simplified multi-platform Bengali keyboard. Read more: How to Verify If Your Smartphone is Truly Brand New and Never Used Before From Ideation to Existence Obsessed with the idea of a unique Bengali typing software, Mehdi Hasan immediately started the project. After looking up the dictionary, he selected “Avro,” which translates to “Sky,” as the project name.  A Windows-compatible prototype of the Avro Keyboard was developed using the Visual Basic programming language. The prototype followed a layout similar to the then-popular Bijoy layout, which was later replaced with Avro Easy, the phenomenal phonetic layout. On March 26, 2003, Mehdi released a primary version of the Avro Keyboard. To provide broad and easy access to the software, he published a new website, OmicronLab. By that time, he had become a student at Mymensingh Medical College and was put under a massive study load. In addition, OmicronLab’s forum section slowly began receiving feedback and advice for further upgradation. To help Mehdi cope with the response, joined Rifat Un Nabi, Tanbin Islam Siam, Shabab Mustafa, and Omar Osman in the development. Read more: 7 Top AI Writing Tools, Software to Generate Human-Like Text Currently, Avro uses Delphi replacing Visual Basic for the Windows version. The Linux version, primarily developed with C++, has shifted to iBus and JavaScript, while the macOS version uses Objective-C.

YouTube has announced a major update to its Dream Screen feature, enabling users to create AI-generated videos for shorts. This development comes with the integration of Google DeepMind’s latest video generation model, Veo 2, allowing content creators to generate video clips simply by entering a text prompt. Enhancing AI Capabilities in Shorts Initially launched in September 2023, Dream Screen allowed users to generate AI-powered backgrounds for their Shorts by inputting a text description. With the latest upgrade, the feature now extends beyond backgrounds, empowering users to create entire video clips that can be seamlessly incorporated into their short-form content. New Features and Benefits The integration of Veo 2 brings several enhancements to the Dream Screen feature. Content creators can now generate independent video clips without the need for extensive stock footage searches or additional scene recordings. The AI-generated clips can be customised according to specific creative needs, including style, lens effects, and cinematic elements. Additionally, Veo 2 is designed to enhance efficiency, significantly reducing the time required to generate video content. YouTube asserts that Veo 2 provides high-quality outputs while maintaining realism. “Veo 2 understands real-world physics and human movement better, making its output more detailed and realistic,” the platform stated. Safeguards Against Misinformation To maintain transparency and curb misinformation, YouTube will incorporate SynthID watermarks and clear visual labels on all AI-generated content. Developed by Google DeepMind, these watermarks are invisible to the human eye but can be detected digitally, ensuring that AI-generated or altered footage can be identified. Availability and Future Rollout At present, the upgraded Dream Screen feature with Veo 2-powered video generation is accessible to users in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. YouTube has confirmed plans to expand availability to more regions in the future. With AI continuing to reshape content creation, YouTube’s latest update is set to revolutionise how creators produce engaging and innovative Shorts, making high-quality video generation more accessible than ever. END/UNB/SAM/1800 hrs  

OpenAI says its board of directors has unanimously rejected a $97.4 billion takeover bid by Elon Musk. “OpenAI is not for sale, and the board has unanimously rejected Mr Musk’s latest attempt to disrupt his competition," said a statement Friday from Bret Taylor, chair of OpenAI's board. OpenAI attorney William Savitt in a letter to Musk's attorney Friday said the proposal “is not in the best interests of OAI’s mission and is rejected.” TikTok returns to Apple and Google app stores in US Musk, an early OpenAI investor, began a legal offensive against the ChatGPT maker nearly a year ago, suing for breach of contract over what he said was the betrayal of its founding aims as a nonprofit. OpenAI has increasingly sought to capitalize on the commercial success of generative AI. But the for-profit company is a subsidiary of a nonprofit entity that's bound to a mission — which Musk helped set — to safely build better-than-human AI for humanity's benefit. OpenAI is now seeking to more fully convert itself to a for-profit company, but would first have to buy out the nonprofit's assets. Throwing a wrench in those plans, Musk and his own AI startup, xAI, and a group of investment firms announced a bid Monday to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI. Musk in a court filing Wednesday further detailed the proposal to acquire the nonprofit’s controlling stake. Savitt's letter Friday said that court filing added “new material conditions to the proposal. As a result of that filing, it is now apparent that your clients’ much-publicized ‘bid’ is in fact not a bid at all.” In any event, “even as first presented,” the board has unanimously rejected it, Savitt said. Musk has alleged in the lawsuit that OpenAI is violating the terms of his foundational contributions to the charity. Musk had invested about $45 million in the startup from its founding until 2018, his lawyer has said. He escalated the legal dispute late last year, adding new claims and defendants, including OpenAI's business partner Microsoft, and asking for a court order that would halt OpenAI’s for-profit conversion. Musk also added xAI as a plaintiff, claiming that OpenAI was also unfairly stifling business competition. A judge is still considering Musk's request but expressed skepticism about some of his claims in a court hearing last week.

TikTok has returned to the app stores of Apple and Google in the U.S., after President Donald Trump delayed the enforcement of a TikTok ban. TikTok, which is operated by Chinese technology firm ByteDance, was removed from Apple and Google’s app stores on Jan. 18 to comply with a law that requires ByteDance to divest the app or be banned in the U.S. The popular social media app, which has over 170 million American users, previously suspended its services in the U.S. for a day before restoring service following assurances from Trump that he would postpone banning the app. The TikTok service suspension briefly prompted thousands of users to migrate to RedNote, a Chinese social media app, while calling themselves “TikTok refugees.” The TikTok app became available to download again in the U.S. Apple App store and Google Play store after nearly a month. On Trump’s first day in office, he signed an executive order to extend the enforcement of a ban on TikTok to April 5. TikTok has long faced troubles in the U.S., with the U.S. government claiming that its Chinese ownership and access to the data of millions of Americans makes it a national security risk. TikTok has denied allegations that it has shared U.S. user data at the behest of the Chinese government, and argued that the law requiring it to be divested or banned violates the First Amendment rights of its American users. During Trump’s first term in office, he supported banning TikTok but later changed his mind, claiming that he had a “warm spot” for the app. TikTok CEO Shou Chew was among the attendees at Trump’s inauguration ceremony. Trump has suggested that TikTok could be jointly owned, with half of its ownership being American. Potential buyers include real estate mogul Frank McCourt, Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary and popular YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast.

Buying a new smartphone is a big investment, so discovering that your "brand-new" device is actually used or refurbished can be frustrating. Since new smartphones are significantly more expensive than second-hand or refurbished models, it's crucial to confirm that your device is genuinely new before making a purchase. By taking a few simple steps, you can avoid the risks of buying a pre-owned or tampered phone and ensure you're getting exactly what you paid for.  Ways to Check Whether Your Smartphone is New and Never Used Before . Check the Packaging and Accessories One of the most obvious ways to verify if a smartphone is new is by inspecting the packaging. A brand-new phone should come in a factory-sealed box with no signs of tampering. Manufacturers use specific security seals and adhesive tapes to ensure authenticity. If you notice any resealing marks, misaligned stickers, or damaged box edges, it may indicate that the phone was previously opened. The contents inside the box should also be carefully examined. A new phone comes with neatly packed accessories, including a charger, USB cable, SIM ejector tool, and sometimes earphones, depending on the brand. If any accessory appears used, has scratches, or is missing altogether, this is a red flag. Additionally, check for official manuals and warranty cards that should accompany a new smartphone. Read more: How to Get Traffic Updates in Dhaka: Useful Apps and Sources Examine the Physical Condition of the Phone A thorough physical inspection of the device is essential before considering it brand-new. A new smartphone should have no scratches, dents, or marks on its body or screen. Carefully check the edges, ports, and camera lens for any visible signs of wear or damage. Moreover, inspect the buttons to ensure they feel firm and function smoothly. Due to frequent usage, a previously used phone might show slight discoloration around buttons, especially the power and volume keys. Another effective way to confirm newness is by checking the SIM card tray. If there are scratches or dust inside the tray, it may have been inserted and removed before, indicating prior use. Verify the IMEI or Serial Number Every smartphone comes with a unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which can help you determine if the device is new. You can find the IMEI number by dialing *#06# on the phone’s dial pad or by navigating to Settings > About Phone. Cross-check this number with the IMEI printed on the box. If the numbers do not match, this could indicate that the phone is not in its original box or has been tampered with. Read more: Top Free Prompt Engineering Courses Online in 2025 Another way to check is by using IMEI lookup websites such as IMEI.info or IMEI24.com. These platforms can provide details about the phone’s activation date, warranty period, and whether it has been reported stolen. If the phone has an activation date earlier than your purchase date, it means the device was used before. Check Software and System Information Smartphones store specific information that can reveal their usage history. For iPhone users, an easy way to check if the device is brand-new is by looking at the model number. You can find this under Settings > General > About. The first letter of the model number provides key insights: "M" – Brand new unit "F" – Refurbished by Apple "N" – Replacement device "P" – Personalized with engraving If the model number starts with "F" or "N," it means the device was either refurbished or replaced, respectively, which means it is not brand new. Read more: Top Virtual Reality Trends of 2025: The Future of VR For Android users, the best way to check the device’s history is through the developer options. Go to Settings > About Phone > Status, where you can see the device’s Build Number and First Activation Date (if available). If the phone has an activation date before your purchase, it indicates that the device has been used before. Assess Battery Health and Charging Cycle Battery health is another critical indicator of a phone’s usage history. A new phone should have 100% battery health, especially iPhones, where this information can be checked under Settings > Battery > Battery Health. If the capacity is below 100%, the phone may have been previously used or left charging for extended periods. For Android users, battery health can be checked using third-party apps such as AccuBattery. Additionally, you can check the Charge Cycle Count, which refers to how many times the battery has been fully charged. A high charge cycle count indicates prior usage. Read more: 10 Best Free AI Image Generators in 2025 Check for Signs of Prior Setup or Activation When turning on a brand-new phone for the first time, it should display the initial setup screen, asking you to select a language, connect to Wi-Fi, and sign in with a Google or Apple ID. If the phone directly opens to the home screen or already contains apps, contacts, or settings, it has likely been used before. For iPhones, you can check the Apple System Status online using the device's serial number. Go to Settings > General > About and enter the serial number on Apple's website to check the warranty status. If the warranty has already started before your purchase date, the phone was likely activated earlier. Similarly, for Android devices, you can check the Device Activation Date by dialing *#12580*369# on Samsung phones. If the activation date is earlier than your purchase date, it means the phone is not new. Read more: Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs and Healthcare Innovations of 2024 Review Warranty and Return Policy Before purchasing a smartphone, always check its warranty status. Most manufacturers offer a one-year warranty starting from the date of first activation. You can verify this on the brand’s official website by entering the phone’s serial number. If the warranty period has already started before your purchase, the phone was activated earlier, meaning it is not a new device. Additionally, reputable sellers provide a return or exchange policy. Ensure that your purchase comes with a valid return window so that you can return the phone if you discover it is not new. Check for Hidden System Logs Most smartphones keep internal records of previous activities. On Android devices, you can check Usage History by going to Settings > Developer Options > Running Services. If any apps show usage history before your purchase date, the phone has been previously used. Read more: 12 Most In-Demand Tech Skills for 2025: Stay Ahead in the Job Market On iPhones, you can check Analytics Data under Settings > Privacy > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data. If you see logs dating back to before you first turned on the phone, it suggests prior usage. Observe Performance and Storage A brand-new smartphone should run smoothly without any lag or unusual behavior. If your phone experiences slow performance, random reboots, or excessive heating, it might not be new. Additionally, check the Storage Usage under Settings > Storage. If the device already has storage space occupied before setup, it could indicate previous usage. Final Words Ensuring that your smartphone is genuinely brand-new during purchase requires thorough inspection and verification. By checking the packaging, physical condition, IMEI number, software details, battery health, and activation records, you can confidently determine whether your device has been used before.  Read more: Why Do Mobile Phones Explode? How to Protect Your Smartphone from Blasting? These checks help protect you from receiving a pre-owned, refurbished, or tampered device when you have paid for a new one. Always purchase from authorized sellers and verify the return and warranty policies to safeguard your investment.

A Texas county on Wednesday approved holding an election sought by SpaceX that would let residents living around billionaire Elon Musk 's company decide whether to formally create a new city called Starbase. The election was set for May 3 and votes can only be cast by residents living near the launch site that is currently part of an unincorporated area of Cameron County, located along the U.S.-Mexico border. In December, more than 70 area residents signed a petition requesting an election to make Starbase its own municipality. Most of the residents are company employees and the community includes more than 100 children, according to copies of the petition obtained by The Associated Press. Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño said the county reviewed the petition and found it met the state's requirements for the incorporation process to move forward. “If the election passes, this will be the newest town in Cameron County since Los Indios in 1995,” Treviño said in a statement. “We look forward to seeing the outcome of this election.” SpaceX responded to a request for comment by referring to the company's earlier statement in December. Elon Musk-led group proposes buying OpenAI for $97.4 billion. OpenAI CEO says ‘no thank you’ Kathryn Lueders, Starbase's general manager, previously said that the incorporation would streamline certain processes to build amenities in the area. Some local environmental advocates have expressed worry about what the effects would mean for development. SpaceX's launch site broke ground in Texas in 2014. Only 10 of the roughly 250 lots of land within the proposed new city limits do not belong to the company. More than 3,400 full-time SpaceX employees and contractors work at the Starbase site, according to a local impact study issued by the county last year. Musk has long been planting business roots in Texas and has spread them far and wide across the Lone Star State. The billionaire moved to Texas in 2020 and relocated to or expanded a number of his companies in the state, citing the state’s business-friendly climate. Bill Gates warns of AI’s impact on work and society Tesla’s massive 10-million-square-foot (930,000-square-meter) Gigafactory, where the company makes its Cybertrucks, opened near Austin in 2022 and will also serve as the company headquarters.