New Delhi: The Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme, initiated by the government, aims to provide free Wi-Fi facilities at public places across the country. The objective of this scheme is to ensure internet access to every citizen of the country while travelling, thereby advancing the Digital India mission. The PM-WANI scheme has helped people all over the country get internet access, which is helping India’s Digital India plan a lot. Benefits of the PM-WANI scheme: High Speed: The PM-WANI scheme provides high-speed internet, which enables you to enjoy uninterrupted web browsing, video streaming, and online gaming. Free Internet: Under this scheme, you can use free Wi-Fi at various public places such as railway stations, bus stands, metro stations, hospitals, educational institutions, parks, and government offices. Security: The PM-WANI scheme provides a secure Wi-Fi network, which helps to keep your data safe. Convenience: Using the PM-WANI scheme is very easy. You just need to select the “PM-WANI” Wi-Fi network on your smartphone or laptop and then enter an OTP for authentication. How To Use Free Wi-Fi Under PM-WANI scheme: Step 1: Open Wi-Fi settings on your smartphone or laptop. Step 2: Select the “PM-WANI” Wi-Fi network. Step 3: You will receive an OTP, which you need to enter for authentication. Step 4: Once you give consent, you can start using free Wi-Fi. If you want to access more information about the PM-WANI scheme then you can visit the official website of the PM-WANI scheme at https://pmwani.gov.in/. Moreover, you can also call 1800-266-6666  to grab the required information about the PM-WANI scheme. (Also Read: What Is ‘iPhone Finger’? Is Your Smartphone Changing Your Body? Here’s Everything You Need To Know)   The PM-WANI scheme is playing a crucial role in promoting digital inclusion in India. This scheme provides citizens with affordable and easy access to the Internet, helping them connect with education, employment, and other socio-economic opportunities. (Note: The story is articulated by Vineet Singh)

Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has banned over 5 lakh accounts in India. Reuters has reported that these accounts were banned for violating several policies set by social media platforms and these accounts have been banned between January 26 and February 25. Total X accounts banned in FebruaryAccording to the report, the social media platform has banned 5,06,173 accounts for promoting child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity.In addition to this, the platform suspended 1,982 accounts for promoting terrorism. Combining both, X has banned a total of 5,08,155 accounts during the said period in India. Also, the platform has received around 14,421 complaints from Indian users through its grievance redressal mechanisms. Moreover, around 41 requests have been raised regarding account suspensions. The company mentioned in its “We overturned 1 of these account suspensions after reviewing the specifics of the situation. The remaining reported accounts remain suspended,” said the company.“We received 71 requests related to general questions about accounts during this reporting period,” it added.This is not a new practice for X to ban accounts for violating the policy. Between December 26 and January 25, the platform banned around 2,31, 215 accounts in India. In the same period, the company banned 1,945 accounts for promoting terrorism on its platform. Tips to prevent X account from getting bannedTo prevent X from taking down your account, avoid violating the policies set by the platform. Prevent posting from child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity.

New Delhi: In the fast-paced realm of technology, Apple has launched its latest iPad Air (2024) at the company’s special event. The Apple iPad Air 6th Generation is offered in two sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch, supporting the new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard. The newly launched device is available in Space Gray, Starlight, Purple, and Blue colour options. After rolling out the premium gadget, it sparks curiosity among consumers. This is because tech enthusiasts have started comparing it to its predecessor, the iPad Air (2022) model. It was launched in Blue, Space Grey, Pink, Purple, and Starlight colour options. Apple’s iPad Air is now available for order through the Apple Store app in 29 countries and regions, including India. Customers can expect their orders to be shipped directly to them, and the iPad Air will also be stocked in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting May 15th.  From enhanced capabilities to improved user experience, let’s delve into the specifications of iPads launched in different years. iPad Air 6th Gen And iPad Air 5th Gen Price And Launch Date: The 6th Generation Apple iPad Air (2024) launched on May 7 this year. It launched with a price tag of Rs 59,900. With the launch, the device succeeds the 5th Generation Apple iPad Air, launched on March 18, 2022, at Rs 54,900. Hence, it’s a Rs 5,000 Rs hike in the product. (Also Read: Realme GT Neo 6 Smartphone With Android 14 And Dual Microphones Launched; Check Price, Specs) iPad Air 6th Gen (2024): The new Apple iPad Air lineup offers two screen sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch, with impressive display resolutions of 2360 x 1640 pixels and 2732 x 204 pixels, respectively. Both models feature Retina True Tone technology. These iPads are loaded with the Apple M2 chip, boasting an 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. With options for 8GB RAM and storage capacities ranging from 128GB to 1TB, users can customize their device as per their needs. It runs on iPadOS 17. The device sports 12MP rear and front cameras. And with battery capacities of 28.93 watt-hours for the 11-inch model and 36.59 watt-hours for the 13-inch version, enjoy extended usage times of up to 10 hours, or 9 hours with 5G connectivity. It has eSIM only. For connectivity, it supports 5G (optional), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, Thunderbolt 3, USB 4, and GPS/GNSS. iPad Air 5th Gen (2022): The tablet features a 10.9-inch vibrant display with a resolution of 2360 x 1640 pixels. It sports Retina True Tone technology for lifelike visuals. The device is powered by the Apple M1 chip, offering an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU for seamless performance. (Also Read:  It runs on iPadOS 15 and has 12 MP rear and front cameras. With a 28.6 watt-hour battery, enjoy up to 10 hours of usage, or 9 hours with 5G connectivity. However, the storage option ranges from 64GB to 256 GB. The tablet comes with a 28.6-watt-hour battery and enjoys up to 10 hours of usage or 9 hours with 5G connectivity.  Note: Disclaimer: This comparison helps people choose tablets wisely. It doesn’t favour any brand or model, just gives facts to help consumers understand their options better.

Microsoft did not get the success it was anticipating with its Android-powered Surface Duo-series smartphones. The company has discontinued the lineup after the Duo 2. But, this does not mean the company has stopped trying. A new patent application filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on February 29, reveals that the company is working on another foldable or dual-display mobile device.The patent application describes the company’s take on the foldable smartphone concept with single hinge technology called “spine cover plate”.Next Microsoft smartphones could feature a Galaxy Z Fold-like designAccording to the patent application, the phone could feature a “flexible display” in a bookstyle design similar to Galaxy Z Fold decies. However, the entire focus is on the spine cover plate mechanism which is aimed at protecting the single-hinge system of the device by covering the structural element. The differentiating factor between the regular hinge and Microsoft’s design is that the spine cover adjusts automatically during the opening and closing of the phone to prevent any unnecessary gaps around the hinge to protect it from dust as well as water. Currently, Samsung’s design offers an IPX8 rating which makes their foldables water-resistant only.The patent further mentions that the new hinge mechanism could allow Microsoft to eliminate the hinge crease less visible than the current options available in the market. Moreover, Microsoft has also mentioned techniques that could allow them to reduce the overall thickness of the foldable smartphone by allowing the spine cover plate to move closer to the device’s hinge when folded. “By retracting the spine cover plate toward the central spine as the first display-supporting frame and the second display-supporting frame are rotated into a face-to-face orientation, the width of the folded computing device is reduced, thereby enabling easier and more comfortable handling of the device, such as with one hand,” Microsoft noted in the patent.Interesting idea, but practicality is a question markThe entire smartphone market is searching for a way to eliminate the foldable crease from their smartphones. Some brands have already implemented the water-drop folding mechanism to reduce it, but there’s nothing like a crease-free foldable out there. Apart from that, the durability quotient of foldable is also important considering all the movable parts these phones have. That said, adding another layer or a movable part on top of the entire foldable mechanism does not appear like a wise move despite the added benefits and durability Microsoft has explained in the patent application.

In March, the telecom department issued an advisory to citizens about calls impersonating DoT, threatening people to disconnect their mobile numbers.

ChatGPT went through an outage. The outage tracking website — Downdetector — has also received reports from several users suggesting that they are unable to access the OpenAI’s chatbot. According to the report, around 91% of people are faced issues while accessing ChatGPT. Around 7% of users were unable to access the website and the rest were unable to log into their ChatGPT account.Users also took to X (formerly Twitter) to post about the ongoing outage. What OpenAI has to sayWhile users were facing issues while accessing the ChatGPT, OpenAI’s official status page also acknowledged the outage. The company has mentioned the issue as “increased latency and errors affecting both ChatGPT and APIs. Also, the service is now back online, as per the official OpenAI Status page and the latency issue has been fixed. “Performance is now back to normal”, reads the official page. To verify this, TOI Tech team also tried accessing ChatGPT on the web as well as via the mobile app and in both places, ChatGPT appears to be working fine without any issues.

Consumers can buy the Noise Pop Buds wireless TWS earbuds via Flipkart and the Noise India website.

National broadcaster Doordarshan has good news for Lord Ram Devotees. Doordarshan has announced that it will telecast live the morning prayers offered to the Ram Lalla idol at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya every day.Doordarshan has shared the same in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Doordarshan said that the morning aarti offered to Ram Lalla will be telecast live on DD National every morning from 6:30 am.The national broadcaster said that the decision to telecast the morning aarti live every day was taken with the aim of connecting devotees of Lord Ram, especially after the temple was inaugurated less than two months ago in a grand ceremony and everyone can’t visit the temple in person. The Aarti will be telecast simultaneously on DD’s YouTube channel also. Secondly, the decision was taken because the Trust doesn’t have logistical arrangements as of now for a live broadcast. Therefore, DD will be posting a two-three-member crew on the temple premises for the coverage of the daily ritual.DD’s announcement to telecast the Aarti live for 30 minutes every morning comes after getting the go-ahead from the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the same. Initially, DD will air the “Mangala aarti” for a few months, and then, the Ram Temple Trust will take a call on how to take it forward.6 Aartis daily at the Ayodhya Ram templeThere are 6 aartis of Ram Lalla held daily in Ayodhya Ram temple. These include Mangala Aarti at 4:30 am, Shringaar Aarti at 6:30 am, Rajbhog Aarti at 12 noon, Utthapan Aarti at 2 pm, Sandhya Aarti at 7 pm, and Shayan Aarti at 10 pm.Giving directions to devotees for Aarti, the temple trust said, “Entry for Mangala Aarti at 4 AM, Shringar Aarti at 6:15 AM, and Shayan Aarti at 10 PM is possible only with an entry pass. No entry passes required for other Aartis.”Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust advisory to devoteesIn an advisory to devotees coming for darshan at the temple, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra said, “Devotees can enter the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir for Darshan from 6:30 AM to 9:30 PM. The entire process from entry to exit after Darshan at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir is extremely simple and convenient. Typically, devotees can have a smooth Darshan of Prabhu Shri Ram Lalla Sarkar within 60 to 75 minutes.”The temple trust advised devotees to leave their mobile phones, footwear, purses and other personal items outside the Mandir premises for their convenience and to save time.It has also asked devotees not to bring flowers, garlands, Prasad to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.

New Delhi: South Korean electronics maker Samsung has launched the power banks in the Indian market. The company has rolled out two power banks of the 20,000 mAh and 10,000 mAh battery capacities. The 20000mAh power bank comes with 45W super-fast 2.0 charging. Meanwhile, the 10000mAh power bank supports wireless charging and 25W super-fast wired charging.  The power banks are available in Beige colour option only. Consumers can buy the power banks via Amazon, Samsung.com and at leading retail stores. Notably, these power banks are made with UL-certified recycled materials which help reduce carbon emissions and conserve the planet’s precious resources. (Also Read: iQOO Z9x 5G Smartphone Launch Date Confirmed In India, Amazon Availability Revealed) Samsung Power Bank Price: The 45W 20000mAh power bank carries a price tag of Rs 4299. Meanwhile, the 25W 10000mAh super-fast power bank priced at Rs 3499. Samsung 45W 20000mAh Power Bank Features:  The 45W 20000mAh power bank supports triple port charging capability and can charge three devices simultaneously. Users can not only charge their smartphones, but can also charge headphones, gaming consoles, cameras or laptops respectively. Using high-quality lithium-ion batteries, Samsung’s 20000mAh power bank supports low current charging and is compatible with mainstream smartphones and digital devices, meeting users’ high daily demand for power. (Also Read: Noise Pop Buds TWS Earbuds Launched In India With Instacharge Feature; Check Price, Specs) Samsung 25W 10000mAh Features: The 25W 10000mAh super-fast power bank can charge a wide range of devices including smartphones, watches, buds and digital devices. The dual-port charging capability of the power bank allows users to plug in and power two devices at once. Moreover, the Qi-certified power bank can charge a wide range of digital devices wirelessly with up to 7.5W. 

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Government of India has issued an important warning with a severity rating set to ‘High’ for Android users. According to the report, several security flaws have been found within the multiple versions of the Android operating system. The government body has warned users about the existing vulnerabilities that have been reported.What the government has saidAs per the report, Multiple Vulnerabilities have been reported in Android which could be exploited by an attacker to obtain sensitive information, gain elevated privileges, execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions on the targeted system.The vulnerabilities exist in Android due to flaws in Framework, System, AMLogic, Arm components, MediaTek components, Qualcomm components & Qualcomm closed-source components.Also, successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities can allow an attacker to obtain sensitive information and gain privileges and also run arbitrary code or even cause denial of service on the targeted system.Affected Android versionsThe vulnerabilities have been found within multiple versions of the Android including Android 11, Android 12, Android 12L, Android 13 and Android 14 operating systems. Also, this affects both Android-powered smartphones and tablets. What’s the solutionThe government body has advised users to apply the latest security patch available for their devices.To check for the update, follow these steps: Open Settings on your smartphone or tablet Tap on Software updates Then, tap on Check for updates button. Hit Install, if there’s an update available. Wait for it to download and install. Once done, restart the phone.