New Delhi: Mutual fund industry AMFI on Saturday said the outage in Microsoft services impacted five asset management companies, which reported disruptions to some important functions but the issues were resolved during the day. A widespread Microsoft outage disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday. A new CrowdStrike (cybersecurity software firm) update was cited as the cause of the outage, which impacted Windows-based desktops and laptops. In a statement on Saturday, the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), said that all the asset management companies (AMCs), their Mutual Funds and Registrar and Transfer Agents (RTAs) functioned without any impact. “Out of the 44 AMCs, there were 5 AMCs who reported disruptions to some important functions, which were resolved during the day and did not have any material impact on operations,” it added. Overall, the Indian mutual funds industry did not witness any significant impact on daily activities, the AMFI noted. On Friday, Edelweiss Mutual Fund on X (formerly known as Twitter) stated that they experienced login issues on their website due to a Microsoft outage. Besides, several traders in India faced operational disruption on Friday as a global service outage of Microsoft systems affected many brokerages, including 5paisa, IIFL Securities, Motilal Oswal and Angel One. Some brokerages later stated that their systems were restored. The glitch affected not only broking firms but also disrupted airline operations. Adding further, the outage impacted 10 banks and NBFCs, causing minor disruptions that were either resolved or in the process of being resolved. However, stock exchanges and financial institutions largely remained unaffected by the tech glitch. 

New Delhi: Flipkart, the e-commerce platform owned by Walmart has announced its Greatest of All Time (GOAT) sale for 5 days. Shoppers can find a wide range if deals and discounts on smartphones, TVs, home and kitchen appliances and accessories. When does the Flipkart G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) sale 2024 start? The Flipkart G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) sale 2024 is scheduled in India from tomorrow, July 20 and will run through July 25. Flipkart will start sharing more details about the sale offers today at 6 pm.  ANNOUNCING the Flipkart G.O.A.T Sale!  Get ready for Flipkart’s Greatest Of All Time G.O.A.T. Sale! Watch our superstar goats reveal the epic deals and steals. Don’t miss out – G.O.A.T bano bakra nahi !   pic.twitter.com/qDBo2GYjVA — Flipkart (@Flipkart) July 11, 2024 Will Flipkart Plus members get early access to the sale offers? Flipkart Plus members will get early access to sale offers starting today, July 19. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Prime Day sale will run from July 20-21. During the Flipkart sale, buyers can enjoy an instant discount of 10% up to Rs 5,000 when using credit cards from Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, and IDFC First Bank. Deals on Top Smartphones During Flipkart’s GOAT Sale During the Flipkart GOAT Sale there are some exciting smartphone deals to check out. You can grab the iPhone 14 Plus for Rs 53,999, the Google Pixel 7 for Rs 32,999, and the Motorola Edge 50 Pro for Rs 27,999. The Poco X6 Pro will be available for up to Rs 22,999. Furthermore, the Google Pixel 8, originally priced at Rs 75,999 will be offered at Rs 47,999. The Vivo T2 Pro 5G will be reduced to Rs 20,999 from Rs 26,999, and the Realme P1 5G will be available for Rs 14,999, down by Rs 1,000. Newly launched, the CMF Phone 1 will be on sale today at an effective price of Rs 14,999 with bank offers. Also, the Poco M6 Pro will start at Rs 8,999.

New Delhi: Bumble, a popular dating app is taking a stand against deceptive profiles with a new feature that allows users to report AI-generated photos. The new feature lets users report profiles they suspect are using AI-generated photos. This initiative is designed to ensure genuine connections and protect users from being deceived by digitally created images. A survey conducted by Bumble revealed that 71 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial respondents believe AI should be used only to a limited extent for profile pictures and bios. Here’s how to report a profile: Step 1: Open the profile you want to report. Step 2: Tap the three dots (…) in the top right corner. Step 3: Select “Report.” Step 4: Choose “Fake profile,” then “Using AI-generated photos or videos.” Step 5: Optionally, provide any additional details. Step 6: Submit your report. However, Bumble’s new update isn’t their first time using AI to improve customer services. Previously, the dating app introduced several features to benefit users including a tool that identifies fake profiles before they reach others, a tool that blurs potential nude images and a feature that analyzes your preferences to show you potential matches. “An essential part of creating a space to build meaningful connections is removing any element that is misleading or dangerous. We are committed to continually improving our technology to ensure that Bumble is a safe and trusted dating environment. By introducing this new reporting option, we can better understand how bad actors and fake profiles are using AI disingenuously, so our community feels confident in making connections.” Risa Stein, VP, product, Bumble, said. 

New Delhi: Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk has retweeted a post today on X (formerly Twitter) showcasing how to mute unwanted words on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter). The retweet from the tech giant comes amidst ongoing discussions about online toxicity and mental health.  By highlighting the mute function, Elon Musk may be suggesting a way for users to handle negativity on the social media platform. While some users view this as a positive move toward a more civil online environment, others raise concerns about its possible implications for free speech. How to mute posts with words you find annoying https://t.co/1KuP7I8GbC — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024 Here’s How To Mute Posts With Words You Find Annoying On X  Step 1: Open the Settings menu on your device. Step 2: Navigate to the Privacy section. Step 3: Select Mute & Block from the available options. Step 4: Choose Muted Words to manage and add the words you want to mute. Here’s How Netizen Reacts To Musk Retweet- Grok won’t mute any words. It’s truth seeking and ingests all! pic.twitter.com/mGsKWcSUBb — Nuke (@CryptonianNuke) July 16, 2024 It’s a great way to filter out the engagement farming! pic.twitter.com/qz7XkTrkra — cerwinlive (@cerwinliveIG) July 16, 2024 One word you will never mute : Dream pic.twitter.com/BLSY4XTlgF — 12$andDream (@12dollars1dream) July 16, 2024 This is an amazing feature! thank you for adding it. We now have the power to remove any word or topic that we find toxic. Mold and shape your timeline with only content that is informative, constructive and uplift your spirit to become a better person and have a better life.… — Fabs (@itsonlyfabs) July 17, 2024 I need to mute all words used by legacy media pic.twitter.com/LLdNbcZNkT — Logician (@SpaceX69_420) July 16, 2024

Bengaluru: A highly technical Android malware campaign by Vietnamese hackers is targeting Indian users through fake traffic e-challan messages on WhatsApp, according to a report on Wednesday.  Researchers from CloudSEK, a cybersecurity firm, identified the malware as part of the Wromba family. It has infected more than 4,400 devices and led to fraudulent transactions exceeding Rs. 16 lakh by just one scam operator, they said. “Vietnamese threat actors are targeting Indian users by sharing malicious mobile apps on the pretext of issuing vehicle challan on WhatsApp,” said Vikas Kundu, Threat Researcher, CloudSEK. Scammers are sending fake e-challan messages impersonating the Parivahan Sewa or Karnataka Police and tricking people into installing a malicious app. The app steals personal information and also facilitates financial fraud. Clicking the link within the WhatsApp message would lead to the download of a malicious APK disguised as a legitimate application. Once installed, the malware requested excessive permissions, including access to contacts, phone calls, SMS messages, and the ability to become the default messaging app. It then intercepts OTPs and other sensitive messages, which enables attackers to log in to victims’ e-commerce accounts, purchase gift cards, and redeem them without leaving a trace. Kundu explained that once the app gets installed, it extracts all the contacts to scam more users. Further, all the SMSes will be “forwarded to the threat actors thus allowing them to log in to various e-commerce and financial apps of the victim,” he added. Using proxy IPs, the attackers avoid detection and maintain a low transaction profile. Using the malware, attackers have accessed 271 unique gift cards, conducting transactions worth Rs 16,31,000, according to the report. Gujarat has been identified as the most affected region, followed by Karnataka. To protect against such malware threats CloudSEK urged users to stay vigilant and adopt security best practices installing apps only from trusted sources like Google Play Store; limiting app permissions and regularly reviewing them, maintaining updated systems, and enabling alerts for banking and sensitive services.

New Delhi: Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced a revamped calling interface for iPhone users with a bottom calling bar to enhance user experience and streamline the app’s visual design, according to WABetaInfo reports. This update will gradually be rolled out to all iOS users in the coming weeks. Apart from this, WhatsApp is also reportedly rolling out an AI Studio feature with additional chatbots. It is available to some beta testers.  WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.15.10: what’s new? WhatsApp is rolling out an AI Studio feature with additional chatbots, and it’s available to some beta testers! Some users may experiment with this feature by installing certain previous updates.https://t.co/Pp6AEWztmn pic.twitter.com/fSJEee5M6J — WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 15, 2024 In the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.12.14 update, the company introduced several enhancements to modernize the app’s calling screen. These updates feature an improved bottom calling bar, larger profile photos, and an overall contemporary design, all aimed at making the interface more visually appealing and user-friendly. Now a similar update has been rolled out on WhatsApp version 24.14.78 on the App Store for iOS.   WhatsApp for iOS 24.14.78: what’s new? WhatsApp is widely rolling out a new interface for the bottom calling bar to everyone!https://t.co/uFbCDOB35Z pic.twitter.com/yOP7r3xNea — WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 14, 2024 Adding further, WhatsApp users will find it easier to recognize who’s calling thanks to the larger profile photos. The instant messaging app has also revamped the top section of the calling screen by introducing a semi-transparent background, enhancing button visibility and simplifying navigation during calls. These updates are a part of WhatsApp’s efforts to improve the aesthetics of its interface while enhancing the user experience. iPhone users are encouraged to update their WhatsApp app to the latest version to ensure they can take advantage of this and other upcoming feature improvements.  Earlier, WhatsApp released a new update for both Android and iOS users. This update enables users to forward photos with captions and improves the poll functionality. It is available for download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

New Delhi: Zen Technologies, an anti-drone technology and defense training solutions provider, in collaboration with its subsidiary AI Turing Technologies on Monday introduced the AI-powered robot Prahasta, among other products, for the global defense market. Prahasta is an automated quadruped that uses LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and reinforcement learning to understand and create real-time 3D terrain mapping for unparalleled mission planning, navigation, and threat assessment. The company also launched the anti-drone system camera Hawkeye, remote-controlled weapon station Barbarik-URCWS, and Sthir Stab 640, a rugged stabilized sight designed mainly for armored vehicles, ICVs, and boats. “These innovations represent a significant advancement in autonomous defense operations. We believe the launch of these products will raise awareness around the need to integrate advanced robotics into combat and reconnaissance missions. Our self-funded products will further enable Zen to offer an expanded range of cutting-edge technologies to both current and prospective clients,” Zen Technologies’ Chairman and Managing Director Ashok Atluri said. The Hyderabad-based firm claims Barbarik-URCWS to be the world’s lightest remote-controlled weapon station, offering precise targeting capabilities (5.56 mm to 7.62 mm calibers) for ground vehicles and naval vessels, maximizing battlefield effectiveness while minimizing personnel risk. The Shares of Zen Technologies settled at Rs 1,362.00 apiece on BSE on Monday, up 5 percent from the previous close.

New Delhi: Meta-owned WhatsApp has introduced a new update for both Android and iOS users. This update allows users to forward photos with captions and enhances the poll functionality. The update is available for download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. However, the rollout is gradual, so not all users will receive it immediately. To use the photo forwarding with caption feature, users must have the latest version of WhatsApp and an active WhatsApp account.  Here’s How To Use New Forward Photos With Caption Feature Step 1: Open the updated WhatsApp app on your smartphone. Step 2: Go to the individual or group chat where you have received the photo with a caption. Step 3: Long press the photo to select it. Step 4: Tap the forward button located at the top of the screen. Step 5: On the next screen, select the contacts you want to share the photo with. Step 6: You’ll see a new section at the bottom showing the photo and its caption.  Step 7: Press the Send button to share the photo with the caption. Step 8: If you prefer not to include the caption, tap the ‘x’ button at the top right of the caption before sending. Apart from this, you can add your caption by tapping the ‘x’ icon and typing your text. Moreover, WhatsApp is testing a new feature to manage and pin channels on the app for iPhone users. This new feature will improve the user experience.  

New Delhi: Meta-owned WhatsApp is testing a cutting-edge feature that enables users to translate messages into different languages using different language packs, as per WABetaInfo. WhatsApp users will first need to download language packs to utilize this feature, starting with English and Hindi. Adding further, languages are expected to be added in the future. This feature integrates seamlessly within chats, enabling users to translate messages without leaving the app.  The much-anticipated feature will instantly translate messages during conversations, which will ensure a smooth communication flow, making it easier for users to understand and respond in real-time. WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.15.9: what’s new? WhatsApp is working on a feature to translate all chat messages, and it will be available in a future update!https://t.co/Nz2qabck6K pic.twitter.com/EPD9DRPyo1 — WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 12, 2024 However, this translation feature is currently available to a select group of Android beta testers and can be found in app update version 2.24.15.8, according to WABetaInfo. It is speculated that this feature might leverage Google’s live translation technology, allowing users to seamlessly translate messages in real time. Moreover, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will allow users to transcribe voice notes into text. The anticipated feature is likely to enhance the accessibility and convenience for those who prefer reading text over listening to voice messages. The feature is currently being tested with a small group of beta users in certain countries who have downloaded the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update from the Google Play Store. The transcribe voice feature is likely to enable users to choose from languages like English, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), and Hindi, with the possibility of more languages being added later on.    

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