Your Tech Story

Athulya

Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.

IGTV

Instagram Comes Out With New IGTV App Updates

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Instagram had recently launched its IGTV app to draw crowds to its video platform. However, the app really hasn’t caught on, with most of the viewership coming from the IG app itself. Nevertheless, Instagram updated the IGTV app hoping to boost its interface and attract new viewers. Here’s a look at what the update does, and how it might help the company draw larger crowds.

IGTV Kicks Off

Instagram launched the IGTV app in a bid to help promote creators who make long-form videos. The recent update which came out today will see a whole new design, with significant changes having been made to the homepage and interface.  The company’s update sees the inclusion of a creator top which helps users watch what their followers are up to.

This top part also displays all the videos that the app thinks the user will enjoy. Furthermore, the IGTV app will also get a Discover tab that will help users surf new video content and find new forms of long-form videos they enjoy. This tab will work a lot like the Explore tab on the IG app.  Also, the app will now have its very own hands-free recording function which will enable users to take more interesting videos.

Explore and Discover

People everywhere agree that the biggest change brought in by the update is without a doubt the new Discover tab. Before this update, the IGTV app only displayed videos put up by the people the users followed. In addition other popular videos which the app felt were relevant also came on the user’s feed. Also, the app’s interface was very bare, with users having to click on videos to start them and play them. The new Discover tab will help users find new interesting content and explore other users and their profiles. Such an Explore tab will help users find new content, share and promote their own content and even help in forming connections via the app.

IG Stories Update

Another small, yet impactful update will allow users to now add IGTV content as their Stories. Rather than including a frame from the video, they can now play 15 seconds of their content. Such a move will help significantly in attracting new users to the app, as videos are now more likely to get more views. All of these updates will help in making the app more accessible, user-friendly and appealing to the younger generation. No one is sure regarding how many users depend solely on the IGTV app for their daily dose of video content.

Most people still seem to use the Instagram app to find video content, rather than depending on the stand-alone app. Also, Instagram has refused to divulge information regarding the usage of the app. However, when we look at Google Play and App Store, we see that while the IG app has over 10 million reviews, the IGTV app has only around 26,000 reviews with more than 25,000 coming from Google Play. But, it is refreshing to see Instagram focusing on content creators, and helping them popularise their content.

 With sources saying that company executives are encouraging new talent to use the IGTV app from the Los Angeles office, it seems like the company is taking a new found interest in video content. Furthermore, these updates suggest that Instagram is actively working towards weeding out the problems in the IGTV interface.  The company is also trying to find why the app isn’t attracting many viewers and working towards alleviating those problems.  Instagram still believes that IGTV is the “future of video,” and is ensuring rely on it to find video content.

COVID-19

Microsoft Predicts a Permanent change in the Way We Work Following the COVID-19 Crisis

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As the COVID-19 shows no signs of stopping, most people are still stuck in-home quarantine or lockdown. Most of the world’s major nations are still imposing strict travel bans to prevent the spread of the virus. Almost 80% of the world’s colleges, schools and non-essential offices have been shut due to this pandemic, pushing most people to work from home. So, how will this impact the way we work? Microsoft thinks that this COVID-19 pandemic will forever change the way offices function. Here’s a look at their report that tries to make sense of what after-effect this pandemic will have on employer-employee relations.

Usage of Microsoft Teams Surges

Microsoft recently revealed usage statistics regarding its enterprise application, Microsoft Teams. The company explained how companies and employees are using the app and how the coronavirus will change the way the world learns and works. Since last month, worldwide demand for the Team app has increased exponentially. The app which served 32 million users daily, now helps over 44 million, and that shift took place in just one week! As usage rises, Microsoft is releasing work trend reports to showcase how the pandemic is changing work habits and relations.

Due to most people working from home, every day, the Teams app sees 2.7 billion meeting minutes, which is 200% higher than the usual 900 million minutes from mid-March. It was around March that most American companies shut down and went into work from home modes. Furthermore, studies show that people are relying on video conferences two times more than before with rates of video call surging by 1000% since March. Also, employees in the Netherlands and Norway use video calls for 60% of their communication, whereas, in the US and UK, it takes up 38% and 47% respectively.

Making Room for the New Users

Behind the scenes, Microsoft engineers are scrambling to make enough room for all the new users. They have had to expand their infrastructure to respond to all these new responsibilities. Jared Spataro who heads Microsoft 365 said that due to demand skyrocketing, the engineers have really had to work hard to maintain capabilities. Furthermore, the sudden surge in demand led to Teams outage around Europe, catching the company by surprise. All the issues that arose, as per Spataro’s judgment where due to the Microsoft team having to adjust and respond quickly. While they had studied the situation, the pattern that came through in Europe geographically wasn’t what they were expecting at all.

Furthermore, the company has also seen a rise in the usage of Stream, which is its video-streaming service. As more and more companies move to digital spaces to conduct meetings, presentations, and conferences, such moves will keep happening. To help the transition, Microsoft raised the maximum limit from 10,000 to 100,000 participants on Stream.

Further Changes in the Way We Work

This demand has changed the way the company prioritizes features for Teams. They finally realized the custom backgrounds feature, which had been announced a year earlier. Such a feature helps people hide their messy backgrounds while handling office meetings. The feature has also recently found a place in the Zoom app.

Furthermore, Microsoft will add the Raise a Hand feature by the end of this month, and organizers will have the option to end meetings with a single click from today. The opportunity to download participant reports which have join and leave times will also be available. Microsoft has also stated that it is working on improving Team’s video call capabilities. Just like Teams, Zoom has also enjoyed a massive increase in users. Soon enough, Microsoft will make it possible for users to add more participants to their Team meetings.

Worldwide Trend

This lockdown period has seen webcams and laptops sell out in minutes as users are buying equipment to facilitate work from home. Since more and more people realize that they can’t work out of their iPads, they are investing in PCs and desktops. Mobile usage is also on the rise when it comes to applications such as Zoom and Teams, as the education sector tries to get back up and running. So what essentially happens once the pandemic dies down? Will people go back to how they were before or will we see remnants of this? Spataro believes that a new standard will come in place and things will not go back to what they were before.

There will be further restrictions, new patterns and new ways in which people will work and learn. Even after China lifting COVID-19 restrictions, Teams are still enjoying higher usage. Daily, their number of active users is increasing, implying that more people are now comfortable with working from home. Singapore too is implementing a circuit breaker model wherein people work from home and students study from home.

It is safe to say that according to Microsoft, the world will forever change due to the COVID-19. The new normal which this pandemic established will see these new tools be put to use regularly. With communication companies such as Google, Zoom, Slack and HouseParty all seeing a surge in users, this new theory might just be how the world works once we recover from this pandemic.

RIOT

Riot’s Valorant Opens to a Massive Twitch Viewership as Beta Version Releases

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With most people now having to stay at home due to COVID-19, most people are now looking forward to video games. Since they cannot step out due to nation-wide lockdowns, they will have to spend time on their favourite consoles and controllers. Much to the delight of fans around the world, gaming industry legend Riot has come out with a new video game. Here’s a look at what Riot’s Valorant offers and why it has got fans excited.

Beta Release of Riot

Valorant is unique and unoriginal at the same time, being a first-person shooter that opened to a massive reception on Twitch. Riot also has a deal with the gaming platform, along with streamers a chance to test out the beta version of the new game. Other streamers also got an opportunity to watch popular streamers play and test out the competition. Valorant is a super-competitive game that offers various playing styles and experiences. However, for now, the game will release only on PC, and Riot has not released any announcement regarding a console release. The game looks like it has all that takes to become the next big gaming sensation. Though it is hardcore, it borrows components from different styles, making it highly playable and enjoyable.

Timing is Perfect

Valorant, in its beta form, is coming at a critical point of time for the competitive gaming scene. Much of the Esports scene has to do with online multiplayer battle arenas, called MOBAs. Popular games in this genre include Valve’s Dota 2 and Riot’s League of Legends. While there are peripheral communities, such as fans of Psyonix’s Rocket League, MOBAs reign supreme at the end of the day. Only games of companies with immense resources have been able to make a name for themselves in this field. Such games include the legendary Call of Duty League, Overwatch League and Fortnite.

The most significant exception to this rule being Counter-Strike, which is a tactical shooter game, from which Valorant borrows heavily. Counterstrike remains one of the world’s most popular FPS games, while the industry around it has changed and evolved much. The game is so popular that it enjoys a far-flung fan base that even Call of Duty lacks. This has helped Counterstrike remain the most-watched title on Twitch, and it continually remains in the most-played lists. While it has been eight years since the game released, even now over one million people play Counterstrike on Steam.

Highly Popular Characteristics

Maybe this popularity is why Valorant borrows so heavily from Counterstrike when it comes to gameplay and characteristics. The game brings together superpowers like from Overwatch and the high-intensity tactical shooter gameplay copied from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. In many ways, it seems like Riot is building a more modern Counter-Strike. Riot’s aim appears to be to create a modern version of Counter-Strike that will appeal to MOBA fans around the world. From what was visible on Twitch, Valorant seems to be able to attract both the streamers and pro players equally. Valorant’s beta broke the record for the most-viewed game within a day, with 34 million hours and 1.7 million viewers, second only to last year’s League of Legends Championship.

A New Era

Another interesting fact being that Valorant is not a battle royale game, but rather a tactical shooter. Since PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds came out in 2017, Battle Royale games have become the most popular type when it comes to the shooter market. Fortnite is one of the most famous examples of this type of game, with several other developers coming out with their own BR games, such as Respawn’s Apex Legends and Activision’s Call of Duty: Warzone. However, with so many companies pushing out BR games, the industry is feeling fatigued by the large number of such games out there. Therefore, Valorant seems to be a whiff of fresh air in an industry that honestly has enough and more BR games.

Valorant Gameplay

Valorant has both team-based and skill-based components wrapped in a hardcore shooter gameplay, removing the luck factor associated with BR. The basic premise sees one team plant a bomb and try to protect it, while the others race against time to defuse it. Since everyone has just one life, it makes the game extremely fast-paced and exciting. Whichever team wins 13 rounds wins the match, with this taking somewhere between 30 and 40 minutes to complete. The hero abilities, which Valorant resemble Overwatch, help add some flair and flamboyance to the otherwise skill-based game. While such superhuman skills make things more exciting, the game requires you to communicate and collaborate with teammates to succeed. More than anything else, Valorant is a tactical game that is less chaotic than a standard MOBA. As Counter-Strike proved simple tactical shooter games require just a community to become successful. Instead of having over 100 million players, such games grow in time thanks to the effort of dedicated fans.

Though Valorant has a long road ahead, experts believe that it will come out somewhere between late summer and early fall. The game’s success and early interest raised makes it evident that the game has all it takes to go a long way. With enough potential for lasting entertainment, Valorant is a game people will enjoy playing themselves and also watching others play. With enough potential to be the company’s next League of Legends, fans are excited to see how the game will pan out.

Sony Reveals Specs Related to its New DualSense Controller for PlayStation 5

Sony Reveals Specs Related to its New DualSense Controller for PlayStation 5

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Since the COVID-19 has forced everyone to stay indoors, they are all looking for some good news from some area. With the deadly virus continuing its rampage across North America and Europe, the lock-down might be in place for a while longer. However, gaming fans from around the world were treated to some good news from Sony yesterday, when they released some much-awaited news! Sony had not shown their fans what their new PlayStation 5 looks like. However, they unveiled the controller for the next-generation console today. Here’s a look at what the new Sony controller looks like and why it has got fans around the world excited.

DualSense Ushers in a New Age

The next-generation console will have an equally next-gen controller as the DualSense is something fans have never seen before. The new design is a significant departure from the iconic controller design Sony has done for the last 25 years. Not only does the new controller look different, but it also feels and works differently. Some of the main new features include the Haptic feedback, which replaces rumble and a new Adaptive trigger feature. The adaptive trigger option allows users to adjust the resistance that the triggers offer while putting in effect various gameplay effects.

Furthermore, Sony has brought in a microphone onto the new controller, something that has never happened before. The integrated microphone will be the first of its kind and comes with a USB-C type port. DualSense will also feature a two-tone color scheme which partially resembles the PSVR.

How does it look?

Externally, the controller has an overhauled design with a profoundly more rounded shape when it comes to the grips and buttons. Recently, Sony announced that the share button will be renamed as Create. The create button will allow players ways to better and create new types of gameplay content. Furthermore, Sony promises further details regarding this button and the DualSense will be released closer to the launch date.

When compared to the DualShock 4, individual buttons on the DualSense have been revamped and tweaked. For instance, the PlayStation button resembles the PS logo, while the triggers are more angled when compared to older controller designs. Most of the other features from the older DualShock 4 remains the same on the DualSense. These include the centered touchpad, the light bar and symmetrical layout.

However, the light bar has been moved from the top part to the left side of the controller. D-pad and face buttons will remain on the top half and matching analogue sticks will reside on the bottom.

Other Features and Differences

Further details regarding the cost, color options and additional specifications will come out closer to the actual launch date of the PS5. However, industry experts believe that the DualSense will be priced somewhere around $60, as that was the initial cost of the DualShock 4. While the DualShock had a monochrome finish and slim body layout, the new design is considerably chunkier and dual-toned. Therefore, in many ways, it serves as a significant departure from earlier controller designs for the gaming legend. Haptic feedback, which replaces Rumble, will allow users to feel levels of resistance to their movement via simulation.

Therefore, players will now be able to experience the grittiness of driving through slush or mud or even the tension of pulling a bowstring. The newly enabled adaptive feedback will allow the triggers to simulate the tension and release as per the situation in the game. Hideaki Nishino, the Senior VP of Platform Management, stated that the new controller will help players feel like they are a part of the game like never before.

The controller wishes to help transport gamers into the game world, acting as an extension of the gamer’s body while in their hands. The create button will also help with sharing screenshots and videos. With further details expected to come out in fall, gamers can rest assured that the DualSense will give rise to a new era in Sony gaming experience.

COVID-19

COVID-19 Leads to a Surge in the Global Growth of Refurbished Market Specialist Back Market

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The COVID-19 has put a lot of industries and businesses in trouble. The deadly pandemic has made governments impose nation-wide lock-downs. Such lock-downs restrict the functioning of offices, factories, schools and colleges. Furthermore, most countries have also imposed travel bans and restrictions on public transport. With transportation being hit, only essential services are now functioning in most states. This has made things difficult for start-ups all around the world. Most companies are finding it difficult to get their hands on raw materials. However, things are looking up for the catering company Back Market. Here’s a look at how the COVID-19 has led to Refurbished Market’s significant growth on a global scale.

Moving Ahead During Such Tough Times

This Paris-based start-up is a specialist when it comes to refurbished products. They allow their customers to submit their old devices and then restore and resell them. The company is a significant player in the second-hand e-commerce market. The COVID-19 has forced a lot of people to stay at home and work remotely. Therefore, more than ever before, people need access to better mobile devices. People who used their office technology for work no longer have that privilege.

Therefore, more people are trying to get their hands on better tech at more affordable prices. Hence, most people are looking at the refurbished market to buy suitable devices at lower rates. No longer having access to high-end tools is making people upgrade their own devices. Companies such as Back Market help them to do this efficiently. The company accepts their devices and then allows them to buy a second-hand model. Therefore, the search for better tools to better their remote working experience is helping Back Market grow.

“Is Back Market reliable?”

The most prominent stigma that the company has had to overcome in recent years is whether they are reliable. The company essentially allows users to ship their old devices to them and exchange those for newer, better accessories. All the users have to do is pay the difference in value, and they get to update their technology. Thibaud Hug de Larauze, who is the company’s CEO, said that the service is currently available only in France, but that they are planning an expansion soon. From the second quarter of this year, Back Market will start operation in international markets.

Growth of Back Market

The company, founded in 2014 was successful in raising € 48 million in funds thanks to two Series B investment rounds in June 2018. The company has since been running profitably with them still having money to spend on financing and expansion. While the company does not publish its merchandise volume, the CEO had stated that the company is growing in triple-digit figures. There has been a significant increase in the demand for laptops, scanners and printers. However, the COVID-19 scare has reduced the need for refurbished mobile phones, as people are trying to save money for essential items. However, the demand for laptops and printers is linked to more people practicing remote working now.

Global Demand

In the past two weeks alone, the company has received a sleuth of orders from Italy, as the entire country has gone into strict lock-down. With the country having been ravaged by the COVID-19, almost the whole nation has gone into lock-down with everyone working from home. Therefore, IT professionals have no option but to upgrade their devices and start working from home at full capacity. 

Shut Down of Stores

Another factor that has helped Back Market grow so fast is that mobile phone manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung have had to shut their retail stores around the world. Such a move has helped make Back Market a leading supplier of electronic goods, helping them improve their market position. With almost all major electronics retailers and operators staying closed in Europe, Back Market has been able to corner this market position due to its internet-based operation. Also, the fact that Back Market offers a minimum 6-month warranty on the devices they sell has made them look reliable and credible to their users. Furthermore, the company offers consumers access to a plethora of refurbished products at 30 to 70% lower prices. The company’s innovative model has helped it become the leader of the European refurbished market in less than 4 years. This success has made it expand to American shores, with operations beginning in the US in 2018. Both the growth of the refurbished market and the impact of COVID-19 can be held responsible for the three-digit growth that Back Market now enjoys. With the refurbished market growing by 13% in the period 2017-2019, it sure does look like Back Market will be enjoying success in the months to come.

google pixel 4

Pixel 4’s New Eye-Opening Update Released by Google

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With the COVID-19 having hit industries and businesses around the world, the tech world had been looking for some respite. Major tech companies from around the world canceled their councils, conferences and new releases, owing to the pandemic. Companies such as Google, Facebook and Microsoft have indefinitely postponed their important meetings and even moved some online. However, amidst all this, tech fans finally have some good news to take their mind off the negativity. Earlier today, Google released a new update for the Pixel 4, and it has got the entire tech world talking! Here’s a look at what the latest update is and why fans are so excited regarding it.

Eyes Ahead

The new update for the Pixel 4 makes it mandatory for users to open their eyes while unlocking the phone via face unlock. As per the latest update, “Require eyes open” will serve as the default feature, adding an extra level of security to these phones. However, if found to be annoying or unnecessary, users may turn the option off via the phone’s unlock setting’s panel. When the Pixel 4 launched earlier, not having an open-eye detection on its face unlock was seen as a significant disadvantage. Tech critics and security experts had all criticized the company for not having such an in-built function. The primary point of discussion is that since it wasn’t present, people could unlock the Pixel 4 while someone was sleeping. However, Google seemed to have taken the criticism seriously, because they announced last October that the security enhancement feature would roll on out in a few months. It sure looks like they have kept the promise, with the new update coming in on April 7th.

Features of Contemporaries

It isn’t just Google, but Apple as well who has focused on this feature in recent years. Apple has made it compulsory for users to have their eyes open while using their Face ID, ever since 2017. According to this function, users must have their eyes open and look directly at the camera, to unlock the iPad or iPhone. Furthermore, other major mobile phone manufacturers also seem to be picking up on this trend to better their security.

Furthermore, the new update also introduces corrections with regards to the Pixel’s Bluetooth audio input. The phone faced issues regarding connectivity as calls would be dropped, or lagged behind when using certain apps. The update aims to correct these issues and put an end to the woes users have with the Pixel’s Bluetooth.

Long time Coming

During their launch, both the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL lacked the feature that required the user’s eyes to be open to unlock the phone. The Android 11 Developer Preview 2 that came out last month introduced that feature to newer versions of the phone. Moreover, today’s update will make the option available to Android 10 users of the Pixel 4. In theory, this feature is said to drastically reduce faulty or erroneous activations. Further, the security patch will fall under the “Always require confirmation” section, which can be changed by the user as and when required.

Last October, Google added Motion Sense and Soli to speed up their IR camera system. The security feature has been in development for much longer as the company had made it clear in October, that the feature would be coming soon. For users who do not wish to use this feature, the company has suggested enabling the Lockdown feature, which makes it possible to unlock the phone using a passcode. The update also dealt with a memory address leak that was affecting the quality of Bluetooth Low Energy on the device. Another patch helps get rid of the lag that exists when the keyboard has to appear within specific applications. Older handsets, such as the Pixel 2, Pixel 3 and Pixel 3a also get access to this update, but the further back you go, the lesser additions they will be able to handle.