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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.

Quibi

Short-Form Content Specialist Quibi: An Honest Review

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The way we consume content has changed over the years. Thanks to increasing internet penetration and a rise in the number of mobile users, we now have several options to view content. Entertainment portals such as Hulu and Netflix have become popular around the world. Even old patrons of entertainment, such as Disney are moving towards a newer, digital content platform. Even in India, streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Hotstar and Netflix have become extremely popular. It is into this highly competitive field that another entertainment platform has entered. After many months of massive publicity, Quibi, which will focus on short-form content launched today for both Android and iPhone users. Here’s an honest review of the application and what it means for the entertainment industry.

Who’s Behind It?

There’s been a lot of talk of this mobile app that delivers bite-sized original content, and finally, it is out. Headed by Jeffrey Katzenberg, who is a pioneer in the field of entertainment and Meg Whitman, an experienced tech player, Quibi looks stated for success. The application centers around mobile phones and was built for use on mobile devices, rather than desktops or laptops. The application brought in over $1 billion in investment, which includes attracting significant stars for their new original content. Finally, the app is out, and the creators will get to see whether the app is worth the $4.99-with ads and $7.990 without ad package they are giving it out for.

Boon or Bane?

The main USP of the app is that it specializes in content that lasts 10 minutes or less. Since there is no TV app for the same, Quibi will have to be enjoyed solely from your mobile phone. Since most people are at home now, due to the COVID-19, this might be something that will work against the application. Whenever people are at home, they tend to prefer to watch content through larger screens, such as laptops and TVs. However, since this app is made specifically for mobile devices, users will not be able to enjoy the comforts of a larger screen. The application is also not available via a website and does not work fully optimized on tablets either. Therefore, this rules out the possibility of teaming it with Chromecast or AirPlay. So it is safe to say that it is built for your phone and nothing else!

How is the Quibi Interface?

Quibi is an app that works fine. It is reliable, though the user experience needs to be a little more intuitive and fluid. Other streaming giants such as Netflix have been able to do so well for themselves as their interface is extremely user-friendly. So, this is one area that the makers really need to focus on when it comes to updates and improvements. However, the app supports auto-rotate, so the images flip into landscape and portrait as you rotate your device. Both these orientations have been completely optimized, which makes the viewing experience a lot better.

The features which allow the camera shots and text to realign itself as per the mode is Turnstyle, and it serves as Quibi’s main feature. As per Katzenberg, Turnstyle will help bring in the third generation of film narrative. While the function might not be as revelatory as it is made to sound, it does help in making it easier to watch shows on the app. The main homepage resembles Instagram, more than it does Netflix, as it makes use of vertical cards. Lingering on any card for a few seconds automatically starts the autoplay of the video, while every time you pass through, you receive vibratory feedback. The video begins playing on full screen if you press it, and delayed holds will present more options such as download, share and information regarding the show. You also have the option of enabling notifications which will allow you to stay updated with regards to new releases and so on.

Playback and Quality

During playback, users get access to controls such as play, pause, fast-forward, share and rewind. It also includes a Left-handed mode which makes the app very easy to use for lefties around the world. The app also has shortcuts in place for muting the audio and switching on the subtitles. The Turnstyle feature works by involving two different video streams and one audio track simultaneously. The mode in which you are watching the show runs on higher resolution, while the other keeps running in the background. Whenever you rotate, the stream also changes instantaneously and therefore, there is no loading issue, quality degradation or buffering issues. However, using dual-stream video makes the app use 20% more data than YouTube or Netflix.

The major misses when it comes to the app are as follows. It does not have a family option wherein various members can stream content from one account. Not accounting for multiple people in the same house might not end up working for the app in the long run. Furthermore, since it works on a single concurrent stream, password sharing is also not an option people have. However, the short content that it features makes it the perfect app for content on-the-go. It provides excellent, no-commitment entertainment that people can enjoy while traveling or waiting for an appointment. However, the fact that they chose to launch it at a time when everyone is at home could harm the app’s impact. We will be able to gauge its real success and effect after this challenging time passes, and people start traveling once again. For now, it looks like Netflix and Amazon do not have too much to worry about.

Youtube %G network

YOUTUBE DECLARES IT WILL REMOVE EVERY CONTENT CONNECTING 5G TO CORONAVIRUS CONSPIRACY THEORIES

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The pandemic of coronavirus has already shaken up the entire world from its core. People are trying hard to keep themselves sane while being at home. But, this quarantine has indeed allowed us to binge-watch every series we were planning to. Netflix and Youtube have truly become our friends in need. But, while people are so much engrossed in these platforms, some of them are spreading terrifying contents. This is a very vulnerable phase for the entire world. And, we expect to spend some quality time in our home doing anything that keeps us calm. We do not want to grow extra terror within us by watching absurd coronavirus conspiracy theories via the 5G network.

Youtube decided to suppress such contents

Youtube declared on 5th April 2020 that it will suppress content that links the conspiracy theories of coronavirus to the 5G network. The company will remove all such contents and they won’t show them in the search result as well. People are already too scared due to this global crisis. So, promoting such fake content will just escalate violence around the globe. The news of false theories having a connection to the coronavirus outbreak has already caused some major destruction.

What has happened due to this disturbing content?

Once this kind of irrational things pops up in our screen, it spreads like wildfire. From Youtube to What Sapp, people start sharing it everywhere thus pulling the trigger. Many people have shared videos of mobile phone masts on fire. This has occurred in Birmingham, Liverpool, and Melling in Merseyside.

The violent act has not been limited to this. In the U.K. people have set at least seven cell phone towers on fire. It is reported that within the last 24 hours, the common people of the U.K has burnt down four towers due to rage, anger, and terror as well. And, when these videos will be shared on social media, citizens of our nations will be traumatized as well. It is also shocking that one of the towers that were burnt down wasn’t even a 5G mast. People targeted two of Vodafone’s masts and two shared masts.

It is unbelievable how one wrong claim or message can take the world to the edge of destruction. In this modern age, we tend to follow and praise our ideals via social platforms. This is another main reason why such disasters increased within 24 hours. When reputed and verified accounts on Instagram share such obscure videos, followers will believe it anyway. And, imagine the degree of destruction when there are millions and thousands of followers for each verified accounts.

What are the scientists saying?

Scientists have responded at the earliest and didn’t take it lightly. There is no sugarcoating to this or subtly calming the audience. The scientists have directly made the statement that the so-called imaginary connection between COVID-19 and 5G network is “rubbish”. There is no such phenomenon in this universe that can prove it otherwise and it is not possible biologically.

Stephen Powis, NHS England Medical Director said that these theories are the worst kind of fake news that can ever exist. Youtube has also declared that any other 5G conspiracy theory will be entertained except for linking it to coronavirus. The platform has also started reducing the amount of “borderline content” that can spread even tiny fake news to the people.

The kind of fake news reaching people 

The misleading videos are popping up on the platform of Facebook from late January. When the pandemic initially started spreading in the U.S., people started making up many such theories. A group of people believed that the 5G network can suppress the immune system. Thus, it will make us very vulnerable to catching COVID-19. And, some people tend to believe that the virus will directly transmit in our bodies if we use the 5G network.

One video in the U.K also showed a man saying the healthcare units conducted tests actually to spread coronavirus. And, this pandemic was just a showcase, a distraction made to diverge people from the deaths that occurred due to 5G. These are just a few examples from the lot. The only message scientists want to spread now is we should turn s deaf ear to this fake news. And, burning down masts won’t help the situation. Because they are only providing us emergency phone services in this time of need.

Zoom

Zoom Freezes the Release of Any New Feature as Its Security Is At Stake

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In 2011, Eric Yuan founded Zoom as a way out for professionals to conduct the meetings. When he created the app, it wasn’t meant for a very broad user interface. Though many people mostly professionals used it for business meetings and such, the recent demand grew unexpectedly.

Last year, Zoom witnessed around 10 million Zoom meetings daily. But, after the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoom now successfully holds 200 million meetings every day. The company didn’t expect a sudden rise in the number of users which led to some malfunctioning of the app. The chief executive of Zoom said that they weren’t ready for such a large number of users. This is the main reason why the security system has become vulnerable. But, the company is trying to repair all the glitches at the earliest.

Both parties are facing problems

Before the outbreak of novel coronavirus, Zoom worked fine. The company didn’t see it coming and now it has shaken the security system. After the coronavirus has caused lockdown in almost every part of the world, most people are using zoom. From attending the business meeting to attending college lectures, Zoom is now the platform for every social interaction.

The company needed time to absorb the sudden load. But, it seems to have fallen even though they worked around the clock and tried to keep things together. Eric said that he is extremely sorry and trying to resolve the glitch as soon as possible. And, till then there will be a 90 days freeze for any new features that Zoom planned to release.

Working with a weak security system is not easy. A user’s privacy is also getting compromised which has led to rising allegations against Zoom. Some of the issues that the users are raising are sending user data to Facebook, claiming that the app has end-to-end encryption, etc. The tension has increased even more when Patrick Waddle discovered a major flaw in the app. It has especially made Mac users vulnerable to webcams and microphones.

The introduction of the Automated Tool

Yesterday, security professional, Trent Lo and members of SecKC announced about inventing a program, zWarDial. The program is designed in such a way that it can guess Zoom IDs with a length of 9 to 11 digits. And, IDs of 100 such Zoom meeting can be found within an hour and 2,400 meetings in a single day. Once these IDs are scanned, any relevant information about the meetings will be easily available.

The data will provide information about the date, time, organizer, and topic of the meeting. And, the main reasons why the tool can easily discover these meetings are they aren’t password protected. The developers have put this scenario in front of Zoom asking them to look into the matter. Because there might be high chances that password-by-default is malfunctioning.

But, it is confirmed that zWarDial cannot seek information about the password-protected meetings. So, for the time being, Zoom is requesting every user to password-protect their meetings. Since last year, the company has enabled the feature of the default password unless the admin opts out. If the users want to use their passwords they can go to the Zoom app and do the needful. But, either way, the meetings should be password protected due to the sudden rise in zoombombing, leaking information, etc.

What is Zoombombing?

Zoombombing is referred to as the illegal practice of joining a Zoom meeting without the admin’s permission. The uninvited guests are not only joining the Zoom meetings but also abusing other members, promoting pornography, making racists comments, etc. It is easy for these people to find the links from social media or they just simply guess the 9-digit ID for the meeting. But, this problem doesn’t arise if the meeting is password protected.

Steps were taken to combat it

Eric has taken many steps responding to the rising privacy breach through Zoom meetings. The platform is working to improve its encryption practices and especially remove the code that can share information from the IOS app to Facebook. Eric is also giving priority to the concerning issue for the people using Mac. And, apart from freezing the release of any features for the next 90 days, other steps are taken as well. Such as the company will also prepare a transparency report on data requests and will provide security updates weekly.

jeff bezos

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origins Asking Employees to Work on Test Launch During COVID-19

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The COVID-19 scare has led most nations to propose a nation-wide lockdown. As a part of this health pandemic, most schools, colleges, offices and industries around the world have been shut. With most governments asking their citizens to shut everything except essential industries, most industries and shops have closed. However, in certain parts of the world, the word critical means different things, leading to various companies staying open even during the crisis. Such instances have led to widespread criticism, with several employees coming out saying that what is happening is unfair. One such example has been noticed in the US, where Jeff Bezos’ aerospace-related company Blue Origins continues to be working as if nothing is wrong. Here’s a look at Blue Origins and why it is angering people around the world.

Unusual Demands

Not only is the company, up and running, it is also pushing employees to get ready for a test launch. Blue Origins, is allegedly asking their employees to test their New Shepard rocket, which will be put to use to take tourists to outer space. Even with the COVID-19 crisis devastating the US, Bezos seems adamant on getting this done. The company, to test the rocket, is taking employees from Kent, a town with several COVID-19 cases, to Van Horn. This small town in Texas has a population of around 2,000 and houses Blue Origin’s test facility for the New Shepard rocket.

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Asking Employees to Work on Test Launch During COVID-19
Image Source: Google Images

Dangerous Conditions

Most employees believe that going all the way to Van Horn puts them at risk of exposing themselves to COVID-19, and then spreading it over there. Since the rural town has minimal medical infrastructure, the town would be in big trouble, were the pandemic to spread there. More than 4 employees spoke to The Verge regarding the operation, choosing to remain silent in fear of retaliation. Not only were they frustrated by the company, but they also could not understand why this was so important at such a difficult time. All four felt that the company seemed to be prioritizing business goals over health concerns for the employees.

On April 1st, senior management briefed employees on the way they would be transported to Van Horn and even told them to keep a low profile there to prevent being noticed. While several employees raised safety concerns when they heard the plan, the management was quick to point out that noncompliance would have severe repercussions. Senior Director, Jeff Ashby apparently asked the employees to think about whether they want to help the leadership or act as a toxin to the company.

Allowed to Work

Furthermore, it is surprising why Blue Origin is even allowed to stay open during such trying times. The company is one of the few still operating in Washington, wherein the Governor had called for a stay-at-home order on March 23rd. After this order came out, all nonessential businesses in Washington closed, with Blue Origin staying open, due to its ties with the Defence Department making it an essential undertaking. However, right not the company is not focusing on the rocker New Glenn, which the US Air Force has asked for, to help in launching security satellites. Instead, it is working on New Shepard, a tool they will use to promote space tourism, through an 11-minute flight.

The company hopes to test the rocket on April 10th. However, it is not clear whether the date has been extended due to the difficulties caused by the pandemic. On March 29th, Greg Abbott, who serves as the Governor of Texas, announced a two-week quarantine for travelers from states such as Washington. This could have forced Blue Origin to put their flight testing on hold. However, senior management learned that they could exempt themselves from the quarantine and hence, are planning to go ahead with their initial plan. Even though they might be able to go ahead with its test launch, the company has not announced a new launch date as of now.

Angry, Confused Employees

Employees at Blue Origin cannot understand how the New Shepard classifies as an essential or critical vehicle that needs to launch now. Most of them believe that this launch is not crucial to the US in any way. While the rocket might carry research payloads, its primary goal is to ferry wealthy explorers to space to experience weightlessness. When asked to comment on employee dissatisfaction, Blue Origins said that it has nothing to say about its internal meetings. Furthermore, they said that senior management is monitoring the situation and that they would take the most appropriate step.

Employees are uncertain regarding whether they will be able to follow proper social distancing protocol while traveling. While most of them have to stay in hotels in Texas, they will be huddled together in conference rooms and mission control rooms during the launch. As a response, the company said that they would modify their launch procedure to ensure only a small crew need to be present. Yet, employees are skeptical regarding whether the company will be able to keep people safe, and whether this launch must even be done at this time. Employees feel that Blue Origin’s unhealthy competition with Virgin Galactic, who also plans on taking tourists to space, is making it take rash and unsafe decisions. With Bezos having stated earlier that now is the time to focus on the COVID-19, Blue Origin employees seem incredibly dissatisfied with the ground reality.