Microsoft and Google have both announced new initiatives aimed at helping people learn the digital skills they'll need to find jobs once countries around the world reopen after the pandemic.
Microsoft is launching a new global skills initiative which will bring more digital skills to 25m people worldwide by the end of the year. To help its initiative be successful, the software giant will bring together every part of its company by combining both existing and new resources from LinkedIn, GitHub and Microsoft.
Microsoft's initiative will use data on jobs and skills from the LinkedIn Economic Graph to identify in-demand jobs as well as the skills needed to fill them. The company will also provide free access to content on LinkedIn Learning, Microsoft Learn and the GitHub Learning Lab. Low-cost Microsoft certifications will also be made available to these job seekers.
In addition to these free resources, Microsoft is backing the effort with $20m in cash grants to help nonprofit organizations worldwide assist those who need it the most.
Microsoft is also currently developing a new learning app in Microsoft Teams to help employers upskill both new and existing employees. The company has even pledged to make stronger data and analytics available to governments around the world so the can better assess local economic needs.
Closing the digital skills gap
Even before the pandemic began, Google realized that the jobs of the future would require a new set of digital skills which is why it launched Grow with Google. In the five years since the program began, the search giant has trained over 14m people in EMEA and 70m around the world.
Now to help people find new job opportunities, Google is launching its job search tools in more countries in EMEA. The company is also testing new features aimed specifically at the post-pandemic world such as helping people find jobs that allow them to work from home.
When it comes to helping local businesses, Google my Business is making it easier for businesses to share their latest opening hours and information across both Google Search and Maps. The improved version of Grow My Store also helps local businesses improve digital shopping, grow customer traffic and optimize their online stores.
Google also recently announced a new $800m commitment to support small and medium sized businesses and crisis response. The commitment includes $340m in Google Ad credits for SMBs as well as a $200m investment fund to support NGOs and financial institutions provide small businesses with access to capital.
Facebook has admitted that it wrongly shared the personal data of ‘inactive’ users for longer than it was authorized to, as revealed in a blog post from the company.
The social media giant estimates the error saw around 5,000 third-party app developers continue to receive information about users who had previously used Facebook to sign into their apps, even if users hadn’t used the app in the past 90 days.
Exceeding that time frame goes against Facebook’s policy, which promises third-party apps would no longer be able to receive personal information about a user if they had not accessed the app within the last 90 days.
While the company didn’t confirm how many people were affected, it said personal information shared with third-party apps could include email addresses, birthdays, gender or language spoken.
How did this happen?
According to a spokesperson for Facebook, if an active user was Facebook friends with an inactive user through a third-party app, the app could continue to receive data that the inactive user had previously authorised.
“For example, this could happen if someone used a fitness app to invite their friends from their hometown to a workout, but we didn’t recognize that some of their friends had been inactive for many months,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We fixed the issue the day after we found it,” says the spokesperson. “We’ll keep investigating and will continue to prioritize transparency around any major updates.”
The 90-day limit was introduced as part of Facebook’s overhaul of its privacy settings, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 which saw an estimated 87 million users have their personal data harvested by the now defunct political consulting firm without consent.
Following a turbulent year filled with protests, China has passed a new national security law which will give it greater power over Hong Kong and its citizens.
The controversial law will criminalize secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces but it will also limit freedom of speech in Hong Kong and make it so residents are no longer able to protest. Full details of the new law were only revealed after it came into effect on Tuesday and it will apply to both permanent and non-permanent residents of Hong Kong.
Under the law, Beijing will set up a new security office in Hong Kong to deal with national security cases. The city will also have to establish its own national security commission to enforce the law alongside an adviser appointed by Beijing.
The Chinese government will have full power over how the law should be interpreted. This means that if the law conflicts with any existing laws in Hong Kong, the new national security law will take priority.
National security law ramifications
When the law was first proposed, VPN downloads soared in Hong Kong as residents worried that they would soon face the same internet restrictions that people living in China do.
Unlike in China where residents rely on VPN services to get around the country's Great Firewall, Hong Kong currently maintains an open internet with few restrictions on free speech online. Many foreign social networks and services including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more that are blocked in China are legal in Hong Kong, though residents fear they may not be for long.
Now that the law has passed, both Hong Kong residents and even visitors will need to use a VPN to get around any online restrictions that Beijing may put in place. If popular Western sites and social media networks are blocked in China, there is a good chance that they will also soon be blocked in Hong Kong.
VPNs are set to become a valuable tool for the people of Hong Kong to protect their anonymity and privacy during China's crackdown on the city.
Also check out our complete list of the best VPN services
With rates of infection rising faster in some places now than at the start of the pandemic, some states are racing to roll back reopening plans -- others, not so much.
iPhone maker Apple, the target of EU antitrust investigations into key segments of its business, on Tuesday rejected accusations of market dominance, saying it competes with Google, Samsung and other rivals.
Composer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda joins the rest of the original Hamilton cast on Zoom to talk about what it means that their Broadway hit is will be available for streaming.
If the Senate and House reach agreement on another economic stimulus payment -- and that's not a promise -- this is what we're hearing about how much money you might actually receive.
Update(July 1): Vivo has started teasing the X50 series on Twitter. The Vivo X50 series is now confirmed to launch in India.
The Vivo X50 series gained a lot of attention earlier this month. The X50 series was unveiled in China on June 2. Now, Vivo X50 series is all set to make its way to India next month.
A report from 91mobiles, citing a retailer confirmed that the new Vivo X50 series will be launching in India in July. This will also make Vivo’s comeback into the premium segment after a long time.
It is no surprise that the device is coming to India. In fact, Vivo India's CEO had already confirmed that the Vivo X50 series will launch in India on his Facebook page. The report has posted a 10-second short video which says the device is “coming soon”. But, it doesn’t mention the region or the launch date yet.
(Image credit: Vivo)
Vivo X50 Series
The launch will mark the return of Vivo’s X series to India after over two years, with the last one being the Vivo X21 in 2018. The Vivo X50 series consists of three smartphones: Vivo X50, X50 Pro, and X50 Pro Plus.
The Vivo X50 Pro is a camera-centric premium mid-ranger which will be powered by the Snapdragon 765G with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If the same specifications make it to India, it will be one of the first phones in the country to sport this chipset.
All three X50 series device sport a 6.56-inch display. The X50 and X50 Pro feature 90Hz refresh rate while the X50 Pro Plus features a 120Hz refresh rate. Also, the Plus model is powered by the flagship Snapdragon 865 chipset with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage.
The X50 Pro features 48MP + 13MP + 8MP + 8MP quad-camera setup with gimbal camera system on the primary sensor. X50 Pro's built-in gimbal module moves in the opposite direction of shaking motions, providing increased stability for the main camera.
Pricing
The Vivo X50 starts at 3498 Yuan in China which is around Rs 37,400. We should hear more on the launch date from Vivo India in the coming days.
Facebook said on Monday it would submit itself to an audit of how it controls hate speech in a bid to appease a growing advertising boycott of the platform, as it prepared to address a group of advertisers on Tuesday.
California regulators sued Cisco Systems on Tuesday, accusing it of discriminating against an Indian-American employee and allowing him to be harassed by two managers because he was from a lower Indian caste than them.
Redmi Note 9 Pro Max is all set to go on sale in India once again. The sale will begin at 12pm (noon) IST on Amazon India and Mi.com. The phone has been on flash sales since launch due to ongoing COVID-19 crisis causing scarcity in supply and production difficulties. The phone comes in three finishes - Aurora Blue, Glacier White, and Interstellar B...
Even when we're out camping or going off the grid, we're surrounded by countless gadgets and devices. And when those devices lose power, we notice. Unfortunately, we're usually left with little alternative but to tough it out.
To wait out power outages, and to leave all our electronics behind while we're on the road. Sure, that may be appealing to some people. But most of us wouldn't kill for a few creature comforts even while roughing it in the woods.
That's where Bluetti comes in. A brand founded on over a decade of industry experience in clean power generation, they've just kicked off an IndieGoGo campaign for an exciting new eco-friendly backup power system. Known as the Bluetti AC200, it's clean, quiet, and packs an incredible punch, with the capacity to power up to 17 devices simultaneously with a total output of 2000 Watts and a capacity of 1700Wh.
That's enough to power your entire kitchen, or charge up a Tesla for an eleven-mile drive.
(Image credit: Bluetti)
The Bluetti AC200 is armed with an intelligent temperature-controlled cooling fan and features a built-in touchscreen interface that lets you both configure and monitor the generator. It's chargeable in just a few hours via AC, solar, car, gas generator, or lead-acid battery. It's all about which is the easiest option for you.
That said, solar is the recommended route. You can charge the AC200 to full in just three and a half hours via its 700 W (35-150V) solar input. And if you absolutely need to top up fast, you can even charge the power station via both solar and AC power simultaneously, which takes approximately two hours.
If specs alone aren't enough to convince you of this product's merits, however, here are a few reasons we're excited about it ourselves - and why you should be too.
Slash your electric bill
(Image credit: Bluetti)
Some of our most important appliances and devices are also some of the most notorious power hogs. Have you ever thought about how much a portable air conditioner, a refrigerator, a desktop PC, or even a laptop can jack up your electric bill? You might be surprised.
The Bluetti AC200 lets you worry less about those numbers. Its small form factor makes it ideal for use around the house, and it's capable of powering a 150W refrigerator for approximately 13-26 hours or lighting for more than two days. In other words, put it wherever you're using the most electricity - whether that's your kitchen, den, or office.
Provided you're using solar power to recharge your power station, you can cut a considerable chunk off your monthly bill.
Go green
(Image credit: Bluetti)
Many portable or emergency power generators either rely on diesel fuel or offer very little in the way of battery capacity. The AC200 has no such shortcomings. Rather than having to maintain a noisy, high-maintenance machine that belches out pollutants with abandon, you'll instead be able to rely upon solar energy.
You won't be sacrificing efficiency in doing so, either. The AC200 takes only three and a half hours to charge fully via a 700W solar panel. In other words, if you're looking to reduce your environmental footprint, this is the way to do so.
Take the party on the road
(Image credit: Bluetti)
Because of its flexibility and portability, the AC200 makes for an incredible companion on camping trips, road trips, and festivals. You might bust out a sound system to spice up a tailgating party, spin up a portable air conditioner to keep your campsite cool in the summer, or set up your TV and PS4 for some gaming while you're getting back to nature.
Either way, it's easy to bring with you wherever you go. This also makes it ideal for tradespeople, who may be going to sites where there's not always a readily-available power hookup. Rather than having to fiddle around with extension cords or bulky generators, you can simply pop out the AC200 and hookup whatever tools you need to run.
It's also a great option for people living off the grid in a motor home or camper van thanks to a 12V 25A RV DC port. Rated at 12V/10 amps, it's capable of charging car appliances such as tire pumps and car fridges for all your DIY needs.
Count on quality
(Image credit: Bluetti)
Bluetti prides itself on excellence. That's why the AC200 has a top-grade LG auto battery cell. Coupled with the power station's built-in battery management system, this allows the power station to both maximize its battery life and protect your devices against overloading and overcharging.
Beyond that, All AC200 Portable Power Stations are subjected to an incredibly strict quality control process. Before it's released, each system undergoes more than 1,000 different tests and inspections to ensure they're of the utmost quality. These tests include vibration, hot and cold shock, prolonged temperature, impact testing, accessory wire bending, and more.
Protect what matters most
(Image credit: Bluetti)
Most personal medical devices such as CPAP machines have at least some built-in protections against power surges and power interruptions. With that said, it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially if you're planning to travel. Whether you're treating sleep apnea or utilizing a home dialysis machine, you can rest assured that the AC200 will keep you powered up and online via a battery backup - and better yet, the quiet nature of the power system means you won't need to worry about interrupting your sleep to do it.
Enjoy an unbeatable price
Whether you're a tailgater looking to add some excitement to their next party, a camper who wants some more creature comforts on their next trip, or simply a homeowner who wants to have power during a blackout, the AC200 Portable Power Station is a perfect choice.
As you might expect, something like this doesn't come cheap, retailing at approximately $1,800. We've saved the best for last, in that regard. If you back the product on IndieGoGo now, you can score a pretty cool discount while supplies last.
Early Bird Discount
Back the product on IndieGoGo to get a great discount (while supplies last.)View Deal
In short, not only are you getting a revolutionary solar power system that's quiet, clean, and efficient, you're getting it at an incredible discount – what's not to love?
