Health Experts Say Loss Of Smell Is A More Reliable Indicator Of COVID19 Infection Among People

A study has shown that loss of smell might be a more obvious sign of COVID infection than cough. This study has been done by the scientists of the University College London (UCL). They have conducted a test on 590 people who have lost their sense of smell. Around 80 percent of these patients have been found to have antibodies for coronavirus. Nearly 40 percent of patients who have antibodies have no other symptoms. However, this study has been conducted on patients who have mild symptoms only. There are many shreds of evidence, which show that loss of smell and taste can be the sign of COVID19 infection. It has started to emerge in April 2020. The officials have included it in the list of coronavirus symptoms in mid-May 2020.

The official guidelines of COVID19 say that people who experience loss of smell or taste need to self isolate themselves and apply for a test. Health officials as well have advised people saying that if anybody is feeling a loss of smell or taste they need to self-quarantine themselves. The lead author of the UCL study has said that cough and fever are still crucial symptoms, which are experienced by many people. Experts have recruited people by sending texts via four GP surgeries in London and enrolled those people who have reported experiencing loss of smell and taste in the past four weeks.

All the participants of the study have tested positive for antibodies. The study has suggested that some of the participants have a past COVID19 infection as well. However, some of the experts say that there might be a certain constraint to this study as it has included only those people who have mild symptoms. They have said such participants cannot be the representatives of all COVID19 patients. However, the findings of the UCL study have importance for people who are feeling a change in their sense of smell or self-isolating people, who are not able to smell like everyday things like perfume, bleach, toothpaste, or coffee. The study says that not all the COVID19 patients will lose their sense of taste or smell but if they do, it is more likely to be due to COVID19 infection. The author of the study has said that people need to look out for a loss of smell without having a blocked or running nose.

Same Day Delivery Market Demand on Globally by Analysis, Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities

 “Global Same Day Delivery Market” is the title of an upcoming report offered by MarketResearch.Biz. The report contains information and data, and inputs from both primary and secondary data sources, that have been verified and validated by experts in the target market. The report presents a thorough study of revenues, historical data, and information, key developments, and strategies by major players that offer vital insights and perspectives in various scenarios market. Besides critical data and related information, the report includes key trends (both present and future), factors that are driving market growth, factors that are or could be potential restraints to market growth, as well as opportunities that can be leveraged for potential revenue generation in untapped regions and countries. It also covers threats or challenges for existing as well as new entrants in the market. The global same-day delivery market has been segmented on the basis of type, service, as well as regions and countries.

Overview:

Same day delivery is defined as the shipping out and delivery of products in less than 24 hours, preferably within the same day.

Dynamics:

The unfolding substitution of retail sales with online sales through e-commerce platforms is leading to a substantial increase in business-to-customer orders or shipments. This increase in shipments paired with growing consumer demands for faster delivery services is a major factor that is contributing to the overall revenue growth of the global same day delivery market.

Lengthy delivery times is a primary reason why individuals opt to do their shopping at a bricks & mortar outlet as opposed to an online platform. However, with the advent of same-day delivery, customers are able to receive their orders within a day. This lowered wait time, coupled with the added convenience of shopping online is steadily creating more opportunities for the revenue growth of this global market in the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, the requirement for complex logistical infrastructure, as well as high initial investments are factor that may hinder the revenue growth of this market in the years to come.

However, in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, more individuals are looking to make their necessary purchases through online forums, and same day delivery has facilitated an immense influx of new customers during this lockdown phase, which is expected to significantly impact the revenue growth of this market for many years to come.

Segmentation of the global same day delivery market is as follows:

In terms of type, the B2B segment accounted for the majority revenue share of the global same day delivery market in 2019. Although, the B2C segment is expected to register the fastest rate of revenue growth over the next 10 years, owing to the increasing inclination of consumers to choose e-commerce platforms to fulfill their shopping needs.

On the basis of service, the domestic segment accounted for the highest number of revenue shares of the global market in 2019. This can be accredited to the growing presence of e-commerce operators that function within a specific country. The international service segment is slated to index substantial revenue growth over the next 10 years owing to increasing cross-border trade opportunities.

Regional Segmentation and Analysis:

The APAC region accounted for the majority revenue share of the global same day delivery market in 2019. This can be accredited to the rising number of online shoppers and the mushrooming number of e-commerce companies in this region.

Apple and Spotify podcast come to Echo devices in Market

Amazon Alexa can now blow podcasts from Apple, making Amazon’s line of Echo devices the first third-party clients to back up the Apple Podcasts service without applying AirPlay. Before, this level of assist was limited to the HomePod of Apple. According to Amazon, the collation brings to Alexa devices Apple’s library of more than 800,000 podcasts. It also permits customers to set Apple Podcasts as their preferred podcast services. The move is the latest in a series of partnerships amid the two rivals, which also comprised the launch of the Apple Tv app on Amazon’s Fire Tv platform, as well as the start of Apple Music on Fire Tv and Echo devices. In response, Amazon has extended its assortment of Apple invoice to comprise iPhone, iPad, Apple T.V., Apple Watch and more.

To get induced, Apple users want to stream from Apple Podcasts will first require to link their Apple ID in the Alexa app. Customers can then ask Alexa to play or restart the podcasts they desire to listen to. Other player commands, like next or fast forward work too. As you move between devices, your headway within each episode will also sync, which means the user can start listening to Alexa, then the user has to pick up where left off the iPhone. In the setting of the Alexa app, users will also be capable of specifying Apple Podcasts as their default player. It means any time they ask Alexa for a podcast without introducing a source, and it will stream from the Apple Podcasts service.

Spotify also declared that its uphold for streaming podcasts on Alexa in the U.S. Of Course, Spotify Premium users have been capable of using Spotify Connect to run to Echo. But now, Spotify states that both Premium and Free U.S. customers will be capable of asking Alexa for podcasts as well as set Spotify as their default player. Alexa’s supports for Spotify podcasts was declared in September, along with other news at the annual Alexa event of Amazon in Seattle. So, it is less of a wonder than the Apple collation.

Google Is Planning To End Support For Web Store Apps

Google created the Chrome browser is one of the most famous ones, and people love to use it. However, chrome web store, which is used by people usually for installing extensions and relating things, also offers web-based progressive apps. Google decided to list web-based apps on the chrome web store, thinking it is the key to the future and will be changing the browsing experience forever. However, recent reports show Google is planning to shut down all the support for web store apps on the Chrome browser. The concept of chrome apps was new when it's launched because a user could get a better user interface when they use it. Progressive web apps work offers offline functionality also, which means you can perform your tasks without the need for the internet too. Google announced the use of chrome web apps back in 2016, thinking it would change the platform for good. However, people did not like using these apps; instead, they focused on the most convenient features like extensions for better user experience.

Experts said there is no need to worry about whether this decision is going to affect existing extensions or not because web apps on chrome are an entirely different thing as compared to extensions. A few months ago, Google decided to remove chrome apps from MacOs, Linus, and other platforms where users didn't give it the required response. Reportedly less than one percent of users installed and use these progressive web apps. But, this time, the tech giant company decided to end the support of these apps on Chrome OS also, which will be bad news for app developers only. Still, there is no need to worry about the usability of extensions because they will be intact, and Google will not make any changes to it. In June 2020, chrome apps will no longer be part of the web app store.

Pampers Launched First-Ever Smart Diaper at CES 2020

In this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), many tech companies are showcasing the latest and ultimate in technology. Here comes a new member in the ring, and it is none other than Pampers. Yes, the diaper manufacturer has launched a new type of diaper in the ring. Pampers’ Lumi is an activity sensor that fixes to a baby diaper and notifies when the baby pees in it. Apart from this, the smart device keeps an eye on the baby’s sleep schedule. Pampers has launched the latest smart diaper to future parents at CES in the current week. According to the company, it is the world’s first multipurpose connected care system. Even more, the gadget assists parents in monitoring day-to-day progress occurring in the baby. Above all, they can monitor the baby all-time, so they can observe evolving patterns and form an appropriate routine.

Pampers Connected Care System’s Lumi includes one activity sensor, one video monitor, and diapers enough for up to 10 days. The company has developed the diaper in such a way that the sensor remains securely attached to it. The sensor automatically detects wet diapers as well as it notifies for a diaper change. Pampers touts Lumi is suitable for all babies starting from months zero to twelve. Apart from this, it comprises a battery that lasts for up to three months. Later, parents can replace the batteries for free by subscribing to the services of the Lumi diaper.

Last but not least, it includes a video baby monitor designed with Logitech. It offers 1080p high-definition along with a night vision camera. The system has a wide-angle, which provides a 180-degree view. Even more, the Lumi system supports two-way audio and offers constant background audio monitoring. The users can access complete information easily through an easy-to-use app. 

Now, parents can guess their baby’s needs, even before they emerge. The newly-launched smart system for baby is available online, and it costs around $349.

Muse’s Latest Meditation Headband Assists Users to Sleep

Increasing workload and stress are driving people towards an unhealthy way of living. There are various aspects which matter when it comes to health. First of all, it is essential to have a proper diet and exercise. Apart from this, another crucial aspect is sleep. Lack of sleep may lead to various health issues ranging from acidity to heart issues. On the other hand, technology has indeed acquired a significant position in day to day lives. For example, mobile phones have become an integral part of some people’s lives. Many times people forget to sleep while watching mobiles, yes it has become a reality these days. As a result, there remains a lack of sleep, which eventually results in frustration, mood swings, etc. It also affects the productivity of people at work, including day to day activities.

Thus to help out people with sleeping, Muse has announced another model in its series of brain-sensing headbands. Before this, the company had launched such a gadget in 2013. It had designed the headband to take the presumption out of medication by offering live feedback on the activity of the brain and body. This time, the company has attempted to cover everything in a lavish, breathable material. The latest Muse headband is specially designed to offer the best fitting experience. So users with any head size can use it with great comfort. Muse has focused on sleep in mind while developing the headband. Well, Muse S comprises of a combination of guided instructions and soundscapes.

The company touts, this combination will offer users with a precisely personalized sleep experience. The gentle and peaceful voice of the meditation coach replies in real-time to the metrics estimated by the headband. Users can use Muse S for up to 20 minutes a day and three times a week. Two electrodes present in the headband can spot brain activity, including heartbeat, breathing, and movements of the body. Whereas users can view the feedback of brain activities in real-time through the iOS/Android app. The price for Muse S is $350. Even more, users can have unlimited access to the service for $13 per month and $95 per year. In the end, the expensive way to calm a tangled and busy mind is presently available across the US and may arrive in the international market soon.

Apple Might Become The Next HBO Of Movie Industry

One company's loss is another company's gain, and the same thing is happening with Apple. Recently HBO's former CEO Richard Pleper joined hands with AppleTV+ to produce and manage TV shows and movies for the next five years. When AT&T declared to buy the parent company warned media, he left the offices of HBO. Pepler has worked with HBO for more than 27 years and managed to bring TV shows like The Sopranos and GOT which not only were popular but banked lots of money for the company. 

HBO is launching its own streaming services in May which will have popular TV show The Big bang Theory, but it will not have the direction of Pepler. Apple is spending billions of dollars on its newly launched movie streaming platform where some Tv shows are already getting good responses from critics and viewers. However, things will be getting into Apple's control because of Pepler's contract to produce TV shows for AppleTV+. Apple smartly took this decision of sacking Pepler on their side when Netflix is trying to catch more user base.

The competition is movie streaming business is already at its peak, and mostly a few big companies are only competing with each other. It includes Disney, Netflix, Amazon and Apple, but the key to dominance will be in the hands of that platform which will produce top-notching originals content. Netflix recently released the Witcher, which is performing very well among movie lovers. AppleTV+ is already made collaboration with big stars Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carrel, Jason Mamoa to bring new shows. Star Wars based The Mandalorian is already getting hyped among fans. Now the entry of Richard Pepler into AppleTv+ will give a slight competitive advantage to the company since that man has already created popular TV shows for HBO and he would like to continue his saga.

Wyze’s Massive Data Leak Exposed Personal Data of Millions of Users

Wyze Labs Inc., a manufacturer of smart-home devices and cameras has announced a massive data leak. The newly reported data leak might have left personal data for millions of customers unprotected over the web. As per the company’s announcement on Friday, the data breach has not leaked passwords or monetary information. But the effort would have disclosed other information like email addresses, IDs of Wi-Fi networks, and biometrics. Wyze has confirmed the data breach has taken place between 4th to 26th December. Even more, a report from a security firm has revealed the data leak has affected over 2.4 million customers of Wyze.

Dongsheng Song, Wyze’s co-founder said the data was left open by mistake while transferring it to a new database. But, at the time, a Wyze employee had failed to follow previous security protocols throughout the procedure. He has noted that they are seeking the event to determine the reason behind data exposure.  Well, the data leaked in Wyze’s exposure includes information related to gender, weight, height, and other health-related data of beta users. As per the company, those more than 100 users have had participated in the testing of its new hardware.

Song said security has always remained a high priority for them. Even more, they are distressed that they have let their users miserable like this. He added; currently, they are functioning on an email notification to inform all affected users. Apart from this, they aim to release the message in the upcoming time. Apart from this, the company has notified that it has not found any proof revealing exposure of login tokens. Still, Wyze has signed out all users in order to create new tokens. As a result of this, users may see cameras restarting automatically in the upcoming days as an additional security action. The company said it is essential to reconsider all security protocols on all aspects, better connect those protocols to the workforce.

Apple and Spotify’s podcasts come to Echo devices in the US

Amazon Alexa was able to read Apple podcasts, and the Amazon Echo family was the first third-party customer to use Apple's AirPlay Podcasts. With this growth, according to Amazon, Apple's device library exceeded 800,000. Customers can configure Apple Podcasts as a priority podcasting service. This move is the latest in a series of partnerships between the two rivals between the Apple TV application on the Amazon Heat TV platform and the launch of Apple Music on Echo and Fire TV devices. As a result, Amazon expanded Apple's inventory and included Apple's iPad TV, iPhone, and Apple Watch.

Alexa customers can request a podcast that they want to read or hear to continue. You can also use other command-line players, such as Next and Fast Forward. Also, as you move between the units, the progress of each section is synchronized. In other words, you can start entering Alexa and resume where you left off your iPhone. Apple Podcast users can set the default player in Alexa application settings. In other words, if you ask Alexa to provide a source less podcast, the podcast will be broadcast from the Apple Podcasts service. It is worth announcing that Spotify supports Alexa podcasts in the US today.

Of course, so far, Spotify Premium users can send a broadcast to Echo with Spotify Connect. But now Spotify says that cheap and high-quality US customers can request Alexa podcasts and choose Spotify as their default player. Alexa's support for Spotify podcast is an annual Amazon Alexa event in Seattle, so it's not surprising when Apple was added in September (along with other news). At the time, Amazon said it would increase its support for the Spotify podcast library in the United States, which would bring "hundreds of thousands" of podcasts to Alexa devices. Immediately after the announcement, Spotify will be available for free on Alexa devices and premium subscribers.

Spotify Launches its Music Streaming Service in India

Spotify has reportedly launched for some users in India. The audio streaming company intends to start its service for all Indians on Wednesday officially. The move comes a year later after the company announced to establish its service in India. In 2018, the company announced it aims to extend the service into the Indian market. But Spotify faced many obstructions due to the uniqueness of India’s music rights marketplace. It is a remarkable milestone for the Swedish company which previously looked for users at global markets as rivalry from Apple intensifies. The exciting thing is the streaming service offers is available for free. So listeners in India can play any song of their choice on mobile. The app will also include a playlist for India and a starring feature having Bollywood beats.

Many people in India say that they downloaded the Spotify app on Android phones and signed up for the service. Spotify said it now has about 200 million users across 79 markets in the world. Besides, 87 million users are paying customers. The service is freely available for the first month, and then it will cost $1.67, i.e., 119 rupees per month. The company will also offer single-day, weekly, monthly, yearly, quarterly, and half-yearly plans. Like other streaming services Spotify will also bestow a free, ad-supported product.

The music streaming service will face tough competition from competitors already present in India. The company’s current rivals in the country are Gaana, Saavn, Google Play, and Apple Music. Amarjit Singh Batra, MD of Spotify India, said Indians love music. It is an inherent part of their lifestyle and tradition. He said Indians are deeply connected with music; they listen to it while doing any task. Daniel Ek, Spotify founder, and CEO stated as Spotify grows they aim to bring millions of artists and billions of fans together from every nation. He added India has an incredibly rich music culture and it is best to serve the Indian market.

Most Users Are Unaware About How Facebook Targeted Ads Works

There are many big tech companies which might be using their users’ private data without their permission and one of those companies which have been accused of such allegations is Facebook. In a recent survey done by Pew Research Center, it’s been found that many people in the USA still don’t know that their data on Facebook is used by the company to show them sponsored Ads and many other related products. In this survey, researchers tried to ask some questions to the random people regarding how they feel about knowing that Facebook uses their information to show them Ads. More than 74 percent people were unaware about the fact that the company uses their “Interest” or data to show them Ads. Researchers of this survey said that more than 51 percent of people are not comfortable with this way of company’s doing business.

Facebook has billions of users, and the majority of them uses the company’s platform on a daily basis. Facebook as tech giant uses various methods to target the ads to its users, including the pages and posts liked by users and their friends, it also uses your location to show you relevant Ads. There are some reports which state that the company has been using many peoples Instagram and Whatsapp profiles to show the decent Ads which explains how Facebook uses a users information. Even though the company has been stating about its transparency, there are many occasions like Cambridge analytical data scandal which makes every user more suspicious about the company’s way of doing business.

Researchers think that there needs to be more awareness among people about how Facebook is using targeted ads by collecting information from the users’ profiles

Apple Reveals They’re Storing Russian User’s Data on Local Servers

According to the recent filings with the Russian government, Apple, Inc revealed that they are complying with the Local Russian law of storing the data on Local servers. Apple admitted that they are saving the data of Russian users in the Local severs Located in Russia. Apple is following the law made in 2015 which forces the companies to keep the customer’s data on local servers and not the foreign servers.

Apple had the data of Russian users like the Name, Address, Email Address, and phone numbers and stored them on the local servers. Apple collects the data of their users to improve their customer service. The company uses the same data to inform Apple devices users of the new products, schemes, software updates, and many more things. The filing documents do not mention the data like messages, iCloud storage, and others storage location. Also, it is clear that Apple has more than necessary information of their employees, like their passport numbers, date of issuance, expiration date, number of countries visited, work history, monthly income, etc.

According to the local law, Apple is storing their data in the data center provided by IXcellerate in Russia. The data storage in Russian servers is minimal compared to what Apple is doing in China. Complying with the Chinese laws, Apple is storing the iCloud accounts on the Chinese servers, which is not as good as the Chinese government can quickly get access to the personal data of their users. Apple CEO Tim Cook already said that the company will comply with national laws but will still encrypt the stored data via proprietary encryption technology. Russia started enforcing the law aggressively from 2017 and have closed many IT companies who refused to comply with the law.

Google+ Pages Will Shutdown on 2nd April 2019

Google already announced that they are going to shut down the Google Plus social networking websites. After the data leak of millions of users, the company accelerated the shutdown process and announced that Google+ Pages would go offline on 2nd April 2019. The company has advised their users to download all the content from their Google+ pages before the 2nd of April to prevent any data loss. The original shutdown was scheduled in August, but the leakage of personal information of the users accelerated, and now we have the official date of the cessation of the Google+ Pages.

On the 2nd of April, the company will shut the Google+ Pages and the Google+ accounts of the users, ceasing access to the Photos, videos and any other textual content hosted on the site. After the deadline, Google will erase every bit of data stored by users, and they will have no further access to their photos, videos, and the Google Plus social network.  Along with the Google+ Pages, Google+ Developer Tools will disappear from the internet on March 7th. The Developer Tools section had the bug that allowed hackers to siphon the data of millions of users.

David Conway, Product Manager at Google, wrote in a Blog post that the Google+ API developer Tools would go offline on March 7th and no user will have access to the same after that date. Also, he said that the enterprise users wouldn’t have to worry about this shutdown, as Google will continue supporting the Google+ for enterprise users.  Recently, Google announced that they are shutting down the Google Hangouts for Enterprise users and will replace the same with Hangouts Chat and Hangouts Meet for chatting and video conferencing purpose.

Google Homepage Gets a New Look Due to Discover Feed

Google is aiming to add more content to their homepage with the help of Discover. It was in the month of September when Google unveiled Google Discover during their 20^th-anniversary celebration. Google has now confirmed that the feature is set to roll out on mobile devices during this week. Discover brings up content to people’s homepages based upon what Google feels they might be interested in. So people can see different posts related to sports, videos on YouTube or even certain articles from different websites.

One can see their Google Discover page once they open up the Google application on their mobile devices. They can even visit the page by going to google.com in their mobile browser. People can turn Google Discover on and off by going to Menu followed by a click on Settings, followed by a click on Discover in the Google app or on the mobile website of Google. Discover shows up only that content on people, based upon their activities on website and application. They take an individual’s information related to their device and location.

Everything that gets posted in Discover, people will be able to notice a toggle. The toggle will help everyone choose to see content on almost on all the given topics. Though this is quite similar to what is already available, still it looks a bit different. Google even lets people see the customized versions of all the content. Another new thing is the support for multiple languages. Google makes use of the example of food recipes displayed in the Spanish language while sports content will be in English. If anyone is willing to see the results in more than one language, then he or she will need to select that from the settings menu. People, who are in need of further information, can check out the support page of Google Discover. They can go through the necessary instructions provided out there, related to the customization of one’s Discover page.

The Incognito Mode on Android for Watching YouTube Is Getting Wildly Rolled Out

The Incognito Mode to watch YouTube videos privately for Android has started to get rolled out for the masses. This new feature, which was originally spotted in the month of May, is particularly designed to ensure that history tracking is disabled on the app of YouTube. Originally, there was Sign Out option, but now that has been replaced with the ‘Turn on Incognito’ option for enabling the mode, Incognito. To avail this feature, one needs to get hold of the latest YouTube app on their Android device for experiencing the recent development. Similarly, Google had also added the feature to restrict the history from getting tracked on Google App.

Now, with the introduction of Incognito mode, people can easily disable their watch as well as search history on YouTube. This could be done by just tapping on the picture of the concerned person who is surfing YouTube, from the top-right hand corner of the YouTube app and then hit the option called, Turn on Incognito. Once the option gets enabled, the app would show up a bar saying “You’re incognito” right at the bottom having a black background. The particular bar showing up that the person has gone in the incognito mode, would stay on throughout the app, which would be right below the tabs of Home, Trending, Subscription, Inbox, and Library.

For the first time, when one goes into the Incognito mode, Google comes up with a confirmation. The note even highlights that when a person exits the Incognito mode, the person’s activity from that session would be cleared and would return to the account which the person had last used.

Apart from the feeds on Home and Trending, no content would be available under any of the tabs. This is legitimate as the app would no longer have any access to persons’ data and would not even use their history for highlighting neither their subscriptions nor library.

One thing which people must be aware of is that in a period where a person is inactive, the Incognito mode gets automatically turned off.

Google Updates Play Store Policies: Bans Cryptocurrency Mining Apps

Google has updated its Play Store Policies and banned several apps in various categories including cryptocurrency mining and the ones with disruptive ads. When it comes to cryptocurrency, Google says the apps that mine cryptocurrency are prohibited but apps that remotely manage the mining of cryptocurrency are permitted as of now. Apple already banned the apps that mine cryptocurrency and said only those apps are allowed that in outside of the device like cloud-based mining.

The apps that are similar in nature and basically mimic or provide the same experience are now prohibited from Google Play Store. Apps that copy content from another app without prior permission and that add no value or if a developer makes multiple apps that have similar content and user experience will be prohibited now. Also, apps that are created by automated too, wizard service or template based and submitted to Google Play by the operator on behalf of that persons are not allowed, Google said.

The company has also added new restrictions on apps that deal with firearms and related accessories. apps that facilitate the sale of explosives, firearms or related accessories are now banned. This is quite like how YouTube imposed restrictions dealing with these subjects this year. Google has put down the definition of which are the firearms accessories, items that enable a firearm to stimulate automatic fire or convert a firearm to automatic fire and magazines or belts carrying more than 30 rounds are the ones. Apps that provide insights on producing explosives, firearms, ammunition and other weapons are also banned. Apps that appeal to children but contain adult themes are also banned or will be in the restrictions. Apps that forced to click on ads or submit personal information for ads before full use of the app is granted will also be banned.