Knowledge Update

London, March 20 (IANS) UK-based retail chain Marks and Spencer on Monday became the latest firm to pull its online advertising from Google platforms over fears it is appearing next to extremist content. It follows a UK government decision to remove its adverts from YouTube -- which is owned by Google -- after it emerged they had appeared alongside content from supporters of extremist groups, the BBC reported. RBS, Lloyds and HSBC also announced similar moves over the weekend. Google has said it does not always "get it right" and will improve. The move follows a recent investigation by The Times, London, which found adverts from a range of well-known firms and organisations had appeared alongside content from supporters of extremist groups on the YouTube video site. An ad appearing alongside a video earns the poster about 6 pounds ($8) for every 1,000 clicks it generates, meaning brands may have unwittingly contributed money to extremists. Last week, ministers summoned Google for talks at the Cabinet Office after imposing a temporary restriction on the government's own adverts, including for military recruitment and blood donation campaigns. Others such as fastfood chain McDonald's, beauty giant L'Oreal and luxury carmaker Audi, as well as the BBC, the Guardian and Channel 4, have suspended their advertising on both Google's search engine and YouTube site. Sky News and Vodafone are also considering suspending their ads.

​San Francisco, March 20 (IANS) In a fresh bid to take on rivals like Apple, Google and Snap, Facebook is reportedly foraying into consumer hardware products that may involve next-gen cameras, augmented reality (AR) devices, drones and even a brain scanning technology. At its "Building 8" facility, the company is working on at least four unannounced consumer hardware products, Business Insider reported on Monday. The hardware group is expected to play a key role in Facebook's developer conference in April. Facebook is yet to confirm this but according to the report, the company is set to take a big step toward becoming a multi-product hardware company. "Building 8 will include a big retail push complete with warehouse operations, different retail experiences, and a 'global contact centre footprint'," the report said. To make efficient hardware for its Oculus virtual reality headsets and internet drones, Facebook has also built a new facility at its US campus which is called "Area 404". The 22,000-square-foot lab at its Menlo Park, California, headquarters will help the social networking giant perform fast prototyping and modelling of new hardware products and components, reports said. This facility, mostly operational, will reportedly support Facebook's Connectivity Lab which focuses on bringing internet access to developing countries and remotest areas via drones and satellites. The lab will also help towards developing better virtual reality headset. Facebook is also working on its solar-powered craft Aquila that will beam the internet down to the estimated four billion people worldwide. However, in its first test flight, Aquila crash-landed because of strong winds that rendered its autopilot system confused. "Over the next year we're going to keep testing Aquila -- flying higher and longer, and adding more planes and payloads. It's all part of our mission to connect the world and help more of the four billion people who are not online access all the opportunities of the internet," Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had written in a post.

​San Fransisco, March 20 (IANS) Apple's recently submitted application for an unnamed "wireless device" to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval turns out to be a door access system, most likely to be used for the Apple Park campus. "The manual for model 'A1844, which supports both NFC and Bluetooth Low Energy, includes wiring instructions, and in fact says that users have to present the company provided credential to the reader," appleinsider.com reported on Monday. The new 175-acre Apple Park near Cupertino will be open to employees from April, while the construction of buildings and parklands is scheduled to continue through the year, the US tech giant announced earlier this year. In honour of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' memory and his contribution to Apple, and his vision to make Apple Park a centre for creativity and collaboration, the theatre at the campus will be named the Steve Jobs Theatre. Apple Park will include a visitors centre with an Apple Store and cafe open to the public, a 100,000-square-foot fitness centre for Apple employees and development facilities and the Steve Jobs Theatre. The Park has been designed in collaboration with "Foster + Partners" and it replaces five million-square-foot of asphalt and concrete with grassy fields and over 9,000 native and drought-resistant trees, and is powered 100 per cent by renewable energy. In the past few months, Apple has submitted two other wireless devices for FCC approval, identified as A1845 and A1846.

​New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) At a time when everyone is talking about connected devices, here comes a touchscreen "smart" mirror that -- just like your smartphone -- can be your personal assistant. All you need is a Wi-Fi connection and an android phone for the app download. You can turn this normal mirror from domestic firm Nuovo into a smart device that will keep you updated with notifications from social sites like Facebook and Twitter, get you latest news from leading publications, access YouTube videos and even book a cab through Uber. "Based on Linux-based operating system, the mirror is a plug-and-play device. It is a robust material that can be installed in any area of the user's choice. It can be wall-hung or built-in into the decorative wall as per user's decor need," Prasoon Shrivastava, Founder and CEO of Nuovo, told IANS. Have a problem remembering the daily tasks? No problem -- the smart mirror can help you stay on top of your schedule with the help of Google Calendar and keep you updated with the latest decor trends and even lets you access emails. A user can even control which app is to be displayed on the mirror. The apps which are integrated in the mirror include Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Clock (with stopwatch and alarm), News, YouTube, Maps, Uber, and Calendar updates. According to Shrivastava, the technology is secure and does not store users data on the device. "The mirror does not store any personal data of the user. The user behaviour data is stored in our cloud-based secure server with top-notch security features," Shrivastava added. The company provides one-year warranty and extended warranty is also offered. Nuovo provides free-of-cost installation. The device, launched in February this year, comes with a choice of frame -- wooden, metal and decorative -- and is available in four sizes -- 24-inch, 32-inch, 42-inch and 50-inch. In a wooden frame, the 24-inch version is priced at Rs 145,499, the 32-inch comes for Rs 175,599, the 42-inch is available for Rs 226,599 and the 50-inch model for Rs 305,999. The metal-frame variant is costly with the four variants at Rs 155,599, Rs 187,999, Rs 239,999 and Rs 335,999. Asked if Indians were ready to adopt such technology, Shrivastava said the first prototype was made keeping in mind its usability in homes. There will be other prototypes as well, which will be made keeping in mind commercial offices, hotels and the like as per their requirements. "This is our first product in the market. In the next six months, we have a pipeline of products to be rolled out which when combined together in any habitable space shall enhance user experience and improve the performance of habitable spaces," Shrivastava said.

​Madrid, March 16 (IANS) iPhone 7 was a top seller in EU5 with iOS holding a 22.7 per cent share -- a climb of 2.4 percentage points. Android was second and accounted for 74.3 per cent of smartphone sales, with a marginal increase from 72.9 per cent in the three months ending January, a new report said. EU5 stands for European Union Five, in which France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Britain are members. According to Spain-based consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel, iOS achieved continued growth across most regions, except for Japan, Spain and Urban China. Android also continued to post market share increases in all regions but the US. The report said iOS and Android were the only two dominating operating systems in the world with BlackBerry OS, Symbian or Windows Mobile losing their grip. "February's Mobile World Congress 2017 demonstrated the true state of the market, with re-emerging brand names Nokia and Blackberry capturing a lot of attention, but now operating on Android rather than on their own legacy operating systems," said Lauren Guenveur, Global Consumer Insight Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. Two all new Android smartphones -- Nokia 3 and 5, plus the expanded global release of the Nokia 6 -- could do well in Western Europe due to loyalty to the Nokia brand name, the report noted. "HMD Global's focus on revitalising the Nokia name seems concentrated on quality for cost. Its three new Android phones are priced at Euro 229 or less, with Android Nougat, Google Assistant, aluminium construction and otherwise solid mid-range specs," added Dominic Sunnebo, Business Unit Director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Europe. Meanwhile, Android remained dominant in Asia accounting for 83.2 per cent of smartphones sold in Urban China -- an increase of 9.3 percentage points versus the same period a year ago. Huawei continued to dominate the region at 26.6 per cent. Apple and Xiaomi are the second and third largest manufacturers in Asia, with 16.6 per cent and 14.5 per cent shares respectively. The picture was different in the US. Android accounted for 56.4 per cent of smartphone sales in the US -- down 1.8 percentage points from the period a year earlier. iOS accounted for 42 per cent of smartphone sales -- up 2.9 percentage points year-on-year.

Seoul, March 15 (IANS) After working for foldable displays for years, South Korean giant Samsung will start manufacturing game-changer smartphone that can be folded in the third quarter of 2017. "Q3 2017 is already marked in some calendars as the time for IFA 2017 in Berlin. Samsung usually introduces the Galaxy Note series, but that does not exclude the possibility of having a foldable smartphone presented to the crowd, or at least tease one for a later date," GSMArena.com reported on Wednesday. Last year, Samsung has reportedly filed a patent with the Korean Intellectual Property Office for a smartphone that can be folded in half and is expected to arrive next year. Called the Galaxy X, the front of the smartphone will sport traditional Samsung home button in between a back button on the right and a menu button on the left, media reports said.

New York, March 15 (IANS) Google will maintain its dominance and account for 40.7 per cent of US digital ad revenues in 2017 -- more than double Facebooks share, market research company eMarketer said. According to eMarketer's forecast, the US digital ad spending will reach $83 billion in 2017, representing an increase of 15.9 per cent. eMarketer expects Google's share of the search market to grow 16.1 per cent to $28.55 billion in 2017 and the search giant will claim roughly 78 per cent of total US search ad revenues this year. "Google's dominance in search, especially mobile search, is largely coming from the growing tendency of consumers to turn to their smartphones to look up everything from the details of a product to directions," Monica Peart, Forecasting Analyst, eMarketer, said in a statement. As Google dominates search, Facebook rules display. The social network's US display business will jump 32.1 per cent to $16.33 billion, capturing 39.1 per cent of the US display market, taking share away from Google, Yahoo, and Twitter, the findings showed. Facebook's revenue growth can be attributed to growth in both usage and time spent, which continues to draw advertisers in greater numbers. Instagram is also helping to drive Facebook's revenue growth. In fact, Instagram will make up 20 per cent of Facebook's US mobile revenue this year, up from 15 per cent last year. "Facebook users are increasingly captivated by videos on the platform -- not just on Facebook, but on Instagram as well. Video, both live and recorded, is a key driver of growing user engagement and advertiser enthusiasm," added Peart. Meanwhile, Google's display business will rise to $5.24 billion, but its share of the display market will drop to 12.5 per cent, the report noted. In 2017, Snapchat's ad revenue will grow 157.8 per cent to $770 million in the US. That's slightly lower than the $800 million previously projected, due to higher-than-estimated revenue sharing with partners. Snapchat's ad business, which is made up entirely of mobile display, is still small. Snapchat will account for 1.3 per cent of the mobile ad market this year. By 2019, that will grow to 2.7 per cent, the report added.

New York, March 14 (IANS) US tech giant Apple is expected to host an event where it will unveil the new iPad Pro lineup, a larger iPhone SE model with 128GB storage and new Apple Watch bands. "Rumours widely suggest at least a trio of new iPad Pro models will be unveiled as early as this month, including an all-new 10.5-inch model with slimmer bezels and updated 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch versions," tech website macrumors.com reported on Tuesday. The new 10.5-inch iPad Pro will not include Home button and is also rumored to have a higher-resolution display and quad microphones. The updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro is expected to feature a 12MP rear camera and True Tone display using advanced four-channel ambient light sensors to automatically adapt the colour and intensity of the display to match the light in the surrounding environment. Apple is also said to launch a 5.8-inch iPhone 8 with an OLED display, that may be called 'iPhone X', along with two other devices -- updated iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus (with brand names as iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus). The company is also planning to introduce a new connector type for accessories for the iPhone, iPad and other devices through its official Made-for-iPhone (MFi) licensing programme. Called 'Ultra Accessory Connector' (UAC), the eight-pin connector is slightly less thick than USB-C and near half as wide as both USB-C and Lightning.

​Beijing, March 14 (IANS) Retail trade in China began 2017 with a cumulative increase of 9.5 per cent between January and February -- as compared to the same period in 2016 -- which is below economists' expectations of 10.5 percent and also its slowest growth in 11 years since February 2006, official date revealed on Tuesday. According to the National Bureau of Statistics data, with a slowdown in trade, investment in fixed assets rose to 8.9 per cent year-on-year making it its largest rise since June with real estate reaching its peak in two years to stand at 8.9 per cent and industrial production accelerating to 6.3 per cent year-on-year -- three-tenths more than in December, Efe news reported. The 9.5 per cent increase in China's retail sales was seven-tenths below the rise recorded in the same period in 2016 and almost point and a half below that of December. Analysts blame this slight slowdown on the previous year's trend, as well as a decline in car sales -- affected by the partial withdrawal of the tax incentive they enjoyed until the end of the year -- fell by 1 per cent from 2016. Industrial production or industrial value-added, too, experienced a slight rise of 6.3 per cent, as compared to 5.4 per cent in the same period in 2016. This indicator measures the activity of large companies with an annual turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about $2 million). The production of steel and other metals, including cement, improved early this year, while glass, mobile phones and industrial robots saw a slowdown. Investment in fixed assets started the year with a faster growth rate, as compared to the 8.1 per cent in January and February 2016, and 7.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year. China, during its annual plenary session of the National People's Congress held on March 5 in Beijing, has set its growth target at 6.5 percent for 2017 as compared to 6.7 percent attained in 2016.

​Geneva, March 7 (IANS) India's auto major Tata Motors on Tuesday showcased its first sports car, the Tamo Racemo, at the Geneva Motor Show 2017. It also unveiled its next generation car in the compact category, sedan Tigor as well as SUV Nexon. "Symbolising the change that is taking place" in the auto maker, the two-seater sports coupe, the first product under its new sub-brand Tamo, is the India's first connected car. Unveiling the car, company's MD and CEO Guenter Butschek said: "We launched our sub-brand as our answer to new technologies, business models and partnerships. The sports car is the first innovation from the sub-brand, and our emotional, unexpected leap to the future. It will drive the future of India's connected generation." The sports car, equipped with advanced navigation, predictive maintenance, remote monitoring and over-the-air updates using Microsoft cloud-based technologies, is expected to hit the market in 2017-18. "From styling and design to driver experience and technology, the car is an extension of customers' personality, as part of their digital ecosystem and will break the ice with a radical new presence and pique the interest in the parent brand," he added. The car is built on its patented MOFlex Multi-Material Sandwich (MMS) structure - a structural technology, enabling greater freedom in surface design, efficient large-scale part integration leading to modularity and faster time to market. The new sports car was unveiled in the presence of new Chairman N. Chandrasekaran and Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata. According to company officials, after a successful launch of HEXA early this year, the car maker is speeding towards the launch of styleback, Tata Tigor, this month. Tata Nexon, will mark its entry in the rapidly growing SUV segment later this year.