Tag: amazon

Amazon to Allow Prime Users to Unsubscribe in 2 Clicks After EU Complaints

US online retail giant Amazon has made it easier for users to cancel their subscriptions to its fast shipping club Prime with just two clicks, following complaints from consumer groups, the European Commission said on Friday.

European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), the Norwegian Consumer Council and the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue took their grievances to the EU executive in April last year.

They said users had to go through numerous hurdles such as complicated navigation menus, skewed wording and confusing choices, to unsubscribe from Amazon Prime.

The company will now allow users to unsubscribe from Amazon Prime with two clicks via a prominent and clear ‘cancel button’, the Commission said.

The changes will apply to all EU websites and for desktop devices, mobiles and tablets with immediate effect.

“Consumers must be able to exercise their rights without any pressure from platforms. One thing is clear: manipulative design or ‘dark patterns’ must be banned,” Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said in a statement.

Amazon said: “By design we make it clear and simple for customers to both sign up for or cancel their Prime membership. We continually listen to feedback and look for ways to improve the customer experience, as we are doing here following constructive dialogue with the European Commission.”

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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Asus ROG Phone 6 India Launch Date Set for July 5, Renders Tip Triple Rear Cameras



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OnePlus Nord 2T 5G India Launch Teased: Expected Price, Specifications

OnePlus Nord 2T 5G India launch has been teased. The new OnePlus phone debuted in global markets including Europe last month. The smartphone comes as the successor to the OnePlus Nord 2. It features an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC and is equipped with the same triple rear camera setup seen on the OnePlus 10R 5G. The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G also includes 80W fast charging support, which debuted on the flagship OnePlus 10 Pro earlier this year.

The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G is “coming soon” to India, the Chinese company said in a teaser released on Monday. Exact launch date is yet to be revealed, though.

 

Tipster Abhishek Yadav recently claimed that the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G would debut in India as early as July 1. However, OnePlus has not yet corroborated the reported details. The global handle does point to the same date as a launch, though it’s unclear which region it is referring to. We’ve reached out for more information.

Nevertheless, a dedicated webpage for the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G has been created by Amazon to suggest its online availability. OnePlus is also running a promotional campaign to create some hype for the upcoming phone ahead of its official debut.

OnePlus Nord 2T 5G price in India (expected)

OnePlus Nord 2T 5G price in India is tipped to start at Rs. 28,999 for the base 8GB RAM + 128GB storage variant. The phone is also said to be available in the 12GB + 256GB model at Rs. 33,999.

In Europe, the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G was launched last month, with a starting price of EUR 399 (roughly Rs. 33,000) for the 8GB + 128GB model.

OnePlus Nord 2T 5G specifications

The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G runs OxygenOS 12.1 based on Android 12 and features a 6.43-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, along with up to 12GB RAM. The OnePlus Nord 2T 5G comes with the triple rear camera setup that houses a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 primary sensor, along with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide shooter and a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor.

OnePlus has offered a 32-megapixel Sony IMX615 camera sensor at the front for selfies and video chats.

The OnePlus Nord 2T comes with up to 256GB of onboard UFS 3.1 storage. It packs a 4,500mAh battery that supports 80W SuperVOOC wired charging.

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OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro India Launch Confirmed; 4K UHD Bezel-Less Display, Dolby Audio Support Teased

OnePlus TV 43 Y1S Pro with 4K UHD display and Gamma Engine was unveiled in April this year. Now, the company has teased the arrival of new OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro smart TV in India via its social media channels and e-commerce website Amazon. Like its predecessor, the upcoming smart TV model will feature a bezel-less design with a 4K UHD display. It will offer HDR10 support and will come equipped with 24W speakers featuring Dolby Audio support.

Dedicated microsites on the OnePlus India website and Amazon India are teasing the key specifications of the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro ahead of launch. Interested customers can click on the “Notify Me” button on the website to get the latest updates about the launch.

The OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro is teased to feature a 50-inch 4K UHD display with a 10-bit colour depth. It will have Gamma Engine for enhancing image quality in real-time. It is confirmed to offer a host of features including Motion Estimation Motion Compensation (MEMC) support, HDR10 support, Dolby Audio, and more. Like the previous OnePlus Y-series smart TV models, the upcoming TV will have a Smart Manager featuring allowing users to control many functions including system speed, and freeing up storage space, among others.

The listing indicates that the OnePlus TV 50 Y1S Pro will feature 20W speakers with support for Dolby Audio support. The smart TV will offer connectivity with other OnePlus devices and users will be able to adjust the TV’s volume via the OnePlus Watch with the Smart Volume Control. With the Sleep Detection feature, it will automatically fall asleep with the user. The listing also suggests 8GB of internal storage on the new smart TV.

OnePlus is yet to reveal the official launch date or pricing details for the upcoming model. The company unveiled the OnePlus TV 43 Y1S Pro in India in April this year and it is currently listed with a price tag of Rs. 28,999. The price of new smart TV could be aligned with this.

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Twitter ‘Withholds’ Journalist Rana Ayyub’s Account in India



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US Tech Industry Fears Handing Over Data on Abortion to State Government After Verdict in Roe vs Wade Trail

The technology industry in the United States is bracing for the uncomfortable possibility of having to hand over pregnancy-related data to law enforcement, in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision on Friday to overturn the Roe vs Wade precedent that for decades guaranteed a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.

As state laws limiting abortion kick in after the ruling, technology trade representatives told Reuters they fear police will obtain warrants for customers’ search history, geolocation and other information indicating plans to terminate a pregnancy. Prosecutors could access the same via a subpoena, too.

The concern reflects how the data collection practices of companies like Alphabet‘s Google, Facebook parent Meta Platforms and Amazon have the potential to incriminate abortion-seekers for state laws that many in Silicon Valley oppose.

“It is very likely that there’s going to be requests made to those tech companies for information related to search histories, to websites visited,” said Cynthia Conti-Cook, a technology fellow at the Ford Foundation.

Google declined to comment. Representatives for Amazon and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Technology has long gathered — and at times revealed — sensitive pregnancy-related information about consumers. In 2015, abortion opponents targeted ads saying ‘Pregnancy Help’ and ‘You Have Choices’ to individuals entering reproductive health clinics, using so-called geofencing technology to identify smartphones in the area.

More recently, Mississippi prosecutors charged a mother with second-degree murder after her smartphone showed she had searched for abortion medication in her third trimester, local media reported. Conti-Cook said, “I can’t even imagine the depth of information that my phone has on my life.”

While suspects unwittingly can hand over their phones and volunteer information used to prosecute them, investigators may well turn to tech companies in the absence of strong leads or evidence. In United States vs Chatrie, for example, police obtained a warrant) for Google location data that led them to Okello Chatrie in an investigation of a 2019 bank robbery.

Amazon, for instance, complied at least partially with 75 percent of search warrants, subpoenas and other court orders demanding data on the US customers, the company disclosed for the three years ending in June 2020. It complied fully with 38 percent. Amazon has said it must comply with “valid and binding orders,” but its goal is to provide “the minimum” that the law requires.

Eva Galperin, cybersecurity director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said on Twitter on Friday, “The difference between now and the last time that abortion was illegal in the United States is that we live in an era of unprecedented digital surveillance.”

© Thomson Reuters 2022

 

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Shopify Collaborates With Twitter to Help Merchants With Online Sale, Unveils 100 New Tools

Shopify has launched new tools to help its merchants sell to other businesses and on Twitter, as the Canadian tech giant attempts to shore up sales to counter a post-pandemic slowdown in online shopping.

More than a 100 new tools were unveiled on Wednesday, including ones to support its plans to push into business-to-business, for shoppers to connect their crypto wallets to a store and Apple‘s “Tap to Pay” feature on iPhones.

Shopify, which helps businesses set up their online stores, hit the jackpot during lockdowns as global brands and mom-and-pop stores alike turned to selling online directly to consumers while their shops were shut.

With the economy reopening, however, investors are starting to question Shopify’s future, sending the company’s stock down 76 percent this year and erasing a big chunk of its pandemic gains.

Shopify’s answer to the slowdown is expanding into the wholesale market, a far bigger avenue than direct-to-consumer and with “billions in untapped revenue”, according to President Harley Finkelstein.

Businesses are looking to move from direct-to-consumer to “connect-to-consumer”, which makes it easier for people to shop through social media platforms and pay using their phones, Finkelstein said in an interview.

“This is the next phase of retail… In many ways, shopping has become a vote with your wallet to support that brand… And that’s what I think connect-to-consumer is all about,” he said.

The post-pandemic world has thrown up challenges for Amazon as well, Shopify’s biggest rival, as it fields massive losses after building more warehouses than needed during the boom.

In a podcast earlier this month, long-time Shopify investor Mawer Investment Management’s Vijay Viswanathan said it was exiting the stock on concerns of slowing growth and competition. “The internet is getting crowded… It became harder and harder to justify the valuation.”

© Thomson Reuters 2022

Are affordable smartwatches worth it? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

 

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Tecno Pova 3 India Launch Date Set for June 20: Price, Expected Specifications

Tecno Pova 3 is all set to launch on June 20 in India, the company announced on Friday. Tecno has shared a teaser on social media to offer more details about the launch of the new Pova series phone. It is confirmed to feature a 7,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. Last month, the handset was unveiled in the Philippines in three different colour options. It is powered by a MediaTek Helio G88 SoC. Other highlights of the gaming-oriented phone include a 50-megapixel triple rear camera setup, an 8-megapixel selfie camera, and dual stereo speakers.

The new Tecno Pova 3 will be unveiled in India on June 20. The brand has confirmed that the new phone will have a 7,000mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. Further, the Tecno Pova 3 is teased to feature a 6.9-inch full-HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It will be powered by the MediaTek Helio G88 SoC as well.

The landing page of the Tecno Pova 3 is now live on Amazon India and interested users can use the “Notify Me” option on the website to get updates regarding the launch and availability of the device.

Tecno Pova 3 price in India (expected)

Tecno unveiled the Tecno Pova 3 in the Philippines in May with a price tag of PHP 8,999 (roughly Rs. 13,300) for the 4GB + 64GB storage model. The top-end 6GB + 128GB variant is priced at PHP 9,399 (roughly Rs. 13,900). The Indian variant is also likely to be priced in the same range. It is offered in Eco Black, Electric Blue, and Tech Silver colour options.

Tecno Pova 3 specifications

As per the Amazon listing, Tecno Pova 3 features a triple rear camera unit led by a 50-megapixel sensor. As mentioned, it is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Helio G88 SoC, coupled with Mali-G52 GPU and up to 6GB of RAM. The memory can be expanded up to 11GB by utilising unused storage in the device. Further, it carries 128GB of onboard storage and includes a Z-axis linear motor for gaming. The 7,000mAh battery of the phone is said to deliver up to 53 days of standby time. The phone sports dual stereo speakers as well.

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IPL Media Rights: Amazon Pulls Out of Bidding War, Viacom18 is Strongest Contender, Says BCCI

The much-anticipated duel between Jeff Bezos and Mukesh Ambani for acquisition of one of world’s costliest sporting properties won’t materialise now as OTT giants Amazon on Friday pulled out of IPL media rights bidding, scheduled to start on Sunday.

Reliance Industries Limited owned Viacom18 is considered to be one of the strongest contenders both in TV and digital space.

Bezos-funded Amazon was expected to be one of the biggest bidders in digital space but pulled out of the race without revealing the reason.

“Yes, Amazon is out of the race. They didn’t join the technical bidding process today. As far as Google (YouTube) is concerned, they had picked up the bid document but didn’t submit it. As of now, 10 companies (TV and streaming) are in fray,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

A four-way battle —There are four specific packages in which e-auction will be conducted for 74 games per season for a five-year period from 2023-to 2027 with a provision of increasing the number of matches to 94 in the final two years.

The Package A has Indian sub-continent exclusive TV (broadcast) rights while Package B covers digital rights for Indian sub-continent.

The Package C is for 18 selected games in each season for digital space while Package D (all games) will be for combined TV and digital rights for overseas markets.

“Let’s make it clear, the Viacom 18 JV (Joint Venture), current rights holder Walt Disney (Star), Zee and Sony are the four contenders for the packages with solid footprints in both TV and digital market,” the official said.

Some of the other contenders, primarily for digital space are: Times Internet, FunAsia, Dream11, FanCode while Sky Sports (UK) and Supersport (South Africa) will be vying for overseas TV and digital rights.

The last time, Star India bought rights for both TV and digital with a composite bid of Rs. 16,347.50 crore but this time the composite base price is more than Rs. 32,000 crore.

All bidders will have to make separate bids for each package, this time.

As of Friday, some of the big players who are involved with the bidding process, feel that Rs. 45,000 crore is the amount that BCCI could expect which will be a two-and-a-half times increase in valuation.

PTI has prepared ‘Ready Reckoner’ for IPL Media Rights

Q: What are the dates of media rights auction?

A: It is expected to be for two days — June 12 and 13.

Q: What is the period of IPL Media Rights?

A: The period is for five years from 2023-2027.

Q: Number of matches per season?

A: It is 74 with provision of going up to 94 in last 2 seasons.

Q: What is current valuation of IPL Media Rights?

A: Rs 16,347.50 crore for both TV and Digital with Star India.

Q: What are the packages on offer?

A: TV Rights for Indian sub-continent at Rs. 49 crore per game.

B: Digital Rights for Indian sub-continent at Rs. 33 crore per game.

C: 18-match, non-exclusive digital package at Rs. 11 crore per game.

D: Overseas TV and Digital Rights at Rs. 3 crore per game.

Q: What is composite base price for all packages?

A: Total composite base price for all four packages is Rs. 32,440 crore.

Break-up: Package A is Rs. 18,130 crore (74x49x5) Package B is Rs. 12,210 crore (74x33x5) Package C is Rs. 990 crore (18x11x5) Package D is Rs. 1110 crore (74x3x5)

Q: Which are major companies bidding?

A: There are 10 companies in fray: Viacom18 JV (Joint Venture) with Lupa Systems (Uday Shankar and James Murdoch), Walt Disney (Star), Zee, Sony (both India media and digital rights).

Times Internet, Fan Code, FunAsia, Dream11 (only digital rights).

Supersport (South Africa) and Sky Sports (UK) vying for Overseas TV and Digital rights.

Q: Can one entity make a composite bid like Star did last time?

A: No. Every package will be awarded to highest bidder.

For example, Facebook had presented highest digital bid for Rs. 3900 crore in 2017 but Star grabbed the rights with a huge composite bid despite lower digital bid.

Q: Can one entity get two packages?

A: Yes, that is possible.Suppose, if Star has the highest bid for India TV rights (Package A) for an ‘x’ amount and Sony places the highest bid for India digital rights for ‘y’ amount, both the companies can challenge each other in a tie-breaker.

Q: Which package could see a close fight?

A: Package C, which has non-exclusive rights for 18 games that include opening game, final, three play-offs and a few weekend double headers.

All major players (Viacom, Zee, Sony, Star) would like to own this digital package. If a company wins India digital rights and loses out on non-exclusive rights, then it loses out on massive revenue (advertisement plus subscriptions) for those 18 games which can be accessed at any other platforms. Companies would like to buy it to kill competition.

Q: What is the type of auction that is being held?

A: Just like last time, it will be e-auction where companies can raise their bid by Rs. 50 crore at one go. E-auction is transparent but time- consuming.

Q: What is kind of money expected by the BCCI?

A: The BCCI is expecting that over and above their Rs. 32,440 crore composite base price, it could earn another Rs. 12,000 to 12,500 crore which may take the valuation up to Rs. 45,000.

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EU Unclear on Ban of Cloud Services in Russia Amid Invasion of Ukraine, Amends Latest Sanction Package

The European Union is working on a possible ban on the provision of cloud services to Russia as part of new sanctions against the Kremlin for the invasion of Ukraine, an EU official told Reuters on Wednesday, noting the measure was technically complex.

If introduced, it is unclear how the EU ban would affect Russia, because top cloud providers in Europe are US companies, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft.

The European Union last week adopted a new package of sanctions against Russia and Belarus which included an oil embargo, restrictive measures on Russian banks and a ban on the provision of consultancy services to Moscow.

An initial version of a press release on the sanctions package issued by the EU Council on June 3 also referred to a ban on the provision of cloud services, but was later amended to delete that reference. That sanction does not appear in the legal texts published in the official journal of the EU.

A press officer for the Council said the initial mention of the sanction on cloud services was “a material error”, and declined to say whether it may have been caused by a debate on the matter among EU states.

An EU official familiar with decisions on sanctions said the measure on cloud services was never proposed by the European Commission, but added that the EU was working on introducing the ban in possible future rounds of sanctions despite it being technically difficult.

In a tweet on Tuesday, the Ukrainian president’s adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that the editing of the press release by the EU Council had been done without offering a clear explanation and that it suggested a possible watering down of sanctions.

“We must increase the sanctions pressure, not decrease,” he said.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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Amazon to Stop Older Kindle E-Readers From Browsing, Buying New Books

Amazon is disabling Store access from older Kindle models to let its users no longer be able to browse, buy, and borrow books from its dated e-readers. The change, which will come into effect from August 17, will be applicable to the Kindle (2nd Gen) International, Kindle DX International, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle (4th Gen), and Kindle (5th Gen). Amazon has informed users of these devices about the update through an email sent to their registered accounts. The company is also giving an upgrade discount to let users move to a new Kindle.

Although the exact reason has not yet been announced, Good e-Reader has speculated that the discontinuation could be in place due to a Transport Layer Security (TLS) incompatibility. The older devices have support for TLS 1.0 and 1.1 protocols that include various flaws. Due to hardware limitations, the dated e-readers are not supporting newer TLS versions.

Gadgets 360 has reached out to Amazon for clarity on the update and will update this article when the company responds.

Amazon has sent the email to the users of older Kindle models to inform them about the update. It also mentions that users will continue to read ebooks on the devices, though the store functionality will no longer be in place from August.

“As of August 17, you’ll no longer be able to browse, buy, or borrow books directly from these Kindle devices. As always, you’ll be able to browse, buy, and borrow books on other supported devices or through amazon.com/ebooks,” the company said in the email.

Amazon is suggesting users to visit its ebooks store in a browser on their phone, tablet, or computer to continue to shop for new books. It has also recommended users to upgrade to a new Kindle. For this, the company is giving a 30 percent discount and a $40 (roughly Rs. 3,100) ebook credit.

Both the given upgrade benefits will be valid until July 5, the company said.

Users on the older Kindle models are also likely to be able to load new books in their ePUB format. However, Amazon has not provided any official workaround — supposedly to push people to buy its newer hardware, of course.

The change is applicable to the Kindle models that were launched over 10 years ago. Nevertheless, these devices are still usable and working for most users.

It is also important to point out that since the scope of an e-reader is quite limited and is just to allow loading of ebooks for on-the-go reading, users are not required — and are not intrigued — to upgrade their devices on a regular basis. Amazon, though, often tries to persuade people by bringing newer functionalities including wireless charging and auto-adjusting warm light that are a part of the latest flagship models.

Removing support for older Kindle models in such a scenario is something that may not be welcomed by users.

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Amazon Fire 7, Fire 7 Kids Tablets With Up to 10 Hours Battery Life Launched: Price, Specifications

Amazon Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids next-generation tablets have been announced in the US on Wednesday. According to the company, the new tablets double the RAM and offer up to 40 percent more battery life than the previous generation of Fire 7 tablets. These affordable tablets share similar specifications, including a 7-inch IPS touchscreen with a 1,024×600 pixels resolution. Additionally, the Fire 7 Kids comes with a protective case with a built-in stand, a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, and a two-year worry-free guarantee.

Amazon Fire 7, Fire 7 Kids price, availability

The Amazon Fire 7 is available to pre-order starting from $59.99. It comes in Black, Denim, and Rose colours. Meanwhile, the Amazon Fire 7 Kids can be pre-ordered beginning from $109.99. This tablet comes with a protective case in Blue, Red, or Purple colours.

Both of these Amazon tablets will start shipping from June 29.

Amazon Fire 7 Kids comes in a protective case
Photo Credit: Amazon

Amazon Amazon Fire 7, Fire 7 Kids specifications, features

The Amazon Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids feature similar specifications. They sport a 7-inch IPS display with a 1,200×600 pixels resolution capable of supporting SD video playback. These tablets are powered by an unspecified 2GHz chipset paired with 2GB of RAM. They offer 16GB and 32GB storage options. There is also a microSD slot for up to 1TB of storage.

Amazon claims that the battery on these tablets can last for up to 10 hours of normal use. Furthermore, it is said to take up to 4 hours to fully charge them. There are also 2-megapixel cameras on the front and back that are capable of HD recording. On the right side, they feature a USB Type-C port, a 3.5mm jack, volume rockers, and a power button.

Differences appear in the form of their size and weight. The Amazon Fire 7 is 180.68×117.59×9.67mm in dimensions and weighs about 282g. On the other hand, the Fire 7 Kids measures 162x201x28mm and weighs around 429g.

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