Tech Bites

Frogs around the world are being severely impacted by the chytrid fungus, which has led to population declines in over 500 species and the presumed extinction of approximately 90 species. This invasive pathogen is disrupting ecosystems and causing significant biodiversity loss. Innovative methods to combat this threat have emerged, focusing on providing frogs with heated environments to resist infection. This approach, which is both affordable and adaptable, has shown promise in addressing the devastating effects of chytrid on amphibian populations. Fighting the Fungus with Heat According to a study published in Nature, chytrid infections intensify in colder months. Researchers have developed "frog saunas," small heated structures that allow amphibians to elevate their body temperature, helping them fight off the infection. The fungus, unable to survive high temperatures, can be eliminated when frogs spend time in these saunas. In experiments conducted in both controlled ...

OnePlus 13R will launch in India and in select global markets on January 7 alongside the  OnePlus 13 . The phone is said to be a rebrand of the OnePlus Ace 5 , which was introduced in China alongside a Pro variant on December 26. The company had previously confirmed several features of the upcoming handset and revealed the phone's design and colour options as well. However, ahead of the launch, new renders of the OnePlus 13R showing its complete design have leaked online. OnePlus 13R Leaked Design Renders The OnePlus 13R is confirmed to be offered in Astral Trail and Nebula Noir colour options. In promotional images, the smartphone appears with a large, circular camera module at the top left of the rear panel. It holds three sensors alongside an LED flash unit. The leaked renders shared by X user Arsène Lupin (@MysteryLupin) show the design of the upcoming handset in more detail. pic.twitter.com/BYWFhUc1gS — Arsène Lupin (@MysteryLupin) December 30, 2024 The...

Apple TV+  will be free for streaming during the first weekend of January 2025, the company announced on Monday. The streaming service from the Cupertino-based technology giant will offer a weekend promotion with free streaming of Apple Original films and shows without any subscription required. This limited-period scheme comes ahead of the release of popular Apple Original content such as Severance Season 2, Mythic Quest, and Prime Target — all of which premiere in January, 2025. Apple TV+ Free Streaming According to Apple, users can streaming Apple Originals between January 4 and January 5 without requiring any subscription. They can simply open the Apple TV+ app which comes pre-installed on Apple devices and start watching content. For two days, they can get access to Apple Originals such as award-winning series, compelling dramas, groundbreaking documentaries, kids' entertainment, comedies, and more. This includes The Morning Show, Ted Lasso, Severance, Dark Matter, and For ...

This year was supposed to be a slow year for games, a gap year for major releases before 2025 brought out the big guns. But in hindsight, 2024 has been a bountiful year for video games, with some standout titles on all platforms. From Helldivers 2 and Palworld becoming multiplayer phenomenons, to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong lighting up the action-RPG category, past 12 months have seen excellent launches across genres. It's been a great year for indie games, too. Balatro, a poker-inspired roguelike deckbuilder developer by a single person, was nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024 . There were some excellent remakes of older games, as well. Silent Hill 2 and Persona 3 Reload brought back classic games in a contemporary package. There were many great games this year, and since 2024 is winding down, it's time to pick our favourites. It's also worth noting that there were several acclaimed titles that we didn't get to pla...

Samsung Galaxy S25 series is rumoured to be launched in January 2025 and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is expected to be the top-of-the-line handset in the series. As per a recent report, the flagship handset will come with support for seamless software updates, leveraging Android's A/B over-the-air (OTA) update system. This is said to allow the user to continue using the purported Galaxy S25 Ultra even when the update is being installed without any downtime. Seamless Software Updates on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra In a report , Android Authority claimed to see some leaked files of the purported Galaxy S25 Ultra through which, they can confirm that it will support Android's A/B OTA update system. While the internal files were related to the top-of-the-line smartphone in the series, the publication speculates that it also applies to the Galaxy S25 and the Galaxy S25 Plus — the other two handsets in Samsung's flagship smartphone series. This revelation corroborates previous claims ...

The world of foldable phones was once reserved for those willing to spend a significant amount, but that's no longer the case. Last year, Motorola and Tecno were among the first to introduce affordable clamshell foldable phones in India, and this year, Infinix has joined the fray. In October, Infinix launched its first foldable phone in the country – the Zero Flip . The phone is priced at Rs. 49,999 and offers standout features such as a large cover screen, the largest battery in the segment, and more. But does the price and the large cover screen make the Zero Flip a strong contender in the affordable foldable flip phone market, especially against Motorola's offerings? Does it stack up in terms of features? How does it perform in everyday use? I spent the last few weeks on the phone to find out, and here's my take. Infinix Zero Flip Design: Premium Dimensions (Unfolded) - 170.4 x 73.4 x 7.6 mm Dimensions (Folded) - 87.5 x 73.4 x 16 mm Weight - 195g Colours - Blossom...

Solar activity is expected to maintain elevated levels throughout 2025, marking a significant phase in Solar Cycle 25. As this cycle continues to progress, heightened solar phenomena, including solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and geomagnetic storms, are anticipated to impact various sectors. While no total solar eclipses will occur during the year, partial eclipses are scheduled for March and September, visible in regions like North America, Europe, and New Zealand. The increased activity of the sun has already brought dramatic events, with significant implications for the year ahead. Insights into Solar Cycle 25 According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ), the sun is currently in the solar maximum period of its 11-year cycle. This phase, characterised by high sunspot counts, typically sees a rise in solar flares and Earth-directed CMEs. While the exact peak of Solar Cycle 25 has not yet been determined, recent records indicate...

After a theatrical run, ‘The Sabarmati Report', starring Vikrant Massey, is reported to premiere on an OTT platform. The film, inspired by the events surrounding the 2002 Godhra train burning incident, was initially released in cinemas on November 15. Directed by Dheeraj Sarna and produced under Balaji Motion Pictures, the movie has been widely discussed for its bold take on one of India's most debated tragedies. It is expected to draw considerable viewership online following its cinematic acclaim. When and Where to Watch The Sabarmati Report According to reports, the film is slated for an early January release on ZEE5. Fans eagerly await this launch, which will allow a broader audience to engage with the narrative. The movie's theatrical release had garnered attention for its tax-free status in certain states, further fuelling public interest in its streaming debut. Official Trailer and Plot of The Sabarmati Report The trailer of ‘The Sabarmati Report' offers a ...

Roblox's Arm Wrestle Simulator has gained significant popularity since its release. In the game , players work to build strength and become powerful enough to compete in arm wrestling challenges. With the help of various Arm Wrestle Simulator codes, players can unlock boosts, improve their stats, and receive exclusive in-game rewards. These codes provide a significant advantage to anyone looking to level up and succeed in this competitive game. Below, you'll find the latest active codes for December 2024 and a guide on how to redeem them and play the game! All Arm Wrestle Simulator Codes Check out the full list of active Arm Wrestle simulator codes available for this month: rocket - 5% Stat Boost and 2 hours of 2x Wins shiny - 3x Stat Boost for 24 Hours noob - 1 Spin cavefortune - 3x Stat Boost for 8 Hours + 25 Miner's Crystals merryxmas - 5% Stat Boost, all potions x10, and 1,500 Candy Coins enchant - 3 Rebirths Hacker - 3x Stat Boost for 24 Hours 500MILLION - ...

OnePlus Pad  was launched in China on Thursday alongside the company's Ace 5 series. It makes its entry as a rebranded version of the Oppo Pad 3, which debuted last month and features the same core internals. The OnePlus Pad boasts an 11.61-inch 2.8K IPS LCD screen, 144Hz refresh rate, and the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset. The tablet runs on ColorOS 15 based on Android 15 and comes equipped with 67W wired fast charging. OnePlus Pad Price OnePlus Pad price starts in China at CNY 2,099 (roughly Rs. 24,000) for the 8GB + 128GB option. However, the company is offering a limited-time discount of CNY 100 (roughly Rs. 1,100) on this variant which takes its introductory price down to CNY 1,999 (roughly Rs. 23,000). It is also available in 8GB + 256GB and 12GB + 256GB configurations which are priced at CNY 2,399 (roughly Rs. 28,000) and CNY 2,699 (roughly Rs. 31,000), respectively. Meanwhile, the top-of-the-line variant with 12GB + 512GB is listed at CNY 3,099 (roughly Rs. 36,000)...

Police have arrested a 23-year-old MBBS student in Madhya Pradesh's Indore for sending around Rs. 8 lakh of cyber fraud money to a gang of Chinese youths by converting it into cryptocurrency, an official said on Wednesday. Talking to reporters, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajesh Kumar Tripathi said the accused, identified as Vikram Vishnoi (23), was arrested based on the clues found in the case of cheating a city-based software engineer of Rs 1.35 lakh by placing him under "digital arrest". Vishnoi, who hails from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, is a third-year MBBS student of the Government Medical College in Maharashtra's Alibag, he said. Through Vishnoi's interrogation, it came to light that he used to provide bank accounts to a gang on a commission basis for cyber fraud and was connected to five Chinese youths through a group on Telegram messaging app, he said. "We came to know that Vishnoi used to convert the cyber fraud money deposited in Indian bank ...

OnePlus Ace 5 is scheduled to launch in China on December 26 (today) and will also debut as the OnePlus 13R in the global markets early next year. Ahead of its anticipated unveiling, the Chinese company has confirmed a key aspect of the purported smartphone — its battery capacity. OnePlus says it will be equipped with a significantly larger battery than its predecessor. However, this won't affect its form factor and the OnePlus Ace 5 is confirmed to be even thinner than the last-generation model. OnePlus Ace 5 Battery, Size In a post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, OnePlus shared details about the battery capacity and the change in size of the OnePlus Ace 5. As per the company, it will feature a 6,400mAh battery which can deliver up to 23 hours of video playback. This means an increase of approximately 900mAh over the 5,500mAh capacity of the OnePlus Ace 4. However, this does not mean that the purported smartphone will get thicker. Instead, it is claimed to have ...

OnePlus 13 is set to launch in India and the global markets next month. Ahead of its anticipated debut, the Chinese company's current flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 12 , has received a price cut on e-commerce platforms. Customers can purchase the smartphone with an initial discount to get it at a lower price than its list MRP. Additionally, there are bank offers available which can be used to take its price further down. Combining all the offers, it can be purchased for as low as Rs. 52,999. Here's how. OnePlus 12 Price Drop in India OnePlus 12 has a launch price of Rs. 64,999 for the base 12GB+256GB variant. However, Amazon has rolled out an 8 percent discount on the smartphone, which translates to Rs. 5,000. Thus, it is currently selling on the e-commerce platform for Rs. 59,000. Customers can also take advantage of bank offers. A flat discount of Rs. 7,000 is available on ICICI Bank Credit Card and One Card transactions. The same offer applies if buyers do not wish...

Oppo A5 Pro has appeared on Geekbench ahead of its China launch. The company has already confirmed the design, colour options and operating system details of the upcoming phone. The listing on the benchmarking site hints at the expected chipset that the smartphone could come with. The handset was also spotted on other certification sites. These listings have suggested several probable key features of the Oppo A5 Pro including display, battery and camera specifications. Oppo A5 Pro Geekbench Listing The Oppo A5 Pro with the model number PKP110 has been spotted on Geekbench. The phone scored 1,053 and 3,052 points on single-core and multi-core tests, respectively. It is listed with an octa-core chipset, with four cores clocking a speed of 2.50GHz, while the other four clocked at 2.00GHz. The phone is expected to get the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 or the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy SoC. As per the listing, the Oppo A5 Pro will support 12GB of RAM and run on Android 15. M...

Ray-Ban Meta Glasses could soon benefit from a huge upgrade with the addition of small screens, according to a report. The next iteration of the wearable device is said to be launched as soon as next year, and screens may be leveraged to display notifications and perform other functions. Notably, this development builds upon Meta Platforms' ambition to develop lightweight wearable headsets that could potentially replace smartphones as primary computing devices. Ray-Ban Meta Glasses With Displays According to a Financial Times report , the next iteration of Ray-Ban Meta Glasses ( review ) may be equipped with small screens that could be used to display notifications as well as responses to queries received from Meta AI — the company's artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistant. The $299 (roughly Rs. 25,000) smart glasses, which have been developed in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica, come equipped with a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera, open-ear speakers, and...

Honor Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design is set to be unveiled in China today. While the company has teased the design and key features of the handset, a tipster has now leaked its expected camera specifications ahead of its launch. Previous leaks had hinted at the display, build and battery details of the phone. The upcoming handset will succeed the  Honor Porsche Design Magic 6 RSR , and is expected to join the Honor Magic 7 series, which was introduced in the country in October. Honor Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design Camera, Other Features (Expected) The Honor Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design is expected to get a 1/1.3-inch 50-megapixel OV50K primary sensor with a f/1.4-f2.0 physical variable aperture, according to a Weibo post by tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese). This is said to be accompanied by a 50-megapixel ultra-wide angle shooter with 122-degree field-of-view and 25mm macro mode capacities. Honor Magic 7 RSR Porsche Design is also tipped to include a 1/1....

Apple will delve into the smart home market as it looks for new growth opportunities next year, according to a report. As part of its efforts, the Cupertino-based technology giant is said to be developing a smart home doorbell that will have FaceID support, enabling users to scan their face to gain entry, much like the iPhone. For enhanced functionality of the purported device, Apple may turn to other third-party smart lock makers or even tie up with a single specific company. Apple Smart Doorbell In the latest edition of the Power On newsletter , Bloomberg's Mark Gurman detailed Apple's smart home efforts. The iPhone maker is reported to be working on a smart home doorbell system that will have advanced facial recognition, which wirelessly connects to a deadbolt lock. Apple already offers several third-party smart home locks on its online store but this is said to be its first-ever proprietary offering. It is speculated to work on the same HomeKit protocol and may supp...

SOL price predictions remain bullish even in the middle of a market-wide sell-off following the move by the Federal Reserve to halt rate cuts in 2025. Solana's price is already forming a bull flag even as SOL dips below $200 in a move that analysts anticipate could lead to a bullish breakout past the $210 mark. Some SOL price predictions forecast lower lows for SOL, especially if SOL's price continues to dip below $190. Polkadot's DOT is also on a major pullback, with its price hovering around $7 after surging all the way to $11.66 at the start of December. SOL price predictions and DOT aside, the best new crypto to invest in right now is Lunex Network . After its presale gained momentum, Lunex's LNEX token surged over 250% and is now priced at $0.0046 in a presale that has so far raised over $5.3 million. Can LNEX surpass its ATH? Lunex Network is on track to be the best new crypto this bull run A market-wide correction was expected, especially after the meteoric r...

Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim is tipped to debut next year as the thinnest flagship-grade smartphone from the company in years, and details of the purported handset's specifications have been leaked by a tipster. The handset could be launched in the second quarter of 2025, which is when the company usually launches its Galaxy A series and Fan Edition (FE) smartphones. Meanwhile, a Chinese leaker has also revealed that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim might be thicker than the iPhone 17 Air, which is also tipped to debut next year. Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim Tipped to Debut in Q2 2025 According to details posted to X (formerly Twitter) by Debayan Roy (@Gadgetsdata) on Friday, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim will sport a 6.6-inch screen. If this claim is accurate, it means the company could equip the handset with the same display as the Galaxy S25+ model, which is expected to debut alongside the standard Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Ultra model in January 2025. Galaxy S25 Slim (SM-S937x/DS) : • 6...