Microsoft, Google AI war; Android 14 first preview; Twitter Blue in India and other top tech news of the week – Gadgets Now

Gadgets Now Bureau12 Feb, 2023, 01:14PM IST
Google just made it official that it is working on a competitor ChatGPT – the AI chatbot that took the world by storm late last year. Soon after ChatGPT became a sensation, some hyperbole questions were raised whether this is ‘end of Google’. Though the two platforms are very different. But still, ChatGPT is a threat to Google, how potent is debatable. But yes, the AI chatbot created ‘unease’ in Google’s corridors and here comes Bard, Google’s rival to ChatGPT. Read more about Google’s Bard.
Microsoft has announced a new version of its search engine Bing, powered by an upgraded version of the same AI technology that powers ChatGPT. The company is launching the product alongside new AI-enhanced features for its Edge browser. “It’s a new day in search,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at an event announcing the products. The new Bing is live “for desktop limited preview,”. There is also a waitlist to sign up for full access in the future. Here’s all you need to know. Read more about the new Bing and Edge.
Google has announced Android 14’s first Developer Preview for Pixel smartphones. While the company does not list details of the user-side changes, it does mention a better support for foldables, tablets and other large-screen devices. Read more about Android 14.
After much speculation about how much users in India will have to pay for Twitter Blue, the social media platform has revealed the cost of its subscription service. Twitter Blue brings along a host of features for subscribers. Read to find out how much Twitter Blue costs in India.
OnePlus wrapped one of its biggest keynote ever with the launch of as many as eight new products in an evening, including the OnePlus 11, 11R, Buds Pro 2, 2R, OnePlus Pad, and much more. Read more to know what else OnePlus announced at the Cloud11 event.
Realme 10 Pro Coca-Cola edition is here. Realme has launched this limited edition of Realme 10 Pro smartphone in India. Realme 10 Pro Coca-Cola edition comes with a special design and UI customisations based on the popular fizzy drink. The smartphone’s retail box too has a Coca-Cola theme. Read more about Realme’s special edition Coca-Cola smartphone.
The Microsoft-owned company has announced that it is laying off 10% of its workforce by the end of this fiscal year. Presently, GitHub has about 3,000 employees. Along with the layoff the company has also announced that it is shutting down its offices and will completely move to work from home culture. Read more about layoffs at GitHub.
Need more than 280 characters to express yourself? All you need to do is subscribe to Twitter Blue. The ‘microblogging’ platform is introducing long-form tweets, a part of Musk’s “much larger” interface overhaul. Now, Twitter users, only those subscribed to the Blue, can write 4000 characters in a tweet. Read more to know what else you get.
Netflix’s long-awaited plan to end password sharing is now set in motion. Amid a fall in paying customers, Netflix wants to make freeloaders pay for the subscription, starting with Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, and Spain. Read how Netflix plans to end password sharing.
Sony has launched NW-A306 Walkman in India, following the launch of the high-end NW-ZX707 Walkman in the country. The NW-A306 Walkman comes in a stylish and compact design, allowing people to download and stream music on the go. Read more about Sony’s new Walkman.
Reddit has acknowledged a recent cyberattack that resulted in the theft of sensitive company information. The company referred to the breach in a security alert as a “sophisticated and highly-targeted phishing attack”. Read more about the cyberattack at Reddit.
Zoom has become the latest company to announce job cuts. Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom, announced that the company is laying off 1,300 employees, which translates to about 15% of its staff. Each organisation across Zoom will be impacted by the job cut. Read more to find out why Zoom is cutting jobs.

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