Computer World

So it turns out that images of Apple's new MacBook Pro, set to be unveiled on Thursday, are actually hiding inside the latest macOS Sierra update. They confirm that Jony Ive and Apple's designers have added a touch bar to the company's top-of-the-line laptop. To make room for that, Apple completely got rid   of the function keys that've been at the top of Mac keyboards for years. Physical esc key? Gone. Same for the brightness buttons and volume controls. They're history. Apple wisely seems to have combined the power button and Touch ID sensor, though it's not yet clear whether this button is actually mechanical. Now it's  probably  fair to assume that many of these settings — at least the more popular ones — will appear on the touch bar by default. I can't remember the last time I actually pressed esc, though I do feel for programmers and engineers. View image on Twitter For me, I'd hope that when I...

Seems like Samsung is not conceding defeat anytime soon. Even after facing flak from all over the planet for battery-related issues (read explosions) on the Note 7 series of smartphones, the South Korean giant has decided to continue with its 'Note' line up. According to a post on the company's official website, Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge users would be eligible to receive up to 50% off on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8, to be released next year. The offer will be available as a part of the 'Galaxy Upgrade Programme'. Further details on the Galaxy Note 8 or Galaxy S8 were however not mentioned. Also, the list of countries to which the programme is being extended is unclear as well. Although Samsung has not mentioned anything about the Note 8, rumoured key features on the latter include the next-gen super AMOLED display, fast charging, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 83x processor, 6GB RAM, and 4,000mAH battery. As per market analysts and reports, in the...

Google is jumping headfirst into the smartphone market  with its new Pixel devices , both of which were announced in San Francisco earlier today. On the surface, they don’t look particularly groundbreaking—it’s fair to say they look like nearly every other smartphone on the market. But Google is making a huge bet on AI with Assistant and the Pixel will be the first  phone with the software built in. Is Google’s AI enough of a draw to sell an entire ecosystem over, say, an iPhone 7? That remains to be seen; Google certainly thinks so. At Google’s event, we went hands-on with the Google Pixel, a device that will be the face of the search giant over the next 12 months. As we said, the design doesn’t really  stand out as anything spectacular, although Google made sure to emphasize that the 12.3-megapixel camera is the best on the market—at least according to a DxOMark rating. We’ll put that to the test when we have the opportunity to spend more time with the devi...

Google Assistant Google Assistant is coming to several of Google’s new products. It’s built into the company’s new chat app, Allo, and powers the upcoming Google Home smart speaker. But the Pixel and Pixel XL put Assistant in your pocket and make it available at a moment’s notice. Just hold down the home button or say “OK Google” to launch the AI assistant and start giving commands. Google Assistant can answer questions, check the weather or play a video. Assistant can even understand follow-up questions so you can carry out a more natural conversation, similar to what Siri offers. It also replaces the company’s old “Now on Tap” feature, bringing up relevant information on whatever you’re currently looking at as soon as it’s activated. Powerful Cameras The Pixel and Pixel XL both feature a 12.3-megapixel rear camera that scored an impressive 89 from DxOMark Mobile, making them the top-scoring mobile devices around. Google also included a “Smartburst” mode, wh...

Facebook now officially supports end-to-end encryption for all of its 1 billion users. The company employs technology from Open Whisper Systems, which also enables the end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp. Facebook hasn’t made a public announcement, but Wired said sources inside the company have confirmed the additional security measure is available for everyone. You really should be using end-to-end encryption for all chats, since it essentially blocks anyone from snooping in on your conversation. In fact, it’s a bit bizarre that Facebook didn’t just enable this by default, as it does with WhatsApp and as Apple does with iMessage. Wired said the “Secret”options such as stickers will continue to work with the function enabled but I suspect other functions, such as bots, won’t. Be sure to tap the “Secret” button in your chat to keep your conversation private. And leave it on.