TecQ is our weekly round up of the top technology stories.
1. Apple Maps in India Finally Supports Turn-by-Turn Navigation
Apple starts 2019 with a sweet surprise for its iPhone users in India by supporting turn-by-turn navigation for the first-time in the country. Tim Cook and co have to thank the Apple Maps team in Hyderabad, which was set up a few years back just to make this day happen.
And I am sure Apple users in the country are finally happy that Apple Maps does what it is supposed to have done from day one. Now you won’t have to entirely rely on Google Maps for basic navigation needs (although I would suggest you stick to GMaps for now, because of traffic updates).
It’s 2019, and we’re glad that Apple has finally managed to offer a basic feature such as this, for a market where it is seemingly ‘bullish’ about its future.
Read the story here.
2. Reliance Jio Said to be Blocking VPN and Proxy Websites in India
Internet users in India are crying foul over Reliance Jio’s apparent efforts to block proxy and VPN websites. According to this report in Quartz, the telecom operator is ensuring that users in the country are not able to access content, even if they try bypassing geolocking regulations via virtual private network (VPN) services.
The report, quoting a Reddit post from 3 January, says that websites like hide.me, vpnbook and few VPN apps on the Jio network didn’t open. Many are complaining about how a telcom operator can block a website, especially with India strongly advocating net neutrality in the world.
Even the Internet Freedom Foundation, which was instrumental in India abiding by net neutrality a few years back, publicly shared its disappointment about Jio’s apparent banning of websites.
Read the story here.
3. CES 2019: This is the First 4TB Pen Drive And It Will Cost a Bomb!
You’ve heard of the wacky things at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019 in Las Vegas and even the futuristic ones that may or may not make it to the market. Western Digital’s Sandisk is another brand that has promised a lot with its latest product, but we’re not sure if it’ll launch anytime soon.
We’re talking about a 4TB pendrive that supports USB Type C port, because that’s the go-to standard these days. It doesn’t have a price tag, but rest assured it will cost a bomb.
SanDisk is exhibiting a 4TB USB pen drive prototype and Type-C USB interface at the mega tech event this week, which has probably been designed over a solid-state drive or SSD.
Read the story here.
4. Xiaomi AirDots Pro is the Affordable Version of Apple’s AirPods
Xiaomi is known for being inspired by Apple and its products. Even the software it uses has shown those traits every now and then. Be it phones, laptops or even the meticulous clean design approach, there’s a definite Apple inspiration about them.
And now, Xiaomi has bettered its case by launching wireless in-ear earphones that look a lot like the AirPods. Unlike Apple’s version, the Xiaomi AirDots Pro work with Android as well as iOS devices and Windows also. It supports USB Type C for charging purposes, just in case you were wondering.
All this and a price tag of under Rs 5,000, makes it an ideal AirPods alternative that most users wouldn’t mind trying out.
Read here to know everything about the Xiaomi AirDots Pro.
5. CES 2019: Five Crazy, Yet Cool Technologies On Show at the Event
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