Technology : OPPO Reno 4 4G and Reno 4 Pro 4G get their first ColorOS 11 beta based on Android 11

 

OPPO’s ColorOS 11 update is the latest update coming to smartphones from the Chinese OEM. Along with a rebase onto 

Android 11, the ColorOS 11 update also adds in new features 

such as dark mode customizability, three-finger translation with Google Lens, FlexDrop, Super Power Saving Mode, Private System, and more. 

Of course, you also get the changes that Google has added in with Android 11, so you do have a whole lot to look forward to in the newest UX update. Now, the update is on its way to more phones, with ColorOS 11 beta announced for the OPPO Reno 4 4G and OPPO Reno 4 Pro 4G in some regions.

As OPPO had promised in its rollout timeline, the OPPO Reno 4 Pro 4G is getting its update in November 2020, while the OPPO Reno 4 4G is also joining in a day before its December 2020 deadline. 

This update is still in Beta and will be rolled out batch-wise to users in India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Unlike other OEMs that operate Open Betas, this is a closed beta, so you need to apply and get selected for the update to arrive on your phone.

To apply for the ColorOS 11 beta on your Reno 4 4G (India and Vietnam) or Reno 4 Pro 4G (India, Indonesia, and Vietnam), ensure that you are on either the A.21 or A.23 update. 

Then, head on over to Settings > Software Update > Settings Icon > Apply for Beta, and then follow the guide to apply. There is a quota in place, so act quickly if you are interested.

OPPO Reno4 4G Forums 

As is the deal with betas, it is highly recommended that you apply only if you know what you are doing — betas are unstable by definition, so expect unintended bugs and other hindrances.

 Further, back up all your data before proceeding, as data loss is a good probability when testing out these updates.

 OPPO also notes a known bug at this stage: the Ultra Steady Pro Mode for video recording has some lag, so if you rely on this feature a lot, it’s best to wait out till the update rolls out to stable with the bugs fixed.

Business : Frantic CBN allows diaspora remittances to be withdrawn in dollars and sold anywhere including black market

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced the amendment of procedures for receipt of diaspora remittances in an apparent and frantic attempt to improve liquidity in the forex market and reduce the disparity between the black market and official I&E window.

This disclosure was made in a circular issued by the CBN on Monday, November 30, 2020, to all authorized dealers and the general public and signed by its Director for Trade and Exchange Department, Dr O.S. Nnaji.

In the new amended procedure, CBN stated that beneficiaries of Diaspora Remittances through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) shall henceforth receive such inflows in foreign currency (US Dollars) through the designated bank of their choice.

The CBN’s circular partly reads,

‘’In an effort to liberalize, simplify and improve the receipt and administration of diaspora remittances into Nigeria, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wishes to announce as follows;

Beneficiaries of Diaspora Remittances through International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) shall henceforth receive such inflows in foreign currency (US Dollars) or into their ordinary domiciliary account. Such recipients of remittances may have the option of receiving these funds in foreign currency cash (US Dollars) or into their ordinary domiciliary account.’’

• The apex bank also stated that such recipients of remittances may have the option of receiving these funds in foreign currency cash (US Dollars) or into their ordinary domiciliary account.
• The CBN stated that these changes are necessary to deepen the foreign exchange market, provide more liquidity and create more transparency in the administration of diaspora remittances into Nigeria.
• The apex bank also points out that these changes would help finance a future stream of investment opportunities for Nigerians in the Diaspora, while also guaranteeing that recipients of remittances would receive a market-reflective exchange rate for their inflows.
• It also urged all authorized dealers and the general public to note that beneficiaries shall have unfettered access and utilization to such foreign currency proceeds, either in cash and/or in their domiciliary accounts in line with the circular.

What this means

This new directive means when Nigerians living in diaspora transfer money to loved ones in the country, they can in turn withdraw the money in dollar cash and sell wherever they want to.

• Currently, the exchange rate in the black market is around N500/$1 compared to N395 at the official BDC market.
• Now, Nigerians who recieve foreign transfers such as Western Union or Moneygram can withdraw it in dollars and then sell at the black market rate or wherever they want to.
• Currently, most Nigerians living in diaspora who transfer cash to loved ones back home do so at the parallel market exchange rate, Nairametrics can confirm.

The optics

Nairametrics believes this latest move by the CBN is aimed squarely at improving liquidity in the retail end of the foreign exchange market hoping that this will strengthen the naira at the retail end of the black market.

• In a news interview on Arise TV, Dr. Nnaji explained that “when you have more inflows into the country at dollar value it will help bring down the BDC rates, it will also help solidify or unify the rates in the market so we don’t have multiple currency rates,” a confirmation that this is targeted at the black market.
• A visibly pertubed and contrite Nnaji reiterated that “for now become US dollar is a currency that we have available in the banking sector, you can collect your money in US dollars” maintaining that this was the only currency that you withdraw for now.
• She also claimed you can collect in Naira.
• Nigeria receives an average of $5 billion per quarter in foreign remittances but suffered a sharp drop in the second quarter of 2020 when it fell to $3.38 billion.

Flashback on Dr. Nnaji

Earlier in the year, Nairametrics reported that the CBN claimed it was investigating  remittances in the diaspora between January 2016 and December 2019. Ironically, the same person who made the claim was Dr. Nnaji.  Here is what she said;

“If the dollar and euro are everywhere, what happens to our currency, the Naira now is not an internationally accepted currency, if we dilute it, it will have consequences. We want our Naira to be acceptable by other West African countries; we want it to be an internationally accepted currency. 

“If we have more funds come in as remittances, our foreign reserves go up, and when that happens, the confidence in the Nigerian economy will go up. It helped in price stability and exchange rate stability management and that the apex bank was interesting in increasing Diaspora remittances,”

Technology : ZTE BLADE V2021 5G SMARTPHONE OFFICIAL LAUNCH SET FOR DECEMBER 2

 

launching its Watch Live wearable, ZTE is now gearing up for its new 5G smartphone dubbed ZTE Blade V2021. With the new smartphone, the Chinese smartphone maker is expanding its popular Blade lineup of devices. 

The company seems to be struggling in international space since the US ban. In fact, ZTE released a few products after the ban but none of them managed to make headlines internationally.

 While the brand might be struggling overseas, ZTE still has the domestic market to its advantage. That is why the all-new Blade V2021 5G will be officially unveiled in the homeland i.e. China next month.

ZTE has now listed the Blade V2021 5G smartphone on the JD.com retailer website. As expected, the listing reveals some key features, specs, and images of the smartphone.

 According to the website, the smartphone will see its official release on December 2 which is right around the corner. Coming to the specs, the device will feature a triple rear camera module having a 48MP primary sensor with an aperture of f/1.79.

 The main sensor is paired with an 8MP ultrawide and a 2MP depth sensor. The rear module also contains a dual-color dual-LED flash. You will also find a physical fingerprint sensor on the back.

The listing doesn’t really talk about the rest of the internals such as chipsets, RAM, storage, and more. This hardware aspect of the device remains unknown and it looks like it will be revealed right on the launch day.

 The website lists few software-focussed features such as ZTE’s very own custom UI, double-tap home button for SOS, and of course, access to some Chinese stores. The website also lists the FM Radio app as a key software feature which is a deal-breaker for many consumers out there. 

The device will arrive in at least three color options meaning the brand might add a few more down the road. As the name suggests, the Blade V2021 also supports 5G connectivity options.

Technology : Italy Fines Apple $10m Over Water-Resistant iPhones

 

Italy’s competition authority said Monday it had fined Apple 10 million euros ($12 million) for misleading claims about the water-resistant properties of various iPhone models.

It said the US tech giant “did not make it clear that this feature exists under certain specific conditions”, notably in laboratory tests with static and pure water, “and not under normal conditions of use”.

It cited promotional claims relating to the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11pro and iPhone 11 pro Max models.

 Apple To Pay $113 Million Over iPhone Battery Complaints

The authority also rapped Apple for a disclaimer that the warranty for the smartphones did not cover damage caused by liquids, saying it “was deemed to mislead consumers”.

In addition, it said Apple’s refusal to provide warranty service when the iPhone models concerned were damaged by liquids amounted to “an aggressive commercial practice”.

“For these reasons, the authority has decided to impose penalties totalling 10 million euros on Apple Distribution International and on Apple Italia,” it said in a statement.

Technology : This Cyber Monday deal is not like the others Earphones that double as a Bluetooth speaker

 

BY STACKCOMMERCE

1 DAY AGO

TL;DR: Get Bluetooth headphones and a speaker in one with the Human Headphones: Hybrid True Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, on sale for $215.20 with the code CMSAVE20 as of Nov. 29. 

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If you thought you saw all the sales there were to see on Black Friday, you clearly forgot about Cyber Monday. Before Black Friday went almost completely online this year, Cyber Monday was the original online shopping bonanza. Show some respect. 

If you're sick of deals on AirPods and flat screens, these Human Headphones are the breath of fresh air you're craving. These over-the-ear headphones fit perfectly over your ears, blocking out noise, and doing all the things you want Bluetooth headphones to do — except they don't have that annoying headphone band that's constantly giving you headaches. Cool, right? They essentially fit like wireless earbuds but pack 30mm drivers and beamforming microphones in each cup for premium sonics.

These hybrid wireless earphones will give you nine hours of playtime per charge. And when you're ready to charge them back up, simply snap them together and feel free to use them as a Bluetooth speaker. Oh did we mention there's a speaker mode? Watch them in action.

Like any wireless earbuds, Human Headphones are designed to be worn throughout the day without falling off. They feature hidden clips that go around the back of the ear, holding them in place. With a connectivity range of 100 feet, you can putter around the house or office without carrying your phone around, too. You'll also be able to use the easy-touch controls to change tracks or take calls without finding your phone.

On days that do not fall during Cyber Monday week, these ingenious earphones go for $269. But for a limited time, you can take them home for 20% off after entering the coupon code CMSAVE20 at checkout. They'll be yours for just $215.20.

Covid-19 : Coronavirus NHS Covid-19 app to gain self-isolation payments

 

England and Wales' contact-tracing app is to add a Self-Isolation Payment feature as soon as next week.

The version 4 update will address a discrepancy that currently exists.

Those told to stay at home by human contact-tracers can qualify for £500 of support.

But privacy safeguards built into the NHS Covid-19 app had complicated making the same offer to those who had received an automated self-isolate notification.

It is hoped the move will encourage more people to install the app and follow its guidance over the Christmas period, when there are concerns that cases of the coronavirus could spike again.

The charity Citizens Advice has warned that many people ordered to stop work by the app have faced an "impossible choice", as they can experience a big drop in income if they act to help stop the spread of the virus.

Checks can be made against a register to prevent fraud.

But because the app keeps the identity of users who have received self-isolation alerts secret, the process had to be adapted.

Last week Labour had called on the government to address this issue.

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds said: "Many people will be astonished to find that people using the Covid-19 app can't access support to self-isolate - even if they're eligible for the payment."

The team behind the app is aware that many of those instructed to self-isolate for up to 14 days are not doing so.

It is thought the absence of a financial incentive is an important factor.

Vaccine record

Before the version 4 release, there will be another update this week to show users what restrictions are being enforced in their local authority, rather than their post code.

This has been timed to coincide with England's switch from national rules to a tier-based approach on 2 December, which will be based on council boundaries.

Longer-term, there is speculation that vaccination records could be a further feature to be added.

This has been sparked by remarks made by the head of Test and Trace, Baroness Dido Harding.

Speaking to a private meeting organised by the Health Service Journal and first reported by the Times newspaper, she said work was going on to help people log both tests and their vaccinations.

The idea would be "to have a single record as a citizen of your test results and whether you've been vaccinated."

It is not clear whether such a record would be stored in the NHS Covid-19 app or elsewhere.

For months, all kinds of companies have been touting so-called immunity passports, which would allow people to get on a plane or visit a pub by showing proof that they were not infectious.

The trouble with all of these schemes was that without official approval from a government body, nobody would trust them.

• Call to expand £500 grant for Covid self-isolators
• Covid-19 app users can't get isolation payment
• Daily Covid tests to cut 14-day isolation trialled

I spoke to one person who played a leading role in the early development of the NHS Covid-19 app.

He remembered that building this kind of immunity ID card into it had been considered. But he said it was deemed an unnecessary complication at that early stage, and the idea was handed to a separate group to consider.

The idea is not without controversy.

Privacy experts warned early on in the app's development that using it to display a user's vaccination status might lead to employers or public places making its use compulsory.

Now, though, the government seems keen to press ahead.

TECH : Survival Fund: FG launches Transporters Track Scheme for South-East, reveals beneficiaries of N30,000 grant

 

The Federal Government on Monday in Abakiliki launched the Transporters Track programme for the South-East zone.

The programme is under the National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Survival Fund and Guaranteed Off-Take Stimulus Scheme.

A member of the Board of Trustees of MSMEs, Mr. Ubadigbo Okonkwo, who performed the launch, said that no fewer than 4,400 persons in Ebonyi would benefit from the programme, NAN reports.

Okonkwo said that beneficiaries, including commuter bus and taxi drivers, tricycle operators, commercial motorcyclists and mechanics, would get N30,000 grants as a survival fund.

“This is a federal government’s initiative to alleviate the sufferings of transporters and reduce the effect of income loss in their business, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown,” he said.

In a remark, Mrs. Ann Aligwe, the Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Monitoring in Ebonyi, lauded the federal government for choosing the state to launch the scheme.

Aligwe expressed happiness that the initiative would go a long way to boost the business of transporters and allied trades generally in the southeast.

The State Coordinator of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, Mr Chigozie Asochukwu, said the beneficiaries were selected from 13 local government areas, transport associations and cluster groups in the state.

“The documentation has commenced, and thereafter disbursement will start.

“This involves all transporters from community to community, and the disbursement will be done through their associations.”

The state Chairman, Okada Riders Association, Mr Paulinous Atam, described the scheme as a welcome development and urged members to make judicious use of the fund.

A beneficiary, Mr. Nwancho Alo, expressed gratitude to the federal government for the gesture and promised to invest the money wisely.