iPhone 13 announced with redesigned camera array and smaller notch
Apple’s iPhone 13 has officially arrived — the baseline, most mainstream model that will set the bar for Apple’s 2021 phone lineup. As with last year, the entry-level iPhone 13 will come in two versions: the 6.1-inch “regular” model and the smaller 5.4-inch iPhone 13 Mini. Pricing starts at $799 for the iPhone 13, and $699 for the smaller iPhone 13 Mini. Apple is also promising improved 5G performance compared to the iPhone 12, with more band support for better international 5G experiences. The new iPhone 13 lineup will also offer better battery life: the iPhone 13 Mini will get 1.5 hours more battery life than the iPhone 12 Mini, while the larger iPhone 13 should get up to 2.5 hours more battery life compared to the iPhone 12, thanks to bigger batteries, better performance from the A15 Bionic, and additional software improvements and optimizations.
Source:The Nation
September 14, 2021 17:48 UTC
Oppo Find X3 Pro Photographer Edition arriving on September 16
Oppo and Kodak announced a partnership earlier this month, and the first product was expected to be a new smartphone. The Oppo Find X3 Pro Photographer Edition will be announced in China on September 16, during the ColorOS 12 launch event. Oppo Find X3 Pro Photographer official postersThis is the very same Find X3 Pro flagship with two 50MP cameras. The difference is this unit will have a matte silver top and black leather bottom to resemble the classic Kodak 35 camera. Oppo Find X3 Pro Photographer Edition promo shotsOppo's interface ColorOS comes with Themes, and we’re pretty confident the new Find X3 Pro variant will have an exclusive Kodak-inspired theme with silver and black wallpapers and icons to complement the phone’s appearance.
Source:The Nation
September 14, 2021 06:56 UTC
Cash remains the payment method most drivers want to park
Meanwhile, Chip & Pin payments come second with contactless payment with a card or smartphone third. The majority of drivers still like to pay by cash when parking, a new survey has revealedHalf say their first choice for parking payments is by contactless payment, with Chip & Pin second and apps third. However, while offering cashless payments is popular amongst younger drivers, older drivers and low income households prefer to manage their budgets with cash. As a result, the AA is asking councils to retain pay by cash parking machines to ensure drivers of all ages and backgrounds can access local shops and facilities. 'Removing cash parking machines from town centres can have a knock on effect to the local economy as would be shoppers decide to take their business elsewhere.
Source:The Nation
September 14, 2021 06:22 UTC
Daily COVID cases count climbs to 2,560
September 13, 2021 10:53 pmThe Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry reports that another 805 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, moving the daily total of new cases to 2,560. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country to 488,482. As many as 414,295 recoveries and 11,431 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the outbreak of the pandemic. The Epidemiology Unit’s data showed that 62,758 active cases are currently under medical care.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 17:26 UTC
Sri Lanka’s trade deficit widens for fifth consecutive month
COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s trade deficit widened for the fifth consecutive month in July 2021 although earnings from export of goods increased during the month over a year earlier. The cumulative deficit in the trading account from January to July 2021 widened to 4,922 million US dollars from 3,471 million US dollars in the corresponding period of 2020. Total earnings from the export of agricultural goods in July 2021 increased by 2.3 percent compared to July 2020. Shedding light on imports, the report says expenditure on merchandise imports increased by 32.2 percent to 1,710 million US dollars compared to 1,294 million US dollars recorded in July 2020. On a cumulative basis, total import expenditure from January to July 2021 amounted to 11,725million US dollars, compared to 8,968 million US dollars recorded in the corresponding period in 2020.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 17:15 UTC
Joe Biden to nominate facial recognition critic to FTC
President Joe Biden is expected to nominate privacy hawk Alvaro Bedoya to the Federal Trade Commission, as first reported by Axios on Monday. Bedoya is a professor at Georgetown University’s law school, focusing on privacy law. A naturalized immigrant from Peru, Bedoya has researched the effects of technologies like facial recognition on minority groups. The Center on Privacy and Technology was particularly critical of facial recognition during his tenure, producing several surveys of the technology’s expanding scope and potential for racial bias. If confirmed, Bedoya would likely help guide any new privacy-related rulemakings.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 16:52 UTC
Micro-financing in Sri Lanka: What You Need to Know.
In Sri Lanka and other less developed countries, microfinance services are available through formal and informal sectors. The poverty lending approach of microfinance promotes donor-funded credit for the poor, decreasing poverty through subsidised and charitable non-finance methods. In the 1990s, microfinance services were kick-started by non-governmental, public and private organisations in Sri Lanka, helping low-income, economically active people. The results show that the outreach of microfinance services in Sri Lanka is significant. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has issued a list of licenced microfinance companies in Sri Lanka that are reliable.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 16:05 UTC
BuddyPhones Cosmos Plus are full-featured travel headphones for kids
That’s where the BuddyPhones Cosmos Plus come in. The $99.99 Cosmos Plus check off every feature you might want in a pair of kids’ headphones. The Cosmos Plus come with a color-matched hard case, charging cable, audio cable, and boom mic in the box. Image: OnanoffI was able to test the Cosmos Plus for a few weeks with my own six-year-old and nine-year-old. But neither are particularly great — I tested the Cosmos Plus on a day of Zoom calls for work and had mixed results.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 13:07 UTC
Taliban deny leader Mullah Abdul Baradar is DEAD
The Taliban has been forced to deny that deputy leader Mullah Baradar is dead after wild rumours emerged that he was killed during a gunfight with his political rivals. The Taliban has been forced to deny wild rumours that deputy leader Mullah Baradar was shot dead during a confrontation in Kabul last week (pictured, Taliban guards in Kabul)Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem released the audio recording on Monday. 'Reports about Mullah Baradar Akhund being injured or killed are baseless and are not true, I categorically refute them,' he said. Baradar is one of the Taliban's founding members and served as deputy to its first supreme leader Mullah Omar, who died in 2013 from tuberculosis. After Omar's death, Baradar took over as leader of the political wing of the Taliban and is one of the group's most-senior figures.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 13:06 UTC
Mafias undermine Sri Lanka’s Agriculture sector – Agriculture Minister
COLOMBO (News 1st); 96% of the data released by the Agrarian Services Department on the distribution of chemical fertilizer in the past, is inaccurate, revealed the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute. Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Amaraweera has noted that 04 separate mafias are in operation in the country’s agriculture sector. He had requested the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute to advise the government on mechanisms that can be adopted to avert the difficulties faced by the people and the farmers due to these mafias that are in operation. A statement from the Ministry of Agriculture quoting Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage noted that the report compiled by the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Peradeniya on the use of fertilizer in Nuwara Eliya is yet to be made available. During a visit to the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute, the Minister has raised questions as to why a survey had not been carried out with respect to manufacturing seeds in Sri Lanka, as a means to cut down costs of importing seeds to the country.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 12:56 UTC
Russian spy ship is in English Channel
By Rory Tingle, Home Affairs Correspondent For MailonlinePublished: 06:12 EDT, 13 September 2021 | Updated: 06:55 EDT, 13 September 2021A Russian spy ship built to carry out clandestine undersea missions was today spotted in the English Channel. Yantar could be seen on online service Marine Traffic midway between the coast of Devon and France just before midday. Yantar is a specialist reconnaissance ship that carries two unmanned submersible vehicles. Rossiya, a Russian state TV network, has claimed Yantar is able to cut Internet cables and jam underwater sensors. Most occur when ship anchors snap cables or commercial fishing equipment snags the lines.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 10:52 UTC
![uTalk Review: A Deep Analysis [2021]](https://www.dumblittleman.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/uTalk-Review.png)
uTalk Review: A Deep Analysis [2021]
uTalk ReviewFor language learning, uTalk is a bit like Memrise, and it is a better method than Memrise to learn by using flashcards. Language learning is always better when it’s engaging, and the included crossword puzzles definitely help the learner to stay involved. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT PREPLYConclusionAs already mentioned in the above uTalk review, the range of languages offered by uTalk is really bewildering. These apps can also be used for learning languages that are not offered by uTalk. Hope this uTalk review was helpful and ends your search for reviews on uTalk.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 10:52 UTC
Daily Authority: Battery life battles 🔋
One of the everyday concerns we all have is battery life. All these years later, while battery technology has improved, the demands on battery life are higher than ever: huge displays with higher refresh rates, 5G modems, higher-powered devices, larger silicon, more cameras, and so on. No matter how many battery breakthroughs there are, most come with trade-offs around long-term battery life, how much charge can be stored, and so on. Speaking of: there’s been a breakthrough in battery technology thanks to sugar : Australian scientists have found that by using a glucose-based additive on the positive electrode (cathode) they have managed to stabilize lithium-sulfur battery technology. The iPhone will probably stick with 18W wired charging as in the iPhone 12, though it could get a speed boost.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 10:52 UTC
STF officer commits suicide with service firearm
A police constable attached to the Police Special Task Force (STF) has shot himself with his service firearm. The officer had shot himself at the STF camp in the 5th milepost area on the Puttalam-Anuradhapura road, police said. The deceased has been identified as a 36-year-old police constable residing in Udugampola, Minuwangoda. The reason for the officer’s suicide has not yet been revealed. Puttalam Police are conducting further investigations into the matterIf you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available for immediate support:- For emergencies contact National Mental Health Helpline 1926- Sumithrayo: +94 11 2 682535/+94 11 2 682570- CCCline: 1333 (toll free)
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 05:37 UTC
David Cameron snubs Boris Johnson's Chequers party
The commitment pre-dated receiving the invitation from the Chequers Trust, and he is said to be ‘sorry’ he cannot attend. Mr Cameron, 54, was prime minister between 2010 and 2016 and used Chequers most weekends. Last week both Mr Blair and Mr Brown said they were asked only at short notice and could not change their schedule. The first prime minister to move in was Liberal leader David Lloyd George, in 1921. The Chequers Trust receives an annual grant of nearly £1 million from the Government for its upkeep.
Source:The Nation
September 13, 2021 03:00 UTC