Science and technology

Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Michael Douse has suggested that Rockstar Games might hike the price of the highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 from the current industry standard. While the GTA 6’s publisher and its parent company Take-Two Interactive remain tight-lipped about the specification and the cost of the game, several gaming experts believe that the title might cost more than the industry standard. Taking to X, Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Michael Douse said that all games should cost more than the standard $70 taking into account production costs and inflation. “Almost all games should cost more at a base level because the cost of making them (inflation, for one) is outpacing pricing trends,” he wrote in the post. “I don’t think we’ll get there with DLC promises so much as quality and communication. Everyone’s just waiting for GTA VI to do it.” His statement came after Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said that the game’s price tag should be higher than the usu

In a bid to expand its features and take on established players in the video conferencing space, X, formerly known as Twitter, is developing a video conferencing tool. The platform, owned by Elon Musk, has already tested the feature during an internal company conference, receiving positive feedback from employees. According to Chris Park, an X official, the video conferencing tool will allow users to instantly start or schedule new video meetings, similar to services like Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams. Hosts will be able to set a unique code for each video meeting, enabling others to join the conference. While the exact launch date and availability of the feature are unclear, it is likely that X will introduce it to users in the near future. However, it is uncertain whether the feature will be available to all users or only those who pay a monthly fee, as most new features from X are now limited to subscription program members. Elon Musk’s reaction to Chris Park’s post,

Brazil Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered billionaire Elon Musk on Wednesday to name a legal representative for his messaging platform X in Brazil within 24 hours or face the site’s suspension in the country, a court decision showed on Wednesday evening. Earlier this month, X announced it would close its operations and fire its staff in Brazil due to what it called “censorship orders” from Moraes, while adding the firm’s service would remain available for users in Brazil. The Supreme Court posted a screenshot of Wednesday’s court decision on its X account, tagging Musk’s and X’s Global Government Affairs accounts. In the document, Moraes says that under the country’s law regulating internet issues, companies that do not respect Brazilian legislation or the confidentiality of private information could have their activities temporarily suspended. Hours after the judge’s decision, Musk said on X that Moraes “has repeatedly broken the laws he has sworn to uphold.” fr

Brazil’s Supreme Court threatened on Wednesday to suspend social media platform X unless billionaire owner Elon Musk names a new legal representative for the company within 24 hours. The decision escalates a months-long feud between Musk and Brazilian Supreme Court Judge Alexandre de Moraes, who has previously ordered the suspension of dozens of accounts on X for allegedly spreading disinformation. In April, Moraes ordered an investigation of Musk, accusing him of reactivating some banned accounts. Musk and other critics accuse Moraes of stifling free speech. In an order made public Wednesday, Moraes ordered Musk “to appoint the company’s new legal representative in Brazil within 24 hours.” “In the event of non-compliance with the order, the decision provides for the suspension of the social network’s activities in Brazil,” it said. In response, Musk posted on X that “this ‘judge’ has repeatedly broken the laws he has sworn to uphold.” Musk shut X’s business operations in Brazi

A French judge put Telegram boss Pavel Durov under formal investigation in a probe into organized crime on the messaging app, but granted the entrepreneur bail on condition he pays 5 million euros, reports twice a week to police and does not leave French territory. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement the judge found there were grounds to formally investigate Durov on all the charges for which he was initially arrested four days ago. They include suspected complicity in running an online platform that allows illicit transactions, images of child sex abuse, drug trafficking and fraud, as well as the refusal to communicate information to authorities, money laundering and providing cryptographic services to criminals. Durov’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates judges consider there is enough evidence to proceed with the probe. Invest

Instagram, a social media platform owned by Meta, has released a new feature that lets users add text to their images right from the post editor, doing away with the need for an additional app for photo editing. “You can now add text – including our newest fonts – and layer images via stickers to your photos and carousels. This gives you the creative flexibility to make your content stand out and explore new, more entertaining storytelling with photos and carousels,” Instagram stated. Furthermore, users may now utilise the post editor to apply stickers to one photo and layer it over another. Users can alter the shape of the layered photo to a square, circle, star, or rectangle by touching on it. Users should tap the gallery button in the upper-right corner in order to upload images as stickers. As part of its continuous efforts to integrate new features inspired by other social media platforms, Instagram previously announced that posts with carousels might henceforth comprise a max

WhatsApp, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform, is set to introduce a new feature that will allow users to chat without revealing their phone numbers. The feature, aimed at enhancing user privacy and improving the messaging experience, will add a significant layer of privacy to the platform as WhatsApp users will be able to chat without the need to reveal their phone numbers. Instead, only their username will be visible to the user they are chatting with, a feature which platforms such as Telegram already implemented with success. The messaging platform has released the 2.24.18.2 version of the WhatsApp Beta for Android and is currently under test trial. Once fully implemented, the username feature will allow users to create a unique identifier that will be linked to their WhatsApp account. Additionally, WhatsApp users will be able to share the username with others to start conversations, without needing to exchange phone numbers. Read more: WhatsApp finally rolling out THE

Apple will host its fall event on Sept. 9 at its headquarters in Cupertino, California, according to an invite on Monday, where it will likely unveil a series of new iPhones and updates to other devices and apps. The upcoming launches are crucial for Apple as it looks to reverse a global sales slowdown, particularly in China, and lay out its artificial intelligence (AI) roadmap. At its developers conference in June, Apple announced a slew of AI features under the umbrella “Apple Intelligence”, including a revamped Siri and an integration with ChatGPT. However, these features will be available only on the latest Apple devices and will be rolled out gradually starting later this year. Apple faces increasing pressure from competitors such as Samsung and Alphabet’s Google who have recently announced AI functionality alongside their new Galaxy and Pixel smartphones, respectively. While Apple’s event invite teases “It’s Glowtime,” no further details have been provided. The company typi

The boss of social media platform Telegram has been arrested in France, accused of allowing the sharing of illegal content. The Russia-founded messaging platform has stayed out of the limelight in the West but has hundreds of millions of users across the world, and plays a key role in the Ukraine war. – Libertarian leanings – Pavel Durov, arrested after landing on his private jet in Paris on Saturday, launched the platform in 2013 with his brother Nikolai. It claims to have 950 million users — up from 550 million in 2022. Durov told right-wing American journalist Tucker Carlson in April that users “love the privacy, the freedom” of the platform. Telegram has made great play out of refusing to hand over or sell user data, distinguishing itself from the business models of US rivals like Meta or Google. In Russia and Ukraine, some of its news channels are more popular than traditional media. But the platform has long been criticised for failing to moderate extreme content. Durov

French judicial authorities on Sunday extended the detention of the Russian-born founder and chief of Telegram Pavel Durov after his arrest at a Paris airport over alleged offences related to the popular but controversial messaging app. His arrest at the Le Bourget airport outside Paris late Saturday is the latest extraordinary twist in the career of one of the world’s most influential tech icons. The detention of Durov, 39, was extended beyond Sunday night by the investigating magistrate who is handling the case, according to a source close to the investigation. This initial period of detention for questioning can last up to a maximum of 96 hours. When this phase of detention ends, the judge can then decide to free him or press charges and remand in further custody. Russia has accused France of “refusing to cooperate” and fellow tech mogul Elon Musk swept to his defence. Durov holds a French passport in addition to other nationalities. Durov had arrived in Paris from Baku, Azerb

PC gamers have expressed their frustration over Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive’s announcement that Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 will arrive in the Fall of 2025. The company, in May this year, confirmed that the eagerly awaited game will be released in the Fall of 2025. Later, Rockstar Games announced that GTA 6 would be released for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, however, it fell short of announcing a release date for a PC version. Meanwhile, PC gamers began speculating that the sixth instalment of Grand Theft Auto will take a year or more to arrive on PC. Sharing the release date for GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, a user on Reddit suggested that Rockstar Games’ PC port usually follows a console release a year or two later. “We all need to see this,” stated Redditor MaxSniffer007 while sharing the release schedule of the two previous titles of Rockstar Games. Several speculated that the PC port will arrive between 2026 to 2027 if GTA 6 were to be released

Pavel Durov, the Russian-French billionaire founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, was arrested at Bourget airport outside Paris on Saturday evening, TF1 TV and BFM TV said, citing unnamed sources. Durov was travelling aboard his private jet, TF1 said on its website, adding he had been targeted by an arrest warrant in France as part of a preliminary police investigation. TF1 and BFM both said the investigation was focused on a lack of moderators on Telegram, and that police considered that this situation allowed criminal activity to go on undeterred on the messaging app. The encrypted Telegram, with close to one billion users, is particularly influential in Russia, Ukraine and the republics of the former Soviet Union. It is ranked as one of the major social media platforms after Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and Wechat. Telegram did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The French Interior Ministry and police had no comment. Russian-bo

Apple is gearing up for a significant product launch in September, with industry insiders pointing to a September 10th event as the likely date for the unveiling. While the tech giant has yet to confirm the details, speculation is rife that this could be Apple’s largest launch event of the year. According to media reports, Apple intends to showcase its highly anticipated iPhone 16 series at the event. This would follow the company’s usual pattern of revealing new iPhone models in early September, with the devices hitting store shelves approximately two weeks later. If this timeline holds, consumers could expect the iPhone 16 to be available by September 20th. The iPhone 16 launch comes at a pivotal time for Apple, as the company grapples with declining sales of its smartphones and wearables in recent quarters. The release of the new iPhones is seen as crucial to revitalising Apple’s revenue, especially as the holiday season approaches. Market analysts are optimistic, predicting a 7%

Imagine scrolling through Instagram, only to stumble upon a profile that instantly captures your attention—not just through stunning photos or witty bios, but with a song that perfectly embodies the person behind the account. Instagram is now adding a new layer of self-expression to your profile: music. With its latest feature, users can pin a song to their profile, allowing their favourite tunes to set the tone for visitors. Whether it’s a nostalgic throwback or the latest chart-topper, the music you choose will play a 30-second clip, offering a glimpse into your personality before a word is read or a picture is seen. This Instagram update is available to everyone, from casual users to creators, making your profile more dynamic and uniquely you. How to Add a Song to Your Profile: Update Your App: Make sure you have the latest version of Instagram. Edit Profile: Go to your profile and tap on “Edit Profile.” Add Music: You will see a new option to “Add Music.” Tap on it. Cho

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has warned that the non-renewal of licenses for Long-Distance International (LDI) operators may disrupt mobile and internet services and ATMs in the country, ARY News reported. According to a PTA document, 50% of mobile traffic and 10% of internet traffic likely to be affected by the licenses issue. To Read This Story in Urdu- Click Here The document stated that several mobile towers may go out of service, and 40% of ATMs may stop working. The global traffic coming to Pakistan may also be impacted as shifting services to other operators may affect global communications. The issue revolves around a dispute between telecom companies and the Ministry of IT over the payment of dues. The ministry’s steering committee has also failed to formulate a plan for the payment of dues, and the PTA has made the renewal of licenses conditional on the payment of these dues. READ:  Slow internet sparks concerns among Pakistani freelancers

Pakistan is facing disruption in internet services, causing difficulties for social media users and freelancers. The issue has resulted in mental stress for many, particularly youth who rely on the internet for their livelihood. A significant number of Pakistani youth, have been affected by the slow internet speed, which has disrupted their work and led to clients severing ties. In Karachi, a school student Ezhaan, is struggling to cope with the loss of his online clients due to the slow internet. According to ARY News report, Ezhaan works online after school but is now facing numerous hurdles. He was working on a large project with 60 orders but is now struggling due to the slow internet. Another freelancer, Abdul Hai, who relies on the internet for his livelihood, is also facing difficulties. He stated that WhatsApp is not functioning properly, making it hard for him to communicate with his team. The report added that several companies that provide work to freelancers have stop

Microsoft has announced the release date for its upcoming Xbox Series X and Series S along with a special edition, a 2TB Series X. Unveiled earlier this month, the three variants will be released on October 15 and on October 29 for select countries, according to an official press statement. “Beginning later today, players will be able to pre-order the Xbox Series S – 1TB in Robot White, Xbox Series X – 1TB Digital Edition in Robot White, and Xbox Series X – 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition,” the August 21 statement read. The 1TB Series X is priced at $449.99, the 2TB Series X will cost gamers $599.99  while the white 1TB Series S is worth $349.99. While announcing the release date of the upcoming console, head of Xbox devices, Roanne Sones said that there was no better time to jump in with the new consoles. “At Xbox, our vision is to bring more games to more players across a wide variety of devices. It’s a great time to play Xbox games, many of which will be available on day one

A team of biologists, vets and fishermen temporarily captured rare freshwater dolphins in the Amazon this week to study their health in hopes of avoiding a repeat of the deaths of hundreds of the mammals last year due to a severe drought. The dolphins were brought ashore for blood tests and other examinations and returned to Lake Tefé in the Amazon basin as soon as the researchers had finished their work, which included inserting a microchip to monitor their behavior via satellite. Fishermen were careful not to injure an adult female dolphin during capture and kept her close to her offspring to avoid stressing the animals. “She relaxed and we could do all the tests. She appeared in good health,” said project leader Miriam Marmontel of the Mamirauá Institute of Sustainable Development, which planned the expedition to temporarily capture up to 20 dolphins. The work included removing a sample for a biopsy to see whether there were contaminants in her blubber, and the placing of the m

WhatsApp has been developing username support for a while now, and in their latest Android beta version (2.24.18.2), they’ve added an exciting twist – username PINs! This feature aims to reduce spam by requiring a PIN (at least four digits) for people who haven’t interacted with you before to message you, even if they know your username. Conversations with existing contacts will remain unaffected once usernames are implemented. Unfortunately, it’s unclear when the username feature or the PIN support will make it out of beta, but judging by WhatsApp’s usual development time, we’d be surprised to see these go live before the end of the year. READ: WhatsApp to introduce Instagram-like reshare status feature In a separate development, it was revealed that WhatsApp is developing a new feature allowing users to reshare status updates where they have been mentioned, similar to Instagram’s feature. This feature, currently under development, will simplify the process of sharing status up

Google has announced the launch of ‘Digital Sahafat’, a special program designed to enhance the digital journalism skills of Pakistani journalists. In collaboration with local social enterprise Tech Valley, the program aims to empower 1,000 journalists across Pakistan with the necessary tools, training, and resources to create accurate and compelling digital stories. The initiative falls under the broader Google News Initiative (GNI), which has been active since 2018, collaborating with thousands of news organizations in over 100 countries.  Through ‘Digital Sahafat’ or Digital journalism, Pakistani journalists will gain access to cutting-edge tools, training, and resources, enabling them to produce high-quality digital content. Pakistan’s ARY News is also part of the program. “We’re very excited to announce the launch of Digital Sahafat, a program by the Google News Initiative, in partnership with Tech Valley, to equip 1,000 journalists in Pakistan with the essential tools, trai

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has revealed that a fault in the submarine cable is the reason behind the recent internet disruption in Pakistan, ARY News reported. As per details, PTA Chairman, Hafiz Rahman, briefed the Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Syed Aminul Haque, on the matter. Syed Aminul Haq asked the PTA chairman to inform the public about the reasons for the disruption and whether a firewall system was in place. The PTA chairman explained that 7.5 terabits of data come to Pakistan through one cable, and a fault in the submarine cable had caused the disruption. He added that there are 7 fiber optic cables coming to Pakistan, and one of them is damaged, which is expected to be repaired by August 27. The committee members asked questions about the use of VPNs and the impact of the disruption on local internet services. In response, the PTA Chairman clarified that the submarine cable fault had caused the disruption, and i

Google is rolling out a new AI-powered feature for Android phones to prevent thieves from getting access to users’ data by locking them out. The feature, incorporating artificial intelligence, will soon be available for smartphones running Android 10 or the later operating system, according to a report by Forbes . Mishaal Rahman, who regularly posts on the latest developments on OS, took to X to reveal that the anti-theft feature ‘theft detection lock,’ is now rolling out to some users. “Theft detection lock rolling out now for a limited number of users who signed up for the beta program in Brazil,” Rahman wrote. According to him, the feature automatically locks the phone when it detects that the phone has been snatched from the owner’s hand. Read more: Google launches AI Academy in Pakistan for startups “It uses data from your phone’s accelerometer and gyroscope and checks if common motions associated with theft are detected,” he added. According to Rehman, Google is planning

Fans began fearing a delay in the release date of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 after Rockstar Games surpassed the longest time for not giving any updates about the upcoming title. With Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive tight-lipped about GTA 6, fans have been speculating on a range of things about the sixth instalment of the popular game. Now, a viral X post has fans concerned that the publisher might be on course to delay the release date of the game. The GTA 6 Countdown, an X handle that regularly posts on the title, has compared the time taken by the publisher to give updates on the previous games with the upcoming title. According to the post, Rockstar Games took 214 days to share screenshots of Red Dead Redemption 2 after the release of the game’s first trailer while GTA 5 saw a gap of 253 days for the same content. However, it has been 259 days as of August 20, since the first trailer for GTA 6 was released. Rockstar Games or Take-Two Interactive is ye

South Korean smartphone giant Samsung has announced adding its most-sought AI tech to several models of its Galaxy A-series. The global phone maker has allowed users to add “Circle To Search”, which has been front and centre in almost all Galaxy S24 marketing, according to a report by Forbes. The AI suite will now be added to Galaxy A55, A54, A35 and A34 along with Galaxy Tab S9 FE and Tab S9 FE+. The development came after it was revealed that the mid-range Samsung handsets such as in A-series phones had no AI tools despite getting updated to One UI 6.1. However, the report said that there were no plans to add the technology to cheaper Galaxy devices as the AI technology was not compatible with the earlier devices. Samsung had earlier introduced its own Galaxy AI features in selected models. As per Samsung’s website, users will have to update their operating system to One UI 6 to use Galaxy AI features on selected phones and tablets while functions may vary by model. Read mor

Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 fans are anticipating Rockstar Games to feature characters from the fifth instalment in cameo roles in the upcoming title. Speculations about the GTA 5 characters’ cameo in the sixth title began when Ned Luke, the actor behind GTA 5’s Michael, posted a cryptic tweet teasing a major announcement in the coming days. Following his post, a user on Reddit shared a video showing what it would be like if Michael, Franklin and Trevor appeared in GTA 6. The video recreated the first trailer for GTA 6 with the characters from Rockstar Games’ fifth instalment. Meanwhile, the first trailer for GTA 6 showed two protagonists Lucia and Jason. Several suggested that Rockstar might feature the trio in GTA 6, given that it had done so in the past. The publisher had reintroduced Gay Tony and Johnny from GTA 4 in GTA 5: Online and GTA 5’s story mode. Read more: GTA fans left disappointed with latest announcement It is pertinent to mention that Rockstar Games’ parent compa

ISLAMABAD: The National Computer Emergency Response Team (nCERT) has debunked rumors of a nationwide closure of ATMs and online banking apps in Pakistan, ARY News reported. In an advisory issued today, the national CERT clarified that there have been no reports of any disruptions to banking infrastructure or cyber threats to ATMs and online banking services. The advisory warned against sharing misleading information on social media platforms, which has caused unnecessary panic among the public. The national CERT assured that all banking services, including ATMs and online banking, are functioning normally and that there is no reason to panic. The team advised users to log out of banking apps after use and to regularly check their bank statements for any suspicious transactions. Additionally, PakCERT reminded users to keep their ATM card PINs, OTPs, and passwords confidential and not share them with anyone. ATMS, Banking apps roumers The clarification came after a recent viral m

ISLAMABAD: The government has announced the establishment of over 250 E-Rozgar centers across Pakistan in collaboration with provincial governments and private institutions, ARY News reported. These centers aim to provide essential facilities to hardworking and skilled youth in smaller cities, helping them access digital opportunities, according to an official from the Ministry of IT. The E-Rozgar centers will be established in every district of the country. The distribution of these centers is based on the population of each province, as well as data from 1.2 million freelancers registered with Ignite. Punjab leads the initiative with 149 centers, followed by Sindh with 51, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 28, and significant representation in other regions, including the federal capital Islamabad with 11 centers, Balochistan with 6, Azad Kashmir with 3, and Gilgit-Baltistan with 2. Originally launched by Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in Punjab, the E-Rozgar centers have proven to be highly val

As Apple is set to launch the next iPhone 16 phones within weeks, the rumoured images of the flagship model have surfaced online. Apple leaker Sonny Dickson released images of the upcoming iPhone 16, showing a major change in the design of the camera. In the leaked images, the most notable feature is the vertically aligned dual rear camera unit, a shift from the diagonal arrangement found on the iPhone 15. Several suggested that the new design hints at features, such as spatial video recording, currently found in only iPhone 15 Pro models. While Sonny Dickson previously claimed that the iPhone 16 will come in regular white and black, pink, blue and green colours, Apple is believed to offer the Pro series in white, black and silver colours. According to the leakers, the leaked images are only of dummy samples that are set to be used for marketing and retail display and are not the final retail models. Meanwhile, users were left speculating about the latest software and front disp

ISLAMABAD: Google for Startups has announced to launch an ‘AI Academy’ for the promotion of Artificial Intelligence in Pakistan and Asia Pacific. The establishment of ‘AI Academy’ is the first success of the Google Chrome Book initiative, which will be followed by more such projects. The initiative in Pakistan is aimed at creating new cross-border partnerships under the auspices of Special Investment Facilitation Council that will revolutionize the world of AI through exchange of innovative ideas and resources. These startups will also help Pakistan become a “global hub” for the development of “AI” in the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier this week, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced 1,000 Google scholarships for students of 10 public universities while emphasising the importance of youth embracing Information Technology (IT) to secure employment in today’s digital world. READ: CM Murad announces 1,000 Google scholarships for public universities’ students “The diverse