While the newly launched service is fairly simple to use, it does raise a lot of questions as to how it is different from the conventional UPI transactions and the UPI Lite transactions. So, here is a detailed guide that will help you understand the difference between UPI, UPI Lite and UPI Lite X.

UPI Lite X vs UPI Lite vs UPI: What’s different?

Let’s start with the basics. One the biggest differences between UPI, UPI Lite and UPI Lite is that of connectivity. Both UPI and UPI Lite transactions require strong internet connectivity for the transaction to take place. On the other hand, UPI Lite X transactions don’t require internet connectivity as it uses NFC for enabling transactions.

Another point of difference between the three service is the way the transactions take place. Both UPI and UPI Lite transactions can take place either scanning the QR code or using the UPI ID of the receiver in which the receiver does not need to be nearby to receive the funds. This means that a person sitting in Delhi and send money to a person sitting in Mumbai if they have the receiver’s UPI ID. However, similar transactions using UPI Lite X cannot take place as it requires both the devices, that is, the sender and the receiver to be close proximity with each other.

Yet another point of difference between the UPI, UPI Lite and UPI Lite X is how the transactions take place. When using UPI, the transfer of funds take place from one bank account to another in real-time. However, in case of UPI Lite, the transaction takes place from sender’s on-device wallet or the UPI Lite account to the receiver’s bank account. And while NPCI hasn’t elaborated, UPI Lite X transactions would take place from the sender’s on-device wallet to receiver’s on-device wallet using NFC, which would eliminate the need for having internet connectivity as the transaction will take place between on-device e-wallets instead of the bank accounts.

Lastly, the limit. The maximum amount that can be transferred in a day from a Bank account using UPI is Rs 2 Lakhs and a user can perform a total of 20 transactions in a day. On the other hand, the maximum limit of a single transaction is Rs 200, while the maximum limit in a day is Rs 4,000. There is no limit on the number of UPI Lite transactions in a day. NPCI is yet to share details on daily transaction limit for UPI Lite X.

The post NPCI introduces UPI Lite X in India: How is it different from UPI, UPI Lite appeared first on Techlusive.

This initiative also got a shout out from Anand Mahindra who lauded NPCI for its consumer-centric approach. “The speed at which India is digitising financial services & making them consumer-centric as opposed to corporate-centric (Alarm bell for credit card companies?) is simply dazzling,” he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

This UPI ATM was apparently unveiled at the Global Fintech Fest 2023 in Mumbai on September 5. The speed at which India is digitising financial services & making them consumer-centric as opposed to corporate-centric (Alarm bell for credit card companies?) is simply dazzling.… pic.twitter.com/krBXhbc9Qh

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) September 7, 2023

So, what is a UPI ATM?

UPI ATM is an ATM that enables UPI users to withdraw cash using the supported UPI apps instead of a conventional debit card or a credit card. It is a White Lable ATM, which is essentially an ATM owned and operated by a company other than a bank. In this case, NPCI has partnered with Hitachi Payments Services to introduce a UPI ATM in India.

How is the UPI ATM different from a conventional ATM?

There are several differences between a conventional ATM and a UPI ATM. First of all, a conventional ATM is owned by a bank, and it requires the users to insert a debit card or a credit card to withdraw the requested amount. On the other hand, a UPI ATM is owned by a company that does operate in the banking sector and it doesn’t require the user to insert any card in the machine for withdrawing cash. Instead, it uses QR codes for enabling transactions.

But what about cardless cash withdrawals?

Some banks in India, such as SBI and HDFC Bank, offer cardless cash withdrawal services to their customers. However, this feature comes with some limitations. First of all, users need to raise a request in the bank’s apps to enable the transaction. In addition to this, users need to visit their specific bank’s ATMs to complete the transaction. Or in other words, an HDFC Bank customer can withdraw cash only at an SBI Bank ATM and not at an ATM by any other bank. However, a UPI ATM can be used to withdraw cash from any supported UPI app.

Is a UPI ATM safe?

Withdrawing money from a UPI ATM is as secure as making payments using UPI as it uses QR codes and one-time permissions within the UPI to make a transaction.

How to use a UPI ATM to withdraw money?

Here is a step-by-step guide for you:

Step 1: Tap the UPI Cardless Cash option on the screen of the UPI ATM.
Step 2: Select the amount that you want to withdraw.
Step 3: Now a QR code will be displayed on the ATM’s screen. Open your UPI app and scan the QR code.
Step 4: Select the bank account from which you want to withdraw money and then tap the Confirm option.
Step 5: Now you will see a pop-up that will show you all the details regarding the transaction. Tap the Proceed button.
Step 6: Add your PIN code and then tap OK.

Once you do this, you will get a successful transaction message in your UPI app and the ATM will disburse the request amount.

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For instance, both the smartphones, that is the Realme Narzo 60X 5G and the Realme 11X 5G come with a similar display. They get a 6.72-inch Dynamic Ultra Smooth display with a full HD+ resolution, a variable screen refresh rate of up to 120Hz, a touch sampling rate of 180Hz and 680 nits of peak brightness. In addition to that, both the phones are powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6100 Plus chipset and are backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 33W of SuperVOOC charging technology. Additionally, both the phones come with an 8MP AI selfie camera and a 2MP portrait lens at the back.

To add to that, both phones have a similar design and dimensions. They measure 165.7mm x 76.0mm x 7.89mm and weigh 190 grams. They have flat-screen design with a circular camera module consisting of a dual camera setup that is tucked towards the top left side on the back and punch hole display in the front.

Take a peek at both the phones placed side-by-side:

Image: Realme

Simply put, it’s difficult to distinguish between the two devices, at least from a far.

That said, there are some differences as well.

Admittedly, there aren’t some important differences between the Realme 11X 5G and the Realme Narzo 60X 5G. Firstly, both the phones follow a different design language at the back. The Realme Narzo 60X 5G features the Interstellar X design that looks like starlight, and it comes in two peppy colour variants — Stellar Green and Nebula Purple. It also has the Narzo branding at the bottom left corner on the back. On the other hand, the Realme 11X 5G comes with S-Surve Gradient design and it has Realme branding at the bottom left corner. It comes in Purple Dawn and Stellar Black colour variants. Both the phones have glitter sand effect at the back.

Another major point of difference is the primary rear camera. While the Narzo 60X 5G comes with a 50MP primary camera, the Realme 11X 5G gets a slightly better 64MP camera at the back. This means you shouldn’t experience any major difference in usage of the two phones.

But, what about the usage?

During my short time with the Realme Narzo 60X 5G, I found the phone to offer a decent performance in everyday usage, which mostly includes checking emails, messaging, scrolling through social media platforms and occasionally answering a bunch of calls. Thanks to the Realme UI, the interface is quite smooth and easy to use. While the UI comes loaded with dozens of apps that you might not need, the general response is quite good.

Coming to the display, the Narzo 60X 5G offers a decent viewing experience. The phone offers a vivid colour scheme with a bright display that is quick to respond to changes in the ambient brightness keeping the screen legible most of the times. Talking about the camera, the phone captures sharp images in indoor lighting conditions and daylight conditions. The images have decent amount of clarity with balanced saturation and ample depth. The camera also does a good job a capturing the details. This is also true for images captured using the front camera in the daylight conditions. On the other hand, images captured in low-light conditions have ample colour. But don’t expect too much in terms of clarity.

Image: Shweta Ganjoo/Techlusive

One problem area that I discovered while using the Realme Narzo 60X 5G is the fingerprint sensor. The sensor almost never responds records the fingerprint correctly. It’s a series of misses before it gets the details rights and unlocks the phone.

Conclusion

Overall, the Realme Narzo 60X 5G is decent mid-budget phone that is capable of handling most of your day-to-day needs with ease. Sure, the fingerprint sensor could use an update, but other than that I didn’t find any pressing issues with the phone during my limited time with it. To conclude, the Narzo 60X 5G is a phone you can consider if you are looking for a budget 5G smartphone.

The post Realme Narzo 60X 5G quick review: Looks good but sounds familiar appeared first on Techlusive.

The description of the G20 India mobile app available on Apple’s App Store says that the app will provide an intuitive and an easy-to-use platform that will enable users to get details about the G20 Summit, events, press releases, documents, speeches, images and videos, social media updates, previous summit details, and workstreams related information for the G20 India. In addition to that, the app will also enable people to register for the event.

Ahead of the G20 Summit, here is everything you need to know about the G20 India mobile app:

Image: App Store

Top 10 things you need to know about the G20 India Mobile app

— The G20 India mobile available is available for downloading on Google’s Play Store for Android users and Apple’s App for iPhone users.

— The overall interface of the G20 India mobile app is similar to the G20 India website, and it highlights this year’s theme of ‘One Earth. One Family. One Future.’

— The G20 India mobile app supports a total of 10 languages, which includes English, Hindi, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese and Russian.

— The G20 India mobile app comes with an inbuilt Language Translation feature that enables users to translate both text and speech from one supported language to another.

— The G20 India mobile app also has a Explore India that is aimed at helping delegates to explore various facets of the country right from travel and tourism to India’s culture and India’s digital endeavours.

— There is a dedicated Calendar section in the app that highlights various conferences and meetings pertaining to the G20 Summit.

— The Navigation section in the app aims to help attendees to navigate from one location at the venue to another. Users can add their start and end locations to start the navigation.

— The Workstream section in the G20 India app will enable attendees to track Sherpas and Engagement Groups.

— The G20 India mobile app also has a dedicated section that will give users a virtual tour of the event location, that is, Bharat Mandapam.

— In addition to this, the G20 India mobile app also gives users access to all the announcements, videos and images from the summit.

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Engine performance

Coming to engine performance the petrol engine produces a peak power of 120PS at 5500RPM and a peak torque of 170Nm at 4000RPM. The diesel engine produces a maximum power of 115PS at 3750RPM and a peak torque of 260Nm at 2750RPM. It offers three drive modes- Eco, City and Sports. 

The new 2023 Tata Nexon offers 208mm of ground clearance and 382L of boot space and comes with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. 

Trims

Tata has ditched its old naming scheme for Nexon trims and opted for a new naming scheme for trims of the upcoming Nexon. The Nexon facelifts will be available in India in a total of 11 trim options, which include — Smart, Smart+, Smart+ (S), Pure, Pure (S), Creative, Creative+, Creative+ (S), Fearless, Fearless (S) and Fearless+ (S). Some of the features of the upcoming Nexon will vary depending on the trim one is opting for. Let’s have a detailed look at what each of the 2023 Tata Nexon facelifts has to offer.

Tata Nexon Smart, Smart+, Smart+ (S) trim features

First coming to the exterior of the 2023 Tata Nexon Facelift, in the front, all three trims- Smart, Smart+ and Smart+ (S) will get a high gloss black front grill, body coloured bumpers, black door handles, conventional front wiper blades, LED-based headlamps, high mount stop LED lamps, integrated rear spoiler, LED DRLs, ORMs with turn indicators, end-to-end LED tail lamps and R16 steels wheels. In addition to these features, Smart+ and Smart+ (S) trims will get a Shark-fin antenna and Smart+ (S) will also get an electric sunroof. 

Interior

Coming to the interior, all three trims will get two spoke steering, front and rear grab handles, painted PU gearknob, 4-inch LCD and centre console storage. 

Safety and Security

For safety and security, all three trims will get ABS with EBD, brake disc wiping, six airbags, electronic brake pre-fill, electronic stability program, hill hold control, day and night IRVM and reverse park assist.     

Infotainment 

Coming to infotainment, Smart+ and Smart+ (S) will get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch floating infotainment system, a microphone and four speakers. In addition to this, Smart+ (S) will also get FM/AM Bluetooth USB. 

Comfort and convenience

Coming to comfort and convenience, all three trims get adjustable tilt steering, manual HVAC, electronic tailgate opening, multi-drive modes and front door power windows. In addition to these features, Smart+ and Smart+ (S) will also get electronically foldable ORVMs, central locking with remote and switch, all door power windows, audio and phone steering mounted controls and a USB power outlet. In addition to this, Smart+ (S) will also get auto headlamps and rain-sensing wipers. 

Tata Nexon Pure and Pure (S) trim features

Tata Nexon Pure and Pure (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Smart+ in addition to black tape on A, B, and C pillars and sash areas, and integrated roof rails. Neon Pure (S) will also get an electronic sunroof with voice commands. 

Interior

Tata Nexon Pure and Pure (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Smart+ trim in addition to Gen-3 4-inch LCD digital and rear parcel tray 

Safety and Security

Tata Nexon Pure and Pure (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Smart+.

Infotainment 

Tata Nexon Pure and Pure (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Smart+ in addition to FM/AM Bluetooth USB and speed-dependable volume control. 

Comfort and convenience

Tata Nexon Pure and Pure (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Smart+ in addition to auto headlamps, follow-me-home home headlamps, height adjustable front seatbelts, rain-sensing wipers and rear power outlets. 

Tata Nexon Creative, Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trim features

Tata Nexon Creative, Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Pure in addition to a contrast roof and R16 alloy wheels with decorative inserts. Nexon Creative+ (S) will also get an electronic sunroof with voice commands. 

Interior

Tata Nexon Creative, Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Pure in addition to a chrome interior door handle finish and 7-inch TFT.

Safety and Security

Tata Nexon Creative, Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Pure in addition to reverse park assist with camera (dynamic guideways) and tyre pressure monitoring system. Nexon Creative+ and Nexon Creative+ (S) will also get a 360 surround view system with a front parking sensor and blind monitoring system.

Infotainment 

Tata Nexon Creative, Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Pure in addition to six speakers including two tweeters. Creative+ and Creative+ (S) will also get a 10-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system. 

Comfort and convenience

Tata Nexon Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Pure except the height-adjustable front-row seatbelt. Nexon Creative will not get height adjustable front row seatbelt, auto headlamps and rain-sensing wiper, which are available with Nexon Pure trim. 

Tata Nexon Creative, Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will also get a four-way adjustable driver seat, central locking with auto lock (with dedicated switch) with PEPS, cooled glove box, push button start/stop with key and rear wiper washer. In addition to this, Tata Nexon Creative+ and Creative+ (S) trims will also get cruise control.

Tata Nexon Fearless, Fearless (S), Fearless+ (S) trim features

Tata Nexon Fearless, Fearless (S), and Fearless+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Creative+ trim in addition to a stylized front wiper blade, LED DRL sequential with welcome function and LED tail lamp with welcome and goodbye function. In addition to this, Tata Nexon Fearless (S) and Fearless+ (S) will also get an electric sunroof with voice commands. 

Interior

Tata Nexon Fearless, Fearless (S), and Fearless+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Creative+ trim in addition to a 10.25-inch digital TFT and rear seat central armrest with cup holder. Tata Nexon Fearless+ (S) will also get Leatherette seats.

Safety and Security

Tata Nexon Fearless, Fearless (S), and Fearless+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Creative+ trim in addition to the rear de-fogger. 

Infotainment 

Tata Nexon Fearless, Fearless (S), and Fearless+ (S) trims will get all the features of the Nexon Creative+ trim. 

Comfort and convenience

Tata Nexon Fearless, Fearless (S), and Fearless+ (S) trims will get all the features of Nexon Creative+ trim in addition to an air purifier with dust sensor, cooled plus illuminated glove box, height adjustable front seatbelts, rear seat 60:40 split, wireless charger and express cool. Tata Nexon Fearless+ (S) will also get a four-way ventilated adjustable driver seat. 

The post 2023 Tata Nexon facelift is coming on September 14: All you need to know about its variants, features appeared first on Techlusive.

To make the arrangement foolproof, the administration is also taking the help of advanced technologies to keep an eye on elements that pose security threats to the summit and its attendees. All the CCTVs guarding Delhi’s borders and venues associated with the summit are equipped with intrusion alert and posture detection software. This software is developed by AI research company Staqu and will help security personnel to filter out suspicious movement. This advanced software will raise alarms and alerts if it finds any person scaling the wall, running or showing unusual body movements such as crawling or limping with a bent back. 

Security agencies are also regulating traffic in and around New Delhi from September 7 to September 11. Traffic restrictions have been placed around the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area and the flow of general traffic will remain affected on National Highway 48 (NH-48). To manage traffic effectively during the summit, the administration is using advanced traffic control measures and technologies including smart traffic signals, real-time traffic updates through mobile apps and traffic surveillance systems to ensure smooth flow and minimise congestion.

Even the sky has not been kept unguarded during the summit. The Indian Air Force is playing an important role in this with their advanced technologies and instruments. The IAF is deploying various technological systems such as drones, counter-drone systems, air defence missiles, and airborne surveillance platforms to protect dignities and delegates on the ground from any untoward incident. These systems will keep an eye on slow-moving small drones launched locally, missiles, and even planes such as those used in the 9/11 attacks.

It will also help the Indian Air Force in its graded process, which begins with radars and airborne sensors detecting any airborne threats. In the next step, they will help the Air Force identify the nature of the object in question and finally Air Force will take the most appropriate step to neutralize the threat. The assessment will be fast and will happen in real-time through IAF’s networks and nodes.

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The importance of the Aditya-L1 mission for India

Although ISRO has carried out several space missions in the past, Aditya-L1 holds more importance because it is meant to study the base of our solar system, the Sun. For far too long, India has studied the Sun through advanced telescopes on the ground, while relying on data from solar missions of other nations, such as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe. With increasing demand to study space and, more importantly, the impact of the Sun on our planet’s climate, it was never more urgent for ISRO to have its own large-scale observatory focused on the Sun than this time. Aditya-L1, thus, is an important mission for India.

Aditya-L1 Mission:
The satellite is healthy and operating nominally.

The first Earth-bound maneuvre (EBN#1) is performed successfully from ISTRAC, Bengaluru. The new orbit attained is 245km x 22459 km.

The next maneuvre (EBN#2) is scheduled for September 5, 2023, around 03:00… pic.twitter.com/sYxFzJF5Oq

— ISRO (@isro) September 3, 2023

ISRO has equipped the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, weighing 1,475kg, with seven payloads, four of which directly look at the Sun, while the other three will carry out in situ (on-site) analysis of particles and magnetic fields at and around the L1 point. The spacecraft will study coronal mass ejection, solar winds, solar flares and the disturbances caused by them mainly to map how the biggest star of our solar system manipulates the Earth’s atmosphere.

Here are the seven payloads waiting to become active as soon as the spacecraft parks itself in the halo orbit:

1. Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) – Corona Imaging & Spectroscopy

2. Solad Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) – Photosphere and Chromosphere Imaging- Narrow & Broadband

3. Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) – Soft X-ray spectrometer: Sun-as-a-star observation

4. High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) – Hard X-ray spectrometer: Sun-as-a-star observation

5. Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) – Solar wind/Particle Analyser Protons and Heavier Ions with directions

6. Plasma Analyser Package FOR Aditya (PAPA) – Solar wind/Particle Analyser Electrons and Heavier Ions with directions

7. Advantage Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers – In-situ magnetic field (Bx, By and Bz)

The data received from different payloads will be combined using different instruments to analyse different solar phenomena and make sense of a solar event. ISRO, thus, will be able to make informed decisions on the launch of future space missions. This data will also be used by the Indian Meteorological Department for weather forecasting and preemptively sending alerts for natural mishaps. The payloads in the spacecraft could also help understand space weather through a study of the environment around the L1 point.

PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:

The launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 is accomplished successfully.

The vehicle has placed the satellite precisely into its intended orbit.

India’s first solar observatory has begun its journey to the destination of Sun-Earth L1 point.

— ISRO (@isro) September 2, 2023

Besides, the mission will help the government and associated agencies to generate user-friendly information that may prove instrumental in maintaining satellite-dependent operations, such as telecommunications, cellphone towers, mobile internet, navigation, and power grids among others. The information received from the mission may help relevant agencies to plan their plan of action for an upcoming natural event.

The objectives of the Aditya-L1 mission

According to ISRO, the Aditya-L1 mission has the following science objectives:

• Study of solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.
• Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionised plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares
• Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun.
• Physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism.
• Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma: Temperature, velocity and density.
• Development, dynamics and origin of CMEs.
• Identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
• Magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona.
• Drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics of solar wind.

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Google Pixel 8 phones

One of the most important announcements Google is expected to make at its October event is of the new Pixel smartphones. The company may bring the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. For starters, these will be the company’s flagship devices. Both have been spotted on a few certifications and leaks giving out some details. Also, the Pixel 8 Pro was accidentally leaked by Google on its storefront.

The Google Pixel 8 is expected to come with a compact design featuring a 6.17-inch AMOLED display. It will likely be a flat panel with Full-HD+ resolution and up to 120Hz refresh rate. This will be an upgrade over its predecessor Pixel 7’s 90Hz screen. It is rumored to have a brightness of around 1400 nits.

It will most likely be powered by the latest Tensor G3 chipset with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB of UFS 4.0 base storage. The device could be equipped with a 4,485mAh cell with 24W fast charging support. It will boot on Android 14 OS out of the box.

Coming to the Pixel 8 Pro, it is rumored to feature a larger 6.7-inch panel with QHD+ resolution. It will likely be an OLED panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate and 1600 nits of peak brightness. The device may get a triple camera system with a 50MP main lens, a 64MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 48MP telephoto lens. This camera array is rumored to be assisted by an LED flash unit and infrared temperature sensor.

At the helm, the Pro model will also be powered by the Tensor G3 chipset octa-core chipset. It will have 12GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. It may pack a 4,950mAh battery with 27W fast charging support. It will evidently come with the new Android 14 OS.

Other details including the pricing and colors will be announced at the event in October.

Google Pixel Watch 2

Google will likely also launch a new wearable at the event. The company may announce the Pixel Watch successor, the Pixel Watch 2. Not much is known about the smartwatch. However, the smartwatch made it to the Play Console listing earlier this month.

The listing revealed the presence of the Qualcomm SW5100 chipset, which is believed to be the Snapdragon W5 SoC. It may have 2GB of RAM and boot on Android 13-based Wear OS 4. Furthermore, the smartwatch is reported to come with a larger battery of 306mAh. The existing Pixel Watch packs a 294mAh cell. It may come with ultrawide-band connectivity for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC support for payments.

Other than this, Google may do some software announcements at the October 4 event. But details for the same are yet to be known.

The post Google announces October 4 event: Here’s what to expect appeared first on Techlusive.

Ahead of the Apple’s September 12 event, here’s we expect the company to announce:

Everything Apple is likely to announce at its September 12 event

iPhone 15 series

Just like last year’s iPhone 14 series, the iPhone 15 series is likely to get four 5G-enabled iPhone models. The list includes the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus, both of which are expected to get the A16 Bionic chipset, and the iPhone 15 Pro and the iPhone 15 Pro Max that are likely to get the next-gen A17 Bionic chipset. As per reports, the colours that company used in its invite for the event — Blue, Gold and Grey — are the colours in which we could see the Pro series iPhone models this year.

Furthermore, reports also suggest that Apple could introduce a USB Type-C port in the iPhone 15 series, which would in line with the Europe’s new rules. The iPhone 15 series is also expected to feature slimmer screen bezels and slightly more curved edges compared to the iPhone 14 series. Apple is also likely to introduce an Action Button this year. However, this is likely to be restricted to more premium iPhone 15 Pro models. Lastly, we could also see Apple bumping up the charging tech in the iPhone 15 series. As per reports, the iPhone 15 series could get a 35W fast charger compared to iPhone 14 series’ 20W charging tech.

Watch Series 9

Upgrades to the Apple Watch Series is one of the announcements that is customary to Apple’s September events. This year, Apple is likely to announce the Watch Series 9 at the event. While the company is not likely to make significant changes to the overall design of the Watch Series 9 compared to last year’s Apple Watch Series 8, it is likely to introduce a new S9 chip that will be a closer relative of the A15 Bionic chipset.

New Apple Watch Ultra

Another device that is likely to get an upgrade this year is the Apple Watch Ultra. Apple introduced the first-gen Watch Ultra last year at its September 2023. Since then, it has been the zenith of what a smartwatch can achieve. Now, word is that Apple can launch an upgraded version of the Apple Watch Ultra this year. This smartwatch is expected to get the same chipset, that is the Apple S9, that will be available in the Apple Watch Series 9. It is also expected to be lighter than last year’s Apple Watch owing to the use of some 3D printed components.

AirPods with USB Type-C charging

Apple is also expected to launch new AirPods with a USB Type-C charging port. The report comes as courtesy of Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman who said, “To match the new iPhones, Apple will introduce updated AirPods at the event that include a USB-C charging port.” Details beyond this remain unclear for now.

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What is Ethanol fuel, though? How is it better or worse than your regular fossil fuels? And what are its benefits? Let us talk about each of them in detail.

What is ethanol fuel or flex fuel?

Flex fuel essentially is a blend of ethanol in conventional fuel to make it environment-friendly and cost-effective. But to understand that, let us first understand what ethanol is. Also known as ethyl alcohol, it is a biofuel that is produced when agricultural waste of crops such as sugarcane, maize, barley, and corn are left to ferment. As part of India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, ethanol is mixed with petrol to form a biofuel that can reduce the dependence on non-renewable resources while also contributing to the environment.

Ethanol fuel is anhydrous, which means it contains no water and is best suited to mix with petrol to form a flexible fuel. The carbon emissions from flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) are significantly lower than those of the vehicles running on fossil fuels, like petrol and diesel.

How is it better than petrol?

Although ethanol fuel requires some proportions of it to be petrol, it is both more environment-friendly and more cost-effective than petrol. According to a study by the US Department of Energy, published by Argonne National Laboratory in 2021, ethanol made of corn has 44 percent to 52 percent lower GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions than petrol.

And even though there still is a substantial amount of carbon released into the atmosphere when flex fuel is burnt, it is offset by the carbon dioxide captured when the feedstock crops are grown for the production of ethanol. In other words, the crops that are later processed for the production of ethanol consume carbon dioxide from the environment, leaving a negligible carbon footprint. Petrol, on the other hand, has no such system for the offset of emissions.

On the economical side, it is cost-effective, too. Ethanol-blended petrol is cheaper than high-performance petrol. That is because it has a higher octane rating than petrol, which means it can improve engine performance and efficiency. The current price of ethanol is Rs 65.60 per litre, and at present, only 10 percent ethanol is blended in petrol. However, the government wants to double this quantity by 2025.

How is it worse than petrol?

Although ethanol fuel is the need of the hour, it, too, has some drawbacks. First, ethanol-blended petrol has a lower energy content than petrol, which results in lower fuel economy. In other words, it will give you a lower mileage than petrol. That, however, should not be a big deal considering the cost of flex-fuel is also lower than that of petrol. Another disadvantage is that ethanol can cause damage to small engines and engines that are not designed to run on blended fuel. Although different car makers are gradually coming up with options for vehicles that run on ethanol fuel in their portfolio, it can cause your regular car engine to malfunction if fed inadvertently.

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